RFP 23_11 Managed Networking Service Provider.pdf

Request for Proposals - RFP 23-11

Networking Services Provider

Issue Date: Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Questions due by: Friday, January 5, 2024, at noon.

Proposal Due Date: Thursday, February 1st, 2024, at 2 p.m.

Phase 1 should begin no later than March 1, 2024.

RFP 23-11

Table of Contents 1 Introduction

2 General Information

2.1 Background

2.2 Purpose of Procurement

3 Scope of Work

3.1 General Requirements

3.2 Phase 1 - Network Assessment

3.3 Phase 2 – Planning New Network Design

3.4 Phase 3 – Deployment and Cutover to New Network

3.4.1 Network Mapping Support

3.5 Phase 4 – Ongoing Management and Network Engineer Support

3.5.1 Quarterly Report

3.6 Current Environment Overview

3.6.1 Connectivity:

3.6.2 Users and Devices:

3.6.3 Hardware purchased

3.7 Additional Considerations

3.8 Preferable Features

3.9 Value Added Products and Services

4 Proposal Format

4.1 Economy of Presentation

4.2 Proposal Submission

4.2.1 Technical Proposal

4.2.2 Cost Proposal

4.3 Proposal Content

4.3.1 Technical Proposal Content

4.3.2 Cost Proposal Content

5 Evaluation Criteria

5.1 Scoring

5.1.1 Mandatory Elements (Maximum 100 Points)

5.1.2 Vendor Explanation of Phase 1, 2, 3, and 4 from Scope of Work (200 points)

5.1.3 Proposal Organization and Detailed Responses (50 points)

5.1.4 Example Project Plan for a Network Redesign (25 points)

5.1.5 Company and Staff Qualifications (25 points)

5.1.6 References (50 points)

5.2 Cost Proposal Fee (50 points)

5.3 Interviews, optional (150 points)

Proposal Form

7 Instruction to Bidders

7.1 Intent

7.2 General

7.3 Environmental Sustainability

7.4 Examination of Proposal/Contract Documents

7.5 Addendum(s)-Changes While Proposing

7.6 Preparation of Proposals

7.7 Turnkey Solution and Right to Negotiate Price

7.8 Proposal Guaranty

7.9 Delivery of Proposals

7.10 Communications Regarding Evaluation of Proposals

7.11 Withdrawal of Proposals

7.12 Disqualification of Bidders

7.13 Rejection of Irregular Proposals

7.14 Notice of Intent to Award Contract

7.15 Responsibility of Bidders

7.16 Guaranty of Faithful Performance

7.17 Power of Attorney and Countersignature

7.18 Execution of Contract

7.19 Georgia Sale Tax

7.20 Subcontracts

7.21 Familiarity with Laws

7.22 Security

7.23 Minority and Woman Business Enterprise (“MWBE”) Participation

7.24 Local Developing Business (“LDB”) Participation

7.25 Insurance

7.26 Proposal Errors

7.27 Compliance with Occupational Safety and Health Act

7.28 Performance Standard

7.29 No Proposals

7.30 Public Records/Public Meetings

8 General Conditions

8.1 Regulations

8.2 Work Hours

8.3 Contractor’s Personnel

8.4 Performance Requirements

8.5 Confidential Information

8.6 Use of Premises

8.7 Safety and Protection

8.8 Compensation - Invoice and Payment for Services

8.9 Compliance with Laws and Regulations

8.10 Contractor's Liability

8.11 Indemnification and Insurance

8.12 Surety Bonds/Letters of Credit/Liability Insurance

8.13 Contract Adjustments

8.14 Subcontractors

8.15 Default and termination

8.16 City's Authorized Representative

8.17 Assignment

8.18 Ownership of Work

8.19 Notices

8.20 Nondiscrimination

8.21 Copying Documents

8.22 General Provisions

Appendix A - No Response to Request for Proposals

Appendix B - Affidavit

Appendix C –Cost Table

Appendix D –Technical Table

Appendix E – Sample of Vendor Security Questions

Appendix F – Examples of Previous Work with Similar Operations and Clients

Addendum 1 – Questions and Answers

1 Introduction The City of Dunwoody (hereinafter called “the City”) welcomes sealed proposals for Purchasing RFP 23-11 Networking Services Provider. The City will consider managed service providers whose proposals meet the criteria established in the Request for Proposal. The City may directly negotiate final terms with the selected service provider(s). The City reserves the right to reject any or all responses for any reason. The City may also request clarification of information from any responding Contractors. Phase 1 should begin no later than March 1, 2024.

Contractors wishing to bid must submit complete and concise proposals in a sealed package, which shall be clearly marked “John Gates, Purchasing Manager – Confidential RFP 23-11 Networking Services Provider.” Within the proposal package, Bidders shall submit a separately sealed TECHNICAL proposal and separately sealed COST proposal prepared according to the instructions provided in this RFP. The City must receive proposal packages no later than Thursday, February 1st, 2024, at 2 p.m., at which time all technical proposals will be publicly opened. Proposals will not be accepted if sent electronically. The City will not consider proposals received after the time and date specified for the opening; the City will return late proposals unopened. Furthermore, proposals are legal and binding when submitted.

