Downtown Meridian Master Plan

Request for Proposal

Downtown Meridian

Wireless Mesh Network

RFP Release: May 11, 2006 RFP Due Date: June 16, 2006 Meridian Development Corporation

Table of Contents

1.0 Introduction……………………………………………………. 3

2.0 General Conditions …………………………………………... 4

3.0 MDC/City Background Information………………………... 7

4.0 Schedule/Timelines………………………………………….... 10

5.0 Scope of Work 5.1 Overall Network Guidelines….....…………………………. 12 5.2 Desired Network Specifications....………………………… 13

Appendices

Appendix A Map ………………………….……………………………… 17 Appendix B Release Form ………………………………………………. 18

Downtown Meridian Wireless Mesh RFP 2 Meridian Development Corporation

1.0 Introduction

The following introduction is intended to provide a broad overview of the desired end product, coverage area, goals and expectations. Detailed guidelines and specifications are found, respectively, in Sections 5.1 and 5.2.

The Urban Renewal Agency for the City of Meridian, Idaho, a/k/a Meridian Development Corporation (MDC), seeks a solution provider (Vendor) to design, implement, operate, and maintain for a period of not less than three years, a wireless mesh network (the Network) for a twelve-block area (Service Area) in the heart of the city.

MDC does not intend to own or operate the Network, but will assist in its initial coordination and ongoing marketing. The initial intent of the Network is to provide free access to visitors within the Service Area. It is envisioned that, if benefits warrant, the Network could be expanded to provide coverage to the entire downtown and possibly the entire city. Due to the potential expansion of the Network, it is desirable that its design be scalable to provide coverage to the entire downtown and possibly the entire city.

The Network will be expected to provide comprehensive, high-quality, street level internet access to the outdoor Service Area. MDC desires that this service be provided at no cost to visitors/patrons downtown. Additional value-added features or tiered service may be defined and offered by the Vendor. The Network should include a community web portal to promote Meridian’s downtown and help drive overall economic development in which businesses can participate.

Businesses, employees, residents, and visitors should all draw benefit from this service. Broadly, MDC’s goals for the Network are to:  Provide wireless internet access to network visitors;  Improve quality of life, generate excitement and draw patrons downtown;  Promote economic growth in downtown Meridian;  Impact positively outdoor events in the Service Area; and  Encourage open air developments.

The Vendor will identify all costs involved in creating and managing the Network. The Vendor may propose unique contractual arrangements to minimize or eliminate MDC out-of-pocket costs. Any cost proposals shall be not-to-exceed and detail all cost requirements of MDC.

2.0 General Conditions

This section provides the rules and conditions for submitting proposals.

 Statement of Intent to Submit: Submitting a Statement of Intent to Submit notification is required of any individual or potential Vendor who wishes to be notified of schedule changes or who wishes to receive answers to questions submitted after the pre-submission meeting. To do so, send an e-mail to the following address: [email protected] with the text “Statement of Intent to Submit” in the subject line. In the body of the e-mail, provide name, title, telephone number(s) and e-mail address for one person to whom such notifications should be sent.  Basics: o Complete proposal length shall be 20 pages or less, including all attachments. o Prospective Vendors shall submit 10 copies of their proposal, which shall become the property of MDC. Proposals will only be returned upon written request and confidential material shall be clearly labeled as such.1 o Prospective Vendors shall comply with the requirements and conditions contained in this Request for Proposals. o A representative of the Vendor who will have contractual authority must sign the proposal. Only one proposal will be accepted from firms serving as the Vendor. Subcontractors to the Vendor may be included in the proposal of more than one firm. o Proposals must be complete and comprehensive. All costs incurred in the preparation and presentation of the proposal shall be borne by the prospective Vendor. o Proposals shall include the following: . A cover letter stating Vendor’s interest in this project, qualifications to complete it and a statement of how its proposal will accomplish the goals of this RFP better than other potential solutions. . A Work Plan or Outline consistent with the Scope of Work, a proposed approach to accomplishing the Scope of Work, a proposed timeline for the project and a rationale for that timeline. . Description of firm and organization structure; location of headquarters and/or office that will manage this project.

1 Such confidential information may be subject to disclosure under Idaho’s Public Records Law. Prospective Vendors should familiarize themselves with the law and clearly indicate whether such Vendor intends to rely upon any recognized exception.

