Final RFP 59-P2385 Research and Education Immersive Lab 08202024.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina A&T State University

Request for Proposal #: 59-P2385

Research and Education Immersive Lab

Date of Issue: August 20, 2024

Proposal Opening Date: September 25, 2024

At 3:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Tesca Kinard

Procurement Specialist ttkinard@ncat.edu

Ver: 11/2023

Request for Proposal #

59-P2385

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.

This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

Vendor Name

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered vendor in good standing. You must enter the vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a vendor number, register at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation https://ncat.bonfirebub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Proposal Number: 59-P2385 Vendor: __________________________________________

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Tesca Kinard ttkinard@ncat.edu

Request for Proposal #: 59-P2385 Proposals will be publicly opened: September 25, 2024 by 3:00 PM ET

Using Agency: North Carolina A&T State University

Commodity No. and Description: 81000000, Research and Education Immersive Lab

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54), none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the

General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR: FAX NUMBER:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least sixty 60 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative Procurement Specialist)

Division of North Carolina A&T State University

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Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 BIDDER’s CONFERENCE

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.7 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.8 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.2 PRICING

4.3 INVOICES

4.4 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.5 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.6 VENDOR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

4.7 REFERENCES

4.8 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.9 PERSONNEL

4.10 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.11 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

4.12 NC COVID-19 VACCINATION AND TESTING REQUIREMENT

4.13 LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.2 PROJECT ORGANIZATION

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

6.1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT

6.2 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.3 STATUS REPORTS

6.5 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.6 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.7 CONTRACT CHANGES

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

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ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

ATTACHMENT H: ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COVID-19 VACCINATION AND TESTING POLICY

ATTACHMENT I: LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

A. PURPOSE

North Carolina A&T State University Department of Computational Data Science and Engineering is seeking a vendor to provide a turn-key solution for a Research and Education Immersive Lab (REIL) with the dimensions of approximately 217 inches (W) x 320 inches (L) x 122 inches (H), which is equivalent to 18.1 feet x 26.67 feet x 10.17 feet. The intent of REIL is to advance learning through experiential training methodology that uses VR to simulate real-world scenarios and trains students and faculty in a safe and engaging environment. The envisioned lab shall integrate three essential layers: hardware, software, and applications, that will enable blend several technologies (VR) virtual reality, (AR) augmented reality, and (MR) mixed reality technologies. The Metaverse shall represent the imminent frontier in experiential education, virtual laboratories, and human connectivity. The REIL will unite experiencing the physical world with digital virtuality in an endless and persistent multiuser environment. Additionally, providing real-time experiences that enhance social interactions and connections, improving accuracy and engagement.

B. BACKGROUND

The Computational Data Science and Engineering department is adopting the REIL solution as it integrates state-of-the-art hardware and software. This solution is designed to develop comprehensive and immersive training simulations for various applications, catering to participants interested in the difference programs that will be created using the REIL.

As a public, high-research activity land-grant university, N.C.A&T is a research, engine, education center and economic catalyst serving not only this state, but the nation. With students drawn from nearly every state in America, and six continents around the world, our educational impact is as broad and deep as any university in the Southeastern United States. We are not only America’s top-rated historically black university (HBCU), but its largest for seven consecutive years, as well as its leading HBCU STEM institution. We produce more African American engineers and agricultural scientists than any university in the nation and are home to the top public HBCU business school in the country.

N.C. A&T has grown substantially over the past decade in enrollment, in academic programming and in research capabilities, adding four new centers of excellence in the past year alone. And we are nowhere near done. Our relentless implementation of a visionary strategic plan has expanded to an enrollment of more than 14,000, recently added important facilities like the $90 million Engineering Research and innovation Center and soon a new 450-bed residence hall and grow our research program through expansion of strategic partnerships with a broad range of federal agencies and private concerns. We encourage you to get to know N.C. A&T, and what may be possible for you.

The M.S. in Data Science and Engineering is an interdisciplinary graduate program designed for students who seek to use computing and data science and engineering to solve problems involving big data, extensive computations, and complex modeling, simulation, optimization and visualization.

The mission of the Department of Computational Data Science and Engineering is to graduate professionals who (a) have expertise in developing novel computational methodologies and products, and/or (b) have extended their expertise in specific disciplines (in science, technology, engineering, and socioeconomics) with computational tools.

