DPSB Category 1 FY27 RFP Final.pdf

DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT

Request for Proposal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

WIDE AREA NETWORK (WAN) AND INTERNET ACCESS

E-RATE RFP #IT2627D702 WAN AND INTERNET

EVENT CALENDAR

DESCRIPTION DATE AND TIME PLACE

Posting of RFP and 470 September 16, 2026 EPC AND CENTRAL AUCTION

HOUSE

Mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting October 1, 2026, 11:00 A.M. See Page 10 Section H

Questions and Answers Open October 1, 2026, 2:00 P.M. Todd.wedgeworth@desotopsb.com

Questions and Answers Close October 20, 2026 Todd.wedgeworth@desotopsb.com

Deadline for submitting bids November 4, 2026

2:00 PM CST)

Melissa Ward Purchasing Agent 399 Jenkins St.

Mansfield, LA 71052

DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT reserves the right to reject all proposals and waive any formability defects or clerical errors in any Bid Proposal Package, in the interest of the DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL

DISTRICT.

*No Questions will be answered before October 1, 2026, 2:00 P.M. (CST) mailto:Todd.wedgeworth@desotopsb.com mailto:Todd.wedgeworth@desotopsb.com

E-Rate Proposal for Wide Area Network (WAN) and Internet Access Services

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT, aka "District," seeks leased lit and dark fiber proposals for WIDE

AREA NETWORK connectivity and INTERNET ACCESS to 13 eligible entities listed on Page 20.

The data center is located at the DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL BOARD CENTRAL OFFICE, and all services currently terminate at this location.

The current network is a point-to-point 10 Gbps fiber WAN connecting 13 sites. All sites share 10

Gbps of Internet Access.

Sealed proposals must be sent by certified mail, UPS, FedEx, or hand-delivered to DESOTO

PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT, or proposals may be uploaded at https://www.bidnetdirect.com/louisiana/desotoparishschoolboard (Please check this website in

ADVANCE for rules and fees for uploading to the bidding site(s). The District is not responsible for upload delays. Proposals received after the deadline will be disqualified.

Sealed proposals can also be delivered OR mailed to:

E-Rate RFP #IT2627D702 WAN AND INTERNET

ATTENTION: Melissa Ward

Purchasing Agent

399 Jenkins St.

Mansfield, LA 71052

Proposals must be received no later than:

November 3, 2026, 2:00 PM (CST) https://www.bidnetdirect.com/louisiana/desotoparishschoolboard

TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

B. E-RATE SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

C. SERVICE PROVIDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

D. STARTING SERVICES/ADVANCE INSTALLATION

E. EARLY FUNDING CONDITIONS

F. INVOICING

G. PRICING AND FEES

H. MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING

I. DISTRICT E-RATE INFORMATION

J. CURRENT WAN SERVICES

K. WAN REQUIREMENTS

L. INTERNET ACCESS

M. CONTRACT TERMS

N. BASIS OF SELECTION

O. RFP CONSIDERATIONS

P. SUBMITTAL INFORMATION

Q. RESPONSE PACKAGE COVER SHEET

R. NON-COLLUSION STATEMENT

S. LIST OF ENTITIES

T. WAN INFORMATION

U. SAMPLE PRICING FORMS (WAN)

V. SAMPLE INTERNET ACCESS PRICING FORM

A. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

TERMS DEFINITION

ADDENDUM A Document or information attached or added to clarify, modify, or support the REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL information. All Addenda will be uploaded to the E-Rate Portal (EPC) and, if applicable, to the electronic bidding website.

ADMINISTRATIVE

BID APPROVAL

The district's final review by the administrative authority determines whether a bid complies fully with the Request for Approval. The district may disqualify bids for reasons outlined in the Request for Proposal.

AGREEMENT A contract agreed upon and signed by the DISTRICT. In some cases, the Agreement will be a letter of award, purchase order, or other legally binding contract.

