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E-RATE Essentials

E-RATE Essentials. What is E-Rate. Federal Discount Program Schools & Libraries Supports Connectivity Telecommunication services Internet Access 4 Categories of Service Telecommunication Services Internet Access Internal Connections Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections. 2.

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E-RATE Essentials

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  1. E-RATEEssentials

  2. What is E-Rate • Federal Discount Program • Schools & Libraries • Supports Connectivity • Telecommunication services • Internet Access • 4 Categories of Service • Telecommunication Services • Internet Access • Internal Connections • Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections 2

  3. What is E-Rate • Discounts • Student Poverty Level • Urban / Rural Status • 20% to 90% • Discounts or Reimbursements 3

  4. Who Administers E-Rate • FCC • Federal Communications Commision • Telecommunications Act of 1996 • USAC • Universal Service Administrative Company • Created to run the Universal Services Program • SLD • Schools and Libraries Division • One division of USAC that runs E-Rate 4

  5. Who Administers E-Rate 5

  6. Fair Warning  • E-Rate is not an easy process • Only for the strong willed and determined • Long process, a lot of paperwork, some frustration • Patience is needed, in addition to diligence in reading correspondence • Rewards can be great! 6

  7. At Your Service • CSB (Client Service Bureau) • Your help desk • Call when you want answers and assistance • 888-203-8100 • Keep all communications on record • TCSB (Technical Client Service Bureau) • Answer questions about technical matters. • Call CSB and ask for TCSB person http://tpesc.esc12.net/erate/terminology.html 7

  8. Resources • SLD website: • http://www.universalservice.org/sl/ • E-Rate Support pages: • http://tpesc.esc12.net/erate/default.html • Join TPESC E-Rate Listserv: • http://tpesc.esc12.net/eratedata/maillist.aspx 8

  9. Record Keeping • What do you need to keep? • EVERYTHING: • All forms (470, 471, 486, 472, etc.) • All correspondence • All checklists, worksheets, bids, invoices, etc. • All phone conversations • Where do you keep these? • Files or folders that are well organized • Electronic Versions as well 9

  10. E-Rate Process Flowchart - I 10

  11. E-Rate Process Flowchart - II 11

  12. Discounts • Current Bills = $10,000.00 • Eligible Discount = 80% • School pays vendor $2,000.00 • Vendor invoices SLD for $8,000.00 • SLD approves and pays $8,000.00 • Vendor has now been “Paid in Full” 12

  13. Reimbursement • Current Bills = $10,000.00 • Eligible Discount = 80% • School pays vendor $10,000.00 • School request reimbursement from SLD • SLD approves and pays $8,000.00 to vendor • Vendor now owes school $8,000.00 • Check or Credit 13

  14. Program Process - I • Determine Eligibility • Develop a Technology Plan • Open a Competitive Bidding Process • Select a Service Provider • Calculate the Discount Level • Determine Your Eligible Services 14

  15. Program Process - II • Submit Your Application for Program Support • Undergo Application Review • Receive Your Funding Decision • Begin Receipt of Services • Invoice USAC 15

  16. 16

  17. 1 - Eligibility • School • Elementary / Secondary • Public / Private • Day / Residential • Public Charters • Non-Profit • Endowments ≤ $50 million 17

  18. 2 - Technology Plan • Technology Planning (pg. 44-49) • http://tpesc.esc12.net • http://tpesc.esc12.net/eplan • Texas STaR Chart • http://tpesc.esc12.net • http://starchart.esc12.net 18

  19. 3 – Bidding Process • Form 470 (pg. 180) • Services or functions you require • RFP’s not mandatory • Identify what category of service • Identify who will receive requests • Follow state procurement laws • Wait 28 days to choose vendors 19

  20. 3 – Bidding Process • Form 470 (pg. 180) • Only exception • Multi-year contract • Original 470 specified multiple years • State Master 470 / Contract • State files 470 20

  21. 3 – Bidding Process • Form 470 (pg. 204) • Block 1 – Address and Identification • Block 2 – Description of Services • Block 3 – Technology Resources • Block 4 – Recipients of Service • Block 5 – Certification / Signature • Online Version – Recommended 21

  22. 4 – Select Provider • Provider must have SPIN (pg. 16) • Not necessary for bid but for selection • Verify Status every year • 470 must be posted for 28 days • Including any RFP’s • All bids considered • Most Cost Effective provider • Price primary but not sole factor 22

  23. 4 – Select Provider 23

  24. 4 – Select Provider • May select from state contracts • Must meet state and FCC requirements • Signed Contracts • BEFORE submitting the 471 • No Verbal Agreements and Quotes • Must have supporting 470 • Multi-Year Contracts • Must have indication on 470 • Includes voluntary extensions 24

  25. 4 – Select Provider • SPIN Search • http://www.sl.universalservice.org/Forms/SPIN_Contact_Search.asp • Changing Service Provider (pg. 18) • 2 types • Operational – To change companies • Correctional – To correct information 25

  26. 5 – Discounts • Two criteria for discounts • Location • Where are the schools located? • Rural • Urban • Poverty Level • What is the income level to the students’ parents that attend each to the schools? • National School Lunch Program (NSLP) 26

  27. 5 – Discounts (Location) Establish Rural / Urban Status (pg. 33) http://www.universalservice.org/sl/applicants/step05/urban-rural/msa/texas.asp Counties listed here classified as Rural 27

  28. 5 – Discounts (Poverty) • NSLP • Current year data from PEIMS • Last years data from the TPESC website • http://tpesc.esc12.net/erate/nslpdata.html • Calculations on the Form 471 (pg. 270) • Individual Schools (pg. 37) • School Districts (pg. 38) • Non-Instructional Facilities – NIF’s (pg. 39) 28

  29. 5 – Discounts (Poverty) • NSLP • Current year data from PEIMS • Last years data from the TPESC website • http://tpesc.esc12.net/erate/nslpdata.html • Calculations on the Form 471 (pg. 270) • Individual Schools (pg. 37) • School Districts (pg. 38) • Non-Instructional Facilities – NIF’s (pg. 39) 29

  30. 5 – Discounts (Alternate) • Sample Survey Method – NSLP (pgs. 35 & 36) • http://www.usac.org/sl/applicants/step05/alternative-discount-mechanisms.aspx • must be sent to all families • response rate of at least 50% • Must contain the following information • Address • Grade level of each child • Size of family • Income level of the parents 30

  31. 5 – Discounts (NIF’s) • Non-Instruction Facility • Definition Established by FCC 2nd Report and Order • Educational Purposes • “The customary work activities of school …and customary activities that occur on school …property are presumed to be activities for educational purposes.” • “Activities that are integral, immediate, and proximate to the education of students …qualify as “educational purposes” 31

  32. 5 – Discounts (NIF’s) • Examples • administrative buildings • school bus barns and garages • cafeteria offices • facilities associated with athletic activities • not schools, but some have a classroom • Need entity number • If separate building • or serve more than one location • NIF with no classroom, use district average for discount 32

  33. 5 – Discounts (NIF’s) • Eligibility of Priority 1 Services On-site • Telecommunications services and Internet access provided to NIF located on school property are eligible for support • Eligibility of Priority 2 Services On-site • Not eligible • Unless essential for the effective transport of information to an instructional building of a school 33

  34. 6 – Eligible Services • 4 categories (p.51) • Telecommunications Services – P1 • Internet Access – P1 • Internal Connections – P2 • Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections – P2 • Only certain products and services, used in certain ways, are eligible • Eligibility is based on criteria established by statute and FCC rules 34

  35. 6 – Eligible Services • Eligibility for support ( pg. 51) • Product or Service is eligible • Put to an eligible use • Used by an eligible entity • At an eligible location • Order of Funding • Priority 1 services are funded first • Priority 1 - Remaining support is then applied 35

  36. 6 – Eligible Services • Mixing Funding Categories • DON’T DO IT • Always submit a different 471 for each category (Priority 1 / Priority 2) • Eligible Services List (pg 74) • http://www.universalservice.org/sl/tools/eligible-services-list.aspx 36

  37. 6 – Eligible Services • 2 of 5 Rule (pg. 52) • Only applies to P2, Internal Connections • Internal Connections only • Discounts for internal connections are available to an eligible entity two out of every five funding years • Started in FY 8 (2005-2006) • On-Premise, Priority 1 equipment (pg. 63) • Conditions for On-Premise P1 equipment • Graphic examples on pages 68-70 37

  38. 6 – Eligible Services • Priority 1 Services Off-site • Telecommunications services used offsite may also be eligible • IE: "a school bus driver's use of wireless services while delivering children to and from school…use by teachers or other school staff while accompanying students on a field trip..“ This provision applies to telecommunications services only • Internet access services used offsite, including e-mail services, are not eligible for funding 38

  39. 6 – Eligible Services • Priority 1 • Telecommunications • Only an Eligible Telecom Provider (ETP) can sell to the applicant if you want E-Rate support • Internet Access • ETP or ISP can sell to the applicant and get E-Rate Support If you purchase from the wrong provider, you cannot be funded 39

  40. 6 – Eligible Services • Basic Maintenance (pg. 90) • must specifically identify the eligible products or services covered: • including product name • Model number • Location • Eligible: repair & upkeep of eligible productsif you buy it you can support it • Ineligible:on-site technical support, 24 hour monitoring, network management, help desk to support 40

  41. 6 – Eligible Services • WAN vs. LAN (p. 97) • a connection does not constitute an Internal Connection if it crosses a public right of way LAN • Purchases can be made within the IC Category WAN • P1 service – only leased services 41

  42. 6 – Eligible Services • Remote Access (pg. 85) • remote access can be eligible if steps are taken to ensure that only eligible entities, from eligible locations, will have the capability to access them • Dial-up account for students/teacher are not eligible • Sharing bandwidth is also not eligible 42

  43. 6 – Eligible Services • Remote Access (pg. 85) • Not eligible unless steps are taken to ensure that only eligible entities, from eligible locations, will have the capability to access them • Dial-up account for students/teacher are not eligible • Sharing bandwidth is also not eligible 43

  44. 6 – Eligible Services • Fiber Networks – P1 Service • Dark Fiber – not eligible • Lit Fiber – eligible IF…. • Modulating electronics are bundled with the lease cost of the fiber • Applicant will never own fiber • Applicant cost allocates any lease of fiber that is not being used in that funding year 44

  45. 7 – 471 Application • 3 Parts • Form 471 Form • Form 471 Item 21 Attachment • Form 471 Certification • Form 471 (starts on pg 243) • file online  • Must be certified • Must be postmarked or certified online prior to the close of the application filing window 45

  46. 7 – 471 Application • Form 471 Item 21 Attachment • Services and products details • may be created and submitted online(You may decide to use paper submission for large network projects) • consists of these parts: • Narrative overview or description • Line item detail • Any additional details, if needed 46

  47. 7 – 471 Application • Form 471 Certification • you must certify this form to be complete • Electronic PIN • you can submit this certification form electronically • PIN Information: • http://www.universalservice.org/sl/tools/search-tools/applicant-pin-faqs.aspx • Paper Certification • Postmarked by deadline 47

  48. 8 – Application Review • PIA (Program Integrity Assurance) • Each application is reviewed to ensure that funding is committed only for eligible products and services as well as eligible uses by eligible entities. • Speed up your review • Submit complete Form 471 • Responding to PIA within 7 days • Verifying correct contact information (Block 1) • Contact Name, Address, Fax, Phone, Email(Complete all information in this section) 48

  49. 8 – Application Review • Changing Block 1 – Information • On school letterhead, detail the requested change(s) • EMAIL, FAX or Mail http://www.universalservice.org/sl/about/update-contact-information.aspx 49

  50. 8 – Application Review • Changing Block 1 – Information • On school letterhead, detail the requested change(s) • EMAIL, FAX or Mail http://www.universalservice.org/sl/about/update-contact-information.aspx 50

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