RFQ_No._CFF_7725_IT_Support_Services_2.pdf

9/18/2024

You are invited to review and respond to the First 5 California Small Business Request for Quotes for Certified Small Business (SB) titled:

RFQ NO. CFF 7725

Information Technology (IT) Technical and Support Services

In submitting your quote, you must comply with the instructions found herein.

This Request for Quotes (RFQ) requires bidders who are Small Business (SB)certified through the Department of General Services.

Note that all agreements entered into with First 5 California (F5CA) will incorporate by reference the IT General Provisions, DGS PD-401 IT (6/21/2022) for IT services. These may be viewed and downloaded at IT General Provisions, DGS, Procurement Division.

Failure to comply with any of the requirements set forth in this RFQ will result in rejection of your bid submission. Bidders submitting a quote in response to this RFQ recognize that time is of the essence. All interested parties are advised of the following and are expected to adhere to the dates and times found in the Key Action Dates table. All dates may be adjusted by F5CA as conditions indicate at F5CA’s sole discretion. The services required are defined in paragraph 1.2 Description of Services on page 2 of this document.

KEY ACTION DATES

Release Date of RFQ: 9/18/2024 Quote Due Date: 9/30/2024 by 12:00 p.m. (Noon), Pacific Time Anticipated Term: 10/1/2024 through 9/30/2025 Cost: Not to Exceed $ 149,999.99 Contracts and Procurement Contact:

Erlynn Cardenas-Jackson Director of Contracts and Procurement Office

First 5 California Phone: (916) 263-1050/ Fax: (916) 263-1360

E-mail: RFP@First5.ca.gov

To obtain a print copy of the solicitation and/or arrange physical quote delivery, contact the Contracts and Procurement Contact listed above.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/PTCS/OPPL/Model-Language/IT/ITGeneralProvisions062122.pdf

First 5 California RFQ No. CFF 7725

OVERVIEW OF SB/DVBE RFQ REQUIREMENTS

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of this RFQ is to procure services from a Certified SB for F5CA to achieve the statutory mandates and objectives of the California Children & Families Act (Act) as enacted by the voters in 1998, including, “an integrated and comprehensive statewide program of promoting, supporting, and improving early childhood development that enhances the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of children in California,” taking into consideration the specific policy goals of the Commission, the anticipated monetary and other resources available to the Commission, and the complementary plans and objectives of the 58 county commissions. The specific tasks and deliverables associated with this RFQ are included in Section 1.2, Description of Services. The RFQ and the accepted quote will be made a part of the resulting agreement.

F5CA reserves the right to cancel or modify this RFQ In its sole discretion up until the award is granted. F5CA has the discretion to waive non-material defects with any of the offers. Additionally, F5CA is not responsible for any preparation costs incurred by parties for responding to this RFQ.

Description of Services

F5CA seeks to enter into this agreement with a SB Certified firm who possesses the skills, qualifications, and experience to augment, assess, develop, plan, and implement information technology (IT) technical and support services.

F5CA, a small commission founded in 1998, is funded by tax revenue from the enactment of the California Children and Families Act (the Act). F5CA is affected by declining administrative resources, declining revenues, and the lingering effects of personnel recruitment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. F5CA relies on contracted support services to ensure critical IT infrastructure is supported to maintain business operations. F5CA can fill its position vacancies, we need temporary technical staffing support to provide day to day administration, operation, maintenance, and oversight of its technology infrastructure.

A full description of the Scope of Work is located please refer to Attachment B, Exhibit A, Scope of Work.

Quotes shall include budget detail in the following format:

Staff Classification

Hr.

Rate

Est.

Hrs.

FY 24/25

$ Total

Est.

Hrs.

FY 25/26

$ Total

Total

Subtotal Total

Anticipated Deliverables Timetable

Deliverable No.

Deliverable Due

1. Monthly Status Report Due on the last Wednesday of each month.

2. CONTRACTOR QUESTIONS

The bidder shall notify F5CA immediately if clarification is needed regarding the RFQ.

