From Janet.McKenney at maine.gov Sat Nov 1 10:54:01 2008 From: Janet.McKenney at maine.gov (McKenney, Janet) Date: Sat, 1 Nov 2008 10:54:01 -0400 Subject: [erate-maine] USAC's Schools and Libraries News Brief for this week Message-ID: <3233E4190E74E84CB8BB502705B83EFF04429154@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> This SLD News brief has guidance about the relationship between a technology plan and the Form 470. Janet McKenney Maine State Library Coordinator of Learning and Technology Services 64 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0064 207-287-5620 janet.mckenney at maine.gov ________________________________ From: SL News Brief [mailto:SLNewsBrief at lists.universalservice.org] Sent: Friday, October 31, 2008 12:47 PM To: McKenney, Janet Subject: USAC's Schools and Libraries News Brief for this week header Schools and Libraries News Brief October 31, 2008 TIP OF THE WEEK: If you are preparing to file a Form 470 for Funding Year 2009 (FY2009), be sure that you have a written technology plan that covers FY2009. This can be an approved technology plan written in an earlier funding year that covers FY2009 or a new technology plan that you are working on now. Commitments for Funding Years 2008 and 2007 Funding Year 2008. USAC will release two FY2008 waves of Funding Commitment Decision Letters (FCDLs) next week. Wave 29 on November 5 will include commitments for approved Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance requests at 90% and denials at 79% and below. Wave 30 on November 6 will include commitments for approved Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance requests at 90% and denials at 80% and below. As of October 31, FY2008 commitments total over $1.52 billion. Funding Year 2007. USAC will release FY2007 Wave 70 FCDLs November 5. This wave will include commitments for approved Internal Connections and Basic Maintenance requests at 81% and above and denials at 80% and below. As of October 31, FY2007 commitments total just under $2.5 billion. On the day the FCDLs are mailed, you can check to see if you have a commitment by using USAC's Automated Search of Commitments tool. Technology Planning and Form 470 We discussed the first two steps in the application process, writing a technology plan and filing a Form 470, in the September 26, 2008 SL News Brief and the October 17, 2008 SL News Brief , respectively. However, it is also important to keep in mind the relationship between these two steps. Below are several questions that you should consider as you write (create) your technology plan and prepare to file a Form 470. What is the relationship between the technology plan and the Form 470? Your technology plan, if properly done, forms the basis for the acquisition and use of the services featured on your Form 470. By describing your current and future needs, your goals and strategies for using technology, and a budget that includes both your non-discount share and the resources you need to effectively use discounted services, you can prepare reasonable funding requests and evaluate and monitor your progress toward reaching your technology goals. The services you request on your Form 470 should follow from your goals and strategies and your current and future needs as described in your technology plan. This helps to ensure that the products and services for which E-rate provides discounts will be put to good and effective use. How do I avoid an overly broad Form 470? An overly broad or "encyclopedic" Form 470, instead of being tailored to your technology plan, covers a wide and unconnected range of services that may be eligible for discounts but that do not truly advance or support the specific goals and strategies articulated in that technology plan. To avoid this pitfall, prepare a Form 470 with a level of detail appropriate to the size and complexity of your technology plan that features services that you actually plan to use. Your entries in the "Service or Function" and "Quantity and/or Capacity" fields in Items 8, 9, 10, and 11 of the Form 470 should be consistent with both the overall goals and the specific details included in your plan. How long and how detailed should my technology plan and Form 470 be? There is not a minimum or maximum requirement for the length or complexity of a technology plan. We suggest that you keep the following general guidelines in mind: * A small entity will probably have a smaller, less complex technology plan than a large entity. The technology plan for a one-room elementary school with