Request for Storage and Archive Solution

Midland Public Schools in Midland, Michigan is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a replacement storage and archive solution through technology designer and construction manager Barton Malow Company. The procurement encompasses three distinct bid categories: a Storage Area Network (SAN) system, network infrastructure, and a backup/archiving solution. The SAN component requires bidders to provide two 30 TB minimum usable capacity systems with RAID 10 configuration—one for production at the Administration Building and one for disaster recovery at H.H. Dow High School—plus one 15 TB system for the disaster recovery site. The network infrastructure must support either copper or fiber optics connectivity with switches and network interface cards capable of 10 Gbps speeds, while the backup/archiving solution must support incremental forever backups with synthetic full snapshots for approximately 9 TB of protected data across 30 servers. All equipment must be supplied in new factory condition with minimum five-year parts and labor warranties, five-year software support, and automatic replacement of broken and worn components. Bidders must submit detailed bills of materials, product data sheets, hourly labor rates, and unit pricing for potential future purchases at bid discount rates. Proposals are due May 15, 2018, at 11:00 AM at the Midland Public Schools Administration Building, with post-bid interviews scheduled for May 16, 2018, Board of Education consideration anticipated for May 21, 2018, and equipment delivery required by July 13, 2018. On-site work is restricted to Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, with corridor installations and system cutovers completed outside school hours at no additional cost to the owner.

Bidders must submit bid security equal to five percent of the base bid amount in the form of a bid bond or cashier's check, along with familial disclosure affidavits and Iran Economic Sanctions Act compliance certificates. Performance and payment bonds are required for contracts exceeding $50,000, and prevailing wage requirements per Michigan Public Act 166 apply to any installation work performed. The RFP permits the school district to award all categories to a single vendor, distribute awards among separate companies, or decline to award any categories at its discretion. The district reserves the right to reject any or all bids, negotiate with the successful bidder, and waive irregularities in submissions. Installation and configuration services are optional, with the base bid covering equipment procurement only and the owner responsible for data migration activities. While no specific set-aside designations or incumbent vendor information is detailed in the available documentation, no explicit restrictions limiting bidder eligibility to disadvantaged enterprises or other specialized categories are indicated.