27-006

Network Switch Refresh II

Issue Date: 10/2/2026

Questions Deadline: 10/15/2026 12:00 PM (CT)

Response Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT)

Procurement Services

Contact Information Contact: ****Contact Name and Title Address: Procurement Services

Gordon M Anderson Leadership Center 16717 Ella Blvd Houston, TX 77090

Phone: (281) 891-6465 Fax: (281) 891-6466 Email: contracts@springisd.org

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 1 of 39 pages

Event Information Number: 27-006 Title: Network Switch Refresh II Type: Request for Proposals Issue Date: 10/2/2026 Question Deadline: 10/15/2026 12:00 PM (CT) Response Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) Notes: The Spring Independent School District ("District") requests competitive sealed proposals for the purpose of identifying a vendor(s) to supply a Network Switch Refresh to support the needs of the District, in accordance with the terms, conditions and specifications established within this Request for Proposals (RFP).

Proposals are due on or before 2:00 pm (CST) on NOVEMBER 13, 2026. An award recommendation will be made at the Spring ISD Board of Trustees meeting scheduled on FEBRUARY 9, 2027. If the award recommendation is approved, the initial term of this contract ("Contract") will be for five (5) years from FEBRUARY 10, 2027, through FEBRUARY 9, 2032. Thereafter, the District reserves the right to re-bid the Contract or to extend the contract on a month-to-month basis to prevent a lapse in service until a new Contract is awarded.

Total estimated value of this contract is greater than $1,000,000, depending on the District's needs over the contract period.

Spring ISD uses an online bidding system to post and receive bids electronically. To view the full specifications of this RFP and to submit a proposal, you must be registered as a vendor within our online system and must log in. For assistance with the online registration process, please contact Procurement Services at 281-891-6465.

Billing Information Address: Accounts Payable

Gordon M Anderson Leadership Center 16717 Ella Blvd Houston, TX 77090-4299

Phone: 281 (891) 6000 Fax: 281 (891) 6006

Bid Attachments

STANDARD TERMS v09.18.26 FINAL.pdf Download

STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS GOVERNING THE PURCHASE OF GOODS AND SERVICES: 10.24.2024 - These Standard Terms & Conditions are requirements that are binding upon award of a Spring ISD Contract to the selected vendor(s). These terms communicate the District’s expectations with regard to the vendor's performance in connection with the District’s purchases. Vendors are cautioned to inform themselves fully on the terms and conditions hereinafter set forth prior to engaging with the District.

fw9 (1).pdf View Online

**REQUIRED** Form W-9: This form is to be completed by all vendors submitting a bid response. The completed form must be uploaded to the District's online bidding system under the 'Response Attachments' tab.

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 2 of 39 pages https://springisd.ionwave.net//extract.aspx?e=uWZAOuT6rZRsDcMT6q0FwjyMK0qC5a8fJUPWlRvWhd8J4~jll0EfVqFITPoPZ3spksC8ZtKWDNWAUYXErrIWlQ https://springisd.ionwave.net//VendorLanding.aspx?e=hdMEVX-uOxbqg9XA9jANJeTi37FlrDGufeAsLjby9C~p66~IavVWjXUo8sAgHlJx7ZlN8ERFWAtM3zRBukVi9A https://springisd.ionwave.net//VendorLanding.aspx?e=QEvdMKEvVe08rGJ~gUVZtaZrQubw2c9hR1k3170knd5sstYRnbk~Qua0059wgJzVyjWDTmmovDhwjARmqIPPjw

Spring ISD Switch RFP_Final.pdf View Online

RFP DOCUMENT: This Request for Proposals (RFP) document contains the Scope of Work, evaluation criteria, and vendor proposal instructions associated with this solicitation. Vendors are held responsible for reviewing this document in its entirety prior to submitting a proposal.

Requested Attachments

Form W-9 (Attachment required)

**REQUIRED** - Form W-9: This form is to be completed by all vendors submitting a bid response. The completed form must be uploaded to the District's online bidding system under the 'Response Attachments' tab.

General Classification Documents If your business holds a recognized certification (e.g., HUB, MBE, WBE, SBE, VBE, or other), please upload the corresponding certificate(s) to support your selected classification(s).

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 3 of 39 pages https://springisd.ionwave.net//VendorLanding.aspx?e=QEvdMKEvVe08rGJ~gUVZtaZrQubw2c9hR1k3170knd5sstYRnbk~Qua0059wgJzVyjWDTmmovDhwjARmqIPPjw

Bid Attributes

1 Scope of Work

Spring Independent School District (the “District”) is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide, configure, and support a network switch refresh at eligible school sites. Replacement of the Category 2 network infrastructure equipment components (hardware and software) necessary to maintain data connectivity within each site, including network switches.

The District intends to standardize on Juniper EX4400 switches or equivalent models that meet or exceed the specifications outlined in this RFP. The network switch project will be a turnkey refresh, as quotes will include the setup, installation, and configuration. All services necessary to implement this project, including, but not limited to, planning, installation, configuration, testing, documentation, project management, calling, and quality control management.