dial-up Internet access will be smaller and simpler than the technology plan for a school district with 20 school buildings that have broadband Internet access and are connected by a wide area network. * An entity with limited technology needs will probably have a smaller, simpler technology plan than an entity with more complex needs. For example, consider two single-site libraries of approximately the same size. One is planning to build an addition in two years with greatly expanded telephone and Internet services, while the other has limited telephone and Internet access in place and is expecting to maintain the status quo for the next three years. The technology plan of the second entity will likely be smaller and/or simpler than that of the first entity. * Your current situation may affect the detail and the degree of complexity in your technology plan and your Form 470. For example, a school with no infrastructure in place to support Internet access could explore a variety of technological solutions to supply Internet access, while a school planning a buildout of an existing infrastructure might have more limited options because any new equipment would have to be compatible with existing equipment. * Technology Plan Approvers (TPAs) can set requirements of their own for the technology plans that they approve. They may ask for a level of detail beyond that required by the E-rate program. You should also make sure your technology plan is not overly narrow. For example, you may have written your technology plan to allow for only wired Internet access. If appropriate, you might broaden your plan so that you could also consider wireless Internet services as an option. If both options could work for you, your Form 470 should encourage bids on both. What effect should my needs assessment have on my Form 470? The needs assessment element of your technology plan should address more than just the number of computers or other hardware you intend to acquire in order to make use of discounted services. For example: * An old building with limited electrical capacity may not be able to support your requests for services unless you first make substantial modifications to its electrical system. If this is the case, upgrading your infrastructure may precede your request for all of the services you have included in your technology plan and your Form 470 should take this into account. * Your infrastructure may support your request but your staff may lack the necessary training to take full advantage of the discounted services. Again, you may have to plan your Form 470 requests in stages to make sure all necessary training has occurred in time to make effective use of the services. Keep in mind that by the time you file your Form 471, you must be prepared to certify that you have acquired the necessary resources to implement your technology. That is why it is especially important that you make an accurate and complete needs assessment and begin taking the appropriate steps to secure resources in a timely manner. How specific should I be about the scope of my project? When completing your Form 470, you should give service providers an accurate understanding of the scope of your project. For example, if your library system has nine branches and your plan is for all of them to receive Internal Connections in FY2009, make that fact clear in your Form 470. That does not mean, however, that you have to be overly specific in the "Quantity or Capacity" field on the Form 470. For example, if your school district is comprised of three elementary schools and one junior/senior high school and the local student population has not changed much in the last several years, you can enter "For my entire school district" in this field. Service providers who are not familiar with your area could easily get a clear idea of the scope of your project. However, if your school district is either growing or shrinking rapidly, you should make that clear as well. The Quantity or Capacity field in Items 8, 9, 10, and/or 11 on the Form 470 could therefore be short or very detailed, depending on the information you want to convey to give potential bidders a clear idea of your project's scope. What effects could minor or major changes to my technology plan have on my Form 470? Some technology plans are revised or updated before they expire. Although technology plans are usually approved for three years, situations can change. For example, you may accomplish all of the goals and strategies included in your plan in the first