KANSAS PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ISSUE DATE:

TITLE: IT Services for KPERS Integrated Technology System (KITS) ISSUING AGENCY: KANSAS PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM ATTN: WILLIAM LANE WILEY CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER 611 SOUTH KANSAS AVENUE, SUITE 100 TOPEKA, KS 66603-3869

SEALED PROPOSALS for furnishing the services described herein will be received until August 21, 2018, @ 3:00 P.M. C.D.T. LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. ELECTRONIC OR TELEGRAPHIC TRANSMISSION OF PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SECTION VI. All inquiries for information should be directed to _______________________________ If proposals are mailed, send directly to issuing agency shown above. Packages must be labeled as indicated in Section IX, Special Terms and Conditions, Identification of Proposal Envelope. If proposals are hand-delivered, deliver to Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, Reception Desk, ATTN: William Lane Wiley, Chief Information Officer. Packages must be labeled as indicated in Section IX, Special Terms and Conditions, Identification of Proposal Envelope. Note: This RFP is posted on the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System web site, www.kpers.org, to allow Offerors the ability to view documents and programs referenced in this RFP. PLEASE RETURN THE ORIGINAL AND FIVE (5) COMPLETE PAPER COPIES OF YOUR PROPOSAL. ALL COPIES OF THE PROPOSAL BEING SUBMITTED MUST BE PACKAGED IN A SEALED BOX OR ENVELOPE. PLEASE SUBMIT ONE (1) ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE ENTIRE PROPOSAL IN MICROSOFT WORD OR PDF FORMAT. SEE SECTION VI FOR DETAILS. *************************************************************************************************************

In compliance with this Request for Proposals and with all Conditions imposed therein, the undersigned Offeror agrees to furnish the services in accordance with the attached signed proposal or as mutually agreed upon by subsequent negotiation. I certify that I have read and understand this Request for Proposals and am authorized to sign this proposal for the Offeror. NAME AND ADDRESS OF FIRM: DATE: BY: (signature in ink) NAME: (print or type) TITLE: FEI/FIN: TELEPHONE: E-MAIL: FAX:

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Table of Contents

I. Purpose ............................................................................................................................ 3

II. Background .................................................................................................................... 3

A. Membership and Employers .............................................................................. 3

B. Membership and Demographic Information............................................... 4

C. Funding Background ............................................................................................ 4

III. Timeline ........................................................................................................................... 4

IV. Communication with KPERS .................................................................................... 5

V. Statement of Needs ..................................................................................................... 5

A. Scope .......................................................................................................................... 6

B. Requirements .......................................................................................................... 7

VI. Proposal Preparation and Submission Requirements .................................... 9

A. Required Copies...................................................................................................... 9

B. Proposal Preparation ............................................................................................ 9

C. Proposal Contents................................................................................................ 10

VII. Minimum Qualifications .......................................................................................... 12

VIII. Evaluation Criteria and Award ............................................................................... 13

IX. Special Terms and Conditions ............................................................................... 17

X. Attachments ................................................................................................................. 18

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I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (RFP) is for the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System (KPERS or the Retirement System) to solicit proposals from qualified organizations to provide IT Services for KPERS Integrated Technology System (KITS):

Neospin™ Microsoft.NET Framework License Upgrades; KITS Maintenance, and operational support; KITS System Enhancements; Filenet and Kofax Document Capture support; and Disaster Recovery and Continuity of Operations support and services.

This RFP provides information on KPERS’ system, establishes the specifications and requirements for submitting proposals, and provides information about the proposal evaluation process.

The Retirement System reserves the right without prejudice to reject any or all proposals submitted. There is no express or implied obligation for KPERS to reimburse Offerors for any expenses incurred in preparing proposals in response to this request. In the event none of the proposals are satisfactory to KPERS, no selection will be made. Proposals submitted in response to this RFP become the property of KPERS and are subject to public inspection. KPERS reserves the right to modify the RFP contents and requirements at any time prior to the submission deadline.

