C2027-05-B AudioCodes Voice Services &.pdf

101 COLLEGE PARKWAY, ARNOLD, MARYLAND 21012-1895

INVITATION FOR BIDS

PROJECT NO. C2027-05-B

Audiocodes Voice Services & Infrastructure Enhancement for Microsoft Teams Phone

June 18, 2026

Submit Bids To:

Heidi Frist Senior Purchasing Agent Anne Arundel Community College hmfrist@aacc.edu

Deadline for Receipt of Bids: July 30, 2026, 11:00 AM ET mailto:hmfrist@aacc.edu

To All Interested Contractors:

Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) is requesting bids from authorized AudioCodes resellers to provide AudioCodes voice infrastructure, licensing, managed services, and related products in support of the College’s Microsoft Teams Phone environment, in accordance with the Scope of Work and Exhibit A – Pricing Spreadsheet outlined in this Invitation for Bids (IFB).

Bids must be submitted by email, digitally signed, with the subject line “Response for IFB C2027-05-B” to Ms. Heidi Frist, Senior Purchasing Agent, at hmfrist@aacc.edu no later than 11:00 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 30, 2026. The official time of receipt shall be the College’s email timestamp. Late bids will not be accepted. A public bid opening will be held via Microsoft Teams (see paragraph 1.7 on pages 3 & 4 for details).

Copies of this IFB and related addenda may be obtained from the eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) website. Bidders assume the responsibility of downloading IFB documents and addenda from this website prior to the bid due date. Anne Arundel Community College assumes no liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions, discrepancies, unauthorized modification of electronic data, errors in transmission, HTML browser incompatibilities, and other aspects of electronic communications that are beyond the control of the College.

Anne Arundel Community College reserves the right to reject any and all bids and to waive any formalities, informalities, or technicalities as it deems necessary, appropriate and in the College’s best interest. Final award of contract is subject to the availability of funding for this project.

Sincerely, Heidi Frist Senior Purchasing Agent hmfrist@aacc.edu

Notice of Nondiscrimination: Anne Arundel Community College prohibits all types of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, and retaliation on the basis of race, including hair style and hair texture, color, religion or creed, ancestry or national origin, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, citizenship, and genetic information. To file a complaint of discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct, or retaliation, please contact the chief compliance and fair practices officer/Title IX coordinator at 410-777-1239 or complianceofficer@aacc.edu. Firms/Contractors who need a reasonable accommodation should contact Disability Support Services at DSS@aacc.edu or 410-777- 1411. Requests for most accommodations must be made at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the event or activity; however, requests for sign language interpreters, live captioning, alternate format books, or assistive technology need to be submitted at least thirty (30) days prior to the event or activity.

mailto:hmfrist@aacc.edu mailto:hmfrist@aacc.edu mailto:complianceofficer@aacc.edu mailto:DSS@aacc.edu

NO BID FORM

Please complete this form only if your company will not submit a bid.

Project Name: Audiocodes Voice Services & Infrastructure Enhancement for Microsoft Teams Phone Project Number: C2027-05-B

NOTE TO VENDOR:

If your company is submitting a “no bid” for this project, Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) is interested in the reason and wants to make the procurement process fair, non-restrictive and attract maximum participation and competition. We, therefore, appreciate your responses by completing this “No Bid” form.

Please complete and email to: Heidi Frist, hmfrist@aacc.edu

Please indicate your reason for responding with a “No Bid”:

□ Unable to meet the requirements for this solicitation.

□ Unable to provide the goods or services specified in this solicitation

□ Unable to meet time frame established for start and or completion of project.

□ Received too late to submit a bid. Received on:

Other (Please explain):

Your response will be reviewed and placed in the solicitation file. Your input will assist AACC in determining changes necessary to increase participation in the solicitation process.

Company name

Company address

Company telephone number

Primary company contact e-mail address

Authorized company official signature Title Date

ANNE ARUNDEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

INVITATION FOR BIDS PROJECT NO. C2027-05-B

Audiocodes Voice Services & Infrastructure Enhancement for Microsoft Teams

Phone

TABLE OF CONTENTS

IFB COMPLETION CHECKLIST ..........................................................................................................................................i

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

PART ONE – INSTRUCTIONS & INFORMATION FOR SUBMITTING BIDS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

1.2 CONTACT POINT

1.3 BID DOCUMENTS

1.4 PRE-BID MICROSOFT TEAMS MEETING

1.5 INTERPRETATIONS, DISCREPANCIES AND OMISSIONS

1.6 RIGHT TO AMEND, MODIFY OR CANCEL IFB

1.7 SUBMISSION OF BIDS

1.8 CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

1.9 LATE BIDS, LATE WITHDRAWALS, AND LATE MODIFICATIONS

1.10 ERRORS IN BIDS

1.11 EVALUATION OF BIDS

1.12 FINANCIAL STABILITY

1,13 ANNE ARUNDEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESERVED RIGHTS

1.14 AWARD OR REJECTION OF BID

1.15 VENDOR INFORMATION

1.16 PROTESTS TO BID OR PROPOSAL RESULTS

PART TWO – SUBMITTAL FORMAT

2.1 INTRODUCTION

2.2 GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF CONTRACTOR’S BID CONTENTS

2.3 SECTION 1.0 – TITLE PAGE

2.4 SECTION 2.0 – CONTRACTOR’S BID PRICING (PRICE PROPOSAL)

2.5 SECTION 3.0 – ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADDENDA

2.6 SECTION 4.0 – CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

2.7 SECTION 5.0 – PARTICIPATION IN PROCUREMENT STATEMENT

2.8 SECTION 6.0 – BID AFFADAVIT

2.9 SECTION 7.0 – MINORITY PARTICIPATION

PART THREE – GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

3.1 ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

3.2 CONTRACT PROVISIONS FOR CONTRACTS UNDER FEDERAL AWARDS

3.3 GOVERNING LAW

3.4 CONTRACT TYPE AND PAYMENT SCHEDULES

3.5 REVISIONS AND CHANGES TO CONTRACT

3.6 CONFIDENTIAL AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION (CSI)

3.7 NON-VISUAL ACCESS

3.8 ACCESSIBILITY

3.9 CONFIDENTIALITY

3.10 NON-PERFORMANCE OF WORK

3.11 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS FOR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE (IF APPLICABLE)

3.12 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS FOR GOVERNMENT IMPOSED TARIFFS

3.13 NON-HIRING OF OFFICIALS AND EMPLOYEES

3.14 INSURANCE

3.15 NEW MATERIAL

3.16 BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR CONTRACTOR AND SUBCONTRACTORS

3.17 COOPERATIVE PURCHASING (IF APPLICABLE)

PART FOUR – SCOPE OF WORK

APPENDIX A –SUBMITTAL DOCUMENTS

SECTION 1.0 – TITLE PAGE

SECTION 2.0 – CONTRACTOR’S BID PRICING (PRICE PROPOSAL)

SECTION 3.0 – ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADDENDA

SECTION 4.0 – CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

SECTION 5.0 – PARTICIPATION IN PROCUREMENT STATEMENT

SECTION 6.0 – BID/PROPOSAL AFFIDAVIT

SECTION 7.0 –MINORITY PARTICIPATION

ANNE ARUNDEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Audiocodes Voice Services & Infrastructure Enhancement for Microsoft Teams Phone

IFB COMPLETION CHECKLIST

The checklist is a summary of some of the required components of the IFB. It is provided as a convenience to bidders but is not intended to be all-inclusive or to imply acceptance or evidence of compliance by its use. It is the responsibility of the bidder to submit complete and compliant bid.

____ Section 1.0, Title Page.

____ Section 2.0, Contractor’s Bid Pricing (Price Proposal)

____ Section 3.0, Acknowledgement of Addenda

____ Section 4.0, Conflict of Interest Statement

____ Section 5.0, Participation in Procurement Statement

____ Section 6.0, Bid Affidavit

____ Section 7.0 Minority Participation

C2027-05-B

ANNE ARUNDEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

06/18/26 IFB Advertisement posted on eMaryland.

06/19/26 College Closed – Juneteenth

06/25/27 Pre-Bid TEAM meeting, 10:00 a.m. ET. See page 3 for details.

06/29/27 Addendum with the minutes from the Pre-Bid meeting posted on eMaryland.

07/03/26 College Closed – Independence Day

07/09/26 Cut-off date for questions and requests. All questions and requests must be submitted by Email to hmfrist@aacc.edu, no later than 11:00 a.m. ET.

07/13/26 Addendum posted on eMaryland, if applicable.

07/30/26 Due date for Bids. Bids must be submitted by email to hmfrist@aacc.edu, no later than 11:00 a.m. ET. Bids may be submitted at any time prior to this date and time. Late bids will not be considered.

Contractors may attend the public bid opening virtually by joining the MS Teams Meeting at 11:15 a.m. ET on Thursday, July 30, 2026. See paragraph 1.7 on pages 3 & 4 of the IFB for details.

07/30/26 – 09/06/26 Evaluation of Bids by College officials.

09/07/26 College Closed – Labor Day

09/08/26 College administration submits recommendations for contract award to College’s Board of Trustees (BOT) for approval, if appropriate.

09/09/26 Successful Contractor notified of contract award.

10/1/26 Project Start Date

06/11/27 Substantial Completion Date

6/30/27 Project Completion Date

END OF SECTION

For purposes of this IFB, the terms “Contractor” and “Authorized Reseller” are used interchangeably. Except as specifically noted in the Scope of Work, where the term “Authorized Reseller” is used, all references to “Contractor” shall be understood to refer to the Authorized Reseller.

PART ONE – INSTRUCTIONS & INFORMATION FOR SUBMITTING BIDS

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Anne Arundel Community College (AACC) is requesting bids from qualified and authorized AudioCodes resellers to provide AudioCodes voice services, infrastructure, and related products in support of the College’s Microsoft Teams Phone environment.

All products, licenses, managed services, and professional services included in this solicitation shall be provided and delivered by AudioCodes, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM). The selected Contractor shall act in a reseller capacity, procuring the required products and services through an authorized AudioCodes reseller agreement and providing associated administrative and ordering functions in accordance with the requirements of this Invitation for Bids (IFB).

This procurement includes, but is not limited to, AudioCodes hardware, software, licensing, managed services, professional services, and related third-party services, as further detailed in the Scope of Work and Exhibit A – Pricing Spreadsheet. Bidders are required to submit complete pricing for all applicable items necessary to deliver a fully functional solution consistent with the requirements set forth in this IFB.

