1-NC2605-Bookstore Operations Final.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NC2605

BOOKSTORE OPERATIONS

The District will only accept proposals electronically uploaded to the EUNA Procurement System (formerly

Bonfire) at: https://ccc.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities

City Colleges of Chicago will issue email alerts via EUNA for all published RFPs.

EUNA Vendor Support: access the EUNA Customer Hub

Proposal Due Date: Proposals must be submitted in the CCC EUNA Procurement portal no later than 12:00 p.m., Central Time, Wednesday, April 1, 2026.

Pre-Proposal Conference: A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for Thursday, March 5, 2026, at 11:00 a.m.

to discuss the Scope of Services and the Minority and Women Business Enterprise Contract Participation Plan

(MBE/WBE).

https://cccedu.zoom.us/j/93030956841?pwd=gHARCRtr24BGeCWxRVqeTusaQ6H7L9.1

Meeting ID: 930 3095 6841

Passcode: 687851

Questions: All questions regarding this solicitation should be submitted via the CCC EUNA Portal at:

https://ccc.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities.

Questions Deadline: The deadline for submitting final questions via EUNA is Tuesday, March 10, 2026, by

12:00 p.m., Central Time.

https://ccc.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/ https://cccedu.zoom.us/j/93030956841?pwd=gHARCRtr24BGeCWxRVqeTusaQ6H7L9.1

RFP #NC2605

Bookstore Operations

C I T Y C O L L E G E S O F C H I C A G O

Contents

1. BACKGROUND

2. INTENT TO SUBMIT

3. BUSINESS GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

4. SCHEDULE

5. SCOPE OF SERVICES

5.1. INTERROGATORIES

6. SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITION

6.1. Insurance Requirements

6.2. Federal/State Funding

6.3. Participation by other Local Government Agencies

6.4. Payment

6.5. Termination

6.6. Indemnity

6.7. Non-Discrimination

7. SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS (Required Proposal Content)

7.1 Table of Contents

7.2 Cover Letter

7.3 Executive Summary

7.4 Response to the Scope of Services

7.5 Qualifications of the Proposer and References

7.6 Proposed Team Structure/Key Personnel

7.7 MBE/WBE Participation (Subcontracting or Teaming)

7.8 Joint Ventures

7.9 Interrogatories/Cost Proposal

7.10 Financial Statements

7.11 Insurance Requirements

7.12 Legal Actions

7.13 CCC Ethics Orientation Contractors/Vendors

7.14 Disclosure

7.15 Debarment

7.16 Economic Disclosure Statement

7.17 IRS W-9 Form

7.18 Addenda

8. EVALUATION CRITERIA

8.1. Responsiveness of Proposal

8.2. Qualitative Criteria

8.3. Technical Evaluation

9. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

9.1. Time for Receiving Proposals

9.2. Communications and Inquiries

9.3. Pre-proposal Conference (if applicable)

9.4. Preparatory Cost

9.5. Contract Award

9.6. Contract Term

9.7. Conflicts

9.8. Withdrawal of Proposals

9.9. Ownership and Confidentiality

9.10. Addenda to this RFP

10. APPENDIX I – ADDENDA ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM

1 . B A C K G R O U N D

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) consists of seven (7) community colleges which are all located within the city limits of Chicago. In addition, there are five (5) satellite locations that are affiliated with the colleges. A seven-member board of trustees, who are appointed by the Mayor of Chicago, governs the system. The chief administrative officer of the system is the Chancellor, who is appointed by the Board of Trustees. Each college has its own President, who reports to the Chancellor, and its own administrative staff which is responsible for policy administration in the areas of human resources and staff development, finance, academic affairs, administrative services and information technology. Each of these areas is headed by a Vice Chancellor that reports to the Chancellor.

2 . I N T E N T T O S U B M I T

Vendors who intend to submit a proposal in response to this solicitation should indicate their intent to submit in the EUNA portal, https://ccc.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities , no later than Monday, March 30, 2026, by 12:00 p.m., CST. If proposers fail to declare their intent, they must do so as part of their submission.

Link to: How do I submit my intent to bid?

3 . B U S I N E S S G O A L S A N D O B J E C T I V E S

The City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) is soliciting proposals from Vendors (“Vendor”) qualified to provide services to be procured.

CCC intends to award one thirty-six (36) month contract for the requested services with an additional two (2) one-year renewal options.

4 . S C H E D U L E

CCC anticipates the following schedule.

Activity Estimated Date RFP posted to the procurement portal February 26, 2026 Pre-Proposal conference March 5, 2026 https://cccedu.sharepoint.com/sites/FinanceOnboarding/Procurement/Procurement/Documents%20and%20Templates/How%20do%20I%20submit%20my%20intent%20to%20bid?

Proposer Questions Deadline March 10, 2026 CCC response to Proposer Questions– Tentative March 19, 2026 Intent to Submit Proposal March 30, 2026 Proposal Due Date April 1, 2026

5 . S C O P E O F S E R V I C E S

The RFP and all attachments are available for download from the City Colleges of Chicago EUNA Portal, https://ccc.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities. Proposers are responsible for checking the EUNA Portal for required forms, templates, clarifications, and/or addenda.

Background

City Colleges of Chicago (CCC) was founded in September 1911, when 28 students attended the first class at Crane Technical High School, on Chicago's west side. CCC is a two-year institution comprising seven independently accredited colleges and five satellite sites located throughout Chicago's communities, with the common purpose of providing quality higher education.

The mission of CCC delivers exceptional learning opportunities and educational services for diverse student populations in Chicago. We enhance knowledge, understanding, skills, collaboration, community service, and life-long learning by providing a broad range of quality, affordable courses, programs, and services to prepare students for success in a technologically advanced and increasingly interdependent global society.

CCC, officially known as Community College District 508, is one of the nation’s largest community college districts and the largest in Illinois. About 4,000 faculty and staff help prepare over 73,000 students each year to enter the workforce, pursue higher education, & advance their careers. CCC enrolls nearly 73,000 students each year. Most of our enrolled students meet eligibility requirements for financial aid programs, which they may partially allocate toward required educational materials and textbook acquisitions.

CCC, City Colleges is comprised of seven independently accredited colleges: Harold Washington College(HWC);

Harry S. Truman College(HSTC); Kennedy-King College(KKC); Malcolm X College(MXC); Olive-Harvey College(OHC); Richard J. Daley College(RJDC); and Wilbur Wright College(WWC), and five satellite sites: Arturo Velasquez Institute, Dawson Technical Institute, South Chicago Learning Center, West Side Learning Center, and Wright College Humboldt Park. The City Colleges system also includes the award-winning Washburne Culinary and Hospitality Institute, Sikia Restaurant, five Child Development Centers, & radio station WKKC–FM 89.3.

CCC has a full-service online bookstore and marketplace where students can purchase print or digital textbooks through an e-commerce site managed by a third-party vendor. The bookstore aims to support the college's educational mission by providing necessary textbooks (both new and used), support materials, supplies, merchandise, and related services at the lowest possible cost to students.

CCC faculty provide vendors with lists of required textbooks and supplementary materials (faculty adoptions) before the beginning of each semester. The vendors will then give the students access to electronic books and/or textbooks in sufficient quantities and at appropriate times to accommodate anticipated enrollment before classes begin and during the semester in which the courses are conducted.

CCC does not maintain physical bookstores or spirit store retail locations at any of its campuses. All bookstore and spirit store transactions are conducted exclusively through an e-commerce platform. CCC requires all sales to be processed through the online bookstore to ensure students can use their Financial Aid to purchase required materials. Over 75% of CCC students utilize the book voucher system, allowing students to conduct purchases for later payment by Financial Aid, Star Scholarships, and 3rd party funders. In addition, currently, CCC is not working with any publisher with inclusive access services models.

Colleges

Richard J. Daley College is located on Chicago’s Southwest Side and serves approximately 10,000 students. The college also has a satellite campus, Arturo Velasquez Institute. Daley College grants associate degrees and short-term certificates, as well as continuing education classes through special interest courses. Many of these degrees and certificates provide workforce ready credentials for those students wanting to enter the world of work directly following their academic attainment. Also, the College prepares students to transfer to colleges and universities for attainment of a bachelor’s degree. The Center of Excellence at Daley College is Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering, housed in the state-of-the-art Manufacturing Technology and Engineering Center (MTEC). MTEC enables students to participate in hands-on training through the curriculum that prepares them for technological advancements in the engineering and manufacturing industries..

Harold Washington College is located in the Chicago Loop area and serves nearly 10,000 students.

The college offers an exceptional liberal arts and sciences curriculum, as well as programs in Business, Early Childhood, Architecture, and Digital Media. HWC is working towards becoming City Colleges’ premier transfer institution. Additionally, the college has program partnerships with leading industry organizations including, but not limited to: Aon, Chicago Architecture Center, Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology, German American Chamber of Commerce, Joffrey Ballet, and Zurich.

Kennedy-King College is located in Englewood on the South Side of Chicago and includes the Washburne Culinary & Hospitality Institute and Sikia Restaurant. The College’s satellite campus, Dawson Technical Institute, is located in Bronzeville. KKC serves nearly 5,000 students, and is a comprehensive community college, offering credit classes in a wide range of subjects, continuing education classes, and free GED and ESL courses. It is City Colleges' Center of Excellence in Culinary Arts, Hospitality, and Construction Technology and home to the Tech Launchpad.

Malcolm X College (MXC) is a comprehensive public community college on Chicago’s West Side.

Conveniently located near the Illinois Medical District, MXC serves as the hub for healthcare education within the City Colleges of Chicago. In fiscal year 2025, MXC enrolled more than 14,000 students through credit programs in nursing, allied health careers, and transfer-focused general education, adult education high school equivalency and English as a second language programs, and community and continuing education courses. MXC West Campus, a satellite site in the Austin and West Garfield Park communities, extends access to high quality, in-demand educational programs including medical assisting, patient care technician, and basic nursing assistant certificates.

