Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Issuing agencies

Abstract

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC, Commission, or Agency) proposes to modify a system of records, FCC/WCB-6, USAC Customer Relationship Management (CRM), subject to the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended. This action is necessary to meet the requirements of the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the existence and character of records maintained by the Agency. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), under the direction of the Commission and, by delegation, of the Commission's Wireline Competition Bureau (WCB), administers the Universal Service Fund (USF) programs and certain programs funded by Congressional appropriations (appropriated programs). This system of records contains information about individuals who are customers, participants, and stakeholders of the programs who submit complaints and requests for assistance to USAC to address issues with their program participation. The modification includes the addition of one new routine use.

Full Text

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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 200 (Monday, October 19, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 200 (Monday, October 19, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 66127-66130]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-21314]


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FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION

[FR ID 372595]


Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

AGENCY: Federal Communications Commission.

ACTION: Notice of a modified system of records.

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SUMMARY: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC, Commission, or 
Agency) proposes to modify a system of records, FCC/WCB-6, USAC 
Customer Relationship Management (CRM), subject to the Privacy Act of 
1974, as amended. This action is necessary to meet the requirements of 
the Privacy Act to publish in the Federal Register notice of the 
existence and character of records maintained by the Agency. The 
Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), under the direction of 
the Commission and, by delegation, of the Commission's Wireline 
Competition Bureau (WCB), administers the Universal Service Fund (USF) 
programs and certain programs funded by Congressional appropriations 
(appropriated programs). This system of records contains information 
about individuals who are customers, participants, and stakeholders of 
the programs who submit complaints and requests for assistance to USAC 
to address issues with their program participation. The modification 
includes the addition of one new routine use.

DATES: This modified system of records will become effective on October 
19, 2026. Written comments on the routine uses are due by November 18, 
2026. The routine uses in this action will become effective on November 
18, 2026, unless comments are received that require a contrary 
determination.

ADDRESSES: Send comments to Shana Yates, FCC, 45 L Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20554, care of the Office of General

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Counsel, Privacy Team; or to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#7707051e0116140e3711141459101801"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="f787859e8196948eb7919494d9909881">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FCC Office of General Counsel, Privacy 
Team, at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#bfcfcdd6c9dedcc6ffd9dcdc91d8d0c9"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="b9c9cbd0cfd8dac0f9dfdada97ded6cf">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice serves to update and modify FCC/
WCB-6, USAC Customer Relationship Management (CRM), system of records 
as a result of necessary changes and updates. The substantive changes 
and modifications to the previously published version of the FCC/WCB-6 
system of records includes adding one new routine use (listed by the 
routine use number provided in this notice): (16) Suspension and 
Debarment Disclosure.
SYSTEM NAME AND NUMBER:
    FCC/WCB-6, USAC Customer Relationship Management.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:
    Unclassified.

SYSTEM LOCATION:
    Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), 700 12th Street 
NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005; and Wireline Competition Bureau 
(WCB), Federal Communications Commission (FCC), 45 L Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20554.

SYSTEM MANAGER(S):
    Address inquiries to USAC, 700 12th Street NW, Suite 900, 
Washington, DC 20005; or WCB, FCC, 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 
20554.

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:
    47 U.S.C. 151-154, 201-205, 214, 403; Safe Connections Act of 2022, 
Public Law 117-223, 116 Stat. 2280.

