§  1.21003   Competitive bidding process.

   (a) Public Notice of Competitive Bidding Procedures. Detailed
   competitive bidding procedures shall be established by public notice
   prior to the commencement of competitive bidding any time competitive
   bidding is conducted pursuant to this subpart.

   (b) Competitive Bidding Procedures. The public notice detailing
   competitive bidding procedures may establish any of the following:

   (1) Limits on the public availability of information regarding
   applicants, applications, and bids during a period of time covering the
   competitive bidding process, as well as procedures for parties to
   report the receipt of such non-public information during such periods;

   (2) The way in which support may be made available for multiple
   identified areas by competitive bidding, e.g., simultaneously or
   sequentially, and if the latter, in what grouping, if any, and order;

   (3) The acceptable form for bids, including whether and how bids will
   be accepted on individual items and/or for combinations or packages of
   items;

   (4) Reserve prices, either for discrete items or combinations or
   packages of items, as well as whether the reserve prices will be public
   or non-public during the competitive bidding process;

   (5) The methods and times for submission of bids, whether remotely, by
   telephonic or electronic transmission, or in person;

   (6) The number of rounds during which bids may be submitted, e.g., one
   or more, and procedures for ending the bidding;

   (7) Measurements of bidding activity in the aggregate or by individual
   applicants, together with requirements for minimum levels of bidding
   activity;

   (8) Acceptable bid amounts at the opening of and over the course of
   bidding;

   (9) Consistent with the public interest objectives of the competitive
   bidding, the process for reviewing bids and determining the winning
   bidders and the amount(s) of universal service support that each
   winning bidder may apply for, pursuant to applicable post-auction
   procedures;

   (10) Procedures, if any, by which bidders may withdraw bids; and

   (11) Procedures by which bidding may be delayed, suspended, or canceled
   before or after bidding begins for any reason that affects the fair and
   efficient conduct of the bidding, including natural disasters,
   technical failures, administrative necessity, or any other reason.

   (c) Apportioning Package Bids. If the public notice establishing
   detailed competitive bidding procedures adopts procedures for bidding
   for support on combinations or packages of geographic areas, the public
   notice also shall establish a methodology for apportioning such bids
   among the geographic areas within the combination or package for
   purposes of implementing any Commission rule or procedure that requires
   a discrete bid for support in relation to a specific geographic area.

   (d) Public Notice of Competitive Bidding Results. After the conclusion
   of competitive bidding, a public notice shall identify the winning
   bidders that may apply for the offered universal service support and
   the amount(s) of support for which they may apply, and shall detail the
   application procedures.

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