Request for Information Electronic Audio-Visual Beach Hazzard Warning System RFI No.: 2018003 REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) Electronic Audio-Visual Beach Hazard Warning System DEP Posting Number: 2018003 Pursuant to s. 287.012 (22), Florida Statutes (F.S.), the Florida Department of Environmental Protection ( Department or DEP ) is issuing a Request for Information (hereinafter an RFI ) seeking responses from interested entities relating to electronic audiovisual beach hazard warning technology solutions for Florida State Parks. Interested parties can view and download this Request for Information from the Vendor Bid System (VBS) website at http://www.myflorida.com. Once at this site, the steps listed below should be followed to access the Vendor Bid System (VBS). Click on BUSINESS Click on Doing Business with the State Under the Everything for Vendors and Customers heading, click on Vendor Bid System Click Search Advertisements Under the Agency search field, select the Department of Environmental Protection and click on Advertisement Search Click on the applicable RFI number RFI No. 2018003 1 of 10
TABLE OF CONTENTS SCHEDULE OF EVENTS... 3 Section 1.00 INTRODUCTION... 4 1.01. Purpose and Scope... 4 1.02. Procurement Officer.... 4 1.03. Questions... 4 1.04. Addenda... 4 1.05. Submittal of Response.... 4 1.06. Public Records.... 5 SECTION 2.00 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS... 6 2.01. Overview.... 6 2.02. Background... 6 2.03. Identified Electronic Beach Warning Technology Solutions Functionality.... 6 2.04. Response.... 7 SECTION 3. 00 INTERESTED ENTITY CONTACT INFORMATION... 9 SECTION 4.00 COST ESTIMATE... 10 DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 2 of 10
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS The following schedule will be strictly adhered to in all actions relative to this posting. The Department reserves the right to make adjustments to this schedule and will notify Interested Entities by posting an addendum on the Vendor Bid System (VBS). It is the responsibility of the Interested Entity to check VBS on a regular basis for such updates. DATES EVENTS METHOD July 28, 2017 RFI Advertised Vendor Bid System http://www.myflorida.com/apps/vbs/vbs_www.main_menu August 4, 2017 Questions Submitted in Writing Procurement Contact identified in Section 1.02, Procurement Officer On or about, August 9, 2017 Answers to Questions Posted Vendor Bid System http://www.myflorida.com/apps/vbs/vbs_www.main_menu August 16, 2017 at 2:00 PM (ET) Response Due Submit via email to: Florida Department of Environmental Protection Gloriann McInnis, Procurement Officer DEP Procurement Section, Room 215 3800 Commonwealth Blvd, MS93 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000 E-mail: Gloriann.McInnis@dep.state.fl.us RFI NUMBER MUST BE IN SUBJECT LINE OF EMAIL Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 3 of 10
Section 1.00 INTRODUCTION 1.01. Purpose and Scope. The Florida Department of Environmental Protection ( Department or DEP ) is requesting information from Interested Entities with proven, verifiable, and documented expertise in developing and implementing electronic audio and visual beach warning systems. The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is being issued strictly for the purpose of gaining knowledge of the products and services available on the market for the provision of this technology solution, related services, and options available. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR COMPETITIVE BIDS OR A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS, AND NO CONTRACT WILL BE AWARDED IN RESPONSE TO SUBMISSIONS. If, as a result of the RFI, the Department decides to pursue contract(s) to provide any of the services mentioned and Interested Entities are capable of providing such services are identified, a competitive procurement package will be developed and issued at a later date. 1.02. Procurement Officer. Gloriann McInnis, Procurement Officer Procurement Section, Carr Building, Room 215 Florida Department of Environmental Protection 3800 Commonwealth Boulevard, MS#93 Tallahassee, Florida 32399-3000 Telephone Number: (850) 245-2354 Gloriann.McInnis@dep.state.fl.us 1.03. Questions. Information will not be provided by telephone. The Procurement Officer shall not be bound by any verbal information or by any written information that is not contained within the RFI documents or formally noticed and issued by the DEP Procurement Section. Any questions from vendors concerning this RFI shall be submitted in writing, identifying the submitter and RFI number, to the Procurement Officer no later than the time and date specified in the Schedule of Events. No interpretation shall be considered binding unless provided in writing by the Department in response to a request in full compliance with this provision. All inquiries must be submitted by E-mail. All questions and answers will be posted on the Vendor Bid System (VBS). It is the Interested Entity s responsibility to periodically check the VBS. The Department bears no responsibility for any delays, or resulting impacts, associated with an Interested Entity s failure to obtain the information made available through the VBS. 1.04. Addenda. If the Department finds it necessary to supplement, modify, or interpret any portion of the RFI documents, a written Addendum will be posted on the VBS. It is the responsibility of the Interested Entity to be aware of any Addenda that might have a bearing on their response. 1.05. Submittal of Response. Responses are due in accordance with VBS and Schedule of Events. Interested Entity s responses must be in writing, and submitted electronically via email. Responses must be emailed to the Procurement Officer (Section 1.02). The naming convention for the subject line within your email is: Subject Line: Your Company Name DEP RFI No. 2018003 Once received, all RFI responses and attachments shall become the exclusive property of the Department and will not be returned. The Department is not liable for any of the costs incurred by the Interested Entity in preparing and submitting a response. DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 4 of 10
