RFP No. 22-07-001 – A/V System Upgrades for Effingham County Judicial Complex

Request for Proposal

No. 22-07-001

To provide

A/V System Upgrades for Effingham County Judicial Complex for

Effingham County Board of Commissioners Springfield, Georgia

May 2022

All Submissions returned to:

ATTN: Purchasing Office 804 South Laurel Street Springfield, GA 31329

May 20, 2022

RE: RFP No. 22-07-001

Request for Proposal for A/V System Upgrades for Effingham County Judicial Complex

Dear Sir or Madam:

This is an invitation to submit a proposal to supply Effingham County, Georgia for the professional services as specified herein. Sealed proposals will be received at the Office of the Purchasing Agent, EFFINGHAM

COUNTY ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLEX, 804 S. LAUREL STREET, SPRINGFIELD, GEORGIA,

up to 11.00am (Eastern Time) Friday, July 8, 2022. Due to the fact that the proposals will be subject to an evaluation review, the details and particulars of the proposal documents will remain confidential until final award of the contract. Only the names of the companies who submit a proposal will be read aloud publicly.

Effingham County Board of Commissioners reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and will not be bound to accept any proposal should Effingham County consider that the proposal would be contrary to the best interest of Effingham County. Effingham County Board of Commissioners reserves the right to reject any and all proposals that are non-responsive or not responsible. Additionally, Effingham County Board of

Commissioners has the right to waive any technicalities or informalities. Effingham County may issue change orders altering the original scope of work to address changes or unforeseen conditions necessary for the project completion.

Instructions for the preparation and submission of a proposal are contained in the request for proposals package.

If you do not submit a proposal, please return the no-bid sheet and state the reason.

There will be a Mandatory pre-bid meeting and site visit at 2:00PM (Eastern Time) on Friday, June 17, 2022. The meeting will take place at the Effingham County Courthouse located at 700 N Pine Street, Springfield, GA 31329.

Proposals will not be accepted from any firm that did not attend the pre-proposal meeting and site visit for RFP No. 22-07-001 Request for Proposal for A/V System Upgrades for Effingham County Judicial

Complex.

Any questions that arise must be made in writing and must be received at the office of the Purchasing Agent no later than 5.00pm (Eastern Time) Monday, June 20, 2022. No response will be given to any questions received after 5.00pm (Eastern Time) Monday, June 20, 2022. Questions may be faxed to 912-754-8413;

emailed to abruton@effinghamcounty.org or mailed to the address below. If questions are mailed, please DO

NOT put the bid number on the outside of the envelope.

The response to all questions will be in the form of an addendum and will be posted on the Effingham County website www.effinghamcounty.org before 5.00pm (Eastern Time) Friday, June 24, 2022.

The only official answer or position of Effingham County will be the one stated in writing.

mailto:abruton@effinghamcounty.org http://www.effinghamcounty.org/

EFFINGHAM COUNTY, GEORGIA

DOCUMENT CHECK LIST

Company Name: ________________________________________________________________________________________

Please indicate you have completed the following documentation; and then submit as REQUIRED.

Authorized Signature Title

Print Name Date

THIS PAGE MUST BE COMPLETED AND SUBMITTED AS PART OF YOUR PROPOSAL

REQUIRED COMPLETED ITEM DESCRIPTION

INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

REQUEST FOR QUOTE

X BID / QUOTE SUBMITTAL FORM

SURETY REQUIREMENTS (Certified check or other security of _% required with BID

SUBMITTAL – BID BOND FORM PROVIDED)

PERFORMANCE BOND- UPON AWARD OF CONTRACT

PAYMENT BOND- UPON AWARD OF CONTRACT

X CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE

X W-9

LEGAL NOTICE

X CONTRACTOR AFFIDAVIT & AGREEMENT (E-VERIFY)

X SUB-CONTRACTOR AFFIDAVIT & AGREEMENT (E-VERIFY) (if applicable)

X GEORGIA PROFESSIONAL LICENCE CERTIFICATIONS

X LIST OF SUB-CONTRACTORS (if applicable)

X ATTACHMENTS

X RECEIPT OF ADDENDA IF ANY

SECTION I

INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

1.1 PURPOSE:

The purpose of this document is to provide general and specific information for use in submitting a proposal to supply Effingham County with services as described herein. All proposals are governed by the Code of Effingham County, and the laws of the State of Georgia. Any contract and/or agreement and any addendums to it that result from this RFP shall be governed by the laws of Georgia, with venue in

Effingham County.

1.2 HOW TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS:

All proposals shall be:

A. Submitted in sealed opaque package (envelope or box as necessary), plainly marked with the RFP number and title, date and time of submission, and company name.

B. Mailed or delivered in sufficient time to ensure receipt by the Purchasing Agent on or before the time and date specified above.

Hand Delivery and Mailing Address:

Effingham County Purchasing Agent, 804 South Laurel Street, Springfield, Georgia, 31329.

C. Please check the County’s website www.effinghamcounty.org prior to submission for any addendum to the RFP

PROPOSALS NOT RECEIVED BY THE TIME AND DATE SPECIFIED WILL NOT BE

OPENED OR CONSIDERED.

1.3 HOW TO SUBMIT AN OBJECTION:

Objections from Vendors to this request for proposal and/or these specifications should be brought to the attention of the County Purchasing Agent either verbally at the pre-proposal meeting, or in writing at least two (2) days prior to pre-proposal meeting. The objections contemplated may pertain to form and/or substance of the request for proposal documents. Failure to object in accordance with the above procedure will constitute a waiver on the part of the business to protest this request for proposal.

1.4 ERRORS IN PROPOSALS:

Vendors or their authorized representatives are expected to fully inform themselves as to the conditions, requirements, and specifications before submitting proposals. Failure to do so will be at the Vendor’s own risk.

1.5 STANDARDS FOR ACCEPTANCE OF VENDORS FOR CONTRACT AWARD:

The County expressly reserves the right in its sole judgement, to accept or reject any or all proposals received as the result of this RFP with or without cause and to waive any technicalities or irregularities in proposals received whenever such rejection or waiver is in the best interest of the County. The County reserves the right to reject the offer of a Vendor who has previously failed to perform properly or complete on time contracts of a similar nature, or an offer from a Vendor whom investigation shows is not in a position to perform the contract. The County reserves the right to accept, reject, and/or negotiate any and all proposals or parts of proposals deemed by the Board to be in the best interest of citizens of Effingham

County. The County may request re-proposals should it be deemed in its best interest to do so. Until such time as a contract is executed with successful proposers, the County may cancel all or any part of this RFP. The County reserves the right to lease and/or purchase more or less of each item or service at the unit price offered in the Vendor's system, unless the Vendor specifically and explicitly limits the response in this regard. The County reserves the right to negotiate with vendors regarding variations to the original proposal(s) that may be in the best interest of the County.

1.6 VENDOR:

Whenever the term "vendor" is used it shall encompass the "person," "business," "firm," or other party submitting a proposal to Effingham County in such capacity before a contract has been entered into between such party and the County. At times throughout this request for proposal the term “vendor” may be used interchangeably with the terms “contractor”, “proposer” and “bidder”.

1.7 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS:

The Vendor shall obtain and maintain all licenses, permits, liability insurance, workman's compensation insurance and comply with any and all other standards or regulations required by Federal, State or County statute, ordinances and rules during the performance of any contract between the Vendor and the County.

Any such requirement specifically set forth in any contract document between the Vendor and the County shall be supplementary to this section and not in substitution thereof.

1.8 COUNTY:

Whenever the term "County" or "Owner" is used it is to refer to the Effingham County Board of Commissioners.

1.9 DEBARRED FIRMS AND PENDING LITIGATION:

Any potential Vendor/firm listed on the Federal or State of Georgia Parties Listing (barred from doing business) will not be considered for contract award. Vendors shall disclose any record of pending criminal violations (indictment) and/or convictions, pending lawsuits, etc., and any actions that may be a conflict of interest occurring within the past five (5) years.

Proposals will not be accepted from any company, firm, person, party or parent subsidiary, against which Effingham County has an outstanding claim, or financial dispute relating to prior contract performance. If the County, at any time, discovers such a dispute during any point of evaluation, the proposal will not be considered further. Any Vendor/firm previously defaulting or terminating a contract with the County will not be considered.

Vendor acknowledges that in performing contract work for the County, Vendor shall not utilize any firms that have been a party to any of the above actions. If Vendor has engaged any firm to work on this contract or project that is later debarred, Vendor shall sever its relationship with the firm with respect to County contract.

** All Vendors are to read and complete the Vendors certification regarding debarment, suspension, ineligibility, and voluntary exclusion enclosed as Disclosure of Responsibility - ATTACHMENT D to be returned with response. Failure to do so may result in your proposal being rejected as non-responsive.

1.10 IMMIGRATION:

On 1 July 2009, the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act (SB 529, Section 2) became effective. All employers, contractors and subcontractors entering into a contract or performing work must sign an affidavit that he/she has used the E-Verify System. E-Verify is a no-cost federal employment verification system to insure employment eligibility. Affidavits are enclosed in this solicitation. You may download M-274 Handbook for Employers at http://www.dol.state.ga.us/spotlight/employment/rules. You may go to http://www.uscis.gov to find the E-Verify information.

** All Vendors are to read and complete the E-Verify affidavit enclosed as ATTACHMENT E to be returned with response. Failure to do so may result in your solicitation response being rejected as non-responsive.

http://www.dol.state.ga.us/spotlight/employment/rules http://www.uscis.gov/

1.11 PROTECTION OF RESIDENT WORKERS:

Effingham County Board of Commissioners actively supports the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) which includes provisions addressing employment eligibility, employment verification, and nondiscrimination. Under the INA, employers may hire only persons who may legally work in the United States (i.e., citizens and nationals of the U.S.) and aliens authorized to work in the U.S. The employer must verify the identity and employment eligibility of anyone to be hired, which includes completing the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9). The contractor shall establish appropriate procedures and controls so no services or products under the Contract Documents will be performed or manufactured by any worker who is not legally eligible to perform such services or employment.

