Proposal Number: 56-2701CKCRFP Vendor: __________________________________________

Proposal Number: 56-2701CKCRFP Vendor: __________________________________________

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

East Carolina University Request for Proposal #: 56-2701CKCRFP Enterprise Revenue Growth Assessment and Implementation Roadmap Date of Issue: October 7, 2026

Proposal Opening Date: October 28, 2026 At 3:00 PM EST

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Kevin Carraway Director of Materials Management Email: carrawayc@ecu.edu Phone: 252-328-6434

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Request for Proposal #

56-2701CKCRFP

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public. This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

Vendor Name Vendor eVP# Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered Vendor in good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor Portal). If you do not have a Vendor number, register athttps://evp.nc.gov/SignIn Electronic responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.

Ver: 09/2026

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

East Carolina University

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Kevin Carraway e-mail: carrawayc@ecu.edu phone: 252-328-6434 Request for Proposal #: 56-2701CKCRFP

Proposals will be publicly opened: October 28, 2026 at 3:00 PM EST

Requisition No.:

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

· this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54),

· none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and

· it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

· it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans, specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this proposal, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the ATTACHMENTS page within this document.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR:

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least sixty 60 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of East Carolina University)

Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

Introduction East Carolina University (ECU) seeks proposals from consultants with demonstrated higher education revenue optimization expertise. The selected firm will assess the University's enterprise-wide operations, assets, programs, partnerships, and market opportunities to identify strategic initiatives that can generate meaningful, sustainable new or enhanced revenue.

The engagement should take a holistic view of ECU rather than evaluate individual revenue streams in isolation. The selected firm will identify opportunities that leverage ECU’s distinctive academic, research, health, workforce, physical, intellectual, geographic, and partnership assets while aligning with the University’s public mission, strategic priorities, ethos, values, and responsibilities as a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina System.

ECU is seeking more than an inventory of possible revenue streams. The University is particularly interested in opportunities that can produce measurable net positive financial benefit within realistic implementation timeframes, rather than concepts that offer theoretical revenue potential but require disproportionate investment of organizational capacity, risk, or time to realize.

Recommendations that clarify how the University can differentiate itself through roles, programs, partnerships, and activities that build on its mission, regional responsibilities, research strengths, academic breadth, health-related assets, and capacity to serve as a distinctive partner in eastern North Carolina and beyond are particularly desirable.

In addition, the selected firm will develop a repeatable evaluation and decision-making framework that ECU can use after completion of the engagement to identify, assess, prioritize, approve, monitor, scale, and when appropriate, discontinue revenue-generating activities.

Background As a public R1 research university, ECU operates a diverse portfolio of academic, research, healthcare, auxiliary, and continuing education activities. Institutional analyses identified opportunities associated with continuing education, certificate programs, research growth, corporate partnerships, sponsored activities, and other alternative revenue streams. Even so, the University needs a clearer understanding of which opportunities offer the strongest strategic and financial value relative to human capital, financial resources, space, facilities, and equipment required for launch and operation.

Project Objectives The selected firm shall:

1. Conduct an enterprise-wide review of ECU’s current revenue generating assets and business model.

2. Assess ECU’s organizational readiness to pursue enterprise revenue opportunities.

3. Conduct external market and benchmark analysis including comparison of proven higher education revenue models used by peer and aspirant universities.

4. Assess relevant sectors, industries, and adjacent partnership models to provide ECU with a comprehensive view of what is possible, including lessons from peer universities and proximate sectors outside higher education.

5. Identify new and expanded revenue opportunities with the highest potential to produce meaningful, sustainable net revenue while advancing ECU’s mission.

6. Evaluate market demand, competitive positioning, and implementation feasibility.

7. Develop a detailed implementation roadmap for each recommended initiative.

8. Establish performance metrics and governance structures to guide execution and sustain enterprise revenue growth.

9. Develop a standardized, repeatable model for evaluating future revenue-generating opportunities.

10. Serve as a thought partner to ECU leadership by helping test assumptions, interpret findings, refine options, and identify whether the engagement warrants additional phases of work may be warranted as the engagement progresses.

11. Prioritize the top 3–5 opportunities based on revenue potential, implementation complexity, risk, and institutional alignment.

The intent of this solicitation is to award a Contract for East Carolina University.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of as completion and acceptance of all requirements within the scope of work, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (the “Effective Date”), The Vendor shall begin work under the Contract within 30 business days of the Effective Date.

At the end of the Contract’s initial term, the State shall have the option, in its sole discretion, to renew the Contract on the same terms and conditions for up to one (1) additional one-year term.

Proposals shall be submitted in accordance with the terms and conditions of this RFP and any addenda issued hereto.

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

This RFP is comprised of the base RFP document, any attachments, and any addenda released before Contract award, which are incorporated herein by reference.

E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee does not apply to this solicitation. See the paragraph entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions.

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

NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read the Instructions to Vendors, the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions, all relevant exhibits and attachments, and any other components made a part of this RFP and comply with all requirements and specifications herein. Vendors are also responsible for obtaining and complying with all Addenda and other changes that may be issued in connection with this RFP.

If Vendors have questions or issues regarding any component of this RFP, those must be submitted as questions in accordance with the instructions in the PROPOSAL QUESTIONS Section. If the State determines that any changes will be made as a result of the questions asked, then such decisions will be communicated in the form of an RFP addendum. The State may also elect to leave open the possibility for later negotiation of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period, prior to contract award.

Other than through the process of negotiation under 01 NCAC 05B.0503, the State rejects and will not be required to evaluate or consider any additional or modified terms and conditions submitted with Vendor’s proposal or otherwise. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the Vendor’s proposal that purports to vary any terms and conditions or Vendors’ instructions herein or to render the proposal non-binding or subject to further negotiation. Vendor’s proposal shall constitute a firm offer that shall be held open for the period required herein (“Validity Period” above).

The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications. By execution and delivery of this RFP Response, the Vendor agrees that any additional or modified terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect, and will be disregarded unless expressly agreed upon through negotiation and incorporated by way of a Best and Final Offer (BAFO). Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive.

RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. The State will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

SITE VISIT or PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE There is no Site Visit or Pre-Proposal Conference included as part of the RFP process

PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any such questions by the “Submit Written Questions” date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum.

Written questions shall be emailed to carrawayc@ecu.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP # 56-2701CKCRFP: Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in the format shown below:

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, the State’s response, and any additional terms deemed necessary by the State will be posted in the form of an addendum to the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP), https://evp.nc.gov, and shall become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any State personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in the RFP and an addendum to this RFP.

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendor’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening. The time and date of receipt will be marked on each proposal when received. Any proposal or portion thereof received after the proposal deadline will be rejected.

eVP If applicable to this RFP and using eVP, all proposal responses shall be submitted electronically via the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP). Additional information can be found at the eVP updates for Vendors link: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/news-events/evp-updates-vendors.

If confidential and proprietary information is included in the proposal, also submit one (1) signed, REDACTED copy of the proposal. Such information may include trade secrets defined by N.C. Gen. Stat. § 66-152 and other information exempted from the Public Records Act pursuant to N.C. Gen. Stat. §132- 1.2. Vendor may designate information, Products, Services or appropriate portions of its response as confidential, consistent with and to the extent permitted under the statutes and rules set forth above. By so redacting any page, or portion of a page, the Vendor warrants that it has formed a good faith opinion, having received such necessary or proper review by counsel and other knowledgeable advisors, that the portions determined to be confidential and proprietary and redacted as such, meet the requirements of the Rules and Statutes set forth above. However, under no circumstances shall price information be designated as confidential.

If the Vendor does not provide a redacted version of the proposal with its proposal submission, the Department may release an unredacted version if a record request is received.

Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). Vendors are strongly encouraged to allow sufficient time to upload proposals.

Critical updated information may be included in Addenda to this RFP. It is important that all Vendors responding to this RFP periodically check the State’s eVP website for any Addenda that may be issued prior to the bid opening date. All Vendors shall be deemed to have read and understood all information in this RFP and all Addenda thereto.

PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Vendors shall populate all attachments of this RFP that require the Vendor to provide information and include an authorized signature where requested. Failure to provide all required items, or Vendor’s submission of incomplete items, may result in the State rejecting Vendor’s proposal, in the State’s sole discretion.

