Notice of Intent to Award Internet Bandwidth RFP

The City of Ashland is seeking to procure carrier-diverse IP transit services for its fiscal year 2027 telecommunications infrastructure through a Request for Proposal (RFP) numbered S-KA0010-00014521. The procurement involves obtaining two carrier-diverse internet bandwidth services, with specific technical requirements for network connectivity and infrastructure. Evaluation criteria are comprehensive, covering multiple performance dimensions including Letter of Introduction, Experience and Qualifications, IP Transits, Activation Plan, Outage Notification, New Technologies, References, and Contract Terms, with a total possible score of 105 points. The solicitation timeline indicates a bid opening on 07/31/2025 at 2:00 PM, with a pre-bid conference scheduled for 08/29/2025 at 2:00 PM. Potential vendors will be assessed across detailed technical and operational capabilities, with the RFP requiring providers to demonstrate robust, diverse IP transit infrastructure capable of meeting the city's technological needs.

The current intent is to award the 2026 Internet Bandwidth Contract to LS Networks and Link Oregon, subject to a seven-day protest period ending at 02:30 PM on September 24, 2025. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned, the evaluation scoresheet reveals competitive pricing ranging from $1,644 to $26,618 depending on bandwidth and service type. The procurement involves multiple potential service providers including Lumen, Cogent, Hunter, Link Oregon, and LS Networks, with bandwidth options spanning 10G, 20G, 25G, 40G, and 100G services. Providers will be required to submit detailed Network Recurring Charges (NRC) and Monthly Recurring Charges (MRC), with the final selection based on a holistic assessment of technical capabilities, pricing, and overall service quality. Protests or questions regarding the award can be directed to Keanna Khlafallah, Purchasing Specialist, at the City of Ashland's address: 20 East Main St. Ashland, OR 97520.