8-01. 696-TL-26-O020.pdf

Texas Department of Criminal Justice Response Cover Page

This form requests basic information about the Respondent and project and must be completed in its entirety, including the signature of the Authorized Representative.

SOLICITATION INFORMATION

Document Type: 2 Statutory Cite: Texas Government Code Section 2157.068

1) Solicitation Number: 696-TL-26-O020

2) Issue Date: 3) Deadline: August 6, 2026 July 7, 2026 3:00 p.m. CT

4) Contract Specialists: Trine Rodriguez (936)437-3819 Trine.Rodriguez@tdcj.texas.gov (reference Section G.2.2) Naomi Cruz Anaya (936)437-3389 Naomi.Cruzanay@tdcj.texas.gov

5) Type of Solicitation: RFO-Request for Offers

6) Solicitation Description:

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice requires a Contractor to provide and support a cloud-based Learning Management System (LMS) to serve as the agency’s primary platform for training delivery and training data management. Services will include personnel, software, training, licensing, implementation, storage, materials, and supplies.

RESPONSE SUBMISSION

7) Submission Portal: https://tdcj.bonfirehub.com

Reference Section L for complete submission instructions. LATE RESPONSES WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

RESPONDENT INFORMATION

8) Legal Business Name:

9) Mailing Address Information (include street, city, county, state and 9-digit zip code):

10) Payee Name and Mailing Address, including 9-digit zip code (if different from above) (remittance address if not electing Direct Deposit):

11) Federal Tax ID No. (9-digit), State of Texas Comptroller Vendor ID Number (14-digit) or Social Security Number (9-digit):

12) Type of Entity (check all that apply):

Corporation (incorporated under the laws of the State of _____________)

Partnership Individual Non-Profit Organization* Joint Venture

*If incorporated, provide 10-digit charter number assigned by Secretary of State:

If a Foreign Entity:

Individual Partnership Joint Venture

Non--Profit Organization Corporation (registered for business in _________________ (country)

13) Prompt Payment Discount: _____ % _____Days or Net 30 (reference Section G.3 for additional information)

14) Amendments: Signed and submitted by the Respondent via Bonfire prior to the deadline.

RESPONDENT AUTHORITY AND SIGNATURE

15) Point of Contact Name: __________________________________ Title: __________________________________

Email address: ______________________________________________ Telephone #: _________________

16) Authorized Signature: Date:

696-TL-26-O020

SUMMARY OF KEY DATES

In compliance with Texas Government Code 2161.252, it has been determined there is a probability of Subcontracting opportunities available for this Solicitation and the completion of the Subcontracting Plan will be required for this Solicitation.

July 7, 2026 Issue Solicitation

July 14, 2026 10:00 a.m. CT Pre-Proposal Conference

July 17, 2026 12:00 p.m. CT Deadline for Written Questions for Clarification to the Department

July 30, 2026 Expected Date for Amendment to Answer Questions

August 6, 2026 3:00 p.m. CT Deadline for the Department Receipt of Responses.

Late Responses will not be accepted.

Upon Signature of Both Parties

Service Commencement Date

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION A - CONTRACT DEFINITIONS

A.1 GENERAL DEFINITIONS

A.2 SERVICE SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1.1 Services Being Acquired B.1.2 Pricing Instructions

B.2 PRICING SCHEDULE

B.3 ALLOWABLE COSTS

B.4 NON-ALLOWABLE COSTS

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

C.1 BACKGROUND

C.2 COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE RULES, REGULATIONS, POLICIES,

PROCEDURES, AND LAWS

C.3 SCOPE OF WORK

C.3.1 User and Course Management C.3.2 Learning Environment and Features C.3.3 Content and Data Types C.3.4 Reports, Analytics, and Compliance Tracking C.3.5 Device and Platform Support C.3.6 System Performance and Scalability C.3.7 Security and Access Control C.3.8 Data Migration

C.4 STAFFING

C.5 IMPLEMENTATION

C.6 TESTING AND ACCEPTANCE

C.6.1 Gradual Acceptance

C.7 TRAINING

C.8 MAINTENANCE AND SUPPORT

C.8.1 End-of-Life Support

C.9 CONTRACTOR COMMUNICATION

C.10 ADDED VALUE

SECTION D - REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FROM CONTRACTOR

SECTION E - INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

E.1 INSPECTION OF SERVICES

E.2 INSPECTION BY STATE EMPLOYEES

E.3 MONITORING CRITERIA

E.4 AUDITS BY OTHER AGENCIES

E.5 FRAUD, WASTE, OR ABUSE

SECTION F - DELIVERIES OR PERFORMANCE

F.1 CONTRACT TERM

F.2 OPTION TO RENEW THIS CONTRACT

F.3 OPTION TO EXTEND SERVICES

SECTION G - CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA

G.1 CLAUSES INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

G.2 AUTHORITY - AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE, CONTRACT SPECIALIST,

PROGRAM SPECIALIST AND PROGRAM DIRECTOR

G.2.1 Authorized Representative G.2.2 Contract Specialist G.2.3 Program Specialist G.2.4 Department Project Manager G.2.5 Program Director

G.3 INVOICE REQUIREMENTS

G.4 PAYMENTS

G.4.1 Payment Adjustment G.4.2 Late Payment G.4.3 Deductions for Unacceptable Compliance Standards G.4.4 Withholding of Payment G.4.5 Right to Offset G.4.6 Retainage

