REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

2026-RFP-067-PR

PUBLIC SAFETY COMMUNICATIONS RADIO INTEROPERABILITY

AND SYSTEMS ENGINEERING SERVICES

County of Dane

City-County Building, Room 425, 53703

Madison, WI 53703

RELEASE DATE: September 22, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS: October 15, 2026

RESPONSE DEADLINE: November 3, 2026, 2:00 pm

RESPONSES MUST BE SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY TO:

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

County of Dane

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Public Safety Communications Radio Interoperability and Systems

Engineering Services

I. Introduction II. RFP Guidelines and Overview

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

VI. Pricing Proposal VII. Vendor Questionnaire

VIII. Standard Terms and Conditions

Request For Proposal #2026-RFP-067-PR Title: Public Safety Communications Radio Interoperability and Systems Engineering Services

1. Introduction

1.1. Summary

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

The County intends to use the results of this process to award a contract or issue a purchase order for the product(s) and/or service(s) stated Public Safety Communications Radio Interoperability and

Systems Engineering Services.

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

1.2. Contact Information

Megan Rogan

Purchasing Officer

Email: rogan.megan@countyofdane.com

Phone: (608) 283-1487

Department:

Public Safety Communications

1.3. Timeline

Release Project Date September 22, 2026

Vendor Conference (Non-Mandatory) October 13, 2026, 1:00pm

Meeting will be virtual via ZOOM.

Meeting URL: https://zoom.us/j/96618690897

Meeting ID: 966 1869 0897

Please RSVP through the RFP posting.

Question Submission Deadline October 15, 2026, 2:00pm

Question Response Deadline October 20, 2026, 2:00pm

Proposal Submission Deadline November 3, 2026, 2:00pm mailto:rogan.megan@countyofdane.com tel:(608)283-1487 https://zoom.us/j/96618690897

2. RFP Guidelines and Overview

2.1. GENERAL SOLICITATION PROCESS

1. REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS

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

2. VENDOR REGISTRATION

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

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

Portal.

3. CALENDAR OF EVENTS

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

County eProcurement Portal.

4. CLARIFICATION OF THE SPECIFICATIONS / QUESTIONS

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

Portal.

2. Questions must be submitted before 2:00 pm on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

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

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

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

5. ADDENDA & REVISIONS

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

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

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

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

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

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

2.2. BID / PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

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

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

1. SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS

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

2. Proposals must be submitted via the County's eProcurement Portal before 2:00 pm on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Late, faxed, mailed, hand-delivered, or incomplete proposals will be rejected unless otherwise specified. Dane County is not liable for any cost incurred by proposers in replying to this solicitation.

3. To Submit a Proposal:

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

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

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

4. Provide company information

5. Complete the entire Vendor Questionnaire

6. Where indicated, upload the required documents.

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

8. Confirm all files have been uploaded

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

10. Acknowledge any addenda

2. MULTIPLE PROPOSALS & ACCEPTANCE

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

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

Proposal #1, Proposal #2, etc.

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

3. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS ON SUBMITTING COST PROPOSALS

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

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

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

4. RIGHT TO REJECT PROPOSALS & NEGOTIATE CONTRACT TERMS

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

2.3. VENDOR QUESTIONNAIRE DEFINITIONS

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

BIDS

mailto:procurementsupport@opengov.com

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

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

Locally Based and Owned Vendors:

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

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

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

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

Operated Vendor has responded to the bid.

Locally Operated Vendors:

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

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

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

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

Vendor has responded to the bid.

Non-Locally Operated Vendors:

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

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

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

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

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

BIDS

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

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

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

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

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

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

PUBLIC WORKS BIDS

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

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

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

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

4. FAIR LABOR PRACTICES CERTIFICATION

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5. COOPERATIVE PURCHASING

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

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

Stats.

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

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

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

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

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

“Designation of Confidential and Proprietary Information” section.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

County withholding the materials. .

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

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

Confidential and Proprietary Information section of the Vendor Information Attachment.

