Phone System Upgrade (RFP)

Black Creek Community Health Centre

Request for Proposal (RFP) for Phone System Upgrade

Request for Proposal (RFP) Number: 001

Submission Date: February 18, 2026

IMPORTANT DATES

Issue Date of RFP

February 18, 2026

Deadline for Proponent Questions

March 4, 2026

Responses to Questions

March 6, 2026

Bid Submission Date

March 23, 2026

Notification of Preferred Proponent & Contract Award Date

April 6, 2026

PART 1 – GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

1.1 INVITATION TO PROPONENTS

This Request for Proposal (the “RFP”) is issued by Black Creek Community Health Centre (“BCCHC”) and invites prospective Proponents to submit proposals to:

• Assess the design and performance of the existing phone system.
• Work with the BCCHC team to confirm the business requirements for upgrading the phone system
• Design an integrated system that will meet the requirements
• Source components for the phone system design
• Implement solution and test to ensure it meets performance requirements • Troubleshoot the end-to-end phone system to address issues in operation
• Monitor, replace and configure hardware and devices.
• Provide support for the end-to-end maintenance of the system for reliability, scalability, and security

This Request for Proposal (RFP) document sets out the requirements for the Proponent’s proposal and specifies the evaluation criteria and Proponent selection process for this phase. The Proponent must be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the requirements. The objective in issuing this RFP is to obtain the best overall value, considering quality, service, cost and other relevant factors.

1.2 CANADIAN UNITED STATES MEXICO AGREEMENT (2020)

Proponents should note that procurements falling within the scope of the United States-MexicoCanada Agreement (2020) are subject to all relevant chapters therein but that the rights and obligations of the parties shall be governed by the specific terms of each particular tender call. For further reference please see the Canadian United States Mexico Agreement (2020) website at https://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/trade-agreements-accords…

1.3 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1.3.1 Terms of Agreement

The Term of this Agreement shall commence upon the contract award date, or such date as may be agreed between the parties. The Agreement shall consist of:

• an Implementation Phase, commencing upon contract award and ending upon formal system acceptance by BCCHC; and
• an Operational Support Phase of five (5) years following system acceptance.

BCCHC reserves the option to renew the Operational Support Phase for up to two (2) additional one-year terms under mutually agreed pricing and conditions.

Proponents shall provide pricing that covers the full initial five-year Operational Support Phase.

1.3.2 Proponent Responsibility

All proposals are irrevocable after the official closing time. In the event the selected Proponent fails to accept the contract award, BCCHC reserves the right to accept the next qualified bid or any bid which meets the Request for Proposal specifications.

Proposals received by BCCHC after the date and exact time specified may not be considered. It is the responsibility of Proponents to allow sufficient time to ensure delivery of their proposals to the designated location prior to the stipulated closing time and date.

All information required in the procurement forms must be provided to constitute a responsive (valid) bid.

1.3.3 Queries during the RFP

The Proponent will base their proposal on BCCHC RFP documents. It is the responsibility of the Proponent to obtain clarification of any terms, conditions or technical requirements contained in the RFP.

Respondents shall promptly examine all the documents comprising this RFP and (a) shall report any errors, omissions, or ambiguities and (b) may direct questions or seek additional information in writing by e-mail on or before the Deadline for Questions to BCCHC’s RFP Coordinator Contact –Raj Thanaraj – Manager, Information Technology. BCCHC is under no obligation to provide additional information but may do so at its sole discretion. It is the responsibility of the respondent to seek clarification from BCCHC’s the R F P C o o r d i n a t o r Contact on any matter it considers to be unclear. BCCHC shall not be responsible for any misunderstanding on the part of the respondent concerning this RFP or its process.

Respondents and their representatives may not contact individuals employed or engaged by any member of BCCHC, other than the BCCHCs RFP Coordinator Contact, concerning matters regarding this RFP. Only information received by the BCCHC’s RFP Coordinator Contact will be considered in the RFP process. All such communications must be in writing, via email rthanaraj@bcchc.com) Any respondent that does not follow these instructions may be disqualified.

1.3.4 Amendments to the RFP

This RFP may be amended only by an addendum in accordance with this section. The answer to all questions or requests will be responded to by an addendum which will be issued to all Proponents. If BCCHC, for any reason, determines that it is necessary to provide additional information relating to this RFP, such information will be communicated to all respondents by way of addenda through email. Each addendum shall form an integral part of this RFP.

Respondents are responsible for obtaining all addenda issued by BCCHC.

1.4 EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

Incomplete proposals, namely those that fail to comply substantially with the Mandatory Requirements, Specifications, and Specific Terms and Conditions, will be eliminated from further consideration in the evaluation process.

Proponent proposals will be evaluated based on the criteria outlined in Section 3.1 as per weight values indicated in the Evaluation Overview.

BCCHC reserves the right to request clarifications and/or confirmations from any or all Proponents regarding any aspect of the proposal. In the event such clarifications and/or confirmations are requested, the BCCHC’s RFP Coordinator Contact will make the request. The request for clarification and/or confirmation will be directed to the individual named as the Proponent’s contact in their proposal. A written response to each such communication is required from the Proponent. Reference checks may be done to complete the evaluation.

1.5 ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSALS AND SELECTION

BCCHC reserves the right to select based solely on its assessment.

BCCHC reserves the right to award a contract or contracts in whole or in part.

BCCHC reserves the right not to accept the LOWEST or ANY proposal submitted.

1.6 PROPOSAL PREPARATION COST

All costs incurred in the preparation and presentation of the Proponent’s proposal shall be the sole responsibility of the Proponent. All supporting documentation and manuals, if applicable, submitted with the proposal, will become the property of BCCHC unless requested otherwise by the Proponent at the time of submission.

1.7 PROPONENT’S CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Material submitted by any Proponent that is to be considered as confidential must be clearly marked as such.

1.8 DEBRIEFING

Respondents may request a debriefing after receipt of a notification of award. All requests must be made in writing to the BCCHC’s RFP Coordinator Contact and must be made within sixty (60) days of notification of award. The intent of the debriefing information session is to aid the respondent in presenting a better response in subsequent procurement opportunities. The debriefing will include an outline of the reasons the proposal was not successful, making reference to the evaluation criteria. The confidentiality of information relating to all other proposals will be protected. Any debriefing provided is not for the purpose of providing an opportunity to challenge the procurement process.

1.9 CONTRACT OBLIGATIONS

Upon acceptance of a proposal, or any part thereof, either by the issuance of an official order, or otherwise, the Proponent(s) shall, if requested, execute and enter into a formal contract that is satisfactory to BCCHC including appropriate protections for the legitimate interests of BCCHC such as, but not limited to, warranties respecting performance, to properly secure the resulting contract, and to embody indemnity and related provisions that are deemed to be required to protect BCCHC .

1.10 FINAL CONTRACT – CHANGES, DELETIONS AND ADDITIONS

On completion of the evaluation process, a Proponent may be selected with whom discussions will be undertaken to refine the details of the contract for all or portions of a proposal chosen by BCCHC. Discussions may take the form of adding, deleting, or modifying certain requirements based on the response to the procurement document with appropriate adjustments.

BCCHC reserves the right to negotiate price and work schedule amendments with the successful Proponent.

If it appears that the timely signing will not take place because of non-acceptance of BCCHC’s terms and conditions, or through the need for extensive legal review to assess suggested terms, BCCHC reserves the right to award the contract to the next most-qualified Proponent or to otherwise terminate the selection process.

Modifications required after execution of the contract will be governed as prescribed in Section 1.11 hereunder.

1.11 CHANGES

BCCHC, without invalidating the contract, may make changes by altering, adding to, or deducting from the work, the contract sum being adjusted accordingly. All such work shall be executed under the conditions of the original contract. Such change order shall not be regarded to imply an extension of the time for completion, unless specifically stipulated in the change notice. No change shall be made unless in pursuance of a written order from BCCHC and no claim for an addition to the contract sum shall be valid unless so stipulated in the change notice.

The value of any change notice shall be determined as follows:

1. Quotations submitted in response to the change notice to the Contract shall be fully detailed, itemizing all components required to facilitate the change. Supporting documents and estimates shall be available to BCCHC upon request.
2. The value of all changes shall be agreed in advance by BCCHC and the Proponent on a firm price basis.

1.12 CONFLICT OF INTEREST

During the term of this Agreement, the Proponent shall not undertake or engage in any work for another client that could reasonably result in a conflict of interest. Any conflicts that arise or become apparent during the term of the Agreement shall be immediately disclosed to BCCHC, in order for BCCHC to determine the most appropriate course of action.

Determination of the existence of a conflict of interest shall be the decision of BCCHC, acting not unreasonably, and such decision shall be final.