All equipment or supplies offered shall be new, currently in production, and of the manufacturer's latest design unless otherwise stated. Bidders proposing equipment they consider to be an “equivalent” to the specified equipment will be considered, but bidders must include supporting documentation such as manufacturer technical specifications, data sheets, white paper, or other documentation that supports equivalence to the specified equipment. Should said documentation not be included with the RFP submission, the vendor may be considered “non-responsive” and the response may be rejected. All Bidders must submit complete manufacturer’s specifications and current catalog number/identifier if bidding other than manufacturer specified. Failure to submit complete specifications will result in the bid being disqualified.

The selected vendor will be responsible for supplying all required hardware, software licensing, warranty coverage, and professional services necessary for a successful deployment.

The proposed solution must offer built-in automation capabilities to optimize operations and elevate service levels across enterprise campus switching environments. It should streamline the entire lifecycle of wired switching from Day 0 (automated onboarding and zero-touch provisioning), through Day 1 (initial configuration and deployment), and into Day 2 and beyond (ongoing operations, monitoring, and lifecycle management). To effectively manage the evolving needs of the network, the solution must leverage AI driven capabilities for continuous monitoring, proactive alerting, and intelligent automation. Operational simplicity must be maintained throughout.

While Day 0 and Day 1 are essential for establishing a solid operational foundation, Day 2 and beyond are even more critical for sustaining network performance and reliability.

Therefore, the system must be designed with a strong focus on:

AI-powered monitoring for real-time visibility and insights Proactive alerting to identify and address issues before they impact users Automation of routine tasks to reduce manual intervention and operational overhead Comprehensive analytics to support in-depth troubleshooting and performance optimization

Key objectives include:

Upgrading access and distribution switches to Juniper EX4400 (or equivalent) platforms.

Increasing network performance and bandwidth capacity.

Enhancing manageability through Juniper Mist cloud management (or equivalent).

Ensuring long-term supportability, security, and compliance with District standards.

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 4 of 39 pages

2 Vendor Instructions

It is recommended that vendors review the information associated with this Request for Proposals (”RFP” or ”Solicitation”) in the following order:

1. Read the RFP document provided under the 'Attachments' tab (as applicable) to learn about the services requested by Spring ISD and the associated terms, conditions, and specifications of this solicitation and any resulting contract;

2. Read all the information listed under the 'Bid Attributes' tab to familiarize yourself with the information being provided or requested by the District;

3. Read all the information listed under the 'Line Items' tab (as applicable) to understand the pricing information requested by the District;

4. Gather the information you will need to prepare your proposal;

5. Provide all the required information (Bid Attributes), completed forms, and/or other documents (Response Attachments), as requested per the instructions in this Solicitation; and finally,

6. Submit your proposal prior to the bid submission deadline.

IT IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THAT VENDORS SUBMIT THEIR PROPOSALS AT LEAST FOUR (4) HOURS PRIOR TO THE ESTABLISHED BID SUBMISSION DEADLINE IN ORDER TO WORK THROUGH ANY ERRORS OR MISSED RESPONSES YOU MAY BE ADVISED OF BY THE SYSTEM AS YOU TRY SUBMITTING YOUR PROPOSAL. THE DISTRICT IS NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY NON-SUBMITTED PROPOSALS CAUSED BY ANY REASON OUT OF THE DISTRICT'S CONTROL, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPROPER PLANNING BY THE VENDOR TO SUBMIT A RESPONSE PRIOR TO THE SUBMISSION DEADLINE, INTERNET CONNECTIVITY ISSUES, OR TECHNICAL

DIFFICULTIES OF ANY KIND

3 Pricing Requirements

1. Bid pricing shall remain fixed for the full initial term of this contract. Any requests for a price increase may be presented to the District for consideration only at the contract renewal points and must be accompanied by a proper justification. The District expects suppliers to avoid cost increases and to negotiate with their own suppliers or manufacturers in order to achieve this objective. Any price increase requests that are accompanied by proper justification should limit the increase to no more than 3% over the previous year's costs. The District reserves the right to contest and negotiate any price increase requests.

2. Suppliers are not required to bid on all items; however, suppliers who bid all or most items may have a better chance of being awarded part or all of the contract. Please select ”No Bid” for those items you decide not to bid on. The District reserves the right to issue a partial award or award for all items based on the submitted proposals.

3. If varying minimum order quantities are required for any particular item, or if Manufacturer price increases have occurred, the District reserves the right to price quote those items from any of the awarded vendors and to add the desired item to the contract of the vendor whose proposal offers the best value to the District, considering all relevant factors including but not limited to pricing, availability, product quality, expected delivery lead times, etc.

4. The unit pricing proposed for the products listed in the Line Items tab shall represent the maximum price the District would pay for such products; however, the District reserves the right to negotiate better pricing based on large orders associated with special projects.

4 Minimum Requirements

Spring ISD requires the following system capabilities:

A centralized cloud-based system for the management of the network switches.

Knowledge Transfer for at least four (4) district engineers to support and maintain all aspects of the network switches.

The awarded vendor needs to be a certified Extreme partner that understands and knows how to integrate Juniper switches with Extreme campus fabric.

A centralized cloud-based system for monitoring, reporting, and providing network switch infrastructure analytics.

Comply with all service provider E-Rate registration, guidelines, and policies as outlined by the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC).

Solutions proposed need to be "turnkey", including all necessary hardware, wiring (when needed), and configuration.

Bids provide appropriate device software license and support maintenance for 5 years.

Removal of existing and installation of new switches and cabling, if necessary, as part of a “Rip and Replace” project.

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 5 of 39 pages

The vendor shall:

Provide Juniper EX4400 switches or equivalent, with required optics, power supplies, and accessories.

Ensure proposed switches support:

1/10/25Gb uplinks Link aggregation grouping Stackable architecture or virtual chassis for resiliency Advanced Layer 2/Layer 3 functionality IEEE 802.1X and role-based access control QoS suitable for voice, video, and data traffic Cloud-based management and monitoring (Juniper Mist or equivalent).

Include a multi-year hardware warranty and software subscription.

Provide professional services for staging, configuration, and installation (optional line item if District staff performs installation).

Provide training and knowledge transfer for District network staff.

The Seller is responsible for supplying a spreadsheet containing the location label information and Spring ISD asset tag (SISD will provide) that has been placed on the network switch, Model of the Network Switch, and the Serial Number of the Network Switch. The electronic spreadsheet must be given to the designated District technical representative prior to starting each school. See Chart A below for the expected format of the spreadsheet

Chart A, Network Switch Labeling and Spreadsheet Example

The Seller will be responsible for placing a "location label" on each installed network switch that is visible and consists of the campus acronym, MDF/IDF number, and room number.

The network switch will be labeled as such:

Location label: School Acronym – MDF/IDF number - Room Number

Internal AP EXAMPLE: AES-MDF01-RM225

AES-IDF04-RM105

The Seller is responsible for supplying a spreadsheet containing the SISD asset tag, switch serial number, label on network switch, model of switch, and room number.

SISD Asset Tag Switch Serial No. Label on Network Switch Model of Switch Room #

AES-MDF01-RM205 MyOwn 9039 B1

AES-IDF03-RM105 MyOwn 9039 A25

Quantities

The quantities requested are the district’s best estimate and may be adjusted as recommended by the offeror. The district reserves the right to increase or reduce quantities and buy some, all, or none of the listed equipment.

Proposals must include all costs associated with providing the requested products/services to the district, including but not limited to taxes, shipping, etc. When applicable, offerors must include all costs associated with the installation of the equipment and components, including, but not limited to, power supplies, DAC cables, network modules, transceivers, etc.

Offerors must provide unit pricing for each item. Partial bids will not be considered

Proposed service fees for each piece of equipment should:

ꞏ be shown as separate line-item charges, Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 6 of 39 pages

ꞏ include the E-rate eligible percentage, and ꞏ be categorized as Internal Connections (IC) or Basic Maintenance of Internal Connections (BMIC)

Additional Information

Quantity (Approx.) Function Model Number

250 Network Switch Juniper EX4400-48MP

250 Additional power supply and power cable for PoE JPSU-1600-CAC-APO & CBL-

PWR-C15M-HITMEP-US

187 DAC Cables JNP-100G-DAC-1M & JNP-

100G-DAC-3M

171 Network Modules EX4400-EM-4S Network

Module 1G/10G & EX4400-

EM-4Y Network Module

10G/25G

230 Transceiver SPF-1G-SX-C & SPF-25G-LR &

SPF-25G-DAC-3M

250 Software Licenses Juniper Mist AI Cloud Services or equivalent

250 Support Support covering a period of 5 years for each switch

I understand and agree to this requirement.

(Required: Check if applicable)

5 TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Proposed switches must meet or exceed the following:

ꞏ Form Factor: 1RU fixed configuration switch.

ꞏ Access Ports: 48 × 1GbE/Multigigabit ports (RJ45).

ꞏ Stacking/Virtual Chassis: Up to 10 switches stackable with 480Gbps fabric bandwidth.

ꞏ Throughput: Minimum 600 Gbps switching capacity.

ꞏ Features: L2/L3 support, EVPN-VXLAN readiness, PoE/PoE+ (90W per port on select models).

ꞏ Management: Compatible with Juniper Mist cloud management or equivalent.

ꞏ Warranty: Minimum 5 years hardware replacement and software updates.

Architecture

ꞏ Cloud Connectivity - The system should support connections for switches integrating with the cloud.

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ꞏ Site Assignment & Naming - Site-specific switch assignment and auto-generated device names using user-defined text, variables, and counters based on a predefined format.

ꞏ Switch Onboarding Options:

o Scanning individual device codes o Using a single activation code for multiple devices

ꞏ Zero Touch Provisioning (ZTP) - Support automated ZTP for streamlined switch deployment.

ꞏ ZTP Professional Services - If registration requires vendor support, the process and any associated costs should be clearly outlined.

Security & Compliance

ꞏ Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) - Support granular RBAC to refine administrator access based on the following roles:

o Global Administrator o Global Read-Only o Administrator with access to a user-defined list of sites/networks o Limited Administrator (Read-Only) with access to a user-defined list of sites and networks, along with additional permissions to:

§ Reboot individual devices § Conduct cable tests § Upgrade firmware on specific devices § Manage switch port configurations for a designated subset of ports

ꞏ Administrator Login & Change Logs - Automatically log administrator login events and configuration changes, capturing:

o Login details, including username, timestamp, and RBAC access level o Configuration modifications, recording username, timestamp, and before-and-after changes o Data retention for a minimum of 60 days o Filtering options based on administrator name, time range, or event type

ꞏ Configuration Review & Change Differentiation - The system should allow administrators to review changes before applying new configurations, clearly distinguishing:

o New settings being added o Existing configurations being removed

Performance & Testing

ꞏ Comprehensive Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) - Provide measurable KPIs for all networks, locations, and individual devices without requiring manual baselines or deployment of additional sensors. KPIs should include:

o Performance Metrics:

ꞏ Uplink and downlink congestion

ꞏ Storm control

ꞏ Interface anomalies (Cable issues, MTU mismatch, and Negotiation issues)

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 8 of 39 pages

ꞏ Network delays (latency/jitter)

ꞏ Wired Network Experience Monitoring with Configurable Performance Benchmarks - The solution offers end-to-end visibility into wired network performance by leveraging customizable performance benchmarks to monitor key indicators such as connection success, throughput, switch health, and device onboarding. By capturing both pre-and post-connection metrics, it enables IT teams to proactively identify and address issues, ensuring reliable connectivity for users, devices, and IoT endpoints.

ꞏ Automated & Manual Packet Capture - The platform should facilitate:

o Automatic packet capture upon a port-up event o Manual packet capture on a user-selected subset of interfaces, spanning multiple switches

Switch Services

ꞏ Template Configuration Scope - Templates should support:

o RADIUS, NTP, DNS configurations o Routing o VLAN definitions (including Layer-3 VLANs) o Port/Interface settings, including:

ꞏ Trunk/Access ports ꞏ Native VLAN & allowed tagged VLANs ꞏ MTU, PoE (Enable/Disable) ꞏ Port Speed/Duplex settings ꞏ Spanning Tree ꞏ Storm Control configuration, including the ability to distinguish broadcast, Multicast, and/or unknown unicast ꞏ MAC-based Port Security and persistent MAC addresses o Automated switchport configuration based on user-defined match criteria, applicable to user-selected switches and ports.

ꞏ Port Assignment - Must support assigning ports to predefined interface profiles.

ꞏ Port Bouncing - Enable administrators to perform port bouncing as needed.

ꞏ PoE Utilization Monitoring - Since PoE plays a critical role in network operations, reporting should include:

o PoE port details and overall usage o Total PoE budget vs. used PoE capacity o Endpoint PoE classification o Individual PoE usage metrics o Top PoE-consuming ports

ꞏ Configuration Templates - During onboarding, templates should support multiple levels of configuration:

o Organization-wide settings o Model-specific configurations o Role/label-based definitions o Site-specific settings o Device-specific customization

Device Management

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 9 of 39 pages

ꞏ Management IP Address Assignment - Allow dynamic or static assignment of management IP addresses to each switch.

ꞏ Remote Switch Upgrade/Downgrade - The system should support remote software updates from the management platform, including:

o Selecting a specific software release and applying it to individual switches, a user-defined subset, or all switches within a site.

o Upgrading to newer versions or downgrading to older versions.

o Rebooting switches immediately post-upgrade or deferring the reboot.

o Scheduling upgrades for a user-selected day/time, specifying which switches to update.

ꞏ Automated Firmware Upgrades - Automatic upgrade of switches to a user-selected firmware version upon first connection to the management platform.

ꞏ Configuration Backup & Viewing - Administrators should be able to download switch configurations to a local device in a standard format (text or CSV) for backup or review.

ꞏ Configuration Overrides - Ability for administrators to override template-based configurations for selected individual configuration elements.

ꞏ Full CLI Access - Support full Command Line Interface (CLI) access via cloud management, SSH, and local console ports.

ꞏ Direct CLI Configuration via Template - Platform should allow command-line configurations to be added directly within templates.

Monitoring & Analytics

ꞏ Network Wired Switch Reporting - The system should allow reporting to be filtered by:

o Time period (ranging from 1 day to 90 days) o Switch name or keyword o Specific switch selection o Individual port o Event type categorization

ꞏ Detailed Reporting Metrics - The system should provide in-depth switch analytics, including:

o Port ID o Switch name and model o Stack member count o Active ports trend o Traffic trend per switch o PoE status and usage details o Number of utilized ports o RX/TX bytes data o Connected client count

ꞏ Advanced AI Analytics and Troubleshooting Engine - Provide concise, low-noise, and actionable insights into enterprise wireless network issues affecting real clients. Each insight must be automatically correlated with a detected root cause and presented in a format that enables rapid remediation. The analytics engine should leverage machine learning or rule-based correlation to reduce false positives and prioritize critical issues. These insights must include, but are not limited to:

o Missing VLANs o Bad cables o Negotiation mismatch o Loop detection o Port flap o High CPU o Port stuck

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 10 of 39 pages o Traffic anomaly o Misconfigured ports o Traffic loops

ꞏ User Connectivity and Switch Status Metrics - The system must be capable of collecting, storing, and reporting on the following across all networks, locations, and individual devices without requiring manual baseline configurations or the deployment of additional sensors:

o User Connectivity Metrics:

ꞏ DHCP performance

ꞏ Spanning Tree port blocking state o Switch Status Metrics:

ꞏ ARP Table, Route Table, and MAC Address Table capacity

ꞏ Power cycle and status monitoring

ꞏ CPU utilization

ꞏ Temperature monitoring

ꞏ Memory utilization

ꞏ Reachability to the management portal

Automation & AI

ꞏ Automated Switchport Configuration - Automatic configuration of switchports based on user-defined rules, enabling seamless client identification through customized matching criteria.

ꞏ API Usability - Full accessibility via API, enabling individual API queries, automation, and scripting.

ꞏ AI - Natural Language Chat Interface - Must include a natural language chat interface that allows IT administrators to query network performance and connectivity using conversational language. The chatbot must:

o Understand and respond in natural language o Provide insights across the entire campus network stack (wireless, wired, WAN) when deployed with the same vendor’s infrastructure o Identify and explain root causes of performance degradation o Support proactive recommendations and historical context

ꞏ Microsoft Teams and Zoom Integration - Must integrate with Microsoft Teams and Zoom to ingest call quality telemetry for organizational users, including:

o Automatically correlate call quality issues with related full-stack network performance problems.

o Present this data in a simple, intuitive troubleshooting view for IT staff

Acknowledged

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6 Product Substitutions, Additions, or Cancellations

In the event that the needs of the District change during the effective term of an awarded contract, the District may decide to either (i) substitute a previously awarded item with another product that meets new requirements, (ii) add a new product to the awarded contract, or (iii) cancel/remove a product from the contract. Spring ISD will reserve the right to take any of these actions at any time and at its sole discretion with prior written notice to the affected vendor(s).

(i) PRODUCT SUBSTITUTIONS: Product substitutions for original products no longer available through the awarded vendor(s) or no longer desired by the District for any reason may be either negotiated directly with the vendor(s) awarded the original item(s) or quotes may be requested from one or more of the other awarded vendors. If the product substitute recommended by any given vendor is not acceptable to Spring ISD for any reason, then Spring ISD reserves the right to purchase the product substitute through a vendor on a Purchasing Cooperative or another vendor of its choice.

(ii) PRODUCT ADDITIONS: Related products not originally listed in this solicitation that the District expects to order on an ongoing basis over the term of the contract may be added to the contract of an awarded vendor, as needed, and Spring ISD reserves the right to either negotiate pricing for such product(s) directly with one or more of the awarded vendors, to obtain price quotes from one or more of the awarded vendors and then negotiate final pricing with any of the awarded vendors, or to purchase such product(s) from a Purchasing Cooperative.

(iii) PRODUCT CANCELLATIONS: Products no longer desired or required by the District may be canceled/removed from any awarded contract at any time and for any reason by not placing any additional reorders for such product and by notifying the affected vendor(s) of such decision. In such instances, the District will be liable only for any products ordered by and delivered to the District prior to the District issuing a written notice to the affected vendors of its decision to remove such product(s) from the awarded contract.

7 Exceptions to Sourcing from Contracted Vendors

In certain cases, it may be necessary for the District to purchase products covered by this bid from a vendor or vendors other than the originally contracted vendor(s).

Those exceptions include the following:

1. The need for a product or service is acute and delay in obtaining it would adversely affect the District.

2. A contracted vendor cannot supply a product and cannot special order the product in a timely manner and/or under the original terms and conditions.

3. The product/service offered by an awarded contractor may be obtained through an authorized Purchasing Cooperative under better terms (i.e. Lower pricing, shorter lead time, better quality, etc.).

4. Deviation in pricing from the prices submitted in this bid.

PLEASE CHECK THE BOX TO CONFIRM ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS PROVISION.

I acknowledge review of this provision

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 12 of 39 pages

8 Evaluation Criteria

EVALUATION CRITERIA: By law (Texas Education Code 44.031(b)) contract awards must be made taking into account the following factors:

a. Purchase price or discount;

b. Long-term costs (service, supplies, maintenance, etc.);

c. Quality of vendor's goods or services;

d. Extent to which the good or service meets district needs;

e. Reputation of the vendor and of the vendor's goods or services;

f. Vendor’s past relationship with the district;

g. Impact on the ability of the district to comply with laws and rules relating to historically underutilized businesses;

h. For a contract for goods and services, other than goods and services related to telecommunications and information services, building construction and maintenance, or instructional materials, whether the vendor or the vendor's ultimate parent company or majority owner (i) has its principal place of business in this state; or (ii) employs at least 500 persons in this state; and

i. Any other relevant factor(s) specifically listed in the request for bids or proposals.

NOTE: Although all factors shall be considered by the District, the District reserves the right to assign a weight to each evaluation criteria. If one or more factors do not have any weight on the evaluation process of a specific request for bid or proposal, the District may assign a weight of zero ”0” to said irrelevant factors.

9 Criteria for Contract Award

The District reserves the right to accept or reject any and all offers and to waive any technicalities and formalities, and to be the sole judge of quality.

In awarding this contract, the District will consider the following criteria:

1. Purchase Price (30 points)

- (25 points) Eligible costs

- (5 points) Ineligible costs

2. AI Automation (12 points)

- (12 points) AI-driven capabilities for continuous monitoring, proactive alerting, and intelligent automation.

3. Quality of Vendor's Goods and Services (15 points)

- (15 points) Published ratings such as Magic Quadrant.

4. Extent to Which the Proposed Services Meets District’s Needs (12 points)

- (12 points) Vendor has the resources to deliver product/services.

5. Location of Company (5 points)

- (5 points) Location within the State of Texas.

- (2 points) Location of the business/supporting offices is within the Houston Area.

- (1 points) Location of business outside the State of Texas

6. Vendor reputation: (12 points)

- (12 points) Experience your organization has delivering goods/services with districts similar to Spring ISD, governmental entities, or corporate environments. (Includes References)

- (1 points) - No

7. Vendor’s Past Relationship with the District: Service History (14 points)

- (1-14 points) Unsatisfactory to Great

- (7 points) No Experience

NOTE: All contracts awarded will be contingent upon funding and final Spring ISD Board of Trustees approval. Spring ISD reserves the right to terminate all or part of the contract due to non-appropriation of funds.

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Late Proposals Not Accepted

The "Close Date & Time" referenced on this solicitation is the deadline by which responses must be posted and submitted via the District's web-based e-sourcing system.

LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED!

Please give yourself ample time to enter your submission online prior to the deadline, at which time the online system will lock and will not accept any submissions.

IMPORTANT NOTES TO SUPPLIERS:

- The District highly recommends that vendors submit their completed bid response 4 to 24 hours prior to the bid submission deadline in order to have time to address any errors they may encounter during the bid submission process.

For example, the system will notify you of any instances where you may have failed to enter a response to a required bid attribute.

- The District will not be responsible for any late responses or for any technical issues that are out of the District's direct control.

Vendor Questions & Answers (Submit Online)

Any questions associated with this Request for Proposals will be addressed via this online bidding system under the "Questions" tab.

Questions must be submitted by no later than 12:00 pm (CST) on THURSDAY, MONTH XX, 2025. Answers will be posted on this system within 2 school business days after this date and will be available for all vendors to review.

Any published answers to the questions submitted during this solicitation that pertains to good/service specifications, good/service requirements, clarifications, terms and conditions, etc. will hereby be incorporated into and made a part of

RFP.

W-9: Company Name

Please provide your Company name as listed in Box 1 of the Form W-9 and as shown on your income tax return.

If this name does not match your name as registered in this e-bidding system, please email contracts@gmail.com (include your W-9) to request an update.

(Required: Maximum 100 characters allowed)

W-9: Company Business Name/Doing Business As (DBA)

Please provide your Company Business Name as listed in Box 2 of the Form W-9, as applicable.

If this name does not match your business name as registered in this e-bidding system, please email contracts@gmail.com (include your W-9) to request an update.

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Contact Name & Title (Authorized Agent)

What is the full name and title of the authorized agent associated with this bid?

(Required: Maximum 50 characters allowed)

Contact Email Address (Authorized Agent)

What is the e-mail address of the authorized agent associated with this bid?

(Required: Email address)

Contact Phone Number (Authorized Agent)

What is the phone number of the authorized agent associated with this bid?

(__ __ __) __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ ext:

(Required)

Vendor Qualification (Term of Pricing)

As indicated within this solicitation, all bid pricing is to remain fixed for a minimum of 12 months. Please confirm for how long (months) your bid pricing will remain fixed.

(Required: Numbers only)

Vendor Qualification (Principal Place of Business)

What is the location of your firm’s principal place of business (Headquarters)? (City and State)

Vendor Qualification (Longevity)

How many years has your company been engaged in the business for the goods or services offered in this response under the current business name?

(Required: Numbers only)

Vendor Qualification (Longevity - Similar Client)

How many years of service does your company have delivering goods/services with districts similar in size to Spring ISD, governmental entities, or corporate environments?

(Required: Numbers only)

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 15 of 39 pages

Vendor Qualification (Shipping & Handling Charges)

Please indicate whether your unit prices include shipping & handling charges, as requested within this solicitation.

Yes, shipping & handling charges are included No, shipping & handling charges are not included (Required: Check only one)

Vendor Qualifications (Minimum Order Requirements)

Are there any minimum order requirements for any of the products listed on this bid? If so, please indicate so and reference the line items affected by such requirements.

Vendor Qualification (Number of Employees Nationwide)

How many full-time employees does your company have nationwide?

(Required: Numbers only)

Vendor Qualification (Number of Employees in Texas)

How many employees does your company employ in the state of Texas?

(Required: Numbers only)

Warranty on Defective Merchandise

Any defective merchandise shall carry a minimum supplier guarantee or manufacturer's warranty and vendor shall authorize either an exchange at no additional cost or return for full credit within a reasonable time following the purchase.

Vendor Long-term Cost (Warranty terms & conditions)

What is your company's warranty terms and conditions?

If your company does not provide goods, please indicate "Not applicable".

(Required: Maximum 500 characters allowed)

Vendor Qualification (Inventory)

What percentage of the items listed in this bid is currently stocked in your inventory?

(Required: Maximum 1000 characters allowed)

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 16 of 39 pages

Vendor Qualification (History with Spring ISD)

Has your company ever done business with Spring ISD?

Yes No (Required: Check only one)

Vendor Qualification (Hours of Operation)

What are your hours of operation?

FIRM BACKGROUND - Order Fulfillment & Distribution

Name the location of the facility that will receive, fulfill, and distribute our orders (CITY & STATE).

FIRM BACKGROUND - Goods & Services

Briefly describe the category of all goods & services offered by your company.

FIRM BACKGROUND - Product Lines

Please name the product line brands offered through your firm.

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 17 of 39 pages

Remittance Information (Payments)

Provide the following information for payment issuance.

Address:

City:

State:

Zip Code:

Country:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Email address:

Remittance Information (Company name)

Company name that will be shown on your invoice for payment.

(Required: Maximum 75 characters allowed)

Remittance Information (Purchase Order)

Provide information where Purchase Orders (P.O.’s) are to be submitted for order processing:

Contact name:

Email address:

Phone number:

Vendor Qualification (Principal Place of Business)

What is the location of your firm’s principal place of business (Headquarters)? (City and State)

Vendor Qualification (Juniper Network)

Are you an authorized Juniper Networks partner, or a partner of an equivalent manufacturer?

(If "No," your proposal will be disqualified.)

Yes No (Required: Check only one)

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 18 of 39 pages

Vendor Qualification (K-12/Public Sector Experience)

Do you have demonstrable K-12 or public sector experience with switch deployments?

Yes No (Required: Check only one)

Vendor Qualifications (Additional Factors)

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: The applicant will not accept bids from manufacturers of equipment deemed a national security threat by the Federal Communications Commission. The list of prohibited equipment is available here: https://www.fcc.gov/supplychain/coveredlist. Vendors that submit bids that include these manufacturers will have their bids disqualified.

Acknowledged (Required: Check if applicable)

Vendor Qualifications (Additional Factors)

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: Service providers are required to bid on the entire hardware project. Bids for individual components, or bids that do not include all of the requested items for the project, will be disqualified.

Acknowledged (Required: Check if applicable)

Vendor Qualifications (Additional Factors)

DISQUALIFICATION FACTOR INTERNAL CONNECTIONS: Applicant will not accept bids for refurbished equipment.

Any bids containing refurbished equipment will be disqualified.

Acknowledged (Required: Check if applicable)

Reference Guidance

Please list references whom you have provided products/services to related to the scope of this solicitation.

*Note: Because Spring ISD’s relationship with a vendor may be a part of the evaluation criterion, Spring ISD can not be used as a reference in this section.

Reference 1 - Company Name

Company Name (1) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years

Reference 1 - Contact Person

Contact Person (1) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 19 of 39 pages

Reference 1 - Email Address

Email Address (1) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years

Reference 1 - Telephone

Telephone # (1) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years

Reference 1 - Address

Address (1) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years

Reference 2 - Contact Person

Contact Person (2) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

Reference 2 - Email Address

Contact Email Address (2) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

(Required: Email address)

Reference 2 – Telephone

Telephone # (2) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

(__ __ __) __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ ext:

(Required)

Reference 2 - Address

Address (2) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 20 of 39 pages

Reference 3 - Company Name

Company Name (3) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

Reference 3 - Contact Person

Contact Person (3) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

Reference 3 - Email Address

Contact Email Address (3) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

(Required: Email address)

Reference 3 – Telephone

Telephone # (3) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

(__ __ __) __ __ __ - __ __ __ __ ext:

(Required)

Reference 3 - Address

Address (3) of the customer for whom you have provided similar goods or services in the past three years.

Employment Practices

I affirm that, to the best of my knowledge the company I represent meets Equal Employment Opportunity Commission standards and American Disability Act standards in employment practices.

Please Select Yes No (Required: Check only one)

Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (Form CIQ)

Conflict of Interest: Disclosure of Certain Relationships with Local Government Officials.

Any individual or business entity that contracts or seeks to contract for the sale or purchase of property, goods, or services with Spring ISD must file a Vendor Conflict of Interest Questionnaire with the Spring SISD Purchasing Office in accordance with Texas Local Government Code Chapter 176, not later than the 7th business day after the recipient becomes aware of facts that require filing. This requirement applies to a person who is an agent of a Vendor in the Vendor's business with the District. Forms are also posted at the Texas Ethics Commission's website at https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/data/forms.

I understand and agree to this requirement.

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 21 of 39 pages https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/forms/conflict/

Contracting with Abortion Providers

Pursuant to Texas Government Code Chapter 2272, the District is prohibited from contracting with any abortion provider or an affiliate of an abortion provider whereby the provider or affiliate receives something of value derived from state or local tax revenue. Any contract entered into by the District is void if the prospective vendor has such a prohibited affiliation or contractual relationship. By submitting a proposal in response to the request for proposal, you are certifying to the District that you do not have such an affiliation or contractual relationship.

