4-RFO 701-26-012 ESBD Final.pdf

RFO 701-26-012, STATEWIDE

VISION SCREENING DATA

COLLECTION INITIATIVE

Summary The Texas Education Agency (“TEA” or “Agency”), teaming up with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), is inviting vendors to propose a ready-made Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution for collecting and reporting student vision screening data across Texas. This initiative, required by HB 2 (89th Legislature), aims to replace disconnected systems with one streamlined, user-friendly platform that supports fast data entry and works offline.

Authorized by: House Bill 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023

Responses are due July 20, 2026 - 2:00 P.M. Central Time

TEA Contracts and Purchasing Division

TEASolicitations@tea.texas.gov Jamel Barnes https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00002F.pdf mailto:TEASolicitations@tea.texas.gov

Table of Contents

1. Purpose, Background, and Scope of Work

1.1. Purpose

1.2. Background and Defined Terms

1.3. TEA Mission and Procurement Authority

1.4. Anticipated Schedule of Events

1.5. Contract Term

1.6. Budget

1.7. Scope of Work, Project Description, and Project Requirements

1.8. Project Deliverables and Milestones

1.9. Collaboration

1.10. Contract Monitoring and Dispute Resolution Procedures

2. Submission Process and Instructions

2.1. Response Format

2.2. Electronic Submission Process

2.3. Communication

2.4. Response Requirements

2.5. Conflict of Interest

3. Response Format and Content

3.1. Resquested Information

3.2. Understanding of the Project, Methodology, and Technical Components

3.3. Management Plan, Experience, and Qualifications

3.4. Price Proposal..………………..…………….………….………………………………….….……………………………….46

3.5. Contractors Financial Capability

3.6. Task, Activity, Deliverable, and Budget Plan……….…………….………….……………………………………47

4. Response Review and Evaluation

4.1. Response Review

4.2. Evaluation Criteria

5. Contractual Requirements

5.1. Incorporation and Order of Precedence

ATTACHMENT A: NOTICE OF INTENT TO SUBMIT AN OFFER

ATTACHMENT B: CONTRACT TERMS, CONDITIONS, RESPONSE PREFERENCES, AND EXECUTION OF

OFFER

ATTACHMENT C: HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN

ATTACHMENT D: RESPONSE COVER PAGE AND QUESTIONNAIRE

ATTACHMENT E: TASK, ACTIVITY, DELIVERABLE, AND BUDGET PLAN

ATTACHMENT F: PRICE PROPOSAL

ATTACHMENT G: CONFLICT OF INTEREST ANALYSIS FORM

ATTACHMENT H: INFORMATION SECURITY REVIEW

ATTACHMENT I: DATA CENTER SERVICES (DCS) INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS

ATTACHMENT J: TX-RAMP QUESTIONNAIRE

ATTACHMENT K: REQUIREMENTS TRACEABILITY MATRIX …………………………………………………………….. 111

ATTACHMENT L: VENDOR REPORTING AND GOVERNANCE CADENCE ………………………………………….. 112

1. Purpose, Background, and Scope of Work

1.1. Purpose

The Texas Education Agency (“TEA” or “Agency”), teaming up with the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS), is inviting vendors to propose a ready-made Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solution for collecting and reporting student vision screening data across Texas. This initiative, required by HB 2 (89th Texas Legislature), aims to replace disconnected systems and modernize processes with one streamlined, user-friendly platform that supports fast data entry and works offline.

Application Purpose and Features

TEA is looking for a vision screening application for Texas public schools that makes testing consistent, keeps track of each student's results, notifies families about follow-ups, and creates annual reports for DSHS. The system will follow statewide procedures and timelines, work on both browsers and mobile devices, and keep student information private as required by law. TEA prefers a commercial product that can be tailored to their needs—rather than building something new—to ensure quick and reliable implementation.

Turnkey Solution Requirements

Vendors must offer a complete, out-of-the-box solution that meets all mandatory requirements listed in Attachment K: Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM). All costs necessary to meet “Must‑Have” requirements must be fully accounted for in the proposal. Post‑award claims that additional customization or services are required to meet those requirements will constitute a material breach of contract.

Summary

With statewide vision screening data collection, TEA will move from meeting compliance requirements to actively supporting student health, removing obstacles to learning, and achieving measurable improvements in education statewide.

1.2. Background and Defined Terms

This solicitation is issued in response to the legislative mandate established by House Bill 2 (89th Texas Legislature). The Legislature has directed TEA, in coordination with the Department of State Health Services (DSHS), to implement a standardized, statewide technology solution to collect, monitor, and report on student vision screenings coordinated in Texas public schools.

https://capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/89R/billtext/pdf/HB00002F.pdf

Currently, the collection of vision screening data across Texas’s 1,200+ Local Education Agencies (LEAs) is decentralized and fragmented.

• Fragmented Data: LEAs utilize a disparity of methods ranging from paper logs and spreadsheets to proprietary local Student Information Systems (SIS) modules.

• Lack of Portability: When a student transfers between districts, their screening history often does not follow them immediately, leading to duplicative screenings or gaps in care.

• Compliance Blind Spots: The Agency lacks a real-time, statewide view of compliance rates, making it difficult to identify health equity gaps or allocate resources effectively.

