Tim Yake Procurement Commodity Manager

Transcription

1 OHIO University Procurement Services Request for Proposal #: OU TY Name: Energy & Utility Tracking Software Due: 2:00PM EST, Thursday, February 19, 2015 Tim Yake Procurement Commodity Manager OHIO University Procurement Services West Union Street Office Center 160 West Union Street, 205D Athens, OH Phone: Date of issue: January 30, 2015

2 Section 1 General Information 1.1 Proposal Description OHIO University of Athens, OHIO (hereafter call The University) is requesting Proposals to provide software for a solution to the University s Energy and Utility tracking needs. It is being issued for the purpose of seeking proposals for a qualified firm to provide a Utility Accounting Software Solution for integration with our accounting system and invoicing, and an energy/utility tracking and reporting application that will significantly reduce the cost of utility bill processing, enhance transparency, and increase the usage of energy data to support decision making and communication about the University s energy-related priorities, efforts, and results. The University is not looking for a custom made solution, but rather a solution that is already available in the marketplace and that will integrate with our BobcatBUY SciQuest Software and existing Tridium AX server database containing aggregated data from the campus-wide submetering system. The University will receive proposals electronically via the protocol described in Sections 7.7 and Alternates and Variations from Requirements Wherever items or services have been specifically described, such identification is descriptive and not restrictive. It indicates the quality and characteristics that are satisfactory. If the bidder has an equal, alternative proposal, that alternative must be clearly and completely described. The University will consider alternates that meet or exceed the quality and characteristics specified. The University is not bound to accept any proposals that are not in its best interest. The determination as to acceptability of the alternate offered is the responsibility of the University, and will be based on information furnished by the bidder, as well as information reasonably available to the University. Unless the bidder clearly indicates that an alternative is being offered, it will be assumed that the proposal meets the requirements exactly as specified in this document. CAUTION TO BIDDERS: It is not the responsibility of the University to secure any information not identified in the bidder s response. Information furnished may include specific references to catalogs, brochures, or other material previously furnished. Otherwise, such information must accompany the proposal. All prices MUST BE FIRM. Proposers will be expected to deliver on order(s) at the price quoted. 1.3 Method of Award Awards for goods and services will be made to the bidder(s) providing the most responsive and responsible proposal. The University reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and is not bound to accept the lowest-cost proposal if that proposal is not in the best interests of the University. In making an award, factors such as the firm s service capability, integrity, facilities, equipment, reputation and past performance will be weighed. 1.4 Compliance with Federal, State and Local Laws Any supplier warrants, in submitting a proposal and in the performance of any resulting award, that they have complied with or will comply with all applicable federal, state, University and local laws, ordinances and all lawful orders, rules and regulations there under. The supplier agrees: 1) Not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, sex, age, handicap or Vietnam era veteran status, 2) That every sub-contract for any ensuing order will contain a provision requiring non-discrimination in employment as specified above, and 3) That it is not now, and will not become subject to an unresolved find for recovery under ORC 9.24, prior to the award of any contract or agreement arising out of this RFP, without notifying the University of such finding This covenant is required pursuant to Executive Order 11246, Laws and Regulations of the State 1

3 of OHIO. Any breach thereof may be regarded as material breach of contract or purchase order and cause for cancellation. Section 2 Institutional Background 2.1 General OHIO University was chartered by the state of Ohio in It is a state-assisted university, with a total enrollment exceeding 32,000 students. The main campus, in Athens, Ohio, has an enrollment of approximately 22,000 students. The remaining 16,000 students are served by five regional campuses in Ironton, St. Clairsville, Lancaster, Zanesville, and Chillicothe as well as College of Osteopathic sites. The University employs an estimated 4,500 full and part-time faculty and staff. The OHIO University main campus, which includes the Ridges (the former Athens Mental Health Center property), plus some outlying properties in the City of Athens, consists of approximately 8 million gross square feet, 200 buildings and 1,800 acres of land. Section 3 Scope of Work 3.1 Project Design Narrative OHIO University is implementing Responsibility Center Management (RCM) which includes allocating Utility costs to the appropriate RCMs based on the RCMs usage. RCM is designed to control costs and promote the broadest possible stewardship of financial resources and natural resources. In order to implement RCM, charge backs of utility costs based upon University submeters must be set-up. The cost allocation for utilities shall be completely set-up, running seamlessly, by July 1, 2015, for the start of the 2016 Fiscal Year. The selection and implementation of new energy and utility tracking software should also be seen as an opportunity to improve the University s business functions, energy management, productivity and the use of new and future technology. The implementation process and software shall improve process flow and allow the process and data to be transparent/open to the campus (or RCMs). 3.2 Specific Background and Goals The University is committed to addressing deferred maintenance needs and energy conservation measures. A component of this effort is to identify, quantify and prioritize deferred maintenance in the utility systems, buildings, and cost centers within the University. The University has selected a firm to provide an Energy & Utility Master Plan with the following goals: Repair failing infrastructure and allow for sustainable institutional growth through the implementation of an Energy and Utility Master Plan for the university s Athens Campus. Update campus maps relative to utility infrastructure and populate the database. 2

4 Implement a strategic vision such that the University becomes a national leader in Smart Growth practices relating to energy and utility management. Coordinate such efforts in conjunction with additional institutional planning efforts relating to campus growth and revitalization, specifically the Comprehensive Master Plan and the Ridges Master Plan. Support the goals of the University s Strategic Plan. Allow for future technologies to be incorporated into the overall institutional energy and utility system in a way that will continually allow for reduced dependency on fossil fuels. Improve operating safety. Support near-term planning needs on projects that have a transformational impact on the overall comprehensive plan. The Energy and Utility Tracking Software should align with the above explained Energy & Utility Master Plan and assist the program in problem solving/targeting problems, project tracking, and measurement & verification. In an effort to uphold institutional commitments to carbon emission reductions, the University will eliminate all on-site stationary uses of coal by the end of heating season. Such a commitment was established by President McDavis through a formal agreement with the Sierra Club and as a top priority published in the University s Climate Action Plan. Additionally, the OHIO University Sustainability Plan recommends that the University reduce the use of fossil fuel based energy infrastructure. Additional energy-related institutional goals can be found in the OHIO University Sustainability Plan and the Ohio University Climate Action Plan. Both documents are available online at Notable objectives within these documents include: Reduce institutional greenhouse gas emissions: 25% below 2005 levels by 2030, 80% below 2005 levels by 2050 and Carbon neutrality by Reduce campus and building energy intensity: Reduce building energy intensity 20% below 2004 levels by 2014 and 40% below 2004 levels by Lower peak to 23 MW by Increase renewable energy: 20% of all campus energy use by Sub-meter campus facilities: 100% of facilities over 15,000 GSF by Project Specific Information Last year, OHIO University spent over $11 million in utility expenses across six (6) utility-related types: light/power, natural gas, gas fuel oil, water/sewer, coal, and communications. The vendors and municipal utilities with the account breakdowns are found in Table 1 below along with the format the invoices are currently received. Last year, OU processed over 2,000 accounts payable (A/P) entries for payment. We estimate that this translates into approximately 1,200 labor hours between Work Facilities Management, Accounts Payable, and the approval process by management per year. 3

5 OHIO University consumes over 122 million kw hours of electricity with peak electricity demand around MW. The University currently pays the following utility companies/municipalities: Table 1. Utility Vendors and Associated Accounts Utility Vendor # of Accounts Paperless Billing Electricity American Electric Power (AEP) 71 95% First Energy 3 100% Fox Island Coop 1 To date paperless billing not an option Natural Gas Gonzoil c/o IGS 4 To date paperless billing not an option Columbia Gas Columbia Gas-Industrial Accts % 100% City of Lancaster 1 To date paperless billing not an option Coal Vidatt 1 To date paperless billing not an option Water/Sewer City of Athens 1 To date paperless billing not an option Le-Ax 6 City of Lancaster 1 Village of Albany 1 Telephone/ Communication Frontier 3 100% TOTAL 13 Vendors 191 The three (3) Utility Vendors/accounts highlighted in green shall be set-up with the purchased energy & utility tracking software to have interface with utility company (via EDI,.csv flat-file downloaded from utility FTP site), to avoid manual data entry. The Contractor shall be responsible for working with utility provider to provide appropriate interface format. 3.4 Water Sub-Metering The City of Athens water/sewer bill is in a consolidated utility bill format, but in order to bill appropriate RCMs for water/sewer usage, the 179 water/sewer accounts included on the consolidated bill must be set-up and entered into the Utility & Energy tracking database. 179 water/sewer accounts can be found on the consolidated bill each month. A screen shot from the last page of the consolidated bill can be found in Figure 1 below. 4

6 Figure 1. City of Athens Water/Sewer Consolidated Bill Example 3.5 Electric/CHW/HHW Real-time Sub-Metering OHIO University currently has an existing utility sub-metering system networked to a central Square D PowerLogic StruxureWare Power Monitoring 7.0 Software (PME). The PME Server is a MS SQL Server 2008R2. There are a combined total of 157 university-owned and operated electric, CHW, HW, and BTU sub-meters to be monitored and reported. Meter Count Meter Brand Utility Type 9 Sq D PM600 Electric 4 Sq D PM800 Electric 7 Sq D CM2000 Electric 117 Sq D CM3000 Electric 13 Sq D CM4000 Electric 4 Onicon System 10 BTU 1 Galbreath CW 1 Nelson BTU Nelson Dom HW#1 Nelson CW#2 Nelson HW#3 3 Badger 3050 CW 1 Central Food Facility CHW 1 Schnoonover HW BTU 1 Schoonover CW BTU 157 total devices on system 5

