Cybersecurity Pilot Program

Pilot FCC Form 471

The Pilot FCC Form 471 application filing window opened on March 18, 2025, at 8 a.m. E.T. and will close on September 15, 2025, at 11:59 p.m. E.T. Pilot participants may request Pilot Program funding using the Pilot FCC Form 471 after they complete the competitive bidding process and select their service provider(s). All program participants must submit a Pilot FCC Form 471 during the window to receive Pilot Program funding for their eligible cybersecurity services and equipment. Participants begin the competitive bidding process by submitting and certifying the Pilot FCC Form 470 in the Cybersecurity Pilot Program portal. 

Selected participants in the Pilot Program, are now required to complete and submit the second portion of the FCC Form 484 application, i.e., the Pilot FCC Form 484 Part 2. Part 2 of the Pilot FCC Form 484 collects more detailed cybersecurity data and Pilot project information from Pilot participants than Part 1 of the form.

 

Due to the sensitive nature of the cybersecurity-related information collected on Parts 1 and 2 of the FCC Form 484, the FCC will treat the information collected as presumptively confidential under its rules and withhold it from routine public inspection. The FCC also will not share the information collected on the form with other federal agencies for incident reporting or compliance purposes.

 

Please reach out to your Account Manager with any questions!

 

Key Dates

January 17, 2025: Pilot FCC Form 470 and Pilot FCC Form 484 Part 2 available in the Cybersecurity Pilot Program Portal.
 
March 18, 2025: Pilot FCC Form 471 application filing window opens.

July 1, 2025: Last date to voluntarily withdraw from the Pilot Program.
 
August 18, 2025: Deadline to submit the Pilot FCC Form 470.

September 15, 2025: Pilot FCC Form 471 application filing window closes and deadline to submit the Pilot FCC Form 484 Part 2.

FCC Announces Pilot Program Participants

On January 17, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Public Notice announcing the participants selected for the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program (Pilot or Pilot Program). 

Key dates include:

 

Now through August 1, 2025 -    Competitive Bidding: This will begin a 28-day competitive bid process for the requested equipment and services. 

 

March 18 through September 15 -   Funding Application: This will provide information on selected service providers, services/equipment being requested, and cost. Form 484 part II:  this will provide the FCC with additional details about your current cybersecurity posture and plans for the program funds. 

 

What is the Pilot Program?

On June 6, 2024, the FCC formally voted to approve the Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program. The three-year pilot program, under the Universal Service Fund (USF), will provide up to $200 million available to support cybersecurity and advanced firewall services for eligible schools and libraries. It is scheduled to arrive in the fall.

 

The application window will open on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, and close on Friday, November 1, 2024. Prospective applicants will have six weeks to complete part one of the application process and submit for approval.

 

According to John Windhausen, executive director of SHLB, “This initiative, aimed at bolstering cybersecurity measures for K-12 schools and libraries, represents a significant step forward in safeguarding student information and protecting school and library networks from cyber-attacks.”

Program Details

• Pre-discount budget of $13.60 per student.
• $15,000 minimum budget (schools with fewer than 1,100 students) and a $1.5 million budget maximum (schools with more than 110,000 students).
• Services / equipment will be deemed eligible if they ‘constitute a protection designed to improve or enhance the cybersecurity of a K-12 schools, library or consortia.’ There will be four general categories of technology and USAC will provide multiple examples in each category.
  • Advanced and Next-Generation Firewalls
  • Endpoint Protection
  • Identity Protection and Authentication
  • Monitoring, Detection, and Response
• Basic firewall products and services which are already eligible for E-rate program discounts won’t be eligible.
• If pilot funds exceed the available $200 million funding cap, applications will be prioritized by Category One E-rate discount rates, starting with 90% and working downward until no funds remain.
• If there is insufficient funding for all requests at a specific discount rate, the administrators will allocate the remaining support on a pro rata basis over that single discount percentage level.

The Application Process:

• The application will be in two parts. The first “will collect a more general level of cybersecurity information about the applicant and its proposed Pilot project, and will use pre-populated data where possible, as well as several “yes/no” questions and questions with a predetermined set of responses.”
• If selected to participate, an applicant will then be required to complete part two of the application, which will collect more detailed information about the applicant’s current cybersecurity posture, training, and policies and history of cyber threats.
• If selected, participants will undergo an application process similar to E-rate, including competitive bidding, requesting discounts via certified application, and invoicing via BEAR or SPI.