RFP #2026-19 24/7 CYBERSECURITY MONITORING Q & A

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
RFP #2026-19
24/7 CYBERSECURITY MONITORING,
PATCH MANAGEMENT, AND CYBER NETWORK
MONITORING SERVICES
JASPER COUNTY, SOUTH CAROLINA
JUNE 4, 2026
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose
Jasper County Government ("County") is soliciting sealed proposals from qualified
cybersecurity managed service providers (MSPs), managed security service providers (MSSPs),
or cybersecurity consulting firms to provide comprehensive 24/7 cybersecurity monitoring,
cyber network monitoring, patch management, incident response support, and compliance-
related cybersecurity services until Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. at which time the
names of the Proposers will be publicly read aloud in the Jasper County Council Chamber.
The County seeks a vendor partner capable of leveraging the County's existing cybersecurity and
IT infrastructure, tools, and software platforms while enhancing the County's overall
cybersecurity posture. The selected vendor should provide continuous monitoring, proactive
threat detection, vulnerability management, patch management, incident response coordination,
reporting, and audit support.
Additionally, the selected vendor shall be responsible for assisting with and completing all
required NCIC, CJIS, and South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) cybersecurity
audits, compliance reviews, documentation, and reporting requirements applicable to Jasper
County Government.
2. BACKGROUND
Jasper County Government operates a diverse technology environment supporting county
administration, public safety, emergency services, judicial systems, public works, finance, GIS,
and other county operations. The County maintains cybersecurity tools and software currently in
place and desires a cybersecurity partner capable of integrating with and utilizing existing
systems wherever feasible.
The County's primary goals include:
* Enhancing cybersecurity visibility and protection
* Providing continuous 24/7 monitoring and alerting
* Reducing cybersecurity risk exposure
* Improving incident response readiness
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* Maintaining compliance with CJIS, NCIC, SLED, and applicable state and federal
cybersecurity standards
* Strengthening vulnerability and patch management processes
* Ensuring operational continuity and cybersecurity resilience
3. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The selected vendor shall provide the following services at a minimum.
3.1 24/7 Security Operations Center (SOC) Monitoring
Vendor shall provide continuous 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year
cybersecurity monitoring services.
Services shall include:
* Continuous monitoring of network traffic, endpoints, servers, firewalls, switches, routers,
and security devices
* Monitoring of security events, alerts, and logs
* Threat detection and correlation analysis
* Real-time alerting and escalation procedures
* Detection of ransomware, malware, unauthorized access attempts, and suspicious activity
* Continuous review of security telemetry and threat indicators
* Identification and triage of critical cybersecurity incidents
* Threat intelligence integration
* Continuous monitoring of cloud-based systems and services where applicable
* Security event management and reporting
* Security log review and analysis
* Security alert prioritization and escalation
Vendor shall provide documented escalation procedures and incident notification timelines.
3.2 Cyber Network Monitoring
Vendor shall provide comprehensive cyber network monitoring services for the County's IT
infrastructure.
Services shall include:
* Network traffic analysis
* Internal and external network monitoring
* Firewall monitoring and rule review
* Intrusion detection and prevention monitoring
* Unauthorized device detection
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* Network anomaly detection
* Bandwidth and suspicious communication monitoring
* Monitoring for lateral movement within the network
* DNS monitoring and analysis
* VPN monitoring
* Remote access monitoring
* Monitoring of privileged accounts and administrative access
* Continuous health monitoring of cybersecurity systems
Vendor shall provide recommendations for improving network security architecture where
vulnerabilities or weaknesses are identified.
3.3 Patch Management Services
Vendor shall provide comprehensive patch management services utilizing the County's existing
software and patch management tools whenever feasible.
Services shall include:
* Operating system patch management
* Third-party software patch management
* Firmware update management
* Security update testing and validation
* Critical vulnerability remediation
* Patch deployment scheduling and coordination
* Emergency patch deployment for critical threats
* Patch compliance reporting
* Vulnerability prioritization
* Documentation of applied patches and remediation activities
* Verification and validation of successful patch deployment
Vendor shall maintain procedures to minimize operational disruption while ensuring timely
remediation of vulnerabilities.
