Attachment 1.1 - NANPA-PA TRD.docx

COMBINED NANPA/PA TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS DOCUMENT

Description/Specifications June 26, 2020

Combined NANPA/PA Technical Requirements Document (TRD) Table of Contents

273FCC20R0007

Attachment 1.1

Section 1: Introduction

1.1 Purpose

This document defines the North American Numbering Plan (NANP) Administrator’s technical, operational, and system requirements, and describes the full functionality and services required of the designated North American Numbering Plan Administrator (NANPA) in fulfilling the contract requirements. The functionality of the NANPA also include the Pooling Administrator (PA) function (i.e., the administration of thousands-block number pooling and p-ANI resources) and references throughout this document to “Numbering Resources[footnoteRef:2]” include thousands-blocks and p-ANIs, as well as all other NANP resources administered by the NANPA and PA (NANPA/PA).[footnoteRef:3] The selected contractor shall, at the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC’s) discretion, perform the duties of the NANPA for the term determined by the FCC. The “contractor” in this document refers to the vendor to be selected the NANPA/PA. [2: See definition of Numbering Resources in Appendix A.] [3: Throughout this document, the term NANPA/PA refers to the NANPA and PA roles collectively and, for convenience, in reference to a function particular to the NANPA (such, for example, the functions described in Section 4, Geographic Central Office (CO) Code Administration) or PA (such as, for example, the functions described in Section 5, Geographic Thousands-Block Pooling Administration).]

This document serves as an umbrella and reference document to other resources, such as industry guidelines (i.e., any guidelines referenced in Section 16), United States Federal Communications Commission (FCC or Commission) orders, technical standards, and technical requirements that support the NANP.

The technical requirements are contained in several documents. Should there be conflicts between or among these documents, the order of precedence is:

1. Section 252(e) of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended (47 U.S.C. § 251(e))

2. Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 47, Volume 3, Subpart B—Common Carrier Services (Continued), Parts 40-69 (Reference 42);

3. Applicable FCC orders (including, but not limited to, References 1, 2, 3, 4, 32, 33, 37, 43, and 44);

4. Any Change Orders that have been approved by the FCC and implemented by the contractor;

5. The Performance Work Statement

6. This document;

7. The relevant industry guidelines for the Numbering Resource being administered;

8. Other related documents listed in Section 16, List of References, of this document.

1.2 Scope

This document describes the technical responsibilities of the contractor selected by the FCC to serve as the NANPA/PA. The primary scope of this document is to define the NANPA/PA’s performance within the United States.[footnoteRef:4] The NANPA/PA’s role in the United States includes the following functional areas: Overall NANP Administration, Central Office (CO) Code Administration, Thousands-Block Pooling Administration, p-ANI administration, Numbering Plan Area (NPA) Relief Planning, Collection and Analysis of Utilization and Forecast Data, Report Generation, and all other related NANP Administration and other Numbering Resource functions. [4: United States means the United States and its territories. ]

Each of the Numbering Resources and functions of the NANPA/PA’s roles are described further in this document.

The contractor shall deploy a system that houses all Numbering Resource-related data, accommodates the actual volume of data, and provides real time access to that data by multiple users. The system also shall have a web interface to facilitate access and data input capabilities, allows for generation of reports, and interfaces with all designated parties.

1.3 Background

The NANP is the basic numbering scheme for the telecommunications networks (e.g., Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN)) located in Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Maarten, Saint Kitts & Nevis, Saint. Lucia, Saint. Vincent & the Grenadines, Trinidad & Tobago, Turks & Caicos Islands, and the United States (including Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and American Samoa).[footnoteRef:5] The format of the NANP is consistent with International Telecommunication Union (ITU) Recommendation E.164 “The International Public Telecommunication Numbering Plan” and follows a 10-digit telephone number format. Each digit in a telephone number is identified by an alphabetical character in the order ABC-DEF-GHIJ, consisting of a 3digit NPA (ABC), a 3digit CO Code (DEF), and a 4digit Line Number (GHIJ). This is in the format NXX-NXX-XXXX, where: N = digits 2 to 9 and X = digits 0 to 9 (e.g., 613 is the NPA code in the NANP number 6135550100). [5: 47 CFR §52.5(d).]

