The Office of Plans and Policy assists, advises, and makes recommendations to the Commission with respect to the development and implementation of communications policies in all areas of Commission authority and responsibility, particularly those that cross traditional industry and institutional boundaries.

The Office is composed of a small group of multidisciplinary staff members, including economists, engineers, attorneys, MBAs, and social scientists. OPP is particularly active in assisting the Commission in ensuring that broadband services are deployed and accessible to all Americans.

A principal function of the Office is to conduct independent economic and policy analyses of programs and responsibilities of other bureaus and offices and to recommend appropriate Commission action. OPP staff work to assess the long term effects of alternative Commission policies on domestic and international communications industries and services. These analyses often take the form of working papers or staff reports.

The Office is also responsible for evaluating governmental, academic and industry sponsored research affecting Commission policy issues.

OPP, working together with other Bureaus and Offices, is also responsible for assessing the Commission processes and recommending changes in Commission structure and process to be more compatible with changing technological and market conditions. A key initiative was the development of a five-year Strategic Plan for the Commission to better reflect the changing nature of the communications sector given the dramatic changes in technology, markets, and competition over the past decade. OPP works with the other Bureau and Office to help implement and track the agency's progress in accomplishing the goals of the Plan.