8-RFP Document Global Strategic Initiatives Partner V2.pdf

University of Texas at Dallas

Scope of Work for

Global Strategic Initiatives Partner – Initial Focus in India

RFP# UTD20260421-TB

Issued on April 28, 2026

Submittal Deadline: May 12, 2026, 5:00 PM CDT

Prepared by:

Tonya Bester, Senior Buyer

The University of Texas at Dallas Office of Budget & Finance – Procurement Management

About University of Texas at Dallas (“UTD”)

The University of Texas at Dallas is a Carnegie R1 classification (Doctoral Universities

– very high research activity) institution, located in a suburban setting twenty miles north of downtown Dallas. The University enrolls more than 30,139 students — 76 percent undergraduate and 24 percent graduate — and offers a broad array of bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs.

Established by Eugene McDermott, J. Erik Jonsson and Cecil Green, three founders of

Texas Instruments, UTD is driven by the entrepreneurial spirit of its founders and their commitment to academic excellence. In 1969, the public research institution joined The

University of Texas System and became The University of Texas at Dallas.

UTD is one of the fastest growing universities in the country and is among the top three public universities in Texas, as ranked by U.S. News and World Report. UTD is home to nationally ranked programs in a variety of fields, including those in science, engineering, business, and audiology. The University also has educational paths in the liberal arts and social sciences. UTD’s faculty includes members of the National Academies and more than 560 tenured and tenure-track professors. UTD’s Department of Intercollegiate Athletics includes

15 teams that compete within the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference.

UTD20260421-TB

SECTION I – BACKGROUND, OVERVIEW, GOALS

BACKGROUND

The University of Texas at Dallas is committed to advancing its mission through internationalization, global learning, and cross-cultural engagement. As global challenges increasingly require collaborative solutions involving stakeholders at multiple levels, the university seeks to expand its international networks and create sustainable, high impact partnerships as a part of a comprehensive global strategic plan.

To support this vision, the university seeks a vendor with demonstrated expertise in:

• Cross cultural and diplomatic engagement

• International academic exchange

• Global partnership development

• Scholar and student mobility

• Capacity building programs

• Research collaboration facilitation

OVERVIEW

The selected vendor will design and implement a comprehensive strategy to engage university leadership, in India—including the President, Provost, Deans, and senior administrators—in targeted international outreach that strengthens institutional visibility, deepens partnerships, alumni engagement, and advances strategic global priorities.

• Facilitation of High‑Level Engagements - Leverage global networks to secure meetings with senior officials, university executives, embassy representatives, and other influential stakeholders who can advance the university’s global agenda.

• Strategic Planning for Delegation Travel - Develop annual and multi-year plans for leadership delegation tours aligned with the university’s global engagement strategy, identifying priority regions, institutions, and partnership opportunities.

• Design and Coordination of Delegation Itineraries - Create detailed, high impact itineraries that include meetings with university leaders, government officials, research institutes, funding agencies, and key stakeholders.

Activities may include:

• Partnership building meetings

• Site visits to existing or prospective partner institutions

• Research showcase events

• Alumni and donor engagement opportunities

• Cultural diplomacy activities

GOALS

The vendor’s leadership‑engagement and delegation‑tour support should result in:

• Increased visibility and credibility of the university on the international stage.

• Strengthened institutional relationships with high‑priority global partners.

• Expanded opportunities for research collaboration, student mobility, and faculty exchange.

• Enhanced alignment between leadership‑level engagement and long‑term global strategy.

• A sustainable model for future delegation planning and execution.

Contract Term:

The contract resulting from this RFP shall be for a three-year engagement. No renewals or extensions are anticipated.

SECTION II – STATEMENT OF WORK

The vendor will support the university in achieving the following objectives in collaboration with existing efforts for student/scholar recruitment and program partnerships:

• Provide comprehensive support for leadership delegation tours for the President and other institutional leaders.

• Strengthen the university’s global visibility and diplomatic presence

• Expand and deepen cross‑border academic partnerships

• Increase faculty and student mobility

• Facilitate international research collaboration

• Build institutional capacity for global alumni engagement

• Ensure compliance, risk management, and high‑quality program administration

SECTION III – MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

Minimum Mandatory Offeror Qualifications

Vendor must demonstrate:

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in international education or global program administration.

• Proven success managing large‑scale international partnerships.

• Experience working with U.S. higher‑education institutions.

• Capacity to operate globally with multilingual, multicultural teams.

• Strong risk‑management and compliance infrastructure.

• Ability to provide scalable, customized solutions.

Preferred qualifications include:

• Experience administering government‑funded international programs.

• Existing global networks and partnerships.

Minimum Service Requirements

• Provide consistent on-the-ground engagement in India supplementing the existing efforts for recruitment and academic partnerships.

• Respond to UT Dallas within agreed-upon timeframes and support ongoing coordination needs.

• Support in-person and virtual events and provide logistical support where necessary.

• Produce reports, assessments, and recommendations as outlined in the scope of work.

• Offer administrative, compliance, and communications support for partnership activities.

SECTION IV – OFFEROR RESPONSE FORMAT

Proposals must include:

1. Executive Summary

2. Qualifications & Organizational Capacity

3. Technical Approach

4. Staffing Plan

5. Work Plan & Timeline

6. Cost Proposal (The cost proposal must be submitted as a separate attachment and must not be included with the technical proposal.)

Proposers must submit a detailed cost proposal that clearly outlines pricing associated with the services described in the Statement of Work. Proposers are required to use the Cost Proposal template provided. At a minimum, the cost proposal should:

a. Provide an annual cost broken out by major service categories aligned to the Statement of Work.

b. Include assumptions that inform pricing

c. Specify payment structure and invoicing methodology

7. References

8. Value-added or Optional Services

SECTION V – EVALUATION & AWARD

Evaluation Criteria

EVALUATION CRITERIA WEIGHT

SIGNATURE PAGE Pass/Fail

TERMS & CONDITIONS Pass/Fail

COST PROPOSAL 20%

TECHNICAL APPROACH &

ALLIGNMENT WITH SCOPE OF

WORK

30%

EXPERIENCE & CAPACITY IN

INDIA’S HIGHER EDUCATION

ECOSYSTEM

30%

VALUE & IMPACT POTENTIAL 20%

SECTION VI – PROHIBITION ON DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Contractor must perform all services under this Agreement in full compliance with Section 51.3525, Texas Education Code RESPONSIBILITY OF GOVERNING BOARDS REGARDING DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION INITIATIVES.

SECTION VII - PROPOSAL LENGTH AND FORMAT REQUIREMENTS

To ensure consistency and fairness in the evaluation process, all proposals must adhere to the following formatting and length guidelines:

• Maximum Page Limit: The main body of the technical proposal must not exceed (30) pages, excluding the cover page, table of contents, and appendices.

• Page Size: Standard 8.5” x 11”

• Font: Minimum 11-point, Arial or Times New Roman

• Margins: At least 1 inch on all sides

• Spacing: Single or 1.15 line spacing https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatutes.capitol.texas.gov%2FDocs%2FED%2Fhtm%2FED.51.htm%2351.3525&data=05%7C02%7CTonya.Bester%40UTDallas.edu%7C607dbbba4582433cfeb708de1afd4d57%7C8d281d1d9c4d4bf7b16e032d15de9f6c%7C0%7C0%7C638977872386677728%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2B1ViwUrHman7H3ZK3E3R9XoPLNv1scKebcPB00XY6%2BY%3D&reserved=0 https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstatutes.capitol.texas.gov%2FDocs%2FED%2Fhtm%2FED.51.htm%2351.3525&data=05%7C02%7CTonya.Bester%40UTDallas.edu%7C607dbbba4582433cfeb708de1afd4d57%7C8d281d1d9c4d4bf7b16e032d15de9f6c%7C0%7C0%7C638977872386677728%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=%2B1ViwUrHman7H3ZK3E3R9XoPLNv1scKebcPB00XY6%2BY%3D&reserved=0

Proposals exceeding the page limit may be disqualified or not fully reviewed.

SECTION VIII – REQUESTED INFORMATION

These documents must be uploaded to Bonfire as part of your submission:

• Technical Proposal

• Cost Proposal

• General Questionnaire

• Terms & Conditions

• Signature Page

• Addenda Acknowledgement Form

Any discussion of the RFP with a department staff member can result in Proposer disqualification. All questions regarding the RFP should be directed through the Bonfire portal.