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Alexander County North Carolina Request for Proposals No. 2023-0201 Managed Print Services REVISED 02/02/2023 Due Date: Time: Issued By: February 15, 2023 10:00 AM EDT Alexander County Administration Compliance & Procurement 621 Liledoun Rd, Suite 1 Taylorsville, NC 28681 Procurement Representative David Moose Compliance & Procurement Specialist [PHONE REDACTED] ---PAGE BREAK--- 1 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Contents 1 Notice of Advertisement 3 2 Submittal Details 4 2.1 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND DELIVERY ADDRESS 4 2.2 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS 4 2.3 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS 4 2.4 PROPOSAL ADDENDUM 4 2.5 COMMUNICATION 5 3 Introduction 5 3.1 COUNTY 5 3.2 PURPOSE 5 4 Background 5 5 Scope of Work 5 5.1 MFD TECHNOLOGY 6 5.2 INFASTRUCTURE 6 5.3 HARD DRIVE SECURITY 6 5.4 ENTERPRISE-WIDE LICENSES 6 5.5 PRINTING 7 5.6 SCANNING 7 5.7 FAXING 7 5.8 MAINTENANCE 7 5.9 DEVICE SUPPLIES 7 5.10 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS 8 5.11 SUPPORT 8 5.12 TRAINING 8 5.13 DOCUMENTATION 8 5.14 8 5.15 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION 9 6 Service/Maintenance Specifications 9 6.1 SERVICE 9 6.2 AFTER HOURS SERVICE 9 6.3 SERVICE CALL 9 6.4 FACTORY CERTIFIED STAFF 9 6.5 PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE 10 6.6 10 6.7 RECURRING SERVICE PROBLEMS 10 6.8 DELAYED PARTS AND SERVICE 10 6.9 PARTS AND SUPPLIES ON SITE 10 6.10 MOVES, ADDS AND CHANGES 10 7 Administrative Specifications 10 7.1 ACQUISITION FROM OTHER SOURCES 10 7.2 SOFTWARE UPGRADES AND CHANGES 11 7.3 DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS 11 7.4 EQUIPMENT REMOVAL REQUIREMENTS 11 7.5 11 7.6 INSTALLATIONS 11 7.7 STATEMENT OF WORK 11 7.8 ENVIRONMENT 11 ---PAGE BREAK--- 2 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 7.9 WASTE MATERIAL REMOVAL 11 7.10 MANUFACTURER’S CERTIFICATION 11 7.11 DOCUMENTATION 12 8 Detailed Submittal Requirements and Instructions 12 8.1 TERMS OF SUBMISSION 12 8.2 PROPOSAL FORMAT 12 8.2.1 Section 1 – Cover Letter 13 8.2.2 Section 2 – Company Qualifications and Experience 14 8.2.3 Section 3 – Staff Experience 15 8.2.4 Section 4 – Proposed Printing 15 8.2.5 Section 5 – Implementation and Work Plan 15 8.2.6 Section 6 – Maintenance and Support Program 16 8.2.7 Section 7 – References 16 8.2.8 Section 8 – Cost Proposal 17 8.2.9 Section 9 – Required Forms 17 8.3 SELECTION 17 8.4 EVALUATION SELECTION PROCESS 17 8.5 AWARD PROCEDURE 18 8.6 CONFLICT CERTIFICATION 19 9 General Conditions and Requirements 19 9.1 TERMS AND CONDITIONS 19 9.2 CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS 20 9.3 SUB-CONTRACTOR/PARTNER DISCLOSURE 20 9.4 EXCEPTION TO THE PROPOSAL 20 9.5 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL 20 9.6 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY 20 9.7 MINORITY BUSINESSES (MBE) OR DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES (DBE) 21 9.8 LICENSES 21 9.9 E-VERIFY 21 9.10 DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE 21 9.11 INSURANCE 21 9.12 INDEMNIFICATION 24 10 Appendix A – Cost Proposal 25 11 Appendix B – Proposal Submission 27 12 Appendix C – Addendum and Anti-Collusion 28 13 Appendix D – Current Inventory & Locations 29 ---PAGE BREAK--- 3 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 1 NOTICE OF ADVERTISEMENT Alexander County, North Carolina Request for Proposals No. 2023-001 Managed Print Services ISSUE DATE: February 1, 2023 Electronic proposals will be received by Alexander County via email to until 10:00 AM EDT on February 15, 2023. Late submittals will not be accepted. Alexander County is soliciting proposals from experienced and qualified vendors to provide, on a cost-per-copy pricing basis, a multi-function device (copier) and printer solution for printing services for Alexander County Government Departments, including the provision of required supplies and services to maintain production. Copies of the solicitation may be obtained from the location listed below: Download the Proposal Documents from the Alexander County website: All questions about the meaning or intent of the RFP Documents are to be submitted in writing to the Procurement Representative listed on the cover page no later than February 8, 2023 at 5:oo PM EDT. Alexander County reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive technicalities and to make such selection deemed in its best interest. Alexander County reserves the right to award to multiple vendors. Offerors are required to comply with the non-collusion requirements set forth in the Solicitation Documents. Alexander County encourages good faith effort outreach to Minority Businesses (HUB Certified) and Small Businesses. ---PAGE BREAK--- 4 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 2 Submittal Details 2.1 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE AND DELIVERY ADDRESS All Proposal Submittals are to be received by the Alexander County Compliance & Procurement Department no later than 10:00 AM EDT on February 15, 2023 per the instructions below. Any submittals received after this date and time shall be rejected without exception. 2.2 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS The proposal must be submitted electronically via email to Proposals must be accompanied by the following completed forms to be considered: Appendix A – “Cost Proposal” Appendix B – “Proposal Submission” Appendix C – “Addendum & Anti-Collusion Certification” An email will be sent to the address listed on the form as your confirmation of receipt. The proposal package must be signed by a person who is authorized to bind the proposing Company. Instructions for preparing the proposal are provided herein. Paper submissions will not be accepted. There is no expressed or implied obligation for Alexander County to reimburse Offerors for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request. Alexander County reserves the right to: Reject any or all proposals, to waive technicalities and to make such selection deemed in its best interest; Cancel this solicitation; and Award to multiple vendors. 2.3 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Proposal questions will be due on or before February 8, 2023 at 5:00 PM EDT. The primary purpose is to provide participating Offerors with the opportunity to ask questions, in writing, related to the RFP. Submit questions by email to David Moose – Compliance & Procurement Specialist by the deadline shown above. The email subject line should identify the proposal number and project title. All questions and answers may be posted as addenda online at 2.4 PROPOSAL ADDENDUM Alexander County may modify the RFP prior to the date fixed for submission of proposals by the issuance of an addendum. ---PAGE BREAK--- 5 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Should an Offeror find discrepancies or omissions in this RFP or any other documents provided by Alexander County, the Offeror should immediately notify the County of such potential discrepancy in writing via email as noted above. Any addenda to these documents shall be issued in writing. No oral statements, explanations, or commitments by anyone shall be of effect unless incorporated in the written addenda. Receipt of Addenda shall be acknowledged by the Offeror on Appendix B – Addendum and Anti-Collusion Certification form. 2.5 COMMUNICATION All communications, any modifications, clarifications, amendments, questions, responses or any other matters related to this Request for Proposals must be made only through the Procurement Contact noted on the cover of this RFP. A violation of this provision is cause for the County to reject a Company’s proposal. No contact regarding this document with other County employees is permitted and may be grounds for disqualification. 3 INTRODUCTION 3.1 COUNTY Alexander County [hereinafter “County”] (estimated population 36,444) is located in the Foothills region of North Carolina. The County provides its residents with a full array of services that include public safety, water/wastewater utilities, human services, recreational activities, and general government administration. 3.2 PURPOSE Alexander County is soliciting proposals from experienced and qualified firms to provide a mix of monochrome printers and multi-function device (MFD) as a printing solution, as well as supplies and services to maintain production. 4 BACKGROUND Alexander County currently maintains a MFD Print/Copy technology agreement through a third- party vendor. This is a new solicitation for this service. The estimated number of MFD machines and printers currently in use by the County is 87. The total number of MFD machines utilized may fluctuate based on County needs and no amount is guaranteed. For additional information, refer to Appendix D – Current Inventory & Locations. 5 SCOPE OF WORK Offerors must provide a printing solution that includes hardware and software, deployment, installation, setup, and training. Service agreement for print services must be tied to a cost-per- copy pricing model which is all-inclusive. The system should consider user-friendly functionality, supply replenishment program, practiced security measures, and equipment service as critical components of the RFP. The solution must provide options for monochrome printers as well as multifunction printing devices (MFD’s) capable of printing in both black & white and color. The multifunction devices should include scan to file/email, copying, two-sided printing, multiple paper sizes, and standard ---PAGE BREAK--- 6 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print FAX capabilities (where needed). The County desires to enter into a contract which provides print services along with supplies and services to maintain production (i.e. toner, waste toner bottles, technical support and repairs). 5.1 MFD TECHNOLOGY MFD Print/Copy cost accounting software must provide: Billing report providing copier production detail by Department name Universal Print Driver County staff access to seeing vendor’s ticketing, scheduling, and cost through a portal or software solution Mobile Printing: allow employees to print with smartphones and tablets Scanning to email and/or folders Fax /eFax integration 5.2 INFASTRUCTURE Alexander County believes strongly in network integrity. The ability to set up device to permit only authorized users and groups to access and print the device is crucial. Devices must be limited to designated IP/ MAC addresses. Active Directory Integration is required along with the ability to authenticate users and groups to designate access to copier file shares which may contain sensitive data. All data on devices must be and upon retirement of the device, hard drives must be destroyed. Devices must support USB access (as needed). Multi-Factor Authentication to access the device’s Graphic User Interface is required. Discontinued or outdated device models will not be considered for placement into service. All devices must be compatible with the County’s network infrastructure and meet best practices for security and compliance. All devices must possess a security feature(s) that prevents files remaining on the hard drive of the device from being accessed by unauthorized individuals. The devices must use a universal device driver which supports Microsoft Windows 10 and 11. Devices must support Server Message Block 2 (SMB2) or later protocol. 5.3 ENTERPRISE-WIDE LICENSES Enterprise-wide licenses for any software or hardware required to perform copy, print, scan, and fax functions must be included in the pricing structure of the cost-per-copy model. Additional fees for required licensing will not be considered. It is expected that all multi-function devices will be connected to the respective County network and that all employees will be able to utilize the devices 5.4 PRINTING Devices must be able to print documents at a minimum of 600 dpi. Network printing to Multi-function devices must be invoiced to a specific department by use of account or user code set up. ---PAGE BREAK--- 7 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 5.5 SCANNING The scanning functionality must have the ability to scan documents into the minimum of *.JPEG and *.PDF at a minimum of 600 x 600 dpi. The devices need to have the ability to connect to the county’s email system user listing via our on premises Active Directory and scan to email and folders using the formats listed in both color and black & white on letter, legal and ledger sized paper. Devices must be capable of performing authenticated SMTP to a generic Office 365 account. Scanning and other functions that do not cause an image to be placed on a substrate shall not be subject to charges. 5.6 FAXING Faxing functionality must be available as an add-on to MFD’s depending on the location they will be placed into service. The County currently utilizes 27 MFD’s with traditional analog FAX capability. The number of devices which require FAX capability may fluctuate. 5.7 MAINTENANCE The chosen vendor must maintain the proposed system if implemented. Vendors must provide technical support for all hardware. Software maintenance, including bug fixes, feature and technology upgrades, must be included in the RFP. 5.8 DEVICE SUPPLIES The chosen vendor must provide the supplies, maintenance items, and repair parts relating to equipment. The vendor will be responsible for keeping an adequate stock of supplies and repair parts so that no county department has an unreasonable delay in productivity. If the manufacturers are not in the USA, include a plan for uninterrupted service to the County in the event of unplanned emergencies and disasters. Vendor will include power cords and, if required by the vendor, surge protection devices for all MFD’s and printers included in contract. The County will provide necessary network cables for each device. Vendor must provide a means for County departments to request replacement supplies for each device as needed. Vendor will be responsible for shipping supplies directly to the department’s location at vendor’s expense. 