E-Rate Review Proceedings

E-RATE REVIEW PROCEEDINGS
[SOURCE: Federal Communications Commission]
The FCC set January 8, 2007 as the deadline for public comment in two proceedings concerning the E-rate discount program for schools and libraries. In one proceeding, E-Rate Central filed a petition for clarification of the Commission's rules concerning the disposal of equipment purchased under the E-rate program. Specifically, E-Rate Central seeks guidance from the Commission on the proper method for disposing of equipment when its value or usefulness precludes the possibility of transferring the equipment to another eligible facility. E-Rate Central notes that the Commission's rules for the disposal of equipment funded under the E-rate program, which prohibit eligible services and equipment components from being sold or transferred in consideration of anything of value, may conflict with New York's state regulations mandating that obsolete equipment shall be sold through bid procedures, if possible, for the highest possible price. In the second proceeding, the State E-Rate Coordinators' Alliance (SECA) is seeking clarification of the Commission's rules as they apply to state replacement contracts. Currently, USAC's procedure for funding requests for services covered by state master contracts that are scheduled to expire, but expected to be renewed, during the funding year requires an applicant to file two separate funding requests. SECA asks the Commission to clarify its contract extension rules to permit an applicant to extend the contract expiration date of a renewed state master contract. Alternatively, if the rules do not permit such extensions, SECA asks for a modification and/or permanent waiver of the Commission's rules to allow them.

* E-rate Central petition
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-2371A1.doc

* State E-Rate Coordinators' Alliance petition
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-2369A1.doc