E-Rate
Questions and Answers
Q: With the Bid being released before the Holidays and the District closed for 2 weeks, it’s been difficult to get resources available to come onsite for the survey that is needed. We won’t know what resources would be available until next week and with the Bid due on 1/18 and questions due 1/12, it would be cutting it very close. I want to be sure nothing is rushed and we have enough time to put a detailed response together for the Fiber Run. With that said, I wanted to know if there is any flexibility with the due date. If not, I understand and we would do our best, but if there is the ability to extend time, then we help with giving detailed pricing and services.
A: I am sorry, there is no flexibility in the dates and requirements. We will do our best to accommodate your vendor as best as we can.
Q: I see the new 470 for Lawton Schools to replace the previous one. We have already done a site visit as per previous 470. Do we have to do another one for the new 470?
A: I know that you have measurements from a previous visit, and I am willing to let you not have to do another site visit. However, I would like your acknowledgment that if there are overruns based on our 470 request we will not be billed for them, since you are going off of your previous measurements.
After seeing the sites, a couple of questions came up where we hoped Lawton ISD might give us direction.
Question: For the exterior safe rooms, the existing underground conduits that extend from the school to the safe rooms are too small in diameter and transition using hard 90-degree turns that don’t provide sufficient bend radius for the fiber that is being requested.
Our proposed solution is: To install a pathway between the school and the safe room. Our pathway would consist of one (1) 1-inch EMT conduit that would be run on top of the covered walkway that extends from the school to the safe room. Weather rated pull boxes would be placed on the exterior of the school and the safe room to transition into the buildings with the conduit linking from pull box to pull box. Is this approved by the district?
Answer: After conferring with our Maintenance department, they are not willing to allow us to drill into the safe rooms to install the new conduit. The requested lines would have to be installed though the existing underground conduit.
Question: Some locations are 2-story with no existing slab penetrations between floors for the new fiber that is being requested.
Our proposed solution is: To install one (1) 2-inch sleeved core penetration in the slab to allow the new optical fiber cabling to transition between floors. Any areas where cabling would be exposed would be covered by a 2-inch EMT conduit that would extend from the floor penetration into the drop ceiling plenum. Is this approved by the district?
Answer: This proposal would be acceptable for these locations.
Question: It was indicated by the onsite district personnel that for recent optical fiber backbone installations the optical fiber installed wasn’t installed inside of a protected pathway like innerduct or armored fiber which has caused issues from rodent damage.
Our proposed solution is: To install all new optical fiber in a plenum rated armored jacket which will make it much more resistant (not impervious) to rodent damage.
Answer: Armored fiber cable would be a preferred solution to help with the resistance of rodents and other factors.
Question: The majority of existing wall mount enclosed cabinets do not have sufficient space inside to allow for the installation of fiber distribution shelves.
The proposed solution from the district is to install all new optical fiber ends into wall mounted optical fiber distribution boxes. (I just want this mandate to be shared with all potential bidders)
Answer: Due to the very limited space in most, if not all of the district boxes, external wall mounted fiber distribution boxes will be needed.
Question: For the lower level at Shoemaker the closet indicated on the drawing in room 27A doesn’t exist.
Please confirm that the only fiber backbones being requested under this project at Shoemaker originate from the Lower Level MDF in room 212 extending to the 1st floor IDF’s in rooms 115, room 147 and room 155.
Answer: Based on the room numbers on the maps provided, room 217A of the lower level will be a future IDF and a fiber run will be required. Room 115 on the 1st floor already has a non-armored fiber line run to it and will not require a new line run to it. The 1st floor will need a fiber run to the IDF’s in rooms 149 and 155 only (Based on the provided maps).
Question: For Douglass Learning Center we have two (2) IDF locations that are not defined on the fiber run listing.
Please confirm that no new fiber backbones are being requested for the existing IDF closets in rooms 34B and 35C. (35C in the new building addition does already have an existing 6-strand Singlemode fiber backbone but it’s not an armored fiber cable)
Answer: Although there is a switch in room 34B, it is not considered to be one of our standard IDF’s, so a fiber line is not being requested. The non-armored fiber cable that is run to room 35C was done by the district and will not need to be replaced.
Question: Sleeving the wall into the IDF’s and along the cable pathways isn’t called out under the current request.
Please confirm that the price that we provide should include all required wall penetrations and sleeving and cable pathway support to ensure a standards compliant installation or if the district will be providing any required wall penetrations and sleeving.
Answer: The price should include all materials and labor. The district will take care of installing the fiber patch cables from the fiber distribution boxes to the main switch in each MDF and IDF.
If you have any questions regarding E-Rate, please email us at erate@lawtonps.org