DMS-2425-550 Q&A.pdf

DMS-24/25-550

LEARNING PLATFORM SOLUTIONS Page 1 of 6

INVITATION TO BID NO. DMS-24/25-550

LEARNING PLATFORM SOLUTIONS

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Note: All written questions are reproduced in the same format as submitted by the Respondent.

NO. QUESTION ANSWER

1.

We have a question about whether the new Learning Management System (LMS) mentioned in the document is intended to replace the current State of Florida LMS, Success Factors.

Could you please provide further insight on this matter? Understanding the potential integration or replacement of Success Factors is crucial for our planning and execution.

No, this is not meant to replace the State of Florida Success Factors LMS.

2.

Are you able to tell me more about what you are looking for and what issues you are facing with your current platform?

The Department of Management Services (Department or DMS) is looking for on-demand training for employees to upskill or advance their career.

3.

Is the intention to potentially procure a stand alone Learning Management System (LMS) that includes delivered content or is the vision to incorporate the content to the People First LMS either manually or through some sort of connector?

Also, is this just for DMS or is it for all state employees?

Stand alone.

The LMS would be procured for the Department only.

4.

Could you please confirm the estimated number of users?

Approximately 100-200 users are expected to use the platform

5.

Could you please confirm the estimated number of users?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 4.

6.

What specific goals does the agency hope to achieve through this learning platform?

(e.g., improving customer satisfaction, reducing escalations, onboarding new staff)

Please see the Answer to Question No. 2.

7.

Is the focus limited to customer service teams, or will other departments use the platform?

No, the focus is not only customer service teams.

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8.

How many users will require access to the platform initially and in the future?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 4.

9.

Is training and onboarding for administrators part of the requirement?

Yes.

10.

What systems must the learning platform integrate with (e.g., HRIS, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Active Directory)?

None.

12.

Do you need out-of-the-box customer service training content, or will you primarily upload your own

The Department would prefer a platform with out-of-the-box content, with the ability to upload our own content, if desired.

13.

Can you clarify the estimated number of learners expected to use the platform and provide a general breakdown between technical and non-technical user groups?

Approximately 100-200 users are expected to use the platform, and approximately half of the users are technical.

14.

Is the Department seeking a Commercial- Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution with configuration flexibility, or are you open to customized or semi-custom solutions?

The Department is open to receiving information on customized or semi-customized solutions. However, we currently desire a COTS solution with configuration flexibility.

15.

For certifications such as PMP, CISSP, or AWS, is it acceptable for the learning platform to redirect users to third-party authorized testing providers for the actual exam, or is there an expectation for end-to-end exam management within the platform?

The Department would prefer exam voucher for third party providers, or exam offered within the platform.

16.

Is the Department seeking a full Learning Management System (LMS) to replace any existing system, or will this platform be supplemental to existing state LMS resources?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 1.

17.

What is the Department’s anticipated go-live or implementation timeline following vendor selection?

The timeline is currently unknown.

18.

Does the Department have an estimated annual budget range or per-user spend target for this initiative to guide vendors in proposing appropriate licensing tiers?

This information is currently unavailable.

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19.

Does the Department require integration with statewide HRIS or talent management systems (e.g., People First, SuccessFactors)? If so, are there established data exchange standards vendors must follow?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 10.

20.

Will the Department require the solution to maintain data residency within the State of Florida or the continental U.S., or is commercial cloud hosting without geographic restrictions acceptable?

Although maintaining data residency within the continental United States is preferred, it is not required for this platform.

21.

Is the Department seeking competency and skill-gap reporting to support workforce planning, or will reporting focus solely on course completions and participation metrics?

The Department is seeking both competency and skill-gap reporting to support workforce planning, and reporting focused on course completions and participation metrics.

22.

Will the Department require role-based or agency-specific content curation to align learning paths with specific job functions or departmental objectives?

Although the Department is interested in a platform with the ability to curate role-based or agency-specific content, the feature is not required.

23.

Given Florida’s workforce demographics, is bilingual (English/Spanish) delivery of learning content and platform navigation a requirement or a preference?

Although the Department is interested in a platform with the ability to deliver content in multiple languages, the feature is not required.

24.

Does the Department require StateRAMP or FedRAMP certification for cloud-based solutions, or will an equivalent standard such as SOC 2 Type II be acceptable?

The Department does not require StateRAMP or FedRamp for this platform.

25.