The response package must contain a title page including the below contact information: Interested Entity s /Company Name; Contact Name and Title; Address; and Phone Number, Fax Number and email address In an effort to ensure a clear understanding of the products and service, the Department may use this RFI as the basis for requesting demonstrations. These demonstrations will be at the Department s discretion and at no cost to the Department. If a demonstration is requested, this will be noticed as a public meeting in the Florida Administrative Register (FAR). Interested Entities participation in the demonstrations are not mandatory nor will it reflect negatively if you are invited and choose not to participate. There will be no negotiations or discussions of a subsequent procurement during these meetings. 1.06. Public Records. Any material submitted in response to this RFI will become a public record pursuant to Chapter 119, Florida Statutes (F.S.), once it is shared with the Department. Any claim of confidentiality is waived upon submission, unless addressed as set forth below. Disclosure and Ownership of Response Contents: An Interested Entity s response to this RFI shall be a public record and subject to production, disclosure, inspection and copying consistent with the requirements of Chapter 119, F.S. All information in an Interested Entity s response (including, without limitation, technical and price information) will be a matter of public record, subject to the provisions of Florida s Public Records Act, Chapter 119, F.S., regardless of copyright status. Submission of a response to this RFI shall constitute a waiver of any copyright protection which might otherwise apply to the Department s production, disclosure, inspection and copying of such response and contract, or any part thereof, except those parts asserted to be exempt under Chapter 119, F.S. The response, upon submission shall be the property of the Department (except those parts asserted to be exempt in the manner set forth below), and the Department, in its sole discretion, shall have the right to use, reproduce, and disseminate the response. The Department reserves the right to use any and all information contained in a response received to this RFI. Any content submitted to the Department which is asserted to be exempt under Chapter 119, F.S., shall be set forth on a page or pages separate from the rest of the response, and clearly marked exempt, confidential, or trade secret (as applicable), with the statutory basis for such claim of exemption, confidentiality, or trade secret specifically identified in writing on each and every such page. Failure to segregate and so identify any such content shall constitute a waiver of any claimed exemption, confidentiality, or trade secret as applied to the portion of the response or other document in which the content is set forth. Per Section 287.012(22), F.S., Responses to these requests are not offers and may not be accepted by the agency to form a binding contract. Interested Entities submitting information to this RFI are not prohibited from responding to any related subsequent solicitation. The Department reserves the right to use or reject any information supplied in response to this RFI. DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 5 of 10
2.01. Overview. SECTION 2.00 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS DEP is interested in obtaining technology solutions for an electronic audio-visual beach hazard warning notifications. These solutions should offer clear instructions to park visitors in multiple languages, function in Florida s outdoor environment, cause no adverse environmental effects in the locations that utilize the technology, and be compliant with Section 380.276, F.S. 2.02. Background. DEP, through the Division of Recreation and Parks, manages 174 State Parks and Trails and is the nation s only three-time winner of the National Gold Medal Award for Excellence in the management of state park systems. This achievement makes Florida the only state park system in the nation to win more than one Gold Medal award. DEP is committed to excellence and sustaining this high level of service to Floridians and visitors. Florida s state parks offer residents and visitors nearly 800,000 acres, 100 miles of beaches, and more than 1,500 miles of multi-use trails. Florida State Parks have an annual visitation of over 31 million people, attracting Florida residents as well as tourists from across the country and around the world. Over half of the park visitors attend one of Florida s forty-four beach parks. Warning visitors of hazardous water conditions is a critical component of keeping beaches visitors safe. Florida s public beaches currently utilize a uniform warning flag system administered by the Florida Coastal Management Program under the authority of Section 380.276, F.S. These flags are highly visible and warn visitors of dangerous water conditions and marine life. 2.03. Identified Electronic Beach Warning Technology Solutions Functionality. DEP is interested in electronic audio-visual beach hazard warning technology solutions which can provide the following functions in an easy-to-use and highly accessible format. DEP is open to additional proposed functionality which will support its goals. DEP is also open to utilizing multiple integrated solutions to support Department goals. Function 1 Options for powering technology, including electric, battery, and solar power options. 2 Ability to be configured to meet DEP's current and projected needs. If the system has unneeded features, it should not significantly affect the cost or usability of the system. 3 Includes all system-related hardware. 4 Includes future software/firmware updates. 5 Technical support available. 6 Staff training available. 7 Maintenance plans available. 8 Equipment is designed to be durable and easy to maintain in Florida s outdoor environment. 9 Meets current ADA compliance requirements. 10 Ability to be programmed and operated remotely. DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 6 of 10
2.04. Response. DEP is interested in obtaining feedback related to electronic audio-visual beach hazard warning technology solutions to support the safety needs of Florida s coastal beach State Parks. We are interested in hearing only from Interested Entities with proven, verifiable, and documented expertise in implementing audio and visual beach warning technology solutions. DEP is solely interested in hearing from Interested Entities who have extensive expertise in this area, and we ask that all responses to this RFI contain the following information at a minimum: 1. Provide contact information as requested in Section 3 Interested Entity Contact Information. 2. The Interested Entities solution(s), approach(es), and recommendations on electronic warning technology solutions as it relates to the above requirements. 3. Any risks or considerations associated with implementing, and managing electronic warning solutions, such as the one described. This includes, but is not limited to, security related issues. 4. Describe the technical requirements for the proposed solution(s), including, but not limited to, distance unit(s) need to transmit data, number of units needed for a given area, and what communications infrastructure is required. 5. Any testing products the Interested Entity wishes to present as part of a recommended solution(s). 6. Additional information from Interested Entities may be included to meet DEP s requirements, or other pertinent information that DEP should consider, including relevant topics that were not specifically described in this RFI. 7. Describe the estimated total and per unit cost to implement and maintain proposed systems as provided in Section 4 Cost Estimate. This information will be used for planning purposes only. 8. Describe technical and customer support capabilities of proposed solution. 9. Provide detailed information about the Interested Entities relevant areas of expertise. 10. Provide a brief history including length of time that the Interested Entity s has been in business. 11. Provide specific descriptions of similar projects and experiences, customer examples and case studies. Please include other State, County or Municipal governmental entities for which you have performed similar services consistent with the content of this RFI, and provide a summary of the services provided and results achieved, including cost/benefit and timeframes. Experience with the federal government may also be included. 12. Relevant white papers. 13. Describe how proposed solutions will comply with Section 380.276, F.S. DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 7 of 10
14. Describe how proposed solutions will avoid adverse environmental and wildlife impacts related to lighting, audio, installation, or other areas. 15. Describe how proposed solutions will be installed, including information on the footprint or pad needed, and depth needed to secure the product. 16. Describe how proposed solutions will be powered, including backup power in the event the primary power source fails. Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 8 of 10
SECTION 3. 00 INTERESTED ENTITY CONTACT INFORMATION Interested Entities are asked to provide the following information: Primary contact regarding this submission? CONTACTS Name: Email Address: Phone: Title or Role in Organization? Primary contact to schedule Presentation (if requested): (If other than contact above) Company Website URL: Type of Organization (Corporation, Partnership, etc.): How long has your company been in this type of business? Location of Project Manager that would serve the Department: Location of Regional Sales Manager that would serve the Department: Name: Email Address: Phone: Title or Role in Organization? Years: Months: City: State: City: State: Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 9 of 10
SECTION 4.00 COST ESTIMATE Interested Entities are asked to provide the following cost estimate information. This information will be used for planning purposes only. COST and TIMELINE Estimated Cost / Qty Per/UOM Estimated Support Rates (if any): Estimated Licensing Cost (if any): Estimated Upgrades per Year (if any): Estimated Third Party Licenses Requirement Costs (if any): Cost per unit. Including installation. Length of typical implementation: Remainder of Page Intentionally Left Blank DEP RFI No. 2018003 Page 10 of 10