ALAWON v6, n94 - ACTION ALERT: FORMS "WINDOW" PROPOSED
ALAWASH E-MAIL (ALAWASH@ALAWASH.ORG)
Wed, 5 Nov 1997 17:27:16 -0500
Date: Wed, 5 Nov 1997 17:27:16 -0500
Message-Id: <199711052230.RAA29344@comet.connix.com>
From: ALAWASH E-MAIL (ALAWASH E-MAIL) <ALAWASH@ALAWASH.ORG> (by way of mgolrick@sclc.org (Michael A. Golrick))
To: Multiple recipients of list <conntech>
Subject: ALAWON v6, n94 - ACTION ALERT: FORMS "WINDOW" PROPOSED
=================================================================
ALAWON Volume 6, Number 94
ISSN 1069-7799 November 5, 1997
American Library Association Washington Office Newsline
In this issue: (127 lines)
PROPOSED SEVENTY-FIVE DAY "WINDOW" FOR APPLICATIONS FOR
DISCOUNTS: YOUR INPUT NEEDED
IRA FISHMAN APPOINTED CEO OF SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES CORPORATION
________________________________________________________________
PROPOSED SEVENTY-FIVE DAY "WINDOW" FOR APPLICATIONS FOR
DISCOUNTS: YOUR INPUT NEEDED
The Schools and Libraries Corporation (SLC) and the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) are considering a proposal for a
75-day "window" for receiving applications for discounts. ALA
needs your input on whether a 75-day "window" period would give
applicants a fair opportunity at the first round of funding.
According to the proposal BOTH Form 470 and Form 471 must be
received within the 75-day "window" period in order for the
application to be considered eligible. All applications received
during the first 75 days from the day the SLC web site
(www.slcfund.org) becomes available--currently expected by mid-
December--would be given equal priority. After that "window" of
time has closed, applications would be processed on a
first-come-first-served basis.
In order for an applicant to be considered within that 75-day
period, the applicant must first file a Form 470. For "new"
service requests, the information from that form must be posted
for 28 days. After the 28 day period, the applicant is free to
sign a contract for new services, and submit Form 471 outlining
the contract information.
While the proposal states that 1) service delivery may begin
before the "window" closes, and 2) the discounts are to be
retroactive back to the contract start date, the SLC filing does
not outline how this process would actually function. The FCC is
expected to approve the "window" proposal by next Friday,
November 14, 1997.
ACTION NEEDED: The ALA Office for Information Technology Policy
needs to know your reaction to the SLC/FCC proposal, specifically
if a 75-day "window" would give applicants a fair opportunity at
the first round of funding. The FCC is expected to approve the
"window" proposal by November 14, 1997. Please e-mail your
response by this Friday, November 7 to oitp@alawash.org.
_________________________________________________________________
IRA FISHMAN APPOINTED CEO OF SCHOOLS AND LIBRARIES CORPORATION
On Tuesday, October 21 the Schools and Libraries Corporation
board retained Ira Fishman, currently of the Washington, D.C. law
firm Patton Boggs, L.L.P., as the chief executive officer for the
SLC. The SLC is one of three companies established by the FCC to
administer the new universal service program. Fishman officially
assumed his duties with the SLC on November 3, 1997.
As former special counsel and director of the Task Force on
Education with the Federal Communications Commission, he oversaw
and coordinated implementation of the provisions in the
Telecommunications Act of 1996 relating to the deployment of
libraries and schools.
"Ira was instrumental in the working with the Joint Board of
Federal and State regulators to develop the recommendation that
libraries and schools receive discounts on telecommunications
services," said K.G. Ouye, chair of the SLC and city librarian
for the San Mateo (Calif.) Public Library. "His experience and
expertise will be an asset to the SLC and to the nation's
libraries and schools."
In addition to his work with the FCC, Fishman has served as a
White House deputy assistant to the President for legislative
affairs and as vice president for congressional and external
affairs for the Export Bank of the United States.
"ALA has worked closely with Ira throughout the Joint Board
Process," said Carol Henderson, executive director of the ALA
Washington Office. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to
continue working with him to implement the libraries and schools
discount program."
The SLC board will expedite the availability of discount
applications forms, currently being reviewed by the FCC. The
other two companies are the Universal Service Administrative
Company (USAC) and the Rural Health Care Corporation (RHCC).
USAC will be responsible for collecting and disbursing universal
service funds. The two separate, unaffiliated corporations--SLC
and RHCC--will be responsible for receiving applications and
committing funds under the universal service provisions for
libraries, schools and rural health care providers.
Other SLC board members are Anne L. Bryant, executive director of
the National School Boards Association; Henry Marockie, West
Virginia Superintendent of Education and current president of the
Council of Chief State School Officers and Brian L. Talbott,
executive director of the American Association of Educational
Service Agencies; Ken Brody, managing partner of Winslow Partners
and Frank Gumper, vice-president of Federal Regulatory Planning
at Bell Atlantic.
_________________________________________________________________
ALAWON is a free, irregular publication of the American Library
Association Washington Office. To subscribe, send the message:
subscribe ala-wo [your_firstname] [your_lastname] to listproc
@ala.org. To unsubscribe, send the message: unsubscribe ala-wo
to listproc@ala.org. ALAWON archives at http://www.ala.org/
washoff/alawon. Visit our Web site at http://www.alawash.org.
ALA Washington Office 202.628.8410 (V)
1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW, #403 202.628.8419 (F)
Washington, DC 20004-1701 800.941.8478 (V)
Lynne E. Bradley, Editor <leb@alawash.org>
Deirdre Herman, Managing Editor <alawash@alawash.org>
Contributors: Aleck Johnson
All materials subject to copyright by the American Library
Association may be reprinted or redistributed for noncommercial
purposes with appropriate credits.
=================================================================