6-RFP 25-013 Network Cabling Services 07152025.pdf

Preamble:

The Tarrant County College District is a public institution of higher education that provides academic, occupational, general, and continuing education opportunities, as well as lifelong learning for all people in its District and contiguous service area. The College is committed to provide a high-quality learning experience for its students at a reasonable cost and to serve as a good steward of public funds.

This request for proposals implies no obligation on the part of the Tarrant County College District. The College reserves the right to accept the proposal that it believes most nearly meets the requirements, based on “best value” and not necessarily, the lowest price offered.

Tarrant County College District 300 Trinity Campus Circle Fort Worth, Texas 76102

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Network Cabling Services

RFP# 25-013

The Tarrant County College District outlines the following schedule:

RFP RELEASE DATE Friday, July 18, 2025 DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN QUESTIONS Friday August 1, 2025, 5:00pm SUBMITTAL DEADLINE Tuesday, August 12, 2025, 2:00pm

Tarrant County College District (TCCD) has implemented a new e-procurement platform called Bonfire.

It is preferred that All RFP submissions be uploaded electronically to https://tccd.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities.

Hard-copy proposals are not preferred but will be accepted. If responding to this solicitation without utilizing the eBidding system, all required documentation must be sealed and delivered to the Tarrant County College Purchasing Office located at 300 Trinity Campus Circle, Fort Worth, TX 76102, Building Trinity River East Fork, Room 3217, no later than the deadline stated above. Late responses will not be considered. All proposals and accompanying documentation will become the property of TCCD and may not be returned. Late proposals will not be accepted, nor will additional time be granted to any individual Vendor.

For a quick tutorial on how to upload a submittal, visit Creating and Uploading a Submission to Bonfire.

Tarrant County College District Page 1 of 11 Purchasing Department https://tccd.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://vendorsupport.gobonfire.com/hc/en-us/articles/6832869814551-Creating-and-Uploading-a-Submission

Network Cabling

RFP #25-013

Tarrant County College District Page 2 of 11 Purchasing Department

1 Introduction

1.1 Tarrant County College

The Tarrant County College District desires to contract a Network Cabling Service firm to provide a service to the District with Network Cabling Services.

The Network Cabling Service firm shall provide services for a minimum of three (3) years with an option to renew for a total contract period not to exceed two (2) years of renewals. The option to renew is based upon the TCCD’s evaluation of the performance of the Network Cabling Service firm and is at the discretion of TCCD.

1.2 Project Background, Objectives, and Term

TCCD is comprised of (6) six campuses and numerous education centers located throughout Tarrant County that are dedicated to the mission of providing affordable and open access to quality teaching and learning with a goal of improving overall student success.

TCCD offers (5) five degrees for students whose goal is to transfer to an upper-level college university to complete a baccalaureate or higher degree. In addition, TCCD offers 66 Associate of Applied Science degrees, many different occupational/technical programs, and 133 certificates of completion. The Continuing Education Services Department provides a wide range of basic skills, technical, career, and community service programs and courses for public and working professionals.

Total Student Enrollment for 09/01/2025 – 8/31/2028 was 98,513 students for both credit and non-credit continuing education students. TCCD is the sixth largest college or university in the State of Texas.

Approximately 1 in every 22 Tarrant County residents take classes at TCCD each year.

TCCD employs over 5,000 employees, 2,200 full-time faculty and staff, as well as more than 2,300 part-time faculty and staff. A seven-member governing board governs TCCD, elected from geographical districts in Tarrant County. The Chief Executive Officer of TCCD is the Chancellor; and a president heads each of the campuses. Funding comes from property taxes, state aid appropriations, student tuition, and federal, state and private grants.

2 Submission Instructions

2.1 Schedule of Key Events

Issuance of RFP July 18, 2025 August 1, 2025, 5:00pm August 12, 2025, 2:00pm

Deadline for Written Questions Proposal Submission Deadline

Note: This schedule of events is for planning purposes only and may be changed at the sole discretion of

TCC.

Tarrant County College District Page 3 of 11 Purchasing Department

2.2 Submission Deadline

TCC will accept proposals submitted in response to this RFP until 2:00 pm Central time on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

2.3 Submission Requirements

The College requests that each of the two documents (Proposal and Attachment C Cost Schedules) be uploaded into Bonfire as follows:

• Proposal: MS Word or PDF

• Cost Proposal: MS Excel

2.4 Pre-Bid Questions

Proposers are welcome to submit questions concerning the proposal and submission requirements no later than 5:00pm August 1, 2025. Questions must be submitted in writing and uploaded to the Bonfire system using the following link: https://tccd.bonfirehub.com/projects/190254/opportunityQAndA.

The College will be bound only to the College’s written answers to questions. TCC intends to respond to all appropriate questions and concerns; however, TCC reserves the right to decline to respond to any question or concern.

Questions will be answered via an addendum to this RFP in the Bonfire system, with all registered vendors receiving notification once the Addendum is posted.

2.5 TCC Contact and Questions

Any questions shall be submitted in writing using the Bonfire platform no later than the written questions deadline listed above in section 2.1. Questions submitted after the deadline will not be answered. Proposers should rely only on written statements issued through the Bonfire platform.

The College instructs explicitly all interested parties to restrict all contact and questions regarding this RFP to written communications submitted through the Bonfire platform.

2.6 Proposal Validity Period

Each proposal must state that it will remain valid for TCC’s acceptance for a minimum of 180 days after the Submittal Deadline to allow time for evaluation, selection, and any unforeseen delays. Should circumstances arise that require an extension to this period, TCC reserves the right to provide extensions at its discretion.

2.7 Group Purchase Authority

Texas law authorizes higher education institutions to use the group purchasing procurement method (ref. Sections 51.9335, 73.115, and 74.008, Education Code). Additional Texas higher education institutions may, therefore, elect to enter into a contract with the successful Proposer(s) under this Section. Should another institution exercise this option, the resulting contract and obligations shall be between that institution and the vendor, with TCC incurring no obligation as a result thereof.

Tarrant County College District Page 4 of 11 Purchasing Department

3 Evaluation Criteria

An evaluation team from TCC will evaluate proposals. The evaluation of proposals and the selection of Suppliers will be based on the information provided by Proposer in its proposal. Proposers should address, within the response, each of the criteria listed in this section. Failure to respond to these criteria may result in your proposal receiving a negative rating or being considered non-responsive.

The proposers should note that TCC is not required to award the lowest bidder or select a supplier.

The criteria to be considered by TCC in evaluating proposals and selecting awardee(s) and their weighting will be the following factors.

Criteria Weighting

The quality of the supplier’s goods & services, and reputation of supplier with TCCD and/or external sources

20%

The extent to which the goods and services meet District needs 25%

Relevant factors listed in scope of work and other factors specifically listed in this RFP (e.g., specification, schedule, availability …)

25%

Cost Proposal 30%

Total 100%

• Purchase price – shall be evaluated for completeness and reasonableness. The proposals will be assessed, and those deemed acceptable will be assigned points as follows:

– The total lowest qualified cost proposal will receive Maximum points on a 0-10 grading scale (i.e., the lowest price will receive a score of 10)

– The low-cost proposal will get the maximum points allowed for pricing criteria. All others will get a proportion of the points assigned using the formula: (Low cost/proposed cost) *10 Points.

– Example: The Price Scoring range on a 0-10 scale, and you have three bidders as follows: Bidder 1: $100,000 Score=10 Bidder 2: $110,000 (100,000/110,000) *10 score =9.09 Bidder 3: $140,000 (100,000/140,000) *10 score =7-14

– The relative price weight is calculated within the Bonfire system once points are assigned (0-10) within the Bonfire.

