• Contributors
  • Obtain a Form 499 Filer ID
  • Revenue Reporting
  • Who Must Contribute
  • Understanding Your Invoice
  • Paying Your Invoice
  • File an Appeal
  • Filer ID Deactivation
• Recipients
  • Determine Eligibility
  • Obtain a USAC Service Provider ID (Form 498)
  • Payment Process and Status

About Fund Administration:

• Fund Administration Overview
• Purpose of the Universal Service Fund
• How the Universal Service Fund Works
• Universal Service Fund Program Integrity
• PQA Program
• PQA FAQs
• Understanding Audits
• Training Events

Fund Administration Tools:

• Latest News
• Video Tutorials
• Calendar/Reminders
• USAC Forms
• Contact Us

Universal Service Fund Program Integrity

Ensuring program integrity is central to USAC's stewardship of the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) and the four universal service support mechanisms: the High Cost, Low Income, Rural Health Care, and Schools and Libraries Programs. As the administrator of the USF and the support mechanisms, USAC is committed to collecting USF contributions and disbursing payments to support mechanism beneficiaries that are accurate, properly documented, and in compliance with rules established by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). USAC performs audits of USF contributors and beneficiaries and assesses payments to beneficiaries to ensure that money going into and out of the USF is handled properly and in conformance with legal requirements.

Two of the many activities USAC conducts to ensure program integrity are the Beneficiary and Contributor Compliance Audit Program (BCAP) and the Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) Program. Launched in 2010, these two programs are designed to generate reliable, comprehensive data about both program compliance and rates of improper payments. BCAP audits and PQA assessments are cost-effective, right-sized for the auditee and/or payment under examination, and carried out by highly trained staff. USAC provides participants in both these programs with comprehensive information about what to expect from an audit and/or a payment assessment as well as access to staff members who can answer any questions program participants might have.

Beneficiary and Contributor Compliance Audit Program (BCAP)

BCAP audits enable USAC to utilize audit approaches tailored to both the distinctive features of an auditee's organization and the specific amounts of money being audited. Carried out by auditors trained in USF and support mechanism audit requirements, these audits serve to identify areas of non-compliance with program rules and amounts of recoverable funds. The audits are designed and conducted so as not to impose undue demands in time or energy on auditees. USAC has worked closely with the FCC to develop and implement this program. 

More information about BCAP activities is coming soon.

Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) Program

The PQA Program enables USAC to provide the FCC with accurate, timely information about improper payments to support mechanism beneficiaries, as required by the Improper Payments Information Act of 2002 (IPIA). Under this program, USAC assesses specific payments made to beneficiaries in all four support mechanisms to determine if these payments were made in accordance with FCC rules. Using results of these assessments, USAC calculates estimates of improper payment rates and provides this information to the FCC. 

For more information about the PQA Program, please click here.