Solicitation Document

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

RFP NO. 008-23

WIDE AREA NETWORK SERVICES

CLAYTON COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

DR. MORCEASE J. BEASLEY EMMA BENTON

Superintendent of Schools Chief of Finance

Debra B. Brewer, Esq., CPPO

Director Department of Purchasing

1098 Fifth Avenue, Jonesboro, Georgia, 30236

Response Submission Deadline:

December 15, 2022

3:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time (EST)

DocuSign Envelope ID: 6F5ECB20-56AF-4228-A4F4-88B9F7FA8E05

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 2 of 93

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

RESPONSE SUBMISSION FORM

This form must be completed in its entirety and signed by the authorized representative or official submitting the response. This form must be returned with each response. Failure to do so will render a response non-responsive.

Company Name:

Mailing Address:

(Street, City, State, Zip Code)

Email Address:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Social Security or Tax ID#:

Name of Authorized Representative:

(printed or typed only)

Title of Authorized Representative:

Signature of Authorized Representative:

Date of Signature:

EVENT DATE OR DEADLINE

Eastern Standard Time (EST)

RFP Release November 4, 2022

Pre-Proposal Conference Zoom ID # 607-424-4602

November 11, 2022 @ 11:00 a.m.

Deadline for Submission of Questions

November 15, 2022 @ 3:00 p.m.

Submit questions to:

purchasing@clayton.k12.ga.us

Answers Posted to Website by Addendum November 17, 2022 @ 3:00 p.m.

RFP Submission Deadline December 15, 2022 3:00 p.m.

Proposal Opening Zoom Meeting ID # 962 0396 5925

December 15, 2022 @ 3:01 – 3:15 p.m.

Oral Presentations/Interviews or Demonstrations, if necessary January 12 -16, 2023

Procurement Representative Arnita Watson

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 3 of 93

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DESCRIPTION BEGINNING PAGE

Information and Instructions to Proponents 4

Submission of Responses 7

General Information 10

Introduction 10

Background 10

Objectives 10

Intent to Award 11

Term of Agreement 11

Scope of Services 11

Minimum Requirements 11

Evaluation Process 12

Response Preparation and Guidelines 13

Response Format 13

Contents of Technical Response 14

CCPS Standard Draft Agreement 22

Required Form Submittals 22

Appendices

A. Code of Ethics B. General Terms and Conditions C. Required Forms D. SLBE Required Document E. General School Holiday Schedule F. School Location List

Attachments A. Scope of Services B. Cost Proposal Form C. CCPS Standard Draft Agreement

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 4 of 93

RFP 008-23

WIDE AREA NETWORK

A. INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPONENTS

1. Services Required: This Request for Proposals (“RFP”) is to solicit proposals from qualified Proponents to provide managed Wide Area Network (WAN) services that comply with the federally subsidized E-Rate program’s definition of wide area network services for Clayton County Public Schools (“CCPS” or “District”).

Proponents qualified through this process will provide services to CCPS on an as needed basis.

2. Solicitation Method: This solicitation is being conducted in accordance with all applicable provisions of the CCPS Purchasing Policies and Procedures. By submitting responses in reference to this solicitation, a Proponent acknowledges familiarity with CCPS Purchasing Policy and Procedures and all laws applicable to this solicitation, which policies, procedures and laws are incorporated into this RFP by reference.

3. Minimum Qualification: Each Proponent shall have the minimum qualifications set forth in the RFP.

4. Criminal Background Check: By submitting a response in reference to this solicitation, the Proponent acknowledges that a satisfactory criminal background check and history may be required for anyone coming into direct or indirect contact with CCPS students at no cost to CCPS.

5. Certificate of Authority to Transact Business in Georgia: Each Proponent must submit with its response documentation that demonstrates it is duly authorized to conduct business in the State of Georgia. This requirement also applies to Joint Venture (JV) Team Members, Sub-Contractors and Sub-Sub-

Contractors.

6. Business License: The Proponent is requested to submit a copy of its current, valid business license with its submittal. If the Proponent is a Georgia corporation, Proponent is requested to submit a valid county or city business license. If

Proponent is a joint venture, Proponent is requested to submit valid business licenses for each member of the joint venture. If the Proponent is not a Georgia corporation, Proponent is requested to submit a Certificate of Authority to Transact

Business in the State of Georgia and a copy of its current, valid business license issued by its home jurisdiction.

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 5 of 93

7. Professional License: The Proponent must attach a copy of any professional license required by this RFP with its submittal. All required licenses must be maintained for the duration of any contract award period.

8. Codes, Permits, Fees, Licenses and Laws: All permits, fees, arrangements for inspections, licenses, and costs incurred for the same shall be the sole responsibility of the successful Respondent. All services, labor, and materials must comply with all applicable rules and regulations of local, state and/or national codes, laws and ordinances of all authorities having jurisdiction over the project, which shall apply to the contract throughout and will be deemed to be included in the contract the same as though herein written out in full.

9. No Offer by CCPS and Firm Offer by Proponent: This solicitation does not constitute an offer by CCPS to enter into an agreement and cannot be accepted by any Proponent to form an Agreement. This solicitation is only an invitation for offers from interested Respondents and no offer shall bind CCPS. A Respondent’s offer is a firm offer and may not be withdrawn except as provided in this RFP, CCPS Purchasing Policies and Procedures and other applicable law.

