ESBD_425268_1749073790182_CIO-25-235 Closed Captioning RFP.pdf

THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

Office of Procurement and HUB Program

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP NUMBER: RFP01-CIO-25-235

CLOSED CAPTIONING SERVICES

PROPOSAL MUST BE RECEIVED PRIOR TO:

2:00 P.M. Central Time on July 2, 2025

EMAIL RFP RESPONSES TO:

soprocurement@tamus.edu

SUBJECT LINE: CIO-25-235 Closed Captioning Services

NOTE: Proposal response must be received by The Texas A&M University System Office of Procurement and HUB Program before the date and time specified for receipt of proposal as stated within Section 2.3 of this RFP. After the due date and time, only the names of respondents will be made public.

REFER INQUIRIES TO:

Jeff Zimmermann, Executive Director

Procurement and Business Services | HUB Program The Texas A&M University System Email: soprocurement@tamus.edu

All proposals shall become the property of The Texas A&M University System and the State of Texas upon receipt.

Proposals may be subject to public review after contracts have been executed. Refer to Section 5G for more information regarding confidential and proprietary information.

mailto:soprocurement@tamus.edu

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 2 of 38

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION

SECTION 2. INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDENTS

SECTION 3. SCOPE & SUPPORT

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL RESPONSE

SECTION 5. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Exhibit A – Execution of Offer

Exhibit B – Non-Collusion Affidavit

Exhibit C – Insurance Requirements

Exhibit D – Master Software as Service (SaaS) Agreement (Draft)

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 3 of 38

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

The Texas A&M University System (“A&M System”) is seeking proposals for qualified vendors, hereafter referred to as Respondent(s) and/or provider(s), to provide closed captioning products and services (“Captioning”) to ensure we have the best available tools and services for our faculty and students to improve their teaching and learning processes. In addition, A&M System IT wishes to ensure the solution is robust enough to meet the Captioning needs of the A&M System and its members (“Member”) with a sustainable and economically viable process.

It is the intent of A&M System to establish a master services agreement (“Agreement”) with one or more vendors (referred to as “Respondent” or “Vendor”) to meet the needs of its member universities and agencies (referred to as “Members”) per the requirements listed in Section 3.

By submitting responses, each Respondent certifies that it understands this Request for Proposal (“RFP”) and has full knowledge of the scope and nature of the opportunity described herein. Each Respondent also certifies that it understands that all costs relating to preparing and responding to this RFP will be the sole responsibility of the Respondent. Proposals shall be in accordance with the terms, conditions, and requirements set forth in this RFP.

1.2 About The A&M System

The A&M System is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $7.3 billion. Through a statewide network of 11 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, Texas A&M-Fort Worth and Texas A&M-RELLIS, the Texas A&M System educates more than 165,000 students and makes more than 25.3 million additional educational contacts through service and outreach programs each year. System-wide, research and development expenditures exceed $1.5 billion and help drive the state’s economy.

More information about the A&M System and all its Members can be found in the A&M System About page (https://www.tamus.edu/system/about/).

1.3 Priorities/Expectations

Respondents should note the following priorities/expectations with regard to the possibility of A&M System establishing a contractual relationship with any Respondent:

(a) Ensuring a Quality Level of Service. This priority encompasses the quality of the level of service that can be provided to all A&M System Members in a timely, cost-effective manner. A&M System is seeking a Respondent or Respondents that will ensure the provision of such quality in its delivery of service through proven techniques and established metrics.

(b) Level of Experience and Expertise. Respondent must demonstrate capabilities in providing the utmost level of experience and expertise to ensure successful completion and implementation of services as determined by the A&M System.

(c) Delivery Efficiency as it Relates to Total Costs. Respondent must demonstrate its ability to deliver the required services in a cost-effective and timely manner while not sacrificing the quality required by the A&M System.

1.4 Calendar of Events

Activity Date

Release of Request for Proposal June 4, 2025

Deadline to Submit Questions June 16, 2025 https://www.tamus.edu/system/about/ https://www.tamus.edu/system/about/

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 4 of 38

Release of Addendum (if applicable) June 20, 2025

Responses Due July 2, 2025

Presentations (at A&M System’s option) TBD

Selection of Respondents TBD

A&M System will make every effort to adhere to the above schedule. The schedule, however, is subject to change. Schedule changes may be necessary for various reasons, including but not limited to the need for further clarification of responses or terms of contract and/or in the event A&M System requires more time to ensure that the selection of the Respondent is in accordance with its policies, rules and regulations, as well as actual timing needs.

1.5 Performance Period

Should the A&M System, in its sole discretion, enter into an Agreement with one or more successful Respondents as a result of this RFP, the resultant Agreement is expected to be effective upon execution for an initial term of three (3) years with the option to renew the agreement for one (1) additional two (2) year term providing all parties mutually agree in writing on the renewal. Any renewal shall be at the same terms and conditions plus any approved changes to be determined by the A&M System and negotiated in writing with the successful Respondent. A&M System reserves the right to amend the terms of the Agreement at any time as necessary to meet state or federal requirements.

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 5 of 38

SECTION 2 - INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDENTS

2.1 General Information

The A&M System is seeking proposals from qualified vendors interested in providing Captioning to the A&M System. This RFP outlines the scope and requirements within Section 3. While it is the intent of the A&M System to establish an Agreement with a pool of qualified providers for the services stated within this RFP, there is no guarantee that an award will be made or any agreement executed. If a pool of providers is established as a result of this RFP, Members will have the option to choose services and providers from the pool at their discretion.

Submittals are to be in accordance with the outline and specifications contained herein, are to remain in effect a minimum of 120 days from the date of submission and may be subject to further extensions as negotiated. A statement to this effect should be contained in the Respondent's cover letter.

This RFP contains specific requests for information. Respondents are encouraged to examine all sections of this RFP carefully, as the degree of interrelationship between sections is critical. In responding to this RFP, Respondents are encouraged to provide any additional information they believe relevant.

Clause headings appearing in this RFP have been inserted for convenience and ready reference. They do not purport to define, limit or extend the scope of intent of the respective clauses. Whenever the terms "must" "shall" "will" "is required” or "are required” are used in the RFP, the subject being referred to is to be a required feature of this RFP and critical to the resulting submittal.

In those cases where mandatory requirements are stated, material failure to meet those requirements could result in disqualification of the Respondent's response. Any deviation or exception from RFP specifications must be clearly identified by the Respondent in its submittal.

Expenses for developing and presenting proposals shall be the entire responsibility of the Respondent and shall not be chargeable to the A&M System. All documentation submitted with the proposal response will become the property of the A&M System.

2.2 Examination of the Request for Proposal

Before submitting, each Respondent will be held to have examined A&M System requirements outlined in Section 3 and satisfied itself as to the existing conditions under which it will be obligated to perform in accordance with specifications of this RFP.

No claim for additional compensation will be allowed due to unfamiliarity with the specifications and/or existing conditions. It shall be understood that the Respondent has full knowledge of all of the existing and/or revised conditions and accepts them "as is."

2.3 Submittal Instructions

All proposals must be received by the A&M System, no later than 2:00:00 p.m. Central Time, July 2, 2025 electronically via email to soprocurement@tamus.edu with the subject line of “CIO-25-235 – Closed Captioning Services.” The sent time indicated within the A&M System email server shall be used for the receipt and acceptance of the response. It is each Respondent’s responsibility to ensure that the entire submittal response is received by the A&M System by the deadline stated above regardless of submission method. Late proposal responses will not be considered under any circumstances.

A file sharing tool may be used to submit the proposal response if large file sizes are an issue. If opting to use a file sharing tool it is recommended that Respondents send a test file prior to the due date.

Submittal File Format: Submission shall be saved as two (2) separate files in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) according to the items listed below and named as such; I) “company name – Proposal” and II) “company name – Forms.”

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 6 of 38

2.4 Proposal Components

The following documents and all requirements from noted sections are to be returned as part of your proposal submittal. Failure to include these documents may be basis for response disqualification.

I. Proposal

✔ Cover Letter to include a brief introduction with interest and capability of the Respondent.

✔ Table of Contents

✔ Proposal, to include Sections 4.1 – 4.3

✔ Pricing Proposal, Section 4.4

II. Forms

✔ Signed Execution of Offer (Exhibit A)

✔ Non-Collusion Affidavit (Exhibit B) – signed and notarized

✔ Accessibility documentation (Section 3.6)

✔ HUB Subcontracting Plan (Section 4.6)

Proposal format: The proposal response shall be presented in the order listed above with sections noted accordingly for easy reference. The Table of Contents shall provide page numbers for each section of the proposal.

Note: Additional information regarding the Execution of Offer and Non-Collusion Affidavit.

● Execution of Offer: The signature in the Execution of Offer within the electronic copy shall serve as the official signature of record. Signature can be done electronically with DocuSign, Adobe or another similar tool.

● Non-Collusion Affidavit: The Respondent signature as well as the notarization on this document may be done electronically with DocuSign, Adobe or another similar tool. An agreement may not be executed with the awarded Respondent until this document is fully signed and notarized.

2.5 Inquiries and Interpretations

All questions concerning this RFP are to be directed, in writing, to Jeff Zimmermann, Executive Director, Procurement and Business Services to soprocurement@tamus.edu. Respondent may not contact other individuals at A&M System to discuss any aspect of this RFP, unless expressly authorized by the A&M System Procurement office to do so.

Questions regarding the RFP, including questions for more data or information beyond that included in this RFP and any attachment, should be presented in writing. Deadline for submission of questions is June 16, 2025. The A&M System will publish all questions with responses according to the schedule in Section 1.4.

Responses to inquiries which directly affect an interpretation or change to this RFP will be issued in writing by addendum/amendment and posted to the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) at the following site;

http://www.txsmartbuy.com/sp. (Input Agency Number “710” and select “Posted” for the Status).

