ESBD_356744_1716410396020_454-24-0800-31333_SA.pdf

Texas Department of Insurance

Request for Proposals

Conference Planning and Continuing Education Credit

Management

RFP No. 454-24-0800-31333-SA

NIGP Class/Item Codes: 915-23, 963-37, 972-50

May 22, 2024

Anticipated Schedule of Events

May 22, 2024 Issuance of Solicitation

May 31, 2024, 3:00 p.m., Central time Deadline for Submission of Questions

June 10, 2024 Release of Official Responses to Questions

(or as soon thereafter as practical)

Not Applicable Deadline to Submit HSP for Courtesy Review

Not Applicable Deadline for HSP HUB Outreach Notification

June 17, 2024, 3:00 p.m., Central time Deadlines for Submission of Proposals

Late Proposals will not be considered

June 28, 2024 Presentations by Top-Ranked Respondents

(if presentations requested)

August 1, 2024 Anticipated Award Date

(or as soon thereafter as practical)

NOTE: Any Addendum that adds new language or replaces any language within this solicitation controls over the original version. It is the responsibility of all prospective Respondents to routinely check the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) during the posting period for this solicitation for any Addenda that may be posted. TDI will not make any other announcements regarding Addenda after the publication of this solicitation.

Conference Planning and Continuing Education Credit Management

RFP No. 454-24-0800-31333-SA

Table of Contents I. Summary

II. Specifications

A. Introduction

B. Background

C. Qualifications

D. Definitions and Acronyms

E. Roles and Responsibilities

F. Scope of Work

G. TDI’s Technical Environment

H. Hosting

I. Security

J. Other Contract Requirements

K. Performance and Service Specifications

L. Schedule of Deliverables and Milestones

III. General Proposal Information

A. Contract Resulting from this Solicitation

B. Contract Term

C. Copyrighted Proposals

D. Unacceptable Terms in Respondent’s Proposal

E. Authority to Bind

F. Protest Procedures

G. Texas Public Information Act and Exchange or Creation of Information

H. Respondent Documents

I. Respondent Exceptions and Assumptions

J. Service Additions or Deletions, Change Control

K. Acceptance Criteria

L. Payments and Invoice Instructions

IV. Proposal Submission Requirements

A. Time for Submission and TDI’s Email Address

B. Respondent Identification

C. No Alterations or Withdrawals of Proposal after Deadline

D. Tie Proposals

E. Pre-contract Costs

F. TDI’s Tax Exemption

G. Attachments

H. Evaluation Process

I. Proposal Content and Format

V. Mandatory Price Sheet

A. Schedule 1 – Initial Term Costs (Contract Execution – August 31, 2025)

B. Schedule 2 – Optional Renewal Terms

VI. Terms and Conditions

A. Clauses Required by the Texas Procurement and Contract Management Guide

B. Additional Texas Procurement and Contract Management Guide Provisions

C. Additional Provisions Required by TDI

VII. Execution of Proposal

VIII. Conflict of Interest/Disclosure Statement

IX. Certification Regarding Public Nature of the Proposal

Appendix A: Sample Contract

Appendix B: Tips for a Successful Submission

Appendix C: Brochure

Appendix D: Additional DCS Hosting Information

Attachment 1: Solution Questionnaire

I. Summary

1. Type of Solicitation Request for Proposals (RFP)

2. Issuing Office

Texas Department of Insurance

Purchasing and Contract Administration

PO BOX 12030

Austin, TX 78711-2030

3. Responses to Solicitation Emailed Competitive Proposals

4. HSP Courtesy Review Not Applicable

5. Deadline for Proposals Emailed to Contracts@tdi.texas.gov no later than:

June 17, 2024, 3:00 p.m., Central time

6. Initial Contract Term Contract Execution – August 31, 2025

7. TDI Optional Terms Four (4) one-year terms or two (2) two-year terms

8. TDI Contact Person for this

Solicitation

Elisabeth Monahan, CTCD, CTCM contracts@tdi.texas.gov

9. Proposals Submitted by Email Submit to Contracts@tdi.texas.gov

TDI will use the date and time stamp on TDI’s Microsoft

Outlook mailbox to confirm receipt by the deadline.

10. Proposals Submitted by Mail Not Accepted

11. Proposals Submitted by Fax Not Accepted

12. Pre-Proposal Conference Not Applicable

13. Pre-Proposal Inspection Not Applicable

14. Letters of Intent to Submit a

Proposal

Not Applicable mailto:contracts@tdi.texas.gov mailto:Contracts@tdi.texas.gov

15. Solicitation Addenda Notices of changes to items directly impacting the original solicitation or Proposal process will be posted on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) located at www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd. TDI will post any amendment to this solicitation on the ESBD as a solicitation Addendum. It is the responsibility of an interested party to periodically check the ESBD for updates to the solicitation prior to submitting a

Proposal. Each Respondent is solely responsible for verifying TDI’s receipt of its questions, if applicable, and

Proposal by the deadlines specified in this solicitation.

