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© 1997-2016, Universal Service Administrative Company, All Rights Reserved. 1
E-RATE PRODUCTIVITY CENTER (EPC)
APPLICANT USER GUIDE
Filing the FCC Form 498
Contents
Filing the FCC Form 498 ................................................................................................................................ 2
Purpose of FCC Form 498 .......................................................................................................................... 2
Assistance in Completing the FCC Form 498 ............................................................................................ 2
User Accounts ........................................................................................................................................... 2
User Roles and Permissions ...................................................................................................................... 2
Certification Requirements ....................................................................................................................... 3
Form Prerequisite ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Applicant Login.............................................................................................................................................. 3
Create an FCC Form 498 ............................................................................................................................... 4
Basic Information ...................................................................................................................................... 7
General Financial Contact ......................................................................................................................... 8
Organization Numbers .............................................................................................................................. 9
Remittance Information .......................................................................................................................... 10
Associated BENs ...................................................................................................................................... 12
Principal Communication Types.............................................................................................................. 13
School or Library Official Certification .................................................................................................... 15
View Form ............................................................................................................................................... 16
Modify FCC Form 498.................................................................................................................................. 19
Deactivate FCC Form 498 ............................................................................................................................ 30
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© 1997-2016, Universal Service Administrative Company, All Rights Reserved. 2
E-RATE PRODUCTIVITY CENTER (EPC)
APPLICANT USER GUIDE
Filing the FCC Form 498
Purpose of FCC Form 498
The FCC Form 498 is used to collect contact, remittance, and payment information for service providers
and applicants that receive support from the federal universal service programs. For greater flexibility,
this form allows service providers to use the same information for all of the programs, different contact
and remittance information for each of the four programs, or multiple contact and remittance
information. You must report any changes to this information on a revised FCC Form 498 to prevent any
delays in notification and the timeliness of disbursements.
To provide eligible services under this program, service providers must file an FCC form 498 to receive a
Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN, also known as a 498 ID) from USAC and certify that they
will comply with program rules. In addition, all Schools and Libraries (E-rate) Program applicants (billed
entities) receiving payments via the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) process need to file
the FCC Form 498 in the E-rate Productivity Center (EPC) to receive payment.
Assistance in Completing the FCC Form 498
You may direct any questions about completing this form to USAC via the following options:
Website:
http://www.usac.org/about/tools/contact/default.aspx
Email: CustomerSupport@usac.org
Telephone: 888-641-8722
Fax: 888-637-6226
User Accounts
The applicant must submit a customer service case to request that USAC establish user accounts for a
School or Library Official or General Financial Contact. Applicants can submit a case via the Contact Us
link in EPC or call the Client Service Bureau (CSB) at (888) 203-8100.
User Roles and Permissions
User rights are provided on a form by form basis. The designated rights are:
• School or Library Official - Full Rights: The user can create, edit, and certify these forms.
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• General Financial Contact - Partial Rights: The user can create (start) and edit these forms;
however, they are not able to certify the form. Upon the completion of data entry, the system
will be automatically route to full rights users in your organization to await certification.
• No Access - No Rights: The user cannot sign.
Note: The account administrator for your organization can modify user’s permissions.
Certification Requirements
The FCC Form 498 must be certified by a School or Library Official for the following occurrences:
1. To create an FCC Form 498.
2. To revise an existing FCC Form 498.
3. To deactivate an existing FCC Form 498.
Form Prerequisite
Prior to accessing EPC, you must have:
• Applied for a user account by contacting the Client Service Bureau at (888) 203-8100.
• Received an email invitation from
admin@portal.usac.org with the subject USAC EPC-Account
Creation.
• Followed the instructions in the email to setup your username (your email address) and
password to sign in.
Note: You will not be able to access the EPC system without a username and password OR user
permissions to a designated form.
Applicant Login
1. Access the system via https://portal.usac.org.
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2. Enter your Username and Password and then click the Sign In button to display the system
access information.
3. Click the I Agree button to display your Landing Page.
Create an FCC Form 498
1. Click the Records tab. The Records page displays a list of records.
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2. Click the Applicant Entities link. The selected entity’s page displays.
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3. Select the Related Actions link. The Related Actions options displays.
4. Select the Create FCC Form 498 link. The Create a FCC Form 498 page displays.
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Basic Information
The Basic Information page requests information regarding the Application Nickname and Organization
Information.