1.13 GUARANTIES/WARRANTIES

Proponent hereby covenants and agrees:

1. The Proponent is fully registered and qualified to conduct business in Canada, and to carry out its present business and operations and the terms of this Agreement;
2. Proponents and subcontracted service providers are required to hold the requisite certificates and authorizations for practicing their trade in the province of Ontario. By virtue of making a submission, the Proponent certifies that the Proponent has satisfied itself that complies with these requirements. The Proponent acknowledges that BCCHC has the right to verify any information in respect of Item.1.3.14(ii) after contract award and that false, erroneous, or inadequate certification may require that the Proponent provide substitute personnel, at the Proponent’s own expense, for the approval of BCCHC;
3. To diligently perform the work and services to which this Agreement applies in a good, skilled and ethical manner and to a high standard of professional competence in accordance with the Specifications, Instructions and General Contract Terms and Conditions of the procurement document under which the contract is awarded;
4. To save BCCHC, its agents or employees, harmless from liability of any kind, for the use of any composition, secret process, invention, article or appliance furnished or used in performance of the contract of which the Proponent is not the patentee, assignee or licensee;
5. To comply with all laws, ordinances, rules and regulations bearing upon the conduct of the work as described herein, or affecting the employees or agents of the Proponent, and the Proponent shall indemnify and save harmless BCCHC against any violation thereof;
6. To promptly notify BCCHC, in writing, who shall make any or all necessary adjustments to the terms of this contract, should the Proponent observe at any time during the performance of its obligations and work of this contract, that the terms thereof are at variance with any such laws, ordinances and regulations governing the work;
7. To give all notices and comply with all by-laws and regulations as identified by BCCHC.

1.14 SAFETY AND LIABILITY

(i) Health and Safety

While performing its obligations under this contract, the Proponent's employees, staff, and agents shall comply with the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Revised Statutes of Ontario, 1990, Chapter 0.1, and all relevant Regulations, as amended from time to time, as well as any safety practices required by BCCHC.

(ii) Liability

The Proponent shall indemnify and hold harmless BCCHC from all loss, damages, or liability which may result from any accident to any of its employees, agents, or any other person (including employees, agents or representatives of BCCHC) by reason of any negligence, willful act or omission to act by any employee, agent, or those for whom the Proponent is in law responsible, whether on BCCHC’s premises or otherwise. This indemnity by the Proponent shall include any additional assessments, which the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board may assess/apply to BCCHC because of any accident involving the Proponent, its employees, staff, or agents, or those for whom the Proponent is in law responsible.

The Proponent shall indemnify BCCHC from any suits, claims, causes of actions, costs or damages incurred by reason of any negligence, willful act or omission of the Proponent, its employees, staff, or agents, or those for whom the Proponent is in law responsible, and any costs of preparing for and attending any hearing, and any legal fees involved in obtaining the services of expert witnesses.

(iii) Insurance

The Proponent represents and warrants that it has, and shall maintain for the term of the Agreement, at its own cost and expense, with insurers having a secure AM Best rating of B+ or greater, or the equivalent, all the necessary and appropriate insurance that a prudent person carrying out projects similar to the Project would maintain, including commercial general liability insurance on an occurrence basis for third party bodily injury, personal injury and property damage, to an inclusive limit of not less than five million dollars ($5,000,000) per occurrence. The policy shall include the following:

(a) BCCHC as additional insured with respect to liability arising in the course of performance of the Proponent obligations under, or otherwise in connection with, the agreement;

(b) A cross-liability clause;

(c) Contractual liability coverage; and

(d) A 30-day written notice of cancellation, termination, or material change.

(iv) Proof of Insurance.

If requested by BCCHC or designate, the Proponent shall provide certificate of insurance (or other proof as may be requested), that confirms the insurance coverage as provided for in (iii) above. Upon the request of BCCHC, the Proponent shall make available a copy of the insurance policy.

1.15 PRIVACY

1.15.1 Privacy

The successful candidate (Proponent) must comply with any applicable privacy legislation and with BCCHC’s privacy policies and practices.

1.15.2 Unauthorized Access

The Proponent shall immediately notify BCCHC if Confidential Information it handles on BCCHC’s behalf is stolen, lost, accessed by unauthorized persons, or collected, used, or disclosed inappropriately.

In particular, the Proponent shall immediately notify BCCHC if Personal Health Information it handles on BCCHC’s behalf is stolen, lost, accessed by unauthorized persons, or collected, used, or disclosed inappropriately.

