ESBD_506954_1776363352068_RFO - TBOTE CE Tracking System.pdf

TEXAS BOARD OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

EXAMINERS

REQUEST FOR OFFERS

Continuing Education Tracking System

NIGP Class/Item: 95277-Research And Evaluation, Human Services (Including Productivity Audits)

RFO No. 533-26-20261.

April 16, 2026

Anticipated Schedule of Events

April 16, 2026 Issuance of RFO April 30, 2026 Deadline for Submission of Questions May 18, 2026 Release of Official Responses to Questions (or as soon thereafter as practical) June 22, 2026 Deadline for Submission of Offers September 1, 2026 Services Commencement Date (or as soon thereafter as practical)

The Respondent's authorized agent must sign below. By signing this document, the Respondent acknowledges that all information contained in the document is true and correct and that Respondent agrees to comply with all terms and conditions. Failure to sign this document will disqualify your response. By signing this proposal, Respondent certifies that if a Texas address is shown as the address, Respondent qualifies as a Texas Vendor as defined in 34 TAC Rule 20.25(75).

Signature Title Date

Table of Contents

I. SUMMARY

II. SPECIFICATIONS

A. Introduction

B. Background and History

C. Definitions and Acronyms

D. Cost

E. Scope of Services

1. Ownership Rights to Data

2. Accessibility

3. CE Requirements

4. CE Management

5. Data Access

6. CE Data Collection

7. CE Data Reporting

8. CE Audit

9. CE Data Retention

10. Data Transfer and Security

11. System Help

12. Licensee Requirements

13. CE Provider Requirements

14. Audit of Vendor and Performance Data

III. CONTRACT TERM

IV. RFO PROTEST PROCEDURES

V. SUBCONTRACTORS

VI. PERFORMANCE TRACKING

VII. RESPONDENT DOCUMENTS

A. Submission

B. Costs

C. Copyright

D. Texas Public Information Act (PIA)

E. Contents

F. Elements of Proposal

VIII. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

IX. EXECUTION OF OFFER

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

NONDISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

CERTIFICATION REGARDING PUBLIC NATURE OF THE OFFER

Appendix A: Chapter 367, Continuing Education, of the TBOTE rules

Appendix B: Chapter 370, License Renewal, of the TBOTE rules

Appendix C: Chapter 371, Inactive and Retired Status, of the TBOTE rules

Appendix D: Sec. 454.254 of the Occupational Therapy Practice Act (Texas Occupations Code Chapter 454)

I. SUMMARY.

A. Type of Submission: Request for Offers (RFO)

B. Issuing Office: Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners

George H.W. Bush State Office Building 1801 Congress, Ste 10.900 Austin, Texas 78701

C. Additional Requirements/Qualifications: N/A

D. Responses to RFO: See Section VII.A.

E. Deadline for Offers: June 22, 2026

F. Initial Contract Term: September 1, 2026, or date of award, whichever is later, to August 31, 2028

G. Board Optional Contract Terms: September 1, 2028, through August 31, 2030

H. Board Contact Persons for this RFO: Randall Glines, Staff Services Officer randall@ptot.texas.gov Nicole Palmer, Staff Services Officer nicole@ptot.texas.gov

I. Offers Submitted by Email: Required; See Section VII.A.

J. Offers Submitted by Fax: Not Acceptable

K. Pre-Offer Conference: N/A

L. Pre-Offer Inspection: N/A

M. Letters of Intent to Submit an Offer: N/A

N. RFO Addenda: The Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (the Board) reserves the right to change the dates in the schedule of events above upon written notification to prospective Respondents through a posting on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) as an Addendum.

It is the responsibility of interested parties to periodically check the ESBD for updates to the RFO prior to submitting a Proposal. The Respondent's failure to periodically check the ESBD will in no way release the awarded Respondent from the requirements of "addenda or additional information" nor will any resulting additional costs to meet the requirements be allowed after the award(s).

O. Questions and Answers: Questions regarding this RFO must be in writing and must be submitted by email to the Board Contact Persons specified in Section I, Part H, no later than April 30, 2026. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Questions may be submitted by email to the email addresses specified in Section I, Part H. The Board intends to post answers to the questions received on the ESBD on May 18, 2026, or as soon thereafter as practical.

P. Respondent Presentations: N/A mailto:randall@ptot.texas.gov mailto:nicole@ptot.texas.gov

Q. Evaluation of Offers under Best Value Standard (Section 2157.003 of the Texas Government Code):

Criteria Weight Project Approach Narrative 50% Experience and Qualifications 35% Past Performance 15%

R. Due to building access restrictions, Respondents will not be permitted to hand deliver Offers to the Issuing Office. Respondents are required to submit Offers electronically via email in accordance with Section VII, Part A of the RFO.

S. Contact with Agency Staff: Upon issuance of this RFO, employees and representatives of the

Board, other than the Board Contact Persons identified in Section I, Part H, will not discuss the contents of this RFO with any Respondent or its representatives. Failure of a Respondent or any of its representatives to observe this restriction may result in disqualification of any related Offer.

This restriction does not preclude discussions between the parties to conduct business unrelated to this procurement.

II. SPECIFICATIONS.

A. Introduction

The Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (the Board) seeks a vendor to provide a Continuing Education (CE) Tracking System as required by Texas Occupations Code Title 3, Subtitle A, Chapter 112, Subchapter C. At a minimum, the CE Tracking System must meet the requirements of Chapter 112 of the Occupations Code and provide for the use by and must be accessible to licensees (Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants), Agency Staff, and CE Providers.

The CE Tracking System must provide a streamlined solution that easily allows licensees to record and track CE information for Texas licensure and renewal, CE Providers to report course completion information, and Agency Staff to track, report, assess, and verify licensee CE compliance.

The CE Tracking System must be provided at zero cost to the Agency, provide free access to licensees, and have transparent pricing for all costs to CE providers, if any. The Vendor must disclose its funding structure to the Board in this RFO.

This RFO lists the Board’s needs from the CE Tracking System. This RFO does not require or authorize the Vendor to determine if reported activities are pre-approved or approved by the Board to meet CE requirements.

B. Background and History In 1993, Senate Bill 690 was passed by the 73rd Texas Legislature, creating the Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners (ECPTOTE). The Texas Advisory Board of Occupational Therapy was renamed the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (TBOTE). The Board was established to protect the health, safety and welfare of the citizens of Texas by establishing the policies and procedures for administering and enforcing the provisions of the Occupational Therapy Practice Act, Title 3, Subtitle H, Chapter 454, Texas Occupations Code. The Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (Board) is a board under the umbrella of ECPTOTE. The Board licenses Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Occupational Therapy Assistants (OTAs).

Approximately 13,600 OTs and 7,220 OTAs are currently licensed by the Board. The Board is staffed by employees of ECPTOTE.

ECPTOTE is a member of the Health Professions Council (HPC), which is comprised of representatives of independent health regulatory agencies in Texas.

HPC provides IT and other support to the Agency. The Vendor will need to collaborate and coordinate, as applicable, with the Board, ECPTOTE, HPC, and/or Agency Staff regarding the development and/or implementation of the desired system.

Additional information regarding the Board and the Occupational Therapy Practice Act and TBOTE rules may be found at https://ptot.texas.gov/.

C. Definitions and Acronyms.

For purposes of this RFO, the following definitions apply.

Acceptable Quality Level

The level of performance of requested services below which the contract will not be paid or damages may be assessed.

Activity This term pertains to any activities completed for Board CE requirements. The term may include different activity types, which might include, but would not be limited to, courses, the publication of certain materials, fieldwork supervision, etc.

Addendum A modification of the specifications issued by the Board and distributed to prospective Respondents prior to the opening of responses.

Agency May refer to ECPTOTE and/or TBOTE, as applicable.

Agency Staff May include the staff of TBOTE, ECPTOTE, HPC, or other entities who provide support services to the Board or assist in implementing Board functions.

Best and Final Offer (BAFO)

A formal request made to selected Respondents for revisions to the originally submitted Proposal.

Board The Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners (TBOTE), also known as the Board. For purposes of this contract, this term may include, as applicable, ECPTOTE and the staff of either.

Certificate Unless the context implies otherwise, this term refers to the documentation required for CE activities and may include, but would not be limited to, certificates of completion, cover pages of publications, letters of verification, etc. More than one document may be required as documentation for an activity.

Continuing Education (CE)

Continuing Education

Continuing Education Hours

The number of completed hours of an activity eligible for continuing education credit. May also be known as CEs, Contact Hours, and/or Credits.

Continuing Education Provider (CE Provider)

Has the meaning as specified in Texas Occupations Code Title 3, Subtitle A, Chapter 112

Continuing Education (CE) Tracking System

The CE tracking and verification system described in this RFO

Contract The contract awarded because of this RFO and all exhibits thereto. This RFO, any Addendum issued in conjunction with this RFO, the successful Respondent's Proposal, any BAFO, and subsequent submission by Respondent shall all be fully incorporated therein as exhibits.

Comptroller of Public Accounts

Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA)

Electronic State Business Daily

(ESBD)

The ESBD is available online at https://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd.

Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners

(ECPTOTE)

Executive Council of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy Examiners, an administrative agency that assists in the implementation of Board functions and provides the Board staff and other support to carry out its functions. Also known as the Agency.

FAQs Frequently Asked Questions

Health Professions Council (HPC)

Health Professions Council, an agency that assists the Board and ECPTOTE to implement various functions, including by providing IT support and maintaining/developing IT systems.

Proposal The response submitted by a vendor to the Board as a result of this solicitation.

Request for Offers

(RFO)

The type of solicitation in this document.

Respondent Any person or vendor who submits a Proposal in response to this solicitation.

Texas Administrative Code (TAC)

The official publication for administrative rules in Texas.

