CALNET 3 procurement aiming for more vendor competition, diversity

As the State of California conducts its billion dollar procurement for the CALNET 3 contract to provide the next generation of telecommunications services for state and local agencies, the Technology Agency is making efforts to increase the vendor pool to include more bidders, including small and mid-sized companies as prime contractors, according to Deputy Director Russ Guarna.

Last week, the agency held a two-day pre-bidders conference that was attended by more than 100 people representing 40 companies where vendors had the opportunity to ask questions and learn how to compete for business. Guarna says officials are trying their best to cut down on duplicative paperwork and make the process easy to understand.

To encourage participation, service offerings will be broken into 13 or more categories to result in separate, smaller contract awards.  The effort is expected to reduce costs for businesses to submit bids which the state hopes will increase the number of bidders and drive down overall costs for the taxpayers. Guarna says the two-day conference was also important for the state to receive feedback and try to incorporate suggestions into the process going forward.

CALNET 3 will replace the current four CALNET 2 Master Service Agreements that were finalized in 2007 and the subject of legislative hearings starting back in December 2003.

Final RFQP proposals are due on September 14, intent to award announcements are expected in mid-October, according to procurement documents.

Below are the key action dates released in the RFQP on July 16.

Step	Action	Date(s)
1.	Release RFQP	July 16, 2012
2.	Last day to submit Bidder’s Intention to Submit a Proposal (5:00 P.M. PST)*	July 23, 2012
3.	Last Day To Submit Written Questions  prior to Bidders Conference (5:00 P.M. PST)	July 23, 2012
4.	Bidders Conference	August 1, 2012 and August 2, 2012
6.	Last day to submit proposed General Provisions – Telecommunications changes (5:00 P.M. PST)	August 15, 2012
7.	Last day to submit questions and/or request changes to the RFQP ** (5:00 P.M. PST)	August 15, 2012
8.	State responds to questions and proposed Contract language changes  (5:00 P.M. PST)	August 29, 2012
9.	Last day to protest RFQP requirements, Categories and any proposed Contract language changes ** (5:00 P.M. PST)	August 31, 2012
10.	RFQP Proposals Due ** (5:00 P.M. PST)	September 14, 2012
11.	State Evaluation #	September 17, 2012 – October 15, 2012
12.	Notice Of Intent To Award (5:00 P.M. PST)	October 16, 2012
13.	Last Day To Protest the Award (5:00 P.M. PST)	October 23, 2012
14.	PMAC Contract Awards	October 25, 2012