HillsboroughSchools.org • P.O. Box 3408 • Tampa, FL 33601-3408 • Procurement Services (813) 272-4327 Raymond O. Shelton School Administrative Center • 901 East Kennedy Blvd. • Tampa, FL 33602-3507

September 9, 2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

26376-RFP-DST COMPUTER DEVICES

Last Day for Technical Questions: Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 12:00.00 PM (EST)

Proposal Due Date and Time: Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 5:00.00 PM (EST)

Hillsborough County Public Schools (“HCPS”), on behalf of The School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida (the “Board”), hereby issues this competitive solicitation (“competitive solicitation” or “RFP”), per 6A-1.012, F.A.C., to announce that HCPS is accepting proposals from all qualified firms and individuals interested in providing the commodities and contractual services as described in the Scope of Services section.

QUESTIONS: All technical questions pertaining to this RFP should be submitted online via HCPS’s vendor portal, www.myvendorlink.com, no later than the Last Day for Technical Questions. HCPS will not respond to phone calls.

All technical questions erroneously submitted to the Procurement Officer will be posted on www.myvendorlink.com.

HCPS will not respond to late questions.

IMPORTANT DATES: The above event dates and times are subject to change. Any updates will be posted via www.myvendorlink.com.

EBID NOTICE: THIS IS AN ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT. Submissions will only be accepted electronically via HCPS’s vendor portal https://www.myvendorlink.com, which HCPS uses for accepting and evaluating proposals. To register, visit https://www.myvendorlink.com/external/login. Submitting proposals via the VendorLink portal is mandatory, proposals submitted by any other means including but not limitd to paper, telephone, facsimile transmission, or electronic mail (e-mail) in response to this RFP will be rejected.

HCPS is not responsible for late submittals regardless of cause. HCPS strongly encourages proposers to submit proposals well in advance of the proposal submission deadline. A proposal submission is not considered successful unless all necessary files have been uploaded and in a “Submitted” status. Proposers are responsible for the consequences of any failure to plan ahead in the submission of its proposal. Questions or problems uploading the documents or additional online related assistance is available at support@eVendorlink.com.

Notice. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in § 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Any protest must be submitted on time to the General Manager of Procurement Services via email at contractsupport@hcps.net.

Lobbying/Cone of Silence. Per Policy 6320, Procurement: https://web.hillsboroughschools.org/policymanual/, any communication regarding an active competitive solicitation between any HCPS employee or Board member and any third-party representative or lobbyist of that party is prohibited, effective from the time the competitive solicitation is released until an agreement is signed by HCPS or awarded by the Board.

http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.myvendorlink.com/ https://www.myvendorlink.com/ https://www.myvendorlink.com/external/login mailto:support@eVendorlink.com mailto:contractsupport@hcps.net https://web.hillsboroughschools.org/policymanual/

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 2 of 49 Request for Proposals: 26376-RFP-DST Computer Devices

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 SCOPE OF SERVICES

2 PROPOSER INSTRUCTIONS

3 QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

4 REQUIRED FORMS

5 COST/VALUE

6 GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

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1 SCOPE OF SERVICES

1.1 BACKGROUND

☒ New Solicitation ☐ Replacing an expiring solicitation:

1.2 ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES/BUDGET

1.2.1 Estimated Budget. HCPS’ performance and obligation to pay under the Agreement are contingent upon an annual appropriation by the Board. For protest purposes, the estimated yearly budget is $34,000,000.00.

1.2.2 Federal Funding.

1.2.2.1 Federal Disclosure Statement with Multiple Funding Sources, with Some Financed By Non-Federal Sources. This program is funded by grant awards totaling $10,000,000.00 (29.41%) from Title I and other federal grants, with $24,000,000.00 (70.59%) financed from State and local sources.

1.3 AGREEMENT TERMS/RENEWALS

1.3.1 Contract Term with Renewals. The initial term is three (3) years and will commence no sooner than the first business day after Board approval or as specified in the Award letter through the last day of the first anniversary month. The Agreement shall automatically renew for up to two (2) additional one (1) year periods as appropriations allow in the budget, the Contractor’s performance, the continued need for the commodities and contractual services, and under the same terms and conditions unless either party provides notice to the other party stating that the party wishes to discuss modification of terms or not to renew the Agreement.

1.3.2 Temporary Renewal. If HCPS needs to extend the Agreement beyond the stated renewal period(s), HCPS and the Contractor may agree to renew the Agreement for a period not to exceed 180 days.

1.4 WHY IS THIS NEW SERVICE NEEDED

HCPS is renewing its device purchase bid to address shifting technologies needs to address modern educational while providing performant devices for Students and Staff.

1.5 TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

1.5.1 Intent

HCPS proposes to contract with the highest-ranked Proposer(s) to:

Assist HCPS in establishing stable and predictable costs for acquiring, configuring, deploying, supporting, and maintaining a sustainable refresh cycle for laptop and desktop computing devices used by students and employees. HCPS intends to award primary and secondary Contractors to support District requirements when differences in price, delivery, product availability, technical suitability, or service capability affect an order.