User Includes Agency Staff, Licensees, and CE Providers

D. Cost The Vendor must offer a zero-cost solution, ensuring that the Board will not incur any expenses during the setup or future use of the Vendor’s services or software. Any proposal that is not zero-cost, does not offer free CE Tracking System access to Agency Staff and licensees, does not allow CE Providers to submit CE information, does not meet CPA requirements, or does not meet the requirements of Texas Occupations Code Title 3, Subtitle A, Chapter 112 will be disqualified. The Vendor commits to the following:

1. Zero-Cost Contract. The Board and Vendor will execute a contract with no monetary obligation or payment from the Agency for the Vendor's performance.

2. Free CE Tracking System Access. Licensees and Agency Staff will have access to a CE tracking system that meets all Agency and State requirements at no cost, both direct and indirect.

3. Transparent Pricing. The Vendor commits to not imposing hidden or additional fees on licensees or CE Providers. The Vendor may only charge costs to CE providers if all costs and pricing structures are disclosed in the responses to the RFO and the costs are expressly authorized in the awarded contract.

E. Scope of Services

1. Ownership Rights to Data The Vendor must agree that any and all data provided to or collected by the Vendor is owned exclusively by the Board, regardless of whether the data is publicly available.

The Vendor must ensure that no data provided to or collected by it, regardless of whether the data is publicly available, will be used, sold, or shared by the Vendor for any purpose other than the intended purpose of CE tracking for the Board.

For purposes of clarity, this prohibition includes any and all personally identifiable or private information provided to or collected by the Vendor from the Board, its licensees, or CE Providers.

2. Accessibility: The system must be accessible to users with visual or auditory impairments and must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.). and any other state or federal statutes pertaining to accessibility.

3. CE Requirements Continuing education requirements refer to the information needed to capture, maintain, and provide specific CE data required by the Board.

a) The Board will be able to manage or retrieve the following information from the CE Tracking System:

i. CE hours required by license type and status and by individual;

ii. Time period during which CE hours must have been successfully completed;

iii. Number of successfully completed hours;

iv. Activities and Hours carried forward from the last renewal period, if applicable;

v. Activities and Hours to be carried forward to the next renewal period, if applicable;

vi. Activity Category/Categories (e.g., required human trafficking training, courses and training programs, etc. and/or pre-approved CE and other acceptable activities) of successfully completed CE hours; and

vii. Data collection, data retention, data management, and reporting on completed or missing continuing education hours and/or requirements for all licensees.

b) The Vendor must provide a test account for the purpose of Board testing and training Agency Staff on using the CE Tracking System.

4. CE Management

CE management is an administrative process that includes acquiring, validating, storing, protecting, and processing CE data to ensure its reliability for use by Agency Staff.

a) The Vendor will provide a mechanism to update CE requirements for each license type.

b) The Vendor will provide a mechanism for the Board to access licensee specific CE requirements arising out of some administrative action by the Board.

c) The Vendor will provide a mechanism for the Board to access deadline dates and a timeframe to complete CE requirements based on the expiration date of each license and the previous renewal and/or expiration date, as well as any additional requirements, including those due to disciplinary action, as applicable.

d) The Vendor will provide a link to the Board that directs licensees to the CE Tracking System for the purpose of reviewing and/or accessing their CE information and submitting information concerning the successful completion of CE.

5. Data Access

Data access refers to the Board’s ability to access, store, move, manipulate, or retrieve stored data within the CE Tracking System, making the process more accessible and agile.

a) At the end of the contract, the Board will be able to download the following information, in a single table, for all licensees:

i. Licensee Name (Last, First, Middle);

ii. License Type;

iii. License Number;

iv. License Status and/or Rank;

v. Activity Name and Date;

vi. Activity Category/Categories;

vii. Hours Earned; and

viii. All uploaded certificates in a compressed file archive.

b) At the end of the contract, licensees will be able to download the same as that noted under (a) of this section that pertains to themselves. (See Appendix A through D for current renewal requirements, which are subject to change by the Legislature and/or Board).

6. CE Data Collection Data collection involves the gathering, managing, and tracking of CE hours earned by each licensee and storing the data over multiple years.

a) The Vendor will host all data and provide for the following:

i. Uploading and downloading the data through the Board’s gateway.

ii. The Vendor will provide for a method (e.g., flat file, API) to upload licensee data from the Board’s database, including:

A. Individual Licensee Information;

B. New License Data; and C. Modifications to existing licensee data.

b) The Vendor will provide an API to interface with the Board’s database so that upon submission/creation of the appropriate transaction in the database (e.g., renewal) or other call/request from the Board’s database, there is a check against the data in the CE Tracking System to determine the CE completion status and return the result to the Board’s database (e.g., Compliant or Not Compliant).

c) For each CE activity, the Vendor will gather the following information:

i. Activity Provider (which may include the licensee for activities so designated by the Board);

ii. Activity Title;

iii. Activity Completion Date;

iv. Activity Category/Categories;

v. Hours Earned;

vi. When and by whom (e.g., the CE Provider or the licensee) the CE information was entered; and

vii. The required documentation for the activity.

