005-RFP-1398-2025 Man Down Alert System.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP COVER SHEET

Administrative Information

RFP Number 005-RFP-1398-2025 Title of RFP Man Down Alert System

Agency Iowa Department of Administrative Services (DAS) on behalf of Department of Health and Human Services

Available to other State agencies? Yes

Available to Political Subdivisions? Yes

Available to other States or governmental entities outside of the State of Iowa? No

State Issuing Officer:

Katelyn Howells

Phone: 515-721-7856 E-mail: Katelyn.Howells@iowa.gov

PROCUREMENT TIMETABLE—Event or Action Date/Time (Central Time)

State Posts Notice of RFP on the TSB website January 14, 2025

State Issues RFP January 16, 2025

MANDATORY Site Visit and Pre-Proposal Conference Location and Address:

State Training School 3211 Edgington Ave Eldora, IA 50627

If a map is needed, contact the Issuing Officer.

Is a Site Visit mandatory? Yes If a map is needed, contact the Issuing Officer.

January 28, 2025 at

10:00AM

State Training School 3211 Edgington Ave

Eldora, IA 50627

Follow-up RFP written questions, requests for clarification, and suggested changes from Respondents due (no questions accepted or responded to after this date)

February 7, 2025 at

4:00PM

Proposals Due February 21, 2025 at

2:00PM

Relevant Websites

Internet website where the Addenda to this RFP will be posted http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov and IMPACS Electronic Procurement System.

Internet website where contract terms and conditions are posted https://das.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/procurement/pdf/050116%20terms%20services.pdf https://das.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/procurement/pdf/050116%20terms%20goods.pdf

Firm Proposal Terms The minimum number of days following the deadline for submitting proposals that the Respondent guarantees all proposal terms, including price, will remain firm is 120 Days.

http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/ https://bids.sciquest.com/apps/Router/PublicEvent?CustomerOrg=DASIowa https://das.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/procurement/pdf/050116%20terms%20services.pdf https://das.iowa.gov/sites/default/files/procurement/pdf/050116%20terms%20goods.pdf

SECTION 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit proposals from Responsible Respondents to provide the goods and/or services identified on the RFP cover sheet and further described in Sections 4 and 5 of this RFP to the Agency identified on the RFP cover sheet. The Agency intends to award a Contract(s) for the initial period identified on the RFP cover sheet, and the Agency, in its sole discretion, may extend the Contract(s) for up to the number of annual extensions identified on the RFP cover sheet.

1.2 Definitions

For the purposes of this RFP and the resulting contract, the following terms shall mean:

“Agency” means the agency identified on the RFP cover sheet that is issuing the RFP and any other agency that purchases from the Contract.

“Contract” means the contract(s) entered into with the successful Respondent(s) as described in Section 6.1.

“Contractor” means the awarded business/person to provide the contractual services agreed upon.

“Deliverable” means the completion of a milestone or accomplishment of a task.

“General Terms and Conditions” means the General Terms and Conditions for Services Contracts as referenced on the RFP cover page.

“Proposal” means the Respondent’s proposal submitted in response to the RFP.

“Respondent” means the company, organization or other business entity submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

“Responsible Respondent” means a Respondent that has the capability in all material respects to perform the scope of work and specifications of the Contract. In determining whether a Respondent is a Responsible Respondent, the Agency may consider various factors including, but not limited to, the Respondent’s competence and qualifications to provide the goods or services requested, the Respondent’s integrity and reliability, the past performance of the Respondent and the best interest of the Agency and the State.

“Responsive Proposal” means a Proposal that complies with the material provisions of this RFP.

“RFP” means this Request for Proposals and any attachments, exhibits, schedules or addenda hereto.

“State” means the State of Iowa, the Agency, and all state agencies, boards, and commissions, and any political subdivisions making purchases from the Contract as permitted by this RFP.

1.3 Overview of the RFP Process

This RFP is designed to provide Respondents with the information necessary for the preparation of competitive Proposals. The RFP process is for the Agency’s benefit and is intended to provide the Agency with competitive information to assist in the selection process. It is not intended to be comprehensive. Each Respondent is responsible for determining all factors necessary for the submission of a comprehensive Proposal.

Respondent should review Request for Confidentiality, for more information if its Proposal contains confidential information. Any Proposal marked “Confidential” or “Proprietary” on every page may be disqualified.

It is the Agency’s intention to evaluate Proposals from all Respondents that submit timely Responsive Proposals, and award the Contract(s) in accordance with the evaluation and selection criteria provided in this RFP.

1.4 Background

The primary purpose of the State Training School at Eldora is to provide a continuum of supervision and rehabilitation programs, which meet the needs of males adjudicated delinquent, in a manner consistent with public safety. These services and programs individualize treatment and control the offender for his own benefit and the protection of society. The facility provides a range of services that are geared toward:

● Providing a structured treatment setting for males between the ages of 12 to 18;

● Providing the most appropriate setting while protecting communities;

● Developing individual care plans which provide a diversity of innovative and effective programs within the framework of professional correctional standards, legislative intent and available resources;

● Providing a comprehensive education program for youth; and

● Facilitating the transition of the young man back to his community.

1.5 Objectives

Our objectives are:

● The safety of all individuals at the State Training School

● Accurate location of all personnel

● Decrease in false alarms

SECTION 2 ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

2.1 Issuing Officer

The Issuing Officer identified in the RFP cover sheet is the sole point of contact regarding the RFP from the date of issuance until a Notice of Intent to Award the Contract is issued.

2.2 Restriction on Communication

From the issue date of this RFP until a Notice of Intent to Award the Contract is issued, Respondents may contact only the Issuing Officer. The Issuing Officer will respond only to written questions regarding the procurement process. Questions related to the interpretation of this RFP must be submitted as provided in Section 2. Oral questions related to the interpretation of this RFP will not be accepted. Respondents may be disqualified if they contact any State employee other than the Issuing Officer about the RFP except that Respondents may contact the State Targeted Small Business Office on issues related to the preference for Targeted Small Businesses.

This section shall not be construed as restricting communications related to the administration of any contract currently in effect between a Respondent and the State.

2.3 Downloading the RFP from the Internet

The RFP and any addenda to the RFP will be posted at http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/ and IMPACS Electronic Procurement System. The Respondent is advised to check the website periodically for addenda to this RFP, particularly if the Respondent downloaded the RFP from the Internet as the Respondent may not automatically receive addenda. It is the Respondent's sole responsibility to check daily for addenda to posted documents.

2.4 Procurement Timetable

The dates provided in the procurement timetable on the RFP cover sheet are provided for informational and planning purposes. The Agency reserves the right to change the dates. If the Agency changes any of the deadlines for Respondent submissions, the Agency will issue an addendum to the RFP.

2.5 Questions, Requests for Clarification, and Suggested Changes

Respondents are invited to submit written questions and requests for clarification regarding the RFP. Respondents may also submit suggestions for changes to the specifications of this RFP. The questions, requests for clarifications, or suggestions must be in IMPACS on or before the date and time listed. Oral questions will not be permitted. If the questions, requests for clarifications, or suggestions pertain to a specific section of the RFP, Respondent shall reference the page and section number(s). The Agency will post written responses to questions, requests for clarifications, or suggestions received from Respondents in IMPACS.

The Agency assumes no responsibility for oral representations made by its officers or employees unless such representations are confirmed in writing and incorporated into the RFP through an addendum.

2.6 MANDATORY Pre-Proposal Conference and Site Visit

If the RFP cover sheet indicates a pre-proposal conference will be held in conjunction with this RFP, it will be held at the date, time, and location listed on the RFP cover sheet. The purpose of http://bidopportunities.iowa.gov/ the pre-proposal conference is to discuss with prospective Respondents the work to be performed and allow prospective Respondents an opportunity to ask questions regarding the RFP. Oral discussions at the pre-proposal conference shall not be considered part of the RFP unless confirmed in writing by the Agency and incorporated into this RFP. The conference may be recorded. Questions asked at the conference that cannot be adequately answered during the conference may be deferred. A copy of the questions and answers will be added to the solicitation in the IMPACS Electronic Procurement System. This conference is mandatory. Respondents who are not in attendance at this meeting will not be considered for award.

2.7 Amendment to the RFP

The Agency reserves the right to amend the RFP at any time using an addendum. The Respondent shall acknowledge receipt of all addenda in its Proposal. If the Agency issues an addendum after the due date for receipt of Proposals, the Agency may, in its sole discretion, allow Respondents to amend their Proposals in response to the addendum.

2.8 Amendment and Withdrawal of Proposal

The Respondent may amend or withdraw and resubmit its Proposal at any time before the Proposals are due. The proposal must be updated and submitted using IMPACS. Electronic mail and faxed amendments will not be accepted. Respondents must notify the Issuing Officer in writing prior to the due date for Proposals if they wish to completely withdraw their Proposals.

2.9 Submission of Proposals

Respondent must submit Proposal in the State’s IMPACS Electronic Procurement System before the “Proposals Due” date and time listed on the RFP cover sheet. This is a mandatory specification and will not be waived by the Agency. Any Proposal received after this deadline will be rejected and returned unopened to the Respondent. Respondents sending Proposals must allow ample upload time to ensure timely receipt of their Proposals. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to ensure that the Proposal is received prior to the deadline. Electronic mail and faxed Proposals will not be accepted. There is a 50MB per file size limitation, but no limit to number of files. Plan accordingly.

Respondents must furnish all information necessary to enable the Agency to evaluate the Proposal. Oral information provided by the Respondent will not be considered part of the Respondent's Proposal unless it is reduced to writing.

2.10 Proposal Opening

The Agency will open Proposals after the deadline for submission of Proposals has passed. The Proposals will remain confidential until the Agency has issued a Notice of Intent to Award a Contract. See Iowa Code Section 72.3. However, the names of Respondents who submitted timely Proposals will be publicly available after the Proposal opening. The announcement of Respondents who timely submitted Proposals does not mean that an individual Proposal has been deemed technically compliant or accepted for evaluation.

