Request for Proposal. E-Rate Eligible Internet Service and Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) Trunking via Telx

Transcription

1 Procurement Services 130 Trinity Avenue, S.W. 4 th Floor Atlanta, Georgia Request for Proposal For E-Rate Eligible Internet Service and Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) Trunking via Telx October 12, 2011 RFP Number: Due Date: November 9, 2011 Time Due: 11:00 a.m. ET NIGP Commodity Code(s): ,

2 NOTICE TO PROPOSER: Atlanta Public Schools invites proposals for a vendor to provide commodity internet services, session initiated protocol (SIP) trunking and long distance telephone services. Outstanding solicitations may be viewed at: Offerors should read the general terms and conditions at: If you are unable to download these documents, you may contact the assigned Procurement Officer: Dana Greer at (404) or Dgreer@atlantapublicschools.us. A pre-proposal conference will be held on October 24, 2011 at 1:30 p.m. ET in the CLL Building, 2 nd floor conference room, 130 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta, GA Attendance is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged. Proposals shall be accepted in the Office of Procurement Services of the Atlanta Public Schools, 130 Trinity Ave. S.W., 4th Floor Atlanta, Georgia up to 11:00 a.m. ET on November 9, 2011 (as determined by the time stamp clock in the APS Department of Procurement Services). Proposals delivered prior to the proposal close date and time are received during the normal business hours (between 8:30 a.m. ET and 5:00 p.m. ET) only. Deliveries attempted by any method (including mail, express courier, or in person) before 8:30 a.m. ET or after the time due CANNOT be accepted; therefore, we suggest that you submit proposals well in advance of the date and time due. To ensure proper and timely routing of your bid, packages shall be addressed to the attention of the assigned procurement officer indicated in the solicitation. ATLANTA PUBLIC SCHOOLS Randall Sellers Director, Procurement Services TENTATIVE TIMELINE October 12, 2011 Posting of Form 470 October 12, 2011 Release RFP to the marketplace October 24, 2011 Pre-proposal conference, 1:30 p.m. ET October 25, 2011 Deadline for written questions by 10:00 a.m. ET time October 26, 2011 Response to questions to be posted to the APS web November 9, 2011 RFP due in Procurement Services by 11:00 a.m. ET November 10, 2011 Administrative Review November 11, 2011 Evaluation December 12, 2011 Recommendations to the APS Board of Education 2

3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Scope of Work pg. 6 Non Submittal Response Form pg. 17 Offeror Affirmation Form pg. 18 Offeror Information Form pg. 19 Joint Venture Affidavit pg. 20 Primary Vendor / Subcontractor Utilization pg. 23 Promise of Non-Discrimination pg. 24 Solicitation Checklist pg. 25 Atlanta Public Schools Contract pg. 26 Proposal Form (pricing) Technical Questionnaire separate Excel spreadsheet separate Excel spreadsheet 3

4 1.0 PURPOSE 1.1 The Atlanta Independent School System (hereinafter, Atlanta Public Schools or APS ) is requesting proposals from qualified vendors to provide E-Rate eligible internet service and session initiated protocol (hereinafter, SIP ) trunking via APS leased space in the Telx facility at 56 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA The successful vendor will provide fiber cross-connects to the APS Cabinet in the Meet-me room on the 3 rd Floor at the Telx facility located at 56 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA Responding vendors will have extensive experience in providing and supporting these services in medium to large enterprises. APS is seeking vendors who can guarantee % or greater reliability in their services. 1.3 In using this method for solicitation, we are requesting your best effort in seeking the best value for our requirements. To be eligible for consideration, sealed proposals shall be presented in accordance with the instructions of this solicitation and within the timeframe specified. It shall be the responsibility of the selected Offeror to meet all specifications and guidelines set forth herein. Atlanta Public Schools, at its discretion, determines the criteria and process whereby proposals are evaluated and awarded. No damages shall be recoverable by any challenger as a result of these determinations or decisions by Atlanta Public Schools. 2.0 CURRENT SITUATION 2.1 Atlanta Public Schools (APS) is the fifth largest public school system in the state of Georgia, with ninety-seven (97) schools and an active enrollment of approximately 50,000 students The E-Rate Program or the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism, provides discounts to assist most schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access. Four service categories are funded, as follows: Telecommunications Services, Internet Access, Internal Connections, and Basic Maintenance. Discounts range from 20% to 90% of the costs of eligible services, depending on the level of poverty and the urban/rural status of the population served 2.3 Currently APS is participating in the E-Rate Program through the Billed Entity Applicant Reimbursement Form (BEAR) process. However, as the needs of the District change, the vendor shall be able to do either: a. Provide an itemized invoice to the District only for the non-discounted amounts due on E-Rateapproved transactions and simultaneously invoice the Universal Service Administrative Company ( USAC ) for the discounted balance, or b. Provide an itemized (E-Rate eligible and non E-Rate eligible) invoice to the District for the full balance (BEAR Process) 2.4 All regular classrooms and administrative facilities are wired for voice, data, and video with all having Internet capabilities. Internet web filtering is being done in the APS IT Data Center located at 130 Trinity Avenue, Atlanta, GA by LightSpeed appliances. The current school-based enterprise network is a star topology comprised of MetroE circuits connecting back to the APS IT Data Center. There are currently about 30,000 endpoint devices on the APS network with access to the Internet. In addition, the District has about 4000 IP phones running on Cisco Unified Communications Manager version 7.1.5b. SIP services provided by the vendor must be certified compatible with the APS voice system. 2.5 All school sites currently have a Metro Ethernet circuit attached to the IT Data Center. Over the next 3 years, all APS sites will migrate to 10+ Gbps privately-owned fiber rings connecting each site via fiber to the IT Data Center. APS is in the process of establishing a presence at the Telx facility located at 56 4

