Starlink installation services

The South Carolina Office of Regulatory Staff (ORS) and South Carolina Broadband Office (SCBBO) are soliciting fixed-price bids for Starlink internet installation services across rural areas of the state, specifically targeting residential and farmstead locations. The procurement seeks qualified contractors to install approximately 500 Starlink units during calendar year 2025, with the majority of installations to be completed before September 30, 2025. Contractors must provide standard mounting hardware (pivot mount, wall mount, or pipe adapter) and associated materials, with the SCBBO supplying the Starlink Kit containing the antenna, router, power supply, kickstand, and 15m cable. Qualified vendors must have a minimum of three years of experience installing satellite or fixed wireless technology and be fully licensed and insured to perform residential installations in South Carolina. The solicitation requires contractors to document each installation with geo-tagged photos and Ookla Speedtests from the customer's Wi-Fi network. Offers were due by February 7, 2025 at 11:00 AM ET, with an anticipated award date of February 12, 2025, and the initial contract term running from February 26, 2025, through February 25, 2026, with four optional one-year renewal terms available.

The contract allows contractors to charge end users additional fees for custom installations requiring extra-long cables or underground trenching beyond the standard $400 per installation fixed price. While no specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises were explicitly mentioned in the solicitation, contractors must provide their own tools and transportation and be capable of traveling statewide to complete installations. The total potential contract value could reach approximately $200,000 for the initial 500 unit installations, with the possibility of expanding to $1,000,000 if all optional renewal terms are exercised. Contractors will be responsible for collecting liability release forms from end-users and maintaining appropriate insurance coverage. The procurement does not indicate any incumbent vendors, and the project appears to be part of a broader state initiative to expand broadband access in rural South Carolina regions through satellite internet technology.