FHPS - Public Address & Clock System - RFP - January 2021.pdf

Forest Hills Public Schools

Public Address & Clock System

Request for Proposals (RFP)

January 2021

Public Address & Clock System RFP

January 2021 Prepared by Plante Moran

TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1 General Requirements

PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

2 Public address & Clock system specifications

APPENDICES (PROVIDED SEPARATELY)

Appendix A - Vendor Response Forms

Appendix B – Conceptual Design and District Drawings

Appendix C - Sample Agreement

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GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1.1 INTENT

It is the intent of Forest Hills Public Schools (hereinafter referred to as the “District”) to solicit proposals from qualified vendors for a Public Address & Clock System for Orchard View Elementary School. This solution will consist of the following components:

A. Equipment

B. Installation services

C. Warranty services

It is desired that vendors propose on all of the services being requested in this Request for Proposals (RFP).

Vendors may partner with another provider to supply a complete and turnkey solution. If your response contains proposed services or equipment from multiple providers, all responding parties must be clearly identified and a synopsis of the partner relationship as well as the party that will serve as the prime vendor/contact for the District must be detailed. The District reserves the right to proceed with the provider deemed most suitable.

1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The District is seeking a Public Address & Clock System for Orchard View Elementary School, located at 2770 Leffingwell Ave NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525. This building is undergoing construction in phases, with the last phase to be completed in August 2022. The intent is to keep the PA and clock systems operational during the construction period. A detailed construction and installation schedule is given below in Section

2.1 and a construction timeline drawing is in Appendix B. The building will be equipped to serve as a pilot for the District.

This RFP outlines the performance, operational, and administrative requirements the District is seeking for the Public Address & Clock System RFP. Detailed specifications for this project are included in Section 2 of the RFP.

1.3 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

EVENT DATE

RFP issued Thursday Jan 7, 2021

Vendors conference Tuesday Jan 12, 2021 @ 9:30am ET Via Remote Conference

Deadline for submittals of questions related to this RFP

Thursday Jan 14, 2021 Contact: jacinto.cordero@plantemoran.com

Deadline for proposals & public proposal opening Tuesday, February 2nd, 2021 @ 3:00pm ET

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Anticipated award date March, 2021

Anticipated implementation schedule

Construction Phase 4: June - August 2021, to install everything except elements associated to construction phase 5.

Construction Phase 5: Aug 2021 – Jan 2022, to install elements associated to construction phase 5.

Construction Phase 6: January- April 2022, to dismount and reinstall elements affected by construction works.

Construction Phase 7: April - August 2022, to dismount and reinstall elements affected by construction works.

1.4 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Late proposals will not be accepted. Proposals shall be submitted as follows by the deadline indicated in Section 1.3, Schedule of Events:

• (1) Printed signed original

• (1) Unbound printed copy

• (1) Printed bound copies

• (1) Thumb drives consisting of only 2 files:

o One single PDF file of the submitted printed signed complete proposal o Appendix A in Excel format

Mark with company name and deliver to:

Susan Case, CTO Forest Hills Public Schools 6590 Cascade Rd SE Grand Rapids, MI 49546

All proposals must be in a sealed package and contain the wording “Public Address & Clock System RFP” on the package. The wording “ORIGINAL” is to appear on the outside of the binder containing the original signed proposal. If a bid bond or cashier’s check is used, an original copy of the bid bond must be submitted in the binder marked Original. Proposals may not be delivered via facsimile or email.

All Proposals MUST include the Vendor Response Forms provided in Appendix A.

Proposals shall be accompanied by a sworn and notarized statement disclosing any familial relationship that exists between the Vendor or any employee of the Vendor and any member of the Board of Education or superintendent. The District shall not accept a proposal that does not include this sworn and notarized disclosure statement. The Non-Familial Form must accompany your bid proposal (see Appendix A).

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In accordance with the Iran Economic Sanctions Act, Michigan Public Act No. 517 of 2012, all vendors must execute the “Iran Linked Business Affidavit” and include it in their proposals (see Appendix A). Said forms are included in the Vendor Response Forms. The District will not accept a proposal that does not include this sworn and notarized disclosure statement. The form must accompany your bid proposal (see Appendix A).

1.5 INTENT TO PROPOSE

Each vendor that intends to submit a proposal in response to this RFP should communicate its intent via email to gina.mancinelli@plantemoran.com with the subject line “Vendor Name – FHPS PA & Clock System RFP - Intent to Propose.” Please refer to Section 1.7, RFP Clarifications and Addenda, for the contact information to address specific questions related to this RFP.

The response shall include the name of the Vendor, the name of the contact person, and that person’s email address.

1.6 VENDORS’ CONFERENCE

A pre-proposal vendors’ conference will not be held for this project.

1.7 RFP CLARIFICATIONS & ADDENDA

Please note that any addenda will be posted by the District to the bid site that housed the original RFP.

Vendors are responsible for checking the site regularly to make themselves aware of any new addenda.

When making requests for clarification, please identify the relevant section number (e.g., Section 2.3.1).

Requests for clarification shall be submitted by email only to:

Jacinto Cordero (jacinto.cordero@plantemoran.com)

1.8 PROPOSAL FORMAT

To facilitate the comparison of vendor proposals, it is required that each proposal be organized into the following sections:

1.8.1 Executive Summary

The executive summary should, at a minimum, include the following:

A. Executive letter highlighting how the proposed solution achieves the objectives of the District: This letter is to be signed by an officer of the organization submitting the proposal

B. Organizational overview: A brief overview of the organization

C. Provide features of the Public Address & Clock System solution to identify:

1. How the solution aligns with the requested technical requirements

2. Any functional or technical requirements that the proposed solution cannot achieve

3. Any assumptions and/or District resources required to complete the solution mailto:gina.mancinelli@plantemoran.com mailto:jacinto.cordero@plantemoran.com

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1.8.2 Vendor Response Forms

Vendor Response Forms are supplied in this RFP (Appendix A). In addition to requesting information on your company and the proposed solution, along with other required forms, you must clearly indicate whether you either comply or take exception to any of the sections in this RFP. All vendors MUST submit the Comply/Exception Form from Appendix A. Where applicable, an explanation to the exception must be provided.

1.8.3 Project Plan

The Vendor will include an overview of its project plan in its response.

1.8.4 Project Team

Indicate the level of qualification of the staff who will be assigned to this project. Qualification will be based on certifications and years of experience with the materials proposal in similar configurations. Names of staff need not be provided; however, the response in this section will indicate the minimum level of experience that will be provided. If necessary, please include additional categories to address additional levels of staff or staff with different certifications and years of experience.

1.8.5 Product Information

The Vendor must include copies of the technical specifications and/or data sheets for each of the products being proposed.

1.8.6 Electronic Copy

An electronic format of the forms in Appendix A in a Microsoft Excel format MUST be included with your response. A PDF version of all other materials must also be included.

1.8.7 Equipment Listing (BOM)

A bill of material must be included with the bid response identifying equipment models and quantities.

1.8.8 Additional Information

Additional information may be provided at the Vendor’s discretion.

1.9 BID BONDS

Every bid shall be accompanied by either a cashier’s check on a solvent bank or by a bond executed by a surety company authorized to do business in the state of Michigan. A 5% bid bond or cashier’s check shall be required. Such check or bond shall name the District as recipient. The amount of such bid bond or cashier’s check shall be forfeited as liquidated damages, costs, and expenses incurred by the District if the Vendor, after given an award as successful vendor, shall fail within thirty (30) days after the notice of such award to enter into appropriate contract with the District.

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1.10 PERFORMANCE AND PAYMENT BONDS

The District MAY require the selected vendor(s) to provide a performance bond upon award of the contract.

The associated cost of the performance bond is to be shown as a separate line item — do NOT include this cost in your base bid. This bond shall be equal in amount to the total price to the District of purchased hardware, software, cabling, and services. The surety of the bond shall remain in effect for one (1) year after all acceptance of the entire project has been executed by the District. In the event that the Vendor(s) fails to perform its obligations under any agreement between the Vendor(s) and the District, the bond shall be paid to the District. The Vendor(s) further agrees to save and hold harmless the District and agents from all liability and damages of every description in connection with any subsequent agreements. Payment bonds shall be required under the following conditions: project award exceeds $50,000 and project involves construction, alteration, or repair to the buildings.

1.11 INSPECTION OF WORKSITE

If necessary, vendors can request access for site visits from Forest Hills Public Schools by contacting the individual identified in Section 1.7, RFP Clarifications & Addenda. We do not believe on-site access and review will be required prior to the project and, therefore, requests may be denied.

1.12 MODIFICATION OF RFP

Vendors may not modify the RFP text to affect the terms, conditions, or specifications found in this document; this is forbidden and will subject the bid response to rejection. In the event any text is modified, the original text as issued will apply. This clause does not apply to the vendor response areas of the RFP where it is expected that vendors will enter their text.

1.13 CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

As a public entity, the District is subject to the Michigan Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Information contained in proposals may be subject to FOIA requests.

1.14 RIGHT TO REQUEST ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The District reserves the right to request any additional information that might be deemed necessary after the completion of this document.

1.15 RIGHT OF REFUSAL

The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in their entirety, evaluate suggestions or exceptions, waive irregularities, or select certain equipment from various vendor proposals, based on the best interests of the District. The District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals for a specific section. The District reserves the right to award specific buildings to one or more vendors.

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1.16 PROPOSAL PREPARATION COSTS

The Vendor is responsible for any and all costs incurred by the Vendor or its subcontractors in responding to this RFP.

1.17 SYSTEM DESIGN COSTS

The successful vendor shall be responsible for all design, information gathering, and required programming to achieve a successful implementation. This cost must be included in the base bid.

