RFI 26-84325 Voice Over IP Service.docx

STATE OF INDIANA

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 26-84325

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

ON BEHALF OF THE

STATE OF INDIANA

SOLICITATION FOR:

CLOUD VOICE OVER IP SERVICE

RESPONSE DUE DATE:

JULY 11, 2025, BY 3:00 PM ET

Kevin March, Procurement Consultant Indiana Department of Administration Procurement Division 402 W. Washington St., Room W468 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

TABLE OF CONTENTS

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 26-84325

INTRODUCTION

This is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) on behalf of the Indiana Office of Technology regarding the State of Indiana Voice as a Service (SoI VaaS) NextGen.

It is the intent of IDOA to solicit responses to this Request for Information in accordance with the specifications contained in this document and associated attachments. Neither this RFI nor any response (proposal) submitted hereto is to be construed as a legal offer.

THE STATE MAY ELECT TO LIMIT PARTICIPATION IN ANY FUTURE COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION TO VENDORS THAT RESPOND TO THIS RFI.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE OF THE RFI

Our current environment consists of approximately 6,900 Cisco endpoints,7,100 Microsoft Teams Voice endpoints, with a SIP trunk integration to Genesys Cloud supporting both toll-free and Direct-Inbound-Dialing (DID) for approx. 6,000 agents. The Cisco solution is cloud-based Cisco Call Manager running in two vendor managed data centers located outside the State of Indiana. The Microsoft Teams Voice solution is cloud-based Microsoft Teams Phone running on our State of Indiana Microsoft 365 tenant. Cisco endpoints consist of various Cisco phone models and Jabber. Microsoft Teams Phone endpoints consist of various AudioCodes and Poly phone models and Microsoft Teams Voice. There are also approximately 7,000 analog phones, not on VoIP today, that could migrate to VoIP.

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of the RFI is to gather information on cloud-based VoIP solutions that integrate with Microsoft 365 Teams client and provide the following features and functionalities.

· Must support Advanced phone features, including Auto Attendant, Hunt Groups, Private Line Ringdown (PLAR), Enterprise Call Recording, Call Detail Records (CDR), Paging, E911, and any value-add features, or integrations that improve phone system functionality, deliverables and efficiencies.

· Must support Standard phone features, including Call Forwarding, Call Hold, Call Transfer, Voicemail, and other similar features.

· Must be a client interface app comparable to WebEx Voice, Zoom Phone, etc. that seamlessly integrates with Microsoft Teams for voice communication and collaboration.

· Must include ability for Office of Technology team members to provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 support to State of Indiana agencies / customers. This includes, but is not limited to, new account and phone profile builds, backend configuration of Auto Attendant, Hunt Groups and other Advanced phone features.

· Requires PSTN integration with our cloud-based Genesys Call Center. There are currently 19 agencies with Genesys orgs supporting 32 call centers with approximately 6,000 agents.

· Desire voice integration with Genesys Call Center solution.

INFRASTRUCTURE CONSIDERATIONS:

The following information is provided in this RFI to aid respondents regarding the information sought by the State:

The State strongly prefers a cloud-based service offering. Cloud-based service offerings are required to be within a state-owned cloud tenant. However alternative solutions may be considered if they demonstrate significant value. This section provides details on infrastructure and support requirements, outlining the State’s minimum requirements.

Please note that any proposed cloud-based service offerings submitted in any subsequent RFP’s will need to comply at the time of solution implementation with the Risk and Assurance Management Program (RAMP) policy that is currently being developed in order to comply with a recent executive order that was handed down by Governor Mike Braun, EO 25-19. The new policy will be based on commonly accepted industry practices and standards like NIST 800-53 Revision 5 and is expected to have tiered levels of security requirements which will depend on the type of data involved, its sensitivity, and how the solution interfaces with State resources. The program and subsequent continuous monitoring requirements outlined in the policy are expected to align closely with StateRAMP dba GovRAMP best practice and is expected to be finalized and implemented by July 1, 2025. Prospective vendors should keep all the foregoing in mind as they prepare their proposals and be confident that any proposals they ultimately choose to submit are flexible enough to accommodate commonly accepted industry practices and standards in the typical state government-required RAMP. Comment by Chenevert, Jeremy B: Does dba need to be changed to "and" ?

