KCNA - Wholesale Services

The Commonwealth of Kentucky, through the Kentucky Communications Network Authority (KCNA), is seeking a vendor to provide wholesale telecommunications services utilizing the KentuckyWired network, a state-owned, open-access, middle-mile fiber optic infrastructure spanning approximately 3,400 miles across all 120 counties. The Request for Proposal (RFP 758 2600000154) solicits qualified vendors to lease dark fiber and/or lit fiber services to Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and other broadband providers on a non-discriminatory basis to expand broadband access throughout the state. Proposals are due by January 21, 2026, at 3:30 p.m. ET, with an initial contract term of four years and three optional two-year renewal periods. The evaluation will be based on a maximum of 3,200 points, with 1,700 points allocated to technical merit (including executive summary, company background, technical approach, implementation plan, timeline, and project management), 1,000 points for cost, and up to 500 points for potential oral presentations. Vendors must submit a technical proposal, cost proposal, mandatory requirements checklist, and various required affidavits and forms, with proposals scoring below 50 percent of maximum technical points being disqualified from further consideration.

The procurement does not specify explicit set-aside designations, but requires vendors to complete affidavits related to resident bidder status and qualified bidder requirements. Vendors must have the capability to market and lease network capacity while adhering to strict service level agreements that specify performance metrics across four service levels with availability requirements ranging from 99.0% to 99.9%. The vendor will not be permitted to provide last-mile retail services and must maintain commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $3,000,000 aggregate. The cost proposal form requires vendors to submit a total minimum lump sum payment per year, along with revenue share percentages for Dark Fiber Services and Lit Fiber Services. While no specific contract value is explicitly stated, the procurement allows for pricing across a ten-year potential contract period, including the initial four-year term and three optional two-year renewals. The Commonwealth reserves the right to negotiate with the highest-ranked vendor and proceed to the next highest-ranked vendor if initial negotiations are unsuccessful.