Olive-Harvey College is a comprehensive community college situated on 67 acres of land on the far Southeast Side of Chicago. It serves over 6,300 students annually, offering certificates, degrees, GED, ESL, and continuing education. The College’s South Chicago Campus provides vocational and technical training, adult education courses, and prepares students for higher education and employment. A state-of-the-art Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics Training Center of Excellence supports degrees and certificate programs in supply chain management, logistics, commercial truck driving, forklift operation, and automotive, diesel, and aviation maintenance and technology. Olive-Harvey College also offers the first cannabis vocational training program in Chicago.

Harry S Truman College is located on the North Side of Chicago in the Uptown neighborhood and serves more than 12,500 students. A comprehensive community college, Truman College offers college credit, continuing education, free GED and ESL classes, supporting students on their way to their educational and career goals. Serving as City Colleges’ Center of Excellence in Education and Scientific Technology and Innovation, the College strives to give students the opportunity to become the best in their chosen career path. Truman College offers a combination of certificates and associate degrees tailored for those first entering the education profession as well as for professionals in need of continuing education. Truman College boasts the largest adult education program in the state and welcomes students both in person and remotely.

Wilbur Wright College is located on the Northwest Side of Chicago across two campuses, serving more than 5,000 students each year with college credit, adult education, and continuing education classes. The College is very active in the community, partnering with baccalaureate institutions, high schools, local businesses, and community-based organizations, and has been recognized through the Elective Carnegie Classification for Community Engagement. The engineering pathways program launched at Wright College has led to the creation of City Colleges’ School of Engineering and prepares students for transfer at top-flight baccalaureate institutions. Wright College Humboldt Park campus offers career and vocational training, including a NIMS-certified computer numerical control program, general education, adult and continuing education courses, and comprehensive student supports.

More information on the College Locations - City Colleges of Chicago

Most Current Bookstore Operations and Sales Volume

The gross annual sales of the CCC online Bookstore for the periods indicated are as follows:

Year Term Sales ($) Units Sold Adoption count Unique Titles 2022 Spring $1,917,824.12 21,671 6,353 1,764 2022 Summer $416,218.09 4,286 1,728 624 2022 Fall $2,367,479.22 24,346 5,729 1,513 2022 Total $4,701,521.43 50,303 13,810 3,901

2023 Spring $2,125,216.28 20,963 5,808 1,439 2023 Summer $562,464.63 5,258 1,798 707 2023 Fall $2,661,635.91 38,266 6,322 1,769 2023 Total $5,349,316.82 64,487 13,928 2,366

2024 Spring $2,432,074.87 36,073 6,718 1,808 2024 Summer $712,664.82 9,791 1,918 730 2024 Fall $3,117,645.28 45,289 7,002 1,821 2024 Total $6,262,384.97 91,153 15,638 2,546

2025 Spring $2,914,771.49 41,626 7,151 1,792 2025 Summer $790,533.85 10,717 2,825 783 2025 Fall $3,324,958.03 29,959 6,933 2022 2025 Total $7,030,263.37 82,302 16,909 4597

These figures do not account for students who purchased textbooks and educational materials through other websites or bookstores.

CCC aims to enhance the performance of its online bookstore model. Key success factors for measuring overall performance include book pricing and availability We seek a vendor that ensures an adequate supply of books to meet students needs and transparent, timely communication when issues arise

Our primary objective is to ensure timely book availability for students at competitive prices.

https://www.ccc.edu/menu/college-locations/

INTENT AND SCOPE OF SERVICES

The City Colleges of Chicago is inviting vendors to respond to the Request for Proposal (RFP) if interested in being the official online bookstore and online spirit store vendor beginning summer 2027 with implementation starting August 2026. The vendors shall provide City Colleges of Chicago with an established full-service online bookstore and online spirit store that delivers the following capabilities to our faculty and students. The contractor must provide an online bookstore with these functions:

A. Faculty Adoption Tool that allows:

• Book selection by ISBN or title, with batch ordering

• Copy previous orders with ISBN

• Import class lists and display class details

• Add materials for multiple sections

• Create custom textbooks and course packs

• Access Open-Source materials

• Auto-save adoption progress

• Review and edit before submission

• Display student costs

• Show all pricing details

• Lock prices for set periods

• Manage inclusive access and subscriptions

• Add course notes and materials

• Include course supplies

• Connect through CCC login system

• Route approvals to Department Chairs

• Track adoption status

• Show adoption data by faculty, course, and college

• Track student purchases and send reminders

• Send adoption completion reminders

• Provide help guides

B. Library reference copies

• For each new book adoption, two complimentary reference copies shall be provided to the library of each college that adopts the book.

• Provide three shipments of reference copies throughout a given term to accommodate all session offerings.

C. Student Ordering Features:

• Sell new, used, digital, and rental books

• CCC student marketplace

• Multiple shipping options

• Open-Source access

• Accept credit, debit, vouchers, financial aid

• Track orders and delivery

D. Process returns and refunds E. Buy back books:

• At seven (7) colleges

• Multiple times per term

• Pay cash, store credit, or exchanges

F. Customer Service Contact, User Technical Support and Troubleshooting via:

• Email

• Phone

• Live human virtual chat

Additional deliverables:

A. Monthly performance reports with data by College and for the District overall to include, but not necessarily limited to:

• Provide actual cost per student, with functionality to sort and analyze costs by program/discipline.

