Senior Telecommunications RFP Advisory Consultant - HYBRID

Job Description:

***Crop to Crop resumes are accepted

The Mississippi Department of Information Technology Services (ITS) seeks a qualified third- party telecommunications advisory and professional services provider to support the development of a new statewide Telecommunications Request for Proposal (RFP 6000). RFP 6000 will replace the existing statewide telecommunications RFP (RFP 5000) and will modernize how telecommunications services are procured, governed, and delivered across State agencies and other eligible entities. ITS is expecting the RFP to be ready for procurement to start the internal quality assurance process no later than January 31, 2027.

The selected provider will assist ITS in:

• Evaluating the scope and intent of RFP 5000 as a baseline
• Identifying obsolete or legacy technologies that will not be rebid
• Modernizing service definitions to reflect current and emerging telecommunications capabilities
• Developing procurement-ready technical specifications organized into multiple
  service categories. Currently, there are thirteen (13) preliminary categories that
  will need to be written, Attachment A, however they are subject to change.
• Facilitating agency engagement through a Network Advisory Council (NAC) to ensure agency needs are reflected in the final RFP

The winning Provider selected to design the requirements, specifications, or evaluation criteria for this project is strictly prohibited from submitting a proposal, either as a prime contractor, sub- contractor, or consultant, for any subsequent Request for Proposal (RFP) or procurement related to the design project.

All potential conflicts of interest must be disclosed in the Provider’s proposal.

In Scope Work & Deliverables
Discovery and Current-State Assessment

The provider shall:

• Review RFP 5000 and related materials as background and context
• Identify:
  o Services that should be retained
  o Services requiring modernization or restructuring
  o Services or technologies that should not be rebid
• Conduct structured discovery sessions with ITS staff to understand:
  o Current statewide telecommunications usage
  o Governance, operational, and procurement standards and constraints
  o Desired future-state capabilities for RFP 6000

Network Advisory Council (NAC) Support

The provider, under the direction of the Telecommunications Director, shall assist ITS in forming and facilitating a Network Advisory Council, consisting of representatives from separate logical entities throughout the state, as identified by ITS.
Responsibilities include:

• Supporting agency outreach and engagement
• Planning and facilitating NAC meetings and working sessions on-site at ITS
• Structuring discussions to gather agency input on:
  o Service requirements
  o Pain points
  o Future needs
• Documenting and validating agency feedback
• Ensuring agency input is incorporated into RFP 6000 technical specifications

The intent of the NAC is to:

• Represent agencies early in the process
• Validate requirements before specifications are finalized
• Ensure statewide alignment while allowing for input from other local entities

RFP 6000 Technical Specification Development

The provider shall utilize a team that includes qualified technical writers and telecom subject matter experts with demonstrated experience developing procurement-ready specifications for large-scale public-sector telecommunications solicitations. The provider team shall beresponsible for drafting, editing, and ensuring clarity, consistency, and compliance across all category specifications.
Specifications shall include, at a minimum:

• Service descriptions and scope
• Minimum technical and operational requirements
• Performance expectations and SLAs
• Reporting and compliance requirements
• Transition, implementation, and migration considerations
  Specifications must be:
• Vendor-neutral
• Scalable and flexible enough to accommodate evolving technologies over the contract term
• Aligned with current industry standards and best practices
• Written in clear language suitable for competitive procurement

Deliverables
At a minimum, the provider shall deliver:

1. Project Work Plan

• Timeline, milestones, and engagement approach
• On-site and NAC engagement schedule

2. Current-State and Gap Assessment Summary

• Summary of legacy services identified
• Recommendations for modernization

Recommendations for removal

• Recommendations for emerging technologies
• Identified risks and considerations

3. Network Advisory Council Artifacts

• Agendas and materials
• Attendance records
• Summarized agency feedback and decisions

4. Draft RFP 6000 Technical Specifications

• Draft specifications for all categories
• Iterative revisions incorporating ITS and agency feedback

5. Final RFP 6000 Technical Specifications

• Submission-ready technical sections aligned with ITS standards