The Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) released their Quarterly Report on August 2, announcing that they have $100 million currently available to potentially rollover into FY 2011. Based on the FCC’s Third Report and Order, the FCC can direct USAC to apply unused funds to increase the amount of available funding for a particular funding year and every quarter USAC is required to revise their estimates of the unused funds. In FY 2009 and FY 2010, the FCC directed USAC to rollover $900 million in each year respectively to increase the overall funding pot.
The significance of the rollover dollars is that more internal connection projects can be funded as the demand for priority one projects has increased each year since FY 2005. In fact, due to the $900 million rollover amount in FY 2009, the SLD was able to fund priority two applications down to the 77% discount rate.
USAC reported the breakdown of unused funds by year as follows:
- FY 2003 – $ 10 million
- FY 2004 – $ 10 million
- FY 2005 – $ 25 million
- FY 2007 – $ 55 million
The quarterly report also highlighted the number of potentially fundable applications (Form 471s) they have left for each funding year as of June 30, 2010. The breakdown is as follows:
- FY 2001 – 2 potentially fundable applications
- FY 2002 – 2 potentially fundable applications
- FY 2003 – 4 potentially fundable applications
- FY 2004 – 42 potentially fundable applications
- FY 2005 – 49 potentially fundable applications
- FY 2006 – 91 potentially fundable applications
- FY 2007 – 178 potentially fundable applications
- FY 2008 – 304 potentially fundable applications
- FY 2009 – 1707 potentially fundable applications
According to a Funds For Learning Analysis based on available SLD data,
- 28 applicants have pending applications in FY 2001.
- 48 applicants have pending applications in FY 2002.
- 294 applicants have pending applications in FY 2003
- 34 applicants have pending applications in FY 2004
- 51 applicants have pending applications in FY 2005
- 86 applicants have pending applications in FY 2006
- 142 applicants have pending applications in FY 2007
If your school district is still on one of these lists and you are unsure why your applications have been delayed, it would be recommended to reach out to USAC and get a clear understanding as to why and what you possibly can do to help them make a decision on your E-rate applications.
The Quarterly Report also highlights that USAC is in the process of auditing 27 companies to determine compliance.
The Quarterly Report can be viewed here.