It is the responsibility of all Respondents to check the ESBD for any and all addenda issued for this RFP. All such addenda/amendments issued by the A&M System prior to the time that proposals are received shall be considered part of the RFP, and the Respondent shall consider and acknowledge receipt of such in Exhibit A – Execution of Offer. Only those A&M System inquiries receiving a public reply via formal written addenda shall be binding. Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect.

http://www.txsmartbuy.com/sp

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 7 of 38

2.6 Selection Process

The evaluation of the proposals shall be based on the information provided that the A&M System deems to represent the best value to the A&M System. The RFP provides the information necessary to prepare and submit proposals for consideration by the A&M System. All properly submitted proposals will be reviewed, evaluated, and ranked by the A&M System. The A&M System will rank the Respondents in the order that they provide the overall “best value” to the A&M System based on an evaluation of the responses to the RFP. The A&M System may interview one or more of the top ranked Respondents as part of the evaluation process.

The A&M System will base its choice on demonstrated competence, knowledge, and qualifications, ability of the proposed Solution to meet the needs of the A&M System, timeline for implementation of the Solution, on the reasonableness of the proposed fees for the Solution, and impact on the ability to comply with statutes and objectives relating to utilization of historically underutilized businesses; and if other considerations are equal, give preference to a Respondent whose principal place of business is in the state of Texas, or who will manage the contract wholly from an office in the state of Texas.

The Respondent(s) selected will be those whose experience and qualifications, as presented in response to this RFP, establish them, in the opinion of A&M System, as well-qualified and offering the greatest benefits, experience and value to A&M System. A&M System may cancel this RFP or reject proposals at any time prior to an award and is not required to furnish a statement of the reasons why a particular proposal was not deemed to be the most advantageous. Should A&M System determine in its sole discretion that only one Respondent is fully qualified, or that one Respondent is clearly more highly qualified than the others under consideration, a contract may be negotiated and executed with that Respondent. The contract will be an agreement incorporating by reference all the requirements, terms and conditions of the solicitation and the Respondent’s proposal as negotiated.

The most qualified Respondents as determined by A&M System MAY BE REQUIRED to present to the evaluation committee before the final selection(s). If presentations are required, they will be done online through video conferencing, or in person if allowed at the time by A&M System guidelines and agreed to by both parties. A&M System will not provide compensation to Respondents for any expenses incurred by the Respondent(s) for proposal preparation, submission or presentations that may be conducted.

Submission of proposals indicates Respondent's acceptance of the evaluation techniques and the recognition that subjective judgments must be made by A&M System during the evaluation process. The selection of the successful proposal(s) may be made by A&M System on the basis of the proposals initially submitted, without discussion, clarification, or modification. In the alternative, selection of the successful proposal(s) may be made by the A&M System on the basis of negotiation with any of the Respondents.

A&M System shall not disclose any information derived from the proposals submitted by competing Respondents in conducting such discussions.

All proposals must be complete and convey all of the information requested to be considered responsive.

If a proposal fails to conform to the essential requirements of the RFP, A&M System alone will determine whether the variance is significant enough to consider the proposal susceptible to being made acceptable, and therefore a candidate for further consideration, or not susceptible and therefore not considered for award.

A&M System may perform reference checks and seek further information, as needed from all Respondents whose proposals A&M System, at its discretion, considers viable, based on the initial evaluation and scoring.

The Respondent’s response to this requirement officially authorizes A&M System to contact these organizations to discuss the services and other considerations that the Respondent has provided to such organizations and authorizes the organizations to provide such information to A&M System and Respondent shall and hereby does release and hold harmless A&M System, the state of Texas, and the organization of any and all liability whatsoever, in connection with providing and receiving all such

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 8 of 38 information. Any negative responses received from reference checks may be grounds for disqualification of the proposal.

A&M System reserves the right to accept or reject any or all offers, to waive informalities and technicalities, to accept the offer considered most advantageous, and/or to make the award to the most responsive Respondent(s).

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 9 of 38

SECTION 3 - SCOPE AND SUPPORT

The purpose of this RFP is to provide Members with full scale, real-time verbatim captioning of live, streamed content and pre-recorded content. The Captioning offered must meet the requirements stated in each section below:

3.1 General

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from vendors interested and qualified to provide Members with full scale, real-time verbatim captioning of live, streamed content and pre-recorded content, hereinafter referred to as the “Solution”.

The vendor will provide Captioning in English; and the vendor will provide Captioning in English and Spanish simultaneously by request. All information and communication technology and Captioning must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) including technical accessibility standards in Title II: Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 levels A and AA.

3.2 Scope

3.2.1 Captioning of Live events

A. For events streamed live: The vendor must provide remote Captioning by following a video signal that is streamed live. If the streamed live content is over a webinar type tool (e.g., Webex, Zoom, Teams.) The vendor will utilize the captioning or chat feature available on the platform to apply captions.

a. The vendor will provide a comprehensive list of all supported streaming tools.

B. Contact information: To troubleshoot issues in real-time during a session, the vendor must provide a live support line for troubleshooting during all live events. This information must be provided to the client 24 hours in advance of the event.”

C. Qualified captioner: For all live events, the vendor must be able to provide Captioning at the average rate between 225 to 250 words per minute accurately (e.g., spelling, grammar, punctuation). The vendor will provide the type of captioner (A.I. versus live) before the event.

Should the captioner not meet the needs of the member, the vendor will provide a means to replace a captioner upon request before the event.

D. Caption quality and presentation: Captions must match the spoken words in the dialogue and fully convey background noises and other sounds where appropriate or relevant to the dialogue.

The Captioner may not paraphrase, must use proper spelling, spacing between words, capitalization, and punctuation.

E. Captions must coincide with their corresponding spoken words and sounds to the greatest extent possible and must be displayed on the screen at a speed that can be read by viewers.

a. It must not block important content on the screen;

b. be reasonably legible within the limits of the platform (e.g., appropriate font size and color).

F. Quality assurance: Vendor will ensure 99% accuracy for Captioning of live events. American Disabilities Act guidelines state that persons with disabilities must be given “effective communication that offers full and equal enjoyment.”

G. Session duration: Captions must run from the beginning to the end of the program or event.

Captioner availability before each event:

a. For minor events, the Captioner should be provided access at least ten (10) minutes ahead of the event to set up and test services.

b. For major events, the Captioner should be provided access at least thirty (30) minutes ahead of the event to set up and test services.

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 10 of 38

H. Caption synchronization: We recognize there may be a slight delay in the delivery of captions for live real-time events; however, the delay in the presentation of live captions should be kept to a minimum, consistent with an accurate presentation of what is being said and the overall goals of ensuring that captions enable viewers to follow the event. (i.e., less than a 30-second delay). The vendor should provide the requestors with appropriate support or support documentation to ensure a low caption delay.

3.2.2 Captioning of Pre-Recorded Content

Vendor will provide a 48 to 72-hour turnaround time to caption all pre-recorded media content. At the vendor’s discretion, the vendor may use speech recognition software or computer captioning software to provide Captioning of pre-recorded media content.

A. Captioning provided for pre-recorded content will be 99% accurate.

B. Captioning will provide discipline-specific terminology whenever possible.

C. Captioning will provide translation services upon request whenever possible (primarily Spanish).

D. Clear placement: Captions must not block important content on the screen. Font size should be reasonable legible and provide sufficient contrast.

3.2.3 Supported File Formats for Pre-Recorded Media

System Members do not utilize standardized file formats for pre-recorded media (audio & video).

Please provide a comprehensive list of all supported file types and the captioning process employed.

3.2.4 Caption Files/Transcripts

All caption files must be in a format that allows Members the ability to download the caption files to generate transcripts upon request.

3.2.5 Editing Captions

Vendor must provide Members the capability to log in and freely edit the captions.

3.2.6 Integration

Vendor must provide a simple way to integrate external services (e.g., YouTube, Kaltura, Panopto, MediaSite, etc.)

A. Minimum required integration:

a. YouTube

b. Kaltura

c. Panopto

d. Mediasite

e. Canvas Studio

3.2.7 Caption Line Timing’ Offset Requirement and Rework

A. Minimum caption line timing requirement <50ms offset

B. Rework

Severe timing issues (captioned lines that are clearly out of sync with audio) will be considered to not meet the desired level of quality. Texas A&M University System expects that if such a situation were to arise, the vendor would rework the timing of the video at no cost to Members.

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 11 of 38

3.2.8 Usage Tracking Reports

A. The vendor must provide a way to track usage of the service. Tracking and usage reports will be used for both billing verification and future projection of caption needs. Usage Tracking Reports shall be able to track:

a. the number of Work Orders

b. Amount expended by Members under the Master Agreement by the A&M System fiscal year or calendar year,

c. Number of hours of captioned events,

d. Number of hours of captioned events and edited transcripts,

e. Number of hours of captioned pre-recorded events/projects,

f. Names of the events or media captioned and/or edited,

g. Custom reports populated by keyword search, and

h. Number of captioning views (Captioning Viewer Data/Analytics).

3.3 Account Manager

Vendor will designate a single-point-of-contact who will serve as the primary Account manager to oversee and coordinate Captioning, provide technical assistance to Members, receive billing inquiries and assist in billing dispute resolution, and manage requirements of the Master Agreement on behalf of vendor (“Account Manager”). The Account Manager will be available during conventional business hours, Monday-Friday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Central Time. A back-up or secondary Account Manager is preferred if the primary Account Manager is not available.

The Account Manager will be responsible for responding in a timely manner to complaints or other notices or advice regarding inaccuracies in Captioning.

3.4 Member Ordering Process

A. Each Member is responsible for submission of their own Work Orders for Captioning to the vendor’s Account Manager. The Account Manager will work with the Member on each Work Order to troubleshoot, clarify any requests, and ensure a complete Work Order is submitted.

B. All completed Work Orders will meet the requirements of this RFP.

C. Work Orders may be submitted by the Members to vendor via email, or other electronic means in writing.

D. The Member will provide the following information:

a. System member name;

b. System member contact for Work Order;

c. Date Work Order submitted to vendor;

d. Date of requested service;

e. Name of event;

f. Event date and scheduled run-time (live, real-time events); including setup time before the event;

or run-time for pre-recorded projects;

g. Indication if the Work Order request is standard (more than three Business Days before the event);

or urgent (three or fewer Business Days before the event);

h. Language(s) for captions:

i. English

ii. Spanish

i. File type(s) required:

i. .DOCX format or Microsoft Word manufacturer’s current version and two previous versions.

ii. .srt (SRT) (SubRip Subtitle) format

iii. WebVTT (Web Video Text Track)SMI (Structure of Management Information)

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 12 of 38

iv. SCC (Scenarist Closed Caption)

j. Type of captioning transcription and editing requested:

i. Captioning, live, real-time; unedited caption transcript,

ii. Captioning live, real-time; edited caption transcript,

iii. Captioning pre-recorded event,

iv. Captioning transcript; post-event, edited;

k. Authorized Signature (hard-copy signature or email from signatory);

l. The Member will supply the weblink and access instructions in advance of the event; and

m. Notes or comments to vendor.

E. The vendor’s account manager will provide the following information:

F. Event date and time, G. Language(s) of captioning, H. Files to be provided at the conclusion of the event/project, and

I. Due date in compliance with the agreement;

J. Unique identifier of Captioner assigned to event/project; and

K. Notes, comments, or clarifications needed from requestor.

3.5 Reliability and Performance Standards

3.5.1 Warranty

The entire Solution as proposed by a Respondent to this RFP must include a first-year warranty, including a warranty for all software updates, enhancements and refinements and interfaces, for a minimum of twelve (12) months after the Final System Acceptance date. The warranty for the Solution shall conform to the specifications in this RFP and protect against any defects or damage caused by manufacturers, Respondents, or proposed Subcontractors, in the Solution’s equipment or software.

Final System Acceptance shall be determined by the A&M System according to an agreed upon testing plan. All repairs and expenses to cover repairs made under warranty, including parts, software, labor travel expenses, meals, lodging and any other costs shall be borne by the Respondent. All repairs and expenses to cover repairs that are due to the Respondent’s inability to perform based upon warranty guidelines shall be borne by the Respondent.

3.5.2 Support and Maintenance

The A&M System expects that a five (5) year maintenance and support agreement will be offered.

It is expected that Year 1 of maintenance (defined as one year from date of final Solution acceptance) will be at no charge. Furthermore, a 24 x 7 x 365 support plan shall be mandatory.

The A&M System support agreement must describe priority levels for system errors and include a guaranteed response time for each priority level.

3.6 Accessibility

A. Under Texas Government Code Chapter 2054, Subchapter M, Texas Administrative Code Sections

206.70 and 213, Title II of the American with Disabilities Act, and implementing policy of A&M System’s Regulations 29.01.04, the Texas A&M University System must procure Products that comply with the accessibility standards when such products are available in the commercial marketplace or when such Products are developed in response to a procurement solicitation. Accordingly, the Respondent must provide electronic and information resources and associated Product documentation and technical support that comply with the Accessibility Standards.

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 13 of 38

a. Provide your Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) with your RFP response. At a minimum your ACR should address accessibility, keyboard navigation, and screen reader accessibility.

https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/

b. Provide Policy Driven Adoption Vendor Self-Assessment (PDAA) with your RFP response. This Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessibility assessment is for vendor organizations to describe how they are currently implementing accessibility policy and practices within their organizations. https://dir.texas.gov/resource-library-item/policy-driven-adoption-accessibility-pdaa-vendor-assessment

c. Provide an Accessibility Roadmap that addresses all accessibility gaps identified in any evaluation and on the Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR). The accessibility roadmaps should describe the timelines by which these accessibility gaps will be remediated as well as recommendations regarding interim workaround. (Vendor provides link to Accessibility roadmap)

d. Does your application fully support the major world orthographies (i.e., Chinese, Japanese, Arabic), including those with non-English directionality (R-L, or top to bottom)? Can it accommodate any practical orthographic tradition (i.e., Cherokee syllabics) that can be handled within Unicode?

e. Considering the primary interactions in a typical captioning environment, we identified the following categories for testing. Respondents shall provide a response to each question below.

