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E-Rate 101: Basics of the Program Fall 2010

E-Rate 101: Basics of the Program Fall 2010. Contact Information. Pam Jacobs 515-975-0071 pam.jacobs@iowa.gov. A copy of this PowerPoint presentation is available at: http://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/erate/. What is E-rate?. Discount Program for Schools and Libraries

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E-Rate 101: Basics of the Program Fall 2010

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  1. E-Rate 101: Basics of the ProgramFall 2010

  2. Contact Information • Pam Jacobs • 515-975-0071 • pam.jacobs@iowa.gov A copy of this PowerPoint presentation is available at: http://www.iptv.org/iowa_database/erate/

  3. What is E-rate? • Discount Program for Schools and Libraries • 20-90% discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access, internal connections and maintenance for internal connections • Annual $2.25 billion program nationwide • NOT a competitive grant program

  4. Who is Eligible to Participate? • Libraries • Schools

  5. Library Eligibility • Non-profit, public libraries • Eligible for LSTA (Library Services and Technology Act) • Can be: • single library • consortia • library system

  6. School Eligibility • All public schools: • school districts • AEAs • “Other school programs” as determined by Iowa Department of Education (see DE Directory) • Non-profit, private K-12 schools with endowment of $50M or less • Must meet federal definition of elementary or secondary school

  7. What is My Discount?

  8. Two Criteria Make Up Discount: • Poverty • Location

  9. Poverty • Based on National School Lunch Program Eligibility • Direct Certification Data is permitted (not just the number of students participating in NSLP) • As a school/district, you are allowed to use October 1 data or “most current figure available” • Libraries use discount from school district in which they are located.

  10. Location • Urban/Rural defined by counties

  11. Iowa Counties which are Urban: • Black Hawk • Dallas • Dubuque • Johnson • Linn • Polk • Pottawattamie • Scott • Warren • Woodbury

  12. Discount Matrix

  13. Five categories of service Priority 1 (funded first) Telecommunications Services Telecommunications NEW! Internet Access Priority 2 (starts with neediest applicants) Internal Connections Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections What is Funded Through E-rate?

  14. Eligible Services: Telecommunications Services (Priority 1) Must be provided by a telecommunications carrier Examples: • Local & long distance • Cell phone service • Digital transmission services (e.g. Ethernet, frame relay, T-1, etc.) Including all taxes and surcharges!

  15. Eligible Telecommunications Services (Priority 1), cont. • Voicemail • Wireless transmission service for 2-way communications (e.g. wireless connection from your high school to the elementary) • Centrex • Blackberry-type service

  16. Eligible Services: Telecommunications (Priority 1): NEW CATEGORY Leased fiber or dark fiber (i.e. fiber is “lit” by the provider or is “lit” by the applicant) Apply for this on form 470 under 2 categories: telecommunications services and Internet

  17. Eligible Services: Internet Access (Priority 1) • Internet Access Services • Web hosting service • Blackberry-type service

  18. Wiring Routers Switches Hubs Network servers System operating software Wireless LANs Private branch exchange (PBX) Eligible Services:Internal Connections (Priority 2)

  19. Eligible Services: Maintenance of Internal Connections (Priority 2) • Maintenance of previously purchased internal connections (does NOT include end-user equipment such as computers) • Rules are changing about SMARTnet-type billing (must bill for actual hours not a service contract amount)

  20. Where can we see the eligible services list? Answer: Eligible services list is at http://www.usac.org/_res/documents/sl/pdf/ESL_archive/EligibleServicesList_110910.pdf

  21. Discounts Come in 2 Forms: • Discounts on bills OR • Reimbursements from service provider (service provider gets reimbursed by USAC)

  22. How Discounts Work How Discounts Work $100 You get 55% (existing) bills in discounts you would pay You apply to for discounts K The vendor ’ s bill drops by $55 Vendor Vendor invoices gets $55 USAC/USAC approves from SLD! invoice You now only owe $45 J

  23. How Reimbursements Work How Reimbursements Work $100 You get 55% (existing) bills in discounts you would pay You apply to for discounts K You pay 100% of bill Vendor USAC approves sends paperwork/sends check to you $55! vendor You apply for reimbursement J 10/9/2007 CDE/VET/E - rate/CTF 2000 - 2001 (BEGINNER)

  24. General Rules of E-Rate Competitive bid on SLD web site for 28 days Price must be the single most important factor Application in ‘window’ to SLD each year SLD funds on rules of priority Priority 1: Telecom services, Telecom, and Internet Access Priority 2: Internal Connections and Maintenance

  25. “2 in 5 Rule” • Applies only to internal connections (priority 2) • An applicant can only get internal connections funding in 2 out of 5 years • Questions about this? Give me a call.

  26. What About the Tech Plan? • Tech plans are only needed if filing for priority 2 services. THIS IS NEW! (previously everyone had to do tech plans). • If your district/school/library has a free/reduced lunch eligibility of 40% or more, then I recommend doing a tech plan (possibility of getting priority 2 funded)

  27. Tip 1: Get Organized by Funding Year Create a notebook and/or electronic file • Form 470 • Form 471 • Form 486 • BEAR (if used)

  28. Tip 2: Get Frequent Updates • Listserv: • AEAUSF@iptv.org • USAC offers frequent updates

  29. Tip 3: Get Support! • Have a backup person in your school/district/library • Build support with your business office, supt./director and tech person • Contact your AEA or library e-rate expert

  30. Who are the E-rate Players? • Congress • FCC (Federal Communications Commission) • USAC (Universal Services Administrative Company) • SLD (Schools and Libraries Division)

  31. Now You Know the Rules….Let’s Walk Through the Application Process

  32. Application Process at a Glance: • Form 470: Old form available now…new form after first of next year. • Wait 28 days! Must wait that long! • Form 471: “window” will likely open in January likely close in March (dates not yet set) • Wait for questions from PIA • Funding commitment decision letter • Form 486: file to confirm services • If getting reimbursements, form 472 (BEAR)

  33. Form 471 Form 471: “window” will likely open in January and close in March

  34. Next Steps • Wait for questions from PIA, e.g. • Questions about your funding request • Verification of your discount • Funding commitment decision letter • File form 486

  35. Reimbursements? • Form 472(BEAR form) • Available in online format if you have a PIN • Service provider must OK this form (they have access to the online BEAR form with their own PIN)

  36. Upcoming Sessions December: What’s new for E-rate in 2011? January: Filing form 470 January: Filing form 471 Watch listserv for details!

  37. Resources to Remember • SLD web site: www.universalservice.org/sl/ • E-rate Central: www.e-ratecentral.com • Iowa E-rate: www.iptv.org/iowa_database/erate • SLD Client Service Bureau: 888-203-8100 • pam.jacobs@iowa.gov: 515-975-0071

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