ASSIGNMENT OF

CONTRACT OR

PURCHASE ORDER

The bidder(s) shall not assign or transfer by operation of law or otherwise any rights, burdens, duties, or obligations without the District's prior written consent. Assignments include corporate takeovers or mergers.

BEST AND FINAL

OFFER (BAFO)

The District reserves the right to conduct a BAFO with one or more Proposers the evaluation committee determines are reasonably considered for selection. If the District undertakes the BAFO process, the selected Vendor(s) will receive written notification of their selection, along with a list of specific items to address in the BAFO and submittal instructions. The BAFO negotiation may help the DISTRICT compare proposed solutions and obtain the most cost-effective pricing available from the Proposers. The evaluation criteria for a BAFO will be the same as the evaluation used in the initial assessment.

BID The Vendor's response to the Request for Proposals.

CONFLICT OF

INTEREST

A Conflict of Interest shall exist when a Vendor or any affiliated person or business entity provides goods or services under a Contract Award whereby one or more personal, business, or financial interests or relationships exist that would cause a reasonable individual with knowledge of the relevant facts to question the integrity or impartiality of those who are or will be acting on behalf of the DISTRICT.

CONTRACT AWARD The acceptance of a Quote, Bid, Proposal, or Offer; a Purchase Order, Contract Agreement, or other formal notification of award issued by the District's authorized official. The term 'contract award' refers to the process of formally notifying the Vendor that they have been selected as the supplier for a particular contract.

CONTRACT TERM The length of time a Contract will be available for the District to use. Voluntary extensions may be available to extend the contract term. All contracts will begin on July 1 and end on June 30 unless otherwise stated in the Request for Proposal. The District will revise the Agreement length before making an award.

DEFAULT BY

CONTRACTOR

The District shall hold the bidder(s) responsible for any damage that may be sustained due to failure to comply with any terms or conditions listed herein.

It is expressly provided and agreed that time shall be of the essence in meeting the contract delivery requirements if the successful bidder(s) fail to deliver services and prices as outlined in the proposal or fail or neglect to comply with the terms of the RFP. In that case, the District may, upon written notice to the bidder, cancel the contract in its entirety or cancel or rescind any or all items affected by such default, whether or not the contract is canceled in whole or in part. The District may consider the second winner or re-advertise all services in their entirety.

EQUIVALENT

A replacement for a good or service that achieves the same result and has the same functionality as the product or service requested in the RFP. All equivalent goods and services that meet the definition will be considered.

INVOICES AND

PAYMENTS

All vendors submitting proposals must agree to invoice the DISTRICT their monthly discount obligation portion and then send a Service Provider Invoice (SPI) to USAC for the eligible share unless otherwise stated in the RFP.

Invoices must show both the Funding Request Number (FRN) for each service and the total monthly cost, as well as the discount portion owed by the District and the amount billed to USAC.

NOTICE OF INTENT

AWARD

A formal, written document issued by an authorized official of the District informing a Vendor that a Contract has been awarded to the Vendor based on its Solicitation Response. In some cases, the finance committee, school board, and/or other authorizing bodies must approve the final Agreement.

PRICE and FEES Type prices and show them as instructed on the sample price form for each item, in the quantity specified in the bid form. The DISTRICT is exempt from all state taxes and local taxes. The price should include all port charges and other applicable fees. Fully explain and list all additional fees on the sample pricing forms. Additionally, the district requires all E-Rate ineligible fees to be listed separately (e.g., fees, monitoring, and administration). Initial corrections made before bid opening in ink by the person signing the bid or the bidder's authorized representative. Fees not listed in the bid response will not be considered for payment.

LOWEST

CORRESPONDING

PRICE (LCP)

If, during the contract period, there should be a decrease in prices of the items bid (LCP), a corresponding reduction in prices on the balance of the services shall be made to the District for as long as the lower prices are in effect, but at no time shall the rates charged the District exceed the prices bid.

