Apex Proposal for City of La Quinta - IT Services
Proposal for:
City of La Quinta
Information Technology Services
To: City of La Quinta
Attn: Mike Rodriguez, Management Analyst
78495 Calle Tampico
La Quinta, CA 92253
mrodriguez@laquintaca.gov
From: Apex Technology Management, Inc.
George Passidakis (main point of contact for this RFP_
(800) 310-2739
gpassidakis@apex.com
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Section A - Cover Letter and General Information..................................................................... 1
Section B – Background on The Firm and Experience..............................................…………. 3
Section C – References ………………………..................................................................………. 7
Sections D through I – Additional Disclosures ……………………….............................………. 9
Experience and Approach (Attachment 1 on RFP) .....................................................………. 10
Price Structure (Attachment 2 on RFP) ……..................................................................………. 22
References (Attachment 3 on RFP)”............................................................................…………. 25
Summary and Conclusion .………………............................................……………..………........ 26
Exhibit A – NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT FORM ………………………………………………….. 27
Exhibit B – California Form 700 – Statement of Economic Interests ……………………………28
Table of Contents
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A. 1) Cover Letter:
March 25, 2019
To the Leadership of the City of La Quinta –
Thank you for the opportunity to propose a solution for your Information Technology Services. Apex
Technology Management is a Managed IT Services Provider (MSP) that has been in business for 28 years
and has extensive success in performing the services you are requesting for a variety of clients—including
many municipal government and public sector organizations. The services you seek are right in Apex
Technology Management’s “wheelhouse” of skill, experience, and business focus. We are confident that this
partnership between the City of La Quinta and Apex Technology Management will be an excellent fit for both
parties.
We are proposing our Total Support Platinum plan, which includes: full strategic IT management services,
24/7 systems monitoring and alerting, Microsoft operating system updates and security patching, unlimited
hours of Remote Help Desk Support, unlimited hours of on-site support—including an onsite Network
Engineer who resides within the City. Our team has extensive experience with the main solutions in use at
the City including; Microsoft, Cisco, Meraki, VMware, Nimble, Tyler Incode, Mitel and many others.
We believe that Apex is an ideal partner for the City. Our mission is “Transforming Organizations and
Lives Through Innovative Technology Solutions”. We were very excited to see that La Quinta has
expressed an interest in looking for innovative ways to provide services. One of our Senior Network
Engineers resides in the City and has extensive experience working with other municipal government clients.
We’re confident that our team can provide excellent support to the City staff and allow them to serve the
citizens with well performing, reliable and secure services while partnering to create new and innovative
solutions that help further distinguish the true “Gem of the Desert”.
I would like to emphasize that Apex’s number one core value is “Customer Service Obsession.” This is
first and foremost in everything we do. “Everyone at Apex is a Customer Service Representative,” and we
endeavor to go above and beyond to provide all of our clients with industry-best service. This includes
myself—I am personally always available to help you when needed. Our goal is not to stop at meeting
minimum expectations, but to offer a level of service excellence that is unsurpassed and worthy of the name
“Apex Technology Management,” and all it represents.
Thank you in advance for your thoughtful consideration of our Proposal. We are excited about this potential
partnership!
Sincerely,
Scott Putnam, CEO / President
Apex Technology Management, Inc.
A. Cover Letter and General Information
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A. 2) Main contact person for this RFP:
George Passidakis
Director of Sales & Marketing
310 Hemsted Drive, Suite 300
Redding, CA 96002
800-310-2739
george@apex.com
A. 3) Location of Main Office:
310 Hemsted Drive, Suite 300
Redding, CA 96002
A. 4) Location of the Office that would service the City:
55706 Rivera
La Quinta, CA 92253
(staff from our Fresno and Redding locations are also available as needed)
A. 5) Statement of Validity:
All information and pricing included in this RFP response will remain valid through June
30, 2019.
A. 6) Free of Conflict of Interest:
All individuals from Apex that will perform work for the City of La Quinta will be free of any
conflict of interest. Additionally, all Apex staff members have been background checked.
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B. 1) Number of years in business:
Apex has been in business for 28 years. (since 1991)
B. 2) Taxpayer Identification Number:
68-0423495
B. 3) Number of years working with government agencies:
Apex has been working with government agencies since our inception. (1991)
B. 4) Key personnel who will be working with the City of La Quinta:
Note: These are just several team members from of our staff of 33 employees.
