E-RATE
CATEGORY ONE

ADLA E-Rate Category One Consortium 2025

C3 has created a new E-rate Category One Consortium (C1C) to facilitate schools to have the economic benefit from a multi-school negotiated contract and get assistance in contract and other challenges of Internet service provision. Getting the best possible discount for quality internet service at our schools is our goal.

Annual Application for Monthly Internet Discount

NOTE: It is very important that ALL Archdiocesan school locations remember that contracts for Internet service cannot be signed until they are reviewed by C3 staff and the Archdiocese Legal Department. C3 has encountered issues emanating in the way many ISP contracts are written and what is communicated to a school by ISP sales personnel. The bottom line is, no matter what is “said”, the ISPs will only conform to what is in a signed contract. If any school location is unsure of what they are being asked to sign and needs help with an analysis of their proposed ISP contract or the provider, they should contact the C3 Project Manager, Paul Hernandez (phernandez@la-archdiocese.org).

Step #1: Letter of Agency (LOA)

How to Participate in the Next Category One Consortium:

Every school location that wishes to participate in the C1C will need to complete a new LOA. This LOA will be a separate document from the LOA that every school location has already completed so that Funds For Learning (FFL) is authorised to complete the school’s E-rate paperwork. This new and different LOA will allow the C3 Team to negotiate the rate, terms and conditions in a consortium on behalf of the school site. Every school location will be billed separately by the ISP and be responsible for payment to the chosen ISP vendor. 

Step #2: Attend/View the Consortium Introduction Meeting

C3 will conduct an Introductory meeting for the Category One Consortium (click here to view the schedule) for schools interested in participating, to provide information about the upcoming E-rate Consortium process. Items discussed will include documents needed to participate, process expectations, and a timeline and schools’ responsibilities for any changes once service is chosen from the Consortium winning bid.

E-RATE
CATEGORY TWO

ADLA E-Rate Category Two Consortium 2025

C3 has established an E-Rate Consortia for Category Two discounts for schools in need of improving their school Internet and broadband communications infrastructure. This Consortium is also supported by the C3 funding for FFL services and, in addition, has a C3 funded project construction management company contracted to oversee and coordinate with each school to determine if there are any improvements needed at the school to meet E-Rate, IGNITE Grant Program and Maker Initiative standards.

Annual Consortium, (A school can apply for an upgrade once every 5 Years for Infrastructure Installations)

As schools continue to request faster speeds from their Internet service providers, C3 finds that some existing equipment and wiring in the schools cannot properly handle increased speeds, due to the limitations of older equipment. In the Category 2 consortium process, C3 Resource Specialists and the construction consultants meet with schools to address and review their infrastructure and equipment to determine if replacement equipment such as wiring, access points, switches or other equipment is needed to improve coverage, bandwidth and overall access speed.
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The school's funding requirement portion is based on the school’s overall project cost, less the discounted portion paid by E-Rate, which is calculated using the Federal Hot Lunch Program (FHLP) protocols. For example, if a school’s total replacement cost for upgrades to their infrastructure is $26.815.95, and a school’s E-Rate discount rate is 90%, the school would only be responsible for funding $2,681.60.

Step #1: Letter of Agency (LOA)

How to Participate in the Next Category Two Consortium:

Every school location that wishes to participate in the C2C will need to complete a new LOA. This LOA will be separate from the LOA that every school location has already completed for Funds For Learning, so they (FFL) can complete the school's E-Rate paperwork. This additional LOA will allow C3 to negotiate with bidders on behalf of the schools that participate in the consortium.

Step #2: Attend/View the Category Two Consortium Introduction Meeting

C3 will conduct an Introduction to the Category Two Consortium Meeting (click here to view the schedule) for schools interested in participating. This meeting is to provide information about the upcoming E-Rate Consortium process. Topics discussed will include items needed to participate, process expectations and timeline and schools’ responsibilities towards any changes once service is chosen from the Consortium winning bid.