ESBD_452427_1757428289827_HHS0016584 RFI_Regulatory Automation Services.pdf

CECILE E. YOUNG, Executive Commissioner

Request for Information (RFI) for

Regulatory Automation Solution (RAS) Content Management System

RFI No. HHS0016584

Date of Release: September 9, 2025

Responses Due by: October 8, 2025

NIGP Class-Item Code(s):

208-20 – * Business Intelligence Software 208-67 – * Program Management Software 208-87 – * Software as a Service (SaaS), Cloud-based (Per Seat, Per User, Per License, etc.)

920-64 – * System Implementation and Engineering Services 920-45 – * Software Maintenance and Support Services 920-05 – * Application, Infrastructure, Hosting and Cloud Computing Services 958-82 - * Records Management Services, Including Document Management Services and Technology Integration

(*) Automated Information Systems (AIS)

Texas Health and Human Services Commission HHS0016584 RFI - Regulatory Automation Solution

1. Introduction

1.1 Agency Liability

1.2 Objective/Purpose

1.3 Background

1.4 Functionality

1.5 Statutory Authority

2. General Instructions and Response Requirements

2.1 General Information

2.2. Response Submission, Date, Time, and Location

2.3 Designated Point of Contact

2.4 Response Format

2.5 Texas Public Information Act

2.6 Disclaimers

2.7 Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

1. Introduction

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) is the state agency responsible for administration and coordination of health and human service programs in the State of Texas.

Department of State Health Services (“DSHS”) has a Regulatory Automation System (RAS) software suite that provides the ability to track regulatory activities which is specific to HHSC and DSHS Legacy Programs, such as: licensing, inspection, compliance, complaint, enforcement, examination, notification, sampling.

At a high-level, RAS supports regulatory activity for a wide variety of individuals and businesses working in health care, health care quality, radiation materials and imaging, environmental hazards, sanitation, food and drug safety, and consumer safety entities.

HHSC, on behalf of DSHS, seeks information from qualified respondent for software delivery, implementation, and migration services to replace existing software that supports regulatory activities for HHSC and DSHS Programs, including licensing, inspection, compliance, complaint, enforcement, education, examination, notification, and sampling. This Request for Information (RFI) is not a procurement opportunity, and no contract will be developed as a result of submission of a response.

1.1 Agency Liability

HHSC is requesting written responses from qualified software suppliers (see NIGP codes listed in cover page) with experience providing, maintaining, and supporting regulatory and licensing software, including commercial off the shelf (COTS) or customized COTS solutions, infrastructure and professional services.

This RFI is issued solely for information-gathering and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Proposal (RFP), Request for Offer (RFO), Invitation for Bid (IFB) or any other solicitation, nor does it constitute a commitment on the part of HHSC to issue any solicitation for any of the services described herein in the future.

Software suppliers choosing to respond to this RFI will, merely by virtue of submitting a response, NOT be deemed to be “bidders” in any sense, and no such respondent will have any preference, special designation, advantage, or disadvantage whatsoever in any subsequent procurement process related to this RFI.

HHSC will not pay for information submitted in response to this RFI, nor will it compensate a respondent for any costs incurred in the development/furnishing of a response. It is the responsibility of the potential respondent to monitor the Electronic Business Daily (ESBD) for additional information pertaining to this RFI.

1.2 Objective/Purpose

DSHS seeks information on modernizing external and internal software, user experience (UX) as well as functionalities for the public, licensees, applicants, and staff. The replacement solution would support regulatory activity for a wide variety of individuals and businesses working in health care, health care quality, radiation materials and imaging, environmental hazards, sanitation, food and drug safety, and consumer safety entities.

The high-level goals of this RFI are to identify services and/or solutions that could improve our capabilities in the following business functions:

a. License Management

b. Investigations and Enforcement

c. Inspections

d. Financial Management

e. Educational Support

f. Administrative Support Services

Some of the technical capabilities required are:

a. Overall modernization

b. Contemporary UX

c. Better external security, including multi-factor authentication.

d. Overall performance gains

e. Improvement of user experience

f. Optimization of workflows

g. Robust roadmap for improvement

h. Automation

i. Reporting

j. Visualization/Analytics

k. Autonomous decision-making

l. Modular, Extensible, Integrations

m. Artificial Intelligence

n. 24/7 Maintenance and Operations support

o. Data Migration

p. 99.99% uptime

1.3 Background

To keep Texans safe and businesses operating, over 750 DSHS and HHSC staff provide licensing and registration services to over 150 different types of professionals and businesses, ranging from sole proprietors to some of the largest companies in Texas. The scope of DSHS/HHSC licensing and regulatory service is much larger than many other agencies, and much more complicated due to the wide variety of licensed entities we serve. The scale and scope of these licensing activities is shown below:

a. Over 305K active licenses/registrations;

b. Over 237K active external users (includes professionals and businesses);

c. 150 license types;

d. Over 20% year-over-year growth in the past three years; and

e. 60GB database.

The current Regulatory Automation System (RAS) has a significant number of shortfalls. In its current state, it lacks the ability to keep up with the rapid growth of licensed entities due to functional limitations and the need for customization.

Complex and inefficient workarounds are often employed by operating staff.

Current customer-facing security are limited, and RAS cannot support online applications for all license types. It does not provide a responsive design. These restrictions and gaps not only cause delays in processing functions (throughout the regulatory lifecycle) but also prevent mobile users from easily applying for licenses.

The level of effort for IT customization (for minor changes) has become time consuming and the use of emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) is limited.

The objective of this RFI is to gather information on a solution to improve regulatory activity for a wide variety of individuals and businesses working in health care, health care quality, radiation materials and imaging, environmental hazards, sanitation, food and drug safety, and consumer safety entities.

Key strategic objectives include:

a. Modernization of infrastructure

b. Agility

c. Improvement of user experience

d. Optimization of workflows

e. Ongoing innovation

Regulatory Automation System (RAS)- Application Summary

The current application consists of several interoperating modules. Respondents’ solution does not need to replicate the modular nature of RAS as long as it offers the required capabilities, though if you offer an interoperating suite of modules, please indicate that in your response.

Staff services module

a. Back-office application that performs regulatory functions, such as application, licensing, examination, inspection, compliance, notification, complaint, enforcement, etc.

b. It is integrated with Document Management System Hyland Onbase to capture, store and retrieve documents.

Customer-facing module

a. 24 x 7 online service portal provides services such as initial application, license renewal, license search, address change, fee payment, asbestos and lead notifications, narcotic treatment patient submission, etc.

b. License holders can obtain their certifications and communication through secure inbox online.

Inspection Module

The field inspection solution allows inspectors to conduct inspections and/or investigations on location, including taking photos and obtaining license holder signatures. Inspection letters including findings and violations are emailed to the license holders upon completion.

Job Scheduler

Batch job scheduler to generate renewal notices, change license status, generate certificates and ID cards.

Reporting Module

Portal for reports, utilities, and other Consumer Protection programs, such as Medical Advisory Board (MAB) and Baywater sampling.

Document Management

RAS interfaces with a separate document management solution, which includes intelligent document management / document process automation capabilities.

Replacing that software is not necessarily in scope for this response, though if respondents’ solutions offer robust document management / document process automation capabilities, information about those capabilities should be included in the response.

1.4 Functionality

Any proposed solution must deliver these key functionalities:

a. Online Portal

b. Application Processing:

Ability for users to submit, manage, and change applications, with or without supporting documentation, and communicate securely with agency staff.

c. License Management:

Ability for staff to issue licenses, process license changes, manage continuing education requirements, maintain licensee information, manage relationships, issue renewals/revisions, conduct audits, and track historical events.

d. Investigations and Enforcement

e. Inspections

f. Educational Requirements:

Ability to support educational requirements for licensees and other entities.

g. Financial Management (Fees and Payments)

h. General Operations:

Ability for staff to manage communications and documents, manage their workload, and manage call center / customer service.

i. System Administration

j. Security:

Highly secure, compliant with the latest technical security standards, encrypts all information, and supports two-factor authentication for both staff and external users.

k. APIs, Connections, and Integrations

l. Artificial Intelligence

m. Reporting and Analytics

The ability to define, generate, save, share, and export data sets, reports, and dashboards.

1.5 Statutory Authority

HHSC is authorized to engage with respondents through this RFI under Texas Government Code Section 2155.090(b). HHSC will conduct this RFI and engage with the respondent community in accordance with the Health and Human Services (HHS) Respondent Interaction Policy, available on the HHS website at the following URL:

https://hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/doing-business-with-hhs/respondent-contract-information/respondent-interaction-policy.pdf

2. General Instructions and Response Requirements

Respondents should respond to the questions and/or prompts outlined below and include any information that provides:

a. Background

b. Current trends

c. Developments in technologies

d. Methodologies, and

e. Software that could replace RAS

f. Professional services offered, including consulting and migration.

https://hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/doing-business-with-hhs/vendor-contract-information/vendor-interaction-policy.pdf https://hhs.texas.gov/sites/default/files/documents/doing-business-with-hhs/vendor-contract-information/vendor-interaction-policy.pdf

If submitting information on theoretical approaches that have not been applied to large-scale implementations for state government, respondents should provide details on its experience with the approach and how it applies to the goals of this RFI.

Obtaining information on emerging theoretical and conceptual solutions is a key component of this RFI.

At a minimum, please respond to the following questions and/or prompts:

General

a. Software

1. How would the solution accomplish and improve upon the application structure described in section 1.3?

2. How would the solution accomplish the high-level goals described in section 1.2?

3. How would the solution provide the minimum functionality described in section 1.4?

4. Does your solution include intelligent document management / document process automation capabilities that are integrated with your licensing/registration software? If so, please provide additional details about those capabilities.

b. RAS Infrastructure

How would the solution accomplish and improve upon the infrastructure and interface structure described in figure 1?

c. RAS Services and Support

1. Describe support services offered, including setup, migration, maintenance, updates, and troubleshooting. Also describe your capabilities for professional services, including software customization, data migration, and application setup/conversion. Include information about your expertise consulting on large-scale legacy system migrations.