B – Background on The Firm and Experience
Steven Andranigian
Level III – Senior Systems Engineer based in La Quinta
o Lead On-Site Technician and Technical Account Manger
assigned to your organization
o VMware VCP 6.5 – Data Center Virtualization Certificate
o IT Experience: 13 Years
o Associate’s Degree in IT Networking & Security Management
o Experience working with multiple City Government and PD
clients
o CJIS/CLETS; Apex: 3 Years
Tom Grisell
Virtual Chief Information Officer (VCIO)
o Main Point of Contact for Managed IT Services
o Client Relationship Management & Service Escalations
o Strategic IT Management and Guidance
o IT Budgeting Assistance
o IT Planning, Purchasing & Procurement
o Technology Vendor Coordination / Management
o Reports & Documentation
IT Experience: 23 Years; VCIO Experience: 8 Years
Current/Ongoing Government VCIO experience; Apex: 9 Years
MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer)
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PROJECT MANAGER (for Professional Service Projects – “Special Projects” in the RFP)
SENIOR TECHNICAL STAFF
David Bliss
Director of Technical Services
Level III Network Engineer
IT Experience: 18 Years
Certifications:
o Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
o Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
o Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA)
Server 2003
Messaging
o Axcient Certified Professional (ACP) & Disaster Recovery
Specialist
o Nimble Certified Engineer and Storage Area Network Expert
o Cisco Technical Sales Specialist
o VMware Certified Professional 5 - Data Center Virtualization
o VMware Server Virtualization Post-Sales: vSphere 5 Design
o CJIS / CLETS
Dan Langenberg
Project Manager
o Plans, schedules and coordinates all out-of-scope projects
o Manages Total Support Rollouts / Onboarding
Technical Project Management Experience: 4 Years
IT Experience: 9 Years
Associate’s Degree in Computer Network Operations
Certifications:
o CWU: Project Management
o AGILE Project Management trained
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Stephen Carnes
Level III Network Engineer
IT Experience: 18 Years
Certifications:
o Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
o Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator (MCSA)
o Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP)
o Microsoft Certified Technician (MCT)
o VMware Certified Technician (VCT)
o Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA)
o Citrix Certified Expert - Virtualization (CCE-V)
o Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer (CCEE)
o Citrix Certified Administrator (CCA)
Gustavo Mastroianni
Level III Network Engineer
IT Experience: 10 Years
MBA in Information Technology
Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering
Certifications:
o Cisco Meraki Network Associate – CMNA
o Cisco Certified Network Associate R&S – CCNA R&S
o Cisco Certified Network Associate Security - CCNA Security
o Cisco Certified Network Associate Wireless - CCNA
Wireless
o Cisco Certified Design Associate – CCDA
o Cisco Certified Network Professional Wireless - CCNP
Wireless
o Cisco Certified Network Professional Service Provider -
CCNP SP
o Cisco Certified Design Professional – CCDP
o Borderless Networks Mobility Field Engineer Representative
o Unified Wireless Site Survey Representative
o IP NGN Field Engineer Representative
o Certified Wireless Network Administrator – CWNA
o Certified Wireless Security Professional – CWSP
o Certified Wireless Design Professional – CWDP
o Certified Wireless Analysis Professional – CWAP
o Certified Wireless Network Expert - CWNE #225
o Certified Wireless Network Trainer - CWNT
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Team Relevant Experience: Along with the rest of Apex, the above staff members have extensive
experience working with other City Governments. Many include support of all City departments
including 24/7 coverage for Police Department systems. Listed below are several Municipal
Government clients and JPA’s on active Total Support agreements with a Scope of Services similar to
your request:
City of Dixon (PD) (2 years) City of Rio Vista (2 years)
City of Soledad – (3 years) City of Red Bluff (4 years)
Merced County Association of Governments (3½ years) Tehama County (8 years)
Modoc County Transportation Commission (1 year) Shasta Regional Transportation Agency (4 years)
In addition to Maintenance & Support, Problem Resolution and System Management, Apex has
completed numerous technology projects for these clients such as Server Installations/Upgrades,
Exchange Migration, Storage Systems, Document Management systems, Technical Assessments etc.
B. 5) Firm Ownership and Corporation Details:
Scott & Natalie Putnam are 100% shareholders in Apex Technology Management, Inc.
Apex was incorporated on 12/24/1998 in the State of California.
B. 6) Subsidiary Details:
Apex is not a subsidiary of any other company.
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Reference No. 1
Organization’s Name: City of Soledad Address: 248 Main St., Soledad, CA, 93960
Contact: Sherie Colesberry ACM Phone No:831-223-5075 Email: sherie.colesberry@cityofsoledad.com
Year: April 2016 – Present VCIO (Project Manager): Kevin Wendland
Description of work done: Apex does all of the IT for the City of Soledad (City Hall, Police Department,
Etc.). In addition to the monitoring, maintenance, and ongoing monthly support, we have also completed
several projects for the City, including server migration and consolidation, network reconfiguration and
move, major application upgrades and consolidation. We also implemented a creative solution for
document sharing for City Council meetings. (See question #24 in the “Attachment 1” section for more
detail)
Reference No. 2
Organization’s Name: County of Tehama Address: 444 Oak St., Red Bluff, CA, 96080
Contact: Dana Hollmer, IT Coordinator Phone:530-527-4535 x228 Email: dhollmer@co.tehama.ca.us
Year: 2004-Present VCIO (Project Manager): Tom Grisell
Description of work done: Apex supports over half of Tehama County’s departments. Level of support
plan varies by department. Apex has performed most common IT projects and support functions for various
Tehama County government agencies over the years, such as: Server installations, virtualization, wireless
networks, security assessments and remediation, network infrastructure updates, application upgrades,
monitoring, maintenance, planning and budgeting, cloud services and more. Dana Hollmer is the County’s
Treasurer &Tax Collector.
Reference No. 3
Organization’s Name: City of Red Bluff Address: 555 Washington St, Red Bluff, CA, 96080
Contact: Kyle Sanders, Police Chief Phone No: 530-527-3131 E-mail:_ksanders@rbpd.org
Year: ‘06 – ‘10; Jan 2015- Present VCIO (Project Manager): Tom Grisell
Description of work done: Apex does all of the IT for the City of Red Bluff (City Hall, Police Department,
etc.). Apex previously held their IT contract from 2006 until 2010, then they tried out a “lower cost” IT
provider. The City returned to Apex Technology for support in January, 2015. Red Bluff Police Chief Kyle
Sanders can describe to you his experience of the service provided by Apex Technology Management.
Since January 2015, Apex has done a Server consolidation/migration project, networking improvements,
data storage improvements, monitoring, help desk and ongoing support and maintenance for the City.
