About USAC

3/20/2019 – Upcoming Scheduled System Maintenance, March 22 and 29

3/20/2019 – Responding to FRN Balance Verifications

Each year, USAC undergoes an audit – called an agreed-upon-procedures (AUP) engagement – to examine its operations. As part of this process, the firm performing the audit emails a number of balance verifications ("confirmations") to applicants and service providers to verify that the balances reported by USAC on specific Funding Request Numbers (FRNs) match the balances in the records of the applicants and service providers. Each confirmation features the balance reported by USAC on a specific FRN as of October 31, 2018. 

The confirmations are being sent from confirmations@pwc.com. Please check your email and respond promptly if you receive a confirmation.

Applicants and service providers should review their records and respond by either:

• Agreeing with the balance featured on the confirmation or
• If it is different, noting the balance as of October 31, 2018 on their records and explaining how they determined that balance.

3/20/2019 – Lifeline Program Newsletter - March 2019

The March 2019 issue of Lifeline Program News is now available. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email in the Subscription Center. 

March headlines:

• Coming Soon: Representative Accountability Database (RAD)
• National Verifier: March Launches
• National Verifier March 2019 Enhancements are live in the Production Environment
• Submitting Lifeline Reimbursement Claims in LCS Outside Administrative Window
• National Verifier Outreach Lists - Sign up for Future Launch Information
• Webinar on April 10: Overview of the Lifeline Claims System (LCS)
  

3/20/2019 – CSB Hours During the Last Week of the Filing Window

While we encourage applicants to complete and certify their FCC Form 471 early, we realize that last-minute questions can arise. We are publishing the extra hours the Client Service Bureau (CSB) will be open during the last week of the window to allow applicants to take advantage of the opportunity to get answers to those last-minute questions.

You can contact CSB at (888) 203-8100. CSB's regular hours are 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET. In addition to those times, CSB will be open:

Generally, CSB has the highest call volumes during noon to 4:00 p.m. EDT. If an agent is not able to answer when you call, please open a customer service case in EPC and we will respond as quickly as possible. To open a customer service case in EPC, click the Contact Us link from the upper right menu on your landing page.

3/15/2019 – News Brief Issued

3/14/2019 – FCC Announces 2nd Quarter 2019 Contribution Factor Decrease to 18.8 Percent

3/11/2019 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: March 12

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will be unavailable Tuesday morning, March 12 from 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. EDT for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

3/11/2019 – FY2019 Funding Cap is $593.7M

On Friday, March 8, 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) announced the FY2019 funding cap for the Rural Health Care (RHC) Program is $593,782,000. This new cap represents a 2.2% inflation-adjusted increase in the $581,000,000 cap from FY2018. Read Public Notice DA 17-190 here. 

3/8/2019 – News Brief Issued

3/8/2019 – FCC and USAC Announce March 2019 National Verifier Launch

The National Verifier shifts the responsibility for determining a consumer's Lifeline eligibility from phone and internet service providers to the program's administrator, the Universal Service Administrative Company. The National Verifier will establish whether a consumer is eligible by electronically querying state and federal data sources, and if necessary, manually reviewing supporting documents. An overview of the National Verifier can be found on USAC's website. 

3/7/2019 – Newsletter for March 2019

FY2019 Filing Window Open Now!

The initial filing window period for FY2019 is February 1 – May 31, 2019. This means that you must submit your funding requests (FCC Forms 462 or 466) before 11:59 p.m. ET May 31, 2019 for consideration. Any funding requests submitted after this time will not be considered. We highly encourage you to submit your funding requests as soon as possible.

Prepare to submit your FY2019 Funding Request with these resources:

• January 2019 Funding Request Best Practices Webinar and slides
• Funding Request Summary
• FY2019 Recommended Submission Dates
• Information for FY2018 and FY2019 Applicants
• Urban and Rural Rate Guide

Submit Eligibility and FY2019 Request for Services Forms Now!

Applicants applying for funding for FY2019 who are going through the competitive bidding process can submit their FCC Forms 460 and 461 (HCF Program) and FCC Form 465 (Telecom Program) now! Prepare to submit your forms with these resources:

Eligibility

• Webinar Recording and Slides
• Eligibility Summary

Request for Services

• Request for Services Best Practices Webinar recording and slides
• RFP Checklist (HCF Program only)
• Network Plan Checklist (HCF Program only)
• Search Posted Services tool: HCF Program and Telecom Program

FCC Form 461 Rollover for FY2019

This year’s rollover functionality is a courtesy extended to HCF applicants who completed the Request for Services or FCC Form 461 process in FY2018 and would like to use the FY2018 approved FCC Form 461 in FY2019. Those requesting the FY2018 FCC Form 461 rollover functionality must meet the following requirements:

• The FCC Form 461 must have been submitted for FY2018, and previously reviewed and approved by RHC in FY2018.
• The FY2018 FCC Form 461 and/or competitive bidding process must have complied with the FCC’s competitive bidding rules.

Applicants requesting the FCC Form 461 rollover understand that their FY2019 FCC Form 462 may be denied if the FY2018 FCC Form 461 and/or competitive bidding process is found to have been in violation of the competitive bidding rules.

The rollover process will only be applied to the FCC Form 461, not the FCC Form 462. Applicants must still submit a FY2019 FCC Form 462 if they wish to apply for HCF Program funding in FY2019.

How to submit your FCC Form 461 rollover request:

• Send email to: RHC-Assist@usac.org 
• Subject line of email: FCC Form 461 Rollover Request App #
• Include within the email body: HCP #, FCC Form 461 application #
• Once emailed, the rollover request may take 5-8 business days to review and process.
• If approved, your request will be confirmed via email from an RHC staff member.

Request for Proposal (RFP) Review

When an RFP accompanies an FCC Form 461 submission, USAC will review the RFP to identify discrepancies and areas of potential non-compliance with competitive bidding requirements and provide applicants with recommendations on how to address areas of concern. The review conducted by USAC does not guarantee that the RFP is fully compliant. It is the sole responsibility of the applicant to ensure that its request for services and any accompanying documentation comply with all RHC Program rules.

Applicants may bypass this review by emailing RHC-Assist@usac.org at the time of FCC Form 461 submission, including the HCP and application number in the subject line and body of the email.

Update on FY2018

New! Consortia Resources

HCF Program applicants who may be interested in forming a consortia can download three new resources to help them get started:

• Consortia Getting Started Tip Sheet
• Forming a Consortium Tip Sheet
• FCC Form 461 and 462 Tip Sheet for Consortia

New! Account Holder Guidance

USAC recommends having at least one secondary account holder per HCP. We’ve created guides for primary account holders with instructions for adding additional account holders in My Portal:

• Telecom Account Holder Guide
• HCF Program Account Holder Guide

Watch RHC 102

On February 28, 2019, the RHC Program team held “RHC 102: Participating in the Rural Health Care Program,” a follow up to our beginner’s webinar “RHC 101.” This webinar was for primary account holders preparing to submit forms to meet the FY2019 filing window deadline of May 31 and covered best practices and available resources. Watch the webinar and download the slides here.

What to Do if You Receive an Information Request

FCC Forms submitted with incomplete or missing documentation will not be reviewed, and RHC reviewers will reach out to all account holders (the primary and all secondary and tertiary account holders associated with that HCP) with a request for additional information (“Information Request”). Information Requests are sent to collect any missing documentation, address deficiencies, or to ask clarifying questions about the FCC Form. If you receive an Information Request, you must respond to it within 14 calendar days. Once you respond, the RHC reviewers will work with you, to the extent they can, to ensure that they have all the necessary documentation to complete their review. Failure to respond within the 14 calendar day timeframe will result in an automatic denial, so be sure to meet that deadline.

LOA/TPAs Must Be Up to Date

In order to be considered eligible for funding in FY2019, Letters of Agency (LOA) and Third Party Authorizations (TPA) must be up to date through FY2019, at a minimum. Be especially mindful if you are an HCP using a consultant, if you are a consortium project coordinator, or a consultant filing on behalf of a consortium. Before submitting a form, please check to ensure your authorization documents are up to date. FCC Forms 462 and 466 submitted with expired LOAs or TPAs will result in applicants receiving Information Requests.

• Download a Sample TPA or Sample LOA

3/7/2019 – Watch RHC 102: Participating in the RHC Program Webinar!

3/7/2019 – C2 Budget Tool Outage Due to System Maintenance - March 7

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program Category Two (C2) Budget Tool will be unavailable from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, March 7 for system maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience.

3/6/2019 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: March 10-11

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, March 10 at 7:00 p.m EST through Monday, March 11 at 1:00 a.m. EDT* for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

*Daylight saving time goes into effect during this period.

3/1/2019 – News Brief Issued

3/1/2019 – Reminder: Upcoming Scheduled Production Maintenance, March 4

2/28/2019 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: March 1

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from 12:00 a.m.-4:00 a.m. ET on Friday, March 1 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

2/27/2019 – Online Service Provider Training Series Now Available

Today, we launched fifteen new training modules as part of our online E-rate training series. The series provides an online, self-paced learning option for those program participants who were unable to attend our fall training events or who want a refresher. 

The online training series for service providers is now available in our Online Learning Library. We encourage you to view the offerings in this series and let us know what you think by using the evaluation at the end of each training module.

2/25/2019 – My Portal Outage Due to System Maintenance Friday, March 1

2/25/2019 – Lifeline Program Newsletter - February 2019

The February 2019 issue of Lifeline Program News is now available. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email in the Subscription Center. 

February headlines:

• National Verifier Live in Additional States, Territories, and the District of Columbia
• FCC and USAC Announce National Verifier Full (Hard) Launch Date for Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee
• 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines Updated
• New Enhancements Coming to National Verifier Portal
• Submitting Lifeline Reimbursement Claims in LCS outside Administrative Window
• Lifeline Support Center Acceptable Material
• Reminder: Keep NLAD Up-To-Date
• Webinar on March 13: NLAD Refresher
  
  
  

2/25/2019 – Upcoming Scheduled System Maintenance, March 4

2/22/2019 – Need a PIN? Please request it by COB Monday, February 25

Applicants who need a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to file an invoice are strongly encouraged to request their PIN before 8:00 p.m. EST on Monday, February 25. To file a request, complete a PIN request template and attach it to a customer service case in the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC). You can also find the template on the PIN guidance page.

If you have any questions, you can call the Client Service Bureau (CSB) at 888-203-8100. CSB is open from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. We will do our best to process any requests received after that time.

Remember that, if you have received an invoice deadline extension request, the deadline to file invoices for FY2017 recurring services is 11:59 p.m. EST on Tuesday, February 26.

2/22/2019 – News Brief Issued

2/21/2019 – Reminder: NLAD Security Update, March 7

2/19/2019 – Reminder: Upcoming Scheduled System Maintenance

2/15/2019 – News Brief Issued

2/15/2019 – Upcoming Scheduled System Maintenance

2/14/2019 – Register Today: Feb. 19 Data Office Hour Webinar

Registration is now open for the upcoming E-rate office hour webinar on February 19, 2019.

Check the Webinars page for our current schedule. More events will be added soon.

2/13/2019 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - February 13

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 13 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this maintenance.

2/8/2019 – News Brief Issued

2/7/2019 – Newsletter for February 2019

2/7/2019 – Rescheduled: Upcoming System Maintenance

2/6/2019 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: February 10-11

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, February 10 at 7:00 p.m ET through Monday, February 11 at 1:00 a.m. ET for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

2/5/2019 – FCC and USAC Announce Upcoming Launch Dates

The FCC and USAC announced upcoming launch dates for the Lifeline National Verifier in Public Notice DA-19.43.

Upcoming Launch Dates:

• February Soft Launch (February 6, 2019)
• March Full (Hard) Launch (March 5, 2019) for states soft launched on December 4, 2018
  
  

February Soft Launch

The Lifeline National Verifier will soft launch in the following states, territories, and the District of Columbia on Wednesday, February 6.

• Alaska
• American Samoa
• District of Columbia
• Delaware
• Maine
• Northern Mariana Islands
• Rhode Island
• U.S. Virgin Island
  

During the soft launch, service providers in the February Launch can begin using the National Verifier to determine subscriber eligibility through the service provider portal at www.CheckLifeline.org/SPportal or by sending paper forms to the Lifeline Support Center. Service providers can continue using their legacy eligibility checking procedures during this time.

2/5/2019 – 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines Updated

2/5/2019 – Rescheduled: Advanced Eligible Services Webinar

Our upcoming E-rate Office Hour Webinar on Advanced Eligible Services is rescheduled for February 14, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. ET. The Webinars page will be edited soon to reflect the updated webinar schedule.  We apologize for any inconvenience.

February 5, 2019

February 14, 2019 (NEW DATE)

2/1/2019 – News Brief Issued

2/1/2019 – E-rate Office Hours - Register Today

Registration is now open for upcoming E-rate office hour webinars. Check the Webinars page for our current schedule. More events will be added soon.

Here is how the process will work:

February 5, 2019

February 6, 2019

2/1/2019 – FY2019 Filing Window Open Now!

The initial filing window period for FY2019 is February 1 – May 31, 2019. This means that you must submit your funding requests (FCC Forms 462 or 466) before 11:59 p.m. ET May 31, 2019 for consideration. Any funding requests submitted after this time will not be considered. We highly encourage you to submit your funding requests as soon as possible.

Prepare to submit your FY2019 Funding Request with these resources:

=         January 2019 Funding Request Best Practices Webinar and slides

=         Funding Request Summary

=         FY2019 Recommended Submission Dates

=         Information for FY2018 and FY2019 Applicants

=         Urban and Rural Rate Guide

1/29/2019 – Canceled: Upcoming Scheduled System Maintenance

1/28/2019 – Reminder: Upcoming Scheduled System Maintenance

1/28/2019 – Lifeline Program Newsletter - January 2019

The January 2019 issue of Lifeline Program News is now available. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email in the Subscription Center. 

January headlines:

• National Verifier Second Full Launch
• National Verifier Outreach Lists
• FCC Resumes Operations
• New Features Introduced to Companies Near Me Tool
• FCC Form 555 due January 31, 2019
• 2019 Federal Poverty Guidelines Published
• Common Audit Finding
• Webinar on February 13: Common Audit Findings
  

1/28/2019 – E-rate Office Hours

During the FY2019 application filing window, USAC will conduct a series of office hour webinars which will focus on specific E-rate topics covered in our online E-rate Program Training Series.

Here is how the process will work:

• We will post a list of the office hour webinars on the Webinars page on the USAC website soon. Each webinar will include the topic, the date and time, the recommended audience, the E-rate experience level (beginner, advanced, general) and the specific training module(s) that attendees should review in advance of the webinar. Note that we may hold more than one webinar on the same day.
• If you are interested in attending, register for the webinar and watch the training module(s).
• When the webinar starts, we will provide instructions on how to ask questions, go over a short summary of the module(s) you should have reviewed, and then open the floor for questions.

• Attendees will use the webinar's chat function to ask questions. We will identify questions of general interest that come in through the chat function and read and respond to them verbally, and also answer more specific questions individually using the chat function. As with our regular webinars, we will give preference to questions about the topic under discussion.

   

Because the first office hour webinars will be held this week, we are providing the details below. Remember to register using the appropriate link on the Webinars page once the full schedule is posted.

1/27/2019 – RESOLVED: Lifeline Support Center Live Telephone Support Outage

Update 4:55 PM ET: USAC has resolved the telephone issues with the Lifeline Support Center. All support features are now available for consumers and service providers.

________________________________________________________________________________

The Lifeline Support Center is experiencing a system outage that prevents customer service agents from providing live telephone support. National Verifier processes, including manual review of Lifeline applications, are not affected.

Consumers can still access the features of the Lifeline IVR. Consumers and service providers who need Lifeline support during the outage should email LifelineSupport@usac.org.

USAC is working to restore live agent support to the Lifeline Support Center. We apologize for the inconvenience.

1/25/2019 – News Brief Issued

1/25/2019 – Reminder: FCC Form 555 due January 31, 2019

• The FCC Form 555 instructions, including how service providers in National Verifier states must complete the form, and bulk upload template are on the Lifeline Program Forms page
• The December FCC Form 555 webinar, which includes a walk-through of the form
• How to account for subscribers covered under hurricane relief orders
• E-File login help: email us at customersupport@usac.org
• Additional help: email us at Form555@usac.org  
  

1/25/2019 – NLAD Security Update: March 2019

1/24/2019 – Schedule Adjustment: Pre-Production Maintenance on January 30

1/22/2019 – Extensions for Participants Affected by California Wildfires

On January 3, 2019, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released an order (DA 19-15) that waives specific E-rate Program deadlines that occurred on or after October 8, 2017 for schools and libraries located in the areas affected by the Northern California wildfires that occurred in October 2017. The fires caused power outages and damage to communications services, affecting the participation of schools and libraries in the E-rate Program.

Program participants in the affected area have until April 3, 2019 to submit the following filings to USAC:

• Requests for review or waiver of decisions by USAC, directed to USAC or the FCC.
• FCC Form 486 (Receipt of Service Confirmation and Children’s Internet Protection Act Certification (CIPA) Form).
• FCC Form 472 (Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Form) and FCC Form 474 (Service Provider Invoice Form). *By waiving the invoicing deadline, the FCC also extended the deadline to submit a Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) change request.

Next Steps for Affected Entities

To take advantage of the deadline extensions referenced in the Order you must notify USAC that an extension is needed.

The first step is to open a customer service case in the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC).

At the beginning of the case nickname, enter the code "DA 19-15" to assist us in locating and responding to your questions or request.

The following information should be included in your customer service case: Funding Request Number(s) (FRNs), Billed Entity Number (BEN), Billed Entity name, the type of request you are seeking (i.e., invoice deadline extension) and a description of the request.

USAC will process these customer service cases to ensure the relevant filing deadline is extended.

If you have questions about the waiver or next steps you can submit a customer service case or contact the Client Services Bureau (CSB) at 1-888-203-8100.

1/22/2019 – Webinar: How to File in the HUBB Portal

1/18/2019 – News Brief Issued - Corrected

The 1/18/2019 issue of the News Brief is now available. NOTE: The FCC form numbers have been corrected to reflect the accurate form count in the Funding Year (FY) 2019 Window Countdown section.

Receive E-rate Program tips, deadline reminders, and answers to your questions in this weekly newsletter. Subscribe to it and receive it each week in your inbox.

1/18/2019 – Watch the Funding Request Best Practices Webinar Now!

1/17/2019 – HUBB Outage Due to System Maintenance

1/17/2019 – January 2019 Contributor Invoice Summary Now Available Online

1/16/2019 – Upcoming System Maintenance, January 18

1/16/2019 – HUBB Resources Page Updated for 2019

1/15/2019 – My Portal Outage Due to System Maintenance Tuesday, January 22

1/15/2019 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - January 15

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, January 15 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this maintenance.

1/15/2019 – National Verifier Hard Launches in Second Launch States and Territory

1/11/2019 – News Brief Issued

1/11/2019 – January Scheduled System Maintenance

1/11/2019 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: January 14-15

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Monday, January 14 at 8:00 p.m ET through Tuesday, January 15 at 1:00 a.m. ET for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

1/9/2019 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: January 13-14

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, January 13 at 7:00 p.m ET through Monday, January 14 at 1:00 a.m. ET for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

1/8/2019 – New Webinar! FCC Form 499-Q Basics

Register here for the January 15, 2019 webinar designed to walk 499 filers through the basics of filling out an FCC Form 499-Q.

This is a new training class for 2019, lead by a senior USAC contributions analyst.   The next quarterly filing is due on February 1, 2019.  If you are a new 499 ID holder, this training is a great opportunity to learn about this FCC Form.

1/8/2019 – National Verifier System Maintenance, January 13

1/7/2019 – USAC Is Open for Business As Usual; All Deadlines Remain in Effect

1/4/2019 – News Brief Issued

1/3/2019 – Newsletter for January 2019

FY2019 Filing Window Opens February 1, 2019

The initial filing window period for FY2019 is February 1 – May 31, 2019. This means that you must submit your funding requests (FCC Forms 462 or 466) between February 1 and 11:59 p.m. ET May 31, 2019 for funding consideration. We highly encourage you to submit your funding requests as early as possible in the filing window period. You can begin the application process and submit all other application forms for FY2019 (FCC Forms 460, 461, or 465) before February 1.

If the total amount of qualifying funding requests received during the initial filing window period for FY2019 does not exceed available RHC Program funding, we will determine if there will be additional filing windows.

Prepare to submit your funding request by attending the Funding Request Best Practices Webinar! This webinar will go through both the FCC Form 462 and 466 in My Portal and cover important tips for submitting a compliant funding request by the initial filing window close on May 31, 2019. Register here! 

Submit FY2019 Request for Services Forms Now!

Applicants applying for funding for FY2019 who are going through the competitive bidding process can submit their FCC Form 461 (HCF Program) and FCC Form 465 (Telecom Program) now! The first day to submit these forms was January 1, 2019-- six months before the start of the funding year, which begins July 1, 2019.

Prepare to submit your Request for Services Form with the following resources:

• December 2018 Request for Services Best Practices Webinar recording and slides
• RFP Checklist (HCF Program only)
• Network Plan Checklist (HCF Program only)
• Search Posted Services tool: HCF Program and Telecom Program

FCC Form 461 Rollover for FY2019

This year’s rollover functionality is a courtesy extended to HCF applicants who completed the Request for Services or FCC Form 461 process in FY2018 and would like to use the FY2018 approved FCC Form 461 in FY2019. Those requesting the FY2018 FCC Form 461 rollover functionality must meet the following requirements:

• The FCC Form 461 must have been submitted for FY2018, and previously reviewed and approved by RHC in FY2018.
• The FY2018 FCC Form 461 and/or competitive bidding process must have complied with the FCC’s competitive bidding rules.

Applicants requesting the FCC Form 461 rollover understand that their FY2019 FCC Form 462 may be denied if the FY2018 FCC Form 461 and/or competitive bidding process is found to have been in violation of the competitive bidding rules.

The rollover process will only be applied to the FCC Form 461, not the FCC Form 462. Applicants must still submit a FY2019 FCC Form 462 if they wish to apply for HCF Program funding in FY2019.

How to submit your FCC Form 461 rollover request:

• Send email to: RHC-Assist@usac.org 
• Subject line of email: FCC Form 461 Rollover Request App #
• Include within the email body: HCP #, FCC Form 461 application #
• Once emailed, the rollover request may take 5-8 business days to review and process.

If approved, your request will be confirmed via email from an RHC staff member.

FY2018 and FY2017 Information

Update on FY2018

RHC has begun issuing decisions on FY2018 funding requests, and will continue to do so on a rolling basis. RHC will communicate any updates via the email addresses the applicant has submitted in My Portal. Due to demand for RHC Program funds, there will not be a second filing window period for FY2018. The RHC Program will not accept additional funding requests (FCC Forms 462 or 466) for FY2018. All qualifying single year funding requests with no upfront costs will be fully funded for FY2018 with no proration. 

FY2017 FCC Forms

Important Reminders

Register for RHC 101 - Wednesday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m. ET

Are you or a colleague interested in learning more about the RHC Program? On February 20, 2019, we will be hosting a webinar for beginners called “RHC Program 101: An Introduction to the RHC Program.” This webinar will cover the basics of the program including eligibility requirements and how to get started. Register today!

Watch the RHC Program Eligibility Best Practices Webinar

On November 29, 2018, the RHC Program Team hosted an RHC Program Eligibility webinar. This webinar covered best practices for submitting the first form in the RHC Program process: the FCC Form 460 (HCF Program) and the FCC Form 465 (Telecom Program). If you are a new applicant ready to get started, watch the recording and download the slides here!

What to Do if You Receive an Information Request

FCC Forms submitted with incomplete or missing documentation will not be reviewed, and RHC reviewers will reach out to all account holders (the primary and all secondary and tertiary account holders associated with that HCP) with a request for additional information (“Information Request”). Information Requests are sent to collect any missing documentation, address deficiencies, or to ask clarifying questions about the FCC Form. If you receive an Information Request, you must respond to it within 14 calendar days. Once you respond, the RHC reviewers will work with you, to the extent they can, to ensure that they have all the necessary documentation to complete their review. Failure to respond within the 14 calendar day timeframe will result in an automatic denial, so be sure to meet that deadline.

LOA/TPAs Must Be Up to Date

In order to be considered eligible for funding in FY2018, Letters of Agency (LOA) and Third Party Authorizations (TPA) must be up to date through FY2018, at a minimum. Be especially mindful if you are an HCP using a consultant, a consortium leader, or a consultant filing on behalf of a consortium leader. Before submitting a form, please check to ensure your authorization documents are up to date. FCC Forms 462 and 466 submitted with expired LOAs or TPAs will result in applicants receiving Information Requests.

• Download a Sample TPA or Sample LOA

1/3/2019 – Submit FY2019 Request for Services Now!

Applicants applying for funding for FY2019 who are going through the competitive bidding process can submit their FCC Form 461 (HCF Program) and FCC Form 465 (Telecom Program) now! The first day to submit these forms was January 1, 2019-- six months before the start of the funding year, which begins July 1, 2019.

Prepare to submit your Request for Services Form with the following resources:

• December 2018 Request for Services Best Practices Webinar recording and slides
• RFP Checklist (HCF Program only)
• Network Plan Checklist (HCF Program only)
• Search Posted Services tool: HCF Program and Telecom Program

12/22/2018 – News Brief Issued

12/21/2018 – Special Edition News Brief - FY2019 Application Filing Window Opens January 16, 2019

12/21/2018 – Online Applicant Training Series Now Available

Today, we launched the first of a new online training series which provides an online, self-paced learning option for those program participants who were unable to attend our fall training events or who want a refresher. 

The online applicant training series is now available in our Online Learning Library. A service provider training series will be available in 2019. We encourage you to view the offerings in this series and let us know what you think by using the evaluation at the end of each training module.

12/21/2018 – Lifeline Program Newsletter - December 2018

The December 2018 issue of Lifeline Program News is now available. Sign up to receive the newsletter by email in the Subscription Center.

December headlines:

• FCC and USAC Announce National Verifier Full Launch Date for Launch 2 States and Territory
  
• National Verifier Live in Four Additional States
  
• National Verifier Outreach Lists - Sign up for Future Launch Information
  
• FCC Form 555 Updates and Reminders
  
• 2019 Webinar Schedule Now Available
  
  
  

12/20/2018 – E-rate Client Service Bureau Closed: December 24-25

12/20/2018 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - December 20

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 6:00-11:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 20 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this maintenance.

12/18/2018 – December 2018 Contributor Invoice Summary Now Available Online

The December 2018 invoice summary for contributors is now online and available for filers to view in E-File. 

Watch this quick video to learn how to access your online invoice summary

12/17/2018 – Preparing for FY2019 - Webinar Recording Now Available

If you missed the Preparing for Funding Year (FY) 2019 webinar on December 12, 2018, you can use this link to register and watch a recording. This webinar was designed to help applicants and service providers prepare for the Funding Year 2019 application filing window. 

Recommended for: Applicants and service providers

E-rate Experience Level: All levels

12/14/2018 – Focus on Participant Experience

USAC is continuing its ongoing efforts to better serve E-rate participants by adding extra applicant and service provider support and implementing enhancements to improve the experience for the E-rate community. As the end of the calendar year approaches, while we are committed to addressing as many open participant issues as possible before 2019, we appreciate the E-rate community’s patience and cooperation as we work open cases.

Some of these open cases may require a change in reviewers once USAC transitions to its new vendor for E-rate business process operations later this month. All review activities, including program integrity assurance (PIA), appeals, funding commitment waves and payments, will continue during the transition.

USAC will reach out to E-rate participants that have active applications, invoices or post-commitment requests, to share additional information about any changes related to the transition to the new vendor. We will continue to share information with affected participants by email, especially if the transition to the new vendor will impact those participants’ open E-rate activities. For example, beginning in January, all open forms and requests (including invoices, appeals and post-commitment requests) will be assigned to new reviewers.

USAC is aware that some E-rate participants have open, inactive forms and requests pending with the program. These items will also transition to the new team and participants will receive outreach at a later time.

We appreciate the support and cooperation of the E-rate community as we work with our new vendor on these adjustments.

12/14/2018 – News Brief Issued

12/14/2018 – FCC Announces 1st Quarter 2019 Contribution Factor Decrease to 20.0 Percent

12/14/2018 – 498 ID Status Tool - ISSUE RESOLVED

The 498 Status Tool is now operational.

Visit this webpage to use the 498 Status Tool.

12/13/2018 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - December 13

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 6:00-9:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 13 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this maintenance.

12/13/2018 – Hard Launch Date for Second Launch States

12/12/2018 – Focus on Participant Experience

In 2018, USAC improved the E-rate Program's operational efficiency by refining EPC to process applications more quickly and adjust to large volumes. As we look toward 2019, we will build on those advances with a steady focus on strengthening the E-rate participant experience.

We will serve participants better by adding extra applicant and service provider support, transitioning our E-rate business process operations and implementing enhancements to create a better experience for the E-rate community. USAC has expanded our participant support teams to ensure a smooth and orderly transition process with minimal impacts on the E-rate community.

E-rate participants with open applications, invoices or post-commitment requests will receive additional information to help guide them through the transition. USAC is working hard to address as many open participant issues as we can before the end of the year, and we appreciate the E-rate community's patience as we analyze and work open cases.

Most participants will not notice any changes in their E-rate experience during the transition and will see customer service improvements when it is complete.

12/12/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: December 16-17

The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Sunday, December 16 at 7:00 p.m ET through Monday, December 17 at 1:00 a.m. ET for monthly system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to log in to and use EPC. We apologize for any inconvenience.

12/11/2018 – NLAD December Monthly Maintenance Canceled

12/10/2018 – My Portal Outage Due to System Maintenance Wednesday, December 12

12/7/2018 – News Brief Issued

12/7/2018 – Newsletter for December 2018

FY2019 Filing Window Dates Announced!

The initial filing window period for FY2019 is February 1 – May 31, 2019. This means that you must submit your funding requests (FCC Forms 462 and/or 466) between February 1 and 11:59 p.m. ET May 31, 2019 for funding consideration. We highly encourage you to submit your funding requests as early as possible in the filing window period. You can begin the application process and submit all other application forms for FY2019 (FCC Forms 460, 461, or 465) before February 1.

If the total amount of qualifying funding requests received during the initial filing window period for FY2019 does not exceed available RHC Program funding, we will determine if there will be additional filing windows.

Update on FY2018

RHC has begun issuing decisions on FY2018 funding requests, and will continue to do so on a rolling basis. RHC will communicate any updates via the email addresses the applicant has submitted in My Portal. Due to demand for RHC Program funds, there will not be a second filing window period for FY2018. The RHC Program will not accept additional funding requests (FCC Forms 462 or 466) for FY2018. All qualifying single year funding requests with no upfront costs will be fully funded for FY2018 with no proration.

My Portal continues to accept Telecom Program FCC Form 467 (Connection Certification Form) and Healthcare Connect Fund (HCF) Program FCC Form 463 (Invoice and Request for Disbursement Form) for applicants approved for funding in FY2017. 

HCF Program Invoicing Deadline Approaching

Please keep in mind that 11:59 p.m. ET December 31, 2018 is the last day to submit the FCC Form 463 to USAC if you had a funding commitment end date of June 30, 2018. Don't know when your HCF Program invoicing deadline is? Use the look-up tool on our website! Download the Invoicing Deadline Spreadsheet.

Watch the latest HCF Program Invoicing Webinar! This webinar covered how to submit the FCC Form 463 for healthcare providers (HCPs) and service providers. Watch the webinar and download the slides here. Watch our step-by-step invoicing guide video series. These videos go over the submission process of the FCC Form 463, and we highly recommend viewing them if you are submitting your FCC Form 463 for the first time or just simply need a refresher in anticipation of an upcoming deadline: Individual HCPs, Consortia.

FCC Form 461 Rollover for FY2019

This year’s rollover functionality is a courtesy extended to HCF applicants who completed the Request for Services or FCC Form 461 process in FY2018 and would like to use the FY2018 approved FCC Form 461 in FY2019.

Those requesting the FY2018 FCC Form 461 rollover functionality must meet the following requirements:

• The FCC Form 461 must have been submitted for FY2018, and previously reviewed and approved by RHC in FY2018.
• The FY2018 FCC Form 461 and/or competitive bidding process must have complied with competitive bidding rules.

Applicants requesting the FCC Form 461 rollover understand that their FY2019 FCC Form 462 may be denied if the FY2018 FCC Form 461 and/or competitive bidding process is found to have been in violation of competitive bidding rules.

The rollover process will only be applied to the FCC Form 461, and not the FCC Form 462. Applicants must still submit a FY2019 FCC Form 462 if they wish to apply for HCF Program funding in FY2019.

How to submit your FCC Form 461 rollover request:

• Send email to: RHC-Assist@usac.org 
• Subject line of email: FCC Form 461 Rollover Request App #
• Include within the email body: HCP #, FCC Form 461 application #
• Once emailed, the rollover request may take 5-8 business days to review and process.
• If approved, your request will be confirmed via email from an RHC staff member.

Upcoming My Portal Updates for FY2017 Invoices (HCF Program)

A mid-December deployment will show true-up payments* in the “FCC Form 463” tab for HCPs and the “USAC Review” tab for service providers. For HCPs, true-up payments are indicated by an invoice number starting with “2017” with the date they were distributed in the “Last Edited” column. For service providers, the true-up invoice number begins with “2017” and in the “Vendor/Applicant Invoice Number” column, any true-up payments will read “True up + the original vendor invoice number.” For screenshots and a verbal explanation, please watch our FY2017 Invoicing Best Practices webinar.

*True-up payments were off- cycle payments issued when the FCC released their most recent RHC Program Order raising the cap for FY2017, which fully funded all previously pro-rated qualifying funding requests. The true-up payments covered the difference between payments already made and the adjusted amounts without the proration. True-up payments only applied to applicants who received a commitment for FY2017.

PQA Requests for Information Are Going Out

The 2018 Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) assessment program is underway. PQA is a program that assesses RHC Program payments made on invoices submitted during the past 12 months to verify that the payments were properly made – in other words, that all program rules were followed correctly when the payment was authorized and disbursed.

For disbursements made each month, a certain number of payments will be chosen, and applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation – for example, customer bills that support invoices submitted to USAC to verify that those payments were made correctly. It is important that you maintain proper documentation in order to be able to respond correctly and completely to PQA requests.

The email notifying applicants whose payments have been selected for PQA were sent in December from the domain name usac.i-sight.com. Please check your email and respond promptly if you receive an email request from USAC's PQA Program. Also check your spam folder or junk email folder to see if it contains an email from this domain. This will help expedite your review.

• Do not hesitate to contact your reviewer if you have questions. Contact information is provided in the email.
• Also, contact your PQA reviewer if you are unable to respond by the deadline. 

Winter Training Series Dates Announced!

We highly recommend attending our upcoming online training series, specifically designed to prepare applicants for the FY2019 filing window. These trainings are filled with resources, useful information, best practices, what to expect from the USAC review process and more! Attending these trainings is the best way to prepare for the FY2019 filing window.

• Request for Services Webinar: Wednesday December 12, 2018 at 2 p.m. ET. Get ready for the start of the FY2019 filing window period by joining our Request for Services Best Practices webinar. We will focus on the FCC Forms 461 and 465 process and participants will be able to ask questions: Register here.   
• Funding Request Webinar: Date January 16, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. ET Join us to prepare for FY2019. This webinar will focus on the FCC Forms 462 and 466: Register here.

Important Reminders

Program Eligibility Best Practices Webinar

On November 29, 2018, the RHC Program Team hosted an RHC Program Eligibility webinar. This webinar covered best practices for submitting the first form in the RHC Program process: the FCC Form 460 (for the HCF Program) and the FCC Form 465 (for the Telecom Program). The webinar recording and slides will be posted to our Online Learning Library soon!

Watch RHC 101

On September 26, 2018 the RHC Program Team hosted RHC 101: An Introduction to the RHC Program webinar. This webinar covered the basics of the program including eligibility requirements and how to get started. Were you unable to make it? The recording and slides are posted on our website here.

What to Do if You Receive an Information Request

Applicants must upload all required documentation with the submission of their FCC Forms 462 or 466. FCC Forms submitted with incomplete or missing documentation will not be reviewed, and RHC reviewers will reach out to all account holders (the primary and all secondary and tertiary account holders associated with that HCP) with a request for additional information (“Information Request”). Information Requests are sent to collect any missing documentation, address deficiencies, or to ask clarifying questions about the FCC Form. If you receive an Information Request, you must respond to it within 14 calendar days. Once you respond, the RHC reviewers will work with you, to the extent they can, to ensure that they have all the necessary documentation to complete their review. Failure to respond within the 14 calendar day timeframe will result in an automatic denial, so be sure to meet that deadline! 

