ARKANSAS

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ARKANSAS
Work Group (AEWG)
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TRAINING OBJECTIVE

• To provide information in such a way that
  attendees are
• Knowledgeable of E-rate processes
• Are better prepared to file applications
• Are less anxious of the E-rate Program

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INTRODUCTION

• AR E-Rate Work Group
• The AEWG is a working group representing public
  officials responsible for K-12 education, and
  public libraries in the State of Arkansas. The
  Arkansas E-rate Workgroup (AEWG) works on behalf
  of state agencies that serve pre-K-12 students
  and public library patrons to increase student
  performance as well as public libraries.
• Members Representatives from the Arkansas
  Department of Education, Department of
  Information Systems, Governor's Office, Office of
  Executive CIO, North Central Educational Service
  Cooperative and Arkansas State Library.

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INTRODUCTION

• Schools and Libraries Program
• Provides discounts to eligible schools and
  libraries for Telecommunications Services,
  Internet Access, Internal Connections, and Basic
  Maintenance
• Applicants can be schools, libraries, or
  consortia, but only eligible recipients of
  service can receive discounts
• Applicants must apply for discounts each year
  (Form 471 application filing window)
• Funding cap each year is 2.25 billion
• One of four programs in the Universal Service
  governed by the Federal Communications Commission

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Who Administers E-rate?

• FCC
• Federal Communications Commission
• Creates program rules and sets policy
• USAC
• Universal Services Administrative Company
• Created by FCC to run E-rate and other universal
  service programs
• SLD
• Schools and Libraries Division
• Entity within USAC that runs the E-rate Program
• Interprets FCC policy - Makes no policy decisions

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If this is a FEDERAL program, why is AEWG
involved?

• AR schools and libraries apply along side 30,000
  other schools and libraries in U.S.
• We want to make sure you know how to complete
  forms, etc. so you can get you deserve.
• AEWG does not administer program, we simply
  provide flow-through for some information and
  periodically conduct workshops.
• If you experience problems with SLD, call AEWG to
  act as intermediary.

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HISTORY

• Schools and Libraries Support Mechanism started
  providing discounts as of January 1, 1998
• Telecommunications Act of 1996
• Congress directed the FCC to establish
  competitively neutral rules . . . to enhance, to
  the extent technically feasible and economically
  reasonable, access to advance telecommunications
  and information services for all public and
  non-profit elementary and secondary school
  classrooms . . . and libraries.
• First Report and Order (FCC 97-157)

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E-rate in Arkansas
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Basic Terms

• E-rate
• A common name for the Universal Service Fund for
  Schools and Libraries.
• FCC
• Federal Communications Commission, the regulatory
  agency that oversees the E-rate, among many other
  responsibilities.
• Telecommunications Act
• The Telecommunications Act of 1996, among other
  things, established the federal universal service
  support mechanism for eligible schools and
  libraries.
• Universal Service Fund
• Provides discounts to telecommunications carriers
  for delivering affordable telecommunications
  services to various categories of customers,
  including schools and libraries.
• SLD
• Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal
  Service Administrative Company responsible for
  administering universal service.
• USAC
• The Universal Service Administrative Company is
  the parent company responsible for overseeing the
  administration of the Universal Service Fund.

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Basic Terms

• Client Service Bureau (CSB)
• E-rate help desk where applicant and service
  providers can get answers to questions.
  1-888-203-8100
• Program Integrity Assurance (PIA)
• Team that reviews for compliance with FCC rules
• Technical Client Service Bureau (TCSB)
• Team answering technical questions about eligible
  services and program rules.

