10-Special Requirements.pdf

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS/INSTRUCTIONS

The following requirements and instructions supersede General Requirements where applicable.

VENDOR INSTRUCTIONS

Responses to this Request for Proposal (RFP) shall be formatted and organized in the following order for consistency and easy screening:

If submitting a hardcopy, all proposals must be typed, single spaced, and printed single-sided on 8 ½” by 11” paper.

Each section of the vendor’s response should start on a new page. A tabbed divider page marked with the section number should separate each section.

Sections I-IX below shall be uploaded under Bonfire’s Requested Information section.

The preferred submission is via Bonfire.

Section I: Transmittal Letter - The transmittal letter should include:

Company name and address; name, title, email, telephone and fax number of person(s) to be contacted for clarifications or additional information regarding proposal;

Name, title, email, telephone and fax number of person authorized to contractually obligate vendor’s company with proposal and any future negotiations; and

A brief statement summarizing the vendor’s understanding of the project and relevant experience.

Section II: Scope of Services/Narrative of Proposed Services

Demonstrate comprehensive fire investigation case management system capabilities that meet specific operational requirements of the Harris County Fire Marshal's Office.

Core case lifecycle management functionality from initial incident reporting through case closure and archival with automated case numbering aligned with Harris County Fire Marshal's Office protocols.

Support for multiple case types including structure fires, vehicle fires, wildland fires, arson investigations, and other fire-related incidents commonly investigated within Harris County.

Case assignment and reassignment capabilities that accommodate the organizational structure of Harris County including supervisory approval workflows and workload distribution among investigators.

Comprehensive evidence management functionality specifically designed for fire investigation requirements including digital evidence storage with chain of custody tracking, photograph and document management with metadata preservation, and physical evidence tracking capabilities.

Support for various evidence types commonly collected during fire investigations in Harris County including photographs, video files, laboratory reports, witness statements, and physical evidence documentation.

Evidence sharing capabilities allowing secure distribution of case materials to authorized personnel including prosecutors, insurance investigators, and other law enforcement agencies as required by Harris County protocols.

Geographic Information System integration capabilities specifically designed for Harris County's geographic boundaries and infrastructure with the ability to integrate with existing Harris County geographic information systems and databases.

Incident location mapping, fire spread pattern analysis, and geographic clustering of incidents for trend identification within Harris County.

Mapping functionality shall include the ability to overlay incident data with Harris County property records, utility infrastructure, and other relevant geographic datasets maintained by Harris County.

Standard reports including case status summaries, investigator workload analysis, case closure rates, and incident trend analysis specific to Harris County fire investigation activities.

Customizable report generation tools to allow authorized users to create ad-hoc reports based on various case parameters and timeframes with export capabilities supporting multiple formats.

Advanced analytics features shall include pattern recognition for potential arson series, resource allocation analysis, and performance metrics tracking aligned with Harris County operational goals.

System architecture designed to integrate existing Harris County technology infrastructure including network security protocols, user authentication systems, and data backup procedures

Detailed audit trails for all case activities, modifications, and access events to ensure accountability and support legal proceedings.

Mere reiterations of the specifications are strongly discouraged, as they do not provide insight into the vendor’s ability to meet the specifications.

Section III: Pricing Information – BidTable(s) shall be uploaded to Bonfire in an Excel format under the Requested

Information section of this solicitation for instructions.

Section IV: Experience and Qualifications

Experience developing and implementing fire investigation case management systems for fire marshal offices serving comparable populations and geographic areas to Harris County.

Understanding fire investigation workflows, evidence management requirements, and regulatory compliance issues specific to Texas fire investigation procedures.

Technical expertise in developing law enforcement and public safety systems with appropriate security features and a chain of custody capabilities documented through relevant projects and client references

Experience integrating with geographic information systems, emergency dispatch systems, and other public safety technologies commonly used by Harris County.

Qualifications and experience of key project personnel proposed for Harris County implementation including backgrounds in fire investigation system development and public sector project management

Track record of successful implementations for similar jurisdictions with demonstrated ability to meet operational requirements of fire investigation agencies.

Experience with data migration from legacy fire investigation systems and maintaining audit trail continuity during system transitions.

Proven capability in developing user interfaces specifically designed for fire investigation professionals and workflow patterns similar to Harris County operations.

References from comparable fire investigation agencies regarding system performance, reliability, and vendor support quality.

Experience working with Texas jurisdictions and understanding of state-specific regulatory requirements and fire investigation protocols.

Demonstrated expertise in developing mobile accessibility solutions for field operations in public safety environments.

History of successful long-term partnerships with fire investigation agencies and ability to provide ongoing system evolution and enhancement.

Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) Certification:

o The awarded vendor shall provide documentation demonstrating compliance with the current CJIS

Security Policy in accordance with Texas DPS standards, including certification of their cloud storage provider as a Texas DPS-approved Cloud Service Provider.

o Successful vendor must execute a CJIS Security Addendum with Harris County following award.

o All vendor and subcontractor personnel accessing Harris County data must be CJIS compliant, including Texas fingerprinting, background checks, signed CJIS Security Addenda, and CJIS Security Awareness Training.

Section V: Implementation Plan and Project Management Comprehensive implementation methodology and project timeline for deploying fire investigation case management system within Harris County.

Resource allocation planning and project team qualifications with demonstrated experience managing similar implementations for fire investigation agencies.

Data migration strategy from existing Harris County systems with data integrity verification and validation procedures to ensure accurate transfer of historical case information.

Integration planning with Harris County technology infrastructure including network security protocols, user authentication systems, and data backup procedures.

User acceptance testing protocols designed specifically for Harris County operational scenarios and workflow patterns.

Coordination procedures with Harris County IT personnel and Fire Marshal's Office staff throughout implementation process.

Risk management and contingency planning approach to minimize operational disruption to ongoing fire investigation activities in Harris County during system deployment.

Timeline for achieving full operational capability with vendor track record of meeting implementation schedules for comparable projects.

Transition period management for concurrent operation of multiple systems within Harris County.

Mobile interface deployment strategy for field operations throughout Harris County with secure synchronization capabilities.

Performance monitoring and system optimization procedures to maintain efficiency as case volumes and user populations grow within Harris County.

Quality assurance processes for system functionality verification and Harris County-specific requirement validation.

Change management procedures for Harris County .staff adaptation to new system capabilities and workflows.

The successful vendor shall be wholly responsible for oversight and implementation of the proposed system. If third-party components, subcontractors, or vendors are utilized, these must be fully disclosed in the proposal. The awarded vendor remains fully accountable for system performance and compliance.

Section VI: Security and Compliance Capabilities Data encryption capabilities meeting or exceeding industry standards for law enforcement systems with particular attention to protecting sensitive investigation information and personal data of Harris County residents.

Secure remote access capabilities for authorized Harris Count personnel while maintaining compliance with Harris County cybersecurity requirements.

Role-based access controls that allow granular permission management based on Harris County organizational structure and operational requirements.

Compliance with relevant federal, state, and local regulations governing fire investigation data management and evidence handling procedures applicable in Harris County.

Security architecture compatibility with existing Harris County cybersecurity protocols and network security infrastructure.

Audit trail capabilities and data integrity protection measures supporting legal proceedings and regulatory compliance requirements.

Track record of maintaining security standards and responding to security incidents in similar public safety implementations through references and security certifications.

Chain of custody tracking capabilities meeting legal standards for evidence management in fire investigation cases.

Secure evidence sharing protocols for distribution of case materials to authorized personnel including prosecutors, insurance investigators, and other law enforcement agencies.

Data backup and disaster recovery capabilities aligned with Harris County data protection policies and operational continuity requirements.

Section VII: Training and Support Services Comprehensive training programs specifically developed for Harris County personnel addressing various user roles and system functions.

Training materials reflecting the actual Harris County procedures and Houston-area case scenarios to maximize relevance and effectiveness.

Initial training covering all system functionality relevant to each user role within Harris County followed by advanced training modules for specialized features.

Ongoing training support to accommodate staff changes and system updates within Harris County.

Technical support capabilities with response times appropriate for operational needs of Harris County including system troubleshooting and user assistance.

Coordination procedures with Harris County IT personnel for infrastructure-related issues and system maintenance activities.

Regular system maintenance and updates to ensure continued compatibility with Harris County technology standards and evolving fire investigation requirements.

Performance monitoring and optimization services to maintain system efficiency as operations expand within Harris County.

Long-term support commitments and demonstrated ability to provide ongoing assistance to fire investigation agencies over extended periods through client references.

Service level agreement provisions defining support response times, availability, and escalation procedures for Harris County operations.

User documentation and help resources specifically tailored to Harris County procedures and system configuration.

Training for mobile interface usage and field operations capabilities throughout Harris County geographic area.

Section VIII: Legal Documents – Include any standard agreement(s) and/or contracts(s) associated with vendor’s response.

Section IX: Miscellaneous – State exceptions to any of the requirements in this RFP, if any. Company brochures, marketing materials, or any other information vendor deems appropriate to the RFP response may be included in this section.

Harris County will not be liable for any costs incurred by the vendor in preparing a response to this RFP. Vendors submit proposals at their own risk and expense. Harris County makes no guarantee that any products or services will be purchased as a result of this RFP and reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. All proposals and accompanying documentation will become the property of Harris County. All proposals are open to negotiation.

The vendor is expected to examine all documents, forms, specifications, and all instructions. Failure to do so will be at vendor’s risk.

At and after opening, proposals will NOT be part of the public record and subject to disclosure but will be kept confidential until time of award and execution of an agreement. When an award is made and an agreement is executed, proposals are subject to review under the “Public Information Act”. To the extent permitted by law, vendors may request in writing non-disclosure of confidential data. Such data shall accompany the proposal, be readily separable from the proposal, and shall be CLEARLY MARKED “CONFIDENTIAL”. For those portions identified as confidential by the vendor, Harris County must rely on advice, decisions and opinions of the Attorney General of the State of Texas relative to the disclosure of data or information.

EVALUATION PROCESS

All proposals will be examined by an evaluation committee consisting of various Harris County personnel and Harris County Purchasing.

Proposals that do not conform to the instructions or which do not address all the services as specified may be eliminated from consideration. However, Harris County reserves the right to accept such a proposal if it is determined to be in the best interest of Harris County.

While Harris County appreciates a brief, straightforward, concise reply, the proposer must fully understand that the evaluation is based on the information provided. Accuracy and completeness are essential. Omissions, ambiguous and equivocal statements may be construed against the proposer. The proposal response may be incorporated into any contract which results from this RFP, and vendors are cautioned not to make claims or statements it is not prepared to commit to contractually.

Failure of the vendor to meet such claims will result in a requirement that the vendor provide resources necessary to meet submitted claims.

Harris County Purchasing may initiate discussions with selected vendors; however, discussions may not be initiated by vendors.

Harris County Purchasing expects to conduct discussions with vendor’s representatives authorized to contractually obligate the vendor with an offer. Vendors shall not contact any Harris County personnel during the RFP process without the express permission from the Office of the Harris County Purchasing Agent. Harris County Purchasing may disqualify any vendor who has made site visits, contacted Harris County personnel or distributed any literature without authorization from Harris County Purchasing.

All correspondence relating to this RFP, from advertisement to award shall be sent to Harris County Purchasing. All presentations and/or meetings between Harris County and the vendor relating to this RFP shall be coordinated by Harris County Purchasing.

Selected vendors may be expected to make a presentation/product demonstration to an evaluation committee. Proposals, vendor presentations and product/service evaluations may develop into negotiating sessions with the vendor(s) as selected by the Evaluation Committee. Harris County expects to conduct negotiations with vendor’s representatives authorized to contractually obligate the vendor with an offer. If vendor is unable to agree to contract terms and conditions, Harris County reserves the right to terminate contract negotiations with that vendor and initiate negotiations with another vendor. In addition to a presentation, visits by the Evaluation Committee to representative vendor client sites may be conducted where the proposed solution can be demonstrated in a production environment.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Award shall be made to the responsible vendor whose proposal is determined to be the best evaluated offer resulting from negotiations and taking into consideration all aspects of proposal impact items for the following:

Scope of Services/Narrative of Proposed Services (Section II)……………………………………………………….35% Pricing (Section III)………………...………………….………………………………..……………………………10% Experience and Qualifications (Section IV)…………………………………………………………………………..25% Implementation Plan and Project Management (Section V)………….…………………………………………….....15% Security and Compliance Capabilities (Section VI)….……………………………………………………………….10% Training and Support Services (Section VII)…………………………………………………………………………..5% Cybersecurity and Information Technology Controls…………………………………………………………..[Pass/Fail]

Vendor shall acknowledge and agree to abide by the County Cybersecurity and Information Technology Controls defined within the attachment.

