New England Telehealth Consortium
Question: Is the FCC Rural Healthcare USF Program experience a mandatory requirement for submission? Conversely, if members of the Team demonstrate the experience other than the Prime would this scenario be acceptable?.
Response: Experience with the FCC Rural Healthcare USF Program is not required. Your response to this question will not impact the evaluation of your proposal. Our intent in asking this question is to become familiar with new vendors. Please provide us with information about similar experiences if available.
Question: Sub-section 13.6.3.1 requires previous experience with the service provider or proposing vendor. First, can you confirm that this is another area where similar experience/performance will be accepted?
Response: Similar experience/performance will be accepted. Please provide references from other customers with projects of similar size and scope.
Question: Second, may we receive a description of this model/environment so that we can provide an example of similar past performance?
Response: The New England Telehealth Consortium (NETC) network (NETCloud) is designed to be a TCP/IP based network providing any to any connectivity between participants for the purposes of collaboration, communication, and data sharing. The logical topology is that of a dual hub and spoke network, where the hubs are interconnected to support more robust failover as well as very flexible connectivity options.
Many organizations are utilizing Commodity Internet for connections to business partners. NETC’s goal is to provide better connectivity for this type of connection by utilizing end to end quality of service, and simplifying provisioning for these Communities of Interest by providing private Layer 2 connectivity via Carrier Ethernet point to point and multipoint LAN type services. See Network Diagrams Link below.
View NETC Network Diagram
Question: Sub-section 13.6.5 Compliance with HCF Payment Process and Rules. Similar to above; First, can you confirm that this is another area where similar experience/performance will be accepted?
Response: The HCF Payment Process and Rules refer to the service provider requirments of the Healthcare Connect Fund. Vendors must agree to comply with the process so that the consortium may receive subsidy on the services provided. If a vendor can not comply they will receive a 0 for this criterion. Please see USACs service provider web page for more information.
Question: Second, may we receive a description of this model/environment so that we can provide an example of similar past performance?
Response: Please see our answer to the previous question.
Question: What exactly is the due date for RFP-305??
Response: NETC-RFP305 for Network Monitoring Software is due by 3/26/19. This can be found on the USAC website https://rhc.usac.org/hcf/public/searchPosted.htm and is one day previous to the Allowable Contract Selection Date (ACSD).
Question: Which browsers will be accessing the support system?
Response: Our users are generally part of the IT/IS team at NETC member organizations. This being the case we expect the latest versions of Internet Explorer, Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari. This would include mobile device browsers. Responsive web design for the UI would be ideal.
Question: For the various locations where devices are to be monitored is there a minimum bandwidth?
Response: The minimum bandwidth available to NETC members is 1.5 Mbps.
Question: What security measures now exist to control access to devices (2FA, UTM on firewalls, etc)?
Response: 2FA is in use for certain features. ACLs and Sourcefire/Firepower are in use as well. Further discussion of security features will occure during contract negotiations.
Question: In general are all devices up to date with support contracts and is anything past EOL or approaching EOL?
Response: In general, yes. We are currently working to replace any devices that are approaching EOL
Question: What is the current system now in place for monitoring? Solarwinds, etc.
Response: Currently ManageEngine - Opmanager is in use.
Question: Is Netflow currently operational under the current monitoring platform? (11.2.2.4)
Response: Netflow is not currently in use.
Question: Can you elaborate on your definition of "Buffer Hits" (11.2.3.5)
Response: Buffer hits & misses as identified in the IOS command "Show Buffers"
Question: Does the WAN now support VoIP or are there plans to support VoIP in the future)
Response: Voice services are not provided over the NETC network however voice packets may traverse the layer 2 multipoint-to-multipoint connection provided to NETC members.
Question: Please confirm that remediation of issues is not within the scope of this RFP.
Response: Confirmed, remediation of network issues is not within the scope of this RFP. 24 x 7 software support for your software is required
Question: Who is the current provider of these services.
Response: ManageEngine - Opmanager
Question: Why is this RFP being requested - is there a specific need not currently met by the current system?
Response: The most recent update of Opmanager doesn't provide enough granularity in permissions. This leaves options available to NETC members that shouldn't be provided.
Question: My question has to do with our submission and the results of that?
Response: We are continuing to review proposals and expect to make all vendors who submitted proposals aware of the result in the next couple weeks. In addition a new RFP is currently running due to a potential issue. All vendors are welcome to respond either with their orginal proposal or with a new proposal. Link to New RFP
