RFP TEMPLATE

Colocation
Request for
Proposal
A detailed interactive worksheet to help IT purchasers
define requirements, submit to data center providers
and reach a vendor decision.

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 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

Contents
Your Information

1.0 Introduction 3

2.0 Proposed Schedule 3

3.0 Existing IT Infrastructure 4

4.0 Business Requirements 5

Questions to Submit to Data Center Provider

5.0 Vendor Corporate Profile 3

6.0 Detailed Vendor Questions 3

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2 | Contents
 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

Responses or questions regarding this RFP should be emailed to:

Name Title Phone Number Email

1.0 Introduction
Provide a brief description of your business, the objective of your data center initiative and any business challenges
you are overcoming.

2.0 Proposed Schedule

Date/Timeline Key Milestones

Issue RFP

Last day to ask questions pertaining to RFP

Responses to the questions submitted to all respondents

RFP submittal due date

Selection notification for shortlist

Final negotiations

Vendor selection

Commencement date

3 | Introduction
 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

3.0 Existing Infrastructure

Overview
Provide a brief description of current client operations regarding equipment, power usage, reasons for moving away
from the current environment and any new technology initiatives at the company:

Details
Current data center set-up (i.e.: owned, leased-client-managed, leased-vendor-managed, colocation or managed
services):

Square footage of current data center (wall-to-wall, Location (city, state) of current data center(s):
usable area):

IT load kW: Total data center kW:

Number and type (voltage/amperage) of power Number of racks or cabinets and their dimensions:
receptacles/whips used:

Current electrical redundancy: Current mechanical redundancy:

Current network redundancy: Telecommunications providers and services used:

Public peering: Projected growth of IT environment:

low mid high

Style of migration (single or multiple phases, use of a Primary reasons for undertaking new data center
3rd party): procurement:

New technology initiative: Any other details you would like to provide:

4 | Existing Infrastructure
 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

4.0 Business Requirements

Use this section to fill in your desired requirements.

Data Center Location(s): Approximate

location (city, state)
Term: Commitment term
Commencement Date: Desired move-
in date
Type of Relationship: (land lease,
build-to-suit, powered shell, private
data center, cage colocation, cabinet
colocation)
Space: Square feet or cabinets
Power: Capacity requirements (in kW),
desired redundancy, and AC or DC
power requirement
Expansion: If required

Renewal Option: If required

Office Space: Requirements for office
space
Storage Space: Requirements for
storage space
Cross Connect Services: Number
and type of cross connections
desired, including any public peering
requirements
Remote Hands: Frequency and types
of services desired
Miscellaneous: Other items that are
required by client
Vendor Requirements: Provide all
recurring and non-recurring charges
for client requirements, including any
expected taxes, inflationary increases,
expense reimbursements, security
deposit and total amounts due upon
execution

5 | Business Requirements
 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

TO BE FILLED IN BY DATA CENTER PROVIDER

5.0 Vendor Corporate Profile

Vendor Contacts:

Name Title Phone Number Email

Vendor Corporate Profile

Company name:

Corporate headquarters address:

Company telephone:

Website:

Year founded:

Company CEO and years with company:

Company overview:

Total number of employees:

Location of offices and data centers:

Please provide recent audited financial statements on vendor’s company. Is the vendor publicly traded? If not, what
is its main capital source? Is the vendor profitable?

Please provide at least three reference contacts:

Name Title Phone Number Email

6 | Vendor Corporate Profile

 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

TO BE FILLED IN BY DATA CENTER PROVIDER

6.0 Detailed Vendor Questions

If the purchaser is considering multiple data center locations, these questions should be answered for each facility.

Data Center Ownership

Who operates the data center?

Who owns the real estate?

Who manages the building?

Who is our primary point of contact for the facility?

Data Center Structure

Describe the building use (mixed use or dedicated data center facility):

How many stories in the building?

