FY 2010/2011 Applications: The Final Days

**  FY 2010/2011 Form 471 Application Window Closes February 11, 2010**

Warning: The deadline for filing Form 471 applications for FY 2010/2011, is Thursday, February 11, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST (remember that is 8:59 PST).  Applications submitted online or postmarked after this time and date will be treated as received outside the filing window and stand little chance of being funded.

For those that have to wait until Thursday, February 11, 2010 (waiting for 28 days, etc.) to submit their Form 471s, we offer the following suggestions:

1. For online filers.  If last minute problems are experienced with the SLD’s online data entry system — a real possibility if the system becomes overloaded with last minute filers — it is critically important to document that the filing had been in process when problems developed.  In particular:

We suggest periodic screen printouts — particularly of the screen that appears early in the filing process displaying the Form 471 number and security code.  It is also important to call the USAC/SLD’s help line (888-203-8100) to report problems.  The help line will remain open up to the 11:59 p.m. EST deadline on Thursday, February 11, 2010.  If you call with a filing problem, make sure you retain the assigned Case Number.

Remember that all Form 471s should be certified by the deadline.  If you are not certifying online using your assigned PIN, the certification should be printed out, signed and dated, and mailed by the deadline.  If the application is submitted online and on time, but not certified, USAC will provide notification of a submitted 471 with no cwertification and allow a VERY TIGHT timeline to submit the required documention. This “second chance” should not be considered as an “extended deadline” to submit the certfication. It is absolutely recommended to submit the 471 and the certification at the same time. If at all possible, please do not rely on this “second chance.”

2. When mailing either a complete paper Form 471 or a paper certification to USAC,  we recommend that the postmark be documented.  If using an express mailing service (e.g., FedEx), the electronic pickup date in the tracking system serves as the “postmark.”  Make sure you know the time of the latest express mail pickup in your area.

3. Remember that any Form 470 referenced in a Form 471 must also be signed and certified to be valid.  Any applicant who filed a Form 470 online a month or two ago, but who did not electronically certify it online, should make sure that they didn’t forget to submit their paper certification pages.  The deadline for submitting a Form 470 certification is the same time and date as the Form 471 deadline.

The easiest way to confirm that a specific Form 470 has been certified is to use the Form 470 “Search Posted” feature on the USAC/SLD Web site available at http://www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp.

Under the Form 470 click “Search Posted”

Select Funding Year 2010/2011

Either enter your Billed Entity Number (BEN), or Form 470 Number when prompted

Click the associated button

Click “Review Selected Application”

The first section of a posted Form 470 should show a Certification Received Date.  If this field is blank, and you just mailed the certification, make sure you can document the postmark date.  If you mailed the certification a while ago, and the field is still blank, we suggest resubmitting the certification before the deadline.

Please see the following link for further details:

http://www.universalservice.org/sl/tools/news-briefs/preview.aspx?id=279