1.18 PERMITS

The successful vendor shall be responsible for complying with all local, state, and federal codes applicable to this installation. This includes the electrical permit required by the state of Michigan for low voltage installations. Include all costs associated with permitting in your base bid.

1.19 PRICING ELIGIBILITY PERIOD

All vendor proposal bids are required to be offered for a term not less than 120 calendar days in duration. A claim of mistake in computation of a proposal shall not void the proposals after they are opened and accepted.

1.20 ADDITIONAL CHARGES

No additional charges, other than those listed on the price breakdown sheets, shall be made. Prices quoted will include verification and coordination of order, all costs for shipping, delivery to all sites, unpacking, setup, installation, operation, testing, cleanup, and training.

1.21 TURNKEY SOLUTION

All prices quoted must include all the cables, connectors, etc., that will be necessary to make the system specified fully operational for the intent, function, and purposes stated herein.

1.22 FEDERAL OR STATE SALES, EXCISE, OR USE TAXES

Forest Hills Public Schools is a tax-exempt entity for all purposes, except if the project makes enhancements and/or additions to real property.

1.23 PURCHASE QUANTITIES

The District reserves the right to adjust upward or downward by 25%, the quantities of items purchased without altering the unit purchase price upon award and throughout the contract period.

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1.24 AGREEMENT REQUIREMENTS

The District intends to use the agreement contained in Appendix C for this project. Please review this attached agreement and indicate whether the terms of the agreement are acceptable. Include all contract exceptions in your proposal, if any.

The District considers this RFP legally binding and will require that this RFP and the resulting vendor proposal be included as addenda to any subsequent agreements between the Vendor(s) and the District. It should be understood by the Vendor(s) that this means that the District expects the Vendor(s) to satisfy all requirements and reports listed herein. Exceptions should be explicitly noted in the vendor proposals. Lack of listing all exceptions will be considered acceptance of all of the specifications as presented in this RFP.

1.25 SURVIVAL CLAUSE

All duties and responsibilities of any party that, either expressly or by their nature, extend into the future, shall extend beyond and survive the end of the contract term or cancellation of the Agreement.

1.26 FORCE MAJEURE CLAUSE

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.27 INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

The Vendor shall supply equipment, wiring, technology, training, and other related services adequate to accomplish the requirements as set forth in the RFP and the Vendor response to the RFP. Parties agree that where there is a conflict between terms of the Agreement and the information presented in the referenced documents, the Agreement shall take precedence. The parties also agree that where there is not a conflict between the Agreement and the information presented in the referenced documents, all terms, conditions, and offers presented in the Vendor’s proposal shall herein be referenced to the Agreement and shall be binding upon all parties to the Agreement.

1.28 RISK DURING EQUIPMENT STORAGE AND INSTALLATION

Delivery shall be made in accordance with the implementation schedule referenced as part of the Agreement. It will be possible to allow for minor variances from this implementation schedule as mutually agreed upon by both parties and confirmed by prior written notice. NOTE: Equipment that will be installed in 2021 shall not be purchased until that year. The equipment shall be installed and placed into good working order by representatives of the Vendor. During the time period where the equipment is in transit and until the equipment is fully installed in good working order, the Vendor and its insurer shall be responsible for the equipment and relieve the District of responsibility for all risk of loss or damage to the equipment. In addition, the Vendor shall hold the District and agents harmless from any risk of loss or damage arising out of occurrences during the installation of the equipment.

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1.29 SHIPPING OF EQUIPMENT

All shipping and insurance costs to and from the site shall be included in the Vendor’s proposal. All payments to shipping agents and for insurance fees shall be made directly by the Vendor. The District shall make no payments to any firm concerning the shipment, installation, and delivery of equipment that is not a part of the Agreement and for which exact payments are not described. The Vendor shall be responsible for all arrangements for the shipment and receipt of equipment to the District’s prepared site. The Vendor shall provide all properly trained representatives to unpack all items of equipment and place this equipment in the proper locations. The Vendor shall also be responsible for removal of all debris and packing materials from the site resulting from the installation of the equipment.

1.30 NON-WAIVER OF AGREEMENT RIGHTS

It is the option of any party to the Agreement to grant extensions or provide flexibilities to the other party in meeting scheduled tasks or responsibilities defined in the Agreement. Under no circumstances, however, shall any parties to the Agreement forfeit or cancel any right presented in the Agreement by delaying or failing to exercise the right or by not immediately and promptly notifying the other party in the event of a default. In the event that a party to the Agreement waives a right, this does not indicate a waiver of the ability of the party to, at a subsequent time, enforce the right. The payment of funds to the Vendor by the District should in no way be interpreted as acceptance of the system or the waiver of performance requirements.