For purposes of this RFP, laptop and desktop devices include Windows laptops, Windows desktops, Chromebooks, all-in-one computers, and specialized configurations for instructional, administrative, CTE, engineering, creative, gaming, and other approved District programs. HCPS may purchase any combination of device categories during the Agreement term and does not guarantee a minimum quantity for any category. Specifications are for the most ordered configurations and a percent off non-standard devices and accessories must be included.

1.5.2 Specific Tasks and Needs.

The Contractor shall configure, image, provision, and enroll all device types in HCPS mobile device management and administration environments, which currently include Microsoft Intune and the Google Workspace Admin console.

Services shall include, as applicable, firmware and BIOS updates, operating-system updates, driver installation, application installation, removal of unwanted software, naming, asset tagging, inventory capture, Autopilot or equivalent registration, Chrome enrollment, security configuration, packaging, and shipment to HCPS-designated locations. The estimated Year 1 Information Technology rollout includes approximately 13,000 teacher Windows devices, 1,000 student

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Windows devices, and 2,500 student Chromebooks. Remaining purchases may include a mix of these device classes for grants, CTE programs, and site-based run-rate orders or non-standard configurations. Quantities and operating-system distributions may change in subsequent years to meet District needs.

• Must have demonstrated experience yin provisioning and deploying up to 50,0000 units per year to a single account.

• Must have 5 years’ experience in same scope and type of work.

• The Contractor shall provide a minimum one-year warranty covering parts and labor for each device and all included components. The Proposer shall identify the warranty start date, service-delivery method, response and repair targets, escalation process, replacement criteria, shipping responsibilities, treatment of batteries and power adapters, availability of onsite service, and all exclusions. Optional pricing for additional warranty years shall be provided.

o Optional additional years will be considered.

o Clear definition of coverage term including any exclusion for system repair.

• Accidental Damage Protection (ADP) o Preference will be given for pooled repairs over one-to-one device assignments

The Accidental Damage Protection program shall cover all accidental physical damage regardless of cause, including but not limited to drops, falls, liquid spills, power surges, screen damage, keyboard damage, broken ports, hinge failures, cracked cases, and other damage resulting from normal student or staff use.

Proposal responses must contain a complete list of exclusions. Any exclusion not specifically identified in the proposal shall not be enforceable against the District.

Accidental damage must cover intentional damage where device users cannot be identified;

any classroom or learning area where damage may occur.

Device repairs or parts issuance must be completed within 3 weeks (21 calendar days).

Failure to meet the SLA will result

• 1 week over 10% repair credit per device or repair

• 2 weeks over 25% repair credit per device or repair

• 3 weeks over 50% repair credit per device or repair

• 4 weeks over 75% repair credit per device or repair

• Any delays must be reviewed and approved by the District to avoid SLA penalties.

Vendor shall not impose any aggregate repair cost limitation, annual repair threshold, or total loss threshold other than replacement when repair is not economically feasible.

Devices deemed non-repairable shall be replaced with equipment equal to or better than the original device specifications, regardless of current market value on net new purchases.

If not utilizing existing repair services, all shipping to and from will not pose additional costs to the District.

Claim submission will not require more than asset number, damage description, location and contact information.

Optional ability to add existing devices into ADP. These devices are mainly made up of Lenovo, HP, Acer, both Windows and Chromebook variants aging 4 years or newer.

See exhibit A for device models and age. This is an example and not exhausted list as it will change with years and decommission of devices deemed end of life.

Devices do not leave campus and are stored in classroom carts without cases.

• Must offer self-maintainer program.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 5 of 49 o Full description of program and parts sourcing must be clearly defined o Replacement parts for each awarded laptop and desktop model shall remain available for a minimum of four years from the date of HCPS purchase. The Proposer shall identify stocked parts, ordering methods, pricing or included entitlements, standard fulfillment times, back-order escalation procedures, approved substitute parts, and the process for obtaining parts for devices covered by warranty or accidental damage protection. Repeated or extended parts delays may be considered a failure to meet Contractor performance requirements.

• Before shipment, the Contractor shall perform and document quality-control testing for each configured device. Testing shall verify the ordered model and specifications, successful startup, operating-system activation, current approved firmware and drivers, network connectivity, charging and battery operation for portable devices, functionality of required ports, successful enrollment or registration, accurate asset information, and inclusion of all ordered accessories. HCPS may reject devices that are damaged, incorrectly configured, missing components, substituted without approval, or otherwise fail to meet the RFP, purchase order, or approved configuration. The Contractor shall correct or replace rejected devices at no additional cost to HCPS.

• Any proposed new device model, component substitution, specification change, or manufacturer revision shall be submitted to HCPS for testing and written approval before the Contractor accepts or fulfills orders for that configuration. The Contractor shall provide evaluation units and complete specifications sufficiently in advance to allow HCPS to validate compatibility with District applications, peripherals, networks, security controls, management platforms, deployment processes, and repair operations. Approval of one model or configuration does not constitute approval of a successor model or substituted component.

• The Contractor will provide site-based direct shipping for any orders of 50 devices or less than a pallet. Large orders must be coordinated with the IT department for central shipping.

• The Proposer shall state standard lead times for evaluation units, routine orders, project orders, configured devices, replacement devices, and repair parts. The Contractor shall provide order acknowledgments, estimated shipment dates, serial-number and asset data before delivery when requested, shipment tracking, packing lists, and electronic proof of delivery. The Contractor shall notify HCPS promptly of shortages, allocation constraints, discontinued models, delayed components, or other conditions that may affect an order and shall propose an HCPS-approved recovery plan. Partial shipments, substitutions, and schedule changes require prior HCPS approval.

• The Contractor shall maintain documented controls to protect devices, operating-system images, firmware, drivers, configuration packages, and deployment media from unauthorized modification or malicious code throughout sourcing, configuration, storage, and delivery. The Proposer shall describe its chain-of-custody controls, restricted access procedures, malware scanning, image validation, firmware and driver sourcing, logging, incident notification, investigation, and remediation processes. The Contractor shall notify HCPS promptly of any suspected compromise affecting HCPS devices or data and shall cooperate with HCPS in containment, investigation, replacement, and corrective action.

• The Contractor will provide the ability to add or remove sites as it benefits HCPS.

• This Agreement will span multiple refresh cycles that may require adjustments to device specifications or additional device models to address increased software demands. It will also extend to other HCPS programs such as CTE, E-sports, and manufacturer model specification adjustments.

• Print and apply tamper-proof asset tags containing asset numbers and wording provided by HCPS.

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• Provide a detailed description of accidental damage protection coverage and process including out of scope repairs. Further include process and associated costs for out of warranty or protection repairs.

• For Windows laptops and desktops, the proposed solution shall provide centralized control or scripted of supported BIOS or UEFI settings and firmware updates without additional cost to HCPS. HCPS shall be able to establish, change, rotate, and reset BIOS or UEFI passwords; enable or disable supported hardware features;

configure boot, virtualization, security, and port settings; deploy settings and updates remotely; confirm compliance; and obtain reporting on deployment status and failures. BIOS must support flashing of serial number and name to transfer asset information to replaced components. The Proposer shall identify all required licenses, agents, cloud services, model limitations, and dependencies.

• Optional items o Asset management including options both network/agent discoverable or ability to import static/non-network device information

1.5.3 Project planning.

Device configuration services with monthly updates to images: The Contractor will create a detailed project plan that outlines the procurement, provisioning and shipping of devices.

• Device configuration services with monthly updates. The Contractor will provide device configuration services to ensure that all devices are configured to meet HCPS’ requirements. The Contractor will also provide monthly updates to images ensure that all devices are up to date with the latest software and security patches including the return of repaired devices.

All proposed Windows devices shall be eligible for and supplied with the appropriate current Windows edition and licensing required for HCPS deployment and management. ChromeOS devices shall have an Auto Update Expiration date that supports the District's planned service life. Proposers shall identify Trusted Platform Module support, Secure Boot support, BIOS or UEFI manageability, operating-system support dates, driver and firmware update methods, and any model-specific limitations affecting HCPS security, management, accessibility, testing, or instructional applications.

For each proposed device, the Proposer shall submit the manufacturer, exact model and configuration, product status, technical data sheet, processor model, memory, storage, display, graphics, wired and wireless networking, ports, power adapter, operating-system eligibility, warranty, dimensions, weight, environmental certifications, management features, repair documentation, and anticipated availability period. Responses shall identify every exception to the minimum specifications. Statements such as 'meets,' 'complies,' or 'included' without supporting model-specific information may be considered nonresponsive.

1.5.4 Equipment Minimum Specifications.

Where a specification references an Intel processor tier, NVIDIA graphics, screen size, port type, wireless standard, or other technology that may change during the Agreement term, HCPS may accept an equivalent or successor component that meets or exceeds the required functional and performance level. The Proposer shall identify the exact component offered and provide sufficient documentation for HCPS to determine equivalency. HCPS retains sole authority to approve or reject proposed equivalents and successor components.

Unless otherwise specified for a device category, each laptop shall include an integrated camera, microphone, and speakers; a manufacturer-supported keyboard and touchpad; USB-C charging where power requirements are supported for configuration; an appropriately rated power adapter; current-generation Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; required security hardware; an energy-efficient display; and manufacturer diagnostic tools. The Proposer shall state battery capacity, Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 7 of 49 expected battery life under a documented test method, device weight, dimensions, charging wattage, display resolution and brightness, camera resolution, repairability features, and environmental certifications for each offered model.

Student laptop Windows (Windows 11 Education or current operating system) 12-inch-class touchscreen clamshell or convertible Intel N250 or equivalent processor or current production 8 GB memory 128 GB SSD or flash storage USB-C charging Audio jack Two USB-A ports and one full-function USB-C port Dual-antenna Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)

General laptop Windows (Windows 11 Education or current operating system) Intel Core i5 or equivalent processor or current production 12-inch-class touchscreen display 16 GB memory 256 GB SSD or flash storage USB-C charging Two USB-C ports, or one USB-C port and one USB-A port Dual-antenna Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)

High-end laptop Windows (Windows 11 Education or current operating system) 15-inch-class touchscreen display Intel Core i7 or equivalent processor or current production 32 GB memory

512 GB SSD

Dedicated NVIDIA graphics with 8 GB graphics memory or equivalent Dual-antenna Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) One full-function USB-C port and one USB-A port HDMI or DisplayPort output, including all required cables 1 Gbps Ethernet port

Unless otherwise specified for a desktop category, each desktop shall include a manufacturer-supported keyboard and mouse; required power supply, video cables; Trusted Platform Module and Secure Boot support; centralized BIOS or UEFI manageability; wired Ethernet; current-generation Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when required by the configuration; and support for the number and resolution of displays stated for that category. The Proposer shall identify chassis dimensions, mounting options, power consumption, external and internal ports, memory and storage expansion, service access, included peripherals, supported operating systems, and manufacturer lifecycle status.

General use desktop (Windows 11 Education or current operating system) o Small or Tiny form factor o Intel i5 or equivalent processor o 16Gb Ram o 256 GB non-spinning storage o 3 display ports or a combination of HDMI and Display port. Must function all ports active and required cabling to support the 3 ports including necessary conversion dongles o Wi-Fi 6 or newer and Bluetooth o 1Gb ethernet port

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CTE Gaming desktop (Windows 11 Education or current operating system) o Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7, current or recent generation o Minimum of eight physical processor cores o 32 GB memory o Dedicated NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 Ti or comparable professional or OEM graphics card o Minimum 8 GB dedicated graphics memory; 12–16 GB preferred when pricing allows o Minimum 1 TB NVMe SSD o 1 Gbps Ethernet port o Wi-Fi 6 or newer and Bluetooth o Multiple USB-A ports, at least one USB-C port, and DisplayPort and/or HDMI o Sufficient connectivity for virtual-reality equipment o Manufacturer-rated power supply and cooling appropriate for sustained graphics-intensive workloads o Minimum three-year onsite warranty

Student Chromebook (current mainstream supported operating system) 12-inch-class touchscreen clamshell or convertible Intel n250 or Arm based processor or current production models 8 GB memory 64 GB system storage Dual-antenna Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) or newer At least one USB-C port and one USB-A port USB-C charging

1.6 PRICE/RATE PROVISIONS

All prices, parts, costs, fees, and charges offered herein shall be firm against any increase for the initial term of the Agreement, unless mutually agreed upon or as stated otherwise in this solicitation or its addenda. The Contractor is responsible for notifying Procurement Services at least 60 days before any anticipated price changes. Any request for changes requires the submittal of bona fide manufacturer's documents, including but not limited to Producer Price Index information, Consumer Price Index for the affected market, industry, commodities, and/or manufacturer’s price list.

Surcharges are disallowed unless the above conditions are met. HCPS reserves the right to accept or reject, within 30 days. If HCPS denies the request for a price change, said items will cease to be ordered.

1.7 CHANGES IN SCOPE OF SERVICES.

HCPS may order changes in the required commodities and contractual services consisting of additions, deletions, or other revisions within the general scope of this RFP. Unless accepted by a mutually signed written amendment, The Awarded Vendor (the “Contractor”) may make no changes related to the scope of work, amount of compensation, or any other adjustments to the Agreement. If the Contractor believes that a commodity or contractual service is not within the scope of work of the Award, is a material change, or will otherwise require additional compensation to the Contractor, the Contractor must notify the General Manager of Procurement Services in writing of their belief. If the General Manager of Procurement Services agrees that the commodity or contractual service is within the scope of the work, as written, the Contractor shall continue providing the commodities or contractual services as changed and at the cost stated for the product or service within the scope. The Contractor must assert its right to an adjustment under this clause within thirty (30) days from receipt of the written order. The General Manager of Procurement Services reserves the right to negotiate with the Contractor without completing the competitive bidding process for commodities and contractual services like those specified within this RFP, for which requirements were unknown upon release.

SUBMIT THIS SIGNATURE PAGE WITH YOUR PROPOSAL:

The below signature acknowledges that the Proposer has read the above Section, Scope of Services thoroughly before submitting the Proposal, will fulfill the applicable obligations per the above terms and conditions and is submitting without collusion with any other individual or firm.

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Contractor Name

Signature of Proposer’s Authorized Official Date

Name and Title of Proposer’s Authorized Official

[INTENTIONALLY BLANK.]

