The City of Calgary (“The City”) is proceeding with the following acquisition:
Scope of Project:
The Push-to-Talk (PTT) service is a critical communication tool for The City and Calgary Parking Authority (CPA), which allows instant voice and work group communications with the push of a button. In late 2013, The City’s Information Technology (IT) Business Unit was notified by its then current PTT service provider they were decommissioning PTT services by the end of 2016.
In response to the impending changes, The City collected information from the market through Request for Information (RFI) 14-038 requesting information on alternative solutions. Based on those responses, The City’s IT Business Unit determined that Bell Mobility ("Bell") was the only solution able to fulfil the services requirements of The City.
In late 2015, The City issued an NOI 15-055 advising of The City’s intent to enter into an Agreement with Bell Mobility. Following the NOI, The City and Bell entered an agreement to provide PTT services for 3 years.
The PTT service continues to be a critical communication tool for multiple City business units, which includes first responders, and for CPA. Based on The City’s current knowledge of the options available in the market, The City concludes that Bell Mobility continues to be the only PTT service provider that can deliver the mandatory functionalities The City and CPA requires. The City knows of no other PTT service currently available in a full production environment with the ability to deliver the required business functionalities.
Notice is hereby given by The City of Calgary (“The City”) of its intent to enter a contract with Bell Mobility Inc. (“Bell”), for the provision of Push-To-Talk (“PTT”) service to support in excess of 1500 users and devices in The City and CPA.
The procurement includes:
- Monthly subscription on Push-To-Talk service and Voice or Data services as needed;
- Central Administration tool to manage group talking and end users;
- Dispatch console as required; and
- When required, cellular hardware and cellular accessories, any hardware and associated support services to provide Push-To-Talk service at different environments.
The contract is required for 3 years from July 2019 to July 2022. The City and CPA estimate a combined cost of $2,000,000.00 excluding GST, based on approximately 1,500+ end users with PTT and Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) call function.
It is the intent of The City to award this contract for the following reason(s):
1. Under New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWTPA) exemption (g) “where it can be demonstrated that only one supplier is able to meet the requirements of a procurement”, Bell has a proven PTT service
2. The Bell PTT solution has the capability to meet the mandatory requirements of The City which includes:
- Must be capable to provide cellular voice and data service to end users;
- The PTT service must be proven through current operation in a full production environment, not in any kind of testing or development phase;
- Must support talk groups up to 250 active users;
- Must provide direct technical support by the providers technicians:
- The PTT solution must be integrated into the Carrier core network providing call priority service which is monitored, managed and maintained by the Carrier.
- Must have sub-second call set-up performance where it takes less than one second for a call to set up (the time it takes for the first volley) and maintains sub-second latency for users to volley back and forth;
- Must have the capability to provide a central administration tool to allow The City IT and CPA IT to configure group talking and manage end users including segregation of talk groups for individual operational entities (e.g. Business Unit A must not be able to modify or view talk-group information for Business Unit B);
- Must have a dispatch console that can be installed onto a computer located at The City and CPA or is available as a web based tool; and
- Must conform to industry standards of the Open Mobile Alliance Push-To Talk on Cellular (OMA PoC) version 2.
For consideration any party that wishes to address this procurement action must submit in writing the following information:
- Firm name and contact information;
- Relevant specific information regarding the firm’s ability to address the specified procurement;
- Ability to offer competitive products and services that will be advantageous to The City ; and
- Brochures, marketing information and other non essential materials should NOT be included.
Information package must be submitted in English and need not be more than two (2) pages in length.
4. Responses to the NOI must be submitted and electronically on the MERX portal located online at:
www.calgary.merx.com
5. All responses to this NOI must be submitted on or before the Submission Deadline.
Questions regarding this NOI must be submitted using the “Q & A Tab” in the MERX online system at the location cited above.
No communications with respect to the NOI are to be directed to anyone other than the City Contact, or by any other method outside of the “Q & A Tab” in the MERX system. The City is under no obligation to provide additional information and The City will not be responsible for any information provided or obtained from any source other than the City Contact.
The City reserves the right to determine the relevance of any communication and accept or reject the communication as deemed in the best interest of The City.