In 1995, the FCC determined that a neutral non-governmental entity not closely associated with any industry segment should serve as the NANPA. This was to ensure that NANP resources are used efficiently and to ensure that service providers have access to the Numbering Resources they need to compete in the telecommunications marketplace. In 1997, the FCC selected a contractor to perform that function through a competitive bidding process, and periodic bidding processes have been conducted since then.

In 2000, the FCC determined that thousands-block number pooling would significantly extend the life of the NANP and issued its first Numbering Resource Optimization order (FCC 00-104, Reference 1) establishing a “national” pooling contractor (i.e., the Pooling Administrator or PA). In the United States, thousands-block number pooling involves the allocation of blocks of 1,000 sequential telephone numbers within the same 10,000 number Central Office (CO) Code (CO Code or NXX) to multiple service providers, who serve customers within the same NPA rate center. Thousands-blocks are allocated from a shared industry inventory, and thousands-block pooling improves the utilization of Numbering Resources.

In 2011, the FCC determined that the Routing Number Administrator (RNA) function would be administered by the Pooling Administrator (PA). The RNA is responsible for administering non-dialable pseudo-Automatic Number Identification numbers (p-ANIs) used for routing emergency calls. A p-ANI is a number, consisting of the same number of digits as an Automatic Number Identification (ANI), which is not a North American Numbering Plan telephone directory number and may be used in place of an ANI to convey special meaning to the selective router, public safety answering point (PSAP), and other elements of the 911 system.

In 2018, the FCC issued an order (Reference 44) directing the North American Numbering Council (NANC) to develop a technical requirements document for review by the FCC, containing a single, unified set of functional and interface requirements for a combined NANPA and PA entity. This NANPA/PA Technical Requirements Document is the response to that order.

The following terminology is employed in this document: the “FCC” refers to the Federal Communications Commission or its authorized agents; an “auditor” is an FCC-designated auditor; “service providers” refers to telecommunications carriers or other assignees that utilize Numbering Resources to provide or establish telecommunications services; “regulatory agencies” refers both to the FCC and the various State Commissions; the “contractor” refers to the vendor selected to be the NANPA/PA; a “subcontractor” refers to an organization providing services to the contractor; a “user” is a service provider or other applicant accessing the NANP administration system; a “constituent” is the most inclusive term and can include service providers and applicants, service provider consultants, the Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC) vendor, , the LERGTM Routing Guide[footnoteRef:6] vendor, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), 9-1-1 system service providers, 9-1-1 governing authorities and other regulatory agencies, the media, and the general public. [6: LERG™ Routing Guide is a trademark and the Intellectual Property of Telcordia Technologies, Inc. dba iconectiv®.]

1.4 Mission and Attributes

The NANPA/PA’s role is to serve as the neutral numbering (including thousands-block pooling and p-ANIs) administrator for the United States and its territories, and to coordinate with other NANP member nations as needed. The NANPA/PA must comply with the statutory requirements for neutrality (47 U.S.C. § 251(e)) and meet the FCC’s neutrality requirements, set forth in 47 CFR §52.12 and 47 CFR §52.20.

The entity selected to be the NANPA/PA must adhere to all FCC neutrality requirements, orders, and policies throughout the term of the contract. In this regard, to avoid potential disruption of national numbering administration, the successful offeror will be required to apprise the FCC of any proposed changes that may affect its neutrality sufficiently in advance to permit review of the proposed changes and FCC determination as to whether any mitigation is available or necessary to ensure NANPA/PA neutrality. Such mitigation may include, but is not limited to, changes to organizational or ownership structure, investors, and Board of Directors.

