·         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 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 complete and return the excel document labeled Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file will be disqualified.

·         SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Vendors must complete and return the excel document labeled Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT: Vendors must complete and return the excel document labeled Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file 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.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS: Vendors must complete and return the excel document labeled Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT A: Vendors must complete and include the Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT A: Maintenance bids listing only an hourly rate and not a monthly or annual total will be disqualified.  Vendors quoting an hourly rate are required to also a) confirm that you have the ability/expertise to maintain all of the equipment listed and b) propose a number of hours at a particular rate monthly to properly maintain the entire list of equipment.  Bids that contain only hourly rates, without confirmation that the company can service the list of equipment, or without a monthly total will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT B: Service providers are required to bid the entire maintenance project.  Bids for individual components of the project will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT B: Vendors must complete and include the C2 Cover Page with their bid. Bids received without the cover page will be disqualified.

·         DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT B: Maintenance bids listing only an hourly rate and not a monthly or annual total will be disqualified.  Vendors quoting an hourly rate are required to also a) confirm that you have the ability/expertise to maintain all of the equipment listed and b) propose a number of hours at a particular rate monthly to properly maintain the entire list of equipment.  Bids that contain only hourly rates, without confirmation that the company can service the list of equipment, or without a monthly total will be disqualified.

Category 1

Leased Wide Area Network Circuits – 1 connection any delivery/technology type. Leased dark fiber bidders should bid one pair of fiber strands. Lit leased fiber bidders should bid 20 GB. Please see additional documentation available for download as the zip file labeled Valley Center RFP.

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 complete and return the excel document labeled Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file will be disqualified.

Self-Provisioned Networks: the applicant will accept bids for any type of technology that can achieve our connectivity goals (fiber, wireless, etc.). Please see additional documentation available for download as the zip file labeled Valley Center RFP.

SELF PROVISIONED NETWORK DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR: Vendors must complete and return the excel document labeled Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file will be disqualified.

C1 Network Equipment: Please see additional documentation available for download as the zip file labeled Valley Center RFP.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR C1 NETWORK EQUIPMENT: Vendors must complete and return the excel document labeled Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file 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.

Maintenance and Operations: Please see additional documentation available for download as the zip file labeled Valley Center RFP.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS: Vendors must complete and return the excel document labeled Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file will be disqualified.

Category 2

Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections (BMIC) Project A: District would like manufacturers BMIC for the C1 equipment requested. Please see additional documentation available for download as the zip file labeled Valley Center RFP.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT A: Vendors must complete and include the Valley Center RFP Pricing with their bid. Bids received without this excel file will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT A: Maintenance bids listing only an hourly rate and not a monthly or annual total will be disqualified.  Vendors quoting an hourly rate are required to also a) confirm that you have the ability/expertise to maintain all of the equipment listed and b) propose a number of hours at a particular rate monthly to properly maintain the entire list of equipment.  Bids that contain only hourly rates, without confirmation that the company can service the list of equipment, or without a monthly total will be disqualified.

Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections (BMIC) Project B: The District would like a manufacturer’s support contract for these items:

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT B: Service providers are required to bid the entire maintenance project.  Bids for individual components of the project will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT B: Vendors must complete and include the C2 Cover Page with their bid. Bids received without the cover page will be disqualified.

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR BMIC PROJECT B: Maintenance bids listing only an hourly rate and not a monthly or annual total will be disqualified.  Vendors quoting an hourly rate are required to also a) confirm that you have the ability/expertise to maintain all of the equipment listed and b) propose a number of hours at a particular rate monthly to properly maintain the entire list of equipment.  Bids that contain only hourly rates, without confirmation that the company can service the list of equipment, or without a monthly total will be disqualified.