Laserfiche WebLink
r <br />INDIAN RIVER COUNTY <br />OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET <br />PURCHASING DIVISION <br />DATE: March 9, 2021 <br />TO: BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />THROUGH: Jason E. Brown, County Administrator <br />Kristin Daniels, Director, Office of Management and Budget <br />FROM: Jennifer Hyde, Purchasing Manager <br />SUBJECT: Ranking of Firms and Award of RFPs 2021028 (Network Infrastructure <br />Equipment and Installation) and 2021029 (Cabling, Hardware and <br />Installation) <br />BACKGROUND: <br />Information Technology staff has identified available funding for library telecommunications, <br />internet access and internal connection improvements through the Federal Communication <br />Commission, which is administered by the Universal Service Administrative Company under the <br />program name E -rate. <br />The program requires libraries to first identify their needs, solicit proposals and make award to the <br />vendor offering "the most cost-effective eligible products and services using price as the primary <br />factor." Once award is made, a formal application for approval of the purchases is required. For <br />eligibility for funding in the upcoming program year, which begins on July 1, 2021, award must be <br />made and application filed by March 25, 2021. <br />To ensure compliance with the program, Information Systems enlisted the assistance of Janie <br />Griffith Consulting of DeFuniak Springs to develop the request for proposal documents, make <br />required posts to the USAC website for qualified vendors, and ultimately submit the funding <br />application on the County's behalf. <br />The improvements proposed for the upcoming year include modernization of the wired/wireless <br />network infrastructure and firewalls for all County Libraries. This will bring the network <br />infrastructure for the County Library System into alignment with network and cybersecurity <br />infrastructure employed for all other County facilities. <br />Additionally, the improvements will facilitate social distancing by enabling the libraries to support <br />remote video conferencing for both patrons and staff, as well as enhance virtual programming. It <br />will also enable library staff to conduct business remotely with other County departments. <br />36 <br />