RFP 26_IT01 Managed IT and Security (final).pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

(THIS IS NOT AN ORDER)

RFP Number:

26-IT01

RFP Title:

Managed IT and Security

Due Date and Time: November 6, 2025, by 2:00 pm EST

*Link for virtual announcement of proposals received in response to this RFP will be posted as a “Communication” under this solicitation listing on the City’s procurement portal, BidNet Direct

Number of Pages: 50

ISSUING DEPARTMENT INFORMATION

Issue Date: October 16, 2025 City of Milton Information Services Department 2006 Heritage Walk Milton, GA 30004

Phone: 678-242-2500

Website: www.miltonga.gov

INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS

Electronic Submittal: **Proposals must be submitted electronically via Milton’s BidNet procurement portal/platform at www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps

If you have not registered as a vendor via BidNet we encourage you to register. There is no cost to join, and you will be notified of any potential bid opportunities with the City of Milton as well as other agencies who are part of the Georgia Purchasing Group.

Mark Envelope/Package:

RFP Number: 26-IT01 Name of Company or Firm Special Instructions:

Deadline for Written Questions

October 27, 2025, by 5:00 PM EST

Submit questions online via the BidNet Direct procurement portal at www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps

IMPORTANT: SEE STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

OFFERORS MUST COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING

Offeror Name/Address: Authorized Offeror Signatory:

(Please print name and sign in ink)

Offeror Phone Number: Offeror FAX Number:

Offeror Federal I.D. Number: Offeror E-mail Address:

OFFERORS MUST RETURN THIS COVER SHEET WITH RFP RESPONSE

http://www.miltonga.gov/ http://www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Offeror’s RFP Checklist

Disclosure Form

Proposal Letter

Contractor Affidavit and Agreement (E-Verify)

Schedule of Events

Section 1: Project Overview and Instructions

Section 2: RFP Standard Information

Section 3: Scope of Services

Section 4: Offeror Qualifications

Section 5: Cost Proposal

Section 6: Evaluation Criteria

Section 7: Standard Contract Information

Sample Standard Contract

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OFFEROR’S RFP CHECKLIST

The 10 Most Critical Things to Keep in Mind When Responding to an RFP for the City of Milton

1. Read the entire document. Note critical items such as: mandatory requirements; supplies/services required; submittal dates; number of copies required for submittal; funding amount and source; contract requirements (i.e., contract performance security, insurance requirements, performance and/or reporting requirements, etc.).

2. Note the procurement officer's name, address, phone numbers and e-mail address. This is the only person you are allowed to communicate with regarding the RFP and is an excellent source of information for any questions you may have.

3. Attend the pre-qualifications conference if one is offered. These conferences provide an opportunity to ask clarifying questions, obtain a better understanding of the project, or to notify the City of any ambiguities, inconsistencies, or errors in the RFP.

4. Take advantage of the “question and answer” period. Submit your questions to the procurement officer by the due date listed in the Schedule of Events and view the answers given in the formal “addenda” issued for the RFP. All addenda issued for an RFP are posted on the City’s website at http://www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps will include all questions asked and answered concerning the

RFP.

5. Follow the format required in the RFP when preparing your response. Provide point-by-point responses to all sections in a clear and concise manner.

6. Provide complete answers/descriptions. Read and answer all questions and requirements. Don’t assume the City or evaluation committee will know what your company capabilities are or what items/services you can provide, even if you have previously contracted with the City. The submittals are evaluated based solely on the information and materials provided in your response.

7. Use the forms provided, i.e., cover page, sample budget form, certification forms, etc.

8. Check the website for RFP addenda. Before submitting your response, check the City’s website at http://www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps to see whether any addenda were issued for the RFP. If so, you must submit a signed cover sheet for each addendum issued along with your RFP response.

9. Review and read the RFP document again to make sure that you have addressed all requirements. Your original response and the requested copies must be identical and be complete. The copies are provided to the evaluation committee members and will be used to score your response.

10. Submit your response on time. Note all the dates and times listed in the Schedule of Events and within the document and be sure to submit all required items on time. Late submittal responses are never accepted.

This checklist is provided for assistance only and should not be submitted with Offeror’s response.

http://www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps%20to

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CITY OF MILTON DISCLOSURE FORM

MUST BE RETURNED WITH PROPOSAL

This form is for disclosure of campaign contributions and family member relations with City of Milton officials/employees.

Please complete this form and return it as part of your RFP package when it is submitted.

Name of Offeror

Name and the official position of the Milton Official to whom the campaign contribution was made (Please use a separate form for each official to whom a contribution has been made in the past two (2) years.)

List the dollar amount/value and description of each campaign contribution made over the past two (2) years by the Applicant/Opponent to the named Milton Official.

Amount/Value Description

Please list any family member that is currently (or has been employed within the last 12 months) by the City of Milton and your relation:

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RFP# 26-IT01

PROPOSAL LETTER

We propose to furnish and deliver all the deliverables and services named in the Request for Proposals (26-IT01), Managed IT and Security.

