News

RFP for Surveillance System

July 18, 2022 | by bbennett

Please click here for the full RFP document.

You are invited to provide a proposal for a replacement surveillance system including hardware and software for cameras and video content management for Times² Academy, 50 Fillmore Street Providence, Rhode Island.

• Proposals will be reviewed, and a contract will be awarded based on both ability to provide services defined in the “scope of work” and lowest quoted price for requested services.
• The contract will be in effect when signatures are executed by both parties.
• The requested proposal will be based on work defined in the “scope of work”.
• Request for review of the listed equipment and facilities will be scheduled through the Times² Academy representative. Request for a review must be scheduled within five business days of receipt of this request.
• All proposals will be submitted for consideration within ten business days of request receipt to the Times2 representative, David Schoonmaker.

Scope of Work

• The provider will complete a survey of the interior and exterior of the campus and thereby select the optimum camera, location and camera features to achieve optimal coverage as well as identify blind spots. This survey will be formally documented by the provider, and the details agreed upon by all parties before proceeding.
• PTZ cameras are preferred for all locations as they can be repositioned, and a home view set as a default remotely but that must be balanced with the cost.
• Cameras may have the following features depending on the location and application:

o All cameras will have a minimum native resolution of 4MP minimum and 5MP preferred, 4K used when required. We need to be able to identify individuals in hallways or outside if at all possible.

o All cameras will have at least one-way audio (microphone) and two-way where appropriate

o PTZ preferred – may not be practical if bullet cameras are specified for the exterior

o IR night vision for all cameras

o All cameras mounted below 10ft above the floor or ground level will be vandal resistant to IK10 specifications

o All exterior cameras will be environmentally protected to IP66 specifications

o All cameras will have a facility to store clips locally up to 128Gb.

o All cameras will operate via PoE or wireless systems

• Cameras which support ONVIF protocol to some degree with a minimum of ONVIF Version 20.12 – December 2020 will be preferred.
• Proposed system will have the capacity to manage a minimum of 100 cameras and should be able to manage up to 125 for future expansion without discarding the equipment to be proposed here.
• A Microsoft Windows based client, web and Smartphone client (Android and iOS) will be required to access video clips from laptops or Smartphones. All clients/servers/VMS must be reasonably responsive and retrieve video clips within five seconds or faster under normal conditions – sufficient WiFi signal etc.
• VMS, cameras and switches will be configured by the provider to the satisfaction of the owner’s representative. Training will be provided if deemed necessary.
• VMS and clients will have the ability to

o Speed up or slow down playback with time stamp search capabilities at a minimum

o Search for and export clips quickly and with the ability to securely share clips amongst administrative staff and emergency personnel

o Archive and quickly retrieve up to 14 days of video minimum for any camera, 30 days preferred

• Where necessary, CAT6 Ethernet cables will be run from the agreed upon camera locations to a network IDF or MDF location instead of the office spaces. This work will be included as part of your proposal in a separate line item.
• No system or vendor will be considered which requires a periodic license fee per camera.
• All accessories necessary for the agreed upon locations/cameras/hardware will also be quoted.
• An optional software maintenance agreement will be provided by the service provider as part of the service agreement. The agreement will cover firmware updates for all equipment as well as software updates for servers etc. This will be a separate line item.
• An optional hardware maintenance agreement will be provided by the service provider as part of the service agreement. The agreement will cover repairs of all equipment including cameras, connectivity and servers etc. This will be a separate line item.
• Any labor and materials outside this scope of work will be quoted, reviewed and approved with the owner’s representative prior to any additional purchasing or scheduling of work.
• All parts and services provided by the service provider will be warranted for workmanship and material defects. All expenses associated with warrantee work will be covered by the provider.

System Details

The present surveillance system consists of 82 cameras distributed around the interior and exterior of the time squared Academy campus. Administration depends strongly on the content available from this system and the ease with which content can be extracted is a very important aspect of the system.

Presently we have six DVR's feeding 16 video streams per NVR over RTSP to a blue iris server. There are two servers - one for elementary and one for the middle high school building. Blue iris has been very successful in providing very quick access to content, selection of content, and quick export of the desired clip. We are at the limits of blue irises capabilities at this time and as such a server upgrade is requested as part of this RFP.

Secondly, the great majority of cameras are coaxial analog cameras with limited resolution and limited field of view. We are requesting to replace, at the very least, the analog cameras with IP based digital cameras using Power over Ethernet. The survey which the vendor will carry out should indicate whether our existing IP cameras as few as they are, are adequate in terms of features and coverage and will interface with the proposed video content management system. The nine (9) IP cameras (Hikvision) already installed are compatible with ONVIF protocols.

Thirdly, the six NVRs are mounted in office spaces presently so the coax from the analog cameras terminate in those office spaces. In their place, CAT6 Ethernet cables will be run from the agreed upon camera locations to a network IDF or MDF location instead of the office spaces. This work will be included as part of your proposal in a separate line item.

We believe that we have the capacity to accommodate the Ethernet connections using our existing Power over Ethernet managed switches from juniper networks. The need to add network capacity or features can be discussed during the walk through.

Additional Features

We are considering these additional systems and features and would appreciate if you could add these as individual line items to be evaluated for value and cost as well:

• Enhanced coverage of the parking lots. Cameras mounted on light poles are likely the answer there. Usually, wires need to be run under the asphalt to do so but there might be practical wireless solutions.
• Image quality and system features to be able to capture license plate numbers as cars enter and exit the campus
• Cameras at key locations for face recognition
• Artificial Intelligence (AI) included in the firmware for motion detection, human figure detection, line crossing detection, etc.
• Combination video/audio doorbells at the main entrances with access controls integrated with the VMS if possible – the doorbell video would be a stream to the recording server.

Diagrams, Schematics, Maps etc.

Terms and Conditions

Language found in the “Term and Conditions” will include but not be limited to:

• Standard of care and warranties
• Customer obligation and commitments
• Indemnity clause for customer and service provider
• Resolution of disputes
• Termination of contract for cause

Provider will maintain and furnish proof of insurance for the duration of this agreement.

Provider will be responsible, (held liable), for all actions of their employs and vendors representing their interest while providing services for Times² Inc.