• Administrative Burden: School nurses spend disproportionate time on manual data entry and "double entry" (recording on paper, then typing into a system) rather than focusing on student health services.

Solution Objectives

• Make vision screening and reporting easier for everyone in Texas.

• Meet all state vision screening rules.

• Automate mandatory state reporting in accordance with 25 TAC §37.26 (b)(6)(B).

• For vision screening: report the total number of individuals screened; the number screened with corrective devices (such as glasses or contacts); instrument-based vision screeners, and the number screened with a wall or electronic chart; the number who did not pass; the number referred for professional examination; the number transferred out prior to receiving the professional examination results; professional examination results indicating no detectable disorders as outlined in this section; professional examination results indicating one or more screened disorders; and instances where a referral was made but no evidence of a completed professional examination is present. The “total number screened” should include those screened using telebinocular methods.

• Comply with privacy, security, accessibility, and auditing rules, while making things easier for local education agencies and schools.

Impact on Student Outcomes

• This new statewide vision screening system is meant to help improve student success. By adding vision screening data to educational records, TEA and local agencies can:

• Spot and fix learning barriers early by catching vision issues quickly and acting before students fall behind academically.

• Use data to guide support: both overall and individual student data will help educators spot trends, manage resources, and coordinate care for students who need it.

• Monitor fairness and access: TEA can track who gets screened and their results across different districts and groups, making sure all students have equal access to vision care.

• Guide policy and spending: Statewide data helps make better decisions and focus resources where they're needed most.

• Improve overtime: Tracking long-term outcomes lets TEA see what works and adjust programs to best support student health and learning.

https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/rules-and-meetings?recordId=227521&queryAsDate=03%2F18%2F2026&interface=VIEW_TAC_SUMMARY&$locale=en_US

As used in this solicitation, the following capitalized terms shall have the meaning as specified below:

Term Definition BAFO Best and Final Offer CMBL Centralized Master Bidders List CHRS Child Health Reporting System Contractor/Vendor Refers to entities who desire to do business with TEA COTS Commercial Off-The-Shelf DIR Department of Information Resources DSHS Texas Department of State Health Services HSP Historically Underutilized Business Subcontracting Plan HUB Historically Underutilized Business as defined in Texas Government

Code § 2161.001 LEA Local Education Agency NIGP National Institute of Governmental Purchasing OD Oculus Dexter – Right eye OS Oculus Sinister – Left eye PAR Progress Assessment Report QAP Quality Assessment Plan RBAC Role-Based Access Control Response Response refers to content submitted by Contractors to TEA in response to this solicitation RFO Request for Offer RTM Requirements Traceability Matrix SaaS Software-as-a-Service SB Senate Bill SBOE State Board of Education TAC Texas Administrative Code TSDS Texas Student Data System TEA Texas Education Agency TEA Procurement Staff

TEA procurement professional(s) responsible for leading the planning, solicitation, and contract formation processes.

TEA Project Manager, TEA Program Staff, or TEA Contract Manager

TEA staff members who are the subject matter experts concerning this solicitation, one or more of whom will manage the contract(s) resulting from this solicitation.

TEAL Texas Education Agency Login TGC Texas Government Code TREx Texas Records Exchange TSDS Texas Student Data System https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.2161.htm https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.2161.htm

TX-RAMP Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program VHSS Vision, Hearing, and Spinal Screening

VHSSARS

VPTS Vendor Performance Tracking System

1.3. TEA Mission and Procurement Authority

TEA is the state agency responsible for overseeing primary and secondary public education in Texas.

TEA’s mission is to improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems; every child, prepared for success in college, career, or the military.

TEA has adopted a strategic plan comprised of four strategic priorities built upon five key actions identified below. These may be updated in the future and can be found on the TEA website located here, https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/welcome-and-overview/tea-strategic-plan:

• Strategic Priorities o Recruit, support and retain teachers and principals o Build a foundation for reading and math o Connect high school to career and college o Improve low-performing schools

• Key Actions (Continuous Improvement) o Supported Educators o Ready Students o Rigorous Engagement o Aligned Systems o Actionable Goal-setting https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/welcome-and-overview/tea-strategic-plan o

This procurement supports TEA’s strategic plan and aligns with the Actionable Goal‑Setting strategic priority.

This procurement is authorized by House Bill 1605, 88th Texas Legislature, Regular Session, 2023.

The solicitation and contract are authorized by Government Code Title 10, Subtitle D (the “Purchasing Act”). The solicitation and contract are subject to all applicable requirements of the Purchasing Act [in particular, Government Code Chapter 2151 (General Provisions), Chapter 2155 (Purchasing: General Rules and Procedures), Chapter 2157 (Purchasing: Purchase of Automated Information Systems), and Chapter 2161 (Historically Underutilized Businesses, “HUBs”)] and those requirements established by rule of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA), Statewide Procurement Division (SPD), as contained in Title 34, Chapter 20, of the Texas Administrative Code (“TAC”), and to other applicable federal and state statutes and rules herein cited. Any references in this contract to the “Government Code” mean the Texas Government Code.

