8-26TH04P5 - RFP - E-Rate Network Switch Upgrade - FINAL 11-12-25.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

E-Rate Network Switch Upgrade for Information Systems

SOLICITATION # 26TH04P5

PROPOSAL DUE

Monday, January 12, 2026

12:00 p.m. MST

QUESTIONS DUE

Monday, January 5, 2026

12:00 p.m. MST

Jordan School District Purchasing Department

Senior Buyer: Tonya Hodges, NIGP-CPP, CPPB 7905 South Redwood Road

West Jordan, Utah 84088-4601

Jordan School District RFP # 26TH04P5 E-Rate Network Switch Upgrade

CONTENTS

PART 1: OVERVIEW AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

2. DISTRICT BACKGROUND

3. ISSUING OFFICE AND RFP SOLICITATION NUMBER

4. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

5. ADDENDA

6. RESTRICTIONS ON COMMUNICATIONS

7. CONTRACT AWARD INTENT

8. LENGTH OF CONTRACT

9. PRICE GUARANTEE PERIOD

10. DISCUSSIONS (FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES ONLY)

11. INTERVIEWS AND PRESENTATIONS

12. STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS, EXCEPTIONS, AND

NEGOTIATIONS

13. PROTECTED INFORMATION

A. PROCESS FOR REQUESTING NONDISCLOSURE

B. REDACTED COPY

14. BOYCOTT RESTRICTIONS

15. COMPLIANCE WITH FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT

(FERPA)

16. DECLARATION OF DEBARMENT OR SUSPENSION

17. BEST AND FINAL OFFER

18. COST PROPOSAL

19. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING THE RFP

A. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (REQUIRED)

20. OFFEROR’S UNDERSTANDING OF RFP

PART 2: MANDATORY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

1. MANDATORY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (Pass or Fail Criteria)

A. DEMONSTRATED EXPERIENCE

B. EXISTING SYSTEM COMPATIBILITY

C. CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT

D. CREDENTIALS

E. LOCAL PRESENCE

F. COMPLIANCE WITH UTAH CODE 63G-27 PUBLIC CONTRACT BOYCOTT RESTRICTIONS

PART 3: SCOPE OF WORK

1. PURPOSE

2. REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

A. REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND PARTS

B. FUNCTIONALITY (See Attachment G)

C. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS (See Attachment H)

D. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

PART 4: INFORMATION REQUIRED IN SUBMISSION OF A PROPOSAL

1. RFP TECHNICAL PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

A. TAB TITLE: W-9

B. TAB TITLE: Letter of Transmittal – Limit to three (3) pages

C. TAB TITLE: Table of Contents

D. TAB TITLE: Protected Information

E. TAB TITLE: Potential Conflicts of Interest

F. TAB TITLE: Exceptions and/or Additions to the JSD Standard Terms and Conditions

G. TAB TITLE: Response to Mandatory Minimum Requirements (Pass/Fail)

H. TAB TITLE: Detailed Technical Proposal Response (Scored Criteria)

2. RFP COST PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

PART 5: RFP EVALUATION AND AWARD

1. RFP EVALUATION PROCESS

A. STAGE 1: Determination of Responsiveness (Pass/Fail Criteria)

B. STAGE 2: Technical Proposal Evaluation (Scored Criteria, 150 Points Possible)

C. STAGE 3: Cost Proposal Evaluation (Scored Criteria, 70 Points Possible)

2. AWARD OF CONTRACT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

E-Rate Network Switch Upgrade for Information Systems

SOLICITATION # 26TH04P5

This Request for Proposals (RFP), having been determined to be the appropriate procurement method to provide the best value to Jordan School District (JSD), is designed to provide interested Offerors with sufficient basic information to submit proposals. It is not intended to limit a proposal’s content or exclude any relevant or essential data. Offerors are encouraged to expand upon the specifications to evidence service capability.

This RFP is issued in accordance with State of Utah Procurement Code, Utah Code Annotated (UCA) Chapter 63G-6a, and applicable Rules found in the Utah Administrative Rules (UAR). If any provision of this RFP conflicts with the UCA or UAR, the UCA or UAR will take precedence.

PART 1: OVERVIEW AND INSTRUCTIONS

1. PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

Jordan School District’s Information Systems department is looking to enter into a contract with a qualified Offeror to provide Jordan School District with equipment for new and existing schools’ network switch solutions.

2. DISTRICT BACKGROUND

Jordan School District is the fourth largest school district in the state of Utah with an enrollment of more than 57,800 students living in the communities of Bluffdale, Copperton, Herriman, Riverton, South Jordan, and West Jordan. JSD consists of 68 schools: 42 elementary schools, 13 middle schools, 8 high schools, 2 technical schools, and 3 specialty schools. JSD employs 6,456 full-time and part-time employees. For more information about JSD, please visit our webpage at https://jordandistrict.org/.