7 This number is expected to grow as a result of University sub-metering project that will take several years to complete, paired with the Energy & Utility Master Plan All future real-time meters, starting December 2014, shall be brought through a Tridium AX server database containing aggregated data from the campus-wide sub-metering system. The software shall be capable of collecting data from our sub-metering system, data network, and Tridium AX Server (for the future Phase II of Utility & Energy Tracking, not part of this initial RFP [Phase I]). By the time the project implementation begins, there shall also be the following real-time meters in the Tridium AX server database: Meter Count Meter Brand Utility Type 5 Sq D PM800 Electric 30 Onicon System 10 BTU CHW from CNE Project 20 Onicon System 10 BTU CHW & HW from Student Housing 55 TOTAL 3.6 Specific Requirements Supplier would need to provide all software, implementation services, transfer of utility database, training, licenses, maintenance and other related services necessary to provide OHIO University a functional utility accounting software solution for use by the University s staff and as a part of the new RCM program. The University shall work with the Contractor to determine the configuration setup and reporting hierarchy of the energy information in the Utility & Energy Tracking Application. The Contractor is responsible for performing the tasks to setup the software based upon a written and agreed upon configuration document. Contractor shall be responsible for documenting the setup rules and protocols in a knowledge document that will be provided to OU as project documentation. Any changes implemented thereafter shall be the responsibility of the University to maintain in the knowledge document. After Project completion, the University data populated in the Utility & Energy tracking application shall remain the property of the University, regardless of form. The University shall provide the Contractor with a list of vendors, vendor accounts, meter #, building #/ID, University square footage data, financial data, and all other data required to support the population and setup of the system per the configuration document. The Contractor shall work with the University in developing a standardized form for collection and validation of University s billing and consumption data. 1. Total number of utility meters: 582 a. Vendor/Utility Accounts/Meters: 191 b. Vendor sub-meters (from water/sewer consolidated billing): 179 c. University sub-meters from PME: 157 d. University sub-meters from Niagara AX: 55 6

8 2. Total number of buildings: Total number of Cost Centers: Total number of users: Shall be unlimited. 5. Accessibility: The software shall be available to authorized users of the University through real-time web-based and mobile interfaces. Allow access to at least ten (10) concurrent users in a secure system that limits access to OHIO University information (hacking) and provides access only to users authorized by OU by restricting such access to users on a tiered basis in a manner designated by OU. 6. Hosting: The complete database shall be hosted by Ohio University Information Technology using an on-campus Virtual Server/Machine. The Contractor shall be responsible for coordinating with OIT for server storage requirements, cost of server and storage space (to be included in Contractor s Price Proposal), and ensuring appropriate data back-up and restore systems are in place. Upon request by Contractor, VPN access to the Virtual Server for set-up and implement can be provided. a. Back-Ups: The complete database must be backed up on a nightly basis with appropriate data back-up and restore systems in place. The database and all access must be virus and malware (malicious software) free. There shall be no pop-up ads on the site used by the University. 7. Utility Bill Import Formatter (flat file/edi 810 interfaces) three (3) interfaces with the main utility vendors for automated utility bill entry: American Electric Power (AEP), First Energy, and Columbia Gas (+Industrial Accounts). 8. Historical Data Import The University will provide the Contractor with copies of the previous month of utility bills with the associated rates, vendor names and contract information, along with 36- months of historic transactional data in an excel format. The University will also provide the Contractor with 24-months of sub-meter data from the 157 meters in the PME Server. Data will be provided in Excel 2010 Spreadsheets. The most immediate 13-months shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to export from PME Server and into the Utility & Energy Tracking Software. The Contractor shall be responsible for the collection, verification, and population of this data in the Energy Tracking System, including the setting up of the utility rate of each account. The University shall be responsible for verifying and signing off on completeness. All Utility Bill information shall be captured and populated into the database by the Contractor: 7

