Rev. 6/2024 Sourcewell RFP #020625
Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
RFP #020625
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
for
Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Proposal Due Date: February 6, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Central Time Sourcewell, a State of Minnesota local government unit and service cooperative, is requesting proposals for Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions to result in a procurement solution for use by its Participating Entities. Sourcewell Participating Entities include thousands of governmental, higher education, K-12 education, nonprofit, tribal government, and other public agencies located in the United States and Canada. A full copy of the Request for Proposals can be found on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal [https://proportal.sourcewell-mn.gov]. Only proposals submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal will be considered. Proposals are due no later than February 6, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. Central Time, and late proposals will not be considered.
SOLICITATION SCHEDULE
Public Notice of RFP Published: December 12, 2024
Pre-proposal Conference: January 7, 2025, 1:00 p.m., Central Time Question Submission Deadline: January 29, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Central Time Proposal Due Date: February 6, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Central Time Late responses will not be considered.
Opening: February 6, 2025, 4:30 p.m., Central Time
See RFP Section V.G. “Opening”
Rev. 6/2024 Sourcewell RFP #020625
Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
I. ABOUT SOURCEWELL
A. SOURCEWELL
Sourcewell is a State of Minnesota local government unit and service cooperative created under the laws of the State of Minnesota (Minnesota Statutes Section 123A.21) that facilitates a competitive public solicitation and master agreement award process for the benefit of its 50,000+ participating entities across the United States and Canada. Sourcewell’s solicitation process complies with State of Minnesota law and policies, conforms to Canadian trade agreements (including Canadian Free Trade Agreement, Ontario-Quebec Trade and Cooperation Agreement, and Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement, as applicable), and results in cooperative purchasing solutions from which Sourcewell’s Participating Entities procure equipment, products, and services.
Cooperative purchasing provides participating entities and suppliers increased administrative efficiencies and the power of combined purchasing volume that result in overall cost savings. At times, Sourcewell also partners with other purchasing cooperatives to combine the purchasing volume of their membership into a single solicitation and master agreement expanding the reach of awarded suppliers’ potential pool of end users.
Sourcewell uses a website-based platform, the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, through which all proposals to this RFP must be submitted.
B. USE OF RESULTING MASTER AGREEMENTS
In the United States, Sourcewell’s master agreements are available for use by:
• Federal and state government entities1;
• Cities, towns, and counties/parishes;
• Education service cooperatives;
• K-12 and higher education entities;
• Tribal government entities;
• Some nonprofit entities; and
• Other public entities.
In Canada, Sourcewell’s master agreements are available for use by current and future members including:
• Federal, provincial, and territorial government departments, ministries, agencies, boards, councils, committees, commissions, and similar agencies; • Indigenous self-governing bodies;
1 Pursuant to HAR §3-128-2, the State of Hawaii, Department of Accounting and General Services, State Procurement Office, on behalf of the State of Hawaii and participating jurisdictions, has provided notice of its Intent to Participate in the solicitation as a participating entity.
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• Regional, local, district, and other forms of municipal government, municipal organizations, school boards, and publicly funded academic, health, and social service entities referred to as MASH sector (this should be construed to include but not be limited to the cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Winnipeg), as well as any corporation or entity owned or controlled by one or more of the preceding entities; • Crown corporations, government enterprises, and other entities that are owned or controlled by these entities through ownership interest; and • Canoe procurement group of Canada’s current and future members. Canoe members include:
o Federal, provincial and territorial government departments, ministries, agencies, boards, councils, committees, commissions, and similar agencies; o Crown corporations, government enterprises, and other entities that are owned or controlled by these entities through ownership interest; o Indigenous self-governing bodies;
o Airport authorities;
o Regional, local, district, and other forms of municipal government, municipal organizations, school boards, and publicly funded academic, health, and social service entities referred to as MASH sector (this should be construed to include but not be limited to the cities of Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Ottawa, and Winnipeg), as well as any corporation or entity owned or controlled by one or more of the preceding entities; and
o Canoe procurement group of Canada’s current and future partner associations, including Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, Association of Manitoba Municipalities, Local Authorities Services/Association of Municipalities Ontario, Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, Federation of Prince Edward Island Municipalities, Municipalities Newfoundland Labrador, Union of New Brunswick Municipalities, Northwest Territories Association of Communities, Association of Yukon Communities, CivicInfo BC, Association and their current and future members.
For a listing of current United States and Canadian Participating Entities visit Sourcewell’s website (note: there is a tab for each country): https://www.sourcewell-mn.gov/sourcewell-forvendors/agency-locator.
