Amendment_1.pdf

09-20-18 RFP-AMEND

RFQ #33101-26006FAS5 – Amendment #01

STATE OF TENNESSEE

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS #33101-26006FAS5

AMENDMENT #1

FOR E-RATE CATEGORY 2 (FY26-FY31)

DATE: November 18, 2025

RFQ #33101-26006FAS5 IS AMENDED AS FOLLOWS:

1. This RFQ Schedule of Events updates and confirms scheduled RFQ dates. Any event, time, or date containing revised or new text is highlighted.

EVENT

TIME

(Central

Time Zone)

DATE

(all dates are State business days)

1. RFQ Issued

October 20, 2025

2. Disability Accommodation Request Deadline 2:00 p.m. October 23, 2025

3. Pre-Response Conference 10:00 a.m. October 27, 2025

4. Notice of Intent to Respond Deadline 2:00 p.m. October 28, 2025

5. Written “Questions & Comments” Deadline 2:00 p.m. November 3, 2025

6. State response to written “Questions & Comments”

November 18, 2025

7. RFQ Response Deadline 2:00 p.m. December 12, 2025

8. State Completion of Technical Response

Evaluations

January 5, 2026

9. RFQ Catalog Pricing Opened (ONLY for the apparent successful Respondents)

2:00 p.m.

January 6, 2026

11. State Notice of Intent to Award Released and RFQ Files Opened for Public Inspection

January 7, 2026

12. End of Protest Period

January 14, 2026

13. State sends contract to Contractor for signature

January 15, 2026

14. Contractor Signature Deadline 2:00 p.m. January 20, 2025

2. State responses to questions and comments in the table below amend and clarify this RFQ.

Any restatement of RFQ text in the Question/Comment column shall NOT be construed as a change in the actual wording of the RFQ document.

RFQ SECTION PAGE # QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

RFQ ATTACHMENT

F “REFERENCE

QUESTIONNAIRE”

PDF

pg.29

1. Are staff of LEA’s, State Colleges, State special Needs Schools allowed to be a reference?

Staff of LEA’s can provide references.

However, Staff of State Colleges and State Special Needs Schools are employees of the procuring State agency and therefore cannot provide references.

Refer to RFQ Attachment F, paragraph 3.

RFQ ATTACHMENT

F “REFERENCE

QUESTIONNAIRE”

PDF

pg.29

2. Are only State employees of the Tennessee Central Procurement Office excluded from being a reference?

No State Employees can provide a reference.

Pro Forma Contract Section

A.3

Pg. 3 3. Does pricing for all category 2 items, specifically the items (a through l) listed under A.3 on page 3 of the contract (RFQ p. 36) need to be provided for a company to be considered for award or can just the items within the core competency of a company be provided?

It is not a requirement to have products in all areas. Respondents should provide items within their core competency.

RFQ Section 1.4 pg.4 4. Verify that Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections apply to just the specific category 2 items bid.

Yes, this is correct.

RFQ Section 1.4 pg.4 5. Verify that Managed Internal Broadband Products and Services (“MIBS” ) apply to just the specific category 2 items bid.

Yes, this is correct.

General 6. Could you please provide more information on the size and type of UPS you are looking for?

Respondents should list all SKUs they are authorized to sell.

General 7. Regarding the line item for Uninterruptable Power Supply/Battery Backup devices, is the State looking for procurement of "Net-New" devices or maintenance of existing devices?

Respondents may submit both types of items in their response.

General 8. Regarding the line item for Uninterruptable Power Supply/Battery Backup devices, does the State have a preference for Lithium-Ion or VRLA batteries?

The State does not have a preference on battery type but encourages Respondents to offer all options to LEAs.

General 9. Regarding the line item for Uninterruptable Power Supply/Battery Backup devices, does the State have a preference on UPS topology for Line Interactive or Online devices?

The State does not have a preference but encourages Respondents to offer all options to LEAs.

