ASU25007-RFP - Adams State University Website Rebuild.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Adams State University Website Rebuild Project

RFP Number: ASU25007-RFP

Issue Date: May 1, 2025

Proposal Due Date: 2:00 P.M, MT, June 2, 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL INFORMATION

2. STATEMENT OF WORK AND TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

3. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

4. EVALUATION CRITERIA

5. CONTRACTUAL REQUIREMENTS

6. ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

7. ATTACHMENTS AND EXHIBITS

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND GENERAL

INFORMATION

1.1 Purpose

Adams State University (“Adams State” or “University”) is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit competitive sealed proposals from qualified vendors to design, develop, and implement a comprehensive website rebuild for the university. This RFP outlines the requirements for potential vendors and provides instructions for submitting proposals.

1.2 Background

A regional, comprehensive liberal arts institution, Adams State offers associates, bachelor’s master’s, and doctoral degrees. Located in Alamosa, Colorado, about 200 miles southwest of Denver, on a 90-acre campus, Adams State serves both residential and online students. Adams State’s central purpose is “to provide equitable access to education for all." Adams State draws on its rural location in the San Luis Valley of Colorado to serve and empower all students, especially those from historically underserved populations. Adams State’s vision statement is “to become the university community of choice for diverse, historically underserved groups and all who value quality education and inclusivity." Adams State has a total student population of approximately 3,000 students (roughly 1,500 undergraduate and 1,500 graduate). Nearly 35% of undergraduate students identify as Hispanic. In 1998, the US Department of Education designated Adams State an Hispanic Serving Institution, the first in Colorado. The University is Colorado’s most diverse campus with 52% of students identifying as minorities. Almost 45% of Adams State undergraduate students are the first in their families to attend college, and 38% are Pell grant eligible. As an engine of opportunity, the University serves the largest share of low-income students of any university in the state. Perhaps more importantly, Adams State does better than any other university in Colorado at producing economic mobility for low-income students and moving them up the income strata following graduation.

Designated as a rural anchor institution, Adams State is a major economic driver in the San Luis Valley, and a critical source of job creation, education, culture, entertainment, outreach, and community engagement. At Adams State, we believe everyone is an educator and contributes to the experience and education of its students. The University offers 31 undergraduate programs in the arts and humanities, engineering and computer science, physical and natural sciences, social sciences, kinesiology, fine arts, business, and nursing, and specializes in educator preparation in several disciplines. Adams State also offers 14 graduate degrees in cultural resource management, public administration, music education, kinesiology, higher education administration and leadership, history, business (MBA), and educator programs, including counselor education; the university also has a doctoral (Ph.D.) program in counselor education and supervision. The university has an active athletic program. The Adams State Grizzlies athletic teams compete under the auspices of the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). For more information visit adams.edu.

"Great Stories Begin Here" is not simply a slogan at Adams State University. Student success is the result of our caring campus culture. Highly qualified faculty focus on teaching and excellence within their disciplines. Individual attention is provided through our small class sizes and student-faculty ratio of 14:1. Founded in 1921 to serve the rural, south-central region of Colorado, Adams State remains crucial to the area's educational opportunities, economic development, and cultural enrichment. With about one-third of the student body participating in athletics, the Adams State Grizzlies compete in the NCAA Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC). Adams State also has a wide variety of student clubs and organizations, including the Adams State Adventure Program, which teaches skills to enjoy the great outdoors. An intimate campus with tree-lined walkways, state-of-the-art classrooms and laboratories, supportive programs, and vibrant student life await students at Adams State University.

1.3 Overview

Adams State University is seeking one (1) company to completely evaluate, redesign, and rebuild its adams.edu website in an open-source CMS to create a modern, accessible, user-friendly digital experience that effectively communicates the university's value proposition and drives recruitment of prospective students; while serving the needs of current students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, and community members. The new website must reflect the university's brand identity, highlight its academic programs, showcase student success stories, and efficiently guide visitors to relevant information. The website must integrate with existing university systems and comply with all applicable accessibility standards and state requirements.

1.4 Schedule of Activities

● RFP Issue Date: May 1, 2025

● Written Question Deadline 12:00 P.M., MT, May, 19, 2025

● Proposal Due Date: 2:00 P.M., MT, June 2, 2025

● Award Notice/Contract Negotiations: Summer 2025

● Anticipated Project Start Date: Fall 2025

1.5 Point of Contact

All communications regarding this RFP must be directed to:

Purchasing - Renee Vigil, Director of Purchasing Adams State University 208 Edgemont Blvd.

Alamosa, CO 81101 Email: reneevigil@adams.edu Any attempt to contact other university personnel regarding this RFP may result in disqualification.

1.6 Anticipated Contract Term

The initial term of the awarded Contract is anticipated to begin July, 2025 and end on June 30, 2028. This Contract may be renewed for up to five (5) additional one-year periods at the sole discretion of the State. The total duration of the Contract, including all options, is not anticipated to exceed eight (8) years.

SECTION 2: STATEMENT OF WORK AND TECHNICAL

SPECIFICATIONS

2.1 Project Scope

The successful vendor will provide comprehensive services for the design, development, implementation, and initial maintenance of a new website for Adams State University. The project includes:

1. Information architecture development and content strategy

2. Visual design aligned with university brand guidelines and location in the San Luis Valley

3. Responsive web development for all devices

4. Content management system (CMS) implementation

5. Migration of existing content and resources

6. System integrations with university platforms

7. Training and documentation

8. Post-launch support and maintenance

2.2 Required Services/Products

The selected vendor must provide the following:

1. Discovery and Planning Phase

○ Conduct comprehensive interest-holder engagement sessions with:

■ Prospective students and parents/guardians

■ Current students (undergraduate and graduate; in-person and online)

■ University employee representation

■ Alumni and donor representatives

■ Community members and partners

○ Develop user personas and journey maps

○ Create information architecture and site map

○ Establish project timeline with clear milestones

2. Design Phase

○ Develop wireframes and prototypes

○ Create responsive visual designs aligned with Adams State’s brand identity

○ Implement user experience (UX) and user interface (UI) best practices

○ Design navigation structure optimized for key target audiences

3. Development Phase

○ Implement content management system (CMS) with customized templates

○ Develop responsive front-end code (HTML, CSS, JavaScript)

○ Create custom functionality as needed

○ Implement required integrations with university systems

4. Content Migration and Creation

○ Assist with migration of existing content

○ Develop templates for new content creation

○ Optimize content for search engines and accessibility (WCAG 2.2 or later)

5. Testing and Launch

○ Conduct comprehensive testing across a wide range of devices and browsers

○ Perform accessibility testing and remediation

○ Execute performance optimization

○ Implement security testing and vulnerability assessments

○ Develop launch plan and execute website deployment

6. Training and Support

○ Provide comprehensive CMS (the University currently uses Wordpress) training for content administrators and University staff

○ Create documentation for users and administrators for ongoing maintenance

○ Deliver technical documentation for IT staff

○ Provide post-launch support and maintenance (integrations, technical strategy, CMS updates, security patches)

○ Performance monitoring (ex. alleviating slow load times)

○ Analytics tracking to make data-driven decisions about future website changes/developments

○ 24/7 technical support to prevent or minimize technical issues or answer questions from University staff members

2.3 Technical Specifications

2.3.1 Content Management System (CMS)

The website must be built on a modern, secure, and scalable content management system that:

● Provides intuitive content editing capabilities

● Supports granular user permissions

● Allows for distributed content management

● Features workflow approval processes

● Includes version control and content scheduling

● Supports content reuse across the site

● Offers built-in SEO tools

● Provides built-in analytics or easy integration with analytics platforms

● Supports multi-language capabilities (Spanish)

● Content Scheduling features

2.3.2 Design and User Experience

● Fully responsive design that performs well on all devices with a mobile-friendly approach

● Adherence to Adams State brand guidelines

● Intuitive navigation with clear pathways for different user types

○ Includes search functionality

● Strategic placement of calls-to-action

● Design elements that highlight the university's unique value propositions and place/location in the San Luis Valley

● Visual storytelling that showcases student success and campus life, including Grizzly

Athletics

● Video integration that plays on demand without sacrificing/impacting SEO/speed requirements

2.3.3 Functionality Requirements

● Advanced search functionality with filtered results

● News/blog section with categorization

● Faculty/staff directory with search and filter options

○ Consider internal versus external directory options with potential for “contact me” form(s).

● Program finder with filtering by degree level, area of study, and delivery method

● Multi-language support capability (English/Spanish)

○ How will pages without a translation be presented?

● Social media integration

● Preferred Functionality:

○ “Splashpage” capability for emergency notifications

○ Online forms with data collection capabilities

○ Events calendar with filtering options

○ Interactive campus map

○ Virtual tour capability

2.3.4 System Integrations

The website should, if possible, integrate seamlessly with the following systems:

● Workday (HR, finance, student information system, and Touchnet)

● University calendaring system (the University currently utilizes LiveWhale)

● Sidearm Sports (athletics website platform)

● Blackboard (student learning management system)

● A potential CRM system for enrollment management (the University currently does not utilize a CRM for enrollment management)

● Single sign-on (SSO) authentication

● Social media platforms (ex. embedded feeds)

● Video hosting platforms

● BlackBaud Raiser’s Edge (Alumni/Foundation database)

● Omnilert/e2Campus (emergency notification system)

● Virtual campus tour platforms (ModernCampus)

● Internal ticketing system - IT helpdesk/facilities (the University currently utilizes

RequestTracker, SchoolDude, and Planning Pod)

● AccuLog (Academic Campus Catalog)

● Hometown Ticketing (campus ticketing software - Theater, Music, Athletics)

