If you intend to file a Form 471 for E-Rate reimbursements for Funding Year 2016, you can get a jump start on things while we wait for the filing window to be announced.

Beginning with FY2016, applicants who opt to pay the full cost for E-Rate products and services (discount and non-discount portion) and submit a BEAR form for reimbursement of the discount portion will receive that reimbursement via direct deposit.

That means there is a new E-Rate form in town already up and running in USAC's EPC portal - the FCC Form 498.

The Form 498 provides banking information for direct deposits of reimbursements that will be requested through a BEAR. It must be submitted and processed before you will be able to file any BEARs for FY2016, so it needs to be completed prior to July 1, 2016.

If you ...
          - will be filing an FY2016 Form 471

          - and have set up the Account Administrator for the Billed Entity's EPC account
... then you can file the Form 498 now so you don't have to think about it next spring

A step by step guide for filing the Form 498 is available here along with other EPC training guides:
http://networkmaine.net/erate/EPC/EPC.htm

Reimbursements for Funding Year 2015 and earlier will continue to be sent first to the service provider, who will then send the reimbursement to the applicant.

As usual, this form does not apply to you if you only receive E-Rate through Networkmaine and do not file your own E-Rate applications.

_____________________________________________

 

Anne Perloff
Maine State E-Rate Coordinator for Schools
Networkmaine ... a unit of the University of Maine System

Web: www.networkmaine.net/erate/

Email: [log in to unmask]
 
Phone: 207-561-3584

Fax: 207-561-3531

Mail:
Networkmaine
5752 Neville Hall Rm 244
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469