Beginners E- rate Training

Transcription

1 Beginners E- rate Training Applicant Training FY2016 Beginner s E- rate Training I FY2016 1

2 General Informa4on E- rate Program Federal Communica?ons Commission (FCC), an independent U.S. government agency, established and oversees the E- rate program Universal Service Administra?ve Company (USAC), a not- for- profit, administers the E- rate program along with three other programs Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) is the part of USAC with responsibility for E- rate Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY2016 2

3 E- rate Program General Informa4on Congress directed the FCC to establish the E- rate program in 1996 The FCC sets rules and policies through orders Policies are defined in the text of orders USAC/SLD develops procedures for specific ac?ons, such as how to process applica?ons Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY2016 3

4 E- rate Program General Informa4on Commitments for E- rate are made by funding year (FY), which runs from July 1 through the following June 30 USAC refers to the funding year as the year in which most services will begin E.g., FY2016 is July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017 Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY2016 4

5 General Informa4on Program Budget Originally, the FCC set the E- rate fund at $2.25 billion for each funding year. However in FY 2010, the cap was adjusted for infla?on each year Effec?ve for funding year 2015 The FCC Raised the annual E- Rate funding cap by $1.5 billion (Funding Cap: $3.9 billion annually plus any rollover) Once each year, FCC can roll over unused funds from previous funding years into the current funding year Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY2016 5

6 Eligibility Who is eligible for E- rate funding? Schools and school districts Non- tradi?onal facili?es (condi'onally by state) Libraries and library systems General Informa4on Consor?a groups of eligible en??es that band together to aggregate demand and nego?ate lower prices Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY2016 6

7 Eligibility What is eligible for E- rate funding? Category 1 (previously Priority One): includes the services needed to support broadband connec4vity to schools and libraries Category 2 (previously Priority Two): includes the internal connec?ons and services needed for broadband connec4vity within schools and libraries Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY2016 7

8 Discounts How large are the discounts on eligible products and services? Category 1 Discounts= 20% to 90% of eligible costs Category 2 Discounts= 20% to 85% of eligible costs Discount level for a school or library depends on: General Informa4on 1.) Percentage of students who are eligible for Na?onal School Lunch Program (NSLP) in: (for a school) the school (for a library) the school district in which the library is located 2.) Urban or rural loca?on of the school or library Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY2016 8

9 Know Your Role Applicant s Role File FCC Form 470 and indicate whether there is, or will be, an RFP. Evaluate bids and select the winning service provider, using price of the eligible products and services as the primary factor in your selec?on process. File FCC Form 471 including Item 21 during the applica?on window (the earlier you file, the beher). Respond to inquires from PIA. File FCC Form 486 and select invoice method Document your compliance with FCC rules on an on- going basis. Retain documenta?on for at least ten years from last date of service delivery. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY2016 9

10 Fair & Open Compe44on Bidding Process Must be a fair and open process. Avoid conflicts of interest. Applicant consultant ó Service Provider Applicant ó Service Provider Open compe??on and bid evalua?on. Follow all rules FCC and state/local. Read the FCC Form 470/RFP responses and contract fine print. 6 th Report and Order provides further clarifica?ons and examples of rule viola?ons. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

11 Fair & Open Compe44on Applicants CAN: Determine the types of service you will seek on an FCC Form 470. Prepare and fill out the FCC Form 470. Sign, cer?fy and/or submit FCC Form 470. Nego?ate with prospec?ve bidders. Run the compe??ve bidding process. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

12 Fair & Open Compe44on Applicants CANNOT: Have a rela?onship with service providers that would unfairly influence the outcome of the compe??on. Furnish service providers with inside compe??ve informa?on. Have ownership interest in a service provider s company compe?ng for services. Violate applicant s own ethical regula?ons policy. Fail to describe the desired products and services with sufficient specificity to enable interested par?es to bid. Receive gins or dona?ons from service providers that violate FCC rules or seek to circumvent FCC rules. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

13 Applicants and Service Providers Can: Have pre- bidding discussions. Discuss new product offerings. Teach applicants about new technologies. Present product demonstra?ons. Fair & Open Compe44on Provide or receive de minimis items. Modest refreshments, not offered as a part of a meal. Items with lihle intrinsic value such as cer?ficates and plaques. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

14 Fair & Open Compe44on Request for Proposal (RFP) FCC rules refer to RFPs generically but they may have a variety of names (Request for Quotes, Scope of Work, Summary of Projects, Instruc?ons to Bidders, etc). FCC rules do not require RFPs but state and local procurement rules may. EPC requires you post your RFP in the portal before you can cer?fy and submit your FCC Form 470. Must be available to bidders for at least 28 days. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

