I. INTRODUCTION REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS PINE CREST DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION COLOCATION DATA CENTER OPERATOR The Pine Crest Development Corporation, herein after referred to as Pine Crest, is in the process of constructing a 2,041 square foot commercial data center in the former Mayo Mill in downtown Dover-Foxcroft. Pine Crest intends to contract for the operation of this data center as a profitable colocation IT data center. Part of the full data center is now ready to be set up and function in a temporary location until the permanent data center location is ready. In order to select an ISP and Data Center Operator, Pine Crest is soliciting proposals from potential ISP and Data Center Operators. Pine Crest will build and equip to suit within the limitations of the US Commerce grant. II. SCOPE OF WORK TO BE PERFORMED The individual or firm will be responsible for developing a profitable colocation IT data center with a share of the profits to Pine Crest. The individual or firm selected will have the following characteristics, including but not limited to: A. Awareness of the existing funding and physical limitations of the data center s budget. B. Awareness of the available resources. C. Optimizing existing market conditions. D. Demonstrated ability to develop and operate a profitable colocation data center. The following provides preliminary outlines of the possibilities for the Data Center which should be considered as guides but are not definitive. Intent. A USDA grant purchased and installed a working data center and that equipment is attached as an addenda. Pine Crest wants to continue to own the data center equipment and contract with a firm to operate a colocation data center that would provide some income to Pine Crest. Start-Up Location. Pine Crest has secured two rooms with 834 square feet of space each in the Dover-Foxcroft Municipal Building. That building has access to fiber optics through the Maine Three-Ring Binder. The space also has AC available. Pine Crest would like to begin operations of a data center using the USDA equipment in the D-F municipal building until the mill has been redeveloped. This would provide for some limited services until the existing equipment could be moved to its permanent location augmented with additional equipment.
Permanent Location. The US Department of Commerce has awarded Pine Crest a grant for the build-out and the equipment for a colocation data center on the second floor of the 1883 Mill and 1905 Addition with up to 2,041 square feet. This would provide space for 19 racks for data equipment (22 W x 80 H x 30 D) and servers and 23 racks for telecommunications equipment plus cabinets and cages for physical access control over tenants equipment. Broadband Connection: The Three-Ring Binder providing 100 Mb/s speed is available with two loops of the Three-Ring Binder coming past the Mill, one from Orono and the other from Dexter offering redundancy. HVAC: A geothermal closed loop system will provide heating and cooling to allow for temperature (65º to 69º) and relative humidity (40% to 55%) control. Only the air beneath the flooring and in the racks would need to be cooled. Electricity: Primary- on-site CMP. Propane generators to be available for backup. Hydro-electric plant (185 kw) when authorized to run to provide additional back-up. Electricity supply, including delivery, to be available at $0.10 per KWH. 30 AMP 110V power circuits delivered to each rack. Surge arrestors and power conditioning equipment required. Emergency power off switches to be placed at every entry point to the data center. Low-impedance electrical ground. Water and Sewer: Connections on-site with a new sewer/waste water line through an existing secured USDA grant-loan. Additional Funding: The funding for the build-out of the data center space and for the additional data center equipment is included in the EDA $1,508,400 grant and the matching funds of $1,508,400. Fire Suppression: Industry standard FM-200 system. Smoke detectors. Security: CCTV & DVR systems continuously record with footage from last 30 days to be able to be recalled and replayed. Motion detectors and alarms. The Network Operations Center (NOC) is the single point of monitoring and control with access door(s) having card readers or cipher locks. Flooring: 18 off the ground with the surface made of 2 tiles for easy access to cables. Services: Data Center to provide internet service to Mill tenants. In addition, equipment space and bandwidth is available for rental to retail customers. The Data Center provides space, power, cooling and physical security for the server, storage, and networking equipment of private companies with connections to a variety of telecommunications and network service providers. Rental customers include (1) web commerce companies, who use the facilities for a safe environment and cost-effective, redundant connections to the Internet, (2) enterprises, who use the facility for disaster avoidance, offsite data backup and business continuity, and (3) telecommunication companies, who use the facilities
to exchange traffic with other telecommunications companies and access to potential clients. It could also serve as a colo facility where many carriers are physically present ('carrier hotel'); where the presence of such a facility at a colo increases its value to some classes of potential customers. This is the USDA data center. There is also a router and additional equipment that is still boxed. 1883 Mill with 1905 Addition to the left.
