RFP Tele Comm-Vers-01.pdf

University of Maryland College Park

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. BPM058210

For

Enterprise Telecommunication Services

Issue Date: July 31, 2026 Pre-Proposal Conference: August 07, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. EST Deadline for Questions: August 12, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. EST Proposal Due Date: September 11, 2026 at 3:00 P.M. EST

Offerors who have received this document from a source other than the Issuing Office should immediately contact the Issuing Office and provide their name and mailing address in order that amendments to the RFP or other communications can be sent to them. Offerors who fail to notify the Issuing Office with this information assume complete responsibility in the event that they do not receive communications from the Issuing Office prior to the closing date.

Offerors are cautioned not to make changes to any of the terms and conditions in this solicitation. Doing so may render an Offeror’s proposal unacceptable and subject to rejection.

Questions and comments may be addressed to the point of contact identified in Section A-1, Item 9 of this document.

Table of Contents SECTION 1 – Introduction, Purpose, Background and Scope of Services

1.1 Overview and Purpose

1.2 Background

1.3 Scope of Services

1.4 Requirements

SECTION 2 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors

2.1 Issuing Office

2.2 Pre-Proposal Conference

2.3 Questions

2.4 Amendments to the RFP

2.5 Submission of Proposals

2.6 Proposal Due Date and Time

2.7 Treatment of Late Proposals

2.8 Duration of Proposal Offer

2.9 Alternate Proposals

2.10 Economy of Preparation

2.11 Unable To Propose

2.12 Public Information Act Notice

2.13 Two Volume Proposal

2.14 Cancellation of RFP

2.15 Evidence of Responsibility

2.16 Solicitation, Proposal Acceptance, Award and Discussions

2.17 Formation of Contract with Successful Offerors

2.18 Debriefing of Unsuccessful Offerors

2.19 Protests and Claims

2.20 Contract Implementation Meeting

SECTION 3 – Proposal Submission and Evaluation

3.1 Proposal Submittals

3.2 Evaluation of Proposals

SECTION 4 – Technical Requirements and Specifications

4.1 Offeror Data

4.2 Offerors Qualifications

4.3 Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Participation

SECTION 5 - Insurance Requirements, Certifications and Forms

5.1 Insurance Requirements

5.2 Certifications and Forms

SECTION 6 - Contract Terms and Conditions

EXHIBIT A: A-1 Solicitation/Contract Form

EXHIBIT B: Technical Requirements Matrix (Attached Separately)

EXHIBIT C: Pricing Sheet (Attached Separately)

EXHIBIT D: MBE Forms (Attached Separately)

EXHIBIT E: Insurance Addendum

EXHIBIT F: Certifications and Forms

APPENDIX A: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

SECTION 1- Overview & Purpose, Background, Scope of Services and Requirements

1.1 Overview and Purpose

The University of Maryland, College Park (UMD) seeks proposals from qualified vendors to provide enterprise telecommunication services. This RFP covers voice services, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) Trunking, unified communications, and traditional across multiple campus locations. The contract terms will be a Three (3) year base period with Two (2) Twelve (12) Month Options.

1.2 Background

UMD operates a distributed telecommunications infrastructure serving academic, administrative, and research functions. The university requires reliable, cost-effective services that support both legacy systems and modern collaboration tools.

1.3 Scope of Services

UMD is issuing this RFP to solicit responses from qualified contractors who can provide a cost-effective solution meeting our technical requirements while improving system security, enhancing user satisfaction, and reducing administrative overhead. The selected contractor’s proposed solution must provide the following:

a. Detailed plan of operation indicating Contractor’s understanding of requirements and ability to carry out the activities listed in the scope of work in this RFP.

b. Provide an overview and information regarding organizational experience and capabilities including description of general background, experience, qualifications, and capabilities to provide technical and customer support to an organization similar in size and scope to the University.

c. Provide examples of involvement and success in the performance of similar Contracts.

• Voice services including local and long distance calling

• SIP trunking with 400 concurrent call paths at two geographically distinct sites

(minimum of 200 each)

• Unified Communications

• Toll-free inbound services

1.4 Requirements

Voice Services Requirements

ID Requirement Priority

V-001 Provide minimum 300,000 minutes per month of local and long distance calling

Mandatory

V-002 Support E911 services with accurate location routing for all service locations

Mandatory

V-003 Provide 99.99% uptime SLA with documented remediation procedures

Mandatory

V-004 Support caller ID, call forwarding, voicemail, and call transfer features

Mandatory

V-005 Provide detailed call records with monthly usage reports

Mandatory

SIP Trunking Requirements ID Requirement Priority

S-001 Provide a minimum of 4 geographically distinct SIP circuits/call paths, with 2 supporting a minimum of 200 concurrent each at the main UMCP campus, and 2 supporting a minimum of 50 concurrent calls at the Institute for Bioscience and Biotechnology Research (IBBR) satellite campus, plus options to expand service to additional sites

Mandatory

S-002 Support Direct Inward Dialing or (DID) number blocks with minimum 32,000 station numbers

Mandatory

S-003 Provide failover and redundancy options for SIP call paths, including inbound DID failover

Mandatory

S-004 Support codec negotiation including G.711 and G.729, with G.711 the preferred codec.