B. Both pre-recorded and live Captioning should fulfill W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines

(WCAG) 2.1.

a. Video Solutions, Audio Hosting Solutions, Podcasts

i. Is the video solution, audio hosting solutions or podcasts compatible with the most current versions of Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge and Safari?

ii. What additional browsers is the video solution compatible with?

iii. Is the video solution compatible with all desktop and mobile devices?

iv. Does the video platform also use HTML5?

b. Accuracy

i. Does the video solution include 99% accurate, time-synchronized closed captioning?

ii. Do captions align with the time and words spoken? Captions must appear long enough for the viewer to read.

iii. Are captions consistently aligned with the time and the words spoken? Captions must appear long enough for the viewer to read.

iv. The captions must cover the entire video from start to finish.

v. Captions must not block important content on the screen. Font size should be reasonably legible and provide sufficient contrast.

vi. Video platforms offering “automatic” closed captioning should be 80% accurate for live events and 99% for pre-recorded events.

vii. Explain how captioning accuracy rating is monitored and determined for both captioning and transcripts?

c. Captioning

i. Have the ability to import existing captions or translated subtitles to convert to other formats or use interactive transcripts?

ii. Is captioning/subtitle editor available to allow Members to make changes to captions and translated subtitles quickly after they have been processed?

iii. Transcripts must have timestamps

d. Captioning with unedited caption transcript files

i. Provide unedited captioning transcript, inclusive of .smi and .docx or equivalent) file types?

What other types of file types are available?

ii. Unedited captioning transcript ready for download by users the following business day after conclusion of live real-time events?

e. Captioning with edited caption transcript files https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/ https://dir.texas.gov/resource-library-item/policy-driven-adoption-accessibility-pdaa-vendor-assessment https://dir.texas.gov/resource-library-item/policy-driven-adoption-accessibility-pdaa-vendor-assessment

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 14 of 38

i. Vendor shall provide edited caption transcripts in the requested file format.

ii. Vendors may be required to provide edited caption transcripts in Spanish, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, which must be in the requested file format.

f. Captioning transcripts, both edited and unedited, should be provided in the requested professional formats:

g. Upload Flexibility

i. List options for uploading Members’ files

3.7 TX-RAMP Certification

Should respondent’s product meet the Texas Department of Information Resources (“DIR”) definition of a cloud computing service, respondent shall provide A&M System with evidence of its TX-RAMP compliance and certification at least thirty (30) days prior to the start of any agreement. (See also Exhibit D: Section 10.C Cloud Computing Services). If the product proposed is currently certified, provide your TX-RAMP Certificate ID with your proposal response.

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 15 of 38

SECTION 4 - PROPOSAL RESPONSE

The Respondent recognizes that in its selection process, A&M System will rely, in part, on the answers provided in response to this Section. Accordingly, Respondent warrants to the best of its knowledge that all responses are true, correct and complete.

4.1 Company Profile

A. Provide a contact name for this RFP response, including title, address, telephone number and email address.

B. Number of years in business: ______

C. Number of Employees: ______ (company wide) ______ (relevant branch office(s))

D. Annual Sales Volume: _____________________________(company wide)

E. Is your company currently for sale or involved in any transaction to expend or to become acquired by another business entity? If yes, please explain the impact both in organizational and directional terms.

F. Provide any details of all past or pending litigation or claims filed against your company that would negatively impact your company’s performance under an agreement with the Agencies.

G. Is your company currently in default on any loan agreement or financing agreement with any bank, financial institution, or other entity. If yes, specify date(s), details, circumstances, and prospects for resolution.

4.2 Technical Proposal

Respondent should describe how their services can address the overall needs and Required items of the A&M System as described in SECTION 3 – SCOPE AND SUPPORT (all sections). For the Desired items listed in those sub-sections, Respondent shall address if the proposed Solution includes those items, or if the Solution will have that ability in the future

In responding to these requirements, Respondent:

A. Shall provide sufficient information to fully demonstrate that the proposed Solution meets the scope and requirements within sub-sections 3.1 through 3.7. Where applicable, include screenshots, process flows, schedules, lists, etc. that help demonstrate the ability of the Solution to meet the scope.

B. Shall provide a timeline for implementation of the proposed Solution. Timeline shall include when implementation can begin upon execution of an Agreement through the date proposed Solution is fully implemented and operational.

C. May provide other documentation and information to demonstrate the overall value of the proposed Solution, and any other services available to support the Solution.

4.3 Vendor Qualifications

Respondent shall provide a response to the following items:

A. Respondent must furnish at least four references from clients from the past three years for services provided similar in scope, size, and complexity to the scope of services described in Section 3 above. If possible, the A&M System requests that two of the references come from institutions of Higher Education and/or other public sector entities and ideally from schools within the A&M System.

● Company/Agency name & address

● Contact person name & title

● Contact phone number

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 16 of 38

● Contact email address

● Summary of services provided

B. Has Respondent worked with the A&M System or any of its Members in the past two years? If yes, provide the specific member of the A&M System, point of contact (name, title, phone number, and email address), and a brief description of the work performed.

C. Has Respondent had any work with A&M System Members non-renewed or cancelled for any reason in the past five years? If so, please provide details on work, agency, and time frame.

D. Describe Respondent’s core service offerings with particular reference to real estate management solutions and A&M System’s preferred technologies as discussed in this RFP.

4.4 Pricing Proposal

Respondent shall provide a complete pricing proposal for the Services offered to include the following items as applicable.

A. Initial Implementation or Set-Up Fee.

B. Professional service fees required or recommended for implementation and proposed provider for any recommended services (if not the solution provider).

C. Annual recurring license or subscription – include all possible options in the pricing of this support and applicable terms. Provider must also disclose pricing model (i.e. per instance, per user, per data volumes, or some other metric).

D. Any other annual charges.

E. List incentives or price breaks that the System might receive for additional quantities (e.g. collaborative pricing).

F. Identify any training, support or materials costs that may be required for implementation or ongoing usage.

4.5 Proposal Considerations

A. Proposals must include the required A&M System Member resources (People, Processes, Capabilities) to ensure the model(s) success.

B. Proposal solution must include pricing and rate cards to coincide with the proposed initial term of an Agreement.

C. Proposal price must include cost of relevant tool licensing to deliver services.

D. Any additional costs such as travel must be quoted as a separate line item. Allowed travel expenses must be in compliance with the State of Texas Travel Guidelines as defined by the Comptroller of Public Accounts.

4.6 Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Requirements

It is the policy of the State of Texas and the A&M System to encourage the use of Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) both directly and indirectly in prime contracting and subcontracting efforts. The goal of the HUB Program is to promote equal access and equitable opportunity in the A&M System contracting and purchasing activities.

A subcontracting opportunity is defined as any portion(s) of the scope contracted with a vendor to work, supply commodities for, or contribute towards completing work for a governmental entity.

The Respondent is required to submit a completed HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) form detailing how they

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 17 of 38 will conduct a good faith effort to attract and incorporate State of Texas HUB-certified vendors to perform a percentage of the scope of work defined within this RFP.

The HUB participation goal for this RFP is 15% and the Respondent is required to conduct a good faith effort to achieve this goal through subcontracting opportunities, mentor protégé relationships, or other means of meaningful business relationships to increase the capacity and utilization of HUB vendors.

Maximizing meaningful opportunities to HUBs is of the utmost importance to The Texas A&M University System. The good faith effort requirement may be met through successful completion of the plans described below.

The Respondent is required to complete and submit a HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) form. Failure to submit a comprehensive, acceptable HSP form will be considered a material failure to comply with the requirements of this RFP and may result in rejection of the response. Refer to Section 2.6 for details on the A&M System’s selection process.

HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) Form

The Respondent is required to review and complete the A&M System HSP form.

In all cases, the Respondent is required to:

i. Complete Section 1, Section 2, and Section 4 of the HSP form.

ii. Determine whether it is probable that they will subcontract any portion of the scope within this RFP.

iii. Complete either Method A, Method B, or Section 3 as applicable based on the response to Section 2.

If the Respondent determines it is probable that they will subcontract any portion of the scope within this RPF, the applicable HUB participation goal for this RFP is 15%, and the Respondent is required to conduct and demonstrate a good faith effort to achieve this goal and list all anticipated subcontracting opportunities in Section 2b of the HSP form. Note: In all cases, the HUB goal stated within this RFP takes precedence over the HUB goal stated on the downloaded HSP form.

Please contact The Texas A&M University System HUB Program Office at SO-HUBProgram@tamus.edu for assistance with completing the requirements of this section. Respondents can submit a draft of their HSP form prior to submittal of their response to the RFP for review. All drafts must be submitted at least five business days prior to the RFP due date.

https://www.tamus.edu/business/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2021/01/FY21-HSP-fillable-form.pdf mailto:SO-HUBProgram@tamus.edu

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 18 of 38

SECTION 5 - GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

A. TERMS AND CONDITIONS: The A&M System reserves the right to accept, reject, modify, and/or negotiate any and all submittals received in conjunction with this RFP. It reserves the right to waive any defect or informality in the submittals on the basis of what it considers to be in its best interests. Any submittal which the A&M System determines to be incomplete, conditional, obscure, or which has irregularities of any kind, may be rejected. The A&M System reserves the right to award to the company, or companies, which in our sole judgment, will best serve our long-term interest.

This RFP in no manner obligates the A&M System to the eventual purchase of any products or services described, implied, or which may be proposed, until confirmed by written agreement, and may be terminated by the A&M System without penalty or obligation at any time prior to the signing of a contract.

The Respondent must include a formal copy of any Respondent terms and conditions applicable to this transaction. Evaluation and acceptance and/or modification of these terms and conditions by the A&M System Office of General Counsel are essential prior to execution of any resultant agreement. In the event the Respondent does not supply terms and conditions with their submittal, A&M System terms and conditions will govern this transaction.

B. GOVERNING LAW: Respondent agrees that, in the event of a dispute, laws of the State of Texas will prevail.

C. NON-DISCRIMINATION: The parties agree that in the performance of any contract they shall not discriminate in any manner on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, religion, sex, genetic information, veteran status or disability protected by law. Such action shall include, but is not limited to, the following: employment, upgrading, demotion, transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising; layoff or termination; rates of pay or other forms of compensation. By submitting a submittal, Respondent certifies that it will conform to the provisions of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended.

D. CIVIL RIGHTS REQUIREMENTS: All Respondents must comply with applicable civil rights laws.

E. IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986: By submitting a proposal, the Respondent certifies that it does not, and will not, during the performance of any resultant Agreement, employ illegal alien workers or otherwise violate the provisions of the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, as amended.

F. DEBARMENT STATUS: By submitting a proposal, Respondent certifies that it is not currently debarred from submitting submittals on contracts nor is it an agent of any person or entity that is currently debarred from submitting bids on contracts.

G. PUBLIC INFORMATION: Respondent is hereby notified that the A&M System strictly adheres to all statutes, court decisions, and the opinions of the Texas Attorney General with respect to disclosure of public information. The A&M System may seek to protect from disclosure all information submitted in response to this RFP until such time as the resultant Agreement is executed. Upon execution of the resultant Agreement, the A&M System will consider all information, documentation, and other materials requested to be submitted in response to this RFP to be of a non-confidential and non-proprietary nature and therefore subject to public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act, Texas Government Code, Chapter 552. Respondent will be advised of a request for public information that implicates its materials and will have the opportunity to raise any objections to disclosure to the Texas Attorney General.

H. ALTERNATE PROPOSALS: A&M System reserves the right to consider alternate proposals submitted by Respondents. Alternate proposals shall be clearly marked “Alternate” with the proposed alternates clearly defined and all pricing/cost advantages included, if applicable.

I. ANTITRUST: Respondent hereby assigns to the A&M System, any and all claims for overcharges associated with any contract resulting from this RFP which arise under the antitrust laws of the United States 15 U.S.C.A. Section 1, et seq. (1973) and which arise under the antitrust laws of the State of Texas, Texas

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 19 of 38

Business and Commercial Code Ann. Sec. 15.01, et seq. (1967).

J. EXECUTIVE HEAD OF A STATE AGENCY AFFIRMATION: In accordance with Section 669.003 of the Texas Government Code, relating to contracting with the executive head of a state agency, Respondent certifies that it is not (1) the executive head of the A&M System or any of its Members, (2) a person who at any time during the four years before the date of the contract was the executive head of the A&M System or any of its Members, or (3) a person who employs a current or former executive head of the A&M System or any of its Members.

K. EXECUTIVE ORDER GA-48 CERTIFICATION: Respondent certifies that pursuant to Executive Order GA-48, Hardening of State Government, Respondent is not and, if applicable, none of its holding companies or subsidiaries are a) listed in Section 889 of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (“NDAA”) regarding telecommunications and video surveillance; b) listed in Section 1260H of the 2021 NDAA regarding Chinese military companies in the US; c) owned by the government of a country on the U.S. Department of Commerce's foreign adversaries list under 15 C.F.R. § 791.4 (“15 C.F.R. § 791.4 List”); or d) controlled by any governing or regulatory body located in a country on the 15 C.F.R. § 791.4 List. Respondent acknowledges that a false certification is grounds for immediate termination of any resulting contract or purchase order with no further obligation on the part of A&M System.

L. REQUIRED CONTRACT TERMS: The terms and conditions contained in the draft agreement attached as Exhibit D or, in the sole discretion of the A&M System, terms and conditions substantially similar to those contained in the attached agreement, will constitute and govern any Agreement that results from this RFP.

If Respondent takes exception to any terms or conditions set forth in the attached agreement, Respondent will submit a list of the exceptions as part of its proposal. Respondent’s exceptions will be reviewed by the A&M System and may result in disqualification of Respondent’s proposal as non-responsive to this RFP. If Respondent’s exceptions do not result in disqualification of Respondent’s proposal, then the A&M System may consider Respondent’s exceptions when the A&M System evaluates the Respondent’s proposal.

The Texas A&M University System RFP01-CIO-25-235 Page 20 of 38

EXHIBIT A

EXECUTION OF OFFER

RFP01-COI-25-235

In compliance with this RFP, and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned offers and agrees to furnish any or all commodities or services at the prices quoted.

A.1 Respondent Affirmation

NOTE TO RESPONDENTS: SUBMIT ENTIRE SECTION WITH RESPONSE.

This execution of offer must be completed, signed, and returned with the Respondent's Proposal. Failure to complete, sign and return this execution of offer with the Proposal may result in rejection of the Proposal.

Signing a false statement may void the submitted Proposal or any agreements or other contractual arrangements, which may result from the submission of Respondent’s Proposal. A false certification shall be deemed a material breach of contract and, at the A&M System's option, may result in termination of any resulting contract or purchase order.

Addenda Acknowledgment:

Receipt is hereby acknowledged of the following addenda to…