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How a small IT shop becomes an E-rate vendor (SPIN, Form 498)

You can send a bid before you have a SPIN (498 ID), but USAC can’t commit funds for your work until you have one. Here are USAC’s steps in order, and the rules once you bid.

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Public USAC records. Every line links to its source. Not affiliated with USAC or the FCC.

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What a SPIN is

“A Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN), also known as a 498 ID, is a unique nine-digit number assigned to service providers by USAC when an FCC Form 498 is filed. Service providers need at least one 498 ID/SPIN to participate in the E-Rate program.”

“Service providers that have not yet completed an FCC Form 498 can still submit bids, but USAC is unable to make funding commitments without a completed FCC Form 498.”

USAC’s steps, in order

  1. Register for a UEI on SAM.gov

    A Unique Entity Identifier from the federal SAM.gov system. It comes first: USAC lets you file Form 498 only once you have a UEI and an FCC Registration Number.

  2. Get an FCC Registration Number (FCC RN)

    From the FCC, not USAC.

    “To get a new FCC RN, you must log in to the FCC’s CORES website.”

  3. Fill in FCC Form 498 in USAC’s E-File

    On the E-File login page: Continue, then Create an Account, then “Service Provider – 498 ID”, then “Register Your Company”.

  4. Give banking and tax details

    Routing number, bank account number and EIN or Tax ID.

    “You will have to upload banking verification documents with every 498 ID/SPIN registration.”

  5. Your Company Officer certifies

    The person named as Company Officer on the form gets an email from USAC.

    “The Company Officer will receive an email from USAC following the completion of an FCC Form 498 and will have 14 days to certify the form.”

  6. USAC reviews and assigns your 498 ID/SPIN

    USAC emails the Company Officer an E-File username and a temporary password.

    “Once you have a 498 ID/SPIN, you will be ready to respond to applicant bid requests.”

Steps and quotes: USAC: Service providers, Step 1: Obtain a 498 ID/SPIN (read November 7, 2026). USAC’s page gives no total processing time, so start with SAM.gov early.

The rules once you bid

These come straight from USAC’s pages for service providers. Read the full pages before your first bid.

Hands off the school’s Form 470 and RFP
“You must not prepare, sign, post, or certify an FCC Form 470 or provide any input into the RFP documents. You cannot serve as a contact on the FCC Form 470, nor can your contact information appear on this form.” USAC
Keep outreach to what you need to bid
“After the FCC Form 470 is posted, you should limit outreach to the applicant to requests for information needed to submit responsive bids.” USAC
No rebates or free gear
“You are also prohibited from providing rebates (i.e., waiving the non-discounted share of costs) or free equipment or services as explained further in the Free Services Advisory.” USAC
Gifts: the narrow exceptions
“Exceptions to the gift rule include items worth $20 or less. … The combined value of items received by any individual may not exceed $50 from any one source per funding year (period from July 1 to June 30).” USAC
Mark what isn’t eligible
“Your bid responses (and contracts, if you are chosen as the service provider) should clearly identify ineligible equipment and services and provide cost allocations for equipment and services that are partially or conditionally eligible.” USAC

Sources: USAC: Service providers, Step 2: Respond to Applicant Bid Requests and USAC: Gift Rules (read November 7, 2026).

Finding bids once you have a SPIN

On November 7, 2026 there were 778 open Form 470s with Category 2 (network) items nationally, after our checks. USAC’s free Form 470 Download Tool lists them all; erateradar sends the ones within 60 miles of your office every Monday, with each school’s last result where USAC has one on file. Type your ZIP at the top of this page to see yours.

Questions

Do I need a SPIN to look at open bids?

No. Form 470s are public: you can read them in USAC’s Form 470 Download Tool, or on our list, without a SPIN. You need a 498 ID/SPIN to participate in the E-rate program as a service provider.

Can I bid before my SPIN arrives?

Yes, but USAC can’t fund the work until you have one. USAC’s Step 1 page says: “Service providers that have not yet completed an FCC Form 498 can still submit bids, but USAC is unable to make funding commitments without a completed FCC Form 498.”

How long does it take to get a SPIN?

USAC’s page gives no total time. It does say the Company Officer has 14 days to certify the Form 498 after USAC’s email, and that USAC then reviews it. The UEI and the FCC Registration Number must come first, so start with SAM.gov.

Can I help a school write its Form 470 or RFP?

No. USAC says a service provider must not prepare, sign, post or certify an FCC Form 470 or provide any input into the RFP documents, and cannot be a contact on the form.

Are small gifts to school staff allowed?

Gifts from service providers are prohibited, with narrow exceptions: items worth $20 or less, and no more than $50 in total per person from one source per funding year (July 1 to June 30). State and local rules can be stricter, and USAC treats breaking a stricter local rule as breaking the FCC rule.

Is erateradar part of USAC?

No. erateradar is not affiliated with USAC or the FCC. We read USAC’s public records and link every fact back to its source.

Sources

  1. USAC: Service providers, Step 1: Obtain a 498 ID/SPIN (read November 7, 2026)
  2. USAC: Service providers, Step 2: Respond to Applicant Bid Requests (read November 7, 2026)
  3. USAC: Gift Rules (read November 7, 2026)
  4. USAC Open Data: E-Rate FCC Form 470 Download Tool (read November 7, 2026)
  5. USAC Form 470 Basic Information (jp7a-89nd) (USAC data of November 7, 2026)

Counts and amounts on this page are computed from public USAC records by our own pipeline and refreshed with each build; each number’s method is in its tooltip. Vendor prices are quoted as each vendor publishes them, with the date we read the page. Where the data comes from.