REBID Cybersecurity Exercises

Agency:	State of Vermont
State:	Vermont
Type of Government:	State & Local
Posted Date:	Mar 27, 2024
Due Date:	Mar 29, 2024
Bid Source:	Please Login to View Page
Contact information:	Please Login to View Page
Bid Documents:	Please Login to View Page

Attachment Preview

Department of Buildings and General Services

Office of Purchasing & Contracting

109 State Street

[phone] 802-828-2211

Montpelier VT 05609-3001

[fax] 802-828-2222

http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing

Agency of Administration

SEALED BID

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

REBID Cybersecurity Exercises

ISSUE DATE

QUESTIONS DUE

RFP RESPONSES DUE BY

March 22, 2024

March 25, 2024 at 4:30 PM EST

March 29, 2024 at 4:30 PM EST

PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES, AND ADDENDUMS ASSOCIATED

WITH THIS RFP WILL BE POSTED AT:

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php

THE STATE WILL MAKE NO ATTEMPT TO CONTACT INTERESTED PARTIES WITH UPDATED

INFORMATION. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EACH BIDDER TO PERIODICALLY CHECK THE

ABOVE WEBPAGEFOR ANY AND ALL NOTIFICATIONS, RELEASES AND ADDENDUMS

ASSOCIATED WITH THIS RFP.

STATE CONTACT:

E-MAIL:

Kyle Emerson

kyle.emerson@vermont.gov

USE SUBJECT: CYBERSECURITY EXERCISES

1. OVERVIEW:

1.1. SCOPE AND BACKGROUND: Through this Request for Proposal (RFP) the Agency of Digital Services

(hereinafter the “State”) is seeking to establish contracts with one or more companies that can provide

Cybersecurity Exercises.

1.2. CONTRACT PERIOD: Contracts arising from this RFP will be for a period of 3 years with an option to

renew for up to two additional twelve-month periods. The State anticipates the start date will be April

12, 2024.

1.3. SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT: All communications concerning this RFP are to be addressed in writing

to the State Contact listed on the front page of this RFP. Actual or attempted contact with any other

individual from the State concerning this RFP is strictly prohibited and may result in disqualification.

1.4. BIDDERS’ CONFERENCE: A bidders’ conference will not be held remotely at the date and time

indicated on the front page of this RFP.

1.5. QUESTION AND ANSWER PERIOD: Any vendor requiring clarification of any section of this RFP or

wishing to comment on any requirement of the RFP must submit specific questions in writing no later than

the deadline for question indicated on the first page of this RFP. Questions may be e-mailed to the point

of contact on the front page of this RFP. Questions or comments not raised in writing on or before the last

day of the question period are thereafter waived. At the close of the question period a copy of all

questions or comments and the State's responses will be posted on the State’s web site

http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php . Every effort will be made to post this information as soon as

possible after the question period ends, contingent on the number and complexity of the questions.

1.6. CHANGES TO THIS RFP: Any modifications to this RFP will be made in writing by the State through the

issuance of an Addendum to this RFP and posted online at http://www.bgs.state.vt.us/pca/bids/bids.php .

Verbal instructions or written instructions from any other source are not to be considered.

2. DESIRED OUTCOMES:

2.1. The State of Vermont is interested in obtaining bids Cybersecurity Exercises. The vendor shall provide:

2.1.1.Tabletop exercise platform that can mimic a realistic cyber-attack and emergency response scenario.

This scenario must be a closed-loop business simulation that can be applied across multiple

industries.

3. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS:

3.1. Cybersecurity Exercises:

3.1.1.Proposed bidder develops, maintains, and delivers DHS/FEMA-certified online and face-to-face

training courses to a wide array of audiences to address cybersecurity and cyber terrorism threats

meeting the requirements below:

3.1.1.1. Create and run one four-hour TTX every 6 months for the customer base.

3.1.1.2. All courses meet SCORM and Section 508 compliance standards.

3.1.1.3. Subjects range from introductory non-technical courses to advanced.

3.1.1.4. Custom training built to the State of Vermont’s specifications.

4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS:

4.1. PRICING: Bidders must price the terms of this solicitation at their best pricing. Any and all costs that

Bidder wishes the State to consider must be submitted for consideration. If applicable, all equipment

pricing is to include F.O.B. delivery to the ordering facility. No request for extra delivery cost will be

honored. All equipment shall be delivered assembled, serviced, and ready for immediate use, unless

otherwise requested by the State.

4.1.1.Prices and/or rates shall remain firm for the initial term of the contract. The pricing policy submitted by

Bidder must (i) be clearly structured, accountable, and auditable and (ii) cover the full spectrum of

materials and/or services required.

4.1.2.Cooperative Agreements. Bidders that have been awarded similar contracts through a competitive

bidding process with another state and/or cooperative are welcome to submit the pricing in response

to this solicitation.

4.1.3.Retainage. In the discretion of the State, a contract resulting from this RFP may provide that the

State withhold a percentage of the total amount payable for some or all deliverables, such retainage

to be payable upon satisfactory completion and State acceptance in accordance with the terms and

conditions of the contract.

4.2. STATEMENT OF RIGHTS: The State shall have the authority to evaluate Responses and select the

Bidder(s) as may be determined to be in the best interest of the State and consistent with the goals and

performance requirements outlined in this RFP. The State of Vermont reserves the right to obtain

clarification or additional information necessary to properly evaluate a proposal. Failure of vendor to

respond to a request for additional information or clarification could result in rejection of that vendor's

proposal. To secure a project that is deemed to be in the best interest of the State, the State reserves the

right to accept or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, with or without cause, and to waive

technicalities in submissions. The State also reserves the right to make purchases outside of the awarded

contracts where it is deemed in the best interest of the State.

4.2.1.Best and Final Offer (BAFO). At any time after submission of Responses and prior to the final

selection of Bidder(s) for Contract negotiation or execution, the State may invite Bidder(s) to provide a

BAFO. The state reserves the right to request BAFOs from only those Bidders that meet the minimum

qualification requirements and/or have not been eliminated from consideration during the evaluation

process.

4.2.2.Presentation. An in-person or webinar presentation by the Bidder may be required by the State

if it will help the State’s evaluation process. The State will factor information presented during

presentations into the evaluation. Bidders will be responsible for all costs associated with

providing the presentation.

4.3. WORKER CLASSIFICATION COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS: In accordance with Section 32 of The

Vermont Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54), Bidders must comply with the following

provisions and requirements.

4.3.1.Self Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidder shall complete the appropriate

section in the attached Certificate of Compliance for purposes of self-reporting information relating to

past violations, convictions, suspensions, and any other information related to past performance

relative to coding and classification of workers. The State is requiring information on any violations

that occurred in the previous 12 months.

4.3.2.Subcontractor Reporting: For bid amounts exceeding $250,000.00, Bidders are hereby notified that

upon award of contract, and prior to contract execution, the State shall be provided with a list of all

proposed subcontractors and subcontractors’ subcontractors, together with the identity of those

subcontractors’ workers compensation insurance providers, and additional required or requested

information, as applicable, in accordance with Section 32 of The Vermont Recovery and

Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Act No. 54). This requirement does not apply to subcontractors providing

supplies only and no labor to the overall contract or project. This list MUST be updated and provided

to the State as additional subcontractors are hired. A sample form is available online at

http://bgs.vermont.gov/purchasing-contracting/forms. The subcontractor reporting form is not

required to be submitted with the bid response.

4.4. EXECUTIVE ORDER 05-16: CLIMATE CHANGE CONSIDERATIONS IN STATE PROCUREMENTS:

For bid amounts exceeding $25,000.00 Bidders are requested to complete the Climate Change

Considerations in State Procurements Certification, which is included in the Certificate of Compliance for

this RFP.