The College intends to award to the most responsive and responsible bidder whose bid meets the requirements of this IFB and represents the lowest responsive and responsible bidder.

To learn more about Anne Arundel Community College, please visit AACC Fast Facts.

1.2 CONTACT POINT

Questions concerning this Invitation for Bids (IFB) must be submitted in writing via email to: Heidi Frist, Senior Purchasing Agent, hmfrist@aacc.edu.

Contractors, including third-party Contractors or their staff, shall not contact other College employees, faculty, or any related constituency regarding this IFB. Contact includes, but is not limited to, obtaining or providing information related to this IFB. Contractors who fail to comply with this requirement may be disqualified.

The College may designate one or more of its employees as a point of contact for this IFB. Prior to the bid due date, all communications shall be directed to the designated contact identified above.

After the bid due date and prior to contract award, communication between the College and bidders, if necessary, shall be limited to requests for clarification or verification of information and shall not result in changes to price, scope, or other material terms of the bid.

Following contract award, the College may designate a project manager or other representative to serve as the primary point of contact for the Contractor for purposes of contract administration, coordination, and performance of the work.

1.3 BID DOCUMENTS

Copies of this IFB and related addenda may be obtained from the eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) website. Bidders assume the responsibility of downloading IFB documents and addenda from this website prior to the bid due date. Anne Arundel Community College assumes no liability for damages incurred directly or indirectly as a result of errors, omissions, discrepancies, unauthorized modification of electronic data, errors in transmission, HTML browser incompatibilities, and other aspects of electronic communications that are beyond the control of the College.

Prospective bidders are solely responsible for obtaining any addendums which are issued. All IFB addendums will be posted on eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA). Addendums to this https://www.aacc.edu/about/fast-facts/ mailto:hmfrist@aacc.edu https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/usr/login?ReturnUrl=%2fpage.aspx%2fen%2fbuy%2fhomepage https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/usr/login?ReturnUrl=%2fpage.aspx%2fen%2fbuy%2fhomepage solicitation could occur shortly prior to IFB opening (sometimes within as little as 24 hours). It is the potential Contractor’s responsibility to frequently visit eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) website to obtain addendums.

The College does not provide solicitation documents in an alternate format from those posted on the eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) website.

The College provides copies of the IFB on the terms stated above for the sole purpose of obtaining bids for the work described in the IFB. The College does not grant permission for any other use of these documents.

1.4 PRE-BID MICROSOFT TEAMS MEETING

A pre-bid Microsoft Teams meeting is scheduled for Thursday, June 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. ET.

Contractors are strongly encouraged to attend. Contractors should make sure they have audio and visual access to the meeting. To join the Teams meeting, use the following link/information:

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/281235967962725?p=yQSP8CymqjKnhOaxOZ

Meeting ID: 281 235 967 962 725

Passcode: 2Xq7xj6M

Need help? | System reference

Dial in by phone

+1 240-491-0163,,456595956# United States, Bethesda

Find a local number

Phone conference ID: 456 595 956#

For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial-in PIN

1.5 INTERPRETATIONS, DISCREPANCIES AND OMISSIONS

Contractors must carefully examine the IFB and related documents. Should any Contractor find discrepancies or omissions in this IFB or be in doubt as to the content or meaning of any aspect of this document, the Contractor should direct inquiries and/or requests for clarification of the documents, specifications or the process as a whole in writing to Heidi Frist, Senior Purchasing Agent, hmfrist@aacc.edu by July 9, 2026 by 11:00 a.m. ET. The submission of a bid will indicate that the Contractor thoroughly understands the terms of the IFB.

Contractors are advised that the College reserves the right to use its best judgment in providing or not providing a response to any question(s) received after the above cutoff date for questions.

1.6 RIGHT TO AMEND, MODIFY OR CANCEL IFB

The College reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to amend or modify any provisions of the IFB or to withdraw the procurement at any time prior to the award of a contract. This final decision will be based on the College’s best interest.

The College reserves the right to change the contents of this IFB where necessary for the proper fulfillment of the intent of this procurement. Changes will be made in the form of written addenda. All addendums will be posted on the eMaryland Marketplace website. Bidders are solely responsible for obtaining any addendums. Addendums to solicitations often occur shortly prior to bid opening (sometimes within as little as 24 hours). It is the potential contractor’s responsibility to frequently visit the eMaryland Marketplace website to obtain addendums.

Verbal changes to the IFB are not valid unless confirmed by written addenda.

1.7 SUBMISSION OF BIDS

Bidders must submit their bid on the forms provided in this IFB. Bids must be digitally signed and endorsed in the subject line of the email “Response for IFB C2027-05-B” to Ms. Heidi Frist, Senior Purchasing Agent, email: hmfrist@aacc.edu. Bids will be received until Thursday, July 30, 2026, no https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/281235967962725?p=yQSP8CymqjKnhOaxOZ https://aka.ms/JoinTeamsMeeting?omkt=en-US https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NGIzNGJmODEtMzQyMi00MzE0LTg0MzktMDFlNzQ5MzZkMmUy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2236597c6b-c613-484e-86f7-5b992342257a%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%224c578458-319a-47c4-b9ac-5be76e341c1c%22%7d tel:+12404910163,,456595956 https://dialin.teams.cloud.microsoft/1864aad7-c956-4642-abc7-e9c66f7b728c?id=456595956 https://teams.microsoft.com/meetingOptions/?organizerId=4c578458-319a-47c4-b9ac-5be76e341c1c&tenantId=36597c6b-c613-484e-86f7-5b992342257a&threadId=19_meeting_NGIzNGJmODEtMzQyMi00MzE0LTg0MzktMDFlNzQ5MzZkMmUy@thread.v2&messageId=0&language=en-US https://dialin.teams.cloud.microsoft/usp/pstnconferencing later than 11:00 a.m. ET. The time stamp that will be considered for the timely receipt of bids will be the College’s email time stamp, NOT the proposer’s email sent time stamp. It is the responsibility of each Contractor to ensure that their bid is delivered prior to the scheduled due date and time.

