Login
Home>Resources>Newsletters>News of the Week

News of the Week

Collapse All

February 19, 2024

Introduction

The E-Rate Central News for the Week is prepared by E-Rate Central. E-Rate Central specializes in providing consulting, compliance, and forms processing services to E-rate applicants. To learn more about our services, please contact us by phone (516-801-7804), fax (516-801-7810), or through our Contact Us web form. Additional E-rate information is located on the E-Rate Central website.

E-Rate for FY 2023:

USAC issued Wave 43 for FY 2023 on Thursday, February 15th, for $5.32 million.  Total funding is now $2.59 billion.  At this point, USAC has funded 97.7% of the originally submitted applications representing 93.1% of the dollars requested.

ECF for 2021-2023:

Total commitments for all three ECF windows are $6.47 billion. 

E-Rate for FY 2024:

The Form 471 filing window for FY 2024 opened on January 17th and will close on Wednesday, March 27th, at 11:59 p.m. EDT.  Applications marked as "Wave Ready" are likely to be included in the first funding wave for FY 2024 that is expected in late April.

Upcoming Dates:

February 23     Form 486 deadline for FY 2023 Wave 27.  More generally, the Form 486 deadline is 120 days from the FCDL date or from the service start date (typically July 1st), whichever is later.  Upcoming Form 486 deadlines are:
Wave 28               03/01/2024
Wave 29               03/08/2024
Applicants missing their Form 486 deadlines should, within a week, receive Urgent Reminder Letters from USAC providing a 15-day grace period.
February 27 Extended invoice deadline for FY 2022 recurring service FRNs.
February 27 Due date for comments on the cybersecurity forms at the OMB.
February 27 Due date for reply comments on the FCC's cybersecurity pilot NPRM (FCC 23-92).
February 28 Last day to file a Form 470 for FY 2024 so as to allow its posting for at least 28 days before the close of the Form 471 application window.
Please note that any applicant waiting until February 28th to file a Form 470 would have to review all bids, select vendors, sign contracts and upload them into EPC, create and file their Form 471, all on March 27th when EPC is likely to be at its busiest.  This is NOT a recommended course of action!
March 13 The interim SPIN 143666666 becomes available for use on FY 2024 Form 471 applications (see USAC's E-Rate News Brief discussed below).
March 27 Close of the Form 471 application window for FY 2024.  To be considered as "In Window," Form 471s must be filed and certified by 11:59 p.m. EDT.
August 29 Invoice deadline for ECF Window 3 applications.

USAC's E-Rate News Brief dated February 15, 2024, provides reminders and tips related to the FY 2024 application window including the following:

  • A tip on dealing with unresponsive bids, "SPAM" bids, and "Robobids."
  • A brief summary of enhanced E-rate benefits for FY 2024:
    • School bus Wi-Fi equipment and services are now E-rate eligible.
    • Libraries (only) no longer have to competitively bid Category 2 equipment with a pre discount cost of $3,600/library/year or less.
    • Tribal libraries now have a Category 2 discount rate of 90% and a Category 2 budget floor of $55,000.
  • As of March 13th, Form 471 applications filed with service providers that have not yet been assigned a SPIN can use the "interim SPIN" 143666666 as a "placeholder."
To Get More Information
Call (877) 801-7880

Contact Us

© 1998-2024 CentralEd TM All Rights Reserved