After consideration of all relevant factors, a bidder that demonstrates business practices that promote

clean energy and address climate change as identified in the Certification, shall be given favorable

consideration in the competitive bidding process. Such favorable consideration shall be consistent with

and not supersede any preference given to resident bidders of the State and/or products raised or

manufactured in the State, as explained in the Method of Award section. But such favorable consideration

shall not be employed if prohibited by law or other relevant authority or agreement.

4.5. METHOD OF AWARD: Awards will be made in the best interest of the State. The State may award one

or more contracts and reserves the right to make additional awards to other compliant bidders at any time

if such award is deemed to be in the best interest of the State. All other considerations being equal,

preference will be given first to resident bidders of the state and/or to products raised or manufactured in

the state, and then to bidders who have practices that promote clean energy and address climate change,

as identified in the applicable Certificate of Compliance.

4.5.1.Evaluation Criteria: Consideration shall be given to the Bidder’s project approach and methodology,

qualifications and experience, ability to provide the services within the defined timeline, cost, and/or

success in completing similar projects, as applicable, and to the extent specified below.

Rating Criteria

Ability to Meet Functional Requirements

Ability to meet Non-Functional Requirements

Implementation Approach and Timeline

Maintenance and Support Services

Acceptance of State Terms & Conditions

Cost

Total

Weight Factor

100

4.6. CONTRACT NEGOTIATION: Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State may select one or

more Vendors with which to negotiate a contract, based on the evaluation findings and other criteria

deemed relevant for ensuring that the decision made is in the best interest of the State. In the event State

is not successful in negotiating a contract with a selected Vendor, the State reserves the option of

negotiating with another Vendor, or to end the proposal process entirely.

4.7. COST OF PREPARATION: Bidder shall be solely responsible for all expenses incurred in the preparation

of a response to this RFP and shall be responsible for all expenses associated with any presentations or

demonstrations associated with this request and/or any proposals made.

4.8. CONTRACT TERMS: The selected bidder(s) will be expected to sign a contract with the State, including

the Standard Contract Form and Attachment C as attached to this RFP for reference. If IT Attachment D is

included in this RFP, terms may be modified based upon the solution proposed by the Bidder, subject to

approval by the Agency of Digital Services.

4.8.1.Business Registration. To be awarded a contract by the State of Vermont a vendor (except an

individual doing business in his/her own name) must be registered with the Vermont Secretary of

State’s office http://www.sec.state.vt.us/tutor/dobiz/forms/fcregist.htm and must obtain a Contractor’s

Business Account Number issued by the Vermont Department of Taxes http://tax.vermont.gov/ .

4.8.2.The contract will obligate the bidder to provide the services and/or products identified in its bid, at the

prices listed.

4.8.3.Payment Terms. All invoices are to be rendered by the Contractor on the vendor's standard billhead

and forwarded directly to the institution or agency ordering materials or services and shall specify the

address to which payments will be sent. Payment terms are Net 30 days from receipt of an error-free

invoice with all applicable supporting documentation. Percentage discounts may be offered for

prompt payments of invoices; however, such discounts must be in effect for a period of 30 days or

more in order to be considered in making awards.

4.8.4.Quality. If applicable, all products provided under a contract with the State will be new and unused,

unless otherwise stated. Factory seconds or remanufactured products will not be accepted unless

specifically requested by the purchasing agency. All products provided by the contractor must meet

all federal, state, and local standards for quality and safety requirements. Products not meeting these

standards will be deemed unacceptable and returned to the contractor for credit at no charge to the

State.

4.9. DEMONSTRATION: An in-person or webinar demonstration by the Vendor may be required by the State if

it will help the State’s evaluation process. The State will factor information presented during

demonstrations into the evaluation. Vendors will be responsible for all costs associated with the providing

the demonstration.