1.16 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY

1.16.1 BCCHC Intellectual Property

The Proponent agrees that all Intellectual Property and every other right, title and interest in and to all concepts, techniques, ideas, information and materials, however recorded, (including images and data) provided by BCCHC to the Proponent shall remain the sole property of BCCHC at all times.

1.16.2 No Restrictive Material in the Deliverables

The Proponent shall not incorporate into any Deliverables anything that would restrict the right of the BCCHC or of any client to modify, further develop or otherwise use the Deliverables in any way that BCCHC deems necessary, or that would prevent BCCHC or any other client from entering into any contract with any contractor other than the Proponent for the modification, further development of or other use of the Deliverables.

1.16.3 BCCHC May Prescribe Further Compliance

BCCHC reserves the right to prescribe the specific way the Proponent shall perform its obligations relating to this Article.

1.16.4 Survival

The obligations contained in this Article shall survive the termination or expiry of the Contract.

1.17 FREEDOM OF INFORMATION

All proposals and associated information submitted to BCCHC shall become the property of BCCHC and shall be subject to Freedom of Information legislation.

1.18 CONTRACT DOCUMENTS AND ORDER OF PRECEDENCE:

The contract shall consist of the following documents and, in the event of a conflict between them, the order of precedence, notwithstanding the chronological order in which they are issued or executed, shall be as follows:

1. The executed Agreement/Purchase Order;
2. Addenda to the RFP and any subsequent negotiated changes;
3. Request for Proposal Document and all attachments; and
4. The Proponent’s proposal.

1.19 GOVERNING LAW

The obligations of the parties and resolutions of any disputes shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Province of Ontario and the federal laws of Canada both as to interpretation and performance and shall be treated, in all respects, as an Ontario contract. The parties shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the Courts of Ontario.

PART 2 – PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DELIVERABLES

2.1 ORGANIZATION DESCRIPTION

BCCHC is a non-profit registered charity, community-based health organization committed to improving the health of community members, particularly those at risk of poverty and discrimination. Our multi-disciplinary approach includes the provision of primary health, community development, advocacy, and innovative partnerships with other organizations. BCCHC focuses on the needs of adults, youth, families, children and individuals living in the North West Toronto catchment.

BCCHC is a multi-funded agency; its major funder is the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (MOHLTC), with payments flowing through the Ontario Health (OH). It also has other grants and funding from the Federal, Provincial and Municipal governments as well as partner organizations

2.2 PROJECT BACKGROUND

In 2017, BCCHC implemented the Bell Total Connect cloud-based PBX system under a five-year contract that expired in 2022 and has not been renewed. Following a cybersecurity incident in 2024, the organization has prioritized strengthening its security posture and stabilizing its IT infrastructure to restore staff confidence and ensure reliable operations.

As part of these stabilization efforts, BCCHC is seeking to replace its current phone system. The existing system presents operational challenges, particularly at one location where infrastructure limitations have required workarounds. Specifically, the site has only a single endpoint drop, leading the current vendor to deploy a mixer to combine voice and data signals and a splitter to separate them at the endpoint. Due to the age and limitations of this equipment, performance issues are occurring, including instances where phones are incorrectly acquiring data IP addresses.

Ongoing support for the current system requires coordination among the managed service provider (MSP) and multiple vendors responsible for various IT components. BCCHC requires a streamlined and collaborative support model in which vendors can work effectively together to resolve issues without the need for direct organizational intervention.

Accordingly, as part of its broader IT stabilization strategy, BCCHC is seeking to establish a new phone services partnership that delivers high availability, reliability, and responsive support appropriate for a healthcare service environment.

2.3 REQUIREMENTS, SCOPE, AND KEY DELIVERABLES

2.3.1 Scope of Engagement

The selected Proponent shall provide an end-to-end solution that includes:

1. Requirements validation and system design
2. Procurement and installation of hardware and software
3. Migration from the existing phone system
4. User training and change management
5. Ongoing managed support and maintenance services

The engagement is intended to provide an innovative and scalable solution. The Proponent shall assume responsibility for overall system performance and coordination with BCCHC’s Managed Service Provider (MSP).

2.3.2 Current State

Background

Sheridan Configuration:

At the Sheridan site, each workstation is equipped with two dedicated cable drops—one for the data network and one for the VoIP phone system.

• These drops are independently run lines back to the network closet.
• The network and phone systems operate on physically separate cabling paths, reducing the chance of cross network-network interference.
• As a result, devices consistently receive the correct DHCP scope and default gateway for their respective networks.

