R E Q U E S T F O R P R O P O S A L COUNTY OF PERTH Request for Proposal RFP No: IT2014-001 VoIP Telephone System Corporation of the County of Perth 1 Huron Street, Stratford N5A 5S4 519-271-0531
Contents Section 1 Purpose and Scope... 3 Section 2 Terms and Instructions... 4 Submission and Schedule... 4 Inquiries... 4 RFP Revisions... 4 Accessibility... 4 Right of Selection... 4 Limitation of Damages... 4 Confidentiality... 5 Evaluation... 5 Section 3 Overview of Current Environment... 6 Telephony Infrastructure... 6 Network Infrastructure... 7 Section 4 - Proposal Response Format... 8 Proposal Submission... 8 4.1 - Executive Summary... 8 4.2 - Company Background... 8 4.3 - System Support and Training... 9 4.4 Functional and Technical Specifications... 9 4.5 References... 14 4.6 Proposal Pricing... 14 APPENDIX... 16 Current System Equipment Inventory... 16 RFP - Page 2 of 16
Section 1 Purpose and Scope REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL County of Perth - RFP IT2014-001 The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals and product demonstrations from qualified vendors, for the design, procurement, installation, training, maintenance and ongoing support of a VoIP telecommunication solution that will meet the County of Perth s functionality, scalability, reliability, and manageability requirements as outlined in this RFP document. In addition, the County of Perth requires an open standards VoIP system that provides three-digit dialing between locations, a centralized voicemail system that can be used transparently by all locations, and the ability for all locations to appear to be part of a single phone system. General Information about the County of Perth (the County) can be found on the County s website at http://www.perthcounty.ca The County s intent is to replace the existing telephone systems currently servicing the main administrative (County Courthouse), Stratford-Perth Archives and EMS Headquarters locations. Due to budget constraints, The County must request two price proposals; one including all three locations and a second that excludes the EMS Headquarters location. The County is requesting the new telephone system be Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) based, include feature sets found in unified communications systems and capable to expand to handle calls and voicemail requirements for the entire organization in the future. The proposals should reflect a complete system replacement as the County does not desire upgrading, fixing or otherwise integrating any part of the existing systems. The acquisition will include IP telephony architecture (VoIP) systems that are: 1. Supported by a highly qualified and reliable vendor with experience in VoIP implementations 2. Mainstream products with strong manufacturer commitment and vendor support 3. Open system industry standards based (i.e. H.323, 802.1p and 802.1q, TAPI, MGCP, LDAP, SIP) 4. Capable of providing unified communications features that integrate with the County s current Microsoft Exchange 2010 e-mail system 5. Easily maintained by County staff through standards based interface A copy of this Request for Proposal (RFP) may be obtained from the County s web site at http://www.perthcounty.ca/tenders_rfps. It is the sole responsibility of the proponent to monitor the County s web site for any amendments to the RFP. For the purpose of this document the terms proponent, vendor and contractor are those entities representing the submission of a response to this RFP. RFP - Page 3 of 16
Section 2 Terms and Instructions REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL County of Perth - RFP IT2014-001 Submission and Schedule An electronic copy of the proposal in.pdf (portable document format) format must be submitted to sdrake@perthcounty.ca no later than 3:00 p.m. on December 8, 2014. The e-mail subject line should read: RFP IT2014-001 It is the sole responsibility of the vendor to see that their proposal is received by the County in the proper time. Late responses will be rejected at the sole discretion of the County of Perth. Submission of a proposal indicates acceptance by the firm of the conditions contained in this RFP, unless clearly and specifically noted in the proposal submitted. Inquiries Respondents may contact the County of Perth for clarification and information pertaining to this request for proposal. Any request for information or clarification must be submitted in writing by email to the contact person listed below. Steve Drake, Technology Services Coordinator Email: sdrake@perthcounty.ca, Tel: 519-271-0531, x230 Any oral communications will be considered unofficial and non-binding on the County. Vendors should rely only on written statements issued by the contact person listed above. RFP Revisions The County reserves the right to change the schedule or issue amendments to the RFP at any time. The County also reserves the right to cancel or reissue the RFP at any time. Amendments or a notice of cancellation will be posted to the County s web site (http://www.perthcounty.ca/tenders_rfps). It is the sole responsibility of the proposer to monitor the County s web site for the posting of such information. Accessibility As the submitted proposal will be a document that may be produced for