Evaluation_of_Public_Safety_Answering_Point_(PSAP)_Consolidation_in_Dane_County.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

2026-RFP-071-PR

EVALUATION OF PUBLIC SAFETY ANSWERING POINT (PSAP)

CONSOLIDATION IN DANE COUNTY

County of Dane

City-County Building, Room 425, 53703

Madison, WI 53703

RELEASE DATE: October 26, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: November 19, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: December 10, 2026, 2:00 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane

County of Dane

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Evaluation of Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Consolidation in Dane

County

I. Introduction II. RFP Guidelines and Overview

III. Contract Term IV. Project Overview & Scope of Work V. RFP Response Requirements & Evaluation Criteria

VI. Pricing Proposal VII. Vendor Questionnaire

VIII. Standard Terms and Conditions

Request For Proposal #2026-RFP-071-PR Title: Evaluation of Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Consolidation in Dane County

1. Introduction

1.1. Summary

The purpose of this document is to provide interested parties with information to enable them to prepare and submit a proposal according to the specifications set forth within this document.

The County intends to use the results of this process to award a contract or issue a purchase order for the product(s) and/or service(s) stated Evaluation of Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) Consolidation in Dane County.

The Dane County Purchasing Division is the sole point of contact for questions and issues that may arise during the RFP process.

1.2. Contact Information

Megan Rogan

Purchasing Officer

Email: rogan.megan@countyofdane.com

Phone: (608) 283-1487

Department:

Public Safety Communications

1.3. Timeline

Release Project Date October 26, 2026

Question Submission Deadline November 19, 2026, 2:00pm

Question Response Deadline November 25, 2026, 2:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline December 10, 2026, 2:00pm mailto:rogan.megan@countyofdane.com tel:(608)283-1487

2. RFP Guidelines and Overview

2.1. GENERAL SOLICITATION PROCESS

1. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

1. The County will provide reasonable accommodations, including the provision of informational material in an alternative format, for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you need accommodations at a vendor conference or site visit, contact the Purchasing Officer listed or call WI Relay 711 for TDD Services.

2. VENDOR REGISTRATION

1. Interested vendors are required to register at the County's eProcurement Portal. Registration is free and will ensure that you receive notifications of solicitations that match your profile and category codes as well as providing the County with up-to-date company contact information.

2. Once registered, please double check to make sure your vendor information including commodity codes is up-to-date by signing into your account at the County's eProcurement

Portal.

3. CALENDAR OF EVENTS

1. Specific and estimated dates and times of actions related to this solicitation are listed in the timeline in the Introduction Section. The actions with specific dates must be completed as indicated unless otherwise changed by the County. In the event that the County finds it necessary to change any of the specific dates and times in the calendar of events listed below, it will do so by issuing an addendum to this RFP and posting such addendum on the Dane

County eProcurement Portal.

4. CLARIFICATION OF THE SPECIFICATIONS / QUESTIONS

1. All inquiries concerning this solicitation must be submitted via the County's eProcurement

Portal.

2. Questions must be submitted before 2:00 pm on Thursday, November 19, 2026.

1. Requests submitted after that time frame will not be considered.

3. Proposers are expected to raise any questions, exceptions, or additions they have concerning the solicitation at this point in the process. If a proposer discovers any significant ambiguity, error, conflict, discrepancy, omission, or other deficiency in this solicitation, the proposer should immediately notify the contact person of such error and request modification or clarification to the solicitation document.

4. Proposers are prohibited from communicating directly with any employee of Dane County, except as described herein. No County employee or representative other than those individuals https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane listed as County contacts on this solicitation is authorized to provide any information or respond to any question or inquiry concerning this solicitation.

5. ADDENDA & REVISIONS

1. In the event that it becomes necessary to provide additional clarifying data or information, or to revise any part of this bid, addenda and/or supplements will be posted via the

County's eProcurement Portal. Bidders are responsible to regularly monitor the web site for any such postings. It is recommended to check the eProcurement Portal for addenda prior to submitting a proposal. Bidders must acknowledge the receipt/review of any addenda via the eProcurement Portal.

2. The Purchasing Division has the sole authority for modifications to specifications and/or the solicitation document.

6. INSPECTION OF PREMISES/VENDOR SITE VISIT - when applicable

1. When applicable, bidder’s may inspect site(s) prior to submitting bids to determine all requirements associated with the project by contacting Megan Rogan. Failure to do so will in no way relieve the successful bidder from the necessity of providing, without additional cost to the

County, all necessary services that may be required to carry out the intent of the resulting contract.

2.2. BID / PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Dane County strongly encourages all vendors to submit proposals well in advance of the solicitation deadline. By doing so, if there are any technical difficulties, there is time to attempt to resolve the situation before the deadline. Late bids will not be accepted.

If there are technical difficulties while trying to submit, first, contact OpenGov Support by clicking into the small blue circle on the bottom, right side of your screen while logged into the OpenGov system.

1. SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

1. Dane County reserves the right to accept any part of this bid deemed to be in the best interest of the County. The County also retains the right to accept or reject any or all bids.

2. Proposals must be submitted via the County's eProcurement Portal before 2:00 pm on Thursday, December 10, 2026. Late, faxed, mailed, hand-delivered, or incomplete proposals will be rejected unless otherwise specified. Dane County is not liable for any cost incurred by proposers in replying to this solicitation.

3. To Submit a Proposal:

1. Register at the County's eProcurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/countyofdane

2. Click on the green "+Subscribe" button on the left side of the screen and proceed to create an account or sign in if an account already exists.

3. Once registered, click on the "draft" button to draft your proposal.

4. Provide company information

5. Complete the entire Vendor Questionnaire

6. Where indicated, upload the required documents.

7. The file upload status can be seen for each document uploaded.

8. Confirm all files have been uploaded

9. Review your work and click on "submit" proposal

10. Acknowledge any addenda

2. MULTIPLE PROPOSALS & ACCEPTANCE

1. Multiple proposals from a vendor will be permissible; however, the proposer must create separate accounts with separate log-in sequences, emails, and passwords on the

County’s eProcurement Portal. Each such proposal must be submitted separately and labeled as

Proposal #1, Proposal #2, etc.

2. Please message procurementsupport@opengov.com with any questions regarding set up.

3. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS ON SUBMITTING COST PROPOSALS

1. The Cost Proposal section of this solicitation will either be incorporated into the system as a

Pricing Table or as a separate Cost Proposal Attachment that must be downloaded, completed, saved, and uploaded to the Vendor Questionnaire section.

2. Price(s) quoted shall include all labor, materials, equipment, shipping and other costs and conditions outlined within the bid. Pricing shall remain fixed.

4. RIGHT TO REJECT PROPOSALS & NEGOTIATE CONTRACT TERMS

1. The County reserves the right to accept any part of a submission deemed to be in the best interest of the County and to reject any and all proposals and to negotiate the terms of the contract, including the award amount, with the selected proposer prior to entering into a contract. If contract negotiations cannot be concluded successfully with the highest scoring proposer, the County may negotiate a contract with the next highest scoring proposer.

2.3. VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE DEFINITIONS

1. LOCAL VENDOR PURCHASING PREFERENCE - applicable to RFBs - DOES NOT APPLY TO PUBLIC WORKS

BIDS

mailto:procurementsupport@opengov.com

1. Under Dane County Ordinance 25.08(11)(c-e), a Locally Based and Owned Vendor, Locally

Operated Vendor, or Non-Locally Operated Vendor may be invited to match the low bid if the low bid is offered by a vendor that is not identified as a Locally Based and Owned Vendor, Locally Operated Vendor, or Non-Locally Operated Vendor according to Dane County Ordinance requirements. Local Vendor Preferences do not apply to bids for sand, gravel, salt, asphalt and concrete.

Locally Based and Owned Vendors:

1. When bids are reviewed, the County will determine if a Locally Based and Owned Vendor responding to the bid is the low bidder. If a Locally Based and Owned Vendor is the low bidder, they will be awarded the bid.

2. If a Locally Based and Owned Vendor is not the low bidder but is within 15% of the low bid, the

County will contact the Locally Based and Owned Vendor and provide that vendor the option of matching the low bid price.

3. If no Locally Based and Owned Vendors are among the responding bidders, or the Locally Based and Owned Vendor declines to match the low bid, then the County will determine if a Locally

Operated Vendor has responded to the bid.

Locally Operated Vendors:

4. If a Locally Operated Vendor is within 10% of the low bid, the County will contact the Locally

Operated Vendor and provide that vendor the option of matching the low bid price.

5. If no Locally Operated Vendors are among the responding bidders, or the Locally Operated

Vendor declines to match the low bid, then the County will determine if a Non-Locally Operated

Vendor has responded to the bid.

Non-Locally Operated Vendors:

6. If a Non-Locally Operated Vendor is within 5% of the low bid, the County will contact the Non-

Locally Operated Vendor and provide that vendor the option of matching the low bid price.

7. If no Non-Locally Operated Vendors are among the responding bidders, or the Non-Locally

Operated Vendor declines to match the low bid, then the County will award the bid to the low bidder without regard to the location of the vendor.

2. LOCAL VENDOR PURCHASING PREFERENCE - applicable to RFPs - DOES NOT APPLY TO PUBLIC WORKS

BIDS

1. Under County ordinances, a Local Vendor is defined as a supplier or provider of equipment, materials, supplies or services that has an established place of business within the County of

Dane. An established place of business means a physical office, plant or other facility. A post office box address does not qualify a vendor as a Local Vendor.

1. County ordinance provides that a local vendor (within Dane County) automatically receive five points toward the evaluation score.

2. County ordinance provides that vendors located within the counties adjacent to Dane County

(Columbia, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, Sauk) automatically receive two points toward the evaluation score.

3. LOCAL CONTENT VENDOR PREFERENCE - generally only applicable to RFBs - DOES NOT APPLY TO

PUBLIC WORKS BIDS

1. Under Dane County Ordinance 25.08(4)(f-j), bidders offering goods made in Dane County, its surrounding counties, or the State of Wisconsin receive a price preference on sealed bid solicitations. Bids are first evaluated to determine if any bidders are offering products that qualify as Dane County-Made Goods, Regionally-Made Goods, or Wisconsin-Made Goods. Local

Vendor Preferences do not apply to bids for sand, gravel, salt, asphalt and concrete.

