MISSISISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY Request for Proposals (RFP) MSU #18 03 Communications as a Service Solution

Transcription

1 MISSISISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY Request for Proposals (RFP) MSU #18 03 Communications as a Service Solution Issue Date: [ ] Issuing Agency: Office of Procurement and Contracts Mississippi State University 610 McArthur Hall 245 Barr Avenue Mississippi State, MS Deadline: Sealed Proposals, subject to the conditions made a part hereof, will be received [Thursday, January 4, 2018] at 2:00 PM in the MSU Office of Procurement and Contracts, same address above, for furnishing services described herein. IMPORTANT NOTE: Indicate firm name and RFP number on the front of each sealed proposal envelope or package. It is the respondent's responsibility to assure that all addenda have been reviewed and, if applicable, signed and returned. Inquiries: Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to: Jay Rester at jrester@procurement.msstate.edu Questions concerning the specifications in this Request for Proposals must be submitted in writing and will be accepted until 2:00 PM on [ ]. A summary of all questions and answers will be posted at as an addendum located under RFP The questions, answers, and any revisions to the RFP will be posted on [ ]. 1. University Overview Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) Mississippi State University seeks to retain the services of a communications as a service (CAAS) vendor to provide a CAAS platform to be integrated with its existing and future software development projects. The selected vendor will be expected to provide a cloud based solution. Proposals will be for a 3 year contract based on pay per use model with an option to renew for up to two additional 1 year periods. While the final requirements and deliverables will be defined and agreed upon between the vendor and MSU prior to the period of performance, potential bidders must demonstrate

2 their understanding and ability to deliver ALL stated items in services overview and requirements portion of this RFP. In addition to responding directly to the requests in this RFP, service providers are encouraged to propose alternatives that they feel are in the best interest of both parties, which may improve MSU s software development process, e.g., volume discount, alternative methods, toolsets, etc. Please be sure to clearly identify any alternative approach that is not included in the proposed pricing. MSU anticipates to issue a contract prior to [ ] and expects the awarded contractor to be fully operational no later than [2 1 18], but would prefer an earlier date. 2. Services Overview and Requirements The vendor will be expected to provide a solution that can be leveraged by a software development team and integrated entirely or in parts within web and mobile applications. The vendor must also be able to provide all services without teaming up with other service providers or vendors. MSU s development approach is built on a continuous integration environment using an Agile based methodology. MSU creates web and native mobile applications for the digital government market. These applications allow the end users of our customers to log in, perform registrations, generate reports, communicate and perform case management and other operations that store and retrieve data from a database. Scope of work The scope of work may include cloud/hosted (but is not limited to): 1. Short Message Service (SMS) 2. Voice and Video Service 3. Fax Service 4. Chat Service Mandatory Qualifications 1. General Mandatory Qualifications a. Vendor must have at least 5 years of experience offering CAAS b. Vendor must provide their Service Level Agreement for the items listed in the scope of work c. Vendor must provide their technical support offering which must include guaranteed response time and cost d. Ability to provide white label approach to services e. Ability to provide detailed usage statistics f. Mandatory API for i. Short Message Service (SMS)

3 ii. Voice Service iii. Fax Service Desirable Qualifications 1. Provide API for a. Video Service b. Chat Service c. Cross Platform Messaging/Notification Service 3. Proposal Details Invitation to Submit Proposal on RFP NSPARC invites qualified respondents to join us in establishing an exclusive relationship to maintain the highest quality technology services for our customers and create new opportunities providing substantial benefits for both NSPARC and the successful respondent. Inquiries about RFP Prospective respondents may make written inquiries concerning this request for proposal to obtain clarification of requirements. Responses to these inquiries may be by addendum to the Request for Proposal (RFP). The deadline for inquiries shall be [ ]. Please send your inquiries to Jay Rester at All inquiries should be marked MSU RFP #18 03 Addendum OR Supplement to RFP In the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, an addendum to this RFP will be posted at Respondents shall not rely on any other interpretations, changes, or corrections. Administrative Information This RFP is issued by the following office: Office of Procurement and Contracts Mississippi State University 610 McArthur Hall 245 Barr Avenue Mississippi State, MS Schedule of Critical Dates The following dates are for planning purposes only unless otherwise stated in this RFP progress towards their completion is at the sole discretion of the university. 1) RFP Posted [ ]

