September 1999 Announcements

Please click on the topic below to view the most recent announcements:

While it was hoped that the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) Form (Form 472) would be fully replaced in Year 2 of the E-rate by discounted bills from service providers, the FCC and the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) recognize that the BEAR Form will be a necessity for many applicants to receive their discounts. The arrival of Funding Commitment Decisions Letters well past the start of Funding Year 2, combined with the inability of the billing systems of some service providers to discount bills make this conclusion necessary. The FCC has approved the use of the BEAR Form through the entire second program year, through June 30, 2000.

While service providers may use the BEAR Form, service providers are encouraged to provide discounted bills, if possible and many service providers will discount bills as soon as the Form 486 is filed. It is important that you, as an applicant, contact your service provider(s) and ask if their intention is to issue you discounted bills, or if you will be required to pay the bill in full and submit a BEAR Form to the SLD in order to receive your discount. BEAR Forms, of course, will be necessary for those applicants that have received a Funding Commitment Decisions Letter (FCDL) from the SLD that includes discounts on services for which they have paid in full.

Under the BEAR process, the approved E-rate applicant pays in full for eligible services (both the discounted portion and the amount that the billed entity is responsible for paying - the undiscounted portion) and then submits the BEAR Form to SLD. The BEAR Form requires authorization from the service provider in Block 4. SLD will inform the service provider of the amount that the service provider must reimburse to the applicant. The reimbursement is paid by USAC to the service provider and by the service provider to the applicant.

The Year 2 BEAR process will use the same Form - FCC Form 472 - with the following guidelines:

• For telecommunications services and Internet access, the BEAR process is available at the option of the service provider. SOME service providers may choose to issue discounted bills to their customers rather than expecting payment in full and providing reimbursement using the BEAR process for service through the end of the second program year. Applicants should consult with their service providers to find out how to proceed - whether to file a BEAR Form - to obtain discounts for services delivered from July 1, 1999, through June 30, 2000.

• For internal connections, the BEAR process is available at the option of the applicant. Some applicants may choose to pay in full for services for which they have been approved for discounts and then use the BEAR process to seek reimbursement, but most internal connections providers who have been in contact with the SLD have told us that they will issue discounted bills.

The SLD suggest that applicants file 4 quarterly BEAR Forms in Program Year 2. Suggested filing dates for these BEAR Forms are October 29, 1999, January 31, 2000; April 28, 2000; and November 20, 2000. NOVEMBER 20, 2000 IS THE LAST DATE THAT THE SLD WILL ACCEPT A SERVICE PROVIDER INVOICE FORM, AND IS ALSO THE LAST POSSIBLE DATE TO FILE A BEAR FORM FOR YEAR 2.

Many applicants have already received FCDLs, and have filed the Form 486, checking "No" in Column I, indicating that they did not intend to file a BEAR Form. If you are one of those applicants and the news that the BEAR Form has been extended for all of Program Year 2 changes your intent, the SLD offers the following:

You may submit a BEAR without filing a new Form 486. Your BEAR Form will be processed, and the SLD will apply internal procedures to help verify that the service provider has not been providing discounted service and has not already submitted an invoice for payment for the affected Funding Request Numbers (FRN).

Or,

You may take the additional step of filing a new Form 486 to express your intention to file a BEAR Form.

Applicants and Service Providers: Please remember that the SLD will not process BEAR Forms submitted without the authorization of the service provider in Block 4.

E-rate training for Year 3 will be held in Phoenix, AZ on October 19-20, 1999.   Click here to view a sample agenda for the training session.

When:

Tuesday-Wednesday, October 19-20, 1999

Where:

Arizona University West Campus
4701 West Thunderbird
Phoenix, AZ

How:

To confirm attendance, please click on this weblink and send an email to: meetings@universalservice.org.  In the subject, include the phrase PHOENIX TRAINING.  In the body of the email, please include your full name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and fax number.