1.31 GENERAL INDEMNIFICATION

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.32 PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY RIGHTS

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.33 NONDISCRIMINATION BY VENDORS OR AGENTS OF THE VENDOR

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.34 SUBCONTRACTORS

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.35 EFFECT OF REGULATION

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.36 PROJECT MANAGEMENT STAFF DESIGNATION

The Vendor understands that the successful installation, testing, and operation of the system that is the subject of this document shall be accomplished by a cooperative effort. To most effectively manage this

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January 2021 Prepared by Plante Moran process, the Vendor shall designate a single representative to act as project manager, who shall have the authority to act on behalf of the Vendor on all matters pertaining to the Agreement.

In the event that an employee of the Vendor is, in the opinion of the District, uncooperative, inept, incompetent, or otherwise unacceptable, the Vendor agrees to remove such person from responsibility in the project. In the event of such a removal, the Vendor shall, within fifteen (15) days, fill this representative vacancy as described above. Regardless of whom the Vendor has designated as the representative, the Vendor organization remains the ultimate responsible party for performing the tasks and responsibilities presented in the Agreement.

1.37 ASSIGNMENTS

The District and the Vendor each binds themselves, their partners, successors, and other legal representatives to all covenants, agreements, and obligations contained in the Agreement.

1.38 VENDOR AS INDEPENDENT VENDOR

It is expressly agreed that the Vendor is not an agent of the District but an independent contractor. The Vendor shall not pledge or attempt to pledge the credit of the District or in any other way attempt to bind the District.

1.39 INSURANCE

1.39.1 Workers’ Compensation Coverage

The Vendor shall procure and maintain, during the life of the Agreement, Workers’ Compensation Insurance, including Employer’s Liability Coverage, in accordance with all applicable statutes of the state of Michigan.

1.39.2 Commercial General Liability Insurance

The Vendor, at the Vendor’s sole cost and expense, shall procure and maintain, during the life of the Agreement, Commercial General Liability Insurance on an “Occurrence Basis” with limits of liability not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and/or aggregate combined single limit, Personal Injury, Bodily Injury, and Property Damage. Coverage shall include the following features: (A) Contractual Liability; (B) Products and Completed Operations; (C) Independent Vendors Coverage; (D) Broad Form General Liability Extensions or equivalent; (E) Deletion of all Explosion, Collapse, and Underground (XCU) Exclusions, if applicable; (F) Per contract aggregate.

1.39.3 Motor Vehicle Liability

The Vendor, at the Vendor’s sole cost and expense, shall procure and maintain, during the life of the Agreement, Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance, including applicable No-fault coverages, with limits of liability of not less than $1,000,000 per occurrence combined single limit Bodily Injury and Property Damage. Coverage shall include all owned vehicles and all hired vehicles.

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1.39.4 Additional Insured

The following shall be named Additional Insureds: Forest Hills Public Schools, including all elected and appointed officials; all employees and volunteers; and all boards, commissions; and/or authorities and their board members, employees, and volunteers.

This coverage shall be primary to the Additional Insureds and not contributing with any other insurance or similar protection available to the Additional Insureds, whether other available coverage is primary, contributing, or excess.

1.39.5 Notice of Cancellation or Change

Workers’ Compensation Insurance, Commercial General Liability Insurance, and Motor Vehicle Liability Insurance, as described above, shall include an endorsement stating the following: “Sixty

(60) days Advance Written Notice of Cancellation or Non-Renewal shall be sent to: Julie Davis, Forest Hills Public Schools., 6590 Cascade Rd SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 (313) 432-3000.

1.39.6 Proof of Insurance Coverage

The Vendor shall provide the District, at the time the Agreements are returned for execution, Certificates of Insurance, and/or policies, acceptable to the District, as listed below:

D. Two (2) copies of Certificate of Insurance for Worker’s Compensation Insurance;

E. Two (2) copies of Certificate of Insurance for Commercial General Liability Insurance;

F. Two (2) copies of Certificate of Insurance for Vehicle Liability Insurance;

G. Original Policy, or binder pending issuance of policy, for Owners and Contractors Protective Liability Insurance;

H. If so requested, certified copies of all policies shall be furnished.

1.39.7 Continuation of Coverage

If any of the above coverage expires during the term of the Agreement, the Vendor shall deliver renewal certificates and/or policies to Forest Hills Public Schools at least ten (10) days prior to the expiration date.

1.39.8 Failure to Comply

Failure to comply with the insurance requirements contained in the Agreement shall constitute a material violation and breach of contract and may result in termination of the Agreement.

1.40 WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE

The District has presented detailed technical specifications of the particular purpose for which the network and technology is intended. The District has provided detailed descriptions and criteria of how the system can be defined to accomplish this particular purpose. The District has also defined the exact procedures and techniques to be employed in testing whether the system has achieved the defined performance of this

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January 2021 Prepared by Plante Moran particular purpose. Given this advanced preparation concerning, and documentation about, the District’s particular purpose, the Vendor, at the time the Agreement is in force, has reason and opportunity to know

(1) the particular purpose for which products are required, and (2) that the District is relying on the Vendor’s experience and knowledge of these products to provide those that are most suitable and appropriate. Therefore, the Vendor warrants that the system is fit for the purposes for which it is intended as described in this document.

