Request for Proposals:  "Uptown Campus Wi-Fi Coverage"

The University has $300,000 available for increasing the Wi-Fi coverage across the Uptown campus, UC Reading Campus (formerly Genome Research Institute) and College of Applied Science campus. Wi-Fi is the common name for a popular wireless technology used globally and has been primarily used here at the University to complement the wired network infrastructure.  Click here for more information and details on where coverage currently exists. 

Over the summer UCit upgraded the existing wireless locations from 802.11b/g (slower wireless technology) to 802.11n (high-speed wireless). UCit estimates that approximately 56% of the campus currently has wireless coverage. Most buildings have some areas where coverage doesn’t exist, however there are some buildings such as Logan, Kettering, Rieveschl, Crosley, Dieterle, Corbett and Memorial Hall where limited to no coverage is provided. The primary intent of this RFP is to redeploy the 802.11b/g wireless technology in an attempt to achieve pervasive wireless coverage throughout the campus, although colleges and departments have the alternative option of submitting proposals for the higher speed 802.11n wireless equipment. The University’s Infrastructure Committee will oversee the RFP and award process. We are soliciting proposals for increasing wireless coverage throughout these locations. These awards are primarily for implementing in-building coverage where no coverage currently exists. Only in exceptional cases will proposals to enhance existing wireless coverage be supported and then only with cost sharing from the participating unit(s). The maximum award is $25,000, but the committee anticipates that many awards will be smaller.

Proposals should clearly state who will benefit from the wireless upgrade and how the upgrade will enhance teaching/learning, research or scholarship at the University of Cincinnati. Proposals are limited to 3 pages plus cover page and budget and must be double spaced in 11 point or larger type.  The cover page must include the signature of the PI, the Unit Head(s), and the Dean(s).

Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria:

•  Impact on teaching/learning, research, scholarship or creative arts
  Only proposals which demonstrate that the wireless upgrade will have a significant impact on teaching/learning, research or scholarship will be funded.
• Number of people who will benefit from the upgrade
  Proposals which benefit a number of people are more likely to be funded than those that benefit a single individual. However, awards may be made to a single individual in cases where a wireless upgrade would have an exceptional impact on teaching/learning, research or scholarship. Applicants are encouraged to consider collaborative proposals with other individuals and or units. UCit is available to assist with building designs for structures with multiple tenants.
• Cost versus benefit
  All other things being equal the committee will fund those proposals that have the best cost-benefit ratio. Cost sharing is not required (except for proposals for enhancing existing installations), but cost sharing can strengthen a proposal by improving the cost-benefit ratio.
• Unit(s) ability to support on-going monthly costs
  The primary intent of the $300,000 is to achieve 90-100% wireless campus coverage. Therefore, the $300,000 will be used to cover the installation costs or one-time costs needed to implement the technology. Departments need to be prepared to cover the monthly wireless fee of $75/per wireless access point (AP). For example, if your proposal is requesting 10 AP’s, then that translates to an annual service fee cost of $9,000. A unit must identify to the committee how they will plan for this monthly expenditure. For example, a unit may decide to disconnect three wired connections at $25/month as a way to offset the expense for one wireless access point.
• For proposals requesting 802.11n wireless equipment the RFP award committee reserves the ability to reduce their award to utilizing the 802.11b/g equipment to provide the greatest benefit to the University community regarding use of the funds.

The committee realizes that many units will not be able to estimate the cost of their proposal. For budgetary planning purposes units may assume the following costs for their proposals. For redeployment of 802.11b/g estimate a cost of $500 per wireless access point. For installation of a new 802.11n estimate a cost of $1100 per wireless access point. UCit (contact person is Barb Renner, 556-9898), will assist unit(s) with determining the number of wireless access points required to support the desired coverage area. 

Completed proposals should be received electronically by Mark Faulkner, mark.faulkner@uc.edu in the office of UCit Network & Telecommunications by November 20, 2009. Principal investigators will be notified of the results of this competition by December 18, 2009. The funds provided for these proposals are expected to be expended by June 30, 2010.