4 Proposal Contents

4.1 Executive Summary

The Executive Summary should provide Tarrant County College District (TCCD) with a clear and concise overview of the Proposer’s solution. This section must demonstrate an understanding of the RFP

Tarrant County College District Page 5 of 11 Purchasing Department requirements and summarize the key aspects of the proposal, including:

1. A narrative describing the Proposer’s understanding of the project and their ability to meet the College’s needs.

2. A summary of the proposed solution, including major components and value-added services.

3. A rationale for how the proposed services and products provides the best value to the College.

4. A discussion of any key cybersecurity policies or safeguards that differentiate the offering.

5. A brief overview of the firm’s experience, background, and relevant qualifications.

1. Scope of Work

TCCD’s Network and Communication Services department is seeking qualified vendors to provide comprehensive Network Cabling Services. This includes, but is not limited to, the installation, termination, testing, and repair of copper and fiber optic structured cabling systems for:

• New construction projects

• Modifications to existing facilities

• Ongoing adds, moves, and changes to infrastructure

The proposed total cost for this project is estimated at $150,000. Services will be performed across various TCCD campuses, including support for daily operations and special projects. The selected vendor(s) must meet or exceed the minimum qualifications detailed in this RFP.

1.1 Objectives and Requirements

Installation Services

• Structured cabling installation (copper and fiber optic)

• Modular connector and hardware installation

• Cabling for both new and existing infrastructure

Project Deliverables

• Provision and transport of all necessary tools and equipment (e.g., ladders, testers, labelers)

• Timely delivery of services to all designated TCCD sites

• Coordination with TCCD project managers for scheduling and access

Quality Assurance

• All personnel must be skilled and trained in data cabling installation

• TCCD reserves the right to evaluate and approve assigned personnel

• Contractors must replace or retrain any personnel deemed unqualified by TCCD

Testing Requirements

• All structured cabling installations must be tested for compliance with performance standards and documented results must be provided

Tarrant County College District Page 6 of 11 Purchasing Department

Work Hours

• Monday–Friday: 7:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• Saturday–Sunday: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM (as needed)

2. General Requirements

Proposers must demonstrate the following capabilities and qualifications:

• Minimum of five (5) years of experience in designing, installing, testing, and maintaining data communications systems and network cabling

• Employment of at least one BICSI Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD) involved in daily operations

• A local service facility located within 50 miles of TCCD’s Trinity River Campus, with spare parts inventory

• Proven knowledge of infrastructure planning and design standards per ANSI/TIA/EIA 568 and

• Ability to provide at least three (3) references for similar projects, including scope, client contact, and project details

• Panduit Certification, with proof of current certification required

3. Locations for Network Cabling Services are as follows:

• South Campus 5301 Campus Drive Fort Worth, Texas 76119

• Northeast Campus 828 Hardwood Rd. Hurst, Texas 76054

• Southeast Campus 2100 Southeast Parkway Arlington, Texas 76018

• Trinity River Campus 300 Trinity Campus Circle Fort Worth, Texas 76102

• Northwest Campus 4801 Marine Creek Parkway Fort Worth, Texas 76179

• Offsite District Multipurpose Center 5450 N. Riverside Dr. Fort Worth, Texas 76137

• Trinity River – East Campus 245 E. Belknap Street Fort Worth, Texas 76102

• TCC Opportunity Center 5901 Fitzhugh Ave. Fort Worth, TX 76119

• Center for Excellence for Aviation, Transportation and Logistics 2301 Horizon Dr.

Fort Worth, Texas 76177

INFORMATION / REQUIREMENTS / PROCESS

1. Note that “bid,” “submission,” and “proposal” for purposes of this RFP, have the same basic meaning.

Further, references to “vendor,” “supplier,” “firm,” “contractor,” and / or “bidder” have the same meaning in singular or plural.

Tarrant County College District Page 7 of 11 Purchasing Department

2. TCCD encourages participation from certified Historically Underutilized Business Enterprises (HUB).

TCCD district wide goals are based on State of Texas HUB goals.

TCCD includes the North Texas market of Tarrant-adjacent counties including Denton, Collin, Rockwall, Parker, Dallas, Johnson, Ellis, and Kaufmann.

• Statewide HUB goals for the procurement categories for the State of Texas are outlined below but may be updated from time to time at the discretion of the Texas Comptroller’s Office.

11.2% for heavy construction other than building contracts;

21.1% for all building construction, including general contractors and operative builders’ contracts;

32.9% for all special trade construction contracts;

23.7 % for professional services contracts;

26.0% for all other service contracts; and 21.1% for commodities contracts.

If supplier is a certified HUB vendor, please upload your certification documents into the place provided in the bid Portal. If you are sub-contracting part of the work to a certified HUB vendor, please complete and upload the TCCD HUB Utilization Form to the Bid Portal in the place provided.

