RFP #5-FWAASTX-0127 Texas E-Rate Cat 2 Form 470# 270000237

T E X A S
Request for Proposal
RFP # 5-FWAASTX-0127 Texas for
E-Rate Cat 2 Consortium
Form 470# 270000237
Procurement Department
2115 West Pike Blvd
Weslaco, TX 78596
solicitations@ideapublicschools.org
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Contents
PART I - GENERAL INFORMATION .............................................................................................................. 3
PART II - RFP TIMELINE & INSTRUCTIONS ............................................................................................... 3
PART III - INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND ............................................................................................ 5
PART IV - SCOPE OF WORK AND SPECIFICATIONS OF THE PROPOSAL ............................................ 6
PART V - INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................... 9
PART VI - PROPOSAL SUBMISSION, REQUIREMENTS & PROVISIONS .............................................. 10
PART VII - EVALUATION CRITERIA .......................................................................................................... 12
PART VIII - GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................... 14
PART IX - SUPPLEMENTAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS .......................................................................... 18
PART X - REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS ....................................................................................................... 21
Attachment A - Title Page ................................................................................................................................. 21
Attachment B - Vendor(s) Acknowledgement ................................................................................................... 22
Attachment C - Evidence of Insurance .............................................................................................................. 23
Attachment D - IDEA Conflict of Interest Form............................................................................................... 24
Attachment E - Texas Ethics Commission Form CIQ ...................................................................................... 25
Attachment F - Felony Conviction Disclosure Statement ................................................................................. 27
Attachment G - Certification Regarding Lobbying .......................................................................................... 28
Attachment H - Contract Provisions for Contracts Involving Federal Funds .................................................. 29
Attachment I - Reference Sheet ......................................................................................................................... 32
Attachment J - Litigation, Terminations, Claims ............................................................................................. 33
Attachment K - Proposed Pricing ...................................................................................................................... 34
Attachment L - IRS Form W-9 .......................................................................................................................... 35
Attachment M - Deviations and Exceptions ...................................................................................................... 36
Attachment N - Certification Regarding Drug-Free Workplace ...................................................................... 37
Attachment O - Child Support Certification ..................................................................................................... 38
Part XI: APPENDICES ...................................................................................................................................... 39
Appendix A: Sites ............................................................................................................................................... 40
Appendix B: RFP Completion Checklist ........................................................................................................... 41
Part XII: ADDENDA ......................................................................................................................................... 42
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PART I - GENERAL INFORMATION
Procurement Analyst: Humberto Hinojosa Contact Email: solicitations@ideapublicschools.org
Purpose of Request for Proposal (RFP): IDEA Public Schools ("IDEA") is issuing this Request for Proposal
("RFP") to solicit proposals from qualified vendor(s) to provide a Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) cloud-based
solution. The selected vendor(s) shall furnish all required licensing, implementation, configuration, support,
maintenance, and related services necessary to provide a fully operational solution for the E-Rate funding period.
The proposed solution must support a Zero Trust Architecture that aligns with the principles outlined in NIST
Special Publication 800-207, or an equivalent industry-recognized framework. The new service is anticipated to
commence on July 1, 2027, upon the expiration of IDEA's current service agreement and/or implementation of the
newly awarded solution.
Note: Vendors must agree to participation in the Universal Service Support Mechanism for Schools and Libraries
(known as the "E-Rate" Program) as provided for and authorized under the Federal Telecommunications Act of
1996 (Reference 47 U.S.C. 254, "Universal Service"). Vendors must ensure compliance with all applicable E-
Rate rules, requirements, regulations, and mandates.
Vendor(s) shall submit with its proposal a valid Service Provider Identification Number ("SPIN"), a valid Federal
Communications Commission Registration Number ("FCCRN"), and a statement regarding if vendor is currently
on "Red Light Status" or not.
PART II - RFP TIMELINE & INSTRUCTIONS
Timeline:
All dates and times are tentative and subject to change.