two years of the plan. Alternatively, a reduction in funding may have prevented you from accomplishing your goals according to your original schedule. * Minor revisions or updates are those that remain within the scope of the original version of the technology plan and any related Forms 470. USAC does not require such revisions or updates to be re-approved, but you should check with your TPA for any processing requirements. * Major revisions or updates are those outside of the scope of the original version of the technology plan and/or the Form 470. A major revision would require the issuance of a new Form 470 because the provision of the new or expanded services is significant enough to require a new competitive bidding process. If you make a major revision or update to your technology plan, you can have the revised technology plan approved for the period of time remaining on your original technology plan or you can ask for it to be approved for up to three years as a new technology plan. Again, if you are in this situation, talk to your TPA. As you get ready to file your Form 470, you should review any revisions or updates that you have made to your technology plan and consider any other changes that may be necessary. If you have revised or updated your technology plan, don't just copy the Form 470 you filed last year. Think first if those revisions or updates will affect the Form 470 you file for the upcoming funding year. You may download and print copies of Schools and Libraries News Briefs on USAC's website. You may subscribe to or unsubscribe from this news brief. For program information, please visit the Schools and Libraries area of the USAC website, submit a question , or call us toll-free at 1-888-203-8100. Feel free to forward this news brief to any interested parties. Please do not reply to this email directly, as it was sent from an unattended mailbox. 1997-2008, Universal Service Administrative Company, All Rights Reserved. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/erate-maine/attachments/20081101/9282b12e/attachment-0001.html From Janet.McKenney at maine.gov Sun Nov 2 18:48:26 2008 From: Janet.McKenney at maine.gov (McKenney, Janet) Date: Sun, 2 Nov 2008 18:48:26 -0500 Subject: [erate-maine] Deadline Reminder: MSLN Paperwork for Public Libraries Message-ID: <3233E4190E74E84CB8BB502705B83EFF04429164@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> The deadline for MSLN paperwork for public libraries is Nov. 6. I still need paperwork from the libraries listed below. If you can't locate the envelope with your paperwork, please contact me and I will email the three required forms. If you have any questions, please call the Maine State Library and speak to me or Cheryl Ramsay. Thanks! 1. ANDROSCOGGIN COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 2. AUBURN PUBLIC LIBRARY 3. BASS HARBOR MEMORIAL LIBRARY 4. BOLSTER MILLS VILLAGE LIBRARY 5. BROWNFIELD PUBLIC LIBRARY 6. BROWNVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY 7. BURBANK BRANCH LIBRARY 8. CAMDEN PUBLIC LIBRARY 9. CAPE PORPOISE LIBRARY 10. CARVER MEMORIAL LIBRARY 11. CARY MEMORIAL LIBRARY 12. CHARLES M BAILEY PUB LIBRARY 13. CHARLESTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 14. CHARLOTTE E HOBBS MEM LIBRARY 15. CHASE EMERSON MEMORIAL LIBRARY 16. CHEBEAGUE ISLAND LIBRARY 17. CLIFF ISLAND LIBRARY 18. COASTAL RESOURCE LIBRARY AT WELLS RESERVE 19. CUMSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 20. CUSHING PUBLIC LIBRARY 21. DR. SHAW MEMORIAL LIBRARY 22. EAST BLUE HILL PUBLIC LIBRARY 23. FALMOUTH MEMORIAL LIBRARY 24. FERNALD LIBRARY 25. FRANKLIN COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 26. FREELAND HOLMES LIBRARY 27. FRENCHBORO PUBLIC LIBRARY 28. FRENCHMANS BAY LIBRARY 29. FRIENDSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY 30. GARDINER PUBLIC LIBRARY 31. GIBBS LIBRARY 32. GREAT CRANBERRY LIBRARY 33. HANCOCK COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 34. HARVEY MEMORIAL LIBRARY 35. HOPE LIBRARY 36. HUBBARD FREE LIBRARY 37. JULIA ADAMS MORSE MEM LIBRARY 38. KNOX COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 39. LINCOLN MEMORIAL LIBRARY 40. M E JACKSON MEMORIAL LIBRARY 41. MUNJOY BRANCH LIBRARY 42. NEW PORTLAND COMMUNITY LIBRARY 43. NEW VINEYARD PUBLIC LIBRARY 44. NEWPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY 45. NORRIDGEWOCK FREE PUB LIBRARY 46. OTIS PUBLIC LIBRARY 47. OWLS HEAD VILLAGE LIB ASSOC 48. OXFORD COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 49. PALERMO COMMUNITY LIBRARY 50. PARIS