d) The Vendor will provide storage of electronic copies of completed CE documentation.

e) The CE Tracking System will automatically calculate the sum of all CE hours and CE categories combined when entered.

f) The CE Tracking System will automatically calculate “overlapping” continuing education credits reported from the previous period, if applicable.

g) The CE Tracking System will automatically check for the duplication of any entered CE information for the renewal cycle or previous cycle, if applicable, and the validity of any activity completion dates (including with regard to eligible dates for such). The system will flag such items and/or prevent licensees from submitting such if so determined by the Board during the development of the system.

h) The CE Tracking System will provide an accurate and comprehensive record of licensees’ CE data to help them meet the requirements of their license renewal, including any requirements specific to their license status/type, or meet the requirements of any disciplinary action, if applicable.

i) The CE Tracking System will not allow revisions to the information listed in (c) of this section after the licensee’s renewal, though during an audit or if otherwise required/authorized by the Board, further information may be submitted.

7. CE Data Reporting Data reporting is the process of generating reports specified by the Vendor or Agency Staff, including for use for any verification of CE requirements or CE audits completed by the Board. The Vendor will provide the Board the following:

a) The ability to create and run customized reports and reporting options, including the ability to sort/organize CE information in an alphabetized or numerical manner based on activity category and/or title, course number, completion date, provider, etc.

b) The ability to provide compliance reports demonstrating licensees have completed the CE requirements to maintain their license.

c) The ability to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the reported CE data.

d) The real-time ability to monitor performance and track progress, including through visual representations of CE data.

e) The ability to represent the collected CE data in a format that is easy to understand and interpret.

f) The ability to view an individual’s CE or run reports on groups of individuals.

g) The ability to query the Vendor’s database to view licensee CE information.

The following information must be displayed:

i. License Type;

ii. License Number;

iii. License Status and/or Rank;

iv. Licensee Name (Last, First, Middle);

v. Number of Hours for each activity completed;

vi. The sum of all Hours for each activity completed;

vii. The sum of Hours remaining in each category, if applicable;

viii. Categories reported and any category requirements that have not yet been met; and

ix. Items listed under 6(c).

h) The ability to run standard summary reports on CE data.

i. Access to and the ability to run reports on all licensees using the CE

Tracking System.

ii. A downloadable report for an individual or a group of individuals and search function for licensees who are using the CE Tracking System.

i) The Vendor must provide a mechanism for the Board to submit requests for data extraction of information from the Vendor’s database tables or combination of tables to generate customized Structured Database Query reports.

8. CE Audit The CE Audit refers to the Board’s auditing of individuals to assess compliance with CE requirements for a renewal period. Requirements pertaining to the CE Audit may also be found under other items, including CE Reporting. This section has been added in order to add/address further requirements for this function. The Vendor will provide the Board with the following:

1. The ability to generate an audit of licensees for a specified time period or licensees with a specific license expiration date.

2. The ability to select or deselect individuals for an audit and/or customize CE requirements for the licensee, including due to license status and/or rank and/or Board disciplinary action or previous CE deficiencies.

3. The ability to contact and communicate with selected licensees, both on a batch and individual level, concerning the audit and related information/functions, including pertaining to being selected for the audit, any audit deficiencies, the status of the audit, and the passing or failing of the audit. Any communication, including that sent on a batch-level, will have the capacity to be personalized for the individual and ensure that licensee details (including name, license number, contact information, etc.) are only included on the communication sent to that licensee. If communication is made through the CE Tracking System, the system will allow for notifications (including a notification that a related update, etc. is available in the system) via email to be sent, including automatically, to the licensee and/or Board.

4. The ability of the Board and licensees to submit information and documentation regarding the audit directly into the platform.

5. The ability to record and track information for any current audits, including information and documentation submitted by licensees or provided by the Board and the audit status/progress of audited individuals, and generate related reports.

6. The ability to add/update audit status/audit information on an individual and batch level for selected licensees.

7. The ability for the Board to determine on a batch and individual level the audit information that is displayed to licensees.

9. CE Data Retention

Data retention involves the collection and storage of CE information over multiple years to preserve the history of completed CE for each license type.

a) For all license types, the Vendor will retain completed CE information submitted by a licensee and/or CE Provider and allow for additional license types (including statuses and/or ranks) to be added in the future.

b) Data backup and recovery: The Vendor will provide a robust data backup and recovery processes to ensure that CE data can be restored in the event of a disaster or data loss.

c) Data retention period: The Vendor will preserve and retain – for a period of at least 60 months – in accordance with the Board’s needs and any regulatory requirements the CE information/data (including documentation, etc.) housed and/or submitted into the system.

d) Data accuracy: The Vendor will ensure that CE data is up-to-date, complete, and consistent and that any errors are promptly corrected. The Vendor will ensure that the Board is notified of such corrections prior to such, if practicable, or at a minimum, within two business days of the change.

