11.24.2020 GPPSS Structured Cabling RFP.pdf

Grosse Pointe Public School System

Structured Cabling

Request for Proposals (RFP)

November 2020

Structured Cabling RFP

November 2020 Prepared by Plante Moran

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1 General Requirements

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

2 STRUCTURED CABLING

APPENDICES (PROVIDED SEPARATELY)

Appendix A - Vendor Response Forms

Appendix B – District Drawings

Appendix C - Sample Agreement

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GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1.1 INTENT

It is the intent of Grosse Pointe Public School System (herein after referred to as the “District”) to solicit proposals from qualified vendors for structured cabling equipment and services. This solution will consist of the following components:

A. Structured Cabling Equipment

B. Installation services

C. Warranty services

It is desired that vendors propose on all of the services being requested in this Request for Proposals (RFP).

Vendors may partner with another provider to supply a complete and turnkey solution. If your response contains proposed services or equipment from multiple providers, all responding parties must be clearly identified and a synopsis of the partner relationship as well as the party that will serve as the prime vendor/contact for the District must be detailed. The District reserves the right to proceed with the provider deemed most suitable.

The District may award the project to more than one vendor due to the amount of work in-scope for completion during Summer 2021 and the timeline for completion. Work planned for Summer 2021 must be completed no later than August 15th.

1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The District is seeking a long-term relationship with one or more structured cabling vendors to provide both structured cabling equipment and services to Grosse Pointe Public Schools System throughout the course of the District’s current bond program. It is the District’s preference to enter into a contract with one or more vendors for the buildings included in this RFP and use the competitively bid pricing to address the buildings in subsequent phases, assuming successful performance.

This RFP outlines the performance, operational, and administrative requirements the District is seeking for the Structured Cabling. Detailed specifications for this project are included in Section 2 of the RFP.

1.3 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

EVENT DATE

RFP issued November 24, 2020

Remote vendors’ conference (non-mandatory)

December 1, 2020 @ 11AM ET

Phone one-tap: US: +13017158592,,98708867457# or +13126266799,,98708867457#

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Meeting URL:

https://plantemoran.zoom.us/j/98708867457?pw d=cjY4ZkZBM0FUVXFWKzN0ZFNPaWhEUT09

Meeting ID: 987 0886 7457 Passcode: 057987

Deadline for submittals of questions related to this RFP

December 2, 2020 @ 10AM ET Contact: Shae.Sultes@plantemoran.com

Deadline for proposals & public proposal opening (remote)

January 6, 2021 @ 11AM ET

Phone one-tap: US:

+16468769923,,98501194579# or +13017158592,,98501194579#

Meeting URL:

https://plantemoran.zoom.us/j/98501194579?pw d=WlRMVXdRNG5HeVh6Nk1sR3M3MFpuZz09

Meeting ID: 985 0119 4579 Passcode: 744426

Anticipated award date February 2021

Implementation schedule Spring 2021-Fall 2022

1.4 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Due to the extenuating circumstances with the Covid-19 related district closures, along with the social distancing recommendations, all Vendors will submit responses electronically.

The proposal must (at a minimum) consist of the following electronic files:

o One single PDF file of the submitted printed signed complete proposal o Appendix A in Excel format

The process for submitting proposal is detailed below:

1. Visit: http://plantemoran.leapfile.com/

2. Select “Secure Upload”

3. Send files to Alex.Dietrich@plantemoran.com. Click Start.

4. Fill in the form on the following page. Make sure the Subject Line contains “GPPSS – Structured

Cabling RFP – <<Fill in vendor name>>”

5. Click on “Select Files to Send”

6. Add files to be sent and select “Upload and Send” http://plantemoran.leapfile.com/

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Please note that we are recommending that files are submitted the day prior to the due date to prevent any potential issues.

All Proposals MUST include the Vendor Response Forms provided in Appendix A.

Proposals shall be accompanied by a sworn and notarized statement disclosing any familial relationship that exists between the Vendor or any employee of the Vendor and any member of the Board of Education or superintendent. The District shall not accept a proposal that does not include this sworn and notarized disclosure statement. The Non-Familial Form must accompany your bid proposal (see Appendix A).

In accordance with the Iran Economic Sanctions Act, Michigan Public Act No. 517 of 2012, all vendors must execute the “Iran Linked Business Affidavit” and include it in their proposals (see Appendix A). Said forms are included in the Vendor Response Forms. The District will not accept a proposal that does not include this sworn and notarized disclosure statement. The form must accompany your bid proposal (see Appendix A).

1.5 INTENT TO PROPOSE

Each vendor that intends to submit a proposal in response to this RFP should communicate its intent via email to gina.mancinelli@plantemoran.com with the subject line “[Insert your vendor name] – Grosse Pointe Public School System Structured Cabling RFP - Intent to Propose.” Please refer to Section 1.7, RFP Clarifications and Addenda, for the contact information to address specific questions related to this RFP.

The response shall include the name of the Vendor, the name of the contact person, and that person’s email address.

1.6 VENDORS’ CONFERENCE

A remote pre-proposal vendors’ conference will be held for this project. The details are included in Section 1.3.

1.7 RFP CLARIFICATIONS & ADDENDA

Please note that any addenda will be posted by the District to the bid site that housed the original RFP.

Vendors are responsible for checking the site regularly to make themselves aware of any new addenda.

When making requests for clarification, please identify the relevant section number (e.g., Section 2.3.1).

Requests for clarification shall be submitted by email only to:

Shae Sultes Shae.Sultes@Plantemoran.com mailto:gina.mancinelli@plantemoran.com

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1.8 PROPOSAL FORMAT

To facilitate the comparison of vendor proposals, it is required that each proposal be organized into the following sections:

1.8.1 Executive Summary

The executive summary should, at a minimum, include the following:

A. Executive letter highlighting how the proposed solution achieves the objectives of the District: This letter is to be signed by an officer of the organization submitting the proposal

B. Organizational overview: A brief overview of the organization

C. Address the following as it relates to your proposed solution:

1. How the solution aligns with the requested functional requirements

2. How the solution aligns with the requested technical requirements

3. Any functional or technical requirements that the proposed solution cannot achieve

4. Any assumptions and/or District resources required to complete the solution

1.8.2 Vendor Response Forms

Vendor Response Forms are supplied in this RFP (Appendix A). In addition to requesting information on your company and the proposed solution, along with other required forms, you must clearly indicate whether you either comply or take exception to any of the sections in this RFP. All vendors MUST submit the Comply/Exception Form from Appendix A. Where applicable, an explanation to the exception must be provided.

1.8.3 Project Plan

The Vendor will include an overview of its project plan in its response.

1.8.4 Project Team

Indicate the level of qualification of the staff who will be assigned to this project. Qualification will be based on certifications and years of experience with the materials proposal in similar configurations. Names of staff need not be provided; however, the response in this section will indicate the minimum level of experience that will be provided. If necessary, please include additional categories to address additional levels of staff or staff with different certifications and years of experience.

1.8.5 Product Information

The Vendor must include copies of the technical specifications and/or data sheets for each of the products being proposed.

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1.8.6 Electronic Copy

An electronic format of the forms in Appendix A in a Microsoft Excel format MUST be included with your response. A PDF version of all other materials must also be included.

1.8.7 Equipment Listing (BOM)

A bill of material must be included with the bid response identifying equipment models and quantities.

1.8.8 Additional Information

Additional information may be provided at the Vendor’s discretion.

1.9 BID BONDS

Every bid shall be accompanied by either a cashier’s check on a solvent bank or by a bond executed by a surety company authorized to do business in the state of Michigan. A 5% bid bond or cashier’s check shall be required. Such check or bond shall name the District as recipient. The amount of such bid bond or cashier’s check shall be forfeited as liquidated damages, costs, and expenses incurred by the District if the Vendor, after given an award as successful vendor, shall fail within thirty (30) days after the notice of such award to enter into appropriate contract with the District.

1.10 PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS

The District WILL require the selected vendor(s) to provide a performance bond upon award of the contract.

The associated cost of the performance bond is to be shown as a separate line item — do NOT include this cost in your base bid. This bond shall be equal in amount to the total price to the District of purchased hardware, software, cabling, and services. The surety of the bond shall remain in effect for one (1) year after all acceptance of the entire project has been executed by the District. In the event that the Vendor(s) fails to perform its obligations under any agreement between the Vendor(s) and the District, the bond shall be paid to the District. The Vendor(s) further agrees to save and hold harmless the District and agents from all liability and damages of every description in connection with any subsequent agreements. Performance and payment bonds shall be required under the following conditions: project award exceeds $50,000 and project involves construction, alteration, or repair to the buildings.

1.11 INSPECTION OF WORKSITE

If necessary, vendors can request access for site visits from Grosse Pointe Public School System by contacting the individual identified in Section 1.7, RFP Clarifications & Addenda. We do not believe on-site access and review will be required prior to the project and, therefore, requests may be denied.

1.12 MODIFICATION OF RFP

Vendors may not modify the RFP text to affect the terms, conditions, or specifications found in this document; this is forbidden and will subject the bid response to rejection. In the event any text is modified, the original text as issued will apply. This clause does not apply to the vendor response areas of the RFP where it is expected that vendors will enter their text.

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1.13 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

As a public entity, the District is subject to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Information contained in proposals may be subject to FOIA requests.

1.14 RIGHT TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The District reserves the right to request any additional information that might be deemed necessary after the completion of this document.

1.15 RIGHT OF REFUSAL

The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in their entirety, evaluate suggestions or exceptions, waive irregularities, or select certain equipment from various vendor proposals, based on the best interests of the District. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals for a specific section. The District reserves the right to award specific buildings to one or more vendors.

1.16 PROPOSAL PREPARATION COSTS

The Vendor is responsible for any and all costs incurred by the Vendor or its subcontractors in responding to this RFP.

1.17 SYSTEM DESIGN COSTS

The successful vendor shall be responsible for all design, information gathering, and required programming to achieve a successful implementation. This cost must be included in the base bid.

1.18 PERMITS

The successful vendor shall be responsible for complying with all local, state, and federal codes applicable to this installation. This includes the electrical permit required by the state of Michigan for low voltage installations. Include all costs associated with permitting in your base bid.

1.19 PRICING ELIGIBILITY PERIOD

All vendor proposal bids are required to be offered for a term not less than 120 calendar days in duration. A claim of mistake in computation of a proposal shall not void the proposals after they are opened and accepted.

1.20 ADDITIONAL CHARGES

No additional charges, other than those listed on the price breakdown sheets, shall be made. Prices quoted will include verification and coordination of order, all costs for shipping, delivery to all sites, unpacking, setup, installation, operation, testing, cleanup, and training.

1.21 TURNKEY SOLUTION

All prices quoted must include all the cables, connectors, etc., that will be necessary to make the system specified fully operational for the intent, function, and purposes stated herein.

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1.22 FEDERAL OR STATE SALES, EXCISE, OR USE TAXES

Grosse Pointe Public School System is a tax-exempt entity for all purposes, except if the project makes enhancements and/or additions to real property.

1.23 PURCHASE QUANTITIES

The District reserves the right to adjust upward or downward by 25%, the quantities of items purchased without altering the unit purchase price upon award and throughout the contract period.

1.24 AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS

The District intends to use the agreement contained in Appendix C for this project. Please review this attached agreement and indicate whether the terms of the agreement are acceptable. Include all contract exceptions in your proposal, if any.

The District considers this RFP legally binding and will require that this RFP and the resulting vendor proposal be included as addenda to any subsequent agreements between the Vendor(s) and the District. It should be understood by the Vendor(s) that this means that the District expects the Vendor(s) to satisfy all requirements and reports listed herein. Exceptions should be explicitly noted in the vendor proposals. Lack of listing all exceptions will be considered acceptance of all of the specifications as presented in this RFP.

1.25 SURVIVAL CLAUSE

All duties and responsibilities of any party that, either expressly or by their nature, extend into the future, shall extend beyond and survive the end of the contract term or cancellation of the Agreement.

1.26 FORCE MAJEURE CLAUSE

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.27 INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The Vendor shall supply equipment, wiring, technology, training, and other related services adequate to accomplish the requirements as set forth in the RFP and the Vendor response to the RFP. Parties agree that where there is a conflict between terms of the Agreement and the information presented in the referenced documents, the Agreement shall take precedence. The parties also agree that where there is not a conflict between the Agreement and the information presented in the referenced documents, all terms, conditions, and offers presented in the Vendor’s proposal shall herein be referenced to the Agreement and shall be binding upon all parties to the Agreement.

1.28 RISK DURING EQUIPMENT STORAGE AND INSTALLATION

Delivery shall be made in accordance with the implementation schedule referenced as part of the Agreement. It will be possible to allow for minor variances from this implementation schedule as mutually agreed upon by both parties and confirmed by prior written notice. NOTE: Equipment that will be installed in 2022 shall not be purchased until that year. The equipment shall be installed and placed into good working order by representatives of the Vendor. During the time period where the equipment is in transit

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November 2020 Prepared by Plante Moran and until the equipment is fully installed in good working order, the Vendor and its insurer shall be responsible for the equipment and relieve the District of responsibility for all risk of loss or damage to the equipment. In addition, the Vendor shall hold the District and agents harmless from any risk of loss or damage arising out of occurrences during the installation of the equipment.

1.29 SHIPPING OF EQUIPMENT

All shipping and insurance costs to and from the site shall be included in the Vendor’s proposal. All payments to shipping agents and for insurance fees shall be made directly by the Vendor. The District shall make no payments to any firm concerning the shipment, installation, and delivery of equipment that is not a part of the Agreement and for which exact payments are not described. The Vendor shall be responsible for all arrangements for the shipment and receipt of equipment to the District’s prepared site. The Vendor shall provide all properly trained representatives to unpack all items of equipment and place this equipment in the proper locations. The Vendor shall also be responsible for removal of all debris and packing materials from the site resulting from the installation of the equipment.

1.30 NON-WAIVER OF AGREEMENT RIGHTS

It is the option of any party to the Agreement to grant extensions or provide flexibilities to the other party in meeting scheduled tasks or responsibilities defined in the Agreement. Under no circumstances, however, shall any parties to the Agreement forfeit or cancel any right presented in the Agreement by delaying or failing to exercise the right or by not immediately and promptly notifying the other party in the event of a default. In the event that a party to the Agreement waives a right, this does not indicate a waiver of the ability of the party to, at a subsequent time, enforce the right. The payment of funds to the Vendor by the District should in no way be interpreted as acceptance of the system or the waiver of performance requirements.

