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Request for Proposal
for Schenectady City School District Digital Teaching
and Learning Classroom Connectivity Infrastructure
Program (including Category 2 E-rate Components
and Services)
RFP #0307-18
Issued 2/8/2018
Information submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the Schenectady
City School District. The Schenectady City School District will not pay for any information
herein requested nor is it liable for any cost incurred by the vendor. RFP responses must be
received prior to March 7, 2018, 12:00 pm at the following address:
Purchasing/Submission Contact:
Schenectady City School District
Attn: Ms. Kristin Chotkowski
Purchasing Agent
108 Education Drive,
Schenectady, NY 12303
Fax : 518.395.3506
E-mail: [email protected]
Technical Questions regarding this RFP should be submitted to:
Schenectady City School District:
Attn: Dr. Aaron Bochniak
District Director of Planning & Accountability
108 Education Drive
Schenectady, NY 12303
Fax: 518.881.3409
Email: [email protected]
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
SECTION 1 - PURPOSE OF RFP
1.01 Purpose of RFP
1.02 Background
1.03 Contract Use
SECTION 2 – RFP DETAILS
2.01 Issuing Office and RFP Reference #
2.02 Important Dates
2.03 Pre-Proposal Conference
2.04 Inquiries
2.05 RFP Submission Due Date
2.06 Time for Evaluation
2.07 Multiple Stage Process
2.08 Oral Presentation
2.09 Best and Final Offer
2.10 Award of the Contract
2.11 Contract Period and Effective Date
2.12 Costs and Fees
SECTION 3 – SCOPE OF WORK
3.01 Detailed Scope of Work
3.02 Wireless Access Equipment and
Professional Services
3.03 Wired (Ethernet) Networking
Equipment and Professional Services
3.04 Cable and Cable Installation Services
3.05 Managed Internal Broadband
Connections
3.06 Client Device Caching and Network
Offload Solutions
SECTION 4 – PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
4.01 Ability to meet Scope of Work, Product
and Services Requirements
4.02 Demonstrated Technical Capability
4.03 Demonstrated Prior Experience
4.04 Qualifications and Expertise of Staff
4.05 References
4.06 Subcontractors
SECTION 5 – PROPOSAL RESPONSE
FORMAT
5.01 Administrative Guidance
5.02 Technical Response Format
5.03 Cost Proposal Response Format
SECTION 6 - PROPOSAL EVALUATION
6.01 Evaluation Criteria
6.02 Evaluation Process
SECTION 7 – GENERAL PROVISIONS
7.01 Protected Information
7.02 Incurring Costs
7.03 Addendum to RFP
7.04 Other Communications
7.05 Alternative Proposals
7.06 Authorized Supplier Representatives
7.07 Award of Subcontracts
7.08 Assignment
7.09 Remedies
7.10 Compliance
7.11 Cancellation
7.12 Acceptance of Services Rendered
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7.13 Anti-Collusion
7.14 Indemnification
7.15 Restrictions
7.16 Right to Reject
7.17 Record Keeping and Audit Rights
7.18 Management Reports
7.19 Further Agreements
7.20 Relationship of the Parties
7.21 Equal Opportunity
7.22 Taxes – Supplier’s Responsibility
7.23 Taxes –Schenectady City School District is
Exempt
7.24 Tax Liens
7.25 Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability
7.26 Debarment Clause
7.27 Status Verification System
7.28 Insurance
ATTACHMENTS AND APPENDICES
Appendix A. Schenectady City School District Wireless
Local Area
Network Infrastructure Recommendations
for Digital Teaching and Learning
Appendix B. Cost Response Matrix and
Cost Response Instructions
Appendix C. Subcontractor Response
Template
Appendix D. Geographic Footprint
Appendix E. Special Terms Related
Specifically to E-Rate
Note: Suppliers must respond to all sections of this RFP, including sections 1 through 7.
When a section does not request specific information and you agree to what it contains, you
may use language such as “Sections 1.01 through 1.05, Understood and Agreed” in your
response.
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SECTION 1 - PURPOSE OF RFP
1.01 Purpose of RFP. The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to solicit
proposals to enter into contracts with qualified suppliers to obtain equipment and
services related to the deployment, management and support of wired and wireless
data networks in Schenectady City School District. The companies submitting
proposals in response to this RFP will hereafter be referred to as “Vendor(s)”.
Schenectady City School District is examining several alternatives of providing
networking equipment and services and may decide, after reviewing proposals
submitted, not to enter into any agreement.
1.02 Background. The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to select qualified
Vendor(s) to provide the Schenectady City School District equipment and related
services for a phased approach to upgrading its network infrastructure. The District
desires to replace existing equipment which is obsolete or no longer supported by its
manufacturer. The district would like the option of a phased approach, that takes into
account our current lifecycle management, toward implementing a new infrastructure.
The primary objective is to implement a robust, stable, secure, reliable and scalable
network architecture which will serve the connectivity needs of staff and students into
the future. This includes the ability to expand to a 1:1 device initiative.
The Schenectady City School District provides a full range of educational programs
and services for approximately 9,700 pre-k -12 students. The District has 1 High
School (9-12) (2 Campuses), 3 Middle Schools (6-8), 11 Elementary Schools (pre-k-
5) and 1 Adult Learning Center.
Awarded Vendors will be required to comply with FCC E-Rate Program regulations
when the contract(s) awarded under this procurement involve Schenectady City
School District eligible public schools for the E-rate program and apply for E-rate
funding with contracts awarded under this procurement.
Contracts awarded through this procurement will be effective July, 1 2018 through
June 30, 2019 with the option of yearly extension for up to five years. It is the intent
of Schenectady City School District to procure network wired and wireless related
equipment and services as necessary, utilizing the Board of Cooperative Education
Services Cooperative Service Agreements and possibly using Smart Schools Bond
Act (SSBA) or installment purchases. Additionally, other funding sources may also
be identified.
The contracts will be cornerstones of the Schenectady City School District Digital
Teaching and Learning Classroom Connectivity Program. This Program is focused on
providing high-density, high-throughput, reliable, wired and wireless access at a
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density of approximately one access point (AP) per 20 students or 1.2 APs per
instructional space, in designated schools and of sufficient size where these metrics
are meaningful (generally above 250 students). Smaller schools may use different
metrics to measure network coverage.
Each school or institution is unique in its specific requirements, as each has varying
levels of existing cable, installed access points and wired infrastructure. Schenectady
City School District, in cooperation with school district staff, is setting uniform
targets for network coverage and performance. These targets are provided to enable
Vendors to understand the scope of the procurement and to provide high-level
guidance to district and school staff. Schenectady City School District is ultimately
responsible for selecting a manufacturer and the products, quantities and architecture
that best suits our needs. To that end, it is possible that this RFP may result in
multiple awards, allowing for complete geographic coverage of Schenectady City
School District as well as Vendor diversity to help support the existing installed base.
However, installed base/existing infrastructure is not in itself a justification for award,
and each response will be judged on its competitiveness in terms of total value,
including features, functions and cost, to the Schenectady City School District as
compared to all other responses.
Schools may require access points, Ethernet switches, cabling, installation services,
configuration services and ancillary products to support a cost-effective and reliable
network. The exact brand and number of devices and services will be selected by
Schenectady City School District from the contracts resulting from this RFP.
Schenectady City School District will award contracts based on criteria which enable
Schenectady City School District to ensure a digital learning environment is available
to as many students as possible, while containing costs and considering equity to all
students. Schenectady City School District will select the exact Vendors and products
from the contracts that are awarded from this RFP.
Schenectady City School District seeks to implement world-class network
management techniques and facilities for the management of their internal networks,
from WAN edge to access point.