The NANPA/PA is the designated independent, neutral entity responsible for assigning and administering NANP Numbering Resources in an efficient, effective, fair, unbiased, and non-discriminatory manner consistent with regulatory directives and industry guidelines, and is required to comply with State Commission decisions, rules and orders, as applicable, as long as they are not in conflict with FCC decisions, orders, and rules.

The NANPA/PA shall also ensure that Numbering Resources administration in the United States is effective, while using the expertise and innovation of industry to promote number optimization. It also shall support efforts to accommodate current and future numbering needs and shall advise the industry and regulators on significant numbering issues (e.g., potential resource exhaust).

1.5 Objectives

The main objectives of the NANPA/PA include:

· Provide a standardized application of each type of administrative Numbering Resource function and associated guidelines

· Develop and implement a single system to facilitate all activities of the NANPA/PA and the assignment, tracking, and data reporting requirements for all Numbering Resources

· Maintain and plan for an adequate inventory pool of Numbering Resources for the short and long term

· Develop, implement, and maintain mechanized interfaces with the NPAC, service providers and applicants, BIRRDS, FCC (Red Light), and other identified sources

· Develop and maintain interfaces with industry forums (e.g., Industry Numbering Committee (INC), Emergency Services Interconnection Forum (ESIF), Common Interest Group for Routing and Rating (CIGRR), etc.), and regulatory agencies

1.6 Responsibilities

The NANPA/PA shall:

· Perform all day-to-day number resource assignment, and administrative activities, as well as interact with the NPAC vendor, the BIRRDS vendor, the FCC, and other regulatory agencies

· Provide and maintain a system to support all day-to-day and long-term NANPA/PA functions

1.6.1 Management

The NANPA/PA shall implement a planned management approach utilizing effective forecasting and management skills in order to make the industry aware of the availability of Numbering Resources to meet the industry’s current and future needs, and to support the NANPA/PA’s overall responsibility to promote the continued viability of the NANP Numbering Resources and to meet the industry’s current and future needs.

1.6.2 Performance

The NANPA/PA shall be responsible for maintaining the security, reliability, performance, and flexibility of the NANP administration system. Performance instructions may be found in the FCC Cyber Security Program (Reference 23), including guidelines and policies referenced therein. The system shall be user-friendly and not impose a burden on users. The system shall protect from unauthorized disclosure of confidential information provided by service providers, applicants and service provider consultants, Numbering Resource assignees and applicants, Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), 9-1-1 system providers, and the NPAC vendor. All information provided by such entities to the NANPA/PA shall be treated as confidential information except to the extent that the NANPA/PA is explicitly required to disclose such information, as described in this Technical Requirements Document, in performing its functions.

1.7 Certain Obligations Bearing on Responsibility

1.7.1 Interaction with Governmental Entities

The NANPA/PA, shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining effective and business-like relationships with appropriate governmental and regulatory bodies (e.g., FCC and State Commissions) and addressing policy directives from these bodies.

1.7.2 Organizational Capacity

The NANPA/PA shall maintain the necessary administrative and other staff to handle the legal, financial, technical, administrative, operational, industry, and regulatory issues relevant to the management of all Numbering Resources and shall maintain the necessary equipment, facilities, proper billing arrangements, and other assets to manage the Numbering Resources.

1.8 Policy Objectives and Context

The NANPA/PA shall adhere to the following broad policy objectives. The NANPA/PA:

· Shall seek to facilitate entry into the communications marketplace by making numbering resources available on an efficient and timely basis to communications service providers

· Shall not unduly favor or disadvantage any particular industry segment or group of consumers

· Shall not unduly favor one (1) technology over another[footnoteRef:7] [7: See 47 CFR §52.9.]

