Scope of Work The Owner is seeking proposals for high-speed data services at 1Gbps or higher. The successful Respondent will include in their bid price, at a minimum, the following: 1. The cost to provide the same quantity, speed, function, and services as the Owner’s existing services, or equivalent. 2. The cost to retain and/or port all the Owner’s existing data circuits, or equivalent. 3. The cost of all one-time connection and/or installation fees as necessary by the Respondent to provide their proposed service. In E-Rate, special construction refers to upfront, non-recurring costs associated with the installation of new fiber to or between eligible entities. If no new fiber is installed, then any installation costs are considered standard non-recurring costs (NRC). Applicant may seek funding for special construction charges relating to leased lit fiber, leased dark fiber, and self-provisioned fiber. Special construction charges eligible for Category One support consist of three components: • Construction of network facilities • Design and Engineering • Project Management **Note** The term “special construction” does not include network equipment necessary to light fiber, not the services necessary to maintain the fiber. Charges for network equipment and fiber maintenance are eligible for Category One support as separate services, but not as “special construction”. Leased Lit, Leased Dark, and Self-Provisioned Fiber can all include special construction, or one time E-Rate eligible non-recurring costs as well as E-Rate eligible recurring circuit costs. All bid responses for solutions requiring special construction must only include capacity and special construction necessary to deliver service to the Owner. To the extent that the winning Respondent installs additional strands of fiber for future business ventures, the winning Respondent assumes full responsibility to ensure those costs are allocated out of the special construction charges to the Owner in accordance with FCC rules and orders. If, after the issuance of the Funding Commitment Decision Letter, the Universal Services Administration Company (USAC) or the FCC determines that the winning Respondent did not cost allocated those charges associated with the additional strands, the Owner will not be responsible for reimbursing the winning Respondent and the winning Respondent will assume all responsibility deemed ineligible by USAC.
