Today the FCC released an Order
that grants SECA’s request to open a
second FY 2020 E-rate filing window to allow schools to seek additional funding
to cover their unanticipated and increased demand for on-campus Category 1
connectivity resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. The data the FCC used
to support this decision came directly from your responses to the survey we
released in August!
If you have increased your Internet and/or data transmission
service beyond what was requested on your original FY 2020 Form 471, or if you
wish to increase such bandwidth, please read the details of this new funding
opportunity below and plan to submit an application when the window
opens. It will be a very abbreviated filing window.
Filing Window Details:
- The filing window will
open as soon as the Order is published in the Federal Register, which
could take a week or possibly two. I will announce this opening
specifically when it happens.
- The deadline for filing
will be Friday, October 16,
2020.
- Both Internet and WAN
bandwidth can be included, but no Category 2 equipment/services.
Also, only on-campus connectivity is eligible.
- Services from July 1,
2020 – June 30, 2021 are eligible. However, if you increased Internet
bandwidth prior to July 1, those costs would not be eligible because they
fall outside the FY 2020 funding year.
- There is no requirement
to competitively bid the new or upgraded services, with 3 conditions:
a) Applicant
has a previously-filed Form 470 for the services (even if the bandwidth is
different)
b) Applicant
received a FY 2020 FCDL for C1 Internet access and/or data transmission
services (or has an application pending) that relied on that FCC Form 470, and
c) The funding
request submitted during the 2nd filing window must contain a per
megabit cost that is equal to or less than the original contract. Alternatively,
if the price per megabit is higher than the original contract, USAC will limit
the funding commitment to the price per megabit in the original contract.
d) NOTE:
If a school increases their bandwidth beyond what was in the original Form 470
scope, they must competitively bid the additional bandwidth for FY 2021. For
example, if the original 470 was posted in 2019 and was for 500 mb of Internet,
and the school increases it to 1 Gb of Internet due to COVID and wants to keep
the 1 GB of Internet bandwidth for FY 2021, they would have to post a new 470
for FY 2021 that covers the 1 GB.
- Although most schools
will obtain the additional bandwidth from their existing service provider,
they may use a different provider if their existing service provider is
unable to provide sufficient bandwidth to meet the demand.
- The opening of the FY
2021 “Admin Window” (where schools update their enrollment/NSLP data) will
be delayed by a few weeks due to this new application window.
Form 471:
- Applicants that wish to
submit an application in the 2nd Form 471 window must submit
the following information in the narrative section of the new FCC Form 471
funding request:
- The original FY 2020 Form 471 and FRN numbers that
previously relied on the Form 470;
- A statement confirming that the requested E-Rate
discounts are for additional bandwidth needed as a result of COVID-19.
- Additional information about the price per megabit in the
original and new funding requests and highlight any difference in pricing in
order to facilitate and expedite USAC’s review.
- Do not submit a Form
471 now; you must wait until the window officially opens.
If you have questions that are not answered in this message,
please let me know by phone or email.
This decision is wonderful news for the school E-rate
community. Although it doesn’t cover off-campus Internet, hopefully it
will provide some financial relief. I hope you’ll apply if you have upgraded or
need to upgrade your bandwidth.
Thanks,
Todd
