MAEDS Technology Readiness Infrastructure Grant (TRIG) Activity 1A E-Rate Activity Josh Hayes - WMISD Jim Rarus – Wayne RESA 2013 Category Three: Statewide Activities Collaborative Services E-Rate Activity Intra-Michigan Technology Readiness Leadership Consortium Wexford-Missaukee ISD Awardee E-Rate Activity Bill Thompson, Project Manager Macomb Intermediate School District (MISD) Computer/Network Operations Manager Fourty years at MISD Member of 4 group of 5-4-3-2-1 Involved with E-rate since “Day 1” Experience as School, District and Consortium E-Rate Activity Advisory Committee Membership IMTRLC • Josh Hayes • Tom Johnson GMEC • Beth Soggs – Member of 5 group • Jim Rarus KIC • Phil Carolan – Member of 4 group E-Rate Activity Advisory Committee Membership RNMC • Jason Kronemeyer – 5 group SWMC • Sam Accorso • Ben Daugherty LEA • Darren Schiltz • Craig McBain – Chippewa Valley Schools • Joe Bouman – Big Rapids Public E-Rate Activity What is E-Rate The FCC (at the direction of Congress in 1996) established and continues to oversee the E‐rate Program. The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), administers the E‐rate Program for the FCC. E-Rate Activity What is E-Rate – Who is eligible Elementary and secondary schools School districts Non‐traditional facilities (conditional by state) Libraries and library systems Consortia E-Rate Activity What is eligible? Priority 1 (funded before Priority 2): Internet Access – ISP, E-mail, Web hosting, DNS, Domain registration, etc. Telecommunications & Telecommunication Services – Voice, Voice Mail, iVoIP, Cellular, Data Circuits, Leased lines, Dark Fiber, etc. Priority 2: Internal Connections – Cabling, Switches, Wireless Access, Servers (if providing eligible service), etc. Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections (BMIC)- Service contracts, Hardware and Software fixes (billed on time and materials basis (no fixed cost maintenance/warranty contracts). E-Rate Activity What is E-Rate – How much $ Discounts are 20‐90 percent of eligible costs. Discount level for a school depends on the percentage of students who are eligible for the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) in the school and the location of the school (Urban or Rural) . Districts and Consortia receive weighted average of the participating schools discount. E-Rate Activity What is E-Rate – How much $ Originally the program started at $2.25 billion nationwide. In 2010 the FCC allowed this amount to be indexed for inflation. Today $2.9 billion (before prior year unused funds are rolled over) is anticipated. In FY2013 almost $5 billion in applications were received. For the first time Priority 1 requests exceeded the cap (without rollover funds). E-Rate Activity Interesting Facts E-rate FY 2013* Internet Access: • 1,279 Funding requests represents • $22.6 total cost/ $16.6 discounts (73.5%) • 149 unique service providers • Top four are Merit, AT&T, Comcast Business and Verizon Wireless • Six are ISDs-ESAs • Rank 5th, 7th, 14th, 36th, 45th and 51st. *All dollar amounts in millions E-Rate Activity Interesting Facts E-rate FY 2013* Telecommunications Services: • 2,576 Funding requests represents • $46.9 total cost/ $35.5 discounts (75.7%) • 146 unique service providers • Top four are Michigan Bell Telephone, Verizon Wireless, Windstream and Computer Software Innovations# • At least two are ISDs-ESAs *All dollar amounts in millions E-Rate Activity Interesting Facts E-rate FY 2013* Libraries: • 177 Internet funding requests • $2.3 total cost/ $1.8 discounts • 299 Telecommunications Services funding requests • $1.1 total costs / $.76 discounts *All dollar amounts in millions E-Rate Activity Benefits to the Local Districts Drive costs down as low as possible Simplify E-rate filing Make sure all legal assurances are met Exploit E-rate to the most benefit E-Rate Activity Outcomes/Deliverables Design and implement a statewide bid for Internet connectivity Establish training for school staffs and consultants that oversee the USF process will be ongoing and will integrate the statewide bid process. E-Rate Activity Outcomes/Deliverables Develop state master contracts that districts can leverage to drive down their cost of Wide Area Network (WAN) connectivity. Successful implementation and utilization should ensure that every school has enough Internet bandwidth to take high stakes online assessments. E-Rate Activity Timeline – Past April - June • Identify Advisory Committee and Workgroup • Fact finding and research July September • Determine scope and services to be sought • Contract with E-Rate Central • RFI process & write RFP - Issue E-Rate Activity E-rate Central eratesupport@22itrig.org • Review and approve technology plans • Provide technical assistance and training to schools • Regular Communication with the Michigan E-Rate community • Regular coordination and support of E-rate consortiums and E-rate applicant consultants E-Rate Activity E-rate Central eratesupport@22itrig.org • Serve as a point of contact for Universal Services Administration Company (USAC) School and Library Division (SLD) reviewers seeking additional help in resolving issues with applicants • Monitor, track, alert and intervene to ensure that individual applicants E-rate funds are obtained/recovered in a timely manner • Participate on the MDE’s behalf in the State E-Rate Coordinators' Alliance (“SECA”) E-Rate Activity Discussion Leaving money on the table Problems with E-rate Experiences Statewide 470 E-Rate Activity Timeline – near term October – December • Process RFP response(s) • Award & establish contract(s) • Regional training events E-Rate Activity RFP information Issued and 470 posted on October 9th Questions (vendors) October 21st Answers/Clarifications posted October 25th Due and opened November 8th Bid award December 16th Contracts negotiated and available ASAP - TBD E-Rate Activity Regional Training events Five planned for first two weeks of December Locations (to be determined): • UP – Marquette?, Gaylord?, Mt. Pleasant?, Kalamazoo?, Warren? To be presented by E-Rate Central and E-Rate Activity E-Rate Activity Regional Training events Will include FY2014 E-Rate program updates and changes Grant expectations – using E-Rate Contracts Local 470 & consideration of E-Rate Contract for vendor selection(s) and Local 471 E-Rate Activity Timeline – near term January – March 2014 • Follow-on training • Assistance as requested • FY2015 planning E-Rate Activity Timeline – longer term (2014) April – June • Evaluate success of FY14 • Repair/replace process as needed • Plan for sustainability July – June • Rinse, lather and repeat • Expanded scope (?) • Training, training, training E-Rate Activity Questions and Discussion ConnectEd E-rate 2.0 What’s missing? Q&A