RFP 26-24 Internet-Wan

Internet-WAN 26-24
Request for Proposal (RFP) for
Internet-WAN
RFP: 26-24
Minneapolis Public Schools - Special School District No. 1
1250 West Broadway Ave.
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55411-2533
Issued: 5/12/2026
NOTICE: Pursuant to section 13.591 subdivision 3(b) of the Minnesota Statutes, after a
government entity has completed negotiating a contract with the selected vendor, all
data in RFP responses are public except for trade secret information as defined in
section 13.37 subdivision 1(b). A statement that submitted data are copyrighted or
otherwise protected does not prevent public access to the data.
1 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. Overview
A. Project Objective
B. Schedule of Proposal
C. Mandatory Intention to Submit Proposals
D. Submission of Written Questions
E. Changes to the RFP
F. Preparation of Proposal
G. Submission of Proposals
H. Withdrawal of Proposals
I. Evaluation and Selection Process
J. Effective Period of Proposals
K. Bid Reservations
L. Notifications of Unsuccessful Vendors
M. Contract Negotiations
N. Award of Contract
O. Contract Term
P. Disposition of and Public Access to Proposals
Q. Cost Incurred in Responding
R. Assignment
S. Causes for Termination
II. Scope of Services
A. Project Background
B. Internet-WAN Product/Service Goals
C. Information Technology Services Organization
D. Description of Expected Services
III. General Business Information
A. General Business Requirements
B. Qualifications and Experience
C. Supplier and Employee Equity & Diversity, Sustainability and Community Engagement
D. Business Ethics
E. Service Level Expectations
F. Fees and Costs
G. Reporting
H. Billing and Payment
IV. Project Scope
A. Business Specific Categories
B. Wrap up to Project Scope Information
V. Appendix Requirements
A. References
B. Pricing Information
C. MPS Reports
D. Internet-Wan Specific Reports
E. Service Level Expectations
F. Additional Documents
2 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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VI. MPS Appendix Documents
1. Intention to Submit Proposal & Conflict of Interest Certification
2. Organization Information Cover sheet
3. MPS Sample Contract
4. Pricing Information
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1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
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SECTION I: OVERVIEW
A. Project Objective
Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is seeking proposals from organizations and individuals wishing
to provide an Internet-Wan.
The District intends to award this contract according to the rules and regulations set forth by the
Erate program, requiring the selected vendor to comply with all program rules and requirements.
Minneapolis Public Schools or Special School District Number 1 (SSD #1) is a school district that is
coterminous with the City of Minneapolis, Minnesota. With authority granted by the state
legislature, the school board makes policy, selects the superintendent, and oversees the district's
budget, curriculum, personnel, and facilities. Students speak ninety different languages at home
and most school communications are printed in English, Hmong, Spanish, and Somali. The District
covers over 70 school programs at 65 sites, with approximately 29,900 students and 3,200
teaching staff.
The District intends to select one organization to provide the necessary Internet-Wan. To
facilitate the submission and evaluation of proposals, this proposal provides additional
background information regarding MPS that will be relevant to the proposal of the Internet-Wan.
RFP Primary Objective 1: Gain a thorough understanding of the product capability in order to
select, implement, and operate the data network and internet services that will meet the needs
of the district moving forward.
RFP Primary Objective 2: Gain a thorough understanding of the data network and internet
services solutions total proposed costs. Including but not limited to: data transport minimum 500
MB with incremental increases up to 5 GB. Bandwidths of 10 GB at
2 hubs with incremental increases to 40 GB. Internet service minimum of 10 GB at each Hub with
incremental increases to 40 GB.
RFP Primary Objective 3: To select a vendor partner with a product strategy and product
enhancement delivery/implementation history that will meet the District's needs (both for
current use and future additional functionality) throughout the life of the product.
B. Schedule of Proposal
1. Issue RFP: 5/12/2026
2. Written Questions Due: 5/26/2026
3. Intention to Submit: 5/26/2026
4. Responses to Questions: 5/28/2026
5. Proposals Due: 6/10/2026
6. Award bid - Selection: 6/12/2028
7. District Approval June 2026
8. Implementation: July 1st, 2026
C. Mandatory Intention to Submit Proposals
APPENDIX 1 (a) & Conflict of interest form APPENDIX 1 (b) are mandatory to submit. Failure to
submit both will result in automatic disqualification from the RFP Process.
4 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
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In order for your organization to be considered for this Request for Proposal, please complete
Appendix 1 (a) Intention to Submit a Proposal and Appendix 1 (b) Conflict of Interest by
5/26/2026. This document must be emailed to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us. These document are
mandatory documents, if these are not submitted by email to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us by
5/26/2026; the organization will not be able to participate in Internet-Wan 26-24.
D. Submission of Written Questions
All questions about the RFP shall be submitted by e-mail to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us by end of day
5/26/2026. The District will provide written responses to questions from prospective Proposers
no later than 5/28/2026 EOD. After 5/26/2026, no questions or inquiries will be allowed.
E. Changes to the RFP
If any changes are issued to this RFP, they will be posted to the MPS website.
https://www.mpschools.org/departments/finance/procurement
F. Preparation of Proposal
1. Careful attention must be paid to all requested items contained in this Request for Proposal.
Please read the entire package before bidding. Each proposal shall be prepared simply and
economically avoiding the use of elaborate promotional materials beyond what is sufficient
to provide a complete, accurate, and reliable presentation.
2. For ease of review, the proposals must follow the outline in Section III and IV of this request
for proposal. Each response should be clearly numbered and the full question listed.
3. Each page of the proposal must be sequentially numbered and include the proposing
organization's name.
4. RFP should be double-spaced, with at least than one-inch margins. Font should be at least
12-point.
5. Each response to questions in Section III and IV of the RFP should be appropriately labeled
(e.g., Section III: General Business Questions, A. General Business Requirements, Question
#1; etc.).
6. The RFP narrative for Section III-IV should not be excessive in length, not including
appendices.
7. Some questions in this RFP will require organizations to submit documents as an Appendix.
Applicants may wish to submit additional supplemental materials to support responses to
questions in Section III and IV. If an applicant intends to include supplemental materials with
responses to questions in Sections III and IV of the RFP, separate appendices for each part
must be developed. Each appendix should be clearly labeled (e.g., Appendix A: References,
etc.).
8. All appendix materials (e.g., sample letters, curricula, lesson plans, progress reports,
academic effectiveness data, etc.) should be labeled with the name of the organization and
reference the appropriate section and question (e.g., Section C: Description of Expected
Services 1a). Although there is no page limitation for the Appendix, the appendix should
not be excessive in length. Applicants should also ensure the appendix items are
appropriately described and referenced in the narrative section of the RFP.
9. The RFP should be submitted in the appropriate order. Each part of the RFP should be
separated with a section divider page listing the title of the next part of the RFP that is
enclosed. All RFPs should follow the order below:
a. Organization Information Cover Page (Provided in attached Appendix 2)
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1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
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b. Table of Contents
c. Section III- General Business Information
d. Section IV- Project Scope
e. Appendix Materials
10. Additional circumstances that may lead to RFP not being reviewed and/or selected:
a. RFP was received after the deadline, which includes not on the deadline date but
also after the deadline time.
b. Applicant does not intend to complete criminal history checks on employees.
c. Applicant's previous clients have significant complaints regarding the quality of the
Title services, communication issues, or other problems.
d. Any section of the RFP is missing or incomplete.
e. The RFP does not meet length, font, or other formatting requirements.
G. Submission of Proposals
In order to be considered for selection, organizations must submit a signed electronic (.pdf)
response to this solicitation no later than 2:00 p.m. on 6/10/2026. Late proposals shall not be
accepted. Electronic copies must be submitted to: RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
No other distribution of the proposal shall be made by the organization. It is the sole
responsibility of the organization to assure that the proposal is delivered to the designated
location in Item G, above, prior to the deadline. No proposal received after the deadline will be
considered. No unsolicited corrected or resubmitted proposals will be accepted after the
proposal submission deadline.
H. Withdrawal of Proposals
A proposal may be withdrawn by the vendor prior to the date and time for submittal of proposals
by means of a written request signed by the vendor or its properly authorized representative.
Such written request must be delivered to RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us. This written request can be
either electronic or a hard copy format.
I. Evaluation and Selection Process
1. The Internet-Wan RFP 26-24 Evaluation Committee members will include, but is not be
limited to a minimum of one member from at least two departments.
2. Proposals, responses, presentations and references, and Proof of Concept if necessary will
be included as the Evaluation Committee recommends a solution for the District. Upon
approval from the authorized District signer on June 2026, the District will then proceed with
contract discussions with the selected vendor(s). The District has no liability to any vendor
participating in this RFP process prior to when the authorized District signer signs a contract
to that vendor.
1. Consensus on proposal selection will be determined by the Evaluation Committee reaching
consensus on the selection. The Internet-Wan RFP 26-24 Evaluation Committee members
will use a rubric to evaluate the responses to the questions outlined in this RFP.
2. The Evaluation Committee shall evaluate all proposals to determine which meet the
minimum service/product requirements, without regard to price. This evaluation may, at the
Evaluation Committee's discretion, be augmented by verbal or written requests for
6 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
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clarification, or additional information as necessary to determine whether the technical
requirements can be met. The Evaluation Committee can contact references supplied in
vendor proposals. Findings from these inquiries will be included in the assessment of
products for selecting finalists.
3. The Evaluation Committee will then only consider those proposals that meet the minimum
service requirements for further evaluation. The Evaluation Committee will evaluate and
score the vendor with regard to a scoring rubric.
J. Effective Period of Proposals
Proposals must state the period for which the proposal shall remain in effect (i.e., how much
time does the District have to accept or reject the proposal under the terms proposed). Such
period shall not be less than 120 days from the proposal date.
K. Bid Reservations
Notwithstanding any other provisions of this RFP, the District reserves the right to award this
contract to the organization(s) that best meet the requirements of the RFP, and not necessarily,
to the lowest cost Proposer. Further, the District reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to
award in whole or part, and to waive minor immaterial defects in bids. The District may consider,
at its sole discretion, any alternative bid.
L. Notifications of Unsuccessful Vendors
The Evaluation Committee through the Procurement Department shall notify all Vendors no later
than the award recommendation and approval to proceed being placed on the School Board
agenda on June 2026.
M. Contract Negotiations
Negotiations may include all aspects of services and fees. After a review of the proposals, and in-
person presentations (if applicable), the District intends to enter into contract negotiations with
the selected organization(s). If a contract with the selected organization is not finalized within 90
days, the District reserves the right to open negotiations with the next ranked organization(s).
N. Award of Contract
The District reserves the right to award by Service Area or as a whole, whichever is deemed most
advantageous to the District.
The selected firm(s) shall be required to enter into a written contract or contracts with the
District in a form approved by legal counsel for the District. This RFP and the proposal, or any
part thereof, may be incorporated into and made a part of the final contract(s). The District
reserves the right to negotiate the terms and conditions of the contract(s) with the selected
Proposer(s).
O. Contract Term
It is the intent to award the contract(s) for an initial 2 year period with the option to renew it for
2, one-year periods for a possible total contract term of 4 years. The decision to renew the
contract(s) will be at the sole discretion of the District and agreed upon by both parties.
Proposers must agree to fix contract fees for the first 2 years. If the organization intends to revise
its fee schedule after the initial 2-year period, it must give written notice to the District 90 days in
7 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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advance of any fee change. Fees may be changed only by notice within 90 days of the contract
expiration date. These fees are subject to negotiation and approval by the District.
P. Disposition of and Public Access to Proposals
All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the District. Pursuant
to section 13.591 subdivision 3(b) of the Minnesota Statutes, virtually all information submitted
is considered public and may be disclosed to third parties. The exception is trade secret
information, as defined and classified in section 13.37 subdivision 1(b). Trade secret information
should not be included in a response unless absolutely necessary.
Q. Cost Incurred in Responding
This solicitation does not commit the District to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and
submission of proposals or in making necessary studies for the preparation thereof, nor to
procure or contract for services.
R. Assignment
The successful proposer shall not assign, transfer, convey, or otherwise dispose of the contract,
or right, title of interest, or power to execute such a contract to any person, firm, or corporation
without the previous consent in writing by the District.
S. Causes for Termination
Causes for termination of the agreement may include any of the following: Failure to promptly
and faithfully provide the services required at the prices indicated in the Proposal; violation of
any law governing services provided to the District; failure to cooperate upon receiving any
reasonable request for information or service; or improper actions of the officers or employees,
which in the opinion of the District, would adversely affect its interest, or endanger the structure
of the proposing organization such as a spin off or merger which materially affects the terms of
this agreement. The District may terminate the agreement without cause with a 90-day notice.
The District may terminate the agreement with cause with a 30-day notice.
8 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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SECTION II: SCOPE OF SERVICES
A. Project Background
This section begins with some background information on the Minneapolis Public School District
and then discusses the overall expectations for the Data Network and Internet Services, as well as
the district's specific needs. It also describes existing services and equipment that the Vendor may
wish to incorporate into its design and the issues that need to be considered.
The Minneapolis Public Schools is the third largest K-12 District in Minnesota. Minneapolis,
located in Hennepin County, is the largest city in the state of Minnesota, and is the 48th largest in
the United States. The District covers 70 school programs at 65 sites, with approximately 29,900
students and 3,200 teaching staff.
70 school programs include:
K-5 Schools: 19
K-8 Schools: 17
Middle Schools (6-8): 5
High Schools (9-12): 7
Special Education Schools: 2
Specialty Schools: 1
District Alternative Schools: 4
Contract Alternative Schools: 12
Growth projection: Stable
Superintendent: Dr. Lisa Sayles-Adams
Director of Enterprise Infrastructure: Jason Worwa
Executive Director of IT Services: Tim Wilson
Director, Procurement and Supply Chain Mgt: Chris Boyce
Current Internet-Wan Environment
The existing data network utilizes a mesh Metro Ethernet WAN service, the current vendor is
Comcast Business. There are two hub sites: The Davis Education and Service Center, 1250 W
Broadway with 10Gbps Internet and WAN connections and centralized firewall and content
filters; and Washburn High School; has another 10Gbps Internet and WAN
connections. Additionally, the two hub sites are connected to each other via a dedicated 10Gbps
point to point connection. The requested service through this RFP is 500 Mbps WAN connection
for small to mid-size sites with incremental increases up to 5 Gbps, 1 Gbps WAN connection for
large sites with incremental increases to 10 Gbps. For Hub sites the requested service is 10Gbps
WAN, Internet and Point to Point with incremental increases to 40 Gbps.
There is a high level of interest among all user groups in a comprehensive Internet Wan with
enhanced capabilities and functionality. The highest interest is in:
Data network and internet capacity sufficient to meet the increasing needs of
Minneapolis Public Schools students, teachers and staff.
INTERNET-WAN Vision
The key success factor for this selection and installation of a vended solution are:
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To maintain our current level of service and bandwidth profiles for all MPS sites.
To specify, secure, and improve network and internet access services to support the
growing needs of MPS students staff and community.
INTERNET-WAN Stakeholders
Users of the INTERNET-WAN include:
Students
Teachers
District Staff
Parents/Community
MPS Board of Education
B. INTERNET-WAN Product/Service Goals
Primary Components:
The proposed INTERNET-WAN must include, but not limited to, the following components:
PRIMARY COMPONENTS The primary components for this RFP are to provide
same/similar architecture and same/similar bandwidth profiles that are currently in
place at Minneapolis Public Schools. These locations and bandwidth profiles are
provided in the appendices to this RFP.
C. Information Technology Services Organization
Information Technology Services Department Structure
IT strives to provide the best possible service, training, and support to all MPS
students, staff and community.
IT manages all District technology systems; business and instructional
IT supports teaching and learning through technology integration, training
and professional development and provides tech support and technology
deployment to schools and departments.
IT provides multi-media services.
The Information Technology Services Department itself is organized into
major departments reporting to Executive Director: Tim Wilson
D. Description of Expected Services
1. MPS expects the highest level of quality, professionalism, and results from the vendor and
product and the development and implementation of services provided by them, including,
but not limited to the following:
a. Consultant shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local statutes, laws,
ordinances, rules and regulations, including securing and maintaining in force such
permits and licenses as are required by law in connection with the furnishing of services
pursuant to this agreement.
2. MPS expects that success of the vendors' performance and product will be determined at
the sole discretion of MPS.
10 Minneapolis Public Schools
1250 W. Broadway Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55411
RFX@mpls.k12.mn.us
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