·         All Questions and Bids must be submitted using the on-line IFCB system. If the IFCB system is down before the deadline, please email your bid to info@crwconsulting.com or fax it to 918.445.0049. Bids or questions submitted in this fashion will be disqualified if the on-line system is active at the time of submission.

·         Bidder must agree to participate in USF Program (AKA “E-rate”) for the corresponding funding year.

·         Please include the correct Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) on your bid.

·         By submitting a bid, bidder certifies that the bidder does have a valid (non-red light status) SPIN for the E-rate program at the time of submission. Should the Applicant discover that the bidder is on red light status, or if the FCC classifies the bidder as on red-light status before work is performed and invoices are paid, the contract will be null and void and the applicant will have no payment obligations to the bidder.

·         Bidder is expected to provide the lowest corresponding price per E-rate rules.  See http://www.usac.org/sl/service-providers/step02/lowest-corresponding-price.aspx for details.

·         Contracts must not prohibit SPIN changes.

·         Bidder must agree to provide the Applicant the choice of discount methods (SPI or BEAR).

·         Bidder will be automatically disqualified if the District determines that the bidding company has offered any employee of the District any individual gift of more than $20 or gifts totaling more than $50 within a 12-month period.  This does not apply to the recent FCC exemptions of the Gift Rule for the COVID pandemic.

·         All contracts awarded will be contingent upon E-rate funding and final board approval.  The applicant may choose to do all or part of the project upon funding notification.

·         All contracts awarded under this IFCB bidding process may be voluntarily renewed by the applicant, upon written notice to the provider, for five consecutive one-year terms. Please include this language in your final contract.

·         All applicable fees, surcharges, and taxes must be identified on the bid or your bid will be disqualified. E-rate rules require the applicants to evaluate the price of eligible goods and services that will be listed on the 471 application during the competitive bidding process. If the applicant discovers that fees, taxes or surcharges apply but are not listed on the bid (after the time of bid awards) those charges will be the responsibility of the bidding company.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B: It will be the bidder’s responsibility to provide documentation about the compatibility requirements listed in this IFCB. Vendors that submit bids without documentation demonstrating the required compatibility listed in this IFCB will have their bids disqualified, unless that vendor has bid the preferred make/model number listed.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B: Vendors must complete and include the C2 Cover Page with their bid. Bids received without the cover page will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project/upgrade.  Bids for individual components of a single project will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B: Applicant will not accept bids for refurbished equipment. Any bids containing refurbished equipment will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B:  Bids from companies that include equipment barred by the Federal Communications Commission due to national security risks (such as ZTE or Huawei) will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECTS C & D: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project/upgrade.  Bids for individual components of the project/upgrade will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECTS C & D: Vendors must complete and include the C2 Cover Page with their bid. Bids received without the cover page will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECTS C & D: Maintenance bids listing only an hourly rate and not a monthly or annual total will be disqualified.  Vendors quoting an hourly rate are required to also a) confirm that you have the ability/expertise to maintain all of the equipment listed and b) propose a number of hours at a particular rate monthly to properly maintain the entire list of equipment.  Bids that contain only hourly rates, without confirmation that the company can service the list of equipment, or without a monthly total will be disqualified.

UPDATE 11/24/2020:  We have posted a new 470 #210005527 in the event some of the items requested below are considered “Antenna, Connectors, and Related Components” instead of “Switches” by USAC.  There are no changes to the quantities or descriptions listed below, only the classification for “Type of Equipment.”

CATEGORY TWO


VOLUNTARY SITE VISITS – INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

Vendors wishing to bid on the Internal Connections project may attend one of two voluntary site visits.  The site visits will be held November 10^th and November 18^th.  Vendors should report to 908 N Main Street, Huntington, TX 75949, at 9:00AM. 


INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

The district is hoping to finish updating their network infrastructure.  There are two projects for internal connections.  Project A is for equipment at E-rate eligible buildings; Project B is for equipment at E-rate ineligible buildings.  The district is aware that they will be completely responsible for any items purchased from Project B.

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS (IC) PROJECT A – Eligible Buildings

The district will accept bids for functional equivalents of all requested equipment. 

NOTE:  We are requesting switch licenses on this IFCB, which sometimes may be categorized as BMIC or MIBS by USAC (the BMIC and MIBS boxes on the 470 have been checked to over these scenarios).

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS (IC) PROJECT B - Ineligible

The district will accept bids for functional equivalents of all requested equipment.

COMPATIBILITY REQUIREMENT PROJECTS A & B – Switches must be compatible with the district’s existing Ruckus network equipment.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B: It will be the bidder’s responsibility to provide documentation about the compatibility requirements listed in this IFCB. Vendors that submit bids without documentation demonstrating the required compatibility listed in this IFCB will have their bids disqualified, unless that vendor has bid the preferred make/model number listed.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B: Vendors must complete and include the C2 Cover Page with their bid. Bids received without the cover page will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project/upgrade.  Bids for individual components of a single project will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B: Applicant will not accept bids for refurbished equipment. Any bids containing refurbished equipment will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS PROJECTS A & B:  Bids from companies that include equipment barred by the Federal Communications Commission due to national security risks (such as ZTE or Huawei) will be disqualified.


BASIC MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

The district is requesting a manufacturer’s support contract.  There are two projects for basic maintenance.  Project C is for maintenance of equipment at E-rate eligible buildings; Project D is for maintenance of equipment at E-rate ineligible buildings.  The district is aware that they will be completely responsible for any goods/services purchased from Projects D.

BASIC MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL CONNECTIONS (BMIC) PROJECT C – Eligible Buildings 

BASIC MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL CONNECTIONS (BMIC) PROJECT D – Ineligible Buildings 

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECTS C & D: Vendors must complete and include the C2 Cover Page with their bid. Bids received without the cover page will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECTS C & D: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project/upgrade.  Bids for individual components of the project/upgrade will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECTS C & D:  Maintenance bids listing only an hourly rate and not a monthly or annual total will be disqualified.  Vendors quoting an hourly rate are required to also a) confirm that you have the ability/expertise to maintain all of the equipment listed and b) propose a number of hours at a particular rate monthly to properly maintain the entire list of equipment.  Bids that contain only hourly rates, without confirmation that the company can service the list of equipment, or without a monthly total will be disqualified.