Apply NOW for Year 2 -- Deadline Approaches
Message Posted February 2, 1999
PDE ENCOURAGES SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES TO APPLY NOW FOR E-RATE
Schools and libraries planning to apply for E-rate discounts for the 1999-2000 funding year are reminded that the opportunity for filing your
Form 470 is coming to a close. The official deadline is February 10, 1999 but the SLD and PDE are recommending that applicants file by February 5 at
the latest. These dates are to assure that you have waited the requisite 28 days before posting your Form 471 and still be considered inside the window
of opportunity.
In Pennsylvania, so far only 908 applications have only been posted to the SLD web site for next year. 386 form school districts, 206 from
libraries, 25 form consortia, and 291 from schools. Last year, Pennsylvania's schools and libraries posted a total of 2381 Form 470s.
We realize the problems that existed in the first year of E-rate, and understand the frustration and exasperation felt by many E-rate applicants.
The only thing we can tell you is that we think the worst is over. The SLD has made it much easier to apply during the second year of E-rate:
- Many of the problems, including timing-out, with the website have been resolved.
- The Form 470 and 471 instructions have been updated and improved immensely.
- The SLD has assured applicants that the problem resolution staff is better informed this year so that applicants are not "flagged" for trivial items.
- Applicants can now type-in and print-out versions of 470 and 471 forms if they wish to file by paper. Forms are available in the Reference Section
of the www.slcfund.org web site.
- If you post your application online, much of your information will automatically be filled-in by the SLD database from last year. I expect, however, that because of the fact that most of the country has waited to file their E-rate applications until this week, the web site is going to be very busy, and probably a little slow. To avoid this, I suggest completing your applications in the evening or early in the morning.
If you have not yet received a funding commitment in one of the first 7 waves, please do not let this be a reason for not applying next year. You will be notified in the next few weeks. And if you are trying to wait until you receive a funding commitment, chances are that it will be too late to apply in the window and the SLD WILL NOT be giving extensions based on February funding notifications. Please remember that there is no commitment by filing a Form 470. If you post a Form 470 and then never submit a Form 471 in response to the posting, there is no penalty or follow-up done by the SLD.
A few important reminders:
* Although never stated in so many words by the SLD, you MUST stay in the application window in order to get funded for next year. Don't take any chances.
* You must file your Form 470 and wait at least 28 days before filing your Form 471.
* You must have your completed Form 471 RECEIVED by the SLD by March 11 to be considered in the window. Even if post your Form 471 online, the signed
certification page still must be received by the SLD by March 11 to be considered in the window. This means that the last possible day to submit a Form 471 online is March 10, assuming that you sign the certification page and OVERNIGHT mail it to the SLD. (Please don't put yourself in this situation.)
* You must rebid ALL tariffed services, even if you think you have no competition in your area for those services.
* You must rebid ALL services unless you have an existing contract that was signed on or before July 10, 1997, or was signed after being posted for 28
days on the SLC website sometime between Jan 30, 1998 - Nov. 30, 1998.
* Voluntary extensions of contracts are NOT allowed.
* If you file both forms in the window, you are basically guaranteed a discount on your telecommunications services and Internet access services
between July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2000.
* You must file both forms in the window to be considered for internal connections funding, although they will be subjected to priority based on
need with the funds available after all telecommunications and Internet access services have been funded. Hopefully next year the SLD will be able
to fund more internal connections requests than this year because of previous one-time requests already being funded, or perhaps the FCC will
commit more funds than this year.
* You will be notified of your E-rate commitment by June 30, 1999 -- much less time than it took the SLD to process applications this year.
* From the first year of E-rate, more than $25 million has been committed so far to PA schools and libraries.
If you missed last Thursday's E-rate Teleconference, the State of Alaska has posted a transcription of the latest SLD videoconference on filing for E-Rate. It can be found at http://www.educ.state.ak.us/lam/usf/0128_w95.html . There is information on completing this year's process with 486 and BEAR forms, as well as tips
and helps on filing 470 and 471 forms for next year.
Finally, the SLD has released the Top 10 Reasons You Should File Your Year 2 E-rate Application NOW.
10. Someone, somewhere, in your school or library will be using the telephone or logging onto the Internet sometime from July 1, 1999 through June 30, 2000.
Telecommunication services and Internet access are "Priority One" for E-rate funding for those eligible applicants who apply within the application window.
Whether or not you applied in 1998?and whether or not you've heard about your funding yet, you know you're going to be using these kinds of services every
day. You can get a 20-90% break on your telecommunications and Internet bills if you apply for the E-rate soon-but you'll pay full price all year if you don't.
9. You think you have until March 11, 1999 to apply within the E-rate Year 2 application window.
WRONG! There is a 100-day application window for Year 2 during which the rule of first-come, first-served is suspended. But here's the catch: Your entire
application-Form 470, followed by Form 471 and all its attachments filed no sooner than 28 days after Form 470-has to be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on
March 11 by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company, the folks that administer the E-rate. That means that
the true drop-dead date for beginning the process is February 10, but that will work only if you have total immunity from Murphy's Law. February 5 is the
deadline you should be thinking of for filing Form 470.
