Important Year 4 Filing Notes - Please read
Message Posted January 17, 2001
~ Deadline for Year 4 is tomorrow, Thursday, January 18 ~
1) Blue vs. Black Ink Signatures
2) Correct SLD Address in Kansas
3) Postmark Date Rules for Courier Delivery Services
4) What to Do if You Still Need SPINs
5) Signature Pages for Online 470/471 Filers
6) How to Reach Julie on Thursday, January 18 with Last Minute Questions
7) Important Minimum Processing Standards
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1) Sign your applications in blue ink! I have received several calls from districts that have received their 470 signature pages back in the mail saying that the signature wasn't original (it appeared to not be original because it was signed in black ink). The good news for those applicants is that they can still mail another copy that is resigned in blue ink because the filing window hasn't closed yet. But if they send it back to you after the window closes, it basically means you're out of the window. Think you signed in black? Send another copy signed in blue and tell them to replace the original one.
2) Apparently there is some discrepancy between UPS and the SLD over what they consider to be the correct address for the SLD Kansas office (where your 471s must be delivered to) and UPS has said they are charging an additional $5 if you list the wrong address. The correct address is 3833 Greenway Drive (not Circle) and the SLD has said that if UPS tries to charge you the $5, tell them to contact the SLD at that address to resolve the matter.
3) This year the deadline for the window is based on a POSTMARK date instead of a receipt date, but this means that you have to be especially careful to have the postmark be BEFORE midnight, January 18. If you are using a courier service such as UPS or FedEx, the postmark date is the PICKUP DATE. So, if the final pickup time on a drop box for FedEx is 6:00 p.m. and the applicant drops off their application at 7:00 p.m, they would NOT meet the requirements. It does not matter whether the applicant uses next day delivery or overnight delivery or regular FedEx, the date of importance is the official FedEx pickup date.
Also don't forget that if you're sending your application via the US Postal Service, you should have them hand cancel the envelope so it's clearly visible to the SLD. The worst thing that can happen is for you to drop it in the mail and it gets delivered without a postmark on it.
Save all delivery receipts, and proof that your package was either postmarked or picked up by tomorrow at midnight.
4) If you are still working on your 471 and can't get a SPIN number from your vendor, you can either check my PA E-rate website for an unofficial list of SPINs that have been submitted by PA applicants at www.pde.psu.edu/usf/spinnumbers.xls OR call the SLD at 888-203-8100 for a temporary SPIN number to use until you can find the official one.
5) The SLD still insists that there are thousands of 470s that were submitted online for which they have not received signature/certification pages. If you are one of these, please be sure to have them postmarked by January 18 as well. If you are submitting your 471 online, be sure that these signature/certification pages are received by January 18 as well. Obviously, if you submitted either of these forms via the paper/mail method, your signature/certification pages are included in those applications and no separate filings are necessary.
If you want to doublecheck that they have received your 470 signature page, go to the SLD website, then "Apply Online", then "Search Posted". Enter either your entity number or your 470 application number, and it will allow you to see your 470 online. At the top of that page, it will show you the date they received your signature page (as well as other essential information such as the date your 470 was posted and your Allowable Contract Date).
6) Because the SLD hotline will be quite busy tomorrow, and because for some reason many of you like to ask me your questions, I want you to know that I will be in the office until at least 6:00 p.m. except for a 2 hour meeting from 10-12 a.m. The best way to reach me throughout the day, and after 6:00 p.m. will be by e-mail, although I will be checking voice mail messages as well (717-705-4486). Please note that unfortunately I cannot supply entity numbers -- only the SLD can do that (888-203-8100). I will check e-mail and voice mail into the late hours of the night and will return all calls and e-mails that pertain to E-rate.
7) The SLD has reposted the minimum processing standards for the Form 471 on their website and I think they are worth reposting here just so you can be sure that your application at least will be able to be data-entered and move on to the Program Integrity Assurance Review phase of the review.
1. Application Materials: All materials associated with Form 471 must be postmarked no later than January 18, 2001 in order for the request to receive consideration as inside the window. This requirement is to help us give applicants earlier funding decisions. These materials are:
The Form 471 itself (whether electronic or paper)
The Block 6 certification of the Form 471 with an original signature by the authorized person (REMEMBER - BLUE INK! -- jt)
Item 21 attachment (DON'T FORGET TO LABEL IT PROPERLY! - jt)
The Block 5 certification of any Form 470 cited in a Year 4 Form 471 with an original signature by the authorized person. (SEE # 5 ABOVE - jt)
2. Item 21 Attachment Labeling: Label your attachment as "Item 21 Attachment," and include the application number of the Form 471 it supports. Be sure to label the attachment to correspond with each Block 5, Item 21 of your application.
3. Form 470 Certification: A completed Form 470 Certification is a Block 5 certification signed with an original signature by the authorized person. Forms 470 with completed certifications submitted in a previous year meet this requirement, as do those filed for Year 4 and submitted to the SLD with a postmark date no later than January 18, 2001. Any Year 4 Form 471 Block 5 funding request based on a Form 470 whose certification has not been received by 11:59 p.m. EST on January 18, 2001 or postmarked by January 18, 2001 will be rejected.
4. January 18, 2001 Deadline: Failure to make the January 18, 2001 deadline for Form 471 application materials will place the entire application outside the window, and the applicant's funding will be jeopardized.
For those choosing to deliver their application(s) to the NCS facility in Lawrence, Kansas, we must receive your application by 11:59 PM EST on January 18, 2001. If you are flying to Kansas, directions from the airport to the office are located at: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/whatsnew/default.asp#011201
Julie Tritt Schell
Executive Policy Specialist
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street, 10th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126
(717) 705-4486
(717) 787-7222 - fax
jtritt@state.pa.us
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