27-05490 AWS Reserved Instance Optimization Tool RFI.docx

EOTSS RFI (4.22.2026)

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Technology Services and Security

Request for Information

EOTSS RFI 27-05490

COMMBUYS Bid Number: BD-27-1060-ITD00-ITD00-132005

July 31, 2026

Respondents to this Request for Information (RFI) are invited to respond to any or all of the questions in this document. Responses to this RFI shall serve solely to assist the Commonwealth in understanding the current state of the marketplace with regards to the solicited information or to inform the development of a possible solicitation for a Request for Responses (RFR) or Request for Quotes (RFQ) in the future. This RFI does not in any way obligate the Commonwealth to issue or amend a solicitation or to include any of the RFI provisions or responses in any solicitation. Responding to this RFI is entirely voluntary, and will in no way affect the Commonwealth’s consideration of any proposal submitted in response to any subsequent solicitation, nor will it serve as an advantage or disadvantage to the respondent in the course of any RFR or RFQ that may be subsequently issued or amended.

IN ACCORDANCE WITH M.G.L. C. 66 AND M.G.L. C. 4, § 7 (26), THIS RFI AND ALL RESPONSES HERETO INCLUDING THE WINNING BID SHALL BECOME PUBLIC RECORD, AND CAN BE OBTAINED FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF TECHNOLOGY SERVICES AND SECURITY BY SUBMITTING A REQUEST AT https://www.mass.gov/executive-office-of-technology-services-and-security-prr. ANY PORTIONS OF A RESPONSE THAT ARE LABELED AS CONFIDENTIAL WILL STILL BE CONSIDERED PUBLIC RECORD.

General Procurement Information

General Information

Purchasing Entity: Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (“EOTSS”) or (“Agency”)

Address: One Ashburton Place, Eighth Floor, Boston, MA 02108

Procurement Contact: Shawn Johnson

Telephone: 617-406-8329

E-Mail Address: shawn.johnson@mass.gov

RFI File Number and Title: EOTSS RFI 27-05490

Attachments: Attachment A – COMMBUYS Instructions

This Request for Information (“RFI”) does not commit the Commonwealth of Massachusetts (“Commonwealth”) or Agency to pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a Bidder’s response to this RFI or to purchase any products or services. The purpose of this RFI is to elicit the advice and best analysis of knowledgeable persons in the vendor community to enable the Commonwealth to craft a potential future solicitation for Automated AWS RDS Reserved Instance Optimization Tooling. Responses to this RFI should include information that will be useful to the Commonwealth in subsequently drafting more detailed procurement solicitation(s) related to the Automated AWS RDS Reserved Instance Optimization Tooling.

The Agency may amend this RFI at any time prior to the date the responses are due. Any such amendment will be posted to the Commonwealth’s procurement website, CommBUYS (www.commbuys.com).

Bidders must submit their bids through the Commonwealth’s online procurement system, COMMBUYS, as detailed in Attachment A. Bidders are advised to check this site regularly, as this will be the sole method used for notification of changes.

Eligible Bidders

This RFI is open to any Bidders willing to respond.

Event Calendar

All times in this RFI are in prevailing Eastern Time. Responses must be received no later than the response due date and time indicated below or they will not be evaluated. Bidders must have their responses fully loaded and accepted in COMMBUYS prior to the RFI Response Due date and time listed below. Bidders are urged to allow sufficient time to upload their entire response.

Issuing Agency

The Executive Office of Technology Services and Security is responsible for the development of IT policy and implementation and oversight of all information technology investments for the Commonwealth and its respective agencies. EOTSS has broad statutory authority to effectuate the goals prompting IT consolidation in Chapter 64 of the Acts of 2017, as memorialized and articulated in M.G.L. c. 6A, s. 7A and M.G.L. c. 7D. As the lead enterprise IT and cybersecurity organization for the Executive Branch, EOTSS provides responsive digital and security services, and oversees and manages the enterprise technology and digital infrastructure and services for over 125 state agencies and over 43,000 state employees. EOTSS provides Enterprise Cybersecurity and Risk Management services, Infrastructure and Network services, End-User Support and IT services, Digital and Data services, Strategy Management and Consulting services, and additional IT-focused services to the Executive Branch and other Commonwealth users.

Description and Purpose of the RFI

Purpose

EOTSS is conducting market research to identify an automated software or SaaS solution. The goal of this RFI is to introduce continuous, algorithmic management and optimization of our Amazon Web Services (AWS) Relational Database Service (RDS) Reserved Instances (RIs) to structurally reduce our monthly cloud expenditure.

