79415Att F - Technical Proposal revised.docx

RFP 25-79415

TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

ATTACHMENT F

Instructions: Please supply all requested information in the areas shaded yellow and indicate any attachments that have been included to support your responses.

*Please note: Throughout this document, the term “customer” will refer to INDNR customers, visitors, and constituents; the term “State” will refer to INDNR staff and/or INDNR as a State of Indiana agency.

2.4.1 General Requirements and Definitions

2.4.1.1 List any additional terms and definitions used by your company or industry that you would like the State to consider incorporating in the contract. The State will not accept terms and definitions introduced after award during contract finalization and implementation.

2.4.1.2 Confirm you have carefully reviewed all requirements listed in RFP Section 1.4 and in Attachment F1, Scope of Work. Should your company have any exceptions, substitutions, or conditions for the State’s consideration, please list them below. The State will not accept exceptions, substitutions, or conditions introduced after award, or during contract finalization and implementation.

2.4.1.3 Confirm your company’s ability to provide this solution, including all of the required system components (e.g. Central Reservation System; Point-of-Sale; Inventory Management; Gift Card Program; Event Management; Venue/Ticketing Management; Time-Managed Recreation Item Rentals; Customer Self-Service; and Reward or Loyalty (VIP) Program). If there are any components your proposed solution cannot provide, then please explain.

2.4.2 Central Reservations System (CRS)

2.4.2.1 Provide a brief overview of your proposed Central Reservations System (CRS) component. Include the reasons why your company is best suited to provide this solution to the State.

2.4.2.2 Describe how the proposed CRS solution handles the seamless processing of facility walk-in registrations, advance reservations, cancellations, and changes/transfers across each of the sales channels.

2.4.2.3 From both the customer and State perspectives, outline how the CRS component integrates and interfaces with the other proposed components requested in this RFP. Include details about the forward-facing user experience, process workflow, transaction history, payments, revenue processing, reporting, etc.

2.4.2.4 Describe in detail how the State’s business rules will be recognized, applied, and followed within your CRS solution. Include details about how rule modifications are requested, implemented, tracked, and archived within the solution. Include any limitations your CRS solution may have with meeting the existing business rule requirements required by the State, specifically indicating which rules cannot currently be met as outlined in Attachment F2, INDNR CRS Business Rules for 2024-2026.

2.4.2.5 Confirm your understanding and acceptance of the requirement to maintain a single, dedicated web address (Camp.IN.Gov) for the purpose of facilitating and managing only INDNR business (e.g. reservations, cancellations, transfers/changes, marketing) throughout the life of the contract.

2.4.2.6 Describe in detail how your CRS solution manages site inventory availability and what steps are in place to prevent a double-booking of the same piece of inventory. Include step-by-step points that indicate when a site is taken out of inventory (or held), to when it becomes reserved and/or returns to inventory if a customer no longer wants it.

2.4.2.7 Explain how your CRS solution will seamlessly handle shutting down one sales channel or another during an extended connectivity outage at an INDNR property, giving the property or INDNR management the choice of either 1) taking only walk-in registrations temporarily and blocking advance online/call-in reservations, or 2) taking only advance reservations and blocking all walk-in registrations temporarily. What efforts would be taken on your behalf to communicate this temporary change to INDNR customers?

2.4.2.8 Describe how your proposed solution would handle prior customer authorization and agreement to pay an established damage deposit and/or any additional cleaning or damage fees as assessed by IDNR staff. Include details about how the proposed solution would handle charging the customer for such fees after the stay has concluded; how fees could be assessed if reservations were for multiple spaces (e.g. cabins, rooms), and/or were for an entire facility (e.g. group camp), and/or were associated with damaged rental equipment or billable add-ons, and/or were associated (or not) with a specific, registered event.

2.4.2.9 Confirm that your proposed CRS solution will require a unique primary occupant name and phone number for each reservation when multiple reservations are made by the same person for the same park, overlapping the same date span. What feature or element is used by your solution to prevent a customer from completing the booking process with multiple sites under the same name and phone number?

2.4.2.10 Does your proposed CRS solution allow multiple payment types for one transaction (split payment), and if so, what is the maximum number allowed? Does it also allow multiple same-type payments, such as two Visa cards, or two Gift Cards or more to make payment?

2.4.2.11 List and describe one or two unique features of your proposed CRS solution that makes your product stand out from other Contractor solutions. What does your proposed CRS solution have that cannot be found in any other solutions on the marketplace?

2.4.2.12 Does your proposed solution have any type of pre-arrival check-in process for verifying a customer’s upcoming reservation information. If so, walk through the steps of this process from a customer’s vantage point, and also describe the information and/or confirmation piece that is seen by INDNR staff on the field channel side. Provide an associated report if one is available, as an example.