15 Fair & Open Compe44on FCC Form 470 Indicates the services and categories of service which en??es are seeking. Must be posted for at least 28 days. Indicates if they are planning/have issued RFP or other documents regarding the procurement. Indicates any special requirements and/or disqualifica?on factors. Indicates who will be receiving the services. Two new exemp?ons for FCC Form 470 filing are in effect star?ng in FY Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

16 Fair & Open Compe44on FCC Form 470 Applicants must ensure that they post for the correct category of service. Sufficient detail in FCC Form 470 to enable service providers to formulate bids. Cannot provide generic descrip?ons (e.g., all eligible telecom services, Digital Transmission Services). Cannot provide laundry lists of products and services. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

17 Fair & Open Compe44on Restric4ons Cannot list specific make and model of services sought without also allowing equivalent products and/or services to be bid. XYZ manufacturer's router model 345J or equivalent Applicants may set some eligible service requirements. Applicants may require service providers to provide services that are compa?ble with one kind of system over another (e.g. Brand X compa?ble). Bidder disqualifica?on criteria must be spelled out in FCC Form 470 and/or RFP and be available to all. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

18 Fair & Open Compe44on Bid Evalua4on Price of the eligible goods and services must be the primary factor or the most heavily weighted overall in any?er. Evalua?on begins aner 28- day wai?ng period. Service providers may not pay for applicant s termina?on charges incurred in breaking a contract. Retain all vendor selec?on documenta?on for at least ten years from the last date to receive service. Winning and losing bids, correspondences, memos, bid evalua?on documents, etc. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

19 Selec4ng a winning bidder Fair & Open Compe44on Price of the ELIGIBLE goods and services must be the primary factor in the bid evalua?on. Other factors, including other price factors, can be considered as well; but they cannot be weighted equally or higher than cost of the eligible goods and services. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

20 Contracts Fair & Open Compe44on Applicants must have a signed contract or other legally binding agreement in place prior to submivng their FCC Forms 471 to USAC. Signed contracts cons?tute the best evidence that a legally binding agreement exists. A verbal offer and/or acceptance will not be considered evidence of the existence of a legally binding agreement. Tariffed or Month- to- Month service purchased under contract is contracted service. Purchase orders must be considered a contract or legally binding agreement in this state in which you reside. Voluntary contract extensions are allowable only when the op?on is stated in the original provisions of the contract. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

21 Fair & Open Compe44on Lowest Corresponding Price (LCP) Service providers are required to offer applicants their services at the lowest corresponding prices charged to other similarly situated customers throughout their geographic service area. Ensures schools and libraries in the E- rate program can receive and evaluate compe?ng bids based on the lowest corresponding price available from vendors and are not charged more than similarly situated non- residen?al customers for the same services because of their E- rate par?cipa?on. Excep?ons can be made if the provider can show that they face significantly higher costs to serve this customer due to volume, mileage from facility, and/or length of contract. Applies to all service providers and for all service arrangements (tariff, month- to- month and contracted services). Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

22 Fair & Open Compe44on GiVing Receipt or solicita?on of gins by applicants from service providers (and vice versa) and poten?al service providers is a compe??ve bidding viola?on. Service providers may not offer or provide any gins or thing of value to applicant personnel involved in E- rate. Gin prohibi?ons are always applicable, not just during the compe??ve bidding process. Must always follow FCC rules. May also have to follow state/local rules. Counted per funding year. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

23 GiVing Fair & Open Compe44on Items worth $20 or less, including meals, if the value of these items received by any individual does not exceed $50 from one service provider per funding year. Gins to family and friends when those gins are made using personal funds of the donor and not related to a business transac?on or rela?onship. Charitable dona?ons not directly or indirectly related to an E- rate procurement, and not intended to circumvent any other FCC rule. Cure viola?ons by promptly returning any item or paying the donor its market value. Prizes at conferences are subject to the $20/$50 rule. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

24 Technology Plans Fair & Open Compe44on Beginning in FY2015, technology plans are NO longer required to be eligible for E- rate support. The FCC, however, strongly encourages all applicants to carefully review exis?ng plans given the many changes in the program resul?ng from the E- rate Moderniza'on Order. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

25 Fair & Open Compe44on Necessary Resources Does the applicant s E- rate- supported purchase of internal connec?ons (i.e., number of drops) match the number/capacity of the computers it owns or has budgeted to purchase, e.g., within 2 years? Does it have (or has it budgeted to purchase) the sonware needed to u?lize its computers? Is the applicant s staff trained to use its technology or have funds been budgeted to provide such training? Is there sufficient electrical capacity or a budget to secure it? Has the applicant budgeted enough funds to maintain all of the equipment? Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

26 Document Reten4on Document Reten4on Copies of bids. Contracts signed with service providers. Correspondence with service providers regarding bidding process. Copies of bid matrix or decision process for selec?ng winning bid. Proof of delivery of the service. Documenta?on of any service down?me. Logs of maintenance performed. Documents that support cost alloca?on of funds for eligible services. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

