ESBD_505193_1775761047971_2001-2026 Graphic Design RFP.pdf

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP No. 2001-2026

Graphic Design Services:

Your Rights as a Survivor: A Guide for Caregivers of Children Who

Experienced Sexual Abuse

Proposal Submittal Deadline: April 20, 2026

Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission PO Box 12248

Austin, Texas 78711

Questions may be submitted to:

Jessica Arguijo, Communications Manager

Phone: 512.463.7226 E-mail: jessica.arguijo@txcourts.gov

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INTRODUCTION

The Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission is a statewide, multi-disciplinary, collaborative body that includes high-level membership from the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of Texas government, along with child welfare stakeholders in the public and private sectors. The Supreme Court established the Children's Commission in 2007 with the overall goal of strengthening the child welfare system by increasing public awareness about the challenges facing children, youth, and families through encouraging judicial leadership, supporting best judicial and legal practices through training and education, and informing policy and practice affecting child welfare in Texas.

PURPOSE/SCOPE

A workgroup comprised of representatives from several statewide agencies including the Office of the Governor, Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, and the Supreme Court of Texas Children’s Commission (“Children’s Commission”) developed Your Rights as a Survivor: A Guide for Caregivers of Children Who Experienced Sexual Abuse a (“Guide”) for child survivors of sexual abuse in Texas. Its purpose is to empower caregivers by providing an overview of the child’s rights, who is involved, and how to access resources. Please refer to a previous edition in the series, Your Rights as a Survivor, A Guide for Adults Who Experienced Sexual Abuse.

The Texas Children’s Commission is soliciting proposals for art design services to produce an electronic document of the Guide (see attached draft).

The Children’s Commission will provide the final draft of the Guide in Microsoft Word format. The graphic designer will use Adobe InDesign to achieve a professional layout. Review drafts will be provided in PDF format. The final document and all assets used for the project will be provided to the Children’s Commission in Adobe InDesign and Illustrator to include accessible PDF formats. State agencies and institutions of higher education are required to comply with Texas EIR Accessibility statute and rules to provide accessibility.

The Children’s Commission coordinator for the project will be Jessica Arguijo, Communications Manager.

DELIVERABLES

The services to be delivered include:

• Prepare InDesign document template set up with defined styles for digital format; must pass current WCAG standards accessibility testing

• Cover design

• Color scheme

• Source or create graphics, up to an estimated 10 icons

• Submit document for client review and incorporate feedback (two client reviews)

• Deliver Final document version of Adobe InDesign template and Illustrator files

Each deliverable shall be subject to review by the Children’s Commission prior to acceptance of the deliverable.

QUALIFICATIONS

Requirements (include as attachment)

1) Describe how your organization integrates digital accessibility into your product development and project management lifecycles for development projects.

2) Describe the development and test tools used within your organization to produce accessible technology products and examples of how test results are documented (including automated, manual, and assistive technology testing methodologies and tools).

3) Provide links to websites or other examples of your organization’s development work that meets the accessibility technical standards in Section 508, or WCAG 2.1 AA.

https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/organization/criminal-justice/Adult_Guide_digital_2024.pdf https://gov.texas.gov/uploads/files/organization/criminal-justice/Adult_Guide_digital_2024.pdf

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TIMELINE

Date Children’s Commission Contractor April 9, 2026 RFP posted April 20, 2026 RFP closed April 22, 2026 Proposal Selected & Announced April 24, 2026 Project initiated May 1, 2026 Review initial cover design mockup samples May 8, 2026 Final Files and work completed

TERM & COMPENSATION

The contract awarded under this RFP shall begin upon the date the purchase order is executed and shall end no later than September 1, 2026.

The basis for compensation shall be the Children’s Commission’s acceptance of the deliverables. Compensation for this project is capped at $10,000.00.

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

General

• Format Respondents shall submit one electronic copy of the Proposal. The electronic copy must be sent to jessica.arguijo@txcourts.gov with the subject “RFP No. 2001-2026” prior to the proposal submittal deadline to include the following:

o Respondent Information. Include the following information related to the responding business entity:

formal name and all assumed names used by the business entity; structure of business entity (i.e. sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc.); and name, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address of Respondent’s primary contact.

o Statement of Work for Contract Deliverables and Detailed Narrative. Provide a statement of work that includes key goals and dates and a detailed narrative response for each deliverable showing how the Respondent intends to meet each deliverable requirement.

