BSH RFR - Accessible NFC-Based Object Identification System and Mobile App.docx

REQUEST FOR RESPONSE

Accessible NFC-Based Object Identification System and Mobile App COMMBUYS Bid# BD-27-1009-BSH01-BSH01-135115 Bureau of the State House RFR - Accessible NFC-Based Object Identification System and Mobile App ISSUE DATE: November 5, 2026

Description or Purpose of Procurement:

Bureau of the State House (BSH) seeks to procure an accessible Near Field Communication (NFC)-based identification and information retrieval system for use within the Massachusetts State House.

The purpose of this procurement is to improve access to information about artwork and other objects, exhibits, and amenities for people with disabilities, including people who are blind or have low vision.

The system shall enable individuals to use an accessible mobile application on a compatible smartphone to scan a physical NFC tag and retrieve descriptive information associated with the tagged room, artwork, object, or other designated point of interest.

BSH seeks a solution that uses passive NFC technology rather than Bluetooth beacons or other powered proximity-detection infrastructure. BSH is not seeking indoor navigation, wayfinding, route guidance, real-time location tracking, or visitor movement monitoring capabilities.

All descriptive and interpretive content will be created, reviewed, approved, published, and maintained by BSH personnel. The vendor shall provide the technology and administrative tools necessary to support these activities.

The proposed solution shall be an established product that is commercially available at the time of proposal submission and shall not require the development of a new, custom-designed software application or system to meet BSH's core functional requirements.

The solution shall include an existing mobile application compatible with iOS and Android devices, an administrative content management interface, and support for passive NFC tags.

BSH anticipates that some configuration may be necessary to accommodate its specific facilities, content, administrative users, and NFC tag deployment. Such configuration is acceptable, provided it does not require substantial custom software development.

Applicable Procurement Law

Executive Branch Goods and Services

Acquisition Method:

Whether Single or Multiple Contractors are Required for Contract:

Check One (“X”):

Estimated Number of Awards The target maximum number of Contractors is 1; the Purchasing Department may award more or fewer contracts, if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.

Adding Contractors after initial Contract Award If, over the life of the contract, the Purchasing Department determines that additional Contractors may be added, these may be drawn from qualified companies that responded to this Solicitation and not awarded Contracts. If necessary to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth, the Solicitation may be reopened to obtain additional Bids.

Entities Eligible to Use the Resulting Contract

· N/A

Expected Duration of Contract (Initial Duration and any Options to Renew):

Initial Duration

3 years

Total Maximum Contract Duration

5 years

Anticipated Expenditures, Funding, or Compensation:

Estimated Value of Procurement: $25,000 Contract Performance and Business Specifications Scope of Services Project Overview The selected Contractor shall provide a system that:

1. Enables users to identify rooms, artwork, and objects by scanning associated NFC tags.

2. Provides accessible descriptive information through a mobile application compatible with commonly used iOS and Android devices.

3. Supports individuals who use screen readers and other assistive technologies.

4. Enables BSH personnel to independently create, edit, publish and maintain descriptions associated with individual NFC tags.

5. Uses passive NFC tags that do not require batteries, Bluetooth beacons, or powered transmitters.

6. Supports consistent, accessible identification and placement of physical NFC tags.

7. Protects the privacy of users and does not require the collection or tracking of visitors' physical locations or movements.

8. Supports expansion to additional rooms, objects, and facilities.

The vendor shall provide the software, NFC tags, configuration, implementation assistance, documentation, training, and technical support necessary to deploy and maintain the system.

NFC Tags The vendor shall provide NFC tags suitable for installation indoors in a public facility.

Tags shall:

· Be compatible with supported NFC-enabled iOS and Android devices.

· Require no batteries or external electrical power.

· Be durable and suitable for the anticipated installation environment.

· Support secure attachment to walls, signs, pedestals, display cases, or other appropriate surfaces.

· Permit updates to associated digital content without physical replacement of the tag.

