The city of Austin is looking to move away from cooperative contracts managed by the Texas Department of Information Resources — at least in the area of telecommunications services, if not more.
The city has released a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a vendor to provide citywide telecommunications services, including broadband Internet, voice, data circuits and related support. The solicitation states Austin's desire to "[simplify] procurement and management by eliminating dependency on DIR contracts while maintaining competitive pricing."
The new contract will also enable the city to modernize legacy infrastructure, including the transition away from aging copper services.
According to the scope of work, the selected vendor will support both existing and future city locations, especially those not currently reachable by the city’s own fiber transport network. Services must be reliable, scalable and compliant with performance and security standards.
Vendors will be responsible for conducting infrastructure assessments, developing site-specific connectivity plans, designing and deploying network solutions, and providing long-term support. The RFP outlines expectations for real-time monitoring dashboards, 24/7 technical support, service-level agreements (SLA) with defined response times and a centralized billing system with departmental invoicing capabilities.
The city may award the contract to multiple vendors for a range of services including site surveys, implementation planning, legacy line migration and integration testing. The initial contract term is 12 months, with the option for up to four one-year extensions at the city’s discretion.
Ongoing vendor responsibilities will include performance tracking, optimization reviews and SLA compliance reporting.
More details about RFP No. 5000 GTG3005, including technical requirements and milestone deliverables, are available through the city’s procurement site. Responses are due by 2 p.m. Nov. 25. Questions are due via email to the point of contact, Genesis Torres Gonzalez, five business days before the due date.
Austin Seeks Distance From DIR Cooperative Contracts With RFP
What to Know:
- The city is soliciting proposals for broadband, voice and data services across departments.
- The goal is to replace legacy infrastructure and transition away from DIR-managed contracts.
- The contract will support connectivity for locations not served by the city’s own fiber network.