Contractors shall submit all questions regarding Purchasing RFP 23-11 via email only to Purchasing@dunwoodyga.gov no later than Friday, January 5, 2024, at noon. The City will post answers to submitted questions pertaining to this RFP on the Purchasing page of the City’s website.

Proposals should be clearly marked on the outside packaging with “John Gates, Purchasing Manager – Confidential RFP 23-11 Networking Services Provider” and addressed as follows:

John Gates, Purchasing Manager Confidential – RFP 23-11

Networking Services Provider City of Dunwoody

4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Second Floor Dunwoody, GA 30338

Contractors may not withdraw their proposal for a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days after the time and date scheduled (or subsequently rescheduled) for proposal opening. The City’s staff will review all proposals submitted before the required deadline. The City, at its sole discretion, may short-list companies that the City deems best meet the requirements, taking into consideration all criteria listed in the RFP. The City may at its sole discretion, ask for formal presentations from all the responsive, and responsible, Bidders or only from those companies that are short-listed.

To support a non-biased evaluation of submitted proposals, the City is requesting Bidders to submit their proposals in two (2) clearly labeled separate SEALED envelopes. The first envelope shall include the TECHNICAL proposal, containing one (1) printed and signed original and one (1) electronic copy in searchable/printable PDF. The second sealed envelope shall include the COST proposal, containing one (1) original printed copy signed by an authorized representative and one (1) electronic copy.

The technical proposal envelope should only contain the Bidder’s technical response (and must include the Appendix D – Technical Table); the City will not evaluate any additional material. The outside of this envelope must be clearly labeled with the Bidder’s organization name, address, contact information and clearly labeled (RFP) 23-11 Networking Services Provider TECHNICAL Proposal.

The cost proposal envelope should only contain the Bidder’s cost proposal (and must include the Appendix C –Cost Table); the City will not evaluate any additional material. The outside of the cost proposal envelope must be clearly labeled with the Bidder’s organization name, address, contact information and clearly labeled (RFP) 23-11 Networking Services Provider COST Proposal.

All proposals may be subject to public inspection under Georgia law.

The City will score all technical proposals first and then evaluate cost proposals. Following the review of the technical proposals, the City will review Bidders’ cost proposals and calculate the final score for each proposing Bidder. The City reserves the right to review only the cost proposals from the highest ranked vendors who demonstrated, in the City’s opinion, the best ability to meet the needs of the City.

mailto:Purchasing@dunwoodyga.gov

The City may negotiate with the highest-ranking vendor for each service area. Negotiations may take place in person, via zoom teleconference, or via telephone with the qualified company(s) as identified by the City, or if short-listing occurs, the City may negotiate with some, or all, of the short-listed Bidders. The City may give Bidders an opportunity to submit their best and final offers, which shall include a contract signed by the Bidder. The City of Dunwoody requires pricing to remain firm for the duration of the contract. Failure to hold firm pricing for the duration of the contract will be sufficient cause for the City to declare a proposal non-responsive.

The Bidder awarded the Contract must provide proof of liability insurance, along with any other required insurance coverage and evidence of business or occupational license, as outlined in the RFP.

The City reserves the right to waive any informalities or irregularities of proposals, to request clarification or information submitted in any proposal, to request additional information from any Bidder, or to reject any or all proposals and to re-advertise for proposals. The City also reserves the right to extend the date or time scheduled for the opening of proposals. Award, if made, will be to the responsible and responsive Bidder submitting the proposal, deemed by the City, in its sole discretion, to be the most advantageous to the City, price and other factors considered.

To ensure the proper and fair evaluation of proposals, the City prohibits any communication, except as expressly authorized herein regarding this solicitation initiated by a Bidder or its agent to an employee of the City evaluating or considering the proposal during the period of time following the issuance of the RFP, the opening of proposals and prior to the time a final decision (vote) has been made with respect to the Contract award.

A designated employee or representative of the City who is not a member of the selection team may initiate communication with a Bidder to obtain information or clarification needed to develop a proper and accurate evaluation of the proposal. Any communication initiated by Bidder regarding this solicitation during evaluation period should be submitted in writing, marked CONFIDENTIAL and delivered to John Gates, Purchasing Manager, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody GA 30338, or by e-mail to Purchasing@dunwoodyga.gov. Unauthorized communication by the Bidder shall disqualify the Bidder from consideration.

* * * END OF INTRODUCTION* * *

2 General Information

2.1 Background

The City of Dunwoody is an incorporated city (2008) on the north side of metro Atlanta with a 2020 census population of 51,683. It is a scenic community with many of the metro areas top dining, shopping, schools, and recreation. The City of Dunwoody is settled at the most northern tip of DeKalb County, bordered by Fulton County on the north and west, Interstate 285 to the south, and Gwinnett County on the northeast. Dunwoody is home to a large high-end shopping mall (Perimeter Mall), a significant amount of Fortune 500 companies, and an affluent residential base. The City is fortunate to have strong neighborhoods, a variety of places of worship and several neighborhood level shopping centers and office complexes. The road network and public transit provide easy access to Buckhead, Midtown, Downtown, and Hartsfield Jackson International Airport. Dunwoody is regarded as a family friendly and convenient location for businesses and visitors.