· Support consistent identification and placement for users who are blind or have low vision.

· Be capable of being associated with a unique room, object, artwork, or other designated item.

Accessible Mobile Application The vendor shall provide an accessible mobile application for supported iOS and Android devices.

The application shall serve as the primary interface through which users scan NFC tags and retrieve associated descriptive information.

The application shall:

· Be available for download through the applicable public mobile application stores.

· Support NFC tag scanning using capabilities available on compatible mobile devices.

· Retrieve and display information associated with a scanned NFC tag.

· Present descriptive information in formats accessible to screen readers and other supported assistive technologies.

· Provide a consistent and intuitive interface for accessing information.

· Allow users to return to previously retrieved descriptions during a session.

· Support text enlargement and applicable mobile operating system accessibility settings.

· Provide accessible instructions, status notifications, and error messages.

· Permit access to publicly available descriptive content without requiring users to create an account.

Respondents shall describe the steps required to install, configure, and use the application, including the process for scanning NFC tags.

Respondents shall identify any limitations associated with specific mobile devices or operating system versions.

Descriptive Content BSH shall be solely responsible for the creation, publication, accuracy, and ongoing maintenance of all descriptive and interpretive content associated with NFC tags.

BSH personnel will develop descriptions of rooms, artwork, objects, architectural features, and other designated items.

The vendor shall not be required to research, write, narrate, or otherwise develop descriptive content.

The system shall support BSH-created content, including:

· Room names and descriptions;

· Identification of artwork and objects;

· Descriptions of visual characteristics, including color, shape, texture, size, and arrangement;

· Historical or interpretive information;

· Text-based descriptions compatible with screen readers;

· Images with alternative text supplied by BSH; and

· Other BSH-approved descriptive content.

The system shall permit BSH personnel to create, modify, publish, and remove content independently, without Contractor assistance and without requiring replacement or reprogramming of the physical NFC tag.

The vendor shall provide documentation and training necessary for BSH personnel to manage content effectively.

The vendor shall identify any limitations on content length, formatting, multimedia support, or storage.

Content Management and Administration The vendor shall provide an accessible administrative interface through which BSH personnel can independently manage NFC tags and associated content.

The system shall support:

· Creating and editing descriptive content;

· Associating content with individual NFC tags;

· Updating descriptions without replacing tags;

· Adding, deactivating, or reassigning tags;

· Organizing content by room, object, collection, or other BSH-defined category;

· Previewing content before publication;

· Publishing and unpublishing content;

· Managing administrative users and access permissions; and

· Exporting BSH-owned content and tag inventory information.

The system shall not require specialized programming knowledge or routine Contractor intervention to perform these functions.

The vendor shall describe available bulk editing, import/export, reporting, and backup capabilities.

Digital Accessibility Requirements Accessibility is a fundamental requirement of this procurement.

The vendor shall ensure that all applicable Digital Assets provided under this Contract, including the mobile application, administrative interfaces, electronic content presentation, and supporting digital documentation, comply with the EOTSS Enterprise Digital Accessibility Policy.

At a minimum, applicable Digital Assets shall conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) version 2.1 or later, Levels A and AA, as required by the EOTSS Enterprise Digital Accessibility Policy.

The mobile application shall support applicable native accessibility features of iOS and Android, including VoiceOver and TalkBack.

The vendor shall provide applicable accessibility conformance documentation, disclose known accessibility limitations, participate in accessibility testing as required by BSH, and remediate accessibility defects in accordance with applicable Commonwealth requirements.

Accessibility testing shall include manual testing using assistive technologies and shall not rely exclusively on automated testing.

The vendor shall ensure that the content management system enables BSH personnel to create and maintain accessible content, including the ability to provide alternative text, accessible text formatting, and other supported accessibility features.

BSH shall remain responsible for the accessibility and accuracy of the descriptive content it creates and publishes.

Training The vendor shall provide training sufficient for BSH personnel to independently administer the system.