public distribution, should the County receive a request for an alternate format, the firm must be able to provide such alternate format in compliance with accessibility standards legislation. Right of Selection The County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any minor informalities or irregularities contained in any proposal, and to accept any proposal deemed to be in the best interest of the County. Selection of a vendor solution shall not be construed as an award of contract, but as commencement of contract negotiation, including but not limited to the contract price proposed. The lowest cost proposal will not necessarily be accepted. Limitation of Damages The Proponent, by submitting a Proposal agrees that it will not claim damages, for whatever reason, relating to the RFP, by reason of submitting a Proposal, in respect of the competitive process, or in respect of any breach of any implied duty of fairness, including but not limited to any costs incurred by the Proponent in preparing its Proposal. The Proponent, by submitting a Proposal, waives any and all such claims. RFP - Page 4 of 16
Confidentiality The Parties agree that the content of each response to this Request for Proposal will be held in the strictest confidence, and details of any response will not be discussed with any other party, except for the information made public by way of reports to Council or subject to the Freedom of Information and Privacy Act. Evaluation If an award is made as a result of this RFP, it shall be awarded to the respondent whose proposal is most advantageous to County of Perth with price and other factors considered. An evaluation team will review all Proposals received and score the Proposals using a consensus approach in relation to the criteria that are identified below. From these evaluations, a short list of finalists will be notified and asked to provide a live demonstration of the proposed system s functionality and administration. The County may request additional information or clarification of proposals and hereby reserves the right to select the particular response to this RFP that it believes will best serve its business and operational requirements, considering the evaluation criteria set forth below. Evaluation Criteria Overall Solution Cost -Annual Support costs -Total Cost of solution (Ability to replace all three location systems within budget) -Handset/License costs Support and Maintenance -Guaranteed response times - SLA options response times, staff locations -Training Strategy -Hardware (warranty) replacement policy (return to depot, spares etc.) -System updates policy (when do they apply them? Costs?) Experience -Quality of references -Qualifications of project/support team -Experience with similar implementations System Capability and Scalability -911/e911 solution -Analog device integration -Scalability and remote Survivability -Unified Communications offerings and compatibility -System administration and ease of use Finalist Interview and System Demonstration -Demonstrate routine system administration process (adds, moves changes) -Exhibit system hardware as proposed (telephone sets, switches etc.) -Discuss and answer questions regarding the proposed system RFP - Page 5 of 16
Section 3 Overview of Current Environment REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL County of Perth - RFP IT2014-001 Telephony Infrastructure County Courthouse (Main Administration Building) and Stratford-Perth Archives Locations The County s main administration building (point of demarcation for PRI) and Stratford-Perth Archives headquarters are serviced by a single Nortel BCM 50 system, including CallPilot voicemail (36 seats). The system supports a combination of Nortel digital sets (20), VoIP sets (18) and analog ATA devices for fax connections (3), refer to the Appendix for a full equipment inventory. The current connection to the PSTN is via a contracted Bell Megalink (ISDN PRI T1) which includes Direct Inward Dial numbers (10), a 1-800 toll free number and a small number of fax numbers. Both locations also utilize 1FL Business lines for other fax line connections. EMS Headquarters Location The EMS headquarters location is serviced by a Norstar CICS system, including CallPilot voicemail (10 seats) and 7 Nortel digital sets (refer to the Appendix for a full equipment inventory). The current connection to the PSTN is via Bell contracted Local link lines (4 lines) as well as one 1FL Business line shared by a fax and postage machine. RFP - Page 6 of 16