G.5 ANNUAL FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE REPORTS

SECTION H - SPECIAL CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

H.1 INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

H.1.1 Required Provisions

H.2 SUBCONTRACTORS

H.2.1 Insurance H.2.2 Historically Underutilized Business

H.3 CRIMINAL HISTORY INFORMATION COMPLIANCE

H.4 OTHER CONFIDENTIAL OR SENSITIVE INFORMATION

H.5 BOOKS AND RECORDS

H.6 ORGANIZATIONAL AND NAME CHANGE

H.7 FREE EXERCISE OF RELIGION

H.8 DELAY OF SERVICES

H.9 SECURITY

H.10 UTILIZATION OF SERVICES

H.11 TRANSITION

H.12 USE OF CONTRACT BY OTHER STATE AGENCIES

SECTION I - CONTRACT CLAUSES

I.1 ADVERTISING OF AWARD

I.2 DEFAULT AND TERMINATION

I.2.1 Default by the Contractor I.2.2 Further Opportunity to Cure I.2.3 Remedy of the Department I.2.4 Termination for Convenience I.2.5 Termination by Mutual Agreement I.2.6 Termination Procedures I.2.7 Default by the Department I.2.8 Remedy of the Contractor

I.3 NO WAIVER OF RIGHTS

I.4 TAXES/WORKERS’ COMPENSATION/UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE - INCLUDING

INDEMNITY

I.5 NO WAIVER OF DEFENSES

I.6 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR

I.7 MAINTENANCE OF CORPORATE EXISTENCE AND BUSINESS

I.8 APPROVAL OF CONTRACT

I.9 NON-DISCRIMINATION

I.10 CONFIDENTIALITY

I.11 CONTRACT CHANGES

I.12 SEVERABILITY

I.13 IMMIGRATION

I.14 NO LIABILITY UPON TERMINATION

I.15 LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY

I.16 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INDEMNIFICATION

I.17 ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION RESOURCES ACCESSIBILITY STANDARDS, AS

REQUIRED BY TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TITLE 1, PART 10, CHAPTER

I.18 RIGHTS TO DATA, DOCUMENTS AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE (STATE

OWNERSHIP)

I.19 FORCE MAJEURE

I.20 NOTICES

I.21 SUBSTITUTIONS

I.22 REQUIRED COOPERATION IN LEGAL MATTERS

SECTION J - LIST OF EXHIBITS

SECTION K - REPRESENTATIONS, CERTIFICATIONS, AND OTHER STATEMENTS OF

RESPONDENTS

K.1 RESERVED FOR FUTURE USE

K.2 FRANCHISE TAX REPRESENTATION

K.3 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE RESPONDENT

K.3.1 Organization and Qualification K.3.2 Authorization K.3.3 No Violation of Agreements, Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws K.3.4 No Defaults Under Agreements K.3.5 Compliance with Laws K.3.6 No Litigation K.3.7 Taxes K.3.8 Financial Statements K.3.9 No Adverse Change K.3.10 Disclosure K.3.11 No Collusion K.3.12 Disclosure of Interested Parties K.3.13 Felony Convictions K.3.14 Deceptive Trade Practices; Unfair Business Practices K.3.15 Notification

K.4 REPRESENTATIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT

K.4.1 Authorization K.4.2 No Violation of Agreements K.4.3 Disclosure

SECTION L - INSTRUCTIONS, CONDITIONS AND NOTICES TO RESPONDENTS

L.1 DISCUSSIONS, CORRESPONDENCE, AND AMENDMENTS TO THE

SOLICITATION

L.2 LATE SUBMISSIONS, MODIFICATIONS AND WITHDRAWALS OF RESPONSES

L.3 SIGNATURES ON RESPONSES SUBMITTED

L.4 RESPONSE ACCEPTANCE

L.5 CONTRACT AWARD

L.6 RIGHTS OF THE DEPARTMENT

L.7 RESPONSE PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

L.8 RESPONSE SUBMISSION FILES AND CONTENT

L.8.1 Response Cover Page L.8.2 Response Introduction L.8.3 Pricing Schedule and Budget Narrative L.8.4 Response to each requirement in Section C L.8.5 Project Plan L.8.6 TDCJ Required Contract Clauses L.8.7 Subcontracting Plan L.8.8 Service Level Agreement for Respondent’s LMS, if applicable L.8.9 Response to Electronic Information Resource Accessibility Requirements L.8.10 Respondent’s Financial Statements L.8.11 Statement of compliance with Sections E through K

L.9 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

L.10 LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD (LBB) POSTING

SECTION M - EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

M.1 SELECTION PROCESS

M.2 MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

M.3 EVALUATION CRITERIA

696-TL-26-O020 Section A

SECTION A - CONTRACT DEFINITIONS

The following terms used in this Contract shall, unless the context indicates otherwise, have the meanings set forth below, to include the singular and plural versions:

A.1 GENERAL DEFINITIONS

Authorized Representative - the person designated in writing to act for and on behalf of a party of this Contract.

Biennium - any of the two-year periods beginning on September 1st and ending on August 31st of odd numbered years, which are used for budgetary purposes by the State of Texas.

Compliance Standards - Contract requirements that have specific and clearly defined recoupment strategies to ensure the Department does not pay for Services that are not received.

