Form 471 Filing Window : Nov. 5-Feb. 4

The Schools and Libraries Committee of the Universal Service Administrative Company has approved the filing window for Form 471 for next year. The window will begin on November 5 and close on February 4, 2004. The 2004 Window Application Period will be 92 days long. These dates will be included in new Form 471 instructions for the 2004 funding year, which are in the process of being finalized along with the new Form 471. The SLD decided to provide more time than usual for filing because it concluded that it could still meet its June 30, 2004 target date for issuing decisions on most requests for Priority One services.
E-rate applicants can post the Form 470 any time of the year — although they must wait at least 28 days before signing any contracts with their service providers. Because the 471 filing window will close on February 4 — the last day to post a 470 to the School and Libraries Division Web site for Funding Year 2004 will be January 7, 2004. The SLD will likely look at those "last-day" applicants more closely because that would only give them one day to select a service provider, sign the contact, and file the Form 471 application.