PROTEST OF A

SOLICITATION OR

AWARD

Any person who is aggrieved in connection with the solicitation or award of a contract shall protest to the DISTRICT. Submit protests concerning a solicitation in writing at least two (2) days before the bid opening. Protest concerning the award of a contract shall be submitted in writing within fourteen (14) days after the contract award.

QUANTITY AND

QUALITY OF

MATERIALS OR

SERVICES

The successful bidder(s) shall furnish and deliver the services or products designated in the bid. All services or products provided under a contract must meet the bid specifications and conditions outlined in the RFP. There are no understandings, agreements, representations, or warranties, express or implied, not specified in the Agreement.

TERMINATION OF

AGREEMENT OR

SERVICES

The District may terminate agreements or services upon providing thirty days' advance written notice of intent to terminate the contract for good cause. (e.

g., failure to deliver services, closure or merger of a site, failure to comply with the conditions and specifications within the RFP).

B. E-RATE SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 established a fund by which Schools and Libraries across the Country can access discounts on E-Rate eligible data transmission products and services. The program is commonly known as the E-Rate Program.

2. The eligibility for discounts on eligible services is determined by the Federal

Communications Commission (FCC). Funding is made available upon approval of the application by the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service

Administrative Company (USAC), as established by the Act. The discount amount is based on the number of students receiving free and reduced-price meals or verified Community

Eligibility Provision (CEP) data.

3. All service providers are required to retain receipt and delivery records relating to pre-bidding, bidding, contracts, the application process, invoices, provision of services, communications concerning this RFP, and other matters relating to the administration of universal service for at least ten years after the last day of services.

4. The current document retention requirement became effective upon announcement in the Federal Register on November 20, 2014. The suggested list of retained documents appears in paragraphs 45-50 of the FCC's 5th Report and Order (FCC 04-190).

5. For example, if a service provider provides recurring Internet access to the District from

Funding Years 2020- 2035, the service provider must retain all records on this transaction for 15 years (10 + 5 years).

6. Service or product substitutions must meet the following conditions as specified in the

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules:

a. The substituted services or products have the same functionality as the services or products contained in the original proposal.

b. The substitution does not violate any contract provisions or any state or local procurement laws.

c. The substitution does not increase the percentage of ineligible services or functions.

d. The requested change is within the scope of establishing FCC Form 470, including any

Requests for Proposal (RFPs), for the original products and services.

C. SERVICE PROVIDER ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

7. The Service Provider acknowledges that no change in the products and services specified in this document will be allowed without prior written approval from the District.

8. If the Vendor changes a Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN), the District must be notified in writing before filing Form 471.

9. The Service Provider acknowledges that the pricing submitted in the proposal is the lowest corresponding price (LCP) under § 54.511(b). If it is not the lowest corresponding price, the

Service Provider must disclose the conditions that led the District to be charged more than that price. The geographical area will be defined as the Vendor's footprint within the State of Louisiana unless otherwise explained in the response. Vendors not submitting the LCP in response to this RFP may be disqualified from bidding.

10. This offer is in full compliance with USAC's Free Services Advisory. No free services are offered that would create an artificial discount and preclude the District from paying its http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-11-20/pdf/2014-27462.pdf http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-11-20/pdf/2014-27462.pdf https://www.usac.org/sl/applicants/step01/form-470.aspx proportionate share of costs. The service provider agrees to provide substantiating documentation to support this assertion upon request by the District, USAC, or the FCC.

11. The Service Provider agrees to file the Annual Service Provider Certification (SPAC) required by the E-rate program, thus agreeing to abide by all E-Rate program rules as codified by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

D. STARTING SERVICES/ADVANCE INSTALLATION

12. The annual E-Rate Funding Year begins on July 1 and expires on June 30 of each calendar year. The contract "effective date" of the Agreement is July 1, 2027, and E-Rate eligible goods and services requested in this RFP shall be delivered no earlier than the start of the

2027 funding year (July 1, 2027).

