Wireless Network Refresh

proposals from qualified firms that are approved by the Alabama Joint Purchasing (ALJP) to provide a District Wireless Network Refresh for Birmingham City Schools (“BCS” or “District”) in accordance with the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications contained in this Request for Proposal (RFP). The network serves the needs of approximately 20,000 students and 2,600 staff. The intent of the District is completely refresh the entire wireless network and switches to support the wireless network with a solution that will support the district wireless network requirements for a minimum of 5 years. 1.2 District Background The Birmingham City School District is located in the heart of the Birmingham/Metropolitan area in the center of a large, diverse and culturally mixed community filled with a long rich history. In the business of educating children since 1874, our system is comprised of 43 schools that service the 99 neighborhoods located within the city where the education of

approximately 20,000 students is our top priority. The mission of Birmingham City Schools is to guide all students to achieve excellence in a safe, secure, and nurturing environment. The vision is that BCS will be a recognized leader in public education, meeting the needs of a diverse student population prepared to succeed in a global society. For more information, please visit the District's website at www.bhamcityschools.org. Birmingham City Schools District Wireless Network Refresh RFP #2023-17 Page 7 of 62 SECTION 2: SCOPE OF SERVICES/SPECIFICATIONS 2.1 Overview Birmingham City Schools (BCS) is committed to providing the highest quality of wireless services for its students, teachers, staff, and community of stakeholders. BCS is seeking a qualified vendor to completely redesign and refresh its existing wireless network in all facilities (total 48). The qualified vendor must deliver a turn-key modern wireless solution and have the necessary qualified professional services to design and engineer, install, and transition the network to BCS resources for operational support. The design/refresh will occur on a facility-by-facility basis prioritized by BCS; multiple facilities can be refreshed concurrently. Each facility in the district will be planned, installed, delivered, and individually invoice. It is the districts’ intention to issue a master purchase order for individual facility invoice to be paid under. 2.2 Project Summary The selected vendor must be qualified: a. Provide a complete turn-key district-wide wireless network in within 2023/2024 school year. b. Provide equipment and services in sufficient quantity to deliver a fully functional wireless network that effectively supports the needs of the district students, staff, and administrators. c. Provide professional services needed to deliver a fully functional wireless network that is integrated with BCS enterprise systems including active directory and single sign on. d. Provide installation of APs and Switch at a fixed price all inclusive. Connect all APs to its associated switch with sufficient power over ethernet capacity and at a minimum of 2.5Gbps speed. e. Provide technical and operational support for the duration of the project and for one year after network turnover date to BCS. f. Provide complete documentation and As-Built packages for each facility. g. Provide complete design documentation of network architecture. h. Provide cloud-based management of the complete wireless network solution installed. i. Provide training and transition support to BCS resources. j. Provide removal and management decommissioned equipment including inventory and transport to central location in Birmingham. 2.3 Proposed Contract Provide a sample proposed contract for our legal department to review. Contract must include language for funding termination or cancellation. See 4.11. 2.4 Project Areas For the successful delivery of the network and for the purpose of evaluation of vendor proposals BCS has defined five key Scope Project Areas that in their totality represents the scope of work. The Scope Project Areas are defined below and will be basis of the pricing sheets to be submitted with your proposal. We encourage all proposers to include details in their responses on how these will be delivered. Scope Project Area Description of Work Required 1) Provide the necessary hardware and software and licensing. Equipment -The existing network is a based-on Cisco technology and a mix of APs and Switches. Current AP models include 1141, 1142, Birmingham City Schools District Wireless Network Refresh RFP #2023-17 Page 8 of 62 Scope Project Area Description of Work Required 2602i, 2702i, 3702i, 3702E, 3802i, 3802E. Switches supporting the Wi-Fi network may include Cisco and/or HP legacy switches. Provide approximately 2,800 new Cisco/Meraki CW9100 series APs (or equivalent AP’s based on CW9164 and CW9166 models). Pricing sheets indicate the quantities anticipated and for the evaluation purposes of this RFP. This quantity is estimated for the purpose of your response. Provide licensing for Meraki Cloud management portal LIC-ENT-5YR (or equivalent) based on the quantities and durations anticipated and for the evaluation purposes of this RFP. Provide approximately 200 Cisco Catalyst series 9300 (or equivalent based on Cisco Catalyst C9300-48UXM model). Provide licensing to support full operation for the services required C9300-DNA-E-48-3Y. Actual quantities may vary based on final designs. Quantities used in this RFP are based on one 48 port Wi-Fi switch per closet and adjusted quantities of existing Wi-Fi APs. Final quantities will be agreed at contract signing. Vendor must monitor the available quantities of equipment based on final contracted quantities and place orders with suppliers strategically to meet planned installation timelines. Following the completion of the network any remaining equipment or installation service quantities remaining from the original contracted quantity will not be accepted by BCS. If original quantities contracted are not sufficient then Vendor must guarantee the per unit pricing offered in the RFP for products and installation services offered in the RFP will not change. 2) Provide Professional Services necessary for delivery of a turn- key comprehensive districtwide Wi-Fi Solution. Professional Services – Project Management services for the day-to- day management including but not limited to the submission of work authorizations to BCS or their Project Management consultants, tracking of all projects, scheduling of work with BCS and escalation of work, conducting cadence reporting to BCS on status regularly. Assure quality of Facility Build Packages including individual BoM on a location-by-location basis. Scheduling with BCS facility installations, tracking of and inventory, coordination of resources, and assure testing and inspection all installed hardware, software, and ultimately the services they provide are delivered. Professional Services -- Engineering Services and IT Architect services for overall vendor responsibility for the total network design plan including the component configuration that include integration with BCS for authentication with district directories and addressing authentication design and integration with districts active directory and ID Automation SSO services, recommend and address security configuration, and the testing methods including oversight of the Birmingham City Schools District Wireless Network Refresh RFP #2023-17 Page 9 of 62 Scope Project Area Description of Work Required performance testing to assure the network functionality is delivered as designed. Profession