Addendum-II-Q&AMatrix-SiteSelectionSoftware-RFP.pdf

ADDENDUM II

Q&A Matrix

Request for Proposals

For Site Selection Software

Release Date: July 25, 2025

The following is a list of responses to questions submitted by prospective respondents to the Site Selection Software, RFP. A copy of the RFP is available at:

https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/requests-proposals/site-selection-software-rfp

No. Question Answer

When I click on OCSD-2- Staffing Plan, I receive the error page not found. Is there an alternative link to find OCSD-2-Staffing Plan?

ESD has released an updated OCSD-2 Staffing Plan, which can be found here:

https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/OCSD- 2-Staffing-Plan-REV-7-24-2025.xlsx This revised link has been included in an Addendum to the RFP.

Question concerns OCSD-2 Staffing Plan. Should we list all part time and full time staff? Or are you looking for full time staff only?

The Workforce reported on form OCSD-2 Staffing Plan should include all employees (both full-time and part-time workers).

Where the work force to be utilized in the performance of the State contract can be separated out from the Contractor’s and/or Subcontractor’s total work force, the Contractor shall complete this form only for the anticipated work force to be utilized on the State contract. Where the work force to be utilized in the performance of the State contract cannot be separated out from the contractor’s and/or Subcontractor’s total work force, the Contractor shall complete this form for the Contractor’s and/or Subcontractor’s total work force.

(Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 2 and 3) Are you looking for a Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) solution or a custom solution to meet ESD needs?

We are looking for a COTS that meets the minimum requirement, and can be customized with NYS branding (logos, fonts, etc.) and site data.

https://esd.ny.gov/doing-business-ny/requests-proposals/site-selection-software-rfp https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/OCSD-2-Staffing-Plan-REV-7-24-2025.xlsx https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/OCSD-2-Staffing-Plan-REV-7-24-2025.xlsx

(Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 2 and 3) What is the anticipated budget for this contract?

Budget will be determined based on the product capabilities.

(Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 2 and 3) Do you anticipate that the software will be hosted by the selected contractor or hosted by ESD?

We prefer that the software be hosted on the cloud by the vendor.

Shapefile Handling: Are there any specific formats or version requirements for shapefile uploads or exports (e.g., ESRI Shapefile version, .geojson support)?

ESRI Shapefiles for ArcGIS.

GIS Data Sources: Will ESD provide any GIS data layers (such as base maps, parcel data), or is the vendor expected to procure/publicly source and host all datasets?

Yes. ESD has a geodatabase of site/parcel boundaries.

These can all be shared via ArcGIS online.

Export Formats: In addition to .shp, .pdf, and .kmz, are other formats including but not limited to .csv, .geojson, or .xlsx acceptable or expected?

We do not anticipate the need for other formats to be exported.

Data Hosting: Is all data required to be hosted within the United States or New York State, or are commercial cloud services outside NY permissible if compliant with security requirements?

Continental United States data hosting / storage.

Integration with NYS Branding: Is there a branding standard/style guide and digital asset package available for integration into the application (logos, color palettes, fonts), or will this be co-developed?

Yes NYS and ESD has branding & style guide. Will be provided to vendor.

ISO Standards Compliance: Must vendors demonstrate current ISO/IEC 27001, 27005, and 27035 certification, or is demonstrated compliance with equivalent standards (SOC 2, NIST 800-53, etc.) sufficient?

They do not need to be ISO Certified, they need to follow the guidelines outlined in the Standards.

GDPR Applicability: Can ESD clarify if there is an expectation that the platform will serve users/data from EU data subjects, thus triggering GDPR compliance, or should baseline U.S. privacy standards suffice?

This would be determined on the use case business requirements developed between the business units and selected vendor. IF GDPR compliance is triggered, guidelines must be followed.

AI Usage: The security addendum requires "AI use shall comply with all applicable State and Federal Laws." Can ESD specify whether the inclusion of generative AI (e.g., chatbots, automated report generation) is anticipated or allowed within the platform?

If AI is utilized, the component must be approved by ESD's CISO office and follow ESD and NYS policies and guidelines.

Third-Party Compliance: If leveraging third-party components (e.g., APIs, cloud vendors), what documentation or audits are expected to prove their compliance with required standards?

ESD only needs certification from the vendor that we that contracting with that their 3rd part vendors are in compliance with required policies and standards. We do not need documentation from the 3rd party directly.

Enterprise Licensing/Authentication: Does ESD have a preferred identity provider, or should the bidder propose an SSO solution (e.g., SAML, OAuth, Active Directory integration)?

Integration into existing ESD systems needs to support DUO

SAML

User Roles and Permissions: What is the expected granularity of user permissions (e.g., role-based access controls, site editors vs.

viewers)?

We prefer that user permissions will be granted for editing

Site Sharing: Are there security or privacy constraints on generated site profile reports when shared via public links (e.g., link expiration, access logging)?

None anticipated. The site data is generally public realm information.

Contract Start Timeline: Can ESD clarify when the anticipated contract start date will be, and any desired go-live date or timeline milestones?

We would like to begin in Q4 2025 and launch in Q1 2026

Back-End Support: What are the expected SLAs for customer support, uptime, critical bug fixes, and feature requests?

We don’t have set SLAs at this time. We anticipate that periodic requests will be serviced on a rolling basis, with reasonable and realistic expectations.

Data Retention and Migration: Will bidders be required to migrate any legacy data, or is this a greenfield platform?

There will be some data migration. The current tool we use contains valuable site data. We will provide the list of attributes that will need to be migrated.

Training and Documentation: Is formal user/admin training and system documentation required as part of project deliverables?

Yes.

Attachments/Formatting: Are electronic signatures accepted on forms and certifications, or are hand-signed originals required within the Dropbox submission?

Electronic signatures are accepted on forms and certifications submitted as part of your proposal.

Clarification Response: Will all submitted questions (from all bidders) and their ESD responses be published as described—if so, where and when can addenda be expected to appear if needed?

All questions sent to the designated email address (SiteSelectionSoftwareRFP@esd.ny.gov) by the August 8, 2025 question-submission deadline have been answered here in Addendum II – Q&A Matrix, which is posted on both the Contract Reporter and ESD Website. Questions submitted after the deadline will not receive a response unless ESD determines that the question and response are significant enough to merit dissemination to all potential respondents, in which case an additional Addendum will be posted at both locations listed herein. Vendors should check one of these locations just prior to submission to ensure they have viewed all addenda related to this solicitation.

Late Submission: Is there any grace period or clock synchronization reference for the 2:00 p.m. EDT deadline in the Dropbox portal to avoid disqualification due to time differences?

ESD may consider affording a grace period on a case-by-case basis to account for technical issues including, but not limited to, clock synchronization, however, vendors are strongly encouraged to submit proposals well in advance of the deadline to avoid such technical issues.

MWBE/SDVOB Utilization Plans: Are sample utilization and waiver forms available, or does ESD expect bidders to develop these from scratch?

Are there specific reporting tools or templates required?

Here are links to the Utilization Plan and Waiver forms.

Further instructions regarding the MWBE and SDVOB reporting requirements for this Contract are found in section

viii. Non-Discrimination and Contractor & Supplier Diversity Requirements of the RFP (page 14).

OCSD-4 - MWBE and SDVOB Utilization Plan:

https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/OCSD- 4%20Utilization%20Plan.pdf

OCSD-5 - Waiver Request Form:

https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/OCSD- 5-Waiver-Request-Form-073124.pdf mailto:SiteSelectionSoftwareRFP@esd.ny.gov https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyscr.ny.gov%2Flogin.cfm&data=05%7C02%7CJordan.Kaplan%40esd.ny.gov%7C2c775241add343c3015a08ddda9fd926%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0%7C0%7C638907102258095767%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=9jKoxpvyNoKtR%2F%2F8dpngD0a8Z9NvaV246KhYJ%2FFq63U%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fesd.ny.gov%2Fdoing-business-ny%2Frequests-proposals%2Fsite-selection-software-rfp&data=05%7C02%7CJordan.Kaplan%40esd.ny.gov%7C2c775241add343c3015a08ddda9fd926%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0%7C0%7C638907102258120480%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=3yZw%2Ba1raVEfb3WboobHvhJ5sKsPXQYIIDAEI8TkUdY%3D&reserved=0 https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/OCSD-4%20Utilization%20Plan.pdf https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/OCSD-4%20Utilization%20Plan.pdf https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/OCSD-5-Waiver-Request-Form-073124.pdf

Non-Discrimination Reports: What is the preferred format for quarterly MWBE Contractor Compliance & Payment Reports (Excel, portal, PDF)?

For the monthly Compliance Report, Contractors can submit the report directly to the New York State Contract System ("NYSCS"). This is the preferred method to submit the Compliance Report. If a Contractor is unable to access NYSCS, they may submit the report to their OCSD Compliance Manger using form OCSD-6 Compliance Report. The corresponding invoice and proof of payment should be attached to all Compliance Reports.

The quarterly Workforce Utilization report should be emailed as an Excel spreadsheet to the ocsd@esd.ny.gov.

Waivers: What is the process for requesting a waiver for MWBE or SDVOB participation goals, and what documentation is required to support such a request?

If a Contractor is unable to meet the MWBE and/or SDVOB goals applied to the Contract, the Contractor may request a waiver for the shortfall in MWBE or SDVOB utilization. An OCSD-5 - Waiver Request Form and documentation of the Contractor’s Good Faith Efforts to achieve MWBE and SDVOB utilization must be submitted to the OCSD for review.

Examples of Good Faith Efforts documentation is found on page 2 of the waiver form.

How does ESD currently perform site data analysis and site selection at the present time? If so, what steps and resources are involved in completing the process?

We use a combination of data contained in RFIs, site visits, and site owner interviews. The current platform allows users from across the state to upload site profiles and data, as well.

ESD will QA/QC all “new” data and provide to vendor for the initial migration, and the ensuing information will be crowdsourced from said users and ESD.

What hardcopy and digital datasets relevant to the Site

Selection Software does the

ESD presently have access to?

