THE TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY SYSTEM

Office of Procurement and HUB Program

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP NUMBER: RFP-01-CIO-26-261

STUDENT INFORMATION SYSTEM SOLUTION

PROPOSAL MUST BE RECEIVED PRIOR TO:

2:00 P.M. Central Time on March 31, 2026

EMAIL RFP RESPONSES TO:

soprocurement@tamus.edu

SUBJECT LINE: CIO-26-261 Student Information System Solution

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

REFER INQUIRIES TO:

Jeff Zimmermann, Executive Director

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

All proposals shall become the property of The Texas A&M University System and the State of Texas upon receipt. Proposals may be subject to public review after contracts have been executed. Refer to Section 5G for more information regarding confidential and proprietary information.

mailto:soprocurement@tamus.edu

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 2 of 47

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION

SECTION 2. INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDENTS

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & SUPPORT

SECTION 4. PROPOSAL RESPONSE

SECTION 5. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Exhibit A – Execution of Offer

Exhibit B – Non-Collusion Affidavit

Exhibit C – Insurance

Exhibit D – Master SaaS Agreement (Draft)

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 3 of 47

SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION

1.1 Scope

The Texas A&M University System (“A&M System”) is seeking proposals for qualified vendors to provide a Student Information System (SIS) Software as a Service (SaaS) solution to meet the needs of its universities (“Members”).

Vendors may propose their own application/solution or form partnerships with third parties.

Should two or more vendors partner to provide a joint solution as a proposal in response to this RFP, a Prime Contractor is required to be clearly identified within the proposal.

It is the intent of A&M System to establish a master software as a services agreement (“Master SaaS Agreement”) with one vendor (referred to as “Respondent” or “Vendor”) to meet the needs of its Members per the requirements listed in Section 3.

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

1.2 About The A&M System

The Texas A&M University System is one of the largest and most impactful higher education systems in the country, with an annual budget of $8.1 billion. Its statewide network includes 12 universities, a comprehensive health science center, eight state agencies, Texas A&M-Fort Worth and Texas A&M-RELLIS. The Texas A&M System serves approximately 175,000 students and reaches millions more through service, research and outreach programs each year. With nearly $1.6 billion in annual research expenditures, the A&M System fuels innovation, supports communities and drives Texas’ economy forward.

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

1.3 Priorities/Expectations

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

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

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

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

https://www.tamus.edu/system/about/ https://www.tamus.edu/system/about/ https://www.tamus.edu/system/about/

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 4 of 47

1.4 Calendar of Events

Activity Date

Release of Request for Proposal March 2, 2026

Deadline to Submit Questions by Vendors March 9, 2026

Release of Addendum (if applicable) March 23, 2026

Proposal Responses Due March 31, 2026

Demonstrations and Oral Presentation (Finalist Respondents only) TBD

Selection of Respondent TBD

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

1.5 Performance Period

A&M System has sole discretion whether to enter into an Agreement resulting from this RFP.

Should the A&M System, in its sole discretion, enter into an Agreement with the successful Respondent as a result of this RFP, the resultant Agreement shall be effective upon execution for a period of five (5) years. The resultant Agreement may be extended for up to one (1) additional five (5) year term, providing all parties mutually agree in writing on the extension. Any extensions shall be at the same terms and conditions plus any approved changes to be determined by the A&M System and negotiated in writing with the successful Respondent.

An alternate length of performance period terms may be proposed by the Respondent for consideration and discretion by A&M System if additional discounts and/or savings are available.

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SECTION 2 - INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONDENTS

2.1 General Information

The A&M System is seeking proposals from vendors interested and qualified to provide a Student Information System (SIS) Software as a Service (SaaS) solution. This RFP outlines the scope and requirements within Section 3. While it is the intent of the A&M System to establish an Agreement with a single qualified provider for the solution stated within this RFP, there is no guarantee that an award will be made, or any agreement executed.

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

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

Clause headings appearing in this RFP have been inserted for convenience and ready reference.

They do not purport to define, limit or extend the scope of intent of the respective clauses.

