REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - MSRI · 2015-10-30 · and local system files, publishing scientific and...

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE OUTSOURCED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

SERVICES

October 30, 2015

Contents 1. GENERAL INFORMATION .................................................................................................................................................... 1

1.1 ABOUT MSRI .................................................................................................................................................................. 1

1.2 BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF NEED ................................................................................................................... 1

2. CURRENT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT ................................................................................................... 2

2.1 COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 2

2.2 OPERATING SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS ................................................................................................................... 3

2.3 AUDIO VISUAL SYSTEMS ............................................................................................................................................... 4

2.4 MSRI.ORG ...................................................................................................................................................................... 4

2.5 CLOUD EMAIL ................................................................................................................................................................ 4

2.6 DEMAND ON SERVICES AND RESOURCES ..................................................................................................................... 5

2.7 FUTURE AND ONGOING PROJECTS ............................................................................................................................... 5

3. SCOPE OF WORK AND FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS ........................................................................................................ 7

3.1 User Support ................................................................................................................................................................. 7

3.2 Server/Network Management ...................................................................................................................................... 8

3.3 Web and Applications ................................................................................................................................................... 9

4. ENGAGEMENT METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................................ 11

4.1 User Support ............................................................................................................................................................... 11

4.2 Server/Network Management .................................................................................................................................... 12

4.3 Web Application .......................................................................................................................................................... 12

5. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS ........................................................................................................................ 13

5.1 VENDOR’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE RFP .................................................................................................................. 13

5.2 GOOD FAITH STATEMENT ........................................................................................................................................... 13

5.3 COMMUNICATION AND INQUIRIES ............................................................................................................................ 13

5.4 ADDENDA .................................................................................................................................................................... 14

6. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION .................................................................................................................................................. 14

6.1 Evaluation Criteria ....................................................................................................................................................... 14

6.2 SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION .................................................................................................................................. 14

7. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ................................................................................................................................................... 15

7.1 VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS .......................................................................................................................................... 15

7.2 ENTIRE RFP .................................................................................................................................................................. 16

Schedule “A” Notice of Intention ...................................................................................................................................... 17

Schedule “B” Vendor Certification .................................................................................................................................... 18

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH INSTITUTE OUTSOURCED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES

October 30, 2015

1. GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 ABOUT MSRI The Mathematical Sciences Research Institute (MSRI) is one of the world’s preeminent centers for collaborative

research and is substantially funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). A rotating committee of ten

renowned mathematical scientists governs the Institute’s scientific program with a vision of the field that is

perpetually renewed. A Board of Trustees, composed of accomplished business and academic leaders, oversees

the Institute’s strategy, and assures its operational and financial welfare.

Researchers—some 2000 per year—come to MSRI to work in an environment that promotes creativity and the

effective interchange of ideas and techniques. MSRI features two focused programs each semester, attended by

foremost mathematicians and postdocs from the United States and abroad; the Institute temporarily becomes a

world center of activity in those fields. MSRI’s staff and hosting processes effectively and comfortably support

the visiting academic research community. MSRI takes advantage of its close proximity to the University of

California Berkeley and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and collaborates nationally with

organizations such as the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. The Institute’s prize-winning forty-eight thousand foot

building enjoys spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay. After 30 years of activity, the reputation of the

Institute is such that mathematicians make it a professional priority to participate in the Institute’s programs.

MSRI also serves a wider community through the development of human scientific capital, providing

postdoctoral training to extraordinary young scientists and increasing the diversity of the research workforce.

The Institute advances the education of young people with conferences on critical issues in mathematics

education. MSRI has created a national “math circles” movement of small organizations teaching and engaging

in math as a hobby, beyond the standard curricula, for enthusiastic and often gifted kids. Through bold and

attractive programs and films for the public, MSRI strives to make mathematics accessible and exciting to those

outside the field. The short video at: http://www.msri.org/web/msri/online-videos/special-productions-

events/introduction-to-msri gives a sense of the Institute’s physical plant and activity.

1.2 BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF NEED

MSRI’s Information Technology (IT) was provided by in-house support staff until the spring of 2011 when the

Institute began using an outsourced provider for IT services. The next NSF five year grant period has begun, and

MSRI is accepting multiyear bids for IT services, commencing with the award of a contract, and ending on July

31, 2020. The outsourced IT services sought by this Request for Proposals (RFP) will be partly funded by the NSF

grant.

http://www.msri.org/web/msri/online-videos/special-productions-events/introduction-to-msri

http://www.msri.org/web/msri/online-videos/special-productions-events/introduction-to-msri

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This RFP seeks to identify the vendor with the relevant operational, performance, application, and architectural

requirements of the systems in place who can provide seamless support services in order for MSRI to meet its

business and research needs.

Two modes of service are being considered by MSRI under this RFP:

Option A: A continuation of the existing outsourced approach whereby the vendor will provide all

resources to manage the entire IT operation, including an onsite IT manager who will provide leadership, project

management and collaborate with MSRI’s management to develop strategic direction for IT services at the

institute.

Option B: A hybrid approach, which will rely on an outsourced vendor to provide the bulk of IT services

while working in collaboration with an in-house position providing leadership, strategic direction, and support

for the mathematics applications and computing environment used by the visiting scholars.

2. CURRENT INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ENVIRONMENT

The Information Technology environment at MSRI supports the needs of academic and administrative

computing for the Institute. This is accomplished through the use of specialized research applications and

business productivity tools over a client-server architecture within a local area network. IT has the day-to-day

responsibility of end user support for staff, members, students and affiliates and promotes partnerships with all

departments within the institute, other mathematical institutes, and UC Berkeley to seek solutions in a changing

technological environment.

2.1 COMPUTING ENVIRONMENT

MSRI’s current outsourced IT team provides a customer-oriented service approach that delivers technical

support on all aspects of information services including, but not limited to, desktop computers, mobile devices,

servers, file shares, network connections, core research and administrative systems, Mathematical Research

Applications, msri.org, and Blackbaud financial and development systems.

MSRI’s current active inventory consists of 116 member and public workstations including both local and server

(thin client) processing. Each member's desk has a thin-client Linux (LTSP) workstation with 27" LCD monitor to

provide Internet and local network access, e-mail, mathematical software, access to the MSRI library of

preprints, and streaming video archives, as well as document preparation for journal submissions. For higher

computational needs beyond what a member’s desktop or thin client can offer, MSRI has two remote cycle

servers available for use. These servers offer Xeon 16 core processors each with 128GB of RAM. There are 25

staff computers, with Core i7 processors, 4 Macs and a small inventory of replacement computers for when a

desktop needs servicing. Several laptops are kept for use by both staff and visiting lecturers. A spare “crash

cart” is maintained to immediately replace any workstation or computer within 2 hours, should a failure occur.

In addition to the servers and desktop clients, there are public machines located throughout the Institute which

extend computing services to members, workshop attendees, students, and others who may not have been

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assigned to an office. Wireless access to the Internet and printing services is provided to all members and guests

who bring their own laptops or mobile devices. Existing services allow anyone at MSRI to connect to an open

wireless system, and for those requiring enhanced privacy, a secured wireless network is available.

The MSRI permanent facilities' network consists of a network with a 10 Gbps fiber Backbone. The switches are

enterprise-grade for maximum reliability, and are standardized on industry leading vendors for the main

infrastructure to ensure faster and more efficient support. Greater security and ease of use has been achieved

through an extensive reconfiguration of the network address system utilizing Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN)

which has simplified the network design while grouping resources together regardless of their physical location

in the building. Lecturers currently use MSRI’s laptops for presentations, and there exists a system dedicated for

post-production work on MSRI’s Streaming Video Project (VMath). There are extensive secure and guest

wireless networks throughout the building that will support hundreds of users. MSRI’s wireless network consists

of 11 access points providing coverage to the entire institute with printing facilities on each floor. Multiple

storage and video servers increase the amount of disk space available for member and staff usage, providing the

institute over 24 TB of disk space.

Additionally, MSRI provides webcams and headsets to members to keep in contact and collaborate with their

students and institutions. For higher fidelity there is also a high grade video conferencing system for matters

such as thesis defense and committee and board meetings. All client machines are supported by a server farm

that provides various low level network services (such as DNS, NIS, DHCP, and printing), serving both user data

and local system files, publishing scientific and administrative data on the Internet, trouble ticketing, project

collaboration for staff and members, version control for web developers and so forth. A video server containing

over 12TB of videos exists which houses MSRI’s expanding video library of lectures. To ensure the safety of

member information as well as staff files, MSRI utilizes a two-phase backup policy with local backups going to an

on-premise Network Attached Storage for rapid recovery and a weekly Disaster Recovery backup offsite with

Datasafe.

For security, MSRI employs three ASIC hardware based firewalls. The main firewall (Fortinet) employs a Deep

Packet Inspection technology that analyzes Internet traffic in real time to ensure only legitimate traffic is

allowed through. Two Intrusion Detection Systems are also deployed on the network to observe traffic. Finally,

a network monitoring system is in place to monitor server availability. This system has the capability to notify

the IT staff when a system fails to ensure rapid response in restoring system services.

2.2 OPERATING SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS

MSRI maintains a cost-effective computing and communication environment for mathematical research and

other activities. In order to maintain cost effectiveness, member desktops run Ubuntu Linux while staff

computers run Windows 7 or Mac OS. Server operating systems are generally Linux based, although there are

several Windows 2008r2 servers for MSRI’s accounting software and a legacy 2003 financial system.

For mathematical computation, MSRI maintains site licenses for Magma, Maple, Matlab and Mathematica

compilers and development environments, as well as an extensive library of specialized public domain software

such as Macaulay2 and GAP that were developed by our community for calculation in specific disciplines within

mathematics. Additionally, LaTeX, a scientific editing program, is used by the researchers and some of the staff

at MSRI. It is the use of such applications which makes the MSRI IT environment unique from typical business

environments.

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2.3 AUDIO VISUAL SYSTEMS

MSRI’s use of audio and visual systems throughout the institute ensures that presentations are streamlined and

available to the widest audiences. Although specialized vendors are used for major audio visual upgrades and

repairs, the IT team maintains the equipment and assists lecturers with setting up their presentations. MSRI

maintains VMath, which is the world’s largest mathematical lecture archive on video, bringing the ability to

stream and download lectures on the Internet. The entire video archive of over 12 Terabytes of data

representing over 10,000 videos is available to the public. Videos are converted to Mp4 format for display

and/or download, typically within 30 minutes of the completion of the lecture.

Over the last several years, MSRI and the IT department have delivered various projects to increase staff

productivity. The two most significant projects included the release and ongoing support and development of

NextGen, MSRI’s web application, and the migration to Google Cloud email.

2.4 MSRI.ORG

In early 2013, MSRI launched a re-architecture and re-development of the web application which automates the

majority of its unique business processes. Future plans include integration with MSRI’s packaged Financial and

Development applications.

The MSRI.ORG application, aka: NextGen, greatly enhances the productivity of staff to conduct MSRI business.

User “self-service” is a key attribute to this rewrite, enabling staff and members to securely view and update

their own information, with a limited process/policy for user contribution currently deployed. The application

utilizes open web software technologies allowing for faster and lower cost of ongoing enhancements for the

future. The current vendor is involved in making the most complex content changes with staff involved in

making routine site edits. Since the launch of version 1.0, there have been seven subsequent major releases and

the chosen vendor will be expected to continue following a planned, three release-per-year schedule of

enhancements. MSRI plans to improve the content management system which will integrate a new front-end

design with the backend of NextGen during the coming months; a process which will likely involve the chosen

vendor.

2.5 CLOUD EMAIL

In 2014, MSRI moved from an in-house, out of date, Postfix email system to Google Mail. All staff and other

MSRI associates’ historical email was migrated to the Cloud email. This included half a dozen mailboxes that

each contained over 16GB’s of content, with many containing over 2,000 folders (labels). Some staff operate

multiple accounts/connections, or Mac email, which have stretched the limits of Google Mail.

Although there are some staff who are satisfied with the new email system, there are key stakeholders that

consistently experience usability issues requiring escalation to Google.

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2.6 DEMAND ON SERVICES AND RESOURCES

The MSRI IT team is responsible for supporting twenty-five staff, 130 program members and workshop

participants. Additionally, during the summer months, MSRI conducts Summer Schools which bring in

approximately 200 additional students. On average, the members turnover every 2.5 months which equates to

approximately 260 individual members per academic year, representing an average of one IT onboard and off-

board per day. The bulk of this turnover is concentrated at key times of the year and should not be

underestimated; rather, the demands on IT resources should be assumed to be representative of a larger

organization than would typically be perceived of an organization with a staff of 25 and a membership of 130 at

any given time.

The members are a key priority of ongoing IT support. IT conducts one-on-one orientations to new members

during their first few days of arrival and provides a personal walk-through of the systems to ensure each

member registers and sets up their computing environment correctly. While some members bring their own

computing equipment, for which IT provides support, IT also supports the individual member workstations,

servers and network access provided to the members by the Institute.

Providing computing support to the staff of MSRI parallels the support of members. IT is responsible to ensure

that the computing environment, driving the business needs of the Institute, is available to onsite and remote

users at all times. This requires server and network maintenance, desktop support, problem solving, and

educating staff about applications.

MSRI is a site that requires many distinct IT skill sets depending on the needs/priorities of the Institute.

Specialized mathematical applications are necessary to the research that occurs at the Institute, and therefore,

the ideal partner will expend the effort to learn about and provide staff that can support these applications.

There is a constant need of two and one half to three onsite support resources to support the staff, and

members. At times, there may be additional support needed for weekends, after hours, and registration days.

Beyond regular support, MSRI requires one and one half resources for software development, maintenance and

new enhancement requirements/architecture, infrastructure improvement, health and maintenance,

networking and security, and project management.

2.7 FUTURE AND ONGOING PROJECTS

2.7.1 New Internet Provider - NAT

During the early spring of 2016, MSRI anticipates that it will be changing internet service providers. Although

there will be no decrease in bandwidth, the new service provider will allow less public IP addresses than is

currently available from the current provider. This will require a significant effort to set up Mac address logging,

and NAT the assigned IP addresses to support the number of devices needed. Changes to security policies will be

required as part of the move to the new ISP.

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2.7.2 Offsite backup/DR alternative

MSRI currently performs offsite backups via tape to a secure offsite location (DataSafe). A project to evaluate

alternatives will be needed. Consideration will be taken to a potential partnership with Duke University who has

offered to locate a remote server for Disaster Recovery.

2.7.3 Website enhancements

The msri.org website is constantly being enhanced as part of the ongoing support. Iterations of releases are

every three to four months. This requires quarterly requirements gathering, prioritization, scoping and

development, test and deployment processes.

2.7.4 Workstation refreshes

Every year the institute will refresh approximately 25% of the workstations to keep the inventory modern.

Approximately 30 workstations will be purchased and deployed each year.

2.7.5 Server refresh and Cloud

Every year the institute will refresh servers that require replacement. Each application should be considered for

Cloud deployment when a new version of software or hardware refresh is needed. Generally three to five

servers are refreshed each year. Cloud applications include Google email and drive apps. The Blackbaud

software and msri.org are candidates to move to the Cloud in the future.

2.7.6 Video website UI and Experience

VMath is the legacy video repository that allows searching and playing of over 12TB’s of math videos captured

here at MSRI. A plan to update the User Interface and experience, could require modifications of the back-end

database, search, and msri.org web applications.

2.7.7 Video storage, searching and display

MSRI, in conjunction with the NSF has lead a program to develop a consolidated math search site that will link

back to each of the respective math institute’s video library. IT is responsible for participating in regular calls

with the consortium that is developing the site, assisting with meta tagging and connectivity to the VMath

videos.

2.7.8 Migrate fileserver to Windows Server/ AD

Another important staff improvement for security and productivity will be migrating the staff fileserver and print to a Windows domain. MSRI has 23 Windows7 users and 3 Mac users. All institute files are stored on a Linux (Debian 5.0.8) server today. A project is planned to move the staff to AD and the file and print to a Windows environment. This improvement would enable more security through roles, automated updates, easier support and maintenance and a single backup solution for all staff data.

2.7.9 Regular Blackbaud updates and backups

MSRI runs the full suite of Blackbaud software to automate financials, asset management, donor tracking and web giving. Blackbaud requires regular updates and patches, while its unique backup setting needs regular intervention.

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3. SCOPE OF WORK AND FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

MSRI seeks to contract the following services from the chosen vendor:

1. User support, which consists of ongoing support and maintenance of IT services for MSRI staff and members.

2. Server/network management, which consists of the monitoring and proactive maintenance of IT infrastructure components to ensure constant availability of critical system services.

3. Web and application management and development.

The vendor needs to deliver the support services listed below to MSRI’s Berkeley, CA offices as well as to remote

users.

MSRI seeks a managed IT service provider who will provide all the services necessary to manage, support,

update and maintain the Institute. This will include, but not be limited to:

Management and reporting

Desktop support

Mathematical application support

Scheduled and routine tasks

24x7 monitoring of the server and network infrastructure

Proactive maintenance of systems

Backups

Disaster recovery

Ongoing projects

Development and maintenance of MSRI.org and other sites

plus, other duties required to ensure uninterrupted services to onsite and remote users. The resources needed to meet

the needs of the Institute, will require at least two and one half to three full time onsite resources as well as additional

resources during demand times and emergencies. The Institute will also require at least one and one-half resources in a

combination of off/onsite for website application management, enhancement requirements, development, QA, and

ongoing support.

Please refer to Appendix A which provides a listing of the duties and skill sets required for the institute’s

IT support.

Please refer to Appendix B which provides a listing of the duties and skill sets required to maintain the

MSRI web application.

Please refer to Appendix C which provides the Position Description of the IT Strategist and Technical

Lead to be hired by MSRI for the hybrid approach (Option B).

3.1 User Support

3.1.1 Scheduled and Routine Tasks

Deploy end-user hardware including installations, upgrades and replacements of desktops, laptop computers and related equipment.

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Install, upgrade and refresh operating systems on desktop machines, laptop computers and related equipment, using appropriate deployment tools.

Install, upgrade and configure desktop software, including MS Office, business application programs, mathematical applications, and virus protection.

Set up and manage user accounts and configure user group policies and security, as required.

Manage and organize file directories and work with users to clean up outdated information.

Track hardware assets, software installations, and licenses and update system environment documentation as required.

3.1.2 Troubleshooting and Incident Tracking

Work on-site and remotely to diagnose and resolve problems related to reliability, security, performance, connectivity, and overall functionality of desktops, laptops, printers, and other end user equipment.

Provide desktop software support and work directly with end users to identify and resolve application and operating system issues that hinder productivity.

Maintain formal tracking of user problems using call center/help desk services to monitor incident status, analyze response times, capture user feedback, and provide periodic statistical reports to management.

Provide timely support for a wide diversity of user problems, such as recovery of deleted files and email, repair of user hardware and software, restoration of network connections, etc.

3.2 Server/Network Management


Manage and maintain hardware and software for back-end servers, including file servers, database servers, and web servers.

Manage and maintain LDAP and MS Active Directory infrastructure, including domain controllers, global catalog, and DNS services.

Manage and maintain all network components, including Local Area Network, RDP and VPN access for staff working off-site.

Install upgrades and service packs to system software and maintain anti-virus pattern files, as required.

Coordinate and manage outside manufacturers for the repair of system equipment under open warranty.

Oversee backup processing of files, databases, and email. Configure and manage rotation to off-site storage, applicable tape drives containing updated replications of server file/directory images across the network.

Review and implement automated maintenance processes for key system components.

Monitor system events using appropriate logs and diagnostic tools for proactive analysis of potential problems; server and network monitoring should be automated to continuously filter and analyze system events and automatically notify the call center when critical problems with hardware and software components are detected.

Monitor resource utilization, forecast potential problems, and optimize allocation of critical resources to improve system performance, including disk space, CPU usage and network bandwidth.

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Perform on-site data center tasks to support daily operations, including system reboots, mounting of tapes and DVDs, sending backup media off-site, tracking IT asset inventory, sending and receiving system components, etc.

3.2.2 Failure of Critical System Services

Maintain disaster recovery plan documentation as required to reflect industry best practices.

Assume responsibility for executing the recovery plan when key network and server components fail.

In the event of significant system failure, prepare a written report to management containing an analysis of the cause, description of actions taken, and recommendations for preventive measures to be implemented in the future.

3.3 Web and Applications

Web and Applications include both Internet and Intranet sites:

Internet (primarily NextGen, Vmath and Drupal) consists of internet application developed in Ruby on Rails

(v 3 and 4), CSS – Bootstrap, Javascript-jQuery, Solr/Java- Search Server, Redis/Cache Server running on

LAMP/MYSQL as database. Internet application is accessed by the public, scholars, members and staff for

the information and automation of much of MSRI’s business operations.

Intranet (primarily NextGen along with ZOPE) consists of intranet applications developed as described

above. Intranet applications are accessed by staff and board members.


Maintenance of both Intranet and Internet Applications including the built-in applications but not limited to:

o Ruby on Rails

o Zope

o Drupal

o Liferay Portal Server

o Locomotive CMS

o Paypal Payment Gateway

o OpenLDAP Directory

Implementation of new changes in the applications as and when any new business rules, deployment, logic

processes etc. comes into effect. This includes:

o Requirement gathering with all the stakeholders

o Taking notes and getting a consensus on the ideas

o Build wireframe and prototypes using Balsamiq

o Utilizing an open ended design that’s flexible for later changes

o User sessions to demo POCs, building of prototypes and iterate for final solution

Development of new forms & reports of various modules as needed as required

Regression testing of existing features when new features are added.

Tuning and code changes for optimal performance

Module Version Control of both Intranet and Internet application software

Debugging & fixing of problems arising in the running applications

o Replicate production data to non-production environments for production bug debugging.

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o Fix high priority bugs within 24hrs.

o Building regression test suites to minimize impact to existing functionalities

System and user documentation of both Intranet and Internet applications

Training to the end-users and systems personnel

Maintain both Intranet and Internet Applications so as to ensure its effective day to day operational usage

o Support 24x7 of MSRI internal business applications

o On-call support to address high priority bugs

Debug and fix operational problems

Monitor server & application health

Generate additional reports and modify existing reports & queries

o Support MSRI Staff with new report requests.

o Support/Enhance existing reports

Hands-on assistance to users to resolve any operational doubts as, and when needed, while the Application

is in operation

o Training MSRI Staff on new modules

o Help with existing functionalities

Single point contact for day-to-day maintenance and management of the applications

o On call support

Periodic review of the project by project manager to MSRI management

o Triage issues Reported in JIRA task management system

o Work with MSRI Management to prioritize tasks

o Understand Release Management and can plan releases.