It is understood and agreed that we have read the City’s specifications shown or referenced in the RFP and that this proposal is made in accordance with the provisions of such specifications.

By our written signature on this proposal, we guarantee and certify that all items included meet or exceed any and all such City specifications. We further agree, if awarded a contract, to deliver goods and services which meet or exceed the specifications. The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive technicalities, and informalities, and to make an award in the best interest of the City.

PROPOSAL SIGNATURE AND CERTIFICATION

I understand collusive bidding is a violation of State and Federal Law and can result in fines, prison sentences, and civil damage awards. I agree to abide by all conditions of the proposal and certify that I am authorized to sign for my company. I further certify that the provisions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Sections 45-10-20 et. seq. have not been violated and will not be violated in any respect.

Authorized Signature Date

Print/Type Name

Print/Type Company Name Here

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CONTRACTOR AFFIDAVIT AND AGREEMENT

STATE OF GEORGIA

CITY OF MILTON

By executing this affidavit, the undersigned contractor verifies its compliance with O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91, stating affirmatively that the individual, firm, or corporation which is engaged in the physical performance of services on behalf of the City of Milton has registered with, is authorized to use and uses the federal work authorization program commonly known as E-Verify, or any subsequent replacement program, in accordance with the applicable provisions and deadlines established in O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91.

Furthermore, the undersigned contractor will continue to use the federal work authorization program throughout the contract period and the undersigned contractor will contract for the physical performance of services in satisfaction of such contract only with subcontractors who present an affidavit to the contractor with the information required by O.C.G.A. § 13-10-91(b).

Contractor hereby attests that its federal work authorization user identification number and date of authorization are as follows:

E-Verify Number

Date of Authorization

I hereby declare under penalty of perjury that the foregoing is true and correct.

Executed on , , 20 in (city), (state).

Name of Contractor Signature of Authorized Officer or Agent

Managed IT and Security Name of Project

City of Milton, Georgia Name of Public Employer

Printed Name and Title of Authorized Officer or Agent

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN BEFORE ME ON

THIS THE DAY OF ,20 .

NOTARY PUBLIC

[NOTARY SEAL]

My Commission Expires:

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Task Date

Issue RFP October 16, 2025

Site Visit (recommended, but not mandatory) n/a

Deadline for Questions October 27, 2025, by 5:00 p.m. EST

Answers Posted by the City (Addendum)

On or about, October 29, 2025

Proposals Due By 2:00 p.m. EST on November 6, 2025

Award Contract December 1, 2025 (proposed)

NOTE: PLEASE CHECK THE CITY WEBSITE (http://www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps ) FOR ADDENDA AND SCHEDULE UPDATES.

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SECTION 1: PROJECT OVERVIEW AND INSTRUCTIONS

1.0 BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF INTENT

The City of Milton, Georgia is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide Managed IT Services and Managed IT Security Services (SECaaS). The City currently utilizes a managed services provider for these functions; however, with the existing contract term expiring, the City is evaluating options and considering potential replacements. The selected vendor(s) will be expected to partner with City IT staff to deliver reliable, scalable, and secure IT services that enhance operational efficiency while maintaining a strong security posture. While a single provider is preferred for both services, the City may elect to choose to award separate contracts to individual providers for each: Managed IT Services and separately, Managed IT Security Services (SECaaS). Contract(s) length is a single annual term with the potential for four (4) additional annual term renewals.

The City of Milton, Georgia maintains a diverse and distributed information technology environment that supports municipal operations across multiple facilities. The City operates 12 physical locations with network infrastructure and connected hardware.

Network & Security Infrastructure

• Firewalls: 12 FortiGate firewalls deployed across City facilities, including three (3) high-availability (HA) pairs.

• Switching: FortiSwitch deployments include:

o 10 switches at City Hall o 20 switches at the Public Safety Complex (2 buildings) o 1 switch at Fire Station 41 o 1 switch at Fire Station 42 o 1 switch at Fire Station 43 o 1 switch at Legacy Park o 2 switches at Bell Park o 2 switches at Alpharetta Dispatch o 1 switch at Milton City Park and Preserve

Virtualization & Server Infrastructure

• Hypervisor: VMware is the primary virtualization platform.

• City Hall Datacenter: 3 Dell R620 hosts with a Dell SCV3200 storage array.

• Public Safety Complex Datacenter: 2 Dell R720 hosts with a Dell SCV3200 storage array.

• Virtual Machines: Approximately 40 virtual servers are hosted on-premise.

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Cloud & Hybrid Identity Services

• Hybrid Windows Domain Environment: The City operates a hybrid Active Directory environment, with on-premise domain controllers integrated with Azure Active Directory for identity management and authentication.

• Microsoft Azure: Environment includes three (3) Windows Server 2022 virtual machines and blob storage, primarily used for backups.

• Microsoft 365: 297 users licensed under either Microsoft 365 G3 or G1 subscriptions.

• City staff use Microsoft MFA for staff logins

End-User Devices

• Approximately 233 Windows laptops and desktops deployed across the City.

