Objectives

The primary objective of this tender is to appoint a qualified Internet Service Provider (ISP) capable of providing the IPP Office with data lines, VoIP, and Mimecast services for a duration of 36 months (3 years). The selected provider must ensure uninterrupted, high-availability, and resilient ICT services, including enterprise-grade data connectivity, email security, archiving, and voice communication solutions, with the ability for the IPP Office to retain administrative control over these services.

Scope

The scope of the tender includes:

• Provision of unshaped, uncapped fibre data lines with upgrade options for email security and archiving via Mimecast, including advanced security features such as phishing, malware protection, DLP, and threat analytics.
• Installation and support of a hosted 3CX VoIP solution, including licensing, hosting, and supply of five Polycom desk phones with configuration and installation.
• Support and maintenance services for all deployed equipment and internet services, ensuring full operational uptime over 36 months.
• Provision of 200 Mbps dedicated uncontested internet access with Service Level Agreements (SLAs) covering support, uptime, fault response, and resolution times.
• Monitoring, reporting, and support services, including 24/7/365 support, SMS/email alerts, escalation procedures, and administrative rights for the IPP Office.
• Monthly performance and incident reporting, including security, system availability, and configuration updates.

Technical Requirements

The technical specifications include:

• Unshaped, uncapped fibre data lines with high availability and resilience.
• Mimecast email security upgrade to Premium, including advanced threat protection, cloud archiving, DLP, and bi-annual review of configurations.
• 3CX VoIP solution hosted on a virtual machine, with licensing upgrade to Professional Edition, and supply of five Polycom desk phones.
• Support for seamless failover between primary and secondary internet and voice connections, with notifications and contingency plans.
• Support and maintenance with defined SLA response times: Critical (30 min), High (1 hour), Medium (2 hours), Low (24 hours).
• Monthly reporting covering system status, incidents, performance, security, and configuration changes.
• Administrative rights for the IPP Office to manage all services.

Skills and Experience Requirements

The bidder must demonstrate:

• At least 3 years of proven experience in providing ISP services, with references from similar projects within the last three years, including contact details and contract values.
• Capability to deliver voice and data connectivity, including seamless failover and support for enterprise-grade email security and archiving solutions.
• Experience in deploying and supporting hosted VoIP solutions, including licensing, configuration, and provisioning of IP phones.
• Strong support team with relevant qualifications, CVs, and a detailed support and account management plan.
• Ability to provide detailed project implementation plans, support strategies, and contingency measures for service continuity.
• Compliance with all technical, security, and support SLA requirements, including 24/7 monitoring, alerting, and reporting.
• Familiarity with POPIA and data protection regulations, ensuring confidentiality and proper handling of personal and corporate data.