New E-rate Online Portal Being Launched – Called EPIC

June 26, 2015

~ Log-In E-mails Going to Schools/Libraries in Next 7 Days ~

As part of the E-rate Modernization Plan that began last July, USAC has developed an online portal named EPIC (E-rate Productivity Center) that eventually will be the point of entry for all transactions with USAC — for both applicants and service providers.  Beginning soon, applicants will log-in to EPIC to submit their Form 470s, Form 471s, obtain status of applications, receive all notices and letters that were previously mailed, submit questions (and receive answers) and to receive and respond to all PIA review questions.

The first step is for the Billed Entity to establish their own EPIC Account.  How do you do this?  Within the next few days, USAC will be sending an e-mail to the individual who signed the FY 2015 Form 471 for your Billed Entity (not the contact person) — hereby known as the Account Administrator.  The e-mail’s subject line will be “USAC EPC – Account Creation” and will come from this e-mail address: EPC.Application.Administrator@usac.org.  The e-mail will assign the Username (which is simply the e-mail address of the person who signed the FY 2015 Form 471), and provide very brief instructions on how to log-in and create your account.  Note:  e-mails will only be sent to official school or library accounts (not consultant e-mails or generic e-mails, like gmail).

** If you would like to log-in now using the e-mail address of the person who signed the FY 2015 Form 471 (the Username), go to:  https://portal.usac.org/suite/.  The site will ask you for password, but THERE IS NO PASSWORD.  You must click on “Forgot Password” and follow the steps to set up your password.  (Hint:  your password must be 8 characters, contain one uppercase and one lowercase, one number and one symbol.)  The system will send a link to the e-mail address which will contain a temporary link where you can create your password (the link is only active for 15 minutes).  After the password has been established, the Account Administrator may then log into EPIC.  Note: the FY 2016 Form 470 is not yet available.  As soon as it is approved (in July), it will be available only in EPIC.

Attached is a PowerPoint I created with screenshots on how to log-in to EPIC for the first time.  USAC also has several good video tutorials on their website at: http://www.usac.org/sl/tools/e-rate-productivity-center/default/ showing what you can do in EPIC and how to do it.

In future messages, I will explain how to set up Account Users within EPIC so other individuals in your organization can create, submit and certify future forms.  Only the Account Administrator can establish these permissions.  In a few weeks, I will conduct a webinar to demo EPIC and make sure everyone understands how to log-in and set up Account Users to you’re ready to file the Form 470 this fall.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me at jtschell@comcast.net or contact USAC’s Client Services Bureau at 888-203-8100.

– Julie

Julie Tritt Schell

PA E-rate Coordinator

717-730-7133 – o
717-730-9060 – f
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org

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