2026 RFP Internet Bandwidth FINAL.pdf

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 1 of 33

Request for Proposals

INTERNET BANDWIDTH

Date of Release: July 31, 2025

Proposals are due by: 2:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 29, 2025

Contracting Agency: City of Ashland Sole Point of Contact: Chad Sobotka Title: Operations Manager Address: City of Ashland 90 N. Mountain Avenue Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone: (541) 552-2402 Email: chad.sobotka@ashland.or.us mailto:chad.sobotka@ashland.or.us

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. PUBLIC NOTICE 3

2. PROPOSAL PROCESS 4

3. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 5

4. SCOPE OF SERVICES 11

5. PROPOSAL CONTENTS 14

6. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 18

7. EVALUATION PROCESS 19

8. EVALUATION CRITERIA 20

EXHIBIT A – PROPOSAL SUBMISSION FORM

EXHIBIT B – PERFORMANCE MEASURES MATRIX

EXHIBIT C – CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE

EXHIBIT D – INTERNET BANDWIDTH SERVICE AGREEMENT

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PUBLIC NOTICE:

Proposals are due by 2:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 29, 2025

The City of Ashland is requesting written proposals from companies interested in providing internet bandwidth, monitoring the City’s internet bandwidth needs, and managing the network routing of the internet bandwidth.

The successful proposers will be required to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of BGP (border gateway protocol), expert network administration, and the capability to manage multiple BGP peering sessions. Full BGP routing tables are to be included and provided by the proposer. IP space of /30 or /31 is acceptable and appropriate to peer with our router and will be provided by the proposer. The City will operate and maintain its own edge routers.

The successful proposers will be required to provide support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and to provide, maintain and manage the required internet bandwidth in a consistent and reliable manner. Combined uptime must be 99.99%, or greater.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is intended to provide interested proposers with sufficient information to prepare and submit a proposal for consideration by the City.

The Request for Proposals is available online at www.ashlandoregon.gov and www.oregonbuys.gov. To access on the city website, open the City’s website, click Business along the top and click on “Proposals, Bids and Notifications”. To access on, OregonBuys, open the OregonBuys website and search for the bid solicitation number which will become available July 31, 2025.

In accordance with AMC Section 2.50.080, competitive sealed proposals may be available online or issued in hard copy.

Individuals that obtain the solicitation materials electronically are responsible for regularly checking for instructions, addenda, and related materials.

Deadline for submitting questions is 5:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 15, 2025.

Sealed proposals may be submitted online via OregonBuys, email, or in hard copy but must be received by 2:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 29, 2025. The proposals will be opened at 2:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 29, 2025, and the City will record and make available the identities of the proposers. Proposals will not be available for inspection until after the evaluation process has been completed and the Notice of Intent to Award has been issued. Proposals must be addressed and delivered to:

Keanna Khlafallah Financial Analyst & Purchasing Specialist 20 East Main St Ashland, OR 97520 keanna.khlafallah@ashland.or.us Tel: 541-552-2009 http://www.ashlandoregon.gov/ http://www.oregonbuys.gov/ mailto:keanna.khlafallah@ashland.or.us

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July 31, 2025

ORS 279B.060(2)(c) PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS The City of Ashland is requesting written proposals from companies interested in providing internet bandwidth, monitoring the City’s internet bandwidth needs, and managing the network routing of the internet bandwidth.

The successful proposers will be required to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of BGP (border gateway protocol), expert network administration, and the capability to manage multiple BGP peering sessions. Full BGP routing tables are to be included and provided by the proposer. IP space of /30 or /31 is acceptable and appropriate to peer with our router and will be provided by the proposer.

The City will operate and maintain its own edge routers and routing tables.

The successful proposers will be required to provide support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and to provide, maintain and manage the required internet bandwidth in a consistent and reliable manner.

Combined uptime must be 99.99%, or greater.

The City may award a single contract or multiple contracts resulting from this RFP in accordance with the evaluation process and criteria set forth in this RFP. A multiple award may be made if award to two or more proposers of similar Goods or Services is necessary for adequate availability, delivery, service, or product compatibility. Public contracts will be awarded to the highest ranked proposers with one exception; the City intends to award individual public contracts for the 1st and 2nd IP Transit to the top two (2) highest ranked proposers that will provide and ensure carrier and path diversity.

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is intended to provide interested proposers with sufficient information to prepare and submit a proposal for consideration by the City.

ORS 279B.060(2)(b) SOLE POINT OF CONTACT Information, correspondence, and questions pertaining to this Request for Proposals (RFP) shall be ONLY directed to:

Name: Chad Sobotka Title: Operations Manager Address: City of Ashland 90 N. Mountain Avenue, Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone: 541-552-2402 Email: chad.sobotka@ashland.or.us

This person is the sole point of contact during the entire RFP process including clarification and/or protest of specifications, method of bidding, the evaluation and award process, and/or other questions that may arise. The RFP documents may be reviewed upon request by contacting the designated sole point of contact listed above.

mailto:chad.sobotka@ashland.or.us

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OAR 137-047-0260(2)(a)(C) OPENING DUE DATE AND TIME

Proposals must be received prior to the scheduled opening. The opening is scheduled for the following due date and time:

Proposals are due by: 2:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 29, 2025

The proposal must be addressed to the designated sole point of contact and received prior to the due date and time. Proposals received after CLOSING are considered LATE and will NOT be accepted for evaluation. Late proposals will not be considered.

