Healthcare Connect Fund
What is an FCC Form 461 bid request?
USAC says the form provides information about requested services, network equipment, and facilities so providers can submit informed bids. The filing can cover a single site or a more complex network with multiple circuits and participating locations.
After USAC approves the Form 461, it is posted publicly for at least 28 days. Interested providers review the official filing and respond directly to the applicant under the instructions in the form and any supporting documents.
Scope can be simple or multi-site
What a Form 461 posting can contain
Requested scope
Services, equipment, and facilities
Engineering detail
Circuits, sites, and bandwidth
Selection method
Weighted criteria and minimums
Consortium context
Network plan and authorizations
A provider’s first pass
How to read a Form 461 opportunity
- 01
Confirm the official record
Find the application in the USAC Posted Services data, then open the Form 461 and every current document linked from the record. - 02
Map every location and circuit
Check participating sites, endpoints, counties, and ZIP codes against your actual service footprint. Treat uncertain reach and new construction as explicit engineering questions. - 03
Translate the requested scope
List the service type, bandwidth range, equipment, facilities, installation expectations, support levels, and contract period exactly as the applicant describes them. - 04
Separate the important dates
Record the posting end date, any RFP response deadline, and the ACSD. The applicant cannot select a provider or sign an agreement before the ACSD. - 05
Test against the scoring matrix
Check whether your proposed service and response evidence satisfy every weighted criterion, minimum requirement, and disqualification factor.
Before committing bid resources
FCC Form 461 response checklist
- Footprint confirmed: every requested site or circuit has a documented on-net, near-net, partner, or build path.
- Scope reconciled: form fields, circuit lists, RFP requirements, network diagrams, and amendments describe a consistent deliverable—or conflicts are resolved through the applicant’s stated question process.
- Dates recorded: the response deadline, posting end, ACSD, desired service start, and implementation milestones are tracked separately.
- Criteria answered: the response maps evidence to every scored factor, minimum requirement, and disqualification factor.
- Pricing is complete: recurring, non-recurring, construction, equipment, taxes, and optional elements are presented as the applicant requests.
- Delivery is verified: the response is sent to the correct applicant contact and channel, in the requested format, before the controlling deadline.
Fair and open bidding
Form 461 rules that affect service providers
Evaluation
Price is a primary factor
Equal access
Potential bidders receive the same information
Provider separation
Do not prepare the applicant’s request
Timing
Do not contract before the ACSD
Where the hidden work lives
Multi-site and consortium review
Compare the network plan, RFP, circuit schedule, site list, and form fields as one package. Count endpoints, identify aggregation points, note whether bandwidth is per site or shared, and distinguish existing service from new construction.
USAC identifies circumstances in which an RFP is required, including when applicable procurement rules require one, when a consortium seeks more than $100,000 in program support during a funding year, or when a consortium seeks support for participant-constructed and owned network facilities. The official filing determines which documents control a particular opportunity.
Plain-language answers
Frequently asked questions
Which program uses FCC Form 461?
FCC Form 461 is the Request for Services Form used by applicants in the Healthcare Connect Fund program. It can describe requested services, network equipment, and facilities.
How long must a Form 461 be posted?
USAC says an approved Form 461 must be posted publicly for at least 28 days before the applicant can select a provider and sign a contract. An applicant can use a longer posting period.
Is an RFP always required with Form 461?
No. USAC says an RFP is required when applicable state, Tribal, or local procurement rules require one, for certain consortium requests exceeding $100,000 in annual program support, and for consortium requests involving participant-constructed and owned network facilities. Applicants may also use an RFP voluntarily.
What is the ACSD on a Form 461 posting?
The Allowable Contract Selection Date is the date on or after which the applicant may select a service provider and enter into an agreement. Providers should also verify the posting end and any separate response deadline.
Can a bidding provider help an applicant write Form 461?
No. USAC prohibits a bidding provider from preparing, signing, or submitting the applicant’s Form 461, writing the desired-service description, developing evaluation criteria, or participating in bid evaluation or provider selection.
Verify before acting
Official sources
These USAC pages and records are the controlling starting points for this guide. Always check the current filing, attachments, dates, and program instructions before submitting a bid.