● Mainstay Webchat

● Other University software as applicable

2.3.5 Accessibility and Compliance Requirements

The website must comply with:

● Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 (or later)

● Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

● Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act

● Colorado Information Technology Accessibility Standards

● General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable privacy laws

● Colorado Open Records Act requirements

● Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) requirements

● Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)

● Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)

● National Council for State Authorization and Reciprocity Agreements (NC-SARA)

2.3.6 Colorado State-Specific Requirements

The website must adhere to:

● Colorado House Bill 21-1110 requirements for state agency website accessibility

● Colorado Senate Bill 20-129 requirements for vendor compliance with accessibility standards

● Colorado State Archives digital document retention policies

● Colorado Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT) security standards

● Colorado Department of Higher Education reporting and transparency requirements

● Colorado Open Meetings Law digital posting requirements

● Colorado State Government Web Portal requirements for interoperability

2.3.7 Hosting and Security

● Recommendation for secure, reliable hosting solution

● SSL implementation

● Regular security updates and patches

● DDoS protection

● Web application firewall

● Automated backups

● Disaster recovery plan

● Ability to handle high-traffic periods

● Content Delivery Network (CDN) implementation

● Compliance with Adams State IT security policies

2.4 Implementation Timeline

The selected vendor must complete implementation according to the following timeline:

● Project Kickoff: Fall 2025

● Estimated website launch: Fall 2027

2.5 Deliverables

The vendor must provide the following deliverables:

1. Planning and Discovery

○ Interest-holder engagement report with key findings

i. Target market identification and market research

○ Clear brand identity of Adams State University, taking into account our mission, vision, and location in the San Luis Valley

i. Including content strategy

○ User personas and journey maps

○ Content audit and migration plan

i. Not all information will need to be migrated - this will be driven by the planning, discovery, and interest-holder engagement phases

ii. Complete audit of all current website pages

○ Information architecture and sitemap

○ Project plan with timeline and milestones

2. Design

○ Wireframes for key page templates

○ Visual design mockups

○ Interactive prototypes

○ Style guide and design system

3. Development

○ Fully functioning website with all required features

○ Content management system implementation

○ Custom templates and components

○ System integrations

○ Mobile-responsive implementation

4. Content and Migration

○ Content migration from existing site

○ Content templates and guidelines

○ SEO implementation

5. Testing and Launch

○ QA testing results and issue resolution

○ Accessibility testing report and remediation

○ Test of integrated pieces

○ Performance optimization report

○ Browser and device compatibility testing

○ Security assessment and remediation

○ Load time requirements

○ Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

○ User engagement metrics (Google Analytics)

6. Training and Support

○ CMS training sessions (minimum ten (10) sessions)

○ Comprehensive user documentation

○ Technical documentation

○ Knowledge transfer to Information Technology and Marketing & Public Relations staff

○ Post-launch support plan

2.6 Performance Standards

The vendor's performance will be evaluated based on:

1. Project Management

○ Adherence to project timeline and milestones

○ Clear and timely communication

○ Effective resource management

○ Quality of documentation

○ Issue resolution process

2. Technical Quality

○ Code quality and standards compliance

○ System performance and loading speed

○ Mobile responsiveness

○ Browser compatibility

○ Accessibility compliance

○ Service Level Agreement (SLA)

3. User Experience

○ Navigation intuitiveness

○ Design aesthetics and brand alignment

○ Information findability

○ Task completion rates for key user journeys

○ Overall usability

4. Interest-holder Engagement

○ Quality and comprehensiveness of interest-holder sessions

○ Incorporation of interest-holder feedback

○ Interest-holder satisfaction with process and outcomes

5. Content and Migration

○ Content migration accuracy

○ Content organization and structure

○ Search engine optimization effectiveness

6. Training and Support

○ Quality of training sessions

○ Comprehensiveness of documentation

○ Responsiveness to support requests

○ Knowledge transfer effectiveness

SECTION 3: PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

3.1 Proposal Format

Proposals must be submitted in the following format:

1. Cover Letter

2. Executive Summary

3. Company Profile and Experience

4. Project Approach and Methodology

5. Interest-holder Engagement Strategy

6. Technical Solution and CMS Recommendation

7. Project Team and Qualifications

8. Implementation Plan, Timeline, & Deliverables

9. Cost Proposal

10. References (3 minimum of comparable projects)

11. Required Forms and Attachments

3.2 Proposal Content Requirements

3.2.1 Cover Letter

The cover letter must be signed by an individual authorized to bind the vendor and include the following:

● RFP number

● Company name, address, and phone number

● Contact person's name, title, email, and phone number

● Acknowledgment of any addenda issued

● Statement of compliance with all requirements

3.2.2 Executive Summary

Provide a brief overview of the proposal, highlighting key features and distinguishing points.