2.11 Costs of Preparing the Proposal

The costs of preparation and delivery of the Proposal are solely the responsibility of the Respondent.

2.12 No Commitment to Contract

The Agency reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals received in response to this RFP at any time prior to the execution of the Contract. Issuance of this RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the Agency to award a contract.

2.13 Rejection of Proposals

The Agency may reject outright and not evaluate a Proposal for reasons including, without limitation:

2.13.1 The Respondent fails to deliver the Cost Proposal as a separate file.

2.13.2 The Respondent acknowledges that a mandatory specification of the RFP cannot be met.

2.13.3 The Respondent's Proposal changes a material specification of the RFP or the Proposal is not compliant with the mandatory specification of the RFP.

2.13.4 The Respondent’s Proposal limits the rights of the Agency.

2.13.5 The Respondent fails to include information necessary to substantiate that it will be able to meet a specification of the RFP as provided in Section 5 of the RFP.

2.13.6 The Respondent fails to timely respond to the Agency's request for information, documents, or references.

2.13.7 The Respondent fails to include proposal security, if required.

2.13.8 The Respondent fails to include any signature, certification, authorization, stipulation, disclosure or guarantee as provided in Section 5 of this RFP.

2.13.9 The Respondent presents the information requested by this RFP in a format inconsistent with the instructions of the RFP or otherwise fails to comply with the specifications of this RFP.

2.13.10 The Respondent initiates unauthorized contact regarding the RFP with a State employee other than the Issuing Officer.

2.13.11 The Respondent provides misleading or inaccurate responses.

2.13.12 The Respondent’s Proposal is materially unbalanced. A Proposal in which line item prices are structured so that it is possible that the Respondent who appears to be low will not end up having the lowest overall cost to the State, due to high prices on particular line items.

2.13.13 There is insufficient evidence (including evidence submitted by the Respondent and evidence obtained by the Agency from other sources) to satisfy the Agency that the Respondent is a Responsible Respondent.

2.13.14 The Respondent is a “scrutinized company” included on a “scrutinized company list” created by a public fund pursuant to Iowa Code section 12J.3.

2.14 Nonmaterial Variances

The Agency reserves the right to waive or permit cure of nonmaterial variances in the Proposal if, in the judgment of the Agency, it is in the State’s best interest to do so. Nonmaterial variances include but are not limited to, minor failures to comply that: do not affect overall responsiveness, are merely a matter of form or format, do not change the relative standing or otherwise prejudice other Respondents, do not change the meaning or scope of the RFP, or do not reflect a material change in the specifications of the RFP. In the event the Agency waives or permits cure of nonmaterial variances, such waiver or cure will not modify the RFP specifications or excuse the Respondent from full compliance with RFP specifications or other Contract specifications if the Respondent is awarded the Contract. The determination of materiality is in the sole discretion of the Agency.

2.15 Reference Checks

The Agency reserves the right to contact any reference to assist in the evaluation of the Proposal, to verify information contained in the Proposal and to discuss the Respondent’s qualifications and the qualifications of any subcontractor identified in the Proposal.

2.16 Information from Other Sources

The Agency reserves the right to obtain and consider information from other sources concerning a Respondent, such as the Respondent’s capability and performance under other contracts, the qualifications of any subcontractor identified in the Proposal, the Respondent’s financial stability, past or pending litigation, and other publicly available information.

2.17 Verification of Proposal Contents

The content of a Proposal submitted by a Respondent is subject to verification. If the Agency determines in its sole discretion that the content is in any way misleading or inaccurate, the Agency may reject the Proposal.

2.18 Proposal Clarification Process

The Agency reserves the right to contact a Respondent after the submission of Proposals for the purpose of clarifying a Proposal. This contact may include written questions, interviews, site visits, a review of past performance if the Respondent has provided goods and/or services to the State or any other political subdivision wherever located, or requests for corrective pages in the Respondent’s Proposal. The Agency will not consider information received from or through Respondent if the information materially alters the content of the Proposal or the type of goods and/or services the Respondent is offering to the Agency. An individual authorized to legally bind the Respondent shall sign responses to any request for clarification. Responses shall be submitted to the Agency within the time specified in the Agency's request. Failure to comply with requests for additional information may result in the rejection of the Proposal.

2.19 Disposition of Proposals

All Proposals become the property of the State and shall not be returned to the Respondent. Once the Agency issues a Notice of Intent to Award the Contract, the contents of all Proposals will be public records and be available for inspection by interested parties, except for information for which Respondent properly requests confidential treatment according to exceptions provided in Iowa Code Chapter 22 or other applicable law.

2.20 Public Records and Requests for Confidential Treatment

The Agency’s release of public records is governed by Iowa Code Chapter 22. Respondents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with Chapter 22 before submitting a Proposal. The Agency will copy and produce public records upon request as required to comply with Chapter 22 and will treat all information submitted by a Respondent as non-confidential records unless the Respondent requests specific parts of the Proposal be treated as confidential at the time of the submission as set forth herein AND the information is confidential under Iowa or other applicable law.