Contract - documents that form the Contract, which represents the entire and integrated agreement between the Department and the Contractor and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, or agreements, either written or oral. The Contract may be amended or modified only by a written modification. The Contract documents shall not be construed to create a contractual relationship of any kind (1) between the Department and a subcontractor or (2) between any persons or entities other than the Department and the Contractor.

Contract Specialist - the Department employee responsible for non-technical administration of this Contract.

Contract Term - the duration of this Contract as specified in Section F.1.

Contractor - the individual, partnership, or corporation who performs Services under this Contract.

Day - calendar Days, unless otherwise specified.

Department - the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ).

Department Policy - all written policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, directives, and manuals of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) and the Department applicable to providing the Services specified under the Contract.

Event of Default - any of the events of circumstances described in Section I.2.1, Default by the Contractor.

Fiscal Year - any of the one-year periods beginning September 1st and ending August 31st, which are used for annual budgetary purposes by the State of Texas.

Inmate - a person under supervision or custody of the Department.

Material Failure - the failure of a party to fulfill one or more obligations essential to achieving the purpose of this Contract.

Non-Appropriation - failure by the Texas Legislature, as part of its budgetary process, to appropriate money to be used for the Payments due hereunder.

Payment - the amount(s) agreed to be paid by the Department to the Contractor for Services provided under this Contract.

PD - the TDCJ’s Personnel Directives.

Program Director - the person designated by the Contractor responsible for delivering Services under this Contract.

Project Manager - the Department employee responsible for technical administration of this Contract through go-live.

Program Specialist - the Department employee responsible for technical administration of this Contract after go-live.

Quarter - the periods that relate to the Department’s Fiscal Year, beginning September, December, March, and June.

Respondent - an individual or entity that submits a response to this Solicitation. The term includes anyone acting on behalf of the individual or entity, such as an agent, employee, or representative.

Service Commencement Date - the date on which the Contractor shall begin providing Services pursuant to this Contract.

Service - delivery of requirements in accordance with the terms and conditions of this Contract.

TBCJ - the Texas Board of Criminal Justice.

Working Day - a weekday, unless it is a holiday observed by the Department.

A.2 SERVICE SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS

24X7 - 24 hours a Day, seven Days a week, every week of the year.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) - systems capable of: (A) perceiving an environment through data acquisition and processing and interpreting the derived information to take an action or actions or to imitate intelligent behavior given a specific goal; and (B) learning and adapting behavior by analyzing how the environment is affected by prior actions.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) - a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.

Biometric Identifier - a person’s unique physical and other traits detected and recorded by an electronic device or system as a means of confirming identity, such as a retina or iris scan, fingerprint, voiceprint, or record of hand or face geometry.

Business Hours - Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT), except for State of Texas observed holidays. However, on holidays and Days for which skeleton crews are required, Services may be required.

Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel System (CAPPS) - the statewide software solution created by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for financial and human resources/payroll administration.

Compromised - when something is made vulnerable to attack or misuse by unauthorized access, revelation, or exposure; or impaired or diminished in function. This may refer to an item that is weakened, damaged, or flawed.

Confidential Information - data that must be protected from unauthorized disclosure or public release under the provisions of the Texas Public Information Act (also known as the Texas Open Records Act), judicial rulings, or contractual agreements. Such data may include but is not limited to social security numbers, taxpayer identification numbers, employer identification numbers, credit card numbers, personal identifying information (PII), sensitive personal information (SPI), and personal medical information.

Contractor Project Manager - the Contractor’s staff member dedicated to the Contract full-time from the Service Commencement Date through implementation, acceptance, and go-live.

Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) - compliance standard for law enforcement at the local, state, and federal levels, designed to ensure data security in law enforcement.

Deliverable (DEV) - a tangible item delivered to customers as an output of a project.

Digital Experience - any experience that is rendered on a screen, such as a computer monitor or a mobile phone, and that has a user interface. Digital Experiences include, but are not limited to, software, website pages, website applications, videos, learning management software and courses, dashboards, forms, and reports.

DIR - the State of Texas Department of Information Resources.

lT - Information Technology

JPEG - Joint Photographic Experts Group, a commonly used format for compressing image files.

LMS - Learning Management System

MDI & MDI-X - Multiple Document Interface/Multiple Document Interface-Extension

MJPEG - Motion - JPEG / Motion Joint Photographic Experts Group

NCIC - the National Crime Information Center, under the authority of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

OCISO - Office of the Chief Information Security Officer

PIN - Personal Identification Number

Quality - the extent to which a product or Service conforms to the explicit requirements set forth in this Contract, and all applicable legal, regulatory, and industry standards, as determined by the Department. Quality assurance (QA) refers to the systematic processes implemented by the Contractor to prevent nonconformities and ensure consistent compliance with these requirements. Quality control (QC) refers to the activities undertaken by the Contractor to identify, document, and correct any nonconformities in Deliverables before submission to the Department. The Department reserves the right to assess and enforce Quality standards through inspections, audits, or other means specified in this Contract, and nonconformance may result in remedies as outlined in this Contract.

Redundancy - the incorporation of backup components or systems to ensure continuous operation in the event of a primary component failure.

Related Services - installation, maintenance, warranty, repairs, training, and other incidentals.

Resolution - the process and outcome of restoring the system, as defined in this Contract, to full operational capacity in accordance with specified performance standards, Quality requirements, and applicable legal, regulatory, and industry standards. Resolution shall be achieved by the Contractor through corrective actions, as verified by the Department via inspections, testing, or other methods outlined in this Contract. Failure to achieve Resolution may result in remedies as specified in this Contract.

Resolution Time - the period between the Contractor’s receipt of a formal Service request from the Department, as defined in this Solicitation or Contract, and the completion of maintenance Services that restore the affected systems to full operational capacity, as specified in this Solicitation, Contract documents, or applicable performance, Quality, and regulatory standards. Completion shall be verified by the Department through inspections, testing, or other methods outlined in this Solicitation. Failure to achieve Resolution within the specified timeframe may result in remedies as set forth in the Contract.

Recovery Point Objective (RPO) - the amount of data the Department is willing to lose due to a disaster (Natural, manmade, or IT Security incident). RPO is measured in hours.

Recovery Time Objective (RTO) - the maximum amount of system application downtime the Department is willing to tolerate before it impacts the Department’s user or operational productivity.

Security Incident - an occurrence that actually or imminently jeopardizes, without lawful authority, the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of information or an information system;

or constitutes a violation or imminent threat of violation of law, security policies, security procedures, or acceptable use policies.

Sensitive Information - sensitive data that is not protected by law from being disclosed or released under the Texas Public Information Act; however, it may still require an elevated level of protection and special precautions to ensure its accuracy and integrity. Some information the Department maintains is deemed sensitive, as determined by the Department standards and risk management decisions. Examples of "Sensitive Information" include, but are not limited to, the following:

A. The Department's operational information;

B. The Department's personnel records;

C. The Department's Information Security Procedures, D. The Department's internal communications; and

E. Comments.

Software as a Service (SaaS) - a model where a provider delivers software applications over the internet, allowing users access via a subscription basis.

Stored Data/Information - any and all data, information, records, and media, regardless of its source of origination or medium, financial transactions, and all other information, confidential or otherwise, however obtained, maintained, recorded, retained, stored or archived through the Learning Management System (LMS). Stored Information is owned by and is the property of the Department.

TCIC - the Texas Crime Information Center, under the authority of the Texas Department of Public Safety.

TDCJ-ITD - the TDCJ Information Technology Division.

TDCJ-ITD Directives - written policies, procedures, standards, guidelines, directives and manuals of the Information Technology Division, which are in effect or as may be amended from time to time which the Information Technology Division has referenced or has made available to the Contractor and with which the Contractor has an affirmative obligation to be and remain familiar.

TDCJ-TLDD - the TDCJ Training and Leader Development Division.

User Acceptance Testing (UAT) - the last phase of the application testing process.

696-TL-26-O020 Section B

SECTION B - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1 SERVICES AND PRICES/COSTS

B.1.1 Services Being Acquired

The Contractor shall, in accordance with the terms of this Contract, provide all necessary Services to include, but not limited to, personnel, hardware, software, training, licensing, implementation, storage, materials, supplies, and otherwise do all things necessary for, or incidental to, providing and supporting a cloud-based Learning Management System

(LMS).

B.1.2 Pricing Instructions

A. The Department anticipates the award of a firm, fixed-price Contract.

B. Respondents shall complete Section B.2, Pricing Schedule.

C. The Respondent shall present a detailed budget and budget narrative for the Services in line-item detail. Line-item detail must include, but may not be limited to the following details:

1. Back-up Data and Recovery

2. Scalability

3. Upgrades

4. Customizations and Enhancements

5. Third-party Integration Fees

6. Compliance Audits and Certifications

7. Training Refreshers for System Updates

8. Service Level Agreements

9. Exit Strategy

10. Data Export or System Decommissioning

11. Advisory Services

12. Usage Analytics and Reporting Tools

D. The Contractor shall be responsible for all expenses incurred on behalf of the

Contractor’s staff, including travel, lodging, transportation, and meals.

B.2 PRICING SCHEDULE

Milestone Price

Comprehensive project implementation plan

SaaS build and testing complete

SaaS successful data migration and integration verification

SaaS successful Centralized Account and Payroll/Personnel System (CAPPS) secure data exchange

SaaS User Acceptance Testing (UAT) plan including fix bug releases and re-test support

Training materials, user manuals, and train-the-trainer sessions

SaaS go-live

Maintenance and support plan (e.g., updates, patches, performance, live support, service level agreements (SLAs))

Final acceptance and 5% retainage release

Total

Recurring SaaS subscription cost (after go-live)

Frequency of recurring costs (e.g., per month, per year)

Total Cost Response

B.3 ALLOWABLE COSTS

The proposed budget shall include only costs that are reasonable, necessary, and allowable under state statutes, Department Policy, and federal cost standards. The Department shall make the final decision on the allowance or acceptability of a cost.

B.4 NON-ALLOWABLE COSTS

The proposed budget shall not include costs that are not allowed by the State or any authorized agency, statute, policy, or procedure. Types of non-allowable costs may include, but are not limited to, alcoholic beverages, bad debts, fundraising, political lobbying, and tobacco products.

696-TL-26-O020 Section C

SECTION C - DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/WORK STATEMENT

C.1 BACKGROUND

A. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (Department) is a state agency tasked with managing adult Inmates and ensuring public safety across Texas. With oversight of state prisons, state jails, private correctional facilities, community supervision programs, and Inmates released on parole or mandatory supervision, the Department operates as a multifaceted organization serving the state’s diverse needs.