General 10. Regarding the line item for Uninterruptable Power Supply/Battery Backup devices, will the State accept a response for devices sold "As- A-Service" via an operational expense rather than a capital expense?

Yes, Respondents may include either or both options in their catalog response.

General 11. Regarding the line item for Uninterruptable Power Supply/Battery Backup devices, when listing options for SKUs, does the State want all possible OEM SKUs listed as catalog

Respondents should list all SKUs they are authorized to sell.

options, or rather a representative sample of recommended SKUs?

General 12. Are there any programs I need to be aware of that my company needs to be registered for to maintain eligibility to participate in the RFQ?

An example would be USAC/FCC/SAM.gov etc.

For the E-Rate Program, please review the Service Provider process on USAC’s E-Rate Program website at https://www.usac.org/e-rate/service-providers/

General 13. Essentially, what prerequisites do I need to make sure I have checked off as a company to ensure I maintain eligibility throughout the process.

For the E-Rate Program, please review the Service Provider process on USAC’s E-Rate Program website at https://www.usac.org/e-rate/service-providers/

General 14. Will a recording of the Pre-Response Conference be released?

No. A recording is not available.

Pro Forma Contract Section

A.8.b

Pg. 5 15. Please clarify if there is a specific pricing approach requested for bidder provided professional services (installation, configuration, etc.). Can this be positioned by the bidder at their own discretion (e.g. hourly rates, etc.)?

There is not a prescribed methodology for the Respondents to establish pricing for Professional Services. However, as indicated in the Pro Forma Contract Section A.8.b, during the Mini-Bid process, “Contractors may not submit pricing for items or services that are not explicitly contained within the Catalog Pricing”.

General General 16. Is there a maximum order amount/contract value cap?

No, there is not a maximum order amount limit. However, there will be an Estimated Maximum Liability established by the awarded contracts from the State.

Pro Forma Contract Section

D.7

Pg.10 17. We normally don’t assign subcontractors until we have a preliminary Scope of Work. Will we be able to add subcontractors after award?

(We are aware that the State would need to approve them first.)

Yes, subject to the State’s prior written approval the contractor may add subcontractors after award. Please see Pro Forma Contract Section D.7

General General 18. OEMs update product catalogs and associated pricing frequently to reflect changes such as new product introductions, the removal of discontinued items, etc. Please confirm whether the catalog submitted with our bid should be considered a static representation (‘snapshot’) of offerings and pricing as of the submission date. If ongoing catalog updates are required throughout the potential five-year contract term, we respectfully note that such a process may present significant logistical challenges for the Contractor, the State, and procuring entities, particularly in cases where desired products are not included in the originally submitted catalog.

Updates to the product catalog are allowed for discontinued, EOL, replaced, or substituted SKUs as well as the addition of new SKUs within the product category(ies) in the original Pricing Catalog submission. However, updates to existing SKUs cannot be associated with substantially different items or price changes.

For example, an original Catalog Pricing submission includes SKUs related to Wireless Access Points (WAPs) and Switches. It would be allowable to update SKUs for WAPs and Switches, but a contractor would not be allowed to add a new product category such as Basic Firewall or UPS (not an exhaustive list).

General General 19. With several networking hardware manufacturers projecting tariff-driven price increases in early Q1 2026, will the published costs need to remain unchanged for the entire contract term based on the December 2025 RFQ submittals?

At this time, the issue of tariff-driven price increases has not been addressed by the FCC. As they may relate to price increases occurring during a certain contract period, the State cannot definitively opine as to whether those https://www.usac.org/e-rate/service-providers/ https://www.usac.org/e-rate/service-providers/ https://www.usac.org/e-rate/service-providers/ https://www.usac.org/e-rate/service-providers/ price increases will be allowable without FCC action.

General General 20. Can we only provide updates to the product catalog in cases where products have been discontinued, replaced, or substituted?

