Sec. 54.615   Obtaining services.

    (a) Selecting a provider. In selecting a telecommunications carrier, 
a health care provider shall consider all bids submitted and select the 
most cost-effective alternative.
    (b) Receiving supported rate. Except with regard to services 
provided under Sec. 54.621, upon receiving a bona fide request for an 
eligible service from an eligible health care provider, as set forth in 
paragraph (c) of this section, a telecommunications carrier shall 
provide the service at a rate no higher than the urban rate, as defined 
in Sec. 54.605, subject to the limitations set forth in this Subpart.
    (c) Bona fide request. In order to receive services eligible for 
universal service support under this subpart, an eligible health care 
provider must submit a request for services to the telecommunications 
carrier, Signed by an authorized officer of the health care provider, 
and shall include that person's certification under oath that:
    (1) The requester is a public or non-profit entity that falls within 
one of the seven categories set forth in the definition of health care 
provider, listed in Sec. 54.601(a);
    (2) The requester is physically located in a rural area, unless the 
health care provider is requesting services provided under Sec. 54.621;
    (3) If the health care provider is requesting services provided 
under Sec. 54.621, that the requester cannot obtain toll-free access to 
an Internet service provider;
    (4) The requested service or services will be used solely for 
purposes reasonably related to the provision of health care services or 
instruction that the health care provider is legally authorized to 
provide under the law in the state in which such health care services or 
instruction are provided;
    (5) The requested service or services will not be sold, resold or 
transferred in consideration of money or any other thing of value;
    (6) If the service or services are being purchased as part of an 
aggregated purchase with other entities or individuals, the full details 
of any such arrangement, including the identities of all co-purchasers 
and the portion of the service or services being purchased by the health 
care provider; and
    (7) The requester is selecting the most cost-effective method of 
providing the requested service or services, where the most cost-
effective method of providing a service is defined as the method that 
costs the least after consideration of the features, quality of 
transmission, reliability, and other factors that the health care 
provider deems relevant to choosing a method of providing the required 
health care services.
    (d) Annual renewal. The certification set forth in paragraph (c) of 
this section shall be renewed annually.