Bid No. 26-19_Apr_27_26_solicitation_doc.pdf

This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by the Town of East Hartford, Connecticut for professional consulting services to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the municipality's land mobile radio (LMR) communications system. The Town seeks a qualified, independent consultant or consulting team to analyze the existing 460 MHz conventional radio system serving approximately 51,000 residents and evaluate future communications needs for the Police Department, Fire Department, Department of Public Works, and other town agencies. Key deliverables include analysis of existing system infrastructure, RF coverage evaluation against NFPA standards, operational needs assessment, technical alternatives analysis, cybersecurity risk evaluation, and system recommendations for maintenance or replacement options. The scope encompasses a 90-day analysis phase followed by a 90-day recommendations phase for a total anticipated project timeline of 180 days. The solicitation opened on March 19, 2026, with a mandatory pre-bid meeting scheduled for March 31, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the Public Safety Complex. Questions must be submitted by April 13, 2026 with responses provided by April 16, 2026. Sealed proposals consisting of five printed copies and one digital version are due by 11:00 a.m. on April 28, 2026 at the Purchasing Division office.

Minimum qualifications require five years of consulting experience, expertise in trunked and P25 systems, lifecycle costing experience, in-building survey capabilities, familiarity with NFPA 1221 and 1225 standards, and demonstrated multiagency coordination skills. Consultant selection will be based on weighted evaluation criteria: firm experience (25%), personnel qualifications (20%), technical approach (25%), past performance (10%), and cost (20%). The procurement is open to all qualified vendors with specific restrictions on consultant independence; proposers cannot be manufacturers, distributors, resellers, or system integrators of LMR equipment and must disclose any business relationships with major vendors including Motorola Solutions, L3Harris, Kenwood, Tait, or EF Johnson within the past three years. The selected consultant is prohibited from participating in any subsequent procurement for radio system equipment or services resulting from this assessment. The Town requires the awarded bidder to maintain professional errors and omissions insurance of $1,000,000 per claim and $1,000,000 annual aggregate, as well as commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, with the Town named as an additional insured. No specific contract award value or budget range has been disclosed, and the Town reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and conduct follow-up interviews before final selection.