RFP # 32701-04678 – Amendment # 4 Page 1 of 22

STATE OF TENNESSEE

TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS # 32701-04678

AMENDMENT # 4

FOR WIRELESS-AS-A-SERVICE PROVIDER FOR

TENNESSEE STATE PARKS

DATE: January 14, 2026

RFP # 32701-04678 IS AMENDED AS FOLLOWS:

1. This RFP Schedule of Events updates and confirms scheduled RFP dates. Any event, time, or date containing revised or new text is highlighted.

EVENT

TIME

(central time zone)

DATE

1. RFP Issued October 20, 2025

2. Disability Accommodation Request Deadline 2:00 p.m. October 24, 2025

3. Pre-response Conference 2:00 p.m. October 28, 2025

4. Notice of Intent to Respond Deadline 2:00 p.m. October 29, 2025

5. Written “Questions & Comments” Deadline 2:00 p.m. November 4, 2025

6. State Response to Written “Questions & Comments”

January 14, 2026

7. Second Round Written “Questions and Comments” Deadline

January 23, 2026

8. State Response to Second Round Written “Questions and Comments”

February 11, 2026

9. Technical Response Deadline 2:00 p.m. February 25, 2026

10. State Completion of Technical Response Evaluations

March 17, 2026

11. State Schedules State Visit with Qualified Respondents

March 20, 2026

12. Site Visits for Qualified Respondents March 27, 2026

13. Cost Proposal Submission Deadline 2:00 p.m. March 31, 2026

14. State Opening & Scoring of Cost Proposals 2:00 p.m. April 1, 2026

15. Negotiations (Optional) 4:30 p.m. April 6-8, 2026

RFP # 32701-04678 – Amendment # 4 Page 2 of 22

16. State Notice of Intent to Award Released and RFP Files Opened for Public Inspection

2:00 p.m. April 9, 2026

17. End of Protest Period April 16, 2026

18. State sends contract to Contractor for signature

April 20, 2026

19. Contractor Signature Deadline 2:00 p.m. April 24, 2026

20. Performance Bond Deadline 4:30 p.m. April 30, 2026

2. State responses to questions and comments in the table below amend and clarify this RFP.

Any restatement of RFP text in the Question/Comment column shall NOT be construed as a change in the actual wording of the RFP document.

RFP

SECTION

PAGE

QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

3.2 10-12 1. Will the bid response be a paper response?

Bids may be submitted via email to Kyle.Villagomez@tn.gov or physically mailed to the Central Procurement Office: 312 Rosa L.

Parks Ave., 3rd Floor, Nashville, TN 37243

2. Will there be a list of attendees to the pre-response conference from October 28, 2025?

Attendance will not be available until the State Notice of Intent to Award is released and RFP Files are Opened for Public Inspection on April 9, 2026.

3. Can the State provide a map for each park and the required coverage areas/buildings?

Yes, maps have been included in a separate file.

4. How many users per park? How many users per coverage area within each park?

The user numbers will vary greatly depending on the park, time of year, etc. Some parks will vary from 20 users to potentially 200+ users at one time.

5. Is there any existing fiber or other cabling that can be re-used in any park?

We would prefer all existing cabling be replaced due to age.

6. What are the internet speeds at each park? If no Internet exists at a park, what is the requirement for that park?

Each park has different service providers and bandwidth.

Attachment

6.2 Section C

29 7. In Item C.23, the statement "Service Provided must be a maximum of 100 millisecond latency." What is the latency being measured to for this requirement?

This evaluation criteria has been removed.

Please review the updated RFP document.

1.2 2

8. Would a standing Master Service

Agreement with Tennessee State Parks be considered?

We have ISPs providing WiFi in some parks.

Therefore, a blanket service agreement would not be appropriate for every TN State Park.

1.1 1-2

9. What areas must be covered within the parks for users to be able to access?

This RFP is for the campground areas.

1.1 1-2

10. Will 802.1X Radius, LDAP, or IdP integration be required for park employees? If so, can you please

No, this is not required.

mailto:Kyle.Villagomez@tn.gov

RFP # 32701-04678 – Amendment # 4 Page 3 of 22

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

elaborate on any Radius, LDAP, or IdP integration requirements?

1.1 1-2

11. Is there a need for physical ports on APs in cabins, lodges, etc.?

No, there is not a need at this time. The State’s initial implementation will be for Wifi at the campgrounds.

Attachment

6.2 sections A.5, C.16, C.17, A.4

22-30

12. Is the winning WiFi as a Service contractor required to assume responsibilities for new electrical, if needed, or would new electric service be provided by the Sate Park?

There should be electric in the areas that need WiFi. In any areas where electricity is needed to be expanded, the park will provide or we will assess the need for WiFi in those areas.

Attachment

6.2 Section C

27-30

13. Are there any streaming applications running off the WiFi, POS, etc., that we need to be aware of?

No State related streaming services are running. It is assumed park guests accessing the Wifi will utilize the service for streaming privately.

Attachment

6.2 Section C

27-30

14. Are there any estimates on the maximum concurrent users on the WiFi network, per park?

The following data is an estimate. Peak Daily (Summer)

Fall Creek Falls 240

Chickasaw 61

Cumberland Mtn. 138

Harrison Bay 113

Henry Horton 103

Montgomery Bell No Data

Panther Creek 94

Roan Mtn. 94

Tims Ford (Fairview) 63

Rock Island 138

Cedars of Lebanon No Data

Attachment

6.2 Section C

27-30

15. Are there any high-density common areas that would have more than 300 WiFi users concurrently and what would total capacity be at peak?

No. The users will be spread throughout a campground and multiple access points.

Assume common areas would not have more than 300 users at one time.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.2

16. Are there any WiFi minimum requirements such as WiFi 6, WiFi 6E, etc.?

No

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.3

17. Are both Sinewave and “standard” battery backup required in the solution or is it up to the winning WaaS contractor?

We would like both sinewave and standard battery backups as an option.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.3

18. Do we need to provide WiFi coverage for the entire park? If not, please specify the area per park.

The specific areas will be the campgrounds and campground check in areas.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.9

19. Is there any Property Management System (PMS) integration needed? If so, what PMS vendor is used and is it premise-based serial, ethernet, or cloud?

There is not a current PMS integration needed.

RFP # 32701-04678 – Amendment # 4 Page 4 of 22

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.21

20. How many different unique

SSIDs are required per park?

Please assume one SSID per park. If any additional SSIDs are required, this will be discussed during the contract period.

Pro Forma

Section D.20

21. Is there protected health information going through the network? Is there a specific network requiring encryption including the guest internet access?

This is mainly for a publicly accessible WiFi.

There should be no protected health information being shared on the network via the State.

1.1 1-2 22. Are there site maps/layouts available for all the in scope parks? Section 6.2, C.3 references Lodges, campgrounds which should be referenced on each per site map.

Please see response to question #3.

1.1 1-2 23. What is the existing wireless solution that will be replaced or added to? Can you provide more information about that on a per site basis?

This RFP is to replace the expiring contract the State has with its current vendor in the 11 TN State Parks listed. Maps have been provided to show current coverage.

1.1 1-2 24. What type of user support is being referred to? Is this tech/remote support? Section 6.2, C.12 references onsite support and applicable SLAs as well.

There will need to be two types of support:

1. Guest support – a call in type support to assist park guests with connecting to the network for personal use during their visit to the park.

2. Enterprise support – this will be support for the physical network including a call in type support for park staff to call when network issues arise as well as the ability to request in person tech support for hardware issues.

1.1 1-2 25. Is it the intent of TN to fully troubleshoot any issues and only involve vendor if unable to resolve?

Park staff will troubleshoot the issues they can, but they are not tech employees with skills and knowledge to fully assess network and hardware issues.

1.1 1-2 26. If the vendor is performing the onsite maintenance where is the line drawn between TN troubleshooting before bringing in the vendor for onsite services?

When the capabilities of the on-site park staff are exceeded, a call to the vendor will be required.

1.1 1-2 27. What aspect of "managing" the WiFi solution is TN intending to perform? There are references to changing landing pages, etc. so can the management tasks be further defined.

This will depend on the solution provided/suggested. Park staff have limited tech capabilities, so support will be required by the vendor. Changes throughout the contract period should be minimal.

1.1 1-2 28. Can TN provide more details about the seasonal characteristics being referred to, what time period is this, how significant is the change in usage?

December – February: Usage slows dramatically with campgrounds averaging 10- 20% capacity

March – November: Campgrounds average 80- 100% capacity

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

1.1 1-2 29. Which parks have fiber available currently, and if not all, then when will it be there? Does the fiber cover all the areas where a WiFi solution is desired? Section 6.2, C.2 references sites that have fiber vs internet so it is important to understand which sites can support fiber.

Fall Creek Falls Fiber

Chickasaw No Fiber but available

Cumberland Mtn. Fiber

Harrison Bay Fiber

Henry Horton Fiber

Montgomery Bell No current ISP

Panther Creek Coax

Roan Mtn. Fiber

Tims Ford (Fairview) Coax Fiber will be coming to the main campground.

Rock Island Fiber

Cedars of Lebanon Fiber

1.1 1-2 30. Is there any user and data usage information for the parks currently? (average number of users, peak data usage)

The following data is an estimate. Peak Daily (Summer)

Fall Creek Falls 240

Chickasaw 61

Cumberland Mtn. 138

Harrison Bay 113

Henry Horton 103

Montgomery Bell No Data

Panther Creek 94

Roan Mtn. 94

Tims Ford (Fairview) 63

Rock Island 138

Cedars of Lebanon No Data

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.14

28 31. What are there expected hours of support for the end users provided by the vendor to support? (i.e. is this 8am to 5pm local time)

Please review the updated pro forma contract sections A.5.-A.8.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.22

29 32. Is it expected that the landing page be unique for each site, and how frequently would the landing page be updated?

There is no need for a unique landing page per park. It can be the same for each. Updates would be infrequent, potentially one a year.

6.3 31 33. This section references an attached spreadsheet which is not present? Also there is no signature block as referenced within the text.

This page is a placeholder; the referenced spreadsheet is on a separate excel document titled “RFP WIFI AS A SERVICE COST SPREADSHEET”. This spreadsheet also contains the signature block you are referring to.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.8.

28 34. Is DMCA violations an existing or new capability?

Existing

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.8.