. Name, title, professional registration(s) or certification(s) for project manager. Resume, previous relevant work, address and telephone number and e-mail address; number of years with firm, etc. . Names of up to three primary individuals to be assigned to this project, including title, professional registration(s) or certifications(s), resume or vita (one-page per person), previous relevant work; number of years with firm. Indicate role, level of involvement with project and anticipated contribution. . Anticipated start and completion dates for the project. . A narrative explaining the Vendor’s qualifications for this project. (Two page limit). . A statement of the Vendor’s experience in the context of MDC priorities, including at least three examples of comparable projects undertaken by the firm and associated references with contact name, client name, address, telephone number and e-mail address. . Work the firm performs for any entity with an existing or potential relationship with MDC, and any entity where any potential conflict may emerge. . Signed Release form as attached hereto. . In a separate envelope, the Vendor must provide a budget for the Network as proposed. This budget must include all expenses to implement the Network and manage it for a period of at least three years. For each item in this budget, Vendor should identify the total cost and the portion of that total cost the Vendor anticipates will be paid by MDC. Note that cost will be considered in addition to other evaluation criteria as noted below. o MDC expects that each potential Vendor will conduct a site survey of the Service Area and its surroundings. Each Vendor shall identify, before submitting its proposal, any potential interference, and the available facilities for transporting, handling and storing construction equipment and materials, and other conditions which may affect work under the implementation contract. o All inquiries related to this RFP shall be addressed to Clair Bowman, MDC Administrator, at [email protected]. Phone calls may be made to Dr. Bowman at 208.484.4414. o All proposals must be received by MDC at the address noted below no later than 5:00 PM on June 16, 2006. Proposals must be submitted in a sealed envelope marked “Wireless Mesh Network Proposal.” Accompanying exhibits must be clearly itemized in the cover letter and should be wrapped and labeled to avoid damage or misplacement. All

submittals must be signed and dated. Faxed or e-mail submittals will not be accepted. The Idaho Public Records Act will govern all submittals. o Mail proposals to: Clair Bowman, Administrator Meridian Development Corporation Meridian City Hall 33 East Idaho Street Meridian, ID 83642 o A short form notice of this Request for Proposals has been, or will be published in the Valley News, in The Idaho Statesman and The Idaho Business Review and posted on www.muniwireless.com.  Evaluation of Proposals: The following information may be used by MDC for purpose of ranking proposals in order of preference. During the evaluation process, MDC reserves the right, where it may serve MDC’s best interests, to request additional information or clarification from prospective Vendors. Proposals will be evaluated by a selection committee comprised of representatives from MDC staff, the MDC Board and the City of Meridian using the following criteria: o Content, completeness and appropriateness of the proposal o Experience with projects of comparable nature o Perceived understanding of the project scope as described in the work plan o Quality and acceptability of the proposal’s execution statement o Capabilities and experience of the Project Manager and key personnel involved in the project o Perceived understanding and ability to control project schedule and budget o Evidence of ability to work quickly and imaginatively o Satisfaction of previous clients on similar completed projects o Budget. However, there is no guarantee that the lowest budget will necessarily be ranked highest although proposals that minimize or eliminate cost to MDC will obviously be strongly considered.  Award: o A successful contract is subject to satisfactory negotiation of terms (including a price acceptable to both MDC and the selected consultant), the concurrence of the MDC Board of Commissioners and the availability of an adequate appropriation. The award, if any, will be made to the respondent whose submission best meets the criteria outlined in this RFP, offers a fair and reasonable price and is formally approved by resolution of the MDC Board of Commissioners. The term of the contract shall not exceed three years.

o By submitting a response the submitter agrees that MDC may obtain further information from any person, entity, or group to ascertain the depth of submitter’s capability and experience for the position and in any and all other respects to meet with and consult with any submitter or any other person, entity or group. o Prior to award of contract the successful submitter may be required to provide proof of worker’s compensation, liability, and/or professional errors and omissions insurance. o MDC reserves the right to reject any or all bids.  Notice to Proceed: Selected Vendor shall not commence the Network installation process until MDC shall issue a letter notifying the selected Vendor to proceed.  Caveats: The following caveats pertain to this project: o Any code/process violations will be the responsibility of the Vendor. o Vendor will be expected to comply with all applicable federal, state, local and administrative laws, rules, and regulations. o MDC and the City reserve the right to seek other vendors for other geographical areas under the jurisdiction of MDC or the City. Any award of a contract under this Request for Proposal shall not afford the selected Vendor with any rights or preference to serve other geographical areas.

3.0 MDC/City Background Information

Meridian, Idaho, one of the “New West’s” fastest-growing communities, has rapidly transformed from a semi-rural bedroom community into a progressive, self-reliant city, attracting national attention both for its quality of life and for its strength as a business, technology and retail center. New residents, attracted by Meridian’s unique blending of big-city personality with small-town ease, find abundant opportunities within its high- tech industries and continue to drive demand for state-of-the-art technologies and support a cutting-edge mix of goods and services.