• Adoption rates

• Delivery times

• Fill rates

• Cost savings vs. market rates

• Order timing data

• Response times

• Process improvements

B. Awarded vendor shall facilitate and participate in audit reviews as requested by CCC

C. System portal must comply with all W3C WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards

A. CCC Faculty Requirements:

I. The vendor should have substantial inventory in stock at the beginning of each semester for the online bookstore to avoid out-of-stock scenarios or let faculty know they need to select a different textbook.

II. The portal should notify faculty when textbook(s) are adopted on their behalf, send communication to faculty to confirm the adoptions they have submitted, and allow administrators to send communication reminders to faculty to complete the adoption process.

III. The vendor shall fully manage the course material adoption process, including timely and proactive communication with faculty in accordance with CCC’s established adoption deadlines. The vendor shall provide tools within the portal that allow authorized faculty and staff to load, maintain, and modify course information and required course materials for all courses offered across the seven colleges. The vendor shall ensure these tools are reliable, user‑friendly, and supported through documented workflows and technical assistance.

IV. The portal must comply with all W3C WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards and requirements to ensure seamless system integration before the launch date.

V. The vendor shall manage the course material adoption process, communicate on time with faculty as directed by CCC’s adoption deadlines, and enable them to load, maintain, and modify course information and required materials for courses offered by the seven colleges and included in the portal.

VI. The vendor shall aspire to provide a response time of 1 business day and no greater than 3 business days to faculty, students, and administrators.

VII. The selected vendor shall collaborate with CCC faculty to produce (including but not limited to printing, binding, and distributing) custom course materials to students through the online bookstore.

VIII. The portal should allow for the adoption of all textbooks as well as non-text course supplies/materials. The adoption process and faculty user experience should be similar regardless of the materials being adopted.

IX. The portal shall provide access to complete historical course material adoption records from previous semesters, including those originating from prior vendors. Faculty must be able to review past adoptions regardless of changes in platform or service provider.

X. The portal shall be provided to faculty to submit adoption by ISBN, book title, or by publishing the most current edition.

XI. The vendor shall create and maintain a well-designed CCC-branded portal that provides CCC students, faculty, and staff with the ability to purchase all books, supplies, and other course materials that have been adopted by CCC’s faculty/ administrators.

XII. The adoption portal shall have the ability to allow a user to begin an adoption and log off without losing information, to preview the adoption before submission, and to notify the user before final approval.

XIII. The vendor shall provide training materials, training regarding adoption, and purchasing through the portal, as necessary and as requested by CCC Faculty or CCC administration.

XIV. The vendor must employ and assign a full-time dedicated account manager who shall assist all seven colleges.

XV. The portal shall provide the faculty with a space to add notes during the textbook adoption process.

These notes shall be visible to students at the online bookstore, enabling them to follow specific instructions from their professors. The portal shall notify faculty if their notes have been changed during or after the adoption period.

XVI. The vendor must source all adopted course material and ship it to those who order within 48 hours. If rare or difficult-to-access texts cannot be sourced, the vendor must notify the affected faculty member at least one month before the beginning of the course, or as soon as possible if late adoption times make this unreasonable.

XVII. The vendor shall provide and manage a comprehensive customer service function to resolve student and faculty challenges.

XVIII. The account manager and/or the customer service team must provide timely responses to faculty/staff/administrator/student questions and address any challenges or concerns promptly.

B. CCC Librarian Requirements:

I. For each new book adopted in the portal by the colleges, the vendor shall provide two print library reference copies regardless of the format adopted (eBook, paper, physical format, etc.).

II. The vendor must have the ability to place three orders per semester for library reference copies at all seven library colleges. As well as satellite campuses that have libraries, e.g., AVI(Daley)

III. Librarians shall have access to advance copies of library reference materials that have been ordered for adoption to coordinate with the three library orders each semester.

IV. For each semester, the vendor is required to:

1. Provide two reference copies for all three library orders for each semester to each college library when a new course is adopted

2. Update order status regularly

3. Send shipping notifications

4. Provide estimated delivery date ranges

5. Supply delivery tracking information.

C. CCC Student Requirements:

I. The vendor shall review and stock inventory well before the semester begins to avoid backorder situations.

II. The vendor shall create and support a voucher system that allows students to purchase course materials with Financial Aid, Star Scholarship, and 3rd party funders within the Online Bookstore. This voucher system must be available on February 26, 2027.

III. To prevent duplicate purchases, the vendor shall implement an alert mechanism on their website that informs students before checkout when the same course materials have been previously purchased during the current or any past semester.

IV. Access codes need to be delivered electronically, not mailed to students.

V. The vendor shall provide guide materials and videos on how to place orders from the online bookstore and provide step-by-step guides and videos for students on activating eBooks.

VI. The vendor shall provide CCC students with free economy shipping for retail purchases of textbooks, course materials, merchandise, and supplies (excluding Marketplace items) that are directly related to classroom experience, and free shipping for returns. Students shall receive order status updates, shipping notifications, estimated delivery dates, and delivery tracking information.

VII. The vendor shall offer a buy-back option to students at least three times a year, corresponding to the fall, spring, and summer semesters. The vendor shall also provide videos and guides to help students with returns and refunds.

VIII. CCC may pay directly or charge course materials on behalf of students through vouchers or other arrangements. The vendor shall invoice CCC monthly for such charges.

IX. The vendor shall provide:

1. New and used textbooks

2. Marketplace options

3. Digital formats

4. Rental services

5. Supporting materials

X. The vendor’s system shall allow students to search for their required textbooks using either their student ID# or course number each semester.

XI. The vendor shall aspire to provide a response time of 1 business day and no greater than 3 business days to faculty, students, and administrators.

D. The vendor shall also provide City Colleges with the following deliverables:

• Monthly performance reports with data by colleges and for the district overall, to include, but not necessarily limited to:

1. Adoption data (Course submission status, Submission rate, department summary courses, courses not using materials, & Department summary-submitted courses, etc.).

2. Provide actual cost per student, with functionality to sort and analyze costs by program/discipline.

3. Detailed and routine reporting for commission penalties.

4. Report on prices of textbooks for each semester (New, old, eBook, etc.)

5. A report showing the payment methods requirements on the order form (scholarship, book voucher, credit card, etc.).

6. A report in real-time to view the names of staff members who create book vouchers on a monthly or weekly basis.

7. Data on student cost savings (compared to published market rates).

8. Reports on adoption and order volumes over time (e.g., identify peak ordering periods, average length of faculty adoption before semester start, average length of student ordering time before semester start).

9. Data on average response time to students /faculty on issues or questions.

10. Data on lost packages for students and the resolution of such concerns.

11. Recommendations for process improvements based on metrics.

12. Awarded vendor shall facilitate and participate in audit reviews as requested by CCC.

E. CCC Online Bookstore & Sprit Store Inventory & Payment Method Requirements:

I. Online Bookstore: The store's comprehensive inventory encompasses a diverse selection of professional and academic merchandise, including but not limited to:

A. Course Materials:

1. Books, eBooks, as well as custom bundled packages

B. Professional Attire:

1. Laboratory coats

2. Culinary uniforms

3. Healthcare scrubs

4. Automotive service wear

C. Healthcare Materials:

1. Medical supplies

2. Equipment

D. Academic Resources:

1. Art materials

2. Educational supplies

3. Electronic calculators

4. USB storage devices

5. Study accessories (index cards, notebooks)

6. Writing instruments

7. Lab kits

Online bookstore payment methods: The vendor shall provide a voucher payment system method for Financial Aid, Star Scholarship, and other 3rd party funders that is available on February 26, 2027, in addition to credit/debit cards.

• Online Sprit Store: The vendor shall provide a separate centralized online CCC Spirit Store with branded merchandise for each of the seven colleges and one for City Colleges, for a total of eight separate branded categories. The spirit store will provide navigation that allows users/customers to sort store offerings by their desired college. The vendor shall provide supplies and promotional/branded products and manage Spirit Store operations in exchange for a base rent/franchise fee and/or commission to CCC. CCC may negotiate any commissions from the sales of spirit store items. The Spirit Stores will be consistently branded in coordination with CCC marketing and/or any vendor contracted by CCC marketing for branded items at the time. Vendor will provide direct-to-customer shipping and customer management, including refunds for manufacturing defect(s).

1. Branded Merchandise, with on-demand production and fulfillment, and competitively priced items.

2. Institutional apparel (t-shirts, sweatshirts)

3. Professional accessories (computer bags, portfolios)

4. Promotional Products

Online spirit store payment methods: The vendor will provide credit/debit payment methods and restrict voucher payment within the online spirit store.

F. CCC Ordering Information:

CCC will own all data associated with this effort, including user information and any additional data. The vendor may not use data in any way other than to serve CCC.

I. Ordering Information

1. For a subset of academic programs, Purchase Orders may be generated for bulk orders placed on behalf of a CCC department(s). For less than:

$25,000, the purchase orders will be generated from the College’s Business offices and sent to the selected vendor.

For orders over $25,000, the purchase orders will be generated from the City Colleges of Chicago, District Office of Procurement Services.

2. The awarded vendor will need to provide CCC with a complete and comprehensive invoicing tool to access all invoices, track and monitor payments, and view outstanding receivables. The tool shall provide CCC with the following information:

A. Invoicing and reporting by college and program/department.

B. Real-time reporting of all paid and outstanding invoices.

C. Real-time and routine reporting on book buy-back from each semester.

D. Reports of outstanding payments tied to individual invoices.

E. The tool should have a search function that allows CCC to pull student and college invoices individually or as a parent summary.

