Procurement for the Public Sector

Schools & Libraries Cyber Security Pilot Program

The FCC’s Schools and Libraries Cybersecurity Pilot Program is designed to provide essential cybersecurity services and equipment to K–12 schools and libraries to ensure students can pursue education without disruption from cyberattacks.

About this Funding

This program will provide $200 million in funding to participating schools and libraries to pay for eligible cybersecurity services and equipment over a three-year period.

uring this time, the FCC will collect relevant data on the funding’s effectiveness with the goal of making the program permanent.

These cybersecurity funds will be separate from Category 1 and Category 2 of the E-rate program, however the FCC will study the impact of this pilot initiative as it evaluates future changes to the E-rate program.

• Who is eligible?

  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 may apply to participate in the Pilot Program.

  A Program applicant need not be a current or former E-Rate program applicant in order to be eligible to apply for the Pilot. Interested schools, libraries and consortia of schools and libraries can apply to participate in the Pilot Program through a two-part process.

• 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 such as

  • Advanced/Next Generation Firewalls
  • Endpoint Protection
  • Identity Protection and Authentication
  • Monitoring, Detection, and Response

  > See a complete list of eligible services and equipment here.

• What is the selection process?

  Applications will be evaluated by the FCC and the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), the administrator of the Pilot Program.

  To facilitate the inclusion of a diverse set of Pilot projects and to target Pilot funds to the populations most in need of cybersecurity support, the FCC will award support to a combination of large and small and urban and rural schools, libraries, and consortia, with an emphasis on funding proposed Pilot projects that include low-income and tribal applicants.

  Applicants selected to participate in the Pilot Program will be announced by Public Notice. 

   

• View resource links

  • E-Rate website:  https://www.usac.org/E-Rate/
  • E_rate Eligible Services List: https://www.usac.org/E-Rate/applicant-process/before-you-begin/eligible-services-list/
  • Cyber Security Pilot Program: https://www.fcc.gov/cybersecurity-pilot-program
  • USAC Webinars: Webinars - Universal Service Administrative Company