1.41 WARRANTY

See Section 2.7, Warranty, for warranty requirements.

1.42 FINAL ACCEPTANCE OF THE SYSTEM

The system proposed shall be defined to be finally accepted by the District after all components of this RFP and all approved change orders have been installed completely, plus the items identified in Section 2. The District or the District’s Representative shall be the sole judge of whether all conditions for final acceptance criteria have been met.

1.43 STANDARD FORMS AND CONTRACTS

Any forms and contracts the Vendor(s) proposes to include as part of any agreement resulting from this bid between the Vendor(s) and the District must be submitted as part of the proposal. Any forms and contracts not submitted as part of the bid and subsequently presented for inclusion may be rejected. This requirement includes, but is not limited to, the following types of forms: subcontractor, franchise, warranty agreements, maintenance contracts, and support agreements.

1.44 NONCOLLUSION COVENANT

The Vendor hereby represents and agrees that it has in no way entered into any contingent fee arrangement with any firm or person concerning the obtaining of the Agreement. The Vendor certifies that its proposal is made without any previous understanding, agreement, or connection with any person, firm, or corporation making a proposal for the same services and is, in all respects, fair, without outside control, collusion, fraud, or otherwise illegal action.

1.45 ADVERTISEMENT

The laws of the state of Michigan, the District purchasing policies, and the legal advertisement for vendors and purchases are made a part of any agreement entered into in the same respect as if specifically set forth in that agreement.

1.46 SELECTION CRITERION

The District intends to enter into a long-term relationship with a well-established vendor whose products, features, design philosophy, and support policies come closest to meeting the District’s needs. The selected vendor must be a well-established, financially stable firm committed to technology in K-12; will have a commitment to attracting and retaining an excellent staff of technical and product support personnel; and

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January 2021 Prepared by Plante Moran will have a proven track record of support from installation planning through implementation and ongoing use. There should also be evidence of responsiveness to clients’ suggestions for improvements. Finally, there must be a good fit between Vendor’s staff and the District’s staff to assure a good working relationship.

The vendors will be evaluated based on the following selection criteria:

1.46.1 Compliance to Specifications

I. Functional and technical requirements

1. Compliance to mandatory specifications

2. Ability to achieve nonmandatory requirements

3. Vendor interview and solution demonstration as required

J. Proposal requirements

1. Implementation support

2. Ongoing support

3. Experience

4. Cost

1.47 SPECIAL NOTES

Failure to include in the proposal all information outlined above may be cause for rejection of the proposal.

The District reserves the right to accept the Vendor’s replacement of any component if it is considered equal or superior to the specifications. Such acceptance will be in writing.

1.48 PAYMENT TERMS

See proposed Agreement in Appendix C.

1.49 CRIMINAL BACKGROUND SCREENING

The District is committed to assuring a safe environment for students, employees, and district visitors.

Accordingly, the District requires criminal background certification compliance from vendors and subcontractor who perform work at any district facility. Each vendor or subcontractor shall certify that all legally required criminal history and criminal record checks, electronic finger print scans (Michigan and FBI), and/or any other background check requirements are conducted in accordance with applicable provisions within Sections 380.1230, 380.1230a-h, 380.1236a of the Michigan Revised School Code, and all other applicable federal and state laws concerning background checks. These results must be sent directly to the District. Additionally, the Vendor must certify that no owner, employee, agent, representative, vendor, and/or other personnel of the Vendor will be on any district premises if they are a registered criminal sexual offender under the Sex Offenders Registration Act, Public Act 295 of 1994, or have been convicted of a “Listed Offense” as defined under Section 722 of the Sex Offenders Registration Act, MCL

28.722. The Vendor shall also require employees, if and as applicable, to comply with the reporting

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PROJECT REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

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2 PUBLIC ADDRESS & CLOCK SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS

2.1 NOTE ON INSTALLATION SCHEDULE

Construction work is being done in seven phases. Phase 4, 5 and 7 each have an A and B section, with different timelines. A diagram of the construction schedule labeled Construction Schedule Drawing is in Appendix B. The intent is to keep the PA and clock systems functional during all of the construction phases.

Installation of the new PA and clock systems in this will start in June of 2021 and will include all Phases except Phase 5. Phase 5 construction is scheduled for August 2021 through February of 2022 and installation in these areas will be coordinated with construction during this time period. The speakers and clocks installed during the summer of 2021 that are impacted by construction Phases 6 and 7 will be removed at the beginning of the construction timeline for these areas and reinstalled near the end of the construction timeline. The construction phase timelines on the drawing include both the demolition and the construction work. The awarded vendor will coordinate their work with the construction schedule.

