In order to request and receive E-Rate reimbursements for the 2013-2014
funding year, you will need to file a Form 486. Some of you can do this
on July 1 (if you have already received a funding commitment decision
letter as part of one of the early funding waves and services start on
July 1) and others will be able to soon (once you have received a
funding commitment decision letter and services have started).
Answers to some frequently asked questions about the filing of the Form 486 are below.
When Do I File a Form 486?After
applicants receive a funding commitment from USAC and services have
started for that funding year, applicants can file FCC Form 486 to
notify USAC that services have started, authorize the payment of
invoices for those services, and to certify CIPA compliance. For
Priority 2 applications, it also informs USAC that your technology plan
has been approved and indicates the name of the certified approver.
Applicants
will wait for both a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) and the
start of services (typically July 1 of the funding year) before filing
the Form 486. These two events will not necessarily occur in that order
depending on the date of the funding decision. It is quite possible, and
in fact very likely, that services will begin before a funding
commitment has been awarded.
For Priority 2 filings, in addition
to needing to wait for both an FCDL and the start of services, a Form
486 cannot be filed until the technology plan has been approved by the
Maine Department of Education.
When is the Form 486 Due?The
Form 486 is due within 120 days of the date of the Funding Commitment
Decision Letter (FCDL) or the start of services (whichever is later) and
so therefore the Form 486 deadline varies depending on which date you
were funded. You will want to keep track of this deadline because if
your 486 is late, USAC will deduct a portion of your funding for each
day that it is late.
Note that BEAR Forms to request reimbursement for bills paid in full cannot be filed until the Form 486 has been filed.
What If I Haven't Received a Funding Commitment Decision Letter?
If
you have not yet received your FCDL, you cannot submit a Form 486 for
those FRNs still pending a funding decision. Once funded, you will then
have 120 days from the date of the FCDL to submit a Form 486.
If
some of your FRNs have been funded and others not, you will want to make
sure you keep track of the deadlines for each Form 486 and file
accordingly.
Where Do I File?I would encourage
you to file the Form 486 online using the 'Create Form 486' tool
available on the "Apply Online" page on the USAC website
(
http://ext.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp).
- If you have a PIN, you can certify the form online and do not have to mail in the certification/signature page.
- If you don't have a PIN, you can still submit your form online, but
you must mail in the certification/signature page, and it must be
postmarked by the due date.