In a request for proposals (RFP) released April 4, the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), which serves more than 50,000 students at 130 schools in San Francisco, is calling for IT consulting services – “IT and related professional services in a timely and efficient manner to support technology needs related to its ongoing and future bond-funded modernization and construction projects,” according to the RFP. The district needs “specialized knowledge, expertise and state-of-the-art techniques” for “an entire project, several projects” or part of a project – and “will be primarily IT focused.” Among the takeaways:
- SFUSD’s Department of Technology (DoT) handles technology and infrastructure services for the district and for the San Francisco County Office of Education and is vital to the district’s goal of transforming itself into a “digital district to realize Vision 2025 and prepare every student, in every school, for college and career success in the 21st century.” DoT and SFUSD’s Facilities Bond Program are working to upgrade IT capabilities via “building modernization and new construction.” The consultant hired will help these two entities facilitate the “programming and development of execution strategies for the ongoing technology-related upgrades” across the district. The successful respondent will be an “integral member” of the team in planning and assessing existing IT systems, supporting and evaluating existing “technology enhancement concepts, advancement of alternate concepts, development and revision of IT standards,” and master plans for short- and long-term tech goals.
- Essential tasks include orientation and consultant input – including evaluation of DoT’s existing program, standards and vision; development/revision of IT district standards and specs and integrating consultant’s suggestions to the existing district vision. There’s also assessments and standards/prototype development, including identifying current IT facility infrastructure, developing and identifying IT requirements for “prototypical” district facilities including models at various types of schools, assessment of IT facility infrastructure districtwide at 75-90 sites, preparation of a project assessment report, and review of as-built drawings. Cost development and implementation strategies, including cost estimates “associated with bond-related project scopes of work,” assisting DoT and the bond in creating a “districtwide execution plan” and support for master plan implementation, are also needed.
- Requirements include being located in California for at least two years, and within a 75-mile radius of SFUSD; at least five years’ experience during the last 10 years offering “IT modernization consultancy services” to California public school districts; and, for project managers, at least three years’ “construction management experience with networking rooms, IT equipment and network infrastructure related to public school districts.” Consultant must show a record of similar projects that “display capability to develop a vision, master plan and specific design related to execution of the master plan.” Similar experience with other public school districts or other “educational environments” is mandatory. Also required is a record of “development of reliable budgets for the execution of master plans.” Such budgetary development must have included both “hard construction” costs and “soft” costs, plus “design, and overall program and project management costs,” according to the RFP. Among proposer and team qualifications and experience, respondents must detail at least three “representative” projects in the last seven years, for which respondent was the IT consultant. Respondent must also describe the company’s IT modernization services experience, including in the area of planning, designing and implementing current IT standards and systems; an “understanding of the unique challenges of IT infrastructure modernization of educational facilities” and of older historic buildings; and experience with E-rate programs, state bond funding, partnerships and technology grants.
- The contract value will not exceed $9 million for providing “bond-funded services over the next five years,” although SFUSD indicates funding for this contract will come from its bond program – and thus, a contract will be “contingent on continued availability of funds from this source.” Questions are due by April 22, with responses coming April 28. Proposals are due by 5 p.m. May 6; proposers’ presentations will be May 12, and an intent to award is estimated for May 16. SFUSD Board of Education approval is expected June 14, and the estimated contract start date is July 1. The contract’s initial term will be three years, and the district will have two optional extensions at its discretion for periods of up to one year each. Maximum contract length will be five years.