2. A bidder offering Dane County-Made Goods will be considered the successful bidder if their price is up to 15% higher than the low bid for goods that are not Dane County-Made Goods. If no vendors meet this criteria, then the County will determine if any bidder is offering Regionally-

Made Goods. If so, then such a bidder will be considered successful if their price is up to 12.5% higher than the low bid for goods that are not Regionally-Made Goods. If no vendors meet this criteria, then the County will determine if any bidder is offering Wisconsin-Made Goods. If so, that bidder will be considered successful if their price is up to 10% higher than the low bid for goods that are not Wisconsin-Made Goods. If no vendors are offering Dane County-Made, Regionally-Made, or Wisconsin-Made Goods, then the County will evaluate the low bid without regard to the content of the goods.

4. FAIR LABOR PRACTICES CERTIFICATION

1. Dane County Ord. 25.09 (1) is as follows:

1. (28) BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY. (a) Any bid, application or proposal for any contract with the county, including public works contracts regulated under chapter 40, shall include a certification indicating whether the bidder has been found by the National Labor Relations

Board (NLRB) or the Wisconsin Employment Relations Committee (WERC) to have violated any statute or regulation regarding labor standards or relations within the last seven years.

The purchasing manager shall investigate any such finding and make a recommendation to the committee, which shall determine whether the conduct resulting in the finding affects the bidder’s responsibility to perform the contract.

2. If a company indicates that they have been found by the NLRB or WERC to have such a violation in the Vendor Questionnaire section, a copy of any relevant information regarding such violation with is required to be uploaded with the bid submission.

3. Additional information about the NLRB and WERC can be found using the following links:

www.nlrb.gov and http://werc.wi.gov.

5. COOPERATIVE PURCHASING

1. Participating in cooperative purchasing gives vendors the opportunity for additional sales without additional bidding. Municipalities and state agencies use cooperative purchasing to expedite purchases. A “municipality” is defined as any county, city, village, town, school district, https://www.nlrb.gov/ http://werc.wi.gov/ board of school directors, sewer district, drainage district, vocational, technical and adult education district, or any other public body having authority to award public contracts (s.

16.70(8), Wis. Stats.). Federally recognized Indian tribes and bands in this state may participate in cooperative purchasing with the state or any municipality under ss. 66.0301(1) and (20, Wis.

Stats.

2. In the Vendor Questionnaire section, you will have the opportunity to participate in allowing municipalities and state agencies to piggyback this bid. Participation is not mandatory. A vendor’s decision on participating in this service has no effect on awarding the bid.

3. Dane County is not a party to these purchases or any dispute arising from these purchases and is not liable for delivery or payment of any of these purchases.

6. DESIGNATION OF CONFIDENTIAL & PROPRIETY INFORMATION - generally only applicable to RFPs

1. RFP responses are public records under Wisconsin Law. Dane County may be required to release your RFP response if someone makes a public records request. There are few exceptions to disclosure under Wisconsin’s Open Records Law.

2. All proposed restrictions on the use of data contained within a proposal and all confidential information must be clearly stated on the Vendor Information Attachment under the

“Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information” section.

3. Proprietary information submitted in a proposal, or in response to the RFP, will be handled in accordance with the applicable Wisconsin State Statute(s) to determine whether such information must be disclosed. Dane County shall not provide advance notice prior to release of any requested record.

4. Submitted pricing will always become public information when proposals are opened and therefore cannot be designated as confidential. Designating the RFP response or proposal in its entirety as confidential is never warranted and will result in its release.

5. One exception under the Wisconsin Open Records Law is if information constitutes a “trade secret.” Trade secret is defined in Sect. 134.90 (1)(c)) of the WisconsinStatutes, as follows:

"Trade secret" means information, including a formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method technique or process to which all of the following apply:

1. The information derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to, and not being readily ascertainable by proper means by other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use.

2. The information is the subject of efforts to maintain its secrecy that are reasonable under the circumstances.

County cannot guarantee that such information will be treated as a trade secret or confidential.

6. To the extent permitted by law, it is the intention of Dane County to withhold the contents of the proposal from public view until such times as competitive or bargaining reasons no longer require non-disclosure, in the opinion of Dane County. At that time, all proposals will be available for review in accordance with the Wisconsin Open Records Law.

7. In the event the Designation of Confidentiality of this information is challenged, undersigned agrees to provide legal counsel or other necessary assistance to defend the Designation of

Confidentiality and to hold Dane County harmless for any costs or damages arising out of Dane

County withholding the materials. .

8. Failure to designate confidential and proprietary information within the Designation of

Confidential and Proprietary Information section of the Vendor Information Attachment may mean that all information provided as part of the proposal response will be open to examination or copying. The County considers other markings of confidential in the proposal document to be insufficient. The undersigned agrees to hold the County harmless for any damages arising out of the release of any material unless they are specifically identified within the Designation of

Confidential and Proprietary Information section of the Vendor Information Attachment.

