E-Rate:E-Rate:It’s not as bad asIt’s not as bad asyou’ve heard…you’ve heard…

Suzanne ReymerSuzanne Reymer

Montana State LibraryMontana State Library

Fall Workshop 2008Fall Workshop 2008

Overview of the Schools and Overview of the Schools and Libraries Program Libraries Program

The Schools and Libraries Program of the The Schools and Libraries Program of the Universal Service Fund, commonly known as "E-Universal Service Fund, commonly known as "E-Rate," is administered by the Universal Service Rate," is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) under the Administrative Company (USAC) under the direction of the Federal Communications direction of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and provides discounts to Commission (FCC), and provides discounts to assist most schools and libraries in the United assist most schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access. It is one of four support and Internet access. It is one of four support programs programs funded through a Universal Service funded through a Universal Service fee charged to companies that provide interstate fee charged to companies that provide interstate and/or international telecommunications and/or international telecommunications services. services.

Overview Overview Part 2Part 2

The Schools and Libraries Program supports The Schools and Libraries Program supports connectivityconnectivity - the conduit or pipeline for communications - the conduit or pipeline for communications using telecommunications services and/or the Internet. using telecommunications services and/or the Internet. Funding is requested under four categories of service: Funding is requested under four categories of service: telecommunications servicestelecommunications services, , Internet accessInternet access, , internal internal connectionsconnections, and , and basic maintenance of internal basic maintenance of internal connectionsconnections. Discounts for support depend on the level . Discounts for support depend on the level of poverty and the urban/rural status of the population of poverty and the urban/rural status of the population served and range from 20% to 90% of the costs of served and range from 20% to 90% of the costs of eligible services. Eligible schools, school districts and eligible services. Eligible schools, school districts and libraries may apply individually or as part of a libraries may apply individually or as part of a consortium. consortium.

OverviewOverviewPart 3Part 3

Applicants must provide additional Applicants must provide additional resources including end-user equipment resources including end-user equipment (e.g., computers, telephones, etc.), (e.g., computers, telephones, etc.), software, professional development, and software, professional development, and the other elements that are the other elements that are necessary to necessary to utilize the connectivity fundedutilize the connectivity funded by the by the Schools and Libraries Program. Schools and Libraries Program.

E-Rate StepsE-Rate Steps

Step 1Step 1 Determine EligibilityDetermine Eligibility

Step 2 Step 2 Develop a Technology PlanDevelop a Technology Plan – – more on this later!more on this later!

Step 3Step 3 Open a Competitive Bidding ProcessOpen a Competitive Bidding Process – – Form 470Form 470

Step 4Step 4 Select a Service ProviderSelect a Service Provider

Step 5Step 5 Calculate the Discount LevelCalculate the Discount Level

E-Rate StepsE-Rate StepsPart 2Part 2

Step 6Step 6 Determine Your Eligible Services Determine Your Eligible Services

Step 7Step 7 Submit Your Application for Submit Your Application for Program Support – Form 471Program Support – Form 471

Step 8Step 8 Undergo Application Review Undergo Application Review

Step 9Step 9 Receive Your Funding Decision Receive Your Funding Decision

Step 10Step 10 Begin Receipt of Services – Form Begin Receipt of Services – Form 486486

Step 11Step 11 Invoice USAC – BEAR Form 472 Invoice USAC – BEAR Form 472

Different Funding Levels Require Different Funding Levels Require More or Less EffortMore or Less Effort

Level OneLevel One – Basic phone service – Basic phone service (POTS)(POTS)

Level TwoLevel Two – DSL access (Telecomm) – DSL access (Telecomm)

Level ThreeLevel Three – Internet Access – Internet Access

Level FourLevel Four – Internal Connections – Internal Connections

Level OneLevel OneBasic Phone ServiceBasic Phone Service

Form 470Form 470

Competitive bidding processCompetitive bidding process

Form 471Form 471

Form 486Form 486

Keep records for 5 yearsKeep records for 5 years– ApplicationsApplications– Payment records Payment records – Log of all communications with USACLog of all communications with USAC

Level TwoLevel TwoDSL accessDSL access

Level OneLevel One requirements plus requirements plus

Approved technology planApproved technology plan– Goals and realistic strategy for using Goals and realistic strategy for using

telecommunications and information technology telecommunications and information technology – A professional development strategy A professional development strategy – An assessment of telecommunication services, An assessment of telecommunication services,

hardware, software, and other services needed hardware, software, and other services needed – Budget resources Budget resources – Ongoing evaluation process Ongoing evaluation process

Records related to technology planRecords related to technology plan

Level ThreeLevel ThreeInternet AccessInternet Access

Level TwoLevel Two requirements plus requirements plus

CIPA complianceCIPA compliance– Technology Protection MeasureTechnology Protection Measure – Internet Safety PolicyInternet Safety Policy – Public Notice and HearingPublic Notice and Hearing

Records related to CIPA complianceRecords related to CIPA compliance

Level FourLevel FourInternal ConnectionsInternal Connections

Level ThreeLevel Three requirements plus requirements plus Detailed asset registers (including make, Detailed asset registers (including make, model, serial number, and location) to model, serial number, and location) to facilitate the tracking of equipment facilitate the tracking of equipment purchased with USF support. purchased with USF support. Diagrams that clearly show how Diagrams that clearly show how equipment is actually connected and used.equipment is actually connected and used.