Responsible for data integrity - identify the type & nature of data error and hand-over reports to concerned

users for correction and resubmission. Data to be corrected upon confirmation from the user(s).

o Understand existing Data Structure

o Regular Database Backup Planning & Recovery Management

o Investigate & Recover Data Corruption issues

Interface Software routines by which data is populated from other Systems to this Application Software

Provide the support maintenance to the Interface as long as it is compatible with the database structure of

this Application Software

Document all the changes incorporated in the application software and also improve the documentation of

existing user / system reference manuals of different modules wherever it is necessary and possible

Maintain confidentiality of data, logic or any other matters related to the Applications

Minimum of three (3) major releases per year, of which enhancements will be submitted and prioritized by

MSRI management

Software developers must have knowledge and working experience of all the skills identified in Appendix B

Software developers are required to learn the details of Intranet and Internet application functionality

Service provider shall provide the soft copy of source code and the details of new program developed within

the scope of work / changes in the existing program, their function, flow charts and operational procedure

upon request and at the end of the term of the engagement

Vendor will remove the bugs that are already identified/ will be identified during the contract period - the

list of already identified bugs shall be shared at the time of start of contract

Provide a detailed report of any proposed changes and risks involved along with the implications to MSRI

management for approval before making necessary changes

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Vendor is expected to appraise and advise MSRI of current trends and best practices in the market in

relation to the application software and components being used

The source code, along with all versions developed under the contract, shall be the property of MSRI

4. ENGAGEMENT METHODOLOGY

Service Levels

This section outlines proposed levels of service that MSRI believes are appropriate to fulfill the IT management

requirements outlined above and generally describes the types of resources that should be applied to each

service function. However, MSRI is interested in obtaining a cost-effective IT management solution, so potential

vendors are encouraged to propose service plans that will maximize value to the Institute.

4.1 User Support

MSRI requires full-time support during normal business hours (Monday through Friday, 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM PT)

and believes this support can be best provided by a combination of on-site and remote services. The sections

below outline the key requirements of the user support service levels.

4.1.1 On-Site Services

Since many IT issues of MSRI users require on-site support and troubleshooting, the vendor should schedule resources for a minimum of 40 hours per week in the Institute’s Berkeley office.

Onsite support should assume responsibility for the following functions:

– Scheduled and routine user support tasks.

– Troubleshooting and tracking of technical problems experienced by end users.

– Server operations and support tasks that require presence during working hours.

All onsite support must have good communications skills, be familiar with the Institute’s IT infrastructure, and possess the professional qualifications necessary to perform the functions listed in the previous section.

Onsite support should be able to advise users about and ensure that mathematical applications are working correctly.

4.1.2 Remote Support

When on-site technical support is not available, MSRI staff should be able to contact a call center staffed by technical experts that can assist with system issues.

Call center staff should have remote access to the MSRI’s network and utilize tools that permit remote troubleshooting and problem resolution.

In the event that remote service requests are not immediately handled, the vendor will guarantee reasonable response times based on the severity of the problem. For both on-site and remote service models, the provider should have established procedures for prioritizing and escalating user issues to senior level engineers in the event that problems cannot be resolved by level one support staff.

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4.2 Server/Network Management

Since MSRI’s business activities are highly dependent on server and network availability, the service plan for

these components should focus on preventative maintenance and proactive monitoring while providing a high

level of support for critical system failures. The sections below outline the key requirements of server/network

service levels.

4.2.1 Server/Network Monitoring and Maintenance

Ongoing management of key server/network components should be performed according to a monitoring and maintenance plan developed by the service provider based on an analysis of the current systems infrastructure.

The system management plan should implement automated and manual processes to monitor all critical system components 24/7 and specify procedures for resolving issues through scheduled maintenance and/or generation of high priority incident reports to the helpdesk/call support center.

The vendor should supply appropriate technical staff to carry out routine server/network maintenance tasks for the Institute’s Berkeley office. These services may be performed remotely or on-site and, based on operational constraints, may be executed during or outside of normal business hours.

The vendor should deliver extended support outside of normal business hours for critical system components. When a severe problem is detected, either through a user-initiated report of service failure or real-time alarms from automated monitoring systems, qualified technicians need to be available to resolve and/or escalate the problem.

4.2.2 Critical System Failure

In the event of failure of any major server or network component, the vendor will provide a senior level

engineer who will devote full time to recovery of the failed component. This engineer needs to be familiar with

the details of the Institute’s LAN architecture, server hardware and software, and disaster recovery plan.

Operational constraints or other limitations to provide support for this crisis intervention should be specified in

the proposal.

4.3 Web Application

4.3.1 Web and Application Monitoring and Maintenance

Ongoing management of the Web and Applications should be performed according to a monitoring and maintenance plan developed by the service provider based on an analysis of the current systems infrastructure.

The system management plan should implement automated and manual processes to monitor all web and application components 24/7 and specify procedures for resolving issues through scheduled maintenance and/or generation of high priority incident reports to the helpdesk/call support center.

The vendor should supply appropriate technical staff to carry out routine web and application maintenance tasks for the Institute. These services may be performed remotely or on-site and, based on operational constraints, may be executed during or outside of normal business hours.

The vendor should deliver extended support outside of normal business hours for critical system components. When a severe problem is detected, either through a user-initiated report of service

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failure or real-time alarms from automated monitoring systems, qualified technicians need to be available to resolve and/or escalate the problem.

4.3.2 Critical System Failure

In the event of failure of any major web and application (NextGen, ZOPE), the vendor will provide a senior level

developer who will devote full time to recovery of the failed component. This developer needs to be familiar

with the details of the Institute’s web and applications, server hardware and software, and disaster recovery

plan. Operational constraints or other limitations to provide support for this crisis intervention should be

specified in the proposal.

5. PROPOSAL PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

5.1 VENDOR’S UNDERSTANDING OF THE RFP

In responding to this RFP, the vendor accepts full responsibility to understand the RFP in its entirety, and in

detail, including making any inquiries to MSRI as necessary to gain such understanding. MSRI reserves the right

to disqualify any vendor who demonstrates less than such understanding. Further, MSRI reserves the right to

determine, at its sole discretion, whether the vendor has demonstrated such understanding. That right extends

to cancellation of award, if award has been made. Such disqualification and/or cancellation shall be at no fault,

cost, or liability whatsoever to MSRI.