2.4. EVALUATION

1. PRELIMINARY EVALUATION

1. The proposals will first be reviewed to determine if all applicable requirements are met. Failure to meet mandatory requirements may result in the proposal being rejected. In the event that all vendors do not meet one or more of the mandatory requirements, the County reserves the right to continue the evaluation of the proposals and to select the proposal which most closely meets the requirements specified in the solicitation.

2. PROPOSAL SCORING - applicable to RFPs

1. Accepted proposals will be reviewed by an evaluation team and scored against the stated criteria in the evaluation section of the RFP posting. This scoring will determine the ranking of vendors based upon their written proposals. If the team determines that it is in the best interest of the County to require a Phase 2 Evaluation which may include oral presentations, the highest-ranking vendors will be invited to make such presentations. Those vendors that participate in the interview process will then be scored, and the final ranking will be made based upon those scores.RFP Cost Proposal's will be scored using a standard quantitative calculation where the most cost criteria points will be awarded to the proposal with the lowest cost.

3. ORAL PRESENTATIONS/INTERVIEW - applicable to RFPs

1. Top ranked selected proposers may be required to make oral interview presentations and/or site visits to supplement their proposals, if requested by the County. The County will make every reasonable attempt to schedule each presentation at a time and location that is agreeable to the proposer. Failure of a proposer to conduct a presentation to the County on the date scheduled may result in rejection of the vendor’s proposal.

2.5. AWARD

1. RFB AWARD

1. The County will award the bid to the most responsive and responsible bidder whose bid is most advantageous to the County. In determining the most advantageous bid, the County may consider criteria such as, but not limited to, cost, bidder’s past performance and/or service reputation, and service capability, quality of the bidder’s staff or services, customer satisfaction, references, the extent to which the bidder’s staff or services meet the County’s needs, bidder’s past relationship with the County, total long term cost to the County, fleet continuity and any other relevant criteria listed in this solicitation.

2. A resulting award and any part thereof shall not be subcontracted or assigned to another

Contractor without prior written permission of the County. The Contractor shall be directly responsible for any Subcontractor’s performance and work quality when used by the Contractor to carry out the scope of the job. Subcontractors must abide by all terms and conditions under this Contract.

2. RFP AWARD

1. An RFP award will typically be granted in one of two ways.

1. The award may be granted to the highest scoring responsive and responsible proposer.

2. Alternatively, the highest scoring proposer or proposers may be requested to submit final and best offers. If final and best offers are requested, they will be evaluated against the stated criteria, scored and ranked. The award will then be granted to the highest scoring proposer.

2. A resulting award and any part thereof shall not be subcontracted or assigned to another

Contractor without prior written permission of the County. The Contractor shall be directly responsible for any Subcontractor’s performance and work quality when used by the Contractor to carry out the scope of the job. Subcontractors must abide by all terms and conditions under this Contract.

3. PAYMENT TERMS AND INVOICING

1. Unless otherwise agreed upon in writing, Dane County will pay properly submitted vendor invoices within thirty (30) days of receipt of goods or services. Payment will not be made until goods or services are delivered, installed (if required), and accepted as specified. Invoices presented for payment shall be submitted to via email to the Department Invoice Email

Address shown on the Bill To section of the PO issued. The Dane County purchase order number must be noted on the submitted invoice.

2. Other incidental or standard industry charges not identified herein, are not allowed under this contract. Miscellaneous service charges used to help the Contractor pay various fluctuating current and future costs are not allowed. These charges include, but are not limited to, costs directly or indirectly related to the environment, energy issues, fuel charges, service and delivery of goods and services.

4. NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO AWARD

1. Upon finalizing the award, a notification email may be sent via the OpenGov system showing the awarded vendor(s).

2. As a courtesy, the County may send a Notice of Intent letter to responding vendors at the time of the award. - applicable to RFPs

3. Written notice of award to a vendor in the form of a purchase order or other document, mailed or emailed to the address shown on the bid will be considered sufficient notice of acceptance of bid.

5. CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE

1. The successful vendor is required to submit to Dane County a Certificate of Insurance prior to performing any work under this contract. The certificate is required prior to issuance of purchase order. See the Insurance Responsibility section within the Standard Terms &

Conditions.

2. Please contact your insurance representative to issue an Additional Insured Endorsement naming County of Dane, a municipal corporation, its boards, commissions, agencies, officers, employees and representatives listed as an ADDITIONAL INSURED on the General Liability policy.

3. Indicate mailing address as:

o County of Dane

Risk Management

City County Building Room 425

210 Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.

Madison, WI 53703

4. Please inform your insurance representative that you have agreed to provide us with 30 Days written notice in the event of cancellation for any reason before the expiration date of your policy or policies.

5. Vendor may email Certificates of Insurance to risk.management@danecounty.gov.

6. Call 608-266-4965 with any questions.

6. PERMITS & LICENSES

mailto:risk.management@danecounty.gov

1. The Contractor selected under this bid shall be required to obtain the necessary permits and licenses prior to performing any work under this contract. The Contractor will be required to demonstrate valid possession of appropriate required licenses and will keep them in effect for the term of this contract.

2. Contractor must be financially responsible for obtaining all required permits and licenses to comply with pertinent regulations, municipal, county, State of Wisconsin and Federal laws, and shall assume liability for all applicable taxes.

