GenNET Telephone Service

The Genesee Intermediate School District (GISD) is seeking comprehensive telephone services for the GenNET (Genesee Network for Education Telecommunications) consortium, which includes 21 school districts and the intermediate school district in Genesee County, Michigan. The Request for Proposal (RFP) 2019-03 solicits bids for a wide range of telecommunications services, including Primary Rate Interface (PRI) services, Plain Old Telephone Service (POTS) lines, long-distance calling, Enhanced 911 services, directory listings, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) trunks, and cloud-hosted Voice over IP (VoIP) services. The procurement covers approximately 200 connected buildings across a 450-mile fiber optic network, with vendors required to provide both three-year and five-year contract pricing options. Proposals were due on December 13, 2019, at 2:00 P.M., with questions accepted up to 72 hours before the bid opening. Bidders must submit one original, two copies, and one electronic copy of their proposal, along with a $5,000 certified check or bid bond, and must maintain bid prices firm for 90 days from the bid opening.

The procurement does not specify explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises. The current telecommunications infrastructure is primarily serviced by Windstream, with at least two fiber strands available from the GenNET Headend to each district location. While each school district will contract individually, the GISD will act as the fiscal agent. Vendors must honor the same pricing for any new or existing Genesee County locations not originally listed, and if any district has an existing contract with lower pricing, the vendor must match that lower cost. The bidding process requires several mandatory submissions, including a Bid Form, Familial Relationship Disclosure Statement, and certification that the bidder is not an "Iran Linked Business" under Michigan Public Act 517 of 2012. The current telecommunications environment serves approximately 7,500 Direct Inward Dialing (DID) numbers, primarily on the 810-591 exchange, with nine districts using shared VoIP systems and 13 districts maintaining their own PRI connections. While the exact budget is not specified, the comprehensive nature of the services and the extensive network suggest a significant potential contract value.