3. The proposal must meet all requirements as delineated herein. Failure to follow detail may result in disqualification.

4. Conditional clauses in the submitted proposal are not accepted.

5. If selected, suppliers will need to register with TCCD online at http://www.tccd.edu. Click on “Business and Community” then “Vendor Application” under the section “Doing Business with TCCD”.

Registration is not to be construed as a commitment by TCCD to enter a business arrangement.

6. Specifications and scopes of work that may refer to brand names and manufacturers are not intended to restrict competition but are meant to indicate the quality of goods or services sought. Suppliers may bid an equivalent(s) provided the deviation(s) is clearly identified in the bid response. The final determination of equivalency lies solely with TCCD. It is not the intent of any instruction, term/condition, and scope of work or specification to prohibit a supplier from submitting a proposal.

7. The supplier must provide complete descriptive literature of the products or services proposed.

8. Upon release of this RFP, all Vendor communication must be done using the Bonfire Platform.

Unauthorized contact with TCCD staff regarding the RFP may result in disqualification. Any oral communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding to TCCD.

9. Questions shall be submitted in writing using the Bonfire platform no later than the written questions deadline. Questions submitted after the deadline may not be answered. Proposers should rely only on written statements issued through Bonfire platform.

10. All disputes, claims, or lawsuits, if any, that may result from this RFP shall be addressed in Tarrant County, TX, without exception.

11. The supplier shall be in compliance with all relevant requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it applies to performance under this RFP. By submission of a bid, the

12. supplier acknowledges it intends to comply with the ADA. If the supplier does not comply with the ADA, TCCD reserves the right to suspend or cancel any such work under this RFP and shall only be financially responsible for products delivered or services rendered up to any such suspension or http://www.tccd.edu/

Tarrant County College District Page 8 of 11 Purchasing Department cancelation.

13. The supplier represents and warrants that all products and/or services furnished under this RFP shall comply with applicable federal, state and local laws, rules, regulations and ordinances. The supplier shall, at supplier's expense, give all required notices and secure all required permits necessary for performance hereunder.

14. TCCD is not required to award to the lowest bidder or to even select a supplier.

15. TCCD’s Executive Director of Procurement or a designated purchasing representative will open all

RFP submissions.

• Selection of a supplier(s) may or may not be made depending upon the results received and the overall requirements and needs of TCCD; the selection timeframe will vary depending upon the RFP and its complexity.

• TCCD reserves the right to select a supplier from a purchasing program recognized by the State of Texas (Interlocal Agreements) as already satisfying the competitive bidding requirements (e.g. TXMAS, DIR, BuyBoard). If Proposer has a Cooperative contract, provide a reference to those contract numbers.

• TCCD may or may not opt to pursue a subsequent formal sealed RFP (two-step process).

• Final tabulations or information regarding the RFP will not be shared until TCCD has made a formal selection and only then by written request.

• In the event of a price or total cost calculation error, the unit price as submitted will be considered for computation and calculation totals.

16. Acceptance of a proposal/bid for consideration implies no obligation on the part of TCCD nor does the silence of TCCD imply approval or rejection of a bid.

17. TCCD reserves the right to reject any bids submitted and waive any formalities and conditions. TCCD is not obliged to advise those suppliers who are not selected for an RFP.

18. TCCD reserves the right to award a single supplier, multiple suppliers, or no supplier at all.

19. TCCD reserves the right to award by unit pricing, quantity pricing, package pricing, or by total pricing, whichever is deemed necessary to accommodate budgetary, operational, and/or specification requirements. In doing so, TCCD may separate and accept or reject an item(s) as deemed necessary.

If a supplier does not wish for its bid to be split in this manner, the supplier must state in the RFP response that the proposal is submitted as an “all or nothing” bid.

20. A proposal/bid award, if any, will be through the issuance of a TCCD purchase order (PO) or blanket purchase order (BPO) and shall be governed by the general terms and conditions of purchase outlined on the TCCD PO/BPO document unless such terms and conditions are superseded by the content of this RFP or contract. If terms conflict, the terms of the RFP will take precedence.