PURPOSE(S) OF THE SYSTEM:
    USAC administers the programs of the USF (including the Lifeline, 
High Cost, Rural Health Care, and E-Rate programs) on behalf of the 
FCC, as set forth in 47 CFR part 54, under the direction of the 
Commission and, by delegation, of WCB. Under the Memorandum of 
Understanding Between the FCC and USAC (Oct. 27, 2024), USAC is 
responsible for the effective administration of the programs, including 
responding to inquiries from program participants and providing timely 
and relevant data and analysis to inform the Commission in its policy 
making and oversight of the USF and appropriated programs. The USAC CRM 
handles and processes inquiries from individuals, groups, and other 
entities, for all of the programs administered by USAC. The system 
allows USAC customer service representatives to access prior related 
inquiries in order to provide excellent customer service. It includes a 
portal to allow customers to easily interact with USAC through one 
channel of communication, maintaining the ability to view case status, 
create new cases, and review closed cases within the same interface. 
This system of records includes existing data from the USF programs 
administered by USAC. The system can also accommodate data from any 
future programs assigned by the FCC to be administered by USAC. The 
system allows USAC to retrieve records based on an individual's 
information within the system.
    This system of records is maintained to provide a unified tool to 
enable USAC, on behalf of the FCC, to respond to inquiries from 
consumers, participants, and stakeholders in the USF programs; to 
inform the FCC of concerns regarding the USF programs in support of the 
agency's policymaking and enforcement endeavors or otherwise to 
evaluate the efficiency and administration of FCC programs and to 
inform future FCC rulemaking activity; to provide consumers with access 
to a unified portal to view case status, create new cases, and review 
closed cases; and to provide USAC staff with access to documents and 
otherwise improve staff efficiency.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:
    The categories of individuals in this system include, but are not 
limited to, individuals who contact USAC with inquiries concerning USF 
programs administered by USAC on behalf of the FCC. These individuals 
include, but are not limited to, individuals and representatives of 
individuals who participate in these programs; individuals making 
inquiries on behalf of program participants and stakeholders; and 
employees of USAC, USAC's vendors, and the FCC.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:
    The categories of records in the system collected by design include 
first and last name, telephone number, email address, and user ID 
numbers; service representative names and ID numbers; USAC-assigned 
identifying numbers, such as Application ID, Eligibility Check ID, or 
eligibility ID numbers; and the name of the organization associated 
with the individual. Examples for organization names include but are 
not limited to carrier and school names. Customers or customer 
representatives may provide data elements that have not been 
specifically requested, including date of birth, home address, place of 
birth, gender, work address, taxpayer ID numbers, facsimile numbers, 
Social Security numbers (SSNs), mother's maiden name, information 
contained in birth, death, or marriage certificates, financial account 
numbers, employment status, employer identification numbers (EINs), and 
a driver's licenses or State ID (or foreign country equivalent). This 
system of records also includes existing data from the USF programs 
administered by USAC.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:
    Information systems for established USF programs administered by 
USAC; participants in USF programs; participating providers and their 
registered enrollment representatives; and USAC employees or 
contractors or FCC employees or contractors.

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING CATEGORIES 
OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:
    In addition to those disclosures generally permitted under 5 U.S.C. 
552a(b) of the Privacy Act, all or a portion of the records or 
information contained in this system may be disclosed to authorized 
entities, as is determined to be relevant and necessary, outside the 
FCC, as a routine use pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(3) as follows:
    1. Customer Relations--Records may be disclosed to the individual 
to whom a record pertains in order to respond to inquiries about that 
individual's participation in USF and appropriated programs or 
otherwise assist that individual.
    2. Program Management--Records may be disclosed to USAC employees 
to conduct official duties associated with the administration of FCC 
programs or the management, operation, and oversight of the CRM, as 
directed by the Commission.
    3. Third Party Contractors--Records may be disclosed to an employee 
of a third-party contractor engaged by USAC or a participating 
provider, or to a subcontractor engaged by a third-party contractor, 
engaged by USAC, to, among other things, develop the CRM, respond to 
inquiries concerning USF and appropriated programs, run call center and 
email support operations, assist in dispute resolution, and develop, 
test, and operate the database system and network.
    4. Service Providers--Records may be disclosed to service 
providers, and their registered representatives, limited to information 
that may be required to help resolve a consumer complaint or dispute.
    5. State, Tribal, or Local Governmental Agencies and Other

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Authorized Governmental Entities--Records may be disclosed to State, 
Tribal, or local government agencies and other authorized governmental 
entities, including public utility commissions, limited to information 
that may be required to help resolve a consumer complaint or dispute.
    6. FCC Enforcement Actions--When a record in this system involves 
an informal complaint filed alleging a violation of the Communications 
Act of 1934, as amended, or FCC regulations or orders (FCC Rules and 
Regulations) by an applicant, licensee, certified or regulated entity, 
or an unlicensed person or entity, the complaint may be provided to the 
alleged violator for a response. Where a complainant, in filing his or 
her complaint, explicitly requests confidentiality of his or her name 
from public disclosure, the Commission will endeavor to protect such 
information from public disclosure. Complaints that contain requests 
for confidentiality may be dismissed if the Commission determines that 
the request impedes the Commission's ability to investigate and/or 
resolve the complaint.
    7. Congressional Inquiries--Information may be provided to a 
Congressional office in response to an inquiry from that Congressional 
office made at the written request of the individual to whom the 
information pertains.
    8. Government-Wide Program Management and Oversight--Records may be 
disclosed to the Department of Justice (DOJ) to obtain that 
department's advice regarding disclosure obligations under the Freedom 
of Information Act (FOIA); or the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) 
to obtain that office's advice regarding obligations under the Privacy 
Act.
    9. Law Enforcement and Investigation--When the FCC investigates any 
violation or potential violation of a civil or criminal law, 
regulation, policy, executed consent decree, order, or any other type 
of compulsory obligation and determines that a record in this system, 
either alone or in conjunction with other information, indicates a 
violation or potential violation of law, regulation, policy, consent 
decree, order, or other compulsory obligation, the FCC may disclose 
pertinent information as it deems necessary to the target of an 
investigation, as well as with the appropriate Federal (including the 
Internal Revenue Service to investigate income eligibility 
verification), State, local, Tribal, international, or multinational 
agencies, or a component of such an agency, responsible for 
investigating, prosecuting, enforcing, or implementing a statute, rule, 
regulation, order, or other compulsory obligation.
    10. Litigation--Records may be disclosed to the DOJ when: (a) the 
FCC or any component thereof; (b) any employee of the FCC in his or her 
official capacity; (c) any employee of the FCC in his or her individual 
capacity where the DOJ or the FCC has agreed to represent the employee; 
or (d) the United States Government, is a party to litigation or has an 
interest in such litigation, and by careful review, the FCC determines 
that the records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation, and 
the use of such records by the DOJ is for a purpose that is compatible 
with the purpose for which the FCC collected the records.
    11. Adjudication--Records may be disclosed in a proceeding before a 
court or adjudicative body, when: (a) the FCC or any component thereof; 
(b) any employee of the FCC in his or her official capacity; (c) any 
employee of the FCC in his or her individual capacity; or (d) the 
United States Government, is a party to litigation or has an interest 
in such litigation, and by careful review, the FCC determines that the 
records are both relevant and necessary to the litigation, and that the 
use of such records is for a purpose that is compatible with the 
purpose for which the agency collected the records.
    12. Breach Notification--Records may be disclosed to appropriate 
agencies, entities (including USAC), and persons when: (a) the 
Commission suspects or has confirmed that there has been a breach of 
the system of records; (b) the Commission has determined that as a 
result of the suspected or confirmed compromise there is a risk of harm 
to individuals, the Commission (including its information systems, 
programs, and operations), the Federal Government, or national 
security; and (c) the disclosure made to such agencies, entities, and 
persons is reasonably necessary to assist in connection with the 
Commission's efforts to respond to the suspected or confirmed breach or 
to prevent, minimize, or remedy such harm.
    13. Assistance to Federal Agencies and Entities Related to 
Breaches--Records may be disclosed to another Federal agency or entity, 
when the Commission determines that information from this system is 
reasonably necessary to assist the recipient agency or entity in: (a) 
responding to a suspected or confirmed breach or (b) preventing, 
minimizing, or remedying the risk of harm to individuals, the recipient 
agency or entity (including its information systems, program, and 
operations), the Federal Government, or national security, resulting 
from a suspected or confirmed breach.
    14. Department of Treasury--Records may be disclosed to the U.S. 
Department of the Treasury when disclosure of the information is 
relevant to review payment and award eligibility through the Do Not Pay 
Working System for the purposes of identifying, preventing, or 
recouping improper payments to an applicant for, or recipient of, 
Federal funds, including funds disbursed by a state (meaning a state of 
the United States, the District of Columbia, a territory or possession 
of the United States, or a federally recognized Indian tribe) in a 
state-administered, federally funded program.
    15. Prevention of Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Disclosure--Records may 
be disclosed to Federal agencies, or to an instrumentality of any 
governmental jurisdiction within or under the control of the United 
States (including any State, Tribal, or local governmental agency), and 
their employees and agents (including contractors, their agents or 
employees; employees or contractors of the agents or designated 
agents); or contractors, their employees or agents with whom the FCC or 
USAC has a contract, service agreement, cooperative agreement, or 
computer matching agreement for the purpose of: (1) detection, 
prevention, and recovery of improper payments; (2) detection and 
prevention of fraud, waste, and abuse in Federal programs administered 
by a Federal agency or non-Federal entity; (3) detection of fraud, 
waste, and abuse by individuals in their operations and programs, but 
only to the extent that the information shared is necessary and 
relevant to verify pre-award and prepayment requirements prior to the 
release of Federal funds, prevent and recover improper payments for 
services rendered under programs of the FCC or of those Federal 
agencies and non-Federal entities to which the FCC or USAC provides 
information under this routine use.
    16. Suspension and Debarment Disclosure--The FCC may disclose 
information from this system to other Federal agencies considering 
suspension or debarment action if the information is relevant to the 
suspension and debarment action
    17. Non-Federal Personnel--Records may be disclosed to non-Federal 
personnel, including FCC or USAC contractors, other vendors (e.g., 
identity verification services), grantees, or volunteers who have been 
engaged to assist the FCC or USAC in the performance of a contract 
service, grant, cooperative agreement, or other activity related to 
this system of records that has

[[Page 66130]]

not been otherwise identified in this Notice and who need to have 
access to the records in order to perform their activity.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORAGE OF RECORDS:
    The information pertaining to the CRM includes electronic records, 
files, data, records, and may include audio recordings of calls. 
Records are maintained in secure, limited access areas. Physical entry 
by unauthorized persons is restricted through use of locks, passwords, 
and other security measures. Both USAC and its contractors will jointly 
manage the electronic data housed at USAC and contractors will have 
access to the data at their locations.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETRIEVAL OF RECORDS:
    Information in the CRM system of records may be retrieved by 
various identifiers, including, but not limited to the individual's 
name or identification number. USAC employees and contractors 
information can also be retrieved through identifiers including first 
or last name, title, email address, and username.

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR RETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF RECORDS:
    Data from USF programs contained in the CRM system are maintained 
and disposed of in accordance with the National Archives and Records 
Administration (NARA) Records Schedule DAA-0173-2017-0001. ACP records 
are maintained and disposed of in accordance with NARA Records Schedule 
DAA-0173-2021-0022, Emergency Broadband Benefit Program (EBB Program)/
Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP). Records related to the Connected 
Care Pilot Program/COVID-19 Telehealth Program are maintained and 
disposed of in accordance with NARA Records Schedule DAA-0173-2020-
0006.

ADMINISTRATIVE, TECHNICAL, AND PHYSICAL SAFEGUARDS:
    The electronic records, data, and files are maintained in the FCC 
and the USAC computer network databases, which are protected by the 
FCC's and USAC's privacy safeguards, a comprehensive and dynamic set of 
IT safety and security protocols and features that are designed to meet 
all Federal IT privacy standards, including those required by OMB, the 
National Institute of Standard and Technology (NIST) and the Federal 
Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA). In addition, 
access to the electronic files is restricted to authorized USAC and 
contractors' supervisors and staff, to the FCC's supervisors and staff 
in WCB, and to the IT contractors who maintain these computer 
databases. Other FCC employees and contractors may be granted access 
only on a ``need-to-know'' basis. In addition, data in USAC's network 
servers which are accessible by USAC's contractors will be routinely 
backed-up. The servers will be stored in secured environments to 
protect the data.
    The paper documents and files are maintained in file cabinets in 
USAC and the contractors' office suites. The file cabinets are locked 
when not in use and at the end of the business day. Access to these 
files is restricted to authorized USAC and its contractors' staffs.

RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES:
    Individuals wishing to request access to and/or amendment of 
records about themselves should follow the Notification Procedures 
below.

CONTESTING RECORD PROCEDURES:
    Individuals wishing to request an amendment of records about 
themselves should follow the Notification Procedures below.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURES:
    Individuals wishing to determine whether this system of records 
contains information about themselves may do so by writing Federal 
Communications Commission (FCC), 45 L Street NE, Washington, DC 20554, 
or to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#fb8b89928d9a9882bb9d9898d59c948d"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="cdbdbfa4bbacaeb48dabaeaee3aaa2bb">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>. Individuals requesting access must also comply 
with the FCC's Privacy Act regulations regarding verification of 
identity to gain access to the records (47 CFR part 0, subpart E).

EXEMPTIONS PROMULGATED FOR THE SYSTEM:
    None.

HISTORY:
    91 FR 9272 (Feb. 25, 2026).

Federal Communications Commission.
Marlene Dortch,
Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2026-21314 Filed 10-16-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6712-01-P


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