27-21-IT AV Equipment Upgrades at CLC

The City of Salem, Massachusetts is requesting proposals for audiovisual equipment upgrades at the Jean A. Levesque Community Life Center, 401 Bridge Street, with proposals due October 6, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. under RFP 27-21-IT.

The scope covers decommissioning a legacy AV system and implementing a commercial-grade hybrid meeting solution in the Great Room (40 feet by 60 feet, 25-foot ceiling) for municipal meetings, presentations, and community events. Deliverables include system design and consultation, equipment procurement and installation, hybrid integration with unified communication platforms such as Zoom Rooms or Microsoft Teams Rooms, control system modernization, comprehensive testing and commissioning, and at least four hours of in-person training for IT and building staff. All equipment and work must include a minimum three-year warranty. Installation and training must be completed by June 30, 2027.

Minimum qualifications require at least three references for similar municipal or public-sector AV installations within the past five years, proof of required licensing, bonding, and liability insurance, and no sub-contracting of installation work without prior written approval from the City's IT Director. Insurance minimums are $500,000 per occurrence / $1,000,000 general aggregate for comprehensive general liability and $500,000 for professional liability. The City may reimburse contractors up to $2,000 for insurance costs after successful completion of a minimum of three projects.

The contract term runs one year from the Notice to Proceed, with options to renew for up to two additional years in one-year increments. Pricing must be fixed with no reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses; tax exemptions for federal excise tax and Massachusetts sales tax apply. Evaluation criteria include general experience with AV and conferencing solutions, equipment quality and user-friendliness, installation timeline (preference for seven to fourteen days), and warranty and support offerings. Award is anticipated within forty-five days of proposal due date. A non-mandatory pre-proposal walkthrough is scheduled for September 28, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. Proposals must include separately sealed price and non-price sections and all required certification forms.