The FY2021 Form 470 is available in the EPC portal and can be filed as soon as you are ready to launch your FY2021 E-Rate process.

The Form 470 opens the competitive bidding process to identify the E-Rate eligible products and services you need so that potential service providers can review those requests and submit bids for them.

Entities that apply for any E-Rate not arranged through Networkmaine must file a Form 470:

• if they have a contract for E-Rate funded services that expires on or before June 30, 2020
• if they want to request E-Rate funding for new products or services for FY2021 (July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022)

Be sure to consider your school district or library system 5-year Category 2 budget for FY2021 - FY2025 both as you prepare to file your FY2021 Form 470 and as you evaluate bid responses. There are new (and better!) mechanisms for calculating your budget.

Instructions for how to file the Form 470 and information about FY2021 - FY2025 Category 2 budgets are attached.

The last day to file a Form 470 is 28 days before the closing of the Form 471 filing window. The exact FY2021 Form 470 deadline will remain unknown until the FY2021 Form 471 filing window dates are announced, but there is no harm in getting a jump start on FY2021 and filing your Form 470 early!