II. BACKGROUND

The Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, located in Topeka, KS, is an umbrella organization for three pension groups serving the needs of virtually all Kansas public servants. Benefits are determined by the Kansas Legislature through legislative action, and the Retirement System administers the programs that deliver these benefits. With over $19 billion in assets, KPERS is an umbrella organization for three pension groups:

the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, the Kansas Police and Firemen’s Retirement System (KP&F), and the Kansas Retirement System for Judges (Judges).

KPERS is a governmental defined benefit plan governed by K.S.A. 74-4901 et seq. and Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The State of Kansas and Kansas unified school districts are required to participate in KPERS, while participation by other local political subdivisions is optional but irrevocable once elected. Prospective bidders are encouraged to review the Retirement System’s governing statutes which may be obtained from the KPERS Web site at www.kpers.org/procurement.htm.

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Period of Contract: July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2022; with options to renew for five additional one-year periods.

A. Membership and Employers

The Retirement System partners with approximately 1,500 public employers to provide retirement, disability and survivor benefits for public employees in Kansas. Our membership includes approximately 152,000 active employees, 98,000 retirees, and 53,000 inactive members. Participating employers include the State of Kansas, school districts, counties, cities, public libraries, hospitals and other governmental units.

B. Membership and Demographic Information

Complete background and demographic information, including the System’s fiscal year 2017 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report and calendar year 2016 Actuarial Valuation Report may be obtained from the Retirement System’s web site at www.kpers.org/procurement.htm. Prospective bidders are encouraged to review these reports.

C. Funding Background

KPERS is a cost-sharing multi-employer pension plan that provides benefits for substantially all public employees in Kansas. Employee contribution rates are established by state law and are paid by the employee according to the provision of Section 414(h) of the Internal Revenue Code. State law provides that the employer contribution rates be determined based on the results of an annual actuarial valuation.

III. TIMELINE

The following timeline is an estimate and may be adjusted at the Retirement System’s discretion any time during this procurement process.

Task Date

Distribution of RFP July 1, 201

Deadline for questions submitted in writing August 1, 2018

Proposals due (no later than 3 p.m. C.D.T.) August 21, 2018

Finalist presentations (if scheduled) September 3-7, 2018

(tentative)

Award business (contingent on final negotiations) September 14, 2018 (tentative)

Estimated contract start date July 1, 2019

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All proposals submitted in response to this RFP must be delivered to KPERS no later than 3:00 p.m. C.D.T. on August 21, 2018.

IV. COMMUNICATION WITH KPERS

KPERS is the sole point of contact during the RFP process and any questions should be submitted in writing to William Lane Wiley, Chief Information Officer, at Kansas Public Employees Retirement System, 611 S. Kansas Ave., Suite 100, Topeka, KS 66603-3869, or by email to lwiley@kpers.org, or by fax at (785) 296-9501 by 3 p.m. C.D.T., August 1, 2018. Answers to written questions will be posted on the Retirement System’s web site at www.kpers.org/procurement.htm. Vendors are responsible for checking the website periodically for updates to the RFP and responses to written questions. Telephone questions will not be accepted. No verbal communication will override written communications, and only written communications are binding.

KPERS policy prohibits direct contact between prospective service providers and KPERS Board members, consultants or staff regarding this RFP during the selection process. From the date of release of this RFP until an Offeror/ Contractor is selected and a contract is executed and approved, all contacts and communications regarding this RFP are restricted except communications with KPERS staff identified in this section and designated participants in attendance ONLY DURING negotiations, presentations, and contract award and execution. Violation of these conditions may result in rejection of a bidder’s proposal.

V. STATEMENT OF NEEDS A. Scope

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is designed to obtain proposals from qualified vendors to provide IT Services for KPERS pension administration system (KITS): Install and integrate all NEOSPIN releases with KPERS Integrated Technology System (KITS); install, integrate and maintain customization of ascent capture, IBM FileNet and KPERS Integrated Technology System (KITS); including but not limited to, development, operations, staff guidance and training. Provide alternate facility and services for designated critical staff for disaster recovery and continuity of operations planning and response. Additionally, provide KITS software, installation and support services at the KPERS designated hot site data center. Vendors may submit proposals for any or all of the services requested in this RFP.

