E-rate Step 3: Submitting the Form 471
Message Posted March 7, 2011
Funding Year 2011 Form 471 Filing Window Closes March 24
~ Information Attached w/Screenshots ~
First, congratulations to the 389 PA entities that have already submitted and certified their FY 2011 Form 471! WooHoo! Way to go!!!!
For those of you not part of the 471 group, this is your first reminder that the FY 2011 Form 471/Item 21 Attachment Filing Window closes on March 24. No, there is no way to request an extension. Please don't wait until the last week of the window to file your application because traffic is usually extremely heavy which makes the website slow. Also, this year the new Online Form 471 is experiencing 'technical difficulties' resulting in server errors and other bizarre occurrences -- which makes the need to file before the last week of the window even more important.
Below are some helpful hints for each section of the Form 471, and I encourage you to review the Form 471 Instructions (they're very good) at: http://www.universalservice.org/_res/documents/sl/pdf/471i_fy05.pdf. Please be sure to read this message in its entirety as the Form 471 has changed since last year and this message will explain all of the changes. Because of its length, I've also included this information (with screenshots) at an attachment to this message. The next message will focus on submitting Item 21 attachments.
**** BLOCK 1 ****
3b - FCC Registration Number: This is a unique number given to each Billed Entity by the FCC in 2004. For most entities, the FCCRN will pre-populate into your Form 471 when you file online. If it does not, you can research your FCCRN at: https://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/coresWeb/simpleSearch.do;jsessionid=N1ZGn6wXJjjwSF4GjN1LdxrF0JT
8s63g1vBpCvgSyQbM8s04jmQ2!616666834!-1277790077 using your Employer Identification Number (EIN) or School/Library Name (use first word, followed by %).
5b - Recipients of Service: This is a new question. Select as many as apply: Private, Public, Charter, Tribal, Head Start, State Agency
6g - Consultant Information: If you are using a consultant to complete your E-rate application, you must list that consultant's Consultant Registration Number (CRN) here. A consultant defined as is any non-employee of the entity applying for funding that assists in filling out the application materials for a fee. “Non-employee” includes contractors or others who are employed by the entity on a contract or short-term basis who do not receive a W-2 application from the entity filling out the application.
**** BLOCK 2 ****
When you see the pop-up screen showing your Form 471 application number and Security Code, hit print and save this page. You will need this information to create your Item 21 attachments.
Impact of Services Ordered for Schools and Libraries from this Form 471: The questions in Block 2 are more detailed on the new form and you're required to list a number (even a 0) in each cell of the column that pertains to your entity (left column for schools and right column for libraries). You need complete only those items that are relevant to services requested on this particular Form 471. Use precise data wherever possible, and your best estimates wherever necessary.
**** BLOCK 4 ****
This section has 2 purposes -- to calculate your discounts, and to tell the SLD which entities are receiving discounted services. The easiest way to create your Block 4 is to copy a Block 4 worksheet from last year's application (or an application previously submitted for FY 2011), using the Copy Block 4 Worksheet feature. Just don't forget that after the worksheet is copied, you're still required to go into each school and update the enrollment and NSLP data for each building. The PDE NSLP data is available at: http://www.e-ratepa.org/Listserve-Archive/2011/02-07-11.htm.
A. NIFs: 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. Multiple Block 4 Worksheets: 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 (admin office) 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. It is not possible to request a new NCES code. It's OK to leave this blank. To look up an NCES code, go to: http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/.
D. Alternative Discount Mechanisms: 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.
E. 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.
F. School Annexes: If you have a building that an annex of another school and doesn't have its own enrollment/NSLP data, list the annex school on your Block 4, list 0 students and 0 NSLP students. Then check the Alternative Discount Mechanism box and enter the building E-rate discount for the school in which the NSLP is reported.
G. School District Name/Entity Number: The new Online Form 471 will ask for the District name and entity number. This is not a required field.
H. Services Provided at Building: The new Online Form 471 asks whether the building is considered any one of the following: Pre-k, Adult Ed, Non-Instructional Facility, Head Start, IU (ESA), Dormitory, Juvenile Justice.
I. Reviewing Your Block 4: After you're done entering all of your buildings or updating the enrollment/NSLP data, click on Display Worksheet and check your entries. There have been problems reported with Block 4 and so it's extremely important that you verify that each building's updated information is showing.
J. Changing Block 4 Data: If you submitted your Form 471 before the PDE NSLP data was released and you now see that your Block 4 data is different than the PDE data, don't worry. If you have documentation to substantiate your higher figures, then just be prepared to show that during PIA review. If you would like to change your figures to match the PDE data, you may do so during the RAL correction process or during PIA review. If your figures don't match the PDE data, but it doesn't change the building's E-rate discount, there is no reason to have to change the data.
**** BLOCK 5 ****
The new Online Form 471's Block 5 is identical to the previous version.
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. And if you're applying for Priority 2 services for both 80% and 90% schools, be sure to list those FRNs on separate Form 471s as well.
B. Which 470 Number to Use:
If you have a multi-year contract for an eligible service, and that contract was signed in FY 2010 or a previous funding year, you should list the original 470 that was used to competitively bid that service. The contract award date will be the date your originally signed the contract.
C. Sign contracts at least 29 days AFTER posting Form 470.
If you waited until the last possible day to post a Form 470 for FY 2011, remember not to sign or file the associated Form 471 until the 470 has been posted for 29 days. Vendor selection and contracts cannot 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.
D. Service Start Date: This should always be the first day of the funding year, so for FY 2011 it should be 07/01/2011 (even if your contract started 2 years ago).
E. 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.
F. 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.
G. Include taxes and surcharges in your pre-discount amount. For newly contracted services, the vendor's contract typically does not contain a list of the taxes and surcharges that will be added to your contracted amount, yet most of those costs are E-rate eligible. If you're unsure what these charges will be, contact your vendor and ask them to send you a list of what your specific charges will be. In some cases, these taxes and surcharges will add an extra 25% to your monthly bill and so it's important that you have these costs added to your pre-discount amount.
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 2010, check this box and list the FY 2010 FRN number. If you have a multi-year contract that started in 2008, and was approved in 2009, use the FY 2009 FRN number.K. Combining Telecomm and Internet (Data) Services.
If you have a bill or contract that contains both telecom and Internet (data) services, you may combine those services on a single funding request under the Telecom Category for administrative convenience. However, you will need to break out those services on your Item 21 attachments to show exactly what services you're receiving (such as 20 cellular voice lines and 10 cellular voice and data plans).
**** 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 basic phone service. Otherwise, list the total amount you're planning to spend in 2011-2012 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!
If you have any questions, and you haven't been able to find the answer in this message or the Form 471 instructions, please e-mail me at jtschell@comcast.net.
Happy Filing!
-- Julie
Julie Tritt Schell
PA E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 - o
717-730-9060 - f
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org
Penn*link
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