Bids will not be accepted electronically through eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA).

All costs incurred by the responding Contractors associated with the preparation, submission, presentation of bids and attendance at meetings, including but not limited to, costs related to transportation, meals, lodging, bonding and other related expenses, if applicable, will be the sole responsibility of the respondent(s) and will not under any circumstances be reimbursed by the College.

Contractors may attend the public bid opening virtually by joining the MS Teams Meeting at 11:15 a.m.

ET on Thursday, July 30, 2026.

Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/228105661488972?p=uMMRDUFloqsUC53cTh Meeting ID: 228 105 661 488 972 Passcode: ym73W6gt Need help? | System reference Dial in by phone +1 240-491-0163,,169499213# United States, Bethesda Find a local number Phone conference ID: 169 499 213# For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial-in PIN

1.8 CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

Contractors should give specific attention to the identification of those portions of their bid which they deem to be confidential, proprietary information or trade secrets. Contractors must clearly indicate each and every section that is deemed to be confidential, proprietary or a trade secret. It is not acceptable to preface the entire bid with a confidential or proprietary statement.

1.9 LATE BIDS, LATE WITHDRAWALS, AND LATE MODIFICATIONS

It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that its bid is received by the Senior Purchasing Agent, Heidi Frist, at hmfrist@aacc.edu no later than 11:00 a.m. ET July 30, 2026. The time stamp that will be considered for the timely receipt of bids will be the College’s email time stamp, NOT the bidder’s email sent time stamp. Late bids will not be accepted.

Bids may be submitted at any time prior to this date and time. Any bid, request for withdrawal or request for modification received after this date and time will deem the bid late.

Requests for bid withdrawal(s) or bid modifications may be made, in writing, two (2) business days prior to the bid opening. A late modification of a successful bid that makes its terms more favorable to the College may be considered and accepted at any time it is received..

1.10 ERRORS IN BIDS

Contractors are responsible for the accuracy of their bids. A bidder may withdraw or modify its bid by providing written notice to the Senior Purchasing Agent prior to the time and date specified for receipt of bids. After the deadline for receipt of bids, all bids shall be considered final and may not be withdrawn, modified, or canceled for a period of 180 days.

Withdrawal of a bid after the deadline for receipt of bids shall not be permitted except where, in the sole judgment of the College, based upon clear and convincing evidence, the bidder has made a bona fide error in the preparation of its bid and such error would result in substantial loss to the bidder.

Negligence in preparing a bid does not constitute grounds for withdrawal, modification, or cancellation after the deadline for receipt of bids.

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/228105661488972?p=uMMRDUFloqsUC53cTh https://aka.ms/JoinTeamsMeeting?omkt=en-US https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_OTliMzVkNzUtMmFiMS00YmMwLWE5NjAtZWM1MDQ5OWEyMjAy%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%2236597c6b-c613-484e-86f7-5b992342257a%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%224c578458-319a-47c4-b9ac-5be76e341c1c%22%7d tel:+12404910163,,169499213 https://dialin.teams.cloud.microsoft/1864aad7-c956-4642-abc7-e9c66f7b728c?id=169499213 https://teams.microsoft.com/meetingOptions/?organizerId=4c578458-319a-47c4-b9ac-5be76e341c1c&tenantId=36597c6b-c613-484e-86f7-5b992342257a&threadId=19_meeting_OTliMzVkNzUtMmFiMS00YmMwLWE5NjAtZWM1MDQ5OWEyMjAy@thread.v2&messageId=0&language=en-US https://dialin.teams.cloud.microsoft/usp/pstnconferencing

Contractors are responsible for the accuracy of their submitted prices. In the event of a discrepancy between a unit price and its extension, the unit price shall govern. In the event of a discrepancy between written words and figures, the amount stated in written words shall govern.

The College may contact bidders to verify information contained in a bid and may seek clarification of information necessary to determine responsiveness and responsibility. Such clarification shall not permit changes to price, scope, or other material terms of the bid. The College may waive or permit cure of minor informalities or irregularities and may waive formalities or technicalities in the evaluation of bids when deemed to be in the best interest of the College.

1.11 EVALUATION OF BIDS

Bids must conform to all requirements set forth in Part Two – Submittal Format (Page 7) of this IFB.

Bids that fail to meet these requirements may be deemed non-responsive and ineligible for award.

The College reserves the right to conduct any investigations deemed necessary to determine the ability of a Contractor to provide the goods and services as specified herein. This includes the right to contact any current and past customer of the Contractor in order to assist with the verification of references or to determine the contractor’s successful performance and ability to provide said service and/or product as required under these specifications.

