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July 29, 2019

Introduction

The E-Rate Central News for the Week is prepared by E-Rate Central. E-Rate Central specializes in providing consulting, compliance, and forms processing services to E-rate applicants. To learn more about our services, please contact us by phone (516-801-7804), fax (516-801-7810), or through our Contact Us web form. Additional E-rate information is located on the E-Rate Central website.

USAC released Wave 14 for FY 2019 on Thursday, July 25th.  Funding totaled $50.5 million.  Cumulative commitments through Wave 14 are $1.15 billion.

Incorrect Link in First Demand Payment Letter:

Friday’s USAC News Brief, referenced below, points to an incorrect hyperlink in Demand Payment Letters (“DPLs”) posted in EPC.  Fortunately, this is not a problem affecting the vast majority of applicants.  DPLs are sent only when USAC determines that an applicant must return funds as the result of an audit or other post-commitment review.  When this occurs, and when the amount is significant, a payment plan is an option if the applicant can demonstrate it cannot repay the funds in a lump sum.  The incorrect link in the DPL, which USAC is working to correct, is to the informational Payment Plan (this link is correct) page.

Upcoming E-Rate Dates:

July 29 Extended deadline (DA 19-628) for submitting comments to the FCC’s NPRM (FCC 19-46) seeking comment on establishing a cap on total funding of the Universal Service Fund (“USF”) (see our newsletter of June 3rd).  Reply comments are due August 26th.
August 2 Form 486 deadline for FY 2018 funding committed in Wave 52.  More generally, the Form 486 deadline is 120 days from the FCDL date or the service start date (typically July 1st), whichever is later.  Other upcoming Form 486 deadlines are:

Wave 53            08/09/2019
Wave 54            08/16/2019

Note 1:  Applicants missing any Form 486 deadline should watch carefully for “Form 486 Urgent Reminder Letters” in their EPC News Feed.  These Reminder Letters afford applicants 15-day extensions to submit their Form 486s without penalty.

Note 2:  The first Form 486 deadline for FY 2019, covering funding committed in Waves 1-10, will be October 29, 2019.
August 5-9 USAC is holding two service provider training sessions in Washington DC, one at the beginning of the week (August 5-6) and one at the end of the week (August 8-9).  Each two-day session will begin with a half-day presentation for beginners and will include a second full day for everyone.
August 16 Deadline for submitting initial comments to the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (“NPRM”) on the future of Category 2 funding for FY 2020 and beyond (FCC 19-58).  (See our newsletter of July 15th.)  Reply comments are due by September 3rd.
September 16 –  
November 21		 See USAC’s 2019 Training webpage for a schedule of all USAC 2019 fall applicant and tribal training sessions.

USAC’s Schools and Libraries News Brief of July 26, 2019 reminds applicants that the invoicing deadline for recurring FY 2018 services is October 28, 2019.  Before an invoice can be processed for any FRN:

  • A Funding Commitment Decision Letter (“FCDL”) must have been issued committing funding to the FRN;
  • The applicant must have filed, and USAC must have approved, a Form 486;
  • The underlying service provider must have an approved Form 473 (“SPAC”) on file; and
  • For a BEAR invoice, the applicant submitting a BEAR must have a Personal Identification Number (“PIN”) and a Form 498 on file with a status of “Approved.”

The News Brief also provides links to instructional material for applicants filing Form 486s and for service providers filing Form 473s.

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