Training shall include:

· Creating and editing descriptive content;

· Associating content with NFC tags;

· Publishing and unpublishing content;

· Updating descriptions;

· Managing tag inventories;

· Adding or replacing NFC tags;

· Using available accessibility features within the content management system;

· Managing administrative users;

· Troubleshooting common issues; and

· Obtaining technical support.

The vendor shall provide accessible written or electronic documentation for routine system administration.

BSH's ability to manage content independently shall be an important component of system acceptance.

Ownership and Portability BSH shall retain ownership of all BSH-created descriptive content, images, audio recordings, and associated data.

The vendor shall provide a mechanism for exporting BSH-created content and associated tag inventory information in commonly usable, non-proprietary formats.

The vendor shall identify any limitations on BSH's ability to migrate its content or reuse physical NFC tags with another system.

Deliverables The selected Contractor shall provide:

· NFC tags and associated technical specifications;

· Accessible iOS and Android mobile application;

· Content management and administration system;

· Initial NFC tag configuration and technical assistance with content association;

· Accessibility conformance documentation;

· System testing and acceptance support;

· Administrator training;

· Technical and user documentation; and

· Ongoing software maintenance, updates, and technical support.

The vendor shall not be responsible for producing or maintaining descriptive content.

Fiscal Terms:

Payments are processed within a 45-day payment cycle through Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), in accordance with the CTR Bill Payments. The vendor is not entitled to accelerated payments unless a Prompt Payment Discount (PPD) is provided or unless a payment is legally mandated to be made in less than 45 days (e.g., construction contracts, Ready Payments under M.G.L. c. 29 § 23A).

Itemized invoices shall be submitted by the vendor no later than 30 days after completion of services or receipt of goods. The vendor’s invoices at a minimum shall include the following:

· Name and address of Contractor

· Telephone number, fax number, and e-mail contact address

· Date of invoice and date of delivery

· Name of Department contact person

· Prompt payment discount terms, if offered

· Purchase Order number All invoices shall be itemized and include a complete description for each charge such as number of billable hours, the hourly rate, an explanation and description of the work performed, etc. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is tax exempt and the vendor may request a copy of the Tax-Exempt form from the Department.

All invoices will be paid in accordance with the Office of the Comptroller's Bill Paying Policy. Invoicing issues must be resolved in a timely and efficient manner. Final invoices in any fiscal year must be submitted no later than August 15 for performance made and received (goods delivered, services completed) prior to June 30. Failure to submit timely invoices by August 15 shall authorize the Department to issue an estimated payment based upon the Department’s determination of performance delivered and accepted. The vendor’s acceptance of an estimated payment releases the Commonwealth from further claims for these invoices.

Performance Measures The vendor shall meet the performance standards established in this Statement of Work throughout implementation and the Contract term.

BSH shall evaluate Contractor performance based on successful delivery of required functionality, compliance with accessibility and security requirements, system reliability, usability of administrative functions, and responsiveness to technical support requests.

Performance shall be assessed through accessibility testing and periodic system testing.

Failure to meet established performance standards may result in remediation, additional testing, or other remedies including termination or non-renewal of the contract.

BSH shall not evaluate Contractor performance based on the accuracy, completeness, or editorial quality of BSH-created descriptions, except where deficiencies in the vendor's system prevent BSH-approved content from being correctly stored, retrieved, or presented.

Small Business Purchasing Program Program Background The Massachusetts Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) was established pursuant to Executive Order 599 to increase state contracting opportunities with small businesses having their principal place of business within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Pursuant to the SBPP, it is the intention of the issuing department to award this Small Procurement to one or more SBPP participating business(es) as described below.

SBPP Award Preference While all businesses, no matter the size or principal place of business, may submit responses to this solicitation, should an SBPP participant respond and meet the best value criteria as described in this solicitation, the SBPP participant shall be awarded the contract. Submissions from non-SBPP participants will be considered only when no SBPP bidder meets the Strategic Sourcing Team’s best-value evaluation criteria.

