3-1 - Request for Proposal 26-0422 - Virtual Tour Platform and Content Development Services.pdf

Utah Tech University

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #26-0422

VIRTUAL TOUR PLATFORM AND

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

Posted: May 1, 2026

Submission Method: Electronically via U3P (Utah Public Procurement Place)

1. SOLICITATION DESCRIPTION

Utah Tech University invites qualified vendors to submit proposals to design, develop, and implement a modern, interactive, and engaging virtual campus tour experience. The University seeks to enhance the way prospective students, families, and guests explore campus by delivering a visually compelling, mobile-friendly, and immersive digital experience that reflects Utah Tech University’s academic environment, student life, and campus culture.

The University is transitioning to Element451 and requires a virtual tour solution that integrates seamlessly to support inquiry capture, student engagement tracking, and recruitment marketing efforts. This project builds upon prior institutional planning and best practices and is intended to create a refreshed, future-ready virtual experience that strengthens enrollment and engagement outcomes.

2. BACKGROUND

Utah Tech University is an open, comprehensive polytechnic university in St. George, Utah, emphasizing active, applied learning to develop skilled, resilient, and lifelong learners. The university is committed to academic excellence, student success, innovation, and entrepreneurship, fostering responsible citizens, creative problem-solvers, and leaders. Utah Tech values opportunity and belonging, collaboration, public service, and engagement with local and global communities, with a focus on addressing regional needs through innovation and responsive initiatives.

3. PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The selected vendor will:

● Develop a fully interactive, self-guided virtual campus tour

● Provide updated 360° imagery and/or immersive media content

● Showcase academic buildings, student life, housing, and campus resources

● Deliver a mobile-first, accessible experience (ADA/WCAG compliant)

● Integrate inquiry capture and tracking with Element 451

● Provide analytics to support enrollment and marketing decisions

● Enable long-term updates and scalability

4. CONTRACT LENGTH

The University anticipates awarding a two (2) year contract with annual renewal options up to five (5) years, subject to satisfactory performance, available funding, and institutional need.

5. IMPORTANT DATES

● Friday, May 1, 2026 (12:00 PM MST) – Request for Proposal posted to U3P

● Friday, May 8, 2026 (12:00 PM MST) – Intent to Bid Due

● Wednesday, May 13, 2026 (12:00 PM MST) – Deadline for Questions

● Monday, May 20, 2026 (5:00 PM MST) – Proposal Submission Deadline

6. EXPECTED TIMELINE

The University anticipates awarding this solicitation within 30 days of the submission deadline, with an expected project start date of Summer of 2026.

7. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

By submitting a Proposal, respondents agree to the following:

● Compliance with the University’s Supplemental Terms and Conditions. Vendors that do not agree in full may submit a redlined version for review by the University’s Legal Counsel. Submission of redlines does not guarantee approval. Failure to obtain approval of proposed changes may result in disqualification.

● Agreement to the University’s Purchasing Terms and Conditions.

● Must have been in business for 5 years.

● Software must be able to integrate with Ellucian Banner and Element 451.

● Must have experience working with universities with 10,000+ students.

● Have a self-guided tour feature.

● Personalized/custom tour for visitors.

● In-depth analytics with easy-to-read visuals/dashboard.

● User friendly interface for users and visitors.

● AI features.

● Lead source capability.

8. SCOPE OF WORK

8.1. Core Services (Required)

■ Full virtual campus tour design and development

■ 360° imagery and interactive navigation system

■ Mobile and desktop optimization

■ Basic analytics dashboard

■ Integration with Element 451 inquiry/lead capture

■ Hosting, security, and platform maintenance

■ Staff training and documentation

8.2. Optional Enhancements (Add-On Services)

Vendors may propose additional services, including:

■ Drone/aerial campus footage

■ Student-led storytelling and narration

■ Interactive campus maps

■ Multilingual tour options

■ Advanced analytics and behavioral tracking

■ AI-guided or personalized tour experiences

■ Video integration and multimedia enhancements

■ Social‑media‑friendly features that support virtual tour sharing, promotion, or repurposing of tour content for recruitment and marketing efforts (e.g., short‑form clips, embedded links, or integrations commonly used to support virtual tours on social platforms).