Cybersecurity Technical Questionnaire (when applicable): IT Infrastructure Planning and Security Governance (I2PSG) committee review to assess IT security and/or cybersecurity risk of proposed solution shall apply if the proposed product(s)/solution(s) needs or requires access to the Harris County network. The intent of this review phase is to ensure that proposed product(s)/solution(s) meet or exceed the minimum IT security and/or cybersecurity requirements.

Product(s)/solution(s) will receive a “Pass/Fail” rating. Product(s)/solution(s) receiving a Fail rating may only be considered for award if they do not require access to the Harris County network.

Submission of a proposal implies the vendor's acceptance of the evaluation criteria and vendor’s recognition that subjective judgments must be made by the Evaluation Committee.

AWARD

Harris County anticipates awarding to a single vendor. However, Harris County reserves the right to award to more than one (1) vendor if in the best interest of Harris County. Harris County reserves the right to review vendor facilities and/or mobile units for compliance prior to award.

The County may award to more than one (1) vendor as “Primary” and “Secondary” vendor. The “Secondary” vendor will be utilized due to time constraints, availability, etc.

No award can be made until approved by Harris County Commissioners Court. This RFP does not obligate Harris County to the eventual purchase of any product/service described, implied or which may be proposed. Progress toward this end is solely at the discretion of Harris County and may be terminated at any time prior to execution of an agreement.

The rates quoted on the BidTable must be all-inclusive. “All-inclusive” shall be construed as costs incorporating all charges for testing, labor, material, equipment, delivery, training, support and any other cost incurred. No separate line item rates or charges will be accepted. Quantities are estimates. Harris County may require more or less. In case of discrepancy between unit and total pricing, unit pricing governs.

CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PARTIES (FORM 1295)

Texas law requires all parties who enter into any contract with the County which must be approved by Commissioners Court to disclose all interested parties. Form 1295 must be completed in its entirety at the following website: prior to submitting your response. Failure to do so may result in disqualification of your response.

LEGAL DOCUMENTS

Vendor should submit any agreement for products/services which may be required by the vendor’s organization to enter into a contract with Harris County. The awarded vendor will be required to execute an agreement with Harris County which finalizes the terms and conditions set forth in vendor’s proposal, best and final offer, and any negotiations between vendor and Harris County. The agreement is subject to review and amendment by the Harris County Attorney’s Office.

INVOICES

Vendor shall submit an invoice upon completion of each deliverable. Deliverables will be considered complete only upon written acceptance by Harris County. Each invoice shall include deliverable(s) completed and the price for each. Each invoice shall include deliverable(s) completed and the price for each. Invoice shall be submitted on a monthly basis for work performed during the previous month. All payment requests will be accompanied by applicable: weekly/monthly reports, backup tabulations, and copies of employee time sheets for hourly T&M (Time and Material) tasks. No charges may be billed to Harris County unless such costs are explicitly included in the agreement. Invoices will be sent to:

Harris County Auditor’s Office c/o Accounts Payable 1001 Preston, Suite 800 Houston, Texas 77002

Or emailed to: VENDORINVOICES@HCTX.NET

The exact format for monthly invoices and other attachments will be agreed upon between the vendor and Harris County during contract negotiations.

PURCHASE ORDER

Services and/or products must not be provided and invoices will not be paid without a purchase order, signed by the Harris County Purchasing Agent. Purchase orders will be written in annual increments when applicable. Once a purchase order is issued, the using department will contact the vendor directly to place service orders.

PAYMENTS

Vendor shall be compensated monthly based on a milestone or progress-payment basis. Payments will be provided for monthly progress based on completion of accepted milestones. Invoices shall contain a written report of the project progress and the progressed project schedule showing the completion percentages for each task and milestone.

TOLL/PARKING FEES

Any and all tolls and parking fees incurred by the vendor during the term of this contract will be the responsibility of the vendor.

PUBLIC INFORMATION CONSENT

The parties expressly acknowledge that each party is subject to the Texas Public Information Act, Tex. Gov’t Code Ann. §§

552.001 et seq., as amended, and notwithstanding any provision in this contract to the contrary, each party will make any information related to this contract, or otherwise, available to third parties in accordance with the Texas Public Information Act.

COUNTY NOT OBLIGATED TO THIRD PARTIES

Neither the County nor related agencies are obligated or liable under this contract to any party other than vendor. Nothing in this contract is intended to, or shall be deemed or construed to, create or enhance any remedies in any independent rights of any third party, including any subcontractors.

OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION (OSHA) COMPLIANCE

Vendor agrees that vendor is solely responsible for compliance by employees, or individuals performing services on its behalf under this contract with the final regulations issued by the OSHA governing employee exposure to bloodborne pathogens in the workplace under Section VI(b) of the OSHA Act of 1970, as amended, and regulations effective March 6, 1992, and as may be amended or superseded from time to time (the “Regulations”), including but not limited to responsibility as “the employer” to provide all employees with: (1) information and training about the hazards associated with blood and other potentially infectious materials; (2) information and training about the protective measures to be taken to minimize the risk of occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens; (3) training in the appropriate action to take in an emergency involving exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials; and (4) information as to the reasons the employee should participate in hepatitis B vaccination and post-exposure evaluation and follow-up. Vendor’s responsibility with respect to the Regulations also shall include the provision of the hepatitis B vaccination in accordance with the Regulations.

NON-DISCRIMINATION

The parties agree that they will not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, creed, sex, age, veteran status, or handicap in either the selection of employees for provision of services under this contract, or as to any aspect of services provided pursuant to this contract; provided, however, that with respect to handicap, the handicap must be such as would, even with reasonable accommodation, in and of itself preclude the individual’s effective delivery of services under this contract.

INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

The parties hereby acknowledge that they are independent contractors, and neither the vendor nor any of its agents, representatives, personnel, staff, or employees shall be considered agents, representatives, or employees of Harris County.

In no event shall this contract be construed as establishing a partnership or joint venture or similar relationship between the parties hereto. Vendor agrees that it is and shall be liable for its own debts, obligations, acts and omissions, including the payment of all required withholding, social security, and other taxes or benefits including worker’s compensation insurance.

Vendor agrees to assure that no employee or any other individual who performs services on behalf of vendor pursuant to this contract shall look to Harris County for any salaries, insurance, or other benefits whatsoever. The provisions of the paragraph shall survive expiration or termination of this contract regardless of the cause of such termination.

POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST

Notwithstanding any other requirements contained in the General Requirements section, the Potential Conflicts of Interest section specifically disqualifies any consultant, contractor and or any other entity who may have been a contributor to the creation of this RFP from proposing on this RFP and shall constitute a “prohibited proposal”.

SUBCONTRACTOR

Should the awarded vendor use any subcontractor(s) to perform the physical services required under this contract and the total contract amount proposed exceeds $25,000, the vendor shall be required to obtain a payment bond for the total amount of the vendor’s proposal. The payment bond shall remain in effect for the entire initial term of the contract. For the purposes of this RFP, a subcontractor shall include anyone performing any Work or Services under the resulting contract not directly employed by vendor. Subcontractor includes but is not limited to, personnel provided by staffing agencies or other means, personnel in direct contractual relationship with vendor, or those being paid as 1099 personnel. Where appropriate, it shall also mean trade vendors.

By law, any subcontractor used on any Harris County contract/job must be paid by the awarded vendor. Any cost associated with the payment bond must be included in the costs associated with this contract. A new payment bond will be required each year the contract is renewed. Harris County will provide the appropriate bond documents to the awarded vendor to complete and submit prior to commencing any work.

BOND

If successful vendor utilizes a subcontractor, successful vendor is required to furnish a payment bond in the amount of 100% of proposal within ten (10) days of the award. The payment bond must remain in effect for the duration of the contract including renewals. Upon award, Harris County Purchasing will send awarded vendor a payment bond application.

DATA BREACH OR SUSPECTED BREACH

Vendor shall have policies and procedures in place for the effective management of information security. In the event that vendor discovers a “security incident,” the vendor agrees to notify the County as soon as possible, but in no event shall notification occur later than 24 hours after discovery. “Security incident” is defined by Sec. 2054.603 of the Texas Government Code to include (i) a breach or suspected breach of system security (as defined by Sec. 521.053, Texas Business and Commerce Code), and (ii) the introduction of ransomware (as defined by Sec. 33.023, Texas Penal Code) into a computer, computer network, or computer system. Vendor shall provide notifications required by this clause to the County’s Chief Information Officer at 713-274-4444 or svcitchd@hctx.net.