no. c2360-9-001-rfp.doc

WALKER COUNTY PURCHASING 1301 Sam Houston Ave., #235 Huntsville, Texas 77340 (936) 436-4944

Date: October 10, 2008 Due On: October 29, 2008 2:00 p.m.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALTELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

FORWALKER COUNTY

NO. C2360-9-001-RFP

Pursuant to the provisions listed in the following document, sealed proposals subject to the conditions and requirements made a part hereof will be received at the Walker County Purchasing Office, 1301 Sam Houston Avenue, Suite 235, Huntsville, Texas, 77340 until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29, 2008. All proposals received after that time will be returned unopened. Proposals will be opened at 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 at the Walker County Courthouse, 1100 University Avenue, Room 204, Huntsville, Texas 77340 and after evaluation by the Purchasing Department and Ben Sanford & Associates, Inc. will be awarded by Commissioner’s Court.

A MANDATORY VENDOR CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD ON THURSDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2008 AT 10:00 A.M. AT THE WALKER COUNTY JUSTICE CENTER, 717 FM 2821 W., SUITE 500, HUNTSVILLE, TX, 77320

The proposer's signature is required for acceptance of proposal and confirms proposer has read and understands all requirements concerning this Request for Proposal. Proposal must be SEALED and the envelope must be CLEARLY marked:

PROPOSAL NO. C2360-9-001-RFP / TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

PROPOSAL DUE: October 29, 2008 – 2:00 p.m.PRPOSAL OPENING: October 29, 2008 – 2:30 p.m.

Time Schedule

Proposal Release Wednesday, October 1Mandatory Vendor Conference Thursday, October 9 – 10:00 AMFinal Questions Thursday, October 23 – 4:00 PMProposals Due Wednesday, October 29 – 2:00 PMProposals Open Wednesday, October 29 – 2:30 PMPlanned Client Decision Monday, December 15 Planned Initial Installation Friday, February 13Planned Additional Installations Weekly, February 20 – March 27

Ben Sanford & Associates, Inc.Telecommunications Consulting

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

No. C2360-9-001-RFP

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS

FOR

WALKER COUNTY

TEXAS

October 1, 2008

All persons receiving these Proposal Specifications agree that the contents are the proprietary information of Ben Sanford & Associates, Inc. and that no portion of these specifications or any information contained herein shall be copied, duplicated, reproduced electronically, disseminated or discussed with third parties without prior written consent of BSA. Permission is granted to copy this document for purposes of Proposal Response only.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Time Schedule................................................................................... 1

B. Overview........................................................................................... 1

C. Scope of RFP..................................................................................... 1

D. Selection Criteria............................................................................... 3

E. Vendor Conference/Site Surveys........................................................ 3

II. PROPOSAL RESPONSE

A. Proposal Submission Procedures....................................................... 3

B. General Requirements........................................................................ 4

C. Affirmation of Vendor....................................................................... 5

III. SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

A. Summary of All Locations................................................................. 6

IV. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS / CONSIDERATIONS......................... 7

S. IP Telephone Comparisons ................................................................13

T. Features.............................................................................................14

V. VENDOR INFORMATION ......................................................................20

VI. REFERENCES...........................................................................................20

VII. WARRANTY & OTHER INFORMATION ..............................................21

F. Additional Pricing - MAC ................................................................22

VIII. FINANCIAL SUMMARY .........................................................................23

IX. GENERAL CONDITIONS ........................................................................24

document.doc

October 1, 2008 Page 0

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Time Schedule

Proposal Release Wednesday, October 1Mandatory Vendor Conference Thursday, October 9 – 10:00 AMFinal Questions Thursday, October 23 – 4:00 PMProposals Due Wednesday, October 29 – 2:00 PM

Proposals Open Wednesday, October 29 – 2:30 PMPlanned Client Decision Monday, December 15 Planned Initial Installation Friday, February 13Planned Additional Installations Weekly, February 20 – March 27

B. Overview

1. Walker County, located in Huntsville, Texas, has a population of over 63,000 and employs over 300 personnel. The downtown facilities include the Courthouse, County Annex, District Attorney Building, Juvenile Services, Planning & Development and Emergency Medical Services locations. The Justice Center, Jail and Adult Probation offices are in close proximity to each other north of town. There are also three outlying Precinct Road & Bridge offices and three Justices of the Peace locations. All of these locations are connected via the county data network. 2. The county is now serviced by AT&T Plexar lines that are terminated in older Norstar phone systems, one BCM50 and one Siemens Hicom 150E at the major locations. The Plexar terminations are a mixture of direct and pooled lines. There is an active use of individual voice messaging and departmental auto attendants. The main number features a directory of departments and direct transfer by entering the user station number. There is no centralized attendant position, current or planned.

C. The Scope of this RFP (more detail in Section IV) includes:

1. The county desires to replace the current configuration with a new VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephone system that can be networked between all of its locations that are on the county data network. The new system must essentially function as one system across the county, with four-digit dialing between locations and feature transparency.

2. The Plexar service will be replaced by Direct Inward Dialing (DID) numbers on two local AT&T PRIs featuring a total of 46 B-channels. Most of the Plexar numbers will be ported to the PRI service and additional DID groups added as needed. The preferred design is for one PRI to terminate at the Annex and the other at the Justice Center. Walker County wants Caller Name and Number Identification (CLID) service contracted through the PRI digital trunks to be accessible to all users, assuming that the AT&T CO will provide Name over the D-channels now or in the future.

3. The primary server location will be the County Annex building. The successful vendor will be provided with already-completed key sheets in Excel for all users at all locations.

4. In addition to the above, the county requires total system redundancy for the central Annex server, preferably located at the Justice Center site. If multiple levels of redundancy are available, the county would like to see each priced separately.

5. At least two AT&T POTS lines will terminate at each facility. These will serve as fax or other analog terminations and will also be used for any location callers to automatically access E911 service in the event that system E911 location database is not accessible. In the event of network failure, the local switch shall be survivable and utilize these POTS lines for two-way connectivity to the PSTN.

6. Long distance service will be provided by AT&T over the PRI spans, with 4-digit authorization codes that users will enter to place calls.

Walker County, Texas Ben Sanford & Associates, Inc.


7. Walker County desires voice mail for every office and individual, and this is expected to reside at the Annex location. Informational mailboxes and automated attendant capabilities are also required. Unified messaging is desired for approximately 100 users.

8. Walker County further desires a basic Automated Call Distribution (ACD) application to be available for at least one department where multiple employees will take departmental calls from a hunt group. The minimum requirement is uniform rotation of calls amongst four employees, without reporting capabilities. 9. The Justice Center location also features a city/county Public Safety Answering Position. The PSAP features its own equipment for that purpose, but also needs a group of lines incorporated into the 911 operator equipment and a few sets for administrative functions.

