Response to RFO #: CDI-MSA 2009 – 01 Questions Part I
August 7, 2009
1. In the “Desktop Applications Standards” document (dated 02-24-2009) located in the Bidder’s Library, Microsoft Windows XP SP2 is specified as the current operating system for the CDI workstation desktop. With newer versions of Microsoft Windows operatingsystems available for desktop workstations, is Windows XP SP2 still the workstation operating system of choice going forward?
Windows XP SP2 is the standard moving forward. No upgrades anticipated during the project.
2. In the “Desktop Applications Standards” document (dated 02-24-2009) located in the Bidder’s Library, Microsoft Office 2003 is specified as the current office worker productivity suite for the CDI workstation desktop. With the newer Microsoft Office 2007 product version being available which contains several enhancements beneficial to centralized document repository based environments, is the Windows Office 2003 product version still the CDI workstation office worker productivity suite of choice going forward?
MS Office 2003 is the standard moving forward. No upgrades anticipated during the project. However, migration to Exchange 2007 is anticipated to be completed this calendar year.
3. In the SOW on page 2 it says that the contractor will be required to analyze CDI’s documents and determine the appropriate repository architecture, but yet this architecture must be bid at submission of this RFO, correct?
The summary on page two describes a task associated with project delivery. The CDI is not requesting a detailed repository design with this information.
4. There is a total of 1300 users, with servers located in Sacramento – for purposes of estimating network traffic and server sizing –how are the users distributed across the 3 main areas (LA, San Fran and Sacramento)
There are approximately 500 current users in *Los Angeles, 420 users in *Sacramento, and 270 users in *San Francisco. There are some positions that are currently vacant.
(*The number of users for each location includes staff from satellite offices that are located near the main office site.)
5. The network standards do not appear to identify the available bandwidth. Can that estimate be provided? Or is the assumption that network bandwidth is not an issue?
Remote locations are connected via T1 connections. Sac, LA and SF are connected via DS3 links. Core infrastructure supports gig speeds.
6. Can you clarify the evaluation point discrepancy on page 6 which shows 105 points and page 8 which shows 95 points?
The correct figure is 95 points. This will be changed in the RFO.
7. Can you clarify the term “critical outage or incident” as referenced on page 22 of the SOW? Does the performance requirement (15.6) concerning 99.5% availability during business hours apply here as well?
The system must have 99.5 percent availability under optimal network conditions during business hours. The percentage would include all outages and/or incidents.
8. Will the network be installed, configured, and supported by the State?
The CDI is responsible for the network.
9. Appendix C item 12.0 appears to have a typo: Item 5 says Phase 1and it appears that it should be Phase 2. Item 11.0 is Phase 1.
Yes, item 5 should state Phase Two…
10. Is it possible to have a walkthrough of the processes?
The processes in Phase One were selected because of their relative simplicity. The analysis identified in Phase Two is designed to more precisely scope candidate processes for implementation in Phase Three. Unfortunately, there is not enough time to conduct walkthroughs.
11. RFO, Page 2, Section 1
The RFO states “The following future work items (to be completed as part of Phase Three) will be referenced in this RFO for informational purposes only, but will not be included under this contract.” As a part of response to this RFO, do the vendors need to include the scanning solution in the proposed solution?
Yes, the contractor needs to include the hardware/software for the scanning solution.
12. Will the contract for the 3rd phase of this project be awarded after the completion of the Phase 2? Will the contract for phase 3 be awarded to the Contractor who implemented phase 1 and 2 or it can be awarded to any other vendor also?
Contracting for Phase Three will commence after budget approval in early 2010. CDI’s preference is to maintain project continuity. However, the contracting vehicles have not been determined.
13. RFO, Page 3, Section 1 b
The RFO states “Page The term of this contract is anticipated to be a total of 15 months beginning September 2009 and continuing through the anticipated contract end date of December 31, 2010.” As per the contract terms, the anticipated contract end date is December 31, 2010. But page 8 of the Attachment A states that CDI is targeting a Spring 2010 deployment of phase1 and July 2010 for deployment of Phase 2. Is there any specific activities expected/planned from July 2010 (deployment of phase 2) till Dec 2010 (contract end date)? Is there any flexibility for Phase 2 to be stretched till Dec 2010?