2.4.2.13 Explain the capability your proposed CRS solution has to allow role-related access level control to let some INDNR staff add a note or flag a customer with pre-defined issues or concerns that management-level staff need to be aware of. Some examples may include property ejection, payment declined, caused damaged/excessive cleaning, etc. Also describe whether your system has the capability of capturing open-ended notes and documentation, not necessarily pre-defined, on a customer profile or reservation, allowing INDNR staff to see it, but not the customer his/herself.

2.4.2.14 Confirm that the CRS component of your proposed solution will be implemented in all sales channels in Phase 1 per the RFP requirements.

2.4.3 Point-of-Sale and Inventory Management (POS/IM)

2.4.3.1 Provide a brief overview of your proposed Point-of-Sale and Inventory Management (POS/IM) component(s). Include the reasons why your company is best suited to provide this solution to the State.

2.4.3.2 Describe how your proposed POS/IM solution handles the seamless processing of sale, return, and exchange transactions, and the tracking of product inventory for all sales channels. Types of products can include, but are not limited to, a variety of entrance passes, use permits, and other fees, apparel, household goods, prepared food and beverages, groceries, vending, toys, gifts, hand-made crafts, donations, etc. Provide any supporting sample reports that might best showcase the data available.

2.4.3.3 Are your proposed POS and IM solution(s) fully integrated together, or are they considered two different pieces, where POS can be offered without the IM component? Explain your response in detail if they are two separate pieces apart from each other.

2.4.3.4 Explain your company’s ability and proposed approach to providing POS/IM across all INDNR locations, such as offices, gatehouses, camp stores, gift shops, concessions, and other revenue collection locations within INDNR properties.

2.4.3.5 Explain how the POS/IM component integrates and interfaces with the other proposed components requested in this RFP. Include details about the forward-facing user experience, process workflow, transaction history, payments, revenue processing, reporting, etc. Specifically, is it possible to reserve a campsite, buy an annual pass or daily entry into the park, plus rent a kayak in advance of my stay, all within the same workflow, on all sales channels?

2.4.3.6 The State is interested in the implementation of advanced sale of timed daily entrance fees/passes at some highly visited state parks, requiring guests to arrive at designated times or blocks of time on designated days. Explain whether your proposed solution considers this particular feature as a part of the Venue Management/Ticketing component of your solution, or a part of the POS/IM component. Depending on which component it falls under, explain in detail under that section the forward-facing user experience, process workflow, transaction history, payments, revenue processing, reporting, etc.

2.4.3.7 Provide an overview description of your proposed POS solution’s processing of a customer sales transaction in person / in the field. Also, provide an overview description of your proposed POS solution’s processing of a customer sales transaction as it may occur (i.e. sale of a daily entry fee) along with the flow of making a camping reservation online (CRS solution.)

2.4.3.8 Describe in detail your IM solution’s capabilities for tracking both an initial and ongoing stocking of product inventory across each sales channel. Include any functionality that encompasses the ability to track the cost of inventory, including any reports that help show the profitability of a particular type of inventory.

2.4.3.9 Describe in detail your POS/IM solution’s methods in place to assist with minimizing product and barcode duplication during the creation of inventory. Include the ways in which a product can be searched by, and what options are available to assist INDNR staff with inventory clean up and control.

2.4.3.10 Explain your proposed IM solution’s ability to handle inventory and sales, considering: 1) when products being offered for sale are consistent across all INDNR locations, 2) when product offerings vary by INDNR location, and/or 3) when products vary by the individual sales points within the same INDNR location (i.e. office, camp store, boat rental, etc.

2.4.3.11 Does your proposed POS/IM solution allow multiple payment types for one transaction (split payment), and if so, what is the maximum number allowed? Does it also allow multiple same-type payments, such as two Visa cards, or two Gift Cards or more to make payment?

2.4.2.12 List and describe one or two unique features of your proposed POS/IM solution that makes your product stand out from other Contractor solutions. What does your proposed POS/IM solution have that cannot be found in any other solutions on the marketplace?

2.4.3.13 Confirm that the POS/IM component of your proposed solution will be implemented in all sales channels in Phase 1 per the RFP requirements.

2.4.4 Gift Card Program

2.4.4.1 Provide a brief overview of your proposed solution’s Gift Card program, including its integration across all of the components mentioned in the scope of this RFP.

2.4.4.2 Describe how customers and/or the State would request the issuance of a Gift Card within your proposed solution. Include any details related to when issuance is for an individual Gift Card or is a “bulk” order of several Gift Cards, and to how a Gift Card request may differ across all available sales channels and payment types.

2.4.4.3 How does your proposed solution handle and record the original transaction and the revenue collected from the initial sale of a Gift Card?

2.4.4.4 Does your proposed solution allow for funds to be added or re-loaded onto a Gift Card that has previously been loaded, and either partially used or fully depleted? If so, how does your proposed solution handle and record the transaction and the revenue collected from the re-load of a Gift Card, if different than the initial sale of a Gift Card?

