WNY RBHN HCF RFP 29
** All proposals are due by email 11:59:59 PM – 04/13/2020
Download the RFP and Network Plan by going to https://rhc.usac.org/hcf/public/searchPosted.htm and entering the following search criteria:
Fund Year: “2020”
HCP Number: “17268”
Find the posting date of 03/16/20 and click “Details”
Review the PDF under “Request for Proposals” to ensure you are looking at RFP 29.
Pricing Format:
Bidders must use our standard pricing format for broadband pricing (Section 9.2 equipment pricing may still be proposed in the bidder’s own format):
Follow the instructions at the top of the spreadsheet.
Include the finished spreadsheet as a separate file within the electronic bid proposal copy.
Questions about the RFP can be emailed to us here. Any incoming questions and corresponding answers will be posted on this page.
Reminder: Important 2020 Changes to RFP:
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- Proposals must be emailed to rfp@r-ahec.org
- Responses due by 11:59:59 PM on day preceding USAC Allowable Contract Sign Date.
Questions and Answers:
All questions must be submitted by email. Please thoroughly read the RFP before asking questions; your answer may be found within the RFP.
1. When submitting the Pricing Proposal for the Equipment, do we follow the Proposal Format outlined in 3.3? Many of the bullet points do not seem applicable if we are only proposing hardware for one entity on the bid.
A: You need to follow the bullet points which are applicable, in the order shown in the RFP. If you are only responding to equipment, some of these bullet points will not be applicable and therefore you don’t need to follow them (for example, the Description of Proposed Broadband Solution and/or Public Internet Service).
2. How is the RFP actually scored? Who makes the final decision on awarding contracts?
A: The RFP scoring process is a multi-step procedure. First, R-AHEC reviews each bid in its entirety and scores each vendor based on the Scoring Criteria found at the end of the RFP. R-AHEC then creates a proposal summary for each individual organization from the RFP, and sends that summary along with the responses and internal scoring sheet to each respective organization. Each organization then has a chance to score the bidders on their own. R-AHEC then meets with each organization to discuss the bids and select winners based on the organization’s review and feedback. It is ultimately the organization’s decision which bidder is selected.
3. As a bidder can we respond only to portions of the RFP, or must we respond to all requests?
A: You can choose to respond only to certain portions of the RFP if you wish. However, you must follow all the guidelines of the RFP, so it is important to thoroughly read the entire RFP to ensure you are complying with all provisions.
4. Upon review of the RFP, we are asking for clarification on response submittal. Section 3.2.1 states: Proposals must be emailed to RFP@r-ahec.org, however Section 9.4 states: Include the finished spreadsheet as a separate file within the electronic bid proposal copy. Also be sure to include a paper copy in the Pricing Section of the printed bid proposal. Please clarify if this is strictly an email submission or if a printed response is required as well.
A: Please adhere to Section 3.2.1 and submit all proposals electronically to RFP@r-ahec.org.
5. Please ask the following facilities to clarify if they are requesting internet access and/or a Sonic Firewall. If both are being requested, will partial bids on the internet access circuit only, be accepted? If so, please ask if they are requesting Broadband or Dedicated Internet Access.
• HCP 69109 – Neighborhood Health Center Blasdell – 4233 Lake Ave Blasdell, NY 14219
• HCP 69107 – Neighborhood Health Center Mattina – 300 Niagara St Buffalo, NY 14201
• HCP 69105 – Neighborhood Health Center Northwest – 155 Lawn Ave Buffalo, NY 14207
• HCP 69110 – Neighborhood Health Center Southtowns – 151 Elmview Ave Hamburg, NY 14705
A: The facilities will accept bids on the internet access circuit only. That is why we included the Sonic Firewall requirements on circuit requests as well as in the hardware request section.
6. Will the facilities requesting SDWAN solutions accept a partial bid on the internet access circuits only? If yes, please confirm whether they are requesting Broadband or Dedicated Internet Access.
• HCP 71254 – Oak Orchard Community Health Center – Pembroke – 860 Main Rd. Corfu, NY 14036-9753
• HCP 71255 – Oak Orchard Community Health Center – Batavia – 319 W. Main St. Batavia, NY 14020-1347
• HCP 71256 – Oak Orchard Community Health Center – Alexander – 3384 Church St, Alexander, NY 14005-9629
• HCP 23824 – Oak Orchard Community Health Center, Inc. (West Ave – Brockport Clinic) – 300 West Ave Brockport, NY 14420
A: The facilities will indeed accept bids on the internet access circuit only. That is why we included the SD-WAN requirements on circuit requests as well as in the hardware request section.
7. Can the floor plans of the buildings that require cabling be provided?
A: We will ask facility whether this is possible.
8. Please verify two 50 MBPS circuits are being requested for Auburn Community Hospital (17 Lansing Street, Auburn, NY 13021) for redundancy.
A: Yes.
9. In the Implementation Schedule section on page 8 of the RFP it is stated that “implementation of the entire project within 120 days of the scheduled project state date”. We are asking for clarification if that is 120 calendar days or 120 business days? Additional, do you understand that 120 days from Allowable Control Selection Date would not be a June 30th implementation date?”
A: Implementation should be within 120 calendar days. Concerning the June 30th implementation date. That is referring to June 30th of USAC’s funding year, which runs from July 1st through June 30th. For this specific RFP June 30th would then mean June 30th 2021, which is the end of funding year 2020.
10. Page 27 of the RFP lists the cloud managed access point requests. Please clarify if the Spectrum 1280 Clinic (1280 Maint St, 1st Floor, Buffalo, NY 14209) is requesting a total of 10 Meraki MR33 Access Points and 1 Meraki MR42 Access Point, or if the request was doubled by mistake.
A:
11. Pertaining to the requirement for a network map – Post 9/11, many service providers made the decision to keep maps depicting their infrastructure secret for purposes of State, Local, and National security. This prevents bad actors from potentially damaging said infrastructure and limits their ability to conduct acts of espionage. Many providers, particularly ILECs, will not release their maps without contractual agreements in place and thus the requested maps cannot provide them at this time. If awarded the contract, we will coordinate with WNYRBHN and the underlying carriers to provide the detailed information requested by WNYRBHN. In most cases, carriers will provide street level maps once an order is placed and agreements are signed. Will this be acceptable?
A: Yes this will be acceptable.
12. Pg. 9, Section 3.5.1. says “Bidders must provide the cost associated with the HCP moving locations if applicable.” Do any of the HCPs have any moves planned at this time?
A: No HCPs have any plans to move that we know of.