This represents a clean, standard deployment of VoIP and data infrastructure.

York Gate Configuration:

At York Gate, the physical network design differs significantly. Instead of separate cabling:

• The phone and network connections share a single physical cable run to each desk.
• At the network closet, these cables are combined using network “blenders” (essentially passive splitters or couplers).
• At each desk, the combined line is then re-separated into two ports using inline splitters—one for the phone and one for the computer.

This approach relies heavily on the proper functioning of the blenders and splitters to keep the phone VLAN and data VLAN isolated over a shared cable pair.

Issue Observed at York Gate:

Some of the blenders at York Gate are malfunctioning or failing to maintain pair separation.

As a result:

• Both the phone and the computer at affected desks receive the same physical connection and network path.
• This allows the VoIP phones to pick up an internal data-network DHCP lease instead of the correct phone-system IP, which prevents the phones from registering with the PBX.
• The issue temporarily resolves only after restarting network hardware or the phone, because the device reattempts DHCP, but the underlying cabling fault remains.

BCCHC Rules

The requirements, ultimate design and deployment of the phone system must align with maintaining the business operations in privacy and confidentiality of clients’ personal health information. This means that

1. The location of fax machines and printers should be such that PHI is protected
2. Access to applications with PHI should be managed by those individuals in the circle of care, who should access the information as part of providing care.
3. Video conferencing used to conduct confidential sessions will need to be secure

BCCHC Current State Telephony Environment – There are 3 site locations

Sheridan

York Gate

The HUB

Number of users/extensions

58

35

13

Concurrent call volume - Outgoing

170694

96150

6105

Concurrent call volume - Incoming

161252

89699

1586

Internet bandwidth per site

100 Mbps

100 Mbps

100Mbps

Network architecture (VLANs, QoS, redundancy)

Please see the Background explanation

Current hardware inventory

Polycom VoIP

Phones – 60

Faxes - 6

Polycom VoIP

Phones – 35

Faxes - 1

Polycom VoIP

Phones – 13

Existing cabling limitations

Separate voice and data drops at the end point.

One end point drop – Current design uses mixers and splitters at the endpoint

Separate voice and data drops at the end point.

MSP responsibilities vs vendor responsibilities

The MSP contract does not include telephony. They monitor all other areas in the network and need to understand how systems are integrated into the IT infrastructure

High Level Mandatory Business Requirements

1. Current Environment Assessment

Based on the BCCHC current network and telephony environment. Proponents shall include in their proposal:

• a preliminary assessment of infrastructure assumptions,
• any additional information required to finalize system design,
• a description of risks associated with unknown infrastructure variables.

The selected Proponent shall conduct a formal site and infrastructure assessment during project initiation.

2. Emergency Communication Capability

The system shall support the ability to deliver emergency broadcast messages to staff and designated client groups via automated voice and/or SMS messaging. Proponents shall describe:

• system capacity limits,
• delivery methods,
• privacy and security protections,
• integration options with external messaging platforms,
• any recurring carrier or usage fees.

3. Client Notification and Messaging

The system shall support configurable outbound messaging capabilities for appointment reminders and operational notices. Proponents shall specify:

• whether messaging is voice, SMS, or both,
• integration capabilities with scheduling systems,
• message customization options,
• reporting features,
• associated usage costs.

4. User Mobility and Device Portability

The system shall support user mobility features including:

• hot-desking or device login portability,
• softphone or mobile application access,
• remote call handling with presentation of BCCHC caller ID.

Proponents shall describe supported mobility features and any licensing requirements.

5. Bilingual (French) Service Requirements

The system shall support bilingual (English/French) operation including:

• configurable bilingual auto-attendants,
• recorded prompts in both languages,
• call routing rules to support French-language service delivery.

Proponents shall identify:

• system capabilities for bilingual configuration,
• translation responsibilities,
• operational limitations and recommended best practices.

6. System Availability and Service Levels

The Proponent shall provide a service level agreement (SLA) guaranteeing minimum system availability of 99.9% uptime during business hours, excluding scheduled maintenance.

Proposals shall include:

• defined maintenance windows,
• incident severity classifications,
• response and resolution time commitments,
• provisions for SLA failures.

7. Support Model and Vendor Collaboration

The Proponent shall collaborate with BCCHC’s Managed Service Provider (MSP) to support the telephony environment.