PUBLIC LIBRARY 51. PEAKS ISLAND BRANCH LIBRARY 52. PHILLIPS PUBLIC LIBRARY 53. PISCATAQUIS COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 54. PORTLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY 55. READFIELD COMMUNITY LIBRARY 56. REICHE BRANCH LIBRARY 57. REVERE MEMORIAL LIBRARY 58. RICE PUBLIC LIBRARY 59. RICKER MEMORIAL LIBRARY 60. RIVERTON BRANCH LIBRARY 61. ROCKPORT PUBLIC LIBRARY 62. SAGADAHOC COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 63. SHERMAN PUBLIC LIBRARY 64. SOMERSET COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 65. SOMESVILLE LIBRARY 66. STONINGTON PUBLIC LIBRARY 67. TOPSHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY 68. TREAT MEMORIAL LIBRARY 69. WALDO COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 70. WASHBURN MEMORIAL LIBRARY 71. WASHINGTON COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY 72. WATERVILLE PUBLIC LIBRARY 73. WEBSTER FREE LIBRARY 74. WILLIAM FOGG LIBRARY 75. WINTER HARBOR PUBLIC LIBRARY 76. WOODLAND PUBLIC LIBRARY 77. YORK COUNTY COURT HOUSE LAW LIBRARY Janet McKenney Maine State Library Coordinator of Learning and Technology Services 64 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0064 207-287-5620 janet.mckenney at maine.gov From Sylvia.K.Norton at maine.gov Tue Nov 4 12:32:52 2008 From: Sylvia.K.Norton at maine.gov (Norton, Sylvia K) Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 12:32:52 -0500 Subject: [erate-maine] register now for school training Message-ID: <3233E4190E74E84CB8BB502705B83EFF043DC62F@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> There are still spaces available for school staff who have not yet registered for the day-long sessions on E-rate being held in Bangor and Scarborough this week. This is an opportunity to be trained by Linda Schatz, President of EdTech Strategies and formerly Vice President of the Schools and Libraries Division of USAC (the E-rate program administrator). The price is right - free - but then again we are asking you to bring your own coffee and lunch. For online registration for the E-rate training on November 5th or 7th go to www.maine.gov/msl/erate or http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=ITtBw6A_2f3c3lEpz8cXxAvw_3d_3d Sylvia K. Norton School Library/Technology Planning Coordinator State E-rate Coordinator Maine Dept. of Education/Maine State Library 64 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 207-287-5620 ******* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/erate-maine/attachments/20081104/646ddfbb/attachment.html From Janet.McKenney at maine.gov Sun Nov 9 16:59:46 2008 From: Janet.McKenney at maine.gov (McKenney, Janet) Date: Sun, 9 Nov 2008 16:59:46 -0500 Subject: [erate-maine] Money, E-rate and your Library's Telephone Service Message-ID: <3233E4190E74E84CB8BB502705B83EFF0442921D@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> Money, E-rate and your Library's Telephone Service Do you need money for your library? Do you want to know how to get money for your library with E-rate discounts on your telephone service? In 2007, Maine libraries received over $67,000 from the federal e-rate program for telephone service. Find out how you can get money back for 2009! Janet McKenney will be holding a webinar for those libraries that would like more information about E-rate discounts for local, long distance and cell phone service. This webinar will be archived and the PowerPoint presentation made available at the Maine State Library's E-rate webpage. Please register for the webinar on the MSL calendar. You will receive an invitation via email with instructions of how to join the webinar. http://evanced.info/maine/evanced/eventcalendar.asp Janet McKenney Maine State Library Coordinator of Learning and Technology Services 64 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0064 207-287-5620 janet.mckenney at maine.gov From Janet.McKenney at maine.gov Mon Nov 10 08:20:35 2008 From: Janet.McKenney at maine.gov (McKenney, Janet) Date: Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:20:35 -0500 Subject: [erate-maine] Date for Money, E-rate and your Library's Telephone Service Message-ID: <3233E4190E74E84CB8BB502705B83EFF04429221@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> Money, E-rate and your Library's Telephone Service November 17, 2008 at 1 PM Do you need money for your library? Do you want to know how to get money for your library with E-rate discounts on your telephone service? In 2007, Maine libraries received over $67,000 from the federal e-rate program