5 Marietta Street, Atlanta, GA APS will have two routers located in the Telx facility to allow for a direct fiber connection between the successful vendor and APS. APS will manage the connection between the APS IT Data Center and the APS-owned routers located in the Telx facility. The successful vendor will provide two live fiber connections to the APS-owned routers, one into each separate router, to enable load-balancing the data and voice traffic. 2.6 The Atlanta Public Schools current Internet access is provided by two connections. One of these ISP connections is a 250 Mbps circuit provided by Earthlink Business (Deltacom). All critical business services such as: , e-recruiting, sub-finder, employee self-service, and other hosted solutions communicate through this circuit. The second connection is a 500 Mbps connection provided by Georgia Department of Education. This connection is used to provide basic Internet access to over half of the schools. Web content filtering is being done by LightSpeed appliances and software. This bid is to replace the current 250 Mbps circuit provided by Earthlink Business. APS is currently maxing out the Earthlink Business circuit and is facing increased demands with the pending implementation of Computer Adaptive Assessments for students district-wide. APS will be asking for pricing for 500 Mbps, 1 Gbps, and 1.5 Gbps circuits. It is APS intent to select the 500 Mbps option for year one. APS reserves the right to increase to 1 Gbps or 1.5 Gbps at any time during the contract period. APS will provide a minimum of thirty days notice to the vendor requesting such a change. The successful vendor shall provide seamless access for the business critical Internet connection by the contract start date of July 1, The successful vendor will provide the technical resources necessary to assist APS in migrating critical business functions from the current ISP to the new ISP circuit. 2.7 The Atlanta Public Schools current phone service is provided by AT&T via 12 PRI circuits. The current call path count via the PRI s is 276. We will need the vendors to provide pricing for 225, 250 and 275 call paths via SIP Trunking. APS wants to take advantage of SIP Trunking, which allows native IP Transport interconnections to the PSTN and the carrier subscribers for telephony applications using the SIP protocol. The carrier s SIP provides an inbound, outbound or two-way voice over IP (VoIP) trunking service with local and long distance PSTN termination. The service supports a SIP Trunk to a customerowned and managed VoIP system (Cisco Unified Communications Manager 7.1.5b). Long Distance service is also currently provided by AT&T. We will need vendors to provide pricing for Long Distance services on the pricing sheet. The successful vendor will provide the technical resources necessary to assist APS in moving the current voice services from the existing PRI s to the new SIP trunks. Listed below is the number of long distance minutes used by APS over the past 9 months: January minutes February ,257 minutes March minutes April minutes May minutes June minutes July minutes August minutes September minutes 2.8 APS will ensure that the solicitation and award process adheres to the E-Rate solicitation federal regulations, as follows: a. 47 C.F.R (a) requires USAC to administer the universal service support mechanisms in an efficient, effective, and competitively neutral manner. b. 47 C.F.R (g) requires USAC to take administrative action intended to prevent waste, fraud, and abuse. c. 47 C.F.R (b) (4) prohibits applicants from signing contracts with service provider(s) prior to the expiration of the 28-day posting period for the FCC Form

