·         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.

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

·         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: Bidders who are not eligible to provide OUSF support will be disqualified. By placing a bid for these services, the bidder agrees to file the completed OUSF affidavit within 90 days of the start of service (applicant agrees to complete their portion in a timely fashion after the request for completion by the winning bidder).

·         LEASED WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Vendors who wish to bid must attend one of two mandatory site visits. Vendors who submit a bid but have not attended a meeting will be disqualified.

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

·         SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK 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.

·         SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Vendors who wish to bid must attend one of two mandatory site visits. Vendors who submit a bid but have not attended a meeting will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR CATEGORY ONE 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 includes these manufacturers will have their bid disqualified.

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

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR CATEGORY ONE 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 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: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project.  Bids for individual components, or bids that do not include all of the requested items for 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.

Category One:

MANDATORY SITE VISIT – LEASED WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS & SELF PROVISIONED NETWORKS

Vendors wishing to submit bids for category one projects must attend one of two mandatory site visits. The site visits will be held on January 8^th, 2026 and January 15^th, 2026. Both will be held between 1pm-3pm. Vendors will meet at the Central office - 312 N School Dr, Hermitage AR 71647. Vendors will meet with Joseph Myers. Bids from vendors who did not attend either of the site visits will be disqualified.

Leased Wide Area Network Circuits – One connection any delivery/technology type.  Leased dark fiber bidders should bid 2 fiber strands – single mode fiber. Lit leased fiber bidders should bid 10 GB. This connection will be from the Middle School – 312 N School Drive (GPS Coordinates, 33°27'10.4"N 92°10'14.5"W) to the High School at 312 N School Drive (GPS Coordinates,  33°27'07.7"N 92°10'13.9"W).

After the initial term, or after any voluntary renewal terms are executed, the Vendor must offer up to 12 months of a month-to-month service if the Applicant decides to transition to a new service provider. Vendor must list that monthly cost as part of their proposal. Bids from vendors who did not attend either of the site visits will be disqualified.

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

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: Bidders who are not eligible to provide OUSF support will be disqualified. By placing a bid for these services, the bidder agrees to file the completed OUSF affidavit within 90 days of the start of service (applicant agrees to complete their portion in a timely fashion after the request for completion by the winning bidder).

LEASED WIDE AREA NETWORK CIRCUITS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Vendors who wish to bid must attend one of two mandatory site visits. Vendors who submit a bid but have not attended a meeting will be disqualified.

Self- Provisioned Network  - The district will accept bids for any type of technology that can achieve their connectivity goals including fiber, wireless, purchased radio/wireless bridges, etc. This connection will be from the Middle School – 312 N School Drive (GPS Coordinates, 33°27'10.4"N 92°10'14.5"W) to the High School at 312 N School Drive (GPS Coordinates,  33°27'07.7"N 92°10'13.9"W). Bids from vendors who did not attend either of the site visits will be disqualified.

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

SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK 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.

SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Vendors who wish to bid must attend one of two mandatory site visits. Vendors who submit a bid but have not attended a meeting will be disqualified.

Operations and Maintenance services – This connection will be from the Middle School – 312 N School Drive (GPS Coordinates, 33°27'10.4"N 92°10'14.5"W) to the High School at 312 N School Drive (GPS Coordinates, .  33°27'07.7"N 92°10'13.9"W).

Category 1 Network Equipment-

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR CATEGORY ONE 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 includes these manufacturers will have their bid disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR CATEGORY ONE NETWORK EQUIPMENT: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project.  Bids for individual components, or bids that do not include all of the requested items for the project of the project will be disqualified.

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

Category Two:

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

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 network.

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: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware project.  Bids for individual components, or bids that do not include all of the requested items for 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.