Workforce Diploma Program – NCCCSO RFP # 50-2627002

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OFFER

The Purchasing Agency solicits offers for Services and/or goods described in this solicitation. All offers and responses received shall be treated as Offers to contract as defined in 9 NCAC 06A.0102(12).

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposal (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned offers and agrees to furnish any or all Services or goods upon which prices are offered, at the price(s) offered herein, within the time specified herein.

Failure to execute/sign offer prior to submittal shall render offer invalid. Late offers are not acceptable.

OFFEROR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY, STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE

NUMBER:

TOLL FREE TEL.

NO

NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING: FAX NUMBER:

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE: E-MAIL:

Offer valid for 270 days from date of offer opening unless otherwise stated here: ____ days

ACCEPTANCE OF OFFER

If any or all parts of this offer are accepted, an authorized representative of NCCCSO shall affix its signature hereto and any subsequent Request for Best and Final Offer, if issued. Acceptance shall create a contract having an order of precedence as follows: Best and Final Offers, if any, Special terms and conditions specific to this RFP, Specifications of the RFP, the Department of Information Technology Terms and Conditions, and the agreed portion of the awarded Vendor’s Offer. A copy of this acceptance will be forwarded to the awarded Vendor(s).

FOR NCCCSO USE ONLY

Offer accepted and contract awarded this date , as indicated on attached certification, by

(Authorized representative of NCCCSO).

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. : 50-2627002

North Carolina Community College System Office

(NCCCSO)

Federal Programs

Contract Name: Workforce Diploma Project

Bid Opening Date: September 30, 2026

Refer ALL inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Grant F. Braley, Director of Procurement & Auxiliary Services

(919) 807-7199 braleyg@nccommunitycolleges.edu

Issue Date: September 2, 2026

Commodity Code: 601016 - Educational Certificates or Diplomas

Purchasing Agency: NCCCS

Requisition No.:

mailto:braleyg@nccommunitycolleges.edu

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Table of Contents

1.0 ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

2.0 PURPOSE OF RFP

2.1 INTRODUCTION

2.2 AGENCY BACKGROUND

2.3 SUMMARY OF PROBLEM STATEMENT

2.4 CONTRACT TERM

2.5 EFFECTIVE DATE

2.6 CONTRACT TYPE

3.0 RFP REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

3.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

3.2 SECURITY SPECIFICATIONS

3.3 ENTERPRISE SPECIFICATIONS

3.3.1 ARCHITECTURE DIAGRAMS

3.3.2 SOLUTION ROADMAP

3.3.3 IDENTITY AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT

3.3.4 INTEGRATION APPROACH

3.3.5 DISASTER RECOVERY AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY

3.3.6 DATA MIGRATION – RESERVED

3.3.7 APPLICATION MANAGEMENT

3.3.8 ACCESSIBILITY

3.4 BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

3.5 BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

4.0 COST OF VENDOR’S OFFER

4.1 OFFER COSTS

4.2 PAYMENT SCHEDULE

5.0 EVALUATION

5.1 SOURCE SELECTION

5.2 EVALUATION CRITERIA

5.3 BEST AND FINAL OFFERS (BAFO)

5.4 POSSESSION AND REVIEW

6.0 VENDOR INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

6.1 GENERAL CONDITIONS OF OFFER

6.2 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDOR

6.3 INSTRUCTIONS FOR OFFER SUBMISSION

7.0 OTHER REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIAL TERMS

7.1 VENDOR UTILIZATION OF WORKERS OUTSIDE OF U.S

7.2 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

7.3 FINANCIAL RESOURCES ASSESSMENT, QUALITY ASSURANCE, PERFORMANCE AND

RELIABILITY

7.4 VENDOR’S LICENSE OR SUPPORT AGREEMENTS

7.5 RESELLERS – RESERVED

7.6 DISCLOSURE OF LITIGATION

7.7 CRIMINAL CONVICTION

7.8 SECURITY AND BACKGROUND CHECKS

7.9 ASSURANCES

7.10 CONFIDENTIALITY OF OFFERS

7.11 PROJECT MANAGEMENT

7.12 MEETINGS

7.13 RECYCLING AND SOURCE REDUCTION

7.14 SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS - RESERVED

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7.15 AGENCY TERMS AND CONDITIONS - RESERVED

ATTACHMENT A: DEFINITIONS

ATTACHMENT B: NC DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR

VENDOR HOSTED STATE DATA AND/OR XAAS SOLUTIONS

ATTACHMENT C: DESCRIPTION OF OFFEROR

ATTACHMENT D: COST FORM

ATTACHMENT E: VENDOR CERTIFICATION FORM

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR - DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

ATTACHMENT G: REFERENCES

ATTACHMENT H: FINANCIAL REVIEW FORM

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1.0 ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

The Agency Procurement Agent will make every effort to adhere to the following schedule:

