ESBD_469833_1765917006911_Questions & Answers 301-26-06531 Israel Office .pdf

RFP No. 301-26-06531

Foreign Trade and Investment Representation Services for The State of

Texas Israel Office – Office of the Governor

Addendum 2

1. QUESTION: we understand per Part C that submissions are physical copies, but we would appreciate knowing if there any restrictions in nature of materials that you would consider receiving? In other words, would a powerpoint presentation (along with a word document) be acceptable?

The response must follow the page limit and requirements outlined in Part C, Section 3.6.3

2. QUESTION: Is there any expected number of reference letters you are looking to receive or any limit for these?

The response must contain a minimum of at least (3) three references outlined in Part C, Section 3.5.13.

3. QUESTION: Is there any guidance regarding the budget expected for Years 1 and Year 2?

The OOG will not provide an annual ceiling. The applicant should propose an estimate which details anticipated expenses and their purpose in the Plan of Action, which must be approved.

4. QUESTION: I had a question regarding the Vendor ID. The company is registered in Israel and not in the US and therefore doesn’t have an EIN which is required for vendor registration on the Texas comptroller site. In light of this circumstance, is it possible to submit this RFP without a vendor

ID? Or is there a workaround you can suggest?

Yes; upon contract award, the awarded vendor will be required to complete and submit the application for Texas Identification Number, and other relevant forms provided by the Office of the Governor.

5. QUESTION: Legal Entity Status: Can you confirm whether the awarded proposer must already be an established legal entity at the time of award, or if it may be formally created following the award?

6. QUESTION: Contracting Entity: Is a Texas-based LLC acceptable for contracting purposes, and is there any requirement for the entity to be registered or incorporated in Israel?

The OOG is not prohibited from entering a contract with a Texas-based LLC if the LLC can perform all requirements specified in the Statement of Work, including providing an office located in

Jerusalem. Respondents must also fulfill all legal requirements for doing business in Israel.

7. QUESTION: Office Space Requirements: Could you clarify the expectations for the office space, specifically the anticipated visitor capacity for the meeting room and any other key space considerations?

Please refer to Part A Section 4.18 - The Contractor shall have and maintain, a fully operational physical office located in Jerusalem, Israel preferably located in the main business district.

Respondents are encouraged to describe the office space they need to fulfill the requirements of the RFP.

8. QUESTION: Allowable Expenses: Are equipment purchases such as laptops, office furniture, or similar items considered allowable expenses within the proposed budget?

Please refer to Part A, Section 2.13 – Monthly fees - The firm, fixed monthly fee charged by the

Contractor to fully compensate the Contractor, and supporting subcontractors if applicable, for the costs of all of the Contractor’s in-house services and expenses required to complete work under this Contract required to meet the Contract performance requirements Equipment purchases like laptops, office furniture, or similar items are considered allowable expenses and can be included within the proposed budget.

9. QUESTION: Would it be permissible for a Respondent to include—in addition to the fully compliant Jerusalem plan—a supplemental strategic analysis discussing alternative business districts in Israel (e.g. Tel Aviv, Herzliya Pituach, ) strictly as contextual insight, without it being considered a deviation from the mandatory Jerusalem location requirement? This optional analysis would not replace, modify, or challenge the requirement for a Jerusalem headquarters.

Yes. Respondents are encouraged to provide all information they believe is necessary to fulfill the statement of work specified in the RFP.

10. QUESTION: Should Respondents calculate the Annualized Monthly Service Fee (Exhibit E) based strictly on the period from January 16, 2026, through August 31, 2027, or round to full months for purposes of presenting a fixed monthly fee?

The Annualized Monthly Service Fee should focus primarily on the first performance period from January 16, 2026, through August 31, 2027.

11. QUESTION: The Solicitation allows supporting materials but limits page counts in certain Tabs.

May resumes, reference letters, and optional advisor profiles be included as attachments at the end of the Tab or at the end of the proposal (outside the page limit of Tabs 1–7), provided they are properly labeled?

Yes.

12. QUESTION: May Respondents submit an updated HSP for a second courtesy review if they already submitted an earlier version prior to the original deadline?

Yes – Please see the updated Calendar of Events for the deadline for the HSP courtesy review outlined in Addendum 1.

13. QUESTION: In section 3.3.2 of Exhibit B, the Respondent is referred to a web link regarding registration of a TIN, and the following is stated regrading foreign entities:

If you are a foreign entity or non-resident alien who does not have an EIN, SSN or ITIN, notify the state agency that will issue your payment. The agency will obtain a Comptroller-assigned

TIN for you based on the agency’s determination to acquire one.

https://fmx.cpa.texas.gov/fmx/payment/resources/svpr_all.php

Therefore, please acknowledge that you will be responsible for assigning the TIN to the foreign

Respondent entity.

Yes; upon contract award, the awarded vendor will be required to complete and submit the

14. QUESTION: Additionally, and as per the above regarding a foreign bidder, is Exhibit C - Identification of Bidder Preferences – relevant to this Solicitation?

As Exhibit C is part of the solicitation packet, the respondent will be required to submit the form regardless of whether the form is applicable with no boxes checked.

