The short answer
- The certification day is day 1, so a Form 470 certified on January 1 has an allowable contract date (ACD) of January 29. That is USAC's own example.
- A substantial change to the 470 restarts the 28 days, and EPC moves the ACD out automatically.
- The ACD is the earliest the applicant can sign, not your deadline. Applicants can set a later bid due date, and you can bid after the ACD unless the applicant's rules say otherwise.
How the date is worked out
USAC counts the day the applicant certifies the Form 470 as day 1. The applicant must wait at least 28 days before it chooses a provider, signs a contract or certifies its Form 471, so the earliest it can do any of those is the 29th day. EPC prints that date on the posted 470 as the allowable contract date.
| Form 470 certified | Allowable contract date |
|---|---|
| January 1, 2024 (USAC's example) | January 29, 2024 |
| October 1, 2026 | October 29, 2026 |
| November 3, 2026 | December 1, 2026 |
| December 15, 2026 | January 12, 2027 |
USAC has said EPC's allowable contract date calculation was updated for funding year 2027 Form 470s. Whatever the arithmetic, the date printed on the posted form is the one to work from.
Sources: USAC, 28-day waiting period; USAC News Brief, July 2026.
When the clock restarts
If an applicant makes a substantial change to its Form 470, the 28 days start again and EPC moves the allowable contract date out automatically. Keep an eye on the date on the form, not the one you wrote down when it first posted.
Applicants can also cancel a Form 470 as long as no Form 471, finished or not, cites it. A canceled form stays visible with the status Canceled, so check the status before you put more time into a bid.
Sources: USAC, Form 470 FAQs; South Dakota state E-Rate coordinator, Form 470 training.
Bid deadlines and the ACD
- A later deadline is allowed. An applicant can set a bid due date later than the ACD in its 470 narrative or RFP, as long as it is at least 28 days after certification.
- Late isn't automatically out. Providers can submit bids after the ACD unless the applicant's requirements say otherwise.
- No deadline stated. USAC's guidance is that if the Form 470 or RFP sets no deadline, the applicant should consider all bids received before it begins its evaluation.
- Price matters most. The price of eligible products and services must be the primary factor in the evaluation, weighted more heavily than any other single factor. The lowest price doesn't have to win.
Sources: USAC, Form 470 FAQs; USAC, 28-day waiting period; USAC, selecting service providers.
The last 470 for a filing window
An applicant has to wait out the 28 days before it certifies its Form 471, so a Form 470 must be certified at least 28 days before the 471 filing window closes. For funding year 2026 the window closed April 1, 2026, so the last day to certify a 470 and still make it was March 4, 2026. USAC hasn't announced the funding year 2027 window dates yet; see the E-Rate calendar.
What to do in the 28 days
- Read the 470 and any RFP.Note the services, quantities, any "or equivalent" manufacturer language, the bid due date and how bids must be submitted.
- Size up the account.Check who holds the work today (finding the incumbent) and how much Category 2 budget is left.
- Ask questions the way the applicant asks.Use the contact and method on the form. You may not write or edit the applicant's 470 or RFP, appear as its contact, or offer gifts to its staff.
- Price it honestly.Your bid must respect the lowest corresponding price rule: no higher than you charge similarly situated non-residential customers in your area.
- Submit before the due date.Keep proof of when and how you sent it.
The FCC has ordered a USAC bidding portal starting with funding year 2028, through which bids and bidder questions will go, with answers visible to every bidder. That part of the rule takes effect once the Office of Management and Budget approves it.
The ACD in Workbench
E-Rate Workbench counts down to the allowable contract date on every Form 470 it matches for you. The Today page lays out every ACD in the next 28 days on one line, and every pipeline card shows the days left.
Questions providers ask
Can an applicant sign a contract on the 28th day?
No. The certification day is day 1 and the applicant must wait at least 28 days, so the earliest it can sign is the allowable contract date, the 29th day.
Is the allowable contract date my bid deadline?
Not necessarily. It is the earliest date the applicant can choose a provider. Applicants can set a later bid due date, and providers can bid after the ACD unless the applicant's requirements say otherwise. Always follow the due date in the 470 or RFP.
What resets the 28 days?
A substantial change to the Form 470. EPC moves the allowable contract date out 28 days automatically.
Does the lowest bid have to win?
No. Price of the eligible products and services must be the primary factor, weighted more heavily than any other single factor, but the applicant can weigh other factors too.