OAR 137-047-0260(2)(c)(A) SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

ACTIVITY DATE

Request for Proposals Released July 31, 2025

1st Public Notice July 31, 2025

Deadline for Submitting Questions 5:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 15, 2025

RFP Protest Period Ends 5:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 15, 2025

DUE DATE AND TIME

(Note: Proposals must be received prior to the due date and time.)

2:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 29, 2025 Location: City of Ashland, IT Offices 90 N. Mountain, Ashland, OR 97520

Evaluation Process August 29 – September 5, 2025

Contract Recommendation Upon completion of evaluation process

Notice of Intent to Award Announcement (7) Days prior to executing contract

Award Protest Period Ends (7) Days after Notice of Intent to Award is released Contract Recommendation

Presented to City Council for Final Approval October 7, 2025

Contract Award Upon Council Approval and

(7) Days after the Notice of Intent to Award Announcement

Services intended to begin October 31, 2025

NOTE: This is a tentative schedule and is provided as a courtesy to potential proposers. The actual schedule may vary from that provided without notice to potential proposers. Any changes made to the closing date of the RFP will be made in the form of an addendum and mailed to all potential proposers who have received RFP documents.

QUESTIONS AND REQUESTS FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

All potential proposers are encouraged to ask questions and request additional information that will aid in the clarification of the RFP requirements. Questions and requests for information will be promptly considered, and written responses will be provided in the form of a written addendum and posted on the City’s website.

All inquiries, whether relating to the RFP process, administration, deadline or method of award, or to the intent or technical aspects of the RFP must:

• Be delivered via email or via OregonBuys to the Sole Point of Contact identified on page 4 of the RFP

• Reference the name of the RFP

• Identify the proposer’s name and contact information

• Be sent by an authorized representative

• Refer to the specific area of the RFP being questioned (i.e. page, section and paragraph

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 6 of 33 number); and

• Be received by the due date and time for Questions/Requests for Clarification identified in the schedule

OAR 137-047-0260(2)(a)(F) Addenda The provisions of this RFP cannot be modified by oral interpretations or statements. Proposers are cautioned not to make any assumptions as to the implied meaning or intent of any part of the RFP. Proposers should request clarification. If inquiries or comments by proposers raise issues that require clarification by the City, or the City revises any part of this RFP, addenda will be provided in the form of a written addendum and posted on the City’s website. Receipt of an addendum must be acknowledged by signing and returning it with the proposal.

Addenda will be issued within a reasonable time to allow prospective proposers to consider the addenda in preparing their proposals. Unless a different deadline is set forth in the addendum, a proposer may submit a request for change or protest by the close of the next business day after the issuance of the addendum, or up to the last day the RFP Protest Period ends, whichever date is later. If the date established in the previous sentence falls after the RFP Protest Period ends, the City will consider a request for change or protest to the addendum only. Addenda shall not be issued less than 72 hours before the closing unless the addendum also extends the closing.

ORS 279B.405 Protest Solicitation Process A prospective proposer for a public contract solicited under ORS 279B.055, 279B.060 or 279B.085 may file a protest with the City if the prospective proposer believes that the procurement process is contrary to law or that a solicitation document is unnecessarily restrictive, is legally flawed or improperly specifies a brand name. If a prospective proposer fails to timely file such a protest, the prospective proposer may not challenge the contract on grounds under this subsection in any future legal or administrative proceeding. If the protest is received at least 10 days prior to bid closing and meets the requirements of ORS 279B.405, the City shall consider the protest and issue a decision in writing. Otherwise, the City shall promptly notify the prospective proposer that the protest is untimely or that the protest failed to meet the requirements and give the reasons for the failure. The City shall issue a decision on the protest no fewer than three business days before proposals are due, unless a written determination is made by the City that circumstances exist that justify a shorter time limit.

Protests must:

• Be delivered to the Sole Point of Contact identified on page 4 via email, facsimile, through OregonBuys, or hard copy

• Reference the name of the RFP

• Identify prospective proposer’s name and contact information

• Be sent by an authorized representative

• State the Reason for the protest, including:

o the grounds that demonstrate how the procurement process is contrary to law, unnecessarily restrictive, legally flawed, or improperly specifies a brand name; and o evidence or documentation that supports the grounds on which the protest is based

• State the proposed changes to the RFP provisions or other relief sought

• Protests to the RFP must be received by the due date and time identified in the schedule

• Protests to addenda must be received by the close of the next business day after the issuance of the addendum, or up to the last day the RFP Protest Period ends, whichever date is later.

OAR 137-047-0440 Pre-Closing Modification or Withdrawal of Offers A proposer may modify its proposal in writing prior to the closing in accordance with OAR 137-047-0400, OAR 137-047-0410 and OAR 137-047-0440. Any modification must include the proposer’s statement that the modification amends and supersedes the prior proposal. A proposer in accordance with OAR 137-047-0440 may withdraw its proposal by written notice submitted on proposer’s letterhead, signed by authorized

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 7 of 33 representative of the proposer, and delivered to the individual and location specified in the solicitation document prior to closing.

OAR 137-047-0460 Late Offers, Late Withdrawals and Late Modifications Any proposal received after closing is late. A proposer’s request for withdrawal or modification of a proposal received after closing is late. An Agency shall not consider late proposals, withdrawals or modifications except as permitted in OAR 137-047-0470 or 137-047-0262.

Proposal Acceptance Proposals that do not address all areas requested by this RFP may be deemed non-responsive and may not be considered for any possible contract awarded resulting from this RFP.

ORS 279B.060(2)(e) Cancel, Reject or Delay Procurement The City of Ashland may cancel the procurement, reject in whole or in part any or all proposals, or suspend or delay the procurement in accordance with ORS 279B.100 when it’s in the best interest of the City of Ashland as determined by the City of Ashland. In no event shall the City of Ashland have any liability for the cancellation, rejection, or suspension of a solicitation or award. The proposer assumes the sole risk and responsibility of all expenses connected with the preparation of its proposal.

Collusion By submitting a proposal, proposer certifies that no officer, agent, or employee of the City of Ashland has a monetary interest in this proposal; that the proposal is made in good faith without fraud, collusion, or connection of any kind with any other proposer and that the proposer is competing solely in its own behalf without connection with, or obligation to, any undisclosed person or company.

Disputes In case of any doubt or differences of opinions as to the items or services to be furnished hereunder, or the interpretation of the provisions of the RFP, the decision of the City of Ashland shall be final and binding upon all parties.

Clarification of Responses The City of Ashland reserves the right to request clarification of any item in any proposal, or to request additional information necessary to properly evaluate a proposal.

References The City of Ashland reserves the right to investigate any and all references and the past performance information provided in the proposal with respect to proposer’s successful performance of similar projects, compliance with specifications and contractual obligations, completion or delivery of a project on schedule, and lawful payment of employees and workers.

Recyclable and Recycled Products Contractors shall use recyclable products to the maximum extent economically feasible in the performance of the contract work set forth in this RFP.

ORS 279A.125 The City shall give preference to goods that are certified to be made from recycled materials if the recycled product is available, meets applicable standards, can be substituted for a comparable non- recycled product; and the recycled products costs do not exceed the costs of non-recycled products by more than five percent, or a higher percentage if a written determination is made by the City.

ORS 282.210 All printing, binding and stationery work done for the City shall be performed within the State of Oregon.

ORS 279B.060(2)(g) If required under ORS 468A.710, the contractor or subcontractor is required to possess an asbestos abatement license.

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AMC Chapter 3.12 Living Wage If the contract exceeds $27,163 the Contractor will be required to comply with Chapter 3.12 of the Ashland Municipal Code by paying a living wage to applicable employees, as defined in this chapter, performing work under this contract and to any applicable subcontractor who performs 50% or more of the service work under this contract. The Living Wage is $19.44 per hour effective June 30, 2025, and increases annually every June 30 by the Consumer Price Index. In calculating the living wage, employers may add the value of health care, retirement, 401K and IRS eligible cafeteria plans (including childcare) benefits to the amount of wages received by the employee. It is the responsibility of the proposer to review and comply with the Living Wage ordinance requirements, which can be viewed online at www.ashlandoregon.gov.

*** The Living Wage is $19.44 per hour effective June 30, 2025 *** (Increases annually every June 30 by the Consumer Price Index)

ORS 279B.060(6)(a) Opening Procedures Notwithstanding ORS 192.410 to 192.505, proposals may be opened in a manner to avoid disclosure of contents to competing proposers during, when applicable, the process of negotiation, but the City of Ashland shall record and make available the identity of all proposers as part of the City’s public records after the proposals are opened.

Notwithstanding ORS 192.410 to 192.505, proposals are not required to be open for public inspection until after the notice of intent to award a contract is issued. The fact that proposals are opened at a meeting, as defined in ORS 192.610, does not make the contents of the proposals subject to disclosure, regardless of whether the public body opening the proposals fails to give notice of or provide for an executive session for the purpose of opening proposals.

OAR 137-047-0260(2)(a)(E) Certification of Nondiscrimination Proposer to certify that the proposer has not discriminated and will not discriminate, in violation of ORS 279A.110(1), against a minority, women or emerging small business enterprise certified under ORS 200.055 or against a business enterprise that is owned or controlled by or that employs a disabled veteran as defined in ORS

408.225 in obtaining a required subcontract. The Certificate of Compliance attached as Exhibit C, is required to be signed and included with your proposal.

ORS 279B.060(6)(b) Proprietary Information (Trade Secrets) Notwithstanding any requirement to make proposals open to public inspection after the City of Ashland’s issuance of a notice of intent to award a contract, the City of Ashland may withhold from disclosure to the public materials included in a proposal that are exempt or conditionally exempt from disclosure under ORS 192.501 or 192.502.

