USAC Request for Proposals for Schools & Libraries (E-rate) Risk Assessment Services

At the request of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Office of Managing Director (OMD), and to ensure wide exposure of the Universal Service Administrative Company's (USAC) solicitations, the FCC is alerting the public that USAC has posted on its website, the Request for Proposals (RFP) for Schools & Libraries (E-rate) Risk Assessment Services. The RFP is available electronically at http://www.usac.org/about/tools/procurement. The closing date for proposals is November 19, 2012 at 12:00PM Eastern Time. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for professional risk assessment services. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation. Proposals are being requested and a separate written solicitation will not be issued. No additional notification will be issued by the FCC. ALL COMMUNICATIONS IN REFERENCE TO THESE OPPORTUNITIES SHALL BE THROUGH USAC'S Contracting Office. The RFP describes the services requested and provides instructions on how to respond. BACKGROUND: USAC is a not-for-profit Delaware corporation. The FCC has appointed USAC as the permanent administrator of the Universal Service Fund (USF) and the universal service support mechanisms (Support Mechanisms): High Cost (HC), Low Income (LI), Rural Health Care (RHC) and Schools & Libraries (SL) as set forth in Title 47, Part 54, Section 701 of the Code of Federal Regulations. As part of its administrative function, USAC performs, subject to FCC oversight, the billing, collection, and disbursement functions associated with the USF and the Support Mechanisms. Additional information concerning USAC and its administration of the USF and Support Mechanisms can be obtained from USAC's website located at: www.usac.org. USAC is requesting proposals from independent and objective professional services firms to conduct a robust risk assessment of the federal Universal Service SL Support Mechanism (commonly referred to as the "E-rate program"). The assessment shall provide a thorough examination of the administration of the E-rate Program, including USAC's internal control structure, to ensure that program goals are met in a cost-effective manner and that risks are appropriately targeted and addressed. . The RFP describes the services requested and provides instructions on how to respond. THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT BY A FEDERAL AGENCY, GOVERNMENT CORPORATION, GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED CORPORATION OR OTHER ESTABLISHMENT IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT. THE CONTRACT AWARDED AS A RESULT OF THIS RFQ WILL NOT BE A SUBCONTRACT UNDER A FEDERAL PRIME CONTRACT TO USAC. Complete proposals must be submitted to Mr. Jay Beard, USAC Contracting Office, no later than the date and time set forth in the RFP. Proposals must be submitted by e-mail (rfp@usac.org), mail, courier or hand delivered to: Universal Service Administrative Company Attn: Mr. Jay Beard, 2000 L Street, NW, Suite 200. Washington, DC 20036.