Fiber Optic Network RFP 02072025.pdf

Rev. 02/04/2025

Request for Proposal (RFP)

Fiber Optic Network

Published February 19, 2025

Proposals are due by 5:00 PM EST on March 21, 2025

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1. Description

The City of Colquitt ("the City") published this Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit proposals from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and vendors to partner with the City to meet its connectivity goals and further progress towards a Smarter Colquitt by bringing fiber-optic broadband to homes and business in the City and Miller County. Below are the explicit needs of the City for a successful future partnership. With this partnership, the City would like to address the following requirements:

1.1 The City requests Gigabit technology to be deployed.

1.2 The City Requests Future Partnerships Considering the Connection to City Infrastructure.

1.3 The City prefers underground facilities to the maximum extent practicable; however, the City will consider aerial infrastructure with justification. Respondents shall provide approach to meeting this requirement (i.e., new and existing infrastructure).

1.4 The City will make existing-owned infrastructure available for consideration.

2. Overview of the Project

The initial construction phase will comprise approximately 126.6 miles of distribution fiber construction. Aerial strand and lash construction and some underground construction will be required. The scope of work for this RFP is specific to a Capital Projects Fund grant GA-

0013971 awarded to the City of Colquitt to construct up to 126.6 miles of network and serve

1069 unserved Homes in the City of Colquitt and Miller County. This network section must be constructed, spliced, tested, and available to provide broadband services by December 31, 2026. See GIS Files for Network Layout and owned infrastructure available for consideration

(Located on the City Website: https://www.colquittga.gov/rfps ). The city reserves the right to change or modify the network design to serve the underserved community of Miller

County better.

https://www.colquittga.gov/rfps

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3. General Proposal Requirements

The city is seeking innovative partners to deploy a citywide open-access fiber network. And requires Respondents to provide the following information:

3.1. Company Profile

3.1.1 Provide a brief executive summary of the Respondents’ proposal.

3.1.2 Provide the name(s), address, email address, and telephone numbers (office and cell) for the person(s) at Respondent that can answer questions regarding responses to RFP and will be involved in potential interviews/negotiations.

3.1.3 Provide detailed information about the business structure of the Respondent. If the

RFP response involves a partnership between multiple parties, provide the information for each partner, including:

3.1.3.1 Which entity will serve as Prime? The Prime must provide the following information and only list the subordinate partners.

3.1.3.2 The legal name of the respondent as specified in its charter or other organizing/creation document, as well as the state in which the respondent business entity is organized (including DUNS number).

3.1.3.3 Detailed organizational structure of Respondent (e.g., executive, project management, construction, subcontractors). How many people do you employ? How many of these employees work in areas related to telecom or broadband?

3.1.3.4 Discussion of Future Local Presence in the City of Colquitt.

3.1.3.5 The names and mailing addresses of any parent or subsidiary of the respondent

(namely, any other business entity owning or controlling the Respondent, in whole or in part) and a statement describing the nature of any such parent or subsidiary business entity.

3.1.3.6 Please describe any partnership or other significant business arrangements integral to the proposed solution. Please explain the partnership structure if the proposal includes a group of ISPs and/or companies.

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3.2. Company Experience

3.2.1 Provide a brief history of the company, focusing on telecom and broadband. Include any statistics relevant to the Respondent's current broadband business in the city. This may encompass the number of retail customers served or the miles of fiber construction.

3.2.2 List all states where the Respondent has retail broadband and/or open-access customers.

3.2.3 Describe existing customers and any relevant past performance. If the RFP response involves a partnership among multiple parties, please include this information for each partner.

3.2.4 Provide a detailed description of the Respondent’s safety culture and safety record. If the RFP response involves a partnership among multiple parties, please include this information for each partner.

3.2.5 Provide at least three (3) references, including the entity, name of the point of contact, phone number, email address, and location. If the RFP response involves a partnership among multiple parties, provide this information for the leading partner.

3.3. Project Execution

3.3.1 Provide the anticipated timeline for execution and connecting with the City of

Colquitt.

