Filing the Form 486 After Receiving FCDL

April 19, 2021

Attached: Form 486 Filing Guide 2021

~ Can only be filed after receiving your FCDL ~
~ Helpful filing guide attached ~
~ Be VERY careful when checking the CIPA Certifications! ~

After you have received notice that your FY 2021 E-rate funding has been committed, the next step is to file the Form 486 in EPC.  The Form 486 has two basic functions:
a) It informs the SLD and your vendor that USAC is authorized to pay invoices (either BEAR or SPIFs), and
b) It informs the SLD that your school or library is CIPA compliant.

Deadline to Submit Form:  120 days from funding commitment decision letter date, or the Service Start Date listed on the 486, whichever is later.  For each 30 days that the 486 is overdue, USAC deducts 1 months’ worth of E-rate funding.  So don’t delay – file the 486 as soon as you receive the FCDL!  Also, if you are requesting discounted bills from your service provider, you MUST submit the Form 486 so discounted billing can begin on or after July 1.

Form 486 Filing Guide:  What’s New on the FY 2021 Form 486:  Attached is a Form 486 Filing Guide that I encourage you to keep handy as you’re completing the 486.  It explains what to click and not click to make the form even easier to navigate.  As with FY 2020, the FY 2021 approved FRNs are already pre-populated in the form and only relevant CIPA certifications appear based on your entity type.

Early Form 486 Filing:  The form will ask if you are filing the Form 486 early and, if you have received your FCDL and services will begin before July 31, you should check this box if you’re filing the Form 486 before July 31.

Extreme Caution:  When checking the certification boxes, don’t get click happy!  For all applicants except consortia, only check the 1st CIPA certification, and not the last two.  If you check one of the last two, it unchecks the first certification and your application will be held for months until USAC reaches out to you to determine if you meant to report you weren’t CIPA compliant.  Here’s what you SHOULD check.

CIPA Certifications for Consortia:  Before Consortia can file their 486, they must first collect a signed Form 479 (each year) from each consortia member.  After all 479s have been collected, the consortia lead may file the Form 479 and check the following CIPA certifications.

If you have any questions as you are completing this form, please contact me at jtschell@comcast.net.  Happy 486 Filing!

— Julie

Julie Tritt Schell
Pennsylvania E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 – o
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org