Multiple sources: Zoom Prospector, ArcGIS internal database, master spreadsheet (.xls), and individual site profiles (.pdf) https://ny.newnycontracts.com/ https://ny.newnycontracts.com/ https://esd.ny.gov/sites/default/files/media/document/OCSD-6-OCSD-6-Compliance-Report-021925.pdf mailto:ocsd@esd.ny.gov

For any externally maintained source datasets, are there any licensing restrictions to use of the data that prevent the data from being used in a public website with unlimited logins?

No. the information will be public realm. We will not share any sensitive information on this platform.

Does the ESD have GIS staff internally or under contract now?

Yes. ESD and Information Technology have GIS staff

Does ESD currently have any

GIS software and licensing that could be re-used by the selected vendor?

Yes. ESD and IT have enterprise license for ArcGIS Pro

Is it possible to obtain a copy of a recent-generated site profile report?

Please see any standard Zoom Prospector report.

If not, can the ESD document what information the report needs to contain?

We anticipate the report to be a 2-page pdf, including (but not limited to) the following core data: Maps (including aerial, site boundary, utilities, natural features) Standard Data: Acres, ownership, utility information Environmental information, proximity to transportation, and other data specific to site readiness.

Do all users need to be able to create and share profile reports? Or will this functionality only be made available to a limited number of users?

The platform should be able to generate a limited, uniform 2-page pdf site profile for any public user.

What type(s) of users need to be able to generate a request for information (RFI) document on-demand?

ESD Industry Directors and staff.

For the Aesthetically pleasing interface referenced on Page 3, does ESD have a style guide or other branding guidelines and content that can be provided to the selected consultant?

Yes. ESD will provide branding package to the selected vendor.

Does disconnected use need to be supported? i.e. when users do not have internet connectivity

No.

Has the ESD seen demos of existing site selection software solutions?

Currently, ESD uses Zoom Prospector. We have not seen any formal demos; but we have researched other states’ websites and have an idea of what is out there. We anticipate demos as an integral part of the interview process.

If so, is it possible for ESD to let the respondents know which solutions have been seen to-date?

Zoom Prospector is the only platform with which we are familiar from a user standpoint, which is our current platform.

Re: Appendix A – We want to provide an accurate scope, schedule and budget. What specific deliverables do we need to plan to generate in order to ensure compliance with the requirements specified in this document?

Appendix A contains the minimum requirements.

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) Understanding your budget is critical for determining the best solution for this project.

Can you please provide details around the budget available for this project?

That is to say, we expect a baseline proposal for an OTS product and reserve the right to increase the budget for additional features, functionality, and customization.

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) What is the source of funding for this project, and have funds already been allocated?

ESD has allocated funding for this project.

(RFP Page 4, Section VI) In the Selection Criteria, “Estimated Cost for Services” is worth 40 points. Can you provide details on how cost will be evaluated and how points will be allocated?

That is to say, we expect a baseline proposal for an OTS product and reserve the right to increase the budget for additional features, functionality, and customization. ESD will evaluate the proposed cost based on the product functionality.

(RFP Page 4, 5 Section VI, VII, Reference Checks) Will you be applying an evaluation framework such as best value, lowest-price-technically-acceptable, or another approach?

The proposal offering the best value to ESD will be selected.

Best value will be determined utilizing the weighted evaluation criteria set forth in Section VI of the RFP.

(RFP Page 6, Section VII) Does ESD have any specific requirements as to how the proposed budget should be presented or can you specify a standardized budget format so that all responding vendors can be evaluated equally?

Provide a baseline cost for the baseline product. Provide itemized costs/values for additional features and functionality, add-ons, etc.

(RFP Page 6, Section VII) Does ESD have any requirements as to the type of budget i.e. T&M, FFP or any requirements around travel or Other Direct Costs associated with a vendor's proposed solution and/or approach?

Vendors responding to this solicitation should include, as part of their estimated cost for services, all budgetary items necessary to perform the entire scope of work. These items should be clearly delineated so as to allow the evaluation team to score the vendor’s proposal in accordance with Section VI of the RFP. Additionally, vendors should review the applicable portions of ESD’s standard Schedule A as set forth in Section X(xi) of the RFP with respect to ESD’s permitted allowances for certain direct costs and should incorporate those provisions into their estimated cost as well.

(RFP Page 4, 5 Section VI, VII, Reference Checks) What key stakeholders from ESD will be on the evaluation team?

To protect the integrity and objectivity of the selection process, ESD does not disclose the identities of evaluation committee members during the evaluation process. Generally speaking, however, evaluation committees include ESD employees or other individuals with relevant knowledge of the industry, market and goods and/or services being procured.

(RFP Page 4, Section VI) Regarding the “Quantitative Factor” (5 points): Must the prime contractor be a certified MWBE/SDVOB to receive the points, or can this also be achieved through a partnership or subcontracting arrangement with a certified

MWBE/SDVOB?

The Respondent (Prime Contractor) must be a New York State- Certified MBE, WBE, or SDVOB in order to receive points for the Quantitative Factor.

