[Fwd: Universal Service Web Site Delayed One Month]

James B. Casey (jimcasey@lib.oak-lawn.il.us)
Tue, 4 Nov 1997 17:04:38 -0500 

Date: Tue, 4 Nov 1997 17:04:38 -0500
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From: "James B. Casey" <jimcasey@lib.oak-lawn.il.us> (by way of mgolrick@sclc.org (Michael A. Golrick))
To: Multiple recipients of list <conntech>
Subject: [Fwd: Universal Service Web Site Delayed One Month]

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From: BRANDIS Rushton G <Rushton.G.BRANDIS@state.or.us>
To: "ALA Universal Service Discussion List" <univserv@listserv.alawash.org>
Subject: Universal Service Web Site Delayed One Month
Date: 04 Nov 1997 09:48:34 -0800
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From: BRANDIS Rushton G on Tue, Nov 4, 1997 9:50 AM
Subject: Universal Service Web Site Delayed One Month
To: ALA Universal Service Discussioin List

from FARNET -


October 31 - The Department of Education announced last week that the
National Exchange Carriers Association (NECA) website that is to be
utilized by the Schools and Libraries Corporation for posting requests for
universal service funding will not be ready until December 15 at the
earliest.  This one-month postponement will seriously delay the awarding of
universal service funds, with the initial award of subsidies not expected
to be distributed until March or April of next year. The nation's poorest
school districts will be hardest hit by the delay, some of which will
require a 90% subsidy (the largest discount permitted under the fund).

Under the current system, applicants must wait four weeks after their
request for services is posted on the Schools and Libraries Corporation's
web site.  Applicants must submit a signed contract which will be
prioritized  on a first-come, first-served basis in determining how
subsidies will be distributed. Remember, this priority is based on the
signed contracts, not
the initial application for services. Only after the Schools and Libraries
Corporation approves the signed contract and notifies the applicant that a
subsidy will be awarded, can the contractor begin work.

Despite this most recent delay, it is unlikely the Schools and Libraries
Corporation will shorten the four-week time period between the submission
of the initial application and the submission of a signed contract.  There
have been concerns within the FCC and the public sector that rushing to
implement the universal service program before all the administrative
processes are in place will result in schools and libraries not choosing
the service provider that best meets their needs with the most competitive
bid.

Once the initial application date has been set by the Schools and Libraries
Corporation it will inform the schools by sending out an application
package.  After the application packages (including instructions) have been
sent out, schools will have sixty days to apply. To ensure that schools and
libraries submit the most detailed applications possible, the Schools and
Libraries Corporation will be designating a "window" period whereby all
applications submitted within a given window will be considered as received
at the same time.  (This was enacted so schools with lesser administrative
resources  would have an equal opportunity for submitting their
applications and to avoid a "land-rush" mentality in submitting
applications.)

For more information on the Schools and Libraries Corporation:
        http://www.neca.org/slc.htm


Rushton Brandis, Network Development Consultant
Library Development Services, Oregon State Library
State Library Bldg, Salem, OR 97310-0640
503 378 2112 x 224; fax 503 588 7119
rushton.g.brandis@state.or.us