Updates to Frequently Asked Questions

The SLD has added important information to the Frequently Asked Questions in the Reference Area. Find answers to questions about online filing and certification, whether a service provider may request additional information, how to document cost-effectiveness with Internet access, and the responsibilities of consortium "lead members".

Important Updates to "Calculating Your Discounts

The SLD has updated the "Calculating Your Discounts" document. If you are applying for E-rate discounts on eligible services, you must calculate the percentage discount that you (and the entities you represent) are eligible to receive.

Holiday hours closed for operation announcement

The Schools and Libraries Client Service Bureau be closed for the holidays. Please observe the Holiday Schedule Announcement for complete details.

Updates to Frequently Asked Questions

The SLD web site's, Frequently Asked Questions, now features the question:

When can customer-located equipment be considered part of Internet access?

Click here for the answer...

Important Updates about Form 498

The Vendor Area of the SLD Web Site features updated information about submitting FCC Form 498 and receiving the SPIN, or Service Provider Identification Number.  Click here to review this important update.

The SLD has created two new guidance documents to help you successfully complete the Form 471. 

• Tips for Successfully Completing Form 471

• Pitfalls to Avoid When Filing Form 471

Both documents are available in the "Applying for Discounts: Step-by-Step" section of the SLD Web Site, under Step 5, Notify SLD of Vendor Selection - Form 471.

Updates to "Frequently Asked Questions"

The "Frequently Asked Questions" section of the SLD Web Site now features the answer to the following question:

Am I able to renew pre-existing contracts and receive discounts on the products/services covered under those renewals?

Click here for the answer...

Year 3 Training Slideshows, Form 470 and Form 471

During the Fall of 1999, the SLD staff traveled across the country, presenting regional outreach training sessions about the Year 3 E-rate program.   Now you can download the training slide shows (saved as PowerPoint documents) for Form 470 and Form 471.

Updated Eligible Services List

The revised SLD Eligible Services List is now available online. This list has undergone significant changes and now reflects more details and information about the eligibility of products and services under the E-rate program. Click here to download a copy of the SLD Eligible Services List.

Form 471 Window Closes January 19, 2000 at 11:59 PM ET

Please note that the closing date of the Form 471 window is January 19, 2000, at 11:59 PM EST. Some E-rate applicants received a Form 470 Receipt Notification Letter that incorrectly indicates the closing date of the Form 471 window. The SLD regrets this error and will be sending these applicants a clarification letter indicating the correct closing date of January 19, 2000. Thank you for your patience.

Wave 20 for Year 2 Funding Commitments

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) today released wave twenty of E-rate funding commitment letters notifying applicants that they will be receiving funding for telecommunications, Internet access, and internal connections under the FCC’s universal service program. The latest wave, totaling $75.7 million, brings the cumulative amount for the year to $1.92 billion. Nearly 740 applicants, comprising hundreds of schools and libraries, will receive notification of the funding commitments.

Form 470 Applications Filing in Year 2 for Year 3 Services

Some E-rate applicants filed Year 2 Form 470 applications for Year 3 services, in order to comply with state or local procurement laws requiring a multi-month competitive bidding process.  A text file has been provided that features information about applicants that filed Form 470 applications for this purpose from June through October, 1999, including the USCN, the applicant name, and the applicant's state.   This file is saved as a delimited text file, which can be opened using a spreadsheet application or imported into a database.

If you filed a Form 470 in Year 2 for new services in Year 3, and your name is not featured on this list, send an E-mail to comments@universalservice.org.

Letter to Clients from SLD President, Kate L. Moore

November 10,1999

Dear Clients:

The year 3 window is open!

Today the new FCC Form 471 is available to file on-line. The filing window closes January 19, 2000. I urge applicants to act quickly with respect to FCC Form 470, so that you can select your winning bidder, sign contracts for contractual services, and submit your Form 471 well before January 19, 2000.

Please file both forms electronically. The on-line Form 471 is, in particular, a critical tool for swift and successful processing. This year the electronic Form 471 features new, user-friendly features:

• it is compatible with PC and Mac platforms;
• any browser type at 4.0 and above can be used;
• many of the calculations are now automated.

Please be patient with us, however. Our help screens for this new form are still in process. We know that users will help us in finding quirks and defects. Please tell us of any technical glitches by calling our Client Service Bureau at 888-203-8100; explain in detail the problems that you may be experiencing with our new on-line product. Your clarity will facilitate rapid fixes.

Remember, even as the Form 471 filing window opens today, you will need to have posted requests for services (Form 470) for 28 days before submitting and signing your Form 471. If any needed Forms 470 are not posted by mid-December, applicants will be hard-pressed to meet the January 19, 2000 deadline for in-the-window Form 471 funding requests.

We hope that applicants and service providers alike will continue to benefit from the 28-day posting of Forms 470. Our goal is to facilitate the participation of numerous service providers so that the principle of a competitive marketplace is realized, benefiting not only service providers and their customers, but ultimately the learners in libraries and schools across this country.

Note that the design of these forms has been altered, based on the advice of our Year 3 Task Force, a group of applicants and service providers and those of you who answered our direct call for feedback. Your ideas have received the unanimous support of the Schools & Libraries Committee of the USAC Board. Note that our web site has undergone some redesign, and will continue to evolve, based on the very helpful feedback of our Customer Service Advisory Group, convened in late summer. The inclusion of a web site map, the creation of a step-by-step format for the application process, (and soon for the service provider area), and the expansion of internal links, are just some of the improvements we have launched as we listened to you, our clients. More improvements are coming.

Please read the information on this site. Follow the Form’s instructions. Call the Client Service Bureau as needed. These tools are essential for program compliance and successful participation in the schools and libraries program.

Finally, please accept our gratitude for your wisdom, patience, and commitment to greater access to improved technologies for learning.

Sincerely,

Kate L. Moore
President
Schools and Libraries Division
Universal Service Administrative Company

FCC Form 471 Window Opens for Year 3 Applicants

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) announces the opening of the FCC Form 471 filing window for Year 3 (July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001) on Wednesday, November 10, 1999 at 7:00am EST.

The window will remain open for seventy-one (71) calendar days and will close on January 19, 2000 at 11:59pm EST. All properly completed applications received by the SLD at that time will be treated as if they arrived on the same day. Applications received by the SLD after this date will be treated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Applicants who have completed the FCC Form 470 28-day posting period, who have selected their vendors, and have executed contracts as necessary for contractual services, may begin now to file the FCC Form 471, Services Ordered and Certification Form.

The Year 3 FCC Forms 470 and 471 may be filed online (click the "Apply Online/View Forms" button on the home page) or downloaded. They are also available via mail by calling our Client Service Bureau at 888-203-8100.

Revised Year 3 Training Agenda

The Year 3 Training Agenda has been slightly revised. Click here to view the updated agenda.

SLD Issues Wave 18 Funding Commitments

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) today released wave eighteen of E-rate funding commitment letters, surpassing last year’s totals in issued commitments. The latest wave, totaling $171 million, brings the cumulative amount for the year to $1.74 billion, exceeding last year’s cumulative amount by over $75 million. The Schools and Libraries Division will mail letters to nearly 1250 applicants, confirming funding for Year Two of the program.

Click here to view Wave 18

"This is truly an historic time for the program," said Kate Moore, President of USAC’s Schools and Libraries Division. "The digital divide grows ever narrower as we continue to reach the neediest schools and libraries in the nation. We will continue to work towards our goals in both outreach and program administration, to ensure every eligible entity has an opportunity to participate."

In the previous wave (wave seventeen of Year Two), applicants seeking discounts on internal connections down to the 20% discount level were eligible to be funded for the first time. Beginning in wave seventeen, every eligible school or library that submitted an application within the filing "window" that ended on April 6, 1999 will receive discounts because the $2.25 billion funding cap approved by the FCC supports all such requests. This is particularly significant because in Year One SLD was unable to fund internal connection projects below the 70% discount level.

"The fact that our second year funding reserve exceeds the requirements of the neediest of our nation’s schools, means that funding can continue to be extended to all those who qualify," said Moore. "Our hope from the onset has been that there would be enough for every qualified applicant, but we have had to prioritize according to those with the greatest need. Last week’s announcement means no one will be left out."

SLD Announces Availability of Year 3 Forms!

The Schools and Libraries Division welcomes schools and libraries across the nation to take the first step in applying for E-rate discounts for Year 3 (July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001). Schools and Libraries seeking discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections may now file the new FCC Form 470, the Description of Services Requested and Certification Form. The Form 470, which is the first E-rate form that most applicants must file, lists the services schools and libraries are seeking and allows service providers to respond to those requests.

In response to comments and advice from the E-rate community, the SLD has streamlined the application process. Some of the key changes to the program are:

1. Revised Forms - The Forms 470 and 471 are re-designed for Year 3. Applicants applying online may now use virtually any platform and any Internet browser (Form 470 requires browser version 3.0 or above and Form 471 requires version 4.01 or above). The forms are now available in a spreadsheet application as well as in PDF. Forms may also be obtained by calling (888) 203-8100.
   
2. Evergreen Form 470 - For services requiring new contracts, applicants may file the Form 470 at any time as long as it is filed at least 28 days before executing contracts and filing the Form 471. For tariffed and month-to-month services, applicants will be able to file the Form 470 no earlier than July 1 of the year preceding the funding year for which they are applying. For multi-year contracts signed on or before July 10, 1997, but for which no Form 470 has been filed in a previous program year, applicants may file the Form 470 at any time as long as it is filed at least 28 days before filing the Form 471.
   
3. New Window Period for Filing Form 471 - Applicants may file the second E-rate form, the Form 471, Services Ordered and Certification Form, during a window period which will open in early November, 1999 and close January 19, 2000. All Form 471 applications received during this window period will be treated as if they were simultaneously received. Applications received after the closing of the window period will be treated on a first-come, first-served basis. The Form 471 is currently available on the SLD website for applicant review prior to the opening of the window.

More information about how schools and libraries can apply for E-rate discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections is available:

• call the Client Service Bureau toll-free at (888) 203-8100
• obtain documents toll-free via Fax-on-Demand at (800) 959-0733

SLD Announces Year Two Funding to Reach 20% Level

Every school or library that submitted a Form 471 funding request by April 6, 1999 for discounts in Year 2 (July 1, 1999-June 30, 2000) which passes successfully Program Integrity Assurance review, will receive discounts - even those requests seeking discounts on internal connections at the discount rate of 20%. This means that if a school or library submitted a properly completed Form 470 and Form 471 in Year 2, requests for discounts on all services will be met.

This funding breakthrough was announced on October 25, 1999 at the quarterly meeting of the Schools and Libraries Committee of the Board of the Universal Service Administrative Company, which administers the $2.25 billion available for discounts on services supporting telecommunications and Internet access.

"The concept of universal access to the Internet and the world of information it offers has moved much closer to reality today. Universal Service funds are indeed fulfilling the promise for our children and communities," observed Committee Chair K.G. Ouye, the city librarian in San Mateo, CA.

The SLD continues to send out funding commitments for Year 2, so if an applicant has received a Receipt Acknowledgment Letter but not yet a Funding Commitment Decision Letter, the applicant should look for a response in the next three waves.

Portland, Oregon E-rate Training November 15-16

E-rate training for Year 3 will be held in Portland, Oregon on November 15-16 1999.   Click here (updated 11/8/1999) to view a sample agenda for the training session. 

When:November 15-16, 1999

Where:
Oregon Public Broadcasting
7140 S.W. Macadam Avenue
Portland, Oregon 97219

More information available soon!

How: To confirm attendance, please click on this weblink and send an email to: meetings@universalservice.org.  In the subject, include the phrase PORTLAND TRAINING.  In the body of the email, please include your full name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and fax number.

Houston, Texas E-rate Training November 18-19

E-rate training for Year 3 will be held in Houston, Texas on November 18-19 1999.   Click here (updated 11/8/1999) to view a sample agenda for the training session. 

When: November 18-19, 1999

Where:
Houston Marriot West Loop
1750 West Loop South
Houston, TX 77027
For reservations, call  713-960-0111

How: To confirm attendance, please click on this weblink and send an email to: meetings@universalservice.org.  In the subject, include the phrase HOUSTON TRAINING.  In the body of the email, please include your full name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and fax number.

Begin Filing Form 470 for Year 3!

