All bid deadlines are 11:59pm Pacific Time the date of the bid deadline listed unless otherwise noted.

school University City School District
IFCB Posted : Nov 1, 2023
Bid Deadline : Tuesday, Dec 26, 2023

Questions Due By : Friday, Nov 10, 2023
Applicant Address : University City, MO 63130
IFCB ID : 240003695

IFCB Requirements :

·         Before the listed deadlines, all Questions and Bids must be submitted using the on-line IFCB system. Bids submitted before the bid deadline outside of this system will be disqualified. If for some reason the system is down before the respective 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.

·        For all requested services and/or products listed on this IFCB: proposals that include generic/encyclopedic price lists will be considered non-responsive and will be disqualified.

 

·         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 https://www.usac.org/e-rate/service-providers/step-2-responding-to-bids/lowest-corresponding-price/ 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. 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. Fees and surcharges that apply but are not listed on the bid will be the responsibility of the bidding company, should their bid be awarded.

 

·         If there is a request for Internal Connections (Category Two) equipment, or Category One equipment listed on this IFCB the applicant will accept bids for functionally equivalent equipment.

 

·         The winning vendor will be required to complete the USAC approved Item 21 template for the project within 7 working days after notification that the vendor has won the bid.

 

·         E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for ineligible services from their funding request. If your company will be bidding internet access service, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible services – email service, web hosting, content filtering, or other bundled ineligible services.

·         INTERNET ACCESS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Any and all installation charges must be identified on your bid. If you submit a bid indicating that installation charges may apply without listing those charges, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your bid.

·         INTERNET ACCESS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to an incorrect address will be disqualified.

 

·         LEASED LIT FIBER DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Vendors must bid all connections. If vendors submit a bid missing any connection, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your bid.

·         LEASED LIT FIBER DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Any and all installation charges must be identified on your bid. If you submit a bid indicating that installation charges may apply without listing those charges, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your bid.

·         LEASED LIT FIBER DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to incorrect addresses will be disqualified.

 

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: The applicant will not accept bids from manufacturers of equipment deemed a national security threat by the Federal Communications Commission. The list of prohibited equipment is available here: https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist. Vendors that submit bids that include these manufacturers will have their bids disqualified.

 

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: 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: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project.  Bids for individual components of the project will be disqualified.

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

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC: Service providers are required to bid the entire maintenance project.  Bids for individual components of the project will be disqualified.

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

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC: 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.


Services and Equipment Requested :

UPDATE 11.28.23: Documents available for download-University City HS Map and University City BW MS Map. The bid deadline has been extended to 12.26.23.

CATEGORY ONE

INTERNET ACCESS

The district currently has 1GB bandwidth connection and is considering upgrading to 2GB or 3GB bandwidth.  The terminating address for this circuit is Brittany Woods Middle School, 8125 Groby Road, University City, MO 63130.  The district prefers a two year contract.

E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for ineligible services from their funding request. If your company will be bidding internet access service, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible services – email service, web hosting, content filtering, or other bundled ineligible services.

INTERNET ACCESS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Any and all installation charges must be identified on your bid. If you submit a bid indicating that installation charges may apply without listing those charges, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your bid.

INTERNET ACCESS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to an incorrect address will be disqualified.

INTERNET ACCESS

The district currently has 1GB bandwidth connection and is considering upgrading to 2GB or 3GB bandwidth.  The terminating address for this circuit is University City High School, 7401 Balson Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63130.  The district prefers a two year contract.

E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for ineligible services from their funding request. If your company will be bidding internet access service, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible services – email service, web hosting, content filtering, or other bundled ineligible services.

INTERNET ACCESS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Any and all installation charges must be identified on your bid. If you submit a bid indicating that installation charges may apply without listing those charges, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your bid.

INTERNET ACCESS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to an incorrect address will be disqualified.

LEASED LIT FIBER

The district currently has 1GB connections and is considering upgrading to 2GB or 3GB bandwidth for all connections.  Currently University City High School is the hub site, however, the district would prefer a managed fiber infrastructure that does not use the hub and spoke method or rely on one or their locations for connectivity.  The district prefers a three year contract. 

1.       University City High School, 7401 Balson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63130

2.       Flynn Park Elementary School, 7220 Waterman Ave., University City, MO 63130

3.       Barbara Jordan Elementary School, 1500 82nd Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63132

4.       Jackson Park Elementary School, 7400 Balson Ave., St. Louis, MO 63130

5.       Pershing Elementary School, 6761 Bartmer Ave., University City, MO 63130

6.       Julia Goldstein ECC, 737 Kingsland Ave., University City, MO 63130

7.       Brittany Woods Middle School, 8125 Groby Road, University City, MO 63130

8.       McNair Building, 7700 Olive Blvd., University City, MO 63130

LEASED LIT FIBER DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Vendors must bid all connections. If vendors submit a bid missing any connection, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your bid.

LEASED LIT FIBER DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Any and all installation charges must be identified on your bid. If you submit a bid indicating that installation charges may apply without listing those charges, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your bid.

LEASED LIT FIBER DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to incorrect addresses will be disqualified.

CATEGORY TWO

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

Installation is needed for switches and cabling.

Type of Equipment

Quantity Vendor Should Bid

 

Preferred Make/Manufacturer

Cabling

34

Aruba J9281D

Cabling

13

Aruba J9283D

Switches

47

Aruba JL728A

Antennas, Connectors, and Related Components

54

Aruba J4858D

Antennas, Connectors, and Related Components

4

Aruba J9151E

UPS/Battery Backup

8

APC SRT2200

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 cover this scenario).

COMPATIBILITY REQUIREMENT

All equipment must be compatible with existing Aruba infrastructure.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: 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: The applicant will not accept bids from manufacturers of equipment deemed a national security threat by the Federal Communications Commission. The list of prohibited equipment is available here: https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist. Vendors that submit bids that include these manufacturers will have their bids disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: 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: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project.  Bids for individual components of the project will be disqualified.

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

BASIC MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

The district is requesting a block of time, 20 hours per month, to maintain the below equipment.

Type of Equipment

Quantity Vendor Should Bid

 

Preferred Make/Manufacturer

Cabling

34

Aruba J9281D

Cabling

13

Aruba J9283D

Cabling

60

Gen Cable Cat 6e

 

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC: Service providers are required to bid the entire maintenance project.  Bids for individual components of the project will be disqualified.

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

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC: 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.

 


There is an additional document associated with this IFCB. Please click the buttons to download the document.

University_City_C2_Cover_Page.pdf
2024_C2_Bidding_Instructions78.pdf
University_City_HS_Map.pdf
University_City_BW_MS_Map.pdf

Questions Received with Applicant Answers   ( Ask Questions? )




For the category 2 internal connections part, how many closets will be connected by single mode fiber? How many closets will be connected by Multimode OM1/OM2 fiber? How many closets will be connected by Multimode OM3/OM4 fiber?

Answer:

High school and Middle school use single mode. 

1) For Leased Lit Fiber, the RFP states a preference for a 3-year contract. E-Rate's FAQ #30 suggests comparison of networks over 5, 7, 10, and up to 20 years and considering life of the asset. Some proposal options will include new construction. Will the district consider longer term initial contracts such as 5-year or 10-year initial terms? 2) Will the District consider optional renewal terms? 3) Will the District consider options using Special Construction? 4) Can we schedule a site visit? 5) If no site visit is permitted, can the District make building maps available upon request showing the location of the MDF and also where the current fiber entry is (and ideally, indicate if entry is aerial or underground).

Answer:

1) Will the district consider longer term initial contracts such as 5-year or 10-year initial terms?  Maybe 5 year.

 

2) Will the District consider optional renewal terms? Yes.

 

3) Will the District consider options using Special Construction? We will accept any cost-effective bid that meets our needs.

 

4) Can we schedule a site visit? We are not accepting site visits during the open competitive bidding process.

 

5) If no site visit is permitted, can the District make building maps available upon request showing the location of the MDF and also where the current fiber entry is (and ideally, indicate if entry is aerial or underground). Maps have been uploaded to the IFCB.