72-PALG26086 UNCW Student Success.pdf

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Request for Proposal #: 72-PALG26086

UNCW Student Success & Retention Solution

Date of Issue: June 17, 2026

Proposal Opening Date: July 28, 2026

At 2:00 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Antoine Glasper, CPPO

Associate Director, Purchasing Services

Email: glaspera@uncw.edu

Phone: 910-962-3850

Proposal Number: 72-PALG26086

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Request for Proposal #

72-PALG26086

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 your proposal to be considered, 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 at https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Sealed, mailed responses ONLY will be accepted for this solicitation.

https://vendor.ncgov.com/vendor/login

Proposal Number: 72-PALG26086

Ver: 11/2021

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Antoine Glasper, UNCW Purchasing Services glaspera@uncw.edu

Request for Proposal #: 72-PALG26086 Proposals are due no later than 2:00 pm ET on July 28, 2026

Using Agency: UNC-Wilmington Proposals will be publicly opened via zoom on July 28, 2026 at 3:00 pm ET

Commodity No. and Description:

81110000 / Software Solution

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.

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. 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:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #12):

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

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*: DATE: EMAIL:

University of North Carolina at Wilmington

Proposal Number: 72-PALG26086 Vendor: __________________________________________

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VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least 90 days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if extended by mutual agreement of the parties. 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 University of North Carolina at Wilmington

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Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES

4.0 REQUIREMENTS

4.1 PRICING

4.2 INVOICES

4.3 FINANCIAL STABILITY

4.4 HUB PARTICIPATION

4.5 BACKGROUND CHECKS

4.6 PERSONNEL

4.7 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS

4.8 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

5.2 QUESTIONS TO VENDORS

6.0 CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION

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6.1 PROJECT MANAGER AND CUSTOMER SERVICE

6.2 POST AWARD PROJECT REVIEW MEETINGS

6.3 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT

6.4 ACCEPTANCE OF WORK

6.5 DISPUTE RESOLUTION

6.6 CONTRACT CHANGES

7.0 ATTACHMENTS

ATTACHMENT A: PRICING (30%)

ATTACHMENT B: INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS

ATTACHMENT C: NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

ATTACHMENT F: LOCATION OF WORKERS UTILIZED BY VENDOR

ATTACHMENT G: CERTIFICATION OF FINANCIAL CONDITION

LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS

ATTACHMENT I: IT SERVICES & SYSTEMS ADDENDUM

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1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

The University of North Carolina Wilmington (“UNCW”) seeks to modernize its student success infrastructure to strengthen retention, enhance student satisfaction, and deliver a more coordinated, data-driven approach to supporting students throughout their academic journey. As student needs grow in complexity, UNCW aims to shift from reactive support models to a proactive, equity-minded strategy grounded in timely insights, predictive analytics, and coordinated outreach. This initiative aligns with the university’s strategic priorities to increase enrollment to 23,000 students, achieve a 90% retention rate, and improve academic achievement, career preparedness, engagement, and holistic wellbeing.

Through this RFP, UNCW intends to procure a comprehensive Student Success and Retention (“SSR”) platform that enables early identification students at-risk of not persisting, monitors academic progress, and supports holistic student wellbeing. The desired solution will integrate multidimensional student data, automate workflows, and facilitate targeted, timely interventions. The goal is to move from reactive data and support to proactive predictive analytics and automated workflows. By unifying communication and care coordination across departments, the platform will empower faculty, advisors, and student support professionals to collaborate effectively and ensure that every student has a clear pathway to success.

The SSR unit will serve as the central hub for implementation and ongoing use of the platform, leading persistence initiatives, early alert processes, and cross-campus outreach. A modernized system will allow the unit to scale impact, streamline operations, and provide personalized support, advancing its mission to remove barriers and promote student success for all Seahawks.

UNCW’s current system, Starfish, is limited in scope and was not designed to support enterprise-wide predictive analytics or comprehensive retention strategies. Its limited adoption across campus has resulted in fragmented processes and reduced coordination among key stakeholders. As enrollment grows and institutional goals become more ambitious, a more robust and scalable platform is required to enable proactive engagement, real-time insights, and integrated support at scale.