Because RDS Reserved Instances lack the native flexibility of standard compute savings plans, changes to database sizes, multi-AZ deployments, regional configurations, or engine migrations often cause costly coverage mismatches. EOTSS requires an automated tool that can continuously analyze our usage patterns, execute modifications, and optimize purchasing to prevent underutilization and eliminate unhedged on-demand costs.

Information Solicited

Background.

EOTSS is interested in solutions that achieve the following:

Financial Outcomes

· Reduction in Amazon RDS compute costs through optimized Reserved Instance purchases.

· Increased RI coverage (e.g., 80%+ of eligible RDS workloads).

· Improved RI utilization (target >95%) to minimize unused reservations.

· Positive ROI within the first 6 months of deployment.

· ESR of over 35%

Automation & Operational Efficiency

· Automatic identification and execution of RI purchase opportunities based on historical usage and forecasting.

· Automated RI purchases executed according to predefined business rules and approval thresholds.

· Continuous optimization of RI portfolios as workloads change.

· Minimal manual intervention required to manage reservations.

Governance & Compliance

· Approval workflows aligned with procurement and financial controls.

· Full audit trail of recommendations, purchases, and modifications.

· Policies to prevent over-purchasing or under-purchasing RIs.

· Integration with existing AWS Organizations and account structure.

Visibility & Reporting

· Real-time dashboards showing:

· RI coverage

· RI utilization

· Monthly savings

· Remaining commitment

· Forecasted savings opportunities

· Executive reporting demonstrating realized cost avoidance and ROI.

· Chargeback/showback reporting by business unit or application.

Technical Integration

· Seamless integration with AWS Organizations and Cost Explorer – Nice to have integration with Cloud Health.

· Support for unlimited AWS accounts.

· Compatibility with existing FinOps and Cloud Operations processes.

· API support for integration with ServiceNow, Jira, or internal workflows if required.

Risk Reduction

· Reduced risk of expired or underutilized Reserved Instances.

· Improved forecasting accuracy for future commitments.

· Automatic alerts for expiring RIs and changing workload patterns.

Questions.

In its answer to this RFI, each Respondent must address the following questions:

1. Company Information Provide:

· Company overview, years in business, and areas of expertise.

· Company name (including parent company, if applicable).

· Company address.

· Company website.

· Primary contact name and contact information (email address required).

· Experience delivering AWS cost optimization or FinOps solutions.

· Current or previous implementations of the proposed solution, including any business partners involved.

· Relevant customer references, preferably in the public sector or large enterprise environments.

· Examples of similar projects successfully completed and the critical success factors for those implementations.

· Any current membership on Commonwealth statewide contracts.

2. Solution Overview Provide:

· Description of the proposed solution.

· Whether the solution is SaaS, hosted, or self-managed.

· Identification and description of all software required to implement the proposed solution.

· Description of any third-party relationships or dependencies relied upon by the proposed solution.

· AWS competencies, certifications, or partnerships held by the organization.

3. Functional Capabilities Describe how your solution:

· Identifies Reserved Instance purchase opportunities.

· Automates Reserved Instance purchasing based on configurable policies.

· Optimizes existing Reserved Instance portfolios over time.

· Recommends modifications as workloads change.

· Prevents over-purchasing or under-utilization.

· Supports multiple AWS accounts and AWS Organizations.

· Supports Amazon RDS Reserved Instances and other AWS savings programs (e.g., Savings Plans).

· Can be configured or customized to meet customer requirements, including any limitations and typical customization costs.

4. Governance & Controls Describe:

· Approval workflows.

· Role-based access controls.

· Audit logging and reporting capabilities.

· Purchasing limits and configurable business rules.

· Alerting and notification capabilities.

· Compliance with the Commonwealth Digital Accessibility Standards, including the basis for your assessment.

5. Reporting & Analytics Provide details on available reporting, including:

· Reserved Instance coverage.

· Reserved Instance utilization.

· Cost savings realized.

· Forecasted savings opportunities.

· Executive dashboards.

· Chargeback/showback reporting.

Please include sample reports or screenshots where available.

6. Integration Capabilities Describe integrations with:

· AWS Organizations.

· AWS Cost Explorer.

· AWS Billing and Cost Management.

· Amazon CloudWatch.

· ServiceNow.

· Jira.