4.10.INDEPENDENT REVIEW: Certain State information technology projects require independent expert

review as described under 3 V.S.A. § 3303(d). Such review, if applicable, will inform the State’s decision to

award any contract(s) resulting from this RFP.

5. CONTENT AND FORMAT OF RESPONSES: The content and format requirements listed below are the

minimum requirements for State evaluation. These requirements are not intended to limit the content of a

Bidder’s proposal. Bidders may include additional information or offer alternative solutions for the State’s

consideration. However, the State discourages overly lengthy and costly proposals, and Bidders are advised to

include only such information in their response as may be relevant to the requirements of this RFP.

5.1. The bid should include a Cover Letter and Technical Response and Price Schedule.

5.2. COVER LETTER:

5.2.1.Confidentiality. To the extent your bid contains information you consider to be proprietary and

confidential, you must comply with the following requirements concerning the contents of your cover

letter and the submission of a redacted copy of your bid (or affected portions thereof).

5.2.2.All responses to this RFP will become part of the contract file and will become a matter of public

record under the State’s Public Records Act, 1 V.S.A. § 315 et seq. (the “Public Records Act”). If your

response must include material that you consider to be proprietary and confidential under the Public

Records Act, your cover letter must clearly identify each page or section of your response that you

consider proprietary and confidential. Your cover letter must also include a written explanation for

each marked section explaining why such material should be considered exempt from public

disclosure in the event of a public records request, pursuant to 1 V.S.A. § 317(c), including the

prospective harm to the competitive position of the bidder if the identified material were to be

released. Additionally, you must include a redacted copy of your response for portions that are

considered proprietary and confidential. Redactions must be limited so that the reviewer may

understand the nature of the information being withheld. It is typically inappropriate to redact entire

pages, or to redact the titles/captions of tables and figures. Under no circumstances may your entire

response be marked confidential, and the State reserves the right to disqualify responses so marked.

5.2.3.Exceptions to Contract Terms and Conditions. If a Bidder wishes to propose an exception to any

terms and conditions set forth in the Standard Contract Form and its attachments, such exceptions

must be included in the cover letter to the RFP response. Failure to note exceptions when responding

to the RFP will be deemed to be acceptance of the State contract terms and conditions. If exceptions

are not noted in the response to this RFP but raised during contract negotiations, the State reserves

the right to cancel the negotiation if deemed to be in the best interests of the State. Note that

exceptions to contract terms may cause rejection of the proposal.

5.3. TECHNICAL RESPONSE. In response to this RFP, a Bidder shall:

5.3.1.Provide details concerning your form of business organization, company size and resources.

5.3.2.Describe your capabilities and particular experience relevant to the RFP requirements.

5.3.2.1. Identify all current or past State projects.

5.3.3.Identify the names of all subcontractors you intend to use, the portions of the work the subcontractors

will perform, and address the background and experience of the subcontractor(s), as per RFP section

4.3.2 above.

5.4. REFERENCES. Provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of at least three companies with

whom you have transacted similar business in the last 12 months. You must include contact names who

can talk knowledgeably about performance.

5.5. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Provide a sample of any reporting documentation that may be

applicable to the Detailed Requirements of this RFP.

5.6. PRICE SCHEDULE: Bidders shall submit their pricing information in the Price Schedule within the

Bidders Response Form.

5.7. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE: This form must be completed and submitted as part of the response

for the proposal to be considered valid. Form can be found in the Bidders Response Form.

TITLE	QUESTIONS DUE	ANSWERS POSTED	DUE DATE	NO POSTING AFTER
REBID Cybersecurity Exercises	03/25/2024 04:30PM	Questions Received - REBID Cybersecurity Exercises. (03/27/2024)	03/29/2024 04:30PM

REBID Cybersecurity Exercises

Attachment Preview

Sign-up for a Free Trial, Government Bid Alerts

See Also