RFP _ Phase II Broadband 2026.docx

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Burke County Broadband

RFP Project: Burke County Broadband Network Due Date: Completed proposals must be received no later than 5:00 pm EDT on March 4, 2026.

Submission Address:

A complete proposal may be submitted electronically to merv.waldrop@burkecounty-ga.gov The same document must be delivered in print in a sealed envelope to Burke County Board of Commissioners PO Box 89 602 Liberty Street Waynesboro, GA 30830 ATTENTION: Burke County Broadband Network

The printed copy shall have the Proposer’s Name, Address and Telephone Number clearly written on the outside of the sealed envelope.

Proposer’s Information All questions must be fully answered. The Qualifications section does not count toward the Proposal 20-page limit. Copies of other documents may be attached, if clearly labeled. Burke County may contact each reference provided, as well as any entity referenced in response to any question. The Proposer, by completing this questionnaire, expressly agrees that any information concerning the Proposer.

The Proposer warrants that, to the best of its knowledge and belief, the responses contained herein are true, accurate and complete. The Proposer also acknowledges that Burke County is relying on the truth and accuracy of the responses contained herein. If it is later discovered that any material information given in response to a question that was provided by the Proposer is false, it shall constitute grounds for immediate termination or rescission by Burke County of any subsequent agreement between the County and the Proposer.

· Qualifications of Proposer.

· Legal Name

· Permanent Main Office address

· Current President or CEO Name

· # years in that position

· When organized

· Where incorporated

· How many years have you been engaged in delivering rural broadband service in Georgia?

· General character of the work performed by your company

· Financial Status

· Have you ever failed to complete any work awarded to you? If so, where and why?

· Have you ever defaulted on a contract? If so, where and why?

· Attached financial statements for the past three (3) years

· Has Proposer, or any of its parents or subsidiaries, ever had a bankruptcy petition filed in its name, voluntarily or involuntarily? If yes, please specify the date, circumstances, and resolution.

· Has any majority shareholder ever had a bankruptcy petition filed in his/her name voluntarily or involuntarily? If yes, please specify the date, circumstances, and resolution.

· Is the Proposer currently in default on any loan agreement or financing agreement with bank, financial institution or other entity? If yes, please specify the details, circumstances, and prospects for a resolution.

· What is the Proposer’s current bonding capacity? Unencumbered bonding capacity?

· Please identify the Proposer’s surety company.

· Please provide the name, address and telephone number of the Proposer’s current surety agent or underwriting contact.

· Have performance or payment bond claims ever been made to a surety for this contractor on any project, past or present? If yes, please state the approximate date of each claim and identify whether the surety paid any?

· In the past five years, has any surety company refused to bond the Proposer on any project? If yes, please specify the reasons given for that refusal and the name and address of the surety company.

· In the past five years, has any surety company refused to bon the Proposer’s parent or subsidiaries on any project? If yes, please specify the reasons given for that refusal and the name of the surety company.

· REFERENCES

· Provide two (2) bank references

· Name

· Address

· City and State

· Contact

· Phone

· Name at least two major subcontractors

· Name

· Address

· City and State

· Contact

· Phone

· List experience in projects of reasonably similar nature, scope and duration performed by Proposer in the last seven (7) years. Consider design, build, operation and maintenance of rural broadband networks similar to this project. Identify projects performed in Georgia.

· Background and experience of the principal members of your organization, including the officers.

· List of Subcontractor(s): Firm Name and Description of Work

· Proposer and Subcontractors must comply with e-Verify. Complete accompanying e-Verify Affidavit(s)

· Proof of Insurance

· E-Verify. Contractor and Subcontractors must comply. See e-Verify forms at end of RFP.

· Proposal Submission. The submission of the Proposal will constitute an incontrovertible representation that Proposer has complied with every requirement of this RFP, that without exception, the Proposal is premised upon performing and furnishing the work.

· Contract Security. The General Conditions and Supplementary Conditions set forth Burke County requirements as to performance and payment bonds. When the successful Proposer delivers the executed Agreement to Burke County, it must be accompanied by the required performance and payment bonds.

· Laws. Proposer shall comply with Local, County, State and Federal laws applicable to the work.

· BABA. This project is subject the Build America Buy America provisions of Federal Law.

· Department of Labor. The Proposer shall comply with the Department of Labor Safety and Health Regulations for Construction promulgated under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (PL 91-596) and under Section 107 of the Contract Work and Safety Standards Act (PL-91-54). The regulations are administered by the Department of Labor and the Proposer shall allow access to the project to personnel from that Department.

· The Contractor shall comply with the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C. §§ 3141–3148) and all applicable U.S. Department of Labor prevailing wage, reporting, and certification requirements for construction activities funded under the BEAD program.

