Agenda Item
i. E-Rate Self-Provisioned Fiber Maintenance (Year 1 of 5) (in an amount not to exceed $205,320.)
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Monika Davis, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the E-Rate award for Self-Provisioned Fiber Maintenance to the Zayo Group in an amount not exceed $205,320. This will allow the district to seek Category 1 reimbursement for Internet Connections and non-recurring services. This is year 1 of a five-year agreement.
Why: The purpose of this recommendation is to provide maintenance on the DCSD Self Provisioned Fiber (SPF) Optics Network.
Details: DCSD will use this E-Rate award to seek reimbursement for the Self-Provisioned Fiber of the DCSD Fiber Optic Network. The FCC's E-Rate program makes telecommunications and information services more affordable for schools and libraries. With funding from the Universal Service Fund, E-Rate provides discounts for telecommunications, Internet access, and internal connections to eligible schools and libraries. The discount percentage is based off the Districts Free and reduced lunch percentage.
This year there was (1) vendor response to the Districts E-Rate 470 bid for (Self Provisioned Fiber). The response was evaluated by an internal team that consisted of the Network Manager, PMO Manager, IT Project Manager, and Wi-Fi Engineer.
The 1 vendor that responded to the DCSD 470 requests for Self-Provisioned Fiber (SPF) Maintenance is:
Zayo
The criteria used to evaluate the companies and Products and Services were based off a 100 Point Scale:
Price 30
Experience with DeKalb County School District 25
Product/Service Features 20
Reliability 20
Local Preference 5
Based upon a thorough and detailed evaluation of how well each of the vendors met the major criteria considered, Zayo was selected as the best choice.
As part of the E-Rate competitive bidding process, this request for proposal was available to potential vendors, nationally. It is also important to note that Zayo/AGLN designed and built the district’s fiber network and has provided maintenance for the past 15 years.
The E-Rate program provides discounts to assist schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access. The program is funded through the Universal Service fee. E-Rate regulations require that cost has a higher weighting. However, E-Rate regulations do not require selection of lowest cost proposal as part of the evaluation process. The above criteria meet E-Rate regulations.
Financial impact: $205,320
General Fund
100.2800.543200.00011.7600.9990.0308.070.0000
DCSD will seek 90% reimbursement against a maximum expenditure of $205,320.
Contact: Ms. Monika Davis, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology, 678.767.1274
Effective: April 2023
Status: Approved by General Counsel
Erate Response Evaluations for FY2023 - 2024
USAC Form 470 and DeKalb County School District (DCSD)
Requirements
Executive Summary and Supporting Document
Category 1 – Self-Provisioned Fiber Maintenance
Executive Summary
Purpose
This evaluation requests funding from Universal Service Administrative Company (USAC),
which manages the contribution of revenue to and distribution of Erate funding from the
Universal Service Fund. The funding (Category 1) is provided for broadband, Internet access,
and internal connections and maintenance to eligible schools and libraries. DeKalb County
School District (DCSD) is eligible for these services.
Background and Process
The evaluation team was made up of five staff people in the Division of Information Technology
and the district’s Erate business partner, EFG Group. There were three representing Network
Services and one representing the Project Management Office, and two representatives from
EFG Group.
The solicitation was written, published for two weeks, and evaluated during December 2022
through February and will be submitted to the Board of Education for approval in March 2023.
The bidding process was facilitated by the district’s business partner, EFG Group. On February
10, 2023, the deadline for receiving responses, four vendors responded to the solicitation,
deemed responsive, and were evaluated.
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Evaluation Summary
There was only one response for Category 1 - Self-Provisioned Fiber (SPF)
Maintenance. Zayo was the respondent and incumbent, who has been the district’s
provider for this service for 10+ years. It met all requirements and provided an annual
cost a little less ($205,320.00) than the previous year’s cost ($215,569.00). Note that
this year, Zayo provided multi-year pricing—see the cost table below—which gives the
district better pricing depending on which Term is selected for the contract. Zayo is the
recommended respondent for continuing to provide Self-Provisioned Fiber Maintenance
service to the district. Below is the evaluation matrix used to rate this company.
Evaluation Matrix
VENDOR DECISION/EVALUATION MATRIX
SCHOOL OR LIBRARY NAME: DeKalb County
School District (DCSD) Date: E-rate: 2023-24
Self-Provisioned Network
Eligible Service: Maintenance Category 1
Total
Points
Factors Available Vendor 1
Zayo
****NOTE: POINT VALUES AND FACTORS MAY BE CHANGED PER YOUR OWN
CRITERIA, BUT PRICE
MUST REMAIN THE MOST HEAVILY WEIGHTED FACTOR--TOTAL OF ALL MUST ADD TO
100****
Price 30 30
Experience 25 25
Product/ Service
Features 20 15
Reliability 20 20
Local Preference 5 5
TOTAL POINTS: 100 95 0 0 0 0 0
Winning bidder based on most points was:
Selection team member initials:
Nonresponsive bidders, if any:
Notes:
Zayo is the only response received. The district has had prior experience with the district.
Product/Services is contingent on additional documentation.
Price - The DIIT (Division of Information and Instructional Technology) team deemed that price
is in line/reasonable with what to be expected with similar cost for this type of service.
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Multi-Year Pricing
# of MRC per Annual Recurring
Sites Term Location Total MRC Amount
145 Year 1 $119.62 $17,344.90 $208,138.80
145 Year 3 $119.00 $17,255.00 $207,060.00
145 Year 4 $118.50 $17,182.50 $206,190.00
145 Year 5 $118.00 $17,110.00 $205,320.00
145 Year 10 $117.50 $17,037.50 $204,450.00
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