1.31 GENERAL INDEMNIFICATION

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.32 PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY RIGHTS

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.33 NONDISCRIMINATION BY VENDORS OR AGENTS OF THE VENDOR

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.34 SUBCONTRACTORS

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.35 EFFECT OF REGULATION

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

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1.36 PROJECT MANAGEMENT STAFF DESIGNATION

The Vendor understands that the successful installation, testing, and operation of the system that is the subject of this document shall be accomplished by a cooperative effort. To most effectively manage this process, the Vendor shall designate a single representative to act as project manager, who shall have the authority to act on behalf of the Vendor on all matters pertaining to the Agreement.

In the event that an employee of the Vendor is, in the opinion of the District, uncooperative, inept, incompetent, or otherwise unacceptable, the Vendor agrees to remove such person from responsibility in the project. In the event of such a removal, the Vendor shall, within fifteen (15) days, fill this representative vacancy as described above. Regardless of whom the Vendor has designated as the representative, the Vendor organization remains the ultimate responsible party for performing the tasks and responsibilities presented in the Agreement.

1.37 ASSIGNMENTS

The District and the Vendor each binds themselves, their partners, successors, and other legal representatives to all covenants, agreements, and obligations contained in the Agreement.

1.38 VENDOR AS INDEPENDENT VENDOR

It is expressly agreed that the Vendor is not an agent of the District but an independent contractor. The Vendor shall not pledge or attempt to pledge the credit of the District or in any other way attempt to bind the District.

1.39 INSURANCE

1.39.1 Workers’ Compensation Coverage

The Vendor shall procure and maintain, during the life of the Agreement, Workers’ Compensation Insurance, including Employer’s Liability Coverage, in accordance with all applicable statutes of the state of Michigan.

1.39.2 Commercial General Liability Insurance

The Vendor, at the Vendor’s sole cost and expense, shall procure and maintain, during the life of the Agreement, Commercial General Liability Insurance on an “Occurrence Basis” with limits of liability not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and/or aggregate combined single limit, Personal Injury, Bodily Injury, and Property Damage. Coverage shall include the following features: (A) Contractual Liability; (B) Products and Completed Operations; (C) Independent Vendors Coverage; (D) Broad Form General Liability Extensions or equivalent; (E) Deletion of all Explosion, Collapse, and Underground (XCU) Exclusions, if applicable; (F) Per contract aggregate.

1.39.3 Motor Vehicle Liability

The Vendor, at the Vendor’s sole cost and expense, shall procure and maintain, during the life of the Agreement, Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance, including applicable No-fault coverages, with

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November 2020 Prepared by Plante Moran limits of liability of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence combined single limit Bodily Injury and Property Damage. Coverage shall include all owned vehicles and all hired vehicles.

1.39.4 Additional Insured

The following shall be named Additional Insureds: Grosse Pointe Public School System, including all elected and appointed officials; all employees and volunteers; and all boards, commissions; and/or authorities and their board members, employees, and volunteers.

This coverage shall be primary to the Additional Insureds and not contributing with any other insurance or similar protection available to the Additional Insureds, whether other available coverage is primary, contributing, or excess.

1.39.5 Notice of Cancellation or Change

Workers’ Compensation Insurance, Commercial General Liability Insurance, and Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance, as described above, shall include an endorsement stating the following: “Sixty

(60) days Advance Written Notice of Cancellation or Non-Renewal shall be sent to: Grosse Pointe Public School System., 389 St. Clair, Grosse Pointe, MI 48230 (313) 432-3000.

1.39.6 Proof of Insurance Coverage

The Vendor shall provide the District, at the time the Agreements are returned for execution, Certificates of Insurance, and/or policies, acceptable to the District, as listed below:

A. Two (2) copies of Certificate of Insurance for Worker’s Compensation Insurance;

B. Two (2) copies of Certificate of Insurance for Commercial General Liability Insurance;

C. Two (2) copies of Certificate of Insurance for Vehicle Liability Insurance;

D. Original Policy, or binder pending issuance of policy, for Owners and Contractors Protective Liability Insurance;

E. If so requested, certified copies of all policies shall be furnished.

1.39.7 Continuation of Coverage

If any of the above coverage expires during the term of the Agreement, the Vendor shall deliver renewal certificates and/or policies to Grosse Pointe Public School System at least ten (10) days prior to the expiration date.

1.39.8 Failure to Comply

Failure to comply with the insurance requirements contained in the Agreement shall constitute a material violation and breach of contract and may result in termination of the Agreement.

1.40 WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE

The District has presented detailed technical specifications of the particular purpose for which the network and technology is intended. The District has provided detailed descriptions and criteria of how the system

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November 2020 Prepared by Plante Moran can be defined to accomplish this particular purpose. The District has also defined the exact procedures and techniques to be employed in testing whether the system has achieved the defined performance of this particular purpose. Given this advanced preparation concerning, and documentation about, the District’s particular purpose, the Vendor, at the time the Agreement is in force, has reason and opportunity to know

(1) the particular purpose for which products are required, and (2) that the District is relying on the Vendor’s experience and knowledge of these products to provide those that are most suitable and appropriate. Therefore, the Vendor warrants that the system is fit for the purposes for which it is intended as described in this document.

