Cover Letter from Councilman Bannwolf
April 27, 1998
Dear Tom (Brereton),
As promised, I am enclosing a copy of the Telecommunications information for the new convention center. You will see that the "SATNET" concept of linking all schools, colleges, universities, the Texas Research Park, not-for-profit hospitals, libraries and other public facilities with a two-way interactive interactive voice, video, and data network is a key component of the telecommunications RFP. I believe that the establishment of such a network will provide significant skill and advantages for all the community's schools children; as we seek to develop better. higher-paying jobs in San Antonio.
Should you have any questions after reviewing after reviewing the enclosed information, please do not hesitate to let me know. With best wishes,
Sincerely yours, Tim Bannwolf
(NB: This is the first two pages of the City's response to queries regarding the telecommunications RFP of the convention center expansion.)
City of San Antonio
Convention Center Expansion Office
PO Box 839966
San Antonio, Texas 78283-3966April 13, 1998
To All Interested Parties:
The following information is provided as a response to the questions received on Monday, March 30, 1998 related to the Telecommunications Service/Video Network Services RFP for the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center (The questions received are indicated in italic type and the responses are indicated in bold type.) Additionally, the following general comments are included regarding the answers to the questions received.
The City of San Antonio desires to provide potential proposers the maximum flexibility to provide the City the best submittal, with as few constraints as possible. It is assumed that prospective proposers are currently involved with activities of a similar nature to those contained in the RFP, are very familiar with the associated industry or industries, and can provide the best approach to accomplish all of the goals of the City for this RFP.
Therefore, specific responses to some of the questions submitted may not be possible in order to maintain this approach. All prospective proposers are encouraged to review plans and specifications that have been made available for the convention center expansion and renovation.
Additionally, proposals that negatively impact the level of revenues to the City for the proposed "Smart City" requirements should be submitted in a form that enable the City to make any policy decisions regarding acceptance of either the implementation of the requirements or a higher revenue stream.
As specified in Section 4 and 5 of the RFP, the City has the following two primary convention center business requirements: 1) provide telecommunications services to convention visitors and 2) provide a video network for information and advertising.
With that in mind, vendors are encouraged to engineer solutions that will meet the primary business goals while integrating options/solutions that will contribute towards San Antonio's bigger goal of establishing a "Smart City" that will provide collaborative two-way interactive voice, video, and data applications with area schools, colleges and universities, the Texas Research Park, not-for-profit hospitals, libraries and other public facilities.
It is envisioned that for the Texas Research Park and those entities eligible under Texas law (H.B. 2128) for special telecommunications pricing (area educational institutions, not-for-profit hospitals, and libraries), this two-way interactive video and telecommunications connectivity could be provided free of charge to such entities accessing activities at the Convention Center with little or no impact on revenues for the City. For example, once this connectivity/network is in place, students at area high schools would be able to talk live via video conferencing with major party presidential candidates at the Convention Center during a nominating convention held in San Antonio, or as another example, a student at the Health Careers High School in northwest San Antonio would be able to participate live via video conferencing in an American Medical Association convention held at the Convention Center in San Antonio. The City is requesting that these connections (where one convention in the Convention Center and the other connections are the Texas Research Park and the institution(s) eligible for H.B. 2128 pricing (area education institutions, not-for-profit hospitals, and libraries)) be provided to those entities free of charge or at a nominal cost.
A second component of the "Smart City" concept is linking area schools, colleges, universities, the Texas Research Park, not-for-profit hospitals, libraries, and other public facilities via a two-way interactive video and telecommunications network that would allow each of these institutions to communicate with each other (i.e., video, voice and data transmission) independent of any link to the Convention Center. In other words, through the telecommunications services provided the Convention Center, the City of San Antonio also wishes to foster and promote the larger goal of linking the aforementioned institutions for two-way video, voice and data communications independent of any connectivity they will have to the Convention Center (the Convention Center could serve as the hub for such larger, area-wide connectivity, however). For example, it is envisioned that such a network/connectivity will allow students in area high schools to take courses from local colleges or universities live via video conferencing or, as another example, a class at the Health Careers High School will be able to watch live via video conferencing a surgical operation being performed at a local not-for-profit hospital. To establish this capability and connectivity, the City is seeking proposals to the Telecommunications Services and Video Network Services RFP for the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center which include what assistance (financial, in-kind or other) the provider will make available to the aforementioned institutions to achieve the connectivity and "Smart City" concept referenced herein. As one example, it is envisioned that telecommunications providers will propose providing such connectivity free of charge to the aforementioned institutions or at reduced rates significantly below current H.B. 2128 levels, for the life of the Convention Center telecommunications contract.
A proposer's inability to provide the "Smart City" concepts referenced herein should not deter the submission of a proposal that addresses only those telecommunications and video network services for the Convention Center.