Texas Juvenile Justice Department 1801 N. Congress Ave., Suite 13.14000

Austin, TX 78701

REQUEST FOR OFFER

Online Special Education Tracking System

RFP # 644-26-061926

NIGP Class/Item 924-18, 924-71, 924-74

June 09, 2026

SOLICITATION 644-26-061926

Table of Contents

Section I General Information

Section II Statement of Work

Section III Proposal Submittal Information

Section IV General Requirements

Attachment 1 Preferences

Attachment 2 Price Form Excel Form

Exhibit A Execution of Offer

Exhibit B Terms and Conditions

Exhibit C Data Security Form

Exhibit D Subcontracting Plan 60

DEFINITIONS

1. ADDENDUM: A written additional, change, or supplement to a solicitation issued prior to the opening date.

2. AMENDMENT: Written addition or change to a contract.

3. AWARD: The act of accepting an offer, thereby forming a contract between the state and vendor.

4. AWARDED RESPONDENT: The company or person to whom the contract is awarded.

Interchangeable with Contractor, Service Provider, and Provider.

5. BID TABULATION: The recording of bids and bid data submitted in response to a solicitation. The bid tabulation is used for comparison, analysis, and record keeping.

6. BUSINESS DAYS: Monday through Friday, from 8 am to 5 pm.

7. CALENDAR DAYS: Every consecutive day shown on the calendar

8. CLOSING DATE: The date and time that offers or proposals are due in response to a solicitation. Used interchangeably with the term “Opening Date”.

9. CONTRACT: An agreement between parties, creating mutual obligations that are enforceable by law.

10. CONTRACT EXECUTION: Means the performance of all acts necessary to render the

Contract complete and legally binding between two or more parties.

11. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT: Means a core function that involves the continual monitoring of a contractor’s performance to ensure its compliance with the terms and conditions of the Contract.

12. CONTRACT TERM: Means the period of time beginning with the commencement date or Effective Date of a Contract and ending when the Contract expires in accordance with its terms, or when it has been terminated.

13. CONTRACTOR: The Party selected to provide the Goods or Services to the State under the Contract. Interchangeable with Provider and Awarded Respondent.

14. CST/CDT: Central Standard Time / Central Daylight Time.

15. ELECTRONIC STATE BUSINESS DAILY (ESBD) – An online application, administered by SPD, that published solicitations for the purpose of informing vendors of procurement opportunities and provides public notice of contract award.

16. LATE RESPONSE: A response that is received after the date and time established for the receipt of responses to a solicitation.

17. NEGOTIATIONS: A dialogue where two or more sides work together to reach an agreeable solution.

18. NOTICE OF AWARD: An official announcement of an executed contract. For SPD, the term also refers to a letter signed by the Deputy Comptroller or designee that creates a contract.

19. POSTED DATES: The date a document is made available online to the public.

20. PROPOSAL: An offer to contract with the State, submitted in response to an RFP.

21. PROVIDER: means the Party selected to provide the Goods or Services to the State under the Contract. Interchangeable with Contractor and Awarded Respondent.

22. REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP): A written solicitation requesting the submission of proposals.

23. RESPONSIVE: The bid, offer, or proposal complies with all material aspects of the solicitation document, including submission of all required documents.

24. RESPONDENT: An individual or entity that submits an offer or proposal. The term includes anyone acting on behalf of the individual or entity that submits an offer or proposal, such as an agent, employee, or representative.

25. SCOPE OF WORK (SOW): A section of a solicitation that provides a description of the products and services to be provided by the vendor.

26. SERVICE: The furnishing of skilled or unskilled labor or professional work.

27. SERVICE PROVIDER: The company or individual awarded the contract. Interchangeable

SOLICITATION 644-26-061926

https://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd with Awarded Respondent and Contractor.

28. SOLICITATION: A document such as an IFB, RFO, RFP, or RFQ requesting responses from vendors to provide specified goods and services. The term also refers to the process of obtaining responses from vendors to provide specified goods and services.

29. SPECIFICATIONS: The “line item” descriptors within a solicitation that define the good or service that the vendor must offer to be considered for award.

30. STATUTE: A law enacted by the state or federal government.

31. TAC: stands for Texas Administration Code, which is the official compilation of all state agency rules in Texas, organized by subject into 17 titles. It codifies regulations adopted by state agencies (e.g., health, education, insurance) authorized by the legislature. It is updated annually and managed by the Texas Secretary of State.

32. TJJD: stands for Texas Juvenile Justice Department.

33. TX-RAMP: stands for Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program, which provides a standardized approach for security assessment, certification, and continuous monitoring of cloud computing services that process the data of Texas state agencies.

34. Vendor: a person or business that sells goods or services to another party.

SECTION I

GENERAL INFORMATION

A. INTRODUCTION:

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) is issuing this RFP to solicit vendors for an innovative educational online special education programs tracking platform Respondent that combines the latest technology with expert knowledge and experience to put time-saving data management tools in the hands of educators which track compliance and services provided to students in special education, Section 504, RtI/MTSS (Response to Intervention / Multi-Tiered System of Supports), and Emerging Bilingual (EB). All components of the platform share data and are highly interconnected. The platform will include recurring licensing so that as one student is released, another student will be assigned to that license during the contract period.

B. BACKGROUND:

TJJD provides educational services through the Lone Star School District to the youth in its care.

TJJD currently and historically has a large number of students eligible for special education services who are adjudicated to the agency. The student population averages 700 to 800, with approximately 38% (235 students) receiving special education, 15% (113 students) receiving Section 504, and 12% (96 students) receiving EB. The student population averages 700 to 800, with approximately 38% (235 students) receiving special education.

The term of the Contract shall be from August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2028, with one (1) 2-year renewal and one (1) one-year renewal options. The Contract may be renewed by written amendment signed by both parties. The terms, conditions, and rates for all renewals shall remain as stated in the Contract, with any approved changes.

Period of Performance Two-year Term: August 1, 2026, through July 31, 2028 Renewal Option One: August 1, 2028, through July 31, 2030 Renewal Option Two: August 1, 2030, through July 31, 2031

SOLICITATION POINT OF CONTACT FOR TJJD

1. TJJD Contact Information for Solicitation:

The TJJD Contract Specialist for this solicitation will be:

Vickie Griffin Texas Juvenile Justice Department 1801 N. Congress, Austin, Texas 78701 Telephone: (512) 490-7148 Email: Vickie.griffin@tjjd.texas.gov

Secondary Contract Specialist Contact:

Evelyn Green Texas Juvenile Justice Department 1801 N. Congress, Austin, Texas 78701 Telephone: (512) 490-7130 Email: Evelyn.t.green@tjjd.texas.gov

The Contract Specialist will be the point of contact throughout the solicitation process. No other TJJD staff will be able to provide information or answer questions regarding this solicitation. The only exceptions to the Sole Point of Contact are the HUB Coordinator, or, if

SOLICITATION 644-26-061926

mailto:Vickie.griffin@tjjd.texas.gov mailto:Evelyn.t.green@tjjd.texas.gov expressly directed by the Sole Point of Contact, another designated TJJD representative, e.g., during Contract negotiations, if any. vendor Respondents have questions regarding proper completion of the HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP), the HUB coordinator may be contacted at:

2. TJJD Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Coordinator

Name: Kellie Love Telephone: 254-218-2065 Email: Kellie.Love@tjjd.texas.gov

C. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

It is the intention of TJJD to issue one Contract for the services described within this solicitation.

1. Any Respondent submitting a proposal in response to this solicitation accepts TJJD’s methodology and evaluation process listed herein for awarding Contracts

2. Current Provider: EDU Project ELL LLC. Previous solicitation was 644-20-103120, Contract:

CON0001306. Any additional information regarding the current contract will need to be requested through an open records request at open.records@tjjd.texas.gov

SECTION II

SCOPE OF WORK

A. STATEMENT OF WORK:

The Texas Juvenile Justice Department (TJJD) is issuing this RFO to solicit vendors for an online tracking system for special education. The system will track Section 504, Emerging Bilingual (EB), and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), which provides education departments with centralized data, ensuring compliance with federal/state regulations, increasing efficiency by reducing paperwork, and improving student outcomes through evidence-based interventions. It enables real-time progress monitoring, data-driven decision-making, and improved staff coordination to support student equity. The online system will allow for a smoother transition process for student movement between facilities and to a local education agency/school upon release from TJJD. This solution must have a Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program (TX RAMP), certified at Level 2, FED RAMP, On-prem, or SOC2 Type 2, which may be acceptable with additional review and approval by our IT security team.