15. QUESTION: Please note that the deadline for the Respondent Submission of Response as far as handing in hard copies - is by the 4th of January. Due to the proximity to Christmas holidays and

New Year's Day, this may be problematic for air carriers to deliver by said deadline.

Please refer to the updated Calendar of Events on Addendum 1. The deadline for response submission is January 6, 2026. Please see Part C.1 Section 3.6 - Submission of Responses for detailed delivery instructions and addresses.

16. QUESTION: Is there any specific Texas national subsidy or incentive program aimed to boost a specific industry for years 2026 or 2027 that we should be focusing on?

No.

https://fmx.cpa.texas.gov/fmx/payment/resources/svpr_all.php

17. QUESTION: Once a proper lead is developed in Israel, will there be governmental body in Texas that will take over the handling of that lead up to it becoming a Qualified Prospect?

Yes. The State of Texas Israel Office will report to and work with the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office.

18. QUESTION: Exhibit E – Monthly Fee Schedule:

As this Exhibit refers to the Fee itself, and there is no room to specify forecasted

"Reimbursable(s)", where should the Reimbursables such as digital and social media costs, international travels, setting up conferences, and other expenses – be specified?

Please see Part A Section 2.13 - The Monthly Service Fee does not include Reimbursable(s).

Likewise, please see Part A Section 2.19 - All Reimbursable(s) must be pre-approved, in writing, by the OOG/EDT.

19. QUESTION: I came across a post about your plan to establish an office in Israel and would like to inquire about applying. Please let me know how I would go about applying for this role.

Please see Part C Section 3.5 - Response Format and Organization for instructions on how to submit a compliant response to this RFP. Also, please see Part C Section 3.6 - Submission of

Responses.

20. QUESTION: I reviewed the documents on the ESBD page but couldn’t find clear instructions on how to submit the completed proposal (upload method, email submission, or any required portal). Could you please clarify the exact submission process? Additionally, I’m currently located outside the United States (in Israel). Is there any issue or limitation with submitting the proposal from abroad?

Please see Part C Section 3.6 - Submission of Responses. Likewise, please note in Part C Section

3.6.3 -Electronic or soft copy submissions of responses will not be accepted in lieu of the signed original and hard copies as required in this section. Responses will not be accepted by email.

Please keep in mind the delivery time required to send in proposals from abroad. Please note all proposals must be received at the address listed in Part C Section 3.6.3. by the deadline listed in the updated Calendar of Events outlined in Addendum 1. (January 6, 2026 @ 2:00PM CST)

21. QUESTION: Could you kindly advise whether the selected contractor must be a Texas- or U.S.-based entity, or if an Israeli firm is eligible to serve as the contractor for these services?

22. QUESTION: Primary Responsibilities: Could you provide more information about the day-to-day duties and key objectives of the position?

Please refer to Part A Section 4 – Statement of Work – Service Requirements for the key objectives and deliverables. Respondents are encouraged to develop a custom approach to fulfilling the requirements set forth in the Statement of Work.

23. QUESTION: Required Qualifications: Are there specific skills, experience levels, or educational backgrounds you are prioritizing?

Please refer to Part A Section 4.16 - Contracted Account Staff of this solicitation for information related to contracted staff and our agency’s requirements.

24. QUESTION: Work Structure: Is this a full-time, part-time, or contract role?

Please refer to Part A Section 2.18 Qualified Prospects for the minimum requirements to qualify.

25. QUESTION: Work Structure: Will the work be based in Israel, Texas, or involve travel between both locations?

Please refer to Part A Section 4.18 Physical Offices – Contractor shall be located at, and provide day-to-day operations from, the Contractor’s office in Jerusalem.

26. QUESTION: Team Structure and Reporting Line: Who would the position report to, and how is the local team organized?

Position reports to the Program Manager for the International Business program in the Texas

Economic Development and Tourism Office.

27. QUESTION: Salary Range and Benefits: Are you able to share information about the expected compensation range and any associated benefits?

Please refer to Part C Section 3.5.9 – Compensation - The amounts stated in the Respondent’s

Cost Proposal shall be a firm fixed dollar amount for providing the Deliverables to fully-compensate the Contractor, and, if applicable, supporting subcontractors, for the costs of all

Deliverables and administrative expenses required to complete work under the Contract.

28. QUESTION: Application Process and Timeline: What are the next steps, and is there a timeline for selection and onboarding?

After receipt of response, the next step would include evaluation as outlined in Part A Section 7.

Upon award, the anticipated start date is January 16, 2026.

29. QUESTION: What is the best and acceptable way to submit the proposal package for a preliminary review before final submission, and is final submission only acceptable in person at Austin?

Please be advised there is no preliminary review of RFP responses.

30. QUESTION: If I submit today for preliminary review, may I change or replace my submission with an updated version before the deadline?

Please see Question 29 for answer regarding preliminary reviews. If respondent has submitted a response and incurred a change, the respondent may send an amended response to be received by the due date listed in Addendum 1, updated Calendar of Events.

31. QUESTION: We wanted to get some feedback on our draft of the RFP and would like to know who we can send it to for the courtesy review dated today in the application.

The courtesy review specified in the Calendar of Events pertains to Exhibit F – HSP forms exclusively. Please see questions 29 and 30 regarding preliminary reviews.

32. QUESTION: In the ad in the link, I only see your contact, which is why I reached out here. Where else may I find a source of information and contact?

Per Texas Government Code §2155.090(b), communication during an active RFP is strictly limited to the contact listed in the RFP. Any attempts to contact other sources will result in disqualification.

33. QUESTION: Total Project Budget: Has a maximum annual budget amount or defined budget range been allocated for the entire project (including the Monthly Service Fee and

Reimbursables), and cannot be exceeded?

The State of Texas does not typically disclose its budget in the solicitation because it may result in all vendors bidding to the agency’s identified budget rather than offering competitive pricing.

Please refer to Part C Section 3.5.9 – Compensation - The amounts stated in the Respondent’s

Cost Proposal shall be a firm fixed dollar amount for providing the Deliverables to fully-compensate the Contractor, and, if applicable, supporting subcontractors, for the costs of all

Deliverables and administrative expenses required to complete work under the Contract.

34. QUESTION: Performance Metrics (KPIs) and Priorities: These questions aim to focus the action plan (Tab 6).

- Official KPIs: Does the EDT have official performance metrics (KPIs) or defined quantitative targets (such as the number of FDI projects, investment volume, or number of jobs created) for the current contract? If so, please provide the relevant baseline data.

Please refer to Part A Section 4.3 Target Performance Measures for Service Requirements

- Priority Sectors: Are there specific sectors (such as energy, cyber, or biotechnology) that the

EDT prioritizes for promoting direct investments (FDI) from Israel in the years 2026-2027?

Please refer to Part A Section 3.2 - Overview of the State of Texas Israel Office and Purpose of

Procurement

- Past Performance Evaluation: Can the EDT share quantitative or qualitative data regarding the office's performance elsewhere in the world, so we can set realistic and ambitious targets in the action plan?

At this time, the Office of the Governor has no relative data to share.

35. QUESTION: Can you share the budget for the program?

The State of Texas does not typically disclose its budget in the solicitation because it may result in all vendors bidding to the agency’s identified budget rather than offering competitive pricing.

Please refer to Part C Section 3.5.9 – Compensation - The amounts stated in the Respondent’s

Cost Proposal shall be a firm fixed dollar amount for providing the Deliverables to fully-compensate the Contractor, and, if applicable, supporting subcontractors, for the costs of all

Deliverables and administrative expenses required to complete work under the Contract.

36. QUESTION: Should the Monthly Service Fee include the cost of renting the STIO Office Space and all associated costs?

Yes, please refer to Part A - 2.13. Monthly Service Fee.

37. QUESTION: STIO location physical office space – is a dedicated STIO office within a serviced office facility with access to conference rooms as needed sufficient to meet your requirements for STIO?

Please see Part A 4.18. Requirements Applicable to the STIO Location.

38. QUESTION: Does the Monthly Service Fee not include the cost of attending a trade show

(ticket price, travel, etc.)

To the extent Respondents propose attending trade shows as part of its fulfillment of the

Statement of Work, Respondents should account for such activities in its proposed fee schedule rather than as a reimbursable expense.

39. QUESTION: Part A Section 4.3 – “Generate a minimum of five (3) Qualified prospects per year.”

Is the minimum five or three?

Generate a minimum of three (3) Qualified prospects per year.

40. QUESTION: Export promotion services – will OOG/EDT provide these export contacts to STIO?

Yes

41. QUESTION: Our Israel-based Account Manager is from and has worked in Texas; however, as best practice, we would like to include a familiarisation visit to Texas to meet the OOG and EDT teams and visit key sites. Is this a reimbursable expense, or should any cost associated with this visit be included in the Monthly Service Fee?

Respondents may include a visit to become familiar with Texas, but should account for such an activity in its proposed fee schedule rather than as a reimbursable expense.

42. QUESTION: The Account Manager shall be solely assigned to the STIO account — can the

Account Manager also work on non-conflicting projects (e.g., side projects as an Energy &

Infrastructure Consultant), or should they be dedicated full-time to STIO?

No - Please see Part A Section 4.16. Contracted Account Staff

43. QUESTION: Our Account Manager is based in Israel and fluent in English and Hebrew. We plan to have the Account Manager supported by our Business Intelligence and Lead Generation teams based in Europe and the U.S., who will provide prospect lists (1,000+ companies) and qualify leads. The Account Manager would then nurture these leads on the ground in Israel to ensure delivery of qualified prospects. Is this acceptable given Part A 4.16 states STIO Personnel must include key account team members who work from the Israel office, unless otherwise agreed to by EDT?

Respondents are encouraged to provide the most efficient and effective approach to satisfying the statement of work set forth in the RFP. The Respondent should clearly and specifically identify any authorizations it would seek in order to deviate from the statement of work set forth in the RFP.

44. QUESTION: How and to whom to submit the proposal to? Is it electronic or physical?

Please see Part C Section 3.6.3 for instructions pertaining to submission.