Less than 4 Days in Year 6 Funding Window
Message Posted February 3, 2003

I realized last night that it's impossible for me to develop a comprehensive list of all PA entities that haven't submitted 471's yet because the SLD's Data Retrieval Tool only shows applications that have been filed and certified. And knowing that many of you have filed 471s online but mailed your certification pages, and that the SLD either hasn't received them yet or hasn't data-entered them yet, I decided it wouldn't be fair to release such a list.

Therefore I'm going to provide you with Julie's Top 10 E-rate Closing Reminders and Answers Your Most Frequently Asked Questions.

1) The 471 deadline is midnight, February 6 -- now less than 4 days away. No, there is no way to request an extension.

2) If you mail your application and/or certification pages, be certain to retain a copy of proof of postmark. IMPORTANT: IF YOU SHIP VIA AN EXPRESS COURIER, THE COURIER'S ACTUAL PICK-UP TIME IS CONSIDERED THE POSTMARK. Each year, there are dozens of applicants that drop their applications off in the nearest express courier box expecting that it will be picked up at the scheduled time -- and it is not. Scheduled time doesn't count and has lost on appeal to the FCC.

My advice is that if you're going to use an express courier, make sure you actually hand it to them and watch them scan it. Don't use a drop off box.

3) Instead of mailing your attachments to the SLD along with your certification page, simply fax or e-mail them directly to PIA. It likely will shave 2-3 weeks off their review time waiting for them to be scanned in at the Lawrence Kansas facility.

Send submissions by e-mail to attachments@sl.universalservice.org. (Do not send submissions other than Form 471 Item 21 Attachments to this e-mail address.) Documents may be sent in most commercially available word processing or spreadsheet formats. Scanned documents may also be sent. (TIF file format is preferred.) Total file size of the e-mail message must be limited to less than 10 Megabytes. If you have more than one Form 471 application, do not combine Item 21 Attachments from multiple Form 471 applications in the same e-mail message.

Send fax submissions to (973) 599-6511. (Do not send submissions other than Form 471 Item 21 Attachments to this fax number.)

4) If you're requesting discounts in the Telecommunications Services category, your provider MUST be an eligible telecom provider. How do you know if they are? Go to the SLD's BEAR/SPIN search at: www.sl.universalservice.org/Forms/SPIN_Contact_Search.asp and enter the provider's SPIN number. If the last column has a Y in it, they're eligible. If there is no Y, then you can't include the request in the telecom category.

5) If you are switching local or long distance phone companies on July 1, you are permitted to use your current provider's bills as justification for your request and Item 21 attachment. Just include a cover memo explaining what you're doing.

6) If you're a consortia leader don't forget that before you hit the submit button, you must have signed Letters of Agency from each of your consortia members stating that you are permitted to file an application on which they are listed as a recipient of service. If you had entities sign a multi-year LOA, that's fine as long as it covered specific funding years and
wasn't open-ended.

7) Be certain that everything you list on your 471 was included on your originating 470.

8) If you waited until the last possible day to post a Form 470 for FY 2003, remember not to sign or file the associated Form 471 too early. A Form 470 filed on January 9th has an Allowable Vendor Selection/Contract date of February 6th. Vendor selection and contracts can not be made, nor can a Form 471 be signed or submitted, before this date.

9) If you're unable to complete a Block 5 funding request because your service provider is still in the process of obtaining a SPIN, you should call the CSB (800-203-8100) for assistance in the use of a "dummy" SPIN.

10) And finally, don't forget to file separate 471's for your priority 1 and priority 2 requests. And if you're submitting both 80 and 90% priority 2 request, I would submit them on separate 471 applications as well.

Happy Filing!

Julie Tritt Schell