B. SCOPE OF WORK:

The successful Respondent shall provide a Special Education online tracking system. Specific needs include:

1. Respondent’s tracking system must integrate with all Texas testing and reporting systems;

2. Respondent’s tracking system must automatically calculate instructional arrangements and speech codes for Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS) reporting;

3. Respondent’s tracking system must have a calendar function to track upcoming Full Individual

Evaluation (FIE) due dates, annual meeting dates for Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD), Section 504 (504), Language Proficiency Assessment Committee (LPAC), and other meetings scheduled relative to special education, Section 504, Emergent Bilingual (EB)/ English as a Second Language (ESL), and Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS);

4. Respondent’s tracking system must support IEP (Individual Education Program) Goal Builder, which is Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS)-based and vertically aligned, and guides teachers and service providers through the process of developing compliant standards-based goals.

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mailto:Kellie.Love@tjjd.texas.gov mailto:open.records@tjjd.texas.gov https://www.google.com/search?q=Admission%2C+Review%2C+and+Dismissal&sca_esv=b78cf8500232fcdc&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS1022US1022&ei=UGXNaf6wM7qqqtsP776OyQw&biw=1051&bih=591&ved=2ahUKEwjBnePLpc2TAxVAj2oFHWk-K18QgK4QegYIAQgAEAU&uact=5&oq=ard&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiA2FyZDIKEAAYgAQYigUYQzIQEAAYgAQYigUYQxixAxiDATIKEAAYgAQYigUYQzILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEyBRAAGIAEMgoQABiABBiKBRhDMgoQABiABBiKBRhDMgoQABiABBiKBRhDMgoQABiABBiKBRhDMgoQABiABBiKBRhDSNpTUNkTWIg9cAN4AZABAJgBsAGgAbcDqgEDNC4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIHoALTA8ICDRAAGIAEGIoFGEMYsQPCAgsQABiABBiKBRiRAsICDhAAGIAEGIoFGLEDGIMBmAMAiAYBkgcDNi4xoAfHGLIHAzQuMbgHzgPCBwUwLjUuMsgHFIAIAQ&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&mstk=AUtExfALkfV1CZGAGmF8o7ZGbtS2M2URr36MJs5HxWtWeQT83z15AJNVDZvOCbXemYLRgeuVvXx7UfyJ4BYTc9p65pi6nZkp-rUgm6q5xI6d4iHDAlP-eQ9dxdZEtiXWTtVsC9M&csui=3

5. Respondent’s tracking system must support State Performance Plan (SPP) Indicators: 7,11, 12, and 13 reporting that is automatically generated in the format to be entered into Texas Education Agency Login (TEAL);

6. Respondent’s tracking system must include an automatic report generator with the ability to customize reports;

7. Respondent’s tracking system must have compensatory services tracking and reporting.

8. Respondent’s tracking system must have the ability to upload and integrate into the system evaluations and other records written outside of the system;

9. Respondent’s tracking system must allow documentation of meetings held for special education, Section 504, EB, and MTSS;

10. Respondent’s tracking system must be able to integrate products for special education, Section

504, EB, and MTSS;

11. Respondent’s tracking system must be able to track all aspects of MTSS (i.e., referrals, teacher input/feedback, target goals, interventions, Tier levels, etc.)

12. Respondent’s tracking system must allow for program updates;

13. Respondent’s tracking system must have End-of-year Rollover abilities;

14. Respondent’s tracking system must allow for error correction;

15. Respondent’s tracking system must have a helpdesk ticket system support;

16. Respondent’s tracking system must provide telephone/email support;

17. Respondent’s tracking system must have web-based support;

18. Respondent must comply with all relevant state and federal statutes;

a. Code of Federal Regulation (CFR) for the Individual with Disabilities Education Act

b. Texas Education Code (TEC) for Individuals with Disabilities

c. Texas Administrative Code (TAC) for Individuals with Disabilities

d. FERPA (Family Educational Privacy Act)

19. Respondent must follow the TJJD Lone Star School District operating procedures for Special Education, Section 504, Emerging Bilingual, and MTSS. You can find the TJJD Lone Star School District operating procedures at https://fw.escapps.net/Display_Portal/frameworks?dist_name=Please+wait+...&dist=4170; and

20. Respondent must complete the Statement of Data Security; Exhibit C

21. Respondent will work with TJJD to implement commercially reasonable security measures to protect against incidents of unauthorized access to personally identifiable client user information;

22. To meet the summary of deliverables required in this solicitation and any additional deliverables, the Respondent plans to execute this effort in Table 1 below. The summary shall include a description of key deliverables and milestones, along with estimated completion dates.

C. DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS:

1. Fiscal.

a. Awarded respondent shall submit invoices to the TJJD-designated accounting personnel

b. Awarded respondent shall maintain all financial records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

c. Awarded respondent shall disclose in writing to the TJJD contract manager any transactions with related parties providing goods or services to the awarded respondent for which the awarded respondent is reimbursed under the terms of this awarded contract.

i. A related party always includes a family member by blood or marriage (i.e., spouse, parents, grandparents, child(ren), grandchild(ren), aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, first cousins). In addition, a related party is defined as any person or entity involved with the awarded respondent in any manner that would result in the ability of either party to significantly influence the management or operation of the other. Examples of related parties include, but are not limited to, parent companies, subsidiaries, as well as principal investors, owners, or managers, and their relatives, as listed above.

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https://fw.escapps.net/Display_Portal/frameworks?dist_name=Please+wait+...&dist=4170

ii. Awarded respondent must report to TJJD any transaction with a related party that could result in excessive profits from its relationship with the related party. If excessive profits are found to have occurred, administrative error sanctions may be imposed.

iii. Any violation of this section can be considered a breach and could result in administrative error sanctions or termination.

d. When a Texas business address is shown hereon, that address is, in fact, the legal business address of the respondent, who meets the definition of a Texas Bidder under Texas Administration Code, Title 34, Sec. 20.32(68).

2. General Provisions.

a. Awarded respondent shall maintain and retain records for a minimum of 7 (seven) years after the termination of the contract period. If any litigation, claims, disputes, or audit involving these records begins before the 7 (seven) year period expires, the awarded respondent will keep the records and documents until all litigation, claims, disputes, or audit findings are resolved. Resolution occurs when a final order is issued in litigation or a written agreement is entered into between TJJD and the awarded respondent. Contract period means the beginning date through the ending date specified in the original contract or as adjusted by applicable amendment.

b. Awarded respondent shall forward copies of any audits, monitoring, or investigative reports completed on the awarded respondent within five workdays of receipt.

c. Awarded respondent shall allow TJJD to perform monitoring, performance evaluations, investigations, or audits.

i. Awarded respondent shall provide access to inspect and reproduce all records related to services rendered under the awarded contract. These records are necessary to facilitate monitoring, performance evaluations, investigations, or audits.

ii. Records include, but are not limited to, contracts, notes, real property documents, accounting/financial records, written policies and procedures, correspondence, performance evaluation data and reports, and any other information pertinent to revenues, costs, expenses, and performance of services provided under the awarded contract belonging to either the awarded respondent, its subsidiaries, parent(s) and/or affiliate(s), including sub-consultants, subcontractors, and employees; and any and all related parties to the contract. Related Party is discussed above.

d. Awarded respondent shall provide information deemed necessary by TJJD to complete any state-required reports related to the services provided under the awarded contract.

e. Awarded respondent shall maintain records and submit reports containing such data and information regarding the performance of awarded respondents’ services or other data relating to the awarded contract as may be requested by TJJD.

f. Awarded respondent shall establish procedures, as approved by TJJD, to document fiscal and service delivery data.

D. DELIVERABLES:

The following are the requirements and expectations for all deliverables:

1. Deliverables must be provided on the dates specified. Any changes to the delivery date must have prior approval (in writing) by the TJJD Contract Manager or designee.

2. All deliverables must be submitted in a format approved by the TJJD Contract Manager.

3. If the deliverable cannot be provided within the scheduled timeframe, the Respondent is required to contact the TJJD Contract manager in writing with a reason for the delay and the proposed revised schedule. The request for a revised schedule must include the impact on related tasks and the overall project.

