{"id":31867,"date":"2019-09-25T23:20:13","date_gmt":"2019-09-25T23:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e-ratepaorg.local\/?p=31867"},"modified":"2019-09-26T23:29:20","modified_gmt":"2019-09-26T23:29:20","slug":"file-bears-now-for-fy-2018-e-rate-reimbursements-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=31867","title":{"rendered":"File BEARs Now for FY 2018 E-rate Reimbursements"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #222222;\">September 25, 2019<\/span><\/p>\n<p>Attached:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/FY-2018-BEARs-Due-as-of-Sept-25.xlsx\" class=\"mtli_attachment mtli_xlsx\" target=\"_blank\">FY 2018 BEARs Due as of Sept 25<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Attached:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/Form-472-BEAR-Filing-Guide-FY-2018.pdf\" class=\"mtli_attachment mtli_pdf\" target=\"_blank\">Form 472 BEAR Filing Guide FY 2018<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>~ Do NOT File in EPC &#8211; Use Old BEAR System ~<\/strong><br \/>\n~ List of FRNs with 100% of Commitment Remaining Attached ~<br \/>\n~ BEAR Filing Guide Attached ~<\/p>\n<p>This is a friendly reminder that October 28, 2019 is the deadline to submit BEARs for FY 2018 recurring services.\u00a0 These would be for invoices received from July 1, 2018 \u2013 June 30, 2019.\u00a0\u00a0<strong><em>How do you know if you need to submit a BEAR?<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0The easy answer is that if you received discounted bills from your vendor, you do\u00a0not\u00a0need to submit a BEAR (your E-rate discounts were applied to your bill).\u00a0 If you did\u00a0<strong><em>not<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0receive discounted bills, then you likely will have to file a Form 472 BEAR to collect your reimbursement.\u00a0 Attached is a list showing the FRNs where NO invoice has been submitted to USAC (meaning that 100% of the commitment amount remains). \u00a0Note that this list also includes FRNs for non-recurring services\/equipment who have an invoicing deadline of January 28, 2020<\/p>\n<p><strong>Very Important Notes &#8211; Please Read:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>BEARs (Form 472s) will NOT be filed in the EPC Portal.\u00a0 Instead, you must use the legacy system\/method of applying at:\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www2.sl.universalservice.org\/bear\/login.aspx\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/www2.sl.universalservice.org\/bear\/login.aspx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1569625272729000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFATmBFowEGRStYI-5ZUXMM6hJZow\">https:\/\/www2.sl.universalservice.org\/bear\/login.aspx<\/a>.\u00a0 To get into the old system, you must use your E-rate PIN &#8212; not your EPC credentials.\u00a0 If you don&#8217;t have an E-rate PIN or can&#8217;t find it, complete the short PIN Request template at:\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.usac.org\/_res\/documents\/sl\/xls\/PIN-request-template.xlsx\" class=\"mtli_attachment mtli_xlsx\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.usac.org\/_res\/documents\/sl\/xls\/PIN-request-template.xlsx&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1569625272730000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEgCqq3ShTWy4IVDcJGznF6YqotNw\">http:\/\/www.usac.org\/_res\/documents\/sl\/xls\/PIN-request-template.xlsx<\/a>\u00a0and then upload it into EPC by creating a Customer Service Case.\u00a0 USAC will then mail you a new PIN in a week.<\/li>\n<li>Before\u00a0you file the BEAR, you must have an approved Form 498.\u00a0 The Form 498 provides USAC with the banking information so that your BEAR reimbursements can be directly deposited into your account.\u00a0 (Remember, vendors no longer approve your BEARs, USAC reimbursement payments do not pass through the vendors, and no paper checks are mailed.) \u00a0You do not need to complete the Form 498 annually.\u00a0 If you completed last year, the online BEAR system already has your banking data on file.\u00a0 If you need to change your banking data, you can edit your existing 498 in EPC.\u00a0 See Form 498 Section below for more information.<\/li>\n<li>The deadline for filing a BEAR for recurring services is October 28, 2019.\u00a0\u00a0<strong>DO-NOT-MISS-THIS-DEADLINE<\/strong>\u00a0as the invoicing deadline rules are\u00a0<strong>VERY<\/strong>\u00a0strict.\u00a0 If you cannot submit a BEAR by the deadline, you\u00a0<strong>must<\/strong>\u00a0submit an invoice deadline extension request (IDER) BEFORE October 28 (or whatever your invoice deadline is).\u00a0 USAC will then approve a\u00a0single\u00a0120-day extension.\u00a0 USAC is not permitted &#8212; under any circumstance &#8212; to grant a second extension.\u00a0 Also, they are not permitted to grant any extension requests that are submitted\u00a0after\u00a0October 28 (or whatever your original invoice deadline was). \u00a0\u00a0Thus, it&#8217;s important that you begin your BEAR forms NOW.\u00a0 Please don&#8217;t wait until the last minute because you&#8217;re likely to forget to file.\u00a0Each year, many applicants are committed funding, but then never go back to seek reimbursement.<em>\u00a0Don&#8217;t let them keep your well-deserved money<\/em>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Form 498 \u2013 Direct Deposit Banking Data Form:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>To determine if you have an approved Form 498, log into the Online BEAR System, and if a Form 498 ID doesn\u2019t appear in the form, it means you don\u2019t have an approved 498 on file with USAC.\u00a0 If you don\u2019t have a BEAR PIN yet and want to see if you have an approved 498, log into EPC &gt; Records &gt; Form 498s &gt; Click on 498 if one is showing to see the Status.\u00a0 If no 498 is showing, then there isn\u2019t one on file with USAC.<\/li>\n<li>If you need to update your 498 Banking Data, log into EPC &gt; Records &gt; Form 498s &gt; Click on the 498 &gt; Related Actions &gt; Modify Form 498.<\/li>\n<li>The Form 498 must be filed in EPC by a &#8220;school or library official&#8221; (not a consultant).