December 12, 2017<\/p>\n
Attached:\u00a0FY 2016 BEAR Deadlines as of Dec 11 2017<\/a><\/p>\n Update Enrollment\/NSLP Data in EPC Profiles Now<\/strong>– The Funding Year 2018 E-rate \u201dAdmin Window\u201d is now open which means it\u2019s time for schools to update the enrollment\/NSLP data in each of their schools\u2019 EPC profiles and add any new schools\/admin buildings.\u00a0 After the Admin Window closes, the data will be \u201clocked down\u201d and it will not be possible to update this data in the EPC profiles because that data will be linked to active library and consortia applications.\u00a0 The Admin Window deadline has not yet been announced, but I expect it to be the first week in January, which means you should update this data before leaving for the holiday break. \u00a0As soon as the Admin Window closes, the Form 471 Filing Window for FY 2018 will open.\u00a0 The\u00a0official<\/em>\u00a0PDE NSLP Data File will not be released until mid-January (at the earliest); but, the PDE Bureau of Food and Nutrition has provided us with the unofficial data that was submitted by each LEA on their October 2017 NSLP Claim Form (which is the month that goes into the official data file).\u00a0 Full details about the draft NSLP data and updating the EPC profiles is available at: https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=23291<\/a>.<\/p>\n Post Form 470\u2019s Now For FY 2018<\/strong>\u2013 If you haven\u2019t yet done so, now is the time to post your FY 2018 Form 470\u2019s to competitively bid the services\/equipment for which you will seek E-rate discounts in the upcoming funding year.\u00a0 The exact Form 471 deadline has not yet been announced (and therefore don\u2019t have a firm Form 470 deadline), but is expected to be released in the next week or so.\u00a0 Please don\u2019t wait until January to file your 470\u2019s.<\/p>\n Internet Access Form 470 Changes <\/strong>\u2013 For FY 2018 Form 470s for Internet Access, there are new options\/requirements that must be met.\u00a0 If you are seeking Internet delivered over fiber, you must select the LEASED LIT FIBER drop down (and no others), and explain in the narrative that you\u2019re seeking Internet Access delivered via leased lit fiber.\u00a0 If you\u2019re seeking Internet bundled with a non-fiber transport (such as cable modem service, DSL, etc.), you must select the INTERNET ACCESS AND TRANSPORT BUNDLED drop down but be careful not to express a choice of transport in the narrative without using the words \u201cor equivalent.\u201d\u00a0 If you don\u2019t know or don\u2019t care about the method of transport, select both the LEASED LIT FIBER and INTERNET\/TRANSPORT BUNDLED options, but be careful not to indicate a preference in the narrative.\u00a0 If you have already posted a Form 470 which is not aligned with this guidance, I strongly encourage you to re-post your Form 470 and thus re-start your 28-day bidding period.\u00a0 This is the only 100% foolproof way to be confident that your Form 470 is compliant with the new guidance.\u00a0There is no way to cancel an existing Form 470 but you may want to include a blurb in the narrative indicating this new 470 replaces the previous form 470 # 18000xxxx.\u00a0 More information is available at:\u00a0 https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=23401<\/a>.<\/p>\n USAC Changes to FY 2017 Form 471 and Form 486 Service Start Dates<\/strong>\u2013 A few months ago, USAC announced that the Service Start Dates on Form 471s and Form 486s should never be before July 1, even though Category 2 equipment may be purchased as early as April 1 prior to the start of the funding year.\u00a0 Consistent with this new guidance, USAC has been holding Form 486s until a manual review can be performed to adjust the dates.\u00a0 Likewise, last week USAC began reaching out to applicants to ask if it was ok to adjust the Form 471 service start date to 7\/1\/2017.\u00a0 From what we\u2019ve been told, the manual Form 486 reviews have just begun, but because so many are impacted, there is a large backlog that must be reviewed (I know many of you are frustrated and that sentiment has been relayed to USAC staff).\u00a0 Moving forward, all FY 2018 Form 471 and Form 486 Service Start Dates should be no earlier than 7\/1\/2018.<\/p>\n Final FY 2016 BEAR Deadlines<\/strong>\u2013 Many applicants requested 1-time extensions of the FY 2016 BEAR recurring services deadline and those requests should have been approved (new deadline = 2\/26\/2018).\u00a0 Other applicants still have not yet submitted BEARs for their FY 2016 non-recurring services FRNs \u2013 such as internal connections (deadline = 1\/29\/2018).\u00a0 Attached to this message is an updated list of all FY 2016 FRNs that have not been disbursed any funding, and who have upcoming invoice deadlines.\u00a0 Please check this list and file your BEARs by the highlighted deadline if you are impacted.\u00a0 If you no longer need the funds, file a Form 500 to cancel the FRN (which is especially important for Category 2 FRNs so the funding will be \u201cdecommitted\u201d and available for future use).\u00a0\u00a0 Note:\u00a0 If column H (Form 473 SPAC filed) shows a red NO, this means your vendor has not yet submitted their FY 2016 SPAC to USAC and you can\u2019t get paid until they do so (see https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=20121<\/a> for more information).<\/p>\n If you have any questions, please don\u2019t hesitate to contact me at jtschell@comcast.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n — Julie<\/p>\n Julie Tritt Schell<\/p>\n PA E-rate Coordinator<\/p>\n 717-730-7133 – o<\/p>\n 717-730-9060 – f<\/p>\n