Copy of 298-FY27-ITS-RFP-TELECOMCOSTSAVINGS Addendum.pdf

Addendum No. 1 Issue Date: 10/16/2026

Project Name: Telecom and SaaS Cost Savings Audit.

Project Number: 298-FY27-ITS-RFP-TELECOMCOSTSAVINGS TO: Prospective Applicants

This addendum forms a part of the Request for Proposals and modifies the original Project Number 298-FY27-ITS-RFP-TELECOMCOSTSAVINGS only to the extent specifically noted below. Failure to acknowledge this addendum in the submittal may subject the submitter to being deemed non-responsive.

This Addendum is posted on the City procurement website at www.ashevillenc.gov/bids. This is the official source of this addendum. All addenda and attachments shall be published to the same location.

This Addendum consists of 10 pages in total.

This Addendum is to address Clarifications and Responses to Questions

Clarifications

Notice to vendors: IT Change Freeze November 20th to January 4th:

During the Time Period of November 20th until January 4th The City of Asheville IT will have a Change Freeze for implementation of Hardware and Software additions to the city Networks If software is planned to be utilized in your Audits please note this in your bid so the city can schedule appropriately after the freeze Kick-Off will begin after the contract is executed. Hoping for a Kick-off Date of December 2026 or January 2027.

Answers to Questions

Question Answer

1. Experience requirement. Section 3.1 requires three years of providing the requested services. For a firm whose principal has more than three years of directly relevant experience, will the principal's individual experience satisfy this requirement?

Preference will be given to firms that have 3 years of relevant experience. However, if you can demonstrate relevant experience from the project team, your proposal will still be considered.

References are also required per section 3.3 of the

RFP.

http://www.ashevillenc.gov/bids

Question Answer

2. Savings basis. For percentage-of-savings pricing, over what period are savings measured:

annualized savings, savings realized during the contract term, or another basis? Please also clarify what the "1-Month Period" and "Total Period" lines on the Cost Proposal form should contain.

For the City's proposal process, please include the pricing model your company uses to charge your clients. If not a fixed fee, please include the time period of back billing you would need for investigation. Also include the percentage of savings over what time period you would charge.

3. Alternative pricing. Will the City consider a fixed-fee or hybrid proposal under the "Other" line?

Yes, the City would accept proposals for fixed fee or hybrid costs for services.

4. Scale. Can the City share approximate counts of cellular lines, wireless carriers and SaaS vendors, and say whether billing and contract records are centrally maintained?

Verizon and AT&T first net approximately 2000 with 900 having MDM installed. a mix of Phones Tablets and cradlepoint devices

5. Deliverables. Is the City's expectation limited to the inventory and recommendations, or does the scope include carrying out cancellations, renegotiations or carrier changes?

Yes, this could include carrying out cancellations, renegotiations for cellular only when needed and approved by the City's I.T. Services Leadership. but only recommendations for SaaS At this time carrier changes are not being considered.

1. Approximately how many cellular lines/devices and which carriers are in scope, and how many SaaS subscriptions/vendors does the City estimate?

Verizon and ATT first net approximately 2000 with 900 having MDM installed. a mix of Phones Tablets and cradlepoint devices

2. Will the City consider contingency (percentage-of-savings) pricing, fixed-fee pricing, or a hybrid? Is there an estimated budget?

The City will consider any of the pricing you proposed. No estimated budget at this time.

3. Over what period should savings be measured, and is implementation of recommendations part of this contract or a separate phase?

The City is looking for you to propose the pricing your company uses, and give details of how that would look.

4. What data will be provided (carrier invoices, SSO/identity logs, AP spend data, contract files), and in what format?

invoices. spend data and contract files can be provided in google sheets or pdfs

5. Are specific insurance limits, NC registration, or E-Verify certification required at the time of proposal submission?

If you proposal is chosen, these items will happen during the contracting process.

Minimum Experience Requirement The RFP requires at least three years of experience providing the requested services. May a newer firm satisfy this requirement through the documented prior experience of its principal, project manager, and current staff, or must the proposing legal entity itself have provided these services for at least three years?

Preference will be given to firms that have 3 years of relevant experience. However, if you can demonstrate relevant experience from the project team, your proposal will still be considered.

References are also required per section 3.3 of the

Current Technology Environment What platforms does the City currently use for identity and access management, endpoint/mobile device management, ERP/accounts payable, procurement, expense management, IT asset management/CMDB, and business intelligence?

Verizon MDM for Mobile Device Management, Munis for ERP, KACE for IT asset management

Unknown: Identity/access management, expense management, business intelligence

Existing Audit/Management Tools Does the City currently license any SaaS management, Telecom Expense Management (TEM), Mobile Expense Management (MEM), FinOps, ITAM, Power BI/Fabric, or similar analytics platforms that may be used by the selected vendor?

