Agenda Item
vi. E-Rate Award Extension: Fiber Cabling – Wiring Closets (Not to exceed $1,948,997.40)
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 an extension of the contract for Fiber Cabling - Wiring Closets to Integrated Communication Network (ICN) Inc. in an amount not to exceed $1,948,997.40. This award is in accordance with the federal government's E-rate bidding process and allows the district to continue seeking Category 2 reimbursement for fiber cabling and services.
Why: The purpose of this recommendation is to extend the contract for Fiber Cabling - Wiring Closets.
Details: DCSD will continue to use this E-rate award to seek reimbursement for the Fiber Cabling in Wiring Closets. 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. DCSD for the year 2023-2024 has obtained an 80% discount level for Category 2 Products and Services.
This year there was (2) vendor response to the Districts E-rate 470 bid for (Fiber Cabling - Wiring Closets). The evaluation team was made up of five staff people in the Division of Information Technology and the district’s E-rate business partner, EFG Group. There were two representing Network Services and one representing the Project Management Office, and two representatives from the EFG Group.
The 2 vendors that responded to the DCSD 470 requests for Fiber Cabling - Wiring Closets are:
Integrated Communication Networks (ICN), Inc.
AiOS Group
The criteria used to evaluate the companies and Products and Services were based off a 100 Point Scale:
Price - 35 points
Ability to Execute - 30 points
Product/Service Features - 25 points
Local Preference - 10 points
Based upon a thorough and detailed evaluation of how well each of the vendors met the major criteria considered, Integrated Network Communications (ICN), Inc. 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.
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: Financial Impact
$1,948,997.40
SPLOST
306.2210.530000.80336.7600.9990.8010.070.0000
DCSD will seek 80% reimbursement against a maximum expenditure of $1,948,997.40.
Contact: Ms. Monika Davis, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology, 678.767.1274
Effective: March 2024
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 2 – Fiber Cabling
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 2) is provided for internal
connections needed for broadband connectivity 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
Based on a careful evaluation of how well each of the 2 possible choices could meet the
4 major criteria considered, Integrated Communication Networks (ICN), Inc. is the best
choice.
The two choices considered were:
Integrated Communication Networks (ICN), Inc.
AiOS Group
The criteria and weighted points used to evaluate the options were (in order of
importance):
Price – 35 points
Ability to Execute – 30 points
Product/Service Features – 25 points
Local Preference – 10 points
Ability to Execute was based on three factors given 10 points each.
• Experience with the district.
• Compatibility with existing infrastructure and/or managed under existing interface
• Experience with educational institutions
Product/Services Features were evaluated on two factors:
• Comparable product(s) to the district’s existing product(s) - 12 points
• Services – 13 points
Decision Table
Category 2: Fiber Cabling" was evaluated by means of a decision table.
Price
Ability to Execute
Product/Service Features
Local Preference
Summary
Integrated Communication Networks (ICN), Inc. 35.00 30.00 25.00 10.00 10.00
AiOS Group 17.00 15.00 22.00 5.00 5.90
Decision Table for Category 2: Fiber Cabling
About Price, there was exceptionally large disparity between the two respondent’s price
quoted:
ICN AiOS
$1,948,997.40 $2,491,600.00
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For compatibility with existing infrastructure under Ability to Execute and correct and
comparable product(s) under Product/Service Features, AiOS Group proposed/quoted
multi-mode fiber rather than single-mode fiber. For Local Preference, AiOS Group is in
Macon and ICN is in the Atlanta area.
Comparisons among Choices
Relative strengths of the various choices in each of the factors is illustrated in the following
graph:
Integrated Communication Networks (ICN), Inc.
AiOS Group
Price
Ability to Execute
Product/Service Features
Local Preference
Integrated Communication Networks (ICN), Inc. versus AiOS Group
Integrated Communication Networks (ICN), Inc. was considered a better choice than
AiOS Group in four of the four criteria considered. Of these, the critical factor was Price.
Conclusion
After a careful evaluation of each option, Integrated Communication Networks (ICN),
Inc. is the best choice.
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