The SLD Web Site now features the updated Form 470 for Year 3!  If you plan on applying for discounts on services for July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001, you may now file the Form 470 either online or on paper.  Form more information about the Schools and Libraries Program, visit out newly designed "Applying for Discounts: Step-by-Step."

Training in Indianapolis, Indiana November 4-5

Information about the upcoming conference is available at: http://www.doe.state.in.us/sldtrain

News for Applicants Filing Year 2 Forms 470 for Year 3 Services

Many E-rate applicants with long procurement cycles are using Year 2 Form 470 applications to apply for discounts on services for Year 3 (Funding Year July 1, 2000 through June 30, 2001). If you are using this procedure, please be advised that the SLD has established a deadline of October 9, 1999 for completing data entry of the existing forms and certifications. This deadline is necessary in order to make a transition to the newly designed forms for Year 3.

All paper submissions of Year 2 Form 470 applications must be received at SLD Kansas by Saturday, October 9, 1999. This is also true for Form 470 certifications.

If your Year 2 Form 470 is received after October 9, there is a risk that it will not be posted to the SLD Web Site before the transition to Year 3 forms. If your Year 2 Form 470 is not posted and certified by the time we migrate to the Year 3 electronic forms, you will need to file the new Form 470 to launch the 28-day posting process. Year 2 forms which cannot be processed will be returned to you with the updated Year 3 Forms enclosed.

Over $1 Billion in E-rate Discounts Committed with Wave 13

Today, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced that Year Two funding commitments now total $1.018 billion. With the mailing of Wave 13, an additional 700 letters were issued committing over $168 million to school and library applicants informing them of their discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections.

"We have reached a key milestone for the second year of the E-rate," said SLD President, Kate L. Moore, "and, I am pleased to report that nearly two-thirds of Year Two discounts have gone to those communities with the greatest economic need."

In this week's wave, the largest funding commitment was issued to New York City Public Schools in the amount of $61 million with the second largest commitment going to the Puerto Rico Department of Education for $57 million. More than $651 million has been committed to the needier applicants - those qualifying for an 80% to 90% discount.

Click Here to view Funding Commitment Reports by State Through Wave 13

BEAR Form Approved for Use through June 30, 2000

While it was hoped that the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Form (Form 472) would be fully replaced in Year 2 of the E-rate by discounted bills from service providers, the FCC and the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) recognize that the BEAR Form will be a necessity for many applicants to receive their discounts. The arrival of Funding Commitment Decisions Letters well past the start of Funding Year 2, combined with the inability of the billing systems of some service providers to discount bills make this conclusion necessary. The FCC has approved the use of the BEAR Form through the entire second program year, through June 30, 2000.

While service providers may use the BEAR Form, service providers are encouraged to provide discounted bills, if possible and many service providers will discount bills as soon as the Form 486 is filed. It is important that you, as an applicant, contact your service provider(s) and ask if their intention is to issue you discounted bills, or if you will be required to pay the bill in full and submit a BEAR Form to the SLD in order to receive your discount. BEAR Forms, of course, will be necessary for those applicants that have received a Funding Commitment Decisions Letter (FCDL) from the SLD that includes discounts on services for which they have paid in full.

Under the BEAR process, the approved E-rate applicant pays in full for eligible services (both the discounted portion and the amount that the billed entity is responsible for paying - the undiscounted portion) and then submits the BEAR Form to SLD. The BEAR Form requires authorization from the service provider in Block 4. SLD will inform the service provider of the amount that the service provider must reimburse to the applicant. The reimbursement is paid by USAC to the service provider and by the service provider to the applicant.

The Year 2 BEAR process will use the same Form - FCC Form 472 - with the following guidelines:

• For telecommunications services and Internet access, the BEAR process is available at the option of the service provider. SOME service providers may choose to issue discounted bills to their customers rather than expecting payment in full and providing reimbursement using the BEAR process for service through the end of the second program year. Applicants should consult with their service providers to find out how to proceed - whether to file a BEAR Form - to obtain discounts for services delivered from July 1, 1999, through June 30, 2000.
• For internal connections, the BEAR process is available at the option of the applicant. Some applicants may choose to pay in full for services for which they have been approved for discounts and then use the BEAR process to seek reimbursement, but most internal connections providers who have been in contact with the SLD have told us that they will issue discounted bills.

The SLD suggest that applicants file 4 quarterly BEAR Forms in Program Year 2. Suggested filing dates for these BEAR Forms are October 29, 1999, January 31, 2000; April 28, 2000; and November 20, 2000. NOVEMBER 20, 2000 IS THE LAST DATE THAT THE SLD WILL ACCEPT A SERVICE PROVIDER INVOICE FORM, AND IS ALSO THE LAST POSSIBLE DATE TO FILE A BEAR FORM FOR YEAR 2.

Many applicants have already received FCDLs, and have filed the Form 486, checking "No" in Column I, indicating that they did not intend to file a BEAR Form. If you are one of those applicants and the news that the BEAR Form has been extended for all of Program Year 2 changes your intent, the SLD offers the following:

You may submit a BEAR without filing a new Form 486. Your BEAR Form will be processed, and the SLD will apply internal procedures to help verify that the service provider has not been providing discounted service and has not already submitted an invoice for payment for the affected Funding Request Numbers (FRN).

Or,

You may take the additional step of filing a new Form 486 to express your intention to file a BEAR Form.

Applicants and Service Providers: Please remember that the SLD will not process BEAR Forms submitted without the authorization of the service provider in Block 4.

Phoenix, AZ Training Session October 19-20, 1999

E-rate training for Year 3 will be held in Phoenix, AZ on October 19-20, 1999.   Click here to view a sample agenda for the training session.

When:

Tuesday-Wednesday, October 19-20, 1999

Where:

Arizona University West Campus
4701 West Thunderbird
Phoenix, AZ

How:

To confirm attendance, please click on this weblink and send an email to: meetings@universalservice.org.  In the subject, include the phrase PHOENIX TRAINING.  In the body of the email, please include your full name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and fax number.

Save the Date: SLD Hosts Regional Training Workshops

The Schools and Libraries Division Outreach Team would like to invite all members of the e-rate community attend regional training sessions, held in seven cities across the nation, to learn more about the important changes to the E-rate for Year 3.

Over the past several months, the SLD has been working with representatives from both the applicant and vendor communities to streamline and simplify the E-rate application process for the 2000-2001 funding year. Since we anticipate significant changes in the application process, we wanted to make sure that everyone has the tools and knowledge needed to successfully apply for E-rate funding.

The first day of the workshop will focus on applicant issues. Learn how the forms have been simplified and streamlined, and get answers to your tough questions about calculating your discounts, eligible services, and more. A special session for new E-rate coordinators will provide background information and context for first-timers. At the end of the day, applicants and service providers are invited to a special session to share ideas about how to work together successfully. The second day will focus on vendor issues, including billing and invoicing. On both days, there will also be plenty of time to ask questions and discuss specific Year 3 issues with representatives from the Schools and Libraries Division.

Please note that some of the dates are still marked tentative. Watch our web site for a final schedule.

We are still pinning down the last details, but wanted to share with this
preliminary information with you now. A detailed agenda, registration
information, and other details will be published soon. Questions about the
regional meetings can be emailed to meetings@universalservice.org.

You can also hear about these important changes in the E-rate session at the
US Department of Education's Improving America's Schools Conferences in
Tampa, FL; Salt Lake City, UT; and Chicago, IL.

We look forward to seeing you this fall!

Atlanta, GA Training Session October 14, 1999

E-rate training for Year 3 will be held in Atlanta, GA on October 14, 1999.   Click here to view a sample agenda for the training session.

BellSouth, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Education, is hosting this training session on October 14th. The physical space is limited. However, several states are organizing "watch the training" sessions and plan of viewing the training via satellite feed. If your state is not organizing an event, you may want to establish one for the schools in your area.

View instructions on how to obtain this satellite feed. If you are viewing from a remote site, you may call us or E-mail the SLD with questions about the training information. 

Please note the training will also be available via live Webcast, from  8:30am until
approximately 5:00pm.  The URL for the Webcast is: http://167.192.62.166:8080/ramgen/encoder/erate.rm.

The call-in number and the email address will be announced during the actual broadcast.

When:

Thursday, October 14, 1999

Where:

Georgia Public Broadcasting Studio
260 14th Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30318

Parking will be in off-site lots with shuttle buses providing transportation between facilities.

How:

All on-site attendees are required to register with the Schools & Libraries Division at : meetings@universalservice.org.  In the subject, include the phrase ATLANTA TRAINING.  In the body of the email, please include your full name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and fax number.

Over $850 Million Committed in Year 2 E-rate Discounts

Additional E-rate funding commitments were issued today by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLC) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) totaling over $56 million. In Wave Twelve, more than 800 letters were mailed to school and library applicants across the country.

With the latest release of letters, the SLD has committed over 35% (more than $850 million) of the $2.25 billion available for Year Two. Approximately 30% of the discounts have gone to schools and libraries in rural communities with the remaining amount going to urban areas.

Click Here to view Funding Commitment Reports by State Through Wave 12

USAC Spokesperson Pozo-Olano to Depart

The Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced today that Jodie Pozo-Olano, Deputy Director for External Communications, will depart USAC on October 8 to become a Senior Associate for The Widmeyer-Baker Group, Inc., a full-service media relations and public affairs firm with offices in Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles.

Ms. Pozo-Olano moved to USAC on January 1, 1999 after the merger with the Schools and Libraries Corporation (now the Schools and Libraries Division). As the primary spokesperson for USAC, she has handled press inquiries on all four universal service programs and assisted in crafting a coordinating message between all four programs for use in public speaking at conferences, training seminars and all USAC Web Sites. Ms. Pozo-Olano was also responsible for creating and managing the electronic notification process used to inform the public of the weekly E-rate funding commitments.

While at the SLC, Ms. Pozo-Olano was a member of the 4 person outreach team that conducted more than 100 in-person outreach sessions, 15 video-conferences and attended 30 conferences in an effort to educate school and library officials about the E-rate and to assist them in the application process. She established the press operation and issued all news releases and public documents for the SLC.

Prior to joining USAC, Ms. Pozo-Olano was a Public Affairs Specialist at the Federal Communications Commission. She has also served as Special Assistant in the Commerce Department's Office of Policy and Strategic Planning. Ms. Pozo-Olano holds a Masters in Public Policy from the George Washington University and a BS from South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D.

E-rate training for Year 3 will be held in St. Paul, Minnesota on October 4-5, 1999.     This training session is sponsored by the Department of Children, Families and Learning.

When:

Where:

How:

RSVP to Mary Mehsikomer
phone: (651) 582-8827
fax: (651) 582-8871
e-mail: mary.mehsikomer@state.mn.us (please include contact information

Special Note to School or Library Applicants: Please  indicate whether you would plan to attend at the MNSAT location or if you would attend at an outstate site if one is available in your area. Please include your contact information.

Boston, MA Training Session

E-Rate training will be held Thursday, September 30, 1999 in Westborough, MA.  View a sample agenda for the training session.

When:

Thursday, September 30th, 1999
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM -- lunch and refreshments will be provided

Where:

Wyndham Westborough Hotel
5400 Computer Drive
Westborough, MA 01581
Ph: (508) 366-5511
Fx: (508) 366-3950

How:

To confirm attendance, please click on this weblink and send an email to: mailto:cto@doe.mass.edu?subject=E-Rate_Training.   In the email, please include your full name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and fax number.

Directions to the Wyndham Westborough:

From Boston or Logan Airport:
Take Route 93 South to the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) West.
Take Turnpike to Exit 11A (Route 495 North).
Take I-495 North to Exit 23B (Route 9 West)
Take Route 9 West to the Computer Drive exit (first exit off of Route 9
West).
Bear right at the end of the exit.
Drive 1/2 mile and the hotel is at the top of the hill on the left.

From Worcester:
Take Route 9 East to the Computer Drive exit.
Take a right at the first set of lights onto Research Drive.
Then take a right at the second set of lights.
Bear right onto Computer Drive.
Go straight through the third set of lights.
Drive 1/2 mile and the hotel is at the top of the hill on the left.

From Hartford, CT:
Take I-84 to the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) East.
Take the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) to exit 11A, (I-495 North).
Take I-495 North to Exit 23B (Route 9 West).
Take Route 9 West to the Computer Drive exit (first exit off of Route 9
West).
Bear right at the end of the exit.
Drive 1/2 mile and the hotel is at the top of the hill on the left.

