Door Access Control System Watervliet Public Schools

Watervliet Public Schools, a K-12 school district in Berrien County, Michigan, is soliciting proposals for the procurement and installation of a cloud-based door access control system across three campus buildings: South Elementary School, North Elementary School, and Watervliet High School/Middle School. The scope of work includes provision and installation of cloud-managed access controllers in three form factors (1-door, 4-door, and 16-door), door readers, Cat6 cabling infrastructure, complete labor for installation and configuration, and a 10-year software license encompassing cloud management, firmware updates, mobile app access, and unlimited administrator accounts. Key objectives are to improve building safety, enable emergency lockdown capabilities, and reduce administrative burden through a unified platform. The District requires vendors to provide detailed pricing schedules with unit and extended costs, a comprehensive 10-year total cost of ownership breakdown, general liability insurance ($1,000,000 minimum), workers' compensation and automobile liability coverage, Michigan contractor registration, and at least three K-12 school district references. Attendance at a mandatory pre-bid site walk on March 30, 2026 at 10:00 AM is required for proposal eligibility, with sealed proposals due April 8, 2026 by 2:00 PM Eastern Time, submitted to Joe Bergthold, Finance Director, at 450 E. Saint Joseph Street, Watervliet, MI 49098, or via email to joseph.bergthold@watervlietps.org. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: total cost of ownership (25%), technical capability and platform requirements (25%), K-12 school district experience and references (15%), installation timeline and minimal disruption (15%), warranty and ongoing support (10%), and compliance with RFP requirements (10%).

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to particular organization types or disadvantaged enterprises. All contractor and subcontractor personnel must pass criminal background checks at the vendor's expense prior to accessing District property. The project is subject to Michigan Prevailing Wages on State Projects Act (Public Act 10 of 2023) requirements for Berrien County, and vendors must comply with prevailing wage rates in effect at contract execution. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the RFP documentation, nor are existing infrastructure or technology integrations specified beyond the requirement for Cat6 cabling infrastructure. The contract term is established as 10 years for software licensing with no renewal options specified, and the District reserves the right to award by building, line item, or total package and is not obligated to accept the lowest cost proposal. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the RFP, though the District notes it reserves the right to pursue E-Rate or other federal or state funding if applicable.