Step 3 Winning the Bid

After an applicant has chosen your bid as the most cost effective for one or more of the services requested on an FCC Form 470 and/or RFP, you can assist the applicant with the remainder of the application process.

Contracts

Applicants can receive services under tariff or a month-to-month arrangement where a contract is not necessary. They can also sign a contract for one or more years, or a contract with voluntary extensions.

• If a contract is signed, the services provided under that contract are considered contracted services, even if they are provided under tariff.
• In general, internal connections and basic maintenance of internal connections are provided under contracts.
• The deadline for delivery and installation of non-recurring services is September 30 rather than June 30. You should keep this in mind when determining the contract expiration date for these services.

You should review the posted information on contracts, state master contracts, and state replacement contracts. Note that in the case of state replacement contracts, states (and applicants that rely on the state replacement contracts) must precisely follow specific steps for services provided under those contracts to be eligible for discounts.

After reviewing contract information, take the following steps.

Apply for a SPIN

Apply for a Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) by filing an FCC Form 498 (Service Provider Identification Number and General Contact Information Form) if you have not already done so. Be sure to keep the information on this form updated, as both USAC and applicants rely on it to contact you and to process information.

File an FCC Form 473

File an FCC Form 473, Service Provider Annual Certification (SPAC) Form, for the upcoming funding year. This form contains certifications that you must make in order to participate in the program. USAC cannot pay invoices for a funding year until this form is on file for that year. The SPIN Contact Search tool shows the funding years for which USAC has processed an FCC Form 473 for your SPIN.

Assist the Applicant

Assist applicants with the remainder of the application process. For example:

• The FCC Form 471 (Description of Services Ordered and Certification Form) which they file to request Schools and Libraries Program support, must include a detailed description of the products and services to be received. This is referred to as an Item 21 attachment. Some Item 21 attachments are easy to complete, but you can offer to assist applicants with those that are more complex, such as those that include network diagrams, specific configurations, or other technical information.
• This form also requests information on the numbers of Internet connections and their speeds, which applicants may not know.
• Funding may be reduced or denied if applicants miss certain deadlines, especially those for the FCC Form 471 and FCC Form 486. You can remind applicants to file these forms in a timely manner.
• USAC issues an applicant version and a service provider version of the FCC Form 471 Receipt Acknowledgment Letter (RAL) after an FCC Form 471 is certified. You can subscribe to receive electronic notifications. We will send you the information electronically. The letter contains many of the details submitted on the form and provides a means to correct mistakes. If you notice incorrect information on your copy of the RAL, notify the applicant so corrections can be made.
• Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) reviewers at USAC review submitted FCC Forms 471 for compliance with program rules, and may have questions about technical aspects of the services featured on the forms. Service providers can assist the applicant in preparing responses to USAC's questions except for questions about the applicant's service provider/vendor selection process.

Next Step

Once applicants have completed PIA review and USAC has issued funding decisions in one or more Funding Commitment Decision Letters (FCDL), you can begin preparations to provide discounted services for the commitments that feature your SPIN.