Mandatory

S-005 Interoperability with existing Private Branch eXchange (PBX) infrastructure

Mandatory

S-006 Support for T.38 based Fax-over-IP protocol

Mandatory

S-007 Ethernet access with minimum bandwidth required for specified sip concurrent calls

Mandatory

S-008 Static IP block allocation (/30 minimum) for each SIP circuit

Mandatory

S-009 Quality of Service (QoS) support for voice traffic prioritization

Mandatory

S-010 24x7 network monitoring with proactive alerting

Mandatory

S-011 Provide 2 geographically distinct SIP circuits for remote IBBR site, supporting 50 concurrent calls each

Mandatory

S-012 Provide 1 SIP circuit for remote USMSM site, supporting 20 concurrent calls

Mandatory

Unified Communications Requirements

ID Requirement Priority

UC-001 Integration with cloud service providers, such as Microsoft Teams Phone, Zoom Phone, Webex Calling or similar platforms

Desirable

Toll-Free Services Requirements ID Requirement Priority

TF-001 Domestic toll-free access with competitive per-minute rates

Mandatory

TF-002 Number portability for existing toll-free numbers

Mandatory

TF-003 Routing flexibility with time-of-day and geographic options

Desirable

POTS Lines Requirements

(Not Applicable for this RFP)

Billing and Administration Requirements ID Requirement Priority

BA-001 Administrative portal for self-service management (examples needed?)

Mandatory

BA-002 Service Level for responding to University communications (emails and calls)

All email communications from the University will be acknowledged and responded to within two (2) business days and updates should be provided in a timely manner [no more than seven (7) business days without an update]

Desirable

BA-003 Ability to forward/redirect calls from self-service portal

Desirable

BA-004 Provide invoices in portal no later than the 5th day or after the billing cycle end.

Desirable

The University of Maryland – RFP No. BPM058210 Enterprise Telecommunication Services (updated) 8-18-2026

Service Locations The following locations require telecommunications services. Vendors must provide pricing for all locations listed.

Location Name Address Primary Services

University of Maryland 2740 Comcast, College Park, MD 20742

Toll-Free

UMD Atlantic Building 4254 Stadium Dr, College Park, MD 20742

Internet, SIP

UMD California, MD 44219 Airport Rd, California, MD 20619

Dynamic IP

UMD College Park 2113 Chesapeake Bldg, College Park, MD 20742

UMD Patuxent Building 1 University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20740

Dynamic IP, Voice, Toll-Free

UMD IBBR Building 9600 Gudelsky Dr, Rockville, MD 20850

Dynamic IP, Voice, Toll-Free

Service Level Requirements

• Uptime guarantees (target 99.99%)

• Response time commitments for trouble tickets

• 24x7 technical support availability

Implementation Plan

• Detailed project timeline with milestones (Anticipated 1st Quarter 2027)

• Migration strategy minimizing service disruption

• Training plan for university staff

• Project management approach and resources

Compliance Requirements

• Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) compliance for student data protection

• FCC regulations for telecommunications services (www.fcc.gov)

• E911 requirements for all voice services (www.fcc.gov)

Pricing Requirements

All pricing must remain fixed for the initial 36-month contract term.

Monthly Recurring Charges (MRC)

• Voice services per location

• SIP trunking per call path

• Unified Communications per user

• Internet and data services per circuit

• Toll-free access fees http://www.fcc.gov/ http://www.fcc.gov/

One-Time Charges (OTC)

• Installation fees per location

• Equipment costs (phones, adapters)

• Number porting fees

• Project management and implementation

Usage-Based Charges

• Rates for overages beyond included minutes

• International calling rates by destination

• Toll-free inbound rates

ELECTRONIC FUNDS TRANSFER (EFT)

By submitting a response to this solicitation, the Proposer agrees to accept payments from the public institutions by electronic funds transfer (EFT) unless the State Comptroller’s Office grants an exemption.

The selected Proposer shall register using the Form GADX-10 State of Maryland ACH/Direct Deposit Authorization for Vendor Payments, which may be found on the following website: https://www.marylandtaxes.gov/divisions/gad/eft-program.php. Any request for exemption shall be submitted to the State Comptroller’s Office for approval at the address specified on the GADX-10 form and shall include the business identification information as stated on the form and include the reason for the exemption. See Payment of University Obligations clause in PART II, Contract Clauses, Section I for additional information.

https://www.marylandtaxes.gov/divisions/gad/eft-program.php

SECTION 2 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors

2.1 Issuing Office

The sole point of contact at the University of Maryland, College Park (hereinafter “University” or “University of Maryland”) for purposes of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is the Issuing Office. The location of the Issuing Office is contained in Part I, Section A-1, Item 6 (Exhibit A) of this document.

Point of contact information is listed in Part I, Section A-1, Item 9(a) through 9(d) (Exhibit A) of this document.

All contact throughout the process is to be made in writing, via email, throughout the RFP process with the exception of information received as a result of a Pre-Proposal Conference. Responses to inquiries will be made in writing and issued to all known participants.

2.2 Pre-Proposal Conference

While attendance at the pre-proposal conference is not mandatory, all interested Offerors are encouraged to attend to be able to better prepare acceptable proposals. The optional pre-proposal conference will be held on Friday, August 7th, 2026 at 10:00 A.M. to 11:30 A.M. EST. The conference will be held virtually via Zoom. You will be required to register for the conference. Once registered a Zoom link will be provided.

To register for the pre-proposal conference, send a confirmation email to the Procurement Officer at bblake14@umd.edu three (3) days prior to the scheduled conference. Offerors should estimate a duration of one (1) hour and thirty (30) minutes. Offerors who are attending the pre-proposal conference are requested to email questions to the Procurement Officer at bblake14@umd.edu at least three (3) days prior to the conference. Answers to questions will be provided in accordance with Section 2, subsection

2.3 below.

Offerors planning to send a representative are required to contact the Issuing Office at least three (3) working days prior to the conference. Offerors planning to send more than two (2) representatives to the pre-proposal conference must obtain prior approval from the Procurement Officer.

2.3 Questions

Offerors are urged to read the specifications carefully and understand fully the terms and conditions of this RFP. Questions and requests for clarification or additional information must be emailed to the Procurement Officer at bblake14@umd.edu and received no later than August 12, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST. The email should contain the Subject: “QUESTIONS: RFP BPM058210”.

Only emailed questions received by the deadline will be answered. Both questions and answers will be distributed, without identification of the inquirer(s), to all Offerors who are on record with the Procurement Officer as having received this RFP. No oral communications can be relied upon for proposal purposes. To the extent that a question causes a change to any part of this RFP, an amendment shall be issued addressing such.

2.4 Amendments to the RFP

If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, notice of the revision will be issued in the form of an Amendment to Offerors on record with the Procurement Officer as having received this RFP. All Amendments shall become a part of this RFP. Each Offeror is required to acknowledge receipt of Amendments. Failure of an Offeror to acknowledge any Amendment will not relieve the Offeror of responsibility for complying with the content of the Amendment.

mailto:bblake1@umd.edu mailto:bblake1@umd.edu

2.5 Submission of Proposals

Proposals shall be submitted electronically uploaded to the secured Box folders the University of Maryland set up for this RFP. The file format for the technical proposal is Adobe PDF. The file format for the financial proposal is Microsoft Excel.

The Technical and Financial Proposals must adhere to the proposal and content requirements listed in M. Two Volume Proposals.

The separate Technical and Financial Proposal documents must be clearly labeled as follows:

<Company Name> Technical Proposal – Enterprise Telecommunication Services <Company Name> Financial Proposal – Enterprise Telecommunication Services

Submit the proposal documents to the following website addresses:

Financial Proposals website address:

https://umd.app.box.com/f/699bb30fd8d448b0ba6135246efbfec1

Technical Proposals website address:

https://umd.app.box.com/f/45eaeb1858a24b68a9ce77bff1af6bef

The commingling of technical and financial information or the failure to submit the Technical Proposal and the Financial Proposal separately may result in the proposal being deemed NON-ACCEPTABLE and thereby rejected.

NOTE: PROPOSALS CONVEYED TO OTHER EMAILS ADDRESS THAN THOSE PROVIDED

IN ITEM D. (6) ABOVE, OR BY TELEFAX OR HARDCOPY WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

2.6 Proposal Due Date and Time

i. Financial and Technical Proposals:

Proposals must arrive at the location identified in Section 2, Paragraph 2.5 of this document on or before September 11, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. EST as applicable, in the designated format.

Depending upon the subject matter of the RFP, Offerors may be required to submit hard copy proposals.

In these instances, Offerors are to allow sufficient time for delivery to ensure timely receipt by the Issuing Office. Proposals, amendments to proposals or requests for withdrawal of proposals arriving after the closing time and date shall not be considered. There shall be no public opening of the proposals. The name of Offeror will not be released until after the award.

2.7 Treatment of Late Proposals

Any proposal, request for withdrawal, or modification of a proposal including a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) that is not received at the designated location at the designated due date and time will be considered late and will be rejected as non-acceptable. Delivery of the proposal to the specified location by the prescribed date and time is the sole responsibility of the Offeror. Exceptions may be authorized, at the sole discretion of the Procurement Officer, when the reason for the late proposal, late request for withdrawal, late modification of a proposal or BAFO is due to the action or inaction of the University. A record of the late proposal, request for withdrawal, modification of a proposal or BAFO will be retained in the appropriate procurement file.

https://umd.app.box.com/f/699bb30fd8d448b0ba6135246efbfec1 https://umd.app.box.com/f/45eaeb1858a24b68a9ce77bff1af6bef

2.8 Duration of Proposal Offer

Proposals will be valid for a minimum of 120 days following the closing date of this RFP. If an award is not made during that period, the proposal will automatically extend for another 120 days, unless the Offeror gives specific written notice to the Procurement Officer at least 15 days before the expiration of the then current 120-day period. Proposals will automatically renew for an additional 120 days until an award is made or proper written notice is given to the University of Offeror's intent to withdraw its proposal. By submission of a proposal, Offeror guarantees that its offer shall be firm for the period specified in this clause.

2.9 Alternate Proposals

In the mutual interest of receiving the best proposal, the University will consider alternate technical and financial proposals. To submit an alternate proposal, Offeror is required to submit a proposal in the exact format required.

2.10 Economy of Preparation

Each proposal is to be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of the Offeror's offer and capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. Emphasis is to be placed on clarity of content and providing a complete response.

2.11 Unable To Propose

If Offeror is unable or unwilling to submit a proposal in response to the requirements, Offeror must indicate this in writing to the Procurement Officer on or before the proposal due date. Electronic mail is an acceptable delivery method for submission of the Offeror’s inability to submit a proposal. UMD requests that Offerors who are unable to respond include a brief explanation of the rationale for non-submission of a proposal.

2.12 Public Information Act Notice

Offerors are required to specifically identify those portions of their proposals that they deem to contain confidential, proprietary information, or trade secrets. The Offeror is further required to provide specific justification, with respect to each separate portion identified, as to why the materials, upon request, should not be disclosed by the State under the Access to Public Records Act, State Government Article, Title 10, Subtitle 6, Annotated Code of Maryland.

For claims of confidentiality to be considered, Offerors must clearly identify and provide individual justification for each and every section that is claimed to contain confidential, proprietary information or trade secrets. It is not sufficient to preface your proposal with a proprietary statement, or to use a page header or footer that arbitrarily marks some or all pages as confidential. General claims of confidentiality or similar blanket designations will not be accepted and may result in a proposal being deemed non-acceptable, at the discretion of the Procurement Officer.

2.13 Two Volume Proposal

The selection procedure for this procurement requires an independent evaluation of the technical and financial proposals. This separation allows for evaluation of technical proposals, on a “go/no-go” or “pass/fail” decisional rule based on meeting the technical specifications and business requirements. Consequently, Offeror is required to submit its proposal in two separate volumes as indicated in Section 2.5.

2.14 Cancellation of RFP

The University may cancel this RFP, in whole or in part, or reject any or all proposals submitted in response to the RFP when such action is determined to be fiscally advantageous to the University and/or the State or otherwise in the best interest of the University and/or the State.

2.15 Evidence of Responsibility

Prior to the award of a contract pursuant to this RFP, the Procurement Officer may require Offeror to submit such additional information bearing upon Offeror's ability to perform the contract as the Procurement Officer deems appropriate. The Procurement Officer may also consider any information otherwise available concerning the financial, technical, and other qualifications or abilities of the Offeror.

2.16 Solicitation, Proposal Acceptance, Award and Discussions This RFP creates no obligation on the part of the University to award a contract or to compensate Offerors for proposal preparation expenses. The University reserves the unilateral right to cancel this solicitation at any time and to accept or reject any and all proposals, in whole or in part, received in response to this RFP; the unilateral right to award a contract in whole or in part; to award a contract to one Offerors; to waive or permit cure of minor irregularities; and to conduct discussions with Offerors or Offerors in any manner necessary to serve the best interest of the University.

Discussions may be conducted with those Offerors who submit proposals initially judged by the Procurement Officer to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award. However, the University reserves the right to award a contract based upon the proposals received without further discussions.

2.17 Formation of Contract with Successful Offerors

The Contract shall also include any other forms or documents deemed necessary by the Procurement Officer. This RFP and any resulting contract shall be governed by the University System of Maryland Procurement Policies and Procedures, and University of Maryland Procurement Policies and Procedures.

These policies and procedures may be viewed at the following web site: www.purchase.umd.edu, select the category "Policies".

2.18 Debriefing of Unsuccessful Offerors

A debriefing of an unsuccessful Offeror shall be conducted upon a written request submitted to the Procurement Officer within ten (10) days of the date on which the Offeror knew, or should have known, its proposal was unsuccessful. The debriefing shall be limited to a discussion of the Offeror’s unsuccessful proposal. The debriefing will be oral and shall provide information on areas in which the proposal was deemed weak or insufficient. The debriefing may NOT include discussion of a competing Offeror’s proposal or discussion, thoughts, notes or ranking from an individual evaluation committee member. A summarization of the procurement officer’s rationale for the selection may be given.

Debriefings shall be conducted at the earliest possible time.

2.19 Protests and Claims

Any protest regarding the award of this contract or claim arising out of this contract shall be administered in accordance with the University System of Maryland Procurement Policies and Procedures, Section X - Protests and Claims. Detail is available by accessing the following web site:

https://www.usmd.edu/usm/procurement/procedures.html.

https://www.usmd.edu/usm/procurement/procedures.html

2.20 Contract Implementation Meeting

Offerors receiving an award under this solicitation may be required to attend a Contract Implementation Meeting to be held after contract award, as scheduled by the Procurement Officer. The location and agenda for this meeting will be communicated to the Offerors by the Procurement Officer.

-END OF SECTION 2-

SECTION 3 – Proposal Submission and Evaluation

3.1 Proposal Submittals

The five (5) phases of the solicitation process consist of the following:

1) First Phase Technical Proposal (Volume 1 – Technical Proposal)

2) Second Phase Technical Proposal & Reference checks

3) Financial Proposal Phase (Volume 2 – Financial Proposal)

4) Negotiation Phase

5) Award Phase

3.1.1 First Phase - Technical Proposal Submittal – (Volume 1: Technical Proposal)

Offerors are expected to read the specifications, requirements, and qualifications very carefully and to submit questions, in writing, by the due date for questions. Misinterpretation of specifications, requirements, or qualifications by the Contractor do not relieve the Contractor of responsibility to accurately address these components of this RFP or to perform the contract, if awarded.

The information/items specified as Specifications, Requirements, and/or Qualifications must be addressed in the technical proposal. The proposal must expressly indicate that it satisfies each point of the RFP Requirements, Specifications and/or Qualifications referenced in Section 3 and Section 4. Simple YES or NO responses to stated requirements are insufficient. The Offeror must describe in detail how the proposed products and/or services meet or exceed the stated requirements. The Offeror must explain any exception or deviation from the requirements. In cases where the Offeror cannot or does not meet a requirement, this must be clearly stated along with the reason for not meeting the Requirement, Specification, or Qualification.

3.1.1.1 Technical Proposal Format and Contents

All of the required documentation listed in this section must be included in the Technical Proposal. Failure to submit the documentation or any of the information required may result in rejection of the proposal:

i. Executive Management Summary The Offerors' response is to contain an Executive/Management Summary. This section of the Offeror is to contain a brief synopsis of how the Offerors' proposal meets the needs of the University.

ii. Technical Requirements Offerors must complete all sections of the Technical Requirements Matrix (Exhibit B). The Technical Requirements portion of this RFP provides details of the requirements and preferences of the Identity Management System, as well as the requirements for implementation, which includes several identified solutions currently being used by UMD that require most if not all of their features to be retired and replaced by the Identity Management System in working partnership from the selected professional services implementation partner.

So that the Technical Evaluation Committee can easily follow along during the evaluation process, please ensure that responses are stated immediately after the associated requirement statement, preference statement, or information request question.

You may include descriptive literature in your proposal if you refer to specific content. In reviewing the proposals, University personnel will not search through general literature. When a question is asked, answer the question and supply any supportive detail. Any deviation from this format and sequence may result in the proposal being immediately rejected.

iii. Narrative Supporting Proposed Solution

UMD requires offerors to exhibit a minimum of 5 years experience and at least 3 successful deployments at R1 institutions with 25,000+ undergraduate students .

This encompasses a clear understanding of the nuances and specific needs of a large research institution, ensuring the Enterprise Telecommunication Service is effectively tailored and operational to meet our diverse and dynamic campus environment.

Offerors must complete the Technical Requirements Matrix (Exhibit B) and include a narrative describing how the proposed solution meets UMD's requirements. The narrative should address the Offeror's implementation approach, integration methodology, and project timeline.

iv. Narrative of Implementation Services (required)

Offerors must provide a narrative describing the qualifications of staff responsible for the Enterprise Telecommunication Services installation and configuration, including their experience and approach to implementation. The narrative shall also address project management, including coordination, scheduling, resource allocation, and rollout timeline.

v. Reference Accounts

Offerors must provide three (3) reference accounts for implementing and configuring a campus Telecommunication system Services of similar size and scope at Higher education institutions with at least 25,000 undergraduate students. These should be in an on-campus and in-person setting and within the United States. At least one of the references must be for a R1 institution with at least 25,000 undergraduate students

vi. Section A-1, Solicitation/Contract Form (Exhibit A)

Offerors must complete Section A-1 Solicitation/Contract Form (Exhibit A) offer section as part of the Technical Volume. Failure to submit this document, signed by a person duly authorized to commit the Offeror to the proposal, may cause the Offeror’s proposal to be rejected, at the sole discretion of the University.

3.1.2 Second Phase - Technical Proposal Submittal

At the sole discretion of the University, Finalist Offerors may be required to submit a Second Phase Technical Proposal and/or invited to make an Oral Presentation to the University’s Technical Evaluation Committee.

The Second Phase Technical Proposal may require additional materials for evaluation by the Technical Evaluation Committee. Should the University elect to require such a submittal, the requirements will be specified in an Amendment to this RFP, and a due date and time will be established for submittal. Offerors may be requested to attend an oral presentation. The purpose of the oral presentations is as follows:

i. Allow the University to meet the Offeror's key personnel. It is anticipated that the Offeror will be requested to have specific key personnel attend and be an integral part of the presentation. The University will identify any key personnel required to attend, and these must be the same individuals identified in the proposal.

ii. To allow the Offeror to highlight and explain selected areas of its Technical Proposal that the University may request in writing before the presentation day.

iii. Address specific questions from the University’s Technical Evaluation Committee.

iv. The oral presentation format will be as directed by the University. The University is not interested in a marketing presentation.

v. The criteria and format of the oral presentation will be provided with the written request to conduct an oral presentation.

The University reserves the right to waive the Second Phase Technical Proposal. Selection of the Finalist Offerors may be based on the First Phase Technical Proposal alone. Offerors are therefore encouraged to submit the best possible proposal at each opportunity for submittal.

3.1.3 Financial Proposal Phase – (Volume 2: Financial Proposal)

Offerors whose proposals are technically acceptable shall be considered in the Financial Proposal phase.

3.1.3.1 Financial Volume

This volume consists of and must contain the offered pricing information in the format required by the University. Offerors are not to include any technical information or specifications in the financial volume. Inclusion of technical requirements in the Financial Volume, unless technical details are necessary to provide pricing clarity, may result in disqualification of the Offerors' response, particularly if said technical details are not included in the Technical Volume.

3.1.3.2 Pricing Sheet (Exhibit C)

The Offeror is required to use the provided pricing sheet submittal document (Exhibit C) as included. The Offeror is required to complete the electronic Pricing Sheet as provided.

Using the Price Proposal Form will help ensure consistency in the financial evaluation.

The price proposal form is to be completed in full when used for the submittal of pricing.

3.1.3.3 Best and Final Offers

The University reserves the right to request Best and Final Offers (BAFO) following the evaluation of technical and financial proposals. Contractors must submit BAFO pricing information in the format required, on or before the date and time indicated on the BAFO request, and using the means of submission indicated by the Procurement Officer. The Financial Evaluation Committee will recommend to the Procurement Officer that the Finalist Offeror should move forward in the solicitation process.

3.1.4 Negotiation Phase

a) Negotiations, if any, will be conducted between the Finalist Offeror(s) and the University.

b) The University has the right to accept the best proposal as submitted, without discussion or negotiation. Offerors should therefore not rely on having a chance to discuss, negotiate, and adjust their proposals.

c) Finalist Offeror(s) may be asked to discuss their proposals with the University to facilitate the arrival at a contract most advantageous to the University. If the Procurement Officer determines that discussion is in the best interest of the University, the Procurement Officer will advise Finalist Offeror(s) to submit a best and final offer for consideration after discussions are held.

d) Upon successful completion of negotiations, the University will proceed with the Contract award.

e) If the Procurement Officer determines that a satisfactory contract cannot be negotiated, the negotiations shall be terminated. In such instances, the University may proceed with negotiations with the next-highest ranked Offeror or may re-advertise the procurement as it deems appropriate.

3.1.5 Award Phase

a) The Procurement Officer will perform all required due diligence and prepare the

Solicitation/Contract Form for signature. Once the contract form is signed by the Department of Procurement and Strategic Sourcing, the Procurement Officer will execute the contract on behalf of the University.

b) Final contract award, if any, resulting from this RFP, may be subject to appropriate

University and State approvals.

3.2 Evaluation of Proposals

3.2.1 Basis of Award (Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA)

The University intends to make an award to the technically acceptable Offeror with the lowest price. Only those proposals meeting the technical specifications (evaluated technically acceptable) and pricing requirements will be considered. The financial evaluations will consist of ranking on the basis of the lowest price. Information from the financial proposals submitted will be used to compute the total price. The Procurement Officer will recommend a contract award to the responsible Offeror whose proposal is determined to be technically acceptable and offers the lowest price among those who meet all of the technical requirements.

Recommended contract awards, if any, resulting from this RFP, may be subject to State and University approvals.

3.2.2 Technical Evaluation

3.2.2.1 Evaluation Committees

The Procurement Officer shall establish separate technical and financial evaluation committees to review and rate the proposals. The financial evaluation committee may be composed of the Procurement Officer and any other individuals appointed by the Procurement Officer. The technical evaluation committee shall be composed of other individuals appointed by the Procurement Officer.

3.2.2.2 Acceptability of Proposals

● The Procurement Officer shall determine which Offerors have met the basic requirements of the RFP

● Failure to comply with any mandatory requirement will normally disqualify a Offeror's proposal

● The Procurement Officer shall have the sole authority to determine whether any deviation from the requirements of this RFP is substantial in nature

● The Procurement Officer may waive or permit to be cured minor irregularities or minor informalities in proposals that are immaterial or inconsequential in nature, whenever it is determined to be in the University’s best interest

● The Procurement Officer may reject in whole or in part any and all proposals if such is in the University’s interest, and may conduct discussions with Offerors in any manner deemed necessary to best serve the interests of the University

● The University reserves the right to make an award to more than one Offeror or to split an award among Offerors

3.2.2.3 Technical Evaluation Criteria

The Offeror’s response will be evaluated based on clarity and conciseness of its response regarding how the Offeror’s proposed solution satisfies each of the Requirements specified in Section 4.

The following minimum technical requirements must be met for the Offeror's proposal to be considered technically acceptable:

a) Technical Requirements Matrix:

● Mandatory Requirements: Offeror’s demonstrated understanding and ability to satisfy the University’s Mandatory Requirements and the nature of work to be performed.

● Narrative Proposed Solutions

● Narratives for Implementation

b) Key Personnel Qualifications:

● (Including key personnel, if applicable) in comparison with the minimum requirements and qualifications articulated in Section 4.

c) References:

● Past Performance: Determined by references, including but not limited to, the quality of product delivered, ability to meet the specifications as defined, Offeror’s record for on-time delivery, technical quality, cost control, demonstrated corrective actions, etc.

The University may also use its own past performance with an Offeror as a portion of the evaluation for Past Performance.

● References: Offerors must provide references. Cited references must be able to confirm, without reservation, the Offeror's ability to perform as mandated in this solicitation.

3.2.3 Oral Presentations

3.2.3.1 At the sole discretion of the Procurement Officer, short-listed Offerors may be invited to provide an oral presentation and product demonstration. Information provided during this phase will be used to supplement the prior evaluation of the written technical proposal and the final evaluation of technical capabilities will take into account both the written technical proposal and the oral presentation/product demonstrations.

3.2.3.2 The University reserves the right to waive the Oral Presentation/Product Demonstration, in which case the technical evaluation will be based on the written technical proposal submittal alone. Offerors are therefore encouraged to submit the best possible proposal at each opportunity for submittal

3.2.3.3 The due date and time of the oral presentation/product demonstration will be determined by the University upon evaluation completion of Technical Proposals. The actual date will be verified with the applicable Offerors at the time the presentation is requested. Refer to the Solicitation Schedule for tentative dates. Offerors are advised to set these dates aside so as to avoid a conflict

3.2.3.4 The oral presentation will be informal, as the University is not interested in a marketing presentation, rather, it will be a casual and informal format in which to view the Offerors presentations, etc.

3.2.3.5 The purpose and parameters of the Oral Presentation/Product demonstration will be defined by the Procurement Officer at the time of scheduling. This information may be included in Technical requirements in those instances when it is a requirement for short-listed Offerors.

3.2.3.6 The criteria and format of the demonstration will be provided with the written request to conduct an oral presentation.

3.2.4 Financial Evaluation

Only those Offerors meeting the technical specifications and business requirements will be considered in the Financial Volume evaluation. The Financial Volume evaluation will consist of ranking on the basis of lowest price among technically acceptable proposals. Information from the financial proposal sheet contained in the Pricing Matrix or on the Price Proposal Form will be used to compute the total price.

-END OF SECTION 3-

SECTION 4 – Technical Requirements and Specifications

A. Instructions

Utilizing the Technical Requirements Matrix (Exhibit B), Offerors are to provide information requested for their proposal in the matrix that follows. In the Proposer’s Technical response, the Proposer shall complete the sections of the matrix listed below:

Priority Codes/Requirement Level:

M = Mandatory

Response Codes/Self-Assessment:

Fully Meet (Proposal fully complies with the stated requirement, provide a detailed explanation) Don’t Meet (Proposal does not comply with the stated requirement)

B. Matrix Form The Proposer must submit the Matrix form completing all sections and following the form’s instructions.

Include any additional documentation required as an attachment to this form. Clearly label all corresponding attachments with the corresponding item number, i.e. – IL-1, IL-2, IL-3, etc.

Proposers shall address each point below and explain their process for compliance in a question and answer format. Where explanations are required and a simple YES or NO response is insufficient, the Proposer must describe in detail how the proposed products and/or services meet or exceed the stated requirements. Additionally, the Proposer must explain any exception or deviation from the requirements.

If a desirable feature is not offered, the Proposer shall clearly indicate such by a “DON’T MEET” response. Failure to provide either the required information or providing incomplete information for any of the following may be cause for determining a proposal as not reasonably susceptible of being selected for award. Note: If a desirable feature is not offered it will not count against the overall technical outcome.

Offerors are required to complete the Technical Requirements Matrix (Exhibit B) in its entirety. Failure to comply with this instruction may result in non-responsiveness of Offeror's proposal. Requirements and Specifications will be identified by a code designating its level of importance.

4.1 Offeror Data

The Offeror’s proposal must include the following information:

4.1.1 Offerors/Company Details

4.1.1.1 Offeror’s (Company/Corporate) Name (as it appears on current W-9)

4.1.1.2 Offeror’s Primary Business Location/Address

4.1.1.3 Company organization chart and staffing profile including tenure for staff

4.1.1.4 Offeror’s Main Point of Contact (POC)

4.1.1.4 Offeror’s POC Contact Information, location, telephone number, cell phone number, email address

4.1.1.5 Identification of Offeror’s Office that will service the University

4.1.1.6 Offeror’s Tax Identification Number and current W-9

4.1.1.7 Offeror’s Parent Company (if applicable)

4.1.1.8 Parent Company business location

4.1.1.9 Offeror’s Authorized Signer for contractual purposes

4.1.1.10 Name and Address for delivery of notices

4.1.1.11 Offeror’s Small Business status and Maryland Small Business Certification Number with certificate provided as attachment

4.1.1.12 Offeror’s MBE status and, if MBE company, provide State of Maryland MDOT MBE certification number and date of certification

4.1.1.13 If proposing company is not publicly traded, identify principal owners of company

4.1.2 Company Size

4.1.2.1 Identify the number of people employed by Offeror

4.1.2.2 Identify the current number of customers serviced by Offeror

4.1.2.3 Identify the number of customers serviced by the location that will service the University

4.1.3 Customer Service

4.1.3.1 Overview of customer service program

4.1.3.2 Customer Service key contact information

4.1.3.3 Location Customer Service is conducted from (if off-shore provide Country/State/Province/City customer service is delivered from)

4.1.3.4 Hours of operation for Customer Service location servicing the University

4.1.4 Business Inclusion and Supplier Diversity Program Information

4.1.4.1 Identify whether Offerors has a Business Inclusion and Supplier Diversity Program, provide website link describing the Program, goals, and achievement

4.1.4.2 Identify ability to provide detailed sub-Offerors/Tier 2 reporting to customers

4.1.4.3 For all RFPs an MBE Participation Goal has been established in section 4.3, Offerors must complete and submit, as part of their financial proposal, the MBE forms contained in Exhibit D. All forms shall be completed as instructed in RFP Supplemental (Exhibit E) attached. Failure to submit the required forms will render a proposal not susceptible for award and cause it to be rejected.

4.1.5 Sustainability Program and Measures

4.1.5.1 Identify and describe company’s Sustainability Program

4.1.5.2 Identify sustainability measures tracked by company

4.1.5.3 Identify sustainability Eco labels that are used for your company (ePEAT, LEED Green Building Council)

4.2 Offerors Qualifications

4.2.1 Affiliate Account Requirements

Offerors will have staff involved with implementation and configuration activities which include but are not limited to project coordination activities, Identity Management System initial and ongoing implementation and configuration activities, integration and functional testing, documentation, UMD staff training, and troubleshooting. Staff must obtain a UMD Affiliate account to perform these duties, which requires providing the following information: SSN, Full Name, Birth Date, and Citizen/Visa Status.

4.2.2 Financial Viability

The University reserves the right to require, during proposal evaluation, that the Offerors provide a copy of its most current Annual Report or audited Statement of Financial Condition to include a Balance Sheet, Income Statement and Cash Flow Statement or other acceptable financial information. These documents may be relied on in any determination regarding Offerors financial responsibility and suitability for contract award.

4.2.3 Key Personnel

4.2.3.1 Offerors are required to provide appropriate staffing to carry out the functions described in the “Scope of Work” section. Offerors are required to identify all Key Personnel who will be involved in performing the work.

4.2.3.2 Offerors are required to provide vitae/bio information, validating the individuals’ credentials to carry out the work, for all professional personnel who are considered Key Personnel for the work.

4.2.4 Offeror problem resolution and escalation process

4.2.4.1 Offeror is required to outline the Offerors’ escalation process for problem resolution.

4.2.4.2 Offeror is to identify and provide key contacts including title and contact information for the individuals involved in the escalation process.

4.3 Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Participation

The University of Maryland College Park has a 29% goal for MBE participation in its procurement activities. This goal is achieved through procurements issued to MBE suppliers on a prime vendor basis and through subcontracting activities on procurements that include subcontractor or Tier 2 relationships in the acquisition of equipment and supplies. While there is no MBE goal required, MBE participation is always encouraged.

-End of Section 4-

SECTION 5 - Insurance Requirements, Certifications and Forms

5.1 Insurance Requirements

(For all work performed on University premises, or using equipment or facilities owned, occupied or used by the University, or as otherwise required by the University). See INSURANCE ADDENDUM (Exhibit E) for details on limits.

a) The Contractor shall secure, pay the premiums for, and keep in force until the expirations of this Contract, and any renewal thereof, appropriate insurance for the goods and services provided. The amount of such coverages shall meet or exceed the minimum coverage specified by law, regulation, industry standard, or the Procurement Officer, whichever is greater.

b) All required insurance coverages must be acquired from insurers allowed to do business in the State of Maryland and acceptable to the University. The insurers must have a policyholders’ rating of “A-” or better, and a financial size of “Class VII” or better in the latest edition of Best’s Insurance Reports.

c) Policies must name the University of Maryland College Park and the University System of Maryland and their Board of Regents/Trustees, officers, employees, agents and volunteers as “Additional Insureds” on general liability and other policies and this must be reflected on the certificate of insurance, along with the Contract or Purchase Order number.

d) Contractor must provide a certificate of insurance which clearly states the types of coverage and limits prior to performing the work.

In addition to satisfying UMD’s standard insurance requirements, Offeror shall obtain and carry the following:

a) Network Security & Privacy Liability (also known as Cyber Liability) insurance with limits not less than $3,000,000 for liability and damages resulting from any misuse, misappropriation, unauthorized disclosure or other breach of private information and personally identifiable information, arising from Offeror’s performance of services. Such damages shall include notification costs and/or forensics costs, fines, penalties, and related damages.

b) In cases where personally identifiable information (“PII”), personal health information (“PHI”), electronic personal health information (“ePHI”), electronic medical records (“EMR”), or FERPA Data are involved, insurance limits not less than $5,000,000 for liability and damages resulting from any misuse, misappropriation, unauthorized disclosure or other breach of private information and personally identifiable information, arising from Offeror’s performance of services is required.

Such damages shall include notification costs and/or forensics costs, fines, penalties, and related damages.

c) This requirement may be satisfied by a stand-alone policy or via Professional Liability/ Technology Errors & Omissions insurance policy. If Network Security & Privacy Liability is included in Offeror’s Professional Liability insurance policy, the Network Security & Privacy Liability insurance, including its applicable limit, must be specifically evidenced on the Certificate of Insurance.

5.1 Indemnification

1) Offeror agrees to indemnify and hold UMD, the University System of Maryland, and the State of Maryland, and their respective regents, officers, employees, and agents and harmless for, from, and against any and all claims, causes of action, suits, judgments, assessments, costs (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), and expenses (a) that result from the breach by Offeror or any of its subOfferors of the provisions of this Addendum, or (b) in the event that Offeror’s action or inaction permits or results in negligent or malicious activity within Offeror’s environment which results in a Security Incident, including but not limited to…