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

school Barbers Hill ISD
IFCB Posted : Sep 16, 2025
Bid Deadline : Tuesday, Oct 28, 2025

Questions Due By : Thursday, Sep 25, 2025
Applicant Address : Mont Belvieu, TX 77580
IFCB ID : 260001414

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 the 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. The applicant reserves the right to request and obtain bids outside of the website system if the bid deadline has passed and zero or one bid is received (the intent for this is to follow USAC guidance on obtaining cost-effective bids).

·        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. SPAM and/or robotic responses will not be considered valid bid responses and will be disqualified from consideration.

 

·         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.

 

·         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 includes these manufacturers will have their bid 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: 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 INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: Service providers are required to bid an entire Project A, Project B and/or Project C.  Bids for individual components, or bids that do not include all of the requested items for the project will be disqualified.

 

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC: Service providers are required to bid the entire maintenance Project D.  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.

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

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR MIBS: Service providers are required to bid the entire Project E.  Bids for individual components, or bids that do not include all of the requested items for the project will be disqualified.

 


Services and Equipment Requested :

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

The district is looking to replace 1 to 1 switches at the Early Childhood Center, Elementary School North and South. Also replacing R750 WAPS at the Middle School North and Middle School South.

 

IC PROJECT A – FIREWALL

Licensing for existing Palo Alto 1410.

 

Type of Equipment

Quantity Vendor Should Bid

 

Preferred Make/Manufacturer

Firewall Service and Components

1

Palo Alto Firewall – 1 year service; Threat Prevention license; Global Protect license, Premium Support

 

NOTE: We are requesting firewall 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:

Licenses must be compatible with existing Palo Alto Firewall and Global Protect VPN.

 

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.

IC PROJECT B – SWITCHES

Installation, configuration and documentation needed. Bids should include 3 year licensing.

Type of Equipment

Quantity Vendor Should Bid

 

Preferred Make/Manufacturer

Cabling

64

Stacking cables for the switches

Switches

64

Aruba 6300 series, 48 ports, dual PSU with 3 year licensing

 

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:

Equipment must be compatible with existing Aruba Access Points.

 

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.

IC PROJECT C – WAPs

Installation, configuration and documentation needed. Bids should include 3 year licensing.

 

Type of Equipment

Quantity Vendor Should Bid

 

Preferred Make/Manufacturer

Antennas, connectors and related components

220

Mounting bracket for WAPs

Wireless Access Points

220

Aruba S1G43A HPE ANW AP-735 with 3 year licensing

 

NOTE: We are requesting WAP 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:

Equipment must be compatible with existing Aruba Access Points.

 

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 includes these manufacturers will have their bid 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: 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 INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: Service providers are required to bid an entire Project A, Project B and/or Project C.  Bids for individual components, or bids that do not include all of the requested items for the project will be disqualified.

 

BASIC MAINTENANCE OF INTERNAL CONNECTIONS:

BMIC PROJECT D – FIREWALL

The district would like a manufacturer’s support contract for these items:

 

Type of Equipment

Quantity Vendor Should Bid

 

Preferred Make/Manufacturer

Firewall Service and Components

1

Palo Alto Firewall – 1 year service; Threat Prevention license; Global Protect license, Premium Support

 

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC: Service providers are required to bid the entire maintenance Project D.  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.

 

Managed Internal Broadband Service (MIBS):

MIBS PROJECT E – FIREWALL:

The district would like MIBS services for the following existing equipment

 

Type of Equipment

Quantity Vendor Should Bid

 

Preferred Make/Manufacturer

Firewall Service and Components

1

Palo Alto ; SIEM Monitoring 24-7-365 for 0-500 devices; 

 

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

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR MIBS: Service providers are required to bid the entire Project E.  Bids for individual components, or bids that do not include all of the requested items for the project will be disqualified.


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

2026_C2_Bidding_Instructions_19.pdf
BARBERS_HILL_C2_COVER_PAGE3.pdf

Questions Received with Applicant Answers   ( Ask Questions? )