2.4. EVALUATION

1. PRELIMINARY EVALUATION

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

2. PROPOSAL SCORING - applicable to RFPs

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

3. ORAL PRESENTATIONS/INTERVIEW - applicable to RFPs

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

2.5. AWARD

1. RFB AWARD

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

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

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

2. RFP AWARD

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

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

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

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

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

3. PAYMENT TERMS AND INVOICING

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

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

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

4. NOTIFICATION OF INTENT TO AWARD

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

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

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

5. CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE

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

Conditions.

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

3. Indicate mailing address as:

o County of Dane

Risk Management

City County Building Room 425

210 Martin Luther King Jr., Blvd.

Madison, WI 53703

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

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

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

6. PERMITS & LICENSES

mailto:risk.management@danecounty.gov

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

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

7. SATISFACTORY WORK

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

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

8. GOVERNMENT STANDARDS

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

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

9. DANE COUNTY SUSTAINABILITY PRINCIPLES

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

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

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

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

2.6. CONTRACTING

1. CONTRACT/PROJECT ADMINISTRATION

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

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

2. CONTRACT ASSIGNMENT - SUBCONTRACTORS

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

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

3. CONTRACT ADDITIONS

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

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

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

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

Contract or Purchase Order.

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

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

4. CONTRACT TERMINATION

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

3. Contract Term

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

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

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

Anticipated Terms (Calendar Dates)

Term 1:

Term 2:

Term 3:

Term 4:

Term 5:

4. Project Overview & Scope of Work

The following definitions and links are used throughout the RFP.

County: Dane County

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

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

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

4.1. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

Dane County is seeking a qualified consultant to provide professional planning, analysis, and facilitation services addressing both the short-and long-term needs of its public safety radio communications and interoperability systems. The objective of this engagement is to evaluate current and future operational requirements and identify the most economical, efficient, reliable, and forward-looking approach for modernizing and supporting radio communications used by County and local government agencies.

The study will assess options for meeting long-term voice communications, paging, and interoperability needs for public safety and non-emergency agencies serving the residents of Dane County, and will recommend a strategy for updating and provisioning the County’s radio communications infrastructure accordingly.

4.2. BACKGROUND

The Dane County Public Safety Communications Center provides dispatch services for approximately 85 agencies, including law enforcement, fire, EMS, and other County and municipal departments. Beyond

County-managed users, the broader communications network also supports multiple suburban and local dispatch centers, as well as additional public safety and administrative users from local governments, the State of Wisconsin, and the University of Wisconsin.

Dane County’s primary radio system operates on a VHF (136–174 MHz) L3 Harris P25 trunked simulcast platform. The system relies on a centrally located primary core in the City of Madison and a wide array of repeater sites that receive and relay talk-back signals from mobile and portable radios. Approximately

1,000 users rely on the system daily, utilizing 10 radio frequencies/channels. Portions of the

County-owned infrastructure are aging and nearing end-of-life, impacting system reliability for users that include the Dane County Sheriff’s Office, Highway Department, and numerous municipal Police, Fire, and Public Works agencies.

In addition to the County’s system, many other radio systems operate independently throughout the region. The City of Madison manages its own 800 MHz Motorola P25 trunked system, which serves City

Police and Fire, Metro Transit, Public Works, Parks, Streets, Capitol Police, and the University of

Wisconsin. Other entities — including the Dane County Jail and various State of Wisconsin agencies — use their own systems, separate from both the County and the City networks.

Radio communications challenges across Wisconsin have often been driven by overloaded systems, disparate and aging equipment, unclear strategic direction, insufficient interagency coordination, evolving operational needs, and the high cost of upgrades. Dane County has commissioned several radio studies over the years; however, the findings are inconsistent and frequently contradict one another.

Some studies recommend transitioning to 800 MHz systems while discouraging VHF trunking or https://www.danepurchasing.com/ conventional configurations; others support remaining on VHF; still others propose hybrid solutions combining VHF conventional and 800 MHz trunking. The lack of a unified direction remains one of the most significant barriers to achieving countywide interoperable communications.

