Request for Tender for Maintenance and Support of Main Network Switch and Access Layer Switches

Section I - Invitation to Tender

Full document available below. Queries on this tender will be responded to here.

  1. The Department of the Taoiseach wishes to enter into a contract for the maintenance and support of our main network switch and access layer switches.

    Telephone support is required.  Please state whether you are in a position to offer such a facility and whether such a facility is offered as standard or as an option. Where offered as an option, it must be separately priced in the Schedule of Costs.
  2. For critical issues, the Department will require a minimum of 1 hour response time (resolving the issue or replacing unit), 24 Hours x 7 days.  The decision on whether an on-site resource is needed is ultimately Department of the Taoiseach's.
  3. The successful contractor will be required to provide a 6 monthly health check on the main network switch and all access layer switches outlined in Appendix C, resolving any issues and when necessary providing recommendations to improve performance.  The Department of the Taoiseach reserves the right to employ a third party to conduct an independent review of the main network switch and access layer switches from time to time.
  4. The period of the contract will be for a minimum of one year.  However, depending on the proposals received, the Department may consider awarding the contract for a period of years up to a maximum of three.
  5. On the basis of proposals submitted, the Department may decide to shortlist.  However it is not obliged to do so.  Shortlisted tenderers may be required to give a presentation to the Department of the Taoiseach.
  6. The Department of the Taoiseach operates a switched Local Area Network (LAN) conforming to the ISO 8802/3 standard using fibre and Cat5 in Government Buildings, Merrion Street, Dublin 2. 

    The Department of Taoiseach currently has some 360 network clients consisting of approximately 258 workstations, 33 servers and 69 printers.

    The core of the network is based upon an Alcatel OmniSwitch 7800 Series.

    The access layer of the network is based upon Alcatel OmniSwitch stackable switches and one 3COM switch distributed over 6 wiring closets. Each of the wiring closets, apart from one which is located in the server room, are connected back to the server room using multimode fibre.

    Interconnectivity between the core and the access layers is accomplished via fibre based Gigabit Ethernet.

    There are two additional fibre links from Leinster House and the Department of Finance which are also connected to the core switch via multimode fibre. 

    The primary network protocol used by the Department is TCP/IP. The network topology is flat with no VLAN or subnet implementations. The majority of workstations obtain their IP addressing dynamically from the Windows DHCP server. A specific range has been set aside for DHCP addresses. All network printers and servers have been allocated structured static IP addressing.

    Class A IP addressing is being used in conjunction with a Class B subnet mask.

    Network management and monitoring is via the Omniswitch WebView/GUI.

    Please see Appendix C for a list of the equipment and locations.  While the Department of the
    Taoiseach has endeavoured to ensure that the information is correct, it shall not be held liable for any omissions or errors.

    Please see Appendix D for a diagram of the current network infrastructure.
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