Year 10 (2007-2008) BEAR Deadline for Recurring Services is Tomorrow! (October 28)
Message Posted October 27, 2008

* PA has 1406 FRNs - worth $12,793,957 - that need BEARs submitted for recurring services ASAP
* Attached spreadsheet shows all affected entities and FRNs
* Submit Form 500 if not using FRNs
* Can't make tomorrow's deadline? File for extension

Applicants and service providers only have until Tuesday, October 28, 2008 to file Form 472s (BEARs for applicants) to collect Year 10 (2007 - 2008) funding for recurring services if you are NOT receiving discounted bills. If you cannot meet this deadline, you must request an extension before October 28 (procedures at: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/InvoicingDeadlines.asp).

If you have a PIN, this form can be filed online at: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp. Or it can be filed manually (print and mail it) and is available at: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/form/ (the SLD website) or at http://www.e-ratecentral.com/formsRack/app/Form472.asp (the easiest .pdf version I've found to use).

Attached to this message is a spreadsheet containing a list of all PA entities that, as of October 27, have FRNs for which no funding has been disbursed from USAC (meaning a BEAR could have been submitted but a check has not yet been cut by USAC.)

The spreadsheet contains the service provider's name, the amount that was committed, and the actual invoice deadline date for each FRN. In some cases, invoice extensions already have been granted. The list does NOT include FRNs for internal connections funding (those invoices may be submitted up until January 28 -- see below), or FRNs where it is obvious that vendors are providing discounted bills. (The exception to this is Verizon Wireless who may have been discounting bills but the company has not yet invoiced USAC).

-- IF YOU ALREADY SENT YOUR BEAR, BUT YOUR NAME IS ON THE ATTACHED LIST, PLEASE DON'T CALL OR WRITE ME. The SLD's website only provides information on what disbursements have been authorized, not whether a BEAR has been submitted yet.

-- If you submitted your BEAR Online, be sure that your service provider knows it's there and waiting for their approval.

-- If your entity's name is on the list and Invoicing Mode is set to BEAR, it likely means that you submitted a BEAR for approval, but it was $0.00 funded. In that case, request an invoice deadline extension, call the SLD at 888-203-8100 to find out why it was $0.00 funded, and then resubmit the corrected BEAR to the SLD after the extension is granted.

Below are a few helpful FAQs for completing the BEAR.

1) Can I complete the BEAR online?
A. Yes, the BEAR Form -- 472 -- can be submitted electronically to the SLD -- if your service provider is accepting Online BEARs and if you have a PIN. Information regarding the Online BEAR is available at: http://www.e-ratepa.org/Listserve-Archive/2008/07-22-08_2.htm.

NOTE: If you submit an online BEAR and receive an error message, please know that the BEAR has been submitted. Don't try to resubmit as it will result in a duplicate BEAR.

Also, I've received some many reports of vendors not certifying Online BEARs, so it's best to call the provider ahead of filing the Online BEAR. Also, since the Online BEAR cannot be modified after it's been submitted, applicants must start a new Online BEAR if the vendor disagrees with your reimbursement total and requests that you make a modification. So it's also wise to collaborate with the provider before the Online BEAR is created to make sure your totals agree.

In addition,
2) Can I put all of my reimbursement requests on a single BEAR?
A. No, a separate BEAR must be completed for each provider. For example, if you have 2 FRNs that list Verizon, and one FRN that is for AT&T, you can submit both Verizon FRN reimbursement requests on a single BEAR, and submit the AT&T reimbursement request on a separate BEAR.

3) Am I required to have the provider sign the BEAR?
A. If you're filing a paper BEAR, yes, 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.

Also, make sure the service provider signs the last page -- the Service Provider Certification Page -- and not the Applicant 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.

If you're filing an Online BEAR, the completed form will automatically be transmitted to the service provider for their electronic signature and then automatically filed with USAC.

4) I was committed more funding than I actually spent. Can I request reimbursement for the full amount that was originally committed?
A. No. 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 only request E-rate reimbursements based on the $6000). 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 they might be requested.

5) I spent more than what was committed on my funding commitment letter (my cap). What should I list on my BEAR -- the cap or the actual amount spent?
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 funding cap amount. 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 (the cap), but have actually added up how much was actually spent in each of the 12 months using the actual vendor bills. Unfortunately, they will only reimburse you up to the amount that you were committed.

6) When will I receive my BEAR reimbursement check?
A. 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 within 20 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. And if the last few months is any indication, the BEAR Approval Letters are mostly being issued within 30 days of their receipt at the SLD.

7) What if I receive my BEAR Approval Letter and it lists that $0.00 was approved?
A. This typically means that there was an error made on the BEAR Form and the applicant must correct the error and resubmit to the SLD. This is called a "pass zero" BEAR (meaning they won't fund it), but it doesn't mean the E-rate funding is gone. It simply means that the applicant must resubmit the BEAR with corrected information and typically there is an explanation on the BEAR explaining what was incorrect to help identify the error.

8) What if I actually received a slightly different service or piece of equipment than what was originally listed on my Item 21 attachments?
A. 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 2007-2008 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

9) What if the service provider listed on my original FCDL is different than the provider of the actual service?
A. In this situation, the applicant should submit a SPIN change to the SLD by their deadline to submit invoices (usually October 28, 2008). When the SPIN change has been approved, the SLD will automatically give the applicant an additional 120 days to submit their invoice. Guidance on submitting SPIN changes or Split FRN requests can be found at: http://www.e-ratepa.org/Listserve-Archive/2008/09-18-08.htm.

10) I don't need the remaining funds, or we didn't use any of the services under this FRN. What should I do?
A. File a Form 500 to release the funds. The easiest version to use is available at: http://www.e-ratecentral.com/formsRack/app/Form500.asp

If you have any questions about completing your BEAR, please don't hesitate to contact me at jtschell@comcast.net.