1.12 RFP SCHEDULE:

Request for Proposal

Date/ Time

Owner issues public advertisement of RFP

Friday, May 20, 2022

MANDATORY pre-proposal meeting/site visit

2.00pm (EST) Friday, June 17, 2022

Deadline for submission of written questions

5.00pm (EST) Monday, June 20, 2022

Addendum issued and posted online at www.effinghamcounty.org

5.00pm (EST) Friday, June 24, 2022

Deadline for submission of Proposals

11.00am (EST) Friday, July 8, 2022

Bid and Contract to Board of Commissioners

(TENTATIVE)

Tuesday, August 2, 2022

SECTION II

GENERAL CONDITIONS

2.1 SPECIFICATIONS:

Any obvious error or omission in the specifications shall not inure to the benefit of the Vendor but shall put the Vendor on notice to inquire of or identify the same to the County.

2.2 GEORGIA OPEN RECORDS ACT:

The responses will become part of the County's official files without any obligation on the County's part.

Ownership of all data, materials, and documentation prepared for and submitted to Effingham County in response to a solicitation, regardless of type, shall belong exclusively to Effingham County and will be considered a record prepared, maintained or received in the course of operations of public office or agency and is subject to public inspection in accordance with the Georgia Open Records Act. Official Code of

Georgia Annotated, Section 50-18-070, et.Seq. unless otherwise provided by law. The Georgia Open

Records Act is applicable to the records of all contractors and subcontractors under contract with the

County. This applies to those specific contracts currently in effect and those which have been completed or closed up to three (3) years following completion.

2.3 GEORGIA TRADE SECRET ACT OF 1990:

In the event that a Vendor submits secret information to the County, the information must be clearly labeled as a "Trade Secret". The County will maintain the confidentiality of such trade secrets to the extent provided by law.

2.4 OFFERS TO BE FIRM:

The Vendor warrants that terms and conditions quoted in his offer will be firm for acceptance for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of proposal submittal. Fees quoted must also be firm for a ninety (90) day period.

2.5 COMPLETENESS:

All information required by the request for proposal must be completed and submitted to constitute a proper proposal. The County shall have sole discretion in evaluating qualifications and responses of

Vendors. Vendor acknowledges that in performing a contract for the Board, Vendor shall not utilize any firms that have been a party to any of the actions listed in paragraph 1.9. If Vendor has engaged any firm to work on this contract or project that is later debarred, Vendor shall sever its relationship with that firm with respect to the Board’s contract.

2.6 MULTIPLE PROPOSALS:

No Vendor will be allowed to submit more than one offer. Any alternate proposals must be brought to the

Purchasing Agent's attention during the Pre-proposal meeting if one is scheduled, or submitted in writing at least five (5) days preceding the date for submission of proposals.

2.7 PATENT IDEMNITY:

Except as otherwise provided, the successful Vendor agrees to indemnify Effingham County and its officers, agents and employees against liability.

2.8 QUALIFICATION OF BUSINESS (RESPONSIBLE VENDOR):

A responsible Vendor is defined as one who meets all requirements of the RFP. Effingham County has the right to require any or all Vendors to submit documentation of their ability to perform, provide or carry out the service as requested herein and to disqualify the proposal of any Vendor as being unresponsive or un-responsible whenever such Vendor cannot.

2.9 CERTIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT PRICE DETERMINATION:

By submission of this proposal, the Vendor certifies, and in the case of a joint proposal each party thereto as to its own organization, that in connection with this procurement:

A. The prices in this proposal have been arrived at independently, without consultation, communication, or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other Vendor or with any competitor;

B. Unless otherwise required by law, the prices which have been quoted in this proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the Vendor and will not knowingly be disclosed by the Vendor prior to opening, directly or indirectly to any other competitor; and;

C. No attempt has been made or will be made by the Vendor to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose or restricting competition.

2.10 AWARD OF CONTRACT:

The contract, if awarded, will be awarded to the responsible Vendor whose proposal will be most advantageous to Effingham County, price and other factors considered. The Board of Commissioners will make the determination as to which proposal best serves the interests of Effingham County. Appeal of an award can only be made after the Board of Commissioners award a contract.

2.11 INSURANCE PROVISIONS:

The selected Vendor shall be required to procure and maintain for the duration of the contract insurance against claims for injuries to persons or damages to property which may arise from or in connection with the performance of the work hereunder by the Vendor, his agents, representatives, employees or subcontractors. The cost of such insurance shall be included in the Vendor's fee proposal. Contract work will not proceed unless Effingham County has in their possession, a current Certificate of Insurance.

Effingham County invokes the defense of sovereign immunity. The County is not to be included as an additional insured on insurance contracts.

A. General Information that shall appear on a Certificate of Insurance:

1. Name of Producer (contractor's insurance Broker/Agent).

2. Companies affording coverage (there may be several).

3. Name and address of the Insured (this should be the Company or Parent of the firm Effingham

County is contracting with).

4. A Summary of all current insurance for the insured (includes effective dates of coverage).

5. A brief description of the operations to be performed, the specific job to be performed, or contract number.

6. Certificate Holder (This is to always include Effingham County).

2.12 LIMITS OF INSURANCE:

Effective coverage shall have the following limits:

A. Commercial General Liability: Provides protection against bodily injury and property damage claims arising from operations of a contractor or tenant. Minimum limits:

$1,000,000 bodily injury and property damage per occurrence and annual aggregate.