Participating Entities typically access master agreements for equipment, products, or services through a purchase order issued directly to the awarded supplier. A Participating Entity may request additional terms or conditions related to a purchase. Use of Sourcewell master agreements is voluntary and Participating Entities retain the right to obtain similar equipment, products, or services from other sources.
To meet Participating Entities’ needs, Sourcewell broadly publishes public notice of all solicitation opportunities, including this RFP. In addition, where applicable, other purchasing cooperatives and procurement officials receive notice and are encouraged to re-post the solicitation opportunity.
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Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
Proof of publication will be available at the conclusion of the solicitation process.
C. USE OF RESULTING MASTER AGREEMENTS
Pursuant to 10 U.S.C. § 2679, United States Department of Defense authorized installations may access Sourcewell's awarded cooperative purchasing master agreements through an Intergovernmental Support Agreement with Sourcewell. All transactions completed through this Intergovernmental Support program are directly facilitated by Sourcewell and may be subject to additional terms and conditions.
II. SOLICITATION DETAILS
A. SOLUTIONS-BASED SOLICITATION
This RFP and contract award process is a solutions-based solicitation; meaning that Sourcewell is seeking equipment, products, or services that meet the general requirements of the scope of this RFP and are commonly desired or are required by law or industry standards.
B. REQUESTED EQUIPMENT, PRODUCTS, OR SERVICES
It is expected that proposers will offer a wide array of equipment, products, or services at lower prices and with better value than what they would ordinarily offer to a single government entity, school district, or regional cooperative.
1. Sourcewell is seeking proposals for Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions, including communications technology and hardware designed or primarily intended for use by Public Safety agencies, such as:
a. In-station Public Safety alerting or paging systems; b. Dispatch/control room consoles and associated integrated communications equipment;
c. Wearable or portable communication devices, including biomonitoring wearables, alerting or paging systems;
d. Connectivity and interoperability devices, hardware, and equipment for the connection of communication systems and endpoints, including:
i. Satellite communications equipment;
ii. Portable and deployable wireless hubs, routers, and networks; iii. Mesh networks and mesh radios;
iv. Land mobile/broadband radios;
v. Push to talk over Cellular (PoC) handsets; and,
vi. High Power User Equipment (HPUE) for LTE; and,
e. Airborne, marine, and underwater communication systems.
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Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
2. Complementary equipment, accessories, and services directly related to the offering of systems or solutions described in subsections 1. a. – e. above.
3. The primary focus of this solicitation is on Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions, and the related delivery of services. Integrated software intended to run and manage the hardware is allowed, and the hardware should be capable of easily integrating a range of standalone platforms and solutions. However, this solicitation should NOT be construed to include “software-only” solutions.
4. This solicitation does not include that equipment, products, or services covered under categories included in pending or planned Sourcewell solicitations, or in master agreements currently maintained by Sourcewell, identified below:
a. Unified Communications and Contact Center Solutions (RFP #120122); b. Public Safety Video Surveillance Solutions with Related Equipment, Software and Accessories (RFP #101223);
c. Technology Products and Services (RFP #121923);
d. Wireless Voice and Data Services with Related Solutions, Equipment, and Accessories (RFP #031924);
e. Software Solutions and Related Services for Public Sector and Education Administration (RFP #060624);
f. Fleet Management Technologies with Related Software Solutions (RFP #102924); g. Facility Security Systems, Equipment, and Software with Related Services (RFP #121024); and,
h. Public Safety Software (RFP #030425).
Generally, the solutions for Participating Entities are turn-key solutions, providing a combination of equipment, products and services, delivery, and installation to a properly operating status. However, equipment-only or products-only solutions may be appropriate for situations where Participating Entities possess the ability, either in-house or through local thirdparty contractors, to properly install and bring to operation the equipment or products being proposed.
Sourcewell prefers suppliers that provide a sole source of responsibility for the equipment, products, and services provided under a resulting master agreement. If proposer is including the equipment, products, and services of its subsidiary entities, the proposer must also identify all included subsidiaries in its proposal. If proposer requires the use of distributors, dealers, resellers, or subcontractors to provide the equipment, products, or services, the proposal must address how the equipment, products or services will be provided to Participating Entities, and describe the network of distributors, dealers, resellers, and/or subcontractors that will be available to serve Participating Entities under a resulting master agreement.
