1. PURPOSE
The District of Columbia Green Finance Authority (d/b/a “DC Green Bank” or “DCGB”) invites private-sector information technology (IT) vendors to propose hardware, software, security, and development support services as the organization grows. This Request for Proposal (RFP) solicitsa resource to serve as the Bank’s primary outsourced IT solution.
2. DC GREEN BANK BACKGROUND
DC Green Bank is an independent instrumentality of the District of Columbia created to increase the use of private funds for sustainable projects and programs by offering and promoting the use of loans, loan guarantees, credit enhancements, bonds, or other financing mechanisms for sustainable projects and programs. Specifically, DC Green Bank aims to:
- Attract private capital by leveraging public investment;
- Use financial tools to increase capacity, accelerate lending, and recapitalize funds to support the Bank’s mission;
- Become a go-to resource for District residents, small business owners, and commercial developers interested in energy efficiency improvements, clean energy installations, and construction of green infrastructure; and
- Be a breakeven entity, where the revenues earned from financing activity cover its operating costs over the long term.
3. SCOPE
DC Green Bank invites private sector IT vendors to propose hardware, software, security, and development support services as the organization grows. The Bank solicits a resource to serve as the primary outsourced IT solution to support the infrastructure that has already been developed but continues to enhance the Bank’s innovative IT solutions. The qualified service provider will utilize a managed service provider approach to enable DC Green Bank to enhance IT effectiveness and quality of services, minimize its support cost, and maximize IT investment return. The outsourcing strategy secures a single service provider prepared to take the defined responsibilities for the continued building, management, reliability, and integration of DC Green Bank’s information systems. The prospective service provider must provide a cloud service provider as all employees are currently remote due to COVID-19. A key deliverable for this work is a high level, scalable IT infrastructure.
The District of Columbia Green Finance Authority (d/b/a “DC Green Bank” or “DCGB”) invites private-sector information technology (IT) vendors to propose hardware, software, security, and development support services as the organization grows. This Request for Proposal (RFP) solicits a resource to serve as the Bank’s primary outsourced IT solution.
Existing Technical Environment
DC Green Bank is currently 100% remote and operating on a cloud-based system. The following systems are currently in place:
- Microsoft Office 365; including a SharePoint site built for the organization’s Intranet, Microsoft Teams as the VOIP phone system and internal communication platform, traditional apps such as Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint;
- 4 Dell, Windows laptop computers and other hardware (monitors, docking stations, etc.);
- Integration with external applications (i.e. Gusto, Expensify, Adobe).
As DC Green Bank continues to grow to its target size of 10-15 employees, we will need to enhance our current systems and identify opportunity areas to solidify our IT needs.
4. SERVICEREQUIREMENTS
The IT management and support areas required include:
- Internet access and security, fixed locations and remote
- Email infrastructure and support
- Backup management, testing, and reporting
- Application managemento Vendor support and incident management liaison
- Infrastructure support to include mail, website, etc.
- Network and data security
- Security planning and security program development
- Disaster recovery and planning
- Remote client service
- 24/7 System monitoring and response
- Access to help-desk support during business hours, 8:00 am – 6:00 pm, M-F
- Occasional emergency access to 24-hour support
- Laptop and Mobile device supporto Life-cycle management of hardware units plan
- Server management and support including VMware infrastructure
- SAN – storage management and optimization
- Hosted SaaS Enterprise GIS options
- IT and technology project management, development and support – building programs tosupport the ongoing needs
- Work plan reporting – monthly status reporting with annual accomplishment reports
- Short and long-term infrastructure planning and recommendations
- Local and wide area network design, configuration, and support, upon identification ofphysical office
- Wireless network design, configuration, and support, upon identification of physical office
- Alternative services – vendor may propose alternative services to significantly improve ITeffectiveness, quality of services, minimizing costs, and maximum return on investment.
5. PROPOSAL CONTENTS
The following information must be included in the vendor’s proposal.
