STATE OF TEXAS

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

CONSTITUENT COMMUNICATIONS

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

for

CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

Solicitation No. 301-26-03277

NIGP CLASS ITEMS

208-32 208-20 208-21 209-49

Response Date and Due Time: January 20, 2026 no later than 2:00 pm CT

Point of Contact

Jeffrey Duhon, CTCD, CTCM

CTCD/CTCM No. 1900017129

Procurement and Contracts Manager

Office of the Governor of Texas

Financial Services Division

P.O. Box 12428

Austin, TX 78711-2878

512-936-9503 jeffrey.duhon@gov.texas.gov

PART A: SPECIFIC TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Solicitation No. 301-26-03277 - Part A

1. STRUCTURE OF SOLICITATION

This Solicitation is composed of three parts:

Part A: Specific Terms and Conditions, including exhibits and other attachments and appendices, if any;

Part B: Standard Terms and Conditions; and

Part C: Provisions Governing the Solicitation Process.

Resolution of Conflicting Provisions. In the event an instruction or term in Part A conflicts with an instruction or term in Part B or Part C, the instruction or term in Part A prevails. Any addenda or amendment to Part A, Part B, or Part C control over their original versions, respectively.

2. GLOSSARY OF TERMS

In addition to the terms defined in Section 1 of Part B of this Solicitation, this Glossary assigns definitions to the listed terms. The definition given to a term listed in this Glossary or the

Glossary set forth in Section 1 of Part B of the Solicitation applies whenever the term appears in any Part of or Exhibit to this Solicitation and in any response to this Solicitation.

Constituent Communications Division (“CCOM”)

The division within the Office of the Governor responsible for receiving, recording, responding to, and retaining, letters, phone calls, faxes, webmails, and other physical and digital means of communication directed to the governor and the Office of the Governor.

Customer Relationship Management System (“CRM”)

Constituent service and support system utilized to document, assign, route, track, report on, and resolve issues and concerns raised by constituents pursuant to the requirements of the Texas

Government Code, Chapter 2114, “Customer Service” (Compact with Texans), as well as serve as a tool to respond to requests for information from the legislature and under Chapter 552, Texas

Government Code.

3. GENERAL INFORMATION

Purpose of Procurement.

The Office of the Governor seeks written proposals from qualified Respondents in accordance with the specifications and deliverables contained in this RFP for access to a CRM. The CRM will primarily be used by CCOM to receive, record, respond to, and retain letters, phone calls, faxes, webmails, and other means of communication directed to the Office from the public.

Procurement Authority

The Solicitation and contract are authorized by Texas Government Code, Title 10, Subtitle D (the

“Purchasing Act”). The solicitation and contract are subject to all applicable requirements of the

Purchasing Act, in particular Chapters 2151 (General Provisions), 2155 (Purchasing: General

Rules and Procedures); and 2157 (Purchasing: Purchase of Automated Information Systems) of the Texas Government Code; those requirements established by rule of the CPA, Statewide

Procurement Division, as contained in Title 34, Texas Administrative Code, Chapter 20; and to other applicable Federal and State statutes and rules herein cited.

Term of Contract

3.3.1. Primary Term

The primary term of any Contract awarded as the result of this Solicitation shall commence on March 1, 2026 (“Effective Date”), and shall terminate on

August 31, 2028, unless terminated earlier pursuant to the terms of the Contract. The primary term plus any renewal terms or extensions, if any, shall constitute the “Contract

Term.”

3.3.2. Renewal Term

The OOG shall have the right to renew the term of the Contract for up to two additional twelve month periods through August 31, 2030 with consideration to Contractor performance. The OOG shall provide the Contractor with written notice of its intention to renew the term of the Contract in writing at least thirty days prior to the Contract termination date.

3.3.3. Optional Extension

Upon the exhaustion of any and all renewal terms, the OOG may, in its sole discretion, extend the term of the Contract in any increment of months for up to six months if the

OOG determines that an extension is necessary to facilitate a transition to a new vendor.

The OOG shall provide the Contractor with written notice of its intention to extend the term of the Contract in writing at least thirty days prior to the Contract termination date.

Any compensation to the Contractor for this extension period would be based upon negotiated rates between the OOG and the Contractor and/or the reimbursement for actual expenses.

Office of the Governor’s Point of Contact Information. The mailing address of the

OOG for all notices is:

Jeffrey Duhon, CTCD, CTCM

CTCD/CTCM No. 1900017129

Procurement and Contracts Manager

Office of the Governor of Texas

Financial Services Division

P.O. Box 12428

Austin, TX 78711-2878

512-936-9503 jeffrey.duhon@gov.texas.gov

Captions and Headings

The captions to the sections of this Solicitation are for convenience only and shall not affect the construction or interpretation of the Solicitation’s substantive terms.

4. STATEMENT OF WORK – SERVICE REQUIREMENTS

Deliverables

Deliverables shall include the requirements contained in Attachment A to Part A of this

Solicitation. Deliverables set forth that contain the word “must” and “shall” are mandatory and must be provided as specified with no alteration, modification, or exception. Deliverables set forth that contain the word “may” allows Respondents to offer alternatives to the way the Deliverables are provided.

Contractor’s Relationship to the OOG

The OOG is a part of the executive branch of Texas state government, and does not relinquish control over decisions related to the Deliverables specified in Part A of this Solicitation to the

Contractor. Rather, the Contractor shall provide all Deliverables under the Contract with the

OOG’s prior approval.