Solution Categories If solution hosting is within scope, respondents must propose one of the following hosting solutions:

1) State-Owned Cloud Tenant (Preferred Cloud Solution) Definition: A vendor hosted solution deployed within a cloud environment owned and managed by the State. This environment is provisioned in either Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services (AWS) under the State’s enterprise agreements. The Indiana Office of Technology will set up a cloud tenant that the vendor will use to support all aspects of the solution with oversight and minimal support from the Indiana Office of Technology.

Minimum Requirements

· Tenant Ownership and Access:

· The State retains full ownership and administrative control over the tenant.

· The vendor shall be granted access only to the resources necessary for the deployment, configuration, and maintenance of the solution, as explicitly authorized by the State.

· The State owns the financial consumption charges within the State-Owned cloud tenant.

· Data Residency and Compliance:

· All data associated with the solution must reside within the State-owned tenant.

· The vendor must ensure compliance with all applicable State and federal regulations, including but not limited to data security, privacy, and sovereignty requirements.

· Deployment and Management:

· The vendor is expected to install, update, and manage the application and other unique aspects of the solution during the project to meet the requirements and as part of Day 2 support / Maintenance and Operations.

· The vendor must utilize state approved tenant specific native tools and services for monitoring, backup, and disaster recovery, as specified by the State.

· Security and Access Controls:

· The vendor shall implement robust security measures, including role-based access control, encryption, and multi-factor authentication, in alignment with Information Security Framework (https://www.in.gov/iot/iot-vendor-engagement/).

· Security documentation and audit logs must be provided to the State regularly.

· Security assessments, including vulnerability scans, must be conducted and reported to the State.

· Exit Strategy:

· Upon contract expiration or termination, the vendor shall ensure a seamless transition of all resources, configurations, and data back to the State, without disruption to ongoing operations.

· A detailed exit plan must be submitted within 120 days of contract expiration or termination, including but not limited to timelines and responsibilities, to facilitate this transition.

2) Vendor Hosted Cloud Tenant (Exception Based Cloud Solution) Definition: A vendor managed cloud environment outside of the State’s enterprise agreements.

Justification and Minimum Requirements:

Exceptions to the requirement of utilizing a state-owned cloud tenant will only be considered if there are compelling reasons and justifications as to why hosting in a State-owned cloud tenant is not feasible. The State will evaluate these justifications but is not obligated to agree with any external cloud hosting options and the associated scoring will reflect that.

If proposing a hosted solution that does not use a State-owned cloud tenant, your company is required to, at a minimum:

· Provide a clear justification for why hosting within a state-owned cloud tenant is not feasible.

· Demonstrate independently verified compliance with NIST 800-53, Revision 5 (or the most current version at the time of proposed solution go-live).

· Alternatively, provide a detailed plan that includes independent verification of your company's path toward achieving compliance with NIST 800-53, Revision 5 (or the current version at the time of proposed solution go-live).

· Adhere to the applicable security standards, policies and requirements as outlined by the IOT Cloud Provider Questionnaire, and the IOT Cloud Terms available on the IDOA: Procurement: Contract Forms Manuals and Templates, which include Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) Terms.

3) On-Premises Solutions - Vendor Provided Hardware (Preferred On-Premises Solution) Definition: A vendor provided hardware solution deployed within the States data center.

Minimum Requirements

· The vendor is responsible for procuring, deploying, and maintaining hardware hosted within the State of Indiana datacenters.

· Ensuring that all hardware aligns with the State’s standards and specifications, as outlined the State’s established policies and enterprise standards that collectively constitute the Information Security Framework (https://www.in.gov/iot/iot-vendor-engagement/).

· Meeting the service levels, security protocols, and cost expectations detailed in the "Hosting" section of the IOT-Services-Catalog.pdf.

· Providing full documentation of hardware lifecycle management, including installation, updates, maintenance, and upgrades as needed.

· Ensuring compatibility with existing state systems and providing any necessary adjustments for seamless integration.

· Delivering comprehensive reporting on hardware usage, performance metrics, and any troubleshooting activities during the contract period.

4) On-Premises Solutions – State Owned Hardware (Exception Based On-Premises Solution) Definition: A vendor managed solution operating on state owned infrastructure.

Minimum Requirements:

· Collaborating with the State to ensure a seamless initial setup, including installation, configuration, and integration with the State’s systems.

· Adhering to the service levels, security requirements, and cost structures outlined in the "Hosting" section of the IOT-Services-Catalog.pdf and as outlined within the Information Security Framework (https://www.in.gov/iot/iot-vendor-engagement/).