First Advertisement & RFP Issue Date: Wednesday, August 26, 2026
S econd Advertisement Date: Wednesday, September 2, 2026
Pre-Proposal Meeting: Friday, September 11, 2026 @ 10:00 AM CST
Respondent Question Cut-Off Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, NO Later than 12:00 PM CST
Questions Response from IDEA: Wednesday, September 23, 2026
Proposals Due by Date & Time: Wednesday, October 21, 2026, NO Later than 2:00 PM CST
Anticipated Evaluation Period: October 23 - November 6, 2026
Anticipated Board Meeting & Approval: January 2027
Initial Proposed Contract Term: July 1, 2027 - June 30, 2030
Renewal option #1: July 1, 2030 - June 30, 2031
Renewal option #2: July 1, 2031 - June 30, 2032
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Pre-Proposal A virtual pre-proposal meeting will be held at 10:00 AM CST via TEAMS video
Conference conference on Friday, September 11, 2026. Questions regarding this RFP must be
submitted in writing to solicitations@ideapublicschools.org no later than 12:00 PM
CST on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. Respondents are responsible for reviewing
questions and answers prior to submitting a proposal. Oral communication regarding
this RFP shall not be binding and shall in no way excuse a Respondent of the
obligations set forth in this proposal. While the pre-proposal meeting is non-
mandatory, it is highly encouraged that all potential respondents participate and attend.
Join TEAMS Meeting:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/289436523153299?p=YUpWK4swx2oDYGVGkZ
Meeting ID: 289 436 523 153 299
Passcode: X9uM7Jd9
Proposal Submission: Proposals must be submitted using the Public Purchase or Tyler Munis Self-Service
website, or by sending one (1) clearly identified hard copy ORIGINAL of the Proposal to:
IDEA Public Schools
RFP # 5-FWAASTX-0127 Texas for
E-Rate Cat 2 Consortium
Form 470# 270000237
Attn: Procurement Department
2115 West Pike Blvd, Weslaco, TX 78596
Proposals MUST be organized as specified in PART VI - PROPOSAL SUBMISSION, REQUIREMENTS &
PROVISIONS section and received by IDEA no later than 2:00 PM CST on Wednesday, October 21, 2026,
as outlined in the RFP timeline. Each proposal MUST be sealed and marked with the relevant information;
failure to do so must result in the proposal not being considered.
Hard Copy Submissions Must Include:
One (1) clearly identified hard copy ORIGINAL of the Proposal response.
One (1) copy of the complete Proposal on a FLASH DRIVE, labeled with the Respondent's name.
Note: Faxed or emailed Proposals will not be accepted. Acceptance Period is 120 days from the date of the
proposal submission deadline unless otherwise stated in writing.
Funding Type: IDEA will utilize state and federal funds to finance any purchases of goods and/or services
through the contract(s) awarded to the successful Vendor(s) through this RFP, including any purchase orders issued
under said contract(s). The E-Rate program, part of the Federal Universal Service Fund, was established to promote
connectivity in educational institutions. E-Rate helps ensure that students and patrons have access to modern
technology and digital resources, thereby enhancing learning opportunities and bridging the digital divide.
Additional information may be found at https://www.usac.org/E-Rate/.
Eligible Respondents: Respondents must not be debarred or suspended by federal or state-funded agencies and
must have the legal authority to transact business in Texas. Additionally, respondents must affirmatively
demonstrate responsibility and good standing, which may be considered as part of the performance evaluation
criteria.
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Respondents must demonstrate that they have a valid Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN), a valid
Federal Communications Commission Registration Number ("FCCRN"), and a statement regarding if respondent
is currently on "Red Light Status" or not at the time of proposal submission.
Respondents may withdraw their proposals in writing at any time prior to the submission deadline, without
penalty or prejudice.
PART III - INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
Introduction: IDEA Public Schools is a Texas non-profit corporation and a tax-exempt organization pursuant to
Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Pursuant to Chapter 12, Subchapter D of the Texas Education
Code and its Contract for Charter with the Texas State Board of Education, as renewed by the Commissioner of
Education, IDEA is an open-enrollment charter holder, governmental entity, and public school system. IDEA
transforms education by preparing graduates to succeed in college and life. IDEA is a growing network of high-
performing charter schools serving students located throughout Texas in the Austin, El Paso, Houston, Permian
Basin, Rio Grande Valley, San Antonio, and Tarrant County regions.