Reference No. 4
Organization’s Name: City of Rio Vista Address: 1 Main St., Rio Vista, CA, 94571
Contact: Rob Hickey, City Manager Phone No: 707-374-6510 x.101 Email: rhickey@ci.rio-vista.ca.gov
Year: 2016 – Present VCIO (Project Manager): Kevin Wendland
Description of work done: Apex does all of the IT for the City of Rio Vista including the PD, with on-site
service billed separately from the monthly plan. Besides the ongoing IT management, monitoring, help
desk, support and maintenance, we have completed a Server upgrade/migration project and implemented
a solid backup and disaster recovery solution to ensure the City’s data is secure.
C – References
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Reference No. 5
Organization’s Name: Merced County Assoc. of Govts Address: 369 W. 18th St, Merced, CA, 95340
Contact: Nav Bagri, HR & Risk Manager Phone No: 209-723-3153 Email: nav.bagri@mcagov.org
Year: 2015 – Present VCIO (Project Manager): Kevin Wendland
Description of work done: The Merced County Association of Governments (a Joint Powers Authority)
runs the County’s Transit Authority, and provides Landfill and other services for its five member cities.
Apex does all of the ongoing IT support and service for MCAG. In addition, we have completed several
projects for MCAG, including Network Remediation projects, Workstation upgrades, Wireless installation,
Server Migration and other infrastructure upgrades. We also implemented a solid network infrastructure to
enable the busses to transmit real-time information regarding their current route as well as automatically
download in-bus camera footage wirelessly upon returning to the bus yard. (See question #30 in the
“Attachment 1” section)
Please view some of our clients’ video testimonials: www.apex.com/videofeedback
C – References – contd.
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D. Disclosure of any alleged significant prior or ongoing contract failures, any civil or criminal litigation
or investigation pending, which involves the firm or in which the firm has been judged guilty or liable
within the last five years.
Apex Technology Management, Inc: Nothing to disclose.
E. Description of the firm’s warranty/guarantee of work product:
Apex warrants that Services will be performed in a manner consistent with customary practice in the
industry. Should a failure to comply with this warranty appear within thirty (30) days after the date of
completion of such Services, Apex shall, if promptly notified in writing, at its option, either provide the
Services anew or refund to Client the price charged for such non-conforming Services. Such re-
performance or refund(s) shall be Client's exclusive remedy and shall constitute fulfillment of all liabilities of
Apex with respect to any nonconformity of or defect or deficiency in Services furnished to Client.
F. List complementary services, for example, Managed Services, offered by the firm along
with corresponding prices:
Apex is proposing full-scope managed services that include full strategic IT management services, 24/7
systems monitoring and alerting, Microsoft operating system updates and security patching, unlimited
hours of Remote Help Desk Support, unlimited hours of on-site support—including an onsite Network
Engineer who resides within the City.
This is a proven solution for all areas outlined in the “Scope of Services” section of the RFP and is in use at
other Cities we service within California.
“Special Projects” as listed in the RFP would be identified through a technical assessment. Proposals
would be developed indicating their cost and timeline. Preferred and Discounted labor rates would be
provided to the City as a managed services client for projects and any out-of-scope services.
Please see page 10 for a description of services.
G. Subcontracting:
Apex does not intend to subcontract any services being proposed in this response to the RFP.
H. Minimum Insurance Coverage:
Apex will provide the minimum insurance coverage and indemnification noted in Sections 5.0 and 6.0 of the
City’s Professional Services Agreement. (Attachment 4 of the RFP)
I. NON-COLLUSION AFFIDAVIT:
Please see “Exhibit A” on page 27 for a signed copy of the NON-COLLUSSION AFFIDAVIT
provided in the RFP.
D through I – Additional Disclosures
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Apex proposes to provide La Quinta a solution for all areas outlined in the “Scope of Services”
section of the RFP, as summarized here.
Virtual Chief Information Officer (VCIO)
The Virtual Chief Information Officer is one of the greatest benefits of being a Total Support Client
with Apex. The VCIO is an IT Manager dedicated to your organization’s successful use of technology in
accomplishing your goals. The VCIO provides strategic IT Management services to serve you.
Strategic IT Planning and Budgeting assistance
Project Planning and Management assistance (together with our full‐time Project Manager)
Relationship Management, Service escalations & personalized care
IT Procurement and Purchasing assistance. Renewals tracking.
Monthly Executive Reports and documentation
IT Resource Management (IT contract negotiation & management, licensing, inventories, warranties,
etc.)
Coordination and Management of third‐party technology vendors
Together with your lead technician, research and propose state‐of‐the‐art technology solutions to allow
the City to better server its staff and residents. Apex works with many other Municipal Government
clients. We’ll be able leverage our experience with what other Cities have implemented.
Apex’s Total Support Platinum plan provides unparalleled service via the following key components:
Virtual Chief Information Officer (VCIO) – Full Strategic IT Management Services
Remote IT Monitoring & Management Tools – enterprise-level IT support tools for 24/7
systems monitoring and alerts, ticketing, CRM, OS patching, automated maintenance, etc.
Remote Help Desk Support – Unlimited (in-scope) Help Desk support hours are included in
the monthly plan. Well over 90% of all IT support work can be done remotely from Apex’s Help
Desk.
