MSP for IT Services & Support

City of Evansville - Vanderburgh County
RFP-948-03-2026
Managed Service Provider (MSP) for IT Services and Support
NOTICE TO VENDORS
The City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, by and through its Board of Public Works (herein after the "City")
and Vanderburgh County Commissioners (herein after the "County") (collectively "City/County") on behalf of the
City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County is accepting sealed proposals for MSP for Information Technology
Services and Support.
Sealed proposals will be received by the City of Evansville's Purchasing Department at 1 N.W. Martin Luther King,
Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana 47708. Room 323 of the Civic Center Complex until 1:15 PM. CST on August 13,
2026. Proposals delivered after 1:15 PM must be delivered directly to the board by 1:30 PM with the date, and
time of opening on the front of the envelope. One (1) original, six (6) hard copies, and one (1) thumb drive
containing all requested documents and forms shall be submitted by the vendor in a sealed envelope clearly
marked as follows:
SEALED PROPOSAL ENCLOSED
(Vendor Name)
MSP for IT Services and Support
RFP-948-03-2026
Opening, August 13, 2026
All prices shall be Free on Board ("FOB") and delivered to various City and County Department locations
within the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County.
1. The Vendor shall state any discounts to apply. Discounts must be shown for individual items unless
all items have the same percentage of discounts.
2. Firm price proposals are required unless specifically designated otherwise. Any proposal which is
subject to an open or unlimited escalator clause may be rejected.
3. The City/County reserves the right to award on a line-item basis or lump sum basis, whichever is in
the best interest of the City/County.
4. Contract shall be awarded to the Vendor submitting the proposal that receives the highest overall
evaluation score and is determined to offer the best value to the City/County based on the
evaluation criteria identified in this RFP.
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MSP for IT Services and Support
Table of Contents
NOTICE TO VENDORS .................................................................................................................................................1
1. PROCUREMENT TIMELINE .................................................................................................................................5
A. Prebid Conference ....................................................................................................................................5
B. Questions and Answers .............................................................................................................................6
C. Proposal Delivery Instructions ..................................................................................................................6
2. BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................................................6
3. SCOPE SUMMARY .............................................................................................................................................7
4. RIGHT OF REJECTION....................................................................................................................................7
5. CONTACT WITH MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES ...............................................................................................7
6. AWARD ............................................................................................................................................................8
7. PUBLIC PROPOSALS OPENING PROCEDURES ........................................................................................8
8. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................9
A. Purpose ...................................................................................................................................................9
B. Objectives ...............................................................................................................................................9
9. SCOPE OF WORK ............................................................................................................................................ 10
A. MSP Leadership, Relationship Management & Business Alignment ..................................................... 10
B. Transition-in Requirements ................................................................................................................... 12
C. Service Desk & End-User Support .......................................................................................................... 12
D. Endpoint & Device Management ........................................................................................................... 14
E. Server & Infrastructure Management ................................................................................................... 15
F. Network Management ........................................................................................................................... 15
G. Cybersecurity Services ........................................................................................................................... 15
H. Business Continuity, Backup, & Disaster Recovery ................................................................................ 16
I. Cloud & SaaS Administration ................................................................................................................. 17
J. Application & Business Systems Support ............................................................................................... 17
K. Monitoring & Proactive Maintenance ................................................................................................... 18
L. Governance & IT Strategy ...................................................................................................................... 18
M. Operational Documentation .................................................................................................................. 18
N. Project Management & Initiative Delivery............................................................................................. 19
O. Operational Task Catalog & Responsibility Assignment Matrix (RACI) .................................................. 20
P. Proactive Infrastructure Program (Included Managed Services) ........................................................... 20
Q. Special Projects & Technology Modernization ...................................................................................... 21
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MSP for IT Services and Support
R. Service Level Agreement (SLA) ............................................................................................................... 22
S. Monitoring & Performance Management ............................................................................................. 22
T. Reporting Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 22
U. Performance Incentives & Penalties ...................................................................................................... 23
V. Transition & Knowledge Transfer (Contract End) .................................................................................. 23
W. Termination Assistance Requirements .................................................................................................. 23
10. STANDARDS AND COMPLIANCE ................................................................................................................ 23
A. Industry Standards ................................................................................................................................. 23
B. Security & Compliance Requirements ................................................................................................... 24
11. RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONS ......................................................................................................................... 24
A. Technical Proposal ................................................................................................................................. 24
1. Compliance and Documentation ........................................................................................................... 24
a. Cover Letter ............................................................................................................................................ 24
b. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................ 25
2. Service Delivery & Technical Approach.................................................................................................. 25
3. Vendor Experience, Qualifications, & References ................................................................................. 26
a. Company Qualifications and Public Sector Experience.......................................................................... 26
b. References.............................................................................................................................................. 26
4. Exceptions, Assumptions, and Exclusions .............................................................................................. 26
5. Required Forms ...................................................................................................................................... 26
B. Cost Proposal ......................................................................................................................................... 26
1. Cover Letter ............................................................................................................................................ 27
2. Cost Proposal Template ......................................................................................................................... 27
C. Proposal Page Limit ................................................................................................................................ 27
12. EVALUATION CRITERIA & PROCESS ........................................................................................................... 27
13. BID AND PERFORMANCE BOND ................................................................................................................ 28
14. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE ........................................................................................................ 28
15. LAWS .......................................................................................................................................................... 28
16. VENDORS .................................................................................................................................................... 28
17. INDEMNIFICATION ..................................................................................................................................... 28
18. E-VERIFY PROGRAM ................................................................................................................................... 29
19. TAXES.......................................................................................................................................................... 29
20. LICENSES AND PERMITS ............................................................................................................................. 29
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MSP for IT Services and Support
21. CHOICE OF LAW AND VENUE ..................................................................................................................... 29
22. VENDOR'S INSURANCE .............................................................................................................................. 29
23. PROOF OF INSURANCE .............................................................................................................................. 31
24. NONAPPROPRIATION ................................................................................................................................ 31
25. ADVERSARIAL PARTIES .............................................................................................................................. 31
26. ESTIMATED QUANTITIES............................................................................................................................ 31
27. PAYMENT TERMS AND INVOICING ........................................................................................................... 32
28. VENDOR CHECKLIST ................................................................................................................................... 32
Appendices ........................................................................................................................................................... 34
Appendix A - Service Level Agreements ................................................................................................................. 35
Appendix B - Performance Incentives and Penalties .............................................................................................. 39
Appendix C NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT ................................................................................................................ 41
Appendix D NON-CONFLICT OF INTEREST/FAMILIAL DISCLOSURE FORM .............................................................. 43
Appendix E INDIANA LEGAL EMPLOYMENT DECLARATION .................................................................................... 44
Appendix F EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY .................................................................................................. 45
Appendix G Sample Contract ................................................................................................................................... 46
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MSP for IT Services and Support
1. PROCUREMENT TIMELINE
The anticipated procurement schedule is provided below for planning purposes only. The City/County reserves
the right to modify, extend, postpone, or cancel any milestone, date, or activity in the procurement process as
determined to be in the best interest of the City/County. Any changes to the procurement schedule will be
communicated to all prospective vendors through the official procurement process. Vendors are solely
responsible for monitoring procurement communications and ensuring timely compliance with deadlines
established by the City/County.
Milestone Date
RFP Released / 1st Advertisement Wednesday, July 8, 2026
2nd Advertisement Wednesday, July 15, 2026
Pre-Bid Conference Wednesday, July 22, 2026
Vendor Questions Due Friday, July 24, 2026, 3:00 PM CT
Responses to Questions Published Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Proposal Due Date Thursday, August 13th, 2026
Evaluation Period August 14th - 31st, 2026
Recommendation / Notice of Intent to Award Thursday, September 3rd, 2026
Contract Approval & Award October 2026
A. Prebid Conference
An optional pre-bid conference will be conducted to provide an overview of the procurement, review the scope
of services, and answer questions regarding the solicitation. Attendance is strongly encouraged but is not
required to submit a proposal.
The pre-bid conference will be conducted virtually via Microsoft Teams on the date and time identified in the
timeline above.
Microsoft Teams Meeting Link:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/255422607732424?p=58vuKZ8B7qsx8uE622
Dial in by phone
+1 469-998-7710,,240811545# United States, Dallas
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 240 811 545#
Statements made during the pre-bid conference are informational only and shall not modify the requirements of
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this RFP. Only written addenda issued by the City/County shall constitute official interpretations, clarifications,
or modifications to this solicitation.
