What is competitive bidding?
Before E-Rate helps pay for your internet, Wi-Fi or network equipment, you have to shop around fairly. That shopping process is called competitive bidding.
Think of it like getting quotes for a new roof. You describe the job, let several companies send prices, give them enough time to respond, then pick the best value and keep the paperwork. E-Rate works the same way, with a few extra rules.
Why it matters: mistakes in bidding are the most common reason E-Rate funding gets denied. The good news is that most of them are easy to avoid once you know the steps.
The process in five simple steps
- Get ready. Make a list of what you need and where. Check that it’s on USAC’s Eligible Services List, and ask your business office which state and local buying rules apply to you.
- Post your request (the Form 470). This is how you tell vendors what you want. Be specific, and upload every document vendors should see, such as an RFP or answers to their questions.
- Keep it fair. Every vendor gets the same information at the same time. Don’t name a single brand without adding “or equivalent”, and never accept gifts from vendors.
- Wait at least 28 days. Count from the day you submit (certify) the Form 470, weekends included. Use this time to collect and review bids. If you make a big change to your request, the 28 days start over.
- Pick the best value and sign. Price must count the most when you score bids. Choose your vendor, sign a contract, then file your funding request (the Form 471).
Key dates for funding year 2027
You can post your Form 470 now. Aim to post it by early February 2027 so the 28-day wait ends before the funding request window closes.
| What | When | In plain words |
| Form 470 (request bids) | Now through about Feb 2027 | Tell vendors what you need |
| Form 471 (ask for funding) | About Jan to Mar 27, 2027 | Apply for your E-Rate discount |
| Services start | Jul 1, 2027, to Jun 30, 2028 | The funding year your services run |
These are USAC’s typical dates. Exact window dates are confirmed by USAC each year.
Quick do’s and don’ts
| Do | Don’t |
| Share every vendor question and answer with all bidders | Answer one vendor privately |
| Write “or equivalent” next to any brand you name | Reject a bid for offering an equal product |
| Ask for more bandwidth than you need today, to allow for growth | Upgrade past the speed listed on your Form 470 |
| Keep eligible and ineligible costs separate when scoring | Score them together as one price |
| Save every bid, score sheet and email for 10 years | Rely on memory if USAC asks questions later |
The gift rule: vendors can’t give gifts to anyone involved in E-Rate, all year round. The only exception is small items worth $20 or less, up to $50 per vendor per person each funding year.
Ask yourself: are we ready?
Take five minutes with your team and tick off what you can answer with a confident “yes”.
- ☐ We know exactly what we need, and it’s on this year’s Eligible Services List.
- ☐ Every document vendors should see is uploaded to our Form 470.
- ☐ We asked for enough bandwidth to cover upgrades over the whole contract.
- ☐ We shared every vendor question and answer with all bidders.
- ☐ We know our Allowable Contract Date (28 days after we certified).
- ☐ Price of eligible services is the biggest factor on our score sheet.
- ☐ We’ll have a signed contract before we file the Form 471.
- ☐ All bids, score sheets and emails are saved for 10 years.
Any box left unticked is a good place to start a conversation with us.
Get the full guide
Our step-by-step guide covers all of this in more detail, with a checklist after every step.
Download “E-Rate Competitive Bidding Made Simple” (PDF)
Questions about your bidding plan for this year? Your Kellogg & Sovereign team is happy to help you plan, bid and file with confidence.