• Sample Works, Experience and Qualifications Respondents must provide a portfolio of work examples and information about the experience and qualifications of employees and contractors who will furnish services under this Contract.

• Pricing Respondent should include a not-to-exceed detailed cost proposal to accomplish the scope of work.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION

The Children’s Commission will award a contract to a Respondent whose Proposal is considered to provide the best value to the State of Texas, as defined by Texas Government Code Section 2155.074.

mailto:jessica.arguijo@txcourts.gov

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In evaluating Proposals to determine the best value for the State, the Children’s Commission may consider information related to past contract performance of a Proposal, including, but not limited to, the Comptroller of Public Account’s Vendor Performance Tracking System.

RESERVATION OF RIGHTS

The Children’s Commission reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or to re-solicit or cancel this RFP if such action is deemed in the best interests of the State of Texas and the Children’s Commission.

GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

• OFFER AND ACCEPTANCE. A proposal submitted in response to this RFP is an offer to contract based upon the terms, conditions, and specifications contained herein. The offer is accepted by the Children's Commission and becomes a contract when a purchase order is executed. The selected Respondent shall be referred to as the Contractor.

1. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS. The contract documents will consist of the following:

i) The executed purchase order;

ii) Any written Addenda or Amendments;

iii) The RFP, including the General Terms and Conditions;

iv) Any Best and Final Offer (BAFO) submitted by the Contractor; and

v) The Proposal, (including the General Terms and Conditions, attachments, appendices, and exhibits).

• The contract documents are incorporated in the Contract for all purposes and contain the entire agreement between the Contractor and the Children's Commission. In the event of a conflict between the documents listed in this paragraph, the documents will control in the order of precedence listed above beginning with (a), then (b), then (c), then (d), then (e). In the event and to the extent any provisions in multiple documents address the same or substantially the same subject matter but do not actually conflict, the more recent provisions shall be deemed to have superseded the earlier provisions. Any modification, alteration, or waiver of any term, covenant, or condition of the Contract and any attachments shall be in writing and executed by the Children's Commission and the Contractor.

• STANDARDS OF SERVICES. Contractor shall provide all of the above services and all reasonably related services in accordance with applicable professional standards. Contractor represents and warrants that it has the requisite qualifications, experience, personnel and other resources to perform in the manner required by this Contract.

• PROJECT MANAGER. The Children's Commission will designate a Project Manager to serve as the point of contact between the Children's Commission and Contractor. The Children's Commission’s Project Manager shall supervise the Children's Commission’s review of Contractor’s work, deliverables, draft reports, schedules, and similar matters.

The Project Manager has no express or implied authority to vary the terms of the Contract, amend the Contract in any way or waive strict performance of the terms or conditions of the Contract.

• PERSONNEL. Contractor shall assign only qualified personnel to this Contract, including subcontractors. No subcontract shall relieve Contractor of responsibility for ensuring the requested services are provided, and Contractor shall be the sole contact for the Children's Commission.

• TERM AND TERMINATION. The Contract shall become effective on the purchase order execution date, and shall expire no later than September 30, 2026, unless otherwise sooner terminated as provided in this RFP. Provisions herein regarding confidentiality, indemnification, transition, records, right to audit and independent audit, property rights, dispute resolution, invoice and fees verification, and default shall survive the termination or expiration dates of the Contract. By providing thirty (30) days’ written notice to Contractor by certified mail, return receipt requested or by facsimile, the Children's Commission may terminate the contract within the Children's Commission’s sole discretion.

• PAYMENT. Payment shall be made upon acceptance by the Children’s Commission of final deliverable.

• PUBLIC ACCESS TO RECORDS. Although the Children's Commission is not subject to the Texas Public Information

Act, all RFP and contract documents and information, and any report, analysis or data generated as a result of the

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The Children's Commission will notify Contractor of any request received by the Children's Commission for records that Contractor has identified as confidential in its response to this RFP.

• CONFIDENTIALITY. Contractor agrees to maintain and shall execute a confidentiality agreement safeguarding the confidentiality of information received from the State of Texas during the performance of this Contract.

