B026-06 FCC Cyber Security Pilot Program FCC FORM 470 # CBR420250644

The City of Meriden Public Schools is conducting a competitive procurement for a comprehensive cybersecurity upgrade through an FCC Cybersecurity Pilot Program, soliciting sealed electronic bids for a Managed Detection and Response (MDR) solution and an off-site immutable storage system. The procurement targets 2,400 desktops and 100 Windows servers across the district's 17 locations serving 8,600 students and 1,500 staff members. The MDR solution requires cloud-based monitoring with multi-operating system support, AI-powered threat detection, real-time endpoint protection, and threat hunting capabilities. Preferred vendors will be leaders in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Endpoint Protection Platforms. The off-site storage component requires 45TB of cloud storage with encryption, compliance certifications (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001), no ingress/egress fees, and 99.99% uptime. Bids are due electronically on August 20, 2025, at 11:00 AM EST through the City eProcurement Portal. The evaluation criteria include a 30-point weight on cybersecurity-eligible item pricing, with additional points allocated for prior experience, personnel qualifications, responsiveness, and technical merit.

The procurement does not explicitly indicate specific set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent types. The project has identified three specific vendors to receive project documents: CrowdStrike, Cloudsmart, and SHI. The existing infrastructure includes Veeam for network backups and a Dell Data Domain for local retention, which the new solutions must integrate with seamlessly. The total project budget is $346,718, comprising $312,046 from a federal grant and $34,672 from the district's funds. The contract term will align with the FCC Cybersecurity Pilot Program, with pricing to remain firm through September 30, 2026, and potential extensions possible through September 30, 2028. The project is expected to take 12 months to complete and will be billed to account number B1002620-55540, primarily funded through federal sources. The procurement aims to strategically enhance the district's cybersecurity infrastructure without requiring additional local taxpayer funding.