Where to Start
The E-rate Process
ESL
RALs
FCDL
Tech
Plan
486
470
BEARs
SPIs
471
Review
Process
Audits
Site Visits
Utiliites
Tools
Find Yourself
 On any given day, you will have three funding years to
be worried about. So today you have:
 Funding Year 2010 started July 1, 2010 and ended June 30,
2011
 Funding year 2011 started July 1, 2011 and will end June
30, 2012
 Funding Year 2012 PROCESS starts now, and will end
June 30, 2013
Funding Year 2010
July 1, 2010 - June 30, 2011
 Services – have they been installed?
 Form 486 – 120 days after FCDL or service start (later
of the two)
 BEARs – have they been filed?
 For recurring services October 28.
 For non-recurring services, that must have been
received by September 30, the deadline is January 28 of
the following year.
 Form 500s- have they been filed (turn in unused
funds)?
Funding Year 2011
July 1, 2011 - June 30, 2012
 Funded (You have received the FCDL):
 Services – have they been installed?
 Form 486 – 120 days after FCDL or service start (later of
the two)
 Discount on Bill – have you verified your discount?
 BEAR – are you paying your bill in full?
 Not Funded Yet:
 Have you responded to PIA questions?
Where do I go to find myself?
Where?
 www.e-ratecentral.com
 www.usac.org/sl
 http://www.mde.k12.ms.us/management-information-
systems/mississippi-e-rate
Questions about FY2010 or FY2011
Funding Year 2012
July 1, 2012 - June 30, 2013
 Are you ready?
 You are about to seek an unknown amount of funding
that is going to help your teachers teach.
 You are about to become a hero
 Know that you are not alone.
st
1
step
- Needs Assessment
 Determine your discount rate
 Determine what your schools need for Internet Access.
 For Telephone Service (POTS).
 For Long Distance Service.
 For Cell Service.
 For LAN Connectivity.
 For WAN Connectivity.
nd
2
step- Can you afford it?
 Get estimates from local service providers on the cost
of what you think you would need.
 Examine your budget or check with your Business
Manager to see if you can afford it.
 Check with your Superintendent to see if these
services, and these expenditures, are consistent with
his or her goals.
 If not, revisit your needs (and wants).
3rd step – Now I know what I can do
 Develop a technology plan that supports what you
want to do, and can afford to do.
 Using the guidance offered by SLD and MDE, make
sure your plan covers all of the points.
 The technology plan is the first step in the application
process.
th
4
step – Procurement Process
 Your tech plan must be written (does not mean
approved) before you file a Form 470.
 File a Form 470 which is the basic procurement
process.
 After filing a Form 470 you must wait 28 days before
you select your vendor and sign a contract.
 Execute the contract.
5th step – Ask USAC for some money
 File a Form 471 which lists requests for each category
of service (cell, long distance, POTS, Internet
Access…)
 Provide a good description (Item 21 attachments) of
what you plan to purchase and specify where it is
going.
th
6
step - wait
 Wait for PIA to call for clarification.
 Wait for SLD to issue you a Funding Commitment
Decision Letter (FCDL)
 Simple as jello
The Process
What do U want
the technology
to do.
Procuremen
t Process
What do U need
to purchase to
support the tech
plan
PIA
Review
Tech
Plan
470
471
Item 21
AL
RNL
RAL
FCDL
Request
Services
PO
486
Discounts
on Bill
SPI
USAC Pays
U Pay
NDA
Pay in Full
BEAR
USAC Pays SP
SP sends
check
Tech Plan Dos
 The plan must be “written” before you file your own
470, or before you file your 471 if you are using ITS
SMCs
 “Written” date is in Month/Year
 “Written” is determined by when you have the Five
Elements
 Goals/strategy for using technology
 Professional development strategy
 Needs assessment
 Sufficient budget
 Evaluation process
Tech Plan Dos, continued
 Provide sufficient detail to support and validate the
services requested
 Cover all 12 months of the funding year
 Be approved by a USAC-certified Tech Plan Approver
(MDE) before the 486 is filed or services start,
whichever is sooner
 Keep a copy of your Approval Letter with your e-rate
documents
Tech Plan Don’ts
 Don’t think that the plan is not important – a weak or
incomplete plan can get you denied
 Don’t let a service provider help you write your tech
plan
 Don’t neglect any of the Dos
You cannot
 Pay for services to any residential home, even the
Super’s
 Include ineligible services in your request unless you
perform a cost allocation
 Disguise ineligible services as eligible to receive
funding
 Accept any type of free service from the vendor unless
it is part of the contract and available to everyone (cell
phone, Blackberries, filtering, firewall)
 Accept a gift from a vendor that exceeds $20 per event
or $50 per year
You cannot
 Transfer equipment before three years
 Ever sell equipment
 Receive discounts for duplicative services
 Receive discounts for redundant services
 Receive discounts for backup/spare services
If you want to succeed
 Then you must respond to PIA
 Then you must keep up with every little detail of every
funding year
 Then you must attend training sessions such as
Roadshows and Roundtables
 Then you must be a member of the TC List and the Erate List
 Then you must rely on your support
Questions