Hi folks!
I wanted to send out more information about the FCC Form 470 and CABIO exemption. My apologies in advance for the long email!
As you all know, the filing window opens TODAY!!
The filing window is open January 18th – March 28th (that is when you can file the FCC Form 471).
For those of you filing the FCC Form 470, that means you must do so by Feb. 28th in order to wait the mandatory 28-day period between filing the 470 and filing the 471. I wouldn’t recommend waiting until the deadline to file
your 470.
Categories of Service:
First, you need to determine which
category (or categories) of service you’ll be needing for FY23 (fiscal year 2023-2024). There are two funding categories for types of services, and you can file for one or both. To be sure all the services/equipment you may want are eligible for E-Rate
funding, please check the most updated
FY 23 Eligible Services List.
When seeking services/equipment, you’ll want to work with your IT staff, or for libraries within the Regional System – your LISS and NSC, for recommendations.
**You should also verify with your local finance office whether or not local procurement rules require you to go out to official bid and if they have specific documentation
you need to utilize when going through the competitive bidding process**
USAC also requires you to issue an RFP (request for proposal) for certain services (whether your local guidelines require it or not) such as leased dark fiber or self-provisioned
networks, for example. Please refer to
USAC’s Request for Proposals requirements (scroll down to the Requests for Proposals section) to determine when the E-Rate program rules require you to submit an RFP.
FCC Form 470:
This is the form that kicks off a new cycle of E-Rate funding and opens the competitive bidding process. You file the FCC Form 470 in your
EPC portal (the link to the form is on your Applicant Landing Page, top right-side)
To see a helpful list of Competitive Bidding & FCC Form 470 FAQs from USAC, click
here!
Here is a good example of one:
Q8: Is
an FCC Form 470 always required?
A8:
No. There are some limited situations where applicants do not need to submit and certify an FCC Form 470:
·
If you have a multi-year contract that is still in effect and the costs/services are still within the terms of the establishing FCC Form
470. However, you do need to file a new FCC Form 471 each funding year and use the prior FCC Form 470.
·
Commercially Available Business class Internet Option (CABIO) Category 1 (C1) services are exempt from the FCC Form 470 posting requirement
if they meet certain requirements.
Which brings us to the CABIO exemption for seeking Category 1 Internet service!
CABIO stands for Commercially Available Business class Internet Option.
You must meet ALL THREE of the criteria below to utilize this exemption.
If you want to view information on CABIO from USAC, you can find that
here.
Again this year, I’m sharing a step-by-step guide for filing the FCC Form 471 utilizing the CABIO exemption (created by and graciously shared with permission from my E-Rate colleague, Julie Tritt Schell, in Pennsylvania). You can find
the guide here -
http://e-ratepa.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/CABIO-Bidding-Exemption-Guide.pdf
I know this is a lot of information, but hopefully the provided USAC links will help you navigate the filing process more easily!
As always, should you need assistance or have questions there are a number of ways to get help:
Happy filing!
Liz Thigpen Schreck | Director
Ocoee River Regional Library
State E-rate Coordinator for Public Libraries
Office of Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett
718 George St., NW, Athens, TN 37303
P. (423) 745-5194 – office; (423) 649-1583 - direct
Regional Toll Free - (855) 692-8186
Fax (423) 649-1501
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