2026_002 VoIP Telephone System.pdf

City of Thomasville, Georgia

Request for Proposals (RFP) for:

RFP #2026-002: VoIP Telephone System

Issue Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2026

Issued By: City of Thomasville 111 Victoria Place Thomasville, GA 31792

Inquiries: Lori McCardle Purchasing Administrator City of Thomasville lori.mccardle@thomasville.org

Proposals Due/Opening: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 at 11:00 AM EST mailto:lori.mccardle@thomasville.org

CITY OF THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA

RFP #2026-002: VoIP TELEPHONE SYSTEM

RFP CALENDAR OF EVENTS

EVENT DATE

Date of Issue: February 11, 2026 Walk-through/Site Visits: Week of February 23, 2026 Last day to submit questions: March 11, 2026 @ 2:00 PM Date of final answers: March 13, 2026 @ 4:00 PM Proposal due date: March 18, 2026 @ 11:00 AM Copies of proposal required: 1 original and 1 digital copy on USB drive Proposal opening date: March 18, 2026 @ 11:00 AM Proposal submission location: 111 Victoria Street, Thomasville, GA Proposal opening location: 111 Victoria Street, Thomasville, GA Project name: VoIP Telephone System

• The City of Thomasville reserves the right to modify this schedule at its sole discretion if it deems necessary.

• All times above are in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

1. Proposers shall submit one (1) signed original WITHOUT pricing, (1) digital copy on USB drive WITHOUT pricing, and one (1) separately paper copy of the Proposal Project’s pricing/cost must be enclosed in a sealed plain envelope, with “RFP #2026-002: VoIP TELEPHONE SYSTEM” on the outside and must be filed with the Purchasing Administrator of the City of Thomasville, located at 111 Victoria Place, Thomasville, Georgia 31792. In the event you choose to mail your proposal, it should be mailed to Lori H. McCardle, Purchasing Administrator, P.O. Box 1540, Thomasville, Georgia 31799.

2. No proposer will be allowed to withdraw his proposal for any reason whatsoever after the RFP’s have been opened.

3. The specifications and scope of work following represent the minimum performance characteristics desired in the services to be purchased. These requirements are not intended to prevent obtaining fair prices or to eliminate competition, but to ensure, if possible, that all proposals submitted shall not be subject to correction or alteration after the RFP has been filed, opened, and publicly read. In view of an unusual wide disparity in details of design and manufacture, complete descriptive literature and manufacturer’s specifications must be submitted on each type of equipment offered. The City of Thomasville reserves the right to evaluate any or all RFP’s, particularly where there is a range in specifications. Special consideration will be given to the ready availability of repair parts and service.

4. Federal or State taxes are not applicable to Georgia Municipalities under the United States Code

Title 26 and Georgia Exemption Certificate Number 3-465-686-300-1.

5. It is expressly understood by the proposer that written notice of the award or purchase order from the Purchasing Office of the City of Thomasville will constitute an agreement and consummate the transaction and will serve together with the proposal, the advertisement, these instructions and the detailed specifications, as the entire form of contract between the parties.

6. The proposer agrees that the City of Thomasville reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or to accept the part of the RFP considered, or to resolicit proposers if no proposal is accepted, being in the best interest of the City.

7. Specifications and the scope of work referred to are minimal, therefore unless otherwise indicated by the proposer, the City will assume proposals meet or exceed all specifications.

8. The names of a certain brand, make or definite specifications are to demote quality standard of the article desired, but do not restrict proposers to the specific brand, make or manufacturer named; it is to set forth and convey to prospective proposers the general style, type, character and quality of the article desired.

9. The City of Thomasville reserves the right to reject all RFP’s as appears in its own best interest and to waive technicalities.

CITY OF THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA

RFP #2026-002: VoIP TELEPHONE SYSTEM

A. PURPOSE

The City of Thomasville, Georgia, located 25 miles north of the Florida border in the Southwest corner of Georgia, and county seat of Thomas County, Georgia, is seeking proposals from a provider for a VoIP Telephone System within the City of Thomasville facilities.

B. GENERAL INFORMATION AND SCHEDULE

This RFP has been issued on February 11, 2026. Each firm is to prepare their response according to the RFP format, i.e., by section and paragraph of this RFP. The City of Thomasville, Georgia reserves the right to reject an proposal not submitted within the required time frame; reject any incomplete proposal submitted; contact client references; require further information; and/or require interviews with any responding firm. All costs related to the preparation, submittal, and/or presentation of this RFP are the responsibility of the respondent and will not be assumed in full or in part by the City of Thomasville, Georgia.

All inquiries regarding this RFP MUST be via email addressed to:

Lori McCardle, Purchasing Administrator City of Thomasville, Georgia E-mail: lori.mccardle@thomasville.org

Responses to all written inquiries received by 2:00 PM EST, March 11, 2026, will be posted to the City’s website as an addendum. No other City staff or officials associated with the Project should be contacted regarding this RFP. Doing so may result in disqualification.

Proposers shall submit one (1) signed original WITHOUT pricing, one (1) digital copy on USB drive WITHOUT pricing, and one (1) separately sealed paper copy of the Proposal Project’s pricing/cost of the proposal are to be submitted to:

Hand delivered to: Mailed to:

City of Thomasville City of Thomasville Purchasing Administrator, Lori McCardle Purchasing Administrator, Lori McCardle 111 Victoria Place P.O. Box 1540 Thomasville, GA 31792 Thomasville, GA 31799

Proposals MUST be submitted no later than 11:00 AM EST, March 18, 2026. Proposals must be received in a sealed envelope or container marked “RFP #2026-002: VoIP TELEPHONE SYSTEM” and be delivered either in-person or by mail to the Purchasing Admininstrator before the stated deadline above. Place the Project name and the opening date on the submitting envelope or container.

mailto:lori.mccardle@thomasville.org

No proposal will be received or accepted after the above specified date and time of the proposal opening. Proposals submited after the designated date and time will be deemed invalid and returned unopened to the proponent.

An order will be awarded to the vendor whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous for the City of Thomasville, considering all the conditions set forth in this RFP. While price will be an important factor, it alone will not be the deciding factor in the selection process. Issuance of this RFP does not constitute a commitment on the part of the City of Thomasville to award a contract pursuant to this RFP. The City of Thomasville reserves the right to reject any and all proposals submitted in response to this RFP, in whole or in part, and to award a contract pursuant to this RFP or cancel this RFP if it is considered to be in the best interests of the City of Thomasville. The City of Thomasville further reserves the right to make changes to this RFP at any time by issuance of written addendum/addenda, amendment(s) or clarification(s).

C. BACKGROUND

The City of Thomasville is looking to replace our existing Siemens PBX telephone system.

Our current Siemens PBX system has approximately 400 analog and/or digital phone lines configured throughout 19 municipal buildings. The 19 municipal buildings are interconnected via Fiber with a minimum capacity of 1 Gbps symmetrical shared between data and voice.

D. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The project shall include the replacement of the current telephone system by migrating to a voice over internet protocol (VoIP) phone system. This shall include approximately 400 VoIP telephones, 400 10’ Cat6 patch cables, enterprise license for VM VoIP software and labor. Additionally, upgrade all existing Siemens PBX telephone system to needed VoIP components, virtual machines and new equipment to the latest software version (ACD groups, call routing, voice mail, etc.). This project shall also include system testing, all necessary and required documentation and warranties. This project shall also include any required equipment, materials, labor and services not specifically mentioned which may be necessary to complete or perfect all parts of the installation.

This project shall adhere to all federal, state and local laws and technical specifications that are applicable.

List of Applicable City Buildings:

1) Municipal Administration Building

2) Municipal Auditorium & Tourism Building

3) Electrical Engineering, Utility Response Center, and Warehouse Building

4) Public Works & Sanitation Building

5) Fleet Maintenance Services Building

6) Operations Building

7) City of Thomasville Police Department

8) Human Resources Building (current location will be renovated to house a different department)

9) Human Resources Building (future location at the Housing and Resource Center building)

10) Civil Engineering Building

11) EMS/Fire Station Number 1

12) EMS/Fire Station Number 2

13) EMS/Fire Station Number 3

14) City Golf Course

15) Water Treatment Plant

16) Landfill

17) Cemetery Building

18) Airport Main Terminal

19) Water Pollution Control Plant

It is anticipated that the VoIP Telephone System project will contain the following scope of work:

1) Project Scope

a) Total refresh of all devices.

b) City will assist with IT support and networking/support needed to complete job.

c) All pricing should include installation, cabling, small parts.

d) City will handle end user deployments.

2) System Requirements

a) Deployment Options: On-premises, cloud-based, or hybrid solutions. If your firm would like to propose both an on-premises solution and a cloud-based solution; we welcome you to submit two separate proposals.

b) Call Management Features: Auto-attendant, call routing, call recording, call queuing, voicemail, conference calling, etc.

c) Scalability: The ability to add/remove users, support multiple locations, and handle increased call volume.

d) Mobility and Remote Work: Support for mobile devices, smartphone apps, and remote work capabilities are a plus.

e) Emergency Services Compliance: E911 compliance for accurate location tracking.

3) Consultant shall recognize and perform with all stated intents, specifications, and stipulations contained or referenced herein. Each consultant shall be responsible for researching the existing conditions and matters that may affect the cost or performance of the installation services. The successful consultant shall have a reasonable working knowledge of projects of this nature.

4) Failure to examine any and all documents will in no way relieve the consultant from the necessity of furnishing any materials or equipment, or performing any work that may be required to complete the project in accordance to the RFP. Neglect of above requirements will not be accepted as reason for delay in work or additional compensation.

5) It shall be clearly demonstrated in the proposal that the successful consultant has sufficient, qualified, and experienced staff to adequately perform all installation outlined in the RFP.

6) All supervision, labor, materials, and equipment necessary to complete the construction shall be furnished by the consultant.

7) All equipment shall be safe, proper, efficient, and suited to and for the job.

8) Upon acceptance of the proposal, the consultant shall coordinate with the City’s IT Project

Manager, Derrius Dawson, to arrange an acceptable schedule for the installation.

9) Invoice shall be submitted to the attention of the City’s IT CIO and Accounts Payable at email address ap@thomasville.org. Payment is due by the City net 30 days from the acceptance of the invoice based on the invoice date.

10) All sites must remain operational during installation. A cut-over date shall be agreed up between the City’s IT CIO and consultant.

E. PROPOSAL FORMAT/EVALUATION CRITERIA

This section defines the proposal format to be used by respondents. All proposals shall be submitted in the format outlined herein. In preparing submissions, respondents shall describe in detail the services proposed to be provided and how service delivery will be accomplished. Respondents shall also identify equipment requirements and the cost of providing design for each category identified. The minimum levels of services to be provided are described in this RFP.

An Evaluation Committee will review all submissions to determine which Proposers have qualified for consideration. The proposals will be publicly opened, and the vendor announced in the Purchasing Department at the appointed time. The proposals will be considered by the City Council at a regularly scheduled City Council meeting within 45-60 days of the proposal’s opening.

The primary criteria for vendor evaluation, consideration and scoring weights are:

1. Experience/Performance – Review of past performance on projects of similar nature as the proposed project; evaluation of client references whether included in the proposal response or not;

overall responsiveness to Owner’s needs. Please provide at least 2 references. (35% of total score)

2. Staffing – Evaluation of the list of personnel specifically assigned to the proposed project, including their qualifications, overall experience and recent experience on projects of similar nature and complexity to the proposed project. Vendor will supply a team of user experience, design and development professionals to supplement the development process led by the project manager. This team should include staff members with experience in local government, telephony project management, accessibility and support and training of the system. (25% of total score) mailto:ap@thomasville.org

3. Implementation & Support Approach – Evaluation of the overall understanding of the scope of the proposed project; completeness, adequacy and responsiveness to the required information of the request for proposals. This should include a preliminary Project schedule by task and milestones that will be used to administer the Project. (20% of total score)

4. Availability – Evaluation of the workload of the proposing firm and the staffing to be assigned to the proposed project; time schedule of the proposer in relation to that of the proposed project location of the offices or facilities from which the services are to be provided to the Owner. (10% of total score)

5. Cost – Evaluation of costs associated with the project as well as ongoing maintenance cost. (10% of total score)

CRITERIA WEIGHT POINT VALUE/RATING

Experience/Performance 35% 0-3

Staffing 25% 0-3

Implementation & Support Approach 20% 0-3

Availability 10% 0-3

Cost – include support fees 10% 0-3

TOTAL 100 percent 15 points

Proposers should be aware that finalists may be required to participate in on-site interviews to allow staff to fully understand and validate the proposed implementation approach and meet key proposed personnel. At the completion of the interviews, the City may have additional questions for the finalists to ensure that all pertinent information is reviewed prior to finalizing negotiations.

The City of Thomasville will receive competitive proposals from firms having specific experience and qualifications in the areas identified in this solicitation. Under competitive negotiation procedures, the terms of the service contract, the price of the services, the method of service delivery, and the conditions of performance are all negotiable. A negotiated contract will be awarded to the agency that best meets the proposed needs at a reasonable price, not necessarily at the lowest price.

For consideration, proposals must contain descriptions of the agency’s experience and abilities to perform pursuant to the City of Thomasville requirements. Unless otherwise stated, all proposals shall address each criterion identified in this RFP.

Provide the following Qualifications and Information within the Sections of the RFP above:

Firm and Consultants’ Information:

a. Firm name, address, and telephone number.

b. Primary contact person(s) and telephone number(s). This person will be the point of contact throughout the entire Project.

c. Year firm established.

d. Provide an outline of the steps you propose in order to meet the services required in this RFP. This detail should indicate what is to be done, who individually, and by name is responsible to do it, and when it is to be completed.

F. RESERVED RIGHTS

Issuance of this RFP does not constitute a commitment on the part of the City of Thomasville to award a contract pursuant to this RFP. The City of Thomasville reserves the right to reject any and all proposals submitted in response to this RFP, in whole or in part, and to award a contract pursuant to this RFP or cancel this RFP if it is considered to be in the best interests of the City of Thomasville. The City of Thomasville further reserves the right to make changes to this RFP at any time by issuance of written addendum/addenda, amendments(s) or clarification(s).

G. OWNER QUESTIONS

Any firm that submits a proposal may be requested to provide additional information to the City of Thomasville. Such information is only for the purpose of clarification and in no way changes the firm’s proposal as originally submitted. The City of Thomasville reserves the right to ask any or all firms to clarify any portion of their proposals after submission.

H. COSTS OF PROPOSALS

The City of Thomasville is not responsible or liable for any of the costs incurred by any firm in preparing and/or submitting a proposal pursuant to this RFP.

I. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

The City of Thomasville prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, religion, national origin, or disability in connection with employment of any person, or the award of any contract with the corporation. The City of Thomasville will provide equal opportunities without regard to race, color, gender, religion, national origin, or disability, by requiring that any bank doing business with the corporation provide equal opportunity to persons and businesses employed by, or contracting with the supplier of products and services to the Corporation.

J. GENERAL CONDITIONS

Upon submission of a proposal, the proposer hereby certifies on behalf of his company or organization that:

1. This proposal is genuine and not made in the interest of, or on behalf of, an undisclosed person, firm or corporation.

2. This proposal is not submitted in conformity with any agreement or rules of any group, association, organization or corporation.

3. The Firm has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other proposer to submit a false or sham bid.

4. The Firm has not solicited or induced any person, firm or corporation to refrain from proposing.

5. The Firm has not sought by collusion to obtain for itself any advantages over any other bidder or over the City of Thomasville.

K. INSURANCE

a. The firm shall, at its own expense, provide and maintain during the term of this contract, the minimum amounts of insurance specified below. The insurer shall be in good standing within the state of Georgia through the Insurance Commissioner’s Office and must be rated “A” or better, with AM Best Company.

b. Before commencing work under the contract, the firm shall provide to City of Thomasville, Attn: Purchasing Administrator, a Certificate of Insurance, evidencing the required kinds and amounts of insurance. The minimum kinds and amounts of insurance shall be:

i. Workers’ Compensation – Contractors are required to comply with applicable Federal and Georgia State workers’ compensation statutes. Policies covering Workers’ Compensation liability shall provide coverage of statutory benefits and employers liability of at least $1,000,000 for each incident.

ii. General Liability - $2,000,000 aggregate; $1,000,000 per occurrence.

iii. Professional Liability - $2,000,000 per occurrence/aggregate.

iv. Vehicle Liability – Vehicle liability insurance shall be written on the comprehensive policy – Combined single limit of at least $1,000,000 to include hired vehicles and non-owned vehicle. The policy shall provide for bodily injury and property damage liability covering the operation of all automobiles used in connection with performing the contract.

c. The Certificate of Insurance shall contain an endorsement stating that any coverage change, or cancellation shall not be effective until 60 days after the insurer or firm gives written notice to the City’s Purchasing Administrator.

d. The firm’s general liability insurance policy shall list as an additional insured:

i. City of Thomasville, Georgia

L. BILLING FOR SERVICES PROVIDED

A purchase order number will be awarded upon contract approval. Payment for the work performed shall be made upon receipt of an approved invoice. The invoice shall detail services rendered and include the purchase order number. All original invoices shall be e-mailed to ap@thomasville.org or mailed to City of Thomasville Accounts Payable, P.O. Box 1540, Thomasville, Georgia 31799.

Failure to comply with this provision may result in delayed payments for services rendered.

A proper invoice shall include the items listed below:

• Name and address of the vendor

• Invoice date and invoice number. (The vendor should date invoices as close as possible to the date of the mailing or transmission.)

• Purchase order number issued for the contract.

• Description, quantity, unit of measure, unit price, and extended price of services performed.

• Payment terms (e.g., discount for prompt payment terms).

• Name and address to whom payment is to be sent.

• Name (where practicable), title, phone number, and mailing address of the person to notify in the event of a defective invoice.

• Any other information or documentation required by the contract.

M. MANDATORY PROPOSAL FORMS

Vendor must complete, execute and include with the proposal the following mandatory documents:

A. Contractor Affidavit B. Subcontractor Affidavit C. Non-Collusion Affidavit D. Vendor Application E. Cost Summary F. Addenda Acknowledgment Form

Contractor Affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b)(l)

The undersigned contractor ("Contractor") executes this Affidavit to comply with O.C.G.A § 13-10-91 related to any contract to which Contractor is a party that is subject to O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91 and hereby verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91, attesting as follows:

a) The Contractor has registered with, is authorized to use and uses the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, or any subsequent replacement program;

b) The Contractor will continue to use the federal work authorization program throughout the contract period, including any renewal or extension thereof;

c) The Contractor will notify the public employer in the event the Contractor ceases to utilize the federal work authorization program during the contract period, including renewals or extensions thereof;

d) The Contractor understands that ceasing to utilize the federal work authorization program constitutes a material breach of Contract;

e) The Contractor will contract for the performance of services in satisfaction of such contract only with subcontractors who present an affidavit to the Contractor with the information required by O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(a), (b), and (c);

f) The Contractor acknowledges and agrees that this Affidavit shall be incorporated into any contract(s) subject to the provisions of O.C.G.A. § 13-10- 91 for the project listed below to which Contractor is a party after the date hereof without further action or consent by Contractor; and

g) Contractor acknowledges its responsibility to submit copies of any affidavits, drivers' licenses, and identification cards required pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91 to the public employer within five business days of receipt.

Federal Work Authorization User Identification Number Date of Authorization

Name of Contractor Name of Project

Name of Public Employer

I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on _________, _____, 20_____ in _______________ (city), __________ (state).

Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent

Printed Name and Title of Authorized Officer or Agent

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME

ON THIS THE _______ DAY OF _____________, 20______.

NOTARY PUBLIC

My Commission Expires: _____________________________

Subcontractor Affidavit under O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b)(3)

By executing this affidavit, the undersigned subcontractor verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91, stating affirmatively that the individual, firm or corporation which is engaged in the physical performance of services under a contract with _________________________ on behalf of City of Thomasville has registered with, is authorized to use and uses the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, or any subsequent replacement program, in accordance with the applicable provisions and deadlines established in O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91. Furthermore, the undersigned subcontractor will continue to use the federal work authorization program throughout the contract period, and the undersigned subcontractor will contract for the physical performance of services in satisfaction of such contract only with sub-subcontractors who present an affidavit to the subcontractor with the information required by O.C.G.A.

§ 13-10-91(b). Additionally, the undersigned subcontractor will forward notice of the receipt of an affidavit from a sub-subcontractor to the contractor within five business days of receipt. If the undersigned subcontractor receives notice that a sub-subcontractor has received an affidavit from any other contracted sub-subcontractor, the undersigned subcontractor must forward, within five business days of receipt, a copy of the notice to the contractor. Subcontractor hereby attests that its federal work authorization user identification number and date of authorization are as follows:

Federal Work Authorization User Identification Number

Date of Authorization

Name of Subcontractor

Name of Project

Name of Public Employer

I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on , , 202 in (city), (state).

Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent

Printed Name and Title of Authorized Officer or Agent

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME

ON THIS THE DAY OF , 202 .

NOTARY PUBLIC

My Commission Expires:

Revised 02/11/11 SPD-SP012

CERTIFICATE OF NON-COLLUSION

By responding to this solicitation, the supplier understands and agrees to the following:

1. That the submitted response constitutes an offer, which when accepted in writing by the CITY

OF THOMASVILLE, GA, and subject to the terms and conditions of such acceptance, will constitute a valid and binding contract between the undersigned and the CITY OF THOMASVILLE, GA; and

2. That the supplier has read the specifications and requirements shown or referenced in the solicitation and that the supplier’s response is made in accordance with the provisions of such specifications and requirements except as expressly stated otherwise in the supplier’s response;

and

3. That the supplier guarantees and certifies that all items included in the supplier’s response meet or exceed any and all such stated specifications and requirements of the solicitation except as expressly stated otherwise in the supplier’s response; and

4. That, if awarded a contract, the supplier will deliver goods and/or services that meet or exceed the specifications and requirements of the solicitation except as expressly stated otherwise in the supplier’s response; and

5. That the response submitted by the supplier shall be valid and held open for a period of one hundred and twenty (120) days (or such other time period as identified in the solicitation) from the final solicitation closing date and that the response may be held open for an additional period of time subject to the supplier’s consent; and

6. That the supplier’s response is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a response for the same materials, supplies, equipment, or services and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. The supplier understands and agrees that collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards; and

7. That the provisions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Sections 45-10-20 et seq. have not been violated and will not be violated in any respect.

DO NOT MODIFY THE BID/PROPOSAL CERTIFICATION TERMS IN ANY WAY. THIS FORM MUST BE

COMPLETED, SIGNED AND SUBMITTED WITH YOUR RESPONSE.

Contractor’s Full Legal Name:

(PLEASE TYPE OR PRINT)

Authorized Signature:

Printed Name and Title of Person Signing:

Date:

Company Address:

FAX Number:

Email Address:

*This table must be completed in its entirety by the supplier.

P. O. BOX 1540

THOMASVILLE, GEORGIA 31799-1540

(229) 227-3259

(229) 227-3243 FAX

VENDOR’S APPLICATION

Please type or print legibly all information requested below. Failure to furnish all information requested shall be just cause for rejection of this application.

The City of Thomasville reserves the right to make necessary investigations deemed advisable prior to adding an applicant to the City’s Vendor List, and also to reject any applicant for whatever reason(s) to best serve in the interest of the City of Thomasville.

TYPE OF ORGANIZATION: DATE OF APPLICATION

Manufacturer/Producer Name & Address of Applicant’s Sales Office

Dealer

Service Agency (repairs)

Corporation State Inc.

Individually Owned PHONE#

Other FAX#

FEID # ________________________

E-Verify Company ID # _________ REMIT TO ADDRESS (If Different)

Name & title of person(s) authorized to Sign Bids, Quotes, and Contracts:

NUMBER OF YEARS IN BUSINESS

Please list all major products or services available by your company:

COST SUMMARY

THE COST PROPOSAL SHOULD BE IN A SEPARATE ENVELOPE, SEALED AND DELIVERED

TO THE CITY OF THOMASVILLE, ALONG WITH THE PROPROSAL.

Amounts should contain no taxes and include all transportation and delivery, FOB, to the City of Thomasville, Georgia. All costs shall be in actual dollar-and-cent amounts. Please provide the best estimate for travel costs, and other miscellaneous items. The City of Thomasville reserves the right to procure by other means any personal computers needed.

Bid Proposal Form

The pricing shall reflect a complete operational system. All associated labor, installation materials, wiring and software will be included in these prices. Labor and Material shall conform to the VoIP Telephone System specifications. Material not specifically covered by the specification shall be provided and installed in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and standard industry practices.

Price for providing a VoIP Telephone System:

TOTAL PROJECT COST: $_________________________

DETAILED PRICING:

LICENSES: $_________________________

SERVICES: $_________________________

SUPPORT: $_________________________

TRAINING: $_________________________

RENEWAL: $_________________________

Company Name: _______________________________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

City: ____________________________________ State: ________________

Fax: ____________________ Office: ____________________

Signature: _____________________________________________________________________

BY SIGNING THIS DOCUMENT I ACKNOWLEDGE THAT I HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD AND

ACCEPT THE

COMPLETE TERMS, CONDITIONS, AND SPECIFICATIONS CONTAINED HEREIN.

Printed Name: __________________________________________________________________

ADDENDA ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

The vendor has examined and carefully studied the Specifications and the following Addenda. Receipt of all of which is hereby acknowledged:

Addendum No: Dated: Acknowledgement Initial Addendum No: Dated: Acknowledgement Initial Addendum No: Dated: Acknowledgement Initial

Vendors must acknowledge any issued addenda. Proposals which fail to acknowledge the vendor’s receipt of any addendum will result in the rejection of the proposal if the addendum contained information which substantively changes the Owner’s requirement.

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. CHANGES: The City of Thomasville may materially change the objectives. Such changes may include additions, deletions, or other revisions within the general scope of RFP requirements. No changes or adjustments shall be made without a written amendment to this RFP, signed by the Purchasing Administrator.

2. WITHDRAWAL OF BIDS: Bids may be withdrawn by written requests only, if the request is received prior to the time and date set for the opening of bids. No proposer will be allowed to withdraw his proposal for any reason whatsoever after the RFPs have been opened.

3. PAYMENT: Payments will be made upon all items completed each month of completion of all work and acceptance by City on invoices submitted and approved by the proper City representative net thirty (30) days of invoice date.

3.1 Federal or State taxes are not applicable to Georgia Municipalities under the United States Code

Title 26 and Georgia Exemption Certificate Number 3-465-686-300-1. Items on this order are exempt from Federal Excise Tax and Georgia Sales and Use Tax. A certificate will be furnished if requested. The CITY OF THOMASVILLE is exempt from taxes, but the successful bidder shall pay all taxes required of him by law and the CITY OF THOMASVILLE cannot exempt others from tax.

3.2 Itemize all invoices in full. A shipping or receiving ticket will be signed and a copy left with each delivery. Purchase order numbers must appear on all delivery tickets and invoices. Invoices must be emailed to Accounts Payable at ap@thomasville.org.

3.3 Vendor must furnish delivery receipt identifying that this order has been delivered in accordance with the specifications, quantities, and price as set forth on the purchase order. A City of Thomasville employee’s signature must appear on the delivery receipt or invoice. Orders should be shipped to City of Thomasville, 326 Fletcher Street, Thomasville, GA 31792.

4. TAXES: The City of Thomasville is exempt from Federal Excise and State Sales Taxes.

5. INQUIRIES REGARDING PAYMENT: All inquiries regarding payment of invoices are to be directed to Accounts Payable at (229) 227-3257 or to ap@thomasville.org.

6. FOB POINT: Bid price to include shipping, packing, crating, and unloading at the following address: City of Thomasville, 326 Fletcher Street, Thomasville, GA 31792. Title to remain with vendor until fully accepted by the City. Goods damaged or not meeting specifications will be rejected and removed at the vendor’s expense. Concealed damaged goods to remain the property of the vendor until replaced or removed at the City’s direction. All bid responses received will be FOB Thomasville. Due to the volume of order, delivery shipment scheduled will be coordinated between the successful bidder and the City of Thomasville.

7. RISK OF LOSS: Vendor agrees to bear all risk of loss, injury, and destruction of goods and materials ordered herein which occur prior to delivery to include concealed damage; and such loss, injury, or destruction shall not release vendor from any obligation.

8. BID IDENTIFICATION: All bids submitted as a result of this invitation must be returned in a sealed envelope with the bid number and bidder name clearly on the envelope.

9. BID BONDS: A. Bid Bond: not required B. Payment and Performance Bonds: not required

10. SITE INSPECTIONS: When applicable, bidders should inspect the site to ascertain the nature and location of work and the general conditions which could affect the cost of the work. The City will assume no responsibility for representations or understandings made by the officers or employees unless they are included in this RFP. While site inspections are not a mandatory requirement to submit a proposal, vendors are urged to schedule inspections to ascertain all the requirements of this invitation.

11. AWARD OF CONTRACT: The final award of the proposal or contract will be made by the City

Council, which is the governing body of the City of Thomasville. The award will be granted to the vendor whose proposal meets the terms of the request for proposals and offers the greatest benefit to the City, taking into account all factors (criteria) outlined in this RFP. The proposer agrees that the City of Thomasville reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to accept the part of the RFP considered or to resolicit proposers if no proposal is accepted, being in the best interest of the City.

In accepting of this contract, the vendor attests that he is in compliance with the Nondiscrimination Clause contained in Section 202 of Executive Order 11246, as amended, relative to equal employment opportunity for all person without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, and the implementing rules and prescribed by the Secretary of Labor, which is incorporated herein by reference.

12. EXECUTION OF CONTRACT: It is expressly understood by the proposer that written notice of the award or purchase order from the Purchasing Office of the City of Thomasville will constitute an agreement and consummate the transaction and will serve together with the proposal, the advertisement, these instructions and the detailed specifications, as the entire form of contract between the parties.

13. BID RESULTS: Interested parties may request, by email, a Bid Tabulation to the City Purchasing

Administrator, Lori McCardle, by sending email to purchasing@thomasville.org. Otherwise, bid results will be posted on the City of Thomasville website (www.thomasville.org) in the following location: Work tab, Bid Opportunities, and Current Bid Opportunities & Results.

14. EXCEPTIONS TO SPECIFICATIONS: Any award resulting from this invitation shall bind the bidder to all Terms, Conditions, and Specifications set forth in this invitation. Bidders whose bids do not conform should so note on a separate page if necessary and/or on the Bid Schedule. Specifications and the scope of work referred to are minimal. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated by the proposer, the City will assume proposals meet or exceed all specifications. While the City reserves the right to make an award to a nonconforming bidder when in the best interest of the City, such awards will not be readily made, and bidders are urged to conform to the greatest extent possible.

No exceptions will be considered to have been taken by bidder unless it is properly set out as provided above. No exception will be deemed to have been taken by the City unless incorporated in an award resulting from this invitation and so stated.

15. DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION: The names of a certain brand, make, or definite specifications are to denote quality standard of the article desired but do not restrict proposers to the specific mailto:purchasing@thomasville.org http://www.thomasville.org/ brand, make, or manufacturer named. It is to set forth and convey to prospective proposers the general style, type, character, and quality of the article desired.

16. CONFIDENTIALITY OF DOCUMENTS: Proposals shall be opened to avoid disclosure of contents to competing offerors and kept secret during the process of negotiation. However, all proposals that have been submitted shall be open for public inspection after contract award. Trade secrets and confidential information, as specified by the vendor, contained in the proposals shall not be open for public inspection.

17. COMMUNICATION: In order to ensure fair and objective evaluation, all questions related to this

RFP should be addressed only to the Purchasing Administrator (Lori McCardle). Contact with any other City of Thomasville employee, except at the vendor pre-bid meeting, (if conducted), is expressly prohibited without prior consent of the Purchasing Administrator. Vendors directly contacting other City of Thomasville employees will risk elimination of their proposal from further consideration.

18. NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT: By submitting a proposal, the vendor represents and warrants that such proposal is genuine and not sham or collusive or made in the interest or on behalf of any person not therein named and that the vendor has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any other vendor to put in a sham proposal, or any other person, firm or corporation to refrain from proposing and that the vendor has not in any manner sought by collusion to secure to that vendor any advantage over any other vendor. By submitting a proposal, the vendor represents and warrants that no official or employee of the City of Thomasville has, in any manner, an interest, directly or indirectly in the proposal or in the contract which may be made under it, or in any expected profits to arise therefrom.

19. GEORGIA SECURITY AND IMMIGRATION COMPLIANCE ACT AFFIDAVIT: By submitting a proposal and executing the attached Affidavits, the vendor verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A.

§13-10-91. The Vendor further agrees to maintain records of subcontractor compliance and shall provide compliance verification to the City at the time a subcontractor is retained to perform services.

20. COST INCURRED BY VENDORS: All expenses involved with the preparation and submission of proposals to the City or any work performed in connection therewith shall be borne by the vendor.

No payment will be made for any responses received or for any other effort required of or made by the firm prior to the commencement of work as defined by an approved contract.

21. EQUAL OPPORTUNITY POLICY STATEMENT: It is the policy of the City of Thomasville that no person or business shall be excluded from participation, denied the benefits of, or otherwise discriminated against in relation to the award and performance of any contract or subcontract on the grounds of race, color, creed, national origin, age, or sex.

22. INDEMNITY: The vendor agrees, insofar as it legally may, to indemnify and hold harmless the

City, its officers, employees and agents from and against all loss, costs, expenses, including attorneys' fees, claims, suits and judgments, whatsoever in connection with injury to or death of any person or persons or loss of or damage to property resulting from any and all operations performed by vendor, its officers, employees, and agents under any of the terms of this contract.

23. MULTIPLE AWARDS: The City reserves the right to make multiple awards or to award a contract by individual line items or alternatives, by a group of line items or alternatives, or to make an aggregate award, whichever is deemed most advantageous to the City of Thomasville. If the City of Thomasville determines that an aggregate award to one vendor is not in the City’s best interest, "all or none" offers shall be rejected.

24. QUALIFICATION OF VENDORS: The City may undertake reasonable investigations as deemed proper and necessary to determine the ability of a vendor to perform the work specified in the RFP.

The vendor shall furnish with the City all information requested. The City reserves the right to reject any proposal if the submitted evidence or investigation of the vendor fails to satisfy the City of the vendor’s qualification to perform the contract requirements.

25. OCCUPATION TAX CERTIFICATE: Firms physically located in the City of Thomasville shall have an active Occupation Tax Certificate (business license) or have an active Occupation Tax Certificate if located in another local Georgia jurisdiction. If the firm is not a Georgia corporation, the firm shall submit an active registration with the Georgia Secretary of State. If the firm holds a professional certification which is licensed by the state of Georgia or other US state, then proposer shall submit a copy of the active professional license. Any license submitted in response to this requirement shall remain active for the duration of the contract. Proposals will not be accepted from a firm in default on the payment of any taxes, license fees, or other monies due to the City.

26. ALTERNATE PROPOSALS: Alternate proposals or proposals that deviate from the requirements of this solicitation will not be considered. Vendors shall not insert in their proposal any written statement which will have the effect of making any material change or changes in the Scope of Services or in any contract between the parties covering subject matter thereof. Bidders shall use the original Bid Form(s) provided by the Purchasing Department and enter information only in the spaces where a response is requested.. Bidders may use an attachment as an addendum to the Bid Form(s) if sufficient space is not available on the original form for the bidder to enter a complete response. Any modifications or alternations to the original bid documents by the bidder, whether intentional or otherwise, will constitute grounds for rejection of a bid.

27. OPEN RECORDS O.C.G.A. SECTION 50-18-72 (A) (34): An entity submitting records containing trade secrets that wish to keep such records confidential under this paragraph shall submit and attach to the records an affidavit affirmatively declaring that specific information in the records constitutes trade secrets pursuant to Georgia law under Article 27 of Chapter 1 of Title 10. If such an entity attaches such an affidavit, before producing such records in response to a request under this article, the agency shall notify the entity of its intention to produce such records as set forth in this paragraph. If the agency makes a determination that the specifically identified information does not, in fact, constitute a trade secret, it shall notify the entity submitting the affidavit of its intent to disclose the information within ten (10) days unless prohibited from doing so by an appropriate court order. In the event the entity wishes to prevent disclosure of the requested records, the entity may file an action in a superior court to obtain an order that the requested records are trade secrets exempt from disclosure. The entity filing such an action shall serve the requester with a copy of its court filing. If the agency makes a determination that the specifically identified information does constitute a trade secret, the agency shall withhold the records, and the requester may file an action in a superior court to obtain an order that the requested records are not traded secrets and are subject to disclosure.

28. AMENDMENTS: Each agency receiving a copy of this shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this RFP by signing and returning the amendment with the completed proposal. The acknowledgement must be received by the City of Thomasville at the time and place specified for receipt of proposals.

29. LAWS/ORDINANCES: The contract awarded shall be governed in all respect by the laws of the

State of Georgia, and any litigation with respect thereto shall be brought in the courts of the State of Georgia, Thomas County Superior Court. The company awarded the contract shall comply with applicable Federal, State, and local laws and regulations.

30. INCLUSION: All items and/or services which are standard, expected, necessary, and/or routine to such a project as this and not actually stated in this invitation will be the responsibility of the successful bidder to provide at no other cost to the City unless so stated on the successful bidder’s proposal as additional cost items and accepted by the City at the time of the award and/or contract.

31. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACTUAL RIGHTS: It is agreed that the successful bidder will not assign, transfer, convey, or otherwise dispose of a contract that results from this invitation or his right, title, or interest in or to the same, or any part thereof, without written consent of the City.

32. CANCELLATION FOR CAUSE: Should either party fail to comply with the Terms and Conditions of this contract, the aggrieved party must give, in writing, to the other party any complaint for non-compliance to the Terms and Conditions of this contract. The other party shall have fifteen (15) calendar days to correct the matter. If corrected to the satisfaction of both parties within the fifteen

(15) calendar days and stated in writing, then the contract will continue uninterrupted. Failure to correct the matter will result in termination of this contract at the end of the thirty (30) calendar days following the date of the initial letter of complaint.

33. COMMODITY STATUS: It is understood and agreed that materials delivered shall be new, of latest design, and in first quality condition, that all bags, containers, etc. shall be new and suitable for storage, unless otherwise stated by the City of Thomasville.

34. REIMBURSEMENT: There is no expressed or implied obligation for the City to reimburse responding firms for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request.

Materials submitted by respondents are subject to public inspection under the Georgia Public Records Act (City Code Sec. 6250 et seq.), unless exempt. Any language purporting to render the entire proposal confidential or proprietary will be ineffective and will be disregarded.

35. NON-CONFORMING TERMS AND CONDITIONS: Any proposal that includes terms and conditions that do not conform to the terms and conditions in this RFP is subject to rejection as non-responsive. The City of Thomasville reserves the right to permit the respondent to withdraw non-conforming terms and conditions from its proposal prior to action by the City Council to award a contract.

36. RETAINING PROPOSALS: The City reserves the right to retain all proposals submitted and to use any ideas in any proposals submitted, regardless of whether or not that proposal is accepted.

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