·         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.

·         E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for ineligible services from their funding request. If your company will be bidding internet access service, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible services – email service, web hosting, content filtering, or other bundled ineligible services.

·         INTERNET ACCESS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to an incorrect address will be disqualified.

·         INTERNET ACCESS 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: 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: Vendors must bid all connections. If vendors submit a bid missing any connection, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your 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 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: 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 INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: Applicant will not accept bids for refurbished equipment. Any bids containing refurbished equipment will be disqualified.

Category One:

Internet Access – 2 GB internet access, terminating address for this circuit is located at 1717 East 15^th Street, Joplin, MO 64801.

E-rate rules require applicants to evaluate the cost of eligible goods and services, and to cost-allocate out the amount for ineligible services from their funding request. If your company will be bidding internet access service, please identify the amount to be cost-allocated out for the ineligible services – email service, web hosting, content filtering, or other bundled ineligible services.

INTERNET ACCESS DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Bids submitted for services to an incorrect address will be disqualified.

INTERNET ACCESS 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 – three connections any delivery/technology type. Leased dark fiber bidders should bid 2 strands of SM fiber for each connection between buildings, preferably with LC style connectors. Lit leased fiber bidders should bid 10 GB. These connections will be from the hub located at 1717 East 15^th Street, Joplin, MO 64801 to the following locations:

1.       2825 S McClelland, Joplin, MO 64801

2.       802 Irwin (also listed as) 202 Malloy Circle, Duenweg, MO 64841

3.       1420 E Broadway Ave, Joplin MO   64841

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: Vendors must bid all connections. If vendors submit a bid missing any connection, we will consider your bid incomplete and disqualify your bid.

Operations and Maintenance services – three connections, from the hub located at 1717 East 15th Street, Joplin, MO 64801 to the following locations:

1.       2825 S McClelland, Joplin, MO 64801

2.       802 Irwin (also listed as) 202 Malloy Circle, Duenweg, MO 64841

3.       1420 E Broadway Ave, Joplin MO   64841

Category Two:

MANDATORY SITE VISIT

Vendors wishing to submit bids for category two projects must attend one of two mandatory site visits. The site visits will be held on January 15^th, 2025 and January 22^nd, 2025. Both will begin at 8:30 am. Vendors will meet at 1717 E 15^th Street, Joplin, MO 64804. Vendors will meet with Eric Pitcher and/or Hunter Goode. Bids from vendors who did not attend either of the site visits will be disqualified.

INTERNAL CONNECTIONS

Installation needed for the entire project. Bids must include 5 year licensing.

NOTE: We are requesting WAP and/ or 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).

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: 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 INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: Applicant will not accept bids for refurbished equipment. Any bids containing refurbished equipment will be disqualified.