The City of Meridian (population 65,000+) is located in Ada County west of and adjacent to the state’s capitol city, Boise. The Meridian community constitutes the single fastest-growing area in the State of Idaho and one of the fastest growing areas in the entire Intermountain West. {Supplementary statement to be provided by Cheryl Brown}

MDC is the urban renewal agency for the City of Meridian, Idaho. Formally organized by the Mayor and City Council in late 2001, it is already proving to be a key tool in rejuvenating Meridian’s Downtown core. Information about MDC is available on its website located at www.meridiandevelopmentcorp.com.

The MDC Urban Renewal Area is approximately 660 acres, located between Interstate 84 on the south, Cherry Lane/Fairview Avenue on the north, West 4th Street on the west and East 4th Street on the east. The Urban Renewal Area currently incorporates a wide variety of zoning districts, including Old Town, commercial, industrial, office, residential, and county zones.

The Service Area is an approximately twelve-block area in the heart of downtown Meridian bounded on the north by Pine Street, on the West by Meridian Road, on the South by Bower Street and on the East by E. 3rd Street. A graphic of the entire Urban Renewal Area is available on the MDC website (www.meridiandevelopmentcorp.com). A graphic highlighting the Service Area is attached as Appendix A.

New commercial, office and residential developments have, until recently, been occurring primarily outside the Urban Renewal Area. The City of Meridian recently announced that it has reached an agreement to purchase a two-acre parcel in the heart of downtown Meridian on which to construct a new 80,000 square foot City Hall. Selection of a design-build team is expected to occur within a few weeks. The City’s commitment to retain and significantly expand its presence inside the Service Area has already stimulated additional development interest in this portion of the City (with several new major developments being considered).

MDC and the City of Meridian mutually regard the Urban Renewal Area as having significant potential for commercial, retail, office, housing, entertainment, and hotel development, given its proximity to an existing Interstate Highway and its central location within the Treasure Valley.

Supporting Materials:

Please see websites for Meridian Development Corporation, the City of Meridian, and Meridian Economic Development for additional background information:

 www.meridiandevelopmentcorp.com  www.meridiancity.org  http://sites.circletreemedia.com/economicdevelopment/

4.0 Schedule/Timelines

The following represents an aggressive schedule intended to initiate Network installation by August 1. However, the MDC Board of Commissioners is involved at several key points in the process. Any unanticipated delays in action by the MDC Board will result in at least a one month delay and perhaps more in issuing the Notice to Proceed.

RFP Release Date: May 12, 2006 Pre-Submission Meeting: May 25, 2006 @10:00AM RFP Question Cut Off: June 9, 2006 RFP Response Deadline: June 16, 2006 by 5:00 PM Notification of Finalists: Early July MDC Board meeting: July 12, 2006 (Finalist interviews, if desired by the MDC Board, will be scheduled after this date) RFP Award: By July 21, 2006 Negotiate Contractual Agreement: July 24 – August 4 MDC Board meeting: August 9, 2006 (Affirmative Board action is required before a Notice to Proceed can be issued) Issue Notice to Proceed: August 11, 2006 Completion of Project: Per negotiated contract

MDC reserves the right to change this schedule for any reason. Vendors who submit a Statement of Intent to Submit will be the only ones notified of any changes made to this schedule.

The pre-submission meeting is optional; its intent is to provide an overview of the project and address questions from potential Vendors. Location of the pre-submission meeting is: Council Chambers City of Meridian City Hall 33 East Idaho Street Meridian, ID 83642

Potential Vendors who have questions after the pre-submission meeting and prior to June 10 may submit their questions via e-mail to: Clair Bowman, Administrator, at [email protected].

All questions received and MDC’s responses to them will be distributed via e-mail to all Vendors who submit a Statement of Intent to Submit. Questions received on or after June 10, 2006 will be considered null and void.

5.0 Scope of Work 5.1 Overall Network Guidelines

MDC does not intend to own or operate the Network, but will assist in its initial coordination (i.e. facilitating access to public assets) and ongoing marketing/promotion of the Network. The expected Service Area is 12 square blocks and illustrated in Appendix A. The proposed Network should offer seamless, in-motion usage through the coverage area. At least a portion of the wireless internet bandwidth provided by the Vendor will be free to visitors within the Service Area. The remaining capital and recurring costs associated with this project will be the responsibility of the Vendor. The award of this RFP to the successful respondent should not be construed as a guarantee for revenue.

