Beginning in August 2026, USAC plans to pay certain E-rate reimbursements using the banking information tied to your organization’s SAM.gov account, instead of the banking information on file with your FCC Form 498. If your school, library, or consortium requests reimbursement directly from USAC, taking steps today may help keep your payments arriving on time.
Many applicants already have what they need. If your organization hasn’t completed these steps, though, your reimbursements could be delayed.
What Is Changing?
USAC will use your SAM.gov banking information to issue Universal Service Fund payments.
According to USAC, payments will be issued using the bank account connected to your SAM.gov account instead of the banking information currently stored on FCC Form 498.
What Is a UEI?
A Unique Entity Identifier, or UEI, is a unique number assigned through SAM.gov.
The federal government uses UEIs to identify organizations that receive federal funding and other government payments. UEIs replaced the older DUNS number system in 2022 across federal programs, including E-rate.
If your organization already has a SAM.gov registration, you may already have a UEI.
For a closer look at keeping your UEI and records consistent, see UEI: What It Is and What You Need to Do Now.
Who Is Affected?
This change matters most for E-rate applicants who use the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) method: you pay the service provider first, then request reimbursement from USAC. Because that reimbursement goes straight to you, your payment information has to be right.
Service providers who receive USAC payments should review their information too.
What Should Applicants Do?
1. Confirm your organization has a UEI through SAM.gov.
Many school districts, libraries, and government entities already have one. If you’re not sure, check with your business office, finance department, or the person who manages federal registrations or financial transactions for your organization.
2. Verify your SAM.gov registration.
Log in to SAM.gov and make sure your registration is active. SAM.gov registrations must be renewed every year, and if yours lapses, your payments will stall.
3. Confirm your banking information.
While you’re in SAM.gov, confirm the correct bank account is connected to your registration. Starting in August, USAC plans to use this bank account when it issues reimbursements.
4. Check your FCC Form 498.
If you file BEARs, confirm your FCC Form 498 includes your UEI. USAC has step-by-step instructions for adding a UEI to your FCC Form 498 if you need to make changes.
5. Start early.
SAM.gov registration can take several weeks. Funds For Learning has seen it take up to six weeks for first-time registrants. After a UEI is issued, there may also be additional processing time before it can be successfully added to an FCC Form 498. Waiting until the last minute could leave insufficient time to complete the process before reimbursement is needed.
New Tools Available
USAC has released two UEI confirmation tools: one for service providers and one for E-rate applicants who file BEARs.
These tools let you check whether a UEI is listed on your approved FCC Form 498. You’ll still need to log into SAM.gov directly to confirm your registration is active and the right bank account is connected.
Why This Matters
For many schools and libraries, E-rate funding keeps critical technology services running. A delayed reimbursement means extra administrative work and a hole in your budget.
A few minutes now to check your UEI, SAM.gov registration, banking information, and FCC Form 498 can keep your reimbursements flowing without interruption.
Still have questions about your SAM.gov account, UEI, or FCC Form 498? Bring them to our My E-rate Guides (MEG) webinar on August 6. We’ll walk through the changes live and answer your questions. Register today.
About the Author: Neal Brautigan has been working on E-rate invoicing since joining Funds For Learning in August 2023. Outside of work, Neal enjoys playing guitar and spending time with his wife and daughter. He is based in Edmond, Oklahoma, though he is originally from Atlanta and has also spent time living abroad in Asia. Earlier in his career, Neal taught students of all ages, including at the university level, which helped shape his communication style and approach to client support.
