GITS PA & Clock System RFP.pdf

Grosse Ile Township Schools

Public Address and Clock System RFP

Request for Proposal (RFP)

January 2025

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1 General Requirements

PUBLIC ADDRESS AND CLOCK SYSTEM SPECIFICATIONS

2 Public Address And Clock System

CLASSROOM AUDIO SYSTEM SPECIFICATION

3 Add/Alternate 2: Classroom Audio systems

APPENDICES (PROVIDED SEPARATELY)

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General Terms and Conditions

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1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

1.1 INTENT

It is the intent of Grosse Ile Township Schools (here after referred to as the “District”) to solicit proposals from qualified vendors for a public address and clock system solution. This solution will consist of the following components:

a. Public address (PA) and clock system

b. Demo of existing public address and clock system components, including bells and low-voltage cabling associated with these elements

c. Cabling, installation, and integration services

d. Warranty services

e. Training services (at no charge to the District)

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

Vendors may also 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(s) deemed most suitable.

1.2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Grosse Ile Township Schools requires a new public address and clock system for the following buildings:

• Grosse Ile High School: 7800 Grays Dr, Grosse Ile, MI 48138

• Grosse Ile Middle School: 23270 E River Rd, Grosse Ile, MI 48138

• Parke Lane Elementary School: 21610 Parke Lane, Grosse Ile, MI 48138

This RFP outlines the performance, operational, and administrative requirements the District is seeking for the public address and clock system. Detailed specifications for this project are included in Section 2 of the

RFP.

1.3 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

EVENT DATE

Pre-bid Vendors’ conference Mon 2/3/2025 12.00 p.m.

Virtual meeting link:

https://tinyurl.com/GITS-PA

Deadline for submittals of questions related to this

RFP

Wed 2/5/2025, end of day https://tinyurl.com/GITS-PA

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EVENT DATE

Deadline for proposals (Due Date) and virtual public proposal opening

Fri 2/28/2025 10:00 a.m.

Virtual meeting link:

https://tinyurl.com/GITS-PA-bidopen

Anticipated award date April 2025

Implementation schedule Spring to Summer of 2025

1.4 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

Each prospective vendor is responsible for submission of its proposal. Proposals or proposal revisions received after the Due Date and time will not be accepted or considered. The District is not liable for any delivery or postal delays. All proposals received after the Due Date and time will remain unopened and made available to the respective vendor for pickup, at its sole cost and expense, for a period of two weeks.

Proposals shall be submitted as follows by the deadline indicated in Section 1.3, Schedule of events:

• One printed bound signed original

• One thumb drive consisting of only two files:

a. One single scanned PDF file of the submitted printed signed complete proposal

b. Appendix A in Excel format

Mark with company name and deliver to:

Grosse Ile Township Schools 23276 East River Road Grosse Ile, MI 48138 Attention: Linda Drzyzga

All proposals must be in a sealed package and contain the wording “Grosse Ile Township Schools - Public Address and 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).

https://tinyurl.com/GITS-PA-bidopen

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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 drew.youngstrom@plantemoran.com with the subject line “Vendor name - Grosse Ile Township Schools - Public Address and 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 non-mandatory pre-proposal vendors’ conference will be held for this project. Refer to Section 1.3 for details of this conference.

1.7 RFP CLARIFICATIONS AND 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, Plante & Moran, PLLC 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:

• 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

• Organizational overview: A brief overview of the organization

• Address the following as it relates to your proposed solution:

o How the solution aligns with the requested functional requirements mailto:drew.youngstrom@plantemoran.com mailto:Jacinto.Cordero@plantemoran.com

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January 2025 Prepared by Plante Moran o How the solution aligns with the requested technical requirements o Any functional or technical requirements that the proposed solution cannot achieve o Any assumptions and/or District resources required to complete the solution

1.8.2 Vendor Response Forms

Vendor Response Forms are supplied in this RFP (see 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 Diagram of design

For each section or design presented, the vendor shall submit a diagram of its design, providing a pictorial representation of the proposed solution(s).

1.8.4 Project plan

The vendor must include an overview of its project plan in its response.

1.8.5 Project team

The vendor must 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. Also describe the implementation team and their roles in ensuring a successful cutover.

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.

1.8.6 Product information

The vendor must include hard copies of the technical specifications and/or data sheets for each product being proposed.

1.8.7 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 as a single combined PDF file.

1.8.8 Equipment listing (BOM)

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

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1.8.9 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 the 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 the successful vendor, shall fail within 30 days after the notice of such award to enter into an appropriate contract with the District.

