Broadcasting Services

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) is pursuing a sole source procurement for comprehensive broadcasting and media services from Tampa Bay Arts and Education Network (TBAE). The contract encompasses a wide range of media production and distribution services, including managing Hillsborough Schools Television on Charter Spectrum and Frontier FiOS cable systems, providing live webcasting of school board meetings, press conferences, Math Homework Hotline, and high school graduations. TBAE will be responsible for creating and managing four dedicated web portals (HCPSwebcasts.com, MathHomeworkHotline.com, HillsboroughSchools.TV, and Graduation.HCPSwebcasts.com) for live and on-demand streaming, handling technical equipment management, closed captioning, electronic program guides, and archiving programs in high-definition format. The procurement notice is posted from September 23, 2024, to October 1, 2024, with a three-business-day protest period. Key deliverables include 24/7 broadcasting, detailed reporting, production of special events like the Hillsborough Regional STEM Fair Grand Awards Ceremony, and comprehensive school district communication support.

The procurement is specifically structured as a single/sole source procurement, which typically limits competition to the identified vendor (TBAE) based on their unique capabilities and established infrastructure. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the documentation. The contract appears to leverage TBAE's existing technical expertise and established media infrastructure for Hillsborough County Public Schools, with no specified total contract value disclosed. While the document does not outline specific budget ranges, it indicates a comprehensive service agreement that encompasses multiple media production and distribution channels. The procurement is being conducted under Rule 6A-1.012(12)(d) of the Florida Administrative Code, which provides a framework for sole source procurement in educational settings. The contract seems designed to maintain and enhance HCPS's media and communication capabilities through a provider with demonstrated long-standing technical proficiency in educational broadcasting services.