Audit Overview

Beneficiary audits may be performed by USAC internal audit staff, the FCC Office of Inspector General, Inspector General, Offices of other federal agencies, or a firm under contract to USAC or the FCC.

Audits & Review Types:

Selective Review Information Request (SRIR). This is a documentation review performed by USAC/SLD. The applicant must reply to a series of questions and provide supporting documentation. For an example of the items requested, see: srir-sample.pdf
Competitive Bidding Compliance Review. Documentation review performed by USAC/SLD. The applicant must reply to a series of questions and provide supporting documentation regarding compliance with rules and regulations related to the competitive bidding and service provider selection process.
Outreach Site Visit. As part of its expanded outreach initiative, USAC conducts site visits of a significant number of recipients, in order to see Universal Service Fund support in use, assess USAC's outreach and education efforts, observe best practices in the field, and ensure that program funds are being used in compliance with regulatory requirements. The site visits usually last 3 hours and are conducted by an individual knowledgeble in advanced telecommunications. For further details, see: SLD Information on Site Visits
Audits. The primary purposes of audits are to ensure compliance with FCC rules and program requirements and to assist in the prevention and detection of waste, fraud, and abuse. When selected for an audit, the auditee's designated contact person will be contacted by a member of the USAC Internal Audit Division. In addition, an announcement letter will be sent to the applicant, with copies sent to all affected service providers, detailing the purpose and scope of the audit, identifying the personnel who will be performing the audit, making a request for pertinent data, and stating the date upon which the data is due. See: www.usac.org/sl/about/audits/
IPIA Audits. Improper Payments Information Act (IPIA) audits. These audits focus on individual Funding Request Numbers (FRNs) instead of all funding for the applicant. See: www.usac.org/sl/about/audits/auditors-observations-ipia.aspx