From 1-495 North OR South:
Take I-495 North\South to Exit 23B (Route 9 West).
Take Route 9 West to the Computer Drive exit (first exit off of Route 9
West).
Bear right at the end of the exit.
Drive 1/2 mile and the hotel is at the top of the hill on the left.

E-rate Funding Commitments Continue to Grow

Last week, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) committed an additional $126 million bringing the Year Two total of E-rate funding to nearly $800 million. With the mailing of Waves Ten and Eleven, close to 2,000 E-rate funding commitment letters were sent to school and library applicants delivering discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections to schools and libraries.

Approximately 42% (or $327 million) of the $2.25 billion available for Year Two has been committed to applicants requesting discounts on "Priority One" services (or telecommunications services and Internet access) with $465 million going to internal connections (or "Priority Two" services). Schools and libraries at the higher discount levels (80% to 90%) have received the largest amount of Year Two discounts to date - over $500 million.

Click Here to view Funding Commitment Reports by State Through Wave 11

Year 3 News for Applicants With Long Procurement Cycles!

As you know, the SLD is in the process of streamlining the application process for Year 3. If you are planning on submitting a Year 3 application, but your state or local procurement laws requires a multi-month competitive bidding process, the SLD will allow you to file a Year 2 Form 470 right now for services you hope to include in your Year 3 applications. Please use the Year 2 Form 470 to secure Year 3 services only when necessitated by state and local procurement requirements.

Please follow these simple steps to insure that the Form 470 applications submitted to meet these requirements are treated as Year 3 Forms.

1. Begin the Form 470 application process, either online or via hard copy (download available)
2. In Block 1, Item 2, indicate that the Form 470 is being filed for 07/01/1999 - 06/30/2000.
3. In Block 3, use the Item 15 text box to explain that this Form 470 is being filed for services sought in Year 3. You may choose to include information about the length of the procurement cycle and other requirements as specified by state or local laws.
4. Submit your Form 470 to the SLD, and be sure to send in your Block 6 Certification Form.

Important! Remember, the Form 470 must be posted for at least 28 days before vendors are selected, contracts signed, and Form 471 submitted.

SLD Announces New VP For Outreach

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced today that Linda Schatz will join the SLD as Vice President for Outreach beginning on October 8.

Since 1995, Ms. Schatz has served as Director of the Office of the Michigan Information Network in Lansing, Michigan where she worked to improve access to technology resources for schools, libraries, colleges and universities. Linda has established a statewide process for coordinating the purchase of telecommunications services among libraries, rural health care providers, schools and other educational and local governmental entities. As the statewide E-rate coordinator in Michigan, Linda worked with over 70 state representatives from the school and library community who assisted school and library applicants to obtain E-Rate discounts.

Prior to moving to Michigan, Ms. Schatz served as the Director of Educational Telecommunications, for Iowa Public Television, where she was instrumental in developing the Iowa Communications Network, a statewide telecommunications infrastructure providing video, voice, and data services to Iowa's schools, libraries, colleges and universities.

"Linda has been a pioneer and leader in bringing new technologies to the process of learning. Her knowledge and experience of the E-rate program will be invaluable and we are thrilled she is joining us," said Kate L. Moore, President, SLD.

Ms. Schatz succeeds Mickey Revenaugh who resigned from the SLD on September 3 to accept a position with Broadband Networks, Inc., as the Director of Marketing.

Ms. Schatz obtained a Masters in Higher Education from Drake University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Wave 9... Steady Flow of E-rate Funds Continues

Today, additional E-rate funding commitments were mailed to nearly 1,000 school and library applicants across the country. The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) committed more $81 million in Wave Nine bring the Year Two total to $666 million.

In Wave Nine, commitments between “Priority One” and “Priority Two” services were evenly split - $40 million for each. Applicants qualifying for a 65% and above E-rate discount continue to be funded for their Internal connections requests, while telecommunications services and Internet access funding continue to be made to applicants at all discount levels. More funding was sent to rural communities who received 35% in Wave Nine, compared to 12% last week.

Click Here to view Wave 9 Funding Commitment Reports by State

Service Provider Conference Call Schedule

The SLD hosts a conference call for service providers every other week. These calls are a forum in which service providers can raise issues of concern or seek clarification of program rules or requirements. The SLD provides an agenda for the calls, followed by a general question and answer period.  Click here for more information.

Wave 8 is Here! Year Two Funding Commitments

This week is historic for the E-rate as the first funding commitments are issued for internal connections to schools and libraries qualifying for a 65% E-rate discount. Until now, funds for internal connections have been provided only to schools and libraries eligible for discounts at 70% and higher.

In Wave Eight, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) issued commitments totaling more than $105 million. Year Two commitments now total $584 million. An additional 1,476 E-rate funding commitment letters were issued bringing the total of Year Two commitment letters to 16,081. In this wave, $4 million out of $70 million for internal connections services is targeted to the new range of 65% to 69% applicants.

“The crucial infrastructure for Internet connections can now be expanded to a widening number of classrooms and libraries. The news here is that funding is sufficient to support all approved requests from schools and libraries qualifying for a 65 % or more discount on internal connection services,” said SLD, President, Kate L. Moore.

Click Here to view Wave 8 Funding Commitment Reports by State

Planning Ahead for Year Three

The E-rate application cycle for Year 3 may feature a window closing date as early as mid-January, 2000 to permit final funding commitments well in advance of the July 1, 2000 program year start.

After extensive consultation with applicants and service providers, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) concludes that timely funding commitments are the top Year 3 priority for all. Having funding commitment decisions in hand 45-60 days in advance of July 1will allow applicants to effectively plan summer deployments while permitting service providers to integrate discounts into their billing systems.

To meet the demand for earlier funding commitments, the SLD is contemplating a much earlier application window for Year 3 than for previous program years. While the windows for 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 had April closing dates, the 2000-2001 window may close in January 2000.

More details about the overall Year 3 application cycle are expected soon. For updates, please watch our Web site, www.sl.universalservice.org.

If you Have a Long Procurement Cycle

Applicants whose state or local procurement laws require a multi-month competitive bidding process are welcome to initiate that process by filing a Year 2 Form 470 right now (online filing preferred) for services they hope to include in their Year 3 applications. Remember, the Form 470 must be posted for at least 28 days before vendors are selected, contracts signed, and Form 471 submitted. Applicants are urged to use the Year 2 Form 470 to secure Year 3 services only when necessitated by state and local procurement requirements.

The BEAR Form - What to Put on Form 486

While it was hoped that the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Form (Form 472) would be fully replaced in Year 2 of the E-rate by discounted bills from service providers, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) recognizes that the BEAR may be a necessity for many applicants for some services.

Here’s how to know whether or not you may need to use the BEAR , and how you should handle Column I of Form 486.

Ask each of your service providers: Do you plan to issue discounted bills to your E-rate funded customers for Year 2?

• If the answer is YES, then you will not need to file a BEAR Form for that service, and you should enter NO in Column I of Form 486.

• If the answer is NO or DON’T KNOW YET, assume that you may need to use a BEAR Form for this service for at least part of Year 2. Enter YES in Column I of Form 486. If it turns out your service provider is able to render discounted bills after all, and we receive a Service Provider Invoice Form before getting a BEAR from you, we will simply contact you for confirmation that a BEAR will not be forthcoming. ENTERING YES IN COLUMN I OF FORM 486 IS NOT IRREVOCABLE.

As soon as we have more definitive information about the duration and reach of the BEAR for Year 2, we will publicize this news through our Web site, newsflash, and other means.

SLD VP Mickey Revenaugh Moves To Next Challenge

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced today that founding Vice President for Outreach and Education, Mickey Revenaugh will depart the SLD on September 3 to head-up the marketing efforts for a high-tech, networking company.

“Over that last year and a half, Mickey has worked tirelessly and selflessly to help schools and libraries in every corner of the country participate in the E-rate. Her hard work and dedication will have a lasting impact on the E-rate,” said SLD President, Kate L. Moore. “Mickey has touched many people in the E-rate community because of her accessibility and desire to help. She will be missed greatly, and we all wish her the best in her new endeavors.”

Ms. Revenaugh, who has been with the SLD since December 1997, was the first Vice President for Outreach & Education. While at the SLD, she chaired the Year Three Task Force that has made a number of recommendations to streamline and improve the E-rate application process. Under Ms. Revenaugh’s leadership, the SLD has conducted more than 100 in-person outreach sessions, 15 video-conferences and attended 30 conferences in an effort to educate school and library officials about the E-rate and to assist them in the application process.

Ms. Revenaugh is leaving SLD to be Director of K-16 Marketing at Broadband Networks Inc., which designs, manufactures and integrates high-speed interactive video, data and voice networks, with education deployments from rural Nebraska to downtown Houston.

Prior to joining the SLD, Ms. Revenaugh was the Editor-in-Chief of Electronic Learning and Instructor magazines. During her 11 years at Scholastic, Inc., she also served as Editorial Director for Sponsored Educational Materials and Editor-in-Chief of America’s Agenda and Teaching and Computers magazines. She attended Smith College and is a summa cum laude graduate of Yale University.

Wave 7 - Funding Commitments Continue

An additional 1,061 E-rate funding commitment letters were issued today by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC). In the seventh wave of letters, the SLD committed over $50 million in discounts for telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections. Consortium applicants received 17% of the commitments this week, which is larger than in previous waves where consortium applicants received on average 5% of the funds.

To date, nearly $480 million in Year Two commitments have been made in 14,000 letters to school and library applicants. Two-thirds of Year Two commitments ($316 million) have gone to needier schools and libraries (those where 50% or more of the children in the community qualify for free lunches).

Click Here to view Wave 7 Funding Commitment Reports by State

Wave 6 - More Schools and Libraries Receive E-rate Funds

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) is sending out another weekly wave of E-rate funding commitment letters for more than $48 million. Approximately 1,300 applicants will receive notification on their Year 2 requests for discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections.

This weeks' wave of letters brings the total amount of Year 2 E-rate discounts committed to $429 million. The SLD has sent letters 13,500 in response to the more than 32,000 applications submitted within the filing window.

Click Here to view Wave 6 Funding Commitment Reports by State

E-rate Training Available via streaming video

YEAR TWO FUNDING COMMITMENTS AND BEYOND...

Once again, the Schools and Libraries Division of USAC is gearing up to issue Funding Commitment Decisions Letters to its applicants. If you have applied for the second year of E-rate discounts, tune into the special SLD program available online via streaming video which focuses on the upoming funding commitments process. The webcast and guidance about the tools you need to access the program are available at:
http://www.doe.state.in.us/media/video/guide.html   and

http://www.intel.com/education/erate/broadcast.htm

Learn when to expect your Funding Commitment Decisions Letter and the next steps you must take to take advantage of your discount.

The Program provides:

• A schedule of Year 2 Funding Commitment Decisions Letters;
• Step-by-step advice on how to file a clean Form 486;
• News and updates from Years 1 and 2

Year 1 Update: Deadlines for Filing 1998 BEAR Forms (Forms 472)

The Schools and Libraries Division of USAC urges all applicants who CAN file their Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Forms by August 15, 1999 for Year 1 recurring services to do so. Timely filing of the BEAR form will mean timely reimbursement to you for services rendered through June 30, 1999.

Applicants who cannot complete and file their BEAR paperwork by August 15, 1999, are assured that their BEAR forms will be accepted as soon as they can get them in, as long as it is by December 15, 1999. We recognize that those who are just now receiving Year 1 funding commitments resulting from appeals, from the Tenth Order extension of early expiring contracts, or other administrative adjustments will need extra time to complete their BEAR forms for these newly committed funds, as will applicants taking advantage of the grace period through September 30, 1999 for one-time installations. We do VERY bly encourage all applicants to file their BEAR forms as soon as possible before the final deadline of December 15, 1999.

Please also remember that, in order to process your BEAR form for reimbursement, we must have received and accepted your Form 486 for the relevant services. Any applicant who has not yet filed a Form 486 for services received during Year 1 should do so immediately to assure the proper flow of discounts.

For answers to your questions about the BEAR for Year 1, please see "Tips for Completing Your Form 472 BEAR" on the SLD Web site at www.sl.universalservice.org/Reference/472/472tips.asp, or call the help line at 888/203-8100.

