4-26RFP007 Centralized Financial and Athletic Event Management .pdf

Request for Proposals

26RFP007

Centralized Athletic Financial Management

Date Event August 1, 2025 August 8, 2025 Dates of public advertisement

August 6, 2025 Due date for questions submitted in Bonfire platform by 2:00 pm CST

August 8, 2025 Questions and answers posted in Bonfire platform

August 11, 2025 RFP opening / Vendor proposal due date at 2:00 pm CST

September 2025 Tentative AISD Board meeting for review/approval

Contact:

Joycie Adeyemi

Director of Contracts & Procurement Services Joycie.Adeyemi@austinisd.org

To ensure a fair and transparent solicitation process and the integrity of submissions:

• Proposals received after the specified due date and time shall not be considered.

• Proposals must be submitted in the specified format and all Required Forms must be signed and submitted with response.

• Question and Answer Protocol: Proposers seeking clarification or have questions pertaining to this

RFP must submit questions in writing through the AISD Bonfire Portal no later than the date and time shown above.

• Questions & Answers and all Addenda will be posted on the AISD Bonfire Portal:

https://austinisd.bonfirehub.com/portal/

This solicitation is a request for proposals for services under Texas Education Code 44.031.

https://austinisd.bonfirehub.com/portal/

Austin ISD – Request for Proposals 26RFP007 – Centralized Financial and Athletic Event Management

VIRTUAL BID OPENING

Austin Independent School District office of Contract & Procurement Services will be hosting a virtual bid opening via Google Meet.

26RFP007 Bid Opening

Tuesday, August 12 · 2:00 – 2:30pm

Time zone: America/Chicago

Google Meet joining info

Video call link: https:// meet.google.com/xmc-dity-syy Or dial: (US) +1 256-743-3494 PIN: 820 432 256#

More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/uug-psmn-abd?pin=3177942289125

If you have any questions about the virtual bid opening, please submit them in writing to the AISD Bonfire Portal following the Question and Answer Protocol outlined in the cover page of this document.

https://meet.google.com/uug-psmn-abd https://meet.google.com/uug-psmn-abd https://meet.google.com/uug-psmn-abd https://meet.google.com/uug-psmn-abd https://meet.google.com/uug-psmn-abd

Checklist and Submission Guidelines This checklist is provided to help you conform to all form/document requirements stipulated in this solicitation and attached herein. This is not a required form and it is not necessary to return this checklist with your proposal.

I. Understanding the Proposal Completed

Read entire RFP document, appendices and attachments

Review AISD Policy and Provisions (available on the AISD website)

Submit questions properly before deadline

Review addenda, Q&A and other additional attachments

Review Proposal Format section of RFP

II. Forms Completed

Bid Certification

Notification of Criminal History of Contractor

Debarment, Suspension and Ineligibility Certification

Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (CIQ) – electronic submission

III. Submitting the Proposal Completed

Prepare the proposal in the format specified and sign all required forms

Submit RFP through the AISD Bonfire Portal no later than the due date and time.

Table of Contents

Section I

Section II

Section III

Section IV

Section V

Section VI

Section VII

Introduction

Economic Opportunity Office (EOO) Program Requirement

Proposal Format

Initial Review of Proposals

Competitive Selection / Evaluation

Scope of Service and Performance Requirements

Appendices and Attachments

I. INTRODUCTION

The Austin Independent School District (herein after referred to as “AISD” or the “district”) is seeking proposals from firms/vendors/contractors qualified and experienced in providing a Centralized Athletic Financial Management.

Proposers may make written inquiries through the AISD Bonfire Portal concerning this solicitation to obtain clarification of the proposal requirements. Inquiries shall be submitted no later than the time and date specified on the cover page. Questions received by this deadline, and corresponding answers, will be included in an Addendum. All addenda will be posted in the AISD Bonfire Portal.

Each Bidder, by submitting its proposal, agrees that the proposal is subject to the Austin ISD Policies and Provisions and agrees to comply with those conditions. Acceptance of a proposal will occur only when a contract is executed. Any contract will incorporate the Austin ISD Policies and Provisions and Standard Terms and Conditions and no commitment exists until a contract is executed by both parties.

Austin ISD is subject to the Texas Public Information Act. All documents submitted as part of the Contractor’s Proposal response will be deemed confidential during the evaluation process, and will not be available for review by anyone other than Austin ISD staff or its designated agents. Following an award of contract or termination of the procurement, Proposals may be subject to release as public information. If a Proposer believes that its Proposal response, or parts of it, may be exempted from disclosure under Texas law, the Proposer clearly must specify page-by-page and/or line-by-line the parts of the Proposal response which it believes are confidential or otherwise exempt. Austin ISD assumes no obligation or responsibility relating to the disclosure or nondisclosure of information submitted by Proposers.

