Next 8 Steps for Year 4 E-rate Applicants
Message Posted January 22, 2001
Congratulations to the schools and libraries in Pennsylvania who successfully applied for Year 4 E-rate Discounts! Whew.. done for another year.
Many of you have been calling asking what happens next, so I've listed the steps to help you follow along.
1) MAKE BINDER
If you haven't done so already, create a big Year 4 E-rate folder or binder to begin collecting copies of forms, letters, correspondence, etc. associated with Year 4. If you want a checklist of what documents you should be sending or receiving, go to: www.pde.psu.edu/usf/checklist.doc.
2) PRINT YOUR 471 ONLINE
If you haven't done so already, I encourage you to go back to the SLD website www.sl.universalservice.org and print out a complete copy of your Form 471 if you filed online. To do so, click on "Apply Online", then under the 471 column, click on "Display." You will then be asked for your 471 Application Number and your Security Code.
If you're feeling nervous about whether or not the SLD received your online Form 471, you can go to the "Apply Online" section, and select "Continue Incomplete." If you submitted your 471 online and it was received successfully, there will be a notice pop up on the screen saying that the application already has been completed.
3) RECEIPT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT LETTERS ARRIVE
If you haven't received it already, you will be receiving a Receipt Acknowledgement Letter (RAL) from the SLD for each Form 471 that you submitted. Review this letter and if there are corrections to be made (the letter states exactly what you can and cannot correct), simply cross out the wrong information and write in the correct information. Sign it and return to the SLD within 2 weeks. Be sure to make a copy for your records.
4) PIA CALLS
After you've received your RAL letter, you basically just sit back and wait for the SLD's Program Integrity Assurance Review Team to call. They call 98% of all applicants asking questions about your applications, your discounts, your services, etc. If you ever think that the PIA caller is not treating you fairly, asking you to change something on your application that you're not comfortable with, is rude, etc.... please call me. Unfortunately, PIA staffers are hired on a temporary basis and so sometimes the institutional knowledge of the program from one year to the next does not continue. You should be especially cautious if they ask you to change your discount to match what they have in their records. Miscalculations on paper forms are fine to correct, but changing eligibility figures for your school or library is not.
5) FUNDING LETTERS ARRIVE
After you've received your call from PIA, your application will go into the funding queue, and funding commitment decision letters will likely begin to flow in May.
6) APPEAL DENIALS
If you receive a funding decision letter that denies your request or reduces your request, you can file an appeal with the SLD or the FCC. The appeal must be RECEIVED at either location within 30 days of the date shown on your funding decision letter. Advice: file appeal due to SLD errors to the SLD. File all other appeals to the FCC. Please note that more than half of all appeals are summarily rejected because they miss the 30 day deadline (also note that the postmark date is not in effect for appeals -- it's the received date.)
7) GET TECH PLANS APPROVED
Your technology plans must be approved by the time you submit your Form 486, and that form is sent after you receive your Funding Commitment Decision Letter. For public school entities, there will be an e-mail send in the next day outlining the requirements to have your technology plan approved by PDE, including optional, but encouraged eTechPlanner training workshops. Also, there is no technology plan requirement if you just applied for basic phone service (which includes, basic service, long distance and cell phone service).
8) FILE 470s THROUGHOUT YEAR
Important note for the future: If you sign any contract for E-rate eligible services from now until next December, don't forget to file your Form 470 to make that contract E-rate eligible for Year 5 discounts. Many schools realized this fall that they signed contracts in the middle of the year and forgot to file the 470 and therefore the contracts weren't E-rate eligible.
Hope this helps. As always, please don't hesitate to contact me if you have any questions!
-- Julie
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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