Research in Computational Data Science and Engineering includes: big data and computational statistics, AI and Machine Learning, internet of things, large and complex systems, intelligent transportation and infrastructure systems, remote sensing, autonomous vehicles, virtual and augmented reality, e-commerce, image and video processing, scientific and interactive visualization, high-performance computing, scalable algorithms, bioinformatics, and multi-scale multi-physics engineering systems.

The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract.

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee may apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

General information on the E-Procurement Services can be found at: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/.

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

Ver: 11/2023 5 questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State August 20, 2024 Hold Bidder’s Conference/Site Visit State August 29, 2024 @ 10:00 AM ET Submit Written Questions Vendor September 4, 2024 by 12 noon ET Provide Response to Questions State September 5, 2024 by 5:00 PM ET Submit Proposals Vendor September 25, 2024 by 3:00 PM ET Contract Award State October 2, 2024

2.5 BIDDER’s CONFERENCE

Mandatory Bidder’s Conference

Date: 08/29/2024 Time: 10:00 AM Eastern Time Location: N.C. A&T State University

1601 E. Market Street Dowdy Bldg., Conference Room 210 Greensboro, NC 27411

Contact #: (336) 334-7555

Instructions: It shall be MANDATORY that a representative from each Vendor be present for a pre-proposal site visit. Attendees must arrive promptly All attendees must sign in upon arrival and clearly indicate each prospective Vendor represented on the sign in sheet. LATE ARRIVALS WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO SIGN IN OR PARTICIPATE IN THE SITE VISIT, NOR SHALL THEIR PROPOSAL BE CONSIDERED. Once the sign-in process is complete, all other persons wishing to attend may do so to the extent that space and circumstances allow. Bidder attendants will need to bring tools/materials to measure the space for the REIL.

FAILURE TO ATTEND THE MANDATORY Bidder’s Conference/SITE VISIT SHALL RESULT IN VENDOR’S PROPOSAL BEING DEEMED

NON-RESPONSIVE AND NOT CONSIDERED FOR AWARD.

The purpose of this visit is for all prospective Vendors to apprise themselves of the conditions and requirements which will affect the performance of the work called for by this RFP. Vendors must stay for the duration of the site visit. No allowances will be made for unreported conditions that a prudent Vendor would recognize as affecting the work called for or implied by this RFP.

Vendors are cautioned that any information released to attendees during the site visit, other than that involving the physical aspects of the facility referenced above, and which conflicts with, supersedes, or adds to requirements in this RFP, must be confirmed by written addendum before it can be considered to be a part of this RFP.

2.6 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP to submit the best proposal possible.

To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Written questions shall be emailed to (BONFIRE PORTAL) by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter RFP # 59-P2385):

Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:

Reference Vendor Question

RFP Section, Page Number Vendor question …?

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Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP.

2.7 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be marked on each proposal when received. Any proposal or portion thereof received after the proposal deadline will be rejected.

Electronic address for delivery of Bid Proposal

Bonfire Support Team can also be contacted by calling 1-800-354-8010 Ext 2. Support by phone and email is provided Monday – Friday from 8:00 – 5:00 PM EST

2.8 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:

a) Cover Letter, which must contain the following: (i) a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP, (ii) a statement that the Vendor agrees to perform in accordance with the scope of work, requirements, and specifications contained herein; and (iii) Vendor’s agreement to comply with all instructions, terms and conditions, and attachments.

b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number.

c) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.

d) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.

e) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP.

• TIMELINE

• EQUIPMENT

• NETWORKING CONFIGURATION SPECIFICATIONS

• SUPPORT AND MAINTENANCE

• INSTALLATIONS

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

i) Completed version of ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

j) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

k) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT H: ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF COVID-19 VACCINATION AND TESTING POLICY (if applicable)

l) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT I: CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS and OMB STANDARD FORM LLL

m) Provide the information as requested in Section 4.6 ATTACHMENT J: BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCES

n) Provide the information as requested in Section 5.2 ATTACHMENT K: PROJECT ORGANIZATION

o) Provide the information as requested in Section 5.3 ATTACHMENT L: TECHNICAL APPROACH

p) Provide the information as requested in Section 5.4 ATTACHMENT M: DESIGN AND LAYOUT

q) Provide the information as requested in Section 5.1 Table 5 ATTACHMENT N: TRAINING

r) Provide the information as requested in Section 6.3 ATTACHMENT O: REPORTS https://evp.nc.gov/

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3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See the Paragraph 29 of the Instructions to Vendors entitled

COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the purchaser named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the purchaser named in this RFP regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above.

