Today is FY 2018 Form 471 Deadline!
March 22, 2018
~ Deadline is 11:59 p.m. EDT Tonight ~
~ Call or e-mail me with questions! ~
DEADLINE EXTENSION COMMENT: I’ve been contacted by numerous schools and libraries asking if the Form 471 deadline will be extended due to the recent snow. I DO NOT BELIEVE IT WILL BE EXTENDED. However, there is a quasi-safety net provision already in place for those who cannot meet today’s deadline and I will send details to the listserve tomorrow on how to request relief from the FCC. The bottom line is that you MUST – MUST – file your Form 471 by April 5 (14 days after the original 471 deadline), and then request a waiver from the FCC to have your application be considered as timely filed. But please try to meet today’s deadline if at all possible because although the FCC has granted these waiver requests in recent years, they are under no requirement to do so.
Here are the most common questions over the last 2 days:
CATEGORY 2:
- I’m having trouble with the Category 2 Bulk Upload. What should I do?
First, the C2 Bulk Upload Templates are optional. But if you’re trying to use it and are having trouble, send it to me and let me troubleshoot. Hint: Use > Right Click > Clear Contents to reset the Reference Numbers in Column A. Also, be sure to use version 18.1 available at: https://www.usac.org/sl/applicants/step03/form-471.aspx.
- My Category 2 requests exceed my remaining C2 budget for a school. What should I list on the 471?
First, know that the system is not smart enough to know if you’re requesting more funding than remains in your C2 budgets. Second, if a school’s C2 equipment costs exceed the school’s available C2 budget, you have two choices: 1) list the amount that is “over budget” as ineligible on the FRN and then explain this in the narrative, or 2) remove components or reduce the cost of the components from the FRN entirely to come in under budget. To figure out a school’s remaining C2 budget, multiply $156.23 * Enrollment. Then subtract the pre-discount amounts that were approved in FY 2015, 2016 and 2017 (you can look these up by E-rate entity number at https://sltools.universalservice.org/portal-external/budgetLookup/.
- Should I include $0-value C2 items on my FRN?
No. Leave those off.
- What option do we select for C2 installation?
Select > Miscellaneous > Installation from the drop down options.
- Should C2 licenses be treated as Internal Connections or Basic Maintenance?
Equipment licenses should be applied for as Internal Connections. Be careful not to confuse licenses with maintenance charges. If the licenses are maintenance charges, they must be listed on a separate FRN under Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections.
GENERAL:
- Does the vendor contract have to be signed by both the vendor and the applicant before the 471 is filed?
All contracts must be signed by the applicant prior to filing the Form 471. The vendor is not required to sign by the Form 471 filing.
- I need to edit my incomplete 471 – how to get back into the 471?
— If you click on something that takes you out of the 471, or if you deliberately leave the 471, it’s easy to return where you left off. Simply go to your EPC Landing Page by clicking on the USAC Logo, and then under “My Tasks” click on the appropriate “FCC Form 471 – #18XXXXX {Nickname You Gave the Form}.”
— Or if you’re on the ‘Review PDF’ page, click on “Edit Form” in the bottom left corner to get back into the form.
— Or if you clicked on Save and Share or Send for Certification, EPC has sent the form to all “full rights users” in your EPC account, and the form has disappeared from your Landing Page Task List. You’ll have to contact one of the full rights users in your organization and have them send it back to you.
- Can we upload contract amendments to our existing Contract Record in EPC?
Unfortunately, you cannot modify or add additional documents to your existing Contract Record in EPC. If you amended your contract (perhaps to upgrade bandwidth), PIA may reach out to you to ask why the requested services/amounts are different than what are contained in your original contract in which case you’ll simply send them the contract amendment. Do not create a new contract record simply because a contract was amended. There’s also no way to delete an existing Contract Record.
- We just realized that we need to make changes to a school’s entity profile but the system is locked down. What should we do?
There was an “Admin Window” in December/early January where such changes could be made; however, the system is now locked down and no changes can be made, including to Enrollment, NSLP data, Entity Name changes, etc. However, you can list those changes in the Narrative Section of one of your FRNs and PIA will make the updates during their review. Also, you’ll want to submit a RAL correction to memorialize the changes after the 471 is submitted (https://e-ratepa.org/?p=25111).
STATUS UPDATE:
As of last night, here is a status of PA’s 471 filings (and how they compare to the last day of the window last year):
Applicants: 783 (100 less than last year on this same day)
471s: 1400 (300 less than last year on this same day)
FRNs: 2185 (890 less than last year on this same day)
FRNs in Wave Ready Status: 781
If you have any questions, please let me know! I’m here to help!!!
— Julie
I E-rate!
Julie Tritt Schell
PA E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 – o
717-730-9060 – f
penn*link