Contracted Account Staff

The Contractor shall dedicate qualified professional staff who have demonstrated experience in providing the Deliverables necessary for the completion of Contract requirements. The Contractor must dedicate an Account Manager to oversee all activities of the Contract including, but not limited to, the management, accounting for the entire Contract, billing and reporting. The Account

Manager will be the OOG’s primary day-to-day contact. The OOG reserves the right to approve and accept key professional staff, including the Account Manager. The Contractor must notify the

OOG in writing if key professional staff cannot continue on the account, and the OOG must approve replacement personnel.

End of Contract Transition

Upon any termination of the Contract, beginning at a time determined solely by the OOG, the

OOG may require the Contractor to provide all necessary work products to ensure account transition, account familiarization, and transfer of work to any new vendor of the OOG. The OOG may, in its sole discretion, maintain concurrent contracts for a limited period in order to facilitate this transition.

5. FINANCIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Maximum Contract Amount

The OOG’s maximum liability to the Contractor, in consideration for the full, satisfactory and timely performance of all its duties, responsibilities and obligations as set forth in the Contract or arising out of any performance as the result of this Solicitation, shall not exceed (amount to be determined at time of Contract award) (“Maximum Contract Amount”) for the initial Performance

Period beginning Effective Date. The Contractor will not be compensated for Deliverables provided before the Effective Date of the Contract. The Contractor shall have no entitlement to payment of the Maximum Contract Amount.

6. TIMELINE FOR SOLICITATION

Calendar of Events

Time is of the essence in the providing the Deliverables required by the Contract. The OOG may require the Contractor to provide Deliverables according to a date-sensitive schedule.

The OOG reserves the right to revise any of the time periods listed below and will post all changes by published Addendum on the ESBD at http://www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd.

Event Date

Solicitation Posting Date December 16, 2025

Deadline for Respondent Submission of Solicitation

Questions

January 05, 2025

The OOG’s Response to Questions Posted on the ESBD January 07, 2025

Deadline for Respondent HSP Courtesy Review Request January 12, 2026

OOG Provides HSP Courtesy Review January 14, 2026

Deadline for Respondent Submission of Response January 20, 2026

Anticipated Start Date March 01, 2026

7. EVALUATION SCORING CRITERIA

Weighted Evaluation Scoring Criteria. The OOG will evaluate Responses using the following weighted scoring criteria, subject to overall best value considerations as authorized by law. The evaluation process and criteria are further described in-depth in

Part C of the Solicitation.

http://www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd

Criteria Weight

Phase I

Company Information and Financial Responsibility 5%

Experience, Qualifications, and References 10%

Response Content and Responsiveness 10%

Proposed Solution 30%

Compensation Sought 45%

Total 100%

Phase II

Strategy and Planning 50%

Creative Presentation 30%

Oral Presentation 20%

Phase III

BAFO 100%

Detailed Evaluation Criteria. The OOG will use the following standards:

7.2.1. Company Information and Financial Responsibility. The OOG will review company information and Financial Responsibility, as provided in Tab 3 of the

Response, including a review of the Respondent’s demonstrated financial capacity to provide the Deliverables described in Part A of this Solicitation.

7.2.2. Experience, Qualifications and References. The OOG will review the qualifications, experience and resources of each Respondent, and each

Respondent’s past experience in servicing accounts of similar type and scope as required by the OOG, as provided in Tabs 4, 5, and 6 of the Response. This evaluation may include, but is not limited to, demonstrated success in providing similar Deliverables, provided work samples, proposed account personnel, past performance, and each Respondent’s resources and capability to provide the

Deliverables.

7.2.3. Response Content and Responsiveness. The OOG will review the quality and responsiveness to the specifications set forth in the Solicitation. The OOG will examine the comprehensiveness of the Response, including, but not limited to, the extent to which the Response addresses the specifications in the Solicitation, the incorporation of non-negotiable elements, and the feasibility of the Respondent’s response. The OOG will select a Contractor that demonstrates knowledge and experience and compatibility with the goals and objectives of the OOG.

7.2.4. Proposed Solution. The OOG will review the Respondent’s Proposed Solution.

This evaluation may include, but is not limited to, the quality of the Proposed

Solution, as provided in Tab 7, incorporation of non-negotiable elements, the effectiveness of the Proposed Solution, in meeting the Service Requirements specified in Part A of this Solicitation and the financial and time feasibility of the

Proposed Solution.

7.2.5. Compensation. The OOG will review the Cost Proposal from the Respondent.

This evaluation will include consideration of all work and costs to be included in the amount sought. The OOG will more favorably consider those Responses that offer best value to the State of Texas for the compensation sought.

7.2.6. Strategy and Planning. The oral presentations of Responses will be evaluated based on their Proposed Solution. Best value evaluation criteria may include, but is not limited to, the quality of the Proposed Solution, incorporation of non-negotiable elements, the effectiveness of the Proposed Solution in meeting the specified objectives outlined under Statement of Work – Service Requirements of

Part A of this Solicitation and the financial and time feasibility of the Proposed

Solution.

7.2.7. Creative Presentation. The oral presentations of Responses will be evaluated based on their Proposed Solution. Evaluation criteria may include, but are not limited to, creative ability and effectiveness, communication strategy, and demonstrated ability to provide new and creative approaches to promoting Texas as a premier travel destination.

7.2.8. Oral Presentation. The oral presentation will be evaluated to further assess the

Respondents’ qualifications and to provide Respondents with the opportunity to present their Proposed Solution, with an emphasis on strategy and approach, to the evaluation committee. Respondents will demonstrate the Deliverables they can provide, and the evaluation committee will assess each Respondent’s capabilities on the basis of creativity and expertise. Evaluation criteria may include, but are not limited to, the ability of the proposed account team to effectively and clearly describe the Proposed Solution, the quality of the Proposed Solution, creative ability, presentation quality, and responsiveness.