All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids is authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State. The total available points that will be assigned is 325 points.

3.5 Price (30 Maximum Points)

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The lowest price receives the maximum points and each other proposal receives a percentage of the maximum, based on a comparison of that proposal price with the lowest price.]

Example: The State will determine low cost by normalizing the scores as follows:

The proposal with the lowest cost will receive a score of XX. All other competing proposals will be assigned a portion of the maximum score using the formula:

3.6 Technical (295 Maximum Points)

All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria listed in descending order of importance, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

Proposals meeting the screening criteria will then be evaluated as follows:

Background and Experience – 20 Available Points Project Organization – 35 Available Points Technical Approach – 130 Available Points Points) (Equipment, networking, configuration and servers, support, maintenance, and installation.

Design and Layout – 40 Available Points Training - 60 Available Points Reports – 5 Available Points References – 5 Points Technical Sub-total Points – 295

3.7 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.8 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the questioning and answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

4.1 Vendor shall provide a turn key solution that includes design and layout of the REIL including equipment, hardware, software, simulations, training, and on-going maintenance that includes but is not limited to the following:

30 x the cost of the lowest cost proposal the cost of the cost proposal being evaluated

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4.1.1 Provide Immersive Extended Reality (XR) Simulations with emphasis on Electrical Vehicles Charging Maintenance that Utilizes optimized 3D models in the Unity engine to develop comprehensive training simulations.

4.1.2 Create and implement practice and evaluation modes with role-based user access.

4.1.4 Incorporate 3D animation of text and interactive eBooks for learning complex maintenance or operation procedures for space vehicles, electric vehicles, charging stations, etc.

4.1.3 Develop Metaverse simulations for electric vehicle service technician workforce training, enabling users to simulate, control, and interact with mobile and robotic systems in virtual 3D environments.

4.1.4 Create training programs for both civilian and military applications.

4.1.4 Provide, configure, and install hardware and software that integrates with a tracking theatre and movie production studio that captures live performance in the theatre department in 3D and can transmit the experience in VR using holographic projection.

4.1.5 Conduct test stresses and performance in manufacturing processes.

4.1.6 Create custom 3D avatars for performance and training purposes

4.1.7 Must provide the TeslaSuit biometry system that includes the full body haptic suit, haptic gloves and the AR headset. that provides feedback and motion capture and uses biometry to monitor vital data signal. Must provide the hardware, software, and accessories must accompany the system. The minimum hardware and software requirements:

i. 13th gen Intel Core i9 processor, Windows OS

ii. Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090, 24 GB GDDR6X

iii. 2TB storage

iv. Set of software (Control Center, Studio, and SDK), Unity 3D, and Unreal Engine

v. Power banks (125x60x12 mm), capacity of 10000 mAH, input and output are USB Type-C

4.1.8 Must be ADA Compliant

4.1.9 Must be compatible with University System (See Section 5.2, Table 2)

4.1.10 Must complete the project in the following phases. After the completion of each phase and approval by the University contract manager, the vendor shall submit the invoice (See Section 4.3 Invoices) for payment processing.

Phase 1: Integration of hardware and software Phase 2: Site setup Phase 3: Training documents complete and reviewed by the department for written approval Phase 4: Complete departmental training Phase 5: Test installed equipment and run for all the equipment

4.1.11 Must partner with university ITS department for application installation and configuration of servers, workstations and ensure all data is in alignment with ITS security policies and procedures. All servers should be installed in the data center Servers, desktop and computers must support 801.1x authentication If possible, other networked devices should support 802.1x authentication

4.1.12 Provide a Cloud based Content Management system for instructors to update and manage VR content.

4.1.13 Must provide 3D Models for Electric Vehicles (EV) and Electric Charging Stations

i. Optimization and Compatibility: The 3D models should be optimized and compatible with scenario development for VR, AR, and high-quality 3D animation videos. This includes realistic 3D exterior, interior, and under-the-hood details of various types of electric vehicles, with animated demonstrations of vehicle operations.

ii. Charging Stations: Models of various charging stations (level 1, level 2, and DC fast charging) should be provided.

Each model should include detailed components of the charging station (charging stand, cable, plug type, display screen, and payment method) with interactive features.

iii. Infrastructure Models: The models should include infrastructure such as grid connections, transformers, substations, renewable energy sources (solar panels and wind turbines), and street and urban environments.

iv. Scenario Development: Scenarios should be included for accidents and emergency responses, with interactive features for using the relevant equipment.

v. Educational Overlays: High-resolution textual and graphical overlays with information about each piece of equipment in the different models should be provided. These should include tutorials, step-by-step guides, quizzes, and assignments to ensure an educational focus and provide hands-on experience for students.

4.1.14 Provide VR Simulations for EV Technicians

i. Introduction to EVs: Basic introduction covering the concept of electric vehicles, their types, components, and safety considerations.

ii. Battery Management: Training on the management, monitoring, and troubleshooting of EV batteries.

iii. Charging Stations: Overview of different charging station levels, including installation, troubleshooting, and maintenance.

iv. Motor Types: Detailed information about different types of motors, their functions, maintenance, and troubleshooting.

v. Maintenance Software: Overview of software tools used to facilitate EV maintenance and troubleshooting.

Ver: 11/2023 10

vi. Advanced Technologies: Implementation of advanced EV technologies, such as battery swapping, wireless charging, and smart charging.

4.1.15 Provide Standalone Platforms Setup and Access for Students Capable of connecting to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace Cloud Environments

i. Multi-Modal Learning Platform: The platform should align with the Total Learning Architecture (TLA) and support continuous, blended, enterprise-focused, diverse, learner-centric, data-driven, competency-based, on-demand, and cloud-based learning.

4.2 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees. Complete pricing in Bonfire.

4.3 INVOICES

The University shall issue a purchase order number to the vendor: The vendor shall invoice and reference the purchase order number on the invoice(s) that pertain to the services under this solicitation. The standard format for invoicing shall be Single invoices meaning that the Vendor shall provide the Purchasing Agency with an invoice for each order. Invoices shall include detailed information to allow Purchasing Agency to verify pricing at point of receipt matches the correct price from the original date of order.. The following fields shall be included on all invoices, as relevant:

PO number, Vendor’s Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number, Order Date, Buyer’s Order Number, Manufacturer Part Numbers, Vendor Part Numbers, Item Descriptions, Price, Quantity, and Unit of Measure.

*ALL INVOICES MUST BE SENT TO

Email Address: NCAT.Invoices@trustflowds.com

OR

North Carolina A&T State University PO Box 3986 Scranton, PA 18505

The vendor shall be paid upon the completion of each phase.

FINAL INVOICE MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED.

4.4 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this

Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.5 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. The vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT

D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

4.6 VENDOR BACKGROUND AND EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State. Vendor shall discuss in detail the qualifications and experience of two similar projects and the responsibilities, requirements and outcomes. The vendor shall respond with the information as ATTACHMENT J: .

4.7 REFERENCES

Vendor shall provide at least three (3) references, using ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein. The State shall contact these users to determine whether the Services mailto:NCAT.Invoices@trustflowds.com

Ver: 11/2023 11 provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained shall be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

4.8 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.7.1 GENERAL INFORMATION

It is the policy of the State to provide a safe environment for State Government employees to work. Due to the Contract requirements, the State requires criminal background checks of awarded Vendors, including but not limited to: owners, employees, agents, representatives, subcontractors, and all personnel of their respective companies. All costs and expenses associated with criminal background checks are the responsibility of the Vendor.

The following requirements must be met:

a) Criminal background checks shall be current and completed within ninety (90) days of the Contract effective date.

b) The criminal background check shall include a social security verification/check, felonies, misdemeanors, and traffic records covering a minimum of the last seven (7) years for all states and countries where the individual has resided. The criminal background check information shall be first thoroughly reviewed by the Vendor and then sent to the Contract Administrator for review and approval. Out of state searches shall be required for persons living in the state of NC for fewer than seven (7) years.

Fingerprint background checks may be required in some instances depending on the facility requirements.

c) A criminal background check on the awarded Vendor and its employees shall be provided by the Vendor prior to Contract effective date. Copies of the original criminal background check shall be sent to the Contract Administrator for evaluation. In some cases, badging cannot take place until after the evaluation and approval of the Vendor’s criminal checks.

d) When a new employee or individual is identified to perform Services on this Contract, the Vendor shall provide the Contract Administrator with a criminal background check before the individual can be approved for work. Persons without approved criminal background checks shall not be allowed to work in the relevant buildings until proper documentation is submitted and approved.

e) The State may require the Vendor to exclude the Vendor’s employees, agents, representatives, or subcontractors based on the background check results. Discovery that one or more employees have convictions does not disqualify the Vendor from award.

f) Additionally, the State may use The North Carolina Department of Public Safety Offender Public Information or similar Services to conduct additional background checks on the Vendor’s proposed employees.