The successful implementation of a new SSR platform will depend on strong integration with UNCW’s existing systems

– including Ellucian Banner, the enterprise data warehouse, and platforms such as Canvas, Slate, Degree Works, and Microsoft 365 – as well as cross-functional collaboration, data governance, and mobile accessibility. The university seeks a solution that provides seamless, low-latency, bi-directional data exchange, supports predictive modeling, and maintains a secure, unified source of truth.

Ultimately, this initiative represents a critical investment in UNCW’s commitment to student success, enabling a unified, technology-enabled ecosystem that anticipates student needs, enhances institutional effectiveness, and drives measurable improvements in persistence, retention, and graduation outcomes.

1.1 CONTRACT TERM

The Contract shall have an initial term of three (3) years, beginning on the date of final Contract execution (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 two (2) additional one-year terms. The State will give the Vendor written notice of its intent to exercise each option no later than thirty (30) days before the end of the Contract’s then-current term. In addition to any optional renewal terms, and with the Vendor’s concurrence, the State reserves the right to extend the Contract after the last active term.

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

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 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.

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE

ATTENTION: The E-Procurement fee does not apply to this solicitation. Section entitled ELECTRONIC PROCUREMENT subsections (d) and (e) of the North Carolina General Terms and Conditions do not apply to this solicitation.

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

2.3 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, issues, or exceptions regarding any term, condition, or other 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 and amendment of specific provisions of the Contract that have been addressed during the question-and-answer period.

Other than through this Q and A process or 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).

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.

Noncompliance with, or any attempt to alter or delete, this paragraph shall constitute sufficient grounds to reject Vendor’s proposal as nonresponsive. The State may exercise its discretion to consider Vendor proposed modifications.

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE

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

Event Responsibility Date and Time Issue RFP State June 17, 2026 Submit Written Questions Vendor No later than 12pm ET on June 30, 2026 Provide Response to Questions State No later than July 7, 2026 Submit Proposals Vendor No later than 2:00pm ET on July 28, 2026 Vendor Presentations (if applicable) Vendor Mid-September

Contract Award State October 1, 2026

Contract Effective Date State October 1, 2026 http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

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2.5 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 glaspera@uncw.edu by the date and time specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP # 72-PALG26086 Questions” as the subject for the email. Question submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and page number.

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.

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

IMPORTANT NOTE: This is an absolute requirement. Vendor shall bear the 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.

Mailing address for delivery of proposal via US Postal Service

Office Address of delivery by any other method (special delivery, overnight, or any other carrier).

PROPOSAL NUMBER: 72-PALG26086

Attn: Antoine Glasper UNCW Purchasing Services 601 S. College Road Wilmington, NC 28403

PROPOSAL NUMBER: 72-PALG26086

Attn: Antoine Glasper UNCW Central Receiving 5179 Lionfish Dr.

Wilmington, NC 28403

CAUTION: For proposals submitted via U.S. mail, please note that the U.S. Postal Service generally does not deliver mail to a specified street address but to the State’s Mail Service Center. Vendors are cautioned that proposals sent via U.S. Mail, including Express Mail, may not be delivered by the Mail Service Center to the agency’s purchasing office on the due date in time to meet the proposal deadline. All Vendors are urged to take the possibility of delay into account when submitting a proposal by U.S. Postal Service, courier, or other delivery service. Attempts to submit a proposal via facsimile (FAX) machine, telephone, or email in response to this RFP shall NOT be accepted.

a) Submit a signed, one (1) original executed proposal response, one (1) un-redacted copy on flash drive and, if required, one (1) redacted (Proprietary and Confidential Information Excluded) copies on flash drive of your proposal simultaneously to the address identified in the table above.

b) Submit your proposal in a sealed package. Clearly mark each package with: (1) Vendor name; (2) the RFP number;

and (3) the due date. Address the package(s) for delivery as shown in the table above. If Vendor is submitting more than one (1) proposal, each proposal shall be submitted in separate sealed envelopes and marked accordingly. For delivery purposes, separate sealed envelopes from a single Vendor may be included in the same outer package.

