Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

 

 

Request for Qualifications (RFQ)

For Consultants to Provide Engineer and Strategic Services to Support Deployment of a Middle Mile Broadband Network

 

DUE 3:00 pm EDT September 9, 2022

By email to: Paul Rizzo, prizzo@ironton.com

 

Ironton Telephone seeks proposals from qualified consultants to provide a range of services to support the design and deployment of 152 miles of fiber optic middle mile broadband facilities in eastern Pennsylvania. Consultants can propose as a company or as an individual. One or more consultants may be contracted as a result of this RFQ, providing a subset of the identified scope of services. Consultants will be awarded according to the schedule identified in this RFQ, but executed contracts are contingent upon receipt of an executed grant award from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The scope of services may be modified at that time.

 

1. SCOPE OF SERVICES:

 

PRIMARY WORK PRODUCT:  The consultant will provide services to analyze Ironton’s existing facilities, develop a design for fiber optic cable installation (outside plant), develop a design for equipment installation (home office), identify quality assurance and quality control measures and identify procedures for testing and commissioning.

 

  1. Fiber Optic Cable System Design


  1. Existing facilities.  The Consultant will analyze Ironton’s existing fiber optic facilities and home office equipment to determine constraints to expansion of the network.


  1. Fiber Optic System Design.  The Consultant will develop a draft design and final bid ready documents for construction of 142 miles of fiber optic cable network. The Consultant will develop draft and final design for equipment installation for Ironton’s home office.


  1. Bid package.  The Consultant will develop a bid package for competitive procurement of the outside plant fiber optic cable installation. If a bidder to this RFQ intends to submit a construction bid, they may not be awarded for this task.  



  1. Quality Assurance and Quality Control


  1. Quality Assurance/Control during Design.   The Consultant will identify and implement quality assurance and control procedures during design. This task is primarily focused on technical assistance to Ironton to review proposed designs.


  1. Quality Assurance/Control during Construction. The Consultant will identify quality assurance and control procedures for Ironton or its contracted consultant to utilize during construction, including reporting procedures.


  1. Testing and Commissioning


  1. Testing. The Consultant will identify procedures to test the completed network and including documentation of the process and success metrics.

 

  1. Commissioning. The Consultant will identify commissioning procedures for Ironton to use for network start up, including documentation of the process and success metrics.

 

2. APPROVAL PROCESS

 

Ironton staff will review submittals to document that all  the required components are complete. Submittals received after 3:00 pm EDT September 23, 2022 will not be opened or reviewed. For those submittals who are deemed complete, Ironton will review each one according to the evaluation criteria identified in Section 4. A notification of award will be provided by email, with a draft scope of services identified for any consultant that is awarded. That scope of services may consist of a portion of those tasks identified in Section 1. The scope is subject to revision if Ironton is awarded a grant from NTIA, and final executed contracts are dependent on receipt of an executed grant agreement from NTIA.

 

3. SUBMITTAL SUMMARY:


Submittals should be provided in electronic format by email and include the following items, along with other material to demonstrate Consultant’s expertise and capability:

1.     A brief written description of the Consultant’s approach to the project.

2.     The expertise of the team assembled by Consultant to carry out the work.

3.     Resumes for each of the key personnel on the project.

4.     A list of comparable projects undertaken by Consultant and/or team members.


4. RECOMMENDED FORMAT FOR SUBMITTALS:

 

All documents should be provided in pdf format. Due 3:00 pm EDT on September 23, 2022 by email to: Paul Rizzo, prizzo@ironton.com

 

  1. DESCRIPTION OF APPROACH: Up to two pages describing the Consultant’s typical approach to projects similar to this one.


  1. TEAM EXPERTISE: Brief description of general qualifications, the team assembled for this project, their role and their specific experience related to the Scope of Services.


  1. COMPARABLE PROJECTS: Summary of similar projects in progress or completed, with the following information for each:
  2. Client reference name, with current contact information
  3. Time frame (start to completion or start to in progress)
  4. Scope of project


  1. RATE SHEET: Please provide a rate sheet with hourly charges for each position proposed to work on the project, including both key personnel and junior personnel.

 

5. EVALUATION OF SUBMITTALS:


Consultants responding to this RFQ must demonstrate the following:

·        Experience in designing, testing, assuring and controlling quality in design and construction and/or testing and commissioning fiber optic networks.

·        Experience in the Lehigh Valley/Reading/Lancaster area.

·        Experience working with small telephone/internet companies.


Ironton will evaluate all submittals to determine which Consultants have the experience and qualifications that are most suited for this project. Ironton may request personal interviews with the highest-ranked Consultants. If awarded and an executed grant agreement is received from NTIA, Ironton will request a detailed scope and schedule for final approval and execution of a contract. 

Share by: