Background

In 2018, the Port of Bellingham (Port) in partnership with the Whatcom County PUD commissioned a feasibility study to determine the gaps and need for broadband in our rural communities. The final report determined there were communities unserved and underserved. It identified where many homes and businesses lacked access to broadband coverage as defined by Washington State Broadband Office (25 Mbps/3 Mbps) throughout our county. The study identified three areas for construction (study is attached at the end of the RFPS).

The Port currently has one project under construction in East Nooksack. This project is the second of three currently funded broadband projects that will be constructed by the Port. The Port received funding from Whatcom County and Washington State Broadband Office to design, engineer and construct a fiber to the premise network in rural Whatcom County.

Objective

The Port is soliciting responses from qualified firms interested in providing professional Telecommunications Engineering and Design Services. These services will include but are not limited to the following items:

Telecommunications Facilities Design Drawings for PON/GPON/XGSPON Architecture, Construction ready Outside Plant Telecommunication Drawings with rake off sheets/BOM's, permitting services to include submittals to PSE, WSDOT, BNSF and other jurisdictional areas as identified, telecommunications pole attachment fielding, make ready notes and permitting, other associated consultation work for the design and coordination with the construction firm(s) of the proposed broadband fiber optic network.

RFPS documents are available at https://www.portofbellingham.com/bids.aspx

Project Location:

Whatcom County North Lynden Project is located just north of the city of Lynden and along the Canadian border. The project will construct 44.75 miles of fiber passing approximately 450 homes (this does not include the miles of the laterals). This network will be an extension of an existing fiber network. Figure 1 shows the anticipated routes and laterals.

The goal is to build an open access fiber, carrier grade infrastructure network that will be publicly owned by the Port and will accommodate the current and future needs of community members in rural Whatcom County delivering internet speeds up to 1Gbps symmetrical. The goal of the project for which this RFPS is addressing is the completion of the North Lynden Project.

Applicable Laws, Regulations and Compliance:

All Recipients, their prime contractor and subcontractor (including contracted administrators and engineers) must comply with all financial management and federal requirements, and document that they are not suspended, debarred or otherwise excluded prior to contract execution (no exclusion stated, 2 CFR 200.214.

Civil Rights Requirements

All Recipients are required to meet legal requirements relating to nondiscrimination and nondiscriminatory use of federal funds. Those requirements include ensuring recipients of the IAG awards do not deny benefits or services, or otherwise discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency), disability, age, or sex (including sexual orientation and gender identity). Use of federal funds must be in accordance with the following authorities:

 Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) Public Law 88-352, 42 U.S.C. 2000 d-1 et seq., and the Treasury's implementing regulations, 31 CFR Part 22

 Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504), Public Law 93-112, as amended by Public Law 93-516, 29 U.S.C. 794

 Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), 20 U.S.C. 1681 et seq., and the Department of Justice's implementing regulations, 31 CFR Part 28

 Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Public Law 94-135, 42 U.S.C. 6101 et seq., and the Treasury implementing regulations at 31 CFR Part 23