This request for proposals is for items to buy under the Federal Communications Commission's Educational Rate program.

Our goal is to fund and to operate a variety of telecommunications projects for our library services for the disabled. This region of New York State has a high qualifying rate for E-funds, as based upon the percentage of students who are eligible for the Federal Government's subsidized school lunch program. We request quotations for the following items:

Servers. We request server solutions that will provide Internet connectivity to 2 to 6 rooms. These rooms are adjacent to our library. They are used by staff, by clients, and by various advocacy groups for the disabled. The Internet connectivity server should come pre-configured and also pre-tested with Netscape or Microsoft Internet Software (minimum versions 4.0).

Equipment Compatibility . We have Intel based equipment (3-386, 1-486) . All of our equipment can use the Pine e-mail and Lynx web browser. Our 486 equipment can use Navigator or IE. We want to include all of this equipment in a new Internet access configuration. We support staff members and clients who could benefit from such text based Internet access because they are blind . Also it is our intention to connect Internet resources to screen enlargers and to readers which convert text to voice.

Standards Based . There are additional adaptations of standard internet protocols which will allow us to serve a wide population of disabled members. The use of web-tv and other low cost Internet access equipment should be considered in any proposal. The use of web-aware non-invasive diagnostic and support equipment for the disabled should also be considered. For example, web-aware embedded systems for monitoring blood glucose are becoming available for people with diabetes. These devices would collect data that could be delivered to web sites that contain calibration and other types of support services that would help the person who has diabetes to maintain safe levels of blood sugar . Such possibilities that user access will be via an embedded Internet device, rather than via a computer, should be considered in any response to our request for proposal.

Phone Bills for Dial Up Access . We request funding proposals for Internet direct and dial-up access toll costs. For example, a current local call toll of 8 cents per minute is a burdensome rate for our non-profit facility. This toll would currently prevent us from offering all day Internet access to our clients and to our staff. We need a proposal which will reduce or eliminate the per minute expense of local dial up calls to an Internet access line.

E_mail Resources. We request proposals for the support of e-mail services that can scale to accomodate from 6 to an as yet unknown number of aliased e-mail addresses. These services must include MIME-based e-mail support, including SMTP trace resources, inclusion of all MIME headers in translation services, vacation and aliasing features, remote access, and accomodation of digital signature and encryptation procedures such as PKCS#7 and PKCS#12.

ISDN Lines. Local ISDN service is available in our region. We have recently upgraded our telephone lines and one telephone number is set aside for this additional service. We request proposals for those ISDN services that would be covered by E-funding. The proposals should include prices for monthly cost of basic 2B+D ISDN channels, any installation fees, any additional wire set-ups, any use fees billed at per minute or per channel rates, the cost of a Terminal Adapter (ISDN modem). We are very dependent upon the reliability of our current fax and telecommunications equipment. Any additional services or equipment that would be necessary in order to accomodate or to replace our existing analog-based fax machine, modem, or phone connection must be quoted.

Routers . Routers, hubs, switches, should be quoted as required for security and multiple (possibly) remote use of the proposed telecommunications facility.

Service Contracts We have new (1998) service contracts for security alarms and for two-line telephone service. These contracts may need to be reviewed by vendors with respect to the possibity of allocating available E-funds for their purchase.

Videoconferencing The availability of ISDN services would allow us to provide videoconferencing and internet phone resources to our staff and clients. This would help us to continue our advocacy with insurance companies, hospitals, physicians, and legal services. These providers are often geographically remote from our clients' homes.

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GRILC 61 Swan Street Batavia, New York 14020