Cherokee Nation

www.cherokee.org

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Conference Microphone System

ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT on behalf of the

TRIBAL COUNCIL

CHEROKEE NATION

P.O. Box 948

Tahlequah, OK 74465

(918) 453-5000


REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

CONFERENCE MICROPHONE SYSTEM

Introduction:

The Cherokee Nation is the federally recognized government of the Cherokee people and thereby has sovereign status granted by treaty and law. Tribal sovereignty is the right to self-governance. The seat of tribal government is the W.W. Keeler Complex near Tahlequah, Oklahoma, capital of the Cherokee Nation. The jurisdictional area of the Cherokee Nation covers 14 counties with multiple worksites in Northeastern Oklahoma. The Legislative Branch is an integral vital part of the Cherokee Nation.

The Legislative Branch consists of a 17-member Tribal Council elected by popular vote to serve four year terms. The Tribal Council consists of 15 members elected to represent the districts within the Cherokee Nation jurisdictional boundaries and 2 At-Large members elected to represent those citizens who live outside the boundaries. The Tribal Council has the power to establish laws deemed necessary and proper for the good of the Nation, and to conduct other business which will further the interests of the Cherokee Nation and its citizenship. An elected Speaker presides over the Council as president.

General Conditions:

The Cherokee Nation is seeking proposals from qualified companies to replace the existing microphones located in the Tribal Council Chambers located at W.W. Keeler Tribal Complex. Interested parties are asked to provide a proposal including a new system, installation, and training. Proposals will be accepted from Indian and non-Indian companies. This RFP is being issued by the Cherokee Nation Acquisition Management Department. The RFP and any issued addendum(s) will be posted on and may be accessed from the Cherokee Nation bid website www.cherokeebids.org. It is the responsibility of interested parties to access the website for addendum information and to follow all instructions outlined in RFP for proposal submittal. There shall be one contract awarded for the entire project based on the evaluation criteria set forth in this proposal. Complete specifications, including mandatory site visit instructions, are included in this proposal. Award of contract will be subject to availability of funds. Cherokee Nation reserves the right to reject any and all proposals. Cherokee Nation reserves the right to determine if a proposal meets stated requirements, and to award a contract that is in the best interest of the Cherokee Nation. Responding parties are responsible for any and all costs associated with the preparation and submission of bids. No offeror may withdraw their bid within 90 days after proposal due date.

Receipt Deadline for Proposal: All proposals must be received for review and evaluation by Shelly McClain, Acquisition Management, no later than 5:00 pm February 11, 2013. Proposals received after this deadline will not be considered for award. Proposals must be emailed to Acquisition Management at the address specified in this RFP. Proposals must be designated as “PROPOSAL: COUNCIL CHAMBERS CONFERENCE MICROPHONE SYSTEM” in the subject line of the email.

Submission Instructions for Proposal: Proposals will be received by the NATION at the Acquisition Management Department until February 11, 2013 at 5:00 p.m. Proposals must be emailed to Cherokee Nation, Acquisition Management Department, Attn: Shelly McClain at . PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED ON OR BEFORE FEBRYARY 11, 2013 AT 5:00 P.M. TO BE CONSIDERED. PROPOSALS MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED “PROPOSAL: COUNCIL CHAMBERS CONFERENCE MICROPHONE SYSTEM” IN THE SUBJECT LINE OF EMAIL. Proposals will be accepted from Indian and Non-Indian offerors. Any proposal not received by the stipulated deadline will not be accepted and will be returned, unopened.

Qualifications of Responding Party: The NATION may make such investigations as deemed necessary to determine the ability of the offeror to perform the work, and the offeror shall furnish to the NATION all such information and data for this purpose as the NATION may request. The NATION reserves the right to reject any proposal if the evidence submitted by, or investigation of, such offeror fails to satisfy the NATION such offeror is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to complete the work contemplated therein. Conditional bids will not be accepted.

TERO Requirements/Certification: TERO requirements apply to award of contract. Successful bidder must complete required TERO paperwork and pay all applicable fees in accordance with Legislative Act 30-12 for this project. Please contact Cherokee Nation Tribal Employment Rights Office (T.E.R.O.) at (918) 453-5000 with any questions. Indian preference will be given only to responding parties who provide proof of current certification from the Cherokee Nation Tribal Employments Office (TERO) located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, telephone number (918) 453-5000. Proof of TERO certification must accompany and be included in sealed bid submittal.

Mandatory Site Visit: A mandatory site will be conducted February 04, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. in the Tribal Council Chambers located in the Tribal Complex, Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Interested parties must attend the mandatory site visit on the date and time offered to be considered eligible for award.

Question/Inquiry Deadline: Every request for interpretation of this RFP must be submitted in written format to Cherokee Nation Acquisition Management. Requests may be e-mailed to Shelly McClain at until 5:00 pm February 05, 2013.

Response Deadline: Any and all such interpretations and any supplemental instructions will be in the form of written addenda, and will be posted to the Cherokee Nation bid website www.cherokeebids.org no later than 5:00 pm February 06, 2013.

Evaluation of Proposals: The evaluation process will take place on or about the week of February 11, 2013. During this time, Acquisition Management may at their option initiate discussions with vendors who submit responsive or potentially responsive proposals for the purpose of clarifying aspects of the proposals. Proposals may be accepted and evaluated without such discussion. Vendors SHALL NOT INITIATE discussions.

