E-rate applicants are required to provide detailed information about the goods and services for which they seek support. This helps ensure that E-rate funds are spent on approved purchases, while also providing valuable feedback to the E-rate policy makers.
Applicants submit the specifics of their funding requests via the Item 21 section of the Form 471 funding application. Using the so-called “Item 21s”, applicants share such things as the type of Internet access they are receiving and the make and model of equipment they are purchasing.
To facilitate processing applications, USAC has developed a predefined classification system that groups every E-rate funded service into 1 of 54 possible designations. Because many applicants are not familiar with this new system, Funds For Learning® has developed an Item 21 Service Description Guide. This tool is designed to help applicants as they classify the goods and services they are submitting on their E-rate paperwork.
The Item 21 Service Description Guide is available to download for free here.
(Updated with the most recent changes on March 12, 2015)
