Active SLED Opportunity · FLORIDA · CITY OF TAMPA
AI Summary
The City of Tampa seeks proposals for exclusive telecommunications and internet services at the Tampa Convention Center. The contract includes a hybrid commission profit arrangement with active City oversight. The goal is to provide state-of-the-art, reliable, and scalable connectivity for diverse events and downtown users. Proposals are due April 30, 2026.
The City of Tampa (“City”) is seeking proposals from firms qualified and experienced in providing reliable, high performance, highly redundant Telecom/Internet Services (Services) at the Tampa Convention Center ("TCC"). Services will be available for patrons attending conventions, trade shows, meetings, hybrid events, banquets, family entertainment events, sporting events, etc., along with those living and working in the downtown area.
TCC wants to enter into an exclusive relationship with a Proposer to provide these services at the Tampa Convention Center (TCC), located at 333 South Franklin Street, Tampa, Florida 33602.
The City will enter into a hybrid commission profit arrangement with the Successful Proposer. TCC will have active oversight in the day-to-day operations of the Successful Proposer and final authority to direct planning, budgets, and operational issues.
The goal is to provide the highest quality of technology in both product and services and to maximize the financial return to the City. The City recognizes the rapid pace of change in the technologies involved in providing these services. The City wishes to ensure a world-class digital experience for all stakeholders and to have the infrastructure capable of handling current demand and evolving with future technology. It is the City's expectation that the Successful Proposer will update the technology and services as needed to ensure that TCC has state-of-the-art Services and to deliver reliable, scalable, and secure connectivity to support meeting planners, exhibitors, and attendees.
The mission of TCC is to have a major economic impact for Tampa and the surrounding region. Our vision is to be an industry leading facility that promotes a culture of hospitality, service, and partnership. It is the goal of TCC to secure, enhance, and increase business while providing an environment that will create opportunities for repeat clients to the venue. TCC is seeking to partner with a firm/individual that shares TCC's dedication and vision with the services we are seeking.
Please include the following information regarding your Authorized Representative:
How is your business organized?
Is your business licensed (unless exempt by applicable law), permitted and certified to do business in the State of Florida?
Enter your Florida Business License Number here.
As a Bidder, any document you submit to the City of Tampa may be public record and be open for personal inspection or copying by any person. In Florida “public records” are defined as all documents, papers, letters, maps, books, tapes, photographs, films, sound recordings, data processing software, or other material, regardless of the physical form, characteristics, or means of transmission, made, or received pursuant to law or ordinance or in connection with the transaction of official business by any agency. Section 119.011(11), F.S. A document is subject to personal inspection and copying unless it falls under one of the public records exemptions created under Florida law.
Do you claim any exemptions from the public records laws?
Upload a redacted copy of your submittal.
By claiming that parts of the proposal are exempt from the public records law, and uploading a redacted copy, the Proposer agrees to protect, defend, indemnify, and hold the City of Tampa, its officers, employees, and agents free and harmless from and against any and all claims arising out of a request to inspect or copy the proposal. The Proposer agrees to investigate, handle respond to, provide defense (including payment of attorney fees, court costs, and expert witness fees and expenses up to and including any appeal) for and defend any such claim at its sole cost and expense through counsel chosen by the City of Tampa and agrees to bear all other costs and expenses related thereto, even if they (claims, etc.) are groundless, false, or fraudulent.
For purposes of determining any possible conflict of interest, all Proposers, must disclose if any elected or appointed officer of the City of Tampa, City of Tampa employee(s), or any immediate family member* or close personal relation** of an elected or appointed officer of the City of Tampa or City employee(s) is also an owner, corporate officer, agent, employee, stockholder, or has a controlling financial interest***, etc., of their business.
*Immediate family means spouse, parents and children of the person involved.
**Close personal relationship means dating, cohabitation, and/or having an intimate sexual relationship. Dating includes but is not limited to casual dating, serious dating, or casual sexual involvement where the parties have no intention of carrying on a long-term relationship, cohabitation, and any other conduct or behavior normally associated with romantic or sexual relationships. This definition applies regardless of the sexual orientation of the employees involved. Persons involved in a close personal relationship shall be referred to as a "close personal relation."
***Controlling financial interest means ownership, directly or indirectly, to ten (10) percent or more of the outstanding capital stock in any corporation or a direct or indirect interest of ten (10) percent or more in a firm, partnership, or other business entity or such other interest or position in a business entity sufficient to allow him or her to control its operations.
Do you need to disclose any Conflicts of Interest?
List the name(s) of the City employee, elected or appointed official, and the position(s) with your business
Specifically state the Proposer’s understanding of the work to be accomplished and make a positive commitment to perform the work in SCOPE OF SERVICES.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
No Successful Proposer shall assign the contract or any rights or obligations thereunder without the written consent of the City. The Successful Proposer shall be required to perform with its own forces at least fifty-one (51) percent of the work, unless prior written consent to subcontract a greater percentage of the work first obtained by the City. In the event of such approved subcontracting, the Successful Proposer agrees to provide the City with written documentation relative to the Subcontractor(s) solicited, or that will be employed in this award, including but not limited to submittal of attached the following Schedule of Sub-Contracting Forms:
These forms must be completed (including signatures) and submitted with all proposals. Submittals that do not contain these completed forms may be deemed “non-responsive”. Instructions on completing the forms are included after each form in this RFP package.
Subcontractor shall be defined as a business enterprise, firm, partnership, corporation, consultant, or combination thereof having a direct contract with a prime contractor for any portion of the advertised work that is awarded by the owner/owner's representative.
Supplier shall be defined as a business enterprise that either directly contracts with a Prime Contractor/Consultant or directly contracts with a Subcontractor under such Prime Contractor/Consultant to provide materials, supplies or equipment in connection with a Contract awarded by the owner/owner representative. A Supplier may be a regular dealer, distributor, or manufacturer.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Will you be using Sub-Contractors?
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
The bid opening is Thursday, April 30, 2026. This form is due to Celeste Gibbons-People(celeste.gibbons-peoples@tampagov.net) within 10 days of opening date if you are going to utilize sub-contractors under this award. See attachments for DMI-40 form.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
By clicking Confirm below, the Proposer complies with all of the requirements of the RFP package including but not limited to Communication Policy and City of Tampa Ethics Code contained in SECTION "GENERAL CONDITIONS".
NOTE: When Proposer is a corporation, the president, vice president or other person duly authorized to bind the corporation shall set out the corporate name in full beneath which he/she shall sign his/her name and give the title of his/her office or position. The proposal shall also bear the seal of the corporation attested by its corporate secretary. Proposals signed by a person other than an officer of the corporation, shall be accompanied by evidence of authority.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Are you applying for an applicable discount or incentive related to Section 2-284 Bidder's Criminal History Screening Practices?
Please review the following and answer the questions accordingly.
The Bidder hereby declines any discount or incentive related to Section 2-284 Bidder's Criminal History Screening Practices.
The Bidder hereby declines any discount or incentive related to Section 2-284 Bidder's Criminal History Screening Practices; however, Bidder has Criminal History Screening practices similar in nature to the practices contained in Chapter 12, Article VI, City of Tampa Code of Ordinances.
The Bidder hereby applies for applicable discount or incentive related to Notarized past employment analysis that includes the number of disadvantaged workers the bidder has hired in the past, or, if the bidder has never hired a disadvantaged worker, an explanation that the bidder made a good faith effort to hire a disadvantaged worker: and,
Do you have Criminal History Screening practices similar in nature to the practices contained in Chapter 12, Article VI, City of Tampa Code of Ordinances, but are still declining any discount or incentive?
Upload the following documentation and assurances:
Please upload your bid proposal documents here.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
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Will this be awarded to one (1) vendor or to multiple vendors?
Does this project require insurance?
The period of the contract shall be for "_________ " from the effective date of the award.
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How many renewal options will there be?
How long is each renewal period?
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Circuit Costs & Ownership o What is the current monthly and annual cost of the primary internet circuit? o What is the current monthly and annual cost of any redundant or secondary circuit(s)? o Who currently owns the ISP circuit contracts? o Can these contracts be assigned or transferred to the awarded vendor?
A: The current vendor uses Crown Castle and Frontier. Operational costs belong to the current vendor. Tampa Convention Center does not manage their operational costs. Awardee will be responsible for setting up their own contracts and operation model.
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Bandwidth & IP Services o Is the awarded vendor expected to provide public IP address space and bandwidth services to TCC staff/services? o If so, please specify current requirements for IP allocation and bandwidth usage.
A: There is currently a public wi-fi for guests and a separate wi-fi for administrative usage, please see RFP for more information. IP allocation and bandwidth usage would be the responsibility of the Awardee to tell TCC what the appropriate IP allocation and bandwidth usage should be.
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Third-Party Vendor Support o Are there existing third-party vendors that require network connectivity (e.g., first responders, security systems, food and beverage vendors, decorators, production teams)? o Please provide a list of such vendors and their connectivity requirements. o Are there any mandated service providers the awarded vendor must support or integrate with?
A: There are (8) in-house partners that will require internet. Some are provided complimentary, others are a collaborative partnership. Connectivity requirements for our in-house partners will be separate than the contract with the City. Please see RFP for more information.