8.3. DELIVERABLES

■ Fully functional virtual campus tour platform

■ Content management capabilities (if applicable)

■ Launch-ready production environment

■ Analytics and reporting tools

■ Training for University staff

■ Technical documentation

9. PRICING STRUCTURE

All pricing must not exceed $36,000 annually. Vendors are required to provide transparent, itemized pricing that includes:

A. Base Package (Required within budget cap)

Must include:

● Full virtual campus tour development

● Mobile-friendly and desktop optimization

● 360° or equivalent immersive media

● Basic analytics dashboard

● Integration with Element451

● Hosting and maintenance

● Standard accessibility compliance (ADA/WCAG)

B. Optional Enhancements (If applicable within budget cap)

Vendors may list enhancements separately, such as:

● Drone/aerial footage

● Student storytelling or narration

● Interactive maps

● Multilingual support

● Advanced analytics or personalization tools

● Social‑media‑friendly features

Note: Optional enhancements must still fit within the $36,000 annual maximum if selected.

C. Pricing Breakdown Required Vendors must clearly identify:

● One-time implementation costs

● Annual recurring costs

● Licensing/hosting fees

● Cost of each optional enhancement

● Multi-year pricing (if discounted)

10. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

Proposals are submitted as separate files (PDF format unless otherwise specified) and uploaded on the U3P website. Emailed or hard-copy proposals will not be accepted. Any additional information or files will be ignored and will not be considered as part of the evaluation. This RFP requires you to submit [6 files] Please title each file with the corresponding file number and your company name (e.g. “File 1 - ABC Corporation”).

● File #1 – Executive Summary - (1 - 2 pages only)

○ Respondents should provide the legal name, address, and contact information for their organization. The summary should include a brief overview of the company’s history and areas of expertise, as well as a description of team responsibilities.

● File #2 – Relevant Campaign and Project Experience - (2 - 3 pages only)

○ Respondents should describe one representative project that demonstrates their ability to work within a higher education or public-sector environment. For this project, explain how success was measured (engagement, inquiries, enrollment impact, etc.), include examples of virtual tours or interactive experiences similar in scope and highlight any CRM or enrollment system integrations (especially with platforms such as Element451 if applicable)

● File #3 – Approach, Methodology and Creative Vision - (no page limits, but reasonable for a committee to review)

○ Respondents must describe their overall creative approach to building an engaging virtual campus experience, including their strategy for storytelling, student engagement, social media friendly features,, and campus representation; methods for capturing authentic student life, academics, and campus culture; approach to accessibility (ADA/WCAG compliance) and user experience design; how content is kept current, flexible, and easy to update; and their approach to collaboration with institutional stakeholders throughout development.

● File #4 – Work Plan, Deliverables and Implementation Timeline - (no page limits, but reasonable for a committee to review)

○ Respondents must provide a detailed project plan from kickoff through launch, including key milestones and estimated timelines; outline required participation from Utah Tech University staff; describe the content collection, production, and review process; and include a training, documentation, and post-launch support plan, as well as the maintenance and update structure after implementation and a clear description of deliverables, including analytics, hosting, and platform functionality.

● File #5 – Cost Sheet (see section 8 - Pricing Requirements)

○ Utah Tech University has established a maximum budget of $36,000 annually for this project. All proposals must be fully compliant with this funding limitation.

○ Proposals exceeding the maximum budget will be considered non-responsive.

Vendors must provide a transparent and itemized cost proposal that includes:

● Base virtual tour solution (required core services)

● Implementation/setup costs (if applicable)

● Annual hosting, licensing, and maintenance fees

● Optional enhancements clearly itemized (if applicable and within budget)

● Multi-year pricing options or discounts (if available)

Additional requirements:

● Pricing must remain valid for a minimum of ninety (90) days

● Utah Tech University is tax-exempt; documentation will be provided upon request

● Implementation fees must be clearly separated from recurring costs

● Costs must be clearly aligned to services described in the Scope of Work

● File #6 – References

○ Provide contact information for at least three (3) professional references from similar higher education or large-scale institutional projects.