F. A record of all payments received from CCC and where the payments are applied.

G. The tool should provide reports on all vouchers created for each student per semester from all seven colleges.

H. The tool shall have the option to audit and receive invoices in real time from book voucher system purchases.

I. The tool shall provide a report on purchases and payment types associated with each student order.

No orders should be shipped unless a purchase order is received for the requested product(s). If no purchase order number appears on the products, they shall be returned at the vendor’s expense.

G. Book Rental Program:

CCC requires the vendor to provide a Book Rental Plan program for CCC students that supports multiple payment options, including a vouchering system compatible with Financial Aid, Star Scholarships, and other third‑party funding sources, in addition to standard credit/debit card payments. Students using the vouchering system must not be required to enter a credit card as a condition to book rentals.

H. Delivery:

• The order must be delivered to the ship-to address specified on the purchase order. Two (2) packing slips must be included with each order.

• Order must include a copy of the packing slips (labeled for each student order) inside of or attached to the shipping package. The two (2) packing slips must reference the Purchase Order Number.

• CCC will not pay for any products sent in error; the vendor will need to provide a return shipping label and pay for any additional costs for deliveries that were not part of the original purchase order.

• CCC reserves the right to cancel any part of a purchase order that is not delivered within 60 days of issuance of the purchase order.

I. Invoices:

Invoices must contain the following information for each Product in the order:

• Title

• Author(s)

• International Standard Book Number (ISBN) or (ISSN) International Standard Serial

Number

• List price

• CCC discounted price

• Freight Cost

J. Response To The Scope Services:

The company MUST respond to the six statements below to ensure that all information required herein is submitted with the response. All information provided should be verifiable by the documentation requested by the City Colleges of Chicago. Failure to provide all information, inaccuracy, or misstatement may be sufficient cause for rejection of the response or rescission of an award.

I. Provide a statement that explains why your company would be most qualified to provide products and services to the City Colleges of Chicago. What differentiates you from your competitors? In the response, the Respondent must demonstrate that they are a recognized leader in the services and/or products covered in this document.

II. Provide specifics concerning how you set prices for the five categories below, and for each of these, include what your margin is over the pricing offered.

• Book Sales

• Apparel & Merchandise

• Book Buybacks

• Marketplace Purchases

• School supplies

III. Describe your company’s experience or demonstrated ability to deliver by February 26, 2027, a fully operational vouchering payment system for the Online Bookstore. The system must enable students to purchase course materials using Financial Aid, Star Scholarships, and other third‑party funding sources. In addition, describe your company’s ability to provide a comprehensive invoice reporting solution for all voucher purchases. The invoice system must:

• Allow CCC to track, monitor, and reconcile all voucher transactions with a comprehensive invoicing tool

• Generate detailed and summary level reports

• Integrate seamlessly with CCC’s internal financial systems

IV. Please outline the organization's established protocols and methodologies for inventory management and stock control implemented at the commencement of each semester to ensure optimal stock levels and prevent stockouts or order fulfillment delays.

V. Describe the company’s customer service model that you provided to faculty, students, and staff based on your previous experience working in higher education. Also, describe how you trained faculty/administration in using your tools for submitting textbook adoptions and how you assisted students with using the online bookstore.

VI. Describe your procedures for data, reports of the online bookstore operations, and the book adoptions tool, when requested by faculty, staff, and administration.

Implementation Plan:

The Proposer must provide a detailed implementation plan that describes how it will provide a solution that meets the technical requirements. In addition to describing the capabilities of the proposed technology solution and providing screenshots where appropriate, the Implementation Plan should also address the following areas:

a. How does your Company source books to ensure book availability for the term and minimize backorders? Discuss how you will determine min/max quantities and your reordering/restocking levels and processes.

b. How will your company provide a vouchering system that provides students with the ability to purchase course materials with Financial Aid, Star Scholarship, and 3rd party funders within the Online Book Store?

i. Discuss how you plan to implement such a system for a seamless student user experience.

ii. Discuss how you plan to implement a comprehensive invoicing tool to access all invoices, track and monitor payments, and view outstanding receivables.

iii. Your ability to implement such voucher system and readiness to launch such system on February 26, 2027.

c. Discuss your order management process.

i. Describe your supply chain management inventory control standards.

ii. Discuss the length of time after faculty adoption until item availability

iii. Please discuss your ability to use retail pre-packs in your distribution network.

iv. Please indicate the shipping tiers available to students and associated costs (i.e., next day, 2-5 days, etc.)

v. Discuss the process your Company will take to follow up on books on backorder at the start of the term.

d. Ability to provide instant (electronic) access for digital books

i. Describe how fulfillment of electronic materials is performed for students

ii. Describe how fulfillment of electronic materials is performed when purchased in bulk (i.e., one person at CCC purchases 30 units of an online textbook)

iii. Can your Company prevent students from ordering access codes that have already been used?

iv. How will your company support students and faculty in instances where an access code does not work?

e. Ability to support the use of Open-Source materials

f. Process to handle custom textbook selection

g. Timeline necessary to select books for Spring, Summer, and Fall terms

h. Details of your order returns/student refund policies

i. Describe return processes, including any use of return shipping containers.

ii. Discuss costs to students for returns.

iii. Please provide a detailed copy of your Company’s planned refund plan and process for CCC’s students

i. Discuss how your company would implement the policy to provide two (2) Librarian reference copies of each book, including any librarian specific trainings, information requirements, and notification system to let Librarians know which items will be sent to them each term, when to expect them, and how to request any missing items. Also include information on the type of reference copy sent (loose leaf, soft cover, hard cover, new, used, etc.)

j. Discuss your ability to interface with publishers to provide complimentary access to digital course materials at the start of the term.

k. Describe what other student educational materials shall be available on the online bookstore.

