RFP-NYH Response to questions from bidders

Transcription

1 Questions from Bidders Responses from UNICEF 1 Can the RFP be extended? Yes: The bid closing date is extended to 10 February The Bid opening will take place on 11 February 2016 There is no public bid opening. The confirmation for the intention to participate to this RFP is extended until 25 January Will Level 1 UN Supplier registration be sufficient for a compliant supplier response? Yes, Vendors registered in the UNGM are eligible to participate in this RFP. In addition, to clause 15.1 page 14 of 18 of the RFP of Supplier Registration and Evaluation; UNICEF is part of the United Nations Global Marketplace (UNGM). Accordingly, all bidders must apply to become a UNICEF supplier and this is done via the UNGM website at The assessment of the application is based on the relevance of the products to UNICEF. Please note that a UNGM registration should be completed as soon as possible, and before an award can be made. Page 1 of 11

2 3 The RFP instructs bidders to quote unit prices associated with deliver to the free carrier nearest Airport (FCA) a) What does this mean? b) Will orders be delivered to a single FCA point, or to UNICEF Supply Division office in NY? c) If not, will bidders be permitted to adjust freight costs to reflect associated shipping cost to different locations? d) Will other UN Agencies use the same FCA locations? a) In this context, free carrier nearest Airport (FCA) means that the winning bidder will deliver goods to UNICEF s appointed freight forwarders at the named airport which the bidder will propose in this RFP. This is usually the nearest airport from the vendor s dispatch point. Refer to Clause no. 5 on Incoterms and Clause 6 on Deliveries requirements. b) Please refer to (a) above. This RFP is for the supply of AT equipment to UNICEF Offices globally and tenders have been invited globally. The winning bidder will receive orders and deliver goods on the basis of FCA named airport to UNICEF s appointed freight forwarders for shipment to UNICEF offices, globally. However, bidders based in USA may in addition to the FCA prices submit proposals based on delivery incoterms CPT (Carriage paid to) 3 UN Plaza, New York, USA for the requirement of UNICEF Staff in New York. c) No. (Please refer to a & b above)the proposed FCA locations will be agreed upon with the winning bidder prior to LTA award. d) Other UN Agencies may use the results of this RFP but the shipping terms may be different because other some UN Agencies may have different freight arrangement and may not use UNICEF freight forwarding arrangements. Page 2 of 11

3 4 Is it likely that the volume of any single order for AT products would require delivering the order on pallets? If yes, how large must an order be before it is palletized? Is this determined by total order weight or volume? 5 What will be the primary payment method from UNICEF to the awarded supplier? 6 Annex A, Section 8 (c) (catalogue of AT Products and supports services) Can you confirm this is to be provided by the LTA awarded supplier and not part of the initial proposal response? 7 Will UNICEF, as registered in New York, be the registered licensee of the software as far as warranties are concerned? 8 Is English the default language for software or hardware that provides Text-to-Speech (TTS) functions? Some software packages require purchasing different versions depending on the end-user language requirements and product costs can differ depending on the language selected. 9 What modules of Tobii Eye Gaze products will you be providing to your employees in addition to the base model? 10 Do we only quote the base model in our response to the RFP? It is likely not. However, this will be based on actual orders placed. Please refer to the RFP pages 12 & 13 and Clause 9, 10 and 11 with regards to packing requirement. The payment method will be bank wire transfer. refer to the RFP doc. page 18 of 18; General Terms and Conditions; Payment Yes, at this stage, this is not a requirement. The winning bidder will be required to provide a catalogue of AT Products and supports services under the awarded LTA in accordance with Annex A, Section 8. Yes UNICEF will own the licenses of all AT products and software purchased under the LTA (s). Yes, English is the default language. In cases where UNICEF requires a different language, it will be indicated in the Purchase Orders. Please note other UNICEF s official working languages: English; French; Spanish UNICEF will determine the modules based on UNICEF employees needs and it will be included in UNICEF s Purchase Orders. Yes, please quote on base model. Page 3 of 11

