DOAH-RFP #26/27-001

Addendum #1

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

ADDENDUM #1

August 5, 2026

RFP Number: DOAH RFP #26/27-001

RFP Services: Search Function Solution for Public-Facing Websites

Subject: This Addendum updates language in the RFP document and Attachment A; and provides DOAH’s responses to questions received from potential Respondents.

Deletions are indicated by “strikethrough”. Additions, updates or replacements are indicated by underscore. All changes are highlighted yellow for quick reference.

REFERENCE: Page 4, Section 2.2, Statement of Purpose UPDATE: The purpose of this RFP is to solicit competitive sealed Proposals from responsive, responsible and qualified Vendors to provide a robust, secure, and user-friendly text-based Search Function Solution for DOAH's public-facing websites, including software, implementation, optional migration implementation, testing, training, maintenance, support, and documentation.

Pursuant to Chapter 120, Florida Statutes, including section 120.53, Florida Statutes, DOAH is required to maintain and provide a text-searchable repository of agency final orders and other publicly available information. The solution must enable the public to efficiently search and retrieve information using keywords and other text-based search criteria while providing accurate, relevant, and timely search results.

REFERENCE: Page 4, Section 2.3, Scope of Services Sought UPDATE: • Support full-text keyword searching of PDF documents.

• Integrate with Microsoft IIS and modern web applications.

• Provide continuous indexing of newly published documents.

• Support migration the transition of approximately 510,331 indexed PDF documents.

• Accommodate approximately .402 terabytes of searchable data.

• Support future annual growth of documents.

• Provide an accessible search interface.

• Comply with Section 120.53, Florida Statutes.

• Meet ADA and WCAG 2.1 Level AA requirements.

• Include implementation, testing, training, maintenance, and support.

A complete description of the required services is contained in Attachment A, Scope of Services Sought, of this RFP.

REFERENCE: Page 4, Section 2, Introduction ADD: 2.6 Total Maximum Annual Amount

The Total Maximum Annual Dollar Amount shall not exceed $40,000.00 excluding the first-year implementation costs. The combined annual cost of Software Licensing, Hosting and Infrastructure and Maintenance and Support proposed in Attachment B shall not exceed this amount.

Proposals exceeding the Total Maximum Annual Dollar Amount will be deemed non-responsive.

REFERENCE: Pages 5-6, Section 3.3, Timeline of Events

UPDATE:

EVENT DUE DATE WHERE

RFP Advertised / Released

Thursday, July 23, 2026 Posted to the Vendor Information Portal at:

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.

com

Deadline to submit Questions in Writing to the Procurement Officer

Must be received PRIOR to 5:00 PM ET on Tuesday, July 29, 2026

Email to:

Patricia.Kenyon@doah.state.fl.us

Anticipated posting of Answers to Respondents’ questions

Monday, August 3, 2026 Posted to the Vendor Information Portal at:

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.c om

Deadline to Submit Sealed Proposals

Must be received PRIOR to 4:00 PM ET on Monday, August 17, 2026

Mail or Hand Deliver to:

Division of Administrative Hearings Procurement Officer: Patricia Kenyon

DOAH RFP #26/27-001

2001 Drayton Drive Tallahassee, Florida 32311 https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/ https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/ https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/ mailto:Patricia.Kenyon@doah.state.fl.us https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Public Meeting for Opening of Proposals

Tuesday, August 18, 2026 at 9:00 AM ET

The meeting will be available via

ZOOM:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3159120972?omn =86353071613

Meeting ID: 315 912 0972

One tap mobile

+13052241968,,3159120972# US

+16469313860,,3159120972# US

Residents in the State of Florida who are hearing, sight or speech impaired, please contact Florida Relay at 1 (800) 955-8771 or via https://www.ftri.org/relay for assistance.

Anticipated Evaluation Phase

August 25, 2026- September 9, 2026

Evaluation Team Members conduct evaluations individually.

Anticipated Posting of Intent to Award

Tuesday, September 16, Posted to the Vendor Information Portal at:

https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.

com

Effective Date of Purchase Order/Contract

September 25, 2026

Implementation Deadline (Production Go- Live Date)

November 15, 2026

REFERENCE: Page 7, Section 3.7, Identical Tie Proposals UPDATE: In the event the DOAH’s evaluation results in identical scoring outcomes between two or more Respondents, DOAH will provide the Identical Tie Certification, Attachment G H, form for the affected Respondents to complete. If one or more Respondents are entitled to the certified veteran business enterprise preference specified in section 295.187, Florida Statutes, and one or more business entitled to this preference or another preference provided by law submit bids, proposals, or replies for procurement of commodities or contractual services which are equal with respect to all relevant considerations, including price, quality, and service, DOAH will award the procurement or contract to the business having the smallest net worth. If one or more https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3159120972?omn=86353071613 https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3159120972?omn=86353071613 https://www.ftri.org/relay https://vendor.myfloridamarketplace.com/

Respondents has the certified veteran preference, it and any other vendor entitled to another preference provided by law will be requested by DOAH to submit Respondents net worth. In the event DOAH is unable to select a Respondent using the Tie Breaker Criteria specified in Attachment G, and the net worth criteria above, or if the net worth criteria above does not apply, then, the affected Respondent(s) name will be placed in a container for the Department’s Procurement Officer to randomly select the awardee of this solicitation. The date, time, and location will be posted on VIP.

