Request for VoIP Phone System

The N.I.C.E. Community School District in Ishpeming, Michigan, is soliciting sealed bids for a district-wide Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) communications system through this Request for Proposals. The procurement calls for the installation of a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)-based, on-premises private branch exchange (PBX) system across two primary facilities: Westwood High School and Aspen Ridge Elementary/Middle School. The deliverables include 60 classroom phones, 6 office phones, 2 administrative/receptionist phones, and 1 conference phone at Westwood High School; 38 classroom phones, 8 office phones, 1 administrative/receptionist phone, and 1 conference phone at Aspen Ridge; support for 2 analog fax lines and 7 analog phones across both locations; and equipment meeting specifications such as YEALINK-T23G, T42S, T46S, and CP920 phones or equivalent models. The system must support critical functionality including a 32-call path minimum, direct inward dialing, voicemail with email capability, call recording, auto-attendant, conference calling, and redundancy with failover capabilities including E911 functionality. Mandatory walk-throughs were scheduled for September 11, 2019, at 10:00 AM or September 18, 2019, at 10:00 AM EST, with sealed bids due no later than 2:00 PM on September 23, 2019, submitted in a minimum of two copies to the superintendent's office. Installation must be completed during the district's winter break by December 31, 2019, or January 3, 2020, at the latest, with equipment delivered within 15 working days of order receipt on an F.O.B. destination basis with freight prepaid. Pricing must include all one-time equipment and installation costs, monthly phone service charges, support costs, and inside delivery to various locations.

The RFP does not specify set-asides or restrictions based on organization type or disadvantaged enterprise designations. Vendors must provide 24/7 basic maintenance at no additional cost, an 800-number for technical support, a trouble-ticketing system accessible via web interface, dispatch services, and complete documentation of all installations and network changes within two working days. The selected vendor must warrant all equipment and software as new and free of defects for the entire contract term and correct or replace defective items at its own expense. Vendors must provide at least six weeks of free trial access prior to the order deadline, comprehensive training for end users and staff, new version updates and enhancements at no additional cost during the license term, and submit a minimum of three customer references for evaluation. The District reserves the right to award the contract within 30 days of bid opening and will reject any bids from vendors who did not attend the required walk-through. The new VoIP system must integrate with the District's existing PRI line and network equipment including routers, firewalls, servers, and filters. The RFP specifies an on-premises solution only, with no hosted VoIP acceptable. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the procurement documents.