If you do not like any bids received, you can always stop the process right
there. You are not required to sign a contract and file a Form 471 to apply
for E-Rate funds just because you posted a Form 470.

Assuming you really do want to proceed, consider the bid responses.

Was there something unclear in your Form 470 that caused providers to not
respond appropriately? You can file a new Form 470, making any necessary
changes. There is still time left.

Did none of the service providers offer bids that complied with
specifications you laid out in your Form 470 or RFP? You can disqualify
non-compliant bids. If no one met your requirements (and you can show why
the bid responses were disqualified) you can solicit new bids. You can also
file a new Form 470.

Are the costs prohibitive? You can negotiate pricing as long as everyone is
afforded the same opportunity.

​Document everything of course!​

_____________________________________________

*Anne Perloff*
Maine State E-Rate Coordinator for Schools
Networkmaine ... a unit of the University of Maine System

Web: www.networkmaine.net/erate/

Email: [log in to unmask]

Phone: 207-561-3584

Fax: 207-561-3531

Mail:
Networkmaine
5752 Neville Hall Rm 244
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469


On Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 1:14 PM, Tabor, Jennifer <
[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Hi Anne,
> What if we don't like any of the bids we receive, do we have to award a
> contract?
>
> Looking forward to your reply,
> Jennifer
>
> On Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 9:10 AM, Anne Perloff <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
>> After the Form 470 is posted, there is a mandatory 28 day (minimum)
>> waiting period during which vendors may submit proposals to you for
>> consideration and/or contact you for more information relating to the
>> services you listed on your Form 470. Then, on the 29th day that your Form
>> 470 was posted or after, you may select a vendor, sign a contract and
>> submit the Form 471 to request E-Rate funding for those services.
>>
>>
>> If contacted by a vendor about a specific service listed on a 470,
>> applicants are required to provide relevant information to prospective
>> vendors so they may submit solid proposals for consideration. Do not simply
>> ignore these inquiries as it would be a violation of the E-Rate competitive
>> bidding requirements. Applicants are encouraged to keep a log of all vendor
>> inquiries and the responses to these inquiries. However, generic emails
>> from vendors saying that the service provider can provide the general type
>> of service requested is not considered a good faith response to a Form 470
>> posting and can be considered 'spam' and ignored by the applicant. In
>> addition, inquiries from "brokers" or mass e-mails that are not specific to
>> your 470 are not considered legitimate inquiries by USAC.
>>
>>
>> Below is a compilation of some frequently asked questions regarding
>> vendor selection.
>>
>>
>>
>> *1. What should we do if we received no bids for a service listed on our
>> 470?*
>>
>>
>> If you do not receive any bids after your 28-day waiting period, you can
>> contact service providers to solicit bids and can then review and evaluate
>> any bids received as a result. However, remember that if you post a new FCC
>> Form 470, issue a new Request for Proposal (RFP), or amend your existing
>> RFP, you start a new 28-day waiting period.
>>
>>
>> If the Form 470 is for an existing service, you can choose to remain with
>> your incumbent provider. You are not required to seek more than one bid,
>> but if you only get one bid, you must make sure that it is cost effective.
>>
>>
>> Memorialize what occurred by writing a memo for your files (or email to
>> yourself. The memo should include the following:
>>
>>
>> "At the conclusion of the Form 470 28-day waiting period, we did not
>> receive any bids. We subsequently contacted [LIST OF VENDORS]."
>>
>>
>>
>> *2. What should we do if we only receive one bid for a service listed on
>> our 470?*
>>
>>
>> Memorialize why you selected the vendor you did by writing a memo for
>> your files (or email to yourself) explaining why you selected that
>> particular vendor. The memo should include the following:
>>
>>
>> "At the conclusion of the Form 470 28-day waiting period, we only
>> received one bid, which was from [VENDOR]. We reviewed the bid for cost
>> effectiveness and selected [VENDOR] as the provider for [DESCRIPTION OF
>> PRODUCT OR SERVICE] to our entity.
>>
>>
>>
>> *3. What should we do if our existing vendor did not submit a bid?*
>>
>>
>> You may use a recent invoice from your existing provider as a bid
>> response and evaluate that invoice with the other bids received.
>>
>>
>>
>> * 4. Do we have to select the lowest bid?*
>>
>>
>> No. You are just required to select the lowest responsible bid after you
>> have completed a bid evaluation process. Keep in mind though that price of
>> eligible services has to be the most heavily weighted factor, which means
>> for example that if you have 3 criteria that you judged the proposals on,
>> the price of eligible services must be at least 34% of the total weight.
>> Many other factors besides price may be considered (for example, vendor
>> qualifications/experience, in-state preference, existing relationship with
>> school, references from other school customers, cost of ineligible
>> services/equipment such as new cell phones required to run on vendor's
>> network). Keep all of the bids received and the tool you used to evaluate
>> bid responses as proof that you selected the lowest responsible bid.
>>
>>
>>
>> *5. Are you required to respond to vendors that contact you after the
>> 28-day waiting period?*
>>
>>
>> No. But you may do so as long as you afford all vendors the same
>> opportunity.
>>
>>
>>
>> *6. Are you required to meet with vendors?*
>>
>>
>> No. But you may do so as long as you afford all vendors the same
>> opportunity.
>>
>>
>>
>> *7. Is there anything we can do during this 28 day waiting period?*
>>
>>
>> Of course!
>>
>>    - You are permitted to reach out to vendors and encourage them to
>>    submit proposals in response to your Form 470 posting.
>>    - Begin your Form 471 online by completing the information that you
>>    already know. Then when you select your vendors, you can complete the
>>    remainder.
>>
>>
>> *8. When can I file a Form 471?*
>>
>>
>> If your 28-day waiting period has already expired (meaning your Allowable
>> Contract Date has passed), you may submit your Form 471 if you have
>> conducted your bid evaluation, selected your vendor(s), and signed a
>> contract (unless you are just purchasing on a month-to-month basis).
>>
>>
>> _____________________________________________
>>
>> *Anne Perloff*
>> Maine State E-Rate Coordinator for Schools
>> Networkmaine ... a unit of the University of Maine System
>>
>> Web: www.networkmaine.net/erate/
>>
>> Email: [log in to unmask]
>>
>> Phone: 207-561-3584
>>
>> Fax: 207-561-3531
>>
>> Mail:
>> Networkmaine
>> 5752 Neville Hall Rm 244
>> University of Maine
>> Orono, ME 04469
>>
>>
>
>
> --
> Jennifer Tabor
> Director of Curriculum
> RSU 64
> Superintendent's Office
> 408 Main St.
> Corinth, ME 04427
> 207-285-3334
>