RFP_IT Services.pdf

Request for Proposal For

Information Technology Services

Bid Number FY26-03

BIDS DUE NO LATER THAN 11:00 AM ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2025

City of Waycross

Purchasing Department Attn: Mamie Jackson, Purchasing Manager

417 Pendleton Street Waycross, GA 31501

1. Introduction The City of Waycross employs just over 200 personnel and operates across eight facilities with established network connectivity. The City’s IT infrastructure includes approximately 100 desktop computers and a combination of physical and virtual servers, primarily located at City Hall, supported by local backup solutions. The Police Department maintains a separate server environment to support its operations, including the routine storage and management of high-volume body camera footage.

2. Background The City of Waycross employs a little over 200 employees and operates out of eight facilities with network connectivity. Our infrastructure includes approximately 100 PCs, multiple physical and virtual servers—primarily housed at City Hall—with local backup solutions currently in place. Additionally, the Police Department maintains its own server environment and regularly downloads and stores high-volume body camera footage.

The City provides essential public services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year—including police, fire, and emergency response—making a reliable and secure IT infrastructure critical to operational continuity. The City has designated an internal IT liaison to serve as the primary point of contact and to coordinate all technology-related communications and activities throughout the duration of the engagement.

3. Scope of Services We are seeking a vendor that can provide a full suite of managed IT services including, but not limited to:

A. Infrastructure & Server Support

• Monitoring, maintenance, and patching of servers located at City Hall and the Police Department

• Active Directory, DNS, DHCP, and file storage management

• Virtualization management (e.g., VMware, Hyper-V)

B. Network & Hardware Management

• Monitoring and support for network devices (routers, switches, firewalls)

• VPN and secure remote access configuration and support

• Support for approximately 100 desktop PCs and peripherals

C. Cybersecurity

• Firewall configuration and monitoring

• Endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools

• Threat detection and incident response planning

• User awareness training and simulated phishing

D. Backup & Disaster Recovery

• Implementation and management of a secure, cloud-based backup solution

• Disaster recovery planning and testing

• Protection of critical data including body camera footage and operational files

E. Helpdesk & End-User Support

• On-demand helpdesk services for all departments

• Remote and on-site troubleshooting and support

• Defined SLAs for issue response and resolution

F. Strategic Consultation & Bi-Monthly Site Visits

• Scheduled bi-monthly in-person meetings with our IT liaison to review systems, address challenges, and plan improvements

• Strategic advice on system upgrades, security, and modernization

4. Proposal Requirements Interested vendors must include the following:

• Company background, certifications, and qualifications

• Description of services and support model

• Staff structure and key personnel assigned to our account

• Technical tools and platforms used (ticketing, monitoring, backup, etc.)

• Service Level Agreements (SLAs)

• Proposed fee structure (fixed monthly, hourly, etc.)

• At least three references from clients of similar size or municipal scope

• Certificate of insurance and sample contract/terms

5. Evaluation Criteria The following criteria will be used to evaluate proposals:

Criterion Weight

Experience with municipal clients 25%

Technical capacity and support model 25%

Cybersecurity and backup approach 20%

Cost and value 20%

References and client satisfaction 10%

6. Submission Instructions

Submission Deadline: September 22, 2025, at 11:00 am Send Proposals To:

Mamie Jackson-Purchasing Manager City of Waycross 417 Pendleton Street Waycross, GA 31501

*Electronic submissions will not be accepted*

7. Timeline Event Date

RFP Released

Pre-bid Meeting

August 20, 2025

September 4, 2025, at 10:00 am

Questions Due from Vendors September 9, 2025

City Responses to Questions September 12, 2025

Proposal Submission Deadline September 22, 2025, at 11:00 am

Vendor Interviews (if applicable) Week of September 29, 2025

Vendor Selection October 7, 2025

Service Start Date (anticipated) November 3, 2025

8. Terms & Conditions

• The City reserves the right to reject any or all proposals.

• All responses become public record under Georgia Open Records laws.

• The selected vendor must enter into a service agreement including confidentiality, data security, and insurance provisions.

• The City is not responsible for proposal preparation or submission costs.