II. ECOMONIC OPPORTUNITY OFFICE (EOO) PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS

The EOO Program promotes and strongly encourages the involvement and participation of Historically Underutilized Businesses in District-wide procurements. According to AISD policies CH (LOCAL) and CV (LOCAL), the EOO Program guidelines are not applicable for this type procurement.

III. PROPOSAL FORMAT

A. Preface

The vendor/contractor shall provide an executive summary of two (2) pages or less, which gives in brief, concise terms, a summation of the proposal.

B. Proposal

The vendor/contactor’s proposal itself shall be organized in the following format and informational sequence:

Section I – Summary of Experience

This section shall contain the full name and address of the vendor/contractor submitting the proposal and a brief summary of the vendor/contractor’s experience and individual experience for personnel who will provide this product or service.

Section II - Scope of Service

A description of services and capabilities as outlined in the Scope of Service and Performance Requirements sections of this RFP, in the order shown. Clearly state any exceptions taken to the specifications of this RFP, or any conditions of the proposal.

Section III - Financial Proposal

This section shall contain a straightforward, concise delineation of the vendor/contractor’s fees to satisfy the requirements of this RFP. It is the vendor/contractor’s responsibility to specify all costs (i.e. administrative fees, processing fees, etc.) associated with providing the products or services required herein.

Section IV – References

References are to be from government agencies and/or firms, which are substantially serviced by the vendor (references most similar to Austin ISD should be provided). Each reference must contain the reference’s name, address, telephone number, and point of contact (including email address). A list of at least three (3) references from current customers must be provided.

C. Required Forms

Forms are required to be completed and submitted with proposal response. Bidders shall execute the following required forms. Links are provided for the CIQ and the W-9 below. All other forms can be found in the AISD Bonfire Portal for download.

● Bid Certification

● Notification of Criminal History of Contractor

● Debarment, Suspension and Ineligibility Certification

Austin ISD – Request for Proposals 25RFP032 - Wireless Network Upgrades – E-Rate Project

● EDGAR Vendor Certification

● Strategic Partner Profile

● Software Vendor Certification Form (if the vendor’s service is a digital, online, virtual program)

● Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer ID Number and Certification

(available at www.irs.gov)

● Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (CIQ). The CIQ is prepared by the Texas Ethics Commission, in compliance with Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code.

The form should be submitted on-line at: https://www.austinisd.org/cp/ciq-online

The District reserves the right to tender its own contract which shall incorporate the requirements of this RFP and the successful Proposer’s response. A preview / reference only copy of AISD’s Agreement is posted on the AISD website and should not be submitted with proposals.

IV. INITIAL REVIEW OF PROPOSALS

Any vendor/contractor determined non-responsible or any proposal determined nonresponsive will not be evaluated further. The vendor/contractor will be notified of a nonresponsible or non-responsive determination.

Responsive In order for a proposal to be responsive:

• ALL required forms listed above shall be signed and included with proposal;

• Proposal shall be received prior to the RFP opening date at the address listed on the cover page;

• Proposal shall respond to the entire scope of service and performance requirements as requested.

Responsible In order for a proposal to be responsible, the vendor/contractor shall be in good financial standing with the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

V. COMPETITIVE SELECTION / EVALUATION

1. This is a NEGOTIATED procurement and as such, award will not necessarily be made to the offeror submitting the lowest priced proposal. Award will be made to the firm submitting the best responsive proposal satisfying AISD’s requirements, price and other factors considered.

Consistent with state law and district policy, this RFP does not commit the district to award a contract. The district reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals and/or award in whole or in part any proposal if the district determines it is in the best interest of the district to do so. The district also reserves the right to waive any minor informalities in order to take the action which it deems to be in the best interest of the district.

B. The committee evaluating the proposals submitted in response to this RFP may require any or all contractors to give an oral presentation in order to clarify or elaborate on their proposal as well as to provide a demonstration. Upon completion of oral presentations or discussions, contractors may be requested to revise any or all portions of their proposals and submit a best and final offer (BAFO) for consideration.

C. If the district determines that additional evaluation steps are required to determine the best value between Vendors/Contractors, the district reserves the right to consider any or all of

PHASE 1 Points Item Detailed Description 20 Points Proposed Plan The adequacy and completeness of the plan offered addressing the Scope of Service.