Azure/AWS for SaaS management, Verizon for Telecom Expense Management and Mobile Expense Management, KACE for IT asset management

Unknown: FinOps, Power BI/Fabric

SaaS Environment Size Approximately how many SaaS applications/vendors are currently in scope, and what is the approximate annual SaaS spend?

AWS $100,000.00; and Azure Usage and Licensing $12,324.25

Cellular Environment Size Approximately how many active cellular lines and devices are in scope, and which cellular carriers currently provide service?

Verizon and AT&T first net approximately 2000 with 900 having MDM installed. a mix of Phones Tablets and cradlepoint devices

Data Availability and Access Will the selected vendor receive read-only access and/or data exports from relevant systems, including Microsoft 365/Entra, device management platforms, financial/procurement systems, SaaS administration portals, cellular carrier portals, and related contract or invoice repositories?

Yes

Carrier Billing Detail Will detailed cellular billing records, usage data, rate-plan information, device inventories, contract documents, and carrier credits/adjustments be made available for audit purposes?

Yes, on request.

Tooling and Security Review Would the City prefer an agentless/read-only audit approach using existing system exports and APIs, or does the City anticipate permitting third-party SaaS-discovery, telecom expense management, or AI-assisted analytics platforms following Information Security review?

vendor provide their methodology on how best to achieve the project outcomes. During the Time Period of November 20th until January 4th The City of Asheville IT will have a Change Freeze for implementation of Hardware and Software additions to the city Networks If software is planned to be utilized in your Audits please note this in your bid so the city can schedule approximately after the freeze

Third-Party Tooling Costs If third-party software or platform licensing is required to perform the audit, may those costs be separately identified and priced, or must all tooling costs be incorporated into the proposed cost-savings compensation structure?

Third party Tools are to be included in the pricing compensation structure proposed in the bidder's proposal.

Scope of Remediation Is the selected vendor expected only to identify and recommend cost-saving opportunities, or will the engagement also include implementation activities such as license reclamation, subscription cancellation, carrier disputes, rate-plan changes, contract negotiations, or other remediation?

Will also include the activities listed: implementation activities such as license reclamation, subscription cancellation, carrier disputes, rate-plan changes, contract negotiations, or other remediation

Definition of Cost Savings For purposes of the percentage-of-cost-savings pricing model, how will savings be calculated and validated? Specifically, will compensation be based on identified savings, City-approved savings, or savings actually realized?

If this is the pricing structure of your proposal, your company will outline that in your cost proposal.

Savings Categories Will annualized recurring savings, one-time credits/refunds, negotiated contract reductions, and cost avoidance all be considered eligible savings, or will the City apply different treatment to each category?

If this is the pricing structure of your proposal, your company will outline that in your cost proposal.

Pricing Structure May proposers offer alternative pricing structures, such as a fixed-fee plus gainshare model, or does the City intend for compensation to be entirely contingency-based as a percentage of validated savings?

Proposers may offer alternative pricing structures, such as a fixed-fee plus gainshare model.

Project Duration What is the anticipated project timeline from kickoff through final findings and recommendations?

Please include your estimated timeline for the project in your proposal.During the Time Period of November 20th until January 4th The City of Asheville IT will have a Change Freeze for implementation of Hardware and Software additions to the city Networks If software is planned to be utilized in your Audits please note this in your bid so the city can schedule approximately after the freeze

Work Location Does the City anticipate services being performed remotely, onsite, or through a hybrid arrangement?

If onsite presence is expected, what frequency or duration should proposers assume?

Include recommendations in your proposal.

Staffing Expectations Does the City expect a dedicated full-time-equivalent resource for the duration of the engagement, or may the selected vendor allocate personnel according to project phases, milestones, and workload?

The City will have a Project Manager assigned to this project. Your company may determine the best staffing approach for this project.

Deliverables and Ongoing Access Does the City have a preferred platform or repository for project collaboration, data exchange, dashboards, and final deliverables, or may the selected vendor provide a secure client portal and document repository?

You are welcome to propose a platform for collaboration and data exchange that provides the most value for the project.

Cost proposal form (Section 4): Please clarify what "1-Month Period," "Total Period," and "Other" are intended to capture, over how many months the City anticipates savings being shared, and whether alternative structures may be proposed under "Other."

The City will consider any of the pricing you proposed. No estimated budget at this time.

Contract term (Section 9): Section 9 states the term is "not to exceed the allowable period as specified in the deliverables." What contract period does the City anticipate, including any period for verifying savings after implementation?

vendors to define the period for verifying savings after implementation as well as the necessary contract period to complete the work.