13. Category 1 services (Data Transmission Services and Internet Access) will begin on July 1 of a funding year; therefore, the service provider may need to undertake construction and installation work before the beginning of that funding year. Within the limitations indicated below, a service provider's infrastructure costs can be considered to be delivered concurrently with the associated Category 1 services. If services start on July 1, the service provider infrastructure required for those services can be considered delivered on that date.

E. EARLY FUNDING CONDITIONS

14. The District plans to indicate on Form 470 a request for special construction costs.

(https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-18-1173A1.pdf)

15. "Eligible costs include monthly charges, installation and activation charges, modulating electronics and other equipment necessary to make a Category One broadband service functional ("Network Equipment"), and maintenance and operation charges. Network equipment, maintenance, and operation costs for existing networks are eligible. All equipment and services, including maintenance and operation, must be competitively bid."

https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-18-1173A1.pdf https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-18-1173A1.pdf) https://docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/DA-18-1173A1.pdf

16. Four conditions must be met for USAC to support a funding year for Category 1 infrastructure costs incurred before that funding year.

a. Initiation of installation cannot occur before selecting the service provider under a posted Form 470, and in any event, no earlier than six months before July 1 of the funding year.

b. The Category 1 service must depend on the installation of the infrastructure.

c. The Category 1 service cannot have a service start date before July 1 of the funding year.

d. No invoices can be submitted to USAC for reimbursement before July 1 of the funding year.

Please refer to the FCC Order involving the Nassau County Board of Cooperative

Educational Services (DA 02-3365), released on December 6, 2002. This FCC decision only applies to telecommunications services and Internet access.

F. INVOICING

17. The Service Provider agrees to bill and receive the USAC committed portion of the payment for the provision of goods and services described herein directly from USAC via the Form

474 Service Provider Invoice (SPI). The District's E-Rate Discount was 90% for 2026-2027.

No change in the discount is anticipated for 2027-2028.

18. The District will only be responsible for paying its non-discounted share of costs and does not intend to use the BEAR process (Form 472). The maximum percentage the District will be liable for is the pre-discount amount minus the funded amount, as shown on the FCC

Form 471. The District will pay any identified ineligible costs in full.

19. Upon the successful receipt or posting of a Funding Commitment Decision Letter from the

SLD and submission and certification of Form 486, the District shall pay only the discounted amount beginning with the first billing cycle.

G. PRICING AND FEES

20. All pricing for WAN and Internet must appear on the forms on pages 24-25, and pricing must comply with LCP rules. Scoring of the price is weighted more heavily than other factors; therefore, the Vendor MUST disclose all "estimated current "fees on the pricing form. Regulatory fees may increase annually; however, the proposal must include a statement explaining each fee. The District must be able to compare costs submitted by all vendors fairly.

21. Alternatively, should the District decide that it is in the District's best interest to file Form

472 (BEAR), the District will inform the Service Provider of its intent. The Service Provider must complete all invoicing to USAC within 120 days of the last day of service. Should the

Service Provider fail to invoice USAC promptly, the District will be responsible only for its non-discounted share.

22. The nature of the traffic carried over the WAN circuits is less than 10% interstate traffic and, therefore, should not be classified as "Mixed-Use" under FCC 47 CFR §36.154. The winning Vendor is responsible for obtaining any required certifications from the District, and under no circumstances should the District be charged USF fees on the WAN circuits.

H. MANDATORY PRE-BID MEETING

23. All Proposers are required to participate in a mandatory Pre-Bid Meeting on October 1, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. (CST). The meeting will take place at the Desoto Parish School Board office located at 399 Jenkins St, Mansfield, LA 71052

I. DISTRICT E-RATE INFORMATION

24. DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT is located in Louisiana and, as of October 1, 2025, reported 4,838 K-12 students enrolled.

