Announcements
March 13, 2024
Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) Review and Selective Review Process Webinar
USAC will host a Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) Review and Selective Review Process Webinar, April 18, 2024 at 2 p.m. This webinar will provide E-Rate participants with an overview of the Program Integrity Assurance (PIA), Selective Review and the funding decision processes. Register to participate.
February 21, 2024
E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: March 15-16
The E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) and the EPC training site will be unavailable from Friday, March 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET through Saturday, March 16 at 12:00 p.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.
February 20, 2024
E-Rate Customer Service Extends Additional Hours
The Customer Service Center (CSC) has added additional hours to support applicants in advance of the close of the FY2024 FCC Form 471 application filing window. The application filing window will close Wednesday, March 27, 2024 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET.
The extended hours for the CSC are as follows:
- Saturday, March 23 – 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Sunday, March 24 – 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Monday, March 25 – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Tuesday, March 26 – 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Wednesday, March 27 – 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m.
February 5, 2024
USAC One Portal Maintenance – February 9
USAC will perform system updates on One Portal on Friday, February 9 from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m.
During this time all applications within One Portal will be inaccessible, including E-File, the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC), the National Lifeline Accountability Database (NLAD), Rural Health Care’s My Portal and RHC Connect, the High Cost Universal Broadband (HUBB) portal, and several additional smaller-usage applications. The National Verifier WILL NOT be affected during this system update.
We apologize for the inconvenience.
January 29, 2024
Certify FCC Form 470 Deadline: February 28
Wednesday, February 28, 2024 is the last day that you can submit and certify an FCC Form 470 and still wait the required 28 days before submitting and certifying your FCC Form 471 by March 27, 2024, the last date of the FY2024 FCC Form 471 application filing window.
January 29, 2024
E-Rate Pre-Commitment Question and Answer Session
This webinar event is designed as a question-and-answer session. Participants should review the prerequisite materials prior to the webinar and come with questions for the subject matter experts. We will have subject matter experts to answer questions about the competitive bidding process and filing FCC Form 471. This is recommended for applicants and service providers of all E-Rate experience levels.
Register to participate.
Materials to review before the training include:
December 21, 2023
Submit bulk profile updates by January 5, 2024
As a reminder, the Administrative Window closes on Friday, January 12, 2024. Please update your E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) profile by January 12, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET to ensure a smoother filing process. We also recommend that you submit any bulk profile updates via EPC customer service case by January 5, 2024, to allow for proper processing.
December 21, 2023
USAC Customer Service Center (CSC) Closed – January 15, 2024
The Customer Support Center will be closed on January 15, 2024 in observance of the Martin Luther King Holiday.
December 21, 2023
Winter Deferral Starts December 22, 2023
USAC recognizes that many E-Rate program participants are unavailable during the winter holiday season and offers a “Winter Deferral” during this time.
The winter deferral extends from the Friday before Christmas Day through the Friday following New Year’s Day. This year the winter deferral period is from Friday, December 22, 2023 through Friday, January 5, 2024.
December 19, 2023
E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) Administrative Window Closes January 12, 2024
The E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) Administrative Window will close January 12. Update your E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) profile by January 12, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. ET to ensure a smoother filing process and more timely review of your applications. You will not be able to make changes to your organization’s profile in EPC after that date.
December 15, 2023
FCC Releases FY2024 Eligible Services List
The FCC has released the Eligible Services List (ESL) for Funding Year (FY) 2024 (DA-23-1171A1, released December 15, 2023). Appendix B contains the ESL.
November 30, 2023
EPC Will Be Unavailable from 12/1 to 12/2 for System Upgrade
USAC will be performing an upgrade to the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) starting December 1 at 7 p.m. EST and finishing on December 2 at 10 a.m. EST. The system will be unavailable during this upgrade.
November 7, 2023
E-Rate Systems Consolidation: EPC Available for All Users
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 processing in EPC may now resume including submission of FCC Form 472/BEAR, FCC Form 473/SPAC, and FCC Form 474/SPI. For more information, see the November 7, 2023 E-Rate News Brief Special Edition.
November 3, 2023
E-Rate Systems Consolidation – EPC Outage November 3-7, 2023
The E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) will be unavailable for all users from 12:00 p.m. ET today, November 3, until 9:00 a.m. ET on November 7, 2023 while USAC consolidates its SL Legacy systems into EPC. Read the October 12, 2023 Special Edition E-Rate News Brief to learn more.
October 24, 2023
E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) Outage Due to System Maintenance: October 25
Due to emergency networking maintenance, the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC) CGR application will be down between 9 pm and 10 pm EST.
October 11, 2023
EPC Admin Window Opens
The administrative window is the period during which applicants can make updates to their entity profile information in EPC to prepare for the upcoming FCC Form 471 application filing window. The administrative window opens Tuesday, October 24 and will close shortly before the FY2024 application filing window opens early in 2024 when applicant entity profiles will be locked
October 1, 2023
E-Rate Systems Consolidation
USAC is consolidating its E-Rate SL Legacy systems into the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC). All E-Rate invoicing related forms – the FCC Forms 472 (Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR)), 473 (Service Provider Annual Certification (SPAC)), and 474 (Service Provider Invoice (SPI) and (eSPI)) – will be moved into EPC as part of this consolidation effort. System cutover from the SL Legacy systems into EPC is expected to occur between October 30, 2023 and November 7, 2023.
For more detail, please see the Special Edition News Brief of September 14, 2023
September 27, 2023
Upcoming E-Rate Systems Consolidation Webinars
USAC will be hosting an E-Rate systems consolidation Training Overview webinars in October to introduce upcoming changes, prepare you for the transition, and guide you through steps you can take now to prepare for the transition from the SL Legacy invoicing systems to EPC.
E-Rate Systems Consolidation Training Overview Webinar: October 4, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT
USAC will also host “Office Hours” webinars targeted to audience groups (applicants and service providers) that will also be used to answer attendee questions.
Office Hours Webinars – Applicant Sessions
- Session 1: October 11, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
- Session 2: October 18, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
- Session 3: October 25, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
- Session 4: November 8, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
- Session 5: November 15, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
Office Hours Webinars – Service Provider Sessions
- Session 1: October 11, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM EDT
- Session 2: October 18, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM EDT
- Session 3: October 25, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM EDT
- Session 4: November 8, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM EDT
- Session 5: November 15, 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM EDT
For more detail on E-Rate Systems Consolidation, please see the Special Edition News Brief of September 14, 2023
September 27, 2023
USAC Announces E-Rate 2023 Fall Training Schedule
USAC has confirmed the E-Rate Fall 2023 Training dates for applicants and service providers that wish to learn more about the program and how to participate. The training sessions will once again be virtual, and registration for each session is now available. Click on the links below for each session to register for that specific training. The sessions are for E-Rate program participants at all levels and will include opportunities to ask questions. Eligible Services training will be scheduled once the FY2024 Eligible Services List is released.
E-Rate Program Overview October 3, 2:00 PM – 4:00 PM EDT
E-Rate Pre-Commitment Process October 5, 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM EDT
Eligible Services 101 October 12, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
Category Two Budgets October 17, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
EPC Administrative Window October 19, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
E-Rate Post-Commitment Process November 7, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
Invoicing November 9, 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT