Illinois Administrative Code › Title 83 - PUBLIC UTILITIES › Part 756 - TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES › Subpart B - TELECOMMUNICATIONS CARRIER OBLIGATIONS › Section 756.115 - RFP Selection Process

Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 28, July 12, 2024
a) The ITAC,
				on behalf of the carriers, shall develop and circulate to prospective system
				providers an RFP for the provision of the relay system through which
				telecommunications carriers shall provide the relay service mandated by Section
				13-703(b) of the Act and this Part.
1) The RFP
				shall require each respondent to submit a proposal for the design, configuration and
				supply of a statewide relay system meeting or exceeding the minimum specifications
				and standards prescribed in Sections
				756.200,
				756.205,
				756.210
				and
				756.215.
2) The RFP shall require each respondent to
				supply, either through direct provision or through the securing of services and
				facilities provided by other entities, the following:
A) All relay center buildings, real estate,
				permits, rights-of-way or clearances necessary to operate the relay system as
				specified in this Part;
B) All
				telecommunications trunks, cables or lines connected to the relay center in order to
				receive or initiate telecommunications for the purposes of providing the relay
				system as specified in this Part;
C) All
				telecommunications or other facilities and equipment required in order to provide
				the relay system as specified in this Part;
D) All supplies, furniture or miscellaneous items
				required in order to provide the relay system as specified in this Part;
				and
E) All personnel and the training of
				such personnel required in order to staff and operate the relay system as specified
				in this Part.
3) The RFP
				shall state whether responses shall be based on a cost-plus-fee or a fixed-cost type
				contract.
4) Prior to circulating the
				RFP to prospective system providers, ITAC, on behalf of the carriers, shall file the
				RFP with the Commission for approval, providing copies to the Advisory Council and
				Staff Liaison on the file date.
A) The Advisory
				Council and Staff Liaison shall have the opportunity to file comments on the RFP
				within 20 business days following the file date of the RFP. The ITAC, on behalf of
				the carriers, shall be allowed to respond to the comments within 10 business days
				following the close of the comment period.
B) The Commission shall approve or disapprove the
				RFP for circulation to prospective system providers by ITAC, on behalf of the
				carriers, based upon the conformity of the RFP with the requirements of Section
				13-703(b) of the Act and this Part.
C)
				If the Commission disapproves the RFP, the Commission shall:
i) Specify those aspects which do not conform to
				the specifications of this Part; and
ii)
				Direct ITAC, on behalf of the carriers, to revise the RFP in regard to those
				elements.
5)
				System provider proposals shall be evaluated on the following criteria:
A) The ability of a proposal to cost-effectively
				achieve the relay system requirements prescribed by this Part;
B) A bidder's abilities to fulfill the conditions
				of its proposal. The bidder shall be assessed according to its financial condition
				(e.g., net worth, cash flow, and ability to raise capital); technical, operational
				and managerial expertise; and past experience and level and quality of
				performance.
C) A bidder's prior
				experience in providing relay services.
6) Each RFP will indicate a date, time, and place
				for prospective system providers to submit a bid or proposal. Responses received
				late shall not be considered.
7) All
				bids or proposals received prior to the time set for opening shall be opened in
				public at the date, time, and place specified in the RFP.