Completing the EPC Connectivity Questions Module

February 11, 2016

~ Do it prior to starting the Form 471 ~
~ Helpful Screenshots Attached ~

As I’ve mentioned, the new Form 471 is much shorter than in prior years, which is because schools and libraries are required to provide so much of this data in their EPC profile PRIOR TO STARTING their Form 471s.  Here are the 4 requirements elements (and links to my previous messages walking you through those steps):

1)  Ensuring All Schools and Admin Buildings are in your EPC Portal – https://e-ratepa.org/?p=11371
2)  Entering Enrollment and NSLP Data (in each school’s profile) – https://e-ratepa.org/?p=11411
3)  Completing the Connectivity Questions Module (both at the district and school building levels) – THIS MESSAGE
4)  Entering Contract Data (for all contracts that you will cite on the 471) – DETAILS COMING SOON….

This message walks you through the new Connectivity Questions Module, which must be completed for each school or library building prior to submitting the Form 471.

Notes:

• There is no upload template for this step
• Consortia are not required to enter this data in their EPC portals for their members.
• For school districts and library systems, there are initial questions for aggregate Internet service (single entity organizations such as nonpublic schools, CTCs and some charter schools, will not see the aggregate Internet questions) before proceeding to the school building-level questions.
• Your answers should be as of your CURRENT connectivity, not what you expect to have after FY 2016 applications are funded.

Where to Access the Connectivity Module in EPC:
To access the page in your EPC profile to update this information, follow these steps from your EPC Landing Page (attached are screenshots explaining exact where to go):

> Go to your EPC Landing Page (home screen).  Click on the USAC Logo in the top left side of the page to get there.
> Click on you Entity’s Name which is the first entity on the Organization List.
> Next Page:  Click on Related Actions.
> Then click on the lightning bolt which says Manage Connectivity Questions (near the bottom of the list) which looks like this:

> After you enter the district-level questions related to aggregated Internet, you must then enter school-building level questions related to bandwidth and WIFI.  There is no way to answer them on a single page, unfortunately.  You must enter each school’s data one school at a time.

Please refer to the attached screenshots and instructions as you attempt to complete the Connectivity Questions Module.  There are separate pages for what districts will see vs what single school entities will see.

Next message?  Completing the Contract Module in EPC…

— Julie

Julie Tritt Schell
PA E-rate Coordinator

717-730-7133 – o
717-730-9060 – f
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org

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