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12.
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A list of suggestions that beneficiaries and school and library associations have made to improve the E-rate program follows. To what extent do you favor or oppose each of these suggestions? |
| (Check one in each row) |
| Strongly favor | Somewhat favor | Neither favor nor oppose | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | N/A or don't know | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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a. Remove the Form 470 from E-rate program requirements, so that applicants would rely exclusively on state and local competitive bidding rules. | ||||||
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b. Establish set dates for the Form 471 window that would be used every year. | ||||||
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c. Allow the use of a multi-year application for Priority 1/recurring services. | ||||||
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d. Streamline the application for Priority 1/recurring services. | ||||||
|
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e. Increase the number of employees who review applications for funding (i.e., PIA reviewers). | ||||||
|
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f. Increase the training of employees who review applications for funding (i.e., PIA reviewers). | ||||||
|
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g. Allow for potentially higher costs in remote areas during the PIA review process. | ||||||
| Strongly favor | Somewhat favor | Neither favor nor oppose | Somewhat oppose | Strongly oppose | N/A or don't know | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
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h. Enable applicants to go online to update their applications, make service substitutions, correct SPINs, change providers, and cancel or reduce funding. | ||||||
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i. Reimburse beneficiaries directly for discounted portions, rather than routing payments through service providers. | ||||||
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j. Require both service providers and beneficiaries to sign the Form 474, Service Provider Invoice Form. | ||||||
|
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k. Create an advisory panel to USAC and the Schools and Libraries Division, which would consist of actual practitioners who have current experience going through the E-Rate application process. | ||||||
|
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l. Allow public libraries to calculate discounts based on school lunch figures for their corresponding elementary school, rather than on the average of a school district. | ||||||
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13.
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Of the suggested changes listed in question 12, which three do you most favor? (Please list the letters corresponding to the suggestions listed above.) |
|
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a. Most strongly favor | |
|
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b. Second most strongly favor | |
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c. Third most strongly favor | |
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14.
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What other changes to the E-rate program would you strongly favor? |
| Full Report: GAO-09-253 | Table of Contents | Previous | Next |