77-20251113085922 DCSD.pdf

Request for Proposals E-Rate Category 2 Project DeSoto County School District

2026 Hernando Middle School Partial Rewire

RFP #383-HMS-DCS26

Notice to Bidders

Notice is hereby given to interested bidders that the DeSoto County School District will receive written, sealed responses until the hour of 9:00 a.m., December 15th, 2025, at which time sealed responses will be opened in the Board Room of the DeSoto County School District at 5 East South Street Hernando, MS.

Procurement Schedule

Public Notice to Newspaper and State Agency Bid Bank November 13, 2025

Release of RFP and Form 470 Posting November 13, 2025

Newspaper Run Dates November 13 and November 20, 2025 Letter of Intent to Bid Due Date December 2, 2025, at 9:00 am, CST

Pre-Bid Conference (Mandatory for Cabling Respondents)

December 2, 2025, at 9:00 am, CST Hernando Middle School 805 Dillworth Ln Hernando, MS 38632

Deadline for Written Questions/Clarifications December 5, 2025, at Noon, CST

Sealed Response Submission Deadline December 15, 2025, at 9:00 am, CST

Response Opening December 15, 2025, at 9:00 am, CST

Contract Deadline December 31, 2025

Anticipated Board Approval of Award January 22, 2026

E-Rate Category 2 Project

Scope of Services and Contract Period

The DeSoto County School District wishes to upgrade its E-Rate eligible category 2 cabling at Hernando Middle School. Pricing must remain in effect and must be honored until the service delivery deadline for the 2026 funding year which is normally September 30th, 2027. If the service delivery deadline is extended for any reason, prices must be honored until the final C2 service delivery deadline for Funding Year 2026.

Due to the extended timeline for E-Rate procurements and supply chain issues the District will seek a three-year contract for Cabling.

Pre-bid Conference

In order to be eligible to bid, all prospective bidders must attend the pre-bid conference. The pre-bid conference will be at Hernando Middle School, 805 Dillworth Ln, Hernando, MS 38632 at 9:00 am on December 2, 2025. The purpose of this meeting is to allow potential bidders an opportunity to present questions and obtain clarification of the requirements of the bid documents and to tour the school that will require new structured cabling. Because the DeSoto County School District considers the meeting to be critical to understanding the bid requirements for cabling, attendance is mandatory in order to qualify as a bidder for the RFP. Proposals from cabling vendors who do not attend the pre-bid conference WILL

BE DISQUALIFIED.

Nothing discussed or information provided during the pre-bid conference shall be construed as changing the scope of this procurement as set forth in this RFP. Anything discussed or any information provided during the pre-bid conference shall be interpreted in light of this RFP; if there is any conflict or perceived conflict between this RFP and information provided or statements made during the pre-bid conference, this RFP shall govern.

At the time of the pre-bid conference, all bidders will be expected to complete and turn in the “Site Visit Information Form” furnished in this document.

Background

The DeSoto County School District is a public school district located in DeSoto County, Mississippi. The District serves approximately 34,573 students. The District has approximately 4,534 employees, 2,461 in which are Certified Teaching Positions. The District is the state’s largest school district and has forty-two

(43) schools, including one (1) Alternative School, two (2) Career Tech Schools, two (2) Primary Schools, seventeen (17) Elementary Schools, four (5) Intermediate Schools, eight (8) Middle Schools, eight (8) High Schools and one (1) Transportation Department.

Intent to Bid

DeSoto County School Districts requests that all vendors interested in submitting a proposal complete the Letter of Intent to Bid that is provided at the end of this document. The Letter of Intent to Bid should be emailed to DeSoto County Schools Purchasing Department at DCS.Purchasing@dcsms.org or hand delivered prior to December 2nd, 2025, 9:00 am, CST. If an email reply is not received within 24 hours, it is the responsibility of the respondent to call Jenifer Hale at 662-449-7168 to confirm receipt of your Letter of Intent to Bid. An email will then be sent confirming receipt.

Submitting a Letter of Intent to Bid does not commit you to bidding. The Letter of Intent to Bid is not a requirement to submit a proposal, however the pre-bid conference is a requirement to bid on the RFP.

Submitting the Letter of Intent to Bid will ensure that you receive all vendor clarification questions and answers if applicable after the vendor meeting.

In the case of inclement weather or other unforeseen circumstances, all vendors who have submitted the Letter of Intent to Bid will be notified of a change to the pre-bid conference date or time.

General Terms and Conditions

The specifications herein are provided to convey the intent of the District and do not indicate every cable or component necessary for the complete system that the proposing vendor shall provide. Technical specifications of all equipment and necessary components proposed should be provided with the bid.

Proposals that deviate from these specifications will be considered, provided the vendor indicates why its proposed alternative specifications will meet the needs and intent of the District.

Prices quoted shall be an all-inclusive solution including all applicable taxes, shipping costs, installation of cabling, any necessary cabling, training, technical support and trash removal, and represent complete installation and integration with the existing network where necessary. All equipment included in vendor’s proposal must be new equipment purchased from an authorized reseller. No grey market, third party, or used equipment will be considered with limited exceptions for switch optics and stacking cables.

