Media Contact: Will Wiquist, (202) 418-0509 will.wiquist@fcc.gov For Immediate Release FCC ANNOUNCES EXCELLENCE IN ECONOMICS, ENGINEERING AWARD WINNERS -- WASHINGTON, October 23, 2018—The Federal Communications Commission announced today the winners of the agency’s Excellence in Economic Analysis and Excellence in Engineering Analysis Awards. The Excellence in Economic Analysis Award recognizes Commission staff for outstanding economic analysis conducted in the course of their work at the FCC, while the Excellence in Engineering Analysis Award recognizes Commission staff who have made outstanding engineering, scientific or technical contributions. Chairman Ajit Pai made the announcement at today’s Open Commission Meeting, commending the winners: “Congratulations to these outstanding professionals for bringing their expertise and dedication to bear on important and complex topics. I know I speak for my colleagues when I thank Kim, Cha-Chi, and Alec for their service and congratulate them on this well-deserved recognition.” Excellence in Economic Analysis Award – Kim Makuch of the Media Bureau is the 2018 winner of the award for her analysis of the economics of retransmission consent payments. Retransmission consent is the payment negotiated by cable and other distributors with television stations for permission to retransmit the stations’ content. Commission understanding of the economics in this area plays an important role in its media policy work. Excellence in Engineering Analysis Awards – Ms. Cha-Chi Fan and Mr. Alec MacDonell of the Wireline Competition Bureau are the 2018 winners for their outstanding engineering and statistical work to create standards and requirements for evaluating the performance of broadband networks funded with Connect America Fund (CAF) high-cost universal service support. The CAF is designed to ensure that consumers in rural, insular and other underserved and unserved areas have access to modern communications networks and services at reasonable rates. The program provides funding – currently approximately $4.5 billion annually – to telecommunications carriers to deliver voice and broadband service, both fixed and mobile, at rates that are reasonably comparable to those in urban areas. ### Office of Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 ASL Videophone: (844) 432-2275 TTY: (888) 835-5322 Twitter: @FCC www.fcc.gov/media-relations This is an unofficial announcement of Commission action. Release of the full text of a Commission order constitutes official action. See MCI v. FCC, 515 F.2d 385 (D.C. Cir. 1974).