Proposals shall include:

• a defined support model,
• escalation procedures,
• responsibility matrix (RACI),
• communication protocols,
• incident ownership definitions.

8. Implementation Schedule

BCCHC anticipates project completion within 90–120 days from contract award. Proponents shall submit a detailed implementation plan including:

• milestones,
• resource assignments,
• migration strategy,
• testing procedures,
• training schedule,
• risk mitigation approach.

9. Reporting and Analytics

The system shall provide configurable reporting dashboards and exportable reports.

Proponents shall specify:

• available reporting metrics,
• data retention periods,
• export formats,
• real-time vs historical reporting capabilities.

10. Security and Privacy Compliance

The solution shall comply with applicable healthcare privacy and security standards.

Proponents shall describe:

• encryption methods (in transit and at rest),
• access controls and authentication,
• audit logging capabilities,
• data residency,
• relevant certifications,
• incident response procedures.

11. Migration and Transition Services

The Proponent shall provide a migration plan that includes:

• number porting strategy,
• parallel system operation (if required),
• rollback procedures,
• user transition support,
• downtime minimization strategies.

12. System Acceptance

Final acceptance shall occur upon successful completion of agreed acceptance testing. Proponents shall propose:

• acceptance criteria,
• performance benchmarks,
• testing methodology,
• documentation deliverables.

PART 3 – EVALUATION PROCESS: SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS, AND EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proponents’ proposals are to be based solely on the criteria described below and any Amendments/Addenda issued thereto. Proponents are advised to present the requested information clearly and concisely. The information should be relevant and given in context to this project with demonstration of a clear understanding of BCCHC’s requirements. Failure to provide the requested information may result in rejection of the proposal. Evaluations will be based on the criteria identified in the balance of this section.

3.1 EVALUATION OVERVIEW

BCCHC will conduct the evaluation of proposals in the manner detailed below. All scores will be added and, subject to satisfactory reference checks (including discovered and internal references, if any) and the express and implied rights of BCCHC, the top candidates will be selected and invited for an interview, if required. BCCHC reserves the right to adjust scores based on result of reference checks and interview. The following table summarizes the evaluation process:

Scoring Component

Weight as % of Combined Rated score

Stage I – Mandatory Requirements

Pass/Fail

Stage II – Written Rated Evaluation

45%

Stage III – Oral Evaluation

15%

Stage III – Pricing Evaluation

40%

TOTAL

100 %

Details on the evaluation of submissions are as follows:

• Stage I will consist of a review to determine which submissions satisfy all of the mandatory requirements. Those submissions that satisfy the mandatory requirements will proceed to
• Stage II will consist of a scoring based on the Written Rated Criteria.
• Stage III will consist of scoring based on the Oral Rated Criteria for Proponents that are successful in stage II.
• Stage IV will consist of evaluation of pricing, and subject to the Terms of Reference and Governing Law, the top-ranked respondent as established under the evaluation will be selected to enter into a contract for the provision of the Deliverables.

3.2 Stage 1 – Mandatory Submission Requirements (Pass/Fail)

Proposals that do not comply with the mandatory requirements including incomplete or late submissions, will be subject to the express and implied rights of BCCHC, be disqualified and not evaluated further.

3.2.1 All proposals must include (Mandatory Requirements):

1. Mandatory Response Submission Form (Appendix A)
2. Pricing Submission Form (Appendix B)
3. Conflict of Interest / Unfair Advantage Declaration (Appendix C), and
4. Reference Form (Appendix D)

With all forms completed and signed by the respondent where applicable.

Proposals that do not comply with all of the mandatory requirements including incomplete or late submissions, will, subject to the express and implied rights of BCCHC, be disqualified and not evaluated further.

3.3 Stage 2 – Written Rated Evaluation Criteria (45%)

Stage II will consist of a scoring by the Evaluation Team of each qualified Proposal based on the Written Rated Requirements provided below. Proponents are advised to present the requested information clearly and concisely. The information should be relevant and given in context to this project proposal. Proponents should also note and provide details about any part of their proposal that does not meet the stated requirements.

Proponents’ written proposal should demonstrate an understanding of the requirements by describing how the Proponent will deliver the services in Section 2.3 of this RFP. This description should include, but not be limited to, the following information:

• Proponent’s company profile
• Ability to show how the Proponent will meet Deliverables in Section 2.3.
• All relevant Avaya technical/professional certifications.
• Description of service packages that show how Proponent will meet service-level requirements (e.g., remote services, on-site services, on-call services, etc.).
• Description of how Proponent will meet the implementation timeline in Section 2.3.
• Any unique value-add services that differentiates Proponent from competitors
• Experience completing work of similar scope and deliverables.
• Experience working with non-profit organizations.
• Experience working in environments where privacy and security are of utmost importance.
• Experience working with and/or around Personal Health Information or other sensitive personal client information.