27 E- rate Moderniza4on Order Star?ng in FY2015, the E- rate program changed. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

28 First E- rate Moderniza4on Order Closing the Wi- Fi Gap Ensuring affordable access to high- speed broadband sufficient to support digital learning in schools and robust connec?vity for all libraries. Ø Internet Access Targets: 100 Mbps/1,000 students (short term); 1 Gbps/1,000 students (long term) 100 Mbps for libraries serving fewer than 50,000 people: at least 1 Gbps for libraries serving more than 50,000 people Ø WAN Target: Connec?on scalable to 10 Gbps/1000 students (long term) Record not sufficiently developed to establish performance measure and a WAN connec?vity target at this?me for libraries Maximizing the cost- effec?veness of spending for E- Rate support purchases Making the applica?on process fast, simple and efficient Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

29 Second E- rate Moderniza4on Order Closing the Wi- Fi Gap Raised the annual E- Rate funding cap by $1.5 billion ($3.9 billion of NEW money plus any rollover) Effec?ve for funding year 2015 Sizing the cap: the decision on how much to raise the cap was based on an analysis of the funds necessary to meet the connec?vity goals of the program Ø About 35% of schools don t have access to fiber necessary to meet the connec?vity goals set by the FCC Ø Funding is necessary to connect schools and libraries, pay for recurring monthly charges and pay for Wi- Fi Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

30 Second E- rate Moderniza4on Order Closing the Wi- Fi Gap Payment op?ons for special construc?on charges more flexible USAC s requirement that special construc?on charges of more than $500,000 be amor?zed over mul?ple years suspended for 4 years Allows applicants to pay the non- discounted por?on of special construc?on charges over mul?ple years (up to four years) if the vendor offers such an op?on Expanding access to low cost fiber FY2016 Equalizing the treatment of lit and dark fiber Allowing self- construc?on op?on State matching op?on for up to an addi?onal 10% Obliga?ng certain recipients of high- cost funds to offer high- speed broadband services to school and libraries FY2016 Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

31 Reorien4ng the Focus of E- rate Closing the Wi- Fi Gap Focus on providing support for broadband, removes eligibility of other services. Category One services now ineligible: Web hos?ng, voic , , and tex?ng Outdated or legacy voice services including, but not limited to: Paging service Inside wire maintenance Custom calling service Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

32 Voice Phase Down Closing the Wi- Fi Gap The discount rate for all voice services will be reduced by 20 percentage points beginning in FY 2015, and reduced by an addi?onal 20 percentage points each subsequent funding year. Applies to all costs incurred for the provision of telephone services and circuit capacity dedicated to providing voice services, including: Local phone service, long distance service, plain old telephone services, radio loop, 800 service, satellite telephone, shared telephone service, Centrex, wireless telephone service such as cellular, and interconnected VoIP. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

33 Voice Phase Down - Example Closing the Wi- Fi Gap Big Red School District has 10,000 students of which 7,000 students are eligible for NSLP giving the district an 80% discount. Big Red School District seeks $100,000/year for their local and long distance VOIP service. Local and long distance VOIP is subject to the phase down FY 2015: $100,000 x (80-20)% = $60,000 post- discount FY 2016: $100,000 x (80-40)% = $40,000 post- discount FY 2017: $100,000 x (80-60)% = $20,000 post- discount Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

34 Cellular Data Connec4ons Closing the Wi- Fi Gap Data plans and air cards are eligible only if a school or library can demonstrate that individual data plans are the most cost- effec?ve op?ons for providing internal broadband access. Must be able to demonstrate either that installing a wireless local area networks (WLAN) is not physically possible, or provide a cost comparison to implement an individual data plan solu?on versus a WLAN solu?on. Cost comparison may be established by seeking bids on WLANs and individual data plans. Voice por?on remains eligible but subject to phase down. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

35 Category Two Internal Connec4ons Closing the Wi- Fi Gap Ineligible: Components that do not support broadband distribu?on are no longer eligible. For example: Servers - Voice/VOIP components Circuit cards - Video components Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

36 Category Two New Service Type Closing the Wi- Fi Gap Managed Internal Broadband Service Created to help cover the opera?on, management, and monitoring of a LAN or WLAN. Applicants benefit from greater flexibility to choose among managed Wi- Fi op?ons Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

37 Category Two Budgets Making C2 funds go further Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

38 Category Two Category Two Budgets If Category Two demand exceeds available funds, priori?ze based on discount rate. If there are insufficient funds in a single discount rate, priori?ze based on the percentage of students that are eligible for free and reduced school lunches within each applicant s school district. Top Category Two discount rate now 85% instead of 90%. Two- in- Five rule not in effect as of FY2015. Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

