FACT SHEET: Rural Broadband Accountability Plan Improving Accountability for the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund and the Connect America Fund -- The FCC is establishing the Rural Broadband Accountability Plan that will increase audits, verifications, and transparency for USF High Cost programs, including the Rural Digital Opportunity Fund. These steps are part of an ongoing effort to increase accountability and to build upon existing audit and verification processes performed by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC). The Rural Broadband Accountability Plan makes a number of changes and enhancements to existing audit and verification procedures: Increased audits and verifications of support recipients… · The number of audits and verifications will double in 2022 as compared to 2021 and include on-site audits as well as audits and verifications based upon random selection. · USAC will conduct more verifications prior to a program’s first required deployment milestone. Increased audits and verifications of large dollar and higher risk recipients… · The largest dollar recipients will be subject to an on-site audit in at least one state. · Higher risk recipients will be subject to additional audits and verifications. Increased program transparency… · For the first time, results of verifications, audits, and speed and latency performance testing will be made public on USAC’s website. ### Media Relations: (202) 418-0500 / ASL: (844) 432-2275 / Twitter: @FCC / www.fcc.gov 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).