Rev. 6/2024 Sourcewell RFP #020625
Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
Sourcewell encourages suppliers to offer the broadest possible selection of equipment, products, and services being proposed over the largest possible geographic area and to the largest possible cross-section of Sourcewell current and future Participating Entities.
C. REQUIREMENTS
It is expected that proposers have knowledge of all applicable industry standards, laws, and regulations and possess an ability to market and distribute the equipment, products, or services to Participating Entities.
1. Safety Requirements. All items proposed must comply with current applicable safety or regulatory standards or codes.
2. Deviation from Industry Standard. Deviations from industry standards must be identified with an explanation of how the equipment, products, and services will provide equivalent function, coverage, performance, and/or related services.
3. New Equipment and Products. Proposed equipment and products must be for new, current model; however, proposer may offer certain close-out equipment or products if it is specifically noted in the Pricing proposal.
4. Delivered and operational. Unless clearly noted in the proposal, equipment and products must be delivered to the Participating Entity as operational.
5. Warranty. All equipment, products, supplies, and services must be covered by a warranty that is the industry standard or better.
D. PROSPECTIVE MASTER AGREEMENT TERM
The term of any resulting master agreement(s) awarded by Sourcewell under this solicitation will be four years. Sourcewell and supplier may agree to up to three additional one-year extensions based on the best interests of Sourcewell and its Participating Entities. Sourcewell retains the right to consider additional extensions beyond seven years as required under exceptional circumstances.
E. ESTIMATED MASTER AGREEMENT VALUE AND USAGE
Based on past volume of similar master agreements, the estimated annual value of all transactions from master agreements resulting from this RFP are anticipated to be USD 80 Million; therefore, proposers are expected to propose volume pricing. Sourcewell anticipates considerable activity under the master agreement(s) awarded from this RFP; however, sales and sales volume from any resulting master agreement are not guaranteed.
F. MARKETING PLAN
Proposer’s sales force will be the primary source of communication with Participating Entities.
The proposer’s Marketing Plan should demonstrate proposer’s ability to deploy a sales force or Rev. 6/2024 Sourcewell RFP #020625
Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
dealer network to Participating Entities, as well as proposer’s sales and service capabilities. It is expected that proposer will promote and market any master agreement award.
G. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
1. Master agreements will be awarded to proposers able to best meet the need of Participating Entities. Proposers should submit their complete line of equipment, products, or services that are applicable to the scope of this RFP.
2. A proposer may submit only one proposal. If related, affiliated, or subsidiary entities elect to submit separate proposals, rather than a single parent-entity proposal, each such proposal must be prepared independently and without cooperation, collaboration, or collusion.
3. If a proposer works with a consultant on its proposal, the consultant (an individual or company) may not assist any other entity with a proposal for this solicitation.
4. Proposers should include all relevant information in its proposal, since Sourcewell cannot consider information that is not included in the proposal. Sourcewell reserves the right to verify proposer’s information and may request clarification from a proposer, including samples of the proposed equipment or products.
5. Depending upon the responses received in a given category, Sourcewell may need to organize responses into subcategories in order to provide the broadest coverage of the requested equipment, products, or services to Participating Entities. Awards may be based on a subcategory.
6. A proposer’s documented negative past performance with Sourcewell or its Participating Entities occurring under a previously awarded Sourcewell master agreement may be considered in the evaluation of a proposal.
III. PRICING
A. REQUIREMENTS
All proposed pricing must be:
1. Either Line-Item Pricing or Percentage Discount from Catalog Pricing, or a combination of these:
a. Line-item Pricing is pricing based on each individual product or service. Each line must indicate the proposer’s published “List Price,” as well as the “Master Agreement Price.”
b. Percentage Discount from Catalog or Category is based on a percentage discount from a catalog or list price, defined as a published Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) for the products or services. Individualized percentage discounts can be applied to any number of defined product groupings. Proposers will be responsible for providing and maintaining current published MSRP with Sourcewell, and this pricing must be included in its proposal and provided throughout the term of any master agreement resulting from this RFP.
Rev. 6/2024 Sourcewell RFP #020625
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2. The proposer’s not to exceed price. A not to exceed price is the highest price for which equipment, products, or services may be billed to a Participating Entity. However, it is permissible for suppliers to sell at a price that is lower than the agreed upon price.
3. Stated in U.S. and Canadian dollars (as applicable).
4. Clearly understandable, complete, and fully describe the total cost of acquisition (e.g., the cost of the proposed equipment, products, and services delivered and operational for its intended purpose in the Participating Entity’s location).
Proposers should clearly identify any costs that are NOT included in the proposed product or service pricing. This may include items such as installation, set up, mandatory training, or initial inspection. Include identification of any parties that impose such costs and their relationship to the proposer. Additionally, proposers should clearly describe any unique distribution and/or delivery methods or options offered in the proposal.
B. ADMINISTRATIVE FEES
Proposers awarded a master agreement are expected to pay to Sourcewell an administrative fee in exchange for Sourcewell facilitating the resulting master agreements. The administrative fee is normally calculated as a percentage of the total sales to Participating Entitiesfor all equipment, products, or services made during a calendar quarter, and is typically one percent (1%) to two percent (2%). In some categories, a flat fee may be an acceptable alternative.
IV. MASTER AGREEMENT
Proposers awarded a master agreement will be required to execute a master agreement with Sourcewell (see attached template). Only those modifications the proposer indicates in its proposal will be available for discussion. Much of the language in the Master Agreement reflects Minnesota legal requirements and cannot be altered. Numerous and/or onerous exceptions that contradict Minnesota law may result in the proposal being disqualified from further review and evaluation.
To identify any exception, or to request any modification, to Sourcewell’s standard master agreement terms, conditions, or specifications, a proposer must submit the proposed exception(s) or requested modification(s) via redline in the Master Agreement Template provided in the “Documents” section of the “Bid Details” page on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal and uploaded as part of its response. Only those exceptions noted at the time of the proposal submission will be considered.
Exceptions must:
1. Clearly identify the affected article and section.
2. Clearly note the requested modification; and as applicable, provide requested alternative language.
Unclear requests will be automatically denied.
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Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
Only those exceptions that have been accepted by Sourcewell will be included in the master agreement document provided to the awarded supplier for signature.
If a proposer receives a master agreement award resulting from this solicitation it will have up to 30 days to sign and return the master agreement. After that time, at Sourcewell’s sole discretion, the master agreement award may be revoked.
V. RFP PROCESS
A. PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE
Sourcewell will hold an optional, non-mandatory pre-proposal conference via webcast on the date and time noted in the Solicitation Schedule for this RFP and on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. The purpose of this conference is to allow potential proposers to ask questions regarding this RFP and Sourcewell’s competitive procurement process. Information about the webcast will be sent to all entities that have registered for this solicitation opportunity through their Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account. Pre-proposal conference attendance is optional.
B. QUESTIONS REGARDING THIS RFP AND ORAL COMMUNICATION
All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal.
The deadline for submission of questions is found in the Solicitation Schedule and on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. Answers to questions will be issued through an addendum to this RFP. Repetitive questions will be summarized into a single answer and identifying information will be removed from the submitted questions.
All questions, whether specific to a proposer or generally related to the RFP, must be submitted using this process. Do not contact individual Sourcewell staff to ask questions or request information as this may disqualify the proposer from responding to this RFP. Sourcewell will not respond to questions submitted after the deadline.
C. ADDENDA
Sourcewell may modify this RFP at any time prior to the proposal due date by issuing an addendum. Addenda issued by Sourcewell become a part of the RFP and will be delivered to potential proposers through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal. Sourcewell accepts no liability in connection with the delivery of any addenda.
Before a proposal will be accepted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, all addenda, if any, must be acknowledged by the proposer by checking the box for each addendum. It is the responsibility of the proposer to check for any addenda that may have been issued up to the solicitation due date and time.
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Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
If an addendum is issued after a proposer submitted its proposal, the Sourcewell Procurement Portal will WITHDRAW the submission and change the proposer’s proposal status to INCOMPLETE. The proposer can view this status change in the “MY BIDS” section of the Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account. The proposer is solely responsible to check the “MY BIDS” section of the Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account periodically after submitting its proposal (and up to the Proposal Due Date). If the proposer’s proposal status has changed to INCOMPLETE, the proposer is solely responsible to:
1. make any required adjustments to its proposal;
2. acknowledge the addenda; and
3. ensure the re-submitted proposal is received through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal no later than the Proposal Due Date and time shown in the Solicitation Schedule above.
D. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION
Proposer’s complete proposal must be submitted through the Sourcewell Procurement Portal no later than the date and time specified in the Solicitation Schedule. Any other form of proposal submission, whether electronic, paper, or otherwise, will not be considered by Sourcewell. Late proposals will not be considered. It is the proposer’s sole responsibility to ensure that the proposal is received on time.
It is recommended that proposers allow sufficient time to upload the proposal and to resolve any issues that may arise. The time and date that a proposal is received by Sourcewell is solely determined by the Sourcewell Procurement Portal web clock.
In the event of problems with the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, follow the instructions for technical support posted in the portal. It may take up to 24 hours to respond to certain issues.
Upon successful submission of a proposal, the Sourcewell Procurement Portal will automatically generate a confirmation email to the proposer. If the proposer does not receive a confirmation email, contact Sourcewell’s support provider at [email protected].
To ensure receipt of the latest information and updates via email regarding this solicitation, or if the proposer has obtained this solicitation document from a third party, the onus is on the proposer to create a Sourcewell Procurement Portal Vendor Account and register for this solicitation opportunity.
Within the Sourcewell Procurement Portal, all proposals must be digitally acknowledged by an authorized representative of the proposer attesting that the information contained in the proposal is true and accurate. By submitting a proposal, proposer warrants that the information provided is true, correct, and reliable for purposes of evaluation for potential master agreement award. The submission of inaccurate, misleading, or false information is grounds for disqualification from a master agreement award and may subject the proposer to remedies available by law.
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Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions
E. GENERAL PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals must be:
1. In substantial compliance with the requirements of this RFP or it will be considered nonresponsive and be rejected.
2. Complete. A proposal will be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete.
3. Submitted in English.
4. Valid and irrevocable for 90 days following the Proposal Due Date.
Any and all costs incurred in responding to this RFP will be borne by the proposer.
F. PROPOSAL WITHDRAWAL
Prior to the proposal deadline, a proposer may withdraw its proposal.
G. OPENING
The Opening of proposals will be conducted in the Sourcewell Procurement Portal immediately following the proposal due date and time. To view the list of proposers resulting from the opening, verify that the Sourcewell Procurement Portal opportunities list search is set to “All” or “Closed.”
Members of the public may attend the Opening at Sourcewell’s office located at 202 12th Street NE, Staples, MN to hear the results.
VI. EVALUATION AND AWARD
A. EVALUATION
It is the intent of Sourcewell to award one or more master agreements to responsive and responsible proposers offering the best overall quality, selection of equipment, products, and services, and price that meet the commonly requested specifications of Sourcewell and its Participating Entities. The award(s) will be limited to the number of proposers that Sourcewell determines is necessary to meet the needs of its Participating Entities.
Factors to be considered in determining the number of master agreements to be awarded in any category may include the following:
1. Total evaluation scores (giving consideration to natural breaksin the scoring of responsive proposals);
2. The number and geographic location of highest-scoring proposers that offer:
a. A comprehensive selection of the requested equipment, products, or services; b. A sales and service network ensuring availability and coverage for Participating Entities’ use; and
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c. Other attributes of the proposer or contents of its proposal that assist Participating Entities in achieving environmental and social requirements, and goals.
Information submitted as part of a proposal should be as specific as possible when responding to the RFP. Do not assume Sourcewell has any knowledge about a specific supplier or product.
B. AWARD(S)
Award(s) will be made to the highest-scoring proposer(s) whose proposal conforms to all conditions and requirements of the RFP, and consistent with the award criteria defined in this RFP.
Sourcewell may request written clarification of a proposal at any time during the evaluation process.
Proposal evaluation will be based on the following scoring criteria and the Sourcewell Evaluator Scoring Guide (a copy is available in the Sourcewell Procurement Portal):
Conformance to RFP Requirements Pass/Fail
Financial Viability and Marketplace Success 50
Ability to Sell and Deliver Solutions 150
Marketing Plan 100
Value Added Attributes 100
Depth and Breadth of Offered Solutions 200
Pricing 400
TOTAL POINTS 1000
C. PROTESTS OF AWARDS
Any protest made under this RFP by a proposer must be in writing, addressed to Sourcewell’s Executive Director, and delivered to the Sourcewell office located at 202 12th Street NE, P.O.
Box 219, Staples, MN 56479. All documents that comprise the complete protest package must be received, and time stamped at the Sourcewell office by 4:30 p.m., Central Time, no later than 10 calendar days following Sourcewell’s notice of master agreement award(s) or nonaward. A protest must allege a procedural, technical, or legal defect, with supporting documentation. A protest that merely requests a re-evaluation of a proposal’s content will not be entertained.
A protest must include the following items:
• The name, address, and telephone number of the protester; • Identification of the solicitation by RFP number;
• A precise statement of the relevant facts;
• Identification of the alleged procedural, technical, or legal defect; Rev. 6/2024 Sourcewell RFP #020625
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• Analysis of the basis for the protest;
• Any additional supporting documentation;
• The original signature of the protester or its representative; and • Protest bond in the amount of $20,000 (except where prohibited by law or treaty).
Protests that do not address these elements will not be reviewed.
D. RIGHTS RESERVED
This RFP does not commit Sourcewell to award any master agreement, and a proposal may be rejected if it is nonresponsive, conditional, incomplete, conflicting, or misleading. Proposals that contain false statements or do not support an attribute or condition stated by the proposer may be rejected.
Sourcewell reserves the right to:
• Modify or cancel this RFP at any time;
• Reject any and all proposals received;
• Reject proposals that do not comply with the provisions of this RFP; • Select, for master agreements or for discussion, a proposal other than that with the lowest cost;
• Independently verify any information provided in a proposal; • Disqualify any proposer that does not meet the requirements of this RFP, is debarred or suspended by the United States or Canada, State of Minnesota, Participating Entity’s state or province; has an officer, or other key personnel, who have been charged with a serious crime; or is bankrupt, insolvent, or where bankruptcy or insolvency are a reasonable prospect;
• Waive or modify any informalities, irregularities, or inconsistencies in the proposals received;
• Clarify any part of a proposal and discuss any aspect of the proposal with any proposer; and negotiate with more than one proposer;
• Award a master agreement if only one responsive proposal is received if it is in the best interest of Participating Entities; and
• Award a master agreement to one or more proposers if it is in the best interest of Participating Entities.
E. DISPOSITION OF PROPOSALS
All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become property of Sourcewell and will become public record in accordance with Minnesota Statutes Section 13.591, after negotiations are complete. Sourcewell considers that negotiations are complete upon execution of a resulting master agreement. It is the proposer’s responsibility to clearly identify any data submitted that it considers to be protected. Proposer must also include a justification for the classification citing the applicable Minnesota law. Sourcewell may reject proposals that are marked confidential or nonpublic, either substantially or in their entirety.
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Sourcewell will not consider the prices submitted by the proposer to be confidential, proprietary, or trade secret materials. Financial information, including financial statements, provided by a proposer is not considered trade secret under the statutory definition. 12/18/2024
Addendum No. 1
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Looking at the initial posting, this appeared to be an RFQ out of the State of WA. These documents indicate the State of MN. Are there 2 RFQ's?
Answer 1:
Sourcewell, a State of Minnesota local government unit and service cooperative, is requesting proposals for Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions to result in a procurement solution for use by its Participating Entities.
Sourcewell Participating Entities include thousands of governmental, higher education, K-12 education, nonprofit, tribal government, and other public agencies located in the United States and Canada.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 12/18/2024, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 12/24/2024
Addendum No. 2
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Can you please provide the document to provide exceptions/redlines to the Master Agreement? I do not see it in the Bid Document tab. From RFP: To identify any exception, or to request any modification, to Sourcewell’s standard master agreement terms, conditions, or specifications, a proposer must submit the proposed exception(s) or requested modification(s) via redline in the Master Agreement Template provided in the “Documents” section of the “Bid Details” page on the Sourcewell Procurement Portal and uploaded as part of its response.
Answer 1:
As stated in the RFP, the Master Agreement is available for download in the “Documents” section of the “Bid Details Page”. Its location was verified and downloaded to verify that it is correct as stated in the RFP. The document is titled, ”RFP_020625_Public Safety_Communications_Eqpt_Master_Agreement”.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 12/24/2024, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 12/27/2024
Addendum No. 3
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question and Answer to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Is there an example or template document showing a best practice or preference of how to show catalog pricing for our systems, or is that format just up to the submitter.
We did not see any documentation specifically how pricing was to be submitted.
Answer 1:
It is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine and propose the pricing approach that aligns with their business methods and satisfies all the requirements of RFP Article III – Pricing. Proposals are evaluated based on the criteria stated in the RFP.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 12/27/2024, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 12/30/2024
Addendum No. 4
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Could you direct me to the document which states the exact details of equipment (products) required for this RFP? In particular, Radio products required and their requested specifications. Thank you.
Answer 1:
See the first question of the Frequently Asked Questions document section titled, “Requested Equipment, Products or Services”.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 12/30/2024, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 01/03/2025
Addendum No. 5
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Will the pre-bid conference be available for review later via audio recording or printed version?