The Schools and Libraries Division Outreach Team would like to invite all members of the e-rate community attend regional training sessions, held in seven cities across the nation, to learn more about the important changes to the E-rate for Year 3.

Over the past several months, the SLD has been working with representatives from both the applicant and vendor communities to streamline and simplify the E-rate application process for the 2000-2001 funding year. Since we anticipate significant changes in the application process, we wanted to make sure that everyone has the tools and knowledge needed to successfully apply for E-rate funding.

The first day of the workshop will focus on applicant issues. Learn how the forms have been simplified and streamlined, and get answers to your tough questions about calculating your discounts, eligible services, and more. A special session for new E-rate coordinators will provide background information and context for first-timers. At the end of the day, applicants and service providers are invited to a special session to share ideas about how to work together successfully. The second day will focus on vendor issues, including billing and invoicing. On both days, there will also be plenty of time to ask questions and discuss specific Year 3 issues with representatives from the Schools and Libraries Division.

Please note that some of the dates are still marked tentative. Watch our web site for a final schedule.

We are still pinning down the last details, but wanted to share with this
preliminary information with you now. A detailed agenda, registration
information, and other details will be published soon. Questions about the
regional meetings can be emailed to meetings@universalservice.org.

You can also hear about these important changes in the E-rate session at the
US Department of Education's Improving America's Schools Conferences in
Tampa, FL; Salt Lake City, UT; and Chicago, IL.

We look forward to seeing you this fall!

E-rate training for Year 3 will be held in Atlanta, GA on October 14, 1999.   Click here to view a sample agenda for the training session.

BellSouth, in conjunction with the Georgia Department of Education, is hosting this training session on October 14th. The physical space is limited. However, several states are organizing "watch the training" sessions and plan of viewing the training via satellite feed. If your state is not organizing an event, you may want to establish one for the schools in your area.

View instructions on how to obtain this satellite feed. If you are viewing from a remote site, you may call us or E-mail the SLD with questions about the training information. 

Please note the training will also be available via live Webcast, from  8:30am until
approximately 5:00pm.  The URL for the Webcast is: http://167.192.62.166:8080/ramgen/encoder/erate.rm.

The call-in number and the email address will be announced during the actual broadcast.

When:

Thursday, October 14, 1999

Where:

Georgia Public Broadcasting Studio
260 14th Street NW
Atlanta, GA 30318

Parking will be in off-site lots with shuttle buses providing transportation between facilities.

How:

All on-site attendees are required to register with the Schools & Libraries Division at : meetings@universalservice.org.  In the subject, include the phrase ATLANTA TRAINING.  In the body of the email, please include your full name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and fax number.

Additional E-rate funding commitments were issued today by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLC) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) totaling over $56 million. In Wave Twelve, more than 800 letters were mailed to school and library applicants across the country.

With the latest release of letters, the SLD has committed over 35% (more than $850 million) of the $2.25 billion available for Year Two. Approximately 30% of the discounts have gone to schools and libraries in rural communities with the remaining amount going to urban areas.

Click Here to view Funding Commitment Reports by State Through Wave 12

The Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced today that Jodie Pozo-Olano, Deputy Director for External Communications, will depart USAC on October 8 to become a Senior Associate for The Widmeyer-Baker Group, Inc., a full-service media relations and public affairs firm with offices in Washington, D.C., New York and Los Angeles.

Ms. Pozo-Olano moved to USAC on January 1, 1999 after the merger with the Schools and Libraries Corporation (now the Schools and Libraries Division). As the primary spokesperson for USAC, she has handled press inquiries on all four universal service programs and assisted in crafting a coordinating message between all four programs for use in public speaking at conferences, training seminars and all USAC Web Sites. Ms. Pozo-Olano was also responsible for creating and managing the electronic notification process used to inform the public of the weekly E-rate funding commitments.

