·         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 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: 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 PROJECT C ONLY: Vendors who wish to bid on Project C must attend one of two mandatory site visits. Vendors who submit a bid but have not attended a meeting 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, and/or Project D.  Bids for individual components of a single project will be disqualified.

UPDATE 11/25/2024: THE BID DEADLINE HAS BEEN UPDATED TO 12/23/2024.

UPDATE 11/22/2024: Project C is being cancelled and will be replaced with IFCB/470 # 250006725 which should be available later today.

CATEGORY TWO

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

The District is seeking bids for a comprehensive upgrade of their network infrastructure across multiple campuses, focusing on modernizing and enhancing WiFi, switching, fiber, and power capabilities.  The projects include replacing all WiFi systems, except at Gus Almquist Middle School, with Ruckus solutions, utilizing our existing SmartZone controller.  Additionally, new WiFi installations are needed for the upcoming Lee Martinez Elementary, which is opening next school year.

For Lee Martinez Elementary, the District is looking for bids to provide all necessary Ruckus equipment to support the new campus.  This includes outfitting seven Main/Intermediate Distribution Frames (M/IDFs), each requiring one multi-gig switch for wireless access point support, a few standard access switches, and wireless access points (WAPs) to provide full coverage for the campus.

At Hutto High School, the District is seeking bids to modernize the fiber runs, ensuring each Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF) is connected directly to the Main Distribution Frame (MDF), eliminating daisy-chained IDFs.  The District also needs to re-cable the existing copper cabling in the older parts of the school to meet CommScope standards.  Additionally, the District is looking to provide new Ruckus ICX switches for much of the High School, with one multi-gig switch per IDF to service the wireless access points.  Hutto High School’s fiber will also need to be upgraded to CommScope standards, and a Ruckus fiber distribution switch will be required in the MDF to act as the distribution layer and campus router, along with Layer 3 licensing for the switch.

At Howard Norman Elementary, the District is looking to replace all switches with 13 Ruckus ICX switches.  The school has three Main/Intermediate Distribution Frames (M/IDFs), and each IDF will require one multi-gig switch to support wireless access points.  Additionally, Howard Norman Elementary will need a Ruckus fiber distribution switch in the MDF to server as the distribution layer and router for the campus, along with Layer 3 licensing for this switch.

The District is also seeking bids to re-cable Nadine Johnson Elementary, updating both copper and fiber cabling to meet CommScope standards.  Additionally, the District is looking to evaluate the wiring cabinet near the gym to explore options for improving or eliminating it to optimize the network setup.

Furthermore, the District is requesting bids to overhaul the Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPSs) in almost every Main/Intermediate Distribution Frame (M/IDF) across the District.  The current UPS equipment is either missing, at end of life, or non-functional across most campuses, and the District aims to ensure reliable power backup for their networking infrastructure.

Due to the size and scope of these project, we require that all bids include installation and configuration services for the equipment and cabling.

The District invites vendors to submit bids that provide scalable, reliable solutions meeting the specified technical standards, ensure a future-proof infrastructure that supports their growing network needs.

VOLUNTARY SITE VISITS – PROJECTS A, B, AND D ONLY

Vendors wishing to bid on Category Two Projects A, B, and/or D can attend a voluntary site visit either 11/13/24 or 11/20/24. Vendors should RSVP to Keith Reynolds at keith.reynolds@huttoisd.net to set up a time for a site visit on 11/13/24 or 11/20/24.  Vendors should arrive at 305 E Live Oak St, Hutto, TX 78634.  A Technology staff member will be assigned to accompany the vendor around town, as many of the District’s projects this year span multiple campuses.  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.

MANDATORY SITE VISIT – PROJECT C ONLY

Vendors wishing to bid on Category Two Project C must attend one of two mandatory site visits either 11/13/24 or 11/20/24.  Vendors should RSVP to Keith Reynolds at keith.reynolds@huttoisd.net to set up a time for a site visit on 11/13/24 or 11/20/24.  Vendors should arrive at 305 E Live Oak St, Hutto, TX 78634.  A Technology staff member will be assigned to accompany the vendor around town, as many of the District’s projects this year span multiple campuses.  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.

PROJECT A – District-wide WAP replacement

Installation and configuration are needed.  Ruckus Analytics for the WAPs is optional, but the District would like to see 5 year pricing included for the 920 WAPs.

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 PROJECT A

All WAPs must be compatible with District’s current Ruckus SmartZone Controller.

PROJECT B – District-wide UPS replacement

Installation and configuration are needed.

COMPATIBILITY REQUIREMENT PROJECT B

Three UPS devices need to be compatible with L6-30; 27 devices need to be compatible with L5-30.

PROJECT C – Hutto HS and Nadine Johnson ES re-cabling

The District is requesting bids for the re-cabling of Hutto High School, including new single-mode fiber to be run from each IDF back to the MDF, as the current fiber does not support moderns speeds.  Additionally, bids are being requested for the complete re-cabling of Nadine Johnson Elementary, covering both fiber and copper, to bring the campus up to CommScope standards.  All cabling must be CommScope certified.

PROJECT D – Hutto HS & Howard Norman ES Switch replacement

Installation and configuration are needed.  The District would like to combine their distro and router layer.  This project includes fiber distros/routers for HHS, HNES and LMES; HHS replacements; and HNES replacements.  The winning vendor should review the District’s current switch configurations before replacement and replicate the port setup from the old switches to the new ones.  However, the District requires a multi-gig switch in each M/IDF for connecting the WAPs.  This will involve reassigning those ports to other available switchports.  Ruckus Analytics for the switches is optional, but the District would like to see 5 year pricing included for the 85 switches.

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 PROJECT D

All switches must be compatible with District’s current Ruckus SmartZone Controller.

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: 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 PROJECT C ONLY: Vendors who wish to bid on Project C must attend one of two mandatory site visits. Vendors who submit a bid but have not attended a meeting 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, and/or Project D.  Bids for individual components of a single project will be disqualified.