On-Site Support – Unlimited (in-scope) on-site support hours, utilizing a Network Engineer who
currently resides in La Quinta. (details in the “UNLIMITED On-Site Support” section below)
Experience and Approach (Attachment 1 on RFP)
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Remote IT Monitoring & Management (RMM)
A key aspect of Apex’s service is proactive 24/7/365 monitoring & alerting, and patching of the
Client’s network. Apex installs a small software agent on the Client’s supported servers and
workstations, which monitors a number of key metrics around the clock. Most device issues will be
automatically detected early by this enterprise‐class IT Remote Monitoring & Management (RMM)
software. When a monitoring alert is triggered, it automatically generates a Help Desk service ticket
in our fully integrated CRM, Ticketing and IT Management software, ConnectWise. All critical network
or server down situations will be escalated to the 24/7 on call technician. The Help Desk then fulfills
their role in addressing IT issues (described in the next section). We also manage all Microsoft OS
patches for Windows servers and workstations and monitor backup job status.
UNLIMITED Remote Help Desk Support
Apex Technology Management operates a California‐based, full time, fully staffed Help Desk.
We are offering UNLIMITED remote Help Desk IT support in our proposed plan.
The Remote Help Desk performs a majority of Apex’s day‐to‐day IT support.
The Help Desk has 24/7/365 availability for Emergency issues. It is fully staffed from 7:30am‐
5:30pm, Monday‐Friday, excluding holidays. Outside of these hours, your calls, emails and alerts
are answered by an actual live human being, and on‐call technicians respond to the need according
to its urgency.
Service tickets can be created by phone, email, or Client Web Portal. A Toll‐Free Number is
Available: 1‐800‐310‐2739, and so is Chat Support.
A client who calls Apex’s Help Desk on the phone is speaking with a live technician in an average
of 17 seconds. The technicians can log in to the caller’s system remotely and address their IT issues.
Escalation is available to Level II and Level III technicians and/or On‐Site technician as needed.
Tickets are also created by our monitoring software. Monitoring software‐generated tickets are
immediately prioritized by our full‐time Help Desk Scheduling Coordinator, and assigned to a
technician for resolution.
Using Enterprise Class Tools, our Help Desk technicians manage all Microsoft Operating System
updates and security patches and automate recurring maintenance tasks.
All Apex technicians fully document all service notes into our ticketing software, ConnectWise.
Service tickets are visible in the Client Web Portal, and are available for reports or future reference.
The Help Desk maintains full documentation of the client’s network and equipment configurations,
inventory, licensing, etc. in the ConnectWise knowledge base—easily accessible when needed.
Using industry‐best IT management tools, our technicians are able to address over 90% of IT
issues remotely. For the other 10% of the time, there’s On‐Site Support…
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UNLIMITED On‐Site Support
With Apex’s enterprise‐class remote Help Desk support in place, the vast majority of the Client’s
IT needs can be addressed remotely (Well over 90%). However, there are those periodic issues
that do require a technician’s physical, on‐site presence. If a particular IT issue requires on‐site
technician service—Apex has you covered!
Apex is offering unlimited (in‐scope) on‐site support hours, included in our plan. This unlimited on‐
site support includes an onsite Senior Network Engineer who resides in La Quinta. For the first 30‐
days of the agreement, we will start with him being onsite 5‐days per week/8 hours per day. If
additional on‐site services are necessary (for in‐scope work unable to be performed remotely), it
is also included in our plan. After the initial 30‐days, we will reassess the on‐site need with the
City and adjust as necessary. (up or down)
Response Times
We will be able to respond to issues within the times outlined in the RFP.
Project Services
The proposed monthly plan includes support and maintenance of the existing IT network and systems.
Significant changes / additions are generally considered special projects. Projects are quoted and
approved in advance, and are billed separately from the monthly plan.
Included as part of our “Onboarding” process, Apex technicians will conduct an initial IT
Assessment of your network infrastructure. This Assessment will result in, if needed, prioritized
remediation projects that will be recommended to stabilize and secure your IT environment
according to IT best practices for government organizations. Our teams direct experience with
other California Cities will guide these recommendations.
Your VCIO will recommend project solutions that meet budget constraints, while still maintaining
IT industry best practices. Projects are typically quoted as “fixed‐price” projects that are presented
to, and approved by the client prior to any work being done. Because they are “fixed‐price,” there
are no surprises, nor a need to get the City Council to approve additional funds once a project is
underway. A fixed price is a fixed price, and if it takes us longer to perform a fixed‐price project
than we anticipated, then that is on Apex.
Our Project teams have experience with all of the “special projects and upgrades” listed in the RFP.
This includes experience with Virtual Desktops (VDI), server virtualization, server migrations,
security – both local and cloud, Office 365 and Mobile Device Management (MDM).
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Enterprise Class IT Services and Results
Working together with City staff, our team will utilize our best‐in‐class tools and leverage our
experience managing all aspects of systems for multiple City Governments in California. Our joint
efforts will support the City’s goals of an effective, well performing, secure environment allowing your
staff to work efficiently and productively.
TOTAL SUPPORT PLATINUM PLAN SUMMARY:
VCIO strategic IT management services
24/7 Systems Monitoring and Alerting and OS/Security Patching with best RMM IT Tools
Unlimited Remote IT Help Desk Support that covers well over 90% of all IT support needs.
Unlimited On‐Site Support (This includes an onsite Senior Network Engineer who resides in
La Quinta)
Addresses hardware and software issues related to workstations, servers, software,
peripherals, and network infrastructure; diagnostics, part replacements, software installs
and patches.
Monitoring & verifying backups for suitable backup systems. Maintain anti‐virus and anti‐
spam protection, network firewall security rules. (client provides subscription)
Problem Resolution Services include working with third party vendors and maintenance
companies to diagnose and resolve hardware, software, IP communication, cellular
communication, datacenter electrical and environmental issues; referral or service requests
to third party service companies as required.