· APIs available for custom integrations.

7. Security Provide information regarding:

· Security architecture.

· Authentication methods (SSO, IAM Identity Center, SAML, etc.).

· Encryption of data in transit and at rest.

· Compliance certifications (SOC 2, ISO 27001, FedRAMP, etc.).

· Data residency and hosting locations.

8. Implementation Describe:

· Typical implementation timeline.

· Required customer resources.

· Professional, implementation, consulting, or advisory services available to support the deployment and ongoing success of the solution.

· Training provided, including:

· Administrative and technical training offerings.

· Whether training is included or available at an additional cost.

· Training formats, duration, and delivery locations.

· Training materials provided.

· Ongoing support model.

· Upgrade and maintenance approach.

9. Licensing & Pricing Provide:

· Licensing model.

· Pricing methodology.

· Implementation costs.

· Annual maintenance or subscription costs.

· Any additional fees.

· A detailed cost breakdown, including hardware, software, services, and applicable implementation scenarios.

· Volume purchasing discounts, if available.

· A copy of the standard software license agreement.

10. Customer Success Provide examples of measurable outcomes achieved by customers, including:

· Percentage reduction in Amazon RDS spend.

· Reserved Instance coverage improvements.

· Reserved Instance utilization improvements.

· Return on investment (ROI).

· Reduction in manual administration.

11. Product Roadmap Provide a high-level roadmap outlining planned enhancements relevant to:

· Reserved Instance optimization.

· Database Savings Plans.

· FinOps capabilities.

· AWS cost management.

12. Additional Information Include any information that differentiates your solution or would assist in evaluating its suitability for an enterprise AWS environment, including:

Maintenance and Support

· Levels of maintenance and support available.

· Breakdown of maintenance and support costs.

· Support hours of operation.

· Guaranteed response and resolution times (service level commitments).

· Support delivery location(s).

· Whether product updates and bug fixes are included in support.

· Help desk escalation procedures.

· Support model for multiple product installations.

· Pricing for new software releases, if applicable.

· A copy of the standard maintenance/support agreement.

Include any additional information not otherwise requested that would assist the Commonwealth in evaluating your solution.

General Instructions

Please note that this RFI is issued solely for the purpose of obtaining information. Nothing in this RFI shall be interpreted as a commitment on the part of the Commonwealth to enter into a contract with any Respondent.

· This RFI has been posted on July 31, 2026.

· Respondent Questions. Potential Respondents who have questions regarding this RFI may submit them via COMMBUYS them to the contact listed in Section 1 above by August 10, 2026. Respondents may only make inquiries and request clarification concerning this RFI by written questions via e-mail. Responses to inquiries and clarification questions will be provided electronically to all interested parties via a posting on COMMBUYS.

· Response Submission. All responses to this RFI are due no later than 3:00PM on August 21, 2026. Respondents should submit one (1) electronic copy via COMMBUYS. All responses must include on the first page the official name (if any) of the firm or entity submitting the response. Please consecutively number all pages of the response.

· Response Content. Vendors should include a response to each of the questions set forth in Section 5 of this RFI.

· Response Format. The Commonwealth requests that all responses be submitted with a point-by-point response to each numbered subsection set forth in Section 5. If a Respondent opts not to respond to any item(s) that subsection, please note and if possible include an explanation for the lack of response.

· Additional Information. The Commonwealth retains the right to request additional information from Respondents. The Commonwealth may, at its sole discretion, elect to request formal presentations from certain vendors and/or create an RFR or RFQ which will include the detailed requirements and key success criteria for the procurement and be based, at least in part, on the responses received from this RFI. The Commonwealth may request further explanation or clarification from any and all Respondents during the review process.

Miscellaneous

Enterprise Information Security Standards and Policies

All products and services provided to the Commonwealth must comply with all applicable policies adopted by the Agency, which shall be made available to Bidder prior to contract execution. At a minimum, all goods and services provided to the Commonwealth must comply with the Enterprise Information Security Standards and Policies (https://www.mass.gov/handbook/enterprise-information-security-policies-and-standards). As applicable, Bidders shall provide information that demonstrates that their security practices meet the requirements detailed in these policies.

Accessibility for IT Solutions Contract Language

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts’ Enterprise Digital Accessibility Policy drives ongoing efforts to make Massachusetts’ Digital Assets, including those delivered by a third-party, accessible and usable by all persons as required by state and federal laws. Where a Deliverable includes a Digital Asset, such Deliverable must meet the Commonwealth’s Digital Accessibility Standards.