3.3.1 Additional Requirements and Value-Add Services

The proponent should provide information regarding the Service Level Agreements included with their proposal including but not limited to.

• Response times
• Warranty periods

The Proponent should also identify if it is offering additional value-added services as part of their proposed solution that is beyond the scope of the services outlined in this section and Section 2. Proponents should note that all services must be included in Appendix B (Pricing Bid Form). Proponents should also note and provide details about any part of their proposal that does not meet any of the stated requirements. The evaluation of these differences is under the sole discretion of the Evaluation Committee at BCCHC.

3.3.2 Evaluation Criteria

The above rated criteria will be scored as per below:

Evaluation Criteria

Weight

Understanding of the Requirements

35%

Written Requirements

65%

Total Score

100%

3.4 Stage 3 – Oral Evaluation (15%)

BCCHC reserves the right to schedule interviews with the highest-ranking Proponents as an RFP evaluation element. Pursuant to evaluation of the Proposals, and at the sole discretion of BCCHC, some or all of the Proponents may be invited to attend an interview. The selected Proponents will first be given time (specifics to be provided with the interview invite) to make a presentation to amplify their written submissions. Following, there will be an interactive session during which the Evaluation Committee members will present a series of questions, some of which will be common to all Proponents, while others will be specific to each Proponent. At the conclusion of each interview the Evaluation Committee will assess the interview with respect to focus, clarity, organization, team chemistry and overall impact and thereby assign a consensus score.

Administrative arrangements for the interview are as follows:

• Interviews will be scheduled by BCCHC.
• Timeslots will be assigned by means of random selection and may include multiple interviews taking place on the same date.
• Each Proponent will be allowed a maximum of 6 participants at the interview. When notified of the interview schedule, Proponents will be asked to name the participants in advance.

3.5 Stage 4 – Pricing Evaluation (40%)

Pricing will be scored based on a relative pricing formula using the Total Fees price set out in the Appendix B Pricing Submission Form. The pricing evaluation shall be scored based on a relative pricing formula where each Proponent shall receive a percentage by dividing that Proponent’s total price into the lowest bid total price. Proponents are to include all costs associated with their proposal including a current schedule of rates and the perceived costs of service delivery based on the project plan and team outlined herein. Proponents have the option to provide the breakdown of pricing applicable for the solution. Please refer to Section 3.2.1 to ensure pricing is compliant to guidelines in the Pricing Submission Form (Appendix B).

For Example:

Pricing Evaluation Example

Calculation

Price Bid score (Proposal “X”) =

th

(Lowest Total Price / Total Price for Proposal “X”) x 40, rounded up or down to the 4 decimal place.

Example Calculation

Two (2) Proposals have reached Stage III with the following total prices: P1: $1,000 P2: $2,000

The lowest Total Fees Price for the two (2) Proposals is $1,000 (i.e., P1).

The points awarded to each Proposal would be calculated in the manner set out below:

Proposal

Total Fees Price Calculation Price Bid Score

P1

$1000

(1000/1000) x 40, rounded

40%

P2

$2000

(1000/2000) x 40, rounded

20%

Upon completion of the pricing evaluation, the score from the pricing stage will be added to the score for the rated criteria for each qualified Proponent. The resultant highest total scoring qualified Proponent will be selected as the successful Proponent

4.6 Tie-Breaker

In the event that there is a tie in the final scores, the Proponent with the highest score in the Stage II (Written Rated Criteria) will be selected as the successful Proponent.

4.7 References

BCCHC reserves the right to contact any or all project references indicated in the Proponent’s submission and to use this information in the evaluation and scoring of submissions.

4.8 SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals must be submitted by the following method:

(a) Email:

The Proponent must submit one (1) signed proposal by an authorized representative in either Microsoft Word or PDF format. Appendix B should be completed and submitted as a separate attachment.

RFP Coordinator Contact:

Raj Thanaraj Manager – Information Technology BCCHC

RThanaraj@bcchc.com

APPENDIX A – RESPONSE SUBMISSION FORM

Respondent Information

Please fill out the following form, and name one person to be the contact for this RFP response.

