Agenda Item
b. Approval of Network Cabling, Fiber Infrastructure Installation Services, and Wireless with Integrated Communication Networks, Inc. (ICN) for New Sequoyah High School, New Sequoyah Middle School, and New Cross Keys High School (Not to Exceed $2,540,002.52)
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 purchase of network cabling and fiber infrastructure installation services from Integrated Communication Networks, Inc. (ICN) to support the opening of New Sequoyah High School, New Sequoyah Middle School, and New Cross Keys High School at a cost not to exceed $2,540,002.52.
Why: The opening of New Sequoyah High School, New Sequoyah Middle School, and New Cross Keys High School requires a reliable and scalable network infrastructure to support instructional, administrative, and operational systems across the new facility. The services provided by Integrated Communication Networks, Inc. (ICN) will establish the foundational connectivity needed for the school to operate, including structured cabling, wireless access point installation, fiber connectivity, and telecommunications room buildouts. This infrastructure ensures consistent network performance, supports district technology standards, and enables all instructional and operational systems to function effectively on the first day of school.
Details: The network infrastructure scope for New Sequoyah High School, New Sequoyah Middle School, and New Cross Keys High School was developed in coordination with district leadership, instructional technology staff, and construction partners to ensure both facilities meet district standards for connectivity, performance, and reliability.
Key Services Include:
Structured Cabling Systems, Interior Fiber Connectivity & Wireless= $2,121,925.44
Integrated Communication Networks, Inc. (ICN) will install district-standard Category 6A structured cabling systems and supporting fiber infrastructure to provide reliable network connectivity for instructional, administrative, safety, and operational systems across all campuses. At the Sequoyah High School and Middle School campus, ICN will install Cat 6A structured cabling throughout both facilities and complete the build-out of one Main Distribution Frame (MDF) and twelve Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF) telecommunications rooms. Work includes installation of fiber backbone infrastructure between the MDF and IDFs, telecommunications cabinets, ladder rack systems, and the termination, testing, and certification of copper and fiber network connections.
At New Cross Keys High School, ICN will install Cat 6A structured cabling and support the buildout of one temporary MDF, seven new IDF telecommunications rooms, and upgrades to three existing IDF rooms. The project also includes the deployment of Aruba AP-615 wireless access points with mounting hardware and five-year Aruba Central licensing to support district-wide wireless connectivity at the Sequoyah High School and Middle School campus and New Cross Keys High School. Additional network connectivity will be installed to support portable classroom pods at the Cross Keys campus, including fiber connectivity and cabling to support data, wireless, and security systems within those instructional spaces.
Labor = $86,772.40
Labor services will include the installation and configuration of structured cabling and fiber infrastructure across both campuses, and the buildout and preparation of the Main Distribution Frame (MDF) and Intermediate Distribution Frame (IDF) telecommunications rooms. ICN will perform cabinet installation, ladder rack installation, fiber terminations, and the termination, testing, and certification of all copper and fiber network systems to ensure proper performance and reliability. Work will be coordinated with construction partners and district technology staff to ensure compliance with district standards and alignment with project timelines.
Contingency =$331,304.68
A contingency amount of 15% above quoted costs is included to manage unforeseen conditions associated with network installation in a new construction environment and to ensure timely project completion.
Financial impact: $2,540,002.52
SPLOST VI
306.2210.530000.80336.7600.9990.0308.070.0000
Contact: Dr. Kermit Belcher, Chief Information Officer, Division of Information and Instructional Technology, 678.676.1274
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
RFP 26-703
District Wide Cabling and Equipment Services
Executive Summary
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RFP 26-703
District Wide Cabling and Equipment Services
Executive Summary
Table of Content
Purpose ................................................................................................................................................................... 3
Background and Process ......................................................................................................................................... 3
Evaluation Results ................................................................................................................................................... 3
Decision Table ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Conclusion ............................................................................................................................................................... 4
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RFP 26-703
District Wide Cabling and Equipment Services
Executive Summary
Purpose
The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) sought written proposals from experienced and highly qualified
providers to deliver a comprehensive, turnkey solution for structured cabling systems and Wireless Access
Points across more than 138 schools and administrative sites within its Wide Area Network. A turnkey solution
requires the selected vendor to manage all aspects of staging, configuration, delivery, installation, setup, and
testing at designated DCSD locations, in alignment with DCSD’s scheduling requirements.
Additionally, the provider will be responsible for ongoing maintenance of the cabling infrastructure and the
installation or replacement of Wireless Access Points on an as-needed basis. The awarded vendor must
ensure that the delivered cabling system is fully operational and meets all DCSD specifications prior to final
approval and sign-off. This award requires the winning provider to support the infrastructure for the following
devices district wide:
3000 Desktop Computers
98000 Student Chromebooks
11500 Staff Laptops
14,000 IP Telephones
7900 IP Cameras
8100 Wireless Access Points
Background and Process
The evaluation team was made up of four staff members in the Division of Information and Instructional
Technology (DIIT): the Deputy CIO, one represented the Network, one represented Telecommunications
Office, and one represented the Project Management Office (PMO)--RFP process facilitator.
The solicitation was written in July 2025, published in August 2025 for two weeks, evaluated in September
2025, and submitted to the Board of Education for approval in November 2025. September 16, 2025, was the
deadline for receiving responses. There were nine responses and eight were deemed responsive to the
requirements and were evaluated. Finance posted RFP 26-703 on IonWave and Champion Newspaper on
August 14, 2025. Electronic notifications were sent to 24 vendors from the DCSD Vendor Bid Lis, 626 vendors
through the State of GA Procurement Registry, and 468 vendors through IonWave.
Evaluation Results
Following a thorough evaluation of how effectively each of the eight offerors met the five key criteria, Integrated
Communications Networks (ICN) emerged as the top choice. The offerors were ranked based on total points
received, in the following order:
1. Integrated Communications Networks
2. SG Network Services, Inc.
3. Layer 3 Communications, LLC
4. Electrical Contractor Incorporated
5. Next Link Communications
6. Computacenter United States, Inc.
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7. Risk Response Team, Inc.
8. Smart Choice Technologies
The criteria and point values used to evaluate the options are listed below. The overall total point value for the
evaluation was 400 points.
Firm’s Overview – 80 points
Scope of Services – 140 points
Firm’s Relevant Experience and Expertise – 80 points
Professional References – 40 points
Cost Proposal – 60 points
Decision Table
A decision table was created showing total scores for each criterion. This table gives a complete view of all
criteria used in evaluating each response.
Conclusion
After a careful evaluation of each option, Integrated Communications Networks appears to be the best choice.
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