Thank you Anne, so far none of the bids match the specifications laid out in the 470. On Tue, Feb 9, 2016 at 1:58 PM, Anne Perloff <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > 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 >> > > -- Jennifer Tabor Director of Curriculum RSU 64 Superintendent's Office 408 Main St. Corinth, ME 04427 207-285-3334