FCC Extends Key E-Rate Program Deadlines Due to COVID-19 Pandemic

On April 1, 2020, the FCC issued an Order extending certain E-rate program deadlines.  The Commission had previously extended the E-rate application filing window for Funding Year 2020 until April 29, 2020.


The deadlines affected by the April 1 Order are:

• Waiver of the Service Delivery Deadlines for Non-recurring Services and Special Construction.
• The service delivery deadline for non-recurring services for funding year (FY) 2019 is extended to September 30, 2021.
• The special construction deadlines for FY2018 applicants that already received a one-year extension and for FY2019 applicants are extended to June 30, 2021.  
• Note that the order does not provide an additional extension for previous funding year applications that may also have a September 30, 2020 or June 30, 2020 deadlines.  (For example, if an FCDL was issued late.) Please let us know ASAP if you have any projects that would need relief from upcoming deadlines that are for earlier funding years.

• Waiver of Deadline for Appeals and Requests for Waiver.  Program participants now have 120 days from the date of USAC’s decision to file an appeal or waiver request.  This applies only to appeal or waiver request deadlines between March 11, 2020 and September 30, 2020.

• Waiver of the Invoice Filing Deadline.  Applicants and service providers now have an automatic 120-day extension of the invoice filing deadline for any funding request with an invoice deadline between March 11, 2020 and October 28, 2020, regardless of any prior extension of the deadline.  The Commission also directed USAC to provide an additional 30-day extension to applicants or service providers that file an invoice extension request with an explanation and supporting documentation of the inability to timely file the invoice.

• Extending the Procedural Deadline for Filing the FCC Form 486.  Applicants whose FCC Form 486 deadlines falls between March 11, 2020 and September 30, 2020 now have an additional 120 days to submit these forms without penalty.

• Extending the Time frame for Responding to USAC Information Requests.  All program participants now have an automatic 30-day extension to respond to USAC’s information requests relating to pending appeals, FCC Form 500 requests (including service substitutions, SPIN changes, or funding request cancellation requests), invoices, Beneficiary and Contributor Audit Program (BCAP) audits, Payment Quality Assurance (PQA) audits, and PIA requests.  This extension applies to all information requests issued between March 11, 2020 and May 22, 2020, regardless of the funding year.