Approved E-Rate funding only pays if someone invoices.
Schools and libraries leave approved funding unpaid every year through missed invoice deadlines, rejected reimbursement requests and payment setup problems. We file extensions, prepare BEAR reimbursement requests and sort out payment setup, for a flat fee.
Four ways approved money goes unpaid.
Missed invoice deadlines
USAC pays only when a BEAR (FCC Form 472) or a service provider invoice (FCC Form 474) is filed by the invoice deadline. Miss it, and getting paid takes an extension or an FCC waiver.
Rejected reimbursement requests
Invoices get rejected when the reviewer's questions go unanswered (USAC code 278) or requested documents aren't provided (code 1239).
SAM.gov payment setup
Since September 8, 2026, USAC pays BEARs only to the bank account linked to the SAM.gov UEI on your FCC Form 498. A new UEI can take 4 to 6 weeks to activate.
FCC Form 498
Form 498 tells USAC where to send the money. You need an applicant 498 ID before you can file a BEAR.
The one-time 120-day extension
Each funding request (FRN) gets a one-time automatic 120-day invoice deadline extension, but only if it's requested before, or within 15 days after, the deadline. After that, the only route is an FCC waiver, which is granted only in limited circumstances. We handle the request and keep the reimbursement on track for the new date.
How it works
- Step 1
Tell us your BEN or FRNs
We check USAC's public data and tell you what's at risk and by when. No charge.
- Step 2
Add us in EPC
Your EPC account administrator links our firm as a consultant and gives us invoicing rights.
- Step 3
We file and prepare
We request the extension where needed and prepare the BEAR from your vendor invoices and proof of payment.
- Step 4
You certify
A full-rights user at your school or library certifies the BEAR, and we help you answer any reviewer questions quickly.
Pricing
| Option | Fee | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Invoice Rescue | $950 | Per billed entity: the extension request where needed, plus the BEAR for every at-risk FRN. |
| Payment Readiness (add-on) | $650 | SAM.gov UEI registration support and an FCC Form 498 check, so USAC can actually pay you. |
- Flat fees. Never a percentage of your funding, and not tied to what USAC approves.
- Payable when the filing is done, due in 30 days.
- Consultant fees aren't eligible for E-Rate support, so they come from your own budget.
- We're independent of USAC and take no money, commissions or referral fees from service providers.
Questions
What do you need from us?
Your BEN or FRNs to start. To file, your EPC account administrator adds us as a consultant with invoicing rights, and we work from your vendor invoices and proof of payment. A full-rights user at your school or library certifies.
How do you know our funding is at risk?
USAC publishes funding commitments, disbursements and invoice deadlines for every FRN in its Open Data. Invoices still under review aren't shown there, so if you've already filed, you may be fine.
Are you connected to USAC or our service provider?
No. We're independent, and we take no money, commissions or referral fees from service providers.
Is your fee a percentage of our funding?
No. It's flat, and it doesn't depend on how much USAC pays.
What if the 15-day window has passed?
Then you'd need to ask the FCC for a waiver, which it grants only in limited circumstances, for example if you can show you tried to request the extension within 15 days of the deadline.
Worried about an invoice deadline?
Send us your BEN or FRN and we'll tell you what's at risk and the fastest fix, at no charge.
The Boring Digital LLC
1500 N Grant St Ste R, Denver, CO 80203