REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
HOSTED VOIP SERVICES
Telamon Corporation 5560 Munford Road, Suite 201 Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
NOTICE TO PROPOSERS Responses to this Request for Proposal will be received at the headquarters of Telamon Corporation by or before 3:00 p.m. EDT on Monday August 15, 2016. Proposals shall be labeled “Hosted VoIP Services,” and addressed to:
Kirk Leggott Director of Information Technology Telamon Corporation 5560 Munford Rd, Suite 201 Raleigh NC 27612 Email:
[email protected] Prospective respondents may respond to the RFP either in physical form or electronic form. If the prospective respondent chooses to respond in physical form, three (3) copies of the proposal response, together with a digital copy of the proposal response on flash media, must be submitted to the address above. If the prospective respondent chooses to respond in electronic form, one (1) digital copy of the proposal response must be emailed to the email address above. It is the sole responsibility of the prospective respondent to ensure that their proposal response is delivered to and received by Telamon prior to the RFP deadline. Late submissions will not be considered. Prospective respondents may request clarification(s) regarding this RFP by submitting written requests via email to the above referenced contact. Telamon will provide answers in the form of written addenda to this RFP. All questions must be received by or before Monday August 1, 2016 not later than 3:00 p.m. EDT. Vendors may view and download this RFP document on the Telamon Corporation website at: http://www.telamon.org/rfp-hosted-voip-services.aspx Telamon Corporation reserves the right to reject any or all proposal submissions at its sole discretion.
INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE RFP Telamon is seeking services from qualified Vendors experienced in providing, configuring and maintaining Hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services, also referred to as Interconnected VoIP. Our objectives include replacing existing VoIP services, increased performance and features, enhanced accessibility, and greater flexibility in pricing options for unlimited calling function. This RFP provides the requirements and evaluation criteria. Telamon requests detailed responses from all prospective Vendors, including pricing and service descriptions, in a specific format. Telamon will conduct a review of the responses received from this RFP.
TELAMON CORPORATION Telamon Corporation is a nonprofit organization operating federal, state and locally funded programs benefitting mostly low-income populations in twelve (12) states. Primarily, programs categories include Early Childhood Education, Housing Assistance, Job Training and Employment services. Our approximately 130 locations are in North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Michigan, Florida, Alabama, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Georgia and Indiana. The company is a nonprofit corporation and has been determined to be exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is governed by a twenty-six (26) member volunteer Board of Directors. Administrative offices are located at 5560 Munford Road, Raleigh, NC 27612. Other offices are located throughout the twelve state area mentioned above. As many of our locations are rural, internet-based services are subject to broadband limitations, restricting the number of current locations with VoIP telephone usage to 48 and a current total of 426 VoIP telephone units. As telecommunications availability improves, Telamon plans to expand VoIP coverage to additional sites.
EXISTING PHONE AND NETWORK INFRASTRUCTURE Phone Infrastructure All locations provided in attached listings are using Cisco IP 7960 Series phone sets.
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Wide Area Network Remote locations are typically not on a VPN. Therefore, local ISPs often do not provide QoS services to our sites. Sites with VoIP phones can be are utilizing T1, DSL, Metro-E or cable internet connections.
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SCOPE OF WORK OVERVIEW Telamon is seeking proposals for Hosted VoIP solutions that accommodate standard business requirements as well as fall into the E-Rate program’s Priority One Interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol services. The quantities described in this RFP are estimates only. Telamon shall not be obligated to purchase any particular quantity of services detailed herein. Telamon has identified the following needs: 1)
The need for a highly-available Hosted VoIP solution that is feature-rich, can be flexibly configured, incorporates portability of existing call numbers, and allows flexible assignment of telephones. The system should scale to Telamon’s growing communications needs.
2)
The need for four-digit dialing within Telamon’s organizational structure, including remote office locations.
3)
The need for integrated “soft phones” to support teleworking, hoteling and disaster recovery/business continuity needs.
A list of current sites participating in the project is provided in Appendix C and includes current voice communications services at each location.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS The Vendor must be capable of providing a solution where hardware is hosted at the Vendor’s facilities, with no customer-owned equipment, except for handsets, media/voice gateways, or session border controllers. The Vendor must provide platform architecture with comprehensive capacity and instances to provide at least 99.999% uptime. The Hosted VoIP solution must include carrier dial tone and long-distance services, as well as user instructions for emergency (911) calling as applicable. The solution proposed must include an integrated software “soft phone” solution, compatible with Microsoft Windows. The soft phone software must implement substantially all of the features of a physical phone set when connected to the Vendor’s service solution. The proposed solution must include site-based automatic E911 configuration that does not require manual entry of address information by end users. The proposed solution must be SIP-compatible. Vendor proposals must include a detailed description of any special requirements for phone sets and any limitations on SIP compatibility of their proposed solution. Preference will be given to Vendor proposals that can support the existing Telamon Cisco 7960 3
series phone sets. To earn the preference, Vendor proposals must include a detailed statement certifying compatibility with Cisco 7960 series phone sets configured to use SIP, and a detailed plan for reconfiguration and testing of the existing phone sets as part of installation. Any additional cost for reconfiguration of existing phone sets must be identified separately in the Vendor’s Cost Proposal (item d). If Vendor will not certify their solution to be compatible with SIP-configured Cisco 7960 series phone sets, Vendor must specify in their proposal the telephone set(s) they are proposing for use with their solution, and include in the Vendor’s Cost Proposal a cost for 426 phone sets as specified (item e).
