March 31 is the final deadline for E-rate applicants to submit another Form 471 covering purchases in Year Two.
The Schools and Libraries Division has indicated that even after reviewing more than 2,000 applications that were filed between the close of the Year Two filing window on April 6, 1999 and March 1, 2000, it will still have about $250 million left to distribute. At this point, however, applicants must have a Form 470 application in place that they could reference in requesting the additional funds.
During this "mini-filing window," a different set of funding priorities will apply than during the traditional E-rate year. First priority goes to applicants with discount rates of 90 and 80 percent that have not previously received funding, or that have received funding only for telecommunications services. Second priority goes to all other applicants with discount rates of 90 and 80 percent. After that, applications are supported on a first-come, first-served basis, determined by the order in which they are received.
The SLD has warned, however, that it will not be able to begin issuing these funding commitments until probably late July at the earliest.
