Wi-Fi/Switch Upgrade and UPS Installation

Vanguard Academy Charter, operating under Salt Lake County jurisdiction in Utah, is soliciting competitive bids through Request for Proposal VAN 2026-01 for a comprehensive Wi-Fi, network switch, and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) redesign and installation project across three school sites in West Valley City. The procurement encompasses the main campus at 2650 Decker Lake Lane (75,000 square feet, two-story facility supporting approximately 1,000 concurrent wireless devices with peak capacity of 450 devices), Lakepoint expansion at 2835 Decker Lake Drive (third-floor location supporting approximately 150 concurrent devices with peak capacity of 100), and the new Middle School facility at 2691 Decker Lake Lane (46,000 square feet, one-story building supporting approximately 500 concurrent devices with peak capacity of 300). The scope of work includes installation of 80 wireless access points, 20 network switches, 6 UPS units, 1 firewall, approximately 25,600 feet of CAT6 PoE ethernet cable, software licensing, and a 5-year hardware warranty and support contract. Deliverables include pre-deployment Wi-Fi heat mapping and planning, completion of all infrastructure installations at each site with detailed CAT6 cabling runs, final implementation heat mapping, equipment turnover, and staff training and onboarding. All hardware must be new and not refurbished. A mandatory site walkthrough is scheduled for March 6, 2026, at 1:00 PM MST beginning at the main facility, with proposals due by March 23, 2026, at 5:00 PM MST. Implementation must be completed between July 1 and August 12, 2026, during the summer break. Evaluation will progress through three stages: mandatory minimum requirements (pass/fail), technical scoring criteria on a 0-5 scale totaling 525 points across six categories addressing ability to meet requirements, compatibility with existing solutions, proposed solution features and quality of service, business impact and integration simplicity, value-added features and scalability, and qualifications/prior experience, and cost evaluation representing 51 percent of total score with a maximum of 550 points awarded to the lowest-cost proposer.

The RFP does not explicitly identify set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions limiting bidder participation by organization type. Vendors must comply with USAC E-Rate program requirements, maintain current SPIN/498 ID certification, and conform to USAC invoicing procedures, as the project is funded through the E-Rate program with strict compliance requirements including data privacy and security standards for schools. Bidders must demonstrate compatibility with the existing firewall equipment currently in place at Vanguard Academy facilities and must provide detailed cost breakdowns including labor, materials, overhead, software licenses, contingency allowances, training, and turnover costs. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the RFP documentation. The contract cannot be signed until 29 days after RFP posting (February 24, 2026). Vanguard Academy reserves the right to reject any bid exceeding the total USAC-awarded funds and may terminate contracts if service parameters are not met post-implementation. Upon completion, all equipment, software, and intellectual property will be transferred to and owned by Vanguard Academy, with the specific award value or total budget not disclosed in the available documentation.