7. SATISFACTORY WORK

1. Any work found to be in any way defective or unsatisfactory shall be corrected by the

Contractor at its own expense at the order of the County. The County also reserves the right to contract out services not satisfactorily completed and to purchase substitute services elsewhere. The County reserves the right to charge the vendor with any or all costs incurred or retain/deduct the amount of such costs incurred from any monies due or which may become due under this contract.

8. GOVERNMENT STANDARDS

1. All materials, equipment, and supplies provided to the County must fully comply with all safety requirements as set forth by the Wisconsin Department of Commerce and all applicable OSHA

Standards. Bidders shall comply with all local, state and federal regulations, directives and laws.

9. DANE COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES

1. On October 18, 2012, the Dane County Board of Supervisors adopted Resolution 103, 2012-2013 establishing the following sustainability principles for the county:

o Reduce and eventually eliminate Dane County government’s contribution to fossil fuel dependence and to wasteful use of scarce metals and minerals;

o Reduce and eventually eliminate Dane County government’s contribution to dependence upon persistent chemicals and wasteful use of synthetic substances;

o Reduce and eventually eliminate Dane County government’s contribution to encroachment upon nature and harm to life-sustaining ecosystems (e.g., land, water, wildlife, forest, soil, ecosystems); and o Reduce and eventually eliminate Dane County government’s contribution to conditions that undermine people’s ability to meet their basic human needs.

2.6. CONTRACTING

1. CONTRACT/PROJECT ADMINISTRATION

1. The County department(s) utilizing the service will be responsible for drafting, coordinating, monitoring and administering the resulting service contract/purchase order. The department shall be responsible for notifying the awarded vendor about contract renewals or extensions.

Any modifications or additions to the contract(s)/purchase order(s) shall be communicated by the department to the Purchasing Division.

2. CONTRACT ASSIGNMENT - SUBCONTRACTORS

1. A resulting contract and any part thereof shall not be subcontracted or assigned to another

Contractor without prior written permission of the County. The Contractor shall be directly responsible for any subcontractor's performance and work quality when used by the Contractor to carry out the scope of the job. Subcontractors must abide by all terms and conditions under this Contract.

3. CONTRACT ADDITIONS

1. The County reserves the right to add new items and locations at a price conforming to other like items on the contract. The procedure for such additions shall be as follows:

1. The County Purchasing Officer will contact the vendor requesting pricing for the item(s) to be added.

2. The vendor, within three working days, should respond in writing and include the bid number, contract period and the price for each item or service to be provided.

3. Upon receipt, the County shall issue a Change Order adding the service or product(s) to the

Contract or Purchase Order.

2. The County reserves the right to accept or reject prices and obtain bids on the open market for these add ons.

3. When applicable, Contractor may be required to sign a Dane County Contract.

4. CONTRACT TERMINATION

1. If for any reason the successful contractor fails to fulfill the requirements of the contract for providing the specified services, the County shall have the right to cancel the contract at any time and negotiate for the services with another contractor.

3. Contract Term

The contract shall be effective on the date indicated on the Dane County Purchase Order or the Dane

County Contract execution date. The initial term length and renewal terms available are estimates only and are subject to change.

If applicable, any optional or renewal terms are not automatic extensions. Renewal terms must be agreed upon mutually by Dane County and Contractor.

Anticipated Terms (Calendar Dates)

Term 1:

Term 2:

Term 3:

Term 4:

Term 5:

4. Project Overview & Scope of Work

The following definitions and links are used throughout the RFP.

County: Dane County

County Agency: Department/Division utilizing the service or product.

Dane County Purchasing website: https://www.danepurchasing.com/

Proposer/Vendor/Firm/Contractor: a company submitting a proposal in response to this RFP.

4.1. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to provide interested parties with information needed to prepare and submit a proposal for conducting an evaluation of the consolidation of public safety communication services for the following entities:

• Dane County Public Safety Communications

• Sun Prairie Police Communications

• Monona Police Communications

• Stoughton Police Communications

• Middleton Police Communications

The County intends to use the result of this study to assess, in collaboration with all affected agencies and departments, the potential benefits and drawbacks of consolidating call-taking and dispatch operations into a single communications center.

The study and procurement process will not directly result in a consolidation.

4.2. CURRENT OPERATIONS

Dane County Public Safety Communications (PSC) serves as the designated Public Safety Answering

Point for a county population of 575,347, providing call-taking and dispatching services 24 hours a day, every day of the year. PSC operates as a consolidated communications center, delivering dispatch services to 21 law enforcement agencies, 26 fire departments, and 21 emergency medical services agencies.

Several municipalities—specifically the cities of Monona, Middleton, Sun Prairie, and Stoughton— currently operate their own independent law enforcement dispatch centers. PSC, however, provides fire and EMS dispatching services county-wide and answers all 911 calls with the exception of those originating in Middleton

PSC maintains a total staff of 105 personnel, including 74 full-time equivalent (FTE) Communicators, 3

Pre-hire Communicators, and 9 duty supervisors. PSC employs protocol-based call-taking standards established by the International Academy of Emergency Dispatch (IAED).

https://www.danepurchasing.com/

4.3. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Dane County Public Safety Communications is soliciting proposals from qualified firms or individuals to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the potential consolidation of some or all of Dane County’s

Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs), including an assessment of any associated loss or gain of State of Wisconsin funding.