The City functions under the governance of a City Council and the management of a City Manager. The City provides municipal services to its citizens and businesses in a unique and progressive manner through a partnership with private companies.

From the initial incorporation, the City has operated as a public-private partnership (PPP), with a vast majority of City staff employed by private companies where the City has determined that the PPP model adds value, flexibility, promotes competition, builds accountability, and provides the highest level of customer service to the citizens of the City.

2.2 Purpose of Procurement

The City is in search of a Networking Services Provider (Vendor). Working with onsite staff, this Vendor will be responsible for the redesign, configuration, and rollout of the City’s network utilizing new equipment the City has already purchased. The City’s network includes two separate (for redundancy), already existing, “spoke and hub” Point-to-Point networks connecting the City to multiple satellite locations. Once the redesign has been fully implemented, the selected Vendor shall continue managing the network on an “as needed” basis. The City is looking for a Vendor that has extensive experience with both Fortinet and CISCO environments, evaluating current network configurations, redesigning security focused networks, working with a 24/7/365 Local Government and Public Safety environment, and will pass the City’s Vendor Security Assessment (sample questions are included as Appendix E).

* * * END OF GENERAL INFORMATION * * *

3 Scope of Work

3.1 General Requirements

The City of Dunwoody is requesting written proposals from qualified vendors for the redesign and ongoing management of the City’s internal network. Vendors submitting proposals shall have adequate prior experience working with local government and/or public safety. Vendors shall be able to supply references where they have successfully completed network redesign previously. The City will not provide a list of equipment currently purchased, due to security considerations, as part of this RFP but the list will be provided to the winning bidder and there will be opportunity for the Vendor to advise on any additional equipment needed. Vendors shall include a comprehensive network assessment plan including process reviews and proposals should meet the following requirements (full list of features and functions are located in Appendix D –Technical Table):

3.2 Phase 1 - Network Assessment

Phase 1 will be the assessment phase for preparation of redesigning the network. This phase will include discovery and discussions about the current network design. During this phase, the City will work with the vendor to provide access and answer questions regarding the current network configurations. This phase will not include any changes, but instead, will focus on where the City currently is and what potential gaps exist in the current network design. Vendor shall include a sample assessment plan with the proposal documents. The Vendor can suggest any tools preferrable to complete a full and accurate Network Assessment. All tools shall be approved by the Security Team prior to deployment.

3.3 Phase 2 – Planning New Network Design

Phase 2 will be the planning phase. It will include a well-defined process for decommissioning of the current network, estimated timeline for transition to the new network, and a full project plan outlining the transition to the new network. In addition, this phase should include draft design drawings for review and comment and a VLAN segmentation plan. All decommissioning work should describe the transition of equipment and services (including voice, firewall, switches, etc.) from the previous network environment to the new network environment with consideration being given to outages and disruptions in service. With RFP submittal, the Vendor should include an example project plan for a network redesign. The sample project plan should include an estimated timetable for implementation.

3.4 Phase 3 – Deployment and Cutover to New Network

Phase 3 will be engineering and deployment of the new network design. It will involve ordering, receiving, preparing, and deploying the firewalls, switches, and any other devices. It will include the cutover to the new network infrastructure, training onsite staff for basic level management and onsite support of the new network infrastructure, and final diagrams, topology drawings, and/or maps for the new network design. Additionally, this phase does include professional services hours already purchased from the equipment vendor to assist in the rollout and configuration.

3.4.1 Network Mapping Support

The selected vendor will be required to generate a network diagram (in Visio format). The selected vendor shall keep this network diagram updated to reflect changes, as they occur, beginning in this phase and throughout the remainder of this contract.

3.5 Phase 4 – Ongoing Management and Network Engineer Support Phase 4 includes the ongoing and as needed management of the new network infrastructure. This phase should include proactive and reactive responses for the City’s network, as well as equipment monitoring. This phase should be estimated to last twelve (12) months after completion of Phase 3 (with renewal options). This phase should be included in the contract with resource rates and an estimated average need of sixteen (16) networking engineer hours per month but will be paid on actual hours used. In addition, the City requires a block of twenty (20) professional hours at a senior network engineer rate be included for this phase of the agreement with the option to purchase additional blocks of twenty (20) hours, if needed. During the assessment and planning phase of this agreement, the City will consider changes to the estimated averages based on the winning bidder’s recommendation. The City requires, at minimum, quarterly meetings with the Vendor during this phase.

3.5.1 Quarterly Report

The City requires that the vendor provide a quarterly report including a breakdown of all tickets, summary of network uptime, network utilization, resolved security vulnerabilities, and major network modifications.