B. Requirements

Neospin™ Microsoft.NET Framework License Upgrades;

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Vendor must provide the following services to customize KPERS application (KITS) to utilize the new framework features:

Installation of all major and minor Neospin™ framework release(s)

Neospin™ framework installation and configuration services for

KPERS KITS system

Neospin™ Microsoft.NET Framework License Upgrades services

Neospin™ framework regression testing (NeoCertify™) and pre-

deployment test results

Neospin™ framework user web site registration (release notes, tech

tips, etc.)

Neospin™ framework optimization services

24 x 7 access to Neospin™ support site

Automatic warranty extension

KITS System Maintenance and Operational Support

Vendor must provide the following:

Line of Business Service desk – Level 1 & 2 non-dispatched service

assistance or resolution delivered onsite or via phone, e-mail or on-

line communication.

Issue (PIR) management, analysis, resolution, testing, training and

deployment.

Vendor-administered configuration management and electronic

change management approval process for deployment of line of

business modifications.

Personalized code reviews with prioritized recommendations for

quality improvement.

Database documentation, management and administration including

index management, query optimization and other maintenance

tasks.

Quality reporting functionality using enterprise level technology.

Quarterly code review/quality reports.

Provide a minimum of 3200 on site hours each year.

Monthly accounting of hours utilized.

Unutilized maintenance and operational support hours transferred to

system enhancements.

Supporting KPERS IR team members with Operations including:

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o Service Jobs and monthly processing such as payroll, annual

statements etc.

o DBA maintenance

o System security administration and other system

administration

o Facilitating knowledge transfer meetings with KPERS IR team

members

o Assist with management of annual operations calendar tasks

o Disaster recovery site support in the event KPERS staff are not

available

Coaching/mentoring KPERS IR team members with the execution of

assigned PIR fixes and system enhancements such as correspondence

maintenance, adding search criteria fields to lookup screens, etc.

Support for at least one other Neospin based system or three (3)

distinct Microsoft .NET Framework based systems for public

employee retirement systems of similar complexity to KPERS.

System must support 2-factor authentication, database encryption

and provide data encryption for data in transit.

Support for data and system replication using tools such as Zerto,

VMWare and Veeam and Nimble.

Immediate remediation of any critical vulnerabilities related to

Neospin framework and all 3rd party software used in the KITS system.

System must integrate with Office365.

Be a Microsoft Certified Partner.

Annual billing due July 1 every year.

KITS System Enhancements

Vendors are to provide a proposed hourly rate for executing KITS system enhancements or upgrades requested at discretion of KPERS. The primary triggers for KPERS system enhancements are legislative mandates and business process modifications.

The system enhancement services must include:

Design, documentation, development, testing, training and deployment.

Cost and resource estimates for proposed projects and on request by KPERS.

Facilitating joint design sessions with KPERS business users as necessary to define enhancement requirements.

Vendor must provide scope, schedule and cost estimates as

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requested by KPERS before beginning work on enhancements.

Support for at least one other Neospin based system or three (3) distinct Microsoft .NET Framework based systems for public employee retirement systems of similar complexity to KPERS.

IBM FileNet Content Manager and Kofax Document Capture

KPERS requires first level operational support in the use and operation of its IBM FileNet P8 document management system and related hardware and software components including Kofax Document Capture. The IBM FileNet P8 system is integrated with the KITS system, and vendors must maintain the existing integration code. Specific requirements include:

First line operational support of the document management system

and related hardware and software components during regular

business hours.

Testing services to identify and analyze reported system problems.

Problem resolution assistance for reported system problems

involving third party hardware and software vendors including

problem reporting, tracking, and solution implementation.