16. Questions and Answers Questions regarding this solicitation must be in writing and must be submitted to the TDI Contact Person specified in item 9 no later than May 31, 2024, 3:00 p.m., Central time. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Questions must be submitted by email to the email address specified in Item 9. TDI intends to post on the ESBD answers to those questions received by the deadline on June 10, 2024, or as soon thereafter as practical.

17. Respondent Presentations TDI may request that Top-Scoring Respondents present an overview of the Services described in their Proposals.

The presentations will be online and in-person attendance is not requested. Presentation dates and times to be arranged. The number of Top-Scoring

Respondents will be determined by TDI in its sole discretion.

18. Contact with TDI Staff Upon issuance of this solicitation, employees and representatives of TDI, other than the TDI Contact

Person identified in Item 9, will not discuss the contents of this solicitation with any Respondent, Potential

Respondent, or its representatives. Failure of a

Respondent or any of its representatives to observe this restriction may result in disqualification of any related Proposal. This restriction does not preclude discussions between affected parties for the purpose of conducting business unrelated to this procurement.

http://www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd

19. Evaluation of Proposals under Best

Value Standard

Criteria Points

Cost 25

Respondent’s Qualifications and

Experience

Compliance with TDI Specifications 40

Past Performance and References 0 or -10

Proposal Content and Format 0 or -5

Financial Capability Pass/Fail

Total 100

The factors listed in Sections 2155.074, 2155.075, 2156.007, 2157.003, and 2157.125 of the Texas

Government Code shall be considered in making an award, when applicable.

The overall score for Proposals that fail to adhere to the format and content listed in Section IV Part I (Proposal

Content and Format) may be deducted 5 points, the

Proposal may be disqualified, or TDI may waive minor technicalities in accordance with Section III Part A

(Contract Resulting from this Solicitation).

20. Basis for Automatic Disqualification Proposals submitted in response to the solicitation will be rejected as non-responsive and will be disqualified if they do not meet the following mandatory requirements. A disqualified Proposal will receive no further consideration.

1) Respondent must not be debarred from participation in state contracts.

2) Proposal must be submitted by the deadline stated in Item 5 above (Deadline for Proposals) of this Section.

3) The Title Page must be signed and submitted.

See Section IV Part I.

4) Each addendum to the solicitation must be included in its entirety, including the signed signature page. See Section IV Part I Item 10.

5) The Execution of Proposal must be signed and submitted. See Section VII.

6) The Conflict of Interest form must be completed, signed, and submitted. See Section

VIII.

7) The Certification Regarding Public Nature of the

Proposal must be completed, signed, and submitted. See Section IX.

II. Specifications

A. Introduction

The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), an agency of the State of Texas, issues this Request for Proposals

(solicitation) to solicit pricing from qualified vendors for virtual and in-person conference planning and education credit management services as described in this solicitation (“Services”). TDI’s objective is to obtain the Services that represent the best value for TDI and the State of Texas according to the terms and conditions of this solicitation. The Services and requirements described in this solicitation are mandatory unless specifically described as optional.

TDI anticipates making a Contract Award to one Successful Respondent (“Contractor”) for the Services required by the solicitation. TDI reserves the right not to award a Contract for the performance of all or part of the requirements of this solicitation. This solicitation is not exclusive and TDI reserves the right to issue additional solicitations regarding the Services described in this solicitation or similar services at any time.

All Respondents are encouraged to offer their best pricing.

All costs associated with the Services, as defined by this solicitation, must be included in the Respondent’s

Proposal. Proposals that do not meet all the requirements or contain all the required documentation specified in this solicitation will be rejected as non-responsive and will be disqualified.

B. Background

TDI Overview

TDI regulates the state’s insurance industry, oversees the administration of the Texas workers’ compensation system, performs the duties of the State Fire Marshal’s Office, and provides administrative support to the Office of Injured Employee Counsel – a separate agency.

TDI’s vision is to be a dynamic leader in responsible state, national, and global regulation; consumer protection; and market viability.

The Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC) is a division within TDI that administers and operates the workers’ compensation system.

Project Overview

For more than 20 years TDI has hosted the Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference annually. The

Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference is presented as a part of TDI’s legislative duty

(§402.021(b)(1), (6), (8), and §411.014) to educate and inform participants about the Texas Workers'

Compensation (TWC) system and provide safety and health resources for employers and other entities that support the Texas workforce.

The target audience includes risk and loss managers, health care providers, insurance companies, adjusters, human resource representatives, attorneys, safety community representatives, occupational professionals, employers of all types, and any other Texas Workers’ Compensation system participants.

The objective of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference is to offer courses to help newcomers to the Texas Workers’ Compensation system understand the fundamental processes and safety issues, while various higher-level courses will provide seasoned system participants with updates and practical application of the TWC system requirements.