• Letter of Transmittal
This letter should not summarize the Proposal. The letter should include the following:
o Company name, address, and telephone number(s).
o Name,title,address,email address,and telephone number of vendor’s contacts. Contacts should be authorized to represent their firm in business transactions and specify where correspondence should be directed.
o Outline your firm’s understanding of the proposed services and positive commitment to provide the services outlined.
o A signed certificate of authority that the individual signing and the proposal on behalf of the vendor is legally authorized to bind the firm to the Proposal and cost schedule.
o A statement that indicates Proposal and cost schedule is valid and binding on the vendor for ninety (90) days following the Proposal submission date and will become part of the negotiated contract except as mutually modified by the parties.
• General Vendor Information
o Length of time in business providing proposed services
o Total number of clients
o Number of full-time personnel, specifying job duties
o Number of part-time personnel, specifying job duties
o Office location servicing DCGreenBank
- Mission Alignment; Sustainability, Equity, and Diversity, Responsible Sourcing
Describe your company’s approach and methodology (including benchmarking and progress on goals) relating to sustainability, equity, diversity, and equal access. Please also describe the supplier diversity and responsible sourcing program that you use in the sourcing process for your company’s vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors. - Positioning to complete services
Provide a history of experience providing similar services, as well as a description on how your firm is positioned to provide required services. Please include information about your resources and financial health for the past three (3) years. - Service Approach, Methodology
Describe, in detail, your approach and methodology to provide the services required and ongoing support. In addition to describing your services, include a description of your internal security, privacy and anti-corruption practices and/or codes of conduct. - References
Provide three (3) references for clients that you have delivered similar services. Reference the actual services provided, client size, and length of services.
- Staff Resources
Provide names, titles, and job summaries of key personnel who will provide IT services to DC Green Bank. Describe the roles and responsibilities that each team member will provide to this project. - Terminated Contracts
Provide any information where your firm voluntarily terminated a contract, or your contract counterparty terminated your firm’s contract, during the past five (5) years. Termination for default is defined as notice to stop performance due to the vendor’s nonperformance or poor performance, and the issue was either (a) not litigated, or (b) litigated, and such litigation determined the vendor to be in default if a default occurred, list complete name, address, and telephone number of the party. - Other Services
Provide a brief description of your firm’s other services, beyond this RFP scope, that DC Green Bank may pursue. - Executive Summary
Summarize your Proposal and your firm’s qualifications to complete the required services. Additionally, you may include why your firm is pursuing this work and how it is uniquely qualified to perform it, and other information that may assist DC Green Bank in determining your qualifications. The executive summary should not exceed two (2) pages. - Cost of Services
Proposals must contain a fee schedule that includes fixed-rate business hours support and hourly rates for additional services. Describe the rationale for pricing, specific pricing that you can provide, and potential additional charges.
6. PROPOSAL EVALUATION
DC Green Bank will evaluate proposals that meet the minimum qualifications and include all applicable Proposal contents in Section 5 against the following criteria.
-
- Experience (5 points maximum)
- Understanding of services requested (15 points maximum)
- Personnel experience (10 points maximum)
- Compatibility with end-users (5 points maximum)
- Project approach (15 points maximum)
- Feasibility of work plan (15 points maximum)
- Alignment to DC Green Bank mission (20 points maximum)
- Satisfaction of clients and end-users (5 points maximum)
- Cost (5 points maximum)
- Other considerations (5 points maximum)
7. OTHER PROPOSER CONSIDERATIONS
Proprietary information: Information submitted to DC Green Bank that the Proposer wishes to have treated as proprietary and confidential trade secret information should be identified and labeled as “Confidential” or “Proprietary” on each page at the time of disclosure.
8. SUBMISSION PROCESS
Electronic submission of responses (a “Proposal”) to this RFP is required. Submit proposals via email to the following email address: info@dcgreenbank.org. The subject line should be: “Proposal for IT Managed Services RFP”. Each Proposal must contain the fee outlined in Section 12 below. Proposals are due by 5:00 pm on September 28, 2020.
Proposers may resubmit a Proposal if circumstances change, or if the initial Proposal does not comprehensively address this RFP. Any commonly used formats (e.g., Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Adobe PDF) in commercial submissions are welcome.
9. TIMING OF EVALUATION
The RFP will close at 5:00 pm on September 28, 2020. All proposals will be evaluated, and finalists will be notified of the next steps by October 5, 2020, via email. Finalists will be invited to a presentation and discussion of essential details for the Proposal during the week of October 12 – 16, 2020, with final notification expected by October 19, 2020. We expected the selected firm to commence managed services by November 1, 2020. The terms of the contract are determined at the selection.
10. TECHNICAL RATING
| 0 | Unacceptable | Fails to meet minimum requirements;e.g., no demonstrated capacity, major deficiencies which are not correctable offeror did not address the factor |
| 1 | Poor | Marginally meets minimum requirements; major deficiencies that may be correctable |
| 2 | Minimally Acceptable | Marginally meets minimum requirements; minor deficiencies may be correctable. |
| 3 | Acceptable | Meets requirements; no deficiencies |
| 4 | Good | Meets requirements and exceeds some requirements; no deficiencies |
| 5 | Excellent | Exceeds most, if not all requirements; no deficiencies |
The technical rating is a weighting mechanism applied to each evaluation factor’s point value to determine each element’s score. The offeror’s total technical score will be determined by adding the offeror’s score in each evaluation factor. For example, if an evaluation factor has a point value range of zero (0) to forty (40) points, using the Technical Rating Scale above if the District evaluates the offeror’s response as “Good,” then the score for that evaluation factor is 4/5 of 40 or 32.
11. PREFERENCES FOR CERTIFIED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES
Under the provisions of the “Small and Certified Business Enterprise Development and Assistance Act of 2014”, D.C. Official Code § 2-218.01 et seq., as amended (“Act”, as used in this section), the DC Green Bank shall apply preferences in evaluating proposals from businesses that are certified by the Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD) pursuant to Part D of the Act.
12. NEGOTIATION
DC Green Bank may enter into good faith negotiations with one or more of the selected Proposers at such time and in such order as the DC Green Bank may determine in its discretion. Such negotiations’ commencement does not signify a commitment to provide financial assistance or enter into a contract with a Proposer. Either the Proposer or DC Green Bank may terminate such negotiations at any time for any reason. DC Green Bank reserves the right to enter into negotiations with any other Proposer at any time. Such negotiations shall not be limited to the scope or terms of the Proposal but may include other matters or different terms as DC Green Bank may determine to be in the best interests of DC Green Bank.
13. AWARD
Upon mutual agreement regarding the terms and conditions of the financial assistance, DC Green Bank and the selected Proposer may enter into a contract that memorializes the agreed-upon terms and conditions subject to all necessary DC Green Bank approvals the Board or a duly authorized committee of the Board.
14. ANTI-DEFICIENCY
Notwithstanding anything contained herein, any award pursuant to this RFP shall be subject to the provisions of (a) the federal Anti-Deficiency Act, 31 U.S.C. §§ 1341-1351 and 1511-1519(2004), and D.C. Official Code §§ 1-206.03(e) and 47-105 (2012 Repl.); (b) the District of Columbia Anti-Deficiency Act, D.C. Official Code §§ 47-355.01 et seq. (2012 Repl. and 2014 Supp.) ((a) and (b) collectively, the “Anti-Deficiency Acts”); and (c) § 446 of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, D.C. Official Code § 1-204.46 (2012 Repl.), as each may be amended from time to time and each to the extent applicable to this RFP.
15. FEES AND EXPENSES
Each Proposal submitted for consideration must be accompanied by a $500.00 processing fee submitted by mail or ACH, please contact info@dcgreenbank.org for specific instructions. As a condition of negotiation with any selected proposer, DC Green Bank may require that such Proposer agrees to pay costs incurred by DC Green Bank, including fees and disbursements of the DC Green Bank’s consultants, lawyers, and other professional advisors.
Please see Board Meeting Announcement:
D.C. Green Finance Authority Notice Of Special Meeting of the Board