*Pages 1--2 from Microsoft Word - 4702.doc* Federal Communications Commission DA 00- 2506 Before the Federal Communications Commission Washington, DC 20554 In the Matter of ) ) Request for Review of the ) Decision of the ) Universal Service Administrator by ) ) Granite School District ) File No. SLD- 183952 Salt Lake City, Utah ) ) Federal- State Joint Board on ) CC Docket No. 96- 45 Universal Service ) ) Changes to the Board of Directors of the ) CC Docket No. 97- 21 National Exchange Carrier Association, Inc. ) ORDER Adopted: November 7, 2000 Released: November 8, 2000 By the Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau: 1. The Accounting Policy Division has under consideration a Letter of Appeal filed by Granite School District (Granite), Salt Lake City, Utah, seeking review of a decision issued by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC or Administrator). 1 Granite seeks review of SLD’s refusal to consider Granite’s appeal to SLD on the grounds that it was untimely filed. For the reasons set forth below, we deny Granite’s appeal. 2. SLD issued a Funding Commitment Decision Letter on April 14, 2000, denying Granite’s request for discounted services under the schools and libraries universal service support mechanism. 2 Specifically, SLD denied Granite’s request for discounts for internal connections, Funding Request Numbers (FRNs) 384448, 384485, and 384520. On July 27, 2000, Granite filed an appeal of SLD’s decision to deny FRNs 384448, 384485, and 384520. 3 On July 31, 2000, SLD issued an Administrator's Decision on Appeal indicating that it would not consider Granite’s appeal because it was received more than 30 days after the Funding 1 Letter from Dr. James Henderson, Granite School District, to Federal Communications Commission, filed August 15, 2000 (Letter of Appeal). 2 Letter from Schools and Libraries Division, Universal Service Administrative Company, to Jim Henderson, Granite School District, dated April 14, 2000 (Funding Commitment Decision Letter). 3 Letter from Dr. James Henderson, Granite School District, to Schools and Libraries Division, Universal Service Administrative Company, filed July 27, 2000. 1 Federal Communications Commission DA 00- 2506 2 Commitment Decision Letter was issued. 4 Granite subsequently filed the instant Letter of Appeal with the Commission. 3. Under section 54.720 of the Commission’s rules, an appeal must be filed with the Commission or SLD within 30 days of the issuance of the decision as to which review is sought. 5 Documents are considered to be filed with the Commission or SLD only upon receipt. 6 The 30- day deadline contained in section 54.720 of the Commission’s rules applies to all requests for review filed by a party affected by a decision issued by the Administrator. Because Granite failed to file an appeal of the April 14, 2000 Funding Commitment Decision Letter within the requisite 30- day appeal period, we affirm SLD’s decision to dismiss Granite’s appeal to SLD as untimely and deny the instant Letter of Appeal. 4. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ORDERED, pursuant to authority delegated under sections 0.91, 0.291, and 54.722( a) of the Commission's rules, 47 C. F. R. §§ 0. 91, 0.291, and 54.722( a), that the Letter of Appeal filed by Granite School District, Salt Lake City, Utah on August 15, 2000, IS DENIED. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION Mark G. Seifert Deputy Chief, Accounting Policy Division Common Carrier Bureau 4 Letter from Schools and Libraries Division, Universal Service Administrative Company, to Jim Henderson, Granite School District, dated July 31, 2000 (Administrator’s Decision on Appeal). 5 47 C. F. R. § 54. 720. 6 47 C. F. R. § 1.7. 2