2. Describe how applicable Service Level Agreements (SLAs) and/or tiered support models would benefit continuity of operations in the environment described in Section 1.3, Background.

d. Advancements

1. What advancements in tools and technologies have there been in regulatory automation services (technology) over the last three (3) years?

2. Have there been any significant advancements specific to any of the domains: healthcare, food safety, drug safety, environmental, sanitation, and radiation?

3. Provide insight into projected trends and developments in the regulatory automation services domain.

e. Project Development

Describe the approximate respondent level of effort required for this project (Ex. size, scope, time-to-implement, etc.).

HHSC will not accept or respond to telephone calls, e-mails, or questions regarding this RFI. HHSC, at its sole discretion, may contact a respondent after reviewing the information provided in response to the RFI for clarification purposes. Any contact or communication by HHSC does not indicate a preference towards a respondent, constitute an offer of any type, or provide a respondent an advanced standing on any project related to this RFI or any future solicitation, plan or project.

2.1 General Information

This RFI is issued to obtain information on solutions for Regulatory Automation System services. All interested parties are encouraged to respond to this RFI.

All materials received by HHSC become the property of HHSC and will not be returned to the sender. There will be no acknowledgment by HHSC of receipt of the information. Acceptance of responses to this RFI places no obligation of any kind upon HHSC. Any information or ideas received from a respondent to the RFI, in any form, may be used by HHSC, without restriction, for any purpose determined by

HHSC.

It is not the intent of HHSC to provide answers, but if additional information is issued relating to the RFI, it will be made available on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD), located at the following URL: https://www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd.

2.2. Response Submission, Date, Time, and Location

Written responses and comments related to this RFI are requested by October 8, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time. Any response received after this date may not be reviewed by HHSC.

https://www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd

Responses must be submitted via e-mail to HHSC’s designated point-of-contact, as identified in Section 2.3, Designated Point of Contact. A respondent may not respond via fax or United States mail. Additionally, verbal inquiries by a respondent will not be accepted.

2.3 Designated Point of Contact

HHSC’s official single point-of-contact for this RFI and the delivery point for all responses and correspondence is:

Name: Shawn ‘Patrick’ LynCook E-mail Address: shawn.lyncook@hhs.texas.gov

All communications relating to this RFI must be directed to the HHSC point-of-contact named above. All communications between a respondent and any other HHSC staff members concerning this RFI are strictly prohibited.

2.4 Response Format

All responses must be:

a. clearly legible;

b. sequentially page-numbered and include the respondent’s name at the top of each page;

c. correctly identified with the RFI number and RFI title in either the footer or header of each page;

d. presented using font type Verdana, font size 12 pt. for normal text and no less than size 10 pt. for tables, graphs, and appendices;

e. limited to fifteen (15) pages, NOT including attachments and/or reference material;

f. submitted by respondent via e-mail;

g. in searchable pdf format;

h. submitted without any portion of the submission containing a copyright; and

i. signed by respondent’s authorized representative.

Respondent should submit supporting material, if any, as attachments along with its RFI responses. All proposals become the property of HHSC after submission.

2.5 Texas Public Information Act

Responses to this RFI are subject to the Texas Public Information Act (the “PIA”), Texas Government Code Chapter 552, and may be disclosed to the public upon request. Subject to the PIA, a respondent may protect trade secrets and confidential information from public release. If the respondent asserts that information provided in the response includes trade secrets or other confidential information, materials containing such information must be clearly marked in large, boldface type and include the words “confidential” or “trade secret” at top of each page where such designation is applicable. Furthermore, the respondent must identify trade secret or confidential information, and provide an explanation of why the information is excepted from public disclosure, on a separate document that respondent will attach to its RFI response. Marking information as “confidential” or “trade secret” does not guarantee or ensure that the Texas Attorney General will except such information from public disclosure under the PIA. HHSC shall have no liability to any respondent for complying with the PIA.

HHSC will strictly adhere to the requirements of the PIA regarding the disclosure of public information. Respondents should consult the Texas Attorney General’s website (www.oag.state.tx.us) for information concerning the PIA’s procedures and application to proprietary information and potential exceptions to public disclosure that may be available to the respondent.

2.6 Disclaimers

Responding to this RFI is not a condition for eligibility to respond to any subsequent solicitation. A Respondent that submits a response to this RFI may also submit a bid in response to any future solicitation for similar services. Responses to this RFI will not have any bearing, positive or negative, on the evaluation and respondent selection resulting from any proposals that may be received in response to any subsequent solicitation. By issuing this RFI and receiving responses, HHSC does not commit to issuing a future solicitation regarding the subject matter of this RFI. HHSC may, at its sole discretion, withdraw or cancel this RFI at any time.

2.7 Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

By submitting a response to this RFI, Respondent indicates its agreement with the terms and conditions contained in this RFI. If a respondent does not agree to the terms and conditions in this RFI, the respondent should not submit a response.

http://www.oag.state.tx.us/