Request for Proposal for Schenectady City School District ......School District also reserves the...

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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


Fax: 518.881.3409

Email: [email protected]

mailto:[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,


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 offered in this category. Manufacturers responding to this RFP may delegate

certified vendors for these functions by completing the Subcontracting section of the RFP.


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


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

16

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 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.


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


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.


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




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.


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.



C. Cable and Cable Installation Services Mandatory Vendor Response Requirements





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

23

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

24

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.

25

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.

26

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

27

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

28

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.

29

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

30

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.

31

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

32

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

Request for Proposal for Schenectady City School District ......School District also reserves the...

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