6 d. 47 C.F.R (b) provides that (with the exception of Funding Year 1998), [a] funding year for the purposes of the schools and libraries cap shall be the period July 1 through June 30. e. 47 C.F.R (b) (4) prohibits applicants from signing contracts with service provider(s) prior to the expiration of the 28-day posting period for the FCC Form The decision to implement this project is not contingent upon award to the district of funding from Universal Service Funds (E-Rate). In the event that funding is denied or is delayed past the beginning of the E-Rate funding year for which funds where sought, APS, at its sole discretion, may elect (A) to proceed with the service in full; (B) to proceed with the service utilizing a reduced scope of work; or (C) to cancel the service agreement entirely. If partial funding is committed, the products and services will be adjusted accordingly. 3.0 SCOPE OF WORK 3.1 This RFP will allow qualified offerors to propose their best possible technological solution and provide itemized pricing for E-Rate and Non E-Rate eligible services and goods. It is APS s intent to provide its students and staff with the highest quality solution that enables access to the Internet in the fastest most secure and ultimately the most cost effective way possible. The selected vendor will provide Internet Services, SIP Trunking and Long Distance telephone services to APS. 3.2 Vendor must provide APS with electronic monthly performance reports including, but not limited to the following: a. Bandwidth Utilization b. Outage Durations c. Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) stats d. Traffic Analysis e. SIP QOS reports f. Detailed Reports for Long Distance Usage for each individual DID s g. Sample Billing Invoices h. Additional Reports Available as part of the Vendor s Service 3.3 Vendor must notify APS personnel of Internet and/or SIP-related accessibility and availability issues and their resolution within established SLAs. 3.4 Vendor will review and recommend yearly opportunities to improve service and/or reduce costs on an annual basis to the CIO or his designee. 3.5 Vendor will schedule outages for network maintenance, expansions, and modifications during hours that meet the operational needs of APS staff. 3.6 Vendor must perform troubleshooting of all Internet and SIP-related services, and ensure that all outages are restored within agreed upon Service Level Agreements (SLAs). The objective of the performance-based service contracting approach is to emphasize work objectives rather than the manner in which the work is performed. This gives the vendor the leverage to determine how best to meet APS standards in the performance of their duties while meeting APS goals for service. It also ensures that appropriate performance quality levels are achieved. These metrics represent the APS desired goals and are non-negotiable. Any modification on the agreed upon metric will require a detailed plan on the actions proposed and the schedule to achieve that goal. Technology will change during the life of the contract. It is expected that some technology metrics will change based upon the vendor refining and implementing new processes and procedures. Any changes to performance objectives must be presented and approved by the authorized APS representative. The performance metrics are listed below: 6

7 Service Level Class I Catastrophic II Critical III Significant Qualifying Attributes For Class Extremely rare, Internet and/or SIP services are completely unavailable. Rare, Internet and/or SIP services are partially unavailable. Uncommon, Internet and/or SIP services having a sporadic issue localized to a specific application or group of users. Time Allowed to Call Back 5 min of arrival in main queue 15 min of arrival in main queue Time Allowed to Provide Telephone Support Immediate until the problem is resolved. Maximum Time For Resolution 4 hours 30 min 8 hours 2 Hour 4 Hours 24 hours Summary of Remedy For Failure to Comply Failure to comply is grounds for a refund in funds or services at the rate of one business day per outage hour. Failure to comply repeatedly is ground for contract termination. (In excess of two events in a quarter.) Failure to comply is grounds for refund in funds or services at the rate of one business day per outage hour. Failure to comply is grounds for refund in funds or services at the rate of one business day per outage hour. 3.7 Vendor shall provide enhanced IP maintenance that will send reports and alerts to specified APS personnel when and if abuse occurs from internal or external attacks. 3.8 Vendor will maintain and provide internet-related network documentation thirty days after contract start date. 3.9 Vendor must contact specified APS IT staff when system outages occur Vendor must monitor network trends and ensure correction of recurring problems by performing and communicating root-cause analysis results to specified APS IT staff Vendor shall assign one project manager to the APS account Vendor shall assign one technical engineer to the APS account Vendor SIP solution must support codec G711, Fax over IP, and fax /modem pass-through Vendor shall provide APS with Local Number Portability (LNP) of 10,000 DID numbers. 3.15Vendor shall provide 350 listings as part of the service, at no additional charge When quoting long distance prices, include ALL charges that APS would have to pay The Vendor shall include monthly recurring charges and DID number charges on the Price Proposal Form. 7

8 3.18 The vendor shall be responsible to communicate and coordinate MAC (Moves, Adds, Changes) to services provided to APS. Any required MAC work must be submitted to the APS Change Control Board (CCB) at least one (1) week prior to the date the change is expected to occur. The awarded vendor will work with APS Network Support team to obtain the appropriate documentation that will be submitted to the APS CCB. The vendor will also control changes to ensure the stability of all production environments. This includes ensuring that incomplete or unsuccessful changes are backed-out completely with no residual effects on the environment Vendor shall provide diagram(s) on how vendor plans to provide redundancy. The solution must be compatibility with the APS Cisco environment Vendor shall describe how security is maintained for all SIP transmissions The successful vendor s Project Manager and Technical Resource shall work with APS to develop and implement a migration plan with a timeline of no more than 2 months. It is APS expectation that the complete cutover of all services will take place between July 1, 2012 and August 31, Please provide a sample schedule showing the cutover of , ERP, DID s, and numerous other application systems dependent on the ISP s IP addressing scheme. Please provide a narrative describing how the vendor has previously been able to manage the completion of this type of migration with existing enterprise medium to large customers. 4.0 General Information 4.1 For the purpose of this proposal, the attached pricing sheet must be completed in it s entirely and existing design. Please itemize/breakdown the costs of all E-Rate eligible products and/or services from all non-e-rate eligible products and /or services. 4.2 Vendor s monthly bill must itemize all charges for individually identifiable components of the proposed services, materials and support communication system, including all associated installation, programming, and cabling, if applicable. Include charges for all components required to connect all applications, all design charges, telecommunications interface charges, technology security, and training charges, again if such charges are applicable. Any ambiguous and/or undisclosed add-on charges found on the district's invoice(s) will be deemed as billing errors and removed from the invoice(s) prior to payment. 4.3 APS is under no obligation to purchase goods and services work totaling the amount proposed in your response; Vendor will only be paid for services rendered and/or products installed in accordance with approved invoice. If E-Rate funds are not approved or if partial funding is committed, the Atlanta Public Schools reserves the right to adjust project scope accordingly. Aggregate of the payments made by SLD/USAC and APS will total to the cost of services and/or products rendered by the vendor. 4.4 Payment may be made for a single line item or partial service when the item or service has been satisfactorily delivered and/or installed or within thirty (30) days after the date of delivery/installation and the receipt of a satisfactory invoice. 4.5 This Agreement states the total obligation of the APS to the Vendor for compensation for the Services to be performed hereunder. APS shall pay Vendor in accordance with the proposal made by the Vendor and accepted by APS. APS shall pay Vendor for the satisfactory performance of the work solicited, approved and accepted under this Agreement. Vendor acknowledges and agrees that this is a nonexclusive requirements type contract and APS will utilize Vendor's services on an as needed basis and as such APS will only be responsible for payment for services requested that are satisfactorily performed and meet APS's and USAC/SLD s required specifications. Vendor further acknowledges and agrees that 8

