Page 81 - E-Rate 2020-21 Workbook

KSLLC – RFP QUESTIONNAIRE – HELP TEXT

applications beginning July 1, 2016) allows applicants to request funding for leased lit or
dark connections, wireless or wired, third party networks, as well as self-provisioned data
connections. Support is available for IRUs.
Additionally, special construction charges are available for funding support in any option
(leased lit, leased dark or self-provision) if the selected option is the most cost effective
solution with price as the primary factor. The E-rate program will allow the applicant to
pay out their non-discount share for special construction charges over 1, 2, 3, or 4 years.

Applicants are encouraged to request a bandwidth range with incremental pricing. The
FY2018 FCC Form 470 includes the following bandwidth levels: 56 kbps, 1.5 Mbps, 5
Mbps, 10 Mbps, 25 Mbps, 50 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 200 Mbps, 300 Mbps, 400 Mbps, 500
Mbps, 750 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 2 Gbps, 5 Gbps, 10 Gbps and 25 Gbps. These levels are for
the applicant's convenience when completing the online form and are not the only levels
that can be requested.

OKLAHOMA applicants - for OUSF compliance, best practice is to include the
following standard bandwidth levels if they fall within your selected bandwidth range: 56
kbps, 1.5 Mbps, 5 Mbps, 10 Mbps, 25 Mbps, 50 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 200 Mbps, 250 Mbps,
300 Mbps, 400 Mbps, 500 Mbps, 750 Mbps, 1 Gbps, 2 Gbps, 2.5 Gbps, 5 Gbps, 7.5
Gbps, 10 Gbps and 25 Gbps.

Other Helpful Information.

Be sure to request equipment necessary to utilize the services bid. For example, if you
need a 1 Gigabit connection you may need to upgrade your router and/or switches. The
E-rate program will provide funding support for on premise equipment leased to the
applicant and owned by the service provider. If you need to upgrade your head end
equipment in order to utilize the service, request bidders to provide you with an optional
quote to lease the needed on premise equipment. You may also decide to request the
necessary equipment using your Category Two Budget if you prefer to purchase and own
the equipment.

If you are requesting bids or new data connections, you may decide to host a bidders
conference and provide network diagrams to registered attendees only. A best practice
for security purposes is to require service providers who receive the network diagram to
sign a non-disclosure statement.

State Match. If special construction charges are required and the applicant can
demonstrate that the charges are the most cost effective option with price as the primary
factor, the E-rate program will match state funding up to 10%. For example, if your E-
rate discount is 80% and a state match is approved for 10%, the E-rate program will pay
90% and the state 10% of the cost of the special construction charges. See:
http://usac.org/sl/applicants/beforeyoubegin/state-matching-provision.aspx

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