Clarifications - QA.docx

RFP # 2026-01 SCJ: Inmate Telephone, Video Visitation, Kiosk, and Tablet System

***This clarifications and Q&A document may be updated as needed. Please check back occasionally to ensure you are aware of all updates from Sauk County. ***

Clarifications:

· Section III., “RFP Submission Requirements,” is correct. Sauk County is requesting one original response from each proposer, and 7 copies. Section 2.6 is hereby updated to also request one original proposal and 7 copies of that proposal.

· The “Special Instructions” section of the RFP correctly notes that sealed proposals should be delivered to the County Clerk, Sauk County West Square Building – Room #144, 505 Broadway, Baraboo, WI 53913. Section 2.6 is hereby updated to require that all proposals and seven copies of the proposals be delivered to the County Clerk at the above address. No proposals should be delivered directly to Captain Nicole Schlough at 1300 Lange Court, as currently indicated in Section 2.6.

· NOTE: All references to James Witecha at 505 Broadway throughout the RFP are correct. James Witecha is serving as the procurement manager, and all questions and processes may be directed to him, even though proposal submissions should go to the County Clerk.

· Section 1.7 refers to the contract being effective “on the date the final contract is signed by both parties,” but the section also indicates the three-year initial term will begin on January 1, 2027. It is possible that the final contract will be executed prior to the service term. The contract would be effective when duly signed in such circumstances, but the three-year initial service term may start later than the effective date. That term would be specified in the contract as January 1, 2027, or a different date if necessary and mutually agreed upon. This is confirmed in Section 4.1.4, Subsection 8. January 1, 2027, is an anticipated start date, but the final signed agreement will specify the actual date.

· Section 4.2, the “Installation and Cut-Over” section, Subsection 3, refers to 60 calendar days, not business days.

· The “approved start date” referenced in Section 4.5, Subsection 1.d. would be a mutually agreed upon start date provided for in the final executed contract. It does not refer to contract effective date.

· Section 5.0 is hereby struck and amended to read as follows: “Proposers must complete a separate revenue proposal and submit as indicated in Section 2.6 and 4.1.4.”

Questions and Answers:

· Does the Sheriff’s office accept Hand Delivery, USPS, UPS, DHL, FedEx deliveries?

· Yes, your proposal can be hand delivered by the company or a messenger service. The county will also accept delivery via any of the carriers described above. Please note that proposals should be delivered to the Sauk County Clerk’s Office, for distribution to the Sheriff’s Department, not directly to the Sheriff’s Department.

· What are the required markings for the proposal delivered directly to the Sheriff’s office?

· No proposals need be delivered directly to the Sheriff’s Department. All proposals shall be delivered to the Sauk County Clerk’s Office in accordance with the “Special Instructions” section of the RFP and this document.

· Are subcontractors permitted in support of installation? If subcontracting is required, how will the written prior consent of Sauk County be provided? If subcontracting is required, what process of disclosure and identification of subcontract percentage is expected?

· Subcontracting for the installation services will be allowed, but subcontracting is not required if the company is capable of performing the services in house. The parties will mutually agree upon the terms of subcontracting disclosure, verification, or approval in the executed final contract. The use of subcontractors may be precluded for certain services, but the parties will establish those boundaries in the final contract.

· Is Section IV-Revenue to be submitted ONLY to Nicole Schlough, Captain, Sauk County Sheriff’s Office 1300 Lange Court, Baraboo, WI 53913 no later than 2:00 PM local time on 08/26/2026, in a SEPARATE SEALED ENVELOPE, as per page 5, 2.6?

· The cost/revenue portion of your proposal will need to be provided in a separately sealed envelope from the other proposal materials, and it need not be submitted to Captain Nicole Schlough. All components of the proposals shall be delivered to the Sauk County Clerk’s Office in accordance with the “Special Instructions” section of the RFP and this document.

· If the proposal is submitted to the county as in question #3 above [revenue proposal], please concur by written response that this section of the proposal should be marked confidential, not to be released?

· The cost proposal, or in this case the revenue proposal, need not be labelled as “Confidential” or “Proprietary.” While the cost/revenue proposal may be initially withheld from public release, that proposal will eventually become part of the public domain, and it may be subject to public records laws.

· Can you define the type of inmates Sauk County holds e.g: DOC, Inmates brought in by US. Marshalls, ICE, and Out of county. If possible can you breakdown the percentages of each type please?

· Sauk County Jail housing inmates for local charges, probation/parole holds, out of county warrants, US Marshal Service housing, Immigration and Customs Enforcement housing, and Extended Supervision housing. Approximately 80% of the inmates housed in the Sauk County Jail are not being housed for local charges and probation holds.

· Can you provide any revenue/commission reports from your current provider over the last 12 months?

· This data is being reviewed for potential availability, and it will be posted on VendorNet and the Sauk County website if it is releasable.

July 31st Additions

Clarifications:

Questions and Answers:

· Would you please provide the call data for the past 12 months?

