The General Services Administration’s inspector general recommended tightening procedures used by the Federal Acquisition Service (FAS) to ensure contractors don’t provide unsecure telecom gear as part of federal multiple award schedule (MAS) contracts. Addressing this is “especially important with the increase in national security and intellectual property threats to the federal government’s supply chain,” the report said. The report said “FAS has not taken adequate actions against contractors that repeatedly violate the … restrictions on providing or using prohibited telecom items.” The service “does not have a process in place to notify customer agencies about their purchases of prohibited telecom items” and didn’t “initially comply” with federal acquisition regulation requirements “to include subsidiaries and affiliates of named entities in its efforts to identify prohibited telecom items on MAS contracts." The IG recommended FAS beef up rules to ensure contract modifications are “issued promptly when FAS identifies prohibited telecom items on MAS contacts” and that contractors “promptly remove prohibited telecom items from MAS contract price lists.” The IG wants “more stringent consequences for contractors that repeatedly attempt to offer prohibited telecom items” and a process instructing contractors that violate the restrictions to “notify and remit refunds to any customer agencies that purchased prohibited telecom items.” The FAS commissioner agrees with the findings, the IG said.

The FCC Wireline Bureau extended until Dec. 1, 2024, its waiver pausing the Lifeline voice-only support phasedown and minimum service standards increase. The bureau extended the waiver by a year to "understand the impact" of the affordable connectivity plan "on Lifeline subscribers’ use of their Lifeline benefit," said an order posted Friday in docket 11-42 (see 2207010062).

Comments are due Aug. 9, replies Sept. 8, on an NPRM on expediting the transition to next-generation 911, said a notice for Monday’s Federal Register. The FCC approved the NPRM 4-0 in June (see 2306080043).

The FTC and Florida attorney general sent $540,000 in checks to 4,600 consumers defrauded by a robocall scammer, Life Management Service of Orange County, the FTC said Thursday. The average check was $117, it said. Life Management used illegal robocalls to sell consumers bogus credit card interest rate reduction services, said the FTC and Florida’s 2016 complaint. In June 2019, the FTC said it partially settled the complaint by permanently barring 17 Life Management defendants from engaging in telemarketing and debt relief services and requiring them to pay for refunds. The U.S. District Court for Middle Florida granted summary judgment to the FTC and Florida against the scheme’s ringleader, Kevin Guice, in December 2018. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that judgment in March 2022. The FTC noted it was able to send refunds because it reached a settlement before the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that the commission lacks authority under Section 13(b) of the FTC Act to seek monetary relief in federal court. “Because of that ruling, the Commission no longer has its strongest tool to return money to consumers, and it will become harder to provide refunds to consumers harmed by deceptive and unfair conduct.”

Comments are due Aug. 4 on requests by stakeholders to NTIA to consider exemptions of certain provisions of the “Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (Uniform Guidance)” for application for grants and subgrants under the broadband, equity, access and deployment program. “In this Notice, NTIA seeks public comment on the issues raised by stakeholders and other questions relating to the relationship between the Uniform Guidance and the BEAD Program,” said a notice for Wednesday’s Federal Register.

Consumers' Research petitioned the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to review and vacate the FCC's approval of the Q3 2023 USF contribution factor, per a filing Friday in case 23-60359. The group has a pending en banc rehearing of its challenge of the FCC's Q1 2022 contribution factor (see 2306300086).

Verizon advised the FCC to do more outreach to industry before banning more telecom gear components from the U.S. market. Representatives met with staff from the Office of Engineering and Technology, Public Safety Bureau and the Office of General Counsel, said a filing posted Friday in docket 21-232. “Verizon provided perspectives on its experience in securing its supply chain and complying with the evolving government requirements, including the FCC’s Covered List,” the filing said: “Verizon agrees with comments in the record recommending that any future additions to the Covered List be narrowly focused and aimed at addressing clear national security concerns.” Verizon urged the FCC to “review the impact on supply chains before banning particular component parts, including the availability of adequate alternatives that are substantially similar in functionality and cost and the impact to service providers and consumers.”

NTIA released final guidance Wednesday for the broadband, equity, access and deployment program's state challenge process (see 2306260007). States and territories are required to include a challenge process in their initial proposals where other entities can "challenge whether a location or community anchor institution is eligible for BEAD funding," said a news release. The agency sought comment on its proposed guidance template and made some revisions based on feedback from 61 stakeholders. “ACA Connects appreciates NTIA’s diligence in reviewing the many comments and revising the proposed guidance," commented CEO Grant Spellmeyer: "All stakeholders agree that this process is critical to ensure that the limited BEAD funds are targeted to bringing high-performance broadband to locations that are truly unserved and underserved."

NTIA awarded nearly $8.4 million in additional tribal broadband connectivity support to 17 tribes, the agency announced Thursday. The new funding will support tribal communities' efforts to "move forward in planning for future high-speed Internet infrastructure projects or promoting Internet use and adoption." A second notice of funding opportunity for additional program funding will be released "in the next few months," NTIA said.

Incompas' Broadland released a "broadband ready city checklist" Thursday that offers best practices for cities preparing to administer NTIA's broadband, equity, access and deployment program. The checklist recommends a focus on "objectively reasonable costs," streamlining the review process for zoning or permitting applications, establishing transparent procedures, encouraging innovation, and "smart street restoration obligations." Preparing for infrastructure projects is "critical" and the checklist is "designed to promote public and private sector partnerships," said Incompas CEO Chip Pickering, who co-chairs Broadland. It "helps ensure that broadband money goes to broadband projects,” said Broadland co-chair Mignon Clyburn, former FCC commissioner.