· Provide ongoing monitoring, performance optimization, data backup, and disaster recovery services to ensure system reliability and availability.

· Coordinating with the State on any necessary warranty claims or hardware replacements, including detailed reporting and documentation of hardware issues and resolutions.

· Transferring knowledge, if applicable, to the State to facilitate collaboration and long-term operational continuity.

INFORMATION REQUESTED

We are requesting the following details in your response.

· Company Profile: Provide a brief overview of your company, including your experience in providing cloud-based VoIP services, any relevant certifications and the scale of your operations.

· Product/Service Offering: A detailed description of the cloud-based VoIP solution you offer, specifically highlighting:

· Advanced features (Auto Attendant, Hunt Groups, PLAR, Enterprise Call Recording, CDR, etc.

· Standard features (Call Forwarding, Call Hold, Call Transfer, Voicemail, etc.

· Seamless integration with Microsoft Teams, including the availability of a client app similar to WebEx Voice or Zoom Phone.

· Ability for Office of Technology team to provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 support.

· PSTN Integration Services

· Scalability and flexibility to meet growing business needs.

· Technical Specifications: Information on the technical architecture of your solution, including security features and availability zones, cloud infrastructure, and any compatibility with existing hardware (e.g., desk phones, headsets).

· Artificial Intelligence: Does the proposed solution utilize any form of artificial intelligence (AI), as defined by IC 4-13.1-5-1 (https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/4#4-13.1-5-1)? If so, please address the following:

· How would AI be utilized within the solution?

· Could AI functionality be disabled without impacting the overall functionality or performance of the proposed solution?

· Could the State enable/disable the AI functionality, or is that controlled by the solution/implementation provider?

· If disabling AI does result in limitations, please specify what those limitations are.

· Is there a plan to introduce AI into the solution in the next four (4) years if AI is not already utilized OR is there a plan to expand AI in the solution if AI is already utilized?

· Is there any current or projected use of AI that benefits operations and/or provides operational efficiency?

· Pricing Model: A breakdown of pricing for your service, including any available packages, subscription models, or additional costs based on features or number of endpoints.

· Implementation Timeline: Expected timeline for full deployment, including any training or onboarding requirements.

· Support and Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Details on your customer support services, response times, and any SLAs offered.

· References/Case Studies: Any case studies or references from businesses or government entities like ours that have successfully implemented your solution.

EVALUATION PROCESS

Upon receiving and reviewing your submission, we will evaluate the responses and may contact selected vendors for follow-up discussions, demonstrations, or additional clarifications. Please note this RFI is intended solely for informational purposes and does not represent a binding contract or commitment. We look forward to receiving your detailed response and exploring how your cloud-based VoIP solution can support our business communication needs.

The goal of this RFI is to gather general functionality and general pricing structures from vendors for the development of a potential Request for Proposal (RFP).

Indiana Office of Technology is requesting information to formalize the scope of work for a potential RFP by allowing the vendor community to apprise the Indiana Office of Technology on information that should be considered as part of the scope of work.

RESPONSE FORMAT AND ATTACHMENTS

Respondents should submit responses to the RFI describing how they will meet the specific requirements of this RFI and the deliverables included within. All narrative responses must be provided to the State in Microsoft Word format. Respondents must structure their response according to the sections outlined below to facilitate the State’s review of the responses. THE TOTAL RESPONSE SHOULD NOT BE MORE THAN 15-20 PAGES IN LENGTH.

If you would like to provide response/feedback to this RFI for a potential RFP for Indiana Office of Technology, you must provide your response to State as shown in the RFI Timeline and Response Submission section below.

RFI TIMELINE

The following timeline is only an illustration of this RFI process. The dates associated with each step are not to be considered binding.

Anticipated RFI Dates:

QUESTION / INQUIRY PROCESS

All questions/inquiries in regards to RFI 26-84325 must be submitted in writing via email using Attachment A, Questions and Answers Template, by the deadline of June 11, 2025 by 3:00PM ET to rfp@idoa.IN.gov. The email subject line should contain the following phrase:

“REQUEST FOR INFORMATION 26-84325, QUESTION AND INQUIRIES.”

Following the question/inquiry due date, IDOA will compile a list of the questions/inquiries submitted by all Respondents. The responses will be posted to the IDOA website as soon as possible. Only answers posted on the IDOA website will be considered official and valid by the State. No Respondent shall rely upon, take any action, or make any decision based upon any verbal communication with any State employee.