Backup & Disaster Recovery

• Backup Solution: Commvault is the primary backup solution in place.

• Disaster Recovery: The City utilizes Disaster Recovery-as-a-Service (DRaaS) through a third-party provider and intends to continue this service.

Security Infrastructure

• Endpoint Security: SentinelOne (managed by the current MSP) and Huntress for endpoint monitoring and threat detection.

• Application & Privilege Control: ThreatLocker (co-managed) for application allowlisting and privileged access control.

• Email Security: Barracuda Email Security Service (ESS) for filtering, archiving, and advanced threat protection.

• Web Application Security: Barracuda Web Application Firewall (WAF) to protect three on-premise applications with public web access.

1.1 SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT

From the date this Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued until a Contractor is selected, Offerors are not allowed to communicate with any City staff or elected officials regarding this procurement except at the direction of Honor Motes, Procurement Manager. Any unauthorized contact may disqualify the Offeror from further consideration. Contact information for the single point of contact is:

Procurement Office: Honor Motes, Procurement Manager Address: 2006 Heritage Walk, Milton, GA 30004 Telephone Number: 678-242-2507 E-mail Address: honor.motes@miltonga.gov mailto:honor.motes@miltonga.gov

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1.2 REQUIRED REVIEW

A. Review RFP.

Offerors should carefully review the instructions; mandatory requirements, specifications, standard terms and conditions, and standard contract set out in this RFP and promptly notify the procurement office identified above via e-mail of any ambiguity, inconsistency, unduly restrictive specifications, or error which they discover upon examination of this RFP.

B. Form of Questions.

Offerors with questions or requiring clarification or interpretation of any section within this RFP must submit their questions via the solicitation link on BidNet Direct, the procurement portal on the City’s website, on or before 5:00 PM (EST) on October 27, 2025. Each question must provide clear reference to the section, page, and item in question. Questions received after the deadline may not be considered.

C. City’s Answers.

The City will provide an official written answer to all questions on or about October 29, 2025. The City's response will be by formal written addendum. Any other form of interpretation, correction, or change to this RFP will not be binding upon the City. Any formal written addendum will be posted alongside the posting of the RFP at http://www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps .Offerors must sign and return any addendum with their RFP response.

D. Standard Contract.

By submitting a response to this RFP, Offeror agrees to acceptance of the City’s standard contract. Much of the language included in the standard contract reflects requirements of State law. Requests for exceptions to the standard contract terms, or any added provisions must be submitted to the procurement office referenced above by the date for receipt of written/e-mailed questions or with the Offeror’s RFP response and must be accompanied by an explanation of why the exception is being taken and what specific effect it will have on the Offeror’s ability to respond to the RFP or perform the contract. The City reserves the right to address non-material, minor, insubstantial requests for exceptions with the highest scoring Offeror during contract negotiation. Any material, substantive, important exceptions requested and granted to the standard terms and conditions and standard contract language will be addressed in any formal written addendum issued for this RFP and will apply to all Professionals submitting a response to this RFP.

E. Mandatory Requirements.

To be eligible for consideration, an Offeror must meet the intent of all mandatory requirements. The City will determine whether an Offeror’s RFP response complies with the intent of the requirements. RFP responses that do not meet the full intent of all requirements listed in this RFP may be subject to point reductions during the evaluation process or may be deemed non- responsive.

1.3 NON-DISCRIMINATION

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to age, handicap, religion, creed or belief, political affiliation, race, color, sex, or national origin.

http://www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps

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1.4 SUBMITTING PROPOSALS

Proposals shall be submitted in two (2) separate files, one containing the technical proposal and the other containing the cost proposal. The City will score all technical proposals before evaluating the costs.

Offerors must organize their proposal into sections that follow the following format. This RFP is for one proposal that includes all intersection projects.

A. Submittal Requirements.

Proposals shall include the following:

1. City of Milton request for proposal cover page (information entered and signed: first page of this document)

2. City of Milton Disclosure form (signed)

3. City of Milton Proposal letter (information entered)

4. Contractor Affidavit and Agreement (eVerify)

5. Technical Proposal:

a. No more than twelve (12) pages

1. Cover page(s), table of contents, tabs, resumes of team members, and required forms do not count toward the page limit

b. Print-friendly, preferred font size 11-point

Each Technical Proposal Shall Contain (more information on each of these is below):

a. Vendor Profile and Qualifications

b. Technical Approach – Managed IT Services

c. Technical Approach – Managed IT Security Services (SECaaS)

d. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

e. Reporting and Communication

f. References

g. Pricing (See Section 5.0)

h. Additional Information

6. Applicable Addenda Acknowledgement Forms (if necessary)

7. Team member resumes may be included in an Appendix that will not count toward the page limit

Vendors responding to this Request for Proposals (RFP) may provide a comprehensive proposal that addresses both Managed IT Services and Managed IT Security Services (SECaaS) or submit a single proposal for only one of these services. Proposals should be organized and include, at a minimum, the following sections and information:

1. Vendor Profile & Qualifications

• Company background, including years in business and ownership structure.

