ATTACHMENT H - Commonwealth's Response to Vendor Written Questions - RFP 758 2600000216.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 19 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- RFP 758 2600000216 3
- Issued by
- Kentucky
About this file
This file is a Commonwealth of Kentucky Response to Vendor Written Questions for RFP 758 2600000216, addressing Security and Surveillance Hardware, Software, Systems and Services. The Commonwealth is seeking to award up to two contracts that will be available to all state agencies and political subdivisions to meet their individual unique needs. The RFP does not prescribe standardization across the Commonwealth, nor does it prioritize long-term strategic partnerships over project-by-project solutions. The contract term is one year with renewal options, though vendors requested consideration for a three-year term to enable better pricing. The Commonwealth reserves the right to host any proposed solution and requires vendors to submit a single hosting model that meets RFP requirements, with vendors to acknowledge any use of Artificial Intelligence in current solutions. The contract will support both new installations and expansion of existing systems listed in the RFP attachments, with proposed discounts to apply to hardware, software, extended warranties, and maintenance services.
Key pricing and operational terms include discounts off vendor's published list pricing for hardware, software, installation, maintenance, and warranty services, with the catalog to be provided in Excel format per Finance and Administration Office of Procurement Services requirements. No emergency work may commence without a Delivery Order from the requesting agency, though emergency purchases must comply with state procurement statutes. The current contract holder is Alpha Mechanical Service Inc dba Alpha Energy Solutions under Contract MA 785 2400000095. Vendors may utilize subcontractors and must disclose their use per specified RFP sections; subcontractor requirements and rejection criteria are outlined in Sections 3.1(C)(3)(i), 4.2(A), 4.2(B), 5.5, 9.5, and 10.31. Professional liability insurance is required, and the Commonwealth declined vendor requests to modify this language to align with industry standards such as Products-Completed Operations or Cyber Tech Errors and Omissions insurance. The RFP distinguishes between mandatory requirements using "shall," "will," or "must" and non-mandatory requirements using "should" or "may."
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Sheet1 ATTACHMENT H - Commonwealth's Response to Vendor Written Questions
RFP 758 2600000216
Security and Surveillance Hardware, Software, Systems and Services
| RFP Section / Requirement Number | Document | Document Page Number | Vendor Questions | Commonwealth Response | |
| 1 | General | Are there current holders of this contract? |
| If yes, how do we obtain a copy of the response? | The current contract holder is Alpha Mechanical Service Inc dba Alpha Energy Solutions, Contract # MA 785 2400000095. Please file an Open Records Request for a copy of the contract documents (https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/office-of-general-counsel/Pages/open-records-requests.aspx) | ||
| 2 | General | What is the Commonwealth's anticipated spend on this? |
| From a service provider perspective, we are trying to anticipate the value of the contract | This contract will be used by all state agencies and political subdivisions, therefore the anticipated value is unknown and can't be shared. | |||||
| 3 | General | Can you provide more clarity on your general vision? This is very broad. Is the COT trying standardize on access control and video platforms across its many entities and facilities? | This contract will be used by all state agencies and political subdivisions to meet their individual unique needs. The vision is not to standardize systems across the Commonwealth at this time. | |||
| 4 | General | Purpose | Page 4&5 | Does the Commonwealth intend to prioritize vendors that can act as a long-term strategic partner across multiple agencies, rather than project-by-project solution providers? | No. See Section 2.1, "The Commonwealth is seeking to award up to two (2) contracts for SECURITY AND SURVEILLANCE HARDWARE, SOFTWARE, SYSTEMS AND SERVICES." Also per Section (B)(1), vendors "shall be able to provide these items as well as related services statewide." | |
| 5 | RFP Section 3.1.A & – Existing Systems/Manufacturer | Attachment G | Page 4&5 | When supporting or expanding existing systems listed in Attachment G, may vendors apply the same discount structure proposed in Attachment B even if the manufacturer is no longer actively sold by the vendor? | The proposed discounts entered on Attachment B, Cost Proposal Form shall apply to existing and new. | |
| 6 | Attachment A - Section 3.1.A.1 | RFP 758 2600000216 Attachment A | 4 | Please define what is meant by "turnkey solutions" listed in 3.1.A.1. | Ready to use solutions | |
| 7 | 3.1 A #5 Scope of Work/Technical Requirements | Attachment A | 4 | Will the Commonwealth provide additional details on existing systems - such as most popular OEMs currently installed? | Attachment G includes existing systems and/or manufacturers used by different state agencies and political subdivisions. The Commonwealth has not deemed any one system and/or manufacturer the "most popular" or best. | |
| 8 | 3.1.A.6 | Attachment A | 5 | Many of the additional systems a very specialized and the list is quite varied. Can we take expections to any of these? |
If we provide some of these thru subcontractors, can we note that?