1.4. Anticipated Schedule of Events

DATE EVENT

June 8, 2026

Publication of solicitation in the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) at: http://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd

Contractors must have an account at Euna Procurement (Bonfire) to submit a response to TEA. HUB-related questions must be directed to the HUB Office HUBOffice@tea.texas.gov

June 24, 2026

Last day to submit written questions about this solicitation no later than 2:00 P.M. Central Time. Submit questions via Vendor Discussion in the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) portal

July 2, 2026 Final publication of questions and answers July 9, 2026 TEA preferred date to receive Notice of Intent to submit a response July 20, 2026 Response(s) due no later than 2:00 P.M. Central Time July - August 2026 Response Check-In, Evaluations, and Oral Presentations (if required) August – September 2026

Commencement of contract negotiations with selected contractor(s)

October 2026 Anticipated start date of contract

1.5. Contract Term

The contract term is for a total of two state fiscal years commencing from contract execution or an agreed-upon contract start date. Any period starting at contract execution or the agreed-upon contract start date that is less than a state fiscal year will not be counted toward the total number of state fiscal years. All contracts are subject to appropriation of funds by the Texas Legislature.

Contractors must not perform any work before both parties have signed a contract. TEA will not pay for services the contractor performs for TEA prior to contract execution.

1.6. Budget

TEA may award one contract from this solicitation. TEA reserves the right not to award a contract from this solicitation. Contractors must include a detailed Price Proposal, as described elsewhere in this solicitation and in Attachment F. The Price Proposal must clearly identify offered prices related to each task, subtask, and deliverable list in Attachment E for each fiscal year of the contract. The Price Proposal must be valid for at least 120 business days from the solicitation closing date.

The proposed budget and payments to a contractor must be based on satisfactory completion and TEA acceptance of deliverables. TEA will establish monthly invoicing procedures for the awarded contract(s) that are aligned with the completion and acceptance of the deliverables. TEA will pay invoices upon satisfactory performance of services, receipt and acceptance of specified deliverables, and receipt of properly prepared invoices and supporting documentation.

The Agency shall pay the Vendor based on the successful acceptance of Monthly Milestone Bundles.

Each bundle corresponds to a 4-Week Sprint Cycle. Invoices may be submitted only after the Agency has issued a Deliverable Acceptance Form (DAF) for all deliverables in that Sprint Bundle. No partial payments for partially completed Sprints. The Agency shall retain 10% of the total contract value until the acceptance of Sprint 12 (Final Report) to ensure the Vendor remains committed through the critical "Hypercare" period.

1.7. Scope of Work, Project Description, and Project Requirements

A. Project Overview

TEA, in coordination with DSHS, seeks to procure a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) Software-as-a- Service (SaaS) solution for statewide vision screening data collection. This initiative is mandated by House Bill 2 (89th Texas Legislature) and aims to standardize the collection, reporting, and monitoring of vision screenings for all public-school students in Texas. The awarded Vendor must deliver a fully configured, integrated, and hosted solution that meets TEA’s operational, security, and compliance requirements.

B. TEA Vision and Strategic Expectations

TEA’s vision is to implement a user-centric system that shall:

• Reduce administrative burden for school staff through efficient workflows and batch data entry (such as, by classroom or grade level). Additionally, allow for each entry in the batch to allow an individual screener, in the event that multiple staff members are screening the same classroom, grade level, or set of students. The method of data entry must be documented to ensure it meets state standards of facility compliance.

• Ensure data portability so student health records follow the student across districts by providing data that matches TREx Data Standards and can be automatically triggered when a student enters or exits a district or campus, without requiring manual intervention by staff.

• Provide statewide interoperability by integrating with the Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Unique ID.

The Vendor must act as a Solution Provider and Integrator, not a custom developer, and must configure its existing COTS platform to meet Texas-specific requirements.

C. Scope of Work

1. The Agency seeks to implement a COTS SaaS solution that serves as the single source of truth for vision screening data. The solution must replace the fragmented landscape with a unified, secure platform.

2. Key capabilities of the Future State must include:

https://tea.texas.gov/reports-and-data/data-submission/texas-records-exchange-trex/trex-data-standards https://www.texasstudentdatasystem.org/TSDS/Education_Data_Warehouse/Unique_ID https://www.texasstudentdatasystem.org/TSDS/Education_Data_Warehouse/Unique_ID

a. Centralized Repository and Student Record Continuity (See Attachment K: FR-101, FR-102, FR-120, FR-121, FR-122, FR-123, FR-124, FR-125, FR-

126, FR-127, FR-128, FR-129, FR-130, NR-100, NR-101)

1. The system shall provide a centralized, cloud-based repository where vision screening results are securely stored.

2. The system shall ensure that screening data follows the student across LEA enrollments and remains persistently accessible based on authorized roles.

3. All data access shall be governed by role-based access control, with full auditability of access and changes.

b. Standardized Screening Workflow and Exception Handling: The system shall enforce a standardized vision screening workflow aligned with DSHS Vision Screening Requirements and 25 TAC §37.23, including:

(See Attachment K: FR-103, FR-104, FR-105, FR-106, FR-107, FR-108, FR-109, FR-110, FR-

111, FR-112, FR-113, FR-114, FR-115, FR-138, FR-164, FR-168)

o A uniform Pass/Fail/Refer workflow.

o Enforcement of required pre-screen checklist completion prior to screening initiation.

o Required documentation of practice screening steps or allowable exceptions.

o Capture of screening exceptions, including “unable to screen” statuses with standardized reason codes.

o Validation and capture of visual acuity results for each eye (OD/OS) using approved formats.

o Prevention of screening record completion until all required fields are entered or an allowable exception is documented.

c. Nurse-Centric Design, Batch Screening, and Offline Capability (See Attachment K: FR-116, FR-117, FR-118, FR-119, FR-131, FR-132, FR-133)

1. The system must provide nurse-centric interfaces designed for rapid data entry, including batch screening for classrooms and roster-based workflows.

