E-rate Step 3: Submitting the Form 471
Message Posted February 4, 2009
Year 12 (FY09) Form 472 Filing Window Closes February 12
First, congratulations to the 472 PA entities that have already submitted and certified their Year 12 Form 471! WooHoo! Way to go!!!!
For those of you not part of the 471 group, this is your first reminder that the Year 12 Form 471 Filing Window closes on February 12 -- that's only 8 days away. No, there is no way to request an extension. Please don't wait until the last day of the window to file your application because traffic is usually extremely heavy which makes the website slow and errors are common. Also, file online (both the 471 and your Item 21 attachments!)
Below are some helpful hints for each section of the Form 471, and below that are FAQs that also should help you complete this form. Please be sure to read them all. If you have further questions, check the Form 471 Instructions first (they're very good) at http://www.universalservice.org/_res/documents/sl/pdf/471i_fy05.pdf. If you don't find your answer there, call the SLD's Client Service Bureau at 888-203-8100 (hit '0' to reach a live person). If they can't answer your question, then please e-mail me at jtschell@comcast.net.
A message on submitting Item 21 attachments (both on paper and using the new Online Item 21 attachment system) will be coming shortly.
1) Block 2 or 3: You are not required to answer all of these questions; answer what you can. The minimum requirement is that you complete 7a and one other item in that Block.
2) Block 4
This section has 2 purposes -- to calculate your discounts, and to tell the SLD which entities are receiving discounted services.
A. All buildings receiving service must be listed, including buildings that don't educate students (such as bus barns, administration offices, etc). These are called Non-Instructional Facilities (NIFs) and if you don't already have E-rate entity numbers for these buildings, you must contact the SLD at 888-203-8100 and request them. For these buildings, you should then list 0 students enrolled and 0 students eligible for NSLP. SLD guidance on NIFs can be found at: http://www.universalservice.org/sl/applicants/step05/non-instructional-facilities.aspx.
B. If you have some buildings/schools that are receiving a service, but not all buildings in the District, you must create a separate worksheet that just lists those buildings actually receiving the service. (The easiest way to do this is to "copy" a previously created worksheet and the online system will prompt you how to do this.) Then in Block 5, Item 22, you will select the appropriate worksheet which shows the schools that are receiving that particular service.
C. NCES Codes: If a school has an NCES code, enter it. If it's a NIF or a school that doesn't have an NCES code, leave it blank. The system will remind you that you left it blank; just continue to the next section and it won't prompt you again. NCES codes are available at: http://www.e-ratepa.org/helpful_docs_nces.htm. It is not possible to request a new NCES code. It's OK to leave this blank.
D. If you used any data other than National School Lunch Data to determine eligibility, you should check the "alternative discount mechanism" box and PIA will then ask you questions about how you arrived at your data.
F. Rural/Urban: If you're unsure if a school building is located in an urban or rural county, review this chart: http://www.e-ratepa.org/Docs/rural%20urban%20definitions.doc.
3) Block 5
A. For each separate contract, vendor, or service, submit a new Block 5 (funding request). Important: Submit separate 471s for Priority 1 and Priority 2 services, otherwise, all FRNs can go on a single 471.
B. Telecom Services must be provided by Telecommunications Providers.
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: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/Forms/SPIN_Contact_Search.asp and enter the provider's SPIN number. If the next to 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.
C. Be certain that everything you list on your 471 was included on your originating 470.
Meaning, if you listed cellular service on your 471, then be sure it was competitively bid using a Form 470. If you have a multi-year contract for an eligible service, you should list the original 470 that was used to competitively bid that service.
D. Sign contracts at least 29 days AFTER posting Form 470.
If you waited until the last possible day to post a Form 470 for Year 12, remember not to sign or file the associated Form 471 until the 470 has been posted for 29 days. Vendor selection and contracts can not be made, nor can a Form 471 be signed or submitted, before this date. You can, and should, however, start your Form 471 now, and then just fill in the missing information on the 29th day.
E. Service Start Date: This should always be the first day of the funding year… so for Year 12, it should be 07/01/2009 (even if your contract started 2 years ago).
F. Installation charges for eligible services/equipment are eligible
Don't forget that if you purchase a T-1 line and the telco is charging you $200 to install it, that $200 is eligible and should be listed under non-recurring charges on Item 23f.
G. Deduct ineligible charges on Items 23b and 23g.
For example, if you are using a phone bill as the basis for your pre-discount amount, don't forget to subtract the ineligible charges for payphones, directly listings, unlisted phone numbers, late fees, equipment charges, etc. so you only request discounts on eligible amounts.
H. Skip Item 10 in Block 5.
This item ONLY pertains to applicants who are reapplying for internal connections equipment and that exact equipment is still pending approval from last year.
I. Item 15c in Block 5 is only for PEPPM Purchases.
Unless you're purchasing from PEPPM or another E-rate-qualified master contract that was negotiated by an IU, you should not check this box.
J. Check Item 15d in Block 5 if this is the 2nd or other year of a multi-year contract.
If you have a multi-year contract that was approved for funding in FY 08, check this box and list the FY 08 FRN number.
4) Block 6
This is the certification/signature page and I encourage you to read the certifications carefully before you hit submit.
A. Item 25d: List the total amount of your technology budget, minus the cost for E-rate eligible services, in Item 25d. This number shouldn't be $0 unless you are only applying for phone service. Otherwise, list the total amount you're planning to spend in 2009-2010 on computers, printers, professional development, software, other hardware, tech staff salaries, etc. If you already submitted your application and listed $0 but didn't mean to, wait until you receive your RAL and make the correction there. For more information on Item 25d, visit: http://www.e-ratepa.org/helpful_docs_item25d.htm.
B. Item 25f: Never ever check this box. The tendency on Block 6 is to go box-checking crazy, but this is one case where you want to be extremely careful. Item 25f asks if any of your service providers are providing you with any of your "non-discounted share," meaning… are YOU paying your 40% share or is a vendor finding the money for you or just "forgiving" that debt to them. If you check this box, you're saying you're in violation of program rules. Don't check it!
Frequently Asked Questions
1) Is it possible to amend a 471 after it's been submitted?
You cannot amend a 471 after it's been submitted, but you can make corrections to it using the RAL (Receipt Acknowledgement Letter) which will be mailed to you in a few weeks by the SLD. Simply mark what should be corrected to your application, and fax it back to the SLD. If you made major mistakes to your submitted 471, simply complete a new 471 by February 12 and then cancel the original one when the RAL comes.
2) Can I submit my application online even if I don't have a PIN?
YES! Everyone should submit their 471 online! After you hit submit, the system will ask you if you want to paper certify or eCertify. If you don't have a PIN, then you'll just have to print a copy of the certification page and mail it to the SLD (by February 12).
3) Proof of Postmark
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.
Also, don't include more than one document in a single envelope. For example, don't include 2 certification pages, or a certification page and Item 21 attachments, in the same envelope. Pay the extra fee and ship everything separately, with proof of postmark or shipment delivery.
If you have any questions, and you haven't been able to find the answer in the Form 471 instructions or via the SLD's Client Service Bureau, please e-mail me at jtschell@comcast.net.
Happy Filing!
Julie Tritt Schell
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