9 a. Vendor name b. Vendor customer account name and numbers, Vendor customer numbers (if any) c. Energy Source d. Service type (for example firm or interruptible for natural gas), e. Bill number, if applicable f. Facility Location or service address (location name and address) g. Billing address h. Volume of energy/water consumed during the Billing period i. Meter read dates j. Meter number k. Rate of service class (i.e. tariff class) l. All costs m. All other charges and credits specified on the Bill n. Demand data (and all other factors, e.g. On-peak, Off-peak, Intermediate Load etc.) and costs, and any and all other data provided on the Supplier Bill. 9. Utility Bill Audits Software shall be capable of performing audit processes to help eliminate billing errors and utility usage abnormalities/anomalies. The Contractor shall provide technology that will enable all invoices and accounts to go through a bill audit process using the minimum verification checks as outlined below. check for invoice calculation errors; check for previous balance charges; check for duplicate of conflicting or overlapping service dates; check for cost/consumption variances; verify late fees; verify account number change; check for overlaps or gaps in bills; verify any miscellaneous fees or new charges; check for blanks, missing numbers or zeros where there usually if a figure; verify that line item charges sum correctly; check for duplicate billing; check for billing from meters that don t exist; check for charges that are not permitted by contract or tariff; check for duplicate payments; 8

10 check for malfunctioning meters; check for meter reads that are the same as the previous month; check for missing bill notifications to the vendor; check for high-low threshold variances; determine if load factor and demand levels are abnormally low or high; and, match energy consumption on supplier and distributor bills (regulated and unregulated vendors) to confirm that these are exactly the same on electric bills and allow for losses on gas bills. 10. Sub-Meter Data Capture The Contractor shall also provide a web and mobile interface to permit direct key entry of sub-metered data (meter #, location, reading date, energy units) manually captured by University personnel. This data should be stored in the Energy Tracking Application and available for use in the Bill Allocation/Charge-back process and for reporting purposes. 11. Interval Data, Meter Data Import** Software shall have the ability to receive and store through an automated means the consumption data captured through the University s sub-metering platform, which will be implemented in Phase II. This data shall be used in reporting and calculating bill splits in the Utility & Energy Tracking Application. 12. Cost allocation/charge backs The Tracking System shall accommodate University provided formulas to calculate and code bill splits between two or more University Cost Centers for billing purposes (18-20). The Cost allocation feature shall be capable of combining sub-meter data, utility bills, and square footage to allocate a total invoice for a University Cost Center. All data required to meet the requirements of the BobcatBUY and Oracle R12 file output shall be available in the Utility & Energy Tracking System. The System shall be capable of allocating costs based on at least the four (4) methods: a. Direct Charge: A predefined cost center is billed directly for the charges associated with a meter based on the building owner or occupants of the building. b. Sub-Meter: The actual expense is billed to Customers based on the sub-meter readings for a specific building based on building occupant. c. Allocation Based on Square Footage: Under this methodology, the actual expense is billed to Customers based on a combination of metered data and the % of space Customer (s) occupy in the building based on square footage. d. Service Charge: Utility Department/Accounting Fee, Processing Fee or Meter Calibration Fee that could be added to the chargeback. 9

11 13. Rate Schedule Analysis set-up rate schedules for all accounts from utility vendors, so the University can accurately perform rate schedule analyses. 14. Load Factor Analysis identifies buildings using too much energy or high monthly demand (based on building type and operation). 15. Administrative Process Improvement automates manual processes and reduces duplication of administrative tasks. 16. Customized programming of an A/P interface between the Energy & Utility Tracking software and BobcatBUY (BobcatBUY is OHIO University s version of SciQuest. The SciQuest application is the Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) based front end for Oracle R12). Currently, the process of paying utility bills requires double-entry (Facilities and Purchasing/Procurement). The program shall export audited bill records from the Energy & Utility tracking software to an intermediate file; the intermediate file is then be imported into BobcatBUY and fed to Oracle R12 for financial tracking and payment. The software shall be used as a smart front end on the A/P system. It shall perform detailed bill verification and auditing, while at the same time capturing bill details for energy management purposes. 17. Reporting shall provide detailed and flexible reporting on energy performance, billing, weather, year-to-year comparison, invoice, cost avoidance, budget and greenhouse gases in all leased and owned facilities. All reports shall be viewable via the web and mobile devices and compatible with downloading into Microsoft Excel Reports shall be generated for different levels by Energy Account, building, facility, division, department and University-wide by month and by Fiscal Year. Data shall be able to be weather normalized on a monthly basis based on degree day data derived from an authoritative source such as the National Weather Service or the Energy Information Administration appropriate for the location. Data and reports shall also have normalization capabilities. In addition to the reports listed above, the Contractor s Energy & Utility Tracking System shall provide the following reports: a. Invoice Status: report including # and dollar value of invoices with status and stage in processing. b. Project Report: shall track and maintain detailed information about energy savings (i.e., comparatives to prior period, or comparatives to a budget or forecast vs. actual) related to capital improvement projects at the facility level. c. Forecast Reports: shall project energy expenditures and energy consumption and shall provide a combined forecast for both expenditures and consumption. 10

12 The report shall generate projections by month, fiscal year, year-to-date, and by BobcatBUY codes. Projections shall be based on Billing information, history, extrapolations, current loads, prior usage and other factors (i.e. degree days, seasonal factors, tariff changes, market conditions, business growth, etc.) in sufficient detail to enable analysis and verification. The University shall provide the Contractor with building square foot data needed for calculations (Energy Usage Intensity) on an excel file. The Contractor shall be responsible for uploading this data into the Utility & Energy Tracking Software. 18. Ad Hoc Reporting The Contractor s online data system shall include a Data Mining capability that can mine information from all data in the Tracking Database or Contractor shall have the ability to create ad hoc report for the University to satisfy this need. The Data Mining capabilities shall be available to users. Data mining capabilities shall include the ability to choose from a variety of fields, ability to specify data ranges, and the ability to view line by line details of Bills, budget, forecast, and energy consumption data. Data searches should be available by cost, demand, usage and use per square foot and other variables. Report settings must be savable. 19. Budgeting the software is able to use historical cost and consumption data to create varied budgets on a detailed meter-by-meter and month-by-month basis, including the ability to chart and report budget vs. actual, indicating surplus/deficit. 20. Performing energy savings measurement & verification the software shall track the utility use to help ensure expected savings are met. 21. Greenhouse Gas Emission Tracking The software shall be capable of tracking OHIO University emission baseline and track reductions, per ACUPCC goals set by OHIO University (Office of Sustainability). 22. ENERGY STAR Tracking** The software shall have capability for direct connection to the ENERGY STAR program, to enable easier benchmarking and rating of buildings (Phase II). ** represents that the software shall have the capability, but will not be utilized in the initial Phase I of the Energy & Utility Tracking Initiative at OHIO University, but will be needed for a Phase II; a phase separate from the scope of work of this initial RFP. Implementation & Support The Supplier would have to provide implementation services to ensure successful software deployment: 11

13 (a) Implementation services. Project coordination, system engineering, start-up assistance, and consulting on all set-ups of licensed features would be applicable. (b) Maintenance Agreement. Program software, report upgrades and extended level of technical support and assistance, including services by implementation engineer. Training The Supplier would have to provide the following minimum training services performed by a project coordinator: (a) Onsite Training. Minimum of two (2) days of onsite training, including all trainer expenses, for an unlimited number of attendees at College provided training facility. Training shall include site-specific passing on of knowledge and maintenance of the implemented software and process. (b) Online Training Materials & Written Materials shall be accessible for all capabilities of software. (c) Maintenance Agreement. Technical Program software and report upgrades for three years with an option renew annually after three (3) years for one (1) year increments. Preconfigured System The Utility Accounting Software solution must be preconfigured to substantially meet all requirements with little to no system modification. OU desires that the Software solution be a preconfigured out of the box system that meets all requirements herein without any major system modifications. Supported Programs The Utility Accounting Software solution must be supported in: (a) Windows 7 (32 & 64 bit) and (b) Windows 8 (32 & 64 bit) Integration with Existing OHIO University Systems The Utility Accounting Software solution must be compatible with: (a) BobcatBUY (a sciquest product used by Accounts Payable to process vouchers into Oracle R12 financials) a. b. (b) Niagara AX Server and Historical Data 12

14 (c) Sub-meter data historical export of 13-months from Schneider Electric PME System a. MS SQL Server 2008R2 b. OHIO University has a Premium Support Service Agreement with Square D for the PowerLogic StruxureWare Power Monitoring 7.0 Software. (d) Upload of Historical Data provided in Excel 2010 Spreadsheet Format Integration Supplier must provide onsite and/or remote implementation services necessary to efficiently and effectively implement the Utility & Energy Software solution. Section 4 Period of Agreement 4.1 Initial term The term of the assessment and subsequent software license to the data collected in the assessment shall be for three (3) years to commence July 1, 2015 and end June 30, Therefore, the overall project implementation should be finalized by June 30, 2015 for the start of the University s 2016 Fiscal Year. Several key milestones must be completed well ahead of this: Set-up process to ensure the bills are paid on time. Interface with A/P to ensure incoming bills are being processed, track, and paid. o Establish new work process flow chart to accomplish above task. Utility bill historical data imports into software Set-up of University sub-meters (to be entered manually in Phase I) Import of University sub-meter historical data Chargebacks Remaining Scope of Work Training/Pass-On 4.2 Renewal Options After the initial three (3) year term, OHIO University reserves the right to renew the software license for an additional two, two (2) year terms upon mutual consent of both parties. Any renewal agreed upon shall occur ninety (90) days prior to expiration of the contract then in force. 4.3 Termination Either party may terminate this contract after the expiration of sixty (60) days from the effective date of the contract term. Termination may occur by giving the other party ninety (90) days prior written notice of intent to terminate; except that any breach of this contract shall be just cause to terminate immediately the contract and any obligations existing thereunder without any prior notice to you. 13

