NTIA Failed to Keep Key Records Behind $42B BEAD Allocations, Audit Finds
Inspector general report does not specify whether this happened under the Biden or Trump
WASHINGTON, Nov. 9, 2026 — The Commerce Department's inspector general found that the federal government failed to retain important records explaining how it distributed billions of dollars in broadband funding, limiting its ability to verify parts of the allocation process.
The Oct. 27 audit found that Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration properly distributed funding to eligible states and territories under the $42.45 billion Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment program. However, the agency did not retain the original Average Revenue Per User documentation used in its high-cost allocation formula and did not fully document its allocation decisions.