Describe size and access for the loading docks or shipping bays:

Describe size and access for the freight elevator:

Describe staging space for client use:

Describe any onsite office space and conference rooms available for client use:

Identify any weight limitations of client-installed equipment:

What other amenities are available at the facility for client’s use?

On how many acres of land is the site located?

Data Center Structure Location

What is the physical address of the facility?

Describe the building location category (city center, urban, rural):

Describe the distance from nearest body of water (river, lake, etc.).:

Is the building located in a flood plain?

7 | Detailed Vendor Questions

 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

TO BE FILLED IN BY DATA CENTER PROVIDER

Describe environmental threats (earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding, blizzards, etc.):

Describe the distance from nearest railroad:

Describe the distance from nearest highway:

Where is the closest international airport?

Describe the location of the building in relation to a flight path:

Please provide details on any sales tax or property tax incentives available at your facilities:

Power/Electrical

Describe the size of incoming utility service (primary and redundant services):

Describe how the utility distribution paths connect to different substations on utility grid:

Is the facility designed for concurrent maintainability?

Describe the commissioning process of the electrical system:

Was the commissioning completed by a 3rd party?

Describe the backup generator system and fuel capacity (hours of runtime at 100% load):

Describe the configuration of UPS systems:

Describe the total capacity of the UPS batteries:

What is the maximum density per cabinet allowable?

Does the vendor offer metered power? If so, how is it managed, reported and billed?

8 | Detailed Vendor Questions

 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

TO BE FILLED IN BY DATA CENTER PROVIDER

Cooling/HVAC

Describe the design of the chilled water loop or cooling system:

Describe the capacity of the chilled water plant:

Describe how the quantity of chilled water pumps is sufficient to maintain critical area during loss of one source of
electrical power:

Describe how the mechanical systems are fed from multiple sources on the power distribution grid:

Describe how the HVAC control system failure will not interrupt cooling to critical areas:

Describe sources of water available to the cooling system. Is there onsite water storage?

What is the facility’s expected power usage effectiveness (PUE)?

Available Space

Describe the total amount of data center space currently built at the facility:

Describe the total amount of future data center space anticipated to be built out:

Describe the vendor’s standard data center building format (raised floor, plenum return, etc.):

List raised floor height, if applicable:

Network and Cloud Connectivity

Is the vendor carrier-neutral?

Provide a complete list of carriers that are accessible at the vendor’s facility:

9 | Detailed Vendor Questions

 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

TO BE FILLED IN BY DATA CENTER PROVIDER

Describe any public Internet exchanges available in the vendor’s facility:

Describe the number of diverse fiber entry vaults for the building:

Describe private data transport between vendor and other 3rd party data centers.

Are there cloud providers available at the facility?

Provide a complete list of cloud providers that are accessible at the vendor’s facility:

What interconnection services are available (standard cross connects)?

Does the data center provider sell internet connectivity?

Fire Detection/Suppression

Describe early smoke/fire detection systems:

Describe the leak detection system:

Describe any perimeter lightning protection system:

Security

Describe the building’s onsite security staffing (outsourced/direct employees, hours, staffing levels, training):

Describe building access and security procedures:

Describe the perimeter security of the building:

Describe the CCTV system and video retention policy:

Are there biometrics and access card controls?

Is customer personnel surveillance permitted?

10 | Detailed Vendor Questions

 CoreSite | Colocation Request for Proposal

TO BE FILLED IN BY DATA CENTER PROVIDER

Maintenance and Support

Are facility and operations personnel employed directly by the client or outsourced?

Describe levels of support services or remote hands offerings:

What are the costs associated with support services?

Provide maintenance records for the past two years:

Provide the calendar for work coordination between the vendor and client:

Does the vendor provide nationwide NOC monitoring?

Describe the SLA (what functions are covered, terms and penalties):

Does the vendor offer janitorial services?

Describe any certifications or awards the vendor and/or the facility has received:

Describe what sales and provisioning support vendor would provide:

Describe the process for ordering services and submitting trouble tickets. Is there a customer portal or service
delivery platform and, if so, what information is available?

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