39 What are Category Two Budgets? Category Two Budgets Each school or library receiving Category Two support will have a five- year budget for Category Two products and services (those that distribute broadband within schools and libraries). Category Two products and services include Internal Connec?ons, Managed Internal Broadband Services, and Basic Maintenance of Internal Connec?ons. Products and services ordered in excess of an en?ty s Category Two budget will not receive E- rate discounts. There is no budget for Category One services (those that connect broadband to schools and libraries). Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

40 How to Calculate Your Budget Category Two Budgets School budgets are $150 per student PRE- DISCOUNT based on the count of full?me and part?me students at that school with a floor of $9,200. Library budgets are $2.30 PRE- DISCOUNT?mes the square footage of the library (inside the four walls) with a floor of $9,200. Budgets are recalculated every year based on current student popula?on or square footage, and can go up or down. Any funding commitments that include an en?ty as a recipient of service in FY 2015 will count against the pre- discount budget for that en?ty in FY Beginner s I E- rate Training I FY

41 FCC Form 470 Star?ng the process of reques?ng E- rate funding Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

42 You Are Here PLAN BIDDING PROCESS APPLY APPROVA L BILL PAYMENT REFUND Beginner s E- rate Presenta?on Training I Applicant I FY2016 TrainingTraining 42

43 Making a Plan Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

44 Ques4on 1: What do I need? First consider what services are needed and which of those services might be eligible for E- Rate funding. Use the Eligible Services List for the Funding Year for which you wish to receive E- Rate. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

45 What is eligible? There are four requirements for eligibility: 1. Must be an eligible product or service 2. Must be used by an eligible en?ty 3. Must be used at an eligible loca?on 4. Must be used for an eligible purpose Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

46 Ques4on 2: What can I afford? 1. Get es?mates from service providers on the cost of what you think you would need. You are not selec?ng a provider at this point; you are simply assessing the poten?al costs. 2. Examine your budget to see if you can afford what you need. You should always consider the en?re cost (pre E- Rate discount) in your budget. If you can't afford the full cost, revisit your needs. 3. Determine your E- Rate discount rate. 4. If you are applying for Category Two products and services, calculate your per- school or per- library E- Rate 5 year budget. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

47 Ques4on 3: What can I do? Although a technology plan is not required for E- Rate beginning with Funding Year 2015, your planned E- Rate supported products and services should align with whatever technology plan your district has. Develop a plan that supports what you want and need to do, and what you can afford to do. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

48 What s next? Once you have determined the products and services for which you want to receive E- Rate funding, you file an FCC Form 470 and run an open and fair compe??ve bidding process. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

49 What is the FCC Form 470? A request for products and/or services that opens a compe??ve bidding process Iden?fies and describes desired categories of service and the func?on of the services Describes the scope of your needs No?fies poten?al bidders of the types and quan??es of services that you need * If a product or a service is not listed on a Form 470, you cannot request funding for it on a Form 471. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

50 Do I need to file a Form 470? Georgia Board of Regents files on your behalf for GaDOE K12 Network Internet and/or transport services. If you wish to obtain funding for any other E- Rate eligible services, you must file a separate Form 470 for these services. If you wish to obtain E- Rate funding for any eligible services, you must file a Form 470 to begin the process. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

51 Do I need to file a Form 470? You cannot receive E- Rate funding without first posfng a Form 470. Yes in the following situa?ons: Month to Month or Tariffed Services: If you are applying for MTM or tariffed services, you must file a new Form 470 every year. Contracted Services If you have an expiring contract, you must file a new Form 470. If you want or need to sign a new contract, you must file a new Form 470. Products If you want to purchase products or equipment, you must file a Form 470. No in the following situa?on: If you have an exis?ng mul?- year contract in place as a result of a compe??ve bidding process that includes ALL of the applica?on funding year AND you already filed a Form 470 in a previous year establishing this contract, it is not necessary to post a new Form 470 un?l a new contract is required. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

52 Words of CauFon: Even if you did not need to file a Form 470 for the upcoming Funding Year, you s'll must file a Form 471 during the Form 471 applica'on filing window in order to receive any E- Rate funding. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

53 Who can complete the Form 470? No one other than the applicant or an authorized representa?ve of the applicant should prepare, submit, or cer?fy the FCC Form 470. The form cannot be completed or cer?fied by a service provider or feature a service provider as the contact person. The form cannot be cer?fied by a consultant. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

54 How do I file a Form 470? 1. The applicant submits a completed FCC Form 470 from their EPC portal account If you have any addi?onal informa?on to provide beyond that which is included on the actual Form 470, then you must also post an RFP to EPC (even if this is just a single page informa?on sheet rather than a tradi?onal Request for Proposals) 2. USAC posts the form, opening a compe??ve bidding process to service providers 3. Aner the form is posted, USAC issues a FCC Form 470 Receipt No?fica?on to the EPC portal account The no?fica?on features much of the informa?on featured on the form and provides a means to correct certain errors Check the no?fica?on for the allowable contract date this is the earliest date you may file an FCC Form 471 Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

55 When can I file a Form 470? You can file the Form 470 for any given funding year as soon as it is released. Words of CauFon: File as early as possible. Be sure to allow enough 'me to file the Form 470, wait 28 days, evaluate and compare bid responses, select a service provider, review poten'al contracts, get all resul'ng contracts signed, and file a Form 471 all before the Form 471 filing window closes. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

56 How many separate forms do I file? Your choice! You may file one Form 470 OR You may file a separate Form 470 for each category of service RecommendaFon: Put Category 1 and Category 2 requests on separate forms. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

57 Filing a Form 470 If you are the EPC Account Administrator or the Administrator has granted you rights to create and edit the Form 470, you will create the Form 470 using the steps indicated. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

58 1 Go to hhp:// rate- produc?vity- center/default.aspx 2 Click on Log In Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

59 3 Enter your login creden?als Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

60 4 Select the Apply Now link from your landing page to begin a new FCC Form 470 You can also select your Billed En?ty on your landing page and from the Related Ac?ons tab, select Create FCC Form 470 Beginner s E- rate Training I FY You can also select the appropriate task on your landing page

61 Form Ac4ons: Saving, Sharing, and Discarding the Form Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

62 At the bohom of every form screen, you are given op?ons to save and con?nue working on the form, make the form available to others within your organiza?on for edi?ng, or to discard the form altogether. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

63 If you select the Back buhon, you will be taken back one screen. If you select the Discard Form buhon, the en?re form will be discarded. Once you confirm that you want to discard the form, it will no longer be available in the EPC system. If you select the Save & Share buhon, the form is saved and will appear in the task list for other par?al rights and full rights users in your organiza?on. One of them can accept the form to view it and make changes to it. Once the new user has finished making changes, he or she can select a link to return the task to all assignees in the group. If you select the Save & Con?nue buhon, you will proceed to the next page to con?nue entering informa?on for the form. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

64 If, aner comple?ng part of the form, you want to save your work and return to it later, click on the Save & Con?nue buhon and then log out of EPC. Form Ac4ons When you return, go to the Task tab or the My Tasks sec?on on the landing page to find the in- process form. When you click on the task, your form will open back up where you len off. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

65 Form 470 Sec4on One: Basic Informa4on First, you will review and enter some basic informa'on. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

66 [Billed En4ty Informa4on] When you begin the FCC Form 470, the basic informa?on about the billed en?ty, including the Billed En?ty Number (BEN), BEN name, and address will automa?cally populate from your EPC profile. If any of this informa?on is incorrect, the Account Administrator can update the organiza?on s profile. Once the informa?on has been updated, it will automa?cally be updated in the form as well. Currently, a user with full rights for a form cannot perform this ac?on; only the Account Administrator can. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

67 [Applica4on Nickname] 1 Enter an applica?on nickname that will serve as a reminder for the requests in this form 2 Then click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

68 [Basic Informa4on] 3 The Basic Informa?on for your organiza?on will be displayed, including: Applicant Type Number of Eligible En??es Recipients of Service Words of CauFon: You cannot edit this informa?on on the form. If you wish to make changes to the informa?on, the Account Administrator can update the organiza?on s profile using the Manage Organiza?on func?on. Changes made in the profile will automa?cally be updated in the form. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

69 [Basic Informa4on] 4 Click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

70 [Consultant Contact Informa4on] 5 If the account profile indicates that you are using a consultant, the consultant will automa?cally appear in this sec?on Note: If you do not see your consultant listed, the Account Administrator can update the account profile so that the consultant can be included on this form. If you are using a consultant to assist you, the consultant must appear on this form. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

71 [Contact Informa4on] 6 Select a contact for this form A If you are the main contact person for this form, click on Yes B If you are not the main contact, click on No Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

72 [Contact Informa4on] A 1 If you chose Yes, your contact info will automa?cally display A 2 Click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

73 [Contact Informa4on] B 1 If you chose No, enter the name or address for the appropriate contact person and the system will search for a match Note: Only those individuals who have been associated with your organiza'on can be the contact person Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

74 [Contact Informa4on] B 2 Click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

75 Form 470 Sec4on Two: Summary of Services Requested Next, you will select the Category of Service you are reques'ng and iden'fy the desired products and services. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

76 [Category of Service] 1 Indicate the category of service for which you are reques?ng bids - you can choose Category 1, Category 2, or both categories B Choose Category 2 for Category 2 services A Choose Category 1 for Category 1 services Words of CauFon: Once you have selected a category and leave this page, you cannot change the selec'on 2 Click on Save & Con?nue Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

77 [Category of Service] Make sure that you post for the correct category of service for the services you are reques?ng Words of CauFon: USAC will deny a funding request if the category of service posted on the Form 471 does not match the category of service posted on the Form 470 Post for all applicable categories of service a service that can appear in more than one category should be posted in both categories a service that could possibly be moved from one category of service to another during applica?on review should be posted in both categories Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

78 1 Indicate whether or not you are using an RFP (Request for Proposal) related to the services being sought. An RFP is required for dark fiber or self- provisioned fiber. [RFPs] Words of CauFon: Any addi'onal document that provides informa'on beyond what is provided in the Form 470 itself is considered by USAC to be an RFP (even though the document may not be what you consider to be a formal RFP) ANY AND ALL RFP DOCUMENTS MUST BE UPLOADED TO THE EPC PORTAL!!! B Choose No if you have no RFP or addi?onal document A Choose Yes if you are using an RFP or have an addi?onal document Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

79 Words of CauFon: Funding requests that rely on an RFP not disclosed on the Form 470 are subject to denial [RFPs] A 1 Upload documents to the portal by clicking on the buhon Note: You can upload as many addi'onal documents as you desire Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

80 [RFPs] A 2 Once a file has been uploaded, it can be removed while you are working on the form by clicking on the Remove link next to the uploaded file name Notes: Once the form has been cer'fied, you will not be able to remove documents Once an RFP has been specified for a service request in subsequent steps, you cannot remove the document without first dele'ng the service request Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

81 [RFPs] A 3 Click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

82 [RFPs] Informa?on that you might include in an RFP: Responses must include Form 471 Item 21 pricing and descrip?ons. Responses must be received by [a specific date]. Applicant expects bidders to make themselves thoroughly familiar with any rules or regula?ons regarding the E- rate program. Mul?- year contracts and voluntary extensions are accepted. All contracts or agreements entered into as a result of this RFP will be con?ngent upon receipt of E- Rate funding. Failure to comply with any of the items above may be grounds for disqualifica?on. Words of CauFon: If an en'ty is not listed on the Form 470, it cannot receive E- Rate funding through the Form 471 Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

83 A 4 Indicate which RFPs were used to support ALL requests for Category 1 and which were used to support ALL requests for Category 2 by clicking the applicable check box next to each listed document. If an RFP document is not applicable to ALL requests for that category, you do not need to check the box on this screen. Later, you will select any RFP that is specific to a single service request. If you chose to include only one category on this form, then only that category will display on this page. [RFPs] ALL!!! ALL!!! Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

84 [RFPs] 2 Click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

85 Category One Service Requests Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

86 [Category 1 Service Requests] 1 Click the Add New Service Request buhon in the Category One sec?on to add a service request Note: If you chose to include only Category One service requests on this form, then only that category will display on this page A Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

87 [Category 1 Service Requests] A 1 Aner choosing Add New Service Request under the Category One sec?on, the Add New Service Request page opens Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

88 [Category 1 Service Requests] A 2 Use the Func?on drop- down menu to add a service Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

89 A 3 Enter details for the service selected in the Func?on menu [Category 1 Service Requests] The required fields for each service request are indicated with a red asterisk. Enter the informa?on requested to describe the services that you are seeking. Select Yes or No to request installa?on, ac?va?on, and ini?al configura?on support for that service. If you have an RFP for this service, select the RFP document that supports this request. Note that if you indicated that an RFP applied to all Category One services, that document will automa?cally be associated with this request. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

90 [Category 1 Service Requests] A 4 Click the Add buhon to add the informa?on and display the service type table Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

91 [Category 1 Service Requests] A 5 Click the Add New Service Request buhon again to enter an addi?onal service request, repea?ng as necessary un?l all Category One service requests have been entered Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

92 [Category 1 Service Requests] A 6 To edit a service request, select the check box for that item and click the Edit Service Request buhon Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

93 [Category 1 Service Requests] A 7 To delete a service request, select the check box for that item and click the Remove Service Request buhon Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

94 [Category 1 Service Requests] A 8 In the Narra?ve field, enter any further informa?on to support the request that is not already specified using the service request fields, such as addi?onal capaci?es being sought, addi?onal descrip?ons of services, or disqualifica?on factors Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

95 [Category 1 Service Requests] A 9 If you are selec?ng any services that have non- discounted special construc?on charges, you can request to pay those charges in installments Select the minimum and maximum values for the number of years (from 1 to 4) you wish to amor?ze the payments Select Yes or No Select whether you prefer annual or monthly payments Note: Bidders are not required to offer installment payment op'ons in their bid response Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

96 [Category 1 Service Requests] 2 When you have entered all of the informa?on for the requested Category One services, click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Note: If you indicated that you would include both Category One and Category Two service requests on this form, you must add at least one request to both sec'ons before you can con'nue Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

97 Category Two Service Requests Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

98 1 Click the Add New Service Request buhon in the Category Two sec?on to add a service request [Category 2 Service Requests] Note: If you chose to include only Category Two service requests on this form, then only that category will display on this page Beginner s E- rate Training I FY B

99 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 1 Aner choosing Add New Service Request under the Category Two sec?on, the Add New Service Request page opens Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

