REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. Issued by: OECM. OECM Request for Proposals Number: # Request for Proposals Issued On: January 23, 2014

Transcription

1 SMARTnet CISCO AND EQUIVALENT SUPPORT SERVICES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Issued by: OECM OECM Request for Proposals Number: # Request for Proposals Issued On: January 23, 2014 Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline: 2:00:00pm on February 20, 2014 Local Time in Toronto, Ontario, Canada OECM shall not be obligated in any manner to any Proponent whatsoever until a written agreement has been duly executed with a Supplier. OECM RFP Coordinator Agnès Tijet, Sourcing Manager ([email protected]) 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 504, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 2Y3 OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 1 of 48

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PART 1 INTRODUCTION Invitation to Proponents Ontario Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive Overview of OECM Overview of ORION Objectives of this RFP Type of Agreement Client-Supplier Agreements Proponent Consortium Information No Guarantee of Volume of Work or Exclusivity of Agreement Rules of Interpretation Definitions PART 2 - THE DELIVERABLES Description of Services Technical Assistance Center Category A: SMARTnet Services Category B: Equivalent SMARTnet Services Supported Products Operating System Software Updates Hardware Product Replacement Service Level Online Trouble Shooting Services Invoicing Payment Terms Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity Alerts Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System Environmental Requirements Electrical Requirements Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act Agreement Administration and Support Rates Methodology OECM Cost Recovery Fee PART 3 - EVALUATION OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS Stages of Proposal Evaluation Stage I Review of Mandatory Requirements (Pass/Fail) Form of Offer - Appendix B (Mandatory Form) Rate Bid Form Appendix C (Mandatory Form) Consortium Information Appendix F (Mandatory Form if Applicable) Stage II Rated Requirements Appendix E Stage III Rates Method of Evaluation Stage IV Cumulative Score Stage V - Tie Break Process Execution of Agreement with Preferred Proponent Agreement Launch and Marketing PART 4 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RFP PROCESS General Information and Instructions RFP Timetable Proponent Information Session Recommended Proponents to Follow Instructions Proposals in English OECM s Information in RFP Only an Estimate Proponent s Costs Communication after RFP Issuance OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 2 of 48

3 4.2.1 RFP Coordinator Contact Information Proponents to Review RFP Proponent to Notify All New Information to Proponents by way of Addenda Proposal Submission Requirements General Proposal Submission Requirements Other Proposal Considerations Proposal Receipt by OECM Withdrawal of Proposal Amendment of Proposal Completeness of Proposal Proposals Retained by OECM Proposal Irrevocability Acceptance of RFP Amendments to RFP Proposals will not be Opened Publicly Clarification of Proposals Verification of Information Proposal Acceptance RFP Incorporated into Proposal Exclusivity of Contract Substantial Compliance No Publicity or Promotion Execution of Agreement, Notification and Debriefing Selection of Proponent Failure to Enter Into Agreement Notification to Other Proponents of Outcome of RFP Process Debriefing Bid Dispute Resolution Prohibited Communications, Confidential Information and FIPPA Confidential Information of OECM Confidential Information of the Proponent Proponent s Submission Personal Information Non-Disclosure Agreement Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act Competition Act Trade Agreements Intellectual Property Reserved Rights and Governing Law of OECM General Rights of OECM Preferred Proponent No Liability Assignment Entire RFP Priority of Documents Governing Law APPENDIX A FORM OF AGREEMENT 37 APPENDIX B FORM OF OFFER 38 APPENDIX C RATE BID FORM 41 APPENDIX D REFERENCE FORM 42 APPENDIX E RATED REQUIREMENTS 43 APPENDIX F CONSORTIUM INFORMATION 44 OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 3 of 48

4 APPENDIX G PRODUCT REPLACEMENT SERVICE LEVEL DELIVERY 45 APPENDIX H OECM GEOGRAPHICAL ZONES 46 APPENDIX I ONTARIO SCHOOL BOARDS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES 47 APPENDIX J NOTICE OF NO SUBMISSION FORM 48 OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 4 of 48

5 PART 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 Invitation to Proponents This Request for Proposals ( RFP ) is an invitation to prospective Proponents to submit Proposals to enter into an Agreement (the Agreement ) for the provision of SMARTnet Cisco or Equivalent Support ( Services ) for Cisco switches, routers and security products on an as-and-when required basis as further described in Part 2 The Deliverables (the Deliverables ), to support Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace ( OECM ) and Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network ( ORION ) Clients. The Deliverables are set out into two (2) Service Categories: Category A: SMARTnet Services Category B: Equivalent SMARTnet Services OECM and ORION Clients are similar and that is why they are working together on this RFP. OECM and ORION s Clients are: School Boards; Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology ( College ); Universities ( SCUs ); and, Other Broader Public Sector ( BPS ) entities in the Province of Ontario. This RFP is issued by OECM in partnership with ORION. 1.2 Ontario Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive OECM Clients, as applicable, are obligated to adhere to the Ontario Broader Public Sector Procurement Directive effective April 1, 2011 issued by the Ontario Management Board of Cabinet. The directive sets out rules for designated BPS organizations on the purchase of goods and services using public funds. The purpose of the directive is: To ensure that publicly funded goods and services, including construction, consulting services, and information technology are acquired by BPS organizations through a process that is open, fair and transparent; To outline responsibilities of BPS organizations throughout each stage of the procurement process; To ensure that procurement processes are managed consistently throughout the BPS. The directive applies to all School Boards, Colleges and Universities in Ontario; and The goal of the BPS supply chain code of ethics is to ensure an ethical, professional and accountable BPS supply chain in Ontario through: i. Personal Integrity and Professionalism; ii. Accountability and Transparency; and iii. Compliance and Continuous Improvement. Visit the following website for the complete BPS Procurement Directive document - OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 5 of 48

6 1.3 Overview of OECM OECM, incorporated in 2006, is a non-for-profit/non-share corporation that leads collaborative strategic sourcing initiatives to lower costs and increase efficiencies for publicly assisted School Boards, Colleges and Universities as well as other BPS entities. Working in collaboration with Clients, OECM: Establishes, promotes and manages non-mandatory agreements for products and services commonly used throughout their Client community; Supports Client s access and use of OECM agreements through analysis, reporting and the development of tools, guides, and other materials; and, Actively promotes adherence to the Ontario BPS Procurement Directive in all phases of the sourcing and agreement lifecycle. For more information about OECM, please visit OECM Geographical Zones OECM Clients are located in five (5) geographical Zones (as set out below) throughout the Province of Ontario. Central Zone; East Zone; North East Zone; North West Zone; and West Zone. The Zones are also illustrated in Appendix H School Board, College and University Zone Information OECM supports collaborative sourcing initiatives for one-hundred-and-eighteen (118) SCUs. The number of SCUs in each Zone is set out below and is further illustrated in Appendices H and I: Zone # of SCUs Central Zone 53 East Zone 18 North East Zone 21 North West Zone 11 West Zone 15 Totals: Client Participation in OECM Agreements There are two-hundred and thirty-one (231) Clients using OECM agreements today: One-hundred and twelve (112) SCU s; and One-hundred and nineteen (119) other BPS organizations. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 6 of 48

7 Participation in OECM agreements has been steadily growing, demonstrated by a growth in spend on OECM agreements by over 158% in 2011 compared to 2010; and over 60% in 2012 compared to This clearly demonstrates that the Ontario education sector and other BPS organizations are achieving value and savings by using OECM agreements OECM Client Working Group The following OECM Clients have been actively involved with the development of the requirements set out in this RFP: Client Queen s University McMaster University ORION Client s Website The above Clients are not, in any way, obligated to participate in any Agreement resulting from this RFP. However, they and any other Clients may choose to participate at any time during the Agreement Term. 1.4 Overview of ORION The Ontario Research and Innovation Optical Network (ORION is a not-for-profit corporation, dedicated to connecting and supporting all of its research, education and innovation (RE&I) users throughout Ontario. As Ontario s backbone of innovation, ORION is recognized as providing leadership and critical infrastructure that allows users to collaboratively engage in making Ontario a global leader in innovation. With one of the world s fastest RE&I networks, ORION enables its users to be connected to a world of possibilities. And by linking them through the ORION network to a variety of strategic partners, ORION delivers a collection of unique value-added capabilities that enhances their pursuit of knowledge, social impact, and economic outcomes every day. ORION brings together nearly 100 Ontario institutions, including universities, colleges, research hospitals, school boards, cultural agencies and several others together in a shared, private network infrastructure. ORION has been successful in leveraging ORION province s investments in research, innovation, education and training, and expanding ORION collective capabilities beyond institutional walls. This network represents over 1.8 million users in Ontario. Originally started in 2001 with Ontario government support for the initial infrastructure implementation, ORION is now operationally self-sustaining. ORION revenue is based mainly on fees from connected institutions and entities. In 2012, ORION realized $4.3 million in revenues and $4.1 million of expenditures. Compared to the previous year ORION earned 7% greater revenue, and incurred 7% less expenditures. $2 million worth of surplus was reinvested into ORION s network and infrastructure to improve speed and performance. ORION holds $30 million worth of assets. Researchers need advanced networks like ORION to allow them to fully participate in global research projects and scientific collaborations. Some examples include: Mining the human genome data; Finding cures for disease and developing new vaccines; Modeling climate change; Assessing environmental impacts; Exploring the universe (e.g. ATLAS project, SNO, TRIUMF); Mapping the ocean floor (e.g. NEPTUNE and VENUS projects); Global-scale sensor grids; and, High Performance Computing (HPC). ORION has nearly 6000km of optical fibre that reaches from Ottawa to Windsor, and as far north as Thunder Bay and Timmins. ORION s Points of Presence (PoPs) are the major locations to which are member OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 7 of 48