3. ISSUING OFFICE AND RFP SOLICITATION NUMBER

JSD is the Conducting Procurement Unit for this RFP and all subsequent addenda relating to

it. The reference number for this RFP is Solicitation # 26TH04P5. This number must be referred to on all proposals, correspondence, and documentation relating to this RFP.

4. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD

All questions MUST be submitted through U3P Bonfire (https://utah.bonfirehub.com) during the designated time for questions (Q&A period) listed on U3P Bonfire. Questions submitted through any other channel will not be answered. Questions may be answered in the order https://jordandistrict.org/ https://utah.bonfirehub.com/ that they are submitted or may be compiled into one document and answered via an addendum after the Q&A period has ended.

Answers disseminated by JSD through U3P Bonfire shall serve as the official and binding position of JSD and will constitute an addendum to this RFP. Answered questions or addenda may modify the specifications or requirements of this RFP. Offerors should periodically check U3P Bonfire for answered questions and addenda before the closing date. It is the responsibility of the Offeror to submit their proposal as required by this RFP, including any requirements contained in answered questions and addenda.

Notification to JSD of any issues, such as ambiguity, inconsistency, excessively restrictive requirements, or errors in this solicitation, MUST be submitted as a question through U3P Bonfire during the Q&A period. Issues with the solicitation that have not been previously addressed within the Q&A period are not allowed to be addressed within the proposal submittal; doing so may result in the Offeror’s proposal being considered nonresponsive.

5. ADDENDA

Any modification to this RFP will be made by an addendum issued by JSD. Offerors are strongly encouraged to periodically check U3P Bonfire for posted questions, answers, and addenda.

Information disseminated by JSD through U3P Bonfire via Q&A or via Public Notice shall serve as the official and binding position of JSD and will constitute an addendum to this RFP. An addendum to this RFP may be made for the purpose of making changes to: the scope of work, the schedule, the qualification requirements, the criteria, the weighting, or other requirements of this RFP. Proposals that do not conform to requirements contained in answered questions or addenda may be considered nonresponsive.

After the due date and time (deadline) for submitting a proposal to this RFP, at the discretion of JSD, addenda to this RFP may be limited to the Offerors that have submitted proposals, provided that, in the opinion of JSD, the addenda do not make a substantial change to this RFP that likely would have impacted the number of Offerors responding to the original publication of this RFP.

Any response to this RFP which has as its basis any communications or information received from sources other than this RFP document or related addenda may be considered nonresponsive and may be rejected at the sole discretion of JSD.

6. RESTRICTIONS ON COMMUNICATIONS

From the issue date of this RFP until an Offeror is awarded a contract and the award is published, Offerors are prohibited from communications regarding this RFP with the RFP evaluation committee members, JSD Board of Education members, JSD employees, or other associated individuals EXCEPT the JSD Buyer(s) overseeing this RFP. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification.

7. CONTRACT AWARD INTENT

It is anticipated that this RFP will result in a single contract award.

8. LENGTH OF CONTRACT

This RFP will result in a contract for a period of one (1) year, with the option to renew for four

(4) additional one (1) year annual renewals for a maximum of five (5) years total.

JSD reserves the right to review the contract resulting from this RFP on a regular basis regarding performance and cost analysis. JSD may negotiate price and service elements during the term of the contract.

9. PRICE GUARANTEE PERIOD

Pricing to be guaranteed for one (1) year. Following the guarantee period, any request for price adjustment must be for an equal guarantee period, and must be made within thirty (30) days of the contract renewal period. Requests for price adjustment must include sufficient documentation supporting the request and demonstrate a logical mathematical link between the current price and the proposed price. If price adjustments can be linked to a specific index, please list the index with your request.

Any adjustment or amendment to the contract will not be effective unless approved by the JSD Purchasing Director. JSD will be given the immediate benefit of any decrease in the market or allowable discount.

10. DISCUSSIONS (FOR CLARIFICATION PURPOSES ONLY)

Discussions for clarification purposes only may be conducted with the Offerors that submit proposals determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award, but proposals may be accepted without discussions.

11. INTERVIEWS AND PRESENTATIONS

If it is determined to be in the best interest of JSD, interviews and presentations may be held at the option of the JSD. JSD shall establish a date and time for the interviews or presentations and shall notify eligible Offerors of the procedures. Offerors invited to interviews or presentations shall be limited to those Offerors meeting the minimum requirements and minimum technical score threshold specified in the RFP.

Representations made by an Offeror during interviews or presentations shall become an addendum to the Offeror’s proposal and shall be documented. Representations must be consistent with the Offeror’s original proposal and may only be used for purposes of clarifying or filling in gaps in the Offeror’s proposal. Interviews and presentations will be at the Offeror’s expense.

12. STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS, EXCEPTIONS,

AND NEGOTIATIONS

Any contract resulting from this RFP will include, but not be limited to, the JSD Standard Terms and Conditions (see Attachment A).

Exceptions and/or additions to the JSD Standard Terms and Conditions are strongly discouraged. However, Offerors requesting exceptions and/or additions to the JSD Standard

Terms and Conditions must submit their request(s) with the proposal, per UAR R33-107- 104(1). Exceptions and/or additions submitted after the deadline for receipt of proposals will not be considered, except under very specific circumstances as per UAR R33-107-104(2).

Offerors may submit questions regarding the Standard Terms and Conditions during the Q&A period.

Offerors may not submit requests for exceptions and/or additions by reference to an Offeror’s website or URL; URLs provided with a proposal may result in that proposal being rejected as nonresponsive.

Per UAR R33-107-104(4), JSD may refuse to negotiate exceptions and/or additions that are determined to be excessive; that are inconsistent with similar contracts; to warranties, insurance, or indemnification provisions that are necessary to protect JSD after consultation with the Utah Attorney General’s Office or other applicable legal counsel; where the solicitation specifically prohibits exceptions and/or additions; or that are not in the best interest of JSD.

If negotiations are required, Offeror must provide all documents in Microsoft Word format for redline editing. Offeror must also provide the name, contact information, and access to the person(s) who will be directly involved in legal negotiations. Any mandatorily required acceptance of an Offeror’s terms and conditions may result in the proposal being determined to be nonresponsive.

In a multiple award, JSD reserves the right to negotiate exceptions and/or additions to terms and conditions in a manner resulting in expeditious resolutions. This process may include beginning negotiations with the Offeror having the least number of exceptions and/or additions and concluding with the Offeror submitting the greatest number of exceptions and/or additions. Contracts may be executed and become effective as negotiations are completed.

An award resulting from this RFP is subject to successful contract terms and conditions negotiation (if required). JSD, at its sole discretion, will determine when contract terms and conditions negotiations become unproductive and will result in termination of award to that Offeror, at which point JSD may move to the next eligible Offeror.

13. PROTECTED INFORMATION

The Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), UCA 63G-2-305, provides in part that:

the following records are protected if properly classified by a governmental entity:

(1) trade secrets as defined in Section 13-24-2 [Uniform Trade Secrets Act] if the person submitting the trade secret has provided the governmental entity with the information specified in Section 63G-2-309 [Confidentiality Claims];

(2) commercial information or nonindividual financial information obtained from a person if:

(a) disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to result in unfair competitive injury to the person submitting the information or would impair the ability of the governmental entity to obtain necessary information in the future;

(b) the person submitting the information has a greater interest in prohibiting access than the public in obtaining access; and

(c) the person submitting the information has provided the governmental entity with the information specified in 63G-2-309 [Confidentiality Claims];

(6) records, the disclosure of which would impair governmental procurement proceedings or give an unfair advantage to any person proposing to enter into a contract or agreement with a governmental entity, except, subject to Subsections

(1) and (2), that this Subsection (6) does not restrict the right of a person to have access to, after the contract or grant has been awarded and signed by all parties:

(a) a bid, proposal, application, or other information submitted to or by a governmental entity in response to…

(ii) a request for proposals…

A. PROCESS FOR REQUESTING NONDISCLOSURE

Any Offeror requesting that a record be protected shall complete and include with the proposal a Claim of Business Confidentiality Form (see Attachment D) with the following information:

1. Provide a written Claim of Business Confidentiality at the time the information (proposal) is provided to JSD, and

2. Include a concise statement of reasons supporting the claim of business confidentiality (UCA 63G-2-309[1]), and

3. Submit an electronic “redacted” (excluding protected information) copy of the proposal. Copy must clearly be marked as “Redacted Version.”

Offeror cannot classify price information as confidential or protected. Price information will be considered public information after award of the contract. Offeror cannot identify the entire proposal as “PROTECTED,” “CONFIDENTIAL,” or “PROPRIETARY.”

If the entire proposal is so identified, that proposal shall be considered nonresponsive unless the Offeror removes the designation.

B. REDACTED COPY

If an Offeror submits a proposal that contains information claimed to be business confidential or protected information, the Offeror must submit one electronic redacted version for public release, with all protected business confidential information either blacked-out or removed, clearly marked as “Redacted Version.” Offeror acknowledges that their RFP response or redacted copy will be made public upon JSD’s receipt of a GRAMA request. Offeror will not be notified of any GRAMA request made to JSD for Offeror’s RFP response. If Offeror submits a redacted copy, then JSD will respond to a GRAMA request for Offeror’s RFP response with Offeror’s redacted copy. However, if Offeror fails to submit a redacted copy, then JSD will respond to a GRAMA request with Offeror’s RFP response, which will result in Offeror’s protected/proprietary information, if any, being made public. Offeror acknowledges that notations in the header, footer, or watermark of the RFP response will not be considered sufficient to constitute a request for nondisclosure of protected/proprietary information.