100 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 2 Select the radio buhon for the service type being requested Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

101 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 3 Select the func?on for that service using the drop- down menu Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

102 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 4 Enter details for the service selected in the Func?on menu The required fields for each service request are indicated with a red asterisk. Enter the informa?on requested to describe the services that you are seeking. If you have an RFP for this service, select the RFP document that supports this request. Note that if you indicated that an RFP applied to all Category Two services, that document will automa?cally be associated with this request. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

103 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 5 Click the Add buhon to add the informa?on and display the service type table Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

104 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 6 Click the Add New Service Request buhon again to enter an addi?onal service request, repea?ng as necessary un?l all Category Two service requests have been entered Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

105 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 7 To edit a service request, select the check box for that item and click the Edit Service Request buhon Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

106 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 8 To delete a service request, select the check box for that item and click the Remove Service Request buhon Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

107 [Category 2 Service Requests] B 9 In the Narra?ve field, enter any further informa?on to support the request that is not already specified using the service request fields, for example addi?onal capaci?es being sought, addi?onal descrip?ons of services, or disqualifica?on factors Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

108 [Category 2 Service Requests] 2 When you have entered all of the informa?on for the requested Category Two services, click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Note: If you indicated that you would include both Category One and Category Two service requests on this form, you must add at least one request to both sec'ons before you can con'nue Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

109 Form 470 Sec4on Three: Technical Contact Informa4on Next, you will indicate contact informa'on for a person who can provide addi'onal informa'on about the applica'on. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

110 Tech Contact 1 Indicate if there is a technical contact person who can provide addi?onal informa?on for the applica?on B Choose No if there is no contact person A Choose Yes if there is a technical contact Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

111 Tech Contact A 1 Search the EPC system for the contact person or enter their contact informa?on manually Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

112 Tech Contact Searching the EPC system will display matching results for EPC users associated with your organiza?on: Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

113 Tech Contact Manually entering data allows you to specify someone not in the EPC system: Note: Entering the details for a contact person manually does not create an account for them in the EPC portal, but their informa'on will be displayed for service providers on the Form 470 Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

114 Tech Contact 2 Click on Save & Con?nue to proceed Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

115 Form 470 Sec4on Four: Procurement Informa4on Next, you will indicate if there are any state or local procurement requirements. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

116 Procurement Info. 1 Indicate if there are state or local procurement requirements that apply to the services being procured B Choose No if there are no restric?ons A Choose Yes if you are subject to any such restric?ons Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

117 Procurement Info. A 1 Provide a descrip?on of the restric?ons or procedures Words of CauFon: Applicants must always comply with any applicable state or local requirements when par'cipa'ng in the compe''ve bidding process used in the E- Rate program Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

118 Procurement Info 2 Depending on the applicant type associated with your billed en?ty, you may be asked if you are authorized to seek bids and order services for the en??es on this form. Choose the appropriate buhon(s). Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

119 Reviewing the Form 470 The next step is to review the applica'on. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

120 Reviewing the Form 1 Click on Review FCC Form 470 to review the applica?on you have created Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

121 Reviewing the Form 2 Selec?ng Review FCC Form 470 will generate a PDF. It will take approximately a minute to do so, during which?me the system will display an animated wai?ng symbol. 3 Aner wai?ng one minute, click on the Refresh buhon to see if the PDF has been generated. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

122 Reviewing the Form 4 When the PDF is ready, click on the link to download the file to your computer Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

123 Reviewing the Form 5 Open the PDF to view and review the Form 470 Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

124 Reviewing the Form 6 If you need to make any changes to your applica?on, click on the Back buhon at the bohom of each page un?l you find the area that you need to edit Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

125 Cer4fica4ons and Signature Finally, the applica'on needs to be cer'fied. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

126 Cer4fying the Form Cer?fica?on of the form takes place in different manners depending on the rights assigned to users for your organiza?on and who in your organiza?on is responsible for cer?fying the form. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

127 Cer4fying the Form A If you are a par4al rights user: A A A 1 Click on the Send for Cer?fica?on buhon 2 You will see a no?ce that your form will be sent to the full rights users in your organiza?on 3 Click Yes to send the form Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

128 B If you are a full rights user but not the person who will cer4fy the form: Cer4fying the Form B B B B 1 Check the check box to cer?fy that the informa?on is correct 2 Choose the Send for Cer?fica?on buhon to send the form to other full rights users in your organiza?on 3 You will see a no?ce that your form will be sent to the full rights users in your organiza?on 4 Click Yes to send the form Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

129 Cer4fying the Form C If you are a full rights user who is responsible for cer4fying the form: C C 1 Check the check box to cer?fy that the informa?on is correct 2 Click the Con?nue to Cer?fica?on buhon to proceed Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

130 Cer4fying the Form C 3 Click Yes in the verifica?on window to proceed to the cer?fica?ons page Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