Update On Allowable Spin Corrections And Spin Changes

The Schools and Libraries Division/USAC has finalized its procedures for considering requests from E-rate applicants to correct or change Service Provider Identification Numbers (SPINs). The circumstances under which the SLD can approve SPIN correction or change requests are fairly narrow, and all such requests must be made in writing. These guidelines are effective immediately for both Year 1 and Year 2.

The Guidelines are available in the Reference Area of the Web Site.  Click on the button "Appeals and Corrections" to find this document, or click on the link below.

http://www.sl.universalservice.org/Reference/spin.asp

Wave 5 - E-rate Funding Commitments Continue to Flow

In Wave Five, over 80% of the funds committed will go to help schools and libraries where half or more than half, of the children qualify for free lunches. Today, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) mailed an additional 1,700 letters committing another $110 million in E-rate discounts to E-rate applicants.

Over $380 million in discounts has been committed to some 12,000 school and library applicants across all 50 states and the District of Columbia in Year Two. Rural communities have received approximately 23% of the discounts with 76% going to urban applicants.

The E-rate, officially known as the Universal Service Fund for Schools and Libraries, provides discounts ranging from 20% to 90% to all K-12 public and private schools and all public libraries on three types of service - telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections. In Year One, the E-rate provided over $1.67 billion in discount to more than 25,000 school and library applicants. The program is administered by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Services Administrative Company (USAC). USAC oversees the administration of all universal service support, which includes the High Cost program, the Low-Income program, the Rural Health Care program and the Schools and Libraries program.

Click Here to view Wave 5 Funding Commitment Reports by State

Wave 4 - E-rate Commitment Level Doubles in One Week

With Wave Four of funding commitment letters mailed today the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of Schools & Libraries (USAC) is nearly doubling the amount of Year Two funding going to schools and libraries for discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and Internal connections. At four weeks into the process, the SLD has funded nearly one third (or 10,491) of the more than 32,000 Year Two E-rate applications.

This week, the SLD committed an additional $131 million to more than 1,700 applicants raising the total of Year Two E-rate commitments from $138 million to over $270 million. The average funding commitment in Wave Four is $76,000, equal to the average discount request reflected in the SLD's April 16 statistical sample of demand.

Of the over 1,700 applications, schools represented 25% and school districts applications made-up for 52%. Nearly 20% of the letters will go to libraries and the remaining 3% to consortia applicants. The Chicago Public Schools will receive over $61 million - the largest discount awarded for Year Two. The Pioneerland Library System in Minnesota is the largest library awardee in this wave, with $261 thousand.

Funding continues to reach the needier schools, as 87% of the dollars committed in this wave is associated with applicants qualifying for 70%-90% discounts. These include applicants from urban areas where at least 50% or more of the children qualify for the National Free Lunch Program and applicants in rural communities where at least 35% or more of the children qualify.

Click Here to view Wave 4 Funding Commitment Reports by State

Year 1 Appeals Awards

The Schools and Libraries Division is pleased to report that nearly all Year 1 appeals have been completed. For those applicants whose appeals have been granted, we have issued a special Appeals Funding Commitment Decisions Letter that will tell you the new funding amounts resulting from your appeal. Those receiving an Appeals Funding Commitment Decisions Letter will now need to file a Form 486 or BEAR Form reflecting those commitments.

There is still a very small group of appeals for which we are awaiting final policy decisions. Once the policy issues have been resolved, we will expeditiously answer these appeals. We are currently contacting these applicants by phone.

If You Still Haven't Heard

If you have not heard from us about a Year 1 appeal - either via phone or via mail - we encourage you to e-mail mrevenaugh@universalservice.org to determine the status of your appeal. Appellants that have appeals pending policy decisions should have heard from us by phone and all others should have received a letter from us regarding our decision on your appeal.

If You Disagree with an Appeal Decision

Once you receive our decision on your appeal, you have a right to appeal that decision to the FCC within 30 days of issuance. For complete instructions on filing an appeal with the FCC, go to http://www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/appeals.asp on our Web Site, or call 800-959-0733 and key in document #511.

Wave 3 - E-rate Commitments Reach 25% of All Year 2 Applicants!

With the mailing of the third wave of E-rate funding commitment letters, more than one-fourth of all Year Two applicants will have received decisions on their requests for discounts on telecommunications technologies. In the last two weeks, more than 8,400 Funding Commitment Decisions Letters have been mailed by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) allocating over $137 million in E-rate funds for the 1999-2000 program year. Letters have reached schools and libraries in all 50 states and will continue to be mailed on a weekly basis.

Today, the SLD will mail out 1,400 letters committing nearly $34 million for discounted communications services to schools and libraries across the country. Over two-thirds of the funding is targeted for telecommunications services and Internet access for applicants at all discount levels (20% to 90%). Libraries will receive nearly $4 million (or 8%) of the funding commitments. Schools and school districts will receive $31 million (or 90%) of the money with the remaining $500,000 going to consortia.

Click Here to view Wave 3 Funding Commitment Reports by State

Wave 2 Press Release  |  Wave 1 Press Release

News from SLD President, Kate Moore on Year 2 Commitments

Dear School, Library and Telecommunications Leaders:

This week, the Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company will issue its first funding commitments on E-rate applications submitted for Year Two.

We are pleased to confirm that there is sufficient funding to fill all approved requests for "Priority One" services - those for telecommunications services and Internet access. We will work through "Priority Two" requests (internal connections) beginning with the needier applicants first - those at discount levels 80% and above.

Waves of Funding Commitments

This year, we will send letters to applicants and service providers in waves as soon as we have approved requests on telecommunications services and Internet access. This means you could receive one or more letters, depending on how your application was structured. (For more details, see "Questions and Answers About the Waves" on the SLD Web site, www.sl.universalservice.org.)

Even as Funding Commitment Decisions Letters begin to flow, a small number of applications are still in the data entry process. This means that some of you may not have received a 471 Receipt Acknowledgment Letter. We anticipate completing the data entry process soon. All applicants can be assured that sufficient funds are being set aside for each and every application received within the window for "Priority One" services. Furthermore, if your request for internal connections is at the same discount level as those in previous waves, you also can be assured that there is sufficient funding for your application.

A Wave of Funding Commitments Every Week

This year, I am pleased to announce that letters will be mailed on a weekly basis. We heard from you that regularity and predictability were essential for your planning purposes, so every Friday, regardless of wave size, the SLD will mail out a wave of commitment letters to applicants. Every Monday we will post the lists of recipients to our Web Site. The exception is the first wave: it is being issued the day it is ready. This means two mailings in the first week.

What Can You Do to Speed the Process?

Believe it or not, we need your help to complete processing your applications. If you will be gone over the summer months, please update your information in our Summer Contact database, so our problem resolution and Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) team can reach you in the event they have questions regarding your Year Two E-rate application. Service providers can also search the database by Billed Entity Number if they need to reach you during this same period.

You may register your summer contact via the SLD Web Site or, if you don't have Web access, by calling our help line (1-888-203-8100).

Applicants can also help us out by returning calls to our PIA team as quickly as possible. A call from a member of our PIA team means your application is now being reviewed for compliance with program rules, but that there is a question about your request. A phone call or any needed documentation returned in a timely fashion will help us finish our review sooner rather than later.

Appeals and Special Situations for Year One

Even as applicants across the country are beginning to hear about their Year Two funding commitments, we are wrapping up a number of loose ends from Year One. These include:

1. Those who filed appeals regarding your Year One funding commitments have either heard back from us or will hear from us this week.
2. Applicants intending to use the summer "grace period" for non-recurring internal connections should file updated Forms 486 for these services, to extend the contract end date to no later than 9/30/99.
3. Many applicants whose contracts for recurring telecommunications and Internet access services expired before December 31, 1998 will qualify for six additional months of funding - but they must act quickly. The deadline for filing an updated Form 486 for these services is July 16. (See the Web site for details.)

Working Hard to Serve You Better

We are continuously trying to improve, so that the E-rate application process is easier and more efficient for both service providers and applicants. We have made a number of positive changes based on your comments over the last year. These include.

• On-line filing for the Form 471: Our pilot launch in Year Two was a significant success despite its narrow technical requirements. We will be expanding the online Form 471 to include a broader range of browsers and Apple Macintosh computers for next year.
• Bar-coding and scanning technologies: We are making it easier for our customer service and application review staff to track applications and answer questions.
• Electronic notifications: Service Providers can receive the Form 471 Receipt Acknowledgment Letters, the Funding Commitment Decisions Letters and Form 486 Notification Letters electronically.
• Regional PIA Representatives: We have reorganized Program Integrity Assurance teams by region so that they are familiar with state and local issues that affect E-rate discounts.

All of these new features allow us to distribute discounts more quickly and efficiently.

There is still plenty of room for improvement. We will be convening an advisory group soon to focus specifically on customer service. In addition, we are already planning improvements for Year Three. We are grateful for the good advice from the Year Three Task Force of applicants and service providers, and from those of you who took the time to respond to our, "Help Us Improve the E-rate Program for the Future" query we issued in March. We will keep you informed about improvements for the 2000-2001 program year as these are finalized.

As we move to bring Years One, Two and Three to the next critical stages, we want to thank you for your own remarkable efforts to make this program work. Your diligence, optimism, and frank feedback have been absolutely essential to our shared mission to fulfill the promise of the E-rate for every American community.

Let Us Know Where to Find You This Summer

If you will be away from your usual location or modes of contact during the coming weeks, please use our new, improved Summer Contact database to let us know how to reach you (or your stand-in) if we have questions as we complete review of your E-rate application. The database will allow you to provide temporary contact information via the Web Site (or, if you don’t have Web access, by calling our help line). Our problem resolution and Program Integrity Assurance staff will use this database as they work on your application, so you can help avoid processing delays by providing your summer contact information as soon as possible. (Service providers can also search the database by Billed Entity Number if they need to reach you during this same period.)

To use the Summer Contact database, you’ll need to enter your Billed Entity Number. Then you can type in any pertinent information (such as an alternate phone number or contact name) that will help us find you this summer. Those without Web access should call 888-203-8100, and our customer service staff will enter the data for you. Please note: Summer contact data will not affect your permanent record in our data system.

Urgent News Re: Form 486 for Year 2

The FCC Form 486, Receipt of Service Confirmation, has been revised in several small but very important ways for Year 2. These revisions were approved just as Waves 1 and 2 of the Funding Commitment Decisions Letter were being prepared this week, so FCDL packages in these two waves do NOT include Form 486. We will be sending the new Form 486 to Wave 1 and 2 recipients under separate cover, and will include the new Form 486 in all future waves. In addition, the new Form 486 is now available on the SLD Web Site, www.sl.universalservice.org/Reference/forms.asp, to download, print, and use for all Form 486 purposes.

For Year 1 services only, we encourage applicants to use the new Form 486, however, we will accept the old form too.

The revised Form 486 contains newly added language in Item 8 of the certification section that requires funded applicants to affirm that they have signed, written contracts for all services that require such contracts. The certification identifies one category of service that does NOT require signed, written contracts: tariffed telecommunications services, which are purchased at regulated prices without a written contract. The instructions provide that, for Internet access service, evidence of month-to-month billing will be considered as satisfying the requirement for a written contract. Please note that such services do not qualify as pre-existing contracts and require posting to the Web Site on a Form 470 for each funding year.

Contracts should be signed before filing a Form 471. Recognizing that other legally binding arrangements may precede the actual contract signing, SLD requires certification through submission of the new Form 486 that actual contracts have been signed.

For questions regarding the Form 486, call 888-203-8100.

Update on Discounted Bills For Year 2

Year 2 is here!

The SLD mailed its first wave of Funding Commitment Decisions Letters on Tuesday, July 13, 1999. In this first wave, more than 6,000 letters were issued committing over $90 million. The list of recipients can be found on the SLD Web Site. Another wave of letters will be issued this week and information about this wave will be posted on Monday, July 19.

When Will You See Discounted Bills?

Although both the SLD and your service providers have been working hard to achieve our goal of discounted bills for your Year 2 services, please do not expect that your approved discounts will be reflected on the next bill or several bills after your FCDL. This is because, for service providers, the FCDL is just the first step toward providing discounts to you. Once they receive a funding commitment notification from SLD, service providers usually need to:

1. Get account numbers and other information from you in order to properly set up the discounts on your bills. In many cases, they will request that you complete a Prediscount Cost Calculation Grid to secure this important information to properly discount your bill.

