E-rate Update 2008

1. E-rate Update2008 Julia Benincosa State E-rate Coordinator West Virginia Department of Education

2. Overview • Funding • Service Substitutions • SPIN Changes • Form to Start Services (486) • Invoicing to get reimbursements (472 BEAR) • Filing Right the First Time • Appeals • Form 500 • Returning Funds • MPLS!

3. Funding

4. Funding Timetable • Funding commitments are made by funding year (July 1 – June 30) • Recurring services received July 1 – June 30 (12 months) • Non-recurring services delivered and installed July 1 – September 30 (15 months) • The Window:Form 471 filing window (mid-November to early February before the start of the funding year) • [USAC] encourage[s] you to file online

5. Funding Commitments • USAC issues Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) to applicants and service providers when PIA review is complete • Funding status by Funding Request Number (FRN): • Funded (includes modifications) • Not funded • As yet unfunded (applicant FCDL only) • Canceled • Funds approved for specific services from specific service providers at the applicant’s approved discount rate

6. Service Substitutions

7. Service Substitutions • Sometimes funding is late • Items requested on the Item 21 are no longer available • Change in functionality is required • Products are discontinued • Model number change/replacement

8. Service Substitutions • Other reasons… • Applicant requires increase in services • Example: data line NOTE: Be sure that any items you want to substitute were covered within your Form 470!

9. Service Substitutions • May be filed via: • Regular mail • Fax • E-mail

10. Service Substitution • A service substitution is a change in the products and/or services specified in the Form 471. • Certain conditions must be met: • Same functionality • Doesn’t violation contract provisions or state and local rules/regulations • Doesn’t increase the % of ineligibles • Within the scope of the original Form 470/RFP

11. Global Service Sub Vendors • Involve a product and/or service that is being discontinued, has a model number change, or is being replaced. • The manufacturer or service provider may submit notification to USAC that the product or service is being changed, along with a listing of one or more replacement products or services.

12. Helpful Service Sub Tips • Refer to your original Item 21 attachment. The items and dollars from the From: section must reflect those in your Item 21 attachment. • Be sure to include the dollar amounts, quantities and the make and model of equipment of the From: and To: sections. • If one product is being substituted for several FRNs, be sure to include the changes in quantity and the change in dollars (if any).

13. Helpful Service Sub Tips • Be sure to include your contact information: e.g., name, phone number, fax and e-mail. • If substituting multiple products, include a spreadsheet. • Digital copies are best (faxes can be hard to read) • Send to USAC via Submit a Question

14. Service Delivery Deadlines and Extension Requests

15. Service Delivery Deadlines and Extension Requests • Non-recurring services must be delivered and installed between July 1 of the relevant funding year and September 30, following the June 30 close of that funding year (i.e., 15 months after the beginning of the funding year). • Certain recipients have received or may receive extensions of the deadline for delivery and installation of non-recurring services.

16. Service Delivery Deadlines and Extension Requests Such extensions can occur for various reasons, including: • A Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) is issued by USAC on or after March 1 of the funding year for which support is authorized • Service provider change authorizations or service substitution authorizations are approved by USAC on or after March 1 of the funding year for which support is authorized

17. Service Delivery Deadlines and Extension Requests Such extensions can occur for various reasons, including: • The applicant requested an extension because the service provider was unable to complete delivery and installation for reasons beyond the service provider's control • The applicant requested an extension because the service provider has been unwilling to complete delivery and installation after USAC withheld payment for those services on a properly-submitted invoice for more than 60 days after submission of the invoice.

18. SPIN Changes

19. SPIN Changes--Corrective • A request to correct a Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) is a request to change a SPIN that usually does not change the actual service provider. There are three categories of SPIN corrections that the SLD will consider upon written request. • USAC made a data entry error - or you did: • Service provider or SPIN is incorrectly named or indicated in a Receipt Acknowledgment Letter or a Funding Commitment Decision Letter • (PLEASE NOTE: SPIN corrections CANNOT be used in a situation where the original Funding Request Number (FRN) was denied (such as, for Telecommunications Services where the service provider was determined not to be eligible); denials have to be addressed through the Appeals process. The SLD can grant the appeal if there is evidence that an ambiguity existed about which SPIN to use.)

20. Service Delivery Deadline and Extension Requests • May be filed via: • Regular mail • Fax • E-mail

21. SPIN Changes--Corrective • The original service provider has, in part or whole, merged with, or been acquired by, another company. • Generally, the service provider will do this by requesting a global SPIN change. A global SPIN change may be requested only by the service provider. • There may be occasions where the service provider has not requested the global SPIN change requiring the applicant to bring the situation to the SLD's attention and request a SPIN change. • Other instances when the service provider indicated on the Form 471 was changed, and the applicant did not initiate the change.

22. SPIN Changes--Corrective • Corrective SPIN changes must be postmarked or received no earlier than the date of your Receipt Acknowledgment Letter (RAL), unless you have been contacted by the SLD about this application, and no later than the last date to submit an invoice.

23. SPIN Changes-- Operational • An operational SPIN change may only be requested by the applicant. • The SLD permits Operational SPIN changes when an applicant certifies that: • the SPIN change is allowed under its state and local procurement rules • the SPIN change is allowable under the terms of any contract between the applicant and its original service provider • the applicant has notified its original service provider of its intent to change service providers

24. SPIN Changes-- Operational • Operational SPIN changes must be postmarked or received no earlier than the date of the Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) AND • No later than the last date to submit an invoice • Note that requests for pre-commitment Operational SPIN changes will not be processed

25. SPIN Changes—Operational • The new GRO (Brewster Academy) guidance does allow an operational SPIN change during PIA when the applicant has a non-telecom listed by mistake and can show that the correct SPIN is a telecom provider for P1 TS • April 20, 2007 News Brief: "In general, an Operational SPIN Change can be requested only after a funding commitment has been made. However, starting in FY2007, PIA will allow an applicant to request an operational SPIN Change pre-commitment if the chosen service provider is an ineligible telecommunications provider."

26. SPIN Changes-- Operational • Operational SPIN changes may be requested and approved for tariffed and month-to-month services as well as for contract services • For tariffed and month-to-month services, there would be no issue of the change being permitted under the terms of the contract; however, compliance with state and local procurement rules and notification to the service provider are required • Note that timing of payments may be a critical issue in these instances

27. SPIN Changes-- Operational 2. Operational SPIN change request deadlines • A SPIN change request for a funding request (FRN) must be postmarked or received by the last date to submit an invoice for that FRN

28. SPIN Changes-- Operational • Changes of SPIN in multi-year contracts are conditionally eligible • Existing multi-year contract may be switched to new provider under another multi-year contract without posting a new FCC Form 470 and waiting at least 28 days • The multi-year contract with the new service provider must have an expiration date no later than the original contract. • Neither contract should be longer than any term for the contract described in the original Form 470 or the RFP under which the original service provider was selected.

29. SPIN Changes-- Operational 4. Service substitutions. • A change in service provider, by itself, does not allow a substitution in the specific products or services to be supplied. • Applicants may make a simultaneous request for both service substitution and change in service provider by: • following the steps as outlined in the Service Substitutions procedure • including the service provider change letter described below as an additional attachment to the service substitution request • In the event that a simultaneous service substitution and service provider change cannot be granted due to a problem with one request or the other, the SLD will contact the applicant to determine if the SLD should continue to process the remaining request.

30. SPIN Changes-- Operational 5. When to file Operational SPIN change requests. • Applicants should notify the SLD of their intent to change service providers as soon as the decision is made and should advise the SLD of the proposed effective date of the change. • Unless the applicant indicates an effective date in the future or upon approval by the SLD, the SLD will make no additional payments on the FRN until the SPIN change is reviewed and either: • approved and the SPIN is changed OR • denied and the SLD verifies that additional invoices are for services actually rendered to the applicant by the original service provider

31. SPIN Changes • May be filed via: • Regular mail • Fax • E-mail

32. Form 486

33. Form 486 Form 486 – Services Confirmed • Notifies USAC that services have started and invoices can be paid • Applicant certifies that its technology plan meets program requirements • Applicant certifies its status under Children’s Internet Protection Act (CIPA)

34. Form 486 • Filed online or postmarked no later than • 120 days after the Service Start Date or • 120 days after the date of the FCDL, whichever is later • Service Start Date • Cannot be before July 1 of the funding year

35. Purpose of Form 486 • Form 486, Receipt of Services Confirmation Form – the applicant • Confirms that services have started (or will start, for early filing) and USAC can process invoices • Certifies that a technology plan, if required, has been approved • Supplies the status under the Children’s Internet Protection Act for the entities receiving services

36. Online Filing • Block 1, Billed Entity Information • Block 2, Early Filing and CIPA Waiver Requests • Block 4, Certifications (Items 8–11) • Block 3, Service Information • Block 4, Certifications and Signature

37. Apply Online Form 486 http://www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp

38. Online Form 486 Help

39. Online Form 486

40. Online Form 486

41. Form 486 Block 1

42. Applicant Form ID / FY

43. Contact Information

44. Button Options • Save & Exit saves your work to this point • Reset Page – clears current entries • < Previous goes back one page • Next > goes forward one page

45. Print Preview

46. Form 486 # Security Code

47. Early Filing Waivers

48. Block 4 Certifications Choose your tech plan approver from the dropdown list

49. CIPA Certifications

50. Enter FRN, SPIN, SSD