2.4.4.5 How does your proposed solution handle and record the purchase transaction related to the customer’s redemption of a Gift Card?

2.4.4.6 Explain the capability of your proposed Gift Card solution to be utilized as a way for the State to refund or issue credits to a customer, including how such requests are initiated, and how their issuance may affect the redemption, daily balancing, and/or revenue reconciliation processes.

2.4.4.7 If a customer has paid for a reservation or goods using a Gift Card and is later due a refund, but no longer has the card in his/her possession, explain the process your Gift Card solution uses to transfer or distribute that refund that was tied to one “original” Gift Card number to a new Gift Card number instead. Include details about the process workflow, transaction history, payments, revenue processing, reporting, etc. to follow the flow of those funds.

2.4.4.8 Describe your proposed solution’s Gift Card fulfillment process, including any administrative processes, workflows, or fees associated with providing a hard-card option to online, over-the-phone, and in-person customers.

2.4.4.9 What, if anything, changes about the Gift Card program, or its processes, if all sales under this proposed solution are conducted through a State-contracted third-party payment processor?

2.4.4.10 Confirm that the Gift Card component of your proposed solution will be ready for customers simultaneously with the rollout of the CRS and POS/IM components across all sales channels at the beginning of the Phase 1 implementation of this RFP.

2.4.4.11 Does your proposed Gift Card solution offer the ability to sell, redeem and check the balance of Gift Cards through all three sales channels?

2.4.4.12 Confirm that your proposed solution offers both a hard credit-card like Gift Card but also offers an electronic Gift Card option that can be emailed to customers if they choose, for no additional cost to the State or consumers.

2.4.4.13 Describe the process or reporting functionality your proposed Gift Card solution includes for expiring cards after a designated period of time (i.e. five years after date of purchase or last reload) on a rolling monthly or quarterly basis. This process should include identifying the remaining dollar amount that is being expired, and a method for giving a message that the card is expired when a user attempts to check the balance on the card.

2.4.3.14 Confirm that the Gift Card component of your proposed solution will be implemented in all sales channels in Phase 1 per the RFP requirements.

2.4.5 Event Management

2.4.5.1 Provide a brief overview of your proposed solution’s Event Management program, including its integration across all of the components mentioned in the scope of this RFP.

2.4.5.2 Explain the use of a unique group number or event identifier within your proposed solution to track, organize, and archive all relevant reservations, point-of-sale transactions, rentals of recreation items, special event use permits, and other documents for a specific event or group. Include details about the user experience for both the customer and the State, the process workflow, transaction history, payments, revenue processing, reporting, etc. and how it all ties together?

2.4.5.3 Describe your proposed Event Management solution’s ability to collect responses related to an event’s impact on the State’s financial and operational resources, and to evaluate and analyze those responses in support of approving or denying the issuance of a Special Event Permit for the requesting group. Include whether functionality and access can be assigned by user roles within the solution, and how the denial of a permit is flagged to prevent a group from requesting the same event/permit at another location.

2.4.5.4 Aside from the unique event number, what other data (e.g. reservation number, last name, etc.) available within the proposed solution can customers and the State use to search for an event and to view its status, details, and history? Describe how such searches are performed within the proposed solution.

2.4.5.5 Describe the options available within your proposed solution to create and implement waitlists for popular events, to reserve spots in advance of an event without requiring each individual registration, to cancel, raincheck, or postpone an event if requested by a customer, and to follow-up with participants and attendees after the event.

2.4.5.6 What communication, notification, and marketing options (e.g. email, text, shares on social media) are available within the proposed solution for customers and the State to promote an event, share details about the event with potential attendees, and provide feedback to the State after the event?

2.4.5.7 What ability does your proposed Event Management solution have to perform delayed invoicing or run a tab of charges for the group throughout their stay, with payment being applied at the end of their stay through an accepted method of payment, or by generating an invoice that must be paid within a specified period of time per the rules determined by INDNR. Describe this process(es).

2.4.5.8 Explain the capability your proposed Event Management solution has to allow role-related access level control to let some INDNR staff add a note or flag a customer with pre-defined issues or concerns that management-level staff need to be aware of. Some examples may include property ejection, payment decline, caused damaged/excessive cleaning, etc. Also describe whether your system has the capability of capturing open-ended notes and documentation, not necessarily pre-defined, on a customer profile or reservation, allowing INDNR staff to see it, but not the customer his/herself. An example of a note for an event or group might be something that would allow another person to decide whether the event should be held at a different property or in a subsequent year.

2.4.5.9 Confirm that the Event Management component of your proposed solution will be implemented in all sales channels in Phase 2 per the RFP requirements.

2.4.6 Venue and/or Ticketing Management

2.4.6.1 Provide an overview of your proposed Venue and/or Ticketing Management solution, including its integration across all of the components mentioned in the scope of this RFP.

2.4.6.2 Describe the functionality of your proposed solution as to how it meets the State’s requirement to have the ability to offer individual and group ticket sales for venues, tours, programs, video showings, concerts, etc. across all available sales channels.

2.4.6.3 How does your proposed Venue and/or Ticketing Management solution have the ability to make different venues / rooms / entire facilities available for rental, specifying the capacity and time frame the areas can be rented?

2.4.6.4 Outline how the proposed solution allows school groups or other defined groups to choose programs from a list of available topics or programs that could be included in their price range, which then gives them the ability for them to purchase those tickets in advance of their visit.

2.4.6.5 Describe how your proposed solution can provide event, ticket, and tour registrations for programs with predetermined quantities or participant capacities, and how such limitations are presented to a customer before and after those maximums have been met.

2.4.6.6 Explain how your proposed solution can charge variable pricing to customers for ticketing, tours, and associated time-managed recreation item rentals. Include capabilities and IDNR staff workflow requirements for discounting or waiving fees for specific special groups or partners, or for increasing the standard pricing due to additional demand or capacity. An outline of all pricing options and whether they require prior IDNR staff engagement or active approval is helpful.

2.4.6.7 Outline how the proposed Venue and/or Ticketing Management solution can handle add-ons related to central reservations (e.g. rooms, facility rentals). Add-ons would include routine items such as additional tables, chairs, linens, etc., but may also include location-specific concerns such as daily entrance or parking fees, adding a program to an event, etc.

2.4.6.8 The Falls of the Ohio State Park charges a daily parking fee instead of a daily entrance fee like other state parks. Would this be considered an “add on”, or how would this be handled in the proposed Venue and/or Ticketing Management solution? (This question is also addressed under the Customer Self-Service component too.)

2.4.6.9 The State is interested in the implementation of advanced sale of timed daily entrance fees/passes at some highly visited state parks, requiring guests to arrive at designated times or blocks of time on designated days. Explain whether your proposed solution considers this particular feature as a part of the Venue Management/Ticketing component of your solution, or a part of the POS/IM component. Depending on which component it falls under, explain in detail under that section the forward-facing user experience, process workflow, transaction history, payments, revenue processing, reporting, etc.

2.4.6.10 Explain the capability your proposed Venue and/or Ticket Management solution has to allow role-related access level control to let some INDNR staff add a note or flag a customer with pre-defined issues or concerns that management-level staff need to be aware of. Some examples may include property ejection, payment decline, caused damaged/excessive cleaning, etc. Also describe whether your system has the capability of capturing open-ended notes and documentation, not necessarily pre-defined, on a customer profile, reservation, or group ticket sales, allowing INDNR staff to see it, but not the customer his/herself. An example of a note for an event or group ticket sales might be something that would allow another person to decide whether the group should be allowed to rent a venue again and/or purchase group sales of tickets at a particular property in the future.

2.4.6.11 Confirm that the Venue/Ticketing Management component of your proposed solution will be implemented in all sales channels in Phase 2 per the RFP requirements.

2.4.7 Time-Managed Recreation Item Rentals

2.4.7.1 Provide a brief overview of your proposed Time-Managed Recreation Item Rental solution, including its integration across all of the components mentioned in the scope of this RFP.

2.4.7.2 Describe how your proposed solution for recreation item rentals such as boat, bicycle, or other recreation equipment items be integrated into the workflow of a reservation or other transactions, and how it can be done as a stand-alone transaction, in all sales channels.

2.4.7.3 Explain how your proposed solution allows INDNR staff to make real-time adjustments to recreation item rentals and/or time slots depending on the operational needs, staffing, equipment maintenance and repairs, such that these changes are visible and accurate in all sales channels immediately.

2.4.7.4 Outline the ability for your solution to house, store, track and inventory any and all necessary agreements, waivers, or other documentation associated with the rental of recreation items, both completed by customers and/or field staff.

2.4.7.5 Explain how your solution will allow for options for staggered timed-rental start and end times across dozens of different recreational items (i.e. boats, skis, toboggans, etc.) and would alert or notify customers and INDNR staff in real-time that their rental period is about to expire, and then that it has expired.

2.4.7.6 Explain how your proposed Time-Managed Recreation Item Rentals solution gives customers the option of extending their rental time if inventory is available, prior to when their time slot expires by offering them a text with a link to pay for additional time, or some other method to prevent them from having to report back to the rental facility before being able to use that additional time.

2.4.7.7 Outline the process for how the proposed solution has the ability to charge a customer a late fee if the rental equipment is not returned on time. Include details about how your proposed solution would handle charging damage fees related to recreation item rentals as assessed by IDNR staff.

2.4.7.8 Confirm that the Time-Managed Recreation Item Rentals component of your proposed solution will be implemented in Phase 2 per the RFP requirements.

2.4.8 Customer Self-Service Options

2.4.8.1 Provide a brief overview of your proposed solution’s Customer Self-Service Options, including its integration across all of the components mentioned in the scope of this RFP.

2.4.8.2 Outline and describe the options available through your solution for customers to use self-entry into a property where a fee must be collected but a staff member is not present to collect the fee. Include the equipment, connectivity, power and other infrastructure that would be needed to implement each option. This may include automatic arms for entry after payment or pass usage, a parking kiosk or box that tracks entry into the park or parking space numbers that are tracked as paid or unpaid (i.e. Falls of the Ohio State Park charges for parking instead of daily vehicle entry.) Does your company utilize iron rangers, kiosks, or other parking and entry devices with existing state contracts currently? If so, what types of equipment are being used and how are they being used. Give some successful examples.

2.4.8.3 Describe the ability of your solution, to provide a digital pass/permit solution that includes reporting and geo-location tracking functionality, including the software and hardware needed to fully integrate the digital pass/permit functionality into existing applications already proposed as a part of the overall Solution to this RFP.

2.4.8.4 List and include all fees and costs associated with each type of self-service option, including but not limited to any one-time equipment purchase and ongoing upgrades, plus regular maintenance. Who would be responsible for fixing or correcting any issues or downtime with the hardware/equipment?

2.4.8.5 Explain whether your proposed solution for self-check-in or self-registration uses a method similar to geofencing or other location-based technology, versus allowing a customer to check-in when they have not yet arrived at the property. If location-based technology is used, could your solution also allow for notifications to be sent to those customers/users within a certain parameter/area to receive urgent messages from INDNR staff if necessary?

2.4.8.6 What texting, instant messaging, or other option(s) are available with your proposed solution that would allow customers to immediately notify management of specific facility concerns or other issues as they arrive or while on-site during their stay, giving INDNR staff the opportunity to deliver service, address the situation and resolve any problems.

2.4.8.7 Confirm that the Customer Self-Service Options component of your proposed solution will be implemented in all sales channels in Phase 3 per the RFP requirements.

2.4.9 Reward or Loyalty (VIP) Program

2.4.9.1 Provide a brief overview of your proposed solution’s Reward or Loyalty (VIP) Program, including its integration across all of the components mentioned in the scope of this RFP.

2.4.9.2 Describe the process, steps, information, and/or personal data required for a customer to initiate, establish, and/or renew their desired participation in the proposed solution’s reward/loyalty program.

2.4.9.3 How does your proposed solution identify and track customer interactions and/or purchases that contribute to their reward/loyalty participation, and how does the State and/or customer access and verify their participation?

2.4.9.4 Explain the available options, levels, points, restrictions, qualifications, rules, customizations, and/or other such parameters related to your proposed solution’s reward/loyalty program, including details about minimum requirements, maximum rewards/payouts, redemption process, etc.

2.4.9.5 What messaging, advertising, or marketing does your proposed solution include or offer, either external or internal to the online solution, related to encouraging customer participation in the reward/loyalty program?

2.4.9.6 Confirm that the proposed Reward or Loyalty (VIP) Program solution can provide both a hard credit-card like component and an electronic component that is linked and tracked by the customer’s 10-digit phone number (not a new member or customer ID to keep track of.) Explain the process of how customers or INDNR staff will access or redeem points automatically, and not through a manual process. Include the methods in which someone can view the balance of rewards using the customer phone number through a website, app and/or self-service kiosk.

2.4.9.7 Does the proposed Reward or Loyalty (VIP) Program solution allow a customer to spend their available rewards at each transaction and/or the option to save their rewards and spend them at a later time? Explain how the customer and/or INDNR staff are notified of the options available to guests.

2.4.9.8 Confirm that the Reward or Loyalty (VIP) Program component of your proposed solution will be implemented in all sales channels in Phase 3 per the RFP requirements.

2.4.10 Administrative Management and Reporting

2.4.10.1 Explain the unique ID convention or format that your proposed solution utilizes for customer profiles, including details about how or when that identifier is created and assigned to customers, how it is integrated across all components of the solution for that customer, and how it becomes tied to a customer’s current and past transactions or events (e.g. reservations, purchases, rentals, special events, tickets/tours, etc.).

2.4.10.2 What functionality exists in your proposed solution to automatically identify and prevent potential duplicate customer profiles? What best practices does your proposed solution implement for decision-making in these instances?

2.4.10.3 Detail the proposed solution’s capabilities for INDNR staff to manually identify, consolidate, merge, separate, suspend, reinstate, edit, or delete customer profiles for all included components. What steps or internal workflows are available or required to initiate and approve these processes?

2.4.10.4 How does your proposed solution handle the separation of previously consolidated or merged customer profiles? Are newly separated customer profiles returned back to their original individual IDs?

2.4.10.5 Describe your proposed solution’s ability to identify and prevent an ejected, suspended, or banned customer from making new reservations, rentals, and purchases, etc. across all components of the solution. How can the State administratively restrict an individual’s ability to volunteer or sign-up for an event when they are prohibited from participating? How are such customers informed that their attempted transaction and/or participation will not be allowed?

2.4.10.6 What automated and manual options are available within and/or initiated through your proposed solution to communicate with customers both the confirmation of an initial transaction, rental, or reservation, and/or any subsequent updates or changes to an existing transaction, rental, or reservation prior to their arrival at the INDNR property? Include details about the available medium (e.g. email, letter, text) and the level(s) of configurability available for INDNR staff for such communications.

2.4.10.7 Describe your proposed solution’s customer notification options for the various State roles and levels of access. Include details about the customization or configurability of manual, automated, scheduled, one-time, recurring, urgent, and emergency messages intended for, or related to, specific individuals, groups, events, venues, or geographic areas of the state. For each available notification option, provide a listing of the available mediums (e.g. in-solution broadcast/announcement, telephone, email, text, etc.); potential levels of message importance; whether notifications require an internal IDNR workflow or approval prior to issuance; and/or what level(s) of Contractor intervention are required to initiate or publish notifications within the proposed solution.

2.4.10.8 Describe how your proposed solution allows eligible administrators to create new and modify or delete existing CRS inventory, POS retail products, time-managed recreational rental items, venues for ticket management, special events, and other items from all components outlined in this RFP. Include information about the ability of the proposed solution to customize reservations, rentals, or registrations, and apply or modify the relevant fees, taxes, limitations, restrictions, season dates, time slots, and other specific details about the item.

2.4.10.9 What marketing options are available as part of the proposed solution that would allow the State to widely share special events, including logistical details and registration links, on social media? Does your solution allow a customer the option to share the news of their reservation or transaction across social media, while excluding any personal information, including the dates of their stay, from their post?

2.4.10.10 Outline how your proposed solution will apply the relevant business rules, as specified in Attachment F2, INDNR CRS Business Rules for 2024-2026, to the specific INDNR facilities or inventory types. Include any limitations to the initial implementation of these business rules, or on the future potential modification of these business rules.

2.4.10.11 Describe how your proposed solution safely captures restrictive personal or confidential information (e.g. customer’s Date of Birth to verify age requirements) and other potentially sensitive information (e.g. non-profit organization’s tax-exempt status) as may be required to reserve, rent, or purchase specific inventory or items.

2.4.10.12 Confirm that your proposed solution can administer lottery applications (such as for limited participation or special marketing events); execute the draw of successful lottery applicants; and then notify both the successful and unsuccessful lottery applicants of the status of their application after the draw, including that said lottery is based a random-generation tool to prevent preferential treatment.

2.4.10.13 What options are available in your proposed solution regarding the application of discounts, promotions, sales, and other reduced-pricing structures, whether on a limited basis (e.g. seasonal), or a one-time occurrence (e.g. clearance sale), or an ongoing allowance (e.g. military/veteran)? How would each of these options be applied within all of the relevant components in this RFP? How would the proposed solution handle the continued application of a reduced price or special discount despite potential modifications made after the initial transaction or reservation by the customer or INDNR staff?

2.4.10.14 Explain and provide a real-life example, including relevant reporting, of how your POS/IM solution handles the creation of one overall product sale (e.g. bundles, combo packs) from multiple individual items; how the solution allows for the various reduced-pricing options to be applied to the new combined product; and how the tracking of the individual inventory, the combined product sale, and the resulting revenue would be tracked appropriately.

2.4.10.15 What are the available customer, State, and Contractor user and administrative roles, and what are the available levels of authority, access, approval, and security within the proposed solution? How are roles and levels identified and assigned by the State? How is access established, documented, and tested for each role prior to and during implementation of the proposed solution? Include details regarding activating, modifying, suspending, disabling, or deleting access to the system, as well as password resets, role-based security options, and any relevant limitations. Provide additional detailed explanation if the process is treated differently within any individual, specific component.

2.4.10.16 In what ways does the proposed solution allow the State to configure or customize the application and any associated workflows for all of the included components? Include details about where in the application the configuration, customization, and workflows are available, and at what level such actions require intervention by your company or can be performed through the solution’s administrative module. Describe the proposed solution’s ability to create audit trails of all such system activity, users, and modifications for all included components.

2.4.10.17 Describe the proposed solution’s ability to allow the State to search, display, and produce report concerning real-time data from the application and all of the included components. Include a listing of available canned reports, customizable reports, and on-demand ad hoc report creation; all report formats; and any options for the automated generation of results from reports, as well as how the proposed solution can provide interactive reporting in an agency or administrative dashboard. Describe the technology or platforms used and any additional software required.

2.4.10.18 Describe how your proposed solution tracks, stores, and reports the solution’s historical data (e.g. transaction, financial, administrative, etc.) for up to three years after expiration of the Contract for all included components. How are modifications tracked, recorded for the establishment of an audit trail, and reported to the State?

2.4.11 Technical Requirements

2.4.11.1 Can the proposed solution integrate with the State’s local Access Indiana or Azure AD for single sign on? If the answer is No, then provide an explanation.

2.4.11.2 Can the proposed solution’s online customer website and on-site field applications be accessed by a variety of computers, tablets, and smartphones, and via multiple common internet browsers and versions, and/or via a free App? Provide details of minimum and recommended client hardware and software (including operating systems, plug-ins, libraries, etc.) required to access and use the application. Describe any limitations, restrictions, or exclusions that might affect the proposed solution’s availability or accessibility.

2.4.11.3 Please confirm your company’s willingness and agreement to develop or perform any integration code necessary to allow the proposed solution to interface with one of the two State-approved third-party payment processors, as well as any other State-owned/operated or third-party software or systems that may be needed for revenue reconciliation and accounting. Additionally, confirm that the solution meets the latest version of the Payment Card Industry Security Standards. If unable to confirm your company’s willingness and agreement, then explain.

2.4.11.4 Describe how your company handles any unplanned technical interruptions to the proposed solution’s online or agent retailer services, as well as how and how quickly such events are announced to potential users and/or escalated to the State. What is the expected or average amount of time per calendar month that the solution may be unavailable to users? What type of reporting is available to the State to monitor the frequency or length of interruption events?

2.4.11.5 What Gift Card acceptance capabilities are included with your proposed solution? How would acceptance change if required to use a State-contracted third-party payment processor?

2.4.11.6 What is the average response time to access any functionality within the proposed solution? Additionally, what would be the longest response time expected with this proposed solution?

2.4.11.7 Describe the proposed solution’s technical capabilities to send ad hoc, scheduled, or routine broadcast messaging or other communication to specified users or groups based on certain criteria, event-specific needs, or agency marketing campaigns; include all options related to message content, length, notifications, archives, modification, etc.

2.4.11.8 Explain your company’s testing strategy prior to go-live implementation, including but not limited to the testing of the solution’s functionality, performance levels, volume capacity, vulnerabilities, user requirements, operability, accessibility, data migration success and correctness, navigation, and reporting.

2.4.11.9 Describe your company’s change control philosophy, process, policies, and definitions, including what information or configurations the State can modify directly, and the role-based security required to make direct modifications to various configurations on which this option is available.

2.4.11.10 Does the proposed solution utilize any form of artificial intelligence (AI), as defined by IC 4-12.1-5-1 (https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/4#4-13.1-5-1)? If so, please address the following:

· How is AI utilized within the solution?

· Can the AI functionality be disabled without impacting the overall functionality or performance of the proposed solution?

· Can the State enable/disable the AI functionality, or is that controlled by the solution/implementation provider?

· If disabling AI does result in limitations, please specify what those limitations are.

· Is there a plan to introduce AI into the solution in the next four (4) years if AI is not already utilized OR is there a plan to expand AI in the solution if AI is already utilized?

If AI is not currently used in the proposed solution AND there are no plans currently to add AI to the proposed solution, respond with confirmation of understanding in the response area below.

2.4.11.11 Do your developers use artificial intelligence (AI), as defined by IC 4-12.1-5-1 (https://iga.in.gov/laws/2024/ic/titles/4#4-13.1-5-1) to augment their work? If so, please address the following:

· Describe the degree to which your developers use AI to augment their work.

· Describe the extent to which AI tools for development work are proposed for use in this project.

· Can the AI functionality be disabled without impacting the development of the proposed solution?

· If disabling AI does impact the development of the proposed solution, please specify what those impacts are.

· Is there a plan to introduce AI as part of the development of the proposed solution in the next four (4) years if AI is not already utilized in development OR is there a plan to expand AI as part of the development if AI is already utilized?

If AI is not currently used by developers and there are no plans currently to leverage AI as part of development during the project or in Maintenance & Operations, respond with confirmation of understanding in the response area below.

2.4.12 System Security

2.4.12.1 Provide all applicable security and privacy policies your organization maintains. If policies cannot be provided, please explain.

2.4.12.2 Review the State’s Information Security Framework and either confirm that your company conforms to the policy or provide explanation to the areas for which your company does not conform.

2.4.12.3 What application and infrastructure intrusion detection and prevention programs are in place? What mechanisms do you have to provide real-time alerts for intrusion detection and to protect against service attacks?

2.4.12.4 Has anyone ever compromised the integrity of your network? If so, what happened and what was your response and resolution?

2.4.12.5 The State strongly prefers a cloud-based service offering within a state-owned cloud tenant. However alternative solutions may be considered if they demonstrate significant value. Please see the Infrastructure Overview Attachment of the RFP for detailed requirements information.

Cloud-Based Service Offering:

Any cloud-based solution recommended by vendors should use a State of Indiana-owned cloud tenant. The State of Indiana will establish an appropriate cloud tenant for the solution as part of the design activities early in the project. The vendor is expected to install, update, and manage the application and other unique aspects of the solution during the project to meet State of Indiana requirements and as part of Day 2 support / Maintenance and Operations. The State of Indiana requires the receipt of the 1) financial consumption charges as part of the usage within the State of Indiana owned cloud tenant and 2) visibility into the security results throughout the life of the solution on the State of Indiana owned cloud tenant.

If your company is recommending an exception to using a State of Indiana owned cloud tenant as described in the Infrastructure Overview Attachment of the RFP, provide a clear justification for why hosting within a state-owned cloud tenant is not feasible and describe your company's status and readiness for compliance with NIST 800-53, Revision 5 (or the current version at the time of proposed solution go-live).

Outline, in detail, your company's overall cloud-based service strategy, specifying:

· the hosting location

· your company’s agreement with the financial consumption and security visibility expectations if your company is recommending a solution hosted in a State of Indiana owned cloud tenant

· your company’s NIST 800-53, Revision 5 readiness if recommending a solution that is not hosted in a State of Indiana owned cloud tenant.

Identify any assumptions made in your company’s response and provide a detailed explanation for each assumption to ensure a clear and mutual understanding of the proposed solution.

If proposing a on-premises service offering, respond with “N/A” in the response area below.

[Cloud-Based Service Offering Response Area]

On-Premises Service Offering:

If proposing an on-premises service offering, please describe your approach to delivering on-premises-based services for the two scenarios outlined in the Infrastructure Overview Attachment of the RFP. Include details on how your solution will address the scope of services, service levels, and costs as defined in the “Hosting” section of the IOT-Services-Catalog.pdf. Additionally, provide examples of similar projects your company has successfully implemented to demonstrate your capability.

Identify any assumptions made in your company’s response and provide a detailed explanation for each assumption to ensure a clear and mutual understanding of the proposed solution.

If proposing a cloud-based service offering, respond with “N/A” in the response area below.

[On-Premises Service Offering Response Area]

The State prefers a cloud-based service offering however it is willing to consider additional options that bring demonstrated value to the State. If the Contractor proposes a cloud-hosted solution, the State expects the Contractor to use a State-owned Microsoft Azure or Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud tenant, unless the Contractor can provide compelling reasons and justification as to why hosting in a State-owned cloud tenant is not feasible. The State will consider those reasons and justification, but it is not required to agree with the Contractor’s cloud hosting option. However, if the State agrees with the Contractor’s cloud hosting solution that does not use a State-owned cloud tenant, the Contractor is required to:

demonstrate independently verified compliance with NIST 800-53, Revision 5 or the current version OR demonstrate a plan that uses independent verification of your path toward compliance with NIST 800-53, Revision 5 or the current version at the time of solution go-live.

Outline, in detail, your overall cloud-based service strategy that includes the hosting location (State-owned cloud tenant or another location) as indicated above. If recommending hosting the solution outside of a State-owned cloud tenant, supplement with details about your status of NIST 800-53, Revision 5 readiness as indicated above.

2.4.12.6 Does your company agree to the State’s prohibition against using for your benefit, or providing to a third party for their benefit, the contents of any cookies or other data collected via the proposed solution? Provide details regarding any exceptions or limitations.

2.4.12.7 What are your processes for ensuring the privacy and security of data stored in, and transmitted to or from, your system? Describe your data encryption. How will you provide encryption services for data at rest and in transit? Is sensitive data cryptographically hashed?

2.4.12.8 What is your protocol for handling a data breach? What safeguards are in place to protect the data from breaches? If such did occur, then what are your company’s standard responses to a breach, and how would the State be notified of a breach?

2.4.12.9 What are your plans to mitigate technology risks, whether from failures or external threats?

2.4.12.10 What are your current practices regarding auditing and reporting on the effectiveness of your controls for security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy? Provide any relevant information related to audits describing the effectiveness of your non-financial controls.

2.4.12.11 Describe the backup and recovery processes used to protect mission-critical data. Provide your company’s formal Disaster Recovery/Business Continuity Plan. In your answer, please address the following:

· What types of redundancy are in place (entire data center, application code, database, etc.)? Is redundancy with a remote location? Provide details.

· Describe the high-level disaster recovery activities to be used to restore the application and the associated timeline and ownership of those activities.

· What, if any, impact will the State experience as a result of utilizing the application at the disaster recovery site until the primary site can be restored?

· What is the maximum application downtime the State can expect once a disaster recovery is initiated?

· How often is a disaster recovery exercise performed for testing purposes and how will the State participate?

· When was…