REFERENCE: Page 8, Section 4.3.1.3, Cost Proposal UPDATE: Cost Proposal (Attachment B) must be completed as specified in

Section 4.4.2, Cost Proposal. It is Mandatory the submitted Cost Proposal is at or under the Total Maximum Annual Dollar Amount listed in Section 2.6 to be deemed responsive. The combined annual cost of Software Licensing, Hosting and Infrastructure and Maintenance and Support proposed in Attachment B shall not exceed this amount. Proposals exceeding the Total Maximum Annual Dollar Amount will be deemed non-responsive.

REFERENCE: Page 10, Section 4.3.3, TAB 3 – Vendor Presentation UPDATE: 3. An explanation of the Vendor's proposed implementation methodology, including project planning, migration, if proposed, testing, deployment, and post-implementation support.

REFERENCE: Page 11, Section 4.4.1, Technical Proposal UPDATE: One original paper copy of the Technical Proposal and one (1) copy must be submitted no later than the date and time set forth in Section 3.3, Timeline of Events. In addition, one original copy on a single USB storage device viewable in Adobe Acrobat (PDF) with the pre-recorded Video Presentation must be submitted for

TAB 3.

REFERENCE: Page 11, Section 4.4.2, Cost Proposal UPDATE: One original copy of the Cost Proposal (Mandatory Requirement, refer to Section 4.3.1) must be submitted using Cost Proposal (Attachment B) no later than the date and time set forth in Section 3.3, Timeline of Events.

The Cost Proposal (Attachment B) must be enclosed in a separate sealed envelope and must be identified in accordance with Section 4.3.3 4.3.4. No additional documentation should be included in the Cost Proposal envelope.

REFERENCE: Page 19, Section 6.6, Protests UPDATE: Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in section

120.57(3), Florida Statutes, as modified by section 110.123(d)4, Florida Statutes, and Rule chapter 28-110, F.A.C., or failure to post a bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond will constitute a waiver of proceedings under chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Any communication not in accordance with these sections or the ITN, including questions to the Procurement Officer, shall not constitute a formal protest.

The Protest must be submitted by using the following delivery method:

By Facsimile:

Division of Administrative Hearings Attn: Public Records Request

(850) 921-6847

REFERENCE: Page 20, Attachment A, Section 1., Purpose UPDATE: The Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) is seeking a responsive, responsible, and qualified Vendor to furnish a comprehensive enterprise Search Function Solution for DOAH's public-facing websites. The Search Function Solution shall replace the agency's existing enterprise search platform with a modern, scalable, secure, and accessible solution that enhances the public's ability to efficiently locate and retrieve agency documents.

The awarded Vendor shall provide all labor, project management, software, licensing, implementation services, configuration, integration, optional data migration implementation, testing, training, documentation, maintenance, technical support, warranty services, and all other materials and professional services necessary to furnish a complete and fully operational Search Function Solution.

The resulting Purchase Order/Contract shall include all services necessary to successfully implement the Search Function Solution. Any services or incidental items reasonably necessary to provide a complete solution shall be considered included in the Vendor's Proposal.

The Search Function Solution shall support DOAH's mission by improving public access to administrative records while maintaining compliance with applicable federal and state laws and accessibility standards.

REFERENCE: Pages 20-21, Attachment A, Section 2., Project Objectives UPDATE: The Division of Administrative Hearings (DOAH) seeks to implement a modern, secure, and scalable Search Function Solution that enhances the public's ability to efficiently locate and access information available on its public-facing websites. The primary objective of this procurement is to replace the agency's existing search platform with an enterprise search solution that provides an intuitive, reliable, and user-friendly search experience for legal professionals, governmental entities, and members of the public.

The Search Function Solution shall provide robust enterprise search capabilities for publicly available PDF documents while integrating seamlessly with DOAH's existing public-facing websites. The solution shall support the successful migration transition of the agency's current searchable repository from the Mindbreeze InSpire platform to the new solution without disrupting public access to agency records.

The proposed solution shall be designed to accommodate future growth by supporting the continued expansion of DOAH's searchable document collections and evolving business needs.

Additionally, the solution shall comply with all applicable accessibility requirements, including Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) Version 2.1, Level AA, ensuring that individuals with disabilities have equitable access to publicly available information.

The Search Function Solution shall provide a highly available and reliable search environment that minimizes system downtime and supports continuous public access to agency documents. The solution shall also include administrative tools that enable designated DOAH personnel to efficiently manage routine system administration, search configuration, and ongoing maintenance activities.

Finally, the awarded Vendor shall provide comprehensive long-term maintenance and support services, including software updates, security patches, product enhancements, and technical support, to ensure the Search Function Solution remains secure, reliable, and fully operational throughout the term of the resulting Purchase Order/Contract.

REFERENCE: Pages 21-22, Attachment A, Section 3., Existing Environment

UPDATE: The Vendor shall design and implement a Search Function Solution compatible with DOAH's existing technology environment.