· Insurance. The Proposer shall not commence work under this contract until he has obtained the insurance required.

· Suspension and Debarment.

The Contractor certifies that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal department or agency, in accordance with 2 CFR Part 180 and 2 CFR § 200.214. The Contractor shall not enter into any subcontract or lower-tier covered transaction with a party that is debarred or suspended. This requirement shall be included in all subcontracts funded in whole or in part with BEAD funds.

Burke County will consider the qualification of the Proposer with respect to permanent place of business operations, adequate plant and equipment to do the work properly and expeditiously, suitable financial status to meet obligations incidental to the work and has appropriate technical experience. Burke county may consider the qualifications and experience of Subcontractors, Suppliers and other persons and organizations proposed for the Work.

I. Project Description

A. Overview Burke County has been tentatively approved for a Broadband Equity, Access & Deployment grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration. The County plans to continue to build a fiber-based 100/10Gbs broadband network with a minimum symmetrical 100Mbs/100Mbs Fiber-To-The-Premise (FTTP) access to all unserved locations in Burke County. The planned service area is the entirety of Burke County, GA with the exception of the City of Waynesboro and those areas which already have Broadband Service. The zip codes are 30830, 30815, 30434, 30805, 30816, 30456, 30441, 30442 & 30426. The census tracts are 9501, 9501.01, 9501.02, 9502, 9503, 9504, 9505, 9507, 9508 and 9509. The Burke County Broadband network will be a game-changer for the County and its residents.

Burke County has made a three-year build-out commitment to the State of Georgia and is seeking Partner(s) to design, build, operate and support a rural broadband network.

B. Definitions

1. Broadband or broadband service – with reference to this RFP, 100/10Gbs broadband network with a minimum symmetrical 100Mbs/100Mbs Fiber-To-The-Premise (FTTP) access.

2. Unserved –the term “unserved” with respect to a household, means (a) the household lacks access to qualifying broadband service and (b) no broadband provider has been selected to receive or is otherwise receiving Federal or State funding subject to enforceable build out commitment to deploy qualifying broadband service where the household is located by a date certain. Burke County has identified 898 unserved home and business locations within Burke County. In addition the County has identified 6521 underserved locations.

II. Eligibility Information

A. Eligibility

An experienced full service broadband service provider is eligible to propose to design, build, operate and support the Burke County Broadband network. Preference is afforded to experienced full service broadband service providers with at least 10 years of documented and demonstrated experience in delivering rural FTTP broadband in the Southeast Georgia.

B. Single Proposal Burke County will accept only one (1) proposal version provided from a full-service broadband service provider to Burke County, identically in two formats: digitally via email and a printed package delivered to Burke County address.

III. Proposal and Submission Information (optional digital and one printed copy)

A. Address Email address merv.waldrop@burkecounty-ga.gov Street address Burke County Board of Commissioners PO Box 89 602 Liberty Street

B. Project Content

i. Project Narrative

The project narrative is a word-processed document of not more than 20 pages responsive to the RFP requirements. Attachments do not count toward the 20 pages.

ii. Project Network Design: Logical and Physical (system and network) The project network design includes the logical system design and the physical network design. Include a description of the type of technology proposed.

iii. Project Scalability

Describe how the network can scale over time for greater capability.

iv. Project Milestones and Timeline

Describe the network milestones and timeline in terms of critical design and build/construction milestones. Include # miles completed, # households passed on an annual basis, # subscribers added annually. Confirm that construction will begin no later than September 2026.

v. Budget Narrative

1. Project Cost Project costs need to specify: (1) Equipment costs and suggested manufacturer(s), (2) Construction cost to acquire, bury, splice and test fiber optic cable, vaults and drops, (3) Personnel / Consultants / Contract costs for design, staking, inspection and modifications to preliminary design, (4) Other costs – describe and (5) TOTAL PROJECT BUDGET.

2. Project Justification of Costs Project justification of costs needs to describe each of the line items outlined in the Project Cost in detail.

3. Services Offered and Rate Sheet Project service(s) offered and rate sheet(s) needs to specify the service, its description, and rates for installation and monthly use for the FTTP network in rural Burke County. Include residential and business services and rates.

4. Commitment to Meet In-Service Timeline Project Milestones and Timeline need to outline the major deliverables. Explain how you commit to meeting the Timeline plan.

vi. Capabilities and Competencies

1. Experience in deploying and supporting rural broadband networks Identify and name proven, active, sustained rural 100/10 Gbs broadband networks deployed with at least five (5) FTTH subscribers in Burke County. Identify (city, county, state) where its headquarters with operations support is located in support of rural broadband networks.