J. CURRENT WAN SERVICES

25. Currently, the service provider (Uniti) is providing 10 GBPS fiber WAN point-to-point connectivity to 13 sites.

K. WAN REQUIREMENTS

26. The District desires services capable of delivering up to 100 Gbps fiber connectivity to the sites listed on Page 28-29. Vendors may propose either a managed or unmanaged Leased

Lit or dark fiber solution. Proposed solutions shall include all necessary components, services, and costs required to provide the requested connectivity and shall comply with all applicable E-Rate requirements.

27. The District is requesting 20, 40, and 100Gbps lit fiber circuits or dark fiber (two strands per site), with resilient options. Currently, the 13 sites are connected via leased lit fiber

(See Page 23).

28. The Vendor shall deliver the requested CIR at full bandwidth at each school directly to the

District Data Centers on a full availability basis, 24/7. The response must include a clear proposed network diagram for each solution. The District is requesting a "Real-Time

Network" that provides dedicated bandwidth around the clock.

29. Depending on the solution, the service handoff at all sites shall terminate on a fiber compatible with GBIC connectors. The precise site location of the MPOE, DEMARC, or

"handoff point" shall be determined by the DISTRICT's Network and Engineering staff.

30. The DISTRICT will need to be able to differentiate between the various campuses in terms of traffic flow. Differentiation could be achieved through physical links between the campuses and the District Office, MPLS, or some other "partitioning" scheme. The Vendor shall describe in detail how this will work in its proposal. If a fiber ring solution is proposed, please explain how traffic will be differentiated at each site. Redundancy is ineligible for E-rate funding.

31. The Vendor shall specify that the network is a fiber, managed solution, with dedicated bandwidth to the District. The Vendor will provide all necessary E-Rate-eligible hardware and interfaces. The proposal must disclose the make and model of all vendor equipment.

32. As part of the proposal, the Vendor will make known the space requirements for installed equipment at sites and the District Data Center.

33. Network outage resolution should be coordinated with the DISTRICT's technical staff. The

District expects 99.999% network uptime.

34. The Vendor must provide easy access to the help desk and repair services. The proposal must define a documented procedure for severe problem escalation, with appropriate response times explained. The Vendor will provide critical alerts to the DISTRICT's Technical

Contacts via email and will notify the DISTRICT's Technical Contacts of service outages via telephone, including status and the estimated time of restoration (ETR). This alert service will be maintained for the duration of the contract. In an emergency, the District will require a 24-hour telephone contact to report a critical outage.

35. The circuits shall be capable of carrying multiple protocols such as IP Data, Voice over IP

(VoIP) telephony, streaming digital video, teleconferencing, etc. Jitter and latency shall meet industry standards for "real-time." The WAN must support quality of service transmission ("Quality of Service") tags implemented by the DISTRICT between endpoints.

Vendors must include data rates and clearly explain their proposed solutions.

36. The goal is to have a fully operational network by July 1, 2027. The term "fully operational" is defined as error-free network connectivity at the specified CIRs, delivered to all sites without failures for at least 72 hours. The Vendor must provide certification reports of CIR, jitter, latency, and interface error metrics for each endpoint.

37. Contract terms must provide cancellation of services without financial penalties if an entity is closed or merged with another campus. After 30 days' notice, the District may cancel services to any entity that is closing without penalty.

38. Vendors MUST include details of the fiber route(s) being constructed and the cost breakdown if special construction costs are included in a proposal. Vendors offering special construction and failing to include this information may be disqualified from bidding on this project.

39. Vendors are encouraged to offer various network design options (e.g., MPLS, Point-To-

Point, Dark fiber, and resilient options).

L. INTERNET ACCESS

40. The District is requesting pricing for 10Gbps and 20Gbps of Internet Access with a /27 IP block each data centers. The District understands it may upgrade to any option within the final Agreement. The data centers are listed on page 24.

41. A bundled basic firewall solution is not being requested.

M. CONTRACT TERMS

42. The District is seeking a multi-year contract with 2 (2) year extensions. However, the

District reserves the right to offer other options as a BAFO.

N. BASIS OF SELECTION

43. No commitment will be made to select a vendor’s system(s) solely based on cost; however, the price of E-Rate eligible services is awarded more points than other factors. The

DISTRICT will make the selection based on a combination of factors.

44. The DISTRICT requests information within the proposal to help the scoring committee understand the Vendor's experience and references, Implementation Plan, Price, and other customer satisfaction areas, and conformance to the specifications in this Request for Proposal.

45. The process that the District will use in selecting the Vendor to perform services outlined in the Request for Proposal will be as follows:

a. Screening & Selection – District Staff will conduct the screening and selection. All vendor proposals will undergo an administrative review after the public bid opening. The purpose of the Administrative Review is to make sure each proposal contains the information required by the Request for Proposal.

46. Responses will be evaluated according to the weighting criteria, as outlined in the table below.

47. The District reserves the right to include a Round 1 and Round 2 scoring of proposals. The same scoring criteria below will be used during this process. The top Vendor(s) in the

Round 2 evaluation will then proceed to an additional level of due diligence, including a

BAFO process.

48. The committee will then formulate a recommendation to the DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL

DISTRICT Superintendent and School Board.

49. Responses will be evaluated according to the following weighting:

No. Factor Total Points Available

1 Cost of eligible products and services 30

2 Design and Technical Bid Submittal with a Single Vendor Providing WAN and Internet 20

3 Technical Support Office and Technicians staff within 100 miles 10

4 Service provider owns facilities between each site. 20

5 References and Experience (Prior Experience will be considered) 20

O. RFP CONSIDERATIONS

50. General – Failure to obtain the RFP following prescribed procedures or receiving the RFP with insufficient time to respond adequately will not be accepted as a mitigating circumstance. It will not result in any special considerations or waivers. Failure to execute all enclosed forms as required may result in disqualification.

51. Addenda – If it becomes necessary to revise any part of the RFP, an addendum to the RFP will be posted in the EPC portal and on https://www.bidnetdirect.com. No oral statements by any DISTRICT employee shall constitute a change or addendum to the RFP, the Project documents, or any project requirement.

52. Disposition of Response – All materials submitted in response to the request will become the property of the District and will be returned only at the District's option and at the

Vendor's expense. The District will retain the master copy for official files, and it will become a public record. However, proposals submitted with the information marked as

"confidential or proprietary" will not be made available until the Vendor redacts the

"confidential or proprietary" information.

53. Proprietary Information- In the State of Louisiana, pricing is not considered "confidential or proprietary" and cannot be redacted from the proposal.

54. E-Rate Participation-The successful Vendor must participate in the E-Rate program, meet all E-Rate billing requirements, and be eligible to receive reimbursement from the School and Libraries Division (E-Rate) for the District's E-Rate funding commitment. The Vendor(s) awarded a contract will be required to utilize FCC Form 474 (Service Provider Invoice). The https://www.bidnetdirect.com/louisiana/desotoparishschoolboard

DISTRICT does not participate in the FCC Form 472 (Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement) process for WAN and Internet Access at this time.

55. Pricing-All pricing submitted shall be Vendor honored for 120 calendar days from the proposal due date.

P. SUBMITTAL INFORMATION

56. Submittal – Each Vendor submitting a proposal via mail, hand-delivery, or carrier service shall submit an original proposal plus four copies and one electronic copy of the proposal in a sealed envelope prominently marked with the Request for Proposal number, title, the due date, time, and the name of the organization submitting the response. Responses shall be on 8-1/2" x 11" paper, and the electronic copy must be in PDF format, saved to a non-returnable USB drive.

57. Cover Page and Forms-The proposal must include the cover sheet on Page 20 and a completed non-collusion form on Page 21. The Cover Page (See Page 20) and the Non-

Collusion Form (Page 21) MUST appear in the Beginning Section of the Proposal, and all other forms MUST appear in the last section of the proposal. If special construction is proposed, complete and include Pages 25-26. Omitting any required forms may be disqualifying.

58. Table of Contents-A table of Contents is required for each proposal.

59. Contents: Vendors should take this opportunity to present a well-organized proposal to address all specifications in the RFP. Clear Maps and Diagrams MUST be labeled, easy to read, and understandable. All pages MUST include the company name in the header or footer, along with the page numbers. All pricing-required forms MUST appear in the last section of the proposal.

60. Accept, Comply with an Exception, Can't Comply- Vendors should understand that the RFP response is considered part of any resulting agreement. Therefore, Vendors have an opportunity to provide a brief, concise statement regarding their ability to Accept and

Comply or Comply with Exception or Can't Comply with any specifications in Sections A-M.

For example, if a Vendor can't comply with Section L, Section 43, which requires a quote for 250 MBPS of Internet Access. The Vendor should indicate Section L, Item 43. Cannot comply (the company does not offer a 20Gbps connection). Vendors may submit a table showing the sections and response, or include a copy of the RFP showing Sections A-M.

61. References and Other Information- Vendors are encouraged to provide details about the qualifications of technical staff, E-Rate personnel, and training, locations of technical support offices, and other areas of importance to an evaluation committee.

62. Proposal Deadline – Proposals shall be submitted to the address listed in the event schedule.

Proposals received after the date and time specified in the event schedule will be returned to the sender unopened. Facsimile (fax) copies or email responses of submittals will not be accepted.

63. Withdrawal – Responses may be withdrawn by the Vendor submitting the information at any time before the closing date and time for receipt of responses. A vendor may submit a new or modified offer before the designated submission deadline. Modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

64. Information Request(s) – To control information disseminated regarding this Request for

Proposal, organizations interested in submitting responses are directed not to make personal contact with members of the School District, District Administration, or staff, except with permission from the individual listed below. Address all questions regarding this RFP to the individual listed below. Submit all inquiries via email only—NO PHONE

CALLS. Please review the Event Calendar for opening and closing dates. Send all questions to todd.wedgeworth@desotopsb.com. DO NOT SUBMIT QUESTIONS BEFORE THE PRE-BID

MEETING.

65. Right to Accept or Reject -The District reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals in their entirety or any portions thereof and to waive any informality or irregularity in the Request for Proposal.

66. Forms of Agreement – The District reserves the right to incorporate standard contractual provisions into any agreement executed in response to this request and to require indemnification insurance as may be stipulated by the District.

67. Availability of Funds – The District's obligation herein is contingent upon receipt by the

District of the maximum funding commitment allowed by the Universal Service Fund mailto:todd.wedgeworth@desotopsb.com.

through the "E-Rate" program. No legal liability on the part of the District for payment of any money shall arise unless and until funds are made available for this procurement through the "E-Rate" Program. The District may award a contract for all requirements outlined in the RFP, or for any portion of the funds, contingent upon the Schools and

Libraries Division's funding level.

68. Equal Opportunity – It is the District's policy that, in connection with all work performed under Purchasing Contracts, there shall be no discrimination against any prospective or active employee engaged in employment because of race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, or religious creed. Therefore, the Vendor(s) agree to comply with applicable Federal and Louisiana laws, including, but not limited to, the Louisiana Fair Employment & Housing

Act. The successful Vendor(s) also agree to require compliance by all subcontractors they employ.

69. Compliance – Responses that do not comply with instructions and forms may be disqualified from bidding, as noted in the RFP's applicable sections.