Historically, the Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference is held annually in Texas, over a 3 ½ day period and attracts up to a minimum of 600 people. The dates of the conference are determined by the Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation. In 2024, the conference will be held virtually, over a 2-day period and will take place October 22-23.

In addition, TDI will offer continuing education credits for webinars offered throughout the year and will need a vendor to manage continuing education credit applications fees and provide ongoing customer support to attendees for issues with continuing education credits, and other webinar related items.

C. Qualifications

Respondents must have the knowledge and expertise to provide the services described in this solicitation.

Respondents submitting a Proposal in response to this solicitation must describe in its Executive Summary how the Respondent meets the qualifications described below.

1) Respondent has a minimum of three (3) years’ experience providing services comparable to the services described in this solicitation for federal and state governmental entities.

2) Respondent has qualified staff dedicated to the project. Respondent will detail the qualifications, education, training, experience, and certifications of the key staff that will provide services under any contract resulting from this solicitation.

3) Respondent has the financial capacity to assume all upfront costs of planning a conference, as evidenced by the Respondent’s three (3) most recent independently audited or CPA-prepared annual financial reports.

D. Definitions and Acronyms

As used in this solicitation, the following capitalized terms will have the meaning specified below.

Term Definition

Agency The Texas Department of Insurance.

Agency Primary Contact The person designated by TDI to be the point of contact between TDI and Contractor for the purposes of monitoring Contractor performance and providing day-to-day interaction and instruction. Also referred to as

“Contract Administrator.”

Contract The written agreement, if any, executed by the authorized representatives of the parties (the Agency and the Contractor) that formalizes the terms, provisions, covenants, and obligations, including but not limited to those contained in this solicitation, of the respective parties to the arrangement for provision of Services.

Contractor The individual or entity qualified to provide the goods and/or services sought by TDI pursuant to this solicitation and who is ultimately selected to carry out the requirements stipulated in this solicitation and any resulting Contract. Has the same meaning as “Vendor” and “Successful

Respondent.”

Term Definition

Contract Administrator The person designated by TDI to be the point of contact between TDI and Contractor for the purposes of monitoring Contractor performance and providing day-to-day interaction and instruction. Also referred to as

“Agency Primary Contact.”

Contract Award TDI’s notice of award to the Successful Respondent of TDI’s intent to execute a contract.

Contract Execution The date the Contract is fully executed by all Parties.

Contract Term The complete period of service including any extensions and renewals that are executed by Contract Amendment.

Data Breach A security incident in which sensitive, protected, or confidential data is copied, transmitted, viewed, stolen, or used by an individual or entity unauthorized to do so, whether or not the breach occurred in transit or at rest.

Days Calendar days unless otherwise specified.

Deliverable Unit or increment of work required by the Contract, including such items as goods, services, reports, or documents.

DWC The Division of Workers’ Compensation, a division within TDI.

Electronic State Business

Daily (ESBD)

The public-facing website in which applicable government entities post certain competitive procurement solicitations.

http://www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd.

Employee, Contractor

Employee

Any individuals who, on behalf of the Contractor, will or may participate in any Contract resulting from this solicitation. The term includes all officers, personnel, replacement personnel, agents, contractors, subcontractors, subcontractor employees, and other representatives of the Contractor, regardless of how employed or contracted by Contractor.

Financial Interest Receiving, or the right to receive, money or other valuable property or benefits under the actual or proposed Contract; holding a position in a business such as a principal, officer, director, trustee, partner, employee, or the like, or holding a position of management; holding any of the outstanding debt of a person directly involved in the proposed or resulting Contract; or owning stock or other interest in the business.

Fiscal Year (FY) The State of Texas and TDI’s fiscal year that begins September 1 and ends

August 31.

Key Deliverable A key deliverable may have a payment associated with it and will likely have an associated liquidated damage.

Mandatory Required, compulsory, or obligatory.

Offer, Proposal, or Response The documents, including any exhibits or attachments, submitted by a prospective vendor in response to a solicitation. “Offer” has the same meaning as “Proposal” or “Response,” when such terms are applicable in the solicitation document so titled as Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Offers (RFO), or an Invitation for Bid (IFB), respectively.

Party Entity who enters into a binding agreement with one or more other contracting parties and thus accepts the benefits and obligations specified therein.

http://www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd

Term Definition

Relative When referring to an individual, the term includes a current or former TDI employee’s spouse, father, mother, brother, sister, son or stepson, daughter or stepdaughter, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, son-in-law, or daughter-in-law.

Respondent An individual or business entity submitting a Proposal in response to a solicitation, with an intent to contract with TDI.

Services All of the requirements, duties, schedules, locations, and other items listed in the solicitation. The term includes any other services associated with Contractor’s performance under any Contract resulting from this solicitation.

Security Incident An event that results in unauthorized, access, loss, disclosure, modification, or destruction of information resources, whether accidental or deliberate. An instance in which a user or other person circumvents or defeats the controls of a system to obtain unauthorized access to system resources or to information contained in the system.

State Holidays The State Agency Holiday schedule is defined on the Texas State

Auditor’s website at www.hr.sao.texas.gov/Holidays/.

Successful Respondent The individual or entity qualified to provide the goods and/or services sought by TDI pursuant to this solicitation and who is ultimately selected to carry out the requirements stipulated in this solicitation and any resulting Contract. Has the same meaning as “Vendor” and “Contractor.”

TDI The Texas Department of Insurance, the state agency responsible for the issuance of this solicitation.

Vendor The individual or entity qualified to provide the goods and/or services sought by TDI pursuant to this solicitation and who is ultimately selected to carry out the requirements stipulated in this solicitation and any resulting Contract. Has the same meaning as “Successful Respondent” or

“Contractor.”

Vendor Primary Contact The person designated by the Contractor to be the point of contact between Contractor and Agency for purposes of scheduling, billing, contract management, and day-to-day management of Services under this solicitation.

E. Roles and Responsibilities

Agency Responsibilities

Agency agrees to meet the following requirements during the Contract Term:

a) Designate an Agency representative to be the Agency Primary Contact for the purposes of monitoring Contractor performance and providing day-to-day interaction and instruction.

The Agency Primary Contact will also be the designated Contract Administrator.

b) Provide technical staff to assist with coordination between Contractor and TDI.

c) Have final approval on all schedules and deliverables.

d) Work with Contractor on all product and performance related issues.

Contractor Responsibilities

Contractor must meet all the following requirements during the Contract Term:

http://www.hr.sao.texas.gov/Holidays/

a) Designate a representative to be the Vendor Primary Contact for the purposes of scheduling, billing, contract management, and day-to-day management of Services under this solicitation.

b) Provide the necessary staff to fulfill deliverables and requirements in accordance with the agreed upon schedule or services.

c) Collaborate with TDI to ensure successful implementation and completion of the Services.

d) Be honest, open, courteous, respectful, and fair in all contact with TDI.

e) Identify and communicate any risks to the Service to the Agency Primary Contact.

F. Scope of Work

The Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference is held annually in Texas and has been hosted in-person and virtually. TDI will determine, following consultation with Contractor, whether the conference will take place virtually or in-person. TDI will provide the Contractor with as much notice as possible, but no later than 120 calendar days prior to the scheduled event.

For in-person conferences, the dates and location of the conference are determined by the Commissioner of Workers’ Compensation. Since 2019 the conference has taken place annually in one location.

Contractor must be able to provide in-person and virtual conference planning and management services in accordance with the specifications below. Requirements below are applicable for in-person and virtual conferences unless otherwise specified. TDI does not anticipate offering a hybrid option for the conference.

Conference Schedule

The conference is usually held over a two (2) to three (3) day period and attracts a minimum of 600 people. The proposed schedules are below (dates of conference subject to Commissioner approval):

Option Length Days/Time

A (In-person) 2 days Wednesday (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CT)

Thursday (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CT)

B (In-person) 3 days Tuesday (12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. CT)

Wednesday (8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. CT)

Thursday (8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. CT)

C (Virtual) 2 days Tuesday (9:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. CT)

Wednesday (9:00 a.m. – 2:45 p.m. CT)

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Financial Capability

Contractor must have the financial capability to pay for all outlays associated with the planning and execution of the conference.

a) Contractor will be solely responsible for all conference expenses and income. This includes but is not limited to all costs for administrative expenses (i.e., supplies, materials, telephone, postage, copies, etc.), travel, and registration expenses, as well as all other costs incurred by the Contractor in relation to the successful planning and execution of the conference.

b) Contractor will be the signatory for all venues and associated agreements required for the execution of the conference. The Contractor will be responsible for ensuring all entities involved in the execution of the conference comply with all federal, state, and local laws, ordinances, and regulations, and that all entities have all applicable permits, licenses, and insurance coverage.

c) Contractor will arrange for and reimburse speakers’ hotel accommodations, parking fees, and reasonable and necessary travel costs associated with external speakers as mutually agreed upon by TDI and Contractor. TDI anticipates about 21 speakers, however, TDI staff speakers local to the area may not seek reimbursement for travel costs.

d) Contractor will maintain all accounting records pertaining to conference receipts and expenditures, according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and ensure conference expenses are paid according to the requirements set forth in any invoice.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Agenda Planning/Project Plan Timeline

Contractor will develop and manage the project plan, agenda, topics, and speaker selection. The

Agency Primary Contact will assist the Contractor on these deliverables as needed.

