Internet Access Services

Montgomery County Public Schools is soliciting proposals from qualified telecommunications service providers to provide scalable Internet Access services for approximately 255 sites. The project requires high-capacity connectivity utilizing fiber optic transport, with pricing requested for bandwidth ranging from 60 Gbps to 500 Gbps in 10 Gbps increments. Key technical requirements include BGP support, 24x7x365 monitoring via a Network Operations Center, and a comprehensive Service Level Agreement covering availability, latency, and packet loss. The contract features an initial five-year term with options for five additional one-year renewals, and the proposed deployment target date is July 1, 2027. The award will be based primarily on cost-effectiveness and unit pricing, though evaluation factors also include the vendor's K-12 experience, infrastructure compatibility, and previous performance regarding service reliability. Selected providers must adhere to strict security standards, including third-party certifications such as SOC2 or ISO27001, and ensure all confidential data remains within the United States. Proposals must be submitted in PDF and Excel formats by November 25, 2026. Payment is processed within 30 days of invoice approval via electronic methods, and the contractor must comply with E-rate eligibility and various federal and state accessibility laws.