AWOS Data Collection and Distribution.docx

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

Department of Transportation

Aeronautics - Automated Weather Observation Systems (AWOS) Request for Proposal No. 250000000334 Solicitation Manager Name: ReChelle Kendrick Direct Phone: 517-335-5905 Email: KendrickR1@michigan.gov

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) to establish a new contract for:

Aviation Weather Data Service upgrade/installation and/or removal. The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has installed and currently maintains forty (40) AWOS IIIP and two (2) AWOS IIIPT. The locations for these AWOS systems are listed in Schedule C. At any time throughout the term of this Contract, future locations may be added, or current locations removed, as well as various options as per the pricing sheet (Schedule B). The term of the contract(s) is for one-year with seven (7), one-year renewal options.

RFP Timeline

*A bidder’s proposal received at 3:00:01 p.m. Eastern is late and subject to disqualification.

This RFP is subject to change. Check www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS for current information.

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. PROPOSAL PREPARATION. The State recommends reading all RFP materials prior to preparing a proposal, particularly these Proposal Instructions and the Vendor Questions Worksheet. Bidders must follow these Proposal Instructions and provide a complete response to the items indicated in the RFP Structure and Documentation table below. References and links to websites or external sources may not be used in lieu of providing the information requested in the RFP within the proposal. Include the bidder’s company name in the header of all documents submitted with your proposal. Note that all documents and information submitted as part of a proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Proposals received by the State may be posted on the State’s publicly available website after bidders are notified of the award recommendation.

RFP Structure and Documentation

2. CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE STATE. The sole point of contact for the State concerning this RFP is:

ReChelle Kendrick, Solicitation Manager 517-335-5905 KendrickR1@michigan.gov Contacting any other State personnel, agent, consultant, or representative about this RFP may result in bidder disqualification.

3. MODIFICATIONS. The State may modify this RFP at any time. Modifications will be posted on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS. This is the only method by which the RFP may be modified.

4. QUESTIONS. Bidder questions about this RFP must be emailed to the Solicitation Manager. In the interest of transparency, only written questions are accepted. Answers to questions will be posted on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS.

5. DELIVERY OF PROPOSAL. The bidder must submit its proposal, all attachments, and any modifications or withdrawals electronically through www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS. The price proposal should be saved separately from all other proposal documents. The bidder should submit all documents in a modifiable (native) format (examples include but are not limited to Microsoft Word or Excel and Google Docs or Sheets). In addition to submitting documents in a modifiable format, the bidder may also submit copies of documents in PDF. Attachment file size is limited to 6 MB per document. Bidder’s failure to submit a proposal as required may result in disqualification. The proposal and attachments must be fully uploaded and submitted prior to the proposal deadline. Do not wait until the last minute to submit a proposal, as the SIGMA VSS system requires the creation of an account and entry of certain information, in addition to uploading and submitting the materials. The SIGMA VSS system will not allow a proposal to be submitted after the proposal deadline identified in the solicitation Closing On/Closing Date fields (Summary view/Detail view), even if a portion of the proposal has been uploaded.

Questions on how to submit information or how to navigate in the SIGMA VSS system can be answered by calling (517) 284-0540 or (888) 734-9749. The Solicitation Manager will not provide assistance related to the submittal of the proposal and all attachments on the day of the proposal deadline. Responsibility for a complete submission lies with the bidder. Note that all documents and information submitted in any manner as part of a proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Proposals received may be posted by the State on the State’s publicly available website after bidders are notified of the award recommendation.

6. MANDATORY MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS. None.

7. EVALUATION PROCESS. If all mandatory minimum requirements are met the State will evaluate each proposal based on the following factors:

The State may utilize all bidder information to determine fair market value for goods or services sought. If applicable, the State’s evaluation will include consideration of a bidder’s qualified disabled veterans/service-disabled veteran owned business(QDV/SDVOB) status under MCL 18.1261(8). Additional information on the SDVOB preference is available at: Michigan.gov/SDVOB The State strongly encourages strict adherence to the Contract Terms. The State reserves the right to deem a bid non-responsive for failure to accept the Contract Terms. Nevertheless, the bidder may submit proposed changes to the Contract Terms in track changes (i.e., visible edits) with an explanation of the bidder’s need for each proposed change. Failure to include track changes with an explanation of the bidder’s need for the proposed change constitutes the bidder’s acceptance of the Contract Terms. General statements, such as that the bidder reserves the right to negotiate the terms and conditions, may be considered non-responsive. Failure to respond timely to requests for proposed changes to Contract Terms during ongoing negotiations may be cause for disqualification.

