General Information · Web viewA pre-proposal conference will be held on January 8th, 2014 at the Dixon University Center at 1:30pm EST. Directions and parking instructions can be

Request for Proposals

For

Telecommunications ServiceInternet Service

Issued by:Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education

Office of the Chancellor

RFP #2013-IT-MSB-29

Issue Date: December 20, 2013

Response Date: January 31, 2014

Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education


RFP #2013—IT-MSB-29

RFP # 2013-IT-MSB-29

Table of Contents

Page

Part I General Information........................................................................................................................................4

Part II Information Required from Suppliers..................................................................................................13

Part III Criteria for Selection.....................................................................................................................................19

Part IV Work Statement .............................................................................................................................................22

Appendix A Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Contract

Appendix B Supplier Response Form

Appendix C Cost Proposal

Appendix D PASSHE Main Campus Locations

Appendix E Additional PASSHE Locations

Appendix F Potential Gateway Locations

Appendix G Current PASSHE Gateway Locations

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

Activity DateDeadline to submit questions to Melodi Benson, Issuing Officer on the eProcurement exchange: https://www.ebidexchange.com January 6th, 2014

Optional Pre-Proposal Conference: Potential Suppliers shall rsvp to Melodi Benson prior to the Pre-proposal Conference.

PASSHE

Melodi Benson, Director Strategic Sourcing

2986 North Second Street

Harrisburg, PA 17110

Richards Hall, Room 102

(Directions to PASSHE and campus map: http://www.dixonuniversitycenter.org/directions.asp

Wednesday January 8th 20141:30 pm

Answers to all questions posted on the eProcurement exchange: https://www.ebidexchange.com

Monday January 12th, 2014

Sealed proposals must be posted on the eProcurement exchange by: Jan 31st, 2014

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https://www.ebidexchange.com/Default.aspx?cid=82810cea-bc7a-4b3c-a173-0933695fbe73

http://www.dixonuniversitycenter.org/directions.asp

https://www.ebidexchange.com/Default.aspx?cid=82810cea-bc7a-4b3c-a173-0933695fbe73




Part I

General Information

I-1 Purpose

This Request for Proposals (RFP) provides qualified suppliers with sufficient information to prepare and submit proposals for consideration by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (PASSHE) to provide Internet services for PASSHE.

I-2 Issuing Office

This RFP is being issued for PASSHE by the issuing office listed below. The Issuing Office is the sole point of contact for this RFP. Please refer all inquiries to:

Melodi Benson, Director Strategic [email protected]

Note that only information supplied by the Issuing Office, including written responses to questions regarding the RFP, should be used in preparing Supplier proposals. Any and all other contracts or information received regarding the subject prior to the release of this RFP should be disregarded in preparing responses.

From the issue date of this RFP until a determination is made regarding the selection of a supplier, all contacts concerning this RFP must be made through the Issuing Office. Any violation of this condition is cause for PASSHE to reject a Supplier’s proposal. If it is later discovered that any violations have occurred, PASSHE may reject any proposal.

I-3 Pre-Proposal Conference

A pre-proposal conference will be held on January 8th, 2014 at the Dixon University Center at 1:30pm EST. Directions and parking instructions can be found using the link specified on page 3 of this RFP. The meeting room will be in the Richards Hall building, Room 102. All Suppliers are to check in at the security desk in the Administration Building. The purpose of this conference is to clarify any points in the RFP which may not have been clearly understood. Questions must be forwarded to the Issuing Office prior to the meeting to ensure sufficient analysis can be made before an answer is supplied. In view of the limited

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mailto:[email protected]




facilities available for the conference, it is requested that representation be limited to 2 individuals per Supplier. The pre-proposal conference is for information only. Answers furnished during the conference will not be official until verified, in writing, by the Issuing Office. Attendance at the pre-proposal conference is optional. Please submit the names and titles of those attending from your organization to the Issuing Office by January 3rd, 2014. Promotional items shall not be provided at this conference.

I-4 Questions and Answers

Any questions regarding this RFP must be submitted to the Issuing Officer via this RFP on the eProcurement Exchange website or at the Optional Pre-proposal Conference.

I-5 Addenda to the RFP

Any RFP addenda/updates will be made available at PASSHE’s eProcurement Exchange. Those Suppliers who registered at eProcurement Exchange will be automatically notified of responses to questions concerning the RFP. However, it is the Supplier’s responsibility to check the site periodically to obtain any changes to the solicitation. Suppliers must acknowledge all addenda in their proposal response. Suppliers who fail to submit responses to the current copies of the solicitation may be deemed non-responsive. If a Supplier does not have the capability to use the eProcurement Exchange, please notify the Issuing Office.

I-6 Rejection of Proposals

PASSHE reserves the right to reject any and all responses received from Suppliers as a result of this RFP and to cancel this solicitation at any time prior to the execution of any contract.

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I-7 Contract

The initial term of the Contract will be three (3) years.

The term of the Contract shall commence on the Effective Date (as defined below) and shall end on the Expiration Date identified in the Contract, subject to the other provisions of the Contract. The Effective Date shall be: a) the Effective Date printed on the Contract after the Contract has been fully executed by the Supplier and PASSHE (signed and approved as required by PASSHE contracting procedures) or b) the "Valid from" date printed on the Contract, whichever is later.

It is proposed that, if a contract is entered into as a result of successful negotiations, each selected Supplier will be required to sign a standard Commonwealth of Pennsylvania contract. This agreement will contain the provisions shown in the sample document attached as Appendix A. Proposal/contract negotiations may be undertaken with Suppliers whose proposals show them to be qualified, responsible, and capable of performing the work. The “Work Statement,” as negotiated, will be incorporated into the standard contract . Terms and conditions are negotiated upon issuance of intent to award to the supplier. However, some of the terms are not negotiable as they are required to do business with the Commonwealth. Prohibited contract clauses include assignment clauses, law of the contract, attorney’s fees, court costs, entry of judgment, indemnity and hold-harmless clauses, arbitration clauses, payment in advance and payment of insurance. (Note: Appendix A is a sample document only and is not required to be returned with your proposal.) Suppliers must submit any exceptions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania contract in their response and include any contracts, orders forms, and terms/conditions for which the Supplier requires signature.

The Supplier will be deemed to have accepted the standard terms and conditions, except as are expressly called out in the Supplier’s proposal. If exceptions are taken, the Supplier must submit a “redlined” version of the term or condition showing all modifications proposed by the Supplier. The Supplier must provide an explanation as to why the modification is required.

I-8 Renewal of Contract TermThe Contract may be renewed for a maximum of two (2) additional one-year term(s), so long as PASSHE provides a written letter of intent to renew the Contract to the Supplier no later than 90 days prior to expiration of the term. Any renewal will be under the same terms, covenants and conditions. Any necessary changes in the scope of work to be performed (whether through request by PASSHE, a member University or recommendation by the Supplier) must be mutually agreed upon through a Contract amendment during renewal option years.

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I-9 Incurring Costs

PASSHE is not liable for any costs or expenses incurred by Suppliers in the preparation or submission of their proposals or for attendance at any conferences or meetings related to this RFP.

I-10 Supplier Responsibilities

Suppliers will be expected to register at PASSHE’s eProcurement Exchange in order to submit proposals. The individual listed will be the sole point of contact with regard to contractual matters.

I-11 Prime Contractor/Subcontracting

The successful Suppliers will be considered to be prime contractors with respect to any supplies/work they are awarded and solely responsible for any subcontractor they propose for this work. Any use of subcontractors must be clearly defined in the supplier’s proposal and approved by PASSHE. Prime contractors are encouraged to solicit quotes from Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises when requiring subcontractors.

I-12 Economy of Preparation

Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of the Supplier’s ability to meet the requirements of this RFP.

I-13 Disclosure of Proposal Contents

The Supplier’s proposals will become part of the contract award resulting from this RFP and are not, therefore, confidential. PASSHE has the right to use any concepts presented in any reply to this RFP. Selection or rejection of a proposal does not affect this right.

Please be advised that effective January 1, 2009, all responses to this procurement opportunity are subject to Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §67.101 et seq., (Act 3 of 2008). Refer to section I-20.

I-14 Debriefing Conference

Suppliers whose proposals are not selected will be notified of the name of the selected Supplier(s) and will be given the opportunity to be debriefed. The purpose of the debriefing is not to compare proposals, but to provide information that may assist individual suppliers in preparing future proposals. The issuing office will schedule the date, time, and location of all debriefing conferences.

I-15 Bid/Proposal Protest

Timely information on filing a bid/proposal protest may be found at:

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http://www.passhe.edu/partners/Pages/Solicitation-Supplemental-Information.aspx

I-16 News Releases

News releases pertaining to this RFP may not be made without PASSHE’S approval, and then only in coordination with the issuing office.

I-17 Response Date

To be considered, proposals must be received by the issuing office (via PASSHE’s eProcurement Exchange on or before January 31st at 3:00pm. Late submissions will not be accepted.

I-18 Proposals

To be considered, proposals must consist of a complete response using the format provided in Appendix B of this RFP.

Proposals must be submitted utilizing PASSHE’s eProcurement Exchange. If a Supplier does not have the capability to use this eProcurement tool, please notify the issuing office. Proposals must consist of a complete response to the requirements outlined herein and shall be submitted to the issuing office no later than the required submission date. No other distribution of proposals will be made by the Supplier. Proposal contents will become contractual obligations if and when a contract is executed. For this RFP, the proposal, as submitted, must remain valid during the entire solicitation, award, and contract finalization process.

I-19 Cost Data

All cost data for the proposal shall be submitted as a separate document, apart from the Technical Proposal. Absolutely no pricing can appear anywhere in the Technical Proposal. Failure to meet this requirement will result in automatic disqualification of the proposal.

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http://www.passhe.edu/partners/Pages/Solicitation-Supplemental-Information.aspx




I-20 Objections and Additions to Standard Contract Terms and Conditions. The Supplier will identify which, if any, of the terms and conditions (contained in Appendix A) it would like to negotiate and what additional terms and conditions the Supplier would like to add to the standard contract terms and conditions. The Supplier’s failure to make a submission under this paragraph will result in its waiving its right to do so later, but the Issuing Office may consider late objections and requests for additions if to do so, in the Issuing Office’s sole discretion, would be in the best interest of PASSHE. The Issuing Office may, in its sole discretion, accept or reject any requested changes to the standard contract terms and conditions. The Supplier shall not request changes to the other provisions of the RFP, nor shall the Supplier request to completely substitute its own terms and conditions for Appendix A. All terms and conditions must appear in one integrated contract. The Issuing Office will not accept references to the Supplier’s, or any other, online guides or online terms and conditions contained in any proposal.

Regardless of any objections set out in its proposal, the Supplier must submit its proposal, including the cost proposal, on the basis of the terms and conditions set out in Appendix A.

I-21 Rejection of Proposals

PASSHE reserves the right to reject any and all responses received from Suppliers as a result of this RFP and to cancel this solicitation at any time prior to the execution of any contract.

I-22 Cancellation of the RFP

PASSHE may cancel or withdraw a Request for Proposal in whole or in part at any time prior to award of a contract.

I-24 On-Site Presentation/Demonstration

Suppliers who meet the initial qualification criteria may be required to make an onsite presentation. The outline for the material to be covered in the presentation will be provided to Suppliers at least two weeks in advance of the presentation date. All Suppliers who are invited to make a presentation will be given the same outline to ensure that the presentations are consistent. All presentations will be held at the same location and each Supplier shall be allowed the same amount of time for their presentation. All costs

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associated by such presentations will be borne by the Supplier. Promotional items shall not be provided at these presentations.

I-25 Discussions for Clarification

Suppliers may be required to make an oral or written clarification of their proposals to the Issuing Office. The purpose of such a presentation will be to clarify the Supplier’s proposal to ensure a thorough understanding of the project. This will be scheduled only if deemed necessary, and at no cost to PASSHE. PASSHE may, however, award the contract or determine finalists without benefit of an oral presentation.

I-26 Amendment or Withdrawal of Proposals

A proposal may be amended and/or withdrawn by a Supplier through written notice to the Issuing Office prior to the proposal submission deadline specified in the RFP.

I-27 Best and Final Offers

While not required, the Issuing Office reserves the right to conduct discussions with Suppliers for the purpose of obtaining Best and Final Offers (BAFOs). Contract negotiations may be pursued with a subset of compliant Suppliers whose proposals best meet financial, contractual, and technical and support requirements for PASSHE. Negotiations will be opened with firms of lower preference (one at a time, in order of preference) only if a fair and reasonable set of fees/billable rates and/or agreement of final contract terms and conditions cannot be established with the firm of higher preference.

I-28 Supplier Responsibility Program

Suppliers must certify that they are not currently under suspension or debarment by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, any other state, or the federal government to the best of their knowledge. Additionally, Suppliers must certify that they are not tax delinquent with either the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue or the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry to the best of their knowledge. Suppliers must acknowledge that, if they are currently under suspension or debarment, or if they owe delinquent taxes, their proposal may not be accepted or considered. Supplier will certify to all of the above upon submittal of their proposal.

I-29 Open Records

Please be advised that effective January 1, 2009 all responses to this procurement opportunity are subject to the Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law, 65 P.S. §67.101 et seq., (Act

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3 of 2008). The Right-to-Know Law permits any requestor to inspect and/or copy any record prepared and maintained or received in the course of the operation of a public office or agency that is not subject to the enumerated exceptions under the law. If your response to the procurement opportunity contains a trade secret or confidential proprietary information, you should include with your response a separate signed written statement to that effect. Should your response become the subject of a Pennsylvania Right-to-Know Law request, you will be notified by the procurement office to identify all trade secrets or confidential and proprietary information that is included in your response. The agency will then determine whether the claimed trade secret or confidential and proprietary information is subject to disclosure.

I-30 Type of Contract

Any contract entered into as a result of this RFP by the issuing office is eligible for (optional) use by all of the universities that are a part of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education (“PASSHE”), and the interested Suppliers agree to supply the goods/services to those universities on the same terms and conditions. To the extent that other universities procure from this order/contract, they assume the liability for payment to the Supplier.

PASSHE reserves the right to:

a. Not award a contract

b. Award a single contract for all services as specified in this RFP

c. Award multiple contracts for the services as specified in this RFP. PASSHE will award up to 6 contracts as a result of this RFP.

This RFP shall not result in an exclusive rights contract.

PASSHE does not guarantee that it will request services from every Supplier with which it contracts as a result of this RFP.

The right of multi-university use of any contract resulting from this RFP does not provide a guarantee of multiple site/entity use, nor does it provide exclusive rights to the selected Supplier.

It is expected that each contract resulting from this proposal will be issued for a three year time period with the option to renew for two additional one year renewals for a total of five years.

I-31 Acknowledgement

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By submitting its proposal, the Supplier understands, represents and acknowledges that:

A. All information provided by, and representations made by, the Supplier in the proposal are material and important and will be relied upon by the Issuing Office in awarding the contract(s). Any misstatement shall be treated as fraudulent concealment from the Issuing Office of the true facts relating to the submission of the Supplier’s proposal. A misrepresentation shall be punishable under 18 Pa. C.S.§4904.

B. The price(s) and amount of the Supplier’s proposal have been arrived at independently and without consultation, communication, or agreement with any other Supplier, Supplier, or potential Supplier.

C. Neither the price(s) nor the amount of the proposal, and neither the approximateprice(s) nor the approximate amount of the Supplier’s proposal, have been disclosed to any other firm or person who is a Supplier or potential Supplier, and such prices will not be disclosed on or before the proposal submission deadline specified in this RFP.

D. No attempt has been made or will be made to induce any firm or person to refrain from submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, or to submit a proposal with higher pricing than this proposal, or to submit any intentionally high or noncompetitive proposal or other form of complementary proposal.

E. The proposal is made in good faith and not pursuant to any agreement or discussion with, or inducement from, any firm or person.

F. The Supplier has not, under separate contract with the Issuing Office, made any recommendations to the Issuing Office concerning the need for the services described in the RFP or the specifications for the services described in the RFP.

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PART II

INFORMATION REQUIRED FROM SUPPLIERS

Suppliers must submit their proposals in the format, including heading descriptions, outlined below. To be considered, the proposal must, at a minimum, conform to all requirements in part IV of this RFP. Suppliers should provide any other information thought to be relevant, but not applicable to the enumerated categories, as an appendix to the Proposal. All cost data relating to this proposal and should be kept separate from and not included in the Technical Submittal. Each Proposal shall consist of the following two separately sealed submittals:

A. Technical Submittal - Cost data cannot appear in the technical submittal. Technical submittals should not exceed 20 pages, double-sided (minus references and sample reports).

B. Cost Submittal - Suppliers must utilize Appendix C, Cost Submittal Form to enter cost data. Cost submittals must be submitted in a separate file. Cost data will not be reviewed until the technical evaluation is complete.

Submission Instructions

PASSHE is utilizing an electronic procurement system for its solicitations. In order to submit a proposal, interested suppliers need to register at PASSHE’s eProcurement Exchange. Registration is a free process that takes only a few minutes to complete. Once registered, suppliers may obtain all solicitation documents, receive notification of solicitation updates, and submit and update their confidential proposals online.

Proposals that are not in compliance with RFP guidelines may not be considered. Important: Suppliers should contact the issuing office if they are unable to register correctly, or if they experience difficulty in uploading/downloading documents from the eProcurement Exchange.

Response Format: Proposals are to be straightforward, clear, concise and specific to the information requested. In order for Proposals to be considered complete, Suppliers must provide the information requested in Part IV of this RFP. As part of their Proposals, Suppliers must provide firm fixed pricing on the services being offered. Suppliers must submit pricing as required by Part II of this RFP. Pricing shall include all anticipated charges. Additional Information: In addition to responding to the information requested in Part II of this RFP and the Appendices to this RFP, include the following information as well.

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Provide information on sustainability initiatives, if any.

Provide information on diversity initiatives, if any.

List any other value-added services.

Supplier Registration Instructions: To register, visit the eProcurement Exchange and click on the ‘Register’ tab and enter the required information. A “Vendor Quick Start Guide” is also available to assist in the registration process.

Using PASSHE’s EProcurement Exchange: Sealed Bid Confidentiality – At no time can any other supplier see your electronic proposal. Confidentiality of Identity – When questions are asked and answered, bidder identity is not disclosed to other bidders.

Documents – All documents may be downloaded directly to your computer (suppliers must be registered to access documents).

Being added to the “Bidders List” – By downloading any document, you are automatically added to the list of bidders for the solicitation.

Questions – by clicking on the “Questions” tab, you can see all questions that have been asked and answered related to the solicitation. You can also ask questions directly through this tab. When PASSHE answers the question, both the question and answer are emailed directly to all bidders. The identity of the supplier asking the question is not disclosed.

Submitting and Updating Bids – You may submit and update your bid anytime up to the bid due date and time by clicking on the “Bid” tab.

What to Submit with your Proposal:

Click on the “Bid” tab.

Answer Request For Information (RFI) items if provided.

Attach a zipped folder containing the documents listed below:

Technical Proposal

Cost Proposal

Any additional appendices to the technical or cost proposal (please review carefully to ensure your technical documents do not contain cost information).

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How to Submit your Proposal: Save your files as a single zipped folder. From the Bid tab, click on “browse” (middle of the page), then find and select the zipped folder name. The zipped folder will be attached to your bid submission when the Submit Bid button is clicked. The maximum individual file or folder size is 20Mb. Instructions to zip a file are in the FAQ section at the eProcurement Exchange. Refer to Microsoft’s Help Guide for additional instructions. Contact the issuing office for assistance if needed.

Verifying that your Proposal was Submitted - If submitted properly, you will receive an acknowledgement appearing in the middle of your screen saying “Your bid has been recorded” and a bid receipt number will be provided.

Withdrawing Your Proposal - You may withdraw your proposal at any time up to proposal due date and time by simply clicking on Withdraw Bid, located at the bottom of the Bid tab.

Help Guides - There are several Help Guides and video tutorials available on the various screens. If additional support is needed, please contact the issuing office.

Technical Submittal

Supplier Requirements and Required Information

Use the Supplier Response Form in Appendix B to provide the information needed for PASSHE to evaluate the proposal.

II-1. Statement of the ProblemState in succinct terms your understanding of the problem presented or the service required by this RFP.

II-2. Management SummaryState in succinct terms:

A. Your understanding of the problemB. Services required by this RFPC. Description of your proposed solutionD. A list of the items to be deliveredE. Services to be providedF. Participation required from PASSHE

II-3. Work PlanDescribe in narrative form your technical plan for accomplishing the work. Use the task descriptions in Part IV, Work Statement of this RFP as your reference point. Modifications of the task descriptions are permitted; however, reasons for changes should be fully explained.

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Suppliers are encouraged to submit sample reports and other relevant information to the scope of services described within this RFP.

Suppliers should include plans for complete implementation during the time frame indicated in this RFP, including timelines and charts, including any information that is required from the universities to achieve the implementation.

In addition you can use your proposal submission to indicate any offerings or services that you feel should be considered in the evaluation of your proposal.

While Suppliers are encouraged to submit the most creative, cost effective proposal possible, the inclusion of extraneous commercial and/or sales literature as a substitute for responses to questions included in the proposal is strongly discouraged. Any supplemental information that you elect to provide should be attached as additional appendices.

II-4. PersonnelInclude the number and names where necessary, of key personnel who will be engaged in the work, including resume or similar documents, qualifications, education, certifications, and experience. Indicate the responsibilities each will have in this project/service and how long each has been with your company. Indicate if the individuals will be exclusively assigned to PASSHE for the time and activities to which they are assigned. The Supplier shall ensure that staffing resources involved with the design, implementation, transition, administration and support of all functions with these services have training, certification and hands-on working experience.

Identify subcontractors you intend to use and the services they will perform.

II-5. Prior Experience and ReferencesSuppliers shall describe their experience in providing similar services for other higher educational institutions and/or corporations. In addition, provide a reference list of at least three different clients to whom Supplier has provided similar services. References must include customer or institution name, address, telephone number, and contact name. References should only be provided for the past five (years).

II-6. Supplier BackgroundAs a potential Supplier, you need to provide detailed information on the following:

A brief overview of your company. Include brief history, Mission statement, etc. Name and address (corporate office), primary Contact person – phone/fax/e-mail/etc. Supplier’s Organizational Chart. How many employees do you have?

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Financial filings from last two fiscal years. What is your total annual revenue? Describe other services you provide Demonstrate your capabilities in providing requested services.

II-7. TrainingProvide detailed information on any individual University or group training to be included under this contract. Explain how your company will train University staff. Include personnel to be trained, timeline and any other execution details.

II-8. AppendicesInclude any additional information which will help PASSHE fully understand the proposal.

II-9. Pennsylvania “Prevailing Wage” Rates. Purchase orders issued under this contract may be for services and/or work as part of projects considered to be Public Work, according to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania statutes. Such projects are therefore subject to the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act, 43 P.S. §165-1 et seq., as amended, and any purchase orders for services and/or work on such projects may also be subject to the Act. In such cases, the Contractor will be required to comply with, and will be subject to, the provisions, duties, obligations, remedies and penalties of the Act, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.

II-10. Pennsylvania Requirements for Public Works Purchase orders issued under this contract may be for services and/or work as part of projects considered to be Public Work, according to Commonwealth of Pennsylvania statutes. Such projects are therefore subject to the PA Act 127 of 2012, the Public Works Employment Verification Act, also known or referred to as PA E-Verify, which took effect January 1, 2013. In such cases, the Contractor will be required to comply with, and will be subject to, the provisions, duties, obligations, remedies and penalties of the Act, which is incorporated herein by reference as if fully set forth herein.

Cost Submittal

Appendix C, Cost Submittal Form shall constitute the Cost Submittal for this RFP. Cost data shall include individual University pricing and usage discounts for the initial, three (3) year contract term. Suppliers shall complete and submit Appendix C, Cost Submittal Form.

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Provide a clear, detailed and inclusive description of the compensation your firm would expect for services to PASSHE during the performance of the required tasks. Explain how and when PASSHE can expect to be invoiced for these charges.

All cost data for the proposal shall be submitted in a file separate from the technical proposal. Use the format provided in Appendix C. Failure to meet this requirement will result in the automatic disqualification of the proposal.

Cost data consists primarily of providing recurring and non-recurring rates for Internet service to one or more locations in Pennsylvania. The maximum term for these services should be three (3) years, although no term is required.

Suppliers should explain their policy on charges for early termination of services.

The Cost Submittal may contain, in the optional section, rates for any future locations in Pennsylvania to which PASSHE might wish to obtain Internet service. PASSHE understands that Suppliers are not able to guarantee the non-recurring costs for such services. Information on how non-recurring charges are determined should be entered the “Non-recurring charges” tab of the Cost Submittal spreadsheet. Suppliers are not required to submit cost information for future PASSHE locations. All travel costs are to be included in proposed charges.

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PART IIICRITERIA FOR SELECTION

III-1. Mandatory Responsiveness RequirementsTo be eligible for selection, a proposal must be:

A. Timely received from the Supplier; B. Properly signed by the Supplier

III-2. Evaluation of ProposalsAll proposals that meet the Mandatory Responsiveness Requirements will be initially reviewed and evaluated by a committee of qualified personnel selected by PASSHE. Qualified Suppliers may be contacted to participate in demonstrations and which shall entail further technical evaluation by the committee. The committee will recommend for selection the proposal(s) that most closely meet the requirements of this RFP and satisfy PASSHEs needs. Negotiations may ensue with the highest rated Supplier for the purpose of establishing fair and reasonable fees/billable rates. Negotiations may be opened with firms of lower preference (one at a time, in order of preference) only if a fair and reasonable set of fees/billable rates and/or agreement of final contract terms and conditions cannot be established with the firm of higher preference.

III-3. Selection CriteriaThe following areas of consideration will be used in making the selection (criteria are not listed in priority order):

A. Understanding the Problem - This refers to the Supplier’s understanding of PASSHE’s needs that generated the RFP, of PASSHE’s objectives in asking for the Service, and of the nature and scope of the work involved.

B. Soundness of Approach - Emphasis here is on the solutions proposed, whether the technical approach is completely responsive to all specifications and requirements contained in the RFP, and whether the response meets PASSHE’s objectives. This includes but is not limited to a clear demonstration of a comprehensive work plan that addresses the requirements and tasks specified in the RFP.

The key criteria utilized to conduct the technical evaluation include:

Ability to provide effective telecommunications services Technical capabilities Conformance to standards and inter-operability between multiple providers Forward-looking, standards-based technology Scalability Disaster recovery capabilities

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Network management Network reliability Service Level Agreements (SLAs) Project Plan and Schedule

C. Supplier Qualifications - This includes the experience, expertise, and resources of the Supplier to meet the terms of this RFP. This includes the competence of personnel who would be assigned by the Supplier as stated in Part II-6. Qualifications of personnel will be measured by experience, education, and certifications held, with particular reference to experience on projects similar to that described in the RFP.

The overall strength of the Supplier will be evaluated based upon the overall capabilities of the Supplier and the type and quality of subcontractors selected. The capabilities will be evaluated in the following areas:

Technical Competencies Supplier Experience and Results of References Account Management Team Network Management and Support Systems Ordering and Billing System/Methodology Financial Strength and Stability

III-4. ScoringThe point allotment for evaluation purposes of this RFP shall be as follows:

A. Technical - Evaluation will be based upon the selection criteria in Section III-3: Selection Criteria. The final Technical scores are determined by giving the maximum number of technical points available to the proposal with the highest raw technical score.

B. Cost - The Cost criterion is rated by giving the proposal with the lowest total cost the maximum number of Cost points available.

Each proposal is to provide complete pricing and cost information using the format of Appendix C. The following criteria will be used to evaluate the Cost Proposal:

Best price is overall lowest cost over three years for the components of the base proposal.

Pricing is complete and easy to understand and able to be used to project cost increase(s) with growth.

Pricing must include all recurring and non-recurring charges.

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PASSHE’s Internet utilization diminishes substantially during the summer months. PASSHE is open to pricing regimes that provide reduced costs during periods of reduced usage.

The Supplier must agree to pay, on PASSHE’s behalf, all state and federal taxes, fees and surcharges on the services which the Supplier provides to PASSHE through this RFP. These taxes, fees and surcharges are not to be included in the rates submitted in the Cost Submittal, and are to be listed separately on all invoices. .

III-5. Errors and Omissionsa. In the absence of other information in this RFP, the Supplier should assume that

PASSHE intends to implement “best practices” in the implementation of these services.b. The Supplier shall abide by and comply with the true intent of the specifications (i.e. not

take advantage of any unintended error or omission).

III-6. IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Check PASSHE’s eProcurement Exchange for addenda related to this RFP. Potential Suppliers who submit their intent to bid via the eProcurement Exchange site will

automatically be notified through email of any solicitation addenda. Carefully review all listed requirements and required documents to be submitted to ensure

compliance with the RFP. Proposals should be submitted via the eProcurement Exchange

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https://www.ebidexchange.com/Default.aspx?cid=82810cea-bc7a-4b3c-a173-0933695fbe73&uid=00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000




Part IV

Work Statement

IV-2 Current environment

1) PASSHE currently uses network services, including Internet and Internet 2 access, provided through a wide area network (WAN) named SSHEnet. This network is operated by the PASSHE Network Operations Center (NOC) for the benefit of PASSHE’s member universities.

2) SSHEnet consists of multiple Ethernet circuits, provided over a SONET fiber optic network. All the network applications required by PASSHE are supported across this network, including Internet and Internet 2 access. SSHEnet physically connects to each PASSHE campus via one or more Gigabit Ethernet circuits.

3) Most campuses are connected to the Internet through Internet gateways operated by SSHEnet, which provide both primary and secondary Internet service. Current gateway locations can be found in Appendix G. These gateways are connected to Points of Presence (PoPs) operated by the current supplier in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York and the Washington DC area. Several campuses have circuits that connect directly to the current supplier. The primary connections between PASSHE campuses and the SSHEnet gateways range from 50Mbps to 1Gbps. Secondary connections range from 50Mbps to 300Mbps. The Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) is used to manage the primary and secondary connections, via ASN prepending and local preference manipulation.

4) Additionally, SSHEnet is connected to Internet2 via a 200Mbps Gigabit Ethernet connection through the SSHEnet gateway at West Chester, which is connected to Drexel University.

5) PASSHE is also a member of the Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research (KINBER).

IV-3 Objectives

1) PASSHE wishes to enter into new contracts for Internet service.2) PASSHE requires diverse redundant Internet service (for IP versions 4 and 6) for the

PASSHE campuses listed in Appendix D: PASSHE Main Campus Locations. 3) Suppliers must propose to provide Internet service:

a. To one or more PASSHE “gateways”, to which multiple PASSHE Campus Locations will be connected

b. Directly to PASSHE Main Campus Locations, from one or more Supplier PoPsc. A combination of the two approaches above may be proposed

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4) PASSHE desires to use at least two different Suppliers to provide redundancy with additional diversity. Therefore Suppliers are not required to submit proposals that provide Internet service to every PASSHE Campus Location, either through a gateway or directly.

5) PASSHE will decide, based on the services offered by the selected Supplier(s) and its own best interest, whether any service obtained by PASSHE through this Request for Proposals will be a primary (always active) or backup (used when desired) service. PASSHE will consider proposals which would result in all primary services, as well as proposals that might result in services which are only used when PASSHE desires.

6) Service must be available by July 1st, 2014.7) Responses to this Request for Proposal should contain verification that the Supplier meets

PASSHE’s requirements as a Supplier and a list of compliant services which the Supplier proposes to provide to PASSHE. Each service must meet the technical requirements listed in this RFP. In addition the Supplier must submit responses to the requests in the Required Information section.

IV-4 Nature and Scope of the Project

1) PASSHE requires diverse redundant Internet service (for IP versions 4 and 6) for the PASSHE locations listed in Appendix D: PASSHE Main Campus Locations.

a. Suppliers shall provide diverse Internet service through either or a combination of the following two methods:i. via one or more Internet gateways, connected to geographically diverse Supplier

PoPs1. PASSHE gateways may be located at one or more of the Potential

Gateway Locations listed in Appendix F2. Internet service to gateways will be provided over one or more

Gigabit Ethernet or 10Gigabit Ethernet circuitsa. Initially at most one 10Gigabit Ethernet circuit per gatewayb. One or more Gigabit Ethernet circuits may be required

instead3. Internet service will be distributed to PASSHE’s Main Campus

Locations by Gigabit Ethernet circuits obtained and managed by PASSHE

4. PASSHE may obtain Internet gateway services from multiple Suppliers.

5. PASSHE will consider Supplier responses which include a single PASSHE Gateway Location.

ii. via circuits directly to PASSHE Main Campus Locations from geographically diverse Supplier PoPs over Gigabit Ethernet circuits

iii. Initially two Gigabit Ethernet circuits, one each for primary and secondary Internet service, per Main Campus Location, at most or all locations

b. For the purposes of this RFP, the terms “diverse redundant Internet service” and “geographically diverse Supplier PoPs” will have the following meanings:i. diverse Internet service: an Internet service will be considered to be diverse if

every Supplier PoP which provides Internet service for any particular PASSHE Campus Location has sufficient connections to diverse major markets, so that

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the loss of connections to a single market through one or both Supplier PoPs will not significantly impact the Internet service provided to PASSHE Campus Locations

ii. geographically diverse Supplier PoPs: a set of Supplier PoPs will be considered to be geographically diverse if there are at least 100 miles between the Supplier PoPs which provide the diverse Internet service for any particular PASSHE Campus Location

2) The list of PASSHE Main Campus Locations can be found in Appendix D. This Appendix includes street addresses, latitude and longitude where available, and demarc information.

IV-5 Requirements

1) The Supplier must propose to provide Internet service to PASSHE by one or both of the following two options:a. The Supplier may choose to propose providing Internet service to one or more PASSHE

Gateway Locations, using a 10Gigabit Ethernet circuit or one or more Gigabit Ethernet circuits, depending on the bandwidth desired by PASSHE, at one or more PASSHE Gateway Locations.

i. Transport from the gateways to the PASSHE Main Campus Locations will be provided by PASSHE

ii. If a Supplier chooses to propose more than one Gigabit Ethernet circuit as a means to provide Internet service to a gateway, the multiple circuits must be capable of being combined into a single “virtual” circuit, or “trunked”, so that the entire bandwidth of the connection is available to every PASSHE campus that is connected to that gateway.

1. There is a section in the Required Information where the Supplier must define the method used for combining multiple Gigabit Ethernet circuits together.

b. The Supplier may choose to propose providing Internet service directly to PASSHE Main Campus Locations from the Supplier PoPs across Gigabit Ethernet circuits.

c. Suppliers may provide pricing information for sub-rate services (service limited to less than the maximum capacity of the physical circuit).

i. If the proposed sub-rate service is also burstable, then the Supplier must include in the cost section the rate at which bursts will be charged. Bursting should be determined on a monthly basis, and the charges for bursts should be per Mbps of burst.

ii. There is a section in the Required Information where the Supplier must define the method used for determining burst sizes and thereby charges.

2) Supplier Network Requirementsa. Supplier Networks must provide adequate diversity, capacity and redundancy to

provide reliable Internet service.i. All Internet services provided to PASSHE Gateway Locations or PASSHE Main

Campus Locations must have at least two significant next hop connections to major Supplier PoPs or major Internet service providers (second hop diversity).

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ii. All Internet services which are provided to PASSHE Gateway Locations or PASSHE Main Campus Locations must have diverse fiber paths to their major next hop connections (diversity of fiber to second hops).

iii. Every Internet service provided to PASSHE Gateway Locations or PASSHE Main Campus Locations must have sufficient connections so that the loss of any single connection at a Supplier PoP will not significantly impact the Internet service provided to PASSHE.

3) Supplier Equipment Requirementsa. All Supplier network equipment must be interoperable with network equipment from

major vendors, including Cisco and Juniperb. The Supplier will be responsible for selecting, purchasing, obtaining and installing any

and all necessary equipment at PASSHE Gateway or Campus Locations to connect PASSHE’s network edge equipment, currently Cisco 7600 routers, to the Supplier network.

i. The Supplier will retain ownership of all such equipment, and will be responsible for all maintenance, upgrades, configuration, repair and disposal of this equipment.

4) Ethernet circuit Requirementsa. All Gigabit or 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections between PASSHE Main Campus or

Gateway Locations and Supplier PoPs will provide guaranteed bandwidth across any intermediate network, whether operated by the Supplier or not, sufficient to provide the full Internet service bandwidth requested by PASSHE over that connection.

i. All sub-rate connections will have Committed Information Rates (CIR) equal to the level of service which PASSHE has requested.

b. All Gigabit and 10Gigabit Ethernet connections must be full duplex.c. No portion of the connection between any Supplier PoP and a PASSHE Campus or

Gateway Location may utilize wireless technology.d. Standards

i. All Gigabit Ethernet connections must be compliant with the IEEE 802.3z standard.

ii. All 10Gigabit Ethernet connections must be compliant with the IEEE 802.3ae standard.

iii. Supplier equipment and services are expected to conform to all standards necessary to implement Gigabit and 10Gigabit Ethernet circuits.

5) Internet Service Requirementsa. All Internet traffic which the Supplier transports to or from any PASSHE Location will be

unmodified by firewalls, shapers, proxies, NAT devices or similar equipment.i. The proper use of SONET technology to transport PASSHE traffic is acceptable.

b. All Internet service connections between the Supplier network and PASSHE Gateway or Main Campus Locations will use the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to exchange dynamic routing information.

i. Current PASSHE network address blocks1. PASSHE Main Campus Locations have over 30 IP version 4 address

blocks assigned for their use.

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2. PASSHE Main Campus Locations do not currently have any Provider Independent IP version 6 address space assigned to them; however, it is likely that IPv6 network address blocks will be a part of the PASSHE network when the services obtained as a result of this RFP are implemented.

3. PASSHE has been assigned an Autonomous System number (ASN), 22192, which PASSHE will continue to use.

ii. Each Supplier connection must be capable of accepting and propagating throughout the Internet any and all PASSHE network address blocks announced by PASSHE via BGP to the Supplier.

iii. Each Supplier connection must be capable of supplying each PASSHE connection with the full Internet route table via BGP.

iv. PASSHE is requesting no IPv4 network address blocks.v. PASSHE is requesting no IPv6 network address blocks.

vi. Supplier equipment and services are expected to conform to all standards necessary to implement IPv4 and IPv6 network connections using BGP as the dynamic routing protocol.

6) Operational Requirementsa. The Supplier must operate a Network Operations Center (NOC), which must be staffed

7x24x365 with qualified personnel able to resolve network problems involving the Supplier network and services.

i. The Supplier must provide PASSHE with full access to the Supplier NOC as needed to support Internet services provided by the Supplier to PASSHE and to resolve network problems involving these services

ii. The Supplier NOC on-duty personnel must be able to be reached by email and telephone at any time.

1. The Supplier NOC personnel must be able to provide telephone support to PASSHE network operations staff, including immediate problem resolution for critical and important issues.

2. The Supplier NOC must provide customer notifications of important events which impact or may impact the reliability or performance of the services which the Supplier provides to PASSHE.

3. The Supplier NOC must provide analyses, when requested by PASSHE, of events which impact the reliability or performance of the services which the Supplier provides to PASSHE.

iii. The Supplier must provide, if selected, a complete set of escalation procedures, to allow PASSHE access to higher level support personnel and upper level management personnel, including email and 7x24x365 telephone contact information.

iv. The Supplier NOC personnel must be able to assist PASSHE in resolving performance and security-related network events and issues, including, but not limited to Denial of Service (DOS) attacks and Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks.

b. Scheduled maintenance to the Supplier network or Supplier provided connections to PASSHE Locations should be conducted between the hours of midnight and 6am, Eastern Time (2am-6am preferred).

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i. The Supplier must provide PASSHE with at least 3 days advance notice of any scheduled maintenance affecting PASSHE services.

ii. Supplier personnel must provide notifications to designated PASSHE personnel at the beginning and end of all scheduled maintenance events.

7) Account Management Requirementsa. The Supplier will act as a single point of contact (SPOC) for all PASSHE communications

regarding the services provided by the Supplier.b. The Supplier must designate an Account Manager for PASSHE, who will function as the

primary point of contact for the relationship between PASSHE and the Supplier.c. Invoicing and Payment

i. PASSHE expects timely, accurate and complete invoices.ii. Each invoice must include all applicable state and federal taxes, fees and

surcharges, including Federal Universal Service Fund charges, for which the Supplier can make payments for PASSHE.

8) The Supplier must provide Service Level Agreements (SLAs) for its Internet service. There is a section in the Required Information where the Supplier must provide information on the offered SLAs.

IV-6 Required Information

1) Qualifications and Experiencea. The Supplier must provide information on the qualifications and experience of its

personnel that will implement and support the services provided to PASSHE. This information should include:

i. The names, roles, qualifications, and credentials of personnel who will plan, implement and support the services provided to PASSHE.

b. The Supplier must provide a description of past and current experience with providing services with similar size and scope to those requested by PASSHE.

c. The Supplier must provide a list of 3 current and recent reference accounts and references from its customer base, with contact information. PASSHE will contact some or all of these reference accounts.

2) Technical Informationa. The Supplier must provide a description of the Supplier network topology and network

facilities. This description should include i. Detailed descriptions of any equipment that will be deployed by the Supplier to

any PASSHE Gateway or Campus Location.ii. The location of all pertinent Supplier PoPs which will be involved in providing

Internet service to PASSHE, the equipment deployed at these locations, and list the all protocols and procedures used at these locations.

1. The service area for each PoP and the extent of services provided to other customers should be included.

iii. Descriptions of the involvement of any and all subcontractors and/or supporting networks or suppliers.

iv. A description of network design features employed to provide reliable Internet service to PASSHE.

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1. This should include detailed information on how PASSHE will be connected to the Internet using the Supplier’s services, including connections to

a. Tier 1 and Tier 2 Internet service providersb. Exchange Pointsc. National Backbonesd. Regional Peeringe. Regional Service Providers

i. Cable companiesii. K-12 networks

iii. Government networksf. Regional Networksg. Research Networksh. International Connections

2. This should include all elements used to provide diversity and redundancy in the network design.

v. Information on available capacity in the Supplier network to meet PASSHE’s requirements, and/or plans to expand capacity to meet PASSHE’s needs

1. This should include historical information on the utilization of connections in the Supplier network.

2. This should include information on the Supplier’s policies on the oversubscription of backbone links, and the Supplier’s policy on adding capacity to its backbone links.

vi. Information on the paths that fiber connections that would be used to provide the Supplier’s services, including diagrams

1. This should include information on how these fiber paths will be used to protect services provided to PASSHE

2. PASSHE may use fiber path diversity as a significant element in its choice of Suppliers and services

b. Etherneti. Any Supplier providing “trunked” Gigabit Ethernet circuits must describe the

equipment, technology and standards used to implement trunking.c. BGP

i. The Supplier should provide information on its experience with and use of BGP in its network design and operation. This should include information on its experience, use of and support for

1. The use of BGP communities2. Its policies regarding and configuration for route dampening3. Its policies for announcing and scheduling modification of BGP setting

and operations, including handling customer requests d. Reliability Features and Enhancement

i. The Supplier should provide descriptions of any additional capabilities which enhance the Supplier’s services, including the reliability, performance and/or security of the offered services.

1. e.g. diverse fiber paths, multipoint Ethernet, carrier Ethernet, multiply connected PoPs, multiple BGP next hops, multiple NOCs and/or call centers, out of band management

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ii. The Supplier should provide a description of any features, processes or procedures designed to enhance the value of its network and services to provide Business Continuity and/or Disaster Recovery (BC/DR). The Supplier should provide information on its disaster avoidance plans.

iii. The Supplier should provide information on any contingency plans for unusual events that may cause a disruption to the services provided to PASSHE

1. Human causes, such as war, riots and strikes2. Natural causes such as hurricanes, floods and blizzards3. Technical causes such as fiber cuts, power loss, and blackouts

iv. The Supplier should provide a copy of its policy for handling of critical and priority requests.

e. The Supplier must provide descriptions of any sub-rate services which it offers, including how sub-rate services will be implemented.

i. A description of how traffic bursts will be handled must be included, for services which allow bursting and for services which do not.

ii. Any Supplier providing a burstable option must provide information on how the billing for burstable services will be determined/

f. The Supplier should include descriptions of any Quality of Service options which would be available to PASSHE.

g. The Supplier should include information of any means by which it can provide PASSHE with access to Internet2, including a diagram of circuits and Internet 2 connections.

3) Security Servicesa. The Supplier must provide information on what assistance its NOC can assist PASSHE in

resolving network issues involving security issues, including DOS and DDOS attacks.b. The Supplier should include any information on services it provides which can help

PASSHE meet its requirements under the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA).

4) Site Requirementsa. The Supplier must provide any requirements needed for equipment which it will place

at any PASSHE Gateway or Campus Location, including i. Space

ii. Electrical poweriii. Fiber paths and conduits

5) Operational Informationa. The Supplier should provide information on how requests for new services, service

modifications, cancellations and upgrades, are scheduled and implemented, including any limitations on accepting requests and minimal, average and maximum times for implementing such requests.

i. Any information on recurring and non-recurring costs for such requests must be submitted only in the Cost section of the response.

b. The Supplier should provide information about online resources such as websites or portals which would contain information about the services which the Supplier will provide to PASSHE

c. The Supplier should provide information on any monitoring and statistics capabilities that would be available to PASSHE, either as a part of the basic Internet service or as options. These capabilities might include

i. Online Statistics

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ii. Reportsiii. Alerts and Updatesiv. Proactive monitoringv. Any information on costs for such services must be submitted only in the Cost

section of the response.d. The Supplier should provide information on the history of issues with its Internet

service, including information on the i. Frequency of Issues by Problem Type and Severity

ii. Mean and maximum time to resolutione. Invoices

i. The Supplier must supply a sample invoice.ii. The Supplier must indicate how invoices will delivered, and provide a list of how

payments may be made.6) Account Management

a. Describe the role and responsibilities of the Account Manager.b. The Supplier should provide information on their dispute resolution procedures.

i. Describe the role of the Account Manager in the dispute resolution process.7) Service Level Agreements

a. The Supplier should provide full information on any Service Level Agreements (SLAs) covering the Internet service provided to PASSHE.

b. This should include information on what each SLA covers, how it is assessed and triggered, how penalties are determined, and whether the Supplier or PASSHE would need to initiate the application of SLA penalties.

c. Potential SLAs cover i. Initial service delivery (days from date the order is placed)

ii. Service availability 1. Triggered by complete or partial service impairment

iii. Packet lossiv. Jitter and/or packet delay variationv. Latency

vi. Service delivery timeframes for1. New services2. Service modifications

d. The Supplier should provide a history of recent SLA violations.8) The Supplier should include information on any other services included in the Supplier’s basic

Internet service.9) The Supplier should include information on any additional optional services.

a. Internet Services for additional PASSHE locations (Appendix E) may be also be proposed. There is a separate section of the Cost Submittal for branch campuses. Suppliers should list all additional locations to which they are able to provide Internet service. Suppliers should include an appendix to their response which describes the services which would be available to these additional locations, and any ways in which this service would be different from the service provided to PASSHE Main Campus Locations or Gateways. Pricing for services to additional locations will not factor into the cost analysis of proposals.

b. Any information on costs for such services must be submitted only in the Cost section of the response.

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10) Transitiona. Supplier shall provide a work plan that includes provisions for tasks, milestones,

resource requirements and other dependencies required to successfully execute the transition. This work plan will later be developed into a more detailed transition plan created jointly with PASSHE upon contract award.

i. The Supplier must demonstrate that it can effectively manage the installation to the proposed environment and provide ongoing support.

ii. Ability to implement all services to all requested locations.iii. Program Management: Designation of an individual who will perform as project

manager and be the single-point-of-contact.iv. Project Plan: Project plan to be submitted within the proposal identifying

milestones leading up to and including the service start date. The project plan needs to contain sufficient milestones for measuring interim progress, allowing for identification of potential delay such that contingency plans can be discussed by the Supplier with PASSHE that can put the overall project back on schedule. The project plan shall include a project summary that clearly identifies start-dates for services to all locations.

v. Project Status Meetings: There are to be regularly scheduled project status meetings between the Supplier’s project manager and PASSHE. At each project status meeting, the Supplier’s project manager is to give a detailed verbal report with a summary written report of the current status of all project milestones and identification to PASSHE of any problems or potential problems that might delay overall project completion on schedule.

vi. Contingency Planning: Sufficient planning should be presented in the proposal and project plan that demonstrates the capability of the Supplier for developing, presenting, and discussing contingency efforts at project status meetings; efforts that can make up for interim delays and complete the total installation of all service(s) to all locations by the final completion date requested.

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Appendix A: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Contract

See the attached file “PASSHE standard contract.pdf”.

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Appendix B: Supplier Response Form

Requirements

Supplier Requirements

For the requirements tables, use the following responses—Supplier must respond to all requirements listed

Supplier Response Key

Y Requirement will be met by the Supplier

S Requirement met with stipulations (please specify stipulations in comments section)

N Requirement will not be met by Supplier

Supplier Requirements Y or N CommentsSupplier certifies that they are not currently under suspension or debarment by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, any other state, or the federal government, to the best of their knowledge.Supplier must agrees to pay, on PASSHE’s behalf, all state and federal taxes, fees and surcharges on the services which the Supplier provides to PASSHE through this RFP.All circuits used to provide services to PASSHE Locations will be 1G or 10G EthernetAny services provided across multiple circuits will be trunkedAll Internet services provided to PASSHE Gateway Locations or PASSHE Main Campus Locations will have at least two significant next hop connections to other major Supplier PoPs or other majo9r Internet service providersAll Internet services which are provided to PASSHE Gateway Locations or PASSHE Main Campus Locations will have diverse fiber paths to their major next hop connections.Every Internet service provided to PASSHE Gateway

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Locations or PASSHE Main Campus Locations will have sufficient connections so that the loss of any major connection at one of these PoPs will not significantly impact the Internet service provided to PASSHEAll equipment used by the Supplier to provide Internet services to PASSHE will be interoperable with network equipment from major vendors, including Cisco and JuniperSupplier will select, purchase, obtain and install all equipment at PASSHE Gateway or Campus LocationsThe Supplier will be responsible for all maintenance, upgrades, configuration, repair and disposal of all equipment installed at PASSHE locationsAll Gigabit or 10 Gigabit Ethernet connections between PASSHE Main Campus or Gateway Locations and Supplier PoPs will provide guaranteed bandwidth across any intermediate network, whether operated by the Supplier or not, sufficient to provide the full Internet service bandwidth requested by PASSHE over that connection.All sub-rate connections, if available, will have Committed Information Rates (CIR) equal to the level of service which PASSHE has requested.All Gigabit and 10Gigabit Ethernet connections will be full duplexNo portion of the connection between any Supplier PoP and a PASSHE Campus or Gateway Location will utilize wireless technologyAll Gigabit Ethernet connections will be compliant with the IEEE 802.3z standardAll 10Gigabit Ethernet connections will be compliant with the IEEE 802.3ae standardAll Supplier equipment and services will conform to all standards necessary to implement Gigabit and 10Gigabit Ethernet circuitsAll Internet traffic which the Supplier transports to or from any PASSHE Location will be unmodified by firewalls, shapers, proxies, NAT devices or similar equipment.All Internet service connections between the Supplier network and PASSHE Gateway or Main Campus Locations will use the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to exchange dynamic routing informationEach Internet service will accept and propagate throughout the Internet any and all PASSHE network address blocks announced by PASSHE via BGP to the

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Supplier.Each Internet service connection will be able to provide the PASSHE router with the full Internet route table via BGP.Each Internet service connection and all Supplier equipment used in these connections will conform to all standards necessary to implement IPv4 and IPv6 network connections using BGP as the dynamic routing protocol.The Supplier operates a Network Operations Center (NOC), which must be staffed 7x24x365 with qualified personnel able to resolve network problems involving the Supplier network and services.PASSHE will have full access to the Supplier NOC as needed to support Internet services provided by the Supplier to PASSHE and to resolve network problems involving these servicesThe Supplier NOC on-duty personnel will be reachable by email and telephone at all timesThe Supplier NOC personnel will be available at all times to provide telephone support to PASSHE network operations staff, including immediate problem resolution for critical and important issues.The Supplier NOC will provide notifications to PASSHE of any and all important events which impact or may impact the reliability or performance of the services which the Supplier provides to PASSHE.The Supplier NOC will provide analyses, when requested by PASSHE, of events which impact the reliability or performance of the services which the Supplier provides to PASSHE.The Supplier will provide to PASSHE a complete set of escalation procedures, which will allow PASSHE access to higher level support personnel and upper level management personnel, including email and 7x24x365 telephone contact information, when a contract is reached between PASSHE and the Supplier.The Supplier NOC personnel has expertise and experience in resolving performance and security-related network events and issues, including, but not limited to Denial of Service (DOS) attacks and Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attacks, and will assist PASSHE in resolving these kinds of issues, at PASSHE's request.Scheduled maintenance to the Supplier network or Supplier provided connections to PASSHE Locations will be scheduled for and conducted between the hours

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of midnight and 6am, Eastern Time.The Supplier will provide PASSHE with at least 3 days advance notice of any scheduled maintenance affecting PASSHE services.Supplier personnel will provide notifications to designated PASSHE personnel at the beginning and end of all scheduled maintenance eventsThe Supplier will act as a single point of contact (SPOC) for all PASSHE communications regarding the services provided by the Supplier.The Supplier will designate an Account Manager for PASSHE, who will function as the primary point of contact for the relationship between PASSHE and the Supplier.Supplier invoices will include all applicable state and federal taxes, fees and surcharges, including Federal Universal Service Fund charges, for which the Supplier can make payments for PASSHE.The Supplier’s response includes information on its Service Level Agreements (SLAs).

Required Information

Required Information ItemII-1 Statement of the ProblemII-2 Management SummaryII-3 Work PlanII-4 PersonnelII-5 Prior Experience and ReferencesII-6 Supplier BackgroundII-7 TrainingQualifications and ExperienceProvide information on the qualifications and experience of personnel that will implement and support the services provided to PASSHE. This information should include their names, roles, qualifications, and credentials.

Provide a description of past and current experience with providing services with similar size and scope to those requested by PASSHE.

Provide a list of 3 current and recent reference accounts and references from its customer base, with contact information.

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Technical InformationNetwork DesignProvide a description of the Supplier network topology.

Provide a description of the Supplier network facilities.

Provide detailed descriptions of any equipment that will be deployed by the Supplier to any PASSHE Gateway or Campus Location.

List the locations of all pertinent Supplier PoPs which will be involved in providing Internet service to PASSHE, the equipment deployed at these locations, and list the protocols and procedures used at these locations. Copies of important procedures may be attached as appendices to the response. Describe the service area for each PoP and the extent of services provided to other customers.