3.6 Current Environment Overview

3.6.1 Connectivity:

The City currently has basic fiber connectivity utilizing two separate Internet Service Providers for redundancy. This current Point-to-Point connection includes the same “hub” site (City Hall), 5 satellite locations (that include cameras and domain devices), 3 “camera only” locations, 1 “Emergency VOIP phone” connection, and 1 “Camera Ready” location. 5 locations use the Primary ISP connection and 7 utilize the secondary ISP. The City Primary ISP connection is 1 Gig.

3.6.2 Users and Devices:

The City currently supports 150 users. 75 users are Police Department staff that utilize mobile connectivity to City Hall (<20 concurrently). The remaining employees have access to utilize VPN connectivity to City Hall with limited need since the majority of the City’s primary applications are hosted (<10 concurrently).

3.6.3 Hardware purchased

The City has purchased CISCO and Fortinet equipment as part of the network redesign. The winning bidder will receive an inventory list as part of the Network Assessment and Planning phases.

3.7 Additional Considerations

This contract should not include materials. If any material/equipment is required, the vendor and City will work together to determine the best option for the City and the City will procure the equipment separately from this agreement.

3.8 Preferable Features

The City has the following preference for consideration:

1. Special consideration will be given to vendors that have local staff that can respond onsite for emergent situations and quarterly meetings.

3.9 Value Added Products and Services

Include any additional products and/or services available that vendor currently offers in their normal course of business that is not included in the scope of this RFP that you think will enhance and add value to the product.

The vendor shall demonstrate the ability to complete all tasks outlined in this RFP and provide examples of successfully completed projects of a similar nature. The vendor shall agree to an explanation of implementation plan including process reviews with departments.

* * * END OF SCOPE OF WORK * * *

4 Proposal Format

4.1 Economy of Presentation

Each proposal shall be prepared simply and economically, providing straightforward and concise delineation of Bidder’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Emphasis in each proposal must be on completeness and clarity of content. To expedite the evaluation of proposals, it is essential that Bidders follow the format and instructions contained herein. The City factors the proposal itself when considering the Contractor’s ability to deliver high quality services.

4.2 Proposal Submission

To support a non-biased evaluation of submitted proposals, the City is requesting Bidders to submit their proposals in two

(2) individually sealed envelopes, one being the TECHNICAL proposal and the other being the COST proposal. Bidders shall submit the technical and cost proposal envelopes in one (1) sealed and marked package sent to the designated address but in separate envelopes within that package. The City will score all technical proposals first before evaluating the Cost proposal.

Once the City evaluates all technical and cost proposals, the evaluation team will calculate the final score for each proposing Bidder for each service area.

4.2.1 Technical Proposal

The technical proposal envelope shall contain the following:

• One (1) signed original and

• One (1) electronic copy on a flash drive, in searchable PDF

The outside of the technical proposal envelope must be clearly labeled with the Bidder’s organization name, address, contact information and labeled (RFP) 23-11 Networking Services Provider TECHNICAL Proposal. The technical proposal envelope should only contain the Bidder’s technical response.

The technical proposal envelope should contain, at the minimum, Appendix D –Technical Table, showing the required functions with an explanation of service.

4.2.2 Cost Proposal

The cost proposal envelope shall contain only the following:

• One (1) printed and signed original and

• One (1) electronic copy on a flash drive, in searchable PDF.

The outside of the cost proposal envelope must be clearly labeled with the Bidder’s organization name, address, contact information and labeled (RFP) 23-11 Networking Services Provider COST Proposal.

The cost proposal envelope should contain, at the minimum, Appendix C –Cost Table, showing the costs associated with providing services for all service areas proposed. Bidders should also provide detailed costing information for each service area for which they respond. In addition, Bidders should provide hourly rates for all team members for any additional related services that may be required beyond the scope of this RFP, if relevant.

4.3 Proposal Content

The City expects technical and cost proposals to be well organized. A table of contents is required in the technical proposal.

The table of contents should include, at a minimum, all listed items in the sequence indicated below in section 4.3.1 Technical Proposal Content. In each section of the proposal, Bidders should address the items in the order as listed in the RFP. Forms provided in the RFP must be completed and included in the appropriate section of the proposal. The City will consider Proposal Content Organization in making their decision.

The technical and cost proposals shall include the following:

4.3.1 Technical Proposal Content

Below is an outline of what the Technical Proposal should include. Bidders shall use tabs that clearly mark section headings, and if submitting combined bids for multiple service areas clearly divide separate service areas within each section. Bidders shall submit the technical proposal in a separately sealed envelope as specified in section 4.2.1 of this

RFP.

To aid in thorough and consistent review, Contractors shall organize and number the proposal to correspond to the proposal outline provided below. Bidders should include a table of contents. Failure to follow proposal format and content requested by this RFP may result in proposal disqualification.

4.3.1.1 Letter of Transmittal

A letter of transmittal that provides the following information must accompany each proposal:

• Identify the submitting organization.

• Identify the name, title, telephone number, and e-mail address of the contact person of the organization.

• Include a statement acknowledging no Proposal may be withdrawn for a period of one hundred and eighty (180) days after the time and date of proposal opening.

