Thursday, April 16 is the Last Day to File FY 2015 471s

April 15, 2015

As of this morning, about 25% of PA applicants still had NOT filed a Form 471 for FY 2015 (this high number could be attributed to the fact that the applications with paper certifications mailed within the last two weeks have not yet been entered into the USAC database).  The Funding Year 2015 Form 471 Filing Window closes at 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, April 16.  Here are a few quick reminders:
1)  Multi-Year Contracts:  Although you may have a multi-year contract (and didn’t have to post a new 470 this year), you are still required to submit a Form 471 Funding Request each year to request E-rate funding.  There is no such thing as a multi-year E-rate funding commitment.

2)  Online System Problems?  First question:  do you have two applications open at the same time?  Close one.  Still having problems?  Simply close your browser, open a new browser, clear you cache, and try again.  This almost always works.

3)  FAQs:  Check here for answers to the most frequently asked questions of the last two weeks:  https://e-ratepa.org/?p=7651.

4)  Correcting a mistake:  If you have made an error on your 471 and you have already hit submit, you can correct it 1 of 2 ways:

a/ Submit a new 471 before the April 16 deadline with a new, correct FRN, and then cancel the original erroneous FRN when the YELLOW Receipt Acknowledgement Letter (RAL) arrives.
— OR —
b/ If the mistake doesn’t require you to resign a contract, you can wait and just correct the mistake on the RAL.  RAL changes/corrections should be faxed to USAC at: 973-599-6526 (this number isn’t printed on the RAL).  If the mistake does require you to resign your contract, then you must submit a new 471 for that FRN and then cancel the old one.

5)  28-Day Waiting Period:  Be sure you don’t submit the Form 471 for at least 28 days since the date you posted your 470.

6)  If you don’t have a PIN:  You can submit your 471 online even if you don’t have a PIN.  Hit submit, then print out the paper certification and mail it to the SLD by Thursday, April 16.  It just needs to be POSTMARKED by April 16, not received by USAC by that date.  The SLD will then mail you a PIN about 2-3 weeks that you can use to certify all future E-rate applications.

Please e-mail me if you need assistance. Happy Filing!

— Julie

Julie Tritt Schell
PA E-rate Coordinator

jtschell@comcast.net
www.e-ratepa.org   

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