The Contractor must:

a) Participate as needed in the planning committee meetings during the planning stages of the conference.

b) Develop a project plan with TDI to guide the successful execution of the conference. The project plan must include, at a minimum: a project timeline, project milestones, responsible party actions, and key deliverables to accomplish project goals.

c) Assist as needed in the development of the meeting agenda, topics, extracurricular events, and speaker selection.

d) Supervise Contractor’s staff, as needed, on respective tasks to ensure successful conference event.

TDI will provide feedback including acceptance or rejection of all deliverables within five (5) business days of Contractor’s completion of the deliverable. TDI’s acceptance of all deliverables will be in writing. Any rejection of a deliverable will include reason for rejection and new timeline for completion. Timeline is subject to negotiation between TDI and Contractor. TDI will have final approval of project plan. Any changes to the project plan, including deliverables schedule, will be mutually agreed upon in writing by TDI and Contractor.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Registration

The Contractor is responsible for all aspects of the registration process including:

a) early, regular, late, and same day registration;

b) provide attendees the option to register by mail, online, and on-site at the conference (if hosted as an in-person conference);

c) create a secure, mobile-friendly website portal for attendees to register and pay for the conference online. Registration portal must meet the federal standards established under

Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act;

d) send registration confirmations by mail, e-mail;

e) serve as main contact for conference and registration inquiries;

f) coordinate the receiving of all registration funds;

g) create and maintain a conference database of registrants;

h) provide TDI with a weekly updated current registration list in a mutually agreed upon electronic format;

i) IN-PERSON CONFERENCE ONLY: manage on-site registration and provide staff to assist in registration, in concert with assigned TDI staff; and

j) IN-PERSON CONFERENCE ONLY: provide professional laser name badges for conference registrants, speakers, TDI staff, exhibitors, and VIPs. TDI will provide the names of TDI staff and VIPs.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Registration Fees

Respondent will propose registration fees for all types of registrations in the Mandatory Price Sheet

(see Section V). Contractor is responsible for collecting all registration and processing fees from conference attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors. In addition, the Contractor will:

a) Accept multiple payment options, including cash, check, and credit card.

b) Propose per attendee registration fees and “early registration” fees to be negotiated prior to Contract Award. Proposed registration fees must be submitted on the Mandatory Price

Sheet.

c) Waive registration fees for State of Texas employees, governmental representatives, and

VIPs (as identified by TDI). The maximum number of complimentary registrations is five (5) per state agency. There is no limit to the number of staff from TDI that can attend these events for free.

d) Propose exhibitor registration fees to be negotiated prior to Contract Award. Exhibitor registration fees for past conference events have averaged up to $850.00. In 2023, there were 62 exhibitors including three (3) complimentary booths. Proposed exhibitor registration fees must be submitted on the Mandatory Price Sheet.

e) Propose sponsorship registration fees to be negotiated prior to Contract Award.

Sponsorship fees for past conference events averaged $1,000.00 for gold sponsorships and

$500.00 for silver sponsorships. In 2023, TDI had eight (8) gold and four (4) silver sponsors.

Proposed sponsorship fees must be submitted on the Mandatory Price Sheet.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section. Respondent must also submit proposed registration fees in accordance with the Mandatory Price Sheet (see Section V).

Exhibitors and Sponsors

Contractor will serve as the point of contact for all exhibitors and sponsors and is responsible for the following related items:

a) process registrations and collect payments; and

b) develop exhibitor and sponsor marketing materials and conference signage as requested by TDI.

TDI will have final approval for all sponsors. Sponsors must be vetted with TDI prior to finalizing a sponsor for the conference. Contractor will make no assumptions that TDI will automatically approve a proposed sponsor, even if that sponsor was approved in the past.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Marketing and Communications

Contractor will be responsible for communication with attendees and prospective attendees. All marketing materials require TDI's prior written approval. Contractor marketing and communication responsibilities include the following services:

a) Provide a toll-free number Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Central time for attendees and prospective attendees to call to ask questions about the conference.

Respondent may propose other days and/or times in addition to this schedule.

b) Prepare digital conference brochure and brief program of events based on input from the

TDI planning committee. Please see Appendix C for the brochure and program used for a past Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference. These are included for sample purposes only and do not necessarily represent TDI’s intention to use this type of brochure or program format for future Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference.

c) Send digital event invitations and reminders regarding registration and attendance to a list of external contacts and past attendees provided by TDI.

d) Maintain a list of email addresses from conferences and on-going webinars.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Conference Webpage

Contractor must provide a website with a unique landing page specific to the Texas Workers’

Compensation Conference where potential attendees and exhibitors can register and pay for the conference and ongoing webinars within 30 days of Contract Execution. The website must use the same look and feel as the TDI website at www.tdi.texas.gov. All information regarding the conference and webinars posted on the webpage requires prior written approval from TDI.

The webpage and online tools must include responsive design that works on mobile platforms and ensures cross-browser compatibility. Contractor must adhere to commonly recognized usability design (UX) standards such as the guidelines posted on www.Usability.gov and www.nngroup.com.