4 11 In Section 7.6 it states that the Vendor can complete all Maintenance Service by the third business day after which a warranty claim may be done. What options will be available for us to provide these services (e.g., remote logons, phone, or , etc.)? UNICEF can provide phone, , or remote logons to complete maintenance services as needed. This may include online secured forms with remote logins. 12 Will there be a centralized location/telephone number/ address for receiving and responding to maintenance service and/or support requests? 13 Will bidders be required to work with onsite/remote UNICEF ICT staff when fulfilling service requests that may involve troubleshooting, quick log reviews, and/or obtaining operational details for any AT products experiencing issues (such as problems with software drivers, crosssoftware conflicts, hardware failures, etc.)? Or will be required to work only with a core ICT staff group at a single location (e.g., UNICEF NY)? 14 With respect to the software apps listed in "Annex 2- Commercial Proposals for Software", please confirm how bidders are to expected deliver apps that must be downloaded to the end user's mobile devices from an app store, since we assume these devices will not be made available to the bidder and where otherwise the use of gift cards allowing download of the app can only be used in the country where the gift cards are purchased? Yes, UNICEF will provide centralized contact information for this entire project. UNICEF has created an internal team located in New York. This team will have a core internal team assigned to this project. UNICEF may choose to bring in other team members from different locations. The winning bidder (s) may be required to work online with remote/field UNICEF ICT staff as needed. The winning Bidder (s) will receive a Purchase Order from UNICEF based on which the vendor will supply downloadable software applications and products. The keys will be sent directly to the registered UNICEF user (s) in accordance with the Purchase Order by the publisher/manufacturer UNICEF may also create a process for the gift cards. As part of the proposal, bidders may describe how the products can be delivered to the end-users devices where the gift cards cannot be purchased. Page 4 of 11

5 15 Can you confirm that all software quoted should always be the highest available version (Dragon Naturally Speaking Pro, Jaws Pro, ZoomText Reader/Magnifier International Version, etc.) and should always include the longest available option for software maintenance that is available from the publisher as part of unit pricing? 16 Can you confirm all hardware quoted should always include the longest available option for product maintenance what is available from the manufacturer as part of unit pricing? 17 Annex A, Section 4.3 (e) Can you confirm that all multi-user license options provided are to be free of network dependency? Several of the software items have significantly discounted site and district license options but most require a physical or virtual server for usage. Others don t but in the case of ones that do (have network dependency) we would be quoting single user bulk discounts if standalone only options are necessary. 18 Several items listed are either no longer available or have been replaced by a more current model (e.g. the Magic Wand Keyboard is no longer available, the Romeo 50 braille embosser has been replaced by the Cyclone embosser). Please advise on how you would like us to respond in these instances or will an updated Annex be published. 19 Can bidders propose alternative solutions for Annex 2 Commercial Proposal for Software. All AT quoted should be the latest version of the software or product. It should always include the longest available maintenance plan as part of the unit pricing. However extended warranties should not be processed without UNICEF s permission. Yes, all quoted AT should include the longest available maintenance plan as part of the unit pricing. However extended warranties should not be processed without UNICEF s permission UNICEF will work with the winning vendors to assure that multi-user license options are free of network dependency but this will be on a case by case decision by UNICEF to identify and avoid any conflict with UNICEF network. Please provide quotes for the most current model as the Annexes will not be updated at this stage. However, upon award, UNICEF will work with the winning Bidder (s) to update the AT catalogue with current versions. Yes, Bidders may propose alternative solutions indicating the reasons for not providing the requested solutions. However, the proposals should be in accordance with the RFP scope of requirement. Page 5 of 11