10. The county desires a centralized inbound and outbound CDR (Call Detail Recorder) that would pick up CLID information plus the usual fields and save to a database. This would primarily be used to track problem callers.

11. It is anticipated that the successful vendor will use the existing data wiring in each location, which is Cat 5 or better.

12. An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system is required to operate with the proposed equipment at each site, for at least two hours of battery backup on all of the proposed equipment as configured at cutover.

13. Per the Walker County Network Diagram 100108.jpg diagram, the current network is connected via owned and leased fiber plus some T1 leased lines. See Walker County VoIP RFP 100108.xls – Data for a list of all data equipment and facilities at each location. The complete VoIP system hardware and software will need to work in conjunction with these devices. If this is not practical, each proposal must detail specifically why this is not workable and propose replacement or adjunct equipment to facilitate acceptable performance of the VoIP system.

14. Each vendor shall include a network readiness assessment of all the facilities, performed at the beginning of the project after award has taken place, with system order contingent on passage. 15. There are switch rooms at the Annex and Justice Center. For the other locations, it is planned to put the proposed systems in the same rooms where the present systems and data gear are located, generally closets.

16. Walker County desires to have a combination of user and centralized management capabilities plus training for system administrators and users. 17. A list of ports and station equipment required per location is included with document Walker County VoIP RFP 100108.xls – Configurations.

18. Music on Hold capability is desired for each location. The county shall provide the source.

19. Paging over sets is desired at the DA Building.

20. Vendors must include in their tasks the disconnecting and removal all of the old equipment when installing the new systems and propose a credit to the county for the value of the old equipment.



D. Selection Criteria

1. Reliability, flexibility and capability (feature functionality, product lifecycle and warranty) of the proposed equipment. (25%)

2. Manufacturer reputation, stability, market penetration, and distributor strength. (25%)

3. Vendor experience, reputation, stability, qualifications, certifications, installation and continuing maintenance capability, software support, warranty, user training, records retention and quality of proposal response. (25%)

4. Total costs - including purchase price, warranty, post-warranty maintenance and post-installation pricing. (25%)

E. Vendor Conference/Site Surveys

A MANDATORY Vendor Conference will be held for this project at the following location:

Walker CountyJustice Center717 FM 2821 W., Suite 500Huntsville, Texas 77320

We will tour the Annex and Justice Center switch rooms. You may visit the other locations as needed.

II. PROPOSAL RESPONSE

A. Proposal Submission Procedures

1. Questions concerning the specifications should be directed to Ben Sanford at [email protected]. DO NOT CONTACT THE COUNTY UNLESS DIRECTED TO BY THIS DOCUMENT OR CONSULTANT. Current vendors may contact the county for routine service but not marketing.

2. Proposals will be received at the Walker County Purchasing Office, 1301 Sam Houston Avenue, Ste 235, Huntsville, Texas 77340 until date and time specified on page 1 of this document and publicly opened and acknowledged at that time names read aloud. Late proposals will not be accepted.

3. TWO PRINTED COPIES OF EACH PROPOSAL ARE REQUIRED, AS WELL AS ALL PERTINENT FILES ON CD OR USB THUMB DRIVE.

4. All proposals must be sealed and clearly notated on the package “Telecommunications System Request for Proposal No. C2360-9-001-RFP.” At the public opening, there will be no disclosure of contents to competing offerers, and proposals will be kept secret during the negotiation process. Except for trade secrets and confidential information which the offerer identifies as proprietary, all proposals will be open for public inspection after the contract has been awarded and executed. 5. THE SUCCESSFUL VENDOR, PRIOR TO ENTERING INTO ANY CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENT WITH WALKER COUNTY, MUST PROVIDE A PERFORMANCE BOND EQUAL TO THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF THE BASIC PROPOSAL. Surety companies executing these bonds must be acceptable to Walker County.

6. The Client and BSA will review the written proposals. No changes or revisions will be accepted after the proposal submission unless specifically requested by Walker County or Consultant. Walker County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. No proposal may be withdrawn until at least 90 days from submission, if no award of the contract has taken place.


mailto:[email protected]


7. All proposers will be informed via email as to the successful vendor after the contract has been executed.

The bid response should be in the exact following format with each section clearly labeled. The SPECIFICATION / CONSIDERATIONS SECTION and following sections should be copied and responses included in the spaces provided. In any space preceded by a ____ yes/no question or other question , a response is REQUIRED. On discussion items, include your remarks and if there is no response, mark as “NO RESPONSE”. Attachments submitted are NOT considered a response to the question, but as supplemental information. EXHIBIT 1 – Response to TECHNICAL SPECIFICATION/CONSIDERATION SECTION (IV) EXHIBIT 2 – Response to VENDOR INFORMATION SECTION (V) EXHIBIT 3 – Response to REFERENCE SECTION (VI) EXHIBIT 4 – Response to WARRANTY AND OTHER INFORMATION SECTION (VII) EXHIBIT 5 – Response to FINANCIAL SUMMARY SECTION (VIII) In this section, the detailed spreadsheet must be submitted and filled out completely. In addition a summary, generally in the format listed in this section must be submitted. An exact description of the proposed system, software release etc, must be easily ascertained from the information provided. A total cost for the proposed system must be easily identified as well as the yearly maintenance costs beginning in the 13th month. EXHIBIT 6 – Provide a simple schematic of your proposed IP network design EXHIBIT 7 – Affirmation of Vendor Section EXHIBIT 8 – The completed spreadsheet.Your responses shall be submitted on a thumb drive or CD and answers in a different color that will help clearly identify your response.

B. General Requirements

1. A response to this Request for Proposal (RFP) does not commit Walker County to a purchase agreement or contract, or to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of such response.

2. It is of utmost importance that the successful vendor be able to provide continuing, responsive work and service. It is therefore imperative that each vendor answers the following questions fully and accurately. Any additional statement concerning the vendor’s ability to provide service is encouraged.

3. THE COMPLETED RFP SHALL COMPRISE THE FIRST SECTION OF THE VENDOR PROPOSAL. PROPOSERS ARE NOT TO MODIFY ORIGINAL FILE EXCEPT TO ADD SPACE FOR REPLIES. USE THIS WORD FILE AND THE EMBEDDED AND SEPARATE EXCEL FILES TO SUBMIT RESPONSES.

4. All proposals submitted will be compared with respect to the standards and specifications set forth herein. Proposed Vendors should include any information that would more clearly present overall capabilities and costs. Such additional information may be included in the final analysis and considered prior to the awarding of the telecommunications contract.

