1-696-IT-26-O003.pdf

Texas Department of Criminal Justice Response Cover Page

This form requests basic information about the Respondent and project and must be completed in its entirety, including the signature of the Authorized Representative.

SOLICITATION INFORMATION

Document Type: 9 Statutory Cite: Texas Government Code, Section 495.027

1) Solicitation Number: 696-IT-26-O003 2) Issue Date:

July 31, 2026

3) Deadline: September 25, 2026 3:00 p.m. CT

4) Contract Specialists: Ellyse Collins 936-437-3484 ellyse.collins@tdcj.texas.gov (reference Section G.2.2) Janice Wooley 936-437-3834 janice.wooley@tdcj.texas.gov

5) Type of Solicitation: RFO-Request for Offers

6) Solicitation Description:

The TDCJ is seeking a Contractor to install, operate, and maintain an Inmate Technology System, to include an Inmate Telephone Service and an Inmate Tablet Service for Eligible Inmates and Digital Mail and eMessaging. The scope for this solicitation will include all necessary personnel, supervision, infrastructure, hardware, software, equipment, installation, operation, maintenance, support, materials, supplies, training, transportation, and other required Services at no cost to the

TDCJ.

RESPONSE SUBMISSION

7) Submission

Portal: https://tdcj.bonfirehub.com

* Reference Section L for submission instructions. LATE RESPONSES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

RESPONDENT INFORMATION

8) Legal Business Name:

9) Mailing Address Information (include street, city, county, state and 9-digit zip code):

10) Payee Name and Mailing Address, including 9-digit zip code (if different from above)

(remittance address if not electing Direct Deposit):

11) Federal Tax ID No. (9-digit), State of Texas Comptroller Vendor ID Number (14-digit) or Social Security Number (9-digit):

12) Type of Entity (check all that apply):

Corporation (incorporated under the laws of the State of _____________)

Partnership Individual Non-Profit Organization* Joint Venture

*If incorporated, provide 10-digit charter number assigned by Secretary of State:

If a Foreign Entity:

Individual Partnership Joint Venture

Non-Profit Organization Corporation (registered for business in _________________ (country)

13) Prompt Payment Discount: _____ % _____Days or Net 30 (reference Section G.3 for additional information)

14) Amendments: The Respondent acknowledges receipt of all amendments.

RESPONDENT AUTHORITY AND SIGNATURE

15) Point of Contact Name: __________________________________ Title:________________________

Email address: ______________________________________________ Telephone #: _________________

16) Authorized Signature: Date:

696-IT-26-O003

SUMMARY OF KEY DATES

August 3, 2026 Solicitation Issued

August 10, 2026 10:00 a.m. CT Pre-Proposal Conference

August 11, 2026 8:30 a.m. CT Holliday Unit 295 N Fwy Service Rd, Huntsville, TX 77320 August 12, 2026 11:00 a.m. CT Estelle Unit 264 FM3478, Huntsville, TX 77320 August 13, 2026 9:00 a.m. CT Polunsky Unit 3872 FM 350, Livingston, TX 77351

August 20, 2026 3:00 p.m. CT Deadline for Written Questions for Clarification to the Department

September 15, 2026 Expected Date for Department to Post Answers to Clarification Questions

September 25, 2026 3:00 p.m. CT Deadline for the Department Receipt of Responses Late Responses will not be accepted.

Upon Signature of Both Parties Service Commencement Date

In compliance with Texas Government Code 2161.252, it has been determined there is a probability of subcontracting opportunities available for this Solicitation and the completion of the Subcontracting Plan will be required for this Solicitation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

SUMMARY OF KEY DATES

SECTION A – CONTRACT DEFINITIONS

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1.1 Services Being Acquired B.1.2 Pricing Instructions

B.2 PRICING SCHEDULE

B.2.2 Inmate Tablet Content Pricing B.2.3 Tablet Replacement B.2.4 eMessaging Rates B.2.5 Video Call Rates

B.3 ALLOWABLE COSTS

B.4 NON-ALLOWABLE COSTS

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

C.1 BACKGROUND

C.2 SCOPE OF WORK

C.3 INMATE TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

C.3.1 General Network Requirements C.3.2 Critical Component Redundancy C.3.3 Administration and Controlled Access C.3.4 Account Requirements C.3.5 Digital Recording System C.3.6 Digital Mail and eMessaging Requirements C.3.7 Reporting Requirements

C.4 INMATE TELEPHONE SERVICE

C.4.1 Inmate Telephone Service Functional Requirements C.4.2 Inmate Telephone Service Technical Requirements C.4.3 Call Validation Requirements C.4.4 Announcement and Call Branding Requirements C.4.5 Fraud Control Requirements C.4.6 Call Length Control Requirements C.4.7 Call Detail Record Requirements C.4.8 Video Call Functionality C.4.9 Revenue Requirements

C.5 INMATE TABLET SERVICE

C.5.1 Inmate Tablet Service Functional Requirements C.5.2 Inmate Tablet Technical Requirements C.5.3 Inmate Tablet Inventory and Tracking Requirements C.5.4 Critical Content Requirements C.5.5 Inmate Tablet Media Content Requirements C.5.6 Additional Contractor Staff for Application and Workflow Development

C.6 ANCILLARY SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

C.6.1 Digital Forensics Requirements C.6.2 Investigative Services and Application Requirements C.6.3 Managed Access System Requirements