6 20 Would UNICEF be willing to entertain discussions about a managed service offering for Accessibility as opposed to a transactional supply arrangement? 21 a) With respect to proposed upgrades and items out of production, does a new version of software, which may also have a new price, constitute a replacement for an out-of-production item? b) Would a new/replacement version of a product contradict the RFP requirement stating "No brand or model substitutions for this RFP"? Clause page 6 of 18 c) When these situations arise can we also adjust the agreed price, as well as the item, or does this contradict the RFP requirement stating "Prices will be maximum ceiling prices and remain fixed for months."? No: Vendor should respond to the RFP as per the scope of requirement. At this stage, managed services are not being considered. a) Yes, bidders can propose new versions due to items going end of life. b) New versions of software due to items going end of life will not be considered a contradiction of the RFP requirement. NB: Clause page 6 of 18 stating that no brand or model substitutions will be acceptable is not applicable in this RFP. The RFP provisions on substitution (on page 6 of 18 clause ) mentioned above specifically refers to the actual order when the LTA is signed and at that point, substitutes will not be acceptable unless agreed to buy UNICEF. c) Upon commencement of the LTA, the pricelist in the catalogue will remain fixed. Thereafter, price adjustment will be negotiated whenever upgrades/substitution are approved by UNICEF. 22 How will support for existing AT equipment, not provided by the contract be handled? a. Would it be possible to add a line item for per incident support of existing products to allow all UN employees availability of dedicated AT support on current technology? Or is that to be considered part of the overall embedded service cost associated with the contract? UNICEF has a plan in place for our current licensed products. This RFP does not include existing AT equipment. Page 6 of 11

7 Annex 1 Commercial Pricing for Hardware: OCR Blind: a) Can UNICEF clarify the requirement for item number 8? Acrobat Pro by Adobe is not an OCR hardware item. b) Can UNICEF clarify the requirement for item number 11? Which model is UNICEF requesting pricing, the Eye-Pal ROL, Eye-Pal Ace or Eye-Pal Ace Plus? 24 Digital Note Takers Blind: a) The BookSense T50 has been discontinued by HIMS, Inc. and has been replaced by the Blaze ET. Would UNICEF accept this substitution for line item 17? 25 CCTV Low Vision: a) Line item 21 Topaz. Which model and screen size would UNICEF like for us to price? b) Line item 22 LifeStyle. This model has been discontinued. The only model available is the HD730 in a 22 or 24 inch model. Which would UNICEF like for us to price? c) Line item 23 Acrobat HD LCD. What size screen does UNICEF require? a) Yes, for requirement # 8, Bidders are invited to recommend the alternative OCR item that would match the requirement use by UNICEF employees with disabilities. UNICEF would consider this replacement. b) Yes, for requirement #11, Bidders are invited to quote for all 3 and also recommend the suitable option a) Yes, UNICEF would accept this replacement T50 with Blaze ET a) Please give quotes for small, medium, and large screen size (Topaz). b) Please provide quotes for the HD730 in a 22 and 24 inch model for UNICEF consideration. c) Please give quote for 20, 24, and 27 screen size (Acrobat HD LCD). 26 Handheld Magnifiers Low Vision a) Line item 26 CANDY Grip. This model has been discontinued and replaced by the CANY 4 HD. b) Line item 27 Ruby. Which model does UNICEF require? There are three models Ruby, Ruby XL, and Ruby XL HD. c) Line item 29- i-loview. Which model of i-loview does UNICEF require? For question a) and c) bidders are invited to quotes for the upgraded model that the bidder would recommend for UNICEF employees with disabilities. UNICEF would consider this replacement. For question b) Please quote 3 models (Ruby, Ruby XL, and Ruby XL HD). Page 7 of 11

8 27 Large Print Keyboards Low Vision a) Line item 32 Maxi-Aids Large Print Keyboard Labels. Which SKU is UNICEF referring to? 28 Assistive Technology Intellectual/Cognitive a) Line item 33 Livescribe Pen. Which model does UNICEF require, 2GB or 8GB pro? 29 Eye & Head Trackers Mobility/Dexterity Disabilities a) Line item 40 - EyeGaze Edge. Does UNICEF require the Tablet or Desktop model? 30 Phones Deaf and hard of hearing a) Line item 64 - Sorenson Video Phone. Which model video phone? Additionally, these phones are only operable for VRS services within the US and US territories. They are generally provided free of charge to the end user directly by the VRS provider. They are not resold by vendors. b) Line item 67 Convo Lights. These lights are provided to users of Convo VRS at varying pricing directly from Convo. They are not resold by vendors. The lighting pack used are the Phillips Hue lights. Would UNICEF allow a replacement line item of Phillips Hue versus the Convo lights? If so, which lights is UNICEF referring to, starter pack, downlight lamp, light strip, or boom lamp? Bidders are invited to quote for the upgraded model that the bidder would recommend for UNICEF employees with disabilities. UNICEF would consider this replacement. Bidders are invited to propose pricing for both models. Bidders are invited to propose pricing for both tablet and desktop models. a) UNICEF understands these phones only work in US and US territories. Bidders are requested to propose alternative models acceptable globally for UNICEF s consideration. b) Bidders are invited to quotes for the upgraded model that the bidder would recommend for UNICEF employees with disabilities. UNICEF would consider this replacement Page 8 of 11