The headend equipment will be installed in Room 193, Unit D in mid-August of 2021. All equipment installed in Room 193 should be rack mountable and installed in a rack provided and installed by the vendor. Both the PA and clock systems will be operational by the end of August 2021. Any system installed in the building’s MDF (e.g., amplifiers, cable management, etc.) would need to be removed and reinstalled during construction Phase 7B. The building’s IDF can be considered for the installation that will take place during phase 5.

Due to the complexity of the construction schedule the awarded vendor’s installation site supervisor or project manager is required to attend all construction meetings.

2.2 PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM

Forest Hills Public Schools (FHPS) is seeking a solution for mass notification of day-to-day events and emergency messages, providing a loud and clear audible signal that can be easily heard and understood within the building.

The system shall be designed, configured, and installed in such a way as to permit that the audio is amplified and evenly distributed to all internal and external areas that comprise Orchard View’s facilities. At the paging console locations, all the necessary precautions shall be taken to prevent feedback into the system from nearby speakers. Final placement of speakers is to be coordinated and approved by a responsible party appointed by the District.

The proposed solution should comply with the functional and performance requirements specified in this document. The buildings included within the scope of this RFP are included in Section 1.2 of this document.

2.2.1 Speaker system

Speakers can be traditional 4ohm/8ohm, 70V/100V, or optionally IP-based. It must be possible to adjust the volume of each speaker. Traditional speakers shall be wired to networked amplifiers, which can be

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January 2021 Prepared by Plante Moran centralized, distributed or embedded into other IP endpoints. IP-based speakers shall be wired directly to the PoE/PoE+ switches to be provided by the District.

The District prefers ceiling speakers with baffles flush-mounted against the ceiling whenever possible. Where the building/facility conditions do not allow it, wall-mounted speakers will be acceptable. Ceiling speakers must meet criteria for plenum installation. All speakers must be UL certified or UL compliant.

2.2.2 Speakers for Classrooms and Offices

The base bid should include one standard-power speaker for classroom. Office speakers are required where indicated in the prints. The classroom and office speakers must include a built-in microphone or dual voice coil to allow two-way communication with the main office. The speaker will operate independently from the classroom audio system. Page mute functionality is required to mute the local classroom audio during public address announcements.

The speaker can be connected to or built-into the digital clock system for the classroom, and, in fact, a speaker+clock combination design approach is encouraged. If independent from the clock, the speakers should be flush mounted in the dropped ceiling. Please refer to Technical Specifications in Appendix A for additional details.

2.2.3 Speakers for Hallways

The base bid should include hallway speakers were required in the prints. The audio announcements in the hallways should be intelligible even between class periods when the noise levels in those areas are high. The hallways speakers should be flush mounted in the dropped ceiling. Please refer to Technical Specifications in Appendix A for additional details.

2.2.4 Speakers for Large Indoor Gathering Areas

High-power speakers should be adequately placed and distributed in large areas with high student concentration or noise level, such as cafeterias, auditoriums, gymnasiums, etc. The speakers can be ceiling-mounted or alternative wall-mounted box speakers with grille parallel to the wall or slanted (tilted downward).

Multiple traditional speakers can be connected in a daisy-chain fashion, but each area must have its own independent home run to the amplifier system to allow for flexibility in the definition of paging zones. Please refer to Technical Specifications in Appendix A for additional details.

2.2.5 Speakers for Outdoor Areas

Outdoor speakers should be adequately placed and distributed alongside the building perimeter, for coverage of outside areas, such as playgrounds, sports fields, parking lots, etc. They should be weatherproof and installed in vandal-resistant enclosures. Surface-mounted wall speakers, with grille parallel to the wall or slanted (tilted downward), should be used to cover nearby areas. Wide-angle sound dispersion horn loudspeakers or focused long throw horn loudspeakers should be used to cover ample (wide) areas or long distances, respectively. If horns are used, a protective metallic cage should be installed for them. Please refer to Technical Specifications in Appendix A for additional details.

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2.2.6 Mounting

Appropriate brackets should be provided for mounting speakers in ceilings, walls, or outdoor structures.

2.3 CLOCK SYSTEM

Clocks shall be synchronized using network time protocol (NTP). The Public Address & Clock System shall be automatically updated and synchronized to the District’s NTP server, or directly to a lower Stratum master source, such as the atomic clock through the District’s internet connection.

2.3.1 Digital Network Clocks

Digital clocks may be single-sided or dual-sided, depending on placement. Clocks will be powered by PoE/PoE+ and must allow for ceiling or wall mounting options. Indoor speaker system functionality can be incorporated into the digital clocks and considered in the overall solution design. The digital clock display will be a minimum of four inches high with a minimum of four digits.

The digital clocks should be capable of displaying emergency messages via scrolling text. Also, the digital clocks should have a countdown feature that will be used during class change. At the end of a class period, when the bell rings the digital clocks will display the time remaining before the next class begins and will count down the class change time by seconds.

