FCC’s New Third Report and Order
PY4 Wave 12 Released
Wave 12 of Funding Commitment Decision Letters ("FCDLs") was mailed on Friday, January 11. Total funding in this wave was $26.4 million.
Cumulative funding for PY4 is now $1.85 billion, leaving an estimated 15% of available funding yet to be awarded. The funding threshold for Internal Connections remains at the 88% discount level.
IMPORTANT: PY5 Application Window Closes January 17
The absolute deadline for filing a Form 471 within the application window is 11:59 p.m. EST, Thursday, January 17, 2002. It is highly unlikely that any application filed after this deadline will receive E-rate funding for 2002-2003.
To successfully file a Form 471 within the application window, one of the following conditions must apply:
- If filed electronically - with an electronic signature - the filing must be completed online by the 11:59 p.m. deadline.
- If filed electronically - without an electronic signature - the filing must be completed online by the 11:59 p.m. deadline and the signed certification pages must be mailed to the SLD and be postmarked no later than January 17.
- If filed manually, the completed Form 471, with signature, must be mailed to the SLD and be postmarked no later than January 17.
Our number one recommendation for meeting the filing deadline is: Don't wait until the last day! Our number two recommendation is: Document any mailing to the SLD.
For those who ignore recommendation number one, however, we offer the following tips.
For mailing Form 471s and/or signed certifications:
- Do not simply drop your envelope into a mailbox or express mail drop assuming it will be picked up and postmarked that day. Deliver it to a post office or express mail carrier directly to ensure it is postmarked by Thursday.
- Know what hours the facility is open on Thursday. Some offices stay open later than others. For postal locations and hours, check USPS Web Site. Call to confirm.
- Document the postmark date. We recommend using an express mail service that allows Internet tracking of both pickup and delivery dates. At a minimum, if using regular mail, obtain a "Certificate of Mailing" (PS Form 3817) at an extra cost of 75¢.
If filing online, make sure to allow sufficient time to complete the filing before midnight (EST) and, if not using an electronic signature, to print, sign, and mail the certification (see above). The most likely problem might be SLD system overloads or failures that prevent last minute completions, as occurred last year. If system problems prevent late filings this year, the following actions are critical:
- Once you have completed Block 1, the system will assign you a Form 471 number. Keep track of this number. If necessary, it will permit the SLD to identify the stage at which difficulties were encountered. If you can't complete Block 1, the SLD will have no record of the filing.
- Print out a copy of each page before proceeding to the next. The current date will be shown in the Internet address footer of the printout.
- Report fatal system failures to the SLD immediately (888-203-8100). Keep track of the person you spoke to and the time of the call.
- Also report failures to your state E-rate contact. To find your state E-rate contact, we suggest calling your state education and/or library department or checking their Web site. A fairly complete list of state E-rate Web sites can be found on the E-Rate Central site.
New Feature and Advisories on SLD Web Site
Earlier this week, the SLD Web site upgraded the SPIN and BEAR Contact Search Engine to allow searches by either vendor name or SPIN. The information provided has been expanded to show vendor SPINs, as well as to indicate whether the SLD considers the vendor to be an E-rate eligible telecommunications carrier.
Later in the week, the SLD posted the following new document and two updates in its Web site Reference section:
- Free Services Advisory
- Cost Allocation Guidelines for Products and Services that Contain Eligible and Ineligible Components
- Wide Area Network Fact Sheet
E-rate Lesson from Enron
The latest news this week on the collapse and bankruptcy of Enron, reporting on the destruction of auditor notes, should serve as a reminder to E-rate applicants that program rules require the retention of records for five years. The Item 32 certification on the Form 471, for example, states:
"I recognize that I may be audited pursuant to this application. I will retain for five years any and all worksheets and other records that I rely upon to fill out this application, and, if audited, will make available to the Administrator such records."
This means that applicants who have been involved in the program since its inception must have carefully retained any E-rate forms and worksheets they have ever filed or used.
Disclaimer: This newsletter may contain unofficial information on prospective E-rate developments and/or may reflect E-Rate Central's own interpretations of E-rate practices and regulations. Such information is provided for planning and guidance purposes only. It is not meant, in any way, to supplant official announcements and instructions provided by either the SLD or the FCC.