The website will not contain any advertisements. Any third-party integrations, software, or services must be reviewed and approved by TDI in advance.

http://www.tdi.texas.gov/ http://www.nngroup.com/

Contractor must adhere to security standards set forth by the State of Texas to protect all TDI data from being accessed by unauthorized users. Any methods used to secure information, such as secure data transfer protocols, database integration, and other website infrastructure must comply with the security best standards outlined in the National Institute of Standards and Technology

(NIST), Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), vendor best practices, as well as the Texas

Cyber Security Framework Controls to Contractor following Contract Execution.

Contractor’s webpage must meet design and accessibility standards in Section 508 of the U.S.

Rehabilitation Act. Contractor must test accessibility during the development process and provide successful accessibility test results when the final website is delivered using industry standard accessibility software and be PCI DSS compliant.

The webpage must include, at minimum, the following:

a) information regarding the conference such as dates, times, location, accommodations, session and speaker descriptions, etc.;

b) ability for attendees and exhibitors to register for the conference;

c) secure payment portal that allows for multiple payment options; and

d) TDI requests but does not require functionality for attendees to enroll or wait list for a specific set of conference sessions and allow TDI the ability to set capacity restrictions.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Conference Reports

Contractor will provide the following reports for each conference:

a) Attendance Report: The report will include attendee full name, company attendee represents, attendee’s address (city, state, and zip code), amount paid, and type of attendee

(i.e., TDI employee, VIP, participant from the workers’ compensation industry, etc.). This report will be provided to TDI on a weekly basis, starting one week after registration opens through the conclusion of the conference.

b) Exhibitor and Sponsor Report: The report will include the booth number, company the exhibitor represents, exhibitor’s name, exhibitor’s address (city, state, and zip code), and amount paid. This report will be provided to TDI on a weekly basis, starting one week after registration opens through the conclusion of the conference.

c) Financial Report: At the conclusion of each conference, a financial report will be prepared with all receivables and disbursements. This report will be provided to TDI within 30 calendar days of the conclusion of each conference.

d) Master List: A master list of all conference registrants, speakers, planning committee members, exhibitors, and special guests will also be prepared and submitted at the end of each conference. This Master List report will be provided within 30 calendar days of the conclusion of each conference.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Conference Cancellation and Registration Fee Refunds

a) Contractor’s website will include Contractor’s Cancellation Policy with information regarding cancellations and registration fee refunds. The Cancellation Policy will allow for a full refund to all registrants, exhibitors, and sponsors if the conference is canceled by TDI or the Contractor.

b) In the event TDI or Contractor must cancel the conference, all registration fees collected by the Contractor for registrants, exhibitors, and sponsors, will be returned within 30 calendar days of the cancellation.

c) Contractor will post a notice of cancellation on its website within 48-hours of cancellation determination by TDI. The notice will also include instructions for refund issuance to paid registrants, including registrants whose registration fees are still being processed (i.e., checks not yet deposited).

d) Contractor will provide TDI with a list of all conference registrants/exhibitors/sponsors who have registered and paid, and registrants whose payments have not yet been fully processed.

1) This list will include but is not limited to the following information: name of registrant/exhibitor/sponsor, amount of registration fee paid, date of registration, method of payment, and date the refund was processed.

2) Contractor will provide TDI this list on a weekly basis every Monday, during and up to an additional 30 calendar days following the 30-day calendar period after the cancellation of the conference or until the list reflects that all refunds have been issued whichever comes later.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must provide its Cancellation

Policy and describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

Webinars

TDI will host free on-going webinars throughout the contract term for conference attendees. TDI estimates hosting 12 webinars each year. At the end of each webinar, TDI will email the Contractor a list of attendee names and contact information. Contractor will be responsible for applying for continuing education credits for participants as outlined in Section F Part 12 Items a through d.

Continuing Education Credits

Contractor will prepare and submit applications for continuing education credit approval, provide on-site documentation to conference attendees, and submit required reports to the accrediting organization within the required timeline as determined by the accrediting organization. Contractor will be responsible for all fees associated with the application process and all record keeping procedures related to continuing education requirements.

Applications for continuing education credits must be submitted to the accrediting organization for the following professional disciplines: attorneys, insurance adjusters, safety professionals, human resource professionals, and rehabilitation and disability management specialists. A certificate of attendance must be provided for other professional disciplines.

The Agency Primary Contact will work with the Contractor to provide documentation (presentation summary, PowerPoint presentation, speaker bios, etc.) needed to complete the continuing education application.

Contractor is responsible for the items listed below.

a) Applying and processing Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for:

• Texas adjusters and attorneys,

• Three rehabilitation disciplines (Commission for Case Manager, Certified

Rehabilitation Counselor, and Certified Disability Management Specialist), Human

Resource Professionals (Society for Human Resource Management), and

• Texas safety professionals (UT-Arlington).

b) Awarding CEUs, as appropriate, for individuals submitting requests for credit hours from any licensing institution as mutually agreed upon by TDI and contractor.

c) Record keeping procedures relating to continuing education requirements, evaluation methods and categories.

d) Payment of all fees required for applying and processing CEUs.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section.

13. In-Person Conference Requirements

Contractor must provide in-person conference planning and management services in accordance with the specifications below. The following requirements only apply if the conference is hosted in-person.

a) Site Selection

TDI will have final approval of the hotel and conference facility. The hotel and conference facility must be at the same location and meet the following requirements:

1) Contractor must be able to provide services in Austin. Respondent must submit a list of at least three (3) recommended venues in Austin.

2) Conference facility and hotel must be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities

Act (ADA).

3) Conference facility must have sufficient space for attendee networking before and after conference sessions and must contain, at a minimum: four (4) breakout rooms that can accommodate a minimum 150 people in classroom style seating and one (1) ballroom that can accommodate a minimum 600 people in theatre style seating for the general session. TDI does not guarantee a minimum number of attendees.

4) The selected hotel must offer room rates not to exceed the current General Service

Administration (GSA) per diem rates for state employees required to travel to attend the conference. Find the current GSA per diem rates at https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates.

Additional considerations when selecting a venue may include, but are not limited to, distance from airport to hotel/conference facility, on-site hotel security personnel, parking options (if there is a cost and sufficient available spaces), and hotel amenities (i.e., restaurants, shuttle https://www.gsa.gov/travel/plan-book/per-diem-rates service, hotel guest business center, snack bar, reduced or free parking for guests, including valet parking, etc.).

b) Conference Facility and Hotel Coordination

The Contractor is responsible for coordinating and overseeing the following:

1) reserving block of rooms at discounted rate for Texas Workers’ Compensation

Conference attendees;

2) all facility logistics; including but not limited to, audiovisual and technical requirements;

3) arrange for space at the venue to host a minimum of 80 exhibitor booths. Five (5) exhibitor booths must be provided complimentary to TDI;

4) manage exhibitor and sponsor requirements and coordinate venue arrangements;

5) all catering requirements, which includes a continental breakfast, morning break refreshments, afternoon break refreshments, lunch options, and reception. Respondent will include an example of at least three (3) meal plan options for each of the catering requirements. This information must be included in the Proposal with the venue information as required by Section IV, Part I, Item 5;

6) on-site activities as directed by TDI, such as operating registration tables and badging;

7) assistance with the development of signage as directed by TDI;

8) all accessibility, dietary, and other special needs of conference attendees, as required;

and

9) pre-conference walkthrough with the TDI planning committee at the selected venue to review logistics and make any last-minute changes or additions to the conference agenda.

c) Hotel Accommodations

Contractor is responsible for securing accommodations for speakers and TDI staff. In addition, the Contractor will:

1) arrange for complimentary parking for TDI staff and valet parking service for TDI executive staff and VIPs at the host hotel, as directed by TDI;

2) reserve block of standard hotel rooms up to the prevailing General Services

Administration (GSA) rate for TDI staff involved in the conference at the host hotel. Find the GSA rate listed at www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877. TDI will be financially responsible for the hotel rooms that meet the prevailing GSA rate for its staff that travel to the conference.

d) Conference Software Application

Contractor must provide a conference software application that meets the following requirements:

1) Support delivery as a mobile and web application compatible with all current web browsers without any additional software.

2) Ability to view event maps, exhibitor information, and attendee agendas.

3) Ability to send alerts and notifications through mobile app push notifications.

4) Display session summaries, maps, speaker biographies, attendee surveys, and presentations with documents to be downloaded.

http://www.gsa.gov/portal/content/104877

5) Display a feed with posts containing text, images, or links, submitted by organizers or attendees.

6) Ability to provide real-time communication for attendees and presenters during the conference.

7) Provide data for aggregate content consumption and feature use analytics for optimization.

e) Conference Materials

Contractor will work with TDI staff to create, prepare, and distribute promotional conference materials for a minimum of 600 attendees. Contractor is responsible for purchasing all materials and ensuring there are enough materials for the conference. Conference materials will include but is not limited to notepads, pens, program brochures, and tote bags. TDI will approve in writing all designs for conference materials in advance.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this section, including submitting a minimum of three (3) venues for the conference location and an example of at least three (3) meal plan options for each of the catering requirements.

14. Virtual Conference Planning and Management Requirements

TDI will determine, in its sole discretion and following consultation with Contractor, whether the conference will take place virtually or in-person. In the event TDI decides to hold the conference virtually, TDI will notify the Contractor no later than 120 calendar days prior to the scheduled event.