1.41 WARRANTY

See Section 2.9, for warranty requirements.

1.42 FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE SYSTEM

The system proposed shall be defined to be finally accepted by the District after all components of this RFP and all approved change orders have been installed completely, plus the items identified in Section 2. The District or the District’s Representative shall be the sole judge of whether all conditions for final acceptance criteria have been met.

1.43 STANDARD FORMS AND CONTRACTS

Any forms and contracts the Vendor(s) proposes to include as part of any agreement resulting from this bid between the Vendor(s) and the District must be submitted as part of the proposal. Any forms and contracts not submitted as part of the bid and subsequently presented for inclusion may be rejected. This requirement includes, but is not limited to, the following types of forms: subvendor, franchise, warranty agreements, maintenance contracts, and support agreements.

1.44 NON-COLLUSION COVENANT

The Vendor hereby represents and agrees that it has in no way entered into any contingent fee arrangement with any firm or person concerning the obtaining of the Agreement. The Vendor certifies that its proposal is made without any previous understanding, agreement, or connection with any person, firm, or corporation making a proposal for the same services and is, in all respects, fair, without outside control, collusion, fraud, or otherwise illegal action.

1.45 ADVERTISEMENT

The laws of the state of Michigan, the District purchasing policies, and the legal advertisement for vendors and purchases are made a part of any agreement entered into in the same respect as if specifically set forth in that agreement.

1.46 SELECTION CRITERION

The District intends to enter into a long-term relationship with one or more well-established vendors whose products, features, design philosophy, and support policies come closest to meeting the District’s needs. The selected vendor must be a well-established, financially stable firm committed to technology in

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K-12; will have a commitment to attracting and retaining an excellent staff of technical and product support personnel; and will have a proven track record of support from installation planning through implementation and ongoing use. There should also be evidence of responsiveness to clients’ suggestions for improvements. Finally, there must be a good fit between Vendor’s staff and the District’s staff to assure a good working relationship.

The vendors will be evaluated based on the following selection criteria:

CRITERIA WEIGHTING

Cost 30%

Compliance to Technical Specifications 20%

Compliance to Proposal Requirements 15%

Ability to Support Implementation 20%

Prior Experience 15%

1.47 SPECIAL NOTES

Failure to include in the proposal all information outlined above may be cause for rejection of the proposal.

The District reserves the right to accept the Vendor’s replacement of any component if it is considered equal or superior to the specifications. Such acceptance will be in writing.

1.48 PAYMENT TERMS

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.49 CRIMINAL BACKGROUND SCREENING

The District is committed to assuring a safe environment for students, employees, and district visitors.

Accordingly, the District requires criminal background certification compliance from vendors and subcontractors who perform work at any district facility. Each vendor or subcontractor shall certify that all legally required criminal history and criminal record checks, electronic finger print scans (Michigan and FBI), and/or any other background check requirements are conducted in accordance with applicable provisions within Sections 380.1230, 380.1230a-h, 380.1236a of the Michigan Revised School Code, and all other applicable federal and state laws concerning background checks. These results must be sent directly to the District. Additionally, the Vendor must certify that no owner, employee, agent, representative, vendor, and/or other personnel of the Vendor will be on any district premises if they are a registered criminal sexual offender under the Sex Offenders Registration Act, Public Act 295 of 1994, or have been convicted of a “Listed Offense” as defined under Section 722 of the Sex Offenders Registration Act, MCL

28.722. The Vendor shall also require employees, if and as applicable, to comply with the reporting requirements of Section 1230d of the Revised School Code and shall promptly forward any information so obtained to the District.

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1.50 UNIVERSAL SERVICE FUND (USF) CONDITIONS

This project will be submitted for E-Rate discounts through the Universal Service Fund (USF). Vendors shall meet all requirements, complete all forms as required of Vendors by the USF, and make all accommodations necessary for USF eligibility and funding. All services proposed as part of this specification will be contingent upon the District securing the USF discounts. All Vendors must be USF aware and clearly identify eligible vs. ineligible components of each service proposed as defined per documentation available at the official USF website.

1.50.1 Identification Number

The Vendor’s USF Vendor Identification Number (SPIN) must be included in the proposal. Direct all questions regarding the USF requirements in this RFP to the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC), Schools and Library Division (SLD) at (888) 203-8100.

1.50.2 FY2021 Funding Requests

The specified products and/or services are to be provided for FY2021 (July 1, 2020-June 30, 2021) and must qualify for universal service discounts under the FY2021 universal service support mechanism, E-Rate. The E-Rate Modernization Order permits applicants to seek support for Category 2-eligible nonrecurring services purchased on or after April 1, three months prior to the start of the funding year on July 1. No invoices to USAC/SLD will be DATED or PAID before July 1, 2021.

