|
|
|
Schools and Libraries News Brief October 3, 2008
TIP OF THE WEEK: If you would like to reply to comments on the Eligible Services Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (FCC 08-173), remember that the deadline for those reply comments is today. Comments on the NPRM were due September 18, 2008. Commitments for Funding Years 2008 and 2007 Funding Year 2008. USAC will release FY2008 Wave 26 Funding Commitment Decision Letters (FCDLs) October 7. This wave will include commitments for approved Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance requests at 90% and denials at 79% and below. As of October 3, FY2008 commitments total over $1.32 billion. Funding Year 2007. USAC will release FY2007 Wave 67 FCDLs October 8. This wave will include commitments for approved Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance requests at 81% and above and denials at 80% and below. As of October 3, FY2007 commitments total just under $2.5 billion. On the day the FCDLs are mailed, you can check to see if you have a commitment by using USAC’s Automated Search of Commitments tool. Update on Schools and Libraries Training Site Applicants can take advantage of the Schools and Libraries training site to conduct training sessions or practice filing and certifying program forms online. This site operates outside of the actual Apply Online site but provides the same searching and filing options available on the Apply Online site. The following forms are available for training and practice:
Anyone trying to use this site is greeted with a warning message identifying the site as a training site. The site is for training and practice only – forms filed on this site will NOT be reviewed. General information In order to use all of the features of the training site, we recommend that you file using the entity name and number specifically created for training (see below). By using this entity you can file any type of application and certify any online form on the training site that you can file or certify on the Apply Online site. For example:
Billed Entity Name: Brad’s
School We recommend that you disable popup blockers in order to receive all of the reminders and warning messages that guide you through the online application process and help prevent you from making many common errors. Also, do not bookmark any of the internal pages on the training site. Otherwise, you may accidentally file a form on the training site when you meant to file it on the Apply Online site. Form 470 and Form 470 Interview No special data are necessary to file a Form 470 on the training site. If you wish, you can use data you are familiar with to file the form – your BEN, your address, your contact person. However, you cannot certify the form unless you use Brad’s School as the Block 1 entity because no other PIN will work on the training site. Form 471 and Form 471 Interview In general, Form 471 for a funding year is not available online until the Form 471 application filing window opens. However, we have activated Form 471 on the training site so that users will have access to all forms for training and practice. In order for users to experience reminders and warning messages for the Form 471, USAC had to first set a Form 471 application filing window closing date on the training site. The date we chose is February 6, 2009. The actual opening and closing dates of the FY2009 filing window have not yet been established, so keep in mind that any messages you receive about window deadlines are calculated from this February 6 date and are for training purposes only. We will update the training site when the actual window filing dates are established. To complete the data entry of a Block 5 funding request, you must enter the Form 470 Application Number of a Form 470 that has been posted for at least 28 days. You can use the "Search Form 470" function on the training site to locate one. You should also be able to use the application number for a Form 470 that you filed for FY2008, as we have updated the training site with data from those forms. Again, if you file using Brad’s School as the Block 1 entity, you can create worksheets as appropriate for schools, libraries, or consortia, and you can certify your form online in the same manner as on the Apply Online site using the above PIN. Once you have certified a Form 471, you can use your Form 471 Application Number and Security Code to file an Item 21 Attachment online on the training site as well. Form 486 and Form 486 Interview Form 486 can only be filed once for each Funding Request Number (FRN). Without additional action by USAC, this characteristic would limit the usefulness of the training site for this form. Consequently, USAC is providing a list of training FRNs for Form 486 – 100 FRNs, 25 for each of the four categories of service – that are re-created every morning. This means that if you file a Form 486 on the training site for a particular FRN today, you can file a Form 486 for the same FRN tomorrow (assuming another user doesn’t use it first – remember that this list is available to everyone). If the FRN does not work because someone has already used it that day, you can just choose another FRN from the list. Note that you must choose FY2007 as the funding year for all of the FRNs. BEAR Form 472 To begin filing a BEAR Form, you must first provide a BEN, a PIN, a valid email address, and the last name of the person authorized to use the PIN. The system checks to make sure these four entries match and then allows you to continue. As with the Form 486, USAC provides a list of training FRNs for BEAR Forms. Because you can file multiple invoices on an FRN, this list does not have to be re-created each morning. Keep in mind that USAC will not act on any forms or data filed or certified on the training site. |