Lastly, Schenectady City School District seeks qualified and certified cable
installation and verification services Vendors to plan, install and verify internal
network cabling to meet the requirements of campus networks typically found in
schools.
Special Considerations for FCC E-Rate Schools and Libraries Program
With approximately 9,700 students in Schenectady City School District public
schools, it is anticipated that a large portion of spending on Category 2 products and
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services will be procured through these contracts. Schenectady City School District
may only use a portion of the Category 2 budget during this cycle. Schenectady City
School District also reserves the right to cancel or reduce the scope of the project in
the event of a denial or reduction of E-rate funding.
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As part of the cost proposal response, a Geographic Footprint table is provided in
Appendix E. Vendors SHALL complete this table so that evaluators can ensure all
options provided by the awarded contracts. It is expected that any equipment offered
can be drop-shipped or freighted to any campus in the district; however, professional
services requiring truck rolls may not be offered by every Vendor in every location in
the district. Vendors may optionally charge travel fees for remote locations outside
their typical service coverage area, however, this must be specified in the response. A
key goal of the evaluation process will be to select Vendors that offer competitive
products, good service and geographic coverage.
1.04 Contract Use
As stated in the Background, the purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from Vendors for
a manufacturer to provide the support of digital teaching and learning at Schenectady City
School District. Schenectady City School District may elect to contract through the Board of
Cooperative Education Services (BOCES) or directly with the Vendor(s) for any of the
goods, services, or any combination of goods and services described in the categories set
forth in the Introduction of this RFP and awarded by Schenectady City School District
pursuant to this RFP. The Vendor(s) shall provide the goods or services in the categories
offered by the Vendor and awarded by Schenectady City School District at the fixed prices
(or lower) established pursuant to this RFP. The goods or services provided to Schenectady
City School District by the Vendor(s) shall, at a minimum, comply with the applicable
requirements and specifications set forth in this RFP. The Vendor(s) and electing
Schenectady City School District will contract between themselves for the goods or services
in accordance with the following process:
1. Schenectady City School District filing for E-rate funding will complete a bid
evaluation using the contract prices provided by this RFP, for all Vendors that are
awarded. Publicly available MSRP, in conjunction with the contract discount
percentage rate will be used as the basis for cost analysis where prices are stated as a
discount percentage. For categories where individual prices are provided, the
Schenectady City School District will consult the price catalog provided in the RFP
response.
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2. Schenectady City School District may contact Vendors for additional discounts based
on volume or other incentives being offered at the time of procurement.
3. Schenectady City School District reserves the right to reduce the scope of the project
as needed in the event of denial or reduction of the Category 2 budget.
4. Schenectady City School District will submit a Letter of Intent to Vendor(s)
containing at least the following information:
a. Schenectady City School District
b. Description of goods, services, or combination of goods and services required,
and the date by which delivery must be complete;
c. Name and contact information of Schenectady City School District purchasing
officer or other appropriate person of contact.
5. Vendors will then contact the Schenectady City School District and provide a formal
price quote. Such quote shall not exceed the prices established pursuant to this RFP
and may be lower due to volume discounts.
6. Schenectady City School District may then issue a purchase order and enter into a
contract with the Vendor in accordance with the laws, policies, and procedures
governing the User’s purchase of goods and services. The execution of a purchase
order is contingent upon successful E-rate funding commitment.
7. Failure to deliver goods or services by the date specified in the purchase order may
result in cancellation of the remaining portion of the purchase order, with no penalty
owed by Schenectady City School District.
8. All documentation will be memorialized and retained for the FCC mandated 10-year
period by Schenectady City School District for purchases made with E-rate funding
support.
The agreement shall incorporate the terms and conditions established pursuant to this RFP,
including compliance with FCC E-Rate rules and regulations where applicable. Schenectady
City School District reserves the right to waive any requirements set forth in the RFP in order
to obtain the most cost-effective solution(s).
SECTION 2 – RFP DETAILS
2.01 Issuing office and RFP Reference Number. The Purchasing Department of the
Schenectady City School District (“Purchasing Department”) is the issuing office for
this RFP and all subsequent addenda relating to it. The reference number for the
transaction is 0307-18. This number must be referenced on all proposals,
correspondence and documentation relating to the RFP.
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2.02 Important Dates. The following dates are significant for this RFP:
RFP Dated and Issued 2/8/2018/2018
Pre-Proposal Conference 2/21/2018, 9:00 a.m., via WebEx
RFP Inquiry Questions Due 2/22/2018, noon
RFP Q&A Posted 2/23/2018, by 4:00 p.m.
Proposal Due 3/7/2018
Estimated Oral Presentations 3/12 thru 3/16/2018
(if needed)
2.03 Pre-Proposal Conference.
A pre-proposal conference will be held on 2/21/2018 at 9:00 am via WebEx. All
suppliers responding to this RFP are encouraged to have at least one representative of
their organization in attendance. The meeting is for informational purposes only and
information provided is not binding. If the RFP needs to be modified or clarified, a
written addendum will be issued. Attendance is optional but highly recommended. If
you would like to attend this meeting via WebEx, please call or send E-mail to Ms.
Kristin Chotkowski at [email protected]. REGISTRATION IS
REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PRE-BIDDERS
CONFERENCE.
2.04 Inquiries. Questions arising subsequent to the issuance of this RFP, that could have a
significant impact on the responses to the RFP, should be submitted in the RFP
Question and Answer section to Kristin Chotkowski at
[email protected]. All such questions should be received by
noon on 2/22/2018. Answers to questions received in writing, as well as those posed
in the pre-proposal conference will be posted as an addendum to Form 470 by 4 pm
on 2/16/2018.
2.05 Submission Due Date. 3/7/2018, 4:00 pm
Sealed proposals shall be submitted to:
Schenectady City School District
Attn: Ms. Kristin Chotkowski
Purchasing Agent
108 Education Drive,
Schenectady, NY 12303
Fax : 518.395.3506
Proposals may be sent via mail or hand delivery. No emailed submissions will be
accepted. All proposals, including those that are on a thumb drive, must be in a sealed
envelope clearly marked "SCSD RFP #0307-18 SCSD Digital Teaching and Learning
Classroom Connectivity Infrastructure Program".
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Proposals received after this deadline will be late and ineligible for consideration.
2.06 Time for Evaluation. All proposals shall remain valid for a minimum of 120 calendar
days after the Proposal Due Date to allow adequate time for evaluation.
2.07 Multiple Stage Process. Schenectady City School District reserves the right to
conduct a multiple stage bid evaluation process and narrow the number of offerors
that will move on to subsequent stages.
2.08 Oral Presentation. Schenectady City School District may award a contract or
contracts based on initial proposals received without discussion of such proposals
with suppliers. However, Schenectady City School District may require oral
presentations to supplement written proposals. These presentations may be scheduled,
if required, by the Purchasing Department after proposals are received and prior to the
award of the Contract. After the oral presentations and/or product demonstrations are
complete, the committee shall be allowed to re-score the technical criteria as needed
to reflect the information provided in the presentations or demonstrations.
Schenectady City School District reserves the right to reschedule or cancel oral
presentations at any time at no cost to Schenectady City School District.
2.09 Award of the Contract. Upon completion of the evaluation process, Schenectady City
School District may award the contract (“Contract”) to the supplier(s) whose
proposal(s) are determined to be most advantageous to Schenectady City School
District.
Multiple Award- The award of this solicitation may result in multiple awards in one
or more categories of the RFP listed in Section 3, Scope of Work. Multiple Vendors
may be necessary in order to provide geographic coverage for all schools in the
district. Awards will be based on experience with the K-12 education base, BOCES
cooperative service agreements, competitive pricing and conformance to the technical
standards and terms and conditions in the RFP.