4. A request for a revised schedule must be reviewed and approved by the TJJD Contract Manager before any changes in scheduling will be permitted. Contract Terms and Conditions may dictate remedies, costs, and other actions based on the facts related to the request for a revised schedule.

5. TJJD will complete a review of each submitted deliverable within five (5) working days from the date of receipt unless otherwise stated by TJJD.

Relevant quality assurance processes will apply, such as change management, acceptance, and risk and issue management. Respondent will utilize an agreed-upon Project Management methodology

Table 1: Deliverable List

Deliverable No.

Deliverable Description

Work Products

Estimated Due Date

1. Conduct a project kick-off to align on project objectives, scope, project metho dology, and timelines

Meeting agenda, Minutes of the meeting Provide a contact list of personnel assigned to work with TJJD.

Within 1 week of the contract's effective date.

2. Awarded Respondent will meet with the dept. and the TJJD’s IT dept. to develop an implementation plan

Implementation Plan

Within 1 week of the contract's effective date.

3 Provide evidence that the tracking system meets all metrics of tracking

4. The Awarded Respondent will provide professional development training on their online tracking system to each campus.

Virtual training for the online tracking system

September 2026

5. Rollover of Student Data

August 2026

E. PERFORMANCE STANDARDS:

1. Acceptable Quality Level (AQL): The Respondent recognizes that TJJD is paying the Respondent to deliver the services specified herein. Respondent is required to meet a minimum quality level to include at least a ninety-nine percent (99%) system uptime. The AQL is defined as the level of service at which the system will operate properly, as agreed upon in the Contract, and below which the Contract payment may be withheld until corrective actions are taken. In addition, if service remains below the AQL without the required corrective actions, damages may be assessed.

2. Inability to Access the System: In the event TJJD or its Contract partners are unable to access the system and such event was caused by Respondent’s failure to provide system services for reasons within Respondent's reasonable control and not as a result of any action or inaction of TJJD or any third-party (including TJJD equipment and/or third-party equipment), Respondent will, upon TJJD's request, credit TJJD's account as described below:

a. If TJJD is unable to access the system for more than four (4) consecutive hours, Respondent will deduct 1/30th of its monthly charge. Respondent's scheduled maintenance shall not be deemed to be a failure of Respondent to provide access.

F. RESPONDENT RESPONSIBILITIES:

Respondent shall perform the following tasks:

1. SIS Interoperability: Seamless integration with your Student Information System (SIS) to pull demographics, attendance, and grades automatically.

2. Compliance Alerts: Automated reminders for upcoming and overdue dates (e.g., annual reviews, re-evaluations, 504 renewals).

3. Role-Based Access: Secure, collaborative access for general educators, specialists, and administrators while maintaining strict data privacy.

4. Digital Signatures: Built-in support for digital signatures from parents and providers to streamline consent and meeting documentation.

5. Audit-Ready Reporting: The ability to instantly export data showing that a student received their services or that interventions were implemented with fidelity.

E1. Program-Specific Features Program - Essential Specialized Features

a. Special Education

1. Tools to track service minutes.

2. Goal Banks: Goal recommendations aligned with state standards.

3. Indicator Tracking: Built-in reporting for the 20 Federal Indicators required by the

Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

b. Section 504

1. Accommodation Tracking: A centralized registry of individualized accommodations accessible to all classroom teachers.

2. Compliance Checklists: Regular audit tools for program and communication accessibility.

c. Emerging Bilingual

1. Language Translation: Ability to translate student plans and forms into a parent's native language.

2. Linguistic Progress Monitoring: Specialized tools to track language acquisition alongside academic growth.

d. RTI / MTSS

1. Universal Screening: Early identification of at-risk students for academics, behavior, and social-emotional needs.

2. Tiered Intervention Plans: Flexible templates for Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions.

3. Visual Data Dashboards: Real-time graphs showing student growth compared to grade-level norms.

G. HOSTING AND TECHNICAL REPORT:

1. Respondent must provide administration and technical training.

2. The Respondent must provide, without additional cost, Technical Support to be available during the hours of 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CST/CDT, Monday – Friday.

