Internet Web Hosting

The West Virginia Department of Education has issued an Agency Request for Proposals (ARFP) for Internet Web Hosting and Services under solicitation number EDD2600000002, targeting public PK-12 schools across 55 county school districts, two state school districts, and three Educational Services Cooperatives. The procurement seeks a prime vendor/systems integrator to provide comprehensive broadband internet access, web hosting, domain name services, and listserv support for approximately 248,000 students and 38,000 staff members. Key deliverables include maintaining 99.95% network uptime, providing internet access at multiple bandwidth tiers (50-200 Gbps), offering domain name services, and supporting email listservs for 871 current lists with over 169,600 users. The technical evaluation will be scored out of 70 points, with cost evaluation at 30 points, requiring vendors to achieve a minimum acceptable score of 70% to proceed. Proposals are due by November 13, 2025, at 2:00 PM ET, with a contract term spanning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, and potential renewals for up to seven successive one-year periods. Vendors must submit physical proposals to the Department of Education in Charleston, West Virginia, with online submissions prohibited.

The solicitation does not specify explicit set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations. The current incumbent provider serves the existing PK-12 network infrastructure, but the new vendor must absorb all transition costs without additional expense to the state or school districts. Critical requirements include E-Rate program compliance, necessitating vendors maintain documentation such as FCC Form 498 registration and FCC Form 473 annual certification. While specific budget ranges are not definitively stated, the procurement documents suggest potential E-Rate reimbursement volumes between $800,000 and $2.4 million annually. The contract is structured as an open-ended award with no minimum order requirements, allowing the West Virginia Department of Education flexibility in service utilization. Vendors must comply with Federal Communications Commission's Lowest Corresponding Price requirements and provide monthly discounted billing for E-Rate services while carrying accounts receivable pending USAC reimbursement. Background checks for all staff and subcontractors entering school facilities are mandatory, and the vendor must serve as a single point of contact assuming full technical responsibility for all service components.