9 the value of this contract shall not exceed their proposed amount; however, APS is under no obligation to solicit work totaling this amount and Vendor will only be paid for services rendered. 4.6 Vendor shall submit invoices in triplicate completely detailing the services performed and/or products installed. Payments shall be made in accordance with APS Finance Department's payment procedures. 4.7 Any delay in the approval of an invoice or any delay in the payment will not excuse failure-toperform by the Vendor. APS shall have fifteen (15) days to approve or disapprove an invoice. Once approved, APS will have thirty (30) days to pay any approved invoiced. 4.8 Payments Withheld. APS may decline to approve an invoice and may withhold any payment, in whole or in part, to the extent necessary to reasonably protect APS from loss, because of any of the following: a. Services and/or product installation not performed in accordance with the terms of this Agreement and which have not been remedied in accordance with this Agreement; b. Persistent failure of the Vendor to perform or provide its services in accordance with the contract schedule and the milestones established; c. Liens filed by the Vendor's sub-consultants or subcontractors or third party claims based on the Vendor's failure to make payments for services performed or materials provided; d. Failure of the Vendor to make payments properly to its own sub-contractors, consultants or subcontractors for services performed or materials provided; or e. Damage to the APS or to another vendor by the Vendor. 5.0 E-rate Program Information and Requirements 5.1 The E-rate or, more precisely, the Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism provides discounts to assist most schools and libraries in the United States to obtain affordable telecommunications and Internet access. Four service categories are funded: Telecommunications Services, Internet Access, Internal Connections, and Basic Maintenance. Discounts range from 20% to 90% of the costs of eligible services, depending on the level of poverty and the urban/rural status of the population served. Eligible schools, school districts and libraries may apply individually or as part of a consortium. 5.2 The Universal Services Program. The Supplier must participate in the E-rate Program and also has a responsibility to educate itself about the Program requirements and timelines. The Schools and Libraries Division (SLD) of USAC will hold Service Providers accountable to the statements made in E-Rate applications, registration, certification and invoices. For more information on E-rate participation and procedures go to E-Rate Eligible Goods and Services. It is anticipated that some or all of the Board s costs under this Agreement shall be eligible for the E- Rate discount under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Universal Service Provision (FCC ). Accordingly, contingent upon the APS receipt of a Funding Commitment Decision Letter (FCDL) from SLD/USAC and both APS and Vendors compliance with all the SLD/USAC guidelines, Vendor shall have the ability to offer the District a SLD/USAC discounted invoice payment option in addition to the District s standard invoice payment option of Net 30. In providing the discounted invoice payment option, Vendor will be required to recover its compensation for the approved E-Rate eligible discounted services, which can be from twenty percent (20%) up to ninety percent (90%), directly from the Schools and Libraries Division ( SLD ) of the Universal Service Administration Company ( USAC ) in accordance with procedures established by the FCC and SLD/ USAC. Vendor s invoices will itemize/breakdown the costs of all E-Rate eligible products and/or services from all non-e-rate eligible products and /or services. To determine which items are eligible, visit the FY 2012 E-rate Eligible 9