III. SPECIAL SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS In addition to proven administrative skills, the selected individual or firm should possess: A. Working knowledge of Federal and State regulations and procedures related to data centers, B. Knowledge of US Department of Commerce Economic Development Program rules, regulations and procedures C. Knowledge of US Department of Agriculture rules, regulations and procedures IV. CONTRACT PERIOD The contract period commences with the signing of a contract and/or formal selection by the governing body for services, and terminates upon the completion of the specified contract term. V. SPECIFIC ITEMS TO BE INCLUDED IN PROPOSAL In order to be considered, proposals must contain the following information: A. Firm/Individual's history relative to ISP and Colocation Data Centers. B. Experience in preparing operating an ISP and Colocation Data Center. C. References. D. Proposed Contract for Services covering terms and conditions starting with the operation of a data center using the USDA equipment in the D-F Municipal Building. E. Proposed profit-sharing plan VI. REVIEW OF PROPOSALS Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated by the Review Committee based on the following criteria: A. Firm or Individual's ability to provide the required services 25% B. Demonstrated experience in operating a data center 25% C. Qualifications, including certification of person(s) assigned to project 25% D. Quality and realism of the proposed data center and profit sharing plan 20% E. Intuition 5% VII. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS Proposals must be received in hand by 2:00 PM on Friday, June 27, 2014 in order to be considered. Proposals received after this time will be returned unopened. One original and five copies must be submitted in a sealed envelope plainly marked on the outside "Pine Crest Development Corporation" and bear the name and address of the individual or firm submitting the proposal.
After the proposals have been reviewed, the Review Committee will meet to make a decision after July 7, 2014 but before Friday, July 18, 2014. The individual or firm selected will be notified by telephone. Proposals which do not contain the requested information will not be considered. Pine Crest reserves the right to accept or reject any and all bids. Each proposal becomes the property of Pine Crest. Direct proposals and related inquiries to: Dr. Kenneth B. Woodbury, Jr., Co-Director Piscataquis County Economic Development Council 50 Mayo Street Dover-Foxcroft, Maine 04426 207-564-3638 office 207-280-0656 cell preferred Background. The Pine Crest Development Corporation, a 501c4 nonprofit organization, was created by the Town of Dover-Foxcroft to own, develop and manage the Pine Crest Business Park. Later when the Moosehead Manufacturing Company went bankrupt, Pine Crest became the owner of the mill properties with the charge to redevelop the 3.25 acres at the northern end of the historic downtown business district along the banks of the Piscataquis River. The complex contains nine historic properties registered with the US Department of the Interior. The complex started as the Mayo Mill (1841) and then the property was purchased by American Woolen Mill (1908) and lastly Moosehead Manufacturing bought the facilities and manufactured quality furniture. Pine Crest through an RFP selected Arnold Development Group who proposed a mixed use plan with a goal of also achieving LEED certification using photovoltaic solar panels, hydro-electric power using the dam and geo-thermal for HVAC. The complex would include 22 rental residences, a full service restaurant, boutique hotel, internet café, craft ateliers, artist studios, farmers market, commercial office plaza and data center. A US Department of Commerce grant of $1,508,400 was secured to construct the 12 suite commercial office plaza and the data center with matching funds of $1,508,400. Another grant of $99,999 was received for the data center from the US Department of Agriculture. The data center is to be permanently located on the second floor of the 1883 Mayo Mill building and its 1905 addition.