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APEX CERTIFICATIONS AND INDUSTRY RECOGNITION
Our technicians hold over 100 IT industry certifications, including a variety of key specializations:
Microsoft Certs held by Apex Engineers
6 MCP (Microsoft Certified Professionals)
5 MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator)
3 MCSA (Microsoft Certified Solutions Associate)
3 MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer)
5 MCSE (Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert)
5 MCITP (Microsoft Certified IT Professional)
1 MCDST (Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Tech.)
1 MCT (Microsoft S Certified Technician)
18 MCTS (Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist)
CISCO Certs held by Apex Engineers
6 CCNA (Cisco Certified Network Associate)
3 CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional)
1 CCENT (Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician)
1 CCDP (Cisco Certified Design Professional)
1 CCDA (Cisco Certified Design Associate)
1 CTSS (Cisco Technical Sales Specialist)
1 CMNA (Cisco Meraki Network Associate)
Citrix Certs held by Apex Engineers
1 CCE‐V (Citrix Certified Engineer – Virtualization)
1 CCEE (Citrix Certified Enterprise Engineer)
4 CCA (Citrix Certified Administrator‐XenApp 6.5)
VMware Certs held by Apex Engineers
2 VCP (VMware Certified Professional) 6.5
1 VCT (VMware Certified Technician)
1 VTPA (Virtualization Tech Post‐Sales Accreditation)
1 VMware vSphere Systems Design
2 VSP (VMware Sales Professional)
COMPTIA Certs held by Apex Engineers
2 COMPTIA A+, 2 COMPTIA Network+, 2 COMPTIA Security+
OTHER Certifications …
DELL, SonicWALL, Kaseya, Axcient, Nimble Storage, NUANCE/Dragon, 3Com, CJIS / CLETS, CWNT, CWSP, CWDP,
CWAP, CWNE, CWNT, Borderless Networks, Unified Wireless, IP NGN, etc..
Apex has spared no expense in ensuring that our technicians are properly trained and certified by the most trusted
names in the IT industry, for a quality of service and a level of trust that is unparalleled.
Apex Technology Management has been
recognized for its excellence by some of
the most respected organizations in the IT
industry:
Apex is named as #258 of the Top 501
Managed IT Service Providers in the
WORLD by MSP Mentor.
Apex has been listed as one of the “Pioneer
250” Managed IT Service Providers in the
United States by CRN.
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Responses to specific questions asked in “Attachment 1” of the RFP
1. How many technical employees does your firm employ?
Of the 33 total full-time staff, 25 are on the technical team.
2. Does your firm have technical employees that are local to the
Coachella Valley? Yes or No
Yes, we have a Senior Network Engineer that resides in the City of La Quinta.
He has extensive experience with servicing other City Governments within
California. He will be assigned as the on-site technician for the City.
3. Does your company have a partnership with any major IT companies? i.e.., Cisco,
Microsoft, Google Yes or No
Yes, Apex has strong partnerships with the industry leading vendors. Our technical
Staff hold over 100 certifications from these vendors: Cisco (including Meraki), Dell,
Microsoft, VMware, Citrix, Nimble, COMPTIA and others.
4. What industry certifications do your employees hold?
See the staff that would be assigned to the City (page 3) as well as the Apex
Certifications and Industry Recognition section (page 14)
5. Do you currently recommend that customers use any particular software that allows
users to create a service ticket? Yes or No
If Yes, what software, and is there a cost to the City?
Apex does not require City staff members use any specific software for creating
service tickets. Tickets can be created by emailing support@apex.com, calling
our toll-free phone number or using a web portal.
The web portal can be used by designated City staff to see all tickets submitted
and run reports on ticket activity.
There is no charge to the City for any of these methods.
All service tickets submitted by any of the above methods are tracked and monitored
by Apex in an industry leading ticketing system called “ConnectWise Manage”.
Upon closing a ticket, the requesting user is sent a customer satisfaction survey used
by Apex management to ensure strict internal standards are being met.
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6. Do you currently recommend that customers use any software to track network and
workstation performance/status? Yes or No If Yes, what software, and is there a cost to the
City?
As part of our proposed Managed Services, Apex provides licenses to the industry
leading network and workstation monitoring system called “ConnectWise Automate”.
The system includes over 75 monitor sets including network and workstation
performance assessments. Any issues that are found will automatically generate
a service ticket for evaluation and remediation.
There is no cost to the City for this.
7. Do you currently recommend that customers use any software to track hardware and
software inventory (including serial and licenses numbers)? Yes or No If Yes, what
software, and is there a cost to the City?
As part of our proposed Managed Services, Apex provides licenses to the industry
leading network and workstation monitoring system called “ConnectWise Automate”.
A system inventory, including serial numbers and license keys, is automatically
generated and is available at any time.
Software license and hardware warranty expiration dates are maintained within our
system and tickets are automatically generated for renewals prior to expiration.
There is no cost to the City for this.
8. Do you have Staff that specializes in special data base programs?
Yes or No
Yes, multiple Apex technicians have experience with Microsoft SQL Server, Microsoft
Access and others.
9. Is your staff able to troubleshoot problems related to Microsoft SQL
Server, versions 2000, 2008,2012, 2016? Yes or No
Yes. We have experience in this area as many current Apex clients have Microsoft
SQL Server in use in their production systems.
10. Is your staff able to do administration tasks on VMware vSphere
5.5? Yes or No
Yes. We have experience in this area as many current Apex clients utilize VMware
vSphere. Multiple technicians hold VMware certifications in V5.5 and newer versions.