All proposals are public record and are subject to public inspection after Agency issues the Notice of the Intent to Award. If a proposer believes that any portion of its proposal contains any information that is a trade secret under ORS Chapter 192.501(2) or otherwise is exempt from disclosure under the Oregon Public Records Law (ORS 192.410 through 192.505).

The scope of services and cost information generally is not considered a trade secret under Oregon Public Records Law (ORS 192.410 through 192.505) and identifying the proposal, in whole, as exempt from disclosure is not acceptable. Agency advises each proposer to consult with its own legal counsel regarding disclosure issues.

If proposer fails to identify the portions of the proposal that proposer claims are exempt from disclosure, Proposer has waived any future claim of non-disclosure of that information.

If applicable, the proposer shall submit a redacted version of its proposal if the proposal being submitted in response to this RFP contains trade secrets.

http://www.ashlandoregon.gov/

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ORS 279B.060(13) Notice of Intent to Award a Public Contract The City of Ashland shall provide written notice of its intent to award to all proposers pursuant to ORS 279B.135 and OAR 137-047- 0610 at least seven (7) days before the award of the contract, unless the City determines that circumstances justify prompt execution of the contract, in which case the City may provide a shorter notice period.

ORS 279B.060(14) Contract Award The City of Ashland shall award the contract to the responsible proposer whose proposal the City of Ashland determines in writing to be the most advantageous to the City of Ashland based on the evaluation process and evaluation factors described in this Request for Proposals, and any applicable preferences described in ORS 279A.120, ORS 279A.125 and ORS 279A.128 and, when applicable, the outcome of any negotiations authorized by this Request for Proposals. Other factors may not be used in the evaluation. In addition, any other public agency wishing to use the resulting contract may be authorized by mutual consent of the City of Ashland and the contractor.

ORS 279B.410 Protest of Contract Award A proposer may protest the award of a public contract or notice of intent to award a public contract if the proposer is adversely affected because the proposer would be eligible to be awarded the public contract in the event that the protest were successful. The written protest shall specify the reasons for the protest pursuant to ORS 279B.410(1)(b) and be delivered to the sole point of contact named in the RFP within seven days after issuance of the Notice of Intent to Award a contract. The City shall consider and respond in writing to a protest in a timely manner.

ORS 279B.060(2)(h) Contractual Terms and Conditions The proposer selected by the City of Ashland will be expected to enter into a written contract in the form attached to this RFP. This RFP and the contents of the proposal of the successful proposer will become contractual obligations if a contract is executed. The proposal should indicate acceptance of the City of Ashland’s contract provisions or suggest reasonable alternatives that do not substantially impair the City of Ashland’s rights under the contract. The proposer may also propose contractual terms and conditions that relate to subject matter reasonably identified in this Request for Proposals. The City of Ashland reserves the right to negotiate the contractual terms and conditions proposed as alternatives by the proposer. If inclusion of any of the City of Ashland’s contract provisions will result in higher costs for the services, such costs must be specifically identified in the proposal. Unconditional refusal to accept the contract provisions proposed by the City of Ashland without offering acceptable alternatives may result in the disqualification of the proposal.

Insurance Certificates The Contractor will be required to provide and maintain ALL required insurance certificates, and provide current Certificates of Insurance, including the City of Ashland endorsed as the additional insured, to the City prior to any lapse of insurance coverage.

Additional Terms

The City of Ashland reserves the right to waive irregularities or deficiencies in a proposal if the City of Ashland determines that waiver is in the best interest of the City of Ashland.

The City of Ashland may request supplemental written information from a proposer concerning the proposer’s ability to perform the services. If a proposer fails to provide supplemental information within the time stated in the request, the City of Ashland may refuse to consider the proposer’s proposal.

The City of Ashland may request an interview with any proposer. If a proposal is unclear, or appears inadequate, the proposer may be given an opportunity in the interview to explain how the proposal complies with the RFP.

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The City of Ashland reserves the right to make such investigation it deems appropriate to determine whether a proposer is qualified to provide the services. If a proposer fails to cooperate with an investigation, or if a proposer provides false, misleading or incomplete information, the City of Ashland may refuse to consider the proposer’s proposal.

In cases of doubt or differences of opinion concerning the interpretation of this RFP, the City of Ashland reserves the exclusive right to determine the intent, purpose and meaning of any provision in this RFP.

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SCOPE OF SERVICES

The City of Ashland is requesting written proposals from companies interested in providing internet bandwidth, monitoring the City’s internet bandwidth needs, and managing the network routing of the internet bandwidth.

The successful proposers will be required to have a thorough knowledge and understanding of BGP (border gateway protocol), expert network administration, and the capability to manage multiple BGP peering sessions. Full BGP routing tables are to be included and provided by the proposer. IP space of /30 or /31 is acceptable and appropriate to peer with our router and will be provided by the proposer.

The City will operate and maintain its own edge routers.

The successful proposers will be required to provide support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and to provide, maintain and manage the required internet bandwidth in a consistent and reliable manner.

Combined uptime must be 99.99%, or greater.

INTERNET BANDWIDTH SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED

Proposers may propose one or multiple IP Transits for the City to consider. Each proposed solution will receive full consideration.

For each proposed solution, the proposer must clearly explain the proposed solution, their ability to administer the proposed solution, and how this solution will assist the City in managing its internet bandwidth needs.

The City may award a single contract or multiple contracts resulting from this RFP in accordance with the evaluation process and criteria set forth in this RFP. A multiple award may be made if award to two or more proposers of similar Goods or Services is necessary for adequate availability, delivery, service or product compatibility. Public contracts will be awarded to the highest ranked proposers with one exception, the City intends to award individual public contracts for the 1st and 2nd IP Transit to the top two (2) highest ranked proposers that will provide and ensure carrier and path diversity.

POINT OF DELIVERY FOR SERVICES

1. Ashland Fiber Network (City of Ashland) 90 North Mountain Ave Ashland, OR 97520

IP TRANSIT

The City intends to procure two (2) IP Transit as follows that will provide and ensure carrier and path diversity.

Required: Two (2) IP Transit *Mandatory Carrier & Path Diversity*

1. 25 gig IP Transit at Ashland Fiber Network

2. 2 x 10 gig IP Transit LACP Link Aggregation at Ashland Fiber Network

Optional: IP Transit

• 10 gig IP Transit at Ashland Fiber Network

• 40 Gbps IP Transit at Ashland Fiber Network

• 100 Gbps port with the following IP Transit commits at Ashland Fiber

Network:

• 20 Gbps

• 40 Gbps

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PERFORMANCE MEASURES MATRIX FOR PROPOSED SOLUTIONS

Proposers will be required to complete this matrix (Exhibit B) with accurate information for each proposed solution:

Minimum Required Measure Proposed

Performance

Capacity 10 gigabits per second Minimum Single Link

Speed Reliability 99.99% Combined Uptime Packet Delay 12ms One-way Cost $ Connection

OUTAGE NOTIFICATION AND RESOLUTION PROTOCOL

• Successful proposers will be required to provide timely outage notifications and resolution protocol to the AFN Operations Manager and/or his or her designee.

• The AFN Operations Manager and/or his or her designee must be notified immediately of any and all emergency situations.

• If the situation does not constitute an emergency, but substantially affects availability or performance, the AFN Operations Manager and/or his or her designee must be notified within a maximum of three (3) hours.

• Degradation occurs when the internet bandwidth services being provided fail to meet the service requirements and performance standards. The AFN Operations Manager and/or his or her designee shall be notified within a maximum of three (3) hours of when the successful proposer knows or should have known about any degradation of its internet bandwidth services

• The AFN Operations Manager and/or his or her designee shall be notified within one (1) hour if the successful proposer is unable to provide internet bandwidth services due to an outage that is not due to a force majeure.

• The AFN Operations Manager and/or his or her designee shall be notified immediately if the successful contractor is unable to provide internet bandwidth services due to a force majeure.

• Internet bandwidth services will be required to be restored within a maximum of eight (8) hours.

TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT

The initial agreement will be for a term of two (2) years with the option of three one-year extensions, for a maximum term of five years. A financial review of pricing and bandwidth consumption will be completed quarterly prior to the agreement being extended.

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QUARTERLY REVIEWS OF PERFORMANCE, REQUIREMENTS AND PRICING

The AFN Operations Manager and/or his or her designee will conduct quarterly contract performance and internet bandwidth requirements reviews. This quarterly review will also include a review of the pricing of internet bandwidth in accordance with the contracted fee arrangement. The successful proposer will be required to provide detailed usage and pricing, including all fees, taxes, nonrecurring and recurring fees, etc. for the City’s review and consideration.

REVIEW TIMELINE

Term Technical Review Financial Review Initial two-year agreement Uptime / Delay Metrics Bandwidth Trends / Pricing First one-year extension Uptime / Delay Metrics Bandwidth Trends / Pricing Second one-year extension Uptime / Delay Metrics Bandwidth Trends / Pricing Third one-year extension Uptime / Delay Metrics Bandwidth Trends / Pricing

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PROPOSAL CONTENTS

The proposal must contain and be organized in accordance with this section titled Proposal Contents.

Proposals shall provide a straightforward, concise description of the proposer’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content. Submissions of technical literature, display charts, or other supplemental materials are the responsibility and within the discretion of the proposer. The proposer assumes the sole risk and responsibility of all expenses connected with the preparation of its proposal.

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Letter of Introduction

Include a letter of introduction addressed to Chad Sobotka, AFN Operations Manager, and signed by a person legally authorized to bind the proposer to its proposal. The letter will introduce the company and include the company name, principal contact name, physical address, mailing address, telephone number, fax number and email address. The letter of introduction may also introduce the proposal and summarize the key provisions of the proposal.

Table of Contents

Include a clear identification of the material by section and by page number.

Proposal Form

Complete and include the Proposal Submission Form attached as Exhibit A.

Experience and Qualifications

Describe in detail the proposer’s experience and capacity to provide reliable and consistent internet bandwidth.

Describe in detail your staff experience at managing BGP (border gateway protocol) routing and multiple peering sessions.

Explain how the proposer can assist the City in managing its internet bandwidth needs.

Describe any potential constraints that could affect the proposer’s ability to provide internet bandwidth as required by the City.

Provide and/or describe any additional information that demonstrates the proposer’s ability to provide internet bandwidth in accordance with the requirements outlined in this RFP.

IP Transits

Please provide the following information for each individual IP Transit being proposed. If proposing more than one IP Transit, be sure to clearly identify and separate the information being provided for each individual IP Transit.

Provide a detailed explanation of the proposed IP Transit.

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Provide a diagram of your company’s physical network and path for the proposed IP Transit.

List and describe the proposed BGP routing equipment that is applicable and will be provided for the proposed IP Transit, including how you will peer with other providers.

Provide written confirmation the packet delay of the proposed IP Transit will not exceed a maximum 12ms delay at a network load of 10gbps and/or specify what is applicable and what will be provided for the proposed IP Transit.

Activation Plan

Provide a task schedule and tentative timeline for activating each of the proposed IP

Transit(s).

Outage Notification and Resolution Protocol

Describe staff qualifications and availability to respond to scheduled and/or unplanned outages.

What is your outage notification process for scheduled outages (maintenance and updates)?

What is your outage notification process for unplanned outages?

How do you notify and/or communicate with customers after and during an outage?

New Technologies and/or Additional Services

If applicable, include a brief description of any new technologies and/or additional services that are currently available and may be of value to the City.

References

Provide a minimum of three (3) references your company is currently providing internet bandwidth and a similar scope of services. The City reserves the right to verify these references.

Include the following information for each reference:

• Name of company

• Contact name of individual who can verify the account and your performance

• Telephone number

• Email address

• Identify the services being provided to the account

Contract Terms and Conditions

The successful proposer will enter into an agreement with the City of Ashland, Oregon, in a form substantially similar to that attached hereto as Exhibit D.

Indicate acceptance of the City’s contract provisions found in the Internet Bandwidth

Service Agreement attached as Exhibit D or suggest reasonable alternatives that do not substantially impair the City’s rights under the agreement. Some contract terms and conditions may be negotiable.

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The Certificate of Compliance attached as Exhibit C, is required to be signed and included with your proposal.

Trade Secrets (if applicable)

If applicable, the proposer shall submit a redacted version of its proposal if the proposal being submitted in response to this RFP contains trade secrets.

IMPORTANT: Proposals become public information after the City releases a Notice of Intent to Award a Public Contract. It is important to submit a fully redacted copy of the proposal if it contains confidential trade secrets. A description of services being acquired by the City and the costs associated with those services are NOT considered confidential information.

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COST PROPOSAL

IMPORTANT: The Cost Proposal is to be submitted separately from the technical proposal in a sealed envelope marked “COST PROPOSAL” per the submission instructions on page 17.

Clearly list and define the proposed flat fee(s) and/or sliding fee(s) schedule for the initial 2-year contract; and if applicable, an adjustment schedule based on the current market costs of internet bandwidth. The proposed fees must include all fees and taxes, including monthly recurring and nonrecurring fees.

Proposers may also propose alternative pricing options for the City’s consideration.

Briefly explain and/or review market cost history for internet bandwidth.

Include your future projections for the cost of internet bandwidth.

If applicable, include any potential opportunities for cost discounts and/or shared cost savings.

If applicable, fees and/or applicable expenses for new technologies and/or additional services shall be listed separately.

Performance Measures Matrix

Proposers will be required to complete this matrix with accurate information for each proposed solution. Performance Measures Matrix is attached as Exhibit B.

Performance

Capacity 1 gigabit per second Minimum Single Link

Speed Reliability 99.99% Combined Uptime

PLEASE NOTE: The actual fees to be paid by the City for internet bandwidth may be negotiated between the City and the successful proposer during contract negotiations.

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 18 of 33

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The complete proposal is to be submitted online (OregonBuys), via email, or in hard copy as follows:

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (hard copy submission only)

One (1) original copy of the complete proposal SIGNED IN INK Three (3) additional color copies of the complete proposal

COST PROPOSAL (hard copy submission only)

Cost proposal must be submitted separately from the technical proposal in a sealed envelope as follows:

One (1) original copy of the complete proposal SIGNED IN INK Three (3) additional color copies of the complete proposal

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (OregonBuys or email submission) One (1) copy of the complete signed proposal

COST PROPOSAL (OregonBuys or email submission)

One (1) copy of the complete signed proposal

The complete hard copy proposal, including the additional copies, are to be submitted in a single SEALED ENVELOPE (or box) labeled as follows and received at the following address:

Keanna Khlafallah Financial Analyst & Purchasing Specialist City of Ashland 20 East Main St Ashland, OR 97520

Contents: Request for Proposal

Due by: 2:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 29, 2025

Proposals may also be submitted electronically via the OregonBuys website or via email addressed to:

Keanna Khlafallah Keanna.khlafallah@ashland.or.us

Please note: Late proposals will not be considered. No exceptions. It is recommended that you request available delivery options for the City of Ashland, Oregon area and verify that your method of shipment will arrive prior to the due date and time.

DUE DATE AND TIME:

The proposals must be received at the designated address listed above by 2:00:00 PM (PST), Friday, August 29, 2025. Late proposals will not be considered. Faxed or emailed proposals will not be considered.

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 19 of 33

Period of Irrevocability Proposals will be offers that are irrevocable for a period of sixty (60) days after the time and date proposals are due. Proposals will contain the name, address and telephone number of an individual or individuals with authority to bind the company during the period in which the proposal will be evaluated.

EVALUATION PROCESS

In accordance with ORS 279B.060 (14), The City shall award the contract to the responsible proposer whose proposal the City determines in writing is the most advantageous to the City based on the evaluation process and evaluation criteria described in this RFP, applicable preferences described in ORS 279A.120, 279A.125 and 279A.128, and, when applicable the outcome of any negotiations authorized by the RFP. Other factors may not be used in the evaluation.

An evaluation committee appointed by the City of Ashland will evaluate the proposals based on the evaluation criteria established in this Request for Proposals. Each category will be scored with a number of points, up to the maximum number of points assigned to each category. The greater the number of points assigned to a category, the greater the category’s level of importance. Each proposal will be evaluated, scored and then ranked according to the evaluation criteria set forth in this RFP.

After the initial evaluation of the proposals has been completed, the Evaluation Committee may request clarifications. Requests for clarifications will be processed via email by the sole point of contact identified on page 4 of this RFP. No additions, deletions or substitutions may be made to proposals that cannot be termed as clarifications. Proposer’s responses to questions shall restate the question and provide the requested clarification.

The City of Ashland may reject any proposal not in compliance with all prescribed solicitation procedures and requirements and other applicable laws, and the City may reject for good cause any or all proposals upon the City’s findings that it is in the best interest of the City of Ashland.

If only one responsive proposal is received, the City of Ashland reserves the right to negotiate a contract with the sole responsive proposer.

The total points awarded to each proposal will be tabulated and the proposers shall be ranked accordingly. A contract with the proposer deemed to be the highest ranked proposer will then be negotiated. If negotiations with the highest ranked proposer are unsuccessful, the City of Ashland may proceed to the next highest ranked proposer, and so on until a contract is successfully negotiated.

In accordance with OAR 137-047-0260(2)((b)(A)(B)(C), the statement of work will identify the scope of work to be performed under the resulting contract, outline anticipated duties of the contractor and establish the expectations for the contractor’s performance of the resulting contract. The agreed upon tasks will also identify the respective responsibilities of the contractor and City staff.

In accordance with ORS 279B.060 (16), the City shall obtain the proposer’s agreement to perform the scope of work and meet the performance standards set forth in the final negotiated statement of work.

The final contract recommendation will then be subject to the approval of the City Council acting as the Local Contract Review Board.

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 20 of 33

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The proposals will be evaluated according to the following criteria.

EVALUATION CRITERIA POINTS

Letter of Introduction, Table of Contents and Proposal Submission Form (Exhibit A) 5

Experience and Qualifications 15

IP Transits 20

Activation Plan 10

Outage Notification and Resolution Protocol 5

New Technologies and/or Additional Services 10

References 10

Contract Terms and Conditions and Certificate of Compliance (Exhibit C & Exhibit E) 5

SUBTOTAL 80

Cost Proposal and Performance Measures Matrix (Exhibit B) 25

TOTAL 105

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 21 of 33

EXHIBIT A

July 31, 2025

Proposal Submission Form

The undersigned proposer submits this proposal in response to the City’s Request for Proposals (RFP) for INTERNET BANDWIDTH, released on July 31, 2025. The proposer warrants that the proposer has carefully reviewed the RFP and that this proposal represents the proposer’s full response to the requirements described in the RFP. The proposer further warrants that if this proposal is accepted, the proposer will contract with the City, agrees to the terms and conditions found in the attached contract and RFP or has submitted terms and conditions acceptable to the City, and will provide all necessary labor, materials, equipment, and other means required to complete the work in accordance with the requirements of the RFP and contract documents.

The proposer hereby acknowledges the requirement to carry or indicates the ability to obtain the insurance required in the contract. Indicate in the affirmative by initialing here: ______

The proposer hereby acknowledges receipt of Addendum Nos. ___, __, ___, ___, ___ to this RFP.

Full legal name of company:

Principle owner’s name:

Business Address:

State and location of company headquarters:

Year business established:

Telephone Number:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

Authorized Signature:

Printed/Typed Name:

Title:

Date:

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 22 of 33

EXHIBIT B

Performance Measures Matrix

Identify the proposed solution and complete the following matrix for each proposed solution.

Proposed Solution:

Performance

Capacity 10 gigabits per second Minimum Single Link

Speed Reliability 99.99% Combined Uptime

Performance

Capacity 10 gigabits per second Minimum Single Link

Speed Reliability 99.99% Combined Uptime

Performance

Capacity 10 gigabits per second Minimum Single Link

Speed Reliability 99.99% Combined Uptime

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 23 of 33

EXHIBIT C

Certificate of Compliance

Compliance with Oregon Tax Laws:

In compliance with OAR 137-047-0260(2)(e), I hereby attest or affirm under penalty of perjury: That I am authorized to act on behalf of the proposer in this matter, that I have authority and knowledge regarding the payment of taxes, and that contractor is, to the best of my knowledge, not in violation of any Oregon Tax Laws, as defined in ORS 305.380.

Compliance with Nondiscrimination Laws:

In compliance with ORS 279A.110(4), OAR 137-046-0210(2) and OAR 137-047-0260(2)(a)(E), I hereby attest or affirm under penalty of perjury that I am authorized to act on behalf of proposer in this matter, and to the best of my knowledge the proposer has not discriminated and will not discriminate, in violation of ORS 279A.110(1), against a minority, women or emerging small business enterprise certified under ORS 200.055 or against a business enterprise that is owned or controlled by or that employs a disabled veteran as defined in ORS 408.225 in obtaining a required subcontract.

Corporate Officer:

By:

Signature

Print Name

Title:

Date:

RFP – Internet Bandwidth, Page 24 of 33

EXHIBIT D

City of Ashland Internet Bandwidth Service Agreement

This Internet Service Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the “Agreement”) is entered into by and between the City of Ashland, an Oregon municipal corporation (hereinafter referred to as the “City”), and __________________________, a (domestic/foreign corporation/company) (hereinafter referred to as the “Provider”) for internet bandwidth services.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual promises and covenants contained herein, the City and Provider hereby agree as follows:

1. SERVICES. Provider shall provide to the City:

1.1. Data Services. Provider shall supply access to Provider’s telecommunications system as necessary for the City to receive internet bandwidth data services at one of the points of delivery set forth below:

• Ashland Fiber Network located at 90 North Mountain Avenue, Ashland, Oregon 97520

The point of delivery is the location where the network and City’s system are interconnected.

The data services provided to the City shall meet all the service standards set forth in Section 4 of this Agreement.

1.2. Installation Services. Provider shall supply all installation services necessary to supply the City with data services. Installation services shall include all engineering, site surveys, system configuration, and any other services necessary for the City to access data services. Installation services shall be coordinated with the City. These installation services shall be provided up to the date that the service testing is completed based on Provider’s customary testing procedures and data services are available to the City (hereinafter the “Service Acceptance Date”). In addition, Provider will supply the equipment (collectively referred to as “Provider facilities”) necessary to connect City’s facilities to the Provider’s network.

2. TERM; FINANCIAL REVIEW.

2.1. This Agreement shall be effective upon the date of execution by the City (hereinafter the “Effective Date”) and shall continue in full force and effect for a period of two (2) years (hereinafter the “Initial Term”), unless sooner terminated as provided herein. This Agreement may be renewed for a maximum of three (3) additional one (1) year periods.

2.2. This Agreement shall be subject to quarterly financial reviews, the first of which shall occur approximately three (3) months from the Effective Date. A financial review will be completed prior to any renewal or extension of the Initial Term of this Agreement. As part of any quarterly financial review, Provider will provide to the City all applicable information necessary for the review including, but not limited to:

• The City’s bandwidth consumption;

Page 25 of 33: Internet Bandwidth Service Agreement

• Service rates;

• Provider bandwidth costs; and

• Provider support costs.

The City may renegotiate any pricing and fees prior to any renewal or extension of this Agreement.

3. FEES AND CHARGES. The City agrees to pay for Provider’s services in accordance with the Fee Schedule attached hereto as “Exhibit A” and incorporated herein by this reference.

3.1. Data Services Rates. The City shall pay the rates specified in “Exhibit A.” If data services do not begin on the first day of a billing cycle, then payments for the first month shall be prorated on a daily basis. All accounts will be invoiced on the first day of each month, and all sums shall be paid within thirty (30) days after the date of the monthly billing for data services (the “Due Date”). Provider shall include detailed usage and pricing on each invoice submitted to the City for payment.

3.2. Installation Services Charge. The City shall pay the installation charges specified in “Exhibit A” for the installation services provided by Provider and approved by the City. Such charges shall be due and payable upon onsite installation of the fiber terminating hardware. Installation shall establish the due date of the installation charges and the service acceptance date. Upon service acceptance by the City, the prorated data service charges set forth in Subsection 3.1 shall apply. The City maintains the right to refuse installation and service if, in the City’s discretion, the service will not meet all standards of section 4.

3.3. Uninterruptible Power Supply. The City may provide a form of uninterruptible power source for the fiber termination hardware and any of Provider’s facilities or equipment at the City’s 90 North Mountain Avenue, Ashland location. If the City does not provide an uninterruptible power source, Provider will provide one in accordance with “Exhibit A.”

3.4. Late Payments. Payments received after the Due Date may be subject to a charge of one percent (1%) per month on the unpaid balance at the discretion of Provider.

3.5. Taxes, Fees, Government Charges. The City agrees to pay any applicable taxes, franchise fees or other governmental charges imposed upon Provider by a governing body with jurisdictional authority over…