2.3.2 Mounting

Wall mounted dual-gang boxes with pathways from the ceiling will be provided by the District for the vendor to install clocks. As optional, the vendor will provide unit price for installing clocks in areas where the District didn’t provide boxes and pathways.

2.4 ALERT SYSTEM

2.4.1 Integration with External Systems

One I/O module or network controller must be included for each building, to be used to integrate with external systems. It should provide I/O inputs from sensors or to receive alerts from external systems (e.g., fire or security systems), and I/O outputs to activate relays or emergency systems (e.g., buzzers or strobes). This module will be powered by PoE/PoE+.

The module will be used in the future to integrate with the access control system, so a lockdown condition can be triggered and cleared from the PA system, as well as for the PA system to initiate a lockdown or “all clear” announcement when such conditions are triggered from the access control system. The vendor will provide as optional the cost to carry out such integration.

Note: The integration of this module with the fire systems is outside of the scope of this RFP.

2.4.2 Visual Alert Systems

Strobes with flashing lights that provide bright and visible indication that the paging system is engaged are required in the cafeteria, music rooms, auditoriums, gymnasiums, and pools. They must be provided, installed, and integrated to the public address system.

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2.4.3 ADD ALTERNATE 1 - Emergency Buttons

For each classroom and instructional area must include a button to send an alert notification to the main office in case of an emergency. The buttons should be placed in a location that is accessible to teachers, and have the necessary protections to prevent involuntary activations (e.g., plastic cover).

Wall mounted single-gang boxes with pathways from the ceiling will be provided by the District for the vendor to install the buttons using a decora-style wallplate. As optional, the vendor will provide unit price for installing buttons in classrooms where the District didn’t provide boxes and pathways, by running raceway from the ceiling.

2.4.4 UNIT PRICING - Message Boards

Unit pricing should be provided for message boards that can display time as well as announcements or emergency information such as scrolling text when needed. Message boards should be at least 16 x 64 LED resolution with flashing and alert of incoming messages for ADA compliance. As an alternative, high-visibility LCD displays are accepted. The suggested size for the message boards is at least 14" x 8". These will be powered by PoE/PoE+.

2.5 TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS

2.5.1 IP Phones and External Phones

It must be possible to use the District’s existing desktop IP phones, connected to the building LAN and integrated to the school Mitel/Shoretel IP PBX system, to initiate paging announcements and intercom calls using the SIP protocol.

Additionally, any device capable of voice communication to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) must be able to initiate paging announcements (and intercom calls if configured to do so) by dialing to specific phone numbers and extensions associated with the District or building IP PBX and optionally following voice-prompted actions and using the phone keypad to generate DTMF tones.

Paging to individual rooms using the District’s phone system should be configured based on the phone extension of each room, not the building room number.

2.5.2 UNIT PRICING – Intercom Endpoints

Unit pricing should be provided for wall mounted intercom stations that can receive intercom calls from or initiate intercom calls to management system console of the building.

2.6 MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

The centralized management system should be a web-based application running on standard computing infrastructure. The necessary computing infrastructure will be provided by the District, at the District’s centralized data center. The Vendor must indicate the required processing, memory, storage, and internet connectivity bandwidth required at each building.

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The paging console and ancillary equipment will be installed at the main office. The headend equipment, required for the building to operate autonomously in case the connection with the centralized data center is lost, will be installed in Room 193, Unit D. All equipment installed in Room 193 should be rack mountable and installed in a rack provided and installed by the vendor.

2.6.1 Main office equipment

One digital console with graphical interface and touchscreen capability is required at the main office. The digital console must provide intuitive and flexible interaction, ease of configuration and modification of programming settings, and allow for other functionalities described in this document. The digital console must be configured with a map of the building showing room numbers and paging zones. Please refer to Technical Specifications in Appendix A for additional details.

Additionally, the following components should be provided for the main office:

• A wall-mounted faceplate with three buttons that can be used to activate pre-recorded announcements for severe weather, shelter in place, and lockdown conditions. It should include a transparent cover to prevent accidental activation.

• A wall-mounted faceplate with 3.5mm input to connect a microphone or and external multimedia source to the public address system.

• A desktop microphone that can be connected to the digital console or the wall-mounted faceplate.

2.6.2 Functional requirements

The management system should provide a web-based graphical user interface. The solution must allow for the live broadcast audio announcements, prerecorded messages, background music, and bell tones according to predefined schedules. It should be integrated to the District’s VoIP system and Active Directory for role-based authentication. It must include web server functionality to allow remote access by web browser or mobile application.

The solution should permit configuration setting, remote control of endpoints, and system monitoring. This includes the possibility of doing a centralized firmware upgrade of endpoint systems, and the automated reporting of system abnormalities or alerts via email and SMS to the system administrator, as well as real-time event and alarm notifications, system logs, and audit trails.