14. BOYCOTT RESTRICTIONS

Please provide a signed copy of the Public Contract Boycott Restrictions Statement (see Attachment B) with your proposal response.

In accordance with Utah Code 63G-27-102, vendors contracting with JSD to provide any good or service, including supplies, information technology, or construction services, must certify they are not currently engaged in an “economic boycott” nor a “boycott of the State of Israel” as those terms are defined in that Code section. Offerors must also agree not to engage in either boycott for the duration of the contract (if awarded).

For example, a vendor contracting with JSD may not, without an ordinary business purpose, boycott: the State of Israel; companies engaged in activities related to traditional energy, mining, or agriculture; companies engaged in the manufacture, distribution, sale, or use of firearms; companies that do not meet environmental standards beyond applicable state and federal laws; or companies that do not facilitate access to abortion or sex characteristic surgeries. If a vendor contracting with JSD does engage in such a boycott, it must immediately notify JSD in writing.

15. COMPLIANCE WITH FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND

PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

For proposals that may include software that would gather student data, the JSD Student Data Privacy Agreement (DPA, see Attachment E) has been attached for reference. If the awarded Offeror’s proposal includes software that would gather student data, and the Offeror has not previously signed a DPA for the software with JSD or another school district in Utah, a copy of the DPA must be signed by the awarded Offeror and submitted with the signed contract.

For questions regarding the DPA or requested changes to the document, please contact JSD’s Student Data Privacy Manager, Caleb Olson, at caleb.olson@jordandistrict.org.

16. DECLARATION OF DEBARMENT OR SUSPENSION

If applicable, submit a declaration informing JSD of any legal proceedings that are or have been enforced with regard to debarment. Submittal must declare if any of the Offeror’s companies or principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from soliciting work by any governmental department or agency. Offeror must also declare that neither the Offeror nor its principals have been terminated during the performance of a contract or withdrew from a contract to avoid termination or completion of a project. If the Offeror cannot verify to these statements, the Offeror shall submit a written explanation.

17. BEST AND FINAL OFFER

The conditions permitting a Best and Final Offer process are narrowly limited and it is unlikely there will be a Best and Final Offer stage with respect to this RFP. The use of a Best and Final Offer process is regulated by Utah Code 63G-6a-707.5 and will only be used if:

1. No single proposal adequately addresses all the specifications stated in the request for proposals;

mailto:caleb.olson@jordandistrict.org

2. All proposals are unclear or deficient in one or more respects;

3. All Cost Proposals exceed the identified budget or the procurement unit’s available funding; or

4. Two or more proposals receive an identical evaluation score that is the highest score.

It is important to understand this so as not to anticipate that a Best and Final Offer process will allow for an Offeror to “sharpen their pencil” in a subsequent phase.

18. COST PROPOSAL

All costs are to be enumerated on the Cost Proposal Form (see Attachment C). Offerors may not change or modify the format of the Cost Proposal Form and must submit pricing in the exact format requested for a fair comparison of pricing among all Offerors. Altering the format or conditioning the cost on acceptance of additional/conflicting terms or limitations may result in a finding that the proposal is nonresponsive.

The Cost Proposal will be evaluated independently from the Technical Proposal and MUST be submitted separately from the Technical Proposal. Inclusion of any cost or pricing data within the Technical Proposal will result in the proposal being judged as nonresponsive for violation of UCA 63G-6a-707(7).

19. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING THE RFP

Proposals are required to be submitted electronically through the U3P Bonfire portal (https://utah.bonfirehub.com).

Proposals must be received by the due date and time (deadline) posted on U3P Bonfire.

Proposals received after the deadline will be late and ineligible for consideration.

The Cost Proposal will be evaluated independently from the Technical Proposal, and as such, MUST be submitted separately from the Technical Proposal. Failure to submit cost or pricing data separately from your Technical Proposal data may result in your proposal being judged as nonresponsive and ineligible for contract award.

A. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS (REQUIRED)

Proposals are required to be submitted electronically through U3P Bonfire. When submitting an electronic copy to U3P Bonfire, please allow sufficient time to complete the online forms and to upload proposal documents. The RFP will end at the deadline. If an Offeror is in the middle of uploading a proposal when the deadline arrives, the system will stop the upload process and the proposal will not be accepted by U3P Bonfire, and the attempted submission will be considered late and ineligible for consideration.