2. Project Team – roles, responsibilities, capabilities

Identify the proposed project team, their roles, responsibilities, and capabilities.

3. Resumes of Key Project Personnel

Provide resumes for at least 5 key project personnel.

4. Effectiveness Processes and Tools Identify processes and tools used in the design, build, operations, and support phases of the network project.

5. Broadband Partnership with Burke County

Describe your experience in providing support to Burke County for broadband network development.

Confirm your willingness to enter and sign a Public-Private Partnership Agreement for Burke County Broadband within 30 days after proposal selection.

vii. Customer Service

· Provide customer service metrics of customer satisfaction completed within the past 12 months.

· Describe Level of Service provided to respond to trouble calls and timeframe expected.

· Provide location of US-based customer service support location. (city, state)

· Provide location of escalated US-based customer service support location. (city, state)

· Describe the Proposer’s written safety plan

· Describe the Proposer’s Labor policy

viii. Pro-Forma Financial information

Provide Pro-Forma demonstrating the sustainability of the rural broadband network.

C. Proposal Format

i. Font size. Font should be at least 12 font size.

ii. Line Spacing. Single or double spaced. Space between paragraphs.

iii. Page Layout. Page size 8 ½” x 11”. Portrait layout, unless landscape needed for spreadsheets, diagrams, charts.

iv. Page Limit. 20 pages single spaced. 40 pages double spaced.

v. Page Numbering. Required

vi. Typed Document. Required

vii. Signed Proposal. Required.

1. Network Capacity, Performance and Scalability

2. Organization Capability

3. Level of Support (LoS)

iv. Locality 30 points

1. Local FTTP Rural Broadband Reference Sites

2. Customer Support

IV. Certification I certify to Burke County and to any construction or permanent lender of the project that the information and responses provided on this questionnaire are true, accurate and complete. Burke County or any construction or permanent lender of the project may contact any entity or reference listed in this questionnaire. Each entity or reference may make any information concerning the contractor available to Burke County or to any lender of Burke County.

Dated ___________________2026 .

PROPOSER:

By:

Title:

Sworn to and subscribed before me this __________ day of _______, 2026.

Notary Public

My Commission expires:

E-VERIFY

Contractor Affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b)(1)

By executing this affidavit, the undersigned contractor verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91, stating affirmatively that the individual, firm or corporation which is engaged in the physical performance of services on behalf of (name of public employer) has registered with, is authorized to use and uses the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, or any subsequent replacement program, in accordance with the applicable provisions and deadlines established in O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91. Furthermore, the undersigned contractor will continue to use the federal work authorization program throughout the contract period and the undersigned contractor will contract for the physical performance of services in satisfaction of such contract only with subcontractors who present an affidavit to the contractor with the information required by O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b). Contractor hereby attests that its federal work authorization user identification number and date of authorization are as follows:

Federal Work Authorization User Identification Number Date of Authorization Name of Contractor Name of Project Name of Public Employer I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on ______, ___, 202__ in _____(city), ______(state).

Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent Printed Name and Title of Authorized Officer or Agent

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME

ON THIS THE ______ DAY OF ______________,202__.

NOTARY PUBLIC

My Commission Expires:

SUBCONTRACTOR E-VERIFY

Subcontractor Affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b)(3) By executing this affidavit, the undersigned subcontractor verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91, stating affirmatively that the individual, firm or corporation which is engaged in the physical performance of services under a contract with (name of contractor) on behalf of Burke County Commissioners has registered with, is authorized to use and uses the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, or any subsequent replacement program, in accordance with the applicable provisions and deadlines established in O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91. Furthermore, the undersigned subcontractor will continue to use the federal work authorization program throughout the contract period and the undersigned subcontractor will contract for the physical performance of services in satisfaction of such contract only with sub-subcontractors who present an affidavit to the subcontractor with the information required by O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b). Additionally, the undersigned subcontractor will forward notice of the receipt of an affidavit from a sub-subcontractor to the contractor within five business days of receipt. If the undersigned subcontractor receives notice that a sub-subcontractor has received an affidavit from any other contracted sub-subcontractor, the undersigned subcontractor must forward, within five business days of receipt, a copy of the notice to the contractor. Subcontractor hereby attests that its federal work authorization user identification number and date of authorization are as follows:

Federal Work Authorization User Identification Number Date of Authorization Name of Subcontractor Name of Project Name of Public Employer I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on ______, ___, 202__ in _____(city), ______(state).

Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent Printed Name and Title of Authorized Officer or Agent

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME

ON THIS THE ______ DAY OF ______________,202__.

NOTARY PUBLIC

My Commission Expires: