RFQ-P Cloud-based Unified Communications as a Service

Statement of Qualifications & Request for
Proposals
Cloud-based Unified Communications as a Service
CITY OF MANHATTAN, KANSAS

Request for Qualifications/Proposals
I. PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES:
The City of Manhattan, Kansas (the "City") is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors to
provide a cloud-based Unified Communications as a Service ("UCaaS") solution to replace the
current onpremises Cisco Unified Communications Manager system. The City seeks a modern,
resilient voice platform supporting a mix of hard desk phones, standalone softphones, and
Microsoft Teams options.
II. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND:
The City employs approximately 400 staff across multiple facilities. Remote sites connect to City
Hall as the central hub via private fiber or VPN. Workstations are connected over Cat5e or Cat6
cabling. User desktops and servers run Microsoft Windows and use Microsoft 365 and Microsoft
Teams; all email mailboxes are hosted in Exchange Online.
III. SUMMARY SCOPE OF SERVICES:
The selected vendor shall provide a complete UCaaS solution that meets certain functional
requirements, as well as provide implementation, training, and ongoing support services. The
City expects vendor-led planning, configuration, testing, deployment, and knowledge
transfer/training.
Functional Requirements
* Device options: hard desk phones, common area and lobby phones, conference phones;
standalone softphone clients (Windows/macOS); mobile app; Microsoft Teams
integration.
* Call handling: inbound/outbound calling, transfer, hold, consult and blind transfer,
conference, park/pickup, hunt groups and call queues, shared line appearance, caller
ID/control, blocked number handling.
* Auto attendants and call flows for 10-15 departments/facilities: multilevel menus,
hours/holiday routing, recorded greetings, directory, and menu-based transfers.
* Voicemail: user mailboxes, PIN policies, optional transcription, message notification;
configurable retention.
* Deliver analytics and reporting for call volumes, queue performance, and service levels
per-user or by department or facility with dashboards and reports, queue analytics
(service level, ASA, abandon rate), export/API access.
* Faxing: options for eFax and/or analog adapters for legacy devices.
* Elevator/emergency phones: support via approved analog gateways/adapters as needed.
* Directory and identity: ability to align with City's Microsoft 365 environment (e.g., Entra
ID/SSO) for user provisioning and authentication where applicable.

* System support for the creation/sync of external contacts (name, title, department,
location, mobile number) representing City-issued FirstNet mobile numbers without
requiring a UCaaS seat or DID for those contacts. Users shall be able to perform both
blind and consultative transfers to external contacts from desk phones, softphones, and
Microsoft Teams clients. The global directory (search/auto-complete) shall surface
external contacts alongside UCaaS users. Proposer shall describe available methods to
bulk import/synchronize external contacts from Microsoft Entra ID (Azure AD),
HRIS/CSV, or M365 GAL.
* System must meet all E-911 regulations.
Implementation Services
* Develop a detailed implementation plan and schedule covering requirements,
configuration, testing, documentation, training, and golive in September 2026.
* Manage provisioning of new DIDs and porting of existing phone numbers; coordinate
with carriers.
* Prestage all enduser devices: firmware updated, extensions configured/assigned, and
devices placed at desks prior to cutover.
* Test inbound and outbound calling using temporary DIDs by building/site; validate auto
attendants and queues prior to setting the port date.
* Staffing: provide vendor personnel to perform implementation and deployment (no
subcontractor requirement from City is specified in this RFP; vendor shall describe
staffing model).
Training Services
* Provide user-facing training materials (video and text-based).
* Precutover user tasks: accessing accounts, password/PIN setup, voicemail greeting
recording.
* Enduser training on: call answering, placing calls, transfer, conference, voicemail, and
softphone/desktop app basics.
* Provide admin/IT training for City telecom administrators and help desk.
Ongoing Support Services
* Provide options for business hours technical support and 24x7 technical support with
defined service level.
* Include maintenance, updates, and incident management with clear escalation paths.
* Provide performance and usage reporting per Section 8.
IV. PROBABLE TIMETABLE:
The project shall proceed according to the following timeline:
* April 6, 2026 Statement of Qualifications ("SOQ") & Request for
Proposals ("RFP") issued
* April 17, 2026 Questions due to Jared Wasinger by 3:00 PM
* May 8, 2026 Proposals due by 12:00 PM (noon)
* Week of May 11, 2026 Selection Committee opens and reviews

SOQs and selects proposers for formal interviewing
* Week of May 18, 2026 Selection Committee interviews and ranks selected
proposers
* June 2, 2026 Selection Committee provides its recommendation
to the City Commission seeking authorization to
negotiate of agreement
* June 3-17, 2026 City and Vendor will finalize scope of services and
quantity of lines/phones
* July 7, 2026 City Commission approves agreement with vendor
* September 2026 Implementation complete
V. METHOD OF SOLICITATION:
Notice will be posted on the City of Manhattan website: https://manhattanks.gov/bids.aspx
VI. SELECTION PROCESS:
Potential proposers may submit written questions to Jared Wasinger, Director of Technology and
Communications, at wasinger@cityofmhk.com. All questions must be submitted by Friday, April
17, 2026, 3:00 PM. All questions and answers will be addressed in addenda added to the City's
bid posting website page by no later than April 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
A Selection Committee will open and review the SOQs and proposals to determine which
proposers to formally interview. Based upon the quantity and quality of the SOQs, the City
reserves the right to short-list the proposers for formal interviewing. The Selection Committee
will then conduct formal interviews, rank the proposers, and recommend the highest-ranked
vendor to the City Commission for approval.
Throughout the process, the City reserves the right to initiate the process with the next highest-
ranked vendor, or to change or terminate the entire selection process at any time.
VII. DIRECTIONS FOR SUBMISSION:
All documents must be received by the City no later than 12:00 PM, on Friday, May 8, 2026,
at the City of Manhattan, City Clerk's Office, 1101 Poyntz Ave., Manhattan, Kansas 66502. Any
proposals received after the specified due date and time will be rejected and returned unopened.
All expenses for preparing and delivering proposals, including subsequent interviews, will be
borne by the proposers.
VII. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS:

