On March 30, 2022, Funds For Learning published an analysis of the current E-rate competitive bidding system. Over the past five years:
- Competition has increased 26%
- Prices for internet access have fallen 71%
- Prices for wireless access points have fallen 49%
Each year, there are 83,994 proposals submitted, resulting in 28,925 new contracts. These purchasing decisions are managed by local officials who then publish the names of every winning vendor, and the prices of all goods and services requested. The system is transparent, producing effective, accountable results, and helping more schools and libraries than ever stay connected.
The full report was submitted to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and is available here.
