Federal Communications Commission DA 26-386 DA 26-386 Released: April 20, 2026 WIRELINE COMPETITION BUREAU REMINDS RIP-AND-REPLACE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS OF THE NECESSARY STEPS TO COMPLETE PROGRAM PARTICIPATION WC Docket No. 18-89 The Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) reminds recipients in the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program (Rip-and-Replace Program, Reimbursement Program, or Program) of their obligations and deadlines during the final stages of their participation in the Reimbursement Program. I. BACKGROUND The Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Act of 2019 (Secure Networks Act) directed the Commission to establish the Rip-and-Replace Program. Secure and Trusted Communications Act of 2019, Pub. L. No. 116-124, 134 Stat. 158 § 4 (2019) (codified as amended at 47 U.S.C. § 1608), as amended by Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021, Pub. L. No. 116-260, § 901, 134 Stat. 1182 (2021) (Secure Networks Act). The Program reimburses eligible providers for reasonable costs incurred in the removal, replacement, and disposal of communications equipment and services produced or provided by Huawei Technologies Company or ZTE Corporation. See generally Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs – Huawei Designation, PS Docket No. 19-351, Order, 35 FCC Rcd 6604 (PSHSB 2020); Protecting Against National Security Threats to the Communications Supply Chain Through FCC Programs – ZTE Designation, PS Docket No. 19-352, Order, 35 FCC Rcd 6633 (PSHSB 2020). Pursuant to the Secure Networks Act, recipients must complete their removal, replacement, and disposal (RRD) work “within one year of receiving the initial draw down disbursement from their funding allocation.” 47 CFR § 1.50004(h). When the Bureau approved applications to participate in the Program in 2022 demand exceeded available funding, which resulted in recipients receiving 39.5% of their approved allocation amounts. Wireline Competition Bureau Announces the Grant of Applications for the Secure and Trusted Communications Networks Reimbursement Program, WC Docket No. 18-89, Public Notice, 37 FCC Rcd 8590, 8591-92 (WCB 2022). After Congress authorized additional funding to support the goal of removing, replacing, and disposing of covered equipment and services, Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2025, Pub. L. No. 118-159, § 5401-5405 (Spectrum and Secure Technology and Innovation Act), § 5404(c) (2024). the Commission made a further allocation of funding to all active Priority 1 recipients “Priority 1” recipients are those with 2 million or fewer customers at the time of their application. See 47 CFR § 1.50004(f). to fully fund their projects. Wireline Competition Bureau Announces Availability of Additional Funding for the Rip-and-Replace Program, WC Docket No. 18-89, DA 25-342, 40 FCC RCD 2520 (WCB 2025). The Bureau issued the initial draw down disbursement from this funding allocation to all active Priority 1 recipients on May 8, 2025. Wireline Competition Bureau Reminds Priority 1 Rip-and-Replace Program Recipients of Their May 8, 2026 Removal, Replacement, and Disposal Deadline, WC Docket No. 18-89, DA 26-15 (WCB Jan. 6, 2026). As the Bureau recently reminded active Priority 1 recipients, this action established a deadline of May 8, 2026 for these recipients to complete the work to permanently remove, replace, and dispose of the covered communications equipment and services listed in their application to the Reimbursement Program (RRD Deadline). Id. II. DISCUSSION A. Overview The following table gives an overview of the final steps and deadlines for a recipient to complete its participation in the Program, beginning with the RRD Deadline: Summary of Final Steps in Rip-and-Replace Program and Current Deadlines for Priority 1 Recipients Event Description Trigger Deadline RRD Deadline Deadline to complete removal, replacement, and disposal of all covered equipment and services One year after the first disbursement of funds from the NDAA allocation 5/8/2026 Final Certification Deadline to file Final Certification attesting all RRD work is complete and all terms and conditions of the Program and recipient commitments have been satisfied 10 days after RRD Deadline 5/18/2026 Reimbursement Claim Deadline Deadline to submit all reimbursement requests 120 days after RRD Deadline 9/5/2026 Final Spending Report Deadline to file final spending report to address expenditure of all Program funds received 60 days after Reimbursement Claim Deadline 11/4/2026 Close-out Initiation Submit request to Fund Administrator (FA) to initiate the close-out process Recipient initiates after submitting final spending report After final spending report Site Visit FA on-site visit to recipient location to confirm Program funds have been used as intended and covered equipment and services have been destroyed FA initiates by written notice to recipient n/a Close-out Completion FA reviews proof of payment documentation from recipient FA verifies proof of payment n/a B. Specific Requirements RRD deadline: The RRD deadline is the date by which a recipient must complete its removal, replacement, and disposal work. 47 U.S.C. § 1603(d)(6); 47 CFR § 1.50004(h). The deadline for all Priority 1 recipients is May 8, 2026. Costs related to RRD work incurred after the RRD deadline are not eligible for reimbursement. 2021 Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 11999, para. 101. Final certification deadline: Each recipient must file FCC Form 5640 Part M (i.e., their Final Certification) within 10 calendar days after its RRD deadline. 