RFP 26-029 Switch Upgrade

Bibb County Public Schools has issued RFP 26-029 for switch upgrade installation services funded entirely through E-Rate programs. The procurement seeks qualified vendors to install network switches across 45 locations throughout Bibb County, including 51 Cisco Catalyst C9500-48Y4C switches (or equivalent) with associated power supplies and fiber optic cables, as well as 3 Nexus 9336C-FX2 data center core switches (or equivalent) with supporting infrastructure. Required qualifications include demonstrated E-Rate compliance capability, prior E-Rate experience, technical proficiency in network switch installation, and the ability to respond to emergency calls within one hour. All on-site installation work must be completed outside normal business hours (before 4:00 a.m. or after 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday, or anytime on weekends). The evaluation criteria allocate 30 points to pricing and cost reasonableness, 25 points to prior E-Rate experience and vendor qualifications, 20 points to technical solutions, 15 points to installation methodology and project approach, and 10 points to compliance and risk management, for a total of 100 possible points. A mandatory pre-bid meeting is scheduled for February 11, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. EST at the SOAR Building in Macon, Georgia. The deadline for written questions is February 16, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. EST, with proposals due by March 2, 2026 at 8:00 a.m. EST via the Bonfire platform. Pricing must remain firm for a minimum of 180 days from the proposal due date.

The RFP documentation does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to particular types of organizations such as disadvantaged enterprises. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the opportunity. Selected vendors must provide proof of required insurance within 15 days of notification, including statutory workers' compensation coverage, employer's liability insurance with minimum limits of $100,000, and commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $250,000 per occurrence. All vendor employees working on-site must complete fingerprinting and background checks prior to arrival. The contract term is one year with four optional renewal periods, and board approval is pending. No specific award value or budget range is listed in the available documentation. Interested vendors should direct inquiries to Elaine M. Wilson, Procurement Director, at Elaine.Wilson@bcsdk12.net.