C.7 IMPLEMENTATION AND INSTALLATION REQUIREMENTS

C.7.1 Implementation Plan C.7.2 Installation

C.7.3 System Cabling C.7.4 Testing and Acceptance

C.8 STAFFING REQUIREMENTS

C.9 TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

C.9.1 System Administrator Training C.9.2 Inmate Training C.9.3 Post-System Initiation Training C.9.4 Friends and Family Training

C.10 MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT REQUIREMENTS

C.10.1 Changes and Upgrades C.10.2 Support Requirements C.10.3 Inmate Trouble Tickets

C.11 COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE RULES, REGULATIONS, POLICIES,

PROCEDURES, AND LAWS

C.11.1 Information Security Requirements C.11.2 Data Management Requirements

C.12 USED AND USEFUL

C.13 ADDED VALUE

SECTION D – DELIVERABLES AND REPORTS

D.1 Deliverables

D.1.1 Deliverable 1 – Planning and Design D.1.2 Deliverable 2 – Cabling and Network Equipment Installation D.1.3 Deliverable 3 – As-Built Drawings D.1.4 Deliverable 4 – Installation, Programming and System Setup D.1.5 Deliverable 5 – Training D.1.6 Deliverable 6 – Project Completion, Final Inspection, and Final Project Acceptance

D.1.7 Other System-Wide Documentation

D.2 Contract Administration Documents

SECTION E – INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 INSPECTION OF SERVICES

E.2 INSPECTION BY STATE EMPLOYEES

E.3 MONITORING CRITERIA

E.4 AUDITS BY OTHER AGENCIES

E.5 FRAUD, WASTE, OR ABUSE

SECTION F – DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 CONTRACT TERM

F.2 OPTION TO RENEW THIS CONTRACT

F.3 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES

SECTION G – CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

G.2 AUTHORITY – AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE, CONTRACT SPECIALIST,

CONTRACT MONITOR, DEPARTMENT PROJECT MANAGER, AND PROGRAM

DIRECTOR

G.2.1 Authorized Representative G.2.2 Contract Specialist G.2.3 Contract Monitor G.2.4 Department Project Manager G.2.5 Program Director

G.3 RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE

G.4 REMITTANCES

G.4.1 Invoicing for Unacceptable Compliance Standards

G.5 ANNUAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS

SECTION H – SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

H.1 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

H.1.1 Required Provisions

H.2 SUBCONTRACTORS

H.3 CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION COMPLIANCE

H.4 OTHER CONFIDENTIAL OR SENSITIVE INFORMATION

H.5 BOOKS AND RECORDS

H.6 ORGANIZATIONAL AND NAME CHANGE

H.7 FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION

H.8 DELAY OF SERVICES

H.9 SECURITY

H.10 UTILIZATION OF SERVICES

H.11 TRANSITION

H.12 USE OF CONTRACT BY OTHER STATE AGENCIES

SECTION I – CONTRACT CLAUSES

I.1 ADVERTISING OF AWARD

I.2 DEFAULT AND TERMINATION

I.2.1 Default by the Contractor I.2.2 Further Opportunity to Cure I.2.3 Remedy of the Department I.2.4 Termination for Convenience I.2.5 Termination by Mutual Agreement I.2.6 Termination Procedures I.2.7 Default by the Department I.2.8 Remedy of the Contractor

I.3 NO WAIVER OF RIGHTS

I.4 TAXES/WORKERS’ COMPENSATION/UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE – INCLUDING

INDEMNITY

I.5 NO WAIVER OF DEFENSES

I.6 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

I.7 MAINTENANCE OF CORPORATE EXISTENCE AND BUSINESS

I.8 APPROVAL OF CONTRACT

I.9 NON-DISCRIMINATION

I.10 CONFIDENTIALITY

I.11 CONTRACT CHANGES

I.12 SEVERABILITY

I.13 IMMIGRATION

I.14 NO LIABILITY UPON TERMINATION

I.15 LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY

I.16 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INDEMNIFICATION

I.17 ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION RESOURCES ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, AS

REQUIRED BY TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TITLE 1, PART 10, CHAPTER

I.18 RIGHTS TO DATA, DOCUMENTS AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE (STATE

OWNERSHIP)

I.19 FORCE MAJEURE

I.20 NOTICES

I.21 SUBSTITUTIONS

I.22 REQUIRED COOPERATION IN LEGAL MATTERS

SECTION J – LIST OF EXHIBITS

SECTION K – REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

RESPONDENTS

K.1 RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE

K.2 FRANCHISE TAX REPRESENTATION

K.3 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE RESPONDENT

K.3.1 Organization and Qualification K.3.2 Authorization K.3.3 No Violation of Agreements, Articles of Incorporation, or Bylaws K.3.4 No Defaults Under Agreements K.3.5 Compliance with Laws K.3.6 No Litigation K.3.7 Taxes K.3.8 Financial Statements K.3.9 No Adverse Change K.3.10 Disclosure K.3.11 No Collusion K.3.12 Disclosure of Interested Parties K.3.13 No Felony Criminal Convictions K.3.14 Deceptive Trade Practices; Unfair Business Practices K.3.15 Notification

K.4 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT

K.4.1 Authorization K.4.2 No Violation of Agreements K.4.3 Disclosure

SECTION L – INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS AND NOTICES TO RESPONDENTS

