ON ALL CORRESPONDENCE / REQUEST FOR QUOTATION
THIS IS AN INQUIRY, NOT AN ORDER. PLEASE QUOTE PROMPTLY /
PLEASE QUOTE US PRICES ON ITEMS CALHOUN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION
LISTED BELOW. NOTE DELIVERY P O BOX 2084
REQUIREMENTS AND STATE FIRM ANNISTON, ALABAMA 36202
DELIVERY DATE. (256) 741-7400 /
DATE: December 7, 2001 / ADDRESS REPLY TO:
H. Jacky Sparks, Superintendent / REPLY DUE BY:
2:00 p.m. January 3, 2002 /
ITEM / QUANTITY / DESCRIPTION / PRICE
The Calhoun County Board of Education invites bids for
LAN Cabling for new construction of Ohatchee, Pleasant Valley, White Plains Elementary Schools, and Saks Elementary School (optional)
See Attached Specifications and Instructions
SEALED BIDS ONLY
MARK BIDS “ LAN Cabling 02-03 “
THE BOARD OF EDUCATION RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL BIDS.
VENDOR: PLEASE COMPLETE THIS INFORMATION.
2. F.O.B. POINT
3. TERMS BY______
4. DATE OF QUOTATION PURCHASING AGENT/AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE
______INDICATE IF YOUR COMPANY QUALIFIES FOR
SIGNATURE AND TITLE MINORITY CERTIFICATION______
VOICE PHONE______FAX______ /
It is the policy of the Calhoun County Board of Education that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, disability, sex, religion, national origin, or age, be excluded from participation in any purchasing process or be subjected to discrimination.
Calhoun County School System
LAN Cabling for
Ohatchee, Pleasant Valley, White Plains
and Saks Elementary Schools
Request For Proposal
Refer to Bid # 2002 - 03
BID INSTRUCTIONS
General Overview
The Calhoun County School System is seeking proposals for a Structured Cabling System with a minimum 15-year warranty to cable new construction and then to connect it to the existing Local Area Network and Wide Area Networks for 3 new schools and 1 proposed addition. This project also includes installation of the associated Ethernet hubs, switches, and fiber transceiver modules as required. Additional drops at existing sites may also be included and will be priced based on per item costs as specified in the response.
The scope of this RFP is for the materials, installation, supervision, and technical assistance for a complete cabling system. The bid, if awarded, will be on the basis of the total cost of the wiring system. The Calhoun County School System will not consider awarding individual sections of the RFP. The labor required to place any raceway, backboards, cable, cabinets, equipment and outlet boxes including the design, termination, testing, and documentation for each location will be the requirement of the successful bidder.
Format
This solicitation contains sections that provide general information about cable runs and component requirements. Bidders should itemize all materials separately from the labor costs in their proposal. Bidders are advised to configure the hardware to meet the total needs of the distribution system including cabinets and associated hardware.
Component costs are solicited for internal cost allocation purposes and the bidders should not imply that RFP sections would be separately awarded. Bidders' responses will be considered the total and complete price quote for installation of all Ethernet equipment, ST connectors, patch panels, raceway and other miscellaneous equipment necessary for a complete structured system installation at the school.
Site Locations
This RFP is issued for the new construction being built at
Ohatchee Elementary School at 100 Cherokee Trail, Ohatchee, Alabama
Pleasant Valley Elementary School on Mark Green Road, Jacksonville, Alabama
White Plains Elementary School on Highway 9 Anniston, Alabama
These 3 projects have already begun construction and can be visited by potential vendors. Copies of electrical auxiliary pages from the plans are included with this RFP. Additionally, plans may be viewed at the Technology Department of Calhoun County Schools.
A proposed addition to Saks Elementary School, Watson Drive Anniston, Alabama
is also included in this RFP. It may or may not be included in the final contract. Final plans are not available for this project. Proposed plans are available and will be used for bidding purposes. Changes to the initial bid will be made using the individual pricing component of the original bid.
General Characteristics of Cable Design
This RFP describes requirements for a Local Area Network and must be in compliance with EIA/TIA 568 standards. The data station cabling will be Enhanced Category 5, UTP, 4 pair copper station wire and associated jacks, connectors, and patch panels. 6-Strand multi-mode fiber meeting FDDI specifications will serve as the backbone feed from the main hub (MDF) and server between the IDF’s.
Bidder qualifications:
Bidders must document for the Calhoun County School System that they:
· Have been established in business for three years
· Have verifiable accounts of similar size and complexity
· Have appropriate certification for installing and terminating category 5 and multimode fiber cables
· Have a minimum $1,000,000 in liability insurance
· Have a Windows NT certified technician on staff
· Operate a service facility within 75 miles of Calhoun County
RFP Schedule
· RFP issued December 7, 2001
· Required prebid meeting December 18, 2001 1:00 pm,
CCBOE Technology Department
· Proposal Submission January 3, 2002 2:00 p.m.
· Vendor Selection TBA
· Installation Start Date July 1, 2002 (or when building is ready)
· Completion Date Before final inspection of new construction (TBA)
(All work must be coordinated with the general contractor for the construction. Delays will be discussed with the director of technology as soon as possible.)
Vendor inquires
Vendors may address questions and comments regarding this RFP to:
Ms. Rita Wright, Director of Technology
Calhoun County Board of Education
4400 McClellan Blvd. OR P.O. Box 2084
Anniston, Alabama 36206 Anniston, AL 36202
Phone: 256-741-7473 FAX: 256-237-9316
Email:
Web site: www.calhoun.k12.al.us
All questions must be submitted in writing by December 19, 2001. Due to limited office hours during the holiday season, it is recommended that questions be submitted via email.
Additions, Deletions, Modifications
If additions, deletions, modifications or clarifications to the RFP become necessary, such changes will be posted on the system web site by December 21, 2001 and will be communicated in writing to all vendors.
Bid Submission
Each vendor must prepare a proposal that includes the format and content of this RFP. All pages of the response must be numbered and each item addressed as to acceptance or denial of the specific information requested. (i.e. accepted by Your Company Name) A copy of the bid is available in Word format on the system website: www.calhoun.k12.al.us.
Vendor Responses
Each vendor must respond to all items in this RFP as thoroughly as possible. Unclear or ambiguous statements must be avoided. Failure to follow the prescribed format may result in the proposal being out of compliance with these specifications and, therefore, may be deemed unacceptable. A complete bid will contain:
· 3 Copies of bid using format provided
· Proof of insurance
· Cat 5 and fiber certifications
· Windows NT certifications
· All requested vendor information
· Bid Bond
Authorized Signature
An authorized representative of the vendor’s company shall sign each proposal. Additionally it should include and list individuals who are authorized to negotiate with the School System representative.
Number of response copies
Three (3) original copies of the bid response must be submitted to the following address: (These should be clearly labeled as “Original”, “Copy 1” and “Copy 2”)
Mr. H. Jacky Sparks, Superintendent
Calhoun County Board of Education
4400 McClellan Blvd.
Anniston, Alabama 36206
Submission Date
The bids should be submitted on or before January 3, 2002 at 2:00 pm.
Bids not received by this date and time will automatically be disqualified from consideration. Bid Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope with the company name, bid due date and time, and the words “SEALED BID FOR: Calhoun County Schools’ LAN Cabling Bid 2002-03” all clearly noted on the outside.
Oral, telephone, FAX, or email bids shall not be considered, nor will modifications of proposals by such communication be considered.
Basis of Award
The Calhoun County School System will review all proposals to ensure compliance with the design criteria for the distribution system and for compliance to the specifications. Quality of products, individual and total prices, as well as compatibility of items bid with existing equipment will all be considered when reviewing bids. Only vendors with installed, verifiable structured distribution systems and services will be considered by the School System. Only vendors that present component products manufactured by known verifiable manufacturers will be considered. The system design submitted with the bid should clearly layout the intent of the construction and the component list of materials to be used.
The Director of Technology for the School System will be considered the expert in determining quality of equipment, assembly, and installation. Equipment and/or components may be called in for evaluation prior to awarding the bid.
Vendor shall be expected to provide free phone support during reasonable working hours and next day on-site service for warranty items. Vendor’s ability to provide such support will be determined by the system’s technology director. The decision will be based on the information provided in the vendor profile including information from references.