B. Central to the Department’s success is its mission to provide public safety, promote positive changes in Inmate behavior, reintegrate Inmates into society, and assist victims of crime. The Department’s extensive workforce of approximately 35,000 employees is guided by principles of professionalism, discipline, wellness, and a shared vision for creating safer communities.

C. The Training and Leader Development Division of the Texas Department of Criminal

Justice (TDCJ-TLDD) plays a critical role in Department operations by driving employee learning, development, and wellness initiatives. Focused on leadership growth, online education, in-person education, and mobile training capabilities, the TDCJ-TLDD fosters confidence, professionalism, and long-term potential among Department staff.

D. The TDCJ-TLDD seeks to implement a centralized Learning Management System

(LMS) for Department staff. The LMS will serve as the Department’s primary platform for training delivery, compliance tracking, data management, and employee development. The LMS should streamline course development efforts while ensuring consistent and scalable access to learning resources. The TDCJ-TLDD also expects the LMS to reduce administrative overhead by simplifying processes through modern, reliable, and efficient features.

E. Ultimately, the LMS will contribute to the mission of the Department by strengthening employee development, enhancing retention, and supporting operational readiness through a scalable, data-informed solution.

C.2 COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE RULES, REGULATIONS, POLICIES,

PROCEDURES, AND LAWS

A. The Contractor shall provide Services to the Department that are in compliance with all applicable local, state, and federal laws and court ordered requirements, in effect or implemented; all relevant federal and state financial cost principles and audit requirements; and all rules, Department Policies and procedures established by the Department and the Texas Board of Criminal Justice (TBCJ) regarding the Services.

B. The Contractor shall not deviate from applicable Department Policies and procedures in the provision of Services without the prior written approval of the TDCJ-TLDD.

C. The Department shall notify the Contractor of all changes in, or additions to, such Department Policies and procedures, after which time the Contractor shall comply with such changes or additions, unless the TDCJ-TLDD approves in writing a deviation from such Department Policies and procedures.

D. The Contractor’s written request for deviations from Department Policies shall originate from the Authorized Representative of the Contractor or designee and shall be forwarded to the TDCJ-TLDD Director or designee. The Contractor’s written requests for deviation shall specify the deviation with justification and reference the Department Policy number/procedure, section, paragraph, etc. Unless the Contractor specifically requests a deviation and the TDCJ-TLDD approves it in writing, the Contractor shall comply with Department Policies and procedures. A Contract award shall not imply approval of a Department Policy/procedure deviation. Any deviations the Department granted under a separate or previous Contract do not apply to this Contract.

E. The Contractor shall adhere to:

1. Exhibit J.4, Office of the Chief Information Security Officer Terms and Conditions;

2. Exhibit J.5, Data Management Office Standard Data Requirements; and

3. Exhibit J.6, Electronic Information Resource Accessibility Requirements.

C.3 SCOPE OF WORK

A. The Contractor shall maintain uninterrupted operability of the LMS and all functional components, ensuring that each feature operates according to its intended design and purpose at all times.

B. The Contractor shall deliver a solution and all components necessary to provide a fully functional and secure LMS.

C. During the Contract Term, the Contractor shall be responsible for the implementation, operation, maintenance, and support of the entire LMS, unless the Department and the Contractor agree otherwise in this Contract.

D. The Department shall look solely to the Contractor for performance.

E. The Department reserves the right to approve, reject, or request substitutions of any LMS modules.

F. The Contractor shall customize technology, as needed at the Department’s discretion, to provide system security.

C.3.1 User and Course Management

The LMS shall:

A. Support user and course management for in-person, online, self-paced, webinar, and blended learning formats.

B. Support predefined roles (e.g., learner, trainer, administrator) and custom roles with unique permissions.

C. Allow customization of learner profile fields.

D. Maintain standardized course details such as course title, code, duration, description, and prerequisites.

E. Maintain class-specific details, including instructors and room assignments.

F. Track course status (e.g., active, retired) and apply version control for updates.

G. Allow authorized users to upload, edit, save, and delete training modules.

H. Manage instructor assignments and schedules.

I. Automate logistical coordination for in-person training (e.g., venue assignments, capacity limits, and equipment requirements).

J. Record and track attendance at course, class, and subject levels.

K. Record and track scores (pass/fail, numeric, or timed metrics) and physical performance data.

L. Maintain course and training records for learners.

M. Track learner progress, course completion rates, login frequency, time spent on modules, and other user engagement metrics.

N. Support the creation of learning paths that enforce course prerequisites.

O. Allow learners to view and enroll in their own courses when the Department permits self-enrollment.

P. Allow administrators, instructors, or other authorized personnel to manage enrollment for courses the Department restricts.

Q. Automatically enroll learners in courses the Department designates as required based on job titles, promotions, or other triggers.

R. Record progress on make-up sessions when learners miss training requirements.

S. Track participants the system places on a waitlist and automatically enroll them when spots open.

C.3.2 Learning Environment and Features

A. Allow intuitive navigation and flexibility for users.

B. Incorporate the Department branding, logos, graphics, media, colors, and typography consistently.

C. Have a customizable user interface with modular dashboards tailored to specific roles (e.g., administrators, instructors, participants).