2. Receive notification from SLD that you have submitted your Form 486 for the service and that it has been approved.

3. Program their billing systems and adjust your billing records so that they can issue your discounted bills. This process is complex and time consuming, and will likely take at least two months from the date your service providers receive the FCDL and any additional information they need from you.

This means that, if you receive your FCDL in July, you should expect to receive a discounted bill no earlier than September for typical monthly services.

Some service providers may be able to provide discounted bills more quickly, and others may take even longer. Until the discount can be integrated into your bill, your service provider will bill you in full. Your participation in the E-rate program does not alter your obligation to pay in full for the services you receive.

Tenth Order Relief For 1998 Applicants With Early Expiring Contracts For Telecommunications And Internet Access Services

The FCC’s Tenth Order on Reconsideration will allow 1998-1999 E-rate applicants who have been approved for discounts for recurring telecommunications services, Internet access, or dedicated services—but whose contracts for these services originally expired before December 31, 1998—to receive up to six additional months of funding under certain conditions (see Special Instructions). The additional funding is intended to cover the equivalent of January-June 1999, the extended end of the program year. No funding will be provided for the cost of services between the original contract end date and December 31, 1998.

Year Two Funding Commitments and Beyond

Once again, the Schools and Libraries Division of USAC is gearing up to issue Funding Commitment Decisions Letters to its applicants. If you have applied for the second year of E-rate discounts, tune into the special SLD program available online via streaming video which focuses on the upoming funding commitments process. The webcast and guidance about the tools you need to access the program are available at http://www.doe.state.in.us/media/video/guide.html.

Learn when to expect your Funding Commitment Decisions Letter and the next steps you must take to take advantage of your discount.

The Program provides:

• A schedule of Year 2 Funding Commitment Decisions Letters;
• Step-by-step advice on how to file a clean Form 486;
• News and updates from Years 1 and 2

Grace Period Update for Year One Approved Installations

Did you get a Year One funding commitment for an internal connections project or other installation--but you need more time to complete the work?  In its Tenth Order on Reconsideration, the FCC established a "grace period" to allow you to use your Year One E-rate discounts for non-recurring costs through September 30, 1999.  (The deadline for using your Year One E-rate discounts on recurring costs, such as monthly telephone or Internet access service, is June 30, 1999.)

The grace period can be used only for costs listed as "one-time" on your Year One Form 471 (Block 5/Items 15-16, Column 8) and approved as such for funding.  These are known as non-recurring costs, and typically involve implementation of internal connections projects or installation of high-speed telecommunications lines, for example.  Services must be delivered by September 30, 1999.

If the customer pays the full amount of these services, a Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) form should be used to request reimbursement.  It must be filed with the SLD by December 15, 1999.   Similarly, Service Providers who bill the discounted amount are urged to submit their invoices to the SLD by no later than December 15, 1999.

Those entities intending to use the grace period are urged to undertake immediately these steps:

1. Extend your contract(s) as soon as possible with the relevant service provider(s) through September 30, 1999, or whichever date earlier will allow you to complete your installation.
2. As soon as possible, file Form 486 listing the affected FRNs (only those with one-time, non-recurring costs) and providing the correct service start date and new contract expiration date.  Do note on Form 486 if you plan to use the BEAR Form for this service.
3. When SLD processes and approves your Form 486, we will notify your service provider(s), as per usual Form 486 notification procedures.
4. Be sure to complete all work by September 30, 1999.

If you have questions, please contact our toll-free help line at (888) 203-8100.

Change to Call-In Number for Wednesday Service Provider Calls

Please note that the call-in number for the weekly Wednesday Service Provider Call has changed to (847) 413-2931, passcode # 1390177.  

The SLD invites service providers and vendors to join this regularly scheduled conference call to learn about and discuss billing issues, invoicing procedures, and other important aspects of the E-Rate program. Participants may ask questions of SLD staff and and share solutions with each other. The call occurs each Wednesday from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time.

Countdown to Year 2 Funding Commitments Beginning Soon!

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) will make funding commitments for Year Two discounts to applicants very soon. The funding Commitment Decisions Letters (FCDL) will be issued in waves each Friday and posted the following Monday on this Web Site throughout the summer until all letters are out. Service providers may begin providing discounted bills after funding commitments have been issued and after an applicant has filed a Form 486. The SLD will work with service providers and applicants regarding necessary reimbursements in cases where funding commitments arrive after the service start date. Watch our Web Site for more information soon.

Update: Your Form 471 Receipt Acknowledgment Letter

The Schools and Libraries Division is now launching a new feature for the 1999-2000 program year: a Receipt Acknowledgment Letter for each Form 471 applicant, confirming that your application has been received and entered into our data system. The first of these letters is going out in the next few days.  Click here for more information about and samples of the Receipt Acknowledgment Letter.

Program Integrity Alert Hotline: What It Is and How It Works

Assuring effective stewardship of the E-rate by guarding against misuse or waste of E-rate funds is a priority shared by USAC, the Schools and Libraries Division, the FCC, applicants, service providers, and the public. To that end, the SLD is launching a Program Integrity Alert Hotline to formalize the confidential communications process that allows applicants, service providers, and others to alert us—anonymously, if desired—to instances where E-rate funds are being misapplied or where potential program rule violations may exist.

Each call to the Program Integrity Alert Hotline will be handled by specially trained staff, and each tip will be investigated carefully. If our investigation clearly confirms a program rule violation that is indicative of waste, fraud, or abuse, we will take immediate corrective steps, including but not limited to rescinding funding commitments and returning funds to the program. Other steps may be undertaken such as referral of matters to criminal and other law enforcement agencies.

Because the SLD will treat each call to the Program Integrity Alert Hotline as a serious and urgent matter requiring our attention, we caution you to use the hotline ONLY to report potential instances of waste, fraud, or abuse of program rules. Calls or questions that can properly be handled by our regular toll-free help line staff should NOT be placed to this hotline number and will not be handled there.

Here’s how the Program Integrity Alert hotline will work:

1. If you want to report what you believe is a misuse of program funds or a violation of program rules, call 888-203-8100 and tell the operator, "This is a Code Nine call."
2. You will be connected immediately to specially trained staff who will record your report. This staff person will ask you a series of questions in order to obtain as much information about the situation as possible, so the investigation can proceed efficiently. Your call will not be recorded, but the hotline staff person will take notes.
3. If you choose to remain anonymous, you may do so. If you opt to identify yourself so that our investigators can contact you for additional information, we will make every effort to maintain your confidentiality as the investigation proceeds.
4. After your call is complete, the report of your call will be turned over to specially trained Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) staff for assessment and investigation.
5. SLD management will make the final determination of action needed on each case, in consultation with counsel and the Federal Communications Commission as appropriate.

The Program Integrity Alert hotline for reporting potential waste, fraud, and abuse of the E-rate program will be available beginning the first week of June, 1999.

FCC Decides Funding Level for Year Two

Today, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) set the fund level of the E-rate at $2.25 billion, the annual cap for the fund, for Year 2 which begins on July 1, 1999 and ends on June 30, 2000. In April, the Schools and Libraries Division reported to the FCC that the estimated demand for discounts from Year 2 applications was $2.435 billion. Based on the SLD statistically valid sample, approximately $931 million was requested for "priority one" services, and $1.503 billion for "priority two" services.

By setting the fund at $2.25 billion, the FCC sought to fund all "priority one" requests, those for telecommunications services and Internet access and sought to fund internal connection requests, or "priority two" requests, at least at the level that was available in Year 1. The FCC recognized, however, that even by setting the funding level at the cap some requests from school and library applicants would likely not be fully met.

After the FCC's Order is publicly released, the SLD will announce its schedule for issuing Funding Commitment Decision Letters. The SLD will be issuing funding letters in waves on a weekly basis.

Update and Reminder about Year One Appeals

The Schools and Libraries Division is pleased to offer this progress report on the Year 1 appeals process—including follow-up instructions regarding the Form 486, plus special guidance for those whose 1998 applications are now confirmed missing.

Most Appeals Now Resolved – Funding Letters Forthcoming

Approximately 1,500 applicants who received 1998 funding commitment decisions appealed those decisions, and all but a handful of these appeals have now been reviewed. Appellants first receive a letter titled "Administrator’s Decision on Appeal," the last of which are going into the mail this week. Soon to follow for all those whose appeals have been granted will be a special funding commitment letter providing the exact dollar value of their successful appeal. We will post a notice on the SLD Web Site when the funding commitment letters are ready to be mailed.

When to File Form 486 -- and When NOT To

Even if you receive a favorable decision on your appeal, you must wait for your special funding commitment letter before attempting to file a Form 486 or BEAR form for any newly approved discounts that may flow on the basis of your appeal. Until you receive that funding commitment letter, our data system will show your original commitment amount for the Funding Request Number in question, so your Form 486 may be rejected if it is for an FRN that was originally denied or funded at a lower level. However, you may feel free to file Form 486 or a BEAR for any funds we committed to you in your original Funding Commitment Decision Letter prior to your appeal.

If Your 1998 Application Is Confirmed Missing

Following the last wave of regular 1998 Funding Commitment Decisions Letters, we posted guidance for those filed a 1998 Form 471 application within the window but did not get a response from us at all. Such applicants were urged to call our help line to initiate a search for their missing applications, and a number of you took us up on this offer of assistance. While we presume that we have now heard from all such individuals, we have now established a final deadline for wrapping up these cases. We invite all those who believe their in-the-window 1998 applications have been misplaced (including those who may be awaiting final word from our help line staff) to notify us with a written appeal as soon as possible. Your appeal package should include:

• A copy of your 1998 Form 471 as originally submitted.
• Copies of any documentation verifying that the application was received by us before midnight on April 15, 1998—for example, a postal or express delivery receipt or subsequent correspondence from us.
• A letter BRIEFLY summarizing the events surrounding submission of your application, including any recent contact with us.

Please send your appeal package (via certified mail or express delivery) so it is received by us no later than June 5, 1999 at the following address: Appeals/SLD, Box 125—Correspondence Unit, 100 South Jefferson Road, Whippany, NJ 07981.

Appeals Still Pending

Two additional categories of appeals are still awaiting final action, which we hope will be under way very soon. These categories are:

• Appeals involving pre-commitment rejections and open policy issues. A very small number of such appeals are awaiting final review and policy decisions, and will be expedited as soon as possible.
• Requests for waivers of the 1998 or 1999 Form 471 application window deadline. The FCC is currently resolving issues related to authorizing waivers of the window deadline. These requests will be reviewed once these issues are resolved.

If You Disagree with an Appeal Decision

Once you receive our decision on your appeal, you have a right to appeal that decision to the FCC within 30 days of issuance. For complete instructions on filing an appeal with the FCC, go to http://www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/appeals.asp on our Web Site, or call 800-959-0733 and key in document #511.

Year 1 Update: BEARS, Appeals, and SPIN Corrections

As processing of E-rate applications for Year 2 shifts into high gear, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) offers the following news and reminders about remaining Year 1 activities.

File a BEAR Today!

The Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) process is available through the end of this first program year to help you claim reimbursement for discounts on bills you’ve paid in full for E-rate approved services. Thousands of applicants have already submitted BEARs and received their reimbursements for services rendered in calendar year 1998 (over $200 million has been authorized to date for reimbursement). Many will also be using the BEAR process for services they receive and pay for from January through June 1999.

To get faster reimbursement and avoid the processing crunch in June, the SLD encourages you to send in quarterly BEARs rather than submitting one BEAR at the end of the program year. In fact, NOW is the perfect time to send in your BEAR forms for E-rate approved services you’ve received and paid for from January through March 31, 1999. Remember, your BEAR must include your service provider’s signature on Block 4, but this signature need not be original. For more tips on successfully completing your BEAR forms, see www.sl.universalservice.org/Reference/472/BEAR.asp, or call our toll-free fax-on-demand service, 800/959-0733, and key in document #513.

Update on 1998 Appeals

The SLD is moving rapidly to complete its review of appeals filed by applicants regarding our 1998 funding commitment decisions. Just over 1,500 appeals are under consideration, and virtually all of them have been through initial review. Applicants are notified by letter of the SLD’s final decision on their appeal; appeals may be denied, granted, or partially granted. Hundreds of these appeal decision letters have already been sent out, and more are issued each day. Those whose appeals are granted in whole or in part will then receive a follow-up funding commitment letter in May. Applicants who wish to further appeal our decisions may send their appeal to the Federal Communications Commission within 30 days of the date that the SLD issued its decision in response to the applicant’s appeal. See www.sl.universalservice.org/Reference/appeals.asp, or call our toll-free fax-on-demand service, 800/959-0733, and key in document #511.