3.1.1 Existing Search Environment

DOAH currently maintains approximately 510,331 searchable PDF documents totaling approximately 411 gigabytes (GB) across five primary searchable collections. The awarded Respondent shall migrate transition these existing searchable repositories to the proposed Search Function Solution while preserving document integrity, searchable content, metadata, and collection organization.

The existing repositories are summarized below.

Search Collection Approximate Size Approximate of Documents Administrative Law Judge (ALJ ROS) 10.2 GB 44,090 Judges of Compensation Claims (JCC Finals) 18.5 GB 41,675 Agency Orders (AEO) 500 MB 755 Administrative Information Online (AIO) 382 GB 422,801

IRC 100 MB 1,010

Total Approximately 411 GB 510,331 Documents

3.2

3.3 3.2 Public-Facing Websites The solution shall integrate with DOAH public-facing websites providing access to Recommended Orders, Final Orders, Declaratory Statements, Workers' Compensation decisions, and other public records.

3.4 3.3 Existing Infrastructure

• Microsoft IIS

• Classic ASP.NET

• Public PDF repositories

• Existing website navigation and layouts

3.5 3.4 Current Document Repository The Vendor shall propose an implementation methodology that minimizes disruption during migration, if proposed, and production deployment.

REFERENCE: Page 22, Attachment A, Section 4., Scope of Work UPDATE: The Vendor shall provide a complete turnkey Search Function

Solution.

• Project planning

• Project management

• Software licensing

• Installation

• Configuration

• Integration

• Data migration, if proposed

• Index creation

• Search configuration

• Website integration

• Testing

• User Acceptance Testing support

• Production deployment

• Administrator training

• Technical documentation

• Warranty services

• Ongoing maintenance

• Technical support

REFERENCE: Page 24, Attachment A, Section 5.8, Data Migration DELETE: This section is deleted in its entirety.

ADD: Section 5.8, Data Migration

To the extent migration is necessary to implement the proposed solution, the Respondent shall include all migration activities and associated costs. If the proposed solution does not require migration of some or all existing repositories, the Respondent shall describe its proposed approach.

REFERENCE: Page 24, Attachment A, Section 5.12, Warranty UPDATE: The Vendor shall provide warranty services covering the software, implementation services, configuration, and data migration, if proposed, activities in accordance with the terms and conditions of the resulting Purchase Order/Contract. During the warranty period, the Vendor shall promptly correct defects or deficiencies attributable to the Vendor at no additional cost to

DOAH.

REFERENCE: Pages 29-30, Attachment A, Section 8.6, Scalability UPDATE: DOAH currently maintains approximately 510,331 searchable

PDF documents. For planning purposes only, Respondents should assume the repository will increase by approximately 25,000 additional searchable PDF documents annually during the term of the Contract. This estimate is provided solely to assist Respondents in sizing and pricing their proposed solutions and does not constitute a guarantee of future document volumes. The proposed solution shall be capable of accommodating this anticipated growth without degradation in search performance.

DOAH currently maintains separate searchable repositories for:

Repository Current Approximate Documents

Agency Indexed Orders 422,801

Emergency Orders 755

DOAH Recommended and Final Orders 86,775

Administrative Law Judges (ALJ ROS) 44,090

Judges of Compensation Claims (JCC Finals) 41,675

IRC 1,010

REFERENCE: Pages 30-31, Attachment A, Section 9.1, Statutory Search and Text Accessibility Requirements UPDATE: The Search Function Solution shall support DOAH's compliance with applicable provisions of Chapter 120, Florida Statutes, governing the maintenance, indexing, retrieval, and public accessibility of agency orders and other publicly available documents.

At a minimum, the proposed solution shall:

• Index the complete textual contents of each searchable document, including all searchable text contained within the document, and shall not rely solely upon document titles, filenames, manually assigned keywords, summaries, abstracts, or metadata.

• Crawl and index the full contents of each document within designated searchable collections so that searches are performed against the complete text of the document.

• Support full-text searching for words, phrases, and other search terms contained anywhere within indexed documents.

• Preserve and utilize available document metadata to support filtering, categorization, sorting, and retrieval of documents.

• Support searching and retrieval of documents using metadata fields including, as applicable, agency, document type, order type, subject, issuance date, year, and other configurable metadata maintained by DOAH.

• Provide functionality sufficient to support DOAH's compliance with section 120.53, Florida Statutes, including the statutory requirement that users be able to research and retrieve agency final orders using the search criteria specified by law.

• Produce search results that accurately identify documents containing the requested search terms and provide direct access to the corresponding publicly available documents.

• Preserve the text-searchability of documents throughout indexing, migration, if proposed, and ongoing administration.

REFERENCE: Page 33, Attachment A, Section 9.7, Metadata UPDATE: The Search Function Solution shall utilize available document metadata to enhance search functionality and improve the user's ability to locate relevant information. Where available, metadata shall be used to support filtering, sorting, categorization, and refinement of search results. The Vendor shall identify any metadata requirements, limitations, or recommendations associated with the proposed solution and describe how metadata will be preserved and utilized following migration, if proposed.

