2 Days Remain to Post Form 470!
Message Posted January 13, 2009
~ Only 19 Districts HAVE NOT filed 470s ~
There are only 19 school districts that have not yet filed their Year 12 Form 470! If your district's name is listed below, please file the Form 470 as soon as possible. If your district's name is not on the list, but you know someone who works in one of the listed districts, please call and encourage them to submit their form. (Please note the list does not include charter schools, libraries and private schools that have not submitted.)
The final deadline to post a Year 12 Form 470 is Thursday, January 15. PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THIS DATE TO FILE YOUR FORM 470! It will leave you with one day to review your bids, select your providers, sign contracts, complete your 471 and hit submit.
To post a Form 470, go to: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp and click on 'Create Form 470.' At the bottom of this message are some helpful reminders and answers to the most common questions I've been receiving.
As always, if you have any E-rate questions, please don't hesitate to contact me at jtschell@comcast.net.
Beaver Area SD
Bellwood-Antis SD
Brockway Area SD
Center Area SD
Central Greene SD
Clarion Area SD
Coudersport Area SD
Forbes Road SD
Hampton Township SD
Lampeter-Strasburg SD
Monaca SD
Morrisville Borough SD
Northern Potter SD
Norwin SD
Port Allegany SD
Pottstown SD
Steelton-Highspire SD
Western Beaver County SD
Woodland Hills SD
Below are some helpful reminders and answers to the most common Form 470 questions:
1) Check Item 7a and b. There is no harm in checking 7 a and b and all of the boxes under 7b (that you are seeking MTM services and/or contracted services and/or multi-year contracts and/or multi-year contracts with voluntary extensions). In fact, if you intend to sign a multi-year contract or a contract with voluntary extensions, you MUST check 7b and its associated boxes. Don't check 7c.
2) File in both the Telecom and Internet categories. If you are at all unsure which category of service you should choose on the 470, put the services in both. It never hurts to have your service description listed in too many places and provides you the maximum flexibility when selecting the correct category of service on your Form 471. If you are filing for Blackberry/Treo Internet/e-mail services, you should file in the both categories.
3) Rebidding contracts and MTM services. If you have a contract expiring on or before June 30, 2010, you must post a Form 470 to rebid that service. OR if you are receiving service under a month-to-month agreement and don't have a contract, you also must post a Form 470 to rebid that service.
4) Form 470's for multi-year contracts: If you posted a Form 470 in a previous year, and then signed a multi-year contract that expires on or after June 30, 2010, you are not required to file a Form 470 for FY 2009. If you wish to exercise a voluntary extension of a contract without posting a 470, you may only do so if BOTH of these conditions are met: a) You notified bidders on the 470 or RFP that you were seeking a contract that contained voluntary extensions, and b) Your contract contains the terms of the voluntary extensions (meaning the exact number of years or dates that the extensions can be exercised and it's not just open-ended). Otherwise, you must post a Form 470 to extend the contract.
5) File online, even if you don't have a PIN. If you haven't received a PIN, file online, and then mail in your signature/certification page after you hit submit. The SLD will then mail you a PIN in a few weeks. There is no way to request a PIN unless you have first signed a paper certification.
6) Include all of your services on a single 470. There is no maximum number of 470's that you may submit, although it is a good idea to place all of your services on a single Form 470 because then you only have a single 470 number to keep track of for this year. However, there is no harm in filing two or more 470's. Also, there is no way to amend a 470 after it's been submitted. If you need to change your services, you need to file a new Form 470 (in which case your 28-day clock restarts).
7) Instead of using the print preview feature, after you've submitted your 470, go back to the "apply online" page and choose the "search posted" option. Then type-in your 470 number and print off a complete, clean copy of your application. At the top of the completed form it also will show you your allowable contract date (ACD), which is the first date you can sign contracts and file your 471.
8) The SLD's 470 guidance can be found at: http://www.universalservice.org/sl/applicants/step03/.
If you have any questions, please contact me at jtschell@comcast.net.
Julie Tritt Schell
| 
Back to 2009 Archives Main