ATM Service and E-Rate for School Year 2008-2009

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 66
POLICY CODE: DDA

TO:    Superintendents of Schools and E-Rate Coordinators
FROM:    Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner
DATE:    January 2, 2008
RE:   ATM Service and E-Rate for School Year 2008-2009

The following is TIME SENSITIVE material that must be immediately forwarded to the individual responsible for filing for Federal E-Rate services.

School systems that are continuing to purchase distance learning (ATM) service during school year 2008-2009 must apply for federal E-Rate discounts during the current application cycle. Those doing the actual filing of ATM E-Rate applications should be aware of the following required steps:

Procedure for obtaining Federal E-Rate discount for monthly ATM line fees:

A. Form 470: Do NOT submit form 470 - the Maine Department of Education has already submitted an E-Rate form 470 on behalf of ALL eligible schools, libraries, vocational centers and regions.

B. Verizon Contract: Each individual site must have a signed service contract with Verizon before Form 471 (see below) is submitted.

The State has a master contract with Verizon to provide ATM service to any eligible school, library, vocational center or region in Maine, BUT each site must have an individual contract for service. You should currently have a signed service contract with Verizon. If you do not have a signed contract OR have questions concerning this contract, you may contact Deb Alford (Verizon) at 878-4227. Remember that your site will be the billed entity for this service, NOT the Department of Education. This means that you must use your own entity number when you file the Form 471.

C. PIN Information: You should plan on verifying the validity of your PIN – do not wait until the last minute. There is a PIN FAQ page at the SLD website:
http://www.universalservice.org/sl/tools/search-tools/applicant-pin-faqs.aspx

D. Form 471: to be filed online at http://www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp by midnight on February 7, 2008.

Help:
Detailed instructions on this process can be found here:http://www.maine.gov/msl/erate/atm/

With samples of a completed Form 471, and a completed Item 21 attachment available for download at:

Form 471: http://www.maine.gov/msl/erate/atm/erate471-temp0708.pdf

Item 21: http://www.maine.gov/msl/erate/atm/erate471-Item21.pdf

Form 471, and all associated materials, must be submitted to the Schools and Libraries Division, Universal Administrative Company by midnight on February 7, 2008.

Follow the instructions for Block 4-A of Form 471 carefully to determine which discount applies to your application. If the ATM line service applies to only one site (i.e., it is not used to transport data to other buildings within a school system) use the school’s specific discount rate. If the ATM line service applies to more than one site (i.e., it provides data to more than one building) the aggregate discount arrived at in Block 4-A will be the discount used.

For information on establishing the discount rate that applies:
http://portalx.bisoex.state.me.us/pls/doesfsr/sfsrdev.ed534.ed534parameters

Use discount matrix found at url below to determine if rural or urban:
http://www.universalservice.org/sl/applicants/step05/discount-matrix.aspx

Online support can be obtained by calling the Client Service Bureau at 888-203-8100. For additional E-Rate support, please contact David Patterson 624-6779 or Sylvia K. Norton 287-5620 at the Maine Department of Education.

E. Forms 486 and 472 (BEAR): Sites are responsible for filing two additional forms, Form 486 and Form 472, in order to complete the E-Rate funding process. Form 486 is filed after the funding commitment letter is received. For more information, go to: http://www.maine.gov/msl/erate/index.shtml .

Procedure for obtaining PUC reimbursement to offset ATM line fees:

F. State E-Rate Form: Distance Learning (ATM) sites should be aware that they are entitled to additional monies as part of the State E-Rate program. To receive these funds, please complete the form found at:

http://www.mainedistancelearningproject.org/attachments/erate/mslnatmreimbursement08.doc .

and return to phil.lindley@maine.gov . For additional information concerning this reimbursement, please contact Phil Lindley at the Maine Public Utilities Commission at 287-1598.

Sites looking for further information concerning the status of the Distance Learning (ATM) Network are encouraged to contact David Patterson at the Department of Education at 624-6779, or via e-mail at david.patterson@maine.gov .