E-Rate 2012: Completing form 471 Funding Year 2012 July 1, 2012-June 30, school year

Helpful Resources Online filing: Funding commitments/disbursements: Iowa E-rate information

Helpful Resources SLD Client Service Bureau – Pam Jacobs (schools and districts) – – Jay Peterson (public libraries) – –

Topics for today’s session 1.Purpose of form Form 471: Filing reminders 3.Form 471: Common errors (and how to avoid them) 4.Form 471: Go through the online application

Form 471--What is it? – It is often called “the E-Rate application.” – The form requires you to indicate » The E-Rate eligible services you want funded » The service provider you want to provide the services » The $ amount you anticipate are needed for each service for school year

E-Rate Checklist 1.Write tech plan and to AEA or State Library – Only needed for priority 2 requests. Not needed for telecommunications services and Internet. 2.File form 470 – Hopefully filed by now (must be filed no later than February 21, 2012) – Put any priority 2 requests on a separate form 470 (away from priority 1 requests)

E-rate Checklist (cont.) 3. Develop bid evaluation criteria document. see sample at 07_training/samples-checklist-vendor-selection- templates.pdf 07_training/samples-checklist-vendor-selection- templates.pdf 4. Evaluate bids and sign contracts/make commitment to service provider – Wait at least 28 days after filing form 470 for this step

E-Rate Checklist (cont.) 5. File form 471 – Deadline to file for school year is March 20, Put priority 2 requests on a separate form 471 away from priority 1 (telecommunications services and Internet.) 6. File form 471 Item 21 attachment – Deadline to submit Item 21 attachments for school year is March 20, 2012

E-Rate Checklist (cont.) 7. Answer questions from USAC Program Integrity Assurance – These questions usually come via in March-summer months 8. File form 486 – Must wait for funding commitment decision letter to arrive before filing form 486. Funding letter usually arrives between May and late summer. Must file form 486 no later than 120 days after the Service Start Date (usually July 1) or 120 days after the date of the funding commitment decision letter, whichever is later.

E-Rate Checklist (cont.) 9. Contact service provider(s) to get discounts on monthly bills 10. No discounts on monthly bills? File form 472 (aka BEAR form) – This form is only filed if no monthly discounts are given. Usually filed either quarterly, semi-annually, or annually, your choice! Must be filed AFTER receiving services and after paying the full bills. Final BEAR form filed no later than late September AFTER the funding year/school year ends.

New: Beginning Funding year 2012 New CIPA requirement (applies only to districts/schools/AEAs) By July 1, 2012, amend your Internet safety policy (if you haven’t done so) to provide for monitoring of online activities of minors and the education of minors in appropriate online behavior, including interacting with other individuals on social networking sites and in chat rooms, cyberbullying awareness and response.

New CIPA requirement For more details on the new CIPA requirement for schools and districts, see form 470 webinar slides at

471 application “window” Filing window opened January 9, 2012 Filing window closes March 20, 2012 – Reminder: You must complete Item 21 attachment by the deadline of March 20, 2012

Form 471 reminders 1.Block 1: Item 3b FCC Registration number is needed (This item should pre-populate….but if not, see “Required E-Rate Codes…”)

Form 471 reminders 2. Block 1: Item 6 g asks for Consultant Registration Number Do not complete this item…leave it blank (it is only used by companies who are paid to complete E-rate applications)

Form 471 reminders 3. Block 2: a. Schools and districts complete column 1 and libraries complete column 2. Indicate services you are requesting on this application b. On block 2, you must enter something on each line, even if it is zero (0)

Form 471 reminders 4.Block 4 asks for additional information Check boxes are included for New construction Administrative entity Classifications (e.g. PreK, HeadStart, Dormitory, Non- instructional facility). Do NOT check HeadStart! Do NOT check Adult Education.

Form 471 reminders 5.Item 21 attachments are due no later than March 20 (close of the form 471 “window”)

Form 471 common errors A.Applicants don’t wait the full 28 days after filing form 470 before choosing a service provider or signing a new contract FIX: Wait at least 28 days!

Form 471 common errors B: “Old” form 470 which led to a multi- year contract did not allow for bandwidth growth in Example: A 3-year contract was signed in early But the form 470 description of the service you filed last year was inadequate for your 2012 needs. (e.g. you asked for exactly 10 mg of bandwidth on your “old” form 470 but need 15 mg for 2012).

Form 471 common errors FIX: If you are using an existing multi-year contract that resulted from an “old” form 470, take a look at your old form 470 to ensure the description of services and quantity/capacity is adequate for time period. – If the “old” form 470 did not allow for needed bandwidth growth, file a new form 470 to allow for it.

Form 470 from This form led to signing a 3-year contract.

Form 471 common errors C. Incorrect contract award and expiration dates are listed in block 5 on form 471 (or incorrect form 470 is cited) Fix: See guidance and examples of contract scenarios on the next slides.

How to handle existing contracts Make sure that there was an “establishing” form 470. A.Old format: 470 had item 7b checked (including multi-year contract box) and 470 was posted at least 28 days before contract was signed. B.New format: 470 was posted at least 28 days before contract was signed.

How to handle contracts Scenario 1: Three-year contract was signed two years ago (January 2010). Form 470 was correctly filed at least 28 days prior to contract signing with adequate bandwidth growth for Scenario 1 process: A.Use the old “establishing” 2010 form 470 number on line 12, block 5. B.Use the funding request number from last year’s 471 on line 15d. C.Use the date the original contract was signed on line 18.

Use the old establishing 470 number

This will be pre-populated when you complete line 12

This number may be found on last year’s form 471 or on your FCDL Use date contract was signed Use date contract expires

How to handle contracts Scenario 2: Contract was signed in August No form 470 was filed prior to signing the contract.

How to handle contracts Scenario 2 process: 1.List and describe the service on a new form Wait 28 days. Consider all bids. 3.If accepting the existing contract as the winning bid, send your self an memorializing the existing contract. (Make sure you go through the bid evaluation process first!) 4.Use the date of the in #3 above as the date the contract award date.

use this year’s 470 number

Do not fill in box 15d 17 will be pre- populated when you complete line 12 Use date of your memorializing to yourself Use actual contract expiration date

Form 471 common errors D. Too little bandwidth/speed for Internet is requested on form 471 FIXES: 1.Be sure you didn’t limit your “quantity/capacity” on form 470 (e.g. “No less than 3 mbps” or “approximately 3 mbps” or “WAN service to all district buildings”) 2. Request enough bandwidth and dollars on form 471

Form 471 common errors E. Form 471 is filed after the window closes FIX: Because you must wait 28 days after filing form 470 to file your form 471, be sure to get the form 470 completed soon! (absolute last day to file form 470 is February 21).

From 471 common errors F.Item 25d has a zero ($0)

Item 25d? Fix: Do NOT put zero in the box. Add up the total for items such as – Undiscounted amount for eligible services (what E-Rate won’t pay) – Hardware and Software (districts: See most recent Certified Annual Financial Report or current local budget documents for these figures)

Form 471 common errors G. Item 25f is checked

Item 25f? Fix: Don’t check this box by item 25f!!!!!

Form 471 common errors H.Internal connections and basic maintenance (priority 2) funding requests are on the same form 471 application as telecommunications services and Internet (priority 1)

Internal connections requests? Fix: If you are requesting internal connections or basic maintenance of internal connections (priority 2), put each request on a separate form 471. If you put priority 2 with priority 1, your application will be delayed for review and funding

What can I do in advance to prepare for form 471?

Get ready for form 471 Your district/library entity number The entity number of each building in your district, including buildings with no students (e.g. bus barn) The free/reduced eligibility numbers for each attendance center

Get ready for form 471 Each service provider’s name and SPIN number Amount of monthly service (or annual service, if that’s how you pay for the service)

Get ready for form 471 Make a chart – Chart template at Form 471: Preparing for Block 5 Form 471: Preparing for Block 5 You might also want to describe the service as well

Get ready for form 471 You will need a detailed description of services ( for online Item 21 attachment) Description of service MUST include eligible funding items!

Form 471: How many forms should I file? – Important: if you are filing for internal connections or basic maintenance of internal connection, file a separate 471 for these services. Do NOT put priority 2 items on the same form 471 as priority 1 items. – For priority 1 only, you may file more than one Form 471, or you may file a single Form 471.

Questions? We are ready to go through online filing. What questions do you have before we go through a practice 471 filing?

Let’s file form 471! (online form 471)

Sample 471 For training purposes, I will show a make- believe school district named “Applicant.” “Applicant” has three schools plus a separate administration building. Two of the schools plus the administration building are served by Windstream as a local phone company. The other school is in a separate town with a different phone provider.

Sample 471 (cont.) The district also has the following: – Long distance provided to all sites by AT&T on month-to-month basis (no contract) – Cellular service, including data plan, provided to all sites on an “old” 3-year contract (signed last year) – Internet provided to all sites by Iowa Communications Network on a newly signed 3- year contract.

Very important Item 21 attachments are due no later than March 20 Your 471 form will NOT be reviewed until Item 21 attachments are received by SLD.

What if I make an error on form 471? Some errors can be corrected once receipt acknowledgment letter arrives. See sample letter at ents/sl/pdf/sampleletters/471RAL.pdf ents/sl/pdf/sampleletters/471RAL.pdf

Questions and Answers Question: – How long must we retain E-rate records/documents? Answer: – Must retain records for five years from the last date you receive E-rate services

SLD Client Service Bureau: – Pamela Jacobs: – – Jay Peterson – – For assistance:

Online filing

Questions?