The Share Your E-Rate User Experience-Related System Ideas page is available for E-Rate program participants to submit their ideas and feedback for improving and/or enhancing the user experience of our information systems (e.g. E-Rate Productivity Center (EPC), SL legacy systems). While we are not able to implement some requests due to their scope, technical constraints, or policy considerations, we appreciate stakeholder feedback and we continue to evaluate each request for potential inclusion in the future.

USAC is pleased to share the following enhancements to the E-Rate user experience that we have implemented, informed by the feedback from our stakeholder community. The list below includes the date USAC released the enhancement, the system affected, a summary of the feedback, and a summary of the enhancement implemented in response to the feedback.

June 4, 2021

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
EPC – Records	Allow users to filter EPC records by adding an option to search by entity to find cases and forms related to a specific entity.	The “Filed by My Organization?” filter is now available for searching pre- and post-commitment records of actions and forms. Applicants who choose Yes on this filter will see actions and forms filed by their organization; consultants who choose Yes will see actions and forms filed by their clients.

December 15, 2020

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
EPC – FCC Form 471	Create an easier way for applicants to access Funding Request Number (FRN) line items in the FCC Form 471.	Applicants can access FRN line items in the FCC Form 471 by using new buttons on the FRN list screen and the final narrative screen during the FRN creation process.
EPC – FCC Form 471	Make it easier for applicants to access the FRN narrative field when entering line items for the FRN.	Applicants can access the FRN narrative field from each individual line item. This allows them to update the FRN narrative with line item-specific information during the data entry process for each additional line item.
EPC – FCC Form 471	Allow applicants to cancel an FRN line item by updating the corresponding eligible cost to $0.00.	Applicants can submit a Receipt Acknowledgment Letter (RAL) modification to update the cost of an FRN line item to $0.00. This action cancels the FRN line item without canceling the entire FRN.
EPC – FCC Form 471	Remove the broadband speed and recipient of service questions when applicants select the Taxes/USF Fees option on the FCC Form 471.	Category One FRNs no longer require entries for bandwidth and recipients of service for the following options for Type of Connection under the Miscellaneous function: Maintenance and Technical Support Installation, Activation and Initial Configuration Taxes and USF Fees.

January 10, 2020

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
EPC – Contracts Grid	When applicants search for a contract record to associate with an FRN on the FCC Form 471, sort the contract records with the most recently added first.	The contract records grid in the FCC Form 471 will now sort by “Award Date” so that the most recent contracts are at the top of the list.

November 7, 2019 

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
EPC – Pending Inquiries Grid	Show PIA inquiries waiting for a response in the Tasks section to make it easier for applicants to find them.	The applicant’s landing page in EPC now features a Pending Inquiries grid with a list of links to all outstanding inquiries.

September 13, 2019

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
EPC – Landing Page	Add SPIN Changes and Service Substitutions to the list of searchable FCC Forms and Post-Commitment Requests at the bottom of the entity’s landing page.	Applicants, consultants, and state coordinators now have the ability to search for and view Appeals, SPIN Changes, and Service Substitutions from FCC Forms and Post-Commitment Requests section of the organization’s landing page.
EPC – Landing Page	Allow state coordinators to search for and view FCC Form 500 and FCC Form 486 from their landing page.	From their landing page, state coordinators can now search for and view FCC Forms 486 and FCC Forms 500 filed by public schools and/or libraries in their state.

August 2, 2019

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
EPC – FCC Form 471	Provide a PDF copy of the approved version of an FCC Form 471 in addition to the “Original Version” that can be downloaded or printed. This is needed for applicants, service providers, and future auditors.	A PDF of the “Current Version” of the FCC Form 471 that includes all post-commitment changes is now available for applicants and service providers starting with Funding Year 2016 forms. Users can generate this PDF from the summary page of the appropriate FCC Form 471.

July 12, 2019

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
EPC – Bulk Upload Template	Allow bulk upload templates to include amounts less than $1.00.	E-Rate participants filing funding requests for Category Two, Internal Connections on an FCC Form 471 are now able to use a bulk upload template even when one or more line items feature costs under $1.00.

July 11, 2019

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
SL Legacy – Invoicing	Remove the statement “No incomplete invoices are associated with this PIN” because applicants think this means they are not required to submit a BEAR Form. Leave the page blank or add “To submit a new FCC Form 472 BEAR, select ‘New BEAR Form’ from the menu options above.”	For applicants with no active FCC Form 472 BEAR Forms submitted or in process, the BEAR Form landing page message has been changed from “No incomplete invoices are associated with this PIN” to “To submit a new FCC Form 472 BEAR, select ‘New BEAR Form’ from the menu options above.”

March 8, 2019

System Affected	Stakeholder Feedback	Enhancement Summary
EPC – Landing Page	On the landing page, allow applicants to select inquiries by Pending or Closed so that there is more room. If this is not possible, display the list in reverse chronological order.	The Customer Service Cases and My Tasks lists on the landing page now automatically sort in descending date order (newest to oldest). Similarly, the list on the Customer Service Cases tab on the organization’s entity profile automatically sorts in descending date order.