While at the SLC, Ms. Pozo-Olano was a member of the 4 person outreach team that conducted more than 100 in-person outreach sessions, 15 video-conferences and attended 30 conferences in an effort to educate school and library officials about the E-rate and to assist them in the application process. She established the press operation and issued all news releases and public documents for the SLC.

Prior to joining USAC, Ms. Pozo-Olano was a Public Affairs Specialist at the Federal Communications Commission. She has also served as Special Assistant in the Commerce Department's Office of Policy and Strategic Planning. Ms. Pozo-Olano holds a Masters in Public Policy from the George Washington University and a BS from South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D.

E-rate training for Year 3 will be held in St. Paul, Minnesota on October 4-5, 1999.     This training session is sponsored by the Department of Children, Families and Learning.

When:

Where:

How:

RSVP to Mary Mehsikomer
phone: (651) 582-8827
fax: (651) 582-8871
e-mail: mary.mehsikomer@state.mn.us (please include contact information

Special Note to School or Library Applicants: Please  indicate whether you would plan to attend at the MNSAT location or if you would attend at an outstate site if one is available in your area. Please include your contact information.

E-Rate training will be held Thursday, September 30, 1999 in Westborough, MA.  View a sample agenda for the training session.

When:

Thursday, September 30th, 1999
8:00 AM to 5:00 PM -- lunch and refreshments will be provided

Where:

Wyndham Westborough Hotel
5400 Computer Drive
Westborough, MA 01581
Ph: (508) 366-5511
Fx: (508) 366-3950

How:

To confirm attendance, please click on this weblink and send an email to: mailto:cto@doe.mass.edu?subject=E-Rate_Training.   In the email, please include your full name, title, organization, mailing address, telephone and fax number.

Directions to the Wyndham Westborough:

From Boston or Logan Airport:
Take Route 93 South to the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) West.
Take Turnpike to Exit 11A (Route 495 North).
Take I-495 North to Exit 23B (Route 9 West)
Take Route 9 West to the Computer Drive exit (first exit off of Route 9
West).
Bear right at the end of the exit.
Drive 1/2 mile and the hotel is at the top of the hill on the left.

From Worcester:
Take Route 9 East to the Computer Drive exit.
Take a right at the first set of lights onto Research Drive.
Then take a right at the second set of lights.
Bear right onto Computer Drive.
Go straight through the third set of lights.
Drive 1/2 mile and the hotel is at the top of the hill on the left.

From Hartford, CT:
Take I-84 to the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) East.
Take the Massachusetts Turnpike (I-90) to exit 11A, (I-495 North).
Take I-495 North to Exit 23B (Route 9 West).
Take Route 9 West to the Computer Drive exit (first exit off of Route 9
West).
Bear right at the end of the exit.
Drive 1/2 mile and the hotel is at the top of the hill on the left.

From 1-495 North OR South:
Take I-495 North\South to Exit 23B (Route 9 West).
Take Route 9 West to the Computer Drive exit (first exit off of Route 9
West).
Bear right at the end of the exit.
Drive 1/2 mile and the hotel is at the top of the hill on the left.

Last week, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) committed an additional $126 million bringing the Year Two total of E-rate funding to nearly $800 million. With the mailing of Waves Ten and Eleven, close to 2,000 E-rate funding commitment letters were sent to school and library applicants delivering discounts on telecommunications services, Internet access and internal connections to schools and libraries.

Approximately 42% (or $327 million) of the $2.25 billion available for Year Two has been committed to applicants requesting discounts on "Priority One" services (or telecommunications services and Internet access) with $465 million going to internal connections (or "Priority Two" services). Schools and libraries at the higher discount levels (80% to 90%) have received the largest amount of Year Two discounts to date - over $500 million.

Click Here to view Funding Commitment Reports by State Through Wave 11

As you know, the SLD is in the process of streamlining the application process for Year 3. If you are planning on submitting a Year 3 application, but your state or local procurement laws requires a multi-month competitive bidding process, the SLD will allow you to file a Year 2 Form 470 right now for services you hope to include in your Year 3 applications. Please use the Year 2 Form 470 to secure Year 3 services only when necessitated by state and local procurement requirements.

