January 10, 2020

TIP OF THE WEEK: January 28, 2020 is the deadline to invoice USAC for FY2018 non-recurring services. Unless you have already received an automatic or requested service delivery deadline extension, be sure to certify your invoices for these services or request an invoice deadline extension no later than January 28.

Commitments for Funding Years 2019 and 2018

Funding Year 2019. USAC released FY2019 Wave 41 Funding Commitment Decision Letters (FCDLs) on January 9. As of January 10, FY2019 commitments total over $2.12 billion.

Funding Year 2018. USAC released FY2018 Wave 77 FCDLs on January 6. (Note that Wave 76 was canceled and pending commitment decisions were moved to Wave 77.) As of January 10, FY2018 commitments total over $2.26 billion.

On the date that FCDLs are issued, you can access your FCDL notification from the Notifications section of your landing page in the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC).

Upcoming Webinar on C2 Budgets

We are hosting our next webinar, Category Two (C2) Budgets, on Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. EST. This webinar is designed for applicants and service providers of all E-rate experience levels. This webinar will be split into three segments, with an opportunity for participants to ask questions after each segment. The segments are:

• C2 budgets for the test period (FY2015 – FY2019)
• C2 budgets for the transition year (FY2020)
• C2 budgets for the first permanent C2 budget cycle (FY2021 – FY2025)

You can use this link to register for the event.

Go to the Webinars page on the USAC website for more information on webinars and to view recordings of past webinars.

USAC Seeks IT Enhancement Feedback

The Share Your E-rate Technical System Ideas page continues to be available for program participants to submit their ideas and feedback for improving and/or enhancing Schools and Libraries information systems.

We may ask you for additional information about any suggestions you submit to us. However, if you do not wish to be contacted by USAC, simply notify us by email.

If you have specific inquiries or requests for assistance, please create a customer service case in EPC or call Client Service Bureau at (888) 203-8100.

More FCC Form 470 Reminders

In last week's SL News Brief, we provided some reminders on the FCC Form 470 and the competitive bidding process. Over the next few weeks, we will provide additional reminders to help you through the process.

Do I have to file an FCC Form 470 each year?

If you are receiving services under tariff or on a month-to-month basis without a contract, you must file an FCC Form 470 each year.

You do not have to file an FCC Form 470 if:

• You are under a multi-year contract that covers your services for the upcoming funding year.
• You have a contract with voluntary extensions, and you and your service provider agree to exercise an extension that covers your services for the upcoming funding year before you file your FCC Form 471.
• You are eligible to purchase from a master contract signed by an organization such as a state agency, statewide network, or consortium if that contract was signed pursuant to an FCC Form 470 posted by that organization.
• You order a commercially available, business-class internet access service that meets specific requirements.

Do I have to file an FCC Form 470 if I have only one service provider in my area?

Yes. There may be other service providers you are not aware of who could submit responsive bids if they had access to the information on the services you need.

How do I calculate the 28-day waiting period?

The day that you certify the FCC Form 470 in EPC – even if you certify it at 11:59 PM EDT – counts as the first day of your 28-day waiting period. Weekend days and holidays also count toward your 28 days. You can find your Allowable Contract Date or ACD in the Receipt Notification Letter posted on your News tab in EPC shortly after you certify your form.

Note that you will not be able to create a contract record or finish creating a funding request on an FCC Form 471 if the cited FCC Form 470 has not be posted for at least 28 days.

• If you make a cardinal change to the scope of your project and/or the services you are requesting by adding one or more RFP documents to your existing form, you must restart your 28-day clock. In this case, you must count the 28 days yourself – EPC does not calculate a new ACD for you.

As a service provider, how do I submit a bid?

First, review the FCC Forms 470 you are interested in – especially the narrative sections and any associated documents. If there are no specific requirements provided, you can contact the contact person or the technical contact person identified on the form for information. Do not submit bids or questions about requirements directly to USAC.

You can search for individual FCC Forms 470 and download summary information from FCC Forms 470 in EPC or from the USAC website. Form data is updated immediately in EPC, and updated overnight on the USAC website.

• To access FCC Forms 470 in EPC, choose Search and Export Certified FCC Forms 470 from the Actions tab.
• To view an individual FCC Form 470 and its RFP documents on the USAC website, choose View an FCC Form 470 (FY2016 and later) from the FCC Form 470 Tools section of the Tools page.

• To download summary information from FCC Forms 470 from the USAC website, choose Download 470 Information (FY2016 and later) from the FCC Form 470 Tools section of the Tools page.