L.1 DISCUSSIONS, CORRESPONDENCE, AND AMENDMENTS TO THE

SOLICITATION

L.2 LATE SUBMISSIONS, MODIFICATIONS AND WITHDRAWALS OF RESPONSES .. 112

L.3 SIGNATURES ON RESPONSES SUBMITTED

L.4 RESPONSE ACCEPTANCE

L.5 CONTRACT AWARD

L.6 RIGHTS OF THE DEPARTMENT

L.7 RESPONSE PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

L.8 RESPONSE SUBMISSION FILES AND CONTENT

L.8.1 Response Cover Page L.8.2 Response Introduction L.8.3 Pricing Schedule and Budget Narrative L.8.4 Response to Each Requirement in Section C L.8.5 Texas Department Criminal Justice Required Contract Clauses L.8.6 Subcontracting Plan L.8.7 Response to Electronic Information Resource Accessibility Requirements L.8.8 Respondent’s Financial Statements L.8.9 Statement of Compliance with Sections E through K

L.9 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE AND SITE VISIT(S)

L.10 LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD (LBB) POSTING

SECTION M – EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M.1 SELECTION PROCESS

M.2 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

M.3 EVALUATION CRITERIA

696-IT-26-O003 Section A

SECTION A – CONTRACT DEFINITIONS

The following terms used in this Contract shall, unless the context indicates otherwise, have the meanings set forth below, to include the singular and plural versions.

24X7 – 24 hours a Day, seven Days a week, every week of the year.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) – a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) – systems capable of:

A. Perceiving an environment through data acquisition, and processing and interpreting the derived information to take an action or actions or to imitate intelligent behavior given a specific goal; and

B. Learning and adapting behavior by analyzing how the environment is affected by prior actions.

As-Built Drawing – a drawing made during construction that records the locations, sizes, and nature of concealed items such as structural elements, accessories, equipment, devices, plumbing lines, valves, mechanical equipment, and the like to form a permanent record for future reference.

Authorized Representative – the person designated in writing to act for and on behalf of a party of this Contract, which designation has been furnished to the other party hereto as described in Section G.2.1, Authorized Representative.

Business Hours – 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Central Time (CT), Monday through Friday, except State of Texas observed holidays.

Camp-On – a telecommunications system service feature that would enable complete access to each individual line without the user being aware of the access attempt, despite any call in progress.

Chip Off – a digital forensic technique that involves physically removing memory chips from devices to extract data.

Compromised – when something is made vulnerable to attack or misuse by unauthorized access, revelation, or exposure, impaired or diminished in function, or otherwise weakened, damaged, or flawed.

Confidential Information – data that must be protected from unauthorized disclosure or public release under the provisions of the Texas Public Information Act (also known as the Texas Open Records Act), judicial rulings, or contractual agreements. To include but not limited to, social security numbers (SSNs), taxpayer identification numbers (TINs), employer identification numbers (EINs), credit card numbers, Personal Identifying Information (PII), Sensitive Personal Information (SPI), and personal medical information.

Continental United States – the forty-eight contiguous states, Alaska, and the District of Columbia.

Contraband Interdiction System (CIS) – a technological solution that detects and prevents the use of unauthorized wireless devices, like cell phones, within a unit.

Contract – documents that form the Contract, which represents the entire and integrated agreement between the Department and the Contractor and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, or agreements, either written or oral.

Contract Award Date –the date the final party executes this Contract, as shown by the last signature in the signature block, unless an alternative effective date is expressly stated.

Contract Monitor – the Department employee as described in Section G.2.3, Contract Monitor.

Contract Specialist – the Department employee as described in Section G.2.2, Contract Specialist.

Contract Term – the duration of this Contract as specified in Section F.1, Period of Performance.

Contractor – the individual, partnership, or corporation who provides the ITS and performs Services under this Contract.

Criminal Justice Information (CJI) Data – data necessary for law enforcement to perform their missions including, but not limited to, biometric, identity history, biographic, property and case/incident history data, and any other data identified as criminal justice information (CJI) under the Code of Criminal Procedure, Title 1, Chapter 66, Subchapter A and/or the Federal Bureau of Investigation Criminal Justice Information Services Security Policy.

Criminal Justice Information System (CJIS) – comprised of the DPS Computerized Criminal History System (CCH) and the TDCJ Corrections Tracking Systems (CTS) that provide law enforcement agencies with access to criminal justice information, such as criminal records, fingerprints, and other related data, as described in Code of Criminal Procedure, Title 1, Chapter 66, Subchapter A.

Day – calendar day.

Deliverable – an outcome, result, or item delivered to customers as an output of a project.

Department – the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), an agency of the State of Texas.

Department Policy – any written policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, directives and manuals of the Department, which are in effect or as may be amended from time to time, which the Department has referenced or has made available to the Contractor and with which the Contractor has an affirmative obligation to be and remain familiar.

Department Project Manager (PM) – the Department employee described in Section G.2.4, Department Project Manager.

DIR – the Texas Department of Information Resources, an agency of the State of Texas.

DPS – the Texas Department of Public Safety, an agency of the State of Texas.

Digital Mail – physical mail, sent to an Inmate, which has been converted to a secure electronic format.

Digital Recording System (DRS) – a system that records telephone call audio and video, allowing for live monitoring and downloading of recordings.

Dual Tone Multi-Frequency (DTMF) – a telecommunication signaling system using the voice-frequency band over telephone lines between telephone equipment and other communications devices and switching centers. The version of DTMF used for telephone tone dialing is known by the trademarked term Touch-Tone.

Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) – the deposit of funds electronically into an account rather than through a physical paper check, also known as direct deposit.

Eligible Inmates – Inmates who meet the Department requirements to receive an Inmate Tablet or utilize the Inmate Telephone Service.

eMessage – an electronic written communication sent to or received by an Inmate.

Enterprise Technology Architecture (ETA) – a document that establishes Departmentwide standards for the deployment of new systems and technology and the modernization of legacy systems. The ETA provides guidelines that promote and facilitate the integration of systems and promote the development of a technology infrastructure that is accessible, responsive, scalable, reliable, secure, manageable, and highly available.

Event of Default – any of the events or circumstances described in Section I.2, Default and Termination.

Fiscal Year – any of the one-year periods beginning September 1 and ending August 31, which are used for annual budgetary purposes by the State of Texas.

Fraudulent Calls – calls in which any party attempts to misrepresent any aspect of their identity or the purpose of the call for any reason including, but not limited to, calls in which one party pretends to be someone other than their actual identity to facilitate communication that may otherwise be restricted.

Go-Live – when a system becomes operational or available for use.

Gross Revenue – the total revenue earned from total billable minutes without any allowances or deduction for operational costs, fraud, line charges, validation charges, equipment charges, other collectible or uncollectible charges, billings, and collection or other fees, expenses or payments to suppliers.

Inmate – a person under supervision or custody of the Department.

Inmate Tablet – a touchscreen mobile device that connects to an internal secure wireless network.

Inmate Tablet Service – a Service that allows Eligible Inmates access to secure tablets that are able to deliver educational, vocational, and religious materials along with other Services.

Inmate Technology System (ITS) – a system that encompasses Inmate Telephone Service, Inmate Tablet Service, eMessaging, Digital Mail Services, and any related Services listed in this Contract.

Inmate Telephone Service – a Service that allows Eligible Inmates to make paid telephone calls to registered friends and family.

Inmate Trouble Ticket (ITT) – an electronic or written means of submitting issues with the Inmate Technology System for troubleshooting.

Joint Test Action Group (JTAG) – a specialized technique used by law enforcement to extract data from devices.

Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG) – a commonly used format for compressing image files.

Managed Access System (MAS) – a Contraband Interdiction System that combats wireless device use in correctional facilities by capturing and dropping calls made from any contraband device.

Material Failure – the failure of a party to fulfill one or more obligations essential to achieving the purpose of this Contract.

NCIC – the National Crime Information Center under the authority of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

NIST – the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Non-Appropriation – the failure by the Legislature of the State, as part of its budgetary process, to appropriate money to be used for the Payments due hereunder.

Office of the Inspector General (OIG) – an independent office that reports to the TBCJ and is the primary law enforcement and investigative entity of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Personal Biometric Identification (PBI) – the process by which a person’s unique physical and other traits are detected and recorded by an electronic device or system as a means of confirming identity. The identifier may be a retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or record of hand or face geometry.

PD – a Texas Department of Criminal Justice Personnel Directive.

Performance Measure – standards used by the Contractor and the Department to determine the quality and acceptability of Services to be acquired.

Person – any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization court, other tribunal, or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

Personal Identifying Information (PII) – information that alone, or in conjunction with other information, identifies an individual, including an individual's:

A. Name, social security number, date of birth, or government-issued identification number;

B. Mother's maiden name;

C. Unique biometric data, including the individual's fingerprint, voice print and retina or iris image;

D. Unique electronic identification number, address, or routing code; and

E. Telecommunication access device as defined by Section 32.51, Texas Penal Code.

Personally Approved Number (PAN) – a list of telephone numbers specific to an Inmate successfully registered to receive calls.

Personal Identification Number (PIN) – a number assigned to an Inmate and used to validate identity.

Quality – the degree to which a product or service satisfies stated or implied requirements. Quality assurance focuses on process quality to prevent mistakes and defects and avoid problems when delivering products or services to customers. Quality control focuses on identifying and correcting product defects.

Quarter – the periods that relate to the Department’s Fiscal Year, beginning September, December, March, and June.

Refresh – to reinstall the application while maintaining personal files and settings.

Resolution – restoring the system to full capacity and functionality.

Resolution Time – the period between the earlier of (1) when the Contractor first becomes aware of a problem or (2) when the Contractor receives a trouble ticket from the Department, and the time of Resolution.

RFO – Request for Offers, a solicitation.

Ruggedized – designed or improved to be hard-wearing or shock-resistant.

SD Card – a type of removable memory card used for storing digital information utilized in electronic devices.

Security Incident – an occurrence that actually or imminently jeopardizes, without lawful authority, the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of information or an information system; or constitutes a violation or imminent threat of violation of law, security policies, security procedures, or acceptable use policies.