The selected Vendor will not have permanent or exclusive right to public assets. While it is not envisioned to be a common occurrence, the Vendor should anticipate possible equipment “re-locations” due to future public needs. Relocation of equipment will be the responsibility of the Vendor. Prior sufficient notice will be provided to the Vendor and MDC will try to assist in facilitating any relocations.

The selected Vendor will supply and install all Network equipment, including, but not limited to: hardware, software, antennas, cabling, jumpers, combiners, multicouplers, lightning arrestors, power connections and RF monitoring equipment. Vendors must be prepared to demonstrate the viability of their broadband wireless network solutions through a Proof of Concept trial, validating that the actual system matches the predicted coverage performance.

The selected Vendor will be responsible for all permitting fees and processes to comply with local, state, and federal organizations. The successful respondent shall give notices to authorities and comply with all federal, state, and local codes, ordinances, rules, regulations, and orders of any public authority bearing on the performance of the work required. The Vendor shall also obtain all permits and licenses for the performance of work for this project and perform work in accordance with applicable permits and licenses.

Respondents must provide a description of: 1. Equipment/technology with detailed features and benefits. 2. Free service offerings, including upstream and downstream transmission speeds and method of access. 3. Proposed fee based service offerings (if applicable). 4. Any restrictions to free or fee based services (MDC will not assist in determining any rate or fee structure to be charged by the Vendor). Downtown Meridian Wireless Mesh RFP 12 Meridian Development Corporation

5. Their efforts for marketing/promoting the Network once installed (as noted, MDC will assist in promoting/marketing the free Network; however, will not assist in promoting or marketing fee-based services). 6. The wireless technologies supported by their network. The Network will be accessible with standard based consumer available wireless technologies. 7. The anticipated portal and login process (verbal and/or pictorial description). 8. Bandwidth and connectivity speeds for the backhaul network and the interconnect to the ISP in the entire Service Area. 9. Redundancy that would be available on the Network inclusive of handling incremental hardware and related technology replacements. 10. Security services provided on the Network. 11. Technical support/help desk services (inclusive of support process, hours, response times, and access methods).

Responses must also include: 12. A schedule of recommended maintenance/upgrades for the Network. This schedule will include recommended cleaning, calibrating, replacement, firmware upgrades, or other activities to extend the useful life of the Wireless Network and the underlying hardware and software. Description of how to expand system capacity as needed by traffic or technology changes should be included. 13. Any recurring or non-recurring costs that MDC may directly or indirectly incur as a result of this project. 14. A sustainable business model supporting the use of the Network for the next 3 years.

5.2 Desired Network Specifications

The following recommended specifications are provided to assist Vendors in completing responses to this RFP for the desired Network. In the event a Vendor wishes to propose an alternative to one of these specifications, Vendor shall provide a specific statement of justification for the proposed alternative.

The Network proposed by the Vendor should: 1. Offer 512 kbps or greater throughput to each client and 1-3 Mbps for government use. 2. Support initially at least 40 concurrent end-users with ability to expand. 3. Offer a minimum of 2 free hours of access to each user within a 24 hour period.

4. Provide content filtering for various types of malware including viruses, spyware, and inappropriate web sites – website filtering shall be manually configurable as well as support the content rating system. 5. Have the ability to remove active users from the system and then block that user’s access to the system. 6. Support encrypting data traffic between wireless routers and client devices using WEP and WPA -- data traffic between wireless routers should be encrypted using AES; at a minimum, the system will employ 128-bit (or equivalent) encryption. 7. Have the ability to restrict network access based on MAC addresses. 8. Encrypt any control and management algorithms and protocols using strong encryption such as AES. 9. Allow secure end-user traffic via VPN pass-through. 10. Prevent denial of service attacks and prohibit access to identified abusers. 11. Include an automated system for managing network access parameters (such as MAC addresses or network logins) across the network. 12. Require zero client configuration by free ad-hoc users. 13. Support a captive portal and/or “walled-garden” model with customized branding of log-in pages to deliver unique messages to end-users. 14. Redirect the Network user’s browser to sign-up page, with the ability to redirect both pre- and post-authentication. 15. Provide local information such as weather, calendar & events, a business directory, restaurant menus, paid advertising, etc. Potential for future additions of a community discussion forum and downtown webcams. 16. Provide robust reports on portal usage including page visits and click-through rate. 17. Be fully interoperable with standard IEEE 802.11b/g (WiFi) networking devices. It will not require proprietary clients from a single Vendor. 18. Have, at a minimum, a best effort internet backhaul comparable to commercial DSL or cable Internet access (10Mbps downstream/868Kbps upstream). 19. Link performance predictions targeting 99.999% uptimes.

