NARBHA Telemedicine Network
Open Telecommunications Requests For Proposal

NOTE: Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority (NARBHA) is a member of the Arizona State Procurement Office Cooperative. This entitles NARBHA to full participation in State contracts, including pricing and service level agreements, for any RFP where NARBHA is the Customer/Billed Party.

Please check this site regularly and refer to the contract expiration spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel document) to see if new RFPs are posted. Thank you.

RFP#10022-08: Little Colorado Behavioral Health Center, St. Johns to Springerville
Northern Arizona Regional Behavioral Health Authority (“NARBHA”) is acting as the agent for Little Colorado Behavioral Health Center (“Customer”) to obtain this service. NARBHA is not responsible for any costs or expenses associated with this service.

RFP Contact: Nancy Rowe, Telemedicine Program Manager, NARBHA, 1300 S. Yale St., Flagstaff, AZ 86001, nancy.rowe@narbha.org, 928-214-2163
Customer/Billed Party: Little Colorado Behavioral Health Center, PO Box 579, St. Johns, AZ 85936
Circuit Type: point-to-point T1 (1.544 MBPS)
End Locations:
CKL1: 470 W. Cleveland, St. Johns, AZ 85936 (928-337-xxxx)
CKL2: 50 North Hopi, Springerville, AZ 85938 (928-333-xxxx)
Date of RFP posting: May 27, 2008
Bid deadline: This circuit is under a month-to-month contract. Bids are welcome anytime until a rate lower than the current one is offered.

Bid Requirements:
"Bidder" is the person or company responding to this RFP. Bidders may provide bids from more than one carrier. For each bid answer the following questions in order, numbered. If a question does not apply to your bid, write "does not apply." (Sample RFP response)

  1. Provide name, address, and telephone number of bidding company, i.e., the party responding to this RFP.
  2. Provide pricing for 24-month and 36-month terms.
  3. State monthly recurring cost.
  4. State non-recurring cost.
  5. If there is an installation charge, describe exactly what services the charge covers.
  6. Provide name(s) of carrier(s).
  7. State whether the bid is for meet-point service and, if so, with what carrier(s).
  8. Provide name(s) of billing party/parties.
  9. Provide documentation that the billing party/parties is/are in good standing with the Arizona Corporation Commission. (See sample RFP response for acceptable documentation.)
  10. Provide Universal Service SPIN number(s) of billing party/parties.
  11. Provide the date the bid expires.
  12. Unless the bidder is already providing T1s or Metro Ethernet circuits on the NARBHA Telemedicine Network, provide the names and phone numbers of at least three references (preferably from other telemedicine networks and preferably in Arizona) for the bidder.
  13. Unless the carrier is already providing T1s or Metro Ethernet circuits on the NARBHA Telemedicine Network, provide the names and phone numbers of at least three references (preferably from other telemedicine networks and preferably in Arizona) for the carrier. Carriers currently providing service on the NARBHA Telemedicine Network are: TeleQuality, Qwest, Frontier/Citizens, and ACC Business/AT&T.
  14. Describe the route the circuit will take.
  15. If quoting Qwest service for the circuit or a portion of the circuit, provide documentation according to the FCC Tariff that this pricing is correct.
  16. If quoting Frontier service for the circuit or a portion of the circuit, provide written confirmation from Frontier, on Frontier letterhead, that the quoted prices for both NRC and MRC will be honored through the bid's expiration date.
  17. State that bidder will provide to NARBHA a copy of the contract countersigned by the carrier within 30 days of Customer’s providing the signed contract to bidder. State bidder's understanding that failure to provide the countersigned contract within 30 days will result in NARBHA’s and Customer’s option to decline future bids from this bidder.
  18. Acknowledge the following: The deadline for installation of this circuit after receipt of the signed contract from Customer is 60 days. State bidder's understanding that failure to install the circuit within this time frame will result in NARBHA’s and Customer’s option to decline future bids from bidding party and/or carrier. Failure to install the circuit within 90 days after receipt of the signed contract from Customer will constitute a breach of agreement and will result in termination of the contract without incurring contract termination fees.

Submit bids via email to Nancy Rowe, NARBHA Telemedicine Program Manager, nancy.rowe@narbha.org.

Requests from NARBHA for clarification on your bid must be answered within three (3) business days. Failure to respond within three business days will result in your bid being declined.

All bids and contracts will be disclosed to NARBHA and to the Universal Service Administrative Company.

Winning bid will be selected based on recurring monthly cost; non-recurring cost; prior satisfactory experience on the part of both bidder and carrier working with the NARBHA Telemedicine Network or satisfactory references (preferably with telemedicine networks in Arizona); documenatation that billing party is in good standing with the Arizona Corporation Commission; and clear, satisfactory responses to all bid requirements.

If Customer fails to sign a contract before the winning bid expires and this results in a change in price by the winning bidder, NARBHA and Customer reserve the right to reopen the RFP for bids.

NARBHA and Customer make no warranty that this RFP will result in Customer changing its existing circuit.

NARBHA will notify bidders of their bid status within fifteen (15) business days of the bid deadline.

The terms of this RFP will be included in any contract to obtain the T1 line. Bidders will include as part of their proposal a signed acknowledgement that they understand and agree to the terms outlined in this Request for Proposal.