10 Services List at: or call the SLD at All aspects of this project must comply with the Federal Communication Commission s competitive RFP requirement for Universal Service Fund (USF) support and services. 5.4 Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN) The vendor shall obtain a valid E-rate SPIN (Service Provider Identification Number), and must provide that SPIN in the proposal submitted in response to this bid opportunity. If a vendor does not currently have a SPIN but would like to apply for one, the vendor must submit a completed Form 498 to the E-rate program administrator, the Schools and Libraries Division of the Universal Service Administrative Company ( SLD ). The form is available on the SLD s website at: Item 21 The vendor must provide an accurately completed Item 21 attachment documentation which will be filed with the District s Form 471. Item 21 attachment examples may be viewed at: Exclusion of Liability for E-Rate Funding The Board shall have no liability for the E-Rate portion of any costs incurred by the Offeror and/or any vendor s invoices if one of the following occurs: a. Products or services billed to the SLD are deemed ineligible pursuant to any event, including but not limited to an audit, after the SLD has reimbursed the Offeror for products or services that were previously considered eligible. b. The Offeror fails to properly adhere to SLD guidelines (e.g., missing a filing deadline for invoicing to the SLD) or is subject to the FCC Red Light Rule and subsequently is not paid by the SLD. 5.7 The vendor agrees to timely submit to the SLD, a completed Form 473, Service Provider Annual Certification form, which provides updated contact information to the SLD for the Supplier. The Supplier must also agree to provide a copy of the completed Form 473 to the District s E-Rate Office. This form is available on the SLD s website at: The vendor must identify and provide complete contact information for their organization s E-Rate Program subject matter expert and certify that he/she will completed a minimum of 8 hours, at their expense, of annual E-Rate Program continuing education training. This training must be provided by a SLD/USAC approved entity and documentation of the training completion must be provided on/by December 1 of each year. 5.9 The vendor agrees to ship and/or deliver any equipment and/or services in accordance with the contract Commencement date where service will begin on or after July 1 of the upcoming funding year Determining Invoice Method District will work with vendor in determining which invoicing method will be used. APS currently uses the BEAR (Form 472) method, in which we paid our invoices in-full and will be seeking funding reimbursements for the E-Rate eligible portion of our bills or our discounted share. However the vendor should be very familiar with the SPI (Form 474) method, in which they will only bill the District for their discounted portion of E-Rate eligible charges and seek payment of the remaining balance directly from USAC. Please reference: 10

11 5.11 Supplier shall separately itemize the cost of E-Rate eligible and E-Rate ineligible products and/or services. To determine which items are eligible, visit the E-Rate Eligible Services list at: or call the SLD at The decision to proceed with this project or service is not contingent upon award to the District of funding from Universal Service Funds (E-Rate). Please note: The SLD funding cycle may take as long as months. The vendor will not begin work on this project or provide this service without written notification from APS that funding has been approved and/or that work should begin. In the event that funding is denied or is delayed past the beginning of the E-Rate funding year for which funds where sought, APS, at its sole discretion, may elect: a. To proceed with the service in full b. To proceed with the service utilizing a reduced Scope of Work c. To cancel the service agreement entirely 5.13 If partial funding is committed, the products and services will be adjusted accordingly. 6.0 VENDOR REQUIREMENTS 6.1 APS policy requires that all contractors, consultants, or vendors providing services on APS premises be fingerprinted and submit to a criminal record check initiated by APS prior to providing services to APS. There is a fee of $40.00 per individual payable by money order associated with the background check. The payment of this fee is the sole responsibility of the contractor, consultant, vendor or the employing company. Any contract awarded pursuant to this solicitation is contingent upon compliance with this requirement and a satisfactory background check as determined by APS. 6.2 Use of Subcontractors a. If subcontractors will be used in the performance of this contract, vendor must complete and submit with its response the Primary Vendor/Subcontractor Utilization form. b. Vendor shall not assign any duties to perform services nor to provide goods to APS under this contract to a subcontractor that is not listed in vendor s response to this solicitation. c. If a subcontractor is removed from the contact at any time during the term, vendor must notify APS Procurement Services in writing with name of subcontractor, reason for removal and effective date. d. If vendor desires to add a subcontractor at any time during the term of the contract, vendor must submit to APS Procurement Services in writing the following information on the subcontractor; company name, address, telephone and fax number, service they will be providing and proposed effective date. Subcontractor may not begin providing service until approved by APS. e. Vendor is responsible for ensuring that all subcontractors who provide goods or services under this contract comply with the terms and conditions of the contract. f. Vendor shall give APS immediate notice in writing of any claim, action or suit filed against vendor by any subcontractor. g. APS reserves the right to require that a subcontractor be removed from the contract. 6.3 The vendor must identify and provide contact information for their organization s E-Rate Program subject matter expert and certify that he/she will complete a minimum of 8 hours, at their expense, of annual E-Rate Program continuing education training. 7.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 7.1 Proposal shall be submitted as follows: The entire proposal (including the items listed in section 7.4) on three (3) CD-ROMs. All CD-ROMs should be labeled with the company name, solicitation name and solicitation number. 11

