520-26-02 Server Refresh - Q&A

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
for
Server Refresh
PIKES PEAK LIBRARY DISTRICT
Colorado Springs, CO
RFP # 520-26-02
The Pikes Peak Library District (PPLD) invites qualified vendors with the qualifications as stated
herein, and are in good standing with the State of Colorado, to submit a response to a Request for
Proposal (RFP) for servers.
Proposal deadline is 2 p.m. MST on Friday, May 29, 2026
5/8/2026

S erver Refresh RFP #520-26-02
Table of Contents
1. Scope of Work ................................................................................................................................................... 2
2. RFP Schedule: .................................................................................................................................................... 3
3. Proposal Submission, Selection, and Contract Formation .......................................................... 4
4. Vendor Qualification and Information ................................................................................................8
5. Pricing................................................................................................................................................................... 9
6. Terms & Conditions ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Addendum A- Proposal Cover Sheet ............................................................................................................. 11
Addendum B - References and Pricing ....................................................................................................... 13
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1. Scope of Work
PPLD is seeking proposals from qualified contractors to replace the existing servers in the district
that host our virtual infrastructure. Looking to run a Nutanix cluster and need N+1 high
availability.
Hardware Requirements
* 3 hosts (nodes).
* Storage requirements; minimum of 15 TB usable. Must have room for expansion.
* Minimum 512 GB memory per host (node).
* Current gen CPU that can handle AI accelerated workloads.
* No more cores than we currently use; 24 physical cores per host (node).
* Dual active-ready NICs.
* Dual active-ready power supplies.
* Support up to 10 Gb over fiber. Vendor must provide fiberoptic cable for each port that
goes between the host (node) and the network switch. Vendor must also provide the fiber
transceiver (SFP) that is compatible with host (node).
* Must fit into our standard 42U server rack.
Software
* Servers should come with Nutanix licensing and be fully supported by Nutanix.
Initial Setup and Implementation
* Vendor will provide all materials needed to install devices and will physically install the
cluster.
* Initial hypervisor installation and configuration/setup to be performed by vendor.
* Vendor is to transfer our VMs from our current infrastructure to our new infrastructure.
* Vendor is to ensure that at go-live it is fully functional with our backup infrastructure.
Ongoing Support
* Includes 1-year of Nutanix production support.
* Must include a 5-year warranty on hardware with option for extension toward end of
warranty.
* Warranty must include next day onsite repair or replacement.
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2. RFP Schedule and Contacts:
RFP schedule:
RFP released .................................................................................................................... Friday, May 8, 2026
Deadline for final questions .................................................................................. Friday, May 15, 2026
Deadline to return answered questions ................................................... Thursday, May 21, 2026
Proposals due ......................................................................................... Friday, May 29, 2026 at 2:00pm
Board Review and Decision ...................................................................... Wednesday, June 24, 2026
Award Notification ........................................................................ on or about Friday, June 26, 2026
Sole Point of Contact: Questions and requests for clarification must be sent via e-mail to Kim
Hoggatt, Chief Financial Officer, at khoggatt@ppld.org and Cc: Lindsay Sosa, Finance &
Procurement Generalist, lsosa@ppld.org. Please include the RFP number, title, and words
"question" and/or "clarification" in the subject line of the e-mail.
Questions and requests without this subject identification may be considered routine emails
and may not be properly addressed.
All answers to questions and requests for clarification will be posted on the PPLD website:
http://ppld.org/request-for-proposals .
Any PPLD response that is considered to be a change in terms, conditions, and specifications
of this RFP will be published as an amendment. No communications of any kind may be
considered as a change to the terms, conditions, and specifications in this RFP unless posted as
a formal addendum on the link above.
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3. Proposal Submission, Selection, and Contract Formation
3.1. Proposal Submission
Substantive proposals: By submitting a proposal, the proposer guarantees that (a) its
proposal is genuine and is not made in the interest of, or on behalf of, any undisclosed
person, vendor, or corporation; (b) it has not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any
other respondent to put in a false or sham bid; (c) it has not solicited or induced any other
person, vendor, or corporation from proposing; (d) it has not sought by collusion to obtain
for itself any advantage over any other proposer or over PPLD.
Submission Information and Documents: The proposal must be comprehensive and
address all RFP requirements. To assure that the information provided can be readily
identified, the proposal must include, but not limited, to the submission of the following
signed documents:
* Addendum A - Proposal Cover Sheet
* Addendum B -References and Pricing
Vendors are requested to submit a response for each numbered or lettered item of
Addendum B, the response must be in the same format and sequence as in the RFP.
The response must include description, schedules, when required, and any
additional clarifying information, such as appendices, charts, diagrams, etc..