Action Responsibility Date

RFP Issued Agency 9/2/2026

Written Questions Deadline Potential Vendors 9/15/2026

Agency’s Response to Written Questions/ RFP Addendum Issued

Agency 9/22/2026

Offer Opening Deadline Vendor(s) 9/30/2026

Offer Evaluation Agency 10/1/2026

Selection of Finalists Agency 10/9/2026

Oral Presentations and/or Product Demonstrations by Finalists

Selected Vendors 10/13/2026

Negotiations with Finalists Agency designees and selected Vendor(s)

10/14/2026

Best and Final Offers Deadline from Finalists Selected Vendors 10/30/2026

Contract Award Agency 11/20/2026

Protest Deadline Responding Vendors 15 days after award

2.0 PURPOSE OF RFP

2.1 INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit Offers for a vendor to administer the Workforce Diploma Program as enacted as part of Section 6.8 Workforce Diploma Program of Session Law 2026-41 (Senate Bill 257 the Current

Operations Appropriations Act of 2026).

2.2 AGENCY BACKGROUND

NCCCS is a statewide network of 58 public community colleges that enrolls 600,000 students annually. It is the

3rd largest in the nation based on the number of colleges. The mission of the North Carolina Community College

System is to open the door to high-quality, accessible educational opportunities that minimize barriers to post-secondary education, maximize student success, develop a global, multicultural, and competent workforce, and improve the lives and wellbeing of N.C. citizens.

The Federal Programs section provides leadership, oversight, training, and policy development services to institutions in the community college system for programs funded primarily through the Strengthening Career and

Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V) and the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act

(WIOA) Title II program. These federal programs provide technical assistance, professional development, and instructional and support services to provide NC Community College student access to high-quality Career and

Technical Education programs (Perkins V) and adult education and literacy services (WIOA Title II).

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2.3 SUMMARY OF PROBLEM STATEMENT

North Carolina faces an ongoing workforce challenge created by a population of adult residents who have not earned a high school diploma or equivalent credential. These individuals often encounter significant barriers to employment, wage growth, career advancement, and participation in high-demand industries. Many adults who left high school before graduation require flexible and personalized educational opportunities that accommodate work, family, and financial responsibilities while also providing clear pathways to employment and industry-recognized credentials.

Adult education programs consistently provide the combination of competency-based instruction, individualized academic planning, employability skills development, career advising, workforce credential attainment, and ongoing mentoring necessary to support successful completion and workforce entry. However, many adults remain unaware or cannot access educational opportunities that could improve their economic mobility and help address North Carolina's workforce needs.

The North Carolina Community College System Office is seeking a qualified third-party vendor to provide instructional and student support services in partnership with North Carolina community college Adult High School programs. The selected vendor will collaborate with participating colleges to deliver a comprehensive virtual program that complements local Adult High School services and enables students to make measurable progress toward educational and workforce outcomes. The program must provide comprehensive student support services, including academic assessments, transcript evaluations, individualized learning plans, proactive student engagement, mentoring, career advising, online tutoring, remediation in literacy and numeracy, employability skills development, workforce credential preparation, and employment readiness services.

The objective of this procurement is to contract with a qualified organization that has demonstrated success administering large-scale adult high school diploma programs and can deliver a virtual, statewide, outcomes-based model in partnership with North Carolina community colleges. The selected vendor must possess the capacity, technology infrastructure, instructional expertise, and student support resources necessary to increase high school diploma attainment, improve workforce readiness, and support positive employment outcomes for participating North Carolina residents. Program success will be measured through participant enrollment and engagement, credit completion, employability skills certifications, workforce credential attainment, high school diploma completion, and employment-related outcomes.

2.4 CONTRACT TERM

A contract awarded pursuant to this RFP shall have an effective date as provided in the Notice of Award. The term shall be a one (1) term, beginning on October 1, 2026, and will expire upon the anniversary date of the effective date unless otherwise stated in the Notice of Award, or unless terminated earlier. The State retains the option to extend the Agreement for two (2) additional one-year periods at its sole discretion.

2.5 EFFECTIVE DATE

This solicitation, including any Exhibits, or any resulting contract or amendment shall not become effective nor bind the State until the appropriate State purchasing authority/official or Agency official has signed the document(s), contract or amendment; the effective award date has been completed on the document(s), by the

State purchasing official, and that date has arrived or passed. The State shall not be responsible for reimbursing the Vendor for goods provided nor Services rendered prior to the appropriate signatures and the arrival of the effective date of the Agreement. No contract shall be binding on the State until an encumbrance of funds has been made for payment of the sums due under the Agreement.

2.6 CONTRACT TYPE

Definite Quantity Contract - This request is for a close-ended contract between the awarded Vendor and the State to furnish a pre-determined quantity of a good or service during a specified period of time.

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3.0 RFP REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

3.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

3.1.1 REQUIREMENTS

Requirement means, as used herein, a function, feature, or performance that the System must provide. If the offer cannot meet the requirements, they will not be evaluated.

3.1.2 SPECIFICATIONS

Specification means, as used herein, a detailed description that documents the function and performance of a system or system component.

The apparent silence of the specifications as to any detail, or the apparent omission of detailed description concerning any point, shall be regarded as meaning that only the best commercial practice is to prevail and that only processes, configurations, materials and workmanship of the first quality may be used. Upon any notice of noncompliance provided by the State, Vendor shall supply proof of compliance with the specifications. Vendor must provide written notice of its intent to deliver alternate or substitute Services, products, goods or other Deliverables. Alternate or substitute Services, products, goods or Deliverables may be accepted or rejected in the sole discretion of the State; and any such alternates or substitutes must be accompanied by Vendor’s certification and evidence satisfactory to the State that the function, characteristics, performance and endurance will be equal or superior to the original Deliverables specified.

3.1.3 SITE AND SYSTEM PREPARATION

Vendors shall provide the Purchasing State Agency complete site requirement specifications for the Deliverables, if any. These specifications shall ensure that the Deliverables to be installed or implemented shall operate properly and efficiently within the site and system environment. Any alterations or modification in site preparation, which are directly attributable to incomplete or erroneous specifications provided by the Vendor and which would involve additional expenses to the State, shall be made at the expense of the Vendor.

3.1.4 EQUIVALENT ITEMS

Whenever a material, article or piece of equipment is identified in the specification(s) by reference to a manufacturer’s or Vendor’s name, trade name, catalog number or similar identifier, it is intended to establish a standard for determining substantial conformity during evaluation, unless otherwise specifically stated as a brand specific requirement (no substitute items will be allowed). Any material, article or piece of equipment of other manufacturers or Vendors shall perform to the standard of the item named.

Equivalent offers must be accompanied by sufficient descriptive literature and/or specifications to provide for detailed comparison.

3.1.5 ENTERPRISE LICENSING – RESERVED

3.2 SECURITY SPECIFICATIONS

3.2.1 SOLUTIONS HOSTED ON STATE INFRASTRUCTURE – RESERVED

3.2.2 SOLUTIONS NOT HOSTED ON STATE INFRASTRUCTURE

The Agency (named on page one (1)) has designated this solicitation to receive and securely manage data that is classified as:

Agency has selected:

Restricted - Restricted data represents the highest risk to the State, State Agencies, and constituents if it is disclosed or compromised. This information is likely to be regulated by State or Federal law, and access to it is restricted to a limited audience (e.g., State and Federal Tax Information [FTI], Payment Card data, Protected Health Information [PHI], Criminal Justice Information [CJI], Social Security Administration provided information, etc.)

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Confidential - Includes information that is limited to a small audience with a need-to-know or legitimate business case (e.g., State employee personnel records, trade secrets, student records, sensitive public security information, etc.). If exposed to unauthorized parties, data from this category will cause high impact consequences such as regulatory fines, inability to recruit talent, loss of confidence, and/or damage to vendor relationships. This is not a complete list and is subject to legislative changes.

Internal - This is information typically used within the agency and not for public sharing. Most documents are classified as Internal within the organization, and most State employees would have access. This type of data, if exposed to unauthorized parties, would have a very limited impact on an agency’s reputation, compliance requirements or ability to achieve strategic goals. Internally classified data does not contain direct identifiers. Often, the effects of the loss of data can be recognized in very subtle ways and may not lead to clear negative consequences causing confusion due to lack of context or minor reputational harm.

Public - Data that is open to public inspection according to state and federal law, or readily available through public sources.

Refer to the North Carolina Statewide Data Classification and Handling policy for more information regarding data classification. The policy is located at the following website:

https://it.nc.gov/document/statewide-data-classification-and-handling-policy.

To comply with the State’s Security Standards and Policies, State agencies are required to perform annual security/risk assessments on their information systems using NIST 800-53 controls.

This requirement additionally applies to all Vendor-provided, agency-managed Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions which will handle data classified as Internal, Confidential, or Restricted.

(a) To comply with the State’s Security Standards and Policies, cloud products are required to comply with applicable FedRAMP or GovRAMP security requirements, including but not limited to, continuous monitoring, incident response, and data classification as outlined in GovRAMP documentation.

(b) To streamline and standardize this requirement the State has adopted GovRAMP which is a Risk and Authorization Management Program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. GovRAMP’s security verification model is based on NIST 800-53 Rev. 5 (or current).

(c) The required GovRAMP verified status will depend on the sensitivity of the data and processes supported by the solution as defined in the Statewide Data Classification and Handling Policy.

(d) For purposes of this solicitation, in accordance with the North Carolina Department of Information Technology Statewide Information Security Manual, a GovRAMP verified status of READY is required. At offer submission, if the protected system does not currently hold a validated GovRAMP status, the Vendor will be required to provide their GovRAMP Security Snapshot Score and upon request, the complete Snapshot Matrix. If awarded the contract, Vendor shall have an interim period from the effective date of the contract to achieve the verified GovRAMP status outlined above. The interim time periods for each data classification that requires a verified status are further described below. The Vendor shall provision access to the State to their continuous monitoring packages at a [standard] or [elevated] access level within fourteen (14) days of contract award, and seven (7) days of any subsequent GovRAMP status changes. If a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) is required by the Vendor, a copy of the NDA must be uploaded with the response and executed by the Vendor and the State at the time of contract award.

https://it.nc.gov/document/statewide-data-classification-and-handling-policy

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a. Public - For third-party cloud services where the highest category of information to be processed is Public data, the Vendor must submit an updated score for the product annually throughout the contract duration that meets or exceeds the original score at time of contract award. Products with GovRAMP Core, Ready, Authorized or Provisionally Authorized statuses or FedRAMP Rev. 5 authorization also satisfy the security requirement.

b. Internal - For third-party cloud services where the highest category of information to be processed is Internal data, the Vendor must either achieve the status of GovRAMP Core prior to award, or agree to achieve GovRAMP Core status within an interim time period, no later than twelve (12) months from the effective date of the contract.

c. Confidential - For third-party cloud services where the highest category of information to be processed is Confidential data, the Vendor must either achieve a status of GovRAMP Ready, or agree to achieve GovRAMP Ready status no later than fifteen (15) months from the effective date of the contract.

d. Restricted - For third-party cloud services where the highest category of information to be processed is Restricted Data, the Vendor must either achieve a status of GovRAMP Authorized, or agree to achieve GovRAMP Authorized status no later than twenty-one (21) months from the effective date of the contract.

Upon contract award, Vendor’s who submitted a GovRAMP Security Snapshot Score will be required to enroll in the GovRAMP Progressing Snapshot program prior to any data being transferred, stored or processed. The Vendor must complete their first Progressing Snapshot within ninety (90) days of award, with the expectation that progress will be made on a quarterly basis and access to progress reports must be provisioned to the State. Products must maintain their participation in the Progressing Snapshot program and continued access to progress reports must be provisioned to the State until such time that they have achieved the minimum verified status outlined above. The State will review the Vendor’s progress on a quarterly basis and, in its sole discretion, may determine that the Vendor is not making satisfactory progress in the Progressing Snapshot program. Satisfactory progress shall be a material requirement of the contract.

(e) If the Vendor holds a FedRAMP Rev. 5 authorization at time of award, this authorization can be accepted in lieu of a GovRAMP authorization. Authorizations obtained via the FedRAMP 20x Pilot Program will not be permitted.

If the Vendor’s cloud product currently holds a FedRAMP Authorized designation, at the time of award, the State may require the Vendor to initiate and actively pursue, within thirty (30) days of award, the GovRAMP Fast Track Process, to achieve a GovRAMP Provisionally Authorized or Authorized status in order to satisfy Statewide continuous monitoring requirements.

(c) Additional Security Documentation. Prior to contract award, the State may in its discretion require the Vendor to provide additional security documentation, including but not limited to, vulnerability assessment reports and penetration test reports. The awarded Vendor shall provide additional security documentation upon request by the State during the term of the contract.

Refer to: https://it.nc.gov/documents/statewide-glossary-information-technology-terms for descriptions of the Application Criticality categories.

Refer to: http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.199.pdf for descriptions of NIST system confidentiality, integrity, and availability categories.

https://it.nc.gov/documents/statewide-glossary-information-technology-terms http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.199.pdf

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3.3 ENTERPRISE SPECIFICATIONS

3.3.1 ARCHITECTURE DIAGRAMS

The two diagrams are Network Architecture and Technology Stack. The State utilizes architectural diagrams to better understand the design and technologies of a proposed solution. Details on these diagrams can be found at the following link: https://it.nc.gov/resources/statewide-it-procurement/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-Architecture-1192

The provision of these two diagrams is a requirement at offer submission. If they are not supplied at that time, the Vendor’s offer will be considered non-responsive and will not be evaluated.

There may be additional architectural diagrams requested of the vendor after contract award. This will be communicated to the vendor by the agency as needed during the project.

3.3.2 SOLUTION ROADMAP

A Solution Roadmap defines the vision and strategic elements of the solution. The Solution Roadmap is a plan of action for how a Solution will evolve over time. The minimum content should include:

• Vision for the solution

• High-level functionality expected for each solution release into production environment

• High-level timeline

• Description of how customer feedback is collected and incorporated into solution enhancements

Describe the solution roadmap for your product. Include content on release strategies for functionality, roadmap for technical architecture, how scalability of solution is planned.

3.3.3 IDENTITY AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT

The proposed solution must externalize identity and access management. The protocols describing the State’s Identity and Access Management can be found at the following link:

https://it.nc.gov/services/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-IdentityAccessManagement-1241

Describe how your solution supports the above protocols, as well as making them available for application integration/consumption.

3.3.4 INTEGRATION APPROACH

Describe proposed solution ability to integrate with and support the North Carolina Community College System's Title II Data Management System and related statewide technology platforms. The Offeror shall identify all methods, standards, interfaces, and tools used to facilitate secure and effective data exchange, interoperability, and system administration.

At a minimum, the response should address:

• Supported integration standards, protocols, and data exchange methods (e.g., REST APIs, SOAP, JSON, XML, SFTP, web services, single sign-on, and identity management standards).

• Available application programming interfaces (APIs), middleware, connectors, adapters, and integration platforms that support interoperability with the Title II Data Management System and other State systems.

• The ability to import, export, validate, and reconcile participant, enrollment, assessment, service, outcome, and performance-reporting data.

• Support for real-time, near real-time, and batch data exchanges.

• Data security, authentication, authorization, encryption, auditing, and compliance features applicable to system integrations.

https://it.nc.gov/resources/statewide-it-procurement/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-Architecture-1192 https://it.nc.gov/resources/statewide-it-procurement/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-Architecture-1192 https://it.nc.gov/services/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-IdentityAccessManagement-1241

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• Capabilities for integration with common state and federal reporting systems, workforce development systems, learning management systems, customer relationship management (CRM) platforms, and identity management solutions.

• Proposed approach for data migration, implementation, testing, error handling, monitoring, and ongoing support of integrations.

• Documentation, technical resources, and support services available to facilitate integration and maintenance activities.

The solution should clearly identify any integration dependencies, limitations, third-party software requirements, licensing considerations, and recommended architecture needed to achieve seamless interoperability with the Title II Data Management System and the broader North Carolina Community College System technology environment.

3.3.5 DISASTER RECOVERY AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY

Describe the proposed solution capabilities related to the following areas:

Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) – describe how proposed solution supports Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) metrics.

System Backup – describe backup plan capabilities.

Disaster Recovery Testing – describe the frequency and test procedures for end-to-end disaster recovery testing. Business Continuity Plan (BCP) – describe capabilities proposed solution can provide in support of agency’s continuity of operations and incident responses.

3.3.6 DATA MIGRATION – RESERVED

3.3.7 APPLICATION MANAGEMENT

Describe how the proposed solution monitors and reports the metrics on system performance.

Describe how the proposed solution manages user administration.

Describe the audit capabilities of proposed solution related to management of the application.

3.3.8 ACCESSIBILITY

Describe how the proposed solution complies with industry accessibility standards.

Provide product documentation that demonstrates how the proposed solution is digitally accessible or if not fully accessible, provide the roadmap with timeline for remediation.

Standards include:

• State of North Carolina Digital Accessibility & Usability Standard

• W3C Web Accessibility Initiative - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1:

https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/

• Section 508: https://www.section508.gov/

• Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®): https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/vpat

ENTERPRISE, SERVICES, AND STANDARDS

Vendors should refer to the Vendor Resources Page for information on North Carolina Department of Information Technology regarding architecture, security, strategy, data, digital, identity and access management and other general information on doing business with state IT process.

The Vendor Resources Page found at the following link: https://it.nc.gov/vendor-engagement-resources.

This site provides vendors with statewide information and links referenced throughout the RFP document.

Agencies may request additional information.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fit.nc.gov%2Fdocuments%2Fdigital-accessibility-usability-standard%2Fopen&data=05%7C02%7Candrea.pacyna%40nc.gov%7C6ff711c554904ca4fefe08dea07c8d50%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C639124653982102920%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HoeiBL%2FHUIvvm3mFXH37dt6au5cZMhXaQn2%2FRa7cq3k%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fit.nc.gov%2Fdocuments%2Fdigital-accessibility-usability-standard%2Fopen&data=05%7C02%7Candrea.pacyna%40nc.gov%7C6ff711c554904ca4fefe08dea07c8d50%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C639124653982129428%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=oeGml%2FBan%2FQSTWo8MqssmpzMBvwzpHSpw6av66p4rIA%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2FTR%2FWCAG21%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstarr.christen%40nc.gov%7C3737b44528934d4e45f508dc3a2fddad%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638449224463390497%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=e02p3b8aB5KB1xe2s6LB3ksZyRtoo09MCHTXDzO5E6Q%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.section508.gov%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstarr.christen%40nc.gov%7C3737b44528934d4e45f508dc3a2fddad%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638449224463398992%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pzgUTV7chyDcngdl6SvQJ3tAIz7RLJvSY02jf8A4SRg%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.itic.org%2Fpolicy%2Faccessibility%2Fvpat&data=05%7C02%7Cstarr.christen%40nc.gov%7C3737b44528934d4e45f508dc3a2fddad%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638449224463405831%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=5PxuYxDYvzebQ0oJ4qLv%2BXmBS25YhqJa3ms9L3r8c8c%3D&reserved=0 https://it.nc.gov/vendor-engagement-resources

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3.4 BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

3.4.1 Describe how your solution:

A. Describe how the vendor meets all of the following requirements as a third-party entity.

a. Did the following in the past five years:

1. Administered at least three statewide adult high school diploma programs outside of North Carolina.

2. Maintained a graduation rate of at least fifty percent (50%) based on a two-year cohort beginning with the second cohort of the program.

b. Is accredited by an external, regional accrediting agency.

c. Offers a course catalog that aligns with curriculum requirements for a high school diploma in North Carolina.

B. Describe the ability to provide services to the following eligible students.

(1) Eligible student. – Any adult who meets the following criteria:

a. Is 21 years of age or older.

b. Is a resident of North Carolina.

c. Has not earned a high school diploma or its equivalent.

