Cloud-Based Integrated Communication Systems

RFP for implementation, configuration, testing, and training for a cloud-based integrated communication system in Alaska.

Intercom from multiple administration locations to classrooms, zones, or site-wide.
Allow for off-site access for approved personnel to make pages.
System must incorporate a graphical administration interface for bell schedules, volume levels, and duress button status.
System must be capable of muting local sound systems and classroom voice reinforcement systems when paging.
System must include wearable wireless microphones for teachers/speakers.
System must include wireless handheld microphones for students and guests.
System must incorporate wearable duress buttons for teachers and staff.
Duress button activation must include alerts on all ASD computers with graphic interface.
System must be capable of reporting which duress button is activated.
Cloud-based management is required; no on-site server will be allowed.
Vendor must hold a valid Alaska business license.
Vendor must discuss system supply chain and third-party reliability, including mitigation strategies for risks.
Vendor must hold manufacturer certification for the proposed system(s) or provide factory training to technicians.
Vendor must provide manufacturer's business history and system market duration.
Vendor must provide their business history and approximate number of installations performed.
Vendor must perform cabling and device installation or discuss subcontractor support.
Vendor's references must note implementations of equal or greater scale and in Alaska.
Vendor must provide manufacturer, model, and version numbers for proposed PA/intercom, duress, and classroom voice reinforcement systems.
System must allow more than one user to share the same set of voice reinforcement speakers.
System must allow two-way audio communication with wearable duress buttons.
System must be capable of mapping locations of duress buttons once activated.
Structured cabling must adhere to ASD standards; vendor must note if proposed system requires cabling other than unshielded twisted pair.
System must provide a minimum of ten minutes of UPS run time for all active intercom equipment with a 1500VA Tripp Lite XL unit.
Classroom volume control adjustments must be available via an administrative graphical interface, and classrooms cannot mute volume locally.
Vendor must describe system accessibility features and standards compliance.
System must be mobile device friendly and have responsive design, with details on mobile app review/update frequency.
Vendor must describe the system licensing model (flat fee, annual, enterprise, site, device-level).
System must provide ability for ASD to create custom reports/views and set custom permissions.
Vendor must describe integration capabilities between systems and other third-party integrations.
Vendor must describe network segmentation practices and recommendations, including any network filtering exceptions.
Vendor must describe any special software installation, add-ons, or extensions required.
Vendor must describe system threat detection capabilities, reporting functions, and ongoing mitigation practices.
Vendor must describe the lifecycle management of the system, including updates, patches, and vulnerability response methodology.
Vendor must describe the process and typical timeframe for notifying customers of identified threats/vulnerabilities and installing patches.
Vendor must describe the disaster recovery plan and/or process, including any DR drills performed.
Vendor must describe the system's offline operations, specifically functions that are lost if the system is offline.
System must have SNMP monitoring capabilities.
End devices must have a maximum 30W power requirement (PoE+); devices requiring more must be provided with a rack-mounted, managed PoE injector.
Vendor must provide documented standards regarding the storage and transmission of authentication credentials.
Vendor must describe support availability and response times, types of support (phone/email/web desk), hours of support (Alaska time), and client portal availability.
Vendor must confirm the vendor's labor and material warranty, manufacturer warranty times, and effects on warranty if a maintenance agreement is in place.
Vendor must indicate the probability that pricing for hardware, software updates, and maintenance agreements will escalate at 3% or less year over year.
Vendor must indicate if any developmental or support components are located outside of the United States.
Vendor must describe how change management and notifications are handled.
Vendor must describe the problem management process when addressing incidents that share a common root cause.
Vendor must describe data security, storage, and hosting practices, including the ability to suppress data exposed for public consumption and encryption.
Vendor must provide a recommended list of spare material.
Vendor must describe a typical training curriculum for maintenance, administrative, and user groups.
Vendor must describe the system capability or process to make mapping and documentation changes after turnover.
Vendor must describe the implementation plan, testing plan prior to go-live, and post-turnover training/support plans.
Vendor must provide an example or describe a typical quick reference guide for administrative console/master station.
Vendor must describe the process for communication with clients regarding license compliance and renewals.
Vendor must confirm if deactivating an account causes a loss of data associated with that account.
Vendor must confirm if there are any additional manual steps to activate accounts after auto import.
System must allow multiple locations to be assigned to users (staff/students) given a unique identifier.
System must provide a way to access data through a query.
Vendor must describe data integrity checks and provide reports related to data quality issues and errors.
System must provide ability for client to add/set custom alert messages and notifications to users.
Vendor must provide ability for client to bring additional data after initial integration for new report creation.
System must allow staff to link accounts for single sign-on and allow single sign-on for management users via district AD (SAML 2.0 or OIDC), mapping directory groups to roles.
Vendor must describe authentication methods used (Azure AD, ADFS, LDAP, local system accounts, other).
Vendor must describe minimum bandwidth requirements per client/session, peak usage, and confirm if per-client bandwidth need is below 15Mbps.
Staff accounts in the product must support multifactor authentication.
Vendor must describe what data can be auto-provisioned (user accounts, roles, groups, locations).
Vendor must confirm if accounts are automatically deactivated when users leave the client.
System must allow creation of exceptional user accounts for staff not auto-provisioned.
System must allow data transfer between user accounts when the user's main identifier changes.
System must be able to sync user accounts with SCIM (preferred) from Entra ID or via file upload.
System must be able to use single sign-on via SAML or OIDC with Entra ID.
System must allow the mapping of Entra ID groups to system roles via a list of groups the user is in via claim or OIDC connection.

$10,000,000 – $50,000,000

Issued on March 19th, 2026.

A pre-proposal conference will be held on March 25th, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Anchorage Time.

Questions must be received by April 2nd, 2026.

Proposals are due by April 9th, 2026 prior to 10:00 a.m. Anchorage Time.

Anchorage School District

Organization overview and procurement intelligence available on paid plans.

The organization seeks a vendor to provide cloud-based integrated communication systems. The selected vendor will be responsible for supplying all necessary software and licenses, as well as installing and configuring the solution both on a cloud hosting platform and, if required, on agency computers.

The scope of work includes testing and adjusting sound levels for speakers, ensuring these meet user-approved levels within classroom environments. The vendor must also test all duress buttons to verify mapping and reporting functionalities. The project will require initial system startup and testing to confirm basic operation, followed by final testing and commissioning to ensure full functionality and system integration.

In addition to technical installation and testing, the winning bidder will deliver system demonstrations and provide training to end users.

Cloud-Based Integrated Communication Systems

Overview

Fit Score

SUMMARY

KEY REQUIREMENTS

BUDGET

TIMELINE

QUESTION DEADLINE

Issuing Agency

DESCRIPTION

Similar RFPs