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Acronyms

• ACD Allowable Contract Date
• ASSD Adjusted Service Start Date
• AUP Acceptable Use Policy
• AVSCD Allowable Vendor Selection/Contract
  Date
• BEAR Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement
  (Form 472)
• BTN Billed To Number or Billed Telephone
  Number
• CAD Contract Allowable Date
• CCB Common Carrier Bureau of the FCC
• CIPA Childrens Internet Protection Act

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Acronyms

• ACD Allowable Contract Date
• ASSD Adjusted Service Start Date
• AUP Acceptable Use Policy
• AVSCD Allowable Vendor Selection/Contract
  Date
• BEAR Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement
  (Form 472)
• BTN Billed To Number or Billed Telephone
  Number
• CAD Contract Allowable Date
• CCB Common Carrier Bureau of the FCC
• CIPA Childrens Internet Protection Act

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Acronyms

• COMAD COMmitmnet ADjustment
• CSB Client (or Customer) Service Bureau (Help
  Desk)
• DRT Data Retrieval Tool (SLD web site option)
• E-CERT Electronic Certification
• ESL Eligible Services List
• ETP Eligible Telecommunications Provider
• FCC Federal Communications Commission
• FCDL Funding Commitment Decision Letter

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Acronyms

• FRN Funding Request Number
• FCC RN Registration Number
• ISP Internet Service Provider or Internet
  Safety Policy
• ISR Invoice Status Report
• LOA Letter of Agency
• MPS Minimum Processing Standards
• MTM Month-to-Month
• NECA National Exchange Carrier Association
• NIF Non-Instructional Facility
• NL Notification Letter

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Acronyms

• NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking
• NSI NECA Services, Inc.
• NSLP National School Lunch Program PIA Program
  Integrity Assurance
• PIN Personal Identification Number
• RAL Receipt Acknowledgment Letter
• RFP Request for Proposal

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Acronyms

• RNL Receipt Notification Letter
• SLD Schools and Libraries Division
• SP Service Provider
• SPAC Service Provider Annual Certification
  Form
• SPIF
• or SPI Service Provider Invoice Form
• SPIN Service Provider Identification Number
• SRIR Selective Review Information Request

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Acronyms

• SSD Service Start Date
• TCSB Technical Client Service Bureau
• TPA Technology Plan Approver
• USAC Universal Service Administrative Company
• USF Universal Service Fund
• WAD Weighted Average Discount
• WFA Waste Fraud and Abuse

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E-RATE FORMS and LETTERS
APPLICANT

• Form 470
• Description of Services Requested is first step
  required of applicants.
• Receipt Notification Letter (RNL)
• Form 471
• The Services Ordered form is the second step
  required of applicants.
• Receipt Acknowledgment Letter (RAL)
• Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL)
• Form 486
• The Receipt of Services Confirmation form is the
  third step required of applicants.
• Form 486 Notification Letter (486NL)
• Form 500
• The Adjustment of Funding Commitment and
  Modification to Receipt of Services Confirmation
  form filed by applicants for changes to or
  cancellation of a funding commitment request.
• Form 472
• The Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR)
  form filed by applicants seeking
• reimbursements for bills paid in full, now due a
  discount.
• BEAR Notification Letter Form 472 only
• Quarterly Disbursement Report
• Form 479
• Form required of Consortium Lead prior to
  submitting Form 486

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E-RATE FORMS SERVICE PROVIDER

• Form 473
• The Service Provider Annual Certification form
  required to be filed annually by participating
  providers.
• Form 486 Notification Letter (486NL)
• Form 474
• The Service Provider Invoice Form used to invoice
  the SLD for E-rate services delivered.
• BEAR Notification Letter / Invoice Status Report
• Electronic notification
• Form 498
• The Service Provider Information Form must be
  filed after receipt of a Service Provider
  Identification Number.
• Notification by e-mail
• Form 499
• Notification by e-mail or telephone
• Receipt Acknowledgment Letter (RAL)
• Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL)

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LETTERS

• Form 470 Notification Letter
• Sent to applicants informing them of the date
  their 470 was posted to the SLD Web site for
  bidding.
• RAL
• The Receipt Acknowledgement Letter sent to
  applicants and vendors after the SLD has entered
  the information from a Form 471 into its systems.
  
• FCDL
• The Funding Commitment Decisions Letter informing
  the applicant of the level of discount that has
  been awarded on each funding request. This letter
  is sent to the applicants and vendors.