SBPP Participation Eligibility To be eligible to participate in this procurement as an SBPP participant, an entity must meet the following criteria and be listed as an SBPP registered business in SDO’s Directory of Certified Businesses and COMMBUYS.

To be eligible as an SBPP participant, a business must:

1. Have its principal place of business in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts;

2. Have been in business for at least one year;

3. Employ a combined total of 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees in all locations, or employees work less than a combined total of 26,000 hours per quarter; and

4. Have annual gross revenues, as reported on appropriate tax forms, of $15 million or less, based on a three-year average.

Non-profit firms also must be registered as a non-profit or charitable organization with the MA Attorney General’s Office and be up to date with all filings required by that office and be tax exempt under Section 501(c) of the Internal Revenue Code.

SBPP Application Process Registering for the SBPP is generally an easy process and eligible businesses will receive an approval notification within 24-48 hours of applying. To learn more and submit an application, visit the webpage Register for the Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP).

SBPP Compliance Requirements It is the responsibility of the Bidder to ensure that their SBPP status is current on both SDO’s Directory of Certified Businesses and COMMBUYS at the time of submitting a response and throughout the life of any resulting contract. Misrepresentation of SBPP status will result in disqualification from consideration, and may result in debarment, contract termination, and other actions. To learn more about the SBPP, visit the SBPP Webpage.

Program Resources and Assistance Bidders and Vendors seeking assistance regarding the SBPP may visit the SBPP webpage, http://www.mass.gov/sbpp, or contact the SBPP Help Desk at sbpp@mass.gov.

Environmentally Preferable Products Products and services purchased by state agencies must be in compliance with Executive Order 515, issued October 27, 2009. Under this Executive Order, Executive Departments are required to reduce their impact on the environment and enhance public health by procuring environmentally preferable products and services (EPPs) whenever such products and services perform to satisfactory standards and represent best value, consistent with 801 CMR 21.00. In line with this directive, all Contracts, whether departmental or statewide, must comply with the specifications and guidelines established by OSD and the EPP Program. EPPs are products and services that help to conserve natural resources, reduce waste, protect public health and the environment, and promote the use of clean technologies, recycled materials, and less toxic products. Bid responses must identify how a contractor meets these goals.

Evaluation Criteria Contractors must submit responses that meet all the submission requirements of the RFR. Only responsive proposals that meet the submission requirements will be evaluated, scored, and ranked by the evaluation team according to the evaluation criteria. Additional information may be requested for evaluation purposes.

Bid sections that include terms such as: “must”, “shall”, “will” and “required” are mandatory.

Failure to meet the requirements of a mandatory specification without providing an alternative that is acceptable to the evaluators may result in the disqualification of a Bidder's proposal

Instructions for Submission of Responses:

Only electronic quotes submitted via COMMBUYS will be accepted in response to this RFR. Responses must be sent via the “Create Quote” functionality in COMMBUYS. For instructions concerning how to submit a Quote, please see Appendix B.

Any submission that fails to meet the submission requirements of the RFR will be found non-responsive without further evaluation unless the evaluation team, at its discretion, determines that the non-compliance is insubstantial and may be corrected. In these cases, the evaluation team may allow the vendor to make minor corrections to the submission.

Responders must include the following information in their quotes:

1. Narrative Response including:

a. Executive summary explaining how your company’s product is well qualified to meet the Bureau of the State House’s needs and how your company will provide the services required by this RFR

b. A minimum of three (3) examples of customers (either currently under active contract with the vendor or previously under contracts which expired within the past three (3) years) that are similar in scope to Bureau of the State House and for which the vendor provided services similar to those described in this RFQ. Please include the scope and duration of the engagements

2. Appendix E: Vendor Pricing Form

Estimated Procurement Calendar

Bidders are required to monitor COMMBUYS for changes to the procurement calendar for this Bid.