B. Questions and Answers
Vendors may submit written questions regarding this RFP until the deadline identified in the procurement
timeline. All questions, clarifications, or discrepancies shall be directed to Vernon Lutz via email at
vlutz@evansville.in.gov and include "Managed Service Provider (MSP) for IT Services and Support RFP-948-03-
2026" in the email subject line. Vendors shall use Attachment A Questions and Answers Template to document
questions. Verbal questions or requests for clarification will not be considered official.
The City/County will review all timely submitted questions and issue written responses through an official
addendum. Responses will be provided to all prospective vendors in accordance with the procurement timeline.
Only written addenda issued by the City/County shall constitute official interpretations, clarifications, or
modifications to this solicitation.
C. Proposal Delivery Instructions
Sealed proposals will be received by the City of Evansville's Purchasing Department at 1 N.W. Martin Luther
King, Jr. Boulevard, Evansville, Indiana 47708. Room 323 of the Civic Center Complex until 1:15 p.m. CST on
Thursday, August 13, 2026. Proposals delivered after 1:15 PM must be delivered directly to the board in room
301 by 1:30 PM.
2. BACKGROUND
The City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County operate a joint local government technology environment
supporting a broad range of public services, administrative functions, elected offices, and mission-critical
operations. The current environment supports approximately 2,100 users, 2,300 devices, and 220 inventoried
hardware assets across City/County operations. A large portion of the devices are within a 2-4-year lifecycle.
However, a significant portion of assets are aging, particularly laptop devices. The environment spans more than
40 departments and operational units and serves users across over 20 physical locations. The server
environment is also heavily virtualized and with a majority of servers hosted on VMware platforms supporting
core applications and services. The City's department listing includes functions such as police, fire, parks and
recreation, transportation, public works, traffic engineering, purchasing, human resources, and computer
services, while the County's listing includes courts, sheriff, prosecutor, assessor, auditor, treasurer, health,
highway, public defender, and other County offices.
The City/County technology environment supports both standard administrative operations and time-sensitive
government services that require reliable connectivity, secure systems, responsive user support, and
coordination across multiple facilities and departments. Certain operations, including public safety, courts,
finance, dispatch, permitting, infrastructure, and executive functions, may require elevated responsiveness due
to their operational impact and public service responsibilities.
The City/County currently maintains limited internal IT staffing and outsources substantially all IT services. The
City/County has partnered with its current Managed Services Provider since 2007, with the most recent contract
renewal executed in 2021. The current agreement expires on December 31, 2026, and it is the City/County's
intent to execute a new contract and, if a new vendor is selected, complete an orderly transition of services
prior to the expiration of the current agreement. Vendors shall consider this transition objective, including the
proposed timeline, resource requirements, knowledge transfer activities, and continuity of operations, when
developing their technical approach and staffing plan.
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MSP for IT Services and Support
The Chief Information Officer (CIO) retains executive responsibility for technology governance, strategic
direction, policy alignment, budget coordination, prioritization, and oversight of the vendor relationship. The
selected Vendor will be expected to work closely with the CIO and City/County leadership to understand
operational needs, support departmental priorities, identify technology risks, and provide timely
recommendations and information to support executive decision-making while ensuring uninterrupted delivery
of IT services throughout the transition and contract term.
3. SCOPE SUMMARY
The City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County (City/County) are seeking a qualified Managed Services Provider
to serve as the primary IT service provider and strategic technology partner for the City/County. The selected
vendor will be responsible for day-to-day delivery, management, support, monitoring, and continuous
improvement of the City/County's technology environment, while the City/County retains responsibility for
governance, policy direction, budget approval, procurement authority, risk acceptance, and strategic technology
priorities.
The scope includes comprehensive IT services such as help desk and end-user support, Tier 1/2/3 technical
support, onsite and remote support, endpoint and device management, server and infrastructure
administration, network management, cybersecurity services, backup and disaster recovery, cloud and SaaS
administration, application and business systems support, monitoring, proactive maintenance, operational
documentation, and support for approved municipal technology platforms.
The vendor will be expected to provide a proactive service delivery model focused on reliability, security,
responsiveness, and continuous improvement. This includes 24x7 monitoring, automated alerting, preventative
maintenance, capacity planning, root cause analysis for significant outages and recurring incidents, cybersecurity
monitoring and incident response, vulnerability management, patch compliance, and support for applicable
compliance requirements.
The vendor will also support governance, reporting, project management, strategic planning, technology
roadmaps, lifecycle planning, budget forecasting, special projects, and infrastructure modernization. The
contract is intended to establish a performance-driven partnership supported by measurable service levels,
transparent reporting, quarterly performance reviews, and clear accountability for service quality, operational
resilience, cybersecurity maturity, and long-term technology sustainability.
The City/County has provided supporting infrastructure, hardware, software, lifecycle, and technology inventory
information as Attachment B Hardware and Application Inventory to this RFP. Vendors shall utilize these
inventories when developing staffing models, service delivery approaches, transition plans, operational
assumptions, and pricing proposals. Vendors are responsible for validating their assumptions during the
procurement process and identifying any limitations, exclusions, or additional information required.
4. RIGHT OF REJECTION
The City/County reserves the right to reject any one-or all proposals, or any part of any proposal, to waive
any irregularities in any proposal, and to award the purchase in the best interest of the City/County.
Furthermore, the City/County reserves the right to hold the proposals of the 3 (three) highest-scoring
vendors for a period of 60 (sixty) calendar days from and after the time of the opening of the proposals.
5. CONTACT WITH MUNICIPAL EMPLOYEES
There shall be no verbal discussion of any nature concerning this RPF between any Vendor and City/County
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MSP for IT Services and Support
employees, elected official, and/or Board Members before, during or after the public opening. To ensure a fair
and objective evaluation of quotes all questions, clarifications, or discrepancies shall be directed to Vernon Lutz
via email at vlutz@evansville.in.gov by July 24, 2026 that a response may be provided and distributed to all
prospective Vendors by July 29, 2026.
6. AWARD
It is the intent of the Board to enter into a two (2) year agreement, with the ability to extend for an additional
three (3) one (1) year periods with a vendor that will emphasize administrative efficiencies, and possess the
capacity, infrastructure, and organizational competence to perform required functions necessary for
managed care under this proposal.
All agreed upon pricing shall be guaranteed pricing throughout the lifetime of the agreement.
Proposals will first be reviewed to determine if the mandatory requirements have been met. Responsiveness
will be measured by the Vendor's response to the stated requirements in the specifications. Failure to meet
the mandatory submission requirements may result in the proposal being rejected.
Accepted proposals will be reviewed by an evaluation committee and scored against stated criteria. During
the evaluation process, the City/County may, at its discretion, request anyone or all firms to make oral
presentations to supplement their proposals. Such presentations will provide firms with an opportunity to
answer any questions the City/County may have on the firm's proposal. Not all firms may be asked to
make such oral presentations.
Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of the Vendor's experience in providing similar service, experience,
price, references provided and the ability of the Vendor to meet the City/County's reporting and
scheduling requirements.
The City/County reserves the right to negotiate the terms of the contract, including the award amount of this
contract, with the selected vendor prior to entering into a contract. The City/County reserves the right to
hold the proposal of the three (3) highest-scoring vendors for a period of 60 (sixty) calendar days after the
time of the opening.
Once a vendor has been awarded a contract, proposals and other procurement records shall be available in
accordance with applicable City/County procurement policies. Vendors who wish to request copies of
procurement materials may do so by contacting the Purchasing Department dstreeter@evansville.in.gov or
at the above address and time. A fee may be charged for paper copies.
7. PUBLIC PROPOSALS OPENING PROCEDURES
A. The purpose of a public opening is for a reading of proposals received. Under normal
circumstances, no award will be made or implied at this time, unless otherwise indicated.
B. Only the following information will be given:
a. Vendor name
C. Proposals or related documents may not be reviewed at the proposal opening. No discussion of
any nature concerning brand names, deliveries, samples, etc., can be entered into between any
City/County personnel and any Vendor personnel during or after the proposal opening until the
evaluation of proposals has been completed and a recommendation for award has been made.
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MSP for IT Services and Support
8. PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES
A. Purpose
The City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County ("City/County") is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP)
to procure a qualified Managed Services Provider (MSP) to assume full responsibility for the delivery,
management, and continuous optimization of the City/County's information technology services.
The selected vendor will function as the City/County's primary IT service provider and strategic partner,
accountable for maintaining secure, reliable, and high-performing technology operations across
infrastructure, cybersecurity, and end-user services. In addition to operational excellence, the vendor
will play a critical role in advancing the City/County's technology posture through proactive planning,
innovation, and alignment with long-term business and modernization goals.