Suggestions for Dealing with Suggestions for Dealing with USAC InquiriesUSAC Inquiries

Communicate in Communicate in writing, i.e., email writing, i.e., email or faxor fax

Respond to all Respond to all inquiries promptlyinquiries promptly

My name is LindaMy name is Linda

Be Prepared to Answer USAC Be Prepared to Answer USAC ConcernsConcerns

Competitive biddingCompetitive bidding

Can you really use Can you really use the services you’re the services you’re requesting?requesting?

Can you afford these Can you afford these services?services?

Are you paying your Are you paying your share?share?

Document and OrganizeDocument and Organize

USAC suggests you USAC suggests you set up E-Rate binders set up E-Rate binders for each year with all for each year with all of the paperworkof the paperwork

In case of a visit or In case of a visit or audit you can save audit you can save yourself additional yourself additional scrutiny by being able scrutiny by being able to easily locate all to easily locate all relevant paperworkrelevant paperwork

Plan Ahead Now and Save Some Plan Ahead Now and Save Some Work in the FutureWork in the Future

Use an RFP (Request for Proposal) Use an RFP (Request for Proposal) instead of filling in details about services in instead of filling in details about services in Form 470 every yearForm 470 every year

Sign multi-year contracts with service Sign multi-year contracts with service providersproviders– But make sure you do everything But make sure you do everything RIGHTRIGHT or or

you could lose funding for the duration of an you could lose funding for the duration of an illegal/improper contract.illegal/improper contract.

Remember,Remember,You’re Not Alone!You’re Not Alone!

Montana E-Rate Montana E-Rate groupgroup

State E-Rate State E-Rate coordinatorcoordinator

ALA State E-Rate ALA State E-Rate coordinators’ coordinators’ group/phone group/phone calls/trainings calls/trainings w/USACw/USAC

Planning for the Future Planning for the Future Technology NeedsTechnology Needs

BANDWIDTH!!!BANDWIDTH!!!

Potential Bandwidth HogsPotential Bandwidth Hogs

Downloads – video Downloads – video and audioand audio

Uploads – video and Uploads – video and audio responsesaudio responses

Streaming videoStreaming video

Web conferencingWeb conferencing

Skype and other Skype and other VOIP apps.VOIP apps.

Online gamingOnline gaming

Technology GoalsTechnology Goals

The plan must The plan must establish clear goals establish clear goals and a realistic and a realistic strategy for using strategy for using telecommunications telecommunications and information and information technology to technology to improve education improve education or library services.or library services.

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development

The plan must have The plan must have a professional a professional development development strategy to ensure strategy to ensure that staff that staff understands how to understands how to use these use these new new technologies to technologies to improve education improve education or library services.or library services.

Needs assessmentNeeds assessment

The plan must The plan must include an include an assessment of the assessment of the telecommunication telecommunication services, hardware, services, hardware, software, and other software, and other services that will be services that will be needed to improve needed to improve education or library education or library services.services.

BudgetBudget

The plan must provide The plan must provide for a sufficient budget for a sufficient budget to acquire and support to acquire and support the non-discount the non-discount elements of the plan: elements of the plan: the hardware, software, the hardware, software, professional professional development, and other development, and other services that will be services that will be needed to implement needed to implement the strategy.the strategy.

EvaluationEvaluation

The plan must include The plan must include an evaluation process an evaluation process that enables the school that enables the school or library to monitor or library to monitor progress toward the progress toward the specified goals and specified goals and make mid-course make mid-course corrections in response corrections in response to new developments to new developments and opportunities as and opportunities as they arise.they arise.

More InformationMore Information

MT E-Rate blogMT E-Rate blog(includes box to subscribe to E-Rate (includes box to subscribe to E-Rate group/list) group/list) http://mtlibraryerate.blogspot.com/http://mtlibraryerate.blogspot.com/

Delicious linksDelicious linkshttp://delicious.com/sreymer/eratetraining08http://delicious.com/sreymer/eratetraining08

USAC – Schools and Libraries ProgramUSAC – Schools and Libraries Programhttp://www.universalservice.org/sl/http://www.universalservice.org/sl/