{"id":32598,"date":"2020-09-01T01:15:44","date_gmt":"2020-09-01T01:15:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e-ratepaorg.local\/?p=32598"},"modified":"2020-09-02T01:37:04","modified_gmt":"2020-09-02T01:37:04","slug":"september-back-to-school-e-rate-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32598","title":{"rendered":"September \u201cBack to School\u201d E-rate Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

September 1, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

First, you guys are ROCK STARS for what you\u2019re doing – both on campus and off \u2013 to ensure that our kids continue to be educated.\u00a0 Thank you, thank you, thank you!<\/p>\n

I know E-rate is the very last thing on your mind these days, so I\u2019ll try to keep this update brief.<\/p>\n

SECA Petitions FCC for More FY 2020 E-rate Funding for Internet<\/strong>: \u00a0Thanks to everyone who completed my brief survey about needing additional Internet bandwidth due to the pandemic.\u00a0 Based on your feedback, the state E-rate coordinators submitted a\u00a0formal request<\/a>\u00a0to the FCC, asking them to allow applicants to submit new Form 471s or supplement their original 471s if they need to increase their Internet bandwidth over what was requested on the originally requested.\u00a0 Nationwide,\u00a0we estimate<\/a>\u00a0that 10-15% of applicants are expected to double their Internet capacity.\u00a0 In addition, we also urged the FCC to extend the gift rule waiver through June 30, 2021 so those of you receiving free or upgraded services or donated equipment can keep them beyond September 30, 2020. \u00a0I will keep you posted on both requests.<\/p>\n

Category 2 for FY 2021:<\/strong>\u00a0 Category 2 budgets are changing beginning in FY 2021.\u00a0 A recap:\u00a0 All C2, 5-year budgets will be reset beginning in FY 2021 and no unused C2 budgets from prior 6-year C2 cycle (FY 2015 \u2013 2020) will be carried forward.\u00a0 To calculate your available 5 year, pre-discount budget, multiply $167 per total\u00a0district<\/em>\u00a0enrollment (libraries multiply $4.50 by total square footage).\u00a0 The minimum per school\/library amount is $25,000.\u00a0 School districts and library systems with 10 or fewer schools\/libraries can take advantage of higher budgets for each school\/library (enrollment or minimum).\u00a0 USAC has released\u00a0a C2 budget tool<\/a>\u00a0that appears to be accurate in its calculations, taking into account all possible options for each E-rate applicant.\u00a0 I\u2019ll send out a separate message and guide shortly.<\/p>\n

Fall E-rate Training:<\/strong>\u00a0\u00a0Unfortunately, the fall in-person beginner E-rate trainings will be conducted online this year.\u00a0 I don\u2019t have the details finalized yet but they will be announced soon.<\/p>\n

Have You Setup Your One Portal Account Yet<\/strong>:\u00a0\u00a0At the end of July, USAC launched One Portal, a new sign-in system with multi-factor authentication (MFA) that applicants must use to access both the EPC and BEAR systems.\u00a0 If you haven\u2019t done so already, please take 3 minutes and set up your One Portal account now so you\u2019re all set when it comes to submitting BEARs or any upcoming form in EPC such as the FY 2021 Form 470.\u00a0 The set up process requires several steps and I encourage you to use the\u00a0One Portal\/MFA Set Up Guide<\/a>\u00a0to walk you through the process.<\/p>\n