Drug Free Workplace and Tobacco Free Workplace:

·  Any Contractor performing work for the Cherokee Nation agrees to publish a statement notifying all employees, subcontractors, and other workers that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the Contractor’s workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against violators of such prohibition.

·  NATION will consider lack of enforcement or lax enforcement of the statement by Contractor a default of the contract.

·  The Contractor further agrees to provide all persons engaged in performance of the contract with a copy of the statement.

·  A copy of the vendor’s Drug Free Workplace statement shall be included with the proposal or else the successful offeror will be deemed to accept and agree to use the statement provided by NATION.

·  The Contractor understands and recognizes that all Cherokee Nation buildings, whether leased or owned, and the grounds surrounding those facilities are considered by the Nation to be a tobacco free workplace. The Contractor will ensure all employees, subcontractors, and other workers will abide by this policy.

Debarment, Suspension, Proposed Debarment, and Other Responsibility Matters: The responding party certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief that the offeror, the firm, or any of its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or declared ineligible for the award of contracts by any Federal agency or Indian tribe. The offeror will also certify they have not, within a three-year period preceding this Request for Proposal, been convicted of or had a civil judgment rendered against them for: commission of fraud or a criminal offense in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (Federal, State, Local or Tribal) contract or subcontract; violation of Federal or State antitrust statutes relating to the submission of offers; or commissions of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsifications or destruction of records, making false statements, and are not presently indicted for, or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a governmental entity with, commission of any of the offenses enumerated in this provision. The offeror certifies they have not, within a three-year period preceding this Request for Proposal, had one or more contracts terminated for default by a Federal, State, Local or Tribal agency.

The offeror shall provide immediate written notice to the Cherokee Nation if, at any time prior to contract award, the offeror learns its certification was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances.

This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when making award. If it is later determined the offeror knowingly rendered an erroneous certification, in additional to other remedies available to the Cherokee Nation; the Cherokee Nation may terminate the contract resulting from this Request for Proposal for default.

Insurance Requirements: The successful bidder must be willing to enter a contract with the Cherokee Nation. The successful bidder must have the following insurance, and provide certificates:

Workers Comp - $ 500,000.00

General Liability - $1,000,000.00

Automobile - $ 300,000.00

Confidentiality: It is understood any information submitted to the offeror by the Cherokee Nation in respect to this Request for Proposal embodies certain proprietary information and is loaned to the offeror on a confidential basis. Any information acquired at the Cherokee Nation or otherwise relating to processes belonging to the Cherokee Nation incorporated into this project shall be kept confidential. The offeror agrees not to use in any unauthorized manner or communicate to others any such confidential items without the prior written consent of the Cherokee Nation and will undertake such measures as are necessary to require its employees and all approved subcontractors to maintain complete confidentiality.

Start of Project: The successful offeror is expected to start work upon fully executed agreement. Offerer must state in proposal anticipated number of working days to complete project if awarded.

Evaluation Factors:

o  Overall system capabilities

o  Cost

o  Timeline to provide and install

o  Training Capabilities

o  Indian Preference - Indian preference will be given only to responding parties who provide proof of current certification from the Cherokee Nation Tribal Employments Office (TERO). Proof of TERO certification must accompany and be included in sealed bid submittal.

**Interested parties must attend mandatory site visit February 04, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. to be eligible for award; information in specifications.**

STATEMENT OF WORK & SPECIFICATIONS

PROVIDED BY: CHEROKEE NATION INFORMATION SYSTEMS.

Council Chambers Conference Microphone System

The Cherokee Nation is requesting proposals to replace the microphones located in the Council Chambers at the WW Keeler Complex located in Tahlequah, OK. The existing microphone system shall be replaced with a Taiden microphone system. The Cherokee Nation Council Chambers to receive the new Conference Microphone System shall incorporate audiovisual source equipment consisting of one (1) Chairman Microphone Unit, (17) Discussion Microphone Units, (1) Fully Digital Congress System Main Unit, Required Software Licenses, and (1) Touch Screen for Chairman control of software.

All microphones will require a visual indication of the microphone on/off status with built-in speaker. The control system shall be controlled by a touch panel, which will be operated and be programmed into the existing AMX Netlinx Controller that is located on site. This controller is also connected to the V2 system network. The Conference Microphone contractor shall modify the existing AMX code to allow for communications between the TAIDEN system and the OFE (Owner Furnished Equipment) control processor. The selected Contractor will be an AMX and TAIDEN authorized dealer with certified programmers on staff. No third party or subcontracted work or programming will be accepted.

The system shall be easy to maintain and upgrade and be covered by a minimum one-year warranty that covers parts and labor. Additional warranty and service options may be purchased at the end of the initial one-year.

The successful party must provide a description of their training capabilities and specifically how training will be implemented into this project on the operation of all systems and system components.

Interested parties provide Cherokee Nation with pre-install submittal system Line Drawings for approval before integration into the Council Chambers that include construction details of all custom fabricated items and approved equipment modifications. Include complete parts lists, schematic diagrams, and all dimensions required for proper assembly.

An OFE (Owner Furnished Equipment) rack is to be utilized for System Main Unit installation location.

All interested parties MUST attend a mandatory a site visit prior to offering a proposal to be considered eligible for award. Mandatory site visit will be conducted on February 04, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. in the Tribal Council Chambers located in the Tribal Complex.