21. The final authority to approve or disapprove delivered products and/or services lies with TCCD.

22. In the event products and/or services are delivered that do not meet specifications or do not perform as specified in this proposal, the supplier will replace the items, at no additional cost to TCCD, on or before the promised date of delivery.

23. The supplier shall be responsible for all claims against the manufacturer for manufacturing defects.

24. The supplier shall not sell, assign, transfer or convey this contract, in whole or in part, without the prior written consent of TCCD.

25. Any correspondence regarding a TCCD PO, specifically an invoice, must include the PO number to ensure correct and timely processing. Invoices must reference TCCD’s PO number.

Tarrant County College District Page 9 of 11 Purchasing Department

26. TCCD will not be responsible for products delivered or services rendered in advance of a supplier’s receipt of a TCCD PO.

27. TCCD may require bank account information should an electronic payment system be employed to facilitate the method of payment.

28. In the event of breach or default, TCCD reserves the right to enforce performance in any manner prescribed by law or deemed to be in the best interest of TCCD.

29. In the event the supplier fails to deliver the products and/or services as and when promised in the bid, TCCD reserves the right to proceed in any one or combination of the following ways:

• Cancel all or any part of the PO/BPO

• Return all or any part of the products and/or services delivered to date and charge the supplier for any loss or cost incurred as a result of the failure to deliver as promised.

• Purchase all or any part of the products and/or services at the current market price and charge the supplier the difference between the total of the market price, freight, and the supplier's bid price

30. The supplier must notify TCCD immediately once it is known that products and/or services will not be delivered/rendered as promised.

31. The supplier must make every effort to protect property, personnel, students, and visitors in the delivery of products and/or services on any TCCD campus. Any personal injury or damage to property, on a TCCD campus, caused by the supplier's delivery of products and/or services must be reported to the applicable campus police department immediately. The supplier will be held responsible for all damages for injury and loss resulting from the supplier's delivery of products and/or services.

32. If TCCD, in the exercise of its best judgment, determines the supplier's process for the delivery of products and/or services is unsafe or hazardous to life or property, TCCD will suspend the process until the supplier takes corrective action. If this does not occur, or cannot occur, TCCD reserves the right to perform as indicated in section 31 herein.

33. Hazardous material(s) delivered to a TCCD campus for TCCD or supplier use must be preceded or accompanied by a current manufacturer's Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). TCCD reserves the right to refuse delivery of products and/or services for which an MSDS is not available.

34. No allowance will be made for a supplier’s waste, loss, breakage, damage, or difficulties.

35. Trash or refuse generated because of the operations or activities of the supplier delivering products and/or services will be properly disposed of by the supplier, at the supplier’s expense.

36. The supplier shall be responsible for all claims against a carrier for freight and/or damage.

37. TCCD reserves the right to terminate the contract for any reason with a thirty (30) day written notice to the vendor. Payments will be made for invoices covering products or services through the termination date. No settlement costs are due whether for termination for convenience or termination for cause.

38. TCCD considers all information, documentation, and other materials requested to be submitted in response to this solicitation to be of a non-confidential and/or non-proprietary nature, and therefore, shall be subject to public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act (Texas Government Code, Chapter 552.001, et seq.) (“the Act”) after a contract, if any, is awarded. If the proposer considers any information submitted in response to this request for the proposal to be confidential under law or constitute trade secrets or other protected information, the proposer must identify such materials in the proposal response. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the identification of such materials would not be construed or require TCCD to act in contravention of its obligation to comply with the Act and the

Tarrant County College District Page 10 of 11 Purchasing Department proposer releases TCCD from any liability or responsibility for maintaining the confidentiality of such documents.

39. Validity Period: Proposals are to be valid for TCCD’s acceptance for a minimum of 180 days for the submittal deadline date to allow for evaluation, selection, and any unforeseen delays. Proposals, if accepted shall remain valid for the life of the Agreement.

40. Term and conditions: The TCCD Standard Terms and Conditions shall govern any purchase order/contract issued as a result of this solicitation (RFP), you can review: The TCCD Standard Terms and Conditions are also part of the Bonfire platform for your agreement.