Describe of the involvement of any and all subcontractors and/or supporting networks or suppliers.

Describe any network design features which will be deployed to provide reliable Internet service to PASSHE.

Provide information on available capacity in the Supplier network that will be used to meet PASSHE’s requirements.

List any steps which will be taken to expand the Supplier’s network capacity to meet the needs of PASSHE or other customers.

Provide historical information on the utilization of connections on portions of the Supplier network which will significantly impact the performance of Internet services provided to PASSHE.

What policies are used to manage oversubscription on backbone links in the Supplier’s network?

What policies and procedures are used to determine when backbone capacity is added to the Supplier’s network?

Provide information on the fiber connections that will be used to provide Internet services to PASSHE. Diagrams may be added as appendices to the proposal.

How will these fiber paths be used to protect the services provided to PASSHE?

Describe the equipment, technology and standards used to implement trunking of Ethernet circuits, if applicable.

BGPProvide information on experience with and use of BGP in the network design and operation.

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Describe the support for and use of BGP communities.

Provide any policies implemented regarding route dampening.

Describe all policies in place for announcing and scheduling modifications of BGP setting and operations, including handling customer requests.

Service EnhancementsProvide descriptions of any additional capabilities which enhance the Supplier’s services, including the reliability, performance and/or security of the offered services.

Network ReliabilityProvide a description of any features, processes or procedures designed to enhance the value of its network and services to provide Business Continuity and/or Disaster Recovery (BC/DR).

Provide information on disaster avoidance plans.

Provide information on any contingency plans for unusual events that may cause a disruption to the services provided to PASSHE;

Describe the Supplier’s policy for handling of critical and priority requests. The entire policy may be attached as an appendix.

Sub-rate and burstable servicesProvide descriptions of any sub-rate services offered. Include descriptions of how sub-rate services would be implemented, including how traffic bursts would be handled.

If applicable, describe how bursting is handled for capped and burstable sub-rate services.

For burstable services, describe how the billing for such services would be determined.

Quality of ServiceDescribe any Quality of Service options which would be available on Internet services supplied to PASSHE.

Internet 2If applicable, describe how the Supplier could provide PASSHE with access to Internet 2 services. A diagram of circuits and Internet2 connections should be added as an appendix to the proposal response.

SecurityProvide information on what assistance the Supplier NOC can provide to PASSHE in resolving network issues involving security issues, including DOS and DDOS attacks.

Provide information on any services which can help PASSHE meet its requirements under the

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Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA).

Site requirementsProvide information on any requirements for placing equipment at any PASSHE Gateway or Campus Location, including space, electrical power and fiber paths and conduits.

Operational requirementsProvide information on how requests for service modifications, cancellations and upgrades are scheduled and implemented, including any limitations on accepting requests and minimal, average and maximum times for implementing such requests.

Provide information about online resources such as websites or portals which would contain information about the services which the Supplier will provide to PASSHE.

Provide information on any monitoring and statistics capabilities that would be available to PASSHE, either as a part of the basic Internet service or as options.

Provide information on the history of issues with its Internet service, including information on the frequency of issues by problem type and severity, and mean and maximum times to resolution.

Provide a sample invoice. Indicate how invoices will delivered, and provide a list of how payments may be made.

Service Level AgreementsProvide full information on any Service Level Agreements (SLAs) covering the Internet service provided to PASSHE. This should include information on what each SLA covers, how it is assessed and triggered, what the penalty is and whether PASSHE would need to initiate SLA.

Provide a history of recent SLA violations.

Provide information on available optional services.

TransitionProvide a work plan that includes provisions for tasks, milestones, resource requirements and other dependencies required to successfully execute the transition.

Designate an individual who will perform as project manager and be the single-point-of-contact for the transition.

Provide a plan for regular status updates and meetings, .

Provide possible contingency plans for dealing with potential delays

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Appendix C: Cost Proposal

See the attached file “Cost submittal for PASSHE services 2013.xslx” for the template for completing the Cost Submittal

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Appendix D: PASSHE Main Campus Locations

Bloomsburg UniversityThree possible locations:

Elwell Hall: 41.005557,-76.448968Waller Admin. Bldg:41.009427,-76.446122Future Library site: 41.0.32 N 76.26.44 W (February 2015)

California University701 Third StreetCalifornia PA 15419

Cheyney UniversityBrowne Hall (Basement)1837 University CircleCheyney PA 19319

Dixon University Center2986 N 2nd StHarrisburg PA 17110

Indiana UniversityStright Hall210 S 10th StIndiana PA 15701

Lat: 40° 37' 33.5562" (40.625842)Long: -79° 9' 29.8794" (-79.158618)

Kutztown University15200 Kutztown RdStratton Administration BuildingKutztown PA 1953040.511501 N -75.781699 W

Clarion UniversityStill HallEast Main StClarion PA 16214N 41.212270, W -79.377680

East Stroudsburg University200 Prospect StEast Stroudsburg University Computing CenterEast Stroudsburg PA 1830140.996004 N-75.174551W

Edinboro UniversityRoss Hall220 Scotland RdEdinboro PA 16444

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41.870248,-80.124366 Lock Haven University

72 Campus DrLock Haven PA 1774541.141617,- 77.463211

Mansfield UniversityAlumni HallAcademy St & College AveMansfield PA 1693341.806944 N - 77.073889 W

Millersville University37 W. Frederick St

Millersville PA 1755139.997589N -76.356571W

Philadelphia Center City Campus701 Market Street Concourse LevelPhiladelphia PA 19106

Shippensburg UniversityBuilding 35Shippensburg PA 17257

Slippery Rock UniversitySpotts World Culture Building #25 Room 0011 Morrow WayWest Central LoopSlippery Rock PA 16507

GPS Coordinates:N 41° 03.717W 080° 02.609

West Chester UniversityThree locations:

Allegheny Hall121 W. Rosedale AvenueWest Chester, PA 1938339.951444, -75.600980

E.O. Bull Center2 E. Rosedale AvenueWest Chester, PA 1938339.951912, -75.595162

Sturzebecker Health Science Center855 S. New Street West Chester, PA 19383

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Appendix E: Additional PASSHE Locations

See the attached file “additional PASSHE locations.xslx” for the locations of additional PASSHE locations.

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Appendix F: Potential Gateway Locations

PASSHE Locations (see Appendix D: PASSHE Main Campus Locations for address information)Indiana University of PennsylvaniaClarion University of PennsylvaniaSlippery Rock University of PennsylvaniaMillersville University of PennsylvaniaShippensburg University of PennsylvaniaEast Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaKutztown University of PennsylvaniaWest Chester University of Pennsylvania

Allegheny Hall and E.O. Bull Center locations

PennREN Service Node LocationsAllegheny Center Mall - Fibertech Networks - ACMA100 South CommonsPittsburgh, PA 15212

Bucknell University- BKNL585 South 7th Street, 204 Computing Center,Machine RoomLewisburg, PA 17837

Lehigh University - LEHILehigh Technology Center Computing Center (Data Center) - E.W. Martin Fairchild Building8B East Packer AvenueBethlehem, PA 18015

401 North Broad Street - NBRD401 North Broad Street, Suite 250Philadelphia, PA 19108

Penn State University - Behrend - PSBD4701 College Drive,T006 Research and Economic Development CenterErie, PA 16563

Penn State University - Dubois - PSDS1 College Place,Swift Bldg T003DuBois, PA 15801

Penn State University - Hershey Medical Center - PSHY140 Sipe AvenueHershey, PA 17033

Penn State University - University Park - PSUP215 Innovation Boulevard,101B Penn Stater Conference CenterState College, PA 16803

University of Scranton - USCR

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240 Monroe AveScranton, PA 18510

Windstream Communications, Inc. - WIND441 Science Park RoadState College, PA 16803

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Appendix G: Current PASSHE Gateway Locations

West Chester UniversityEdinboro UniversityEast Stroudsburg UniversityShippensburg University

Bloomsburg UniversityKutztown UniversityIndiana UniversityCalifornia UniversityLock Haven University

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