28 35. Does the Wi-Fi AP need to integrate with an existing DPI/Classification system, or is the DPI/Classification system provided?

No, this is not necessary and not in use at the guest Wifi level.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.8.

28 36. If it is an existing capability, what deep packet inspection platforms are in use today? (ie.

manufacturer and model of existing platforms)

No, this is not necessary and not in use at the guest Wifi level.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.8.

28 37. If the DPI classification system is provided, does the Government envision enterprise-level containment using NAC?

No, this is not necessary and not in use at the guest Wifi level.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.8.

28 38. If yes on enterprise level NAC, is there an existing NAC platform or does the Government envision the provider to offer a NAC capability as part of the solution?

This is not applicable.

39. Any environmental restrictions in areas for pulling ethernet, fiber, etc?

There are none known at this time. The areas that will need fiber pulled are previously disturbed areas. If any arise during the construction phase, the State will assist with navigating those needs.

40. Is the state acceptable to CBRS for backhaul where P2P Wireless or Physical Connectivity is not available.

Yes

41. Is the installer required to provide power for scenarios where power is needed for APs, switches, etc or will that be provided outside of this RFP?

See question 12

42. What are the specific coverage expectations for each priority park facility (e.g., campgrounds, cabins, lodges)?

The campgrounds in the 11 priority parks are included in the coverage expectation.

43. Are there known areas within the parks where WiFi coverage is most critical or currently unavailable?

No.

44. What minimum bandwidth requirements should be supported for both guest and staff networks at peak usage times?

The following bandwidths are provided by ISP:

Fall Creek Falls Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Chickasaw No Fiber but available

Cumberland Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Harrison Bay Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Henry Horton Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Montgomery Bell No current ISP

Panther Creek Coax 1 Gig Asy

Roan Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Tims Ford (Fairview) Coax Fiber will be coming to the main campground.

Rock Island Fiber 1 Gig Sym

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

Cedars of Lebanon Fiber 1 Gig Sym

The State will ensure the park has proper internet service connection before Wifi installation occurs.

45. Are there unique bandwidth demands for operational facilities (e.g., visitor centers, reservation systems)?

No

46. Are there specific technologies or standards the State prefers to ensure future compatibility (e.g., WiFi 6/6E, 5G backhaul)?

Fiber backhauls are preferred, but the State is open for other technologies.

47. Should the monitoring system integrate with existing State IT platforms or be standalone?

The monitoring should be standalone at this time.

48. What expectations does the State have for proactive issue detection and resolution (e.g., real-time alerts, self-healing capabilities)?

Issue detection and and resolution is covered in pro forma sections A.5.-A.8.

49. Are there specific SLAs for uptime and incident response that must be met?

Section A.7. of the pro forma includes SLAs for service calls, as well as repair and replacement of equipment.

50. What types of user authentication are required for staff and guest networks (e.g., captive portals, single sign-on)?

Captive portal is required.

51. Should access control support role-based permissions for staff and guests?

No

52. Are there requirements for segmenting guest traffic from operational systems?

No

53. How should the system handle DMCA violation notifications and block access for repeat offenders?

Please review updated pro forma section A.10.

54. Are there preferred tools or methodologies (e.g., heat mapping) for site surveys?

Heat maps will be required.

55. Are there restrictions or preferences for installation methods (e.g., trenching for cabling, pole-mounted access points)?

This will be dependent on the park needs and structure. Trenching and pole mounted access points are preferred.

56. Should low-impact installation techniques be prioritized for environmentally sensitive areas?

Yes, although most areas will be previously disturbed areas and environmental impact will be minimal. Water runoff protection will be a requirement.

57. What level of training is expected for park staff to manage and troubleshoot the wireless network (e.g., basic troubleshooting vs.

advanced diagnostics)?

Basic troubleshooting training will be required for park staff.

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

58. Should training be conducted onsite or provided virtually?

Training shall be provided onsite and virtually.

Please see updated pro for section A.4. and A.6.

59. Are there expectations for direct support to park visitors experiencing WiFi issues, such as a helpdesk or ticketing system?

Yes. A call-in customer support system is required.

60. Are there specific requirements for a unified guest experience across parks (e.g., consistent SSIDs, landing pages)?

Yes. It is preferred to have a unified guest experience between parks.

61. Should park staff have tools to update landing pages with promotions or events?

This would be an added benefit at no additional cost to the State but is not required for this contract. There could be a need to update the landing page. This would not occur more than once or twice a year

62. Are non-terrestrial solutions (e.g., satellite, cellular backhaul) required for parks without fiber access?

The goal is to have direct ISP drop for use with the WiFi system. No non-terrestrial solutions are needed at this time.

63. What are the expectations for latency and bandwidth for these solutions?

The following bandwidths are provided by ISP:

Fall Creek Falls Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Chickasaw No Fiber but available

Cumberland Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Harrison Bay Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Henry Horton Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Montgomery Bell No current ISP

Panther Creek Coax 1 Gig Asy

Roan Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Tims Ford (Fairview) Coax Fiber will be coming to the main campground.

Rock Island Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Cedars of Lebanon Fiber 1 Gig Sym

The State will ensure the park has proper

1.9 5 64. In line with cost-effective IT industry standards for well-managed companies, would the State consider reducing the Payment Bond and Performance Bond amounts to $1,000,000 each?

The State would not agree to reduce the Payment or Performance Bond amounts.

2.1 7 65. The table says that the submittal time for several items is 2:00 p.m. Central Time, but in the Pre-response Conference, Kyle Villagomez stated that the time was 5:00 p.m. Central Time. Can you please confirm the submittal time for the 2nd set of questions

The 2nd set of questions and Technical Response Deadlines will both be 2:00 pm CST

RFP # 32701-04678 – Amendment # 4 Page 9 of 22

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

and the Technical Response deadline?

3.1.1.2 9 66. A font size restriction is provided for text responses, but not for figures and tables. To conserve space, page count, and the integrity of visuals, may we use a smaller font size for figures and tables?

Yes

3.2.1.1 & 3.2.1.2

10-11 67. These sections specify digital media and email for Technical Response submission. Are we required to deliver two sets of proposal responses (one via CD or USB drive and one via email) and are we required to submit copies of each; essentially submitting 4 copies? If we are required to submit copies of each, may we put both the original and the copy on a single CD/USB drive?

If submitting a technical response via email, The Technical Response document should be in the form of one (1) digital document in “PDF” format or other easily accessible digital format attached to an e-mail to the Solicitation Coordinator.

If submitting a technical response through the mail, the original technical response and copy must be on two separate CD-R recordable disc or USB flash drive

Pro Forma Section C.2

4 68. Would the State consider adjusting the language for Draft Contract section C.2 Price Changes as shown in blue bolded text below?:

“C.2. Price Changes. Prices listed in awarded published catalog, price lists or price schedule shall remain firm for the shorter of the contract term and seven hundred thirty (730) days (“Firm Price Period”).”

The State would agree to the proposed language, but with the words “contract’ and “term” both capitalized.

Pro Forma Section D.18

11 69. Would the State consider adjusting the language for Draft Contract section D.18 Limitation of Contractor’s Liability as shown in blue bolded text below?:

“D.18. Limitation of Contractor’s Liability. In accordance with Tenn.

Code Ann. § 12-3-701, the Contractor’s liability for all claims arising under this Contract shall be limited to an amount equal to two (2) times the Maximum Liability amount detailed in Section C.1. and as may be amended, PROVIDED THAT in no event shall this Section limit the liability of the Contractor for: (i) intellectual property or any Contractor indemnity obligations for infringement for third-party intellectual property rights; (ii) any claims covered by any specific provision in the Contract providing for liquidated damages; or

(iii) any claims for intentional torts, criminal acts, fraudulent conduct, or acts or omissions that result in personal injuries or death. For clarity, except as otherwise expressly set forth in this Section, Contractor’s indemnification obligations and other remedies available under this Contract are subject to the limitations on liability

Yes, the State would agree to the requested language.

RFP # 32701-04678 – Amendment # 4 Page 10 of 22

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

set forth in this Section. Neither the State nor the Contractor will be liable for incidental or consequential damages, including without limitation lost revenues or profits.”

Pro Forma Section D.19

11 70. Would the State consider adjusting the language for Draft Contract section D.19 Hold Harmless as shown in the 1st paragraph of D.19 in blue bolded and struck out text below?:

“D.19. Hold Harmless. The Contractor agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the State of Tennessee as well as its officers, agents, and employees from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, and causes of action which may arise, accrue, or result to any person, firm, corporation, or other entity which may be injured or damaged as a result of acts, omissions, or gross negligence, or willful misconduct on the part of the Contractor, its employees, or any person acting for or on its or their behalf relating to this Contract. The Contractor further agrees it shall be liable for the reasonable cost of attorneys’ fees, court costs, expert witness fees, and other litigation expenses for the State to enforce the terms of this Contract.”

The State declines to accept the requested changes to Section D.19.

71. Please provide current-state inventories per park (APs, switches, routers), building counts, indoor/outdoor coverage targets, and fiber/backhaul availability and capacity by facility/park.

The State has provided a list of current hardware and coverage maps.

72. What are the target SLAs for uptime, latency, packet loss, and mean-time-to-restore by severity?

Unless otherwise stated in the pro forma contract, target SLAs are based industry standards.

73. Please provide the expected equipment refresh cycle and asset disposition. Since the State owns equipment upon acceptance, please confirm refresh triggers (age, capacity, failure rates), refresh approval workflow, and end-of-life disposal procedures.

Expected equipment refresh will be dependent on available funding, with an estimate of 5 years for operational equipment. Replacement decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis for all other equipment needs. The State will handle equipment disposal as needed.

74. For in-season vs off-season support, please confirm required service coverage hours, field dispatch expectations, and whether device counts change seasonally.

Wifi service and network support must be provided 24 hours per day, seven days a week.

Equipment support is outlined in A.7. of the pro forma.

75. Please confirm security standards: required encryption (WPA3-Enterprise?), guest/staff VLAN isolation, IDS/IPS

Content filtering must align with DMCA laws and policy. Current security standards are click to connect for guests; the State retains the right to update and increase that standard should

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

requirements, content filtering, and log retention durations internal policies change. Log retention is a minimum of one year but may change based on any updates to industry standard and/or applicable laws and regulations.

76. Will guest access require PII collection (e.g., email/phone/SMS)? If so, please specify data retention, anonymization, and privacy policy requirements for portal data.