15 Points Contractor's Capabilities The demonstrated ability of the vendor/contractor to provide services, including references.

25 Points Proposed Products Quality of items as well as their ability to meet specifications and sustainability requirements and preferences.

40 Points Financial Proposal Start-up costs, fixed product costs as well as rebate incentives to determine best value.

the following additional criteria; the proposed price, vendor/contractor’s experience, references and record for responsibility, or any other relevant factor that the district deems necessary to determine best value.

VI. SCOPE OF SERVICE AND PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS

A. Term

The agreement(s) resulting from this solicitation will be in effect for an initial term from the date of award by the Board of Trustees until September 30, 2027, or such date established by the agreement. The parties by mutual consent may renew the agreement for up to three

(3) additional one (1) year periods. In addition, the district reserves the right to extend the contract for an additional time beyond the final expiration date if necessary to ensure no lapse in service.

2. The following describes the service and performance requirements that selected vendor(s) will be required to perform. Failure to address or to fully describe capabilities to accomplish all elements of this section will result in a loss of evaluation points.

Austin Independent School District (AISD) is seeking a centralized financial management system specifically designed to support the operations of its Athletics Department. The primary objective is to implement a solution that streamlines the payment process for game officials, event support staff, and security personnel across all athletic events at AISD’s 33 secondary schools.

The proposed system must facilitate centralized scheduling, tracking, and payment processing, with the ability to generate timely disbursements following events. The solution should provide detailed financial reporting, audit trails, and role-based access for both campus and district-level users. Integration with AISD’s existing financial systems is preferred to ensure consistency and accuracy across platforms.

The district is seeking a secure, user-friendly, and scalable platform that improves efficiency, enhances transparency, and supports the overall management of athletic financial operations from a centralized administrative point.

The District athletic game count is approximately 1,300 annually. This resulted previously in approximately 18,500 financial transactions when counted per unique location and contracted personnel. Utilizing these figures, The District is interested in various financial proposals that are most cost effective.

1. Describe your experience providing electronic payment solutions for K–12 school districts or athletic departments.

2. How does your platform process payments to game officials, event staff, and security personnel for athletic events?

3. What payment methods does your system support (e.g., ACH/direct deposit)?

4. Can your platform issue payments to both individuals and organizations (e.g., officiating chapters or security companies)?

5. How does your system collect W-9 information and issue 1099 forms for tax reporting?

6. Describe your understanding of UIL compliance and Texas officiating requirements.

7. How does your platform manage payment timing—can it release payments after event approval?

8. Does your system provide a detailed payment history for each payee? Please describe the features.

9. How does your platform ensure data privacy and system security?

10. What types of financial reports and audit tools does your system provide for reconciliation and transparency?

11. What onboarding and training services are provided to district and campus-level users?

12. What customer support options are available, and will a dedicated account representative be assigned to AISD?

13. Can your platform be implemented within 60–90 days of contract award? Please outline your implementation plan.

14. Provide at least three K–12 school district references using your platform for similar payment purposes.

Vendor Response: Comply ☐ Exception ☐ Explanation:

Additional Required Responses:

How many school districts in Texas currently use your payment platform?

Response: ___________________________________________

Which officials’ chapters or associations in Texas are you currently partnered with or authorized to process payments for?

Response: ___________________________________________

Do you currently partner with or have the capability to pay UIL-registered officials and organizations in Texas?

Response: ___________________________________________

C. Criminal History Background Checks

Vendor/Contractor is directly responsible to obtain all required criminal history record information through the Texas Department of Public Safety’s Fingerprint-based Applicant Clearinghouse of Texas (“FACT”). The cost of the background checks is not the responsibility of the AISD. Vendor/Contractor must ensure that there is no criminal history record that would prevent the Vendor/Contractor or its employees or sub-contractors from working in the District’s facilities. Vendor/Contractor must ensure that national criminal history record certification is filed with the District. Vendor/Contractors can only be present at district campuses or may provide online services once the criminal history process (including forms and fingerprinting) has been properly completed and approved. For more information, please refer to AISD District Policy CJA (REGULATION) and CJA (LEGAL).

D. Insurance Requirements (Use for direct services to students)

The Contractor shall provide proof and maintain the following insurance coverage applicable to liability which could be incurred in conjunction with its employees providing of services to the district:

The Contractor is required to carry the following insurance coverages:

• General Liability (minimum limit of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate). This policy should cover injury of a participant and include the following provisions: waiver of subrogation, endorsement to provide Austin ISD as additional insurance, and notice of cancellation.

