RFP_ELE241091_Supervisory_Control_And_Data_Acquisition_SCADA_-_REVISED.pdf

110 SE Watula Avenue, Third Floor

Ocala, Florida 34471 Main Number: (352) 629-8402 www.bidocala.com

The City of Ocala is accepting sealed electronic submissions for:

Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (“RFP”) #: ELE/241091

Official copies of all solicitation documents may be obtained via electronic download from the City of Ocala’s e-procurement portal located at: https://www.bidocala.com

** Copies of documents obtained from any other source are not considered official copies. **

Pre-Submittal Conference: NONE.

Deadline for Questions: 11/012/2024 at 5:00 p.m. (EST)

All questions or inquiries regarding this solicitation must be submitted via e-mail to the Buyer Contact identified below or via the e-procurement portal no later than the Deadline for Questions noted above. Any questions received after the deadline will not be considered.

Where to Submit Proposals: City of Ocala’s E-Procurement Portal:

https://www.bidocala.com

Submission Deadline: 11/14/2024 at 2:00 p.m. (EST)

Sealed electronic submissions shall be accepted up to the Submission Deadline.

Submissions received after the deadline and/or transmitted to the City of Ocala outside of the e-procurement portal shall be rejected. The e-procurement portal’s timestamp shall be conclusive as to the timeliness of filing.

Contractor Registration: Proposers must be a registered Vendor within the ProRFx e-procurement portal in order to submit a response to this Solicitation. There is no charge to register, simply follow the registration path for “New Vendor Registration” at https://www.bidocala.com.

Buyer Contact/ Direct All Inquiries To:

BRITTANY CRAVEN, BUYER

E-Mail: bcraven@ocalafl.gov Phone: (352) 629-8544

Notice to Proposers: The point of contact for all questions and issues relating to this Solicitation shall be the Buyer Contact identified above.

To ensure that your submission is deemed responsive, you are urged to request clarification or guidance regarding any issues involving this solicitation prior to submitting your response.

THE CITY OF OCALA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO REJECT ANY AND ALL SUBMISSIONS

SECTION 1

INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1. EXHIBITS: The following Exhibits are incorporated into and made a part of this Solicitation as if fully set forth herein.

(a) EXHIBIT A: Price Proposal Form

1.2. LOCAL VENDORS. The City of Ocala encourages active participation by local vendors. In accordance with Section 22-2 of the City’s Code of Ordinances, this Solicitation DOES NOT QUALIFY for Local Vendor Preference.

1.3. QUESTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS.

(a) Proposers are responsible for verifying all listing information prior to submitting a response to the Solicitation.

(b) Proposers must communicate any questions regarding this Solicitation by the deadline set forth above.

(c) Any and all questions must be submitted to the Procurement Department electronically via www.bidocala.com. Responses will be made electronically and posted online. It is the responsibility of the proposers to check for updates.

(d) If necessary, any addenda shall be posted to the www.bidocala.com website.

(e) It is our standard policy that no addendum will be issued less than three (3) calendar days prior to the deadline established for receipt of proposals, except for an addendum withdrawing the solicitation or one which includes postponement of the date for receipt of proposals.

(f) No verbal or written information obtained by means other than those set forth in this Solicitation, or by addendum thereto, shall be binding upon the City.

1.4. AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION.

(a) Should it become necessary for the City to revise or amend any part of a solicitation, Procurement and Contracting Department staff shall furnish the revision or amendment via written addendum, comment, and/or question and answer posted in the City’s e-procurement system under the appropriate solicitation.

(b) Addenda, comments, questions, and answers should be reviewed by interested parties. Lack of review will not excuse Proposers from adherence to any requirements set forth therein.

(c) If there is a discrepancy with the scope of work that City determines, in its sole discretion, to be unfair to the Proposers, City may postpone the bid opening at any time in order to make corrections. City further reserves the right to extend the bid opening at any time during the bid process.

1.5. ADA NEEDS/ACCOMMODATIONS: If reasonable accommodations are needed in order for an interested Proposer to participate in this solicitation, please contact the Buyer Contact identified above at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance so that arrangements can be made.

1.6. MINORITY/DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISE PARTICIPATION. The City of Ocala encourages the active participation of minority businesses, women’s businesses, and labor surplus area firms whenever possible as either prime contractors or subcontractors. If subcontracts are to be let through a prime subcontractor, the prime contractor is required to take the following affirmative steps:

(a) placing qualified small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises on solicitation lists;

(b) assuring that small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises are solicited whenever they are potential sources;

(c) when economically feasible, dividing total requirements into smaller tasks or quantities to permit maximum participation by small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises;

(d) establishing delivery schedules, where the requirement permits, which encourage participation by small and minority businesses and women’s business enterprises; and

(e) using the services and assistance, as appropriate, of such organizations as the Small Business Administration and the Minority Business Development Agency of the Department of Commerce.

1.7. CERTIFICATION OF ACCEPTANCE: By responding to this solicitation, Proposer certifies that he/she has carefully read the solicitation documents, including any addenda, exhibits, attachments, and/or appendices in their entirety and agrees that to the best of his/her knowledge no pages or parts of the documents appear to have been omitted and that he/she fully understands, accepts, and agrees to fully comply with the requirements and conditions set forth therein.

1.8. COST INCURRED IN RESPONDING. All costs directly or indirectly related to proposal preparation, representation or clarification shall be the sole responsibility of and be borne by the Proposer.

1.9. INDULGENCE. Indulgence by the City on any non-compliance by the Proposer does not constitute a waiver of any rights under this request.

1.10. FEDERAL DEBARMENT. By submitting a proposal, the Proposer certifies that no principal (which includes officers, directors, or executives) is presently suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal department or agency.

1.11. PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES. A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity; may not submit a bid, proposal, or reply on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work; may not submit bids, proposals, or replies on leases of real property to a public entity; may not be awarded or perform work as a consultant, supplier, sub-consultant, or consultant under a contract with any public entity; and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in s. 287.017 for CATEGORY TWO($35,000) for a period of 36 months following the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.

1.12. E-VERIFY. The Proposer shall utilize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of all new employees hired by the Proposer during the term of the contract and shall expressly require any sub-consultants performing work or providing services pursuant to the state contract to likewise utilize the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of all new employees hired by the sub-consultant during the contract term.

1.13. MATERIALS. All materials submitted in response to this solicitation shall become the property of the City.

1.14. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS. The Proposer will indemnify and hold harmless, the City from liability of any nature or kind, including costs and expenses for or on account of any copyrighted, service marked, trademarked, patented or un-patented invention, process, article or work manufactured or used in the performance of the contract, including its use by the City. If the Proposer uses any design, device, materials or works covered by letters, service mark, trademark, patent, copyright, or any other intellectual property right, it is mutually agreed and understood without exception that the proposal prices will include all royalties of costs arising from the use of such design, device, or materials in any way involved in the work. This article will survive the termination of any contract with the City.

1.15. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

(a) The award hereunder is subject to the provisions of Chapter 112, Florida Statutes, as amended, governing conflict of interest.

(b) All Proposers are required to disclose the name(s) of any employee(s), officer(s), director(s), shareholder(s), or other agent(s) of their firm that are also employee(s) or public official(s) of the City of Ocala concurrently with the submission of their Proposal.

(c) All Proposers are required to disclose the name(s) of any City of Ocala employee(s) or public official(s) who either directly or indirectly owns or holds a five percent (5%) or more interest in Proposer’s firm, corporation, or other business entity.

(d) City of Ocala employees appointed persons, and elected officials (herein referred to as "employees") may engage in outside activities and hold financial interests subject to state and federal laws and regulations and the City of Ocala Employee Handbook, as applicable.

(e) Every employee who is an officer, director, agent, employee, or owner of a substantial interest in any business entity which does or anticipates doing business with the City must complete and submit an “Officer and Employee Disclosure Statement” with every submission. This statement is available at http://www.bidocala.com/wp-content/uploads/Officer-and-Employee-Disclosure- Statement-and-Intro.pdf. Failure to disclose known conflicts of interest shall result in Proposal rejection and/or contract termination, if awarded.

1.16. ANTI-LOBBYING/COMMUNICATION WITH CITY STAFF AND OFFICIALS.

(a) Lobbying is defined as any action taken by an individual, firm, association, joint venture, partnership, syndicate, corporation, or any other group who seeks to influence the decision of City Council member or City personnel after the advertisement of a solicitation and prior to the vote of City Council on the award of a contract.

(b) To ensure fair consideration for all Proposers, the City strictly prohibits Proposer communication relative to this solicitation with any employee, department, City official, or City Council member, regardless of whether written, verbal, or through a third party, except for those inquiries made directly to the Procurement and Contracting Department through the assigned Buyer Contact, the City’s Procurement Manager, or the City’s Procurement and Contracting Officer (“Assigned Procurement Personnel”).

(c) Proposers (including their agents or other third parties on their behalf) are prohibited from initiating any communication with any employee, department, City official or City Council member that will evaluate or consider the Proposal prior to and up to the time that award is made at a scheduled City Council meeting.

(d) Proposers (including their agents or other third parties on their behalf) are prohibited from discussing this Solicitation, or their submittals thereto, with competing firms under this Solicitation.

All oral and written inquiries must be directed through Assigned Procurement Personnel.

(e) Proposers (or any third-party on their behalf) who lobby or initiate otherwise prohibited communications shall be disqualified from consideration for award; AND may be subject to a three (3) year debarment from doing business with the City of Ocala.