• INDEMNIFICATION. Contractor shall defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the State of Texas and its officers and employees, and the Children's Commission and its officers, employees and contractors from and against all claims, actions, suits, demands, proceedings, costs, damages, and liabilities, arising out of, connected with, or resulting from any acts or omissions of Contractor or any agent, employee, subcontractor, or supplier of Contractor in the execution or performance of the Contract. Contractor shall coordinate its defense with the Texas Attorney General’s office as requested by the Children's Commission. This paragraph is not intended to and shall not be construed to require contractor to indemnify or hold harmless the State or the Children's Commission for any claims or liability resulting from the negligent acts or omissions of the Children's Commission or its employees.

• DISPUTE RESOLUTION. The dispute resolution process provided for in Texas Government Code Chapter 2260 shall be used by the Children's Commission and Contractor to attempt to resolve any dispute arising under the Contract.

• AMENDMENTS. The Contract may be amended only upon written agreement between the Children's Commission and Contractor; however, any amendment of this Contract that conflicts with the laws of the State of Texas shall be void ab initio.

• APPLICABLE LAW; VENUE. This Contract shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the

State of Texas. The venue of any suit arising under this Contract is fixed in any court of competent jurisdiction of Travis County, Texas.

• STRICT COMPLIANCE. Time is of the essence in the performance of the Contract. Contractor shall strictly comply with all of the contract deadlines, requirements, and performance standards.

• ASSIGNMENTS. Without the prior written consent of the Children's Commission, Contractor may not assign this Contract, in whole or in part, and may not assign any right or duty required under it.

• PARTIALLY-COMPLETED WORK. Within one calendar day after termination of this Contract, or at the Children's Commission’s request, Contractor shall deliver to the Children's Commission all completed, or partially completed, work and any and all documentation or other products and results of these services. Failure to timely deliver such work or any and all documentation or other products and results of the services shall be considered a material breach of the Contract.

• FEDERAL, STATE, AND LEGAL REQUIREMENTS. Contractor shall demonstrate on-site compliance with the Federal Tax Reform Act of 1986, Section 1706, amending Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978, dealing with issuance of Form W-2’s to common-law employees. Contractor is responsible for both federal and State unemployment insurance coverage and standard worker’s compensation insurance coverage. Contractor shall comply with all federal and State tax laws and withholding requirements. The State of Texas shall not be liable to Contractor or its employees for any unemployment or workers’ compensation coverage, or federal or State withholding requirements. Contractor shall indemnify the State of Texas and shall pay all costs, penalties, or losses resulting from Contractor’s omission or breach of this Section.

• SEVERABILITY CLAUSE. In the event that any provision of the Contract is later determined to be invalid, void, or unenforceable, then its remaining terms, provisions, covenants, and conditions shall remain in full force and effect, and shall in no way be affected, impaired, or invalidated.

• APPLICABLE LAW AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS. Contractor must comply with all current and amended laws, regulations, requirements and guidelines applicable to a Contractor providing services to the State of Texas throughout the term of the Contract. the Children's Commission reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to unilaterally amend the Contract throughout its term to incorporate any modifications necessary for the Children's Commission’s or Contractor’s compliance with all applicable State and federal laws and regulations.

• NO WAIVER. Nothing in the Contract shall be construed as a waiver of the state’s sovereign immunity. The Contract shall not constitute or be construed as a waiver of any of the privileges, rights, defenses, remedies, or immunities available to the State of Texas. The failure to enforce, or any delay in the enforcement, of any privileges, rights, defenses, remedies, or immunities available to the State of Texas under the Contract or under applicable law shall not constitute a waiver of such privileges, rights, defenses, remedies, or immunities or be considered as a basis for estoppel. The Children's Commission does not waive any privileges, rights, defenses, or immunities available to the

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Children's Commission by entering into the Contract or by its conduct prior to or subsequent to entering into the Contract.

• NO LIABILITY UPON TERMINATION. If the Contract is terminated for any reason, the Children’s Commission and the State of Texas shall not be liable to Contractor for any damages, claims, losses, or any other amounts arising from or related to any such termination. However, Contractor may be entitled to the remedies provided in Government Code Chapter 2260.

• INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. Contractor or Contractor’s employees, representatives, agents and any subcontractors shall serve as an independent contractor in providing services under this Contract. Contractor or Contractor’s employees, representatives, agents and any subcontractors shall not be employees or agents of the State of Texas and shall not be entitled to benefits of state employment such as retirement or leave benefits. Should Contractor subcontract any of the services required in this Contract, the Children's Commission is in no manner liable to any subcontractor(s) of Contractor.

• LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY. Contractor shall have no authority to act for or on behalf of the Children's Commission or the State of Texas except as expressly provided for in this Contract; no other authority, power or use is granted or implied. Contractor may not incur any debts, obligations, expenses, or liabilities of any kind on behalf of the State of Texas or the Children's Commission.

• INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CLAIMS. Contractor shall indemnify, save and hold harmless the State of Texas and the Children's Commission from and against claims of patent, trademark, copyright, trade secret or other proprietary rights, violations or infringements arising from the State’s, the Children's Commission’s, or Contractor’s use of any services, software, or other items provided to the State of Texas or the Children's Commission by Contractor or otherwise to which the State of Texas or the Children's Commission has access as a result of Contractor’s performance under this Contract, provided that the Children's Commission shall notify Contractor of any such claim within a reasonable time of receiving notice of any such claim. If Contractor is notified of any claim subject to this section, Contract shall notify the Children's Commission of such claim within five (5) business days of such notice.

No settlement of any such claim shall be made by Contractor without the Children's Commission’s prior written approval. Contractor shall reimburse the State of Texas and the Children's Commission for any claims, damages, losses, costs, expenses, judgments or any other amounts, including, but not limited to, attorneys’ fees and court costs, arriving from any such claim. Contract shall pay all reasonable costs of the State’s and the Children's Commission’s counsel and shall also pay costs of multiple counsel, if required to avoid conflicts of interest. Contract represents that it has determined what licenses, patents and permits are required under this Contract and has acquired all such licenses, patents and permits. In the event that Contractor loses the right to allow the state to use any technology under this indemnification, then Contractor shall repay the State all monies paid under this Contract.

• SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS. Contractor shall maintain and retain supporting fiscal and any other documents relevant to payments and expenditures under the Contract. Contractor shall maintain all such documents and other records relating to this Contract and the State’s property for a period of four (4) years after the termination date of the Contract or the resolution of all billing questions, whichever is later. Contractor and any Subcontractors shall provide the State Auditor with any information that the State Auditor deems relevant to any investigation or audit.

Contractor must retain all work and supporting documents pertaining to the Contract for a period of four (4) years after its end date for purposes of inspecting, monitoring, auditing, or evaluation of the Children's Commission and any authorized agency of the State of Texas, including an investigation by the State Auditor.

• ACCESS TO RECORDS. Contractor shall cooperate with any authorized agents of the State of Texas and shall provide them with prompt access to all of such State’s work as requested. Contractor’s failure to comply with this Section shall constitute a material breach of the Contract and shall authorize the Children's Commission and the State of Texas to immediately assess appropriate damages for such failure. The acceptance of funds by Contractor any other entity or person directly under the Contract, or indirectly through a subcontract under the Contract, shall constitute acceptance of the authority of the State Auditor, Comptroller or other agency of the State of Texas to conduct an audit or investigation in connection with those funds. Contractor shall ensure that this paragraph concerning the State’s authority to audit funds received indirectly by subcontractors through Contractor and the requirement to cooperate is included in any subcontract it awards. Furthermore, under the direction of the legislative audit committee, an entity that is the subject of an audit or investigation by the State Auditor must provide the State Auditor with access to any information the State Auditor considers relevant to the investigation or audit.

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• FELONY CRIMINAL CONVICTIONS. Contractor shall fully advise the Children's Commission as to the facts and circumstances surrounding conviction of a felony criminal offense of Contractor or any of its employees that are assigned to or associated with this project.

• NOTICES. Any written notices required under this Contract will be by either hand delivery or by U.S. Mail, certified, return receipt requested, and is effective on receipt by the affected party. The address for Contractor will be the address on the Offer. The address for the Children's Commission will be that specified in Section III of this RFP.

Either party may change its designated notice address by written notification to the other party.

• DEBTS OR DELINQUENCIES TO STATE. The Comptroller is prohibited from issuing any payment to a person or entity reported to have an indebtedness or delinquency to the State. To the extent that Contractor owes any debt or delinquent taxes to the State of Texas, any payments or other amounts Contractor is otherwise owed under this Contract shall be applied toward the debt or delinquent taxes until the debt or delinquent taxes is paid in full.

Contractor agrees to comply with all applicable laws regarding satisfaction of debts or delinquencies to the State of Texas.

• CONTRACTS FOR SERVICES. In accordance with Government Code Section 2155.4441, the Contractor shall purchase products and materials produced in the State of Texas, when available at a price and time comparable to products and materials produced outside the State.