IC PROJECT B – SWITCHES 1. Can the district confirm what uplink speeds (1G/10G/25G) will be required to connect these switches to the campus core? 2. The RFP calls for switches with fiber uplinks. Can the district clarify whether SFP transceivers will need to be provided with the proposal, and if so, confirm the required speed (1G/10G/25G)? 3. Can the district confirm whether multigigabit access ports (2.5G/5G/10G) are required on the proposed switches, or if standard 1G access ports will be acceptable? 4. Can the district provide clarification on the PoE requirements per port and the total PoE budget required per switch (PoE+, UPOE, or higher)? 5. Can the district provide the total number of IDF closets where switches will be installed, and the number of switches per rack, in order to properly size stacking cables and determine cable lengths? 6. Can the district describe the current campus core environment (make, model, uplink speed, and redundancy design) to confirm compatibility with proposed access layer switches? IC PROJECT C – WAPs 1. The RFP specifies Aruba AP-735 access points. Can the district confirm whether Aruba Central (cloud) or Aruba Mobility Conductor is currently in place to manage these access points, or if new management infrastructure will be required? 2. Can the district confirm whether a Cisco wireless controller is currently in use? If so, please specify the model and software version (Catalyst 9800, virtual WLC, or Meraki Dashboard). 3. Can the district confirm if Wi-Fi 7 compatible access points are a strict requirement, or if Wi-Fi 6E solutions (such as Cisco Catalyst 9136 or Meraki MR57) would be considered functionally equivalent for this deployment? 4. Can the district clarify whether there are specific classroom density requirements (such as maximum clients per AP) that drive the preference for Wi-Fi 7 access points? 5. For the wireless AP installation, will any installation location be over 15 feet or require a lift? If a lift is required, will the District be able to provide one for use? 6. The RFP form lists a total amount of 13 entities but there are only 5 amount of campuses listed. Can the district confirm that the scope of services will only be required at the listed campuses? SECURITY QUESTIONS 1. What is the current SIEM in use by the district? 2. Who currently provides the 24hr 7 days/wk 365 days/yr security event monitoring for the district? 3. Are other security tools being monitored by the SIEM? 4. Does the district currently utilize Palo Alto Panorama?

Answer:

IC PROJECT B – SWITCHES

1.       Can the district confirm what uplink speeds (1G/10G/25G) will be required to connect these switches to the campus core?

10G minimum, 25G preferred.

 

2.       The RFP calls for switches with fiber uplinks. Can the district clarify whether SFP transceivers will need to be provided with the proposal, and if so, confirm the required speed (1G/10G/25G)?

SFP’s are needed for the fiber uplinks (total of 24), DAC cables for switch-to-switch connections.

 

3.       Can the district confirm whether multigigabit access ports (2.5G/5G/10G) are required on the proposed switches, or if standard 1G access ports will be acceptable?

5G multigigabit access ports minimum are needed.

 

4.       Can the district provide clarification on the PoE requirements per port and the total PoE budget required per switch (PoE+, UPOE, or higher)?

PoE+ minimum is needed.

 

5.       Can the district provide the total number of IDF closets where switches will be installed, and the number of switches per rack, in order to properly size stacking cables and determine cable lengths?

12 IDF’s total. Number of switches will vary per IDF.

 

6.       Can the district describe the current campus core environment (make, model, uplink speed, and redundancy design) to confirm compatibility with proposed access layer switches?

District Core is Aruba 50G capable switches, Campus Core is composed of Cisco 3850 model switches.

 

 

 

IC PROJECT C – WAPs

1.       The RFP specifies Aruba AP-735 access points. Can the district confirm whether Aruba Central (cloud) or Aruba Mobility Conductor is currently in place to manage these access points, or if new management infrastructure will be required?

Aruba Central is required.

 

2.       Can the district confirm whether a Cisco wireless controller is currently in use? If so, please specify the model and software version (Catalyst 9800, virtual WLC, or Meraki Dashboard).

Current campus AP system is Ruckus SmartZone controlled.

 

3.       Can the district confirm if Wi-Fi 7 compatible access points are a strict requirement, or if Wi-Fi 6E solutions (such as Cisco Catalyst 9136 or Meraki MR57) would be considered functionally equivalent for this deployment?

Wi-F- 6E or equivalent is acceptable.

 

4.       Can the district clarify whether there are specific classroom density requirements (such as maximum clients per AP) that drive the preference for Wi-Fi 7 access points?

Projected max would be 75, daily average currently is 40.

 

5.       For the wireless AP installation, will any installation location be over 15 feet or require a lift? If a lift is required, will the District be able to provide one for use?

District will provide a lift for any locations over 12ft.

 

6.       The RFP form lists a total amount of 13 entities but there are only 5 amount of campuses listed. Can the district confirm that the scope of services will only be required at the listed campuses?

The WAP’s would only be installed at two locations in the district.

 

 

SECURITY QUESTIONS

1.       What is the current SIEM in use by the district?

Current is off-site monitoring by a vendor with an on-site appliance.

 

2.       Who currently provides the 24hr 7 days/wk 365 days/yr security event monitoring for the district?

MGT.

 

3.       Are other security tools being monitored by the SIEM? 4. Does the district currently utilize Palo Alto Panorama?

No on both questions.