4.3.1.2 Response to Scope of Work

Bidders shall respond in detail to the requirements listed in the scope of services lists in Scope of Work by completing Appendix D –Technical Table. Additionally, Bidders should respond to each item listed below by not merely affirming an item but rather expanding (concisely) how each scope item will be addressed throughout the duration of the Contract. Failure to address any item listed below may result in rejection of proposal.

• Clearly state your understanding of the service delivery objectives, work activities, and deliverables requested by this RFP.

• Describe your company’s approach and methodology to ensure delivery of high-quality services.

• Describe your company’s methodology to ensure collaboration with City staff to ensure an efficient implementation. Include a timeline for implementation assuming a start date no later than March 1, 2024.

• Describe your company’s approach to maintaining appropriate and timely communication with the Technology

Director and City Staff requests.

• Describe your company’s methodology for ensuring timely completion of implementation to the new system.

• Provide and describe a list of any Bidder-supplied facilities, equipment, and supplies you anticipate using for this contract.

• Describe your company’s approach to support the City’s environmental sustainability goals.

4.3.1.3 Qualifications and Experience of Company and Staff

4.3.1.3.1 QUALIFICATIONS OF COMPANY AND STAFF

This section shall include information on the Bidder’s corporate organization (history, size, etc.), experience, and skills regarding the Bidder’s record of accomplishment, reputation, and past performance in providing services to municipalities of similar size and indicate the capabilities for the successful completion of this work.

Furthermore, Bidders shall provide information pertaining to the following:

• Describe attributes, special capabilities, techniques, or resources that make your company uniquely qualified to provide requested services.

• Discuss your company’s involvement with similar projects at the federal, state, local government, and/or public safety levels.

• State whether the Bidder has any pending litigation, and state whether the company has had any litigation in the last five (5) years and the outcome of such litigation.

• The City reserves the right to verify Bidder’s financial statements and information provided to ensure that Bidder has the necessary financial resources to fulfil the contract in a satisfactory manner.

• A listing of ongoing similar contracts to this RFP that were in effect in the last 12 months in the State of Georgia. The list should include the contracting entity, area of contractual services (e.g. City of Dunwoody) purpose of the contract, and summary of its operations.

• A listing of any staff that will be working on this project including a copy of their resume and/or qualifications.

4.3.1.4 References

Bidders shall submit three (3) references for similar projects. Bidders must provide a complete list of clients for which services comparable in scope and size to those requested in this RFP have been rendered, a brief description of the services rendered, the dates of services, and the name, address, telephone number and email of the prospective vendor's contact person in that agency. Reference contact must have agreed to provide a complete and uncensored testimony. If possible, at least one of the references should be a government entity in the state of Georgia.

4.3.1.5 Required Forms

The City requests Bidders to complete, sign, and return as a part of the TECHNICAL proposal all forms that are attached to this RFP (with the exception of Appendix C –Cost Table that should be a part of the COST Proposal).

4.3.1.5.1 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL:

• Executed Proposal Form (Proposal Form) which includes acknowledgement of any and all Addenda to this

RFP;

• Executed Affidavit Verifying Status for City Public Benefit (Appendix B - Affidavit);

• Appendix D –Technical Table;

• The Technical Proposal

4.3.1.5.2 COST PROPOSAL:

• Appendix C –Cost Table (to be submitted with Cost Proposal)

Failure to submit completed and signed forms may result in proposal rejection.

4.3.1.6 Appendices

Bidders may attach other materials that they feel may improve the quality of their responses. Each Bidder may, but is not required to, include additional references, resumes and any other materials deemed necessary, but not provided otherwise (such as promotional literature, etc.). Note that these materials may or may not be reviewed by all evaluators and shall not be part of the official evaluation except to the extent they support qualifications and experience of the Bidder.

4.3.2 Cost Proposal Content

Bidder shall provide a not-to-exceed price for all services indicated in this RFP. Pricing shall list separately the Total for One-Time charges, Total Fees for all phases, and a combined Total price as listed on the Cost Table form. Additionally, Bidder’s should complete the Cost Table in Appendix C to show the itemized pricing for each item included in the totals.

The City of Dunwoody requires pricing to remain firm for the duration of the contract. Failure to hold firm pricing for the duration of the contract will be sufficient cause for the City to declare a proposal non-responsive. An authorized representative of the bidding company shall sign the cost proposal. Bidders shall complete all parts of Appendix C –Cost Table.

* * * END OF PROPOSAL FORMAT * * *

5 Evaluation Criteria The City, in its discretion, may award the Contract to the responsible and responsive Bidder(s) submitting the proposal that the City deems is the most advantageous, price and other factors being considered. To facilitate efficient evaluation sessions, the City asks Bidders to strictly follow the format mentioned in the RFP under Proposal Format.

The City’s staff will review all proposals submitted. After reviewing the proposals, the City may, at its discretion, invite to interview (at Bidder’s expense) one or more of the Bidders whose proposals appear to best meet the City’s requirements. Interview responses along with the written proposal and samples (if any), will become part of Bidder’s submission evaluated pursuant to the evaluation criteria. The City reserves the right to short-list Bidders for further consideration.