The following information must be provided in the following sequence. Sections and subsections
should correspond with the sections and subsections identified below. Proposals are limited to 15
numbered, 8.5"x 11" pages, excluding cover, table of contents, cover letter, and dividers.
STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS/PROPOSAL
One (1) electronic copy in a sealed envelope marked "Statement of Qualifications and
Proposal for City of Manhattan Cloud-based Unified Communications as a Service."
A. Cover Letter
1. Provide a brief introduction and overview including history, background, and
mission and/or vision of the vendor
2. List all of the team members necessary to deliver the project, provide names
and proposed duties of individuals who will implement the project and describe
their qualifications
3. Identify and provide resume for the individual who will be the primary contact
and representative of the vendor throughout the term of the agreement
4. Include a table of contents to identify materials contained in the SOQ/proposal
by sections, subsections, and corresponding page numbers
B. Past Performance
1. Demonstrate past performance through contracts and/or other agreements
with government agencies or private industry.
2. Three relevant municipal references (prefer Kansas/Midwest where possible)
C. Scope of Services - Functional Requirements
1. Describe the vendor's and vendor's product's ability to meet the functional
requirements outlined in this document.
D. Project Approach / Implementation
1. Describe implementation plan, staffing, schedule, risk management, and
cutover strategy.
E. Training & Support
F. Pricing Proposal
1. Provide a comprehensive written pricing proposal (no spreadsheet or
additional attachments) covering monthly subscription rates by seat/device
type, included features, one-time costs, and optional add-ons with unit pricing
and tiered/volume discounts or any additional discounts. Pricing shall be
scalable to the ranges in the City's Exhibit A, with all assumptions and
exclusions explicitly identified. Company should describe proposed contract
terms, length, and proposed multi-year costs.

IX. SELECTION CRITERIA:
The successful proposer will be the one who provides the best value to the City. In general, the
Selection Committee will evaluate the following criteria:
Qualifications-Weighted Selection Criteria
A. Demonstrated understanding of the project. - 10 points
B. Qualifications and experience of the proposed project team - 15 points
C. Functional requirements - 25 points
D. Project Approach / Implementation - 10 points
E. Training and Support - 10 points
F. Cost of services and financial proposal. - 30 points
X. OTHER TERMS:
A. Each proposer has the responsibility to do the following:
1. Thoroughly examine the SOQ/RFP documents and all addenda;
2. Consider federal, state, and local laws and regulations that may affect cost,
progress, or performance of work;
3. Study and carefully correlate the proposer's knowledge and observations with the
SOQQ/RFP documents and related data; and
4. Promptly notify the City of all conflicts, errors, ambiguities, and discrepancies,
which the proposer has discovered in the SOQ/RFP documents
B. Sales and Use Taxes: the City is exempt from state sales and use taxes on materials
and equipment incorporated into the work.
1. Sales and use taxes shall not be included in the Pricing Proposal.
2. A Tax Exemption Certificate will be provided by the City.
C. All materials submitted shall become the property of the City, and shall be subject to
the laws and regulations pertaining to public information; no guarantee of privacy or
confidentiality is offered or implied by the City.
D. Proposals may not be modified or withdrawn after submission; however, proposers
may withdraw themselves from the selection process at any time prior to the deadline
for the receipt of proposals.
E. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive any
irregularities therein.
F. The SOQ/RFP documents, including any addenda, are subject to change after the
conclusion of the selection process.
G. All persons awarded and/or entering into contracts with the City of Manhattan shall
be subject to and are required to comply with all applicable City, State and Federal
provisions pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal employment opportunity and
affirmative action on public contracts.
H. Familiarity with Laws: The proposer is required to be familiar with all Federal, State,
and local laws, ordinances, and procedures that in any manner affect the project and

scope of services. Ignorance of any of the same will not relieve the proposer from
responsibility in complying.
XI. ATTACHMENTS:
A. Listing of City's Proposed VoIP Environment

Exhibit A - Proposed VoIP Environment
Estimated total Approx. Conference Room
City Facility / Location
phones/lines* Phones
City Hall 25 - 100 7
Manhattan Fire Department (MFD) HQ 10 - 50 2
Robert K. Ott Municipal Services Facility 10 - 25 4
Sunset Zoo 5 - 15 1
Municipal Court 5 - 15 2
Flint Hills Discovery Center 5 - 15 1
Manhattan Traffic Operations Facility 5 - 10 1
Wastewater Treatment Plant 3 - 8 1
Airport Administation Facility 3 - 8 1
Eisenhowever Recreation Center 3 - 8 0
Anthony Recreation Center 3 - 5 0
MFD Station 5 3 - 5 3
Douglass Activity Center 2 - 5 0
MFD Station 3 2 - 5 3
MFD Station 4 2 - 5 3
T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter 2 - 4 1
MFD Station 2 2 - 4 3
Aggieville Parking Garage 2 - 4 0
Water Treatment Plant 2 - 4 0
Sunrise Cemetery 1 0
Sunset Cemetery 1 0
Northview Pool 1 0
CICO Pool 1 0
City Park Pool 1 0
Total 100-300 20-35
*May be combination of hard phones, soft phones, Microsoft Teams integration phone numbers desired
*Final numbers to be determined following selection and during contract negotiation