4.7.2 BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS

As part of Vendor’s criminal background checks, the details below must be provided to the State:

a) Any criminal felony conviction, or conviction of any crime involving moral turpitude, including but not limited to fraud, misappropriation or deception, of Vendor, its officers or directors, or any of its employees or other personnel to provide Services on this project of which Vendor has knowledge, or provide a statement that Vendor is aware of none;

b) Any criminal investigation for any offense involving moral turpitude, including, but not limited to fraud, misappropriation, falsification or deception pending against Vendor of which it has knowledge, or provide a statement Vendor is aware of none;

c) Any regulatory sanctions levied against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide Services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies within the past three years or a statement that there are none.

As used herein, the term “regulatory sanctions” includes the revocation or suspension of any license or certification, the levying of any monetary penalties or fines, and the issuance of any written warnings;

d) Any regulatory investigations pending against Vendor or any of its officers, directors or its professional employees expected to provide Services on this project by any state or federal regulatory agencies of which Vendor has knowledge, or provide a statement that there are none.

e) Any civil litigation, arbitration, proceeding, or judgments pending against Vendor during the three (3) years preceding submission of its proposal herein, or provide a statement that there are none.

4.7.3 BACKGROUND CHECK LIMITATIONS

Any individual representing the Vendor, who:

a) In his/her lifetime, has been adjudicated as a habitual felon as defined by GS 14-7.1 or a violent habitual felon as defined by GS 14-7.7, shall not be allowed to work in buildings occupied by State Government employees.

b) During the last seven (7) years has been convicted of any criminal felony or misdemeanor sexual offense or a crime of violence shall not be allowed to work in buildings occupied by State Government employees.

c) At any time has an outstanding warrant or a criminal charge for a crime described in (b) above shall not be allowed to work on State property.

d) The Vendor must ensure that all employees have a responsibility to self-report to the Vendor within twenty-four (24) hours any arrest for any disqualifying offense. The Vendor must notify the Contract Administrator within twenty-four (24) hours of all details concerning any reported arrest.

e) Upon the request of the Contract Administrator, the Vendor will re-screen any of its employees, agents, representatives, and subcontractors during the term of the Contract.

https://webapps.doc.state.nc.us/opi/offendersearch.do?method=view

Ver: 11/2023 12

f) Vendor’s responses to these background check requests shall be considered a continuing representation, and Vendor’s failure to notify the State within thirty (30) days of any criminal charge, investigation, or proceeding involving Vendor or its then-current officers, directors or persons providing Services under this Contract during its term shall constitute a material breach of contract.

The provisions of this paragraph shall also apply to any subcontractor utilized by Vendor to perform Services under this Contract.

g) If there are problems or delays with performance associated with the completion and compliance with this background check requirements, any Vendor’s performance bond could be used to complete these Services.

4.7.4 DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS

Required documentation to be submitted prior to date Contract is effective and for performing any Services on State property shall include:

a) A cover letter by the Vendor on company letterhead with a list of the full names matching a required government issued photo ID, addresses, and birth dates of each person representing the contracting company.

b) Vendor shall also provide a photocopy of the required State or Federal government issued picture ID or Driver License.

c) A letter on company letterhead is not acceptable proof in itself but can be used to further clarify information on the criminal background check submitted. All documentation shall be submitted at the same time. Submit documents which are clear and legible.

d) Background checks consisting of:

1. Original unaltered criminal background check from the organization providing the background check.

2. The background check provider’s company name, company mailing address, and contact phone numbers.

3. The full name of the individual, which matches the government issued photo ID.

4. The current address of individual being checked.

5. The date the criminal background check search was conducted.

4.7.5 VENDOR BACKGROUND CHECK AGREEMENT

Vendor agrees to conduct a criminal background check per the specifications above in this section on all employees proposed to work under this Contract, at its expense, and provide the required documentation to the State in order to perform Services under this Contract:

YES NO

4.9 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel.

The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.10 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract.

Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the…