Electronic proposals will require uploading of electronic attachments. Bonfire will accept a wide variety of document types as attachments, except where specific file types are specified on U3P Bonfire. All documents must be uploaded to U3P Bonfire as separate files.

The following materials are required to be submitted with your electronic proposal submission:

• An unchanged electronic copy of the Technical Proposal, clearly marked “Solicitation # 26TH04P5 – Technical Proposal.”

• An unchanged electronic copy of the Cost Proposal (Attachment C), clearly marked “Solicitation # 26TH04P5 – Cost Proposal.”

https://utah.bonfirehub.com/

• An unchanged electronic copy of the Redacted Technical Proposal (and Attachment D) if applicable, clearly marked “Solicitation # 26TH04P5 – Redacted Technical Proposal.”

• An electronic copy of the Public Contract Boycott Restrictions Statement (Attachment B).

• An electronic copy of the JSD Student Data Privacy Agreement (Attachment E), if applicable.

• An electronic signed copy of the Certification of Proposal (Attachment F).

• An electronic copy of the Offeror’s Financial Information (see Section 3.2.D.), if not submitting a hard copy instead.

Proposals will NOT be accepted via email or via fax.

The only exception to electronic submissions for this RFP will be the Offeror’s Financial Information (see Section 3.2.D.). A complete set of audited financial statements for the past three years is requested. If an Offeror prefers to send a hard copy of this information rather than posting it electronically, this will be acceptable. Please deliver hard copies of the Financial Information to:

Jordan School District Purchasing Department Attn: Tonya Hodges Re: RFP # 26TH04P5

7905 S. Redwood Road West Jordan, UT 84088

20. OFFEROR’S UNDERSTANDING OF RFP

By submitting a proposal to this RFP, the Offeror acknowledges and agrees that the requirements, scope of work, and the evaluation process outlined in this RFP are understood, fair, equitable, and are not unduly restrictive. The Offeror further acknowledges that they have read this RFP, along with any attached or referenced documents. It is expected that all Offerors responding to this RFP are prepared (if awarded a contract) to comply with the specifications contained in this RFP.

The Offeror must submit a signed copy of the Certification of Proposal (Attachment F) certifying their understanding of this RFP.

All costs incurred by an Offeror in the preparation and submission of a proposal, including any costs incurred during interviews or presentations, are the responsibility of the Offeror and will not be reimbursed.

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PART 2: MANDATORY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

1. MANDATORY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS (Pass or Fail Criteria)

This section contains mandatory minimum requirements that must be met in order for a proposal to be considered responsive. All of the items described in this section are nonnegotiable. Failure to meet any one of the mandatory minimum requirements will result in the proposal being rejected. A rejection of a proposal due to it not meeting mandatory minimum requirements can occur at any time in the evaluation process.

Offerors must provide sufficient evidence and/or documentation demonstrating that the Offeror is compliant with the following mandatory minimum requirements:

A. DEMONSTRATED EXPERIENCE

The Offeror must have demonstrated experience working with other K–12 school districts or organizations of similar size and projects of similar scope.

B. EXISTING SYSTEM COMPATIBILITY

The proposed solution must be supported and compatible with the exiting network equipment and infrastructure. The proposed devices must be compatible with existing network equipment, network management software, and network security requirements.

C. CURRENT TECHNOLOGY AND SUPPORT

The proposed solution must be current technology and must be supported (i.e., phone support, new and additional equipment, and RMA replacements) by the vendor/manufacturer for five (5) years or more.

D. CREDENTIALS

i. The service provider must be an FCC registered service provider and be in good standing with USAC.

ii. The service provider must provide evidence that they have a Service Providers

Identification Number (SPIN).

iii. The service provider must provide evidence that they have filed a Service

Provider Annual Certification (SPAC, Form 473).

iv. Provider must have a support-oriented presence in the State of Utah. Please define the support, both remote and local, and typical response time.

E. LOCAL PRESENCE

Offeror must have presence in Utah within one hundred (100) miles of the Jordan School District Office (7387 South Campus View Drive, West Jordan, Utah 84084).

F. COMPLIANCE WITH UTAH CODE 63G-27 PUBLIC CONTRACT BOYCOTT

RESTRICTIONS

Offeror must sign the Public Contract Boycott Restrictions Statement (see Attachment B).

PART 3: SCOPE OF WORK

1. PURPOSE

JSD is seeking proposals for network switches for new and existing schools. It is expected that all Offerors responding to this RFP are prepared (if awarded a contract) to comply with the specifications contained in this section and all other additional requirements contained in this RFP.

2. REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

The following list of requirements, although extensive, is not exhaustive and is intended to provide interested parties with sufficient basic information to submit proposals meeting minimum requirements, but it is not intended to limit a proposal’s content or exclude any relevant or essential information.