Advice on the purchase and value of third party hardware and

software maintenance contracts that KPERS should maintain.

General consulting services covering questions about the system

hardware and software.

The evaluation and development of scope and cost estimates for

system enhancements or upgrades.

Support IBM FileNet and Kofax document capture for at least one

other Neospin base system or 5 other IBM FileNet and Kofax

installations.

Disaster recovery and continuity of operations planning and response

Provide documentation and planning assistance to ensure the KPERS disaster recovery / continuity of operations plan is up to date in regards to the (KITS) solution. Including an annual review of the KPERS continuity of operations plan.

Provide regular check of statistical data to ensure that KPERS site and the KPERS designated disaster recovery site are in sync.

Provide support staff and services to KPERS for execution of the disaster plan required to ensure immediate response in bringing KITS systems online at the KPERS designated disaster recovery site.

Provide 24 X 7 response to any KPERS declared disaster event.

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Provide operational support necessary for production system operation at the KPERS designated disaster recovery site.

Provide regular status reports to KPERS during any KPERS declared disaster event.

Assist KPERS staff during devolution to ensure operations are transferred back to the KPERS designated main data center.

Continuity of Operations support and testing services:

Participate in and support bi-annual mock continuity of operations tests.

Resource Plan

Vendors must include in their response their proposed staffing plan for delivering each of the above products and services for which they are bidding including:

Resumes of key team members who will be responsible for delivering

the products and services.

How the products and services will be delivered (e.g. onsite, via

phone, e-mail, on-line communication or a combination).

Will the proposed team include a dedicated service desk manager,

account manager, etc.

VI. PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP should be prepared simply and economically, avoiding the use of elaborate promotional materials beyond those sufficient to provide a complete, accurate and reliable presentation. The Retirement System assumes no financial responsibility for any costs incurred in responding to this RFP. All materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of KPERS and are subject to public inspection.

A. Required Copies

To be considered for selection, Offerors must submit a complete response to this RFP. One (1) original and five (5) paper copies must be submitted to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System in a sealed box(s) or envelope(s). PLEASE SUBMIT ONE (1) ELECTRONIC COPY OF THE ENTIRE PROPOSAL IN MICROSOFT WORD OR PDF FORMAT. No other distribution of the proposal shall be made by the Offeror.

One (1) original and five (5) paper copies shall be delivered to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System at the following street address:

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______________________________________________________

The electronic copy may be emailed to ___________or delivered to William Lane Wiley at the above address.

NOTE THAT PROPOSALS DELIVERED TO KPERS AFTER 3:00 P.M. C.D.T. ON AUGUST 21, 2018, SHALL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

B. Proposal Preparation

1. Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. Emphasis should be placed on completeness and clarity of content.

2. Proposals should be organized in the order in which the requirements are presented in Section V, Parts A through H and Section VI, Part C. All pages of the proposal should be numbered.

3. Each paper copy of the proposal should be bound or contained in a single volume where practical. All documentation submitted with the proposal should be contained in that single volume.

4. Ownership of all data, materials and documentation originated and prepared for KPERS pursuant to the RFP shall belong exclusively to KPERS and be subject to public inspection in accordance with the Kansas Open Records Act, which is at K.S.A. 45-215 et seq. (exceptions at K.S.A. 45-221).

C. Proposal Contents

Proposals submitted in response to this RFP must include, at a minimum, the information and documents outlined below.

1. Signed RFP Cover Sheet (see page 1) and Signed Addenda Acknowledgement Forms (as applicable).

The original signed cover sheet and signed addenda acknowledgement forms (as applicable) must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope inside the package containing the original proposal and original copies of other required documents. Copies of the cover sheet and addenda acknowledgement forms must be included in each copy of the proposal.

2. Transmittal Letter

The transmittal letter must include the company name, address, and the name, title or position, and contact information of the person or persons authorized to bind the Offeror to all commitments made in the proposal. The transmittal letter must identify all materials and enclosures being

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submitted in response to this RFP and must be signed by a person or persons authorized to bind the Offeror contractually.