Vendor RFP responses shall include the following items and attachments, which shall be arranged in the following order:

a) Cover Letter, which must contain the following: (i) a statement that confirms that the proposer has read the RFP in its entirety, including all links, and all Addenda released in conjunction with the RFP, (ii) a statement that the Vendor agrees to perform in accordance with the scope of work, requirements, and specifications contained herein; and (iii) Vendor’s agreement to comply with all instructions, terms and conditions, and attachments.

b) Title Page: Include the company name, address, phone number and authorized representative along with the Proposal Number.

c) Completed and signed version of all EXECUTION PAGES, along with the body of the RFP.

d) Signed receipt pages of any addenda released in conjunction with this RFP, if required to be returned.

e) Vendor’s Proposal addressing all Specifications of this RFP. [Indicate relative section references as a guide to responding to sections requiring additional responses outside of the solicitation document. If not required, delete.]

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: PRICING

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

i) Completed and signed version of ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

Unless provided otherwise in this RFP, Vendor may submit alternate proposals for comparable Goods, various methods or levels of Service(s), or that propose different options. Alternate proposals must specifically identify the RFP requirements and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate proposal. Any alternate proposal, in addition to the marking described above, must be clearly marked with the legend: “Alternate Proposal #___ [for ‘name of Vendor’]”. Each proposal must be for a specific set of Goods and Services and must include specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various offerings, each must be offered with a separate price and be contained in a separate proposal document. Each proposal must be complete and independent of other proposals offered.

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

North Carolina G.S. 143-52 provides a general list of criteria the State shall use to award contracts, as supplemented by the additional criteria herein. The Goods or Services being procured shall dictate the application and order of criteria; however, all award decisions shall be in the State’s best interest. All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the specific RFP Specifications and achieving the highest and best final evaluation, based on the criteria described below.

While the intent of this RFP is to award a Contract(s) to a single Vendor, the State reserves the right to make separate awards to different Vendors for one or more line items, to not award one or more line items or to cancel this RFP in its entirety without awarding a Contract, if it is considered to be most advantageous to the State to do so.

The State reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

While this RFP is under evaluation, the responding Vendor, including any subcontractors and suppliers, is prohibited from engaging in conversations intended to influence the outcome of the evaluation. See Paragraph 29 of the Instructions to Vendors entitled COMMUNICTIONS BY VENDORS.

Each Vendor submitting a proposal to this RFP, including its employees, agents, subcontractors, suppliers, subsidiaries and affiliates, is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside the using agency; issuing agency; other government agency office or body (including the procurement lead named above, any department secretary, agency head, members of the General Assembly and Governor’s office); or private entity, if the communication refers to the content of Vendor’s proposal or qualifications, the content of another Vendor’s proposal, another Vendor’s qualifications or ability to perform a resulting contract, and/or the transmittal of any other communication of information that could be reasonably considered to have the effect of directly or indirectly influencing the evaluation of proposals, the award of a contract, or both.

Any Vendor not in compliance with this provision shall be disqualified from evaluation and award. A Vendor’s proposal may be disqualified if its subcontractor and/or supplier engage in any of the foregoing communications during the time that the procurement is active (i.e., the issuance date of the procurement until the date of contract award or cancellation of the procurement). Only those discussions, communications or transmittals of information authorized or initiated by the issuing agency for this RFP or inquiries directed to the procurement lead named in this RFP regarding requirements of the RFP (prior to proposal submission) or the status of the award (after submission) are excepted from this provision.

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Only responsive submissions will be evaluated.

The State will conduct a One-Step evaluation of Proposals:

Proposals will be received according to the method stated in the Proposal Submittal Section above.

All proposals must be received by the issuing agency not later than the date and time specified in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum. Vendors are cautioned that this is a request for proposals, not an offer or request to contract, and the State reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers at any time if such rejection is deemed to be in the best interest of the State.

At the date and time provided in the RFP SCHEDULE Section above, unless modified by Addendum, the proposal from each responding Vendor will be opened publicly and all offers (except those that have been previously withdrawn, or voided bids) will be tabulated. The tabulation shall be made public at the time it is created. When negotiations after receipt of bids are authorized pursuant to G.S. 143-49 and 01 NCAC 05B.0503, only the names of offerors and the Goods and Services offered shall be tabulated at the time of opening. If negotiation is anticipated, cost and price shall become available for public inspection at the time of the award. Interested parties are cautioned that these costs and their components are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness and therefore may not be an exact indicator of a Vendor’s pricing position.