15 Section 5 Bidding Timeline RFP Issued Friday, January 30, 2015 Deadline for Questions Thursday, February 5, 2015 RFP DUE Thursday, February 19, Finalist Presentations If applicable- Week of March 2 nd, 2015 RFP Anticipated Award Third week of March, 2015 Section 6 Proposal Evaluation 6.1 Proposal Evaluation Criteria. Economic Costs and Benefits: Overall price and cost efficiency of purchase. Quality and adequacy of response: Completeness, responsiveness, clarity. Technical issues: Compatibility with existing systems, ease of installation and maintenance. Ability to meet requirements as described. Ability to meet timeline as described. Ability to provide support and/or service requirements. Demonstrated success of the bidder's firm and/or specific products and/or methods offered, to provide items and services as requested. 6.2 Proposal Components The Proposal shall be submitted with the following listed sections completed as part of one singular document, in a digital format with print capabilities. Section Item 10 Proposal Response Sheets 11 References 12 Contractor Engagement 13 Contractor Project Team 14 Scope of Service Requirements & Pricing 15 Implementation plan 16 Staffing Plan 17 Client Support & Maintenance Section 7 General 7.1 Shortlist The University reserves the right to shortlist the Bidders on all of the stated criteria. However, The University may determine that shortlisting is not necessary. 7.2 Interviews The University reserves the right to conduct interviews with all or some of the Bidders at any point during the evaluation process. However, The University may determine that interviews are not necessary. In the event interviews are conducted, information provided during the interview process shall be taken into consideration when evaluating the stated criteria. 14

16 7.3 Additional Investigations: The University reserves the right to make such additional investigations as it deems necessary to establish the competence and financial stability of any firm submitting a proposal. 7.4 Prior Experience Experiences with The University and entities which evaluation committee members represent shall be taken into consideration when evaluating qualifications and experience. 7.5 Exceptions To Contract Terms And Specifications The Bidder shall clearly identify any proposed deviations from the Contract Terms or Specifications in the Request for Proposal. Each exception must be clearly defined and referenced to the proper paragraph in this RFP. The exception shall include, at a minimum, the Bidder s proposed substitute language and opinion as to why the suggested substitution will provide equivalent or better service and performance. If no exceptions are noted in the Bidder s proposal, The University will assume complete conformance with The University s Contract Terms and Specifications which are included as Agreement for Services. Bidders who wish to propose modifications to the contract provisions must clearly identify the proposed deviations and any proposed substitute language. However, the provisions of the Request for Proposal cannot be modified without the express written approval of the Director of Procurement or his/her designee. If a proposal or offer is returned with modifications to the contract provisions that are not expressly approved in writing by the Director or his/her designee, the contract provisions contained in The University s Request for Proposal shall prevail. 7.6 Negotiations The University reserves the right to conduct discussions with Bidders, and to accept revisions of proposals, and to negotiate price changes. During this discussion period, The University will not disclose any information derived from proposals submitted. Once an award is made, proposal documents are public record and will be disclosed upon request (see Additional Terms & Conditions, in the Instructions for Bidders Section, below). 7.7 Deadline & Delivery OHIO University will receive proposals through the OHIO University Purchasing Sourcing Portal (found at until 2:00pm EST, Thursday, February 19, Firms submitting proposals will be responsible for delivery of the documents via the OHIO University Sourcing solution as outlined above. Any proposal received after the time and date specified, prepared or submitted, may not be eligible for consideration. Bidders are cautioned to write all descriptions and monetary amounts clearly so there is no doubt as to the intent and scope of the proposal. Erasures and other changes in the proposal must bear the signature or initials of the bidder. ALL PROPOSALS MUST BE SIGNED. Failure to provide this information may result in rejection of the proposal. The University reserves the right to reject any proposal not prepared and submitted according to the provisions herein outlined, and may reject any or all proposals. Any proposal may be withdrawn prior to the proposal due date by accessing the OHIO University Sourcing site at 15

