Data Center Move

The City of Pittsburgh's Office of Management and Budget, on behalf of the Department of Innovation & Performance, is soliciting proposals for a comprehensive data center move project under RFP #2023-RFP-190. The procurement involves planning and executing the relocation of network equipment from two existing locations to a new data center, with the primary objective of establishing a robust disaster recovery and business continuity (DR/BC) site. Specific equipment to be moved includes Cisco routers, FortiGate firewalls, Meraki devices, and backup appliances, with the goal of decommissioning some existing infrastructure while maintaining a fallback facility. The proposal will be evaluated by a Proposal Committee using a point-based system across five categories: Firm's Qualifications (15 points), Project Team Qualifications (15 points), Project Approach and Plan (30 points), Cost Proposal (30 points), and MWDBE/VOSB Good Faith Effort (10 points). Key dates include a pre-proposal meeting on September 12, 2023, and a proposal submission deadline of September 27, 2023, at 5:00 pm, with an anticipated contract award in October 2023. Qualified bidders will receive exact location details upon request to the designated Sourcing Specialist.

The City has established specific diversity and inclusion goals for this procurement, seeking 18% minority business, 7% women-owned business, and 5% veteran-owned small business participation. Proposers must demonstrate good faith efforts in obtaining these participation levels and complete various required forms, including a vendor questionnaire, contact sheet, registration form, and statement of affiliation. The network infrastructure will integrate multiple internet service providers, including Comcast, Verizon, and DQE, with a complex topology featuring redundant network paths and advanced technologies like Coarse Wavelength Division Multiplexing (CWDM). The proposed architecture involves high-availability network design across two locations: the Core Computing Building (CCB) and a disaster recovery/co-location site, incorporating equipment from vendors such as Cisco, Fortigate, and Meraki, with potential integration with Google Cloud Platform. While a specific budget range is not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the project and the sophisticated network infrastructure suggest a significant investment in technology and migration services.