The College reserves the right to clarify information submitted in a bid to determine whether an error has been made or whether a waiver of formality, informality or technicality is appropriate. Contractors must provide all information and data necessary for the College to determine if the bid is responsible and responsive to the IFB’s requirements as stated herein.

1.12 FINANCIAL STABILITY

The College, at any time during the IFB process, before and/or after receipt of bids and before and/or after award of contract, may require additional documentation to provide evidence of financial stability, and or to reduce the risk exposure of the College. Additional documentation may include but not be limited to:

• Independently audited, reviewed or compiled financial statements for the two most recent complete years. Financial statements should include Balance Sheet, income statement and statement of cash flows, as well as notes, disclosures, and/or opinions as referenced in the auditor’s report.

• If audited, reviewed, or compiled financial statements are not available, the Firm shall provide all the following documents to support financial stability:

a. A letter of reference from the Firm's bank or financial institution;

b. Credit reference letters;

c. Internal financial statements;

d. The two most recent years’ tax returns.

• Complete Dun & Bradstreet report inclusive of a Dun & Bradstreet rating, interim internal financial reports, performance bond, letter of credit, or the establishment of an escrow account.

FAILURE TO PROVE FINANCIAL STABILITY MAY RENDER THE FIRM’S BID NON-RESPONSIVE

AND INELIGIBLE FOR AWARD.

1,13 ANNE ARUNDEL COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESERVED RIGHTS

Anne Arundel Community College reserves the right to accept any or all portions of the Contractor’s Bid that best serves the needs of the College, or modify or waive minor irregularities and technical defects in the Contractor’s Bid to protect the best interests of the College.

The College has the right to increase and decrease quantities as needed. Unit prices shall remain firm and shall apply to any such adjusted quantities.

1.14 AWARD OR REJECTION OF BID

The contract will be awarded to the Contractor(s) complying with all the provisions of this IFB and the stated criteria, subject to the availability of funding and provided it is the best interest of Anne Arundel Community College to award the contract.

Anne Arundel Community College may reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, at any time, whenever such is in the best interest of the College. A Contractor’s bid may be rejected for one or more, but not limited to the following reasons:

• The Contractor that submitted a bid is not responsible as determined under COMAR 21.06.01.01;

• Failure of the Contractor(s) to submit a bid within the time frames specified;

• Failure of the Contractor(s) to provide the required or requested information;

• Failure of the Contractor(s) to respond to the request for clarification, presentation or demonstration;

• Failure of the Contractor to follow the prescribed IFB instructions, including preparation, submission and response format;

• Collusion among or between Contractors;

• Unbalanced bids whereby the prices quoted for some work are inconsistent with prices quoted for similar work;

• Financial instability of Contractor submitting the proposal/bid;

• Failure of the Contractor to successfully negotiate or finalize a contract;

• Submission of a bid that does not meet the College’s requirements as outlined in this IFB.

• Negative or no responses to reference requests and related information.

The College reserves the right to reject any bid should the evidence submitted by the Contractor, or the College’s investigation, fail to demonstrate the Contractor’s ability to fulfill the contractual obligations herein.

Conditional bids will not be accepted. Any bid containing exceptions, qualifications, or bidder terms and conditions that alter, conflict with, or supersede the College’s terms and conditions may be deemed non-responsive.

If the Contractor, to whom an award is made, fails to execute the contract as specified, the award may be annulled and the contract awarded to the second lowest, most responsive and responsible contractor. The second Contractor will be required to fulfill every stipulation included herein, as if it was the original party to whom the award was made. If the second Contractor fails to fulfill its obligations, the College may reject any and/or all of the bids at its discretion.

1.15 VENDOR INFORMATION

Upon contract award, the successful Contractor will be required to:

• Self-register in the College’s procurement system (Unimarket)

• Have a valid Sam.gov registration.

1.16 PROTESTS TO BID OR PROPOSAL RESULTS

An interested party (actual bidder, offeror, or Firm) may protest an award or proposed award of a contract for goods or services to all publicly solicited items or services with a value of $50,000 or more.

The protest must be submitted in writing, addressed to the Director of Purchasing & Contracting, and be clearly marked as “Protest” on the outside of the envelope within seven days of the announcement of award.

https://sam.gov/

PART TWO – SUBMITTAL FORMAT

2.1 INTRODUCTION

All bids must be prepared in accordance with the format outlined in Paragraph 2.2 below and submitted using the forms provided in this IFB.

The Contractor’s bid must be digitally signed and submitted via email with the subject line: “Response for IFB C2027-05-B.” Responses shall be sent to Ms. Heidi Frist, Senior Purchasing Agent, at hmfrist@aacc.edu (refer to Paragraph 1.7, Submission of Bids, Pages 3 & 4). Bids must be received by the date and time specified in this IFB.

Bids should be clear, concise, and well-organized. Contractors are encouraged to include a table of contents to facilitate review.

Bids that do not conform to or are not responsive to the requirements of this IFB may be rejected at the discretion of the College.

2.2 GENERAL ORGANIZATION OF CONTRACTOR’S BID CONTENTS

Bids must be organized in the following format:

Section 1.0 Title Page Section 2.0 Contractor’s Bid Pricing (Price Proposal) Section 3.0 Acknowledgement of Addenda Section 4.0 Conflict of Interest Statement Section 5.0 Participation in Procurement Statement Section 6.0 Bid Affidavit Section 7.0 Minority Information

2.3 SECTION 1.0 – TITLE PAGE

The title page must:

• Be printed on official company letterhead.