Whenever the terms "must" "shall" "will" "is required” or "are required” are used in the RFP, the subject being referred to is to be a required feature of this RFP and critical to the resulting submittal.

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

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

2.2 Examination of the Request for Proposal

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

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

2.3 Submittal Instructions

All proposals must be received by the A&M System no later than 2:00:00 p.m. Central Time, March 31, 2026, electronically via email to soprocurement@tamus.edu with the subject line of “CIO-26-261 Student Information System Solution.” The sent time indicated within the A&M System email server shall be used for the receipt and acceptance of the response. It is each Respondent’s responsibility to ensure that the entire submittal response is received by the A&M System by the deadline stated above regardless of submission method. Late proposal responses will not be considered under any circumstances.

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

Submittal File Format: Submission shall be saved as either Microsoft Word or Excel, as specified, with no passwords utilized for any document access. The proposal package should be named as such: “company name – Proposal” (replacing “company name” with the Respondent’s company name). Exhibits, attachments, and schedules (as identified as Part of Response) should retain the original file name but be prefaced with the Respondent’s company name.

2.4 Proposal Components

The following summarizes the full set of documents provided in the RFP package, highlighting those documents that are to be returned as part of your proposal submittal. Failure to include these documents may be basis for response disqualification.

Doc. Ref. Document Title For Reference Part of Response N/A CIO-26-261 SIS Solution RFP X

Exhibit A Execution of Offer X Exhibit B Non-Collusion Affidavit X Exhibit C Insurance X* Exhibit D Master SaaS Agreement X^ Exhibit E Volume & Metrics X Exhibit F Application Inventory X

Attachment 1 Vendor Info X Attachment 2 Pricing X Attachment 3 Scope & Use Case Alignment X Attachment 4 Technical Requirements X Attachment 5 Critical Reports Inventory X Attachment 6 VetHUB Subcontracting Plan X Attachment 7 HECVAT Solution Provider Response X

N/A+ Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) X

N/A+ Policy Driven Adoption Vendor Self- Assessment (PDAA) X

*If selected, Respondent will provide evidence of insurance, reflecting requirements as outlined in Exhibit C to the Master SaaS Agreement within this RFP, on a Texas Department of Insurance approved certificate form verifying the existence and actual limits of all insurance after the execution and delivery of this Agreement and prior to the performance of any services by Respondent under this Agreement. Additional evidence of insurance will be provided on a Texas Department of Insurance approved certificate form verifying the continued existence of all required insurance no later than thirty (30) days after each annual insurance policy renewal.

^Redlines to the Master SaaS Agreement are not requested. However, if Respondent takes exception to any terms or conditions set forth in the attached agreement, Respondent should submit a list of such exceptions as part of its proposal using the worksheet provided in Attachment 1 – Vendor Information.

+ Please see guidance within section 3.7 Accessibility within this RFP.

While not part of the Respondent’s response to this RFP, if selected, the respondent shall provide A&M System with evidence of its TX-RAMP compliance and certification within thirty (30) days of agreement, shall verify completion of the cybersecurity training program (in writing to A&M System) within the first thirty (30) calendar days of the Term and any renewal period of the

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 7 of 47 resulting Agreement, and, upon written request, shall provide evidence or a copy of the certification of its compliance with the Security Controls within thirty (30) days of such request.

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

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

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

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

2.5 Inquiries and Interpretations

All questions concerning this RFP are to be submitted within Attachment 8 – Vendor Q&A and sent by email to Jeff Zimmermann, Executive Director, Procurement and Business Services at soprocurement@tamus.edu. Respondents may not contact other individuals at A&M System to discuss any aspect of this RFP, unless expressly authorized by the A&M System Procurement office to do so.

Questions regarding the RFP, including questions for more data or information beyond that included in this RFP and any attachment, should be presented in writing. Deadline for submission of questions is March 9, 2026. The A&M System will publish all questions with responses according to the schedule in Section 1.4.