Apex is a registered VMware “Professional Solution Provider.
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11. Is your staff able to do administration tasks on Cisco Meraki switches? Yes or No
Yes. We have current clients utilizing Cisco Meraki products. We have technical staff
that hold Cisco Meraki Network Certifications.
12. Is your staff proficient with MX-100 firewalls? & AASA firewalls
Yes. We have current clients utilizing Cisco and Meraki products. We have
technical staff that hold Cisco and Cisco Meraki Network Certifications.
13. If so, what administration tasks have been performed on the
appliances?
Our staff has performed all basic configuration and administration tasks as
well as many advanced tasks.
14. Is your staff able to troubleshoot problems with iPhones/iPads? Yes or No
Yes. Apex has existing clients with these and other tablets/smartphones.
15. Is your staff able to troubleshoot problems with copiers and scanners? Yes or No
Yes. Apex can perform initial troubleshooting and work with the appropriate vendor
to create and manage a ticket to successful resolution.
16. Is your staff able to troubleshoot email issues with Microsoft 365? Yes or No
Yes, many Apex clients utilize Microsoft Office 365 for email and other functions.
Apex has technicians with certifications in Office 365 setup and administration.
Apex is also an authorized “Microsoft Silver Cloud Solutions Provider”.
17. Is your staff able to perform administration/configuration tasks with a Mitel on-premise VoIP
system? Yes or No If yes, what tasks has your staff performed?
Yes. Our staff has performed all basic configuration and administration tasks as
well as many advanced tasks. Apex uses a Mitel 3300 for our internal phone system.
18. Is your staff able to troubleshoot problems related to an electronic Geographic Information
System (the City uses ESRI ArcServer and Desktop)? Yes or No If yes, please give some
examples of how you assisted clients with identifying and resolving the problems.
Yes, the Apex technical staff has experience with ESRI ArcGIS Server and ArcGIS
Desktop. We have setup on premise licensing for server and workstation installs and
have integrated it with Police Department software. We have at least six (6) current
clients using ESRI applications including ArcGIS. Our staff generally provides first level
troubleshooting for issues with the application and required infrastructure. If the issue is
determined to be with the application, we will open a ticket with ESRI support and
manage it to resolution.
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19. Is your staff familiar with Nimble Storage products and able to perform configuration tasks
and troubleshoot performance issues with SAN devices? Yes or No
Yes. We are Nimble Certified Partners and our technical staff have had training on the
product line. We utilize a Nimble SAN infrastructure at Apex and have deployed them to
multiple clients. We are able to design, provision, install, monitor, perform configurations
and troubleshoot issues on SAN devices.
20. Does your firm have application developers on staff?
We have former application developers on staff but do not engage in active in-house
custom application development. We have assisted clients in specifying, vendor
selection, project management, deployment and on-going monitoring and support of
custom applications. Our general preference is to identify if a commercial software
solution is available to meet the need. If not, the VCIO (Virtual Chief Information Officer)
assigned to a client together with the Apex Professional Service Engineering staff will
assist in the above process of utilizing a 3rd party vendor for implementing a solution.
Apex does have extensive skill and experience in scripting for software deployment, data
collection and analysis, security configurations as part of our Managed Services solution.
21. How many application developers/programmers does your firm employ?
Application development is not performed with our internal staff. See response to
question 20 above.
22. Please list programming languages your staff is proficient with and years of experience
developing applications in those languages?
Application development is not performed with our internal staff. See response to
question 20 above.
23. Please describe any custom application(s) your firm has developed that has solved a
business problem by streamlining processes. If so, please describe what the problem was
and how your application solved the issue and include the cost/time of the project.
Application development is not performed with our internal staff. See response to
question 20 above. Here are a couple of examples of custom applications our staff have
assisted in the design, vendor selection, deployment and on-going management:
Custom application (developed by 3rd party vendor) for a Mosquito Vector Control
District. Its function is to track the application of mosquito abatement products
real-time using GPS and cellular communication. Apex hosts the application for
the district in our data center.
SCADA applications (developed by 3rd party vendor) for City Governments. Apex
assisted in the design of the server and network infrastructure and performs
monitoring and management functions for the clients.
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24. The City is looking to move our IT infrastructure and services to the next level
using innovative and forward-thinking technology and solutions to accomplish
this. Please describe either a custom application your firm developed or solution
your firm implemented that provided a service in a unique way.
A recent example for a City Government was to significantly improve, simplify and
streamline the process of creating, distributing and reviewing information for City Council
meetings. The existing process was time consuming, difficult and frustrating for the City
staff to create the content and distribute it to everyone on time. It was also difficult to use
for the Council Members when they needed it. The solution was to utilize the City
document management system for content creation and then post it to online, secure
cloud storage. Simple to use Chromebooks were deployed for each City Council
Member to use. The Council Meeting files automatically synchronize to the
Chromebooks and can be easily reviewed before, during and after a Council Meeting.
The result was happy staff, happy Council Members and smooth-running Council
Meetings.
25. How many municipalities has your firm developed applications/solutions for?
Please list the application developed and, if possible, a link to the application.
Also, please include references for these projects.
We have not directly developed custom applications for our clients. Please see the
answer to Question 20 above for our approach.
We have assisted most of our clients in determining the best solution for their needs.
Most have been successful with commercial applications available in the marketplace.
This spans all types of clients we support: municipal government, healthcare, legal and
financial services firms. In the rare times where a custom application was required, Apex
provided assistance in specifying, vendor selection, project management, deployment
and on-going monitoring and support of the custom application.