Omissions in the proposal of any provision described herein shall not be construed as to relieve the vendor of any responsibility or obligation to the complete and satisfactory delivery, operation, and support of any services. Bidders shall make all investigations necessary to thoroughly inform themselves regarding the delivery of services as required by the solicitation. No plea of ignorance by the Bidder of conditions that exist or that may hereafter exist as a result of failure to fulfill the requirements of the contract documents will be accepted as the basis for varying from the requirements of the District or the compensation to the Bidder

The terms and conditions of the Request for Proposal, the resulting contract(s) or activities based upon this Request for Proposal shall be construed in accordance with the laws of DeSoto County, Mississippi

Bidders are required to state exactly what they intend to furnish to the District via this solicitation and must indicate any variances to the terms, conditions or required services, of this Bid, no matter how slight.

Bidders are advised that the District endorses the participation and utilization of local contractors in its purchasing efforts. Accordingly, bid proposals of equal price and quality will be awarded to Bidders residing within the geographic area when available. This policy does not prohibit Bidders who reside outside the area from participating in the purchasing process as long as these Bidders can offer services at competitive pricing.

Clarifications

Should the vendor have questions or find discrepancies in, or omissions from this RFP, or be in doubt to its meaning, the vendor shall at once notify DeSoto County School District. All questions should be addressed to DeSoto County Purchasing Department and sent via email to DCS.Purchasing@dcsms.org on or before December 5, 2025, 12:00 pm CST. The District shall not be responsible for verbal interpretations offered by employees of the District.

If a response is not received within 24 hours, it is the responsibility of the respondent to call Jenifer Hale at 662-449-7168 to confirm receipt of the questions. All questions and answers will be emailed to all vendors attending the vendor meeting and submitting a Letter of Intent to Bid.

Bid Preparation and Submission Instructions

This document is a Request for Proposal (RFP). It differs from a Request for Quote or Bid in that the District is seeking a solution as described herein, not a bid meeting firm specifications for the lowest price.

Competitive Sealed Proposals will be evaluated based upon criteria formulated around the most important features of the service, of which quality, references, and availability or capability, may be overriding factors, and price may not be determinative in the issuance of a contract or award. The Proposal evaluation criteria should be viewed as standards, which measure how well a Bidder’s approach meets the desired requirements and needs of the District.

Proposals will be received by the DeSoto County School Board of Education, 5 East South Street, Hernando, MS 38632 or electronically at www.centralbidding.com, at the date and time specified in the Procurement Schedule. All times specified in this RFP are Central Standard Time (CST). All proposals must be received at the Board of Education or electronically at www.centralbidding.com on or before the date and time specified in the Procurement Schedule. Neither dating of the proposal, nor placing it in the mail by this date and time will meet legal requirements. The DeSoto County School Board of Education reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals received and to waive any and all informalities.

If Bidder is hand delivering or mailing Proposals, it must be submitted in a sealed 8”x10” or larger envelope. Please label the outside envelope or shipping box as follows or the bid may be rejected:

Attn: Jenifer Hale “2026 E-Rate HMS Rewire”

RFP #383-HMS-DCS26

Response Opening: December 15, 2025, 9:00 a.m.

Name of Company submitting proposal

If Bidder will be submitting proposal electronically, please submit to www.centralbidding.com. For any questions relating to the electronic proposal submission process, please contact Central Bidding at 225- 810-4814.

Any proposal received after the opening date or time shall be refused and marked “Late Proposal” and returned to the bidder unopened. For this purpose, the official time for the proposal opening shall be based upon the time as indicated by the Purchasing Department. It is solely the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure Proposals are received prior to the opening date and time.

It is the sole responsibility of the respondents to ensure their responses arrive in a timely manner. Late arrivals will be rejected. The DeSoto County School District is not responsible for delays of any commercial carrier or delays incurred by the respondents. Oral, telephone, or emailed bids will not be considered.

mailto:DCS.Purchasing@dcsms.org http://www.centralbidding.com/ http://www.centralbidding.com/ http://www.centralbidding.com/

Signatures on the proposals must be in longhand and executed by a principal duly authorized by the vendor to make a contract.

PLEASE NOTE: Common Carriers, UPS, and FedEx, in the Hernando, Mississippi area generally do not deliver overnight packages on time. The DeSoto County School District will not be responsible for, nor will it accept bid responses delivered after the deadline.

The Proposal must be typed or legibly printed in ink, on the Proposal Form supplied; use of pencil or erasable ink is not permitted.

If the District’s Superintendents Office is closed for any reason, including but not limited to inclement weather, an emergency situation or any other act of nature, for which closure prevents the opening of RFPs at the originally advertised date and time, all RFPs received shall be publicly opened and read aloud on the next business day that the District’s Superintendents Office shall be open for business at the previously advertised time. The new date and time of bid opening, as determined in accordance with this paragraph, shall not be advertised.

Bid Proposals must contain the signature of an authorized agent of the Bidder. If the Bidder’s authorized agent fails to sign the proposal, it shall be considered a non-responsive offer and shall not be considered.

Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that the District may properly evaluate the Bidder’s capabilities to provide the required products and services.

The Bidder must include all information and supplemental documentation required in conjunction with this proposal. If the Bidder fails to supply any required information or documents, its proposal shall be considered non-responsive and shall not be considered.

Information packages should not contain promotional or display materials unless specifically required in the Scope of Services section. Informational packages must address the requirements as explained to aid evaluation. All questions posed by the RFP must be answered clearly and concisely.

This solicitation does not commit the District to pay any cost incurred by the Bidder or any other party in preparation and/or submission of proposals or in making necessary studies or designs for the preparation thereof, nor is the District obligated to procure or contract for such product or services.

The District reserves the right to wave any and all informalities in information packages if such waiver does not substantially change the offer or provide a competitive advantage to any Bidder.

All paper bids submitted for structured cabling where said bid is in excess of $75,000 shall contain on the outside of the envelope the contractors current Certificate of Responsibility Number.

If structured cabling costs in excess of $75,000 are submitted electronically, an attachment must be included with the electronic bid submittal indicating the Certificate of Responsibility.

Bidders must submit one (1) original and two (2) copies of their full response along with two (2) electronic copies in the form of USB drive or flash drive if submitting a Written Sealed Proposal.

The first page in the bid submission packet must be the Bid Worksheet. The worksheet will show the vendor’s total cost for eligible products and services. In additional to the Bid Worksheet, Vendors should provide quotes submitted on the vendor’s standard quote form showing line-item pricing. Failure to comply may result in bid disqualification.

The Bidder, by affixing its signature to the Bid Worksheet certifies that its Proposal is made without previous understanding, agreement, or connection either with any persons, forms, or corporations offering a bid proposal for the same services, or with the District. The Bidder also certifies their Proposal is in all respects fair, without inside control, collusion, fraud, or otherwise illegal action.

Bids must include the following:

The “Bid Worksheet” completed and signed by the bidder. Note, the “Bid Worksheet” is a total for all E- Rate eligible products and services.

(THE BID WORKSHEET MUST BE THE FIRST PAGE IN THE BID SUBMISSION DOCUMENTATION)

Required Documents as listed in this RFP.

Conflicts of Interest

It shall be understood and agreed that Bid Proposals submitted are offered independently of any other proposals.

In the event that an independent contractor or firm in conjunction with the District developed this RFP, neither the contractor, nor its principals or subsidiaries, shall be allowed to submit a proposal for this solicitation.

Modifications or Withdrawals of Bid Proposal

Proposals may only be modified in the form of a written notice on company letterhead and must be received prior to the time and date set for the bid opening. Each modification submitted to the District’s Purchasing Department must have the Bidder’s name and return address and the applicable proposal number and title of the bid clearly marked on the face of the envelope. If more than one modification is submitted, the modification bearing the latest date of receipt by the District’s Purchasing Department will be considered the valid modification. All requests for bid modifications must be signed by a duly authorized agent of the submitting company. Telephone or email modifications or withdrawals will not be accepted. No changes shall be allowed after the Proposal are publicly opened. The DeSoto County School District shall not be responsible for any errors or omissions.

Bids may be withdrawn prior to the time and date set for the bid opening. Such requests must be made in writing on company letterhead and signed by a duly authorized agent of the submitting company. If a Bidder modifies or withdraws a Proposal, all documents shall remain the property of the District.

Evaluation Methodology

The DeSoto County School District Board will award a contract based on the vendor submission that best meets the needs of the DeSoto County School District with regard to the current Technology Plan, RFP specifications, and not necessarily the lowest price even though price will be the primary factor. The following factors may be considered when evaluating responses. The District shall be the sole judge of these factors.

• Price – 50%

• Technical Specifications – 10%

• Technical Certifications of Vendor Staff – 10%

• Number of Service Staff within close proximity to Hernando, Mississippi- 5%

• Vendor response time – 5%

• Experience with Vendor (includes Vendor-supplied customer references and recent (7 years)

District experience with Vendor (if any); may also include any publicly available reports or testimonials regarding recent Vendor performance) – 20%

Vendor Qualifications

The DeSoto County School District may make such investigations as deemed necessary to determine the ability of the bidder or subcontractors or suppliers to perform the work, and the bidder shall furnish to the DeSoto County School District all such information and data for this purpose as the DeSoto County School District may request. The DeSoto County School District reserves the right to reject any bid if the evidence submitted by or investigation of such Bidder fails to satisfy the DeSoto County School District that such bidder is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and/or to complete the work contemplated therein within the time required.

The bidder is specifically advised that any person, firm or other party to whom it proposes to award a subcontract or purchase order under this contract must be acceptable to the DeSoto County School District.

The successful vendor (contractor) must have or be certified with the following:

• Be able to supply all products and services

• Be an authorized dealer in the State of Mississippi for all products

• Have current liability insurance and workers compensation insurance and submit certificates of insurance with proposal

• Provide documentation of the vendor’s employee certifications for cabling

• Participate in the mandatory pre-bid conference. Any cabling bid submitted by a vendor who does not attend the mandatory pre-bid conference will not be considered. There will be no exceptions.

