Program Integrity

Audits & Assessments

USAC is committed to collecting universal service 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). To ensure the highest level of program integrity, USAC operates the Beneficiary and Contributor Audit Program (BCAP) and Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) Program.

Beneficiary and Contributor 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.

More information on Schools and Libraries Program BCAP audits.

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 (IPIA) of 2002. Under this program, USAC assesses specific payments made to select 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. 

More information on Schools and Libraries Program PQA assessments.