A. REQUIRED EQUIPMENT AND PARTS

A1. JSD seeks an Offeror that can provide network switches that includes all related systems, management consoles, advanced services, and support. The need for a robust, pervasive solution will be necessary to handle expected growth demands.

JSD’s current network devices are Hewlett-Packard Enterprise (HPE)/Aruba (formerly 3Com) systems. The current network consists of switches, wireless access points, wireless controllers, and associated equipment. All schools are connected to the District Office building over individual 1 Gbps fiber networks.

The preferred equipment brand is HPE Aruba and the preferred switch models are shown in the Required Equipment/Parts List table below. However, equivalent brands can be quoted and will be considered. Specific models are identified in the Required Equipment/Parts List in order to establish the functionality or feature set that is mandatory. This list will also be used to verify equivalency of proposed network equipment that is not HPE Aruba network equipment.

JSD reserves the right to determine equivalent or compatible offerings, and JSD will hold the final determination on whether the offered solution is compatible with the current network.

E-rate eligible solutions are preferred but NOT REQUIRED. Offerors must provide their USAC-issued Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) with their proposals. Offerors should include, to the extent possible, an assessment of E-rate eligibility for all products/services offered. Different but equal solutions will be considered. New solutions will need to maintain the current level of functionality, the determination of which remains solely with JSD. If working within this mixed environment is not possible, eligible costs and ineligible costs will need to be included to replicate current functionality.

Offerors must provide quotes for the following equipment list (or equivalent equipment) in the Cost Proposal Form (Attachment C). Do not list pricing in the Technical Proposal; inclusion of any cost or pricing data within the Technical Proposal may result in the proposal being judged as nonresponsive.

REQUIRED EQUIPMENT/PARTS LIST

Part Number Product Description Quantity

JL728B HPE Aruba Networking 6200F 48G Class 4 POE 4SFP+ 740 W switch

B. FUNCTIONALITY (See Attachment G)

B1. Please provide detailed narratives for each Switch Core Functionality item as listed in Attachment G.

C. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS (See Attachment H)

C1. Provide the specifications, features, model number, and brochure of each switch being proposed. If equivalent switches are proposed, please clearly indicate which Aruba switch model the proposed device is equivalent to.

Provider’s Network Switch Capability

C2. Provide a detailed narrative on the methods and procedures for installation and configuration of all relevant equipment and functionality.

C3. Provide a detailed narrative on the tools and automated processes in place for the deployment of all the equipment.

C4. Provide a detailed narrative on any third-party commercially available tools used, and describe the advantage of each.

C5. Provide a detailed narrative on the methods and procedures for detecting or confirming faults in equipment.

C6. Provide a detailed narrative on how incremental software releases and patches are managed and installed.

Support Considerations

C7. Provide a detailed narrative on what support is proposed for this solution.

C8. Provide a detailed narrative on how your solution can prevent and mitigate network security breaches.

C9. Provide a detailed narrative on monitoring and auditing features included in the proposal.

D. OTHER REQUIREMENTS

D1. Local Support and Experience: Describe the qualifications, experience and expertise of the proposing organization that would help qualify this solution as the winning proposal. Include details about key personnel assigned to work with JSD. List local technical support facilities, support staff, and support hours. Describe standard maintenance escalation procedures and emergency response times. Indicate where local and regional parts are located.

Describe succinctly your organization’s history and capability in delivering network switching services for an organization of comparable size in terms of number of sites, user density, and meeting the individual stakeholder’s performance expectations.

List two (2) deployments of similar character or size you have done within the previous twelve (12) months. Include supporting details.

Describe your methodologies and processes to deploy this type of project.

Describe experiences from similar installations used to deliver network switches.

D2. References: Provide a minimum of three (3) references of other school districts or organizations of similar size and comparable solutions. References should include complete client information, including a contact name, phone number, and email. Also provide a description of what products and services the client is using and how long they have been using them.

D3. Financial Information: Provide a complete set of audited financial statements for the past three years and a copy of the Offeror’s corporate annual report.

If the Offeror is not a public company, the Offeror must include financial statements that can be used during the evaluation to determine its financial viability.

All financial statements should be prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles. Note that JSD reserves the right to purchase credit reports and additional financial information as it deems necessary.

If the Offeror is unable to provide these items, please still respond to the proposal, and instead list for this section the reason why you are unable to provide the financial statements and the corporate annual report.

D4. Value-Added Functionality: List any additional value-added functionality that may be offered, or additional services provided by the Offeror.

D5. Implementation Assistance and Training: Provide a detailed narrative on the implementation assistance and training offered for this project.

D6. Ease of Use: Provide a detailed narrative of the ease of use of the equipment and services being offered.