We are not collecting guest PII at this time.

However, the contractor will be subject to the requirements in pro forma section E.5. should any PII be collected.

Attachment 6.2

22-30 77. Are permits, trenching, pole foundations, and dedicated electrical circuits within scope and budget? Who coordinates with local authorities/utilities?

Yes. The selected vendor will be responsible for coordinating.

78. Please specify acceptable use limits, throttling policies, and whether premium paid tiers are envisioned for guests.

None of these are necessary at this time.

79. Define data retention windows for logs/analytics, PII storage location, and encryption key management expectations.

We are not collecting guest PII at this time.

However, the contractor will be subject to the requirements in pro forma section E.5. should any PII be collected.

6.3

31 80. Please clarify the volumes stated in the column “State’s Estimated Quantity.” Time span (month, year) and scope (per park, for the initial 11 parks or other scope) is needed to better understand the context for those numbers. For example, the item “Wifi End User Support” has 500 support tickets, but it doesn’t specify if those tickets are per month or per year, nor if the 500 tickets are per park, for the 11 combined priority parks, or all TN State Parks).

This will be 500 support tickets per park for the 11 priority parks for the life of the contract.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.2

27 81. Item C.2 requests for Respondent to provide “WiFi service that will take advantage of the internet service bandwidth available at each location.”

Please provide the current Internet bandwidth available for each of the priority parks.

The following bandwidths are provided by ISP:

Fall Creek Falls Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Chickasaw No Fiber but available

Cumberland Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Harrison Bay Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Henry Horton Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Montgomery Bell No current ISP

Panther Creek Coax 1 Gig Asy

Roan Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Tims Ford (Fairview) Coax Fiber will be coming to the main campground.

Rock Island Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Cedars of Lebanon Fiber 1 Gig Sym

The State will ensure the park has proper

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

6.2 Section

C.14

28 82. Please provide information on whether the Respondent is expected to integrate its ticketing system with the TN State Parks’ systems and tools (i.e., ITSM, inventory/CMDB, etc.). If so, please describe what systems and tools the State currently has that will require such integration.

There is no expectation to integrate the WiFi system into the TN State Parks systems.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.23

29 83. The Respondent needs to describe how it provides Internet services at the parks. However, there is no item int Cost Spreadsheet for the Respondent to quote/cost Internet services at the parks. How does TN State Parks plan to procure Internet circuits or upgrades when needed?

Internet services are and will be provided by state parks.

Attachment 6.3

31 84. Please clarify the definition of “Wifi End User Support”. Does the state expect the Respondent to take support calls from park visitors having WiFi issues, or does “End User” refer to TN State Parks’ IT staff team requesting support into the Respondent’s Service Desk?

The contractor is required to provide support to both park guests and park staff. Please see pro forma sections A.5.-A.8.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.20

29 85. For the 11 priority parks, what are the current manufacturers being used today, and is there any equipment that will reach End of Life (EoL) or End of Support (EoS) in the next 12 months?

Rukus and Ubiquiti are in production. All equipment at each of the 11 priority parks are end of life.

Attachment 6.2, section B, B.13

86. Will the State accept an employee industry experience biography as an alternative to a resume? Resumes contain personal information

Yes, this is acceptable.

Attachment

6.2, section

C, C.2

87. In order to align our response with the available bandwidth at each location, can the State please provide the current internet bandwidth at each location and describe if it is symmetrical or asymmetrical (download versus upload speeds)? We understand this may change in the future.

The following bandwidths are provided by ISP:

Fall Creek Falls Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Chickasaw No Fiber but available

Cumberland Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Harrison Bay Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Henry Horton Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Montgomery Bell No current ISP

Panther Creek Coax 1 Gig Asy

Roan Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Tims Ford (Fairview) Coax Fiber will be coming to the main campground.

Rock Island Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Cedars of Lebanon Fiber 1 Gig Sym

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

The State will ensure the park has proper

Pro Forma section A.4

2 88. Is the Contractor's proposal to include running all fiber and power, and constructing poles?

Yes.

Pro Forma section A.2

1 89. Will other manners of internet access, other than terrestrial, to the APs be permissible?

This should not be needed.

Pro Forma section A.4

2 90. Are alternate means of backhaul and power permissible?

This should not be needed.

Pro Forma section A.8

2-3 91. Is the expectation that the entire park, 100% has Wi-Fi coverage?

Or are designated, agreed upon areas the design for coverage?

The required areas will be the campgrounds in the 11 priority parks.

Pro Forma section A.8

2-3 92. Is there a min performance required, throughput for the Wi- Fi?

No

93. Please provide detailed maps for each park indicating the specific coverage areas and required throughput levels.

Please see response to question #3.

1.1 1-2 94. What types of access will state park employees require from the wireless network (e.g., administrative systems, guest Wi- Fi, secure internal communications)?

Guest Wi-Fi at this time

Attachment 6.2, section C.16

28 95. What existing infrastructure is available in each park for mounting wireless equipment (e.g., telephone poles, buildings, light poles)? Please specify whether these assets have accessible power sources.

There are pre-existing poles for the 11 initial park locations. However, the awarded contractor may choose to change the architecture/design.

1.1 1-2 96. Please provide a list of existing equipment in each park that is slated for replacement.

The State has provided a current list of hardware.

1.1 1-2 97. For parks where equipment is being replaced, is there an expectation for additional infrastructure enhancements beyond the replacement?

The State will explore expansion of WiFi coverage in the 11 priority park campgrounds if the service is possible and the need is high enough in those locations.

Attachment 6.2, section C.16, C.18

28, 29 98. Will trenching for power and connectivity lines be permitted in all parks? If not, please specify any restrictions.

This will be site specific, but trenching will be the preferred method in areas where conduit is not already available.

Attachment 6.2, section C.16

28 99. What is the permitting process for trenching, pole installation, power provisioning, and equipment mounting? Will the Parks Department assist respondents in expediting these processes?

Permitting will be the responsibility of the selected vendor.

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

Attachment 6.2, section C.17

29 100. Who will be responsible for the delivery and installation of backhaul circuits?

There will be ISPs available for each of the 11 priority parks.

1.1 1-2 101. What is the anticipated number of connected devices and users per park?

The following data is an estimate. Peak Daily (Summer)

Fall Creek Falls 240

Chickasaw 61

Cumberland Mtn. 138

Harrison Bay 113

Henry Horton 103

Montgomery Bell No Data

Panther Creek 94

Roan Mtn. 94

Tims Ford (Fairview) 63

Rock Island 138

Cedars of Lebanon No Data

102. Can you clarify if the Site Visit

Price sheet is intended only for Cedars of Lebanon, or should we create one for each park?

If you are one of the top 3 (three) highest-evaluated respondents, you will be asked to only submit a cost proposal for the site visit to Cedars of Lebanon State Park.

Attachment 6.3

31 103. Should we prepare separate non- Site Visit pricing sheets for each park, or is one sufficient?

Please see response to question #102

Attachment 6.3

31 104. How are the unit priced items on the Site Visit spreadsheet being defined—specifically, what components are included in the wireless bridge unit price?

The price should be inclusive of any ancillary items and hardware necessary.

Attachment 6.3

31 105. Does the wireless bridge unit price cover radios for each side of the link or just the total link, and are ancillary items like antennas, grounding, brackets, and sled mounts included?

The price should be inclusive of any ancillary items and hardware necessary.

31 106. How is "wireless backhaul" defined in this context, especially since a bridge is listed? Is it exclusively point-to-multipoint equipment?

Point to point and point to multipoint are both acceptable. This would be dependent upon network design.

Attachment 6.3

31 107. What should we do if the survey results indicate that multiple types of technology solutions are needed due to factors like connection length, line of sight, or interference?

This potential need should be expressed within the response document and priced out as needed. The Respondent should indicate pricing for each line item. If a line item is not necessary for the installation at the site visit location, a quantity of zero will be entered. If a potential respondent thinks there should be additional cost items on the spreadsheet, please submit that information to the solicitation coordinator by the deadline for the second round written questions and comments.

The State will consider adding lines.

108. Are there any specific performance metrics required for

Network performance requirement is continuous coverage 24/7.U biquiti is

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

the WiFi network beyond contiguous coverage, and is Ubiquiti truly considered an acceptable option for these requirements?

acceptable so long that it meets performance requirements.

109. Can the Managed Service portion be out of the Continental US?

Yes

110. Is indoor WIFI coverage in buildings and lodges located at the parks part of this project?

The only indoor service potential may be any campground check in stations, at this time..

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.3

27 111. RFP states 100% coverage. I don’t believe anyone can technically meet this requirement for the funding allocated to the project, simply based on the foliage at the parks, FCC regulated power levels for WiFi, and potential cost for asset construction. Our recommendation is that during the walk through of Lebanon (and/or other Park locations), specific areas of desired coverage are listed. If coverage is a 100% requirement, can you provide square mile or footage information for each property, along with how this will be tested?

100% coverage should include only the areas around the main camping areas where guests gather. The State has provided maps of coverage areas. Testing will be done at each site for coverage.

112. Can we install Towers to extend distribution of the Fiber points of presence throughout the Park and are their specific requirements and/or restrictions with respect to installing towers.

The State considers a tower and pole the same for the purposes of the RFP. Therefore, access point towers are acceptable throughout the campground where service is needed. No large radio towers (40 ft +) will be allowed.

113. With respect to Tower installation, if applicable, do we list as an additional line item in the Cost Proposal?

Please see the State’s response to question 112.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.18

29 114. Can the Park provide “Locate" Info on utilities buried within the Parks, and if so, will any necessary repairs (if applicable) resulting from the installation process be covered by the State?

The contractor will be responsible for contacting utility location services.

1.1 1-2. 115. RFP Page 1, last paragraph, states "The Respondent must address the following list of parks first, to replace existing equipment, then, allow pricing per site or facility for future expansion as additional State Parks have fiber infrastructure improved and available

a. Can you provide the list of replacement equipment per Park that you are referring to?

b. Is Fiber Internet service available and in place at the initial list of 11 Parks?

All current equipment should be considered end of life. A list of current equipment has been provided. Please see the fiber internet availability in question 87. In addition, maps have been provided to show coverage areas.

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

c. RFP Page 29, C.23 - Can you provide Fiber Internet points of presence within each of the Parks?

