FCC Announcement on Cybersecurity Pilot Program

On January 16, 2025, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a public announcement revealing the schools, libraries, and consortia that have been chosen to take part in the Cybersecurity Pilot Program. A total of 707 applicants have been selected to proceed with the application process.

Next Steps for Participants

As participants in the Pilot Program, these applicants will need to provide more comprehensive details regarding their cybersecurity experiences through Part 2 of the Pilot FCC Form 484.

Funding Request Submission

Once the competitive bidding process is concluded, participants can submit their funding requests using the Pilot FCC Form 471, which is accessible in the Cybersecurity Pilot Program Portal. The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) will start accepting funding requests when the application window opens on March 18, 2025, and will continue to do so until it closes on September 15, 2025.

Congratulations to all selected applicants

We look forward to supporting you throughout this valuable program.

Timeline:

• FCC Form 470 (Competitive Bidding):Opens January 17, 2025, 8:00 AM ET; closes August 18, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.
• FCC Form 471 (Request for Discounts):Opens March 18, 2025, 8:00 AM ET; closes September 15, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.
• FCC Form 484 Part 2 (Additional Cybersecurity Info):Opens January 17, 2025, 8:00 AM ET; closes September 15, 2025, 11:59 PM ET.
• Withdrawal Deadline:Participants have until July 1, 2025, to withdraw from the program without enforcement action.
• Reimbursement Deadlines:A one-time 90-day extension is available within 90 days of the last service date.

Next steps

For additional information, see my previous blog K-12 Schools and Libraries: Key Insights on FCC's$200M Cybersecurity Pilot and Cisco Simplified Solutions