e) The Vendor will store the following licensee data/information, in addition to any other information submitted by system users:

i. License Type;

ii. License Number;

iii. Licensee Name (Last, First, Middle);

iv. License Issuance Date (i.e., Rank Date);

v. License Status and/or Rank;

vi. License Expiration Date;

vii. Activities and Hours carried forward from the last renewal period, if applicable;

viii. Activities and Hours to be carried forward to the next renewal period, if applicable;

ix. Proof of completed CE requirements in the form of scanned or electronic copies of certificates or other indicia of completion;

x. Other CE documentation submitted by licensees in a scanned or electronic format; and

xi. The CE information submitted by licensees and CE Providers, including that addressed in 6(c) and 7(g).

f) The Vendor will allow a licensee to carry forward to the next renewal period CE if accrued during the current renewal period if those hours are not needed for renewal and if eligible for such as per Board regulations.

g) CE records that have not expired by the end of the contract will be transferred to the Board in an agreed-upon format.

10. Data Transfer and Security

CE data management involves the management and transfer of all continuing education data submitted by the licensee, CE Providers, and Agency Staff.

a) The Vendor will conform to the State of Texas Security policies and procedures for handling data.

b) The Vendor must provide a mechanism to ensure that the CE data is stored and managed securely and that the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the data are maintained.

c) The CE Tracking System must provide robust account security designed to ensure the following:

i. A “master system account” is provided for the Board to use in administering its settings.

ii. Multiple permission levels are provided for Agency Staff including permissions to:

A. View licensee CE data;

B. Assign additional CE requirements as required by Board action;

C. Create and run reports on CE data; and D. Carry out functions related to audits.

d) If a security breach in the Vendor’s computerized systems results in the unauthorized access or disclosure of any data:

i. The Vendor is responsible for following Business and Commerce Code Section 521.053, Notification Required Following Breach of Computerized Data.

ii. The Vendor will notify the Board of any breach of system security, regardless of whether the breach involved data provided by CE Providers or the Board or its licensees, data containing sensitive personal information, or data that was encrypted.

e) Failure on the part of the Vendor to comply with security standards may lead to the suspension or termination of any resulting contract.

f) If a security breach occurs on the part of the Board and is determined to be the fault of the Board, the Vendor will not be held liable.

g) The Vendor will be responsible for securing a backup and for the preservation of any data within its control that does not reside on servers or cloud-based storage systems (e.g., Texas Data Center Services) under the Board’s control.

h) Upon termination of the contract, the Vendor, at the request of the Board, will return or destroy all Board information and provide written certification of the return or destruction of this data within 72 hours.

i) The Vendor will provide a secure method to store data associated with the CE required for all license types.

11. System Help System help refers to a mechanism for technical assistance that allows Agency Staff to resolve issues by providing information relating to the general operation of the program as well as troubleshooting. Though this section addresses resources to which Agency Staff may turn licensees and CE Providers, the Vendor is responsible for providing customer support/technical assistance to licensees and CE Providers with regard to the CE Tracking System.

a) The Vendor must provide technical support for the CE Tracking System and its website.

b) The Vendor must provide telephone and email support for Agency Staff to resolve issues.

c) The Vendor must provide online help to users in the form of instructions, How-To User Guides, and FAQs, as well as other forms of assistance designed to help Agency Staff when using the CE Tracking System.

d) Automated password and username reset/access: The Vendor will provide an on-demand function for Agency Staff to request their username and/or a password reset and provide an automated mechanism to meet the request(s).

e) The Vendor must notify the Board of any website irregularities, whether they occur in the system software or on the website software portal, so that the Board can inform and instruct licensees.

f) The Vendor must provide instructions for all Agency Staff accessing the system. The material will be designed to support all functions performed by Agency Staff.

g) The Vendor will provide the means necessary for communication between the Vendor and Agency Staff.

h) The Vendor must provide the tools and information necessary for the Board to direct licensees to instructions on how to access technical assistance/customer support and to direct licensees to instructions on how to:

i. Create an account with email and password specifications;

ii. Obtain account user name and password reset;

iii. Enter CE information;

iv. Upload and download documents;

v. Access reports; and

vi. Use the system, in general, including to respond to/participate in an audit.

i) The Vendor must provide the tools and information necessary for the Board to direct CE Providers to instructions, technical assistance/customer support, and resources regarding using the tracking system.

