FCC funding for K-12 schools & libraries up to $2.25
billion a year in discounts for a wide range of telecom services.
E-rate
is a federal program of the Federal Communications Commission administered
by the Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative
Company that provides eligible K-12 public schools and libraries
20% to 90% discounts on approved telecommunications, Internet access,
and internal connections costs. E-rate discounts are based on the number of students eligible
for the National Free Lunch Program. Schools and libraries in low-income
urban communities and rural areas qualify for higher discounts.
Although the E-rate application process can be difficult and schools
must make strategic decisions about the level of discounts for which
they will apply, every school should consider applying for E-rate
discounts.
Our Company
Our firm specializes in acquiring
funding, through the E-rate program, for school districts
across the United States. Over the course of three years we
have been able to achieve over twenty five million dollars
worth of funding for our clients. We have worked with a variety
of districts in the states of California, Pennsylvania, and
New Jersey. Our consultants’ expertise was contrived
from having worked for the National Exchange Carrier Association,
a subdivision of Schools and Libraries’. During their
employment at NECA our consultants were responsible for reviewing
various E-Rate applications. My partner and I have personally
denied, approved and modified over one billion dollars worth
of funding. Our duties included that of a regular reviewer,
manager reviewer and complex reviewer.
Services Rendered
This list is an example of the work that our firm would
perform for your district:
1. File Form 470 (Description of Services Requested and
Certification Form) to begin the twenty-eight day bidding
process required by School’s and Libraries for all
the services requested for the current funding year. This
process can help bring additional savings to the school
district, by creating a competitive bid between vendors
for all services requested.
2. File as many Form 471’s (Services Ordered and
Certification Form) that are deemed most beneficial to
the school district.
3. Provide expertise on the eligibility of all equipment
and services requested from the E-Rate fund.
4. File Form 486 (Receipt of Service Confirmation Form)
to initiate the payments from the E-Rate fund. Handle
all additional forms that will enable the district to
receive the funding approved in the 471 processes. These
forms include, 472 Form or a BEAR (Billed Entity Applicant
Reimbursement Form), 474 Form or (Service Provider Invoice
Form), 500 Form or (Adjustment to Funding Commitment and
Modification to Receipt of Service Confirmation Form).
5. File all appeals at the request of the school district
for any services and equipment found to be inappropriately
denied by School’s and Libraries.
