Form 500 Now Available in EPC

January 9, 2017

USAC has just added the Form 500 to the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC).

While not frequently-used, this form is used as the vehicle to perform six important post-commitment functions: 

• To adjust the funding year Service Start Date.
• To adjust the contract expiration date listed on the Form 471.
• To cancel a Funding Request Number (FRN).
• To reduce the committed amount of an FRN.
• To request a service delivery extension for non-recurring services.
• To notify USAC of an equipment transfer resulting from the closure of the location where the equipment was originally installed.

The most common reason applicants use the Form 500 is to either cancel an FRN or to reduce a funding commitment (likely a C2 commitment from a prior year to “free-up” funding for a future C2 funding request).

Because EPC only has the “memory” of funding years 2016 and later, the form has a hybrid approach to collecting the data.  For FY 2016 and later funding requests, the online form will walk you through a series of intake questions, specific to the function you’ve cited as the purpose of the form.  For FY 2015 and earlier funding requests, answer YES to the question, “Is this FCC Form 500 being filed to request a change to an FRN filed for FY 2015 and prior?”  Then the system will ask you to upload a copy of a completed paper Form 500.  Although the USAC website contains a copy of the paper Form 500, it is not a type-in version and not as easily completed.  For a type-in version, see:  http://e-ratecentral.com/formsRack/app/Form500.asp.

It’s very likely that after you’ve submitted a Form 500, USAC will need to reach out to you to collect additional information before the form can be processed.   For example, if you are reducing a C2 commitment, USAC will ask you to submit supplemental information explaining which specific FRN Line Items are affected, and what the revised pre-discount amount (C2 budget allocation) should be for each entity listed on the FRN.  Therefore it’s important to understand that simply submitting the form doesn’t mean that it’s been approved.  You can track approval in EPC and will, presumably, be notified when the form has been processed/finalized.

If you have any questions related to completing the Form 500, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

— 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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