ADDENDUM NO. 2
Date:
To:
From:
Subject:
March 29, 2006
All Bidders
Scott Duncan, Owner's Representative
Addendum No. 2
Project Title: RFP-SD-44704 SONET BACKBONE LIFE CYCLE UPGRADE
This is a five (5) page addendum with two spreadsheet attachments. Contact Scott Duncan at
(719) 668-3865 if you do not receive this addendum in its entirety.
The following data in the subject specification shall be amended as follows:
See Questions and Answers below. Also enclosed is section 2.18 in word document
This addendum is to be signed and a copy faxed to Scott Duncan Attention: RFP-SD-44704
SONET BACKBONE LIFE CYCLE UPGRADE, Fax # 719-668-2865. Also, acknowledge receipt
of this addendum in the appropriate area of the bid form.
Name of Firm: ______________________________________________________________
Signature of Individual: _________________________ Title: _________________________
Address: __________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
Sonet RFP Questions and Answers
1.
On the proposed system, what is the benefit of __________ vs. 1forN?
A. Circuit card protection in either 1:1 or 1:N is required to provide equipment
redundancy on all electrical termination cards. Automatic switching of traffic to an
assigned protect card in < 50 milliseconds in the event of electrical termination card
failure – in either 1:1 or 1:N configuration. UTILITIES wishes to evaluate all
SUPPLIER options for card redundancy. Please attach an addendum if this
information cannot be listed on the Exhibit B equipment cost breakdown spreadsheet.
2.
What is the manager manager you have in place today?
A. HP Openview is the primary platform being used.
3.
What is your current database?
A. Nine, clarified by Mark L. Ours is an Oracle platform.
4.
NMS software is stated as meeting requirements, Do you want to run on your system or
do you want our proposed systems?
A. We would like to evaluate both options, so please provide the cost breakdown in
the NMS section of the equipment cost breakdown spreadsheet.
5.
Do you have spare fiber, where you have it in place?
A. We have spare fiber at ALL node locations.
6.
It is stated that the core install is scheduled for June/July with training not scheduled
until Nov, Can we propose a different schedule?
A. Yes, our intent was to have the installations of the CORE network equipment
completed first, then have training prior to configuration & provisioning so our
technicians would be able to immediately begin work with the equipment. We are
flexible on this issue and will entertain proposed variances in regard to the training
schedule.
7.
On the proposed map, are we to bring in additional fiber to create a mesh? It looks like
mostly rings.
A. The proposed map outlines connections in a ring configuration. There are,
however, several fiber connections that exist in our outside plant that are NOT
included in the maps. MESA-DRAK, CTWD_RSCH, and additional fiber between
DRAK-POC-LVTP exist. Future fiber builds may not easily support a ring architecture,
so connecting in a mesh configuration gives UTILITIES additional flexibility in the
design.
8.
Is SU considering mesh reconstruct on both Ethernet and Sonet?
A. No new fiber builds are anticipated solely to provide new or additional mesh
connections to Ethernet or SONET nodes. Several nodes are already served by
multiple fiber links as noted in question 7. Note that UTILITIES operates parallel
Gigabit Ethernet and SONET networks in the metro (CORE) area. Primary use for
Ethernet over SONET would be for connection of remote-site routers over the OC3
microwave networks. Please note that we will not be specifying Ethernet cards in the
2006 and 2007 equipment purchases, but require this capability in the CORE and
EDGE equipment.
9.
Confirm on the handout that they are all OC3 routers?
A. All OC3 multiplexers, with exception of TGAP, PRPP, SQCK and NIXN which are
OC12. These multiplexers will route OC3 ring(s), and SQCK will not have any OC12
line cards (requires 2 X OC3 rings and available 2 X 84 VT1 cross-connect capability
at this site).
All remote site router connections are currently at DS1 network speed. Future
requirements for 10 Mbps Ethernet connection over SONET at only the OC3
microwave sites, thus we wish to have this functionality built-into the CORE and
EDGE network equipment..
10. Is the mesh Layer One, mesh?
A. Correct – all mesh connections at the SONET physical layer.
11. Regarding the formula in B20: the formula is D12 – D19, shouldn’t this be D12 + D19?
A. Please see amended equipment cost breakdown spreadsheet that is being
supplied, these formula errors are corrected in this version.
12. Does SU have loss measurements on the Line Cards? (Line Cards Worksheet)
A. Our fiber has loss characteristics of 0.4 dB/km for 1310 nm and 0.3 dB/km at
1550 nm wavelengths. Please see proposed network map and Line & Trib cards
worksheets for approximate distances between network nodes.
13. There are no _____________ cards included, why?
A. If they are part of your proposal, include them.
14. On the planned terminations, is it up to 90?
A. The Total is 90 – spec the box out for future terminations. This needs to be
expandable to 90.
15. There is a discrepancy in the Sonet Radios, OC12 into OC3s?
A. SU wants to keep the entire system as an OC3 ring and be able to route through
the OC12.
16. So there is no need for the radios to be OC12?
A. All SONET microwave radios are OC3 – no plans to upgrade this capacity over
the life of the multiplexer equipment.
17. The dashed lines (green) not listed in legend.
A. Note that dashed lines represent microwave links. Green indicates our use of
STS1s on the CORE ring, in this case STS1 # 7, 8 & 9. This particular OC3
microwave ring interfaces to STS1 # 7, 8, 9 on CORE ring.
18. What about the little red #’s?
A. These are line groups (East-West) based on the existing network design.
19. 10/100/1000 Ethernet requirements are not explicitly represented in a specific
column of the attached spreadsheet (SONET RFP Site Equipment Price Matrix). Could
you elaborate on the specific Ethernet requirements at each site?
A. We would like the equipment to have the capability of transporting 10/100 Ethernet
over SONET, in addition to an Ethernet port for node communication/SNMP interface.
Sites that will require future Ethernet over SONET 10/100 router connections are STNY,
BDGR, PCTN, DICK, PIKE, CRLB, SQCK, SKSM, FONT, WDMN, RMPS, NSUB,
ASTN, TMPS, RCKI, CTWD, FHRS, KTCK, BRGT, KLKR, FNTN, BDLY, ATML, DNTN,
FULR, STSN. Note that routers will be installed at these sites, so multiple ports on
equipment Ethernet cards will not be required. Routers have fiber, RJ45 Ethernet and
T1 interface capability. Please note that we will not be ordering Ethernet cards in 2006
or 2007, but wish to have the CORE and EDGE network equipped to install them at a
later date.
20. Do some of the existing TDM interfaces support serialized packet interfaces? Would
an Ethernet interface deployment replace some of the existing TDM required interfaces?
A. TDM interfaces can support RS422 synchronous (X.21), RS232 synchronous or
asynchronous interfaces over DS0, FT1 or T1 links. TDM is not currently deployed over
packet serial interface, i.e. TDMoIP. Substation critical communication, i.e. protective
relaying, remote terminal unit (RTU), telemetry and others prohibit the use of carriergrade circuits run over packet as a general rule. Other non-critical circuits would benefit
from the use of TDM over packet. We would anticipate using TDM over packet interface
only for “spur” or linear connections at this time.
21. On the “Core Equipment Breakdown” and “Edge Equipment Breakdown” sections of
the attached spreadsheet SONET RFP Site Equipment Price Matrix) please elaborate
on the desired entries for “Qty for 4F BLSR Configuration”; “Qty for 2F BLSR or UPSR or
Mesh Configuration”; “Qty for Single Ring/Mesh Tributary Optical Drop”; “Protect Card
1:1 or 1:N TDM Drop”; and “Circuit Card T1s per Card TDM Drop”. How do these
columns correlate to the “Unit Descriptions” as defined in column A?
A. Would your equipment require 4 optical line or trib cards for BLSR configuration? We
assume from our existing network design (UPSR) that 2 cards (east and west) would be
required for UPSR configurations. We need to know the quantity of cards required in
either configuration. If selected SUPPLIER proposes a BLSR configuration requiring
extra cards, we can plan for this if necessary. Please note that all unit costs will be
based on the UPSR configuration.
An example of “Single Ring/Mesh Tributary Optical Drop” would be an OC3 tributary
drop off of an OC192 CORE mux. In this case, would 2 cards be required, or a single,
multiple-port card?
We will accept either 1:1 or 1:N protection on Electrical termination cards. Our existing
network utilizes cards that provide 4 DS1s per card in a 1:7 protection scheme. Cards
that support 8 or 16 DS1s may utilize 1:1 protection schemes. Port density per card will
be a factor in deciding whether to utilize 1:1 or greater protection scheme. Please
elaborate in comments or remarks section, or attach an explanation in a separate
document.
If your DS1 cards provide for multiple T1s per card, please provide the number of DS1s
(T1s) in the “Circuit Card T1s per Card TDM Drop column.
Correlation of quantities for 4F BLSR/2FBLSR or UPSR; Single Ring/Mesh, Protect Card
T1s, Unit Cost, UOM are to Unit Descriptions. Note that some descriptions will not
apply, please see sample spreadsheet.
22. Can you provide more pertinent detail regarding 3600+, 3600 DSR, 3600SSR,
3630, etc. (all colored boxes adjacent to the nodes)? What else do we need to know
about these devices?
A. 3600+ and 3600s are T1 multiplexers. We use for T1 circuit grooming & DCS
functionality at the DS1 to DS0 level. DSR stands for Dual Shelf Redundant, SSR for
Single Shelf Redunant. 3630 is a dual-T1 channel bank, 3624 is a single T1 channel
bank. RFL's are T1-DS0 DCS, Channel banks and line switches for protective relaying
communication. All interface to SONET via T1 connections. 3600+ also has an OC3
interface.