12. Licensee Requirements

Licensee requirements for CE refers to a software solution offered by the Vendor that helps licensees meet their CE requirements.

a) Licensee Data Entry

Licensee Data Entry refers to licensees’ ability to enter their CE information and related documentation. Licensees will be able to

i. Enter their CE activities;

ii. Select the related category/categories of their activities;

iii. Enter the activity’s completion date;

iv. Verify in real time if the minimum number of total hours and/or activities or hours for specific CE requirements have been entered by referring to automated calculations or determiners in the system;

v. Upload the required documentation for the activity and verify that such has been uploaded;

vii. Upload any supporting documentation, as applicable; and

viii. Review entered information prior to submitting the completed CE record for the license renewal and attest to the veracity of such.

b) Disclaimer A disclaimer must appear indicating that licensees are ultimately responsible for compliance with CE requirements, with the disclaimer language and display subject to approval by the Board.

c) Licensee Data Access

Licensee data access refers to a mechanism available on the CE Tracking System permitting a licensee to retrieve, download, copy, and analyze stored data without financial, legal, or technical barriers.

i. The Vendor will provide licensees the following:

A. Stored data associated with the CE required for all license types.

B. Access to track CE that meets the Board’s CE requirements.

C. Access to verify CE credits earned (for use by licensees to verify information submitted by CE Providers).

ii. The CE Tracking System must allow licensees to track their progress, obtain documentation of their CE completion, and monitor compliance.

iii. The Vendor must provide access to downloadable documents that include the following:

A. Completed CE activities, including any information listed under 6(c).

B. Remaining CE activities, categories, and/or hours.

C. Deadline dates of remaining CE activities, categories, and/or hours.

D. Access to view and download printable licensee CE data history.

E. Access to view eligible CE carried forward from the prior renewal period, if applicable.

iv. The Vendor will provide notifications to alert a licensee of the licensee’s CE submission deadline dates, the time frame in which the hours must be completed, or other notice as determined by the Board.

v. The Vendor, if so determined by the Board, will notify licensees through email and in the CE Tracking System of new or modified continuing education requirements.

vi. The Vendor will provide a link to the Board that directs licensees to the Vendor’s CE Tracking System for the purpose of submitting CE information.

vii. The Vendor will provide 24-hour licensee access to the CE Tracking System (except during system maintenance). The Vendor will ensure that system downtime periods do not occur during the last week of a month and the first two days of a month unless necessary to address major system malfunctions/failures or security issues. In addition, the Vendor will display advance notice in the CE Tracking System regarding any scheduled downtime and will display a downtime message during downtime, when practicable.

viii. The Vendor will provide account management services to allow licensees to securely use the CE Tracking System.

ix. The CE Tracking System must provide robust security to ensure licensees cannot see or change other licensees’ data.

x. The CE Tracking System must help streamline the process of tracking the Board’s CE requirements.

xi. The CE Tracking System must simplify the compliance process for licensees.

d) Licensee Reporting Licensee reporting is the ability for licensees, without financial, legal, or technical barriers, to access their CE information in an interface input/output format delivered to and used by the licensee.

i. At any time during the contract period, a licensee will be able to download an Excel spreadsheet report of the licensee’s continuing education information, including A. Activity Name, Date, CE Provider, and when and by whom related information was entered;

B. Activity Category/Categories;

C. Hours earned for each activity;

D. Total Hours earned during the renewal period;

E. Total Activities and Hours carried forward from prior renewal period, if applicable;

F. Total Hours needed for the renewal period; and G. Activities and Hours eligible to be carried forward to the next renewal period, if applicable.

ii. At any time during the contract period, a licensee will be able to download the items under (d)(i), above, in addition to the item below, as a compressed file:

• Proof of completed CE requirements in the form of scanned or electronic copies of certificates or other indicia of completion and any supporting documentation.

e) Licensee Help Licensee help refers to the Vendor providing convenient, timely, and efficient customer service, assistance, and technical support to licensees, allowing them to quickly find the information they need online and resolve their issues without having to wait or travel to a physical location. The Vendor is responsible for providing customer service, assistance, and technical support to licensees regarding the use of the CE Tracking System, including regarding creating an account, re-establishing account access, entering into and retrieving from the system CE information, including documentation, and responding to/participating in an audit.

i. User-friendly interface: The help section should be easily accessible and user-friendly, allowing licensees to quickly find the information they need.

ii. Responsiveness: The Vendor must be able to provide personalized support to licensees who need help on specific issues in the following formats.

A. Prompt technical support during, at the very least, standard business hours through phone and email, as well as an on-demand online chat feature (e.g., live, webchat, AI powered), if applicable.

B. Web-based guides on how to create an account for and use the CE Tracking System.

C. Online support to troubleshoot issues when software system issues arise.

iii. Relevant content: The Vendor shall provide relevant and up-to-date information, How-To User Guides, FAQs, and other resources that can help licensees navigate and use the CE Tracking System. See also 11.

System Help.

iv. Integrations with platform: The help section should be seamlessly integrated into the platform, making it easy for licensees to access it when needed.

v. Automated password and username reset/access: The Vendor will provide an on-demand function for licensees to request their username and/or a password reset and provide an automated mechanism to meet the request(s).

vi. The Vendor will ensure its ability to meet the demands of a greater volume of customer-service requests/needs during the period preceding and the period following (the amount of time to be determined) the roll-out of the CE Tracking System.

