Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program

School and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program banner

The Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program (Pilot Program) provides up to $200 million to selected participants over a three-year term to purchase a wide variety of eligible cybersecurity services and equipment.

Modeled after the FCC’s Connected Care Pilot, the Pilot Program will evaluate the effectiveness of using Universal Service funding to support cybersecurity services and equipment to protect school and library broadband networks and data and whether to fund them on a permanent basis.

Who Is Eligible to Apply to Participate in the Pilot Program?

Only schools, libraries, and consortia of schools and libraries (e.g., regional or statewide groups of schools or libraries that jointly apply for the Pilot Program) that meet the E-Rate program’s eligibility requirements were eligible to apply to participate in the Pilot Program. However, a Pilot Program applicant need not have been a current or former E-Rate program applicant in order to be eligible to apply for the Pilot.

To be considered for participation in the Pilot Program, prospective applicants were required to complete the FCC Form 484 Part 1 and submit it by the application filing window deadline, which closed on November 1, 2024. The FCC announced the applicants selected to participate in the Pilot Program in a Public Notice released on January 16, 2025.

What Services and Equipment are Eligible for Reimbursement?

Pilot Program participants will be eligible to seek reimbursement for a wide variety of cybersecurity services and equipment, subject to an overall cap. Eligible services and equipment include: Advanced/Next Generation Firewalls; Endpoint Protection; Identity Protection and Authentication; and Monitoring, Detection, and Response. See a complete list of eligible services and equipment.

What is the Process for Applying to Participate in the Pilot Program?

To apply to the Pilot Program, interested schools, libraries, and consortia of schools and libraries were first required to complete and submit the FCC Form 484 Part 1 during the application filing window. The FCC Form 484 Part 1 application filing window was open from September 17 to November 1, 2024.

In Part 1, applicants were required to provide basic information about their cybersecurity needs, experience, and plans to use the funding if selected. Selected participants are now required to provide more detailed cybersecurity information by completing and submitting the FCC Form 484 Part 2, which must be submitted by September 15, 2025.

The FCC announced the applicants selected to participate in the Pilot Program in a Public Notice released on January 16, 2025. In total, more than 700 schools, libraries, and consortia were selected to receive up to $200 million over a three-year period to purchase a variety of eligible cybersecurity services and equipment. Further information regarding next steps for Pilot participants, including information regarding the requirement for Pilot participants to submit the FCC Form 484 Part 2, can be found in the Public Notice.

How Were Pilot Program Participants Selected?

Participants were selected consistent with section 54.2001(d) of the Commission’s rules and the Commission’s directives regarding the factors to be weighed and considered in making selections. Specifically, to select Pilot participants, the Wireline Competition Bureau (Bureau) first looked at qualifying applicants’ discount rate and National School Lunch Program (NSLP) percentages and prioritized funding to those with the highest percentages, consistent with section 54.2001(d) of the Commission’s rules.

To ensure diversity in the participant pool, including geographic diversity, the Bureau also considered applicants’ entity type, size, and location, among other things, as directed by the Commission. Pilot participants were announced in a Public Notice released on January 16, 2025.

What Can Schools or Libraries Expect after Being Selected as a Participant?

Applicants selected to participate in the Pilot Program were announced in a Public Notice released on January 16, 2025. The Public Notice provides additional information regarding next steps, including the process for soliciting bids and procuring desired cybersecurity services and equipment. After participants complete a competitive bidding process, they will submit requests for services and equipment and, upon approval, they will receive a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) approving or denying their funding requests.

Pilot participants will use the Pilot FCC Form 470 to seek bids for the requested eligible services and equipment. After waiting a minimum of 28 days, the Pilot participant will be able to conduct their bid evaluation process using price of the eligible cybersecurity services and equipment as the primary factor. After entering into contracts or other agreements with their selected service provider(s), the Pilot participant will submit the Pilot FCC Form 471 application requesting the selected services and equipment during the application filing window. The Pilot FCC Form 471 application filing window will open on March 18, 2025 and close on September 15, 2025.

Once the Pilot FCC Form 471 is reviewed and processed, an FCDL is issued, and the delivery of services/equipment has started, participants and service providers may submit requests for reimbursement. The applicant is required to pay their non-discounted share of costs of the eligible cybersecurity services and equipment to their service provider before the Pilot participant or service provider may submit requests for reimbursement to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), the administrator of the Pilot Program. If necessary, participants can request certain post-commitment changes to their funding requests from USAC, the Pilot Program administrator.

What is the Commission Doing to Protect Against Potential Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in the Pilot?

As with all Universal Service Fund recipients, Pilot participants will be subject to competitive bidding, document retention, and audit requirements. Pilot participants are also prohibited from soliciting or accepting gifts from service providers that are seeking to participate in the Pilot Program. Bad actors may be subject to denials of funding, cancellation of funding commitments, and/or recoupment of past disbursements; suspension or debarment; civil, criminal, or administrative penalties; and fines, forfeitures, or imprisonment.

FCC References

Bureau/Office:
Consumer and Governmental Affairs
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Updated:
Tuesday, February 25, 2025