Telecommunication Request for Proposal Project - Astro-Tutor

The course project rough draft requires the completion of a comprehensive telecommunications network plan consisting of a written APA paper detailing a real-world telecommunications project and must include details on network performance, scheduling, and budget requirements. The rough draft is expected to have changes.

Please pay close attention to the budget, work flow, and network requirements when writing the paper and determining a solution. Remember – This is a Request for Proposal that is meant to provide a solution to stake holders that will include executives and some will have technical expertise. Therefore the paper must be consistent and be able to address potential technical questions, but more importantly be able to address the financials and justify why this design is the best choice.

** Certain information from the paper will be used to create a power point by me.

Assignment 1. After reviewing the Mini RFP ( Request for Proposal ) create a short list of questions to ask the customer. This is your opportunity to question your “client” and get needed details to help justify your RFP

Assignment 2 – Course Project Rough Draft

Travel Agency, Incorporated is the required case.

Rough Draft should be approximately 15 pages

The Final Project must include information on:

1. Project/Industry Background

2. Trends and Projections

3. Potential Competition

4. Problem Definition

5. A Project Overview with Goals and Objectives

6. List Assumptions and current Network design

7. Budget Requirements

8. Proposed New Network Design

9. Possible contingency plans

10. Findings and conclusion

Example Outline:

I. Executive Summary

II. Background Definition

a. Industry Trends & Projections

b. Competition

III. Problem Definition

IV. Requirements Definition

a. Project Goals and Objectives

b. Project Assumptions

a. Current Configuration of Network

b. Data Volumes, measurements, and details

c. Existing Customer Equipment

d. Identification of Business Issues and Requirements

e. Budget Requirements

V. Network Design

a. Approaches

a. Alternative 1

b. Alternative 2

b. Comparison of Alternatives

a. Cost Differences

b. Workflow Differences

c. Reliability

d. Maintenance

e. Performance

VI. Findings, Conclusions, Recommendations

VII. Implementation Plan

a. Project Plan

b. Milestones-Measurements

c. Implementation Plan

d. Training

e. Follow-up

Mini-RFP

Introduction

Travel Agency Inc plans to implement a new telecommunications network solution throughout the enterprise. This RFP sets forth the terms and conditions, technical and budget requirements and operational constraints for the implementation of this plan to support the network solution. The vendor should prepare a response to this RFP that takes into account the stated requirements and needs of the business.

TRAVEL Agency, Inc.'s seeks to improve its market and cost position vis a vis its competitors in its use of telecommuting employees. The enterprise is faced with severe problems relating to the cost of recruiting, acquiring, training, and retaining quality personnel. Travel Agency, Inc believes it can reduce employee turnover, (currently at 43% for travel agents) telecommunications costs, and improve volume of transactions and sales by using exclusively home-based, virtual office, telecommuting employees.

There are as many as six telecommunications techniques or ways to provide voice, data, and video connections to the home. Travel Agency Inc is soliciting a network plan that compares what the vendor sees as the most viable three of these. Make a specific recommendation regarding the WAN architecture, as well.

Requirements

<Implementation-100> The Integrated network needs to be fully operational within 12 months.

<Implementation-200> An implementation plan is required.

<Implementation-300> The business shall continue to operate during implementation.

<Implementation-400> Replace regional call processing sites with virtual offices.

<Implementation-500> Establish and standardize virtual office equipment requirements for agents.

<Budget-100> The telecommunications budget shall not exceed $1.5 million dollars per year over a three year period. This includes all labor, equipment, outside services, and equipment.

<Budget-200> If proven cost effective, telecommunications operations shall remain in house.

<Order Processing-100>All reservation calls must be answered no later than the second ring.

<Order Processing-200> Reservations are available 24/7.

<Order Processing-300> Ticket requests shall be consolidated at Travel Agency Inc regional data centers.

<Order Processing-400> Completed ticket requests must be forwarded to industry clearinghouse/brokerage centers in Atlanta, St. Louis, or Los Angeles.

<Order Processing-600> Incorporate an Internet/ecommerce “no frills” site to service second tier customers. Web servers and design is out of scope of this document. Recommend telecommunications links only.

WAN Workflow

• Regional call processing sites in LA, New York, Atlanta, Dallas and Chicago receive customer reservations

• Each ticket request (approximately 10kbytes) is forwarded to a regional data center in Atlanta, Pittsburgh or Phoenix for additional processing

• Regional data centers consolidate ticket requests and send requests to travel industry ticketing clearinghouses/brokerages centers.

• Confirmations are received over 56Kpbs data lines from these centers and require about 1kbyte of information.

• These confirmations are then transmitted back to reservation centers and faxed to customer’s office.

Agent holding time for initial reservations is 4 minutes per call. Calls take about 15 seconds to "wrap-up" before another call is delivered to the agent.