The Schools and Libraries Division has approved a procedure to help E-rate applicants who are making purchases off of state master contracts that will expire sometime between now and June 30, 2001. Under the procedure, the SLD will apparently authorize funding commitments covering a full year, even when the replacement contract has not yet been bid.
States will be required to bid their replacement contracts according to the E-rate program's rules and applicants will have to file for two funding requests, one covering the remaining time on the contract and one covering the period after the contract expires. Once the state has awarded the new bid, applicants will have to request a service provider change to get the extended funding commitment approved.
Full details are available on the SLD's Web site.