• Description of experience providing managed IT and security services to municipalities, government entities, or enterprise-class organizations.

• Organizational chart showing key staff who will be assigned to the City, including their roles and responsibilities.

• Resumes or bios highlighting qualifications, certifications, and relevant experience of proposed staff.

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• Description of the vendor’s approach to ongoing staff training and maintaining certifications.

2. Technical Approach – Managed IT Services

• Detailed description of the proposed help desk escalation process.

• Explanation of how the vendor will integrate with the City’s existing RMM tool or utilize their own solution.

• Description of proactive monitoring, patch management, and system health practices.

• Proposed SLAs for both remote and onsite support, including response and resolution times.

• Examples of reporting capabilities, including sample monitoring and escalation reports.

3. Technical Approach – Managed IT Security Services (SECaaS)

• Description of security services offered, including EDR, email protection, dark web monitoring, IAM, DLP, vulnerability scanning, and DR/BC support.

• Explanation of how the vendor will integrate and analyze logs from the City’s existing Darktrace solution.

• Detailed incident response process, including escalation, communication with City staff, and remediation steps.

• Approach to continuous threat monitoring, vulnerability management, and threat intelligence.

• Sample security reporting dashboards or summaries provided to clients.

4. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

• Documented SLA commitments for both remote and onsite support.

• Escalation procedures for unresolved issues.

• Availability of after-hours, weekend, and emergency support, including any associated costs.

5. Reporting & Communication

• Description of communication protocols with City IT staff.

• Frequency and format of status updates, performance metrics, and security reports.

• Process for scheduling and conducting regular review meetings with City leadership.

6. Cost Proposal

• Clear pricing structure for both Managed IT Services and Managed Security

Services.

• Breakdown of costs by service type (remote support, onsite support, monitoring, licensing, security services, etc.).

• Explanation of any one-time fees, implementation fees, or optional services.

• Scalability of pricing based on future City growth.

7. References

• At least three (3) client references, preferably from municipalities or public-sector organizations of similar size and scope.

• References must include client name, contact information, length of engagement, and scope of services provided.

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8. Additional Information

• Any value-added services, innovations, or differentiators the vendor can provide.

• Evidence of cyber liability insurance and other applicable coverages.

• Description of data protection practices and compliance with applicable regulations.

Offerors must organize their proposal into sections that follow the format of Section 1.4 and Section 5.0.

B. Failure to Comply with Instructions.

Offerors failing to comply with these instructions may be subject to point deductions. The City may also choose to not evaluate, may deem non-responsive, and/or may disqualify from further consideration any qualifications that do not follow this RFP format, are difficult to understand, are difficult to read, or are missing any requested information.

C. Electronic Submittal Required and Deadline for Receipt of Proposals.

Proposals must be submitted electronically via Milton’s BidNet procurement portal/platform at www.miltonga.gov/finance/bids-rfps by 2:00 PM on November 6, 2025. Proposals will be opened at approximately 2:30 p.m. and names of Firms will be announced. *Link for virtual announcement of proposals received in response to this RFP will be posted as a “Communication” under this solicitation listing on the City’s procurement portal, BidNet Direct.

D. Late Proposals.

Regardless of cause, late proposals will not be accepted and will automatically be disqualified from further consideration. It shall be the Offeror’s sole risk to assure proposals are submitted via the BidNet Direct procurement portal by the designated time. Late proposals will not be accepted.

1.5 OFFEROR'S CERTIFICATION

By submitting a response to this RFP, Offeror agrees to an understanding of and compliance with the specifications and requirements described in this RFP.

1.6 COST OF PREPARING PROPOSALS

A. City Not Responsible for Preparation Costs.

The costs for developing and delivering responses to this RFP and any subsequent presentations of the proposal as requested by the City are entirely the responsibility of the Offeror. The City is not liable for any expense incurred by the Offeror in the preparation and presentation of their proposals.

B. All Timely Submitted Materials Become City Property.

All materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the City of Milton and are to be appended to any formal documentation, which would further define or expand any contractual relationship between the City and Offeror resulting from this RFP process.

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SECTION 2: RFP STANDARD INFORMATION

2.0 AUTHORITY

This RFP is issued under the authority of the City of Milton. The RFP process is a procurement option allowing the award to be based on stated evaluation criteria. The RFP states the relative importance of all evaluation criteria. No other evaluation criteria, other than as outlined in the RFP, will be used.

2.1 OFFEROR COMPETITION

The City encourages free and open competition among Offerors. Whenever possible, the City will design specifications, proposal requests, and conditions to accomplish this objective, consistent with the necessity to satisfy the City’s need to procure technically sound, cost-effective services and supplies.

2.2 RECEIPT OF PROPOSALS AND PUBLIC INSPECTION

A. Public Information.

All information received in response to this RFP, including copyrighted material, is deemed public information and will be made available for public viewing and copying after the time for receipt of qualifications has passed, and the award has been made, with the following four exceptions: (1) bona fide trade secrets meeting confidentiality requirements that have been properly marked, separated, and documented; (2) matters involving individual safety as determined by the City of Milton; (3) any company financial information requested by the City of Milton to determine vendor responsibility, unless prior written consent has been given by the Offeror; and (4) other constitutional protections.

B. Procurement Officer Review of Proposals.

Upon opening the submittals received in response to this RFP, the procurement office will review the proposals and separate out any information that meets the referenced exceptions in Section 2.2(A) above, providing the following conditions have been met:

1. Confidential information is clearly marked and separated from the rest of the submittal.

2. An affidavit from an Offeror’s legal counsel attesting to and explaining the validity of the trade secret claim is attached to each submittal containing trade secrets. Please contact Honor Motes, Procurement Manager, for additional information.

Information separated out under this process will be available for review only by the procurement office, the evaluation committee members, and limited other designees. Offerors must be prepared to pay all legal costs and fees associated with defending a claim for confidentiality in the event of a “right to know” (open records) request from another party.

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2.3 CLASSIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

A. Initial Classification of Proposals as Responsive or Nonresponsive.

Proposals may be found nonresponsive at any time during the evaluation process or contract negotiation, if any of the required information is not provided; the submitted price is found to be excessive or inadequate as measured by criteria stated in the RFP; or the qualification is not within the specifications described and required in the RFP. If a qualification is found to be nonresponsive, it will not be considered further.

B. Determination of Responsibility.

The procurement office will determine if an Offeror has met the standards of responsibility. Such a determination may be made at any time during the evaluation process and through contract negotiation if information surfaces that would result in a determination of nonresponsive.

C. Evaluation of Proposals.

The evaluation committee will evaluate the remaining proposals and recommend whether to award the contract to the highest scoring Offeror or, if necessary, to seek discussion/negotiation to determine the highest scoring

Offeror. All responsive proposals will be evaluated based on stated evaluation criteria. In scoring against stated criteria, the City may consider such factors as accepted industry standards and a comparative evaluation of all other qualified RFP responses. These scores will be used to determine the most advantageous offering to the City.

D. Completeness of Proposals.

Selection and award will be based on the Offeror’s proposals and other items outlined in this RFP. Submitted responses may not include references to information located elsewhere, such as Internet websites or libraries, unless specifically requested. Information or materials presented by Offerors outside the formal response or subsequent discussion/negotiation, if requested, will not be considered, will have no bearing on any award, and may result in the Offeror being disqualified from further consideration.

E. Opportunity for Discussion/Negotiation and/or Oral Presentation/Product Demonstration.

After receipt of all proposals and prior to the determination of the award, the City may initiate discussions with one or more Offerors should clarification or negotiation be necessary. Offerors may also be required to make an oral presentation and/or product demonstration to clarify their RFP response or to further define their offer. In either case, Offerors should be prepared to send qualified personnel to Milton, Georgia to discuss technical and contractual aspects of the submittal. Oral presentations and product demonstrations, if requested, shall be at the Offeror’s expense.

F. Best and Final Offer The “Best and Final Offer” is an option available to the City under the RFP process which permits the City to request a “best and final offer” from one or more offerors if additional information is required to make a final decision.

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Offerors may be contacted asking that they submit their “best and final offer,” which must include any and all discussed and/or negotiated changes. The City reserves the right to request a “best and final offer” for this RFP, if any, based on price/cost alone.

G. Evaluation Committee Recommendation for Contract Award.

The evaluation committee will provide a written recommendation for contract award.

H. Request for Documents Notice.

Upon concurrence with the evaluation committee’s recommendation for contract award, the procurement officer may issue a “Request for Documents Notice” to the highest scoring Offeror to obtain the required insurance documents, contract performance security, and any other necessary documents. Receipt of the “Request for Documents Notice” does not constitute a contract and no work may begin until a contract signed by all parties is in place.

I. Contract Negotiation.

The procurement officer and/or city department representatives may begin contract negotiation with the responsive and responsible Offeror whose submittal achieves the highest score and is, therefore, the most advantageous to the City. If contract negotiation is unsuccessful or the highest scoring Offeror fails to provide necessary documents or information in a timely manner, or fails to negotiate in good faith, the City may terminate negotiations and begin negotiations with the next highest scoring Offeror.

J. Contract Award.

Contract award, if any, will be made to the highest scoring Offeror who provides all required documents and successfully completes contract negotiation.

2.4 RIGHTS RESERVED

While the City has every intention to award a contract as a result of this RFP, issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the City of Milton to award and execute a contract. Upon a determination such actions would be in its best interest, the City, in its sole discretion, reserves the right to:

1. Modify, cancel, or terminate this RFP,

2. Reject any or all proposals received in response to this RFP,

3. Select an Offeror without holding interviews,

4. Waive any undesirable, inconsequential, or inconsistent provisions of this RFP which would not have significant impact on any submittal,

5. To request further documentation or information, and to discuss an RFP submittal for any purpose to answer questions or to provide clarification,

6. Award a portion of this RFP or not award any portion of this RFP if it is in the best interest of the City not to proceed with contract execution; or

7. If awarded, terminate any contract in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract if the City determines adequate funds are not available.

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SECTION 3: SCOPE OF SERVICES

Section 1 – Managed IT Services (Help Desk Escalation, Network, and Server Support)

The City of Milton’s Information Technology staff will continue to provide first and second-level support for end users and infrastructure. In cases where issues cannot be resolved internally, the selected vendor will serve as the escalation point for advanced support needs.

The vendor must:

• Provide escalation support for complex technical issues related to servers, networks, and applications.

• Be available to provide frontline help desk support on an as-needed basis, primarily through remote support, with the possibility of limited onsite help desk assistance if required.

• Utilize their own remote monitoring and management (RMM) platform or integrate with the City’s existing RMM tool to provide proactive monitoring, troubleshooting, and remote remediation capabilities.

• Offer secure remote access capabilities for efficient problem resolution.

• Respond onsite when necessary, with clearly defined Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for both remote and onsite response times.

• Provide ongoing network, server, and system health monitoring to identify and mitigate issues before they affect City operations.

Evaluation Criteria for Section 1 Vendor proposals will be evaluated based on the following:

• Demonstrated experience in escalation-level IT support for municipal or similar enterprise environments.

• Description of monitoring and management tools (including integration capabilities with City systems).

• Documented SLAs for both onsite and remote support.

• Availability of qualified staff and their relevant certifications.

• Examples of proactive monitoring and issue prevention strategies.

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Section 2 – Managed IT Security Services (Security as a Service / SECaaS)

In addition to IT support, the City is seeking a qualified vendor to provide Managed IT Security Services under a Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) model. These services will supplement the City’s existing cybersecurity program and help ensure a secure, resilient environment.

The vendor must:

• Provide and manage endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions.

• Provide and manage enterprise-grade email security and protection solutions.

• Perform continuous dark web monitoring for compromised credentials and emerging threats.

• Ingest and correlate logs from the City’s existing Darktrace solution, providing analysis and actionable insights.

• Respond to security incidents both remotely and onsite as required.

• Deliver continuous threat monitoring across the City’s IT environment.

• Provide identity and access management (IAM) solutions.

• Implement and manage data loss prevention (DLP) capabilities.

• Conduct regular vulnerability scanning and provide remediation guidance.

• Provide network security services, including intrusion detection and prevention support.

• Support disaster recovery and business continuity (DR/BC) planning and testing.

• Deliver incident response services, including investigation, containment, eradication, and recovery support.

• Assist the City with strategic cybersecurity planning, including developing roadmaps, aligning with industry best practices, and supporting compliance with applicable regulations.

Evaluation Criteria for Section 2 Vendor proposals will be evaluated based on the following:

• Demonstrated experience delivering SECaaS solutions for municipalities or enterprise clients.

• Description of security platforms, tools, and integration capabilities (especially with Darktrace).

• Documented incident response processes and SLAs for both remote and onsite response.

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• Qualifications, certifications, and availability of security personnel.

• Approach to proactive monitoring, vulnerability management, and threat intelligence.

• Ability to provide measurable outcomes and report to IT leadership.

SECTION 4: OFFEROR PROPOSALS

4.0 CITY’S RIGHT TO INVESTIGATE

The City may make such investigations as deemed necessary to determine the ability of the Offeror to provide the supplies and/or perform the services specified.

4.1 OFFEROR INFORMATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Firms interested in providing the services described in this RFP should be able to demonstrate experience in the areas described in Section 3.

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SECTION 5: COST PROPOSAL

MUST BE RETURNED WITH PROPOSAL ~ IN A SEPARATE FILE

RFP 26-IT01: Cost Proposal ~ Page 1 of 3

The Offeror’s cost proposal shall be signed by an authorized agent of the company. All pages of the Cost Proposal must be returned with the proposal. There is no maximum page limit to Section 5.

The undersigned Offeror, having familiarized themselves with the work required by the RFP, the bid documents, the site where the work is to be performed, all laws, regulations, and other factors affecting performance of the work, and having satisfied itself/himself/herself of the expense and difficulties attending performance of the work; Hereby proposes and agrees, if this bid for the above named project is accepted to enter into a contract to perform all work necessary to the successful completion of the contract; and to supply all required submittals as indicated or specified in the RFP and the bid documents to be performed or furnished by bidder for the total contract price below:

Print/Type Company Name and Address:

Authorized Signature ___________________________________ Date____________________

Print/Type Name and Title ________________________________________________________

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RFP 26-IT01: Cost Proposal ~ Page 2 of 3

Pricing Sheet:

Managed IT Services Service Description

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Notes

Escalation Support (Network/Server)

As-Needed Frontline Help Desk Support

RMM /

Monitoring Tools (if vendor-supplied)

Onsite Support (if applicable)

Other (please specify)

Total Annual Cost

– Managed IT Services

Note: Please include any anticipated annual cost escalators or percentage increases over the five-year term.

22 | RFP 26-IT01

RFP 26-IT01: Cost Proposal ~ Page 3 of 3

Managed IT Security Services (SECaaS) Service Description

Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4 Year 5 Notes

Endpoint Detection & Response (EDR)

Email Protection / Filtering

Dark Web Monitoring

Vulnerability Scanning / Network Security

IAM / DLP /

Threat Response

Security Incident Response (Remote/Onsite)

Strategic Security Planning & Compliance Support

Other (please specify)

Total Annual Cost – Managed Security Services

Note: Please specify any anticipated annual cost escalators or percentage increases for the term of the agreement.

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SECTION 6: EVALUATION CRITERIA

6.0 EVALUATION CRITERIA

The evaluation committee will review and evaluate the proposals according to the following criteria:

• A selection team for the City will initially evaluate and score all submittals received.

• Proposals not meeting the minimum requirements and those who are non-responsive will not be considered.

• Cost Proposals will be reviewed after the technical review process.

Proposal Evaluation Criteria:

Evaluation Category Description Weight Experience & Qualifications Demonstrated experience providing managed IT and security services for municipalities or enterprise-class clients.

Qualifications, certifications, and expertise of assigned staff.

20%

Technical Approach – Managed IT Services

Quality and completeness of proposed help desk escalation process, monitoring and management tools (RMM), SLAs for remote and onsite support, and proactive support strategies.

20%

Technical Approach – Security as a Service (SECaaS)

Strength of security offerings (EDR, email protection, IAM, DLP, vulnerability scanning, DR/BC, etc.), ability to integrate with Darktrace, and incident response processes.

20%

Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

Documented SLAs for both remote and onsite response, including guaranteed response times and escalation procedures.

15%

Reporting & Communication Quality of reporting, ability to provide measurable outcomes, communication protocols with City staff, and transparency in operations.

10%

Cost Proposal Overall cost-effectiveness of the proposal, including clarity of pricing model, scalability, and total value to the City.

15%

Total

100%

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SECTION 7: STANDARD CONTRACT INFORMATION

7.0 STANDARD CONTRACT

The City’s standard contract is attached to this document as Appendix A. Offeror should notify the City of any terms within the standard contract that preclude them from responding to the RFP. This notification must be made by the deadline for receipt of written/e-mailed questions or with the Offeror’s RFP response. Any requests for material, substantive, important exceptions to the standard contract will be addressed in any formal written addendum issued by the procurement officer in charge of the solicitation. The City reserves the right to address any non-material, minor, insubstantial exceptions to the standard contract with the highest scoring Offeror at the time of contract negotiation.

7.1 ADDITIONAL CONTRACT PROVISIONS AND TERMS

This RFP and any addenda, the Offeror’s RFP response, including any amendments, a best and final offer, any clarification question responses, and any negotiations shall be included in any resulting contract. The City’s standard contract, attached as Appendix A, contains the contract terms and conditions which will form the basis of any contract negotiated between the City and the highest scoring Offeror. The contract language contained in Appendix A does not define the total extent of the contract language that may be negotiated. In the event of a dispute as to the duties and responsibilities of the parties under this contract, the contract, along with any attachments prepared by the City, will govern in the same order of precedence as listed in the contract.

7.2 SUBCONTRACTOR

The highest scoring Offeror will be the prime contractor if a contract is awarded and shall be responsible, in total, for all work of any subcontractors. All subcontractors, if any, must be listed in the proposals. The City reserves the right to approve all sub-contractors. The Contractor shall be responsible to the City for the acts and omissions of all sub-contractor or agents and of persons directly or indirectly employed by such sub-contractor, and for the acts and omissions of persons employed directly by the Contractor. Further, nothing contained within this document, or any contract documents created as a result of any contract awards derived from this RFP shall create any contractual relationships between any subcontractor and the City.

7.3 GENERAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

See sample contract.

7.4 COMPLIANCE WITH WORKERS’ COMPENSATION ACT

The Contractor is required to supply the City of Milton with proof of compliance with the Workers’ Compensation Act while performing work for the City. Neither the Contractor nor its employees are employees of the City. The proof of insurance/exemption must be received by the City of Milton within ten (10) working days of the Request for Documents Notice and must be kept current for the entire term of the contract.

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CONTRACTS WILL NOT BE ISSUED TO OFFERORS WHO FAIL TO PROVIDE THE

REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION WITHIN THE ALLOTTED TIME FRAME.

7.5 COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS

The Contractor must, in performance of work under this contract, fully comply with all applicable federal, state, or local laws, rules and regulations, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Any subletting or subcontracting by the Contractor subjects subcontractors to the same provision.

The Contractor agrees that the hiring of persons to perform the contract will be made based on merit and qualifications and there will be no discrimination based upon race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, or national origin by the persons performing the contract.

7.6 CONTRACT TERMINATION

See sample contract.

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SAMPLE CONTRACT ONLY ~ DO NOT RETURN WITH PROPOSAL

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT is made and entered into this day of , 20 (the “Effective Date”), by and between the CITY OF MILTON, GEORGIA, a municipal corporation of the State of Georgia, acting by and through its governing authority, the Mayor and City Council (hereinafter referred to as the “City”), and , a , (herein after referred to as the "Consultant"), collectively referred to herein as the "Parties."

WITNESSETH:

WHEREAS, City desires to retain Consultant to provide certain services in the completion of a Project (defined below); and

WHEREAS, City finds that specialized knowledge, skills, and training are necessary to perform the Work (defined below) contemplated under this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Consultant has represented that it is qualified by training and experience to perform the Work; and

WHEREAS, Consultant desires to perform the Work as set forth in this Agreement under the terms and conditions provided in this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, the public interest will be served by this Agreement; and

WHEREAS, Consultant has familiarized itself with the nature and extent of the Agreement, the Project, and the Work, and with all local conditions and federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, rules, and regulations that may in any manner affect cost, progress, or performance of Work.

NOW, THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual promises, the public purposes, and the acknowledgements and agreements contained herein, and other good and adequate consideration, the sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the Parties do mutually agree as follows:

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I. SCOPE OF SERVICES AND TERMINATION DATE

A. Agreement. The Agreement shall consist of this Professional Services

Agreement and each of the Exhibits hereto, which are incorporated herein by reference, including:

Exhibit “A” – City Solicitation Documents Exhibit “B” – Consultant Response/Proposal Exhibit “C” – Scope of Work Exhibit “D” – Contractor Affidavit Exhibit “E” – Subcontractor Affidavit Exhibit “F” – Key Personnel

B. Project Description. The “Project” at issue in this Agreement is generally described as:

C. The Work. The Work to be completed under this Agreement (the “Work”) includes, but shall not be limited to, the work described in the Scope of Work provided in Exhibit “C”, attached hereto, and incorporated herein by reference. Unless otherwise stated in Exhibit “C”, the Work includes all material, labor, insurance, tools, equipment, machinery, water, heat, utilities, transportation, facilities, services, and any other miscellaneous items and work necessary to complete the Work. Some details necessary for proper execution and completion of the Work may not be specifically described in the Scope of Work, but they are a requirement of the Work if they are a usual and customary component of the contemplated services or are otherwise necessary for proper completion of the Work.

D. Schedule, Completion Date, and Term of Agreement. Consultant understands that time is of the essence of this Agreement and warrants and represents that it will perform the Work in a prompt and timely manner, which shall not impose delays on the progress of the Work. The term of this Agreement (“Term”) shall commence as of the Effective Date, and the Work shall be completed, and the Agreement shall terminate, on or before (provided that certain obligations will survive termination/expiration of this Agreement). If the Term of this Agreement is longer than one year, the Parties agree that this Agreement, as required by O.C.G.A. § 36-60-13, shall terminate absolutely and without further obligation on the part of City on December 31 each calendar year of the Term, and further, that this Agreement shall automatically renew on January 1 of each subsequent calendar year absent City’s provision of written notice of non-renewal to Consultant at least five (5) days prior to the end of the then current calendar year. Title to any supplies, materials, equipment, or other personal property shall remain in Consultant until fully paid for by City.

II. WORK CHANGES

A. Change Order Defined. A “Change Order” means a written modification

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of the Agreement, signed by representatives of City and Consultant with appropriate authorization.

B. Right to Order Changes. City reserves the right to order changes in the Work to be performed under this Agreement by altering, adding to, or deducting from the Work. All such changes shall be incorporated in written Change Orders and executed by Consultant and City. Such Change Orders shall specify the changes ordered and any necessary adjustment of compensation and completion time. If the Parties cannot reach an agreement on the terms for performing the changed work within a reasonable time to avoid delay or other unfavorable impacts as determined by City in its sole discretion, City shall have the right to determine reasonable terms, and Consultant shall proceed with the changed work.

B. Change Order Requirement. Any work added to the scope of this

Agreement by a Change Order shall be executed under all the applicable conditions of this Agreement. No claim for additional compensation or extension of time shall be recognized, unless contained in a written Change Order duly executed on behalf of City and Consultant.

C. Authority to Execute Change Order. The City Manager has authority to execute, without further action of the Mayor or City Council, any number of Change Orders so long as their total effect does not materially alter the terms of this Agreement or materially increase the Maximum Contract Price, as set forth in Section III(B) below.

Any such Change Orders materially altering the terms of this Agreement, or any Change Order affecting the price where the Maximum Contract Price (as amended) is in excess of $50,000, must be approved by resolution of the Mayor and City Council. Amendments shall not result in a variance in price exceeding ten percent of the original contract amount.

III. COMPENSATION AND METHOD OF PAYMENT

A. Payment Terms. City agrees to pay Consultant for the Work performed and costs incurred by Consultant upon certification by City that the Work was performed, and costs actually incurred in accordance with the Agreement. Compensation for Work performed and, if applicable, reimbursement for costs incurred shall be paid to Consultant upon City’s receipt and approval of invoices, setting forth in detail the services performed and costs incurred, along with all supporting documents requested by City to process the invoice. Invoices shall be submitted monthly, and such invoices shall reflect costs incurred versus costs budgeted.