C. Describe the capacity to provide contracted instructional services for a statewide Workforce Diploma Program in partnership with North Carolina community college Adult High School programs through the following program requirements:

(1) Collaborate with local community college Adult High School programs to provide the official high school diploma coursework.

(2) Provide one or more courses that help participants obtain a high school diploma and enter or advance within a specific occupation or occupational cluster. Course completion shall be competency-based.

(3) Assist participants in obtaining employment, including resume development and mock interviews.

(4) Proactive communication with participants regarding their pace and progress through learning plans.

(5) A plan for courses and credits needed for each participant that integrates graduation requirements and career goals.

(6) Mentoring services.

(7) Milestone tracking.

(8) Academic skill intake assessments and transcript evaluations.

(9) A catalog of courses necessary to meet North Carolina graduation requirements.

(10) Remediation opportunities in literacy and numeracy.

(11) Employability skills certifications as defined as a certificate earned by demonstrating professional nontechnical skills through assessment and must include the program standards of the United States Department of Labor's "Skills to Pay the Bills: Mastering Soft Skills for Workplace Success."

(12) Preparation for workforce credentials.

(13) Career advising services.

(14) Access to online tutoring services at any time.

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3.5 BUSINESS AND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

A. Compliance with Applicable Laws

NCCCS seeks a solution which complies with all laws, ordinances, codes, rules, and regulations that are applicable to the conduct of its business, including those of federal, state, and local agencies having jurisdiction and/or authority.

Describe how your proposed solution complies with the following, and whether your solution has the means for further establishing compliance for onboarded NCCCS community colleges ‘courses.

a. Application Portal American Disabilities Act (ADA)

Under the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, colleges may not discriminate in the recruitment, educational process, or treatment of students based on a disability. Students are entitled to receive approved modifications of applications and digital resources that enable them to participate in and benefit from all educational programs and activities. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act ensures electronic, and information technology allow individuals with disabilities access to and use of information and data that is comparable to individuals without disabilities.

1. Describe how your solution is compliant with the Web Content Accessibility

Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 level AA requirements, located at https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/.

2. Describe the solution’s automated ADA content compliance verification process or tool(s).

b. Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

The data stored in this application’s database is subject to FERPA. Describe how your proposed solution adheres to FERPA (20 U.S.C. § 1232g; 34 CFR Part 99).

c. NC Records and Retention Schedule

Describe how your solution conforms to the NC records and retention schedule as defined in the following link: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/state-governmentagencies/functional-schedule.

B. Integration Capabilities

a. Describe how your solution will provide real-time integration with NCCCS ERP, and NCCCS’ student information system (Colleague and Banner).

b. Describe the ability to the solution to provide access for Institutional System Administration to upload or download large amounts of data via secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) for batch processes for importing/exporting courses, themes, and reporting data.

C. Training

a. Describe in detail your training plan including the programs in place to support the solution.

b. Describe an overview of your proposed solution’s training methodology. Describe what options are available for user and administrator training.

https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/ https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/state-governmentagencies/functional-schedule https://archives.ncdcr.gov/government/state-governmentagencies/functional-schedule

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D. Technical Support

a. Describe your company’s organization. (Agency prefers Vendor to describe using an organizational chart which includes biographies of key personnel.)

b. Describe the proposed solution’s monitoring capabilities, including, but not limited to, application usage monitoring, error monitoring, event monitoring, alert monitoring, etc.

c. Describe how the solution adheres to industry standards and best practices for software, hardware, and network configuration and implementation.

d. Describe in detail your project management plan, including but not limited to allocation of project managers and staff, responsibilities, costs, timelines, reporting, and project update process. (See Section 7.11 Project Management below for additional information.)

E. Maintenance & Upgrades

Vendor-managed maintenance and upgrades are integral to the solution.

a. Describe detailed procedures on how maintenance is handled including upgrades, releases, patches, and required downtime.

b. Describe the solution’s communication plans for the scheduled hardware and software maintenance, including upgrade timeframes that are conducted during off hours and the notification process to communicate to the field.

c. Describe the proposed solution’s rollout process for updates including validation and acceptance from administrators.

F. Project Implementation

a. Describe your proposed project implementation plan and project schedule with major tasks, subtasks, task owners, task durations, and other milestones for full implementation by October

1, 2026.

4.0 COST OF VENDOR’S OFFER

4.1 OFFER COSTS

The Vendor must list, itemize, and describe any applicable offer costs in ATTACHMENT D: COST FORM.

The total funding available under this contract shall not exceed $2,150,000. Funds shall be earned and paid to the vendor on a performance basis, up to $7,500 per participant, upon successful completion of the milestones outlined below and subject to the availability of funds. Payments shall be earned as follows:

(1) Two hundred seventy-five dollars ($275.00) for the completion of each half credit.

(2) Two hundred seventy-five dollars ($275.00) for the completion of an employability skills certification program equivalent to one credit.

(3) Two hundred seventy-five dollars ($275.00) for the attainment of an industry-recognized credential requiring up to 50 hours of training.

(4) Five hundred fifty dollars ($550.00) for the attainment of an industry-recognized credential requiring between 51 and 100 hours of training.

(5) Eight hundred twenty-five dollars ($825.00) for the attainment of an industry-recognized credential requiring more than 100 hours of training.

4.2 PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The Vendor shall propose its itemized payment schedule based on the content of its offer. All payments must be based upon acceptance of one or more Deliverables.

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5.0 EVALUATION

5.1 SOURCE SELECTION

A trade-off/ranking method of source selection will be utilized in this procurement to allow the State to award this RFP to the Vendor providing the Best Value and recognizing that Best Value may result in award other than the lowest price or highest technically qualified offer. By using this method, the overall ranking may be adjusted up or down when considered with or traded-off against other non-price factors.

a) Evaluation Process Explanation. State Agency employees will review all offers. All offers will be initially classified as being responsive or non-responsive. If an offer is found non-responsive, it will not be considered further. All responsive offers will be evaluated based on stated evaluation criteria. Any references in an answer to another location in the RFP materials or Offer shall have specific page numbers and sections stated in the reference.

b) To be eligible for consideration, Vendor’s offer must substantially conform to the intent of all specifications. Compliance with the intent of all specifications will be determined by the State. Offers that do not meet the full intent of all specifications listed in this RFP may be deemed deficient. Further, a serious deficiency in the offer to any one (1) factor may be grounds for rejection regardless of overall score.

c) The evaluation committee may request clarifications, an interview with or presentation from any or all Vendors as allowed by 9 NCAC 06B.0307. However, the State may refuse to accept, in full or partially, the response to a clarification request given by any Vendor. Vendors are cautioned that the evaluators are not required to request clarifications; therefore, all offers should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms. Vendors should be prepared to send qualified personnel to Raleigh, North Carolina, to discuss technical and contractual aspects of the offer.

d) Vendors are advised that the State is not obligated to ask for, or accept after the closing date for receipt of offer, data that is essential for a complete and thorough evaluation of the offer.

5.2 EVALUATION CRITERIA

Evaluation shall include best value, as the term is defined in N.C.G.S. § 143-135.9(a)(1), compliance with information technology project management policies as defined by N.C.G.S. §143B-1340, compliance with information technology security standards and policies, substantial conformity with the specifications, and other conditions set forth in the solicitation. The following Evaluation Criteria are listed in Order of Importance.

1) How well the Vendor’s offer conforms with the requirements and specifications in Section 3.4 and 3.5.

2) How each Vendor’s offer compares with other Vendors’

3) Total Cost of Ownership as outlined in Section 4.0 Cost of Vendor’s Offer

4) Illustration(s) and/or explanations of adherence to Section 3.3 Enterprise

5) Adherence to Section 3.2 Security Specifications

6) Vendor Schedule / Timeline for completing work

7) Strength of references relevant or material to technology area(s) or Specifications and Vendor Past Performance

8) Risks associated with Vendor’s offer which include Vendor errata and exceptions (The agency should focus on identifying risks and mitigating risks such as financial stability, EULAs, reliance on third parties, and technical risks.)

5.3 BEST AND FINAL OFFERS (BAFO)

The State may establish a competitive range based upon evaluations of offers, and request BAFOs from the Vendor(s) within this range; e.g. “Finalist Vendor(s)”. If negotiations or subsequent offers are solicited, the Vendor(s) shall provide BAFO(s) in response. Failure to deliver a BAFO when requested shall disqualify the non-responsive Vendor from further consideration. The State will evaluate BAFO(s), oral presentations, and product demonstrations as part of the Vendors’ respective offers to determine the final rankings.

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5.4 POSSESSION AND REVIEW

During the evaluation period and prior to award, possession of the bids and accompanying information is limited to personnel of the issuing agency, and to the committee responsible for participating in the evaluation. Vendors who attempt to gain this privileged information, or to influence the evaluation process (i.e. assist in evaluation) will be in violation of purchasing rules and their offer will not be further evaluated or considered.

After award of contract the complete bid file will be available to any interested persons with the exception of trade secrets, test information or similar proprietary information as provided by statute and rule. Any proprietary or confidential information, which conforms to exclusions from public records as provided by N.C.G.S. §132-1.2 must be clearly marked as such in the offer when submitted.

6.0 VENDOR INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

6.1 GENERAL CONDITIONS OF OFFER

6.1.1 VENDOR RESPONSIBILITY

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read this entire document, review all enclosures and attachments, and comply with all specifications, requirements and the State’s intent as specified herein. If a Vendor discovers an inconsistency, error or omission in this solicitation, the Vendor should request a clarification from the State’s contact person.

The Vendor will be responsible for investigating and recommending the most effective and efficient solution. Consideration shall be given to the stability of the proposed configuration and the future direction of technology, confirming to the best of its ability that the recommended approach is not short lived.

Several approaches may exist for hardware configurations, other products and any software. The Vendor must provide a justification for their proposed hardware, product and software solution(s) along with costs thereof. Vendors are encouraged to present explanations of benefits and merits of their proposed solutions together with any accompanying Services, maintenance, warranties, value added Services or other criteria identified herein.

6.1.2 RIGHTS RESERVED

While the State has every intention to award a contract as a result of this RFP, issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the State of North Carolina, or the procuring Agency, to award a contract.

Upon determining that any of the following would be in its best interests, the State may:

a) waive any formality;

b) amend the solicitation;

c) cancel or terminate this RFP;

d) reject any or all offers received in response to this RFP;

e) waive any undesirable, inconsequential, or inconsistent provisions of this RFP;

f) if the response to this solicitation demonstrate a lack of competition, negotiate directly with one or more Vendors;

g) not award, or if awarded, terminate any contract if the State determines adequate State funds are not available; or

h) if all offers are found non-responsive, determine whether Waiver of Competition criteria may be satisfied, and if so, negotiate with one or more known sources of supply.

6.1.3 SOLICITATION AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS

Any and all amendments or revisions to this document shall be made by written addendum from the Agency Procurement Office. If either a unit price or extended price is obviously in error and the other is obviously correct, the incorrect price will be disregarded.

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6.1.4 ORAL EXPLANATIONS

The State will not be bound by oral explanations or instructions given at any time during the bidding process or after award. Vendor contact regarding this RFP with anyone other than the State’s contact person may be grounds for rejection of said Vendor’s offer. Agency contact regarding this RFP with any Vendor may be grounds for cancellation of this RFP.

6.1.5 E-PROCUREMENT

This is an E-Procurement solicitation. See ATTACHMENT B, Paragraph #33 of the attached North Carolina Department of Information Technology Terms and Conditions.

The Terms and Conditions made part of this solicitation contain language necessary for the implementation of North Carolina’s statewide E-Procurement initiative. It is the Vendor’s responsibility to read these terms and conditions carefully and to consider them in preparing the offer. By signature, the Vendor acknowledges acceptance of all terms and conditions including those related to E-Procurement.

a) General information on the E-Procurement service can be found at http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

b) Within two days after notification of award of a contract, the Vendor must register in NC E- Procurement @ Your Service at the following website: http://eprocurement.nc.gov/Vendor.html

c) As of the RFP submittal date, the Vendor must be current on all E-Procurement fees. If the Vendor is not current on all E-Procurement fees, the State may disqualify the Vendor from participation in this RFP.

6.1.6 ELECTRONIC VENDOR PORTAL (EVP)

The State has implemented the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) that allow the public to retrieve award notices and information on the Internet at https://evp.nc.gov. https://www.ips.state.nc.us/ips/ Results may be found by searching by Solicitation Number or agency name. This information may not be available for several weeks dependent upon the complexity of the acquisition and the length of time to complete the evaluation process.

6.1.7 PROTEST PROCEDURES

Protests of awards exceeding $25,000 in value must be submitted to the issuing Agency at the address given on the first page of this document. Protests must be received in the purchasing agency’s office within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of this RFP award and provide specific reasons and any supporting documentation for the protest. All protests are governed by Title 9, Department of Information Technology (formerly Office of Information Technology Services), Subchapter 06B Sections .1101

- .1121.

6.2 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDOR

6.2.1 SITE VISIT OR PRE-OFFER CONFERENCE – RESERVED

6.2.2 QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE RFP

Written questions concerning this Solicitation will be received until September 15, 2026, 2:00 PM Eastern

Time.

They must be submitted to the contact person listed on Page One of this Solicitation via braleyg@nccommunitycolleges.edu. Please enter “Questions Solicitation 50-2627002” as the subject for the message. Questions should be submitted in the following format:

REFERENCE VENDOR QUESTION

RFP Section, Page Number http://eprocurement.nc.gov/ http://eprocurement.nc.gov/Vendor.html https://evp.nc.gov/ https://www.ips.state.nc.us/ips/ mailto:braleyg@nccommunitycolleges.edu

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6.2.3 ADDENDUM TO RFP

If a pre-offer conference is held or written questions are received prior to the submission date, an addendum comprising questions submitted and responses to such questions, or any additional terms deemed necessary by the State shall become an Addendum to this RFP and provided via the State’s Ariba Sourcing Tool. Vendors’ questions posed orally at any pre-offer conference must be reduced to writing by the Vendor and provided to the Purchasing Officer as directed by said Officer. Oral answers are not binding on the State.

Critical updated information may be included in these Addenda. It is important that all Vendors bidding on this RFP periodically check the State’s Sourcing Tool for all Addenda that may be issued prior to the offer opening date.

6.2.4 COSTS RELATED TO OFFER SUBMISSION

Costs for developing and delivering responses to this RFP and any subsequent presentations of the offer as requested by the State are entirely the responsibility of the Vendor. The State is not liable for any expense incurred by the Vendors in the preparation and presentation of their offers.

All materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the State and are to be appended to any formal documentation, which would further define or expand any contractual relationship between the State and the Vendor resulting from this RFP process.

6.2.5 VENDOR ERRATA AND EXCEPTIONS

Any errata or exceptions to the State’s…