I Certify (Required: Check if applicable)

Felony Conviction Statement Notice

State of Texas Education Code, Section 44.034, Notification of Criminal History, Subsection (a), states “a person or business entity that enters into a contract with a school district must give advance notice to the district if the person or an owner or operator of the business entity has been convicted of a felony. The notice must include a general description of the conduct resulting in the conviction of a felony”. Subsection (b) states “a school district may terminate a contract with a person or business entity if the district determines that the person or business entity failed to give notice as required by Subsection (a) or misrepresented the conduct resulting in the conviction. The district must compensate the person or business entity for services performed before the termination of the contract”. The vendor is to certify that the information concerning notification of felony convictions has been reviewed and the information furnished is true to the best of my knowledge.

THIS NOTICE IS NOT REQUIRED OF A PUBLICLY-HELD CORPORATION

Owner/operator has not been convicted of a felony

Owner/operator has been convicted of a felony

The company is a Publicly Held Corporation (Required: Check all that apply)

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 22 of 39 pages

Contractor Criminal History and Fingerprinting Certification

Background: Texas Education Code Chapter 22 requires entities that contract with school districts to obtain criminal history records on covered employees. Covered employees with disqualifying criminal histories are prohibited from serving at a school district. Contractors must certify to Spring ISD that they have complied and must obtain similar certifications from their subcontractors. See SB 9 Contractor Certification: Subcontractor attachment. The law requires each contractor to obtain the criminal histories of its covered employees. For more information or to set up an account, a contractor should contact the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Crime Records Service at 512.424.2474.

Definitions:

Covered employees: Employees of a contractor who have or will have continuing duties related to the service to be performed at a school district and have or will have direct contact with students. Spring ISD will be the final arbiter of what constitutes continuing duties and direct contact with students.

Disqualifying criminal history: (1) a conviction or other criminal history information designated by Spring ISD; (2) a felony or misdemeanor offense that would prevent a person from being employed under Texas Education Code § 22.085(a), that is: if at the time of the offense, the victim was under 18 or was enrolled in a public school: (a) a felony offense under Title 5, Texas Penal Code; (b) an offense on conviction for which a defendant is required to register as a sex offender under Chapter 62, Texas Code of Criminal Procedure; or (c) an offense under federal law or the laws of another state that is equivalent to (a) or (b).

On behalf of the company or organization I represent with this Solicitation response, I certify that (MAKE SELECTION

USING THE CHECKBOX BELOW):

1. None of the employees of Contractor's and any subcontractors are Covered Employees, as defined above.

If this selection is made, I further certify that Contractor has taken precautions or imposed conditions to ensure that the employees of Contract and any subcontractor will not become Covered Employees. Contractor will maintain these precautions or conditions throughout the time the contracted services are provided.

2. Some or all of the employees of Contractor's and subcontractors are Covered Employees. If this selection is made, I further certify that:

Contractor has obtained all required criminal history and fingerprinting record information, through the Texas Department of Public Safety, regarding its Covered Employees. None of the Covered Employees has a Disqualifying Criminal History.

If Contractor receives information that a covered employee subsequently has a reported Disqualifying Criminal History, Contract will immediately remove the Covered Employee from contract duties and notify the District in writing within three (3) business days.

Upon request, Contractor will provide the District with the name and any other requested information of Covered Employees so that the District may obtain criminal history record information on the Covered Employees.

If the District objects to the assignment of a Covered Employee on the basis of the Covered Employee's criminal history record information, Contractor agrees to discontinue using that Covered Employee to provide services to the District.

All Covered Employees hired after January 1, 2008 have completed the Fingerprinting Certification process prior to performing any duties related to the District or having any Direct Contact with students.

Non-compliance by Contractor with this Criminal History and Fingerprinting Certification may be grounds for contract termination and/or debarment. By completing this Attribute, Contractor certifies the accuracy of its content and to comply with it for all contracts and purchase orders (collectively "Agreements") with Spring ISD.

None of the employees are covered employees.

Some or all of the employees are covered..

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 23 of 39 pages

Contractor Criminal History and Fingerprinting Certification (cont.)

If some or all employees are Covered Employees, please answer per the following:

YES, I qualify as a care or care provider under the National Child Protection Act (NCPA).

YES, I am based in the State of Texas.

NO, one or neither of these apply.

None of employees are Covered Employees.

Please check all options that apply.

YES, I qualify as a care or care provider.

YES, I am based in the State of Texas.

NO, one or neither of these apply.

None of employees are Covered Employees.

Deadline: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM (CT) 27-006Page 24 of 39 pages

Federal Compliance Guidelines for the Use of Federal Funds (EDGAR)

The District has elected to solicit this invitation to bid under the requirements set forth by the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 2 Grants and Agreements, Part 200 Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principals, and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards (2 CFR 200). Following these federal requirements will allow for federal funds entrusted to the District to be used to make purchases through the anticipated contract. The CFR is the codification of the general and permanent rules published in the Federal Register by the departments and agencies of the Federal Government produced by the Office of the Federal Register (OFR) and the Government Publishing Office. The CFR may change during the term of the contract and the supplier may be required to make adjustments as necessary.

The supplier must affirm and represent in this attribute that they, as…