E-Rate Category 2 Equipment and Installation

KIPP Texas Public Schools is soliciting proposals under RFP IT 2627-003 for E-Rate Category 2 equipment lifecycle replacements and turnkey installation across five campuses in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio regions, with questions due November 5, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. CST and proposals due November 19, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. CST. Proposers must hold a valid Service Provider Identification Number and a Federal Communications Commission Registration Number demonstrating e-Rate program participation. KIPP encourages participation from Historically Underutilized Business (HUB), Minority & Women's Business Enterprise (MWBE), Small Business Enterprise (SBE), and veteran-owned firms as prime contractors or subcontractors, but the procurement is non-exclusive and carries no set-aside.

The required product lines are Fortinet FortiGate security appliances, Cisco WiFi 7 wireless access points, Cisco 48-port switches with power supplies and uplink modules, and Cisco Enterprise Agreements covering all hardware for four years. Site quantities are: Dallas Oak Cliff Academy, 50 access points and 9 switches; Pleasant Grove Leadership Academy, 72 and 11; Houston Northeast, 152 and 28; San Antonio Somos, 134 and 16; and San Antonio Cevallos, 121 and 8. Installation includes fiber and copper patch cable replacement, e-Rate year device labeling, documentation with site addresses and serial numbers, and removal of end-of-life equipment. Cabling pricing must include removal of existing cable, terminations, enclosures, bulkheads, patch cables, and conduit, trenching, or boring as necessary. Proposals require audited financial statements or alternatives such as compilation statements or federal tax returns, and certificates of insurance including $2,000,000 commercial general liability per occurrence.

The contract term is one year with four one-year renewal options and a possible 90-day transitional period. Funding is contingent on e-Rate subsidies from the Universal Service Fund. KIPP may award multiple contracts by campus, product line, or region and makes no volume guarantee; services may be provided to other governmental agencies through Interlocal agreements. Deliveries are F.O.B. Destination with freight prepaid, and KIPP is tax-exempt. Vendors must comply with the Lowest Corresponding Price Rule, retain records for ten years, file annual FCC Form 473 certifications, and invoice e-Rate eligible and ineligible items separately.

Evaluation weights are pricing at 40%, technical solution quality at 25%, proposer reputation and references at 15%, e-Rate program familiarity at 10%, and financial capability at 10%. KIPP estimates award on January 29, 2027.

Proposals must include a signed Exception Form, which is required even when no exceptions are taken, a Pricing and Service Affirmation, and an Authorized Signature form executed by a corporate officer. Vendors must also complete KIPP's Vendor Packet and receive written Approved Vendor status before starting any work; due diligence may take up to three weeks, and KIPP will not pay for work performed before that confirmation. Service providers must comply with Texas Education Code Chapter 22A, including Do Not Hire Registry requirements, and supply national criminal history records for covered employees with direct student contact. When federal funds are expended, vendors must certify compliance with federal requirements including the Davis-Bacon Act, Buy America provisions, and the Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment. Vendor inquiries go to vendor.info@kipptexas.org.