E-rate Requirements

2.	In your experience with the E-rate program during the past 3 years, how easy or difficult has it been for you to complete the following program requirements?
	(Check one in each row)

		Very easy	Somewhat easy	Neither easy nor difficult	Somewhat difficult	Very difficult	Don't know or no experience within last 3 years
	a. Preparing the technology plan
	b. Complying with E-rate's competitive bidding requirements, including using the Form 470, Description of Services Requested and Certification
	c. Determining the eligibility of locations to receive services
	d. Determining the eligibility of products and services
	e. Cost-allocating partially eligible products, services, or locations
	f. Calculating discount percentages
	g. Preparing the Item 21 Attachment to the Form 471
	h. The overall process of preparing the Form 471, including steps mentioned in items a - g above, if applicable
	i. Entering information in the Universal Service Administrative Company's (USAC) online forms, such as the 470 and 471, including the Item 21 Attachment

		Very easy	Somewhat easy	Neither easy nor difficult	Somewhat difficult	Very difficult	Don't know or no experience within last 3 years
	j. Participating in USAC's review of your application for funding (i.e., program integrity assurance (PIA) review)
	k. Participating in the selective review process
	l. Receiving timely reimbursement of expenses reported on the Billed Entity Application for Reimbursement (BEAR) form
	m. Working with service providers to ensure the Service Provider Invoice (SPI) form is prepared correctly
	n. Using committed funding within the time allowed
	o. Preparing and submitting appeals of funding decisions
	p. Preparing paperwork for service substitution requests

3.	Of the items listed in question 2, which do you consider the three most difficult requirements of participation in the E-rate program? (Please list the letters corresponding to the requirements listed above.)

	a. Most difficult
	b. Second most difficult
	c. Third most difficult

4.	Compared to funding year 2005, are the current E-rate program requirements easier, the same, or more difficult?
	(Check one)
	1.		Easier now (Click here to skip to question 6.)
	2.		The same (Click here to skip to question 6.)
	3.		More difficult now
	4.		Unable to respond; I began participating in the E-rate program after funding year 2005. (Click here to skip to question 6.)

5.	Has the increased difficulty of E-rate program requirements had any of the following effects or not?
	(Check one in each row)

		Effect	Not an effect	Unable to judge
	a. My entity now uses more staff resources on E-rate-related tasks.
	b. My entity began using a paid consultant to assist with E-rate-related tasks since funding year 2005.
	c. My entity stopped applying for or applied for fewer Priority 1 services.
	d. My entity stopped applying for or applied for fewer Priority 2 services.

	If any, what other effects has the increased difficulty of E-rate program requirements had?

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Full Report: GAO-09-253

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