26. Does your firm develop applications for mobile devices? If so, what language do you
use to develop these Apps? Please list references of recent/current projects.
No, we do not develop applications for mobile devices. We have assisted clients in
mobile application selection, deployment and on-going support. Our general preference is
to identify if a commercial application if one is available to meet the need. If not, the
VCIO (Virtual Chief Information Officer) assigned to a client together with the Apex
Professional Service Engineering staff will assist in the above process of utilizing a 3rd
party vendor for developing and implementing a solution.
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27. How many years of experience does your firm have in Mac OS App development?
Please list application(s) developed and references for project.
No, we do not develop applications for the Mac OS. Our general preference is to identify
if a commercial application is available to meet the need. If not, the VCIO (Virtual Chief
Information Officer) assigned to a client together with the Apex Professional Service
Engineering staff will assist in the above process of utilizing a 3rd party vendor for
developing and implementing a solution.
28. What are the pros and cons of using open source code as opposed to creating the
code completely in-house?
As stated, Apex does not directly provide custom application development. Our
philosophy is that in nearly all cases, a client is better served by finding a suitable
commercial application to perform the function. When a commercial vendor is
contracted, the solution will have R&D funding from the vendors entire client base that
allows for new features and program improvements without the customer organization
bearing the full cost of development. The vendor will also provide support and integration
options to relieve the customer from having to perform those functions. We have
assisted clients in negotiating favorable terms in a contractual agreement that binds the
vendor in meeting performance expectations, uptime, data retention and regulatory
compliance. Source code management and upgrades to new platforms and server
operating systems are all handled by the vendor. All of these areas are very costly to
implement and manage when an organization develops custom applications.
29. Do you test your code for security vulnerabilities? If so, do you use a third-party vendor
to test the code? Please list references.
We have not had the need to test code as we have not directly developed custom
applications for our clients. Please see the answer to Question 20 above for our
approach.
We have assisted clients in negotiating terms in contractual agreements outlining security
requirements for commercially available applications.
30. What is your firm’s outlook and history with implementing new and or alternative systems?
Apex has an extensive background with implementing new and alternative systems.
Please see our answer to Questions 23 and 24 above for two examples. We have also
assisted Municipal Governments implement transportation solutions that track busses on
their routes and automatically download in-bus camera video. We have helped Police
Departments with body cam video collection and storage as well as MDT’s (Mobile
Device Terminals) so that they have on-line access to critical systems from their patrol
cars. We have implemented telemedicine solutions for rural healthcare clients that allow
specialist providers from larger cities to serve patients in the rural clinic setting. These are
just several examples. Additional solutions can be provided upon request.
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31. What type of cyber security & fraud detections training can your firm provide for
internal staff?
We provide staff training on cyber security including tips on detecting fraudulent emails
and other malicious requests for information. We have conducted webinars on cyber
security and have them recorded on our company YouTube page for our clients to use
with their staff. We also have deployed industry leading solutions that an organization
can utilize to test their users with simulated fraudulent emails and provide training to
users that actually clicked on a malicious link or provided information they should not
have. This solution includes "Kevin Mitnick Security Awareness Training" for all
employees, including Bi-weekly test phishing emails sent to all employees to check how
many of them would fall for a phishing email. And for those who fail, additional training is
required to educate them on how to avoid it in the future. (Kevin Mitnick is the world’s
most famous hacker. Reformed, he now provides security training to many
organizations)
32. Does your firm maintain any active maintenance contracts on any of the systems listed
on Pg. 10?
Part of the Managed Services solution we are proposing to the City includes tracking and
renewal services for the City’s maintenance contracts with the vendors used for
production applications and infrastructure. It is the client that needs to have the
maintenance contract in place, not the I.T. Vendor. We recognize this is a logistical
challenge to maintain and that is why we handle it for our clients. Relevant maintenance
contract expiration dates, software keys and vendor contacts are tracked in our customer
knowledgebase. Renewal tickets are automatically generated 90-days prior to expiration
and renewal quotes are provided to the client. Additionally, the VCIO (Virtual Chief
Information Officer) assigned to the City, would include these renewals in the I.T. budget
process so they are planned for in advance. Since we are authorized partners for many
of the vendors on the applications listed on page 10 of the RFP, we are able to request
and provide renewal quotes for the client. (ex: Microsoft, Cisco, VMware, Nimble, Adobe
etc)
33. Use this opportunity to showcase any project your firm is particularly proud of that used
technology to solve an issue and/or was able to save the company money. We are most
interested in municipal projects, but would like to hear if your firm helped a private company
solve an issue in a unique and innovative way. Please describe project and provide references.
We have previously described a number of projects and solutions in response to earlier
questions in this section. Please see our responses to questions #23, #24 and #30.
We have also included this information in the References section of this proposal.
(including contact information)
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1. Hourly Rate:
Note: Apex is proposing a Managed Services Solution with an on-site technician. See
Item #8 below for a full description and fixed monthly price. We are NOT proposing a
regular on-site staff model billed at hourly rates. For out-of-scope work, current rates are:
2. Hours/Days when Normal Service is Available:
As part of our proposed Managed Services plan, the Help Desk is fully staffed from
7:30am-5:30pm, Monday-Friday, excluding holidays. Outside of these hours, your calls,
emails and alerts are answered by a live answering service, and on-call technicians
respond to the need according to its urgency. The Help Desk has 24/7/365 availability for
Emergency issues.
