4.4 PROPOSAL CONTENT
4.4.3 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL
In the following sections, the Bidder shall describe its approach and plans for accomplishing the work outlined in the Scope of Work section, i.e., Section 3.0. and subsections. The Bidder must set forth its understanding of the requirements of this RFP and its ability to successfully complete the contract. This section of the proposal should minimally contain the information identified below.
4.4.3.1 MANAGEMENT OVERVIEW
The Bidder shall present a general overview of its overall technical approach and plans to meet the Scope of Work requirements of the RFP in a narrative format. This narrative should demonstrate to the State that the Bidder understands the contract objectives, the nature of the required work and the level of effort necessary to successfully complete the contract. This narrative should demonstrate to the State that the Bidder’s general approach and plans to undertake and complete the contract are appropriate to the tasks and subtasks involved.
The Bidder’s response to this section should be designed to demonstrate to the State that the Bidder’s detailed plans and approach proposed to complete the Scope of Work are realistic, attainable and appropriate and that the Bidder’s proposal will lead to successful contract completion.
4.4.3.2 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
The Bidder shall describe its specific plans to manage, control and supervise the contract to ensure satisfactory contract completion according to the required schedule. The plan shall include the Bidder's approach to communicate with the State Contract Manager including, but not limited to, status meetings, status reports, etc.
The Bidder shall place its response to this section in Section 4.4.3.6 - Technical Requirements: 3.1.1.4 - TEMS Contract Management.
4.4.3.3 CONTRACT SCHEDULE
The Bidder must place the response within section 4.4.3.6 – Technical Requirements, TEMS Contract Management, Section 3.1.1.4.
The Bidder should include a contract schedule. If key dates are a part of this RFP, the Bidder’s schedule should incorporate such key dates and should identify the completion date for each task and sub-task required by the Scope of Work. Such schedule should also identify the associated deliverable item(s) to be submitted as evidence of completion of each task and/or subtask.
The Bidder should identify the contract scheduling and control methodology to be used and should provide the rationale for choosing such methodology. The use of Gantt, PERT or other charts is at the option of the Bidder.
4.4.3.4 MOBILIZATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN
Not applicable to this procurement.4.4.3.5 POTENTIAL PROBLEMS
The Bidder should set forth a summary of any and all problems that the Bidder anticipates during the term of the contract. For each problem identified, the Bidder should provide its proposed solution.
4.4.3.6 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
The Bidder shall document that it can meet the technical requirements of this RFP.
The State is seeking proposals for “State Managed” and/or “Fully Managed” TEMS solutions. Bidder shall propose at least one of the two solution Delivery Options, but is not required to submit proposals for both options. Each option shall be clearly identified and priced.
Mere reiterations of RFP tasks and subtasks are strongly discouraged, as they do not provide insight into the Bidder's ability to complete the contract.
3.1 TEMS TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS - COMMON
3.1.1 GENERAL - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated SOW requirements. In addition, the Bidder should provide here an overview and description of its TEMS solution in such detail that it will result in the State gaining a sound understanding of the platform and applications.
3.1.1.1 Usability and Workflow - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated SOW requirements.
3.1.1.2 Security - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated SOW requirements. 3.1.1.3 Data Management - The Bidder shall provide its response to all specified SOW
requirements.
3.1.1.4 TEMS Contract Management - The Bidder shall provide its response to all specified SOW requirements.
3.1.2 INVOICE MANAGEMENT - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW Invoice Managements sections.
3.1.2.1 Supported Telecommunications Services 3.1.2.2 Invoice Types
3.1.2.3 Billing Data Feeds 3.1.2.4 Invoice Processing 3.1.2.5 Dispute Management
3.1.3 AGENCY CHARGE-BACK - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW Agency Charge-back sections.
3.1.3.1 Charge Types 3.1.3.2 Call Accounting 3.1.3.3 Billing Hierarchy
3.1.3.4 Agency Charge-back Process 3.1.3.5 Charge-back Reconciliation
3.1.4 INVENTORY MANAGEMENT - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW Inventory Management sections.
3.1.4.1 Inventory Scope 3.1.4.2 Inventory Database
3.1.4.3 Inventory Entry and Access 3.1.4.4 Inventory and Asset Management
3.1.5 CONTRACT MANAGEMENT - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW Contract Management sections.
3.1.5.1 Storage and Reference
3.1.5.2 Storage of Contract Images and Files
3.1.5.3 Monitoring of Revenue and Service Quantity Commitments 3.1.5.4 Monitoring of Contract Expiration and Cancellation Terms 3.1.5.5 Contract-Invoice Validation
3.1.5.6 Credit Tracking 3.1.5.7 Ad Hoc Audits 3.1.5.8 SLA Monitoring 3.1.5.9 Waived Charges
3.1.6 REPORTING AND ANALYTICS - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW Reporting and Analytics sections. 3.1.6.1 Report Generation and Access Control
3.1.6.2 Reports
3.1.6.2.1 Wireline Reports 3.1.6.2.2 Wireless Reports
3.1.7 PROVISIONING - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW Provisioning sections.
3.1.7.1 General Requirements - General requirements and services to be ordered.
3.1.7.2 Functional Requirements
3.1.8 SERVICE LEVEL REQUIREMENTS - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW Service Level Requirements.
3.1.8.1 TEMS System Availability 3.1.8.2 TEMS Maintenance
3.1.8.2.1 Maintenance Priority - Severity Levels 3.1.8.2.2 Trouble Reporting
3.1.8.2.3 Restoration and Close-out
3.1.8.2.4 TEMS Maintenance Notification – Scheduled and Unscheduled 3.1.8.3 Service Billing Requirements - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated
requirements for the following SOW Service Billing Requirements.
3.1.8.3.1 General - The Bidder shall provide its response to all individual paragraphs in this section.
3.1.8.3.2 Billing Technical Requirements 3.1.8.3.2.1 Media: Invoice
3.1.8.3.2.2 Media: Billing Detail
3.1.8.3.3 Billing and Payment Instructions 3.1.8.3.3.1 Invoice Accuracy
3.1.8.3.3.2 Payment Notice and Collections
3.1.8.3.3.3 Invoice Delivery and Prompt Payment Act 3.1.8.3.3.4 State Payment Vouchers and Payment Approval 3.1.8.3.3.5 Delinquent Accounts and Billing Disputes
3.1.8.3.3.6 Withholding of Support or Service and Dispute Escalation
3.1.8.4 State Performance Standards - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW Performance Standards:
3.1.8.4.1 Maintenance Metric: Time to Repair and Mean Time to Repair
3.1.8.4.2 Service Level Requirement - Maintenance and Performance Reports
3.1.9 TEMS SYSTEM IMPLEMENTATION - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the following SOW System Implementation Requirements. 3.1.10 TELECOMMUNICATIONS AUDIT - The Bidder shall provide its response to all
Telecommunications Audit requirements. 3.1.10.1 TEMS Pre-implementation Audit 3.1.10.1.1 Audit Scope
3.1.10.1.2 Audit Tasks
3.1.10.1.3 Service Fee Structure - The Bidder shall provide an explanation of its Service Fee structure that complies with the State’s preferred Service Fee structure. This should not include the fees themselves, which are to be place in the Pricing Schedules. Bidders may also propose additional Service Fee structures if available.
3.1.10.1.4 Personnel/Staffing - The Bidder shall provide its response to this section.
3.1.10.1.5 Audit Process- The Bidder shall provide its Audit Process.
3.1.10.7 Report Requirements- The Bidder shall provide its response to this section.
3.1.10.8 State of New Jersey Resource Requirements - The Bidder shall project to the best of its ability the following State resource requirements for the scope of the telecommunications audit defined in this RFP:
3.1.10.2 TEMS Periodic Audits - The Bidder shall describe in detail the ongoing audit services available to conduct periodic compliance audits during the contract term.
3.2 TEMS DELIVERY OPTIONS
3.2.1.1 State Managed - The Bidder shall provide a detailed description of its offering that will meet the requirements for a State Managed solution Delivery Option. The description shall address all requirements.
3.2.1.1.1 Infrastructure and Network - In addition to addressing the specified Infrastructure and Network requirements, the response shall include:
• Technical description of the specifications for all Infrastructure components.
• Technical description and specification for the Operating System and Application software.
• Network connectivity required for Contractor remote diagnostics.
3.2.1.1.2 Billing Functions - The response shall include a discussion on any post-
implementation support available for the Billing Functions that will be performed by State personnel.
3.2.1.1.3 Implementation, Maintenance and Ongoing Support - In addition to addressing the specified Implementation, Maintenance and Ongoing Support requirements, the response shall include:
• An overview of the Project Management capabilities and team composition (does not require specific named individuals).
• A complete overview of the TEMS software and application support.
• A thorough overview of maintenance support organization and staffing of the maintenance center/Help Desk.
• The process for implementing software upgrades.
• The Bidder shall provide its SLA with an accompanying overview of the key “terms and conditions”.
3.2.1.1.4 Bidder Pricing - The Bidder shall provide its pricing, inclusive of the
Telecommunications Audit, with complete description of the rate structure and table rates for its State Managed offering on the appropriate Price Sheet and Schedule A.
OPTIONAL PRICING - The State realizes that the Bidder’s TEMS platform may provide additional functionality than that required by this RFP. The Bidder shall provide its optional pricing for those additional capabilities in a sealed envelope marked “Optional Pricing “or in a separate file for eBId proposals named “Optional Pricing”. The additional capabilities and optional pricing will not be part of the evaluation process.
3.2.1.2 Contractor Fully Managed - The Bidder shall provide a detailed description of its offering that will meet the requirements for a Contractor Fully Managed solution Delivery Option.
3.2.1.2.1 Infrastructure and Network - In addition to addressing the specified Infrastructure and Network requirements, the response shall include thorough discussions on:
Deployed server hardware and software Infrastructure; Infrastructure site and Business Continuity provisions; Security – physical and network;
Infrastructure maintenance and proactive monitoring systems; and Network Connectivity options available.
3.2.1.2.2 Billing Functions - The response shall include a thorough discussion of the Billing Functions required to be performed by the Contractor and the documented process for communication with the State.
3.2.1.2.3 Implementation, Maintenance and Ongoing Support - In addition to addressing the specified Implementation, Maintenance and Ongoing Support requirements, the response shall include:
An overview of the Project Management capabilities and team composition (does not require specific named individuals);
A thorough overview of maintenance support organization and staffing of the maintenance center/Help Desk;
The process for implementing software upgrades; and
The Bidder shall submit its SLA with an accompanying overview of the key “terms and conditions”.
3.2.1.2.4 Bidder Pricing - The Bidder shall provide its pricing, inclusive of the
Telecommunications Audit, with complete description of the rate structure and table rates for its Contractor Fully Managed offering on the appropriate Price Sheet and Schedule B.
OPTIONAL PRICING - The State realizes that the Bidder’s TEMS platform may provide additional functionality than that required by this RFP. The Bidder shall provide its optional pricing for those additional capabilities in a sealed envelope marked “Optional Pricing “or in a separate file for eBId proposals named “Optional Pricing”. The additional capabilities and optional pricing will not be part of the evaluation process.
3.3 Security Plan - The Bidder shall provide its response to all stated requirements for the SOW Security Plan.