• Provide an E-Rate SPIN

• Provide at least 3 references for projects of the same scope and size

Disqualification of Bidder

The DeSoto County School District reserves the right to award to other than the lowest bidder when, in the judgment of the District administration, it is in the best interest of the District to do so. A Bidder may be disqualified for any substantial non-compliance with the terms of this RFP, including:

1. The bid has not been properly executed by signature of an authorized representative of the Bidder

2. Bidder’s failure to attend and complete the mandatory pre-bid conference for cabling.

3. The bid proposal does not include documents including, but not limited to, certificates, licenses, information or specification sheets, bonds, and/or samples, which are required for submission with the bid proposal in conjunction with the General Terms and Conditions or Scope of Services

4. The Bidder misstates or conceals any material fact in their proposal

5. The Bidder’s proposal does not strictly conform to the law or requirement of the RFP

A Bidder may also be disqualified for the following reasons:

1. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract awarded to, any person or firm, which has pending litigation against the District on the date and time that the bid opens

2. Bidder having defaulted on a previous contract

3. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract awarded to, any person or firm, which has failed to perform faithfully any previous contract with the District, local, state, or federal governmental agency for a minimum period of one (1) year after the previous contract, was terminated for cause

4. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract be awarded to, any person or firm which is in arrears to the District upon any debt or contract or which is a defaulter as surety or otherwise upon any obligation to the District

5. A proposal may be rejected if the Bidder is currently under suspension or debarment by any local, state, or federal government, and if the Bidder cannot so certify, then it shall submit along with the proposal a written explanation of why it cannot make such a certification

The DeSoto County School District will strictly adhere to the rules and regulations of the E-Rate program and State of Mississippi Procurement Law when evaluating bid responses.

Other Considerations

The DeSoto County School District welcomes proposals that may not meet these specifications exactly.

However, such proposals must explain in detail how the alternative proposal will meet the general specifications of this RFP and why the District should consider such an alternative. If the explanation and reasoning satisfies both the District Administration and members of the IT department of the DeSoto County School District, then the proposal will be considered as if it meets specifications.

Due to the fast pace of technology, equipment and new technology is constantly emerging. Since the earliest the DeSoto County School District expects to receive funding for their Category 2 project is August 1, 2026, and because many things can change with technology and within the School District, the DeSoto County School District will require that the awarded cabling vendor or vendors complete a new walkthrough of all facilities after funding notification to reassess the technologies quoted and the schools’ needs. If technology and needs have changed from the time of acceptance of the winning proposal, Service Provider agrees to work with the School District to submit a service substitution to USAC for updated equipment and services.

Because items quoted may no longer be available at the time of funding due to supply chain issues or discontinuation or end of life of equipment quoted, the DeSoto County School District will require that the awarded vendor or vendors provide a comparable or equivalent replacement at the same margin/markup quoted in this response. If equipment is unavailable or has changed from the time of acceptance of the winning proposal, Service Provider agrees to work with the School District to submit a service substitution to USAC for updated equipment and services.

Current Equipment

• All current equipment will remain the property of the DeSoto County School District regardless of its use or non-use in the successful proposal.

Current Network Bandwidth and WAN Configuration

The DeSoto County School District is currently using RFP5000 Circuits and RFP5000 Internet.

E‐Rate

This proposal request is for services to be subsidized under the Universal Services E‐Rate Program for Schools and Libraries. No purchase order will be issued, no installation will occur, and no services will be provided until approval of the form 471 application AND approval by DeSoto County School District for the District’s non-E-Rate portion. If District funds are not available for the District portion, all contracts will become null and void and the project will not be implemented.

To be eligible for payment, all labor covered under successful Bidder’s invoice must be completed and accepted by the District. The awarded bidder shall provide accurate, legible, and timely documentation, such as invoices, credits, and statements as requested by the District. The District will remit payment to successful Bidder upon completion of the project. The awarded bidder agrees to receiving payment within forty-five (45) days from date of receipt of a properly submitted invoice, or within forty-five (45) days after inspection and approval of the goods and/or services by DeSoto County Schools, whichever is later. In the event of a bona fide dispute, the awarded bidder agrees that DeSoto County Schools shall pay only the amount not in dispute, as per Miss. Code Ann. 31-7-305.

In no event shall any interest penalty or late fee accrue when payment is delayed because of disagreement between the District and successful Bidder regarding quantity, quality, time of delivery, or other noncompliance with the contract requirements for any product or service or the accuracy or correctness of any invoice.

This project will be subsidized by the E-Rate program and is therefore subject to funding availability and contingent upon E-Rate funding. Due to the extended period of time, it could take for the District to receive a funding commitment from USAC for this project and possible unforeseen financial circumstances, any contract arising from this RFP will also be contingent upon the District’s availability of funds at the time of funding for the non-E-Rate portion of the project. The District also reserves the right to increase or decrease quantities requested in this RFP to adhere to the District’s needs at the time of funding.

The District reserves the right to purchase products and services from the winning bid response during the term of the subsequent contract using alternate funding sources if alternative funding becomes available during the contract term.

The DeSoto County School District requires that the winning bidder provide the USAC Service Provider Invoice (SPI) method for invoicing.

Termination or Cancellation

In order to protect the vested interests of the District, and to ensure the efficient utilization of funds, the successful Bidder shall comply with all obligations contained in the General Terms and Conditions and the Scope of Services. With respect to these obligations, the District will report any non-compliance issues to the successful Bidder for corrective action. Continued non-compliance by the successful Bidder shall be the District’s justification for placing the Bidder’s contract on probation status or termination.

If the District, in whole or in part, is not satisfied with the performance of services supplied and agreed to with this RFP, it may terminate the contract/agreement after giving specific reason(s) by written notice to successful Bidder and offering opportunity for successful Bidder to correct specific reason(s) for dissatisfaction within a thirty (30) day period, date to be specified by the District.

In the event that the successful Bidder defaults on its contract or the contract is terminated for cause due to performance, the District reserves the right to enter into contract for the services with the next lowest and best Bidder associated with this RFP for the remaining term of the terminated/defaulted contract.

The contract/agreement entered into on behalf of this RFP shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Mississippi. The venue for resolution of any dispute shall be DeSoto County, Mississippi. The successful Bidder expressly agrees that under no circumstances shall the District be obligated to pay attorney fees, or the cost associated with any legal action initiated by the successful Bidder.

The District reserves the right to retract any part of these services without any obligation or penalty based upon availability of funds.

Right to Reject

The DeSoto County School District reserves the right to accept or reject all proposals or sections thereof when the rejection is in the best interest of the District. The DeSoto County School District reserves the right to award without further discussion. Therefore, responses should be submitted initially with the most favorable terms the vendor proposes. The DeSoto County School District reserves the right to reject the proposal of a vendor who has previously failed to perform properly or completed on time contracts and to reject the proposal of any vendor who in the opinion of the DeSoto County School District, is not in a position to adequately perform the contract. The DeSoto County School District reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, any part or parts of a proposal, waive any technicalities/informalities, increase or reduce quantities, make modifications or specifications, and award any or the entire contract in a manner that is in the best interest of the DeSoto County School District. The District reserves the right to Re-advertise this solicitation, postpone or cancel the bid process for this solicitation and determine the criteria and process whereby proposals are evaluated and awarded. Contracts will be awarded for each part of the RFP to the vendor or vendors submitting the proposal determined to be in the best interests of the DeSoto County School District.

Selection Process

The following criteria may be used to assist in selecting the successful contractor:

1. Completeness: Each response will be reviewed prior to the selection process for completeness and adherence to format

2. Evaluation Process: The District will rely on its staff to formerly evaluate each complete proposal. The evaluation process will objectively grade the proposal on their merit and responsiveness according to the evaluation matrix found in Exhibit A. The District reserves the right however, to modify or not utilize this matrix if it is not deemed in the District’s best interest

Preliminary evaluations will be performed by District personnel to determine if all of the mandatory requirements have been addressed. Bidders must be able to demonstrate their ability to perform the required services by supplying all requested references, technical certifications and documentation requested in this RFP as well as by completing the Bidder Qualification Statement at the end of this RFP.

Failure to satisfactorily comply with these requirements may result in the proposal being rejected.

Award of Contract

All RFPs and related documents submitted to the District by Bidders are governed under the laws of the State of Mississippi.

The General Terms and Conditions, the Scope of Services, the Bidder’s proposal, written letters, addenda, and the Purchase Order are collectively an integral part of the contract between the District and the successful Bidder. The successful Bidder will be asked to enter into a contract with the District after the Board of Director’s approval which would conclude this process.

The District shall select the Bidder which, in its opinion, has made the best proposal, (not necessarily the lowest cost provider) and shall award the contract to that Bidder, which is deemed in the best interest of the District. (sample contract is attached)

Indemnification

The successful Bidder shall assume the entire responsibility and liability to indemnify the DeSoto County School District, its elected and appointed officials, employees, volunteers, and others working on behalf of the District. To the fullest extent permitted by law, the successful Bidder agrees to defend, pay on behalf of, indemnify, and hold harmless the District against any and all claims, demands, suits, damages or losses, together with any and all outlay and expense connected therewith, including but not limited to attorney’s fees and court costs, that may be asserted or claimed against, recovered from or suffered by the District by reason of injury or loss, including but not limited to, personal injury, including bodily injury or death, property damage, including loss of use thereof, and economic damages arising out of or in any way connected or associated with any work and/or activities performed by the successful Bidder pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement. The successful Bidder obligation to indemnify the District contained in this Agreement is not limited by the amount or type of damages, compensation or benefits payable under any worker’s compensation acts, disability benefit acts, or other employee benefit acts.