2.21 Copyright Permission

By submitting a Proposal, the Respondent agrees that the Agency may copy the Proposal for purposes of facilitating the evaluation of the Proposal or to respond to requests for public records.

By submitting a Proposal, the Respondent consents to such copying and warrants that such copying will not violate the rights of any third-party. The Agency shall have the right to use ideas or adaptations of ideas that are presented in Proposals.

2.22 Release of Claims

By submitting a Proposal, the Respondent agrees that it will not bring any claim or cause of action against the Agency or the State based on Respondent’s misunderstanding concerning the information provided in the RFP or concerning the Agency's or the State’s failure, negligent or otherwise, to provide the Respondent with complete, pertinent, or accurate information in this RFP, or for any failure to provide information that any Respondent might consider relevant for purposes of making a decision to submit a Proposal or to enter into any Contract resulting from this RFP.

2.23 Respondent Presentations

Respondents may be required to make a presentation. The determination as to need for presentations, and the location, order, and schedule of the presentations is at the sole discretion of the Agency. The presentation may include slides, graphics and other media selected by the Respondent to illustrate the Respondent’s Proposal. The presentation shall not materially change the information contained in the Proposal.

2.24 Evaluation of Proposals Submitted

Proposals that are timely submitted and are not rejected will be reviewed in accordance with Section 5 of the RFP. The Agency will not necessarily award a Contract resulting from this RFP to the Respondent offering the lowest cost. Instead, the Agency will award the Contract(s) to the Responsible Respondent(s) whose Responsive Proposal the Agency believes will provide the best value to the Agency and the State.

2.25 Award Notice and Acceptance Period

Notice of Intent to Award the Contract(s) will be sent to all Respondents submitting a timely Proposal and may be posted at the website shown on the RFP cover sheet. Negotiation and execution of the Contract(s) shall be completed no later than thirty (30) days from the date of the Notice of Intent to Award or such other time as designated by the Agency. If the successful Respondent fails to negotiate and deliver an executed Contract by that date, the Agency, in its sole discretion, may cancel the award and award the Contract to the remaining Respondent the Agency believes will provide the best value to the State.

2.26 No Contract Rights until Execution

No Respondent shall acquire any legal or equitable rights regarding the Contract unless and until the Contract has been fully executed by the successful Respondent and the Agency.

2.27 Choice of Law and Forum

This RFP and the Contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of Iowa. Changes in applicable laws and rules may affect the award process or the Contract. Respondents are responsible for ascertaining pertinent legal requirements and restrictions. Any and all litigation or actions commenced in connection with this RFP shall be brought in the appropriate Iowa forum.

2.28 Preference

By virtue of statutory authority, a preference will be given to products and provisions grown and coal produced within the state of Iowa. Preference application: Tied responses to solicitations, regardless of the type of solicitation, are decided in favor of Iowa products and Iowa-based businesses per 11 IAC 117.5(1)-(2), 117.12(4).

2.29 Restrictions on Gifts and Activities

Iowa Code Chapter 68B restricts gifts which may be given or received by State employees and requires certain individuals to disclose information concerning their activities with State government. Respondents are responsible to determine the applicability of this Chapter 68B to their activities and to comply with its requirements. In addition, pursuant to Iowa Code section 722.1, it is a felony offense to bribe or attempt to bribe a public official.

2.30 No Minimum Guaranteed

The Agency does not guarantee any minimum level of purchases under the Contract.

2.31 Post Solicitation Debriefing

A debriefing is available to any Respondent who submitted a proposal in response to this RFP.

Respondent shall submit a written request for a debriefing to the Issuing Officer via email or other delivery method. All Respondents will be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to its opportunity for debriefing. The debriefing shall be scheduled by the Agency as soon as practicable after the receipt of debriefing request.

2.32 Appeals

A Respondent whose Proposal has been timely filed and who is aggrieved by the Notice of Intent to Award of the Department may appeal the decision by emailing a written notice of appeal (in accordance with 11—Chapter 117.20, Iowa Administrative Code) to the Director of the Department of Administrative Services and carbon copy to the Issuing Officer. The notice must be filed within five (5) days of the date of the Notice of Intent to Award issued by the Department, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays, and legal state holidays. The written notice may be filed by fax transmission to 515.725.2064. The notice of appeal must clearly and fully identify all issues being contested by reference to the page, section and line number(s) of the RFP and/or the Notice of Intent to Award. A notice of appeal may not stay negotiations with the apparent successful Respondent.

SECTION 3 FORM AND CONTENT OF PROPOSALS

3.1 Instructions

These instructions describe and define the format and content of the Proposal. They are designed to facilitate a uniform review process. Failure to adhere to the Proposal format may result in the rejection of the Proposal.