The Network management tool should: 20. Be compliant with industry standard Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP). 21. Enable site and security configuration. 22. Offer a real-time display of network status and connectivity in a graphical display.

The Network system, as a whole, should: 23. Offer a simple upgrade path to avoid technology obsolescence.

24. Support seamless roaming across subnets without data or connectivity interruption. 25. Offer a simple expansion mechanism for extending geographic area of service. 26. Offer repeater capabilities to enable large geographic coverage. The network should offer the capability to extend repeater links in excess of four hops.

The routing protocol should: 27. Maximize end-to-end throughput across the wireless network (e.g. minimize overhead introduced by each hop). Average latency should be less than 5ms from the client to the Internet gateway. 28. Automatically re-evaluate active path selection multiple times a second, maintaining maximum throughput. 29. Remain constant at less then 5% of available network bandwidth, independent of network size and number of devices.

All Network equipment, enclosures and cable connections to be installed in exposed conditions (outdoors) should: 30. Operate, at a minimum, in an ambient temperature range of -23 degrees to +43 degrees Celsius. 31. Meet or exceed all applicable FCC requirements and fully comply with applicable IEEE/ANSI standards. 32. Include lightning protection on all antenna systems – antenna systems are to be grounded per NEC and EIA standards. 33. Offer receiver sensitivity of sufficient dBm to interpret consumer-grade WiFi radio transmissions (e.g. from laptops, pdas, etc.) at a data rate of 1 Mbps or greater. 34. Be weather tight. 35. Offer wind survivability of at least 125 mph. 36. Be shock and vibration resistant. 37. Be salt, fog, and rust resistant. 38. Offer a variety of power input options, including the ability to tap street light photo-electric controls. 39. Offer antenna protection and electrical protection. 40. Allow software and firmware in each unit to be upgraded remotely. 41. Be simple to deploy with auto-discovery and auto-configuration to ease configuration requirements. 42. Weigh no more than 15 lbs. 43. Typically consume less than 25 Watts of power. 44. Provide a pole mount attachment separate from the unit itself, for equipment that is to be pole mounted, such that the pole mount attachment can be mounted to the pole without the unit being attached and such that the unit can be

removed from the pole mount attachment without the attachment being removed from the pole. 45. Be painted to match period or aesthetic décor when visible to the public. 46. Comply with all City Code. 47. Contain an automatically rechargeable backup battery capable of powering the equipment for a minimum of two hours in the event of a power failure. 48. Support dual software images.

APPENDIX A – SERVICE AREA MAP

The following graphic outlines the entire Urban Renewal Area for the City of Meridian, Idaho. The Service Area is that area outlined by the yellow rectangle. It is bounded by Pine Street on the North, Meridian Road on the West, E. 3rd Street on the East and Bower on the South.

APPENDIX B -- RELEASE FORM

The undersigned has read and fully accepts the Meridian Development Corporation’s (“MDC’s”), discretion and non-liability as stipulated herein and expressly for, but not limited to, MDC’s decision to proceed with a selection process in response to the Request for Proposals for the Meridian Wireless Mesh Network (“Network RFP”).

I. Discretion of MDC: MDC reserves the right in its sole discretion and judgment for whatever reasons it deems appropriate to, at any time: a. Modify or suspend any and all aspects of the process seeking interested consultants to perform the project herein referred to as the Network RFP; b. Obtain further information from any person, entity, or group, including, but not limited to, any person, entity, or group responding to the Network RFP (any such person, entity, or group so responding is, for convenience, hereinafter referred to as “Submitter”), and to ascertain the depth of Submitter’s capability and desire to perform as consultants for MDC and in any and all other respects to meet with and consult with any Submitter or any other person, entity, or group; c. Waive any formalities or defects as to form, procedure, or content with respect to its Network RFP and any responses by any Submitter thereto; d. Accept or reject any statement and/or fee proposal received in response to the Network RFP, including any statement or fee proposal submitted by the undersigned, or select any one submission over another; e. Accept or reject all or any part of any materials, plans, implementation programs, schedules, phasing, and proposals or statements, including, but not limited to, the nature and type of proposal.

II. Non-Liability of MDC and the City of Meridian. The undersigned agrees that neither MDC nor the City of Meridian shall have any liability whatsoever of any kind or character, directly or indirectly, by reason of all or any decision made at the discretion of MDC or the City of Meridian as identified above.

______“Submitter” By:______

Its:______

Date: ______

Downtown Meridian Wireless Mesh RFP 18