USAC Re-Issuing BEAR Notification Letters
July 9, 2019
USAC recently became aware that, due to a system issue, applicants have not been receiving paper BEAR Notification Letters for disbursements made after January 1, 2019. These applicants’ remittance contacts, however, did receive the e-mail notification showing any deposits had been made. The paper BEAR Notification letters (BNLs) are important for two reasons: 1) they notify applicants the amounts that have been funded, partially funded or $0-funded and the reasons, and 2) they set the 60-day appeal clock if you receive a partially-funded or $0-funded BEAR. These are different than the e-mailed remittance statements because the remittance statements don’t show reductions, denials, or reasons – just amounts deposited.
In order to “cure” this problem, USAC is proactively reprinting and mailing copies of all BEAR Notification Letters for BEARs processed on or after January 1, 2019, and those letters will be dated July 8, 2019. If you receive one of these letters, please review to ensure that your BEAR was fully paid. If it was erroneously reduced or $0-funded, be sure to resubmit the BEAR if the invoice deadline has not yet passed, or appeal within 60 days if the invoice deadline has passed. Note: BEAR payments made prior to January 1, 2019 will not receive new BNLs.
As a reminder, BEAR Notification Letters are mailed to the contact person who was listed on the Form 486 for that FRN – not the 471 contact or the BEAR contact. Remittance notices are e-mailed to the Remittance Contact listed on the Form 498 (direct deposit banking form) that is on file with USAC. If you want to see who is listed as your Remittance Contact, follow these steps:
- Log into EPC
- Click ‘Records’ from the top toolbar
- Select Form 498s (9th item on the list)
- If you have a Form 498 on file with USAC, it will be listed here. Click on 498 to see who is listed as the Remittance Contact for your school/library. Notice, the Remittance Contact and the General Financial Contact may be different people.
- If no Form 498 is showing, then there isn’t one on file/approved with USAC. In order to file BEAR Forms (Form 472, used to collect reimbursement from USAC), a Form 498 must be on file and approved by USAC.
If you have any questions about the reissuance of the BNLs, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jtschell@comcast.net.
— Julie
Julie Tritt Schell
Pennsylvania E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 – o
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org