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Funding Year 2007-2008Update

Happy 10th Birthday, E-rate!!

Presented by:Julie Tritt Schell

PA E-rate CoordinatorE-rate Training for Veterans Webinar

October 2006

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Year 8 (2005-2006)

BEAR deadline is October 28, 30, 2006 for recurring services (Jan 28, 2007 for nonrecurring services)

File Invoice Deadline Extension Request within 30 days if you miss the deadline.

Submit SPIN change requests by October 28, 30 Approval of SPIN change will give you an automatic invoice

deadline extension of 120 days. Submit SPIN changes using “Submit a Question” on SLD website.

File Form 500 to release funding or cancel FRN. Priority 2 funding down to 81%... Could go lower.

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Year 9 (2006-2007)

If you HAVE been funded…. File 486 within 120 days after FCDL date.

Cannot file 486 until an FRN has been funded. Lists of nearly-due 486s being sent each month to

PA E-rate listserve. Contact vendors if you would like to receive

discounted bills. Appeal within 60 days of FCDL date if you

disagree with a decision. Appeal! Appeal!

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Year 9… if you have NOT been funded

More than 30% of PA’s E-rate applicants have NOT received FCDLs as of Oct 11.

Unfortunately, nothing you can do but wait. YOU WILL BE FUNDED! Why the delay?

Bishop Perry remands and new requirements

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New Bishop Perry Guidelines

Major new error correction allowances from FCC

Can correct on RAL or during PIA review What can be corrected on the Form 470?

If you hit submit on your 470 at least 29 days before 471 deadline, there are two major items that can corrected: 1) A missing or late filed Form 470 certification;2) Adjustments to your Item 17 Billed Entity List.

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New Bishop Perry Guidelines What clerical errors can be corrected on the

471? – Major Items: * Missing Block 6 certification and/or signature * Discount calculations – even if it increases the

discount rate * Item 12 – Form 470 application number * Item 18 - Contract award date * Item 22 – Entities receiving service – even if it

increases the discount rate Other corrections permitted under PIA procedures

that aren’t part of Bishop Perry

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Year 10 Has Begun!

Form 471 Application “window” likely: Mid-November through early February. FCC has not yet approved ESL

File Form 470s now for all T/MTM services or new contracted services. Wait at least 29 days before signing a contract. Check to see when your current contracts end!

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Changes for ESL - proposed

Funding requests must be cost effective You may bundle internet and telecom into the

telecom category on the 471…. IF You listed them both in the telecom and internet

categories on the 470. You must be CIPA compliant even if you have it

listed in the telecom category on the 471. Blackberry services only eligible if auditable

system in place to prove that internet and e-mail are used on school property.

Text messaging on cell phones not eligible

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Changes to ESL - Proposed

Internet access is only for basic conduit access to Internet… no telecom services may be funded under Internet. So if WAN is from a non-telecom provider, it can

only be used for internet -- not data, voice or video.

Cost allocation on Form 471 must be done. Solution? File under telecom category and be

sure that vendor has ETP status. SLD website under SPIN Contact Search

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Changes to ESL - Proposed

IC components that are installed in standby mode, are redundant, or are not active and online are not eligible.

Software CALs are eligible under internal connections – not basic maintenance.

USF fees are eligible, but vendor fees to administer USF are NOT eligible.

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Changes to ESL - Proposed

Webhosting Significant tightening of what’s eligible under

webhosting and e-mail. Cost allocation must be done to remove all costs

not associated with BASIC webhosting, such as calendaring, lesson planning aids, file storage, content, content creation or editing, web site creation tools, etc.

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Changes to ESL - Proposed

Webhosting, continued Costs attributable to the creation or modification

of information, such as a web site creation fee or content maintenance fee, are not eligible. 

Software, services, or systems used to create or edit Internet content are not eligible. 

In addition, the cost must be cost effective when compared with other basic web hosting services.

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Technology plans

Update or Write New Tech Plan Approval letter must be dated prior to 7/1/2007 by

approving agency. Tech Plan must cover full 12 months of next funding year. Be sure tech plan includes dates that it actually covers. SLD now asking applicants for exact date that tech plan

was written. Be sure to answer that it’s before the date that the 470 was posted!

List of when public school tech plans are due will be e-mailed to each IU for distribution to the schools. It will NOT be posted on the PA E-rate website.

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Online Item 21 attachments

Provides consistent format for applicants and reviewers.

Submit in lieu of submitting bills/contracts. May still be asked to submit during PIA review Information should be based on bill/contract

Saves information as computer data. Linked to Eligible Products Database for

Internal Connections. Create after submitting Form 471.

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Online Item 21 attachments

System not perfect May not be suitable for complex applications Not mandatory Expected to speed processing Lack of bills will save intense scrutiny of all

little charges

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Online Item 21 Attachments

Let’s take a look!

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Keep your security code!

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Click on ‘Create

Attachment’ to Begin

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For example: “Additional E-mail servers for three locations” “Internet access for new library branch” “Local and Long Distance Phone Service for District's 12 buildings”

Enter description of overall funding request.

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Start Here

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Local

Long Distance

Combined Local and Long Distance

Cellular

Centrex

Digital Transmission (T-1, ISDN, etc)

Paging Service

Other

Select type of service from drop down box

If needed, add more detailed description of service, such as speed of service, model numbers, what equipment will or will not be used for, etc.

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Click Here to ContinueEnter Appropriate

Amounts Here or choose to retrieve from 471

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•Identification of ineligible components •Substantiation of an increase cost from a previous application •Description of one-time charges •Certifications (remote access, on-premise equipment, etc)

Examples of what to include. Review prior year’s PIA requests and provide the additional information upfront they may ask for.