Full Legal Name of Respondent:

Any Other Relevant Name under Which the Respondent Carries on Business:

Street Address:

City, Province/State:

Postal Code:

Phone Number:

Company Website (If Any):

RFP Contact Person and Title:

RFP Contact Phone:

RFP Contact E-mail:

Please check:

I/We hereby acknowledge receipt of Addendum nos. through to inclusive.

I/We the undersigned, having carefully examined, understood and agreed with the Procurement documents, specifications, and terms and conditions attached to and forming part of the Proposal, hereby accept without change or reservation and agree to be bound by said Proposal for the BCCHC “RFP Call” and all other works pertinent thereto.

I/We DECLARE that

1. No person, other than the one whose signature or the signature of proper officers and seal is or are attached has any interest in this bid response or in the proposed contract;
2. the individuals executing this document on behalf of the Proponent are duly authorized signing officers capable of binding the Proponent;
3. This proposal is made without any connection, knowledge, comparison of figures or arrangements with any other person making a response for the same work and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud;
4. no attempt has been made, nor will be made, to induce any other person to submit, or not to submit, a proposal, for the purposes of restricting competition;
5. the prices in this proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the Proponent, and will not knowingly be disclosed by the Proponent prior to award, directly or indirectly, to any other Proponent or competitor;
6. no member of the existing Board or Officer of BCCHC, or any proposed member or Officer of BCCHC is, or will become interested directly or indirectly in the performance of the contract, or in matters to which it relates, or of any supplies to be used therein, or in any of the monies to be derived therefrom;
7. the matters stated in this response are in all respects true;
8. I/We AGREE that this offer is to remain open for acceptance until the formal contract is executed by the successful Proponent for the said deliverables or for a minimum period of sixty (60) days, whichever event first occurs and that the BCCHC may at any time within that period, without notice, accept this bid response whether or not any other proposal has been previously accepted;
9. I/We AGREE to any reasonable extension of the sixty (60) days offer validity period should an extension become necessary;
10. I/We AGREE to supply all goods and services in accordance with all Terms and Conditions and Specifications as provided in this procurement document; and
11. I/We AGREE to negotiate with the BCCHC any change in sums payable as included in the Appendix B - Pricing Form, resulting from any additions and/or deletions.

Signature of Witness

Signature of Respondent Representative

Name of Witness

Name and Title

Date:

I have authority to bind the respondent

APPENDIX B – PRICING FORM

Proponents shall submit a separate copy (attachment) of their Pricing Form Proposal for the required Deliverables. The Pricing Form shall be clearly marked as Appendix B – Pricing Form.

As outlined in this RFP, Proponents must include the cost to meet the required deliverables and should provide a clear outline of costs (e.g. itemized list) for each of portion (e.g phones, training, labour etc.) of their proposal.

Pricing must include all expenses, disbursements, payment terms and Harmonized Sales Tax (HST).

APPENDIX C – CONFLICT OF INTEREST/UNFAIR ADVANTAGE DECLARATION

(To be completed and submitted with Proposal)

In order to be considered for a contract award, Proponents must submit the following statement and information regarding conflict of interest:

I/We hereby certify that the preparation and submission of this response to Request for Proposal (RFP) Phone System Upgrade by____________ _ (company name), its employees, agents and advisors was done in the absence of any conflict of interest or unfair advantage of those so involved.

I/We further confirm that _____________ (company name) of has not knowingly hired or retained the services of any employee or former employee of the BCCHC, where in doing so such employee or former employee is in breach of a Conflict of Interest Policy or separation agreement.

Principals of Proponent

Name

Address

Telephone

Proposed Participants

Name

Address

Telephone

Dated at this day of _, 2026.

(Signed – Original Signature)

(Authorized Signing Officer - Print)

(Title)

APPENDIX D – REFERENCES

CLIENT REFERENCES

Please provide details of three (3) references to whom you have provided similar services within the past five (5) years and provide as much of the following information as possible for each client.

Reference 1:

Client’s name

Client’s address

Client Contact name

Contact’s title/function

Contact’s telephone number

Contact’s email

Type of service / project implemented

Brief description of project:

Reference 2:

Client’s name

Client’s address

Client Contact name

Contact’s title/function

Contact’s telephone number

Contact’s email

Type of service / project implemented

Brief description of project:

Reference 3:

Client’s name

Client’s address

Client Contact name

Contact’s title/function

Contact’s telephone number

Contact’s email

Type of service / project implemented

Brief description of project: