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E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 24 May 2010 17:15:12 +0000

The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) will release a record wave of funding commitment decision letters (FCDLs) to Funding Year 2010 school and library applicants next Wednesday May 26. USAC is sending more than 18,200 letters committing more than $429 million in Universal Service Fund support.

(From USAC press release dated May 18)

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 22:16:42 +0000

Due to adverse weather conditions in many areas of the country that may have prevented applicants from filing their FY2010 E-rate applications by the close of the window, USAC–in consultation with the FCC–has extended the close of the filing window to FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 19 at 11:59 pm EST. All FCC Forms 471 electronically filed or postmarked by that date and time will be considered IN WINDOW.

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:21:41 +0000

If your deadline for delivery and installation of non-recurring services was September 30, 2009, submit your invoices (BEAR Forms 472 or SPI Forms 474) to USAC by NEXT THURSDAY January 28. You will have to request an invoice deadline extension if you miss this deadline.

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 19:34:16 +0000

If you plan to file your Form 470 on paper, make sure USAC will RECEIVE it by next Thursday, January 7, 2010. USAC will make every effort to get your Form 470 posted by the January 14 deadline if they receive it by January 7, but USAC may not be able to post forms in time to meet program requirements if they are received after that date.

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:57:58 +0000

USAC released FY2009 Wave 26 Funding Commitment Decision Letters (FCDLs) this past Tuesday. This wave includes commitments for approved Priority 2 requests (Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections) at 85% and above. As of October 30, FY2009 commitments total over $1.2 billion. Check to see if you have a commitment by using USAC’s Automated Search of Commitments tool.

(From USAC’s Schools and Libraries News Brief, October 30)

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 15:47:30 +0000

You can file your Form 470 now for FY2010 if you have the details necessary to describe the services you are requesting. You do not have to wait for the opening of the Form 471 application filing window to post or certify a Form 470.

(From USAC’s Schools and Libraries News Brief for 10/9/09)

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:22:42 +0000

To participate in the Schools and Libraries Program, potential applicants, recipients of service, and service providers must first determine if they are eligible. To be eligible for E-rate discounts, a library:

must be eligible for assistance from a state library administrative agency under the Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA)
must not operate as a for-profit business
must have a budget completely separate from any schools

Libraries are not required to have received LSTA funds; they must only be eligible to receive it.

(From the USAC Schools and Libraries News Brief 10/2/09)

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:04:13 +0000

If you have a currently approved technology plan, verify the date that your plan expires. If it expires on or before June 30, 2010, you should already be working on the written technology plan that will form the basis for your FY2010 Form 470.

(From Schools and Libraries News Brief September 25, 2009)

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:32:43 +0000

Although we are a few months away from the FY2010 application filing window, applicants should be working on any remaining issues from previous funding years in order to simplify their preparations for the FY2010 window. Below are some tips for applicants:

Finish filing BEAR Forms for FY2008 recurring services. The invoicing deadline for FY2008 recurring services is October 28, 2009–less than five weeks from today.
Check the status of FY2008 non-recurring services. September 30 following the funding year is generally the deadline for delivery and installation of non-recurring services. Although September 30, 2009 is the deadline for most FY2008 non-recurring services, it can also be the deadline for services from earlier funding years if you have received an extension.
File Form 500 to return funds to USAC that you will not need. If you have completed invoicing USAC for the cost of services delivered on an FRN and your properly completed invoice have been paid, check to see if any funds remain on the FRN. If so, it would be helpful if you would reduce the committed amount on the FRN to the exact amount you actually used.
Submit your FY2009 Form 486 if you have not already done so. If your FY2009 FCDL is dated on or before July 1, 2009 and your service start date is July 1, your deadline to file Form 486 is October 29, 2009.

(from USAC’s Schools and Libraries News Brief, 9/18/09)

E-Rate News

WJIL Project Team — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 16:06:28 +0000

Now would be a good time to start gathering up documents that will allow you to easily and correctly complete invoicing activities for any previous funding years. Examples of these documents include customer bills, descriptions of service, BEAR Forms already submitted for the funding year, BEAR Notification Letters, and Quarterly Disbursement Reports.

In addition, you should start collecting important documentation before it gets lost or misplaced. The E-rate Binder on the USAC website contains a suggested list and organizational format that should help you comply with the program’s five-year documentation retention requirement.

(From the USAC’s Schools and Libraries News Brief on 9/11/09)