Entities with Approaching FY 2018 Invoice Deadlines

February 11, 2020

Attached: FY 2018 Invoice Deadlines of Feb 2020

~ Submit Your FY 2018 BEAR by February 25, 2020
~ No Additional Extensions Available ~
~ List of All Entities with Upcoming BEAR Deadlines is Attached ~

The original BEAR deadline for FY 2018 recurring services was October 28, 2019, but your school/library (or your service provider) requested and received a one-time invoice deadline extension.  Therefore, the final deadline to file your FY 2018 BEAR deadline is Tuesday, February 25, 2020.  Attached is a list of affected FRNs.  There are no additional extensions available so it’s important that your BEARs are submitted on or before this deadline.

Don’t forget – BEARs are filed in the legacy system at: https://www2.sl.universalservice.org/bear/login.aspx, NOT in EPC.  The FY 2018 BEAR Filing Guide is available at: https://e-ratepa.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Form-472-BEAR-Filing-Guide-FY-2018.pdf.

There are several steps you must take before the Form 472 BEAR can be submitted. Please review each step and you will be successful in obtaining your reimbursements.

1. ARE YOU ON THE LIST?  Look at the list at the bottom of this message. If your school or library is listed, you likely still have to file a BEAR for FY 2018.  Open the attached spreadsheet for details about which funding requests are affected.  If your name is not on the list below, you can disregard this message as it means you either already submitted a BEAR or your vendor provided discounted bills.
2. DID YOUR VENDOR SUBMIT THEIR 2018 FORM 473 SPAC?  If Column H (Vendor SPAC Filed?) shows ‘No’, you must contact your vendor prior to submitting the BEAR and tell the vendor they must submit the SPAC ASAP.  This is an annual form that every vendor must submit and without it, no BEARs that list that SPIN will be paid.  Direct the vendor to: https://e-ratepa.org/?p=25381 for more information.
3. DO YOU HAVE A BEAR PIN?  BEARs (Form 472s) are NOT filed in EPC; they are filed in the legacy system at: https://www2.sl.universalservice.org/bear/login.aspx.  To gain entry into the old system, you must use your E-rate PIN — not your EPC credentials.  If you had an old E-rate PIN but can’t find it, contact CSB at 888-203-8100 and they will e-mail you a new one.  If you don’t have an E-rate PIN, complete the short PIN Request template at: http://www.usac.org/_res/documents/sl/xls/PIN-request-template.xlsx and then upload it into EPC by creating a Customer Service Case.  USAC will then e-mail you a new PIN.
4. DO YOU HAVE AN APPROVED 498 ON FILE WITH USAC?  The 498 provides USAC with the banking information so that your BEAR reimbursements can be directly deposited into your account.  Before you file the BEAR, you must have an approved Form 498.  Most PA applicants now have approved 498s on file with USAC, so there’s no need to submit this form again.  Once it’s on file, it stays on file until you need to change any of your banking information.   The 498 is not filed annually.  To determine if you have an approved Form 498, log into EPC > Records > Form 498s > Click on 498 if one is showing to see the Status.  If no 498 is showing, then there isn’t one on file with USAC.  Refer to this guide if you need help:  https://e-ratepa.org/?p=13701.
5. DO YOU NEED MORE TIME?  There are no more extensions available for these FRNs, so be sure to get your BEAR filed by February 25, 2020.

If you have any questions about the FY 2018 Invoice Deadlines or completing the BEAR, please contact me at jtschell@comcast.net.

— Julie

PA Schools and Libraries with February 25, 2020 BEAR Deadlines:

Julie Tritt Schell

Pennsylvania E-rate Coordinator
717-730-7133 – o
jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org