8. HUB SUBCONTRACTING

In addition to the information pertaining to HUBs in Part C of this Solicitation, the

OOG has identified potential subcontracting opportunities under this Solicitation:

CLASS 208: COMPUTER SOFTWARE FOR MICROCOMPUTERS, SYSTEMS,

INCLUDING CLOUD-BASED

208-32: Customer Relationship Management Software (CRM), Microcomputer

208-20: Business Software, Misc.: Agenda, Labels, Mail List, Planning, Scheduling, etc., Microcomputer

208-21: Business Intelligence Software, Microcomputer

CLASS 209: COMPUTER SOFTWARE FOR MAINFRAMES AND SERVERS

209-49: Geographic Information System (GIS) Software, Mainframes and Servers

Attachment A

Statement of Work

The OOG receives hundreds of thousands of communications each year through letters, email, web submissions, telephone, voicemail, social media, and ceremonial requests. CCOM serves as the Governor’s Office primary engagement point for these communications. CCOM ensures that every person who contacts the Governor’s Office is heard, acknowledged, and connected with the appropriate information or assistance. As Texas has grown, so have the expectations. The technological systems used by CCOM must support not only recordkeeping, but full, modern, enterprise-grade constituent engagement. The CRM update project described in this Statement of

Work is designed to deliver a platform that meets those expectations.

Background

From 2002 to 2022, the Governor’s Office used the Constituent Tracking System (“CTS”), a proprietary system well-suited to record storage, but limited in workflow, integration, analytics, and customer service functionality. In 2022, CCOM transitioned to a modern Constituent

Relationship Management (“CRM”) software package designed specifically for government officials, agencies, and staff to manage and improve external communication with constituents.

The OOG’s current CRM, offered and supported by Indigov/Granicus, handles constituent inquiries, track communications across various channels, and responds to constituent needs more efficiently than CTS, ultimately improving engagement for the OOG. The OOG’s current CRM features a universal inbox, rapid email response tools, case management, and tools for creating targeted outreach campaigns.

In peak periods, CCOM processes more inbound constituent communications than many private-sector customer service operations, with extraordinary volumes of contacts:

• 250,000–300,000 contacts per year in non-session years;

• 400,000+ contacts per year during legislative sessions; and

• 5,000–10,000 contacts per week during issue surges.

Despite these volumes, CCOM achieves excellent customer service with a staff of fewer than twenty employees, including a Director and deputy director, editor and production assistant, three writers/editors for content creation, two correspondence analysts for assigning and directing workflow, two communication specialists who focus on referrals and typical responses, five customer service agents who answer phone calls and data entry, and one parttime data entry clerk.

The OOG also maintains an extensive database of 725,000 subscribers through GovDelivery.com, a digital communications platform, owned by Granicus that is used exclusively to send outbound communications, updates and information to the public via email and text message. The OOG

GovDelivery.com account contains over 100 individual lists of subscribers to certain topic areas of interest including 177,540 subscribers to news items, 155,000 to disabilities related issues, and

110,000 to proclamations. This information is currently being stored and maintained outside the

CCOM CRM system.

To meet ever-increasing demands—and to elevate constituent service from a passive recordkeeping model to an active engagement model—OOG requires a robust CRM system capable of high-volume intake, intelligent routing, collaborative drafting, fast search, integrated telephony, data analytics, and professional ceremonial document production.

Mission and Purpose

Constituent Communication’s mission is to receive, understand, and engage the constituents with respect, accuracy, and timeliness. CCOM strives to turn general correspondence and constituent inquiries into meaningful engagement, supporting constituents while informing policy, communications, and statewide priorities.

To fulfill this mission, CCOM must operate with the same level of technical capability as modern customer-service organizations. An updated CRM system will allow the division to significantly enhance response quality, reduce turnaround times, identify emerging issues, and strengthen the connection between Texans and their government.

This project is not simply an IT upgrade—it is a strategic initiative to modernize public service delivery at the highest level of state government.

Project Objectives

The CRM project will deliver a platform that:

1) Supports the Full Communications Lifecycle, Including intake, processing, drafting, approval, routing, and archiving across all communication channels—mail, email, phones, voicemail, web, and social.

2) Enables High-Quality Written Content

With advanced drafting tools, editorial workflows, tracked changes, content governance, and integrated ceremonial document creation.

3) Integrates Fully with Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) Telephony

Providing screen pops, call logging, call recording, warm transfers, voicemail transcription, and follow-up routing.

4) Supports Efficient Workflow and Assignment Management

Via the Assignment Desk (“A-Desk”) enabling routing for input, review, and information-only assignments with aging reports, escalations, and full audit logs.

5) Provides Fast, Enterprise-Grade Search

Allowing staff to find any record, attachment, or data point in seconds.

6) Strengthens Reporting and Analytics

Supporting Public Information Request (PIR) reporting, issue tracking, GIS mapping, and emerging-issue analysis.

7) Migrates or Processes All Historical and Current Data

Including:

• Legacy CTS data (2002–2022)

• Current CRM data (2022–present)

• Attachments, letters, faxes, emails, and call logs

8) Meets State-Level Governance and Security Requirements

Including audit logs, role-based access, uptime service level agreements, and after-hours support for outages.

Project Scope

The Scope of Work spans across seven domains:

1. Communication and Multichannel Engagement

2. Content Creation, Editorial Workflow, and Approval

3. Processing, Logging, and Operational Workflow

4. Search, Retrieval, and Data Intelligence

5. Tracking, Reporting, and Analytics

6. Integration, Migration, and Interoperability

7. Governance, Security, Reliability, and Support

Each domain includes specific performance requirements, workflow expectations, and deliverables.