1.17. PUBLIC RECORDS. All written competitive submissions received by the city pursuant to this RFP including all replies, oral presentations, other submissions, correspondence, meetings, and records made thereof, and any other records concerning this solicitation shall be handled in accordance with Chapter 119, Florida Statutes, and Article 1, Section 24, of the Florida Constitution.

(a) Sealed proposal responses or replies received by the City in response to its solicitations are exempt from public disclosure until such time as the City provides notice of an intended decision or until thirty (30) days after the opening of the proposals, whichever is earlier. If the City rejects all proposals or replies pursuant to this solicitation and provides notice of its intent to reissue the solicitation, then the rejected proposals or replies remain exempt from public disclosure until such time that the City provides notice of an intended decision concerning the reissued solicitation or until the City withdraws the reissued solicitation. A proposal or reply shall not be exempt from public disclosure longer than twelve (12) months after the City's initial notice rejecting all proposals or replies.

(b) Upon award recommendation or ten (10) days after opening, bids become “public records” and shall be subject to public disclosure consistent with Chapter 119 (Public Records) and Section

815.045 (Trade Secret Information), Florida Statutes. Should bidders/proposers consider any information related to their proposal or the services to be provided to City to be proprietary, a trade secret, or otherwise constitute confidential material under Florida or federal law, bidder/proposer shall designate such portion of the material as such by clearly marking it as CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, or TRADE SECRET and submit both a non-redacted and redacted copy of their submission. The redacted copy shall only exclude or obliterate the exact portions claimed to be confidential, proprietary, or trade secret. Additionally, bidder/proposer shall state the basis for the exemption that it contends is applicable to the record, to include the statutory citation to an exemption created or afforded by statute.

(c) THE CITY WILL MAKE NO EFFORT TO VERIFY WHETHER OR NOT THE REDACTED

MATERIAL IS EXEMPT FROM CHAPTER 119, FLORIDA STATUTES. THAT DETERMINATION

IS TOTALLY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BIDDER/PROPOSER AND THE

BIDDER/PROPOSER SHALL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFENDING ITS

DETERMINATION THAT THE REDACTED PORTIONS OF ITS RESPONSE ARE

CONFIDENTIAL, TRADE SECRET, OR NOT OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE.

PROPOSER SHALL PROTECT, DEFEND, AND INDEMNIFY THE CITY FOR ANY AND ALL

CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO PROPOSER’S DETERMINATION THAT THE

REDACTED PORTIONS ARE NOT SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE. IF THE PROPOSER FAILS

TO SUBMIT A REDACTED COPY OF ITS SUBMISSION, ANY CLAIM OF CONFIDENTIALITY

IS WAIVED, AND THE CITY SHALL BE AUTHORIZED AND REQUIRED TO PRODUCE THE

ENTIRE DOCUMENT OR RECORD IN ITS ANSWER TO A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST FOR

SAID RECORDS.

1.18. ANTI-COLLUSION STATEMENT. By responding to this Solicitation, Contractor certifies that the following statements are true:

(a) All information contained herein is part of the public domain as defined in the Public Records Act, Chapter 119, Florida Statutes.

(b) Proposer’s submission is made without prior understanding agreement, or connection with any person, firm, or corporation submitting a bid for the same work, labor, or service to be done or supplies, materials, or equipment to be furnished and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. Proposer understands that collusive bidding is a violation of state and federal law and may result in fines, prison sentences and civil penalties.

(c) Proposer’s submission has been arrived at independently and without consultation, communication, or agreement, or for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other Proposer or competitor.

(d) Unless otherwise required by law, the prices which have been (or will be) quoted by Proposer in this submission have not been knowingly disclosed by Proposer and will not be knowingly disclosed by Proposer, either directly or indirectly, to any other bidder or competitor prior to the Solicitation opening date.

END OF SECTION

SECTION 2

BACKGROUND INFORMATION, SCOPE OF SERVICES MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, AND RFP

TIMELINE

2.1. BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The City of Ocala is the largest municipality located in Marion County located in North Central Florida. It also serves as the County seat and serves a population of 65,478 full-time residents. The City encompasses approximately 44 square miles. City of Ocala Electric Utility is soliciting proposals for a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) Solution that best addresses the requirements and objectives of the City of Ocala. The City of Ocala uses Milsoft’s IVR & OMS solution.

2.2. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Anyone submitting a proposal must have been providing these services for a minimum of five (5) years and must show evidence of a minimum of five (5) years of similar work experience.

2.3. SCOPE OF SERVICE

The City of Ocala Electric Utility is seeking a SCADA Solution. The system provider’s solution must specify all required hardware, software, and professional services.

The new SCADA Solution must be composed of a set of integrated modules offered by a single system service Provider.

The selected SCADA Solution software must be a turn-key solution that has been successfully implemented in other organizations similar in requirements and function.

Ocala Utilities would prefer to limit the number of third-party modules as part of the Systems Provider’s solution.

Ocala Utilities prefers solutions that require no modifications to base code but are highly configurable to meet Ocala Utilities’ needs.

Ocala Utilities prefers to contract with the System Provider as the prime contractor. If the System Provider wishes to use an integration partner, the City would require that the integration partner be a subcontractor for the System Provider. Ocala Utilities will reserve the right to accept or reject any proposed integration partners, while retaining the software vendor’s solutions.

Ocala Utilities, to the extent possible, will rely upon product configuration rather than product modifications, and will make cost effective business process modifications to fit the technology workflow.

The offeror must provide a Graphical User Interface (GUI) or Browser/Portal Based User Interface (BUI) for system use.

Ocala Utilities prefers to select a SCADA Solution that is enhanced through tailoring and configuration rather than code modification. Custom code modification will only be allowed in extreme cases.

Ocala Utilities prefers a solution (and provider) that is capable of full compliance with all North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) current Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) requirements.

2.4. PROJECT REQUIREMENTS

SCADA Solution software:

Software maintenance and support Software upgrades Software license(s) Software warranties Software portals

Professional services for implementing the SCADA Solution:

Project management Software installation and configuration Hardware configuration support Interface/integration design, development, and implementation Forms design Ocala Utilities staff training Cut-over support Post-implementation support Period-ending support

Each of the items listed above need to be addressed in the RFP response. Failure to address all the items may result in the response being considered nonresponsive and may preclude the Proposer from further consideration by City of Ocala.

Functional Processes:

Table 1 lists the functional processes that Ocala Utilities wishes to include in the scope of this procurement. These functional processes must be included at a minimum.

Table 1—Core Functions Included for the SCADA Solution Implementation

System Functions

Included in Core SCADA

Solution Implementation

Notes

Switching Yes

This describes a System Operator’s ability to create and execute switching orders via SCADA either by manual interaction or automation at the click of a button.

Simulation Yes This describes the ability to train System Operators on system drawings, graphs, etc.

without affecting the production system.

Web & Application/Interface

Yes

The system must have the ability to provide personnel not in the Control Center access to view SCADA drawings, graphs, etc.

Permissions must be read/view only.

Security Yes

All software/hardware modules provided as part of the vendor-provided solution must be capable of meeting all currently enforceable NERC CIP standards/requirements, and future updates must be capable of full compliance with enforceable standards at that time. The vendor support/services contract must include provisions necessary for OEU to meet any NERC CIP requirements.

Data Collection & Storage

Yes

This describes the function of the system, which will allow personnel to review and report on historical SCADA information with advanced filtering options.

Software Operated Server Redundancy

Yes

This describes the function of failing over to a secondary server in the event of a primary server failure. This must be executed in the software.

Communication Protocol

Yes

This describes the protocol in which the SCADA system communicates with electrical field equipment. Direct to IED should support mirrored bits, SEL-Protocol, and DNP3.

No Third-Party Software

Yes

This describes the proposed SCADA system's ability to operate without third-party software requirements.

Interfaces:

The new SCADA will require interaction with other City of Ocala systems and will send and receive data. These interfaces may be one-way or bi-directional. Some systems may only be required to send information to the proposed solution. Others will require data going both ways, to and from the proposed solution. Others will only receive data from the proposed solution. The interface requirements will identify the interfaces between the SCADA Solution and other systems maintained by City of Ocala.

Interfacing to City of Ocala vendors may be necessary. Those vendors include but are not limited to:

Elster EnergyAxis Milsoft DisSPatch Milsoft WindMill Exceleron MDM

Table 2—Interface Definition

Interface Description

Elster MAS Automatic Meter Reading Systems.

Milsoft OMS The City of Ocala’s current Outage Management System.

Milsoft WindMil The City of Ocala’s current Engineering Analysis System.

Exceleron MDM The City of Ocala’s current Meter Data Management System.

Implementation Requirements:

The City of Ocala requires that each Proposer prepare, in sufficient detail, an Implementation Plan outlining the required tasks, estimated hours, responsibility, major deliverables, and timing. At a minimum, the RFP response will cover the following areas:

Project management.

System set-up and configuration.

Application(s) installation (If any).

Application set-up (tailoring, configuration, user set-up).

Interfaces.

Testing—unit, system, process, and interface.

Process changes.

Forms changes and design.

Reports.

Training—administrator and end-user.

System acceptance testing.

Transition to full operations (cut-over) including parallel processing.

Period ending reporting.

Backup and recovery.

Marketing Assistance Vendor Assessment

Each implementation task should define the level of resources required, timing of resource needs, and deliverables for both the system provider and for the City of Ocala.

Training Requirements:

The Proposer will be responsible for training Ocala Utilities team of fifteen to twenty persons in all aspects of the product. This training is required to allow Ocala Utilities team staff to understand system capabilities before set-up and configuration activities begin. The group will be responsible for performing and documenting system testing, documenting business processes and procedures, and for training end-users. The Proposer will develop an end-user training plan for current and new employees, preferably Computer based. The end-user training should be specific to the way the City’s system has been configured and set up to operate. In addition, a complete installation and operating instruction manual must be included for all aspects of the software capabilities.

Ongoing Support and Maintenance:

At a minimum, the proposal must include information and pricing associated with all aspects of ongoing support and maintenance activities. This proposed support must include: onsite software maintenance, product help desk 24/7, product fixes, product enhancements, and regular product releases based on a defined ongoing maintenance fee. The Proposer should discuss its upgrade policies and upgrade history of the proposed solution. The Proposer must have the ability to connect to the customer’s system, in compliance with the City's security policies & procedures, as well as all NERC CIP standards, to diagnose and correct problems real-time. The Proposer should also include a trouble shooting plan during implementation and configuration to ensure the project stays operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Proposer should describe the process for Ocala Utilities to request future product enhancements. Installation and operations manual and a troubleshooting plan shall be submitted electronically in PDF format and also one bound paper copy. All vendors and consultants receiving documents/data identified as Critical Energy Infrastructure Information (CEII) may be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

Schedule:

It is imperative for a customer system that the level of complexity, resource constraints, and funding considerations all dictate a realistic phasing and timeline of activities. For planning purposes, Ocala Utilities has identified a total installation timeframe spanning up to six to nine months for the successful completion of the SCADA Solution implementation activities. The Proposer must review and confirm this timeframe or suggest other optimum timelines that more readily support the Proposer’s solutions and associated resource requirements.

2.5. BOND REQUIREMENTS

(1) Bid Bond: Bid security equal to five percent (5%) of the total bid amount must accompany each bid. Bid bond will be uploaded in the section of this listing labeled "Bid Bond." The original document will be maintained by the Bidder unless requested to produce by the City.

2.6. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

(a) COMMERCIAL AUTO LIABILITY. Awarded Contractor shall procure and maintain for the life of this agreement commercial auto liability insurance with a minimum combined single limit of One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage arising out of vendor’s operations and covering all owned, hired, scheduled, and non-owned automobiles utilized in said operations.

(b) COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY. Awarded Contractor shall procure and maintain for the life of this agreement commercial liability insurance with minimum coverage limits not less than:

(1) One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate (or project aggregate, if a construction project) for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury; and

(2) One Million Dollars ($1,000,000) per occurrence and Two Million Dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate (or project aggregate, if a construction project) for products and completed operations.

(3) Policy must include coverage for contractual liability and independent contractors.

(c) WORKERS’ COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYER’S LIABILITY. Awarded Contractor shall procure and maintain for the life of this agreement adequate workers’ compensation and employer’s liability insurance covering all of its employees in at least such amounts as required by Chapter 440, Florida Statutes, and all other state and federal workers’ compensation laws.

Contractor shall ensure any and all subcontractors have the required coverage for all of their employees as required by applicable law. Contractor shall waive, and shall ensure that its insurance carrier waives, all subrogation rights against the City of Ocala and its officers, employees, and volunteers for all losses or damages.

(d) SPECIAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS:

(1) Professional Liability/Errors and Omissions Insurance. Awarded Contractor shall procure and maintain, for a period of at least Five (5) Years from the date of acceptance of the work by the City, a policy of professional liability/error and omissions insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000 per claim.

(e) CITY AS ADDITIONAL INSURED AND ENDORSEMENTS. The City of Ocala shall be named as an Additional Insured and Certificate Holder on all liability policies identified in this section with the exception of Workers’ Compensation and Professional Liability policies. Awarded vendor’s Worker’s Compensation policy shall be endorsed with WC 00 03 13 Waiver of our Right to Recover from Others or its equivalent. Vendor’s Commercial General Liability policy shall be endorsed with a CG 20 26 04 13 Additional Insured – Designated Person or Organization Endorsement or similar endorsement providing equal or broader Additional Insured Coverage with respect to liabilities arising out of activities performed by or on behalf of vendor.

(f) FAILURE TO MAINTAIN REQUIRED COVERAGE. In the event that the awarded Contractor fails to obtain or maintain in full force and effect any required insurance coverage, the City may procure same from insurance carriers as the City may deem proper, irrespective that a lesser premium for such insurance coverage may be available, and Contractor shall pay, upon demand by City, any and all premiums, costs, charges and expenses incurred or expended by City in obtaining such insurance. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the event City is forced to procure the required insurance coverage due to awarded vendor’s failure to comply with these Insurance Requirements, City shall in no manner be liable to awarded Contractor for any insufficiency or failure of coverage with regard to same or any loss to Contractor occasioned thereby.

Additionally, the procurement of such insurance coverage shall not relieve awarded Contractor of its obligation to maintain said coverage in the types and amounts specified herein and awarded Contractor shall nevertheless hold City harmless from any loss or damage incurred or suffered by City from awarded vendor’s failure to maintain said coverage.

(g) OTHER MISCELLANEOUS INSURANCE PROVISIONS.

(1) These insurance requirements shall not relieve or limit the liability of awarded vendor. City does not in any way represent that these types or amounts of insurance are sufficient or adequate to protect awarded vendor’s interests or liabilities but are merely minimums. No insurance is provided by the City under any contract to cover awarded vendor.

(2) No work shall be commenced under any contract until the required Certificate(s) of Insurance have been provided. Work shall not continue after expiration (or cancellation) of the Certificates of Insurance and shall not resume until new Certificate(s) of Insurance have been provided. Insurance written on a “Claims Made” form is not acceptable without consultation with City of Ocala Risk Management.

(3) Awarded Contractor shall arrange for its liability insurance to include or be endorsed to include a severability of interests/cross-liability provision so that the “City of Ocala” (where named as an additional insured) will be treated as if a separate policy were in existence, but without increasing the policy limits.

2.7. RFP TIMELINE. The City will attempt to follow the following schedule in the selection of the successful Proposer. The timeframes set forth below are subject to change at any time in the City’s sole discretion.

Milestone Date* Solicitation Release 10/22/2024 Deadline for Solicitation Clarification and Questions 11/12/2024 Proposal Submission Deadline 11/14/2024 Administrative Review of Proposals TBD

*The City reserves the right to make changes or alterations to the Time Schedule at any time as the City, in its sole discretion, deems to be in the best interest of the public. Any extension, change, or update to this schedule prior to project award shall be updated within the listing at www.bidocala.com. Proposers are responsible for verifying all listing information prior to submitting a response to this solicitation.

SECTION 3

SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS, PROPOSAL ORGANIZATION REQUIREMENTS, AND

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposers shall follow the submittal requirements set forth herein. Responses that do not adhere to the following format or which fail to include the requested information/documents may be considered non-responsive and therefore ineligible for award. The City reserves the right to seek additional/supplemental information as needed.

3.1. PROJECT UNDERSTANDING, PROPOSED APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY. Understanding of the project and detailed approach to performing the contracted work as indicated in the scope of services which would best serve the City of Ocala’s needs shall be described in the RFP. This should include, but not be limited to, the following points:

A. Describe your approach to performing the contracted work. This should include, but not be limited to, the following points:

B. Define what services your company is proposing to best serve the City of Ocala’s needs. Clearly identify specific areas of expertise, the individuals who will provide that expertise and their qualifications as it relates to this scope of services. State your plan including a list of tasks, your firm’s interpretation of scope and method of approach. You should also include a level of effort plan which will show the estimated man-hours associated with this service.

C. Describe how the firm proposes to deliver a top-quality project on time and on budget.

D. A detailed outline of the tasks associated with each element of the scope of services described above, including any additional tasks that the proposer may choose to identify and describe.

E. An overall account of the philosophy and methods the firm will utilize to successfully complete this project.

F. Identify any tasks that proposer is expecting City to perform.

3.2. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION INFORMATION AND DEADLINE. All Proposals must be electronically submitted via ProRfx before 2:00 p.m. (EST) on the listing end date/bid close date identified at www.bidocala.com. Proposals received after this time and date will not be considered. Proposals may not be submitted by any other means. The City will not accept Proposals sent by U.S. Mail, couriers, fax, or e-mail.

A. Sealed electronic Proposals will be received and opened by the City’s Procurement and Contracting Department electronically via the City’s e-procurement portal. All submitted responses shall be time and date stamped at the time the documents are uploaded and received.

B. Any Proposals received after the advertised deadline for submissions will not be considered. It is the sole responsibility of each Proposer to ensure Proposal is submitted via the e-procurement portal on or before the advertised deadline.

C. The ProRFx timestamp shall be conclusive proof of the timeliness of submission.

D. By submitting a response, the Proposer certifies that neither Proposer nor any principal of Proposer is presently disbarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or otherwise excluded from doing business with any government agency (local, state, or federal).

E. No Proposer shall be permitted to submit multiple solicitation responses. Only one (1) submission per firm, corporation, or individual Proposer shall be accepted (as corroborated by maintaining distinct financial books, corporate tax filings, and EINs).

F. Pricing must be entered on the Price Proposal form attached hereto as Exhibit A.

G. Proposals failing to provide sufficient information and assurances of performance so as to permit the City to accurately assess each category of the required services will be deemed non-responsive and will not be given further consideration.

H. Proposers shall examine the solicitation and contract documents and before submitting a bid, shall make a written request to City for an interpretation or correction of any ambiguity, inconsistency, or error therein which could have been discovered by a Proposer. At the Proposal opening each Proposer shall be presumed to have read and be familiar with the contract documents.

3.3. COVER PAGE, PAGE SIZE, AND FORMAT.

(a) Proposals shall contain 8 ½” x 11” pages only with a minimum font size of 11 points. Proposals shall be no more than forty (40) pages, excluding the cover page, transmittal letter, and any required attachments, forms, licenses, certifications, sample reports, or resumes.

(b) The cover page shall include the title of this Solicitation along with the Proposer’s firm name, address, contact person, telephone number, and e-mail address.

3.4. ORGANIZATION OF PROPOSAL. Proposers shall organize submittals in the following format with tabs separating each section.

(a) TRANSMITTAL LETTER. A transmittal letter must accompany the submittal and must be signed by an individual legally empowered to represent and bind the proposing firm. The transmittal letter must, at minimum, include the following information:

(1) Corporate name (if applicable), address and telephone number of principal office, number of years in business and staff size.

(2) Identify the individual that will be primarily responsible for overseeing the completion of this project on behalf of the firm and the names of the persons who will be authorized to make representations for the firm, their titles, addresses, and phone numbers.

(3) Include an affirmative statement that the firm has received, read and understands all procedures and criteria associated with the submittal requirements, and understands that all terms and conditions contained herein may be incorporated into a resulting contract.

(4) A short narrative describing the firm’s understanding of the scope of work and a brief statement of why the firm believes itself to be the best qualified to perform the engagement.

(b) TAB 1 – FIRM PROFILE, QUALIFICATIONS, AND AVAILABILITY. The emphasis of this section shall be on the firm and key personnel that will be committed to the engagement, their qualifications, specific roles, and availability.

(1) Firm Profile.

(a) State the size of the firm, the location of the office from which work on this engagement is to be performed, the number and nature of the staff to be employed in this engagement on a full-time basis, and the number and nature of the staff to be so employed on a part-time basis.

(b) If the Proposer is a joint venture or consortium, the qualifications of each firm comprising the joint venture or consortium should be separately identified and the firm that is to serve as the principal auditor should be noted, if applicable.

(c) Provide a copy of the report from the firm’s most recent external quality control review, letters of comments, and a statement as to whether the quality control review included a review of specific government engagements.

(d) Provide information on the circumstances and status of any disciplinary action taken or pending against the firm during the past five (5) years with state regulatory bodies or professional organizations.

(2) Partner, Supervisory, and Staff Qualifications and Experience. The City expects for the individuals assigned by the firm to the engagement to remain unchanged through the termination of the contract. However, personnel may be changed if they leave the firm, are promoted, or are assigned to another office, or for other reasons with the express written permission of the City. In each case, the City retains the right to approve or reject replacements.

(a) Provide an organizational chart depicting the principal supervisory and management staff, including engagement partners, managers, other supervisors, and specialists (all referred to herein as “Key Personnel”), who would be assigned to the engagement.

(b) For each of the key personnel identified, describe their respective role and responsibilities with respect to this engagement and provide a resume for each individual depicting:

1. education and certifications;

2. experience on similar engagement of this size and scope;

3. relevant continuing professional education for the past three years;

4. membership in professional organizations; and

5. any other unique qualifications relevant to the performance of this audit.

(c) Identify the percentage of time that each key personnel member will devote to the entire engagement and any other projects currently on-going or anticipated to be on-going during the period of engagement.

(3) References and Firm Experience.

(a) The proposer shall include qualifications and experience of the firm/individual(s) who will provide the services. The submission must include:

1. Brief history and organizational structure of your firm. Indicate home office location, office handling account, office hours, # of employees, etc.

2. A list of proposed staff, their positions, and years of experience. Identify the individual(s) who will be assigned to work on this project.

3. Current/past performance in similar activities – Provide a list of all public agencies for which you or your company has provided similar services over the last five (5) years. Include in your list:

a. Client (contact person name, title, full address, telephone number, fax number, and email address of a reference within each agency)

b. Detailed project descriptions with reported outcomes

c. Period of contract

d. Value of contract

(b) Qualifications and experience related to entities that Proposer has provided systems/solutions to that must already meet NERC CIP standards compliance. As well as a description of any involvement the proposer currently has with respect to involvement with NERC CIP standards development.

(c) Please list any potential conflicts of interest. In the proposer’s own words, describe the potential conflict of interest providing as much detail as possible. It is not sufficient to refer the City to proposer’s website.

(d) Address the priority of the project regarding staff availability, indicate ability and commitment in ensuring the project or services will be performed in a timely fashion and completed on time. Provide a listing of current and projected workload.

(e) For the firm’s office that will be assigned responsibility for the engagement, provide a list of the office’s engagements. Engagements should be for similar services provided over the last five years. Public agency references are preferred, for each engagement submitted as proof of experience, please identify:

1. Entity for whom services were provided and location;

2. Annual budget amount;

3. Engagement starts and end dates;

4. Summary of work actually performed by firm;

5. Reference information (point of contact name, title during project, telephone number, and e-mail address).

(c) TAB 2 –APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY.

(1) Approach. Proposers will be required to describe the following information on their approach:

(a) the overall approach the firm will take in this engagement and the methodology to be followed to perform the services required by this Solicitation;

(b) the proposed segmentation of the engagement, to include time estimates for and identification of each significant segment of the work and the staff level to be assigned;

(c) a work plan to accomplish the scope of work as defined in this Solicitation, including information on the timing of field work, and any overview and start up work that would be required.

(d) the approach to provide a SCADA system as described in the scope of work.

(e) a project schedule with specific project tasks and their duration. Discussion should include overall duration and intensity level. Milestones should be identified and shown on the schedule. The schedule should also include review times, coordination with stakeholders, and any additional tasks that the proposer may choose to identify and include on the schedule. The proposer is to determine the length of time necessary to complete the project. The proposer shall address the priority of this service regarding staff availability and indicate ability and commitment in ensuring the project or services will be performed in a timely fashion and completed on time. Provide a listing of current and projected workload.

(2) Identification of Anticipated Potential Problems. Proposers will be required to identify and describe any anticipated potential problems, the firm’s approach to resolving these problems, and any special assistance that will be requested from City staff or its agents.

(3) Additional Services. Proposers should identify key additional services that would be available to the City under the pricing and hourly rates set forth in the Price Proposal. The services included on this list need not be exhaustive but should emphasize those that resonate with the City’s strategic objectives and provide added value.

(d) TAB 3 – PRICE PROPOSAL. Proposer’s Price Proposal is required to contain all direct and indirect pricing information relative to the firm’s performance as described in this Solicitation. Each firm must submit a complete Exhibit A - Price Proposal for services as described in the scope.

Proposer shall provide a detailed cost proposal including a list of all cost for hardware, training, warranties, cost for additional licenses, and the cost for annual/maintenance support agreement for the software and the hardware. The fee proposal must identify each and every cost associated with the contract and indicate a total fee; fees must be stated in U.S. currency. The fee for any unforeseen change in scope requested by the City will be negotiated if required.

3.5. EVALUATION PROCESS AND CRITERIA. The City desires to maximize the purchasing value of public funds. It is the intention of the City to award the contract to the most qualified, responsive, responsible firm, which may not necessarily be the lowest-price proposer. Best value evaluation determines the value of products and/or services acquired resulting in the best combinations of quality, service, time, safety, security, and cost considerations over the useful life of the product or service. The emphasis shall be qualifications and value over price.

(a) SELECTION COMMITTEE. The Selection Committee for this Solicitation will be comprised of a minimum of three (3) members, from various and appropriate City departments.

(b) ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW OF PROPOSALS. Procurement and Contracting staff shall first review all Proposals in detail to make a determination as to the responsiveness of each Proposer:

(1) A proposal will be deemed responsive where it complies with the requirements as set forth in this solicitation, including the submission of all required documentation in the format outlined by this Solicitation.

(2) If a proposal is found to be inadequate with regard to any of the requirements set forth in this solicitation, the City’s Procurement and Contracting Officer, in his/her sole discretion, shall make a determination as to whether or not the deficiency can fairly be corrected or if the Proposal should be rejected and found to be non-responsive.

(3) If a proposer fails to meet and provide documentation in support of each of the Minimum Qualifications requirements set forth in this Solicitation, the Proposer’s proposal will be rejected and removed from consideration.

(4) Only responsive proposals from responsible Proposers shall be submitted to the Selection Committee

(c) SELECTION COMMITTEE REVIEW AND EVALUATION CRITERIA. Responsive and timely received proposals from responsible firms will be evaluated by the Selection Committee on a fair and consistent basis according to the evaluation criteria set forth below. If oral interviews and presentations are determined to be necessary, final scoring will be conducted after the interviews.

(1) The Selection Committee shall review each proposal individually and score each proposal based on the evaluation criteria stated herein.

(2) During the formal Selection Committee meeting, Committee members will discuss the proposals and compile individual rankings for each proposal based on the evaluation criteria stated herein to determine a shortlist of the highest-ranking firms. The Selection Committee meeting shall be formally noticed by e-notification and posting on the City of Ocala website.

(3) The Selection Committee may schedule oral presentations from the top-ranked firms, and may, at their discretion, obtain guidance from third-party subject matter experts. Dates will be set for conducting interviews or presentations with shortlisted firms, and notification will be sent by e-mail and/or telephone of their assigned date and time, by Procurement staff.

(4) Final recommendation will be decided based on a review of scores.

(5) The City reserves the right to withdraw this Solicitation and reject any or all proposers at any time and for any reason, and to issue such clarifications, modifications, and/or amendments as it may deem appropriate.

(6) Evaluation Criteria.

SELECTION COMMITTEE EVALUATION CRITERIA

SCORING

(100 POINTS)

Qualifications and Experience of Firm and Assigned Personnel.

Proposal contains documentation in support of qualification and experience requirements. Proposal clearly sets forth the technical experience of the firm and qualifications of assigned staff with performing quality…