5.9 ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS Alexander County desires the ability to accurately bill departments based on usage. The vendor must provide one invoice in an Excel (or Excel compatible) spreadsheet emailed to the appointed County Contact. The invoice will include all costs associated with the cycle counters from departments. The invoice shall at a minimum include: 1. Invoice number; 2. Bill date; 3. Department name and location; 4. Machine serial number and ID number linked to a billing account; 5. Machine make and model; 6. Current meter reading; 7. Previous meter reading; 8. Black & white volume for the month; ---PAGE BREAK--- 8 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 9. Color volume for the month; 10. Service copy counts performed by vendor; 11. Total month volume; 12. Dollar amount for each machine; 13. Dollar and number total for all machines. 5.10 SUPPORT Alexander County anticipates the chosen vendor will have the technical expertise, staffing, and protocols to effectively support the implementation of its product in Alexander County. Live support should be offered during Alexander County regular business hours (M-F 8 - 5) with a plan to handle our 24 x 7 locations at a by call rate. 5.11 TRAINING On-site training shall be provided for each machine at vendor expense. Training to include operation of all features including copy modes, print modes including duplexing and envelope printing where appropriate, FAX operations, and scanning where available is required as well as provide access on-line training or job aids for the devices. The vendor will provide administration and troubleshooting training for any software installed as part of this project. Training by manufacturer-certified trainers must be available throughout the life of this agreement. 5.12 DOCUMENTATION The vendor will provide complete documentation of location, setup and configuration of all installed devices, hardware, software, etc. and will maintain and update as necessary the documentation throughout the term of the contract. 5.13 WARRANTY Proposals shall include the exact periods of on-site warranty coverage for both parts and labor for all proposed equipment. These warranties should provide for the operability of the devices and system. 5.14 PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION The selected vendor is required to perform all installations and verify operation of the equipment with the County. Requests to install or remove devices and network printing components are to be completed within 45 calendar days of order. 6 SERVICE/MAINTENANCE SPECIFICATIONS 6.1 SERVICE Service must be performed in a manner consistent with accepted industry standards and is to be defined as preventive maintenance, emergency calls, parts and all other services required to keep the devices operational and maintained in good working order, including network printing, in the current environment. The awarded Vendor must maintain complete service records detailing the device serviced, response time, time needed to affect the repair and the problem diagnosed. A provision for a backup (loaner) device should be made for those repairs requiring more than 3 days to complete. Devices experiencing ---PAGE BREAK--- 9 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print more than three service calls in a given month for the same issue will be replaced with a like-for-like device at no additional expense to the County at the request of the County. Vendors must provide on-site service during the County’s normal operating hours of 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. 6.2 AFTER HOURS SERVICE After hours, service must be available from a qualified service technician. Vendor to quote cost for services provided outside normal working hours, including night and weekend service. 6.3 SERVICE CALL Vendor to indicate a standard maximum time to respond to requests for on-site service. Preference will be given to Vendors able to respond by being on site in four hours or less. In no case shall the Vendor fail to respond on site by the close of business on the day the call is placed for calls placed before noon, or by noon of the following business day for calls placed after noon. 6.4 FACTORY CERTIFIED STAFF The Vendor agrees to provide factory certified service for the entire time the equipment is in place at the County. In the event that service or parts for any piece of equipment are no longer available, the Vendor agrees to provide a replacement device having comparable functionality and operating specifications at no additional cost to the County. 6.5 PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE Vendor to specify how and when preventive maintenance is to be performed. Customers will be notified at least one business day in advance of planned preventive maintenance. 6.6 REPORTING The Vendor will provide a report in electronic format for each billing cycle detailing service calls by device, location, and source/type of problem. The report must include a plan to resolve persistent problems. Specific details of the report should include average response time to service calls, elapsed time to repair, identification of any devices requiring three or more service calls, the nature or description of the service provided or problem/failure encountered, copy volume for each device, and a listing of the devices installed during the billing cycle. 6.7 RECURRING SERVICE PROBLEMS Machines experiencing more than three service calls per month will be permanently replaced with a like-for-like machine at no additional expense to the County. Devices that will be down for 3 or more days will require a like-for-like loaner at no additional expense. 6.8 DELAYED PARTS AND SERVICE In the event that service and/or parts for any equipment placed under this agreement are not available within two business days, the Vendor agrees to provide a like-for-like replacement of the device at no additional cost to the County by the end of the third business day. In the event that a like-for-like replacement is not available, the Vendor ---PAGE BREAK--- 10 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print agrees to install a “loaner” device with comparable functional and operational specifications at his/her expense and leave the loaner in place until the original device is repaired or replaced to the satisfaction of the County. 6.9 PARTS AND SUPPLIES To ensure continuity of service, the Vendor is required to provide a means for County staff to request delivery of toner and other consumable supplies. The delivery of these supplies must be provided without additional charges to the County. The vendor should ensure they maintain sufficient inventory of frequently needed parts for all machines placed and/or serviced under the terms of this agreement. 6.10 MOVES, ADDS AND CHANGES From time to time the departments within the County move to other locations, and will require that an MFD or printer be moved to the new location or an additional MFD or printer may be required or copy/print demands may require a different device be swapped in, under the terms of this agreement there will be no additional charges for Moves, Adds and Changes. 7 ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIFICATIONS 7.1 ACQUISITION FROM OTHER SOURCES The County reserves the right to acquire equipment from other sources should the County determine that the contractor’s offered equipment does not meet the specific need of a particular customer within the County. 