FAQ: Emergency Connectivity Fund Commitments
Below is a wealth of useful information and frequently asked questions, which were recently posted to the Emergency Connectivity Fund newsletter. You can sign up to receive those emails here: https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/6296809/Emergency-Connectivity-Fund
As always, please contact me if you have any questions or need assistance regarding the ECF, E-rate, or general questions about broadband procurement. Thank you!
Request for Reimbursement Submission
Invoicing is available through the ECF Portal
Service providers and applicants have access to the ECF Portal through their OnePortal dashboard and can view any funding requests that they are associated with through the ECF Portal. Applicants and service providers, who agree to invoice on behalf of applicants, can also use the ECF Portal to submit requests for reimbursement (i.e., ECF FCC Forms 472 or 474) for the ECF Program.E-learning modules that provide a walkthrough of the reimbursement forms including the ECF FCC Form 472 (BEAR) and ECF FCC Form 474 (SPI) have been posted in the Training section of the Emergency Connectivity Fund website.
Request for Reimbursement Decision Notification
Once USAC has completed its review of a request for reimbursement, USAC will send a notification through the ECF Portal via email to all users with access to the request for reimbursement, which are set by the account administrator. USAC issues this notification when it has sent the payment batch to the FCC for processing. It can take up to 5 business days for the FCC to process the payment with Treasury, and for the funds to be disbursed into the bank account on file with SAM.gov. The Treasury will then issue a notification to the contacts in SAM.gov when amounts are deposited.
Appeals and Post-Commitment Requests
To find more information regarding how to file Appeals and Post-Commitment requests for applicants and service providers, please visit EmergencyConnectivityFund.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I change the service provider or the make or model of equipment after I’ve received a funding commitment decision letter (FCDL)?
After an FCDL has been issued, you will need to submit a request to change the service provider or the equipment and/or service through a Post-Commitment Request Form in the ECF Portal. USAC will review your request and notify you of its decision and/or whether more information is needed via email. Please visit USAC's Emergency Connectivity Fund website for additional information regarding the Post-Commitment Request process for applicants and service providers.
Can I submit an invoice for a partial FRN and a partial Line Item within one FRN?
Yes, invoices for a partial FRN and also a partial Line Item within one FRN are acceptable. Please ensure that all requests for reimbursement are submitted by the Invoice Deadline Date listed on the FCDL, and ensure that requested amounts are within the approved amount on the FCDL.
For equipment and non-recurring services, what is the deadline for filing requests for reimbursement?
For equipment or other non-recurring services that have not been received at the time the application was submitted, applicants may use June 30, 2022 as the service end date and the invoice filing deadline will be 60 days from the date of the funding commitment decision letter; a revised funding commitment decision letter approving a post-commitment change or a successful appeal of previously denied or reduced funding; or August 29, 2022 (i.e., 60 days after June 30, 2022), whichever is later. FCDLs include the Invoice Deadline Date.
Please see the FCC’s Public Notice DA 21-881 for more information about the deadline submitting invoices for non-recurring services and equipment purchases.
When will information about applications filed during the second application filing window be made available on Open Data?
Data from ECF funding applications submitted during the second application filing window are now available on USAC’s Open Data platform.
Do I need a SAM.gov account if I am an annual E-Rate applicant?
SAM.gov registration is necessary for all applicants and service providers that are submitting requests for reimbursement (ECF FCC Forms 472/474) and receiving funds from the U.S. government. Because this is not currently required to participate in the E-Rate program, applicants, who are planning to submit requests for reimbursement (ECF FCC Form 472) and have not registered before should begin the process now. Service providers that agree to invoice on behalf of applicants also need to be registered with SAM.gov. ECF applicants whose service providers will file ECF requests for reimbursement on their behalf (SPI invoicing) are not required to register in SAM.gov.
Can a school or library submit a reimbursement request after it has received the ECF-supported equipment but before it distributes the equipment to their students, school staff, or library patrons?
Yes. While the school or library must have received the equipment or services prior to submitting their request for reimbursement and must certify to this on the ECF FCC Form 472, they can seek reimbursement before distributing the equipment or services to students, school staff members, or library patrons with an unmet need.
Applicants and service providers are also reminded of the need to certify on their reimbursement requests (ECF FCC Forms 472/474) that they are not willfully or knowingly requesting reimbursement for equipment or services that are not being used.
I'm still waiting to hear back about my application. Is there anything else I should be doing now?
Double check that you have completed all of the registrations necessary for applying for and/or receiving ECF support, including:
Obtaining a DUNS Number,
Obtaining an FCC Registration Number,
Obtaining a Billed Entity Number, and
Registering with SAM.gov.
Be sure that the information provided in these registrations match the information included on your application. For more information about these registrations, review the Getting Started webpage.
Also, please be sure to respond to all information requests in a timely manner.
I can access the ECF Portal, but can’t file any forms – what can I do?
Users that have view-only permissions will only be able to see forms created by others but cannot create forms themselves. The account administrator must upgrade your permissions in order to create forms. Please contact the account administrator for your organization.
Please review the FCC’s Emergency Connectivity Fund FAQs, which it continues to update as new questions come in:www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund-faqs.