9 Annex 2 Commercial Pricing for Software: Applications: a) All of the applications listed are purchased through the Google Play or Apple stores directly by end users and downloaded onto their mobile device. What role does UNICEF see the vendor playing in assisting with the download and procurement as the purchase has to be made directly on the users device? 32 Screen Magnification Software a) Line item 7- MAGic. Does UNICEF want pricing on MAGic with speech or MAGic without speech? b) Line item 8 ZoomText. Does UNICEF require pricing on ZoomText Magnifier or ZoomText Magnifier/Reader c) Line item 9 Supernova. Does UNICEF require pricing on Supernova Magnifier, Magnifier and Speech, or Magnifier and Screen Reader? 33 What is the policy with respect to costs associated with return and repair of AT products? Will UNICEF pay for shipping from/to the end-user location, as may be required by the manufacturers? 34 Is it possible for UNICEF to provide indicative volumes as it would help in costing the service and therefor pricing the response to the RFP UNICEF will partner with the winning bidder to create a plan to address these types of situations. It would be helpful for the bidders to provide proposals. a) Please provide pricing for both products. b) Please provide pricing for both products. c) Please provide pricing for both products. Ref: Clause 17 on Warranty Page 15 of 18. Bidders to provide their proposals bearing in mind the responsibilities for the need to return the product in the first instance. There is no guaranteed volumes. UNICEF has more than staff members globally and approximately 3% - 4% of the staff have declared that they have some form of disabilities. Furthermore other UN Agencies and Programmes shall be entitled to place orders under the same prices and terms of the LTA that will be awarded (Ref. RFP doc. page 10 of 18 on the contractual provisions, para. 1.5) Page 9 of 11

10 35 Does UNICEF have historical Data on: a) Previous purchases of Assistive technology? b) Number of disabled employees? c) Breakdown of Assistive technologies currently deployed? 36 a) How does UNICEF intend to support the software and hardware? b) What computing platform is UNICEF using? c) Is that platform standardised and managed or are all computers stand alone? 37 Has UNICEF considered issues of interoperability between the Assistive technology and line of business applications 38 Does UNICEF intend to supply assistive technology as a part of projects as well as supplying to staff 39 Does UNICEF have any of the following Policies: a) Diversity Policy(SD) a) No. This is an emerging area for UNICEF to provide support to staff members in a systematic manner b) Please refer to the answer to question#1 above. c) No data available. a) UNICEF will contact the winning bidder for support services in case of malfunctioning of AT hardware or software acquired under the LTA. Refer to Annex A Section 5 of the Terms of Reference document to the RFP. b) Windows7, Windows8.x and in near future Windows10, Office 2013, Office365, Internet Explorer etc. c) UNICEF maintains standardized and managed platform. UNICEF has not mapped AT products with UNICEF standard services and products at this stage. The scope of this LTA pertains to AT needs of employees in a work environment. However, UNICEF may exercise its discretion during the acquisition of these products. Refer to para 13 and 17.2d of the RFP document. Yes, UNICEF has the mentioned Policies. a. Regarding Diversity, UNICEF values its staff as one of its strongest assets. UNICEF recognize that the organization s potential for excellence can only be realized by the full and equal participation of its entire staff, enhancing diversity through its differences, creativity, talents and shared values Page 10 of 11

11 b) Accessibility Policy (including standards adhered to) c) Digital Inclusion Policy b. With regards to Accessibility policy, UNICEF has organizational policies on disability which includes employment of persons with disabilities c. Regarding Digital Inclusion policy, UNICEF has IT policies on accessibility and inclusion. In the case of this RFP, the items mentioned therein are intended cover Assistive Technology requirement for UNICEF users Page 11 of 11