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.23

27 116. Is the State covering the cost of Internet services at each Park? If so, if it is more feasible to install a different solution like Starlink in other areas of the Park to extend Internet services, should we exclude that cost from our response?

The State is covering the cost of the internet service at each park. No additional internet service should be required.

117. Can you provide an asset listing (e.g., Light Poles, Towers, Buildings, Water Tanks, Traffic Signals, etc.) per Park

a. For the assets listed, can you provide information about the asset (e.g., Are lights solar, photocell, 120V, 240V, 480V, type of photocell, height of all assets listed, pole type and/or restrictions, are buildings historical with install restrictions, are towers climbable with safety lines)?

b. Can the information be provided in a Shape File or other electronic format, in order to plot into a modeling/design tool?

We do not have a detailed list of this information.

118. Due to the longevity/lead-time of the project, are there any existing structures in any of the parks that are subject to planned demolition, removal, or replacement?

None at this time.

119. Are there any internal or 3rd party wireless infrastructures, temporary or otherwise that will require channel/power management? Example:

music/concert or festival events that may bring their own wireless equipment regularly?

No.

120. Will the State provide existing park network maps, fiber routes, and current Wi-Fi heat maps, or is the contractor expected to build them from scratch during discovery?

The State has provided maps of internet service demarcation locations and areas where service is expected, but the State does not have network maps, fiber routes, or heat maps.

121. Does the State have preferred wireless vendors within the specified class (Ubiquiti/Ruckus/Aruba), or may we propose comparable Tier-1 enterprise vendors (e.g., Cisco/Meraki, Extreme)?

Yes, you may propose comparable.

122. For trenching and pole installation responsibilities, will

See Question 114.

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state-owned parks provide site utility mark-outs, or must the contractor coordinate TN 811 and private utility locating?

123. Is the contractor required to provide electrical service installation to poles, or only integrate to State-provided circuits?

The contractor is required to integrate to State-provided circuits.

124. For minimally disruptive concrete/asphalt fiber installation, are micro-trenching methods approved, and what patching standards apply?

Yes, and returning the site to its previous status in a way that minimizes degradation over time is the standard we will be looking for.

125. When a park lacks fiber, does the State expect the vendor to procure and install new circuits from ISPs, or only manage last-mile handoff?

No

126. Can the State confirm bandwidth minimums per park and per access area (cabins, marinas, lodges)?

The following bandwidths are provided by ISP:

Fall Creek Falls Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Chickasaw No Fiber but available

Cumberland Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Harrison Bay Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Henry Horton Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Montgomery Bell No current ISP

Panther Creek Coax 1 Gig Asy

Roan Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Tims Ford (Fairview) Coax Fiber will be coming to the main campground.

Rock Island Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Cedars of Lebanon Fiber 1 Gig Sym

The State will ensure the park has proper

127. What network demarcation points exist at each site today?

The State has provided a map with this information.

128. Will the State or the awarded vendor own/maintain network hardware after installation?

Please refer to sections A.7. and A.9. of the pro forma contract.

129. What SLAs are required for field support and MTTR (Mean Time to Repair)?

Please review updated pro forma sections A.5.-

A.8.

130. Will State staff require on-site training or only remote training?

Both are required. Please review updated pro forma sections A.4. and A.6.

131. Will the contractor need to provide guest portal branding tools and park-specific content editing access? (Ref. landing page modification requirement)

Yes

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

132. Are there specific content filtering or DMCA enforcement workflows already defined? (The RFP specifies handling DMCA violations.)

Workflows and specific processes will be mutually agreed upon by both parties at the start of the contract period. All violations must be handled in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

133. How will seasonal rate adjustments be structured and measured?

Off season has fewer guests and less usage.

Monitoring and usage should go down during the off-season months. Refer to seasons listed in the cost proposal.

134. For parks added later, will pricing be by site, per access point, per square foot, or per user capacity?

The future sites will be priced using the pricing structure in pro forma section C.3. The costs will be pulled from the Respondent’s cost proposal. This is why it is important for the Respondent to submit costs for all line items even if the quantity during the site visit is zero.

135. Will the State consider a phased BOM and pricing model based on park-priority order and varying infrastructure readiness?

The State will keep the pricing structure published in the RFP and pro forma at this time.

3.1.2.5 10 136. The RFP requirements document references that the number and location of the access points would be determined by the site survey. The pricing sheet provided includes a request for quantities of those items, even though site surveys have not yet been performed and would be performed post-award. What should the respondents provide in terms of quantities in the pricing template? Do we just complete the unit costs?

Site surveys will be conducted after the evaluation of technical responses and before the award of the contract, not post-award.

From RFP Section 3.1.2.5: “Respondents shall only submit the Cost Proposal if they are ranked in the top three (3) Respondents after the General Qualifications and Experience and Technical Qualifications, Experience, and Approach evaluations, “Qualified Respondents”. Cost Proposals must be submitted by the Cost Proposal Submission Deadline in RFP Section 2.”

Pro Forma A.3, A.10

1-2, 3 137. Please confirm that park-specific designs and BOMs will be developed post-award via task orders (i.e., no per-park designs are required in the Technical Response)

Correct.

Attachment

6.2 Section C

27-30 138. With unit-rate pricing, how will the State distinguish vendors proposing higher-grade enterprise equipment and sound RF design from lower-cost, minimum-compliant gear? Should we address this in our narrative responses?

