{"id":32864,"date":"2020-12-02T21:09:36","date_gmt":"2020-12-02T21:09:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/e-ratepaorg.local\/?p=32864"},"modified":"2020-12-28T18:27:17","modified_gmt":"2020-12-28T18:27:17","slug":"december-2020-e-rate-update","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32864","title":{"rendered":"December 2020 E-rate Update"},"content":{"rendered":"

December 2, 2020<\/span><\/p>\n

FY 2021 Eligible Services List\u00a0<\/strong>\u2013 The FCC has just approved the ESL for FY 2021 and as expected, there are no changes.\u00a0 However, the approval is significant because it means that USAC can now set the Form 471 filing window dates, which are expected to be announced soon.<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Window \u2018COVID\u2019 FCDLs<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Of the 141 Form 471s that were submitted by PA applicants for additional Category 1 funding during the \u2018COVID Window,\u2019 71 have received funding approvals thus far.\u00a0 In many cases, USAC is approving funding for the new application, and also adjusting funding for the original FRN that was submitted during the original Form 471 window (this was common when bandwidth was upgraded after July 1 where part of the year was approved under the lower bandwidth, and the remainder of the year was approved with the higher bandwidth).\u00a0 For the original (1st<\/sup>\u00a0window) FRNs that were modified, you will receive a RFCDL (Revised Funding Commitment Decision Letter), and you will NOT submit a new 486.\u00a0 But for the new (2nd<\/sup>\u00a0window) FRNs, you WILL need to file a Form 486 to \u201cturn on funding\u201d for those FRNs as soon as you receive your FCDL.<\/p>\n

PATI Survey<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 PDE has cancelled the PaTI Technology Inventory Survey for this school year due to the unprecedented demands being placed on technology officials this year.\u00a0 The survey will resume for the 2021 school year.<\/p>\n

RFP and Form 470 Narrative Guide<\/strong>\u00a0– \u00a0Increasingly, schools and libraries are issuing Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for all of their E-rate service requests because it allows them to more fully explain their technology needs and bidding requirements than simply posting a Form 470.\u00a0 To assist schools and libraries create simple RFPs, I am creating a helpful guide with RFP outlines, reminders, and sample Form 470 narrative language when RFPs aren\u2019t used.\u00a0 I expect this to be released within the next week.<\/p>\n

Update on Enrollment and NSLP Data<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Starting with FY 2021, E-rate will allow two different data sets to be used \u2013 one for the Discount Calculations and one for the Category 2 Budgets.\u00a0 You\u00a0are\u00a0permitted to use this year\u2019s enrollment data for C2, and last year\u2019s enrollment\/NSLP data for your discount calculations purposes.\u00a0 For complete information about what data can and should be used, see\u00a0https:\/\/e-ratepa.org\/?p=32809<\/a>.\u00a0 Here\u2019s a brief summary:<\/p>\n