The State may but is not required to conduct an on-site visit to tour and inspect the bidder’s facilities; require an oral presentation of the bidder's proposal; conduct interviews, research, reference checks, and background checks; and request additional price concessions at any point during the evaluation process.

8. NOTICE OF DEFICIENCY. The State reserves the right to issue a Notice of Deficiency to bidders if the State determines after the proposal deadline that a portion of the RFP was deficient, unclear, or ambiguous. Failure to respond to a Notice of Deficiency timely may be cause for disqualification.

9. CLARIFICATION REQUEST. The State reserves the right to issue a Clarification Request to a bidder to clarify its proposal if the State determines the proposal is not clear. Failure to respond to a Clarification Request timely may be cause for disqualification.

10. RESERVATIONS. The State reserves the right to:

a. Disqualify a bidder for failure to follow these instructions.

b. Discontinue the RFP process at any time for any or no reason. The issuance of an RFP, your preparation and submission of a proposal, and the State’s subsequent receipt and evaluation of your proposal does not commit the State to award a contract to you or anyone, even if all the requirements in the RFP are met.

c. Consider late proposals if: (i) no other proposals are received; (ii) no complete proposals are received; (iii) the State received complete proposals, but the proposals did not meet mandatory minimum requirements or technical criteria; or (iv) the award process fails to result in an award.

d. Consider an otherwise disqualified proposal if no other proposals are received.

e. Disqualify a proposal based on: (i) information provided by the bidder in response to this RFP; (2) the bidder’s failure to complete registration on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS ; or (3) if it is determined that a bidder purposely or willfully submitted false or misleading information in response to the RFP.

f. Consider prior performance with the State in making its award decision.

g. Consider overall economic impact to the State when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation. This includes but is not limited to: considering principal place of performance, number of Michigan citizens employed or potentially employed, dollars paid to Michigan residents, Michigan capital investments, job creation, tax revenue implications, and economically disadvantaged businesses.

h. Consider total-cost-of-ownership factors (e.g., transition and training costs) when evaluating proposal pricing and in the final award recommendation.

i. Refuse to award a contract to any bidder that has failed to pay State taxes or has outstanding debt with the State.

j. Enter into negotiations with one or more bidders on price, terms, technical requirements, or other deliverables.

k. Award multiple, optional-use contracts, or award by Contract Activity.

l. Evaluate the proposal outside the scope identified in the Evaluation Process section of this document if the State receives only one proposal.

11. AWARD RECOMMENDATION. The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder who receives a PASS for each criterion and has the lowest price. The State will publish an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis, by posting a Notice of Intent to Award (NIA1) on www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS.

12. DEBRIEF MEETING AND BID PROTEST. The State will publish an Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis which will provide instructions on how to request a debrief meeting.

If you wish to initiate a protest of the award, you must submit your written protest to Carol Rademacher at RademacherC@michigan.gov no later than 3:00 p.m., three (3) business days after the Award Recommendation and Evaluation Synopsis is posted on SIGMA VSS. The State reserves the right to adjust this timing and will publish any change.

Additional information about the protest process is available at DTMB - Programs and Policies (michigan.gov) under the “Bidder Protests” link.

13. STATE ADMINISTRATIVE BOARD. Contracts equal to or greater than $250,000 require approval by the State Administrative Board. The State Administrative Board’s decision is final; however, its approval does not constitute a contract. The award process is not complete until the awarded contractor receives a contract fully executed by all parties.