5. Enter information into all fields.
6. Click the Save and Continue button.
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General Financial Contact
The General Financial Contact page requests information on the organization’s contacts.
7. Enter information into the appropriate field.
Note: This information will automatically populate the contact information when the name of an
assigned contact is entered, as shown below.
8. Click the Save and Continue button.
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Organization Numbers
The Organization Numbers page requests Further Details (Federal Employee Identification Number,
Dun and Bradstreet Number (DUNS), and FCC Registration Number) information.
9. Enter the appropriate information into each field.
10. Click the Save and Continue button.
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Remittance Information
The Remittance Information page requests your Remittance Contact, Contact Information and Financial
Information.
11. Enter information into the appropriate fields.
Note: Selecting the Yes check box will automatically populate the Contact Information fields.
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12. Click the Save and Continue button.
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Associated BENs
The associated Billed Entity Number (BEN) page requests information regarding the current BEN, Billed
Entity Name, and an option for any additional BENs who will use this bank account during the BEAR
process.
13. Enter information into the appropriate fields.
14. Click the Add to List link if an additional BEN Number is necessary.
15. Click the Save and Continue button.
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Principal Communication Types
The Principal Communication Types page displays the Service Identification information. For applicants
this will always be prepopulated.
Note: Information shown on this page automatically populates from previous captured data.
16. Review Service Identification information.
17. Select from the following options:
a. Click Delete Form button to end the certification process.
b. Click the Previous button to return to the Associated BENs page.
c. Click Continue to Certification button to proceed with certification. A popup message
displays.
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18. Click the No button to exit the message and return to the Principal Communication Types page.
Note: Only the School or Library Official can certify the FCC Form 498. The General Financial Contact
can only submit the form.
19. Click the Yes button to continue. Selecting this option displays the School or Library Official
Certification page.
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School or Library Official Certification
The School or Library Official Certification page requests that a School or Library Official review the form
for accuracy and, if in agreement, to certify the information.
20. Review the information by clicking the FCC Form 498 link. The form displays for review.
21. Close the form after reviewing information.
22. Select both check boxes in the Review Data section, if acceptable.
Note: Both check boxes must be selected to continue the certification process.
23. Select from the following options:
a. Click the Reject and Delete Form button to discontinue the Create a FCC Form 498
process. All of the information entered will be deleted.
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b. Click the Previous button to return to the Principal Communication Types page.
c. Click the Certify button to complete the Create a Form 498 process. Selecting this option
displays the Tasks tab.
Note: If the Certify button is selected, a download link will appear under the Tasks tab when the PDF
version of the certified form is ready to be downloaded.
View Form
The Tasks tab displays the user’s tasks categorized by Assigned to Me, Status, and Deadline.
24. Click the Download PDF for FCC Form 498 link. The Download PDF for FCC Form 498 page
displays.
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25. Click the Download Document Link. Your USAC FCC Form 498 Application displays in PDF
format.
26. Use the Scroll bar to view document OR click the Maximize button to enlarge the document.
Note: Select options on the PDF toolbar to Open, Save, or Print the document, if preferred.
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27. Select the following options from the page toolbar, if applicable:
a. Click the Save button to save a copy of the document for your records.
b. Click Print button to print the document.
c. Click the Minus (-) button to minimize the view.
d. Click the Plus (+) button to enlarge view.
e. Click the Home button to return to the Home page view.
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28. Complete your selected options and then exit Download PDF for FCC Form 498 page.
29. Click the Done button. The Records tab will display.
Modify FCC Form 498
The information in the FCC Form 498 document can be modified. The Records tab will display your
records and the status of each record.
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1. Click the drop-down arrow next to the ALL topic OR click the FCC Forms 498 link. The three
Status options and records display.
The Nickname and Form Number assigned to the form will display under the Forms 498 topic.
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2. Click the Nickname (Example: Ein Lib 2 – 443000022) link. The form information displays.
Note: The Search field can also be used to retrieve records when multiple records exist.
Note: A Follow button displays. Click the Follow button to see news related to this record in your
news feed (optional).
3. Click the Collapse (-)/Expand (+) button to adjust the view.
Note: Do not select the Deactivate FCC Form 498 button to modify the form.
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4. Click the Modify FCC Form 498 button to update existing information.
When you select the Modify FCC Form 498 button, the Modify an Existing Form 498 page displays. The
modification process will take you through the original steps (Basic Information, General Financial
Contact, Organization Numbers, Remittance, Associated BENs, Principal Communication Types, and
School or Library Official Certification pages).
5. Review or update information displayed in the Basic Information page.
6. Click the Cancel button to exit the modification process. Selecting this option will discard the
new updates.
7. Click the Save and Continue button. Selecting this button will display the General Financial
Contact page.
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8. Review or update information displayed on the General Financial Contact page.
9. Click the Cancel button to exit the modification process. Selecting this option will discard the
new updates.
10. Click the Previous button to return to the Basic Information page.
11. Click the Save and Continue button. Selecting this button will display the Organization Numbers
page.
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12. Review or update information displayed on the Organization Numbers page.
13. Click the Cancel button to exit the modification process. Selecting this option will discard the
new updates.
14. Click the Previous button to return to the General Financial Contact page.
15. Click the Save and Continue button. Selecting this button will display the Remittance
Information page.
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16. Review or update information displayed on the Remittance Information page.
17. Click the Cancel button to exit the modification process. Selecting this option will discard the
new updates.
18. Click the Previous button to return to the Organization Numbers page.
19. Click the Save and Continue button. Selecting this button will display the Associated BENs page.
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20. Review or update information displayed on the Associated BENs page.
21. Click the Cancel button to exit the modification process. Selecting this option will discard the
new updates.
22. Click the Previous button to return to the Remittance Information page.
23. Click the Save and Continue button. Selecting this button will display the Principal
Communication Types page.
24. Review information displayed on the Principal Communication Types page.
25. Click the Cancel button to exit the modification process. Selecting this option will discard the
new updates.
26. Click the Previous button to return to the Associated BENs page.
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27. Click the Continue to Certification button. Selecting this button will display a Submittal warning
message.
28. Click the No button to exit the modification submittal process. Selecting this option returns the
user to the Principal Communication Types page.
29. Click the Yes button to Continue to Certification. Selecting the Yes button displays the School or
Library Official Certification page.
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30. Review information displayed on the School or Library Official Certification page.
31. Click the FCC Form 498 # link to display the modified form.
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32. Review the modified form for accuracy, and then close the form to return to the School or
Library Official Certification page.
33. Select both check boxes in the Review Data section, if acceptable.
Note: Both check boxes must be selected to continue the certification process.
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34. Select from the following options:
d. Click the Reject Changes button to discontinue the Modify an Existing FCC Form 498
process and discard the updated information entered.
e. Click the Previous button to return to the Principal Communication Types page.
f. Click the Certify button to complete the Modify an Existing Form 498 process. Selecting
this option displays the Tasks tab.
Note: If the Certify button is selected, a download link will appear under the Tasks tab when the PDF
version of the certified form is ready to be downloaded.
35. See View Form
section to view the user’s tasks categorized by Assigned to Me, Status and
Deadline.
Note: You can download the modified FCC Form 498 by following the steps in the View Form section.
Deactivate FCC Form 498
The information in the FCC Form 498 document can be deactivated. The Records tab will display your
records and the status of each record.
1. Click the drop-down arrow next to the ALL topic OR click the FCC Forms 498 link. The three
Status options and records displays.
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The Nickname and Form Number assigned to the form will display under the Forms 498 topic.
2. Click the Nickname (Example: Ein Lib 2 – 443000022) link. The form information displays.
Note: The Search field can also be used to retrieve records when multiple records exist.
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Note: A Follow button displays. Select the Follow button to view news related to this record in your
news feed (Optional).
3. Click the Collapse (-)/Expand (+) button to adjust the view.
Note: Do not select the Modify FCC Form 498 button to modify the form if you are deactivating this
form.
4. Click the Deactivate FCC Form 498 button to disable the form. The Deactivate FCC Form 498:
(Nickname) page displays.
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5. Click the drop-down arrow to select the Deactivation Reason. The selected Deactivation Reason
displays.
--- Select a Reason ---
This company is going out of business
This company is in business but no longer participates in universal service programs
This company is being sold
This company has merged with another company
This company has consolidated with another company
6. Select from the following options:
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a. Click the Cancel button to discontinue the Deactivation process and keep the form in its
current status.
b. Click the Submit button to deactivate the form. The form displays a Deactivated status.