Please note that Kevin March is the State’s single point of contact for this RFI. Inquiries are not to be directed to any other staff member of the Indiana Office of Technology. Such action may disqualify respondent from further consideration in this RFI and any subsequent RFP process.

If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFI, or if additional information is necessary for a clearer interpretation of provisions of this RFI prior to the due date for submissions, an addendum will be posted on the IDOA website.

CLARIFICATIONS AND DISCUSSIONS

The State reserves the right to request clarifications on information submitted to the State. The State also reserves the right to conduct discussions, either oral or written, with the Respondents. These discussions could include requests for additional information, requests for cost information or technical requirements response attachment revision, etc. Additionally, in conducting discussions, the State may use information derived from the responses submitted by competing Respondents only if the identity of the Respondent providing the information is not disclosed to others. The State will provide equivalent information to all Respondents which have been chosen for discussions.

The Procurement Division will schedule all discussions. Any information gathered through oral discussions must be confirmed in writing.

CONFIDENTIALITY

It is important to note that all information submitted in Respondent’s proposals to this RFI will be kept confidential and will not be made available to the public unless this RFI does not result in the release of a solicitation at a later date. If a solicitation results from this RFI, then the information contained in the proposal submissions for this RFI must be made available to the public once the resulting solicitation has been awarded and the protest period has ended.

Respondents are advised that materials contained in proposals are subject to the Access to Public Records Act (APRA), IC 5-14-3 et seq., and afterward, the entire solicitation file may be viewed and copied by any member of the public, including news agencies and competitors.

Please note citing “Confidential” on an entire section is not sufficient. The Public Access Counselor (PAC) provides guidance on APRA. Respondents are encouraged to read guidance from the PAC on this topic as this is the guidance IDOA follows:

· 18-INF-06; Redaction of Public Procurement Documents Informal Inquiry

Respondents claiming a statutory exception to the APRA must indicate so on a separate attachment labeled “Confidential Documentation Listing”. That document should include the following information:

· List all documents claiming statutory exemption to the APRA.

· Specify which statutory exception of APRA that applies for each document.

· Provide a description explaining the manner in which the statutory exception to the APRA applies for each document.

When claiming confidential information, respondents should submit two versions of their response:

1) A confidential version (for the State’s review and evaluation)

a. Confidential Information must be clearly marked in a separate folder.

2) A redacted version (for public records requests)

If the Respondent does not identify the statutory exception, the Procurement Division will not consider the submission confidential. The State also reserves the right to seek the opinion of the PAC for guidance if the State has doubts that the cited exception is applicable.

Prices are NOT confidential information.

RESPONSE SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Firms interested in providing information to IDOA should submit responses through the Supplier Portal at the link below by the Procurement Division no later than July 11 2025, by 3:00PM ET. Any information received after the due date and time may not be considered. No other method of submission will be accepted.

Supplier Portal:

https://fs.gmis.in.gov/psc/guest/SUPPLIER/ERP/c/NUI_FRAMEWORK.PT_LANDINGPAGE.GBL?&

Video instruction on how to submit an electronic response: https://www.in.gov/idoa/wbt/SupplierElectronicBidding/index.html

No more than one response per Respondent may be submitted.

For quicker and manageable uploading of response documents, the State encourages Respondents to break down their responses into small file sizes and use compressed zip files, where possible. Uploading large files may lengthen the time to successfully submit your response. Checking file sizes of the response documents by viewing file properties is also recommended to reduce risks when uploading files.

A bidder ID and password are required to submit a response. For more information on that process, visit: https://www.in.gov/idoa/3258.htm. Bidder ID and password issues are handled by submitting a ticket to the State of Indiana Office of Technology and are handled in the order in which they are received. IDOA is not able to assist with these types of issues and they are not justification to miss the submission deadline.

The State strongly encourages Respondents to allow plenty of time when electronically submitting their responses. Waiting until the last day is not recommended. The Supplier Portal allows documents to be edited until the response due date. Therefore, documents could be loaded over several days. The Supplier Portal will not accept responses once the response due date and time has expired, even if a Respondent has already begun uploading response documents.

Templates outlined in this document should be returned in their native file format.

The State accepts no obligations for costs incurred by Respondents in anticipation of being awarded a contract.

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