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Existing Infrastructure o Single-mode and multi-mode fiber infrastructure is installed, please provide available strand/capacity details for each MDF/IDF location. (e.g. how many strands, connector type, etc.) o Are there available certification results/documents for the existing fiber infrastructure that can be shared? o What is the condition and type of Ethernet infrastructure installed? (e.g. CAT5e/6/7, available certification results/documents) o Are there any existing television or IPTV distribution systems in place? If so, please provide details.
A: There are services in the building that require internet connection. That relationship is between the current vendor and the partner in-house. Upon award, the Awardee will create those in-house relationships to build out their plan to service as requested/needed. Please review RFP and Exhibit C for more information.
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Technology Environment & Upgrades o When was the last facility technology upgrade completed? o Please provide scope, components upgraded, and any relevant documentation from this initiative.
A: Technology upgrades are continuous. Last full service upgrade was for 2021 SuperBowl. New infrastructure was added for the expansion completion in 2023.
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Wireless Network o Is there an existing wireless access point layout or design map available? o Are there any current wireless heat maps or coverage analysis reports that can be shared?
A: Please review Exhibit C for locations and inventory. All maps would be created and updated by Awardee.
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Support & Maintenance o Are there any active support and maintenance agreements (e.g., OEM support contracts, SMARTnet, licensing agreements) associated with the current network hardware? o If so, please provide details including coverage terms and expiration dates. o Can these agreements be transferred to the awarded vendor?
A: Awardee is responsible for all support/maintenance agreements.
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Operational Workflow & Request Management o Does the City’s Technology & Innovation (T&I) department manage all client-facing technology and connectivity requests? o What systems or tools are used to log, track, and manage these requests (e.g., ticketing platforms, service management tools)? o How are T&I service requests communicated, escalated, and transferred to the network service provider? o What are the current service level expectations (SLAs) and response workflows between T&I and the network provider?
A: City of Tampa's T&I department is not client facing and has no interface with Awardee.
Q (Telecommunications RFP): Existing Assets & Ownership o Does the incumbent network service provider (NSP) own the existing network infrastructure, including switching, routing, wireless, and VoIP assets? o Will any existing hardware and systems be transferred to the awarded vendor for continued use? o Will there be a cost associated with the ownership change or transfer of managed assets to the awarded vendor? o If not transferable, should the awarded vendor assume full replacement of the existing network and voice infrastructure?
A: Please review Section2. Equipment and Installation of Equipment. Please review the Technical Specifications and Exhibit C. City owns all assets listed in Exhibit C. Awardee inherits and improves upon items listed in Exhibit C, per RFP. It is the responsibility of the Awardee to establish their own plan for servicing including all items needed to service their specific business model.
Q (Cost to the City): 1Please clarify “Cost to the City”. Does the Cost to the City mean: (a) solely the proposed commission percentage/remittance, or (b) the proposed commission plus other considerations such as capital investment requirements, value-added services funded by the proposer, customer rate structure, transition risk, and the proposer’s ability to maintain service continuity without disruption?
A: The financial benefit to the City. Detail the overall economic value of the proposal, including all direct revenue to the City such as percentage-based revenue sharing (see RFP), minimum guarantees and any additional financial advantages offered over the life of the contract. Proposers shall clearly describe all payments and financial benefits to be provided to the Convention Center and to our clients/guests.
Q (No subject): Will any federal funds--including, but not limited to, federal grants, FEMA assistance or other federal financial assistance--be used to finance, support or reimburse any portion of the project or contract awarded under this RFP? If so, please identify the federal funding source(s) and describe the extent to which federal funds will be applied so that prospective proposers may accurately assess and account for any associated federal compliance obligations in their proposals. We note that the RFP incorporates various federal contract clauses, including provisions related to the Davis-Bacon Act, the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act and FEMA-related requirements, each stated to apply "if applicable."
A: No
Q (No subject): What Internet Service Providers are available at the venue? Do they currently provide redundant and diverse fiber paths into the venue?
A: Awardee would coordinate logistics with the Internet Service Provider that works best for their business model. Any additional fiber paths needed would need to be planned out, then reviewed and approved by our Facility Operations Manager.
Q (No subject): Can the peak usage requirements for last year's events be shared? Peak bandwidth utilization and the peak wireless concurrent usage.
A: Proposers should reference Exhibit B, which outlines gross sales and services over the past four years, as an indicator of event scale and demand when developing their responses.
Q (No subject): Can an extension on the RFP due date be granted to allow time to review the updated information from the posted questions and answers?
A: No
Q (Frontier and Crown Castle Service Agreements): Since we have to contract with service providers for IP services when are the existing contracts due for expiration?
A: Service partner contracts range in term length. Service partners at TCC will always require IP services from the Awardee. This is an arrangement between the service providers and the in-house service partners. This is a partnership.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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