1.50.3 Universal Service Discounts

The vendor contract is conditional upon the District receiving universal service discounts under the FY2021 universal service support mechanism, E-Rate. The District reserves the unrestricted right to reduce the contract amount by reducing the amount of services and/or products in order to meet budget requirements in the event the level of the universal service discounts is reduced. Any such reductions to the contract amount will be taken prior to the start of the specific work being reduced or eliminated on a given building and/or project.

1.50.4 Universal Service Discount Implementation

The District reserves the unrestricted right to specify the filing option for the universal service discounts for each product and/or service offered within a proposal: Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement (BEAR) or Service Provider Invoice (SPI).

1.50.5 Eligible Products and Services

The USF-eligible products and/or services identified on the USAC FY2021 Eligible Services List, which is incorporated herein by reference, must be identified separately from any and all ineligible products and/or services in the proposal.

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1.50.6 Project Funding Requirements

This project is entirely conditional upon receiving written notification in the form of a Funding Commitment Decision Letter from the USAC/SLD that the District has been approved for E-Rate Funding. If the District receives less than the full E-Rate Funding for which it applies, the District has the unrestricted right to reduce the number of units and services in the accepted proposal. In the event that E-Rate Funding is not available for the accepted proposal, the District, in its discretion, may cancel and/or modify the Scope of Work and subsequent purchases requested in this RFP.

1.50.7 Lowest Corresponding Price

Lowest Corresponding Price (LCP) is defined as the lowest price that a vendor charges to nonresidential customers who are similarly situated to a particular E-Rate applicant for similar services. Vendors cannot charge E-Rate applicants a price above the LCP and must actually charge the rate that is the LCP, not just offer the LCP in the proposal. In addition, promotional rates offered by a vendor for a period of more than 90 days must be included among the comparable rates upon which the LCP is determined.

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

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2 STRUCTURED CABLING

2.1 PROJECT SCOPE AND OVERVIEW

The District intends to re-cable buildings undergoing substantial construction over the next few years.

Structured cabling is required as indicated in Appendix A and on the prints in Appendix B. Vendors’ pricing should be based on these buildings, with a commitment to extend pricing based on future re-cabling of buildings in similar size to elementary and/or middle schools.

The following phased schedule is provided for each school below:

BUILDING

CONSTRUCTION

& ABATEMENT PHASING

Brownell Middle School Yes Phase 1: July 2021-August 15, 2021 (First Floor)

Phase 2: July 2022-August 15, 2022 (Second Floor)

Maire Elementary Yes July 2021-August 15, 2021

North High School Yes Phase 1: July 2021-August 15, 2021

Phase 2: July 2022-August 15, 2022 (3rd floor)

Richard Elementary Yes July 2021-August 15, 2021

Parcells Middle School No May 2021-July 2021 (limited scope)

South High School No May 2021-July 2021 (limited scope)

Monteith Elementary No May 2021-July 2021 (limited scope)

Specifications and requirements are included for the following structured cabling components:

• Horizontal cabling

• Backbone cabling

• Network closets

2.1.1 Special Considerations

Richard Elementary consists of an abnormally high amount asbestos containing material throughout the entire school. Given the current conditions, above ceiling pathways (j-hooks), coring, and raceway will be provided by others. In addition, removal of existing cabling will also be addressed by others during the course of demolition activities. Coordination with the appropriate contractors will be necessary prior to any form of drilling or disruption to existing building conditions.

Brownell, Maire, and North will also have asbestos abatement work that will be conducted during the summer, however, it will not have the same impact or scope as work performed at Richard. We do not expect to have these spaces accessible for this scope of work until July 15th. Parcells, South, and Monteith have been previously abated in work performed during Summer of 2020.

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2.2 GENERAL EXPECTATIONS

2.2.1 Site Work Hours

Due to the significant amount of abatement and construction demolition that will be occurring in construction buildings, vendors should not anticipate being able to get into these buildings until July 15, 2021 to do any install work. Due to the limited timeline for completion and the size of the proposed work scope, Vendors must plan for 6-day work weeks on two shifts throughout the course of the project (focusing on July 15 – August 15). For work hours at construction sites, access must be coordinated with the District’s construction manager.

Any work scheduled inside buildings, or on the building premises, must be coordinated with the District. Arrangements must be made through the District for additional work hours, if needed.

The installation schedule for school year working hours is 4:00 P.M. to 11:00 P.M, Monday through Friday. Weekend work hours will be coordinated with the District as deemed necessary. The District will work with the Vendor and the District facilities team to provide appropriate access for each building. Please note that schedules are subject to change with short notice or no notice.

Vendors must also plan to be onsite the first weekend after school is complete to remove access points.

2.2.2 Pre-Installation Walkthrough / Site Review

The selected Vendor shall be responsible for performing building walkthroughs with the District’s Representative to confirm cabling locations and any unique installation issues. The Vendor is responsible for identifying and documenting any items that are outside the project scope or listed in the specifications as unit price items. All items not noted shall become the Vendor’s responsibility to install at no additional cost.