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2 PROPOSER INSTRUCTIONS

This solicitation will comply with all applicable HCPS policies and federal, state, and local laws and regulations. HCPS reserves the right to qualify proposals that HCPS deems to meet the qualifications listed in this solicitation. HCPS, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to cancel, recall, or reissue all or parts of this solicitation, to reject any proposal, to waive any formality and irregularity, or to re-advertise the identical or revised specifications. HCPS may investigate the qualifications of any proposer under consideration, require confirmation of information furnished by a Proposer, and require additional evidence of qualifications to perform the services described in this solicitation. This solicitation does not obligate HCPS to enter into a contract or reimburse any Proposer for costs incurred in preparing and submitting a proposal or anticipating a contract. Furthermore, HCPS may:

• evaluate the Proposer’s past performance with HCPS and other customers or

• reject any or all proposals; or

• issue a subsequent solicitation for the same commodities and services or

• cancel the entire solicitation; or

• remedy solicitation errors; or

• reduce the scope of services (if deemed in HCPS’ best interest and at HCPS’ sole discretion); or

• appoint an evaluation committee to review the proposals; or

• seek the assistance of technical experts to review the proposals or

• approve or disapprove the use of subcontractors and suppliers; or

• award a contract to one or more (or none) of the proposers; or

• accept other than the lowest-priced proposal; or

• waive informalities and irregularities in the Proposals; or

• award a contract without discussions or negotiations; or

• Disqualify proposals upon evidence of collusion with intent to defraud or other illegal practices by a proposer.

2.1 DEFINITIONS.

The following terms shall have the following meanings.

2.1.1 Addenda/Addendum. HCPS written or graphic instruments posted to www.myvendorlink.com before the solicitation opening date to supersede or modify this solicitation by addition, deletion, correction, or clarification.

2.1.2 Agreement. Unless a separate document is provided for signature by the Parties, the Agreement shall include this solicitation, attachments, appendices, all related addenda, and answers to questions via www.myVendorLink.com, the Proposal, all mutually agreed-upon amendments, and subsequent renewals covering the provision of commodities and services as outlined herein.

2.1.3 Commodities. Commodities shall mean any of the various supplies, materials, goods, merchandise, food, equipment, information technology, and other personal property, including a mobile home, trailer, or other portable structure that has less than 5,000 square feet of floor space, purchased, leased, or otherwise contracted for by HCPS.

2.1.4 Contractor. The Contractor shall mean any business entity awarded by the Board or approved by HCPS’ Procurement Services Department under a Proposal submitted by that organization in reply to this solicitation.

2.1.5 Default. The omission or failure to fulfill a duty, observe a promise, discharge an obligation, or perform as agreed.

2.1.6 Florida Statutes. The codified, statutory laws of the State of Florida.

2.1.7 Procurement Officer shall serve as the primary HCPS representative for this solicitation.

2.1.8 Proposer. The Proposer shall include a vendor that submits a proposal in response to this competitive solicitation.

2.1.9 Renewal. A contract renewal extends or continues an existing contractual agreement between the parties beyond the original expiration date.

2.1.10 Request for Proposals (“RFP”). A written solicitation for competitive sealed proposals. The request for proposals is used when it is not practicable for HCPS to specifically define the scope of work for which the commodity, Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 11 of 49 group of commodities, or contractual service is required and when HCPS is requesting that a responsible vendor propose a commodity, group of commodities, or contractual service to meet the specifications of the solicitation document.

2.1.11 Responsible Proposer/Bidder. A supplier with the integrity and reliability, as well as the financial and technical capacity to perform the requirements of the solicitation and subsequent contract.

2.1.12 Responsive Proposal/Bid. A bid, proposal, or offer that fully conforms in all material respects to the solicitation and its requirements, including all form and substance.

2.1.13 Services. An agreement calling for a contractor’s time and effort. The furnishing of labor, time, or effort by a contractor or supplier may involve, to a lesser degree, the delivery or supply of products.

2.1.14 Superintendent. Superintendent shall mean the District’s superintendent or designee. For this solicitation, the General Manager of Procurement Services will serve as the designee.

2.1.15 Vendor. A seller of goods or services whereby the exchange is solely transactional.

2.2 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE/SITE VISIT (“CONFERENCE”)

If applicable, see the cover sheet. HCPS may conduct a Conference (attendance may be mandatory or voluntary) or a site visit (mandatory attendance, as required by HCPS) to explain the procurement requirements. The Conference or site visit will be held long enough after the solicitation has been issued to allow Proposers to familiarize themselves with this solicitation, but sufficiently before the due date to enable the consideration of the Conference results in preparing their proposals. Nothing stated at the Conference or site visit shall amend this RFP unless and until a change is made via written addenda on VendorLink.

2.3 VENDORLINK (WWW.MYVENDORLINK.COM) REGISTRATION

HCPS will post all solicitations and supporting documents on VendorLink. It is the sole responsibility of interested parties to monitor VendorLink for solicitation opportunities and updates. Each Proposer must have a vendor application on file with VendorLink to conduct business, receive updates and addenda, and ask questions under any HCPS solicitation.

Additionally, to conduct business under this solicitation, HCPS requires that all its Contractors have a current vendor application on file with www.myVendorLink.com. HCPS may rescind an award for failure to comply with this condition.

