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NC School Connectivity Initiative

March Madness News!

March 11, 2022

E-Rate:

We have made it to E-rate March Madness folks! With March comes the big FILING DEADLINE! All Form 471s MUST be filed no later than March 22 at 11:59 PM. We, of course, would like you to be finished filing by March 15 if possible. If you need assistance, please do not hesitate to reach out.  

  • We are trying to check Form 471s as they are filed but we unfortunately can’t catch everything.  Please follow these tips and check for common errors: 
    • Upload a copy of new WAN contracts when creating your contract record. It will speed up PIA. 
    • Check for incorrect service start and contract end dates. 
    • Confirm you have been given the correct NCDPI contract numbers. Many of our vendors have multiple contracts under multiple OEMs. We must make sure they are using the correct contract for the products you are buying. This can cause a major issue during PIA if not. 
    • When filing your Form 471 use our BEN to search for these contracts (231411). All of the current contracts begin with NC20C2 and will be followed by two digits. NC SMC are listed in a document on our website. 
    • PIA responses are usually due in 15 days. Please make sure you respond quickly. We are happy to help. 
    • We will not be able to provide third-party documentation to verify any student numbers other than what is on the State Valid File. 
  • Be on the lookout for requests from us for your 2022 Form 479. These forms are required yearly and will be due back to us no later than June 1, 2022. We will send out after the filing window closes with instructions on how to complete. 

PRC073/036 Funds: 

  • As we reach the end of the funding/fiscal year, please be reminded that PRC073/036 funds do not rollover. If you have been unable to spend your PRC073/036 DPI E-rate matching funds due to shortages, etc.; please go ahead and spend them for other approved goods/services. We suggest you encumber funds that DO rollover to cover payment of FY2021 E-rate goods/services. If you have questions, talk to your finance personnel. 

ECF: 

  • All service delivery deadline dates have been extended to 6/30/2023.
  • Invoice deadline dates have been extended to 8/29/2023 FCC Order.
  • You may have received notification that your SAM.GOV account will have some changes coming after April 4, 2022.
  • If you received your reimbursement, can you provide us with the date your BEAR was committed and the date your finance department recorded receipt of the funding from the US Treasury.
  • If you filed a BEAR for reimbursement and indicated you were applying before paying for your equipment, you will likely be asked to show proof of payment later. Please document your payment, save it, and be prepared to provide to USAC.
  • There are some updated FAQs that may pertain to you.
  • Clarification is still coming re: hotspot service utilization.