The period from July to December for Phase Two is for final acceptance and project phase closeout activities. The expectation is that the project phases will be completed as defined in the RFO barring any unforeseen circumstances.
14. RFO, Attachment A, Page 7
The RFO states that Optimally, the lead(Deployment Manager) should have three years successful implementation planning and execution experience delivering complex solutions for State of California and/or public sector clientele. Does CDI have any additional weightage/points for the contractor proposing a Deployment Manager satisfying this desirable condition?
Yes
15. RFO, Attachment A, page 9, Section 2
RFO states that Contractor will work with CDI project staff to deliver, install and configure the hardware and software components for the document management repository(s). This includes installing and configuring hardware at all appropriate locations. Please specify who will be responsible for delivering and preparing the hardware environment (i.e. installing operating system and network configuration etc) to install the COTS software?
CDI will be responsible for acquiring, installing, and configuring the hardware and software (OS, etc), but the vendor will be responsible for installing any new applications that are proposed as part of this RFO.
16. RFO, page 6
The response must provide information on how the Functional and Technical Requirements (contained in Appendix A) will be met. Please clarify whether the contractors need to provide response to each of the requirement specified in Appendix A or the proposed solution should address the requirements and the requirements need not be individually explained?
It is incumbent for the contractor to submit well organized responses so CDI can readily identify that the requirements have been addressed.
17. Is there any requirement of integration of eMail and fax with content repository? If yes then please let us know number of Mail Box users.
See Appendix A, 4.3 and response to question 4 above.
18. Is there any requirement of integration with existing enterprise applications? If yes then let us know all the applications which need to be integrated?
Yes, see Appendix A, 16.5, 16.6, and 16.7.
19. Is there any provision for contractors to ask any additional questions based on the clarification provided by CDI for these set of questions?
CDI will make every effort to respond to questions received up to Noon on August 21, 2009 but it is contractor’s responsibility to provide CDI with enough time to respond.
20. Does CDI already have a user access infrastructure such as Active Directory or some other access /identity management solution in place that can be used for PWP? Are the users that will be accessing the new PWP included in current AD environment ? Does CDI have some sort of user provisioning and access control system ?
AD will be used for internal users. If needed, CDI would welcome solutions that offer user provisioning or access control system for external users.
21. Does CDI require the contractor to procure additional oracle software licenses for PWP or can the contractor leverage/use the current CDI oracle enterprise license?
The Contractor is required to procure the required Oracle Enterprise Licenses.
22. In Attachment A, Section A, Scope and Description, CDI states, “The project team will work with external entities to transition to receipt of electronic submissions instead of paper submissions.” What is meant by “external entities”?
External entities are CDI’s Customers, e.g. Insurance Companies, Agents, and Brokers.
Please elaborate on the desired outcome. Is this effort to be part of the contractor’s “Training” efforts or is this something that the project should prepare CDI to accomplish on its own?
The scope of training is limited to CDI employees.
23. In Attachment A, Section A.e, Scanning, CDI states, “Although most scanning is planned to be done at the point of receipt, the system must permit scanners located in program area offices to be used for scanning of highly confidential or sensitive documents.”
· How many individual scanners or additional confidential scanning stations does CDI expect to need in the area offices?
· Are these devices to be included in the proposal hardware recommendation?
The solution must be able to support scanning at remote locations for confidential purposes and program areas specific scanning devices do not need to be included as part of the hardware specifications response.
24. Document Volumes and statistics are included in two documents: the FSR and the CDI Business Process Information Sheet?
· Please confirm that these are current volumes.
· What is a reasonable growth estimate for these volumes that can be applied to anticipate future needs?
