RFP Document.pdf

THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH DAKOTA

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

414 EAST CLARK ST.

VERMILLION, SD 57069

SERVICE DESK SERVICES RFP

PROPOSALS WILL BE OPENED 09/12/2022

RFP #: 08152022 BUYER: LINDA VAN DE ROSTYNE PHONE: (605) 658-3633

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1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals from qualified sources to establish 24 x 7 phone support, after-hours, holiday and weekend, off-site-on-shore Tier 1 Information Technology Service Desk services for the University of South Dakota.

1.2 ISSUING OFFICE AND RFP REFERENCE NUMBER

Auxiliary Services is the issuing office for this document and all subsequent addenda relating to it, on behalf of The University of South Dakota, Information Technology Services. The reference number for the transaction is RFP #USD 08152022. This number must be referred to on all proposals, correspondence, and documentation relating to the RFP.

1.3 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

RFP Publication August 15, 2022 Deadline for Submission of Written Inquiries August 23, 2022 Responses to Vendor Questions August 31, 2022 Proposal Submission September 12, 2022 Oral Presentations/discussions (if required) September 20, 2022 Anticipated Award Decision/Contract Negotiation September 30, 2022 Transition Period October 1-October 30, 2022

SUBMITTING YOUR PROPOSAL

All proposals must be completed and received in the Auxiliary Services Office by the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Hard copies should be delivered to:

RFP USD #08152022 – Service Desk Services Linda Van De Rostyne Auxiliary Services 209 Slagle Hall 414 East Clark St.

Vermillion, SD 57069

Proposals received after the deadline will be late and ineligible for consideration.

An original and 2 identical copies of the proposal shall be submitted to the address above along with one PDF copy submitted on a thumb drive and one electronic copy emailed to linda.vanderostyne@usd.edu. Please provide your proposal in a folder with fastener or report cover and NOT A BINDER. (Example: OfficeMax OM03159)

All proposals must be signed, in ink, by an officer of the responder, legally authorized to bind the responder to the proposal, and sealed in the form intended by the respondent. Proposals that are not properly signed may be rejected. Proposals must be addressed and labeled as indicated above.

No proposal shall be accepted from, or no contract or purchase order shall be awarded to any person, firm or corporation that is in arrears upon any obligations to the State of South Dakota, or that otherwise may be deemed irresponsible or unreliable by the State of South Dakota.

1.4 CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY AND

VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION – LOWER TIER COVERED TRANSACTIONS

By signing and submitting this proposal, the vendor certifies that neither it nor its principals is presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation, by any Federal department or agency, from transactions involving the use of Federal funds. Where the vendor is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, the bidder shall attach an explanation to their offer.

1.5 NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

The State of South Dakota requires that all contractors, vendors, and suppliers doing business with any State agency, department, or institution, provide a statement of non-discrimination. By signing and submitting their proposal, the vendor certifies they do not discriminate in their employment practices with regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, ancestry, national origin or disability.

1.6 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by the vendor prior to the established due date and time.

No oral, telephonic, telegraphic or facsimile responses or modifications to informal, formal bids, or Request for Proposals will be considered.

1.7 VENDOR INQUIRIES

Vendors may make written or email inquiries concerning this RFP to obtain clarification of requirements. No inquiries will be accepted after the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Email inquiries must be sent to Linda Van De Rostyne at linda.vanderostyne@usd.edu with the subject line “RFP #USD081522”.

Auxiliary Services prefers to respond to vendor’s inquiries (if required) via e-mail. If a vendor does not indicate an email address, the State’s response will be sent via fax. If no fax number is provided, the State will mail the response to the vendor. All vendors will be informed of any inquiries and the State’s response. Vendors may not rely on any other statements, either of a written or oral nature, that alter any specification or other term or condition of this RFP. Vendors will be notified in the same manner as indicated above regarding any modifications to this RFP.