To save work and return to create Item 21 attachments for other FRNs. This does not submit your Item 21 attachment.

To continue to preview/submit

page.

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Print THIS page for your confirmation.

(Use the buttons below to print a

copy of your Item 21 attachment.)

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New Online BEAR (Form 472)

What do applicants need? PIN to e-certify BEAR Form

Online BEAR cannot be certified on paperTwo types of PINs for certifying forms

All online program forms including BEAR Online BEAR only

PINs issued automatically to paper filers Valid email address

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New Online BEAR (Form 472)

Login using your PIN. Complete a BEAR Form online. Certify the form using your PIN.

Your PIN mailer will tell you if your PIN can be used for all program forms or only for BEARs.

Use the text field to provide information to service provider (field not visible to USAC).

Vendor receives e-mail notice that BEAR is pending their approval.

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New Online BEAR (Form 472)

Vendor approves and electronically submits to USAC (applicant receives e-mail that BEAR has been submitted to USAC). OR

Vendor denies and BEAR item is cancelled. Applicants can check status of all BEAR

items online, including after submitted to USAC.

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New Online BEAR (Form 472) Send any requested information to your service

provider If the form is not certified after seven days:

USAC will generate auto reminder to vendor (applicant receives copy)

If the form is not certified after 15 days: Applicant and vendor receive email notification of BEAR

cancellation If BEAR Form has been canceled, applicant must file a

new BEAR Form If one or more lines on the form are canceled, you

must file a new BEAR Form for those lines

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New Online BEAR (Form 472)

If the form is not certified after 15 days: Receive email notification of BEAR cancellation

Once your BEAR Form has been canceled, you must file a new BEAR Form

If one or more lines on the form are canceled, you must file a new BEAR Form for those lines

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New Online BEAR (Form 472)

What do service providers need? Form 498 E-cert ID and password

E-cert ID acts as your PINObtained after filing a paper Form 498Officer must request additional E-certs if

other employees will certify BEAR Forms Valid email address

Verify the accuracy of the email address currently on Form 498

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New Online BEAR (Form 472)

Vendors receive email notification of BEAR Form filed online by applicant

Vendors login and review applicant BEAR Form online using your E-cert ID Certify entire form OR certify line-by-line Request information from applicant as

necessary

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New Online BEAR

Let’s take a look!

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Most Common Mistakes (you asked for them!)

Telecom Provider Status Telecom service not being provided by eligible

telecom provider Doesn’t have Y in the SPIN search

470 category of service doesn’t match 471 category of service When in doubt, put in both places on 470!

Forget to file Form 486 or BEARs Miss 471 filing deadline

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Most Common Mistakes (you asked for them!)

Contract Issues Contract signed before end of 28 day waiting

period No contract was in place when 471 was submitted

Ineligible “stuff” 30% or more of FRN contains charges for XXX

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2 in 5 Rule for IC

Determined on an entity basis (ie each school, library or NIF)

2007 is the 3rd year for the rule – many entities affected

All entities on a Block 4 worksheet that received a positive commitment for IC, are counted as taking a year Can “erase” year if funding not used and Form 500

submitted to cancel FRN. If a school or library building received IC funding in

2005 and 2006, that school or library is not eligible again until 2010.

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Split FRNs

When service on single FRN is provided by two different companies in a single funding year.

Accomplished by submitting Operational SPIN Change to SLD. Must state beginning date and ending date for each

provider Also include how much $ should be allotted to each

provider. 486 required for BOTH FRNs. Common with regional WANs

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eFund and E-rate

Deadline for eFund is October 27 at 2:00 p.m. Apply for local connection for Year 10, even if

switching to WAN. Reason? Most WANs from Year 9 not installed on July 1.

eFund grant guidelines very specific about E-rate requirements, but sure to provide all information requested.

If E-rate pre-discount amount is more than $500,000, it must be amortized over at least 3 years. eFund does not have the same requirement.

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Data Retrieval Tool & ERC Funding Info Tool Most data on SLD website, using DRT. Download who state, by SPIN, by entity, etc. ALSO… E-rate Central Funding Information Tool. www.e-ratecentral.com Click on State Info, then PA. In upper left corner of page enter Billed Entity Number. View summary by funding year. Click on funding year to see status of all FRNs. Click on FRN to see details of that FRN. Also updated nightly.

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SLD Site Visits

1000 being conducted per year. Bearing Point conducting visits

Entities randomly chosen based on recent invoice submitted.

Visits usually take 3-4 hours. Be prepared!

E-mail me for list of questions you’ll be asked. Gathering ‘best practices’ BUT… really trying to

determine whether you’re in compliance Can lead to recovery of funds. Do NOT brag that you are providing remote internet access to

teachers and students.

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Form 470 Reminders

Description of Service must be included for RFP Postings

Item 7b:  Contract featuring voluntary extensions?  If you intend to have any extensions in your

contract, you MUST check this box.   Also, if you have a current multi-year contract with

options to renew, you must post a new 470 for the optional years, UNLESS your previous 470 or RFP contained the renewal provisions.

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Reminders…

Dual Contract Signatures/Dates Consultants Letters of Agency Consortium Letters of Agency

Must have all members sign and date prior to 471

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Reminders…

Year 10 Have you updated/written your techplan for 07-08

services? Have you filed your Form 470?

Year 9 Have you filed your 486s yet? Have you requested discounted billing from your vendors?

Year 8 Have you filed your BEARs (if not receiving discounted

bills?) Have you filed a Form 500 if needed?

50www.e-ratepa.org

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Questions?