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OHIP RFP Questions and Answers

	State of Ohio RFP Questions
	Q/A's page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

26.	On the circuit listing, you specify circuit types (analog, DS0, DS1, etc). Can you provide more description on the types of circuits? Specifically:
	Analog Drop (is this a phone drop) - Yes. DS-0 (is this a phone drop) - No. This is a 56K Digital Service. 1/28th of a DS1. DS-1 versus DS-1 Metro - A DS-1 is any circuit provisioned as a DS-1. Many vendors provide special postalized pricing for DS-1 circuits where both ends are within a given Metropolitan Area, therefore the term DS-1 Metro would apply. Ethernet versus Ethernet Metro versus Fast Ethernet - Fast Ethernet emplys 100 Mbps Ethernet. This is an industry standard term. Ethernet and Metro Ethernet identify common industry products where the delivery to the customer is an Ethernet port. Standard Ethernet port speeds include 10 Mbps, 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, and 10 Gbps. Do you know the speeds of the Ethernet circuits? - Please see the previous answer.

27.	In regard to the scope of services, what is the preferred delivery for the last mile? One vendor handles all hardware?
	It is the intent of the RFP to have IP services delivered to state and local government s of Ohio. See the third and fourth paragraphs in Section 4 of the RFP, page 11, regarding collaboration and management of the delivery of services.

28.	Does a company need to have an existing Master Service Agreement (MSA) to bid on the OH*IP RFP?
	No. An MSA will be put into place with service provider(s) as part of the OH*IP procurement process—proposal submission and contract negotiation. This is what is meant by the statement on page 14 of the RFP: “all service providers must execute an MSA if they have not already done so.”

29.	What if a company has major difficulties or issues with the State’s MSA?
	These should be brought to the attention of the State as part of the vendor inquiry process prior to the submission of a proposal in response to the RFP.

30.	In RFP is there a link to name/address of agencies eligible for pricing?
	Not a complete list, since every governmental and educational institution and agency in Ohio will be eligible to order from OHIP contracted services. The OHIP website contains: (1) a map of the current service locations, (2) a map that overlays the OARnet POPs and their relations to the current service, (3) a spreadsheet of 26,789 service locations by agency/institution, installed connections, and GIS coordinates.
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31.	The Excel spreadsheet mentions different speeds. Can we get a listing of speeds?
	Please see the answer to Question 26.

32.	Does vendor need to respond to all seven sections of the requirements? Can a vendor only respond to fewer than all of the requirements?
	The intent of the RFP is for service providers to respond to all service requirements and serve the entire state. However, responses to less than all of the requirements will be considered.

33.	The Ohio Lottery Commission is changing architecture. Anything in RFP of this change?
	In June, 2008, the Ohio Lottery chose INTRALOT of Duluth, Georgia to operate the agency’s gaming system services beginning July 1, 2009. The contract award is for two years, with up to four two-year renewals. The contract includes replacement of the gaming terminals and communications network. Lottery plans to decommission its SOMACS analog drops related to the previous gaming system after July 1, 2009.

34.	Architecture – who is responsible for security?
	Successful service providers will propose a security service, per the RFP’s requirements. It is important to secure sensitive data transmissions of fiscal and personnel information.

35.	Remote agency decision on speed design implementation.
	The State seeks a menu of service offerings for its customers that will only grow in bandwidth demands over the next ten years.
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36.	Looking for Centrex IP? Looking for IP Solutions? IP voice requirements on page 21?
	The State is looking for innovative approaches and proposals for a total converged (voice, data, video) IP network. Therefore, service providers may propose one or more service offerings to meet/exceed the State’s minimum requirements, especially those of section 7.2 of the RFP.

37.	Sixteen (16) POPs out there - any plans to increase POPs?
	Not at this time. However, with convergence of K-12, Higher Education and State and local government agencies on a single network, there may be opportunities in the future to leverage assets from one or more constituents that could be designated as a POP.