5. Any publicity giving reference to this project, whether in the form of press releases, brochures, photographic coverage, or verbal announcement, shall be only with the specific approval of Walker County.

6. In signing the Affirmation of Vendor, vendor certifies that the proposal has been arrived at independently and has been submitted without collusion with, and without any agreement, understanding or planned common course of action designed to limit independent bidding or competition with any other vendors of material, supplies, equipment, or services described in the request for proposal. IT ALSO CERTIFIES THAT THE SIGNER UNDERSTANDS AND AGREES TO ALL OF THE SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE RFP. ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED HEREIN SHOULD BE CLEARLY NOTED. THE SIGNER MUST BE OF MANAGEMENT LEVEL.

7. Other General Conditions are at the end of this document.



C. Affirmation of Vendor

The undersigned, being of management level, affirms and declares that this proposal is executed and signed by Vendor with full knowledge and acceptance of the provisions of the Commodity Specifications, Proposal Schedule and Special Proposals, and Contract Terms and Conditions, which are made a part of the contract.

NAME OF VENDOR

ADDRESS

TELEPHONE NO.

CELL NO. ______________________________________

FAX NO.

E-MAIL

FEIN / SSAN

BY: AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

NAME:

TITLE:

DATE:

VENDOR AGREES THAT THIS PROPOSAL RESPONSE SHALL BE INCORPORATED INTO ANY CONTRACT FOR SERVICE, BY WAY OF ADDENDUM AS FOLLOWS:

ADDENDUM TO CONTRACT

[Vendor Name] agrees to all provisions of the Proposal Response to Walker County Request for Proposal No. C2360-9-001-RFP specifications. These provisions as accepted by [Vendor Name] shall take precedence over any contractual wording. Any exceptions to the provisions have been clearly noted in the Proposal Response.



III. SYSTEM CONFIGURATIONS / SPECIFICATIONS

A. Summary of All Locations on Network

1. Definitions

a. Installed as specified below means the proposed system is to be furnished with all the equipment, licenses and services to provide the quantity and level of service noted at cutover.

b. Equipped as specified below means the proposed system at cutover will include all common equipment, processing, memory and hardware necessary to support this level, with only the addition of software licenses and terminal equipment.

c. Capacity as specified below means the proposed system will be capable of expanding in size by modular additions at a future date to the quantities as noted without a major system/model upgrade.



Walker County has categorized its IP telephone set requirements with the following minimum requirements:

Small: 6 Function keys, 4 programmable line/feature keys, Display

Medium: 8 Function keys, 8 programmable line/feature keys, Display

Large: 10 Fixed Function keys, 16 programmable line/feature keys, Display

Extra Large: 10 Fixed Function keys, 32 line keys and large Display

ENTER YOUR EQUIPPED AND CAPACITY INFORMATION IN Walker County VoIP RFP 100108.xls – Configurations.

IV. TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS / CONSIDERATIONS

EXHIBIT 1

If a blank appears before a statement or question, a response is REQUIRED. A yes confirms that the system proposed meets the requirement and cost is either included in the proposed costs or specifically identified as an optional or supplemental cost in the FINANCIAL SUMMARY.

A. General System Requirements

______ State-of-the-art, pure IP technology that supports IP enabled connection and IP peer to peer switching that connects endpoints directly to each other through the network. Proposed system must be the most current system model including hardware and software in release at the time of installation. System must be able to network to other proposed systems using standard protocol to share coordinated dialing plans and centralized integrated systems such as Voice Mail and Unified Messaging, Call Accounting and Automatic Call Distribution solutions. In the event that the proposed system is not in general release at the time of the Bid, Vendor shall so inform Walker County and identify all known enhancements, upgrades or new product offerings to be included in the proposed model.

______ System must be an unsupervised, premise-based solution purchased for a lump sum cash price.

______ System must support G.711, G723a and G729 IP compression protocols.

______ Provide a simple schematic of your proposed IP network design, submitted as Exhibit 6.

______ System must be able to seamlessly integrate with the County’s current Class C IP address scheme of 192.168.0.0.

______ VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) telephone system networked between all locations that are on the county data network. System must essentially function as one system across the county, with four-digit dialing between locations and feature transparency.

______ During installation of the proposed system , vendor must ensure that new system co-exists with the existing systems. Implementation will be in phases over two to five week period. Describe a sample implementation plan of your proposed system.



______ Direct Inward Dialing (DID) numbers on two local AT&T PRIs featuring a total of 46 B-channels. Most of the Plexar numbers must be ported to the PRI service and additional DID groups added as needed. One PRI to terminate at the Annex and the other at the Justice Center.

______ Caller Name and Number Identification (CLID) service contracted through the PRI digital trunks to be accessible to all users, assuming that the AT&T CO will provide Name over the D-channels.

______ The primary server location to be the County Annex building. A diagram of the proposed configuration is attached as document Walker County Network Diagram 100108.jpg. Local site configurations are provided with document Walker County VoIP RFP 100108.xls – Configurations and the successful vendor will be provided with already-completed key sheets in Excel for all users at all locations.

______ In addition to the above, the county requires an optional quote for system server redundancy for the central Annex switch. If multiple levels of redundancy are available, the county would like to see each priced separately.

______ At least two AT&T POTS lines will terminate at each major facility (annex and Justice Center). These will serve as fax or other analog terminations and will also be used for any location callers to automatically access E911 service. In the event of network failure, the local switch shall be survivable and utilize these POTS lines for two-way connectivity to the PSTN.

______ Long distance service will be provided by AT&T over the PRI spans, with 4-digit authorization codes that users will enter to place calls.

______ Walker County requires voice mail for every office and individual, and this is expected to reside at the Annex location. Informational mailboxes and automated attendant capabilities are also required. Passwords shall be changeable at user discretion and shall not be at forced intervals. CLID number and name (if provided by carrier) as delivered via the PRI D-channel shall be retained by the Voice Messaging application and provided as part of the message envelope. “0” destinations must be individually programmable for each mailbox. Unified messaging is required for approximately 100 users. Outcalling message notification to a pager or cell phone via verbal or text is desired for selected users. A product by the same manufacturer as the proposed system is highly desired, but not required.

______ Walker County further desires a basic Automated Call Distribution (ACD) application to be available for at least one department where multiple employees will take departmental calls from a hunt group. The minimum requirement is uniform rotation of calls amongst four employees, without reporting capabilities. As an optional quote, management desires to have the ability to get both real-time and historical reports of calls attempted, answered, abandoned, usage and queue time for callers. See the features section for a listing.

______ The Justice Center location also features a city/county Public Safety Answering Position (Central Dispatch Operation). The PSAP features its own equipment for that purpose, but also needs a group of ten lines and a few sets for administrative functions. The ten station lines must be incorporated into the 911 operator equipment as analog stations.

______ A centralized inbound and outbound CDR (Call Detail Recorder) that would pick up CLID information plus the usual fields and save to a database. This would primarily be used to track problem callers.

______ It is anticipated that the successful vendor will use the existing data wiring in each location, which is Cat 5E or better.

______ An Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system with surge protection is required to operate with the proposed equipment at each site. The UPS system at each location must allow for at least two hours of battery backup on all of the proposed equipment as configured at cutover. Separately list all equipment, with specifications. There is also a county-supplied generator at the Justice Center and Annex.



______ The complete VoIP system hardware and software will need to work in conjunction with county data devices. See Walker County VoIP RFP 100108.xls – Data for a list of all data equipment and facilities at each location. If this is not practical, each proposal must detail specifically why this is not workable and propose replacement or adjunct equipment to facilitate acceptable performance of the VoIP system. The current network is connected via owned and leased fiber, plus some T1 leased lines and a small amount of Cat 5 cabling with runs not exceeding 100 meters. See Walker County Network Diagram 100108.jpg

______ Each vendor shall provide a written network readiness assessment of all the facilities, based on the passage of simulated voice calling across the network during working hours when other applications are running. The tests are to be performed at the beginning of the project after award has taken place, with equipment order contingent on passage.

______ Included in the response is to be all information on the technical and environmental requirements of the proposed systems. Specifically, the temperature range and space requirements. There are switch rooms at the Annex and Justice Center. For the other locations, it is planned to put the proposed systems in the same rooms where the present systems and data gear are located, generally closets. Any required modifications to the sites should be specifically identified in the proposed system costs.

______ Walker County requires a combination of user and centralized management capabilities. This will include system maintenance capability with a single/master login at the Annex site that can access all remote sites.

______ Proposals must include one complete set of system manuals and training all users on site on the use of the new equipment and applications, as well as training for up to five county personnel on centralized system management. User Guides in electronic format are to be available to each user.

______ A phone must be able to be moved from location to another and retain its specific user features and system must dynamically determine the current location for E911 addressing. Provide the frequency of PS/ALI database updating capability and break out the cost for this feature.

______ Music on Hold capability for each location. The county shall provide the source.

______ Paging over sets at the DA Building. This option may be priced separately with itemization, including any third-party products.

______ Vendors must include in their tasks the disconnecting and removal all of the old equipment when installing the new systems. Vendors should propose a credit to the county for the value of the old equipment.

B. System Architecture

______ System must be an open standards-based solution, able to support a converged network, with the following attributes:

______ Distributed switching

______ Converged desktop applications

______ A solution that seamlessly integrates all components

______ System must enable IP and SIP telephone calls and features to be passed across an IP network and be able to support various IETF interconnection protocols as well as PSTN interconnection using ISDN PRI, T-1 and analog trunks.



C. Capacity

______ State the proposed product’s maximum total station capacity for networked systems (product, not Walker County specifically).

Describe how the system is expanded through networking of other same systems.

______ Do networked systems of the same type perform seamlessly as one system from a coordinated dial plan and service feature perspective?

______ Can networked systems share resources and centralized applications?

Describe any limitations of such a design.

D. Mandatory Software Requirements

______ Must work with Exchange 2007 SP1 64 bit software. Describe any mandatory software requirements of the proposed system necessary to meet the total requirements of this specification including any Applications Database software, desktop software and Email Server software for Unified Messaging – Email Integration.

E. Redundancy and Survivability

______ Total system and server redundancy is required; one server at the Annex location, one server at the Justice Center location. Describe the redundancy and backup capability and options of the proposed system. Include a description of how this works across the whole network.

Indicate the degree of redundancy for each of the following common control devices; system memory, I/O interfaces, call classifiers, database memory, call processor, DTMF receivers, power supply.

______ When the main processor is duplicated, can each processor individually handle the total system traffic load without degradation in service?

______ When the main processor is duplicated; can the duplicate processor be separated and located at a different physical site to improve survivability if a physical site is lost? How far apart can the processors be?

______ The proposed IP solution must have a power back up system. Please describe your options.

______ If a call server fails what is the impact to the registered telephones? What is the impact to telephones in an active call? Are IP telephones able to re-register with a different server if a server fails?

Describe what features are not available when a remote site is in failover mode compared to normal operation.

______ Can remote locations survive and continue with full feature functionality if the primary central call-processing system is unavailable for any reason (such as a network failure or server problem)?

What, if any endpoint equipment is not supported in standard survivability mode?

F. Enhanced 911 Services Support



______ System must recognize dynamically the phone number and physical address of all phones on the county system Describe how the system handles dynamic updates for E911 for moves, adds, and changes.

______ Is E911 service provided integral to the call-processing platform or via additional servers or add-on hardware? Describe any additional hardware and software costs and any additional licensing requirements for E911 users.

Describe the systems ability to trace and record malicious calls.

G. Operating System

______ Proposed system must be compatible with Windows Server 2003 Network. Future releases must be compatible with Windows Server 2008.

List the latest released versions of the operating system(s) supported by the proposed solution.

H. Information Integrity

______ Proposed system must preserve and protect database between backups.Describe how this is accomplished.

I. Major Threats

______ Proposed system must provide a highly secure network for users and mitigate issues described below that pose major threats to the integrity of IP Telephony Systems. Describe how the proposed system addresses each of these issues.

Unauthorized Access

Interception and Eavesdropping

Toll Fraud

Denial of Service, Load Based DOS and Malformed DOS

Manipulation

Protocol Attach

SPIT (Spam for IP Telephony)

J. Virus Attack

______ Proposed system must be compatible with Symantec Anti-Virus software version 10.X. In addition, describe how the system is made resistant to virus attacks.

K. Encryption and Security



______ Proposed system must allow for encryption and authentication. Describe the proposed systems methods of encryption and authentication.

______ Are digital certificates required?

______ Proposed system must adopt UDP or TLS for signal encryption . Which does the proposed system adopt?

Describe in detail how the proposed systems authentication process prevents unauthorized access to data resources and counter packet-sniffing attempts

L. Quality of Service

______ Does the proposed solution provide Layer 2 and Layer 3 end-to-end quality of service to IP stations?

______ Does the proposed system support trunking (separate voice from data)

______ Does the proposed system support PVST?

Describe how the phones negotiate QOS.

M. VoIP Overflow Traffic

______ Does the system have overflow capabilities if WAN paths are unavailable or if conditions are unfavorable?

Describe how this takes place.