HOSTED VOIP SPECIFICATIONS The Vendor is required to provide a solution based on services provided by a telecommunications provider that is primarily based on monthly usage charges for tariff or contracted telephone services with little or no customer-owned equipment. The solution must be turnkey, and, where applicable, consistent with the current E-Rate Eligible Services List funding and eligibility guidelines for Priority One service. The Hosted VoIP solution must include the following: •
Standard telephony features: E911, Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Forward, Call Transfer, Call Hold, Music on Hold, Direct Inward Dialing, Direct Outward Dialing, Auto-Attendant, Distinctive Ring, Line Hunting, Speed Dialing, Three-Way Calling, Message Waiting Indicator, Voicemail, and Local Number Portability.
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An online administrative interface to facilitate end user configurations, dialing privileges, and Moves, Adds and Changes.
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Integration with Telamon’s email system.
DETAILED REQUIREMENTS Call Quality and CODEC An MOS (Mean Opinion Score) of 4.0 or above is requested to be achieved for end-to-end voice quality from the Hosted VoIP Vendor through and to each Telamon site’s phone set level. The Vendor is required to provide in the RFP response how it will achieve this, and how it will provide acceptance testing to show the results for Telamon. An acceptance test plan must be included in the RFP response. The Vendor shall support the G.711 standard. Others, such as the G.722 or G.729 can be submitted to be utilized, but the Vendor must show that call quality will not be degraded nor increase latency, nor increase jitter, nor diminish the capacity of the phonesets, and that the MOS toll quality score will be a 4.0 or above.
VLANs and QoS The Vendor shall provide detailed requirements for the configuration of the current Telamon 4
network equipment to meet the Vendor’s proposed specific solution. The costs of any work to provision the Telamon network to implement the Vendor’s solution, including any maintenance costs for the contract duration shall be borne by the Vendor and must be included in the cost proposal. Multiple VLANs as necessary shall be provided by the Vendor for the purpose of supporting all SIP phone endpoints for each participating Telamon site. The VLANs shall be configured with the necessary QoS mechanisms to assure voice traffic will get the highest priority across Telamon’s network.
Media/Voice Gateway and/or Session Boarder Controller The Vendor should provide any necessary Session Border Controllers (SBC) or media/voice gateways to allow SIP traffic to traverse firewalls, to handle NAT/NAPT, and to support SIP signaling as required and as needed for successful operation. The SBC or Voice Gateways shall all be managed by the Hosted VoIP Vendor. The SBC or media/voice gateway should perform the following functions, at a minimum: •
Support for up to eight analog/PSTN connections
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Support a minimum of two outside POTS lines for the PSTN connections for 911, local calling (overflow only), and back-up circuits for redirects or calling out if outside communications circuits fail; local survivability is required for Telamon main administrative site.
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Support T1/PRI connections
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Support Ethernet in and out
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Support all functions necessary to process and/or route SIP based calls using SIP signaling and media voice content using RTP/RTCP, including but not limited to: NAT, PNAT, SIP Proxy Services, STUN services, firewall services, ALG services, routing services, DHCP services, failover and/or redirect services, and other elements and mechanisms and services necessary and required for successful operation of the Vendor’s proposed Hosted VoIP service.
Security Security of the proposed Hosted VoIP solution shall be addressed and provided by the Vendor in its bid; special SIP firewalls and/or other security mechanisms shall be provided and employed by the Vendor services; Vendor shall detail in its response, its plan and techniques to protect each Telamon site and include this in the bid price.
Phone Endpoints Vendor shall configure the phone sets for each Telamon site and/or push out profiles to each 5
phone set based upon final extensions, dial plan, requested features, and other requirements. Telamon plans to continue to purchase VoIP phone sets with minimum features similar to those currently in use (currently using Cisco IP phone sets, 7960 series), set in place, plug in the patch cords and connect to the switches.
Auto Attendant Features Administrative sites shall have Auto-Attendants and sub-menus configured as required; unspecified outside calls shall be pointed to the general mailbox. The Vendor will configure hunt groups as required.
Class of Service Restriction The following “class of service” restrictions shall be configured for Telamon per site requirement: •
Internal only.
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Local + Long Distance.
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Long Distance (force authorization code)
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Time of Day restriction - “do not disturb” or other equivalent functions for outside calls to Voice Mail only
SERVICE SPECIFICATIONS Dial Plan Telamon prefers to keep its existing phone numbers and to implement a four-digit dialing plan. The Vendor is required to gather customer telephone database information from each participating Telamon site in order to understand exact configuration and requirements.
Main Phone Numbers and Number Porting A total of approximately 426 phone numbers for Telamon sites shall be ported into the Hosted VoIP Vendor’s system as listed in Appendix C. The Vendor shall act as Telamon’s agent in coordination of the provisioning of the services and porting of phone numbers with the PSTN or current local and/or LD carriers on Telamon’s behalf. Standard PSTN analog trunk lines shall still be required for alternate routing and/or miscellaneous analog lines connected to the Media/Voice Gateway.
DID Phone Numbers Telamon prefers to keep its existing phone numbers, and for each site to retain their current DID blocks/ phone numbers and to port these numbers into the Hosted VoIP Vendor’s system. Telamon is also interested in acquiring a contiguous DID block to gradually migrate all the 6
existing numbers into the contiguous block in the future.
INSTALLATION AND SUPPORT The Vendor’s proposal must address the following items: 1. A proposed migration/transition plan and installation timelines. 2. Project management to ensure delivery of the solution according to agreed-upon specifications and timelines. 3. The Vendor will be responsible for contacting each Telamon location, as required, to perform a site assessment including data gathering (including numbers to be ported, location of handsets, line hunting and other setup requirements), coordinate the deployment or configuration of handsets, identify and train staff on use of the solution. 4. Account Manager/Account Support Staff a) Vendor shall provide a dedicated account manager who shall be responsible for the Telamon contract. b) The account manager shall receive all orders from Telamon and shall be the primary contact for all issues regarding the contract. c) The Vendor account manager shall be familiar with Telamon’s requirements, standards and work to ensure that established standards are adhered to. d) Vendor shall provide adequate, competent support staff that shall be able to service Telamon during normal working hours, Monday through Friday. Such representative(s) shall be knowledgeable about the contract, products offered and able to identify and resolve quickly any issues including but not limited to order and invoicing problems. e) Telamon shall be supplied with the names, telephone numbers, email addresses, and business addresses of the Account Manager, Service Representatives, technical support, billing support, and emergency service support personnel after award of the contract. This list must be kept up-to-date at all times. f) The Vendor shall enable and allow, at all times, all of the following methods for routine and emergency communications between Telamon and the Vendor:
1) telephone, and 2) email. 5. The Vendor’s proposal shall indicate the responsibility of each party and what equipment (both hardware and software) that must be procured to support the Hosted VoIP Services. This will include but not be limited to the following: 7
a) The existing Telamon network equipment requirements, specifically the requirements to support the voice signaling and RTP/RTCP traffic on Telamon’s network and proper interfaces and configurations required by the Vendor. b) Telamon site requirements - what make/model/types of phones recommended to purchase; features of PoE switches to purchase including QoS and VLAN requirements; and any other information the Vendor will need to implement the project and provide services. c) IP addressing and planning requirements: The Vendor shall detail any and all requirements for IP Address Planning, Ranges, and/or requirements for its host services, and for the existing Telamon circuits and for any requirements for each Telamon site based upon the proposed hosted solution of the Vendor. d) The Vendor shall describe in detail how a call will be made with its proposed solution utilizing the existing Telamon network including call set-up, media content (voice call), and call tear-down utilizing SIP signaling.
Installation of Services The Vendor must offer an end-to-end solution that includes all aspects of successful Hosted VoIP installation and service launch, including: •
Planning, design and overall project coordination of all entities;
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Installation and configuration of on-premise Priority One equipment;
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Configuration of phone sets (not E-Rate eligible);
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MPLS data circuit into data center.
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Specification of any other installation requirements that will be Telamon’s responsibility, including disclosure of any additional costs to Telamon; and
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Coordination with Telamon and each of Telamon’s sites of the final configuration of all telephone sets and Hosted VoIP system operation, including but not limited to programmable feature keys, speed lists, calling groups, call coverage patterns, hunt groups, etc. (not E-Rate eligible)
Testing and Acceptance Plan The Vendor will assure and certify that all services are installed and configured to produce MOS scores that are 4.0 or above for each Telamon site, and that continued monitoring using Quality Metrics Measurements Monitoring Reports and Tools is in effect.
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Required Elements of Testing and Acceptance Plan The Vendor is required to provide a final System Assurance Walk-Through with each participating site before Telamon acceptance of the installation as having been completed, to insure that the service and equipment functions according to the Vendor’s proposal and specific requirements of each Telamon site. The Walkthru should include the following: •
Ensure that the Hosted VoIP telephone system can meet Telamon’s general requirements as stated in these specifications.
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Ensure that the Hosted VoIP system provides efficient day-to-day telephone communications.
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Ensure that the Hosted VoIP telephone system interfaces with any other Telamon communications systems.
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Ensure proper Network connectivity and LAN/IP/SIP services to each IP phone.
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Ensure Proper IP telephony service to each phone and extension assignment.
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Ensure 911 calling from any phone.
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Ensure proper Auto-Attendant setup including sub-menus and hunt groups.
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Ensure proper setup and operation of DID extensions.
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Ensure proper pointing of main and rollover phone numbers to each site.
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Ensure proper operation of calling within each Telamon site, local calling, and longdistance access.
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Ensure proper setup and operation of any audio conferencing stations.