Q. RESPONSE PACKAGE COVER SHEET

PROPOSAL OPENING:

PROPOSER:

SIGNATURE:

NAME:

(PRINT OR TYPE)

ADDRESS:

CITY, STATE, ZIP CODE:

AREA CODE & PHONE:

AREA CODE & FAX

THE PRINCIPALS OF THE COMPANY ARE:

Name: Title:

R. NON-COLLUSION STATEMENT

DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL BOARD

, states that he/she is

(a partner of the firm, officer of the corporation, or individual making the foregoing proposal); that said proposal is genuine and not collusive or sham; that said

Proposer has not colluded, conspired, connived or agreed, directly or indirectly, with any other

Proposer or person to put in a sham proposal or to refrain from proposal, collusion, or communication or conference, with any person, to fix the proposal price or to fix any overhead, profit or cost element, or that of any other Proposer, or to secure any advantage against any person interested in the proposed contract, and that all statements contained in the said proposal or proposal are true.

(Signature)

S. LIST OF ENTITIES

Logansport High School 81362 School 17228 Hwy 5 Logansport 71049

Mansfield Elementary School 157526 School 1915 McArthur Drive Mansfield 71052

Mansfield High School 81367 School 401 Kings Hwy Mansfield 71052

Mansfield Middle School 81368 School 1915 McArthur Dr Mansfield 71052

North De Soto Upper

Elementary

16038837

School

2535 Hwy 171

Stonewall

71078

North Desoto High School 81412 School 2571 Highway 171 Stonewall 71078

North Desoto Lower

Elementary

81411

2623 Hwy 171

North Desoto Middle School

(6-8)

81413

2573 Hwy 171

Stanley High School 81365 School 14323 Highway 84 Logansport 71049

De Soto Parish Maintenance

Warehouse

16020321

Non-

Instructional

Facility (NIF)

411 Kings Highway

Mansfield

71052

Desoto Parish Administration

Building (Data Center)

17030606

399 Jenkins St

Transportation And Food

Service Facilities

16076539

400 Jenkins St

Desoto Schools' Grace

House (Alternative School)

North

Desoto

High

81412

152 Liberty Lane

Grand

Cane

71032

T. WAN INFORMATION

SITE DEDICATED BANDWIDTH CURRENT BANDWIDTH CONNECTION

Logansport High School DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER Mansfield Elementary School DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER

Mansfield High School DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER Mansfield Middle School DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER

North De Soto Upper Elementary DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER North Desoto High School DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER

North Desoto Lower Elementary (Data Center) DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER North Desoto Middle School (6-8) DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER

Stanley High School DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER De Soto Parish Maintenance Warehouse DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER

DeSoto Parish Administration Building (Data Center) DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER Transportation And Food Service Facilities DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER

Desoto Schools’ Grace House (Annex) DEDICATED 10 GBPS FIBER

U. SAMPLE PRICING FORMS (WAN)

SERVICE ENTITY BANDWIDTH MONTHLY

COST

ONE-TIME

FEE

OTHER

FEES

TOTAL

ANNUAL COST

WAN (LIT) 20 Gbps WAN (LIT) 40 Gbps WAN (LIT) 100 Gbps

WAN (DARK) 2 STRANDS

*ALL FEES MUST BE EXPLAINED IN THE PROPOSAL

V. SAMPLE INTERNET ACCESS PRICING FORM

NAME OF SITE SPEED (CIR) ADDRESS CITY AND STATE

DESOTO PARISH SCHOOL DISTRICT (DATA CENTER) 10 & 20Gbps 399 Jenkins St Mansfield, LA 71052

NORTH DESOTO LOWER ELEM (DATA CENTER) 10 & 20Gbps 2623 Hwy 171 Stonewall, LA 71078

SERVICE PROPOSED BANDWIDTH PER

SITE

MONTHLY COST FEES TOTAL ANNUAL COST

INTERNET 10Gbps INTERNET 20Gbps

*ALL FEES MUST BE EXPLAINED IN THE PROPOSAL