The Board of Education is the only entity authorized to award a Contract or Contracts
for the proposed purchases.
2.10 Contract Period and Effective Date. The anticipated Contract term will be for a
period of one year with the option of yearly extension. The anticipated effective date
of the Contract is July 1, 2018 and end dates will be June 30, 2019.
2.11 Costs and Fees. Cost must remain firm and fixed for the full term of this agreement.
Cost responses shall be completed in the Appendices Vendors wish to respond to in
this RFP.
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SECTION 3 – SCOPE OF WORK
3.01 Detailed Scope of Work. Contracts will be awarded for, and Vendors will be
evaluated in, three specific categories of products and services commonly required for school
internal networks. These categories are:
1. Wireless Access Equipment and Professional Services
2. Wired (Ethernet) Networking Equipment and Professional Services
3. Cable and Cable Installation Services
The purpose of the first category, Wireless Network Equipment and Professional
Services, is to provide Schenectady City School District with options for standards-
compliant wireless network equipment for use in schools and other facilities served by
Schenectady City School District. Schenectady City School District has set targets for
network coverage and performance, outlined in Appendix A, Schenectady City School
District Wireless Local Area Network Infrastructure Recommendations for the Schenectady
City School District Digital Teaching and Learning program. This category of products
includes all components necessary to provide wireless networking capabilities with
associated wired Ethernet infrastructure. This category includes wireless access points,
wireless controllers and network control and management facilities, as well as ancillary
products such as antennas, brackets and power supplies. Vendors are expected to provide
various professional services, such as planning, installation and troubleshooting, to
Schenectady City School District for any product which the Vendor sells. Vendors are
expected to have radio frequency planning and design competencies as well as some level of
manufacturer certified staff available for professional services if required by Schenectady
City School District.
The second category, Wired Network Equipment and Professional Services, is intended to
provide Schenectady City School District with options for standards-compliant wired
Ethernet-compatible equipment for use in schools, primarily to connect wireless access
points, VoIP phones, and client devices to a wide area network connection and the Internet.
This category includes Ethernet switches for copper and fiber connections at speeds from 100
Mbps to 10 Gbps (and higher) for use within the campus. This equipment might also be used
at aggregation points for WAN connections as well as at administrative offices of
Schenectady City School District. Vendors are expected to provide various professional
services, such as planning, installation and troubleshooting, to Schenectady City School
District for any product which the Vendor sells. Vendors are expected to have some level of
manufacturer certified staff available for professional services if required by Schenectady
City School District.
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The third category, Cable and Cable Installation Services, is intended to provide
Schenectady City School District with options to have network cable installed within a
campus. Vendors will provide an array of cable and ancillary cabling products required for
the secure and safe installation of cable. Vendors are expected to provide various
professional services, such as planning, design, installation, verification and troubleshooting,
for Schenectady City School District, for any product which the Vendor sells. Vendors are
expected to use only certified staff to provide installation and verification services to
Schenectady City School District.
3.02 Wireless Access Equipment and Professional Services
This category seeks Vendors that provide a portfolio of interoperable wireless networking
equipment, software and services that enable Schenectady City School District to deploy
cost-effective, robust, secure wireless networks on their various campuses. The following
technical specifications are grouped into two sections: Mandatory and Desired. For a
response to be considered for evaluation, at least one product meeting each of the mandatory
specifications must be provided. For the purposes of the Cost response section of the RFP,
Vendors MUST use only products that meet mandatory specifications. Desired specifications
will be considered during the evaluation. Lack of a desired specification does not disqualify a
bid response, but desired specifications will be used when ranking all of the various
responses against each other in the evaluation.
The mandatory feature set, and the products selected to be used in the cost analysis, are those
most likely to be deployed in schools and libraries. The sample products selected for the cost
evaluation are the most commonly deployed product types and represent the bulk of the costs
associated with wireless deployments. However, Schenectady City School District
recognizes that other supporting and ancillary products may occasionally be needed or may
be more cost-effective while still meeting the goal of robust, secure wireless networks.
Vendors should include additional portfolio products that enhance the principal products
used in the cost evaluation. These additional portfolio products might include, high-gain
antennas, power injectors, mounting hardware, low-density access points, media convertors,
wireless security and authentication software, feature enhancement licenses, Radio
Frequency (RF) management software, cloud-based control software, outdoor/weatherproof
access points, etc..
Products that are predominantly used for wired networking, such as Ethernet switches,
should be provided only under Category 2, Wired Networking Equipment and Professional
Services.
Not all portfolio products need be E-Rate eligible, however, any products that are not on the
2017 FCC E-Rate Eligible Services List should be clearly identified for purposes of
Schenectady City School District. Products that must be cost allocated for the purposes of E-
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Rate should also be noted. Most often network management and support components require
cost allocation. If the manufacturer has received eligibility guidance from the FCC or USAC
on specific products, include that information in the response.
In addition to products, this category requires Vendors to be capable of supporting offered
products through professional services. Respondents are expected to have significant skills
related to the planning, design, implementation, configuration and troubleshooting of all
products offered in this category. Manufacturers responding to this RFP may delegate
certified Vendors for these functions by completing the Subcontracting section of the RFP.
Mandatory Product Requirements
The following specifications must be met for any products used in the cost proposal:
A. The proposed access points must be IEEE 802.11ac compliant
B. The proposed access points must offer backward compatibility with IEEE
802.11a/b/g/n in the 2.4GHz band and 802.11n in the 5GHz band
C. The proposed access points must have at least one 1000 Base-T Ethernet Port capable
of supplying power (using IEEE 802.11af or 802.11at) necessary for the access point
to offer the majority of possible functionality to attaching stations
D. The proposed access points must support 5GHz operation, specifically listing which
of the bands (UNII-1, UNII-2, UNII-2e and UNII-3) are supported in the response
E. The proposed access points must support Multiple-In, Multiple-Out (MIMO) radio
with at least two spatial streams in the 5GHz band
F. The proposed access points must contain dual radios allowing, 2.4GHz and 5GHz
bands to be used simultaneously
G. The proposed access points must support multiple SSIDs and per-SSID access policy
H. A control mechanism capable of centrally managing all aspects of the access points,
including RF spectrum and user authentication, must be offered in the portfolio
I. Access points and management/control software that supports the detection of rogue
Aps
J. Access points with support for Layer 2 / 3 roaming and mobility without performance
degradation or re-authentication required by clients (roaming within a single campus)
K. All access points must include a minimum three-year warranty; all other products
must include a minimum one year warranty.
Desired Product Specifications
While not required, the following specifications, if met, will be viewed favorably in the
evaluation and will be used when ranking the relative strengths of all responses:
A. Access points that support “captive portal” or other facility to ensure Acceptable Use
Policy (AUP) is affirmed by end users
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B. Access points that support rate limiting and traffic shaping of guest clients
C. Access points that support client isolation; i.e. prevent attached wireless devices from
communicating directly with each other
D. Access points with support for Dynamic Frequency Selection and Band Steering
E. Access points with support for multiple VLANs with assignable QoS
F. Access points that are capable of forwarding wireless client traffic without backhaul
to centralized controller
G. Support for autonomous channel, power and RF configuration based on dynamic
environment changes; control mechanisms and APs can adapt to changing RF
conditions without human intervention
H. Cloud-managed and supported from an intuitive web interface
Mandatory Professional Services Requirements
Vendors must have at least one manufacturer-certified employee on staff regularly available
to assist Schenectady City School District. Certification from vendor-agnostic and wireless
industry recognized networking professional organizations will also be acceptable in place of
a manufacturer certification.
3.03 Wired (Ethernet) Networking Equipment and Professional Services
This category seeks Vendors that provide a portfolio of interoperable wired (Ethernet)
networking equipment, software and services that enable Schenectady City School District to
deploy cost-effective, robust, secure networks on their various campuses. The primary
purpose of the wired network, for the purposes of this RFP, is to interconnect wireless access
points to a campus network. Additional wired products may be offered and procured by
Schenectady City School District, but the primary purpose of this RFP is the support of high-
density, high-throughput wireless networks on campuses.
The following technical specifications are grouped into two sections: Mandatory and
Desired. For a response to be considered for evaluation, at least one product meeting each of
the mandatory specifications must be provided. For the purposes of the Cost response
section of the RFP, Vendors MUST use only products that meet mandatory specifications.
Desired specifications will be considered during the evaluation. Lack of a desired
specification does not disqualify a bid response, but desired specifications will be used when
ranking all of the responses against each other in the evaluation.
The mandatory feature set, and the products selected to be used in the cost analysis are those
most likely to be deployed in schools and libraries. The sample products selected for the cost
evaluation are the most commonly deployed product types and represent the bulk of the costs
associated with wired deployments in support of campus wireless networks. However,
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Schenectady City School District recognizes that other supporting and ancillary products
may occasionally be needed or may be more cost-effective while still meeting the goal or
robust, secure networks. Vendors should include additional portfolio products that enhance
the principal products used in the cost evaluation. These additional portfolio products might
include, redundant power supplies, fiber optic transceivers, enhanced functionality blades or
software features, mounting hardware, feature enhancement licenses, network security
functionality, management software, cloud-based management software, etc..
Not all portfolio products need be E-Rate eligible, however, any products that are not on the
2017 FCC E-Rate Eligible Services List should be clearly identified for the purposes of
Schenectady City School District. Products that must be cost allocated for the purposes of E-
Rate should also be noted. Most often network management and support components require
cost allocation. If the manufacturer has received eligibility guidance from the FCC or USAC
on a specific product, include that information in the response.
In addition to products, this category requires Vendors to be capable of supporting offered
products through professional services. Respondents are expected to have significant skills
related to the planning, design, implementation, configuration and troubleshooting of all
products offered in this category. Manufacturers responding to this RFP may delegate
certified vendors for these functions by completing the Subcontracting section of the RFP.
Mandatory Product Requirements
The following specifications must be met for any products used in the cost proposal:
A. The proposed solutions must be IEEE 802.3 compliant
B. The proposed solutions must support at least 64 VLANs
C. The proposed solutions must support IEEE 802.3at POE+ on at least half of all fixed
copper ports simultaneously; that is all ports that do not have SFP or similar
interfaces
D. The proposed solutions must support at least 15 Watts of POE per port, on 90% of the
1GbE copper ports simultaneously
E. The proposed solutions must be built with a non-blocking switch backplane or
memory
F. The proposed solutions must support SNMP or similar management capabilities
G. A portfolio of switch options SHALL be provided. At a minimum, Vendors shall
provide options for at least the following configurations, noting that SFP+ modules
may be used to build these configurations:
a. 24 GbE copper ports with at least 2 10GbE fiber uplinks
b. 24 GbE copper ports with at least 2 10GBASE-T IEEE 802.3an copper
uplinks
c. 48 GbE copper ports with at least 2 10GbE fiber uplinks (stacks are
acceptable)
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d. 24 10GE SFP+ fiber ports with multimode and singlemode support
H. All switches must include a minimum three year warranty; all other products must
include a minimum one year warranty.
Desired Product Specifications
While not required, the following specifications, if met, will be viewed favorably in the
evaluation and will be used when ranking the relative strengths of all responses:
A. Switches that provide lightweight Layer 3 Switching/Routing support (i.e., static
routing and OSPF capabilities).
B. Switches with extensive POE capabilities, even when one of the power supplies is in
a failure mode
C. Switches with stacking options which ease network management
D. Switches that have 40Gbps uplink options
E. Switches with advanced application awareness and QoS, especially for VoIP and
video
F. Switches that provide optional security features, especially with respect to preventing
the proliferation of malware, protecting personally identifiable data and increasing
network stability and robustness
G. Management platforms capable of managing all network components through
industry-standard protocols such as SNMP
Mandatory Professional Services Requirements
Vendors must have at least one manufacturer-certified employee on staff and regularly
available to assist Schenectady City School District. Certification from vendor-agnostic and
industry recognized networking professional organizations will also be acceptable in place of
a manufacturer certification.
3.04 Cable and Cable Installation Services
This category seeks Vendors that provide a portfolio of cable and structured wiring products
necessary for Schenectady City School District to deploy cost-effective, robust, secure
networks on their various campuses. The cable and ancillary products are intended for use on
a campus, but might include those used in wiring closets, data centers, or outdoors to access
remote buildings and service provider connection points.
The products selected to be used in the cost analysis are those most likely to be deployed in
schools and libraries. The sample products selected for the cost evaluation are the most
commonly deployed product types and represent the bulk of the costs associated with
structured wiring deployments in support of campus wireless networks. However,
Schenectady City School District recognizes that other supporting and ancillary products
may be needed. Vendors should include additional products that enhance the principal
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products used in the cost evaluation. These additional products might include, cable trays,
punch blocks, patch cables, face plates, zip ties, fire block, conduit, etc..
In addition to products, this category requires Vendors to be capable of installing offered
products through professional services. Respondents are expected to have significant skills
related to the planning, design, implementation, configuration and troubleshooting of all
products offered in this category in support of a structured wiring implementation. It is
desired that all installation be performed by BICSI-certified (or equivalent) personnel, but
this is not a mandatory requirement.
Mandatory Product Requirements
Vendors SHALL provide options for at least each of the following cable types and
accessories:
A. Category 6A or 7 plenum and non-plenum rated cables in bulk
B. Single Mode fiber in various configurations
C. Multimode, OM3 fiber, in various configurations
D. Faceplates, connectors, various termination parts
Mandatory Professional Services Requirements
It is desired that the Vendors have at least one BICSI-certified employee on staff and
regularly available to assist Schenectady City School District. Certification from vendor-
agnostic and industry recognized networking professional organizations may also be
acceptable in place of a BICSI certification in certain locations where no BICSI-certified
personnel are available. Vendors SHALL label all installed cables and faceplates in a manner
consistent with the Schenectady City School District’s existing cable labeling system or to a
similar labeling specification as provided by the Schenectady City School District.
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SECTION 4 –PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
There is a preference for responses to be provided as searchable PDFs, meaning that
scanned PDFs consisting of images, rather than searchable text, are not preferred.
Vendors are expected to meet all mandatory technical specifications provided in each of
the various categories. It is possible that some products may not meet all desired
specifications, but Vendors are expected to offer a product portfolio that provides
multiple options to Schenectady City School District that, in aggregate, do meet all
technical specification. Duration of standard warranty is also a consideration.
4.01 Demonstrated Ability to meet Scope of Work, Product and Services Requirements
All bids SHALL include specifications and technical literature sufficient to allow
Schenectady City School District to determine that the equipment and services offered meet
Schenectady City School District requirements. This technical literature will be a primary
source for bid evaluation. If a requirement is not addressed in the technical literature it must
be supported by additional documentation and included with the bid, with exact reference to
the specific location in the literature. Bid responses without sufficient technical
documentation may be rejected.
4.02 Demonstrated Technical Capability
Each of the three categories have specific proposal requirements, provided below. Vendors
wishing to be considered for each of the various categories SHALL provide all of the
response requirements for each of the categories in which an award is being sought.
A. Wireless Access Equipment and Professional Services Mandatory Vendor Response
Requirements
In order to fairly evaluate all Vendors against each other, each Vendor shall provide the
following items, clearly marked in attachments to the RFP response.
1. Provide the manufacturer model number, part number and/or SKU for all products
that are offered which meet the mandatory product requirements listed above,
grouped by building/location. Your proposal must state how the products meet the
mandatory requirements listed in Section 3.02. Also attach product brief or
technical specification sheet for each access point offered which meets the mandatory
specifications.
2. Provide the manufacturer model number, part number and/or SKU for all products
that are offered which meet the desired product requirements listed above. Do not
duplicate products that meet the mandatory specifications in this answer, rather list
only additional products that augment the products listed in question 1. Also attach
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product brief or technical specification sheet for each access point offered which
meets the desired specifications.
3. Provide copies of all warranties for the equipment offered by Vendor
4. Provide a letter of authorization from the manufacturer of wireless products offered,
indicating that you are certified to sell products. If you are the manufacturer of the
products, simply state this.
5. Provide a description as to the compatibility with any potential existing wireless
products that may already be installed by Schenectady City School District. Provide
details about specifically, but not limited to, the interoperability between offered
products and Aruba, Hewlett Packard, Ruckus, or equivalent.
6. Describe the data plane flow for normal wireless client traffic. Specifically speak to
the options available that do not require all wireless data to traverse a single control
point.
7. Describe in detail the items and services to be covered under maintenance, support
and firmware upgrades. Note any items that are specifically not eligible for E-Rate
under the 2018 ESL for the LEAs and libraries.
8. Describe how connectivity is affected by temporary loss of connection to the
management system or controller. For example, describe how, if the controller is
unavailable, access points are able to forward traffic within the campus and to the
Internet.
9. Provide a description of your firm’s experience with the offered wireless products.
Specifically, provide the approximate number of employees that have been certified
by the manufacturer of the offered products. Also provide the number of employees
that will be available to service Schenectady City School District who have received
vendor-neutral certifications such as those offered by CWNP or similar.
10. Provide descriptions of the professional services related to the design, planning,
installation, configuration and troubleshooting of products offered in this category.
11. If responding to both Category 1 (Wireless) and Category 2 (Wired), provide a brief
narrative describing the value of the combined solutions, including network
management, policy control, mobile device management (client management),
network access control and other features/benefits gained by using the combination of
wired and wireless product proposed in the RFP response.
B. Wired Networking Equipment and Professional Services Mandatory Vendor Response
Requirements
In order to fairly evaluate all Vendors against each other, each Vendor shall provide the
following items, clearly marked in attachments to the RFP response.
1. Provide the manufacturer model number, part number and/or SKU for all products
that are offered which meet the mandatory product requirements listed above. Your
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proposal must state how the products meet the mandatory requirements listed in
Section 3.03. Also attach product brief or technical specifications sheet for each
switch offered which meets the mandatory specifications.
2. Provide the manufacturer model number, part number and/or SKU for all products
that are offered which meet the desired product requirements listed above. Do not
duplicate products that meet the mandatory specifications in this answer, rather list
only additional product that augment the products listed in answer 1. Also, attach
product brief or technical specification sheet for each switch offered which meets the
desired specifications.
3. Provide copies of all warranties for the equipment offered by Vendor
4. Provide a letter of authorization from the manufacturer of switch products offered,
indicating that you are certified to sell products. If you are the manufacturer of the
products, simply state this.
5. Describe in detail the items and services to be covered under maintenance, support
and firmware upgrades. Note any items that are specifically not eligible for E-Rate
under the 2018 ESL for LEAs and libraries.
6. Provide a description of your firm’s experience with the offered switching products.
Specifically, provide the approximate number of employees that have been certified
by the manufacturer of the offered products. Also, provide the number of employees
that will be available to service Schenectady City School District who have received
vendor-neutral certifications in networking and network security.
7. Provide descriptions of the professional services related to the design, planning,
installation, configuration and troubleshooting of products offered in this category.
C. Cable and Cable Installation Services Mandatory Vendor Response Requirements
In order to fairly evaluate all Vendors against each other, each Vendor shall provide the
following items, clearly marked in attachments to the RFP response.
1. Provide descriptions of the professional services related to the design, planning,
installation, configuration and troubleshooting of products offered in this category.
Your proposal must state how the products and professional services meet the
mandatory requirements listed in Section 3.04
2. Provide copies of warranties for the cable and fiber offered by Vendor, as well as
warranty for associated installations provided by Vendor staff or subcontractor.
4.03 Demonstrated Prior Experience
Vendors SHALL provide a brief (2 pages) narrative explaining experience selling, supporting
and troubleshooting the products and services offered in this RFP response. If responding to
more than one category, Vendor should ideally explain the value gained by Schenectady City
School District that choose to select one Vendor to provide products and services from a
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single Vendor.
4.04 Qualifications and Expertise of Staff
Vendors SHALL provide a brief (less than 4 pages) narrative explaining the credentials,
certification and experience of staff who will likely be assigned to service Schenectady City
School District. Vendors are encouraged to provide details of experience in New York State
schools districts.
4.05 References
Provide at least five reference customers which have used products and/or services similar to
those required by schools and libraries, provided by your company and subcontractors if
applicable. Include business name, address, phone number and contact person for each
reference. Also, include the year in which the reference was a customer and which of the
three categories of this RFP were procured by the reference from your company.
Schenectady City School District reserves the right to contact any of the Vendor’s current
and/or past customers to evaluate the level of performance and customer satisfaction.
4.06 Subcontractors
Any Vendors, resellers, distributors and manufacturers may choose to respond to this RFP, as
a prime Vendor (the “Prime”), then designate various subcontractors or partners (the
“Subcontractors”) for the implementation of certain aspects of the work. This is acceptable
and encouraged if it provides better support and response times to a large geographic
footprint of the state. Up to six subcontractors may be specified by a respondent to this RFP.
For each of those subcontractors, attach a completed copy of Appendix D, Subcontractor
Response Template, must be provided. Additionally, a letter from the Subcontractor
acknowledging their desire and ability to honor all terms of the contract will be required.
Ultimately, the Prime responding to this RFP is responsible for satisfaction of the contract.
Only the Prime’s SPIN may appear on a User’s E-Rate Form 471.
For the purposes of evaluation, the Subcontractors will be included in the Prime’s evaluation
where warranted. For example, geographic coverage may be enhanced significantly with the
proper mix of Subcontractors. This would be viewed positively in the evaluation.
Schenectady City School District has the ultimate selection in Subcontractor to be utilized.
The Prime and Schenectady City School District must agree on the selection of the
Subcontractor at the time a quote is provided, and before a purchase order is placed. The
Subcontractor must agree to abide by all terms of the contract, E-Rate rules, and any local
policies that may be in place for the security and protection of students.
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Schenectady City School District may, at its discretion, consider adding or replacing
Subcontractors if the Prime requests this and Schenectady City School District determines
that Schenectady City School District will receive improved service. This process is subject
to considerable scrutiny, evaluation and FCC E-Rate regulations (where applicable) and will
not be considered until at least 11 months after contract award.
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SECTION 5 – PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT
For Cost Proposal submission see section 5.03
5.01 Administrative Guidance. The information provided herein is intended to assist
suppliers in the preparation of proposals necessary to properly respond to this RFP.
The RFP is designed to provide interested suppliers with sufficient basic information
to submit proposals meeting minimum requirements, but is not intended to limit a
proposal's content or to exclude any relevant or essential data therefrom. Suppliers
are at liberty and are encouraged to expand upon the specifications to give additional
evidence of their ability to provide the services requested in this RFP.
5.02 Technical Proposal Response Format. Proposals should be concise and in outline
format. Pertinent supplemental information should be referenced and included as
attachments. All proposals should be organized and tabbed to comply with the
following sections:
Tab A LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL (COVER LETTER). The letter of transmittal
should include an introduction of the supplier's company, as well as contact
information for those persons who are authorized to represent the company in
dealing with this RFP. Proposal Contact: List the name, title, office address,
telephone number, fax number and e-mail address of the person(s) authorized
to represent the supplier regarding the proposal(s) submitted in response to
this RFP. Also include any addendum acknowledgement by addenda number
that may be issued to this RFP. Contract Contact: Give the name, title,
office address, telephone number, fax number and e-mail address of the
person authorized to sign a Contract, and receive and sign all formal notices
and/or addendum regarding such Contract. Note that all amendments to any
Contract must be in writing and signed by both parties.
Any other information not appropriately contained in the proposal itself
should also be included in the letter.
Tab B EXECUTIVE SUMMARY. An executive summary will briefly describe the
supplier's approach and clearly indicate any options or alternatives being
proposed. If options or alternatives are proposed as exceptions to the RFP, the
offeror should include an explanation for each option or alternative. It should
also indicate any major requirements that cannot be met by the supplier.
Tab C DETAILED DISCUSSION. This section should constitute the major portion
of the proposal and must contain a specific response in outline form to each
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section in this RFP. Outline numbers should correspond, in order, to the
section numbers contained in this RFP. Specific emphasis should be placed
on responding to the information requested in Sections 3 and 4 but all sections
and items should be fully addressed. Narrative regarding options or
alternatives with complete details including how those meet or exceed the
RFP requirements should be included in the relevant section. Failure to
provide written response to items indicated in this RFP will be interpreted by
Schenectady City School District as an inability by the supplier to provide the
requested product, service or function and may be deemed as “Non-
responsive”.
Tab D Miscellaneous additional information and attachments, if any, may be
submitted by the supplier.
Tab E FINANCIAL REPORTS – Supplier will provide evidence of financial
responsibility, which demonstrates the Supplier’s ability to perform the
services contemplated by the RFP. Provide your firm’s past three years most
recent annual audited or unaudited financial reports or a link to the published
financial reports on-line.
5.03 Cost Proposal Response Format. No pricing information may be included in the
technical portion of your proposal. The supplier must submit a separate cost
proposal allowing costs to be evaluated independently of other criteria in the
proposal.
Inclusion of any cost or pricing data within the technical proposal may result in
your proposal being deemed as non-responsive.
The Cost Proposal must be attached as a separate document and identified as “Cost
Proposal” with your company name if your submission is electronic it must be on a
thumb drive and if you are submitting a hard copy of your proposal you must submit
a separate sealed envelope labeled "SCSD RFP #0307-18 SCSD Digital Teaching
and Learning Classroom Connectivity Infrastructure Program". Include the sealed
envelope in the same box or package in which you are submitting your RFP.
Vendors SHALL provide responses in each of the tabs for which they offer products
and seek award.
The Cost Proposal consists of two parts, namely:
1. Hypothetical Schenectady City School District Scenarios (Appendix B)
2. Complete Catalog of Offered Products and Services
Hypothetical Schenectady City School District Scenarios
The hypothetical scenarios are provided in the attached Appendix B, with one tab for each of
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the 5 sections of the RFP. Vendors SHALL complete the corresponding cost spreadsheet for
any category which they seek an award. The goal of these scenarios is to enable evaluators to
make fair cost comparisons across all the various responses without having to be experts with
every Vendor's products. The products used in the scenarios must comply with all the
mandatory specifications in the RFP. If prices provided in the scenario cost proposal
spreadsheet are lower than those specified elsewhere in the RFP response, then the price used
in the cost proposal spreadsheet becomes the contract maximum price. This is required so
that a fair and accurate cost comparison across all Vendors can be completed.
The grand total cost, as calculated in the Appendix B hypothetical scenarios will be used to
award points in the final evaluation using the following formula:
Evaluation Cost Points = 25 x (Lowest Responsive Cost Offer’s Proposed Cost / Proposed
Cost)
Up to 5 additional points will be awarded to Vendors offering flat discounts across entire
product lines. These points are based on discount structure as compared to all other
respondents in each of the 5 categories and the ability of Schenectady City School District to
determine exact pricing for the purposes of their bid evaluation without requiring support
from the Vendor.
It is imperative the Vendors carefully read and follow the detailed instructions
provided in Appendix B, Cost Response Instructions, to understand the requirements
and response format expected.
Complete Catalog of Offered Products and Services
While the most frequently used products and services are covered in Appendix B, it is
expected that entire product families or a portfolio will also be offered by Vendors. Thus
Vendors SHALL provide a catalog or narrative description of the products offered. Ideally,
all products are offered at the same discount from MSRP.
The complete product catalog may either be a "price book" listing every SKU and the
maximum contract price, or, preferably, a narrative description of the various product
families offered and the flat discount percentage off the publicly available Manufacturer's
Suggested Retail Price.
Geographic Coverage and Travel Costs
Additionally, Appendix E, Geographic Footprint, included in this RFP must be completed
and submitted in order for your proposal to be considered.
Schenectady City School District seeks to provide options for each campus within the
district. To ensure the best geographic coverage possible, each Vendor SHALL complete the
Geographic Footprint spreadsheet, attached in Appendix E. This spreadsheet lists the
individual campuses within the district. Stating that service is available for a Schenectady
City School District obligates the Vendor to also service all potential Schenectady City
School District campuses within the boundaries of the district.
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Generally, Schenectady City School District does not expect travel charges to apply, but this
option is provided to Vendors that would be willing to service some of the more remote
locations, for fee. Response time is also an important metric, and as such is listed in the
Geographic Footprint spreadsheet. There are no set requirements for response time; however,
each Schenectady City School District may use these responses during the bid evaluation
process.
After School Hours Work
To minimize disruption to student learning and to facilitate easier installation of some
products, such as cable we ask Vendors to work after school hours when possible. Many
Vendors prefer to complete work when students are not present. To encourage this, we seek
affirmation from Vendors that no afterhours fees, including evenings and weekends, will be
incurred by Schenectady City School District for 8-hour work days that begin after students
leave the school. If you are not willing to perform after school hours work at no additional
charge, clearly state this in your response.
Additional Discount Based on Volume
If offering volume discounts for larger orders, specify the details of the discount structure
clearly in the cost proposal response. These volume discounts further reduce the price from
the maximum contract price. Clearly specify the total cost or unit quantities at which various
additional discounts apply.
Taxes
Schenectady City School District is tax exempt in New York State, therefore Vendors
SHALL NOT charge sales tax for products and services billed to these entities. Sales tax
should not appear on quotes, purchase orders or USAC Bulk Upload Templates for these
entities.
Special Terms Related Specifically to E-Rate
Vendors SHALL complete Appendix F, Special Terms Related Specifically to E-Rate.
Vendors are required to conform to all E-Rate rules and regulations (where applicable) and
must attest to this, and other points as outlined in the appendix.
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SECTION 6 - PROPOSAL EVALUATION
6.01 Proposal Evaluation Criteria. The criteria to be used to evaluate proposals, listed with
their relative weight in points, are as follows:
A. Responsive / Non-responsive- Suppliers who are deemed as “Responsive” to this
request shall advance to further scoring as listed below. Suppliers who are deemed as
“Non-Responsive” shall not advance further in this request.
Each of the three categories will be awarded separately based on the evaluation criteria
outlined below. Vendors are encouraged to respond to multiple categories as Schenectady
City School District could receive better service by contracting with fewer Vendors.