B. Worker's Compensation and Employer’s Liability: Provides statutory protection against bodily injury, sickness or disease sustained by employees of the contractor while performing within the scope of duties. Minimum limits: $500,000 for each accident, disease policy limit, and disease each employee and Statutory Worker’s Compensation limit.

C. Business Automobile Liability: Coverage insures against liability claims arising out of the contractor’s use of automobiles. Minimum limit: $1,000,000 combined single limit per accident for bodily injury, property damage, and should be written on an “Any Auto” basis.

2.13 SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS:

A. Claims-Made Coverage: The limits of liability shall remain the same as the occurrence basis, however, the Retroactive date shall be prior to or coincident with the date of any contract, and the Certificate of Insurance shall state the retroactive date and the coverage is claims-made.

B. Extended Reporting Periods: The contractor shall provide the County with a notice of the election to initiate any Supplemental Extended Reporting Period and the reason(s) for invoking this option.

C. Reporting Provisions: Any failure to comply with reporting provisions of the policies shall not affect coverage provided in relation to this invitation.

D. Cancellation/Non-Renewal Notification: Each insurance policy supplied in response to this invitation shall be endorsed to state that it shall not be suspended, voided, or canceled, except after thirty (30) days prior to written notice by certified mail, return receipt, has been given to the County.

E. Proof of Insurance: Effingham County shall be furnished with certificates of insurance and original endorsements affecting coverage required by this invitation. The certificates and endorsements are to be signed by a person authorized by the insurer to bind coverage on its behalf. All certificates of insurance are to be submitted prior to, and approved by, the County before services are rendered. The Vendor must ensure Certificates of Insurance are updated for the entire term of the Contract.

F. Insurer Acceptability: Insurance is to be placed with an insurer having an A.M. Best's rating of A and a five (5) year average financial rating of not less than V. If an insurer does not qualify for averaging on a five year basis, the current total Best's rating will be used to evaluate insurer acceptability.

G. Lapse in Coverage: A lapse in coverage shall constitute grounds for contract termination by Effingham County Board of Commissioners.

H. Deductible and Self-Insured Retention: Any deductibles or self-insured retention must be declared to, and approved by, the County. At the option of the County, either: the insurer shall reduce or eliminate such deductibles or self-insured retention as related to the County, its officials, officers, employees, and volunteers; or the Vendor shall procure a bond guaranteeing payment of related suits, losses, claims and related investigation, claim administration and defense expenses.

2.14 ADDITIONAL COVERAGE FOR SPECIFIC PROCUREMENT PROJECTS;

A. Professional Liability: Insure errors or omission on behalf of architects, engineers, attorneys, medical professionals, and consultants.

Minimum Limits: $1,000,000 per claim/occurrence.

Coverage Requirement: If “claims made,” retroactive date must precede or coincide with the contract effective date or the date of the Notice to Proceed. The professional must state if “tail” coverage has been purchased and the duration of the coverage.

B. Builder’s Risk: (for Construction or Installation Contracts) Covers against insured perils while in the course of construction.

Minimum Limits: All-risk coverage equal 100% of contract value.

Coverage requirements: Occupancy clause – permits Effingham County Board of Commissioners to use the facility prior to issuance of Notice of Substantial Completion.

2.15 INDEMNIFICATION:

The CONTRACTOR agrees to protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Effingham County, Georgia, its commissioners, officers, agents, and employees from and against any and all liability, damages, claims, suits, liens, and judgments, of whatever nature, including claims for contribution and/or indemnification, for injuries to or death of any person or persons, or damage to the property or other rights of any person or persons caused by the CONTRACTOR or its subcontractors. The CONTRACTOR'S obligation to protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless, as set forth herein above shall include, but not be limited to, any matter arising out of any actual or alleged infringement of any patent, trademark, copyright, or service mark, or any actual or alleged unfair competition, disparagement of product or service, or other business tort of any type whatsoever, or any actual or alleged violation of trade regulations. CONTRACTOR further agrees to investigate, handle, respond to, provide defense for, and to protect, defend, indemnify, and hold harmless Effingham County, Georgia, at his sole expense, and agrees to bear all other costs and expenses related thereto, even if such claims, suits, etc., are groundless, false, or fraudulent, including any and all claims or liability for compensation under the Worker's Compensation Act arising out of injuries sustained by any employee of the CONTRACTOR or his subcontractors or anyone directly or indirectly employed by any of them. The CONTRACTOR'S obligation to indemnify Effingham County under this Section shall not be limited in any way by the agreed-upon contract price, or to the scope and amount of coverage provided by any insurance maintained by the CONTRACTOR.

2.16 INTERPRETING SPECIFICATION:

The specifications or scope of services contained herein are intended to be descriptive rather than restrictive. The County is soliciting a proposal to provide a complete product or service package which meets all requirements. Changes in the scope of services, specifications, or terms and conditions of the RFP will be made in writing by the County prior to the proposal opening or due date. Results of informal meetings between a potential Vendor and a County official or employee may not be used as a basis for deviations from the requirements contained in this solicitation.

