[WEB4LIB] E-Rate Payments Delayed

[Andrew Mutch]

Karen,

Most of the reports that I have read about fraudulent e-rate activities have
predominately involved shady and illegal activities by technology vendors
and telecos. There also has been some reports of waste and abuse by some
school districts, primarily large urban districts, where districts were
awarding no-bid contracts, purchasing technology far beyond what was needed
and colluding with vendors to rig contracts. I don't recall any specific
reports of this kind of activities by any libraries although there might be
incidences out there. It should be noted that the vast majority of e-rate
funding goes to schools. Funding to libraries constitutes a small percentage
of the overall e-rate program.

Andrew Mutch
Library Systems Technician
Waterford Township Public Library
Waterford, MI

Karen Coyle wrote:

> It was reported yesterday in the NY Times, and today in Salon
>    http://www.salon.com/tech/wire/2004/10/04/school_internet/index.html
>
> that the FCC has "temporarily" shut down payments under e-rate due to a
> change in the way the program is administered. Apparently, the FCC
> claims that there was fraud due to lax accounting rules. Meanwhile,
> schools and libraries are not getting their e-rate payments, and some
> may even lose connectivity before this is straightened out.
>
> Also note that the total amount of e-rate money has been reduced because
> the FCC put a cap on how much the phone companies must contribute. So
> phone companies win, and schools and libraries lose. Anyone know any
> teachers or librarians who made off with e-rate money and are living in
> luxury on an island somewhere?
> --
> -------------------------------------
> Karen Coyle
> Digital Library Specialist
> http://www.kcoyle.net
> Ph: 510-540-7596 Fax: 510-848-3913
> --------------------------------------