Proposals are subject to rejection unless submitted with the information above included on the outside of the sealed proposal package.

c) Copies of proposal files must be provided on separate read-only flash drives. File contents shall NOT be password protected but shall be in .PDF or .XLS format and shall be capable of being copied to other sources.

mailto:glaspera@uncw.edu https://evp.nc.gov/

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Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with these instructions shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor’s proposal(s). 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.

2.7 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, must include 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.

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 to include the responses to Questions to Vendors in

Section 5.2 of this RFP.

f) Completed version of ATTACHMENT A: PRICING

g) Completed version of ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION

h) Completed version of ATTACHMENT E: CUSTOMER REFERENCE FORM

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

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

k) Completed and signed version of CERTIFICATION FOR CONTRACTS, GRANTS, LOANS, AND COOPERATIVE

AGREEMENTS and OMB STANDARD FORM LLL

2.8 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.

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS

Relevant definitions for this RFP are provided in 01 NCAC 05A .0112 and in the Instructions to Vendors found below which are incorporated herein by this reference.

The following definitions, acronyms, and abbreviations are also relevant to this RFP:

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

Ver: 11/2021 9 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 the Paragraph of the Instructions to Vendors entitled Confidential Information.

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 offers, 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.

The proposal from each responding firm will be opened publicly via zoom on July 28, 2026 at 3:00 pm ET. Vendors wishing to participate in the virtual public opening can attend via the following link:

https://uncw.zoom.us/j/88162969871?pwd=oCojHtpAHDnBRzaG1pLbr6ahk9sw4z.1. Only the Vendor’s name will be announced during the public opening. Interested parties are cautioned that the proposals are subject to further evaluation for completeness and correctness.

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.

https://uncw.zoom.us/j/88162969871?pwd=oCojHtpAHDnBRzaG1pLbr6ahk9sw4z.1

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3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA

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:

Cost (30%)

Technical Specifications (65%)

Acceptance of UNCW Terms & Conditions without Edits (5%)

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT E: 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 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 A: PRICING FORM and include in Vendor’s proposal. The pricing provided in ATTACHMENT A, or resulting from any negotiations, is incorporated herein and shall become part of any resulting Contract.

4.2 INVOICES

Vendor shall invoice the Purchasing Agency. The following fields shall be included on all invoices, as relevant:

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Vendor’s Billing Address, Customer Account Number, NC Contract Number, Order Date, Buyer’s Order Number, Manufacturer Part Numbers, Vendor Part Numbers, Item Descriptions, Price, Quantity, and Unit of Measure. In addition:

a) The Vendor must submit one monthly invoice within fifteen (15) calendar days following the end of each month in which work was performed.

b) Invoices must be submitted to the following address: UNCW, Attn: Accounts Payable, 601 S. College Road, Wilmington, NC 28403. A copy must also be sent to the University Contract Administrator whose information will be provided after contract award.

c) Invoices must bear the correct purchase order number to ensure prompt payment. The Vendor’s failure to include the correct purchase order number may cause delay in payment.

d) Invoices include an accurate description of the work for which the invoice is being submitted, the invoice date, the period of time covered, the amount of fees due to the Vendor broken out by building (if applicable).

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 G: 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 HUB PARTICIPATION

Pursuant to North Carolina General Statute G.S. 143-48, it is State policy to encourage and promote the use of small, minority, physically handicapped, and women contractors in purchasing Goods and Services. As such, this RFP will serve to identify those Vendors that are minority owned or have a strategic plan to support the State’s Historically Underutilized Business program by meeting or exceeding the goal of 10% utilization of diverse firms as 1st or 2nd tier subcontractors. Vendor shall complete ATTACHMENT D: HUB SUPPLEMENTAL VENDOR INFORMATION.

4.5 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.

4.6 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

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Contract. Upon such termination, the State may request acceptable substitute personnel or terminate the contract Services provided by such personnel.

4.7 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.

4.8 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION

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

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK

5.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

A. Predictive Analytics Engine

1. The platform shall:

a. Analyze historical and continuous, low-latency, bi-directional data to identify student success factors and at‑risk persistence indicators.

b. Generate individualized risk scores and propensity models for retention, course success, and term‑to‑term persistence.

c. Provide transparent model explanations to support sustained faculty engagement, advising case management, campus partners utilization, and student success and retention understanding and intervention planning.

d. Continuously refine models using machine learning and updated institutional data.

e. Provide documentation of all input variables used in predictive models.

f. Identify minimum data completeness thresholds required for a valid model performance.

g. Describe how missing or delayed data affects risk scoring outputs.

h. Demonstration of bias testing methodologies and equity impact monitoring.

i. Provide validation of metrics based on institutions with similar characteristics.

j. Describe risk model recalibration frequency.

k. Describe drift detection methodologies.

l. Describe their processes and practices of institutional access to performance metrics by subpopulation.

m. Describe implemented predictive algorithms.

n. Explain how model and algorithm bias and overfitting are discovered and addressed.

B. Machine Learning Modeling

1. Explainability & Transparency – The platform shall:

a. Describe machine learning technologies.

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b. Provide clear, interpretable insights into why it identifies a student as at-risk.

c. Transparent model explanations - detail how explainable AI is implemented in the platform, e.g. by showing key predictors or reasons for each risk alert, rather than just a mysterious score.

d. A well-designed AI-powered system should augment human decision-making, not replace it.

e. Explain how model and algorithm bias and overfitting are discovered and addressed.

2. Customization & Maintenance

a. Models must be configurable to UNCW’s context and allow adjustment of variables or weighting.

b. Vendors should explain how models are updated or retrained over time and how accuracy is maintained.

3. Evidence of Effectiveness

a. Provide clarity on what the AI actually does (predictive modeling, alerts, chatbot support, etc.).

b. Provide supporting evidence such as case studies or measurable impact from comparable institutions.

4. Data Use

a. If the platform’s AI models are trained using our student data - UNCW retains ownership of our data and any derivative models.

b. Machine learning models trained on UNCW data cannot be used or shared externally without permission, or that an institution-specific model option is available for privacy.

5. Documentation of safeguards Provide AUC testing reports, equalized odds and fairness testing, bias audits, and revalidation after any policy/practice changes.

C. Data Integration & Analysis – Student Success and Persistence Factors

1. The system shall ingest and analyze:

a. Academic performance trends related to UNCW student population - including but not limited to - pre-admission data, course withdraws, transfer credit, intended major, high school GPA, term GPA, CGPA, academic history, course load, credit accumulation, residency, early college, gateway courses, DFWI, academic standing, registration status, and UNI)

b. Roster verification, attendance, missing/late assignments, in danger of failing, low quiz/test scores, and LMS patterns

c. Course modality and progression alignment with degree pathways

d. Prerequisite completion and academic momentum metrics

e. Campus Resource Referrals (i.e. University Learning Center)

f. Pre-admission data (e.g. High school transcripts, application data and submission dates, etc.)

g. Stop‑out and drop‑out risk indicators

h. Financial aid status, unmet need, and billing holds

i. Registration behavior and course withdrawal patterns

j. First‑year transition indicators and gateway course performance

k. Easily identifiable student account holds that may affect progression (registration, graduation).

D. University’s Definition of Student Success: Four Dimensions

1. Academic Advancement Metrics – The system shall track:

a. Degree audit progression and on‑time completion likelihood

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b. Milestone achievements (e.g., credit thresholds, major declaration, timely degree progress)

c. Advising interactions

d. Academic planning adherence

e. Utilization of learning and advising resources

f. Setting short and long-term educational goals

g. Major and minor modifications

h. Academic standing

i. Engagement in all academic courses

2. Career Exploration & Engagement – The platform shall integrate:

a. Career services interactions and appointment history

b. Internship and experiential learning participation

c. Career assessment results and pathway exploration activity

d. Career Planning Engagement

e. Academic program and career goals alignment

f. Faculty, student success, and professional network access

3. Engagement & Belonging Indicators – The platform shall incorporate:

a. Co‑curricular involvement and student organization participation

b. Orientation and first‑year experience engagement

c. Campus resource utilization (tutoring, advising, wellness services)

d. Communication responsiveness and digital engagement patterns

e. Facilitation of meaningful relationships with peers, faculty and staff

f. Tracking of participation in learning and social activities outside of the classroom

g. Tracking of participation in high impact practices (HIPs) including research, study abroad, internships, community service and learning communities

h. Alumni engagement

4. Holistic Wellbeing Metrics – The system shall support:

a. Robust, customizable, self‑reported wellbeing surveys with branching logic

b. Behavioral indicators of stress, isolation, or disengagement

c. Referrals to counseling, basic needs support, and wellness programs

d. Integration with early alert systems and care team workflows

e. Identifying and triaging basic needs and financial stability, including housing, food security, and financial health

f. Managing one’s appointments to access campus resources for wellbeing support

E. Intervention & Communication Capabilities

1. Early Alerts & Case Management – The platform shall:

a. Provide faculty and staff with streamlined early alert submission tools

b. Route alerts to appropriate support teams based on risk type and urgency

c. Track case notes, follow‑ups, and resolution outcomes

d. Customizable case-load queries

e. AI-enhanced emotionally attuned messaging that is customizable

2. Automated & Targeted Communication Campaigns – The system shall:

a. Trigger campaigns based on predictive risk scores, milestones, or behaviors

b. Support multi‑channel outreach (email, SMS, in‑platform messaging)

c. Personalize messaging using student attributes and engagement history

d. Schedule messaging

e. Provide analytics on campaign effectiveness and student response rates

f. Accurately create student lists for communications based on multiple data filters (ex:

registered for upcoming term, no holds, in a certain cohort, etc.)

g. Create, send, and track bi-directional communication campaigns

3. Reporting & Dashboards – The platform shall deliver:

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a. Extractable raw data

b. Generate actionable insights through reporting and analytics

c. Configurable dashboards for advisors, faculty, staff, and administrators to analyze historical and continuous, low-latency, bi-directional data to identify student success factors and at‑risk persistence indicators

d. Cohort‑level insights that examine comprehensive holistic gaps, retention trends, and intervention impact

e. Customizable reports for accreditation, grant reporting, and strategic planning

f. Exportable data for institutional research and continuous improvement

g. Reports and dashboards that show all bi-directional communications between students, faculty, and staff (communication, referrals, appointments, etc.)

F. Implementation & Support

1. Implementation Services – Vendor shall provide

a. Data mapping and integration with ERP, LMS, CRM, and career systems

b. Model calibration using institutional historical data

c. User training for advisors, faculty, staff and student support teams

d. Change management and adoption support

2. Ongoing Support – Vendor shall ensure:

a. Continuous model updates and platform enhancements

b. Dedicated customer success support

c. Regular performance reviews and optimization recommendations

G. Outcomes & Impact

1. The platform will enable the institution to:

a. Improve retention and completion through proactive, data‑informed interventions

b. Address (Strengthen, provide metrics for) the four metrics of the Student Success

Definition (Academic Achievement, Career Exploration, Engagement, and Holistic Wellbeing)

c. Enhance advisor efficiency and coordination across support units

d. Identify retention gaps and deploy targeted strategies to close them

e. Enhance students’ connections with campus resources and engagement with campus life

H. Data Quality Governance Alignment

1. UNCW is working towards adherence to DAMA's Data Quality Framework (DMBOK). Vendors must demonstrate how their platform shall:

a. Define and measure data quality across dimensions, which includes accuracy, completeness, consistency, timeliness, validity, uniqueness, and integrity.

b. Identify and report data anomalies, missing data, and structural inconsistencies.

c. Provide transparency into how data quality impacts predictive modeling outputs.

d. Support institutional governance structures responsible for data stewardship and data.

I. Cloud Based Solution

1. If the proposed solution is cloud‑based, several critical considerations must be addressed to ensure the security, integrity, and long‑term stewardship of UNCW’s institutional data. Vendors must demonstrate clear policies, safeguards, and operational practices that align with the university’s compliance requirements, risk‑management standards, and expectations for responsible data governance.

2. Any cloud‑based platform must include a formal declaration affirming UNCW’s full ownership of all institutional data and any derived intellectual property. Vendors must provide comprehensive privacy policies outlining how customer data is protected, as well as detailed statements describing their data‑security practices, controls, and commitments. All UNCW data must remain within the jurisdiction of the United States, and access to that data must be strictly limited to personnel with a legitimate business need.

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3. The proposed solution must also include clear documentation of data‑backup and restoration capabilities, including the conditions under which a restore may be requested. Vendors must affirm that they maintain current disaster‑recovery and business‑continuity plans to ensure operational resilience. Compliance with FERPA is mandatory, and vendors must provide policies and procedures for responding to data breaches or any unauthorized access, including defined notification timelines, communication protocols, and vendor responsibilities.

4. To safeguard data in transit, vendors must confirm that all UNCW data will be encrypted when transferred over public networks or physical media and must specify the encryption methods used. Additionally, vendors must outline the terms and processes for returning all institutional data to UNCW at the conclusion of the partnership, along with certified data destruction procedures.

5. Finally, vendors must describe their data‑escrow provisions, ensuring that UNCW can retrieve its data in the event of a prolonged dispute or if the provider ceases operations. These requirements collectively ensure that any cloud‑based solution meets the university’s expectations for security, compliance, continuity, and responsible data stewardship.

J. Sample of required campus-wide student success & retention platform needs

1. Automated Alerts & Campaigns: Timely notifications for milestones, deadlines, and personalized reminders help students stay on track.

2. Personalized Support: Students see a clear timeline of tasks, appointments, deadlines, and holds helping them navigate campus resources efficiently in a clear, prioritized sequence.

3. Targeted Interventions: Advanced predictive models identify students most likely to struggle, allowing earlier intervention than early alerts alone, improving the effectiveness of retention initiatives.

4. Actionable Insights: Leadership, support staff, and advisors can prioritize outreach based on risk scores and patterns of student behavior.

5. Comprehensive Reporting: Campus leaders gain a holistic view of engagement, retention, and intervention outcomes, and trends in student success across cohorts.

6. Complete Student Profiles: Provides a campus-wide holistic view of a student’s academic, social, and support needs—more robust than current progress report approach.

7. Actionable Insights: Dashboards provide real-time data to track engagement and retention outcomes.

8. “Study Buddies” / Peer Connections: Features that let students connect with peers in same classes or cohort, building community which supports retention through belonging.

9. Risk Criteria Cohorts: Student Success & Retention can create cohorts based on risk criteria (GPA, credits earned, major, enrollment status) to outreach proactively to those who may drop out.

10. Faculty Checkpoints: Faculty can submit progress at checkpoints (e.g., after first four weeks) to identify struggling students early and trigger intentional and proactive outreach.

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5.2 QUESTIONS TO VENDORS

Vendor shall respond to each of the following questions. Vendors should keep responses straightforward and not include generic marketing materials. Responses are part of the evaluation.

Technical Capabilities (65%)

Section 1: Analytics, Predictive Modeling, and Data Integration Requirements

The primary objective of this initiative is to equip UNCW with tools that enable more efficient use of data and support the timely identification and deployment of resources that enhance student support, retention, and persistence. The following questions and information requests will help the university determine which proposals best align with this goal.

1. Explain the prediction model used to identify students at risk of not being retained. What variables, criteria, indicators, and methodologies are typically included, and to what extent can the model and risk scores view access be customized to address who has access, meet institution-specific needs or challenges such as allowing a student’s risk profile to adjust dynamically as specific risks are mitigated or resolved?

2. Describe how the system identifies and diagnoses programmatic, structural, or procedural barriers that may impede student achievement. How does the system analyze the data to generate alerts that prompt immediate interventions.

3. Provide an overview of the system’s reporting capabilities and flexibility in adapting data points, including standard reports and visual representations of data points, and the extent to which users can develop customized reports tailored to institutional needs to support decision-making models and reporting.

4. Explain how the system identifies emerging or previously unrecognized risk factors by detecting patterns in student data outside the existing analytic framework.

5. Are components (like predictive model calculations) run in batch overnight even if data is ingested in real-time? Provide the feature improvements/ product upgrades /patching cycle and processes.

6. Can your platform consume…