Contractor must be able to provide virtual conference planning and management services in accordance with the specifications below.

a) Conference Coordination

The Contractor will:

1) coordinate and oversee all conference logistics and cancellations;

2) organize virtual activities as directed by TDI following consultation with Contractor;

and provide for audiovisual needs such as recording of presentations prior to the conference;

3) assist attendees with troubleshooting connection problems; and,

4) conduct a pre-conference meeting with the TDI planning committee virtually to review logistics and make any last-minute changes or additions to TDI’s agenda.

b) Virtual Conference Platform Technical Requirements

TDI currently uses Whova and YouTube Premiere as a virtual conference platform. Contractor must include a list of proposed software platforms that will meet the following requirements:

1) live video streaming from a session or a speaker using built-in platform capabilities and without any third-party integration with the ability for multiple parallel sessions to be streamed;

2) stream video with a latency below 10 seconds;

3) remove any limit on the number of attendees who are currently watching the stream;

4) leverage third-party platform delivery by integrating third-party players from

YouTube, Vimeo, or similar;

5) provide closed captioning for recordings;

6) display biographies from current speakers and links to their profile;

7) display session summary and overview with documents to be downloaded; and

8) make content available for download and replay for at least 30 days.

c) Exhibitors and Sponsors

Contractor will serve as the point of contact for all exhibitors and sponsors and is responsible for the following related items:

1) process registrations and collect payments;

2) arrange to host a minimum of 40 exhibitor booths virtually. Five (5) exhibitor booths must be provided to TDI at no cost;

3) manage exhibitor and sponsor requirements; and

4) develop exhibitor, sponsor, and conference marketing materials as directed by TDI following consultation with Contractor.

d) Conference Materials

Assist TDI staff in preparing and distributing electronic conference communications, making certain to include all items that TDI deems necessary following consultation with Contractor.

In its Business Proposal (see Section IV Part I Item 5), Respondent must describe how it will fulfill the requirements listed in this solicitation.

15. Website Development Technical Requirements

The website, application, database, and associated files will be located at TDI. The solution must adhere to the website requirements listed below. In addition, the website must use the same look and feel as the TDI website at www.tdi.texas.gov.

Content Management System

TDI uses a content management system to implement and maintain agency websites.

Contractor’s solution must be compatible with Cascade Content Management System.

Contractor must store system code in Subversion (SVN) version control system.

Programming Language

Contractor must use a code base that is open source and compliant with TDI’s technical environment. TDI’s preferred code base is JAVA; TDI will not consider ASP.Net. Software must be written in a programing language approved by and supported by TDI. TDI must approve the proposed development languages before Contractor begins any coding efforts.

Language must be commonly used within the community of software developers and coded to guard against the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) Top ten (10) most critical web application security vulnerabilities. Coding language and other tools must be thoroughly documented and provided to TDI and must be actively supported and updateable. The code must also meet the following requirements:

1) be efficient, well-structured, logically marked-up code using Cascading Style

Sheet (CSS) for the presentation style;

2) be well-formed and fully validated using HTML5 and Javascript standards;

3) be mobile-responsive, using Bootstrap framework; and

4) pass static and dynamic code security reviews executed by TDI.

Code Repository

TDI does not have a code repository to provide to the Contractor. Contractor must maintain source code and versioning history and provide all code to TDI after project completion for archival and audit purposes. TDI will own the code.

Security

In performing the requirements described below, Contractor must work with TDI’s

Information Security Officer (ISO) and the Agency Primary Contact to communicate and resolve and security-related issues.

1) Contractor must adhere to security standards set forth by the State of Texas to protect all TDI data from being accessed by unauthorized users. Any methods used to secure information, such as secure data transfer protocols, database integration, and other website infrastructure must comply with the security best standards outlined in the National Institute of Standards and Technology

(NIST), Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), vendor best practices, as well as the Texas Cyber Security Framework Controls to Contractor following

Contract Execution.

2) Contractor must use a well-known, reputable software solution to identify web application security vulnerabilities. TDI must approve of the software solution before Contractor begins work. For a list of reputable security vulnerability software, refer to www.owasp.org.

3) Contractor must conduct web application vulnerability testing on the test/staging web application environment and resolve any findings before promoting vulnerable code to production. Once any security findings are resolved in the test/staging environment, Contractor must promote the findings to production and conduct another web application vulnerability test to ensure the production promotion is not vulnerable. Contractor must resolve any production security vulnerabilities within two business days of discovery.

TDI will also conduct web application vulnerability testing in production to ensure vulnerabilities have been addressed by Contractor. TDI will review and approve all test results. At a minimum, Contractor must protect the website from all vulnerabilities noted in the OWASP Top 10 list.

4) Contractor must log and keep track of all identified vulnerabilities, the action applied to resolve the vulnerability, and when and whom applied the fix. TDI may ask for a copy of this log record during and at the end of the project.

5) Contractor must change all account usernames and passwords from their default configuration.