As of this week, the SLD has received approximately 19,000 Form 471 applications for FY 2003. Applicants who have not yet filed their Form 471s are reminded that the window closes Thursday, Feb. 6th at 11:59 p.m. EST. Applications submitted after this date will not be funded. Here are some last minute reminders and suggestions:

(2) Timely submission of an application means one of the following:

(3) It is strongly recommended - but not required - that all Item 21 attachments needed for all Block 5 funding requests be mailed before the close of the window.

(4) We strongly recommend using an express mail service when mailing anything to the SLD so as to be able to track and document the date the material was sent and received.

(5) Do not wait until the final hours of the window to try to complete a Form 471 online. Historically, the SLD server is heavily loaded at this time and is subject to slow response times and/or failure. If the server fails, you should call to the SLD's Client Service Bureau ("CSB") at 888-203-8100. The SLD system will log the status of an application in process, but only if the initial entry screen has been completed and a Form 471 application number has been assigned.

(6) Any applicant who waited until the last possible day to post a Form 470 for FY 2003 should remember not to sign or file the associated Form 471 too early. A Form 470 filed on January 9th has an Allowable Vendor Selection/Contract date of February 6th. Vendor selection and contracts can not be made, nor can a Form 471 be signed or submitted, before this date.

(7) An applicant who filed a Form 470 online, without electronic certification must make sure that the required certification pages were signed and mailed to the SLD, also by the February 6th deadline. To check that a Form 470 has been certified, use the Form 470 Search Posted function of the SLD's Apply Online section to review your posted Form 470. The Certification Received Date should not be blank. If in doubt, call the CSB.

(8) For applicant's needing assistance, the SLD's CSB is open during normal 8:00 - 6:00 hours this weekend and is expected to remain open on Thursday until the 11:59 p.m. EST window close.

(9) An updated version of the Form 471 Online Navigation Guide is now available on the SLD Web site (see Online Navigation Guide).

(10) If filing by mail, take time to review the SLD's Minimum Processing Standards in the Form instructions (see Minimum Processing Standards).

(11) An applicant, unable to complete a Block 5 funding request because the service provider is still in the process of obtaining a SPIN, should call the CSB for assistance in the use of a "dummy" SPIN.

(12) A special purpose SPIN (143999999) is available for use when filing for services under a state master contract that is set to expire before the end of the next funding year (see instructions on filing for State Replacement Contracts).

(13) When classifying equipment and services as eligible or ineligible, or as Priority 1 or Priority 2, be careful not to err by more than 30%. See the SLD's new reference information on the "30%Rule" available on the SLD Web site (see 30% Rule). When in doubt concerning the classification of any significant portion of a product or service, create a separate funding request for that component.

(14) Any applicant planning to file for both Priority 1 and Priority 2 services - particularly with a discount rate of 70% or more - should file separate applications for each priority to permit earlier funding of Priority 1 requests.

(15) Funding requests for telecommunications services can only be made if the vendor is designated as an "Eligible Telecommunications Carrier." Carrier designations are indicated by a "Y" in the next to last field of the company information shown in the SLD's online "BEAR/SPIN Search" (see link below).

Two weeks ago, we noted that the SLD was planning to change the approval process for BEAR reimbursement payments that would require the associated vendors to have filed their Service Provider Annual Certification ("SPAC") Forms for the applicable funding year. This week, the SLD announced that this requirement becomes effective for BEARs received after February 28.

The most immediate impact for most applicants will occur with the filing of FY 2002 BEARs after the February 28th cutoff. If, at that point, the vendor referenced by a FY 2002 BEAR does not have a valid FY 2002 SPAC on file with the SLD, that BEAR will not be approved. To help determine the status of vendor SPACs, the SLD has added a new field to the data records available through its online BEAR/SPIN Search (seeSPIN Contact Search). The far right-hand field for every vendor listing shows the funding years for which SPACs have been filed. For a FY 2002 BEAR to be approved after February, this listing will have to include a "2002."

It behooves applicants to check the SPAC status of their vendors now. Specifically:

(1) If an applicant plans to file a BEAR covering the first 6-7 months of FY 2002 soon, and the vendor has not yet filed a SPAC, the BEAR should be filed on or before February 28th.

(2) If the BEAR is to be filed later, the applicant should encourage the vendor to file a FY 2002 SPAC now so as not to hold up the applicant's subsequent reimbursement.

(3) If an applicant is about to select a new vendor on its Form 471 for FY 2003, it is worth checking to see if that vendor has filed SPACs. While a vendor may not yet have filed a SPAC for FY 2003, it may be indicative of a future FY 2003 BEAR processing problem if the vendor has not yet filed a SPAC for 2002 or earlier years.

The SLD has appointed Cynthia Schultz as Director of Service Provider Support, a position that has been vacant for the past few months. Ms. Schultz is an attorney with previous experience at MCI/Worldcom and the Department of Justice. Although her role at the SLD is to assist service providers, her work will be important to applicants as well (as, for example, helping to coordinate vendor SPAC filings). Vendors can contact Ms. Schultz via e-mail at mailto:serviceprovider@universalservice.org.