December 20, 2007 
 
Applicant Contact 
Applicant        Name 
Street A                ddress 
City and S Address 
 
 
  
Re: Universal Service Rural Health Care Pilot Program 
 
Dear Mr.Contact: 
 
On November 19, 2007, the Federal Communications Commission (Commission) released the 
Rural Health Care Pilot Program Selection Order, selecting your organization to participate in the Rural 
Health Care Pilot Program.
1
  As set forth in that order, your organization is eligible to receive funding for 
up to 85 percent of the costs associated with:  (1) the construction of a state or regional broadband 
network and the advanced telecommunications and information services provided over that network; (2) 
connecting to Internet 2 or National LambdaRail (NLR); and (3) connecting to the public Internet.
2
  I 
would like to take this opportunity to congratulate you on your selection and let you know the 
Commission looks forward to working with you to implement this Pilot Program and the Chairman’s goal 
of ensuring that all Americans, including those in the most remote areas of the country, receive first-rate 
medical care. 
 
As you are aware, the Pilot Program operates under the Commission’s existing universal service 
rules, including the competitive bidding requirements.  The Commission provided for a limited exception 
to the competitive bidding rules allowing applicants to pre-select the use of Internet2 or National 
LambdaRail (NLR) as a nationwide backbone provider in their applications filed in May 2007 to 
participate in the Pilot Program.
3
  Other than existing pre-selections covered by this approved, limited 
exception, all funding requests are subject to the competitive bidding rules.
4
   
 
                                                 
1
 See generally Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 02-60, Order, FCC 07-198 (rel. Nov. 19, 
2007) (Rural Health Care Pilot Program Selection Order), available at 
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DOC-279101A1.pdf
2
 See id. at para. 16 
3
 See Rural Health Care Support Mechanism, WC Docket No. 02-60, Order on Reconsideration, 22 FCC Rcd 2555 
(2007).  However, to the extent that you did not pre-select Internet2 or NLR in your Pilot Program application, you 
are required to seek bids through the established rural health care mechanism competitive bidding process, 
consistent with subpart G of the Commission’s Part 54 universal service rules and with section E of the Rural Health 
Care Pilot Program Selection Order in order to select the use of Internet2 or NLR.  
4
 Rural Health Care Pilot Program Selection Order, at para. 100 & n.321.  See 47 C.F.R. §§ 54.601 et. seq. (Subpart 
G – Universal Service Support for Health Care Providers). 
 
 
 Again, congratulations on your selection for participation in the Pilot Program.  We look forward 
to working with you as the Pilot Program is implemented; you will hear from a member of my staff 
and/or the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) soon regarding upcoming informational 
sessions for selected participants.   
 
      Sincerly, 
 
 
 
 
Dana R. Shaffer 
Chief  
Wireline Competition Bureau 
 
 
cc: Kent R. Nilsson, Inspector General, Federal Communications Commission 
 Anthony Dale, Managing Director, Federal Communications Commission 
Scott Barash, Acting Chief Executive Officer, Universal Service Administrative Company  
Douglas E. Van Houweling, President and Chief Executive Officer, Internet2 
 Thomas W. West, President and Chief Executive Officer, National LambdaRail