· Please see “Document 1 - Prior Year Data” posted on the Sauk County website and VendorNet.

· Would you please provide the current rate for calls and video?

· Phone calls $0.13/minute, Video visitation $0.21/minute

· Is the need for inmate’s digital signature request only for facility produced confirmations? (Section 4.2, “Inmate Kiosk Information System” 1.(g).)

· Yes, this is a preferred feature for those purposes.

· Is the County interested in Money Transfer services as well?

· If this question refers to an ability to transfer from inmate commissary accounts to the communications software system, the answer is yes.

· If video visitation on tablets is encouraged, are 5 video terminals still required for the video visitation room?

· The video visitation room is for on-site visitors, not the inmates. So yes, we would still need to provide an option for the public.

· Since tablet use is encouraged, and have call capability, is a physical phone still required for each pod or would a wall mounted kiosk which can be used for both calls and video be considered?

· Physical phones will still be required, particularly in the event of internet outages.

· Would you please define the number of kiosks identified for Booking and Lobby, and how what capabilities are needed for these kiosks?

· The lobby (video visitation room) would need capabilities to complete video visitation services. Kiosks for booking would need to have functionality for video visitation services, phone calls, inmate requests/grievances, messaging, and entertainment.

· Will the incumbent be required to provide new equipment to the County in response to this RFP?

· That answer would be dependent on the nature of the proposal being submitted by the incumbent, and Sauk County cannot answer that question or direct such changes unilaterally at this time.

· Does the County consider the following statement, “accessible to all and at NO COST to the County, appropriate for our proposal response or would the County prefer to see those statements included in the separate cost proposal, or would it be acceptable for both?

· If the no-cost services refer to items listed in the RFP as being required to be at “no cost,” then you may reference them in the proposal. If you wish to reference value added items that will be provided at “no cost,” that are not referenced in the RFP as needing to be provided at no cost, you may include those items or services with your sealed cost proposal as a list of value added items.

· Is there an official County required form that needs to accompany our submittal as indicated in 4.5 Appendix, item #2? If so, please provide.

· There is no templated county form for this process. If you have a standard letter or document, you may use that. Or, you may simply provide a sheet indicating that the person below is authorized to commit to such proposal submittals on behalf of your organization, with a signature added.

· Please provide a copy of all current contracts and amendments pertaining to all services under this RFP.

· Please see “Document 2 – Current Contract” posted on the Sauk County website and VendorNet.

· The RFP requires the successful proposer to have the system fully operational by January 1, 2027; however, it does not identify an anticipated contract award or contract execution date. Will the County please provide its anticipated contract award and contract execution schedule? This information will assist proposers in confirming their ability to meet the County's required January 1, 2027 operational date and in developing a realistic implementation schedule.

· Please see the prior clarification above. It is possible that the final contract will be executed prior to the service term. The contract would be effective when duly signed in such circumstances, but the three-year initial service term may start later than the effective date. That term would be specified in the contract as January 1, 2027, or a different date if necessary and mutually agreed upon. This is confirmed in Section 4.1.4, Subsection 8. January 1, 2027, is an anticipated start date, but the final signed agreement will specify the actual date.

· Will the County provide the current service and commission rates associated with each of the following inmate services?:

· Inmate Telephone System (ITS) In compliance with FCC regulations – rate $0.13/minute, compensation $0.02/minute

· Video Visitation System (VVS) In compliance with FCC regulations – rate $0.21/minute, compensation $0.02/minute

· Electronic Messaging (aka Email) $0.50/message for incoming messages. Outgoing messages are through the per minute entertainment/media rate.

· Entertainment/Media rate $0.07/minute, commission 13%

· To allow a vendor to present their best possible offer, it is very important to have historical information regarding revenue data for current inmate services. Will the County please provide copies of Service Usage/Revenue/Commission reports for the past three months for the following inmate services?

· Please see “Document 1 - Prior Year Data” posted on the Sauk County website and VendorNet.

· Is the County being invoiced for any services provided by the current vendor? If so, please describe.

· No

· Please provide details about any commission, cost reimbursement, technology grants, signing bonuses, or any other compensation they receive from the current vendor.

· Commissions and compensation from entertainment/media, phone calls, and video visitation only.

· What limits does the County place, if any, on use of the services in this RFP such as maximum number of ITS calls, onsite visits allowed per week (or other interval), remote visits per week, calls per week, minutes per call/visit, etc?

· On site visitation is limited to Tuesday-Friday 0900-1030 and Tuesday-Thursday 1900-2030. On site visitation is free of charge up to 90 minutes per week if accepted by the inmates as “use my free minutes”. Phone calls and visitation are limited to the timeframes when the tablets are active, approximately 12 hours per day depending on classification level.

· After the first round of questions is answered, will the County accept additional questions if clarification is needed for any of the County’s responses?

· The county will receive questions and accept / address them within their sole discretion. Questions or clarifications necessary for RFP understanding or proposal submission, particularly due to error or omission by Sauk County, will certainly be addressed.