for telephone service. Find out how you can get money back for 2009! Janet McKenney will be holding a webinar for those libraries that would like more information about E-rate discounts for local, long distance and cell phone service. This webinar will be archived and the PowerPoint presentation made available at the Maine State Library's E-rate webpage. Please register for the webinar on the MSL calendar for this webinar toi be held on November 17, 2008 at 1 PM You will receive an invitation via email with instructions of how to join the webinar. http://evanced.info/maine/evanced/eventcalendar.asp Janet McKenney Maine State Library Coordinator of Learning and Technology Services 64 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0064 207-287-5620 janet.mckenney at maine.gov From Janet.McKenney at maine.gov Tue Nov 18 09:32:48 2008 From: Janet.McKenney at maine.gov (McKenney, Janet) Date: Tue, 18 Nov 2008 09:32:48 -0500 Subject: [erate-maine] E-rate for telephone - time to file the Form 470 Message-ID: <3233E4190E74E84CB8BB502705B83EFF044292A6@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> Form 470 - First E-rate Form for July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010 Even though USAC has not released the eligible services list and there is no deadline for the Form 471, I would encourage libraries (and schools) that do E-rate for telephone service to file their Form 470 this month. Create your Form 470 online at: http://www.sl.universalservice.org/menu.asp Wording you can use Local phone service Long distance service Local and Long distance phone service Cell phone service (POTS just means local service and does not include long distance) Remember to keep track of all bids received. You must compare all bids and use price as the primary factor to choose a phone vendor. If you do not get any bids document that fact in an email to yourself and keep a copy of that in your E-rate file. If you have a question as to whether an email you receive constitutes a "real" bid, please forward it to Janet (libraries) or Sylvia (schools) so we can help you make that determination. The Form 470 must submitted and be on file at the USAC website for at least 28 days before you can fill out the next form (Form 471). I will post the deadline for the Form 471 once it has been announced. Please pay attention to deadlines! Janet McKenney Maine State Library Coordinator of Learning and Technology Services 64 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333-0064 207-287-5620 janet.mckenney at maine.gov From Sylvia.K.Norton at maine.gov Tue Nov 25 12:11:26 2008 From: Sylvia.K.Norton at maine.gov (Norton, Sylvia K) Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 12:11:26 -0500 Subject: [erate-maine] Schools on MSLN Message-ID: <3233E4190E74E84CB8BB502705B83EFF045B4020@SOM-TEAQASMAIL1.som.w2k.state.me.us> An Important Notice for Schools on MSLN School staff who earlier in November attended the E-rate training workshops heard information about decentralizing the process for those schools on Maine School and Library Network (MSLN) as of July 1, 2009. The workshops provided valuable information to participants about the overall E-rate process and requirements for telecommunications discounts, but please do NOT file E-rate forms for MSLN services as was discussed. After further consideration, the Maine Department of Education has decided for this coming year (July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2010) to continue the traditional participation packet (LOA, Form 479, and summary info) for schools on Maine School and Library Network (MSLN). DO NOT file a Form 471 or other E-rate forms for MSLN. Schools will not need to budget MSLN for school year 2009-2010 nor will they be invoiced for MSLN services. Documents for the participation packets will be available online next week. Instructions will ask that forms be printed, filled out and mailed to my attention. As in the past few years, forms need to be completed with the required information and an authorized signature for each entity (school). Information will be posted to www.maine.gov/msl/erate If you have specific questions, please contact me at sylvia.k.norton at maine.gov Sylvia K. Norton School Library/Technology Planning Coordinator State E-rate Coordinator Maine Dept. of Education/Maine State Library 64 State House Station Augusta, ME 04333 207-287-5620 ******* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://mailman.informe.org/pipermail/erate-maine/attachments/20081125/bb9b87dd/attachment.html