Internet and WAN Service

The Decatur County School System (DCSS) in Georgia is issuing a Request for Proposals for District Internet and WAN Service under the E-Rate Funding Program for fiscal year 2026-27. The procurement seeks a comprehensive wide area network solution and Internet access service covering seven school locations, with deliverables including fiber optic WAN connectivity providing 20 gigabit service to six sites (Bainbridge High School, Hutto Elementary School, Jones-Wheat Primary School, West Bainbridge Primary School, New Beginnings Learning Center, and Central Office) and 1 gigabit service to Centennial Field, plus a minimum 5 gigabit Internet access connection delivered via dedicated fiber to Bainbridge High School. Vendors must be qualified CLEC and/or ILEC providers in Georgia with FCC Green Light Status, maintain proof of $2,000,000 General Aggregate Liability insurance, provide their SPIN number, and submit a minimum of four current client references with WAN or Internet services. The evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: price (30 percent), technical qualifications (25 percent), ability to provide two-hour onsite response capability (20 percent), single vendor turnkey capability (15 percent), and prior E-Rate experience with DCSS (10 percent). The RFP was released on January 23, 2026, with proposals due by February 23, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST; the contract term is three years commencing July 1, 2026, with two optional one-year renewal periods. Submissions must be sent via US Postal mail or hand-delivered to Jason Logue, Director of Technology, at the DCSS offices in Bainbridge, Georgia.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types have been identified in the procurement documents. Pricing proposals must include all installation, monthly recurring costs, taxes, and associated fees for the three-year initial term presented as an all-inclusive turnkey solution, with the district responsible only for the non-discounted portion of costs net of E-Rate funding. All equipment must be new, vendor-owned and maintained with no transfer of ownership to the district, and the service provider assumes full responsibility for obtaining necessary right-of-ways for fiber installation. The RFP is contingent upon approval of federal E-Rate Program funding from the Schools and Libraries Division of USAC, and vendors must provide E-Rate certifications and debarment certificates as part of their submissions. No incumbent vendor, current contractor, or existing infrastructure integration requirements were specified in the available documentation, and no specific award value or budget range was disclosed in the RFP summary.