********************************************************    
                                         NOTICE
    ********************************************************
                                
                This document was converted from
           WordPerfect or Word to ASCII Text format.
                                
   Content from the original version of the document such as
headers, footers, footnotes, endnotes, graphics, and page numbers
             will not show up in this text version.
                                
All text attributes such as bold, italic, underlining, etc. from the
    original document will not show up in this text version.
                                
        Features of the original document layout such as
columns, tables, line and letter spacing, pagination, and margins
           will not be preserved in the text version.
                                
        If you need the complete document, download the
  WordPerfect version or Adobe Acrobat version, if available.
                                
*****************************************************************
                                                           Before the
               Federal Communications Commission
                     Washington, DC  20554

In the Matter of                   )
                                   )
Request for Review of the          )
Decision of the                    )
Universal Service Administrator by )
                                   )
Bloomfield Public Library          )    File No. SLD-198680
Bloomfield, Iowa                   )
                                   )
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 9, 2000              Released:  November 13, 2000

By the Accounting Policy Division, Common Carrier Bureau:

1.     The Accounting Policy Division has under consideration a Letter of Appeal filed by
Bloomfield Public Library (Bloomfield), Bloomfield, Iowa, seeking review of a decision issued
by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company
(USAC or Administrator).  Bloomfield seeks review of SLD's refusal to consider Bloomfield's
appeal to SLD on the grounds that it was untimely filed.  For the reasons set forth below, we
grant Bloomfield's appeal.
2.     SLD issued a Funding Commitment Decision Letter on May 26, 2000, denying
Bloomfield's request for discounted services under the schools and libraries universal service
support mechanism.  Specifically, SLD denied Bloomfield's request for discounts for internal
connections, Funding Request Number (FRN) 431262.  On June 26, 2000, Bloomfield filed an
appeal of  SLD's decision to deny FRN 431262.  On July 3, 2000, SLD issued an
Administrator's Decision on Appeal indicating that it would not consider Bloomfield's appeal
because it was received more than 30 days after the Funding Commitment Decision Letter was
issued.  Bloomfield 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. 
Documents are considered to be filed with the Commission or SLD only upon receipt.  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.  Section 1.4(j) of the
Commission's rules, however, provides that in cases where the close of the 30-day period falls on
a holiday, the document shall be filed on the next business day.  Because the close of the 30-day
period after the issuance of the May 26, 2000 Funding Commitment Decision Letter fell on June
25, 2000, a holiday, Bloomfield's June 26, 2000 appeal should have been considered timely filed. 
Accordingly, we grant Bloomfield's Letter of Appeal and direct SLD to review Bloomfield's
appeal to SLD.
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 Bloomfield Public Library, Bloomfield, Iowa on July 18, 2000,
IS GRANTED.
                                                            FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
                                                            
                                                            
                                                            
                                                            Mark G. Seifert
                                                            Deputy Chief, Accounting Policy Division
                                                            Common Carrier Bureau