17 IMPORTANT NOTE: The bidder is cautioned against last minute attempts to meet the due date & time and OHIO University will not be responsible for network outages, failure to register as a bidder, and other related internet malfunctions on the part of the bidder in submitting their bid. The bidder will receive an electronic confirmation of successful submission of the bid. Plan ahead. Section 8 Questions Regarding this Proposal 8.1 Formal Questions. All questions are considered formal and may only be submitted via to yake@ohio.edu. All responses will be returned via as well and the questions and the response added as a Note to this Request for Proposal at Registered bidders will receive notifications of each Note or Addendum added to this RFP. All questions should be directed to the contact address identified above via no later than Thursday, February 5, 2015, at 2:00pm EST. 8.2 Note: question to the University official listed above only. Do not include any other recipient on the question. the question from a company system i.e., use only an account provided by your firm. Do not questions from a personal account. Clearly identify yourself, your company, and the RFP number, in the body of the . Do not include any proposal information in the body of the . Proposal information should be only submitted via the OHIO University Sourcing portal at: Include the following text in your signed submission: I understand that the OHIO University Procurement Services will take care to protect the confidentiality of my proposal prior to the bid opening date and time. I also understand and acknowledge that as a result of my choice, to attach the proposal to this , confidentiality cannot be assured in the traditional manner (e.g., unbroken seals). I assume full responsibility for my choice to submit this proposal and for the lack of assured confidentiality inherent in that choice. Section 9 Additional Terms & Conditions of Submitting a Proposal 9.1 Costs incurred by bidder The bidder, by submitting a proposal, agrees that any cost incurred by the bidder in responding to this RFP, or in support of activities associated with this request, are to be borne by the bidder and may not be billed to the University. The University will incur no obligation or liability whatsoever to anyone by reason of issuance of this RFP, or action by anyone relative thereto. 9.2 Signature & submission Proposals must be dated, signed by an official authorized to bind the bidder to the terms of the proposal and submitted to the OHIO University Procurement Services in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP. 16

18 9.3 Obtaining clarification All issues and questions raised in this RFP must be answered in full. Each bidder understands and agrees that it has a duty to inquire about and clarify any RFP issue that the bidder does not fully understand or believes may be interpreted in more than one way. Every attempt will be made to promptly answer all inquiries from each bidder. 9.4 Freight Terms If applicable, all prices quoted are to be F.O.B. Destination. Unless clearly stated otherwise by the bidder, prices quoted will include all charges for transportation, packaging, etc., necessary to complete delivery on an F.O.B. Destination basis. 9.5 No Bid Requirement If you are unable to submit a proposal, please date and sign the Terms & Conditions sheet, and indicate NO BID. Give a brief explanation, and return the sheet before the due date. 9.6 Contractual obligations The contents of proposals submitted by the successful bidder will be considered contractual obligations upon award. 9.7 Sales Tax The University, as an instrumentality of the State of Ohio, is exempt from Ohio sales tax and Federal excise tax, including Federal transportation tax. 9.8 Formal & Informal RFPs/Proposal opening This is an informal RFP and will not be read at a public opening. Written requests for proposal results must include the Request for Proposal number and closing date. If the bidder wishes to obtain a copy of the proposal tabulation and/or evaluation form(s) once award is complete, bidder should provide a self-addressed, stamped envelope with the proposal. 9.9 Proprietary Information All evaluation documents for proposals are non-proprietary and subject to public disclosure after contract award. All proposal documents and information are subject to public disclosure under Ohio Revised Code Section To exempt information provided in the proposal from public disclosure, bidders should identify any and all sections of their proposal they consider trade secrets or proprietary information. In the event of a public document request, the OHIO University Legal Affairs Office will review the sections so identified, and will make the final determination as to the need to disclose. Bidders will be solely responsible for protecting their own trade secret or proprietary information, and will be responsible for all costs associated with protecting this information from disclosure. The University will keep one (1) copy of proposals in accordance with its record retention schedule Use of OHIO University s Name No Supplier providing proposals, products or services to the University will appropriate or make use of OHIO University s name or other identifying marks or property in its advertising without prior written consent of OHIO University. 17

19 9.11 Gratuities and gifts Gratuities are not acceptable. OHIO University, by written notice to Bidder, may immediately reject any proposal, or cancel any contract that results from this RFP, if the University finds that gratuities were given or offered. Gratuities are defined as gifts, entertainment, or any other compensation offered or given by the Bidder, or any agent or representative of the Bidder, to an OHIO University officer or employee, in an effort to secure an award or preferential treatment Accessible Environment OHIO University is committed to creating and maintaining an accessible environment for people with all abilities. In order to support an accessible environment, please note: In submitting a proposal, Vendors certify that programs, services, and activities provided to the general public under the resulting contract conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, as amended, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the regulations issued there under by the federal government. Should any Vendor require reasonable accommodation in the process of submitting a proposal, requests should be directed to the Office of Disability Services at Requests should be made in a timely manner as a late request for accommodation will not result in an extension of the proposal deadline. 18