12 All information on CD-ROMs should be protected or in PDF file format. The original and five (5) hard copies of the entire proposal. The original should be marked as such. All hard copies should be submitted on loose leaf paper. Failure to submit the required number of CDs and hardcopies requested may cause the proposal to be deemed non-responsive. 7.2 Pricing shall be submitted as follows: The original and three (3) hard copies in a separate sealed envelope. All hard copies should be submitted on loose leaf paper. Do not submit pricing on a CD-ROM. Failure to submit the required number of hardcopies requested may cause the proposal to be deemed non-responsive. 7.3 Proposals, in the format requested in 7.1and 7.2 shall be submitted together in a sealed package with the following information listed on the outside of the package: Full company name RFP name and number RFP due date and time Name of the assigned Procurement officer 7.4 The following must be completed and submitted with your proposal in a separate sealed envelope labeled required documents. Include on the outside of the envelope the full company name, solicitation name and solicitation number. a. Offeror affirmation form b. Price proposal form (do not submit pricing on a CD-ROM) c. Offeror information form d. Offeror reference form e. Joint venture affidavit f. Primary vendor / subcontractor utilization g. Promise of non-discrimination h. Copy of local or state business license or permit i. Item 21 attachment j. Sample invoice k. Technical questionnaire l. APS contract template red line draft or a draft copy of the agreement your company will request APS to sign. 7.5 No telephone, electronic or facsimile proposals will be accepted. 7.6 Any proposal received after the designated time and date due will not be considered by APS. 7.7 Proposals cannot be withdrawn after they are delivered to APS unless offeror makes a request in writing to the Director of Procurement Services prior to the time set for receiving bids, or unless the Director of Procurement Services fails to accept or reject the bids within one hundred and twenty (120) days after the date fixed for receiving said proposals. 7.8 Proposals which contain irregularities of any kind and/or do not comply fully with requirements stated in the solicitation documents may be rejected at the discretion of the Director of Procurement Services. APS shall not be liable for any costs associated or incurred by offeror in conjunction with preparation of solicitation responses. 12

13 7.9 APS reserves the right to waive any minor informality or error in the solicitation or offerors proposal which will not adversely affect competition By submitting a response the offeror certifies that this proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement or connection with any corporation, company or person submitting a bid for the same service and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud; that collusive pricing is understood to be a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences and civil damage awards. It is further agreed that offeror agrees to abide by all conditions of the solicitation, notice of award and/or purchase order(s) of APS and that the person signing this bid is duly authorized to bid on behalf of the offeror Failure to provide the information listed in section 7.4 may result in rejection of the proposal. If further information is required to demonstrate responsibility such as providing copies of licenses or permits (other than those mentioned in 6.4(h)), certificates, etc., the offeror will be notified, in writing and given five (5) days from notification to supply such information Offeror shall submit the following information with the proposal. Offeror must reference each section as listed below. Section 1 Company Qualifications and Experience a. Provide a brief history of the company including the number of years in business providing the services specified in this solicitation. b. Provide resumes of key company personnel which include qualifications, certifications, education and responsibilities of staff expected to be assigned to this project. c. Provide three references for successful implementation of local SIP Trunking with LNP of similar or greater size/complexity. Provide the following for each reference: Name and address of organization Name and title of primary contact with telephone number, fax number and address Description of the services provided including dates d. Provide three references of successful implementation to customers with Cisco Unified Communications Manager 6.x or later. Provide the following for each reference: Name and address of organization Name and title of primary contact with telephone number, fax number and address Description of the services provided including dates e. Provide your Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN). f. Provide name and contact information for your company s E-Rate Program subject matter expert and certify that he/she will complete a minimum of 8 hours, at their expense, of annual E-Rate Program continuing education training. Also provide documentation of the training completion by the company s E-Rate subject matter expert from the last 2 years. Section 2 - Methodology / Operations a. Provide a complete program implementation schedule. b. Provide an Operational Plan that describes how the solution will be managed once it is installed. 13

14 c. Describe the post-implementation support available to APS. d. Provide sample reports for each of the reports listed section 3.2 e. Describe the procedures for routine and emergency requests for equipment service. f. Describe the procedures for complying with SLA s outlined in this solicitation. g. Describe the procedures for customer complaint resolution. h. Provide a brief statement specifying the amount of experience your company has in working with the Schools and Libraries Division of USAC. i. Describe how you plan to keep up-to-date on new E-Rate rules and modifications to existing ones, during the lifetime of the contract and any extensions. j. Provide your Disaster Recovery Plan as it relates to providing APS continuous uptime availability. Describe specifically how hardware and larger Internet outages are mitigated. k. Describe how you plan to provide APS with a Program that supports the APS primary goal of cost savings on an on-going basis. l. Provide documentation attesting that the SIP services provided are certified compatible with Cisco Unified Communications Manager version 7.1.5b. m. Provide documentation showing SIP compatibility with APS Cisco VoIP Infrastructure. n. Describe your proposed implementation migration plan with timeline (see section 3.23). Section 3 - Pricing a. Provide pricing on the APS price proposal form which is a separate Excel spreadsheet. This form must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope labeled pricing. Section 4 Other Required Documents a. Provide a sample monthly invoice for the services that have be requested in this solicitation. The sample invoice is expected to show compliance with the solicitation requirement that all E-Rate eligible products/services are clearly identified from all non E-Rate eligible items. b. Item 21 attachment provide an item 21 attachment (see section 5.5). c. Technical questionnaire complete and return the technical questionnaire which is a separate Excel spreadsheet. Vendor must provide a response to all sections of the technical questionnaire. Sections vendor must respond with a yes or no to indicate that they can or cannot comply with the requirements. If vendor responds with a no, they must provide an explanation on a separate sheet and reference the section number. Sections vendor must provide the information requested on a separate sheet and reference the section number. 14