Savings baseline: What baseline period will the City use to measure savings (for example, the most recent 12 months of invoices)?

The City is looking for you to propose the baseline your company uses, and give details of how that would look.

Data and access: Will the City provide 12 to 24 months of invoices, customer service records, contracts and usage data, and will the City sign a letter of agency so the selected vendor can work directly with carriers?

The City will provide Data and the winning bidder would need to work with the City's Lawyers to craft an Appropriate letter of Agency as needed

1. The RFP states the system provider must have at least three years providing the services requested, and separately asks for at least three relevant projects with references. Where a proposer delivers the audit through a named subcontractor or teaming partner, may that partner's years of service and its relevant projects and references be used to satisfy those two requirements?

Preference will be given to firms that have 3 years of relevant experience. However, if you can demonstrate relevant experience from the project team, your proposal will still be considered.

References are also required per section 3.3 of the

2. The insurance schedule lists umbrella coverage as required but does not state a limit. What limit does the City require? Separately, will a professional liability and errors and omissions policy written for business and management consulting satisfy the Technology Errors and Omissions requirement, or does the City require a policy specifically scheduled as Technology E&O?

Professional liability and/or E&O would work instead of technology E&O.

3. The cost proposal form requests a percentage of savings across a one-month period, a total period and other. Will the City define the baseline and the measurement period against which savings are calculated, or should the proposer propose both?

The City is looking for you to propose the pricing your company uses, and give details of how that would look.

1. Audit Population and Volume: Please provide the approximate number of SaaS applications and subscriptions/licenses currently in use, cellular service providers and accounts, and active cellular lines and devices. Please also indicate the time period of billing and contract records the City expects the audit to cover.

Verizon and AT&T first net approximately 2000 with 900 having MDM installed. a mix of Phones Tablets and cradlepoint devices

2. Project Duration and Deliverables: Please confirm the anticipated duration of the audit engagement, the required final deliverables, and the expected completion date, including whether the City contemplates a one-month engagement beginning on or about the projected November 16, 2026 start date.

Kick-Off will begin after the contract is executed.

Hoping for a Kick-off Date of December 2026 or January 2027. Please provide an appropriate project duration to complete the proposed work.

3. Records, Vendor Contacts, and Authorization:To support independent validation of telecommunications and SaaS subscriptions, will the City provide relevant contracts, account numbers, invoices, service inventories, and designated vendor points of contact, along with written authorization for the selected contractor to obtain audit-related information directly from service providers? Where applicable, will the City also provide administrative console reports showing assigned users, license allocation, and usage activity, and make the appropriate system administrators available to generate those reports during the engagement?

yes

4. Audit Coverage and Methodology: Does the City anticipate a comprehensive review of all applicable SaaS subscriptions and cellular services, or may the contractor use a documented risk-based or sampling methodology for selected audit procedures?

The City would like for each vendor to include their suggested methodology and audit procedures in their proposals. The City will evaluate proposals.

1. Will the selected contractor receive the carrier invoices, SaaS contracts, license records, and usage data needed to complete the audit?

yes

2. Is a fixed fee required, or may we propose contingency or shared-savings pricing?

The City will consider any of the pricing you propose. No estimated budget at this time.

3. May CVG serve as prime with a specialist telecom and software-asset-management subcontractor?

The City will have a Project Manager assigned to this project. Your company may determine the best staffing approach for this project. However any subcontractor must also be vetted to the same level of scrutiny and pass all needed background checks as the prime before being allowed access to city data

4. For the experience and reference requirements, may we use the proposed specialist partner’s qualifications and prior projects, or must those belong to the prime contractor?

Preference will be given to firms that have 3 years of relevant experience. However, if you can demonstrate relevant experience from the project team, your proposal will still be considered.

References are also required per section 3.3 of the

RFP.

1. Telecom scope - cellular only or broader telecom? The RFP specifically references “cellular telecommunications services.” Please confirm whether the telecom scope is limited exclusively to cellular/wireless services, or whether any wireline services such as Internet, circuits, POTS, SIP, voice, or other telecommunications services are also in scope.

Cellular and SaaS only

2. Current annual telecom spend. Please provide the approximate annual spend associated with the cellular telecommunications services included in scope.

approximately 55000 per month

3. Cellular inventory. Please provide the approximate number of active cellular lines/devices currently in scope and the primary wireless carriers currently utilized by the City.

Verizon and AT&T first net approximately 2000 with 900 having MDM installed. a mix of Phones Tablets and cradlepoint devices

4. SaaS annual spend. Please provide the approximate annual spend associated with SaaS subscriptions included within the scope of this audit.