Necessary SPIN Corrections

The SLD staff has also been busy processing corrections to Service Provider Identification Numbers (SPINs) that were listed incorrectly in 1998 funding commitment letters due to your error or ours, or due to service provider mergers and acquisitions. If you need to request such a SPIN correction and have not already done so, please send your correction request in writing to:

Schools and Libraries Division, Box 125 -- Correspondence Unit, 100 South Jefferson Road, Whippany, NJ 07981.

Applicants who have requested a SPIN change because their service provider has gone out of business or refuses to participate in the program are advised that these SPIN changes will be addressed in the near future.

New SLD Web Address and Request for Suggestions on Site Re-design

During the next several months, we will be working to re-design the SLD Web Site to better serve your needs. Our first step was to change the URL web address to www.sl.universalservice.org, a change that reflects our merger with the Schools & Libraries (USAC). We have recently re-designed the USAC Web Site (www.universalservice.org) to reflect our unified corporate structure, and the SLD Web Site will be designed in a similar fashion.

We are eager to receive any additional comments or suggestions you may have about improving the SLD Web Site. Our vision is to integrate the existing information on our site into a more user-friendly structure.   Among the functionalities we will incorporate into the SLD Web Site are a search engine, a more widely accessible Online Form 471, and a detailed site map. Please send an E-mail to Shannon Sullivan at comments@universalservice.org with your thoughts and ideas. We look forward to hearing from you. Thank you!

Special Note: For the next six months, users will be redirected to the new URL when logging onto the original web address (www.slcfund.org). Please update any links you may have to the original site with this new URL.

Early-Expiring Contracts and Extra Time for Installations

In its Tenth Order on Reconsideration released on April 2, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) acted on two urgent issues affecting participants in the 1998 E-rate program.

Relief for Those with Contracts Expiring Before 12/31/98

The Tenth Order grants relief to applicants whose contracts for telecommunications services and Internet access expired before December 31, 1998. Originally, these applicants were prohibited from voluntarily extending their contracts through June 30, 1999-the end of the 1998 program year-and were not qualified to receive the six additional months of funding granted to those with telecommunications services and Internet access contracts expiring on or after December 31, 1998. With the Tenth Order, the FCC now permits those with telecommunications services or Internet access contracts that expired prior to December 31, 1998, to extend those contracts through June 30, 1999, and to qualify for additional discounts on services received under those contracts from January 1, 1999 through June 30, 1999. (Funds will not be available for the period between the original contract expiration date and December 31, 1998.) The Schools and Libraries Division will contact affected applicants soon with more information and instructions regarding the next steps they should take.

More Time to Complete 1998 Installation Projects

A number of schools and libraries who received funding for internal connections and other non-recurring services have expressed concerns about their ability to complete this work before the 1998 funding cycle ends on June 30, 1999. In the Tenth Order, the FCC grants applicants an additional three months to use their funding commitments for nonrecurring services such as internal networking projects or installation of T-1 lines. The Order states that applicants funded for such non-recurring services can extend their contracts and use their funds for those services through September 30, 1999. No additional funding will be committed for these non-recurring services. The SLD will soon provide applicants with step-by-step guidance in this regard.

More Than 32,000 Applications For E-Rate Discounts In Year Two

More than 32,000 applications requesting discounts for communications services from the E-rate fund have been submitted by schools and libraries across the country. At the close of the application window for Year Two, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced that they had received 2,000 more applications for Year Two than received in the application window for Year One.

"The E-rate gives our nation's schools and libraries a chance to get connected to the Information Superhighway," said Kate L. Moore, SLD President. "Demand for the E-rate demonstrates to the public the high level of need for communications and technology in our schools and libraries."

Schools and libraries began applying for Year Two discounts on December 1, 1998, via the Web Site or on paper. This year, the SLD established a longer application window (127 days compared to last year's 75-day window) to give educators and librarians enough time to complete the two-part application process after learning of their E-rate commitments for Year One. The window closed on April 6, 1999.

In the first program year, the SLD received more than 30,000 applications within a 75-day application window. Almost 26,000 of these applications received some E-rate funding for the 1998 funding year - January 1, 1998 through June 30, 1999.

Primer on Valid USCNs

The Universal Service Control Number (USCN) is the 15-digit number assigned by the administrator to each Form 470 submitted each program year. You use the Form 470 USCN to make the connection between the information provided on Form 470 and the services you are requesting discounts on through Form 471, Items 15 and 16. Each row (Funding Request) you complete on Form 471 in Items 15 and 16 must include a valid USCN - one that links to a properly completed Form 470.

Form 471: The Dirty Dozen--12 Most Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them!

Are you preparing to send in your Form 471 to the SLD?  Make sure to review this helpful document, which describes the 12 most common mistakes we've seen on the Form 471--and provides helpful tips on how to avoid these mistakes. Click here to view  "Form 471: The Dirty Dozen".

DON’T FORGET!! THE APPLICATION WINDOW CLOSES AT 11:59 EST ON APRIL 6! To be counted "in the window," you must file your Form 471 (with all its necessary attachments and certifications) so that it is received by SLD by the window closing.

Update of Service Provider Invoice Forms

If you have submitted a Service Provider Invoice Form (Form 474) more than forty days ago and have not received payment on that invoice and have not heard from the SLD, you can inquire about the status of that invoice by calling (973) 428-7335 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST.

Questions on how to complete the Service Provider Invoice Form (Form 474) should be directed to the SLD help line at (888) 203-8100.

If you have submitted a Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Form (Form 472) more than forty days ago and have not received a BEAR notification letter and have not heard from the SLD, you can inquire about the status of that BEAR by calling (973) 428-7335 Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST.

Questions on how to complete the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement form (Form 472) should be directed to the SLD help line at (888) 203-8100.

Help Us Improve the E-rate Program for the Future!

While we're all focused on making Year 2 of the E-rate a resounding success, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) is also planning ahead for Year 3.  And we need your help.

Year 3 represents our first real opportunity to make significant changes in the way the program operates, from the design of the application forms to the timing of each step in the process, from our customer service operation to the ways we communicate with you.

We have convened a special Task Force of representatives from the school, library and service provider communities to consider all these issues and develop recommendations for Year 3 and beyond.  We want to include your advice as well.

Please share your thoughts with us about the MOST IMPORTANT change you would like to see us make for Year 3.  We know many of you have lots of concerns and many suggestions, but knowing your most urgent priority for change will help us focus on what matters most.

Send your MOST IMPORTANT suggestion for Year 3 via E-mail to comments@universalservice.org.
Please put "YEAR 3!" in the subject line so we can immediately route it for consideration by the Task Force.

Then keep watching the Web Site (www.sl.universalservice.org) for more about the Task Force recommendations and the SLD's plans for improvement for Year 3.  Thank you for helping us to serve you better.

FCC Extends E-Rate Implementation Deadline

Responding to concerns raised by schools and libraries that they would be unable to complete installation of internal connections by June 30, 1999, the Federal Communications Commission voted today to extend the deadline for using E-rate funds until September 30, 1999, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced today. The Commission extended the deadline to "ensure that schools and libraries have sufficient time to use universal service support that was approved in the first funding year for nonrecurring service such as installation of internal connections."

The Commission also addressed the situation of applicants whose contracts for telecommunications services and Internet access expired before Dec. 31, 1998, voting to permit them to extend or renew existing contracts through June 30, 1999, thus making them eligible for an additional six months of funding commitments.

In another important move, the Commission ruled that during the appeals process, the SLD can proceed with disbursing approved funds while an appeal is being reviewed. Existing rules had the unintended effect of preventing the SLD from disbursing any funds during an appeal.

Finally, the FCC also acted to affirm that when sufficient funds are not available to fund all internal connection requests, funds for discounts are to be allocated beginning with applicants at the ninety percent discount level and then -- to the extent funds remain -- to applicants at each descending single discount percentage.

"Today’s actions by the Commission are good news for E-rate applicants," said Kate L. Moore, President of USAC’s Schools and Libraries Division. "Now schools and libraries will have more time to establish the vital links between learners and the Internet, while we continue to put the neediest children first."

Update to Eligible Services List

The SLD is working on a comprehensive update to the Eligible Services List posted to the SLD Web Site and is sending out this Newsflash as an interim step to inform our applicant and service provider clients of this important information. Please note that the Eligible Services List DOES NOT YET FEATURE this updated information.  Click here to view the items that will be incorporated into the updated Eligible Services List (and posted to this Web Site) in the near future. Please remember that you should not assume that any item not on the List is eligible for discounts.

Schools and Libraries Submit Nearly 36,500 Applications for Year Two

Schools and libraries nationwide have submitted nearly 36,500 initial applications for E-rate funds in 1999-2000, the second year of the program to bring modern telecommunications and information services to every classroom and library in the country, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced today. The total represents a slight increase over the first year, when about 36,250 initial applications were filed. "These applications demonstrate the continuing demand for universal access to the world of information and ideas available on the Internet," says SLD President Kate L. Moore, who noted that 84% of the Year Two FCC Form 470 applications were filed online.

The application window for completing the two-stage filing process closes on April 6. Due to the requirement for a 28-day waiting period between the initial filing (Form 470) and the second filing (FCC Form 471), the Form 470 window closed March 9.

From Akiachak, Alaska to Thermopolis, Wyoming, from Pascagoula, Mississippi to Prairie Du Chien, Wisconsin, and from Los Angeles to Chicago to New York, schools and libraries in communities of all sizes across the country are already using $1.66 billion in Year One E-rate funds to move into the Information Age, rapidly advancing the goal of wiring every classroom and library by next year.

The SLD also announced today that General Counsel Debra Kriete is joining the law firm of Wolf, Block, Schorr and Solis-Cohen, LLP to pursue new professional opportunities. "As founding General Counsel, Debra’s contributions to the E-rate program have been incalculable," said SLD President Kate L. Moore. "Her program expertise, commitment to the successful launch of the E-rate, and wise counsel have served every member of the diverse E-rate community. We are very pleased that we will continue to benefit from her knowledge in her new capacity as outside counsel."

The E-rate account of the Universal Service Fund, established by a bipartisan act of Congress in the Telecommunications Act of 1996 with the Snowe-Rockefeller-Exon-Kerrey amendment, provides 20% to 90% discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections for schools and libraries. The Universal Service Fund is administered by USAC, and includes the Rural Healthcare and High Cost/Low-Income divisions along with the Schools and Libraries Division. While the FCC determines the fund level for each funding year, the annual cap on the E-rate fund is $2.25 billion.

Enhancements to Form 470 Search Feature

The SLD has made several important enhancements to the "Form 470 Search Posted" features available in both the Schools and Libraries Area and the Service Provider Area www.sl.universalservice.org/forms/search.asp.

For Applicants:

• We've added detailed instructions on how to enter search criteria for a successful search.

For Service Providers:

• The Search Function in the Service Provider Area now includes both pre-existing AND existing contracts. This means that a Form 470 Search in both areas of the Web Site will yield the same results.
• Now you may indicate how many search results you would like to display on each page. We've also added a feature that allows you to navigate between pages of search results.  (This will be particularly useful for service providers that monitor the Web Site on a daily basis for newly posted Forms 470.)
  
• Finally, we've added a "Return to Search Results" button to the screen that displays each Form 470. This allows you to easily return to your list of Forms 470 without using the browser's "Forward" and "Backward" buttons.

Special Form 471 Videoconference

How to Avoid the Form 471 "Dirty Dozen"

If you are gearing up to file your Form 471 before the window closes on April 6, 1999, you can’t afford to miss this special Schools and Libraries Division videoconference focusing on the twelve most common mistakes applicants make on Form 471-and how NOT to make them on YOUR application. Learn how to avoid the errors that get your application summarily rejected, land you in Problem Resolution, or result in denial of funding for some or all of your E-rate requests.

• Step-by-step advice on how to file a clean Form 471
  
• Special help with common Form 471 "trouble spots"
  
• Tips for using the SLD Web Site
  
• News and updates from Years 1 AND 2
  
• Real-time answers to your faxed-in questions

• Webcast: www.doe.state.in.us/sld

  Many thanks to Dr. Suellen Reed, Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the techno-wizards at the Indiana State Department of Education (especially Mike Huffman) for hosting our first videoconference Webcast.