At all times the NANPA/PA shall understand and agree that:

· The functions of CO code administration, NPA assignment, relief planning, thousands-block pooling, and p-ANI administration are among some of the duties to be performed, as well as all other Numbering Resources administration

· Administration responsibilities entail collateral responsibilities such as data collection, forecasting, reclamation, data security, and reporting

· Existing obligations and agreements related to national numbering policy and administration in a CO (NXX) code environment shall also be applied in a similar manner when administering pooled (NXX-X) and p-ANI resources, as well as other Numbering Resources (as applicable)

1.9 Environment

1.9.1 Regulatory

The FCC has authority over numbering within the United States. The other NANP member nations exercise similar regulatory jurisdiction for other geographic areas. The FCC has delegated certain specific numbering authority to State Commissions in the United States. All (including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories) have been delegated authority over Numbering Plan Area (NPA) Relief. In addition, some have been given authority to conduct trials of certain number conservation measures. They have also been granted authority to obtain data, reclaim resources, and enforce number allocation standards. In the future, regulatory authorities of diverse kinds may issue rules, requirements, or policy directives, which may increase, decrease, or otherwise affect the functions to be performed by the NANPA/PA.

State and/or federal regulatory authorities may issue new rules, requirements, or policy directives, which may increase, decrease, or otherwise affect the functions to be performed by the NANPA/PA. Within ten (10) calendar days of release of a regulatory directive, the NANPA/PA shall provide to the FCC and the NANC or its designee its interpretation of the change, its impact upon service, the date the new change is proposed to become effective, what steps in current procedures need to change, and when any new forms or procedures will be required.

1.9.2 NANC Oversight

The NANC is a Federal Advisory Committee established in 1995 pursuant to the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) as amended, 5 U.S.C. App 2. The purpose of the NANC is to advise the FCC and make recommendations that foster efficient and impartial NANP administration. The NANC advises the FCC on numbering policy and technical issues in areas of responsibility the FCC has entrusted to the NANC, with a focus on examining numbering in the changing, modern world of communications.

The NANC’s charter under the FACA provides that, in carrying out its responsibilities, the NANC shall ensure that NANP Administration supports the following policy objectives:

· Facilitating entry into the communications marketplace by making numbering resources available on an efficient, timely basis to communications service providers;

· Not unduly favoring or disfavoring any particular industry segment or group of consumers;

· Not unduly favoring or disfavoring one technology over another;

· Providing consumers with ready access to telecommunications networks; and

· Ensuring that the interests of all NANP member countries are addressed fairly and efficiently, fostering continued integration of the NANP across NANP member countries.

The general duties of the NANC are to gather and discuss information necessary to develop recommendations to the FCC related to the objectives stated above. Under the direction of the FCC, the NANC will provide oversight of matters relating to numbering administration, including the development of industry guidelines. To aid the FCC in its oversight responsibilities, the NANC will also prepare periodic and final reports for the FCC. The NANC serves the FCC in an advisory capacity only.

1.9.3 Industry Activities

The industry develops number administration guidelines for the United States based on industry consensus and regulatory direction. The Industry Numbering Committee (INC), operating under the auspices of the Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS), is the industry forum established to develop such guidelines. The mission of the INC is to provide a forum to address and resolve industry-wide technical issues associated with the planning, administration, allocation, assignment, and use of numbering resources and related dialing considerations for public telecommunications within the NANP area. INC guidelines incorporate federal regulatory requirements with technical and operational principles. The guidelines also recognize the existence of specific regulations in (including the District of Columbia and U.S. territories) where FCC-delegated authority has been granted. Industry guidelines and regulatory directives are subject to change throughout the contractor’s Term of Administration as the NANPA/PA. The NANPA/PA shall administer Numbering Resources in accordance with the industry guidelines unless in conflict with regulatory directives or the awarded contract, in which case the regulation or contract will apply.

Section 2: General Requirements This document describes the functional requirements, administrative tasks, responsibilities, and duties of the NANPA/PA. This section describes basic functions to be performed by the NANPA/PA, which includes by reference any functions or obligations of the NANPA/PA and the Pooling Administrator described in related FCC rules, orders, or directives and the related rules, orders, or directives promulgated by State Commissions with FCC-delegated authority, including applicable industry guidelines, technical standards, and NANC-related documentation referenced in the rules, orders, or directives of the FCC or by State Commissions with FCC-delegated authority, and in Section 16, List of References (which is a non-exhaustive reference list of applicable regulatory items, guidelines, and standards).

