Request for Reimbursement ECF FCC Form 474 (SPI) Checklist

Once you have received a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) approving your funding request(s) submitted in the Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) Program, please complete these steps to receive your funds from the ECF Program.

First, please note that the ECF Program is not a grant program, and receiving an FCDL approving funding is just the first step in the process of receiving payments through the program. After obtaining an FCDL and providing the eligible equipment or services, service providers, who agree to invoice on behalf of the applicant, are required to submit requests for reimbursement accompanied by a vendor invoice to receive payments for the committed funds. You are not allowed to receive payments for equipment and services that have not been received or delivered yet in the ECF Program.

Below is a checklist of the key items to address to expedite the review and processing of your request for reimbursement.

Register in the System for Awards Management System (SAM.gov)

• If you have not completed your SAM.gov registration, please do so now. Please note that you are required to renew your SAM.gov registration on an annual basis. If it has been over one year from when you last registered on SAM.gov, you will need to renew your registration. You may use this link to complete or renew your SAM.gov registration: https://sam.gov/content/home. It is important to register or renew your SAM.gov registration before submitting your requests for reimbursement to avoid delays in receiving payments from the ECF Program.
• Once you register in SAM.gov, you are automatically assigned a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI). You can find it by signing into SAM.gov and selecting the Entity Management widget in your Workspace or by signing in and searching entity information. On April 6, 2022, the FCC released Public Notice DA 22-371 which announces the transition from the Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number to the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) effective April 4, 2022. For questions about the DUNS to UEI transition, please visit the Contact USAC page to contact CSC.
• Service providers will be required to register or renew their SAM.gov registration to receive payments through the ECF Program.

Confirm the TIN/EIN for SAM.gov registration and the FCC Registration Number TIN/EIN Matches

• If you would like further assistance in updating the FCC Registration Number, please call (877) 480-3201 (Monday – Friday 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. ET) or email: CORES@fcc.gov.

File the FCC Form 498

• As a service provider, you will need to file the FCC Form 498 in order to gain access to the ECF Portal to submit requests for reimbursement. Please note that the form will ask for banking information; however, payments for the ECF Program will be issued based on the banking information that is included in the service provider’s active SAM.gov account for disbursement purposes. You will not need to complete this step if your company already has an active 498 ID.
• After you complete this form, USAC will assign a unique nine digit number, or 498 ID, and will set up a user name and password for you to access the E-File system, a portal that allows you to update your FCC Form 498 online and set up permissions for other users in your company.
• Certain contact information on the FCC Form 498 (e.g., name of company, do business as, contact person, address, contact person’s phone number) can be searched using the SPIN Search tool, so it is helpful to keep your information current in case another program participant needs to contact you.

Gain Access to the ECF Portal

• Once you receive the 498 ID, you will automatically be granted access to the E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC). If you are a new Service Provider, you must log in to the EPC and sign the terms and conditions and wait 10 minutes to be granted access to the ECF Portal.

Complete the ECF FCC Form 474 (SPI) Request for Reimbursement

• Submit your request(s) for reimbursement via the ECF Portal once the equipment or services have been delivered.
• Links to Resources:
  • ECF FCC Form 474 Walkthrough
  • Reimbursement Overview Webinar (recorded)
  • Reimbursement E-Learning Module

Provide a Detailed Vendor Invoice Attachment with your ECF FCC Form 474

• Please ensure:
  • The invoice contains the date that the service or equipment is delivered or shipped and the date is within the relevant funding period.
  • The date of the service for non-recurring charges, or the bill date for recurring charges is consistent with what was entered on the ECF FCC Form 474.
  • The equipment or services provided are the same as what was approved on the ECF FCC Form 471 (unless modified pursuant to an approved post-commitment change), and are at or below the price approved on the ECF FCC Form 471.
  • The service provider who provided the equipment or services is the same as the service provider approved on the ECF FCC Form 471 (unless modified pursuant to an approved post-commitment service provider (SPIN) change).
  • For recurring services, the vendor invoice should also include the following: a confirmation of the lines purchased by the applicant that supports the number approved, the dollar charge per line, and billing dates that match the invoiced service dates approved on the ECF FCC Form 471.
  • For monthly fees, please attach each monthly invoice and an itemized date list.

• As a reminder, letters, quotes, sales orders, and purchase orders are not acceptable substitutes for a vendor invoice. In addition, applicants and service providers cannot invoice for equipment or services that have not yet been received or delivered.
• Please also identify the start and end dates for services or the date of delivery (or shipment) in the vendor invoice attachment. If the vendor invoice does not include the shipping or delivery date, please also upload shipping documentation, such as a packing slip or other proof of delivery document that includes this date, along with the vendor invoice document.

Please submit any questions or concerns regarding requests for reimbursement via the ECF Portal.  You may also speak to a representative, by calling the ECF Customer Support Center (CSC) at (800) 234-9781 Monday – Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.