  To participate in the Webcast, you will need to download the free Real Player software (available at Real Networks, www.real.com). Then you can log onto the www.doe.state.in.us/sld site for  viewing the videoconference

All in the E-rate community are invited to downlink this videoconference and tape, rebroadcast, or otherwise distribute free of charge. Those unable to downlink may request a free-loan videotape of the broadcast by emailing universalservice.org. Because of limited supplies, the broadcast videotapes will be loaned on a first-come, first-served basis.

DON’T FORGET!! THE APPLICATION WINDOW CLOSES AT 11:59 EST ON APRIL 6! To be counted "in the window," you must file your Form 471 (with all its necessary attachments and certifications) so that it is received by SLD by the window closing.

Macintosh Users are Always Welcome at the SLD Web Site!

The Schools and Libraries Division Web Site is accessible by users of all platforms, browsers, and operating systems. Every area of the site-- except for one pilot interactive application – is designed to work with both Macs and PCs using a variety of browsers and system software.

Regardless of what kind of computer you use, you can access the SLD Web Site to read the latest news and updates, download all of our application forms (or use our type-in/print-out forms), check out who got funded for what in 1998, search for a service provider contact name, and file an online Form 470 application, among other things.

Our online Form 471 application was launched this program year as a pilot, with very specific platform, operating system, and browser specifications. (Click here for more information about the technical requirements for using the pilot online Form 471 application.) The strict technical specifications of the pilot in no way constitute an endorsement of a particular product or technology. We are committed to providing access to our Web Site for the broadest spectrum of users, and are actively working to broaden the reach of the Form 471 online application. The experience of those who use the 1999-2000 version will help shape the online options for 2000-2001.

What to do if Your 1998 Form 471 Application Seems to be Missing

With the release of Wave 10 on February 27, the Schools and Libraries Division records show that all 1998 "in the window" applicants have now been sent an official response from us – either a commitment of funds or, regrettably, a denial of funding. (Please note that applicants in the "zero funding" category are NOT listed on our Web site.) In addition, those schools, libraries, and consortia whose applications arrived April 16-19 (just outside the 1998 application window) have now been notified that we will not be able to consider their applications. Similar letters are in process for those whose requests arrived later in the year.

If you filed a Form 471 in 1998, have reason to believe that your application arrived by April 15, and have no record of a response from us, our Client Service Bureau staff stands ready to help determine the status of your application. Simply call the CSB help line at 888-203-8100 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, and have ready:

• A copy of your Form 471.
• Any records demonstrating delivery of your Form 471 to Iowa City, Iowa, during the 1998 application period, such as postal and/or express delivery receipts.
• Any documentation of contact with our Problem Resolution or Program Integrity Assurance staff (such as faxes, letters, or phone messages) during the application review process.

If there is any indication that your application was actually received, our staff will inform you of its recorded status in our data base, provide you with replacement copies of any correspondence you should have received.  If, on the other hand, you have no documentation, we may not be able to determine why your application is missing, except that to confirm that it was never received by us.  Our Client Service Bureau staff can make sure you are aware of the procedures for filing an appeals if you feel one is warranted.

E-rate Appeals Process: Update and Reminders

Now that the last wave of 1998 funding commitment letters have been made, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) has begun focusing significant resources on the appeals process.  If you are among the small number of applicants (fewer than 4% so far) who disagree with a funding decision and wish to appeal it, please note the following:

1. All appeals must be made in writing within 30 days of issuance of your funding commitment decisions letter.  The address for appeals is Letter of Appeal, Schools and Libraries Division, Box 125-Correspondence Unit, 100 S. Jefferson Road, Whippany, NJ 07981.  Appeals cannot be submitted via fax or E-mail.
2. Directions for how to file an appeal are available on the SLD Web Site or via toll-free fax on demand (800-959-0733, Document #511).
3. We have established a contingency fund to accommodate funding commitments resulting from successful appeals.
4. According to current FCC rules, no funds may be expended for a particular line-item funding request (designated by a Funding Request Number or FRN) while it is under appeal.  For example, if the SLD provides a funding commitment to you for an FRN at an 80% discount, but you believe you are entitled to a 90% discount and file an appeal on that basis, we will not be able to pay any invoices on that FRN while your appeal is pending.  The SLD has filed an ex Parte with the FCC to flag the operational impact of this rule, bearing in mind the burden this may pose on the client for a mistake we might have made.
5. When you submit an appeal, you will receive an acknowledgment notice from us.  Your appeal will then be handled as quickly as possible.  Our goal is to reach a decision on each appeal within 45 days of receiving it.
6. If you have questions about how to file an appeal, please call our help line at 888-203-8100.

Form 471 Technical Requirements

To successfully file Form 471 online for 1999-2000, applicants will need the following technologies:

• Computer: PC (Intel-based or IBM compatible), 486 or higher
• Operating system: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT or higher
• Browser: Internet Explorer 4.0, Version 4.71 (with capability for running Visual Basic scripts).  (Note: To determine which version of Internet Explorer you have, click "Help" at the top of your browser, then click "About Internet Explorer.")

During this pilot year, the online version of Form 471 will NOT be available to applicants using:

• Macintosh computers or other non-PC (Intel/IBM-compatible) computers
• Non-Internet Explorer browsers such as Netscape
• Versions of Internet Explorer earlier than IE 4.0 / V 4.71 or versions of I.E. 5.0

ALTERNATIVES FOR FILING FORM 471

Applicants who cannot or choose not to file Form 471 online can still download/print a hard copy of the form and instructions from the SLD Web Site (www.sl.universalservice.org/Reference/471ORtoc.asp), or may call 888/203-8100 to request a copy of the form by mail. Applicants are also encouraged to monitor the Web Site and SLD fax-on-demand service (800/959-0733) for updates, guidance, and helpful hints for filing their Form 471.

Friday is Form 470 Day!  March 5 Urgently Recommended as Deadline for Filing Form 470

If you are an E-rate applicant hoping to complete your 1999-2000 application within the application window, SLD reminds you to file your Form 470 so that it is posted on the Web site no later than midnight Friday, March 5, 1999.

Your Form 470 must be posted for at least 28 days before you can file Form 471. The deadline for filing Form 471, and thus completing your application within the window, is 11:59 p.m. ET on April 6, 1999. Filing your Form 470 so that it is posted on the Web Site on March 5, 1999, will allow you just enough time to finalize your procurement process, complete and certify Form 471, and submit it so that it and the required attachments, are received within the window.

PLEASE BE SMART! File your Form 470 online at www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp if you possibly can—this provides for immediate posting. (Remember that you will then need to mail in your printed-out, signed Block 6 certification as soon as possible after you complete the online application, but these certifications will be accepted even after our March Form 470 deadline.)

If you file on paper, we cannot guarantee that your Form 470 can be posted right away if your application is complex or requires problem resolution.  If the Form 470 is not posted by March 9, you will have missed the window.

The Web site is open to receive your online application from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. ET seven days a week, and our telephone help line staff is available from 8 a.m. to 8p.m. ET Monday through Friday. If you have not already done so, please file your online Form 470 NOW - and many thanks to the 32,000 E-rate applicants who have already filed Form 470!

BEAR Process to Provide Reimbursements Through June 30, 1999

At the request of both service providers and funded applicants, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) will be accepting Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Forms for reimbursement of discounts on bills paid in full through the end of the first program year.   Previously, the BEAR Form (FCC Form 472) was intended to provide coverage only through December 31, 1998.  Click here for more information.

SLD Cumulative 1998 Funding Commitment Data by State/Territory

To make SLD commitment information more accessible, the SLD is providing cumulative 1998 funding reports for each state/territory in this section of the Web Site. This data is inclusive of Wave 10, the final wave. This information can be downloaded and sorted in ways most useful to you. 

SLD Cumulative National 1998 Funding Commitment Statistics

Click here for national statistics on 1998 Funding Commitments.  The statistics include:

• Total Dollars Committed Nationally and for each State
• National Analysis by Applicant Type
• National Analysis by Service/Discount Band
• National Urban/Rural Analysis

Wave 10 is the End! Final Wave of Funding Commitments Available

The Schools and Libraries Division has issued its final wave of funding commitment decisions for the 1998 program year. This final wave means:

• Funding commitment decision letters will go to the 6% of in-the-window applicants who had not yet received a decision from us. Information about these funding commitments is now posted on this Web Site (www.sl.universalservice.org/reference/fndcommit.asp), and applicants should receive their letters during the following week.
• Letters will also go out to those applicants whose internal connections requests were deemed "as yet unfunded" until this wave. Approved internal connections requests at the 70% discount level and above will be funded; we will NOT have funds to accommodate internal connections requests at or below 69% discount.
• We now know definitively that we will NOT be able to consider for funding any applications received outside the 75-day window. These applicants will be notified soon of our regrets in this regard.
• Special note: If you filed a 1998 application but have not had ANY response from SLD through this final Wave 10, watch the Web Site for instructions on how to proceed with an inquiry about your application.

Congratulations to the tens of thousands of trailblazing schools, libraries, and consortia who are now celebrating their well-deserved Year One E-rate successes. We know you will inspire your colleagues who have not yet been reached by the E-rate, and we look forward to serving both veterans and newcomers in Year Two. But both must act quickly: the deadline for all Year Two applications is fast approaching. We strongly recommend that you file your Form 470 so that it is posted on the SLD Web Site no later than March 5, 1999. Keep the E-rate flowing for your school or library - file Form 470 today!

New Search Function! Service Provider Information by SPIN

The SLD has added a new search function to the Provider Area.  This "Service Provider Information by SPIN" search provides service providers with important information regarding the "post-commitment" phase of the funding process, including:

• Status of the certification of service provider's SPIN
• Percentage of FRNs for which this company received a FCDL per Wave
• Dates Form 486 Notification letters sent to service provider's SPIN
• Dates BEAR (Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement) letters sent to service provider's SPIN

Wave 9 Recipients of E-rate Funding

Click here to download state reports on the Funding Commitment Decisions in Wave Nine, the largest wave of letters released to date.   This Wave consists of approximately 3700 funding commitment decisions letters totaling $323 million in E-rate funds. The Wave Nine release pushes the total dollars committed to over $1.4 billion, covers 94% of applicants who filed within the E-rate application window, and, for the first time, extends funding to cover internal connections requests for applicants who qualify for a discount level as low as 70%.

Form 471 Minimum Processing Standards

Minimum Processing Standards are the procedures that the SLD uses to review your application when we first receive it. Your application must pass the Minimum Processing Standards in order for us to begin entering your application into our data system.  Click here for Minimum Processing Standards.

10 BEAR Form Tips

If you are among the thousands of E-rate applicants receiving a funding commitment decisions letter in Wave 8 (in the mail now) or Wave 9 (scheduled for next week), you may be preparing to file a Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Form for the first time. Officially known as FCC Form 472, the BEAR Form is the tool you use to request reimbursement for E-rate discounts on approved services you’ve already paid for. The BEAR Form comes with your funding commitment letter; it’s also available on the Schools and Libraries Division Web Site (www.sl.universalservice.org) as a downloadable PDF file and as a type-in/print out form.

Click here to read some reminders about how the BEAR process works-and some tips to make it work well for you.

Fact Sheet on Library Consortia

The Form 470 Guidance Section in the Reference Area now features a Fact Sheet on Library Consortia.

New!! Type-In / Print-Out Your Form 486

The SLD has created a new application tool: a version of the Form 486 that you can download from this Web Site, fill in on your computer, print out, and mail to us. This Form 486 is virtually identical to the PDF (Portable Document Format) file that has been available on our Web Site, but now you can enter information directly into the form rather than just printing out a blank hard copy and then filling out the form by hand.

Type-In/Print Out Form 486

Please note: This form does NOT electronically transmit data to the SLD, but instead makes your completion of the paper form easier and neater.

You must have Adobe's free Acrobat Reader 3.01 installed on your computer in order to access the Form 486.  Click here for information on obtaining this software, as well as specific instructions for downloading the Form 486 from this Web Site.

Please read SLD's "Helpful Hints" for using the new Type-In and Print-Out Forms 470, 471 and 486.

Application Window Extended to April 6, 1999

To give you more time to prepare your 1999-2000 E-rate application, and to increase the chances that you'll have heard a decision on your 1998 application before you need to apply for Year 2, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) has officially extended the closing date of the Year 2 application window to 11:59 p.m. ET on April 6, 1999.