Network Infrastructure County Courthouse (Main Administration Building) and Stratford-Perth Archives Locations The County Courthouse and Stratford-Perth Archives locations are situated beside each other and are connected via a single CAT6 backbone cable. All digital sets reside only at the Courthouse location on a separate CAT3 cable plant while the current VoIP sets (at both locations) reside on the same data subnet as all other network clients (computers, servers, printers, etc.). The physical networks at both locations are comprised of CAT5 and CAT6 cabling to the desktop and 1GB LAN Layer 2 switches (including POE, 802.1Q VLAN and QoS). All computers are using Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, Microsoft Office 2010 productivity suite and Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 for email. There are 30 Blackberry device users supported by a Blackberry Enterprise Server (v10). Future Stratford-Perth Archives Building The county is currently in the midst of building a new Stratford-Perth Archives location to consolidate three current locations. This new location will provide a CAT6 cable plant for all voice and data applications and be connected to the Courthouse location via a scalable, fibrebased broadband LAN Extension (to support both LAN traffic and VoIP traffic via Layer 2 switches and VLANs). An analog connection to the PSTN will also be available from this new location for the fax machine. Estimated occupation timeframe is end of January 2015. EMS Headquarters Location This EMS Headquarters location is a small office location with a separate CAT3 cable plant for the 7 digital phone sets and CAT5 cable plant for the data network (computers, printers and layer 2 switches). A (1Gb/s) dark fibre LAN connection connects the EMS Headquarters to the County Courthouse network providing access to all LAN services hosted at the County Courthouse location. All computers are using Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, Microsoft Office 2010 productivity suite and Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 for email (hosted at County Courthouse location). Future EMS Base & Headquarters The County is in the process of selecting a firm for the construction of a new EMS building that will consolidate the current EMS Headquarters location and Stratford Paramedic base location. The intention is to provide a (1Gb/s) dark fibre LAN connection from this new location to the County Courthouse location (to support both LAN traffic and VoIP traffic via Layer 2 switches and VLANs). An analog connection to the PSTN will also be available from this new location for the fax machine and security system. Estimated occupation timeframe is January 2016. RFP - Page 7 of 16
Section 4 - Proposal Response Format REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL County of Perth - RFP IT2014-001 Proposal Submission The proposer is responsible for all costs incurred in the preparation, demonstration, or negotiation of this proposal. Submission of a proposal shall constitute acknowledgement by the proposer that it has thoroughly examined the RFP, including any addenda that may be issued during the proposal preparation period. No claim will be allowed for additional compensation or additional time for completion, which is based on lack of knowledge or lack of understanding of any part of the RFP. The following table contains the organization guidelines for proposal responses. Proposal Section RFP Section No. Executive Summary 4.1 Company Background 4.2 System Support and Training 4.3 Functional and Technical Specifications 4.4 References 4.5 Proposal Pricing 4.6 4.1 - Executive Summary This section is intended to provide the proponent with an opportunity to provide an executive level overview of their proposal to the County, emphasizing any unique aspects or strengths of the proposal. The Executive Summary should include a brief description of the proposed system; including its capabilities as they would meet the County s functional and technical requirements as well as a sample project schedule for a similar implementation in terms of scope and size. 4.2 - Company Background Please provide a brief company history including addressing the following points. Identify the primary point of contact (including credentials applicable to this project) for this proposal and the subsequent project, if different (name, email and phone) Identify all company office locations and total number of employees Whether your company is a Certified Solution Partner for the solution you are proposing How long your company has offered and or worked with the systems in this proposal Total number of (your) active clients supported on this proposed platform RFP - Page 8 of 16
4.3 - System Support and Training SYSTEM SUPPORT REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL County of Perth - RFP IT2014-001 Please provide any system support and maintenance options available for the proposed system. Please address the following in your proposal: TRAINING Yearly service, support and warranty offerings (including costs, response times, reporting and responses process, any added costs and what is and isn t covered) from your company. Your organization s support staff size, location, hours or limits of coverage, level of training and experience supporting the technology that is part of the recommended solution. System software upgrade or update processes (including any associated costs or restrictions). o Does the vendor notify customers of updates or enhancements? o Can County staff perform upgrades or updates without affecting current support contracts or must they all be done by the Vendor? o Are there any other costs associated with system updates, enhancements, bug fixes and upgrades? o Do upgrades or updates require a system reboot? The proposal must include a plan that outlines how system users will be trained on the proposed system. Training will include sufficient information and experience to familiarize users with system software and handset features, functions and basic operation. Similar training must be provided for system administrators of the proposed system, enabling them to administer, maintain and troubleshoot the system on a go forward basis. All system administration and end user documentation must be provided. Documentation may be in hard copy, but electronic documentation is preferred. Staff will not be required to travel for any training so only on-site in-person (at Courthouse) or web based (video conference) training will be considered. In developing this training plan, in no case will ad-hoc or demonstration-only training be considered adequate to fulfill the training requirement for any operational level position. 4.4 Functional and Technical Specifications The County seeks to replace its current phone system with an integrated, VoIP telephony solution that allows for remote office connectivity and provides a high level of reliability and functionality. The system should act as a single system image in a multi-site environment and be scalable. Please detail the specifics (including any specific hardware and/or software required) of the proposed system and how it will meet the County s requirements as outlined in the areas below RFP - Page 9 of 16
[1] BASIC FEATURES AND FUNCTIONALITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL County of Perth - RFP IT2014-001 a) Incorporate the currently contracted Bell Megalink PRI connection (15 lines) and must be expandable to handle more lines as needed without fork-lift upgrades b) The system must support the existing Direct Inward Dialing numbers (10 in total) as well as Caller-ID for all incoming calls and current toll-free 1-800 number c) Support 3 digit dialing extensions within the organization and between designated remote sites d) E911 - Allow proper E911 identification for users at the main site and all remote sites (assume each site will have at least one analog line for faxing). It is not anticipated that a dedicated E911 system is needed to accomplish this requirement. e) Analog devices - Proposed system shall have a method of attaching existing analog devices (fax machines) with minimal cost and effort. Proposers shall describe their methods in their response. f) Paging System - Allow paging through telephone set speakers and through a system provided connection to an external overhead paging system (no overhead paging system is in place as of yet). Must allow directed or zone specific paging. g) Hot Desking - The system must provide extension portability by allowing end users to log in at any phone. h) Ring Groups Create groups of sets that will all ring simultaneously when a number is dialed i) Call Pickup Groups groups whose members are allowed to answer a calls (on their telephone) ringing on other members telephones j) Automatic Call Back - have the system notify and connect users to an extension once the line becomes free k) Call Camp the system will play a signal when a user is on the telephone and another call is trying to get through to that set. l) Call Park - allows a person to put a call on hold at one telephone set and continue the conversation from any other telephone set. m) Intercom - enable users to place a two-way call that is automatically answered by the recipient s phone when it s not already in use. n) Call Recording provide on demand recording of calls to extensions including automated messages notifying all parties they are being recorded o) Call Conference ability to conference three or more internal or external callers without requiring a conference bridge. p) Call Transfer - Calls can be transferred directly to another extension (blind) or can ring the parties' extension and speak to the transferee first (attended). q) Find Me Follow Me - system must be able to handle extension forwarding and call transfers to user defined external numbers such as the user s cell phone, home phone, or another location on the network. r) Call Restrictions - setup outbound call restrictions for each extension. Restrictions include local and/or long distance calling. s) Do Not Disturb - calls will not ring the phone and will instead be directed to the call forwarding options that have been enabled for the extension RFP - Page 10 of 16
t) Call History staff can use their telephone to review a list of recent calls to their extension u) Speed Dial allow for individual set speed dial lists as well as system wide speed dial lists available to all sets. [2] VOICEMAIL AND AUTOMATED ATTENDANT VOICEMAIL a) Voicemail Passwords - Users must be required to enter a password or PIN to access their voicemail box. Complex password requirement and forced/scheduled password changes are desirable. The system must assign a default password for users, and provide a mechanism to reset passwords for users that have been locked out of their mailboxes. b) Multiple Greetings allow users to record multiple greetings and apply when required (i.e. main greeting, alternate and specific number targeted greetings) c) Remote Access to Voicemail - Ability to access all voicemail functionality remotely (including changing greetings and passwords) d) Voicemail Operator Redirect- Allows the ability to specify for each extension where the call will go if a caller zero's out while in an individual's voicemail box. e) Date and Timestamp Messages - The system must have the ability to stamp each new message with time and date. f) Class of Service system must have some way to classify different groups of users and their various system capabilities. g) Transfer to Voicemail - Allow for calls to be transferred automatically by the system to a user s voicemail. In addition, allow users to transfer a call directly to their own or another user s voicemail. h) Transfer Messages - The system must provide the ability to transfer messages to other (multiple) users and append them with their own comments. i) Announcement/Information Mailboxes mailboxes not tied to any extension that will play a message when the number is dialed and then exit back to the main attendant menu AUTOMATED ATTENDANT a) The proposed solution shall provide an automated attendant at each site with a minimum of a three (3) deep tree. b) Dial-by-Name Directory ability to dial by a name directory of system users. Also allow for certain extensions to be excluded from the directory listing. c) Time of Day Scheduling set up multiple schedules that present different attendant options depending on the time of day (i.e. business hours and after hours) d) Holiday Mode system must have some way to handle specified scheduled dates as holidays with specific attendant options (i.e. closed all day with special greeting) RFP - Page 11 of 16
[3] TELEPHONE SETS The County will replace all existing telephone sets with new Voice over IP sets. In addition to the vendors default telephone set protocol (MGCP, SIP, etc.), the proposed system must be able to support SIP endpoints (conference phones, intercom devices, external ringers, other vendor sets etc.). BASE TELEPHONE SET For purposes of evaluation and comparison, the County requests that the proposal provide hardware and license cost for telephone sets equipped with, at minimum, following features. Built-in 10/100/1000 Ethernet switch (with VLAN support) Full Duplex Speaker Phone Headset compatible Hearing-aid compatible PoE Compatible (IEEE 802.3af) Minimum 2 line (call) appearance Minimum 5 line or 4 backlit LCD display Minimum 4 user programmable keys (customizable on a per extension basis) Distinct ring options Easy single button access to standard features including hold, mute, transfer, conference, voicemail and directory Separate volume control for handset, speaker and ringing features Message waiting light Calling Line ID Name and Number CONFERENCE PHONES The County will require conference phones with, at minimum, the following features. Ideal for midsize room accommodating up to 12 people Available expansion microphones PoE Compatible (IEEE 802.3af) Compatible with majority of proposed systems functionality (if hardware is from another vendor) OPERATOR OR ATTENDANT CONSOLE The County will require at least one attendant/operator position. Please outline what options are available for an attendant position to monitor and manage all extensions in the organization including software based and telephone set add on options. Include details regarding any costs associated with each option. [Optional] SOFT PHONE Though not a requirement of this proposal, please indicate if the proposed system provides a Softphone option. Please indicate supported operating system platforms (32bit and 64bit support?) and whether this is part of the base system or if it requires additional licensing and cost. RFP - Page 12 of 16
[4] UNIFIED MESSAGING Please describe how the proposed solution will provide a unified communications platform for the County. In particular cover the following desired areas. Support for Microsoft Exchange 2010 and Outlook 2010 Voicemail email integration (notification, voicemail attachment, etc.) Outlook integration (presence, click to dial, etc.) Web browser integration [Optional] UNIFIED MESSAGING OPTIONS Not considered a requirement but the County would also be interested in how the system can address video conferencing, Conference Bridge and instant messaging options. Please indicate whether these are part of the base system or if they require additional licensing cost. [5] CAPACITY AND SCALABILITY Please describe maximum capacity of the system proposed in the following areas: Phone Sets Voicemail Boxes Concurrent incoming and outgoing line capacity Describe how the system can be expanded to accommodate a new location or expansion of an existing location. [6] RELIABILITY AND REDUNDANCY The County requires a system that has failover capabilities and an acceptable level of redundancy in case of system, power or network failure. Please describe: How the solution is designed to tolerate hardware, power and network failures (particularly remote office locations). Assume that each location has at least one analog line directly connected to the PSTN for faxing purposes. Which specific features will be lost if a remote location loses network (WAN) connectivity to the central call processor and fails into local survivable mode How the solution ensures maximum system uptime. [7] SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION Please describe how your system will meet or exceed the following requirements: A single point of entry web-based (preferable) or GUI-based administration tool to administer all the systems (telephone, Voicemail, Unified Communication) simultaneously. A reporting component that allows the system administrator to determine system usage, error conditions, system capacity planning etc. both scheduled and on demand. Remote diagnostics and alerting that allow administrators to be notified (via email) and access alarms or alerts on the system remotely. System configuration and messaging backup to a network location or other external file structure. RFP - Page 13 of 16
[Optional] MOBILE USERS Though not a requirement of the County, please describe how your system can support remote or teleworking staff including; Solutions to allow VoIP phones to be located in home or remote offices with internet only access. What options are available for integrating the County s Blackberry (Z10 and Q10) and Apple ipad device users Please indicate what, if any, of this functionality is included in the proposed base system and if not included what the licensing costs would be. 4.5 References Please provide contact information and project summaries of at least three (3) recent clients. Preference is for projects that are of similar size and complexity to the current RFP requirements and involve municipal government clients. References should be from clients that have been live with their current system for a minimum of one (1) year. 4.6 Proposal Pricing The County would like to consider two pricing proposals: 1. All Locations please include all three locations (County Courthouse, Stratford-Perth Archives and EMS Headquarters) as part of this pricing proposal. See each section below for specific hardware or software counts 2. County Courthouse and Stratford-Perth Archives Only - Due to limited budget, the County may need to consider a proposal that does not include the EMS Headquarters location, at this time. Provide all pricing information for of the proposed solution as set out in the sections below. Base System (System, UC, Voicemail, Hardware Software) System requirements are found in section 4.4 Functional and Technical Specifications Include specifics regarding all components (hardware, software and license breakdown costs) that will be included in the total turnkey solution Assume in either pricing proposal that there will be 3 fax lines (at the Courthouse) that require an ATA device connection For proposal 1. All Locations: 3 separate physical locations and 46 voicemail boxes (assume the same 46 system/staff users for any UC pricing) For proposal 2. County Courthouse and Stratford-Perth Archives Only: 2 separate physical locations and 40 voicemail boxes (assume the same 40 system/staff users for any UC pricing) Explain if specific server hardware is required or if the County can provide its own RFP - Page 14 of 16
Telephone sets For proposal 1. All Locations: 60 base models and 4 conference phones For proposal 2. County Courthouse and Stratford-Perth Archives Only: 45 base models and 3 conference phones All requirements found in section 4.4 Functional and Technical Specifications Please include a per device pricing model as well for future purchase comparison Installation services Provide a not-to-exceed estimate for all labor required to deliver the proposed solution. Assume that all installation and configuration will take place in Stratford Ontario, where all three locations are within blocks of each other. Technology Services staff at the County will be available to assist in installation and configuration as required. Training Please provide a proposed pricing model to deliver the required training as outlined in section 4.3 - System Support and Training. Warranty, Maintenance and Support (options) In this section please identify: All applicable Annual Support and Maintenance package costs and options. If discounts are available for multi year support agreements, please provide this information regarding the length of term and the net discount percentage. The initial warranty length of any and all hardware included in this proposal. Your cost structure (hourly labour cost, travel etc.) for any work not covered under a Maintenance or Support package. Trade-In Provide any cost savings options via trade-in, other promotional allowances or provide recommendations for reselling the existing phone system (see Appendix for current equipment inventory). Other Costs Respondent must list any and all charges, expenses, and/or costs to be incurred by the County that are not included in the previous sections. Failure to specifically and thoroughly enumerate such items may be a cause for disqualification. RFP - Page 15 of 16
APPENDIX Current System Equipment Inventory County Courthouse and Stratford-Perth Archives System System: 1 - BCM 50 (5.0) 8 - Analog Trunk (with GATM 8) 44 - Digital Sets (with DSM32+) 2 - Analog Sets 36 - Voice Messaging 20 - IP Telephony Client Telephone Sets: 10 - Nortel 1230 IP Phone (NTYS20) 5 - Nortel i2002 IP Phone (NTDU91) 1 - Nortel 1120E IP Phone (NTYS03BA) 1 Nortel 1140E IP Phone (NTYS05BC) 1 Nortel 2033 IP Conference Phone (NTEX11AA70) 3 - Nortel M7208 17 - Nortel M7310 (NT8B21) 1 -Nortel M7324 Console speakerphone EMS Headquarters System System: 1 Norstar Plus Compact ICS (CICS 6.1) 1 Call Pilot 100 (10MBX) Telephone Sets: 7 Nortel T7316E (NT8B27JAAA) RFP - Page 16 of 16