47 CFR § 1.50004(m). The User Guide for Final Certifications is available at https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/scrp-user-guide-m-broadband-providers.pdf. Recipients must indicate in their certifications whether they have fully complied with all terms and conditions of the Program, the commitments made in their applications, and the timeline submitted with their application. 47 CFR § 1.50004(m)(1); see 47 U.S.C. § 1603(e)(4)(A). Recipients must also indicate whether they have permanently removed all covered communications equipment and services that were in their network as of the date of application submission. Id. Recipients that have not fully complied with all terms of Program participation may file a Final Certification stating that they are “in the process of” meeting those requirements, after which they have 60 days to file an updated Final Certification stating that they fully complied with and completed the requirements. 2021 Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 12000, para. 104; see 47 U.S.C. § 1603(e)(4)(B); 47 CFR § 1.50004(m)(2). Failure to submit a timely Final Certification or updated Final Certification may result in forfeitures or other penalties. See 47 U.S.C. § 1606; 47 CFR § 1.50005; 2021 Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 12000, para. 104. Reimbursement claim deadline: Recipients must file all claims for reimbursement within 120 days following the RRD Deadline. 47 CFR § 1.50004(g)(2). The User Guide for reimbursement claim requests is located at https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/broadband-g-user-guide-082025.pdf. The User Guide for requesting an extension of the reimbursement claim deadline is located at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DOC-400204A1.pdf. Recipients may request a single a single extension of the reimbursement claim deadline. 47 CFR § 1.50004(g)(3). Any requests for extension must be filed by the reimbursement claim deadline. Id. The Bureau shall grant any timely filed extension request of the reimbursement claim filing deadline for no more than 120 days. Id. As a result, Priority 1 recipients that request and receive an extension of the reimbursement claim deadline will have until January 3, 2027, at the latest, to file all claims for reimbursement. Final spending report deadline: Recipients must file a final spending report no later than 60 days following the expiration of the recipient’s reimbursement claim deadline. 47 CFR § 1.50004(l)(2); 2021 Order, 36 FCC Rcd at 12000, para. 105. The User Guide for Spending Reports is located at https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-24-132A2.pdf. The final spending report must show the expenditure of all funds received as compared to estimated costs identified in the recipient’s application for funding. 47 CFR § 1.50004(l)(2). Site visit: At some point during its participation in the Program, every recipient will undergo a site visit by the Fund Administrator to verify compliance with Program requirements. These site visits are part of the Commission’s efforts to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse, and fall under its authority to conduct audits, reviews, and field investigations. See 47 U.S.C. § 1603(e)(3)(A); 47 CFR § 1.50004(o). The Fund Administrator sends a letter to provide advance notice of such site visits. In most cases the Fund Administrator will initiate the site visit process for a recipient after the recipient has submitted all reimbursement claim requests and initiated the close-out process, although the Fund Administrator may conduct a site visit at any point during the Program. Close-out: After a recipient has (i) filed a final certification stating that it has completed all Program obligations, (ii) submitted all its invoices for reimbursement, and (iii) submitted its final spending report, it must initiate the close-out process on the SCRP Online Portal. The Bureau uses the close-out process to, among other things, verify the recipient has used the reimbursements provided by the Program for the intended purposes. The User Guide for the close-out process is located at https://www.fcc.gov/sites/default/files/close-out-user-guide-082025.pdf. Once the recipient completes the close-out process it will receive a final close-out letter to complete its participation in the Program, subject to the obligations described below. C. Ongoing Obligations Retention of documents: Recipients must retain all relevant documents, including invoices and receipts, pertaining to all costs eligible for reimbursement actually incurred for the removal, replacement, and disposal of covered communications equipment or services for a period ending not less than 10 years after the date on which the recipient receives its final disbursement. 47 CFR § 1.50004(n). Failure to produce required documentation in a review, audit, or investigation could lead to monetary recoveries and enforcement action. Audits and investigations: Recipients continue to be subject to audits and other investigations to evaluate their compliance with the statutory and regulatory requirements for the Program. 47 CFR § 1.50004(o). Recipients must provide consent to allow vendors or contractors used by the recipient in connection with the Program to release confidential information related to the recipient’s Program participation to the auditor, reviewer, or other representative. Id. Recipients shall permit any representative (including any auditor) appointed by the Commission to enter their premises to conduct compliance inspections. Id. Additional Information and Resources. Recipients with questions may contact the Fund Administrator Help Desk by email at SCRPFundAdmin@fcc.gov or by calling (202) 418-7540 from 9:00 AM ET to 5:00 PM ET, Monday through Friday, except for Federal holidays. General information and Commission documents regarding the Reimbursement Program are available on the Reimbursement Program webpage, https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/reimbursement. -FCC- 2