File BEARs Now for FY 2019 E-rate Reimbursements

February 10, 2021

Attached: Form 472 BEAR PIN Request Guide

Attached: Invoice Deadline Extension Request (IDER) Guide

Attached: Form 472 BEAR Filing Guide 2021

Attached: FY 2019 BEARs Due as of Feb 10

~ List of FY 2019 FRNs with $0 Disbursed Attached ~
~ BEAR Filing Guide Attached ~
~ BEAR PIN Request Guide Attached ~
~ Invoice Deadline Extension Request Guide Attached ~

Due to the pandemic, the FCC extended the FY 2019 BEAR invoice deadline for recurring services from October 28, 2020 to February 25, 2021 – at date that is fast approaching.

How do you know if you need to submit a BEAR?  The easy answer is that if you received discounted bills from your vendor for services delivered during FY 2019 (7/1/2019 – 6/30/2020), you do not need to submit a BEAR (your E-rate discounts were applied to your bill).  If you did not receive discounted bills, then you likely will have to file a Form 472 BEAR to seek reimbursement.  Attached is a list showing the FRNs where no disbursements have been made by USAC (meaning that 100% of the commitment amount remains).  If your entity’s name is on this list, please continue to read this message.

Very Important Notes – Please Read:

• BEARs (Form 472s) are filed under the One Portal System umbrella, not in EPC.  When you log into One Portal and validate your identity, you will see a screen that has both EPC and BEAR links (image below).  Click on the BEAR link and then enter your BEAR PIN/credentials.  If you do not see the BEAR link after logging into One Portal, it means you do not have a BEAR PIN associated with your e-mail address/EPC log-in.  To request a BEAR PIN, complete the short PIN Request Template and then upload it into EPC by creating a Customer Service Case.  USAC will then mail you a new PIN within 7-14 days.  A BEAR PIN Request Guide is attached.  Because we’re near the BEAR deadline, if you don’t yet have a BEAR PIN, I recommend that you request an Invoice Deadline Extension using the process described below.

• Requesting Invoice Deadline Extension Request:    If you cannot file your BEAR by the February 25, 2021 deadline (for any reason), please request an Invoice Deadline Extension which is done in EPC.  Applicants will be granted a 1-time, 120-day extension to file the BEAR.  See https://e-ratepa.org/?p=31914 for more information on filing the IDER.
• Having trouble logging into One Portal?   See: https://e-ratepa.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/One-Portal-MFA-Set-Up-Guide.pdf.
• Form 498 ID:  When completing the BEAR, be sure a Form 498 ID is showing.  If the Form 498 ID is blank, it means that USAC does not have your school or library’s banking information in their systems which means that your BEAR cannot be processed because reimbursements can be directly deposited into your account.  The Form 498 is only submitted one time and the only time it must be modified is if your school or library changes banks, band account numbers, and/or BEAR remittance contacts within your institution (the remittance contact receives the BEAR approval e-mails).  To modify your Form 498, log into EPC > Records > Form 498s > Click on the 498 > Modify Form 498 (upper right corner of form).
• If Column H (Vendor 473 SPAC Filed?) on the attached spreadsheet shows ‘NO’, you must contact your vendor prior to submitting the BEAR and tell the vendor they must submit the Form 473 SPAC to USAC 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=20121 for more information.
• If Column I (Form 486 Filed?) shows ‘NO’, file the 486 immediately, then contact Julie for instructions on how to appeal in order to get your service start date reinstated to July 1 so you don’t lose any funding.

A Few Q & A’s:

1) Can I put all of my reimbursement requests on a single BEAR?
A.  No, a separate BEAR must be completed for each separate SPIN (vendor). For example, if you have 2 FRNs that list Comcast, and one FRN that is for AT&T, you can submit both Comcast FRN reimbursement requests on a single BEAR, but the AT&T reimbursement request must be filed on a separate BEAR.

2)  How will I know when the BEAR reimbursement amount has been deposited into my bank account?
A.  The Remittance Contact listed on your Form 498 will both receive an e-mail containing a statement with the date the reimbursement amount was transferred and the amount.  About two weeks after that, the Form 486 contact will receive a paper (by mail) BEAR Notification Letter that outlines whether the BEAR was approved, denied, or partially paid.

3) I was committed more funding than I actually spent. Can I request reimbursement for the full amount that was originally committed?
A.  No. Applicants may only seek reimbursement for the exact amount paid for the service instead of just listing the full funding cap (for example, if you were committed $10,000, but then only spent $6,000, you can only request E-rate reimbursements based on the $6,000).  Please know that USAC has increasingly been requesting copies of invoices when they review the BEARs as proof that you are requesting the accurate amount.

4) What if I receive my BEAR Remittance Letter and it lists that $0 was approved?
A. This typically means that there was an error made on the BEAR Form and the applicant must correct the error and resubmit to USAC.  Typically there is an explanation on the BEAR explaining what was incorrect to help identify the error.  If not, call CSB at 888-203-8100 and they can give you a more detailed explanation.

5) What if I actually received a slightly different service/equipment than what was originally listed on my Form 471 application?
A. USAC has increased scrutiny of the BEARs to make sure that reimbursement requests are for exactly what services were approved for on the FCDLs.  If you changed services/equipment from what you originally listed on your Form 471, you should first submit a “service substitution request” to USAC, located in the upper right side of the EPC Landing Page.

6)  What should I do if I didn’t use the service?
A.  File a Form 500 and cancel the FRN.  The Form 500 must be filed in EPC where you will find the link in the upper right side of the EPC Landing Page.

If you have any questions about the FY 2019 or FY 2020 Invoice Deadlines or completing the BEAR, please 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