8 institutions are connected. Through ORION regionally distributed network ORION provide equal access to all of ORION users. That is, regardless of where they are in Ontario they have the same opportunity to connect to ORION s leading edge network and access some of the fastest bandwidth available. In March of 2011, ORION become the first 100G operational network in Canada - beating the major telecommunications giants - and the first RE&I network in the world to deploy a 100G production network to support research and education. ORION is a key element in the economic impact of innovation in Ontario. A recent independent study (by PricewaterhouseCoopers) illustrates that ORION has an annual economic impact of $166 million within Ontario, including $147 million contribution to Ontario GDP, and supporting almost 2,200 jobs in Ontario. Leveraging the high-capacity network infrastructure, ORION is working closely with Ontario s small and medium size businesses to provide solutions to its connected users through the ORION cloud, the ORION Nebula. The ORION Nebula will provide solutions for online collaboration, digital educational, hosting services, interactive content management tools, computing cycles, and vital data storage and access capabilities. 1.5 Objectives of this RFP OECM and ORION are seeking to satisfy the following objectives by issuing this RFP: Ensure Clients have access to knowledgeable Suppliers with strong contract management support; Excellent, timely customer support; Demonstrates value for money; and, Reduce the costs of competitive procurement processes associated with the provision of Services to its Clients. 1.6 Type of Agreement It is OECM s intention to enter into multi-supplier Master Agreements ( Agreement ) with one (1) Preferred Proponent per Service category, based on the terms and conditions set out in Appendix A of this RFP, for the provision of the Deliverables to Clients who execute a Client Supplier Agreement ( CSA ). The Term of the Agreement is intended to be for a period of three (3) years, with an option in favour of OECM to extend the Term of the Agreement on the same terms and conditions for up to two (2) additional periods of up to one (1) year each. Clients participating in the Agreement will execute CSA s with the Supplier as attached in Appendix A. The Supplier and Client, when executing a CSA, may mutually agree to additional terms and conditions (e.g. specific approval processes within their organization, invoicing requirements, etc.) ensuring the additional terms and conditions are not in any way inconsistent with the Form of Agreement agreed to by OECM and the Supplier. It is anticipated that the Agreement will be executed on or about April The Agreement must be signed before the provision of any Deliverables commences. By submitting a Proposal, a Proponent is agreeing to all of the requirements of this RFP. 1.7 Client-Supplier Agreements To encourage the use of the Agreement resulting from this RFP, OECM and the Supplier will work together to engage Clients in this sourcing initiative. OECM encourages the Supplier to actively promote the Agreement to Clients by: Executing CSAs with interested Clients; Promoting the Agreement within the Client community; OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 8 of 48

9 Providing a well-defined implementation plan with applicable Client involvement; Providing exemplary customer service. OECM will promote the use of the Agreement with Clients by: Attending, where appropriate, Client events; Continuously marketing improvement opportunities; Facilitating CSA execution; Facilitating issue resolution; Holding information sessions and/or webinars, if requested; Supporting relationships through effective contract management; and Using online communication tools to inform and educate. 1.8 Proponent Consortium Information Where a consortium is responding to this RFP, the following shall apply: One (1) of the members of the consortium shall identify itself as the Proponent and shall complete, sign, and submit with its Proposal the Form of Offer (Appendix B) on behalf of the consortium; The Proponent must also complete, sign and submit the Consortium Information (Appendix F) listing all other consortium members and what each will supply; and The Proponent shall assume full responsibility and liability for the work and actions of all consortium members with respect to the obligations to be assumed pursuant to this RFP. 1.9 No Guarantee of Volume of Work or Exclusivity of Agreement The information contained in the RFP constitutes an estimate and is supplied solely as a guideline to Proponents. Such information is not guaranteed, represented, or warranted to be accurate, nor is it necessarily comprehensive or exhaustive. The value and volume of Products and Services (if any), acquired by the Client, will depend on a variety of factors including the Client s annual budgetary approvals. Nothing in this RFP is intended to relieve the Proponents from forming their own opinions and conclusions with respect to the matters addressed in this RFP. Quantities described are estimates only and may not be relied on by the Proponents. The Agreement executed with the Supplier will not be an exclusive Agreement for the provision of the Deliverables. Clients may contract with others for the same or similar Deliverables to those described in this RFP Rules of Interpretation This RFP shall be interpreted according to the following provisions, unless the context requires a different meaning: Unless the context otherwise requires, wherever used herein the plural includes the singular, the singular includes the plural, and each of the masculine and feminine includes the other gender; Words in the RFP shall bear their natural meaning; References containing terms such as includes and including, whether or not used with the words without limitation or but not limited to, shall not be deemed limited by the specific enumeration of items but shall, in all cases, be deemed to be without limitation and construed and interpreted to mean includes without limitation and including without limitation ; In construing the RFP, general words introduced or followed by the word other or including or in particular shall not be given a restrictive meaning because they are followed or preceded (as the case may be) by particular examples intended to fall within the meaning of the general words; OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 9 of 48

10 Unless otherwise indicated, time periods will be strictly applied; and The following terminology applies in the RFP: o o o Whenever the terms must or shall are used in relation to OECM or the Proponents, such terms shall be construed and interpreted as synonymous and shall be construed to read OECM shall or the Proponent shall, as the case may be; The term should relates to a requirement that OECM would like the Proponent to address in its Proposal; and The term will describes a procedure that is intended to be followed Definitions Unless otherwise specified in this RFP, capitalized words and phrases have the meaning set out in the Form of Agreement attached as Appendix A to this RFP. Applicable Law means any common law requirement and all applicable and enforceable statutes, regulations, directives, policies, administrative interpretations, orders, by-laws, rules, guidelines, approvals and other legal requirements of any government and/or regulatory authority in effect from time to time; Broader Public Sector or BPS means all Municipalities, Academic Institutions, School Boards, Health Care Providers and Major Transfer Payment Recipients in the Province. Please see for more details of these organizations; Business Day means Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. local time in Toronto, Ontario, Canada except when such a day is a public holiday, as defined in the Employment Standards Act (Ontario), or as otherwise agreed to by the parties in writing; Client means publicly assisted Ontario School Boards, Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology ( College ) and Universities and potentially other Broader Public Sector organizations that may purchase the Deliverables under the resulting Agreement; Client Supplier Agreement or CSA means a schedule attached to the Agreement, which is executed between Clients and the Supplier for the provision of the Deliverables in this RFP; Confidential Information means confidential information of OECM and/or any Client (other than confidential information which is disclosed to the Preferred Proponent in the normal course of the RFP) where the confidential information is relevant to the Deliverables required by the RFP, its pricing or the RFP evaluation process; Conflict of Interest means any situation or circumstance where, in relation to the performance of its obligations under the Agreement, the Proponent s other commitments, relationships or financial interests (i) could or could be seen to exercise an improper influence over the objective, unbiased, and impartial exercise of its independent judgement; or (ii) could or could be seen to compromise, impair, or be incompatible with the effective performance of its obligations under the Agreement; Cost Recovery Fee or CRF means a fee, which contributes to the recovery of OECM s operating costs as a not-for-profit/non share corporation, which is based on the before tax amount invoiced by the Supplier to Clients for Deliverables acquired through OECM s competitively sourced agreements. Once CSAs have been executed, this fee is collected and remitted by the Supplier to OECM on a quarterly basis; Deliverables means a Product or Service to be delivered as specified in this RFP; Eligible Proposal means a Proposal that meets or exceeds the prescribed requirement, proceeding to the next stage of evaluation; OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 10 of 48

11 FIPPA means the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. F.31, and all regulations adopted thereunder, in each case, as amended or replaced from time to time; Master Agreement or Agreement means the agreement to be made between the Preferred Proponent and OECM based on the template attached as Appendix A, together with all schedules and appendices attached thereto and all other documents incorporated by reference therein, as amended from time to time by agreement between OECM and the Supplier; OECM means the Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace; OECM s Deadline for Issuing Final Addenda means the date and time as set out in Section of this RFP and may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms of this RFP; Personal Information or PI is defined in Appendix A the form of Agreement; Preferred Proponent means the Proponent that OECM has identified as the highest scoring Proponent in accordance with the evaluation process set out in this RFP; Product or Replacement Products means the hardware and or parts that need to be replaced and or repaired; Proponent means an entity that submits a Proposal in response to this RFP and, as the context may suggest refers to a potential Proponent; Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline means the Proposal submission date and time as set out in Section and may be amended from time to time in accordance with the terms of this RFP; Proposal means all of the documentation and information submitted by a Proponent in response to the RFP; Province means the Province of Ontario; Rates means the prices for the Deliverables as set out in the Proponent s submitted Appendix C; Rate Bid Form means the form contained in Appendix C of this RFP; Request for Proposals or RFP means this Request for Proposals number OECM # issued by OECM, including all appendices and addenda thereto; RFP Coordinator means the individual identified on the front cover and in Section of this RFP; Service means the services procured pursuant to this RFP; Subcontractor includes the Supplier s subcontractors or third party service providers or their respective directors, officers, agents, employees or independent contractors, who shall fall within the meaning of Supplier for the purposes of the Agreement; Supplier means a Preferred Proponent who has assumed full liability and responsibility for the provision of Deliverables pursuant to the Agreement either as a single Supplier or a lead Supplier engaging other suppliers or Subcontractors; Term has the meaning set out in Section 1.6 of this RFP; Unfair Advantage means any conduct, direct or indirect, by a Proponent that may result in gaining an unfair advantage over other Proponents, including but not limited to (i) possessing, or having access to, information in the preparation of its Proposal that is confidential to OECM and which is not available to other Proponents, (ii) communicating with any person with a view to influencing, or being conferred preferred treatment in, the RFP process, or (iii) engaging in conduct that compromises or could be seen to compromise the integrity of the RFP process and result in any unfairness; and OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 11 of 48

