The Eligible Services List for Funding Year 2024 has now been released (see
attached).


*Newly Eligible - School Bus Wi-Fi*

Of note is the inclusion of school bus Wi-Fi as newly eligible. As you
consider whether or not to incorporate this into your funding requests, you
should pay careful attention to the guidelines in the ESL and additional
guidelines that are sure to come as it is implemented.

For now, please be aware of the following considerations (this list is not
in any way meant to be inclusive of all rules and guidelines):

   - School Bus Wi-Fi Equipment to make the Wi-Fi service functional (e.g.,
   antennas, routers, modems), as well as associated installation fees, are
   eligible as a Category One service
   - Software necessary to operate or maintain the Category One network
   equipment is eligible
   - Bus Wi-Fi maintenance and operation charges are ineligible
   - Bus Wi-Fi service is subject to CIPA
   - You may enter into service contracts with multiple service providers
      - some buses can be served by one provider, and other buses served by
      a different provider
      - applicants with a rural designation can request funding for a
      solution that allows one bus to be served by multiple service providers
   - Equipment and service is eligible for both school-owned buses and for
   buses that are leased or contracted
   - Equipment and service is ineligible for occasionally-used chartered
   buses, municipal and city buses generally used for the transport of
   non-students, and any other types of school-owned, leased, or contracted
   vehicles (such as vans and cars)
   - Services can only be enabled during a school bus’s normal operating
   hours or when there is a clear educational purpose for enabling school bus
   Wi-Fi connections outside of these hours --- otherwise applicants are
   required to disable the connections outside of these permitted uses


*Important Reminders*

To apply for any E-Rate that is not arranged by Networkmaine, you must
first launch a competitive bidding process by filing a Form 470 for that
funding year using the Eligible Services List as a guideline for the
products and services that are eligible for E-Rate funding.

If you have an *expiring contract* or want to request E-Rate for *new
products or services* for FY2024 (July 1, 2024 - June 30, 2025):

   - The deadline to file your FY2024 Form 470 is 28 days before the
   closing of the yet to be announced FY2024 Form 471 filing window (TBD but
   expected to open in January and close in March).
   - The Administrative Window for making changes to your EPC profile and
   updating enrollment and NSLP numbers will close just before the Form 471
   Window opens.

If you previously filed a Form 470 that resulted in an *ongoing multi-year
contract* that extends at least through June 30, 2025:

   - You do not need to file a new FY2024 Form 470 for those specific
   services covered by the existing Form 470 and the resulting contract.
   - You will however still need to file an FY2024 Form 471 to request the
   desired funding for those services for that funding year.
   - Any additional products and services would require both a new FY2024
   Form 470 and FY2024 Form 471.

_________________________________________________

Anne Perloff
Maine State E-Rate Coordinator for Schools
Networkmaine, University of Maine System UMS:IT

Web: erate.networkmaine.net

Email: [log in to unmask]

Phone: 207-581-3584

Mail:
Networkmaine
5752 Neville Hall, Room 255
Orono, ME 04469-5752