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Application ProcessTo apply for discounts, schools and libraries submit a three-stage application consisting of:
- FCC Form 470 (Description of Services Requested and Certification)
This form describes the services and/or products you are seeking, and includes information about you that service providers need to
know to best meet your needs. After receiving and posting your Form 470, the SLD will mail you a Form 470 Receipt Notification Letter,
confirming that your Form 470 was successfully posted. The 470 must be posted on the SLD web site for a 28-day competitive bidding period,
during which vendors will contact you to bid on your requested services. You must wait at least 28 days from the date of your FCC Form 470
posting before signing any contract or making other arrangements for new services. Nothing in this process is intended to supplant or replace
state or local competitive bidding processes or timeframes. At the end of the 28-day competitive bidding process, you select the vendor(s)
for the requested services and sign a contract, unless one is not required, such as tariff telecommunications services or month-to-month
service arrangements, which are usually provided without a formal written contract.
The Form 470 requires a written technology plan for Priority 2 services, but does not require one for Priority 1 services.
See Michigan K12 Technology Plan Approval
and
Michigan Libraries Technology Plan Approval
for more information.
- FCC Form 471 (Services Ordered and Certification)
This form provides the SLD with the details of actual costs for each service you requested. After you have selected service providers and
signed contracts, you must file the Form 471 as soon as you are allowed. Each year the SLD establishes a "window period" for the Form 471,
during which all properly completed applications are treated as if they were simultaneously received. Form 471 applications must be
submitted during this window to be treated as if they had been simultaneously received. Forms received after the window closes will be
treated on a first-come, first-served basis.
The SLD will mail you Form 471 Receipt Acknowledgement Letters, confirming what was requested on your Form 471. After your Form 471 has
been reviewed, the SLD issues a Funding Commitment Decision Letter, telling what level of E-Rate funding has been allocated for eligible
services. Each service that you request will be assigned a Funding Request Number and will be approved or disapproved individually. The
SLD will also notify your vendors of your funding commitment.
- FCC Form 486 (Receipt of Service Confirmation)
After you receive the Funding Commitment Decision Letter, you must submit the Form 486 as an indication that services have begun. This form
allows the SLD to process your service provider(s)/vendor(s) invoices for your discount.
The applicant must have an approved technology plan before Form 486 is filed AND before the services start date.
The Form 486 is also used to certify compliance with the
Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA)
regarding Internet safety policies and
filtering. Both libraries and schools must comply with the Internet safety policy and public hearing requirements.
Receiving DiscountsOnce a funding request has been accepted and approved, you will receive the applicable discount on telecommunications services,
Internet access, and/or internal connections, and pay the remaining portion of the costs to your service providers. Service providers
who send discounted bills to participating customers will be reimbursed by the Fund Administrator for the cost of the approved discounts.
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E-rate 2012
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Merit has been participating in the E-rate program since its inception. As the chosen service provider for many of Michigan's ISDs, school districts, and libraries, we know that planning ahead for your connectivity needs helps to streamline the application process and reduce headaches in the years ahead.
Filing window opened:
January 9, 2012
Filing window closes:
March 30, 2012
All FCC Forms 471 electronically filed or postmarked by that date and time will be considered IN WINDOW.
Please contact your Member Relations Regional Manager for assistance.
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Erate forms are PDFs and require Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded for free from
Adobe.
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