On June 14th the FCC released the much anticipated Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) which seeks comments on the administration, management and oversight of the Universal Service Fund. The FCC is seeking comments on every aspect of the E-rate program. These are some of the areas that the FCC would like stakeholders to focus on.
- USAC performance since its inception
- Performance of FCC oversight of USAC
- Metrics the FCC should use to examine effectiveness of the E-rate program
- Ways to improve and streamline application process
- Should FCC adopt a streamlined multi-year application process for priority one services
- Should the FCC modify current rules as they pertain to the competitive bidding process
- Should the FCC eliminate or combine certain forms
- How to improve the disbursement process
- How should the FCC continue to deter and detect waste, fraud and abuse in their oversight capacity
Comments are due 90 days after publication in Federal Register and reply comments due 150 days after publication in Federal Register. The full document can be viewed at http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-05-124A1.pdf