* List of exceptions or deviations (if any)
Signatures: The proposal must be signed by an officer of the proposing vendor.
Exceptions and Deviations: Any exception to or deviations from these Terms & Conditions
must be identified, in writing, on an attachment to the proposal submission. PPLD
reserves the right to accept or reject, at its sole discretion, any exceptions or deviations by
the proposer.
Integration with Contract: The winning proposal will be included and integrated into the
final contract documents.
Proposal Submission: Proposals are to be submitted in sealed envelopes, identified with the
proposal number and title with all attachments. See the RFP Schedule for due dates.
Vendors must submit one (4) hard copies and soft copy (i.e., flash drive, magnetic media,
etc.) of the Proposal to:
Pikes Peak Library District
Attn: Kim Hoggatt
Finance Office
RFP# 520-26-02
1175 Chapel Hills Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Additional Copies may be requested by PPLD. PPLD is not liable for any cost incurred by
prospective respondents prior to the issuance of contract(s).
The deadline is firm, proposals delivered after that will be received but will be rejected for
being late.
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A complete submission includes all required components, as stated in this document.
Duration of Proposal Offer: Price offers shall remain irrevocable from the proposal due
date through January 31, 2027, to support PPLD's budgeting and financial planning cycle
beginning in June. During this period, all pricing, terms, and conditions must remain firm.
In the event that pricing must be extended beyond January 31, 2027, PPLD reserves the
right to request a contingency extension. Vendors must agree, in writing, to extend their
proposal under the same terms and conditions for a mutually agreed-upon period.
Once a proposal is accepted, all prices, terms, and conditions shall remain unchanged
throughout the contract period unless specifically modified through written, mutually
agreed-upon change orders between PPLD and the successful Vendor.
Withdrawal of Proposal: A Proposer may withdraw its own proposal at any time prior to
the proposal due date and time as identified herein. After that date and time, no proposal
may withdraw its proposal for any reason. All proposals shall be valid for a period not less
than 90 calendar days after the proposal due date.
Information to Vendors: No proposal shall be accepted from and no contract will be
awarded to any person, vendor or corporation that is deemed irresponsible or unreliable
by PPLD. If requested, Vendors will submit satisfactory evidence that they have a
practical knowledge of the service bid upon and that they have the necessary financial
resources to provide the proposed service called for as described in this Request for
Proposal.
PPLD reserves the right to investigate and confirm the vendor's financial stability. This
may include reviewing financial statements, checking bank reference, and interviewing
past contractors, employees, and creditors. Unfavorable responses to these investigations
are grounds for rejection of the proposal.
Confidentiality: All materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of
PPLD, upon delivery. Proposals are public information. If a vendor submits proprietary
information, the vendor will label each proprietary page as "CONFIDENTIAL" and submit
in a separate package so PPLD will not release any information marked as Confidential.
Subcontracting: The Contractor must be responsible for the performance of all of its sub-
contractors, sub-sub-contractors, and consultants. The use of specific sub-contractors and
consultants is subject to the approval of PPLD. The Contractor is responsible for ensuring
that all sub-contractors and consultants comply with all the terms of the Contractor's
contract with PPLD.
If the Contractor uses subsidiary companies, explain their role and how they will be
involved in this project.
Insurance Requirements: The successful proposer shall have, at the minimum, the
following coverage: commercial general liability, automobile liability, excess liability, and
worker's compensation liability. The Vendor shall submit in their proposals, ACORD
certificates and/or other proof of the following insurances:
* General Liability $1,000,000
* Automobile Liability $1,000,000
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* Worker's Compensation liability that meets statutory requirements.
Indemnification: The proposer agrees to, and shall, defend, release, and indemnify, and
save and hold harmless PPLD, its officer, agents, and employees from and against any and
all damages to property or injuries to or death of any person or persons, including
property and officers, employees, and agents of PPLD, and further agrees to, and shall,
defend, indemnify, and save and hold harmless PPLD, its officers, agents, and employees,
from and against any and all claims, costs, demands, liabilities, suits, actions, causes of
action, and other legal or equitable proceedings of any kind or nature whatsoever, of or by
anyone whomsoever, including, but not limited to claims arising out of and/or predicated
upon negligence, breach of contract, tort, or strict liability, in any way resulting from,
connected with, or arising out of the Contractor's operations or performance in connection
herewith, including operations or performance of subcontractors and suppliers and acts or
omissions of officers, employees, or agents of the Contractor or its subcontractors or
suppliers.
Continuity: By submitting a proposal, the proposer will make its best efforts to ensure that
the key team member(s) remain assigned to the PPLD's project for the duration of contract.
Any changes to the staffing of this engagement must be discussed up front with PPLD
personnel.