Sensitive Information – data that is not protected by law from being disclosed or released under the Texas Public Information Act; however, it may still require an elevated level of protection and special precautions to ensure its accuracy and integrity. Some information the Department maintains is deemed sensitive, as determined by the Department’s standards and risk management decisions. Examples of "Sensitive Information" include, but are not limited to, the following:

A. The Department's operational information;

B. The Department personnel records;

C. The Department Information Security Procedures;

D. The Department's internal communications; and

E. Comments.

Sensitive Personal Information (SPI) – as defined by the Texas Business and Commerce Code, Section 521.002(a) (2), an individual's first name or first initial and last name in combination with any one or more of the following items, if the name and the items are not encrypted:

A. Social security number;

B. Driver's license number or government-issued identification number; or

C. Account number or credit or debit card number in combination with any required security code, access code, or password that would permit access to an individual's financial account; or Information that identifies an individual and relates to:

1. The physical or mental health or condition of the individual;

2. The provisions of health care to the individual; or

3. Payment for the provision of health care to the individual.

SPI does not include publicly available information that is lawfully made available to the public from the federal government or a state or local government (See https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/BC/htm/BC.521.htm).

Services – delivery by the Contractor of requirements in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Contract.

Service Commencement Date – the date on which the Contractor shall begin providing Services pursuant to this Contract.

SIM Card – a card that can be inserted into a mobile device and used to store data.

State Identification Number (SID Number) – a unique identifier assigned by the Texas DPS to individuals for tracking criminal records.

Site – a Department unit or facility listed in Exhibit J.1, Site List.

Statewide Procurement Division (SPD) – a division of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts, an agency of the State of Texas.

Stored Data/Information – includes, but is not limited to, any and all data, information, records, and media, regardless of its source of origination or medium, financial transactions, and all other information, confidential or otherwise, however obtained, maintained, recorded, retained, stored, or archived through the Inmate Management System (IMS).

TBCJ – the Texas Board of Criminal Justice.

TCIC – the Texas Crime Information Center, under the authority of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

TDCJ – the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, an agency of the State of Texas.

TDCJ-ITD – Information Technology Division, a division of the Department.

TDCJ-ITD Directives – any written policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, directives and manuals of the TDCJ-ITD, which are in effect or may be amended from time to time, which the TDCJ-ITD has referenced or has made available to the Contractor and with which the Contractor has an affirmative obligation to be and remain familiar.

TDCJ Number – the Texas Department of Criminal Justice identification number for Inmates.

Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) – a device that provides backup power to electrical equipment when the main power source fails.

Work Product – a tangible project artifact or output that is created during a project, often as a component of, or in support of, a Deliverable.

Working Day – a weekday, unless it is a holiday, observed by the Department.

Virtual Number – a telephone number without a directly associated phone line.

696-IT-26-O003 Section B

SECTION B – SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1.1 Services Being Acquired

Pursuant to Texas Government Code, § 495.027, the Department requires a Contractor to install, operate, and maintain an Inmate Technology System (ITS) including, but not limited to, an Inmate Telephone Service and an Inmate Tablet Service for Eligible Inmates confined in units operated by the Department throughout the State of Texas, and all Services and functionality included in this Request for Offers (RFO) at no cost to the Department.

B.1.2 Pricing Instructions

A. The Respondent shall provide line-item detail of all products, Services, storage, and licensing for all items offered in their Response. All no-charge added value Services and/or features agreed upon by the Contractor and the Department shall remain at no charge through the Contract Term.

B. The Contractor shall provide Inmates free access on all Inmate Tablets to all critical content. Critical content is listed in Section C.5.4, Critical Content Requirements.

C. Outbound messages to the Department and inbound eMessages from the Department for substance use help shall be at no cost to the Inmate.

D. The Contractor shall be allowed to charge Inmates for premium content as defined in Section C.5.5, Inmate Tablet Media Content Requirements including, but not limited to, movies, music, books, and games.

E. The Contractor shall not be allowed to charge Inmates per-minute charges to access premium Inmate Tablet content.

F. The Contractor shall not charge Inmates or the Department for use of alternative Contractor-supported solutions for Inmates to receive services typically received on Inmate Tablets.

G. No charge to the Inmate or the Department shall be allowed for the transmission or response of an Inmate Trouble Ticket (ITT).

H. The Contractor shall ensure no charge is assessed to the Inmate for an uncompleted call, and the charge for local calls shall not be greater than the highest rate for local calls for Inmates in Texas county jails.

I. The Contractor shall not charge the Department for the 24X7 operation and maintenance coverage of the Managed Access Systems (MAS).

J. The Contractor shall be responsible for all costs associated with compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and any other relevant federal or state civil rights law.

K. The Contractor shall disclose all prices charged for all Services.

L. The Contractor shall disclose all fees.

M. The Contractor shall collect and remit all applicable taxes and fees.

N. The Contractor shall install additional telephones at no charge to the Department.

O. The Contractor shall provide all manufacturer hardware, software, and other system components and version upgrades released by the manufacturer to the Department at no cost or increase in airtime rates.

P. The Contractor shall provide new ITS workstation and printer components throughout the Contract Term as required in Section C.10.C, Maintenance and Support Requirements, at no charge to the Department.

Q. The Contractor shall maintain documents regarding billing procedures and statements, rate structures, and service metering and provide them to state auditors on a periodic basis as determined by the auditing authority.

R. The Contractor shall be responsible for negotiating all billing arrangements and completed calls with domestic and international exchanges.

