Project_Scope_and_Requirements.pdf

B026-06 FCC Cybersecurity Pilot Program Form 470# CBR420250644 (MERI Cyber 2025) for Meriden Public Schools

Project Scope and Requirements

Meriden Public Schools (MPS) is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit competitive bids from qualified vendors for a comprehensive Managed Detection and Response (MDR) solution, along with an off-site immutable storage system to enhance our cybersecurity posture and disaster recovery capabilities.

MPS is an urban district serving approximately 8,600 students and 1,500 staff members. As a 1:1 technology-enabled district, we manage over 11,000 devices and rely heavily on digital infrastructure to support instruction and operations. The district’s IT Department is committed to maintaining a secure, resilient, and responsive technology environment that ensures uninterrupted access to educational resources.

Currently, MPS employs endpoint protection and next-generation firewalls. However, these tools operate independently and do not provide unified visibility into network-wide threats. This gap has resulted in increased manual workload for IT staff, who must review hundreds of alerts daily to assess potential threats, including ransomware, malware, spyware, and third-party exposures. These threats have, at times, disrupted instruction and compromised operational continuity.

To address these challenges, MPS seeks a vendor-provided MDR solution that offers:

24/7 monitoring and response by cybersecurity experts Advanced threat detection using AI, machine learning, and real-time threat intelligence Integration across endpoints and network infrastructure Actionable insights and automated response capabilities

In addition, we require an off-site immutable storage solution to ensure data integrity and rapid recovery in the event of a ransomware attack or other catastrophic event.

The selected vendor(s) will demonstrate a proven track record in delivering scalable, education-focused cybersecurity solutions. Proposals should clearly outline technical capabilities, implementation timelines, support models, and cost structures.

MPS is committed to a transparent and competitive procurement process and looks forward to partnering with a vendor that can deliver robust, future-ready cybersecurity services to protect our students, staff, and digital assets.

Item 1) Monitoring, Detection, and Response Managed Detection and Response (MDR)

Meriden Public Schools seeks proposals to upgrade our current EDR with a Next-Gen MDR. Preferences will be given to Leaders in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Endpoint Protection Platforms. The proposed solutions must accommodate at least 2,400 desktops and 100 Windows servers and provide for network growth.

The MDR we are seeking must have the following capabilities:

● Cloud-based system with a lightweight agent

● Agent support for Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems

● Agent runs in kernel mode on Windows and Linux devices

● Provides next-generation antivirus

● Provides real-time AI-powered endpoint protection, detection, and remediation

● Automatic network containment as needed. Manual network containment as desired.

● Threat hunting capability, both manual as needed and managed 24/7.

● Integrated Security, Information, and Event Management, Security Orchestration, Automation, Response, and Threat

Intelligence

● Automatic sandboxing of threats.

● Ability to interface with our Palo Alto next-gen firewall

● Provides vulnerability scanning and asset inventory

● Has the ability to create custom workflows for containment and remediation of threats.

● Ability to run remote virus scans.

● Ability to connect to a compromised device remotely for investigation, remediation, and collection of forensic data.

● Provides real-time threat level score for the organization via cloud cloud-based interface.

● Has the ability to alert technical support representatives regarding immediate threats.

● Lightweight agent updates automatically

● Support team that assists with installation and operational concerns

● Product add-ons and bundle upgrades should be available.

Item 2)

Identity Protection and Authentication Off-Site Immutable Cloud Storage.

The district currently uses Veeam for network backups, leveraging a Dell Data Domain for local retention. We understand that off-site immutable backup storage is no longer a nice-to-have, but a critical necessity for any organization looking for protection from ransomware and disaster recovery. We are seeking a partner to provide private cloud storage, leveraging our current backup systems. We are entertaining options for either processing data from the Dell Data Domain or directly from the Veeam server or equivalent. We anticipate a need for 45TB of storage.

The solution we are seeking should have the following capabilities:

● Encryption: In-flight & At-rest: data must be encrypted both during transfer (in-flight, e.g., TLS/SSL) and when stored (at-rest, e.g., AES-256).

● Compliance Certifications: The provider should hold relevant certifications (e.g., SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR readiness).

● Preferred vendor will charge no ingress and egress fees.

● A managed service where the provider handles the cloud infrastructure.

● Regional Availability: The data center is located geographically close to our primary site, preferably connected to the CEN network, to leverage our 10GB WAN connection

● A guaranteed uptime for the storage service of 99.99% minimum.

● A dedicated Account Manager

● Preferably a Veeam Gold Cloud & Service Provider

Recipients of Service

Entity Name Entity Number Address

Benjamin Franklin Elementary School 5740 426 W Main St., Meriden, CT 06451

Casimir Pulaski Elementary School 5733 100 Clearview Ave., Meriden, CT 06450

Hanover Elementary School 5743 208 Main St., Meriden, CT 06451

Israel Putnam Elementary School 5732 133 Parker Ave., Meriden, CT 06450

John Barry Elementary School 5737 124 Columbia St., Meriden, CT 06451

Nathan Hale Elementary School 5727 277 Atkins Street Ext., Meriden, CT 06450

Roger Sherman Elementary School 5728 64 N Pearl St., Meriden, CT 06450

Thomas Hooker Elementary School 5734 70 Overlook Dr., Meriden, CT 06450

Lincoln Middle School 5738 164 Centennial Ave., Meriden, CT 06451

Thomas Edison Middle School 209604 1355 North Broad St., Meriden, CT 06450

Washington Middle School 5725 1225 N Broad St., Meriden, CT 06450

Francis T Maloney High School 5729 121 Gravel St., Meriden, CT 06450

Orville H Platt High School 5741 220 Coe Ave., Meriden, CT 06451

Meriden Board Of Education 17002447 22 Liberty Street, Meriden, CT 06450

Meriden Maintenance Facility 17002395 998 N. Colony Road, Meriden, CT 06450

Success Academy ‐Maloney 191 Pratt St., Meriden, CT 06450

Venture 883 Paddock Ave., Meriden, CT 06450