IDEA serves primarily low-income students in underserved areas of both rural and urban communities. Over 80%
of IDEA students are considered low-income, and one in every three students is the first in their family to go to
college. Since the first graduating class in 2007, nearly 100% of seniors have been accepted and matriculated to a
college or university every year. Thanks to a rigorous path to college, IDEA students attend selective universities
throughout the country, win national awards and scholarships, and complete college at a rate six times the national
average for low-income students.
Note: While IDEA's program, curriculum, and mission has been replicated to serve students in other states,
this Request for Proposals and any subsequent contract is only for goods and services provided to IDEA's Texas
based charter school and campuses.
Project Background: IDEA operates a growing network of public charter schools serving students and staff
across multiple locations in Texas. As cloud services, digital learning, and remote connectivity continue to expand,
IDEA requires a modern, cloud-first security architecture that provides consistent protection across campuses,
users, applications, and cloud resources.
IDEA seeks proposals from qualified vendor(s) to provide a comprehensive Firewall as a Service (FWaaS)
solution, including implementation, licensing, support, and maintenance throughout the E-Rate contract period.
The proposed solution must meet or exceed the organization's Zero Trust Architecture requirements and align with
the principles outlined in NIST Special Publication 800-207 or an equivalent Zero Trust framework.
The selected FWaaS platform must provide centralized security policy management, identity-aware access
controls, advanced threat prevention, secure web and DNS filtering, application visibility and control, secure
Internet access, and comprehensive monitoring and reporting. The solution should integrate seamlessly with
IDEA's existing network and security infrastructure while simplifying operations through unified management and
automation.
Project Vision: IDEA's vision is to establish a secure, resilient, and scalable Zero Trust security platform that
delivers consistent, enterprise-grade protection regardless of user location. The solution must support future
organizational growth, maintain high availability, satisfy regulatory and E-Rate requirements, and provide a long-
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term technology partnership that advances IDEA's educational mission while protecting its students, staff, and
critical information assets.
FACTORS FOR DISQUALIFICATION:
To be eligible for evaluation and award consideration, a Proposal must be timely received and determined by
IDEA Public Schools to be responsive to the material requirements of this RFP. IDEA reserves the right to reject
any Proposal determined to be non-responsive or otherwise disqualify an Offeror in accordance with the terms of
this RFP and applicable law.
A Proposal must be deemed non-responsive or disqualified for reasons including, but not limited to, the
following:
* Failure to comply with any material requirement of this RFP.
* Failure to provide complete and definitive pricing for all required products and services.
* Proposal includes an initial contract term exceeding thirty-six (36) months or a total contract term
exceeding five (5) years.
* Failure to offer the Service Provider Invoice (SPI) billing method, when required.
* Proposal is received after the submission deadline.
* Proposal is unsigned or otherwise fails to include all required certifications, acknowledgments, or
executed forms.
* Unauthorized communications or contact with IDEA personnel regarding this solicitation outside of the
procedures established in this RFP.
* Failure to provide pricing for all required locations identified in this RFP. Proposals omitting pricing for
one or more required locations will be deemed non-responsive.
* Failure to provide installation pricing where installation is identified as a mandatory ("must")
requirement. If installation services are not provided directly by the Offeror, the Proposal must identify
the third-party provider(s) capable of performing the required installation.
* Failure to demonstrate possession of a valid Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) at the time
of Proposal submission.
* Submission of generic or catalog pricing that does not specifically address the requirements of this RFP,
including proposals generated primarily through artificial intelligence without demonstrating how the
proposed solution satisfies the specific needs and requirements of IDEA Public Schools.
PART IV - SCOPE OF WORK AND SPECIFICATIONS OF THE PROPOSAL
Proposal Specifications: The following outlines the minimum service and performance requirements that the
successful Respondent(s) must meet. Requirements may extend beyond those listed if necessary to support IDEA's
needs. Proposals will be evaluated using the objective criteria specified in this solicitation, and IDEA will award
vendor(s), at its sole discretion if determined to be in the district's best interest.
