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District seeks E‑Rate support and proposes firewall/DDOS purchases after single bid; 30‑day trial recommended
Summary
Technology staff told the board the district’s firewall is aging and recommended E‑Rate‑eligible replacement plus a DDOS‑mitigation appliance; staff received a single responsive bid, plan to run a 30‑day trial and continue vendor vetting before any purchase.
Technology staff briefed the board on two related IT infrastructure needs: replacing an aging district firewall and adding a DDOS‑mitigation appliance to improve network stability.
Staff described the E‑Rate program (a Federal Communications Commission rebate program) and recommended continuing a five‑year arrangement with IU‑10 to manage E‑Rate paperwork and application processing. For the firewall project, staff said they received only one responsive bid after soliciting vendors; they reported contacting other vendors who declined because firewall projects are specialized. Staff recommended a 30‑day trial period for the proposed devices before any purchase order is issued and said they had checked references for the bidder’s other clients.
Trustees asked about vendor support, compatibility across buildings and whether additional quotes could be secured; IT staff said the proposed solution includes redundancy (a backup device) and that, if the trial demonstrates effectiveness, they will pursue contract terms and warranties before the March 12 vote. The board also discussed re‑integrating IT oversight into committee work to improve grant readiness and procurement review for future technology purchases.
No procurement decisions were finalized at the work session; trustees asked IT to return with trial results, additional vendor information and a clearer procurement timeline.