REFERENCE: Pages 35-36, Attachment A, Section 11., Data Migration

Requirements DELETE: This section is deleted in its entirety.

ADD: Section 11., Optional Migration Implementation

The Vendor shall perform all implementation activities necessary to successfully deploy the proposed Search Function Solution in accordance with the resulting Purchase Order/Contract. To the extent the Vendor's proposed implementation requires migration of existing search indexes, document repositories, metadata, configuration, or other components of the Agency's current search environment, the Vendor shall perform all such activities as part of the implementation. The Vendor shall ensure that implementation minimizes disruption to public access and preserves the integrity, availability, and searchability of the Agency's public document repositories.

REFERENCE: Page 43, Attachment A, Section 22., Deliverables UPDATE: The Vendor shall provide all deliverables necessary to successfully implement and support the Search Function Solution. At a minimum, the Vendor shall provide a Project Management Plan, Project Schedule, Data Migration Plan, and Implementation Plan to guide project execution. Upon implementation, the Vendor shall deliver a fully configured Search Function Solution, including the completed search index and website integration.

The Vendor shall also provide testing documentation, User

Acceptance Testing support, an Administrator Guide, User Guide, system documentation, configuration documentation, training materials, warranty documentation, a Maintenance and Support Plan, production deployment documentation, and a Final Project Completion Report. All deliverables shall be submitted in accordance with the implementation schedule and shall be subject to DOAH's review and acceptance in accordance with the resulting Contract.

REFERENCE: Page 44, Attachment A, Section 24., Performance Measures

UPDATE: The Vendor's performance shall be evaluated throughout the Contract term to ensure compliance with the requirements of the resulting Contract. At a minimum, performance shall be measured by the Vendor's ability to complete project milestones within the approved schedule, successfully implement the Search Function Solution, complete the migration of the existing searchable repository, if proposed, and successfully complete all required testing, including User Acceptance Testing (UAT).

Performance shall also be evaluated based on the timely delivery of required documentation, completion of administrator training, prompt correction of identified deficiencies, provision of satisfactory maintenance and technical support services, and overall compliance with the terms, conditions, and performance requirements of the resulting Contract.

REFERENCE: Page 49, Attachment C, Evaluation Criteria

UPDATE:

EVALUATION CRITERIA: Section 4.3.2.1 (50 points available)

CRITERIA

#1:

Evaluate whether the Proposal demonstrates an understanding of DOAH's business environment and the specific objectives of this procurement.

Consider:

• Understanding of multiple searchable document collections.

• Understanding that different collections require different search criteria.

• Understanding of public legal document repositories.

• Understanding of migration from the existing environment.

• Overall responsiveness to DOAH's specific requirements rather than use of generic marketing language.

REFERENCE: Pages 51-52, Attachment C, Evaluation Criteria UPDATE: EVALUATION CRITERIA: Section 4.3.2.4 (100 80 points available)

REFERENCE: Pages 52-53, Attachment C, Evaluation Criteria #5 UPDATE: Evaluate the Vendor's proposed implementation methodology.

Consider:

• Overall implementation approach.

• Migration strategy.

• Testing approach.

• Quality assurance.

• Risk identification.

• Risk mitigation.

• Staffing.

• Communication plan.

• Project schedule.

Particular consideration should be given to whether the Vendor demonstrates an understanding of the implementation timeline established in the solicitation and presents a realistic plan for completing implementation within those required timeframes.

Project implementation deadline (Production Go-Live Date) is November 15, 2026.

Return of this Addendum is not mandatory; however, the Respondent is responsible for its contents and is requested to sign and submit this Addendum with its response to the RFP. Protests must be filed by facsimile to the Division of Administrative Hearings, Attn: Public Records Request at (850) 921-6847 with a copy to the Procurement Officer responsible for this solicitation. Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in section 120.57 (3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond, shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Written notices, formal requests and proceedings must conform to the requirements set forth in chapter 28-110, Florida Administrative Code. Any person who files an action protesting a decision or intended decision pertaining to contracts administered by the department or agency pursuant to section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, shall post with the department or the agency at the time of filing the formal written protest a bond payable to the department or agency in an amount equal to 1 percent (1%) of the estimated contract amount. The estimated contract amount shall be based upon the contract price submitted by the protestor or, if no contract price was submitted, the department or agency shall estimate the contract amount based on factors including, but not limited to, the price of previous or existing contracts for similar commodities or contractual services, the amount appropriated by the Legislature for the contract, or the fair market value of similar commodities or contractual services.

The agency shall provide the estimated contract amount to the Respondent within seventy-two (72) hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, after the filing of the notice of protest by the Respondent. The estimated contract amount is not subject to protest pursuant to section 120.57(3), Florida Statutes.

SIGNED BY: __________________________________________________________

NAME: _______________________________________________________________

COMPANY: ___________________________________________________________

TITLE: ________________________________________________________________

DATE: ________________________________________________________________

Question # Section Vendor Question DOAH Response 1 A. Existing Environment &

Migration Section 3.4 of Attachment A lists "Classic ASP.NET" in the existing infrastructure. Please clarify whether DOAH's public-facing websites use Classic ASP or ASP.NET (and if ASP.NET, which framework version), and how the current Mindbreeze InSpire search is integrated with the websites today (e.g., API, embedded results page, iframe).

DOAH’s existing infrastructure uses Microsoft IIS and Classic ASP.NET, as stated in Attachment A, Section 3.4. DOAH is in development of an updated website on the ALJ side that is being written in ASP.NET. The current JCC website uses Classic ASP. The current search function on each website is not currently embedded and uses the current vendor's external Mindbreeze application. DOAH is statutorily required to provide a text-based search function and does not have a preference regarding use of an API, embedded search function, or iframe, so long as the minimum capabilities are met.

The proposed solution is not required to utilize the same development framework or technology stack as the Agency's websites.

2 A. Existing Environment & Migration

For indexing and migration, will the Vendor access source PDF documents by crawling DOAH's public URLs, or will DOAH provide direct access to the underlying file repositories/shares?

The Agency anticipates providing the selected Vendor with direct access to the underlying document repositories or file shares necessary to perform indexing or migration activities. The RFP requires the Vendor to perform repository analysis, data extraction, crawling/indexing, and migration. Respondents should propose the migration method they recommend, including any required repository access. Respondents should identify any server, storage, network, hardware, software, or other infrastructure requirements necessary to support indexing, migration, and ongoing operation of the proposed solution, and shall include all associated costs in their Cost Proposal.

3 A. Existing Environment & Migration

Where is document metadata currently maintained (embedded in the PDFs, a database, file/folder naming conventions, or within Mindbreeze)? Will DOAH provide a metadata export from the current Mindbreeze InSpire platform to support migration?

The Agency's public text-based search is document-based rather than database-driven. The Agency does not maintain a separate metadata repository for the public text-based search and does not provide structured metadata from its case management systems for indexing. Respondents should assume that the source documents consist of PDF files organized by collection and year. Agency Emergency Orders and Agency Indexed Orders are additionally indexed by agency.

The incumbent Mindbreeze InSpire appliance is hosted on Agency-owned infrastructure. Accordingly, the Agency may make available a metadata export from the incumbent platform, if requested by the selected Vendor. However, the Agency does not represent that any such metadata export is complete, accurate, or sufficient for migration purposes, nor does it represent the scope of the information indexed by the incumbent platform.

Respondents should assume responsibility for validating any exported metadata against the Agency's source document repositories. The proposed solution should include all activities necessary to ensure that all applicable documents are indexed and searchable in accordance with the requirements of the solicitation. Any associated costs shall be included in the Respondent's Cost Proposal.

4 A. Existing Environment & Migration

Are all documents in the five collections text-based PDFs, or do any collections (particularly Administrative Information Online, approximately 422,801 documents) include scanned or image-only PDFs that would require OCR to be fully text-searchable?

The Agency's document repository consists primarily of Optical Character Recognition (OCR)-processed, text-searchable documents. The Agency has attempted to perform OCR on all documents within the searchable repositories. However, not all OCR attempts were successful, and the Agency is unable to quantify the number or percentage of documents for which OCR was unsuccessful. The vast majority of DOAH-generated documents are searchable and OCR failures are more common in Agency Indexed Orders/Emergency Orders, respositories in which other agencies provide the documents.

Respondents should identify any OCR functionality included in their proposed solution, any limitations applicable to image-only or poorly scanned documents, and any associated costs.

5 A. Existing Environment & Migration

Sections 2.3 and 11.2 describe the repository as approximately .402 terabytes, while Sections

3.1.1 and 5.8 of Attachment A state approximately 411 GB. Please confirm the authoritative data volume for sizing purposes.

For sizing purposes, Respondents should use approximately 411 GB, which is 0.411 terabytes. These figures describe the estimated data volume and may vary at the time of implementation.

6 A. Existing Environment & Migration

Section 3.1.1 of Attachment A identifies five searchable collections, while Section 8.6 identifies three repositories (Agency Indexed Orders, Emergency Orders, and DOAH Recommended and Final Orders). Please confirm how the five collections map to the three repositories and whether the new solution must preserve the five-collection structure.

The Agency currently maintains five distinct document repositories:

Agency Index Orders - 422,801 Agency Emergency Orders - 755 ALJ Recommended Orders - 44,090 JCC Final Orders - 41,675 IRC Orders - 1,010

In portions of the RFP, the ALJ Recommended Orders, JCC Final Orders, IRC Order, repositories are collectively referred to as the "DOAH Recommended and Final Orders" document set. This grouping is descriptive only, as these are all documents that originate from DOAH, and does not reflect the underlying repository structure.

The Agency requires five distinct public text-based search functions:

A search that searches only Agency Index Orders.

A search that searches only Emergency Orders.

A search that searches both ALJ Recommended Orders and ALJ Final Orders.

A search that searches only JCC Final Orders.

A search that searches only IRC Final Orders

7 A. Existing Environment & Migration

Can DOAH provide current search usage statistics—approximate searches per day and estimated peak concurrent users—to support capacity sizing and performance testing?