The standalone operation of each building in case the communication with the centralized data center is lost is mandatory.

Unit pricing should be provided for the future implementation of District-wide to allow for the centralized paging to all schools in the District (future implementation), as well as the configuration, management, and monitoring of all the endpoints in all the school district's buildings.

Please refer to Technical Specifications in Appendix A for additional details on the functionality detailed below.

• Paging functionality

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• Graphical user interface (GUI)

• VoIP integration

• Bell scheduling

• Integrations

• Streaming functionality

• Additional functionality

• Stand Alone PA System Operation

• Management system software requirements

• ADD/ALTERNATE 2 - Public safety functionality

• UNIT PRICING – District-wide functionality and other functions

2.7 CONNECTIVITY

Wired connectivity between the management system and the endpoints (speaker system, clock system, alert system, two-way communication system, etc.) must be provided.

Vendor must implement wired solutions using CAT6 or higher plenum-rated UTP structured cabling to network endpoint devices, capable of supporting PoE/PoE+ (IEEE 802.3af/802.3at) power requirements. Local room wiring for speakers and homeruns from speakers to amplifiers in the IDF or MDF shall use cable with appropriate gauge number. There should be no more than 10 speakers per homerun.

All physical cabling between management system and endpoints shall use established and approved pathways. No wiring shall be visible. All wiring that traverses open areas shall be installed in raceway appropriately sized to accommodate at least 20% growth. All wiring not installed in conduit shall utilize J-hook wire management and must be plenum-rated and identified as such with continuous markings. All wiring above the ceiling must be plenum-rated.

All wiring must comply with good engineering practices, such as those established by the EIA and NEC, must meet state and local electric codes and comply with appropriate building codes with regard to grounding and protection from lighting or other sources of over-voltage/over-current transients.

2.7.1 UTP Cabling

Structured cabling is required to connect to the network endpoints that comprise the proposed solution. To differentiate the PA/clock cabling from other installed cabling the color of the cable will be bright pink.

Vendors are required to provide turnkey cabling pricing for the requested endpoints. Each UTP cabling run will terminate at the endpoint location and will have a minimum of a 10-foot service loop at the device end to allow for potential relocation of the cable drop.

2.7.2 UNIT PRICING - Additional Cable Runs

Vendors are required to provide unit pricing for additional cable runs. This unit pricing may be used for any additions (or deductions) that may be necessary after installation has begun. All pricing is to include Category 6 UTP cable, patch panels, termination jack/connector, cable support, and labor based on the specifications detailed in this section.

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2.7.3 UTP Cabling Specifications

The cabling infrastructure shall employ a copper medium, referred to as UTP (unshielded twisted pair) cabling, commonly employed in commercial voice and data networks. To this extent, the finished infrastructure in total shall comply with the installation procedures used for such voice and data infrastructure builds as specified under TIA/EIA 568B standards concerning same. To that end, TIA/EIA stipulations for cable distances, methods, and manners shall require strict adherence. This infrastructure shall also meet the following specific criteria:

i.The cabling infrastructure shall be CAT6 plenum-rated cable. Horizontal UTP drop cabling shall be plenum rated with four (4) unshielded twisted pairs under a common sheath, and that sheath shall be tested and approved for the environment into which it will reside ii.The cable must be certified by the manufacturer to support 802.3af (PoE) and 802.3at (PoE+).

iii.Horizontal drop cabling to the endpoints shall be in a closet-based star topology.

iii.Horizontal UTP cabling from closet to device shall not exceed 90 meters (295 feet) in length.

iv.All cable (UTP) shall be supported using existing cable support infrastructure (J-hooks). If existing support structure is not available, new supports (J-hooks) shall be installed where needed. Cable shall not lay on ceiling tiles nor be tied to ceiling grid support wires.

v.Cable shall be supported every five (5) feet.

vi.Failure to comply with cable support methods will result in a written warning. Failure to correct or repeated infractions may result in the Vendor being terminated from the project.

vii.The Vendor is responsible for neatly coring and sleeving through walls, floors, or ceilings, as necessary, to route cable into hallways, tech closets, rooms and other areas that require it.

ix.Any firewalls penetrated or used to facilitate the routing of communication wiring shall, upon completion of that wiring, be fire-stopped using approved methods as outlined in the National Electric Code and as stipulated by all applicable state, county, and city ordinances. Additionally, the contractor shall be responsible for firestopping all penetrations used for routing of the contractor’s cable, regardless of who made the penetration access.

x.The Vendor is responsible for providing all necessary documentation to show that the firestopping meets all applicable federal, state, county, and city ordinances, including a copy of the fire marshal approval and any necessary permitting.

xi.Horizontal UTP drop cabling shall be terminated via an IDC (insulation displacement connection) to a 110-type jack in the patch panel.

xii.While the defined system is preferred under a single-source manufacturer/supplier, for the purposes of meeting…