Pace of FY 2020 Funding Commitments:\u00a0<\/strong>\u00a0We\u2019re in the final stretch of FY 2020 PIA reviews.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Overall, more than 92% of PA FRNs have been decided thus far.\u00a0 If you\u2019re one of the 91 schools, libraries or consortia that have not yet received your FCDL, please know that USAC is trying hard to have all applications decided by September 30.\u00a0 \u00a0Note:\u00a0 if your school or library hasn\u2019t yet received their FCDL for FY 2020,\u00a0and\u00a0you have a new staff member taking over handing E-rate \u2013 one that is different than the name listed on the 471 \u2013 please submit a RAL Modification in EPC to make this change so the PIA reviewer knows where to send the PIA inquiry.\u00a0 For help with RAL Modifications, see:\u00a0https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32266<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Remember to File Your FY 2020 Form 486\u00a0–\u00a0<\/strong>The 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 Because it is now after July 31, you should NOT check the \u2018Early Filing Box\u2019, 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\u00a0https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=30931<\/a>. \u00a0About 20% of the Form 486s have yet to be filed yet (not bad!)\u00a0I will send a list in early September of FRNs that don\u2019t yet have 486s filed for them, so file now and stay off the list!<\/p>\n

File your FY 2019 BEARs<\/strong>\u00a0Now<\/strong>! \u2013 The deadline to file Form 472 BEARs for recurring services is normally October 28(120 days after the last date to receive service) but this year it\u2019s been extended until February 25, 2021 due to the pandemic. \u00a0Although the BEAR deadline has been extended, I encourage you to file your BEAR by the original deadline because in February you\u2019ll be filing 471 applications and may forget to file the BEAR, and you want to stay in the habit of filing BEARs in the July \u2013 Oct timeframe each year.\u00a0 \u00a0I\u2019ll send a message to the listserve in early September with a detailed list of who still must file (file now to not show up on this list).\u00a0 A copy of the BEAR Filing Guide is available at:\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32506<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Reminders for Purchasing Category 2 Equipment\u00a0–\u00a0<\/strong>When purchasing Category 2 equipment\/services using FY 2020 E-rate funding commitments, please remember these important items:\u00a0 1) The Service Start Date on the Form 486 and\/or the BEAR Form Item 11, Shipping Date to Customer, should always be on or after July 1, 2020, even if you purchased the equipment between April 1 \u2013 June 30, 2020.\u00a0 Why?\u00a0 The rules permit applicants to purchase equipment 3 months before the funding year begins, but the forms cannot have dates that are earlier than the first day of the funding year.\u00a0 2)\u00a0 Always label your equipment and then log it in your Asset Register (equipment inventory).\u00a0 A helpful guide for purchasing C2 equipment, including a sample Asset Register and PO data points, can be found at:\u00a0\u00a0https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32452<\/a>.<\/p>\n

FY 2021 Form 470 Available<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0The FY 2021 Form 470 is now available to use if you need to start your procurements early.\u00a0 The form and its dropdowns are unchanged from last year, unfortunately.\u00a0 (For those new to E-rate, the Form 470 is the form that must be used to competitively bid all new services and equipment for which you would like to apply for discounts in FY 2021).\u00a0 I will send our a Form 470 Filing Guide this fall to help you through the process.<\/p>\n

Changing EPC Account Administrators\/Adding New EPC Users\u00a0–\u00a0<\/strong>Summer often brings staffing changes and it\u2019s important that the new staff get set up in EPC so they are prepared to file for FY 2021 this fall.\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>Hints:\u00a0 Only EPC Account Administrators (AAs) can create new EPC user accounts and assign User \u2018permissions.\u2019\u00a0 Also, only AAs can transfer their AA \u2018credentials\u2019 to another existing EPC User.\u00a0 If the AA is the new staff member and the previous AA is no longer with the school or library, contact USAC\u2019s Client Services Bureau (CSB) at 888-203-8100 and they will set up a new EPC AA account (only CSB can do this).\u00a0 Also, if you need any new E-rate contacts added to the PA E-rate Listserve, please e-mail me their contact information.<\/p>\n

Please let me know if you have any question about anything in this message or related to E-rate.\u00a0 I\u2019m here to help!<\/p>\n

— Julie<\/p>\n

Julie Tritt Schell
\nPennsylvania E-rate Coordinator
\n717-730-7133 – o
\njtschell@comcast.net<\/a>
\nwww.e-ratepa.org<\/a><\/p>\n\n

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September 1, 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-32598","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\/32598","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=32598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32598\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=32598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=32598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=32598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}