13. CE Provider Requirements

a) CE Provider Data Entry refers to a provider’s ability to enter CE information concerning licensees. Providers will be able to

i. Enter CE activities completed by a licensee, including the name of such and any course number or other identifying course information or approval information (e.g., approved by the American Occupational Therapy Association or Texas Occupational Therapy Association), if applicable;

ii. Select the related category/categories of the activity;

iii. Enter the activity’s completion date;

iv. Enter the number of hours completed for the activity;

v. Enter the provider’s name, unless such is automatically captured by the CE Tracking System; and

vi. Enter the name and title of the individual authorized by the provider to attest to the completion of the activity/the authorized signer, unless such is automatically captured by the CE Tracking System.

b) CE Provider Authorization refers to the process the Vendor establishes to authorize a CE Provider to enter information for licensees.

i. The Vendor will establish a process to authorize CE Providers to enter licensee CE data into the CE Tracking System.

ii. The Vendor will address any queries from CE Providers concerning the process to become authorized to enter CE into the CE Tracking System.

iii. The Vendor will require CE Providers to attest to providing accurate and complete CE information.

c) CE Provider Data Integrity refers to the integrity of the data entered by CE Providers for licensees.

i. The Vendor will ensure that the information provided by CE Providers has been accurately transferred and represented in the CE Tracking System.

ii. The Vendor will address queries concerning how to enter information, including with regard to CE categories, from CE Providers authorized by the Vendor and provide, as reasonable, technical assistance regarding the entry of CE information.

d) CE Provider Help refers to the Vendor providing convenient and efficient customer service, assistance, and technical support to CE Providers, allowing them to quickly find the information they need online and resolve their issues without having to wait or travel to a physical location. The Vendor is responsible for providing customer service, assistance, and technical support to CE Providers regarding the use of the CE Tracking System, including regarding creating an account, re-establishing account access, and entering into the CE Tracking System CE information and documentation, if applicable

i. User-friendly interface: The help section should be easily accessible and user-friendly, allowing CE Providers to quickly find the information they need.

ii. Responsiveness: The Vendor must be able to provide personalized support to CE Providers who need help on specific issues in the following formats.

A. Technical support through phone and email, as well as an online chat feature (e.g., live, webchat, AI powered), if applicable;

B. Web-based guides on how to create an account for and use the CE

Tracking System; and C. Online support to troubleshoot issues when software system issues arise.

iii. Relevant content: The Vendor shall provide relevant and up-to-date information, How-To User Guides, FAQs, and other resources that can help CE Providers navigate and use the CE Tracking System and complete related tasks.

iv. Integrations with platform: The help section should be seamlessly integrated into the platform, making it easy for CE Providers to access it when needed.

v. Automated password and username reset/access: The Vendor will provide an on-demand function for CE Providers to request their username and/or a password reset and provide an automated mechanism to meet the request(s).

vi. The Vendor will ensure its ability to meet the demands of a greater volume of customer-service requests/needs during the period preceding and the period following (the amount of time to be determined) the roll-out of the CE Tracking System.

14. Audit of Vendor and Performance Data

a) The Vendor must regularly monitor and collect data regarding the performance and health of the CE Tracking System.

b) At least quarterly, the Vendor must solicit from licensees and CE Providers input regarding their user experience and their access to and utility of troubleshooting/usage information provided by the Vendor.

c) The Board may request such information from the Vendor at any time and such data/information must be transmitted to the Board in a user-friendly form.

The Vendor must provide such information within 20 calendar days or respond within 10 calendar days regarding any questions or clarifications concerning the request; once the Board has submitted a response to the Vendor’s request for clarification, the Vendor will respond within 20 calendar days with the data requested. The Vendor’s response to a request from the Board for clarification of the Vendor’s response, if applicable, shall follow the same timeline as that addressed in this paragraph.

III. CONTRACT TERM.

The services requested shall be provided for a period of two years beginning September 1, 2026, or the last signature date, whichever is later, and ending August 31, 2028. The term of a contract entered into as a result of this RFO may be renewed for up to two additional one-year periods following the initial awarded two-year contracting period without the need for an additional re-bidding process.

IV. RFO PROTEST PROCEDURES.

Any actual or prospective Respondent who is aggrieved in connection with this RFO evaluation or award of any contract resulting from this RFO may formally protest as provided in CPA’s rules at 34 TAC, Part 1, Chapter 20, Subchapter F, Division 3.

V. SUBCONTRACTORS.

Subcontractors providing services under the Contract shall meet the same requirements and level of experience as required of Respondent. No subcontract under the Contract shall relieve Respondent of responsibility for ensuring the requested services are provided. Respondents planning to subcontract all or a portion of the work to be performed shall identify the proposed subcontractors and the proposal shall include a letter from each proposed subcontractor agreeing to work on the team.

VI. PERFORMANCE TRACKING.

The Board will monitor the performance of the Contract issued under this RFO. All services under the Contract shall be performed at an acceptable quality level. All deliverables will be submitted in accordance with the timeline agreed upon at contract signing or an amended timeline agreed upon by the Vendor and Agency and documented in writing. Performance tracking methods may include, but are not limited to, meetings and documentation requirements deemed necessary by the Agency to assess progress of the contractor toward meeting the identified goals and outcomes established in response to assessments of unsatisfactory performance in accordance with this procedure.