3.4 Vulnerability Management
Vendor shall provide ongoing vulnerability management services.
Services shall include:
* Routine vulnerability scanning
* Internal and external vulnerability assessments
* Vulnerability prioritization based on risk
* Remediation recommendations
* Validation of remediation efforts
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* Reporting of critical vulnerabilities
* Risk scoring and tracking
* Assistance with remediation planning
* Coordination with County IT staff
Vendor shall provide monthly vulnerability assessment summaries and remediation status
reports.
3.5 Incident Response Services
Vendor shall provide incident response support services.
Services shall include:
* Incident detection and analysis
* Incident containment recommendations
* Threat eradication support
* Recovery assistance
* Root cause analysis
* Incident documentation
* Forensic coordination support
* Coordination with County IT staff and leadership
* Escalation procedures for critical incidents
* After-action reporting and recommendations
Vendor shall provide emergency contact procedures and escalation paths available 24/7.
3.6 Existing Tools and Software Integration
The County intends to maintain and continue utilizing existing cybersecurity and IT management
tools where operationally feasible.
Vendor shall:
* Assess and integrate with the County's existing cybersecurity tools
* Utilize existing monitoring, logging, and endpoint solutions whenever possible
* Minimize unnecessary replacement of existing systems
* Provide recommendations only where improvements are necessary
* Identify any required licensing or integration costs
* Coordinate with County IT staff regarding compatibility and implementation
Vendor shall clearly identify:
* Tools currently supported
* Additional tools proposed
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* Any required software changes
* Any additional hardware requirements
* Any licensing dependencies
3.7 Compliance and Audit Support
The selected vendor shall be responsible for supporting and completing cybersecurity-related
audits and compliance requirements applicable to Jasper County Government.
This includes, but is not limited to:
* NCIC audit preparation, management, and support
* SLED cybersecurity audit support and completion
* CJIS audit preparation, compliance support, and documentation management
* CJIS Security Policy compliance assistance
* Security documentation maintenance
* Policy and procedure review assistance
* Audit evidence collection and preparation
* Remediation planning for audit findings
* Compliance reporting
* Coordination with state and law enforcement entities as required
* Assistance with cybersecurity risk assessments
* Documentation necessary for compliance reviews
Vendor must demonstrate familiarity with:
* NCIC requirements
* CJIS Security Policy
* South Carolina state cybersecurity requirements
* SLED audit expectations
* Government cybersecurity best practices
* Law enforcement system security requirements
Vendor shall assume primary responsibility for completing all required cybersecurity audit
deliverables under the scope of this contract.
3.8 Reporting Requirements
Vendor shall provide detailed reporting including:
* Weekly cybersecurity briefing reports summarizing incidents, vulnerabilities,
remediation activities, patching status, and threat activity
* Weekly status meetings or virtual briefings with County IT leadership as requested
* Comprehensive monthly executive cybersecurity reports
* Incident summaries
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* Patch compliance reports
* Vulnerability remediation status reports
* Threat activity summaries
* Security event metrics
* Compliance and audit status updates
* Recommendations for cybersecurity improvements
* Quarterly cybersecurity posture reviews
* Audit readiness and compliance status reporting for NCIC, CJIS, and SLED requirements
Vendor shall also provide immediate notification for critical cybersecurity incidents.
4. VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS
Vendors responding to this RFP must demonstrate the following minimum qualifications:
4.1 Organizational Qualifications
* Minimum of five (5) years providing managed cybersecurity services
* Experience supporting local government or public sector clients
* Experience supporting CJIS/NCIC environments preferred
* Demonstrated experience providing 24/7 SOC services
* Demonstrated experience with patch management and vulnerability management
* Demonstrated incident response capabilities
4.2 Staffing Qualifications
Vendor shall provide qualified personnel with appropriate cybersecurity certifications, including
but not limited to:
Vendor must provide at least one dedicated onsite cybersecurity support resource a minimum of
(4) days per week at Jasper County Government facilities. The onsite resource shall coordinate
directly with County IT staff, assist with cybersecurity operations, support incident response
activities, assist with audit preparation and compliance activities, participate in meetings, and
provide hands-on support for remediation and cybersecurity initiatives.