5.1 Scoring

Each proposal shall be scored as follows:

5.1.1 Mandatory Elements (Maximum 100 Points)

5.1.1.1 Proposal should include (40 points):

• Table of Contents,

• Letter of Transmittal,

• Technical Table: The technical table must be submitted and must include detailed responses for all 1, 3, and 5 responses as described in Appendix D –Technical Table,

• Executed Proposal Form (including acknowledgement to all addenda),

• Executed Affidavit Verifying Status for City Public Benefit,

• Outlined plan to provide the most effective delivery of services,

• Examples of successfully completed projects of a similar nature with references,

• Resumes of those qualified personnel proposed to work on the implementation of this project,

• Response to scope of work (as laid out in section 4.3.1.2):

i. Clearly state your understanding of the service delivery objectives, work activities, and deliverables requested by this RFP.

ii. Describe your company’s approach and methodology to ensure delivery of high-quality services.

iii. Describe your company’s methodology to ensure collaboration with City staff to ensure an efficient implementation. Include a timeline for implementation assuming a start date no later than March 1, 2024.

iv. Describe your company’s approach to maintaining appropriate and timely communication with the Technology Director and City Staff requests.

v. Describe your company’s methodology for ensuring timely completion of implementation to the new system.

vi. Provide and describe a list of any Bidder-supplied facilities, equipment, and supplies you anticipate using for this contract.

vii. Describe your company’s approach to support the City’s environmental sustainability goals.

5.1.1.2 Detailed response to the Phases (40 points):

• Phase 1 – Network Assessment – example comprehensive network assessment including assessment plan and process reviews,

• Phase 2 – Planning New Network Design – including sample project plan for a network redesign,

• Phase 3 – Deployment and Cutover to New Network – including understanding that network diagram is required to be updated for all changes,

• Phase 4 – Ongoing Management and Network Engineer Support – including proactive and reactive responses for the City’s network as well as equipment monitoring, approximately 16 networking engineer hours per month and lasting for 12 months after completion of Phase 3, a block of 20 professional hours at a senior rate with option to purchase additional blocks of 20 hours, quarterly meetings, and quarterly report.

5.1.1.3 Proposal instructions followed and properly submitted (20 points).

5.1.2 Vendor Explanation of Phase 1, 2, 3, and 4 from Scope of Work (200 points) The Proposal shall explain in detail responses to all requests as listed in Scope of Work.

5.1.3 Proposal Organization and Detailed Responses (50 points) The Proposal shall be organized as described in Proposal Format (Section 4).

5.1.4 Example Project Plan for a Network Redesign (25 points) The Proposal shall include an example project plan.

5.1.5 Company and Staff Qualifications (25 points)

The Proposal must give a detailed report of related experiences that will demonstrate the ability of the Bidder to perform requested duties and provide the services as outlined in this RFP. The Proposal shall include the resumes of those qualified personnel proposed to work on the implementation of this project.

5.1.6 References (50 points)

Bidders shall submit three (3) references for similar projects and only three. Bidders must provide a complete list of clients for which services comparable in scope and size to those requested in this RFP have been rendered, a brief description of the services rendered, the dates of services, and the name, address, telephone number and email of the prospective vendor's contact person in that agency. Reference contact must have agreed to provide a complete and uncensored testimony.

5.2 Cost Proposal Fee (50 points)

The Cost Proposal must be submitted upon the format identified and must include all professional service levels, including those services to be provided by Sub-Contractors. The Cost Proposal Fee will not be evaluated until after the Technical Proposal Evaluation has been completed. The City may, at its option, evaluate some or all of the Cost Proposals submitted.

5.3 Interviews, optional (150 points)

At its option, the City may invite companies in for a presentation and interview.

Proposal Form City of Dunwoody, GA

RFP 23-11 Networking Services Provider

Company Name: __________________________________________________________________________________

The undersigned, as Bidder, hereby declares that this Proposal is in all respects fair and submitted in good faith without collusion or fraud. Bidder represents and warrants to the City that: (i) except as may be disclosed in writing to the City with its Proposal, no officer, employee or agent of the City has any interest, either directly or indirectly, in the business of the Bidder, and that no such person shall have any such interest at any time during the term of the Contract should it be awarded the Contract; and (ii) no gift, gratuity, promise, favor or anything else of value has been given or will be given to any employee or official of the City in connection with the submission of this Proposal or the City’s evaluation or consideration thereof.

The Bidder further represents that it has examined or investigated the site conditions if necessary, and informed itself fully in regard to all conditions pertaining to the place where the work is to be done; that it has examined the Contract Documents and has read all Addendum(s) furnished by the City prior to the opening of the Proposals, as acknowledged below, and that it has otherwise fully informed itself regarding the nature, extent, scope and details of the services to be furnished under the Contract.