The transmittal letter must include the following statement:

“We have read KPERS’ Request for Proposals (RFP) for IT Services for

KPERS Integrated Technology System (KITS), and fully understand its

intent. We certify that we have adequate personnel, equipment, and

facilities to provide the requested services. We understand that our

ability to meet the criteria and provide the required services shall be

judged solely by the KPERS Board of Trustees and its staff.

Our proposal is genuine. We have no conflicts of interest in providing

these services for KPERS. We have not directly nor indirectly induced or

solicited any person to submit a false proposal or to refrain from

proposing, nor have we in any manner sought by collusion to secure an

advantage over any other proposer. We have thoroughly examined the

RFP requirements and our proposed fees cover all services that we have

indicated we can meet. We acknowledge and accept all terms and

conditions included in the RFP.”

VII. Minimum Qualifications

See Requirements Matrix (Attachment A)

Offerors must complete and return all sections of the RFP Requirements Matrix (Attachment A).

Bidders must be of known reputation and shall have sufficient qualified personnel, experience, and facilities to provide the specified services. Bidders shall submit with their quotation, evidence of their qualifications, which shall include:

Bidder shall have experience in providing public pension systems support required by KPERS, and shall provide specific information demonstrating evidence of such experience.

Bidder shall provide a copy of the organization’s annual report and audited financial statements for the two (2) most recent fiscal years.

Bidder shall furnish as part of bid, a list of at least three (3) individuals who may be contacted as references. The list should include names, contact information, organization, position, and relationship to or services provided by the Bidder,

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Bidder shall furnish as part of bid, the name(s) and resume(s) of the person(s) who will have direct responsibility for planning, directing, and ongoing management proposed solution.

3. Cost Proposal Matrix

Offerors must complete and return all sections of the RFP Cost Proposal Matrix (Attachment B).

4. References and Client Base

Complete the following table, reporting only those client relationships with public pension system support similar to this mandate.

Identify (by name) your firm’s five largest client relationships (based on membership or covered members).

VIII. EVALUATION CRITERIA AND AWARD

A. Proposal Evaluation

The Retirement System will evaluate proposals based on the following criteria:

Type of Clients

Total Number as of December 31 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013

Total public pension system clients

Pension system clients covering 250,000 or more members

Pensions system with over 200 employers

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Other relevant criteria, as determined by the Retirement System.

At any time during the evaluation process, Offerors may be requested to be interviewed or to provide explicit written clarification of any part of their proposal. At its sole discretion, the Retirement System reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and/or to waive any deviation or defect (deemed by KPERS to be immaterial) within proposals. KPERS’ waiver of any immaterial deviation or defect shall in no way modify the proposal or the RFP documents or excuse the applicant from full compliance with the RFP requirements.

B. Selection Criteria

On the basis of the evaluation factors included in Section VII, Part A, Offerors deemed to be fully qualified and best suited among those submitting proposals may be interviewed by the KPERS Procurement Negotiating Committee (PNC) in a process that may include discussion and negotiation of key terms. Contract fees and rates will be considered but need not be the sole determining factor.

After interviews have been conducted with each Offeror so selected, the PNC will select the Offeror which, in its opinion, made the best proposal, and will recommend to the Board of Trustees that it award the contract to such Offeror. KPERS may cancel this Request for Proposals or reject proposals at any time prior to an award. The award document will be a contract incorporating by reference all the requirements, terms and conditions of the solicitation and the contractor’s proposal as negotiated, as well as other terms and conditions as appropriate.

VIII. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS

This solicitation and any resulting contract shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the State of Kansas, and any litigation with respect thereto shall be brought in the District Court of Shawnee County, Kansas. See K.S.A. 74-4904(1). The Contractor shall comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations.