The County seeks a consultant to perform a full analysis of each participating PSAP’s operational capabilities, identifying strengths, limitations, and any impacts—positive or negative—that consolidation with Dane County Public Safety Communications may have on the respective communities.

A key component of this evaluation will be an analysis of the fiscal implications for each impacted community, including changes to staffing levels or personnel costs resulting from consolidation. The selected consultant will be responsible for delivering a report that presents factual findings and provides clear, well-supported recommendations based on the analysis

4.4. OBJECTIVE

The objective of contracting for these services is to obtain an unbiased, independent, and transparent assessment of the benefits and disadvantages for Dane County municipalities that currently operate

Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPs) outside of Dane County’s designated PSAP.

To fulfill this objective, the selected vendor will be expected to address several targeted areas of analysis, including, but not limited to:

1. Community service impacts — Identify services or capabilities that municipalities may lose if consolidation occurs.

2. Operational performance — Evaluate whether consolidation could cause increases in dispatch or response times that may affect service levels.

3. Potential improvements — Assess enhancements or efficiencies in municipal dispatch operations that could be achieved through consolidation.

4.5. SCOPE OF SERVICES

The scope of work includes, but is not limited to, the following:

1. CAD/RMS & NG911 Telephony Readiness

Evaluate the compatibility, performance, and scalability of current CAD, RMS, and NG911 telephony systems to support consolidated operations. Assess transition requirements, interfaces, data standards, and vendor constraints.

2. Radio System & Interoperability Assessment

Analyze radio system capacity, coverage, resilience, interoperability, and compatibility with existing and future architectures. Include evaluation of migration considerations (e.g., VHF to 800 MHz), required infrastructure upgrades, and long-term sustainability.

3. Interfaces, Data Governance, Security & Continuity Planning

Review all system interfaces, data flows, governance structures, cybersecurity posture, and continuity-of-operations plans. Assess failover, redundancy, disaster recovery capability, and requirements for secure data sharing across agencies.

4. Operational Workflow & Staffing Impacts

Evaluate call-taking and dispatch workflows, staffing models, workload distribution, cross-training needs, QA/QI programs, and process changes needed for successful consolidation.

5. Facilities, Power, and Environmental Readiness

Assess PSC and partner agency facilities for space, ergonomics, physical security, backup power, HVAC, cabling, and environmental systems needed to support expanded operations.

6. Network Infrastructure & Connectivity

Review network capacity, resilience, bandwidth, cybersecurity, and redundancy across all participating jurisdictions. Ensure sufficient infrastructure exists (or identify gaps) for CAD, radio, telephony, and

NG911 services.

7. Governance & Organizational Structure

Evaluate interagency governance models, decision-making processes, policy alignment needs, authority structures, and potential changes to support multi-jurisdictional operations.

8. Financial Analysis & Long-Term Cost Modeling

Provide a comprehensive financial review that includes capital and operational cost projections, lifecycle maintenance, funding considerations, and potential intergovernmental cost-sharing structures.

9. Vendor Contract & Agreement Review

Assess existing CAD/RMS, radio, telephony, and related contracts for constraints, renewal timelines, upgrade paths, and interoperability requirements.

10. Data Migration & Retention Strategy

Identify data migration requirements across systems, including mapping, validation, archiving, retention policy compliance, and long-term storage considerations.

11. Transition, Cutover & Risk Planning

Develop recommended migration approaches, timelines, phased implementation strategies, rollback options, and risk mitigation plans for transitioning to consolidated operations.

12. Performance Metrics & Future-Proofing

Recommend operational and technical KPIs, system performance measures, and strategies to ensure scalability and readiness for emerging technologies (e.g., AI decision support, cloud-hosted NG911, advanced analytics).

At a minimum, the selected consultant will be expected to engage with personnel from the following entities:

• PSC Management

• PSC Technical Services

• Monona Police

• Middleton Police

• Sun Prairie Police

• Stoughton Police

• State of Wisconsin Department of Revenue

The evaluation should include both qualitative and quantitative analysis, incorporating data collection, stakeholder interviews, and comparative assessments among current PSAP operations. The consultant is expected to use industry best practices and objective performance metrics to assess community impacts, operational efficiency, staffing implications, technology considerations, and any potential changes in service delivery. The final report should be presented in a clear, data-driven format that supports informed decision-making by County leadership and affected municipalities.

4.6. TIMELINE

The County seeks delivery of the final evaluation, including findings and recommendations, no later than

Spring 2027.

The results of this evaluation will be used by Dane County and municipal governments to support decision-making regarding future operational models, resource allocation, and long-term planning for emergency communications services.

4.7. DELIVERABLES

The selected vendor shall provide, at minimum, the following deliverables. Each deliverable must be clear, data-driven, and suitable for executive decision-making:

• Comprehensive Written Report summarizing approach, data sources, analyses, findings, and recommendations.

• Fiscal Impact Model that compares multiple scenarios (full, partial, hybrid, status quo), including effects on municipal budgets, staffing, and tax levy implications; incorporate WI DOR considerations and methodology.

• Staffing Impact Analysis per PSAP (FTE counts, role mapping, training needs, change management).

• Operational Performance Analysis (call handling, dispatch times, service levels, queueing impacts).

• Technology & Interoperability Assessment (CAD/RMS, radio systems, telephony/NG911, interfaces).

• Risk Register & Mitigation Plan addressing operational, fiscal, legal, staffing, technology, and transition risks.

• Stakeholder Engagement Summary documenting interviews, workshops, key concerns, and consensus points.

• Executive Presentation to County leadership and impacted municipalities (slides and briefing materials).

• Data & Assumptions Appendix including data dictionary, source list, and modeling assumptions to ensure reproducibility.

4.8. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT EXPECTATIONS

The vendor shall propose and execute a robust engagement plan, including:

• Interviews with leadership and operations staff from each impacted agency.

• At least one facilitated workshop with all impacted municipalities to validate findings and gather feedback.

• Structured surveys or focus groups (if appropriate) to capture community and frontline perspectives.

4.9. TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT REQUIREMENTS

The technical review must evaluate:

• CAD/RMS & Telephony (NG911) Readiness for consolidated operations.

• Radio & Interoperability implications (capacity, coverage, resilience, compatibility with current systems and future migration considerations).

• Interfaces, Data Governance, Security & Continuity plans, including failover and disaster recovery.

5. RFP Response Requirements & Evaluation Criteria

1. RFP Response - Proposers shall upload and submit their proposal response document(s) to Section 1 of the Vendor Questionnaire.

• The RFP Response shall be organized to comply with the section numbers and names as shown below. Each section heading shall be clearly marked.

o If applicable, the Local Vendor Preference section is answered within the Vendor

Questionnaire and doesn't need to be included in the RFP Response document.

• Cover Letter / Cover Page o Provide a Cover Letter or Cover page and at minimum should include:

▪ Contact Person for the RFP process

▪ RFP Title

▪ RFP #

▪ Name of Proposer

• Table of Contents may be included but is not required.

• Graphics may be included but are not required.

2. Cost Proposal Response

• Complete the Pricing Table if there is one located within the RFP Posting.

• If there is no Pricing Table within the RFP Posting:

o Download and complete the Pricing Section document from the Attachment Section of the

RFP Posting.

o Upload the completed Pricing Section document to Section 1 of the Vendor Questionnaire.

3. Document Formatting - The RFP Response and Cost Proposal (if applicable) documents must be saved in PDF format unless otherwise specified within the RFP document and the file name shall include the

RFP# and name of business submitting proposal.

• Example of how to name the files:

o RFP Response Document: "2023-RFP-025 – Vendor Name" o Cost Proposal Document (if no pricing table): "2023-RFP-025 – Vendor Name - Cost

Proposal"

4. Evaluation Criteria - each section includes the Point Value assigned to it for evaluation purposes.

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITIES

The proposer shall provide a narrative, supported by examples, that demonstrates the organization’s experience and capabilities in the following areas:

1. Qualitative and Quantitative

Data Collection and Analysis

Demonstrated experience applying best practices in mixed-method data gathering, including statistical analysis, thematic analysis, benchmarking, and interpretation of operational performance data.

2. Stakeholder Engagement and

Facilitation

Experience designing and executing structured stakeholder engagement activities such as interviews, surveys, focus groups, workshops, and community or cross-agency listening sessions.

3. 24/7 Emergency

Communications

Environments

Experience working with entities that provide round-the-clock emergency call-taking and dispatch operations, including understanding of staffing models, operational constraints, performance

Points Based 20

(19% of Total) requirements, and workload variability.

4. Industry Standards and

Regulatory Frameworks

Familiarity with relevant standards and guidelines, including those issued by the

National Fire Protection

Association (NFPA), the

International Academy of

Emergency Dispatch (IAED), and other public safety governing bodies.

5. Cultural Competence and

Work with Diverse

Populations

Demonstrated commitment to cultural competence and experience working effectively with diverse communities, stakeholder groups, and multidisciplinary agency personnel.

2. Staff Qualifications

The proposer shall provide résumés or

CVs for all individuals who will be assigned to the project. Each résumé must clearly describe the individual’s:

• Educational background o Relevant degrees, academic training, and specialized coursework that support expertise in emergency communications, public safety technologies, or organizational consulting.

• Professional experience relevant to emergency communications or public safety consulting o Demonstrated experience in emergency communications, public safety consulting, PSAP operations, NG911 transition projects, radio system analysis, CAD/RMS implementation, interoperability planning, or related fields.

• Technical skills, certifications, and credentials o Specific technical competencies, certifications (e.g., COML/COMT, NENA, APCO, GIS, radio systems, cybersecurity), licenses, Points Based 15

(14.3% of Total) and any other credentials that illustrate capability to perform the required work.

• Role and responsibilities within the proposed project o A clear explanation of the individual’s proposed role within the project, including anticipated responsibilities, areas of focus, and the expertise they will contribute to the engagement.

3. Project Approach

The proposer shall include a detailed narrative describing the methodology, processes, tools, and resources that will be used to complete the evaluation. The project approach must address the following components:

1. Project Communication and

Coordination

A plan for maintaining open, regular, and transparent communication with the Dane

County project team, including updates, check-ins, milestone reviews, and escalation procedures when issues arise.

2. Data Collection and Analysis

A description of how the proposer will gather and analyze qualitative and quantitative data (including data not currently collected), and how these datasets will be used to identify common themes, operational issues, questions, and concerns related to consolidation and

PSC’s capacity to absorb additional municipalities.

3. Assessment of Strengths and

Weaknesses

A structured approach to evaluating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and risks associated with full consolidation, partial consolidation, or continuation

Points Based 25

(23.8% of Total) of independent municipal

PSAP operations.

4. Research and Synthesis of

Findings

A methodology for researching, validating, and synthesizing relevant information into clear, evidence-based findings and recommendations, including impacts on service delivery, staffing, technology, and operations.

5. Municipality-Specific

Recommendations

An approach for developing findings and recommendations tailored to each municipality, including a comparison of independent

vs. consolidated operations.

6. Fiscal and Tax Levy Impact

Assessment

A plan to analyze and describe the anticipated actions of the

Wisconsin Department of

Revenue regarding potential loss or gain of tax levies and personnel positions under various consolidation scenarios.

7. Long-Term Cost and Savings

Analysis

A methodology to evaluate long-term operational or financial savings, additional expenses, capital impacts, and transition-related costs associated with consolidation.

8. Project Timeline

4. Proposer References

Proposers must provide a minimum of three references from organizations for which the proposer has performed similar services. Each reference must include:

• Organization name

• Point of contact (name, title, phone number, and email address)

• Brief description of the services provided

• Dates of service

• Relevance of the work to this

RFP

References may be contacted to verify the quality and performance of the proposer’s previous work.

Points Based 10

(9.5% of Total)

5. Cost Points Based 30

(28.6% of Total)

6. Local Vendor Preference Points Based 5

(4.8% of Total)

6. Pricing Proposal

BASE PROJECT COST

The proposer shall provide a fixed, all-inclusive price to complete all services described in the RFP

Line Item Description Unit of Measure Unit Cost

1 Project Initiation & Planning Lump Sum

2 Stakeholder Interviews Lump Sum

3 Communications Center Operational Assessment Lump Sum

4 CAD/RMS & NG911 Assessment Lump Sum

5 Radio System Assessment Lump Sum

6 Governance Analysis Lump Sum

7 Financial & Tax Levy Modeling Lump Sum

8 Staffing Impact Analysis Lump Sum

9 Risk Assessment Lump Sum

10 Draft Report Lump Sum

11 Final Report & Presentation Lump Sum

7. Vendor Questionnaire

7.1. RFP DOCUMENT UPLOADS

7.1.1. Single Proposal Submission*

Only 1 proposal is allowed to be submitted per Vendor Account. This means if you are submitting multiple proposals, you must follow the instructions set forth within the Section 2.2 RFP Guidelines and

Overview - Multiple Proposals & Acceptance.

It is understood that if multiple proposals are uploaded using 1 vendor account, the entire submission will be subject to disqualification.

☐ Please confirm

*Response required

7.1.2. RFP Response Document - Upload your Proposal*

Please DO NOT include Cost information in this section.

*Response required

7.1.3. RFP Response - Supplemental Document Upload

Upload any additional or required information documents that supplements this solicitation.

7.1.4. RFP Cost Proposal - Supplemental Document Upload

If applicable, upload any documents providing further clarification of the submitted pricing from the

Pricing Table. This is not required.

7.1.5. W9 Upload*

Upload your company's W9 form.

NOTE: The W9 is required to be signed within the past 12 months

*Response required

7.2. VENDOR INFORMATION

7.2.1. Local Vendor Preference *

Select a Local Vendor Preference:

Vendors located within Dane County automatically receive five points toward the evaluation score.

Vendors located within the counties adjacent to Dane County (Columbia, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson, Rock, Sauk) automatically receive two points toward the evaluation score.

Vendors located outside of Dane County and the 7 counties adjacent to Dane County would choose "No

Preference".

NOTE: A post office box address does not qualify as an established place of business.

☐ No Preference

☐ Yes - Dane County

☐ Yes - Columbia County

☐ Yes - Dodge County

☐ Yes - Green County

☐ Yes - Jefferson County

☐ Yes - Iowa County

☐ Yes - Rock County

☐ Yes - Sauk County

*Response required

7.2.2. Fair Labor Practice Certification *

Has your company been found by the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") or the Wisconsin

Employment Relations Commission ("WERC") to have violated any statute or regulation regarding labor standards or relations in the seven years prior to the date this bid submission is signed?

If yes is answered, a copy of any relevant information regarding such violation is required to be uploaded with your bid submission.

Additional information about the NLRB and WERC can be found using the following links:

www.nlrb.gov and http://werc.wi.gov.

☐ No, our company has NOT been found by the NLRB or the WERC to have violated any statute or regulation regarding labor standards or relations in the seven years prior to the date this bid submission is signed.

☐ Yes, our company HAS been found…