The District shall not be liable or in any way responsible for any injury, damage, liability, claim, loss, or expense incurred by the successful Bidder, its officers, employees, subcontractors, and other affiliated with the successful Bidder, arising out of or in any way connected or associated with any work and/or activities performed by the Bidder pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement, except for and only to the extent caused by the negligence of the District. The successful Bidder expressly assumes full responsibility for any and all damages to the District Property arising out of or in any way connected or associated with any work and/or activities performed by the successful Bidder pursuant to the provisions of this proposal including, but not limited to, the activities of the Bidder, its officers, employees, subcontractors, and others affiliated with the Bidder. The successful Bidder shall ensure that its activities on the District Premises will be performed and supervised by adequately trained and qualified personnel and the Bidder will observe, and cause its officers, employees, subcontractors, and other affiliated with the Bidder to observe all applicable safety rules.

Award Requirements

Successful Bidder shall be familiar and comply with all local, state, and federal directives, ordinances, rules, orders, and laws as applicable to, and affected by, this contract including but not limited to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Occupational Safety, Health Act (OSHA), and Title I and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. No Bidder shall be excluded from consideration for award in conjunction with this solicitation on the basis of race, color, creed, national origination, handicap, or sex or be subjected to discrimination under any contractual award administered by the District.

The Bidder shall not assign, transfer, convey, sublet, or otherwise dispose of this contract, including any or all of its right, title or interest therein, or its power to execute such contract to any person, company, or corporation without prior written consent of the District.

All employees of the Bidder shall be considered to be, at all times, employees of the Bidder under its sole direction and not an employee or agent of the District. The successful Bidder shall supply competent and physically capable employees in a number that is consistent with the service requirements. Where required, employees shall be licensed and accredited. The District may require the successful Bidder to remove an employee it deems careless, incompetent, insubordinate or otherwise objectionable and whose continued employment on District property is not in the best interest of the District.

In accordance with the District’s policy regarding the use of tobacco and alcohol products and/or illegal substances, no employee of the successful Bidder shall be permitted to use these substances when performing on District property.

The successful Bidder shall certify that all employees employed in support of this contract who have direct contact with students, which is defined to mean being in the presence of student during regular school hours or during school-sponsored activities, have not been convicted of (i) a felony; (ii) any offense involving the sexual molestation, physical or sexual abuse or rape of a child; or (iii) a crime of moral turpitude.

The Bidder will be responsible for the cost of all the equipment, accessories, labor, materials in order to work as detailed in the Scope of Services.

Insurance (If Applicable)

Providing the District, if awarded a contract, a Certificate of Liability Insurance naming the DeSoto County Schools as additional insured. The issuing insurer must provide 30 days written notice to the District of the expiration of the insurance. The specific minimum requirements are:

Workers Compensation Insurance: Statutory Workers Compensation statutory coverage as required by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the services are performed and includes alternate employer endorsement with a minimum of $500,000 per occurrence.

Commercial General Liability Insurance: Commercial General Liability Insurance with a $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence and includes contractual liability and personal injury coverage.

Additional Insured & Certificate Holder: DeSoto County Schools will need to be named as additional insured on General Liability Insurance and as the Certificate Holder.

Commercial Automobile Liability: Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance with a $2,000,000 combined single limit on vehicles owned, leased, or rented by Respondent performing under this agreement.

Umbrella Liability Insurance: Umbrella Liability Insurance to be used in excess of the liability policies with $15,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence.

Commercial Blanket Bond: A Commercial Blanket Bond with limits

$ 3,000,000 in the aggregate per occurrence and includes coverage of employee dishonesty to the extent Respondent fails in its responsibilities and customer protection.

**Such insurance or renewals or replacements thereof shall remain in force during the term of the contract and any extensions**

Excepting sole responsibility for compliance with all applicable laws relating to its employees, such as wage and hour laws, safety and health requirements, and collective bargaining laws

Maintaining strict confidentiality in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and procedures of all records which the Agency or substitute teacher/support staff personnel provided by the Agency may come in contact with or be privy to in the course of providing services

Including all labor, travel, and miscellaneous expenses necessary to complete substitute services in per Hourly/Daily rate (No additional fees may be charged)

Conduct

The successful Bidder and Bidder’s employees working on DeSoto County School District premises shall adhere to proper conduct at all times. Proper conduct is meant to include, but not limited to the following:

1. There shall be no weapons, drugs, or alcohol on the premises

2. No smoking (including electronic cigarettes) on the premises

3. No exterior doors are left opened or unlocked at any time

4. The successful Bidder and substitute provided by the respondent must adhere to any and all security standards, requirements and/or regulations of each school and school district

5. The successful Bidder and substitute provided by the respondent shall be polite and courteous at all times

Confidentiality

The successful Bidder could possibly have access to confidential information. Confidential information includes all information of the District relating to the District’s existing or potential non-public business strategies and existing or proposed bids. In addition, confidential information includes all personal identification and information of District management, employees, and students. At no time will any confidential information be disclosed to any one person including but not limited to legal or financial advisors and or immediate family. The successful Bidder agrees that all such information is confidential and that the agency will not use or disclose such information to any outside person or entity for any reason whatsoever, without the District’s express written consent.

