Form 486 Deadlines

The SLD cannot process a payment related to a Funding Request Number (FRN) unless a properly completed Form 486 has been submitted by the applicant and processed by the SLD for that FRN.

The Form 486 must be postmarked no later than:

• 120 calendar days after the Service Start Date featured on the Form 486 or
• 120 calendar days after the date of the Funding Commitment Decision Letter

whichever is later.

Example 1.  If your Service Start Date reported on Form 486 is July 15, 2002 and your FCDL is dated March 24, 2002, then your Form 486 must be postmarked no later than November 12, 2002 (120 days after July 15, 2002, the Service Start Date featured on the Form 486, which is later than the FCDL date of March 24, 2002).

Example 2.  If your Service Start Date reported on Form 486 is November 1, 2001 and your FCDL is dated January 25, 2002, then your Form 486 must be postmarked no later than May 25, 2002 (120 days after January 25, 2002, the date of the FCDL, which is later than the Service Start Date of November 1, 2001).

The date 120 days BEFORE the Form 486 postmark date will become the changed start date for discounted services if the Form 486 is postmarked after the later of the two dates cited above.  If the Service Start Date is adjusted by the SLD, your funding commitment may be reduced to account for the reduction in service time.

To find out if your Service Start Date has been changed, review the Funding Commitment Synopsis of your Form 486 Notification Letter.  If an asterisk appears next to the Service Start Date, your Service Start Date has been changed and a Service Start Date Change Explanation is provided.

If you wish to appeal the change in date and the resulting funding commitment reduction, you may do so either by appealing to the SLD or to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).  Information and options for filing an appeal can be found in the Appeals Procedure posted in the Reference Area of this web site.  Please note the deadlines for appeals.

You are advised to keep proof of the date of mailing of your Form 486.  Please refer to the Proof of Postmark or Delivery posted in the Reference Area of this web site.

In general, filing a SPIN Change request or a Service Substitution request does not affect the deadlines for filing Form 486.

SPIN Change requests. If you have filed or plan to file a SPIN Change request, your Form 486 must feature the correct SPIN for the appropriate FRN(s). Generally, the correct SPIN is the new SPIN (whether the SPIN Change is corrective or operational). You must submit a copy of your SPIN Change request with your Form 486. For information on filing a SPIN Change request, please refer to the SPIN Change Guidance posted in the Reference Area of this web site.

Service Substitution requests. If you have filed or plan to file a Service Substitution request, remember that your Form 486 cannot be filed before services have started. (Early filing may not apply if services cannot start until the Service Substitution request has been approved.)

• If some services on a funding request have started but others will require approval of a Service Substitution request, the Service Start Date for the services that have started will determine the deadline for filing Form 486 as defined above.
• If all services on a funding request will require approval of a Service Substitution request before services can start, the Service Start Date after the Service Substitution request has been approved will determine the deadline for filing Form 486 as defined above.

For information on filing a Service Substitution request, please refer to the Service Substitutions posted in the Reference Area of this web site

For more information on deadlines for delivery of recurring and non-recurring services, please refer to the Service Delivery Deadlines and Extension Requests posted in the Reference Area of this web site.

For more information on deadlines for filing invoices, please refer to the Invoicing Deadlines and Extension Requests posted in the Reference Area of this web site.