Common student needs include Art supplies/kits, Photography, Medical supplies, Nursing Kits, Uniforms, and General School Supplies, among others. Please describe your supplier management processes and pricing approach concerning student materials.

l. Describe your capabilities, timeframes, and processes to manage buyback of books online.

m. Please describe your call center/customer service operations and technology (location, staffing, dedicated service lines, hours of operation, training, metrics tracked, and reporting capabilities).

i. Ability to track shipments, provide SMS order and delivery notifications to all customers for when an order is completed, shipped and delivered, confirm receipt, among others.

ii. Number of dedicated account representatives to provide real time human support, training, and manage student and faculty concerns.

iii. Number of dedicated call center representatives to help and support over the phone.

iv. Resources to support peak ordering times.

v. Anticipated average response time for customer inquiries

vi. Proposer should identify patterns in customer inquiries and issues and provide suggestions for remediation to CCC administration.

n. Describe the steps your company takes to secure student and financial data, including encryption standards and methods supported, such as SHA-256 and SOC compliance.

o. Describe backup policies.

p. Describe how user accounts are created and maintained in your system. (i.e.. Created by a student or instructor by registering on the website or does the Proposer expect a feed from CCC to create user accounts?) Highlight any integration requirements.

q. Describe how the product is scalable and can support a population of up to 77,000 faculty, students, and staff

r. How many users can access your site at a single time?

s. How often is the product updated? Provide a Product Roadmap for upcoming enhancements and changes to the product if applicable.

t. Does the product support customization of text, color palette, or branding?

u. Describe how your product is fully compliant with all W3C WCAG 2.1 accessibility standards.

v. Provide minimum technical requirements for the product.

w. Is the product optimized to work on a mobile or tablet device?

x. Does the proposer offer a guaranteed uptime for the product?

y. How does the Proposer ensure maintenance and upgrades to its systems do not adversely affect the CCC solution?

z. Is the product (website) available in multiple languages? If so, which ones?

aa. Describe the reporting functionality in the system.

bb. Provide a detailed timeline of all key project activities and major milestones leading up to a Spring 2027 launch of the book adoption process for opening of a Summer 2027 online bookstore. Implementation work would begin in August of 2026. The adoption website, online book store, voucher payment system, and online spirit store must be ready to launch no later than the 3rd week of February 2027.

Project Management Plan: In this section, you will be asked to detail your Project Management approach. This differs from the Implementation Plan questions above. However, we realize that some vendors have integrated methodologies that encompass both areas. In either case, please make sure you address all areas and explain them in the context of the City Colleges of Chicago project.

1. Project Management Methodology Please detail your project management methodology and describe where you have used it on comparable projects. Show examples of how the methodology is appropriate for management projects of this size, scope, and complexity. Please detail any tools and templates that it contains which provide you with a competitive advantage for efficient and effective management of the project.

2. Status Reporting Please describe your status reporting process. Detail the process at the individual, team, and executive levels for both the implementation phase as well as post-implementation. This should include meetings as well as documented reporting.

3. Risk Management Clearly define your risk management approach. Please show where this approach has proven successful on similar projects. Additionally, please describe the most common risks you encounter on comparable projects (functional and technical) and detail a typical mitigation strategy for each one.

4. Issues Management Clearly define your issues management approach. Provide a description (or example) of the tools and processes you employ to effectively identify, track, escalate, and resolve issues.

5. Change Control Clearly define your approach for managing scope. Provide a description of the process for managing, investigating, tracking, and closing change requests. Additionally, detail the process for assessing impact to cost, schedule, and resources. Please provide approximate figures for number of scope changes and financial impact on comparable projects.

6. Training and Knowledge Transfer The City Colleges recognizes that a detailed Training and Knowledge Transfer effort are critical to the success of this project. Your proposed approach should include at least the following:

• Process to determine training needs

• Method, schedule, and timeline to deliver training

• Knowledge transfer strategy, including description of end state roles and responsibilities

• Metrics, tools, and processes to ensure knowledge transfer has occurred

7. Post Implementation Approach The City College of Chicago requests that all respondents include recommendation of Post Implementation Support in their RFP responses. The implementation plan shall include key project team lead and members by name, title, and specific responsibilities on the project. An organizational chart for the project team and resumes for key Proposer personnel shall be included.

5.1. INTERROGATORIES

Proposers can download the required interrogatories form from EUNA;

6 . S P E C I A L T E R M S A N D C O N D I T I O N S

6.1. Insurance Requirements

The Proposer shall procure and maintain at all times, at Proposers own expense, until final acceptance of the Work covered by this Agreement, and if required to return during the warranty period, the types of insurance specified below, with insurance companies authorized to do business in the State of Illinois covering all operations under this Agreement, whether performed by the Proposer or by subcontractors.

The kinds and amounts of insurance required are as follows:

1. Worker's Compensation and Occupational Disease Insurance. Workers Compensation and Occupational Disease Insurance, in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, or any other applicable jurisdiction, covering all employees who are to provide a service under this contract.

Employer’s liability coverage with limits of not less than $1,000,000.00 each accident or illness shall be included.

2. Commercial Liability Insurance (Primary and Umbrella). Commercial Liability Insurance or equivalent with limits of not less than $5,000,000.00 per occurrence, combined single limit, for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage liability. Products/completed operations, explosion, collapse, underground, independent contractors, broad form property damage and contractual liability coverages are to be included. City Colleges of Chicago is to be named as an additional insured without recourse or right of contribution for any liability arising from this work.

3. Automobile Liability Insurance. When any motor vehicles are used in connection with work to be performed, the Contractor shall provide Automobile Liability Insurance with limits of not less than $1,000,000.00 per occurrence combined single limit, for bodily injury and property damage. The City Colleges of Chicago is to be named as an additional insured.

4. Cyber Liability. A Cyber and Privacy Policy shall be maintained with limits of not less than $5,000,000.00 to address liability for a data breach which may result in the compromise of personal data pertaining to District Trustees, Employees, Students, Administrators, Staff, Visitors and Guests.

The Policy shall cover a variety of expenses associated with data breaches, including, but not limited to:

notification costs, credit monitoring, costs to defend claims by state regulators, fines and penalties, and loss resulting from identity theft.

5. Fidelity, EPLI and Professional Liability (E&O). Professional liability insurance covering errors, omissions or negligent acts must be maintained with limits of not less than $5,000,000.00. Coverage must include contractual liability. When policies are renewed or replaced, the policy retroactive date must coincide with, or precede, start of work on this Agreement. A claims-made policy, which is not renewed or replaced, must have an extended reporting period of two (2) years.

The Contractor will furnish City Colleges of Chicago original Certificates of Insurance evidencing the required coverage to be in force on the date of this contract, and Renewal Certificates of Insurance, or such similar evidence, if the coverage has an expiration or renewal date occurring during the term of this contract. The Contractor shall submit evidence of insurance prior to contract award. The failure of City Colleges of Chicago to obtain such evidence from Proposer before permitting Proposer to commence work shall not be deemed to be a waiver by City Colleges of Chicago, and the Proposer shall remain under continuing obligation to maintain the insurance coverage.

The insurance herein specified shall be carried until all work required to be performed under the terms of the Agreement is satisfactorily completed and formally accepted. Failure to carry or keep such insurance in force may constitute a violation of the Agreement, and City Colleges of Chicago maintains the right to stop work until proper evidence of insurance is provided.

The insurance shall provide for 60 days prior written notice to be given to City Colleges of Chicago Procurement and Business Services Department in the event coverage is substantially changed, canceled, or non-renewed.

The Proposer shall require all subcontractors to carry the insurance required herein, or Proposer may provide the coverage for any or all subcontractors, and, if so, the evidence of insurance submitted shall so stipulate.

Any and all deductibles on referenced insurance coverage shall be borne by Proposers.

Proposer expressly understands and agrees that any insurance coverage and limits furnished by Proposer shall in no way limit the Proposer’s liabilities and responsibilities specified within the contract documents or by law.

The Proposer and each subcontractor agree that insurer shall waive their rights of subrogation against City Colleges of Chicago.

The Proposer expressly understands and agrees that any insurance maintained by City Colleges of Chicago shall apply in excess of and not contribute with insurance provided by the Proposer under the contract.

If the Proposer, or its subcontractors desire additional coverage, higher limits of liability, or other modifications for its own protection, the Proposer and each of its subcontractors, shall be responsible for the acquisition and cost of such additional protection.

City Colleges of Chicago maintains the right to modify, delete, alter or change these requirements.

6.2. Federal/State Funding

If funding for the Deliverables in this Subgrant Agreement derive from federal funding sources, then the terms set forth in this Addendum/Section shall apply and are hereby incorporated into the Subgrant Agreement. For purposes of this section, references to the “CCC” mean Chicago City Colleges and all its offices. References to “Entity” refers to “Subgrantee/Subgrantee”. References to “Contract” or “Agreement” refers to this Subgrant Agreement.

1. Compliance with Federal Law, Regulations, and Executive Orders. Entity will comply with all applicable federal statutes, regulations, executive orders, and other federal requirements in carrying out any project supported by federal funds. The Entity recognizes that federal laws, regulations, policies, and administrative practices may be modified from time to time and those modifications may affect project implementation. The Entity agrees that the most recent federal requirements will apply to the project.

2. Debarment and Suspension. Entity is not presently debarred, suspended, proposed, for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded form covered transactions by any federal Agency or agency;

b) within a…