10. Georgia Open Records Act: Information provided to CCPS is subject to disclosure under the Georgia Open Records Act, O.C.G.A. § 50-18-70 et. seq.

Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 50-18-72(a)(34), “[a]n entity submitting records containing trade secrets that wishes to keep such records confidential under this paragraph shall submit and attach to the records an affidavit affirmatively declaring that specific information in the records constitute trade secrets pursuant to Article 27 of

Chapter 1 of Title 10 [O.C.G.A. § 10-1-760 et seq.]”.

11. Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act: This RFP is subject to the

Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act of 2011 (“Act”), formerly known as the Georgia Security and Immigration Compliance Act. Pursuant to Act, the

Proponent must provide with its submittal proof of its registration with and continuing and future participation in the E-Verify Program established by the

United States Department of Homeland Security. Completed Contractor Affidavit, Illegal Immigration Reform and Enforcement Act Forms must be submitted with the

Response at the time of submission. Under State Law, the CCPS cannot consider any Response which does not include the completed forms. Where the business structure of a Proponent is such that Proponent is required to obtain an Employer

Identification Number (EIN) from the Internal Revenue Service, Proponent must complete the Contractor Affidavit on behalf of, and provide a Federal Work

Authorization User ID Number issued to, the Proponent itself. Where the business structure of a Proponent does not require it to obtain an EIN, each entity comprising Proponent must submit a separate Contractor Affidavit. It is not the intent of this notice to provide detailed information or legal advice concerning the

Act. All Respondents intending to do business with CCPS are responsible for independently apprising themselves of and complying with the requirements of the

Act and assessing its effect on CCPS solicitations and their participation in those

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 6 of 93 solicitations. For additional information on the E-Verify program or to enroll in the program, go to: https://e-verify.uscis.gov/enroll.

12. Sub-Contractors and Manufacturers: Proponents are required to submit, in writing, the addresses of any proposed Sub-contractor or equipment manufacturers listed in the response and may be required to submit other material information relative to proposed Sub-contractor. County reserves the right to disapprove any proposed Sub-contractor whose technical or financial ability, or resources, or experience are deemed inadequate.

13. Inclusivity in Purchasing Policy: Proponents are required to comply with the

CCPS Inclusivity in Purchasing Policy (DJEAB) and Small Local Business

Enterprise Program.

14. Minority, Female Business and Local Enterprises: It is the intent of CCPS that

Minority Business Enterprises (MBE), Woman Business Enterprises (WBE), and

Local and Small Business Enterprises (L/SBE) have an equal opportunity to participate in CCPS procurement opportunities. Proponents are encouraged to use said MBE, WBE and L/SBE’s whenever possible in the execution of any contract, however, CCPS does not provide a contracting preference and it is not the intent of CCPS to violate any local, state or federal laws.

15. Cooperative Agreement: CCPS may permit piggybacking or cooperative use of any contract resulting from this RFP by other city, county, local authority, agency, or board of education if the bidder/proponent will extend the same prices, terms, and conditions. This provision shall not apply to any contract where piggybacking or cooperative use is prohibited by law.

16. Reasonable Accommodation: CCPS will provide reasonable accommodations for Proponents with a disability. Proponents should request reasonable accommodations by contacting the Purchasing Department by email with the RFP name and number in the subject line to purchasing@clayton.k12.ga.us. If accommodations at the pre-proposal conference are needed, please notify the Purchasing Department by email no later than forty-eight (48) hours in advance.

17. Conflict of Interest: Proponents are advised to read and familiarize themselves with the conflict of interest provisions of this RFP contained in Appendix B, General

Terms and Conditions, and Required Form Submittals.

17.1 CCPS reserves the right to issue solicitations for specific projects that are independent of this RFP. Except as stated in this RFP, successful

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 7 of 93

Proponents under this RFP are not precluded from responding to such solicitations.

17.2 All interests of CCPS employees, officers or elected officials in Proponent’s firm should be listed and disclosed with Proponent’s response to this RFP.

B. SUBMISSION OF RESPONSE

1. Ownership of Responses: Each Response submitted to CCPS shall become the property of CCPS, without compensation to a Proponent, for use by CCPS, at its discretion. CCPS shall not be liable for any response preparation costs incurred by

Proponents, or for any subsequent work on the response or additional documentation required by CCPS.

2. Duration: Responses submitted in to this RFP must be valid for a period of one hundred-eighty (180) calendar days from the Response Submission Deadline and must be marked as such.

3. Submission Deadline and Proposal Opening: Sealed Responses to this RFP will be received by the CCPS Purchasing Department until 3:00 P.M., Eastern

Standard Time (EST) on Thursday, December 15, 2022. The proposal opening will be held via Zoom at: RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network Public Proposal

Opening at 3:01 PM EST. Meeting ID: 962 0396 5925. Attendance during the proposal opening is voluntary for Proponents responding to this RFP; however, Proponents are encouraged to attend.

3.1 Proponents must register in Bonfire as a vendor at:

https://claytonk12ga.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=login in order to submit a proposal prior to the submission deadline.

3.2 Proposals and all required forms must be fully completed, signed in ink and uploaded in Bonfire under the correct solicitation (RFP No. 008- Wide Area Network Services).

3.3 CCPS will only accept online submissions for this RFP. Oral, telephonic, facsimile, emailed and mailed proposals will not be considered.

3.4 For any technical questions or difficulties, contact Bonfire Support at https://support.gobonfire.com/hc/en-us.

4. Late Responses: Late Responses received will not be considered. Time will be determined using the Purchasing Department clock. Responses delivered to other locations within CCPS will not be considered. CCPS is not responsible for misdirected mail or items delivered late by carriers.

5. Pre-Proposals Conference: A Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference has been scheduled for Friday, November 11, 2022 at 11:00 a.m., EST. The Pre-

Proposal Conference will be held via Zoom at: RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 8 of 93

Pre-Proposal Conference Meeting ID: 950 5677 4667. During the Pre-Proposal

Conference, the general requirements of the project will be discussed. Any questions raised by potential Proponents will be discussed. Verbal answers to questions during the Pre-Proposal Conference will not be authoritative. It should be emphasized, however, that nothing stated or discussed during the course of this conference call shall be considered to modify, alter or change the requirement of the solicitation documents, unless it shall be subsequently incorporated into an addendum to the solicitation documents.

6. Solicitation Questions: Any questions regarding this RFP should be submitted on or before Tuesday, November 15, 2022 at 3:00 p.m., EST. All questions must be submitted in writing to Director, CCPS Purchasing Department by email with the

RFP name and number in the subject line to purchasing@clayton.k12.ga.us.

Questions received after the designated period may not be considered. Verbal responses are not authoritative. Answers to questions will be made by addendum posted to the CCPS website not later than 3:00 p.m., EST on Thursday, November

17, 2022. It is the responsibility of each Proponent to obtain a copy of any Addendum issued for this solicitation by monitoring the CCPS website at http://www.clayton.k12.ga.us/cms/One.aspx?portalId=54515&pageId=95198 .

7. Prohibited Contacts: All Proponents and representatives of Proponents are strictly prohibited from contacting CCPS employees, CCPS Officials, Elected

Officials or any third party representatives of CCPS on any matter having to do with this RFP. All communications by any Proponent concerning this RFP must be made in writing to the CCPS Purchasing Department.

8. Oral Presentations/Interviews: Responsive Proponents may be required to make an oral presentation of their proposed solution to a CCPS Evaluation Committee.

Technically competent representatives from the Proponent’s team with the ability to respond to questions posed by CCPS must be active participants in the oral presentation. If required, oral presentations and interviews will be held January 12

– 16, 2023. CCPS will notify responsive Proponents of the date, time and location for the presentation and interview, and will supply an agenda or topics for discussion.

9. Examination of Response Documents:

9.1 Each Proponent is responsible for examining with appropriate care the complete RFP and all Addenda and for informing itself with respect to all conditions.

9.2 Each Proponent shall promptly notify CCPS in writing should the

Proponent find discrepancies, errors, ambiguities or omissions in their

Response Documents, or should their intent or meaning appear

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 9 of 93 unclear or ambiguous, or should any other question arise relative to the RFP. Replies to such notices may be made in the form of an addendum to the RFP, which will be posted to the CCPS website.

9.3 CCPS may in accordance with applicable law, by Addendum, modify any provision or part of the RFP at any time prior to the Response due date and time.

9.4 Each Proponent must confirm Addenda have been received and acknowledge receipt by executing the Acknowledgment of Addenda form provided with each Addendum.

9.5 CCPS may waive any technicalities and formalities. CCPS reserves the right to cancel the RFP in its entirety.

10. Bonding and Insurance Requirements: The Bonding and Insurance requirements for any Agreement that may be awarded pursuant to this RFP are set forth in Appendix B, General Terms and Conditions. Proponent must provide a copy of a current certificate of insurance evidencing any existing commercial general liability policies issued for Proponent, if any. For purposes of this section, “Proponent” shall mean an individual, corporation or other corporate entity submitting a response in connection with this solicitation, including each Joint

Venture partner if Proponent is a Joint Venture.

11. Protests: Protests dealing with specifications or the solicitation shall be filed not later than three (3) working days prior to the response due date. Other protests shall be filed not later than three (3) working days after the response due date, or if the protest is based on subsequent actions of CCPS, not later than three (3) working days after the aggrieved person knows or should have knowledge, of the facts given rise to the protest. All Protests should specify exactly what is being protested. Protests are considered filed when received by the Director of

Purchasing. Protests which are not filed in a timely manner, as set forth above, will not be considered. Proponent agrees to pay for CCPS reasonable attorney’s fees and expenses of litigation for any protest arising out of this solicitation in which

CCPS is a prevailing party. Only those who participated in the solicitation are eligible to protest.

--BALANCE OF PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK--

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 10 of 93

WIDE AREA NETWORK SERVICES

GENERAL INFORMATION

1. INTRODUCTION

Clayton County Public Schools (”CCPS”) is soliciting proposals from experienced individuals or firms (“Proponent”) for Wide Area Network Services for the District. A detailed Scope of Services (“SOS”) is set forth in this RFP.

2. BACKGROUND

Clayton County Public Schools (CCPS) is fully accredited through Cognia. The district offers a focused world-class program based on a challenging curriculum which is taught from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade. Serving over 52,000 students, Clayton County Public Schools is ranked among the 100 largest school districts in the U.S. Made up of 67 schools and a variety of programs, the school system has over 6,200 employees.

3. OBJECTIVE

CCPS is seeking qualified firms to provide a leased lit fiber solution to provide a managed WAN that will be federally-subsidized by the E-Rate program. The managed WAN will allow CCPS to provide a communications infrastructure to locations throughout the District. The goal of this RFP is to source the best solution for high bandwidth circuits, in federally subsidized E-Rate packages.

Clayton County Public Schools plans to use the proposed service to transport real-time applications. The applications will include voice and video; traditional data;

email and web traffic; IT administration; and support applications. Support for multicast routing for applications such as video communications and software deployment is essential. CCPS is currently supporting VoIP communications, unicast software deployment, unicast video communications, multicast video and software deployment with the current solution.

4. INTENT TO AWARD

CCPS intends to make one (1) award; however, CCPS reserves the right to make one (1) award or no award for RFP No: 008-23 Wide Area Network Services.

5. TERM OF AGREEMENT

The Contract shall commence within ten (10) calendar days after receipt of Notice to Proceed.

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 11 of 93

The initial term of the Agreement and any renewal terms are collectively referred to as the “Term”. The initial term of this Agreement shall be for one (1) year, and may be automatically renewed for four (4) successive one (1) year terms upon the same terms and conditions. The services to be performed under this Agreement shall commence on the effective date of this agreement and terminate absolutely and without further obligation on the part of the CCPS on June 30th of the year in which it was executed and on June 30th of each succeeding and renewed year, as required by O.C.G.A. § 20-2-506 (b), as amended, unless terminated earlier in accordance with the termination provisions of this agreement.

This contract shall not be deemed to create a debt of CCPS for the payment of any sum beyond the fiscal year of execution or, in the event of a renewal, beyond the fiscal year of such renewal.

6. SCOPE OF SERVICES

Proponents must comply with all Federal, State of Georgia and local regulations and laws applicable to Wide Area Network Services. Proponents must provide all services as requested in this RFP in accordance with Scope of Services attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference.

7. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

7.1 Proponent must be a telecommunication provider operating under the regulations of the Federal Communications Commission, the Telecommunication Act of 1996;

7.2 Proponent must have a Service Provider Identification Number (SPIN), meet all USAC requirements, and be recognized as an eligible service provider by USAC;

7.3 Proponent must support direct billing to Schools and Libraries Divisions (SLD) and only bill customer for discounted portion;

7.4 Proponent must have all services in place and operational at all locations by July 1, 2023. No exceptions.

8. SUB CONSULTANTS AND CONTRACTORS

Proponent must ensure the responsibility standards for each of its Sub-Consultants and Sub-Contractors as listed below and in each and every part of this RFP.

Verification must include documentation that each Sub-Consultant or Sub-

Contractor meets the responsibility criteria required to perform the work including any professional license, certification, insurance requirements of this RFP, any governmental agency having jurisdiction over the matter, or any law or regulation

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 12 of 93 pertaining to the work or requirements. Proponent shall not furnish any statement, representation, or certification in connection with Sub-Consultants or Sub-

Contractors that is materially false, deceptive, incorrect or incomplete. Failure of the Proponent to provide information concerning the responsibility of any Sub-

Consultant or Sub-Contractor may result in a finding that the Proponent is not responsible. All proposed Sub-Consultants and Sub-Contractors shall be listed in the Proponent’s response. Proponent shall ensure that all proposed Sub-

Contractors have adequate personnel, past experience, adequate facilities, finances and business systems to perform the scope of services. CCPS reserves the right to approve all Sub-

Contractors and Sub-Consultants.

9. EVALUATION PROCESS

CCPS desires to select the Proponent(s) whose response(s) are determined to be the most advantageous considering the technical evaluation criteria listed below.

All Responses will be evaluated in accordance with CCPS Policies and

Procedures, and the criteria specified in this RFP. An Evaluation Committee will evaluate the Responses using the following:

Relative

Weight

ITEM FOR EVALUATION Maximum Points

5% Executive Summary 5

10% Experience and Qualifications of Staff and

Organization

10% Performance on Other Projects 10

20% Methodology, Management and Approach 20

15% Customer and Account Services 15

10% Organizational and Financial Capability 10

25% Cost Proposal 25

5% Small Local Business Enterprise Participation 5

100% TOTAL SCORE 100

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 13 of 93

Oral Presentations/Interviews

Oral presentations/interviews may be required before the final selection and award. Additional points for oral presentations, interviews or site visits will be added to the Proponent’s total score.

Scoring

Value

Maximum

Points

10. RESPONSE PREPARATION AND GUIDELINES

10.1 RESPONSE FORMAT

Proponents are required to submit the responses in the following format:

10.1.1 Technical Response. The technical response shall include responses to all of the information requested in the RFP and shall be tabbed to identify the specific components. The Proponent should include all strategies, solutions and services proposed in response to the requirements of the RFP. All forms required by CCPS or provided by the Proponent should be included. Any requests for clarification, exceptions or amendments to the RFP must be clearly identified and labeled and submitted with your technical response.

CCPS is under no obligation to accept exceptions and any such exceptions may be a basis for disqualification.

Please do not include any cost of any kind in this section.

Inclusion of cost in the Technical Proposal may cause a proposal to be excluded for non-compliance.

10.1.2 Cost Proposal. The Cost Proposal Form affixed hereto as

Attachment B, must be completed in its entirety, signed and uploaded separately from the Proponent’s Technical proposal. The

Cost Proposal Form will become a part of any contract resulting from this RFP. CCPS may solicit Best and Final Offers, and discussions may be conducted with responsible proponents who submit proposals determined reasonably susceptible to being selected for award.

Please do not include exceptions to the RFP in the Cost

Proposal. Please do not include any exceptions, assumptions or clarifications to the RFP in the Cost Proposal. Inclusion of exceptions in the Cost Proposal may cause a proposal to be excluded for non-compliance.

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 14 of 93

10.2 CONTENTS OF TECHNICAL RESPONSE

The Response shall include a reply to all of the information requested in this RFP. Brevity and specificity are encouraged. Concise presentation of pertinent information and organization of the submittal will be part of the evaluation. CCPS prefers a well-planned, straightforward business presentation with brief explanations. Responses with verbose or disorganized responses will be judged accordingly. The Response format described herein may not fully capture the particulars of all the information requested by the RFP. Should there be any doubt as to where to place any information, use best judgment.

The following is a more detailed description of the requirements of certain portions of the Technical Response. The Technical Response shall be tabbed and organized as follows, with a suggested total page limit of one-hundred (100) (excluding the Required Form Submittals).

10.2.1 Letter of Transmittal. Letter transmitting the Response, identifying the team members and providing a designated point of contact, including name, title, address, email address, telephone and fax numbers of one (1) individual to whom all future correspondence and/or communications should be directed by CCPS concerning this solicitation. The letter should include a narrative statement of the

Proponent’s approach to providing the Goods and Services solicited in this RFP.

10.2.2 Executive Summary. The purpose of the Executive Summary is to provide an overview of the Proponent’s qualifications to accomplish the project and must be no more than three (3) pages stating the agency’s interest and proposed commitment to Wide Area Network

Services. At a minimum, the Executive Summary must contain the following information:

10.2.2.1 Complete legal name of the Proponent and the name of the legal entities that comprise the Respondent. The

Proponent must provide the domicile where each entity comprising it is organized, including entity name, brief history of the entity, contact name, address, phone number, email, and facsimile number, as well as the legal structure of the entity and a listing of major satellite offices;

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 15 of 93

10.2.2.2 A declarative statement as to whether;

10.2.2.2.1 Proponent or any member of the Proponent’s

team has an open dispute with CCPS or is involved in any litigation associated with work in progress or completed in both the private and public sector during the past five (5) years;

10.2.2.2.2 Proponent has within the past ten (10) years

filed (or had filed against it) any bankruptcy or insolvency proceedings, whether voluntary or involuntary, or undergone the appointment of a receiver, trustee or assignee for the benefit of creditors. If so, please provide an explanation;

10.2.2.2.3 Proponent has failed to complete work or a

contract awarded to Proponents. If so, please provide an explanation;

10.2.2.2.4 Proponent or any of the Proponent’s

personnel, agents, independent Proponents or

Sub-Proponents have been convicted of, or pled guilty or nolo contender to any felony. If so, please provide an explanation and details.

10.2.2.3 Provide a summary of the other sections of the

Response. All sections should fit together into a well-organized highlight of the significant points of the

Response.

10.2.2.4 Provide general specific capabilities and experience of the Proponent’s team. Each Proponent must identify examples where team members have worked together to complete a project and discuss how the team was formed and how the team will function as an integrated unit in providing services to CCPS.

10.2.3 Experience and Qualifications of Staff and Organization.

Describe the experience and qualifications of the staff and organization. Information must include, but not limited to, the following:

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 16 of 93

10.2.3.1 Proponent must name the Project Manager who will serve as single point of contact for the entire procurement/deployment process.

10.2.3.2 Identification of all key members of the organization who will be responsible for seeing to the successful provision of the requested services;

10.2.3.3 A description of the experience and applicable certifications, awards and authorizations of the staff who will provide support services to CCPS;

10.2.3.4 A description of Proponent’s office and of the areas where

CCPS equipment and assets will be maintained and the security protocols;

10.2.3.5 A description of any additional awards, authorizations, or certifications;

10.2.3.6 A description of Proponent’s level of experience and industry knowledge working in the K-12 environment; and

10.2.3.7 Describe previous experience working with E-Rate approval protocols and with proposing best -in-class solutions to accommodate highly demanding 24x7 environments.

10.2.4 Performance on Other Projects. Provide four (4) references for which you have provided services similar in size and scope.

References are to be provided utilizing the References and Release Form provided in Appendix C, Required Forms.

10.2.4.1 Provide four (4) references for which Proponent has

provided services similar in size and scope. References are to be provided utilizing the References and Release Form provided in Appendix C, Required Forms; and

10.2.4.2 Describe any previous projects or services the Proponent has provided to CCPS.

10.2.5 Methodology, Management and Approach. The Proponent

should describe the procedures and methods that will produce the required outcomes for the project. Such information may include, but not be limited to:

10.2.5.1 Provide billing contact information to address bills, invoices and process concerns. Provide contact name, email

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 17 of 93 address and phone number;

10.2.5.2 A sample Project Plan detailing a hypothetical WAN

Installation. Include a timeline from award through user training with clearly identified roles and responsibilities for provider and client to include planning, provisioning, installation, etc. for a CCPS school;

10.2.5.3 A description of chronic failure guarantees and the ability to terminate service based on failure to meet SLA threshold for two consecutive months.

10.2.5.4 A description of the processes for capturing and reporting customer satisfaction levels;

10.2.5.5 A description of any added incentives and support

Proponent will provide at no additional cost to CCPS;

10.2.5.6 A description of the leased lit fiber solution with point-to-point connections from the CCPS data center the

Proponent will provide;

10.2.5.7 A description of the network service monitoring, alert levels, and procedures for proactive customer notification of preset alert levels;

10.2.5.8 A description of Proponent’s ability to support a single commitment level for all sites within CCPS;

10.2.5.9 A description of Proponent’s process for adding sites under single commitment level as new locations are built within the CCPS district;

10.2.5.10 A description of any individual circuit terms for school closings or new school openings that will apply for data services depending on date of activation during

10.2.5.11 A description of any customer portals that will allow CCPS to monitor bandwidth usage on individual circuits in near real time;

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 18 of 93

10.2.5.12 A description of the provisioning and installation process to include all phases and intervals for newly added services;

10.2.5.13 A description of the provisioning and installation process to include all phases and intervals for moves, additions, and changes for location with existing service;

10.2.5.14 A description of Proponent’s “Service Level Agreement”

(SLA) to include end-to-end availability, guaranteed time to repair, end-to-end packet delivery, end-to-end latency, end-to-end jitter, etc.;

10.2.5.15 A description of performance remedies and SLA’s for circuits that do not meet provisioning intervals;

10.2.5.16 A description of resources available for installation and provisioning for the services being proposed;

10.2.5.17 A description of the process for handing newly added services over to customer after installation and provisioning;

10.2.5.18 A description of how the security of equipment that is managed remotely will be secured;

10.2.5.19 A description of any bandwidth limitations associated with multicast;

10.2.5.20 A description of Proponent’s ability to support “Quality of

Service (QoS) for voice, video and priority applications to include any limitations for end-to-end support for QoS and provide a description of their support;

10.2.5.21 Proponent must describe the equipment to be located at

Data Center location and equipment to be located at remote sites including Manufacturer and model number;

10.2.5.22 Proponent must support high availability and diverse path entry into Data Center location at 1380 Arnold Street, RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 19 of 93

Jonesboro, GA and provide description;

10.2.5.23 Proponent must describe the ability to support customer access to vendor-managed equipment;

10.2.5.24 Proponent must describe the ability to support customer network probes used for monitoring of traffic at Data Center location;

10.2.5.25 Proponent must describe all fees that would be associated with managing routers at remote locations and at the Data

Center location; and

10.2.5.26 Proponent must describe the ability to support multiple vlans, ACL’s, QOS, etc. on WAN routers.

10.2.5.27 Proponent must demonstrate the ability to bring services online by July 1, 2023, without interruption of current services.

10.2.5.28 Proponent must describe the ability to upgrade or

downgrade level of service during commitment period.

10.2.5.29 Proponent must describe the vendor’s response time for emergency/critical requests.

10.2.5.30 Proponent must demonstrate the ability to provide 24-hour support.

10.2.5.31 Proponent must demonstrate the ability to support

multicast communications.

10.2.5.32 Proponent must demonstrate the ability to support

customer access to vendor-managed equipment.

10.2.5.33 Proponent must demonstrate the ability to support

customer network probes used for monitoring of traffic

Data Center location.

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 20 of 93

10.2.5.34 Proponent must demonstrate the ability to support a single commitment level for all sites within CCPS.

10.2.5.35 Proponent must demonstrate the ability to support online billing.

10.2.6 Customer and Account Services.

Proponent must provide a description of customer/account support services to include the following:

10.2.7.1 Describe all levels of account support the Proponent is able to provide to include account manager, service manager, etc.;

10.2.7.2 Describe the escalation process to include contacts (name, title, address, phone number, cell phone, email address) for provisioning, implementation, billing and trouble issues;

10.2.7.3 Describe each level of support availability and hours of operation including where twenty-four-hour support is located and based in the United States or a native English-speaking country;

10.2.7.4 A description of Proponent’s customer billing process to include a sample bill identifying charges by service location, type of service, and fees;

10.2.7.5 A description of Proponent’s ability to support online billing;

10.2.7.6 An explanation of Proponent’s ability to withhold payment on disputed charges until the dispute is resolved without penalties or interest;

10.2.7.7 A Description of Proponents restrictions and limitations on how far back customers can audit and dispute erroneous charges;

10.2.7.8 A description of Proponent’s back-billing policy;

10.2.7.9 A description of how Proponent will allow for adjustments to commitment levels based on Clayton County Public Schools’ need to disconnect locations before end of commitment date. Describe a minimum level of service that must be

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 21 of 93 maintained under the terms of the commitment;

10.2.7.10 A description of Proponent’s ability to provide monthly management reports to include monitoring of contract compliance, invoicing, billing summaries, trouble ticketing, usage, and service inventories, etc.;

10.2.7.11 A description of any one-time (such as connection charges) or special construction charges to include construction of new facilities, design & engineering and project management; and

10.2.7.12 A description of any port, circuit, QoS or any other charges.

10.2.7 Organizational and Financial Capability.

To facilitate the efforts CCPS to evaluate, verify, and understand the

Proponent’s financial capacity, capability and stability to undertake and perform the Services contemplated in this RFP, The Proponent must provide accurate and legible financial disclosures to CCPS as requested below. By definition, a “Proponent” is an individual, entity or partnership submitting a response to this RFP. The Proponent may present additional evidence of financial ability or financial surety it deems appropriate, but must first comply with the following:

10.2.7.1 Instructions: If the Proponent is an individual, financial disclosures for that individual must be provided. If the

Proponent is an entity or partnership, financial disclosures for that entity or partnership must be provided. If the Proponent is a newly formed entity or partnership (formed within the last three years), financial disclosures for that entity or partnership must be provided together with full financial disclosure from the entity’s or partnership’s owners. Financial Disclosure includes a full response to all questions and requests for documentation listed below. The Proponent (and its owners, if applicable) must submit copies of all financial disclosures with its response.

10.2.7.2 Financial Information: The Proponent and its owners, if applicable, should demonstrate its financial capability and stability by selecting and providing documentation from one of the following three groups of requests below with the

Response.

10.2.7.2.1 Financial statements for the three (3) most recent consecutive fiscal years, audited by a Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”), including: Income Statement; Balance Sheet; and Statement of Cash

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 22 of 93

Flows.

10.2.7.2.2 Financial statements for the three (3) most recent consecutive fiscal years, either reviewed or compiled by a Certified Public Accountant (“CPA”), including: Income Statement; Balance Sheet; and Satisfactory proof of Proponent’s ability to obtain a Performance Bond for the amount described in Appendix B, if applicable.

10.2.7.2.3 Unaudited, self-prepared financial statements for

the three (3) most recent consecutive fiscal years, including: Income Statement; Balance Sheet; Satisfactory proof of Proponent ’s ability to obtain a Performance Bond for the amount described in Appendix B, if applicable; Letters of Reference; and Dunn and Bradstreet reports for the last two (2) years.

11. CCPS STANDARD AGREEMENT

The Draft Agreement included as Attachment C is a standard CCPS document which should be thoroughly reviewed by all Proponents prior to submitting a proposal. Any proposed revisions to the terms or language of this RFP must be submitted in writing with Proponent’s response. Since proposed revisions may result in a proposal being rejected if the revisions are unacceptable to CCPS, Proponents should review any proposed revisions carefully. Refer to Information and Instructions to Proponents, Award and Execution of Agreement in this RFP.

Modifications or additions to the CCPS Standard Contract will not be entertained after contract award.

12. REQUIRED FORM SUBMITTALS

The forms and documents contained in Appendix C, Required Forms, are mandatory forms required to be submitted with each proposal. Failure to provide the information or documentation required may cause a proposal to be declared non-responsive and rejected. Failure to have an authorized representative sign all documents at the signature line, or failure to have all documents properly notarized as requested, may cause a proposal to be declared non-responsive and rejected.

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 23 of 93

APPENDIX A

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

CODE OF ETHICS

I. Give first consideration to the mission and policies of Clayton County Public

Schools.

II. Strive to obtain maximum value for each dollar spent.

III. Decline personal favors, gifts, and gratuities. Grant all competitive Respondents fair and equal consideration.

IV. Conduct business with potential and current Respondents in an atmosphere of good faith.

V. Demand honesty in sales representations whether offered through the medium of a verbal or written statement, an advertisement, or a sample of the product.

VI. Receive consent from the originator for the use of proprietary ideals and designs.

VII. Make a reasonable effort to obtain equitable settlement of any controversy with a Contractor.

VIII. Accord a prompt and courteous reception insofar as conditions permit to all who call on legitimate business missions.

IX. Create an environment of fair, ethical, and legal business practices.

X. Protect Clayton County Public Schools’ interest by ensuring that Respondents honor all terms of their contract.

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 24 of 93

APPENDIX B

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

The General Terms and Conditions contained in this Request for Proposal (RFP) apply to all solicitations. Where there are specific or special conditions contained herein that conflict with the General Information and Instructions, the more specific or special conditions will prevail. The terms Contractor, Supplier, Provider and Proponent may be used interchangeably herein.