However, some Vendors may have point specific solutions that provide value and a Vendor
may be awarded in just a single category. For each category, the maximum possible score is
100, calculated as follows:
Criteria Points Description
Price of E-rate Eligible
Components/Services
25 The cost of E-rate eligible products and services must be
the primary factor considered during the bid evaluation
process. For some categories, hypothetical school
scenarios are provided in this RFP. Vendors must
provide SKUs and prices that meet the technical
specifications provided. The discounts set out in the
hypothetical scenario will be the highest price any
Schenectady City School District will pay via the
awarded contracts. All products available on the contract
must be listed by SKU or by product family/group name
in the response, along with the contract price, or the
MSRP and discount. The MSRP must be publicly
available for E-Rate compliance.
Cost of E-rate
Ineligible Products
and Services
5 Services and products that are ineligible for E-rate
funding should be priced separately, and will be
considered separately during the bid evaluation process.
Breadth of Portfolio
within Category
15 Vendors with rich product portfolios provide better value
to Schenectady City School District by enabling more
choices.
Conformance to
Technical
Specifications within
Category
20 Vendors are expected to meet most if not all technical
specifications provided in each of the various categories.
It is possible that some products may not meet all
specifications, but Vendors are expected to offer a
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product portfolio that provides multiple options to
Schenectady City School District that, in aggregate, do
meet all technical specification. Duration of standard
warranty is also a consideration.
References and
Experience with
Educational
Customers and E-Rate
10 Vendors having demonstrable experience with the
school and library environments will be advantaged in
the evaluation. Experience with E-Rate, and customer
references, particularly [STATE’S NAME] schools and
libraries, will be viewed positively.
Experience with
Manufacturers,
Equipment, Software
to be sold to
Schenectady City
School District
10 Vendors are expected to have a significant level of
competency with products which they offer. Letters of
authorization and/or certification from manufacturers
will be viewed positively.
Geographic Coverage 10 Vendors that can provide reasonable service times to the
district’s geographic area of Schenectady City School
District are given preference. Also, Vendors that are
unique in their ability to provide short service times in
their Service Level Agreement.
Financial Stability 5 Vendors are expected to be financially sound.
6.02 Evaluation Process. All proposals in response to this RFP will be evaluated as
follows:
1. Upon receipt, all proposals will be reviewed to determine their responsiveness to
the requirements of the RFP before they are advanced to receive further
consideration. Nonresponsive proposals (those not conforming to minimum RFP
requirements) shall be eliminated from future consideration. Each supplier bears
sole responsibility for the items included or not included in the response
submitted by that supplier. Schenectady City School District reserves the right to
disqualify any proposal that includes significant deviations or exceptions to the
terms, conditions and/or specifications in this RFP.
2. After the review for responsiveness, remaining responsive proposals will be
reviewed and evaluated by the evaluation committee based upon the quality of
information received and the information that supports the respondents’ ability to
meet or exceed the technical requirements stated in the RFP. At the conclusion of
the process, the Purchasing department will evaluate the Cost Proposals according
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to the formula, published on the Cost Proposal Form and in accordance with the
New York State and Local Procurement Codes. Cost scoring shall be based on
the lowest responsive and responsible price offered that meets or exceeds all
minimum requirements listed in this RFP. The points allocated to each cost
proposal will be added to the corresponding proposal’s total technical score.
3. Oral or product demonstrations may be required for proposals or Schenectady
City School District may choose to make an award directly from the responses
received. Schenectady City School District will be the sole judge as to the
overall acceptability of any proposal or to judge the individual merits of specific
provisions within competing offers.
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SECTION 7 - GENERAL PROVISIONS
7.01 Protected Information. Any confidential information provided to Schenectady City
School District which Supplier believes should be protected from inspection or
disclosure must be accompanied by a written claim of confidentiality and a concise
statement of reasons supporting such claim. Non-specific statements of
confidentiality (e.g., marking a document confidential or proprietary in a cover letter,
header, footer or watermark) are insufficient to claim confidentiality under New York
State’s Freedom of Information Law (Public Officers Law §87 et. seq.). All material
contained in and/or submitted with the proposal becomes the property of Schenectady
City School District and may be returned only at Schenectady City School District's
option.
7.02 Incurring Costs. Schenectady City School District will not be liable for any cost
which suppliers may incur in connection with the preparation or presentation of their
proposal(s). Proposals should be concise, straightforward and prepared simply and
economically. Expensive displays, bindings or promotional materials are neither
desired nor required. However, these instructions are not intended to limit a
proposal's content or exclude any relevant or essential data therefrom.
7.03 Addendum to RFP. In the event it becomes necessary to revise this RFP in whole or
in part an addendum will be provided to all suppliers on record as having received
this RFP.
7.04 Other Communications. During the bid evaluation process (from the date of issue
through the date of contract award or other final decision) the Purchasing Department
is the sole source of official information regarding this RFP. All other
communications, both spoken and written, which are received by any representative
of the supplier from other sources (such as employees in the using department) should
be confirmed by the supplier with the buyer in the Purchasing Department assigned to
this RFP as being true and accurate prior to incorporating such information into their
response. This refers to both formal and informal conversations and communications.
Significant changes to the RFP will always be issued as a formal, written addendum.
7.05 Alternative Proposals. A supplier may submit more than one proposal, each of which
must follow the Proposal Response Format (section 5 herein) and satisfy the
requirements of this RFP. The supplier's primary proposal must be complete and
comply with all instructions. The alternative proposals may be in abbreviated form
following the Proposal Response Outline but providing complete information only for
sections which differ in any way from those contained in the prime proposal. If
alternative proposals are submitted, the supplier must explain the reasons for the
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alternative(s) and its comparative benefits. Each proposal submitted will be evaluated
on its own merits.
7.06 Authorized Supplier Representatives. Schenectady City School District reserves the
right to require a change in the individual assigned to represent the supplier if the
assigned representative is not serving the needs of Schenectady City School District
in an acceptable manner. This right shall carry forward through the response period
and, with the successful supplier, during the term of the Contract.
7.07 Award of Subcontracts. For each subcontract, if any, which the supplier proposes to
award, the supplier shall specify in writing the proposed subcontractor's name and
address, and the purpose of each subcontract. Any supplier proposing subcontracts as
a part of a proposal must explicitly state so in the proposal. Written approval by the
Purchasing Department is required prior to the awarding of any subcontracts. Any
Subcontractor shall be required to provide evidence to Schenectady City School
District of the same insurance provisions and coverages as described in section 7.28
of this RFP.
7.08 Assignment. Supplier shall not assign or subcontract any portion of its obligations
under the Contract without the prior written consent of Schenectady City School
District Purchasing Department. Assignment or subcontracting shall in no way
relieve the supplier of any of its obligations under this Contract.
7.09 Remedies. The laws of the State of New York shall apply in all disputes arising out
of this RFP, without application of any principles of choice of laws.
7.10 Compliance. The supplier hereby agrees to abide with all applicable federal, state,
county and city laws and regulations and to be responsible for obtaining and/or
possessing any and all permits and licenses that may be required.
7.11 Cancellation. Inadequate delivery, unsatisfactory service or failure to adhere to the
Contract covenants may result in cancellation of the Contract. The supplier shall be
responsible for reimbursing Schenectady City School District for expenses incurred
as a result of unacceptable service. In the event either party determines that a
material breach has occurred that would be cause for cancellation of the Contract, the
party wishing to cancel shall notify the other party of the alleged breach in writing,
and allow the other party thirty (30) days in which to cure the alleged breach. If the
alleged breach is not cured or substantial steps to cure the alleged breach are not
taken within this period, the non-defaulting party may cancel the Contract at the end
of said thirty (30) day period.