4.3. COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE INCLUDED IN THIS RFP

The following list is intended to illustrate the types of services that may be required of the consultant. It is not meant to exclude additional services the consultant determines are necessary or is otherwise qualified to provide. The detailed scope of work will be finalized upon selection of the consultant and will be mutually agreed upon by both parties.

For purposes of responding to this RFP, the term “communications infrastructure” shall be understood to include:

1. Two-way radio infrastructure and equipment, including base stations, mobile and portable radios, pagers, and fixed receiver sites used by City, Town, Village, County, State of Wisconsin, and University of Wisconsin public-serving agencies operating within Dane County.

2. Communications backbone infrastructure, such as microwave systems, fiber networks, or other transport technologies supporting radio and data connectivity.

3. New or upgraded radio support facilities, including towers, associated buildings/shelters, and backup power systems.

4. Public safety communications centers, including the Dane County Public Safety

Communications Center, suburban/local dispatch centers, the County’s backup dispatch facility, and the Dane County mobile/emergency communications center.

5. Voice and digital paging systems used by emergency and non-emergency service providers.

6. Fire and EMS station alerting infrastructure, including hardware and software used for automatic station notification and activation.

7. Hospital and emergency medical communications interfaces, including any systems, patching capabilities, or technologies required to support reliable inter-communications among hospitals, EMS providers, and related medical partners.

4.4. SCOPE OF THE STUDY AND REQUIRED CONSULTANT DELIVERABLES

The scope of the study shall encompass all voice and paging communications infrastructure required to ensure reliable operability and interoperability for agencies served by the Dane County Public Safety

Communications Center, suburban/local dispatch centers, and other infrastructure users including the

State of Wisconsin, the University of Wisconsin, and local government emergency and non-emergency entities.

1. Recommendations on Study Approach

The consultant shall provide recommendations regarding the overall study approach, including:

a. Identification of key project milestones.

b. Estimated number of meetings needed with the review committee.

c. A recommended project timeline aligned with County budgeting cycles.

d. Suggested methods for effective stakeholder engagement throughout the process.

2. Comprehensive Needs Analysis

The consultant shall develop a comprehensive needs analysis detailing functionality, capability, and requirements for all current infrastructure users. Inputs shall include direct information obtained from user agencies and a review of previous radio-system studies conducted for Dane County.

3. Presentation and Evaluation of Infrastructure Alternatives

The consultant shall present infrastructure alternatives to the review committee for the purpose of narrowing the options to one recommended solution. Each alternative shall be accompanied by a detailed evaluation of pros, cons, advantages, disadvantages, and considerations specific to Dane

County user needs. Alternatives shall include analysis of, but not be limited to:

a. Frequency band options (VHF, UHF, 700/800 MHz), including spectrum availability.

b. Analog, digital, or hybrid configurations, including P25 air-interface compatibility.

c. Encryption options and capabilities.

d. Operating protocol (conventional, trunked, or hybrid).

e. Infrastructure configuration options:

i. A single, unified infrastructure serving all agencies, including those currently operating on the City of

Madison system.

ii. Multiple infrastructures (e.g., separate urban/metro and rural systems) with full interoperable capability.

f. Procurement models:

i. County procuring only core infrastructure while end-user entities procure their own radios and pagers.

ii. County procuring both core infrastructure and all end-user equipment.

iii. County procuring core infrastructure and end-user equipment, with entities responsible for additional enhancements needed for coverage or operational requirements.

g. Interoperability assessments with:

i. Agencies serving Dane County, including neighboring fire and EMS units responding across county borders.

ii. Public safety entities in adjoining counties for mutual-aid responses.

iii. State and federal agencies operating within Dane County, including potential integration with any statewide voice communications system under consideration.

h. Detailed propagation studies that meet standards aligned with end-user needs as approved by the committee.

Each alternative shall include associated budgetary cost estimates.

All recommended alternatives must represent an enabling infrastructure—meaning the infrastructure must support user-identified needs rather than require agencies to adapt their needs to fit the proposed system.

