Wheeler's first wave

The first wave of Funding Year 2014-2015 is on the way.  Chairman Wheeler gave us a little preview in his speech at the E-Rate Modernization Workshop on Tuesday, and today we get the official announcement.  Time to update the table I posted back when the PIA procedures were approved.

Window close	Days passed	PIA approved	Days passed	First FCDL	Total days	Millions	Applications
3/26/2014	-19	3/7/2014	69	5/15/2014	50	$607	14,600
3/14/2013	57	5/10/2013	19	5/29/2013	76	$130	12,023
3/20/2012	35	4/24/2012	77	7/10/2012	112	$646	23,800
3/24/2011	75	6/7/2011	19	6/26/2011	94	$398	18,500
2/11/2010	91	5/13/2010	13	5/26/2010	104	$429	18,200
2/12/2009	49	4/2/2009	26	4/28/2009	75	$134	6,931
2/7/2008	63	4/10/2008	21	5/1/2008	84	$352	10,000
2/8/2007				4/23/2007	74	$202	21,000
2/16/2006				4/26/2006	69	$184	4,880
2/17/2005				6/27/2005	130	$342	7,700
2/4/2004				4/27/2004	83	$43
1/16/2003				5/1/2003	105	$230
1/17/2002				4/24/2002	97	$233	9,300
1/18/2001				7/23/2001	186	$478
1/19/2000				4/14/2000	86	$253	13,000
3/11/1999				7/13/1999	124	$116	6,000
				11/23/1998		$73	3,000

[See notes on table below.]

Chairman Wheeler did his best to make the first wave seem unprecedented, but it's in the same ballpark as other recent first waves.  But I have to say, it is an all-star first wave.  Why?

1. It's the shortest time from close of the window to first wave.  By a long shot.  That's very good.  Far from my dream of a wave inside the filing window, but a good start.
2. It's the second-largest first wave, behind only the shameful 2012 first wave, which came after the start of the funding year.

It's also exceptional in that it reverses the recent trend of processing simple applications first.  I guess it's part of the current Commission's irrational love affair with consortium applications.  I have to say, though, that the pendulum had swung to the extreme of getting simple apps out the door before looking at more complex apps.

So I'll put this wave in the win column for Chairman Wheeler.  It's not awesome, but it is progress.

Notes on table:

1. The amount approved in the first wave is generally taken from the Search Commitments tool, which gives a higher amount than the announcements of the first wave.
2. Anybody have the dates PIA procedures were approved before 2008?  I couldn't find them easily.