2.3.1 Questions. A proposer with additional questions regarding this solicitation or a related document(s) may submit a written request for clarification via VendorLink no later than the “last day to request additional information or clarification.” Any interpretation to a Proposer shall be via written addenda posted on VendorLink before the proposal’s due date. Any information that amends any portion of this solicitation, received by any method other than an addendum issued in conjunction with this solicitation, is not binding on HCPS. In the event of a conflict between this RFP and any subsequent addendum, the most recent addendum issued will prevail.

2.3.2 Addenda. Those interested in responding to and receiving addenda to this solicitation or any other HCPS procurement opportunity must log on to VendorLink, select "active bids," search for this solicitation, and download the document(s). Downloading the document will enter your email address as a participant and provide notifications and updates for this solicitation. Before submitting the proposal, the Proposer must determine whether addenda have been issued via VendorLink and, if so, download and respond accordingly to such addenda.

2.4 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

The Proposer is solely responsible for the on-time delivery of the proposal via VendorLink. No mailed hard copies will be accepted. HCPS will not review proposals before the due date and time.

Lobbying/Cone of Silence. Board Policy #6320: The Cone of Silence prohibits any communication regarding an active solicitation between any HCPS employee or Board member and any third-party representative or lobbyist of that party, unless permitted in this section. Any Board member, the Superintendent, Evaluation Committee Member, or any HCPS employee is prohibited from having any communications concerning a solicitation for an active competitive procurement during the Cone of Silence period. Any party, representative, or lobbyist of that party is prohibited from having any communications concerning an active solicitation for a competitive procurement with any Board member, the Superintendent, any Evaluation Committee Member, or any other HCPS employee during the Cone of Silence period, Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 12 of 49 regarding a solicitation for a competitive procurement. Communication by any party, representative, or lobbyist of that party, regarding an active solicitation found to violate this section may result in the rejection of their proposal and may include further sanctions. Any communications, including but not limited to matters of process, procedure, or protest, must be submitted in writing and directed to the assigned procurement officer. The Cone of Silence period shall take effect and remain in effect from the time of the solicitation's release until the Board awards the contract. At the time of issuing the solicitation, the Superintendent or designee shall provide public notice of the Cone of Silence and include this notice in any advertisement or public solicitation for commodities and contractual services, stating the requirements of this section. Unless expressly provided otherwise in the applicable solicitation document, the Cone of Silence does not apply to:

• Oral communications at the pre-proposal or pre-bid conference.

• Communications during evaluation committee meetings, including presentations, demonstrations, or interviews.

• Oral communications during any duly noticed Board meeting.

2.4.1 Submittal Delays. Possible delays to the last day for questions or the submittal due date may involve the following, without limitation:

2.4.2 Questions/Due Date Extension. HCPS reserves the right to amend this solicitation’s due date via VendorLink before the posted initially due date.

2.4.3 Weather Conditions. Should weather conditions require HCPS to close its offices on the Proposal due date, it will take effect at the same hour of the following business day or as posted by HCPS via VendorLink.

2.4.4 Responsive Proposal. A responsive proposal meets this RFP's requirements, including providing all necessary documentation, supporting exhibits, submitting on time, and obtaining all required signatures. HCPS is not responsible for discrepancies or inconsistencies in the submitted proposal. HCPS may reject any proposal it deems non-responsive.

Failure to comply with these requirements may result in HCPS deeming the proposal non-responsive.

2.4.5 Uploaded Proposal Format. The proposal must be submitted electronically and organized to ensure comparability and consistency in the evaluation process. Avoid elaborate promotional materials and provide only requested information. All supporting materials should reference the portion of this solicitation to which they pertain.

2.4.6 Variance from Terms. Regardless of how slight, the proposal must identify all variances from specifications, terms, and/or conditions. Otherwise, HCPS will assume that the proposed commodities and services shall fully comply with the specifications, terms, and conditions.

2.4.7 Forms. Unless otherwise specified, proposers must use the form(s) furnished by HCPS. Failure to do so may cause the rejection of the proposal.

2.4.8 Missing Attachments/Documents. The proposal must include all required attachments and requested documentation. HCPS will neither review nor acknowledge receipt of a proposal before the due date and time. HCPS cannot accept any missing documents after the due date unless HCPS deems the missing document as non-material to the proposal evaluation. All missing documents must be submitted to the Procurement Officer within 72 hours of the submitted request, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays. All communications between Procurement Services and the Proposer shall be via email. HCPS shall not be responsible for emails that are directed to a Proposer’s spam folder.

2.4.9 Signatures. An officer or employee with the authority to bind the organization must sign the proposal in ink or digitally.

