Section 757.215  UTSAP Administrator

a)         All Illinois LECs shall be members of the Universal Telephone Assistance Corporation (UTAC), an Illinois not-for-profit corporation as defined in the General Not for Profit Corporation Act [805 ILCS 105] that will serve as the UTSAP Administrator.

b)         The LECs shall prepare and submit to the Commission for its approval proposed Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws and initial members of a Board of Directors for the UTAC prior to submission to the Secretary of State of the State of Illinois.

c)         The UTAC shall file an application for federal income tax exempt status.

d)         The UTAC Board will consist of 9 members.  There shall be three classes of directors:  one class consisting of 5 directors who shall be elected from five or more nominations made by the LECs, one class consisting of two directors who shall be elected from two or more nominations made by the Attorney General and the Citizens Utility Board, and one class consisting of two directors who shall be elected from two or more nominations made by the National People's Action, the Community Action for Fair Utility Practice, and the South Austin Coalition Community Council. The directors of all three classes shall be elected by a vote of the members of UTAC.

e)         The responsibilities of the UTAC, as the UTSAP Administrator, shall be:

1)         to administer a statewide UTSAP pool to which all LECs will report UTSAP contributions and expenses.

2)         to collect UTSAP contributions net of installation and Lifeline waivers provided pursuant to Section 757.200(c) and reimburse LECs for their administrative expenses.

3)         to make quarterly reports to the Commission as detailed in Exhibit C of this Part.

4)         to advise the Commission at any time that the total program costs exceed or will exceed the total contributions, so that the Commission may consider suspending any UTSAP programs or reducing the amount of assistance until such time as there are sufficient funds available to offset the costs.

5)         to assess the total UTSAP costs and the total UTSAP revenues and to petition the Commission pursuant to Section 757.200(b) and(d) for the purpose of recommending any changes in the waiver amounts, the establishment of any new UTSAP programs, or the discontinuance of any existing programs.

6)         to provide any external promotion and advertising of the Link Up and Lifeline Programs and the UTSAP in conformance with or in addition to that specified in Sections 757.110, 757.220 and 757.410.

f)          The UTAC, with Board approval, may contract with an outside agency to establish and maintain the UTSAP pooling function.  The UTAC shall obtain Commission approval of any such contract.

g)         The UTSAP Administrator shall request bids and seek Commission approval of all contracts exceeding $10,000.

(Source:  Amended at 22 Ill. Reg. 8810, effective May 9, 1998)