10681 - Internet Service - 2nd Connection

Portage Public Schools in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, issued a Request for Proposal on September 21, 2020, seeking a qualified internet service provider to establish a second internet connection at their primary data center located at 8107 Mustang Drive, Portage, Michigan. The procurement objective is to provide redundancy and load balancing capabilities for the school district's network infrastructure. The service provider must deliver a physically separate connection from the existing internet service with native IPv4 and IPv6 dual-stack connectivity, BGP peering capabilities, full routing table access, and 24/7/365 Network Operations Center support to achieve 99.999% uptime reliability. The vendor is responsible for all installation work, including boring, conduit installation, cable pulls, and full compliance with applicable state and local codes and regulations. Pricing must be submitted on the provided bid response form for bandwidth in 2 GB/s increments up to 10 GB/s, with separate line items detailing one-time installation and configuration costs as well as monthly service costs for each bandwidth tier. Proposals were due by October 5, 2020, at 2:00 PM in the form of two paper copies and one PDF submission on a flash drive to the Purchasing Department, with facility tours available upon request from Daniel Vomastek, Director of Information and Technology Systems, though tours were not required for participation.

The RFP does not identify any specific set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation by particular vendor categories or disadvantaged enterprises, suggesting the procurement is open to all qualified bidders. Proposers must provide proof of appropriate licenses and certifications, proof of insurance coverage, a legal status certification regarding debarment and suspension, an Iran Economic Sanctions Act compliance certification, and a notarized familial relationship disclosure statement to be considered. The school district is tax-exempt and will not include Federal, State, or Local taxes in the contract price except for enhancements to real property. Pricing must remain valid for 90 days following the proposal due date, and the vendor may increase or decrease bandwidth throughout the contract term without additional costs or fees. If one-time installation fees exceed $50,000, the selected vendor must provide performance, labor, and material bonds prior to purchase order issuance. The RFP notes that Portage Public Schools expects to apply for eRate funding where appropriate and requires awarded vendors to participate in this federal funding program, though no specific contract award value or total budget range was disclosed in the solicitation documents.