2. The system shall support offline screening functionality with secure synchronization, ensuring that all required validations, workflow controls, and audit logging remain enforced during both offline and online operation.

3. The system shall support compliance with 25 TAC §37.26(a)(1) and ensure all required steps are auditable.

d. Interoperability with TSDS Unique ID (See Attachment K: FR-134, FR-135, FR-136, IR-001, IR-002, IR-003, IR-004)

1. The system shall integrate with the Texas Student Data System (TSDS) Unique ID application to ensure accurate student identification, eliminate duplicate records, and support consistent statewide reporting.

e. Consent Opt-In / Opt-Out Tracking and Accessibility Adjustments: The system shall track student-level consent in compliance with SB 12 (89R), including opt-in and opt-out status.

The system shall:

(See Attachment K: FR-137, FR-139, FR-140, FR-141, NR-100) o Adjust reporting denominators based on consent status.

o Maintain audit history of consent changes.

o Enforce role-based access to consent data.

o Capture accessibility accommodations and screening adjustments.

o Provide administrative configurability to support evolving statutory or policy requirements.

f. Referral and Follow-Up Lifecycle Management (See Attachment K: FR-143, FR-144, FR-145, FR-146, FR-147, FR-164)

1. The system shall manage the full referral lifecycle, including referral creation, referral reason capture, notification tracking, provider outcome capture, follow-up tracking, and closure.

2. The system shall record and maintain both recommended and received treatments and document all communication attempts and their outcomes to support compliance monitoring and ensure continuity of care.

g. Governance, Certification, and Data Stewardship (See Attachment K: FR-148, FR-149, FR-150, FR-151, FR-152, FR-169, NR-100, NR-101)

1. The system shall support formal data governance workflows, including campus-to- LEA district certification, controlled data corrections with full audit history, version-controlled outcome thresholds, and records retention and purge processes with certification.

2. All data modifications shall be logged with user, timestamp, and prior values to ensure audit readiness.

h. Reporting, Analytics, and Statewide Oversight: The system shall provide comprehensive reporting and analytics capabilities, including:

(See Attachment K: FR-153, FR-154, FR-155, FR-156, FR-157, FR-158, FR-159, FR-160, FR-

161, FR-162, FR-163, FR-167, FR-168, FR-170)

1. Dashboards and reports for campuses, LEAs, districts, TEA, and DSHS.

2. Aggregation of screening data by grade level, campus, district, and statewide totals.

3. Generation of annual Vision Screening reports in the exact format, structure, and data definitions prescribed by DSHS VHSSARS requirements.

4. Pre-submission validation to ensure completeness and prevent submission of incomplete or non-compliant data.

5. Export formats compatible with DSHS and other state reporting systems.

6. Audit sampling tools, standardized audit packages, and compliance evidence reporting.

i. VHSSARS Data Compliance and Minimum Data Requirements: The system shall capture, store, and report all data elements required for Vision, Hearing, and Spinal Screening Survey (VHSSARS) Vision Screening reporting. At a minimum, the system shall enforce capture and validation of:

(See Attachment K: FR-106, FR-107, FR-108, FR-109, FR-110, FR-111, FR-112, FR-113, FR-

114, FR-115, FR-138, FR-164, FR-165, FR-170)

1. The system shall capture, store, and report all data elements required for Vision, Hearing, and Spinal Screening Survey (VHSSARS) Vision Screening reporting. At a minimum, the system shall enforce capture and validation of:

o Student Unique ID o District number o Campus number o Student first and last name (separate fields) o Date of birth o Age on Screening date o Screener identification (printed and signed) o Type of screening o Screening method (traditional chart or electronic eye chart) o Signs or symptoms of visual problems o Use of corrective lenses during screening o Visual acuity for each eye (OD/OS) in approved format or pass/fail where applicable o Results of additional screenings performed “Unable to screen” status with reason o Referral status and referral reason “Referred but not screened” status o Treatment recommended o Treatment received o Grade-level aggregation logic and totals

2. The system shall prevent completion of a screening record if required data elements are missing or invalid.

j. Secure Role-Based Access and Identity Integration (See Attachment K: FR-101, FR-102, NR-100, NR-101)

1. The system shall provide role-based access control aligned with TEA, LEA, campus, provider, and DSHS roles.

2. The system shall integrate with TEA Login (TEAL) for authentication, support role mapping, provisioning and de-provisioning, and require attestation for role switching.

3. All access and role changes shall be logged and auditable.

k. Clinically Valid Vision Screening Workflows (See Attachment K: FR-103, FR-104, FR-105, FR-106, FR-107, FR-165)

1. The system shall enforce clinically valid screening workflows aligned with DSHS requirements, including pre-screen checks, required VHSSARS data capture, age-appropriate screening modalities, outcome calculation, and exception handling.

2. Optional screenings shall be supported and retained in the student record.

The system shall record the screening method used for each screening event.

l. Measurement Integrity and Device Support (See Attachment K: FR-108, FR-109, FR-110, FR-111, FR-112, FR-166)

1. The system shall support hardware-agnostic device integration for instrument-based screening and electronic eye charts.

2. The system shall:

o Capture device type, calibration status, and screening provenance.

o Enforce or log exceptions for calibration requirements.

o Implement anti-memorization controls and calibration attestations.

o Ensure all electronic eye chart functionality complies with Texas

Administrative Code (25 TAC Chapter 37).

o Prohibit automated self-assessment visual acuity tools.

m. Offline, Batch, and High-Volume Data Capture

(See Attachment K: FR-116, FR-117, FR-118, FR-119, FR-131, FR-132, FR-133, FR-168)

1. The system shall support offline screening with deterministic synchronization, including conflict resolution and full audit history.

2. The system shall support batch screening, bulk data imports, and scheduled data ingestion with validation, rollback, and reconciliation reporting.

n. Training, Support, and Operational Readiness (See Attachment K: FR-131, FR-132, FR-133, TR-001, TR-002, TR-003)

1. The Vendor shall provide role-based training across ESC regions, including train-the-trainer materials, knowledge bases, and tiered support with defined service level agreements.

2. The system shall support ongoing maintenance, upgrades, accessibility validation, and security compliance. Training completion may be required prior to system access.

o. Security, Privacy, and Regulatory Compliance (See Attachment K: FR-101, FR-102, NR-100, NR-101, FR-166)

1. The system shall comply with FERPA, HIPAA, TX-RAMP, DIR, and TEA security

2. The system shall enforce encryption, audit logging, vulnerability management, and data sovereignty.

3. Security and privacy controls shall be embedded within the platform.

4. The Vendor shall ensure compliance with Texas Administrative Code (25 TAC

Chapter 37), including requirements related to vision screening and electronic eye chart usage.

p. Optional Parent Portal (See Attachment K: FR-143, FR-144, FR-145)

1. The system may provide a secure parent portal allowing authenticated users to view screening results, receive referrals, submit follow-up information, and track referral outcomes in compliance with privacy requirements.

q. Overarching Regulatory Compliance Requirement (See Attachment K: FR-164, FR-165, FR-166, FR-167, FR-168, FR-169, FR-170)

1. All system functionality, data capture, workflows, reporting, and integrations shall comply with DSHS Vision, Hearing, and Spinal Screening requirements, VHSSARS reporting standards, and Texas Administrative Code (25 TAC Chapter 37), including updates enacted through HB 2.

Compliance shall be enforced through system functionality and validation, not documentation alone.

3. Stakeholders & Users

The Solution must support the user personas listed below, which will be the starting point for the development of software to be provided under this contract. These preliminary user personas are provided only for illustrative purposes and do not comprise the full scope or detail of the project. The Texas Education Agency expects that the Contractor will work closely with the Product Owner to perform regular user research and usability testing and to develop and prioritize a full gamut of user personas as the project progresses.

Individual user personas may be modified, added, retracted, or reprioritized by the Texas Education Agency at any time, and the Texas Education Agency expects that the user stories will be continuously refined during the development process:

Stakeholder Group Role & Primary Need

School Nurses (Primary User) Conducting screenings. Needs minimal clicks, offline mode, and fast entry.

LEA Administrators Monitoring district compliance. Needs aggregate dashboards and exportable reports.

TEA & DSHS Program Staff Statewide oversight. Needs health equity reporting and rule configuration. Needs data for public website.

Students & Guardians Beneficiaries. Need timely referral letters generated in their home language.

4. Project Drivers

a. Compliance: Meet the statutory deadline for data collection established by the 89th Legislature.

b. Efficiency: Reduce the administrative time burden on school nurses by at least 30%.

c. Fiscal Responsibility: Implement a fixed-cost solution that avoids the risks associated with custom software development.

d. Health Outcomes: Increase the rate of successful referrals for students with vision impairments, directly supporting educational attainment.

D. Technical Environment & Constraints

1. Respondents must understand the technical ecosystem into which this Solution will fit:

• Identity Management: The Solution must be integrated with TEAL (TEA Login) for Single Sign- On (SSO) and role provisioning for TEA, DSHS, LEA, and Campus staff.

• Any student parent portals and accounts will be managed by the vendor and not through

TEAL.

• Data Standards: Preferred data exchanges, adhere to TEA’s implementation of the Ed-Fi data standard, TREx Data Standards, and Unique ID specifications.

• Security: The Solution must be TX-RAMP Level 2 Certified (Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program) prior to the contract effective date.

• Hosting: The Agency requires a vendor cloud-hosted (SaaS) model. On-premise solutions will not be considered.

• Additional defined technical terminology can be found in Attachment L: General Principles

2. Risks, Assumptions, and Constraints

• Constraints:

o Fixed-price contract. There are no “time and materials” overages.

o Solution must be hosted in compliance with DIR Data Center Services requirements (or approved exemption).

o Solution must be in compliance with DIR and TX-RAMP requirements; WCAG 2.1 Level

AA accessibility.

o TEA has 10 business days to review and approve deliverables.

o Approval Processes: The multi-layered approval processes for certain types of changes (e.g., budget, contractual, procurement) can limit flexibility and potentially slow down the project if timelines for approvals are not taken into consideration.

o Budget limitations: The project will have a defined budget, which may limit the options for technology, design, and development. Budget may expire at the end of the biennium.

o Documentation Requirements: Time required to ensure clear and detailed reporting of requirements, design, and issues must be considered when attempting to gain approval for contractual deliverables, especially when tied to payment.

o Exemption Requests: An exemption request must be approved by DIR before awarding purchases outside of DIR contracts for any hardware or software solutions managed outside the Data Center Services contract between TEA and DIR.

o Timeline constraints: Meeting the desired launch date may require working under tight deadlines and prioritizing critical features over less essential ones.

o Limited IT resources: TEA may have limited internal IT resources to support the project, requiring the vendor to provide comprehensive technical expertise and support.

o Existing branding guidelines: The new application or website must adhere to established TEA branding guidelines, limiting design flexibility in some areas.

o Accessibility compliance: Meeting current WCAG accessibility standards is mandatory for government websites, adding an additional layer of complexity to development and testing.

o Project Management Tools: The project team must use TEA’s suite of tools (e.g., Jira Software, Jira Advanced Roadmaps, Jira Dashboards, Jira Service Management, Modern Requirements, Zephyr Scale, and Tempo) to manage roadmaps, schedules, sprint activities, and reporting. Additionally, the project team must utilize Microsoft 365 products.

o Vendor staff: Vendor team members will be required to onboard TEA as a contractor and use a TEA email address, TEA Microsoft, and TEA licensed software or tools. All work must be conducted on the TEA network for this project.

o Technology Review Committee: All software and hardware must be approved by TEA’s Technology Review Committee prior to use.

o Software and Documentation: All software and documentation, including data, code, designs, open-source contributions, and deployment tools, produced by the awarded vendor shall be owned by TEA and may be released into the public domain.

o Infrastructure Change Control Board: All software and hardware configuration changes that are accessed through the TEA network must be approved by TEA’s Infrastructure Change Control Board (ICCB).

o Independent Verification and Validation: All software delivered by the vendor must show evidence of completing Independent Verification & Validation (IVV) to ensure independent reviewers are checking the product or system and ensuring it meets the requirements, specifications, and application quality needs.

o Open-Source Initiative: The awarded vendor is encouraged to prioritize public domain or Open-Source Initiative-compliant software when incorporating external software.

Promptly disclose any licensed software to TEA in writing and documentation. Adhere to open-source license guidance or include license terms within the work. Obtain written permission from TEA before using non-OSI-compliant software and assign rights to TEA if granted.

• Assumptions:

o TEA provides credentials within 30 days.

o The solution must operate in low-bandwidth (internet) environments.

• Risks:

o User adoption and integration complexity; Vendor must mitigate through OCM and adherence to state and agency standards.

o Change in project scope: While the project will adhere strictly to the scope defined in the original solicitation, TEA's priorities or user needs may evolve during the project, requiring adjustments to the release or sprint scope and potentially impacting deadlines and budgets.

o Stakeholder management: Coordinating with various stakeholders within TEA and across government agencies can be complex, leading to potential delays or conflicting feedback.

o Technical compatibility: Integrating the new website with existing TEA systems and ensuring compatibility with various devices and accessibility standards could present technical challenges.

o Security concerns: Protecting sensitive user data and government information must be a top priority throughout the project, requiring adherence to strict security protocols.

o Communication gaps: Inadequate communication about approved changes or status of change requests can lead to confusion and rework among team members.

• Dependencies:

o Third-party integrations: The application or website may need to integrate with external systems or APIs, requiring collaboration with third-party vendors.

o Data access and permissions: Access to existing website content and development needs to be clearly defined and granted by TEA.

o Availability of internal testing resources: User acceptance testing, and quality assurance may require resources from both TEA and the vendor to be available at specific times.

o Clear communication and documentation: Consistent communication and comprehensive documentation are essential for managing expectations and ensuring smooth project execution and payment on contractual deliverables.

o Change Requests: Reviewing and implementing changes requests relies on the approval from the project’s change control board.

o Key Personnel: The awarded vendor must designate a Project Manager, UI/UX Developer(s), and a Technical Lead as Key Personnel for this project. The Lead User Researcher must have a full understanding of the user research and design approach to be used by the Contractor’s development team and will be responsible for ensuring that the Contractor’s development team follows that approach. The Technical Lead must have a full understanding of the technical approach to be used by the Contractor’s development team and will be responsible for ensuring that the Contractor’s development team follows that approach. Vendors proposing Key Personnel who are not currently employed by the Vendor, or a teaming partner, must include a signed letter of intent from the individual proposed as Key Personnel that he/she intends to participate in this project for at least one (1) year.

Quality Processes:

• Change Management: Formal approval of any scope or schedule changes. Any deviation from the requirements requires a formal Change Request.

• Issue Management: Maintain transparent issue log accessible to TEA. Vendor must maintain a live dashboard of known bugs and workarounds. Along with any outages or significant production issues that communicate current status of the issue and expected timeline for resolving the outages/work stoppage. All project issues must be tracked in a central repository accessible to TEA and that meets Tx-RAMP certification requirements.