Implementation Approach

The Contractor will deliver the system through nine structured phases:

1. Project Initiation

2. Requirements Validation

3. System Configuration

4. Integration Development

5. Data Migration

6. Testing

7. Training

8. Go-Live

9. Closeout and Transition to Operations

Weekly status reports, monthly executive summaries, and regular Steering Committee reviews will ensure transparency and accountability.

Deliverables and Acceptance

Section 4 of the Statement of Work describes all deliverables, including:

• Project Plans

• System Design Documents

• Data Mapping and Migration Rehearsal

• Configured CRM environments

• Integrations

• Test Plans and Results

• Training Programs

• Go-Live Plans

• Stabilization Reports

• Monthly support logs

Section 5 defines clear, measurable acceptance criteria to ensure the CRM meets the functional, performance, security, and compliance requirements of the Office of the Governor.

Outcome and Impact

Upon completion, the CRM will:

• Improve constituent engagement quality

• Decrease response times

• Enhance consistency and clarity of written responses

• Modernize call-taking and call-tracking functions

• Improve data analytics and issue monitoring

• Streamline internal workflows

• Increase transparency and audit readiness

• Improve PIR responsiveness

• Compliance with records retention schedule

• Strengthen inter-division collaboration

• Support executive decision-making

Ultimately, the new CRM will empower CCOM to carry out its mission with excellence, ensure every constituent’s voice is valued, and support the Governor’s vision for effective, responsive state government.

1.0 SUMMARY OF SERVICES REQUIRED

The modernization initiative described in this SOW requires a platform solution that enhances the functionality, workflow, integration, data intelligence, and enterprise capability of OOG’s current

CRM. The new CRM must support:

• A full multichannel engagement model

• Data-driven constituent service

• Robust writing and editorial workflows

• In-system ceremonial document generation

• Phone system (DIR) integration

• Internal routing (“A-Desk”)

• PIR-compliant reporting

• Compliance with records retention schedule

• Analytics and issue-tracking

• Enterprise search

• Workflow automation

• Role-based governance

• High-volume performance

• Integration with other internal digital communications platforms

• Migration of all historical data

To ensure continuity, the new CRM must support complete migration of both:

1. Legacy CTS data (2002–2022) contained in the OOG’s current CRM; and

2. The data contained within the OOG’s current CRM, provided by Indigov/Granicus (2022– present)

Both datasets must be imported into the new system with zero data loss.

This Statement of Work establishes:

• System requirements (Section 2.0)

• Project management expectations (Section 3.0)

• Deliverables and timelines (Section 4.0)

• Acceptance criteria (Section 5.0)

• Responsibilities (Section 6.0)

• Appendices and supporting artifacts (Section 7.0)

This SOW integrates staff research and operational needs identified in CRM Research Background and CCOM Staff Requirements (“New Database Must”) internal survey documents.

1.1 CCOM’S MISSION

CCOM serves as the primary bridge between constituents and the Office of the Governor. CCOM’s mission is to receive, understand, and engage constituents with accuracy, respect, timeliness, and integrity. CCOM ensures that every constituent—regardless of issue, concern, or perspective—is heard, acknowledged, and connected with the appropriate information or assistance.

CCOM supports the Governor’s commitment to public service by providing a responsive, data-informed, and compassionate point of contact for constituents. CCOM strives to transform contacts with constituents into meaningful engagement, elevating constituent service beyond simple recordkeeping to a model of respectful, personalized, and proactive communication. Through this work, CCOM seeks to build public trust and confidence in state government.

CCOM manages incoming communication to the Governor’s Office addressed or directed to the

Governor—mail, email, web submissions, phone calls, voicemail, ceremonial requests, and social media inputs—organizing, analyzing, and distributing information across the agency to support constituent satisfaction, daily operations, and executive decision-making.

In addition, CCOM produces ceremonial documents on behalf of the Governor, facilitates referrals to state agencies, and ensures compliance with Public Information Requests (“PIR”) and the certified Records Retention Schedule (RRS) approved by the Texas State Library and Archives

Commission (TSLAC). The work of the division is both operational and strategic: it meets the daily needs of constituents while also providing insights that support policy, communications, and statewide priorities. In total, CCOM upholds the dignity of the Office of the Governor and serves the people of Texas with excellence, precision, and integrity.

2.0 SCOPE OF WORK (MASTER SCOPE OF WORK)

The Contractor shall provide all software, implementation services, data migration, configuration, documentation, training, hosting, governance capabilities, and ongoing support necessary to deliver a fully operational CRM platform for CCOM.

The CRM must support the following core functional domains:

1. Communication & Multichannel Engagement

2. Content Creation, Editorial Workflow, and Approval

3. Processing, Logging, and Operational Workflow

4. Search, Retrieval, and Data Intelligence

5. Tracking, Reporting, and Analytics

6. Integration, Migration, and Interoperability

7. Governance, Security, Reliability, and Support

This SOW integrates staff research and operational needs identified in CRM Research Background and CCOM Staff Requirements (“New Database Must”) internal survey documents.

2.1 COMMUNICATION & MULTICHANNEL ENGAGEMENT

The CRM must allow the Office of the Governor to receive, manage, respond to, and track constituent communications across all channels in a unified platform.