2.17 SIGNED RESPONSE CONSIDERED AN OFFER:

The signed Response shall be considered an offer on the part of the Vendor, which offer shall be deemed accepted upon approval by the Effingham County Board of Commissioners, or their designee. In case of a default on the part of the Vendor after such acceptance, Effingham County may take such action as it deems appropriate, including legal action for damages or lack of required performance.

2.18 PAYMENT TO CONSULTANTS:

A. Questions regarding payment may be directed to the Effingham County Finance Department, at (912)

754-8057.

B. Effingham County is a tax exempt entity. Every contractor, vendor, business or person under contract with Effingham County is required by Georgia law to pay State sales or use taxes for products purchased in Georgia or transported into Georgia and sold to Effingham County by contract. Please consult the State of Georgia, Department of Revenue, Sales and Use Tax Unit in Atlanta (404) 656-4065 for additional information.

2.19 VENDOR DEFAULT:

In case of Vendor default, the County will provide a letter of official notice of non-performance. If the issue(s) are not remedied 30 days from receipt of said notice, the County reserves the right to procure services from other sources.

2.20 RESTRICTIVE OR AMBIGUOUS SPECIFICATIONS OR REQUIREMENTS:

It is the responsibility of the prospective Proposer to review the entire request for proposal (RFP) packet and to notify the Purchasing Department if the specifications are formulated in a manner that would unnecessarily restrict competition. Any such protest or question regarding the specifications or bidding procedures must be received in the Purchasing Department not less than seventy-two (72) hours prior to the time set for proposal opening.

2.21 MERGERS:

If a selected firm is sold or merged with another investment organization, the County will consider the contract binding regardless of any name changes. If there is a conflict of interest, the County reserves the right to terminate said contract.

INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK

The undersigned Vendor certifies that he/she has carefully read the preceding list of instructions and all other data applicable hereto and made a part of this invitation; and, further certifies that the prices shown in his/her proposal are in accordance with all documents contained in this request for proposal package, and that any exception taken thereto may disqualify his/her proposal.

This is to certify that I, the undersigned Vendor, have read the instructions to Vendor and agree to be bound by the provisions of the same.

This _______day of_____________________________20 _________ .

BY: _________________________________________________

SIGNATURE

PRINTED NAME AND TITLE

COMPANY

ADDRESS

PHONE NO.

SECTION III

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

3.1 DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES

The Effingham County Board of Commissioners is seeking a qualified vendor to provide new

Audio/Video Technology Solution for the Effingham County Judicial Complex.

Effingham County Judicial Complex currently has two Superior Courtrooms located on the 3rd Floor, one State Courtroom, and one Magistrate Courtroom located on the 2nd Floor, along with a Grand Jury room and Community room located on the 1st Floor. The Community room will be used as an overflow room for the courtrooms. The audio / video systems in both Superior courtrooms and the State courtroom are very similar to each other and are described in Current Systems below. The magistrate courtroom currently only has an audio system and a TV mounted on the wall with an HDMI input. The audio / video systems in the Grand Jury room and Community room are very similar to each other and are described in

Current Systems below. All rooms A/V systems currently are independent of each other and have no interconnect features.

The Effingham County Judicial Complex A/V systems have been in service for over ten years and are in need of replacement with upgrades. In addition, there is a need for streaming technology related to recent concerns over social distancing while still meeting mandates for public access to court proceedings.

Effingham County is looking to replace and upgrade the A/V systems in all four Courtrooms and the

Community / Overflow Room. (The A/V system in the Grand Jury Room is not part of this RFP but will be upgraded at a future time.) The new systems will need to have similar features and requirements as the current systems plus the ability to selectably interconnect to the Community / Overflow room for live viewing of court proceedings. Each system will need to be able to independently stream audio and video live to either YouTube or Vimeo along with the ability to web conference court proceedings using Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Web-EX for remote participation.

Detailed Requirements will be listed in the Technical Specifications Section Below.

Current Systems:

Currently the audio video systems in both Superior courtrooms and the State courtroom are very similar and contain the following features:

Audio Systems

The courtroom audio systems consist of several components, including: microphones, overhead speakers, in desk mounted speakers, and an infra-red hearing impaired reinforcement system, auxiliary audio inputs, and an audio / video conferencing / media PC, along with audio outputs to a digital recording system for the court reporter. There was a CD / DVD player, cassette player, and VCR attached to the system as inputs for evidence but were replaced with the PC within the last couple of years.

Gooseneck microphones are located at the judge, clerk, and witness benches, as well as both counsel tables, lectern, and jury area (X3). There are also area microphones (x2-3) hanging in the Gallery for jury selection. A sidebar microphone is located at the judges bench which is recorded but not played over the speakers. A four channel wireless microphone system with two handheld microphones and two lapel microphones was added a year ago.

Overhead Speakers are located throughout the courtroom, an in desk speaker is mounted at the judge, clerk, and witness benches with a volume control for each. The Clerk can control sound volume and audio input from a control panel at the bench, there is also a control panel at the lectern for input selection and volume control. The judge has a mute button at the bench to mute all audio output in the courtroom.

Each courtroom is equipped with hearing impaired systems. These systems transmit audio via infrared technology to headsets. Headset users hear a sound enhanced version of all court proceedings.