Interested bidders shall submit inquiry(s) in writing and transmit it to F5CA as instructed below. Bidder offers are submitted at bidder’s own risk.

2.1 What to Include in an Inquiry

• RFQ name, name of bidder, telephone number, fax number, e-mail address, and RFQ number.

• A description of the subject or issue in question or discrepancy found.

• RFQ page number or other information useful in identifying the specific problem or issue in question.

• Remedy sought, if any.

Question Submission

F5CA will accept written questions and inquiries only, submitted by e-mail or fax to the Contracts and Procurement Contact named in the Key Action Dates table.

Written questions and inquiries must include the contact person’s name, bidder’s name, complete address, and must reference RFQ No. CFF 7725. TAt its sole discretion, F5CA may contact an inquirer to seek clarification of any question or inquiry received.

Written responses to all questions and inquiries may be collectively compiled and emailed as an Addendum to all email addresses to which the original solicitation was sent. Refer to the RFQ’s Key Action Dates table for dates and times. It is the responsibility of the bidder to inquire about an expected Addendum if the Addendum is not received, bidder may contact the Contracts and Procurement Contact named in the Key Action Dates table.

3. OFFER REQUIREMENTS OVERVIEW

3.1 Quote Requirements

Quote requirements are contained in Section 1.2 Description of Services found on page 2 of this document and are described in detail.

To assist bidders interested in this RFQ, a checklist of required submission materials is provided in Attachment A, RFQ Checklist.

4. RFQ REQUIREMENTS DETAIL

Quote must contain all information required in this RFQ and must conform to the format described.

4.1 Minimum Qualifications

• Quotes must be received by F5CA by the Quote Due Date listed in the Key Action Dates table.

• Quotes must include a copy of a valid SB Certification.

4.2 Administrative Requirements

• Bidder(s) shall respond to this RFQ within the timelines specified in the Key Action Dates.

• Bidder(s) shall submit one PDF (portable document format) copy to the Contracts and Procurement Contact.

• Bidder(s) shall ensure the quote includes all required submission materials as described in Attachment A, RFQ Checklist.

• Bidder(s) shall include a copy of a valid SB Certification issued by DGS.

• Goods may not be paid in advance, including deposits, cash on demand (COD), and pre-payment.

• Freight/shipping exceeding 100 lbs. and over $500 will require administrative reviews and is subject to prior approval.

• Bidder(s) shall include a signed Payee Data Record form STD. 204 available at STD 204 - Payee Data Record.

• Bidder(s) shall include a signed Payee Data Supplement form STD. 205 available at STD 205 - Payee Data Record Supplement (ca.gov).

• Bidder(s) shall include a completed Bidder Declaration, Exhibit C, available at GSPD-05-105 Bidder Declaration.

• Bidder(s) shall include a completed Contract Certification Clause, available at Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC).

http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/STD204.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std205.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Resources/CCC-307.pdf

• Bidder(s) shall include a completed Darfur Contracting Act Certification, available at DGS PD 1 Darfur Contracting Act.

• Bidder(s) shall include a completed California Civil Rights Laws Attachment, DGS OLS 04 (Rev. 01/17), available at California Civil Rights Laws Attachment.

• Generative Artificial Intelligence: The State of California seeks to realize the potential benefits of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI), through the development and deployment of GenAI tools, while balancing the risks of these new technologies.

Bidders must notify the State in writing if their solution or service includes, or makes available, any GenAI technology, including GenAI from third parties or subcontractors.

The State has developed a GenAI Disclosure & Factsheet, Std. 1000 to be completed by the bidder.

Failure to disclose GenAI to the State and submit the GenAI Disclosure & Factsheet will result in disqualification of the bidder and may void any resulting contract. The State reserves its right to seek any and all relief it may be entitled to as a result of such non-disclosure.

Upon receipt of a Bidder GenAI Disclosure & Factsheet, the state reserves the right to incorporate GenAI Special Provisions into the final contract or reject bids/offers that present an unacceptable level of risk to the state.

• In the form of proposed staff resumes, must demonstrate experience managing and administering the following hardware and software independently:

o SAN(s) – PS4100 Equallogic and EMC SCv3022 o Windows 2016/2022 Servers o Windows 2016 Web Server o Internet Information Server (IIS) o Active Directory o Vmware Vsphere Essentials 7.0 o Microsoft SQL Server 2016 o Dell Managed Switches o Exchange Server Online o Azure Active Directory https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/FMC/GS/PD/PD_1.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Forms/CALIFORNIA-CIVIL-RIGHTS-LAWS-ATTACHMENT.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std1000.pdf o Setup, configuration, and maintenance of Azure Virtual Machines o Azure Security Components o Azure Networking o Hybrid Azure Active Directory o Barracuda Backup Device o Barracuda Cloud based Spam Filter o Palo Alto Firewall PA820 o SAN(s) – PS4100 Equallogic and EMC SCv3022 o Windows 2016/2022 Servers o Windows 2016 Web Server o Internet Information Server (IIS) o Active Directory o Vmware Vsphere Essentials 7.0 o Microsoft SQL Server 2016 o Dell Managed Switches o Exchange Server Online o Azure Active Directory o Setup, configuration, and maintenance of Azure Virtual Machines o Azure Security Components o Azure Networking o Hybrid Azure Active Directory o Barracuda Backup Device o Barracuda Cloud based Spam Filter o Palo Alto Firewall PA820 o MalwareBytes Endpoint Protection and Response (Endpoint protection and Patch management) o HP enterprise printers- maintaining connectivity and supplies.

o Okta two-factor authentication that is used in conjunction with Palo Alto o GlobalProtect for VPN connectivity.

o Provide general tech support for O365 products and Windows 10/11 desktop support o Troubleshoot connectivity and operating system problems

• Perform preventative system maintenance to ensure system integrity and continuous availability, such as:

o Server BIOS and Firmware updates o Peripheral Firmware updates o Monitor event logs o Install, upgrade, and apply patches and fixes to the server operating systems.

o Physically install servers, tape drives/libraries, and other peripheral equipment as needed o Monitor capacity and allocate system storage.

o Plan for and estimate future storage requirements.

o Configure and manage enterprise server operating systems.

o Create appropriate server documentation o Secure (and monitor) database connections and user level security.

o Systems Network Administration o Maintain system security

• Keep antivirus software updated

• Backup and recovery/restore databases and operating systems

• Verify backups were successful

• Promptly inform the Executive Director, or their designee, of security incidents, enterprise hardware failures, and other critical warnings that require addressing to ensure secure, stable operations

4.2 Minimum Qualifications

• Quotes must be received by F5CA by the Quote Due Date listed in the Key Action Dates table.

• Quotes must include a copy of a valid SB Certification.

5. SUBMISSION OF QUOTES

Quotes will be accepted electronically by F5CA by 9/30/2024 by 12:00 p.m., Pacific Time at the email address below, or as that date may be modified by any formal amendment.

Electronic submission must be sent to RFP@First5.ca.gov. The Subject Line must indicate the RFQ number.

Submissions are accepted electronically only.

Quotes received by F5CA after deadline for submittal of written quotes will not be considered. Bidders may verify receipt of their submission by contacting Erlynn Cardenas-Jackson at RFP@First5.ca.gov.

If the quote is made under a fictitious name or business title, the actual legal name of the bidder must be provided.

All quotes shall include the documents identified in the RFQ; see Attachment A, RFQ Checklist. Quotes not including the proper “required attachments” shall be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive quote is one that does not meet or deviates from the quote requirements.

All documents requiring a signature shall be signed by an individual who is legally authorized to contractually bind the awarded bidder.

Pursuant to Government Code (GC) Section 14838.7, F5CA must receive at least two comparable price quotes from a certified SB, MB, or DVBE before it can make a contract award. Therefore, at F5CA’s sole discretion, if only one quote is received during the timeframe for receipt of price quotes may be extended up to one month in order to receive the minimum number of quotes required by the GC. All prospective bidders will be notified via email of any extensions. Notice will be sent to all email addresses that received the original solicitation.

A submitted quote must include the performance of all the services described herein.

Any attempt to modify the quotation document to deviate from the work specifications will not be considered and will cause a price quotation to be rejected.

A quote may be rejected if it is conditional, incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. F5CA may reject any price quote on the basis that it is not responsive or not from a responsible bidder. F5CA may waive any immaterial deviation in a quote. F5CA’s waiver of an immaterial defect shall in no way modify the RFQ document or excuse the bidder from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the agreement.

mailto:RFP@first5.ca.gov mailto:RFP@ccfc.ca.gov

Costs for developing the submission, quotation, and in anticipation of award of the agreement are entirely the responsibility of the bidder and shall not be charged to F5CA.

A bidder may modify the submitted quote after its submission by first withdrawing the original quote and then by resubmitting a new quote prior to the Quote Due Date. The bidder’s modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

A bidder may withdraw a quote by, prior to the Quote Due Date, submitting a written withdrawal request to F5CA, signed by the bidder or an agent authorized. A bidder may thereafter submit a new quote prior to the price quote submittal deadline.

A submitted quote may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to the Quote Due Date.

F5CA may modify the RFQ prior to the Quote Due Date by the issuance of an addendum sent to all parties who received an RFQ package.

F5CA reserves the right to reject in its sole discretion all quotes.

Bidders are cautioned not to rely on F5CA during its evaluation process to discover and report to the bidder any defects and errors in the bidder’s submitted documents. Before submitting their documents, bidders should carefully proof the submittal for errors and full adherence to the RFQ requirements.

F5CA does not accept alternate Purchase Order language from a bidder. A quotewith such language will be considered non-responsive and will be rejected. IT General Provisions, DGS PD-401 IT (6/21/2022) for IT services are not negotiable. These may be viewed and downloaded at IT General Provisions, DGS, Procurement Division.

6. REVIEW OF QUOTES FOR AWARD

Responses to this RFQ will first be reviewed for responsiveness to the requirements of:

• Adherence to the Quote Due Date. If a response is not timely submitted, it will be rejected.

• Submittal of a valid SB/DVBE certification. If valid certification is not submitted, the quote well be rejected.

• Further review is subject to the department’s use of the following Best Value Determination Worksheet.

• Award of an agreement resulting from this RFQ will be based on a “best value” method that includes cost as a factor.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/PD/PTCS/OPPL/Model-Language/IT/ITGeneralProvisions062122.pdf

FOR AGENCY USE ONLY

SAMPLE BEST VALUE DETERMINATION WORKSHEET

Offer: ____________________ Date: ____________________

Minimum Qualifications (Pass/Fail) The bidder must receive a score of “Pass” for each requirement listed below for the quote to be considered responsive and proceed to onto Parts II and III.

Requirement Pass/Fail

1. Quote Received by Submission Deadline

2. Valid Small Business Certification Submitted

Cost Points (10 Points Maximum) To Calculate Cost points:

Lowest Offer / Bidder Offer = percentage Percentage x Maximum cost points available = Offeror’s score

Bidder Cost Percentage Offeror’s Cost Score A B C

Combined Score

COMBINED SCORE

Total Possible Points Score

Minimum Qualifications Pass/Fail

Administrative Requirements

● 0 points – Documentation Missing

● 10 points – Documentation Submitted

● 0 points – Experience Inadequate

● 1 to 4 points – Experience demonstrated but experience does not meet Criteria

● 5 to 7 points – Experience Sufficient

● 8 to 10 points – Experience Exceeds Criteria

Resumes scores will be evaluated and averaged to determine the score.

Click or tap here to enter text.

Click or tap here to enter text.

Cost Points Score Click or tap here to enter text.

Click or tap here to enter text.

FINAL SCORE

The quote with the highest combined score will be awarded the Agreement.

Firms submitting quotes may be invited to an interview with F5CA.

Staff Classification Hr.

Rate

Est.

Hrs.

FY 24/25

$ Total

Est.

Hrs.

FY 25/26

$ Total

Total

Subtotal Total

Quote #1 Quote #2 Quote #3

Supplier Name Supplier Address, City, Zip

Contact Person Phone Number

Part II – Bid Quote Worksheet

Document the following for consideration:

Quote #1 Quote #2 Quote #3

Date Quote Received Date Quote Expires

Discount Offered Warranty Period

Delivery Date

Quote #1 Quote #2 Quote #3 FOB Destination, Freight Prepaid $ $ $

Price of freight included in cost of commodity – no additional freight charges added by vendor. State does not own goods during shipment.

FOB Destination, Freight Prepay and Add $ $ $

Seller prepays freight and adds cost to the invoice. State accepts responsibility for freight upon delivery. Cost of freight must be noted and added in price extension. All freight costs over 100 lbs. and over $500 are subject to pre-approval by the Department of General Services Transportation Management Unit.

FOB Origin, Freight Collect $ $ $

State accepts ownership responsibility for merchandise at the Seller’s dock and pays freight charges. This is not a suggested method, and is subject to pre-approval by the Department of General Services Transportation Management

Unit. Cost of freight must be noted and added in price extension.

SUBTOTAL $ $ $

TOTAL QUOTE

Tax is not an evaluation item, tax is calculated in FI$Cal $ $ $

ATTACHMENT A

RFQ CHECKLIST

Ensure the following items are included with your offer:

Item/Requirement Is Provided

1. Submitted quote containing information as outlined in the RFQ

2.

A copy of offeror’s current SB certification from DGS is included, if applicable

3.

Signed Payee Data Record form STD. 204 http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/STD204.pdf

4.

Payee Data Supplement form STD. 205 https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std205.pdf

5.

Bidder Declaration Form, Attachment C https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf

6.

Contractor Certification Clauses https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Resources/CCC-307.pdf

7.

Darfur Contracting Act Certification DGS PD 1 Darfur Contracting Act

8.

California Civil Rights Laws Attachment, DGS OLS 04 (Rev. 01/17) California Civil Rights Laws Attachment

9.

Generative Artificial Intelligence Disclosure GenAI Disclosure & Factsheet, Std. 1000

10. Staff Resumes http://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/STD204.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std205.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/gs/pd/gspd05-105.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Resources/CCC-307.pdf https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/FMC/GS/PD/PD_1.pdf https://www.dgs.ca.gov/-/media/Divisions/OLS/Forms/CALIFORNIA-CIVIL-RIGHTS-LAWS-ATTACHMENT.ashx https://www.documents.dgs.ca.gov/dgs/fmc/pdf/std1000.pdf

IT Technical and Support Services Agreement No. CFF 7725

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement)

A. Background

1. Authority

California Health and Safety Code (HSC) section 130105(d)(1)(D) authorizes expenditure of funds from the California Children and Families Trust Fund to ensure children are ready to enter school, and for the research and development of best practices and standards for all First 5 California (F5CA) programs and services relating to early childhood development, and for the assessment and quality evaluation of those programs and services. HSC section 130125(d) provides F5CA authority to allocate funds for independent research, evaluation of any relevant programs, identifying the best standards and practices for optimal early childhood development, and establishing and monitoring demonstration projects.

2. Purpose of Agreement

F5CA seeks to enter into this agreement with [INSERT CONTRACTOR] (Contractor) who possesses the skills, qualifications, and experience to augment, assess, develop, plan, and implement information technology (IT) technical and support services.

3. Background

F5CA, a small commission founded in 1998, is funded by tax revenue from the enactment of the California Children and Families Act (the Act). F5CA is affected by declining administrative resources, declining revenues, and the lingering effects of personnel recruitment as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. F5CA relies on contracted support services to ensure critical IT infrastructure is supported to maintain business operations. F5CA intends to fill its position vacancies but requires temporary technical staffing support to provide day-to-day administration, operation, maintenance, and oversight of its technology infrastructure.

B. Period of Performance

1. Term of Contract

The term of this Agreement is [INSERT DATE], through [INSERT DATE].

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement)

2. Work Authorization

The Contractor shall not be authorized to deliver or commence performance of services, as described in the terms of this Agreement, until approval has been obtained from F5CA under the delegated authority of the Department of General Services (DGS). Any delivery or performance of services started prior to the Contractor obtaining all approvals shall be considered voluntary on the part of the Contractor for expenditures incurred outside the approved performance period of this Agreement.

C. Work Location and Hours

Work will be performed at the primary office location of the [ENTER VENDOR NAME] (Contractor) or at F5CA headquarters located in Sacramento, Ca.

The Contractor’s assigned personnel working at the State facility shall work a minimum of 25 hours with a maximum of 30 hours per week being allowed without prior approval from the Manager. The Contractor shall be provided with 24/7 access to be able to perform the duties of this agreement. Work shall be conducted during normal business workdays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., local time, Monday through Friday except for State holidays. The specific hours and days to be worked will be negotiated between the Contractor and the Contract Manager.

There may be some instances that the Contractor personnel shall need to adjust their time whereas to work outside of the standard 8:00 am to 5:30 p.m. hours or on the weekends. Such nonstandard working hours shall be proposed and approved by the Contract Manager, in writing, prior to being authorized.

D. Project Representatives

The Project Representatives during the term of this Agreement will be:

Contract Manager Contract Manager First 5 California Contractor Name: Name:

Title: Title:

Phone: Phone:

Fax: Fax:

Email: Email:

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement)

Direct all fiscal inquiries to:

Invoice Coordinator Invoice Coordinator First 5 California Contractor Name: Name:

Title: Title:

Phone: Phone:

Fax: Fax:

Email: Email:

The parties must notify each other in writing within ten (10) business days of any change in Project Representatives.

E. Work to be Performed

As consideration for the compensation provided to the Contractor under this Agreement, the Contractor agrees to perform all services detailed in this Exhibit and fulfill all responsibilities in this Agreement.

Task Highlights

Task Description 1 Daily System/Network/Desktop Administration Duties 2 Communication and Reporting, Quality Assurance, and Health and Safety

Task Detail

The Contractor shall be responsible for the performance of work as set forth herein and for the deliverables as specified in section F, Schedule of Deliverables. The Contractor shall promptly notify the F5CA contract manager of events or proposed changes that could affect the scope, budget, or schedule of work to be performed under this Agreement.

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement)

Task 1: Daily System/Network/Desktop Administration Duties

Work to be accomplished by the Contractor personnel under this agreement consists of the following on a daily work week basis:

a) Planning, analysis, troubleshooting, integration, installation, operations, maintenance, documentation, and administration services for all networking, server, security, associated services, and LAN devices and cloud-based services encompassing the entirety of F5CA’s network.

b) Analyze and assess equipment and performance degradation, including determination of hardware, software, and/or other technical changes necessary to meet operational requirements.

c) Provide support services to maintain operational data storage and retrieval applications.

d) Maintain backup and disaster recovery systems and processes.

e) Document standard operating procedures for the servers and peripherals.

f) Perform hardware/software testing, installation, and maintenance of servers and desktop/laptop devices as needed.

g) Collect and maintain information on software and hardware issues related to backend operations for use in status reports.

h) Perform network-based detection of viruses and unauthorized software and facilities to counter/eliminate/control.

i) Centrally distribute electronic software.

j) Manage and administer user identifications; passwords; and physical security keys.

k) Identify expiring software and hardware agreements and provide notification to F5CA Contracts and Procurement Office Chief regarding the details of what is required for purchasing.

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement)

l) Provide end-user support to F5CA staff and external customers as needed on hardware, software, and application issues.

m) Knowledge transfer with any civil service IT staff F5CA may hire during the term of this agreement.

Task 2: Communication and Reporting, Quality Assurance, and Health and Safety

The Contractor is expected to comply with the following:

Communication and Reporting:

The Contractor will provide progress updates to F5CA on a weekly basis. F5CA Project Representative will be the primary point of contact for the Contractor and will be available to provide support and answer questions throughout the project.

Quality Assurance:

The Contractor will conduct thorough testing and validation of the hybrid environment to ensure that it meets the scope of work’s objectives and quality standards. The F5CA will have the opportunity to review and approve all deliverables before they are considered final.

