November 7, 2023

E-Rate Systems Consolidation Completed November 7: Submit Your E-Rate Invoices in EPC

USAC completed the E-Rate systems consolidation on November 7 to move the E-Rate Legacy systems into the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC), including all invoicing functionality. All your E-Rate transactions can now be completed through EPC.

Invoicing for Funding Years 2016 and forward will now be completed in EPC, including submitting and certifying invoice-related forms (FCC Forms 472 (BEAR), 473 (SPAC), and 474 (SPI and eSPI)), responding to inquiries, receiving notifications, and tracking your invoicing activities. Any unpaid invoices lines for FY2016 or later have been migrated into EPC. USAC has populated the “nickname” field in EPC with your original legacy invoice number to help you identify your invoices.

Invoices for Funding Years 2015 and prior can be submitted via a customer service case in EPC. Follow these instructions to create a customer service case and download, complete, and attach the FCC Form 472 PDF (applicants submitting BEAR forms) or the FCC Form 474 PDF (service providers).

This will be the last Special Edition News Brief for Systems Consolidation. You can subscribe to the monthly E-Rate News Brief to stay on top of information about invoicing in EPC.

Features of Invoicing in EPC

The features and benefits of the invoicing functionality in EPC include:

• A streamlined invoice submission process for all form types.
• Outreach inquiries conducted in EPC.
• Notifications from EPC and via email when there is a pending action for the full rights users.
• Notifications about invoice submission status in your EPC News feed.
• Built-in upfront validations, to help reduce errors at time of submission.
• Built-in calculations, using billed amount and discount rate for a more accurate invoice submission.
• The ability to proactively include bills during invoice submission, reducing the need for inquiries and less time to review.
• Helpful tools for obtaining invoicing details and statuses.

Resources

Below is a list of resources you can use to get familiar with the invoicing functions in EPC.

Website Pages

• E-Rate Systems Consolidation

Learn How to Submit Invoices in EPC: e-Learning Modules (eLMs)

• Invoicing for Applicants
  
  
  • Applicant Course 1: Submitting & Certifying Invoices in EPC
  • Applicant Course 2: Invoice Management and Status in EPC
  • Applicant Course 3: Invoice Notifications and Outreach in EPC
• Invoicing for Service Providers
  
  
  • SP Course 1: Submitting and Certifying Invoices in EPC
  • SP Course 2: Manage and Check the Status of Your Invoice
  • SP Course 3: Receive Notifications and Respond to Outreach
  • SP Course 4: Submitting and Certifying Your Invoice in EPC - ESPI

Systems Consolidation News Briefs

• Special Edition: E-Rate Systems Consolidation (11/21/2022)
• Special Edition: E-Rate Systems Consolidation- Permission Levels (12/19/2022)
• Special Edition: Preparing for the E-Rate Systems Consolidation (4/6/2023)
• Special Edition: E-Rate System Consolidation Dates (9/14/2023)
• Special Edition: E-Rate System Consolidation Transition (10/12/2023)

Webinars
USAC hosted a series of E-Rate systems consolidation webinars to introduce the upcoming changes, prepare you for the transition, and guide you through steps you can take now to prepare for the transition from the E-Rate Legacy systems to EPC. USAC also held Office Hour webinar sessions for applicants and service providers to answer questions about the eLMs.

Office Hour Webinars
USAC hosted a series of E-Rate systems consolidation office hour webinars in October and will have two more in November.

You can use the links in the table below to register for upcoming sessions.