Network Security Software, Hardware, and Services

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet on behalf of the Commonwealth Office of Technology is requesting bids for a master agreement providing network security software, hardware, and services under RFB 758 2700000066, with bids due October 2, 2026 at 1:30 PM ET. The contract is awarded on an all-or-nothing group basis to a single vendor; bidders must quote all line items or face non-responsiveness. Kentucky resident bidders and qualified bidders as defined by regulation receive reciprocal and preference scoring considerations.

The scope encompasses firewall management software (Checkpoint, Palo Alto, Fortinet), endpoint security, SSL certificates, data encryption, two-factor authentication, vulnerability testing tools, and physical hardware including firewalls, unified threat management systems, intrusion protection systems, and email security infrastructure from twenty-three specified manufacturers. Vendors must be authorized resellers for all products, with formal manufacturer authorization letters or signed reseller agreements mandatory prior to award. Service delivery includes 24/7 technical support with one-hour initial response time and 24-hour on-site resolution windows. Standard delivery is fifteen business days after order receipt. Compliance with NIST SP 800-53 moderate-level security controls and IRS Publication 1075 safeguarding requirements is required.

The contract runs two years from award with optional renewal for six additional one-year periods. Pricing must be all-inclusive with no add-on fees for installation, service modifications, or feature adjustments, and no price increases are permitted during the first twelve months. Evaluation uses a best-value approach allocating 600 points for minimum percentage discounts off manufacturer's suggested retail price, 300 points for software pricing, 300 points for hardware pricing, 200 points for services hourly rates (fully loaded, not-to-exceed), 200 points for delivery time, and 100 points for training services, totaling 1,000 points.

Vendors must provide Commercial General Liability Insurance with $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, and Professional Technology Errors and Omissions Insurance with $1 million per claim and aggregate limits. All required documentation including Revenue Form 10A100, Certificate of Authority, required affidavits, and proof of authorized reseller status must be submitted prior to award. Second-round vendors' written questions were due September 18, 2026, with Commonwealth response due September 25, 2026. Electronic bidding through the Kentucky eProcurement system is required.