CAT1 Mobile (Bus

ATTENTION VENDORS - DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO REVIEW AND COMPLETE THIS SOLICITATION. Applicant: Wichita Falls Independent School District BEN: 140959 Form 470 #: 250021845 Attachment Name: Bus Wi-Fi Service Specifications
Service Request Wichita Falls Independent School District (Applicant) is seeking proposals for mobile data service for school buses (Bus WiFi) to be delivered throughout Wichita Falls, Texas. The district currently has a Cradlepoint IBR900 router with 5G unlimited service that includes CIPA filtering service. The applicant is seeking proposals for a bundled solution that includes the equipment and services required to deliver bus WiFi.
  Service Requirements Service providers are requested to submit offers for mobile broadband/data service for use on buses. The applicant is requesting proposals for service to one (1) bus and does require the associated mobile broadband equipment. Coverage must be reliable throughout the area(s) mentioned above. Proposals must include all costs associated with delivering the service, including device rental and/or purchase fees.   Proposal Instructions To be included in the evaluation, proposals must be submitted by the deadline. • Proposals must be submitted by the deadline for guaranteed inclusion in the evaluation. Proposals will be submitted electronically via IONWAVE (www.wfisd.ionwave.net) until 12:00 PM CST (NOON) on Monday, March 18th, 2024.
Proposal submissions should include the following: • Applicant name • Form 470 number • SPIN (Service Provider Identification Number) • Service provider’s terms and conditions Proposals must include all costs associated with providing the requested products/services to the applicant including but not limited to taxes, shipping, etc. When applicable, offerors must include all costs associated with the installation of the cabling, equipment and components including, but not limited to, configuration, travel, per diem, shipping, installation, etc   Proposals must include all costs associated with providing service, including but not limited to: • monthly service fees • required software/licensing for equipment • managed router/modem lease fees (if required for service to function) • installation and configuration • one-time activation or connection charges • estimated taxes, fees, and/or surcharges (District is K12 Public School, exempt from certain taxes)  
Communications and Questions There will not be a Questions and Answers period for this procurement. Contact initiated by an Offeror concerning this solicitation with any other Applicant representative is prohibited. Unauthorized contact may result in disqualification of the Offeror from this solicitation.   It is the responsibility of every Offeror to ensure they have downloaded the latest version of the Form 470 and/or 470 RFP attachments, including any addenda. Applicant reserves the right to ask clarifying questions of vendors upon review of proposals. Product demonstration meetings will not be granted during the competitive bidding period – requests for such will be ignored.   E-rate Specific Considerations/Information Per USAC E-rate rules, “cost of eligible services” will be the highest valued criterion in the evaluation process; however, other criteria with a lesser value may also be considered. Service providers proposing to temporarily loan equipment for product demonstration and/or evaluation purposes are required to clearly state that such loans are of limited duration. Product demos extending beyond thirty (30) days must be explicitly authorized by both parties and provided at a fair market rate.   By submitting a proposal on the requested services herein, the vendor certifies its proposed services and/or products comply with Part 47 Section 54.9 and 54.10 of the FCC rules which prohibits the sale, provision, maintenance, modification, or other support of equipment or services provided or manufactured by Huawei, ZTE, or any other covered company posing a national security threat to the integrity of communications networks or the communications supply chain. See https://www.usac.org/about/reports-orders/supply-chain/ for more details.
As required by Section 54.500(f) of Part 47 of the Code of Federal Regulation all bids in response to this RFP must offer the lowest corresponding price (LCP) which is defined as the lowest price that a service provider charges to nonresidential customers who are similarly situated to a particular E-rate applicant (school, library, or consortium) for similar services. See the following for more information on the requirements relating to LCP: https://www.usac.org/e-rate/service-providers/step-2-responding-to-bids/lowest-corresponding-price/.   Additional Considerations/Information Applicant reserves the right to award all, part or none of the services set forth in this procurement. This procurement in no manner obligates Applicant until a valid signed contract and/or valid Purchase Order is executed.   After final contract is negotiated, approved, and awarded, all proposal documents pertaining to this procurement will be open to the public, except for material which is proprietary or confidential. Applicant will not make public any pages of a proposal on which the Offeror has stamped or imprinted “Proprietary” or “Confidential” subject to the following requirements. Proprietary or confidential data shall be readily separable from the proposal to facilitate eventual public inspection of the non-confidential portion of the proposal. The price of products offered, or the cost of services proposed shall not be designated as proprietary or confidential information.   By submitting a proposal, the Offeror certifies that no relationship exists between the Offeror and Applicant that interferes with fair competition or is a conflict of interest; and no relationship exists between such propose and another person or firm that constitutes a conflict of interest that is adverse to Applicant.  
Disqualifying Factors Proposals will be disqualified for the following reasons: Unauthorized Service Provider contact with Applicant. Proposal submitted after the posted due date. Proposal includes generic/encyclopedic price lists and/or solution is proposed by an artificial intelligence system that does not take into consideration the specific needs of Applicant. Bid Evaluation Factors Bidders should be aware that the evaluation of their proposals may be adversely affected by the following factors: Proposal does not fully meet Service Requirements. Proposal does not provide definitive costs for the services. Proposal does not guarantee service by the requested date. Proposal requires an initial contract term longer than ­­twelve (12) months. Service coverage is not provided, unavailable, or incomplete in the bus route area(s).
 
Applicant may, at its sole discretion, extend the due date for the submission of proposals when it is in its best interest to do so. Such extensions shall be done via addendum posted in EPC.