7.2 SOFTWARE UPGRADES AND CHANGES The Vendor shall be responsible for providing the most recent versions of all operating firmware, software, print drivers, spoolers, and print languages. The Vendor is responsible for providing certified network and technical support to ensure compatibility with the County’s technology systems, network protocols, and operating procedures. 7.3 DELIVERY REQUIREMENTS All items to be procured by the County, as a result of this RFP shall be quoted F.O.B. destination, freight prepaid. 7.4 EQUIPMENT REMOVAL REQUIREMENTS The removal costs for all equipment installed at the County will be the responsibility of the Vendor. 7.5 WARRANTY Proposals shall include the exact periods of on-site warranty coverage for both parts and labor for all proposed equipment. 7.6 INSTALLATIONS The Vendor is required to perform all installations and verify operation of the equipment with the County. Requests to install or remove devices and network printing components are to be completed within 45 calendar days of order. ---PAGE BREAK--- 11 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 7.7 STATEMENT OF WORK The Vendor will provide a written statement of work detailing the proposed installation schedule. The County must approve the final installation schedule. 7.8 ENVIRONMENT It is expressly understood that the County is a place of business. Installations and service activities will be carried out in such a way as to minimize interruptions and disruptions to business activities. 7.9 WASTE MATERIAL REMOVAL Vendor is expected to remove all waste packing materials following installation of equipment. 7.10 MANUFACTURER’S CERTIFICATION All proposals shall include documentation from each manufacturer of equipment being offered under the terms of this agreement certifying that the Vendor is a bona fide dealer for that manufacturer’s products and that the dealer is authorized to submit a proposal on such equipment. 7.11 DOCUMENTATION The vendor will provide complete documentation of location, setup and configuration of all installed devices, hardware, software, etc. and will maintain and update as necessary the documentation throughout the term of the contract. 8 DETAILED SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS AND INSTRUCTIONS 8.1 TERMS OF SUBMISSION All material received from a person or company (“Respondent”) in response to this solicitation shall become the property of Alexander County and will not be returned to the Respondent. Any and all costs incurred by a Respondent in preparing, submitting, or presenting submissions are the Respondent’s sole responsibility and Alexander County shall not reimburse the Respondent. All responses to this solicitation will be considered a public record and subject to disclosure under applicable public records law. Any material in a response which the Respondent considers a trade secret and exempt from disclosure as a public record under applicable law, including N.C.G.S. 132-1.2 and 66-152, must be properly designated as a trade secret. In order to properly designate such material, the Respondent must: submit any trade secret materials in a separate envelope, or file, from all other submitted material, being clearly marked as “Trade Secret – Confidential and Proprietary Information,” and (ii) stamp the same trade secret/confidentiality designation on each page of the materials therein which contain trade secrets. To the extent consistent with public records law, Alexander County will make reasonable efforts to maintain the confidential nature of trade secrets, as determined by Alexander County and subject to the conditions set forth herein. Respondent understands and agrees by submitting a response to this solicitation, that if a request is made to review or produce a copy of any information in the Respondent’s materials which was properly labeled by the Respondent as a trade secret, Alexander County will notify the Respondent of the ---PAGE BREAK--- 12 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print request and the date that such materials will be released to the requestor unless the Respondent obtains a court order enjoining that disclosure. If the Respondent fails to obtain the court order enjoining disclosure prior to that date, Respondent understands and agrees that Alexander County will release the requested information to the requestor on that date. Furthermore, the Respondent also agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Alexander County and each of its officers, employees, and agents from all costs, damages, and expenses incurred in connection with refusing to disclose any material that has been designated as a trade secret by Respondent. 8.2 PROPOSAL FORMAT The County desires all responses to be identical in format in order to facilitate comparison. While the County’s format may represent a departure from the vendor’s preference, the County requests adherence to the format. All responses are to be in the format described below. Offerors should prepare their proposals in accordance with the instructions outlined in this section. Each Offeror is required to submit the proposal electronically. Each section should be identified as described below. Proposals should be prepared as simply as possible and provide a straightforward, concise description of the proposer’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. The County may award a contract based on initial offers received without discussion of such offers. A proposer’s initial offer should, therefore, be based on the most favorable terms available. The County reserves the right to contact proposers regarding cost and scope clarification at any time throughout the selection process. The successful Offeror’s proposal must include all responses to the requirements contained within this RFP and all appendices (if applicable) must be completed in their entirety. By submitting a proposal, the successful Offeror agrees to all applicable provisions, terms and conditions associated with this RFP. This solicitation, the successful Offeror’s submitted proposal, all appendices and attachments (if applicable), and stated terms and conditions may become part of the resulting contract. Attention should be given to accuracy, completeness, and clarity of content. All parts, pages, figures, or tables should be numbered and clearly labeled. Response information should be limited to pertinent information only. Marketing and sales type information is not to be included. Omissions and incomplete answers may be deemed unresponsive. Please initial any corrections. The proposal should be organized and identified by section as follows: Section 1 – Cover Letter Section 2 – Company Qualifications and Experience Section 3 – Staff Experience Section 4 – Proposed Printing Solution with Cost-Per-Copy ---PAGE BREAK--- 13 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Section 5 – Implementation and Work Plan Section 6 – Maintenance and Support Program Section 7 – References Section 8 – Cost Proposal Appendix A – Cost Proposal Section 9 – Required Forms Appendix B – Proposal Submission (signed) Appendix C – Addenda Receipt and Anti-Collusion (signed) 8.2.1 SECTION 1 – COVER LETTER Provide the following information about your company in your cover letter. Respond to each item and provide supporting documentation and/or exhibits as requested or desired. 1. Legal Company Name and DBA (if applicable) Corporate Headquarters: Address Telephone Number Website Address Location Providing Service (if different from headquarters): Address Telephone Number 2. Name of Single Point of Contact Title Direct Telephone Number and/or extension Email Address 3. Name of Person with Binding Authority Title Address Direct Telephone Number and/or extension Email Address 4. Describe your interest in this project and the unique advantage your firm and team bring. 5. Stipulate that the proposal price will be valid for a period of 120 days. 6. Make the following representations and warranty in the cover letter, the falsity of which might result in rejection of its proposal: “The information contained in this proposal or any part thereof, including any exhibits, schedules, and other documents and instruments delivered or to be delivered to the County, is true, accurate, and complete. This proposal includes all information necessary to ensure that the statements therein do not in whole or in part mislead the County as to any material facts.” 8.2.2 SECTION 2 – COMPANY QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE This section provides each vendor with the opportunity to demonstrate how its history, organization, and partnerships differentiate it from other vendors. Careful ---PAGE BREAK--- 14 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print attention should be paid to providing information relevant to Alexander County needs. Provide corporate history, and number of years in business under the current organizational name and structure and services offered. Describe your company’s complete corporate structure, including any parent companies, subsidiaries, affiliates and other related entities. How many public sector (cities and counties) clients does your company have? Provide a management organization chart of your company’s overall organization, including director and officer positions and names and the reporting structure. What is the Vendor’s service commitment to customers and measurements used? List any projects or services terminated by a government entity. Please disclose the government entity that terminated and explain the reason for the termination. Are audited or otherwise verifiable financial statements available upon request? Is the vendor’s organization involved in any pending litigation that may affect its ability to provide its proposed solution or ongoing maintenance or support of its products and services? 8.2.3 SECTION 3 – STAFF EXPERIENCE Provide the name and qualifications of the designated day-to-day account manager for Alexander County. Provide the names and qualifications for other key individuals who will be providing services under this project. Explain how your organization ensures that personnel performing the Services are qualified and proficient. 8.2.4 SECTION 4 – PROPOSED PRINTING SOLUTION Provide a detailed description of your proposed solution addressing the requirements outlined in Section 4 (Scope of Work). At a minimum, your response must include the following information: Provide a detailed description of the software solution, explaining the technical capabilities and functionality features of the proposed product. License Structure: Please describe the bidder’s software licensing structure in detail. Do so for each product or module if they differ from one another. Warranty: Describe what is included with the manufacturer’s warranty(s). Pricing: Fill 8.2.5 SECTION 5 – IMPLEMENTATION AND WORK PLAN This section covers various aspects of the successful Offeror’s approach to implementing projects. Please respond with as much relevant detail to Alexander County, project as possible given the information you’ve been provided in this RFP. Project Team: List the bidder’s project team. Provide names, roles, involvement levels and durations, and relevant experience for each person on the team. ---PAGE BREAK--- 15 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Timeline: Provide a schedule to implement the proposed software system. This should include time to review and access current processes and technologies and a timeline for the integration of the new system. Training: Describe what type of training and the number of people to be trained that is included as part of the software installation. Describe how you will schedule and provide for training of end users, technical staff, and system administrators including initial training, consultation, and follow-up training. Describe what types of additional training may be available either through the bidder’s company or through another agency. A brief description of each task and its work products. Include milestone, associated work products and desired outcomes 8.2.6 SECTION 6 – MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT PROGRAM Describe your company’s maintenance and support program and include the following: Maintenance o Describe the details and duration of any manufacturer's warranty on proposed software system. o How often do you provide product updates? Include the firm’s willingness and plan for keeping its products up-to-date. “Up-to- date” is defined as continuously adding or replacing products to take advantage of new technology and complying with emerging industry standards. o Describe the process by which user input is incorporated into new product releases. o What is included in the annual maintenance contract? Support o Vendor shall describe the extent and nature of software support services, including web-based and telephone support, and consulting support. o Do you have a telephone access number, email address, or web portal for technical phone support? o What are the hours of support? o What is the guaranteed response time for telephone support? Email support? Web Support? o Do you have the ability to provide direct remote support? Please describe. o Describe the bidder’s support escalation procedure. o What is the bidder’s policy for the provision of on-site support? o Do you maintain a client accessible Internet Knowledge Base of known issues and frequently asked questions? 8.2.7 SECTION 7 – REFERENCES Provide, at a minimum, three comparable clients with whom your firm has an established relationship similar to the Scope of Work outlined in this RFP and one former client that stopped doing business with you in 2021 and include the following: ---PAGE BREAK--- 16 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Name of Client/Firm Contact Name and Title Address Direct Phone Number Email Address Service Dates Summary of Scope of Services 8.2.8 SECTION 8 – COST PROPOSAL The County is not obligated to accept the lowest cost proposal. The County may accept the proposal that best serves its needs, as determined by County officials in their sole discretion. The award shall be made in the best interest of the County. This Request for Proposal is not subject to any competitive bidding requirements of North Carolina law. The County reserves the right to accept other than the most financially advantageous proposal. See evaluation criteria in 8.4 Evaluation Selection Process. Offerors must submit a completed Appendix A – Cost Proposal form in this section. 8.2.9 SECTION 9 – REQUIRED FORMS Offerors must include signed copies of the following documents: Appendix B – Proposal Submission (signed) Appendix C – Addenda Receipt and Anti-Collusion (signed) 8.3 SELECTION PARTICIPANTS 1. Maintaining the integrity of the RFP process is of paramount importance for the County. To this end, please do not contact any members of Alexander County or its staff regarding the subject matter of this RFP until a selection has been made, other than the County’s designated contact person identified in the introduction to this RFP. 2. Representatives of Alexander County will read, review, and evaluate the RFP independently based on the evaluation criteria. Failure to abide by this requirement shall be grounds for disqualification from this selection process. 3. The County will establish an RFP Evaluation Team to review and evaluate the RFPs. The RFP Evaluation Team will assess the RFPs independently in accordance with the published evaluation criteria. Alexander County reserves the right to conduct interviews with a shortlist of selected respondents. 4. At its sole discretion, the Owner may ask written questions of Offerors, seek written clarification, and conduct discussions with Offerors on the RFPs. 5. The County reserves the right to determine the suitability of proposals on the basis of a proposal meeting scope and submittal criteria listed in the RFP. Evaluation criteria and other relevant RFP information will be used to assist in determining the finalist Vendor. 8.4 EVALUATION SELECTION PROCESS ---PAGE BREAK--- 17 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print A weighted analysis of the evaluation criteria will be utilized to determine the Vendor that represents the best value solution for the County. In the evaluation and scoring/ranking of Offerors, the County will consider the information submitted in the RFP as well as the meetings (if applicable) with respect to the evaluation criteria set forth in the RFP. The initial evaluation criteria/factors and relative weights listed below will be used to recommend selection of the Proposed Offeror or for the purpose of selecting Short-Listed Offerors. The County may choose to award without engaging in interview discussions. RFP Criteria Weights Company Background and Experience 25% Proposed Solution 50% Cost Proposal & Compliance with Submittal Requirements 25% Vendors may be invited to give a demonstration of the capabilities of the proposed solution to the Alexander County evaluation team. The successful bidder’s demonstration (if requested), along with questions and answers, will be a critical component of the overall vendor evaluation. After identification of Short-Listed Offerors, the County may or may not decide to invite Short-Listed Offerors to vendor demonstration/interviews. If interviews are scheduled with the Short-Listed Offerors, previous evaluation and rankings are not carried forward. For the purpose of selecting a Preferred Offeror, the evaluation criteria will be given the following relative weights: Interview Criteria Weights Proposed Approach and Staff 65% Quality and Relevance of Interview as it Relates to the Scope of the RFP 35% Additional meetings may be held to clarify issues or to address comments, as deemed appropriate. Proposers will be notified in advance of the time and format of such meetings. 8.5 AWARD PROCEDURE Alexander County has the right to reject any or all proposals, to engage in further negotiations with any Company submitting a proposal, and/or to request additional information or clarification. The County is not obligated to accept the lowest cost proposal. The County may accept the proposal that best serves its needs, as determined by County officials in their sole discretion. The County reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposals received. Therefore, it is important that the proposal be submitted initially on the most favorable terms. A proposal may be rejected if it is incomplete. Alexander County may reject any or all proposals and may waive any immaterial deviation in a proposal. More than one proposal from an individual, Offeror, partnership, corporation or association under the same or different names, will not be considered. ---PAGE BREAK--- 18 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print The County reserves the right to enter into negotiations with the top ranked Offeror. However, negotiations with the top ranked Offeror does not signify a commitment by Alexander County to execute a contract or to continue discussions. The County reserves the right to terminate negotiations at any time and for any reason. The County may select and enter into negotiations with the next most advantageous Proposer if negotiations with the initially chosen Proposer are not successful. The award shall be made in the best interest of the County. This Request for Proposal is not subject to any competitive bidding requirements of North Carolina law. The County reserves the right to accept other than the most financially advantageous proposal. The award document will be a Contract incorporating, by reference, all the requirements, terms and conditions of the solicitation and the Offeror’s proposal as negotiated. 8.6 CONFLICT CERTIFICATION The Offeror must certify that it does not have any actual or potential conflicts of interest with, or adversarial litigation against the County or any of its officers or employees. During the course of the contractual relationship formed pursuant to this solicitation, any such conflict of interest, whether newly arising or newly discovered, must be disclosed to the County in writing. 9 GENERAL CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS 9.1 TERMS AND CONDITIONS The contract award will have an initial term of three years with two one-year renewal options at the County’s discretion, pending annual budget approval. Alexander County has the right to reject any or all proposals, to engage in further negotiations with any Company submitting a proposal, and/or to request additional information or clarification. The County is not obligated to accept the lowest cost proposal. The County may accept that proposal that best serves its needs, as determined by County officials in their sole discretion. All payroll taxes, liability and worker’s compensation are the sole responsibility of the Offeror. The Offeror understands that an employer/employee relationship does not exist under this contract. All proposals submitted in response to this request shall become the property of Alexander County and as such, may be subject to public review. 9.2 CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS The contents of this Proposal and the commitments set forth in the selected Proposal(s) shall be considered contractual obligations, if a contract ensues. Failure to accept these obligations may result in cancellation of the award. All legally required terms and conditions shall be incorporated into final contract agreements with the selected Service Provider(s). ---PAGE BREAK--- 19 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 9.3 SUB-CONTRACTOR/PARTNER DISCLOSURE If the proposal by any Company requires the use of sub-contractors, partners, and/or third- party products or services, this must be clearly stated in the proposal. The Company submitting the proposal shall remain solely responsible for the performance of all work, including work that is done by sub-contractors. 9.4 EXCEPTION TO THE PROPOSAL An “exception” is defined as the Service Provider’s inability or unwillingness to meet a term, condition, specification, or requirement in the manner specified in the Proposal. All exceptions taken must be identified and explained in writing in the proposal and must specifically reference the relevant section(s) of this Proposal. Other than exceptions that are stated in compliance with this Section, each proposal shall be deemed to agree to comply with all terms, conditions, specifications, and requirements of this Proposal. If the Service Provider provides an alternate solution when taking an exception to a requirement, the benefits of this alternate solution and impact, if any, on any part of the remainder of the Service Provider’s solution, must be described in detail. 9.5 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL Prior to the scheduled closing time for receiving proposals, any Vendor may withdraw their proposal. After the scheduled closing time for receiving proposals, no proposal may be withdrawn for 120 days. Only written requests for the modification or correction of a previously submitted proposal that are addressed in the same manner as proposals and are received by the County prior to the closing time for receiving proposals will be accepted. The proposal will be corrected in accordance with such written requests, provided that any such written request is in a sealed envelope that is plainly marked “Modification of Proposal” – with solicitation number and name on the front of the envelope. Oral, telephone, or fax modifications or corrections will not be recognized or considered. 9.6 EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY All Offerors will be required to follow Federal Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies. By submitting a proposal under this solicitation, Offeror affirms their compliance with applicable EEO rules. 9.7 MINORITY BUSINESSES (MBE) OR DISADVANTAGED BUSINESSES (DBE) It is the practice of Alexander County that Minority Businesses (MBEs), Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBEs) and other small businesses shall have the opportunity to compete fairly in contracts financed in whole or in part with public funds. Consistent with this practicey, Alexander County will not allow any person or business to be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise be discriminated against in connection with the award and performance of any contract because of sex, race, religion, or national origin. 9.8 LICENSES To the extent applicable under this solicitation, the successful Offeror(s) shall have and maintain a valid and appropriate business license, meet all local, state, and federal codes, ---PAGE BREAK--- 20 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print and have current all required local, state, and federal licenses. 9.9 E-VERIFY E-Verify is the federal program operated by the United States Department of Homeland Security and other federal agencies, or any successor or equivalent program, used to verify the work authorization of newly hired employees pursuant to federal law. Vendor/Offeror shall ensure that Offeror and any Sub-Contractor performing work under this contract: uses E-Verify if required to do so; and (ii) otherwise complies with applicable law. 9.10 DRUG-FREE WORKPLACE During the performance of this Request, the Offeror agrees to provide a drug-free workplace for their employees; post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession, or use of a controlled substance or marijuana is prohibited in the workplace and specify the actions that will be taken against employees for violations of such prohibition; and state in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the Offeror that the Offeror maintains a drug-free workplace. For the purposes of this section, “drug-free workplace” means a site for the performance of work done in connection with a specific contract awarded to a Offeror/Offerors in accordance with this chapter, the employees of whom are prohibited from engaging in the unlawful manufacture, sale, distribution, dispensation, possession or use of any controlled substance or marijuana during the performance of the Request. 9.11 INSURANCE Vendor must demonstrate they possess and maintain appropriate levels and types of commercial insurance as applicable to the scope of this project. The County reserves the right to require additional insurance types and coverages depending on the nature of the agreement. Required insurance policies will be procured and maintained at vendor’s sole expense ADDITIONAL INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS A. The Contractor’s General Liability policy shall be endorsed, specifically or generally, to include the following as Additional Insured: ALEXANDER COUNTY, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS AND EMPLOYEES ARE INCLUDED AS ADDITIONAL INSURED WITH RESPECTS TO THE GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE POLICY. Additional Insured status for Completed Operations shall extend for a period of not less than three years from the date of final payment. B. Before commencement of any work or event, Contractor shall provide a Certificate of Insurance in satisfactory form as evidence of the insurances required above. C. Contractor shall have no right of recovery or subrogation against Alexander County ---PAGE BREAK--- 21 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print (including its officers, agents and employees). D. It is the intention of the parties that the insurance policies afforded by contractor shall protect both parties and be primary and non-contributory coverage for any and all losses covered by the above-described insurance. E. Alexander County shall have no liability with respect to Contractor’s personal property whether insured or not insured. Any deductible or self-insured retention is the sole responsibility of Contractor. F. Notwithstanding the notification requirements of the Insurer, Contractor hereby agrees to notify the Alexander County Risk Management Specialist at 621 Liledoun Rd, Taylorsville, NC 28681 within two days of the cancellation or substantive change of any insurance policy set out herein. The County, in its sole discretion, may deem failure to provide such notice as a breach of this Agreement. G. Insurance procured by Contractor shall not reduce nor limit Contractor’s contractual obligation to indemnify, save harmless and defend Alexander County for claims made or suits brought which result from or are in connection with the performance of this Agreement. H. Certificate Holder shall be listed as follows: Alexander County 621 Liledoun Rd. Taylorsville, NC 28681 I. If Contractor is authorized to assign or subcontract any of its rights or duties hereunder and in fact does so, Contractor shall ensure that the assignee or subcontractor satisfies all requirements of this Agreement, including, but not limited to, maintenance of the required insurances coverage and provision of certificate(s) of insurance and additional insured endorsement(s), in proper form prior to commencement of services. 9.12 INDEMNIFICATION Contractor agrees to protect, defend, indemnify and hold Alexander County, its officers, employees and agents free and harmless from and against any and all losses, penalties, damages, settlements, costs, charges, professional fees or other expenses or liabilities of every kind and character arising out of or relating to any and all claims, liens, demands, obligations, actions, proceedings, or causes of action of every kind in connection with or arising out of this agreement and/or the performance hereof that are due, in whole or in part, to the negligence of the Contractor, its officers, employees, subcontractors or agents. Contractor further agrees to investigate, handle, respond to, provide defense for, and defend the same at its sole expense and agrees to bear all other costs and expenses related thereto. ---PAGE BREAK--- 22 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Intentionally Left Blank ---PAGE BREAK--- 23 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 10 APPENDIX A – COST PROPOSAL RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Services SUBMIT WITH PROPOSAL Company Name: Page 1 of 2 The County is not obligated to accept the lowest cost proposal. The County may accept the proposal that best serves its needs, as determined by County officials in their sole discretion. The award shall be made in the best interest of the County. This Request for Proposal is not subject to any competitive bidding requirements of North Carolina law. The County reserves the right to accept other than the most financially advantageous proposal. See evaluation criteria in 8.4 Evaluation Selection Process. Based on the requirements of this solicitation, Appendix A – Cost Proposal, should be completed and submitted in Section 8 of the Proposal Format. The estimated usage amounts provided are not guaranteed. Print/Copy: In this section, provide cost per page for each category and multiply by the estimated usage to enter total cost. Estimated usage shown below is based on a four quarter average of 2022 usage figures and includes counts for all machines combined. Print/Copy Categories Estimated Avg. Usage Cost per Page Total Cost B&W Copies/Prints 123,351 Color Copies/Prints 33,367 If a minimum set-amount of impressions is part of the total cost, provide the following: Minimum amount: Cost: Overage cost per impression: Cost Proposal Continued on Next Page ---PAGE BREAK--- 24 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Appendix A – Cost Proposal Company Name: Page 2 of 2 Additional Categories – In this section, provide cost per category if applicable. Category Cost Annual Maintenance Implementation Hardware After Hour Support - Cost per Hour, 24hr x 7days (Required) Other Costs (Please Specify) Offerors may also elect to attach additional documents to this cost proposal to support their submission. Attaching a separate proposal in lieu of completing the cost proposal “Appendix A” will not be accepted. End of Cost Proposal ---PAGE BREAK--- 25 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 11 APPENDIX B – PROPOSAL SUBMISSION RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Services SUBMIT WITH PROPOSAL This Proposal is submitted by: It is understood that Alexander County reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to make awards according to the best interest of the County, to waive formalities, technicalities, to recover and re-advertise this project. Proposal is valid for 120 days. Proposal is submitted by an executive of the company that has authority to contract with Alexander County, NC. Company Legal Name: Representative Name: Representative Signature: Representative Title: Address: County/State/Zip: Email Address: Phone Number: Website Address: Name: Title: Signature: Date: ---PAGE BREAK--- 26 Alexander County, North Carolina RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print 12 APPENDIX C – ADDENDUM AND ANTI-COLLUSION CERTIFICATION RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Services SUBMIT WITH PROPOSAL Please acknowledge receipt of all addenda by including this form with your Proposal. Any questions or changes received will be posted as an addendum on opportunities/ It is the vendor’s responsibility to check for this information. Addendum No. Date Downloaded I certify that this proposal is made in good faith and without collusion with any other offeror or officer or employee of Alexander County. Company Name: Name: Title: Email Address: Signature: Date: ---PAGE BREAK--- 13 APPENDIX D – CURRENT INVENTORY & LOCATIONS RFP 2023-0201 Managed Print Services Informational Purposes Only – Do not submit with proposal. DEPARTMENT MODEL # DEVICE TYPE OUTPUT Administration ES356 MFD B&W E5506AC MFD Color Coop Ext E3505AC MFD Color Animal Svs LEXC4150 PRINT Color LEXC4150 PRINT Color E2555C MFD Color LEXM3150 PRINT B&W Board of Elections LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3250 PRINT B&W E3055C MFD Color Compliance E2550C MFD Color E2550C MFD B&W DSS E4505AC MFD Color E7508A MFD B&W E7508A MFD B&W E3508A MFD B&W E5508A MFD B&W E5508A MFD B&W E7518A MFD B&W ES7518A MFD B&W ES5518A MFD B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W EDC E3040C MFD Color EMS E256 MFD B&W EMS E3508A MFD B&W EMS E2000AC MFD Color Finance E4505AC MFD Color Fire Marshall E3005AC MFD Color ---PAGE BREAK--- Garage ES3518A MFD B&W Health E456 MFD B&W 4518A MFD B&W E5506AC MFD Color E3505AC MFD Color LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3250 PRINT B&W E3040C MFD Color IT E2000AC MFD Color E3005AC MFD Color Building Inspections ES3525C MFD Color E3040C MFD Color Solid Waste ES5055C MFD Color LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W Library E2505AC MFD Color Library E3540C MFD Color Library E3008A MFD B&W E3305AC MFD Color LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LPA E3008A MFD B&W Resource Center E3540C MFD Color Recreation E3540C MFD Color Rocky Face Park E3040C MFD Color E2550C MFD Color Register of Deeds E4505AC MFD Color LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3250 PRINT B&W Senior Center E4555C MFD Color LEXM3250 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W Sheriff E356 MFD B&W E3040C MFD Color LEXM3150 PRINT B&W E256 MFD B&W E3505AC MFD Color E256 MFD B&W E256 MFD B&W E456G MFD B&W E3505AC MFD Color ---PAGE BREAK--- E2050C MFD Color Detention E2508A MFD B&W E256 MFD B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W 911 Communications LEXXC4140 PRINT Color E3040CG MFD Color Soil & Water E3040C MFD Color ES3515C MFD Color Tax Office E3540C MFD Color LEXXC4140 PRINT Color LEXM3250 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXC4150 PRINT Color LEXC4150 PRINT B&W LEXM3150 PRINT B&W LEXM3250 PRINT B&W LEXM3250 PRINT B&W Veteran's E2508A PRINT B&W LEXCS748DE PRINT Color LEXXC4140 PRINT B&W Human Resources LEXXC4140 PRINT Color END OF SOLICITATION