PURCHASING DEPARTMENT September 10, 2018 General Information 1 RFP # 2018-049-6742 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR ELECTIONS ELECTRONIC POLL BOOK THIS DOCUMENT IS BEING PROVIDED FOR GENERAL INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY (THIS IS NOT AN ADDENDUM) The Dallas County Purchasing Department has received and hereby provides for general information purposes only the following questions and the County s responses. (Note: Due to time constraints, Dallas County will not be responsible for ensuring confirmation vendor receipt of this and/or any further acceptance of and/or responses to future questions prior to the solicitation opening date.) 1. Real-time connectivity If the vendor has a solution that satisfies the functional real-time requirements of Dallas County without connecting physically to the voter registration database, does this satisfy the real-time requirement specified in 11.3.9 letter O? RESPONSE: Dallas County cannot provide a response to a vendor s question that requires supposition. Dallas County will consider each vendor s solution that provides demonstrated value to the overall system and as compared to what is offered by other vendors. The Requirement is for a method to record voter history near to real-time as feasible, and not realtime connectivity to the voter registration database. 2. In the cost sheet, there are two line items for printers 4 inch Bluetooth and label printer. Does the county have a preferred printer type or configuration? If a vendor offers both types, how should the final project price be calculated? RESPONSE: Dallas County does not have a preference except to the extent that the print solution chosen by the vendor works best overall with the vendor s e-pollbook system 3. P 30 S 15.10.c The question on printing ballots and ballot applications after polls close What are the expectations of printing these items after polls close? Comment: We understood in the meeting that this was a typo and that the intent was to be able to print reconciliation data once the polls close. RESPONSE: This is a correct understanding. 4. General question: What is the expectation regarding the server hosting that services this system? (County or Supplier?) GENERAL INFORMATION 1 PAGE 1 SOLICITATION #I2018-049-6742
RESPONSE: The expectation is for the Vendor to provide both specifications for the solution being either Vendor Hosted or On-Premise. The County IT Services will then provide their recommendation on which solution works best within the County s Infrastructure. 5. P 16 S 6.3.5.6, also P 31 S 17.0 Training Expectations, please clarify. RESPONSE: The request for proposal describes the expectations and requirements that Dallas County has related to this procurement. Each vendor has a unique solution they intend to present. Each vendor knows the features and capabilities of their solution. It is expected that each vendor will also know how best to train each user to properly utilize the e-pollbook system, no matter what their experience level or role in voting/election process. We would also expect that the most effective training regimen would include various modes of presentation to include, but be limited to one or more of the following: detailed documentation manuals and task sheets; video; web-based instruction; and quick reference guides. 6. What does the County plan to use for connectivity in the polling place? Should this device be included in the vendor s response or will the County be furnishing that item separately? RESPONSE: Dallas County plans to use a connectivity solution that is the best recommendation of the selected vendor. Each responding vendor should provide the connectivity requirements and recommendations for their proposed solution. 7. What voting system (make and model) does Dallas County currently use? RESPONSE: ES&S ivotronic model DREs ES&S Model M100 Optical Scan Precinct Counter 8. What date is the first election in which the new electronic poll book will be used? RESPONSE: May Joint Election of 2019 9. Can you confirm 4,500 electronic poll books is the desired quantity? The first paragraph on page 56 of the RFP states 3,000 components. RESPONSE: 4,500 is the correct number of units required. 10. Page 12, section 6.3.3 in the RFP states "Narrative shall not exceed 20 pages front." Can you please clarify this requirement and to which sections it applies? RESPONSE: The word shall not is simply a request for the department. The number of pages is not a concern to the department. However, please keep your responses confined to the requirements of the document. Vendor should reframe from submitting sales pitch information in this section. 11. P 11 S 6.2.11 Please define the section that is expected to be tabbed in the final proposal presentation? Is it a correct assumption that these would be the eleven sections as described in the Statement of Work? (11 Business Requirements, Registration System, 12 Hardware & Network Requirements, 13 Software and Database Requirements, 14 System Security, 15 - Operational GENERAL INFORMATION 1 PAGE 2 SOLICITATION #I2018-049-6742