D. Provide customizable performance dashboards for learners, instructors, and administrators to visualize key metrics.

E. Provide learners with a home dashboard displaying high-level information, including current courses.

F. Offer a single-screen view of available courses with search functionality for locating courses or materials using keywords, titles, delivery formats, and other tags.

G. Support the creation of custom pages tailored to specific needs.

H. Allow administrators to configure navigation menus to link to custom pages.

I. Allow learners to modify their user profiles.

J. Allow learners to review their learning and course completion history.

K. Include a calendar display with hyperlinks to events and allow users to export the calendar to their personal calendars. Integrate the calendar tools with class and training scheduling.

L. Provide automatic and customizable email notifications, including reminders and new course announcements.

M. Notify participants of class updates, cancellations, or schedule changes automatically.

N. Include gamification features such as contests, points, rewards, badges, and leaderboards.

O. Include social learning features that allow learners to participate in discussion threads, comment on content, and subscribe to question-and-answer topics.

P. Include a built-in survey tool.

Q. Include a sandbox environment with access for TDCJ-TLDD, as both administrators and users, to test new features without impacting the live environment.

C.3.3 Content and Data Types

The LMS shall support:

A. Uploading various media types (e.g., images, videos, documents) and direct editing of page content within the LMS environment.

B. Multiple high-resolution training assets, including large video files and interactive course content.

C. Video captions and transcripts downloads.

D. Integrate HTML5 Package (H5P), or similar native LMS technology, to enable users to create interactive learning content such as videos, quizzes, and presentations. This feature shall be intuitive and accessible so users can efficiently develop engaging educational materials.

E. Exporting and importing structured and unstructured data using industry standards such as National Information Exchange Model (NIEM), Comma-Separated Values (CSV) files, or other XML-based exchange formats.

C.3.4 Reports, Analytics, and Compliance Tracking

A. Include a robust analytics and reporting component, either natively within the platform or through seamless integration with a compatible analytical tool.

B. Provide actionable insights into training effectiveness, learner outcomes and engagement, and overall program outcomes.

C. Support compliance tracking, performance evaluation, and strategic decision making.

D. Provide data visualization features, such as charts, graphs, and heat maps, to highlight trends in learner activity and performance.

E. Manage feedback tracking.

F. Report passing and failing information, training completion dates, times, and durations.

G. Autofill certificates with learner details and allow users to download and print them.

H. Provide certificate templates with customization options.

I. Provide capability to export data to common formats (e.g., CSV, Microsoft Excel, Application Programming Interface-based integration) for further analysis in external business intelligence (BI) tools.

J. Allow users to produce reports on a scheduled and on-demand basis.

1. Users may generate standard or ad hoc reports using all Stored Data, (e.g., management, station, recorded data, status).

2. Production of reports shall not negatively affect any portion of system operations.

3. The Contractor shall design the report interface to be intuitive, well documented, and easy to use.

4. Users shall be able to generate reports at individual units, regional locations, and administrative locations.

5. Users may create reports in formats such as .tab delimited, XLS, HTML, CSV, and

PDF.

C.3.5 Device and Platform Support

A. Support secure data exchange from CAPPS HR, the Department’s Oracle-based human resources system, to synchronize employee data.

B. Support integration with leading cloud Service providers, such as Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, and Google Cloud Platform.

C. Be compatible across desktops, tablets, and smartphones.

D. Fully function in any modern browser, such as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox, without needing plugins or extensions.

E. Use a graphical user interface that automatically adapts to different screen sizes.

F. Use mobile applications or browser-based modules which function reliably on both major mobile operating systems.

G. Support full operability by keyboard alone.

C.3.6 System Performance and Scalability

The Contractor shall ensure the LMS:

A. Supports Departmentwide concurrent usage for at least 40,000 users, with the flexibility to accommodate future growth in Department staff, content volume, and usage.

B. Maintains at least 99% uptime and minimizes unplanned downtime.

C. Reliably synchronizes data with other Department systems.

C.3.7 Security and Access Control

A. Provide multiple, varied access levels for different roles.

B. Use Single Sign On (SSO) and multi-factor authentication for secure and efficient access, regardless of user access level. The Contractor shall specify to the Department all authentication standards the LMS uses.

C. Support data synchronization that the Department authorizes with other systems.

D. Control access by unique user identifiers (User IDs) and log all user actions.

E. Provide the capability to audit and trace all actions to the system logs back to the originator.

F. Allow designated Department staff to, at a minimum:

1. Determine and assign security levels and access controls for all features.

2. Perform additions, moves, and changes to users in the LMS. The Contractor shall provide written procedures for performing such functions.

3. Access analytical tools and reports.

4. Generate, order, and view reports.

5. Upload, edit, save, and delete training modules.

6. Use the full functionality of all LMS modules.

7. Perform any other system administration, monitoring, and management functions.

G. The Contractor shall obtain Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program (TX-

RAMP) Level 2 certification. Refer to Exhibit J.4, Office of the Chief Information Security Officer Standard Terms, for more information about the TX-RAMP requirement.

C.3.8 Data Migration

A. The Contractor shall be responsible for data migration, including data mapping, from sources such as Blackboard and the Department’s legacy Micro Focus system.

