On October 26, 2020, the USAC Schools and Libraries Committee held its quarterly board meeting. Highlights from the meeting include:
Audit Committee
- Payment Quality Assurance reviews for 2020 are complete (1,200 cases)
- USAC preparing audit plan for 2021 – announcement coming soon
Schools and Libraries Committee:
- Approved Q1 spending of $19.79M – down due to professional services
- Fourth quarter demand has remained the same at $534M
- FY2021 filing window to open no earlier than January 2021 and close in March 2021
- Subject to requirements of Sect. 54.502 and Eligible Services List approval
- May be adjusted as needed
- E-rate scorecard:
- 90% of Apps reviewed for $1.68B through 09/30
- Category Two budgets, summer deferrals attribute to low C2 approvals and percentage of applications reviewed
- Applicants recommended to document anything received under FCC gift rule waiver
- Second FY2020 filing window considered a success:
- 2,000+ applications under review; USAC expects the aggregate to come down are consolidated with first window applications
- 303+ applications approved for $6M
- USAC expects more Fiber Maintenance & Operations funding requests in the future
- 2021 C2 Budget and FCC Form 471 system updates:
- Phase 1- administrative window open
- Phase 2- C2 Budgets, Form 471 and expectation generation updates
- Release Scheduled for 12/15
- Streamlined BEAR disbursements started
- Positive feedback with regards to its release
- SPAC updated to include a checkbox that you a not purchasing equipment which poses a national security threat due to FCC supply chain order
- FY2021 readiness:
- Moving forward with fall trainings
- Awaiting approvals on ESL, PIA procedures and window dates
- Public comments:
- Praise for new C2 Budget Tool
- Compliments on 2nd Filing Window implementation
