The Office of Head Start recommends that Head Start grantees interested in applying for E-Rate discounts take the following steps:
1. Join the Head Start E-Rate Listserv. This email alert provides the latest information on what is happening in Head Start as it relates to E-Rate. Send an email to erate@headstartinfo.org and ask to be added to the list.
2. Ask Questions. Contact the Head Start E-Rate Help Desk by email or by phone at 1-866-878-6032 for more information or to request an overview of E-Rate services. If you have experienced staff turn-over, you may also receive help with the status of ongoing or existing applications and deadlines.
Summer and early fall are great times to pose questions to the Universal Service Administration Company/Schools and Libraries Division (USAC/SLD) at 1-888-203-8100. Late fall and winter months will be very busy and responses to questions may take much longer.
3. Start/Maintain an E-Rate Filing System. Recordkeeping is very important. Applicants must maintain documentation for five years from the last date of service. USAC/SLD has created this Compliance Documentation Checklist to help provide information about the process of applying for, using, and submitting invoices for E-Rate. Applicants may also use the Checklist to help track documents.
4. Update Your Grantee Profile on the Head Start Enterprise System. This information will be used to help verify your identity as a Head Start grantee and determine E-Rate eligibility for your centers with the USAC/SLD. For information on how to update your grantee profile, contact the Head Start Enterprise System Help Desk at hseshelp@acf.hhs.gov or call (toll-free) 1-866-771-4737.
5. Register with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Any entity doing business with the FCC is required to register in order to determine that they are not delinquent on debts owed to the FCC. There are two ways to register: online or by paper. Registering online is faster.
To register online, visit the FCC Registration page and follow the steps as prompted.
To register by paper, call the Forms Distribution Center at 1-800-418-3676 or the FCC Registration Number Help Desk at 1-877-480-3201 to request the necessary paperwork. Request Form 160 for initial registration or Form 161 for registration updates to a pre-existing registration. After you complete the form, mail it to the FCC Administrator at the address listed on the form.
You will need to provide contact information when you register with the FCC, including your federal employment identification number (EIN) and the legal name and address for your Head Start program. The legal name should be the same as the "Billed Entity" for your Head Start administrative or central office. The address that you provide should be the primary mailing address for your Head Start agency.
6. Collect and Consolidate Bills for Eligible Services. It is important to have all bills for telecommunication services, Internet access, and internal connections for your organization sent to one address. This will make preparing for the E-Rate application easier and will also simplify ongoing payment and budgeting for these eligible services.
7. Audit Telecommunications and Internet Services. Be aware of the services you currently use. Review bills for telecommunications, Internet services, and internal connections. An audit should identify essential services and equipment, indicate the need to add, change, or remove unused services, and help reduce waste.
8. Review Multi-year Contracts. Part of the E-Rate application process includes soliciting bids for telecommunication services, Internet access, and other eligible services. Rather than entering into a multi-year contract, use the E-Rate application process to solicit and select service providers for eligible services. Filing Form 470, Description of Services Requested and Certification, opens the competitive bidding process.
9. Locate Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN). Looking for the SPIN number will help you determine whether or not your service provider is participating in E-Rate. You may wish to tell your service provider that you plan to participate in E-Rate. Providers that do not have a SPIN number may be interested in registering if their client plans to participate.
Please note that once you start the competitive bidding part of the E-Rate application process, contact with potential service providers regarding E-Rate should end until the new provider is selected.
Look up SPIN numbers on the USAC/SLD website.
10. Obtain Entity Numbers and Billed Entity Numbers (BEN). An Entity Number is an identification number assigned by USAC/SLD to each address where E-Rate services are received. Head Start grantees who have not participated in E-Rate in previous years need to request an Entity Number for each location (address).
How you set up your Entity Numbers will impact your entire application. Contact the Head Start E-Rate Help Desk (toll-free) at 1-866-878-6032 or by email to obtain assistance. Be prepared to provide your legal name, type of agency, E-Rate point of contact, telephone numbers, addresses, and contact information for each location/entity. The process for requesting an Entity Number is also explained step-by-step in the Job Aid for Requesting an Entity Number.
11. Review Your Entity Numbers and Application Type. Head Start grantees who have previously applied in the pastfor E-Rate services should review entity categories for each of their centers and administrative offices. . Add Entity Numbers for new locations. Most Head Start grantees operate many centers over a wide geographic area and should apply as a "school district." The entity category for most Head Start Administrative Offices or Central Offices is “school district”. A Head Start Center entity type should be “school”. If another entity category (school, school district, or consortium) better fits your Head Start organization or you need to make a correction to an entity name, contact USAC/SLD (toll-free) at 1-888-203-8100. You also can make corrections to entity names.
12. Research, Train, and Read. Take advantage of information in the E-Rate Toolkit on the ECLKC. You may also review step-by-step instructions, download, forms and instructions listed on the USAC/SLD Web site, identify the information you will need to complete the forms, and evaluate the E-Rate timeline and savings you might expect from participation in E-Rate (usually 90 percent of telephone and Internet access costs for Head Start grantees).
13. Assign Staff. Select an E-Rate contact person for your organization. USAC/SLD will need an E-Rate contact person to process application forms for your organization. This person should be authorized to communicate directly with service providers, other vendors, coordinate with Information Technology (IT) staff, the fiscal officer, purchasing staff, and others. The E-Rate contact will need access to assessment information, agency goals and missions, technology planning data, budget data, and expense information for all telephone, Internet, and related services.
If you are planning to hire an E-Rate consultant, now is the time to write a Request for Proposal (RFP) and solicit bids for E-Rate services. FCC rules require that applicants and consultants sign a Letter of Agency (LOA). The LOA may authorize the consultant to represent or obligate your agency to commit funds and enter into contracts. FCC rules require that the LOA be completed and signed before work on E-Rate is accomplished by the consultant. The consultant or staff person selected cannot be an E-Rate service provider, or have an interest in an E-Rate service provider. It is a good idea to have an attorney review E-Rate-related LOAs and contracts with consultants.
14. Begin Developing a New Technology Plan or Review an Existing Plan. FCC rule changes in 2010 permit applicants to apply for and receive Priority 1 services and equipment without a Technology Plan; however, plans must be maintained for prior funding years.
Applicants who are requesting Priority 2 services and equipment are required to write a Technology Plan prior to submitting the Description of Services Requested and Certification (Form 470). Create a timeline to ensure your Technology Plan is completed before you file Form 470
Ensure your plan includes the four core elements for E-Rate required by USAC/SLD:
o Goals and a realistic strategy for using telecommunications and information technology;
o A professional development strategy;
o An assessment of telecommunication services, hardware, software, and other services needed; and
o An ongoing evaluation process.
Applicants must have their technology plan approved by a USAC-certified Technology Plan Approver before they receive Priority 2 services and equipment. For more information, contact the E-Rate Help Desk by email at erate@headstartinfo.org or call (toll-free) at 1-866-878-6032.
Following these steps will ensure that you are well-prepared and ready to apply for E-Rate discounts.