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NUMBERS TO REMEMBER

• Entity Number
• A ten-digit number assigned to each entity
  applicant used to track applications for that
  applicant at SLD. Often called the billed entity
  number.
• FCC Registration Number
• Used by FCC to track who owes funds to the FCC
  and to monitor who is compliant with the Red
  Light Rule, the FCC is requiring entities to
  obtain an FCC Registration Number (FCCRN).
• Form 470 Number
• A 15-digit number (formerly the Universal Service
  Control Number) assigned to all Form 470
  applications filed with the SLD.
• Form 471 Number
• Assigned to each Form 471 filed after data entry
  and used to track the 471 at SLD can be up to
  ten digits.

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NUMBERS TO REMEMBER

• FRN
• A Funding Request Number is assigned to each item
  in Block 5 of the Form 471 and is described in
  the Funding Commitment Decisions Letter.
• NCES
• SPIN
• A unique nine-digit number given to service
  providers after submitting Form 473 and needed by
  applicants for completion of the Form 471.
• Applicant-Created Identifier
• A unique number assigned by the applicant on SLD
  forms.

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E-rate Identity

• Eligible Entity
• Any school, library, or consortium eligible to
  participate in the E-rate program.
• Billed Entity
• The organization that pays the bill, writes the
  check for services delivered.
• Consortium
• A group of organizations or institutions that
  join together for the purpose of contracting for
  and applying for E-rate funds.
• Service Provider/Vendors
• A business or organization that sells connections
  or equipment necessary for communications.

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Other Related Terms

• Tariff services
• Telephone service (e.g., local and long distance)
  regulated by state and federal officials.
• POTS
• Plain Old Telephone Service for placing and
  receiving phone calls.
• Common Carrier
• Any telecommunications company that provides
  telecommunications services for a fee to the
  general public or to businesses.
• Month-to-Month Contract
• Services billed on a monthly basis without a
  formal, written contract.
• Pre-discount Cost
• Cost of service before E-rate discount is
  applied.
• Internal Connections
• The wires and equipment needed for connecting
  computers within an entity.
• Shared Services
• Services delivered to more than one site
  discount based on average or aggregate level.
  Site-Specific Services Services delivered to
  only one entity, such as a single school.
• Weighted Average
• The calculated amount of discount that reflects
  the number of students eligible, for instance,
  the National Free Lunch Program for a school
  district.
• Window
• Time during which all Form 471s are treated as if
  filed on same day.

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OVERVIEW

• Application process
• Eligibility
• Technology planning
• Competitive bidding / Form 470
• Calculating discounts
• Funding requests / Form 471
• Application review / Funding commitments
• Starting services / Form 486
• Invoicing USAC / Form 472 or Form 474

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How the Process Works

• File the Form 470 application after July 1
• Take bids for 28 days after it is posted
• Sign contracts or service agreements
• File Form 471 during filing window
• Receive funding commitments in spring
• Begin services on or after July 1, 2007
• Applications this fall cover spending to June 30,
  2008 (Sept. 30, 2008 for non-recurring costs)

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(No Transcript)
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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

• Discounts available on four types of services
• Telecommunications Services
• Internet Access
• Internal Connections
• Internal Connections Basic Maintenance

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

• Why These Services?
• Purpose of fund is affordable access to advanced
  telecommunications services by schools and
  libraries down to the classroom level
• Focus of program is on infrastructure and
  transport, NOT content and end-user equipment

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PROGRAM OVERVIEW

• FUNDING PRIORITIES
• Established by the FCC in June 1998 for use when
  demand for E-rate discounts exceeds available
  funding
• PRIORITY ONE Telecommunications Services and
  Internet Access
• All approved funding requests will be funded at
  all discount levels if funds are available
• PRIORITY TWO Internal Connections
• Funded twice in a five year period
• Internal Connections Basic Maintenance
• Funds go first to neediest applicants (90
  discount level), then to others in order of
  discount until funds are exhausted

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Personal Identification Numbers (PINs)

• Will be issued by secure mailer to all authorized
  persons
• Will be automatically issued to any new
  authorized persons filing FY2006 Forms 470, 471
  and 486.
• After accepting Terms and Conditions, can be used
  immediately to certify online.

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GENERAL TIPS

• If you submit something to USAC
• Check your work
• Sign and date it (online or on paper)
• Submit it by the deadline
• Keep a copy and proof of submission
• If USAC sends something to you
• Read it
• Take all appropriate actions
• Save it

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QUESTIONS