2.1.1 Supported Communication Channels

The CRM must support intake, processing, and linking of communications across:

• Hard copy mail

• Scanned mail (including OCR)

• Postcards (with batch scanning and data extraction)

• Fax

• Email

• Phone calls (DIR telephony integration)

• Voicemail (with auto-transcription)

• Webmail (website contact portal)

• Social media (Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter))

• Create heat map to display dispersion of issue saliency and geographic intensity

• Bulk form-letter campaigns

All communications, regardless of channel, must automatically attach to the constituent’s unified communication history.

2.1.2 Outbound Communication Features

The CRM must support:

• Individualized email distribution

• Physical mail merge (letters, envelopes, labels)

• Drag-and-drop composition tools

• Targeted distribution lists including lists maintain on other internal digital communication platforms

• Demographic, geographic, or issue-based segmentation

• Automated responses to mass form-letter campaigns

• In-system template selection

• Social media response support (platform policies permitting)

• Attachment of all sent communications to the constituent record

The CRM must prevent outbound communications from being sent without required approvals when applicable.

2.1.3 Engagement Model Requirements (Strategic)

The CRM must support OOG’s movement from a recordkeeping model to a data-informed engagement model, consistent with the office’s documented goals:

• Enabling immediate and informed responses

• Providing staff with robust constituent information for personalization

• Reducing response times

• Enhancing constituent satisfaction

• Supporting proactive identification of constituent needs

• Integrating public datasets (TRS, TEA, license records, etc., where permissible)

The CRM must allow CCOM staff to match the level of data access and customer-service functionality commonly found in private-sector customer engagement platforms.

2.1.4 Phone Operations & Telephony Integration (CTI)

The CRM must fully integrate with the Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) telephony system to support CCOM customer service agents.

2.1.4.1 Telephony Integration Requirements

The CRM must:

• Integrate seamlessly with DIR phone infrastructure

• Display screen pops within 1 second of incoming call

• Match caller ID to constituent profiles

• Automatically log all incoming and outgoing calls

• Capture voicemail with automated transcription

• Support call recording (where authorized)

• Support creation and importation of custom greetings and queue messages

• Support creation and importation of custom out-of-office and office holiday messages

• Enable warm and cold transfers

• Support three-way calling

• Create follow-up tasks or assignments directly from the call log

2.1.4.2 Call Documentation Requirements

• Attach call summaries automatically

• Support structured and unstructured call notes

• Tag calls by category, keywords, issue area

• Textually analyze and tag voicemail transcripts by category, keywords, issue area

• Automatically detect threatening-language or security concerns in voicemail transcripts

• Link calls to routing assignments or workflow tasks

• Allow playback of authorized recordings

• Attach call-related files (recordings, PDFs, documents)

2.1.4.3 Workflow Integration for Calls

• A-Desk assignment creation from a call

• Escalation to supervisors or advisors

• Call follow-up tracking

• Call aging reports

• Integration into analytics dashboards

2.1.4.4 Telephony Performance Requirements

• Screen pop: <1 second

• Keystroke latency during calls: <250ms

• Call log searches: <2 seconds

2.2 CONTENT CREATION, EDITORIAL WORKFLOW, AND APPROVAL PROCESS

The CRM must support the full lifecycle of content development, including drafting, editing, reviewing, approving, and releasing official correspondence.

2.2.1 Drafting and Writing Tools

The CRM must include:

• A modern, accessible writing interface in a suitable screen size

• Auto-save and draft recovery

• Full spellcheck and grammar suggestions

• Predictive text for frequently used terms

• Quick-insert boilerplate components

• Style consistency tools

• Language archives

• Adjustable font size and visual accessibility features

• Full integration with Microsoft Word

2.2.2 AI-Assisted Drafting

The CRM should include optional AI-assisted drafting tools that:

• Generate first-pass draft language

• Require human review and approval

• Identify and track the origin of incoming AI-generated text

• Provide source list to validate reliability of content

• May be disabled or restricted by administrators

• Cannot automatically send communications

2.2.3 Editorial Collaboration

The CRM shall support:

• Multi-user collaborative drafting

• Track changes

• Inline comments

• Threaded discussions

• Side-by-side version comparison

• Courtesy-copy visibility

• Version-specific comment threads

• Multi-window and multi-monitor operation

2.2.4 Template & Form-Letter Management

• Store a centralized library of approved templates, typical responses, and state agency referrals

• Support multiple variations per issue (tone, region, audience)

• Provide merge fields for personalization

• Maintain version control for templates

• Prevent unauthorized editing

• Allow administrative creation/editing of templates

2.2.5 Approval and Clearance Workflow

The CRM must support configurable, role-based approval routing, including:

• Writer → Editor → Proofreader → Advisor → Legal → Director → Final Approval

• Assignable tasks with deadlines

• Overdue reminders and aging reports for process manager

• Return-with-comments workflow

• Visual status indicators (“Drafting,” “Awaiting Advisory,” “Awaiting Legal,” etc.)

• Final approval lock preventing unapproved edits

2.2.6 High-Volume and Batch Processing

• Receive and OCR high volume scanned digital data

• Detect identical postcards or form-letter campaigns

• Extract data from identical postcard or form-letter via OCR

• Generate batch responses

• Support individualized mass email or print output

• Group communications by geography or demographic segment

• Create heat map to display dispersion of issue saliency

• Maintain consistency across high-volume responses

2.2.7 Content Governance and Quality Control

• Log and maintain metadata for all drafts (such as creator, timestamps, changes)

• Store audit logs for all content changes

• Support required style guidelines

• Prevent modification of approved language

• Allow editors to approve, revise, or retire templates

• Maintain historical archives of templates and language

2.2.8 Ceremonial Documents and Certificate Generation

The CRM must support full in-system creation, approval, and production of ceremonial and certificate documents, including but not limited to:

• Admiral Commissions

• Honorary Texan certificates

• Yellow Rose of Texas certificates

• Honored Guest certificates

• Ceremonial proclamations

• Greeting letters

• C-Forms and certificate-based outputs

• Other ceremonial items produced on behalf of the governor

2.2.8 Requirements

• Generate ceremonial documents within the system (not externally in Word)

• Support custom page sizes, margins, fonts, layout, seals, and signatures

• Allow administrative creation and editing of ceremonial templates

• Support high-resolution color PDF outputs

• Maintain ceremonial document history and audit logs

• Support batch generation for groups or recurring events

• Attach generated certificates to constituent records

2.3 PROCESSING, LOGGING, AND OPERATIONAL WORKFLOW

The CRM must support efficient intake, processing, routing, and completion of constituent-related work across all divisions of the Office of the Governor. All workflows must be configurable by

OOG administrators without vendor intervention where indicated.

2.3.1 Intelligent Intake

The CRM must support manual and automated intake for all inbound communications.

Functionality must include:

• OCR scanning for mail, postcards, and faxes

• Automatic tagging and categorization suggestions for coding

• Suggested assignments or routing options

• USPS address verification

• Threatening-language detection

• Ability to store multiple addresses, phone numbers, and emails

• Ability to customize fields and dropdowns without vendor assistance

• Conversion of scanned documents into searchable text (OCR)

The system must have a failsafe mechanism and not allow the automatic creation of duplicate constituent records.

2.3.2 Internal Document Routing (“A-Desk”) and Assignment Management

The CRM must include a robust internal routing system — known within OOG as the A-Desk — for assigning, circulating, tracking, and auditing correspondence or issues across internal divisions.

2.3.2.1 Assignment Types

The CRM must support at least two assignment types:

(1) Response Required

Assignment to staff or divisions for:

• Advisory input

• Drafting

• Fact-checking

• Policy review

• Data verification

• Division-specific expertise

(2) Notification Only (Courtesy Copy)

Routing for awareness or visibility without requiring action.

Assignments must support:

• Routing to individuals, teams, or divisions

• Multiple simultaneous assignees

• Sequential or parallel workflows

• Attachments, comments, and deadlines

2.3.2.2 Assignment Workflow Requirements

• Status tracking (Assigned, In Review, Completed)

• Reassignment and escalation

• Deadline assignment and overdue indicators

• Integration with editorial workflows

• Integration with telephony and call follow-ups

• Prevention of duplicate assignments

• Full assignment history log

Metadata must include:

• Assigned by

• Assigned to

• Date/time assigned

• Due date

• Status

• Comments

• Attachments

• Division(s) involved

2.3.2.3 Assignment Aging Reports and Accountability

The CRM must generate automated assignment aging reports with the following buckets:

• Pending 5 business days

• Due 10 business days

• Overdue 15 business days

• Delinquent 20 business days

Additional requirements:

• Supervisor-level escalation emails

• Daily or weekly automated distribution of aging reports

• Dashboards showing assignment status (pending, due, overdue, delinquent)

• Ability to sort assignments by staff, division, category, or timeframe

• Ability to export aging reports to Excel or PDF

2.3.2.4 Assignment Search and Retrieval

The CRM must allow staff to search assignments by:

• Staff member

• Division or team

• Issue or keyword

• Status (Assigned, In Review, Completed)

• Date range

• Priority

• Category

Search results must appear in under 2 seconds.

2.3.2.5 Cross-Domain Integration

The assignment system must integrate seamlessly with:

• Content creation workflows

• Approval workflows

• Telephony/call logs

• Ceremonial document workflows

• PIR reporting

• Compliance with Records Retention Schedule (RRS)

• Analytics dashboards

Assignments must appear in the constituent’s unified communication history and in their profile.

2.3.2.6 Performance Requirements

The CRM must meet the following performance standards:

• Assignment creation: <1 second

• Assignment search: <2 seconds

• Aging report generation: <3 seconds

2.3.2 Workflow Management (Non–A-Desk Tasks)

The CRM must support operational workflows beyond A-Desk, including:

• Courtesy copies

• Drafting status tracking

• Approval milestone tracking

• Internal comments with timestamps

• Multi-monitor and multi-window functionality

• Duplicate prevention during manual entry

• Linking related records (e.g., referrals, follow-ups)

The system must maintain complete audit logs for all workflow transitions.

2.3.3 OUTBOX — Outgoing Correspondence Management

The CRM must include a dedicated OUTBOX that provides unified visibility into all outgoing correspondence generated by CCOM or other divisions through the CRM. The OUTBOX must function as a counterpart to the INBOX and should provide a centralized location to review, track, and manage all items sent from the Office of the Governor to constituents, state agencies, federal agencies, and other stakeholders.

2.3.3.1 Outgoing Correspondence Types

The OUTBOX must display and track, at minimum, all of the following:

• Outgoing letters (email or print)

• Responses to constituent inquiries

• Referrals to state agencies or elected officials

• Ceremonial documents (certificates, commissions, proclamations, letters)

• Communications completed through A-Desk assignments

• Call follow-up summaries

• Batch or mass responses

• High-volume campaign responses

2.3.3.2 Functional Requirements

The OUTBOX must:

• Display all outgoing items in real time

• Allow filtering by date, staff member, division, issue, status, and type

• Support quick search across all outgoing communications

• Link each outgoing item to the originating constituent record

• Display workflow metadata (created by, approved by, sent by, date/time)

• Show method of delivery (email, print, referral, ceremonial, etc.)

