Friday note · Week of September 15, 2026
Three clocks — and what to ignore.
1. Form 500 by Wednesday if FY2025 non-recurring is late
FY2025 non-recurring services other than special construction must be delivered or installed by Wednesday, September 30. Need a year? File FCC Form 500 on or before that date asking for more time to deliver or install. The service delivery deadline moves to September 30, 2027 and the invoice deadline auto-extends to January 28, 2028 — do not also burn the one-time invoice-deadline extension. Inventory open C2 FRNs this week. If you file today, certify before 6 p.m. ET or wait until Sunday.
USAC — Upcoming dates (Sep 30 SDD)
2. FY2027 Form 470 is open. The bidding portal is not.
USAC said Thursday the FY2027 FCC Form 470 is available to submit and certify. Competitive bidding for next year starts the usual way, including the 28-day wait. Last week’s Federal Register notice (FCC 26-30 / 2026-18780) only cleared OMB paperwork. The USAC bidding portal is for the FY2028 cycle. Do not wait for a new portal, and do not change FY2027 process because of that FR. If a 470 is on your calendar, file it in EPC as you always have.
3. EPC is down Friday night. Don’t file then.
Scheduled EPC/CBR maintenance runs Friday, September 18 from 6 p.m. ET through Saturday, September 19 at 12 p.m. ET. If you need a Form 500 in this week, certify before 6 p.m. Eastern Friday or wait until the system is back. Do not start a 470 or 500 in the Friday-night window.
USAC — EPC maintenance schedule
Ignore this
- USAC DC training September 24 unless you already registered.
- Seven FCC E-Rate debarments (Sep 11) unless a named person is in your files.
- E-Rate NPRM comments (due Oct 13) and FCC confirmation-hearing noise — not this week’s ticket.
- Eligible Services 101 webinar (Nov 3).
- USAC “shutdown / cannot commit” rumors — that banner was not live.
- Last week’s CISA Getting Started and SPPO letter — still true, not new.
Two-person week
- Before Wed Sep 30 (~30–45 min): List FY2025 non-recurring FRNs still open. Form 500 only if you need the year. If you file today, certify before 6 p.m. ET or wait until Sunday — EPC is down tonight.
- This week if a 470 is already on the calendar (~45–90 min): Start the FY2027 Form 470 the usual way. 28-day wait still applies. No portal.
- When tickets allow (~15 min): Look up Oct 28 FY2025 recurring invoice / IDE and Oct 29 FY2026 Form 486 (early waves) in the Post Commitment Deadline Tool. Don’t file them this week unless your IDD is actually this week.
Skip this week: DC training; debarments; NPRM; Nov 3 ESL webinar; fake shutdown; re-reading CISA/SPPO as if they were new.
Forward this to the other person on the team. The Friday note is free — no vendor pitches.