• Velocity Reporting: Weekly report on configuration completion vs planned. Communication on any schedule impacts and mitigation plans to get back to the committed schedule.

• Testing: Automated regression testing prior to each release.

Additional Requirements:

• Data Sovereignty: All data must remain within the continental U.S. - no offshore access.

• Personnel Security: Background checks for all Vendor staff; compliance with LEA fingerprinting

• Tiered Support Model: Self-service resources, LEA-level Tier 1, Vendor Tier 2/3.

• Transition and Exit Strategy: Six-month turnover plan, parallel operations, and structured data export in SQL or CSV format.

3. TX-RAMP

Pursuant to TGC 2063, the awarded contractor must comply with the requirements of the state risk and authorization management program. The awarded contractor must maintain compliance of the requirement throughout the term of the contract. Any third-party cloud computing services leveraged as part of the contract to store, process, or transmit TEA data is subject to Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program (TX-RAMP) requirements and must be disclosed as part of the response. Additional information about TX-RAMP can be found on the DIR website here: Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program (TX-RAMP) | Texas Department of Information Resources.

The TX-RAMP certification application can be found here: TX-RAMP Scoping Tool for Vendors Survey

Contractors must provide answers regarding TX-RAMP in Attachment J.

4. Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility Standards

Any EIR produced as part of the resulting contract must follow all accessibility standards referenced in Attachment B. EIR includes documents, websites, and audio & video presentations. These standards include but are not limited to the following requirements:

1. All images and other non-text objects must contain appropriately descriptive alternative text and null alternative text;

2. Tables should only be used for tabular data and must include valid row and column header tags;

3. Header tags (h1, h2, etc.) must be used to convey document structure;

4. Users must be able to navigate the web pages, including all links, features, forms, navigations, and sub-navigation, using the keyboard only;

5. All scripted features must be able to function using the keyboard only with losing focus;

6. All form fields must have descriptive form labels;

7. All information conveyed with color must also be available without color;

8. Foreground and background color combinations must provide sufficient contrast when viewed by someone with color deficits or when viewed on a black and white screen; colors used in the design must be WCAG 2.1, Level AA standards for color/contrast ratio; and

9. Video and audio content must follow accessibility guidelines and include closed captioning and audio descriptions; audio files must include written transcripts; audio and video controls must be operable using a keyboard only.

5. Cybersecurity Training https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/pdf/GV.2063.pdf https://dir.texas.gov/information-security/texas-risk-and-authorization-management-program-tx-ramp https://dir.texas.gov/information-security/texas-risk-and-authorization-management-program-tx-ramp https://texasdir.surveymonkey.com/r/28CCRGJ

If the awarded contractor requires access to any state computer system or database, the awarded contractor shall complete cybersecurity training and verify completion of the training program to TEA pursuant to and in accordance with TGC 2063. (See Attachment B)

6. Transition Plan

To facilitate the transition of the application to TEA maintenance and continual oversight, the contractor must:

1. Create and maintain a development manual throughout the project that includes clear and detailed descriptions of how the application was designed and built, and all applicable code tables.

2. Participate in knowledge transfer meetings with TEA IT and program staff at least twice a year to provide relevant information about the application build (i.e., info from the development handbook), walkthroughs of development.

The Outgoing Contractor shall submit to TEA requested reports and data. TEA will not release the final invoice until all materials are returned to TEA or their designee. TEA Contract Manager shall approve the transition plan prior to its implementation. The transition plan must minimize the impact on continuity of operations and maintain communication with TEA Contract Manager and the new contractor.

7. Security and Data Privacy Requirements

Appropriate levels of security shall be implemented to meet federal, state, and local regulations, particularly the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). (See Attachment B)

a. TEA and its business partners are required to comply with TGC 2063, requiring all data agency websites or applications that process sensitive personal information or confidential information be subjected to vulnerability and penetration testing, and to address any vulnerability identified.

b. Websites shall be accessible through a secure connection (HTTPS-only, with HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS)), utilizing Transport Layer Security (TLS) version 1.2 or higher. TEA retains the right to scan websites for vulnerabilities and requires remediation of identified issues in a timely manner not to exceed three months, compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) at a minimum.

c. Provide secure configuration guidelines that were utilized that fully describe all security relevant configuration options and their implications for the overall security of the software.

The guidelines shall include a full description of dependencies on the supporting platform, including operating system, web server, and application server, and how they should be configured for security.

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/pdf/GV.2063.pdf

d. The following sample list of requirements is given to exemplify best application and development practices:

1) Usage-limiting techniques and other protective countermeasures wherever a denial-of service or automated attack vulnerability is clearly inherent in the architecture.

2) Sufficiently strong encryption, per industry standards, wherever confidential data is at rest or traverses a network.

3) Effective error handling that does not return unnecessarily verbose message to the user that could be used to gain insight into the application internals or other privileged processes or data.

e. The contractor will notify TEA immediately upon learning of any actual or suspected security breach or denial of service attack. A security breach is an incident in which sensitive, protected, or confidential data may have been viewed, stolen, altered, or used by an individual unauthorized to do so. A denial-of-service attack is a cyber-attack where the perpetrator seeks to make a machine or network resource unavailable to its intended users by temporarily or indefinitely disrupting the services of a host connected to the Internet.

1.8. Project Deliverables and Milestones

This section provides information about the minimum project deliverables, conditions associated with completing the deliverables, and anticipated acceptance criteria for the named deliverables.

Information about key dates, milestones, reports, and meetings is also provided here. TEA also encourages vendors to provide additional deliverables, milestones, and innovative solutions in their response to address the requirements of this solicitation.

1. Required Deliverables and Delivery Schedule The following table contains the minimum required deliverables and the expected delivery schedule for those deliverables. TEA expects vendors to include additional deliverables relative to the contents of their proposed services.

Deliverable Number Deliverable Description RFO Reference

Page/Section Expected Due Date

Project launch and strategic planning, including kickoff meeting, governance model, communication plan, and high-level schedule

1.7, 1.9

Within 10 days of contract execution

Detailed Project Management Plan, including risk register, dependencies, change control, and critical path to August 2027 statewide launch

1.7

Within 30 days of contract execution

3 Requirements Traceability & Configuration Attachment K Within 45

Plan demonstrating how the solution meets Attachment K (RTM) requirements days of contract execution

Solution architecture & security design, including TEAL SSO, RBAC, TX-RAMP alignment, data flows, and audit logging.

1.7, 1.10

Within 60 days of contract execution

Core solution configuration complete, including mandatory VHSS vision screening workflows, consent/opt-in/opt-out tracking, required data fields, and baseline reporting.

1.7;

Attachment K

(RTM)

January 31, Integration complete for TEAL SSO, TSDS Unique ID, TREx data exchange, CHRS reporting, and security controls

1.7, 1.10, Attachment K

(RTM)

March 31, User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and Pilot deployment with representative LEAs (urban, rural, low-bandwidth), including training and support

1.8 May 15, 2027

Pilot evaluation report, remediation of pilot findings, and formal TEA approval to proceed to statewide launch

1.8 May 31, 2027

Statewide readiness package, including training materials, certification workflows, support model, and go-live checklist

1.7, 1.9 June 30, 2027

10 Statewide production deployment (Go-Live) 1.7 August 1, 11 Post-launch stabilization (“hypercare”) period and final project acceptance report 1.8 October 31,

2. Expectations & Acceptance Criteria

All deliverables must meet Attachment K (RTM) requirements and applicable TEA, DSHS, DIR, and TXRAMP standards. Deliverables are considered accepted only upon written approval by TEA.

Acceptance criteria include:

• Demonstrated compliance with mandatory VHSS screening and reporting rules

• Successful completion of integration testing (TEAL, TREx, TSDS, CHRS)

• Completion of pilot with no critical defects outstanding

• Completion of training and operational readiness artifacts

• Audit-ready evidence (pre-submission validation, certification logs, audit packages)

3. Reports & Meetings

The Contractor shall provide the following deliverables and reports:

• Project Kickoff Report

• Weekly Status Reports, including weekly configuration velocity vs. plan

• Monthly Performance Reports aligned with sprint reviews

• Monthly SLA/Operations Performance Reports

• Release-based Known Issues Reports and Release Notes

• Quarterly access review evidence packs and TEAL audit/role change reporting, as required

All project issues, documents, and artifacts shall be stored in a central repository accessible to TEA and compliant with Tx RAMP requirements.

Project meetings shall follow TEA’s standard cadence for outsourced technology projects and include:

• Sprint ceremonies (planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, retrospectives)

• Technical design reviews (as needed)

• Pre-deployment demonstrations

• Pilot exit/readiness reviews

• Post-launch reviews (monthly, then quarterly)

• Knowledge transfer sessions:

o At least weekly during active development o Bi-weekly during testing and deployment o Monthly post-launch

Agendas and meeting materials shall be provided at least three (3) days in advance. Meetings may be conducted virtually unless otherwise directed by TEA in accordance with Attachment L: Vendor Reporting and Governance Requirements

4. Equipment & Workspace

All Contractor personnel shall onboard as TEA contractors and perform all project work exclusively within TEA-approved tools and environments, including the Agency’s Microsoft 365 tenant and TEA-provided instances of Jira and related project management or collaboration tools.

All project planning materials, requirements, user stories, defects, test artifacts, documentation, reports, communications, and work products shall be created, maintained, and stored only in TEA-managed systems or approved for use by TEA.

The Contractor shall perform all work using TEA-approved equipment, accounts, and networks, including TEA-issued email. The Contractor shall ensure that all data, configurations, and artifacts remain within TEA-approved environments to meet security, auditability, monitoring, and records retention requirements. Use of any non-TEA tools, equipment, software, or infrastructure requires prior written approval from TEA.

Failure to comply with these requirements shall constitute a material breach of contract and may result in corrective action or other contract remedies.

5. Service Level & Remedies Table

Category Metric Target Measurement Period / Frequency

Liquidated Damages (Per Occurrence)

Application Availability & Performance

Application Uptime (Production)

99.9% Per Calendar Month

Service Credit against

MSF:

99.5% – 99.89%: 7.5%

99.0% – 99.49%: 15%

< 99.0%: 25% Page Load Time (Key Pages, Desktop)

< 4 seconds (95th percentile)

Per Calendar Month

Service Credit against

MSF:

4.1 – 5.0 sec: 5%

> 5.0 sec: 10% Page Load Time (Key Pages, Mobile)

< 3 seconds (95th percentile)

Per Calendar…