I. Contract Renewal. Upon executing its option to renew, CCPS will notify the

Contractor of such renewal, at which time the Contractor shall be bound to provide Services during such renewal term, without the need for the Parties to execute any further documents evidencing such renewal, it being acknowledged by the Contractor that its initial execution of this Agreement is deemed its agreement to continue to provide Services during any renewal term.

II. Payment. A purchase order will be issued to authorize the purchase of the services/commodities. Delivery/release of services/commodities is not authorized until the receipt of a purchase order.

a. The Contractor shall invoice CCPS on a monthly basis. If payment is to be made by line item, when a single line item has been satisfactorily delivered, complete payment will be made within thirty (30) days from either the date of delivery or the receipt of a satisfactory invoice in triplicate, whichever occurs last. Invoices should be sent to Clayton County Public Schools, Attn: Maintenance Department 218 Stockbridge Road, Jonesboro, Georgia 30136. All invoices must show the contract number, work performed and period of work. Payment will be made via electronic payment or check. CCPS reserves the right to modify these terms should extenuating circumstances prevail.

III. Non-Appropriation. Notwithstanding any other provision of this agreement, the parties hereto agree that the charges hereunder are payable to the Contractor by CCPS solely from appropriations received by CCPS. In the event such appropriations are determined, in the sole discretion of the Chief Financial Officer of CCPS, no longer to exist or to be insufficient with respect to the charges payable hereunder, this agreement shall terminate without further obligation of CCPS at the end of any fiscal period (hereinafter referred to as “Event”). In such Event, the Chief Financial Officer for CCPS shall certify to the Contractor the occurrence thereof, and such certification shall be conclusive.

IV. Scope of Services. Contractor shall provide Services as requested by CCPS on an as needed basis in accordance with the RFP and Scope of Services.

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 25 of 93

V. Compliance with Laws, Licenses, Permits. Contractor shall comply with all local, state, and federal laws and regulations applicable to its responsibilities under this Agreement. During the term of this Agreement the Contractor shall maintain all licensing and permits required to provide Services. Failure to maintain such licensing shall be cause for termination of this Agreement. Contractor shall obtain and maintain all permits, licenses, certifications and approvals as required by all regulatory agencies with jurisdiction over the assigned Services, including any regulatory agencies of CCPS.

VI. Insurance.

Proof of insurance shall be provided within 15 days of the date of written notification of award.

a. The following general requirements apply to any and all work under this contract by all Contractors and Sub-Contractors, where applicable, of any tier.

1. Any and all insurance required by this contract shall be maintained during the entire length of this contract, including any extensions thereto, and until all work has been completed to the satisfaction of

Clayton County Public Schools. Any and all insurance must be on an occurrence basis.

No Contractor or Sub-contractor shall commence any work of any kind under a contract until all insurance requirements contained within the solicitation have been complied with and until evidence of all insurance requirements have been received demonstrating such compliance in each and every contract with each and every sub-contractor of any tier.

2. Clayton County Public Schools shall be covered as an Additional

Insured under any and all insurance required by the contract.

Confirmation of this shall appear on all certificates of insurance and on any and all applicable policies.

3. Clayton County Public Schools shall be given no less than thirty (30) days’ notice of cancellation. Clayton County Public Schools shall be given not less than thirty (30) days prior written notice of material changes of any insurance required under this contract.

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 26 of 93

4. Each and every agent shall warrant when signing the certificate of insurance that he is acting as an authorized representative on behalf of the companies affording insurance coverage under the contract and that he is licensed by the State of Georgia to conduct insurance business in the State of Georgia and that the companies affording insurance coverage are currently licensed by the State of

Georgia and are currently in good standing with the Commissioner of Insurance for the State of Georgia.

5. Any and all companies providing insurance required by a contract must meet the minimum financial security requirements as set forth below. The rating for each company must be indicated on the certificate of insurance. For all contracts, regardless of risk, companies providing insurance under this contract must have a current:

a. Best’s Rating not less than A, and

b. Best’s Financial Size Category not less than Class VII

6. In the event the Contractor neglects, refuses, or fails to provide the insurance required by the Contract Documents, or if such insurance is cancelled for any reason, CCPS shall have the right, but not the duty, to procure the same, and the cost thereof shall be deducted from monies then due or thereafter to become due to the Contractor or shall have the right to cancel the contract.

b. Worker’s Compensation and Employer’s Liability Insurance

The Contractor shall procure and maintain Worker’s Compensation and

Employer’s Liability Insurance in the following limits. Such insurance is to cover each and every employee who is or may be engaged in work under the contract.

Worker’s Compensation Statutory

Employer’s Liability Bodily Injury by Accident $100,000 each accident Bodily Injury by Disease $100,000 each employee Bodily Injury by Disease $500,000 policy limit

RFP 008-23 Wide Area Network (WAN) Services Page 27 of 93

c. Comprehensive General Liability Insurance The Contractor shall procure and maintain Comprehensive Insurance in an amount not less than $1,000,000.00 for bodily injury and property damage combined single limit. The following specific extensions of coverage shall be provided and indicated on the certificate of insurance.

1. Comprehensive Form

2. Contractual Insurance

3. Personal Injury

4. Broad Form Property Damage

5. Premises – Operations

6. Completed Operations

This…