3.2. Selection
Right of Acceptance and Rejection: PPLD reserves the right to accept or reject any or all
proposals and to waive any formalities, informalities, and deviations, which, in its opinion,
best serve the interests of PPLD. PPLD is not bound to accept the lowest price proposal.
Selection: it is the intent of PPLD to select only responsible and responsive vendors.
Bidder's proposal should include the most favorable terms and conditions.
Negotiation: PPLD reserves the right to negotiate terms and conditions of the contract
with the winning vendor.
Basis of Award: An evaluation team will judge the merit of proposals received in
accordance with the general criteria defined within this RFP. The recommendations of
this team will be forwarded to the Board of Trustees for approval and execution. The
following criteria will be taken into consideration when making evaluations of proposals.
This list is not intended to be exhaustive:
* Completeness of proposal
* References
* Pricing
* Quality of services
* Vendor qualifications and history
* Any other items deemed in the best interest of PPLD
PPLD uses a weighted award decision making process. Bid scoring below:
Bid Completeness 10%
References 20%
Pricing 40%
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Quality of Services 15%
Vendor Qualifications and History 15%
Total 100%
3.3. Contract Formation
Agreement in Writing: Following selection of a proposal, the vendor will be required to
enter-into a written contract with PPLD.
The winning Bidder's RFP proposal will be included and integrated into the final contract
documents. It is in the Bidder's best interest to ensure the proposal is accurate to allow for
the integration with minimal changes.
If you have a formal or standard contract that you typically use with such projects, please
attach a copy to your Proposal. A Service Agreement is not a condition of accepting an
RFP.
If, in PPLD's sole discretion, the selected proposer has not executed the contract documents
within a reasonable time after selection, PPLD reserves the right to rescind the award and
select another contractor.
Amendments to Contract: Parties hereto reserve the right to make amendments or
modifications to the contract by written amendment signed by both parties.
Termination of Contract for Cause: If, through any cause, the successful Bidder shall fail to
fulfill in a timely and proper manner its obligations or if the successful Bidder shall violate
any of the covenants, agreements or stipulations of the Contract, PPLD shall thereupon
have the right to terminate the Contract by giving written notice to the successful Bidder
of such termination and specifying the effective date of termination. In that event, all
finished or unfinished services, reports or other materials prepared by the successful
Bidder shall, at the option of PPLD, become its property, and the successful Bidder shall be
entitled to receive just, equitable compensation for any satisfactory work completed,
prepared documents or materials as furnished. Notwithstanding the above, the successful
Bidder shall not be relieved of liability to PPLD for damage sustained by PPLD by virtue of
breach of the Contract by the successful Bidder and PPLD may withhold any payments to
the successful vendor for the purpose of set offer until such time as the exact amount of
damages due PPLD from the successful Bidder is determined.
Termination of Contract for Convenience: PPLD may terminate the Contract at any time
by giving written notice to the successful vendor of such termination and specifying the
effective date thereof, at least thirty (30) working days before the effective date of such
termination. In that event, all finished or unfinished services, reports, material(s) prepared
or furnished by the successful Bidder under the Contract shall, at the option of PPLD,
become its property.
Cancellation: Either party may cancel the Contract in the event that a petition, either
voluntary or involuntary, is filed to declare the other party bankrupt or insolvent or in
the event that such party makes an assignment for the benefit of creditors.
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4. Vendor Qualification and Information
The following information and documents must be included in the submitted proposal:
Provide the name of the proposing vendor, address, telephone and primary contact person.
Include an affirmative statement that the vendor is in good standing with the State of
Colorado.
The vendor must be an authorized reseller of the proposed equipment and able to provide full
manufacturer warranty and support. The vendor shall comply with all applicable federal,
state, and local laws and regulations. Any installation or configuration services must be
performed by qualified personnel holding relevant technical certifications. Equipment must
be new, manufacturer-certified, and eligible for full manufacturer support. Gray- market or
refurbished equipment is not permitted unless explicitly approved.
State the size of the vendor and provide a vendor history summary.
Your organization's qualifications and experience. If you have experience with PPLD
Libraries, describe your current or past relationship. Describe any similar projects performed
by your organization.
Provide references from minimum three (3) recent similar projects including name, telephone
number and a brief statement describing their association with your vendor (e.g., other
library, educational or public sector clients). References from the Colorado Front Range are
also preferred.
Provide the resume of the person that will be assigned as the lead on this project.
Provide pricing as requested.
Any other information you feel should be considered in the selection process.
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5. Pricing
Minimum Services: PPLD is looking for the best-value proposal that meets the needs of the
district to include all cost aspects of service.
Provide lump sum cost for initial purchase. Provide pricing for support, licensing, and
maintenance cost renewals semi annually or annually.
Annual contract will start January 1, 2027 for one year with the option of renewal for up to 4
additional years
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