SLD Requesting Copies of Technology Plans Supporting FY 2004 Applications
Message Posted March 9, 2004
Over the past few weeks, we have heard of several inquiries by PIA reviewers
seeking to confirm that FY 2004 (Year 7) applicants had actual technology
plans covering the 2004-2005 funding year. In many cases they were asking
applicants to send in a copy of their technology plan. My advice:
-- If a PIA reviewer contacts you to ask for a copy of your technology plan,
and your plan has been approved, simply send them a copy of your technology
plan approval letter -- not your entire plan. They likely won't tell you
this, but the approval letter is all they need. As a general rule, unless
you are in a Selective Review (very intense review of your 471), you
shouldn't hand over your technology plan to the SLD. Call me paranoid, but
I don't think any good can come from having an entry-level PIA reviewer
sifting through your plan.
-- If your plan expires before June 30, 2004, the E-rate rules require you
to have your plan written before you submit your Form 470 (see my previous
e-mails on this topic in Fall 2003). If a PIA reviewer requests to see your
"written," but not yet approved, technology plan, I encourage you to ask for
a 7 day extension, if needed, and then send them a finished or
mostly-finished plan. The plan need not be in final form, but care should be
taken to make sure that it clearly covers the 2004-2005 year (including a
budget for the year), that it addresses all services included in the FY 2004
application(s), and that covers the 5 E-rate requirements (including a
budget for the year). The E-rate technology planning requirements can be
found at:
www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/TechnologyPlanningFAQ.asp).
We believe these inquiries were mostly due to applicants that incorrectly
checked the "don't need a technology plan because I'm only applying for
basic phone services" box. Please understand that technology plans are
required for all but “basic” telephone service. “Basic” is truly basic. It
includes only “Plain Old Telephone Service” (“POTS”), long distance and
mobile telephone service. Centrex telephone service, and telephone service
provided through PBX switches or key systems, are not considered basic. As
a general rule, if you have to “Dial 9” to get an outside line, you are not
using a basic telephone service. In addition, higher speed DSL, ISDN, and
T-1 services are not basic services.
If you have any questions, or receive a call from PIA and need some advice
on how to handle your response, please don't hesitate to contact me.
Julie Tritt Schell
jtschell@comcast.net
(717) 730.7133 (voice)
(717) 730.9060 (fax)
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