July 14, 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Good morning, PA CyberPilot Participants! I have several new items of interest related to FCC\u2019s CyberPilot Program (CPP) as well as some reminders. The CPP Form 471\/Form 484 Part 2 deadline is September 15, so if you have not started your procurement process, you will want to do so ASAP in order to have enough time to meet this deadline.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
CPP Dropouts\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 To date, 15 CPP participants nationwide have opted out of the program, relinquishing about $7.9 million.\u00a0 This should be more than enough to cover the $3.8M that\u2019s needed to fully fund the 16 original partially-funded participants,\u00a0including 2 in PA, and possibly award participation to other applicants that didn\u2019t make the original cut-off.\u00a0 Once an applicant opts out of the program, the FCC sends a formal letter saying they will be removed from the program five business days after the letter is issued, and the funding will be reallocated to another participant.\u00a0 No word yet on how the partially-funded participants will be notified when their budgets have been fully funded, or if\/how the FCC will decide to select additional applicants for participation in the CyberPilot.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Considering Opting Out of CPP?<\/em><\/strong> <\/em>If you will not be using any of your CPP grant, even if you didn\u2019t meet the July 1, 2025 deadline to notify the FCC of your decision to withdraw, you can still submit your intention to the FCC in writing. Certainly, we don\u2019t want any PA applicants to withdraw, but if you intend to do so, please do so as soon as possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bid Evaluation Criteria Not Required in RFP<\/strong> \u2013 The CPP Form 471 and 471 Guide imply that applicants are required to include their bid evaluation criteria and weights in their RFPs. USAC has confirmed that this is not an actual requirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CPP Form 471 Reviews and FCDLs<\/strong> \u2013 It appears that USAC has not yet begun reviewing CPP Form 471s. Likewise, CPP Funding Commitment Decision Letters (FCDLs) have not yet begun to be issued, and there has been no mention of when either reviews or FCDLs will begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Update on How CPP Reimbursements Will be Made <\/strong>\u2013 Although the FCC\u2019s CyberPilot FAQs<\/a> state that CPP payments will be made via SAM.gov, we have learned that this will likely not happen and the reimbursement payments will be issued the same way E-rate BEAR payments are issued which is via the bank account information on the Form 498. If you don\u2019t have an approved Form 498 on file with USAC, you will want to start this process right away. Note: If you create a new Form 498 or modify your existing Form 498, you will be required to list your federal UEI number. And if you don\u2019t have this number, it can take several months to obtain it from SAM.gov. <\/p>\n\n\n\n How to Make Modifications to Submitted CPP Form 471<\/strong> \u2013 There will be a new form available after FCDLs are issued, called the CPP Form 488. On this form, applicants will be able to make modifications, such as Service Substitutions, SPIN Changes, FRN Reductions or Cancellations. We are hoping that there also will be a method during PIA review to make modifications, similar to the current RAL modification process. Stay tuned for more information on making changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Two Service Provider-Related Issues: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n CPP PEPPM<\/strong> Mini-Bid Procedures\/Form 471 Filing<\/strong> \u2013 If you will be using the CPP PEPPM mini-bid for your CyberPilot procurement(s), begin by reviewing the comprehensive step-by-step CyberPilot PEPPM Mini-Bid Guide, available at: e-ratepa.org\/?page_id=35967<\/a>, and then be sure to use the CPP PEPPM resources on that page. CPP PEPPM uses different product lines, a different cover e-mail template, and a different mini-bid template than the traditional E-rate PEPPM mini-bid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Form 471 Using PEPPM: <\/strong>If you\u2019re citing PEPPM on your CPP Form 471, you will answer the FRN Procurement Questions as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n CyberPilot Form 470<\/strong> \u2013 If you are not using the PEPPM Contract as your procurement vehicle, please post your CPP Form 470 as soon as possible. Many applicants have been reporting numerous (literally hundreds) vendor questions related to their RFPs, so you will want to build in a 2-week vendor question cut-off date, then upload answers to those questions, and set the proposal due date for 29 days after that. Be sure that if you are mentioning a preferred product line that you always include \u201cor equivalent\u201d to allow other manufacturers to submit proposals. CPP Form 470 User Guide: Pilot-FCC-Form-470_User-Guide.pdf<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Form 484 Part 2<\/strong> \u2013 CPP Participants must complete the Form 484 Part 2 to provide additional information related to their cybersecurity data and Pilot project information. This is a confidential, but required, form and may be submitted now, but is not due until September 15, 2025. Note: No FCDL can be issued until the Form 484 Part 2 has been submitted. This form is fairly simple, so don\u2019t put it off. It can be submitted in advance of our CPP Form 471 submission. Form 484 Part 2 User Guide: Pilot-FCC-Form-484-Part-2_User-Guide.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CyberPilot Form 471<\/strong> \u2013 The CPP Form 471 can be found on the CyberPilot page in EPC by clicking on the waffle (9 squares) in the upper right corner of your EPC Landing Page. Then click on Actions on the right side of the page. It\u2019s a fairly easy form, very similar to the E-rate Form 471. CPP Form 471 User Guide: Pilot-FCC-Form-471_UserGuide.pdf<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What if I Don\u2019t See the Form 471 (or 484 part 2 or 470) option on our CyberPilot page? <\/strong>This likely means that your EPC Account Administrator has not given you permission to file this form. Your EPC AA can grant you permission under Related Actions > Manage User Permissions (see slide 31 at: EPC-How-To-Guide-as-of-Nov-2024.pdf<\/a>). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Additional Resources<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have any questions, please contact me at jtschell@comcast.net. <\/p>\n\n\n\n — Julie<\/p>\n\n\n\n Julie Tritt Schell <\/p>\n\n\n
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Pennsylvania E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 – o
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org<\/p>\n\n\n\n