• Include:

o The name and business address of the Contractor submitting a bid.

o The name, email address, and telephone number of the primary company representative for bid-related inquiries.

o The date of submission.

The title page must also display the following statement:

“IFB #C2027-05-B, Audiocodes Voice Services & Infrastructure Enhancement for Microsoft Teams Phone

2.4 SECTION 2.0 – CONTRACTOR’S BID PRICING (PRICE PROPOSAL)

Bids shall be signed by an individual authorized to bind the Contractor and submitted in accordance with the requirements of this Invitation for Bids (IFB) and any issued addenda. The bid shall include a completed and signed Signature Page as specified in this IFB.

By submitting a bid, the Contractor acknowledges and agrees to provide the services as specified herein and in accordance with all IFB specifications, terms, conditions, and stipulations. The Contractor further certifies that it has reviewed and accepts all College requirements and agrees to comply with them in any resulting contract.

The Contractor’s proposed pricing shall remain firm for a period of one hundred eighty (180) calendar days from the deadline for receipt of bids. If the Contractor is notified of acceptance within this period, the Contractor shall be required to execute a contract at the proposed pricing.

All prices submitted shall be exclusive of applicable taxes. A copy of the College’s tax exemption certificate will be provided upon request. Contractors shall not use the College’s tax exemption for the purchase of supplies or materials that will be incorporated into real property construction or renovation projects on behalf of the College.

Conditional bids will not be accepted.

Contractors shall complete Exhibit A – Pricing Spreadsheet provided as a separate Excel (.xlsx) document and include it with their submission in accordance with this section. The Pricing Spreadsheet must be submitted in its original Excel format. Submission of pricing in PDF format, any other file format, or on an alternate form may result in rejection of the bid.

Failure to comply with the submission requirements of this section may result in the bid being deemed nonresponsive.

2.5 SECTION 3.0 – ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF ADDENDA

All addenda form an integral part of this IFB.

Before submitting a bid, Contractors are responsible for ensuring they have received all issued addenda. Receipt of each addendum must be acknowledged by completing Section 3.0 of the IFB submittal documents and including it with the contractor’s bid.

2.6 SECTION 4.0 – CONFLICT OF INTEREST STATEMENT

Contractors must certify that no current or potential conflicts of interest exist, except as disclosed, and must fully disclose any such circumstances and any conflicts arising after submission in accordance with COMAR 21.05.08.08. The Conflict of Interest Affidavit (Section 4.0) must be completed and included with the Contractor’s bid submission.

2.7 SECTION 5.0 – PARTICIPATION IN PROCUREMENT STATEMENT

Maryland State Finance and Procurement Code Ann. §13-212.1 Compliance To ensure fairness in the procurement process, Maryland law prohibits the following:

1. Any individual who assists the College in preparing specifications, an Invitation for Bids (IFB), or a Request for Proposal (RFP) may not submit a bid or proposal for that same procurement; and

2. That individual may not assist or represent another person – directly or indirectly – who is submitting a bid or proposal for that procurement.

This restriction also applies to any company that employs such an individual during the assistance period.

Compliance with this requirement is mandatory. This statement appears as Section 5.0 in the IFB submittal documents and must be signed by an authorized representative and included in the bid submission.

2.8 SECTION 6.0 – BID AFFADAVIT

Contractors must complete and sign the Bid Affidavit, as detailed in Section 6.0 of the submission documents, and include it with their bid to demonstrate compliance with Maryland’s integrity and transparency requirements.

2.9 SECTION 7.0 – MINORITY PARTICIPATION

Anne Arundel Community College actively encourages Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) to provide goods and services that support the College’s operations. MBEs include:

• Non-profit organizations that promote the interests of individuals with disabilities.

• Contractors that are at least 51% owned and controlled by members of socially or economically disadvantaged groups, such as African Americans, Hispanics, American Indians, Alaska Natives, Asians, Pacific Islanders, women, and individuals with mental or physical disabilities.

MBE participation may occur through roles such as prime contractors, joint venture partners, consultants, suppliers, or trade contractors. While the College does not operate its own MBE certification program, it recognizes certifications issued by any government agency.

To document participation, Contractors should use the form provided under Section 7.0 of the submittal documents. This information is being collected for tracking purposes only to verify minority outreach and will not impact the award of contract for this project. A contract will be awarded to the lowest, most responsive and responsible bidder.

PART THREE – GENERAL CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT

3.1 ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please visit Purchase Order Terms and Conditions for a complete list of purchase order terms and conditions. These purchase order terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.

Contractors are encouraged to check the above link frequently to learn of any changes made to these Terms and Conditions.

3.2 CONTRACT PROVISIONS FOR CONTRACTS UNDER FEDERAL AWARDS

In addition to other provisions required by the College, all contracts made by the College under Federal awards must contain provisions in Appendix II to Part 200 - Contract Provision for Non-Federal Entity Contracts Under Federal Awards. These Contract provisions are subject to change without notice.

Contractors are encouraged to check the above link frequently to learn of any changes made to these contract provisions.