At their option, the evaluators may request oral presentations or discussions with any or all Vendors for clarification or to amplify the materials presented in any part of the proposal. Vendors are cautioned, however, that the evaluators are not required to request presentations or other clarification—and often do not. Therefore, all proposals should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms available from the Vendor.

Upon completion of the evaluation process, the State will make award(s) based on the evaluation and post the award(s) to the State’s eVP website under the RFP number for this solicitation. Award of a Contract to one Vendor does not mean that the other proposals lacked merit, but that, all factors considered, the selected proposal was deemed most advantageous and represented the best value to the State.

The State reserves the right to negotiate with one or more vendors, or to reject all original offers and negotiate with one or more sources of supply that may be capable of satisfying the requirement, and in either case to require Vendor to submit a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) based on discussions and negotiations with the State.

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

Revenue Growth Strategy and Project Approach, Campus Engagement, and Adaptability Understanding of ECU's objectives and operating environment.

Quality and practicality of the proposed methodology.

Ability to identify, prioritize, and evaluate revenue growth opportunities.

Strength of proposed implementation roadmap, governance structure, and performance measurement framework.

Demonstrated Success and Relevant Higher Education Experience Proven success delivering measurable revenue growth initiatives.

Experience serving higher education institutions, public research universities, academic health systems.

Experience implementing recommendations and achieving measurable outcomes.

Qualifications of Project Team and Thought Partnership Capacity Qualifications and experience of key personnel.

Relevant expertise in strategic planning, financial analysis, operational improvement, and revenue optimization.

References and Demonstrated Revenue Growth Outcomes Quality of client references.

Demonstrated record of completing projects on time and within budget.

Client satisfaction and achievement of stated project objectives.

Cost and Overall Value Proposed pricing and fee structure.

Reasonableness of costs in relation to proposed services, experience, and expected outcomes.

Overall value to ECU.

In addition to the general criteria in G.S. 143-52 which may or may not be relevant to this RFP, all qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

BEST VALUE: "Best Value" procurement methods are authorized by N.C.G.S. §§143-135.9 and 143B-1350(h). The award decision is made based on multiple factors, including: total cost of ownership, meaning the cost of acquiring, operating, maintaining, and supporting a product or service over its projected lifetime; the evaluated technical merit of the Vendor's offer; the Vendor's past performance; and the evaluated probability of performing the specifications stated in the solicitation on time, with high quality, and in a manner that accomplishes the stated business objectives and maintains industry standards compliance. The intent of "Best Value" procurement is to enable Vendors to offer and the Agency to select the most appropriate solution to meet the business objectives defined in the solicitation and to keep all parties focused on the desired outcome of a procurement.

University to award to the Vendor(s) 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.

EVALUTION METHOD: Narrative and by consensus of the evaluating committee, explaining the strengths and weaknesses of each proposal and why the recommended awardee(s) provide the best value to the State.

All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and award made based on considering the following criteria listed in descending order of importance, to result in an award most advantageous to the State:

1. Technical Approach & Implementation Strategy

2. Demonstrated Revenue Growth Results

3. Project Team & Higher Education Experience

4. Higher Education References

5. Cost & Overall Value

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR. In addition to any other evaluation criteria identified in this RFP, the State may also consider, for purposes of evaluating proposed or actual contract performance outside of the United States, how that performance may affect the following factors to ensure that any award will be in the best interest of the State:

a) Total cost to the State

b) Level of quality provided by the Vendor

c) Process and performance capability across multiple jurisdictions

d) Protection of the State’s information and intellectual property

e) Availability of pertinent skills

f) Ability to understand the State’s business requirements and internal operational culture

g) Particular risk factors such as the security of the State’s information technology

h) Relations with citizens and employees

i) Contract enforcement jurisdictional issues

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

This RFP serves two functions: (1) to advise potential Vendors of the parameters of the solution being sought by the State; and (2) to provide (together with other specified documents) the terms of the Contract resulting from this procurement. The use of phrases such as “shall,” “must,” and “requirements” are intended to create enforceable contract conditions. In determining whether proposals should be evaluated or rejected, the State will take into consideration the degree to which Vendors have proposed or failed to propose solutions that will satisfy the State’s needs as described in the RFP. Except as specifically stated in the RFP, no one requirement shall automatically disqualify a Vendor from consideration. However, failure to comply with any single requirement may result in the State exercising its discretion to reject a proposal in its entirety.

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

This Section lists the requirements related to this RFP. By submitting a proposal, the Vendor agrees to meet all stated requirements in this Section as well as any other specifications, requirements, and terms and conditions stated in this RFP. If a Vendor is unclear about a requirement or specification, or believes a change to a requirement would allow for the State to receive a better proposal, the Vendor is urged to submit these items in the form of a question during the question-and-answer period in accordance with the Proposal Questions Section above.

4.1 DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

The firm should demonstrate:

Significant experience developing revenue growth strategies with public research universities Preference for experience with public research universities that include academic health systems Demonstrated understanding of organizational, financial, governance, state and federal regulatory, and U.S. higher education industry environments Experience working with decentralized institutions where academic, research, advancement, auxiliary, athletics, healthcare, and administrative functions have distinct authorities and responsibilities Experience developing implementation-ready business growth strategies Strong analytical and financial modeling capabilities Ability to serve as a strategic thought partner to senior university leadership, including experience helping institutions refine direction as findings emerge rather than applying a fixed or generic model Demonstrated success generating measurable financial outcomes Demonstrated ability to analyze sectors, industries, and adjacent models outside higher education and translate those insights into practical, mission-aligned recommendations for a public research university Provide examples of measurable revenue outcomes achieved for clients Preference will be given to firms that can provide examples of implemented recommendations that produced documented revenue growth.

4.2 PRICING

Proposal price shall constitute the total cost to the State for complete performance in accordance with the requirements and specifications herein, including all applicable charges for handling, transportation, administrative and other similar fees. Complete ATTACHMENT: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s proposal. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract.

INVOICES MAY NOT BE PAID UNTIL AN INSPECTION HAS OCCURRED AND THE GOODS OR SERVICES ACCEPTED.

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction.

Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential issues from contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. From the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification. The Contract Manager may require annual recertification of the Vendor’s financial stability.

4.4 VENDOR EXPERIENCE

In its Proposal, Vendor shall demonstrate experience with public and/or private sector clients with similar or greater size and complexity to the State, East Carolina University. Vendor shall provide information as to the qualifications and experience of all executive, managerial, legal, and professional personnel to be assigned to this project, including resumes citing experience with similar projects and the responsibilities to be assigned to each person.

4.5 REFERENCES

Vendor shall provide a minimum of three (3) references from higher education clients , using ATTACHMENT: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM, for which it has provided Services of similar size and scope to those proposed herein and who can speak to the firm's experience, performance, and ability to deliver successful outcomes.

References shall not be from the same company or from the soliciting State entity. . In addition, Vendor shall provide references for and identify other government contracts it has received, for which your company has provided services of similar size and scope. The State may contact these users to determine whether the Services provided are substantially similar in scope to those proposed herein and whether Vendor’s performance has been satisfactory. The information obtained may be considered in the evaluation of the Proposal.

4.6 BACKGROUND CHECKS

Any personnel or agent of Vendor performing Services under any Contract arising from this RFP may be required to undergo a background check at the expense of the Vendor, if so requested by the State.

4.7 PERSONNEL

Vendor warrants that qualified personnel shall provide Services under this Contract in a professional manner. “Professional manner” means that the personnel performing the Services will possess the skill and competence consistent with the prevailing business standards in the industry. Vendor will serve as the prime contractor under this Contract and shall be responsible for the performance and payment of all subcontractor(s) that may be approved by the State. Names of any third-party Vendors or subcontractors of Vendor may appear for purposes of convenience in Contract documents; and shall not limit Vendor’s obligations hereunder. Vendor will retain executive representation for functional and technical expertise as needed in order to incorporate any work by third party subcontractor(s).

Should the Vendor’s proposal result in an award, the Vendor shall be required to agree that it will not substitute key personnel assigned to the performance of the Contract without prior written approval by the Contract Lead. Vendor shall further agree that it will notify the Contract Lead of any desired substitution, including the name(s) and references of Vendor’s recommended substitute personnel. The State will approve or disapprove the requested substitution in a timely manner. The State may, in its sole discretion, terminate the Services of any person providing Services under this Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.8 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

If Vendor’s Proposal results in an award, Vendor agrees that it will not enter any agreement with a third party that may abridge any rights of the State under the Contract. If any Services, deliverables, functions, or responsibilities not specifically described in this solicitation are required for Vendor’s proper performance, provision and delivery of the Service and deliverables under a resulting Contract, or are an inherent part of or necessary sub-task included within such Service, they will be deemed to be implied by and included within the scope of the Contract to the same extent and in the same manner as if specifically described in the Contract. Unless otherwise expressly provided herein, Vendor will furnish all of its own necessary management, supervision, labor, facilities, furniture, computer and telecommunications equipment, software, supplies and materials necessary for the Vendor to provide and deliver the Services and/or other Deliverables.

4.9 QUESTIONS TO VENDORS

Vendor shall respond to each of the following questions. Vendors are requested to keep responses concise and relevant and should not include generic marketing materials. Responses will be reviewed as part of the evaluation process.

· Describe your firm's experience conducting enterprise-wide revenue assessments in higher education.

· Provide examples of three completed engagements and measurable outcomes achieved.

· Describe your methodology for identifying and prioritizing revenue opportunities.

· Explain how you assess organizational readiness and implementation capacity.

· Describe your approach to stakeholder engagement and data collection.

· Explain how you develop financial forecasts and ROI models.

· Describe your experience working within public university governance structures.

· Identify the proposed project team and their roles.

· Describe how your recommendations move beyond benchmarking to implementation.

· Provide examples where your recommendations were successfully implemented and what measurable outcomes resulted.

· Describe any proprietary tools, frameworks, or analytical methodologies you will utilize.

4.10 FINANCIAL STABILITY

As a condition of contract award, the Vendor must certify that it has the financial capacity to perform and to continue to perform its obligations under the Contract; that Vendor has no constructive or actual knowledge of an actual or potential legal proceeding being brought against Vendor that could materially adversely affect performance of this Contract; and that entering into this Contract is not prohibited by any contract, or order by any court of competent jurisdiction Each Vendor shall certify it is financially stable by completing the ATTACHMENT: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION. The State is requiring this certification to minimize potential performance issues from Contracting with a Vendor that is financially unstable. This Certification shall be deemed continuing, and from the date of the Certification to the expiration of the Contract, the Vendor shall notify the State within thirty (30) days of any occurrence or condition that materially alters the truth of any statement made in this Certification.

4.11 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

A. Default Insurance Coverage from the General Terms and Conditions applicable to this Solicitation:

☐ Small Purchases ☐ Contract value in excess of the Small Purchase threshold, but up to $1,000,000.00 ☐ Contract value in excess of $1,000,000.00

4.12 SUBCONTRACTORS

No portion of the work shall be subcontracted without prior written consent of the State. In the event that the Vendor desires to subcontract some part of the work specified herein, the Vendor shall furnish with their bid the names, qualifications, and experience of their proposed subcontractors. The Vendor shall, however, remain solely and fully liable and responsible for the work done by its subcontractor(s) and shall assure compliance with all the requirements and specifications of the contract.

4.13 SECRETARY OF STATE REGISTRATION

Prior to entering into a contract with the State, the awarded Vendor(s) must complete registration with the NC Secretary of State. Upon notification of award, the selected Vendor(s) must furnish evidence of filing within 10 business days. Failure to provide this documentation may result in the disqualification of the Vendor(s) bid from further consideration for the award.

No purchase orders shall be issued prior to confirmation of completed registration with the Secretary of State.

A contract award under the above-referenced solicitation, and the resulting purchase orders, will produce repeated orders and transactions in North Carolina and will constitute “transacting business” in the State, which requires a certificate of authority from the North Carolina Secretary of State as provided in G.S. §55-15-01 (corporations) or §57D-7-01 (LLCs). Please go to: https://www.sosnc.gov/ to register.

Vendor registered with the North Carolina Secretary of State: Yes☐ No ☐

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

Proposals should provide a comprehensive overview of the firm, including its history, organizational structure, and relevant experience performing the requested services. The proposal should identify the project team, including key personnel, relevant qualifications, and specific roles and responsibilities throughout the engagement. Firms should also describe their methodology, including the assessment approach, stakeholder engagement strategy, analytical framework, sector and industry assessment approach, project management approach, and plans for engaging ECU leaders and stakeholders through on-campus working sessions.

In addition, proposers should provide at least three examples of similar engagements with higher education institutions, including the client name, scope of work performed, outcomes achieved, and any measurable revenue impact resulting from the engagement.

A detailed work plan should be included that identifies the proposed timeline, major project milestones, and staffing plan. The cost proposal should clearly outline all fees and expenses associated with the engagement.

Proposals should also describe how the firm will remain flexible as findings emerge, including how the team would recommend adjustments to scope, sequencing, or later phases if the initial assessment identifies opportunities requiring deeper analysis, piloting, partner development, or implementation support.

The proposal must include an on-campus engagement plan that describes the anticipated number, timing, and purpose of in-person visits, including working sessions, interviews, leadership discussions, and presentation of findings. ECU expects time on campus because the firm must understand the University’s culture, assets, operating environment, and decision-making context.

Firms shall provide a minimum of three references from higher education clients who can speak to the firm's experience, performance, and ability to deliver successful outcomes.

5.1 SPECIFICATIONS

Phase I – Institutional Assessment The selected firm should:

1. Review relevant University strategic, financial, organizational, operational, and policy materials.

2. Conduct interviews and/or working sessions with University leadership and key stakeholders.

3. Inventory existing revenue generating activities and major institutional assets.

4. Map existing external partnerships and business development activities.

5. Identify areas of duplication, fragmentation, under-utilization, and unrealized capacity.

6. Assess existing processes for identifying, evaluating, approving, funding, and managing revenue generating activities.

7. Establish a baseline understanding of ECU’s current revenue portfolio and organizational capacity.

Deliverable: Enterprise Revenue Opportunity Baseline and Asset Map Phase II – Identify and Assess Opportunities The selected firm shall conduct quantitative and qualitative research, market assessments, and competitive analyses to identify and evaluate potential revenue-generating opportunities for ECU. The assessment should consider new revenue streams, expansion of existing revenue sources, optimization of underutilized institutional assets, strategic partnerships, market-responsive academic and professional education offerings, digital and online initiatives, and commercialization opportunities. Industry trends, market demand, peer benchmarking, institutional strengths, and emerging opportunities in higher education and related sectors should inform the analysis.

The analysis should include a comprehensive review of relevant sectors and industries where ECU has the potential to create differentiated value. This review should look beyond traditional higher education examples to include proximate adjacencies such as healthcare delivery, workforce development, regional economic development, public-private partnerships, industry consortia, applied research partnerships, commercialization models, and other mission-aligned structures that may offer useful lessons for ECU.

For each identified opportunity, the firm shall estimate revenue potential, market demand, required investments, organizational impacts, risks and barriers, projected return on investment, and regulatory, legal, or policy considerations that may affect viability. The evaluation should also estimate implementation effort, anticipated time to realization, major dependencies, and the extent to which the opportunity strengthens ECU's distinctive market position in the market.

The portfolio shall document identified revenue opportunities, assessment findings, estimated financial impacts, market analyses, implementation considerations, risks, and strategic rationale for each opportunity.

Deliverable: Enterprise Revenue Opportunity Portfolio and Opportunity Assessments Phase III – Prioritize and Select Opportunities Using the Phase II findings, the firm shall develop a formal prioritization framework to rank opportunities based on strategic value, financial impact, implementation feasibility, organizational readiness, risk, and long-term sustainability.

The framework should define how each criterion will be measured, weighted, and scored so ECU can evaluate priorities consistently and make informed decisions. It should help University leadership compare initiatives across multiple dimensions while balancing short-term financial gains, long-term strategic value, and operational feasibility.

The prioritization framework should make institutional fit explicit. Opportunities should be assessed not only for financial return and implementation…