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 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. Vendors must include a letter from their bonding company within the proposal that states that they are bondable.

1.11 INSPECTION OF WORKSITE

If necessary, vendors can request access for site visits from the District by contacting the individual identified in Section 1.7, RFP clarifications and 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.

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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.

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 the 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 as specified fully operational for the intent, function, and purposes stated herein.

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1.22 FEDERAL OR STATE SALES, EXCISE, OR USE TAXES

The District 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.

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 contracts between the vendor(s) and the District. It should be understood by the vendor(s) that this means the District expects the vendor(s) to satisfy all requirements and reports listed herein. Exceptions should be explicitly noted in the vendor proposals.

Failure to list an exception to a term or specification will be considered acceptance of the terms and 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 the 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

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January 2025 Prepared by Plante Moran agreed upon by both parties and confirmed by prior written notice. The equipment shall be installed and placed into good working order by representatives of the vendor. During the time period when 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.

1.29 STORED MATERIALS

See proposed agreement in Appendix C.

1.30 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 the removal of all debris and packing materials from the site resulting from the installation of the equipment.

1.31 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.

1.32 GENERAL INDEMNIFICATION

See proposed agreement in Appendix C.

1.33 PATENTS, COPYRIGHTS, AND PROPRIETARY RIGHTS

See proposed agreement in Appendix C.

1.34 NONDISCRIMINATION BY VENDOR OR AGENTS OF THE VENDOR

See proposed agreement in Appendix C.

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1.35 SUBCONTRACTORS

See proposed agreement in Appendix C.

1.36 EFFECT OF REGULATION

See proposed agreement in Appendix C.

1.37 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 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 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.

1.38 ASSIGNMENTS

The District and the vendor each bind themselves, their partners, successors, and other legal representatives to all covenants, agreements, and obligations contained in the agreement. Neither party may assign the agreement without the express written consent of the other party.

1.39 VENDOR AS INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

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.

1.40 INSURANCE

1.40.1 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.

1.40.2 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 $1 million 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

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January 2025 Prepared by Plante Moran completed operations, (C) independent contractors coverage, (D) broad form general liability extensions or equivalent, (E) deletion of all explosion, collapse, and underground (XCU) exclusions, if applicable, and (F) per contract aggregate.

1.40.3 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 million per occurrence combined single-limit bodily injury and property damage.

Coverage shall include all owned vehicles and all hired vehicles.

1.40.4 Additional insured

The following shall be named additional insureds: Grosse Ile Township 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 to any other insurance or similar protection available to the additional insureds, whether other available coverage is primary, contributing, or excess.

1.40.5 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: Grosse Ile Township Schools, 23276 East River Road, Grosse Ile, MI 48138. Attention: Linda Drzyzga.”

1.40.6 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:

A. Two copies of the certificate of insurance for worker’s compensation insurance

B. Two copies of the certificate of insurance for commercial general liability insurance

C. Two copies of the certificate of insurance for vehicle liability insurance D. Original policy, or binder pending issuance of policy, for owners and contractors protective liability insurance

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

1.40.7 Continuation of coverage

If any of the above coverages expire during the term of the agreement, the vendor shall deliver renewal certificates and/or policies to Grosse Ile Township Schools at least 10 days prior to the expiration date.

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1.40.8 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.

1.41 WARRANTY OF FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE

The District has presented detailed technical specifications of the particular purpose for which the solution 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 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.

1.42 WARRANTY

See Section 2 for warranty requirements.

1.43 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 shall be the sole judge of whether all conditions for final acceptance criteria have been met.

1.44 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.

1.45 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.

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1.46 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.

1.47 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 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 the 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:

A. Technical requirements

1. Compliance with mandatory specifications

2. Ability to achieve nonmandatory requirements

B. Vendor interview and solution demonstration as required

C. Proposal requirements

1. Implementation time frame

2. Implementation support

3. Ongoing support

D. Experience

E. Cost

1.48 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.

1.49 PAYMENT TERMS

See proposed agreement in Appendix C.

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1.50 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 subcontractors who perform work at any District facility. Each vendor or subcontractor shall certify that all legally required criminal history and criminal record checks, electronic fingerprint 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 requirements of Section 1230d of the Revised School Code and shall promptly forward any information so obtained to the District.

1.51 CONSTRUCTION COORDINATION AND MEETINGS

Parke Lane Elementary School will be undergoing construction to culminate in the summer of 2025.