Updates to the product catalog are allowed for discontinued, EOL, replaced, or substituted SKUs as well as the addition of new SKUs within the product category(ies) in the original Pricing Catalog submission. However, updates to existing SKUs cannot be associated with substantially different items or price changes.

For example, an original Catalog Pricing submission includes SKUs related to Wireless Access Points (WAPs) and Switches. It would be allowable to update SKUs for WAPs and Switches, but a contractor would not be allowed to add a new product category such as Basic Firewall or UPS (not an exhaustive list).

RFQ Section 5.4.2

Pg.17 21. Is the State of TN open to revised insurance terms?

Please see RFQ section 5.4.2.

General General 22. If chosen as a Service Provider for this contract, what would our process be for updating product and service offerings? Would this be on an annual schedule or other frequency?

Updates to the product catalog are allowed for discontinued, EOL, replaced, or substituted SKUs as well as the addition of new SKUs within the product category(s) in the original catalog submission. However, updates to existing SKUs cannot be associated with substantially different items or price changes.

For example, an original Catalog Pricing submission includes SKUs related to Wireless Access Points (WAPs) and Switches. It would be allowable to update SKUs for WAPs and Switches, but a contractor would not be allowed to add a new product category such as Basic Firewall or UPS (not an exhaustive list).

General General 23. If the Cybersecurity Pilot Program is extended beyond the initial three-year period, will there be opportunities to add products and services in categories you have not previously participated in? To clarify, in the past, contract holders could only annually update within categories they already had contracts. If the CPP is expanded to include other categories than the four main categories currently listed, would all Service Providers on this contract be able to add those products to their offering?

Unfortunately, the State is not able to address this question without official FCC action regarding extension of the Cybersecurity Pilot Program (“CPP”).

The current pilot program includes very specific requirements relative to competitive bidding and additional forms that are not included in this procurement process.

General General 24. Would you be able to provide the PDF document in a word document so that we can transfer some of the required sections into our RFQ proposal submission?

The State can provide the documents as a Word document for proposal completion.

RFQ Section 3.3.2.2

Pg.9 25. Could you confirm that it is acceptable to submit our proposal in response to RFQ #33101-26006FAS5 via an Email submission only, using the instructions in 3.3.2.2. E-mail Submission, and that a Digital Media

Yes, Confirmed.

Submission is not required in addition to the Email submission?

RFQ Section 4.6.3

Pg. 14 26. Referencing Section #4.6.3. - can you confirm that the Certificates of Insurance are not required to be submitted with the proposal to the RFQ and would be provided during contract completion?

Confirmed. The COI is not required to be submitted with a Respondent’s proposal. However, it is a requirement prior to contract award.

RFQ Attachment D

Pg.26 27. Referencing Attachment D on Page #26, it states "If said individual is not responding in an individual capacity or is the President or Chief Executive Officer, this document must attach evidence showing the individual’s authority to legally bind the entity responding to this RFQ." - it would be my understanding that we are to attach evidence showing that I am authorized to sign for my Company if I am the State of Tennessee Representative for my Company. If that is accurate, is there a standard format to be used for this?

Yes, a signed statement on company letterhead legally authorizing an individual to contractually bind the company.

RFQ Attachment D

Pg.26 28. Referencing Attachment D for Catalog Pricing, would it be beneficial to create multiple worksheets within the excel workbook being submitted broken out by manufacturer? This is how the format has been requested on previous RFQ's such as RFQ #33104-00420.

The State will provide the Catalog Pricing template in electronic format (XLSX) as part of the RFQ documents. The Respondents should submit their Catalog Pricing listing of items using that template and return it to the State in their RFQ response in XLSX or XLS format.

This XLSX or XLS file submission will serve as Attachment D to the Respondents’ response in lieu of the PDF version of Attachment D included on RFQ page 26. If selected to serve as a contractor, the Catalog Pricing XLSX or XLS file will serve as Attachment A to the Pro Forma Contract.

