Using the TN Educational Broadband Consortium Contract(s)

Using the TN Educational Broadband Consortium Contract(s) and Conducting a Mini-Bid Funding Year 2021 and Beyond Kim Friends, TN State E-rate Coordinator

Category 1 (C1) TEBC Mini-Bid Process

Category 1 Consortium Mini-Bid Process Conduct Mini-Bid – No Form 470 required (TEBC filed Form 470 when contracts were being competitively bid) – New: Sign SMC Order Form with the vendor and use those Be sure to include these items: o SMC Order Form signing date (must be before 471 filing date) o Agreement term: 7/1/2021 through 6/30/2026 o Purchase is contingent upon E-rate funding and local funding approval – School board may need to approve contract prior to signing Vendor SMC Order Form/agreement must be signed before submitting Form 471 3

Step 1: Create Needs List Use the template to create list locations and services needed Include installation (NRC), if needed Use C1 Mini-Bid template Attach this list to cover e-mail 4

Step 2: Compose E-mail to Potential/Possible Vendors Use template and personalize to your needs: – Include additional disqualification factors – Include pre-bid meeting info, if applicable – Give due date for responses 5

Step 3: Determine All Vendors in “Category” Must conduct mini-bid among all potential vendors in that Category – Category One (C1) Data Transmission Services Internet Access 6

Step 4: Conduct Bid Evaluation Using prices from mini-bid quotes, conduct bid evaluation – Use template – available at https://www.tn.gov/education/district-technology/era te.html May consider other factors besides price Price of eligible products and services MUST be the most heavily weighted factor 7

Mini-Bid Evaluation Example (best practice) Maximum # Points Vendor 1 Price of E-Rate Eligible Goods/Services 50 50 42 35 Able to deliver service on July 1 (or whatever date you choose) 25 25 25 20 Previous Experience— District with SP 25 25 15 10 100 82 65 Evaluation Criteria Vendor 2 Vendor 3 8

Step 5: Notify Winning Bidder/Sign Contracts Notify apparent winning bidder via e-mail, contingent on board approval Use template Finalize exact quantities and capacities Ask for final quote on vendor letterhead – Must include service term ie: 7/1/2021 – 6/30/2022 – Purchase is contingent on E-rate funding (if applicable) SMC Order Form must be signed by the District before submitting the 471 9

Step 6: Update Contract Record in EPC Refer to “TEBC Form 471 Contract-FRN Filing Guide” for more information This step must be completed BEFORE you can file your Form 471 application 10

Category 2 TEBC Mini-Bid Process

Category 2 Consortium Mini-Bid Process Conduct Mini-Bid – No Form 470 required (TEBC filed Form 470 when contracts were being competitively bid) – More appropriate for equipment purchase/installation, rather than cabling project – New: Sign SMC Order Form with the vendor – School board will likely need to approve SMC Order Form prior to signing SMC Order Form must be signed before submitting Form 471 12

Category 2 Consortium Mini-Bid Process More on TEBC Contracts: – Cannot just go to TEBC contract list and select vendor and equipment you want/need – Must request ‘mini-bids’ from all vendors in a particular category – A “category list” is available INSERT NAME OF DOCUMENT TO REFERENCE – Can list preferred manufacturer, but must seek bids for “equivalent” products – Minimum 7–14 day bidding period suggested – Then conduct bid evaluation among all product lines that offer the ‘category’ of service, including equivalents – Can consider other factors besides price Price of eligible equipment must be the most heavily weighted factor – New EPC Contract wizard requires you to list # of bids received Keep those “losing” bids /quotes because you may be asked to submit them 13

Step 1: Create Equipment/Services List Use the template to create list of equipment and services you are seeking in your bid Include installation, if needed May list preferred manufacturer, but cover e-mail must allow for equivalent product lines to be submitted Include any “compatibility” or “interoperability” requirements Attach equipment list to cover e-mail 14

Step 2: Compose E-mail to Potential/Possible Vendors Use template and personalize to your needs: – – – – Include additional disqualification factors Include pre-bid meeting info, if applicable Give due date for responses Explain that equivalent bids may be submitted Template available at https://www.tn.gov/education/district-technology/e rate.html 15

Step 3: Determine All Vendors in “Category” Must conduct mini-bid among all product lines in that “category” – So, if bidding switches, you must send the mini-bid request to all awarded switching vendors on the list – Categories mirror E-rate Eligible Services List o Internal connections o Basic Maintenance of Internal Connection o Managed Internal Broadband Services

Mini-Bid Category List (SAMPLE) 17

Step 4: Conduct Bid Evaluation Using prices from mini-bid quotes, conduct bid evaluation – Use template – available at https://www.tn.gov/education/district-technology/erate. html – May consider other factors besides price Price of eligible equipment/services MUST be the most heavily weighted factor 18

Mini-Bid Evaluation Example (best practice) Evaluation Criteria Maximum # Vendor Vendor 1 Vendor 2 Points 3 Price of E-Rate Eligible Goods/Services 50 50 42 35 Ability to Integrate Equipment into Existing Network 30 30 25 10 15 15 10 10 5 5 5 5 100 82 60 Previous Experience— District with SP Completeness of Response 19

Step 5: Notify Winning Bidder/Sign Contracts Notify winning bidder via e-mail, contingent on board approval Use template Finalize exact quantities of equipment prior to contract signing Ask for final quote on vendor letterhead – Must include contract term: 4/1/2021 – 6/30/2026 – Purchase is contingent on E-rate funding (if applicable) SMC Order Form must be signed by the district before submitting the 471 20

Step 6: Update Contract Record in EPC Refer to “TEBC Form 471 Contract-FRN Filing Guide” for more information This step must be completed BEFORE you can file your Form 471 application 21

TEBC Bidding Guide TEBC bidding guide and all associated documents available at: – https://www.tn.gov/education/district-technology/era te.html STAY TUNED for more developments! 22

Mini-Bid vs RFP RFP/470 Don’t have to post Form 470/Issue RFP Must post 470, upload RFP and follow all local guidelines Don’t have to advertise in newspaper Must wait at least 28 days DO have to conduct mini-bid of every before selecting a provider vendor that sells equipment in that Can provide greater category specificity about requirements Don’t have to wait full 28 days during Can require compatibility and mini-bid process interoperability with existing Can consider non-cost factors as equipment long as costs of E-rate eligible Can list binary disqualification equipment/services are most factors heavily weighted factor Don’t have to solicit bids from Can require compatibility and all vendors interoperability with existing Mini-Bid equipment 23

Questions? 2