Introduction This Report on process reform at the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC” or “Commission”) furthers the goal of having the agency operate in the most effective, efficient and transparent way possible. It examines the agency’s internal operations with a critical eye, looking at what the FCC does well and what it can do better, with the aim of improving the overall functioning of the agency and its service to the public. The FCC can and should be more agile and business-like in its operations, and this report includes specific recommendations to help ensure that it is. Chairman Wheeler requested this Report in his first week at the Commission, and established the objective of improving how the FCC conducts business. The Report also takes into account Congressional interest in process reform at the FCC. Based on internal and external suggestions for process reform, the Report identifies initial steps in what will be an ongoing process of reexamining, and revising, the way the Commission does its work. This Report is an important first step in identifying challenges affecting the efficiency and transparency of Commission operations that have been raised by internal and external comments, and recommending ways to analyze and address those challenges. Some of the suggestions received are relatively straightforward and can be addressed quickly with current resources. Many of the suggestions would require the commitment of more extensive analysis and resources, and will be addressed as resources allow. For example, rethinking and re-tooling the Commission’s technology infrastructure would be a far-reaching reform, potentially promising great benefit, but also requiring significant resources to implement. Finally, some suggestions would require new rules or even statutory changes, and those will need to be explored in more depth. In this reform effort, the staff working group has considered all valid reform suggestions, regardless of whether they are relatively easy to execute or more complex, with the recognition that they would be implemented to the extent resources allow and their merits warrant. Goals of the Process Reform Initiative The working group, made up of staff and managers from throughout the agency, was tasked with identifying recommendations that could advance the following goals: Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of how the agency conducts its business. This Report examines some of the existing roadblocks in the agency’s efforts to operate efficiently and recommendations for tackling those impediments.
WTB Wireless Telecommunications Bureau WCB Wireline Communications Bureau OIG Office of Inspector General APPENDIX 3 LIST OF WORKING GROUP MEMBERS Jessica Almond Eric Bash Lauren “Pete” Belvin Bray James Brown Kirk Burgee Michael Byrne Cornell Ana Curtis Daniel Daly Maria Gaglio Kalpak Gude Thomas Horan Sherille Ismail Joel Kaufman Christine Kurth Meribeth McCarrick Sue McNeil Roger Noel Karen Onyeije Timothy Peterson Ronald Repasi Holly Saurer Henning Schulzrinne Cecilia Sigmund Deanna Stephens David Strickland Troy Tanner Jennifer D’wana Terry Suzanne Tetreault Sheryl Todd The Working wishes to thank FCC staff members who contributed ideas and information through the crowdsourcing, focus groups, and Bureau and Office submissions.