Yes, the Respondent should address the quality and compliance of equipment and gear in its narrative responses.

Pro Forma A.3, A.10

1-2, 3 139. Post-award, what controls will the State use to prevent over-design (e.g., required heatmaps/BOM pre-approval, not-to-exceed caps, or independent validation) that could inflate task-order costs?

The awarded contractor is limited to the costs provided in section C.3. of the contract; these costs will be transferred from the awarded contractor’s cost proposal. In addition, the awarded contractor must provide a network design plan, installation plan, and a quote for installation and service on the task order document. The State may ask questions and for revisions before accepting and signing the task order.

Attachment

6.2 Section C

27-30 140. What design tools (e.g., Ekahau) and acceptance metrics (e.g., RSSI thresholds, minimum per-user throughput/concurrency, The State will accept heat maps at a minimum.

Other design tools and acceptance metrics in addition to heat maps are acceptable.

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

latency, etc) should the vendor use to validate success of each installation?

Attachment 6.2

22-30 141. How will lifecycle/TCO, reliability, and guest-experience factors be considered in the State’s evaluation and in task-order approvals post-award?

The State will rate the respondents’ experience in section B of the RFP evaluation and their approach to the project in section C of the RFP evaluation. These items are covered in C.6., C.10., C.11., C.12., C.14., and C.20.

Attachment

6.2 Section

C.20

29 142. Beyond “enterprise, outdoor-rated” equipment (Ubiquiti/Ruckus/Aruba or better), are there specific standards the State expects (e.g., Wi-Fi 7 readiness, gigabit Ethernet/backhaul, target Mbps per user, minimum AP capabilities)?

Wi-Fi 7 with downward compatibility is required.

143. Are there existing fiber or broadband providers at each of the 11 priority parks, and what are their current bandwidth capacities (e.g., symmetrical or asymmetrical service)?

Fall Creek Falls Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Chickasaw No Fiber but available

Cumberland Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Harrison Bay Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Henry Horton Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Montgomery Bell No current ISP

Panther Creek Coax 1 Gig Asy

Roan Mtn. Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Tims Ford (Fairview) Coax Fiber will be coming to the main campground.

Rock Island Fiber 1 Gig Sym

Cedars of Lebanon Fiber 1 Gig Sym

The State will ensure the park has proper internet service connection before Wifi installation occurs.

144. Can TDEC confirm whether the vendor is responsible for providing internet backhaul (fiber, leased circuit, or wireless) at each park, or will the State furnish connectivity?

Parks will furnish internet connectivity.

145. Do the park sites need to be interconnected with each other?

If so, what is the preferred transport method between park sites and the State core (e.g., VPN over broadband, MPLS, SD- WAN, private fiber)?

No. There should be a consistent guest experience between each park campground.

146. Does the State have an existing network documentation that can be shared to assist with understanding the current infrastructure and planning the new solution?

The State has provided a list of equipment and maps.

147. Are there any existing wireless systems (controllers, APs, or point-to-point links) currently deployed at any of the parks, and

Yes. These should be replaced.

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

if so, should these be integrated, replaced, or decommissioned?

148. Will network equipment be installed in existing enclosures/racks, or will new network cabinets and environmental enclosures be required at each site?

There are existing equipment enclosures in demarcation locations that can be reused. All outside enclosures will need to be replaced.

149. Is there an existing IP addressing scheme or VLAN structure that must be followed across parks?

No

150. Can the State share current site layouts or topology maps for all 11 parks (cabins, lodges, campgrounds, marinas, etc.) to better estimate AP counts and backhaul requirements?

Yes, maps have been included in the State’s response to questions and comments.

151. What performance metrics define “100 % coverage”? (e.g., RSSI ≥ -67 dBm, SNR ≥ 20 dB, throughput ≥ 10 Mbps, latency ≤ 100 ms)

There must be access to wifi signal at each campsite/campground.

152. Should coverage include all developed park areas (cabins, lodges, marinas, golf courses, visitor centers) or only zones with existing electrical or fiber infrastructure?

The State’s initial implementation will be for Wifi at the campgrounds.

153. Are there environmental or architectural restrictions for pole placement, conduit, or visible antennas within protected or historical zones?

The sites requiring service are previously disturbed areas and should have minimal to no restrictions outside of basic water runoff protections.

154. Does TDEC prefer Wi-Fi 6E or Wi-Fi 7 hardware for initial deployment?

Wi-Fi 7 with downward compatibility is required.

155. What kind of authentication is required?

Captive portal is required.

156. Is integration with property management systems like Entrada or Yardi required?

No.

157. Will TDEC charge visitors for wireless service?

No

158. If required, will TDEC provide its own RADIUS/NPS for staff authentication, or should the contractor host secure authentication services?

No

159. What are the expectations for redundancy or high-availability at park lodges or main visitor centers?

None at this time. The State’s initial implementation will be for Wifi at the campgrounds.

160. Does TDEC anticipate IoT or smart-park devices (cameras, lighting, sensors) requiring connectivity on this network? If so, does the vendor need to account for adequate physical

No

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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE

network connectivity to support these miscellaneous devices?

161. What are the expected uplink speeds and link aggregation requirements for access switches (1 G, 2.5 G, 5 G, 10 G)?

A minimum…