Fund Administration

Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) Program

How the PQA Program Works

USAC selects a limited number of support mechanism beneficiaries for each cycle of PQA assessments. When selected, beneficiaries are required to participate as a condition of receiving USF support. PQA participants receive a letter by email from USAC specifying the payment under assessment, instructions about what information and documents to gather, and how to submit these materials. Participants have 10 business days to gather and submit their materials.

USAC analyzes the materials received and delivers results to PQA participants and the FCC. Within 90 days of submitting materials, participants should receive results of their specific assessment. Every year, USAC provides estimates of improper payment rates for all four USF support mechanisms to the FCC. To the extent required, USAC will use audit follow-up procedures defined by the Office of Management and Budget to recover funds that are identified as improper payments.

Compliance with PQA Program requirements is designed to require minimal effort by participants and involve no on-site work by USAC. The time required to produce documents will vary, depending on the volume, complexity, and accessibility of documents requested. In most cases, it should take hours, not days of participants' staff time. PQA processors are available by phone to assist participants with understanding and fulfilling program requirements. Notice of selection, submission of documentation, analysis of information, and reporting of results are continuously operating PQA procedures, going on simultaneously in all four USF support mechanisms throughout the year. Each assessment cycle lasts about four months.

Pursuant to FCC rules, participation in the PQA program is compulsory for any USF beneficiaries selected for assessment.

PQA Program Documents

Support mechanism beneficiaries selected for PQA participation receive a letter by email from USAC notifying them of their selection and what they must do to fulfill their program requirements. This letter will provide exact identification of the payment under assessment and instructions about gathering and submitting information and documentation to USAC. A unique case number, assigned by USAC, is also included in the letter for you to associate all documents and communications related to the assessment. PQA participants from the Rural Health Care and Schools and Libraries Programs will have to submit formal confirmation that they have received and utilized goods and/or services associated with the payment being assessed as well as their eligibility under FCC rules for such receipt and use. As stated above, participation in the PQA program is compulsory, and participants who do not respond run the risk of their USF support.

For participants in each of the four USF support mechanisms, USAC will request different kinds of documents. Below are links to program specific information about PQA document requirements.

Results of PQA Assessments

USAC will report on the results of PQA assessments in various ways. Individual participants will receive notice of the results of their assessments. USAC will aggregate the data from individual assessments to make estimates of improper payment rates for each of the four USF support mechanisms and report these results to the FCC. The FCC reports these results in the agency's annual Performance Assessment Report. USAC also will publish online the results of PQA assessments in summary fashion for the four USF support mechanisms when these results become available.


Last modified on 12/15/2011