Periodic construction meetings will be held for buildings undergoing construction or renovations. The vendor is required to attend weekly or biweekly progress meetings held by the construction team, as well as any additional relevant construction-related meetings. Additionally, the vendor is required to communicate directly with construction superintendents as it relates to issues that impact low-voltage trades and the timeline in this project. The vendor is expected to regularly check in with the construction superintendents to determine what stage construction is at and when they need to be on-site.

If necessary for the successful implementation and integration of the proposed solutions, the vendor will directly coordinate with the other vendors or trades (e.g., cabling contractor, electrician, etc.) that will be performing services at the District in conjunction with construction.

1.52 PROJECT PLAN

The vendor shall provide a full installation schedule showing the workflow using a graphical representation (e.g., Gantt chart or similar tool). The vendor’s installation schedule should indicate the size of each crew working in the building on a daily basis, along with timelines for building project completion. All punch list items associated with this project must be completed by the noted completion date.

1.53 WORK HOURS

Any work scheduled inside buildings or on the building premises must be coordinated with the District. For Parke Lane Elementary (undergoing construction) working hours during the school year are 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Monday through Friday. For work performed at the High School and the Middle School during the school year, working hours are 2:30 p.m. (or after the last period of class, whichever is later) to 9 p.m., Monday

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January 2025 Prepared by Plante Moran through Friday. If project work is to take place in an isolated area away from students, that work can occur during the day with District approval. Working hours for all schools during the summer are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday. This schedule must be closely coordinated with the District to account for various events throughout the year that may not allow vendors to be on-site (e.g., conferences, concerts, etc.).

Arrangements for additional work hours, overtime, or weekend work will be coordinated with the District as needed. The District will work with the vendor and the District facilities teams to provide appropriate access for each building. Please note that schedules are subject to change with short notice or no notice.

1.54 NEW MATERIALS

All equipment quoted by the vendor shall be new. The solution requests that the vendors propose a completely new solution that balances cost, performance, and technology.

1.55 MANUFACTURER EQUIVALENT

It is the District’s intent that this RFP promotes competition. Accordingly, the use of any patent, proprietary name, or manufacturer’s name is for demonstrative purposes only and is not intended to curtail competition. Whenever any supplies, material, devices, or products requested in this RFP are specified by patent, proprietary name, or the name of the manufacturer, unless stated differently, such specification shall be considered as if followed by the words “or comparable equivalent,” whether or not such words appear. The District, in its sole and absolute discretion, shall have the right to determine if the proposed equivalent devices/brands submitted by the vendor meet the specifications contained in this RFP and possess equivalent and/or better qualities. It is the vendor’s responsibility to notify the District in writing if any specifications or suggested comparable equivalent devices/brands require clarification by the District on or before the deadline for written requests for clarifications.

1.56 LIFT EQUIPMENT

In the event a lift is required, it is recommended the vendor provides a scissor lift that can be driven for the project. The vendor must coordinate with each building to validate requirements for floor coverings or proper lift delivery. All the costs associated with lift work (including lift rental and/or use) should be included in the proposal.

1.57 SITE CLEANLINESS

The vendor will ensure all work areas are free from debris caused by work performed under this project scope. At the end of each day, the site must be left in a clean and neat condition prior to completing work for that day, with debris properly disposed of in an efficient manner. Materials must be consolidated into an agreed upon space that is not obstructing any pathways within the respective buildings. The vendor may be asked to wear protective foot coverings or supply drop cloths to minimize impact to newly finished surfaces. Failure to properly clean may result in another contractor performing the cleanup work and back charging it to the vendor.

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Public Address and Clock System Specifications

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2 PUBLIC ADDRESS AND CLOCK SYSTEM

2.1 PROJECT SCOPE

The District is seeking new public address and clock system for three buildings. The list of buildings in scope, including their address, is included in Section 1.2, Project description of the RFP.

The solution required includes the following components:

a. Public address (PA) and clock system

b. Demo of existing public address and clock system components, including bells and low-voltage cabling associated with these elements.

c. Cabling, installation, and integration services

d. Warranty services

e. Training services (at no charge to the District)

The total base proposal must include all associated costs, including, but not limited to, shipping, handling, insurance, equipment, cabling, installation, integration, testing, commissioning, and service costs.

Detailed specifications/requirements for each of these categories are provided later in this section and in Appendix A. Device counts per building are also included in Appendix A. Prints showing the placement of devices and the locations of equipment rooms within each school building are included in Appendix B.

Vendors shall be responsible for reviewing the placement and recommending any changes necessary to improve coverage or the performance of the proposed system.

2.2 CURRENT STATE

The District currently has a legacy Bogen PA system in each building, and a NEC SV8300 Series phone system. The classrooms are currently equipped with Pyle Pro PCA1 stereo power amplifiers.

