Infrastructure Communications Failure Systems

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) in Tampa, Florida, is issuing an Invitation to Bid (ITB 26101-ITB-MST) for supplemental maintenance and repair services for infrastructure communications systems across its 235 schools and facilities serving approximately 225,000 students. The procurement seeks experienced and qualified vendors to provide repair, renovation, and upgrade services specifically for non-proprietary failures in Nortel/Avaya telephone systems and Honeywell Vista Series security panels, including all associated labor, materials, supervision, equipment, and incidentals necessary to complete the work. Qualified bidders must demonstrate a minimum of five years' experience with both Nortel/Avaya and Honeywell systems, maintain at least one certified technician for each system type, provide proof of current business licenses and insurance, and maintain physical offices in Hillsborough County or adjacent counties (Polk, Pasco, Pinellas, Manatee). The contract scope includes emergency services with a two-hour response requirement and standard service hours from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday, with completion timelines ranging from four hours to fifteen business days based on priority level. Technical questions must be submitted by March 25, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST via www.myvendorlink.com, with bids due electronically through VendorLink on April 8, 2026, at 5:00 PM EST; hardcopy submissions will not be accepted. The initial contract term begins upon Board approval and automatically renews for up to four additional one-year periods contingent upon appropriations, performance, continued need, and mutual agreement, with provisions for temporary renewals up to 180 days and temporary unilateral renewals up to 90 days if the contractor declines renewal.

All bidders must comply with mandatory affidavits certifying that neither the company nor any entity with controlling interest is owned by, controlled by, or organized under the laws of foreign countries of concern (China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, or Syria) as required by Florida Statutes Section 287.138, and must attest under penalty of perjury that the contractor does not engage in human trafficking or coercion for labor and services as mandated by Florida Statutes Section 787.06(13). The procurement document does not indicate specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though HCPS encourages small business enterprises and service-disabled veterans to register with the Office of Supplier Development for potential preferred supplier status and term discounts. Bidders must submit pricing on the provided price sheet for three service sections—Telephone Systems, Security Systems, and Non-Proprietary Communications—with hourly labor rates for standard and non-standard hours, plus markup percentages for materials and rental equipment capped at fifteen percent maximum. The solicitation reserves authority to obtain competitive quotes for projects exceeding $10,000 in total cost, and all goods and services are warranted for one year from acceptance; HCPS will not pay for rental equipment, call-out fees, travel time, or quote fees. Pricing must be firm for the initial contract term with FOB Destination pricing including all shipping, and price increases at renewal are limited to the lesser of three percent or the Consumer Price Index for the Tampa-St. Petersburg market. The contract documents do not specify an overall budget range or award value, indicating that compensation will be determined through the competitive bidding process based on submitted pricing and hourly labor rates.