Eligible Products

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Eligible Products Services

• Phil Gieseler
• Schools and Libraries Division
• Universal Service Administrative Company

Washington Chicago Los
Angeles Newark Sept. 30, 2005 Oct. 6,
2005 Oct. 11, 2005 Oct. 21, 2005
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Objectives

• Well address these questions

• What products and services are eligible?
• and also
• How should applicants request these services?
• So they will be approved
• So they will be approved with quick turnaround
• So invoices can be promptly approved

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Summary

• Tools available for assisting with eligibility
  questions
• Eligible Services Framework
• Eligible Services List
• Eligible Products Database
• Reference Area of SLD web site

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The Basics

• Fundamental eligibility information

• 4 categories of service
• Priority 1
• Telecommunications
• Internet Access
• Priority 2
• Internal Connections (every 2 out of 5 years)
• Basic maintenance of Internal Connections

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The Basics

• Telecommunications

• E-rate can provide funding for any commercially
  available telecommunications service
• FCC has a specific definition of
  telecommunications

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The Basics

• Telecommunications is "the transmission, between
  or among points specified by the user, of
  information of the users choosing, without
  change in the form or content of the information
  as sent and received"

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The Basics

• How can applicants and service providers figure
  out what this means?
• Eligible Services Framework
• Eligible Services List
• Eligible Products Database
• Reference Area of SLD web site

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The Basics

• Telecommunications services

• Basic telephone service
• T-1, DSL, ATM, frame relay

• NOT a telecommunications service

• Internet access
• Broadcast and cable television
• Applicant-owned facilities

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The Basics

• Internet access

• Basic conduit access to the Internet
• Includes e-mail

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The Basics

• Internal Connections

• Components are eligible only if they are
  necessary to transport information all the way to
  individual classrooms.
• The service must be an essential element in the
  transmission of information within the school or
  library.

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The Basics

• Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections

• repair and upkeep of eligible hardware
• wire and cable maintenance
• basic technical support
• configuration changes.

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ESL

• The Eligible Services List

• Updated for each funding year
• USAC proposes changes
• Public provides comments
• FCC adopts final List

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ESL

• The Eligible Services List

• Two methods for viewing information
• PDF file
• Searchable interface

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Conditional Eligibility

• Project Management is only conditionally eligible
• File Servers are only conditionally eligible
• Distance learning is only conditionally eligible
• A web hosting service is only conditionally
  eligible

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Conditional Eligibility

• Dont think of it as the Eligible Services List
• Think of it as the Conditionally Eligible
  Services List
• I.e., be sure to understand the limited
  conditions for eligibility of a product or service

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Conditional Eligibility

• Understand the conditions of eligibility in the
  Eligible Services List
• Dont request funding if you dont meet the
  eligibility conditions
• Creative interpretations can lead to delays,
  denials, or worse

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Funding Steps

• Several steps must take place before a funding
  commitment is received

• Create an approved Technology Plan
• Obtain non-E-rate resources
• Determine products and services desired
• Submit FCC Form 470
• Select most cost effective proposal
• Submit FCC Form 471
• Respond to any USAC questions
• Receive Funding Commitment Decision Letter

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FCC Form 471

• 6 sections, or Blocks"
• Block 1 Billed Entity Information
• Block 2 Impact (for schools)
• Block 3 Impact (for libraries)
• Block 4 Discount Calculation Worksheet
• Block 5 Funding Request(s)
• Block 6 Certifications

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Block 5
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
XXXXXX
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Block 5, Item 21

• The Item 21 Attachment

• You MUST attach a description of the service,
  including a breakdown of components, costs,
  manufacturer name, make and model number.
• Examples are provided in the document Item 21
  Attachments for Form 471

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Item 21 Example
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Tips

• If you submit questionable information, your
  request will be questioned!

• Questionable information unclear, potentially
  not eligible, incomplete

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Tips

• Therefore
• Be clear
• Be eligible
• Be complete
• Tools are available for accomplishing this

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Eligibility Tools

• Tools available for assisting with eligibility
  questions
• Eligible Services Framework
• Eligible Services List
• Eligible Products Database
• Reference Area of SLD web site

• Tools available for assisting with eligibility
  questions
• Eligible Services Framework
• Eligible Services List
• Eligible Products Database
• Reference Area of SLD web site
• (Careful) coordination with service providers

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Class Exercise

• Little Red Schoolhouse
• Approved Technology Plan
• Basic telephone service
• local area network that connects laptop computers
  in each of 24 classrooms.
• Internet access, including e-mail
• What are the steps that must be taken for
  successful E-rate funding?

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Class Exercise

• Little Red Schoolhouse
• Three separate funding requests
• Telecommunications
• Internal Connections
• Internet access
• Lets focus on the Internal Connections funding
  request

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Class Exercise

• Checklist
• Technology Plan
• non-E-rate resources
• Determine products and services desired
• Submit FCC Form 470
• Select most cost effective proposal
• Submit FCC Form 471
• Respond to any USAC questions
• Receive Funding Commitment Decision Letter

?
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Class Exercise

• Non-E-rate resources required for
• Teacher training
• End user components
• Sufficient electrical capacity
• Applicant portion of E-rate
• Etc.

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources
• Components
• Form 470
• Winning bid
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components
• Form 470
• Winning bid
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

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Class Exercise

• Products and Services Desired components needed
  for a local area network that provides e-mail to
  laptop computers in each of 24 classrooms

• File server
• Network operating system
• E-mail software
• Cabling for 24 classrooms
• (24) laptop computers
• Word processing software for laptops

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components
• Form 470
• Winning bid
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470
• Winning bid
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

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Class Exercise

• Submit FCC Form 470 to begin the competitive
  bidding process

• Submit FCC Form 470 to begin the competitive
  bidding process
• Encourage competing bids
• Form 470 wording can be general or specific
• Must provide enough information to allow vendors
  to determine if they are interested in bidding

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470
• Winning bid
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

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Class Exercise

• Select the most cost effective bid

• Price must be the highest weighted factor when
  determining winning bid
• Must consider only the eligible components when
  making this determination
• Winning bid must be cost effective

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

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Class Exercise

• Submit FCC Form 471

• Online filing is highly encouraged
• for ALL parts of the 471
• Form 471 itself
• Online certification, using a PIN
• Item 21 Attachment

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

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Class Exercise

• What components are eligible?

• File server
• Network operating system
• E-mail software
• Cabling for 24 classrooms
• (24) laptop computers
• Word processing software

?for e-mail ? ? ? X X

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

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Class Exercise

• What information should be included on the Item
  21 Attachment?

• File server
• Network operating system
• E-mail software
• Cabling for 24 classrooms
• (24) laptop computers
• Word processing software

for e-mail for above server server-based,
shared data cabling

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471
• Questions
• FCDL

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471 ?
• Questions
• FCDL

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Class Exercise

• Answering questions from USAC

• What questions?
• Answer the questions posed
• Your opportunity to provide necessary information

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471 ?
• Questions
• FCDL

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471 ?
• Questions ?
• FCDL

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Class Exercise

• Receive your Funding Commitment Decision Letter
  (FCDL)

• Any denials?
• Any reductions?
• Now the fun begins.
• implementation

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471 ?
• Questions ?
• FCDL

• Tech Plan ?
• Resources ?
• Components?
• Form 470 ?
• Winning bid ?
• Form 471 ?
• Questions ?
• FCDL ?

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Post-commitment

• Wait, theres more

• Form 486
• Potential post-commitment changes
• SPIN Changes
• Service Substitutions
• Invoicing

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Pop Quiz

• Which is filed first, the Form 470 or the Form
  471?
• After the Form 470 is posted on the USAC web
  site, how long must an applicant wait before they
  select the service provider?

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Pop Quiz

• What are some of the common denial reasons?
• What category of service is available to an
  applicant location only twice in every five years?

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Pop Quiz

• At what point can a service provider move from an
  arms length relationship with an applicant to an
  active partnership with that applicant?
• If an applicant or service provider submits
  questionable information, what action can be
  expected from USAC?

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Pop Quiz

• What tools are available for determining product
  and service eligibility?
• What happens if a funding request includes
  ineligible components?

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Pop Quiz

• How can this specification on an Item 21
  Attachment be improved?
• (2) Acme Products model X124 file servers xxx
• (1) Installation for above xxx
• (1) Training xxx

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Wrapup

• Why is this important?
• Over 1/3 of Forms 471 need only a review of the
  Item 21 Attachment
• Another 1/3 have only one additional area to
  review
• If we can improve the review of Item 21
  Attachments, then we can speed funding decisions

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Wrapup

• Questions / comments

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Wrapup

• Coming up

• Enhanced systems
• Applicant PIN
• Block 4 Bulk Upload
• Online Item 21 Attachment

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Eligible Products Services

• Phil Gieseler
• Schools and Libraries Division
• Universal Service Administrative Company

Washington Chicago Los
Angeles Newark Sept. 30, 2005 Oct. 6,
2005 Oct. 11, 2005 Oct. 21, 2005