| Lastly, The language used is "should", not "shall", "will" or "must". Please clarify. | Please see Section 6.7(i) for how to submit deviations. See Sections 3.1(C)(3)(i), 4.2(A), 4.2(B), 5.5, 9.5, and 10.31 regarding subcontractors. "Should" and "may" indicate a non-mandatory requirement. "Shall", "will" and "must" indicate a mandatory requirement. | |||||
| 9 | Attachment A - Section 3.1.A.6 | RFP 758 2600000216 Attachment A | 5 | RFP notes vendor should be able to provide the following… "Controlled HVAC Equipment Systems." This is not linked to Security and Surveillance hardware, software, systems and services; can it be removed? | "Should" indicates a non-mandatory requirement therefore this will not be removed. Some Controlled HVAC Equipment Systems are directly related to security sytems. | |
| 10 | 3.1.B.2 | Attachment A | 5 | We have more than 3 years of experience with Security and Surveillance Hardware, Software, Systems and Services. These are our core product offerings. There are nearly 60 different products listed on Exhibit G. We are not familiar with all of them. Can you please clarfiy if the requirement is applicable to product categories or to the 60 items listed on Exhibit G? | Section 3.1(A)(5) and 3.1(A)(6) use the word "should" which indicates a non-mandatory requirement. | |
| 11 | RFP Section 3.1.C | Statement of Work | Page 6 | Is there a standardized SOW or quote template preferred by the Commonwealth, or may vendors use their own format provided all required elements are included? | The final format can be negotiated with the highest ranked vendor(s) however the content of the SOW/quote is outlined in the RFP. | |
| 12 | Attachment A - Section 3.1.C.3.i | RFP 758 2600000216 Attachment A | 6 | What are the requirements for subcontractors, or what would cause a subcontractor to be rejected by The Commonwealth? | See Sections 3.1(C)(3)(i), 4.2(A), 4.2(B), 5.5, 9.5, and 10.31 regarding subcontractors. | |
| 13 | 3.D | Attachment A | 6 | We often use subcontractors to pull cable. The subs vary from job to job. When and how do we need to disclose the use of a sub? | ||
| What are the requirements when doing so? | See Sections 3.1(C)(3)(i), 4.2(A), 4.2(B), 5.5, 9.5, and 10.31 regarding subcontractors. | |||||
| 14 | Section 3.1, Paragraph D | Attachment A | Page 7 | Is a Sharepoint site that includes Configuration Guide and shared w/ the state of KY acceptable? | This can be negotiated with the highest ranked vendor(s). | |
| 15 | Section 3.1.D.7 | Attached B & F | Page 6, 1 | Please provide example of how the state currently uses assett tagging and what type of solution currently is used | The current contract is used by all state agencies and political subdivisions. Each agency uses their own asset management system/process. | |
| 16 | Section 3.1.D.18 | Attached B & F | Page 7 & 1 | Is this the information required to be kept in shared spreadsheet? | This can be negotiated with the highest ranked vendor(s). | |
| 17 | 3.1 D #20 Scope of Work/Technical Requirements | Attachment A | 7 | Can the Commonwealth please confirm this means representatives include the technical installation team? "Vendor shall have a representative(s) on-stie during all installations". | This means a representative from the vendor/company. Please see the updated RFP that changes "shall" to "should". | |
| 18 | 3.1 E #1 Scope of Work/Technical Requirements | Attachment A | 8 | Can the Commonwealth please confirm the typical timing for a DECA inspection following the vendor's notification and installation is complete and ready for inspection? | Timing will vary depending on the project. | |
| 19 | RFP Section 3.1.F | Warranty | Page 8 | Can the Commonwealth confirm whether extended warranties, if requested, will be procured under the same discount structure proposed in Attachment B | The proposed discounts entered on Attachment B, Cost Proposal Form, shall apply to existing and new as well as extended warranties. See updated Attachment B. | |
| 20 | Section 31., Paragraph F, Warranty | Attachment A | Page 8 | Please design 24/7 Premier Support - What does Premier support mean? Guaranteed call back time vs onsite times, etc. | See updated Section 3.1(F)(6) | |
| 21 | 3.1 F #1 Scope of Work/Technical Requirements | Attachment A | 8 | Will the Commonwealth consider adding modified language surrounding the warranty period beginning following the DECA inspection to limit the time the vendor must wait for DECA scheduling? I.E. If DECA does not schedule inspection within 30/60 days, the vendor's 1 year warranty period may begin. | The language shall remain as is. "the one (1) year warranty shall not begin until the entire system is installed, inspected and accepted by the agency" | |
| 22 | 3.1 F # 4 Scope of Work/Technical Requirements | Attachment A | 8 | Can the Commonwealth please provide further clarity on the requirement for a call tracking system for all warranty support. Is the Commonwealth seeking a live tracking document of all warranty support or physically recorded logs of phone calls/chats between the vendor and OEM? | See updated Section 3.1(F)(4) and updated Section 6.8(E)(7). | |
| 23 | 3.1 F #6 Scope of Work/Technical Requirements | Attachment A | 8 | Can the Commonwealth please define "24/7 premier support" and confirm if that is expected for all completed installations by the awarded vendor? | See updated Section 3.1(F)(6) | |
| 24 | Attachment A - Section 3.1.F.6 | RFP 758 2600000216 Attachment A | 8 | Please define what "24/7 premier support" is. This 24/7 service request conflicts with the customer service response and repair times outlined in Section 3.1.I.2. | See updated Section 3.1(F)(6) | |
| 25 | RFP Section 3.1.H | Monthly Reporting | Page 8 | Is there a prescribed reporting format or reporting system preferred by COT for monthly usage and project reports? | The final format can be negotiated with the highest ranked vendor(s) however the content of the report is outlined in the RFP. | |
| 26 | 3.I | Attachment A | 9 | We have coverage for a large portion of the state. There are areas that we cannot get to as easily as other. Is there a way for us to decline converage at facility or can we set up an geographic area of coverage? | See Section 3.1(B)(1) "….shall be able to provide these items as well as related services statewide." | |
| 27 | 3.1 I #2 Scope of Work/Technical Requirements | Attachment A | 9 | Can the Commonwealth confirm if this support is required to cover existing systems that were installed under previous contracts/vendors? | Section 3.1(A)(5) and 3.1(A)(6) use the word "should" which indicates a non-mandatory requirement. | |
| 28 | RFP Section 3.2 | Value Added Services | Page 10 | While value-added services are not scored, does the Commonwealth view these offerings as indicators of vendor maturity and long-term commitment to the partnership? | No. Value Added Services are services/products that enhance the core Hardware, Software, Installation, Maintenance and Warranty, that are within scope of the RFP. They are extra features or benefits. | |
| 29 | RFP Section 4.1 | Hosting | Page 10 | Does the Commonwealth prefer vendors that can support hybrid hosting models to provide agencies flexibility while maintaining centralized oversight? | Please submit a single hosting model that meets the RFP requirements. | |
| 30 | RFP Section 4.1 | Hosting | Page 10 | If a vendor offers both on-premise and cloud-hosted solutions depending on agency preference, should both options be described in the Technical Proposal, or should vendors propose a single preferred hosting model? | Please submit a single hosting model that meets the RFP requirements. | |
| 31 | RFP Section 4.1 | Hosting | Page 10 | If a vendor proposes a FedRAMP-certified commercial cloud solution, will COT require migration to a COT-managed tenant at a later date, and if so, how will migration costs be addressed? | Please submit a single hosting model that meets the RFP requirements. | |
| 32 | RFP Section 4.1 | Hosting | Page 10 | Should vendors assume that video and system data retention requirements will vary by agency, and be addressed at the SOW level? | Yes | |
| 33 | 4.1 | Attachment A | 10 | While the Commonwealth reserves the right to host any proposed solution, we are not the OEM of the software and cannot commit without consulting them. Have you reviewed this with your existing partners such as Hanwha, Genetec, etc? | The language states, "The Commonwealth reserves the right to host any proposed solution, at any time, if deemed in the best interest of the Commonwealth." If this is deemed in the best interest of the Commonwealth, discussions with all stakeholders will occur. | |
| 34 | 4.1 Hosting Scope of Work/Technical Requirements | Attachment A | 11 | As the AI climate is constantly evolving, will the Commonwealth consider modifying language to allow vendors to acknowledge if AI is utilized for current solutions and allow vendors to keep the Commonwealth updated with future AI efficiencies? | The language states, "If vendor is using any type of Artificial Intelligence (AI) please indicate this in the RFP response." Please comply with the RFP requirement. Future AI can be discussed with the awarded vendor(s). | |
| 35 | RFP Section 4.9 | License Agreements | Page 13 | If a vendor’s standard EULA conflicts with Kentucky law, should vendors submit a redlined version with the proposal or wait until post-award negotiations? The EULA typically is genterated by manufactures. | Please see Section 6.7(i) for how to submit deviations. | |
| 36 | RFP Section 6.8.C | Hardware Software | Page 27 | Is the “catalog of proposed manufacturer hardware, software, systems and services” expected to be exhaustive, or representative of the vendor’s available portfolio? | The catalog should be a complete catalog of what the vendor is proposing as a response to the RFP. | |
| 37 | 6.8.C.1 | Attachment A | 27 | We could provide catalogs upon catalogs of different vendors, but it would be it would be helpful to get more information about what you want and where? Do you want to use one of your existing technology partners for video? Genetec? Hanwha? |
Are you just looking for options for cloud-based video and access control?
| Does the Commonwealth want to standardize on a platform? | The catalog should be a complete catalog of what the vendor is proposing as a response to the RFP. | |||||
| 38 | RFP Section 6.8.D | Implementation Plan | Page 27 | Should vendors assume statewide concurrent project execution when describing implementation plans, or focus on a single-agency deployment model? | The language states, "Describe a typical Implementation Plan of a project after receipt of order…." | |
| 39 | RFP Section 6.8.G | Customer Support | Page 27 | Will technical scoring consider the maturity of escalation models, regional service coverage, and proactive system health monitoring capabilities? | Technical scoring is based on the criteria outlined in Section 7.2 which references back to Section 6. | |
| 40 | RFP Section 7.1 | Proposal Evaluation | Page 28 | Will the evaluation committee place greater emphasis on demonstrated statewide delivery capability and program governance versus individual system features? | Technical scoring is based on the criteria outlined in Section 7.2 which references back to Section 6. | |
| 41 | RFP Section 7.2 | Technical Proposal Evaluation | Page 28 | Can the Commonwealth clarify whether technical scoring will favor vendors that demonstrate integrated, enterprise-ready architectures across video, access control, and monitoring platforms? | Technical scoring is based on the criteria outlined in Section 7.2 which references Section 6. | |
| 42 | RFP Section 9.1 | Agencies to Be Served | Page 30 | Does the Commonwealth anticipate leveraging this contract as a preferred procurement vehicle for large, multi-agency initiatives rather than only ad hoc agency purchases? | This contract will be used by all state agencies and political subdivisions to meet their individual unique needs. | |
| 43 | RFP Section 9.2 | Term of Contract | Page 30 | During renewal periods, will vendors be permitted to refresh pricing catalogs and product offerings to reflect technology evolution, subject to Commonwealth approval? | The language reads, "The Commonwealth reserves the right to renegotiate any terms and/or conditions as may be necessary to meet requirements for the extended period." | |
| 44 | 9.2 | Attachment A | 30 | This is a very large undertaking for a service provider in exchange for a 1 year commitment. Is there any consideration to a 3 year term? It should afford better pricing | The term shall remain as is. | |
| 45 | RFP Section 10.4 | Type of Contract | Page 32 | Can the Commonwealth confirm that Delivery Orders and SOWs may include fixed-price project pricing derived from the discounted catalog rates proposed in Attachment B? | See Section 3.1(C)(3)(d). The "Breakdown of cost" should be a firm fixed price based on the discount categories outlined on Attachment B, Cost Proposal Form. | |
| 46 | 10.11 | Attachment A | 33 | Are purchase orders required for emergency service work? |
Would we invoice the individual dispatching agency?
| Are there any portals that we need to work with to upload invoices? | Please see Section 3.1(C)(1), "The vendor cannot start any work prior to receiving a Delivery Order (DO) from the agency." If there is an emergency purchase, the agency shall comply with the Finance and Administration procurement statutes and policies for emergency purchases. | |||||
| 47 | 10.31 Insurance Requirements | Attachment A | 38 | "Professional" liability insurance generally applies to learned professional who are held to a very high standard of care, e.g. doctors, dentists, attorneys. IT reseller partners generally carry "Products - Completed Operations" as well as Cyber Tech Errors and Omissions insurance as alternatives. Would the Commonwealth consider modifying this language to align? | No, the language will remain as stated. | |
| 48 | Attachment B | Attachment B | This covers discounts of equipment MSRP. How does COT anticipate handling labor? Are we supposed to publish a labor rate? | See updated Section 7.3 and Attachment B. | ||
| 49 | ATTACHMENT B - Cost Proposal Form | RFP 758 2600000216 Attachment B | 1 | The cost proposal form asks for Installation, Maintenance, and Warranty discounts from vendor's published price. These are not published like MSRP is for Hardware and Software, how are vendors to show these discounts? | Per Attachment B, "Please include the minimum discount off" | |
| 50 | Section 6.4, 6.5, 6.9 | Attachment B | Page 1 | Attachment B communicates discount off of vendors published list pricing. Assuming this list will need to be provided after award? Are online gated price punchouts acceptable? | No. The vendor will provide a catalog in Excel format per the Finance and Administration, Office of Procurement Services requirements. | |
| 51 | Section 6.4, 6.5, 6.9 | Attachment B | Page 1 | Warranty - Vedndor offers 12 month warranty, would warranty discount apply to extended warranty? How would you show that percentatge discount on Attachment B if warrenty is included? | See updated Attachment B | |
| 52 | Section 6.4, 6.5, 6.9 | Attachment B | Page 1 | Software - Manufactures in the Integrated Security & Life Safety Vertical Typically include software and hardware on same price catalogs. | Please comply with the RFP requirements and Attachment B. | |
| 53 | Cost Proposal Form | Attachment BD | Page 1 | Maintenance - Is this effective the "service rate" that we offer? | See updated Attachment B |
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