Agenda Item
h. Approval of Self-Provisioned Fiber Maintenance (Not to Exceed $205,320)
Summary: Presented by: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education approve the extension of the Self-Provisioned Fiber (SPF) Maintenance contract with Zayo Group in an amount not to exceed $205,320. This is year 4 of a 5-year agreement.
Why: The purpose of this item is to maintain the district’s Self-Provisioned Fiber (SPF) network, which carries the core connectivity relied upon by every school and administrative building. This fiber network supports instructional applications, student information systems, assessment platforms, safety and security systems, and daily administrative operations across the district.
Ongoing maintenance of this infrastructure is essential to ensuring uninterrupted teaching and learning and safeguarding mission-critical services that depend on stable and secure network connectivity. A lapse in fiber maintenance could result in outages that negatively impact classroom instruction, testing windows, transportation systems, communications, and business functions.
Details: The Self-Provisioned Fiber network serves as the backbone of the district’s digital environment. It is the primary carrier for:
Internet connectivity for all DCSD schools and data centers
Critical instructional platforms and digital learning resources
Security systems, including cameras and access-control infrastructure
Administrative and financial systems required for daily district operations
Zayo designed and built the district’s fiber network and has provided maintenance for the past 15 years, giving them extensive familiarity with the infrastructure, route paths, and district locations.
Under this contract extension, Zayo will continue to perform:
Proactive network monitoring
Preventative maintenance
Emergency repairs and restoration
Fiber and splice enclosure testing and documentation
Repairs due to accidental or environmental damage
Continuity of maintenance with an experienced provider reduces downtime, improves response time when outages occur, and protects the long-term health of the district’s fiber assets.
Financial impact: $205,320
General Fund
100.2800.543200.00011.7600.9990.0308.070.0000
Contact: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology, 678.676.1274
Effective: March 2026
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
Self-Provisioned Fiber (SPF) Chronology
The Department of Information and Instructional Technology (DIIT) seeks continued support for
the Self-Provisioned Fiber (SPF) initiative, a long-term districtwide program that ensures
uninterrupted network connectivity for all DeKalb County School District schools, data centers,
and administrative facilities.
As the district increasingly relies on digital platforms to support teaching, learning, school safety,
and operational functions, reliable connectivity has become essential. Any interruption to the
fiber network could impact student instruction, assessments, communications, safety systems,
and core district operations. The SPF initiative provides a sustainable approach to maintaining
the district’s fiber assets and ensuring that schools and departments remain connected,
functional, and fully supported.
SPF is not a one-time infrastructure project but a critical, ongoing investment in the physical
network that supports the district’s daily instructional and operational needs. Continued support
for SPF helps protect school operations, reduce downtime when fiber damage occurs, and
maintain a stable and resilient digital learning environment.
Key Services:
Zayo designed and built the district’s fiber network and has provided maintenance for the past
15 years. Their continued support ensures alignment with the original network architecture and
preserves institutional knowledge of fiber routes, splice locations, termination points, and
documentation.
● Proactive monitoring of the Self-Provisioned Fiber network
Zayo monitors fiber routes for early indicators of signal degradation, abnormal light
levels, or interruptions in data transmission. Early detection allows issues to be
addressed before they impact school connectivity or disrupt instructional technology.
● Troubleshooting of fiber faults and performance issues
If connectivity issues arise, Zayo isolates the affected segment of fiber, identifies the
cause of the fault, and performs the necessary repairs. This may include repairing
damaged lines, adjusting equipment, or resolving environmental impacts that affect fiber
performance.
● Emergency restoration following accidental or environmental damage
In cases of damage caused by construction work, weather events, or other external
conditions, Zayo provides rapid response and restoration services. Emergency
restoration helps return school systems to normal operation quickly and minimizes
disruptions to instruction, safety systems, communications, and district operations.
● Preventative maintenance and testing of fiber segments and splice enclosures
Zayo performs scheduled testing of fiber segments and splice locations to verify signal
strength, ensure proper enclosure sealing, and detect wear or aging in the fiber.
Preventative work reduces the likelihood of unexpected outages and supports long-term
reliability of the network.
● Documentation and updates to fiber maps and physical infrastructure records
As the network evolves, Zayo updates fiber route maps, splice diagrams, and
infrastructure logs. Accurate documentation ensures that technicians have access to
current records when troubleshooting or performing repairs and supports the district’s
long-term ability to manage and maintain the network.
The maintenance services provided by Zayo support the stability and continuity of instruction
and district operations by ensuring that the fiber network remains monitored, protected, and
quickly restorable when issues occur.
Financial Impact
Year Cost
2023 $205,320
2024 $205,320
2025 $205,320
2026 $205,320 (requested)