ACR DISPATCHER WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT A FLT WITH AN ACARS MEL'ED INOP; AND THE SECOND VHF IS REQUIRED TO BE TUNED TO EMER GUARD FREQ; CAUSING SELCAL TO BE NON FUNCTIONAL.

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FLT EWR-LAX. ACFT HAD THE ACARS SYS PLACARDED INOP PER MEL 23-3A. WHILE THE FLT WAS ENRTE; ATC CALLED DISPATCH AND REQUESTED WE HAVE FLT COME UP ON THEIR FREQ; THAT THEY HAD LOST CONTACT WITH HIM. WITH THE ACARS SYS INOP; I WAS UNABLE TO SEND HIM A MESSAGE. I CONTACTED TO HAVE THEM SELCAL THE FLT AND PASS ON TO THE FLT THE REQUESTED ATC FREQ. THE FLT DID NOT RESPOND TO THE COMMERCIAL RADIO OPERATOR SELCALS. AT THIS POINT; I CONTACTED ZDV TO HAVE THE FLT CONTACT ME ON THE COMMERCIAL RADIO FREQ TO REMIND THE FLT THAT THEY ARE REQUIRED PER MEL TO MONITOR COMPANY FREQ WHEN THE ACARS SYS IS INOP. THE FLT TOLD ME THAT THEY WERE MONITORING 121.5; THE EMER FREQ; AND THAT WAS THE CORRECT FREQ TO BE MONITORING. DISPATCH DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO 121.5; AND I WAS UNABLE TO RELAY ANY PERTINENT INFO TO THE FLT; AS THIS CASE POINTS OUT. LGA BASE OPS ADVISES THAT THERE IS A DOCUMENT THAT SAYS FLTS SHOULD MONITOR 121.5; SECTION 6 OF THE AIM STATES ARTCC DOES NOT HAVE ADEQUATE RANGE ON 121.5. THIS PROC BASICALLY PUTS A FLT IN A NO COM SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE DISPATCHER RPTED THE INCIDENT TO HIS DISPATCHER SUPVR. HE ALSO CONTACTED THE ACR TRAINING DEPT. THEY DID NOT KNOW THE STATUS OF MAINTAINING THE WATCH ON EMER GUARD FREQ. THEY APPEARED TO BE UNINTERESTED IN FOLLOWING UP ON THE PROB. THE RPTR REQUESTS THE FAA TO CLARIFY THE GUARD REQUIREMENT; AND DISSEMINATE THE OFFICIAL FINDINGS.