PUBLIC NOTICE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION 1919 M STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, D.C. 20554 컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴컴� News Media Information (202) 418-0500. Internet Anonymous FTP site: ftp.fcc.gov Released: October 4, 1996 DA 96-1664 THE NORTH AMERICAN NUMBERING COUNCIL CHAI RMAN ANNOUNCES ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE AND SEEKS WORKING GROUP AND TASK FORCE PARTICIPANTS (CC Docket No. 92-237) I. Background On October 1, 1996, the North American Numbering Council (NANC), a Federal Advisory Committee established pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C., App. 2 (1988) (FACA), held its initial meeting at the Federal Communications Commission (Commission). The NANC was established to advise the Commission and other North American Numbering Plan (NANP) member countries on issues related to NANP administration, and to advise the Commission on local number portability administration issues in the United States. Among other tasks, the NANC must recommend to the Commission a new neutral NANP Administrator and one or more neutral Local Number Portability Administrator(s) (LNPA(s)). Several working groups and task forces will address specific tasks and issues regarding numbering administration and local number portability and report to the NANC. This Notice describes the tentative structure for these groups, identifies the tasks of the working groups and the task forces within those groups, and seeks nominations for participants with appropriate expertise to serve on them. As will be evident from the tasks and deadlines described below, participants in the working groups and task forces will be expected to be able to offer a substantial time commitment from the outset. II. NANC Structure The tasks and objectives of the working groups and task forces are described below. The NANC, by issuance of this Public Notice, seeks individuals with specialized expertise to serve on the North American Numbering Plan Administration Working Group and the Local Number Portability Administration (LNPA) Selection Working Group, and on associated task forces. All such participants should have a willingness and ability to dedicate the time and resources necessary to effectively accomplish the tasks and objectives of their group. The NANC intends that this organizational structure will enable all interested parties to express their views. A. Steering Group The Steering Group held its first meeting immediately following the October 1st meeting of the NANC. The NANC Chairman announced formation of the Steering Group composed of 13 Council members. The Steering Group will oversee the process of the other working groups in meeting their project milestones and will act as a liaison between the other working groups and the NANC. In this capacity, the Steering Group will select the participants on the working groups and task forces identified below. The Steering Group will also study and recommend to the NANC a method for introducing future issues, including issues related to code and number conservation, for consideration by the NANC, and will study and recommend whether the NANC should seek to renew its charter as an advisory committee in October 1997. 1. Dispute Resolution Task Force This Task Force will develop and recommend to the NANC procedures for addressing and initially resolving disputes regarding numbering administration. It would be useful for the task force's participants to be familiar with dispute resolution procedures used in different fora. B. North American Numbering Plan Administration Working Group The NANP Administration Working Group will develop and advise the NANC on an appropriate process for selecting a neutral NANP Administrator. It is proposed that this working group will have three task forces: (1) Cost Recovery Task Force; (2) Transition Planning Task Force for Current NANP Administration Functions; and (3) Transition Planning Task Force for Central Office (CO) Code Administration Functions. The Working Group will coordinate with its task forces issues related to the recovery of the costs of NANP administration and the transfer of number administration functions. The NANC is seeking members to participate on the NANP Administration Working Group. It would be useful for such participants to have one or more of the following: (1) familiarity with the operations of the current number administration system from either the perspective of administrator or the perspective of entities that use numbering resources, including the functions of the current NANP Administrator and the Central Office Code Administrators; (2) familiarity with the technical and operational workings of the telecommunications network; and (3) experience with contracting proposals. 1. Cost Recovery Task Force The NANP Administration Cost Recovery Task Force will report to the NANP Administration working group. This task force will assist the NANP Administration Working Group in formulating and making a recommendation to the NANC of a mechanism for recovering the costs of the administration of the NANP in the United States on a competitively neutral basis. It would be useful for participants to have one or more of the following: (1) a background in or knowledge of economics, accounting, or both; (2) familiarity with the pricing mechanisms in the telecommunications industry; and (3) familiarity with the operations of the current number administration system, including the functions of the current NANP Administrator and the Central Office Code Administrators. 