Will the solution need to support dynamic user provisioning across multiple agencies or divisions with administrative autonomy?

No.

26.

Are there specific cooperative purchasing agreements or state contract vehicles that the Department expects to use for this procurement?

No.

27.

Will the Department conduct a pilot program or phased rollout before full implementation, and if so, what metrics or success criteria will determine pilot evaluation?

The Department may conduct a pilot program, but the criteria for a pilot program is unknown.

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28.

What is the estimated number of learners expected to participate in this training annually?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 4.

29.

Will this solution be replacing the State's instance of SuccessFactors and/or any other Statewide learning management system technology in use today?

No.

30.

Will non-state employees be using this solution? If yes, how many?

No.

31.

How many state employees and number of divisions/organizations will be using this solution?

Please see the Answers to Question No. 3 and 4.

32.

Can you provide more specifics on the language support and localization needs? Is there a priority for certain languages?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 23.

33.

Current state model - what does L&D look like in the State today? Is it a centralized or de-centralized model?

There are some centralized and de-centralized training models throughout the State.

34.

Can you describe your desired learner experience?

The Department desires a system that is user-friendly.

35.

What are the security or compliance standards the platform must adhere to, especially concerning data protection and user privacy?

The Department desires a platform that consists of role-based access to protect user data and privacy.

36.

Are there specific integration requirements with existing systems or platforms currently in use by the Department? Are you considering Single Sign-On (SSO) capabilities?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 10.

Additionally, the Department is interested in receiving information about SSO features that platforms may have.

37.

Is DMS open to a solution where a vendor provides the training and content delivery software system as a standalone, allowing for later population with content—or must a vendor deliver a full suite of content up front?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 12.

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38.

Would DMS consider joint bids wherein one vendor provides the software infrastructure, and the partner firm provides the suites of educational course content? Given the speed of AI development, delivering up-to-date content is a fast-moving target.

Yes.

39.

For maximum competition for the Florida taxpayer, may a future bidding vendor be headquartered out-of-state so long as there is a Florida-based business nexus with local Florida staff? Or must a bidding firm be headquartered in Florida?

A future bidding vendor may be headquartered out-of-state.

40.

Would DMS consider putting out this solicitations under a veteran or woman-owned small business category?

Yes.

41.

Does DMS anticipate that the learning platform will contain only pre-built, off-the-shelf learning content that addresses the domains listed in Section III, or is there interest in custom-developed, scenario-based training?

Please see the Answer to Question No. 12.

42.

Section III states: “This initiative is part of our broader effort to enhance skills development, career progression, and readiness across technical and non-technical roles.” Can the DMS please provide the projected number of learners and whether the platform will be available statewide across all agencies or limited to specific departments?

Please see the Answers to Question No. 3 and 4.

43.

Given that Dale Reports focuses primarily on soft skills training (e.g., conflict resolution, time management, communication, EQ leadership, HR fundamentals), would a vendor without a full technical LMS system still be considered responsive if we offer scalable content via platforms like Kajabi?

The Department desires a platform that meets the Goals listed in the Request for Information.

44.

Does the Department envision selecting both content providers and platform vendors separately or favor fully integrated learning platforms only?

This information is currently unknown.

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45.

Are content-only or hybrid vendors (who license their curriculum and deliver via secure platform) encouraged to respond?

The Department is open to receiving information from all vendors who meet the Goals listed in the Request for Information.

46.

Would Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) certification prep and certificates of completion for emotional intelligence and leadership development qualify under the category of “industry certifications” referenced in Section III?

Certification prep would qualify.

47.

What level of analytics or learner tracking is required for soft-skills content? For example, would completion rates, progress summaries, and self-assessments suffice, or is LMS-level reporting required?

Completion rates would suffice.

48.

Are you able to share a general timeline for the anticipated next phase (e.g., ITN or RFP), and is there a particular emphasis on engaging Certified Business Enterprises for the soft skills domain?

This information is currently unknown.

49.

Would the Department prefer pricing to be presented as:

• Per participant

• Per course

• Subscription-based (per agency or department)

• Or in bundled packages?

The Department is open to all available pricing options.

50.

Are there specific administrative support or human resource competencies the Department is prioritizing (e.g., onboarding, documentation, workplace culture, retention practices, policy audit, HR certification prep) that soft-skills vendors should address in the response?

Nothing specific at this time, but the Department is open to any information that can assist with providing on-demand training for employees to upskill or advance their career.

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