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7.12 Acceptance of Services Rendered. Schenectady City School District, through its
designated agents and representatives, will be the sole determining judge of whether
services rendered under the Contract satisfy the requirements as identified in the
Contract.
7.13 Anti-Collusion. The submission of a proposal constitutes agreement that the supplier
has not divulged its proposal to, or colluded with, any other offeror or party to a
proposal whatsoever.
7.14 Indemnification. The supplier shall hold harmless, defend and indemnify
Schenectady City School District and its officers, employees, and agents from and
against any and all claims, losses, causes of action, judgments, damages and expenses
including, but not limited to attorney's fees because of bodily injury, sickness, disease
or death, or injury to or destruction of tangible property or any other injury or damage
resulting from or arising out of (a) performance or breach of this contract by Supplier,
or (b) Supplier’s use of Schenectady City School District premises, or (c) any act,
error, or omission on the part of the Supplier, or its agents, employees, invitees,
participants, or subcontractors except where such claims, losses, causes of action,
judgments, damages and expenses result solely from the negligent acts or omissions
or willful misconduct of Schenectady City School District, its officers, employees or
agents.
7.15 Restrictions. All proposals must clearly set forth any restrictions or provisions
deemed necessary by the supplier to effectively service the proposed Contract.
7.16 Right to Reject. Schenectady City School District reserves the right to reject any or
all proposals and to waive any informality or technicality in any proposal in the
interest of Schenectady City School District.
7.17 Record Keeping and Audit Rights. Any supplier providing goods or services under
any Contract shall maintain accurate accounting records for all goods and services
provided thereunder, and shall retain all such records for a period of at least ten (10)
years following termination of the Contract or after the last day of the applicable E-
rate funding year if E-rate funding is used for purchases from agreements entered into
from this RFP. Upon reasonable notice and during normal business hours
Schenectady City School District, or any of its duly authorized representatives, shall
have access to and the right to audit any records or other documents pertaining to the
Contract. Schenectady City School District’s audit rights shall extend throughout the
term of the Contract and for a period of at least seven (7) years thereafter.
7.18 Management Reports. Upon request the supplier must be able to summarize and
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concisely report pertinent information to Schenectady City School District in a timely
manner, throughout the duration of any Contract resulting from this RFP.
7.19 Further Agreements. In addition to a proposal, Schenectady City School District may
from time to time require a supplier to execute certain additional documents or
agreements, including without limitation a Contract, for the purpose of clarifying the
intention of the parties with respect to providing the goods or services hereunder.
7.20 Relationship of the Parties. In assuming and performing the obligations of any
Contract, Schenectady City School District and any supplier shall each be acting as
independent parties and neither shall be considered or represent itself as a joint
venturer, partner or employee of the other. Supplier affirms that the supplier or any
employee in their organization does not have a conflict of interest or potential conflict
of interest with Schenectady City School District.
7.21 Equal Opportunity. No supplier of goods and/or services under this RFP or any
Contract shall discriminate against any employee, applicant for employment, or
recipient of services on the basis of veteran status, race, religion, color, sex, sexual
orientation, age, disability, or national origin.
7.22 Taxes – Supplier’s Responsibility. Suppliers shall be responsible for and pay all
taxes which may be levied or incurred against the supplier in connection with the
performance of any services under a Contract, including taxes levied or incurred
against supplier’s income, inventory, property, sales, or other taxes.
7.23 Taxes – Schenectady City School District is Exempt. Schenectady City School
District is exempt from State of New York sales and excise taxes. Exemption
certification information appears on all purchase orders issued by Schenectady City
School District and such taxes will not apply to Schenectady City School District
unless otherwise noted.
7.24 Tax Liens. By submitting a proposal, the supplier certifies that neither it nor its
principals are presently subject to an outstanding tax lien in the State of New York. If
the supplier cannot certify this statement, the supplier will submit to Schenectady
City School District a written explanation for the review of Schenectady City School
District. If the supplier is subject to any outstanding tax lien in the State of New
York, Schenectady City School District may reject the supplier’s quote, bid, offer, or
proposal in response to the request.
7.25 Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Health Information
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Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act. Schenectady City
School District is subject to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
of 1996 (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical
Health (HITECH) Act of 2009. This transaction may fall under the jurisdiction of
HIPAA and/or HITECH and seller must comply with applicable state and federal
HIPAA and/or HITECH laws. If you have any questions, please contact the Pupil
Personnel Services Office at 518-881-3412.
7.26 Debarment Clause. Supplier certifies that neither it nor its principals are presently
debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily
excluded from participation in this transaction (contract), by any governmental
department or agency. If Supplier cannot certify this statement, attach a written
explanation for review by Schenectady City School District. Supplier must notify the
Director of Purchasing within 30 days if debarred by any governmental entity during
the Contract period.
7.27 Status Verification System. If a Contract is awarded through this RFP for the
physical performance of services within the Schenectady City School District,
supplier or supplier's agent, contractor, subcontractor or service provider is required
to register and participate in the Status Verification System (E-verify) to verify the
work eligibility status of Supplier's or Supplier's agent's, contractor's, subcontractor's
or service provider's employees hired on or after 3/3/2018 and employed in the State
of New York, in accordance with all federal and state statutes and laws.
7.28 Insurance. Supplier shall maintain Commercial General Liability insurance with per
occurrence limits of at least $1,000,000 and general aggregate limits of at least
$3,000,000. Supplier shall also maintain, if applicable to Supplier’s operations or
performance of this contract, Business Automobile Liability insurance covering
Supplier’s owned, non-owned, and hired motor vehicles and/or Professional Liability
insurance with liability limits of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence. Such insurance
policies shall be endorsed to be primary and not contributing to any other insurance
maintained by Schenectady City School District.
The Supplier shall maintain all employee related insurances, in the statutory amounts,
such as unemployment compensation, worker's compensation, and employer's
liability, for its employees or volunteers involved in performing services pursuant to
this Contract. Supplier shall also maintain "special form" property insurance at
replacement cost applicable to Supplier’s property or its equipment and that contains
a waiver of subrogation endorsement in favor of Schenectady City School District.
The Supplier's insurance carriers and policy provisions must be acceptable to
Schenectady City School District’s Risk and Insurance Manager and remain in effect
for the duration of the Contract. Schenectady City School District shall be named as
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an additional insured on the Commercial General Liability insurance policy by
endorsement. Supplier will cause any of its subcontractors, who provide materials or
perform services relative to this contract, to also maintain the insurance coverages
and provisions listed above.
Supplier Provision: If the coverage’s described above are not in place at the time a
proposal is submitted the supplier should describe in detail what types and levels of
coverage are in place currently, and clearly indicate the supplier’s ability and
willingness to obtain the above listed coverage’s if required by Schenectady City
School District. Schenectady City School District reserves the right to require
additional coverage from that presented, at the supplier's expense for the additional
coverage.
The Supplier shall submit certificates of insurance as evidence of the above required
insurance to Schenectady City School District prior to the commencement of this
Contract to: Kimberly Lewis, District Director of Business Finance and Facilities,
Schenectady City School District, 108 Education Dr., Schenectady, NY 12303. Such
certificates shall indicate that Schenectady City School District will be given thirty
(30) calendar days written notice prior to the cancellation of coverage.
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ATTACHMENTS AND APPENDICES
Appendix A. Schenectady City School District Wireless Local Area Network
Infrastructure Recommendations for Digital Teaching and Learning
Appendix B. Cost Response Matrix and Cost Response Instructions
Appendix C. Subcontractor Response Template
Appendix D. Geographic Footprint
Appendix E. Special Terms Related Specifically to E-Rate