Ariz. Admin. Code § R14-2-B1222 - Administrator Responsibilities; Contributions to and Disbursements from the AUSF

A. The Administrator shall be responsible for administering the E-rate Broadband Special Construction Project Matching Fund Program and, in doing so, shall comply with R14-2-A1211 and R14-2-A1214.

B. The Administrator shall:

1. Determine the surcharge rates to fund the E-rate Broadband Special Construction Project Matching Fund Program, subject to Commission approval;

2. Obtain surcharge collections; and

3. Make disbursements from the AUSF for state matching funds as authorized by the Department of Education and the Commission or its Staff designee, as provided in this Section.

C. The increase to the existing surcharge to fund the E-rate Broadband Special Construction Project Matching Fund Program shall be separately calculated and implemented in accordance with R14-2-A1204, R14-2-A1205(B) through (E), R14-2-A1206(A) through (C), and R14-2-A1207.

D. E-rate Broadband Special Construction Project Matching Fund Program surcharges shall not be collected for a period longer than 12 months unless the surcharge collections from carriers in that 12-month period do not produce $8 million in total funding. If the amount collected is less than the $8 million cap, the increase in the AUSF surcharge for this Program shall continue until the $8 million cap is reached. If the collections produce more than $8 million in the 12-month period, the Commission Staff shall make a recommendation to the Commission regarding the disposition of the over-collected funds.

E. A telecommunications service provider may collect the E-rate Broadband Special Construction Project Matching Fund Program surcharges from its customers in any manner it reasonably determines to be best for its business and its customers, but shall not in the aggregate collect more than that authorized by the Commission. The telecommunications service providers shall report and submit payment of assessments according to the schedule established by the Administrator.

F. Within 30 days from the effective date of these rules, each telecommunications service provider that interconnects to the public switched network shall provide a letter to the Administrator acknowledging the telecommunications service provider's obligation to pay the new E-rate Broadband Special Construction Project Matching Fund Program surcharges authorized in this Part. Failure to provide such a letter may be grounds for denying the service provider interconnection with the public switched network, upon notice and opportunity to be heard before the Commission.

G. An applicant shall:

1. After accepting an eligible provider's bid for an ESC, notify within 15 days the Department of Education and the Administrator of the bid amount accepted so that the Administrator may allocate funds for the ESC; and

2. After the vendor completes the project, submit to the Department of Education and Administrator a request for disbursement of the funds allocated for the ESC.

H. The Administrator shall disburse AUSF funds allocated for an applicant's ESC upon approval from the Commission or its Staff designee.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R14-2-B1222

New Section made by final rulemaking at 23 A.A.R. 2822, effective 9/20/2017.