Responses to inquiries which directly affect an interpretation or change to this RFP will be issued in writing by addendum/amendment and posted to the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) at the following site; http://www.txsmartbuy.com/sp. (Input Agency Number “710” and select “Posted” for the Status)

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

2.6 Selection Process

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

http://www.txsmartbuy.com/sp

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 8 of 47

The A&M System will base its choice on demonstrated competence, knowledge, and qualifications; capability of the solution proposed to meet the needs of the A&M System; on the reasonableness of the proposed fees for the solution proposed; any other factors deemed relevant by the A&M System; and if other considerations are equal, give preference to a Respondent whose principal place of business is in the state of Texas, or who will manage the contract wholly from an office in the state of Texas.

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

The most qualified Respondents as determined and selected by A&M System as a finalist (“Finalist”) MAY BE REQUIRED to interview and/or demonstrate the proposed solution with the evaluation committee before the final selection. If interviews/demonstrations/presentations are required, they will be done in person with a virtual attendance component. A&M System will not provide compensation to Respondents for any expenses incurred by the Respondents for proposal preparation, submission or interviews/demonstrations/presentations that may be conducted.

Each selected Finalist will be notified of their interviews/demonstrations/presentations dates.

Demonstrations will focus on demonstrating a strategic subset of the use cases described in Attachment 4 – Scope & Use Case Alignment using the proposed solution.

Finalists should ensure that key members of their teams are prepared to participate in these sessions, which are likely to be conducted on-site at A&M System in College Station, Texas.

Additional information on interviews/demonstrations/presentations, including agenda, use cases to be demonstrated, and services to be presented, will be communicated to Finalists with the notice of invitation.

Submission of proposals indicates Respondent's acceptance of the evaluation techniques and the recognition that subjective judgments must be made by A&M System during the evaluation process. The selection of the successful proposal may be made by A&M System on the basis of the proposals initially submitted, without discussion, clarification, or modification. In the alternative, selection of the successful proposal may be made by the A&M System on the basis of negotiation with any of the Respondents. A&M System also reserves the right to select and negotiate with any Respondent that demonstrates their ability to provide an appropriate solution and who A&M System deems is most qualified to meet our scope requirements and objectives.

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

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

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A&M System may perform reference checks and seek further information, as needed from all Respondents whose proposals A&M System, at its discretion, considers viable, based on the initial evaluation and scoring. The Respondent’s response to this requirement officially authorizes A&M System to contact these organizations to discuss the services and other considerations that the Respondent has provided to such organizations and authorizes the organizations to provide such information to A&M System and Respondent shall and hereby does release and hold harmless A&M System, the state of Texas, and the organization of any and all liability whatsoever, in connection with providing and receiving all such information. Any negative responses received from reference checks may be grounds for disqualification of the proposal.

A&M System reserves the right to accept or reject any or all offers, to waive informalities and technicalities, to accept the offer considered most advantageous, and/or to make the award to the most responsive Respondent. A&M System may terminate or suspend negotiations or discussions with any Respondent at any time for any reason without incurring any liability. A&M System also reserves the right at any time to change the project timeline, schedule of events, or other business requirements as we deem necessary with notice to Respondents.

By submitting its proposal in response to this RFP, Respondent accepts the evaluation process and acknowledges and accepts that determination of the “best value” firm will require subjective judgments by A&M System.

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SECTION 3 - SCOPE OF WORK AND SUPPORT

3.1 Purpose and Background

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from vendors interested and qualified to provide a SIS SaaS solution for Texas A&M University-Victoria and as an option for all A&M System Members.

3.2 SIS Project Background

The A&M System is currently undergoing a SIS Sourcing project, in order to stand up a new SIS for Texas A&M University-Victoria (A&M-Victoria) and move A&M-Victoria off of the University of Houston Peoplesoft instance. The solution selected for A&M–Victoria will also serve as an option for other A&M System Members as they evaluate their future SIS roadmaps.

Respondents are asked to demonstrate their ability and experience in operating at multiple universities within a complex multi-institutional university system.

A&M System is committed to procuring an integrated, scalable, and cloud-architected SaaS SIS Solution to help achieve the Strategic Goals listed below:

• Stakeholder Experience: Deliver a seamless experience for students, faculty, and staff by reducing friction points and providing modern, intuitive features that enable essential academic and administrative activities.

• Process Improvement: Streamline workflows by adopting best-practice approaches and leveraging automation to reduce manual interventions, driving greater operational efficiency for staff.

• Integrated Ecosystem: Position the SIS as the single point of access and integration for student information, reducing ecosystem complexity for staff and enabling more efficient access to insights.

• Reliability and Support: Optimize solution reliability and support model to reduce the risk of downtime and strain on IT and student support resources.

• Flexible Learning Pathways: Enable a unified experience for learners pursuing traditional, hybrid, or credential-based programs within or across A&M System Members.

• Shared Innovation: Accelerate innovation and platform improvements through system-wide collaboration and shared expertise on a common SIS solution.

As they evaluate the defined requirements, A&M System asks that Respondents provide third-party solution partner recommendations for the “best-fit” technology stack if deemed in the best interest of A&M System. In other words, if A&M System requirements cannot be met natively by the Respondents’ SIS Solution, A&M System expects that a bolt-on solution is suggested by Respondents along with Respondents’ related rationale and experience. A&M System understands and anticipates that its Members target state solution will be comprised of an ecosystem with the new core SIS Solution at the center and existing/retained solutions in addition to new third-party solutions that will require integration (and may need to be sourced separately).

3.3 Current SIS Environment

The current SIS application landscape across the 12 participating A&M System Members is diverse

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 11 of 47 and highly complex, encompassing many point solutions in addition to a variety of independent core SIS solution options. The majority of Members operate utilizing non-SaaS Banner, with the exceptions of West Texas A&M University, which uses non-SaaS Banner Colleague, and A&M- Victoria, which uses Peoplesoft. This system-wide environment consists of a collection of more than 200 applications designed to augment functionality or fill functional gaps present in the core

SIS.

As part of its SIS Sourcing initiative A&M System has undertaken an assessment of its current capabilities at all Members. Key takeaways from the capability assessment are listed below:

• Integration Gaps Result in Manual Workarounds: Staff frequently rely on manual processes to synchronize data, reconcile reports, and navigate multiple systems to provide services. Academic and support capabilities spread across a diverse ecosystem of applications lack real-time integration. This complexity impacts the overall stakeholder experience, forcing faculty, staff, and students to navigate multiple disconnected applications for routine tasks, reducing efficiency and negatively impacting user experience.

• Compliance Requirements: Federal and Texas State reporting requirements, such as Coordinating Board Manual (CBM) reports and financial aid rules (e.g., 3-Peat rules), are largely manual across the institutions.

• Program Flexibility: The current SIS and associated processes lack the flexibility needed to accommodate complex program structures, such as competency-based education or hybrid programs, leading to manual workarounds to manage dynamic academic term dates and non-traditional programs.

• Disparate Systems Impact Stakeholder Experience: Faculty, staff, and students must navigate multiple disconnected applications to complete routine tasks or access essential information. This fragmented experience creates complexity, reduces efficiency, and negatively impacts user experience.

• Custom Solutions: In order to address their unique needs, larger Members have implemented custom solutions and integrations where core SIS functionality or commercial options have proven insufficient. These bespoke solutions require ongoing maintenance and add complexity to the overall SIS environment.

A&M System currently uses a custom solution called FAMIS for financial management activities for all Members; this custom solution is integrated with each university’s SIS Solution. Likewise, all A&M System Members leverage a system-wide implementation of Workday’s Human Capital Management (HCM) solution.

To better prepare your response please review Exhibit F – Application inventory to understand the solutions currently being used by all Members (specifically A&M-Victoria) and which point solutions can potentially be replaced.