B. KANSAS CONTRACTUAL PROVISIONS

By submitting their proposals, Offerors certify their willingness to comply with the provisions of Kansas Department of Administration Form DA-146a, Contractual Provisions Attachment, which states among other things that “[t]his form contains mandatory contract provisions and must be attached to

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or incorporated in all copies of any contractual agreement.” Form DA-146a is Attachment C to this RFP. In addition, in accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 18-04, Offerors must acknowledge and sign the State’s Sexual Harassment Policy.

C. ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING

By submitting their bids or proposals, Offerors certify that their bids/proposals are made without collusion or fraud and that they have not offered or received any kickbacks or inducements from any other Bidder/Offeror, supplier, manufacturer or subcontractor in connection with their bid/proposal, and that they have not conferred on any public employee having official responsibility for this procurement transaction any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services or anything of more than nominal value, present or promised, unless consideration of substantially equal or greater value was exchanged.

D. CLARIFICATION OF TERMS

If any prospective Offeror has questions about this RFP or the appendices hereto, the prospective Offeror should contact KPERS’ representative whose name appears on the face of this RFP prior to the stated deadline. Any revisions to the solicitation will be made only by addendum issued by KPERS.

E. PRECEDENCE OF TERMS

All of the above General Terms and Conditions shall apply in all instances. In the event there is a conflict between any of the other General Terms and Conditions and any Special Terms and Conditions in this solicitation, the Special Terms and Conditions shall apply.

F. QUALIFICATIONS OF OFFERORS

KPERS may make such reasonable investigations as deemed proper and necessary to determine the ability of the Offeror to perform the services/furnish the goods and the Offeror shall furnish to KPERS all such information and data for this purpose as may be requested. KPERS reserves the right to inspect the Offeror’s physical facilities prior to award to satisfy questions regarding the Offeror’s capabilities. KPERS further reserves the right to reject any proposal if the evidence submitted by, or investigations of, such Offeror is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to provide the services and/or furnish the goods contemplated therein.

G. BUSINESS CONTINUITY

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The Contractor must indicate any recent or anticipated changes in their corporate structure such as mergers, acquisitions, new venture capital, stock issue, etc. The Contractor agrees to present to KPERS a business continuation plan for this program in the event of natural or other disaster.

H. TESTING AND INSPECTION

KPERS reserves the right to conduct any test/inspection it may deem advisable to assure goods and services conform to the specifications.

I. ASSIGNMENT OF CONTRACT

A contract shall not be assignable by the Contractor in whole or in part without the written consent of KPERS.

IX. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. CONFIDENTIALITY

The Contractor is expected to comply with provisions of Kansas statutes regarding confidentiality of membership data and agrees not to disclose confidential membership information to other parties without KPERS’ prior authorization and approval.

B. PROPOSAL ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

Any offer in response to this solicitation shall be valid for 120 days. At the end of the 120 days the proposal may be withdrawn at the written request of the Offeror. If the proposal is not withdrawn at that time it remains in effect until an award is made or the solicitation is canceled.

C. IDENTIFICATION OF PROPOSAL ENVELOPE

The signed proposal should be returned in a separate envelope or package addressed as directed on page 1 and Section VI, Part A. The envelope should be sealed and identified as follows:

From:

Name of Offeror

Street Address or P.O. Box

City, State, Zip Code

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RFP Title:

Offeror’s Contact Name:

Contact Phone Number:

Contact E-Mail Address:

If a proposal not contained in an envelope marked as described above is mailed or delivered to KPERS, the Offeror assumes the risk that the envelope may be inadvertently opened and the information compromised, which may cause the proposal to be disqualified. Proposals may be hand-delivered to the designated location specified on page 1 and in Section VI, Part A. No other correspondence or other bids/proposals should be placed in the envelope.

X. ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A: Requirements Matrix

Attachment B: Cost Proposal Matrix

Attachment C: Required Contractual Provisions Attachment (KS Dept. of Administration Form DA-146a)

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ATTACHMENT C: Required Contractual Provisions Attachment (KS Dept. of Administration Form DA-146a)

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