5.2 GOOD FAITH STATEMENT

All information provided by MSRI in this RFP is offered in good faith. Individual items are subject to change at

any time. MSRI makes no certification that any item is without error. MSRI is not responsible or liable for any use

of the information or for any claims asserted there from.

5.3 COMMUNICATION AND INQUIRIES

Communication must be formally confirmed in writing by a specified procurement official in charge of managing

this RFP process. In no case shall verbal communication govern over written communication.

Applicable terms and conditions herein shall govern communications and inquiries between MSRI and vendors

as they relate to this RFP. Inquiries, questions, and requests for clarification related to this RFP are to be directed

in writing via email to:

Attention: Arthur Bossé, Operations Manager

E-mail: [email protected]

Please place “RFP Outsourced Information Technology Services” in subject line of email on all correspondence.

Communications shall include, but are not limited to:

mailto:[email protected]

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Errors and omissions in this RFP and enhancements. Vendors shall recommend to MSRI any

discrepancies, errors, or omissions that may exist within this RFP. With respect to this RFP, vendors shall

recommend to MSRI any enhancements, which might be in MSRI’s best interests. These must be

submitted in writing and be received prior to November 13, 2015.

Inquiries about technical interpretations must be submitted in writing and be received prior to

November 13, 2015. Inquiries for clarifications/information that will not require addenda may be

submitted to the person named above at any time during this process.

Verbal and/or written presentations and pre-award negotiations under this RFP.

Addenda to this RFP.

5.4 ADDENDA

MSRI will make a good-faith effort to provide a written response to each question or request for clarification

that requires addenda within two (2) business days. All questions, answers, and addenda will be shared with all

recipients.

MSRI will not respond to any questions or requests for clarification that require addenda, if received after

November 13, 2015.

All addenda will be emailed to vendor contacts only.

6. CRITERIA FOR SELECTION

The evaluation of each response to this RFP will be based on its demonstrated competence, compliance, format,

and organization. The purpose of this RFP is to identify those suppliers that have the interest, capability, and

financial strength to supply MSRI with the IT management services identified in the Scope of Work.

6.1 Evaluation Criteria

1. Capability of vendor to meet or exceed requirements set forth in Scope of Work.

2. Expressed interest in working with MSRI.

3. Financial stability of vendor.

4. Ability of vendor to communicate its vision and capacity for establishing a relationship that addresses

current and future needs and trends in the industry.

5. Cost

6.2 SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION

Vendors determined by MSRI who possess the capacity to compete for this contract will be selected to move into

the negotiation phase of this process. Written notification will be sent to these vendors via e-mail. Those vendors

not selected for the negotiation phase will not be notified.

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MSRI reserves the right to issue separate contracts for the services outlined in Section 3 of this RFP.

Contracts will be awarded for the first year to the responsive and responsible bidder(s) and will be awarded for

multiple years, commencing with the award of contract and ending on July 31, 2020. The contract price for years

two through five will be adjusted on August 1 of each subsequent year by the percentage increase, if any, during the

preceding 12 month period beginning August 1, in the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers-San Francisco

Bay Area, published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

7. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

7.1 VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS All vendors must provide the following information in order for their proposal to be considered:

1. A brief outline of the vendor company and services offered, including:

Full legal name of the company

Year business was established

Number of people currently employed

Income statement and balance sheet for each of the two most recently completed fiscal years certified by a public accountant.

2. An outline of the product line-up and/or services currently supported.

3. A description of vendor’s geographic reach and market penetration.

4. A description of vendor’s partnerships and relationships to date.

5. A description of vendor’s current and future strategies in the marketplace.

6. Information on vendor’s current clients, including:

Total number of current clients.

A list of clients with similar needs using similar products and/or services.

Evidence of successful completion of a project of a similar size and complexity.

7. References: Contact information for five references (if possible) from projects similar in size, application, and scope and a brief description of their implementation.

8. Description of proposed IT management services with the following detail:

Proposed staffing, responsibilities, and level of service for user support (including response & resolution timeframes relative to the priority level of the request).

Proposed staffing, responsibilities, and level of service for server/network support (including response & resolution timeframes relative to the priority level of the request).

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Proposed staffing, responsibilities and level of website and application management and development (including response & resolution timeframes relative to the priority level of the request).

9. Professional experience and certifications of provider’s staff who will perform the contracted work.

10. General guidelines for handling user support requests, including criteria for classifying and prioritizing support requests and procedures for escalating critical unresolved issues.

11. Strategy for providing on-site support for critical system issues at MSRI’s location.

12. Contractual terms or conditions, such as minimum contract term, payment requirements, building access, etc.

13. An all-inclusive bid for providing onsite support as required for Option A, and

14. An all-inclusive bid for providing onsite support as required for Option B

15. An all-inclusive bid for providing 24x7 server maintenance

16. An all-inclusive bid for the complete website and application support service.

17. An all-inclusive bid for any after hours or business hours emergency service.

18. Explanation of how errors & omissions in the contractor’s IT management performance are covered.

Incomplete proposals will not be considered. Nothing contained in this Request for Proposal or implied by the selection process shall create any obligation on the part of MSRI to select any firm for the services requested. MSRI reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to select any firm on any basis that it deems appropriate, to decide not to select a firm, or to otherwise modify our approach to the project. By submission of a proposal, your firm represents that the scope of services requested is understood; that all statements contained in your submission are, to the best of your knowledge, true; and that you understand your cost proposal is bound for a period of 60 days from the date of submission. MSRI reserves the right to conduct face-to-face interviews with only those firms whose proposal satisfies the initial review. All questions should be directed to [email protected] through November 13, 2015. Please place “RFP MSRI Outsourced Information Technology Services” in subject line of email on all correspondence. In order to be considered, your proposal must be submitted no later than 5:00 PM on November 30, 2015. Please send your proposal in PDF format to: [email protected]. Please place “RFP MSRI Outsourced Information Technology Services” in subject line of email on all correspondence.

7.2 ENTIRE RFP

This RFP, any addenda to it, and any attachments, constitute the entire RFP.



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Schedule “A” Notice of Intention RFP: “OUTSOURCED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES”

NOTICE OF INTENTION

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

From:

[VENDOR ORGANIZATION NAME]

[AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE]

[TELEPHONE NO.]

[FAX NO.]

[E-MAIL]

Please state your intention with regard to the Request for Proposal “OUTSOURCED INFORMATION

TECHNOLOGY SERVICES” by selecting one of the following:

[ ] Intends to respond to Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Request for Proposal

[ ] Does not intend to respond to Mathematical Sciences Research Institute Request for Proposal

TO:

MSRI

17 Gauss Way

Berkeley, CA 94720

Attention: Arthur Bossé, Operations Manager

Fax: (510) 642-8609

E-mail: [email protected]

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Schedule “B” Vendor Certification RFP: “OUTSOURCED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES”

This certification attests to the vendor’s awareness and agreement to the content of this RFP and all

accompanying calendar schedules and provisions contained herein.

The vendor must ensure that the following certificate is duly completed and correctly executed by an

authorized officer of your company.

This proposal is submitted in response to “OUTSOURCED INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICES” issued by

Mathematical Sciences Research Institute. The undersigned is a duly authorized officer, hereby certifies that:

(Vendor Name)

agrees to be bound by the content of this proposal and agrees to comply with the terms, conditions, and

provisions of the referenced RFP and any addenda thereto in the event of an award. Exceptions are to be

noted as stated in the RFP. The proposal shall remain in effect for a period of 60 calendar days from date of

submission.

The undersigned further certify that their firm (check one):

IS

IS NOT

currently debarred, suspended, or proposed for debarment by any federal or California state entity. The

undersigned agree to notify Mathematical Sciences Research Institute of any change in this status, should one

occur, until such time as an award has been made under this procurement action.

Person[s] authorized to negotiate on behalf of this firm for purposes of this RFP are:

Name: Title:

Signature: Date:

Name: Title:

Signature: Date:

Signature of Authorized Officer:

Name: Title:

Signature: Date:

APPENDIX A IT RESPONSIBILITIES AND SKILLSETS

Duty Skillset Required Notes

Domain Name Management

Purchasing, Renewals Project/Account Management Annual renewals throughout the year, paid for on Credit Card (CC)

Admin (adds, deletes, etc.) Website Management With Mgmt. Approval if cost involved

Procurement Mgmt/approval of procurement is from Ops Mgr

Supplies Purchasing/Receiving Annual and as needed - majority of costs on CC

Inventory Purchasing/Receiving Annual and as needed - majority of costs on CC

Credit Card receipts and Account allocation

Project/Account Management Submitted to Accounting monthly

Help Desk

Supervision/ Consulting Project/Account Management Escalation to specialists outside of onsite team when needed

Daily tech support Windows OS/Linux OS/Ubuntu/PC Hardware/Mac OS/Samba Networking/LDAP/LTSP/Math Applications/Printers/Networking/Troubleshooting/GMAIL/Google Services

Ticket tracking system Ticket Service Systems Provide a web based ticketing, tracking and reporting system

Weekly reporting to Mgmt Project/Account Management Monthly reporting per NSF and NSA requirements

Phone Admin

Communicate with staff about changing needs

Project/Account Management help users, identify connectivity issues



Work with UCB and Facilities Project/Account Management Escalate to UCB or Facilities if not connectivity or user issue

Intranet Staff Directory Windows Networking/Samba Networking/LDAP

edits as requested, maintain member display panel

Intranet/Google Forms Management GMAIL Admin/Google Applications As requested or as problems arise.

Intranet Content Management HTML/Content Editing Coordinate with Ops Mgr for approvals

Internet Web sites and page support HTML, Drupal, PHP, ZOPE, MYSQL User driven updates, Patch upgrades, Short urls, layouts, escalate to Dev/Maint.

Gmail

Management GMAIL Admin Provide System Admin. Support

Tech Support Google Applications/Google Groups/Troubleshooting/GMAIL, PostFix, sendmail,Cyrus

Work with current gmail and legacy email systems

Archiving Policies Backupify

Policy and Compliance

Policy Development Project/Account Management Coordination with MSRI Management

Compliance Monitoring Project/Account Management Regular penetration testing and reporting, regular maintenance of systems



Data Security

Management Security Best Practices

Technical UCB or EsNet Compliance Internet Protocol/Networking/Routers/Firewalls

Manage internet and coordinate with ISP vendor (currently Esnet and moving to UCB in 2016). Rearchitecture of IP address space, NATing required before UCB move.

General Security Compliance Firewall, router, UCB network compliance, antivirus, security patches

Data Backup and Resilience" Backup Exec, r-sync, NFS, tape, NetBackup Backup and Disaster Recovery

Regular outside testing and reporting to Mgmt

Project/Account Management Quarterly reporting or as needed on demand

Ongoing Upgrades and Patches Computer Administration/Linux/Windows/Mac Apps above OS include Blackbaud (RE, FE), MS Office, Math Apps, Browsers, Antivirus, etc..

Project plan coordinated with MSRI Calendar

Project/Account Management Hardware and software upgrades and patches per best practice in coordination with MSRI calendar so as not to disturb attendees

Execution of plan and reporting to Mgmt

Project/Account Management Coordinate with staff and report results to Mgmt

Support for Workstation & Server Hardware issues

PC Hardware/Mac Hardware/Servers/NAS/Video/Security/HVAC/Virtualization/Networking

Vmware and various vendors



Workstation prep and deployment Windows/Linux/Ubuntu/Mac/Computer Administration/PC Hardware/Mac Hardware/Cable and Network Management/Wireless

Inventory Control Project/Account Management track all IT equipment

Repair & Upgrades Windows/Linux/Mac/Computer Administration/PC Hardware/Mac Hardware

Database and Applications

Various SQL/MySQL/PostgreSQL

Mathematical Computation and editing Applications

Mathematica, Magma, Maple, Matlab, Sage, Macaulay2, GAP, LaTeX

Installation, Maintenance, Desktop Support

Event Support

Board and special meetings after hours Desktop and AV Approximately 60 hours per year evenings and weekends as needed

Coordination with MSRI IT Staff (Option B)

Division of responsibilities/duties Project/Account Management



Daily coordination, communication, documentation

Project/Account Management

Smartphones, Tablets, Mobile Devices

Support as needed 24/7 - on call Windows/Linux/Android/Mac/IOS/VPN/SVN/GitHub

User training and support Windows/Linux/Android/Mac/IOS

Mobile device management software Windows/Linux/Android/Mac/IOS

Network Administration

Management Network Administration

Monitoring NewRelic, Fortinet, Autotask End Point Management, etc

Regular Maintenance Network Administration Perform best-practice proactive

maintenance to all IT devices

Fortinet Firewall Firewalls, Fortinet Proprietary

Wifi Devices

Meraki, Channel Administration

Hardware / Software installations & Upgrades

PC Hardware/Mac Hardware/PC Software/Mac Software/Linux Software

see list of software

New server creation and deployment PC Hardware/Mac Hardware/PC Software/Mac Software/Linux Software

Ability to build and setup from scratch

Internet services Computer Networking/Internet Protocols/Routers/Firewalls

UPS/redundant/backup power

UPS Systems



Network Switches

Juniper Switches, Stacking, VLAN,

VPN/remote Management

Forticlient, SSH, Remote Desktop, SFTP

Networking printers and print server Print Server, Vendor Mgmt Coordinate with Printer management vendor

PC Kiosk Desktop support Entry way Kiosk

IT Resources

Password Management Project/Account Management Provide secure password management repository/tool

Library of software and archived data Project/Account Management Manage physical software, Datasafe offsite

IT Documentation and Procedures libraries

Project/Account Management Manage system (currently IT Docs)

APPENDIX B SOFTWARE DEV AND DEVOPS RESPONSIBILITIES AND SKILLSETS


Non-NextGen

Secure.msri.org Zope, Python, Linux/Debian Zope server, former WebSite. Still have old content that’s served such as old videos etc.

Mathcircle website support Drupal, PHP, MYSQL, Linux Drupal based site.

NextGen Primary Development of msri.org Ruby on Rails Development(V 3,

4), Rails Caching Mechanism msri.org development

MySQL Database Development

CSS - Bootstrap

Javascript - jQuery

Solr/Java - Search Server

Redis/Cache Server, Must have experience Installing a cluster, managing caching life cycle

Locomotive CMS, Liferay Portal Server

NewRelic Application Monitoring msri.org Health Monitoring

NewRelic Server Monitoring

Bunsnag Exception Monitoring

Linux msri.org Infrastructure Management

Logwatch/SSH/Cron

Monit Monitoring

Munic Monitoring



awstats Server Analytics

Google Analytics

Understanding and maintenance of 3rd party dependencies such as GMAIL SSL MAIL Transport, POSTFIX RELAY Configuration, OPENLDAP Setup & Data Synchronization Issues, PAYPAL Payment Systems Gateway, PDF generation, Bugsnag Realtime Exception management System

GIT

Workshop Participation msri.org requirement gathering

Balsamiq prototyping tool

Understanding Software Development Life Cycle in an iterative process

Understand Code Promotion Methodology from Development, Staging and to productions

Knowledge of rspec, capybara, & selenium to write automated test cases. Understanding of Bamboo Continuous integration Server

Understanding of Release Management Process. This includes managing Ongoing High Priority Bugs and also tasks &



features slated for regular release cycle.

Understand Performance Testing and execute Load testing

Triaging of Ongoing issues and Releases

msri.org Release management and triaging

Release Management and scheduling

Ongoing Deployment Activities to Staging, Validation and Production Deployment

msri.org Deployment Coordination & Management

Devops msri.org Capistrano Tasks related to deployment

Linux

Jira/Wiki msri.org Jira Installation/Administration Task related to project management and documentation

Confluence Installation and Administration

LDAP integration, OpenLDAP Directory

Videos NAS Management Video related delivery mechanism

Video Upload and Conversion Technologies

videojs.org Video Player configuration



Drive.msri.org Linux NFS Management All files used by msri.org

Directory.msri.org LDAP Server Installation and Management

Open LDAP server for integration of msri.org, jira & wiki

Linux

Appendix C Position Description

IT Strategist and Technical Lead

Position: IT Strategist and Technical Lead

Reports to: Operations Manager

Location: Mathematical Sciences Research Institute 17 Gauss Way Berkeley, CA 94720-5070

The IT Strategist and Technical Lead contributes to the development of the strategic direction for

information technology at the Institute and will work together with onsite consultants , playing a key

role in supporting the work of MSRI’s resident scholars and dedicated staff.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

Provide hands-on leadership and oversight of the operation of onsite IT services.

Oversee and work collaboratively with onsite consultants as well as outside vendors.

Administer the Institute’s Linux and Mac-based systems, including operating system installation/updates, diagnosis/resolution of hardware problems, installation and ongoing support of math applications and text editors.

Help mathematicians work more productively through established IT systems and software.

Assist key MSRI staff with math applications and text editors.

Required Skills and Experience:

Bachelor’s or higher degree or 5+ years’ experience in an IT leadership role and/or relevant work experience with mathematical software tools.

Experience with administering Ubuntu Desktop Linux, LTSP, in an environment of 30 or more networked desktops.

Desired Skills and Experience:

Experience administering closed and open source scientific software such as Matlab, Maple, Mathematica, Sage, Magma, LaTeX and others.

Hands-on experience with Windows, Mac, Google mail and Google applications.

Experience working in an academic environment with a focus on higher education/research computing.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - MSRI · 2015-10-30 · and local system files, publishing scientific and...

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