3.4 Scope

The solution scope is currently divided into 8 level 1 (L1) business capabilities that are further subdivided into 27 level 2 (L2) business capabilities, as outlined below:

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 12 of 47

Level 1 (L1) Business Capability Level 2 (L2) Business Capability

Provide Academic Support Provide Academic Advising

Satisfactory Progress Tracking

Provide Student Learning Accommodations

Manage Academics (Grading) Assess Learning Outcomes

Deliver Experiential Learning

Maintain Academic Records

Award Degrees & Credentials

Manage Learner Recruiting Execute Prospecting & Recruiting

Develop & Execute Marketing Strategy

Evaluate & Admit Learners

Engage Learners Manage Learner Communications

Deliver Career Services

Plan & Conduct Events

Support Activities & Clubs

Enroll Learners Matriculate Learners

Course Selection & Registration

Articulate Transfer Credits

Conduct Learner Orientation

Support Student Financials Award Grants, Scholarships, & Aid

Manage Billing, Invoicing, & Student Payments

Manage Work Study

Service Delivery Manage Self Service

Operational & Regulatory Reporting

Manage Student Data

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 13 of 47

Figure 1: Core SIS Business Capability Model

Please note that the A&M System expects the out-of-scope capabilities to still be integrated with the Core SIS solution to manage workflow as needed, for a seamless user experience.

3.5 Requested Solution Summary

The A&M System expects the Respondent to provide all software, hardware, and other components necessary to ensure a fully functioning SIS Solution at the time of implementation for A&M-Victoria. Respondents are responsible for providing an SIS Solution with sufficient functionality and performance capabilities to support all of the A&M System’s needs. The proposed SIS Solution should be capable of scaling to meet the performance standards for the projected volumes plus a margin for unexpected growth. The selected Respondent will assume any and all costs associated with increasing the SIS Solution capabilities as required to support potential increases in volume within a five-year period after Final System Acceptance.

All proposed software versions must be available and operational in a live environment on or before the proposal deadline. The version for each module proposed must be identified in the Respondent’s response. The conceptual future state architecture below focuses specifically on A&M-Victoria’s environment given that they will be the initial implementation and to serve as an example of one of the member Universities in the System. Each University’s architecture will vary slightly in the applications that will be retained/replaced which can be further seen in Exhibit F – Application Inventory.

The A&M System has provided a potential Target State Diagram below for A&M-Victoria.

Respondents should use this for informational purposes but are free to propose their own target state architecture based on A&M System’s procured solution and the organization’s Strategic Goals.

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Figure 2: Proposed Target State Diagram for A&M-Victoria

The A&M System expectations for the requested solution are further defined in Attachment 3 – Scope & Use Case Alignment, Attachment 4 - Technical Requirements, Exhibit - F Application Inventory, and Attachment 5 - Critical Reports Inventory.

3.6 Requested Enabling Technologies Summary

SIS Solution Overview

The future SIS solution must be architected to seamlessly integrate with select legacy applications that will persist within the institution’s IT ecosystem, while also providing a robust framework for the replacement of outdated components. As outlined in Exhibit F – Application Inventory, the current environment consists of a heterogeneous mix of legacy systems, some of which are mission-critical and will require ongoing interoperability with the new SIS platform. The conceptual target state for the SIS architecture should prioritize flexibility, scalability, and open standards to facilitate future enhancements. All proposed services, middleware, and integration toolsets must be clearly delineated and appropriately costed in the Vendor’s pricing submission, as specified in Attachment 2 – Pricing. The SIS Solution will also need to be able to integrate with centrally managed (A&M System Office of IT) HR and Financial solutions to support A&M System operations.

The selected Vendor will be responsible for delivering an SIS solution that supports the full lifecycle of student data management, from admissions and enrollment through graduation (see Figure 1 for full list). The SIS Solution should have the ability to accommodate a complex, multi-institution university system’s needs, and the flexibility to accommodate the unique requirements of Member universities.

Integration Overview

The future SIS Solution will need to integrate with several point solutions as well as A&M System’s centrally managed Financial and HCM solutions in order to effectively manage and enhance activities at A&M System member universities. Some legacy applications are expected to be

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 15 of 47 replaced with selected SIS Solution, but there are some applications which will persist and require an integration strategy. Exhibit F – Application Inventory describes each of the key applications in current SIS environment at each university, inclusive of the integration and middleware solutions that are deployed. Respondents must use this information as the basis for any services and/or tools you may propose to assist in articulating your integration approach. Any services or tools should be clearly stated and priced in Respondent’s pricing response in Attachment 2 – Pricing.

Respondent is expected to provide its specific approach to integration so that the resulting SIS Solution is seamless, and the system architecture is designed to allow for optimal scalability, flexibility, interoperability, and low ongoing total cost of ownership (TCO).

Master Data Overview

A&M System is looking for the Respondent to ensure data consistency as reflected in the Data, Reporting tab of Attachment 4 – Technical Requirements. Note that A&M System would like to leverage current investments where possible; however, it is seeking recommendations / industry best practices from its Respondents to ensure a robust, integrated MDM architecture and solution. Such recommendations / industry best practices should be reflected in the Comments cells in response to data management requirements in Data, Reporting tab within Attachment 4

– Technical Requirements.

Analytics and Reporting Overview

A&M System is looking for the Respondents to ensure both System wide and university wide analytics and reporting capabilities. There are varying levels of maturity in regard to leveraging data warehouse, data lake, and analytics tools. Where possible leverage current tools that are planned for continued use to meet member university intelligence and reporting needs. However, A&M System is seeking to include industry and best practices for BI, reporting (both operational and regulatory), and business analytics. A&M System and the selected vendor will determine how best to utilize the operational and analytic capabilities provided by the SIS Solution, in a complementary or supplementary fashion to current tools and platforms.

Please reference Attachment 5 – Critical Reports Inventory for a list of desired prebuilt reports that should be provided as part of the Respondent’s proposed solution. In your proposal, identify the various prebuilt dashboards that are available for both regulatory and operational purposes.

Artificial Intelligence Capabilities Overview: Robotic Process Automation; Machine Learning, Generative AI

A&M System would like to leverage the Artificial Intelligence tools within your solution to help accelerate tasks and capabilities. However, A&M System is seeking recommendations from Respondents to include Higher Education industry best practices and a point of view on how to use AI to augment SIS capabilities.

A&M System will determine how best to utilize Artificial Intelligence operational and analytics capabilities, provided by the respective SIS Solution, in a complementary or supplementary fashion to its own tools and platforms. Please articulate what is inherent in your solution vs.

additional modules / charges.

3.7 Accessibility

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

206.70 and 213;Title II of the Americans with Disability Act, the technical standards set forth in

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 16 of 47 the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1, level AA (available at https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21), as published by the Web Accessibility Initiative of the World Wide Web Consortium (the “Accessibility Warranty”) and implementing policy of A&M System’s Regulations 29.01.04, the Texas A&M University System must procure Products that comply with the accessibility standards when such products are available in the commercial marketplace or when such Products are developed in response to a procurement solicitation. Accordingly, the Respondent must provide electronic and information resources and associated Product documentation and technical support that comply with the Accessibility Standards.

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

https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/ (VPAT 2.5 INT (April 24, 2025)

b) Provide Policy Driven Adoption Vendor Self-Assessment (PDAA) with your RFP response.

This Information and Communications Technology (ICT) accessibility assessment is for vendor organizations to describe how they are currently implementing accessibility policy and practices within their organizations. https://dir.texas.gov/resource-library-item/policy-driven-adoption-accessibility-pdaa-vendor-assessment

c) Are all areas of your application fully Unicode compliant in terms of both data entry and display?

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

e) What is your timeline for making the Solution fully accessible?

3.8 TX-RAMP Certification

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

Respondents with existing GovRAMP or FedRAMP authorization should note that TX-RAMP has two assessment and certification levels:

• Level 1 for public/non-confidential information or low impact systems.

• Level 2 for confidential/regulated data in moderate or high impact systems.

Respondents with a GovRAMP Core, Ready, Provisionally Authorized, or Authorized status are granted a TX-RAMP Level 2 certification. Other GovRAMP designations must obtain a TX-RAMP certification through Texas DIR’s process.

Respondents with a FedRAMP Authorized status are granted TX-RAMP Level 1 for FedRAMP Low (not including Li-SaaS) or TX-RAMP Level 2 for FedRAMP Moderate or High. Respondents with a FedRAMP In Process or Ready are granted TX-RAMP provisional certification until the FedRAMP authorization is complete.

