§  0.21   Functions of the Office.

   The Office of Economics and Analytics advises and makes recommendations
   to the Commission in the areas of economic and data analysis and data
   management policy. The Office reviews all Commission actions involving
   significant economic or data analysis and provides expertise, guidance,
   and assistance to the Bureaus and other Offices in applying the
   principles of economic and data analysis. The Office coordinates the
   Commission's research and development activities relating to economic
   and data analysis and data management policy. In addition, the Office
   serves, in close coordination with other relevant Bureaus and Offices,
   as a principal resource for policy and administrative staff of the
   Commission with regard to the design, implementation, and
   administration of auctions. The Office also establishes and implements
   Commission data management policies in conjunction with the relevant
   Bureaus and Offices and with the Office of Managing Director and Office
   of General Counsel. The Office of Economics and Analytics has the
   following duties and responsibilities:

   (a) Identifies and evaluates significant communications policy issues,
   based on the principles and methods of economics and data analysis.

   (b) Collaborates with and advises other Bureaus and Offices in the
   areas of economic and data analysis and with respect to the analysis of
   benefits, costs, and regulatory impacts of Commission policies, rules,
   and proposals.

   (c) Prepares a rigorous, economically-grounded cost-benefit analysis
   for every rulemaking deemed to have an annual effect on the economy of
   $100 million or more.

   (d) Confirms that the Office of Economics and Analytics has reviewed
   each Commission rulemaking to ensure it is complete before release to
   the public.

   (e) Reviews and comments on all significant issues of economic and data
   analysis raised in connection with actions proposed to be taken by the
   Commission and advises the Commission regarding such issues.

   (f) Develops, recommends, and implements data management policies in
   conjunction with the Office of Managing Director, the Office of General
   Counsel, and relevant Bureaus and Offices, and collaborates with and
   advises other Bureaus and Offices with respect to data management and
   data analysis.

   (g) Manages the Commission's economic and data analysis research
   programs, recommends budget levels and priorities for these programs,
   and serves as central account manager for all contractual economic and
   data analysis research studies funded by the Commission.

   (h) Conducts economic, statistical, cost-benefit, and other data
   analysis of the impact of existing and proposed communications policies
   and operations, including cooperative studies with other staff units
   and consultant and contract efforts as appropriate.

   (i) Coordinates the Commission's evaluation of government (state and
   federal), academic, and industry-sponsored research affecting
   Commission policy.

   (j) Coordinates with other Bureaus and Offices in making
   recommendations to the Commission on communications policy issues that
   involve economic and data analysis, to include cost-benefit analysis;
   represents the Commission at appropriate discussions and conferences.

   (k) Develops and recommends procedures and plans for effective economic
   and data analysis, to include cost-benefit analysis, within the
   Commission.

   (l) Seeks to ensure that FCC policy encourages and promotes competitive
   markets by providing Bureaus and Offices with the necessary support to
   identify, evaluate, and resolve competition issues.

   (m) Serves as the Commission's principal policy and administrative
   staff resource with regard to auction design and implementation issues.
   Jointly with the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, Media Bureau,
   Wireline Competition Bureau, and/or other relevant Bureaus and Offices,
   develops, recommends, and administers policies, programs and rules, and
   advises the Commission on policy, engineering, and technical matters,
   concerning auctions of spectrum for wireless telecommunications and
   broadcast services and uses of competitive bidding to achieve other
   Commission policy objectives, including universal service support.
   Administers procurement of auction-related services from outside
   contractors. Oversees auctions conducted on behalf of the Commission by
   third parties at the direction of the Commission. Provides policy,
   administrative, and technical assistance to other Bureaus and Offices
   on auction issues. Advises and makes recommendations to the Commission,
   or acts for the Commission under delegated authority, in all matters
   pertaining to auction implementation. These activities include:
   Conducting auctions, policy development and coordination; conducting
   rulemaking and adjudicatory proceedings, including complaint
   proceedings for matters not within the responsibility of the
   Enforcement Bureau; acting on waivers of rules; compliance and
   enforcement activities for matters not within the responsibility of the
   Enforcement Bureau; determining resource impacts of existing, planned
   or recommended Commission activities concerning auctions, and
   developing and recommending resource deployment priorities. Exercises
   such authority as may be assigned, delegated, or referred to it by the
   Commission.

   (n) With respect to applicable data and reporting duties assigned to
   the Office, coordinates with the Public Safety and Homeland Security
   Bureau and other relevant Bureaus and Offices on all matters affecting
   public safety, homeland security, national security, emergency
   management, disaster management, and related issues.

   (o) With respect to applicable data and reporting duties assigned to
   the Office, and in coordination with the Wireline Competition Bureau
   and the Wireless Telecommunications Bureau, provides federal staff
   support for the Federal-State Joint Board on Universal Service and the
   Federal-State Joint Board on Jurisdictional Separations.

   (p) In coordination with other relevant Bureaus and Offices, provides
   economic, financial, and technical analyses of communications markets
   and provider performance.

   (q) In coordination with the Wireline Competition Bureau, provides
   technical support for de novo review of decisions of the Administrative
   Council for Terminal Attachments regarding technical criteria pursuant
   to § 68.614 of this chapter.

   (r) Prepares briefings, position papers, and proposed Commission
   actions, as appropriate.

   (s) In coordination with other relevant Bureaus and Offices, develops
   and recommends responses to legislative, regulatory or judicial
   inquiries and proposals concerning or affecting matters within the
   purview of its functions.

   (t) Administers part 1, subparts V and W, of this chapter, including
   rulemaking.

   [ 83 FR 63075 , Dec. 7, 2018, as amended at  85 FR 34526 , June 5, 2020]

   

Office of Engineering and Technology