1.8 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

The proposal of the successful vendor(s) becomes public information. Proprietary information can be protected under limited circumstances such as client lists and non-public financial statements. Pricing and service elements are not considered proprietary. An entire proposal may not be marked as proprietary. Vendors must clearly identify in the Executive Summary and mark in the body of the proposal any specific proprietary information they are requesting to be protected. The Executive Summary must contain specific justification explaining why the information is to be protected. Proposals may be reviewed and evaluated by any person at the discretion of the State. All materials submitted become the property of the State of South Dakota and may be returned only at the State's option.

1.9 LENGTH OF CONTRACT

The term of the award shall be for one year, with an option to renew for up to four additional years in one-year increments upon mutual agreement of both parties. The contract shall commence on October 1, 2022.

1.10 GOVERNING LAW

Venue for any and all legal action regarding or arising out of the transaction covered herein shall be solely in the State of South Dakota. The laws of South Dakota shall govern this transaction.

1.11 DISCUSSIONS WITH VENDORS (ORAL PRESENTATION/NEGOTIATIONS)

An oral presentation by a vendor to clarify a proposal may be required at the sole discretion of the USD. However, USD may award a contract based on the initial proposals received without discussion with the Vendor. If oral presentations are required, they will be scheduled after the submission of proposals. Oral presentations will be made at the vendor’s expense.

This process is a Request for Proposal/Competitive Negotiation process. Each Proposal shall be evaluated, and each respondent shall be available for negotiation meetings at USD’s request.

USD reserves the right to negotiate on any and/or all components of every proposal submitted.

From the time the proposals are submitted until the formal award of a contract, each proposal is considered a working document and as such, will be kept confidential. The negotiation discussions will also be held as confidential until such time as the award is completed.

2.0 STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Any contract or agreement resulting from this RFP will include the State’s standard terms and conditions as listed below, along with any additional terms and conditions as negotiated by the parties:

2.1 The Contractor will perform those services described in the Work Plan, which will be attached to the contract as Exhibit A and incorporated by reference. The Contractor’s response to this RFP shall be considered part of the Work Plan.

2.2 The services to be provided under the contract shall commence and terminate on mutually agreed upon dates. Terms for early termination shall be included in the agreement as negotiated by the parties.

2.3 The terms of the agreement shall state whether or not the Contractor will use State equipment, supplies or facilities. If the Contractor will use State equipment, supplies or facilities, the scope and conditions of such use will be clearly indicated in the agreement.

2.4 Unless otherwise negotiated and agreed upon by the parties, The State will make payment in compliance with the Prompt Payment Act, SDCL 5-26 for services provided under the contract.

2.5 The agreement shall indicate whether or not the State shall have the option to renew the agreement. If a renewal option is specified, the State shall have the option to renew the agreement (unless otherwise modified by a special contract term, condition, or specification), under the same terms and conditions, for one (1) year intervals. Notice of intent to renew shall be given by the State to the Contractor as mutually agreed upon prior to the end of the current contract term. If the notice of intent to renew is given, the Agreement shall renew unless terminated by either party pursuant to the Termination Provision of the Agreement.

2.6 The Contractor agrees to indemnify and hold the State of South Dakota, its officers, agents and employees, harmless from and against any and all actions, suits, damages, liability or other proceedings that may arise as the result of performing services hereunder. This section does not require the Contractor to be responsible for or defend against claims or damages arising solely from errors or omissions of the State, its officers, agents and employees.

2.7 The Contractor, at all times during the term of the Agreement, shall obtain and maintain in force insurance coverage of the types and with the limits as follows:

A. Commercial General Liability Insurance:

The Contractor shall maintain occurrence based commercial general liability insurance or equivalent form with a limit of not less than $1,000,000 for each occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate.

B. Worker’s Compensation Insurance:

The Contractor shall procure and maintain workers’ compensation and employers’ liability insurance as required by South Dakota law.

