PUBLIC NOTICEINVITATION FOR BIDSCYBERSECURITY PILOT PROGRAMNOTICE Sealed bids will be received by the Clarksdale Municipal School District up to and no later than 10:00 a.m. September 15th, 2025, at 526 South Choctaw Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614, for the procurement of Cybersecurity Infrastructure Modernization via Cybersecurity Pilot Program funding. A copy of the Request for Proposals (RFP) can be obtained by emailing Amanda Bell at abell@cmsd.k12.ms.us. If a response is not received within 24 hours, it is the responsibility of the respondent to call Amanda Bell at 662-645-3238 to confirm receipt of the RFP request. Bids will be opened at 10:00 a.m. September 15, 2025, at 526 South Choctaw Street, Clarksdale, MS 38614. Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope clearly marked as follows:ATTN: SEALED BID - DO NOT OPEN 2025 Cybersecurity Bid Bid Opening: September 15, 2025, 10:00 a.m. Envelopes not so marked will not be considered. As an alternate submission mechanism for Managed Detection & Response Antivirus Products & Services via Cybersecurity Pilot Program funding, bids may be submitted through secure electronic submission. Official Bid Documents are available at Central Bidding (www.centralbidding.com). Electronic Bids may be submitted at Central Bidding (www.centralbidding.com). For questions related to the electronic bidding process, please call Central Bidding at 225-810-4814. The Clarksdale Municipal School District has the right to accept or reject any or all bids. Publish by order of the Clarksdale Municipal School District. Technology Director, Amanda BellClarksdale Municipal School DistrictPublish: August 28, 2025, and September 4, 2025
Background
The Clarksdale Municipal School District (CMSD) is seeking qualified vendors for the design, deployment, and support of a cybersecurity infrastructure solution. This initiative is funded through the FCC Cybersecurity Pilot Program and aims to enhance identity protection, patching processes, endpoint visibility, and security event detection capabilities across the district.
Work Details
The awarded vendor will provide the following components:
1. Domain Controller Upgrade:
- Decommission Windows Server 2012 DC
- Install and configure Windows Server 2022 (or equivalent)
- Restructure Active Directory and enforce role-based access control.
2. Patch Management:
- Deploy centralized patch management tools
- Automate OS and third-party software updates
- Integrate with vulnerability management systems.
3. Identity Protection & Authentication:
- Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) for administrative access
- Provide DNS-layer filtering and secure password management tools.
4. Endpoint Protection & Privilege Misuse:
- Deliver Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR/XDR) services
- Monitor for insider threats and privilege misuse.
5. Monitoring, Detection, and Response:
- Offer SOC-as-a-Service for 24/7 monitoring
- Conduct vulnerability management and scanning
- Implement Data Loss Prevention (DLP) controls.
6. Threat Mitigation:
- Utilize the MOHS Attack Surface Summary to prioritize risks
- Develop remediation plans based on CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV).
All proposed solutions must comply with FCC Cybersecurity Pilot Program eligibility rules.
Period of Performance
The contract period begins upon vendor selection on September 16, 2025, with an anticipated project start date of October 1, 2025.
Place of Performance
Services will be performed at various locations within the Clarksdale Municipal School District including:
- Clarksdale High School
- Higgins Middle School
- Carl Keen CTE Center
- Kirkpatrick Elementary
- Oliver Elementary
- J.W. Stampley 9th Grade Academy
- Washington Elementary
- Oakhurst Middle School
- Thomas E. Shaw Jr. School of Excellence.
Bidder Requirements
Bidders must submit one original and two copies of their proposal along with two electronic copies. Proposals must separate eligible from ineligible service pricing and include at least three K-12 references for similar projects. Bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked '2025 Cybersecurity Bid' by the deadline of September 15, 2025.
