{"id":32469,"date":"2020-05-28T00:51:14","date_gmt":"2020-05-28T00:51:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e-ratepaorg.local\/?p=32469"},"modified":"2020-06-02T00:52:49","modified_gmt":"2020-06-02T00:52:49","slug":"graduation-week-e-rate-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32469","title":{"rendered":"Graduation Week E-rate Update"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"color: #222222;\">May 28, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Purchasing FY 2020 Category 2 Equipment Now:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Applicants are allowed to purchase their C2 equipment now, even if they haven\u2019t yet received their FCDLs, because E-rate rules permit the purchase\/installation of equipment after April 1 (3 months ahead of the start of the funding year).\u00a0 Vendor invoices to schools\/libraries are permitted to be dated on or after April 1, but BEARs or vendor SPIs cannot be submitted to USAC for reimbursement until July 1 (or the FCDL\/486 submission date, whichever is later).\u00a0 If you choose purchase equipment before receiving the FCDL, know that vendors may want you to pay 100% of the cost and then seek reimbursement from USAC via the BEAR.\u00a0 \u00a0When purchasing C2 equipment, please review the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Equipment-Purchasing-Guide.pdf\" class=\"mtli_attachment mtli_pdf\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Equipment-Purchasing-Guide.pdf&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1591143890102000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEc-dz_oZvCFrl5gB-jKeKx43absQ\">Category 2 Purchasing Guide<\/a>\u00a0that explains:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>How to create your PO<\/li>\n<li>Requirements to label equipment and create an asset inventory<\/li>\n<li>When to file the 486<\/li>\n<li>When to invoice USAC<\/li>\n<li>Restrictions on moving equipment between buildings<\/li>\n<li>How to substitute for newer\/different equipment<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>PIA Reviews Actively Underway:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Lots and lots of applicants are receiving PIA outreach, seeking additional information related to their Form 471 applications.\u00a0\u00a0This year we\u2019re seeing a major emphasis on substantiation of taxes and competitive bidding.\u00a0 All PIA inquiries are done in EPC, and all applicant responses to these inquiries must be submitted via EPC.\u00a0 You can request an extension if you need more time to respond, but the sooner you respond, the sooner you\u2019ll be funded.\u00a0 The PIA Review Guide is available at:\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=30611\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p%3D30611&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1591143890102000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGs4piubc3di60T9u_SqF8AsD3SlA\">https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=30611<\/a>.\u00a0 If you need to make changes to your application, you can do so \u2013 prior to funding commitment \u2013 using the RAL Modification process, guide at:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=29751\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p%3D29751&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1591143890102000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHp7T3l_xgkN52Ci0UfxzZza0sp0w\">https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=29751<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Don&#8217;t Forget to Cancel Expiring Contracts:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0If you are changing service providers beginning July 1, 2020 or no longer need a particular service, don&#8217;t forget to notify your existing vendor in writing that your service will be terminating on June 30.\u00a0 Many contracts, even if they contain an expiration date, require that notice must be provided X number of days in advance or the contract will continue for another year.\u00a0 You don&#8217;t want to be caught having to pay for service you don&#8217;t want simply because you forgot to give the required notice.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Phantom 471 Reminder E-mails:\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>I\u2019ve received multiple reports of 471 \u201creminder\u201d e-mails being sent to applicants.\u00a0 If you get one of these, don\u2019t worry.\u00a0 It means you have an unfinished (abandoned) 471 sitting in EPC that you started, but then didn\u2019t submit.\u00a0 Simply go to your EPC Landing Page, and under My Tasks, click on the 471 link.\u00a0 Then click \u201cDiscard Form\u201d and *poof* those reminder e-mails will go away.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Remember to File Your Form 486:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0The next step after receiving a FCDL (funding commitment decision letter) is to file the Form 486. It\u2019s a very easy form to submit and I strongly encourage you to file it on the day you receive the FCDL so you don\u2019t forget.\u00a0 Two reminders:\u00a0 Check the \u2018Early Filing Box\u2019 if filing the 486 before July 31, and be careful not to be \u201cclick happy\u201d on the CIPA certifications.\u00a0 Full instructions on the Form 486 can be found at:\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32433\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p%3D32433&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1591143890102000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGYlyVDjirbVxJ4bKZ-OIWAnybUZA\">https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32433<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Do You Have a BEAR PIN?<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0If an applicant pays vendor invoices in full, they must seek reimbursement from USAC using the Form 472 BEAR Form.\u00a0 BEARs are NOT filed in EPC; they are filed in USAC\u2019s legacy system (the system that existed prior to EPC).\u00a0\u00a0 In order to request reimbursements\/file Form 472 BEARs, you must have a BEAR PIN that is unique to you (PINs are not shared among school or library staff).\u00a0\u00a0 Soon applicants will be filing their FY 2019 BEARs for recurring services, so it\u2019s a good time to request a BEAR PIN if you don\u2019t already have one (or had one but can\u2019t find it).\u00a0 Simply 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=1591143890102000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG3TAo_dHG3rIPKc-8NcmjxLi7K6g\"><strong>http:\/\/www.usac.org\/_res\/documents\/sl\/xls\/PIN-request-template.xlsx<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0and then upload it into EPC by creating a Customer Service Case.\u00a0 USAC will then e-mail you a new PIN in about a week.\u00a0 (Remember that you must be an EPC User in order to create a Customer Service Case in EPC.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>New to E-rate?<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0If you are new to E-rate or have someone in your school or library who is new, don\u2019t forget the helpful new E-rate Onboarding Guide that\u2019s now available on the PA E-rate website at:\u00a0\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?page_id=747\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?page_id%3D747&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1591143890102000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGIFpJ6M8AEiHwOrsAmcl0Kt5PD1A\">https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?page_id=747<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Happy Graduation Week, E-raters!\u00a0 As always, please let me know if you have any questions.<\/p>\n<p>&#8212; Julie<\/p>\n<p>Julie Tritt Schell<\/p>\n<p>Pennsylvania E-rate Coordinator<br \/>\n717-730-7133 &#8211; o<br \/>\n<a href=\"mailto:jtschell@comcast.net\">jtschell@comcast.net<\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/www.e-ratepaorg.local\/\" data-saferedirecturl=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/url?q=http:\/\/www.e-ratepaorg.local\/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1591143890102000&amp;usg=AFQjCNEEAsrD0dYF1JUaEVWllz7oLzUunQ\">www.e-ratepa.org<\/a><\/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>May 28, 2020<\/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-32469","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\/32469","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=32469"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32469\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32469"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32469"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32469"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}