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NC School Connectivity Initiative

Important December Actions and Reminders

December 3, 2021

Hi all. We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving and are preparing for your Winter Break.  The information below includes important reminders and things to do to prepare for the upcoming E-rate filing season.  Please read carefully and take action immediately for entity updates and 470 filings. ECF updates are included below as well.  Please keep in mind that E-rate and ECF are separate programs and do not interrelate.  You must keep up with both and in a timely manner.  

E-rate: 

Admin Window and Entity Profile Updates 

  • All Profile Updates must be made before the opening of the Form 471 filing window (no date from USAC yet). We recommend your updates (minus enrollments via SVF) should be completed before your holiday break. 
  • We have reviewed many of your profiles and there is lots of missing, outdated and erroneous information throughout. 
  • Please begin making these changes now using the documentation on our website. We have included a slide deck of instructions and a checklist for the changes necessary.  
  • Enrollment and NSLP/CEP, Base Year data will be provided as soon as possible via the SVF (State Valid File). 
  • Do not wait to begin entity updates please, updates are not optional.  

Form 470s 

  • These should be filed ASAP (at least before your holiday break). 
  • Remember your 470 should be posted for a minimum of 28 days.  

CAT2 Prep and Survey 

  • Please be preparing your CAT2 projects for FY22. Prepare your Scope Of Work (SOW) and what you plan to have done. You should already be getting your quote requests ready to be sent out to vendors. Please refer to our training page if you need assistance.  
  • Remember to fill out the CAT2 survey by January 10, 2022. Survey link here. 

NCREN Connections 

  • Be sure to be in contact with MCNC regarding internet upgrades, new or changing circuits, etc. Remember MCNC offers free engineering support to you! Reach out to cne@mcnc.org  

ECF: 

  • Reviews and requests for DUNS and EIN numbers have begun for Window 2 filings. Please be prepared to provide this information to reviewers. 
  • Documentation: please remember that you are held to the same 10-year document retention rules. Make sure you are keeping copies of everything: quotes, invoices, packing lists, inventory, PIA requests and responses. For more information click here. 
  • You will be asked for documentation regarding shipping dates and product receipt dates. Make sure you are prepared with this documentation: shipping alert emails, packing lists with serial numbers, etc. 
  • Your equipment must be in use in order to be reimbursed. USAC will not reimburse you for hotspots that show no usage or equipment not actively being used for the purpose of the program.