20 Section 10 Proposal Response Sheets This section, and those that follow as referenced in section 6.2 above, must be completed and returned with your proposal. This document has been prepared using Microsoft Word. To obtain an electronic copy, print from OHIO University Sourcing Portal at: Terms & Conditions- The following OHIO University s Agreement for Services displayed below must be completed, executed in the space provided and returned with the bid. Provide complete Company Name and address to which to send a Purchase Order (if awarded): Fax number for order Website address Proposal Prices are valid for days (a minimum of 60 days is preferred). FOB pt Destination Payment Terms Representative name Rep Phone number Fax number address For reporting purposes only: Is bidder s firm a certified Minority Business Enterprise in the State of Ohio (Y or N)? Certified with the State of Ohio as an EDGE Supplier? Otherwise certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise? (if yes, explain): Signature Date 19

21 Section 11 References Provide a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 6 references. They should ideally be similar to OHIO University - i.e., mid to large size state-funded institutions of higher learning, who have contracted with the bidder for the same services and/or products. If such references are not available, list references which match as closely as possible. Company Name Address Contact Name Phone address Company Name Address Contact Name Phone address Company Name Address Contact Name Phone address Company Name Address Contact Name Phone address Company Name Address Contact Name Phone address Company Name Address Contact Name Phone address 20

22 Section 12 Contractor Engagement Company Background Company Name: Location of corporate headquarters: Location of nearest office/location to Athens, OH: Proposer Experience # of years in business: # of years providing systems/services to higher education sector: Customer Base: # of higher education sector clients: # of new higher education sector clients in the last 3 years: #of clients: # of clients in Ohio: Organization Characteristics: Number of Employees: If Contractor is a subsidiary, identify # of employees in proposing company/division: Ownership: Privately held? Publicly traded? Parent Company? 21

23 Section 13 Contractor Project Team Please provide a list of staff that will be assigned to this project including their backgrounds and experience with your company. 22

24 Section 14 Scope of Service Requirements Number Requirement Cost Comments 1 Software License Accounts Payable/General Ledger 2 Export 3 Chargebacks, Submeters, Bill Splits Cost Avoidance (M&V), 4 Calendarization, Normalization, Energy Use Intensity, Use v Weather 5 OIT Hosted Server (for 3 years) All other work specified in Scope of 6 Work Above (Section C) 7 Additional Hardware (if necessary) 8 Implementation Services 9 Training Services 10 Annual Maintenance for 3 years TOTAL FEE (Phase I) a b c d e f i ii iii ADD ONS Annual Maintenance for +1 year Cost for +100 Meters/Accounts Server Cost for +1 year Bill Import Reformatter +1 vendor Interval Data Analysis, Meter Data Import Capability Development of Interface to Real-time metering server (ie Niagara AX Server or Delta enteliweb Server) Additional Add-Ons Offered By Contractor to be considered by OU University Supplied Hardware/Components Contractor shall identify below any requirements (services/equipment/components) that the University is expected to provide to support the performance of services. Attach additional sheets, if needed. 23

25 Section 15 Implementation Plan Identify the start and end dates for the implementation plan and the major implementation phases/tasks (for example: project planning, configuration, testing, training, etc.) for the services outlined in this RFP. Contractor may supply its own Project Plan and/or Grant Chart for this purpose. 24

26 Section 16 Staffing Plan Identify the amount of effort that it is expected from the Contractor and the University to assist with the implementation by major implementation phase/task (for example: project planning, configuration, testing, training, etc.). Include all University participation in the project in hours. Effort should be listed in total hours. Phase / Task Project Manager UNIVERSITY Functional Technical SME Resource CONTRACTOR Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Add additional rows if necessary Project Manager UNIVERSITY Functional SME Technical Resource CONTRACTOR Note: Identify the amount of effort (hours per month) that it is expected that the University provide to assist with the implementation by month in the planned implementation. Also, please list Contractor effort by month (hours) as well.* Note: this information is used to help the University plan for the implementation. The University s expectation is that hours listed will accurately reflect the amount of work effort required to implement the system based on your past experience and your proposed approach for the University. The University understands that with limited information certain assumptions were necessary. Please list any major assumptions that were made. 25

27 Section 17 Client Support and Application Maintenance Proposed Client Support & Application Maintenance Basic Support (identify for each type of support offered): Hours available (and time zone) Problem reporting and resolution procedures Response time for various levels of severity Telephone Support: Hours available (and time zone) Problem reporting and resolution procedures Response time for various levels of severity User Groups: Local user group User group members (number) 26