E‑Rate FY2026 window closes April 1

The FY2026 FCC Form 471 filing window opened January 21, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. ET, and FCC Form 471 submissions must be certified in the E‑Rate Productivity Center (EPC) by 11:59 p.m. ET on the window’s final day or they will be treated as out‑of‑window. (usac.org) The last practicable date to post and certify an FCC Form 470 to satisfy the mandatory 28‑day competitive bidding period for FY2026 was March 4, 2026; failing to meet that date can prevent a Form 471 from relying on a completed competitive bidding process. (carrieraccessit.com) Category Two (C2) funding resets for FY2026–FY2030, establishing budgets of $201.57 per student over five years, $5.43 per square foot for libraries, a $30,175 minimum for schools with fewer than 149 students, and a $66,385 minimum for Tribal libraries, effective July 1, 2026. (eratesupport.org) The FCC’s Schools & Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot has started issuing Funding Commitment Decision Letters, with initial commitments of about $18.8 million to 140 applicants as part of a $200 million pilot program. (blogs.cisco.com) USAC announced extended Customer Service Center hours during the final days of the FY2026 filing window and published the CSC hotline (888) 203‑8100 for applicants needing last‑minute assistance. (usac.org) USAC issues FCDLs in weekly funding waves beginning in late April with a goal of completing decisions by September 1, and applicants must file FCC Form 486 (Receipt of Service Confirmation) to release invoicing for approved services. (ohio-k12.help) Starting August 2026, USAC will use SAM.gov banking information for BEAR (FCC Form 472) reimbursements, requiring a SAM.gov Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) and active registration; SAM.gov verification can take six to eight weeks. (usac.org)