MACON-BIBB COUNTY, GEORGIA

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Next Generation 9-1-1 ESInet and Public Safety Communications

Modernization

83845 83846 83881 93972

RFQ # 27-006-LH

MACON-BIBB COUNTY

ISSUE DATE: July 28, 2026

DUE DATE: August 27, 2026 12:00 PM (Noon) EST

I. Invitation

Notice is hereby given that Macon-Bibb County will receive responses to the Request for Proposal (original proposal plus 5 copies & Flash Drive) in the Procurement Department, 700 Poplar Street Suite 308, Macon, Georgia

31201, until 12:00 o’clock NOON at the time legally prevailing in Macon, Georgia on Thursday, August 27, 2026, for Next Generation 9-1-1 ESInet and Public Safety Communications Modernization.

NO LATE RESPONSES WILL BE CONSIDERED

Questions regarding this RFP shall be submitted in writing. Deadline for receiving questions is Friday, August 7, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. standard eastern time. All questions must be submitted by email only to lhardwick@maconbibb.us

II. Overview

Macon-Bibb County, Georgia (hereinafter referred to as “the County”) is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified vendors to provide a comprehensive, standards-based, resilient, and scalable Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) solution, including Emergency Services IP Network (ESInet) services, NG911 Core Services (NGCS), integration support, cybersecurity protections, GIS enablement, continuity of operations capabilities, and associated professional services.

The County seeks a vendor neutral and standards compliant NG911 environment capable of supporting current and future public safety operational requirements while maintaining interoperability with existing public safety communications infrastructure.

This procurement is intended to establish a competitive, transparent, and technically rigorous evaluation process to ensure the County selects the solution best aligned with operational, technical, financial, cybersecurity, resiliency, and long-term sustainability objectives. The County currently operates a Harris P25 700/800 MHz trunked radio system with IP-based dispatch console infrastructure utilizing the Symphony platform integrated with Tyler

Technologies CAD. The County intends to transition toward a fully standards compliant NG911 environment while preserving operational continuity and minimizing disruption to existing emergency communication workflows.

III. Pre-Bid

A pre-bid mandatory conference is scheduled for 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, August 5, 2026, at Bibb County Board of Commission Conference Room,700 Poplar Street, Macon, GA 31201. This pre-bid is mandatory contractor must be present in order to submit a response. Deadline for submitting questions is Friday, August 7, 2026, by 3:00 p.m. All questions must be submitted via email to Lhardwick@maconbibb.us

IV. Insurance Requirements

Insurance coverage shall be carried with an insurance company licensed to do business in the State of Georgia. All coverage should be written with insurance companies with a Best Rating of A or better. Insurance shall be obtained prior to commencement of work and shall remain in force throughout the period of the contract. Macon-Bibb

County shall be named as additional insured on the policy.

Errors and Omission: $1,000,000

Submittals

Responses must be sealed and identified on the outside of the package as and delivered to

“27-006-LH Next Generation 9-1-1 ESInet and Public Safety Communications”

Macon-Bibb County Procurement Department

700 Poplar Street

Suite 308

Macon, Georgia 31201 mailto:lhardwick@maconbibb.us mailto:Lhardwick@maconbibb.us

Submissions may not be withdrawn for a period of one hundred and twenty (120) days after the deadline for closing.

Macon- Bibb reserves the right to reject any and all submissions and to waive technicalities and formalities.

Respondents shall carefully read the information contained herein and submit a complete response to all requirements and questions as directed. Submittals and any other information submitted in response to the RPS shall become the property of Macon-Bibb County.

V. Project Objectives

The County’s objectives include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Improve emergency call delivery reliability and survivability

• Improve call routing accuracy and GIS-based location services

• Reduce call handling and dispatch processing delays

• Improve interoperability among Fire Rescue, Sheriff’s Office, EMS, neighboring PSAPs, and state systems

• Establish a resilient and redundant ESInet architecture

• Support future multimedia emergency communications capabilities

• Improve cybersecurity posture for public safety communications systems

• Maintain compatibility with existing CAD, radio, and dispatch console systems

• Ensure compliance with applicable NENA, APCO, FCC, CJIS, and Georgia state standards

• Establish long-term operational scalability and sustainability

• Avoid proprietary vendor lock-in and preserve interoperability and portability.

VI. Current Environment

The County’s current emergency communications environment includes:

• Harris P25 trunked radio system operating on 700/800 MHz infrastructure

• Harris Symphony IP-based dispatch console system

• Tyler Technologies Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) platform

• Existing E911/legacy call delivery environment Next Gen capable

• Existing GIS datasets supporting public safety operations

• Existing PSAP Zetron Max Dispatch infrastructure and dispatch operations

The County reserves the right to modify, expand, or clarify the current environment during the RFP process.

VII. Scope of Services

Overview

The successful proposer shall provide a complete NG911 solution inclusive of the following components:

ESInet Services

The proposer shall provide

• NENA i3-compliant ESInet services

• Geographic redundancy and survivability

• Physically diverse transport paths

• High-availability architecture

• Scalable bandwidth architecture

• Secure IP transport infrastructure

• Interoperability with neighboring PSAPs and ESInets

• Legacy network gateway support

• Support for transitional hybrid environments

NG911 Core Services (NGCS)

The solution shall include:

• Emergency Call Routing Function (ECRF)

• Location Validation Function (LVF)

• Border Control Functions

• Policy Routing Functions

• Logging Services

• GIS-based routing support

• SIP-based call handling support

• Text-to-911 capability

• Future multimedia capability

GIS Requirements

The proposer shall:

• Validate GIS readiness for NG911 deployment

• Identify GIS remediation requirements

• Support GIS onboarding and validation

• Support GIS synchronization processes

• Support address point validation

• Support road centerline validation

• Support ESZ and PSAP boundary validation

• Provide GIS data management recommendations

Cybersecurity Requirements

The proposer shall provide:

• CJIS-compliant security controls

• Multi-layer cybersecurity architecture

• Security Operations Center (SOC) monitoring

• Intrusion detection and prevention capabilities

• Network segmentation

• Identity and access management controls

• Security event logging and monitoring

• Vulnerability management processes

• Incident response procedures

• Disaster recovery procedures

Redundancy and Continuity of Operations

• No single point of failure architecture

• Geographically redundant core infrastructure

• Diverse transport path redundancy

• Backup PSAP operational capability

• Failover routing capability

• Automatic rerouting capability

• Continuity of operations procedures

• Disaster recovery capabilities

• Wireless failover options

• Backup call handling capabilities

• Tripple Redundancy to Include LTE

Operational Support Requirements

• 24/7/365 technical support

• Dedicated public safety support personnel

• Escalation procedures

• Preventative maintenance support

• Lifecycle management support

• Ongoing software maintenance and updates

• Change management procedures

• Service reporting and analytics

• Customer portal access

Training Requirements

• Dispatcher training

• Administrator training

• Technical staff training

• GIS staff training

• Operational workflow training

• Cybersecurity awareness training

• Documentation and user manuals

Standards and Compliance Requirements

The proposed solution shall comply with all applicable standards and requirements, including but not limited to:

• NENA i3 standards

• APCO standards

• FCC NG911 requirements

• CJIS Security Policy requirements

• State of Georgia NG911 requirements

• Applicable ISO dispatch and communications reliability standards

• Applicable NFPA standards where relevant

• SIP interoperability standards

• IPv6 compatibility standards

ISO and Dispatch Center Reliability Requirements

The proposer shall specifically address:

• Dispatch center survivability

• Redundant communications paths

• Physically diverse fiber routing

• UPS and generator integration support

• HVAC redundancy considerations

• Backup dispatch operations capability

• Alternate PSAP routing capability

• System availability guarantees

• Call delivery reliability metrics

• Service restoration timelines

Vendor Qualifications

The proposer shall demonstrate:

• Minimum of five (5) years NG911 operational deployment experience

• Experience supporting public safety ESInet infrastructure

• Experience integrating with legacy and transitional PSAP environments

• Experience supporting statewide or regional NG911 deployments

• Financial stability

• Public safety operational expertise

• Availability of local or regional support resources

• Experience with P25 environments

• Experience integrating with CAD and dispatch systems

• Organizational background

• Relevant project experience

• Public safety references

• Technical certifications

• Staffing plans

• Escalation procedure

Implementation Requirements

• Detailed implementation schedule

• Cutover strategy

• Rollback procedures

• Testing methodology

• Acceptance testing procedures

• Transition support

• Operational continuity planning

• Risk mitigation planning

The County requires minimal operational disruption during implementation.

Service Level Requirements

The proposer shall provide service level commitments including:

• System uptime guarantees

• Mean time to repair (MTTR)

• Call delivery performance metrics

• Network latency guarantees

• Support response times

• Escalation timelines

• Reporting requirements

The County prefers solutions providing 99.999% availability.

Data Ownership and Portability

The County shall retain ownership of:

• GIS data

• Routing data

• Operational data

• Reporting data

• Configuration data

• Data export capabilities

• Open standards interoperability

• Migration support if services are terminated

• Documentation supporting portability

Solutions relying on proprietary restrictions limiting future migration flexibility are discouraged.

Cybersecurity and Risk Management

The proposer shall provide detailed documentation regarding:

• Security governance

• Threat monitoring

• Incident response

• Disaster recovery

• Business continuity

• Penetration testing

• Vulnerability management

• Supply chain security

• Ransomware mitigation

The County reserves the right to require cybersecurity validation documentation

Future Expansion Capabilities

The solution shall support future expansion including:

• Additional PSAP integration

• Multimedia emergency communications

• Video support

• Telematics integration

• AI-assisted workflows

• Expanded GIS capabilities

• Regional interoperability initiatives

• Cloud-based operational enhancements

VIII. Request for Proposal Schedule

The Owner has elected to employ a qualifications-based selection process to evaluate and choose the design firm/team for this project. The Owner anticipates the following phases and milestone dates for the selection process

(all dates are subject to change at the Owner’s discretion):

• Release of Request for Qualifications (RFQ): July 28, 2026

• Deadline for Questions: August 7, 2026, by 3:00 PM EST

• Submission Due Date: August 27, 2026, by 12:00 PM (Noon) EST (No public bid opening; submittals will be opened privately by the Owner after the deadline.)

The Owner reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to adjust this Schedule of Events as it deems necessary. Changes to any dates or deadlines will be communicated to all registered RFQ holders via addendum.

IX. Submittal Format and Requirements

Submissions must be organized in a manner to display the required information easily accessible with table of contents and labelled tabs. Responses should be concise but sufficiently detailed to address each item.

1. A Cover Sheet including quick facts about the firm (contact information such as email, address, phone number, website)

2. Executive Summary

3. Experience and qualifications specifically addressing the firm’s fitness in carrying out the Scope of Work outlined in this solicitation.

4. Structure of the firm (include principal(s), project team, if applicable)

5. Resume(s) of key personnel and their proposed roles in delivering the project

6. Reference list (minimum of 3)

7. List of projects with similar scopes and size (describe at least 3 projects completed in the last ten years)

8. Past examples of adherence to timelines and quality of work

9. A 1-5 Page Statement of Qualification specifically addressing the firm’s fitness in carrying out the Scope of

Work outlined herein this proposal.

Addenda Acknowledgement - The submission must include acknowledgment of all addenda issued for this RFQ. (If any addenda are not acknowledged, the submission may be deemed non-responsive.)

X. Reservations

Macon-Bibb County will not provide compensation to Respondents for any expenses incurred by the Respondent(s) for submittal preparation or for any demonstrations that may be made, unless otherwise expressly stated or required by law.

Each submission should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of your firm’s ability to meet the requirements of this RFP. Emphasis should be on completeness, clarity of content, responsiveness to the requirements, and an understanding of the Owner’s needs.

Macon-Bibb County makes no guarantee that an award will be made as a result of this RFP and reserves the right to accept or reject any or all submittals, with or without cause, waive any formalities or minor technical inconsistencies, or delete any item/requirement from this RFP or contract when deemed to be in the Owner’s best interest.

Macon-Bibb County will consider only representations made within the submission in response to this RFP. Owner will not be bound to act by any previous knowledge, communication, or submission by the firms other than this

RFP.

Failure to comply with the requirements contained herein may result in the submission being deemed “non-responsive” or “non-responsible”. Non-responsive submissions will not be reviewed for potential awards.

XI. Local Preference

Macon-Bibb County reserves the right to award bids to County Businesses and merchants whose bids is within 5%

(five percent) of the lowest responsive and responsible bid which conforms to the RFP proposal.

XII. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals shall be evaluated using the following weighted criteria

Criteria Weight

• Technical Compliance and Architecture 25%

• Operational Fit and Workflow Alignment 20%

• Redundancy, Resiliency, Continuity 15%

• Cybersecurity and Compliance 10%

• Integration Capability 10%

• Vendor Experience and Qualifications 10%

• Pricing and Long-Term Cost Sustainability 10%

XIII. Award Basis

a. An award will be recommended based on the subjective judgment and evaluation of the review panel, after considering the totality of all materials and presentations submitted for this RFQ.

XIV. Submission Instructions

a. Submission Deadline: Responses to the Request for proposal must be received by the Owner no later than

12:00 PM (Noon) EST on August 27, 2026. Submissions received after this deadline will not be considered. It is the Proposer’s responsibility to ensure delivery by the deadline; late or misdirected submittals (including those delayed by shipping services) will be rejected and unopened.

Electronic or faxed submissions will NOT be accepted. Firms should submit one (1) original and five (5) hard copies of their proposal, as well as one (1) electronic copy on a USB flash drive.

b. Questions and Addenda: Questions or requests for clarification regarding this RFQ must be submitted in writing via email to Laura Hardwick, Procurement Director at Lhardwick@maconbibb.us. no later than

3:00 PM EST on Friday, August 7, 2026. All questions must be submitted by email; phone calls will not be accepted. Answers to questions and any necessary addenda will be posted on the Macon-Bibb County

Procurement webpage (https://www.maconbibb.us/procurement/) and the Georgia Procurement Registry

(https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/index).

XV. Terms and Conditions (Proposal Terms)

a. Right to Modify or Cancel: The Owner reserves the right to cancel or modify the selection process at any time, to waive technicalities, to accept or reject any portion of the proposals, and/or to reject all proposals if doing so is deemed in the best interest of the Owner. The Owner reserves the right to make reasonable modifications to the scope of work, to adjust the composition of the requested services, or to negotiate changes with the selected design team if necessary to achieve the project’s objectives. This RFP does not commit the Owner to enter into a contract, nor to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal or in subsequent negotiations.

b. Required Documentation: Prior to contract execution, the selected firm will be required to submit all documentation as outlined in Attachment “A” – Macon-Bibb County Required Documents. Submission of these documents is a condition of award. Failure to provide the required documentation in a timely and complete manner may result in disqualification or delay in contract execution.

c. The proposer shall identify any confidential or proprietary materials included within the proposal.

d. The County reserves the right to disclose proposal materials as required under applicable Georgia open records laws.

Attachment Index:

Attachment “A” – Macon-Bibb County required documents https://ssl.doas.state.ga.us/gpr/index

Request For Proposal Pricing Bid Form

The proposer shall complete the pricing for each item listed on the table below.

Mandatory Equipment and Component

Description Unit Price

One-time implementation cost Each

Monthly Recurring Cost Each

Licensing Costs Each

Hardware Costs Each

Integration Costs Each

GIS Onboarding Costs Each

Training Costs Each

Optional Services Each

Maintenance Costs Each

Professional Services Each

Future Expansion/Upgrade Each

Total Bid Price:____________________

Years of Maintenance

Maintenance

Item

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 5 Year Total

Software

Hardware

The proposer shall identify all assumptions and potential third-party costs.

The County reserves the right to negotiate pricing and scope.

Delivery Timeframe___________________________________

Authorized Signatory: (printed)____________________ Title____________________

Signature_____________________________________ Date____________________