In order to be considered "in the window," you must file Form 470, wait 28 days, and then file Form 471 so that your entire application, including all paper attachments and certifications, is received by SLD by 11:59 ET on April 6. Technically, this means that the last day to file Form 470 and complete the rest of the process within the window is March 9-but you would have to sign any new contracts, complete and sign Form 471, and hand-deliver it to the SLD office in Lawrence, Kansas all on April 6 if you waited that long to file Form 470. WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU FILE YOUR FORM 470 NO LATER THAN MARCH 5, 1999. Click here to begin filling out your Form 470 online.

The previous recommended Form 470 filing date was February 5 for a window closing date of March 11.

While this window extension gives you almost a month more to start and complete your Year 2 application, we urge you to begin filing as soon as possible. If you file your Form 470 now, you will:

• Avoid the heaviest traffic on our Web site (www.sl.universalservice.org ) and customer service line (888/203-8100).
• Give our data entry staff the opportunity to contact you to resolve any problems with your paper applications.
• Allow yourself adequate time to complete your competitive bidding process and prepare your Form 471 with care.
• Be among the early Form 471 applicants to be reviewed and acted upon as we move toward funding commitments for 1999-2000.
• Observe the Passover and Easter holidays that immediately precede the April 6 deadline without having to worry about rushing your Form 471 application and attachments into overnight mail on Monday, April 5.

For help filing your Form 470 in a timely fashion, please see "Top 10 Reasons You Should File Your Year 2 E-Rate Application NOW" (at www.sl.universalservice.org or via fax-on-demand, 800-959-0733, document #206) and the forthcoming "Quick Tips for Filing Your Form 470 - Even If You Don't Have a 1998 Funding Letter Yet."

Wave 7 Recipients of E-rate Funding

Click here to download state reports on the Funding Commitment Decisions in Wave Seven. This Wave consists of 1,500 funding commitment decisions letters totaling $140 million in E-rate funds. The average commitment in this wave is over $93,300 per applicant.

More Waves to Come!

With the Wave 7 commitments plus the number of applicants notified that their requests could not be funded (due to ineligible services or internal connections below the discount threshold), SLD has responded to more than two-thirds of its 1998 in-the-window applicants. Approximately $760 million has been committed through Wave Seven, or about 40% of the available funding.

Wave Seven is NOT the last wave of E-rate funding commitments for the year. It will be followed by two to four additional waves before the process is concluded. While we had hoped to make the vast majority of commitments by the end of January, and worked diligently to do so, we are also committed to providing detailed review of each application for compliance with program rules, as we agreed to do in the course of our audits by both the General Accounting Office and PricewaterhouseCoopers. We are completing our final review of each application as quickly as we can without sacrificing assurance of program integrity, and have continued to add staff resources to expedite the overall review process.

Please watch the SLD Web Site (www.sl.universalservice.org) and our Newsflash distribution for more information about the schedule of upcoming funding commitments. We are also encouraging all current and potential E-rate applicants to get their 1999-2000 Form 470 in as soon as possible to begin the E-rate process for Year 2.

BEAR Form Deadline of January 31, 1999 Will Not Be Enforced

The SLD is aware that some applicants may not be able to meet the January 31, 1999 deadline for filing their Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Forms due to the timing of the receipt of their funding commitment decisions letters, and due to the processing time for completing the BEAR Form (including obtaining a signed Block 4 Acknowledgment from their service provider). Please be advised that the SLD will NOT ENFORCE the January 31, 1999 deadline for submitting the BEAR Form.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit their BEAR Forms as soon as possible after receiving their funding commitment decisions letters. Until we receive and process your BEAR Forms, your service providers are not required to reimburse you for eligible services you have paid for to date, nor will they be able to begin rendering discounted bills for your services. Once all of our funding commitment decisions letters for the first program year have been issued, SLD will announce a final deadline for submission of all BEAR forms still outstanding.  Click here for the BEAR Form and Instructions.

Update: Type-In / Print-Out Your Forms 470 and 471!

The SLD has created two new application tools: versions of the Form 470 and Form 471 that you can download from this Web Site, fill in on your computer, print out, and mail to us. This represents another alternative to filing your Forms 470 and 471 online or hand-writing/typing these applications. These Forms 470 and 471 are virtually identical to the PDF (Portable Document Format) files that have been available on our Web Site, but now you can enter information directly into the forms rather than just printing out blank hard copies and then filling out your applications by hand.

Please note: These forms do not electronically transmit data to the SLD, but instead make your completion of the paper forms easier and neater.

You must have Adobe's free Acrobat Reader 3.01 installed on your computer in order to access the Forms 470 and 471.  Click here for information on obtaining this software, as well as specific instructions for downloading these forms from this Web Site.

Please read SLD's "Helpful Hints" for using the new Type-In and Print-Out Forms 470 and 471.

New Thresholds Established for Internal Connections Funding

With Wave 6 of our 1998 funding commitment decisions letters, which we will issue this week, we’ve been able to further refine our working thresholds for funding internal connections requests. Specifically, Wave 6 will feature:

• funding commitments for internal connections at the 77% discount level and above, and
• notification that funds will NOT be available for internal connections requests of 61% and below.

Our previous internal connections thresholds were funding for 80% and above/no funding for 49% and below, respectively.

We do not yet know definitively if we will be able to fund internal connections requests at discount levels from 62% to 76%, but each day of processing brings a more precise measure of the funds that will be available for internal connections after all Priority One requests for telecommunications services and Internet access are accommodated.

In the meantime, with Wave 6 we will also begin issuing separate funding commitment decision letters responding to different service requests within one application. This will mean that applicants with internal connections requests between 62% and 76% included on their Forms 471 along with telecommunications services and/or Internet access requests will not have to wait for further refinement of our internal connections funding thresholds before getting a commitment on their Priority One services.

Our goal is to get information into applicants’ hands more quickly while encouraging all to move forward with their applications for Year 2. As a reminder, the 100-day application window for the 1999-2000 program year will close on March 11, 1999, at 11:59 p.m. ET. In order to apply "in the window," you must submit Form 470, wait 28 days, and then file Form 471 so that your entire application, including paper attachments and certifications, is received by SLD by March 11. We urge you to start the application process NOW, and to file your Form 470 no later than February 5, 1999.

Top 10 Reasons you Should File Your Year 2 E-rate Application NOW!!

Click Here to view the Top 10 Reasons you should file your Form 470 and Form 471 Now!

Letter from Kate L. Moore, President of SLD: Important Waves Schedule Update

Click here to read a letter from the President of SLD, Kate L. Moore.  This letter includes an update to the SLD waves schedule, guidance on applying for Year Two, and more information about the SLD merger with USAC.

Database Error Issues

The SLD is aware that some applicants and vendors are receiving database error messages while using certain areas of this Web Site.  Please be assured that we are seeking a solution.  

An Example of the Error: "Microsoft OLE DB Provider for ODBC Drivers error '80004005'

Unspecified Error

/forms/eligible_review.asp, line 252"

Tips on working through this problem:

1. Try to access the SLD Web Site in the early morning (before 10 AM ET) and in the evening (after 7 PM ET).  The occurrence of this error is related to the number of users accessing the SLD Databases.

2. Use the Web Site's "Previous" and "Next" buttons to move back and forth through the area of the Site where you are experiencing the error.

3. If you are experiencing this problem while filing online, you may need to use the application's "Save and Exit" feature to save your information and complete your application at a different time.

We deeply regret this inconvenience at this critical time, and we are working aggressively to solve this problem.

NOTE: For those applicants that are facing deadlines for filing the Form 470, please be aware that the SLD has developed a new application tool: a version of the Form 470 that you can download from this Web Site, fill in on your computer, print out, and send to the SLD (See the announcement above.)  While this Form 470 does NOT electronically transmit data to the SLD, it may make your completion of the paper form easier and neater.

Wave 5 Recipients of E-rate Funding

Click here to download state reports on the Funding Commitment Decisions in Wave Five.   This wave features 4,575 letters committing $211,929,917.27 to school and library applicants in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Online Form 471: Important News and Technical Requirements

A Pilot Year for Online Form 471

For the 1999-2000 application period, the online electronic version of Form 471 is being launched as a pilot.

Development of a fully functioning, robust online application system for Form 471 in time for this application period required SLD to make some very specific technology choices.

We are actively exploring how to broaden the reach of the Form 471 online application, and the experience of those who use the 1999-2000 version will help shape the online options for 2000-2001.

Special Note: The strict technical specifications of the pilot online filing of the Form 471 in no way constitute an endorsement of a particular product or technology.  The SLD is committed to providing access to our Web Site for users utilizing a variety of platforms, operating systems, and browsers.

Technical Requirements for Online Form 471

To successfully file Form 471 online for 1999-2000, applicants will need the following technologies:

• Computer: PC (Intel-based or IBM compatible), 486 or higher
• Operating system: Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT or higher
• Browser: Internet Explorer 4.0, Version 4.71 (with capability for running Visual Basic scripts).  (Note: To determine which version of Internet Explorer you have, click "Help" at the top of your browser, then click "About Internet Explorer.")

During this pilot year, the online version of Form 471 will NOT be available to applicants using:

• Macintosh computers or other non-PC (Intel/IBM-compatible) computers
• Non-Internet Explorer browsers such as Netscape
• Versions of Internet Explorer earlier than IE 4.0 / V 4.71 or BETA versions of I.E. 5.0

Alternatives for Filing Form 471

Applicants who cannot or choose not to file Form 471 online can still download/print a hard copy of the form and instructions from the SLD Web Site (www.sl.universalservice.org/Reference/471ORtoc.asp), or may call 888/203-8100 to request a copy of the form by mail. Applicants are also encouraged to monitor the Web Site and SLD fax-on-demand service (800/959-0733) for updates, guidance, and helpful hints for filing their Form 471.

Special Library Wave of Funding Commitment Letters Issued

The Schools and Libraries Division has issued a special wave of E-rate funding commitment letters to library applicants. In this special wave, over 1,300 letters were mailed to library applicants from every state allocating nearly $8 million. This wave brings libraries to 18% of the funding commitment letters and 5% of the E-rate funds issued to date compared to overall library applications which represent 16.5% of all E-rate applications requesting an estimated 3% of the total dollars requested. To view or download detailed state reports from Wave 4b - the special library wave -- click here.

SLC & RHCC Merge into the Schools & Libraries (USAC)

The Schools and Libraries Corporation (SLC) and the Rural Health Care Corporation (RHCC) have merged with the Schools & Libraries (USAC). The merger is effective on January 1, 1999. One entity instead of three is now responsible for administering the telecommunications universal service programs for the Federal Communications Commission. The universal service programs help provide access to modern telecommunications services to schools, libraries, rural health care facilities, and consumers regardless of geographic location or socioeconomic status. The new structure will enable the integrity and focus of the targeted programs to be maintained while bringing additional efficiencies to the administration of the programs.

Read more about the merger of the SLC and RHCC into USAC.

Funding Commitment Questions and Appeals Procedures

How do you contact SLD with specific questions about your funding commitments?  How do you appeal a funding decision?   In the "Appeals and Corrections" in the Reference Area, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD, formerly known as the SLC) provides specific instructions on appeals and questions procedures. The SLD will soon provide detailed Corrections Procedures.

Online Form 471 Now Available

E-rate applicants for the 1999-2000 program year now have the option of filing Form 471 electronically online, rather than manually, on paper. (Applicants can currently download and print out a paper copy of Form 471 for manual filing, and will continue to have this option after online filing becomes available.) Before beginning the Form 471 online, please review the Technical Requirements for filing electronically (below).

Form 471 is the second step in the E-rate application process, and can be filed no earlier than 28 days after posting of Form 470 (which is also available for online filing). In Form 471, applicants list the E-rate eligible services they have ordered and calculate both the costs of these services and their appropriate E-rate discounts for them.

PLEASE NOTE: Applicants who choose to file Form 471 online are still required to provide paper versions of their signed certification page, as well as the attachments for Items 14 and 17. Form 471 will not be considered complete until these paper portions of the application have been received by SLD.

The Schools and Libraries Corporation has established a 100-day window during which all who successfully file both their Form 470 and Form 471 will be handled as if they had filed on the same day. After the window closes, applications will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis. The window opened on December 1, 1998 and will close at 11:59 p.m. ET on March 11, 1999.