What To Do If You Have Started a Form 470 

This weekend, the Apply Online page and related tools will be unavailable starting at 6:00 pm EST Friday evening to as late as 5:00 pm EST on Sunday. USAC will be performing its customary website maintenance to prepare for the opening of the FY2011 filing window and also posting the new online Form 470.

Below are the steps you should take if you have not yet completed and certified your Form 470 using the old version of the form. Remember that you cannot cite an incomplete or uncertified Form 470 on a Form 471 Block 5 funding request.

Here are the situations you may be in today:

1. I have not yet started a Form 470.
2. I have started a Form 470 but have not yet submitted it.
3. I have submitted a Form 470 but have not yet certified it.
4. I have submitted but not certified a Form 470 and the authorized person is unavailable.
5. I have submitted a Form 470 on paper and my form status is "INCOMPLETE."
6. I have submitted a Form 470 online and mailed a paper certification, but my form status is still "COMPLETE."
7. I have submitted and certified a Form 470.

And here are the steps you should take either before cutover (this Friday evening) or after cutover (when the Apply Online page and related tools are available again after this weekend):

1. I have not yet started a Form 470.

Before cutover: If you would like to file your Form 470 using the old version of the form, you can file and certify your form online before this weekend. If you would like to file on paper using the old form, it is too late for us to process your form – you can file a paper form next week using the new Form 470 that will be posted on the website.

After cutover: Use the new version of the Form 470 and file and certify it either online or on paper.

2. I have started a Form 470 but have not yet submitted it.

Before cutover: Complete your Form 470 online this week and click on the "Submit" button on the last page.

After cutover: We recommend that you create a new form using the new version of the Form 470 and file and certify it either online or on paper.

3. I have submitted a Form 470 but have not yet certified it.

Before cutover: On the Apply Online page, click on the "Certify Complete" button in the Form 470 column and enter your application number. If you submitted your form online using the Form 470 Interview version, also enter your security code (the first five digits of your application number). If you did not use the Form 470 Interview version, leave the security code blank. Then you can either:

• Click on "Electronic Certification" to certify your form online or
• Click on "Paper Certification" to print a copy of your certification. You can then sign and date the certification where indicated and send the certification to USAC at the address at the bottom of the last page.

After cutover:

• On the Apply Online page, click on the "Search Posted" button in the Form 470 column. Choose Funding Year 2011 and click on the "Next>>" button.
• Enter your Billed Entity Number or Form 470 application number where indicated and click the "Next>>" button.
• Select the radio button to the left of the form you want to certify and then click on the "Review Selected Application" button.
• Using your browser's Print function, print a copy of your entire form.
• Write "CERTIFICATION" at the top of the first page of the printed copy of the form.
• Sign and date the printed copy in Items 27 and 28, respectively.
• Send the entire form to USAC at the address at the bottom of the last page.

4. I have submitted but not certified a Form 470 and the authorized person is unavailable.

Before cutover: Follow the guidance in #3 before cutover above to print a copy of the certification page. When the authorized person is available, ask him or her to sign and date the certification. Then send the completed certification to USAC at the address at the bottom of the last page. (Note: As long as you print the certification before cutover, you can send it to USAC after cutover.)

After cutover: Follow the guidance in #3 after cutover above.

5. I have submitted a Form 470 on paper and my form status is "INCOMPLETE."

Before or after cutover: Call the Client Service Bureau (CSB) at 1-888-203-8100. Your form is in the data entry process and we may be attempting to contact you to supply missing or incomplete information.

6. I have submitted a Form 470 online and mailed a paper certification, but my form status is still "COMPLETE."

Before or after cutover: Call the Client Service Bureau (CSB) at 1-888-203-8100 to find out the status of your certification. We may be attempting to contact you for additional information to complete the data entry of your certification. If we have not received your certification, we may ask you to send us a copy of the certification that you kept for your records.

7. I have submitted and certified a Form 470.

You are all set and do not need to do anything else. You can cite this Form 470 on a Form 471 Block 5 funding request for FY2011.

REMINDER: After cutover, you must use the new Form 470, whether you file online or on paper. If you file a Form 470 on paper using the old version of the form after cutover, CSB will contact you and ask you to supply the additional information required on the new form.

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