ERATE 2026-2027 Network Equipment Lifecycle Replacement

The Savannah-Chatham County Public School System (SCCPSS) in Chatham County, Georgia, is soliciting sealed proposal packages from qualified firms to provide delivery and installation services for network switches and Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) units as part of the E-Rate 2026-2027 Network Equipment Lifecycle Replacement program. The procurement specifications require bidders to supply and install Cisco network switches (including C9500-24Y4C-EDU, C9200L series in various port configurations, C9300 series, and C9200CX models) and Vertiv UPS units (GXT5LI-2000LVRT2UXLN and GXT5LI-1500LVRT2UXLN models) across 26 school facilities throughout the district, with total quantities including 533 C9200L-48P-4X-EDU switches, 315 power supply units, 9 C9300X switches, 528 additional C9200L units in various configurations, 109 stacking kits, 90 three-meter stacking cables, 38 SFP modules, 35 units of the 2000LV UPS model, and 191 units of the 1500LV UPS model. Bidders must obtain a valid E-Rate Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN), demonstrate capability in delivering and installing enterprise-grade network equipment meeting FCC E-Rate program compliance standards, submit notarized Bidder Information Forms, and provide at least three professional references with contact information. The contract term shall not exceed one year from execution with two optional one-year renewal periods available by mutual written consent, and the District will award the contract contingent upon receipt of E-Rate funding approval from the Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of the Universal Service Administration Company (USAC). Proposals are due March 3, 2026, and bidders must hold their pricing valid for ninety days following the scheduled bid opening date.

The solicitation does not identify any specific set-aside designations for small businesses, minority-owned enterprises, or other designated vendor categories; however, all prospective bidders must submit mandatory compliance certifications including debarment affidavits, E-Verify affidavits per O.C.G.A. 13-10-91(b), lobbying disclosure forms, and proof of insurance or commitment to obtain insurance upon contract award. For contracts exceeding $100,000, bidders must provide bid security (bid bond, cashier's check, or certified check), performance bonds equal to the total contract value, and payment bonds equal to the total contract value, with surety companies requiring either Georgia Commissioner of Insurance authorization or listing on the United States Department of Treasury's approved bond sureties list. The District will implement a two-tier billing system to recover up to ninety percent of eligible service costs directly through the E-Rate program, with monthly invoicing to the Accounts Payable Department and payment within forty days of invoice receipt; contractors must separately itemize E-Rate eligible and ineligible costs and maintain FCC recordkeeping compliance for ten years. The procurement sources funding through the Federal Communications Commission's E-Rate program, which provides discounts on telecommunications and network equipment for eligible educational institutions, though specific contract award values or budget ranges are not disclosed in the available solicitation documents, and installation labor costs vary by site depending on facility complexity, ranging from one to fourteen days per location.