3.3 GOVERNING LAW

Any contract awarded as a result of this IFB will be governed by the laws of the State of Maryland. The successful Contractors will be required to observe and comply with all Federal, State, and local laws, ordinances, orders, codes and regulations, including but not limited to, those relating to undocumented workers and the Uniform Commercial Code, all existing at the time of, or as amended subsequent to, the execution of a contract which in any manner affects the contractual requirements. Furthermore, all employees of the Contractor working anytime at Anne Arundel Community College must be in compliance with the State of Maryland Annotated Code Article 11-701 - 11-721 Criminal Procedure for Sex Offender and the Contractor is prohibited from staffing this contract with any individual who has been convicted of any act requiring registration under said article.

Any contract awarded as a result of this IFB will require that only United States citizens and/or persons legally authorized to work in the United States be employed on this project. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to ensure that all work to be performed under the awarded contract shall be done in strict compliance with all applicable Federal, State and local laws and regulations. In the event that a provision or specification in this IFB is in conflict with applicable laws and regulations, the Contractor must inform the College, indicate such in its proposal/bid and propose alterations to the conditions specified.

As required by Maryland law, all foreign corporations doing business within the State of Maryland are required to be registered with the State Department of Assessment and Taxation. In order to be eligible to contract with the College, compliance with this law is mandatory.

3.4 CONTRACT TYPE AND PAYMENT SCHEDULES

The contract resulting from this Invitation for Bids (IFB) shall take the form of one or more purchase orders and all associated contract documents. These documents include, but are not limited to, the College’s IFB and any addenda, the Contractor’s bid, any Best and Final Offer (if applicable), subsequent written correspondence, and all required submittals (e.g., certificate of insurance, references, financial information), as well as any additional documents mutually agreed upon by the College and the successful Contractor.

The College will make payment solely to the primary Contractor for all work performed under this IFB.

The primary Contractor shall be responsible for compensating all subcontractors, if any.

The successful Contractor must maintain a United States-based office to receive payments and must possess a valid United States Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), which will be verified by the College with the Internal Revenue Service. The Contractor must also register as a vendor with the College through Unimarket and maintain an active registration in the System for Award Management (SAM.gov), providing proof of such registration upon request.

http://www.aacc.edu/media/content-assets/aacc/documents/Purchase-Order-Terms-and-Conditions-Final.pdf https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2025-title2-vol1/CFR-2025-title2-vol1-part200-appII https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/CFR-2025-title2-vol1/CFR-2025-title2-vol1-part200-appII

All products and services provided must meet the full satisfaction of the College. Payment will not be made until all required documentation has been received and approved, and the goods or services have been completed and accepted by the College as meeting all contract requirements.

Compensation shall be in accordance with the pricing submitted under Section 2.0, Contractor’s Bid Pricing (Price Proposal).

The Contractor must submit invoices that exactly match the corresponding College purchase order, including pricing, units, quantities, and item descriptions.

The College’s payment terms are Net 30 (N/30) from the date of receipt of a proper invoice and acceptance of goods or services.

Anne Arundel Community College is exempt from Maryland Retail Sales and Federal Excise Taxes. All bid prices shall exclude such taxes where applicable. A copy of the College’s tax exemption certificate will be provided upon request. Contractors may not use the College’s tax-exempt status for the purchase of materials or supplies incorporated into real property construction or renovation projects.

3.5 REVISIONS AND CHANGES TO CONTRACT

The College, without invalidating the contract documents, may submit a written request to order extra work or to make changes to the agreement by altering, adding to, or deducting from the work, and the contract sum shall reflect such changes. Price adjustments must be accepted, in writing, by Anne Arundel Community College before the Contractor performs additional work on the project. The Contractor cannot accept purchase requests for products or services that are not covered in this contract or make changes to the scope of services unless a price for those products or services has been negotiated with the College, and the Contractor has received a signed contract amendment from the Purchasing office.

If revisions or changes are required in connection with this contract which, in the opinion of the College, are rendered necessary as a result of the Contractor’s services or the Contractor’s subcontractor services, if any, or if the Contractor’s work is determined by the College to be inferior, defective or not in accordance with terms of the Contractor’s bid and subsequent contract, the Contractor must, promptly upon receipt of notice from the College, and without expense to the College:

1. Place in satisfactory condition in every particular all such work and correct all defects therein;

2. Make good all work, which in the opinion of the College is the result of failure on the part of the Contractor to respond to or correctly complete the terms of the contract.

If the Contractor, after notice, fails to proceed promptly to comply with the terms of the guarantee, the College may have the work corrected by another company and the Contractor will be liable for any and all expenses incurred.

3.6 CONFIDENTIAL AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION (CSI)

All service providers that work in the proximity of Confidential and Sensitive Information (CSI) must agree to abide by the College’s Identity Theft policies and procedures. In the event that the service provider becomes aware of a red flag or data incident, the service provider is required to report the incident to their point of contact at the College. The point of contact is required to notify the Chair of the Red Flags Committee and report the incident, provide the Chair with the contact information of the service provider, and assist the Chair as necessary in incident reporting and resolution. All service providers that process, store or transport CSI provided by the College are required to give the College sufficient documentation to assess the provider’s data security risk.

3.7 NON-VISUAL ACCESS

The Contractor warrants that the information technology offered under this bid or proposal (1) provides equivalent access for effective use by both visual and nonvisual means consistent with the standards of § 508 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Code of Maryland Regulations 14.33.02; (2) provides an individual with disabilities with nonvisual access in a way that is fully and equally accessible to and independently usable by the individual with disabilities so that the individual is able to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services as users without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use; (3) will present information, including prompts used for interactive communications, in formats intended for both visual and nonvisual use; (4) if intended for use in a network, can be integrated into networks for obtaining, retrieving, and disseminating information used by individuals who are not blind or visually impaired; and (5) is available, whenever possible, without modification for compatibility with software and hardware for nonvisual access. The Contractor further warrants that the cost, if any, of modifying the information technology for compatibility with software and hardware used for nonvisual access will not increase the cost of the information technology by more than 15 percent.

If the information technology procured under this solicitation does not meet the nonvisual access standards set forth in the Code of Maryland Regulations 14.33.02, the College will notify the Contractor in writing that the Contractor, at its own expense, has 12 months after the date of the notification to modify the information technology in order to meet the nonvisual access standards. If the Contractor fails to modify the information technology to meet the nonvisual access standards within 12 months after the date of the notification, the Contractor may be subject to a civil penalty of a fine not exceeding $5,000 for a first offense, and a fine not exceeding $10,000 for a subsequent offense.

The Contractor shall indemnify the College for liability resulting from the use of information technology that does not meet the applicable nonvisual access standards.

For purposes of this regulation, the phrase ‘equivalent access' means the ability to receive, use, and manipulate information and operate controls necessary to access and use information technology by nonvisual means. Examples of equivalent access include keyboard controls used for input and synthesized speech, Braille, or other audible or tactile means used for output.

3.8 ACCESSIBILITY

If the solution, services, deliverables, software, technology, or platform provided to the College under this Agreement ("Product") includes any electronic information or communication technology containing a human-interface, such as an end-user software component, websites, webpages, video or audio playback, file upload system, mobile device components, control panel, reports, documents, keypad, images, or the like, the Supplier hereby warrants that the Product complies with the College's standards, including the most recent version of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines ("WCAG"), Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act - Standards for Electronic and Information Technology, and/or the Web Accessibility Initiative Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (WAI-ARIA), as applicable. The Supplier agrees to: provide the College with its accessibility testing results and written documentation verifying accessibility, such as a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template ("VPAT"), upon request and to promptly respond to and resolve accessibility complaints. The Supplier further agrees to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the College and its respective officers, agents, employees, trustees, and students, from and against any and all claims, actions, threatened claims or actions, costs, judgments, or damages of any type alleging or threatening that any Materials provided and used under this Agreement are inaccessible to individuals with disabilities, including reasonable attorneys' fees and costs..

3.9 CONFIDENTIALITY

The Contractor acknowledges that during the engagement they may have access to and become acquainted with various trade secrets, inventions, innovations, processes, information, records and specifications owned or licensed by the College and/or used by the College in connection with the operation of its business including, without limitation, the College’s business and processes, methods, student lists, customer lists, accounts and procedures. The Contractor agrees that [he or she] will not disclose any of the aforesaid, directly or indirectly, or use any of them in any manner, either during the term of this agreement or at any time thereafter, except as required in the course of this engagement with the College. All files, records, documents, blueprints, specifications, information, letters, notes, media lists, original artwork/creative, notebooks, and similar items relating to the business of the

College, whether prepared by the Contractor or otherwise coming into [his or her] possession, shall remain the exclusive property of the College. The Contractor shall not retain any copies of the foregoing without the College’s prior written permission. Upon the expiration or earlier termination of this Agreement, or whenever requested by the College, the Contractor shall immediately deliver to the College all such files, records, documents, specifications, information, and other items in [his or her] possession or under [his or her] control. The Contractor further agrees that [he or she] will not disclose [his or her] retention as an independent Contractor or the terms of this Agreement to any person without the prior written consent of the College and shall at all times preserve the confidential nature of [his or her] relationship to the College and of the services hereunder.

3.10 NON-PERFORMANCE OF WORK

Determinations of non-performance will be made following a joint inspection by the College and Contractor representatives.

The Work will be considered incomplete or unsatisfactory when any one of the following conditions exists:

a. The Work was not performed in strict accordance with the scope of services.

b. The Work not performed within the time period specified.

c. The Work as required by the IFBs scope of services were not entirely completed.

The above list is not exhaustive of all conditions that determine non-performance of work.

Determination of non-performance of work may be grounds for the Contractor’s termination from this contract. Failure on the part of the Contractor to fulfill contractual obligations shall be considered just cause for termination of the contract. If the contract is terminated for unsatisfactory performance, payment shall be immediately due and payable to the College at the discretion of the College.

3.11 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS FOR ANNUAL MAINTENANCE (if applicable)

After the initial term, prices may be adjusted annually by the lesser of 3% or the United States CPI index for the Services category, as provided on the U.S. Consumer Price Index Detailed Report Tables Annual Averages for the prior calendar year. In order to receive consideration for a price increase, the contractor must submit a request and justification in writing to the Procurement Office sixty (60) days prior to the end of the initial year term. Upon approval of the College, any such modified rate will apply for the contract renewal period. AACC has the right to accept or reject, in whole or in part, requests for price increases that are more or less than specified in this section.

3.12 PRICE ADJUSTMENTS FOR GOVERNMENT IMPOSED TARIFFS

Please be advised that all terms negotiated with Anne Arundel Community College (College) are final and binding.