·        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 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.

·        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.

·        DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT: 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 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: Service providers are required to bid the entire hardware Project A, Project B or Project C.  Bids for individual components of the project 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: Applicant will not accept bids for refurbished equipment. Any bids containing refurbished equipment will be disqualified.

·        DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR MIBS: Service providers are required to bid the entire project.  Bids for individual components of the project 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.

UPDATE 11/21/22: THE BID DEADLINE HAS BEEN UPDATED TO 12/19/22.

UPDATE 11/18/22: QA from the site visit is now available for download with this IFCB.

UPDATE 11/16/22: For MIBS, we’ve removed the quantity of leased devices from the IFCB. The district is requesting enough leased management devices to manage 1900 AP.

UPDATE 11/11/22: This IFCB replaces IFCB/470 230004265 - that Form 470 did not have MIBS filed correctly.

Voluntary Site Visit for C1 Circuits and Internal Connections – Project B and Project C – Vendors can attend a voluntary site visit on November 18, 2022 at 9:00am. Meeting will start at 3600 N Garfield St, Administration Building. Please RSVP to Chris Guynn, chris.guynn@midlandisd.net. 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.

Category 1

Leased Wide Area Network Circuits – 4 connections any delivery/technology type. Leased dark fiber bidders should bid four of fiber strands. Lit leased fiber bidders should bid 10 Gbps. District prefers a 5 year term.

1.      Early College High School at Midland College, 3600 N Garfield St, Midland, TX 79705 to Legacy High School, 3500 Neely Ave, Midland, TX 79707

2.      Early College High School at Midland College, 3600 N Garfield St, Midland, TX 79705 to Admin, 615 W Missouri Ave, Midland, TX 79701

3.      Legacy High School, 3500 Neely Ave, Midland, TX 79707 to Admin, 615 W Missouri Ave, Midland, TX 79701

4.      Legacy High School, 3500 Neely Ave, Midland, TX 79707 to Admin, 615 W Missouri Ave, Midland, TX 79701. This connection must follow a different path than connection #3 above.

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.

 Category 1 Network Equipment

COMPATIBILITY REQUIREMENT

All SFP must be compatible with Cisco switches. 

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT: 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 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

Internal Connections

Project A – Switches: No installation is needed.

Project B – Wireless Access Points: Installation and configuration needed. Please provide 5 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

All WAP must be compatible with Aruba Central and Aruba ClearPass. 

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.

Project C – Cabling

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 A, Project B or Project C.  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.

Managed Internal Broadband Services (MIBS) – Leased device to service and manage district wireless access points. Wyebot type service/device or functionally equivalent leased devices and service is requested. Please provide pricing for 1, 3 and 5 year leasing options.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR MIBS: Service providers are required to bid the entire project.  Bids for individual components of the project 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.