2.4.10 Public Inspection of Proposal. HCPS will provide a Proposer’s representative with written notice if a public records request has been made for a confidential portion of their proposal in response to this solicitation. HCPS will provide for the inspection or copying of any non-exempt portions of any proposal in its possession, as required by applicable law. If a Proposer wishes to preclude the inspection or copying of any non-exempt portions of its proposal or if a dispute exists as to whether such portions are entitled to an exemption, the Proposer must obtain a protective order from a court of competent jurisdiction prohibiting the inspection or copying of the requested materials. The failure to initiate such legal proceedings on time shall constitute a waiver by the Proposer of any applicable exemption or confidential status of the requested materials. By submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation, the Proposer

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 13 of 49 agrees to waive any cause of action or claim for damages it may have against HCPS for its release of records in response to a public records request, except for those that are prepared and labeled as confidential or exempt as described in this section. The Proposer agrees to hold HCPS harmless from any award to a plaintiff for damages, costs, or attorney’s fees based upon HCPS’ non-disclosure of portions of the Proposer’s response that have been prepared and labeled as confidential or exempt from public inspection and further agrees to reimburse HCPS for any attorney fees and costs it may incur in the defense of such non-disclosure.

2.4.11 Trade Secret. If applicable, all “trade secret” information submitted in response to this solicitation must comply with §§ 119.07 and 812.081, Florida Statutes, and shall be submitted in a separate file, clearly labeled as such. A failure by the proposer to prepare and label the confidential or exempt portions of their proposal in the manner specified herein shall constitute a waiver by the proposer of any applicable exemptions from disclosure or any confidential status, including ones that may apply to trade secrets under Florida law. If challenged, the proposer who submits the trade secret information shall bear all costs associated with defending their position.

2.4.12 Joint Proposal. HCPS will recognize a single proposer as the primary contractor should multiple proposers submit a joint proposal in response to the competitive solicitation. If offering a joint proposal, the prime contractor must:

• Include the name and address of all parties to the joint proposal.

• Provide all necessary bonding and insurance requirements, execute the contract, complete the proposal, and assume overall accountability to resolve any disputes that may arise from the award. Only a single award with the submitting proposer shall be authorized by HCPS.

• Be responsible for the performance of services associated with the response to this RFP and overall contract administration.

• Attend any required HCPS meetings, oversee the preparation of reports and presentations, and file notices of protest and final protests as described in this document.

• Prepare and present consolidated invoice(s) for services performed. HCPS shall issue only one check for each consolidated invoice for services performed to the prime contractor.

2.5 EVALUATION PROCESS

Procurement Services shall forward only those on-time proposals to the assigned HCPS Evaluation Committee (the “Committee”) for further evaluation. HCPS will not evaluate non-responsive, non-responsible proposals. The Committee may consist of HCPS personnel and additional stakeholders who will review, discuss, and rank the proposals.

Procurement Services personnel will participate as facilitators. The Committee may deem additional Proposers as non-responsive or non-responsible and will not pursue further evaluation. Please note that HCPS reserves the right to:

• prefer to contract with the Proposer(s) that fully comply with the provided terms and conditions stipulated in this RFP. However, a proposal with alternatives may be considered after the allowance for any deviations. HCPS cautions proposers to indicate all restrictive deviations from the desired terms and conditions and

• select the proposal(s) deemed to be in its best interest and shall be the sole judge and final arbiter of its own best interest, the evaluation of submissions, and the resulting negotiated agreement; and

• deem that if receiving adequate proposals, HCPS may choose to evaluate only those proposals as submitted and require no additional clarifications and/or information. The proposer should provide complete and thorough proposals, including the proposer’s most favorable terms.

• cancel this solicitation or reject proposals at any time before an award and without further discussion; and

• Perform a side-by-side comparison of like proposals. Procurement Services shall perform the preliminary phase upon initial proposal screening, and this phase shall pass or fail, as determined by Procurement Services, as to whether:

o all required forms are signed, submitted, or obtainable; and o the Proposer meets the minimum requirements; and

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 14 of 49 o whether the information provided is in the required sequence to simplify the comparison of proposals.

2.5.1 Evaluation Phase 1. The Committee will rank proposals based on the stated, summarized Weighted Criteria.

The award method will be based on a qualitative appraisal rating and ranking of responsiveness to this solicitation’s criteria, based on available point totals for each evaluation criterion, rather than a percentage factor. The Committee will evaluate proposals based on the criteria listed below. The requirements are itemized with their respective weights for a maximum of 100 points. A Proposer may receive the maximum points or a portion of this score, depending on the merit of its proposal, as determined by the Committee.

EVALUATION PHASE I: DESCRIPTION WEIGHT

Section 1. Specifications/Scope of Work. 35

This section shall provide HCPS with information regarding the Proposer’s understanding of the required scope of work (tasks and service levels) and the vendor’s ability to provide deliverables within the required timeframe and (if applicable) submit an optimal timeline with milestone payment information for the completion of deliverables and provide optimal customer service.

Section 3. Qualifications and Experience/Required Forms and All Signatures. 25

This section shall provide HCPS with information regarding the Proposer’s experience and qualifications in the related commodities and contractual services and their abilities.

Section 6. Cost/Value. 40

The price proposal shall be evaluated to determine the overall best value.