14. GENERAL CONDITIONS. The State will not be liable for any costs, expenses, or damages incurred by a bidder participating in this solicitation. The bidder agrees that its proposal will be considered an offer to do business with the State in accordance with its proposal, including the Contract Terms, and that its proposal will be irrevocable and binding for a period of 180 calendar days from date of submission. If a contract is awarded to the bidder, the State may, at its option, incorporate any part of the bidder’s proposal into a contract. This RFP is not an offer to enter into a contract. This RFP may not provide a complete statement of the State’s environment or contain all matters upon which agreement must be reached. The bidder understands that their proposal will become public record immediately upon receipt by the State. Other than verified trade secrets, proposals submitted via www.michigan.gov/SIGMAVSS are the State’s property.

15. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM AND THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT As a public record, all portions of the bidder’s proposal and resulting contract are subject to disclosure as required under Michigan’s Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), MCL 15.231, et seq. However, the State may exempt some information from disclosure as permitted by law. Under MCL 18.1261(13)(b), records containing “a trade secret as defined under section 2 of the uniform trade secrets act, 1998 PA 448, MCL 445.1902,” are exempt from disclosure under FOIA. In addition, “financial or proprietary information” submitted with a bidder’s proposal is exempt from disclosure under FOIA. A bidder’s failure to comply with this Section is grounds for rejecting a bidder’s proposal as non-responsive. As a part of its proposal, each bidder must follow the procedure below.

SUBMIT A COMPLETED “CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM” (CT FORM) WITH YOUR BID. Completion and submission of the CT Form is required regardless of whether the bidder seeks confidential treatment of information. Failure to submit a completed CT Form may be cause for disqualification from the solicitation process. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow CT Form instructions, the proposal may be publicly disclosed in its entirety without redaction after an award recommendation.

Complete and sign Section 1 of the CT Form if the bidder does NOT request confidential treatment of information contained in its proposal; or

i. Complete and sign Section 2 of the CT Form if the bidder requests confidential treatment of certain information. Bidder must also submit a “Public Copy” of the proposal with the trade secret, financial, and proprietary information redacted and clearly labeled as the “Public Copy.”

Failure to complete and sign a CT Form may result in disqualification of the bidder. If a bidder fails to properly complete and submit the CT Form or otherwise fails to follow the CT Form instructions, the proposal, in its entirety, will be treated as a “Public Copy” and may be publicly disclosed by the State without redaction after bidders have been notified of an award recommendation.

FOIA REQUESTS. If a FOIA request is made for a bidder’s proposal, the Public Copy may be distributed to the public along with the bidder’s CT Form. The CT Form is a public document and serves as an explanation for the redactions to the Public Copy. Do not put any trade secret, financial, or proprietary information in the CT Form. Do not redact the CT Form itself.

b. NO ADVICE. The State will not advise a bidder as to the nature or content of documents entitled to protection from disclosure under FOIA or other laws, as to the interpretation of such laws, or as to the definition of trade secret or financial or proprietary information. Nothing contained in this provision will modify or amend requirements and obligations imposed on the State by FOIA or other applicable law.

c. FAILURE TO REQUEST CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT. Failure to request material be treated as confidential as specified herein relieves the State, its agencies, and personnel from any responsibility for maintaining material in confidence.

d. Bids containing a request to maintain an entire proposal as confidential may be rejected as non-responsive. Bidders may not request confidential treatment with respect to resumes, pricing, and marketing materials. The State reserves the right to determine whether material designated as exempt by a bidder falls under MCL 18.1261 or other applicable FOIA exemptions. If a FOIA request is made for materials that the bidder has identified as trade secret, financial, or proprietary information, the State has the final authority to determine whether the materials are exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

e. Bidder forever releases the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees from all claims, rights, actions, demands, damages, liabilities, expenses and fees, which arise out of or relate to the disclosure of all or a portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP. Bidder must defend, indemnify and hold the State, its departments, subdivisions, officers, and employees harmless, without limitation, from and against all actions, claims, losses, liabilities, damages, costs, attorney fees, and expenses (including those required to establish the right to indemnification), arising out of or relating to any FOIA request, including potential litigation and appeals, related to the portion of bidder’s proposal submitted under this RFP that bidder has identified as a trade secret, or financial or proprietary information. The State will notify bidder in writing if indemnification is sought. The State is entitled to: (i) regular updates on proceeding status; (ii) participate in the defense of the proceeding; (iii) employ its own counsel; and to (iv) retain control of the defense, or any portion thereof, if the State deems necessary. Bidder will not, without the State’s written consent (not to be unreasonably withheld), settle, compromise, or consent to the entry of any judgment in or otherwise seek to terminate any claim, action, or proceeding. If a State employee, official, or law is involved or challenged, the State may control the defense of that portion of the claim. Any litigation activity on behalf of the State, or any of its subdivisions under this Section, must be coordinated with the Department of Attorney General. An attorney designated to represent the State may not do so until approved by the Michigan Attorney General and appointed as a Special Assistant Attorney General.

Michigan.gov/MiProcurement

Michigan.gov/MiProcurement

CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT FORM

INSTRUCTIONS. A signed and dated Confidential Treatment Form (CT Form) must be submitted with your proposal, regardless of whether your proposal contains confidential information.

1. Complete either Section 1 or Section 2 of this form and sign where indicated. Do not complete both sections. Note: Completion of Section 2 is required to request confidential treatment.

2. This form must be signed by the individual who signed the bidder’s proposal.

Failure to submit a completed CT Form with your bid is grounds for rejecting the proposal as non-responsive.

In addition, failure to follow the instructions on this form or to properly complete and submit it may result in the entire proposal being publicly disclosed by the State without redaction after an award recommendation.

See the Confidential Treatment Form and the Freedom of Information Act section of the Proposal Instructions for additional information.

Section 1. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS NOT REQUESTED This section must be completed, signed, and submitted with the proposal if the bidder does not request confidential treatment of any material contained in the proposal. If this section is completed, do not complete Section 2.

By signing below, the bidder affirms that confidential treatment of material contained in their proposal is not requested.

RFP Number

RFP Title

Signature

Date

Printed Name, Title, Company

Section 2. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT IS REQUESTED Bidders must complete, sign, and submit this section with the proposal, to request confidential treatment of any material contained in the proposal. If this section is completed, do not complete Section 1.

Bidders must specifically identify the information to be protected as confidential and/or proprietary and state the reasons why protection is necessary. As shown in the table below, the following details are required for each confidentiality request.

1. The proposal page number, section number, and paragraph number.

2. Whether the material referenced is Trade Secret (TS), Proprietary Financial Information (FI), or Proprietary Information (PI). Bidders may not request confidential treatment of resumes, pricing, and marketing materials.

3. An explanation of the specific legal grounds that support treatment of the material as TS, FI, or PI and a complete justification as to how the material falls within the scope of an applicable FOIA exemption or relevant case law. Bidders must not simply cite an applicable exemption or case name.

4. The person at their organization authorized to respond to inquiries by the State concerning the material and their contact information.

REQUIRED: Bidders completing this section must also submit a copy of the proposal with the trade secret, financial, and proprietary information redacted and clearly label this redacted copy as the PUBLIC COPY.

(1) Proposal Page #, Section #, Paragraph # (2) Material is Trade Secret (TS), Proprietary Financial Information (FI), Proprietary Information (PI) (3) Applicable FOIA Exemption with Written Justification (4) Bidder Contact Information

Bidders may add rows or additional pages using the same format shown in the table.

State of Michigan FOIA Requests The State reserves the right to determine whether material designated as exempt by a bidder falls under MCL 18.1261 or other applicable FOIA exemptions.

If a FOIA request is made for materials that the bidder has identified as trade secret, financial, or proprietary information, the State has the final authority to determine whether the materials are exempt from disclosure under FOIA.

The State is not obligated to notify a bidder if a FOIA request for bidder’s proposal is received nor if bidder’s proposal is made available to the public. This form, and any additional justification letters, are not exempt from release under FOIA.

By signing below, the bidder affirms that confidential treatment of material contained in their proposal is requested and has attached to this form a redacted “Public Copy” of the bidder’s proposal.

RFP Number

RFP Title

Signature

Date

Printed Name, Title, Company

VENDOR QUESTIONS WORKSHEET

Provide a detailed response to each question. “You” and “company” refers to the bidder.

1. Contact Information

Bidder’s sole contact person during the RFP process. Include name, title, address, email, and phone number.

Person authorized to receive and sign a resulting contract. Include name, title, address, email, phone number and vendor customer code in SIGMA VSS.

2. Company Background Information

Legal business name and address. Include business entity designation, e.g., sole proprietor, Inc., LLC, or LLP.

What state was the company formed in?

Phone number.

Website address.

Number of years in business.

Number of employees.

Legal business name and address of parent company, if any.

Has there been a recent change in organizational structure (e.g., management team) or control (e.g., merger or acquisition) of your company? If the answer is yes: (a) explain why the change occurred and (b) how this change has affected your company.

Discuss your company’s history. Has growth been organic, through mergers and acquisitions, or both?

Has bidder ever been debarred, suspended, or disqualified from bidding or contracting with any entity, including the State of Michigan? If yes, provide the date, the entity, and details about the situation.

Has your company been a party to litigation against the State of Michigan? If the answer is yes, then state the date of initial filing, case name and court number, and jurisdiction.

Within the last 5 years, has your company or any of its related business entities defaulted on a contract or had a contract terminated for cause? If yes, provide the date, contracting entity, type of contract, and details about the termination or default.

State your gross annual sales for each of the last 5 years.

If receiving a contract under this RFP will increase your gross revenue by more than 25% from last year’s sales, explain how the company will scale-up to manage this increase.

Describe partnerships and strategic relationships you think will bring significant value to the State.

State the physical address of the place of business that would have primary responsibility for this account if bidder is awarded a contract under this RFP.

To demonstrate qualification as a qualified disabled veteran, you must provide:

(a) Proof of service and conditions of discharge (DD214 or equivalent);

(b) Proof of service-connected disability (DD214 if the disability was documented at discharge or Veterans Administration Rating Decision Letter or equivalent if the disability was documented after discharge); and

(c) Legal documents setting forth the ownership of the business entity.

In lieu of the documentation identified above, you may provide proof of certification by the National Veterans Business Development Council.

Enter the names of documents submitted with your proposal to demonstrate status as a qualified disabled veteran.

4. Participation in RFP Development or Evaluation

If you enter “YES”, you are not eligible for contract award or to work as a subcontractor for the awarded vendor.

If you enter “YES,” you are not eligible for contract award. An awarded vendor may not partner or subcontract with anyone to provide goods and services required under a resulting contract if that subcontractor or partner assisted in the development of this solicitation.

If you enter “YES”, you are not eligible for contract award or to work as a subcontractor for the awarded vendor.

5. State of Michigan Experience and Prior Experience

Does your company have experience working with the State of Michigan? If so, please provide a list (including the contract number) of the contracts you hold or have held with the State for the last 10 years.

Describe at least 3 relevant experiences from the last years supporting your ability to successfully manage a contract of similar size and scope for the work described in this RFP.

Experience 1

Company name.

Contact name.

Contact role at time of project.

Contact phone.

Contact email.

City.

State.

Zip.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

2. What role did your company play?

3. How is this project experience relevant to the subject of this RFP?

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

Experience 2

Company name.

Contact role at time of project.

City.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

Experience 3

Company name.

Contact role at time of project.

City.

1. Project name and description of the scope of the project.

Dollar value.

Start and end date (mm/yy – mm/yy)

Status (completed, live, other – specify phase)

Results obtained.

6. Standard Contract Terms

Bidder must affirm agreement with the attached Contract Terms. If not in agreement, written exceptions in accordance with the Evaluation Process section of the Proposal Instructions must be provided with Bidder’s proposal.

7. Michigan Voluntary Protection Program

Number of employees currently employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Number of additional employees to be employed at locations within the State of Michigan if awarded this Contract (if any)

Minimum wage paid to employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Average wage paid to employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan.