RFQ Attachment F

Pg. 29 29. Could you confirm the instructions ( seal the completed, signed, and dated questionnaire in a new standard #10 envelope; sign in ink across the sealed portion of the envelope; and return the sealed envelope containing the completed questionnaire directly to the respondent.) for the RFQ #33101-26006FAS5 REFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE on page #31 are only for mailed written forms and are not necessary if the reference is Emailing the questionnaire?

Please refer to RFQ Attachment F Reference Questionnaire for both written and email submissions.

RFQ Section 5.5 Pg.17 30. It is understood that cost will not be scored for this RFQ under the initial proposal but will be scored during the mini-bid process. Could you clarify the language for "...cost (if applicable)" under 5.5. Evaluation Guide on page #17?

This RFQ process is conducted by the State to establish qualified vendors for the State’s E-Rate Program. The mini-bid process will be conducted by LEAs for qualified vendors to bid on products and services. Vendors must respond to mini-bids with items in their approved catalog, and the price must not exceed catalog pricing.

RFQ Section 4.6.2

Pg.14 31. Are Letters of Authorization required for our proposal submission for the manufacturer product lines that we are proposing for Category 2 Internal Connections?

As stated in the RFQ Section 4.6.2.:

“Before the Contract resulting from this RFQ is signed, the successful Respondent (and Respondent employees and subcontractors, as applicable) must hold all necessary, appropriate business and professional licenses to provide service as required.

The State may require any Respondent to submit evidence of proper licensure.”

RFQ Section 4.6.4

Pg.14 32. Referencing 4.6.4 on page #14, are we, the respondent, required to list any information about our TNTAP in the proposal submission?

Upon award, the requirements of RFQ Section 4.6.4 will be required.

3. Delete RFQ # 33101-26006FAS5 Attachment D: Catalog Pricing, in its entirety, and replace with a revised RFQ # 33101-26006FAS5 Attachment D: Catalog Pricing and referenced Excel Spreadsheet, attached to this amendment. . Any sentence or paragraph containing revised or new text in the Attachment is highlighted.

4. RFQ Amendment Effective Date. The revisions set forth herein shall be effective upon release. All other terms and conditions of this RFQ not expressly amended herein shall remain in full force and effect.

ATTACHMENT D

Catalog Pricing

NOTICE: THIS CATALOG PRICING MUST BE COMPLETED EXACTLY AS REQUIRED

CATALOG PRICING SCHEDULE— The Catalog Pricing, detailed below, shall indicate the proposed price for the delivery of specified goods for the entire scope of services including all services defined in the Scope of Services of the RFQ Attachment G, pro forma Contract and for the entire contract period. The Catalog Pricing shall remain valid for at least 120 days subsequent to the date of the Catalog Pricing opening and thereafter in accordance with any contract resulting from this RFQ. All monetary amounts shall be in U.S. currency and limited to two (2) places to the right of the decimal point. The State will open the Catalog Pricing for Respondents with a minimum combined total score of 75 points from the RFQ Attachments B and C..

NOTICE: Notwithstanding the line item of costs herein, pursuant to the second paragraph of the pro forma contract section C.1. (refer to RFQ Attachment G), “The State is under no obligation to request work from the Contractor in any specific dollar amounts or to request any work at all from the Contractor during any period of this Contract.”

The Catalog Pricing must be submitted to the State via “XLS” or “XLSX” in the State-provided format and the below must be signed by an individual empowered to bind the entity responding to the provisions of this RFQ and any contract awarded pursuant thereto. If said individual is not responding in an individual capacity or is the President or Chief Executive Officer, this document must attach evidence showing the individual’s authority to legally bind the entity responding to this RFQ.

Complete excel document titled “Catalog Pricing - E-Rate Category 2 (FY26-FY31)”

Contractor Catalog Signature Date