ESBD_482029_1767999988835_RFP 781-6-04389 OER Nursing Expansion.pdf

Request for Proposals (RFP)

Open Educational Resources (OER)

Nursing Expansion

No. 781-6-04389

NIGP Code(s):

915-27 Editorial Services

715-00 Publications, Audiovisual Materials, Books, Textbooks, Prepared Materials only

715-88 Textbooks, College Level, Including Student and Teacher

Editions

785-70 Instructional Aids: Courses, Lesson Plans, Prepared Programs, Ancillary Materials, DVDs

Solicitation Post Date: January 9th, 2026

Written Questions Deadline: January 16th, 2026, by 11:30 p.m. CT

Proposal Deadline: February 9th, 2026, by 11:30 p.m. CT

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

1801 N. Congress Ave., Suite 12.200

Austin, Texas 78701 ii

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. OVERVIEW

1.2. AUTHORITY AND ATTACHMENTS

2. CONTRACT TERM

3. MINIMUM ELIGIBILITY AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

3.1. EXPERIENCE AND COMPANY PROFILE

3.1.1. Minimum Experience

3.1.2. Company Profile

3.2. ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION RESOURCES (EIR) ACCESSIBILITY

4. SCOPE OF WORK

4.1. SCOPE OF SERVICES REQUESTED

4.1.1. OER PLANNING

4.1.2. TEXTBOOK, ANCILLARY MATERIALS, AND TEST PREPARATION DEVELOPMENT

4.1.3. EVENTS AND WORKSHOPS

4.2. DELIVERABLES

4.2.1. TEXTBOOKS

4.2.2. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

4.2.3. ANNOUNCEMENT AND ADOPTION

4.3. MEETINGS AND COMMUNICATION

4.4. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA FOR SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES

4.5. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

4.6. THECB REMEDIES FOR NONCOMPLIANCE

5. PRICING AND PAYMENT TERMS

5.1. PRICING

5.2. PAYMENT TERMS AND AWARD SUMMARY

5.3. INVOICES

5.4 ADDING NEW SERVICES TO THE CONTRACT AFTER AWARD

6. PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT (REQUIRED)

6.1. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

6.2. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

6.3. EXCEPTIONS TO RFP

6.4. RESPONDENT ASSUMPTIONS

6.5. BINDING OFFER

7. PROPOSAL DEADLINES AND SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

7.1. DUE DATE FOR PROPOSALS

7.2. CALENDAR OF EVENTS

7.3. POINT OF CONTACT

iii

7.4. WRITTEN QUESTIONS

7.4.1. Submission Requirements

7.4.2. Ambiguity, Conflict, or Discrepancy

7.5. PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS

8. PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND AWARD

8.1. COMPLIANCE WITH STATE LAW

8.2. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

8.3. DEMONSTRATIONS / ORAL PRESENTATIONS

8.4. ADDITIONAL SELECTION CONSIDERATIONS AND BEST VALUE DETERMINATION

8.5. AWARD NOTICE

9. ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

9.1. ANTICIPATED CONTRACT

9.2. AWARDED RESPONDENT RESPONSIBILITIES

9.3. CONFIDENTIALITY

9.4. PUBLIC INFORMATION ACT DISCLOSURES

9.5. FERPA CONFIDENTIALITY AND DATA GOVERNANCE PROVISIONS

9.6. CYBERSECURITY TRAINING AND INSURANCE

9.7. RETENTION OF SOLICITATION RESPONSES

9.8. COSTS INCURRED

9.9. ACCEPTANCE OF EVALUATION METHODOLOGY

9.10. PROTEST

9.11. TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS

9.12. ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) REQUIREMENTS

10. SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

ATTACHMENT A

ATTACHMENT B

1. Introduction

1.1. Overview

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) is an administrative agency within the executive branch of the state of Texas that provides leadership and coordination for Texas higher education.

THECB is seeking a vendor or vendor(s) to develop two Open Educational

Resources (OER) nursing textbooks and supplementary online test preparation resources.

In 2022-2024, THECB supported the development, peer review, and publication of eight openly licensed online nursing textbooks. These textbooks align with the revised American Association of Colleges of Nursing

(AACN) Nursing Essentials curriculum as part of the OER Nursing Essentials project, or O.N.E. Project.

Since the textbooks’ publication in 2024, more than 35 institutions of higher education and five high schools in Texas have adopted one or more of the textbooks. These adoptions saved more than 3,800 Texas nursing students nearly $400,000 in course material costs. Nationwide, these textbooks have been adopted at more than 100 institutions, directly impacting nearly 8,500 nursing students. Through continued stakeholder engagement and feedback, additional needs for freely available or low-cost nursing textbooks and ancillary resources have been identified. Additional development of OER will decrease student costs associated with achieving higher education degrees and credentials in nursing, a high-demand field. Providing clear curriculum and related instructional OER will support the educational efforts of Texas institutions and ensure nursing students are current in emerging competencies and practices and demonstrate proficiency on the revised nursing certification assessments.

Building on the success of the initial O.N.E. Project, THECB seeks one or more vendors to develop two additional OER nursing textbooks and supplementary online, highly interactive test preparation resources to aid nursing students in their preparation for licensure and skills readiness exams including but not limited to the NCLEX-RN (National Council Licensure Exam). This OER Nursing

Expansion project aims to add to the textbook series to include the following nursing textbooks: (1) Pathophysiology; and (2) Pediatric Nursing/Infant and

Child Health Nursing.

