Title: ARKANSAS
1ARKANSAS
Work Group (AEWG)
2WELCOME
- This will be a quick overview of the E-rate
activity for the summer followed by an overview
of the last 14 FCCs General Resolution Orders
3 Year 10 (2007-2008)
- If you HAVE been funded.
- File 486 within 120 days after FCDL date.
- Cannot file 486 until an FRN has been funded.
- Contact vendors if you would like to receive
discounted bills. - Appeal within 60 days of FCDL date if you
disagree with a decision.
4 Year 10 (2007-2008)
- BEAR deadline is October 28, 2007!
- For recurring services
- (Jan 28, 2008 for nonrecurring services)
- File Invoice Deadline Extension Request within 30
days if you missed deadline. - Submit SPIN change requests by October 28.
- Approval of SPIN change will give you an
automatic invoice deadline extension of 120 days. - Submit SPIN changes using Submit a Question on
SLD website. - File Form 500 to release funding or cancel FRN
5 SPIN CHANGE
- Corrective SPIN CHANGE
- A corrective SPIN change is a notification to
USAC that the SPIN associated with a Funding
Request Number (FRN) is not correct. This occurs
when (1) either the applicant or USAC made a data
entry error or (2) a change occurred that was not
initiated by the applicant. Corrective SPIN
changes include the following - Data entry errors made by the applicant or USAC
when the Form 471 was submitted on paper or by
the applicant when the Form 471 was submitted
online. This includes entering the wrong SPIN on
the Form 471 because you entered the SPIN for
another provider or entering the wrong SPIN
because your provider has multiple SPINs and you
chose the wrong one. - The original service provider has merged with, or
been acquired by, another company and the SPIN
indicated on the FRN has changed. - Other instances when the SPIN indicated on the
Form 471 changed when such change was not
initiated by the applicant.
6 SPIN CHANGE
- OPERATIONAL SPIN CHANGE
- An Operational SPIN change is a request to change
the service provider associated with an FRN. The
change in service providers is the result of a
deliberate decision by the applicant to change
the service provider supplying the services for
an FRN.
7 Split FRNs
- When service on single FRN is provided by two
different companies in a single funding year. - Accomplished by submitting Operational SPIN
Change to SLD. - Must state beginning date and ending date for
each provider - Also include how much should be allotted to
each provider. - 486 required for BOTH FRNs.
8 Data Retrieval Tool
- Most data on SLD website, using DRT
- Download by state, by SPIN, by entity, etc
- Updated nightly
- Shows
- Entity info / 471 / FRN / 470 / SPIN
- if FRN funded
- whether 486 was submitted
- last date to invoice
- original requested amount committed amount
- discount
- invoice paid and by what mode
- etc.
9 2 in 5 Rule for IC
- Determined on an entity basis (ie each school,
library or NIF) - 2006 is the second year for the rule
- All entities on a Block 4 worksheet that received
a positive commitment for IC, are counted as
taking a year - Can erase year if funding not used and Form 500
submitted to cancel FRN. - If a school or library building received IC
funding in 2005 and 2006, that school or library
is not eligible again until 2010.
10 Document Retention
- Documentation retention five years from last
date of service - Training Material
- Eligible Services List
- Copies of
- All forms
- ALL bids and quotes
- Contracts and agreements
- Invoices
- Payment record
- All correspondence between applicant service
provider - Service Provider selection process
11 FCCs Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking
- Released Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM)
- Asks for comments on sweeping changes
- Formula to Schools/Libraries?
- What forms could be eliminated?
- What else should be changed?
- Comments were due Oct. 18, 2005 with Reply
Comments due Dec. 19, 2005 - http//gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/comsrch_v2.cgi
- Enter 02-6 in the Proceeding to view all
comments - No action to-date
12 Recent FCC Decisions
- We note that the primary jobs of most of the
people filling out these forms include school
administrators, technology coordinators and
teachers, as opposed to staff dedicated to
pursuing federal grants, especially in small
school districts. Even when a school official
becomes adept at the application process,
unforeseen events or emergencies may delay - filings in the event there is no other person
proficient enough to complete the forms
13 BISHOP PERRY
- The FCC recognized three types of errors that
should not be cause for outright rejection of an
application - (1) immaterial clerical errors,
- (2) ministerial errors, and
- (3) procedural errors. Below are examples of
these all from the FCC decisions. The first three
are general, followed by more specific examples
14 BISHOP PERRY
- Failure to comply with minimum processing
standards. - Failure to file a Form 470 or 471 in a timely
manner. - Failure to timely file certifications related to
a Form 470. - Clerical errors on the part of applicants who
inadvertently left portions of the Form 470 or
Form 471 blank or made minor errors while
completing the form. - Technical problems, either with applicant's
equipment or while interfacing with the SLD's
online filing system, and thus failed to properly
file electronically. - Rules and instructions for filing a Form 470 or
Form 471 are vague and unclear. - Denial for filing outside the Form 471 filing
window when applicant maintains they submitted
the relevant information on time and it is
difficult to determine whether the error was the
fault of the applicant, USAC or a third party. - Applicants' staff made a mistake that prevented
them from filing on time or inadvertently failed
to file the application forms in a timely manner.
- Applicants had an emergency situation and were
unable to comply with the filing deadline due to
staff illness or relatives of staff members who
were ill. - Failure to file a Form 471 in a timely manner due
to circumstances beyond the applicant's control,
such as school reorganizations or inclement
weather. - Denial of funding for applications because their
FCC Forms 470 were not certified or not certified
before the close of the filing window. - Hardship or impact on the applicant's) should be
considered when analyzing whether a given
application should be funded or rejected
15 Recent FCC Decisions
16 Recent FCC Decisions
17 FCC Office of Inspector General Issues
Report
- Technology Plans
- Beneficiary did not have an approved technology
plan, technology plan was outdated, etc. - Ineligible Items
- Beneficiary was reimbursed for ineligible
products or services. - FCC Form 500
- Beneficiary did not submit a Form 500 to USAC
when the commitment was not fully utilized.
18 FCC Office of Inspector General Issues
Report
- FCC Form 472/474 Items
- Errors in amounts for reimbursement, inadequate
support, etc. - Childrens Internet Protection Act
- Beneficiary did not comply with the Childrens
Internet Protection Act.
19 FCC Office of Inspector General Issues
Report
- Technology Budget
- The beneficiary did not have proper approval for
its budget or an adequate amount budgeted for its
share of the non-discounted costs. - Equipment
- Equipment missing, not installed, no asset lining
maintained, etc. - Discount Calculation
- Beneficiary incorrectly calculated its discount
percentage, could not support the discount, or
could not provide documentation to verify
information on the FCC Form 471.
20 FCC Office of Inspector General Issues
Report
- Service Provider Billing
- Bills not properly prepared or inaccurate.
- Document Retention
- Beneficiary did not maintain the required
documentation or documentation was non-existent.
21RESOURCES
- Schools and Libraries / USAC web site
- Client Service Bureau
- Use the Submit a Question link on the web site
- Fax toll-free at 1-888-276-8736
- Telephone toll-free at 1-888-203-8100
- Form instructions
21
22 RESOURCES
- AEWG E-rate website www.asl.lib.ar.us/arerate/ind
ex.htm - AEWG E-rate list serve
- http//list.state.ar.us/mailman/listinfo/e_rate
- or
- send a message with the word help in it to the
- request address, e_rate-request_at_list.state.ar.us
- Arkansas Contacts
- Wilma Toombs, ADE 501) 682-1286 or
wilma.toombs_at_arkansas.gov - Becky Rains, DIS 501.682.4003 or
- Becky.rains_at_arkansas.gov
23Questions?
23