2.1 High-Level Requirements

The four (4) high-level requirements of the NANPA/PA are indicated below.

2.1.1 Assigning and Administering NANP Resources

In accordance with 47 CFR §52.1, §52.13(b) and §52.20(d), the NANPA/PA shall assign and administer NANP Numbering Resources in an efficient, effective, fair, unbiased, and non-discriminatory manner consistent with FCC regulations and industry-developed guidelines.

2.1.2 Accommodating Current and Future Numbering Needs

The NANPA/PA shall participate in industry efforts to accommodate current and future numbering needs at the NPA and NANP level. The NANPA/PA shall advise the regulators and industry relative to numbering issues, potential resource exhaust, and all routing and rating issues that may affect service to users.

In addition to its many day-to-day Numbering Resource assignment and administrative activities, the NANPA/PA shall provide sufficient focus on long-term planning to ensure the continued viability of the NANP. The NANPA/PA shall update its processes, procedures, systems, and forms to reflect regulatory orders, rules, and directives, and ensure its system is flexible so that such updates can be made easily and quickly with minimal need for change orders. The NANPA/PA shall implement a planned approach utilizing effective forecasting and management tools in order to make governmental and business stakeholders aware of the availability of Numbering Resources to meet current and future needs. Critical components of NANP Administration include NPA relief planning and providing systems and tools for managing Numbering Resource administration.

2.1.3 Administrative Resources for Legal, Financial, and Technical Responsibilities The NANPA/PA shall maintain necessary administrative resources to handle the legal, financial, and technical responsibilities required to manage all Numbering Resources.

2.1.4 Supervision for All Services and Responsibility for Achieving Performance Objectives The NANPA/PA shall provide management supervision for all the services it provides, including responsibility for achieving performance objectives. The establishment of these objectives is a collaborative effort among the NANPA/PA, the FCC, State Commissions, the NANC, and the INC.

2.2 Relationships

2.2.1 United States

The NANPA/PA shall establish and maintain relationships within the United States with entities such as the FCC, other federal agencies, and State Commissions or other state governing bodies, as appropriate. The NANPA/PA shall cooperate with and actively participate in policy and technical numbering bodies and industry forums, such as the NANC and its subtending groups, the INC and ESIF.

2.2.1 International

The NANPA/PA shall develop and maintain communications with all other NANP member countries to ensure that their numbering needs are met.

The NANPA/PA shall attend U.S. Department of State Study Group A meetings.[footnoteRef:8] In addition, the NANPA/PA shall maintain a working knowledge of ITU Study Group 2 activities for the benefit of the U.S. telecommunications industry. Attendance at international meetings is not covered by the scope of this contract. [8: 47 CFR §52.13(b)(1).]

2.3 Administration and Management

The NANPA/PA shall manage the NANP Numbering Resources in accordance with the most current applicable rules, orders, directives, and published industry guidelines and technical standards. Occasions may arise where decisions and interpretations are required on issues that have not yet been addressed. The NANPA/PA shall have the knowledge and capability to recognize these instances and refer them to the appropriate body for resolution.

The NANPA/PA shall perform as the steward of the Numbering Resources. In this capacity, the NANPA/PA shall monitor the status of resources in all areas of the NANP and take appropriate action to ensure the timely availability of Numbering Resources.

The contractor selected to fulfill the NANPA/PA function shall ensure that its other contracts and business arrangements, and those of any subcontractor, do not adversely impact the NANPA/PA organization, or resources it establishes and employs to meet these technical requirements.