• Support bulk exports (PDF, CSV, Excel)

• Provide a complete audit trail for compliance and PIRs and RRS

2.3.3.3 Follow-Up and Aging

The OUTBOX must also:

• Show items requiring follow-up

• Track pending agency referral responses

• Display overdue follow-up items with color-coded indicators

• Allow supervisors to monitor outgoing activity per staff member

2.3.3.4 Performance Requirements

• OUTBOX search results must return in <2 seconds

• OUTBOX lists must load in <3 seconds

• Exports must generate in <5 seconds, depending on size

2.4 SEARCH, RETRIEVAL, AND DATA INTELLIGENCE

The CRM must support powerful, fast, accurate enterprise search across all data fields, including attachments and all data imported or previously migrated from legacy data .

2.4.1 Search Performance Requirements

Search results must:

• Return within 2 seconds under expected load

• Support multiple concurrent search windows

• Allow sorting by date, relevance, category, or geographic filter

2.4.2 Search Features

Search functionality must include:

• Full-text search across all fields

• Boolean operators (AND/OR/NOT)

• Fuzzy matching (to allow for disinformation or misspellings)

• Suggested searches

• Exclusion filters

• OCR search within attachments

2.4.3 Saved Searches and Shared Filters

• Allow users to save personal search filters

• Allow administrators to create shared filters

• Support exporting search results into reports

2.5 TRACKING, REPORTING, AND ANALYTICS

The CRM must support actionable analytics, detailed tracking, and robust reporting.

2.5.1 Tracking Requirements

The CRM must track:

• Referrals to agencies and elected officials

• Identify overdue responses

• Repeat correspondents

• Constituent communication history

• Issue clusters and trends

• GIS-based geographic patterns

2.5.2 Reporting Requirements

• PIR-compliant reporting

• RRS compliance

• Ad hoc reporting

• Configurable dashboards

• Data exports in multiple formats

• Filtering of confidential fields

• Metadata showing who generated the report and when

• Full report audit logs

The system must generate visual and exportable reports detailing:

• Weekly workloads

• Weekly contact summaries

• Monthly contact summaries

• Yearly contact summaries

• Comparison to previous periods

• Create an aging report to manage performance

• Issue distribution reports

• Assignment logs

• Telephony performance metrics

• Writing output summaries

2.5.3 Analytics Requirements

• Build comprehensive constituent profiles

• Group constituents by demographic, geographic, or issue-based dimensions

• Detect trends, surges, and emerging issues

• Provide general and heat mapping through GIS integration

• Provide dashboards for leadership

Analytics must update in near real-time.

2.6 INTEGRATION, MIGRATION, AND INTEROPERABILITY

The Contractor must integrate the CRM with all systems necessary for full functionality and migrate all historical and current data into the new system.

2.6.1 Required Integrations

The CRM must integrate with:

• Indigov/Granicus (current CRM, 2022–present)

• Legacy CTS (historical data 2002–2022)

• Texas DIR telephony system

• Microsoft Office Suite

• Adobe Acrobat

• OOG website contact portal

• GovDelivery.com

• Social media platforms

• Texas Legislature Online

• USPS and other address/identity validation services

• GIS/mapping systems

• ARCHIE Records Retention Schedule (RRS) system

2.6.2 Migration Requirements

The Contractor must migrate:

• All Indigov/Granicus data (2022–present)

• All legacy CTS data (2002–2022)

• All attachments, including letters, PDFs, faxes, scans, emails, and call logs

Migration Standards:

• Zero data loss

• Full reconciliation

• Complete record preservation

• No duplicate inflation

2.6.3 Migration Rehearsal

The Contractor must perform:

• Trial migration

• Reconciliation report

• Error correction plan

• Approval from OOG data stewards

2.7 GOVERNANCE, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, AND SUPPORT

The CRM must meet enterprise-grade governance, security, uptime, and support requirements.

2.7.1 Governance Requirements

• Configurable role-based access

• Division-level customization authority

• Data steward tools for corrections and merges

• Administrative “impersonation” mode for troubleshooting

• Fully exportable audit logs

2.7.2 Reliability Requirements (Service Level Agreements)

The CRM must meet:

• 99.9% uptime

• Keystroke latency <250ms

• Search performance <2 seconds

• Support for high-volume peak periods

• Redundant backups and disaster recovery

2.7.3 Support Requirements

The vendor must provide:

Standard Support at least

• 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. CST, Monday–Friday

• Support on all non–State of Texas holidays

Texas State Holidays (Vendor Not Required)

• New Year’s Day

• MLK Day

• Presidents’ Day

• Memorial Day

• Juneteenth

• Independence Day

• Labor Day

• Veterans Day

• Thanksgiving Day

• Day After Thanksgiving

• Christmas Eve

• Christmas Day

• Day After Christmas

After-Hours Support (Required)

• For outages or critical issues

• Must include posted escalation procedures

• Must function on vendor holidays

Legislative Session Support

• After-hours and extended coverage during Regular and Special Sessions

3.0 PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION

The Contractor shall provide comprehensive project management services to ensure timely, accurate, and complete delivery of all CRM functionality described in Section 2.0. All project management activities must align with industry best practices, including standard PMI/PMBOK or similar methodologies, and shall be tailored to meet the operational needs of the Office of the

Governor (OOG).

The Project Manager (PM) shall serve as the OOG’s single point of contact for project oversight.

