*** Note that the below information only applies to entities that file
their own E-Rate forms. If you only participate in E-Rate as a member of
the Networkmaine Consortium and do not file for any additional E-Rate
funding, then you do not need to complete these steps. ****


As always, there are a few E-Rate forms from multiple funding years to take
care of this time of year that you might want to get done before the fall
semester begins to get them off your plate.


*FY2020 BEARs*

File any outstanding FY2020 BEARs to request reimbursement for bills paid
for 2020-2021 products and services. Depending on how often you file BEARs,
this could be for the entire funding year, or just the last quarter or last
month.

As of July 12, you no longer have to enter your full BEAR PIN credentials
after logging into One Portal using multifactor authentication. Choose the
BEAR Form option on your One Portal dashboard to access the BEAR Form login
screen, enter the appropriate Billed Entity Number (BEN), click the Login
button, and start or continue working on a BEAR Form for that BEN.

If you do not have access to BEARs through your One Portal dashboard - the
most common reason being you have never filed BEARs - instructions for
obtaining access are in the attached BEAR guide along with the steps for
filing a BEAR form.

*FY2020 BEAR Deadline:* October 28, 2021


*FY2021 Form 486*

After receiving a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) for a Funding
Request Number (FRN), this form is the next step to be completed in order
to request E-Rate reimbursements. The Form 486 notifies USAC that services
have started and that invoicing for the E-Rate discount portion of those
services can begin, and also certifies the entity's CIPA compliance.

Instructions for filing a Form 486 are attached.

Every FRN on every Form 471 for which you receive an FCDL must be included
on a Form 486. As your various FRNs are likely to appear in different
funding waves, you may very well end up with different Form 486 deadlines.
Keep track of the deadline for each FRN because if your Form 486 is late,
USAC will deduct a portion of your approved funding. When you log into EPC
and create a new Form 486, only those FY 2021 FRNs which have already
received an FCDL will be available to include on a Form 486.

*Form 486 Deadlines:*

For those FY2021 FRNs in the early funding waves dated prior to July 1
(assuming services started on July 1):
October 29, 2021

For those FY2021 FRNs with an FCDL dated July 1 or later:
120 days after the date of the FCDL or the start of services (whichever is
later)


_________________________________________________

Anne Perloff
Maine State E-Rate Coordinator for Schools
Networkmaine, University of Maine System US:IT

Web: erate.networkmaine.net

Email: [log in to unmask]

Phone: 207-581-3584

Mail:
Networkmaine
5752 Neville Hall, Room 255
Orono, ME 04469-5752