Year 6 (2003-2004) BEAR/SPIF Deadline for Recurring Services is October 28
Message Posted October 10, 2004
* PA has 2531 FRNs that need to submit BEARs for recurring services ASAP
* Spreadsheet attached showing affected all 873 affected entities and each
FRN
* Submit Form 500 if not using remaining funds
Applicants and service providers only have until Thursday, October 28, 2004
to file Form 472s (BEARs for applicants) or Form 474 (SPIFs for service
providers) to collect Year 6 (2003 - 2004) funding for recurring services.
And unlike other years when you could request an extension of this deadline
if you missed it, there won't be any extensions this year because of the
SLD's lack of money available -- they're eager to return all unused funding
to the fund after Oct. 28.
Although the SLD intends to make the BEAR form available to submit online in
the future, it hasn't happened yet and therefore you must print and file
MANUALLY. The form is available at:
http://www.sl.universalservice.org/form/. The good news is that the .pdf
versions can be typed into and printed out so you don't have to hand-write
them or use a typewriter.
Because of the magic of the SLD's Data Retrieval Tool, I am able to filter
through the data and determine exactly who still has funding remaining.
Attached to this message is a spreadsheet containing a list of all PA
entities that, as of Oct. 10, have more than 40% of an FRNs funding
remaining. Meaning, if you have invoiced 60% or more of an FRN, that FRN
would not be counted on the list (I assumed you didn't spent the small
remaining amount and thus couldn't invoice the SLD for it). The spreadsheet
contains the service provider's name, the amount that was committed, and the
amount that has been invoiced (if any), and the amount remaining in each
FRN. The list does not include internal connections funding (those invoices
may be submitted up until January 28 -- see below).
If you sent in your BEAR but your name is still on the attached list, don't
panic. We hear the invoicing department is running behind because of the
increased scrutiny being placed on all invoices. Likewise, if you are
receiving discounted bills, it's up to your service provider to invoice the
SLD. But before you assume this, double check your bills to make sure
you're receiving your discounts.
A few important reminders:
1) The SLD has increased scrutiny of the BEARs to make sure that
reimbursement requests are for exactly what services were approved for on
the FCDLs and Item 21 attachments. If you changed services during the
2003-2004 funding year from what you originally listed on your Item 21
attachments, you should first seek a "correcting service substitution
request" from the SLD. The instructions for submitting a service
substitution can be found at:
http://www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/ServiceSub.asp. Likewise if
you discover that you changed service providers from what was originally
listed on your Year 6 application, file for a SPIN change ASAP.
Instructions for making this change can be found at:
http://www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/SpinChange.asp.
2) Applicants should only seek reimbursement for the exact amount paid for
the service instead of just listing the full funding cap (for example, if
you were committed $10,000, but then only spent $6,000, you can't invoice
the SLD for the full amount -- only the amount you spent). Please know that
the SLD has increasingly been requesting copies of invoices when they review
the BEARs, as proof that you are requesting the accurate amount. Don't send
the invoices with the BEAR, but know it might be requested.
3) How should you complete the BEAR if you spent more than your funding
cap? The SLD would like you to complete the BEAR with the actual figures of
what you spent for the service, and not just list your cap. For example, if
you spent $10,000, and had a 50% discount, you would list $10,000 in Column
14 and $5,000 in Column 15, even if you were only committed $4,000. The
reason is that the SLD would like to show how much applicants are actually
spending on services and also so they know that you are not just listing
the funding commitment amount, but have actually added up how much was
actually spent in each of the 12 months. Unfortunately, they will only
reimburse you up to the amount that you were committed.
4) The BEAR Form -- 472 -- cannot be submitted electronically to the SLD;
however, you can complete it online using the .pdf format, print it, and
then mail it to the SLD (after getting the service provider to sign, of
course).
5) Don't forget that you need the service provider's signature on the Form
before you submit it to the SLD. To find the fax number of your service
provider, use the SLD's SPIN search database
(http://www.sl.universalservice.org/Forms/SPIN_Contact_Search.asp) and call
the number listed. The only exception is AT&T Long Distance which has
conveniently provided a completed BEAR on their website
(http://www.att.com/erate/) for you to print and attach to your BEAR. AT&T
does not want you to fax a copy of your BEAR to them. Be sure to fill in
the date on the AT&T pre-signed page.
6) Make sure the service provider signs the last page -- the Service
Provider Certification Page, and not the Application Certification Page
which looks very similar. Also make certain that the provider includes the
date beside their signature; dates are considered a minimum processing
standard.
7) For non-recurring services (mostly priority 2), the deadline to submit
the BEAR is 120 days after the last date to receive service (October 28),
making the deadline January 28, 2005. (The exception to this is if you
received your funding commitment letter on or after March 1, 2004... in
which case you have an extra year to receive the service/equipment.) Again,
if you have received the equipment, file your Form 486, and then promptly
file your BEAR to seek reimbursement if your invoice was not discounted by
the service provider. Don't wait until January 2005 to seek reimbursement.
8) After the SLD has reviewed and approved your BEAR, they will mail to you
a BEAR Approval Letter, listing the amount of your check. Your check is
mailed to your service provider 20 calendar days after the mailing of the
approval letter. Service providers are required to mail you a check for the
same amount within 20 calendar days of receiving the check from the SLD.
9) If you won't be needing the remaining funding, you may and should submit
a Form 500 to the SLD in order to release funding for a particular FRN.
Keep in mind that after the funding has been released, there is no way to
get it back.
If you have any questions about completing your BEAR, please don't hesitate
to contact me.
-- Julie
Julie Tritt Schell
jtschell@comcast.net
(717) 730.7133 (voice)
(717) 730.9060 (fax)
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