·         All Questions and Bids must be submitted using the on-line IFCB system. 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.

·         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 http://www.usac.org/sl/service-providers/step02/lowest-corresponding-price.aspx 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.

·         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.

·         E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for data plans and text messaging from their funding request. If your company will be bidding bundled data and voice plans, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible data and text messaging functions.

·         E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for DID lines from their funding request. If your company will be bidding local phone service, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible data and text messaging functions.

·         NETWORK UPGRADE – PROJECT A – VENDORS ARE REQUIRED TO BID ON THE ENTIRE PROJECT.  BIDS FOR INDIVIDUAL COMPONONETS OF PROJECT A WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

·         NETWORK UPGRADE – PROJECT B – VENDORS WISHING TO SUBMIT BIDS FOR PROJECT B MUST ATTNED ONE OF TWO MANDATORY SITE VISITS.  PROJECT B BIDS RECEIVED FROM VENDORS WHO DID NOT ATTEND EITHER MEETING WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.

UPDATE 10/27/14 - THE QUESTIONS LISTED BELOW WERE ASKED DURING THE SITE VISITS:

1.     What is the average length of cables for the installation? I do not know the average length of all cables to be installed, but the longest will be 225 ft.

2.     Can a site map be furnished? Yes, but I do not have a structural map.  

3.     How did we decide upon one AP per classroom? We decided this through best practices guidelines as well as a consultation from Region 5.

4.     How much space is above the ceiling tile? A minimum of 2 feet of area is above the ceiling tiles, but most areas have more than 2 feet.

5.     Is there insulation in the walls at Bridge City Intermediate School? Yes. This school also has two layers of sheetrock on the walls and ceiling.

Local phone service including 1 PRI circuit – Approx 423 DID lines and approx 12 analog/POTS lines.  E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for DID lines from their funding request. If your company will be bidding local phone service, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible DID lines.

Long distance service – Approx 434 lines; approx 4,000 minutes per month

Cellular phone service including data plans – Approx 28 lines.  E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for data plans and text messaging from their funding request. If your company will be bidding bundled data and voice plans, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible data and text messaging functions

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS/NETWORK UPGRADE:  THERE ARE TWO PROJECTS – PROJECT A, WIRELESS ACCESS COVERAGE; AND PROJECT B, INSTALLATION OF CABLING/DROPS.  There is another document associated with this IFCB available for download that details both PROJECT A and PROJECT B.  The document lists equipment that the applicant prefers – the applicant will also accept functional equivalents of said items.  Additionally, all quantities listed are approximate numbers.

PROJECT A – WIRELESS ACCESS COVERAGE – VENDORS ARE REQUIRED TO BID THE ENTIRE HARDWARE PROJECT.  BIDS FOR INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS OF PROJECT A WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.  Vendors are not required to attend a site visit to bid on Project A.

PROJECT B – INSTALLATION OF CABLING/DROPS – VENDORS WISHING TO SUBMIT BIDS FOR PROJECT B MUST ATTEND ONE OF TWO MANDATORY SITE VISITS.  THE FIRST WILL BE HELD MONDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2014, FROM 9AM-NOON AT 1031 WEST ROUNDBUNCH ROAD, BRIDGE CITY, TX 77611; THE SECOND WILL BE HELD MONDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2014, FROM 9AM-NOON AT 1031 WEST ROUNDBUNCH ROAD, BRIDGE CITY, TX 77611.  PROJECT B BIDS RECEIVED FROM VENDORS WHO DID NOT ATTEND EITHER MEETING WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.