·         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.

·         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: Applicant will not accept bids for refurbished equipment. Any bids containing refurbished equipment will be disqualified.

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

12/18/23 UPDATE:  THE BID DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED TO 1/22/2024.

CATEGORY ONE

LEASED LIT FIBER

District currently has five connections at 1GB bandwidth each.  Please provide pricing for 1GB, 3GB, and 5GB per connection.  Please indicate on your bid who owns the last mile of fiber.  District prefers a five-year contract.  All addresses are in Coldspring, TX 77331:

1.       From High School at 14100 St Hwy 150 to Lincoln JHS, 13605 St Hwy 156

2.       From High School at 14100 St Hwy 150 to Coldspring Int, 1510 St Hwy 150

3.       From High School at 14100 St Hwy 150 to Jones Education Center, 125 FM1514

4.       From Jones Education Center, 125 FM1514 to Police Dept Building, 120 Slade St

5.       From Coldspring Int, 1510 St Hwy 150 to Transportation Barn, 201 Jones Ave

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

The district’s network consists of various HP/Aruba switches and Ruckus WAPs.  They are working towards upgrading most of the infrastructure backbone to keep up with current needs and to fill in dead spots that WiFi is not reaching.  They are looking for a company to come on site and supplement, replace, and/or install new up-to-date equipment.  They would like to continue using their Ruckus WAPs, but want to move them to a cloud controller instead of the current outdated local controller.  They would also like the switches to be able to be viewed on the cloud controller as well.  Installation will need to include analyzing our current switch and controller settings and mirroring those settings to the new devices.

PROJECT A (Cabling/Racks)

Ethernet drops will need to be ran and terminated where needed. 

 PROJECT B (WAPs)

This will include new exterior access points, new cloud controller, 5 year cloud licensing for new devices, and 5 year cloud licensing for existing APs.  It will also include installation and configuration of 112 currently owned Ruckus APs.  These will need to be configured with compatible settings that are on the current local Ruckus ZD3000 controller (SSIDs, Radius settings, etc)

NOTE: We are requesting WAP and WAP controller 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).

PROJECT C (Switches/GBICs)

The district prefers that the switches be compatible on the same cloud controller as the selection of wireless access points.  Switches will need to be configured in a manner that replicates the settings of the current outdated switches in the network that they will be replacing.  SFPs – most all existing fiber runs are under 500m distance.  Five are between 500m – 1000m distance.  The BiDi SFPs are for fiber runs that are between 1 – 10 miles apart. 

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).

PROJECT D (Caching Servers)

Four cache servers to be setup and configured at each of the four campuses.

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.

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