As part of our proposed Total Support Platinum Managed Services Plan, Apex is offering
unlimited (in-scope) on-site support hours, included in our plan. This unlimited on-site
support includes an onsite Senior Network Engineer who resides in La Quinta. For the
first 30-days of the agreement, we will start with him being onsite 5-days per week/8
hours per day from 8:00am to 5:00pm. If additional on-site services are necessary (for in-
scope work unable to be performed remotely), it is also included in our plan. After the
initial 30-days, we will reassess the onsite need with the City and adjust as necessary.
(up or down)
3. Travel/Trip Charges (if any):
No travel/trip charge for our La Quinta based Senior Network Engineer or VCIO. If project
work, referenced as “Special Projects” in the RFP, are performed or if other Apex staff
are needed on-site, travel time and other trip charges will be billed. For projects, this is
identified and listed on the project proposal with the other project costs.
Price Structure (Attachment 2 on RFP)
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4. Any Minimums that Apply:
N/A
5. Rate(s) for After Hours Work:
For out-of-scope or non-emergency work done after hours, time-and-a-half rates
based on the hourly rates listed above would apply. Emergency support for issues like
server down situations, work stoppage for multiple users etc. is covered under the Total
Support Platinum Plan and would not be billable.
6. Rate(s) on Weekends:
See item 5 above
7. Rate(s) on Holidays:
See item 5 above
Price Structure (Attachment 2 on RFP) - contd.
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8. Any Alternate Pricing Structures (such as block of hours):
One-Time Onboarding and Technical Assessment Fee: ……..............……...... $18,500.00 (one time)
o Initial Technical Assessment
o Installation of monitoring agents on all covered devices
o Creating the client’s monitoring and alerting profile
o On-site labeling and photo/video network reference documentation
o Documentation of client network, data and application infrastructure
o Documentation of client system configurations into Remote Monitoring & Maintenance Tools
o Apex Technical team training and familiarization with client’s IT environment
This fee will be waived of the City enters into a 3-year Total Support Platinum agreement.
Total Support Platinum Plan (Monthly): ………........……………...………….... $19,300.00 (per month)
o Virtual Chief Information Officer - strategic IT Management Services
o Remote Monitoring & Maintenance Tools, 24/7 Monitoring and Alerting, OS Patching/Updates
o Unlimited In-Scope Remote Help Desk Support is included for all covered users/devices
o Unlimited On-Site Support Services as described in the main proposal and below.
Unlimited on-site support includes an on-site Senior Network Engineer who resides in La
Quinta. For the first 30-days of the agreement, we will start with him being onsite 5-days per
week/8 hours per day. If additional on-site services are necessary (for in-scope work unable to
be performed remotely), it is also included in our plan. After the initial 30-days, we will
reassess the on-site need with the City and adjust as necessary. (up or down)
o No trip/travel charges for support work done by our La Quinta based Network Engineer.
NOTE 1: Price quoted here includes 6 sites, up to 21 servers, up to 127 workstations and the
related networking and infrastructure equipment described in the RFP. Additional servers
(virtual/physical) or workstations can be added to the plan at any time for an additional monthly cost.
($337.00/month per server, $106.00/month for workstations)
NOTE 2: Contracted monthly price automatically increases 3.5% annually. This can be locked down if the City
enters into a 3-year agreement.
Apex’s is proposing our Total Support Platinum Managed Services plan. We will provide the City with
unparalleled service via the following key components:
Virtual Chief Information Officer (VCIO) – Full Strategic IT Management Services
Remote IT Monitoring & Management Tools – enterprise-level IT support tools for 24/7 systems
monitoring and alerts, ticketing, CRM, OS patching, automated maintenance, etc.
Remote Help Desk Support – Unlimited (in-scope) Help Desk support hours are included in the
monthly plan. Well over 90% of all IT support work can be done remotely from Apex’s Help Desk.
On-Site Support – Unlimited (in-scope) on-site support hours, utilizing a Network Engineer who
currently resides in La Quinta.
Please see “Experience and Approach (Attachment 1 on RFP)” on page 10 for a full
description of services.
Submitted by: George Passidakis, , Director of Sales 3/25/2019
Price Structure (Attachment 2 on RFP) – contd.
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Please see “Section C – References” on page 7 above for our references.
References (Attachment 3 on RFP)
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Thank you for the opportunity to propose a solution for your Information Technology Services RFP. It is
our sincere belief that Apex Technology Management offers unparalleled IT skill, expertise, and customer
service. Apex has the unique blend of training, certifications, skill sets, and real-world Government IT
experience to successfully provide the required IT support services the City of La Quinta is seeking.
Our Managed Services approach leverages our local staff and VCIO services and provides best-in-the-
industry tools, and all of the key personnel necessary to ensure the best possible ongoing IT service for a
smooth and successful relationship. Apex will proactively monitor all included servers, workstations and
network devices. We’ll provide your users with UNLIMITED top-notch, enterprise-level remote help desk
and on-site support. All designed to maintain Apex’s highest standards of excellence for the City, and to
fulfill all requirements of the RFP. This approach will result in a robust, enterprise-class, “Corporate IT
Department” level of support for a reasonable budget.
We’re confident that our team can provide excellent support to the City staff and allow them to serve the
citizens with well performing, reliable and secure services while partnering to create new and innovative
solutions that help further distinguish the true “Gem of the Desert”.
Thank you again for reviewing this proposal. We are grateful for the potential opportunity to serve you, and
we look forward to hearing back from you!
Point of Contact: George Passidakis
Apex Technology Management, Inc.
(800) 310-2739 www.apex.com
gpassidakis@apex.com
Summary and Conclusion
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Exhibit A
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Exhibit B