• Sexual Molestation & Child Abuse (SAM) endorsement of $100,000 minimum (either specifically stated as included as part of General Liability or purchased separately in addition to the General Liability policy).

• Full Malpractice Coverage: professional liability coverage at a minimum limit of $1,000,000 to pay on behalf of the assured all sums which the assured shall become legally obligated to pay as damages by reason of any negligent act, error, or omission arising out of the performance of professional services under a contract. Professionals required to be licensed or registered by the state. Examples: architecture, landscape architecture, land surveying, medicine, nursing, engineer, optometry, real estate appraising.

• Workers’ Compensation: coverage should be consistent with statutory benefits outline in the Texas Worker’s Compensation Act Section 401. The minimum policy limits for Employer’s Liability are $500,000 bodily injury each accident, $500,000 bodily injury by disease policy limit, and $500,000 bodily injury by disease each employee. The company’s policy shall apply to the State of Texas and include a waiver of subrogation in favor of Austin ISD.

A current, industry-standard ACORD Certificate of Insurance (COI) for each of the above policies shall be delivered to the AISD before any work is started. Certificates shall be sent to the AISD Contract & Procurement Services office at each change or renewal during the term of the contract.

If transporting Austin ISD students, the vendor must have Automobile Liability as follows: Owned, Non-Owned, Hired or Rented with $1,000,000 Single Limit and Additional Insured in favor of Austin Independent School District. Questions about the district’s insurance requirements should be directed to the Office of Risk Management.

E. Award Terms and Conditions

There are multiple steps required for AISD to award and execute agreements issued pursuant to this RFP. Important information and general action steps pertaining to the post-RFP/post-award process is included below.

• Any agreement resulting from this solicitation is contingent upon the continued availability of appropriations and is subject to cancellation, without penalty, either in whole or in part, if funds are not appropriated by the AISD Board of Trustees or otherwise not made available to the District.

• Any agreement issued as a result of this RFP does not guarantee any minimum amount of service or payment. A Service Agreement with AISD will not be issued unless requested by campuses and/or department initiates a request for services. A provider shall not perform services for AISD without a fully executed agreement and the issuance of a Purchase Order.

• A provider will be compensated by AISD for services actually performed and satisfactorily rendered in accordance with contract requirements. A sample of AISD’s Service Agreement is available on our website for your review only but should not be submitted with your proposal.

• Payment will be made according to the District Comptroller’s published Accounts

Payable schedule. Typically, payment is net 30 days after receipt of accurate and verifiable invoice. Service rates per hour charged should be reasonable and customary.

Mileage and travel expenses will not be reimbursed by AISD.

• The District reserves the right to terminate all or any part of the undelivered portion any order resulting from this solicitation with thirty (30) days written notice; upon default by the vendor, for delay or non-performance by the Vendor, or, if it is deemed in the best interest of the District, for convenience.

• Recommended vendors will receive a Notice of Award. If a Service Agreement is issued, the vendor will receive the document via email for electronic signature using the DocuSign routing system. Once complete, vendors will receive a fully-executed copy of the service agreement via email. Non-awarded vendors will receive a “Notice of Non-Award” via email.

• Upon approval, vendors will receive a Purchase Order (PO) and this is the notice to proceed to begin services. Under no circumstance should vendors begin to provide services to the district without a valid Purchase Order. AISD is not responsible for payment for unauthorized services rendered in advance of a valid PO being issued.

• Conflict of Interest – Employment Restrictions

Any person who has been employed as a full-time employee of the District may not perform services for the District for compensation as a vendor or consultant or on behalf of a vendor or consultant for 18 months after the termination of the person’s employment relationship with the District. This restriction does not apply to former employees who are hired as classroom teachers, campus-based professional employees, or campus principals. AISD Policy DBD (LOCAL)

VII. APPENDICES AND ATTACHMENTS

Appendices (Documents included within this proposal are available for download with in Bonfire):

▪ Appendix 1 – Purchasing and Acquisition Vendor Relations Policy CHE-LOCAL

▪ Appendix 2 – AISD Policy and Provisions

⮚ Attachments (Separate documents available to download within Bonfire): ▪ Bid Certification

▪ Notification of Criminal History of Contractor

▪ Debarment, Suspension and Ineligibility Certification

▪ Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (CIQ) – electronic submission only

▪ Strategic Partner Profile

▪ Edgar Certifications Addendum for Contract Funded by U.S. Federal Grant

▪ Form W-9 Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certifications

▪ Software Vendor Certification Form (if product/service is digital or online)

▪ Vendor Response Forms