·        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 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.

·        LEASED WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS 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 WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS 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 WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to incorrect addresses will be disqualified.

·        SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK 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.

·        SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to incorrect addresses will be disqualified.

·        DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project. Bids for individual components of the project will be disqualified.

·        DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT: Vendors must complete and include the C1 Cover Page with their bid. Bids received without the cover page will be disqualified.

·        DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT:  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 bid disqualified.

·        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.

·        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 PROJECT 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: Service providers are required to bid an entire Project A, Project B or Project C.  Bids for individual components of a single project will be disqualified.

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

Category 1

VOLUNTARY SITE VISIT

Vendors wishing to bid on Leased Wide Area Network Circuits or Self-Provisioned Networks can attend a voluntary site visit either December 12, 2023 or December 19, 2023. Both will begin at 9:30am. Vendors should meet at St. Paul High School, 232 4^th St, St Paul, AR 72760. Vendors must RSVP if attending to Shawn Ellis at sellis@1hsd.org. If no RSVP is received, no district employee will be available to escort vendors around the district for the site visit.  THIS EMAIL IS TO RSVP ONLY. ALL QUESTIONS AND BIDS MUST STILL BE SUBMITTED VIA THE IFCB. BIDS NOT SUBMITTED VIA THE IFCB WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

Leased Wide Area Network Circuits – 4 connections any delivery/technology type. Leased dark fiber bidders should bid 4 fiber strands. Lit leased fiber bidders should bid 1 Gbps - 5 Gbps. There is a map available to download labeled SP Buildings Map.

 All connections are in St Paul, AR 72760.

From HS, 232 4^th St to the following buildings:

1.      Lower Elementary – 368 Walnut St

2.      Middle School – 231 4^th St

3.      Career & Tech Ed Classes – 325 4^th St

4.      Classes Building – 273 4^th St

LEASED WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS 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 WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS 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 WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to incorrect addresses will be disqualified.

Self-Provisioned Networks: the applicant will accept bids for any type of technology that can achieve our connectivity goals (fiber, wireless, purchased radio/wireless bridges, etc.). There is a map available to download labeled SP Buildings Map.

All connections are in St Paul, AR 72760.

From HS, 232 4^th St to the following buildings:

1.      Lower Elementary – 368 Walnut St

2.      Middle School – 231 4^th St

3.      Career & Tech Ed Classes – 325 4^th St

4.      Classes Building – 273 4^th St

SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK 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.

SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to incorrect addresses will be disqualified.

Maintenance & Operations – 4 connections

All connections are in St Paul, AR 72760.

From HS, 232 4^th St to the following buildings:

1.      Lower Elementary – 368 Walnut St

2.      Middle School – 231 4^th St

3.      Career & Tech Ed Classes – 325 4^th St

4.      Classes Building – 273 4^th St

C1 Network Equipment

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project. Bids for individual components of the project will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT: Vendors must complete and include the C1 Cover Page with their bid. Bids received without the cover page will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT:  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 bid disqualified.

Category 2

Project A – 6 Fiber Runs

VOLUNTARY SITE VISIT

Vendors wishing to bid on Project A can attend a voluntary site visit either December 12, 2023 or December 19, 2023. Both will begin at 9:30am. Vendors should meet at St. Paul High School, 232 4^th St, St Paul, AR 72760. Vendors must RSVP if attending to Shawn Ellis at sellis@1hsd.org. If no RSVP is received, no district employee will be available to escort vendors around the district for the site visit.  THIS EMAIL IS TO RSVP ONLY. ALL QUESTIONS AND BIDS MUST STILL BE SUBMITTED VIA THE IFCB. BIDS NOT SUBMITTED VIA THE IFCB WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

All connections are in St Paul, AR 72760. There is a map available to download labeled SP Buildings Map.

From HS, 232 4^th St to the following 6 buildings:

1.      Upper Elementary – 176 4^th St

2.      Physical Education Classes – 243 4^th St

3.      Home Ec – 456 Maple St

4.      Agri – 251 5^th St

5.      Cafeteria – 475 Walnut St

6.      Media Center – 220 4^th St

Project B – Switches and GBIC

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 switches must be compatible with existing Aruba/HP equipment. 

Project C – UPS/Battery Backup

These are expansion batteries for existing units to increase runtime.

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 PROJECT 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: Service providers are required to bid an entire Project A, Project B or Project C.  Bids for individual components of a single project will be disqualified.

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