4. Technical Requirements

The Respondent must meet the following technical parameters. Any details of the engineering design beyond these parameters are at the Respondent's discretion. The Respondent should note in the RFP response if it plans to deviate from any of the requirements listed below. If the

Respondent does deviate from the requirements, it must include a description of the alternative approach and briefly explain why this alternative will be sufficient.

4.1.1 A fiber network should be designed to reach every home and business in an underserved area.

4.1.2 The network must be able to deliver gigabit download speeds and upload speeds that meet federal guideline minimums. The respondent must document how the technology will be scalable to accommodate future bandwidth needs for underserved area customers within Colquitt and Miller County.

4.1.3 The design will incorporate a drop network access point (NAP) to facilitate the easy installation of a fiber drop to premises that require service.

4.1.4 The network should be designed to maintain the promised broadband speeds during peak hours when it experiences the highest local broadband traffic.

4.1.5 The design must include all huts, cabinets, and other essential network elements to ensure the fiber network's functionality and electronic components.

4.1.6 The city prefers the use of buried fiber. Describe the proposed number of miles for

Fiber Optic Network Page 5 of 12 both aerial and buried fiber in the respondent's plan.

4.1.7 For buried infrastructure, a locating wire must be installed with all buried fiber. All conduits should be placed at a minimum depth of 36 inches.

4.1.8 For aerial fiber, the respondent will execute a pole attachment agreement with the owner of any utility or light poles utilized for aerial construction and will comply with the requirements of such agreements for performing make-ready work or placing fiber on aerial poles.

4.1.9 The respondent shall obtain all necessary permits, rights-of-way, and easements from the relevant governmental entity for public rights-of-way and from private landowners for private rights-of-way. This includes but is not limited to, all authorities having jurisdiction (local, state, and federal), railroad crossings, water crossings, wetland crossings, and road crossings.

4.1.10 The respondent should ensure an independent inspection of the construction process to verify that the constructed network meets the design specifications of the network.

4.2 After construction, the Respondent shall provide the City with a copy of the final construction/as-built drawings in shapefile format.

4.3 The Respondent shall comply with all national standards regarding fiber construction and electronics.

Technical Requirements Notes

1. All cable footage must add 25% to the total number of ft

2. Pedestals and dome enclosure must follow the specifications and models in the .shp files

3. The bidder can choose the brand of the Handholes; they must be tier 15 or 22, follow the sizes listed in the .shp files, include the flowerpots, and be concrete, not plastic.

4. The bidder can choose the Brand of powered cabinets; they must have 288 ports SC APC connectors, 24RU, 2000 BTU AC, and 4 AC power outlets

5.1x2 Splitter- 25

6.1x32 Splitter-50

7. Maker post-show be set at every hand hole expected the flowerpots

8. There must be HDPE conduit under every paved surface, and it must start and end in a handhole our pedestal

9. Make sure to add that fiber needs to be over-lashed. Each line in the shp files has an attribute indicating whether it’s underground or air.

10. All fiber optic cable must be armored and gel-free

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Equipment Requirements

The City of Colquitt enters into contractual agreements for engineering services with a third-party engineering firm. This specific engineering firm will supply and install all requisite equipment for a total expenditure of $395,300. This amount must be incorporated into the bid to accurately calculate the installation expenses accurately.

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Financial Requirements

City leaders have prioritized the use of Capital Projects Fund grant GA-0013971 funds to aid in strengthening the current broadband systems.

Funds will be paid and drawn down based on milestones in the RFP.

5.1. Financial History

5.1.1 How long has the Respondent been operating under its current corporate structure?

5.1.2 Has the business declared bankruptcy in the last ten years? If yes, explain and describe the current status in relation to the bankruptcy.

5.1.3 Disclose any lawsuits during the past five years that might have an impact or bearing on a broadband business.

1. RFP Instructions, Definitions, and Schedule

The response should be prepared simply and economically, providing straightforward and concise responses to all questions and addressing all City requirements. False or inaccurate information will result in the rejection of the response. Once a response has been submitted, product substitutions or changes to design, material, or process may not be made without the prior written approval of the City.

RFP Modifications

The City reserves the right to modify or change any information presented in this RFP as more information becomes available. Any RFP modifications will be provided by means of

Addendum.

Responsibility for Costs

The Respondent shall be fully responsible for all costs incurred in the development and submission of the proposal or any other costs incurred prior to the issuance of an agreement or contract. The City shall not assume any contractual obligations as a result of the issuance of a proposal request, the preparation or submission of a proposal, the evaluation of proposals or the final selection of a proposal.

RFP Submittal Deadline

The City will accept electronically submitted responses no later than 5:00 PM CST on March

21, 2025. The Respondent should provide a single PDF file unless otherwise indicated (i.e., financial confidentiality). Late submittals will not be considered. All responses must be clearly labeled in the subject of the transmittal email as “RFP for Solicitation for Citywide Fiber Optic

Network Partnership.” The City urges respondents to initiate email transmittals before the deadline to mitigate the risk of nonreceipt.

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RFP Questions

All general questions pertaining to this RFP must be submitted by email to:

Cody Hamilton

Email: chamilton@colquittga.gov

Deliver the RFP to

All submittals must be submitted directly to:

Cody Hamilton

Email: chamilton@colquittga.gov

Respondents that wish to be notified of the responses to questions by other parties should request at the above email address to be added to the list of interested parties.

Any written questions from Respondents must be received no later than February 24 2025.

Questions or requests for clarifications received after this deadline will not be answered. The

City will provide written answers to all questions and circulate the questions and answers to all known interested parties.

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Schedule of Activities

The City has established the following schedule:

Issue RFP February 19, 2025

Final acceptance for Respondent questions February 24, 2025

City will respond to all questions on February 28, 2025

RFP responses due March 21, 2025

RFP Format

In order to facilitate a timely and fair evaluation of RFP proposals, a standard response format has been developed and is documented in this section. All Respondents are required to format their proposal in a manner consistent with the guidelines below:

Section Topic

1 Letter of Transmittal

2 Executive Summary

3 General Requirements

▪ Company Profile

▪ Company Experience

▪ Project Execution

4 Technical Approach

5 Financial Approach 6 Additional Information

The topics must be organized under the specific section as stated above and indicated appropriately. Each topic must be addressed in the proposal, or the proposal may be rejected.

Authorized Representative

Respondent should indicate the name, title, and contact information of the person who will be authorized to enter into an agreement with the City if selected.

Confidentiality

The City shall use reasonable efforts to preserve the confidentiality of any proprietary or confidential information submitted by the Respondent which is clearly designated and identified as such. Given that the City is a governmental entity, it has commitments and obligations subject to “freedom of information” laws or similar statutory disclosure requirements. The City is subject to full compliance with these laws and statutory requirements. Compliance with these laws or statutes shall be deemed not to constitute a breach of requested confidentiality of a given proposal response to the RFP.

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Proposal Disposition

Any proposals received in response to this RFP shall become the property of the City.

RFP Response Review

The City will evaluate each Respondent’s responses to this RFP. The City’s goal is to eventually reach an agreement with one Respondent to build and operate a new broadband network in the

City. The City reserves the right to take no action after reviewing responses. The City reserves the right to ask for clarifications of responses to the RFP either in writing or by video conference.

The City may eliminate from consideration any Respondent that does not provide response to

City questions or does not meet City minimum requirements. The City will notify any

Respondents who do not meet our minimum requirements in a timely manner.

The selection committee will review each response based on the categories below independently, and the City reserves the right to reject any proposal that scores poorly on one or more categories. The City expects to conduct interviews with a short list of candidates based on the responses to the categories below.

a. Company Profile: (10 Points) Review will emphasize organizational structure, partnership structure, and available resources to construct the citywide network.

b. Company Experience: (10 Points) Review will emphasize direct experience and success with delivering similar services as well as integrity, reputation, safety, and efficiency of the

Respondent.

c. Project Execution: (10 Points) Review will emphasize ability to commence and connect the

City of Colquitt promptly or within the time specified, without delay or interference. An anticipated timeline of execution and connecting the City of Colquitt is required to be provided by the Respondent.

d. Technical Requirements: (20 Points) Review will evaluate the Respondent’s capabilities and approach to address technical requirements in the RFP. The design should provide a resilient city-wide network meeting national standards related to fiber construction and fiber electronics. The fiber network should be designed to pass every home, business, and government location within Colquitt and Miller County. The respondent must display an adequate plan for the construction process, minimizing disruptions to the City.

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2. General Provisions

Minimum Effective Period of Proposal

All proposals are required to remain in effect for at least 120 days from the date submitted to the City for review. This should be taken into account during budget preparations.

Public Information

All information, documentation, and other materials submitted in response to this solicitation are considered non-confidential and/or non-proprietary and are subject to public disclosure. Respondents may request company specific business and proprietary information not to be released and allowed by Missouri Statute.

RFP Acceptance and Rejection

The City reserves the right to accept any proposal or part of a proposal; to reject any or all proposals; to waive irregularities or informalities in any proposal, in any manner deemed in the best interest of the City.

Presentations and Site Visits

The Respondent may be invited to make a presentation in person or by conference call.

MBE/WBE

Please state whether Respondent or any potential sub-contractors participate in the Minority and

Women Business Enterprise Initiative (MBE/WBE).

Type of Contract

The final contract form shall be negotiated between and be mutually acceptable to the parties. Any contract(s) resulting from this effort will be negotiated at the sole discretion of

City of Colquitt (the “City”), and/or their agents.

Clarifications and Interpretations

Any clarifications or interpretations of this RFP that materially affect or change its requirements will be provided by the City as an addendum. These items must be received by the City 10 days prior to the proposal due date to allow for proper notification. All such addenda issued by the City shall be issued before the proposals are due as part of the RFP, and all Respondents shall acknowledge receipt of and incorporate each addendum in its responses. All additional information or addenda will be posted on the city website at http://joplinmo.org/index.aspx in the left-hand column under Bids/Projects. Please check regularly and/or sign up to receive notifications.

Respondents shall consider only those clarifications and interpretations that the City issues by addenda five (5) days prior to the submittal deadline. Interpretations or clarifications in any other form, including oral statements, will not be binding on the City and should not be relied upon in preparing responses.

No Lobbying

Respondent acknowledges and accepts that from the Date of Issuance of the RFP until a http://joplinmo.org/index.aspx

Fiber Optic Network Page 12 of 12 final decision has been made by the City, it will not take any action, make any effort or support or engage others on its behalf to take actions or efforts with attempt to influence the decision-making process for this RFP in favor of the respondent. This includes direct contact with the City Council, City Manager and staff of the City of Colquitt , the selection committee, board members of the Joplin Chamber, and others who may be engaged in the process. Additionally, the Respondent acknowledges and accepts that it will not attempt to use public communication such as the news media, social media, etc. as a means of attempting to influence the RFP evaluation or decision-making process. Any respondent violating any of the aforementioned conditions is subject to immediate disqualification from consideration.

Miscellaneous

Respondent must disclose any potential conflict of interest with the City and any of its employees.

Respondent shall hold all information provided in its response in confidence and shall not reveal its proposal to or discuss its proposal with others until all relevant contracts are awarded. By the submission of a proposal, the Respondent represents and warrants that in connection with the response that no attempt has been made nor will be made to restrict competition, to induce any other person or party to submit, or conspire with any other parties to restrict or otherwise manipulate prices or competition relating to this RFI or any resultant contracts.

The City does not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion (creed), gender, gender expression, age, national origin (ancestry), disability, marital status, sexual orientation, or military status, in any of its activities or operations. These activities include but are not limited to, hiring and firing of staff, selection of volunteers and vendors, and provision of services. The

City is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, citizens, volunteers, contractors, vendors, and clients. The City expects the Respondent to comply with these standards.