15 8.0 EVALUATION 8.1 To be eligible for consideration, proposals shall be presented in accordance with the instructions of this solicitation and within the timeframe specified. It shall be the responsibility of the awarded vendor to meet all specifications and guidelines set forth herein. 8.2 An APS evaluation committee will evaluate each proposal properly submitted. APS, at its sole discretion, determines the criteria and process whereby proposals are evaluated and awarded. No damages shall be recoverable by any challenger as a result of the determinations or decisions by APS. 8.3 APS reserves the right during the evaluation process to contact offerors who submit proposals and request additional information or clarification necessary to complete the evaluation. 8.4 After the closing date and time, one or more members of the Department of Procurement Services will conduct an administrative review of all proposals received to determine responsiveness. Proposals that are deemed to be responsive will be submitted to the evaluation committee for review. 8.5 After the closing date and time, the assigned Procurement Officer will conduct an administrative review of all proposals received to determine responsiveness. Proposals that are deemed to be responsive will be submitted to the evaluation committee for review. 8.6 Although proposals that do not contain pricing information will not be considered for an award, Atlanta Public Schools reserves the right to evaluate proposals on the non-price related criteria only. Proposals that do not meet at least 80% of the non-price criteria may not have price evaluated as a criterion. 8.7 APS will evaluate all proposals and reserves the right to develop a competitive range. The competitive range is defined as a group for competitive negotiation, as determined during the evaluation process, composed of only those proposals that are considered to have a reasonable chance of being selected for an award and who are, therefore, chosen for additional discussions and negotiations. Proposals not in the competitive range are given no further consideration. 8.8 The formula used to evaluate price is as follows: (Lowest price / price of proposal being evaluated) x points available for price = score 8.9 Proposals will be evaluated on the following criteria: Company qualifications and experience 30 Methodology / operations 30 Price E-Rate program rules require that the cost of E-Rate eligible goods and services be given the highest weight E-Rate program rules require that the cost of E-Rate eligible goods and services be given the highest weighting in the vendor selection process. To be considered for full points in each category, please provide a response to all sections of the Price Proposal Form and Technical Questionnaire forms APS, at its discretion, determines the criteria and process whereby proposals are evaluated and awarded. No damages shall be recoverable by any challenger as a result of these determinations or decisions by Atlanta Public Schools. 15

16 9.0 AWARD 9.1 Please be advised that it is the policy of the Atlanta Public Schools that all contracts be awarded without regard to the race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, age, or disability of the offeror. 9.2 This contract shall be for one (1) base term (of one year or less) with four (4) one-year options to renew at the sole discretion of the Superintendent of APS. The contract will be conditional upon the offeror s ability to comply with requirements set forth in the solicitation documents. 9.3 Offeror shall not begin work without a purchase order issued by APS s Department of Procurement Services. 9.4 APS has selected as its owner s representative, the Chief Information Officer. Supervision of the contract will be performed by the owner s representative or his/her designee. 9.5 The original and one (1) copy of an itemized invoice must be submitted to the Atlanta Public Schools Accounts Payable Department, P. O. Box 4659, Atlanta, GA 30302, (phone number ). Invoices must include the APS purchase order number and the ship to location where the goods and/or services were delivered. Invoices that do not include this information will be returned to the vendor. Separate invoices are required for each purchase order. 9.6 At the end of each contract term, the awarded vendor may submit a request for a price redetermination. Price re-determination requests must be submitted to the assigned Department of Procurement Services Contract Administrator ninety (90) days prior to the contract term expiration date accompanied by proof of revised cost to the awarded vendor. APS may, at its discretion: a. Accept the proposed price re-determination. b. Reject the proposed price re-determination. c. Suggest an alternative price re-determination. 9.7 If APS rejects a proposed price the awarded vendor may: a. Continue with the existing pricing. b. Suggest an alternative price re-determination. c. End the contract. 9.8 APS reserves the right to reject all proposals when such action is in the best interest of the district. 9.9 Awards will be posted on the APS website at: Quick Links Purchasing Contracts Awarded 10.0 CONTRACT 10.1 Vendor should review the APS contract template and submit a red line draft or submit a draft copy of the agreement your company will request APS to sign. 16