Online Questions (Bid Q&A) Written Questions must be entered using the “Bid Q&A” tab for the Bid in COMMBUYS no later than the “Online Questions Due” date and time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above). The issuing department reserves the right to not respond to questions submitted after this date. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to verify receipt of questions.

It is the responsibility of the prospective Bidder and awarded Contractor to maintain an active registration in COMMBUYS and to keep current the email address of the Bidder’s contact person and prospective contract manager, if awarded a contract, and to monitor that email inbox for communications from the Purchasing Department, including requests for clarification. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth assume no responsibility if a prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s designated email address is not current, or if technical problems, including those with the prospective Bidder’s/awarded Contractor’s computer, network, or internet service provider (ISP) cause email communications sent to/from the prospective Bidder/Awarded contractor and the Purchasing Department to be lost or rejected by any means including email or spam filtering.

(Written questions and responses will be posted on the Bid Q&A Tab for this Bid in COMMBUYS.)

Bid Amendment Deadline The Purchasing Department reserves the right to make amendments to the Bid after initial publication. It is each Bidder’s responsibility to check COMMBUYS for amendments, addenda, or modifications to this Bid, and any Bid Q&A records related to this Bid. The Purchasing Department and the Commonwealth accept no responsibility and will provide no accommodation to Bidders who submit a Quote based on an out-of-date Bid or on information received from a source other than COMMBUYS.

Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening Date/Time) See the Quotes (Bid Responses) Deadline (Bid Opening) Date and Time indicated in the Estimated Procurement Calendar (above).

Estimated Contract Start Date This is the approximate start date. The actual start date will be the Contract Effective Date which is the date the Contract is executed by the parties.

Required Forms Responses to this RFR must contain the following documents:

The above attachments are available as part of the Bid record on COMMBUYS (WWW.COMMBUYS.COM).

RFR Attachments Appendix A: Required Specifications https://www.mass.gov/doc/rfr-required-specifications-of-commodities-and-services Appendix B: Electronic Quote Submission Instructions https://www.mass.gov/doc/instructions-for-vendors-responding-to-bids Appendix C: Required Specifications for Information Technology https://www.mass.gov/doc/rfr-required-specifications-for-information-technology/download Appendix D: RFR – Other Specifications Effective June 15, 2021, for all 1) CTR forms, including the Standard Contract Form, W-9s, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) forms, ISAs, and other CTR-issued documents and forms, or 2) documents related to state finance and within the statutory area of authority or control of CTR (i.e. contracts, payrolls, and related supporting documentation), CTR will accept signatures executed by an authorized signatory in any of the following ways: 1. Traditional “wet signature” (ink on paper); 2. Electronic signature that is either: a. Hand drawn using a mouse or finger if working from a touch screen device; or Page 2 b. An uploaded picture of the signatory’s hand drawn signature 3. Electronic signatures affixed using a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign. If using an electronic signature, the signature must be visible, include the signatory’s name and title, and must be accompanied by a signature date. Please be advised that typed text of a name not generated by a digital tool such as Adobe Sign or DocuSign, even in computer-generated cursive script, or an electronic symbol, are not acceptable forms of electronic signature.

Appendix E: Vendor Pricing Form Bureau of the State House RFR - Accessible NFC-Based Object Identification System and Mobile App Vendor Name:

Proposal Date:

A. One-time costs

Initial configuration and system setup

NFC tags

Administrator training and documentation

Other required one-time charges (please specify):

One-time costs: $ B. Annual recurring costs

Mobile app and CMS license

Hosting, updates, and maintenance

Technical support

Other required recurring charges (please specify):

Annual recurring costs: $ C. Total evaluated price

D. Optional unit pricing (not included in evaluated total) Optional items

Additional NFC tags

Additional administrator training

Other optional item (please specify):

Disclosures Describe any items marked N/A, additional charges, license limits (users, administrators, tags, content, storage), price increases, and any required third-party fees:

Authorized Vendor Representative: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Updated: August 10, 2026