E-rate Window Extended Until April 6
Message Posted February 4, 1999
The following is a newsflash from the Schools and Libraries Division indicating that the 1999-2000 application window has been extended from March 11 to April 6. Good news for many schools and libraries that waited until this week to file and who haven't yet received their funding commitment letters. We strongly urge you not to wait until the new Form 470 deadline of March 8 to file. We're recommending a date of no later than March 3. -- Julie
E-RATE NEWSFLASH
SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES DIVISION/USAC
2-3-99
APPLICATION WINDOW EXTENDED TO 4/6/99
To give you more time to prepare your 1999-2000 E-rate application, and to increase the chances that you'll have heard a decision on your 1998
application before you need to apply for Year 2, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) has
officially extended the closing date of the Year 2 application window to 11:59 p.m. ET on April 6, 1999.
In order to be considered "in the window," you must file Form 470, wait 28 days, and then file Form 471 so that your entire application, including all
paper attachments and certifications, is received by SLD by 11:59 ET on April 6. Technically, this means that the last day to file Form 470 and complete the
rest of the process within the window is March 9-but you would have to sign any new contracts, complete and sign Form 471, and hand-deliver it to the SLD
office in Lawrence, Kansas all on April 6 if you waited that long to file Form 470. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU FILE YOUR FORM 470 NO LATER MARCH 5, 1999.
The previous recommended Form 470 filing date was February 5 for a window closing date of March 11.
While this window extension gives you almost a month more to start and complete your Year 2 application, we urge you to begin filing as soon as
possible. If you file your Form 470 now, you will:
* Avoid the heaviest traffic on our Web site and customer service line (888/203-8100).
* Give our data entry staff the opportunity to contact you to resolve any problems with your paper applications.
* Allow yourself adequate time to complete your competitive bidding process and prepare your Form 471 with care.
* Be among the early Form 471 applicants to be reviewed and acted upon as we move toward funding commitments for 1999-2000.
* Observe the Passover and Easter holidays that immediately precede the April 6 deadline without having to worry about rushing your Form 471 application and
attachments into overnight mail on Monday, April 5.
For help filing your Form 470 in a timely fashion, please see "Top 10 Reasons You Should File Your Year 2 E-Rate Application NOW" (at www.slcfund.org
<http://www.slcfund.org> or via fax-on-demand, 800-959-0733, document #206) and the forthcoming "Quick Tips for Filing Your Form 470 - Even If You Don't Have a 1998 Funding Letter Yet."
________________________________________
Julie L. Tritt
Executive Policy Specialist
Office of Educational Technology
Pennsylvania Department of Education
333 Market Street, 10th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126
Tel: (717) 705-4486
Fax: (717) 787-7222
www.L2L.org
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