Percentage of employees employed at locations within the State of Michigan that are covered by employer-provided health insurance.

9. Labor, Antidiscrimination and Environmental Laws Compliance

Bidder must disclose any violations of state or federal labor, antidiscrimination and employment laws and regulations received within the past five years.

Bidder must disclose any violations of state or federal environmental laws and regulations received within the past five years.

10. Supplier Diversity

Contractor must enter company name here.

Schedule A – statement of work contract activities Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 250000000334 Aeronautics - Automated Weather Observation Systems (AWOS) This schedule identifies the anticipated requirements of any Contract resulting from this RFP. The term “Contractor” in this document refers to a bidder responding to this RFP, as well as the Contractor who is awarded the contract. The term “bidder” is used to identify where specific responses to the RFP are required.

The Contractor must respond to each requirement or question and explain how it will fulfill each requirement. Attach any supplemental information and appropriately reference within your response.

IMPORTANT NOTE TO CONTRACTORS/BIDDERS: There are specific requirements for which acceptance must be simply acknowledged through a checkbox(es), and others that require further explanation. Click one checkbox and complete the entries as identified.

BACKGROUND

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) has installed and currently maintains forty (40) AWOS IIIP and two (2) AWOS IIIPT. The locations for these AWOS systems are listed in Schedule C. During the term of this Contract, most or all of the Vaisala Model AW10s will be upgraded to Model F1 STA.

At any time throughout the term of this Contract, future locations may be added, or current locations removed, as well as various options as per the pricing chart (Schedule B).

The term of the contract(s) will be three (3) years with seven one-year renewal options.

SCOPE

Objective A The Contractor will acquire AWOS IIIP/T data sequences a minimum of three times per hour, at 20 minute intervals, 24 hours a day, every day of the year, at all current and future Michigan owned AWOS IIIP and IIIPT. The AWOS at Marquette/Sawyer Regional Airport (SAW) is the exception located in Gwinn, Michigan. SAW has an FAA Air Traffic Control Tower that is required to provide official observation for the airport during their hours of operation, which is currently from 6:00 AM through 10:00 PM local time. All acquired data must be transmitted to the FAA’s Weather Message Switching Center (WMSCR) within five (5) minutes of data acquisition to provide low-latency weather data to the public. Additionally, a backup method to collect and transmit acquired data must be provided should the primary lines of communication fail to complete this process.

Objective B The Contractor is responsible for equipment and software to enhance real-time, on airport display of weather data produced by the AWOS equipment located at contract listed airports. In addition, the weather display will serve as a local and remote maintenance (RMM) console for access to AWOS maintenance functions. This function is required to have secure access for AWOS technicians (locally and remotely) and local airport users to access the maintenance console function. Remote access will greatly reduce travel costs currently required for on-site access to maintenance functions.

Objective C The Contractor is also responsible for a web-hosted securely accessed AWOS Status display for the entire Michigan AWOS Network. This display shall be updated in real time with data acquired within the last 5 minutes as described in Objective A to allow MDOT to quicky gauge the status of all AWOS functions within the State’s network. Data to be analyzed and displayed is to include: system connectivity (to the AWOS, WMSCR, and the local ISP/Cellular service), sensor(s) missing/stuck/erroneous, time alignment with actual time, erroneous METAR/VDP outputs (syntax, etc.), WMSCR received/re-broadcast status. Additionally, an email must be generated and sent to an email group (recipients list provided by MDOT) when the status changes on any given data point collected/analyzed.

Objective A is the standard installation. Objective B is an optional service with multiple parts selected at the discretion of MDOT. Objective C is a single service provided network wide. Any additional costs for additional sites added post contract award with respect to Objective C shall be included in the standard service charges for added sites.

REQUIREMENTS

1.1. System Requirements

The system will be designed, constructed and provided by the Contractor. The system will not include any part of the AWOS System, be as small as practicable, and connect via signal wiring to standard AWOS System outputs. In “normal display mode”, the software will drive a monitor at the airport showing current conditions as reported by the AWOS. When required, MDOT personnel will enter a keyboard sequence to switch the monitor (and keyboard) to “maintenance mode” to access the AWOS maintenance functions. In “maintenance mode”, the keyboard and display will provide Wyse-50 terminal emulation, 132 column wide, as specified by the AWOS manufacturer.

Remote access to “maintenance mode” will be implemented in the system using the internet for remote connections. While in remote “maintenance mode”, the weather display function may be unavailable. If so, an appropriate message will be placed on the display. Access to the maintenance function will be protected by passwords and other procedures, as appropriate. The remote access channel over the internet will be encrypted to prevent eavesdropping and “man in the middle” attacks. Software specified and supplied by the Contractor, will be required on the MDOT computers to enable remote access if not available via a web-hosted site. No additional costs will be charged for this component, but are to be included in the Pricing structure of Schedule B.

If electrical power is temporarily removed from the system, it shall be designed to re-initialize on its own without human intervention to normal operating status when power is restored.

List all exception(s):

1.2. Hardware Requirements

The Contractor will make all attempts to use the currently installed computer equipment already in place for the AWOS data collection/display/RMM hardware/software. It is possible that a few older systems will not be able to support the new functions. If so, the Contractor will provide new equipment (if needed) as stated in the Pricing section of this document.

The Contractor will be responsible to provide all computer equipment (if needed), cabling, interfaces, and any other ancillary equipment for the AWOS data collection/local display option/RMM option functionality. The local airport will supply electrical power and a wired internet service provider (ISP) port with DHCP and/or Static IP addressing for the system’s usage. Keyboards and monitors will be supplied by MDOT, or, at MDOT's option, by the Contractor for cost. The Contractor will retain ownership of the system computers and will replace or repair any failing machines at no further cost. Keyboards and display monitor failures are the responsibility of MDOT. At MDOT’s option, Cellular data service may be necessary on a case-by-case basis. At the discretion of MDOT, MDOT may provide this service (or the Contractor may provide this service if there is a pricing option in Schedule B available for exercise). Hardware for this component will be procured and owned by the provider of the service.

If a Display Only system is required where no AWOS data collection/RMM currently exists, the Contractor will provide a new system for a one-time initial cost as described in Schedule B, Pricing.

List all exception(s):

1.3. Installation Requirements

The Contractor must provide deliverables and staff and otherwise do all things necessary for the performance of work set forth below:

A. Installation Requirements:

a. Interface:

Any service and/or products provided by the Contractor must interface with the current and future Michigan owned AWOS, and perform the functions according to this Contract, but cannot interfere with the operation of the AWOS, in any way. The Contractor must retain ownership of any hardware or software they provide, which includes necessary surge and lightning protection equipment (in accordance with the Section entitled “Install the Products” later in this section). This hardware, software, and surge and lightning protection equipment will hereinafter be referred to as the “products”.

b. Install the Products:

If on-site products are necessary to perform the services requested in this Contract, the Contractor must supply and install those products necessary, in a manner that is satisfactory with the Airport Owner and/or Fixed Base Operator, and Aeronautics (see the Section entitled “Coordination with Airport Owner and Clean Up” later in this Contract for further details). The Contractor must take all precautions necessary to protect the products and all structures (including any buildings that house the products), from damage, and protect all occupants from harm caused by lightning induced transients transmitted through the products. In designing a protection plan, the Contractor is urged to use the latest versions of the following documents:

· U.S. Department of Transportation FAA Standard, Lightning and Surge Protection, Grounding, Bonding, and Shielding Requirements for Facilities and Electronic Equipment (FAA STD-019f) (Attachment A)

· U.S. Department of Transportation FAA , Air Traffic Organization Policy, LPGBS Policy (Order JO 6900.25) (Attachment B)

c. No component system install:

Should the Contractor not require any onsite equipment, but are able to perform remotely all functions of this RFP without onsite equipment, a description below must describe how the Contractor will fulfill ALL requirements of this RFP. This explanation shall detail communications requirements/protocols, security planning, ensuring throughput of all necessary data from AWOS to WMSCR, and the interface requirements for MDOT and local AWOS communications (including AWOS normal data outputs, display necessities, local and remote maintenance necessities).