12 Zones means the OECM geographical boundaries within the Province of Ontario as identified in Appendix H. [End of Part 1] OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 12 of 48

13 PART 2 - THE DELIVERABLES 2.1 Description of Services The Supplier shall provide SMARTnet Services and or its equivalent which meet or exceed the requirements set out in this RFP. The Services are set out in the following two (2) Service categories: Category RFP Section Category A: SMARTnet Services Section 2.3 Category B: Equivalent SMARTnet Services Section 2.4 Proponents may submit a Proposal for one (1) or both Service categories. General requirements set out from Section 2.5 to Section 2.19 are applicable to both Service categories. Where a Proponent is submitting a Proposal for category A SMARTnet Services, that Proponent must read, understand and provide the Deliverables set out in Section 2.3 and from Section 2.5 through to Section If, however, a Proponent is submitting a Proposal for both Service categories, that Proponent must read, understand and provide Deliverables noted in all Sections in Part 2 of this RFP. 2.2 Technical Assistance Center The Clients shall access the Supplier s technical assistance center 24/7 via a toll free telephone number. The Supplier shall have a strong troubleshooting process in place. The Supplier must be able to quickly escalate issues (i.e. to Cisco) when requested by the Client and necessary. From time to time Clients may require the Supplier to be directed to Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC), the Supplier must be able to issue tickets and transfer the Clients to Cisco TAC. 2.3 Category A: SMARTnet Services The Supplier must be authorized by Cisco to provide SMARTnet support Services and must be a Cisco gold partner. The Supplier must provide the standard Cisco SMARTnet Services by Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE) technicians to Clients for, but not limited to, core switches, routers and security products listed in Section 2.5 of the RFP. The Supplier should provide: 24/7 access to the Cisco Technical Assistance Centre (TAC); Online self-help support; Operating System (OS) software updates; Hardware replacement; Optional onsite support; Proactive diagnostics; and Immediate alerts. From time to time Clients may request on-site support from the Supplier. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 13 of 48

14 2.4 Category B: Equivalent SMARTnet Services The Supplier must provide the equivalent of SMARTnet Service to Clients as stated in Section 2.3. The Supplier should provide: 24/7 access to a technical assistance center; Online self-help support; OS software updates; Hardware replacement; Optional onsite support; Proactive diagnostics; and Immediate alert. 2.5 Supported Products The Supplier must provide Services, in both Service categories, on the following hardware Products: Core Routing o CRS family o ASR9XXX family o NCS6000 o ASR1000 Switches o Nexus 7000 o Nexus 9000 o Nexus 5000 o Catalyst 6500 o Catalyst 4500 series o Catalyst 4500-X o o Catalyst 3750-X o Nexus 3000 Catalyst 3750 series o Nexus 2000 o Nexus 1000V Security o ASA 55XX series From time to time Products may be added to the above list. 2.6 Operating System Software Updates OS software updates must include the following within a feature set: Major release: Consolidates previous bug fixes, maintenance and previous early deployment releases, and/or new capabilities into a single release; Minor release: Internal to Cisco for Cisco OS software; synonymous with a major release; and Maintenance release: Includes bug fixes. 2.7 Hardware Product Replacement Service Level The Supplier should provide replacement Products of the standard SMARTnet support Services package on category A and B on non-end-of-life Products. Clients may have different response time requirements, however the Supplier should provide the following Service levels: OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 14 of 48

15 Service Levels Next business day 8x5x4 24x7x4 Return for repair Replacement part to be delivered the next Business Day (request placed before 3:00pm EST) x Replacement part to be delivered within four (4) Business Hours x x Replacement part to be delivered within two (2) Business Hours Replacement during a week of eight (8) hours per day, five (5) days per week x Replacement during a week of twenty-four (24) hours per day, seven (7) days per week x Clients to returns failed hardware to the Supplier for repair. and ship it back to at no charge within thirty (30) days x Delivery Replacement Products will be delivered free on board ( FOB ) inside the door of the Client s location. Delivery charges of any kind will not be accepted or paid. Clients may have more than one (1) location within their organizations. The Client and Supplier may agree to other delivery replacement terms which are mutually beneficial to each party. Replacement Products will be packaged appropriately to ensure safe delivery. Deliveries must be made by the Supplier s own transportation fleet or a reputable transportation company that allows for tracking of the shipments Packing Slips Labels All Product deliveries must include a packing slip specifying the Client s required information (e.g. employee name that call the technical center, ticket number, Product description and catalogue number, weight of shipment or Product (if possible)). All Product deliveries will be labeled appropriately and include Client s required information (e.g. complete shipping addresses, and ticket number) Damaged or Defective Shipments Products may not be accepted upon delivery if: The Product is defective (e.g. broken and/or damaged); or The Product is not delivered as agreed. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 15 of 48

16 The Supplier will be responsible for all shipping costs related to the return and replacement of any damaged or defective Product shipped from the Client s location to the Supplier. Clients will not be responsible for any re-stocking charges due to damaged or defective Products received. 2.8 Online Trouble Shooting Services The Supplier should have an online trouble shooting platform where Clients shall have an online access to the Supplier s staff. This online platform shall not be at an extra charge to Clients. 2.9 Invoicing The Supplier shall submit invoices after Services have been performed, either in a paper or electronic format, as detailed in the Client s CSA. The invoice shall be itemized and contain, at minimum, the following: Client s ticket number date and time; Client s full name, address, and delivery address (if applicable); Service description; and Replacement Product description Payment Terms The Client s standard payment terms are net thirty (30) days. Different payment terms may be agreed to when executing CSAs. Note Client s payment terms will not be in effect until the Supplier provides an accurate invoice Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity 2.12 Alerts The Supplier shall possess a well-defined disaster recovery and business continuity program including the process, policies and procedures related to preparing for recovery or continuation of Products availability and support critical to Clients. The Supplier shall ensure the Product meets current safety standards and regulations and advise OECM and Clients of any discussions with regulatory agencies related to the Product, which may impact on the future availability, accessories, or service support of the Product. The Supplier shall report any recalled Products to OECM and Clients within thirty (30) days, advising applicable details (e.g. Product number, lot number, etc.) and its plan for immediate replacement and/or substitution Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System The Supplier should provide accurate Workplace Hazardous Materials Information System (WHMIS) material safety data sheets (MSDS) for applicable Products purchased by Clients. Additionally, the Supplier should provide the Client s personnel WHMIS training, as it relates to the Products, Services and equipment, in accordance with the Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Act. Additional copies of MSDS sheets should be provided by the Supplier for Clients, upon request Environmental Requirements The Supplier should provide environmentally friendly Products, which may include but not be limited to: Products which are independently recognized for meeting high environmental standards; From original equipment manufacturers ( OEMs ) that have a registered environmental management system; Be manufactured in an environment that observes fair labour practices as observed in the country of origin; Meet all applicable Canadian standards and safety regulations; OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 16 of 48

17 The ability of the Supplier to recycle any packaging and products supplied or used. Products that are recyclable include paper, cardboard, glass bottles, metal cans, #1 plastic (polyethylene terephthalate), #2 plastic (high-density polyethylene, #4 plastic (low-density polyethylene) and #5 plastic (polypropylene); The opportunity for Clients to return part of or all of the Products and packaging materials used in shipping or used during the delivery of service at no charge to Clients; and ISO certification Electrical Requirements Any electrical Products being proposed for consideration pursuant to this RFP must be authorized or approved in accordance with the Electrical Safety Code or by a certification organization accredited with the Standards Council of Canada Act (Canada), and shall bear the certification organization s mark identifying the Products certified for use in Canada. Certification shall be to the standard that is appropriate for the intended use of the electrical Products at Client s facilities. Prior to entering into the Agreement, the Preferred Proponent shall have provided satisfactory evidence of such certification, as applicable Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act OECM is committed to the highest possible standards for accessibility. The Supplier must be capable to recommend and deliver, as appropriate for each Deliverable, accessible and inclusive services consistent with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC), the Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2001 (ODA) and Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its regulations in order to achieve accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities. Suppliers are required to comply with the Client s accessibility standards, policies, practices, and procedures, which may be in effect during the Term of the Agreement and which apply to the Deliverables to be provided by the Supplier. The AODA may be found at: Agreement Administration and Support Account Management The Supplier shall provide effective and timely account management services including: The provision of a dedicated team of resources (including account managers); Attending meetings, as requested; Flexible invoicing and payment processes; and Providing analytical reporting, as required Contract Management Services OECM will oversee the Agreement and the Supplier shall provide appropriate contract management support including, but not limited to: Attending quarterly meetings with OECM; Promoting the use of the Agreement; Monitoring and managing pricing, quality and services; Providing issue resolution in a timely manner; Carrying out Client satisfaction surveys; Providing Supplier performance score cards. Together, the Supplier and OECM will develop appropriate key performance indicators/service standards that will be used to measure performance during the Term of the Agreement; Providing monthly usage reports to OECM; Submitting cost recovery fees quarterly to OECM, as set out in the Agreement; Savings validations; Testing activities and results; and OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 17 of 48

