Amendment1.docx

State of South Carolina

Request for Proposal Amendment1

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400027670 December 19, 2024

FAITH WILLIAMS

803 737-2925 fmwilliams@mmo.sc.gov SFAA, Div. of Procurement Services 1201 Main Street, Suite 600 Columbia SC 29201

DESCRIPTION: AI/ Chatbot Software

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: Coastal Carolina University

SUBMIT YOUR OFFER ON-LINE AT THE FOLLOWING URL: http://www.procurement.sc.gov

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 01/08/2025 01/16/2025 11:00 AM EST (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: 12/11/2024 3:00 PM EST (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: ONLINE SOLICITATION

If no redacted copy is needed, please initial__________

CONFERENCE TYPE: Not Applicable

DATE & TIME:

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions) LOCATION: Not Applicable

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer) Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________

___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE - ON-LINE ONLY (MAR. 2015)

SAP

SAP

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (JANUARY 2006) (a) The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov . (b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by signing and returning the amendment, (2) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two, (3) by letter, or (4) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged.

THE SOLICITATION IS AMENDED AS PROVIDED HEREIN. INFORMATION OR CHANGES RESULTING FROM QUESTIONS WILL BE SHOWN IN A QUESTION-AND-ANSWER FORMAT. ALL QUESTIONS RECEIVED HAVE BEEN REPRINTED BELOW. THE “STATE’S RESPONSE” SHOULD BE READ WITHOUT REFERENCE TO THE QUESTIONS. THE QUESTIONS ARE INCLUDED SOLELY TO PROVIDE A CROSS-REFERENCE TO THE POTENTIAL OFFEROR THAT SUBMITTED THE QUESTION. QUESTIONS DO NOT FORM A PART OF THE CONTRACT; THE “STATE’S RESPONSE” DOES. ANY RESTATEMENT OF PART OR ALL OF AN EXISTING PROVISION OF THE SOLICITATION IN AN ANSWER DOES NOT MODIFY THE ORIGINAL PROVISION EXCEPT AS FOLLOWS: UNDERLINED TEXT IS ADDED TO THE ORIGINAL PROVISON. STRICKEN TEXT IS DELETED.

Change Submission Date: 01/08/2025 to 01/16/2025 11:00 AM EST Answer questions to amendment 1 Vendor Questions:

1. I see there is a requirement to transfer over to a live agent when appropriate, do you have a preexisting contract with live agent services or are we expected to fulfill these? Answer: Live Agent being CCU employee of/in the department which the question/assistance can be provided by

2. Have you received any demos from any vendors? Answer: Yes.

3. What front end will the users be expected to use the Chatbot? If it is different from our own front end, are we responsible for integration into the other software? Answer: Pop-up form University website

4. Is there a budget for the project or an expectation on annual fees you are willing to spend? Answer: There is not a defined budget for this project.

5. Is there a preference for in-state vendors? Answer: Per the solicitation preferences do not apply.

6. We respectfully request an extension to the submission date in order to ensure the state has enough time to process our vendor registration: Answer: Submission date will be extended – 1/16/2025.

7. What are your inquiry reasons for both new and existing students? e.g. could you provide a list of inquiries by most asked/volume?

a. How many inquiries do you have on an annual basis for both new and existing students? What are your anticipated volumes?

b. What actions does the bot need to take for authenticated/existing student processes? Also, if applicable, new students.

Answer: Most Asked Inquiries by Volume:

· Admissions and Enrollment: Application status, admission requirements, deadlines, and scholarship opportunities.

· Financial Aid: Information on financial aid applications, status updates, and disbursement schedules.

· Student Accounts: Billing/Payment/Refunds

· Course Registration: Class schedules, registration deadlines, and course availability.

· Academic Advising: Degree requirements, academic policies, and advisor appointments.

· Campus Services: Housing, dining, transportation, and health services.

· Technical Support: Issues with university portals, email, and learning management systems.

a. Annual Inquiry Volumes: Data not currently available

b. Actions for Authenticated/Existing Student Processes:

· Authenticated Students:

· Accessing Personal Information: Viewing grades, transcripts, and financial aid status.

· Academic Support/Course Management: Registering for classes, dropping/adding courses, and viewing schedules, updating personal information. Scheduling appointments with advisors, accessing tutoring services, and requesting academic records.