Cabling and Rack Specifications

SCOPE OF WORK

All data designations are marked with wing letter, room number and sequential digit for the number of drops for that location, or similar distinguishable markings. The data circuit is provided via one Siemon Cat 6A UTP, or similar, to correspond to the numeric value at each outlet. Horizontal data cables shall be terminated on rack-mounted 24 port patch panels. Data cables will be punched into rack-mounted patch panel in numeric sequence according to room number and drop number.

Horizontal data circuits shall be connected to LAN electronics within each Telecommunications Room (TR). See BOM for cable colors. All cabling located within walls and or ceilings will be CMP rated.

Where applicable an XGLO compliant 12 Strand single mode fiber optic backbone cable shall be employed between the data Main Cross-Connect (MC) and each TR for data connectivity. Within the data MC and the each TR, backbone fiber strands shall be terminated and housed in rack-mount fiber optic enclosures. See BOM for types of products.

Horizontal Cabling- Copper

In addition to meeting the 500 MHz category 6A specifications outlined in ANSI/TIA/EIA-568-B.2-10, the requirements in this section must also be met for all applicable balanced twisted-pair products as listed below

OUTLETS

All 500 MHz category 6A information outlets designed for termination of 4-pair balanced twisted-pair category 6A copper cable must possess the following characteristics at the minimum:

Exceed category 6A component compliance through the frequency range of 1 to 250MHz with usable bandwidth to 500MHz

Universal design allows the same outlet to be mounted in flat or angled orientation.

Have a lacing module that offers zero-cross termination, which eliminates pair crossing Be backwards compatible to allow lower performing categories of cables or connecting hardware to operate to their full capacity Support industry standards for T568A or T568B wiring options on each individual outlet Allow installation from the front or rear of the faceplate, and allow for the jack to pass through the faceplate without re-termination Provide color-coded, snap-in icons available for circuit identification Allow for a minimum of 5 terminations without signal degradation below standards compliance limits Be constructed of high impact, glass reinforced nylon.

Have, as an option, an outlet, which can be mounted into an IEC 60603-7 compliant opening

(keystone) Must be certified by Underwriters Laboratories to United States Standards and C22.2

Canadian Telecommunications Standards

FACEPLATES

All faceplates installed, as part of this specification shall have these minimum features listed below:

Be applicable to both fiber and copper applications.

Be available in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4- and 6-port single-gang configurations or 6-, 8- and 12-port double-gang configurations.

Allow modules to be removed from the front of the faceplate.

Allow UTP modules to pass through faceplates even after termination.

Have write on designation labels for circuit identification together with a clear plastic cover.

Feature easily removable designation label covers which can be removed without use of tools.

Be available in single-gang and double-gang configurations.

Have as a minimum the standard colors of black, white, gray, ivory and light ivory.

Have stainless steel versions available with designation label option.

Have surface mount boxes and standoff rings available for both single and double gang faceplates.

Be manufactured using UV resistant, high impact thermoplastic to prevent color fading and provide additional durability.

Must be certified by Underwriters Laboratories to United States Standards and C22.2

Canadian Telecommunications Standards.

PATCH CORDS

All 10G 6A modular equipment cords shall conform to the following minimum performance standards:

Be augmented category 6 component compliant out to 250MHz with operational bandwidth to 500MHz

Be factory assembled and 100% transmission tested with laboratory grade network analyzers for proper performance up to 500MHz

Be backwards compatible with lower performing categories

Be equipped with identical modular 8-position plugs on both ends, wired straight through with standards compliant wiring

Have a metal plug housing to provide durability and resistance to damage.

Have a PCB based plug to enable high levels of performance.

Have fixed position front contacts to ensure plug quality and consistent mating with outlets.

Have internal rear contacts to maintain cable pair symmetry to the point of termination.

Have a boot that features an ultra slim design for high density applications and snag free operation.

Use modular plugs, which exceed FCC CFR 47 part 68 subpart F and IEC 60603-7 specifications, and have 50 micro-inches minimum of gold plating over nickel contacts

Have a dual jack construction for excellent alien crosstalk performance.

Be available in standard lengths of 3, 5, 7, 10, 15 and 20 ft.

Have optional colored clips to allow field color coding even when cords are already installed.

Available in Black, White, Red, Gray, Yellow, Blue, Green and Orange

Be certified by Underwriters Laboratories to United States Standards and C22.2 Canadian Telecommunications Standards

CABLE

All 10G 6A cable shall conform to the following minimum performance standards:

Have a round lead free cable jacket and be of type CMP

Have a construction comprised of 4-pairs of 23AWG solid bare copper conductors

Be available in 1000’ reels

Provide the following 4-connector guaranteed channel performance:

* Performance for frequencies beyond TIA and ISO requirements are for information only

Meet the following electrical specifications:

DC Resistance <9.38 Ω/100m

DC Resistance Unbalanced 3%

Frequency (MHz)

Insertion Loss (dB)

NEXT

Loss (dB)

PS

NEXT

Loss (dB)

ACR

(dB)

PSACR

(dB)

ACRF

(dB)

PS

ACR-F

(dB)

Return Loss (dB)

Propagation Delay (ns)