131 Cer4fying the Form C 4 You will see the Cer?fica?ons page C 5 Read the cer?fica?on text carefully C 6 Check each check box to confirm compliance C 7 Click the Cer?fy buhon to cer?fy the form this is the equivalent to providing your electronic signature Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

132 Cer4fying the Form C 8 Read the message regarding the cer?fica?on and click Yes if you agree C 9 Once you click Yes in the confirma?on message, the form will be cer?fied and will be posted on the USAC website for poten?al bidders. This ac?on will start the 28- day wai?ng period. The cer?fied form will appear on your Tasks list. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

133 Cer4fying the Form D If you are a full rights user who is cer4fying a form sent to you by another user: D 1 Once a user has sent you a Form 470 to cer?fy, you will receive a task in your task list as well as an direc?ng you to cer?fy the form D 2 Click on the task in the My Tasks sec?on of your landing page to con?nue Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

134 Cer4fying the Form D 3 Click on the Accept buhon to accept the task Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

135 Cer4fying the Form D 4 To review the applica?on, click on the link for the form to download it to your computer Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

136 Cer4fying the Form D 5 Open the PDF to view and review the Form 470 Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

137 Cer4fying the Form D 6 Select the Edit buhon to make any needed changes to the form. The form will open at the Basic Informa?on page. Con?nue through the form steps to make any necessary changes. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

138 Cer4fying the Form D D 7 If the form is acceptable, check the check box to cer?fy that the informa?on is correct 8 Choose the Con?nue to Cer?fica?on buhon to cer?fy the form Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

139 Cer4fying the Form D 9 Click Yes in the verifica?on window to proceed to the cer?fica?ons page Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

140 Cer4fying the Form D 10 You will see the Cer?fica?ons page D 11 Read the cer?fica?on text carefully D 12 Check each check box to confirm compliance D 13 Click the Cer?fy buhon to cer?fy the form this is the equivalent to providing your electronic signature Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

141 Cer4fying the Form D 14 Read the message regarding the cer?fica?on and click Yes if you agree D 15 Once you click Yes in the confirma?on message, the form will be cer?fied and will be posted on the USAC website for poten?al bidders. This ac?on will start the 28- day wai?ng period. The cer?fied form will appear on your Tasks list. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

142 The Compe44ve Bidding Process Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

143 What happens aver I cer4fy the form? The FCC Form 470 will be made available through the EPC Portal for compe??ve bidding once it has been cer?fied. Once the form is received by USAC, a no?fica?on appears in the newsfeed for all members of your organiza?on. This message confirms that the form has been received and provides the Allowable Vendor Selec?on / Contract Date for your form. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

144 What happens during the compe44ve bidding process? 1. You start receiving bids from service providers 2. You wait at least 28 days aner the date the FCC Form 470 was posted and the date the RFP was issued (if applicable), whichever is later during this 28 day period you must ensure an open and fair bidding process the 28 days for RFPs is independent of the 28 days for the Form 470 pos?ng make sure you count your days correctly and let 28 days elapse on both before making a decision During the 28 days: Make no bid evalua?ons Select no vendors Sign no contracts Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

145 How do I ensure an open and fair bidding process? Treat all bidders the same Give equal and consistent informa?on to all bidders Do not give insider informa?on or advance knowledge to bidders Accept no gins from bidders Avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest with a bidder Service providers are not allowed to assist with the process Keep all bids received (not just the winning bid) Respond to all bidders Keep copies of all correspondence with bidders Fulfill any local procurement obliga?ons, including pos?ng in a newspaper or releasing an RFP, if required Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

146 What if a provider contacts me? Service providers will contact you if they need more informa?on. Whatever you share with one vendor must be shared with all vendors. When contacted by a vendor, you must indicate your willingness to receive a proposal for services listed on Form 470. You are not required to respond to generic or spam s such as: I saw your 470, please call me to discuss your needs respond to inquiries for services you did not request Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

147 Selec4ng a Service Provider Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

148 What can I do on day 29? 1. Evaluate the bids received 2. Choose your service provider(s) 3. Sign a contract (if applicable) may be for one or more years may include the op?on of voluntary extensions 4. Submit an FCC Form 471 Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

149 How do I select a service provider? Have a wrihen process for evalua?ng bids fairly and equally. Iden?fy the criteria for selec?on prior to selec?ng your provider. Disqualifica?on factors must be yes/no responses and cannot be scored on a range. Complete a bid evalua?on document, even if you just received one bid. Date the completed bid evalua?on document to show you waited at least 28 days to make your vendor selec?on. Words of CauFon: You cannot consider free services in your bid evalua'on, such as I ll give you X for free if you purchase Y. Beginner s E- rate Training I FY

150 Sample Bid Evalua4on Matrix Factor Points Available Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Vendor 3 Price of the ELIGIBLE products and services Prices for ineligible services, products and fees Prior experience with vendor Understanding / fulfillment of needs Local or in- state vendor Total Beginner s E- rate Training I FY