Customer Acceptance / Rejection
The School System reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids, to take exception to these RFP specifications, or waive any formalities. Vendors may be excluded from further consideration for failure to comply with the specifications.
Bid Validity
Prices
All prices as quoted in the bidder's responses must remain the same for a period of 90 days after the bid closing date. Pricing should be for new materials only. After award of the bid, the Calhoun County School System may award additional work based on the unit prices submitted within this proposal. Once awarded, all unit pricing must remain firm for one year.
Contractual Relationship
Nothing herein creates any contractual relationship between the School System and the bidder. However, statements contained in the responses of the successful bidder will become part of the contract for installation, equipment and services. Such contract will remain valid until June 30, 2003.
Vendors should submit, as part of their proposal, a copy of their standard contract with terms and conditions.
Bid/Performance Bond
Bidder must provide Bid Bond or Certified check in the amount of 10% of the total bid but not more than $10,000. Bid bonds will be returned to unsuccessful bidders once a vendor is selected and a contract signed. Bid bond of the selected vendor will become a performance bond and will be retained until work has been performed to the system's satisfaction. Bond will be forfeited if the system fails to perform as specified in the vendor’s response, if the vendor fails to meet specified time frames, or vendor fails to fulfill other obligations contained in this RFP.
Delays
If after award of the contract, the bidder becomes aware of possible problems that could result in delay of the completion of the system or schedule, the bidder must immediately notify the Director of Technology in writing, with confirmation by telephone, giving the cause and probable effect, with recommendations for alternative actions.
Breach of Contract
Nothing in the above item will be interpreted as relieving the vendor of the contractual responsibilities; however, failure to notify the School System promptly will be the basis for determining that the vendor is in an indefensible breach of contract in an otherwise excusable delay.
Statutory Requirements
All applicable Federal, State, Local laws, all fire and building codes, rules and regulations of local authorities having jurisdiction over communications and electrical construction will apply to the contract throughout. They will be deemed to be incorporated into the contract.
Exceptions to the RFP
It is anticipated that vendors may find instances where their proposed distribution system may not be consistent with the specification of this RFP. In such instances, it is permissible to take exception to the RFP and exceptions should be submitted with the proposal response outlining the scope of the exception, their ramifications and the description of the advantages to be gained by the Calhoun County School System by accepting the proposed alternatives.
Liability
The Calhoun County School System will not be liable for any cost incurred in the preparation and presentation of the bid proposal.
Nondiscrimination Policy
It is the policy of the Calhoun County Board of Education that no person shall, on the grounds of race, color, disability, sex, religion, national origin, or age, be excluded from participation in any purchasing process or be subjected to discrimination.
OBJECTIVES OF THIS RFP
The objective of this RFP is to secure a structured Local Area Network Cable Distribution System and supporting Ethernet equipment capable of supporting 10Base-T, Fast Ethernet, and Future ATM Technologies and future multi-media applications.
This solicitation calls for a Multi-mode fiber and 2 Enhanced Category 5 cables between each IDF and the existing MDF, Enhanced Category 5 cable drops, and associated hardware to be placed at each school location. Patch panels, patch cables, and cabinets of appropriate size and specification will also be required.
CABLING SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
A reliable 15-year structured distribution system utilizing proper design, implementation and testing is a requirement of the Calhoun County School System. The basis for these communication cabling specifications are the EIA/TIA 568 standards. Site plans and drawings are attached to this RFP.
Design Basis
The cabling system will originate from designated IDF’s in the building. The average cable run length is not over 150 feet for those runs that do not terminate within the same room as the patch panel. The equipment cabinet to house the patch panels, switches, and the connection to the server at the IDF will be located in a designated room of each wing/floor of the building. The Category 5 cable runs shall not exceed 300 feet. All wall penetrations above the suspended ceiling shall be sleeved and firestopped.
Media Types
The media type used for transmission in the design of the distribution system are as follows:
· Enhanced, Category 5, UTP, Non-plenum rated, 4 pair data station wire.
· Multi-mode fiber meeting FDDI specifications, with ST connectors.
· Indoor/Outdoor aerial fiber (where needed) meeting FDDI specifications, with ST connectors.