Note: As part of a separate project, the District is seeking implement a new classroom audio system at Parke Lane Elementary School and potentially replace the classroom audio system at the other two buildings.

However, the District wants to consider the possibility of having an integrated PA and classroom audio solution, and therefore is looking at part of this process to also obtain add/alternate proposals for classroom audio solutions.

2.3 PUBLIC ADDRESS SYSTEM

The District is seeking a solution for mass notification of day-to-day events and emergency messages. The solution must provide a loud and clear audible signal that can be easily heard and understood within the building and in designated outdoor areas.

The system shall be designed, configured, and installed in such a way as to allow the audio to be amplified and evenly distributed to all internal and external areas that comprise the facilities of the buildings within the scope of this RFP. At the paging console locations, all the necessary precautions shall be taken to

Public Address and Clock System RFP Page 20 of 49 prevent feedback into the system from nearby speakers. The final placement of speakers is to be coordinated and approved by a responsible party appointed by the District.

The solution must also provide a means of displaying visual emergency announcement information. This information should be displayed in digital clocks included as part of the solution, as well as using strobes placed in selected interior locations. Finally, the solution must provide emergency communication capabilities between instructional areas and the main office, as well as District-wide (for all three school buildings).

These requirements are tabulated and further explained in the following sections. The proposed solution must comply with all the functional and performance requirements specified in this document.

Where suggested minimum technical specifications are provided, functionally comparable alternatives can be considered depending on the technology used, provided vendors clearly indicate the impact on normal operations or performance, if any.

2.3.1 Safety certification

It is expected that all products provided are certified by Underwriters Laboratories according to their defined safety standards. If the proposed products do not align with these safety certifications, the District reserves the right to request alternative materials that meet the safety certification requirements at no extra cost. This includes the following:

• UL 60950-1 – Information Technology Equipment – Safety – Part 1: General Requirements

• NFPA 262 (formerly UL910) – Standard Method of Test for Flame Travel and Smoke of Wires and

Cables for Use in Air-Handling Spaces

2.4 SPEAKER SYSTEM

Speakers can be IP-based, or optionally traditional 4ohm/8ohm, 70V/100V. It must be possible to adjust the volume of each speaker. Traditional speakers shall be wired to networked amplifiers, which can be centralized, distributed, or embedded into other IP endpoints. IP endpoints will be wired directly to the PoE/PoE+ switch in the building’s equipment rooms.

The District prefers ceiling speakers, with baffles flush-mounted against the ceiling whenever possible (e.g., where a drop ceiling or accessible hard ceiling exists). Where the building/facility conditions do not allow it, wall-mounted speakers will be acceptable. Wall-mounted speakers can be surface mounted in walls using metallic boxes with the grille parallel to the wall or slanted (tilted downward). Alternatively, box speakers can be installed facing downwards and secured to metal beams in areas with high open ceilings. All ceiling speakers must meet the criteria for plenum installation.

2.4.1 Speakers for classrooms and offices

All classrooms (or instructional areas) must be provided with PA speakers. The classroom speakers must include a built-in microphone to allow for two-way communication with the main office. Office speakers are required where indicated in the prints.

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Page mute functionality is required to be implemented to mute the local classroom audio during public address announcements. For the purposes of this proposal, the vendor should assume all classrooms in Parke Lane Elementary are equipped with classroom audio systems that provide a page-mute interface. For the High School and Middle School the vendor should provide a solution to mute the existing Pyle Pro PCA1 stereo power amplifiers, taking into consideration these devices don’t provide a page mute interface, either by tapping into the wiring to the classroom speakers and/or providing additional element(s) that can break the communication to the room speakers during a paging message.

Suggested minimum specifications: 4-5W RMS output power, multiple power taps, 8” cone, 45Hz-18KHz frequency range, 95 dB SPL minimum sensitivity, metal grille or box.

Note: In Appendix A, as optional add/alternates, vendors can quote new classroom audio systems for the buildings in scope of this project, following the specifications listed in Section 3 of this document. The District may optionally choose to acquire this solution for one or all buildings. For that purpose, when pricing these add/alternates, the vendors should take into consideration possible design optimizations (e.g., eliminating the need for an additional classroom speaker and instead using the classroom audio speakers for emergency announcements, no longer requiring a page mute solution to an external system, etc.).

2.4.2 Speakers for hallways

The base bid should include hallway speakers where 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.

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.

Suggested minimum specifications: 8-12W maximum output power, multiple power taps, 8” cone, 65Hz- 17KHz frequency range, 96-99 dB SPL sensitivity, metal grille or box.

2.4.3 Speakers for large indoor gathering areas

High-power speakers should be adequately placed and distributed in large areas with high student concentration or noise levels, such as cafeterias, auditoriums, gymnasiums, etc. Page mute functionality is required to mute the local audio/visual systems in those areas during announcements.

Multiple traditional speakers can be connected in a daisy-chain fashion, but each large area must have its own independent home run to the amplifier system to allow for flexibility in the definition of paging zones.

The proposed solution must allow the muting of local audio sources in these areas, such as those from large area audio/visual components or sound systems, during emergency announcements.

Suggested minimum specifications: 8-12W maximum output power, multiple power taps, 8” cone, 65Hz- 17KHz frequency range, 96-99 dB SPL sensitivity, metal grille or box.

Public Address and Clock System RFP Page 22 of 49

2.4.4 Speakers for outdoor areas

Outdoor speakers should be adequately placed and distributed alongside the perimeter of each building as indicated in the prints, for coverage of outside areas, such as playgrounds, sports fields, parking lots, bus loops, etc. They should be weatherproof and installed in vandal-resistant enclosures. Surface-mounted wall speakers, with the grille parallel to the wall or slanted (tiled 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.

Suggested minimum specifications: 15W output power for box-type speakers covering nearby areas and 30W for horn-type speakers covering wide or long areas, 200Hz-15KHz frequency range, 121 dB SPL for 15W and 125 dB SPL for 30W, metal box or horn.

2.4.5 Mounting

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

The final placement of speakers on the building façade should be validated with the District prior to performing penetrations and installing the speakers.

2.5 CLOCK SYSTEM

Building clocks will also be used to provide visual notifications to students or staff with hearing impairments or cognitive disabilities, as well as in areas of high noise levels (hallways, cafeterias, gyms, etc.). The ability to display static or scrolling text on the clock screen is required.

The visual notification must be customizable based on the type of announcement (e.g., evacuate, shelter-in-place, lockdown, etc.), with different static or scrolling text. The visual notification should also be customizable for different buildings or zones (e.g., different text for inside and outside areas).

The following functions are desired but not required (optional) for the clocks:

a. Customizable letter color for different types of announcements

b. Include strobes that are customizable in color, brightness, timing, and sequence for different types of announcements

c. Ability to display still or moving images (for example those of the I Love U Guys Foundation) for different types of announcements

d. Ability to display time in the form of an analog clock in Parke Lane Elementary School for learning purposes

Clocks shall be synchronized using network time protocol (NTP). The public address and 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.

Public Address and Clock System RFP Page 23 of 49

2.5.1 Digital network clocks

Digital clocks may be single-sided or dual-sided, depending on placement and as indicated in the prints.

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. In fact, this is the preferred approach from the District, and thereby the design prints include a single clock and speaker device in each classroom.

The digital clocks should incorporate an LED display with a minimum viewable height of two inches. The digital clocks should be capable of displaying emergency messages via static or scrolling text. Clocks that incorporate customizable strobe lights are preferred.

Clocks in large areas (e.g., cafeterias, gyms, etc.) should have an LED display with a minimum viewable height of four inches and be protected with a cage. Areas that require large clocks and/or cages are called out in the prints.

All clocks should be placed at a height of eight feet or directly under the ceiling level, whichever is lowest, to minimize the likelihood of vandalism. It is required that the construction material of clocks, in particular the display, provides some degree of protection against objects thrown at the clocks.

2.5.2 Countdown feature (optional)

As an option, the digital clocks can 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 count down the class change time by seconds.

2.5.3 Mounting

Appropriate brackets should be provided for mounting clocks in ceilings or walls.

2.6 ALERTING FUNCTIONS

2.6.1 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 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+.

2.6.2 Strobes

Strobes with flashing lights that provide bright and visible indications that the paging system is engaged are required in large gathering or noisy areas such as cafeterias, auditoriums, gymnasiums, music rooms, shops, etc., as indicated in Appendix B. They may also be required in certain external areas, as indicated in the prints, such as main entrances and bus loops, and attached to the building’s exterior. They must be provided, installed, and integrated into the public address system.

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Strobes should be customizable based on the type of announcement (e.g., evacuation, shelter-in-place, lockdown, etc.) as well as for different buildings or areas in terms of color, brightness, timing, and sequence of the strobe lights. Internal strobes can be integrated into the clock units.

If any of the strobes will require local electrical power, the vendor must indicate so in its proposal, so that the…