November 1, 2017<\/p>\n
Attached:\u00a0FY 2018 Planning Document for Recurring Services<\/a><\/p>\n Attached:\u00a0Form 470 Filing Guide – FY 2018<\/a><\/p>\n ~ List of PA Applicants that May Need to File 470 for Recurring Services Attached ~ The Form 470 marks the start of the FY 2018 funding year because it opens the competitive bidding process for equipment and services that aren\u2019t yet under contract for FY 2018.\u00a0 In the Form 470, schools and libraries identify and seek proposals for the products and services they need, and for which they will be requesting E-rate discounts, so that potential service providers can review your requests and submit proposals to you for consideration.\u00a0 The Form 470 is filed in the EPC Portal and is only slightly from FY 2017.<\/p>\n Form 470 Changes for FY 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n When Must a Form 470 be Filed?<\/strong> 2)\u00a0 At the beginning of any new contract.\u00a0 Note:\u00a0 If you posted a Form 470 in a previous year, and then signed a multi-year contract that expires on or after June 30, 2018, you are not required to file a Form 470 for FY 2017.\u00a0 If you wish to exercise a voluntary extension of a contract without posting a 470, you may only do so if your contract contains the terms of the voluntary extensions (meaning the exact number of years or dates that the extensions can be exercised and it’s not just open-ended). \u00a0Otherwise, you must post a Form 470 to extend the contract.<\/p>\n Attached is a list of all FRNs submitted in FY 2017 and a note explaining whether they need to be rebid for FY 2018.\u00a0 This conclusion is drawn from a few factors \u2013 whether voice services will still be eligible for your discount band in FY 2018, whether your contract expires on or after June 2019, and whether you have any contract extensions available to be exercised so that rebidding isn\u2019t necessary.<\/p>\n The data is also color coded as follows:<\/p>\n Red:\u00a0 Must rebid services.<\/p>\n Blue:\u00a0 May need to rebid, depending on whether contract extension is signed.<\/p>\n Black:\u00a0 Service under contract and no rebid is required.<\/p>\n About the Form 470<\/strong><\/p>\n The FY 2018 Form 470 requires filers to build the application by selecting \u201cAdd New Service Request\u201d and then selecting one (or more) drop down selections.\u00a0 The form then asks questions related to the selected service.\u00a0 Because the questions on the form aren\u2019t very instructive, you are STRONGLY encouraged to use the narrative box to further describe any services you want (there is only a single narrative box, for each category of service).\u00a0 In addition, if you have an Request for Proposal (RFP), you MUST upload it into the Form 470 at the time the 470 is filed.\u00a0 No longer can you give a URL and direct service providers to your website for a copy.\u00a0 Any RFP addenda, Q & A, additional information given to bidders also must be uploaded to the Form 470, a process that can be done using the Related Actions feature in EPC when on the 470 page.<\/p>\n When to File Form 470<\/strong> Important Requirements\/Reminders:<\/strong><\/p>\n Applicants must list “or equivalent” language on the Form 470s for Category 2 services and equipment.\u00a0 For example, you cannot say, “HP 2510 Switch,” but you are permitted to say, “HP 2510 Switch or equivalent.”\u00a0 Any bids received with comparable equipment must be considered in your bid evaluation.\u00a0 If you don’t use these words, USAC will deny your application.\u00a0 You MAY say that the equipment must be interoperable and compatible with your existing xxx make\/model equipment.<\/p>\n If you are using an RFP in addition to your 470, you must upload the RFP with the 470, AND upload any additional documentation given to bidders during the bidding process.\u00a0 If any of the new documentation materially changes the services being bid or entities served, you must restart the 28-day clock.<\/p>\n If you would like to spread out the non-discounted (the applicant\u2019s share) amount of the cost of special construction (installation), you must indicate so on the 470 under the \u2018Payment Installation Plan\u2019 section located beneath the narrative box.<\/p>\n This is the space where you place instructions on bidders, such as the final date to submit bids (must be at least 29 days after 470 filing date), where to submit bids, in what format, if references are required, if vendors must have SPIN numbers, if you require discounted bills, etc.\u00a0 Use this space wisely!<\/p>\n C1 and C2 equipment\/services may be included on the same Form 470, but it\u2019s not required. Also, you can file as many 470s as you need.<\/p>\n For most applicants, cellular data is not eligible, but for the few applicants still eligible for voice funding, they may want to purchase both voice\/data bundles.\u00a0 In these cases, choose Cellular Voice on the drop down menu (not Cellular Data), and then list the # of plans.\u00a0 In the narrative box below, list how many voice-only plans you want and how many bundled voice\/data plans you want, recognizing that you will be required to declare the data portion of the bundle as ineligible on the 471.<\/p>\n At the end of the form, the system will require you to select \u2018Review 470\u2019 and will say that it\u2019s generating the PDF.\u00a0 To see the PDF, you must click on \u2018Refresh\u2019 until it appears.\u00a0 The PDF will not appear unless you click Refresh (and sometimes it takes up to 30 seconds to appear).\u00a0 Review the draft and if you want to make changes to the form, click \u2018Back to re-enter the form.\u00a0 To submit, check on the certification box, and then \u2018Continue to Certification\u2019 to proceed with the certification\/submission.<\/p>\n After you’ve “certified” your Form 470, it’s often difficult to find a final copy.\u00a0 At the bottom of your Landing Page (home), scroll to the bottom where it says FCC Forms and Post-Commitment Requests.\u00a0 Select \u2018Form 470\u2019 and the funding year.\u00a0 Thenclick on the 470 Nickname that you gave the form and it will show you a summarized version of the 470.\u00a0 To download an actual copy, click on \u2018Generated Documents\u2019 on the top toolbar, and then \u2018Original Version.\u2019<\/p>\n It\u2019s important that you begin the Form 470 bidding process as soon as possible so you don\u2019t run out of time during the Form 471 application window.\u00a0\u00a0 If you have any questions about filing the Form 470, please e-mail me at jtschell@comcast.net<\/a>!<\/p>\n Happy Filing!<\/p>\n — Julie<\/p>\n Julie Tritt Schell Penn*link<\/p>\n\n
\n~ Form 470 Filing Guide Attached ~<\/p>\n\n
\n1)\u00a0 If a service is covered on a Month-to-Month basis (meaning no contract), a new Form 470 is required annually.<\/p>\n
\nAlthough the very last possible date to file a 470 is 29 days before the 471 window closes, do not wait this long to file.\u00a0 I encourage everyone to file their 470’s by the first week in December!\u00a0 You will then receive vendor questions\/proposals during the month of December, can evaluate your bids and select your vendors in January, have your board approve contracts in January or February (if required by local policy), and then sign your contracts and file your 471 in March.<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n<\/strong>Hints for Completing the Form 470:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\nPA E-rate Coordinator
\n717-730-7133 – o
\n717-730-9060 – f
\njtschell@comcast.net<\/a>
\nwww.e-ratepa.org<\/a><\/p>\n