Riverview board awards E‑Rate contract, chooses more robust access‑point and 24/7 support

The Riverview School Board voted to award an E‑Rate contract on March 13, choosing the bidder that offered three‑by‑three access points and proactive 24/7 monitoring to improve internet reliability across school buildings. District administration told trustees the selected option would increase capacity from the district’s current 26 access points to 39 and provide a stronger, more resilient wireless footprint for testing and classroom use.

Administration presented the E‑Rate procurement process and said the district received about a dozen bids before narrowing to three finalists. Staff explained the finalists differed on antenna coverage (3x3 versus 2x2), number of access points (39 or 49), hardware and licensing line items, and the vendor support model. Julie, the district’s technology lead, told the board that 3x3 units offer broader range and are more likely to maintain connectivity for neighboring rooms if one unit goes down; she and the superintendent emphasized that proactive monitoring reduces the risk and time of outages during school hours.

The district also reviewed how E‑Rate Category 2 (C2) funding works: a past C2 award of roughly $77,000 (with a 60% discount) left about $26,000 remaining in the current cycle; upgrades beyond that level will require using general‑fund dollars until the next C2 cycle opens in 2026. Administration said the recommended vendor was more expensive on materials but offered the level of support administrators felt was necessary now rather than paying less and risking longer outages.

Board member Brian moved to approve the staff recommendation (option 3) and Joe seconded. The board carried the motion by voice vote; a numerical tally was not specified in the meeting record. Trustees and staff said the award will be followed by contract negotiation and a separate RFP for managed services to seek potential long‑term savings and clarify which support tasks should remain internal or contracted.

The board’s vote authorizes procurement negotiation and award pending final contract terms; administration said the team will plan installation pacing to spread costs over upcoming budget cycles and to preserve remaining E‑Rate funds for ongoing support and future upgrades.