Commitments for Funding Years 2014 and 2013

Funding Year 2014. USAC will release Funding Year (FY) 2014 Wave 38 Funding Commitment Decision Letters (FCDLs) on January 28. This wave includes commitments for approved Priority 1 (Telecommunications Services and Internet Access) requests at all discount levels. As of January 23, FY2014 commitments total over $2.12 billion.

Funding Year 2013. USAC will release Funding Year (FY) 2014 Wave 80 FCDLs on January 29. This wave includes commitments for approved Priority 1 requests at all discount levels. As of January 23, FY2013 commitments total just under $2.13 billion.

On the day the FCDLs are mailed, you can check to see if you have a commitment by using USAC's Automated Search of Commitments tool.

USAC Tools that Provide Program Data

USAC has – or is developing – a number of tools that allow program participants to view and/or download specific program data. Below is a list of these tools, together with information on what you need to supply to do a search and what data will be returned.

- DATA RETRIEVAL TOOL (DRT)

Description: This tool allows searches for various information related to application processing, funding commitments, and disbursements.

Search criteria: The user must choose (1) Funding Year and indicate (2) state, Billed Entity Number (BEN), or Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN). There are also optional criteria that the user can choose to limit the search results.

There is a standard report, which includes 10 of the fields most commonly requested, or a "Select Data Points" option which allows the user to select from a menu of data points that include identifying data, billed entity information, service provider information, funding request related dates, original and current discount funding request data, funding decision data, and invoicing data.

Formats: The user can choose Excel, tab-delimited text, or XML.

Data returned: Either the standard report or the data points chosen by the user for the funding year and state, BEN, or SPIN are returned in the requested format.

- SEARCH COMMITMENTS

Description: This tool allows searches for commitment data by funding year and applicant name, city, state, zip, and/or wave number.

Search criteria: This tool is organized first by funding year, then wave number, then state, then Funding Request Number (FRN). At each level, clicking a hyperlink takes the user to the next level. Users can also enter search data directly into the field labeled "Basic Search" to find specific information or click "Advanced Search" for more search options.

Formats: The search results are in HTML. An Excel logo with the word "Export" on it allows the user to download the data in Excel.

Data returned: For funded FRNs, the applicant name, address, type, service type, discount percentage, and funding commitment are returned in HTML and Excel. In addition, if the users chooses the Excel option, the FRN is included.

- DOWNLOAD 470 INFORMATION

Description: This tool allows downloads of information on filed FCC Forms 470.

Search criteria: The user selects funding year, posting date range, state(s), service type(s), and type(s) of application. The search returns information from most of the fields in all FCC Forms 470 that fit the chosen criteria.

Formats: The user can choose Excel, tab-delimited text, or XML.

Data returned: The search returns information entered in the fields in all complete or certified FCC Forms 470 that fit the chosen criteria.

- VIEW A 470

Description: This tool allows users to search for and view a specific complete or certified FCC Form 470.

Search criteria: The user provides a funding year, and can also limit the search by choosing or entering specific form-related criteria.

Formats: The search results are displayed in a table. Clicking a magnifying glass icon to the left of a single form returns a view of that form in HTML.

Data returned: A view of the chosen form.

- SEARCH URBAN/RURAL STATUS

Description: This tool allows users to find the urban/rural status of an individual school, individual library outlet/branch, school district or library system.

Search criteria: The user must enter the entity number of an individual school or library outlet/branch, or all of the entity numbers of the schools in a school district or library outlets/branches in a library system.

Format: The search results are returned on an HTML page.

Data returned: For each entity number, the status of urban (U), rural (R), or cannot be determined (?) is returned. For a school district or library system, the urban or rural status is returned if the urban or rural status of a sufficient number of the individual schools or library outlets/branches can be determined. 

Special note: The Urban/Rural Reports by State displays summary reports that show the urban/rural status for all individual entities in each state.

- DOWNLOAD 471 INFORMATION

Description: This tool – Phase 1 of which will be available early next week – will allows users to download data from FCC Forms 471.

Search criteria: The user chooses funding year and state.

Format: The data are returned in a zip folder containing seven Excel files. The names of each individual file indicates the section(s) of the FCC Form 471 from which the data were pulled to create that file.

Data returned: All data entered on complete and certified FCC Forms 471 for the chosen state, with the exception of detailed pricing data that the applicant has reported as confidential.

Special note: Phase 1 will be useful to users who are accustomed to manipulating large amounts of interrelated data. Phase 2, which is currently in development, will provide an interface similar to the Data Retrieval Tool to allow users to choose specific search criteria and receive data that match those criteria.

- VIEW A 471

Description: This tool allows users to search for and view a specific complete or certified FCC Form 471. There are separate tools for FY2015 and for funding years prior to FY2015.

Search criteria: For both tools, the user must specify an FCC Form 471 application number. To see certain data (funding years prior to FY2015) or data reported by the applicant as confidential (FY2015), the user must supply the security code for that FCC Form 471.

Format: The form is displayed on an HTML page. 

Data returned: A view of the chosen form.

- VIEW 471 STATUS

Description: This tool allows users to view the status of all FCC Forms 471 for a specific applicant and funding year.

Search criteria: The user enters a Billed Entity Number and chooses a specific funding year.

Format: The results are displayed on an HTML page. The chart below the search results contains an explanation of each status.

Data returned: The status of the forms returned in the search results.

- VIEW FRNs WITH EXTENDED DEADLINES

Description: This tool shows the last date to receive service and the last date to invoice for extended Funding Request Numbers (FRNs) in a funding year.

Search criteria: The user chooses a funding year.

Format: The list is displayed on an HTML page.

Data returned: The search results include all FRNs for which either the service delivery deadline or the invoice deadline have been extended. Users must scroll through the list to find a specific FRN.