17 NON-SUBMITTAL RESPONSE FORM RFP Name: E-Rate Internet Service and Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) Trunking via Telx RFP Number: NOTE TO VENDOR: If your company s response is a non-submittal, the Atlanta Public Schools is very interested in the reason for such response since APS desires to ensure that the procurement process is fair, non-restrictive and attracts maximum participation from interested companies. We therefore, appreciate your responses to this non-submittal response form. Please complete and fax this form to: (404) Please indicate your reason for responding with a non-submittal : Unable to meet the requirements for this solicitation. Unable to provide the goods or services specified in this solicitation Unable to meet time frame established for start and or completion of project. Atlanta Public Schools Procurement Services 130 Trinity Ave., S. W. Atlanta, Georgia Received too late to submit a bid. Received on: Please remove our company s name from receiving similar type solicitations. Other (Please explain): Your response will be reviewed and placed in the solicitation file. Your input will assist APS in determining changes necessary to increase participation in the solicitation process. Company Name Company Address ( ) ( ) Company Telephone Number Company Fax Number Primary company contact address Authorized company official signature Title Date 17

18 OFFEROR AFFIRMATION FORM (This form must be completed and returned with your response) Company Name: RFP Name: E-Rate Internet Service and Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) Trunking via Telx RFP Number: After careful examination of the solicitation document in its entirety, E-Rate Internet Service and Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) Trunking via Telx, # and any addendum(s) issued, the undersigned proposes to satisfy all requirements in accordance with said documents. The solicitation checklist has been complied with, is completed and enclosed with this bid. For consideration of this bid, the undersigned hereby affirms that (1) he/she is a duly authorized official of the offeror, (2) that the bid is being submitted on behalf of the offeror in accordance with any terms and conditions set forth in this document, and (3) that the offeror will accept any awards made to it as a result of the bid submitted herein for a minimum of one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days following the date of submission and (4) that the offeror will accept the terms and conditions set forth in the contract template attached hereto. If notified in writing by mail or delivery of the acceptance of the award, the undersigned agrees to furnish and deliver to the assigned Procurement officer within five (5) days of the request, a certificate of insurance indicating the coverages specified within this solicitation. A contract shall be established which will set forth the terms of this agreement. The contract shall be interpreted, construed and given effect in all respects according to the laws of the State of Georgia. Nondiscrimination in Employment: We, the supplier of goods, materials, equipment or services covered by this bid or contract, have not discriminated in the employment, in any way, against any person or persons, or refused to continue the employment of any person or persons on account of their race, color, sex, religion, national origin, marital status, sexual orientation, age, or disability. Respectfully submitted, Company Name Address Authorized Official Name Signature Title Date ( ) ( ) Business Telephone Number Fax Address The full names and addresses of persons and organizations interested in the foregoing solicitation as principals of the company are as follows: The legal name of the bidder is: 18

19 OFFEROR INFORMATION FORM (This form must be completed and returned with your response) RFP Name: E-Rate Internet Service and Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) Trunking via Telx RFP Number: Full Company Legal Name: Street Address: City, State, Zip Code: Contact Name for Solicitation: Title: Telephone: ( ) Fax: ( ) Contact Name for Contract: Title: Telephone: ( ) Fax: ( ) Contact Name for Purchase Order s: Title: Telephone: ( ) Fax: ( ) Purchase orders may be delivered via or fax. Please indicate your preferred delivery method and provide an address or fax number where they should be sent. Fax ( ) Company Web Site: State of Incorporation: Taxpayer Identification Number: Check one of the following: Independently owned and operated: An Affiliate or Division of: Company Name: Address: Does the company utilize an Affirmative Action Plan for Equal Employment Yes No Opportunity? Has the company implemented a compliance program in accordance with the Yes No Americans with Disabilities Act? Have any conditions or restrictions been placed on this proposal by the company Yes No that would cause it to be declared non-responsive? If recommended for award will company provide proof of insurance as required? Yes No Has the company ever been debarred from doing business with any federal, state or Yes No local agency? If yes please provide details and submit on a separate sheet Is your company referenced on the USAC website for debarred and suspended vendors Yes No Has the company ever defaulted on a contract or been denied a contract due to Yes No non-ability to perform? If yes please provide details on a separate sheet. Is the company registered as a vendor with Atlanta Public Schools? Yes No 19

20 Primary Vendor Name: If this will not be a joint venture, check this box: JOINT VENTURE AFFIDAVIT (This form must be completed and returned with your response) RFP Name: E-Rate Internet Service and Session Initiated Protocol (SIP) Trunking via Telx RFP Number: State of: County of: We, the undersigned, being duly sworn according to law, upon our respective oaths depose and say that: 1. The following named contractors/companies have entered into a joint venture for the purpose of carrying out all the provisions of the Contract for the above named solicitation: Joint Venture Company A Company Name Federal ID No. Address: City: State: Zip: Check all that apply: Sole Proprietorship Partnership Corporation N/A, other Joint Venture Company B Company Name Federal ID No. Address: City: State: Zip: Check all that apply: Sole Proprietorship Partnership Corporation N/A, other 2. The contractors/companies, under whose names we have affixed our respective signatures, have duly authorized and empowered us to execute this Joint Venture Statement in the name of and on behalf of such contractors for the purpose hereinbefore stated. Under the provision of such Joint Venture, the assets of each of the contractors named in Paragraph 1 hereof, and in case any contractor so named above is in partnership, the assets of the individual members of such partnership, will be available for the performance of such Joint Venture and liable therefore and for all obligations incurred in connection therewith. 20