VII. RESPONDENT DOCUMENTS.

All Respondent documents that are related to the Services, this RFO, Respondent’s Offer, or a resulting contract including, but not limited to, boilerplate service agreements, service schedules, published specifications, warranty information, terms of service, ordering documents, and license agreements, are collectively referred to in this RFO as “Respondent Documents.” Respondent must include copies of all proposed Respondent Documents with Respondent’s Offer. The Board reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to amend the Respondent Documents to conform to this RFO and Texas law and provide them to Respondent for approval and signature prior to contract award. Respondent Documents that are (1) submitted as part of the Offer and (2) amended to conform to this RFO and Texas law through mutual, written agreement of Successful Respondent and the Board, will be incorporated as part of the Contract.

A. Submission.

1. Respondent must submit its Offer electronically via email, in accordance with the following:

a) The Offer must be emailed to lea@ptot.texas.gov, with a copy sent to the

Board Contact Persons identified in Section I, Part H;

b) The subject line of the email must include Respondent’s name and a reference to the RFO number;

c) All attachments to the email must be in a standard format such as Word, Excel, or Adobe PDF;

d) All required forms must be manually signed with scanned signatures; and

2. Respondent is solely responsible for ensuring timely delivery of its Offer to the

Issuing Office by the deadline. Late Offers will not be accepted.

B. Costs.

The Board will not reimburse the Respondent for any cost related to its Proposal.

The Respondent is responsible for any expense related to the preparation and submission of its Proposal.

C. Copyright.

The Board will not consider any Proposal that bears a copyright.

D. Texas Public Information Act (PIA).

1. Proposals will be subject to the Texas Public Information Act (PIA), Tex.

Government Code, Chapter 552, and may be disclosed to the public upon request.

2. The Proposal and other submitted information shall be presumed to be subject to disclosure unless a specific exception to disclosure under the PIA applies.

3. If it is necessary for the Respondent to include proprietary or otherwise confidential information in its Proposal or other submitted information, the Respondent must clearly label that proprietary or confidential information and identify the specific exception to disclosure in the PIA. Merely making a blanket claim that the entire Proposal is protected from disclosure because it contains some proprietary information is not acceptable and shall make the entire Proposal subject to release under the PIA. In order to initiate the process of seeking an Attorney General opinion on the release of proprietary or confidential information, the specific provisions of the Proposal that are considered by the Respondent to be proprietary or confidential must be clearly labeled as described below. Any information which is not clearly identified as proprietary or confidential shall be deemed to be subject to disclosure pursuant to the PIA. Subject to the Act, Respondents may protect trade and confidential information from public release. Trade secrets or other confidential information, submitted as part of a Proposal, shall be clearly marked at each page it appears. Such marking shall be boldface type in red, at least 14-point font, and use the term

“CONFIDENTIAL” on the specific part or page of the Offer considered to be confidential by the Respondent.

E. Contents.

Listed below is a summary of all information to be included in a Proposal submitted in response to this RFO. The Board reserves the right, in its sole judgment and discretion, to waive minor technicalities and errors in the best interest of the state.

1. Respondent Information: Respondent must submit the following in its Offer:

a) Respondent’s identifying information:

i. name and address of business entity submitting the Offer;

ii. list of all principals;

iii. type of business entity (e.g., corporation, partnership);

iv. state of incorporation or organization; and

v. principal place of business.

b) Respondent’s contact information (i.e., name, title, email address, and phone number) for the individual(s) who will be the Board’s point of contact for questions regarding the Offer and the Contract.

2. The Respondent must provide evidence of financial responsibility and stability for performance of the requirements/services for which a proposal is submitted. In addition, the Respondent must disclose the source of any outside financial resources that will be utilized by the Respondent to enable it to fulfill any Contract awarded pursuant to the RFO. If requested, Respondent must provide copies of documents reflecting financial solvency and the capacity to fulfill the requirements of this RFO. The documents may include the Respondent's most recent audited financial statement. The Board reserves the right to require any additional information necessary to determine the financial integrity and responsibility of a Respondent and to reject a response on the grounds of the Respondent's financial soundness.

3. Price Schedule. Provide information regarding any fees charged to users.

4. Signature Page. Failure to sign and return the Signature Page with the submitted Proposal will result in rejection of the Proposal.

5. Conflict of Interest, Nondisclosure Agreement, and Certification Regarding Public Nature of the Offer. Failure to sign and return these documents with the submitted Proposal will result in rejection of the Proposal.

F. Elements of Proposal.

1. Project Approach Narrative:

a) The proposal must include a project plan that includes a detailed description of the process by which the Respondent will perform the requirements identified in Section II. Specifications.

b) The proposal must indicate any requirement the proposal does not meet. This includes any continuing education requirement in the appendices that the proposal cannot track.

c) The proposal must provide a detailed project implementation plan with estimated time from contract signing to implementation.

d) The proposal must include an explanation of the manner in which the Vendor plans to fund the CE Tracking System.