For additional information on TX-RAMP Eligibility and Requirements, please refer to the state of Texas DIR site: https://dir.texas.gov/tx-ramp.

https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21 https://www.itic.org/policy/accessibility/ https://dir.texas.gov/resource-library-item/policy-driven-adoption-accessibility-pdaa-vendor-assessment https://dir.texas.gov/resource-library-item/policy-driven-adoption-accessibility-pdaa-vendor-assessment https://dir.texas.gov/tx-ramp

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 17 of 47

3.9 VetHUB Program

The Veteran Heroes United in Business program (VetHUB or HUB) as part of the state of Texas Comptroller’s Statewide Procurement Division will focus on certification of service-disabled veterans (SDV) to facilitate their growth and development and increase opportunities for contracts and subcontracts with the state of Texas. Additional information on the VetHUB program visit the following site:

https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/vendor/hub/hub-faq.php.

The A&M System requires a HUB subcontracting plan (HSP) for contracts of $100,000 or more over the life of the contract (including any renewals), where such opportunities exist. The total expected value of this solicitation and subsequent contract is $100,000 or more and therefore, respondents to this RFP are required to develop and submit a HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) form with their proposal submission.

A subcontracting opportunity is defined as any portion or lot of work that the Respondent cannot complete with its own equipment, supplies, materials, and/or employees. The Respondents will use the procedures prescribed below when completing the HSP form.

The Respondent shall use the CMBL/HUB directory published on the comptroller’s website to identify HUBs. If the Respondent uses any alternate source, it accepts the risk that its HUB subcontracting plan may be noncompliant due to inaccurate HUB certification information. A business listed in the HUB directory at the time of the good faith effort is considered a HUB for purposes of evaluating a HUB subcontracting plan, even if the business later graduates or has its HUB status revoked or expired. If the Respondent uses any alternate source, it accepts the risk that its HUB subcontracting plan may be noncompliant due to inaccurate HUB certification information. The HUB directory can be accessed via the following site:

https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/tpasscmblsearch/index.jsp

The A&M System VetHUB Program Office will review the information and documentation submitted and use it as a basis to determine if the plan was developed in good faith effort by the Respondent to utilize HUB subcontractors and/or suppliers on this project. The A&M System may reject a HUB subcontracting plan that was not developed in good faith or was not completed. The A&M System shall document the reasons for rejection in the contract file. If the A&M System finds that businesses identified in a HUB subcontracting plan are no longer HUBs, it may invite the vendor to submit a revised plan that identifies active HUBs.

An accepted HSP form will become a part of any contract with the Respondent resulting from this solicitation. Any revisions to the HSP must be approved by the A&M System HUB Program Office.

Procedures for Completing the HSP Form

The A&M System requires the Respondent to submit an HSP form for this RFP. The HSP form must include all subconsultants, suppliers, subcontractors, and vendors intended to be included in the Respondent’s team. The A&M System has set a good faith effort goal of 2% for this solicitation.

In accordance with 34 TAC §20.285, as amended, the Respondent may demonstrate good faith effort to utilize Texas certified HUBs for its subcontracting opportunities by utilizing one of four methods: (1) Solicitation Method, (2) All-HUB-Subcontractors Method, (3) Meeting-or- Exceeding-HUB-Goal Method, or (4) Self-performing Method. Each of these methods are further described within the HSP form.

https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/vendor/hub/hub-faq.php https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/tpasscmblsearch/index.jsp https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/rules-and-meetings?interface=VIEW_TEXAS_REGISTER_SUMMARY&recordId=457245

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 18 of 47

The A&M System HSP form to be used is located at the following site:

https://www.tamus.edu/procurement/hub-procurement/hub-programs-3/resources-for-hub-vendors-partners/#forms.

For more information or assistance in properly completing this requirement of this RFP, the Respondent may contact the A&M System at SO-HUBProgram@tamus.edu. Each Respondent is encouraged to submit a draft of their HSP form prior to submitting their response to the RFP for review by the A&M System. To permit adequate time for the performance of the required good faith effort, we request that all drafts be submitted at least ten (10) business days prior to the RFP due date.

https://www.tamus.edu/procurement/hub-procurement/hub-programs-3/resources-for-hub-vendors-partners/#forms https://www.tamus.edu/procurement/hub-procurement/hub-programs-3/resources-for-hub-vendors-partners/#forms mailto:SO-HUBProgram@tamus.edu

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 19 of 47

SECTION 4 - PROPOSAL RESPONSE

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

To facilitate a timely and comprehensive evaluation of all submitted materials, proposals shall be submitted following the instructions provided in this section.

The Respondent’s response must be made in accordance with all guidelines and requirements set forth in this RFP package. In order to be considered for selection, Respondents must submit a complete response to this RFP utilizing the submittal instructions contained herein and within the timeline established in the submittal instructions.

All proposal materials should be provided in either Microsoft Word or Excel, as specified, with no passwords utilized for any document access.

The proposal must be signed by an authorized representative of the Respondent.

To enable an efficient proposal review process, proposals should be prepared and organized as indicated below, providing a concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. Emphasis should be placed on completeness and clarity of content, and the response formatted and written in a concise and easy-to-read manner.

4.1 Technical Proposal

Respondents shall include the sections as identified below in their technical proposal response.

A. Cover Letter

Provide a Cover Letter with an executive summary in Microsoft Word format for the proposal submitted. The letter should summarize the key aspects of your response in no more than 10 pages and should follow the general guidelines below:

• Your understanding of the requested solution and your ability to cover the breadth and depth required;

• Distinguishing characteristics, including the fit-for-purpose applications/modules and their ability to support A&M System’s unique needs; and proven track record of providing SIS solutions for clients of similar scope, industry, complexity, and geography to A&M System (e.g., operating multiple universities within a complex multi institution university system, including an R1 institution, within North America);

• A summary of what you believe to be a compelling business case for A&M System;

• Any issues or concerns that you envision being associated with fulfilling the requirements of the RFP; cite specific suggestions for mitigating associated risks;

• Identify an executive sponsor;

• A statement to the effect that the proposal is in accordance with the outline and specifications contained herein and will remain in effect a minimum of one-hundred

The Texas A&M University System RFP-01-CIO-26-261 Page 20 of 47 twenty days (120) days from the date of submission and may be subject to further extensions as negotiated.

B. Organizational Qualifications and Experience

Provide an introductory overview of each of your firm’s organizational capability and relevant experience (e.g., corporate profile). Please include a description of your firm’s experience providing SIS solutions for clients of similar scope, industry, complexity, and geography to A&M System (e.g., operating multiple universities within a complex multi-institution university system, including an R1 institution, within North America). This section of the technical proposal should complement the information requested as part of Attachment 1 Vendor Info.

B.1 Relevant Experience Record – Provide an overview of your relevant prior project history, at minimum with Higher Education institutions, preferably those operating multiple universities within a complex multi-institution university system, including an R1 institution, within North America.

B.2 References – Provide an overview of solution references, which include a minimum of two (2) client references each for the proposed software solution. In addition to listing your customer references, please explain why each of the references best represents your firm and specifically your proposal for A&M System.

B.3 Product Management Approach and Strategy – Provide an overview of the proposed SIS solution’s product development process, including how this process focuses on customer needs. A&M System is particularly interested in learning more about each SIS software’s product roadmap.

C. Proposed Solution

Provide an introduction and overview of the proposed SIS solution and explain why it is the best solution for the A&M System. Discussion of the proposed solution should be specifically tailored to A&M System and its SIS Modernization.

C.1 Functional Solution – Provide an overview of how your proposed SIS solution will address the use cases as detailed Attachment 3 Scope & Use Case Alignment.

C.2 Technical Solution – Provide an overview of how the proposed SIS solution will holistically address technical requirements defined by A&M System in Attachment 4 Technical Requirements and the reports outlined in Attachment 5 Critical Reports Inventory. This overview should include the most relevant and key technical aspects of the solution, such as solution architecture, infrastructure, information architecture, integration architecture and design, and security architecture, and should complement your responses.

D. Proposed Services

Provide an introduction and overview of your proposed services that are associated with your SaaS solution. Do not include solution implementation services as it is A&M System’s intent to issue a separate RFP for implementation services of the SIS solution.

The Texas A&M University System…