March 2000 Announcements

Please click on the topic below to view the most recent announcements:

For those applicants who are taking this opportunity to file Post-Window Forms 471 for Year 2 services, remember that for your manually filed application to be considered complete, your application including your Block 6 Certifications and Signature page must be received by the SLD no later than 11:59 p.m. EST on Friday, March 31, 2000. Your application including the Block 6 Certifications and Signature page along with the Block 5, Item 21 Description of Service(s) attachment may be sent via

SLD-Form 471 Year 2
C/O Ms. Smith
3833 Greenway Drive
Lawrence, KS 66046
(888)-203-8100

See additional information on this topic below in the subject labeled "Consideration of Additional Post-Window Year 2 Applications." Note that if you have a Year 2 Form 470 on file for services but were previously unsuccessful in filing your Year 2 Form 471, this is your opportunity to file a new Form 471 for Year 2 services.

For those wishing to deliver these application items in person, following are the directions from the Kansas City International (KCI) Airport to the SLD application processing facility--National Computer Systems (NCS)--in Lawrence, KS. An employee will be available from 8 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. EST daily from Wednesday, March 29 through Friday, March 31, 2000, at the South entrance of this facility to receive your Form 471 application for Year 2 services including Block 6, Certifications and Signature page and Block 5, Item 21 Description of Service(s) attachments.

• As you depart KCI airport, follow all signs that indicate I-29 North or Topeka.

• Once on I-29 North, seek out the signs for I-435 West. Make sure you stay in the right lane. Once you are on I-435 West, it will change to I-435 South: you will stay on this road for approximately 25 miles.

• Stay on I-435 West, until you see signs for K-10 (Lawrence)

• Take K-10 (Lawrence) for about 20 - 25 miles.

• Once you approach Lawrence, the speed limit will reduce to 65 mph. You will need to stay in the right lane.

• You will see a blue sign indicating East Hills Business Park, make a right into the Business Park. At the stop sign you will make a right again. You are looking for a building named NCS (National Computer Systems).

• NCS is around the curve at the bottom of the hill on the right.

On March 16, 2000, the FCC issued a decision in the Copan Public Schools (Copan, Oklahoma) appeal. That decision altered the SLD policy and procedures for making SPIN changes. The SLD is developing new procedures to implement this decision. As soon as all the implications are known, the SLD will issue guidance on what is needed to make SPIN changes. Look for this guidance in the What's New section of this web site. Thank you for your patience. You may read the FCC's decision on its web site , but we urge you to wait for further guidance from the SLD before submitting a SPIN change request to us.

Please note that ongoing updates to the list of those Forms 470 seeking bids for Year 2 services received by SLD on or after October 25, 1999, will now be located in the Vendor area of the web site. You can see the updated list (including today's) by clicking on the last button labeled "Form 470 Applications for Year 2 Services." The most recently filed forms will continue to be featured in chronological order by State with the most recently filed Forms 470 listed first.

The list provides the Form 470 Application Number, Applicant Name, City, and State. The posted description of services identified in these applications can be found in the Vendor area of the web site under "Search Posted Description of Services Requested and Certification Form." To search the Funding Year 2 Form 470 applications identified on this list, you will need to enter Funding Year 3 from the drop-down box labeled 7/1/2000 - 6/30/2001. Enter the application number to see the request for services which are needed during Funding Year 2 (through June 30, 2000).

View Today's Updated List

Click here for today's updated list of those Forms 470 seeking bids for Year 2 services that were received by SLD on or after October 25, 1999 (after the Year 2 operating system was no longer being used). This update includes newly filed Forms for Year 2. Note that the most recently filed forms are featured in chronological order by State with the most recently filed Forms 470 listed first.