PART 4: INFORMATION REQUIRED IN SUBMISSION OF A

PROPOSAL

1. RFP TECHNICAL PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

Proposals should be concise and straightforward. Unnecessarily elaborate presentations beyond those sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal response are not desired.

However, there is no intent in these instructions to limit a proposal’s content or to exclude any relevant or essential data.

Failure to format the proposal response in the order that follows may result in disqualification.

A. TAB TITLE: W-9

A copy of the Offeror’s signed W-9.

B. TAB TITLE: Letter of Transmittal – Limit to three (3) pages

The Letter of Transmittal should include: (a) an introduction of the Offeror, including name, address, telephone number, and email address of the primary contact and others authorized to deal with this proposal response; and (b) a general statement of interest and what sets the Offeror’s Offeror apart from other potential Offerors.

C. TAB TITLE: Table of Contents

The submitted proposal response shall contain a table of contents with reference to the RFP sections and page numbers.

D. TAB TITLE: Protected Information

All protected/proprietary information must be identified in this section of the RFP by completing the Claim of Business Confidentiality Form (Attachment D).

If the Offeror’s proposal contains protected/proprietary information (refer back to section 1.13 for additional information), then Offeror must submit an electronic redacted copy of the proposal at the same time Offeror submits its proposal. The redacted copy of the Offeror’s proposal must be submitted in compliance with other sections of this RFP.

If there is no protected information, write “None” in this section.

Failure to comply with Section 1.13 of this RFP releases JSD from any obligation or liability arising from the inadvertent release of Offeror information.

E. TAB TITLE: Potential Conflicts of Interest

Offeror must identify any conflict of interest, or potential conflict of interest, that might arise during the contract.

If no conflicts are identified or expected, write “None” in this section.

F. TAB TITLE: Exceptions and/or Additions to the JSD Standard Terms and Conditions

Proposed exceptions and/or additions to the JSD Standard Terms and Conditions (Attachment A) must be submitted in this section. Offeror must provide all proposed exceptions and/or additions, including any Offeror’s terms and conditions, in Microsoft Word format for redline editing. Offeror must also provide the name, contact information, and access to the person(s) who will be directly involved in terms and conditions negotiations.

If there are no exceptions or additions to the JSD Standard Terms and Conditions, write “None” in this section.

G. TAB TITLE: Response to Mandatory Minimum Requirements (Pass/Fail)

As described in Section 2.1, Offeror must provide sufficient evidence and/or documentation that demonstrates they comply with the stated Mandatory Minimum Requirements list. Offeror’s failure to meet any one of the mandatory requirements will result in the proposal being classified as nonresponsive and being rejected under the provisions of the Utah Procurement Code.

H. TAB TITLE: Detailed Technical Proposal Response (Scored Criteria)

This section should constitute the major portion of the Offeror’s proposal response.

The response MUST include a detailed narrative for all Proposal Evaluation Criteria Questions, B1 through D6 listed below.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

(150 Total Possible Points)

B. Functionality (20 Total Possible Points)

B1. Please provide detailed narratives for each Switch Core Functionality item as listed in Attachment G.

20 points possible

C. Technical Requirements (75 Total Possible Points)

C1. Provide the specifications, features, model number and brochure of each switch being proposed. If equivalent switches are proposed, please clearly indicate which HPE Aruba switch model the proposed device is equivalent to.

Not scored

Provider’s Network Switch and Wireless Capability (45 Possible Points)

C2. Provide a detailed narrative on the methods and procedures for installation and configuration of all relevant equipment and functionality.

15 points possible

C3. Provide a detailed narrative on the tools and automated processes in place for the deployment of all the equipment.

5 points possible

C4. Provide a detailed narrative on any third-party commercially available tools used, and describe the advantage of each.

5 points possible

C5. Provide a detailed narrative on the methods and procedures for detecting or confirming faults in equipment.

10 points possible

C6. Provide a detailed narrative on how incremental software releases and patches are managed and installed.

10 points possible

Support Considerations (30 Possible Points)

C7. Provide a detailed narrative on what support is proposed for this solution.

10 points possible

C8. Provide a detailed narrative on how your solution can prevent and mitigate network security breaches.

10 points possible

C9. Provide a detailed narrative on monitoring and auditing features included in the proposal.

10 points possible

D. Other Requirements (55 Total Possible Points)

D1. Local Support and Experience: Describe the qualifications, experience and expertise of the proposing organization that would help qualify this solution as the winning proposal. Include details about key personnel assigned to work with JSD. List local technical support facilities, support staff, and support hours. Describe standard maintenance escalation procedures and emergency response times. Indicate where local and regional parts are located.

Describe succinctly your organization’s history and capability in delivering network switching services for an organization of comparable size in terms of number of sites, user density, and meeting the individual stakeholder’s performance expectations.