3.2.3 Company Profile and Experience

● Company history and background

● Organizational structure

● Financial stability and market share

● Relevant experience with higher education websites

● Experience with Hispanic-Serving Institutions or rural institutions

● Experience with Colorado state institutions

● Portfolio of similar projects

3.2.4 Project Approach and Methodology

● Detailed description of approach to meet requirements

● Project management methodology

● Design and development process

● Content strategy approach

● Quality assurance procedures

● Risk management strategies

3.2.5 Interest-holder Engagement Strategy

● Detailed plan for conducting interest-holder listening sessions with:

○ Prospective students and parents/guardians

○ Current students and parent/guardians

○ University employees

○ Alumni and donors

○ Community members

● Methodologies for gathering and analyzing interest-holder input

● Tools and techniques for interest-holder engagement

● Plan for ongoing interest-holder communication throughout the project

● Examples of successful interest-holder engagement in past projects

3.2.6 Technical Solution and CMS Recommendation

● Recommended CMS platform with justification

● Technical architecture

● System integration approach

● Accessibility compliance methodology

● Security measures

● Performance optimization strategies

● Mobile responsiveness approach

● Content migration methodology

3.2.7 Project Team and Qualifications

● Team structure and roles

● Key personnel and bios

● Staff qualifications and certifications

● Subcontractor information (if applicable)

● Allocation of team resources throughout project phases

3.2.8 Implementation Plan, Timeline, & Deliverables

● Detailed implementation schedule

● Resource allocation

● Major milestones and deliverables

● Training approach

● Testing procedures

● Go-live strategy

● Post-launch support plan

3.2.9 Cost Proposal

Complete attachment detailing all costs (current or ongoing as applicable), including:

● Discovery and planning phase

● Design phase

● Development phase

● Content migration

● Testing and quality assurance

● Training and documentation

● Project management

● Travel expenses

● Post-launch support and maintenance

● Licensing fees (if applicable)

● Hosting costs (if applicable)

● Payment schedule

3.2.10 References

Provide at least three (3) references from clients of similar size and scope, preferably from higher education institutions, including:

● Institution name

● Contact person, title, phone number, and email

● Project description

● Project timeline and value

● URL of completed website (if applicable)

3.2.11 Required Forms and Attachments

Complete and submit all forms included in Section 7, including:

● Vendor Information Form

● Accessibility Compliance Certification

3.3 Submission Instructions

3.3.1 Proposal Submission

Vendors must submit proposal responses with all required information through www.rockymountainbidsystem.com. Hard copy submissions will not be accepted.

http://www.rockymountainbidsystem.com/

3.3.2 Delivery Method/Administrative Information

1. ISSUING OFFICE: This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued for the State of Colorado, acting by and through the Board of Trustees of Adams State University for the use and benefit of Adams State University. This RFP is governed by Adams State University Procurement Rules in effect at the time of its issuance. The Purchasing Office is the SOLE point of contact concerning this RFP. All communication must be done through the Purchasing Office.

2. OFFICIAL MEANS OF COMMUNICATION: During the solicitation process for this RFP, all official Communication between the Purchasing Office and bidders will be via postings on Rocky Mountain E-Procurement System (“RMES”) www.rockymountainbidsystem.com. The Purchasing Office will post notices, which will include, but not be limited to, any modifications to administrative or performance requirements, answers to inquiries received, clarifications to requirements, and the announcement of the apparent winning bidder. It is incumbent upon bidders to carefully and regularly monitor RMES for any such postings.

3. INQUIRIES: Bidders may make written (email) inquiries concerning this RFP to obtain clarification of requirements. No inquiries will be accepted after the date and time indicated above. Send all inquiries to:

reneevigil@adams.edu

Response to any bidder's inquiries will be published as a modification on RMES in a timely manner. Responses to inquiries may also be made in writing following a pre-proposal conference. Bidders should not rely on any other statements that alter any specification or other term or condition of the RFP.

Should any interested bidder, sales representative, or manufacturer find any part of the listed specifications, terms and conditions to be discrepant, incomplete, or otherwise questionable in any respect, it shall be the responsibility of the concerned party to notify the Purchasing Agent of such matters immediately upon discovery.

4. MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS: Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by the bidder prior to the established due date and time.

5. ADDENDUM OR SUPPLEMENT TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL: In the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, an addendum notice will be sent via the RMES system.

6. RFP CANCELLATION: The University reserves the right to cancel this Request for Proposal at any time, without penalty.

7. REJECTION OF PROPOSALS: The University reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received and to accept any portion of a proposal or all items proposed if deemed in the best interest of the University.

8. ACCEPTANCE OF RFP TERMS: A proposal submitted in response to this RFP shall constitute a binding offer. Acknowledgment of this condition shall be indicated by the signature of the bidder, or an officer of the bidder legally authorized to execute http://www.rockymountainbidsystem.com/ contractual obligations. A submission in response to this RFP acknowledges acceptance by the bidder of all terms and conditions including compensation, as set forth herein, including incorporation of the Colorado Special Provisions. The bidder shall identify clearly and thoroughly any variations between its proposal and the University’s RFP.

