FCC Builds a Watchlist for Suspected Universal Service Fund Rulebreakers
Published Date: 10/22/2026
Notice
Summary
The FCC is creating a new record system to track people and companies who might have broken rules in programs like the Universal Service Fund. This helps decide if they should be suspended or banned from participating. The system starts on October 22, 2026, with comments open until November 23, 2026, and no extra costs are expected.
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 5 costs, 0 mixed.
Excluded parties can be placed on SAM.gov exclusion list
The FCC may provide information to the General Services Administration so that an individual or entity the FCC has excluded can be placed on the government-wide System for Award Management (SAM) exclusion list.
FCC will notify fund administrators and agencies
The FCC may share records with FCC fund administrators (for example, USAC for USF programs or Rolka Loube for TRS programs) and other Federal agencies or interagency committees to seek more information or to notify them that the FCC has excluded an individual or entity.
FCC will collect detailed participant records
The FCC is creating a new system (FCC/OGC-8) that will collect information about people and companies that participate in FCC programs (for example, the Universal Service Fund and the Telecommunications Relay Services program). Records may include contact information, financial information, criminal and other histories, program-specific certifications, and suspension/debarment history and status. The system becomes effective October 22, 2026.
Names and case details may be publicly disclosed
The FCC may disclose names and other information about individuals or entities under investigation or exclusion to the public in Commission releases, including Notices of Suspension, Proposed Debarments, Notices of Limited Denials of Participation, or Notices of Debarment.
Records may be retained indefinitely pending schedule
The FCC states it is drafting a records retention and disposition schedule; until NARA approves a disposition schedule, unscheduled records will be retained indefinitely.
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