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Sunday, September 13, 2026

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Federal Reserve / OCC · Sunday, September 13, 2026

Bank regulators propose new guidance on outside vendors

The File desk · Sep. 13, 2026, 6:22 a.m. ET

Confirmed2 primary sources

Status

Confirmed from the Federal Reserve’s joint press release and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency Bulletin 2026-46, both dated Sept. 11, 2026. The Federal Register publication date, and thus the exact comment-deadline calendar day, was not yet fixed in those releases.
Federal bank regulators want banks to size their oversight to the real risk of each outside vendor. On Sept. 11 the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency asked for public comment on . The agencies say the draft is principles-based. The Federal Reserve said that, as with all supervisory guidance, it is non-binding. It is meant to help banks and credit unions tailor checks to each relationship instead of treating every vendor the same. When finalized, the bank agencies plan to replace older third-party guidance with the new text. Comments are due 60 days after the proposal appears in the Federal Register. The same day, the bank agencies also issued a . The Federal Reserve also sought comment on a companion guide aimed at Fed-supervised community banks.
Federal bank regulators want banks to size their oversight to the real risk of each outside vendor.
On Sept. 11 the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board, the National Credit Union Administration, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency asked for public comment on . The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency published the same request as .
The agencies say the draft is principles-based. The Federal Reserve said that, as with all supervisory guidance, it is non-binding.
The idea is to help banks and credit unions match how closely they watch an outside company to how risky that relationship is, instead of using one checklist for every vendor.
When the text is finalized, the bank agencies plan to drop older third-party guidance and put this version in its place.
Comments are due 60 days after the proposal appears in the Federal Register. That Federal Register date was not on the Sept. 11 releases.
The same day, the agencies issued a . The Federal Reserve said the statement discusses certain factors the agencies will consider when they make supervisory and enforcement decisions about those core providers.
The Federal Reserve also asked for comment on a companion guide written for community banks it supervises.
How we know

What is still unknown or disputed

  • The Federal Register publication date, and thus the exact comment-deadline calendar day, was not yet fixed in the Sept. 11 releases.

Primary sources

Every claim in this story is drawn from the documents below. If a fetch failed, that is recorded on the card.

  1. Source 1

    Agencies seek comment on proposed third-party risk management guidance and issue statement on community bank engagement with core service providers

    Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System · September 11, 2026

    FDIC, Fed, NCUA, and OCC request comment on principles-based third-party risk management guidance; as with all supervisory guidance, non-binding. Comments due 60 days after Federal Register publication. Separate statement on community banks and core service providers. Fed companion guide for Fed-supervised community banks.

    https://www.federalreserve.gov/newsevents/pressreleases/bcreg20260911a.htm

  2. Source 2

    Third-Party Risk Management: Proposed Guidance and Request for Comment (OCC Bulletin 2026-46)

    Office of the Comptroller of the Currency · September 11, 2026

    OCC, with the Fed, FDIC, and NCUA, is issuing proposed guidance revising and replacing existing third-party risk management guidance. Tailor practices to reasonably assessed risk of each relationship. Comments due 60 days after Federal Register publication.

    https://www.occ.gov/news-issuances/bulletins/2026/bulletin-2026-46.html