THECB reserves the right to award multiple contracts for this Request for

Proposals (RFP).

1.2. Authority and Attachments

THECB has the authority to issue this RFP and enter any resulting contract pursuant to Texas Education Code § 61.067. THECB and Respondent shall comply with all applicable procurement laws of the state of Texas.

This RFP is comprised of the following:

• RFP 781-6-04389;

• This checklist identifies documents that must be submitted with the

Respondent’s proposal to be considered responsive. A proposal received without these required documents may be deemed nonresponsive and may not be considered for contract award.

Excel Pricing Spreadsheet

PDF 1

a. Qualifications and Company Profile

b. Responses to Scope of Work

c. Response to Section 9.12, if applicable

d. References

PDF 2

a. Attachment C: Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement

b. Attachment D: Execution of Proposal

c. EIR Accessibility Compliance Summary

d. Transmittal Letter

Attachment A

Definitions

As used in this RFP, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the following terms and conditions have the meanings assigned below:

1. Addendum means a written clarification or revision to this Solicitation issued by

THECB.

2. Algorithms means a step-by-step set of instructions or rules designed to perform a specific task or solve a problem. Algorithms process input data to produce an output for computer programming, automation, and decision-making systems.

3. Attachment means documents, terms, conditions, or information added to this

Solicitation or included by reference and made a part of this Solicitation,

4. Awarded Respondent means the entity selected to provide the goods or services to the State under any awarded Contract.

5. Contract means the signed binding agreement, along with any attachments, amendments, purchase orders, or work orders that may be issued by THECB, to be incorporated by reference for all purposes.

6. Contract Term means the period beginning with the commencement date or

Effective date of a Contract and ending when the Contract expires in accordance with its terms, or when it has been terminated.

7. Deliverable means a Work Product(s), including all reports and project documentation, prepared, developed, or procured by Awarded Respondent as part of the Services under the Contract for the use or benefit of THECB or the State of

Texas.

8. ESBD means the Electronic State Business Daily, the electronic marketplace where

State of Texas bid opportunities estimated to exceed $25,000.00 are posted.

9. Final Score means the final scoring of the Solicitation Response including any secondary evaluation process and scoring as documented in this solicitation.

10. Generative AI means a class of AI systems that use machine learning, including neural networks and natural language processing, to create new content such as text, images, audio, or video. These systems generate outputs based on learned patterns, producing original or derivative works not explicitly programmed or predefined, often with or without human guidance. A non-exhaustive list of Generative AI tools include:

ChatGPT, Open AI GPT, MidJourney, and Stable Diffusion.

11. VetHUB means Veteran Heroes United Business, as defined by Chapter 2161 of the

Texas Government Code.

12. VetHUB Subcontracting Plan or HSP means written documentation regarding the use of subcontractors, which is required to be submitted with all responses to state agency solicitations with an expected value of $100,000.00 or more where subcontracting opportunities have been determined by the state agency to be probable. The VetHUB subcontracting plan subsequently becomes a provision of the awarded Contract and shall be monitored for compliance by the state agency throughout the term of the Contract.

13. Large Language Model means a type of AI model trained on vast amounts of text data to understand, generate, and process human language. LLMs use advanced machine learning techniques, such as deep learning, to perform tasks like text generation, translation, summarization, and question answering based on learned linguistic patterns.

14. Machine Learning Tool means a software application or system that employs machine learning algorithms to analyze data, identify patterns, and make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed. These tools are used to automate tasks, improve processes, and generate insights based on data-driven learning.

15. Open Educational Resource Repository (OERTX) refers to the statewide digital library for open educational resources hosted by the THECB.

16. Parties means THECB and Awarded Respondent, collectively.

17. Party means either THECB or Awarded Respondent, individually.

18. Pathophysiology refers to the study of the functional changes that occur in the body because of a disease or injury. Pathophysiology in nursing education informs clinical decision-making, patient education, and care planning.

19. Project means the goods or Services described in this Solicitation.

20. Proposal means the Respondent’s full and complete response (including any

Attachments and addenda) to the Solicitation, which is incorporated by reference for all purposes in its entirety.

21. Respondent means the entity responding to this Solicitation.

22. RFP means Request for Proposals and has the same meaning as Solicitation.

23. Scope of Work means the description of Services and Deliverables specified in the

Solicitation and as may be amended in any awarded Contract.

24. Services means the tasks, functions, and responsibilities assigned and delegated to an Awarded Respondent under an awarded Contract.

25. Solicitation means this Request for Proposals (RFP), including any Exhibits and

Addenda, if any.

26. State means the State of Texas and its instrumentalities, including THECB and any other state agency, their officers, employees, or authorized agents.

