Standard FEES Act

This bill would require the General Services Administration to create a uniform fee schedule for federal agencies to use when processing applications for communications facilities on federal property. These fees would be based on the actual costs of processing applications and must remain competitively neutral among different applicants. Additionally, the proposal limits the use of collected fees to covering application processing costs, subject to approval through the appropriations process.

This bill affects the General Services Administration (GSA), which must establish a uniform fee schedule, and other federal agencies that process applications for communications facilities on federal property. It also impacts individuals and entities applying to place, modify, or maintain communications equipment on federally owned buildings and land. These applicants are subject to standardized fees based on the actual costs of application processing.

• Establishment of a uniform fee schedule. The General Services Administration (GSA) is required to create a standardized schedule of fees for federal agencies to use when processing applications for communications facilities on federal property.
• Fee calculation and neutrality requirements. Fees must be based on the direct and actual costs of application processing and remain competitively neutral compared to fees for similar uses of federal buildings.
• Case-by-case fee exceptions. The GSA may authorize agencies to grant exceptions to the fee schedule, provided these exceptions are applied in a competitively neutral manner.
• Restrictions on the use of collected fees. Agencies are limited to using collected fees solely for application processing costs, subject to the availability of funds provided in advance through appropriations acts.

The bill mandates that federal agencies adopt a uniform fee schedule established by the General Services Administration (GSA) for communications facility applications, requiring these fees to be competitively neutral compared to existing application fees for similar uses of federal property.

The bill aims to streamline the evaluation of communications facility applications by requiring the General Services Administration to establish a uniform, competitively neutral fee schedule for placing or maintaining such equipment on federal property. The intent is to ensure application fees are based on actual processing costs and that collected funds are used specifically to cover those administrative expenses.