(RFP Page 2, Section IV) Can you please clarify what you mean by “update” geospatial data? For example, are you expecting users to be able to edit existing shapes (on-the-fly), or simply add new data (e.g., additional shapes or attributes) to the map?

ESD and IT will be the only users able to update/create geospatial data. For example, we will receive and/or create shapefiles, and submit to the vendor for upload.

(RFP Page 3, Section IV) With regard to exporting GIS shapefiles, are there any limitations or expectations with regard to this requirement? Do you have additional details on your export requirements?

ZIP file would be sufficient, and limited to simple shapefiles such as site boundaries (polygons), utility alignments (lines/polylines), and points of interest (points).

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) Are there any requirements for the monetization of the portal, such as charging access fees to users, or will all access be free of charge? Will payment processing of any kind be required as part of the platform?

No. This will be a publicly available portal.

(RFP Page 3, Section IV) What are your expectations for the licensing structure (e.g., concurrent users, unlimited logins, named users, seat-based, or another model)?

We anticipate approximately 100 credentialed users for the purposes of entering site data. Ideally, this will be a user questionnaire accessed on the portal, which would be linked to a master database file kept by ESD.

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) Have you conducted a technology landscape review, and if you have, what platforms have you reviewed?

Do you have any preferences?

Not formally. We have looked at other states’ and counties’ platforms, informally.

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) Are there any existing infrastructure or systems constraints we need to be aware of, or are you seeking a full solution recommendation from vendors?

We keep a master .xls database, and anticipate that it will provide the foundation for site data. Ideally, we would like this to be live-linked to the platform. As credentialed users complete the questionnaire, it should automatically update the master database. The portal should, in turn, automatically update from the master database.

(RFP Page 3, Section IV) Regarding shape files and shapes themselves: What level of detail and attributes are you expecting for uploaded and managed geospatial data?

ESD will provide/share simple shapefiles such as site boundaries (polygons), utility alignments (lines/polylines), and points of interest (points). These will ideally be shared/sourced from our ArcGIS account.

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) Are there any concerns or requirements regarding the quality or integrity of user-supplied or user-generated data entered into the system?

ESD will routinely monitor and QA/QC the master database.

All site data and mapping on the portal will be derived from this master database and ArcGIS account.

(RFP Page 2, Section IV) Are there any related state or agency systems or data sources that the new site selection tool will need to integrate with? If so, can you specify which ones?

ESD and IT will work with the vendor to create an ArcGIS online user group which hosts the public GIS data.

(RFP Page 2-3, Section IV) How many total users are anticipated across all audiences and user organizations? Will there be anonymous traffic to the platform or will all access be provided via authenticated user accounts?

The portal should be fully public. The types of users include:

• Credentialed External Users: who will be able to complete questionnaires and submit site data for the master file(s). These include Economic Development Organizations, Municipal Staff, and related regional/local partners.

• Public Users: basically, potential companies, utilities, or site selectors who are browsing or surfing for available sites in NYS.

• ESD Credentialed Users: who have access to the master data sets and editing capabilities.

*all users should be able to generate a standard/uniform site profile report.

(RFP Page 2-3, Section IV) Will the platform require a sophisticated account creation and onboarding feature to facilitate self-service account creation?

No. ESD staff will work with trusted partners and will take requests by phone or email and work with the vendor to issue usernames and passwords, transmitted by email to vetted partners/users.

(RFP Page 3, Section IV) Are there any requirements related to native mobile applications or will the resulting product from this solicitation be fully web-based?

The portal should be mobile-friendly. At minimum, someone sitting in an airport on a phone should be able to perform simple tasks such as search, sort, zoom, scroll. We would certainly entertain an app as an extra/add-on feature if that is something that your company can create.

(RFP Page 2-3, Section IV) What authentication systems must the platform integrate with (Active Directory, SAML, etc.)?

SAML. Public or 3rd party access needs to use system generated, managed user accounts and support multiple MFA options.

(RFP Page 2-3, Section IV) When editing data in the system - will this be limited to uploading and replacing existing data or is an in-app editing interface required?

Any externally credentialed users will enter site data and images via a questionnaire. ESD and IT will work with the vendor to upload/replace GIS features.

(RFP Page 3, Section IV) Will ESD provide all shapefiles, or does the vendor need to source/create property data?

ESD will source/create all shapefiles and share them via ArcGIS Online.

(RFP Page 2-3, Section IV) What is the expected volume of properties to be displayed (hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands)?

We expect that approximately 200-300 properties will be routinely maintained on the portal.

(RFP Page 4, Section VI) The Project Plan/Approach requests:

1. an “Example of client portfolio” - can you clarify what you are requesting? Is this a list of relevant clients or case studies?

2. “Provide an example of a site profile report as it would generate on demand” - can you clarify what type of sample deliverable you are requesting?

Show us your most relevant, favorite, or most closely-related products that you are currently providing to another state or municipality, and any insights, reviews thereof.

Per the above, please provide an example of how a user would select “generate report” from said portal. Typically, a .pdf document that summarizes the data and contains a map(s).