18 Working and acting in an ethical manner demonstrating integrity, professionalism, accountability, transparency and continuous improvement, including respecting the Clients mandatory requirement to fulfill their supply chain code of ethics as set out in the BPS Procurement Directive Rates Methodology The proposed shall be minimum discount off the lowest Canadian published pricing (e.g. educational price list): Category A - SMARTnet Cisco lowest Canadian published price; and Category B Proponent s lowest Canadian published price list. the Rates shall be firm for the initial Term of the Agreement. OECM acknowledges that Cisco may apply an annual pricing refresh. An increase in Cisco s price list does not, in any way, allow the Supplier to decrease their minimum discounts set out on the Agreement. The Supplier may, however, increase the discount off based on the Client s hardware and software volume Optional Rates Refresh OECM or the Supplier may request a Rates review at the first and or second optional extension periods, if exercised. Either party shall request a Rate review by providing a written notice hundred and twenty (120) days prior to the annual anniversary date of the Agreement. Any such request from a Supplier for a Rates refresh must be accompanied by appropriate documentation. As part of any review OECM will consider Rates adjustments that reflect changes in operation adjustments due to new or changed municipal, provincial, or federal regulations, by-laws, or ordinances. OECM will not consider any fixed costs or overhead adjustments in its review. Performance received under the Agreement will be considered when contemplating a Rates refresh and or prior to exercising extension period, if any. If a proposed price increase is not accepted by OECM, the Agreement extension will not be exercised. If a price review is not requested the prices will remain the same for the next year of the Agreement. Decreases to any Rate shall be accepted at any time during the Term of the Agreement. Agreements will be amended accordingly, if necessary OECM Cost Recovery Fee As a not-for-profit/non-share corporation, OECM recovers its operating costs through its agreements based on the before tax amount invoiced (e.g. aggregated Client purchases) by the Supplier to Clients. These cost recovery fees ( CRF ) will ultimately lead to OECM s financial self-sufficiency. OECM will collect a quarterly CRF of six percent (6 %) for all Products and Services for the Term of the Agreement. The CRF shall include all Client activity and will be paid to OECM by the Supplier on a quarterly basis. OECM will redistribute three percent (3%) of the CRF to ORION, this CRF will to support OECM and ORION s, to cover their operational costs. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 18 of 48

19 Harmonized sales tax ( HST ) is applicable to the CRF payments made to OECM. The first CRF shall be paid to OECM by July 7 th, 2014, and include any Client purchases made between the Agreement execution date and June 30 th, 2014; and The CRF shall be paid quarterly thereafter. Detailed reporting requirements are set out in Appendix A Form of Agreement. [End of Part 2] OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 19 of 48

20 PART 3 - EVALUATION OF PROPOSAL SUBMISSIONS 3.1 Stages of Proposal Evaluation OECM will conduct the evaluation of Proposals in the following five (5) stages: Stages Evaluation Scoring Methodology Maximum Points (if applicable) Category A Category B Minimum Threshold Requirement Stage I Mandatory Requirements Pass/Fail Pass/Fail Pass Stage II Rated Requirements Refer to Appendix E Stage III Pricing N/A Stage IV Cumulative Score N/A Stage V Tie Break No Point Allocation No Point Allocation N/A 3.2 Stage I Review of Mandatory Requirements (Pass/Fail) Stage I will consist of a review to determine which Proposals comply with all of the mandatory requirements. During Stage I of the evaluation, Proposals will be examined to ensure that they meet the mandatory requirements. The Proponent must ensure that all mandatory requirements have been addressed satisfactorily in its Proposal, in order for the Proposal to proceed to Stage II of the evaluation process. Any Proposal that is not considered by OECM, to meet all mandatory requirements, subject to the express and implied rights of OECM, will be disqualified and not evaluated further. A Proposal must include the following three (3) completed mandatory forms: Appendix Appendix B Appendix C Appendix F Form of Offer Title of Appendix Rate Bid Form (including any lowest published Canadian price lists) Consortium Information, if applicable Other than inserting the information requested on the mandatory submission forms set out above, a Proponent may not make any changes to any of the forms. Any Proposal containing any such changes, whether on the face of the form or elsewhere in its Proposal, may be disqualified Form of Offer - Appendix B (Mandatory Form) Each Proposal must include a Form of Offer (Appendix B) completed fully and signed by the Proponent. (a) Conflict of Interest In addition to the other information and representations made by each Proponent in the Form of Offer, each Proponent must declare whether it has an actual or potential Conflict of Interest. If, at the sole and absolute discretion of OECM, the Proponent is found to be in a Conflict of Interest, OECM may, in addition to any other remedies available at law or in equity, disqualify the Proposal submitted by the Proponent. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 20 of 48

21 The Proponent, by submitting the Proposal, warrants that to its best knowledge and belief no actual or potential Conflict of Interest exists with respect to the submission of the Proposal or performance of the contemplated Agreement other than those disclosed in the Form of Offer. Where OECM discovers a Proponent s failure to disclose all actual or potential Conflicts of Interest, OECM may disqualify the Proponent or terminate any Agreement awarded to that Proponent pursuant to this RFP process. (b) General OECM, in addition to any other remedies it may have in law or in equity, shall have the right to rescind any Agreement awarded to a Proponent in the event that OECM determines that the Proponent made a misrepresentation or submitted any inaccurate or incomplete information in the Form of Offer. Other than inserting the information requested and signing the Form of Offer, a Proponent may not make any changes to or qualify the Form of Offer in its Proposal. A Proposal that includes conditions, options, variations or contingent statements that are contrary to or inconsistent with the terms set out in the RFP may be disqualified. If a Proposal is not disqualified despite such changes or Proposals, the provisions of the Form of Offer as set out in this RFP will prevail over any such changes or Proposals in or to the Form of Offer provided in the Proposal. (c) Proof of Insurance By signing the Form of Offer, the Proponent agrees, if selected, to carry insurance as outlined in Appendix A Form of Agreement. The Preferred Proponent must provide proof of such insurance coverage in the form of a valid certificate of insurance prior to the execution of the Agreement by OECM Rate Bid Form Appendix C (Mandatory Form) The Rate Bid Form, completed by the Proponent in accordance with the instructions contained below and in Appendix C, provided that the following shall apply: All Rates shall be minimum discount off the lowest Canadian published pricing: o Category A - SMARTnet Cisco lowest Canadian published price; and o Category B Proponent s lowest Canadian published price list. All Rates, shall be provided in Canadian funds and shall include all applicable customs duties, tariffs, overhead, materials, fuel, office support, profit, permits, licences, labour, carriage, insurance, Workplace Safety Insurance Board costs, travel, and warranties, and further shall not be subject to adjustment for fluctuation in foreign exchange rates; All Rates shall be quoted exclusive of the harmonized sales tax (HST), other similar taxes, each of which, if applicable, should be stated separately; All Rates quoted, unless otherwise instructed in this RFP, shall remain firm for the Term of the Agreement; In the event of any discrepancy in the pricing, the lowest unit Rate submitted shall prevail; The Proponents shall include with the Rate Bid Form, a print out and an electronic version of the OEM s lowest Canadian published price list; and The Proponent is deemed to confirm that it has prepared its Proposal with reference to all of the provisions of the RFP, that it has factored all of the provisions of the Agreement into its Rate assumptions, calculations and into its proposed Rate. A Proposal that includes conditional, optional, contingent or variable rates that are not expressly requested in the Rate Bid Form may be disqualified Consortium Information Appendix F (Mandatory Form if Applicable) OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 21 of 48

22 Each Proposal must include a completed and signed Consortium Information (Appendix F) if applicable to the Proponent. 3.3 Stage II Rated Requirements Appendix E The Proponent shall submit one (1) completed Appendix E Rated Requirement for each Service category being proposed. Stage II will consist of an evaluation and scoring of each Eligible Proposal on the basis of rated requirements. Each Proposal will be awarded points based on the Proponent s responses to the rated requirement components set out in Appendix E of this RFP. It is important that Proposals clearly provide all the necessary information so that a thorough assessment of the Proponents experience, qualifications and capabilities can be made. Responses and substantiating documentation should be direct and grouped together in Appendix E to ensure the evaluation team is able to locate particular information. In the case that contradictory information or information that contains conditional or qualifying statements is provided with respect to a requirement, OECM will, in its sole and absolute discretion, determine whether the response complies with the requirements, and may seek clarification from the Proponent. The contradictory or qualifying information may result in the Proposal receiving a low score for that particular rated requirement. Proposals that do not respond to a particular rated requirement will receive a zero (0) point score for that requirement. Where the evaluation team cannot reasonably find responses to a rated requirement, a zero (0) point score will be assessed for that rated requirement. The response to each rated requirement in Appendix E should: Be complete (bullet point format is acceptable); Concise and factual; and Exhibit that the Proponent understands OECM's business needs by providing answers demonstrating its capabilities. The following is an overview of the point allocation, for the rated requirements of this RFP in Appendix E: Rated Requirement Components Category A Available Points Experience & Capabilities 3.00 Supply Chain Management 6.25 Customer and Technical Support 8.75 Agreement Management 1.00 Total Available Points for Rated Requirements: 19 Points Rated Requirement Components Category B Available Points Experience & Capabilities 9.00 Supply Chain Management Customer and Technical Support Agreement Management 1.00 Warranty Coverage 2.00 Total Available Points for Rated Requirements: 49 Points OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 22 of 48

23 Please note, detailed rated requirements for the above components, including sub-point allocations, are set out in Appendix E. 3.4 Stage III Rates The Proponent shall submit one (1) completed Appendix C Rate Bid Form for each Service category being proposed. A Proponent must include the Rate Bid Form in a separate package (package two) in its submission Proposal, completed according to the instructions contained in the form. A separate evaluation and scoring will be conducted for each Service category. The maximum points allocated for each category is set out below. This stage will consist of an evaluation and scoring of Rates submitted by Proponents as set out in Appendix C. Rates Components Category A Available Points Percentage Discount off Canadian lowest published pricing for Switches Percentage Discount off Canadian lowest published pricing for Core Routers Percentage Discount off Canadian lowest published pricing for Security Total Available Points for Pricing: 81 Points Pricing Components Category B Available Points Percentage Discount off Canadian lowest published pricing for Switches Percentage Discount off Canadian lowest published pricing for Core Routers Percentage Discount off Canadian lowest published pricing for Security Total Available Points for Pricing: 51 Points Method of Evaluation Each Rate will be evaluated based on the relationship of the Proponent s proposed Rate compared to other Proponent s proposed Rates for each component of the Rate Bid Form. Points for each component in each Service category will be calculated using a relative formula as shown below: EXAMPLE For Category A Proposed Rate for Switches Proposed Prices If Proponent 1 proposes the highest discount of 75%, that Proponent will receive 100% of the thirty (30) points available. If Proponent 2 proposes the second highest discount of 55%, that Proponent will receive 73.3% of the thirty (30) points available. Calculation and Point Allocation 75% 75 % x 30 = points 55% 75% x 30 = points OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 23 of 48

24 If Proponent 3 proposes the lowest discount of 35%, that Proponent will receive 46.7% of the thirty (30) points available. 35% 75% x 30 = points The above calculation will occur for all components for each pricing component for each Service category. 3.5 Stage IV Cumulative Score At the conclusion of Stage III, the scores from Stages II and III will be added for each Service category and, subject to the express and implied rights of OECM, the highest scoring Proposal in each Service category will become the Preferred Proponent and invited to enter into the Form of Agreement, attached as Appendix A to this RFP. Reference checks will be performed to confirm or clarify information provided within the Proposal. The reference checks themselves will not be scored, however OECM may adjust rated requirements scoring related to the information obtained during the reference check. 3.6 Stage V - Tie Break Process At this stage, where two (2) or more Proposals, in either Service category, achieve a tie score on completion of the evaluation process, OECM shall break the tie by selecting the Proposal with the highest score in Stage III Pricing as the Preferred Proponent. 3.7 Execution of Agreement with Preferred Proponent Subject to the requirements of this Section, OECM expects that the Agreement will be finalized within fifteen (15) Days after notification of award. Once the Agreement has been finalized, Clients may execute a Client Supplier Agreement with the Supplier. OECM shall at all times be entitled to exercise its rights under Section Agreement Launch and Marketing OECM will promote the use of the Agreement with Clients as set out in Section 1.7. During the post award period, the Supplier will be expected to meet with OECM, as-and-when-required, to discuss an effective collaborative Agreement launch approach. OECM will work closely with the Supplier and requests that, where available, communications and marketing experts join discussions to achieve the desired outcome. [End of Part 3] OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 24 of 48

25 PART 4 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THE RFP PROCESS 4.1 General Information and Instructions RFP Timetable The following is a summary of the key dates for this RFP process: RFP Timetable Event Date OECM s Issue Date of RFP: January 23, 2014 Proponent s Information Session: 2:00pm on January 30, 2014 Proponent s Deadline for Questions: 4:00pm on February 6, 2014 OECM s Deadline for Issuing Addenda: February 11, 2014 Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline: 2:00:00pm on February 20, 2014 Anticipated Agreement Start Date: April 2014 Note all times specified in this RFP timetable are local times in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. OECM may amend any timeline, including the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline, without liability, cost, or penalty, and within its sole discretion. In the event of any change in the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline, the Proponents may thereafter be subject to the extended timeline Proponent Information Session Recommended Proponents may, but are not required to, participate in the Proponent Information Session, which will take place at the time set out in Section A Proponent wishing to participate should register, noting its full legal name and the names of the representatives by ing the RFP Coordinator prior to 1:00pm on January 30, 2014 Access to the teleconference and any applicable information will be ed to the registered Proponents. The intent of the Proponent Information Session is to provide an opportunity for a Proponent to enhance its understanding of this RFP and the procurement process. The Proponent Information Session is not an opportunity for Proponents to direct questions about the RFP document Proponents must submit questions to the RFP Coordinator as set out in Section below. Any changes to the Proponent Information Session meeting date or access information will be issued in an addendum on MERX and Biddingo. Information provided during this session will be posted on MERX and Biddingo. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 25 of 48

26 4.1.3 Proponents to Follow Instructions The Proponent should structure its Proposal in accordance with the instructions in this RFP. Where information is requested in this RFP, any response made in a Proposal should reference the applicable section numbers of this RFP where that request was made Proposals in English All Proposals are to be submitted in English only. Any Proposals received by OECM that are not entirely in the English language may be disqualified OECM s Information in RFP Only an Estimate OECM makes no representation, warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy of the information contained in this RFP or issued by way of addenda. Any data contained in this RFP or provided by way of addenda are estimates only and are for the sole purpose of indicating to Proponents the general size of the work. It is the Proponent's responsibility to avail itself of all the necessary information to prepare a Proposal in response to this RFP Proponent s Costs The Proponent shall bear all costs and expenses incurred relating to any aspect of its participation in this RFP process, including all costs and expenses relating to the Proponent s participation in: The preparation, presentation and submission of its Proposal; The conduct of any due diligence on its part, including any information gathering activity; The preparation of the Proponent s own questions prior to the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline; and Any discussion and/or finalization, if any, in respect of the Agreement. 4.2 Communication after RFP Issuance RFP Coordinator Contact Information All communications regarding any aspect of this RFP must be ed to the following RFP Coordinator: Name: Agnès Tijet Title: Sourcing Manager [email protected] Proponents that fail to comply with the requirement to direct all communications to the RFP Coordinator may be disqualified from this RFP process. Without limiting the generality of this provision, Proponents shall not communicate with or attempt to communicate with the following as it relates to this RFP: Any employee or agent of OECM (other than the RFP Coordinator); Any member of OECM s governing body (such as Board of Directors, or advisors); Any elected official of any level of government, including any advisor to any elected official; and Any employee or agent of OECM s Clients Proponents to Review RFP Proponents shall promptly examine this RFP and all Appendices, including the Agreement and Appendix C Rate Bid Form, and: Shall report any errors, omissions or ambiguities; and May direct questions or seek additional information on or before the Proponent s Deadline for Questions to the RFP Coordinator. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 26 of 48

27 All questions submitted by Proponents shall be deemed to be received once the has entered into the RFP Coordinator s inbox. In answering a Proponent s questions, OECM will set out the question, without identifying the Proponent that submitted the question and OECM may, in its sole discretion: Edit the question for clarity; Exclude questions that are either unclear or inappropriate; and Answer similar questions from various Proponents only once. Where an answer results in any change to the RFP, such answer will be formally evidenced through the issue of a separate addendum for this purpose. To ensure Proponents clearly understand issued addenda, OECM allows Proponents to ask questions about issued addenda. Refer to Section for timelines. OECM is under no obligation to provide additional information but may do so in its sole discretion. It is the responsibility of the Proponent to seek clarification by submitting questions to the RFP Coordinator on any matter it considers to be unclear. OECM shall not be responsible for any misunderstanding on the part of the Proponent concerning this RFP or its process Proponent to Notify In the event a Proponent has any reason to believe that any of the circumstances listed in Section exist, the Proponent must notify the RFP Coordinator in writing prior to submitting a Proposal. If appropriate, the RFP Coordinator will then clarify the matter for the benefit of all Proponents. Proponents shall not: After submission of a Proposal, claim that there was any misunderstanding or that any of the circumstances set out in Section were present with respect to the RFP; or Claim that OECM is responsible for any of the circumstances listed in Section of this RFP All New Information to Proponents by way of Addenda This RFP may only be amended by an addendum in accordance with this section. If OECM, for any reason, determines that it is necessary to provide additional information relating to this RFP, such information will be communicated to all Proponents by addenda by way on MERX and Biddingo. Each addendum shall form an integral part of this RFP. Any amendment or supplement to this RFP made in any other manner will not be binding on OECM. Such addenda may contain important information including significant changes to this RFP. Proponents are responsible for obtaining all addenda issued by OECM. In the space provided in the Form of Offer, the Proponent shall confirm its receipt of all addenda by setting out the number of addenda in the space provided in the Form of Offer. Proponents who intend to respond to this RFP are requested not to cancel the receipt of addenda or amendments option provided by MERX and/or Biddingo, since it must obtain through all of the information documents that are issued on MERX and/or Biddingo. In the event that a Proponent chooses to cancel the receipt of addenda or amendments, its Proposal may be rejected. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 27 of 48

28 4.3 Proposal Submission Requirements General To be considered in the RFP process, a Proposal must be received on or before the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline as set out in Section 4.1.1, in a sealed package and should bear the Proponent s name, return address, RFP number, and the RFP Coordinator s name. Proposals received after the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline shall not be considered and shall be returned to the Proponent unopened. Regardless of the method of delivery chosen by Proponent (such as courier, delivery service, Canada Post), each Proponent is responsible for the actual delivery of its Proposal to the address set out below: Submission address: Ontario Education Collaborative Marketplace 90 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 504 Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 2Y3 Proposals transmitted by facsimile or sent by any other electronic means shall not be considered. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained in any applicable statute relating to electronic documents transactions, including the Electronic Commerce Act, 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 17, any notice, submission, statement, or other instrument provided in respect of the RFP may not be validly delivered by way of electronic communication, unless otherwise provided for in this RFP Proposal Submission Requirements Proposals should be submitted in accordance with the instructions set out in this RFP in two (2) separate sealed packages as set out below. Package 1 Note: no pricing information should be included in package 1. Package 2 Mandatory forms Recommended forms Mandatory forms A completed and signed Appendix B - Form of Offer; A completed and signed Appendix F Consortium Information (if applicable) The entire Proposal and other (non-mandatory) information, such as a completed: Appendix D Reference Form; Appendix E Rated Requirements Appendix C Rate Bid Form (including the lowest Canadian published price list) OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 28 of 48

