Responding to an E-Rate bid
A quote and an install that follow the programme rules.
A Cat6 cable drop is $165, an access point $250.
What will you attach to the bid besides three prices off the internet?
Nothing — because there is no one to do the costing. The contractor sends one lump sum with no lines, the programme wants the breakdown, and the filing window closes in two weeks. The last Wi-Fi went in on whatever was left over, and in the far wing the signal drops by the second break.
A quote the school and the programme will both accept
We cost it line by line: cable drops, switches, access points, the Wi-Fi survey — every line with a unit, a quantity and a price. Our labour is kept apart from materials: cable, outlets, patch panels and active kit go at the supplier's invoice, mark-up $0.00.
A quote like that is easy to compare with others: you see what the work costs and what the equipment costs. Neither is hidden inside the other, so the review panel does not have to take anything on trust.
Then the installation, the labelling, the line tests with a report and the network setup. The diagram — what sits where — stays with you, not with the contractor.
What our bid includes
- included: A survey of the buildings and a network plan floor by floor
- included: Wi-Fi survey of the buildings and a coverage map
- included: A line-by-line quote: points, switching, equipment
- included: Installation, labelling and a line test report
- included: Configuration of switches and access points
- included: A diagram: what is installed where, by whom and when
- paid to the vendor: Materials and equipment — at the supplier's invoice, mark-up $0.00
Our fee, line by line
| Work | Price | What the price covers |
|---|---|---|
| Cat6 cable drop | $165 | Labour. Cable, outlet and patch panel — at the supplier's invoice. |
| Cat6A cable drop | $210 | Where you need headroom on speed. |
| Switch installation | $165 | Mounting, connection and basic configuration. |
| Access point installation | $250 | Fixing, connection and radio tuning. |
| Wi-Fi survey before installation | $1,000 per floor | A coverage map before the install, not after. |
| Attack monitoring | $18 per endpoint a month | Monthly, on a line of its own, apart from the installation. |
Questions
What does a bid like this usually cost?
The median funding per application is $10,773, and 59–60% of applications stay under $15,000. The $5,000–$50,000 band you see in the reports is the size of the funding, not our invoice: our invoice is built from the price lines above.
Do you supply the materials too?
Yes, but we make nothing on them: cable, outlets, patch panels, switches and access points go at the supplier's invoice with mark-up $0.00, on a line of their own. That way the quote passes review and you see what the supplier charges for the kit.
Who files the paperwork with the programme?
The applicant files: the school, the district or the library. We supply what is asked of the vendor — a line-by-line quote, a description of the works, dates and our details, and after the installation the completion certificate and the line test report.
What happens to the network after the install?
You keep the diagram of what was installed and a warranty on the installation and the setup. If you want attack monitoring, that is $18 per endpoint a month on a line of its own. Network support is costed separately and is not buried in the price of a cable drop.
Tell us how many buildings and points there are — we will send a line-by-line quote and an installation date.
We have your request
We answer within the working window listed in the contacts at the foot of the page. First the quote and a conversation — nothing is signed and nothing is charged.