38.	What are the POP locations?
	Akron Qwest 1 Cascade Plaza, Suite 1210 Akron, Ohio 44308 Athens ZAYO 160 W. Union St. Athens, Ohio 45701 Cincinnati Qwest 205 W. 4th Street, Suite 920 Cincinnati, Ohio 45202 Dayton Qwest 130 W. Second St., 15th Floor (A.K.A. 1536 1st National Plaza, 15th Floor) Dayton, Ohio 45402 New Philadelphia AEP CR-21 New Philadelphia, Ohio 44663 Toledo Qwest 222 North Erie St., Suite 1A Toledo, Ohio 43642 Youngstown Qwest 1 Federal Plaza West, Room 1000 (A.K.A. Metropolitan Tower) Toledo, Ohio 43624 Cleveland Qwest 50 Public Square, Suite 640 Cleveland, Ohio 44113	Canton AEP 301 Cleveland Ave. SW Canton, Ohio 44702 Chillicothe AEP 701 Hardin Dr. Chillicothe, Ohio 45601 Delaware AEP 60 Liberty Rd. (A.K.A. Delaware Substation) Delaware, Ohio 43015 Lima AEP 1688 Sugar St. (A.K.A. Rockhill Substation) Lima, Ohio 45801 Newark AEP 10605 Blue Jay Rd. Heath, Ohio 43056 Portsmouth Earthlink 600 Gallia St. (A.K.A. National City Bank Bldg, 5th Fl) Portsmouth, Ohio 45662 Columbus-Rhodes Rhodes State Office Tower 30 E. Broad Street, 7th Floor Equipment Room Columbus, Ohio 43215 Columbus-SOCC State of Ohio Computer Center 1320 Arthur E. Adams Drive Columbus, Ohio 43221

39.	What is the scope and scale of VoIP?
	At a minimum, the State plans to replace all CENTREX users (28,000). However, the VoIP solution(s) would be available to all customer groups cited in the RFP.

40.	Will you accept a business plan or just what we offer today?
	Successful service providers will demonstrate, through their response to the RFP which will become the basis of the OH*IP contract(s), their plan to meet and exceed the requirements of the RFP.
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41.	There are nodes that vendor would like to bring on – is there opportunity for vendor to build-in on good faith?
	Yes, negotiated as part of the contract award.

42.	Ethernet, DSL, etc service attachments - will there be multiple awards?
	It is likely that the State will make multiple awards.

43.	Is a common dial plan required?
	Yes. We need the common CENTREX services we currently enjoy to be applied to the geographic regions served in a cost efficient manner.

44.	Must provide multicast video services?
	Yes.

45.	Page 35 Section 7.6, how does this affect Connect Ohio?
	DAS cannot comment on the Connect Ohio program.
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46.	Can you clarify what is meant in item 1 of section 7.6 of the RFP? “A specific plan to allow the sharing of State infrastructure deployed with commercial business and residential customers throughout the state, and in addition to political subdivisions being provided with services…”
	Please review Executive Order 2007 – 24S, July 31, 2007, page 3, sections 7 and 8 at: http://www.governor.ohio.gov/Portals/0/Executive%20Orders/Executive%20Order%202007-24S.pdf While items 1 through 6 of section 7.6 of the RFP are not deliverables for OHIP, the OHIP procurement supports Governor Strickland’s policy of extending access to the Broadband Ohio Network and the partnerships between the State and service providers that will promote the economic development of Ohio.

47.	Are the NPA/NXXs available for each location listed on the spreadsheet?
	When the network inventory database was populated, the site telephone number was not part of the information collected.

48.	Which are mission critical, can this be noted?
	In a sense, most State circuits are considered mission critical to the safety, health, welfare, and education of Ohioans. There are obvious priorities among these missions. You may seek guidance on these priorities from Telecommunications Service Priorities (TSP) on the web site of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

49.	In the RFP in reference to the drawing showing the ARnet PoP sites, are the addresses and exact locations listed on the website, and if not, how could we obtain them?
	See response to question 38.

50.	In addition, could we connect to them at their Regen Sites (diamonds on the drawing), and if so, how could we obtain the addresses/exact locations for those Regen Sites?
	Many of the Regen Sites do not have the space, power or the environment to support the installation of equipment at this time.



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For more information please contact one of the following people:

Debbie Farmer - Orders and Contracts - 614-644-5206

R. Denise Freshly - Contract Manager - 614-466-6060