2.3.1 Requests for Numbering Resources

Applications for Numbering Resources shall be electronically submitted to the NANPA/PA through the newly developed NANP administration system (NAS), or via e-mail, to be available as an alternative submission, if submission through NAS is not technically possible at the time the applicant chooses to submit the application. The NANPA/PA shall use a standard electronic format for application transmissions. All applications received by the NANPA/PA shall, in turn, generate a confirmation back to the submitting applicant.

The NANPA/PA shall review requests for Numbering Resources for accuracy and appropriateness under applicable rules, orders, directives, industry guidelines, and technical standards. The NANPA/PA shall:

· Accept, process, and verify the accuracy of applications for Numbering Resources in accordance with regulatory requirements and industry guidelines

· Review the entire application, identifying all errors and omissions when first submitted

· Contact an applicant as necessary to gain clarification or additional information in order to process the application when first submitted

· Provide information or location of tools and contacts to assist applicants in properly completing applications for new Numbering Resources, modifications or changes to existing resources, and return or disconnect of existing resources

2.3.2 Service Provider and Regulator Support

The NANPA/PA shall serve as the information resource for regulatory bodies and the industry concerning Numbering Resources issues related to NANP Administration (e.g., ITU Recommendation E.164, NANP, NANP Administration, regulatory issues affecting numbering, Numbering Resource assignment guidelines, CO Code and thousands-block administration, p-ANI administration, relief planning, and relevant international numbering issues). The NANPA/PA shall offer and provide periodic educational sessions for service providers and State Commissions, as well as provide training videos on various topics that may be downloaded in various formats on its web site.

The NANPA/PA shall respond to inquiries about the numbering plan. The NANPA/PA shall provide, upon request, information on how to obtain current documents and forms related to NANP Administration (including application for automated access to its system and all other materials needed to properly request the assignment or disconnect of Numbering Resources, or change of numbering data) by referring to specific NANPA/PA web pages where requesters may download electronic copies or other sources as appropriate (e.g., to the FCC, State Commissions, the INC). The NANPA/PA shall provide copies of documents it generates by e-mail, facsimile, or U.S. Mail (as specified by the requesting party) if the document is not available via the Internet. A list of documents related to NANP Administration is provided in Section 16, List of References of this document.

2.3.3 Numbering Resource Optimization

The NANPA/PA shall provide to users of Numbering Resources assistance and suggest alternatives, when possible, that shall optimize Numbering Resource utilization.

The NANPA/PA shall coordinate its Numbering Resource activities with the Canadian Number Administrator (www.cnac.ca) and other NANP member countries’ administrators to ensure efficient and effective management of NANP Numbering Resources.

The NANPA/PA shall be knowledgeable regarding Numbering Resource optimization methods (e.g., rate center consolidation, thousands-block number pooling) and the potential impact upon the NANP itself. The NANPA/PA shall remain completely neutral and shall not take a position that favors one Numbering Resource optimization method over another, but it shall, where necessary or desirable, provide its views to the FCC.

The NANPA/PA shall not take independent action with respect to adoption of optimization methods that are not within existing guidelines or regulatory directives. However, the NANPA/PA shall recognize optimization opportunities and bring this information to the attention of the appropriate body for consideration. The NANPA/PA shall remain cognizant of its obligation to remain neutral.

2.4 Cost Allocation

The NANPA/PA shall aid the FCC and the Billing and Collection Agent, as requested, in the development of the final allocation methodology for sharing costs between NANP countries, as well as in settling disputes regarding the same. Under no circumstances, however, shall the NANPA/PA decide on its own such final allocation methodology.

2.5 Staffing

The NANPA/PA shall maintain the necessary staffing levels to support industry and regulatory work relevant to the management of all NANP Numbering Resources.

The NANPA/PA shall file an initial staffing report at the start of the contract, which shall include staffing numbers by labor category. Thereafter, the NANPA/PA shall report to the FCC on a monthly basis that there has been no change in staffing, or, in the event of a change, the report shall show shortages and overages, and yearly turnover rate.

The NANPA/PA shall maintain necessary administrative resources to handle the legal, financial, and technical responsibilities connected with the management of all Numbering Resources. Because the NANPA/PA shall also interface with the media and the public (see Section 2.14.1), the NANPA/PA shall retain personnel that can create and maintain a publicly available web site for this purpose, and retain personnel with public relations skills (e.g., the ability to explain complex numbering administration issues to the media and the public).

The NANPA/PA shall maintain the necessary equipment (e.g., inventory systems, facilities, and proper billing arrangements associated with day-to-day management of Numbering Resources) to support this staff.

The staff shall be trained or have equivalent experience in the areas of customer service and information technology, including, but not limited to:

· Email, web-based software applications and navigation tools, and Internet browsers

· Telephone and call tracking systems and tools

· Problem and change tracking systems and tools

· Ongoing training

· Database retrieval

All employees and subcontractors of the NANPA/PA who have access to a service provider’s or an applicant’s confidential information shall be U.S.-based and shall execute a non-disclosure agreement that remains in effect following the termination of employment.

Subcontractors may be used by the NANPA/PA to perform work, but responsibility for matters contracted remains with the NANPA/PA, which shall exercise appropriate surveillance of subcontractors to ensure effective management of it responsibilities under this contract.

2.5.1 Availability

Staff shall be available during business hours, as described in Section 2.7, Hours and Daily Operations, with exceptions solely as provided therein or with prior approval of the FCC.

2.5.2 Physical Location

The physical location of the NANPA/PA facility(s) is at the discretion of the contractor but shall be within the continental United States. The NANPA/PA shall notify clients and the public, by appropriate means, prior to any facility relocation or telephone number change.

If the facility in which the NANPA/PA facility(s) is housed serves other purposes, space allocated to shall:

· Be dedicated entirely for NANPA/PA use

· Be a distinguishable area, separate from other parts of the facility by use of secure access points

· Be contiguous space so that all NANPA/PA personnel are physically located within the same secure area

· Provide enough backup power to maintain operation through electrical outages of at least eight (8) hours

· Include square footage and workspace layouts for each NANPA/PA staff member

2.5.3 Travel

NANPA/PA staff shall travel, when necessary, to meet the requirements of the NANPA/PA, the industry, and regulators (e.g., to NANC meetings, INC and ESIF meetings, CIGRR meetings, NPA relief planning or NPA jeopardy meetings, pooling administration education meetings, or other meetings as otherwise necessary to comply with FCC requirements). The NANPA/PA shall maintain staff that is readily available to perform such necessary travel.

2.5.4 Conflicts

Staff members of the NANPA/PA may not represent the interests of the parent company contracted as the NANPA/PA in any respect. See FCC 00-104, paragraph 154 (Reference 1), and the conflicts and neutrality provisions in the awarded contract.

Conversely, neither representatives of the NANPA/PA’s parent company nor any divisions or departments thereof that are not direct, 100% dedicated employees of the NANPA/PA may represent the interests of the NANPA/PA.

2.5.5 Subcontractors

Subcontractors may be used to perform work under the awarded contract. Subcontracting with small businesses will be in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Section 52.219-9, Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Reference 46).

2.5.5.1 Subcontractor Responsibilities of the NANPA/PA

The NANPA/PA shall provide the following information to the FCC Contracting Officer concerning each prospective subcontractor within five (5) business days of the date of official selection or within 30 calendar days of hiring any subcontractor:

· Complete name of the subcontractor

· Complete address of the subcontractor

· Type of work the subcontractor will be performing

· Percentage of the work that the subcontractor will be providing

· Evidence of the work the subcontractor will be providing

· A written statement, signed by each subcontractor, which clearly verifies that the subcontractor is committed to render the services required by the contract

· Evidence, as set out in relevant sections of the Request for Proposal (RFP), that the subcontractor meets all applicable neutrality requirements

· Written proof that the subcontractor has executed a non-disclosure agreement

2.5.5.2 Substitution of Subcontractors

The substitution of one (1) subcontractor for another may be made only with the written consent of the FCC.

