The SLC web site today has posted the appeal procedures to which a school or library can follow when they disagree with a decision rendered in an E-rate Funding Commitment Letter. If you believe that any part of your funding commitment letter is inaccurate or unjustified, I strongly urge you to file an appeal. I have been receiving about a call a day from schools and libraries that have encountered unjustified denials. Letters say the school didn't wait the mandatory 28 days when they actually did. Letters provide a lesser discount than which the school filed and deserves.
Letters say a request is denied because the number is unpublished.
If you already have sent a letter to the SLC before these formal appeal procedures were available, they're asking that you NOT send another letter. It's my personal opinion, however, that it can't hurt, particularly if you mailed it to a different address or didn't include all of the information that they are requesting. You also may want to consider providing a copy of your appeal letter to certain elected officials that may want to weigh-in on your behalf, especially if the appeal is for a substantial amount of money. Also, from now on, the SLC refers to themselves as the SLD because of the FCC's recent decision to make the SLC a division of USAC, the Universal Service Administrative Company. This document describes the procedure for challenging or disputing a funding commitment decision.