(Appendix A, Section N/A) Appendix A ESD IT Security Standard Brief states:

“Partners, contractors, vendors, suppliers and all other 3rd parties working with ESD or ESD’s contracted vendors must comply with ISO Standards 27001, 27005 and 27035 as they relate to the protection of ESD’s network, data and information systems.” Is organizational ISO certification required or preferred in your evaluation for a vendor to support this contract?

Vendors do not need to be ISO Certified, they need to follow the guidelines outlined in the Standards.

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) Is this RFP open to all respondents or are there any limitations?

This RFP is open to any responsible party or entity that provides a timely and responsive submission that meets the requirements set forth in the RFP.

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) How many responses do you anticipate receiving, and have you previously worked with any of the expected bidders?

This is an open and competitive procurement, and ESD has no estimate on the number of responses it might receive. All responses received will be reviewed for compliance for the RFP, and if deemed compliant, will be evaluated according to the terms of the RFP. While ESD has no way of knowing which vendors may respond to this solicitation, it can advise that it has previously engaged the services of Zoom Prospector, who may (or may not) respond to this RFP.

(RFP Page N/A, Section N/A) Was any external vendor or consultant engaged to assist ESD in developing this RFP or defining its technical requirements?

Page 2 - RFP Section II - Overview Current Property Mapping Platform for Empire State Development - Do you have a current property marketing map in use and externally facing to prospects and located on the Empire State Development’s website?

https://properties.zoomprospector.com/newyorkstate

Page 2 - RFP Section II - Overview

Current Property Mapping Platform for the ten (10) Regional Economic Development Organizations – Do you have a current real estate marketing map in use that is also in coordination with other economic development organizations across the State, such as in coordination with the ten (10) regional economic development organizations? If yes, do you have the map in use and externally facing to prospects and located on the Empire State Development website?

No. NYS is comprised of ten (10) ESD regions. We all use the same tool. We simply expect this link to be on the ten regional pages. https://esd.ny.gov/regions https://esd.ny.gov/regions

Page 2 - RFP Section II - Overview

Current Property Database - Do you have a current property database that is managed by Empire State Development and stores property information, photos, videos, and due diligence report content about the properties being marketed by Empire State Development?

Overview

Current RFI Response Database

- Do you have property RFI response data stored in a database for internal use so that all economic developers in the State can coordinate on the data collection and responses to international business owners and site selection consultants?

a. If yes, is it a proprietary software or business process developed and operated by Empire State Development?

b. If yes, is it third party software service provider?

Who is the service provider?

Page 2 - RFP Section II - Overview

Current Economic Developer Database - Do you have a current database that is managed by Empire State Development and stores information about the economic developers in the State, to include the economic developer names, job titles, email addresses, phone numbers, and physical mailing addresses, at all levels, to include the State, Regions, Counties, Towns, and Villages?

Overview

Geospatial (GIS) Shapefile Management – Do you maintain a set of raw data and shapefiles that contain customized data about the infrastructure, assets, and features in the State of New York? If yes, who in the Empire State Development organization is accountable for the operation and maintenance of the shapefiles?

Yes. In cooperation with IT.

Page 2 - RFP Section II - Overview

Geospatial (GIS) Resource Organization – Do you coordinate with the New York State Geospatial Service (NYS Geo) to obtain foundational GIS infrastructure and datasets? If yes, who is the person you coordinate with?

Information Technology GIS department.

Page 2 - RFP Section IV – Scope of Work

Economic Development Properties - Do you wish to promote economic development properties only on your property marketing maps?

Yes. Limited to large sites and facilities. For example, we do not intend to market “main street” properties.

Page 2 - RFP Section IV – Scope of Work

Commercial Real Estate Properties - Do you wish to also include a commercial real estate data feed to also promote commercial real estate properties on your property marketing maps?

1) If yes, you want to include a commercial real estate data feed, then: there are two firms that have existing API integrations into our software service, REsimplifi and Catylist. Do you wish for a fee proposal from one or both firms to be listed as a scope and fee in this proposal submission?

2) If yes, you want to include a commercial real estate data feed, but do not want either the REsimplifi and Catylist service, then who do you wish the service to be provided by? We will reach out to them to obtain their scope and fee proposal for integration into our proposal submission.

No. We only wish to market/promote/feature sites curated by

ESD.

Page 2 - RFP Section IV – Scope of Work Site Readiness and Site

Certification Properties - Our research has returned that there are properties that are receiving grant funding from the FAST NY grant application program. These properties are classified into three separate tracks: Track A: Shovel-Ready

Certification—recognizing sites that have proactively addressed permitting and infrastructure needs, Track B:

Pre-Development Grants—up to $500,000 to support site planning and reviews, Track C:

Infrastructure Improvement

Grants—for work on utilities, roads, water, sewer, and more.

a. Which team or person at

Empire State Development is accountable for this initiative?

b. How many properties have received funding and/or a

Readiness or a Certification designation?

<continued on next page> a.

It is intended that this project will be overseen by personnel in ESD’s Strategic Business Division.

b.

To date, we have 32 awardees

c. Does Empire State Development wish to showcase these properties on their maps?

d. If there are properties that have received a designation, is there a marketing brand name or other marketing initiative used for their promotion?

