RFP_32701-04678_AMD_5_Schedule_Change.pdf

This is Amendment #5 to RFP #32701-04678 issued by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, updating the schedule of events for the Wireless-as-a-Service (WaaS) provider procurement for Tennessee State Parks. The RFP seeks a vendor to deliver comprehensive wireless connectivity services across eleven state parks, including site surveys, network design, equipment installation, network management dashboards, 24/7 technical support, and guest internet access. The amended schedule establishes key procurement milestones: the pre-response conference is scheduled for October 28, 2025, with written questions and comments due by November 4, 2025, followed by a second round of questions due January 23, 2026. The technical response deadline is March 9, 2026, with state completion of technical evaluations by March 30, 2026. Qualified respondents will participate in mandatory site visits on April 8, 2026, and cost proposals are due April 17, 2026. State opening and scoring of cost proposals will occur April 20, 2026, with optional negotiations scheduled April 21-24, 2026. The state will issue its Notice of Intent to Award on April 28, 2026, with the protest period ending May 5, 2026, contractor signature deadline May 12, 2026, and performance bond deadline May 15, 2026. The contract will have an initial 60-month term beginning April 24, 2026, with two optional 30-month renewal periods, not exceeding 120 months total.

The RFP evaluation will be based on general qualifications (10 points), technical qualifications and approach (60 points), and cost proposal (30 points), with only the top three technically-scored respondents advancing to the cost proposal stage. Respondents must hold valid Tennessee Electrician and Contractor licenses and maintain specified insurance coverage, including a $10 million liability cap and a required $5 million performance bond. The RFP explicitly welcomes responses from minority-owned, women-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and small business enterprises. Vendors must demonstrate robust business continuity and disaster recovery capabilities with 120-hour Recovery Point Objectives and 48-hour Recovery Time Objectives, along with comprehensive IT security standards including SOC 2 Type 2 annual compliance audits, annual penetration testing, and $10 million in cyber liability insurance. Pricing must accommodate seasonal rate adjustments and allow for per-site or per-facility expansion, with all costs submitted as a complete, all-inclusive proposal covering equipment installation, maintenance, network upgrades, user support, and management services.