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USAC has announced the Funding Year (FY) 2026 FCC Form 471 application filing window dates: WINDOW OPENS Wednesday, January 21, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time (ET). WINDOW CLOSES/FINAL DEADLINE TO SUBMIT & CERTIFY FORM 471: Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET View the USAC announcement using the button below. Coordinate with your CSM representative regarding timeline planning , finalizing procurement steps, preparing/validating FRNs, and ensuring your Form 471 is submi

On December 17, 2025 , the FCC’s Wireline Competition Bureau adopted and released the final Eligible Services List (ESL) for Funding Year (FY) 2026  and authorized USAC to open the FCC Form 471 application filing window . CSM expects USAC to announce the filing window soon, and that it will follow a typical cycle: opening mid-January and closing the third week of March. You can read the FCC Order here: FCC FY2026 Eligible Services List Order (DA 25-1069) . CSM is proud to hav

CSM Consulting Inc. is making connections at CITE 2025! We are excited to continue showcasing our expertise and knowledge of the E-Rate program with Sacramento, CA, and the rest of the nation!

On October 15, 2025, CSM submitted comments to the FCC FY 2026 Draft E-Rate Eligible Services List. Due to the federal government shutdown these comments are not yet published on the FCC website under docket 13-184.   Our goal is to help simplify the program and align it with how schools and libraries actually purchase and manage technology today.   Here’s a quick summary of our key points:   We support  the FCC’s proposal to move all software licenses under Category Two – In