29 The following table sets out the required number of documents that must be submitted with the Proposal per package: Requirements Submit the following quantities in each Package: Package 1 Proposal Package 2 Pricing Original (bound) 1 1 Photocopy (unbound) 1 0 Electronic copy (searchable and not locked) 1 1 (non PDF) Proposals should be completed without delineations, alterations, or erasures. In the event of a conflict, inconsistency or discrepancy between the original and the electronic copy of the Proposal (including the Rate Bid Form), the original versions shall prevail. The Proponent should identify and mark any trade secret or proprietary intellectual property in its Proposal. Proposals submitted in any other manner may be subject to disqualification Other Proposal Considerations In preparing its Proposal, the Proponent should adhere to the following: All pages should be numbered; An index and/or table of contents should be included; Information contained in any embedded link will not be considered part of a Proposal, and will not be evaluated or scored; Respond to the requirements in all applicable Appendices, or as may be directed in this RFP; Completely address, on a point-by-point basis, each rated requirement identified in Appendix E. Rated requirements left blank and/or unanswered will receive a score of zero (0). Refer to Section 3.3 Stage II Rated Requirements; and, The Proposal should be complete in all respects. Proposal evaluation and scoring applies only to the information contained in the Proposal, or accepted clarifications as set out in Section Clarification of Proposals Proposal Receipt by OECM Every Proposal received will be date/time stamped at the location referred to in Section A receipt will be provided upon request. A Proponent should allow sufficient time in the preparation of its Proposal to ensure its Proposal is received on or before the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline Withdrawal of Proposal A Proponent may withdraw its Proposal only by providing written notice to the RFP Coordinator before the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline. A Proposal may not be withdrawn after the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline. OECM has no obligation to return withdrawn Proposals. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 29 of 48

30 4.3.6 Amendment of Proposal A Proponent may amend its Proposal after submission, but only if the Proposal is amended and resubmitted before the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline. The Proponent must provide notice to the RFP Coordinator in writing and replace its Proposal with a revised Proposal, in accordance with the requirements of this RFP. OECM has no obligation to return amended Proposals Completeness of Proposal By submitting a Proposal, the Proponent confirms that all of the components required to use and/or manage the Services have been identified in its Proposal or will be provided to OECM or its Clients at no additional charge. Any requirement that may be identified by the Proponent after the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline or subsequent to signing the Agreement shall be provided at the Proponent s expense Proposals Retained by OECM All Proposals submitted by the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline shall become the property of OECM and will not be returned to the Proponents Proposal Irrevocability Subject to a Proponent s right to withdraw a Proposal in accordance with the procedure described in Section 4.3.5, a Proposal shall be irrevocable by the Proponent for one-hundred-and-twenty (120) days from the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline Acceptance of RFP By submitting a Proposal, a Proponent agrees to accept and to be bound by all of the terms and conditions contained in this RFP, and by all of the representations, terms, and conditions contained in its Proposal Amendments to RFP Subject to Section and Section 4.2.4, OECM shall have the right to amend or supplement this RFP in writing prior to the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline. No other statement, whether written or oral, shall amend this RFP. The Proponent is responsible to ensure it has received all Addenda Proposals will not be Opened Publicly Proponents are advised that there will not be a public opening of this RFP. OECM will open Proposals at a time subsequent to the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline Clarification of Proposals OECM shall have the right at any time after the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline to seek clarification from any Proponent in respect of the Proposal, without contacting any other Proponent. Any clarification sought shall not be an opportunity for the Proponent to either correct errors or to change its Proposal in any substantive manner. Subject to the qualification in this provision, any written information received by OECM from a Proponent in response to a request for clarification from OECM may be considered, if accepted, to form an integral part of the Proposal, at OECM s sole and absolute discretion. OECM shall not be obliged to seek clarification of any aspect of any Proposal Verification of Information OECM shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to: OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 30 of 48

31 Verify any Proponent s statement or claim made in its Proposal or made subsequently in a clarification, interview, site visit, oral presentation, demonstration, or discussion by whatever means OECM may deem appropriate, including contacting persons in addition to those offered as references, and to reject any Proponent statement or claim, if such statement or claim or its Proposal is patently unwarranted or is questionable, which can result in changes to the Proponent s score in rated requirements; and Access the Proponent s premises where any part of the work is to be carried out to confirm Proposal information, quality of processes, and to obtain assurances of viability, provided that, prior to providing such access, the Proponent and OECM shall have agreed upon access terms including pre-notification, extent of access, security and confidentiality. OECM and the Proponent shall each bear its own costs in connection with access. The Proponent shall co-operate in the verification of information and is deemed to consent to OECM verifying such information, including references Proposal Acceptance The lowest price Proposal or any Proposal shall not necessarily be accepted. While price is an evaluation criterion, other evaluation criteria as set out in Part 3 will form a part of the evaluation process RFP Incorporated into Proposal All provisions of this RFP are deemed to be accepted by each Proponent and incorporated into each Proposal Exclusivity of Contract The Agreement, if any, executed with the Preferred Proponent will not be an exclusive Agreement for the provision of the described Deliverables Substantial Compliance OECM shall be required to reject Proposals, which are not substantially compliant with this RFP No Publicity or Promotion No Proponent, including the Preferred Proponent, shall make any public announcement or distribute any literature regarding this RFP or otherwise promote itself in connection with this RFP or any arrangement entered into under this RFP without the prior written approval of OECM. In the event that a Proponent, including the Preferred Proponent, makes a public statement either in the media or otherwise in breach of this requirement, in addition to any other legal remedy it may have in law, in equity or within the context of this RFP, OECM shall be entitled to take all reasonable steps as may be deemed necessary by OECM, including disclosing any information about a Proposal, to provide accurate information and/or to rectify any false impression which may have been created. 4.4 Execution of Agreement, Notification and Debriefing Selection of Proponent OECM anticipates that the Preferred Proponent will be selected within sixty (60) days of the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline. Notice of selection by OECM to the Preferred Proponent will be in writing by from the RFP Coordinator. The Preferred Proponent shall execute the Agreement in the form attached as Appendix A to this RFP and satisfy any other applicable conditions of this RFP within fifteen (15) days of notice of selection. This provision is solely to the benefit of OECM and may be waived by OECM at its sole discretion. Proponents are reminded that there is a question and answer period available if they wish to ask questions or seek clarification about the terms and conditions set out in the Form of Agreement. OECM will consider such requests for clarification in accordance with Section of the RFP. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 31 of 48

32 4.4.2 Failure to Enter Into Agreement In addition to all of OECM s other remedies, if the Preferred Proponent fails to execute the Agreement or satisfy any other applicable conditions within fifteen (15) days of notice of selection, OECM may, in its sole and absolute discretion and without incurring any liability, rescind the selection of that Proponent Notification to Other Proponents of Outcome of RFP Process Once the Supplier and OECM execute the Agreement, the other Proponents will be notified in writing by of the outcome of the RFP process, including the name of the Supplier, and the award of the Agreement Debriefing Proponents will be invited, by the RFP Coordinator, to attend a debriefing from OECM after award notification. OECM will not disclose submission information from other Proponents. The intent of the debriefing information session is to aid the Proponent in presenting a better Proposal in subsequent procurement opportunities. Any debriefing provided is not for the purpose of providing an opportunity to challenge the procurement process Bid Dispute Resolution In the event that a Proponent wishes to review the decision of OECM in respect of any material aspect of the RFP process, and subject to having attended a debriefing, the Proponent shall submit a protest in writing to the RFP Coordinator within ten (10) Days from such a debriefing. Any request that is not received within ten (10) days following a debriefing will not be considered and the Proponent will be notified in writing. A protest in writing shall include the following: A specific identification of the provision and/or procurement procedure that is alleged to have been breached; A specific description of each act alleged to have breached the procurement process; A precise statement of the relevant facts; An identification of the issues to be resolved; The Proponent s arguments and supporting documentation; and The Proponent s requested remedy. For the purpose of a protest, OECM will review and address any protest in a timely and appropriate manner. 4.5 Prohibited Communications, Confidential Information and FIPPA Confidential Information of OECM All correspondence, documentation, and information of any kind provided to any Proponent in connection with or arising out of this RFP or the acceptance of any Proposal: Remains the property of OECM and shall be removed from OECM s premises only with the prior written consent of OECM; OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 32 of 48

33 Must be treated as confidential and shall not be disclosed except with the prior written consent of OECM; Must not be used for any purpose other than for replying to this RFP and for the fulfillment of any related subsequent agreement; and Must be returned to OECM upon request Confidential Information of the Proponent Except as provided otherwise in this RFP, or as may be required by Applicable Laws, OECM shall treat the Proposals and any information gathered in any related process as confidential, provided that such obligation shall not include any information that is or becomes generally available to the public other than as a result of disclosure by OECM. During any part of this RFP process, OECM or any of its representatives or agents shall be under no obligation to execute a confidentiality agreement. In the event that a Proponent refuses to participate in any required stage of the RFP because OECM has refused to execute any such confidentiality agreement, the Proponent shall receive no points for that particular stage of the evaluation process Proponent s Submission All correspondence, documentation, and information provided in response to or because of this RFP may be reproduced for the purposes of evaluating the Proposal. If a portion of a Proposal is to be held confidential, such provisions must be clearly identified in the Proposal Personal Information Personal Information shall be treated as follows: Submission of information The Proponent should not submit as part of its Proposal any information related to the qualifications or experience of persons who will be assigned to provide Services unless specifically requested. OECM shall maintain the information for a period of seven (7) years from the time of collection. Should OECM request such information, OECM will treat this information in accordance with the provisions of this section; Use Any personal information as defined in the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, S.C. 2005, c.5 that is requested from a Proponent by OECM shall only be used to select the qualified individuals to undertake the services and to confirm that the work performed is consistent with these qualifications; and Consent It is the responsibility of the Proponent to obtain the consent of such individuals prior to providing the information to OECM. OECM will consider that the appropriate consents have been obtained for the disclosure to and use by OECM of the requested information for the purposes described Non-Disclosure Agreement OECM reserves the right to require any Proponent to enter into a non-disclosure agreement satisfactory to OECM Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (Ontario), applies to information provided by Proponents. A Proponent should identify any information in its Proposal or any accompanying documentation supplied in confidence for which confidentiality is to be maintained by OECM and its Clients. The confidentiality of such information will be maintained by OECM, except as otherwise required by law or by order of a court, tribunal, or the Ontario Privacy Commissioner. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 33 of 48