1.0 2.1 74.3 72.3 72.2 70.2 67.8 64.8 20.0 570

4.0 3.8 65.3 63.3 61.5 59.5 55.7 52.7 23.0 552

10.0 5.9 59.3 57.3 53.4 51.4 47.8 44.8 25.0 545

16.0 7.5 56.2 54.2 48.8 46.8 43.7 40.7 25.0 543

20.0 8.4 54.8 52.8 46.4 44.4 41.7 38.7 25.0 542

31.25 10.5 51.9 49.9 41.4 39.4 37.9 34.9 23.6 540

62.5 15.0 47.4 45.4 32.4 30.4 31.8 28.8 21.5 539

100.0 19.1 44.3 42.3 25.2 23.2 27.8 24.8 20.1 538

200.0 27.6 39.8 37.8 12.2 10.2 21.7 18.7 18.0 537

250.0 31.1 38.3 36.3 7.3 5.3 19.8 16.8 17.3 536

300.0 34.3 37.1 35.1 2.9 0.9 18.2 15.2 16.8 536

350.0 37.2 36.1 34.1 -1.1 -3.1 16.9 13.9 16.3 535

400.0 40.1 35.3 33.3 -4.8 -6.8 15.7 12.7 15.9 535

500.0 45.3 33.8 31.8 -11.4 -13.4 13.8 10.8 15.2 536

625.0* 51.2 32.4 30.4 -18.8 -20.8 11.8 8.8 14.5 535

750.0* 56.7 31.2 29.2 -25.5 -27.5 10.3 7.3 14.0 535

Mutual Capacitance 5.8 nF/100m

Capacitance Unbalanced <330 pF/100m

Characteristic Impedance (ohms)

1 – 100MHz: 100 ± 15% 100 - 750MHz: 100 ± 22%

NVP CMP - 67% CMR - 67%

TCL 30-10Log(f/100)dB

Delay Skew (ns) ≤ 45/100m

BACKBONE CABLING

CABLE

SINGLEMODE OPTICAL FIBER CABLE

Singlemode optical fiber cable shall be used for 1st and 2nd Level Backbone applications only.

Have a round lead free cable jacket available with OFNP constructions.

Shall contain a Rip Cord applied under the cable jacket for easy cable jacket removal

Shall contain a lightweight Central Strength member located in the middle of the fiber bundles.

Shall contain both color-coded buffered fibers as well as color-coded buffer tubes.

Cables shall have length markings in 2 ft. increments

Fiber will be available in strand counts of 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 and 144.

Shall meet these minimum performance parameters:

Minimum Performance Parameters for Qualified Cables

Fiber Cable Type

Maximum Attenuation

(dB/km) Zero dispersion Index of Refraction

1310 nm 1550 nm Wavelength (nm) Slope (nm-km) 1310 nm 1550 nm

Singlemode Indoor 0.50 0.50 1300-1324 <0.093 1.467 1.468

Ethernet Applications Supported

Application Distance

(m)

10GBASE-L (1310 nm) 8,000

10GBASE-E (1550 nm) 30,000

10G Fibre Channel (Serial-1310 nm) 10,000

10G Fibre Channel (WDM-1310 nm) 10,000

1000BASE-LX (1300 nm) 5,000

Fibre Channel 266/1062 (1300 nm) 10,000

ATM 52/155/622 (1300 nm) 15,000

Physical Characteristics:

Mode and Fiber Type

Core Size

(Microns)

Cladding Size

(Microns)

Coating Size

(Microns)

Buffer Size

(Microns)

Core Cladding

Concentricity (Microns)

Singlemode 8.3 ± 1.0 125 ± 1.0 245 ± 10 900 ± 50 ≤ 0.8

BACKBONE CABLING

Cables allowed for use in the backbone include: singlemode optical fiber cables. The cable shall support voice, data and imaging applications. The bending radius and pulling strength requirements of all backbone cables shall be observed during handling and installation.

INTERBUILDING CABLING

When a distribution system encompasses more than one building, the components that provide the link between buildings constitute the Interbuilding Backbone Subsystem. This subsystem includes the backbone transmission media, associated connecting hardware terminating this media, and electrical protection devices to mitigate harmful voltages when the media is exposed to lightning and/or high voltage power surges that pass through the building cable. It is normally a first-level backbone cable beginning at the main cross-connect in the equipment room of the hub building and extending to the intermediate cross-connect in the equipment room of a satellite building.

EQUIPMENT ROOMS

PATCH PANELS

All 10G 6A-termination panels shall facilitate cross-connection and inter-connection using modular patch cords and shall conform to EIA standard, 19-inch relay rack mounting requirements.

Be made of lightweight, high strength steel with durable black finish in 24 port 1U configurations

Panel outlets feature a patented angled IDC contact pattern to exploit the widest outlet cross-section to minimize alien crosstalk.

Have a quick release lever that allows individual outlets to be easily removed even in tight installations.

Have port identification numbers on the front of the panel Accommodate both 24 ports for each rack mount space (1RMS = 44.5 mm [1.75 in.]) Come equipped with integrated rear wire management system Be provided with high visibility snap-on magnifying label holders that contain paper labels or

Z-MAX icons for port identification.

FIBER ENCLOSURES

All…