Communications 2003 No. 19 A 331 (3) Decisions of the USP Board Committees shall not be binding and valid until they are adopted and agreed upon by the USP Board. 118.—(1) The USP Secretariat shall reside in the Commission and shall be responsible for the day-to-day administration of the Universal Service Provision pursuant to section 112 of this Act. USP Secretariat. (2) The functions of the USP Secretariat shall include the following : (a) receiving applications for loans and grants from eligible persons such as community-based communications operators ; (b) reviewing the applications in paragraph (a) of this sub-section and making recommendations to the USP Board as to which applications should be funded ; (c) liaising with other departments of the Commission in processing licences for funded applications ; (d) providing loan recipients and grantees with technical and managerial assistance, such as resolution of equipment vendor issues and setting up of billing systems ; (e) evaluation of project performance and effecting such actions as may be necessary to ensure that loan recipients and grantees meet objectives for network expansion and provision of service ; (j) enforcing standards for quality of service in rural and underserved areas set by the USP Board ; (g) collecting USP assessments and loan repayments and paying such loan repayments into the USP Fund ; (h) evaluating the effectiveness of the USP in meeting policy goals as set by Government and USP Board ; (i) facilitating collaboration between activities that are funded by the USP Fund and other infrastructure and development efforts ; and (j) liaising between USP Board and USP Fund Managers that will be appointed pursuant to section 119 of this Act. (3) The Commission shall ensure that the USP Secretariat is staffed with suitably qualified and experienced personnel who may be seconded from the Commission’s staff but shall in any case have employment terms, conditions and contracts that are similar to that which obtains for the Commission’s staff. 119.—(1) The USP Board shall, in consultation with the Commission, appoint an independent and competent investment management firm as USP Fund Managers with responsibilities ; amongst others, for : (a) maintaining USP Funds financial accounts and records ; (b) collaborating with USP Secretariat in the collection of USP assessments and loan repayments ; (c) estimating the amount needed annually to sustain the rate of network expansion determined by the Commission as appropriate to meet USP policy objectives ; USP Fund Managers.