SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP), the Agency of Digital Services, on behalf of the Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation (hereinafter the “State”), is seeking to establish contract(s) with one or more companies that can provide reliable broadband connections to Vermont State Parks through the installation of fiberoptic cable and/or the development of infrastructure needed to support future installations of fiberoptic cable. The primary objective of this project is to construct a network infrastructure that will accommodate the current and future needs of Vermont State Parks. The network infrastructure must primarily provide “wired” infrastructure as needed to the State Park’s main office, and secondarily provide expanded infrastructure to additional sites within the park as identified in Exhibit C, Bidder Response Form. An additional project objective is the installation of fiberoptic cable via infrastructure network, and the establishment/onset of service wherever possible. Professional service providers that may be interested in responding to this Request for Proposal (RFP): • Broadband Engineering and Consulting Firms • Internet Service Providers • Construction Companies specializing in buried cable • Communications Unions Districts Interested parties should respond whether they are able to meet all final objectives of the project or not and shall entail what services they are able to offer and/or sub-contract. Interested parties shall include within their response a proposal for how the State should handle any gaps in offerings that the bid responder may identify. The Vermont Department of Forest, Parks, & Recreation, Division of State Parks provides outdoor recreation facilities, primarily through Vermont’s very popular state parks. Vermont’s system of state parks includes 55 staffed facilities and multiple unstaffed areas that together encompass some of Vermont’s most scenic and popular recreation areas. Park facilities include 2,225 campsites, with 605 lean-tos, 57 cabins, nine cottages, 44 picnic pavilions, 29 public beaches, and associated playgrounds, concession stands, boat access areas, and nature centers. The park system hosts in excess of one million registered visits during each operating season and a high level of traffic during the off-season and employs approximately 400 seasonal staff members. Vermont State Park facilities are in operation typically from May-October but opening and closing dates vary based on the park. In addition to regional offices, Vermont State Parks has six maintenance shops throughout the state which function as workstations for many full-time staff members. At least one of these maintenance shops are included within the scope of this project and each of these locations is located within or near a state park. Currently, internet connectivity speeds and reliability vary greatly across Vermont's 55 State Parks and six maintenance shops. In many cases, performance is poor enough at State Parks that the online reservation system does not perform adequately and is unsupportable leading to lost revenue, inaccurate counting of attendance, and frustrated guests. Improved reliability and performance of internet connectivity services to all Vermont State Parks, a majority of which are in rural areas lacking adequate broadband service, is vital to the operation of the park system. This project should enhance internet availability for the public and local communities, improve park operations and visitor amenities, and improve overall security of State Parks...
