All Year 2 E-rate Applications to Be Funded
Message Posted October 29, 1999
The SLD board this week voted to fund all successful applications that were
filed within the Year 2 E-rate funding window ending April 6, 1999.
Previously they were able to fund all telecom and internet access
applications, and internal connections applications to the 50% and above
levels. You will recall that in Year 1, the SLD was only able to fund to
the 70% level for internal connections. Applicants still must wait to
receive their funding commitment letters before proceeding. The full text
of the SLD's newsflash is at the end of this message.
This is GREAT news for Pennsylvania schools and libraries who filed within
the window for Year 2, and provides a great incentive for ALL schools and
libraries to file applications for Year 3 (funding year July 1, 2000 - June
30, 2001 and application cycle from now through Jan. 19).
On November 10, 1999 from 9:30 a.m. - noon, the PA Office of Educational
Technology will be presenting a free, live satellite teleconference for PA
schools and libraries to get them prepared to apply for Year 3. As you
know from a previous e-mail, the Year 3 application cycle has begun, the
forms have changed, and several rules have been changed to the E-rate
program. We encourage all Pennsylvania schools and libraries, as well as
their service providers, to participate.
There will be approx. 30-45 minutes of questions and answers at the end of
the broadcast where you will
be able to call or fax in your questions. We encourage you to have the new
470 and 471 along with their instructions onhand the day of the broadcast
(available at: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/Reference/forms.asp)
If your site is willing to host individuals who would like to view the
teleconference but are unable to do so at their own facility, please e-mail
me and I will compile a list that will be distributed a few days prior to
the broadcast.
Although the agenda may change somewhat, it will include the following
topics:
Year 1: Making sure everyone has submitted 486s and BEARs for
everything in their funding commitment letters
Year 2: What you should have received by then
Who is getting funded and who is not
When you can and cannot change service providers after you file your
471
What you should do if you submitted a BEAR and haven't received a
BEAR approval letter
Year 3: New 471 window only
Application submission deadlines
Evergreen 470 for multi-year contracts
New rules for contract extensions and renewals
Making sure you are applying for everything you're eligible for
Going through the new forms 470 and 471 line by line
Raising discount percentages
How to get your application considered first
Why everyone should be applying online for year 3
How to make E-rate applications for PEPPM purchases
General: Review of consortia eligibility and what and how funds must be
reallocated back to consortia members
What to do if you've never applied for E-rate before
Entirely new SLD web site overview
This program will only be available on C-Band Satellite. The receive
specifications
are as follows:
Satellite: GE-2 (C-Band)
Transponder: 18
Polarization: Horizontal
Channel Number: 18
Downlink Frequency: 4060 MHz
Orbital Portion: 85 degrees West Longitude
Audio Frequency: 6.2/6.8
The satellite test will begin at 9:00 a.m.
The presentation will be uplinked from WITF in Harrisburg, with the
assistance of the the Pennsylvania Distance Education Consortium. If you
experience technical difficulties the day of the broadcast, call (717)
221-2959. The question call-in number and fax-in numbers will be posted on
the screen during the broadcast.
We look forward to your participation!
-- Julie
Schools and Libraries Division, USAC
E-rate Newsflash
October 28, 1999
SLD Announces Year Two Funding to Reach 20% Level
Every school or library that submitted a Form 471 funding request by April
6, 1999 for discounts in Year 2 (July 1, 1999-June 30, 2000) which passes
successfully Program Integrity Assurance review, will receive discounts -
even those requests seeking discounts on internal connections at the
discount rate of 20%. This means that if a school or library submitted a
properly completed Form 470 and Form 471 in Year 2, requests for discounts
on all services will be met.
This funding breakthrough was announced on October 25, 1999 at the quarterly
meeting of the Schools and Libraries Committee of the Board of the Universal
Service Administrative Company, which administers the $2.25 billion
available for discounts on services supporting telecommunications and
Internet access.
"The concept of universal access to the Internet and the world of
information it offers has moved much closer to reality today. Universal
Service funds are indeed fulfilling the promise for our children and
communities," observed Committee Chair K.G. Ouye, the city librarian in San
Mateo, CA.
The SLD continues to send out funding commitments for Year 2, so if an
applicant has received a Receipt Acknowledgement Letter but not yet a
Funding Commitment Decision Letter, the applicant should look for a response
in the next three waves.
Julie L. Tritt
Executive Policy Specialist
Office of Educational Technology
PA Department of Education
333 Market Street, 10th Floor
Harrisburg, PA 17126
(717) 705-4486
(717) 787-7222 - fax
jtritt@state.pa.us
www.L2L.org
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