The Commonwealth’s Digital Accessibility Standards include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 level A and AA developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). Bidder must comply with the digital accessibility obligations set forth in the Vendor Digital Accessibility Contract Language and Vendor Digital Accessibility Testing Obligations and any subsequent versions or amendments.

During the bidding process and upon request, Bidder shall cooperate and provide the Commonwealth, or any third-party digital accessibility service provider procured by the Commonwealth, access to test its digital products for accessibility at no additional cost to the Commonwealth, if applicable.

Promotional Materials

Bidder must not reference the Agency or the Commonwealth in any promotional or marketing materials, including but not limited to use of the Agency’s or the Commonwealth’s name or logo, without first obtaining the Agency’s prior written approval for such use. Bidder must not use the Commonwealth’s seal in any promotional or marketing materials.

Bidders are discouraged from including extraneous promotional or marketing materials in their responses to this RFI and excessive promotional or marketing materials may detract from the Bidders’ overall score.

Review Rights

Responses to this RFI may be reviewed and evaluated by any person(s) at the discretion of the Agency including non-allied and independent consultants retained by the Agency for the sole purpose of evaluating and analyzing responses.

No Reimbursement.

By submitting a response, Respondents agree that any cost incurred in responding to this RFI, or in support of activities associated with this RFI, shall be the sole responsibility of Respondent. The Commonwealth shall not be held responsible for any costs incurred by Respondents in preparing their respective responses to this RFI.

EOTSS GenAI Policy

The Commonwealth consistently seeks to realize the benefits of new technology, in particular generative artificial intelligence (AI). Contractor must comply with the Enterprise Use and Development of Generative Artificial Intelligence Policy issued by EOTSS on January 31, 2025, as it may be amended from time to time. Please follow this link to the policy: www.mass.gov/doc/enterprise-use-and-development-of-generative-artificial-intelligence-policy/download.

Bidder Responses

Bidders are encourage to respond thoroughly and completely to the requested information.

ATTACHMENT A – COMMBUYS Instructions

Interested Bidders must submit their response using COMMBUYS.

Useful links:

1. Job aid on how to submit a quote: https://www.mass.gov/doc/how-to-create-a-quote-in-commbuys/download

1. Webcast: How to Locate and Respond to a Bid in CommBuys, which will familiarize bidders with CommBuys terminology, basic navigation, and provide guidance for locating bid opportunities in CommBuys and submitting an online quote.

1. Bidders MUST have their complete bid fully loaded and submitted prior to the time and date listed in the calendar. COMMBUYS will not allow for bids to be submitted after the posted time.

Bidder may contact the CommBuys Help Desk at CommBuys@state.ma.us or call during normal business hours (8AM – 5PM, Monday – Friday) at 1-888-627-8283 or 617-720-3197.

Written questions via the Bid Q&A on COMMBUYS

The “Bid Q&A” provides the opportunity for Bidders to ask written questions and receive written answers from the Strategic Sourcing Team (SST) regarding this Bid. All Bidders’ questions must be submitted through the Bid Q&A found on COMMBUYS (see below for instructions). Questions may be asked only prior to the Deadline for Submission of Questions stated in the Procurement Calendar. The issuing department reserves the right not to respond to questions submitted after this date. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify receipt of questions.

Please note that any questions submitted to the SST using any other medium (including those that are sent by mail, fax, email or voicemail, etc.) will not be answered. To reduce the number of redundant or duplicate questions, Bidders are asked to review all questions previously submitted to determine whether the Bidder’s question has already been posted.

Bidders are responsible for entering content suitable for public viewing, since all of the questions are accessible to the public. Bidders must not include any information that could be considered personal, security sensitive, inflammatory, incorrect, collusory, or otherwise objectionable, including information about the Bidder’s company or other companies. The PMT reserves the right to edit or delete any submitted questions that raise any of these issues or that are not in the best interest of the Commonwealth or this Bid.

All answers are final when posted. Any subsequent revisions to previously provided answers will be dated.

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Bidder to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Bidder’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Bidder’s computer, network or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded Bidder and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

Locating Bid Q&A

Log into COMMBUYS, locate the Bid, acknowledge receipt of the Bid, and scroll down to the bottom of the Bid Header page. The “Bid Q&A” button allows Bidders access to the Bid Q&A page.

FORM XX –FORM

image1.png