2.2.3 Acceptable Manufacturers

The District is seeking products from reputable structured cabling equipment manufacturers (e.g., Panduit, Legrand, CommScope, Belden, Leviton).

The acceptance of a solution will be at the discretion of the District. There is a strong preference for solutions that have been proven to be both functional and cost effective in a K-12 education environment.

2.2.4 New Materials

All equipment quoted by the Vendor shall be new. The solution requests that the Vendors propose a completely new solution that balances cost, performance, and technology. Solutions using equipment that has either reached or an announcement has been made for end-of-life, end-of-support, or end-of-sales will not be entertained.

All products proposed in the response must be in “customer shipping or production” status at the time of the proposal. The Vendor may not use products based on future releases of hardware and/or

November 2020 Prepared by Plante Moran software in their proposal. If the Vendor is unable to provide the proposed product(s) or feature(s) by the proposed delivery date, the Vendor will provide a resolution of equal or greater value to the District, at no additional charge to the District, including services required to implement the solution.

2.2.5 Technical Staff/Trained Personnel

The Vendor shall indicate the level of qualification of the staff that will be assigned to this project.

Qualification will be based on certifications, training, and years of experience with the specific structured cabling materials and manufacturer system proposed. Names of staff need not be provided; however, the response in this section will indicate the minimum level of experience that will be provided. If necessary, please include additional categories to address additional levels of staff or staff with different certifications and years of experience.

2.2.6 Specifications Sheets

The Vendor must provide electronic copies of specification sheets (soft copies) for all products proposed.

2.2.7 Mandatory and Nonmandatory Requirements

Unless specifically stated otherwise, using terms such as “optional,” “desired,” or “nonmandatory,” the requirements in this section are to be considered mandatory requirements.

2.2.8 Additional Components for Completeness of Solution

If the proposed solution requires any additional components from the District to meet the functional requirements of the solution not included in the proposal, the Vendor must:

a. Identify optimal requirements and their purpose

b. Identify the estimated cost to the District for these components

c. Specify exceptions to any of the requirements using the form in Appendix A:

Comply/Exception Form

Failure to disclose additional components and estimated costs that are required to deliver the described functionality but not included as a part of your proposal will be grounds for disqualification of your proposal, or the Vendor will be responsible for providing the missing components at no additional cost to the District.

2.2.9 Options Pricing

Vendors are encouraged to provide pricing for alternate equipment to allow the District flexibility in identifying the solution that addresses their current and future needs. Pricing for options must be specified in Appendix A.

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2.2.10 Site Cleanliness

The Vendor will ensure all work areas are free from debris caused by work performed under this project scope. At the end of each day, the site must be left in a clean and neat condition prior to completing work for that day with debris properly disposed of in an efficient manner. Materials must be consolidated into an agreed upon space that is not obstructing any pathways within the respective buildings. Vendor may be asked to wear protective foot coverings or supply drop cloths to minimize impact to newly finished surfaces. Failure to properly clean may result in another contractor performing the cleanup work and back charging it to the vendor.

2.3 DEMOLITION

2.3.1 Cabling

Vendors must demo all existing abandoned cabling, and cabling that is being abandoned as part of this project, at buildings as they are re-cabled (all locations that have new data cabling run to it will have existing cabling to be demoed, as well as additional locations in each classroom). This includes:

• Coaxial cabling

• UTP cabling

• Fiber backbone

For locations demoed, Vendors will need to remove the cabling from the jack back to the wiring closet and remove all patch panels and other consolidation mechanisms for coaxial and phone lines. All cabling, patch panels, etc. must be disposed of in an environmentally appropriate manner and meet any local/state/federal requirements. Vendors cannot assume use of the District’s dumpsters, they must provide their own method of disposal and removal from the property.

In addition to demolition of existing cabling, locations that are abandoned must be covered with appropriate cover plates (exact cover plate part to be identified as part of walkthrough after award – this will vary by building).

Exceptions to cabling demolition include the following:

• Video Surveillance Camera Cabling (North HS only)

• Door Access Control Cabling

• All low voltage cabling at Richard Elementary

Estimates of cable quantities to be removed are included in Appendix A. Final scope of removal will be determined after award in a site walkthrough to be conducted with the District and their representative. A unit cost for removal of additional cabling is requested in Appendix A.

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2.3.2 Network Closets

Vendors must remove and properly dispose of equipment that is no longer needed or is being replaced within each respective network closet. This includes cabinets (both wall mount and floor mount), and two-post racks. Network electronics removal will be performed by the District. The scope of removal is detailed in Appendix A. Removal scopes include the following:

• Closet removal: Consists of removal of existing cabinets and floor-mounted two post racks, patch panels, coax distribution units, and wall-mounted punchdown blocks. Patching and repair of existing walls will be addressed by others. In most cases, these spaces consist of a small wall-mounted cabinet in a computer lab or media center.

• Closet renovation: Consists of removal of existing cabinets (wall and floor) and floor-mounted two post racks, patch panels, coax distribution units, and wall-mounted punchdown blocks. These spaces are current MDF and IDFs that will be renovated to accommodate new mounting equipment and cabling supports as provided through this RFP.

2.3.3 Wireless Access Point Removal/Re-installation

The Vendor is responsible for removal/re-installation of wireless access points as part of the cabling efforts at each building. The District has standardized on Aruba wireless access points. The process of removal/re-installation should include:

• Removal of the wireless access point and associated mounting bracket

• Delivery to District-provided storage location

• Retrieval and re-installation of access point and associated bracket

2.4 HORIZONTAL CABLING

All horizontal cabling will be installed in either construction trade-provided raceway or conduits and must meet the required specifications as identified below. Each cable run will terminate at the location identified on the prints in Appendix B and will have a minimum of a 10-foot service loop to potentially relocate the cable drop if necessary. Vendors are required to provide unit pricing for additional cable runs. This unit pricing may be used for any additions (or deductions) that may be necessary after installation has begun. All pricing is to include CAT6 UTP cable, patch panels, termination jack/connector, cable support, and labor based on the specifications detailed in this section.

The typical classroom will require data for the following components:

• Teacher desks

• Wireless access points

• A/V equipment

Other data cabling needs include:

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• Shared spaces

• Offices

2.4.1 UTP Cabling Specifications

The cabling infrastructure shall employ a copper medium, referred to as UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cabling, commonly employed in commercial voice and data networks. To this extent, the finished infrastructure in total shall comply with the installation procedures used for structured cabling infrastructure builds as specified under TIA/EIA 568B standards. The finished infrastructure initially shall serve to deploy an IP-based signaling format in the future without any substantial changes to the infrastructure as-built. TIA/EIA stipulations to cable distances, methods, and manners shall require strict adherence. This infrastructure shall also meet the following specific criteria:

i. The cabling infrastructure shall be CAT6 plenum rated cable. Horizontal UTP drop cabling shall be plenum rated with four (4) unshielded twisted pairs under a common sheath, and that sheath shall be tested and approved for the environment into which it will reside.

ii. Horizontal UTP cabling shall be deployed in a star topology where cabling run from the nearest closet to the specified location.

iii. Horizontal UTP cabling from closet to device shall not exceed 90 meters (295 feet) in length.

iv. All new cable (UTP) shall be supported using new cable support infrastructure (J-hooks). If new supports (e.g., cable tray) are provided by other trades (e.g., construction), those pathways may be used in lieu of J-hooks with approval from the District. Cable shall not lay on ceiling tiles nor be tied to ceiling grid support wires.

v. Cable shall be supported every five (5) feet.

vi. Failure to comply with cable support methods will result in a written warning. Failure to correct or repeated infractions may result in the Vendor being terminated from the project.

vii. The Vendor is responsible for providing all new cores. The Vendor is responsible for neatly coring and sleeving through walls, floors, or ceilings as necessary to route cable into hallways, tech closets, or other areas as required. If new cores are provided by other trades (e.g., construction), those cores may be used in lieu of providing new with approval from the District.

viii. The cable must be certified by the manufacturer to support 802.3bt.

ix. The Vendor is responsible for coring, sleeving, and firestopping penetrations through walls, floors, or ceilings as necessary to route cable into hallways, ER/TR, or other areas.

Any firewalls penetrated or used to facilitate the routing of communication wiring shall, upon completion of that wiring, be fire stopped using approved methods as outlined in the National Electric Code, and all applicable state, county, and city ordinances. The contractor shall be responsible for fire stopping all penetrations used for routing of the contractor’s cable, regardless of who made the penetration access.

x. The Vendor is responsible for providing all necessary documentation to show that the fire stopping meets all applicable federal, state, county, and city ordinances, including a copy of the fire marshal approval and any necessary permitting.

xi. Horizontal UTP drop cabling shall be terminated via an IDC (insulation displacement connection) in the patch panel. Modular jacks are acceptable.

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xii. While the defined system is preferred under a single-source manufacturer/supplier, for the purposes of meeting specification, the component parts of the infrastructure may be from multiple manufacturer sources. The unshielded twisted pair (UTP) — a base proposal of installation shall — be part of a manufacturer’s certified program to include a minimum 15-year warranty on the entire channel. Minimally, the UTP installation must include a Manufacturer’s Performance Certification and a minimum 15-year warranty on all material and labor. The Certification may be through a single manufacturer that supplies all cabling and connectors or through a joint program (one manufacturer’s cable combined with another manufacturer’s connectors).

xiii. The Vendor is responsible for applying for the performance warranty, as well as providing documentation of that warranty to the District.

xiv. The cable specified shall be in conduit or raceway between the device and the wiring closet (MDF/IDF) in areas where the cable is exposed and not run behind walls or suspended above the ceiling. Cables tied to electrical conduits or laid on ceiling tiles will not be accepted.

xv. The cable…