N. IEEE 802.3af Standard

______ Vendor provided IP Phones must support the IEEE 802.3af POE (Power Over Ethernet) standard and alsodynamic class of power.

Describe limitations, if any, working with the listed Cisco networking gear.

______ How many phones are supported on a 48 port Cisco Catalyst 3750 switch

O. Teleworkers

Describe the proposed systems’ application for off-premises teleworkers and traveling users. Describe the hardware and/or software components required to support fixed location teleworkers and traveling users.

Describe any limitations or firewall issues of these applications.

P. Session Initiation Protocol (SIP)

______ Does the solution require proprietary SIP stations? If not, identify three third-party SIP telephones that are compatible with the proposed solution.

Describe how they are supported.

______ Is SIP call controls embedded in the common control design or are additional components required?

______ Is this cost included in your quote for proposed system?



______ Does the proposed system support SIP-based trunking?

Describe how they are supported.

Q. Other Formats

______ Does your system support point-to-point and point-to-multipoint video conferencing?

______ Is your video conferencing based on the H.323 standards? If your product is based on other standards such as H.323, answer the same questions as above in regards to this format.

R. Analog Stations

______ Does the proposed solution accommodates analog devices?

Describe the hardware requirements and ports per analog card.

______ Is there a limitation as to how many analog devices are supported on the proposed system?

______ How many analog devices are supported on the proposed system?

S. IP Telephone Comparisons

Provide feature and design information on the proposed IP telephone set types below.

IP Phone Feature Small Mid LargeNumber of Fixed Function Keys Number of Programmable Line and/or Feature Keys Fixed Function Key: Hold Fixed Function Key: Transfer Fixed Function Key: Conference Fixed Function Key: Redial Fixed Function Key: Recall Fixed Function Key: Speaker On/Off Fixed Function Key: Microphone Display Number of LinesDisplay Number of CharactersLCD Color LCD (# of colors) Adjustable LCD Display Backlit Display Compatible Brightness/Contrast Control Full Duplex Speakerphone



IP Phone Feature Small Mid LargeRing Volume Control Headset Compatible Power Over Ethernet External Power Via AC adapter Desi-Less Available Colors Message Waiting Indicator USB port to plug in keyboard and mouse Built- In Wall Mount Unit

Provide screen shots of each of the IP telephone types included in the proposed solution, submitted as Exhibit 14.

T. Features

With regard to the following lists of required and optional features, each vendor should specify whether a particular item is:

Standard (S) - It is part of the proposed system at no additional cost.Not Available (X) - It is not presently available on the proposed system.Optional (I) - The cost of the item is included in the price. List the cost within parentheses.Optional (N) - The cost of the item is not included in the price. List the cost.

All extra cost options must be separately itemized. State whether cost is included in proposed price or not, as noted above. Features designated with an "*" sign are considered mandatory. Proposing equipment that cannot meet a mandatory feature may, at Walker County’s discretion, result in rejection of any response submitted by that vendor. Those designated with a "+" sign are highly desired. All other features are asked for specific reasons, so answer all or any left unanswered will be considered not available (X).

The definitions can be found in Newton’s Telecom Dictionary, available at www.harrynewton.com.

S/X/Opt Opt. CostSYSTEM FEATURES

* Account Code Capability

* American with Disabilities (ADA) Compliant

* Analog Station Support

* Area/Office Code Restriction (6-digit)

+ Area/Office Code Restriction (10-digit)

* Audio Conferencing

* Automated Attendant Integration

* Automatic Call Distribution (ACD)

* Automatic Callback

+Call Distribution – Uniform (UCD) or equivalent

+ Call Park

* Caller Identification Capability


http://www.harrynewton.com/


S/X/Opt Opt. Cost

+ Circular Hunting

* Classes of Service (Features) How Many?

* Computer Telephony Integration

* Direct-In Lines/Trunks (DIL/DIT)

* Direct Inward Dialing (DID)Direct Inward System Access (DISA)Intercept Treatment - Attendant

+ Intercept Treatment - Tone

+ Least Cost Routing

* Music on Hold AccessOff-Premises Extensions/Stations (OPX/OPS)Power Failure Transfer - Industry Standard Instrument

* Primary Rate Interface (PRI) T-1 Access

* Processor Changes - Remote AccessRadio Paging Access

* Remote Alarm Reporting

* Remote Diagnostics

* Remote Teleworker Capability

* ResiliencySecretarial Hunting

+ Speed Calling - Group

* Speed Calling - Individual

+ Speed Calling - SystemTie Trunk Access (via T-1)

* Toll Restriction - 0 & 1

* Traffic Measurement (CCS)

* Trunk Queuing - Outbound

+ Trunk Queuing – Outbound Priority

+ Vacant Code Intercept

* Vacant Number Intercept

* Voice Mail Integration

* Voice Paging Access - External

+ Voice Paging Access - Phones

STATION FEATURES

+ Account Code Display

* Add-on Conference

+ Automatic Intercom

+ Automatic Line Preferences

* Automatic Ring-back on Held Call

+ Auxiliary Station Ringer Interface (Loud Bell)

+ Background Music

* Call Forwarding - All Calls

* Call Forwarding - Busy Line (Trunk/Station)



S/X/Opt Opt. Cost

* Call Forwarding - Don’t Answer (Trunk/Station)

* Call Forwarding - Preset (Trunk/Station)

+ Call Forwarding - Remote

+ Call Forwarding Destination Display

+ Call Forwarding Source Display

+ Call Pickup (Group)

+ Call Pickup Source Display

+ Callback Number Display

+ Calling Name Display

* Calling Number Display

+ Dial Input Verification Display

* Directed Call Pickup

+ Distinctive Ringing - Line

* Distinctive Ringing - Set

+ Duration of Call Display

* End-To-End Station DTMF Signaling

* Exclusive Hold

+ Flexible Ringing Assignments by Stations

* Group Call Pickup

+ Incoming Call Source Display

* Last Number Re-dial

+ Message Waiting Source DisplayMultiple Discriminating Ringing

* On-Hook Dialing (Multi-Line Set)

+ On-Hook Dialing (Single-Line Feature Set)

+ Outward Restriction

* Recall (Flash) Button

+ Saved Number Re-dial

+ Speed Calling - Station

+ Speed Calling Number Display

+ Station Call Transfer & Camp-On

+ Station Camp-On

* Station Forced Busy (DND)