Requirements, 16 Reporting, 17 Implementation, Training & Support, 18 Vendor Experience, 19 Maintenance & Upgrades, 20 Configurability) Comment: It was our understanding that this assumption was correct. RESPONSE: You may if you like. However, we are just requesting that the sections be tabbed. 12. SBE requirements if the prime contractor is submitting a proposal as a certified SBE, does that proposal qualify for the full amount of points for the SBE section? Do you have to have a subcontractor as a prime contractor that is SBE certified? RESPONSE: Please see section 7, bullet point 7.3 Utilization Scoring. (5 points) 13. Regarding the following language: 1. Affidavit of Compliance. Vendors that participate in a solicitation will be required to submit an Affidavit of Compliance with this Code of Ethics as part of the finalization of any bid or proposal. Vendors who choose not to submit an Affidavit of Compliance will not be eligible to compete for a contract award, and any of the Vendors submitted bids or proposals on that solicitation will be deemed ineligible. Question: Where can vendors find the required Code of Ethics Affidavit of Compliance? RESPONSE: This is the Title VI Assurances / Compliance form on pages 64 66. 14. Does the experience required for four successful years of experience deploying, programming, installing, electronic poll books for a political subdivision of 850,000 registered or more registered voters pertain specifically to the Prime Vendor? RESPONSE: This request pertain the vendor submitting the proposal. 15. On Page 23, section 9.0 Qualification Requirements, item b) says The proposing vendor must have at least four (4) years of experience deploying, programming and installing election electronic poll books (e-poll Book[s]) to/for political subdivisions with 850,000 or more registered voters. Can the County please confirm the intent of this requirement is that (1) bidding vendors have four years of experience deploying electronic poll books and (2) must have at least one jurisdictional client with 850,000 registered voters? RESPONSE: Dallas County can only confirm what was approved in the RFP. The requirement is stated plainly. 16. When do you anticipate awarding the RFP? RESPONSE: 90-210 days, March or April 2019 is the goal. 17. When do you anticipate in-person demonstrations to take place? RESPONSE: 15-30 days after the initial evaluation. 18. Proposer shall procure and maintain, at its sole cost and expense, a Crime Policy/Fidelity Bond covering property of clients for inside/outside premises, including theft via electronic means; money & securities; depositors forgery; covering each employee of Proposer, whether or not they are compensated. GENERAL INFORMATION 1 PAGE 3 SOLICITATION #I2018-049-6742
Please provide detail why is it necessary to carry crime (Fidelity) coverage in the amount of $2,000,000? E&O(Professional) Liability is not requested at all nor is Cyber Liability. Was this intentionally omitted? Alternatively, was this an error and it should indicate vendors carry E&O/Cyber versus Crime? RESPONSE: This is standard boilerplate insurance requirements. Upon negotiation and award, the proposer may be required to provide a Performance bond, required for purchases over one hundred thousand dollars. Cyber insurance, depending on the solution selected. Also a Payment bond may be required to ensure that the sub-contractors are paid. 19. Regarding requirement "5" in section 11.1 Business Requirements: Mail Ballot Returned Poll book states, Mail Ballot Returned with Status (PB) and needs to be research by elections headquarters before being offered a provisional ballot. Does the County want the poll book to require the poll worker to contact the Elections office when a voter with a PB is encountered for direction on how to complete processing of this voter? RESPONSE: Yes. Other responses could include all or some of the following, but are not limited to 1. Making sure the judge signs off on the transaction; 2. Providing pop-up instructions to the poll worker staff. 20. Regarding requirement 7 in section 11.1 Business Requirements: Similar Name Affidavit Voter must initial the similar name affidavit box in the poll book if there is not an identical match compared against their DL. Will the County accept an electronic signature capture of a voter acknowledging the Similar Name Affidavit displayed on the poll book display? RESPONSE: Digital signature is acceptable; paper backup capability is preferred. 21.Regarding requirement "S" in section 11.1 Business Requirements: A method to allow the Elections Early Voting by Mail administration staff at the Central Office to cancel a voter check-in for mail ballot voters or erroneous voter check-ins in real time. Does this request ability to reverse a poll book check-in? RESPONSE: No. This is a request for the e-pollbook to include the ability to correct voter and/or poll worker error administratively (when required) from the Elections Administrative and Call Center. 22. Regarding requirement "GC" in section 11.1 Business Requirements: A method of providing poll workers with general information regarding voting and election day procedures so that they may appropriately address and resolve, without outside intervention, common problems and questions occurring in the polling place (i.e. a help desk of FAQ and training videos solution that can operate online or offline). Does the county want this functionality to be accessible on an operating poll book or on a supplemental device? GENERAL INFORMATION 1 PAGE 4 SOLICITATION #I2018-049-6742
RESPONSE: On the e-pollbook. 23. Regarding requirement 15.13 in section Operational Requirements: In addition, it is highly desirable that any system or solutions provide:. RESPONSE: No desired features were added to this clause GENERAL INFORMATION 1 PAGE 5 SOLICITATION #I2018-049-6742