AWS $100,000.00; and Azure Usage and Licensing $12,324.25

5. SaaS application/license population.

Approximately how many SaaS vendors/applications and total user licenses are expected to be included in the audit?

mainly aws and azure

6. What does “licensing compliance” mean in this RFP? Please clarify whether “licensing compliance” refers primarily to reconciling purchased licenses against assigned/active licenses and contractual entitlements, or whether the City expects a formal Software Asset Management/license compliance audit involving publisher-specific licensing rules.

reconciling licences to make sure we are in compliance and notification if we have unused licences that could be eliminated

7. SaaS data sources available to the selected vendor. For the SaaS portion of the engagement, what source data will the City make available—for example, vendor invoices, contracts/order forms, procurement records, SSO/Entra reports, application administrator exports, HR/user records, or usage/activity reports?

vendor invoices, contracts and administrator exports

8. Is software installation/scanning actually required? Will the City permit a vendor to perform the SaaS audit primarily from City-provided reports, exports, contracts, invoices, and licensing data without installing software or scanning tools within the City's environment?

primarily with City provided reports exports and contracts

9. Historical data/lookback period. How many months of historical cellular invoices, SaaS invoices, usage records, contracts, and licensing information will be available for audit? Is there a specific historical lookback period the City expects the vendor to review?

The City is looking for you to propose the pricing your company uses, and give details of how that would look.

10. Savings implementation responsibility. Is the selected vendor expected only to identify and recommend cost-savings opportunities, or is the vendor also expected to implement approved recommendations, including carrier plan changes, disconnections, SaaS license reductions, contract corrections, disputes, and credit recovery?

Identify and work with companies to reduce waste and spend only after written approval as acceptable and sign off by IT leadership

11. Definition of “cost savings.” For purposes of the Cost Proposal, please define “cost savings.” Should savings include: recurring expense reductions, recovered credits/refunds, avoided future expenditures, SaaS licenses eliminated or reduced, negotiated rate reductions, and/or other measurable cost avoidance?

all of these

12. Savings measurement period. The Cost Proposal requests a “1-Month Period” and “Total Period.” Please clarify the intended savings measurement and fee period. For example, should a percentage-based fee be applied to one month of recurring savings, 12 months of recurring savings, another period, or some other methodology?

The City will consider any of the pricing you proposed. No estimated budget at this time.

13. Treatment of one-time credits/refunds. If the pricing model is based on a percentage of savings, may vendors separately apply the proposed percentage to actual credits/refunds recovered on behalf of the City?

The City will consider any of the pricing you proposed. No estimated budget at this time.

14. Savings validation. How will the City and selected vendor mutually validate realized savings for purposes of calculating any performance-based fee? Will carrier/vendor invoices and implemented license reductions be considered the authoritative validation source?

please present what you feel would be the pricing in your proposal for the city to consider

15. City approval of recommendations. Will all optimization recommendations require City approval prior to implementation? If so, will savings opportunities declined or delayed by the City be excluded from the vendor's compensable savings calculation?

Yes, any optimization must be pre- approved by City IT leadership in writing before any changes may be made. If the City deems the utility and billing necessary for business with no changes it should be excluded.

16. Contract termination and earned performance fees. Because the RFP permits either party to terminate the contract upon 30 days' written notice, please clarify whether fees already earned from implemented and validated savings, and fees associated with savings implemented prior to termination but realized afterward, will remain payable following termination. POSTED RFP

298-FY27-ITS-RFP-TEL…

yes any work done prior to termination with savings realized implemented and documented will remain payable

17. Expected project duration. Does the City have a desired completion timeframe for the initial audit, findings/recommendations presentation, implementation of approved recommendations, and final savings validation?

Kick-Off will begin after the contract is executed.

Hoping for a Kick-off Date of December 2026 or January 2027.

18. SaaS optimization authority. For SaaS subscriptions, should the selected vendor engage directly with SaaS publishers/providers to negotiate pricing or licensing changes, or will the vendor's responsibility end with presenting recommendations to City Procurement/IT?

for SaaS the city would prefer to just have the Vendor present recommendations

19. Procurement data. Are all SaaS subscriptions centrally procured by the City, or are there also departmental/credit card/decentralized purchases that the selected vendor is expected to discover and include?

For the purposes of this audit it will focus on AWS which are centrally procured.

20. Award structure. Does the City intend to award the cellular telecommunications audit and SaaS audit to a single vendor, or does the City reserve the right to make separate awards for the two service areas?

One vendor is preferred.

I understand that failure to acknowledge any addenda may cause this bid/proposal to be deemed non-responsive.

Authorized Signature Company Date

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