26-586 RFP - E-Rate Category Two Equipment - Mist WiFi

Eugene School District 4J in Lane County, Oregon is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the procurement of Wi-Fi 6E wireless network equipment and installation services under the E-rate Category Two funding program. The District seeks to purchase 614 units of Juniper Mist AP37 access points, 119 units of AP47 access points, and 9 units of AP47D access points, along with Mist cloud management subscription services available in 1, 5, and 7-year terms. The equipment must support 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz band capabilities with 4x4 radio configuration and Power over Ethernet (PoE) delivery to upgrade wireless infrastructure across 17 school buildings connected by dark fiber. All deliverables must include equipment costs, installation costs, warranty information, shipping to Eugene, Oregon, and estimated delivery timelines, with proposals due by March 20, 2026 at 3:00 PM Pacific Time. Vendor questions are due no later than 2 full business days before the proposal deadline. The evaluation criteria employ a weighted scoring rubric allocating 40 points for cost, 30 points for design and technical requirements, 20 points for experience and reputation, and 10 points for terms of service and implementation timeline. Prospective vendors must be registered with USAC, hold a current Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN), have FCC Form 473 on file, provide at least three references from similar educational agencies, and submit quotes that clearly separate E-rate eligible from ineligible items, with quotes remaining valid for at least 60 days.

This procurement is contingent upon E-rate funding approval under the 2026-2027 funding year, and all proposed equipment and services must qualify as E-rate Category Two eligible. Vendors must utilize the Service Provider Invoice (SPI) billing method, allowing the successful contractor to invoice USAC directly for the discounted share while billing the District only for the non-discounted portion. All equipment procured must be new and not refurbished. No specific set-aside designations, incumbent vendor information, or award value ranges are specified in the RFP documentation. The procurement does not identify any restrictions on organization types that may respond, though the requirement for USAC registration and E-rate compliance inherently limits eligibility to approved educational service providers. The District reserved the right to hold a bidders' conference, though none is explicitly scheduled in the RFP.