§ 54.701 - Administrator of universal service support mechanisms.

§ 54.701 Administrator of universal service support mechanisms.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 25162, Apr. 10, 2024.

(a) The Universal Service Administrative Company is appointed the permanent Administrator of the federal universal service support mechanisms, subject to a review after one year by the Federal Communications Commission to determine that the Administrator is administering the universal service support mechanisms in an efficient, effective, and competitively neutral manner.

(b)

(1) The Administrator shall establish a twenty (20) member Board of Directors, as set forth in § 54.703. The Administrator's Board of Directors shall establish three Committees of the Board of Directors, as set forth in § 54.705:

(i) The Schools and Libraries Committee, which shall oversee the schools and libraries support mechanism;

(ii) The Rural Health Care Committee, which shall oversee the rural health care support mechanism; and

(iii) The High Cost and Low Income Committee, which shall oversee the high cost and low income support mechanism.

(2) The Board of Directors shall not modify substantially the power or authority of the Committees of the Board without prior approval from the Federal Communications Commission.

(c)

(1) The Administrator shall establish three divisions:

(i) The Schools and Libraries Division, which shall perform duties and functions in connection with the schools and libraries support mechanism under the direction of the Schools and Libraries Committee of the Board, as set forth in § 54.705(a);

(ii) The Rural Health Care Division, which shall perform duties and functions in connection with the rural health care support mechanism under the direction of the Rural Health Care Committee of the Board, as set forth in § 54.705(b); and

(iii) The High Cost and Low Income Division, which shall perform duties and functions in connection with the high cost and low income support mechanism, the interstate access universal service support mechanism for price cap carriers support mechanisms described in subpart J subparts J, K, M, and O of this part, and the interstate common line support mechanism for rate-of-return carriers low income support mechanisms described in subpart K E of this part, under the direction of the High Cost and Low Income Committee of the Board, as set forth in § 54.705(c).

(2) As directed by the Committees of the Board set forth in § 54.705, these divisions shall perform the duties and functions unique to their respective support mechanisms.

(d) The Administrator shall be managed by a Chief Executive Officer, as set forth in § 54.704. The Chief Executive Officer shall serve on the Committees of the Board established in § 54.705.

[63 FR 70572, Dec. 21, 1998, as amended at 65 FR 38689, June 21, 2000; 65 FR 57739, Sept. 26, 2000; 66 FR 59727, Nov. 30, 2001; 68 FR 36943, June 20, 2003; 88 FR 55410, Aug. 15, 2023; 89 FR 25162, Apr. 10, 2024]