Pointers Going Into the Form 471 Home Stretch

May 20, 2016

We’re just six days away from the FY 2016 Form 471 filing deadline for schools and school districts and I can feel the excitement! Here are some last minute tips based on the questions I’ve been receiving:

Some applicants are receiving system errors when creating PDFs of their draft 471s. USAC is aware of this problem and working hard to fix it.
If you receive other system errors, let me know right away, and also call CSB at 888-203-8100 to memorialize it in your EPC file.
If you get stuck, refer to this document: http://e-ratepa.org/?p=12841. I can almost guarantee you that your problem and the solution are included in this document. The most common one relates to the Connectivity Questions (#9).
Be sure not to list quantity of 1 for WAN circuits and phones (if you have more than 1 line). The form specifically requires you to list the cost/line or cost/circuit. Internet, however, would be a quantity of 1. For example, if you have 25 phone lines and your total bill is $1200, you would list $48/month and quantity of 25. If you list a quantity of 1, you will receive a PIA inquiry telling you to break it out.
On the Certification page, be sure not to list $0 where it asks how much you plan to spend on technology next year. Just list the amount of your technology budget.
Also on the Certification page, be sure to choose No and No under the certifications.
If you’re applying for cellular service that contains data plans, select Cellular Voice in the drop down menu, and then do a cost allocation on the 471. List the total amount/line, then the ineligible amount (for data and text messaging) per line, then the total # of lines. We’re finding that where applicants listed Cellular Voice with Data Plans, even where an amount was entered as ineligible, PIA interprets this to mean that you’re requesting E-rate discounts on cellular data, which we know is almost always ineligible.

As of today, here is a status of PA’s 471 filings:

Applicants: 689

471s: 1225

FRNs: 2557

Need help? I’ve compiled all of my helpful guides on a single page in the PA E-rate website: http://e-ratepa.org/?page_id=754. There you will find links to the following materials:

EPC:

Form 471:

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you need help!

– Julie

Julie Tritt Schell

PA E-rate Coordinator

717-730-7133 – o
717-730-9060 – f
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org

penn*link

Pointers Going Into the Form 471 Home Stretch

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