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 MISDMember 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

• Josh Hayes• Tom JohnsonIMTRLC

• Beth Soggs – Member of 5 group• Jim RarusGMEC

• Phil Carolan – Member of 4 groupKIC

Advisory Committee Membership

E-Rate Activity

• Jason Kronemeyer – 5 group• Darren SchiltzRNMC• Sam Accorso• Ben DaughertySWMC• Craig McBain – Chippewa Valley

Schools• Joe Bouman – Big Rapids Public

LEA

Advisory Committee Membership

E-Rate Activity

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.

What is E-Rate

E-Rate Activity

Elementary and secondary schoolsSchool districtsNon traditional facilities (conditional by state) ‐Libraries and library systemsConsortia

What is E-Rate – Who is eligible

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

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.

What is E-Rate – How much $

E-Rate Activity

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).

What is E-Rate – How much $

E-Rate Activity

• 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.

Internet Access:Interesting Facts E-rate FY 2013*

*All dollar amounts in millions

E-Rate Activity

• 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

Telecommunications Services:Interesting Facts E-rate FY 2013*

*All dollar amounts in millions

E-Rate Activity

• 177 Internet funding requests• $2.3 total cost/ $1.8 discounts

• 299 Telecommunications Services funding requests• $1.1 total costs / $.76 discounts

Libraries:

Interesting Facts E-rate FY 2013*

*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

• Identify Advisory Committee and Workgroup

• Fact finding and researchApril - June

• Determine scope and services to be sought

• Contract with E-Rate Central• RFI process & write RFP - Issue

July - September

Timeline – Past

E-Rate Activity

• 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 Central eratesupport@22itrig.org

E-Rate Activity

• 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 Central eratesupport@22itrig.org

E-Rate Activity

Discussion

Leaving money on the table

Problems with E-rate

Experiences

Statewide 470

E-Rate Activity

• Process RFP response(s)• Award & establish contract(s)• Regional training events

October – December

Timeline – near term

E-Rate Activity

RFP informationIssued 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

• Follow-on training • Assistance as requested• FY2015 planning

January –March

2014

Timeline – near term

E-Rate Activity

• Evaluate success of FY14• Repair/replace process as

needed• Plan for sustainability

April – June

• Rinse, lather and repeat• Expanded scope (?)• Training, training, training

July –June

Timeline – longer term (2014)

E-Rate Activity

ConnectEdE-rate 2.0

What’s missing?Q & A

Questions and Discussion