The Business Process Information Sheet in the Contractor’s Library is the most current document,
25. Entries on Tab 1 “CDI Processes” of the “CDI Business Process Information Sheet” repeatedly makes use of the phrase “Process to be automated per requirement# See bidder’s library for details on this process” where the requirement number is omitted.
· Please provide the volumes and requirement reference for these items.
The only volume counts available are those that are already listed.
26. Entries on Tab 2 “CDI Processes (2)” of the “CDI Business Process Information Sheet” , lines 21-111 states “These forms are on CDI's public website for licensing services.”
· Are the volumes related to these forms contained in the general volumes and statistics in this attachment or the FSR?
See response to question 34.
27. Tab 2 “CDI Processes (2) ” of the “CDI Business Process Information Sheet” .
· Please provide volumes where omitted.
See response to question 34.
28. In Attachment A, Section A.2.f, CDI states a need for, “Basic reporting features (for reporting on the contents of the repository),” and for, “System administration reporting features.”
· Can CDI please elaborate on some specific reporting needs that must be met, and if applicable, per phase.
CDI is not requesting a specific quantity of reports but rather a description of the solution’s reporting capability.
29. In Attachment A, Section A.2.h, CDI states, “The proposed solution will support integration between CDI’s existing transaction systems and the enterprise document repository.”
· How many transaction systems will be integrated in each phase?
· For each integrated transaction system, how many variations are required (i.e. different web services, different queries, different parameter signatures, etc., where “GetDoc” and “PutDoc” are considered two different variations on one integrated transaction system)?
The solution should have the capability to support integration between CDI’s existing systems and the enterprise repository. This requirement is not asking for a specific number of interface implementations.
30. Appendix A.16: For Phase 1, does CDI expect documents to be imported into the system only related to the initial five workflow/eform processes, or will the entire enterprise have the ability to import documents?
The user community of Phase One is the entire enterprise.
31. Appendix A.16.1: CDI states, “The solution must … support export of content to external reporting tools.”
· Can CDI clarify the business cases around exporting content for reporting?
· Can CDI quantify the exporting requirements (i.e. How many different exports? How many reporting tools? Etc.)
· Are these reporting tools/needs different than those mentioned in Requirement 8.1?
The solution should have the capability to support export of content to external reporting tools. This requirement is not asking for a specific exports to be implemented.
32. Appendix A.16.5: CDI states, “The system must allow importing of images and profile values from other sources and imaging systems (such as Open Text/Hummingbird and ParaDocs).”
· Are there any requirements or constraints on the method by which this importing must function?
No
33. Background/Basis for question:
Attachment A: Section A.2.e. Software: States "Open source, freeware and proprietary COTS software are not allowed.
FSR Page 48, item 4.3.2 indicates that "Apache Web Server 2.24" is used with "Oracle Internet Application Server" running in "UNIX".
FSR Page 49 indicates "Oracle Application Server" is version "9.0.4.3" with one server running "10.1.2.2".
Appendix A: Functional Requirements. Item 4.5 states: "The system should provide the ability to send profile information to update CDI's Oracle-based systems".
Appendix A: Item 10.1. States: "The solution must support CDI's security, database, architecture, hardware, software, API, and web standards."
· Apache Web Server is commonly considered "Open Source". Because Apache is already in-use at CDI, will CDI accept Apache Tomcat 5.x or 6.x to provide Web Application Server functions?
No, CDI’s standard is Oracle OAS.
· If an Internet Application Server is required by the proposed PWP, is there available capacity on CDI’s existing version of Oracle Application Server to accommodate necessary WAR files for PWP?
Yes.
· Are sufficient licenses for the existing Oracle Application Server already owned by CDI to provide PWP access for the 1,300 users?
Yes. CDI has six (6) CPU based OAS licenses available for this project. If more are required then they become the responsibility of the contractor to purchase.
· In consideration of Appendix A: Item 10.1 and FSR Page 49 it states "Oracle Application Server" is the standard Web Application Server for CDI. Should vendors assume that if a Web Application Server is required for the proposed PWP, that it must be Oracle Application Server?