Redacted Copy(s) - Proposals may be made public if requested under GRAMA. It is your responsibility to upload any redacted versions of the files listed above. Please note that entire files cannot be redacted or labeled as confidential. If you submit redacted files, they must be named with the exact file title, with “REDACTED” added to the title. If redacted files are not provided, it will be assumed that your entire proposal may be considered public information. (File 1 - ABC Corporation - REDACTED)

11. AWARDING THE SOLICITATION

● The RFP will be awarded based on the bids as requested by the committee. Costs will not be a determining factor in selection; however, after an agency is selected, costs will be negotiated to determine how much of the budget will be used.

We will not agree to exceed the stated budget, if noted.

● Evaluation committee members will individually score each criteria as listed on the Evaluator Scoresheet. Each proposal will receive an average score for each criteria based on the scores from all evaluators. The average of all the criteria will be added together to determine a total score.

○ Interviews: The Scoring Committee shall determine whether interviews are necessary as part of the evaluation process. If interviews are deemed necessary, the Purchasing Office shall provide written notification via email to the highest-scoring agencies.

● The maximum RFP score is 100 points. If interviews are conducted to assist in selecting an agency, an additional 50 points may be awarded. The agency with the highest total overall score will be awarded the RFP.

12. PROJECT START, INVOICING, AND PAYMENTS

● Utah Tech University's standard payment terms are Net 30. The University discourages and generally does not allow prepayments, deposits, or advance payments unless explicitly approved in writing prior to award. Progress payments may be requested in accordance with contract terms and are tax-exempt.

● No work may begin without an official Purchase Order (PO) issued by the University’s Purchasing Department. Purchase Orders are issued on a fiscal-year basis (July 1 – June 30). Multi-year engagements require a new PO each fiscal year.

● Invoices must be itemized and include quantity, unit price, and total amount due. Each invoice must reference a valid Purchase Order number and be emailed to accounts.payable@utahtech.edu with the PO number included in the subject line (re: PO#) to ensure timely processing. Payment via ACH is strongly encouraged.

EVALUATION CRITERIA / EVALUATOR SCORESHEET

○ Evaluators are not permitted to discuss any details of this RFP outside the RFP Scoring Committee and the Purchasing Department. This includes no direct communication with any vendors who submitted a proposal without the approval or supervision of the Purchasing Department.

○ Evaluators may not have any conflicts of interest with any vendor submitting a proposal. If any conflict of interest arises at any stage of the RFP, they must be removed from the evaluation committee.

Criteria Subject / Description Related Files Possible Points

Company Qualifications & Relevant Experience

● Experience with non-profit organization, public universities or similarly governed institutions

● Clearly identified team members with defined roles and responsibilities

● Demonstrated experience of assigned staff on similar projects

● Evidence of sufficient capacity and continuity throughout the project

File #1 – Executive Summary 10

Relevant Experience and Past Performance

● Measurable outcomes (engagement, inquiries, enrollment impact)

● Quality of prior work examples

● Experience integrating with CRM or enrollment systems, including platforms such as Element451 where applicable

File #2 – Relevant Campaign/ Project Experience 20

Creative Approach, Methodology & User Experience

● Creative storytelling and campus representation strategy

● Student engagement and authenticity of campus experience

● Accessibility (ADA/WCAG compliance) and user experience design

● Content flexibility, scalability, and ease of updates

● Collaboration approach with institutional stakeholders.

File #3 – Approach, Methodology/Creative Vision 35

Work Plan, Deliverables, and Timeline

● Detailed project timeline and milestones

● Content development, production, and review process

● Required institutional involvement

● Training, documentation, and post-launch support

● Maintenance structure and ongoing updates

● Clarity of deliverables, including analytics, hosting, and platform functionality

File #4 – Work Plan, Deliverables and Implementation Timeline

References

● References from higher education or comparable institutions

● Consistent feedback on effectiveness, professionalism, and outcomes

● Evidence of strong collaboration and follow-through

File #6 - References 5

TOTAL (without DEMO) 100

DEMO- ROUND 1 BY INVITATION ONLY 50

DEMO - ROUND 2 (IF NEEDED) BY INVITATION ONLY 50

TOTAL W/ DEMO 200

10.PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS