Title 47
SECTION 73.3701
73.3701 Reimbursement under the Reimbursement Expansion Act.
§ 73.3701 Reimbursement under the Reimbursement Expansion Act.(a) Definitions - (1) Eligibility Certification/Reimbursement Form. For purposes of this section, the term Eligibility Certification/Reimbursement Form means the form(s) developed by the Media Bureau for processing reimbursement requests under the Reimbursement Expansion Act.
(2) FM station. For purposes of this section, the term FM station means an “FM broadcast station” as defined in § 73.310.
(3) Incentive Auction. For purposes of this section, the term Incentive Auction means the broadcast television spectrum incentive auction and repacking process conducted under section 6403 of the Spectrum Act specifying the new channel assignments and technical parameters of any broadcast television stations that are reassigned to new channels.
(4) Licensed. For purposes of this section, the term licensed means a station that was licensed or that had an application for a license to cover on file with the Commission on April 13, 2017.
(5) Low power television station. For purposes of this section, the term low power television station means a low power television station as defined in 47 CFR 74.701.
(6) Predetermined cost estimate. For purposes of this section, predetermined cost estimate means the estimated cost of an eligible expense as generally determined by the Media Bureau in a catalog of expenses eligible for reimbursement.
(7) Reimbursement Expansion Act or REA. For purposes of this section, the term Reimbursement Expansion Act or REA means Division E, Financial Services & General Appropriation Act, 2018, Title V Independent Agencies, Public Law 115-141, Section 511 (codified at 47 U.S.C. 1452(j)-(n)) adopted as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2018, Public Law 115-141 (2018).
(8) Reimbursement period. For purposes of this section, reimbursement period means the period ending July 3, 2023, pursuant to section 511(j)(3)(B) of the REA.
(9) Replacement translator station. For purposes of this section, the term replacement translator station means analog to digital replacement translator stations authorized pursuant to 47 CFR 74.787(a)(5).
(10) Spectrum Act. For purposes of this section, the term Spectrum Act means Title VI of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (Pub. L. 112-96).
(11) Special Displacement Window. For purposes of this section, the term Special Displacement Window means the displacement application filing window conducted April 10, 2018 to June 1, 2018 for low power television, TV translator, and analog-to-digital replacement translator stations that were displaced by the incentive auction and repacking process.
(12) Transmitting. For purposes of this section, the term transmitting means a low power television station, TV translator station, or replacement translator station operating not less than 2 hours in each day of the week and not less than a total of 28 hours per calendar week for 9 of the 12 months prior to April 13, 2017.
(13) Reimbursement Fund. For purposes of this section, the Reimbursement Fund means the additional funding established by the REA.
(14) TV translator station. For purposes of this section, the term TV translator station means a “television broadcast translator station” as defined in 47 CFR 74.701.
(b) Eligibility for reimbursement. Only the following entities are eligible for reimbursement of relocation costs reasonably incurred:
(1) Low power television stations. Low power television stations that filed an application for construction permit during the Special Displacement Window and such application was subsequently granted. Station must have been licensed and transmitting for not less than 2 hours in each day of the week and not less than a total of 28 hours per calendar week for 9 of the 12 months prior to April 13, 2017.
(2) TV translator stations. TV translator stations that filed an application for construction permit during the Special Displacement Window and such application was subsequently granted. Station must have been licensed and transmitting for not less than 2 hours in each day of the week and not less than a total of 28 hours per calendar week for 9 of the 12 months prior to April 13, 2017.
(3) Replacement translator stations. Replacement translator stations that filed an application for construction permit during the Special Displacement Window and such application was subsequently granted. Station must have been licensed and transmitting for not less than 2 hours in each day of the week and not less than a total of 28 hours per calendar week for 9 of the 12 months prior to April 13, 2017.
(4) FM station. FM stations licensed and transmitting as of April 13, 2017, that experienced, at the site at which they were licensed and transmitting on that date, a disruption of service as a result of the reorganization of broadcast television spectrum under 47 U.S.C. 1452(b).
(c) Reimbursement process - (1) Estimated costs. (i) All entities that are eligible to receive reimbursement will be required to file an estimated cost form providing an estimate of their reasonably incurred costs and provide supporting documentation.
(ii) Each eligible entity that submits an estimated cost form will be required to certify on its Eligibility Certification/Reimbursement Form inter alia, that:
(A) It is eligible for reimbursement;
(B) It believes in good faith that it will reasonably incur all of the estimated costs that it claims are eligible for reimbursement on the estimated cost form;
(C) It will use all money received from the Reimbursement Fund only for expenses it believes in good faith are eligible for reimbursement;
(D) It will comply with all policies and procedures relating to allocations, draw downs, payments, obligations, and expenditures of money from the Reimbursement Fund;
(E) It will maintain detailed records, including receipts, of all costs eligible for reimbursement actually incurred;
(F) It will file all required documentation of its relocation expenses as instructed by the Media Bureau;
(G) It has not received nor does it expect to receive reimbursement from other sources for costs for which they are requesting reimbursement from the REA; and
(H) Low power television stations, TV translator stations, and replacement translator stations must certify compliance with the minimum operating requirement set forth in paragraph (b)(1), (2), or (3) of this section.
(I) FM stations must certify that they were licensed and transmitting at the facility implicated by the Incentive Auction on April 13, 2017.
(iii) If an eligible entity seeks reimbursement for new equipment, it must provide a justification as to why it is reasonable under the circumstances to purchase new equipment rather than modify its corresponding current equipment.
(iv) Eligible entities that submit their own cost estimates, as opposed to the predetermined cost estimates provided in the estimated cost form, must submit supporting evidence and certify that the estimate is made in good faith.
(2) Final Allocation Deadline. (i) Upon completing construction or other reimbursable changes, or by a specific deadline prior to the end of the Reimbursement Period to be established by the Media Bureau, whichever is earlier, all eligible entities that received an initial allocation from the Reimbursement Fund must provide the Commission with information and documentation, including invoices and receipts, regarding their actual expenses incurred as of a date to be determined by the Media Bureau (the “Final Allocation Deadline”).
(ii) If an eligible entity has not yet completed construction or other reimbursable changes by the Final Allocation Deadline, it must provide the Commission with information and documentation regarding any remaining eligible expenses that it expects to reasonably incur.
(3) Final accounting. After completing all construction or reimbursable changes, eligible entities that have received money from the Reimbursement Fund will be required to submit final expense documentation containing a list of estimated expenses and actual expenses as of a date to be determined by the Media Bureau. Entities that have finished construction and have submitted all actual expense documentation by the Final Allocation Deadline will not be required to file at the final accounting stage.
(4) Documentation requirements. (i) Each eligible entity that receives payment from the Reimbursement Fund is required to retain all relevant documents pertaining to construction or other reimbursable changes for a period ending not less than 10 years after the date on which it receives final payment from the Reimbursement Fund.
(ii) Each eligible entity that receives payment from the Reimbursement Fund must make available all relevant documentation upon request from the Commission or its contractor.
[84 FR 11252, Mar. 26, 2019]