8. You wish your students could use the Internet in the classroom? or that your library patrons didn't have to draw straws for a few minutes on the World Wide
Web.
A lot of E-rate applicants need help with internal connections-the local area networking that brings the outside world inside your building. E-rate funding
priorities say that, once funds have been set aside for all Priority One requests received within the window, internal connections commitments will go
to in-the-window applicants in order of need (based on their E-rate discount levels). No one can predict how many high-discount applicants will be seeking
internal connections discounts in Year 2, or how far these funds will stretch. But one thing is for certain: If you don't apply for internal connections, you
won't be funded for them-and if you don't file SOON, that's almost the same as not filing at all.
7. You've heard that applying for the E-rate is complicated, time-consuming, and frustrating.
There's no question that the start-up year for the E-rate was rife with challenges. But more than 30,000 schools and libraries completed applications
in spite of those hassles, and they're now seeing their hard work pay off with dollar signs. What's more, the SLD has dedicated itself to improving the help
that's available for E-rate applicants as they go through the process. See for yourself. Log onto the SLD Web Site (www.slcfund.org), call the Client
Service hotline (888/203-8100), or check out the toll-free fax-on-demand service (800/959-0733).
6. You applied last year but haven't heard an answer yet-so you figure you'll file your 1999-2000 application when you get your funding letter for 1998, and
not one minute sooner.
It's only human to want to see a return on your investment before you invest again. But here are some urgent reasons why you should get your application
moving for Year 2, no matter what:
* Tens of thousands of your fellow E-rate applicants have already gotten a funding commitment for 1998, and the SLD is determined to reach virtually everyone by the end of January.
* Meanwhile, the deadline for filing your Form 470 is coming up fast-February 5 is the recommended last day. If you wait until that funding decision letter is in your hands, you may run out of time to keep the E-rate flowing for next year.
* The funding priorities for the E-rate mean that all approved telecommunications service and Internet access requests received within the 1998 filing window will be good to go. So unless you asked for something ineligible, you can feel pretty sure about your funding commitments on that front. Internal connections, which will be funded first for the neediest applicants, may be a little more iffy-but as you can see from the next question, there's no reason to let that keep you from starting your
application NOW, before it's too late.
5. You filed last year, haven't heard an answer yet, and can't figure out how to even begin applying this year without knowing what you'll be funded for.
As you gear up to apply for 1999-2000, it's useful to think about your E-rate eligible services in two categories: those you're going to buy whether or not
you get E-rate funding (most people put phone service and other ongoing services in this category) and those you just won't be able to afford at all
without the E-rate discount. You should include both kinds of services on your Form 470 for Year 2, using the comments fields in Block 3 (Items 12-14/Column
5, and Item 15) to let vendors know what you will and won't be buying for 1999-2000 if your 1998 funding commitments come through. See the SLD's new Web
guidance, "Quick Tips for Filing Your Form 470-Even If You Don't Have a 1998 Funding Letter Yet." And remember: Form 470 doesn't commit you to purchase
anything. After 28 days, when the time comes for you to file Form 471, you should have all the information you need from the 1998 program year to
complete Form 471 appropriately.
4. You think you can skip Form 470 this year because you filed one last year, got a great response from your Web Site posting, and signed a tasty five-year
contract.
Sorry, but it's an E-rate fact of life that you have to apply for the discounts every single year. You don't have to rebid that E-rate qualified
multi-year contract until it expires, but you will need to file Form 470 listing it as an existing contract for which you are seeking Year 2 discounts.
Don't let your E-rate benefits lapse: Re-up by filing your Form 470 without delay.
3. You just hate getting timed out on the Web and being put on hold on by customer service.
The closer the E-rate window filing deadline comes, the greater the number of frantic school and library people logging on to the SLD Web Site
(www.slcfund.org) and calling the toll-free help line, (888) 203-8100. Beat the rush?start your application NOW.
2. You're tired of your library always getting the short end of the technology stick.
You know how important it is to offer more, better, and faster information for everyone in your community. That's the E-rate's reason for being. Take
advantage of it.
1. The district across town applied for the E-rate last year and got funded to the tune of $100,000. Suddenly, your boss and your school board are VERY
interested.
That district technology coordinator is probably enjoying some well-deserved pats on the back after months of sweating to keep the faith (and a little
credibility) as the E-rate cleared one daunting obstacle after another. By comparison, Year 2 should be smooth sailing. So what are you waiting for?
Launch your E-rate application today.
Julie L. Tritt
Executive Policy Specialist
Office of Educational Technology
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street, 10th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126
Tel: (717) 705-4486
Fax: (717) 787-7222
00jtritt@psupen.psu.edu
www.L2L.org
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