B.2 PRICING SCHEDULE

A. Should any relevant entity (e.g., Federal Communications Commission [FCC], the Public Utilities Commission of Texas [PUCT]), or other governmental entity) modify, eliminate, or establish additional rates, fees, or other charges that are allowed or required to be collected for the Services provided by the Contractor during the Contract Term, the Contractor shall notify the Department in writing at least 60 Working Days prior to implementation of any required or permitted rates, fees, or other charges.

Notification shall include documentation from the appropriate regulatory or legislative entity detailing the changes.

B. Should federal or state statutes or regulations change in the future relating to rates, rate additives, or other charges that are allowed or required to be collected by the Contractor for Inmate calling Services provided under this Contract, the Department and the Contractor will renegotiate such payments and/or Contract rates, fees, or other charges to preserve the economic benefits of this Contract.

C. Should a system failure prevent the accumulation of call data resulting in the loss of records reflecting revenue, calculations shall be derived based on historical data.

B.2.1 Inmate Telephone Call Pricing

A. Collect Call Rates

Rate per Minute

Local

Intrastate

Interstate

International

B. Prepaid Collect Call Rates

Rate per Minute

Local

Intrastate

C. Prepaid Call Rates

Local

Intrastate

B.2.2 Inmate Tablet Content Pricing

Content Type One-Time Purchase Price Subscription/Rental Rate

Newspapers per

Magazines per

Books per

Audiobooks per

Music per

Games per

Movies per

Television Programs per

B.2.3 Tablet Replacement

Inmates whose tablets have been unintentionally or intentionally damaged may seek replacement tablets. Inmates who are approved for replacement tablets may be charged _______________ by the Contractor, based on the reason for the replacement.

B.2.4 eMessaging Rates eMessage Type Character/Size Limit Rate per Message

Inbound

Outbound

B.2.5 Video Call Rates

B.3 ALLOWABLE COSTS

The proposed pricing shall include only costs that are reasonable, necessary, and allowable under state statutes, Department Policy, and federal cost standards. The Department shall make the final decision on the allowance or acceptability of a cost.

B.4 NON-ALLOWABLE COSTS

The proposed pricing shall not include costs that are not allowed by the State or any authorized agency, statute, policy, or procedure.

696-IT-26-O003 Section C

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

C.1 BACKGROUND

A. The Department is responsible for the supervision of approximately 149,000 incarcerated Inmates. The Department’s mission is to provide public safety, promote positive change in Inmate behavior, reintegrate Inmates into society, and assist victims of crime.

C.2 SCOPE OF WORK

A. Contractor Responsibilities

1. The Contractor shall deliver a fully comprehensive solution, compatible at all designated units listed in Exhibit J.1, Site List, to include all necessary personnel, supervision, infrastructure (including an equipment room, terminal location, and inside wiring), hardware, software, equipment, installation, operation, maintenance, support, materials, supplies, transportation, Services, and all things necessary for, or incidental to, a fully functional, administered and managed ITS.

2. The Contractor shall be responsible for, at a minimum, all outlined requirements.

Specific Deliverables associated with each major activity are identified where appropriate. A brief description of each major activity is included to ensure a common understanding of the Services to be provided.

3. The Department will look solely to the Contractor for performance. The Contractor is responsible for all resources necessary to provide the Services included in this Contract. The Contractor shall provide Services statewide.

4. The Contractor shall guarantee the full completion of all aspects of the fully functional ITS contained within this RFO within 180 Days of the Service Commencement Date.

5. The Contractor shall remain responsible for the entire ITS to include software, hardware, all components and parts, maintenance, and support throughout the Contract Term.

6. The Contractor shall physically inspect any work or construction completed by the Contractor’s subcontractor for this Contract, including documentation and approval by the Department.

7. The Contractor is authorized to provide eMessaging/Digital Mail services, including access to previously sent and received eMessages/Digital Mail, to Inmates after their release from TDCJ facilities, provided that such services comply with all applicable laws, regulations, and contractual obligations regarding data security, confidentiality, and privacy. The Contractor shall ensure that access to such eMessages/Digital Mail is limited to the individual Inmate and is provided through a secure platform approved by the Department.

B. Department Responsibilities

1. The Department reserves the right to approve, reject, or request substitutions for any equipment, components, or parts.

2. The Department reserves the right to add, delete, or change Site locations and to increase or decrease the number of Eligible Inmates and/or Inmate telephones or Inmate Tablets per location, or make other business decisions as necessary for the operation of the Department.

3. The Department shall notify the Contractor when the population of a Site increases or changes to warrant additional Inmate Tablets, Inmate Telephones, related equipment, and associated lines.

4. The Department shall provide ITS usage parameters.

5. The Department reserves the right to disable any configurable features of functionality it chooses not to use.

6. The Department may also elect to utilize the ITS network for other agency operations described further in Section C.3.1.D, General Network Requirements.

C.3 INMATE TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

A. The Contractor shall have complete end-to-end responsibility to ensure operational Service meets all requirements of this Contract including, but not limited to, any necessary interfaces with the regulated common carrier, as required for full system functionality.

B. The Contractor shall ensure the ITS:

1. Is an automated system that does not require Department intervention.

2. Is capable of being expanded and upgraded.

3. Allows all system components and functions to be in use simultaneously.

4. Is able to meet the Contract Performance Measures outlined in Exhibit J.3, Contract Performance Measures.

5. Has the same features and functionality at all designated Department locations.

C. The Contractor shall ensure the Department has the ability to disable any configurable features or functionality it chooses to not use.