Auxiliary audio inputs are located at the lectern and floor boxes under each counsel desk. These all use a

3.5mm stereo audio jacks.

Video Systems

The courtroom has video displays on the judge, clerk, and witness benches, as well as both counsel tables, lectern, and jury area (X3). The input to these displays are selected from the control panels located at the clerk bench and lectern. Inputs available are A/V - media PC in lectern, Elmo Doc-cam, and VGA inputs located at the lectern, and floor boxes at counsel tables. All VGA inputs are limited to 1024X768 resolution due to the video switching equipment capabilities along with some of the monitors.

There was a DVD player and VCR attached to the system as inputs for evidence but were replaced with the A/V - Media PC within the last couple of years.

The Elmo Document Camera allows council to project an image (such as evidence, text documents, etc.)

onto the video displays. The document camera is located at the lectern in a pull out drawer.

The judge has a video mute button at the bench to mute all video output in the courtroom other than the judges bench.

There is one Display cart which can be moved between courtrooms as needed. The display cart has a 65" flat screen TV with HDMI input connections and a laptop connected to it. This laptop also has a camera and microphone for video conferencing using web based solutions (Zoom, WebEx, Teams).

Audio / Video Teleconferencing

The PC that is located in the Lectern is used for audio / video conferencing using web based solutions

(Zoom, WebEx, Teams) along with media presentation in the courtroom. It is a Windows 10 based PC with a CD/DVD drive, USB inputs for Media, and has a web-cam attached for video input. It receives audio input from the courtroom audio system so that anyone on a A/V conference can hear what is said in the courtroom microphones. The audio out from the PC feeds into the courtroom audio system so that any audio can be heard in the courtroom. The Video output from the PC feeds into the courtroom video system and can be displayed on all of the courtroom displays.

There are PC's at the Judge and clerks desk with web-cams so that the judge can be seen on the A/V conference and so that the conference can be controlled by the clerk. The main downfall with this is both of these PC's have to mute their audio outputs and inputs to prevent ringing and they must sign into the video conference that the lectern PC is signed into.

Because of the courtroom bench layout there are two webcams in front of the witness, one for the judge and one for the clerk so the witness can be seen on their PC's.

Annotation System

One Courtroom had a Point Maker Annotation System connected to the lectern and witness displays. This allowed Council and witness to superimpose drawings or notes on what evidence was being displayed in the courtroom. No one used this system for several years and it was found to be non-functioning several years ago.

Technical Breakdown Notes

There is an Audio / Video cabinet (about 36") in a separate room next to the courtroom that houses the equipment and has all of the connectivity for the courtroom. This rack contains the audio matrix and amplifier, video switching unit and video distribution amplifiers, and system control module. All cabling to all locations in the courtroom home run to this room.

Several display monitors in the courtroom do not have AC power at their location and are fed DC out of the audio / video room. AC receptacles will need to be installed at those monitor locations to power newer monitors.

The current system is wired and configured to be able to rearrange the courtroom but has never been utilized. There are three locations for the lectern and two locations for the court recorder. This flexibility will not be needed in the new system.

The magistrate courtroom currently only has an audio system. They do have a TV mounted on the wall with an HDMI input, and the Judge and clerk have a PC.

The audio system in this courtroom has a few microphones, a manually adjusted mixer / amplifier, and speakers in the ceiling. There is no rack for the audio system here.

The audio video systems in the Grand Jury room and Community room are very similar and contain the following features:

Audio Systems

The audio systems consist of several components, including: wireless microphone, overhead speakers, and auxiliary audio input. There is a CD / DVD player and VCR attached to the system as inputs for evidence and training.

Video Systems

The room has an overhead video projector. The input to this display is selected from the control panel located on the wall. Inputs available are DVD / VHS player and VGA inputs located on the wall. All

VGA inputs are limited to 1024X768 resolution due to the video equipment capabilities.

Technical Breakdown Notes

There is an Audio / Video cabinet (about 36") in the corner of the room that houses the equipment and has all of the connectivity for the room.

Scope of Work

Effingham County is requesting proposals from qualified firms interested in providing turn-key A/V solution that includes all wiring, equipment, Maintenance, Support, Documentation, Training and

Warranty. This system will replace / upgrade our current A/V systems in the County Judicial Complex

Courtrooms and overflow rooms and must be reliable. Training given must be both for user and technical.

Service contract with onsite technician with a one-hour response time Monday – Friday 8AM to 5PM during down times.

Technical Specifications

A/V Solution Specifications

A/V solutions should have the following specifications at a minimum:

General Items

Uninterruptible Power Supply for Equipment rack to prevent damage to the equipment from power issues and to allow the system to be shut down properly.

New Audio / Video Rack for Magistrate Courtroom.

Backup copy of system programming or configurations if available turned over to the county.

Courtrooms – Each Courtroom shall include the following features / functions:

Video Presentation system:

A physical evidence presentation system at Podium location similar to doc-cam. This will allow presentation of evidence whether paper documents or other physical evidence.

Simplified Audio / Video presentation system connection for displaying evidence from any device brought into the courtroom EX: laptop, tablet, phone whether Windows, Apple, or Android based. (such as Barco ClickShare)

HDMI input at Podium location

HDMI input at Judge or Clerk Location

Newer Technology Displays in the courtroom with better resolution and automatic selection.

o 22” minimum video Annotation displays and system at Podium and Witness Locations for marking up on displayed presented material.

o 24” minimum video monitors at Defense, Prosecution, Clerk, and Judge o Four (4) 24” minimum video monitors mounted to Jury knee wall o Two (2) 55” minimum ceiling or wall mounted displays at Gallery for viewing in the

Gallery.

All new video system components and related equipment and wiring as required.

Audio Systems:

New microphones at all current locations with four wireless microphones for counsel with feedback control.

o Judge o Sidebar o Prosecution o Defense o Witness o Podium o Clerk o Jury ( 2) o Gallery (3)

Multi zone distributed loudspeakers

ADA compliant systems for hearing and visually impaired people and for language interpretation and assistive listening. This would include headphones for sound enhanced audio or court interpreter along with captioning / subtitle system so that audio can be read.

Digital recorder with the capability to export for records audio of the courtroom at court recorder location. such as (Tascam)

Court recorder’s connection panel

All new audio system components and related equipment and wiring as required.

Streaming, Conferencing, Overflow:

Web / Tele conferencing capabilities for remote court with selectable camera views of judge, witness, and counsel. Preferably auto selecting based on who is speaking with manual override.

o Web Conferencing, ability to work with Zoom, Microsoft TEAMS and WebEx for remote participation.

o Would be nice to have a Cisco - Web-Ex system tied into the system for teleconferencing with the State Department of Corrections.

Ability to stream live to YouTube or Vimeo

Audio / Video System Feeds and Camera Feeds for Overflow room and News.

Audio and Video recording system with the capability to export for records pictures, video, and audio of the courtroom.

Two (2) HD Pan/Tilt/Zoom Cameras (Facing court & facing podium) to be tied into conferencing and video feeds.

Control Systems:

10” minimum touch control panel at clerks’ desk for remote control

Source selection interface at Podium

Master mute and sidebar control at Judge Bench

Network interface for remote support and control

Simplified control and use of Audio / Video System, (volume and input control, A/V system mutes, recording, power).

Magistrate Courtroom will NOT have due to not having a Jury or Gallery area.

Microphones for:

o Gallery (3) o Jury ( 2)

Four (4) 24” minimum video monitors mounted to Jury knee wall

Two (2) 55” minimum ceiling or wall mounted displays at Gallery.

HDMI input at Judge or Clerk Location

Community / Overflow Room

Selectable Ability to Live Stream Audio / Video from all 4 Courtrooms.

Ability to have a standalone presentation system that includes.

o Simplified Audio / Video presentation system connection for displaying from any device brought into the room EX: laptop, tablet, phone whether Windows, Apple, or Android based. (such as Barco Clickshare) o HDMI input at Podium location o Web / Tele conferencing capabilities with a camera and room microphone.

o New wireless microphones with feedback control.

Two newer technology displays in the room with better resolution and automatic selection. One should display courtroom video stream, the other should display what is on the courtroom screens.

10” minimum touch control panel for Source selection and control at Podium location

Network interface for remote support and control

All new audio / video system components and related equipment and wiring as required.

Integration and Scalability

It is the contractor’s responsibility to inspect the existing conditions and propose a solution that meets the requirements specified above.

A/V Solution Proposal

The contractor shall supply with their bid a full narrative description of the proposed solution along with a complete bill of materials and signal flow diagrams for video, audio, and remote control.

Administration/Management of A/V Equipment

The proposed solution should describe the administration/management interface that will be used to manage the AV systems

Support and Maintenance

The County requires a minimum of 5-years support and onsite support with the option to continue annual support after the 1-year period has ended. The vendor should provide a detailed description of standard and extended support, maintenance, and the average response time for a support request.

Service Provider

Please state the name of the company which will be delivering service and on-site support for this solution. If service has been outsourced to another firm, how long has this relationship been in effect?

Product History

Please provide a technical roadmap for the proposed solutions. How does the proposed solution fit into the vendor’s current product lifecycle?

Please provide a list of policies on firmware updates for the proposed solution. How often are changes released? How is the customer notified about changes? How are they applied?

Engagement Methodology

Effingham County is looking for a turn-key solution. The vendor will be responsible for any hardware, any necessary cable runs, installation of equipment, programming and tuning of the installed systems. The vendor will be responsible for coordinating with the County’s Network Administrator in configuring the networking equipment to work with the existing LAN.

Required Qualifications

Responses to this RFP should demonstrate the proposing firm/team has qualifications and experience completing similar projects for local governments. A minimum of three similar projects should have been completed in the last 5 years. Heavy consideration will be given to the relevant experience and qualifications of the project manager and other team members.

Statement of Qualifications

Effingham County assumes no obligation in this general solicitation of Statement of Qualifications and all costs and expenses of responding to this RFP shall be borne by the interested firms or individuals.

Firms must submit one original and one copy of their Statement of Qualifications package that contains the following sections.