List two (2) deployments of similar character or size you have done within the previous twelve (12) months. Include supporting details.

Describe your methodologies and processes to deploy this type of project.

Describe experiences from similar installations used to deliver network switches.

10 points possible

D2. References: Provide a minimum of three (3) references of other school districts or organizations of similar size and comparable solutions. References should include complete client information, including a contact name, phone number, and email. Also provide a description of what products and services the client is using and how long they have been using them.

5 points possible

D3. Financial Information: Provide a complete set of audited financial statements for the past three years and a copy of the Offeror’s corporate annual report.

If the Offeror is not a public company, the Offeror must include financial statements that can be used during the evaluation to determine its financial viability.

All financial statements should be prepared according to generally accepted accounting principles. Note that JSD reserves the right to purchase credit reports and additional financial information as it deems necessary.

If the Offeror is unable to provide these items, please still respond to the proposal, and instead list for this section the reason why you are unable to provide the financial statements and the corporate annual report.

5 points possible

D4. Value-Added Functionality: List any additional value-added functionality that may be offered, or additional services provided by the Offeror.

10 points possible

D5. Implementation Assistance and Training: Provide a detailed narrative on the implementation assistance and training offered for this project.

15 points possible

D6. Ease of Use: Provide a detailed narrative of the ease of use of the equipment and services being offered.

10 points possible

2. RFP COST PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

All costs are to be enumerated on the Cost Proposal Form (see Attachment C). Offerors may not change or modify the format of the Cost Proposal Form and must submit pricing in the exact format requested for a fair comparison of pricing among all Offerors. Altering the format or conditioning the cost on acceptance of additional/conflicting terms or limitations may result in a finding that the proposal is nonresponsive.

The Cost Proposal will be evaluated independently from the Technical Proposal and MUST be submitted separately from the Technical Proposal. See Section 1.18. “Instructions for Submitting the RFP.” Inclusion of any cost or pricing data within the Technical Proposal will result in the proposal being judged as nonresponsive for violation of UCA 63G-6a-707(7).

PART 5: RFP EVALUATION AND AWARD

All proposals in response to this RFP will be evaluated in a manner consistent with the Utah Procurement Code, Utah Administrative Rules, JSD purchasing policies, and the evaluation criteria in this RFP. Offerors bear sole responsibility for the items included or not included within the proposal submitted by the Offeror.

1. RFP EVALUATION PROCESS

A. STAGE 1: Determination of Responsiveness (Pass/Fail Criteria)

In Stage 1 of the evaluation process, the JSD Buyer will review all proposals timely received. Proposals will be opened by the Buyer electronically within forty-eight (48) hours after the proposal due date. Nonresponsive proposals (not conforming to RFP required format, not addressing all the requirements of the RFP, or unable to meet the Minimum Mandatory Requirements) will be eliminated from further consideration.

Responsive proposals will advance to Stage 2: Technical Proposal Evaluation.

B. STAGE 2: Technical Proposal Evaluation (Scored Criteria, 150 Points Possible)

Responsive proposals will be evaluated by an evaluation committee appointed by JSD.

Proposals will be evaluated against the evaluation criteria as follows. See Evaluation Scoresheet (Attachment I) for full weighting.

Evaluation Criteria Points Possible

B. Functionality 20

C. Technical Requirements 75

D. Other Requirements 55

Offerors that achieve a Minimum Technical Score Threshold of 112.5 points (75%) of the 150 total possible technical points will proceed to Stage 3: Cost Proposal Evaluation. Offerors with a score of less than the Minimum Technical Score Threshold will be deemed nonresponsive and ineligible for further consideration.

C. STAGE 3: Cost Proposal Evaluation (Scored Criteria, 70 Points Possible)

The JSD Buyer will conduct the Cost Proposal Evaluation independently from the Technical Proposal Evaluation. The Offeror with the lowest proposed cost will receive 70 points, or 100% of the total cost points. All other Offerors will receive a portion of the total cost points based on their relation to the lowest Proposed Cost. The formula to compute the points is:

Cost Points × (Lowest Proposed Cost / Proposed Cost)

2. AWARD OF CONTRACT

Award shall be made to the Offeror whose proposal is the most advantageous to JSD, taking into consideration price and the other evaluation factors set forth in this RFP.

JSD reserves the right to award the contract to a technically qualified lower-cost Offeror in the event the highest total combined scoring offeror is determined to not be the best value offered to JSD, based on a cost-benefit analysis.

Please note that the contract award is contingent on JSD Board of Education final approval.

The winning Offeror may not begin any work or services until the contract has been signed by both parties and the Offeror has received a signed JSD purchase order.

[The end.]

20. OFFEROR’S UNDERSTANDING OF RFP

2. RFP COST PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

2. AWARD OF CONTRACT