UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND WORSHOP
Year 2007: July 1, 2007 – June 30, 2008
NEW FILERS
GOALS:
• OVERVIEW OF PROCESS
• REVIEW FORMS
• Universal Service means:– Providing access to telecommunications
services for all Americans at reasonable rates • Rural or high cost areas
• Libraries
• Low-income consumers
• Rural heath care facilities
• Public and private schools
OVERVIEW
HISTORY
• Telecommunications Act of 1996
– Eligible Components• Schools & Libraries• Rural Health Care• High Cost/Low Income
• FCC Order (May 8, 1997)
• First Application Window: Jan 1998 – June 1999
FRAMEWORK
Discounts available on four types of services»Telecommunications»Internet Access»Internal Connections»Basic Maintenance of Internal
Connections
GENERAL FRAMEWORK
• Apply each year for eligible services
• Funding level set by FCC. Capped at $2.25 billion
• Rules of Priority:– Priority 1: Telecommunications & Internet
access– Priority 2: Internal Connections & Basic
Maintenance of Internal Connections
APPLICATION PROCESSDevelop
Technology
Plan
File Form
470
28 Days
(Bid process/Select Vendors)
File Form 471 SLD Processes Application (PIA)
Funding Decisions
(Letters issued in waves)
Form 486 BellSouth Grids/
Discounted bills
BEAR/AT&T ARF FORM
In Other Words…
• Technology Plan – What is my plan?• Form 470 – What services do I want?• Form 471 – What services did I order?• Form 486 – When did services start?• Form 472 – How do I receive
reimbursements or discounts?
TECHNOLOGY PLANS• Remember:
Tech Plan must establish the connections between the technology and specific library service improvements
Tech Plan should provide evidence of securing the resources needed to make effective use of the discounted services
Tech Plan should include an evaluation process to monitor progress toward established goals
Tech Plan Approver listed on Form 486 must be SLD certified
TECHNOLOGY PLANS
• Not required for local/long distance phone service• Must be written before Form 470 filing• Must be approved by an SLD-certified approver before
Form 486 filing or start of services, whichever is earlier
TECHNOLOGY PLANS INCLUDE
• Goals / Strategies for using technology
• Professional development• Needs assessment• Sufficient budget• Evaluation process
FORMS
Form 470 – Description of services (request for bids on those services).
Form 471 – Services ordered form (actual application). Filed after service provider selected (after 28 day waiting period).
Form 486 – Receipt of Services Confirmation. Filed when services have begun.
FORMS (cont’d)
Form 472 – Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form (BEAR) filed by applicants seeking reimbursement fro bills paid.
Form 479 - Certification by Administrative Authority to Billed Entity of Compliance with CIPA.
Form 500 – Adjustment to Funding Commitment – Filed by applicant to cancel FRN, change service start dates, or reduce funding commitment.
LETTERS to REMEMBER
Form 470 Notification Letter
Receipt Acknowledgment Letter – Sent after Form 471 has been data entered.
Funding Commitment Decision Letter – Issued in funding waves after the application has passed review.
LETTERS to REMEMBER
Form 486 Notification Letter
Form 472 Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Approval
Form 500 Notification Letter
APPLICATION PROCESS
Technology Plan Written File Form 470
Include services not covered by state contract
Wait 28 days Select Service Provider Sign contract File Form 471
APPLICATION WINDOW
• Form 470 can be filed at any time after the service start date of the previous year (Funding Year 2007 Forms 470 could have been filed any time after July 1, 2006)
• YEAR 2007 FORM 471 WINDOW:
November 14, 2006 - February 7, 2007
FORM 470
• Services to include on Form 470Tariff Services
Month-to-Month
New Contract
• Services NOT included on Form 470Any service on state contract list
Any service covered by EPL (Express Products List)
Request for Proposal (RFP) and Form 470If no RFP—Very detailed 470 to allow bidders to evaluate the services in order to formulate bids.
If an RFP is issued, it must be available to bidders for 28 days.
BIDDING
FCC rules apply IN ADDITION TO state and local procurement laws and competitive bidding requirements.
Example: State or local procurement law may permit an applicant to forego competitive bidding for products and services under a certain dollar threshold, but FCC rules require that applicants seek competitive bids on all products and services.
BIDDING
Applicants must select the most cost-effective bid.Price must be the primary factor, but need not
be the exclusive factor.Price must be given more weight than any
other factor. Bid selection process must be documented
BIDS
FORM 470
• Remember:Open and fair competitive bidding process Services listed in correct category of service (Form
471 must match)Retain worksheets, bid evaluation criteria, winning
AND LOSING bidsFile and certify online when possible
FORM 470 (cont’d)
• SERVICE PROVIDERS CANNOT be directly involved in the Form 470 – undermine bidding process and may result in application denial.
TO FILE Form 471
Information Needed: List of State Contracts Discount chart for current year Eligible Services List approved for funding
year Cost Information for services
Obtain from service provider
DISCOUNTS
Library discount based on percentage of students eligible from free and reduced lunch in the school district in which the library is located.
Information obtained from MS Department of Education
ELIGIBLE SERVICES LIST
The Eligible Services List provides guidance on the eligibility of products and services under the Schools and Libraries Program.
Approved annually by the FCC
Available in PDF and as searchable database
ELIGIBLE SERVICES LIST DEFINITIONS Telecommunications – “transmission,
between or among other points specified by the user, of information of the user’s choosing, without change in one form or content of the information as sent and received.
ELIGIBLE SERVICES DEFINITIONS Internet access – support in this category
is only available for basic conduit access to the Internet or for services that are an integral component part of basic conduit access.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
Digital transmission servicesATM, DS-1, DS-2, DS-3Fiber opticsFrame relayT-1, T-2, T-3, Fractional T-1Wireless
TELECOMMUNICATIONS
If Internet access is requested as a telecommunications service, applicants must indicate they are seeking Internet access on their Form 470.
Such applicants must also comply with CIPA.
EDUCATIONAL PURPOSE
• Defined as “integral to the education of students or provision of library service
• Some offsite telecommunications activities may now be eligible– Examples
• School bus driver using cellular phone• Connectivity to a mobile library van• Paging service for teachers on field trips
PUBLIC LIBRARY E-RATE WEB SITE:
http://www.first.lib.ms.us:/erate.html
FORM 471
• Remember:File Form 471 after:
Form 470 has been posted 28 days (29th day)selecting a service providerexecuting a contract or agreement
ELIGIBILITY Subtract any ineligible products or
services
30% Rule - If 30% or more of request is ineligible, entire request is ineligible.
If in doubt about eligibility, use a separate FRN.
471 REMINDERS
• File separate Form 471 for Priority 1 and Priority 2 Services
• File and certify online
Who Qualifies for a PIN?
Applicant who has signed:Form 470, 471 or 486
Automatically sent
Can be changed
TRAINING SITE:
http://usactrain.solixinc.com
Copy Block 4 (Form 471)
Can copy a Block 4 worksheet from one Form 471 to another.
Can then edit or delete entries to accurately reflect those entities receiving a particular service
Form 471 Item 21 Attachments
Purpose:Explain the services you are requesting
Labeling: Attachment Number Billed Entity Number From 471 Application Number Contract Number Service Provider Name
SUBMIT ATTACHMENTS
Filing requirement (but not window requirement)
File them as soon as you complete your 471 E-mail
Regular mail or express mail service
Fax – (973) 599-6511
ONLINE
SUBMIT ATTACHMENTS
Online Item 21
If you file Form 471 online, you can file Item 21 Attachment online:
Best for simple applications Save your work, exit, come back later Print your attachment
LETTERS
Receipt Acknowledgment LetterUse the Receipt Acknowledgment Letter to
make corrections to:Block 1 informationBlock 4Block 5 (reduction or cancellation)Block 5 – Correct 470 Application Number
CORRECTIONS DEADLINE
Receipt Acknowledgment Letter corrections must be made within 3 weeks of receipt of letter
EXCEPTIONS: Cancellation of Funding Request Reduction of Funding Request
OTHER CORRECTIONS
Bishop Perry Order:Released by FCC on May 19, 2006Ministerial and clerical errors can now
be corrected after applications are submitted
PIA will contact if errors found 15 Day deadline for corrections
APPLICATION REVIEW
WHAT IS PIA????Program Integrity Assurance Review Form 471 ApplicationsWill contact with questions by e-mail or
FAX15 Days to respond
FUNDING COMMITMENT
• FCDL=Funding Commitment Decision Letter
• Information on funding approved by SLD for funding requests
• Issued in WAVES
FUNDING WAVES
Begin as soon as FCC approves funding cap
Priority 1 Services funded first Priority 2 Services funded beginning at
90% discount level Funding Year 1999 last year in which all
requests were funded.
APPLICATION SUMMARY File and certify online Remember deadlines File separate applications for Priority 1
(telecommunications & Internet access) and Priority 2 services (internal connections & basic maintenance for internal connections).
Document everything and retain documentation
Specific items to retain
Support for calculations used on the Form 471 Discount percentages Request levels
Bid documents, especially losing bids Contracts Proof of Delivery Bills Proof of paying your share
POST-APPLICATION PAPERWORK
Form 486 File 120 days after receipt of FCDL or service start
date
DISCOUNTS – Bell South Grid http://k12.bellsouth.com/usf_forms.jsp
BEAR
CONTACT NUMBERS
SLD HOME PAGE:http://www.usac.org
SLD CLIENT SERVICE BUREAUTelephone 1-888-203-8100FAX 1-888-276-8736E-MAIL [email protected]
E-RATE CONSULTANTTelephone 1-888-696-9786FAX 1-662-429-8853E-MAIL [email protected]
MORE CONTACTS
BellSouth Grids – Local Telephone & State Network:Verlene George [email protected] 404-829-0504
BellSouth Grids – Long Distance Telephone:Christina Warnock
[email protected]: 800-325-1479
QUESTIONS
Top Related