Outside Plant Fiber Maintenance and Repair Services

The School District of Escambia County, Florida is requesting proposals for outside plant fiber optic maintenance and repair services under Form 470 RFP FY27-470-1, with questions due November 11, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. CST and proposals due December 17, 2026 at 1:30 p.m. CST. Responders must obtain and maintain valid SPIN certification and good standing Red Light status with the FCC before proposal evaluation and throughout the contract term. Solicitation seeks vendors approved by the Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC) to provide E-rate eligible goods and services. No set-aside or local-vendor preference is stated.

Scope covers bi-annual inspection and survey of approximately 62 miles of fiber route (36 miles aerial, 26 miles buried) to identify hazards including, but not limited to, construction activity, damaged buried-cable markers, damaged closures and splice enclosures, standing water near ducts and handholes, and damaged or leaning poles carrying District fiber. Inspections combine drive-by patrols with on-foot visual checks where necessary. The first inspection each contract year must occur before August 1, except the initial year, which requires completion within two months of award. Additional work includes pole transfers coordinated through NJUNS and emergency repairs available 24/7 with a four-hour response requirement. Immediate threats to network operation or public safety must be reported to the District Contract Administrator immediately, and other threats must be documented and reported within one week.

The contract term runs five years in one-year increments from July 1, 2027 through June 30, 2032, with five additional one-year renewals subject to School Board approval and E-rate program allowances. Proposals must price labor rates by technician category, inspection events, pole transfers, mobilization, material markups, and optional-year escalation, with rates firm through the base term unless negotiated otherwise. Evaluation weights are pricing at 40 points, technical approach at 25 points, qualifications and references at 25 points, E-rate experience and invoicing capability at 5 points, and contract flexibility at 5 points. Anticipated School Board approval is February 16, 2027. No work begins until a Purchase Order is issued. Responders must provide background screening certification under Florida Statutes Sections 1012.32 and 1012.465 at their own cost and acknowledge all addenda.