• PY2 funding update
• Unused funding for PY1
• New NYS E-rate workshops

The following is a summary of the E-rate news for the week of November 1, 1999, prepared by E-Rate Central. Official SLD news appears in the "What’s New!" section of the SLD’s web site. Additional information and interpretations appear elsewhere on this web site.

PY2 funding update

Wave 18 of Funding Commitment Decisions ("FCD") Letters for program year two ("PY2") is scheduled to be mailed today. The wave totals approximately $171 million, including $17 million for New York State applicants. (Totals for wave 17, which were not available for last week’s news release, were $186 million and $12.5 million, respectively.) The latest wave brings PY2 funding to $1.74 billion, surpassing total funding for all of PY1.

The SLD expects that there will be two more funding waves (followed, perhaps, by a series of funding "ripples" dealing with a limited number of problem applications).

Unused funding for PY1

The SLD has initiated an inquiry regarding PY1 funding awards to applicants who have not yet filed corresponding Form 486s. Nationwide, FRNs representing approximately $150 million (or 9% of total PY1 funding) have not been activated. Applicants who have not yet filed 486s will be notified shortly and alerted to the impending December 15 deadline for the submission of BEAR reimbursement forms.

An applicant, not planning to use any portion of a specific funding award, should file a Form 486 to cancel the FRN (by entering "Yes" in column H of Block 2).

New NYS E-rate workshops

By popular demand, two additional NYSED E-rate workshops for applicants have been scheduled for the week of November 29. A special workshop for vendors also will be held in NYC on December 2. (See the listing below and the E-Rate Central web site for registration information.)

These half-day workshops have been designed to address the needs of both new and experienced participants in the E-rate program. The presentations will address the entire application process with special emphasis on the new forms, procedures and contract requirements for the 2000-2001 program year.

School and library workshops:

Mid-State area: 1-4 p.m., Monday, November 29 at Oneida-Herkimer-Madison BOCES, Settlement Road, New Hartford, NY.

New York City area: 2-5 p.m., Thursday, December 2, in the NYS Public Service Commission Boardroom, 8^th Floor, One Penn Plaza, New York, NY.

Service provider workshop:

New York City area: 9-12 a.m., Thursday, December 2, in the NYS Public Service Commission Boardroom, 8^th Floor, One Penn Plaza, New York, NY