The Bidder agrees, if this Proposal is accepted, to enter into the written Contract with the City in the form of Contract below (RFP 23-11 properly completed in accordance with said Proposal Documents), and the Contract Documents for RFP 23-11 Networking Services Provider, at the City of Dunwoody, and to furnish the prescribed evidence of a valid business license, insurance, and all other documents required by these Contract Documents. The Bidder further agrees to commence work and to perform the work specified herein within the time limits set forth in the Contract Documents, which time limits Bidder acknowledges are reasonable.

The undersigned further agrees that, in the case of failure or refusal on its part to execute the said contract, provide evidence of specified insurance, a copy of a valid business or occupational license and all other documents required by these Contract Documents within ten (10) business days after being provided with Notice of Intent to Award the contract (or such earlier time as may be stated elsewhere in these Proposal Documents), the Proposal award may be offered by the City to the next ranked Bidder, or the city may re-advertise for Proposals, and in either case the City shall have the right to recover from the Bidder the City’s costs and damages including, without limitation, attorney’s fees, to the same extent that the City could recover its costs and expenses from the Bidder under section 7.10 of the Instructions to Bidder if the Bidder withdrew or attempted to withdraw its Proposal.

The Bidder further agrees, if it fails to complete the scope of work according to the provisions within the scheduled time or any authorized extension thereof, that the City may deduct damages from the Contract price otherwise payable to the Bidder.

Acknowledgement is hereby made of the following Addendum(s) received since issuance of the Contract Documents (identified by number)

Addendum No. / Date

1. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. ________________________________________________________________________________________________

It shall be the responsibility of each Bidder to visit the City Purchasing Department’s website to determine if the City issued addendum(s) and, if so, to obtain such addendum(s). Failure to acknowledge an addendum above shall not relieve the Bidder from its obligation to comply with the provisions of the addendum(s) not acknowledged above.

Phase 1 should begin no later than March 1, 2024.

The City of Dunwoody requires pricing to remain firm for the duration of the term of the contract. Failure to hold firm pricing for the term of the contract will be sufficient cause for the City to declare bid non-responsive.

Termination for Cause: The City may terminate this agreement for cause upon ten days prior written notice to the Consultant of the Vendor’s default in the performance of any term of this agreement. Such termination shall be without prejudice to any of the City’s rights or remedies by law.

Termination for Convenience: The City may terminate this agreement for its convenience at any time upon 30 days written notice to the Vendor. In the event of the City’s termination of this agreement for convenience, the Vendor will be paid for those services actually performed. Partially completed performance of the agreement will be compensated based upon a signed statement of completion to be submitted by the Vendor, which shall itemize each element of performance.

Termination for fund appropriation: The City may unilaterally terminate this Agreement due to a lack of funding at any time by written notice to the Vendor. In the event of the City's termination of this Agreement for fund appropriation, the Vendor will be paid for those services actually performed. Partially completed performance of the Agreement will be compensated based upon a signed statement of completion to be submitted by the Vendor, which shall itemize each element of performance.

The Vendor agrees to provide all work to complete the project described in this document for the amount listed in the Cost Proposal (submitted in a separate package).

Legal Business Name: ________________________________________________________________________________

Federal Tax ID: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________

Email Address: ______________________________________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: ___________________________________/Fax Number: ___________________________________

Does your company currently have a location within the City of Dunwoody? Yes No

Will your company accept the City’s procurement card for payments from the City? Yes No

Representative Signature Date

Printed Name

7 Instruction to Bidders

7.1 Intent

It is the intent of these Instructions to establish guidelines for the proper completion of Proposal Forms. These Instructions to Bidders provide guidance and explanation for subsequent Proposal Forms and Contract Documents. Please read all Instruction paragraphs.

7.2 General

A. The City’s goal is that all the terms and conditions stated in the Proposal Documents will constitute the terms of the final Contract between the City and the successful Bidder, without significant or material change to such terms or conditions. Exceptions to any of the terms of the agreement to which a Bidder will not or does not agree must be presented prior to the deadline for submitting questions by the Bidder in writing as provided in this section and directed to Purchasing@dunwoodyga.gov. Such exceptions must be specific, and the Bidder must state a reason for each exception and propose alternative language. The purpose of the exception process is to permit the City to correct, prior to the opening of the proposals, any technical or contractual requirement, provision, ambiguity, or conflict in the RFP and related documents, which may be unlawful, improvident, unduly restrictive of competition, or otherwise inappropriate. Any corrections will be made via an addendum issued prior to the submission deadline. Unless timely submitted as an exception and amended with an addendum, any such ambiguity, conflict or problem shall be resolved in favor of the City of Dunwoody. Bidders shall not substitute entire agreements or sets of terms and conditions but discuss separately each term or condition that they take exception to or desire to change. Bidders should resolve any language issues with the Contract prior to bidding and not assume language will be altered after bids are accepted.

B. The Contract work for each service area shall not be divisible, and shall be awarded, if an award is made, to a single Bidder. The City will award only one contract for each service area required under this Request for Proposals. If the successful Bidder intends to provide any services through another company, the successful Bidder must serve as the City’s prime Vendor and shall have full responsibility to the City for all obligations under the Contract.