34 By submitting a Proposal, including any Personal Information requested in this RFP, Proponents agree to the use of such information for the evaluation process, for any audit of this procurement process, and for contract management purposes Competition Act Under Canadian law, a Proposal must be prepared without conspiracy, collusion, or fraud. For more information, refer to the Competition Bureau website at and in particular, part VI of the Competition Act, R.S.C. 1985, c. C Trade Agreements Proponents should note that procurements coming within the scope of either Chapter 5 of the Agreement on Internal Trade or within the scope of the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between Quebec and Ontario are subject to such agreements, although the rights and obligations of the parties shall be governed by the specific terms of this RFP. For more information, please refer to the Internal Trade Secretariat website at or to the Trade and Cooperation Agreement between Quebec and Ontario at Ontario%20Trade%20and%20Cooperation%20Agreement%20English.pdf Intellectual Property The Proponent shall not use any intellectual property of OECM or its Clients, including but not limited to logos, registered trademarks, or trade names of OECM or Clients at any time without the prior written approval of OECM and the respective Clients. 4.6 Reserved Rights and Governing Law of OECM General In addition to any other express rights or any other rights, which may be implied in the circumstances, OECM reserves the right to: Make public the names of any or all Proponents; Request written clarification or the submission of supplementary written information from any Proponent and incorporate such clarification or supplementary written information, if accepted, into the Proposal, at OECM s discretion, provided that any clarification or submission of supplementary written information shall not be an opportunity for the Proponent to correct errors in its Proposal or to change or enhance the Proposal in any material manner; Waive formalities and accept Proposals that substantially comply with the requirements of this RFP, in OECM s sole and absolute discretion; Verify with any Proponent or with a third party any information set out in a Proposal, as described in Section ; Check references other than those provided by Proponents; Disqualify any Proponent whose Proposal contains misrepresentations or any other inaccurate or misleading information, or any Proponent whose reasonable failure to cooperate with OECM impedes the evaluation process, or whose Proposal is determined to be non-compliant with the requirements of this RFP; Disqualify a Proposal where the Proponent has or the principals of a Proponent have previously breached a contract with OECM, or has otherwise failed to perform such contract to the reasonable satisfaction of OECM, the Proponent has been charged or convicted of an offence in respect of a OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 34 of 48

35 contract with OECM, or the Proponent reveals a Conflict of Interest or Unfair Advantage in its Proposal or a Conflict of Interest or evidence of any Unfair Advantage is brought to the attention of OECM; Disqualify any Proposal of any Proponent who has breached any Applicable Laws or who has engaged in conduct prohibited by this RFP, including where there is any evidence that the Proponent or any of its employees or agents colluded with any other Proponent, its employees or agents in the preparation of the Proposal; Disqualify a Proposal where the Proponent has or the principals of a Proponent have previously breached a contract with OECM, or has otherwise failed to perform such contract to the reasonable satisfaction of OECM (i.e. has not submitted required reporting and or cost recovery fees to OECM), the Proponent has been charged or convicted of an offence in respect of a contract with OECM, or the Proponent reveals a Conflict of Interest or Unfair Advantage in its Proposal or a Conflict of Interest or evidence of any Unfair Advantage is brought to the attention of OECM; Make changes, including substantial changes, to this RFP provided that those changes are issued by way of addenda in the manner set out in this RFP; Accept or reject a Proposal if only one (1) Proposal is submitted; Reject a subcontractor proposed by a Proponent within a consortium; Select any Proponent other than the Proponent whose Proposal reflects the lowest cost to OECM; Cancel this RFP process at any stage and issue a new RFP for the same or similar requirements, including where: o o o o o OECM determines it would be in the best interest of OECM not to award an Agreement; the Proposal prices exceed the bid prices received by OECM for Services acquired of a similar nature and previously done work; the Proposal prices exceed the costs OECM or its Clients would incur by doing the work, or most of the work, with its own resources; the Proposal prices exceed the funds available for the Services; or the funding for the acquisition of the proposed Services has been revoked, modified, or has not been approved, and where OECM cancels this RFP, OECM may do so without providing reasons, and OECM may thereafter issue a new request for proposals, request for qualifications, sole source, or do nothing; Discuss with any Proponent different or additional terms to those contained in this RFP or in any Proposal; and Reject any or all Proposals in its absolute discretion, including where a Proponent has launched legal proceedings against OECM or is otherwise engaged in a dispute with OECM. By submitting a Proposal, the Proponent authorizes the collection by OECM of the information identified in this RFP, which OECM may request from any third party Rights of OECM Preferred Proponent In the event that the Preferred Proponent fails or refuses to execute the Agreement within fifteen (15) Days from being notified of its position as the Preferred Proponent, OECM may in its sole discretion: Extend the period for concluding the Agreement, provided that if substantial progress towards executing the Agreement is not achieved within a reasonable period of time from such extension, OECM may, in its sole discretion, terminate the discussions; OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 35 of 48

36 Exclude the Preferred Proponent from further consideration and begin discussions with the next highest scoring Proponent without becoming obligated to offer to negotiate with all Proponents; and/or Exercise any other applicable right set out in this RFP, including but not limited to, cancelling the RFP and issuing a new RFP for the same or similar Services. OECM may also cancel this RFP in the event the Preferred Proponent fails to obtain any of the permits, licences, and approvals required pursuant to this RFP No Liability The Proponent agrees that: Any action or proceeding relating to this RFP process shall be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the Province of Ontario and for that purpose the Proponent irrevocably and unconditionally attorns and submits to the jurisdiction of that Ontario court; It irrevocably waives any right to and shall not oppose any Ontario action or proceeding relating to this RFP process on any jurisdictional basis; and It shall not oppose the enforcement against it, in any other jurisdiction, of any judgement or order duly obtained from an Ontario court as contemplated by this RFP. The Proponent further agrees that if OECM commits a material breach of OECM s obligations pursuant to this RFP, OECM s liability to the Proponent, and the aggregate amount of damages recoverable against OECM for any matter relating to or arising from that material breach, whether based upon an action or claim in contract, warranty, equity, negligence, intended conduct, or otherwise, including any action or claim arising from the acts or omissions, negligent or otherwise, of OECM, shall be no greater than the Proposal preparation costs that the Proponent seeking damages from OECM can demonstrate. In no event shall OECM be liable to the Proponent for any breach of OECM s obligations pursuant to this RFP, which does not constitute a material breach thereof. The Proponent acknowledges and agrees that the provisions of the Broader Public Sector Accountability Act, 2010 shall apply notwithstanding anything contained herein Assignment The Proponent shall not assign any of its rights or obligations hereunder during the RFP process without the prior written consent of OECM. Any act in derogation of the foregoing shall be null and void Entire RFP This RFP and all Appendices form an integral part of this RFP Priority of Documents In the event of any inconsistencies between the terms, conditions, and provisions of the main part of the RFP and the Appendices, the RFP shall prevail over the Appendices during the RFP process Governing Law The laws of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada applicable shall govern the RFP, the Proposal, and any resulting Agreement therein. [End of Part 4] OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 36 of 48

37 APPENDIX A FORM OF AGREEMENT The Form of Agreement is posted in a separate PDF file. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 37 of 48

38 APPENDIX B FORM OF OFFER The submission of this Form of Offer is a mandatory requirement of this RFP. Complete the Form of Offer as set out below: Thoroughly review Form of Offer Complete tables in sections # 7, 8 and 9. Insert names of Proponent representative & witness; sign & date in #10. Insert completed Form of Offer as part of Package 1 Proposal Proposals which do not comply with all mandatory requirements may, subject to the express and implied rights of OECM, be disqualified and not be evaluated further. To: From: OECM [Insert Proponent s Name] Re: IN THE MATTER OF our Proposal dated [Insert date] to which this Form of Offer is an integral part the Proposal prepared by [Insert Proponent s Name] and submitted in response to this RFP issued by OECM on January 23, 2014 as amended, regarding the selection of a Proponent to execute the Agreement pursuant to this RFP. I am duly authorized by the Proponent, including the persons, firms, corporations, and advisors joining in the submission of this Proposal, to execute this Form of Offer. I solemnly declare and certify as follows: 1. Offer The Proponent has carefully examined the RFP documents and has a clear and comprehensive knowledge of the Deliverables required under the RFP. By submitting its Proposal including this Form of Offer, the Proponent agrees and consents to the terms, conditions and provisions of the RFP, including the Form of Agreement, except as otherwise noted, and offers to provide the Services and optional services in accordance therewith at the Rates set out in Appendix C - Rate Bid Form. 2. Rates for Deliverables As a mandatory requirement, the Proponent has submitted its Rates in accordance with the instructions in the RFP and in the form set out in Appendix C Rate Bid Form. 3. Proposal Irrevocable The Proponent agrees that its Proposal shall be irrevocable for one-hundred-and-twenty (120) days following the Proponent s Proposal Submission Deadline. 4. Disclosure of Information The Proponent hereby agrees that any information provided in this Proposal, even if it is identified as being supplied in confidence, may be disclosed where required by law or if required by order of a court or tribunal. The Proponent hereby consents to the disclosure, on a confidential basis, of its Proposal to OECM s advisors retained for the purpose of evaluating or participating in the evaluation of this Proposal. 5. Proof of Insurance and Good Standing under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (Ontario) By signing this Form of Offer, the Proponent agrees, if selected, that it has verified its capability to do so and will provide proof of insurance coverage and a Clearance Certificate under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (Ontario) as set out in the Form of Agreement. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 38 of 48