Before beginning work under the Agreement, the Contractor shall furnish the State with properly executed Certificates of Insurance which shall clearly evidence all insurance required in this Agreement and which provide that such insurance may not be canceled, except on 30 days’ prior written notice to the State. The Contractor shall furnish copies of insurance policies if requested by the State.

2.8 While performing services under agreement with the State, the Contractor is an independent contractor and not an officer, agent, or employee of the State of South Dakota.

2.9 Contractor agrees to report to the State any event encountered in the course of performance of this Agreement which results in injury, or death, to the person or property of third parties, or which may otherwise subject Contractor or the State to liability. Contractor shall report any such event to the State immediately upon discovery.

Contractor’s obligation under this section shall only be to report the occurrence of any event to the State and to make any other report provided for by their duties or applicable law. Contractor’s obligation to report shall not require disclosure of any information subject to privilege or confidentiality under law (e.g., attorney-client communications). Reporting to the State under this section shall not excuse or satisfy any obligation of Contractor to report any event to law enforcement or other entities under the requirement of any applicable law.

2.10 Termination Provision: The Agreement may be terminated by either party by providing written notice as mutually agreed and specified in the Agreement. In the event the Contractor breaches any of the terms or conditions of the Agreement, the Agreement may be terminated by USD at any time with or without notice. If termination for such a default is effected by USD, any payments due to Contractor at the time of termination may be adjusted to cover any additional costs to USD because of Contractor’s default. Upon termination USD may take over the work and may award another party an agreement to complete the work under the Agreement. If after USD termination for a default by Contractor it is determined that Contractor was not at fault, then the Contractor shall be paid for eligible services rendered and expenses incurred up to the date of termination.

2.11 The Agreement depends upon the continued availability of appropriated funds and expenditure authority from the Legislature for the intended purpose. If for any reason the Legislature fails to appropriate funds or grant expenditure authority, or funds become unavailable by operation of law or federal funds reductions, the Agreement will be terminated by the State. Termination for any of these reasons is not a default by the State nor does it give rise to a claim against the State.

2.12 The Agreement may not be assigned without the express prior written consent of USD. This

Agreement may not be amended except in writing, which writing shall be expressly identified as a part thereof, and be signed by an authorized representative of each of the parties thereto.

2.13 The Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of

South Dakota. Any lawsuit pertaining to or affecting the Agreement shall be venued in Circuit Court, Sixth Judicial Circuit, Hughes County, South Dakota.

2.14 The Contractor will comply with all federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances, guidelines, permits and requirements applicable to providing services pursuant to the Agreement, and will be solely responsible for obtaining current information on such requirements.

2.15 In the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall hold any provision of the Agreement unenforceable or invalid, such holding shall not invalidate or render unenforceable any other provision thereof.

2.16 Executive Order -Restriction of Boycott of Israel Consistent with Executive Order 2020-01, contractors, vendors, suppliers, or subcontractors with five (5) or more employees who enter into a contract with the State of South Dakota that involves the expenditure of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more, by submitting a response to this solicitation or agreeing to contract with the State, the bidder or offeror certifies and agrees that the following information is correct:

The bidder or offeror, in preparing its response or offer or in considering proposals submitted from qualified, potential vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors, or in the solicitation, selection, or commercial treatment of any vendor, supplier, or subcontractor, has not refused to transact business activities, has not terminated business activities, and has not taken other similar actions intended to limit its commercial relations, related to the subject matter of the bid or offer, with a person or entity on the basis of Israeli national origin, or residence or incorporation in Israel or its territories, with the specific intent to accomplish a boycott or divestment of Israel in a manner which constitutes unlawful discrimination. It is understood and agreed that, if this certification is false, such false certification will constitute grounds for the State to reject the bid or response submitted by the bidder or offeror on this project and terminate any contract awarded based on the bid or response. The successful bidder or offeror further agrees to provide immediate written notice to the State if during the term of the contract it no longer complies with this certification and agrees such noncompliance may be grounds for contract termination.