4 2) Prospective Respondents Written Inquiries Deadline [ ] 3) Responses to Inquiries posted [ ] 4) Proposal Submission Deadline [1 4 18] 5) Award Date (Estimated Target) [ ] 6) Contract Effective Date [ ] Proposal Contents At a minimum, the following items should be included in the contents of the proposal: 1) Cover letter, indicating the scope of the proposal, specifically indicating the services being proposed. The letter should include a statement of exceptions to any of the terms and conditions outlined in this RFP. (Cover letter should be no more than 3 pages in length.) 2) Provide details of the firm s history, mission and organizational chart. 3) Provide details of the firm s differentiating factors and how it distinguishes itself from competitors. 4) Provide details of the firm s approach to safeguard customer data. 5) Provide details of the firm s ability to meet the required qualifications listed under the mandatory qualifications. 6) Provide details of the firm s ability to meet the desired qualifications listed under the desirable qualifications. 7) Provide references from two distinct clients. 8) Submit the rates for the services/items requested by completing the tables on the following page.

5 Short Message Service (SMS) Item/Service Incoming Messages Outgoing Messages Monthly Expected Number of Messages per Rate per Expected Number of Messages Rate per Base Rate Month Message per Month Message Local Text Messages 1,000 1,000 Toll Free Text Messages 1,000 1,000 Short Code Text Messages 1,000 1,000 Item/Service Monthly Base Rate Voice Service Incoming Calls Expected Number of Minutes per Month Rate per Minute Outgoing Calls Expected Number of Minutes per Month Local Connectivity 1,270, ,000 Toll Free Connectivity 5,000 5,000 Rate per Minute Fax Item/Service Base Rate per Minute Incoming Fax Service Rate per Page Base Rate per Minute Outgoing Rate per Page The values for minutes shown above are estimates based on prior usage and will be used to determine a total estimated cost for evaluation purposes. MSU does not guarantee these hours will be representative of the actual usage during the term of the contract. All messages to be sent or received from the U.S.

6 Discussions/Evaluation Criteria/Award Process 1) MSU reserves the right to conduct discussions with any or all respondents or to make an award of a contract without such discussions based only on evaluation of the written proposals. MSU reserves the right to contact and interview anyone connected with any past or present projects with which the respondent has been associated. MSU likewise reserves the right to designate a review committee to evaluate the proposals according to the criteria set forth under this section. MSU may make a written determination showing the basis upon which the award was made and such determination shall be included in the procurement file. 2) MSU reserves the right to award this contract in whole or in part depending on what is in the best interest of MSU with MSU being the sole judge thereof. 3) The evaluation factors set forth in this section are described as follows: a. Projected Financial Cost to MSU This shall be the anticipated cost to MSU during the term of the contract based upon the proposal. b. Corporate Structure, Credentials, and Prior Experience MSU will be attempting to determine the probability of future success of the program based upon the organizational structure and proven experience of the proposer. c. Operations and Plan to Perform MSU will be attempting to determine the probability of success of the program based upon the proposer s plans for providing the service. d. Efficiencies and Sustainability MSU will be attempting to determine any increased efficiencies for the institution. 4) Proposals for Services will be evaluated by MSU on the following factors: a. Projected Financial Cost to MSU 40% b. Corporate Structure, Credentials, and Prior Experience 15% c. Operations and Plan to Perform 40% d. Efficiencies and Sustainability 5% 5) Failure to attend an interview presentation before the committee, may result in a proposal not being considered. 6) Upon award of contract(s), successful respondent(s) may be required to provide a transition plan and timeline in addition to MSU s input and concurrence before moving forward. Term of Contract MSU intends to enter into in a written contract with the selected vendor. Although not an exclusive list of terms, the following terms will be included in the contract: 1) MSU anticipates entering into a 3 year contract with an option to renew for up to two additional 1 year periods.

7 2) The vendor shall acknowledge that an independent contractor relationship is established and that the employees of the vendor are not, nor shall they be, deemed employees of MSU and that employees of MSU are not, nor shall they be, deemed employees of the vendor. Proposal Submission 1) Proposals shall be submitted in one package (envelopes or boxes) marked as RFP # ) Proposal One original and one electronic copy in the form of a flash/usb drive. Each submitted package should be a complete copy. The original shall be marked on the first page Original. 3) The proposal package must be received on or before [1 4 18]. It is the responsibility of the respondent to ensure that the proposal package arrives in the Procurement and Contracts office on time. The proposal package should be delivered or sent by mail to: Office of Procurement and Contracts Mississippi State University 610 McArthur Hall 245 Barr Avenue Mississippi State, MS Two Phase, Best and Final Offer If the initial proposals do not provide MSU with a clear and convincing solution, or if MSU feels it is appropriate to offer the potential providers an opportunity to submit revised proposals, MSU reserves the right to use a two phase approach and/or invite Best and Final Offers (BAFO). Based on the information obtained through the proposal submittals (Phase One, MSU may choose a specific business model, and potential providers may be asked to submit revised proposals based upon that specific model. The evaluation committee will develop, for distribution to the top ranked firms, refined written terms with specific information on what is being requested as a result of information obtained through initial RFP submittal process. Proposers may be asked to reduce cost or provide additional clarification to specific sections of the RFP. Selected proposers are not required to submit a BAFO and may submit a written response notifying the solicitation evaluation committee that their response remains as originally submitted. Acceptance Time Proposal shall be valid for one hundred and fifty (150) days following the proposal due date.

8 RFP Cancellation This RFP in no manner obligates MSU to the eventual purchase of any services described, implied or which may be proposed until confirmed by a written contract. Progress toward this end is solely at the discretion of MSU and may be terminated without penalty or obligations at any time prior to the signing of a contract. MSU reserves the right to cancel this RFP at any time, for any reason, and to reject any or all proposals or any parts thereof. Other Contract Requirements 1) Award Terms: This contract shall be awarded at the discretion of MSU based on the capabilities and overall reputation of the supplier. Acceptance shall be confirmed by the issuance of a contract from MSU. 2) Taxes: The University is exempt from state sales tax. In addition, sales tax collected on sales on campus, but outside the city limits of Starkville, MS, must be reported separately from sales inside the city limits though the Mississippi State Tax Commission, city division reporting. 3) Payment Terms: Payment for products purchased by MSU will be made within 45 days after service is received, accepted, and proper invoice is submitted for payment. 4) Standard Contract: The awarded vendor will be expected to enter into a contract that is in substantial compliance with the terms set forth in this RFP and MSU s standard contract for services which can be found at the following site Proposal should include any desired changes to the standard contract. It should be noted that there are many clauses which MSU cannot change (see MSU s Mandatory Addendum at the above site). Significant changes to the standard contract may be cause for rejection of a proposal. 5) The Procurement Process: The following is a general description of the process by which a firm will be selected to fulfill this Request for Proposal. a. Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued to prospective suppliers. b. A deadline for written questions is set. c. Proposals will be received as set forth in Proposal Contents and Two Phase, Best and Final Offer. d. Unsigned proposals will not be considered. e. All proposals must be received by MSU no later than the date and time specified on the cover sheet of this RFP f. At that date and time the package containing the proposals from each responding firm will be opened publicly and the name of each respondent will be announced. g. Proposal evaluation: MSU will review each proposal. h. At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions for the purpose of clarification or to amplify the materials presented in the proposal.

9 i. At their option, the evaluators may request a best and final offer. j. Respondents are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not a request to contract, and that MSU reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers when such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of MSU. k. The proposals will be evaluated according to the criteria set forth in the Discussions/Evaluation Criteria/Award Process.

10 APPENDIX A: SIGNATURE PAGE RFP #18-03 Provide information requested, affix signature and return this page with your proposal: NAME OF FIRM: COMPLETE ADDRESS: TELEPHONE NUMBER: FACSIMILE NUMBER: ADDRESS: AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: PRINTED NAME: TITLE: AREA CODE/NUMBER AREA CODE/NUMBER