[PL-Directors] IMPORTANT: Erate update regarding SOEN contract

[Darci Hanning]

Greetings everyone,

If you're using E-rate discounts for your telecommunication services through the SOEN contract (managed by the Oregon Department of Administrative Services), please see the important message below.

I'm not sure if any public libraries have gone this route but if you are, you'll want to follow the advice below.

Cheers,
Darci
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Darci Hanning * Technology Development Consultant * Library Development Services
Oregon State Library, 250 Winter St. NE, Salem, OR  97301
503-378-2527 darci.hanning at state.or.us<mailto:darci.hanning at state.or.us>

 Ask me about Plinkit! http://www.plinkit.org/ http://oregon.plinkit.org<http://oregon.plinkit.org/>



From: erate-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us [mailto:erate-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Carson, Sabrina
Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2013 2:14 PM
To: (erate at listsmart.osl.state.or.us)
Subject: [Erate] URGENT update regarding SOEN contract
Importance: High

At this time, the State of Oregon Department of Administrative Services has not yet determined whether the SOEN contract will be extended for another three years.  They've indicated that they may not reach a final decision on this for a couple of months.  At this time I strongly urge any district who has been using the SOEN contract to file a form 470 for those services on their own.  This way, if the state does not extend the contract with Qwest/CenturyLink, you'll still have an opportunity to purchase the services from another vendor and obtain E-rate discounts.

There are no special instructions for this, you would simply file a form 470 as you normally do and add a description of the services that you are currently receiving on the SOEN contract to Block 2 so the other vendors have the opportunity to bid on them. I would recommend that you file for these services under both the Internet Access and Telecom categories, just to be safe.  If It is also perfectly OK to add the services to a form 470 that you may already be working on; it does not need to be on its own 470 by itself.

As always, feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns and I would be happy to assist you.

Sabrina Carson
e-Rate Coordinator
Willamette Education Service District
2611 Pringle Rd SE
Salem, OR 97302
P: 503.540.4495
F: 503.540.2962

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