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Ensure proper toll quality voice and call admission control/ bandwidth being setup per requirements of Vendor’s supply manufacturer of hardware/software. The Vendor shall demonstrate that the toll quality MOS score is at least 4.0 by representative on-site testing for each site and provide a report thereof.
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Provide written notice to Telamon of the cutover date, together with certification that the system conforms to the applicable codes and these specifications and RFP requirements.
REPORTING The Vendor should provide ongoing monthly utilization and performance reports of service components beginning at completion of installations.
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Quality/Metrics Reporting The Vendor will provide reports and metrics for QoS measurements/metrics and monitoring quality using RTCP (Real Time Control Protocol) mechanisms such as RTCP-XR extended Reports Block. Reports will be provided via a web interface format available to Telamon with security protocols in place. These reports shall show that the MOS scores are tracked and stay at or above 4.0 and that jitter and delay and packet loss are within acceptable limits as defined throughout this RFP and the service level agreement with the successful Vendor. The service level agreement will establish minimum standard parameters at: MOS of no less than 4.0, average jitter of no more than 30ms, one-way latency of no more than 150 ms, and packet loss less than 1%.
Call Detail Recording Reports The Vendor will provide offerings for CDR reports that Telamon may request such as reports on calling stations, trunks, exceptions, Caller ID information, account codes, usage, etc.
TRAINING The Vendor shall propose any necessary training of end users or assigned corporate contacts regarding the use of calling features, access to reports, etc.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT The Vendor must make support services available on a 24/7 basis via email and telephone. This service will provide same-day response to support issues. The Vendor shall respond to major system failures within four (4) hours of receiving notification of the problem. A major system failure is defined as occurring when all phones at any Telamon site are inoperable.
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GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS This RFP is not a contract offer. Receipt of a proposal neither commits Telamon to award a contract to any Vendor, nor limits our right to negotiate in our best interest. Telamon reserves the right to contract with a Vendor for reasons other than price. Failure to answer any questions in this RFP may subject the proposal to disqualification. Telamon reserves the right to request additional information that is necessary and pertinent to the project or to assure that the Vendor's competence is adequate to perform according to bid specifications. Products and services that are not specifically requested in the RFP but which are necessary to provide the functional capabilities proposed by the Vendor shall be included in the proposal.
COST OF PROPOSALS Expenses incurred in the preparation of proposals in response to this RFP are the sole responsibility of the Vendor.
RIGHT OF REJECTION Telamon will review the proposals for compliance with the procedural requirements set forth in this RFP and will reject any proposal that fails to meet the minimum bid requirements. Any deviation from the performance requirements or other terms of the RFP, informalities or defects, if in substantial compliance with the terms and intent of the RFP, may be accepted by Telamon in its discretion. Telamon reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals, or any part of any proposal, without penalty. In addition, any allowance for oversight, omission, error, or mistake by the Vendor made after receipt of the proposal will be at the sole discretion of Telamon.
INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS A Vendor proposing any installation services shall purchase and maintain insurance adequate to cover liability and injury events occurring in connection with work performed by the Vendor’s employees or subcontractors. Submission of a certificate of insurance will be required as part of the services contract negotiations.
CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY AND VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION By signing and submitting a proposal, the Vendor certifies that neither the Vendor company nor its principals is currently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation, by any Federal department or agency, from transactions involving the use of Federal funds. Where a Vendor is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, the Vendor shall attach an explanation to its offer.
STATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY It is understood and agreed that certain information pertinent to this solicitation may contain trade secrets which are confidential and proprietary. Please be advised that should a Vendor deem any portion of its proposal as confidential or proprietary, it must be conspicuously 11
indicated on those portions so deemed.
NOTIFICATION TO SUCCESSFUL VENDOR The successful Vendor will be advised of selection by Telamon through the issuance of a notification of award letter via email. Any notification of the selection of the successful Vendor shall have no legal effect unless and until the parties negotiate a mutually- acceptable agreement.
PROPOSED TERMS OF CONTRACT Telamon is proposing that the selected Vendor enter into a one-year contract with the option to extend the contract on an annual basis for up to four additional years, if determined to be in the best interest of Telamon. The contract shall begin on a mutually agreed upon date.
E-RATE TERMS AND CONDITIONS Telamon has qualified in North Carolina and intends to apply for additional discounts on the services/equipment listed in this RFP through the federal Universal Service Support Mechanism for Schools and Libraries, commonly known as “E-Rate.” Vendors submitting bids under this RFP must agree to meet the following conditions relating to the E-Rate program: The Vendor must have a valid 498 ID (formerly SPIN), and must provide that ID number in the proposal submitted in response to this bid opportunity. The Vendor must agree to timely submission to the SLD of a completed Form 473, Service Provider Annual Certification form, which provides updated contact information to the SLD for Vendor. The Vendor must also agree to provide a copy of the completed Form 473 to Telamon. The Vendor must separately itemize the cost of E-rate eligible and ineligible products and/or services. The Vendor must agree to invoice Telamon the E-Rate discounted price monthly for eligible locations. The Vendor must have an FCC registration number, be in good standing with the FCC, have no debts outstanding that are owed to the FCC and must not be on Red Light Status. A Vendor’s red light status constitutes a material breach of contract and Telamon reserves the right to cancel the Agreement of the parties immediately and without incurring any termination charges. All costing for E-Rate purposes should be based on Fiscal Year 2016 percentages.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Telamon reserves the right to: •
Amend, modify, cancel this RFP or not award any contract;
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Modify or add to the requirements contained in this RFP at any time after the issuance of this RFP for compliance by all providers; 12
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Utilize any and all ideas submitted in the RFP proposals received;
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Request providers to clarify their RFP proposals; and
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Purchase the most cost-effective services and not necessarily the lowest-priced services.