C. A Bidder’s Proposal prices shall remain firm for the duration of the initial term of the Contract. Any anticipated increases in Bidder’s costs during the initial term of the Contract must be reflected in its prices set forth in its Proposal.

The City shall not be obligated to renegotiate or increase any price for any work during the initial term of the Contract based on a Bidder's mistake or miscalculation of prices, underestimation of costs, or for any other reason. All the Bidder’s overhead costs, including, but not limited to, costs of travel and the required bonds and insurance coverage, shall be included in such Bidder’s prices listed in its Proposal.

D. The Contract, if awarded, shall not be construed to create unto the Vendor any exclusive rights with respect to any of the City’s requirements. The City may in its sole discretion award any additional or similar services to any third party, or if the Contract is for the provision of services, the City may elect to perform all or a portion of the services by its own employees.

E. There shall be no reimbursable or travel expenses associated with this project regarding any category or term. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, all of the Bidder’s overhead costs related to travel shall be included in such Bidder’s prices in its Proposal.

F. The City will contract with the successful Bidder to provide services indicated in the Scope of Work throughout the duration of the Contract at the price submitted.

7.3 Environmental Sustainability

The City of Dunwoody is committed to environmental sustainability. The City believes we have a unique opportunity to expand our leadership in the area of environmentally preferable purchasing, and through our actions, elicit changes in the marketplace. By further incorporating environmental considerations into public purchasing, the City of Dunwoody will positively impact human health and the environment, remove unnecessary hazards from its operations, reduce costs and liabilities, and improve the environmental quality of the region. As such, the City encourages the incorporation of environmental sustainability into proposals.

7.4 Examination of Proposal/Contract Documents

All prospective Bidders shall thoroughly examine and become familiar with the Proposal package and carefully note the items which must be submitted with the Proposal. (These Instructions to Bidders, the Request for Proposals, the Proposal Forms, the Contract, the General Conditions, and the Scope of Work are referred to herein as the "Proposal Documents" or the "Contract Documents"). Submission of a Proposal shall constitute an acknowledgment that the Bidder has read and understands the Proposal Documents. The failure or neglect of a Bidder to receive or examine any Proposal Document shall in no way relieve it from any obligations under its Proposal or the Contract. No claim for additional compensation will be allowed which is based upon a lack of knowledge or understanding of any of the Contract Documents or the scope of work.

7.5 Addendum(s)-Changes While Proposing

Other than during the Pre-Proposal Conference, the City shall not be required to provide to any Bidder verbal interpretations as to the meaning of any portion of the Proposal Documents. Requests for interpretation, clarification or correction of Proposal Documents, forms or other material in this Proposal Package should be made in writing and delivered to John Gates, Purchasing Manager, 4800 Ashford Dunwoody Rd, Dunwoody GA 30338 or by e-mail to Purchasing@dunwoodyga.gov no later than Friday, January 5, 2024 at noon. Any response by City to a request by a Bidder for clarification or correction will be made in the form of a written Addendum. All parties to whom the Proposal packages have been issued will be sent a notification of the issuance of an Addendum either by e-mail and/or by facsimile. The Addendum may be electronically downloaded by visiting either the City Purchasing Department’s website at the link below or by visiting Georgia’s Department of Administrative Services (DOAS) web site at the link below. Prior to submitting its response, it shall be the responsibility of each Bidder to visit the City Purchasing Department’s website to determine if addendum(s) were issued and, if so, to obtain such addendum(s).

https://www.dunwoodyga.gov/business/doing-business-with-the-city http://doas.ga.gov/state-purchasing/georgia-procurement-registry-for-local-governments

7.6 Preparation of Proposals

A. Proposals shall be submitted on reproduced copies of the attached Proposal Forms including any revised or additional

Proposal Forms supplied by Addendum(s). If an award is made, the completed Proposal Forms shall constitute a part of the Contract Documents and will be incorporated in the final Contract between the City and the successful Bidder. All blank spaces in the Proposal Forms should be filled in legibly and correctly in ink or type.

B. The vendor is responsible for all costs incurred by the vendor or their subcontractors in responding to this request for proposal.

C. All Proposals shall contain the name and business address of the individual, company, corporation, or other business entity submitting the Proposal and shall be subscribed by either the individual, a general partner, a member of a member-managed LLC, a manager of a manager-managed LLC, or an authorized officer or agent of a Corporation or business entity and should be properly witnessed or attested. If any officer or agent other than the signatories described in the preceding sentence shall sign any Contract Document on behalf of the Bidder, the City should be furnished with satisfactory evidence of such officer’s or agent's authority to bind the Bidder with respect to the contents of the subject Proposal Documents so signed by him or her. If the Bidder is an LLC, the Bidder should submit with its Proposal its Articles of Organization or other evidence satisfactory to the City, indicating whether the LLC is member-managed or manager-managed, and indicating that the person executing the Proposal is authorized to bind the LLC.

D. If the Bidder is a partnership, joint venture, or sole proprietorship, the City, reserves the right to require the Bidder to submit to the City at any time the name and business address of each owner, principal, partner, or member of the Bidder having an ownership or management position with the…