* Station Message Waiting

+ Time of Day Display

+ Wireless Telephones

VOICE MESSAGING FEATURES

* Centralized Voice Mail

+ On-Line Tutorial for Users

+ Multiple Pre-Recorded Greetings

* User Recorded Greeting

+ Variable Greeting Length

* Ability for Caller to “Bail-Out” to a Live Person

+ Caller can Listen to & Re-Record Own Message



S/X/Opt Opt. Cost

* Ability for Caller to Mark Message “Urgent”

+ Different Call Forwarding Paths per Mailbox

* Ability to Activate Message Waiting Indication

+Single Key Stroke Functions for Message Review

* Ability to Pause during Message Review

* Ability to Replay Messages during Review

+ Ability to Skip Messages during Review

+ Ability to Cancel Review of Messages

* Ability to Increase and Decrease Volume

+ Ability to Listen to Unheard Messages First

* Notification of Urgent Messages First

+ Messages Played First In-First Out

* Header Includes Date and Time of Message

* Header Includes Name and Number of Caller

* Ability of Users to Override Prompts

+ Ability of User to Receive On-Line Help

+ Ability to Reply without Address within System

* Ability to Forward Messages within System

* Ability to Attach Memo to Forwarded Messages

+ Confirmation of Receipt of Message

* Ability to Act as an Automated Attendant

+ Ability to Monitor Line Status and Notify Caller

* Ability for Time of Day Changes in Greetings

+ Ability for Call Routing MenusAbility to Use All Digits (1-9) for Routing

* Name/Extension Directory

* Ability to Out-page

* Information Mailboxes

+ Group Distribution Lists

+ Broadcast Messages

* Announcement MessagesConference Recording Ability

* User System Administration

* Classes of Service

* Mailbox Passwords

* Ability of User to Change Individual Password

+ Ability of System Administrator to Override

+System Tracking of Incorrect Password Attempts

+ System Disconnect After “X” Incorrect Attempts

+ System Management Reports

+ System Exception Reports

* System Alarms

+ Remote System Alarms



S/X/Opt Opt. Cost

* Remote System Access for Diagnostics

+ Remote System Access for Upgrades

+ Tone Detection to Minimize “Talk-Off”

+ Automatic Gain Control for Volume Levels

+ Hard Disk Storage RedundancyInteractive Voice Response

VOICE MESSAGING REPORTS

* Complete system configuration summary

* Disk utilization summary

* Subscriber usage statistics (by individual)

* Port traffic studies, including GOS and overflow

* Software/hardware error alarms

* Remote monitoring of alarms

ACD FEATURESAgent GroupsAgent Hold upon Signal from Supervisor Agent Mobility

* Agent No Answer HandlingAgent Request for HelpCall Delay FlexibilityCall FlowCall Overflow and InterflowCentralized Automatic Call DistributionDial Out Queue

* Do Not Disturb

* Make BusyMove Agents to Different Answer Points

+ Music Between Recordings

+ Network ACD (group overflow)On-Line MessagingPredictive Overflow

+ Queue Priority

+ Queue Unavailable Routing

+ Queue Status

* Recorded Announcements

+ Silent MonitorSkills-based Routing

+ Supervisor Monitoring from SetSupervisor Inaudible Signal to Agent

+ Supervisor Log in and out AgentsSupervisor Put Agents in and out of Make BusySupervisor Put Agents in and out of Do Not Disturb



S/X/Opt Opt. CostSupervisor Put Queues in and out of Operation

+ Threshold AlertingWork Timers

ACD REPORTING FEATURES (OPTIONAL CATEGORY)

+ Abandon Call ReportAbility to Record CallsACD Call on Hold

+ ACD Queue Report

+ Agent Group ReportAutomatically Generate ReportsCentralized Archiving and ManagementDaily Total ReportDecentralized Ability to Record Calls

* Do Not DisturbForecasting

+ ID-sensitive Log-on

+ Idle

* Login/Logout

* Make Busy

* Make Busy Reason Codes

+ Monitor Real-Time Activities

+ Non-ACD Call on HoldOn an ACD CallOn a Non-ACD CallOn an Outgoing CallOngoing Status ReportOutgoing Call on Hold

* Scheduled Report Generation

* Single Agent Report

* Trunk Report

* View Historical Reports

+ Wrap-up State



V. VENDOR INFORMATION

EXHIBIT 2

Each proposal to be considered must provide the following information and respond to all questions. THE QUESTIONS MUST BE ANSWERED IN THE AREAS PROVIDED, EXCEPT WHERE NOTED.EXPAND AS NEEDED.

A. Financial Summary

1. Vendor's overall size, corporate structure, and number of years in business. A corporate annual report or audited financial statements must be provided. This information will remain strictly confidential, if so annotated.

2. Experience with the proposed systems. How long have you carried these particular products (model and software generic)?

3. Total number of installations of the proposed systems. Give company-wide figures.

B. Installation and Warranty Capability – ALL PROJECT TECHNICAL PERSONNEL SHALL BE MANUFACTURER-CERTIFIED. COPIES OF CERTIFICATIONS SHALL BE MADE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.

1. Will work be performed by employees of the vendor or contract labor? If contract labor, state name of company or individuals.

2. Location of this work force?

3. Territory covered by this work force.

4. Total work personnel assigned to this area (100 mile radius).

5. Total number of work personnel in this area trained on specific equipment enumerated in RFP.

6. Total number of lines (working stations/mailboxes) covered by the work force in this area.

7. Total number of lines (working stations/mailboxes) of specific equipment covered by the work force in this area.

8. Guaranteed response time for major outages and routine service calls. Define major outage.

VI. REFERENCES

EXHIBIT 3

A. References

1. Provide at least four references utilizing specific hardware/software, preferably in the local area. The list must include contact name, telephone number, and approximate cutover date. Governmental entities of similar size, if any, should be referenced. Is a complete client list available?



VII. WARRANTY AND OTHER INFORMATION

EXHIBIT 4

A. Warranty

1. For what period is the equipment under warranty (at least one year is desired)? Is this a manufacturer or vendor warranty?

2. What parts are included in the warranty contract? Excluded?

3. Does the manufacturer offer any written guarantees as to the performance of both the system and the distributor? Please include a copy.

B. Labor Charges

1. For MAC (moves, adds and changes) work, what are the per hour costs and minimum hours per call? Detail any additional costs such as trip charges, i.e. exactly when timing starts and ends. How long are these rates guaranteed?

2. What are charges for work calls other than normal working hours? Detail any additional costs such as trip charges, i.e. exactly when timing starts and ends. How long are these rates guaranteed?

3. Is service available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year? How are off-hours customer contact and dispatch handled?

4. Explain problem escalation procedure. Will customer be provided with direct manufacturer Technical Support contacts?

5. How often will Preventive Work be provided? Provide the schedule of what will be done on each PM service call.

C. Software Changes 1. What device is used to enter software changes into the systems (PC, MAT, console overlay, etc.)? Itemize any proprietary equipment required, including costs, and note if cost is included in total price.

2. Can customers perform their own software changes without extensive training? Is technical assistance from the manufacturer available after certification? At what cost? State the length, cost, and location of any training per person.

3. Are software and firmware licenses freely transferable by the customer when the hardware is eventually sold to a third party?

D. User Training

1. Who will train customer's personnel?

2. Detail when, where, and how training will take place.

3. Will training of customer's personnel be conducted on a regular basis after the cutover?



4. Will User’s Guides be provided for each user? Will a training video that can be shown to future new employees be provided?

5. Are there any additional charges for user training after the initial classes? If so, state each kind of training class and cost.

E. Files and Records

1. Who will maintain all necessary files and records concerning the systems?

F. Additional Pricing – Moves, Adds, and Changes

Double-click the table to open in Excel.

For what period are these prices guaranteed? (One year preferred)

Is there a guaranteed increase cap for subsequent periods? Please state percentage.



VIII. FINANCIAL SUMMARY

EXHIBIT 5

A. Purchase

CASH PURCHASE SCHEDULE

00% Upon acceptance of contract25% Upon delivery of equipment25% Upon Cutover of System(s)50% Upon acceptance of system(s), defined as satisfactory processing calls for one month

WALKER COUNTY IS FULLY EXEMPT FROM ALL SALES AND EXCISE TAXES

In the attached spreadsheet Walker County VoIP RFP 100108.xls - Pricing, detail the following for each location and subtotal. The basic template is provided. If you utilize your own template, it should be subtotaled as below and also convertible to Excel.

Complete the following summarySubmit in detail to support all costs of implementing the proposed solution.

ITEMIZED LIST, SUBTOTALED BY MAJOR ITEMS:

VoIP Servers

Telephone Sets (IP, by model/size)

Voice Messaging

E911 Move Database Tracking

Trade-In of Present Equipment (Deduct)

Other

TOTAL

System Redundancy Options

Network Readiness Assessment

DA Building Paging Through Sets

Other

Yearly Maintenance Cost – Including Hardware and Software Licenses (beginning 13th month). Describe how computed. List One, Three and Five-Year Options



IX. GENERAL CONDITIONS

Throughout this RFP the following definitions apply:

a. CLIENT – Walker County, Texasb. CONSULTANT - Ben Sanford and Associates, Inc.c. CONTRACTOR - That entity submitting the proposal for telecommunications services and products at the aforementioned location.

Fully functional operating system, whether specified or not.

1. Labor RelationsAll work to be performed in connection with this contract shall be by workmen or firms whose employees are not objectionable to the various trade unions that may be involved in construction of the premises. The CONTRACTOR shall be wholly responsible for all trade union relations and the CLIENT shall not be liable in any way through delays or claims arising through such causes. The CONTRACTOR shall not discriminate in the performance of this Contract against any employee, subcontractor, vendor or any other person on account of race, sex, age, national origin or religion.

2. Laws and OrdinancesThe CONTRACTOR shall be responsible for assuring that all work and materials shall comply with all state and federal laws, municipal ordinances, regulations and directions of inspectors appointed by proper jurisdiction. In the event any of the conditions of these specifications violate the electrical industry code, then such code conditions shall prevail. The CONTRACTOR shall state in his proposal where the code is at variance with these specifications.

3. Permits and CertificatesThe CONTRACTOR shall obtain and pay for all necessary permits and licenses regulations bearing on the conduct of the work as drawn and specified. If any work upon which an inspection certificate by local authorities, National Board of Fire Underwriters, or any other governing body is required, such inspection certificate or certificates shall be obtained by the CONTRACTOR, and shall be paid for by him. The CONTRACTOR shall procure all necessary certificates of acceptance or of completion required and issued by the state, municipal, or other authorities and deliver these to the CLIENT. The CLIENT may withhold any payments which are due or which may become due to the CONTRACTOR until the necessary certificates are procured and delivered to him.

4. CONTRACTOR's Liability Insurance INSURANCE REQUIRED. The CONTRACTOR shall instruct his/her insurance agent or carrier to furnish at his/her own expense to the County a Certificate of Liability Insurance listing the County as “Additional Insured”. The awarded vendor shall furnish and keep in full force the following insurance during the term of this contract:

a. Statutory workers comp in accordance with State of Texas requirements.b. Commercial General Liability at minimum combined single limits of ($500,000 per occurrence and $500,000

general aggregate) for bodily injury and for property damages, which coverage shall include products/completed operations at $500,000 per occurrence. Coverage must be written on an occurrence form.

c. Commercial Automobile Liability at minimum combined single limits of $300,000 per occurrence for Bodily Injury and Property Damage, including owned, non-owned, and hired vehicle coverage. All insurance must be written on forms filed with and approved by the Texas Board of Insurance. Certificates of Insurance shall be prepared and executed by the insurance company or its authorized agent.

All of the aforementioned policies shall be issued immediately after the CONTRACTOR receives notification of award. Receipt of the Certificates of Insurance is required before any funds will be released for payment. Acceptance of proof of insurance supplied by the successful vendor, nor failure to disapprove the insurance shall relieve the successful vendor of full responsibility of liability, damages and accidents as set forth herein. It is the responsibility of the successful vendor to provide renewals of their insurance at expiration during the contract term. Payments will be withheld until current Certificates of Insurance are received.



INDEMNIFICATION: Successful vendor shall defend, indemnify and save harmless Walker County and all its officers, agents and employees from all suits, actions, or other claims of any character, name and description brought for or on account of any injuries or damages received or sustained by any person, persons, or property on account of any negligent act or fault of the successful bidder, or of any agent, employee, sub-contractor or supplier in the execution of, or performance under, any contract which may result from bid award. Successful bidder indemnifies and will indemnify and save harmless Walker County from liability, claim or demand on their part, agents, servants, customer, and/or employees whether such liability, claim or demand arise from event or casualty happening upon or within the occupied premises themselves or happening upon or in any of the halls, elevators, entrances, stairways or approaches of or to the facilities within which the occupied premises are located. Successful bidder shall pay any judgment costs which may be obtained against Walker County growing out of such injury or damages.

CONTRACTOR shall, at his own expense, procure and maintain satisfactory public liability and casualty insurance to adequately protect himself and the CLIENT against damages for personal injury, including death, which may arise from operations under this contract, or anyone directly or indirectly employed.

CONTRACTOR shall make all payments in accordance with unemployment, old age, and other insurance and social security provisions of the federal, state, and municipal governments and all other governing bodies, pursuant to law for that purpose made and provided, whether enacted at the time or prior to the execution of the contract or during the progress of the work hereunder, and shall assume all liability for the compliance with the requirements thereof. CONTRACTOR shall assume all liability for injuries to or loss of any of the CLIENT's property or the property of any other CONTRACTOR which may be employed by the CLIENT in said premises, or to any adjoining property or the property of any third person which may be caused, directly or indirectly, by the CONTRACTOR, his sub-contractors and by the employees of each of these, and shall, at his own expense, indemnify the CLIENT for and make good any such damage, loss or theft. The liability of the CONTRACTOR under this covenant is absolute and not dependent upon any questions of negligence of his, sub-contractors, or their employees and failure of the CLIENT or CONSULTANT to direct the CONTRACTOR to take any precaution or refrain from doing any particular act will not relieve the CONTRACTOR in case of any such damage.

5. Fire InsuranceThe CLIENT will insure the building or other work included in this contract against loss or damage by fire and against loss and damage covered by the standard extended coverage insurance endorsement, the amount of the insurance at all times at least equal to the amount paid on account of work or materials, and plus the value of work or materials furnished or delivered, but not yet paid for to the CLIENT. The policies shall be in the name of the CLIENT.

6. Royalties and PatentsThe CONTRACTOR shall pay all royalties and license fees. The CONTRACTOR hereby covenants and agrees to hold the CLIENT harmless and indemnify the CLIENT from payment of any royalties, damages, losses or expense for suits, claims, or otherwise growing out of alleged infringement of patents, materials and methods used in the fabrication of this equipment.

7. Materials and AppliancesUnless otherwise stipulated, CONTRACTOR shall provide and pay for all material, labor, tools, equipment, transportation, and other facilities necessary for the performance and completion of the work. CONTRACTOR shall verify conditions at the building, and particularly door openings and passages, to avoid building any items too large for openings. Any pieces too bulky for existing facilities shall be hoisted or otherwise handled with apparatus as required. All special handling equipment charges shall be paid by the CONTRACTOR.

8. The CLIENT shall furnish and provide the following:

a. Any power and light required to facilitate the installation of equipment.

b. Reasonable openings and storage space to permit scheduled delivery of equipment.

c. A temperature-controlled environment as specified in the vendor proposal/manufacturer requirements.



d. All inside wiring and outside cable plant as specified from patch panel in serving switchroom to patch panel in remote building.

9. Building RepairsCONTRACTOR shall be liable and responsible for any building repairs necessitated by actions of his employees. Repairs of any kind required will be made and charged to him. CONTRACTOR shall take the necessary precautions to protect the building areas adjacent to his work.

10. Sub-ContractorsThe names and addresses of all proposed sub-contractors shall be furnished in writing to CONSULTANT, and the selection of sub-contractors must be approved by CONSULTANT. If, in the CONSULTANT’s judgment, any fail to perform the work in strict accordance with the drawings and specifications, the CONTRACTOR, after due notice from CONSULTANT, shall discharge the same. This shall in no way release the CONTRACTOR from his obligations and responsibility under the contract. Every sub-contractor shall be bound by the terms and provisions of the contract documents as far as applicable to his work. Nothing contained herein shall create any contractual relations between any sub-contractor and the CLIENT. CONTRACTOR shall be fully responsible to the CLIENT for the acts and omissions of his sub-contractor.

11. Separate ContractsThe CLIENT reserves the right to let other contracts in connection with his work, and the CONTRACTOR shall afford these other Contractors reasonable opportunity for the introduction and execution of their work, and shall properly connect and coordinate his work with theirs as required.

12. The successful CONTRACTOR shall be responsible for coordinating the ordering of any required interface devices, Central Office trunks, and network services.

13. The County reserves the right to accept or reject in part or in whole, any proposals submitted, and to waive any technicalities for the best interest of the County.

14. Walker County shall not be responsible for any verbal communication between any employee of the County and any potential Proposer. Only written specifications and written price quotations will be considered.

15. Walker County reserves the right to reject any proposals that do not fully respond to each specified item.

16. The Proposer must include Employer Identification Number or Social Security Number for the proposal to be valid.

17. Should there be a change in ownership or management, the contract shall be canceled unless a mutual agreement is reached with the new owner to continue the contract with its present provisions and prices. This contract is nontransferable by either party.

18. The County may cancel this contract at any time for any reason, provided a thirty day written notice is given.

19. Acceptance of merchandise, work, and/or equipment provided shall be made by the County at the sole discretion of the Commissioners Court when all terms and conditions of the contract and specifications have been met to its satisfaction, including the submission to the County of any and all documentation as may be required.

20. Title and Risk of Loss of the goods shall not pass to Walker County until the County actually accepts and takes possession of the goods at the point or points of delivery.

21. This agreement shall be governed by the Uniform Commercial Code as adopted in the State of Texas as effective and in force on the date of this agreement.

22. If addendums are written or graphic instruments issued prior to the execution of the contract which modify or interpret the bidding documents, including drawings and specifications, by additions, deletions, clarifications or corrections, they will become part of the contract document when the construction contract is executed.



23. This Proposal will be made part of any resulting contract the County may enter into.

24. During the evaluation process, Walker County reserves the right, in the best interest of the County to request additional information or clarification from the Proposer.

25. Walker County is tax exempt. Tax exemption certificates will be executed by the County upon request.

26. Payment shall not be processed until product has been received and a completed invoice is received by the Walker County Auditor’s Office.

27. TERMINATION FOR DEFAULT: In the event the CONTRACTOR shall fail to perform, keep or observe any of the terms and conditions to be performed, kept or observed, Walker County shall give the successful bidder written notice of such default. And in the event said default is not remedied to the satisfaction and approval of Walker County within two working days of receipt of such notice by the successful bidder, default will be declared and all the successful bidder’s rights shall terminate. CONTRACTOR, in submitting this bid, agrees that Walker County shall not be liable to prosecution for damages in the event that Walker County declares the CONTRACTOR in default.

28. The vendor shall not offer or accept gifts or anything of value nor enter into any business arrangement with any employee, official or agent of Walker County.

29. No public official shall have interest in this contract in accordance with Vernon’s Texas Codes Annotated, Local Government Code, Title 5, Subtitle C, Chapter 171.

30. A purchase order must be issued by the Walker County Purchasing Department prior to work beginning. Required insurance must be received prior to issuance of purchase order. Invoices not bearing a purchase order number may be delayed for payment.

31. The CONTRACTOR shall provide the County with a Performance Bond in the amount of 100% of the contract Sum, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the Contract.


no. c2360-9-001-rfp.doc

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