41. Force Majeure - Neither Firm nor the district shall be responsible or deemed to be in fault of its obligations to the other to the extent any failure to perform or delay in performing its obligations under this RFP is caused by events or conditions beyond the reasonable control of that party and is not due to the negligence or willful misconduct of such party. For purposes of this RFP, Force Majeure events shall include, but not be limited to, acts of God or public enemy, war, riot or civil commotion, conditions due to governmental law, regulations, ordinances, an order of a court of competent jurisdiction, executive decree or order. However, in the event of such delay(s) or nonperformance, the party so delayed shall furnish prompt written notice to the other party (including the date of inception of the Force Majeure event and the extent to which it will affect performance) and shall undertake all efforts reasonably possible to cure the delay or nonperformance and mitigate its effects or to otherwise perform.

The district shall not be responsible for payment for any product or service delayed or foreclosed by any Force Majeure event unless and until such delayed or foreclosed product or service is provided.

The provisions of the section shall not preclude the district from canceling or terminating any resulting award (or any order for any goods or services included herein) or from revising the scope of work, as otherwise permitted under this RFP.

42. Inter-local/Cooperative Purchase

The proposer agrees that any agreement inclusive of pricing resulting from this solicitation is extended to other public entities (e.g., a state agency, local government, State of Texas educational institutions) authorized by State law to participate under cooperative procurement contracts or Interlocal Agreements with the following understandings:

• Unless specifically stated otherwise, any volume of products or services stated in this RFP document reflects only products or services to be purchased by TCCD and does not include potential purchases by other entities.

• The awarded bidder shall establish a direct relationship with each entity concerning the placement of orders, issuance of the purchase order, contractual disputes, invoicing, payment, and all other matters relating to or referring to such an entity’s access to the agreement.

• TCCD shall not be held liable for any costs, damages, or other obligations incurred by any participating entity.

• It is the entity’s decision whether to enter into an agreement with the awarded bidder/proposer; and

• Any purchases made by an entity shall be in accordance with each entity’s Procurement policy and procedures.

• As permitted under Inter-local Cooperation Act C Texas Government Code, Chapter 791, other governmental entities may wish to also participate under the same terms and conditions

Tarrant County College District Page 11 of 11 Purchasing Department contained in this contract. If this solicitation does not specifically list additional entities, each entity wishing to participate must have prior authorization from Tarrant County College and the vendor. If such participation is authorized, all purchase orders will be issued directly from and shipped directly to the entity requiring the goods or services. Tarrant County College shall not be held responsible for any orders placed, deliveries made, or payment for goods or services ordered by the entities. The proposer states their willingness to allow other governmental entities to participate in this contract if awarded.

44. Eligibility for Award

For a proposer to be eligible to be awarded a contract, the proposal must be responsive to solicitation and TCCD must be able to determine that the proposer is responsible and has the resources and capacity to perform the resulting contract satisfactorily.

A. Responsive.

Responsive proposals are those that comply with all material aspects of the solicitation, conform to the solicitation documents, and meet the requirements outlined in this solicitation. Proposals, which do not comply with all the terms and conditions of this solicitation, will be rejected as non-responsive

B. Responsible.

Responsible proposers, at a minimum, must meet the following requirements:

• Have adequate financial resources, or the ability to obtain such resources as required during the performance of any resulting contract.

• Be able to comply with the required performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing business commitments.

• Have a satisfactory record of past performance.

• Have the necessary personnel and management capability to perform any resulting contract.

• Be qualified as an established firm regularly engaged in the type of business necessary to fulfill the contract requirements.

• Certify that the firm is not delinquent in any tax owed to the State of Texas under Chapter

171, Tax Code; and is not delinquent in taxes to the TCCD; signing and submitting the proposal is so certifying to such non-delinquency; and

• Be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations.

C. Proposers may be requested to submit additional written evidence verifying that the firm meets the minimum requirements described. Failure to provide any requested additional information may result in the proposer being declared non-responsive and the proposal being rejected.

D. A person is not eligible to be considered for award of this solicitation, or any resulting contract, or to be a subcontractor of the proposer or prime contractor if the person assisted in the development of this solicitation or any part of this solicitation which such participation would give the person special knowledge that would give that person an unfair advantage over other proposers.