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Moorhead board approves E‑Rate purchases: UPS units and Cisco switches
Summary
The Moorhead Area Public Schools Board approved two E‑Rate Category 2 purchases on March 24: four UPS units from SHI for $7,820 and Cisco switches from Marco of Fargo for $128,224, both to complete network phases tied to the new high school.
The Moorhead Area Public Schools Board on March 24 approved two E‑Rate Category 2 contracts to finish network outfitting for the district’s recent building projects.
District staff presented bids for uninterrupted power supplies and network switches, saying the equipment would complete phases that deliver classroom connectivity and power protection for critical network equipment. “Our UPS units are the first part we bid,” the presenter, Dan (staff member), said, describing the units’ role in balancing power and buying two minutes for generators to start.
Board members approved a contract with SHI (Somerset, New Jersey) for four CyberPower uninterrupted power supplies in the amount stated in the motion as $7,820; the motion was moved by Keith (school board member) and seconded by Cassidy (school board member). The board approved the award by roll call with all voting members recorded as aye. Staff said six vendors bid on the UPS procurement and the recommended vendor submitted the lowest bid that met specifications.
The board also approved purchase of Cisco network switches from Marco of Fargo, North Dakota, including DNA Essentials licensing and selected accessories, in the amount moved in the motion as $128,224. Dan explained the hardware is Cisco‑branded and that licensing bundles change the feature set at the port level; the administration recommended the lower‑priced DNA Essentials bundle that met the district’s needs. That motion was moved by Melissa (school board member) and seconded by Lucassie (recorded second); the contract passed on roll call.
Board members asked about vendor experience and bid scope. Cassidy asked whether the district had purchased hardware from Software House International before; Dan said SHI had supplied software licenses in the past and this is likely the district’s first hardware purchase from that vendor. A board member asked why multiple vendors had responded; Dan said Cisco allows broad geographic bidding and that some vendors are national resellers.
The purchases will be used to complete E‑Rate‑funded phases that run from building demarcation to classroom connectivity and to support wireless access points and phones. District staff noted the UPS units are sized to provide two minutes of backup for the generator transfer and are rated to provide longer runtime if required.
Votes at a glance: Move to approve E‑Rate Category 2 contract with SHI (Somerset, NJ) for four CyberPower UPS units, $7,820 — Mover: Keith; Second: Cassidy; Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as all ayes). Move to approve E‑Rate Category 2 contract with Marco (Fargo, ND) for Cisco 48‑port UPOE+ switches with DNA Essentials, $128,224 — Mover: Melissa; Second: Lucassie; Outcome: approved (roll call recorded as all ayes).
Clarifying note: the transcript included one alternate dollar figure when the UPS motion was read aloud (an unclear “7,002”), and a later spoken repetition of the Cisco total differed by $220 in one instance; the board motions and the administration’s recommended amounts are recorded above as they were stated at the motions and in the board packet.