39 6. Authorized Original Equipment Manufacturer and/or Reseller The Proponent declares that it is either the original equipment manufacturer and/or the authorized reseller of the proposed Services. OECM may, upon its sole discretion, verify this information at any time. 7. Addenda and Questions/Answers The onus remains on Proponents to make any necessary amendments to its Proposals based on all addenda and question/answer documents issued by OECM prior to the OECM s Deadline for Issuing Final Addenda. Addenda and Question/Answers The number of addenda posted = The number of question/answer documents posted = The Proponent is deemed to have read the following: [Enter the number of addenda received, if any.] [Enter the number of question/answer documents received, if any.] 8. Unfair Advantage and Conflict of Interest Statement Prior to completing this Form of Offer, the Proponent is advised to review the definitions of Unfair Advantage and Conflict of Interest set out in Section 1.11 of this RFP. Conflict of Interest Response Is there an actual or potential Unfair Advantage or Conflict of Interest, relating to the preparation of its Proposal, or if the Proponent foresees an actual or potential Unfair Advantage or Conflict of Interest in performing the contractual obligations contemplated in the RFP? Yes No [If yes, please enter details here.] The Proponent agrees to provide any additional information, which may be requested by the RFP Coordinator, in the form prescribed by the RFP Coordinator. Where, in its sole discretion, OECM concludes that an Unfair Advantage and/or Conflict of Interest arises, it may, in addition to any other remedy available to it at law or in equity, disqualify the Proposal, or terminate any Agreement awarded to the Proponent under the RFP. 9. Proponent Information Insert the required information in the following table: Information Required Response Full legal name of the Proponent is: Any other relevant name under which the Proponent carries on business is: The jurisdiction under which the Proponent is governed is: The name, address, telephone and fax numbers, and address of the Proponent s contact person are: [Enter response here.] [Enter response here.] [Enter response here.] [Enter response here.] OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 39 of 48

40 Information Required Response Proponent submitting for category A SMARTnet Services ONLY. The Proponent certifies, it is an authorized Cisco gold partner or above. Yes No [Enter response here.] The Proponent s business model: individual sole proprietorship corporation partnership consortium* *If the Proponent is a consortium, Appendix F must be completed, signed, and submitted with the Proponent s Proposal. 10. Execution of Agreement If its Proposal is selected by OECM, the Proponent agrees to finalize and execute the Agreement substantially in the form set out in the Form of Agreement in accordance with the terms of the RFP. Witness: Proponent s Representative: Signature: Signature: Printed Name: Printed Name: Date: Date: I have the authority to bind the Proponent. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 40 of 48

41 APPENDIX C RATE BID FORM Appendix C is posted in a separate Microsoft Excel file. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 41 of 48

42 APPENDIX D REFERENCE FORM Each Proponent is required to provide three (3) references from organizations similar in size and scope to OECM and its Clients for which the Proponent has provided the same or similar Deliverables within the past three (3) years. OECM, in its sole discretion, may confirm the Proponent s experience and/or ability to provide the Services required and described in its Proposal by checking the Proponent s references, and the provision of the references by the Proponent is deemed to be consent to such confirmation/contact with the references. OECM reserves the right to revisit the Proponent s scores in the rated requirements based on information learned during reference checks, should they reveal that there is inconsistency between the Proponent s answers to the rated requirements and the results of the reference check. OECM may check references other than those provided by the Proponent. Reference #1 Company name: Company address: Contact name: Contact telephone number: Contact address: Date work undertaken: From: To: Nature of services: Reference #2 Company name: Company address: Contact name: Contact telephone number: Contact address: Date work undertaken: From: To: Nature of services: Reference #3 Company name: Company address: Contact name: Contact telephone number: Contact address: Date work undertaken: From: To: Nature of services: OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 42 of 48

43 APPENDIX E RATED REQUIREMENTS Appendix E is attached as a separate Microsoft Excel file. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 43 of 48

44 APPENDIX F CONSORTIUM INFORMATION This Appendix must be completed, signed, dated and submitted with a Proponent s Proposal, if the Proposal is submitted by a consortium. Information Required Response Name of the legal entity that is liable and responsible to OECM for the provision of the Deliverables in this RFP (i.e. the Proponent). [Enter response here.] Describe the consortium members and what each will supply. [Enter response here.] Describe the contingency plan if a consortium member is no longer part of the consortium. [Enter response here.] Witness: Proponent Representative: Signature: Signature: Printed Name: Printed Name: Date: Date: I have the authority to bind the Proponent. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 44 of 48

45 APPENDIX G PRODUCT REPLACEMENT SERVICE LEVEL DELIVERY Appendix G is attached as a separate Microsoft Excel file. OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 45 of 48

46 APPENDIX H OECM GEOGRAPHICAL ZONES Clients supported by OECM sourcing initiatives are located in five (5) geographical Zones in the Province of Ontario, as set out below. County, District or Municipality (CDRS) CENTRAL EAST WEST Brantford County Frontenac County Bruce County Durham Region Leeds & Grenville County Chatham-Kent District Halton Region National Capital Region Essex County Hastings County Prescott and Russell, United Counties Grey County Kawartha Lakes District Renfrew County Huron County Niagara Region NORTH EAST Lambton County Northumberland County Algoma District Middlesex County Peel Region Cochrane District Perth County Peterborough County Nipissing District Prince Edward Region Sudbury Region Simcoe County Toronto Region Waterloo Region Wellington County York Region NORTH WEST Kenora District Rainy River District Thunder Bay District OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 46 of 48

47 Central East North East APPENDIX I ONTARIO SCHOOL BOARDS, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES School Boards, Colleges, and Universities are set out below in each applicable Zone. Zones School Boards Colleges Universities Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic DSB Hamilton-Wentworth DSB Waterloo Catholic DSB Centennial College Brock University CSD catholique Centre-Sud Hastings and Prince Edward DSB Waterloo Region DSB Conestoga College Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning University of Guelph CSD du Centre Sud-Ouest Kawartha Pine Ridge DSB Wellington Catholic DSB Durham College of Applied Arts and Technology McMaster University DSB of Niagara Niagara Catholic DSB York Catholic DSB George Brown College of Applied Arts & Technology OCAD University Dufferin-Peel Catholic DSB Peel DSB York Region DSB Georgian College of Applied Arts and Technology Ryerson University Durham Catholic DSB Peterborough Victoria Northumberland and Clarington Catholic DSB Humber College Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning University of Toronto Durham DSB Simcoe County DSB Trent University Grand Erie DSB Simcoe Muskoka Catholic DSB Loyalist College of Applied Arts and Technology University of Ontario Institute of Technology Halton Catholic DSB Toronto Catholic DSB Mohawk College of Applied Arts and Technology University of Waterloo Halton DSB Toronto DSB Niagara College of Applied Arts and Technology University of Western Ontario Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic DSB Trillium Lakelands DSB Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology Wilfrid Laurier University Upper Grand DSB Sheridan Institute of Technology and Advanced Learning York University Fleming College Huron University College Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic DSB Limestone DSB Upper Canada DSB The Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology Carleton University Catholic DSB of Eastern Ontario Ottawa Catholic DSB Canadore College of Applied Arts and Technology University of Ottawa CSD catholique de l'est Ontarien Ottawa-Carleton DSB Queen's University CSD catholique du Centre-Est de l'ontario Renfrew County Catholic DSB La Cité collégiale Dominican College Of Philosophy & Theology CSD des écoles publiques de l'est de l'ontario Renfrew County DSB St. Lawrence College of Applied Arts and Technology Algoma DSB CSD du Nord-Est de l'ontario Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic DSB Cambrian College of Applied Arts and Technology Algoma University CSD catholique des Grandes Rivières DSB Ontario North East Northeastern Catholic DSB Collège Boréal Laurentian University CSD catholique du Nouvel-Ontario Huron-Superior Catholic DSB Rainbow DSB Sault College Nipissing University CSD catholique Franco-Nord Near North DSB Sudbury Catholic DSB CSD du Grand Nord de l'ontario CSD catholique des Aurores Boréales Lakehead DSB Superior North Catholic DSB Confederation College of Applied Arts and Technology Lakehead University Keewatin-Patricia DSB Northwest Catholic DSB Superior-Greenstone DSB Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology Northern Ontario School of Medicine North West Kenora Catholic DSB Rainy River DSB Thunder Bay Catholic DSB West Avon Maitland DSB Lambton Kent DSB Fanshawe College of Applied Arts and Technology University of Windsor Bluewater DSB London District Catholic SB Lambton College of Applied Arts and Technology Bruce-Grey Catholic DSB St. Clair Catholic DSB St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology CSD des écoles catholiques du Sud-Ouest Thames Valley DSB Greater Essex County DSB Windsor-Essex Catholic DSB Huron-Perth Catholic DSB OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 47 of 48

48 APPENDIX J NOTICE OF NO SUBMISSION FORM OECM would like to understand any challenges vendors may have when responding to OECM RFP s. OECM invites any vendor who chooses NOT to submit a Proposal to complete the following table and send it to the RFP Coordinator as stated in Section prior to the closing date of February 20, :00pm by fax or by to: [email protected] The vendor s reasons for not submitting a Proposal will help OECM on its future sourcing initiatives. NOTICE OF NO PROPOSAL SUBMISSION Please specify reason for no Submission: Organization s name: Mailing address: Signature of the organization s Representative: Date: OECM SMARTnet Cisco and Equivalent Support Services RFP # Page 48 of 48