3.1.1 The Proposal shall be divided into two parts: (1) the Technical Proposal and (2) the Cost

Proposal. The Technical Proposal and the Cost Proposal shall be labeled as such as separate files. The files shall be labeled with the following information:

005-RFP-1398-2025 - Respondent Name - Technical Proposal 005-RFP-1398-2025 - Respondent Name - Cost Proposal

3.1.2 Files must be attached to Respondents submission in the State’s IMPACS Electronic Procurement System.

3.1.3 If the Respondent designates any information in its Proposal as confidential pursuant to Section 2, the Respondent must also submit public copy Proposal from which confidential information has been excised as provided in Section 2 and which is marked “Public Copy”.

005-RFP-1398-2025 - Respondent Name - Public Copy

3.1.4 Proposals shall not contain promotional or display materials.

3.1.5 Attachments shall be referenced in the Proposal.

3.1.6 If a Respondent proposes more than one solution to the RFP specifications, each shall be labeled and submitted in a separate Proposal and each will be evaluated separately.

3.2 Technical Proposal

Any information provided in the Technical Proposal is subject to consideration for consideration, evaluation, and scoring. The following documents and responses shall be included in the Technical Proposal in the order given below:

Exhibit 1 - Transmittal Letter (Required) An individual authorized to legally bind the Respondent shall sign the transmittal letter. The letter shall include the Respondent’s mailing address, electronic mail address, fax number, and telephone number.

Exhibit 2 - Executive Summary

The Respondent shall prepare an executive summary and overview of the goods and/or services it is offering, including all of the following information:

● Statements that demonstrate that the Respondent has read and understands the terms and conditions of the RFP including the Contract provisions in Section 6.

● An overview of the Respondent’s plans for complying with the specifications of this RFP.

● Any other summary information the Respondent deems to be pertinent.

Exhibit 3 - Experience The Respondent must provide the following information regarding its experience:

● Number of years in business.

● Number of years of experience with providing the types of services sought by the RFP.

● The level of technical experience in providing the types of services sought by the RFP.

● A list of all goods and/or services similar to those sought by this RFP that the Respondent has provided to other businesses or governmental entities.

● Letters of reference from three (3) previous or current customers or clients knowledgeable of the Respondent’s performance in providing goods and/or services similar to the goods and/or services described in this RFP and a contact person and telephone number for each reference.

Exhibit 4 - Approach Respondent shall address each specification in Section 4: Scope of Work. Responses should provide sufficient detail so that the Agency can understand and evaluate the Respondent’s approach, and should not merely repeat the specification. While addressing the specifications in Exhibit 4, Respondents are asked to address the following information for certain specifications:

● Ease of Use - Discuss features such as, but not limited to, specifics of how the system operates and is used by all users, types of devices (hand-free options for example) and how they are used, how emergency alert messages are sent and received (two-way communication for example), how the system is navigated by all users, any training requirements, etc.

● Timeliness of Alerts - Discuss features such as, but not limited to, how emergency alerts are sent and received, the type of alerts that can be provided (radio, text, E-mail, silent alerts, etc.), and the timeliness of those alerts (minutes, seconds, industry standards, repeat notifications, etc.).

● Coverage/Range - Discuss features of the system including, but not limited to, coverage capabilities for varying locations and settings, construction type(s), number of floors in a building, the size of the coverage area, etc. Any potential coverage/range limitations should be identified and discussed as well.

● Reliability/Accuracy - Discuss features such as, but not limited to, up-time and availability of the system (including maintenance time), accuracy of the system, false alerts, how potential points of failure and/or service disruptions are accounted for, etc.

Note:

● Proposals shall identify any deviations from the specifications the Respondent cannot satisfy.

● Proposals shall not contain promotional or display materials unless specifically required.

If a Respondent proposes more than one method of meeting the RFP requirements, each method must be drafted and submitted as separate Proposals. Each will be evaluated separately.

Exhibit 5 – Mandatory Specifications

The Respondent shall answer whether or not it will comply with each specification in Section 5 of the RFP. Where the context requires more than a yes or no answer or the specific specifications so indicates, Respondent shall explain how it will comply with the specification. Merely repeating the Section 5 specifications may be considered non-responsive and result in the rejection of the Proposal. Proposals must identify any deviations from the specifications of the RFP or specifications the Respondent cannot satisfy. If the Respondent deviates from or cannot satisfy the specification(s) of this section, the Agency may reject the Proposal.

Exhibit 6 – Equipment Description

Respondents shall provide detailed list(s) of requirements and specifications for the hardware on which system will run. Provide a list of all components necessary to implement and operate system for each facility named in this RFP.

Exhibit 7 - Implementation Plan Describe recommended implementation strategy including on-site coordination and support services, best practice consulting options, and professional services. Identify any third-party Respondents involved in Respondent’s implementation strategy and describe these relationships.

Describe the skills and time required by State of Iowa personnel for initial installation and implementation of the proposed system. Provide an estimate of State of Iowa staff time required to complete the installation. Describe the documentation provided with the product along with applicable costs for any additional documentation. Provide an implementation schedule, based on weekly milestone (not dates). Also discuss any potential limitations for being able to implement across multiple sites.

Exhibit 8 - Training Plan Discuss all training needed for users to be able to use the system as intended. Specifically, the Contractor shall discuss what specific training needs to be provided, who the training will be provided by (Contractor, Agency), the timing of the training relative to Contract start date and use of the system, where training will take place (on-site, virtual), how long the training will last, and any other appropriate information regarding training of users of the system.

Exhibit 9 – Service and Maintenance Provide detailed information on your customer service program and maintenance plans. Include response times and the access to and timeliness of service engineers.

Exhibit 10 - Warranty Provide warranty documentation for your proposed solution. Describe your replacement parts program, costs, and turnaround time.

Exhibit 11 – Optional Features Provide detailed information for any optional items that may be available. (Include costs for these items in the Cost Proposal)

3.3 Cost Proposal

The Respondent shall provide its Cost Proposal in a separate file for the proposed goods and/or services. All prices are quoted pursuant to the terms and conditions of this RFP. Respondent’s Cost Proposal shall include an all-inclusive, itemized, total cost in U.S. Dollars (including all travel, expenses, etc. in prices) for the proposed services. All pricing to be FOB Destination, freight cost, and all expenses included; and based on Net 60 Days Payment Terms. Cost proposals must include the following:

● Provide any one time and recurring costs for system. Recurring costs are to be for a 6-year period to cover initial term and extensions to contract.

● Equipment costs.

● Any other costs associated with proposed system.

● Pricing for options.

3.3.1 Respondent Discounts

Respondents shall state in their Cost Proposals whether they offer any payment discounts, including but not limited to:

3.3.1.1 Prompt Payment Discount

The State can agree to pay in less than sixty (60) days if an incentive for earlier payment is offered.

3.3.1.2 Cash Discount

The State may consider cash discounts when scoring Cost Proposals.

SECTION 4 SCOPE OF WORK

Overview The successful Respondent shall provide the services to the State in accordance with the requirements as provided in this Scope of Work.

4.1 Implementation - Within 90 days of Contract execution, the Contractor shall implement a Man Down

Alert System that is fully operational across multiple sites of varying size and scope for facilities as identified in Section 1.1. Each facility will present unique challenges such as size of campus, building sizes, construction types, and ages, system needs, existing IT infrastructure, etc.

Within 30 days of Contract execution, the Contractor shall submit a detailed plan to the Agency of their implementation process including, but not limited to, types of software/hardware/technology used by Contractor and required by Agency, all steps/tasks required distinguishing between on-site and off-site implementation tasks, time required for all tasks and total implementation time, any specific needs required from the Agency (configuration with existing system or Agency IT), etc. Also discuss any potential limitations for being able to implement across multiple sites. This report is subject to Agency approval. The Contractor shall comply with the Agency-approved plan.

4.2 Ease of Use - The Contractor shall provide a system that varying worker user types can easily operate including functionality that automatically alerts designated responders when needed.

4.3 Timeliness of Alerts - The Contractor shall implement a fully operational system that provides timely alert when a worker has an emergency need.

4.4 Coverage/Range - The Contractor shall implement a system that provides the necessary coverage/range for multiple sites of varying size and scope as identified in Section 1.1. Alerts must be able to be transmitted through campuses and building structures of varying sizes, ages, and composition.

4.5 Reliability/Accuracy - The Contractor shall implement a system that is highly reliable and accurate on a day to day basis in each of the facilities with very infrequent (if at all) down-periods and very few (if at all) false positive alerts.

4.6 Training - The Contractor shall provide all needed training for system users. Training must be completed for all users prior to the system being used (within 90 days of Contract Execution). Training costs must be factored into the total cost in the cost proposal form and not be billed as separate costs.

4.7 Maintenance and Support - The Contractor shall provide a system that is easy to maintain on an-ongoing basis without frequent and costly service needs.

SECTION 5 SPECIFICATIONS

Overview The successful Respondent shall provide the goods and/or services to the State in accordance with the specifications and technical specifications as provided in this Section. The Respondent shall address each specification in this Section and indicate whether or not it will comply with the specification. If the context requires more than a yes or no answer or the section specifically indicates, Respondent shall explain how it will comply with the specification. Proposals must address each specification. Merely repeating the specifications may be considered non-responsive and may disqualify the Respondent. Proposals must identify any deviations from the specifications of this RFP or specifications the Respondent cannot satisfy.

If the Respondent deviates from or cannot satisfy the specification (s) of this section, the Agency may reject the Proposal.

All items listed in this section are Mandatory Specifications. Respondents must indicate either “yes” or “no” to each specification in their Proposals and provide an explanation as to how the specification is met.

By indicating “yes” a Respondent agrees that it shall comply with that specification throughout the full term of the Contract, if the Respondent is successful. In addition, if specified by the specifications or if the context otherwise requires, the Respondent shall provide references and/or supportive materials to verify the Respondent’s compliance with the specification. The Agency shall have the right to determine whether the supportive information and materials submitted by the Respondent demonstrate that the Respondent will be able to comply with the Mandatory Specifications. If the Agency determines the responses and supportive materials do not demonstrate the Supplier will be able to comply with the Mandatory Specifications, the Agency may reject the Proposal.

5.1 System Requirements

5.1.1 Ability to provide real-time alerts when a worker has an emergency, within three (3) seconds of the worker triggering their device.

5.1.2 Ability to name each device to correspond with the worker, or otherwise provide a specific alert that names the worker in need of assistance.

5.1.3 Ability to provide a precise location of the device/worker within ten (10) feet.

5.2 Implementation

Upon award of a Contract for services the Agency shall negotiate an implementation schedule with the successful Respondent.

5.3 Installation

Installation of any equipment and/or software shall be the Respondent’s responsibility and expense, as will be the removal of such equipment and/or software upon completion of the contract or cancellation of the contract. The Respondent shall be responsible for all Respondent-owned equipment. The risk of loss and/or damage to Respondent-owned equipment and/or software shall be fully assumed by the Respondent at all times pertinent to the contract.

5.4 Post Delivery Documentation

Respondent is to provide the following documentation upon completion of installation:

● Electronic Schematics – Current and accurate set of electronic schematics and system interface documentation.

● Operator Instructions - Written operator instructions for the operation of the system, all sub-unit assemblies, and software routines.

● Service Manuals - Current and accurate service manuals are to be provided with the system.

5.5 Warranty

Minimum of 5-year warranty on system to include hardware.

5.6 Maintenance and Support Services

5.6.1 Facility will perform operational maintenance to the system.

5.6.2 Respondent will provide preventative maintenance and inspection on a bi-annual basis.

5.6.3 Respondent will provide same day response time on system issues and outages.

5.7 Training

Respondent will provide general user training and administrator training.

SECTION 6 EVALUATION AND SELECTION

6.1 Introduction

This section describes the evaluation process that will be used to determine which Proposal(s) provides the greatest value to the State. Agency will not necessarily award the Contract to the Respondent offering the lowest cost to the Agency. Instead, the Agency will award to the Respondent whose Responsive Proposal the Agency believes will provide the best value to the State.

6.2 Evaluation Committee

The Agency will use an evaluation committee to conduct a comprehensive, fair, and impartial evaluation of Technical Proposals received in response to this RFP. The evaluation committee will recommend an award based on the results of their evaluation to the Agency or to another person or entity that must approve the recommendation.

6.3 Technical Proposal Evaluation and Scoring

All Technical Proposals will be evaluated to determine if they comply with the Mandatory Specifications. The evaluation committee will fully evaluate and score all Responsive Proposals submitted by Responsible Respondents in accordance with this Section. In addition to other RFP requirements, to be deemed a Responsive Proposal, the Technical Proposal must:

● Answer “Yes” to all parts of Section 5 and include supportive materials as required to demonstrate the Respondent will be able to comply with the Mandatory Specifications in that section and

● Obtain the minimum score for the Technical Proposal. If a Technical Proposal does not meet the minimum score, it will be rejected and the Respondent’s Cost Proposal will not be evaluated.

Technical Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

ROUND 1 RFP Section

Mandatory Specifications Section 5 Pass/Fail

ROUND 2* RFP Section Possible Points

Experience Exhibit 3 50

Equipment Description Exhibit 6 300

Implementation Plan Exhibit 7 150

Training Plan Exhibit 8 200

Total Possible Technical Proposal Points 700

ROUND 3 Possible Points

Cost Proposal Section 6.4 300

ROUND 4** Possible Points

Presentations/Interviews Section 2.23 100

*A Respondent must score a minimum Technical Score of 450 points to be eligible for the next round of evaluation and consideration for award.

**The final award will be determined based on Respondents’ scores during Round 4:

Presentations/Interviews. Scoring Criteria for this portion will be disseminated to those

Respondents invited for this Round of scoring.

6.4 Cost Proposal Scoring

After the Technical Proposals are evaluated and scored, the Cost Proposals will be opened and scored.

The cost proposal for each respondent will be evaluated in comparison with the other cost proposals received; however, the number of points possible will be proportional to each respondent’s technical evaluation score.

The technical evaluation points received (numerator) is divided by the technical evaluation points possible (denominator) and multiplied by the maximum number of points in the cost evaluation.

This provides the total points possible for the respondent in the cost evaluation.

Points Possible for Respondent = Technical Evaluation Points Received x Maximum Points in Cost Evaluation Technical Evaluation Points Possible

The lowest cost proposal (numerator) is divided by the cost proposal being evaluated (denominator) and multiplied by the points possible for the respondent. This provides the cost evaluation points awarded.

Cost Evaluation Points Awarded = Lowest Cost Proposal Received x Points Possible for Respondent Cost Proposal Being Evaluated

For example, suppose there are 10 maximum points in the cost evaluation. A respondent that receives 100% of the points possible in the technical evaluation has the opportunity to earn 100% of the points possible in the cost evaluation (e.g., 10 points). If the cost proposal is the lowest cost, the full 10 points will be awarded.

However, a respondent that receives only 50% of the points possible in the technical evaluation has the opportunity to earn only 50% of the points possible in the cost evaluation (e.g., 5 points).

If the cost proposal is the lowest cost, only 5 points are awarded, compared to the 10 points that could have been awarded if the respondent had received the highest technical evaluation score.

6.5 Tied Score and Preferences

6.5.1 An award shall be determined by a drawing when responses are received that are equal in all respects and tied in price. Whenever it is practical to do so, the drawing will be held in the presence of the Respondents who are tied in price. Otherwise the drawing will be made in front of at least three non-interested parties. All drawings shall be documented.

6.5.2 Notwithstanding the foregoing, if a tied score involves an Iowa-based Respondent or products produced within the State of Iowa and a Respondent based or products produced outside the State of Iowa, the Iowa Respondent will receive preference. If a tied score involves one or more Iowa Respondents and one or more Respondents outside the state of Iowa, a drawing will be held among the Iowa Respondents only.

6.5.3 In the event of a tied score between Iowa Respondents, the Agency shall contact the Iowa Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR) committee for confirmation and verification as to whether the Respondents have complied with ESGR standards.

Preference, in the case of a tied score, shall be given to Iowa Respondents complying with ESGR standards.

6.5.4 Second preference in tied scores will be given to Respondents based in the United States or products produced in the United States over Respondents based or products produced outside the United States.

6.5.5 Preferences required by applicable statute or rule shall also be applied, where appropriate.

SECTION 7 CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

7.1 Contract Terms and Conditions

The Contract that the Agency expects to award as a result of this RFP shall comprise the specifications, terms and conditions of the RFP, written clarifications or changes made by the Agency to the RFP through an amendment to the RFP in accordance with the provisions of the RFP, the Terms and Conditions, the offer of the successful Respondent contained in its Proposal, and any other terms deemed necessary by the Agency. No objection or amendment by a Respondent to the provisions or terms and conditions of the RFP or the Terms and Conditions shall be incorporated into the Contract unless Agency has explicitly accepted the Respondent’s objection or amendment in writing.

The Contract terms and conditions in this Section 6, the General Terms and Conditions to the extent referenced and linked to on the RFP cover page, and/or any Terms and Conditions attached to and accompanying this RFP as an attachment hereto, will be incorporated into the Contract.

The Terms and Conditions may be supplemented at the time of contract execution and are provided to enable Respondents to better evaluate the costs associated with the RFP specifications and the Contract. All costs associated with complying with such Terms and Conditions should be included in any pricing quoted by the Respondent.

By submitting a Proposal, Respondent acknowledges its acceptance of the terms and conditions of the RFP and the Terms and Conditions without change except as otherwise expressly stated in its Proposal. If the Respondent takes exception to a provision, it must identify it by page and section number, state the reason for the exception, and set forth in its Proposal the specific RFP or Terms and Conditions language it proposes to include in place of the provision. If Respondent’s exceptions or proposed responses materially alter the RFP, or if the Respondent submits its own terms and conditions or otherwise fails to follow the process described herein, the Agency may reject the Proposal, in its sole discretion.

The Agency will evaluate all Proposals without regard to any proposed modifications to any terms and conditions of the RFP or Terms and Conditions by Contractor. Once a Proposal has been identified as the one for which an Award recommendation has been made, but prior to notifying Respondents of the decision, the Agency, in its sole discretion, may consider any proposed modifications to the terms and conditions of the RFP or Terms and Conditions identified in that Proposal. The Agency reserves the right to either award a Contract(s) without further negotiation with the successful Respondent or to negotiate Contract terms with the successful Respondent if the best interests of the State would be served. As such, if any proposed modifications are not determined to be in the best interests of the State, or appear to pose a substantial impediment to reaching agreement, the Agency may, in its sole discretion:

7.1.1 Issue a Notice of Intent to Award in favor of the successful Respondent, but decline to agree to or further negotiate any proposed modifications to terms and conditions identified by the Respondent in its Proposal;

7.1.2 Issue a Notice of Intent to Award in favor of the successful Respondent, and identify in the Notice proposed modifications to terms and conditions identified by the Respondent in its Proposal with which the agency will or will not agree or further negotiate;

7.1.3 Enter open-ended negotiations with the successful Respondent; provided, that any such negotiations shall be limited to the proposed modifications to terms and conditions identified by Respondent in its Proposal;

7.1.4 Change the Agency’s recommendation for Award and issue a Notice of Intent to Award to a Respondent whose proposal does not pose as great of a challenge to the Agency.

Any ambiguity, vagueness, inconsistency or conflict, either internal to such modification(s) or arising when read in conjunction with other portions of the Contract, shall be construed strictly in favor of the State. Only those proposed modifications identified in the Notice of Intent to Award issued by the Agency as terms and conditions with which the agency will or will not agree or further negotiate shall be part of the Contract, and the State may ignore all proposed modifications, accept one or more and ignore others, accept all or, through negotiations after an award, agree to compromise language concerning one or more proposed modifications to be incorporated into a final Contract between the parties.