USAC’s Schools and Libraries Division hosts monthly service provider conference calls, providing information and guidance for vendors participating in the E-rate program. Highlights from the May 1, 2013 service provider call include:
April 2013 Commitments
USAC Service Provider Trainings
USAC will hold two Service Provider trainings in May (7th in Atlanta, 9th in Los Angeles). Due to the travel schedule, USAC asks that service providers have patience if submitting questions via email between the 7th and 9th.
USAC Fall 2013 Applicant Training Dates
The dates for the 2013 USAC fall applicant trainings will be announced tomorrow, May 2nd on the USAC website.
Invoicing Update
Payments for the month of April totaled over $180 million against $236.7 million in requests. Invoices were submitted by over 1,600 service providers, and 98% were processed within 30 days. The top invoice denial reasons for the month include:
Duplicate invoicing
Total Commitment Paid
Invoiced After the Deadline
Invalid 471 Number
SPIN Not Registered
Q&A
USAC will be entertaining recommendations from groups like Funds for Learning. They are proposing a fixed per student amount. How would this work for schools that leverage 1-to-1 initiatives or all curriculum is digital? Additionally, large districts that leverage little technology can build 1 out of every 20 schools to be “tech” focused, while small districts and charters will not have such a luxury. Does USAC feel this is a viable and more importantly prudent solution to funding shortfalls?
The FCC is responsible for receiving or reviewing the proposals. It is far too early to guess what will happen.
Regarding the FCC’s proposed revisions to FCC Forms 472, 473, and 474.
The FCC release a public notice on the revisions on March 8. The comment period is now closed.
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Note: The information above is not the official minutes from the call, but simply notes from Funds For Learning. The official minutes for this call, as well as call minutes from previous months, can be found here.