Such as a color (Gold, Silver) or a name (FAST NY Track A)?

e. Would you like this branding and iconography included on your property marketing maps?

c.

yes.

d.

no.

e.

yes.

Page 2 - RFP Section IV – Scope of Work

Business Data: Do you subscribe to a Business Data service to obtain the list of Large Employers in the State?

If yes, which service provider?

Our research department uses various platforms. That will have no Particular relevance to this platform.

Page 2 - RFP Section IV – Scope of Work

Shapefile Exporting - What is the intent of exporting GIS shapefiles? Where will they be exported to? Is it for a data archive? Or is it for coordination with another software platform or another stakeholder organization?

In some cases, professional site selectors and their engineering teams Request shapefiles and kmz files. These would be limited to zip files Containing simple information such as boundaries and utilities. We Anticipate that ESD staff will be the only individuals with permission And ability to download/export these and distribute as we see fit.

Page 2 - RFP Section IV – Scope of Work

License Pricing - For the enterprise license pricing, how many economic development organizations do you want to have included? We assume you would want one delivery to the State website and 10 additional deliveries to the 10 Regional websites. Our research also returned 62 Counties, 62 Cities, 932 Towns, and 535 Villages. In total, if all of these geographic regions were to receive delivery of the service, it amounts to 1,602 economic development organizational areas. Would you prefer for 1,602 organizational areas to be included in the enterprise license pricing?

No. We anticipate, on average, roughly 100 external credentialed users. These will be vetted and distributed by ESD staff as needed.

Page 3-4 - RFP Section V – Schedule of Dates

Contract Start Date – What is the anticipated contract start date? If an exact date cannot be provided, which quarter and year do you estimate?

Such as Q4 2025.

Q4 2025

Page 4 - RFP Section VI – Selection Criteria

Example of Client Portfolio – Will the client portfolio be scored as a part of the Project Plan and Approach? Or will it be scored as part of the Firm Experience and Qualifications?

Both.

Page 17 - RFP Section X – Contractual Requirements

Staffing Plan Form - OCSD-2 - Do you want both full-time and part-time employees to be listed on the form?

Yes. All employees should be included in the Staffing Plan.

Page 17 - RFP Section X – Contractual Requirements

Office of Contractor and Supplier Diversity - OCSD-4 – where do we find or obtain this ESD Contract/Project number?

A Contract Number for this project is not yet available. Leave that field blank on the Utilization Plan (form OCSD-4). The Contract Number will be assigned by ESD after the Contract is executed.

Is there an expectation for any of the data or tools to be publicly available without login?

Yes.

What data will be provided by ESD to be used in site selection? Master site attribute database, site imagery, links, pdf documents, and GIS shapefiles via ArcGIS online

What data work is anticipated?

Major migration in the beginning, and periodic curating.

Who defines the criteria for site selection?

ESD will define ultimate criteria for the portal.

Currently, we anticipate roughly 80 data fields.

Are criteria for site selection predefined or user defined?

ESD will define ultimate criteria for the portal.

Currently, we anticipate roughly 80 data fields.

What should the site selection experience be? e.g. pre-determined filters leveraging parcel-based attributes? Site suitability capable of setting criteria based on additional data layers?

User/viewer should be able to click on a point to view attribute data, zoom in/scroll to navigate features, and view property report. There should be a basic search function that allows user/viewer to filter by acreage, water capacity, wastewater capacity, electrical capacity, and square footage, etc.

Please elaborate on the requirement for back-end management and support.

What is envisioned for “responsive customer support”?

We would like to be in periodic contact with the vendor. For example, if we Wish to add/customize a basic function, or if users experience issues. Ideally, we would have a designated representative or single point of contact.

Will ESD be leveraging authoritative data services from other NYS agencies? No.

Will ESD offer expanded capabilities to internal vs public users? Internal users (<20) should have the ability to edit/upload the master data.

Does ESD anticipate that the selected team will provide back-end management and support for the full three-year contract term?

Additionally, is any other work anticipated during that period, such as regular updates, enhancements, or new feature development beyond the initial launch of the site selection tool?

Yes and yes.

Section II OVERVIEW – page 2

The RFP states the anticipated contract term is three (3) years, with two one (1) year extension options to be exercised at ESD’s sole discretion. Does NY-ESD anticipate the development to take 3 years or is NY-ESD anticipating the design and development to take less than 3 years with some time built into the contract for transferring the system to NY- ESD production environment, training NY-ESD staff on the system, and consultant continuing to provide support and maintenance? Or does NY-ESD anticipate the complexity of developing the Site Selection System to take 3 years?

ESD wishes to have the portal up and running in Q1 2026. We anticipate some form of OTS solution to begin. We do expect that, based on user experience and feedback, there will be some evolving customization and tweaks to the platform over the contract term. The extensions are built in to provide continuity to ESD and our partners for up to 5 years.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Does New York – Empire State Development Group (NY-ESD) want the system designed to be hosted on-premise in the New York State data center?

SaaS hosted, self-contained solution.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Is the NY-ESD open to a Site Selection System developed using 0pen software technology and development stack of databases, programming code, and GIS or is ESD seeking a Site Selection System developed using an esri ArcGIS environment and framework or would a hybrid solution that uses both esri ArcGIS and open software technology be a possible option?

Yes. We are open to any solution that is clean, simple, mobile-friendly.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Does the NY-ESD anticipate any data development or acquisition to be a part of the project or will any data required to be included in the site-selection tool be provided to the client?

No. ESD and our partners will be the ultimate creators and curators.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

The RFP references the importance of accommodating user experience on mobile devices. Does NY-ESD have specific form factors in mind?

(E.g. screen size or target device).

We would like to be current with popular culture and technology. ESD staff use iPhones, so at minimum, that must be seamless.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Does NY-ESD have an existing identity/access management platform that this tool will need to integrate with?

SAML with group membership-based access roles.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Does NY-ESD have interest in logging end user activity for use in fine tuning UX or understanding which data are most frequently used?

Yes. Periodically, we would like to review this data to inform any tweaks or improvements, functionality, etc.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

The RFP mentions that geospatial data will be stored and updated in the tool. Does ”update” include modifying the geometric shapes or is it limited to feature attributes?

Will end user uploaded data have size limits? Will uploaded files need to be scanned for cybersecurity issues on ingestion?

ESD will perform all edits/modifications outside of the portal and shared via ArcGIS online enterprise account. No edits to geospatial data will be necessary “inside” the portal.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Does NY-ESD have any existing GIS or economic development systems that the Site Selection System will need to integrate with? If so, can details about these systems be provided?

Yes. Shared via ArcGIS online public files.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Does NY-ESD have specific requirements for user roles, permissions, and access levels within the system? How many user types are anticipated?

ESD internal editors - +/- 20 External credentialed users: +/-100

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Who will own the data uploaded to the system, and are there any specific requirements for data retention, backup, or archival?

ESD will own the data. We will coordinate with IT to determine the appropriate repository.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Does NY-ESD have specific expectations for training materials, user guides, or ongoing support documentation for staff and end users?

Yes. We would like to host a series of 3 training sessions in the beginning, and a copy of the presentations, screenshots, and processes covered therein.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Are there specific performance benchmarks or metrics (e.g., system uptime, response time) that the Site Selection application must meet?

None other than getting the portal up and running in Q1 2026 and committing to a reasonable response time for support requests.

Section IV. SCOPE OF WORK – pages 2 and 3

Are there additional compliance or regulatory requirements (e.g., ADA accessibility, FOIL compliance) that the system must adhere to beyond those mentioned in the RFP?

In addition to any requirements set forth in the RFP (including those set forth in IT Security Standard Brief), the system must comply with all relevant laws, regulations and compliance requirements related to the scope of work for usage by a New York State governmental entity.

Section VI – SELECTION CRITERIA – Page 4

D. Estimated Cost for Services (40 pts)

Development costs can vary greatly depending on desired customization needs and the software stack employed. Is NY-ESD looking to build a feature rich solution with all possible options and capabilities, or start with a minimum viable product (MVP) and continue to enhance in a more agile fashion?

We wish to start with Minimum Viable Product and customize as necessary.

Section VI – SELECTION CRITERIA – Page 4

D. Estimated Cost for Services (40 pts)

Does NY-ESD have an anticipated budget range for the project that might help guide proposers on recommend development procedures?

Is ESD seeking a vendor with prior experience working with state or public-sector GIS platforms, or are private-sector equivalents also acceptable? Section VI.A.Firm Experience and Qualifications, Private sector equivalents are acceptable.

How important is prior experience in New York State government projects when evaluating vendor proposals?

Section VI.A. Firm Experience and Qualifications, Page 4

Not important, as long as the vendor understands NYS requirements.

Beyond the stated requirements, are there any additional factors that will influence vendor selection?

Section VI - Selection Criteria overall scoring methodology, Product demonstration will be an important factor.

What capabilities do you view as potential differentiators among proposals? Section VI.

Selection Criteria overall scoring methodology, Page 4

Simplicity of user experience, mobile-friendliness, ease of use.

We understand that a NYS MWBE can bid as a prime contractor for this project. If the project is awarded to an MWBE as the prime contractor, must that organization then also subcontract another MWBE in order to meet the 30% goal. Or can the 30% goal be met by the MWBE acting as prime contractor alone? Section III.

MWBE & SDVOB

Subcontractor Interest, Page 2

If the Prime Contractor is an MBE or WBE, they may fulfill the overall 30% MWBE participation goal without additional subcontractors.

Has a budget been established for this initiative? If so, can you share a general range to help ensure proposal feasibility?

Section II. Overview, Page 2

No

Can you share the expected budget allocation for ongoing maintenance, hosting, and support? Section II. Overview, No

Would ESD consider a phased approach to implementation?

IV. Scope of Work, Page 3 Yes. So long as the Minimum Viable Product can be launched in Q1 2026

Can you describe your internal team's structure and anticipated involvement with the project (e.g., technical leads, GIS specialists, content managers)? Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 2

ESD anticipates having internal staff coordinating with the successful vendor and completing tasks related to: attribute data collection, GIS data development, content management, database maintenance, quality control, functionality, interfacing with the NYS website and marketing. While there will be dedicated staff members for these tasks, ESD has not yet determined which staffers will complete which tasks.

Are there any known incumbent platforms or internal systems that must be integrated or replaced?

Section IV. Scope of Work, Does the platform need to integrate with existing ESD systems (CRM, project management, reporting tools)?

Section IV. Scope of Work, It must be integrated with the ESD website

What are the specific data sources and formats that need to be integrated? Section IV.

Scope of Work, Page 3

GIS shapefiles Attribute data from master spreadsheet (.xls) Imagery & photos

Will you be providing initial datasets, or should the vendor anticipate sourcing, standardizing, or cleaning data? Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 3

ESD will provide.

Can you provide info on any constraints on hosting infrastructure (e.g., cloud provider preferences, data residency requirements)?

Section IV. Scope of Work, Data needs to reside in the continental US. ESD prefers Azure Cloud.

Are there compliance or legal frameworks beyond those listed in the RFP (ISO

27001/27005/27035, GDPR,

NYS Cybersecurity laws) that the selected vendor must align with? Appendix A - ESD IT Security Standard Brief, Page 1

Not from an IT perspective

Are there particular technologies, frameworks, or third-party services ESD prefers—or wants to avoid?

Section IV. Scope of Work, ESD prefers Microsoft technologies including Azure, .Net and MS Dynamics 365, however, we are open to similar technology alternatives.

How important are extended features such as automated property profile generation, multilingual support, or integration with economic development databases?

Section IV. Scope of Work, Property profile generation is critical.

Integration/live-linking with master database is critical.

Mobile-friendly app/website is critical.

Who are the primary user groups beyond ESD staff? Will external businesses and site selection professionals have direct access or go through ESD? Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 3

Site selection professionals and regional/municipal economic development Organizations will be the primary external users.

The portal should be public-facing in terms of navigating, viewing, and exporting simple property profiles. The externally-credentialed users will have the added functionality of entering site data into a questionnaire and uploading required documents to be hosted in the master database(s)

How many ESD staff and external users will require access at launch? Section IV.

Scope of Work, Page 3

+/- 20 ESD staff +/-100 external

Can you provide sample RFIs or describe the current RFI process? Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 3

Typical RFIs will request the following types of data:

Mapping: site boundaries, topography, and utilities Imagery: drone photography or other high-res imagery Attributes: acres, square footage, utility data, natural features, proximity to transportation systems, available workforce or metro populations, environmental reviews, etc.

This portal is not intended to be the “end-all, be-all” for all site selectors and RFI responses. It is intended to:

-be an easy-to-use, mobile-friendly portal to search for sites & facilities -help companies and site selectors to identify viable sites in

NYS;

-provide a uniform, accessible site mapping and data repository for users -streamline ESD staff site searches -distinguish NYS as a premier location for investment based on high-quality sites and facilities

Will the selected vendor be responsible for long-term maintenance and updates post-launch? Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 3 yes

What level of ongoing customization and feature development does ESD anticipate after go-live?

Section IV. Scope of Work, Based on user experience and feedback, we anticipate making a few tweaks and customizations. Please note that we do not want this to be over-complicated. It should be easy to navigate, and minimize “noise”

What level of training and change management support does ESD expect from the selected vendor? Section IV.

Scope of Work, Page 3

Intense in the beginning, and support throughout.

What are the expected response times for geospatial queries and data visualization?

Section IV. Scope of Work, Vendor is not responsible for creating data. ESD will provide initial data, and external users will need to have the ability to answer a questionnaire whin which the answers are linked to the master dataset(s) User will click, portal will display. Keep it simple.

What specific mobile capabilities are required beyond basic visualization?

Section IV. Scope of Work, None. Needs to be as simple as scroll, swipe, pinch, press.

What specific file formats and data structures are required for exports? Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 3

Public exports will be limited to a 2-4 page .pdf (or a link to such) that summarizes the data.

Internal exports will be limited to GIS Zip files, .kmz files, .xls files, plus the above.

Are there specific regions or property types within New York State that should be prioritized? Section IV. Scope of Work, Page 3

Yes, priority/featured sites will include:

-Large sites -“Mature” sites, i.e., those with advanced readiness -Sites proximal to key transportation and utility infrastructure -Sites with unique utility infrastructure or capacity

We anticipate that there will be no more than 15-20 “premier” sites in this regard at any given time.

Which categories of site selection does ESD anticipate will be the most frequently used within this platform, such as retail for necessities like food and clothing, retail for luxury goods or electronics, industrial, medical, technology, manufacturing, logistics, or other sectors?

Section II. Overview, Page 2

Advanced Industries Semiconductors Food Processing Clean Technology Life Sciences Logistics

How will ESD measure platform success? What performance benchmarks or success metrics will be used to evaluate the final product?

Section II – Overview, Page 2

Ease of use Accessibility Mobile-friendliness Aesthetics

Can you clarify what elements are included in the…