2.17 All other prior discussions, communications and representations concerning the subject matter of the Agreement are superseded by the terms of the Agreement, and except as specifically provided therein, the Agreement constitutes the entire agreement with respect to the subject matter thereof.

2.18 Any notice or other communication required under the Agreement shall be in writing and sent to the appropriate address and individuals indicated in the Agreement, or such authorized designees as either party may from time to time designate in writing. Notices or communications to or between the parties shall be deemed to have been delivered when mailed by first class mail, provided that notice of default or termination shall be sent by registered or certified mail, or, if personally delivered, when received by such party.

2.19 The Contractor may not use subcontractors to perform the services described in the Agreement without the express prior written consent of the State. The Contractor will include provisions in its subcontracts requiring its subcontractors to comply with the applicable provisions of the Agreement, to indemnify the State, and to provide insurance coverage for the benefit of the State in a manner consistent with the Agreement. The Contractor will cause its subcontractors, agents, and employees to comply, with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances, guidelines, permits and requirements and will adopt such review and inspection procedures as are necessary to assure such compliance.

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

Proposals must address the following areas:

3.1 Service Desk Services – Provide on-shore Tier 1 support for the University of South Dakota Information Technology Services. All other support will be provided after-hours, holidays and weekends. These hours currently include 5 PM to 8 AM Monday through Thursday, and 5 PM Friday through 8 AM Monday (Central Time Zone), and 24 hours on all holidays observed by the State of South Dakota. Phone support will be provided for off-campus calls during after-hours, holidays, weekends, and overflow of on-campus calls during regular business hours. Regular business hours currently include Monday- Friday 8 AM-5 PM.

3.1.1 Definitions

3.1.1.1 Knowledge Articles – is the content, or knowledge, created by using Knowledge Center Service (KCS) methodology. The article has a structure or format that is defined and is intended to cover a wide range of issues including "How-to"

3.1.1.2 SLAs - is a commitment between a service provider and a client. Particular aspects of the service – quality, availability, responsibilities are agreed between the service provider and the service user.

3.1.1.3 Average Speed of Answer (ASA)- Time taken to answer a call from the time the IVR plays the greeting

3.1.1.4 Average Handle Time (AHT)- Total time taken from the start of the call until the customer hangs up, including ASA and Average Hold time

3.1.1.5 Average Hold Time- Total time spent on a call placed on hold to look for the customer resolution

3.1.1.6 First Call Resolution (FCR) -Percentage of all tickets created, resolved and closed by the vendor in the first interaction excluding interactions where the vendor does not have access to resolve them

3.1.2 Receipt of incoming support requests via web, phone, and email.

3.1.3 Document all incoming requests in our Incident Management Systems (currently

TeamDynamix) or update existing requests for each contact, capturing customer contact information and description of issue or request along with troubleshooting steps taken.

3.1.3.1 Customer Information to gather here:

3.1.3.1.1 Requestor name

3.1.3.1.2 Contact (phone and email)

3.1.3.1.3 If on Campus: Building & room number where the issue is occurring

3.1.3.1.4 Description of Issue

3.1.3.1.5 Errors received

3.1.3.1.6 Troubleshooting Notes

3.1.3.2 Set ticket Urgency and Priority

3.1.3.2.1 Set Incident & Service Request Impact & Urgency to determine the ticket Priority – refer to Appendix A

3.1.3.3 Attach USD Knowledge Article used to troubleshoot

3.1.4 Log and escalate issues not specified for Level 1 Support to appropriate Level 2 teams following USD Knowledge Articles

3.1.5 Provide Level 1 Support using USD Knowledge Articles including but not limited to:

3.1.5.1 Password resets/unlock Accounts

3.1.5.2 Website navigation assistance

3.1.5.3 myUSD portal navigation assistance

3.1.5.4 Learning Management System navigation and assistance

3.1.5.5 Assistance in general use of standard software outlined in 4.5.1

3.1.5.6 Provision for expanding standard software support offerings

3.1.5.7 Wireless network configuration assistance and diagnosis

3.1.5.8 General support questions and troubleshooting

3.1.5.9 Remote support for personally owned faculty, staff and student devices. Session recordings saved for 30 days after the support incident

3.1.5.10 Chat Services – may be required during contract period

3.1.5.11 App Based services - may be required during contract period

3.2 Incident Escalation

3.2.1 Standard Escalation

3.2.1.1 See Appendix A for priorities and expectations

3.2.2 Emergency Escalation

3.2.2.1 See Appendix A for priorities and expectations

3.2.2.2 During Business Hours call the USD Escalation Queue

3.2.2.3 After Business Hours call USD On-Call Emergency Contact

3.3 Reporting

3.3.1 Vendor must supply reports to USD on a monthly, quarterly, and annual basis documenting all activity for the period including but not limited to:

3.3.1.1 Volume of incidents

3.3.1.2 Types incidents and requests

3.3.1.3 Time to resolve

3.3.1.4 First call resolution

3.3.1.5 Incident response time

3.3.1.6 Average speed of answer

3.3.1.7 Abandoned before answer

3.3.1.8 Average time to respond

3.3.1.9 Average time to resolve

3.3.1.10 Interactions handled

3.3.1.11 Calls by Hours

3.4 Vendor must brand the Service as the University of South Dakota Service Desk.

3.5 Vendor must assign an Account Manager to be the central point of contact with USD’s Account

Manager

3.5.1.1 Vendor Account Manager must participate in regularly scheduled service review calls with USD Account Manager.

3.5.1.2 Weekly meetings during transition/first 3 months, then will be monthly at a minimum. USD Account Manager can request weekly or ad-hoc calls as needed to address changes or concerns.

3.6 Service Level Agreements (SLAs) will be utilized to measure the effectiveness of the service. Please refer to Appendices A and B for details.

3.7 Failure to meet SLAs

3.7.1.1 Penalty should the vendor miss SLAs 10% of Monthly fees

3.7.1.2 Should the vendor miss the SLAs for two consecutive months, the vendor agrees to work with the University of South Dakota to develop a cure plan agreed upon by both parties for improving service.

4.0 PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND COMPANY QUALIFICATIONS

4.1 The vendor is cautioned that it is the vendor's sole responsibility to submit information related to the evaluation categories and that USO is under no obligation to solicit such information if it is not included with the proposal. The vendor's failure to submit such information may cause an adverse impact on the evaluation of the proposal.

4.2 Vendor's Contacts: Vendors and their agents (including subcontractors, employees, consultants, or anyone else acting on their behalf) must direct all of their questions or comments regarding the RFP. The evaluation, etc. to the buyer of record indicated on the first page of this RFP. Vendors and their agents may not contact any state employee other than the buyer of record regarding any of these matters during the solicitation and evaluation process. Inappropriate contacts are grounds for suspension and/or exclusion from specific procurements. Vendors and their agents who have questions regarding this matter should contact the buyer of record.

4.3 Provide the following information related to at least three previous and current service/contracts, performed by the vendor’s organization, which are similar to the requirements of this RFP.

Provide this information for any service/contract that has been terminated, expired or not renewed in the past three years.

a. Name, address and telephone number of client/contracting agency and a representative of that agency who may be contacted for verification of all information submitted;

b. Dates of the service/contract; and

c. A brief, written description of the specific prior services performed and requirements thereof.

5.0 PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

5.1 An original and 2 copies shall be submitted.

5.1.1 In addition, the vendor should provide one (1) copy of their entire proposal, including all attachments, in Microsoft Word or PDF electronic format. Vendors may not send the electronically formatted copy of their proposal via email.

5.1.2 The proposal should be page numbered and should have an index and/or a table of contents referencing the appropriate page number.

5.2 All proposals must be organized and tabbed with labels for the following headings:

5.2.1 RFP Form. The State’s Request for Proposal form completed and signed.

5.2.2 Executive Summary. The one or two page executive summary is to briefly describe the vendor's proposal. This summary should highlight the major features of the proposal. It must indicate any requirements that cannot be met by the vendor. The reader should be able to determine the essence of the proposal by reading the executive summary.

Proprietary information requests should be identified in this section.

5.2.3 Detailed Response. This section should constitute the major portion of the proposal and must contain at least the following information:

5.2.3.1 A complete narrative of the vendor's assessment of the work to be performed, the vendor’s ability and approach, and the resources necessary to fulfill the requirements. This should demonstrate the vendor's understanding of the desired overall performance expectations.

5.2.3.2 A specific point-by-point response, in the order listed, to each requirement in the

RFP. The response should identify each requirement being addressed as enumerated in the RFP.

5.2.3.3 A clear description of any options or alternatives proposed.

5.2.4 Cost Proposal. Cost will be evaluated independently from the technical proposal.

Vendors may submit multiple cost proposals. All costs related to the provision of the required services must be included in each cost proposal offered.

The cost proposal must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope labeled “Cost Proposal” as outlined in section 7.0 of this RFP.

If a Vendor’s technical proposal is not accepted by the State, the cost proposal will be returned to the Vendor unopened.

See section 7.0 for more information related to the cost proposal.

6.0 PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND AWARD PROCESS

6.1 After determining that a proposal satisfies the mandatory requirements stated in the Request for Proposal, the evaluator(s) shall use subjective judgment in conducting a comparative assessment of the proposal by considering each of the following criteria:

6.1.1 Specialized expertise, capabilities, and technical competence as demonstrated by the proposed approach and methodology to meet the project requirements;

6.1.2 Resources available to perform the work including a plan to address the peak months of August, September and January;

6.1.3 Record of past performance, including price and cost data from previous projects, quality of work, ability to meet schedules, cost control, and contract administration;

6.1.4 Availability to the project locale;

6.1.5 Familiarity with the project locale;

6.1.6 Proposed project management techniques;

6.1.7 Ability and proven history in handling special project constraints; and

6.1.8 Overall cost of services.

6.1.9 Ability to meet defined SLA requirements during increased call periods, particularly peak months of August, September, and January.

6.2 Experience and reliability of the vendor's organization are considered subjectively in the evaluation process. Therefore, the vendor is advised to submit any information which documents successful and reliable experience in past performances, especially those performances related to the requirements of this RFP.

6.3 The qualifications of the personnel proposed by the vendor to perform the requirements of this

RFP, whether from the vendor's organization or from a proposed subcontractor, will be subjectively evaluated. Therefore, the vendor should submit detailed information related to the experience and qualifications, including education and training, of proposed personnel.

6.4 The State reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive technicalities, and make award(s) as deemed to be in the best interest of the State of South Dakota.

6.5 Award: The requesting agency and the highest ranked offeror shall mutually discuss and refine the scope of services for the project and shall negotiate terms, including compensation and performance schedule.

6.5.1 If the agency and the highest ranked offeror are unable for any reason to negotiate a contract at a compensation level that is reasonable and fair to the agency, the agency shall, either orally or in writing, terminate negotiations with the contractor. The agency may then negotiate with the next highest ranked contractor.

6.5.2 The negotiation process may continue through successive offerors, according to agency ranking, until an agreement is reached or the agency terminates the contracting process.

7.0 COST PROPOSAL

7.1 Provide detailed information regarding the proposed cost for services. Include the following if Applicable:

7.1.1 Cost per incident/request/contact

7.1.2 Number of incident/request/contacts included in pricing, including base and overage pricing

7.1.3 Number of users pricing, including any base and overage pricing

7.1.4 End user contact methods included in cost of services and if additional contact methods have additional costs.