Is there a way to stop snapd from "calling home"?

[Leroy Tennison]

Installed OSSEC in a PCI environment where outbound Internet access is restricted by requirement. Keep getting the following messages which I need to stop (more than one an hour). I guess I could stop or purge snapd but I don't know if there would be corollary damage and am looking for a less significant alternative. Any other options? Thanks. 

OSSEC HIDS Notification. 
2017 Aug 31 08:29:05 

Received From: (<system>) <IP address>->/var/log/syslog 
Rule: 1002 fired (level 2) -> "Unknown problem somewhere in the system." 
Portion of the log(s): 

Aug 31 08:29:04 < s ystem> snapd[850]: 2017/08/31 08:29:04.424253 stateengine.go:98: state ensure error: Post https://search.apps.ubuntu.com/api/v1/snaps/metadata: net/http: request canceled while waiting for connection (Client.Timeout exceeded while awaiting headers) 

--END OF NOTIFICATION 

Additional information from syslog: 

Aug 31 08:29:04 <system> /usr/lib/snapd/snapd[850]: snapmgr.go:411: Cannot prepare auto-refresh change: Post https://search.apps.ubuntu.com/api/v1/snaps/metadata: net/http: request canceled while waiting for connection (Client.Timeout exceeded while awaiting headers) 
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