FCC Form 471 Filing

Purpose of FCC Form 471

Applicants file an FCC Form 471 (Description of Services Ordered and Certification Form) to request discounts on eligible services and equipment for the upcoming funding year. Applicants must include information on the recipients of services and service provider(s); provide detailed descriptions of services including costs and dates of service or equipment; and certify compliance with program rules.

When to File FCC Form 471

You can file the FCC Form 471 in the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) during the specific application filing window each year. Each year, in advance of the filing window, USAC announces the exact dates and times of the filing window on USAC’s website.

Note: You cannot certify the FCC Form 471 before the Allowable Vendor Selection/Contract Date (ACD), which is 28 days after your FCC Form 470 is submitted and certified in the EPC.

Where to File FCC Form 471

You must file the FCC Form 471 online in EPC.

If you do not have an account in EPC, call our Customer Service Center (CSC) at (888) 203-8100.

For step-by-step filing guidance on the FCC Form 471, watch the FCC Form 471 video series.

Bulk Upload Templates

Applicants with large numbers of eligible services and/or large numbers of recipients of service may want to prepare funding request data by completing the following bulk upload templates and then uploading the data to their FCC Form 471.

The current version of the templates and their version numbers are provided below.

Related User Guide

After Filing FCC Form 471

USAC issues a Receipt Acknowledgment Letter (RAL) to both the applicant and the service provider(s) in EPC after the applicant submits and certifies their in-window FCC Form 471. The letter contains many of the details submitted on the form and provides a means to correct any mistakes.  Please view the FCC Form 471 Receipt Acknowledgment Letter Modification Guide for more information.

USAC issues a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) to both the applicant and the service provider(s) in EPC after we have reviewed the funding request(s) included in the FCC Form 471 application.

Submitting Window Waiver Requests

You must submit and certify your FCC Form 471 by the close of the application filing window. If you certify your form after this date, it will be considered out-of-window and you are unlikely to receive funding.
FCC Forms 471 certified after the close of the application filing window will be put in an out-of-window status and will not be reviewed by USAC. For USAC to move these applications to an in-window status, the applicant must request – and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) must grant – a waiver of the application filing window deadline.
Note that USAC cannot approve appeals or waiver requests that ask for a waiver of the Schools and Libraries (E-Rate) program rules—you must file a request for waiver directly with the FCC.

To file a waiver request online at the FCC:

  • Go to the FCC’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS) “Submit a Filing” page.
  • Enter “02-6” in the “Proceeding” field.
    • Provide the information requested. (There are certain fields that are not applicable, such as the “Report Number” or “Bureau ID Number “.) Be sure to choose “WAIVER” or “PETITION FOR WAIVER” from the dropdown menu in the “Type of Filing” field.
  • Click the text in the “Upload Documents” field to open an upload window and attach your appeal and any supporting documentation. You can also drag and drop your file(s) into the “Upload Documents” field.
  • Review your work, make any necessary changes, and then submit your waiver request.

For detailed guidance on filing waiver requests with the FCC, go to the section titled “To File an Appeal with the FCC” in the appeals guidance document on USAC’s website. Note that you can file your appeal electronically using ECFS.