Letter of Commitment The Letter of Commitment should be addressed to:

Alison Bruton, Purchasing Agent

804 S. Laurel Street

Springfield, GA 31329

The letter should identify the firm and contact person as well as other firms (if any) included on the team. The letter must identify the proposed project manager and other key staff and commit them to the contract if the team is selected. The letter must also state the Statement of

Qualifications shall remain in effect and will not be withdrawn for 90 days from the due date.

Project Approach This project requires a specific expertise and experience to complete. This section should provide a general overview as to how the team has completed other similar projects and how the team plans to accomplish this project. A typical project scope should be included in this section.

Qualifications/Relevant Experience

This section of the Statement of Qualifications should have a brief overview of the firm and any sub-consultants. It should also include a minimum of three similar projects completed in the last

5 years and a maximum of five similar project completed in the last 5 years. Please provide reference information with each project provided. This section should be no longer than 8 pages.

Key Staff

Resumes for the proposed project manager and other key team members should be provided in this section. Resumes should be limited to one page with the exception of the project manager which can be two pages. An organizational chart for the team can be included in this section listing the assignments of each key staff member.

3.2 ACCEPTANCE AND EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS:

The County shall evaluate all proposals submitted to the RFP. All technical requirements, unless otherwise specified, must be met by the Vendor or such proposal will be disqualified as being non-responsive. Proposals that are deemed to be incomplete as to substance and content may be returned without further consideration.

3.3 FEE PROPOSAL:

Provide a completed Fee Proposal (ATTACHMENT A).

3.4 PROPOSAL DEADLINE:

The response to the request for proposal must be received by the Effingham County Purchasing Office no later than 11.00am (Eastern Time) Friday, July 8, 2022. Any proposal received after the time and date stipulated will be rejected and returned to the Vendor. The County may, for good and sufficient reason, extend the response deadline, in which case all potential Vendors will receive an addendum setting forth the new date.

3.5 WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL:

Effingham County Board of Commissioners reserves the right to withdraw the RFP in whole or in part, at any time and for any reason. Submission of a proposal confers no rights upon the vendor nor obligates the Board of Commissioners in any manner. Effingham County Board of Commissioners reserves the right to award no agreement and to solicit additional offers at a later date.

Vendor proposal may be withdrawn by written REQUEST received by the County before the time fixed for receipt of proposals

3.6 CONFIDENTIALITY OF DOCUMENTS:

Upon receipt of a proposal by the County the proposal shall become the property of the County without compensation to the Vendor, for disposition or usage by the County at its discretion. Due to the fact that the proposals will be subject to review for accurate qualifications, only the respondent names who submit proposals to this RFP and the total bid price will be read aloud publicly. The details and particulars of the proposal documents will remain confidential until final award of the contract.

3.7 MINIMUM CRITERIA USED TO DETERMINE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH PROPOSER:

The following criteria will be used, as a minimum, to determine the responsibility of each Proposer:

A. Does the Proposer demonstrate an understanding of the County's needs and proposed approach to the project, and possess the ability, capacity, skill, and financial resources to provide the service?

B. Can the Proposer take upon himself the responsibilities set forth in the RFP and the resultant contract and produce the required outcomes in a timely manner?

C. Has the Proposer performed satisfactorily in previous contracts of similar size and scope; or if the Proposer has not performed a contract of similar size and scope, has it, and/or it's team members otherwise demonstrated its capability to perform the contract that the County seeks to establish through this RFP?

D. Has the Proposer declared bankruptcy within the past 10 years?

3.8 EVALUATION CRITERIA

All submittals will be evaluated from the written responses to the requirements set forth in this request.

The evaluations will be based on the following criteria.

1. Relevant Experience with the design of similar projects 30 Points

2. Project Approach 20 Points

3. Project Team (including sub-consultants) 10 Points

4. Tech Support 20 Points

5. Fee Proposal 20 Points

Evaluations will be made by a selection committee which could consist of project staff, elected officials and possibly other representatives designated by the owner. The selection committee will receive and review the proposals submitted in response to this request. Proposals will be evaluated against the above set of weighted criteria to determine those firms most qualified for this project.

3.9 FORMAT OF RESPONSES:

To be considered, Vendors must submit a complete response to the request for proposals. Proposals are to be submitted in 8½” x 11” size, typed or printed in ink and bound with a simple method of fastening.

Lengthy narratives are discouraged; presentations should be brief and concise and not include extraneous or unnecessarily elaborate promotional material.

Each proposal must be submitted in one (1) original and one (1) paper copy and one (1) electronic copy on a flash drive bound to:

Effingham County Purchasing Department Alison Bruton, Purchasing Agent

804 S Laurel Street Springfield, GA. 31329

3.10 COST TO PREPARE RESPONSES:

The County assumes no responsibility or obligation to the Vendors and will make no payment for any costs associated with the preparation or submission of the proposal.

3.11 SELECTION:

The County will select a firm which provides the most favorable combination of experience, qualifications, management and proven ability to produce deliverables “on time and within budget”

SECTION IV

SPECIAL CONDITIONS

4.1 STATEMENT OF DISCLOSURE:

All Vendors must provide a statement of disclosure (ATTACHMENT D) which will allow the County to evaluate possible conflicts of interest.

Interests of Public Officials.

The vendor warrants for itself and any subcontractor that no elected…