The Agency estimates that the public search applications receive approximately 100 searches every 10 minutes. The Agency does not currently maintain reliable metrics regarding peak concurrency or similar usage statistics. Accordingly, no additional usage data is available.

DOAH RFP #26/27-001 Vendor Questions and Responses

8 B. Technical & Deployment For an on-premises deployment option, will DOAH provide the server infrastructure (physical or virtual machines) in its own environment per the Vendor's specifications, or must the Vendor include hardware/appliance costs in its Cost Proposal?

Respondents shall identify all server, hardware, virtualization, storage, networking, operating system, software, and other infrastructure requirements necessary to support their proposed on-premises solution. The Cost Proposal shall include all associated costs, including any hardware, appliances, software licenses, or other infrastructure required for implementation. The Agency has not designated existing server infrastructure for the proposed solution.

9 B. Technical & Deployment For cloud-hosted deployment options, does DOAH require U.S. data residency, and are there specific security compliance requirements (e.g., StateRAMP/FedRAMP authorization, or compliance with the Florida Cybersecurity Standards, Rule 60GG-2, F.A.C.)?

The proposed solution must comply with all applicable federal and Florida laws, regulations, standards, and accessibility requirements governing the services provided under this solicitation. This includes, but is not limited to, Chapter 60GG-2, Florida Administrative Code (State of Florida Cybersecurity Standards); section 282.318, Florida Statutes (State Cybersecurity Act); applicable public records and records retention requirements; and applicable federal accessibility requirements, including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as well as any other applicable federal or state legal requirements.

The Vendor is responsible for ensuring that its proposed solution remains compliant with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements throughout the term of the contract. DOAH does not impose cybersecurity, data residency, accessibility, or compliance requirements beyond those required by applicable law.

10 B. Technical & Deployment Evaluation Criterion #5 (Attachment C) references "the implementation timeline established in the solicitation," but Attachment A does not state a required completion or go-live date. Is there a required implementation completion date, and is there a firm end-of-support or contract-end date for the incumbent Mindbreeze platform that the cutover must precede?

The Agency's required go-live date is November 15, 2026, which is the currently scheduled final day of service for the incumbent Mindbreeze platform. To ensure uninterrupted public access, the selected solution must be fully implemented, tested, and operational by that date so that all required text-based search functionality remains continuously available throughout the transition from the incumbent system.

11 B. Technical & Deployment Section 18 of Attachment A states service levels will be "established in the resulting Contract." Will DOAH specify minimum availability percentages and incident response/resolution times, or should Respondents propose specific SLA commitments in their Technical Proposals?

Because the Agency's public text-based search functionality is required by law, the proposed solution must support continuous public availability on a 24-hour-per-day, 7-day-per-week basis.

Respondents should propose service level commitments that demonstrate how they will meet this requirement, including system availability, incident response times, incident resolution times, maintenance practices, and any other applicable service levels. The proposed service level commitments will be evaluated as part of the Technical Proposal and incorporated into the resulting Contract.

12 B. Technical & Deployment For website integration (Section 10, Attachment A), does DOAH prefer search interfaces embedded directly within its existing page templates, or are Vendor-rendered results pages styled to match the existing sites acceptable? Will modifications to DOAH web pages be implemented by DOAH web staff or by the Vendor?

The Agency does not have a preferred approach for integrating the search interface with its public websites. The current text-based search is provided through the incumbent vendor's search application. Respondents may propose an embedded search interface, a Vendor-rendered search page, an API-based integration, an iframe, or another approach, provided the proposed solution satisfies all functional requirements of the solicitation.

The Agency's existing public websites should remain substantially unchanged. Any modifications necessary to integrate the proposed solution will be coordinated between the selected Vendor and the Agency. Respondents should identify the implementation approach they propose, the responsibilities of the Vendor and the Agency, and any assumptions regarding integration in their Technical Proposal.

13 C. Proposal Submission & Format

Section 4.4.1 requires "one original paper copy of the Technical Proposal and one (1) copy."

Please confirm two paper copies total (one original plus one duplicate) are required, in addition to the USB device.

One paper copy of the Technical Proposal is required. One original paper Cost Proposal must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope. The single USB storage device containing the Technical Proposal in PDF format and the pre-recorded presentation (and excluding the cost proposal) is required as the "(1) copy."

14 C. Proposal Submission & Format

Please confirm the USB device should contain the Technical Proposal (PDF) and the pre-recorded video presentation only, and must exclude the Cost Proposal. Should an electronic copy of the Cost Proposal be included on separate media inside the sealed cost envelope, or is paper only required?

The USB device must contain the Technical Proposal in PDF format and the pre-recorded presentation. Cost information must not be included in the Technical Proposal or on the USB device. One original paper Cost Proposal must be submitted in a separate sealed envelope; no electronic Cost Proposal is required.

15 C. Proposal Submission & Format

For the pre-recorded presentation (Section 4.3.3), are there preferred or required video file formats (e.g., MP4) or file size limits? May the presentation include a live-recorded demonstration of an existing production implementation?

MP4 is acceptable, but DOAH does not have a preference for a specific video file format or file-size limit. The file must be viewable from the submitted USB device using Windows Media Player (or similar) and of sufficient quality for independent review. To the extent practicable, the presentation should include a demonstration of an existing implementation, demonstration environment, or comparable solution.

16 C. Proposal Submission & Format

Section 4.4.2 states the Cost Proposal envelope "must be identified in accordance with Section 4.3.3," which addresses the Vendor Presentation. Please confirm the intended cross-reference is Section 4.3.4/4.5.2 (Cost Proposal labeling).

Confirmed. The intended labeling requirement is the Cost Proposal labeling described in Sections 4.3.4 and 4.5.2. DOAH will correct the cross-reference in an addendum.

17 C. Proposal Submission & Format

Section 3.7 references the "Identical Tie Certification, Attachment G," while the Table of Contents and Section 4.3.1 identify the Identical Tie Certification as Attachment H (Attachment G being the Scrutinized Companies certification). Please confirm the correct attachment designations.

Attachment H is the Identical Tie Certification. Attachment G is the Respondent Certification Regarding Scrutinized Companies Lists. DOAH will correct the references in Section 3.7 by addendum.

18 C. Proposal Submission & Format

Section 4.2 states DOAH discourages lengthy Proposals. Is there a page limit for the Technical Proposal?

No numerical page limit is established. Respondents should follow the formatting requirements in Section 4.2, organize the Proposal using the required tabs, and provide sufficient detail without unnecessary length.

19 D. Evaluation & Cost In Attachment C, Evaluation Criterion #4 is captioned "100 points available," but its scoring guide shows a maximum of 80 points. The criteria maxima total 400 points (consistent with Section 6.1) only if Criterion #4 is 80 points. Please confirm the correct maximum for Criterion #4.

The correct maximum score for Evaluation Criterion #4 is 80 points. DOAH will correct the caption by addendum.

20 D. Evaluation & Cost Under Section 8.3 of Attachment A, if a Respondent proposes both a cloud-hosted and an on-premises option, should it submit one Technical Proposal covering both options with a separate Attachment B for each, or two complete separate Proposals? How will the cost scoring formula in Section 6.1 be applied when a Respondent submits multiple deployment options—is each option scored independently as a separate Proposal?

A Respondent proposing multiple deployment options with materially different architectures, licensing models, implementation approaches, or pricing may submit separate Technical Proposals and separate completed Attachment B Cost Proposals for each option. Each option will be evaluated and cost-scored independently as a separate proposed solution.

21 D. Evaluation & Cost Please confirm that the evaluated cost used in the Section 6.1 formula is the "Total Five-Year Cost Proposal" from Attachment B, Section 6, excluding Optional Services (Section 5).

Confirmed. The evaluated cost is the Total Five-Year Cost Proposal in Attachment B, Section 6. Optional Services are excluded from the evaluated cost unless DOAH expressly states otherwise.

22 D. Evaluation & Cost Attachment B, Section 6 includes a line for "Other Required Costs – Five-Year Cost," but no corresponding category appears in Sections 1–5 of the form. Please clarify what costs should be captured on this line.

The “Other Required Costs” line is for any required cost necessary to provide the complete solution that is not already included in implementation, licensing/subscription, hosting/infrastructure, or maintenance/support. If there are no such costs, the Respondent should enter $0.

23 D. Evaluation & Cost The initial term is five years (Section 2.4) with renewal of up to five years (Section 2.5), while Attachment B captures five-year pricing. Should Respondents provide pricing assumptions for renewal years, or will renewal pricing be negotiated at the time of renewal?

Attachment B requires pricing for the initial five-year term only. The RFP does not require renewal-year pricing assumptions. Any renewal will be subject to appropriated funds, satisfactory performance, and the terms agreed upon for the renewal period.

24 E. Forms & Administrative Form PUR 1355 applies to contracts granting access to an individual's Personal Identifying Information. Given the scope involves publicly available documents, please confirm whether the resulting Contract is anticipated to grant such access and that all Respondents must nonetheless submit the completed form.

Attachment K is listed as a mandatory submission in Section 4.3.1.11 and Section 5.5. All Respondents must submit the completed form as required by the RFP. At this time, it is not anticipated that the resulting Contract will provide access to personal identifying information (PII). However, vendors may offer and demonstrate additional services including internal agency search functionality of a broader scope of data that may include PII. Such optional services will not be included in the evaluated cost. DOAH may contract with the selected vendor for additional services subsequent to the award for the proposed services under the RFP.

25 E. Forms & Administrative For the Prior Experience Form (Attachment D), must the three references be government/public-sector entities, and is there a recency requirement for the referenced engagements?

The references are not required to be government or public-sector entities, and the RFP does not state a recency requirement. References must be for services of a similar size and nature to those requested.

26 E. Forms & Administrative The facsimile number listed for protests in Section 6.6, "(850) 921-684," appears to be missing a digit. Please provide the correct number.

The facsimile number shown in Section 6.6 is incomplete. DOAH will provide the corrected facsimile number by addendum.

27 01. Infrastructure & Hosting What is DOAH's preferred deployment model — on-premises (agency-owned servers), Florida state shared data center, commercial cloud (AWS / Azure / GCP), or a hybrid combination?

DOAH has no preferred deployment model. Cloud-hosted, on-premises, and hybrid solutions may be proposed, provided the proposed option satisfies all RFP requirements.

28 01. Infrastructure & Hosting If cloud hosting is preferred, which cloud provider DOAH uses or prefer (AWS GovCloud, Microsoft Azure Government, Google Cloud), and does DOAH have an existing state or enterprise agreement with that provider?

The Agency does not require a cloud-hosted solution and does not express a preference for a particular cloud service provider. Respondents proposing a cloud-hosted solution may propose the platform they determine is most appropriate, provided the solution complies with the terms of the RFP.

The Agency does not require Respondents to assume the availability of an existing enterprise agreement with any particular cloud provider. If the proposed solution requires cloud hosting or cloud services, Respondents shall identify the proposed provider, describe the hosting architecture, and include all associated licensing, hosting, implementation, and ongoing operational costs in the Cost Proposal.

29 01. Infrastructure & Hosting What are the current server specifications available for the search solution — CPU cores, RAM, and storage type and capacity (HDD vs SSD)?

The Agency has not designated or allocated server infrastructure for the proposed solution. Respondents shall identify the CPU, memory, storage type (e.g., HDD, SSD), storage capacity, virtualization, networking, operating system, and any other hardware or infrastructure requirements necessary to support their proposed solution. All associated hardware, software, licensing, and infrastructure costs shall be included in the Respondent's Cost Proposal. Under Attachment A, Section 8.4, the Respondent must identify the minimum and recommended infrastructure required for its proposed deployment model and include all required costs in Attachment B.

30 01. Infrastructure & Hosting What is the current version of Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) deployed on DOAH's web servers?

The Agency's public web servers currently utilize Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) version 10.0.

31 01. Infrastructure & Hosting What operating system and version is running on the servers that will host the search solution (Windows Server 2012 R2, 2016, 2019, 2022 — or Linux distribution)?

The Agency has not specified the operating system or server configuration that will host the proposed solution.

Respondents shall identify all operating system, software, hardware, and infrastructure requirements necessary to support their proposed solution and shall include all associated costs in their Cost Proposal.

32 01. Infrastructure & Hosting Is there a separate server or VM available for the search engine, or must it share the existing web server infrastructure?

The Agency has not designated a server or virtual machine for the proposed solution. Respondents shall identify whether their proposed solution requires a dedicated server, virtual machine, shared infrastructure, or other hosting arrangement and shall include all associated requirements and costs in their Cost Proposal.

33 01. Infrastructure & Hosting What is the network bandwidth and latency between the web servers (IIS) and the location of the PDF document repository?

The Agency's document repositories and public web infrastructure are hosted within the Agency's on-premises environment. Testing between the IIS web servers and the PDF document repository indicates approximately 900 Mbps of available throughput with approximately 2 milliseconds (ms) of network latency. Respondents should identify any network performance assumptions or additional requirements necessary to support their proposed solution.

34 01. Infrastructure & Hosting Are there an existing load balancer or reverse proxy (e.g., F5, HAProxy, Azure Application Gateway, AWS ALB) in front of the public-facing websites?

There is not an existing load balancer or reverse proxy (e.g., F5, HAProxy, Azure Application Gateway, AWS ALB) in front of the public-facing websites.

35 01. Infrastructure & Hosting Does DOAH use a Content Delivery Network (CDN) such as Akamai, Cloudflare, or AWS CloudFront for its public-facing websites?

The Agency does not currently utilize a Content Delivery Network (CDN).

36 01. Infrastructure & Hosting What is the virtualization platform in use (VMware vSphere, Hyper-V, KVM, cloud-native VMs)? Are resources dynamically scalable?

The Agency does not currently utilize a virtualization platform.

37 01. Infrastructure & Hosting Are there separate environments available for development, testing/staging, and production? There separate environments available for development, testing/staging, and production

38 01. Infrastructure & Hosting What is the storage capacity available for the search index? The index will initially require approximately 100–150 GB (compressed), growing ~15 GB/year.

The Agency has not allocated storage for the proposed solution. Respondents shall identify all storage requirements, including anticipated index size, growth projections, and any additional storage needed for operation of the proposed solution, and shall include all associated costs in their Cost Proposal.

39 01. Infrastructure & Hosting What backup infrastructure is in place (tape, NAS, cloud backup)? Does DOAH use any existing backup solutions such as Veeam or Windows Server Backup?

The Agency utilizes third party backup to it's own appliance in addition to cloud backup.

40 02. Current Web Stack & Integration

What version of the .NET runtime is in use on the existing web servers — .NET Framework (4.x) or .NET Core / .NET 5+ — and are there plans to migrate off Classic ASP.NET?

The Agency is using version .NET Framework (4.x) on the existing web servers and yes, the plan to migrate off Classic ASP.NET eventually.

41 02. Current Web Stack & Integration

How many separate public-facing websites will the search solution need to integrate with, and can you provide the list of those website domains/URLs?

The proposed solution will be required to integrate with two public-facing websites:

(1) DOAH…