• THECB means the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, its officers, employees, or authorized agents., containing a list of applicable definitions to assist in understanding and responding to this RFP;

• Attachment B, Veterans United in Business (VetHUB) Determination;

• Attachment C: Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement (to be completed by Respondent);

• Attachment D: Execution of Proposal (to be completed by Respondent);

• Attachment E: Sample THECB Contract

• Attachment F: Sample Form 1295

2. Contract Term

The initial term of the Contract shall commence upon execution and shall terminate on August 31, 2027, unless renewed, extended, or terminated as otherwise provided for in the Contract. After the initial term, THECB, at its sole option, may renew any

Contract awarded pursuant to this RFP for up to one (1) additional year or until the completion of the project, whichever is earlier. Funding for this project beyond the initial term is not guaranteed and is subject to legislative appropriation. All renewals must be in writing to be valid. Subject to proper approvals, the Parties may amend the Contract to extend the term, after all renewals have expired, provided both

Parties agree in writing to do so, prior to the expiration date. Any extensions shall have the same terms and conditions, plus any approved changes.

Notwithstanding the limitation in the preceding paragraph and with at least thirty

(30) days’ advance written notice to Contractor, at the end of the initial term or any extension period, THECB, at its sole option, may extend the Contract as necessary to ensure continuity of service, for purposes of transition, or as otherwise determined by THECB to serve the best interest of the State for up to twelve (12) months, in one-month intervals, at the then-current contract rate or rates (if applicable) as modified during the Contract Term, subject to the funding limitations noted above.

3. Minimum Eligibility and Experience Requirements

3.1. Experience and Company Profile

3.1.1. Minimum Experience

Respondents must have a minimum of five (5) years’ experience providing services like those described in Section 4., Scope of Work.

An entity or company in existence for fewer than five (5) years is eligible to submit a proposal if key personnel on the proposal team have the minimum required experience. Respondents who do not meet this requirement are not eligible to submit a proposal.

3.1.2. Company Profile

Respondents must demonstrate their knowledge and expertise in providing management of OER development, creation, and publishing in online and print formats. Respondents’ employees and/or subcontractors must have the appropriate background experience to perform the work required under this RFP. Respondents must submit a Company Profile that outlines their experience and expertise in the area(s) of management of OER development, including their capability to perform the required services as described in Section

4. Respondents should include experience working with discipline-relevant stakeholders to develop, produce, review, and upload the OER into the Texas Open Educational Resources repository (OERTX), the state’s repository for OER. Respondents should also be experienced in presentation of work and OER products to agencies, stakeholders, institutional representatives, and other OER users. Relevant examples may be summarized or included in the Company Profile that reference or demonstrate Respondent’s expertise and capability to perform the required services.

Respondents shall include the following with the Company Profile:

Organization chart;

Management team resumes;

Key personnel resumes and/or LinkedIn profiles, illustrating the qualifications of each individual to perform the services described in this RFP;

Experience working on similar projects; and

If subcontractors will be utilized, key personnel resumes, illustrating the qualifications of each subcontracted individual to perform the services described in this RFP.

3.2. Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility

Awarded Respondent shall ensure that all EIR provided under the resulting contract are accessible to all users, including individuals with disabilities, in compliance with:

• Texas Administrative Code (TAC) Title 1, Chapters 206 and 213

• Texas Government Code, Subchapter M, Sections 2054.451–457

• Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended

• Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA, where applicable.

In accordance with Section 6.2 below, Respondent shall provide an EIR

Accessibility Compliance Summary in its response indicating how it plans to maintain accessibility compliance for every applicable item in Respondent's pricing spreadsheet, including its processes for addressing and resolving accessibility defects and issues encountered during the project lifecycle.

The Awarded Respondent shall further be expected to provide the following to THECB for review prior to contract execution:

• Policy Driven Adoption for Accessibility (PDAA) (see this guide for more information);

• Vendor Accessibility Development Services Information Request

(VADSIR), or equivalent (see this guide for more information); or

• Equivalent information to provide credible evidence of Respondent’s capability or ability to produce accessible EIR products and services

THECB reserves the right to not award a contract if the Awarded Respondent refuses to provide the above documents or if the documents are out of compliance.

4. Scope of Work

4.1. Scope of Services Requested

Awarded Respondent shall develop OER for nursing curriculum and supplementary online test preparation resources, as outlined below.

4.1.1. OER Planning

Awarded Respondent shall:

• Collaborate with Texas nursing education programs to inform the planning for OER development;

• Collaborate with other stakeholders, advisors, and partners to drive better learning and deeper involvement and support from diverse institutions, professional organizations, licensing boards, and other relevant stakeholders; and https://dir.texas.gov/resource-library-item/policy-driven-adoption-accessibility-pdaa-assessment-overview-presentation https://dir.texas.gov/resource-library-item/vendor-accessibility-dev-services-info-request

• Assemble and categorize existing OER or other materials that can serve the expanded curriculum and test preparation resources, including materials, multimedia, instructional guidance, best practices, videos, and other elements already developed by Texas programs (This will include ensuring open copyright of materials.).

4.1.2. Textbook, Ancillary Materials, and Test Preparation Development

Awarded Respondent shall:

• Identify qualified authors for the development of textbooks;

• Manage the authoring of two OER nursing textbooks and ancillary materials, including:

o Overseeing the drafting, revision, and publication of the following two nursing textbooks; Pathophysiology and

Pediatric Nursing/Infant and Child Health Nursing o Overseeing the creation of OER ancillary materials, including but not limited to implementation guides, suggested answers, rubrics, case study frameworks, alignment with the

AACN Nursing Essentials curriculum, and extended student support materials;

o Overseeing the creation of low-cost, openly licensed, interactive test preparation resources to support students in their preparation for nursing licensure and skills readiness exams including but not limited to NCLEX-RN (National

Council Licensure Exam);

o Ensuring textbooks, ancillary materials, and test preparation resources meet accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 Level AA) and universal design principles; providing an accessibility conformance report (ACR) or a completed voluntary product accessibility template (VPAT) for each textbook;

o Ensuring textbooks, ancillary materials, and test preparation resources are properly formatted for migration to the OERTX

Repository using the submit OER feature;

o Ensuring all OER licensed for statewide (and beyond) use by nursing educators; and o Collaborating with stakeholder authors and illustrators/artists in creation of textbook artwork, managing https://oertx-help.highered.texas.gov/support/solutions/articles/42000078295-submit-oer production of artwork creation and incorporation into digital textbooks.

• Manage peer review process of textbooks;

• Collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs) appropriate for each textbook review; and

• Convene review committees of relevant subject matter experts to identify any areas for revision and edits.

4.1.3. Events and Workshops

Before the contract end date, Awarded Respondent shall:

• Organize and host a one-day event focused on successful adoption and use of materials

• Conduct a series of workshops for potential faculty adopters, including grantees of the OER Grant Program, using project deliverables.

4.2. Deliverables

Awarded Respondent shall provide the following deliverables to THECB:

4.2.1. Textbooks

• Pathophysiology

• Pediatric Nursing/Infant and Child Health Nursing

4.2.2. Additional Resources

• Ancillary materials

• Test preparation materials

4.2.3. Announcement and Adoption

• Announcement for publication of new OER nursing resources, to be provided to THECB;

• Project presentation for THECB leadership at completion of project.

4.3. Meetings and Communication

As mutually agreed between THECB and Awarded Respondent, meetings may be scheduled via teleconference/videoconference or in-person. Ad hoc meetings may occur, as necessary. Awarded Respondent must maintain communications to address issues that arise between meetings or progress reports.

Scheduled meetings:

• Project kickoff (in person/hybrid);

• Bi-weekly updates to THECB Project Management and the assigned

Director of Digital Learning.

4.4. Acceptance Criteria for Services and Deliverables

Awarded Respondent shall comply with the following acceptance criteria for all services and deliverables to be provided under this RFP:

Awarded Respondent must submit documentation of work performed under this RFP, pursuant to Section 5.3, Invoices. Submission of an invoice shall constitute Awarded Respondent’s certification that the services have been performed in accordance with this RFP. Each invoice is primarily subject to review and approval by THECB to determine acceptable levels of performance. THECB will review each submitted invoice within fifteen (15) business days from the date of receipt to ensure that the services invoiced are within the scope of services described in Section 4. and all subsections therein.

Any changes to delivery dates must have THECB’s prior written approval.

In the event THECB does not approve an invoice, THECB will notify the

Awarded Respondent in writing and with the specific reasons. Awarded

Respondent will have seven (7) business days to correct the unaccepted invoice.

Awarded Respondent shall correct any latent defects identified after the acceptance of a Deliverable (where appropriate) at no additional charge to

THECB.

4.5. Additional Requirements

The Awarded Respondent shall be expected to provide the following to

THECB for review prior to contract execution: Form 1295 – Certificate of

Interested Parties, a sample of which is included as Attachment G.

4.6. THECB Remedies for Noncompliance

Should Awarded Respondent breach the Contract or fail to perform its obligations, THECB may exercise certain remedies. These remedies include, but are not limited to, termination for cause, placing the Awarded Respondent on corrective action plans, and liquidated damages. See Attachment F, Anticipated Contract, for additional information on these remedies.

5. Pricing and Payment Terms

5.1. Pricing

Respondent’s pricing must be all-inclusive, covering all services, costs, and fees required to provide all deliverables and comply with all technical requirements as described in this RFP, including personnel costs, license fees, maintenance costs, and all other necessary expenses required in the performance of the contract or purchase order. Respondents should provide pricing in a separate attachment to be titled “Pricing Spreadsheet,” in accordance with Section 5.2.

Respondent shall propose pricing based on key deliverables/milestones using the below format or similar format to adequately describe deliverables and pricing structure. Respondents should add additional lines as necessary to detail the additional costs required for THECB to continue to provide system access and functionality.

Item

No.

Name Description Price

1. Phase 1 Scoping and

Planning for

Pathophysiology

2. Phase 1 Scoping and

Planning for Pediatric

Nursing/Infant and Child

Health Nursing

3. Completed published textbook and ancillary materials migrated to distribution channels –

4. Completed published textbook and ancillary materials migrated to distribution channels –

Pediatric Nursing/Infant and Child Health Nursing

5. Test Prep Materials Scoping and Planning

6. Test Prep Materials –

Completed and migrated to distribution channels

7. Announcement -

8. Announcement - Pediatric

Nursing/Infant and Child

Health Nursing

9. Organize and host a one-day event for successful adoption

10. Adoption Workshops price per each.

5.2. Payment Terms and Award Summary

Awarded Respondent will submit invoices to THECB that detail the itemized associated costs of the services rendered or deliverables completed. Awarded

Respondent will be reimbursed for deliverables completed and approved by

THECB, subject to the limitations provided herein.

To the extent Awarded Respondent is not a Texas state agency, THECB will make payments for services in accordance with the Texas Prompt Payment

Laws, Texas Government Code §§ 2251.001-.055. If Awarded Respondent is a

Texas state agency, THECB will make payments for services in accordance with the Interagency Cooperation Act, Texas Government Code §§ 771.001-.010.

Upon execution of a Contract resulting from this RFP, the term “Respondent” shall have the same meaning as “Contractor.” Awarded Respondent agrees not to begin or provide any services until issuance of a contract or purchase order by THECB. THECB makes no guarantee of volume, usage, or total compensation to be paid under any Contract awarded through this RFP.

THECB does not guarantee Awarded Respondent minimum compensation.

The Contract is subject to appropriations and the continuing availability of funds.

THECB will not apply for credit nor will THECB prepay. THECB shall pay, subject to the terms of the Texas Prompt Payment Laws, upon the receipt of a properly submitted invoice after all goods and services have been received and applicable Deliverables have been approved by THECB.

At THECB’s discretion, THECB shall award the contract or purchase order to the most qualified Respondent(s) successfully meeting the criteria and conditions as outlined in this RFP, subject to successful contract negotiations.

5.3. Invoices

Upon completion of a deliverable or service and acceptance by THECB based on the requirements and acceptance criteria set forth in this RFP, Awarded

Respondent may submit an invoice to THECB setting forth amounts due in accordance with the Terms and Conditions of this RFP and the anticipated contract.

Each invoice submitted must include the purchase order number and deliverable(s) or service(s) to which the invoice relates. All invoices must be sent to the designated THECB contract manager(s) and accountspayable@highered.texas.gov. The invoice must include the following minimum information:

1. Awarded Respondent’s mailing and e-mail (if applicable) address;

2. Awarded Respondent’s telephone number;

3. The name and telephone number of a person designated by Awarded

Respondent to answer questions regarding the invoice;

4. THECB’s name, agency number (781), and delivery address;

5. The THECB purchase order number, if applicable;

6. The contract number or other reference number, if applicable;

7. A valid Texas identification number (TIN) issued by the comptroller;

8. A description of the goods or services, in sufficient detail, to identify the order which relates to the invoice;

9. The unit numbers correspond to the amount of the invoice, if applicable;

10. If submitting an invoice after receiving an assignment of a contract, the

TIN of the original contractor and the TIN of the successor vendor; and

11. Other relevant information supporting and explaining the payment requested.

THECB shall certify that the goods and services have been received and approved for payment by THECB prior to making any payment for invoices submitted by Awarded Respondent. Payments will be made in accordance with Section 5.1 above.

5.4 Adding New Services to the Contract After Award

mailto:accountspayable@highered.texas.gov

Following the Contract award, additional services of the same general category that could have been encompassed in the award of this Contract, and that are not already on the Contract, may be added via amendment. All prices are subject to negotiation. A formal written request may be sent to

Awarded Respondent(s) to provide a proposal on the additional services, and

Respondent(s) shall submit proposals to THECB as instructed. All prices are subject to negotiation with a Best and Final Offer.

THECB may accept or reject any or all proposals and may issue a separate RFP or Invitation for Bid (IFB) for the services after rejecting some or all the proposals. The services covered under this provision shall conform to the terms, conditions, specifications, and requirements as outlined in the request.

6. Proposal Format and Content (Required)

6.1. Proposal Submission Requirements

Proposals should adhere to the following submission requirements:

• Proposals should be addressed to the Point of Contact listed in Section

7.3, below and submitted via THECB Vendor Client Gateway.

• Proposals must be submitted by an authorized representative for

Respondent;

• Proposals must be received by THECB prior to the deadline; and

• Proposals must include all required attachments (THECB recommends a limit of 75 MB for each attachment).

Respondents should limit the use of embedded hyperlinks within proposals as THECB cannot guarantee evaluators will be permitted to view embedded hyperlinks.

Failure to submit all required information may make the proposal nonresponsive and thus disqualified from consideration; however, THECB reserves the right to waive any error in submissions. Respondents are solely responsible for thoroughly understanding this RFP and its attachments. Any questions concerning this RFP should be directed to the Point of Contact by the Deadline for Submitting Questions identified in Section 7.3.

Respondents are cautioned to pay particular attention to the clarity and completeness of their proposal. Respondents are solely responsible for their proposal and all documentation submitted. Respondent’s proposal shall be as precise, accurate, and succinct as possible. The clarity and completeness of a proposal may be considered by THECB evaluators. In the event of any https://higheredtexas.cobblestone.software/Gateway/ discrepancies or variations within a proposal, THECB has no obligation to resolve the inconsistencies and may make its scoring and selection decision accordingly, including the decision to potentially disqualify a proposal.

No mailed, hand-delivered, or faxed proposals will be accepted.

6.2. Proposal Requirements

Each Respondent shall provide detailed descriptions of how it will fulfill each requirement of this RFP.

Each Respondent shall submit a total of three (3) files: one (1) Excel

Pricing Sheet and two (2) Portable Document Files (PDF) as noted below.

The following are part of the THECB’s administrative review. Failure to submit any items or submitting incomplete items may result in THECB deeming the proposal unresponsive.

Pricing Spreadsheet

The spreadsheet must contain the pricing as described in Section

5.1.

PDF No. 1: Response to Section 3., Section 4, and Section 9.12, if applicable.

The first PDF must contain responses to the following:

1. Respondent’s qualifications and Company Profile, to be completed in accordance with Section 3., Minimum Eligibility and Experience

Requirements, and all subsections;

2. Project plan, to include a schedule, or other narrative describing how Respondent will meet all requirements of the Scope of Work under Section 4. and all subsections of Section 4;

3. Intended and/or actual use of Artificial Intelligence in accordance with Section 9.12; and

4. Minimum of three (3) references, including contact information.

THECB prefers references from clients for whom Respondent has performed similar work, including other state agencies. Do not use

THECB or any individuals employed by THECB as a reference.

PDF No. 2: Attachments C, D, EIR Accessibility Summary, and Transmittal

Letter

The second PDF must contain the following items:

1. Attachment C: Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement, to be completed as detailed below.

The Conflict-of-Interest Disclosure Statement is required.

Respondents shall be neutral and impartial and shall not advocate specific positions to THECB. Entities having a conflict of interest, as determined solely by THECB, will not be eligible for a contract award.

THECB will determine whether a conflict of interest or the perception of a conflict of interest exists from the perspective of a reasonable person uninvolved in the matters covered by the resulting contract. THECB is the sole arbiter of whether a conflict or the appearance of a conflict of interest exists.

THECB encourages Respondents to provide complete disclosure of matters that might be considered a conflict of interest.

Completeness of disclosure may be a factor in evaluating proposals.

Each Respondent must also address how Respondent intends to ensure that no interest arising or potentially arising because of its activities or those of its parent, affiliate, or other related entity shall conflict with Respondent’s duty should it be selected to provide these services.

Respondent’s submitted Conflict of Interest Disclosure Statement must meet the following requirements:

• Be attested to by an unsworn declaration;

• Identify either the extent, nature, and length of any potential relationships or engagements that require disclosure or a statement that no known or potential conflicts of interest exist;

• Address how Respondent intends to ensure that no interest arises or potentially arises because of its activities or those of its parent, affiliate, or other related entity that would conflict with Respondent’s duty should it be selected to provide these services; and

• Be signed by the highest-ranking officer of Respondent’s entity having responsibility for vetting corporate conflicts of interest, e.g., a corporate Executive Vice President rather than the head of an operating or regional unit of the firm.

Failure to provide either a signed statement on potential conflicts of interest or a signed statement that no potential conflicts exist shall automatically disqualify Respondent.

THECB may not enter into a contract with a person it has employed within the past twelve (12) months. Individuals who have been employed by THECB or by another state agency in

Texas more than twelve (12) months but fewer than twenty-four

(24) months ago shall disclose in the proposal the nature of previous employment with the state agency and the date the employment ended.

2. Attachment D: Execution of Proposal, including the following:

• Respondent Information

• Texas Family Code §231.006(c)

• Texas Government Code §669.003

• Preferences

• Respondent Acknowledgement

• Signature

3. EIR Accessibility Compliance Summary

Respondent shall provide a summary of how it plans to maintain accessibility compliance for every applicable item in Respondent's pricing spreadsheet, including its processes for addressing and resolving accessibility defects and issues encountered during the project lifecycle.

Any EIR that cannot be made fully accessible due to significant difficulty or expense must be documented and follow the exception process in accordance with Texas Administrative Code Title 1, Chapters 206 and 213. All exceptions must include a plan for providing alternate access.

4. Transmittal Letter: Respondent shall provide a Transmittal Letter with its proposal that meets the following requirements:

• Identifies the person or entity submitting the proposal and includes a commitment by that person or entity to provide the services required by THECB through this RFP and the Anticipated Contract;

• It is signed by a person legally authorized to bind

Respondent;

• Includes a reference to the Open Educational Resources

(OER) Nursing Expansion RFP No. 781-6-04389;

• States that the “the proposal is binding and valid at the discretion of THECB;”

• States that the proposal is good for one hundred and twenty (120) days; and

• Includes either full acceptance of the terms and conditions described in this RFP and all attachments or a list of

Respondent’s exceptions to the terms and conditions.

6.3. Exceptions to RFP

If Respondent takes any exceptions to any provision of this RFP, these exceptions must be specifically and clearly identified by Section and

Respondent’s proposed alternative must also be provided. All exceptions must be included in the Transmittal Letter, as indicated above in Section 6.2.

Any exception not included in the Transmittal Letter may be rejected without consideration.

Please note as an agency of the state of Texas, THECB is bound to comply with all applicable state and federal procurement and contract laws.

Exceptions to required terms and conditions may disqualify the proposal from further consideration. Respondent cannot take a “blanket exception” to the entire RFP. If any Respondent takes a “blanket exception” to this entire RFP or does not provide proposed alternative language, the proposal may be disqualified from further consideration.

Any exception, term, condition, or provision in a Proposal that differs, varies from, or contradicts this RFP will not become a part of the Contract unless expressly agreed to by THECB and made a part of the Contract in writing.

NOTE: THECB, as a state agency, is prevented by the Texas Constitution from indemnifying a Respondent. Respondent is discouraged from including a term in its proposal that requires THECB to indemnify it. Such a term may result in the proposal being deemed nonresponsive.

Respondents are highly encouraged, in lieu of including exceptions in their proposals, to address all issues that might be advanced by way of exception by submitting such issues as questions in accordance with Section 7.5, Written

Questions.

6.4. Respondent Assumptions

Respondent must identify any business, economic, legal, programmatic, or practical assumptions that underlie Respondent’s Proposal and include them in its proposal. THECB reserves the right to accept or reject any or all assumptions. All assumptions not expressly identified and incorporated into any Contract resulting from this RFP are deemed rejected by THECB.

6.5. Binding Offer

Respondent’s submission of a proposal constitutes a binding offer to contract based upon the terms, conditions, and specifications set forth in this RFP. By submitting a proposal, Respondent represents and warrants that any individual submitting the proposal and any related documents on behalf of the Respondent is authorized to do so and to bind the Respondent under any contract that may result from this RFP.

Prior to the proposal submission deadline specified in Section 7.2 herein, Respondent may either 1) withdraw its proposal by submitting a written request to the THECB Point of Contact noted in Section 7.3 below, or 2) modify its proposal by submitting a written amendment to the THECB Point of Contact noted in Section 7.3 below. When modifying its proposal, Respondent must provide written notice signed by an authorized representative that specifically identifies the portion(s) of the proposal that will be replaced or removed by the amendment and meet all required deadlines as set out in Section 7.2, Calendar of Events.

7. Proposal Deadlines and Schedule of Events

7.1. Due Date for Proposals

Respondents shall submit proposals to THECB no later than the Proposal Due

Date indicated in the Calendar of Events section below. Proposals received after the Proposal Due Date may be rejected for being late and may not be considered for evaluation.

A Respondent may be required to provide proof of timely submission of the proposal. THECB shall not be responsible for proposals that are captured, blocked, filtered, quarantined, or otherwise prevented from reaching the proper destination server by THECB or Respondent’s anti-virus or other security software.

7.2. Calendar of Events

The solicitation process for this RFP will proceed according to the schedule below. THECB reserves the right to revise this schedule or any portion of this

RFP by publishing addendum on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) and THECB’s Vendor Client Gateway.

EVENT DEADLINE

Publication of RFP on THECB’s

Vendor Client Gateway

January 9th, 2026

Last Day to Submit Written

Questions

January 16th, 2026, by 11:30 p.m. CT

THECB’s Anticipated Response to

Written Questions

January 23rd, 2026

Proposal Due Date and Time February 9th, 2026, by 11:30 p.m. CT

Post-Proposal Presentations, if required

TBD

Anticipated Contract Start Date Upon execution

7.3. Point of Contact

Respondents shall direct all inquiries, written questions, requests for clarification, and communications concerning this RFP to the Point of Contact listed below, through the THECB Vendor Gateway, except as otherwise expressly permitted herein. Inquiries and comments must reference RFP No.

781-6-04389.

Miriam Hogans, CTCD, CTCM

Contract Developer

Financial Services Division – Contracts and Procurement

Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

Contact or attempted contact with other THECB employees, including

Commissioners and their staff, except as expressly permitted herein, may result in a Respondent’s immediate disqualification.

All THECB responses must be in writing to be binding. Any information THECB deems to be important and of general interest or which modifies requirements of the RFP shall be provided in the form of an addendum to the

RFP on the ESBD and THECB’s Vendor Gateway.

7.4. Written Questions

7.4.1. Submission Requirements

THECB will only accept written questions and requests for clarification submitted via THECB’s Vendor Gateway. THECB will post responses to https://higheredtexas.cobblestone.software/Gateway/ https://higheredtexas.cobblestone.software/Gateway/ https://higheredtexas.cobblestone.software/Gateway/ https://higheredtexas.cobblestone.software/Gateway/ written questions on the Vendor Gateway. If same or similar questions are submitted, a single consolidated answer may be posted. Responses to the RFP questions will not be emailed to the individual requestors.

Questions and requests for clarification shall contain the following information:

• Section of the RFP for which the question or request for clarification pertains;

• Question topic; and

• Question

Submissions of Written Questions and requests for clarification must also include the following:

• Business entity name;

• Business entity representative name;

• Phone number; and

• Email address.

Questions received after the deadline specified in Section 7.2, Calendar of Events, may not be answered. Prior to the Proposal deadline specified in Section 7.2, Calendar of Events, THECB reserves the right to amend answers previously posted on the Vendor Client Gateway.

Amended answers will be posted on THECB’s Vendor Gateway. It is the

Respondent's responsibility to periodically check the Vendor Client

Gateway. Respondent’s failure to periodically check the ESBD and the

Vendor Client Gateway will in no way release the selected contractor from “addenda or additional information” resulting in additional costs to meet the requirements of the RFP.

7.4.2. Ambiguity, Conflict, or Discrepancy

Respondent must notify the Point of Contact listed above of any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, exclusionary specification, omission, or other error in the Solicitation in the manner and by the deadline described herein for Written Questions. Respondent submits a proposal at its own risk.

If Respondent fails to properly and timely notify the Point of Contact of any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, exclusionary specification, omission, or other error in the Solicitation, Respondent, whether awarded a contract or not, waives any claim of error or ambiguity in https://higheredtexas.cobblestone.software/Gateway/ the Solicitation and any resulting contract and is not entitled to additional compensation, relief, or time by reason of ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, exclusionary specification, omission, or other error or its later correction.

7.5. Prohibited Communications

Except as provided herein, THECB, including its representative(s) and partners, will not respond to any verbal or written inquiries for procurement status or otherwise discuss the contents of this RFP with any Respondent, potential

Respondent, or their associated Representative(s). Failure to comply with this restriction may result in disqualification of Respondent's Proposal.

This restriction does not preclude discussions between affected parties for the purpose of conducting business unrelated to this RFP.

8. Proposal Evaluation and Award

8.1. Compliance with State Law

THECB will evaluate responsive proposals in accordance with applicable Texas procurement laws. THECB will make the selection of one or more

Respondent(s), if any, based on demonstrated competence and qualifications, and subject to the negotiation of a fair and reasonable pricing arrangement.

8.2. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

Proposals that meet all submission requirements and satisfy the minimum qualifications described in Sections 3, Minimum Eligibility and Experience

Requirements, will be reviewed and evaluated by THECB. THECB will review and score responsive proposals according to the Evaluation Criteria outlined in the table below. The relative weight of each criterion is indicated by the maximum possible number of points indicated in the right-hand column.

THECB may consider both the final weighted score as well as the average ranking when making vendor selection(s).

Evaluation Criteria Weight

Price (20%):

• Cost estimate demonstrates best value to the state.

• Respondents Pricing Sheet includes project fees and costs that are reasonable given the scope of work presented and includes sufficient details to justify proposed fees and costs.

20%

Evaluation Criteria Weight

Strength of Response to Scope of Work (40%):

• Proposal satisfactorily addresses Scope of Work in Section

4., including all subsections.

• Quality of samples of representative artifacts aligned with this RFP.

40%

Experience and Qualifications (40%):

• Proposal satisfactorily address Experience and

Qualifications requirements in Section 3.

• Demonstrated ability to complete a project performing similar work, including history of success in OER publishing

(specifically textbooks) and administration of an OER authoring-publishing platform.

• Demonstrated experience working with nursing faculty and administrators to ensure current knowledge of the field.

• Demonstrated experience with peer review process.

• Demonstrated experience working with Texas higher education and the open education community.

40%

Total 100%

Scoring Scale:

5 Exceptional, fully meets and exceeds all requirements

4 Good, advantageous, exceeds some requirements

3 Average, meets minimal requirements

2 Addresses most of the minimal requirements

1 Poor, addresses part of minimal requirements

0 Addresses none of minimal requirements

Sample Scoring Sheet:

CRITERIA SCORE (1-5) WEIGHT (SCORE*WEIGHT)

*100

Overall Experience &

Demonstrated Results

4 40% 160

Strategic Workplan

Approach

3 40% 120

Timeline 5 10% 50

Budget Approach 2 10% 20

Total Score 350

8.3. Demonstrations / Oral Presentations

At the sole discretion of THECB, Respondents may be asked to participate in a Demonstration or Oral Presentation. Respondents attending

Demonstrations will be asked to provide a demo of their proposed product, services, or solution. Respondents attending Oral Presentations will be asked questions related to the evaluation criteria and asked to provide additional clarifications regarding the Respondent’s specific offerings in its proposal.

Following each round of Demonstrations or Oral Presentations, the evaluation team will review and update the scores, if warranted, based on the clarifications provided by the Respondent in the Demonstration or Oral

Presentation. Respondent scores and rankings may increase or decrease from the original written evaluation scores, based on the clarifications provided.

Respondent’s score prior to the Demonstration will no longer be considered its Final Score, and instead the post-interview score will be considered the

Final Score for purposes of evaluating and awarding a vendor(s).

Respondents will be provided with advance notice of any such Demonstration or Oral Presentation. Advance notice will include an agenda specifying the focus areas and specific questions to be answered. Failure to participate in the requested Demonstration or Oral Presentation may eliminate a

Respondent from further consideration. THECB is not responsible for any costs incurred by the Respondent in preparation for, attendance at, participation in, or otherwise related to any Demonstration or Oral

Presentation. All costs incurred by Respondent are the responsibility of

Respondent.

Demonstrations and Oral Presentations will be held via Microsoft Teams or in a manner prescribed by THECB. Attendance by team members assigned to the project to describe their relative experience and proposed involvement in the project is critical. THECB reserves the right to ask questions or request clarification from any Respondent at any time during the RFP process, including during Demonstrations or Oral Presentations.

8.4. Additional Selection Considerations and Best Value Determination

In addition to the criteria listed in Section 8.2, THECB will also consider best value for the State, as directed by Texas Government Code §2157.003, when selecting a Respondent. THECB may contact the references provided by

Respondent in response to this RFP. THECB will also use the Comptroller’s

Vendor Performance Tracking System to determine whether to award a contract to a Respondent. THECB will be the sole judge of best value, and the

Respondent who receives the highest score is not guaranteed award. Best

Value criteria may include, but are not limited to:

a) The proposal that best meets the goals and objective as stated in this

RFP;

b) The proposal that indicates Respondent’s ability to reliably perform the required tasks/deliverables described in this RFP;

c) The Respondent’s ability to adhere to the schedule and delivery terms

(if applicable);

d) Respondent’s experience in providing services in this RFP;

e) Past Vendor Performance: In accordance with Texas Government Code

§§ 2155.074 and 2262.055, vendor performance may be used as a factor in the award (if applicable); and

f) Other factors relevant to determining the best value for the state in context of this purchase (i.e., certifications/licensure, reference checks, pricing, etc.).; and

g) The negotiation of fair and reasonable pricing.

Respondents providing the best value to the State for each NIGP group description may be chosen as the State’s primary or “best value vendor” for that…