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E-rate FCC Form 470

Form 470 - Schools and Libraries Universal Service Description of Services Requested and Certification Form – Posting of the applicant's Form 470 on the USAC website opens a competitive bidding process for the services listed either on the form or in the Request for Proposals (RFP) indicated on the form. Form 470 can be filed for a particular funding year as soon as USAC posts a notice to that effect on its website. This notice will be posted at least 12 months before the start of a funding year. Form 470 must be POSTED on USAC's web site for at least 28 days before an applicant can execute a contract for contracted services, select a service provider for tariffed or month-to-month services, and sign and submit the Services Ordered and Certification Form (Form 471). If an RFP is issued, the RFP must remain open for at least 28 days. (USAC/SLD Reference Area: Form 470 Filing Information)

Form 470 Receipt Notification Letter – The Receipt Notification Letter (RNL) is sent to the applicant to indicate that the Form 470 has been received and data entered and the status of the certification (whether it has been received). The RNL also indicates to the applicant the earliest date on which the applicant can sign a contract (or select a Service Provider) in order to comply with the 28 day posting rule of the program. The RNL contains the Form 470 Application Number, which is assigned by the SLD. It is important that the applicant retain this number for future reference (such as in Block 5 on the Form 471). The RNL also indicates the date that the Form 470 was actually posted to the SLD web site; the applicant must wait 28 days from that posting date until they select a Service Provider, award a contract or file their Form 471. The RNL also indicates whether the applicant’s Form 470 certification was received. Finally, the RNL provides a reminder that not all services requested may be funded and that the applicant should make appropriate contingency plans. (Old USAC/SLD Web Site: Service Provider Manual - Chapter 6 - SLD Communications Regarding Applications)

Consultant - A consultant is a company or individual selected by the applicant to serve as signing authority, to respond to USAC questions, and/or to complete and submit applications on their behalf. A Letter of Agency (LOA) or consultant agreement must be in place before the consultant undertakes these activities on behalf of the applicant. A consultant cannot be a service provider.

Letter of Agency - A Letter of Agency (LOA) authorizes (1) a person who is not a school or library employee to represent the applicant or (2) a consortium leader to apply for E-Rate discounts on behalf of the consortium members. (USAC/SLD Web Site: Acronyms and Terms List)

Consortium Letter of Agency
A Letter of Agency (LOA) is most commonly signed by consortium members and kept on file by their consortium leader to verify their knowledge of their membership and participation in the consortium. Other vehicles to establish this authorization could be a project agreement, a contract, a letter agreement, or other similar document. The consortium LOA must be signed and dated on or before the postmark date of the Form 471 certification or the date the form was certified online.

Consultant Letter of Agency
A consultant or anyone signing as the authorized person who is not a school or library employee should also have an LOA from the applicant expressly authorizing the consultant to represent the applicant. The consultant LOA must be signed and dated before the first action is taken by that Consultant on your behalf (such as filing the Form 470). (USAC/SLD Web Site: Letter of Agency)

USAC/SLD PowerPoints and Documents:

Additional Related References:

Additional Updates:

Letter Revisions - September 2006:

Form 470 Receipt Notification Letter (RNL) and Form 471 Receipt Acknowledgment Letter (RAL):

  • Text reduced to two pages

  • Report expanded to allow easier correction of M&C [Ministerial and Clerical] errors

    • Fields that cannot be corrected are identified

    • Fields that can be corrected have space next to them for corrections