2. Transition Planning Task Force for Current NANP Administration Functions The Transition Planning Task Force for Current NANP Administration Functions will assist the NANP Administration Working Group in developing a plan to transfer to the new NANP Administrator number administration functions that are performed by the current NANP Administrator within ninety days of selection of the new Administrator. It would be useful for participants on this Task Force to be familiar with the operations of the current NANP Administrator. 3. Transition Planning Task Force for Central Office (CO) Code Administration Functions The Transition Planning Task Force for CO Code Administration Functions will assist the NANP Administration Working Group in developing a plan for the transfer of CO Code administration functions from the incumbent local exchange carriers to the new, neutral NANP Administrator within eighteen months of the completion of the transfer of the current NANP Administrator's functions to the new Administrator. It would be useful for participants to have one or more of the following: (1) knowledge of the operations of the current CO code administrators; (2) knowledge in forecasting area code exhaust and planning for area code relief; and (3) familiarity with the operation of the current NANP Administrator. C. Local Number Portability Administration (LNPA) Selection Working Group The NANC must recommend to the Commission no later than May 1, 1997 one or more entities to serve as LNPA(s). The LNPA Working Group will develop and advise the NANC on an appropriate process for selecting an entity or entities to serve as LNPA(s), whether one or multiple LNPA(s) should be selected, whether the LNPA can be the same entity as the NANP Administrator, and what the specific duties of the LNPA(s) should be. The LNPA will also direct implementation of a nationwide system of regional SMS databases for number portability, and will determine possible future SMS needs. It would be useful for participants in this working group to have one or more of the following: (1) technical and operational expertise with respect to number portability mechanisms; (2) experience with state-based efforts in local number portability; and (3) expertise in the operations of existing SMS databases. 1. LNPA Architecture Planning Task Force This Task Force will assist the LNPA Working Group in recommending to the Commission, through coordination with the industry, a database architecture plan for the national number portability system. Such recommendation must address the geographic coverage of the regional databases and the locations of the regional databases. It would be useful for participants to have one or more of the following: (1) experience with state- based efforts in local number portability; and (2) knowledge of operations of existing industry-wide databases. 2. LNPA Technical and Operational Requirements Task Force This Task Force must recommend to the Commission a plan, developed through coordination with the industry, for the technical and operational requirements of the national number portability database system. The Task Force will address, among other things, technical interoperability and operational standards for the database system, user and network interface standards, and technical specifications for the regional databases. It would be useful for participants to have one or more of the following: (1) technical and operational expertise with respect to number portability mechanisms; (2) experience with state-based efforts in local number portability; and (3) knowledge of operations of existing industry-wide databases. D. Legal Expertise In addition to the specialized expertise sought for the individual working groups and task forces described above, the NANC seeks individuals with legal expertise to ensure that potential legal issues that arise in the context of the tasks to performed by working groups and associated task forces are identified and recommended solutions developed for each. Individuals with expertise in contract law and in the establishment of Limited Liability Corporations are specifically encouraged to apply. III. Nomination Procedures and Timeline Nominations for participation on any of the working groups or task forces described above should include the following information about the nominee: (1) name, company affiliation, address, telephone number, facsimile number, and E-mail address, if available; (2) the working group(s) and/or task force(s) for which he or she is being nominated; and (3) a brief description of how the nominee's experience and skills would match the needs of the working group(s) and/or task force(s) he or she is being nominated to serve on. Nominations for participation on any of the working groups or task forces must be made no later than October 15, 1996. Nominations should be sent by e-mail, if possible, to lsimms@fcc.gov. A written copy of any nominations must also be filed with the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission, 1919 M Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20554, and must reference CC Docket No. 92-237. Members selected will be notified and should expect initial working group meetings to occur no later than November 7, 1996. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Marian Gordon, Designated Federal Official of the North American Numbering Council, (202) 418-2337 or Mary DeLuca, Alternate Designated Federal Official of the North American Numbering Council, (202) 418-2334. The address for both is: Network Services Division, Common Carrier Bureau, Federal Communications Commission, 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 235, Washington, D.C. 20054. The fax number for both is: (202) 418-2345. The TTY number for both is: (202) 418-0484.