3.1 PROJECT GOVERNANCE

3.1.1 Contractor Project Manager

The Contractor shall assign a Project Manager who shall:

• Serve as the primary point of contact

• Manage Contractor staff and subcontractors

• Oversee all project phases, schedules, deliverables, and risks

• Coordinate communication with OOG

• Maintain action items, risk logs, and issues

• Facilitate timely delivery of all project artifacts

The Contractor PM must have:

• At least five (5) years demonstrated success in overseeing complex, end-to-end software deployments, specifically for enterprise-level CRM systems including experience in the full Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), including gathering, design, testing, deployment, and post-implementation support

• Direct, hands-on experience with major enterprise CRM platforms

• Management skills working with a diverse workforce

• Domain knowledge tailored to large-scale state or public sector environments

• Expertise in organizational change management (OCM) to ensure user adoption and smooth transition

• Authority to make resource and scheduling decisions

3.1.2 OOG Project Manager

OOG will assign a Project Manager who will:

• Serve as primary liaison with the Contractor PM

• Escalate issues to OOG leadership as needed

• Coordinate internal staff participation (CCOM, IT, Policy, Legal, Communications, etc.)

• Review and approve deliverables

• Communicate State decisions and direction

3.1.3 Project Steering Committee

The Contractor shall participate in a Project Steering Committee composed of OOG leadership and division stakeholders.

The Steering Committee shall:

• Provide executive oversight

• Review progress and milestones

• Approve major decisions

• Resolve escalated risks or issues

• Ensure alignment with agency strategy

The Steering Committee shall meet monthly, or more frequently at OOG’s request.

3.2 PROJECT PHASES

Unless otherwise modified with written approval from OOG, the Contractor shall deliver the project in the phases below.

3.2.1 Phase 1 — Project Initiation

The Contractor shall:

• Conduct a formal project kickoff

• Produce the initial project plan

• Deliver a communication plan

• Deliver a risk and issue management plan

• Identify key Contractor personnel

• Establish project repositories and documentation systems

Deliverables from this phase must be approved before Phase 2 begins.

3.2.2 Phase 2 — Requirements Validation and Discovery

• Review the SOW in full

• Conduct thorough discovery and workflow sessions with OOG

• Validate and refine all requirements

• Analyze Indigov/Granicus’ current configuration and any gaps

• Document use cases, business processes, and workflows

• Produce a Requirements Traceability Matrix (RTM)

• Identify any additional system dependencies

No requirement in Phase 2.0 may be removed or down-scoped.

3.2.3 Phase 3 — System Configuration

• Configure CRM modules according to approved designs

• Implement workflows, approval chains, routing rules, and A-Desk functionality

• Create page layouts, fields, templates, and dashboards

• Configure ceremonial document templates in the CRM

• Provide a working prototype for iterative review

Configuration must reflect the validated business processes developed in Phase 2.

3.2.4 Phase 4 — Integration Development

The Contractor shall develop and configure all integrations required in Section 2.6, including:

• Indigov/Granicus’ (current CRM)

• Legacy CTS historical data

• DIR telephony

• OOG website contact portal

• GovDelivery.com

• Microsoft Office

• Adobe Acrobat

• Social media APIs

• USPS/TLO address validation tools

• ARCHIE

Integrations must be demonstrated in a functional test environment prior to User Acceptance

Testing (UAT).

3.2.5 Phase 5 — Data Migration

• Map all Indigov/Granicus’ and CTS fields to the new CRM schema

• Identify field mismatches, obsolete fields, and required transformations

• Conduct a full migration rehearsal

• Perform the final migration with zero data loss

• Support reconciliation and corrections

• Obtain sign-off from OOG data stewards

3.2.6 Phase 6 — Testing

The Contractor shall perform:

• Unit testing

• Integration testing

• Workflow and routing testing

• Telephony testing

• Load and performance testing

• Security testing

• User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

All defects identified in testing must be corrected prior to go-live.

3.2.7 Phase 7 — Training and Documentation

The Contractor shall conduct appropriately comprehensive training for:

• Writers and Editors

• Customer Service Agents

• Administrative Users

• Data Stewards

• Supervisors and Directors

• Telephony Operators

• Ceremonial Document Producers

Training must include:

• Hands-on sessions

• Step-by-step guides

• Detailed written documentation of each workflow

• Troubleshooting instructions

• Crash procedure manual

• Role-based training tracks

All training materials must be provided in editable formats.

3.2.8 Phase 8 — Go-Live and Transition

• Produce a detailed cutover plan

• Facilitate go-live

• Provide on-site or remote support during the transition

• Monitor system performance

• Resolve issues promptly

• Assist users during initial adoption

3.2.9 Phase 9 — Project Closeout

• Submit all final deliverables

• Conduct a closeout meeting

• Deliver a stabilization report

• Provide knowledge transfer to OOG staff

• Complete final documentation

• Transition the system to OOG operational support

3.3 PROJECT PLAN AND SCHEDULE

On or before the tenth day after contract execution, the Contractor shall provide a comprehensive

Project Plan including:

• Detailed timeline

• Milestones

• Work breakdown structure

• Dependencies

• Resource allocations

• Deliverable schedules

• Critical path identification

The Project Plan requires OOG approval.

3.4 STATUS REPORTING

The Contractor shall provide:

Weekly Status Reports containing:

• Overall project health (Green/Yellow/Red indicators)

• Completed work

• Planned work

• Risks, issues, blockers

• Staffing changes

• Deliverable progress

Monthly Executive Summaries containing:

• High-level progress

• Decision points needed

• Strategic risks

• Milestone status

3.5 RISK AND ISSUE MANAGEMENT

• Maintain a risk and issue register

• Identify risks early and propose mitigation

• Assign severity and probability ratings

• Escalate issues that may impact schedule/scope

• Review…