2.6 Telecommunications Requirements

The NANPA/PA shall have voice and data capabilities in order to communicate with all clients and the public concerning NANP Administration. Each NANPA/PA staff member who has responsibilities for interfacing with clients shall have a direct dial number that allows direct telephone access to the staff member and the ability to leave a voice message for the staff member if he or she is unavailable.

The NANPA/PA shall maintain read/write access to routing and rating databases.[footnoteRef:9] This can be accomplished through a graphical user interface (GUI) and a mechanized interface. The NANPA/PA shall also have access to the information contained in the LERGTM Routing Guide[footnoteRef:10] or an equivalent. [9: The Business Integrated Routing and Rating Database System, BIRRDS, is an iconectiv® system that the industry uses to provide input access to the LERG™ Routing Guide which contains the routing and rating information for assigned CO Codes and thousands-blocks. ] [10: Common Language® , Telcordia® and iconectiv® are registered trademarks and CLLI™, and LERG™ Routing Guide are trademarks and the Intellectual Property of Telcordia Technologies, Inc. dba iconectiv®.]

The NANPA/PA shall maintain a direct and mechanized interface to the Number Portability Administration Center (NPAC) to transmit and access data that the NANPA/PA needs to perform its responsibilities. The data shall be obtained from the NPAC administrator per the details defined by the North American Portability Management, Limited Liability Corporation (NAPM LLC) that oversees the vendor of the local number portability systems and administration or as otherwise provided by FCC requirements.

2.7 Hours and Daily Operations

The NANPA/PA shall be available a minimum of five (5) business days per week (i.e., Monday through Friday), from 8:00 am until 5:00 pm Eastern Time (Core Business Hours). Further, if circumstances warrant, the NANPA/PA shall be available at additional times to meet the needs of the industry.

Because the NANP service area covers multiple time zones, the NANPA/PA shall provide a mechanism (e.g., voicemail, e-mail, facsimile – although not solely facsimile) to be accessible on a 24-hour basis in order to meet the needs of all its clients. Contact information shall be readily available on the NANPA/PA web sites (www.nationalnanpa.com and www.nanpa.com).

In all but the most exigent circumstances, exceptions to the above shall only be permitted after; (a) discussion with the FCC’s Contracting Officer Representative (COR); and (b) notification to the industry

The NANPA/PA shall maintain a log of all client contacts for review by the Auditor and other parties as designated by the FCC.

2.7.1 Inquiry Response

The NANPA/PA shall respond within one (1) business day (to be defined in the time zone where the inquiry was originated) to general inquiries or questions, including those made outside normal business hours, whether made by e-mail, voicemails, or any other method. All e-mails and voicemails, whether received or responded to outside the normal business hours will be subject to a performance metric and process to be approved by the FCC or its designee. All exceptions shall be noted and brought to the attention of FCC’s COR.

The NANPA/PA shall monitor and report on its customer response rates. This report shall be furnished to the FCC upon request and used to review the NANPA/PA’s customer service activities per the annual performance review process.[footnoteRef:11] [11: See 47 CFR §52.11 and §52.12.]

2.7.2 Requests for Information and Referrals

The NANPA/PA shall, upon request, provide information, and answer questions regarding NANPA/PA and numbering administration processes, procedures, interfaces, and services within one (1) business day. The NANPA/PA shall, upon request, provide new entrants and all other service providers or applicants with assistance in understanding how to implement the procedures and processes used by applicants to obtain and maintain Numbering Resources, report utilization, and all other obligations required to be conducted by Numbering Resource assignees.

In addition, the NANPA/PA shall provide, within one (1) business day of receipt of a request, information on how to obtain documents related Numbering Resource administration, including industry guidelines, by either referring the requestor to web sites where the information is available or by providing electronic copies of the information via e-mail to the requestor.

2.7.3 Emergency Notifications

In emergencies, the…