• WORK MADE FOR HIRE. “Work” is defined as all examination materials, reports, statistical analyses, work papers, work products, materials, approaches, designs, specifications, systems, documentation, methodologies, concepts, research materials, intellectual property or other property developed, produced, or generated in connection with the Contract. All work performed pursuant to the Contract is made the exclusive property of the Children's Commission. All rights, title and interest in and to said property shall vest in the Children's Commission upon creation and shall be deemed to be a work for hire and made in the course of the services rendered pursuant to the Contract. To the extent that title to any such work may not, by operation of law, vest in the Children's Commission, or such work may not be considered a work made for hire, then all rights, title and interest therein are hereby irrevocably assigned to the Children's Commission. The Children's Commission shall have the right to obtain and to hold in its name any and all patents, copyrights, registrations or such other protection as may be appropriate to the subject matter, and any extensions and renewals thereof. Contractor must give the Children's Commission and the State of Texas, and their designees, all assistance required to perfect the rights defined herein without any charge or expense beyond those amounts payable to Contractor for services rendered under the Contract.

• TECHNOLOGY ACCESS CLAUSE. In the event that Contractor’s Work includes the provision of an automated information system as defined by Government Code Sections 2157.001(1) and 2157.005, then state funds may not be expended in connection with the purchase of an automated information system unless that system meets certain statutory requirements relating to accessibility by persons with visual impairments. Accordingly, Contractor shall provide the Children's Commission technology that is capable, either by virtue of features included within the technology or because it is readily adaptable by use with other technology, of: (1) providing equivalent access for effective use by both visual and nonvisual means; (2) presenting information, including prompts used for interactive communications, in formats intended for both visual and nonvisual use; and (3) being integrated into networks for obtaining, retrieving, and disseminating information used by individuals who are not blind or visually impaired. For purposes of this Section, the phrase "equivalent access" means substantially similar ability to communicate with or make use of the technology, either directly by features incorporated within the technology or by other reasonable means such as assistive devices or services that would constitute reasonable accommodations under the federal Americans with Disabilities Act or similar state or federal laws. Examples of methods by which equivalent access may be provided include, but are not limited to, keyboard alternatives to mouse commands and other means of navigating graphical displays, and customizable display appearance.

• POLICY COMPLIANCE. Contractor’s employees and agents (including subcontractors and their employees and agents) identified by the Children's Commission management as having sufficient presence on the Children's Commission premises shall be required to adhere to applicable the Children's Commission human resources, information services, and finance and operations policies and shall be required to attend one or more policy orientation sessions. Those employees and agents identified as having access to State of Texas information resources and information resources technologies may be subject to periodic criminal history record investigations.

• FORCE MAJEURE. Neither Contractor nor the Children's Commission shall be liable to the other for any delay in, or failure of performance, of any requirement included in any PO resulting from this RFP caused by force majeure. The

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Force majeure is defined as acts of God, war, fires, explosions, hurricanes, floods, failure of transportation, or other causes that are beyond the reasonable control of either party and that by exercise of due foresight such party could not reasonably have been expected to avoid, and which, by the exercise of all reasonable due diligence, such party is unable to overcome. Each party must inform the other in writing, with proof of receipt, within three (3) business days of the existence of such force majeure, or otherwise waive this right as a defense.

• DEFAULT. If Contractor is in default on the Contract, the Children's Commission may cancel the Contract without notice and either re-solicit or award the contract to the next best responsive and responsible Respondent. The defaulting Contractor will not be considered in the re-solicitation and may not be considered in future solicitations for the same type of work, unless the specification or scope of work is significantly changed. In the event of abandonment or default, Contractor shall pay damages to the Children's Commission including but not limited to re-procurement costs, and any consequential damages to the State of Texas or the Children's Commission resulting from Contractor’s non-performance.

• NO CONFLICTS. Contractor represents and warrants that Contractor has no actual or potential conflicts of interest in providing services to the State of Texas under the Contract and that Contractor’s provision of services under this Contract would not reasonably create an appearance of impropriety.

• FALSE STATEMENTS / BREACH OF REPRESENTATIONS. Any false statements by Contractor in the Contract documents or violation by Contractor of any of the representations, warranties, guarantees, certifications or affirmations included in the Contract shall constitute default by Contractor, and the Children's Commission may terminate or void the Contract for cause and pursue other remedies available to the Children's Commission under the Contract or applicable law