School Board Agenda Item

Accept the Lowest and Best Bids Submitted by Insight as the 3COM Equipment Purchase Vendor; Accept the Lowest and Best Bids submitted by United Data Technologies as the Hewlett Packard Equipment Purchase Vendor; Accept the Lowest and Best Bids Submitted by Ancom Systems as the Primary Service Vendor and Logista as the Alternate Service Vendor in Response to Invitation to Bid #4701-HM LAN Equipment Purchase and Installation (Business Division)

This bid was prepared under the auspices of the Universal Service Fund (E-RATE). The recommended award is dependent on receiving funding approval by the Schools and Libraries Corporation and awarded companies signing a district contract. Infrastructure improvement will include upgrading network capability and performance at up to 98 schools. After considering award criteria and comparing types of equipment manufacturers, the responsible department, Customer Service and Support, recommends award of 3COM products for switches and Hewlett Packard products for wireless security. This recommendation has been reviewed by the Manager of Customer Service and Support. To ensure fair and open competition, the District utilizes an online vendor registration system to notify potential bidders of opportunities. Through this system, 2,594 vendors were notified of the solicitation, 12 bidders responded, and 2,582 did not respond. A more detailed review of the specifications can be obtained by contacting the purchasing department.

As stated in OPPAGA report: "Efficient purchasing and warehousing requires that management processes be in place to ensure that supplies, equipment and services vital to the school's education mission are purchased from a competitive source, in the right quantity, delivered timely to the correct location, and stored in a secure location. These criteria should be met for each purchase without sacrificing quality."

These items are, or will be, included in the Student Services & Federal Program Department budget in an amount not to exceed $5,000,000. These expenses are eligible for the Federal E-RATE program, which currently provides for an 80 to 90 percent discount. If approved by the Schools & Libraries Corporation, representing the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), discounts will result in a cost reduction of up to $4,500,000.

Contract administration or evaluation is performed by the Project Manager (end user) and Purchasing Agent, who function as a team. Reviews are conducted face to face, typically quarterly, or by utilizing an on-line vendor performance report. Prior to soliciting a new contract, the Contract Administration team must first give consideration to the specifications and supporting data of the expiring contract.

Jack E. Davis Chief Information and Technology Officer (813) 272-4600	Gretchen Saunders Chief Business Officer (813) 272-4270
5.18R
Hillsborough County Public Schools (Florida) * Mtg.#20060207_168 * Section E Item# 5.18R