· Account Management: billing, payments, refunds New Students:

· Application Assistance: Guiding through the application process, providing status updates, and answering admission-related questions.

· Orientation Information: Providing details about orientation schedules, campus tours, and initial setup of student accounts.

· Financial Aid Guidance: Assisting with financial aid applications and providing information on available scholarships and grants.

8. What other relevant systems are needed to integrate outside of Ellucian Colleague and Slate?

Answer: Colleague, TouchNet, Slate, Raiser’s Edge, Starez, Paclion, or others

9. How would you like to escalate a conversation? Answer: First talk to AI, then to a live person, then to a supervisor through a software handoff

10. We support 35 different channels. What channels would be interesting to you as a follow-up to Chat? e.g. Whatsapp, SMS, Voice, FB Messenger. Answer: Email, Text/sms, phone call.

11. We support 150+ languages. What languages do you need? e.g. English, Spanish, French, etc. Answer: Any/All available.

12. In the response area of the portal, on the item tab, the product category is listed as Customer Relationship Management Software. Our understanding of this RFP is that your requirement is for an AI/Chatbot solution. Can you please clarify the category listing? Answer: The product category listed as "Customer Relationship Management Software" is a general classification. A chatbot will be utilized to assist students, parents, and staff with account/university questions/inquires.

13. We request clarification regarding the attachment ITS Security Questionnaire. This document is not referenced in the solicitation document. However, that document does include SERVICE PROVIDER SECURITY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE. Can we assume that the ITS Security Questionnaire is for reference only and that we need to only reply to the SERVICE PROVIDER SECURITY ASSESSMENT QUESTIONNAIRE? Answer: Yes, it for reference only, please reply to the Assessment questionnaire and the ITS Security Questionnaire is for reference only

14. How do students reach out for support today? In other words, What channels are you currently supporting your prospective and enrolled students (e.g. Telephony, Live Chat)? Answer: Phone, txt/sms, email, In-Person, social media.

15. What are your current volumes (support engagements) per channel?

Answer: With enrollment between 10,000-11,000 students, here are some *estimated* support engagement volumes per channel: (average of 12-month period) Telephone: Approximately 1,500-2,000 calls per month.

SMS Text: Around 1,500-3,000 live chat sessions per month.

Email: About 2,000-2,500 emails per month.

In-Person: Approximately 600-800 in-person interactions per month.

16. What are your expected conversation volumes for the proposed chatbot solution?

Answer, see question 15.

17. What channels would you like to offer your AI Assistant on aside from chat? (e.g. Voice, SMS, Social Channels?)

Answer: In addition to chat, we would like the ability to offer an AI Assistant on the following channels:

Voice: To provide support through voice-activated devices and phone systems.

SMS: To enable students to receive assistance via text messages.

Social Channels: To extend support through platforms like Facebook Messenger, Twitter, and Instagram.

We aim to make our AI Assistant accessible across multiple channels to ensure students can get the help they need through their preferred method of communication.

18. Where would you like to deploy the AI Chatbot aside from the Coastal Carolina University website?

Answer: In addition to the Coastal Carolina University website, we would like to deploy the AI Chatbot on the following platforms:

Mobile App: To provide support through our university's mobile applications.

Text/SMS: To enable automated responses and support Email: To enable automated responses and support through email interactions.

Social Media Platforms: To extend support via our official social media channels.

Our goal is to ensure that students can access the AI Chatbot through various touchpoints, enhancing their overall experience and support accessibility.

19. What are your top contact reasons (why students reach out to you) and what percentage of overall volume are they?

Answer: Top Contact reason examples can be found at:

https://www.coastal.edu/studentaccounts/faqs/ https://www.coastal.edu/financialaid/faqs/

20. When will conversations be escalated to a live chat agent? Answer: if/when AI/Chatbot is unable to perform the assistance/answers needed from the customer.

21. In section 2.3 of Key features, you mention capability to integrate with additional systems. Are you able to provide some example uses cases for such integrations? Answer: Colleague, TouchNet, Slate, Raiser’s Edge, Starez, Paclion.

22. What is your current SSO Identity Provider? Answer: Microsoft

23. What languages do you plan on supporting aside from English? Answer: Please see the response to question number 11.

24. From a Key Performance Indicator perspective, how will you measure the success of the technology looking to be implemented? i.e. what will define success in 12 to 24 months post implementation?

