Mar 18, 2020

CENIC Recognizes CSM Consulting for Maximizing Broadband Discounts for CA Schools and Libraries

CENIC Announces Recipient of 2020 Innovations in Networking Award for Corporate Partner

La Mirada, CA & Berkeley, CA — March 18, 2020 — For their decade-long partnership with CENIC to deliver broadband connectivity to California’s public K-12 schools and libraries at the lowest possible cost, CSM Consulting, Inc. is being recognized with CENIC’s 2020 Innovations in Networking Award for Corporate Partner. The CENIC Innovations in Networking Awards recognize exemplary people, projects, and organizations that leverage high-bandwidth networking.

Project leaders at CSM being recognized are: Vice President Kimberly Friends, Director of Consulting Operations Cathy Benham, Senior Consultant Kathy Carroll, Invoicing Manager Shawn Farley, Certified Public Accountant Hai Do, and Staff Analyst Nick Cichella.

CSM provides CENIC members with seamless application and compliance services for the Federal Communications Commission’s E-Rate program. CENIC represents the largest E-Rate consortia in the United States, securing the maximum in federal and state discounts to ensure affordable broadband to the state’s schools and libraries. In 2010, when E-Rate applications were filed on paper, the first application CSM prepared for CENIC’s K-12 school consortium was over 1,600 pages long. Since then, CSM has helped secure approval for over $142 million in funding for CENIC members. In 2019, more than 8,500 schools, 5 million students, and 700 public libraries benefitted as a result of CENIC's consortial E-Rate applications.

Navigating the E-Rate process on behalf of CENIC’s members, CSM’s team stays current with the latest rules and procedures and consistently ensures that CENIC is in compliance. To date, CSM has assisted CENIC with 18 separate audits, all resulting in clean audit reports.

“CSM’s expertise allows CENIC to maximize federal and state discount programs in a manner that is audit-proof,” said CENIC Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Sherilyn Evans. “We are proud that our partnership with CSM enables schools and libraries to enjoy robust, reliable, affordable broadband.”

CSM provides a broad range of compliance and software solutions for school districts, offices of education, departments of education, libraries, and other educational organizations. CSM's mission is to support its educational partners in leveraging today’s technology as they shape our nation's students for the future.

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