* CISSP
* CISM
* Security+
* CEH
* GIAC certifications
* Microsoft certifications
* Network security certifications
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Vendor shall identify:
* Onsite support personnel assigned to Jasper County Government
* Proposed onsite support schedule
* Key personnel
* Escalation contacts
* SOC staffing model
* On-call procedures
* Technical support structure
5. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
Vendor shall describe:
* SOC capabilities and locations
* Monitoring platforms utilized
* SIEM capabilities
* Threat intelligence sources
* Incident response processes
* Vulnerability scanning tools
* Patch management methodologies
* Security reporting capabilities
* Escalation procedures
* Service availability commitments
* Integration capabilities with existing systems
Vendor shall describe how services will be delivered with minimal operational disruption,
including coordination between remote SOC operations and the required onsite support
personnel.
6. SERVICE LEVEL REQUIREMENTS
Vendor shall provide proposed Service Level Agreements (SLAs), including:
Severity Level Response Time Escalation Requirement
Critical Security Incident Within 15 minutes Immediate escalation
High Severity Incident Within 1 hour Escalation to County IT
Medium Severity Incident Within 4 hours Standard escalation
Low Severity Incident Within 1 business day Routine notification
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Vendor shall describe:
* Alert notification procedures
* Incident escalation process
* Remediation coordination
* Availability guarantees
* Reporting timelines
7. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS
Proposals shall include the following:
7.1 Executive Summary
Provide a summary of the vendor's understanding of the project and proposed solution.
7.2 Company Profile
Include:
* Company history
* Years in business
* Office locations
* Relevant experience
* Public sector experience
* Government references
7.3 Technical Approach
Describe:
* Proposed monitoring approach
* SOC operations
* Cybersecurity technologies utilized
* Patch management methodology
* Vulnerability management process
* Incident response procedures
* Compliance support approach
* Integration with existing County tools
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7.4 Staffing Plan
Provide:
* Organizational chart
* Assigned personnel
* Relevant certifications
* Escalation contacts
* Support structure
7.5 References
Provide at least three (3) references for similar government or public-sector engagements.
7.6 Pricing Proposal
Provide detailed pricing including:
* Monthly recurring costs
* One-time implementation costs
* Licensing costs
* Optional services
* Hourly rates for additional services
* Audit support costs
* Incident response costs if separate
Pricing shall remain valid for a minimum of 120 days.
8. CONTRACT TERM
The County anticipates entering into an agreement for an initial term of three (3) years with
optional renewal periods subject to County approval.
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9. INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS
The successful Proposer shall be required to provide proof of insurance in the following amounts.
1. Workers' Compensation - The vendor shall provide coverage for its employees with
statutory workers' compensation limits, and no less than $1,000,000.00 for Employers'
Liability. Said coverage shall include a waiver of subrogation in favor of the Owner and
its agents, employees, and officials.
2. Commercial General Liability - The vendor shall provide coverage for all operations
including, but not limited to Contractual, Products and Completed Operations, and
Personal Injury. The limits shall be no less than $1,000,000.00, per occurrence, with a
$2,000,000.00 aggregate.
3. Business Automobile Liability - The vendor shall provide coverage for all owned, non-
owned and hired vehicles with limits of not less than $1,000,000.00, per occurrence,
Combined Single Limits (CSL) or its equivalent.
4. Professional Liability / Errors and Omissions Insurance
5. Cyber Liability Insurance
10. CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA SECURITY
Vendor shall:
* Maintain confidentiality of County data
* Comply with all applicable laws and regulations
* Ensure secure handling of sensitive information
* Maintain CJIS compliance where applicable
* Ensure background checks for applicable personnel
* Execute confidentiality agreements if required
Vendor personnel accessing CJIS or NCIC systems may be required to undergo background
screening and comply with all applicable security requirements.
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