The list provides the Form 470 Application Number, Applicant Name, City, and State. The posted description of services identified in these applications can be found in the Vendor area of the web site under "Search Posted Description of Services Requested and Certification Form." To search the Funding Year 2 Form 470 applications identified on this list, you will need to enter Funding Year 3 from the drop-down box labeled 7/1/2000 - 6/30/2001. Enter the application number to see the request for services which are needed during Funding Year 2 (through June 30, 2000).

To assist service providers and applicants in identifying those Forms 470 seeking bids for Year 2 services that were received by SLD on or after October 25, 1999 (after the Year 2 operating system was no longer being used), click here for a current list. Watch the web site for further information as to where updates to the list will be located. These updates will include newly filed Forms for Year 2.

The list will provide the Form 470 Application Number, Applicant Name, City, and State. The posted description of services identified in these applications can be found in the Vendor area of the web site under "Search Posted Description of Services Requested and Certification Form." To search the Funding Year 2 Form 470 applications identified on this list, you will need to enter Funding Year 3 from the drop-down box labeled 7/1/2000 - 6/30/2001. Enter the application number to see the request for services which are needed during Funding Year 2 (through June 30, 2000).

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC), in its role as Fund Administrator, announces that it will consider applications for Year 2 (July 1, 1999 - June 30, 2000) that were received by SLD after April 6, 1999 and before March 2, 2000. These applications will be considered after SLD issues the last wave of funding commitments on Year 3 applications that were received within the Year 3 window (between November 10, 1999 and January 19, 2000).

We expect that we will complete our review of in-the-window Year 3 applications by late May 2000. Depending on the volume of additional applications for Year 2 we receive, we hope to be able to make commitments on post-window Year 2 applications before the end of July. With respect to recurring charges, they will have to have been for services delivered during the period July 1, 1999 and June 30, 2000. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) will determine whether to extend the funding year for non-recurring charges, such as the installation of internal connections.

Further, SLD announces that there will be less than $250 million available for additional funding requests for Year 2, and that SLD will continue to accept Forms 471 for Year 2 funding requests for another 30 days, until 11:59 PM ET on March 31, 2000. These Forms 471 must be filed pursuant to a Form 470 filed for Year 2 (i.e., after December 1, 1998) and the requisite 28-day waiting period. Consistent with FCC rules, applications received between March 2, 2000 and March 31, 2000 will be considered in the order set forth below. If remaining funds are insufficient to fully fund all approved requests within any of the priority tiers below, Funding Requests (or applications in the last tier) will be considered in the order in which they were received.

• The highest priority will be given to Funding Requests (that is, individual Funding Request Numbers (FRNs) even if they are on applications with other FRNs at lower discount percentages) at the 80-90% discount level (defined by the rules as representing the most disadvantaged schools and libraries), where the applicant did not receive discounts for Year 1 or Year 2 and/or where the applicant received discounts only for basic telephone service in prior applications for Year 1 or Year 2;

• The next highest priority will be given to Funding Requests at the 80-90% discount level, where the applicant received discounts for any eligible service in prior applications for Year 1 or Year 2;

• Final priority will be given to all other Funding Requests and applications received between March 2, 2000 and March 31, 2000.

If you wish to file a FCC Form 471 (Services Ordered and Certification Form) during this 30-day period, you must use a Year 2 form (i.e., dated December 1998). This form is available by downloading it from the SLD web site. It is also available from the Client Service Bureau by calling 1-888-203-8100. This form must be filed manually. When properly completed, it should be mailed to:

SLD-Form 471 Year 2
P.O. Box 7026
Lawrence, Kansas 66044-7026

or sent by express delivery service or U.S. Postal Service, Return Receipt Requested, to:

SLD-Form 471 Year 2
C/O Ms. Smith
3833 Greenway Drive
Lawrence, Kansas 66046
888-203-8100.

The new 30-day period will make it difficult to file a Form 470 to order new services, wait the required 28 days before signing contracts, and then submit a Form 471 by the 30th day.However, if you wish to try to file a Form 470 and a Form 471 during these 30 days, click HERE for further instructions.