Failure to do so shall be deemed a waiver of any rights to subsequently modify the terms of performance, except as outlined or specified in the RFP.

9. BIDDER AGREEMENTS: Bidders may submit proposed agreements of any form (contracts or documents) that contain supplemental terms and conditions that the bidder desires to be included as part of the contract. Such forms may include bidder’s software licensing agreements, maintenance contracts, and technical support agreements. By accepting delivery of these items, the University is not bound to accept them as part of an ensuing contract. The University may negotiate such supplemental terms and conditions that do not materially conflict with the contract terms and conditions detailed in this RFP and do not materially change the nature of this solicitation or adversely affect competition. If the parties do not agree on the inclusion of the supplemental terms and conditions, the University may: 1) enter into a contract with the apparent successful bidder without the agreements submitted by the bidder; or 2) such submission will be considered non-responsive and the University may enter into a contract with another responsive bidder. The University will not consider any terms and conditions that are not submitted with this proposal.

10. MINOR INFORMALITIES: Minor informalities are matters of form rather than substance evident from the response or insignificant mistakes that can be waived or corrected without prejudice to other bidders; that is, the effect on price, quantity, quality, delivery, or contractual conditions is negligible. The Purchasing Agent may waive such informalities or allow any bidder to correct them depending on which is in the best interest of the University.

11. ORAL PRESENTATIONS/SITE VISITS: Bidders who are deemed most qualified, after initial evaluation, may be asked to make oral presentations either in-person or via an online communications system such as Google Meet, Microsoft Teams or Zoom, and/or to make their facilities available for a site inspection by the evaluation committee, as depends upon the needs of the committee. Such presentations and/or site visits will be at the bidder's expense.

12. CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY INFORMATION: The University neither requests nor encourages the submission of confidential/proprietary information in response to this Request for Proposal. The information submitted will be open for public inspection.

However, written requests for confidentiality can be submitted to the Purchasing Agent provided that the submission is in strict accordance with the following procedures. This remains the sole responsibility of the bidder. The Purchasing Agent will make no attempt to cure any information that is found to be at a variance with this procedure.

The bidder may not be given an opportunity to cure any variances after proposal opening. Neither a proposal in its entirety, nor proposal price information will be considered confidential/proprietary. Questions regarding the application of this procedure must be directed to the Purchasing Agent listed in this RFP.

a. A written request for confidentiality shall be submitted, by the bidder, with the proposal response package.

b. The written request will be marked “Request for Confidentiality”.

c. The written request must be accompanied by the information that is requested to be held confidential. Specific reasoning as to why each element is to remain confidential, other than recitation of a specific state or federal statute, is required.

d. Confidential/proprietary information must be separated out from the rest of the bidder's response. Co-mingling of confidential/proprietary information and other information is not acceptable.

e. The Purchasing Agent will make a written determination as to the apparent validity of any request for confidentiality. In the event the Purchasing Office does not concur with the bidder’s request for confidentiality, the written determination will be sent to the bidder. Ref. CRS §24-72-201 et seq., as amended, Public (open) Records.

Proposals that are determined to be at variance with this procedure may be declared non-responsive by the Purchasing Agent, and not given further consideration.

13. RFP RESPONSE MATERIAL OWNERSHIP: The University has the right to retain the original proposal and other RFP response materials for our files. As such, the University may retain or dispose of all copies as is lawfully deemed appropriate. Proposal materials may be reviewed by any person after the “Notice of Intent to Make an Award” letter(s) has/have been issued, subject to the terms of CRS §24-72-201 et seq., as amended, Public (open) Records. The University has the right to use any or all information/material presented in reply to the RFP, subject to limitations outlined in the clause, Confidential/Proprietary Information. Bidder expressly agrees that the University may use the materials for all lawful University purposes, including the right to reproduce copies of the material submitted for purposes of evaluation, and to make the information available to the public in accordance with the provisions of the Public Records Act.

14. PROPOSAL PRICES: Estimated proposal prices are not acceptable. The proposal price will be considered in determining the apparent successful bidder.

15. EVALUATION PROCESS: All proposals received by the due date and time will be reviewed by an evaluation committee. Proposals which are not received by the deadline will not be reviewed by the evaluation committee. The committee will determine the extent to which the proposals conform to the specifications set forth herein and will be evaluated according to criteria identified in this RFP. The following process will be used:

a. Proposals will be evaluated for completeness and compliance with the requirements of this RFP. The University reserves the right to reject those proposals that are incomplete. The University also reserves the right to waive what are, in its judgment, minor informalities or discrepancies. Proposals considered complete will be evaluated to determine if they comply with the administrative, contractual and technical requirements of the RFP. If the proposal is unclear, proposers may be asked to provide written clarification if it is in the best interest of the University to do so. The University reserves the right to reject those proposals that do not meet all the requirements.

b. The selection of “finalist” bidders will be determined by the evaluation committee independently scoring the proposals and then combining the scores and pricing information to determine the overall proposal score.

c. Bidders may be invited to make a presentation in support of the proposal. Such presentations will be made to the evaluation committee. If held, the presentations will be scheduled by the Purchasing Agent.

d. The findings of the evaluation team will be summarized and the summary and award recommendation(s) will be forwarded to the University’s Purchasing Office.

The Purchasing Office will review the recommendation and approve or reject the evaluation team’s selection. The Purchasing Office, after review and approval of the evaluation committee’s written recommendation, will notify all bidders via a posting on the RMES system of the results of the RFP evaluation. The posting will be an announcement of the “Notice of Intent to Make an Award” which will name the apparent successful bidder.

16. DISCUSSION WITH RESPONSIBLE BIDDERS AND REVISIONS TO PROPOSAL: Discussions may be conducted with responsible bidders for the purpose of clarification to assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, the solicitation requirement. All prospective bidders shall be accorded fair and equal treatment with respect to any opportunity for discussions and revision of proposals, and such revisions may be permitted after submissions and prior to award, for the purpose of obtaining best and final offers. In conducting discussions, there shall be no disclosure of any information derived from proposals submitted by competing bidders.

17. PAST PERFORMANCE: Each bidder’s past performance will be reviewed as part of the University’s overall evaluation. This evaluation will take into account past performance information submitted as a part of such bidder’s proposal including but not limited to, information regarding predecessor companies, key personnel who have relevant experience, and subcontractors performing major or critical aspects of the service(s), if such information is relevant. Bidders without a record of relevant past performance or for whom information on past performance is not available will receive a neutral past performance rating. The University will consider the bidder's performance on past or current University contracts with requirements similar to the University requirements for this contract. The University will consider information provided by the bidder regarding any problems encountered on the identified contracts and any associated corrective actions.

18. CERTIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT PRICE DETERMINATION: By submission of this proposal, each bidder, and in the case of a joint proposal, each party thereto, certified as to its own organization, that, in connection with this procurement:

a. Prices in this proposal have been arrived at independently, without consultation, communication or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other bidder or with any competitor;

b. Unless otherwise required by law, the prices which have been quoted in this proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the bidder and will not knowingly be disclosed by the bidder prior to opening, directly or indirectly to any other bidder or to any competitor; and

c. No attempt has been made or will be made by the bidder to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

Further, each person signing the Request for Proposal form of this proposal certified that:

d. He/She is the person in the bidder's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to the prices being offered herein and that he/she has not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (A)(a) through (A)(c) above; or

e. He / She is not the person in the bidder's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to the prices being offered herein but that he/she has been authorized in writing to act as agent for the persons responsible for such decision in certifying that such persons have not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (a) through (c) above, and as their agent does hereby so certify; and he/she has not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (a) through (c) above.

A proposal will not be considered for an award where (a), (c), (d) or (e) above has been deleted or modified. Where (b) above has been deleted or modified, the proposal will not be considered for award unless the bidder furnishes with the proposal a signed statement which sets forth in detail the circumstances of the disclosure and the head of the agency, or his designee, determines that such disclosure was not made for the purpose of restricting competition.

19. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. Bidder avers that to his/her knowledge, no employee has any personal or beneficial interest whatsoever in the service or property described herein.

See CRS §24-18-201 and CRS §24-50-507.

The signatory hereto avers that he/she is familiar with CRS §18-8-301, et seq. (Bribery and Corrupt Influence) and CRS §18-8-401, et seq. (Abuse of Public Office) as amended, and that no violation of such provisions is present.

20. TAXES: Adams State University, as purchaser, is exempt from all state government use taxes. University’s State Sales Tax Exemption Number is 98-04911. Bidder is hereby notified that when materials are purchased in certain political subdivisions the bidder may be required to pay sales tax even though the ultimate product or service is provided to the State of Colorado. This sales tax will not be reimbursed by the State.

21. INSURANCE: The successful bidder shall procure, at its own expense, and maintain for the duration of the work, the following insurance coverages; the University shall be issued certificates as an additional insured.

A. Standard Workers' Compensation and Employers' Liability as required by State statute including occupational disease, covering all employees on or off the work site, acting within the course and scope of their employment.

B. Commercial General Liability Insurance written on ISO occurrence form CG 00 01 10/93 or equivalent, covering premises operations, fire damage, independent contractors, products and completed operations, blanket contractual liability, personal injury, and advertising liability with minimum limits as follows:

a. $1,000,000 each occurrence;

b. $2,000,000 general aggregate;

c. $2,000,000 products and completed operations aggregate;

d. $50,000 any one fire; and

e. Per Project general Aggregate Limit; and

f. A waiver of subrogation in favor of ASU.

If any aggregate limit is reduced below $2,000,000 because of claims made or paid, the successful bidder shall immediately obtain additional insurance to restore the full aggregate limit and furnish to the University a certificate or other document satisfactory to the University showing compliance with this provision.

C. Automobile Liability Insurance covering any auto (including owned, hired, and non-owned autos) with a minimum limit as follows: $1,000,000 each accident combined single limit.

D. Professional Liability Insurance with minimum limits of liability of not less than $1,000,000 will be required for the resulting contract from this RFP award.

E. Other insurance may be required by law, or in a specific solicitation. All policies evidencing the insurance coverages required hereunder shall be issued by insurance companies satisfactory to the University.

F. Adams State University and the State of Colorado shall be named as an additional insured on the Commercial General Liability and Automobile Liability Insurance policies (leases and construction contracts will require the additional insured coverage for completed operations on endorsements CG 2010 11/85, CG 2037, or equivalent). Coverage required of the contract will be primary over any insurance or self-insurance program carried by Adams State University.

G. Insurance shall include provisions preventing cancellation or non-renewal without at least 30 days’ prior notice to the University by certified mail.

H. Successful bidder will require all insurance policies in any way related to the contract and secured and maintained by any successful bidder to include clauses stating that each carrier will waive all rights of recovery, under subrogation or otherwise, against Adams State University, its officers, agents, employees and volunteers.

I. Successful bidder shall provide certificates showing insurance coverage required by any contract to the University within 7 business days of the effective date of the contract, but in no event later than the commencement of the services or delivery of the goods under the contract. No later than 15 days prior to the expiration date of any such coverage, the successful bidder shall deliver the University certificates of insurance evidencing renewals thereof. At any time during the term of the contract, the University may request in writing, and the successful bidder shall, within 10 days, supply to the University, evidence satisfactory to the University of compliance with the provisions of this section certificate(s) of adequate insurance coverage and endorsement(s) of additional insured coverage. Copies of the insurance certificate can be emailed and should be followed by the hard copy of the certificate being mailed to Adams State’s Purchasing Office. The Additional Insured portion should read as follows:

Adams State University and the State of Colorado acting by and through the Board of Trustees of Adams State University 208 Edgemont Blvd.

Alamosa, CO 81101

22. NON-DISCRIMINATION: The bidder shall comply with all applicable state and federal laws, rules and regulations involving non-discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age or sex.

23. PARENT COMPANY: If a bidder is owned or controlled by a parent company, the main office address and parent company's tax identification number shall be provided in the proposal. Tax identification number provided must be that of the bidder responding to the RFP.

24. AWARD OF CONTRACT: The award will be made to that bidder whose proposal, conforming to the RFP, will be the most advantageous to the University, price and other factors considered. A contract must be completed and signed by all parties concerned.

In the event the parties are unable to enter into a contract, the University may elect to cancel the “Notice of Intent to Make an Award” letter and make the award to the next highest ranking bidder, cancel the solicitation, or make such other disposition or award as the University deems most advantageous.

25. PROTESTED SOLICITATIONS AND AWARDS: Any actual or prospective bidder or unsuccessful contractor who is aggrieved in connection with the solicitation or award of a contract may protest to the University’s Purchasing Director. The protest must be submitted in writing within seven (7) working days after such an aggrieved person knows, or should have known, of the facts giving rise thereto. Ref Section IX Disputes and Remedies, of Adams State University Procurement Rules, available at the following link: https://www.adams.edu/administration/purchasing/ https://www.adams.edu/administration/purchasing/

With regard to the emphasized language above, it is important for bidders to note that a challenge to the solicitation’s requirements or specifications must be made within seven (7) working days of when the protestable item is known.

Announcement of the Notice of Intent to Award will be made via a posting on RMES.

The requirement for timely submission of any protest (7 working days) will begin on the first working day following posting of the award notice on RMES.

If the bidder is unable to access Adams State Procurement Rules cited above, the bidder may contact the Purchasing Agent to obtain a copy.

26. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL CONTENT: Contents of the proposal (including persons specified to implement the project) of the successful bidder will become contractual obligations if acquisition action ensues. Failure of the successful bidder to accept these obligations in a contract, purchase order, or similar authorized acquisition document may result in cancellation of the award. Under these conditions, the University reserves the right to enter into negotiations with the next ranking bidder on the same terms and conditions as set forth in the Request for Proposal or make such other disposition of award as the University deems most advantageous.

27. FORM OF THE CONTRACT: A condition of the bidder’s response is that any contract resulting from the award to the successful bidder shall be in the form required by current Colorado statutes, fiscal rules and Adams State University Procurement Rules (see attached State of Colorado Contract Template). This contract will include all such terms and conditions required by these statutes and rules. In the event that the bidder’s forms (or parts of forms) are included as attachments or exhibits in a final contract, the bidder agrees that where there are contradictions or inconsistencies, the terms of the contract shall always supersede, manage, and control those of any such attachment or exhibit. Further, the terms of this RFP and of the successful bidder’s response to the RFP (the “Response”) shall be incorporated into a final contract, with the contract taking precedence over either the RFP or the Response, and the RFP taking precedence over the Response in the event the documents conflict.

Also, the contract will state that Colorado law shall govern the contract and that the bidder must agree to indemnify the University. A commercially reasonable version of the following language shall appear in the contract:

“The bidder shall indemnify, save, and hold harmless the State of Colorado and University, its employees and agents, against any and all claims, damages, liability and court awards including costs, expenses, and attorney fees incurred as a result of any act or omission by the bidder, or its employees, agents, subcontractors or assignees pursuant to the terms of this contract.”

The University is precluded from indemnifying any parties, including bidders.

Also, the contract shall include the “Special Provisions” which are required pursuant to Adams State University Purchasing Rules. The “Special Provisions” are incorporated into this RFP as Attachment C.

28. INCURRING COSTS: The University is not liable for any cost incurred by bidders prior to issuance of a legally executed contract, purchase order, or other authorized acquisition document. No property interest, of any nature shall accrue until a contract is awarded and signed by all concerned parties.

29. NEWS RELEASES: Neither the University, nor any bidder, shall make news releases pertaining to this RFP prior to execution of the contract without prior written approval.

30. CONTRACT CANCELLATION: The University reserves the right to cancel, for cause, any contract resulting from this RFP by providing timely written notice to the successful bidder.

31. ASSIGNMENT AND DELEGATION: Except for assignment of antitrust claims, neither party to any resulting contract may assign or delegate any portion of the agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.

32. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: Financial obligations of the University payable after the current fiscal year are contingent upon funds for that purpose being appropriated, budgeted and otherwise made available. In the event funds are not appropriated, any resulting contract will become null and void, without penalty to the University.

33. PAYMENT TERMS: The University’s standard payment term is Net 45. Prepayments for services shall not be made by the University unless expressly identified within the successful bidder’s RFP proposal, and agreed to by the University.

34. COOPERATIVE PROCUREMENT: Successful bidder(s) shall make available to other Colorado state agencies or political subdivisions (“Participating Entity”) any and all services specified herein at the contract prices(s) established herein. If a Participating Entity exercises this option, it shall be understood and agreed that such an arrangement does not bind either the Participating Entity or the successful bidder(s) to the terms, conditions or prevailing awards generated through this RFP; nor does it preclude any Participating Entity from pursuing a purchase or purchases through their own contracting methods with another vendor.

It shall be further understood and agreed that the University is not a legally binding party to any contractual agreement made between a Participating Entity and the successful bidder(s) as a result of this RFP. Each Participating Entity which enters into a contractual arrangement with the successful bidder(s) shall establish its own contract, place its own orders, issue its on purchase orders, be invoiced there from and make its own payments, and issue its own exemption certificates as required by the successful bidder(s).

35. PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE OF COLORADO OR THE UNITED STATES: Awarded Offeror, per Section 24-102-206, C.R.S., prior to contracting shall disclose in a written statement whether it anticipates performing or subcontracting any services under the contract, where such subcontracted services will be performed under the contract, including any subcontracts, and whether any subcontracted services under the contract or any subcontracts are anticipated to be performed outside the United States or the state. If the prospective vendor anticipates services under the contract or any subcontracts will be performed outside the United States or the state, the vendor shall provide in its written statement a provision setting forth why it is necessary or advantageous to go outside the United States or the state to perform the contract or any subcontracts.

3.3.3 Submission Deadline

Proposals must be received by 2:00 P.M., MT, June 2, 2025. Late or hard copy submissions will not be accepted.

SECTION 4: EVALUATION CRITERIA

4.1 Evaluation Process

A. PROPOSAL EVALUATION.

All proposals submitted in response to this RFP will be reviewed for responsiveness by the University’s Purchasing Agent prior to referral to the evaluation committee. A committee will then evaluate all responsive proposals in accordance with the criteria described below.

Total scores will be tabulated, and the contract will be awarded to the bidder whose proposal is deemed to be the most advantageous to the University.

If the University requests presentations by short-listed bidders, committee members may revise their initial scores based upon additional information and clarification received in this phase. Please note that the date for presentations, if required, is yet to be determined.

University, at its discretion, may utilize a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) stage. If this phase is utilized, the Purchasing Agent shall submit to the bidders most likely to receive the award, requests for specific clarification and allow bidders to enhance their pricing. The Purchasing Agent shall coordinate the bidders’ responses for review by the evaluation committee. The Purchasing Agent shall be the SOLE point of contact throughout the process for all bidders.

If the University requests a BAFO stage, committee members may revise their initial scores based upon additional information and clarification received in this phase. In lieu of revising scoring, the University reserves the right to evaluate BAFOs by use of a narrative. Please note that the date for the BAFO stage has not been set. If your company is invited to participate in this stage, a date and time will be set up.

The contract…