Small Business Encouragement Program (SBEP) 0 Utilization of HCPS-registered vendors. Based on the submitted information in the “SBEP Subcontractor Utilization Letter of Intent,” Procurement Services encourages a percentage of the projected dollar expenditures to be allocated to HCPS-registered OSD vendors. Points shall be allocated based on the percentage of total HCPS dollars under the Agreement: 1 point for each 10% of the funding to the HCPS-registered SBEP. Example: 0 points: 0% to 9%, 1 point:

10% to 19%, 2 points: 20% to 29%, 3 points: 30% to 39%, … No (zero) points are offered for federally funded solicitations.

2.5.2 Evaluation Phase 2 (Optional). A short list of proposers may be invited to provide Phase 2 presentations or respond to additional questions (via written, virtual, online, or phone means). For presentations, Proposers are encouraged to offer a multimedia presentation that includes, but is not limited to, additional discounts, answers to provided questions, a question-and-answer session, and a summary of their capabilities and industry advantages within the allotted HCPS time. All invited Proposers shall be allotted the same amount of presentation time. Upon completing this phase, the Committee will reevaluate, re-rate, and re-rank the remaining proposals based on the written documents, the oral presentation, answers to questions, and the best and final offer.

2.5.3 Negotiations. Procurement Services may negotiate the proposed terms, conditions, and rates with the highest-ranked Proposer(s) before submittal to the Board. HCPS may seek to reach acceptable terms with any Proposer or terminate discussions as it deems to be in its best interest. HCPS may continue the process until an agreement is reached or the process is terminated. For Single Negotiations, HCPS negotiates with the top-ranked Proposer. For concurrent negotiations, HCPS negotiates simultaneously with two or more top-ranked proposers after Phase 1.

Negotiations continue simultaneously until a ‘best and final offer’ is reached, resulting in a satisfactory agreement.

2.5.4 Tie Proposals. Tie Proposals that are identical in the Evaluation Committee scoring and meet all the requirements and criteria outlined in the competitive solicitation. If this should occur with the highest-ranked Proposals, priority for the award shall be given to vendors in the following sequence:

• A business that certifies that it has implemented a drug-free workplace.

• Office of Supplier Development certified small business vendor.

• Small/business certified by a governmental entity in Hillsborough County.

• Small/business certified by a governmental entity in the Tampa Bay area.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 15 of 49

• Florida-certified small/business.

• Business located in Hillsborough County.

• Businesses receive a more significant dollar award for other items within the bid.

• Business located in Florida.

• A flip of a coin.

2.6 AWARD

2.6.1 Award by Group, Category, Area, or Item. As deemed to be in its best interest, HCPS reserves the right to make award(s) by individual item, group of items, all or none, or a combination thereof on a geographical basis and an HCPS-wide basis with one or more Proposals; to reject any or all offers or waive any irregularity or technicality in Proposals received. The Proposer is cautioned to make no assumptions unless their Proposal has been evaluated as responsive.

Any or all awards from this competitive solicitation shall conform to applicable HCPS, State of Florida, and Federal rules, regulations, and laws.

2.6.2 No Award. HCPS shall have the authority to reject any proposals submitted in response to this competitive solicitation and request new proposals or purchase the required commodities and services in any other manner authorized under Rule 6A-1.012, F.A.C.

2.6.3 Rejection of All Proposals. According to §§ 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution, HCPS may reject Proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall remain exempt from § 119.07(1), Florida Statutes, and 24(a), Article I of the State Constitution, until HCPS provides notice of an intended decision concerning the reissued solicitation or until HCPS withdraws the reissued solicitation, not to exceed twelve

(12) months from the date of the Notice of Rejection.

2.6.4 Contract. HCPS deems the provisions of the awarded proposal acceptable, and a best and final offer shall be incorporated into the award, making it legally binding.

2.6.5 Additional Awardees. HCPS reserves the right to award additional vendors throughout the Agreement term to meet HCPS' needs promptly.

2.6.6 Notice of Intent to Award/Rejection. HCPS will post a Notice of Intent to Award/Rejection via VendorLink, inviting the Proposer(s) identified therein to enter into one or more contracts.

2.6.7 No Contract Until Execution. A notice of intent to award under this RFP shall not constitute or form any contract between HCPS and the proposer. No contract is formed until HCPS provides notice of award or purchase order.

2.7 PROTEST

A Proposer who wishes to file a proposal protest must file a notice and follow procedures prescribed by § 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, for resolution. For bids solicited by Procurement Services, the notice must be filed with the General Manager of Procurement Services. Any person who files an action protesting a decision or intended decision concerning a Proposal under § 120.57(3)(b), Florida Statutes, shall post, at the time of filing the formal written protest, a bond payable to the Board for $5,000 or three (3%) percent of the estimated value of the contract, whichever is greater, conditioned upon payment of all costs and fees which may be adjudged against the protestor in the administrative hearing. If the Board prevails at the hearing, it shall recover all costs, excluding attorney's fees, from the protestor. If the protestor prevails, the protestor shall recover from the Board all costs, excluding attorney's fees.

Failure to file a notice of intent to protest or failure to file a formal written…