List all exception(s):

1.4. Operations Requirements

a. Data Collection:

The Contractor must have the communication network to interface and collect data elements from the current AWOS IIIP/T, and must be capable of providing the same interface and data element collection from an AWOS IV. The Contractor must provide a primary system for the collection of current AWOS data sequences from all current and future Michigan owned AWOS. The Contractor’s primary system must collect the data sequences at a minimum rate of 12 times per hour, at five minute intervals, 24 hours each day, (with the exception of SAW, which will be collected at least every 20 minutes from 9:55 PM through 5:55 AM. This primary system must collect the data sequences from all sites at 55 minutes after the hour and every five minutes after that. When the primary system of data collection fails at one or more locations, the Contractor must detect this system failure, and continue to collect the data elements at these and all the other affected locations as necessary, by means of a temporary backup system. When the backup system is being used, the data sequences must be collected at a minimum of three times per hour at 20 minute intervals 24 hours a day, (with the exception of SAW as explained above). When using the backup system, the Contractor must be able to collect the data sequences from all affected sites at 15 minutes after each hour, 35 minutes after each hour, and 55 minutes after each hour. If the backup system affects operation and/or access to one or more AWOSs, (i.e. through continued contact via the AWOS phone line), the Contractor must not use this backup method for longer than three consecutive days at any site. Should it become necessary for the Contractor to affect the AWOS in this manner for longer than three consecutive days, the State will charge the Contractor liquidated damages as described in Section 8.

b. Data Distribution:

Once collected, the Contractor must distribute the resultant data sequences from all current and future AWOS, in the METAR format, to the FAA WMSCR, three times per hour, at 20 minute intervals, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. The Contractor must ensure that METAR throughput will be at a minimum of 98%.

c. Data Monitoring, Analysis, and Notification:

While collecting the data elements, the Contractor must monitor all current and future sites for proper METAR formatted data sequences. The Contractor must monitor for any missing Metar sequences, as well as, analyze every data element for proper syntax, determine if any data is missing, and proper “Time/Date Stamp” verification to within five minutes of data collection. All missing sequences and/or errors must generate an electronic warning system accessible by MDOT and the Airport Owners where the data that is in error originated from. The Contractor must provide the analysis results through either multiple-recipient electronic-mail and/or a password protected internet accessible web site. Results must be delivered in a timely manner, not to exceed 10 minutes from error detection, and any deviations from normal data must be highlighted.

d. Maintenance Services:

The Contractor must repair, adjust, and maintain the products (or provide for same). Such on demand repairs and maintenance must be of such quality that the products remain in good working order and are able to function in accordance with the specifications for such products when they were new. The Contractor is responsible for telephone lines, broadcast facilities, and any other equipment connected to or used with this weather data system that was provided or arranged for by the Contractor. Should any product become defective, the Contractor must replace the defective product(s), and pay the cost of shipping the replacement product(s), at no additional cost to the State or the local community where the product(s) is located. When it is necessary for the Contractor, or their representative, to provide for on demand corrective maintenance that involves the assistance of someone who works at the airport or an on-site technician, it must do so during the normal business hours of the airport where the defective or replacement product(s) is located, unless prior arrangements are made with the airport and that local person. Any loss of data collection and/or distribution service of any system, or malfunction of any product, must be defined as a system outage. Once the Contractor receives notification of a system outage, it must contact the affected airport(s) within a maximum of three business hours to begin to determine the cause of the outage. When necessary, the Contractor must provide a qualified technician onsite within 48 hours of notification (not counting weekends and holidays).

List all exception(s):

1.5. Coordination with Airport Owner and Clean Up

The Contractor will immediately notify MDOT of any recall notices and assist with any removal and replacement of defective parts at no additional cost to MDOT.

During all phases of the installation and maintenance of the Contractor supplied product(s), the Contractor must coordinate its activities with the Airport Owner. Disruption of normal activity must be kept to a minimum, but safety must be the first priority.