D. The Contractor shall ensure all equipment is new and unused, unless otherwise approved by the Department.

E. The Contractor shall repair or replace any damaged or destroyed part of the ITS infrastructure as required in Exhibit J.3, Contract Performance Measures, as soon as access is available.

F. The Contractor shall populate and maintain accurate and up-to-date databases for the ITS. The Contractor will remain responsible for all data entry and programming related to initial and subsequent databases required throughout the Contract Term.

G. The Contractor shall provide workstations as required by the Department’s needs, including all peripheral and ancillary equipment required to access elements of, monitor audio of, download from, or print information related to the ITS. The Contractor shall meet the following requirements:

1. Contractor-provided workstations shall be connected to the ITS network.

2. Workstations, peripherals, and ancillary equipment shall be located at the Sites, regional offices, investigative offices, administrative and contract monitoring locations, and security threat group offices, at a minimum.

3. Manufacturer's warranty coverage for the workstations, peripherals, or ancillary equipment may provide either new or refurbished replacement parts of equal or better quality to that being replaced.

4. The Contractor shall provide all ITS printer consumables, including paper and ink cartridges.

5. As additional workstations are needed, the Contractor shall install and activate these workstations within 10 Working Days from the date of written notification by the Department. If the Contractor requires more time to fulfill the Department’s request:

a. The Department may allow the Contractor more than 10 Working Days to complete efforts requiring construction, additional circuits, or additional equipment.

b. The Contractor shall have five Working Days from the Day of the written notification to determine if the Department's request shall require additional efforts and provide the Department with an estimated timeframe for completion.

6. The Contractor shall ensure all workstations remain operational at all times.

C.3.1 General Network Requirements

A. The Contractor shall ensure all ITS Services operate on a secure network separate from the rest of the Department’s network.

B. The Contractor shall identify the type and bandwidth proposed to provide Services at each Site on Exhibit J.1, Site List.

C. The Contractor may utilize existing Inmate Technology Service cabling at each Site and shall maintain and repair the functionality of any existing ITS infrastructure utilized in performance of Services. The Contractor is responsible for equipment enhancements such as switches, routers, and cabling needs.

D. The Contractor shall grant the Department use of the ITS network beyond Services required in this Contract.

1. Such use shall have the ability to be securely segregated from the Inmate Telephone and Inmate Tablet Service connectivity for different networks.

2. Such use shall be available without degradation in performance of the ITS.

E. The Contractor shall maintain and support existing cabling for services utilized by the Department.

F. The Contractor shall provide the ability to support data transfers between the Department and its business partners such as, business partners providing Inmate banking processes.

G. The Contractor shall ensure the network provides controlled and secure external access.

H. The Contractor shall ensure a hardened and tested environment with no backdoors or methods by which the controlled Services environment may be accessed in an unauthorized manner.

I. The Contractor shall ensure the network is always secured and monitored with the following security features, at a minimum:

1. Firewalls with Media Access Control (MAC) address filtering and restriction capabilities;

2. Domain Name System;

3. Transparent proxy with filtering to include specific and categorized website filtering, whitelisting, blacklisting, and reporting capabilities; and

4. Routing Services.

J. The Contractor shall ensure all individual Site systems are networked together to allow the same investigative monitoring from Department headquarters that is available at each Site.

K. The Contractor shall fully describe all controls on the network to the Department.

L. The Contractor shall provide and fully describe an auditable process to ensure all network control requirements are being met.

M. The Contractor shall promptly install all relevant security patches and anti-virus updates on the network.

N. The Contractor shall ensure all ITS equipment residing on the network is properly identified as “property of [Contractor name]” and includes clearly listed toll-free numbers for maintenance/support calls.

O. The Contractor shall design and manage the Services in such a manner that traffic demand on any system shall never exceed a peak transmit ratio of 90% and a peak receive ratio of 90% at the same time.

C.3.2 Critical Component Redundancy

The Contractor shall provide an adequate Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS) to allow for a safe ITS shutdown in the event of a temporary local outage of commercial power at any Site. The Contractor shall meet the following requirements:

A. The Inmate Telephone Service and the Inmate Tablet Service shall be equipped with an automatic restart function that shall engage once power is restored after a power failure.

B. The Contractor shall design the ITS to fully recover from any power failure automatically, with no external intervention required, within five minutes after the power is restored. The Contractor shall ensure no change occurs in the operational characteristics of the system when commercial power is restored prior to the exhaustion of UPS power.

C. The Contractor shall provide backup, mirrored data, and restore capability for the Services to facilitate the prompt recovery of the system and database in the event of a system failure requiring database restoration. The Contractor shall meet the following requirements:

1. The Inmate Telephone Service and Inmate Tablet Service shall provide critical component redundancy and a Storage Area Network (SAN) architecture that makes all storage devices available to all servers on a Local Area Network (LAN) or Wide Area Network (WAN).

2. Data on the SAN shall be stored in a cross-cloud redundancy format, spreading the data across multiple drives so that data is not susceptible to loss should any individual cloud-based storage system fail.

3. The SAN shall be continuously monitored through automated processes and storage policies, including multiple data center storage.

C.3.3 Administration and Controlled Access

A. The Contractor shall provide the Department administrative functionality through a state-of-the-art, user-friendly, graphical-interface-heavy portal that allows for real-time monitoring and live control of all aspects of the ITS, from systemwide to individual units and housing areas including, but not limited to:

1. The ability to modify Service functionality for the ITS;

2. Scheduled availability of Inmate Telephone Service;

3. Scheduled availability of Inmate Tablet applications; and

4. The ability to modify device functionality on an individual Inmate Tablet, group of Inmate Tablets, or all Inmate Tablets, on demand or scheduled, for a number of hours/Days/weeks/months or until a selected date by TDCJ Number or State Identification Number (SID Number).

B. The Contractor shall ensure the ITS allows the Department to configure usage parameters based on a variety of criteria determined by the Department including, but not limited to, custody level, unit of assignment, building of assignment, housing section, cell location, program (e.g., rehabilitative, educational), and enrollment. This functionality shall enable the Department to determine usage parameters for Inmates on an individual basis, as well as entire groups of Inmates systemwide based on their affiliation with criteria.

C. The ITS shall provide the Department the ability to control access or set schedules for Service at predetermined times.

1. This includes the ability to establish usage schedules at specific times on specific Days of the week.

2. This feature shall allow for exceptions for certain Days, such as holidays and weekends so that schedules can be overridden.

D. The Contractor shall ensure the ITS allows Department staff to conduct system administration functions in the same manner at each Site and remotely from multiple regional and administrative locations.

E. The ITS shall allow for Department personnel at Sites and remote locations to immediately shut down and restart the system at individual Sites or globally.

Department staff shall be able to reset the system to working status after a shutdown.

F. The Contractor shall provide all hardware and software used in performing system administration, monitoring, and management functions. Management of the ITS shall provide the following:

1. Function on a centralized system, networked to designated Department facilities and remote locations.

2. Provide multiple layers of access control. Department staff shall have the ability to determine and assign security levels and access controls.

3. Control access of unique user IDs, which shall provide the capability to trace logged actions to the originator, if needed.

4. Require password protection in keeping with the Department’s Information Resources Security Protocols as described in Section C.11.1, Information Security Requirements.

5. Ensure only secure, validated multi-factor authentication is used to access the system, regardless of the administrator access level. The Contractor shall specify multi-factor authentication standards that shall be utilized and how the standards conform with the Department’s information security policy.

6. Ensure that all activity within the system is logged in keeping with Department information security standards.

7. Configure the system to log and report all system access and changes for auditing purposes that provide the Department the capability to trace actions.

G. The ITS software shall include the ability to add, update, or delete database information such as, at a minimum, Personal Biometric Identification (PBI), Personal Identification Number (PIN) assignments, Personally Approved Number (PAN) lists, and blocked telephone number lists. The Contractor shall maintain written procedures for performing additions, updates, and deletions in the ITS, as well as authorization and audit trail features.

H. The Department staff shall be able to place restrictions on an individual PIN on an as-needed basis. PIN access changes shall be tracked and logged by a unique user ID and date/time-stamped to provide an audit trail of record changes.

I. The Department shall have the ability to disable Service to an individual telephone or Inmate Tablet immediately.

J. Department staff shall be able to remove all restrictions.

C.3.4 Account Requirements

A. Inmate Account Requirements

The Contractor shall create an ITS account for all Eligible Inmates. The ITS shall ensure that each Eligible Inmate, or person acting on behalf of an Eligible Inmate, may prepay for Services.

1. The Contractor shall provide a system to allow for the creation, modification, and management of an Inmate's PBI information, PIN, and PAN list. Each Inmate shall utilize a unique PIN, which shall be required to access the ITS or their Inmate Tablet, and PBI to successfully verify their identity before initiating an Inmate Telephone Service call. The Contractor shall meet the following requirements:

a. The PBI enrollment shall consist of fingerprints, retina or iris scans, voice prints, record of hand or face geometry, and/or other equivalent methods of personal identification.

i. PBI enrollment shall be supervised and facilitated by the Contractor, in-person, by the Contractor’s personnel. Inmate self-enrollment shall not be allowed.

ii. The Contractor shall ensure that during the voice biometric enrollment/reenrollment process that the "Inmate Enrollment" utterance only includes the Inmate speaking his/her first name, last name, and middle name/initial, if desired, as it currently appears in the Department’s records and the “Facility Enrollment" utterance only includes the Inmate speaking "Texas Department of Criminal Justice."

iii. The Contractor shall follow all biometric authentication requirements in NIST SP 800-63-3-Digital Identity Guidelines when collecting PBI information for enrollment and require written or electronic acknowledgment that the Department may collect, retain, and disseminate biometric identifiers for use as part of the ITS from anyone prior to collecting their PBI information.

iv. All data related to PBI information collected as a part of the ITS shall remain the exclusive property of the Department.

v. All enrollment requirements shall apply to reenrollment.

b. The ITS shall include a process for Inmates to change their PIN following initial login and allow the reset of an Inmate’s PIN as needed.

c. The unique PIN shall consist of a minimum of eight digits with the ability to manage, reset, or change as required.

d. The ITS shall include the ability to increase the number of PIN digits at the Department’s discretion.

2. The ITS shall allow Inmates to have a debit account from which an Inmate can pay for telephone calls and Inmate Tablet content from the Contractor. All funds in the Inmate debit account belong to Inmate.

3. Funding for an Inmate’s ITS debit account shall be allowed through either direct funding by called parties to the Contractor, or by Inmate transfer of funds through the Department's commissary…