LOA/TPAs Must Be Up to Date

In order to be considered eligible for funding in FY2018, Letters of Agency (LOA) and Third Party Authorizations (TPA) must be up to date through a minimum of FY2018. Be especially mindful if you are an HCP using a consultant, a consortium leader, or a consultant filing on behalf of a consortium leader. Before submitting a form, please check to ensure your authorization documents are up to date.

FCC Forms 462 and 466 submitted with expired LOAs or TPAs will result in applicants receiving Information Requests.

• Download a Sample TPA or Sample LOA

12/3/2018 – FUSF Reseller Certification Template Now Available

USAC has developed a template for wholesale carriers to obtain information from their resale customers regarding the status of their contributions to the federal Universal Service Fund (USF) on the revenue associated with the specific service(s) provided to resellers.

You can find the template on our Handouts and Reference page. 

This template is provided as a voluntary resource only.  Companies can develop their own template for documentation purposes related to revenue reported in Block 300 of the FCC Form 499-A. 

12/3/2018 – PQA Requests for Information Are Going Out

The 2018 Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) assessment program is underway. PQA is a program that assesses RHC Program payments made on invoices submitted during the past 12 months to verify that the payments were properly made – in other words, that all program rules were followed correctly when the payment was authorized and disbursed.

For disbursements made each month, a certain number of payments will be chosen, and applicants will be asked to provide specific documentation – for example, customer bills that support invoices submitted to USAC – to verify that those payments were made correctly. It is important that you maintain proper documentation in order to be able to respond correctly and completely to PQA requests.

The email request notifying applicants whose payments have been selected for PQA are being sent in December from the domain name usac.i-sight.com. Please check your email and respond promptly if you receive an email from USAC's PQA Program. Also check your spam folder or junk email folder to see if it contains an email from this domain. This will help expedite your review.

• Do not hesitate to contact your reviewer if you have questions. Contact information is provided in the email.
• Also, contact your PQA reviewer if you are unable to respond by the deadline.  

11/30/2018 – News Brief Issued

11/29/2018 – Legacy System Outage Due to System Maintenance - November 29

The Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program legacy systems will be unavailable from 6:00-8:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, November 29 for system maintenance. During this time, users will be unable to file invoices and use some of the search tools. The BEAR training site will also be unavailable. We apologize for any inconvenience.

NOTE: The E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) will not be affected by this maintenance.

11/28/2018 – 2018 E-rate Service Provider Training - December 3-5

USAC’s annual service provider trainings will take place at USAC’s office located at 700 12th Street NW, Suite 900, Washington, DC 20005 on December 3-5, 2018. For those of you joining us at USAC next week, here are a few tips and reminders to help you prepare for the training.

December 3 and December 5 are identical full-day trainings designed for participants of all proficiency levels; attendees should be registered for only one of these two trainings. December 4 is a half-day afternoon training specifically for beginner participants who want the very basics of the program. Attendees must attend the session(s) for which they are confirmed as registered. To reiterate, training dates and times are:

• Monday, December 3: 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (general session for all proficiency levels)
• Tuesday, December 4: 12:30 p.m.- 4:30 p.m. (beginner session covering program basics)
• Wednesday, December 5: 9:00 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (repeat of general session for all proficiency levels)

Registration: Registration opens 30 minutes before the day’s training as noted above. Please bring a photo ID. The name on USAC’s registration records must match the name of the person who attends the training. We are at full capacity and will not be able to accommodate walk-in registrations.

Check-in Process:

1. Enter the 12th Street lobby at 700 12th St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.
2. Go to USAC’s registration desk in the lobby to check in and receive your name badge and training agenda. 
3. Then, go to the security desk in the lobby to receive your security pass.
4. A USAC representative by the elevators will guide you to the training event.

NOTE: If you are attending two days of training, you will need to check in with USAC and receive a security pass at the beginning of each day.

Download the Training Materials: Training materials are available on our website. We will be going paperless this year, and will not have printouts. Please plan accordingly.

Food: Attendees should make their own arrangements for meals. USAC will provide recommendations for nearby breakfast and lunch options within short walking distance, of which there are many.

We look forward to seeing you next week. For more information on our fall training events, please reference our 2018 Applicant & Service Provider Trainings page.

11/27/2018 – FCC and USAC Announce National Verifier Third Launch

On Tuesday, December 4, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee will soft launch in the National Verifier. At that time, service providers in these states can check consumers’ Lifeline eligibility using the National Verifier service provider portal and paper applications.

The National Verifier will have automated connections to check program eligibility for the programs listed below. Consumers who cannot be found in the automated database or who qualify using other eligibility programs or income can submit documentation to demonstrate eligibility.  

• Missouri: SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing
• North Carolina: SNAP, Federal Public Housing
• Pennsylvania: SNAP, Medicaid, Federal Public Housing
• Tennessee: SNAP, Federal Public Housing 

During the soft launch period, service providers can continue using their legacy eligibility checking procedures if they choose.

About the National Verifier
The National Verifier shifts the responsibility for determining a consumer's Lifeline eligibility from phone and internet service providers to the program's administrator, the Universal Service Administrative Company. The National Verifier will establish whether a consumer is eligible by electronically querying state and federal data sources, and if necessary, manually reviewing supporting documents. An overview of the National Verifier can be found on USAC's website.

Service providers who do business in any of the states listed above who did not receive an email about National Verifier training schedule for Launch 3 should email LifelineProgram@usac.org to be added to the National Verifier Launch 3 training list.

11/26/2018 – E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) *TRAINING SITE* Outage Due to System Maintenance: November 26