Any contract award issued as a result of this RFP does not guarantee a minimum purchase or payment. IDEA will
not issue a Purchase Order (P.O.) until a campus or department initiates a request for goods and/or services
described in this RFP. A Vendor(s)/Contractor shall not perform services for IDEA without the issuance of a
P.O. or Contract Agreement. Compensation will be provided upon submission of proper supporting
documentation for goods and/or services satisfactorily provided in accordance with this RFP and the executed
agreement.
Overview
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The following describes the minimum requirements that the successful Respondent must meet. IDEA intends to
award a contract to the Respondent whose Proposal is determined to provide the best value based on the
evaluation criteria established in Part IV - Evaluation Criteria, if determined to be in IDEA's best interest.
IDEA is seeking a qualified vendor to provide a Firewall as a Service (FWaaS) cloud solution. The proposed
solution shall be a single, complete, and unified platform that aligns with the principles and basic tenets of NIST
Special Publication 800-207, Zero Trust Architecture, or an equivalent industry-recognized framework.
Respondents shall propose instructional licenses that include all required technical specifications and
functionality identified in this Solicitation. Content filtering shall be proposed as a separate add-on license and
identified as an E-Rate ineligible service.
Respondents must separately identify and itemize all E-Rate eligible and E-Rate ineligible products,
services, licenses, and associated costs within their Proposal
License Specifications
IDEA is requesting a total of 87,257 licenses with all the technical specifications and features listed below. This
quantity is an estimate only and may increase or decrease during the contract term based upon enrollment,
staffing, organizational growth, funding availability, and operational needs.
Respondents shall identify any minimum purchase requirements, license true-up provisions, transferability rights,
and expansion pricing. Equivalent solutions will be accepted. The references to iboss are intended solely to
describe the required functionality and do not require vendors to propose iboss products.
Technical Specifications (Minimum Requirements or Equivalent)
Vendor(s) may propose an equivalent solution; however, the Offeror shall clearly identify any proposed
equivalent products or services and provide sufficient documentation demonstrating that the proposed solution
meets or exceeds each functional, technical, performance, integration, security, and support requirement
identified in this RFP. Failure to demonstrate equivalency may result in the proposal being determined non-
responsive.
General Description:
1. Cloud Native Firewall as a service - iboss complete edition; or exceeding the functional
requirements identified in this section.
2. E-Rate eligibility required-3-year license/subscription;
3. iboss FWaaS-Next Generation Firewall-Zero Trust Complete:
4. iboss agent & Management Integrated;
5. iboss Content Filter integrated;
6. iboss - ZT Add On - GenAI Risk Module
7. Dedicated Cloud Resource Allocation;
8. Global Availability;
9. Cloud Access Security Broker (Google, Microsoft and others);
* NIST-800-207 Policy compliance;
* Identity Services (SAML, OAUTH) Integration;
* Identity (User, Device, Applications, Services) based policy;
* Unified Policy Enforcement/Management;
* Integrations
a) Microsoft Purview DLP
b) Sensitivity Labeling
c) Classroom Management
d) Browser Isolation
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10. Private Network Access via Tunnels, SD-WAN;
* Multi-Edge Secure Access.
Service Level Specifications (Minimum Requirements or equivalent)
The proposed solution shall include the following minimum service level commitments:
* Minimum service availability of 99.99% measured monthly.
* Severity 1 (Critical Outage): Response within one (1) hour and continuous efforts until service
restoration.
* Severity 2 (Major Service Degradation): Response within four (4) hours.
* Severity 3 (Minor Impact): Response within one (1) business day.
* Scheduled maintenance notification provided at least seventy-two (72) hours in advance.
* Service credit provisions for failure to meet contracted service levels.
* 24x7x365 technical support for critical incidents.
* Escalation procedures and support contact information.
* Service performance reporting available through an administrative portal or scheduled reports.
NOTE: E-Rate ineligible Add-ons must be separated - these will be listed separately on the Form of
Proposal. If software is appliance or on-prem based, it will not be considered. Must be cloud native software
and must be E-Rate eligible software.
IDEA Main Administrative Sites
1. IDEA Headquarters Rio Grande Valley: 2115 W Pike Blvd, Weslaco, TX 78596
2. IDEA Austin Regional Office: 5816 Wilcab Rd B, Austin, TX 78721
Technical Specifications and Deliverables:
Awarded Vendor(s) Responsibilities:
a) Ensuring compliance with E-Rate filing and documentation. Vendor/Contractor must retain all
records relevant to the Agreement for a minimum of 10 years per 47 C.F.R. 54.516), since this
is a Category 2 E-Rate service.
b) Providing regular updates on project progress
c) Responding promptly to issues or service outages
d) No price increases will be permitted during the term of the initial agreement. If any price
increases are assessed during a renewal term, the vendor must identify the cost in their proposal.
e) By submitting a proposal on the requested services herein, the vendor(s) certifies its proposed
services and/or products comply with Part 47 Section 54.9 and 54.10 of the FCC rules which
prohibits the sale, provision, maintenance, modification, or other support of equipment or
services provided or manufactured by Huawei, ZTE, or any other covered company posing a
national security threat to the integrity of communications networks or the communications
supply chain. See https://www.usac.org/about/reports-orders/supply-chain/ for more details.
f) As required by Section 47 C.F.R 54.511(b) of Part 47 of the Code of Federal Regulation all
bids in response to this RFP must offer the lowest corresponding price (LCP) which is defined
as the lowest price that a service provider charges to nonresidential customers who are
similarly situated to a particular E-Rate applicant (school, library, or consortium) for similar
services. See https://www.usac.org/E-Rate/service-providers/step-2-responding-to-bids/lowest-
corresponding-price/ for more details.
g) Vendor shall notify IDEA within twenty-four (24) hours of becoming aware of any actual or
suspected unauthorized access, disclosure, loss, compromise, or cybersecurity incident involving
IDEA systems or data.
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Performance Requirements:
a) The specifications included above are minimum basic requirements.
b) The scope of work includes the goods and/or services IDEA intends to procure. The actual amount of
goods and/or services procured as a result of this RFP may be adjusted up or down according to IDEA's
needs and available funding.
c) Vendor(s)/Contractor represents and warrants to IDEA that the goods and/or services shall perform at a
level as intended, are fit for use for their intended purpose, and shall substantially conform in accordance with
the specifications stated in this RFP, in compliance and conformance with any applicable law or ordinance,
and will be performed in a good, professional, and workmanlike manner. Further, they shall be fit for ordinary
use with no material defects, provided that all use of the goods and/or services is for the purposes and in
the environment for which they were designed and in accordance with such specifications.
Contract Term:
The agreement(s) resulting from this RFP will begin on or about July 1, 2027, with services expected to be effective
as of that date. The initial contract term will be three (3) years, with IDEA Public Schools reserving the right to
renew the agreement for up to two (2) additional one-year terms, for a maximum total term of five (5) years.
If a vendor(s) cannot meet the expected service start date of July 1, 2027, this must be clearly noted in the
proposal along with an estimated delivery and implementation timeline.
Service providers submitting proposals for contracted service are requested to provide 36-month pricing.
No price increases will be permitted during the term of the agreement. If any price increases are assessed during a
renewal term, the vendor must identify the cost in their proposal.
PART V - INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
Insurance Requirements:
IDEA Insurance Disclaimer. As a governmental unit as defined by Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code
101.001, IDEA has immunity from liability and suit except to the extent such immunity is waived by the Texas
Tort Claims Act, Chapter 101, Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code.
The insurance coverage specified in this RFP is the minimum requirement, and these requirements do not lessen
or limit the liability of the Vendor(s). The Vendor(s) shall maintain, at its own expense, any additional kinds or
amounts of insurance that it may deem necessary to cover its obligations and liabilities under this RFP and
Agreement.
Vendor(s) shall keep in full force and effect the following minimum limits of insurance (or higher):
i) General Liability: Vendor(s) shall maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance, including coverage for
bodily injury, property damage, and contractual liability, with the following minimum limits: $1,000,000 per
occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate. The policy shall include liability arising out of premises,
operations, independent contractors, personal injury, advertising injury, and liability assumed under an insured
contract, and must provide coverage for all claims that may arise from the performance of the Agreement or
completed operations, whether by Vendor(s) or anyone directly or indirectly employed by Vendor(s). Such
policy shall name IDEA as an Additional Named Insured and include a Waiver of Subrogation Clause.
ii) Professional Liability: If the Contractor performs licensed professional services, the Contractor shall maintain
professional liability insurance for licensed professionals performing work pursuant to this Agreement in an
amount not less than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence covering the licensed professionals' errors and omissions.
Such policy shall name the School as an Additional Insured and include a Waiver of Subrogation Clause.
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iii) Automobile Insurance: The contractor shall maintain comprehensive automobile liability insurance to protect
against claims for bodily injury and/or property damage arising out of the Contractor's use of any owned,
hired, and or non/owned vehicle, with minimum limits of liability of $1,000,000.00 combined single limit, per
accident. Such policy shall name the School as an Additional Insured and include a Waiver of Subrogation
Clause.
iv) Cyber Liability and Technology Professional Liability Errors and Omissions: Vendor(s) shall maintain
coverage appropriate to Vendor's/Contractor's work under this Agreement, with limits not less than
$2,000,000 per occurrence. Coverage shall be sufficiently broad to respond to the duties and obligations
undertaken by Vendor(s) in this Agreement and shall include, but not be limited to, claims involving
infringement of intellectual property, copyright, trademark, invasion of privacy violations, information theft,
release of private information, extortion, and network security. The policy shall provide coverage for breach
response costs as well as regulatory fines and penalties, as well as credit monitoring expenses with limits
sufficient to respond to these obligations. The policy shall include or be endorsed to include property damage
liability coverage for damage to, alteration of, loss of, or destruction of electronic data and/or information
"property" of IDEA in the care, custody, or control of Vendor(s).
v) Workers' Compensation: Vendor(s) shall obtain and maintain Workers' Compensation Insurance in an amount
consistent with statutory benefits outlined in the Texas Workers' Compensation Act.
Each insurance policy to be furnished by the successful Vendor(s) shall include "IDEA Public Schools" as a
certificate holder, as Additional Named Insured, and include a Waiver of Subrogation Clause. Please note a
certificate of insurance showing named insured is not adequate to establish this status or fulfill this requirement.
Additionally, each insurance policy shall, by endorsement to the policy, include a statement that a notice shall be
given to IDEA by certified mail thirty (30) days prior to cancellation or upon any material changes to coverage.
Vendor(s) may not commence services or work relating to the Agreement prior to placement of coverage.
Vendor(s) shall keep the required insurance coverage in effect at all times during the term of the Agreement, and
any subsequent extensions.
PART VI - PROPOSAL SUBMISSION, REQUIREMENTS & PROVISIONS
Proposal Response Requirements:
Proposals should be prepared in such a way as to demonstrate a straightforward, concise delineation of capabilities
that satisfy the requirements of this RFP. To qualify for evaluation, a Proposal must be submitted on time and
must materially satisfy all mandatory requirements identified in this RFP. Late proposals will be disqualified.
Respondents must follow the format instructions detailed below in preparing and submitting a Proposal. Each
Respondent is responsible for ensuring that IDEA has the appropriate company name, authorized representative,
and contact information on file for the purpose of receiving notices, changes, addenda, or other critical information
relating to this RFP.
IDEA Public Schools reserves the right to disqualify any proposal that significantly deviates from submitting the
requested information. Proposals that consist of a catalog of services will be disqualified. Respondent's Proposal
shall be organized in the following order, with each section clearly indexed:
Required Proposal Format:
Proposals must be prepared according to the following instructions and should include the following information
and content. Failure to include these items will result in disqualification.
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