While the selected Vendor will be responsible for the day-to-day delivery, management, and support of
IT services, the City/County shall retain responsibility for executive decision-making, governance, policy
direction, budget approval, procurement authority, risk acceptance, and strategic technology
prioritization. The Vendor is expected to function as a trusted advisor and strategic partner, providing
recommendations and operational expertise to support informed decision-making by City/County
leadership.
This engagement is intended to establish a results-driven partnership in which the MSP is responsible for
delivering measurable service outcomes, strengthening cybersecurity and resilience, enhancing user
experience, and driving continuous improvement across the City/County's technology environment.
B. Objectives
The objectives of this Request for Proposal (RFP) are to select a Vendor that shall:
1. Deliver End-to-End IT Operations
The Vendor shall be responsible for the delivery, management, and support of all IT services,
including service desk, onsite and remote end-user support, infrastructure, systems, and
applications, and shall maintain sufficient onsite presence, staffing depth, and responsiveness to
provide timely support for daily operations, outages, infrastructure failures, executive needs,
major projects, and emergency situations across all City/County departments.
2. Manage and Secure the Technology Environment
The Vendor shall implement, manage, and continuously enhance cybersecurity controls,
including monitoring, threat detection, incident response, vulnerability management, and
compliance with all applicable regulatory and security requirements (e.g., CJIS, HIPAA, IRS
Publication 1075).
3. Maintain and Optimize Infrastructure
The Vendor shall manage and maintain all IT infrastructure to ensure system availability,
performance, and resiliency, including responsibility for backups, disaster recovery, business
continuity, and proactive identification and remediation of risks.
4. Lead Technology Planning and Governance
The Vendor shall provide strategic IT leadership, technology planning, budgeting support,
lifecycle management, and roadmap development to support City/County priorities and long-
term modernization initiatives, while recognizing that the City/County retains responsibility for
governance, policy direction, budget approval, procurement decisions, and strategic technology
prioritization.
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MSP for IT Services and Support
5. Provide Performance Management and Reporting
The Vendor shall define, implement, and maintain measurable service levels, performance
metrics, and reporting processes, and shall be accountable for meeting agreed-upon service
level agreements (SLAs) and delivering transparent operational reporting.
6. Implement a Proactive Service Delivery Model
The Vendor shall operate a proactive and preventative service model, including continuous
monitoring, maintenance, capacity planning, and execution of ongoing improvement initiatives
to enhance performance, security, and operational efficiency.
9. SCOPE OF WORK
The City/County intends to retain ownership of all information technology assets, including hardware,
infrastructure, networks, systems, applications, cloud services, software, licenses, subscriptions, configurations,
data, documentation, credentials, inventories, diagrams, procedures, reports, work products, and all other
operational or technical information created, maintained, or utilized in the performance of the services
described in this Scope of Work. The City/County expects the Vendor to serve as the administrator and operator
of the City/County's technology environment and not establish or maintain proprietary ownership, control, or
restrictions that limit the City/County's access to, use of, or transfer of its technology assets, operational
information, or documentation during or upon expiration or termination of the contract. Ownership and
operational expectations will be determined during contract negotiations.
The awarded vendor shall provide end-to-end IT Services including, but not limited to:
A. MSP Leadership, Relationship Management & Business Alignment
The Vendor shall provide a leadership and governance structure sufficient to support the operational,
strategic, and business objectives of the City/County. Vendors may propose full-time, part-time, shared,
or fractional resources, provided the proposed staffing model adequately supports the scope of services,
service level requirements, governance expectations, and business needs of the City/County. The
Vendor shall maintain sufficient staffing depth and subject matter expertise to support all contracted
services regardless of the staffing model proposed.
The Vendor shall provide one (1) full-time onsite resource during normal business hours and sufficient
additional onsite staffing as necessary to meet SLA requirements.
At a minimum, the Vendor shall identify and assign the following key roles:
1. Executive Sponsor
a. Serve as the executive escalation point for the City/County
b. Provide executive oversight of contract performance and service delivery
c. Participate in executive business reviews and strategic planning sessions.
d. Ensure appropriate vendor resources are available to support City/County priorities.
2. Strategic Account Manager
a. Serve as the primary point of contact for overall account management.
b. Coordinate service delivery, contract administration, governance activities, and
performance reviews
c. Facilitate strategic planning, budgeting discussions, and technology roadmap development.
d. Coordinate resolution of escalated service issues and contractual matters
3. Business Technology Liaison
a. Serve as the primary liaison between City/County business units and the Vendor
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