B. The Contractor shall migrate all existing records, reports, configurations, and additional relevant data.

C. The Contractor shall provide documentation to the Department describing how existing data fields correspond to data fields in the LMS.

C.4 STAFFING

A. The Contractor is responsible for all resources necessary to provide the Services included in the Contract. The Contractor shall provide an adequate level of staffing for provision of the Services outlined herein and shall ensure that staff providing Services are appropriately trained, qualified, and licensed, if required.

B. The Contractor shall have direct oversight, be responsible for, and monitor the performance of all Contractor staff performing Services under this Contract.

C. The Contractor’s staff shall coordinate with and maintain a good working relationship with the Department staff and other Contractors working with the Department. The Department shall provide security for the Contractor’s employees and agents consistent with the security provided for Department staff at each administrative facility.

D. The Contractor’s staff on-site shall adhere to the standards of conduct prescribed in law, and as prescribed in the Department's personnel policy and procedure guidelines, particularly rules of conduct, employee uniform and clothing requirements (as applicable), security procedures, and any other applicable rules, regulations, policies, and procedures of the Department. The Contractor’s staff must comply with all security regulations and procedures of the Department and the respective facility. If any employee or individual violates regulations, the facility may deny them access. In this event, the Contractor shall provide alternate personnel to supply Services described herein, subject to the Department’s approval.

E. Throughout the Contract Term, the Contractor shall, at a minimum:

1. Provide a Contractor Project Manager as the single point of contact assigned to the project from the Service Commencement Date through implementation, acceptance, and go-live.

2. Provide qualified personnel to perform the Services required.

3. Provide the Department prior written notice of placement and/or replacement of personnel, or any plan to place and/or replace personnel assigned to the Contract.

Placement and/or replacement by the Contractor of key personnel assigned to the Contract shall be allowed provided the Department gives prior written approval.

4. Remove and replace personnel at the request of the Department. The Department shall have the right at any time to request the removal of any of the Contractor’s employees/subcontractors. The Contractor shall use all reasonable efforts to promptly replace such employee/subcontractor with a team member possessing skills, experience and training that are equal to or exceed those of the position description.

5. Ensure personnel follow laws, rules, regulations, standards, the Department

Policies, and procedures. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to ensure that all Contract employees are familiar with Department regulations. The Contractor standards of conduct, notification of background checks, relevant policies and/or statutes are incorporated as reference.

F. Prior to the introductory kick-off meeting, the Contractor shall provide to the

Department a list of all Contractor employees involved in this Contract who, at any time, have ever been sentenced to any Department facility. The list should include the name, TDCJ Inmate number, the nature of the offense, and the sentence. The Contractor must obtain prior approval before a former Inmate may enter any Department facility.

G. Any Contractor employee that has any relative, either blood or by marriage, within the second degree of affinity or consanguinity that is, or may become during the project, an Inmate at the facility where the work is to be performed shall notify the Department in writing prior to starting work, or immediately upon learning of the same.

H. The Contractor shall caution all employees involved in the Contract against becoming familiar with Inmates and/or the Inmates' families. Contractor employees shall not bring anything to any Inmate, nor shall they carry anything out for any Inmate.

I. The Department reserves the right to ban any Contractor employee from entering the property of the Department who fails to comply with any regulations.

J. The Contractor is responsible for the conduct and behavior of all Contractor employees working at a Department facility (including consultants, independent contractors and their employees and agents) and shall ensure the Department Policies are followed.

Should a violation occur, the Contractor shall take corrective action acceptable to the Department.

K. The Contractor and its employees shall adhere to the Department’s Personnel

Directives listed below and found on the Department’s website, https://www.tdcj.texas.gov/divisions/hr/hr-policy/index.html and any subsequent revisions thereafter, as follows:

1. PD-03, Employee ID Cards;

2. PD-04, Data Use and Non-Disclosure Agreement;

3. PD-17, Drug-Free Workplace;

4. PD-21, Anti-Discrimination in the Workplace;

5. PD-22, General Rules of Conduct and Disciplinary Action Guidelines for

Employees;

6. PD-26, Nepotism;

7. PD-27, Employment Status Pending Resolution of Criminal Charges or Protective Orders;

8. PD-28, Dress and Grooming Standards;

9. PD-29, Sexual Misconduct with Inmates; and

10. PD-75, Applicants with Pending Criminal Charges or Prior Criminal Convictions.

L. Breach of either physical security or information security by any Contractor employee or subcontractor shall require immediate removal of the employee or subcontractor from the Contract. Immediately upon discovery of the breach of security, the Contractor shall notify the Department of the breach and provide a written report within 24 consecutive hours to include, at a minimum, the date and time of the breach, how the breach occurred, the names of offending parties, if known, the extent of damage or potential damage, the name of person conducting the investigation, and action(s) taken by the Contractor for remedy.

M. The Contractor shall notify the Department within 24 hours of an employee's arrest.

N. The Department shall provide the Contractor written notification, within 24 hours of a failure to adhere to Department Policy PD-22. Violations of PD-22 that involve a breach of corrections management security require immediate removal of the employee/subcontractor from the property of the Department. The Contractor shall be required to remove said employee/subcontractor from the project.

O. In the case of violations of PD-22 that do not involve a breach of correctional management security, the Department may require the employee to cease all activity and remove self from the property of the Department. At the Department's discretion, the Contractor may be required to remove said employee/subcontractor from the project.

P. Upon request by the Department, the Contractor shall replace any employee found to be in violation of PD-22. The Contractor shall use all reasonable efforts to promptly replace such employee/subcontractor with a team member possessing skills and training that are equal to or exceed those of the individual the Contractor replaces.

Q. Provide criminal history information for employee background checks. The

Department shall conduct security clearances for the Contractor staff who have access to confidential or sensitive data.

R. The Contractor shall not employ any person working directly on the Contract who has a misdemeanor or felony conviction unless the Department provides prior written approval. This includes any employee with a criminal history who is employed by the Contractor at the time of award. The Contractor shall comply with PD-75 in determining eligibility for employment. The Contractor shall provide the Department with a current list of all employees including position title and whether the employee has/had a felony conviction, at the beginning of the Contract, and upon each occurrence.

S. The Contractor agrees to provide a completed TDCJ Non-Employee Background

Questionnaire for each current and future employee and subcontractor who works under the Contract in locations where the Department's data is stored and processed, so the Department can perform a Texas Crime Information Center/National Crime Information Center (TCIC/NCIC) criminal history check.

T. The Department shall conduct a background investigation, to include a NCIC and TCIC records check, for each employee (including consultants, subcontractors, and their employees and agents who routinely work on the Contract) before the Contractor assigns them to perform work at a facility. The Department may require fingerprinting as part of the investigation.

U. The Contractor shall receive a written notification from the Department indicating pass status on the criminal history check prior to allowing the employee/subcontractor access to areas where the Department's data is stored or processed. The Contractor also agrees to ensure that no persons working for the Contractor or subcontractors who have not received TCIC/NCIC criminal history clearance from the Department shall be allowed in areas where the Department's data is stored or processed without an authorized Department escort.

V. Replacement by the Contractor of an employee/subcontractor performing under the

Contract shall be at the discretion of the Contractor, provided the replacement staff passes a TCIC/NCIC criminal history check by the Department.

W. The Contractor Project Manager shall provide ongoing project status updates to

Department staff, serve as the single point of contact during project implementation, and perform duties including:

1. Overall performance of the Contract and general project management duties.

2. Account management.

3. Resolution of billing problems.

4. Resolution of technical issues.

5. Attendance at on-site meetings.

6. Promptly responding to Department communication.

X. The Contractor shall supply trainers dedicated to the training requirements of the Department. The Contractor shall make trainers available to train staff at any administrative office at the discretion of the Department. This position shall also ensure that Department training material is updated and current.

C.5 IMPLEMENTATION

A. The Contractor must plan, manage, and coordinate the work required to efficiently implement the LMS. The Contractor must commit to meeting the requirements of this Contract regarding scheduling, reporting, and time limits for completion of the work.

The Contractor must attend the introductory kick-off meeting with the Department after the Service Commencement Date.

B. The implementation plan must provide a synopsis of each Deliverable including staff requirements, length of time required per Deliverable, and a timeline with dates. The Department reserves the right to make timeline changes to the implementation plan the Contractor submits. The Department shall provide written acceptance of the implementation plan after the Department and the Contractor negotiate and approve it prior to commencement of any work.

C. The Contractor shall use Days to construct the implementation plan’s timeline, with the Service Commencement Date designated as Day one for the timeline. The timeline shall include when all LMS components will be fully functional.

D. The Contractor shall provide a detailed implementation plan to the Department within

10 Working Days after the introductory kick-off meeting.

E. The implementation plan shall include, at a minimum, the following Deliverables or sections:

1. Planning.

2. System design (equipment/infrastructure required).

3. Security plan documentation (access/data).

4. Project schedule (timeline).

5. Staffing plan, to include;

a. Number of staff dedicated to the project by job title and job description.

b. Plan shall include the Contractor’s expectations of both the Contractor’s and the Department’s staff.

6. Infrastructure procurement and installation, if applicable.

7. Equipment specifications, procurement, and installation, if applicable.

8. Training.

9. Testing.

10. Delivery and acceptance.

11. Database management.

12. Enrollment.

13. Go-Live.

14. Updating.

15. Reporting.

16. System management.

17. Documentation (System design, training manuals, etc.).

18. System maintenance and support.

C.6 TESTING AND ACCEPTANCE

A. The Department shall approve the final system design and software database before the Contractor initiates the system.

1. The Contractor shall test the software database and all hardware and software components to ensure each system feature and Service functions according to the Department’s specifications and requirements, including WCAG 2.2 A and AA conformance.

2. The Contractor shall provide test results to the Department prior to implementation as well as all system documentation and related manuals.

3. The Department shall provide final approval in writing prior to 'go-live' operations.

B. The purpose of the acceptance test is to determine the LMS meets the technical and functional requirements outlined in the Contract. A system qualifies as "acceptance test ready" when it completes a full system test with no known defects.

C. The Contractor shall work with the Department to monitor performance prior to the full deployment of the LMS. The Department shall conduct a Quality assurance review before the Department considers the assignment complete.

D. The Contractor shall conduct an operational system test of the proposed system and certify, in writing, the system is ready for acceptance testing and shall perform in accordance with the requirements stated in the Contract. The Contractor shall ensure the system operates according to specifications before turning the system over to the Department. Department personnel shall not debug modifications for the Contractor.

E. The Department shall have 90 Working Days to test all aspects of the system to ensure it is functioning as…