FCDL Comment:
DR1: Our Program Integrity Assurance (PIA) review revealed similarities in Forms 470 and Request for Proposals (RFPs) for entities which have Computer Consulting & Network Design as a service provider on its Form(s) 471 application(s). USAC recently contacted applicants and explained that for applicants who had chosen Computer Consulting & Network Design as their service provider, documents with striking similarities had been provided to USAC to support their funding requests. For each type of document, USAC asked each applicant to explain how they prepared each type of document, to provide any supporting documentation, and to specify the individual who prepared the relevant documents. In response to USACs questions providing you with the opportunity to demonstrate that you did not violate the FCCs competitive bidding rules, you indicated that Huntingdon Special School Dist employees were responsible for the content of these documents. However, another applicant whose associated FCC Form 470 and RFP contains identical language to your documents, has stated that Dennis Gomer of Computer Consulting & Network Design assisted them in the completion of their FCC Form 470 and fashioned the RFP for them. Your response does not explain why your FCC Form 470 and RFP are similar to those of other applicants who selected the same service provider. Because you have not explained why the documents are similar, you have not demonstrated that you did not allow your service provider to participate in the competitive bidding process. Additionally, in the cabling bid specifications portion of your RFP it is indicated to contact Dennis Gomer of Computer Consulting & Network Design with any questions. It is inappropriate for a service provider to answer questions related to the RFP used in the competitive bidding process on your behalf. Therefore, the FRN has been denied. This denial is applicable for the life of the multi-year contract that was entered into for this FRN.