Health and Safety:

The Contractor is responsible for ensuring that all work is conducted in a safe and healthy manner. The Contractor shall comply with all applicable health and safety regulations and standards.

F5CA will be responsible for the following:

1. Provide approvals to the Contractor in a timely manner regarding key tasks and deliverables, including, but not limited to, the selection of the format, content, and design of the printed material, and the selection of alternate deliverables.

2. Provide the Contractor access to F5CA staff and management as required to complete the tasks and activities for the project.

3. Approve the Contractor’s work plans, deliverables, and invoices in a timely manner and consistent with state policies and procedures.

4. Provide the Contractor with F5CA background documents and information as needed for research purposes.

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement)

5. Approve delays in deliverable due dates on or before stated due date within the approved period of performance of this Agreement.

6. Advise the Contractor of any deficiency and notify the Contractor of satisfactory corrective action to be implemented within a specified timeframe.

7. Reimburse the Contractor in accordance with terms of the Agreement.

F. Schedule of Deliverables

Task No. Description Deliverable

Due Date 1 Monthly Status Report 2 Monthly Status Report

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement)

CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS AND CERTIFICATIONS

The Contractor is expected to provide staff qualified with the following:

• At least five (5) years Systems/Network Administration experience with Windows based servers (in an enterprise environment)

Three (3) of the mandatory five (5) years must be experience with Windows 2016 or above servers.

At least three (3) years hands on experience administering a VMware hosted environment.

Communicate effectively orally and in writing.

Must be able to administer/manage the following hardware and software independently:

o AN(s) – PS4100 Equallogic and EMC SCv3022 o Windows 2016/2022 Servers o Windows 2016 Web Server o Internet Information Server (IIS) o Active Directory o Vmware Vsphere Essentials 7.0 o Microsoft SQL Server 2016 o Dell Managed Switches o Exchange Server Online o Azure Active Directory

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement) o Setup, configuration, and maintenance of Azure Virtual Machines o Azure Security Components o Azure Networking o Hybrid Azure Active Directory o Barracuda Backup Device o Barracuda Cloud based Spam Filter o Palo Alto Firewall PA820 o SAN(s) – PS4100 Equallogic and EMC SCv3022 o Windows 2016/2022 Servers o Windows 2016 Web Server o Internet Information Server (IIS) o Active Directory o Vmware Vsphere Essentials 7.0 o Microsoft SQL Server 2016 o Dell Managed Switches o Exchange Server Online o Azure Active Directory o Setup, configuration, and maintenance of Azure Virtual Machines o Azure Security Components o Azure Networking o Hybrid Azure Active Directory o Barracuda Backup Device o Barracuda Cloud based Spam Filter o Okta two-factor authentication that is used in conjunction with Palo Alto o GlobalProtect for VPN connectivity.

o Provide general tech support for O365 products and Windows 10/11 desktop support o Troubleshoot connectivity and operating system problems

Perform preventative system maintenance to ensure system integrity and continuous availability, such as:

o Server BIOS and Firmware updates o Peripheral Firmware updates o Monitor event logs o Install, upgrade, and apply patches and fixes to the server operating systems.

o Physically install servers, tape drives/libraries, and other peripheral equipment as needed o Monitor capacity and allocate system storage.

o Plan for and estimate future storage requirements.

o Configure and manage enterprise server operating systems.

o Create appropriate server documentation

IT Technical and Support Services Agreement No. CFF 7725

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement) o Palo Alto Firewall PA820 o MalwareBytes Endpoint Protection and Response (Endpoint protection and Patch management) o HP enterprise printers- maintaining connectivity and supplies.

o Secure (and monitor) database connections and user level security.

o Systems Network Administration o Maintain system security

EXHIBIT A

SCOPE OF WORK

(Standard Agreement)

• Keep antivirus software updated

• Backup and recovery/restore databases and operating systems

• Verify backups were successful

• Promptly inform the Executive Director, or their designee, of security incidents, enterprise hardware failures, and other critical warnings that require addressing to ensure secure, stable operations