Please follow these simple steps to insure that the Form 470 applications submitted to meet these requirements are treated as Year 3 Forms.

1. Begin the Form 470 application process, either online or via hard copy (download available)

2. In Block 1, Item 2, indicate that the Form 470 is being filed for 07/01/1999 - 06/30/2000.

3. In Block 3, use the Item 15 text box to explain that this Form 470 is being filed for services sought in Year 3. You may choose to include information about the length of the procurement cycle and other requirements as specified by state or local laws.

4. Submit your Form 470 to the SLD, and be sure to send in your Block 6 Certification Form.

Important! Remember, the Form 470 must be posted for at least 28 days before vendors are selected, contracts signed, and Form 471 submitted.

The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) announced today that Linda Schatz will join the SLD as Vice President for Outreach beginning on October 8.

Since 1995, Ms. Schatz has served as Director of the Office of the Michigan Information Network in Lansing, Michigan where she worked to improve access to technology resources for schools, libraries, colleges and universities. Linda has established a statewide process for coordinating the purchase of telecommunications services among libraries, rural health care providers, schools and other educational and local governmental entities. As the statewide E-rate coordinator in Michigan, Linda worked with over 70 state representatives from the school and library community who assisted school and library applicants to obtain E-Rate discounts.

Prior to moving to Michigan, Ms. Schatz served as the Director of Educational Telecommunications, for Iowa Public Television, where she was instrumental in developing the Iowa Communications Network, a statewide telecommunications infrastructure providing video, voice, and data services to Iowa's schools, libraries, colleges and universities.

"Linda has been a pioneer and leader in bringing new technologies to the process of learning. Her knowledge and experience of the E-rate program will be invaluable and we are thrilled she is joining us," said Kate L. Moore, President, SLD.

Ms. Schatz succeeds Mickey Revenaugh who resigned from the SLD on September 3 to accept a position with Broadband Networks, Inc., as the Director of Marketing.

Ms. Schatz obtained a Masters in Higher Education from Drake University and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration.

Today, additional E-rate funding commitments were mailed to nearly 1,000 school and library applicants across the country. The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) committed more $81 million in Wave Nine bring the Year Two total to $666 million.

In Wave Nine, commitments between “Priority One” and “Priority Two” services were evenly split - $40 million for each. Applicants qualifying for a 65% and above E-rate discount continue to be funded for their Internal connections requests, while telecommunications services and Internet access funding continue to be made to applicants at all discount levels. More funding was sent to rural communities who received 35% in Wave Nine, compared to 12% last week.

Click Here to view Wave 9 Funding Commitment Reports by State

The SLD hosts a conference call for service providers every other week. These calls are a forum in which service providers can raise issues of concern or seek clarification of program rules or requirements. The SLD provides an agenda for the calls, followed by a general question and answer period.  Click here for more information.

This week is historic for the E-rate as the first funding commitments are issued for internal connections to schools and libraries qualifying for a 65% E-rate discount. Until now, funds for internal connections have been provided only to schools and libraries eligible for discounts at 70% and higher.

In Wave Eight, the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Schools & Libraries (USAC) issued commitments totaling more than $105 million. Year Two commitments now total $584 million. An additional 1,476 E-rate funding commitment letters were issued bringing the total of Year Two commitment letters to 16,081. In this wave, $4 million out of $70 million for internal connections services is targeted to the new range of 65% to 69% applicants.

“The crucial infrastructure for Internet connections can now be expanded to a widening number of classrooms and libraries. The news here is that funding is sufficient to support all approved requests from schools and libraries qualifying for a 65 % or more discount on internal connection services,” said SLD, President, Kate L. Moore.

Click Here to view Wave 8 Funding Commitment Reports by State