You filed, you waited, and your Funding Year 2025 funding commitment came through. That’s a real milestone, and a natural moment to exhale. It’s also where the last step gets overlooked, because approved funding isn’t paid funding until it’s been invoiced. With those deadlines already on the calendar, now is the time to review each funded Funding Request Number (FRN) and confirm what’s been delivered, what’s been invoiced, and what still needs attention.
You and your service providers still have required post-commitment steps to complete. Whether reimbursement comes through you or discounting comes through your service provider, someone still has to finish the invoicing correctly and before the deadline.
Key Deadlines to Know
A few dates matter most right now:
- FY2025 recurring services ended June 30, 2026.
- The invoice deadline for most FY2025 recurring services is October 28, 2026.
- The general service delivery deadline for FY2025 non-recurring services is September 30, 2026.
- The invoice deadline for non-recurring services is 120 days after the service delivery deadline, which would be January 28, 2027, unless a different deadline applies to your FRN.
Not every FRN follows the most common timeline. Some may have different deadlines due to funding decision timing, service delivery extensions, Form 500 changes, service substitutions, SPIN changes, or prior-year activity. Confirm the deadline for each of your FRNs rather than assuming one date applies to everything.
If You Use BEAR: A SAM.gov Reminder
If you use the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) method, keep your SAM.gov registration, Unique Entity Identifier (UEI), FCC Form 498, and banking information current, so a reimbursement is never held up by out-of-date paperwork.
If You’re Waiting on Your Service Provider
If you’re expecting a discounted bill or service provider invoicing, it’s worth checking in, even if your provider is the one responsible for submitting the invoice. A few things worth confirming:
- Has the provider delivered the service or equipment?
- Has the provider issued the final invoice?
- Have you received and paid the non-discounted share, if applicable?
- Is the provider planning to submit its invoice to USAC?
- Are there any remaining documentation or confirmation items the provider needs from you?
- Has the correct discount been applied?
Waiting on a service provider can create delays. If a provider hasn’t invoiced, hasn’t provided documentation, or hasn’t confirmed its plan, follow up now.
Category One vs. Category Two: A Quick Note
For Category One recurring services, the focus is usually confirming the services were active, bills are available, discounts were applied correctly, and the invoicing deadline is being tracked. For Category Two and other non-recurring services, the focus shifts to confirming delivery, installation, completion, inventory records, final invoices, and whether the September 30 service delivery deadline has been met or needs attention. Your checklist may look a little different depending on the type of service, so keep both in mind as you review.
Your FY2025 Review Checklist
Walk through each FY2025 FRN and ask:
- Has this FRN been funded?
- Has the FCC Form 486 been filed and approved?
- Was the service delivered, or the equipment installed?
- Do you have the invoice or documentation needed for invoicing?
- Have you paid the required non-discounted share, if applicable?
- Is this FRN being handled through BEAR or Service Provider Invoice (SPI)?
- If SPI, has your service provider confirmed it will invoice USAC?
- If BEAR, is your FCC Form 498, UEI, SAM.gov registration, and banking information ready?
- Is there any remaining committed funding that hasn’t been invoiced?
- What is the actual invoice deadline for this FRN?
A few practical tips as you go: don’t assume a funded FRN has already been invoiced, review your FY2025 FRNs now rather than the week of the deadline, confirm service delivery and installation dates for non-recurring services, and keep documentation organized in case USAC requests support.
What to Do Now
Now is a good time to review your FY2025 FRNs, confirm what’s been delivered, and identify anything that still needs attention. If a service provider needs to invoice, follow up now. If a BEAR reimbursement is needed, confirm you’re ready to submit. A little review now can prevent a rushed deadline later.
How E-rate Manager Can Help
Want an easier way to stay on top of all this? E-rate Manager® puts your funded FRNs, remaining committed amounts, invoicing status, and upcoming deadlines in one place, so nothing slips between now and your invoice deadline. Schedule a demo to see it with your own funding data.
About the Author: Eric Jester is an E-rate Guide at Funds For Learning. He joined 16 years ago, drawn by a long-held belief in the importance of education and a desire to put his analytical skills to work in communities that benefit from them. Eric leads and develops Guides on one of the Guide Teams, building the processes, alignment, and capacity that let Funds For Learning support clients well. Outside of work, you’ll find him with his wife and daughter (living the cheer dad life), traveling when he can, and playing guitar when time allows.