Answer: the volume of traffic/hours dedicated to phones, emails, and In-person traffic.

25. Although the implementation timeline mentioned in the RFP is 30 days, it seems impractical given the overall scope. With this in mind, is it possible for the University to extend the timeline to approximately 3 months to ensure a successful implementation? Answer: Possibly. Our priority is to ensure that the AI Chatbot solution is implemented effectively and as quickly as possible while meeting all requirements. Goal to be completed before summer 2025.

26. Is the University open to remote or offshore implementation support? If not, can we propose a mix of onshore and offshore support? This clarification will help us provide efficient costing. Answer: Yes

27. What additional systems are considered for integration now or in the future? What data workflows are anticipated?" Answer: Colleague, TouchNet, Slate, Raiser’s Edge, Starez, Paclion. Additionally, we are in the process of selecting a parking software, no vendor has been identified yet.

28. As mentioned in the RFP – “The solution must be PCI-DSS (latest industry acceptable version) Compliant with eP2P encryption devices if processing financial transactions.” Is this a mandatory clause? Can we integrate with a compliant payment gateway to meet this requirement? Answer: We would ONLY allow integration via our current compliant payment gateway and FERPA compliant guidelines.

29. As mentioned in the RFP – “The solution must use SC State contract merchant services processor and compatible payment gateway based on the current SC state requirements.” Is this a mandatory clause? Can we integrate with a compliant payment gateway to meet this requirement? Answer: No, we don’t expect to take payments through the solution.

30. As mentioned in the RFP – “The chatbot solution must comply with federal accessibility standards (WCAG 2.2) and submit a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) to verify accessibility compliance.” Is it mandatory for the solution to be a WCAG 2.2 complaint and also submit the VPAT along with the proposal or can it be submitted post-award? Answer: Yes, must comply. Submit VPAT with the proposal.

31. As mentioned in the RFP – “2. Provide a list of at least three (3) references (from its most recent clients within the United States) that the Offeror’s firm has provided services to in the past two (2) years.” Is it mandatory to showcase higher education experience or the experience can be from any public or private entity? Kindly confirm. Answer: Preferred but not mandatory

32. Can the implementation timeline of 30 days to set up, configure, customize, and implement the Gen AI chatbot solution be extended to 60 days? Answer: Possibly Our priority is to ensure that the AI Chatbot solution is implemented effectively and as quickly as possible while meeting all requirements. Goal of summer 2025.

33. What is the volume (in GB) and time period of the data that the chatbot solution needs to be trained on? Answer: The exact GB is not known. It’s mainly focused on website content and any print material. Estimated that the timeframe would be the last 5 years.

34. Is the work required to be performed on-site or can it be performed remotely from the US, offshore (India), or in a hybrid model? Answer: Remote/hybrid – Offshore contracting prohibited -Claus [07-7B122-1].

35. As mentioned in the RFP, the new solution needs to integrate with multiple 3rd party systems. Kindly list the 3rd party systems that the new solution needs to integrate with. Answer: Please see question 21.

36. Can you please share the list of data that will flow from the 3rd party systems to the new solution?

Answer: Our website, Colleague, TouchNet, Slate, Raiser’s Edge, Starez, Paclion.

Please share the list of data sources (source application/ source DB/ API/ files/ any other data source) that need to be integrated with the new solution to build reports. Answer: Our website, Colleague, TouchNet, Slate, Raiser’s Edge, Starez, Paclion.

We are assuming that all the 3rd party systems have existing APIs built for integration. Is our assumption correct? Answer: We are not expecting a custom API to be built.

37. Is there an existing solution in place? If yes, kindly share the name of the incumbent vendor. Answer: Currently, we do not have a university-wide chatbot solution in place. This RFP aims to establish a comprehensive AI/Chatbot solution to enhance our support services for students and staff.

38. Please provide an approximate no. of reports and dashboards that need to be developed for this project.

Answer: We are looking for what is delivered, the expectation would be information like: How many questions were answered? The most frequently asked questions? High volume timeframes, etc.

39. What will be the total no. of admin users? What is the expected year-on-year (YoY) percentage increase in the no. of admins? Answer: depends on definition of admin. Possibility within 15-25 Departments 2-5 admin/users

40. Please let us know if CCU has an estimated kick-off date and completion date, if any. Answer: ASAP, goal to be live summer 2025.

41. We will provide Level 2 and Level 3 support to the City. However, does the City need Level 1 support (supporting end users) as well for the end users or will the City provide Level 1 support to them? Answer: We don’t anticipate any level 1 end users needing support.

42. Kindly share the approx. budget that has been allocated for this engagement. Answer: not available

43. What would be the preferred hosted cloud platform? Answer: No preference

44. How many users/students concurrently would be interacting with the conversation service?

Answer: We have a little over 10,000 students but have no way of knowing how many would engage at one time.

45. Which BU / Process and team are we addressing?

Answer: This RFP is addressing the needs of the entire university, with a focus on enhancing student support services.

The primary stakeholders include:

Student Services: To improve the support provided to prospective and enrolled students.

IT Department: To ensure seamless integration and technical support.

Admissions Office: To assist with inquiries from prospective students.

Academic Departments: To provide academic support and information.

Library Services: To help students with research and resource inquiries.

Finance/Student Accounts: Invoicing, billing, payments, refunds.

Financial Aid: Require Documents, status, eligibility We aim to implement a solution that benefits multiple departments and processes across the university, ensuring a comprehensive support system for all users.

46. Is it possible to share a brief description of Value stream , or Business capability , Business processes ?

Answer: Our value stream focuses on delivering exceptional support and services to our students and staff. This includes the entire process from initial inquiry and admissions to ongoing academic support and graduation. We aim to enhance the student experience by providing timely and effective assistance at every stage of their journey. This include ALL Student Support Services currently offering comprehensive support through various channels, including telephone, live chat, email, and in-person assistance.

47. Do you need a separate survey platform for service improvement purposes? Answer: Possibly, if included at no additional cost or IF additional cost then optional add on if desired after/upon demonstration.

48. What are the business personas who would be consuming the conversational capability? Answer: The business personas who would be consuming the conversational capability of the AI Chatbot include:

Prospective Students: Individuals seeking information about admissions, programs, and campus life.

Enrolled Students: Current students needing support with academic inquiries, administrative tasks, and registration, billing/payment, financial aid services.

Faculty and Staff: University employees requiring assistance with internal processes, IT support, and resource access.

Alumni: Graduates looking for information on alumni services, events, and networking opportunities.

Parents and Guardians: Family members seeking information about their child's academic progress and university services.

Visitors: Individuals interested in campus tours, events, and general information about the university.

These personas will benefit from the AI Chatbot's ability to provide timely and accurate information, enhancing their overall experience with the university.

49. Do you need conversational AI service in other languages, or it will be predominantly English speaking?

Answer: Yes, we need to option for other language as we have international students/customers

50. Does the Student Information system, Ellucian and CRM systems expose their service via rest API?

Answer: Yes, Ellucian's Student Information System (SIS) and CRM systems do expose their services via REST APIs. These APIs allow for integration with other systems, enabling data sharing and retrieval to support various institutional needs

51. How many of these systems are on prem? Answer: Colleague

52. Are the workloads distributed on prem and cloud? Answer: Yes

53. How many of the Information system servers which are in questions for Conversational AI integration are hosted on prem and how many are hosted on public cloud ? Answer: One on prem and the rest are cloud based

54. Is there a particular deadline for the submission of questions with regards to this RFP? Answer: Questions deadline has passed

55. Do you have any restrictions around using secure OpenAI platform or would you prefer the solution be enabled using Enterprise products such as IBM WatsonX Assistant or AWS GenAI solutions? Answer: No

56. Our implementation team will consist of resources from the US as well as other global locations including India and Philippines. Please confirm that there are no restrictions to using additional resources outside the US. Answer: Offshore contracting prohibited -Clause [07-7B122-1].

57. Can you provide the total number of unique university departments that would want to utilize the Chatbot? Answer: A minimum of 5 departments are currently interested in utilizing a Chatbot, however this would be a campus-wide solution, so we would expect more to join later.

58. In the Project Timeline section on page 17 you state, " the proposed solution must be implemented within 30 days, covering development, testing, branding, customization, training and full deployment." Is the expectation that implementation is complete within 30 days of contract execution? Answer: Please see question 32

59. Could you clarify at what point in the student lifecycle students are provisioned in the SIS?

Answer: Students are typically provisioned in the Student Information System (SIS) at the point of acceptance into the university. Once a prospective student is accepted, their information is entered into the SIS, where they are given login information to be able to login to their account and pay their New Student Enrollment fee.

60. Can you provide examples of specific digital platforms (beyond the CCU website) where you envision embedding the chatbot? Answer: Collegaue Self Service/MyCCU, TouchNet (Student Account Center)

61. How are you currently communicating with prospective and enrolled students about university business processes, federal regulations, and campus procedures? What are your pain points?

Answer: Email, Text SMS, Paper Mailings.

Pain Points Information Overload: Students often feel overwhelmed by the volume of information they receive, making it difficult to identify the most critical updates.

Communication Gaps: There can be delays or inconsistencies in how information is communicated across different channels. Accessibility: Not all students regularly check their emails or visit the website, or update their mailing addresses, leading to missed information. Engagement: Ensuring that students actively engage with and understand the information provided can be challenging.

We aim to address these pain points by implementing a more integrated and user-friendly communication strategy, leveraging the AI Chatbot to provide timely and personalized information across multiple platforms.

62. Implementation required in 30 days: What is the expectation-are they anticipating a phased approach or complete launch in 30 days? Which department for Coastal Carolina will be leading the implementation?

Answer: Phased approach with Office of Student Accounts, Financial Aid, and Housing being the initial departments.

63. Integration: Perceptive : What is the expectation/requirement to integrate with this solution?

Answer: students special permission request are routed for registration. Would the chatbot be able to tell a student where/what office/the status of their request forms.

64. What is the estimated size of the search index? Answer: Coastal.edu

65. What is the preferred deployment method for the project: cloud-based (public cloud, private cloud, or hosted), on-premises, or hybrid? Answer: Hybrid

66. How many vendors were invited to participate in the RFP?. How many vendors will be shortlisted or participate in the PoC stage? Answer: The RFP is posted via a website, vendors are not individually invited. Per the solicitation, the three highest ranked offerors will be asked to demonstrate the product.

67. What is the preferred system integration strategy? Does CCU expect the supplier to use only the supplier’s resources, or can CCU work with the supplier's implementation partners? Answer: Prefer to work with the supplier biding.

68. What are the highest priority criteria against which the proposals will be evaluated? Answer: Please see Evaluation Factors- Proposals for the criteria

69. Has CCU tested Pilots or PoCs with other suppliers in the past 12 months?

Answer: CCU has participated in the demos in the past 12 months. However, we have not tested any pilots or proofs of concept (PoCs) for a university-wide chatbot solution during this period.

70. Is there a preference for which LLM will be utilized by the RAG solution, and does CCU have an existing partnership with a specific LLM provider (e.g., Azure OpenAI)? Answer: CCU does not have an existing partnership with a specific LLM provider.

71. How many users will be actively using the analytical service? Answer: approximately 5

72. What are the specific timelines or the project? I.e. POC, rollout for super users, large scale enterprise rollout for all employees etc.

Answer: Would like to be live for all users by summer 2025

73. How does this RFP project align with your department goals?

Answer: This RFP project aligns closely with our department goals in several key ways:

Enhancing Student Support: One of our primary goals is to improve the support services available to students. Implementing an AI Chatbot will provide timely and accurate assistance, making it easier for students to get the help they need.

Streamlining Communication: We aim to streamline communication channels to ensure that students receive important information efficiently. The AI Chatbot will help centralize and automate responses, reducing the burden on our support staff and ensuring consistent communication.

Improving Accessibility: We are committed to making our services more accessible to all students. By deploying the AI Chatbot across multiple platforms, we can ensure that students can access support through their preferred channels, whether it's via the website, mobile app, or social media.

Increasing Efficiency: Our goal is to enhance operational efficiency by automating routine inquiries and tasks. This will allow our staff to focus on more complex and personalized support, ultimately improving the overall quality of service.

Data-Driven Insights: The AI Chatbot will provide valuable data on student interactions and common queries, helping us identify areas for improvement and better understand student needs. This aligns with our goal of using data to drive decision-making and enhance our services.

Overall, this RFP project supports our mission to provide exceptional support and services to our students, leveraging technology to enhance their experience and streamline our operations.

74. What is the success criteria for this RFP? Answer: The success criteria is to acquire services that comply with the specifications outlined in the scope of work.

75. What is the allocated budget issued for this RFP for both subscription and professional service costs? Answer: Please see the response to question # 4

END OF AMENDMENT #1

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