Purchasing Solutions Alliance (PSA), a nationwide non-profit cooperative purchasing program of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments (BVCOG), is soliciting proposals from experienced and qualified vendors to provide proactive managed monitoring services for NextGen911 (NG911) PSA Members.
The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is to secure a qualified vendor to deliver proactive managed monitoring services for Next Generation 911 (NG911) networks. These services aim to minimize Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) for network outages across Layer 3 infrastructure, including 4G/5G LTE wireless networks, point-to-point microwave links, and internet connections.
Key responsibilities include:
- Comprehensive management of network routers and switches, encompassing change management, configuration, backup, restoration, and both logical and physical fault resolution.
- 24/7/365 monitoring and rapid incident response for firewalls, including remote configuration support for VPN users, intrusion detection, and maintaining backup configurations.
- Expertise in managing NextGen firewalls (NGFWs), which may include but are not limited to Fortinet, Cisco ASA, and Palo Alto systems.
The selected provider will play a critical role in ensuring the operational reliability and security of the NG911 network infrastructure.
There is considerable potential sales value in being awarded a competitively bid public sector cooperative contract. PSA contractors have the advantage of promoting sales to governmental/educational entities without the need for the buyer to issue an RFP. This saves the buyer time and money from duplicating the competitive bidding process and managing the resulting contract. Many of our existing PSA contractors have been able to gain new customers because of the cooperative contracts.
The resulting contract from this RFP will be able to be used nation-wide. We believe a PSA contract would enhance your competitive position in the government marketplace, and are eager to work with you to promote the best interests of our participating local governments and qualifying non-profit organizations.
Background
The Purchasing Solutions Alliance (PSA), a nationwide non-profit cooperative purchasing program of the Brazos Valley Council of Governments (BVCOG), is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide proactive managed monitoring services for Next Generation 911 (NG911) networks.
The goal is to minimize Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) for network outages affecting Layer 3 infrastructure, including 4G/5G LTE wireless networks, microwave links, and internet connections. This initiative supports governmental and educational entities by streamlining procurement processes and enhancing service delivery.
Work Details
The selected vendor will be responsible for:
- Comprehensive management of network routers and switches, including change management, configuration, backup, restoration, and fault resolution.
- 24/7/365 monitoring and rapid incident response for firewalls with remote configuration support for VPN users and intrusion detection.
- Expertise in managing NextGen firewalls (NGFWs), including systems like Fortinet, Cisco ASA, and Palo Alto.
Deliverables include real-time network monitoring reports, documented change management processes, incident resolution reports, and monthly firewall management summaries.
Period of Performance
The contract will commence upon award and will be valid for a specified term as outlined in the final agreement. The RFP was released on November 21, 2024, with responses due by December 20, 2024.
Place of Performance
Services will be performed nationwide for PSA members who are local governments, districts, political subdivisions, authorities, schools, universities, and qualifying non-profit organizations.