QUESTIONS AND INQUIRIES No interpretation of the meaning of the specifications or other documents will be made to any Vendor orally. Any oral statements made to any Vendor during the RFP process are not binding in any way on Telamon.
CONTRACT TYPE The contract resulting from this solicitation will be a fixed-price contract.
PAYMENT TERMS The Vendor shall submit an invoice detailing the services provided and the actual costs incurred. Payment shall be in accordance with line item price on the Purchase Order and made within 30 days after the date on the invoice. Telamon reserves the right to reduce or withhold contract payment in the event the Vendor does not provide Telamon with all required deliverables within the timeframe specified in the contract or in the event that the Vendor otherwise materially breaches the terms and conditions of the contract.
RFP REVISIONS Should it become necessary to revise any part of this RFP, addenda will be posted on http://www.telamon.org/rfp-hosted-voip-services.aspx . All addenda, amendments or changes issued shall be deemed received by Vendors provided they are posted to Telamon’s website. Failure of any Vendor to receive or acknowledge receipt of such addenda or interpretation shall not relieve the Vendor from any obligations under this RFP as amended by all addenda. All addenda so issued shall become part of the award.
SUBMISSION DEADLINE To be eligible for consideration, proposals must be received at Telamon no later than 3 pm EDT, August 15, 2016. Vendors mailing proposals shall allow sufficient carrier delivery time to ensure timely receipt of their proposal prior to the deadline. Vendors are solely responsible for ensuring and confirming receipt of their proposal prior to the deadline. Any proposal received by Telamon after the submission deadline, no matter what the reason, will not be considered.
DURATION OF OFFER A proposal submitted in response to this solicitation is binding upon the Vendor and is considered irrevocable for a minimum of 60 days following the closing date for receipt of initial 13
proposals or the closing date for receipt of a best and final offer, if applicable.
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS The following table summarizes the calendar of events for this RFP. DATE July 15, 2016
EVENT Distribution of Request for Proposal
August 1, 2016 3:00 p.m.
Deadline for submission of questions
August 15, 2016 3:00 p.m.
Deadline for receipt of proposals
NLT September 15, 2016
Approval and announcement of Vendor selection
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PROPOSAL FORMAT GENERAL The proposals will be used to determine a Vendor’s capability of rendering the services to be provided. Failure to fully comply with the instructions in this RFP may eliminate a Vendor’s proposal from further evaluation as determined at the sole discretion of Telamon. Telamon reserves the right to evaluate the contents of proposals submitted in response to this RFP and to select a successful Vendor, or none at all. Telamon reserves the right to waive any requirements of this RFP when it determines that waiving a requirement is in the best interest of Telamon. The proposal is to include contact information, including principal contacts and officers, main and local business addresses, tax identification number, voice and fax phone numbers and email addresses.
PROPOSAL FORMAT All proposals should be typewritten; have consecutively numbered pages; including any exhibits, charts, or other attachments, and shall be organized into the following major sections: a) COVER LETTER The letter shall identify core team, provide name of contact person, phone number and email address, summarize Vendor’s history and other completed projects most relevant to the RFP. b) EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Executive Summary shall provide an overview of the project and indicate the project’s complexity and the Vendor’s ability to resolve inherent project problems. This section should also include a brief narrative highlighting the company’s background and experience. The narrative should clearly demonstrate the Vendor’s ability to provide the products and services required in this RFP. c) COMPANY BACKGROUND AND HISTORY i.
Describe experience of the firm in general providing telecommunications services.
ii.
Describe relevant services carried out in the past five (5) years which illustrate the firm’s experience as it relates to this RFP.
iii.
To the extent that Vendor’s proposal relies on the services of other entities, the information in paragraphs i. and ii. above must be included for each such entity.
d) PROJECT APPROACH / MANAGEMENT Please include the following information in the section: i.
a brief description of how the Vendor proposes to successfully manage this project and meet the goals and objectives of this RFP. 16
ii.
a description of how the project team will be structured, its roles and responsibilities, and location within the company’s organizational framework.
iii.
a detailed timeline and milestone schedule.
e) SERVICES AND COST PROPOSAL Two separate documents must be submitted, as described below: SERVICES PROPOSAL - Define your scope of work and specific services being offered in your proposal. Please also include the equipment, space, electrical, etc. that may be required. COST PROPOSAL – Clearly define all costs associated with the services defined in your proposal. Provide detailed pricing for the proposed solution; include separate costs for hardware components, software components, support costs and professional services. The cost proposal must set forth all costs associated with the proposed scope of work for the RFP. The Vendor must acknowledge that all costs, including travel required to meet the RFP requirements are included. Any purchase contract signed will be a fixed price contract and no other costs will be allowed for performance of the Vendor-proposed solution. f) REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS The proposal shall include the following completed documents from the RFP, or documents containing the same required information, attestations and signature(s), organized in a similar format (i.e., separate documents corresponding to each appendix): Appendix D. Statement of Vendor’s Qualification Appendix E. Signature Page Appendix F. References Appendix G. Cost Proposal
REFERENCES Include five (5) references for customers of similar scope and size. They should include the following information: •
Organization Name
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Customer Contact – name, title and contact information
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Address
•
Date of work performed 17
•
Brief description of work performed
SIGNATURE The Vendor must sign proposals. An unsigned proposal may be rejected.
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EVALUATION AND SELECTION EVALUATION PROCESS Evaluation of RFP responses will be performed by a committee of Telamon representatives that will recommend an award to the Vendor whose proposal is the most advantageous to Telamon, considering pricing and technical factors set forth in this RFP. As part of this process, the committee may hold discussions with all qualified respondents via teleconference or email. During the evaluation process, the committee may seek technical assistance from any source. The committee will rank each qualified Vendor’s proposal and, if two or more more proposals are closely ranked, the committee may ask for oral presentations from those Vendors. The oral presentations will become part of the technical evaluation, and the Vendors will have an opportunity to clarify or substantiate elements of their submissions. If it is determined by the committee to be in the best interest of Telamon, Telamon may invite Vendors to make final revisions to their proposals and submit a Best and Final Offer.
EVALUATION CRITERIA The evaluation committee will evaluate the technical proposals using the criteria below. The committee shall determine which proposals have the basic requirements of the RFP and shall have the authority to determine whether any deviation from the requirements of the RFP is substantial in nature. The committee may reject in whole or in part any and all proposals and waive minor irregularities. Total maximum score is 100 points with the award offered to the highest scoring Vendor. Telamon evaluates and weighs the follow criteria when evaluating each Vendor’s responses.
Evaluation Criteria
Weight
Cost Effectiveness of the Services
38%
Vendor proposal meets minimum specifications
20%
Comprehensive implementation plan designed to minimize disruption of business activities and ensure business continuity
15%
References, experience and capabilities of Vendor and subsidiary providers
25%
Compatibility of proposed solution with existing Telamon Cisco 7960 series phone sets
2%
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APPENDIX A. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS These Terms and Conditions shall apply unless otherwise noted in General Terms and Conditions attached to individual RFP responses, and are incorporated herewith as part of the contract between Telamon and the Vendor. It is the proposer’s sole responsibility to ensure it is compliant with all applicable federal, state and local statutes, ordinances, etc., that may have an impact on this contract. Telamon bears no responsibility for monitoring the Vendor’s compliance with said legal requirements. Should the Vendor fail to maintain legal compliance, Telamon may find the Vendor in default. USE OF BRAND NAMES: Brand names and model numbers are noted in this RFP by reference to Vendors as to the style, configuration and other characteristics of the item(s) in the specifications. The use of same should not be interpreted to be the exclusive brand desired unless so stated. The determination of the acceptability or criteria for acceptability of an alternate brand is solely the responsibility of Telamon Corporation. SUBCONTRACTORS: The awarded Vendor shall give its continuous personal attention to the faithful execution of the contract, shall maintain the same under its own control, and shall not assign the work or any part thereof without notice to and consent of Telamon. CONTRACT RESERVATIONS: Telamon reserves the right to annul any contract if, in its opinion, there shall be a failure, at any time, to perform faithfully any of its stipulations, or in case of any willful attempt to impose upon Telamon materials, products or workmanship inferior to that required by the Vendor, and any action taken in pursuance of this latter stipulation shall not affect or impair any rights or claims of Telamon to damages for the breach of any covenant of the contract by the Vendor. TERMINATION OF CONTRACT: Telamon may terminate the contract, in whole or in part, due to insufficient funding or non-appropriation of funds for its federal/state funded programs, with written notice to the Vendor. Telamon shall pay for all contract obligations up to the date of the termination notice. When the Vendor has not performed or has unsatisfactorily performed the contract, payment shall be withheld at the discretion of Telamon. Failure on the part of a Vendor to fulfill contractual obligations shall be considered just cause for termination of the contract, and the Vendor is not entitled to any costs incurred up to the date of termination. INDEMNIFICATION: Vendor shall indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Telamon and its respective officers, employees, departments, divisions, agents and volunteers from any and all claims, demands, suits, and actions, including attorney's fees, litigation expenses and court costs, connected therewith, brought against Telamon, arising as a result of any direct or indirect, willful, or negligent act or omission of the Vendor or its employees or agents.
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APPENDIX B. UNIVERSAL SERVICE (E-RATE) REQUIREMENTS To warrant consideration for an award of contract resulting from this Request for Proposal, Vendors must agree to participation in the Universal Service Support Mechanism for Schools and Libraries (commonly known as “E-rate”) as provided for and authorized under the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Reference 47 U.S.C. § 254, “Universal Service”). Vendors acknowledge that any contractual relationship resulting from this solicitation of proposals may be partially dependent upon the successful receipt of Universal Service Fund (“USF”) subsidies. To ensure compliance with all applicable USF regulations, program mandates and auditing requirements, Vendors must comply with the following:
E-RATE KNOWLEDGE, PARTICIPATION AND DOCUMENTATION The project herein is contingent upon the approval of funding from the Universal Service Fund’s Schools and Libraries Program, otherwise known as E‐rate. The successful bidder agrees to bill and receive a portion of the payment for the provisions of goods and services described herein directly from the Universal Service Administrative Company (“USAC”), and/or the Schools and Libraries Division (“SLD”) via the Form 474 Service Provider Invoice (SPI). Telamon will NOT file a Form 472, and will only be responsible for paying its non‐discounted share of costs. Should Telamon, at the time of project implementation, decide that it is in the interest of Telamon to file a Form 472, Telamon will inform the Vendor of its intention. Telamon and the successful bidder will act in a reasonable manner and comply with any Schools and Libraries Universal Service Fund Program requirements. Telamon expects bidders to make themselves thoroughly familiar with any rules or regulations regarding the E-rate program. Bidders are responsible for providing a valid 498 ID (formerly SPIN). More information about obtaining a 498 ID may be found at this website: http://www.usac.org/sp/about/obtain-498ID/default.aspx Bidders are responsible for providing a valid Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Registration Number (FRN) at the time the bid is submitted. More information about obtaining an FRN may be found at this website: https://www.fcc.gov/help/getting-fcc-registration-number-frn-universal-licensing-system-uls Bidders are responsible for providing evidence of FCC Green Light Status at the time the bid is submitted. Any potential bidder found to be in Red Light Status will be disqualified from participation in the bidding process and will be considered non-responsive. More information about FCC Red and Green Light Status may be found at this website: http://www.fcc.gov/debt_collection/welcome.html
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The awarded Vendor will be required to send copies of all forms and invoices to the District prior to invoicing the SLD for pre-approval. Within one (1) week of award, the awarded Vendor will provide MCOE with a bill of materials suitable for the Form 471 Item 21 Attachment. Approval for any deviation from the Item 21 Attachment must be obtained from MCOE. Subsequent schedules of values and invoices for each site must match Item 21 Attachment or subsequent service substitutions. In the event of questions during the E-Rate audit or PIA process, the awarded Vendor is expected to reply within 3 days to questions associated with its proposal.
INVOICING PROCEDURES Vendor shall itemize, price, and invoice separately any materials or services that are ineligible for E-rate funding. Applicable procedures will be stated in the contract.
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APPENDIX C. TELAMON SITES INFORMATION Office
Address
AL01
51 Wisteria Pl, Millbrook AL 36054
DE09
26351 Patriots Way, Georgetown, DE 1994 7
14
DE10
26351 Patriots Way, Georgetown, DE 1994 7
11
DE11
26351 Patriots Way, Georgetown, DE 1994 7
19
GA01
230 Northside Crossing, Macon, GA 31210
6
GA04
1402 West Baker Highway, Douglas, GA 31533
5
GA05
120 Liberty Avenue, Lyons, GA 30436
7
GA06
325 S. Walnut St., Statesboro, GA 30458
4
GA08
111 Oliver Lane, Glenville, GA 30427
7
GA12
133 Serena Drive, Norman Park, GA 31771
6
GA19
139 E. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Hinesville, GA 31313
2
GA25
3902 Northside Dr., Suite C4, Macon, GA 31210
5
IN01
600 Corporation Dr., Suite 1750, Pendleton, IN 46064
VoIP Seats
23
1
13
Office
Address
IN24
2010 Brentwood Dr., Anderson, IN 46011
IN28
630 Nichol Ave., Suite 106, Anderson, IN 46016
5
IN38
325 West 38th St., Anderson, IN 46013
4
MD01
31901 Tri-Count Way, Suite 112, Salisbury, MD 21804
MI04
32849 Red Arrow Hwy., Paw Paw, MI 49079
4
MI05
75 Applewood Dr., Suite C, Sparta, MI 49345
5
NC01
5560 Munford Rd., Suite 107, Raleigh, NC 27612
7
NC05
231 Highway 58 South, Kinston, NC 28502
3
NC07
289 Corporate Dr., Suite B, Lumberton, NC 28358
4
NC11
913 Jefferson St., Whiteville, NC 28472
4
NC12
302 West Tarboro St., Wilson, CN 27893
4
NC13
2 Sugar Hill Drive, Hendersonville, NC 28792
15
NC14
84 AO Inman Ln., Whiteville, NC 28472
13
NC17
3201 East Street, Dunn, NC 28334
15
VoIP Seats
24
23
13
Office
Address
NC19
143 Fish Drive, Angier, NC 27501
NC20
1149 Main St., Yanceyville, NC 27379
3
NC24
102 YMCA Drive, Cary, NC 27513
7
NC25
1020 Todd Road, Knightdale, NC 27545
NC26
505 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Siler City, NC 27344
7
NC40
5560 Munford Rd., Suite 103, Raleigh, NC 27612
5
NC47
1428 Midway Elem. Sch. Rd., Dunn, NC 28334
7
NC91
5560 Munford Rd., Suite 109, Raleigh, NC 27612
6
NC98
5560 Munford Rd., Suite 201, Raleigh NC 27612
17
NC99
5560 Munford Rd., Suite 201, Raleigh NC 27612
52
SC01
1414 Calhoun St., 2nd Floor, Columbia, SC 29201
