Next-Generation Firewall

The Decatur County School System in Georgia is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the procurement and installation of a next-generation firewall system to support district-wide Internet access. The firewall appliance will be installed and configured at Bainbridge High School and must meet specific technical requirements, including a minimum 5 Gbps throughput with threat prevention features enabled, support for at least 2 million concurrent sessions, four SFP+ (10 Gigabit) ports, and dual hot-swappable power supplies in a rack-mountable 1U or 2U form factor. The firewall must include integrated web filtering compliant with CIPA requirements, gateway anti-virus, intrusion prevention systems, malware protection, and local logging capabilities. Deliverables include a three-year manufacturer support contract encompassing 24/7 technical support and hardware replacement, with an engineer available for warranty service within four hours of Bainbridge. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: price (40%), technical qualifications (30%), in-area engineer availability (20%), and prior experience with Decatur County Schools (10%). Proposals must be submitted by February 23, 2026, at 2:00 PM EST to Jason Logue, Director of Technology, at the Decatur County Schools Board of Education office in Bainbridge, Georgia. Vendors may schedule site visits by contacting Jason Logue at jlogue@dcboe.com to evaluate the school location prior to submitting proposals.

No set-aside designations or restrictions on organization types are specified in the RFP documentation provided. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement materials. Pricing proposals must separate E-Rate eligible and ineligible costs and be submitted using the approved USAC Bulk Upload Template Excel spreadsheet. The project is funded through E-Rate Category 2 funding, with the district utilizing the Service Provider Invoicing method for discounted billing; vendors must supply a SPIN number and may not use subcontractors, as all services must be performed by the vendor's in-house personnel with appropriate certifications. Final payment will be made only after the firewall is verified to be functioning as expected, and project implementation is contingent upon receipt of a Funding Commitment Decision Letter from the SLD approving the requested discounts in full. No specific budget or award value is disclosed in the RFP documentation.