Answer 1:
Sourcewell will provide the Pre-Proposal Conference presentation slides in PDF format to all registered plan takers after the event is complete. In addition, Sourcewell is planning to record the Pre-Proposal Conference. Assuming no technical difficulties in the process, Sourcewell will provide a link to the recording to all registered plan takers after the event.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 01/03/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 1/8/2025
Addendum No. 6
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
I noted in the 01/07/2025 RFP Pre-Proposal: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions video that there are exclusions under RFP#101223 related to video surveillance. An award granted to I-PRO gives them access to supply thermal cameras. We supply vehicle mounted thermal cameras which are not specifically mentioned. Do we have the opportunity to bid on those under this RFP? Answer 1:
Each proposer, in its discretion, will propose the equipment, products, or services that it deems to fall within Sourcewell’s requested equipment, products, and services as described in the RFP. Only those products within the scope of the RFP will be included in any contract awarded by Sourcewell as a result of the solicitation. Refer to RFP section II., B, 4., “This solicitation does not include that equipment, products, or services covered under categories included in pending or planned Sourcewell solicitations, or in master agreements currently maintained by Sourcewell, identified below:” which details excluded categories and equipment.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/8/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 1/16/2025
Addendum No.7
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
I represent 2 separate companies under a parent company. These two companies will have completely different product offerings, discount schedules and terms. Can I, under my own name, create 2 separate submissions? These two companies are owned by the same parent company. These two companies will have completely different product offerings, discount schedules and terms. Can I, under my own name, create 2 separate submissions?
Answer 1:
Refer to RFP Section, II., G. Additional Considerations, 2. “A proposer may submit only one proposal. If related, affiliated, or subsidiary entities elect to submit separate proposals, rather than a single parent-entity proposal, each such proposal must be prepared independently and without cooperation, collaboration, or collusion.” End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/16/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 1/21/2025
Addendum No.8
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Can you post the names and contact information for those who attended or viewed the pre-proposal conference?
Answer 1:
Sourcewell will not disclose the list of pre-proposal conference attendees. That data is classified as non-public at this time.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/21/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 1/27/2025
Addendum No.9
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Please provide a copy of the Sourcewell Price and Product Change Request Form.
Answer 1:
Product and Pricing Change Requests of the Master Service Agreement is applicable once a vendor has a contract and needs to change pricing or add or subtract products from the initial proposed offering. The Supplier Development contact that is assigned to contract awardees will be able to assist vendors.
Question 2:
Please clarify what constitutes a permissible justification in support of a product or price change.
Answer 2:
See answer to question #1 above.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/27/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 1/27/2025
Addendum No. 10
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
As referenced in Question 18 (Table 2A: Financial Viability and Marketplace Success) what licenses and certificates are required to be held by our organization? Answer 1:
In the competitive process, Sourcewell will not advise a proposer on the content of the proposal. So, it is left to the discretion of each proposer to determine the information necessary to best demonstrate their ability to serve Sourcewell members and that they are willing to include. The solicitation is a competitive process and proposals are evaluated on the content submitted.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/27/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal. 1/28/2025
Addendum No. 11
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Article 2, Section 17: It is Proposer's understanding that particular terms and conditions may be negotiated with the Participating Entities regarding indemnity, Liability caps, insurance limits and IP matters. Please advise if our understanding is correct.
Answer 1:
Refer to Article 3, Section 6, “Additional Terms and Conditions Permitted. Participating Entity and Supplier may negotiate and include additional terms and conditions within transaction documentation as mutually agreed. Such terms may supplant or supersede this Master Agreement when necessary and as solely determined by Participating Entity.
Sourcewell has expressly reserved the right for Supplier and Participating Entity to address any necessary provisions within transaction documents not expressly included within this Master Agreement, including but not limited to transaction cancellation, dispute resolution, governing law and venue, non-appropriation, insurance, defense and indemnity, force majeure, and other material terms as mutually agreed.” End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/28/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal.
1/29/2025
Addendum No. 12
Solicitation Number: RFP 020625
Solicitation Name: Public Safety Communications Technology and Hardware Solutions Consider the following Question(s) and Answer(s) to be part of the above-titled solicitation documents. The remainder of the documents remain unchanged.
Question 1:
Sourcewell insurance requirements show that we need to have $1.5 Million *per incident*. Does Sourcewell calculate coverage based on all applicable lines of coverage or does each line of coverage need to be expressly $1.5 Million? For example, if we currently carry 1 line of General Liability for $1 Million per incident and 1 line of Umbrella Liability coverage for $1 Million per incident, does Sourcewell consider that to be an aggregate coverage of $2 Million per incident or only $1 Million per incident, per line of coverage? In this example, would we need to increase our coverage to $1.5 Million per incident for both General Liability and Umbrella Liability to be in compliance with Sourcewell requirements or not?
Answer 1:
Refer to the Frequently Asked Questions document provided in the Resource Materials section of the Sourcewell Procurement Portal’s Bid Homepage.
Question 2:
If economic conditions vary by 5% or more during the contract term (i.e. tariffs, taxes, costs, exchange rates, etc.) can we adjust pricing?
Answer 2:
Refer to Article 2, section 2) Product and Price Changes Requirements.
Question 3:
How should pricing be included in the bid? show a percent of our list price catalog? Should we include the catalog with current pricing?
Answer 3:
In the competitive process, Sourcewell will not advise a proposer on the content of the proposal. So, each proposer, in its discretion, will determine and propose the pricing approach that aligns with their business methods and satisfies all the requirements of RFP Article III - Pricing.
Question 4:
Are we able to point customers to our website to provide information? Answer 4:
Refer to RFP section II. F. Marketing Plan.
Question 5:
Are we allowed to create a landing page for the Sourcewell customers on our website? Answer 5:
See answer to question #4 above.
Question 6:
Our pricing is in US dollars, would any exchange rate be applied at the time of an order? Answer 6:
Refer to RFP section III. Pricing.
Question 7:
Would payments to us be in US dollars?
Answer 7:
Refer to RFP section III. Pricing.
Question 8:
What is included in the price? Do we include shipping, etc.? Answer 8:
See answer to Question #3 above.
Question 9:
Can our dealers/resellers use the contract directly with customers? If so, who reports the sales and pays the fees?
Answer 9:
Refer to RFP section II. B. Solicitation Details, “Sourcewell prefers suppliers that provide a sole source of responsibility for the equipment, products, and services provided under a resulting master agreement. If proposer is including the equipment, products, and services of its subsidiary entities, the proposer must also identify all included subsidiaries in its proposal. If proposer requires the use of distributors, dealers, resellers, or subcontractors to provide the equipment, products, or services, the proposal must address how the equipment, products or services will be provided to Participating Entities, and describe the network of distributors, dealers, resellers, and/or subcontractors that will be available to serve Participating Entities under a resulting master agreement.”
Question 10:
Are we able to provide our dealer/reseller list to include on the Sourcewell website? If so, how often can we update?
Answer 10:
Contract awardees will have a landing page on the Sourcewell website for their contract.
Question 11:
Does the Supplier track, report and pay for all sales on the contract? including any made by it's dealers/resellers with their customers?
Answer 11:
Refer to Sourcewell Master Agreement Article 2, section 6) Reporting Requirements.
Question 12:
Hello, RFP language in question is below. Does this language mean that we can not propose any items that are listed on these contracts?
4. This solicitation does not include that equipment, products, or services covered under categories included in pending or planned Sourcewell solicitations, or in master agreements currently maintained by Sourcewell, identified below:
a. Unified Communications and Contact Center Solutions (RFP #120122); b. Public Safety Video Surveillance Solutions with Related Equipment, Software and Accessories (RFP #101223);
c. Technology Products and Services (RFP #121923);
d. Wireless Voice and Data Services with Related Solutions, Equipment, and Accessories (RFP #031924);
e. Software Solutions and Related Services for Public Sector and Education Administration (RFP #060624);
f. Fleet Management Technologies with Related Software Solutions (RFP #102924); g. Facility Security Systems, Equipment, and Software with Related Services (RFP #121024); and,
h. Public Safety Software (RFP #030425).
Answer 12:
Refer to RFP section II. B. 4. “This solicitation does not include that equipment, products, or services covered under categories included in pending or planned Sourcewell solicitations, or in master agreements currently maintained by Sourcewell, identified below:…”.
Question 13:
Will Sourcewell consider a one-week extension to the deadline? Answer 13:
Based on the remaining time allowed, and the availability of the Sourcewell Procurement Portal for 24/7 remote access with the ability of multiple account contacts to collaborate, an extension to the due date is not anticipated at this time.
Question 14:
Can shipping rates be negotiated after purchase or does it have to be a set shipping rate for all customers who purchase off this contract? Our concern is local buyers vs out of state buyers.
Answer 14:
See answer to Question #3 above.
End of Addendum
Acknowledgement of this Addendum to RFP 020625 posted to the Sourcewell Procurement Portal on 1/29/2025, is required at the time of proposal submittal.