7
SC02
127 Greenville St. SW, Aiken, SC 29801
2
SC05
912 W. Evans St., Florence, SC 29501
4
TN01
6424 Baum Dr., Knoxville, TN 37919
VoIP Seats
25
12
20
10
Office
Address
TN02
551 Mocking Bird Ct., Unicoi, TN 37692
4
TN03
311 Summer City Rd., Pikeville, TN 37367
6
TN04
144 Bybee Rd., Newport, TN 37821
6
TN06
100 Erin Lane, Bulls Gap, TN 37711
5
VA02
1332 Piney Forest Rd., Suite D, Danville VA 24540
3
VA08
120 W. Danville Rd., South Hill, VA 23970
5
WV01
891 Auto Parts Pl., Suite 201, Martinsburg WV 25403
VoIP Seats
26
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APPENDIX D. STATEMENT OF VENDOR’S QUALIFICATIONS LEGAL BUSINESS NAME:
__________________________________________________
DBA (DOING BUSINESS AS) NAME, IF ANY:
BUSINESS OFFICE ADDRESS:
___________________________________
_____________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE:
_________________
FORM OF BUSINESS ORGANIZATION:
IF OTHER, PLEASE SPECIFY:
URL:
_______________________________
___
CORPORATION
___
PARTNERSHIP
___
SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP
___
OTHER
__________________________________________
ENGAGED IN THIS LINE OF BUSINESS UNDER THIS NAME FOR
LIST OF AUTHORIZED SIGNATORIES:
_______
YEARS
_______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________ _______________________________________
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APPENDIX E. SIGNATURE PAGE By submitting this proposal to Telamon Corporation, the Vendor certifies the following: This proposal is signed by an authorized representative of the Vendor. The cost and availability of all equipment, materials and supplies associated with performing the services described herein have been determined and included in the proposed cost. All labor costs, direct and indirect, including travel expenses, have been determined and included in the proposed cost. The Vendor has read and understands the conditions set forth in the RFP and agrees to them, except as noted in writing in this proposal. EXECUTION:
SIGNATURE: __________________________________
DATE: ________________
PRINTED NAME: _______________________________ TITLE: ________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
State of
, County of
, ss.:
On this day, personally appeared before me and executed the foregoing instrument, and acknowledged that he/she signed the same as his/her voluntary act and deed, for the uses and purposes therein mentioned. Witness my hand and official seal hereto affixed this
day of
,
.
Notary Public in and for the State of .
My commission expires
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APPENDIX F. REFERENCES 1. Client Name:
Address:
_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Services Provided:
______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Contact Name & Title:
Telephone:
___________________
2. Client Name:
Address:
____________________________________________________
Email:
_______________________________
_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Services Provided:
______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Contact Name & Title:
Telephone:
____________________________________________________
___________________
Email:
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_______________________________
3. Client Name:
Address:
_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Services Provided:
______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Contact Name & Title:
Telephone:
___________________
4. Client Name:
Address:
____________________________________________________
Email:
_______________________________
_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Services Provided:
______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Contact Name & Title:
Telephone:
____________________________________________________
___________________
Email:
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_______________________________
5. Client Name:
Address:
_________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Services Provided:
______________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________________
Contact Name & Title:
Telephone:
____________________________________________________
___________________
Email:
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_______________________________
APPENDIX G. COST PROPOSAL (To be submitted with Service Proposal)
NAME:
______________________________________________________________
ADDRESS:
______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
TELEPHONE:
______________________________________________________________
The undersigned proposes to provide Hosted Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services to Telamon Corporation in accordance with Terms and Conditions, the Scope of Work, and other documents of this Request for Proposal. The cost proposed is for service for a total of 426 VoIP office station phone sets, and for related required equipment. E-Rate Eligible Cost a b c d e f
Non E-Rate Cost
Monthly cost of service for 426 office station units Annual cost of Hosted VoIP Services One-time setup/migration and transition Costs related to use of existing phone sets Costs for required new phone sets (426 units) Total Costs ( b + c + [d OR e] )
(Items d and e: Populate item d ONLY if Vendor is certifying their proposal as compatible with SIPconfigured Cisco IP 7960 series phone sets. Populate item e ONLY if Vendor will not certify their proposal as compatible with SIP-configured Cisco IP 7960 series phone sets.) PRINTED NAME:
_________________________
SIGNATURE:
_____________________________
TITLE:
_________________________
DATE:
_____________________________
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