August 23, 2017<\/p>\n
I hope everyone had a wonderful summer!\u00a0 Below is an update on several current topics for Funding Years 2016, 2017 and 2018, including my prognosis for the FY 2018 Form 471 window, and dates for fall training!<\/p>\n
FUNDING YEAR 2016…<\/strong><\/p>\n Submit FY 2016 BEARs Now – <\/strong>If you paid your FY 2016 (July 2016 \u2013 June 2017) vendor invoices in full, and haven\u2019t yet submitted the Form 472 BEAR reimbursement form, now is the time to do so.\u00a0 Several details:<\/p>\n Also<\/strong> (important)\u00a0 \u2026. If you are filing a BEAR, don\u2019t forget that you first must have a Form 498 submitted and approved by USAC which provides your banking information so USAC knows where to remit your BEAR reimbursements.\u00a0 If you filed the 498 last year (and it was approved), you don\u2019t have to file it again.\u00a0 Unsure whether you have a Form 498 ID?\u00a0 The easiest way to know is by starting a BEAR form \u2013 the 498 ID will show up if you have one.\u00a0 Or you can contact USAC and ask: 888-203-8100.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have an approved 498 on file with USAC, you will need to complete this form in EPC and then immediately upload a voided\/blank check to substantiate your banking data.\u00a0 Information on filing the Form 498 and uploading the voided check can be found at: https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=13701<\/a>.<\/p>\n Unused FY 2015, FY 2016, or FY 2017 Category 2 Funding – <\/strong>If you were approved for Category 2 (internal connections) funding in FY 2015, FY 2016 or FY 2017 and you did not spend (or will not be spending) the full committed amount, be sure to submit a Form 500 in EPC and return the remaining funds to USAC. Why is this important?\u00a0 Your Category 2 budget is considered “spent” when your funding commitment letter is issued, not when you invoice USAC.\u00a0 So if you are funded for C2 and never use the money, your C2 budget will be reduced.\u00a0 In order to have the benefit of using that “unused” C2 budget funding in future years, it’s important that you submit a Form 500 to “decommit” the unused funding.\u00a0 If you do this, be sure to explain exactly which school or library building the funding should be restored to.<\/p>\n FUNDING YEAR 2017…<\/strong><\/p>\n Pace of Funding Commitment Letters \u2013 <\/strong>So far,65% of all FY 2017 PA funding requests have been decided (76% of Category 1 and 39% of Category 2).\u00a0 Applications are getting reviewed\/approved much faster than last year, but there\u2019s still many more still pending. \u00a0If you haven\u2019t yet been funded. Be watching for an e-mail from a PIA reviewer with questions about your application, and then reply as soon as possible.\u00a0 If you’re unsure of how to answer a PIA question, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me.<\/p>\n Changing 471 Contacts – <\/strong>If you have a new staff member handing E-rate for your school or library \u2013 one that is different than the name listed on the 471 \u2013 please submit a RAL Modification at https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=19551<\/a> to make this change so the PIA reviewer knows where to send the PIA inquiry.\u00a0 You\u2019ll also want to contact CSB and obtain a new EPC account for the new E-rate contact (888-203-8100) and be sure they have a record of where the PIA correspondence should be sent moving forward.<\/p>\n FY 2017 Form 486s<\/strong> – If you HAVE been funded for FY 2017, don’t forget to file your Form 486 to ‘turn-on’ funding with USAC.\u00a0 I will send a list of applicants with 486 due dates in early October.\u00a0 If you have NOT yet been funded for FY 2017, you can’t file the Form 486 until you receive your FCDL.\u00a0 Here is a helpful Form 486 Filing Guide:\u00a0 https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=20621<\/a>.<\/p>\n Pre-Commitment SPIN Changes\/Corrections and Service Substitutions – <\/strong>I\u2019ve heard from several applicants that need to make SPIN changes or Service Substitutions to their FY 2017 funding requests.\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t yet been funded for FY 2017, the best thing to do is to submit a RAL Modification request in EPC and your PIA reviewer will work with you to make those changes during the PIA review stage.\u00a0 If you\u2019ve already received your FCDL, then you\u2019ll need to wait until USAC releases those post-commitment modules for FY 2017 in EPC (which could take a few more months).\u00a0 So the very easiest thing to do is to work with your PIA reviewer to get them changed pre-commitment.\u00a0 Here\u2019s how to submit a RAL Modification: https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=19551<\/a><\/p>\n FUNDING YEAR 2018…<\/strong><\/p>\n FY 2018 Form 471 Filing Window –<\/strong> The FY 2017 Form 471 filing window dates haven’t yet been established but I have heard rumblings that the window may be from early January \u2013 mid March in order to get as many applications approved as possible before summer begins. The Form 470 (competitive bidding form) for FY 2018 is now available in EPC and can be filed at any time.\u00a0 If you have any contracts expiring June 30, 2018 that will require a longer than normal procurement timeline (such as WAN contracts), you\u2019ll want to file your Form 470 sooner than later.\u00a0 \u00a0Also, please be mindful that the FCC\/USAC have been telling applicants recently that if you post an addendum to your 470, they expect you to give another full 28 days for the procurement.\u00a0 So file early to give yourself enough time to add to this clock, if needed.<\/p>\n Fall Trainings \u2013 Save the Date!: <\/strong>\u00a0The E-rate for Beginners Trainings will be held in these three locations in early October and registration will be announced soon (of course, there also will be separate webinars scheduled on specific topics as well as one for E-rate veterans):<\/p>\n If you have any questions about any of these issues, please don’t hesitate to contact me at jtschell@comcast.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n — Julie<\/strong><\/p>\n Julie Tritt Schell Penn*link<\/p>\n\n\n
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\nPA E-rate Coordinator
\n717-730-7133 – o
\n717-730-9060 – f
\njtschell@comcast.net<\/a>
\nwww.e-ratepa.org<\/a><\/p>\n