4. Detailed Analysis of the Selected Alternative

Upon committee selection of a preferred alternative, the consultant shall:

a. Develop a comprehensive cost analysis.

b. Prepare a detailed transition plan for all current infrastructure users, ensuring no loss of functionality or capability during migration.

c. Draft a vendor-neutral Request for Proposal (RFP) suitable for procurement of the approved alternative.

d. Support and facilitate the RFP process, including assisting County staff in conducting a complete evaluation of vendor responses.

4.5. SCOPE OF WORK

1. Needs Assessment and Stakeholder Engagement

Meet with management personnel and end users of the current communications infrastructure to develop a comprehensive needs analysis describing functional requirements, capabilities, limitations, and operational needs of all current system users. Present a draft needs analysis to end users for validation during at least two group meetings, followed by submission to the review committee for final approval.

2. Existing Infrastructure Documentation and Analysis

Collect, analyze, and document operational, functional, and technical details for existing fixed sites and associated communications equipment used by public safety and emergency response departments that serve Dane County residents—this may include Dane County agencies, departments in adjacent counties that serve territory within Dane County, and Dane County agencies serving areas beyond county borders. This analysis should establish a clear understanding of current communications capabilities and limitations.

3. Interoperability Review

Evaluate interoperability needs across all agencies serving people and/or geography within Dane

County, including bordering public safety, fire, and EMS agencies. Identify patching or cross-communication requirements for users not served directly by the proposed infrastructure (e.g., ambulances operating outside Dane County requiring communication with Dane County hospitals).

4. Coverage Analysis

Conduct coverage studies of the proposed infrastructure using multiple tower locations to determine the level of countywide coverage achievable. This analysis should include exploration of potential new communications sites, supplemental receiver (“satellite”) locations, and/or additional paging sites.

5. Migration Planning

Develop a comprehensive migration plan that outlines how current infrastructure users will transition to the proposed solution with minimal operational disruption.

6. Recommended Acquisition and Implementation Approach

Develop and submit an acquisition and implementation plan aligned with the alternative approved by the review committee. This plan must detail phases, timelines, dependencies, and resource needs.

7. Vendor-Neutral Request for Proposal (RFP)

Prepare a vendor-neutral RFP reflecting the approved alternative and suitable for public release to potential vendors.

8. RFP Process Support and Evaluation Assistance

Support the County throughout the RFP process by facilitating communications, providing subject-matter expertise, and assisting staff in conducting a thorough evaluation of all proposals received.

9. Electronic Documentation

Prepare and submit electronic drawings as required to illustrate system architecture, site layouts, equipment configurations, or other design elements.

10. Budgetary Estimates and Prioritization Support

Obtain and deliver budgetary cost estimates for all presented alternatives. Assist the review committee in evaluating and prioritizing acquisitions and implementation phases based on cost, operational need, and feasibility.

4.6. DELIVERABLES

1. Documentation and Assessment of Current Capabilities

Conduct a comprehensive review, documentation, and assessment of existing communications capabilities, including summarizing and validating prior studies, reports, and technical analyses.

2. Interoperability Gap Analysis

Identify and analyze interoperability gaps based on interviews with current infrastructure users, summarizing operational challenges and technical limitations across jurisdictions and user groups.

3. Current Coverage Mapping

Produce coverage maps illustrating the performance of existing public safety infrastructure— including mobile radios, portable radios, and paging receivers—to confirm and visualize gaps identified through user interviews.

4. Propagation Studies of Proposed System

Develop propagation studies showing expected coverage of the recommended system based on end-user requirements and review committee-approved performance standards for mobile radios, portable radios, and paging receivers.

5. Transition Planning

Create a detailed, comprehensive transition plan for all current infrastructure users that ensures continuity of communications functions and prevents any loss of capabilities during migration to the proposed system.

6. Vendor-Neutral RFP Development

Develop a vendor-neutral Request for Proposal (RFP) for procurement of the approved alternative, including recommended tower site requirements and all technical specifications necessary for competitive vendor responses.

7. Vendor Selection Criteria

Establish clear, defensible, and objective criteria to be used in evaluating vendor proposals and selecting the recommended vendor.

8. Drawings

Produce and provide electronic drawings as required to illustrate system architecture, site layouts, tower configurations, or other technical elements supporting the proposed solution.

9. Training Requirements

Identify and recommend training requirements for successful deployment, operation, and maintenance of the new communications system across applicable user groups.

10. Budgetary Analysis and Cost/Benefit Assessment

Provide budgetary figures for all alternatives considered, including a cost/benefit analysis comparing capital, operational, and long-term sustainability implications.

5. RFP Response Requirements & Evaluation Criteria

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

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

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

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

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

▪ Contact Person for the RFP process

▪ RFP Title

▪ RFP #

▪ Name of Proposer

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

• Graphics may be included but are not required.

2. Cost Proposal Response

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

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

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

RFP Posting.

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

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

RFP# and name of business submitting proposal.

• Example of how to name the files:

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

Proposal"

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

No. Evaluation Criteria Scoring Method Weight (Points)

1. ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITIES

Proposers must provide a detailed, comprehensive description of their organization’s capabilities as they specifically relate to public safety radio systems, interoperability planning, and systems engineering. Responses must address all of the following requirements:

1. Firm Background & Eligibility

• Provide a summary of your organization’s history, core service areas, and years of experience delivering public safety radio engineering, interoperability consulting, or mission-critical communications system design.

2. Relevant Expertise in Public Safety

Communications

• Describe your organization’s demonstrated expertise with VHF and 800 MHz radio systems, trunked and conventional architectures, P25 systems, paging systems, microwave backhaul, and multi-agency interoperability environments.

3. Experience with Similar Projects

• Provide a list of projects in which comparable services were provided within the past five (5) years.

For each project, list:

• Client name and jurisdiction

• Project description and scope

• Start and completion dates

• The radio technologies or system types involved

Points Based 15 (14.3% of Total)

• Outcomes, deliverables, and any performance improvements achieved

• A reference contact (name, phone, email)

2. STAFF CAPABILITIES

• Identify the internal resources available to support the project, including engineering personnel, GIS specialists, propagation modeling analysts, interoperability planners, and technical project managers. Additionally, provide a resume stating the background qualifications for each key staff assigned to work on this project.

• Describe your firm’s methodology for ensuring adequate staffing levels throughout the project lifecycle— assessment, coverage mapping, propagation studies, recommendations, stakeholder engagement, and transition planning.

• Explain how your organization ensures continuity of service, internal quality assurance, and project escalation/issue resolution.

3. PROJECT APPROACH

1. Communications, Coordination, and Status

Management

Describe how your firm will maintain open, timely, and consistent communication with the designated Dane County project team.

Your response must outline:

• Methods for sharing updates (e.g., standing meetings, dashboards, written status reports).

• Frequency and format of progress reporting.

• Approach to issue escalation, risk identification, and resolution.

• Commitment to transparency and collaborative decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.

2. User Engagement and Data Collection

Explain your process for gathering input, data, and feedback from radio system users across all agencies dispatched by Dane County Public

Safety Communications.

Your response must describe:

• How qualitative feedback will be collected (e.g., interviews, workshops, listening sessions).

• How quantitative data will be collected (e.g., signal reports, failure logs, coverage gaps, call-for-service patterns).

• Methods for identifying common themes, systemic issues, operational challenges, and areas of strength within the current DaneCom environment.

• How you will ensure representation from law enforcement, fire, EMS, public works, municipal dispatch centers, and other stakeholders.

Points Based 25 (23.8% of Total)

3. Research, Analysis, and Synthesis of

Findings

Detail your approach to analyzing all data and information relevant to DaneCom’s performance and Dane County PSC schedules and practices.

Your response must include:

• Methodologies used to evaluate current radio infrastructure, coverage, resiliency, system loading, and interoperability.

• How findings will be organized into actionable categories (themes, issues, recurring concerns, operational constraints).

• How you will ensure accuracy, validation, and defensible conclusions supported by engineering analysis and stakeholder feedback.

4. Development of Recommendations and

Required Inputs

Describe how recommendations will be developed, prioritized, and evaluated.

Your narrative must:

• Identify what is required to…