\u00a0 If you&#8217;re unsure how to find or complete the 498, refer to this guide:\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=13701\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p%3D13701&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1569625272730000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFSgyhQIZTG_sNJEDKSqRB7X_aR_A\">https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=13701<\/a>.\u00a0 Note:\u00a0 After you submit the 498, you must then upload a copy of a voided\/cancelled check so USAC can be assured that the information you entered on the 498 is accurate.\u00a0 USAC will issue an approval of your 498 via e-mail to the General Financial Contact.\u00a0 After receiving that approval, you can THEN submit the BEAR.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>A few important Q &amp; A&#8217;s:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>1) Can I complete the BEAR online?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. All BEARs must be filed online.\u00a0 No paper BEARs will be accepted.<\/p>\n<p><strong>2) Can I put all of my reimbursement requests on a single BEAR?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. No, a separate BEAR must be completed for each separate SPIN (vendor). For example, if you have 2 FRNs that list\u00a0Comcast, and one FRN that is for AT&amp;T, you can submit both Comcast FRN reimbursement requests on a single BEAR, but the AT&amp;T reimbursement request must be filed on a separate BEAR.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3) Am I required to have the provider approve the BEAR?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. No.\u00a0Vendors no longer certify BEARs.\u00a0 Your BEAR will be submitted directly to USAC for processing.<\/p>\n<p><strong>4)\u00a0 How long will it take for my BEAR reimbursement to arrive?<\/strong><br \/>\nA.\u00a0\u00a0 Because service providers have been removed from the BEAR approval\/reimbursement process, most BEAR reimbursements will be directly deposited to the bank account that was listed on the Form 498 within a few days of BEAR submission.\u00a0 Some BEARs are selected for manual review, especially Category 2 BEARs, and it sometimes takes several weeks\/months to get those paid.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5)\u00a0 How will I know when the BEAR reimbursement amount has been deposited into my bank account?<\/strong><br \/>\nA.\u00a0 The Remittance Contact listed on your Form 498 will receive an e-mail containing a statement with the date the reimbursement amount was transferred and the amount.\u00a0 About two weeks after that, the Form 486 contact will receive a paper (by mail) BEAR Notification Letter that outlines whether the BEAR was approved, denied, or partially paid.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6) I was committed more funding than I actually spent. Can I request reimbursement for the full amount that was originally committed?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. No. Applicants\u00a0may only seek reimbursement for the exact amount paid for the service instead of just listing the full funding cap (for example, if you were committed $10,000, but then only spent $6,000, you can only request E-rate reimbursements based on the $6000). \u00a0Please know that USAC has increasingly been requesting copies of invoices when they review the BEARs as proof that you are requesting the accurate amount.<\/p>\n<p><strong>7) I spent more than what was committed on my funding commitment letter (my cap). What should I list on my BEAR &#8212; the cap or the actual amount spent?<\/strong><br \/>\nUSAC would like you to complete the BEAR with the\u00a0actual\u00a0figures of what you spent for the service, and not just list your funding cap amount. For example, if you spent $10,000, and had a 50% discount, you would list $10,000 in Column 14 and $5,000 in Column 15, even if you were only committed $4,000. The reason is that USAC would like to show how much applicants are actually spending on services and also so they know that you are not just listing the funding commitment amount (the cap), but have actually added up how much was actually spent in each of the 12 months using the actual vendor bills. Unfortunately, they will only reimburse you up to the amount that you were committed.<\/p>\n<p><strong>8) What if I receive my BEAR Remittance Letter and it lists that $0 was approved?<\/strong><br \/>\nA. This typically means that there was an error made on the BEAR Form and the applicant must correct the error and resubmit to USAC.\u00a0 Typically there is an explanation on the BEAR explaining what was incorrect to help identify the error.\u00a0 If not, call CSB at 888-203-8100 and they can give you a more detailed explanation.<\/p>\n<p><strong>9) What if I actually received a slightly different service\/equipment than what was originally listed on my Form 471 application?<br \/>\n<\/strong>A. USAC has increased scrutiny of the BEARs to make sure that reimbursement requests are for exactly what services were approved for on the FCDLs.\u00a0 If you changed services during the 2017 funding year from what you originally listed on your Form 471, you should first seek a &#8220;correcting service substitution request&#8221; from USAC by using the Service Substitution link in the upper right side of the EPC Landing Page.<\/p>\n<p><strong>10)\u00a0 What should I do if I didn&#8217;t use the service?<\/strong><br \/>\nA.\u00a0 File a Form 500 and cancel the FRN.\u00a0 The Form 500 must be filed in EPC where you will find the link in the upper right side of the EPC Landing Page.<\/p>\n<p>If you have any questions about the FY 2018 Invoice Deadlines or completing the BEAR, please contact me at\u00a0<a href=\"mailto:jtschell@comcast.net\">jtschell@comcast.net<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212; Julie<\/p>\n<p>Julie Tritt Schell<br \/>\nPA E-rate Coordinator<\/p>\n<p>717-730-7133 &#8211; o<br \/>\n717-730-9060 &#8211; f<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:jtschell@comcast.net\">jtschell@comcast.net<\/a><br \/>\nwww.e-ratepa.org<\/p>\n\n<div class=\"twitter-share\"><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?via=eratepenn\" class=\"twitter-share-button\" data-size=\"large\">Tweet<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>September 25, 2019<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-listserve_archive"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31867"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31867\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}