H. SYSTEM ENHANCEMENTS:

The Respondent will provide solutions for needed system enhancements identified during the term of the Contract.

1. The Respondent must provide a solution with regard to a design plan, proof of concept, and environments.

2. This system shall allow for customization, and the Respondent must provide avenues to allow TJJD the ability to adapt to meet the needs of the TJJD.

3. The Respondent must provide system enhancements, including but not limited to design and testing plans, test plan, cost estimates, as well as proof of concepts.

I. Awarded Respondent-Furnished Equipment and Work Space The Awarded Respondent must provide all equipment required by its personnel to complete the proposed project. Any equipment the Vendor requires from the Agency to fulfill the requirements of the Online Special Education Tracking System must be included in the response narrative and documented in the cost proposal provided as Attachment 2.

J. Service Level Agreement Software Requirements.

The versions of any software identified in this solicitation are to be considered the minimum allowed version. Awarded Respondent will work with TJJD technical staff to ensure that software environments remain aligned with current software releases.

J.1 Help Desk Support.

a. Awarded Respondent will establish and maintain Help Desk Support for all provided components related to the Online Special Education Tracking System, which includes:

i. Diagnosis of problems or performance deficiencies of the system;

ii. A recommended resolution to the reported problem or performance deficiency; and

iii. Close coordination between development resources and TJJD technical staff regarding any testing and/or implementation of corrective actions. Awarded Respondent will provide primary telephone software support daily during standard business hours (8:00 am - 5:00 pm) and after-hours support via e-mail. After-hours support is defined as a response by e-mail within 4 hours on weekdays between 5:00 pm and 8:00 am, and within 6 hours on weekends and official state holidays. Awarded Respondent will ensure any reported/identified defects within the system are documented, assessed, and a recommended solution is defined. All issues must be tracked in a comprehensive ticket management system. Escalation procedures and timelines will be determined collaboratively between Awarded Respondent and TJJD.

b. Awarded Respondent shall establish and participate in regularly scheduled problem management meetings with TJJD technical staff to review new and existing issues and to develop a remediation plan commensurate with the severity of the identified issue(s).

c. Incident Management. In conjunction with the Agency’s existing Help Desk Services, Awarded

Respondent must be able to diagnose and correct defects in the production environment, both technical and application-related, in accordance with the following service levels:

i. Severity Level 1 – Critical, defined as a problem or outage that directly impedes a user’s ability to carry out essential business functions.

A. Response will be provided within two (2) hours for all Severity Level 1 issues.

B. Resolution by continuous work until resolved by either a permanent fix or a temporary fix that allows the user to resume essential business functions.

ii. Severity Level 2 – Urgent, defined as an issue or problem that hampers a user’s ability to utilize a specific function within the system but does not prevent TJJD from carrying out essential business functions; deemed a high-priority item for attention.

A. Response will be provided within two (2) calendar days for all Severity Level 2 issues.

B. Resolution by continuous work until resolved with either a temporary fix, a patch, or a permanent resolution that allows the user to resume normal operation of essential business functions.

iii. Severity Level 3 – Normal, defined as a defect or issue that, if corrected, would improve the use or functionality of the system. Deemed as a low priority.

A. Response provided within five (5) business days for all Severity Level 3 issues.

B. Resolution based on joint planning to determine when to apply a temporary fix or patch or to implement a permanent solution to address the issue.

d. TJJD will make necessary initial decisions to interpret severity levels and service levels. The Awarded Respondent will have the authority to request a conference to occur as expeditiously as reasonably possible. The conference will be between representatives of the Awarded Respondent and TJJD, and will be for the purpose of discussing the severity level or service determination, and attempting to resolve the disagreement

K. OWNERSHIP:

1. Protection of Network Operations in Transition: Upon termination or expiration of the Contract, the System must remain operational during any transition period. The offer must describe the process used to facilitate a smooth transition.

A transition period will be required from the current Contractor to the awarded Respondent (if applicable). During the transition period, the System must remain operational.

2. Intellectual Property Rights Alternatives: The Respondent shall include in their Offer a proposal which ensures TJJD remains operational, without interruption to TJJD business, in the event the Respondent company (a) files for bankruptcy, (b) becomes or is declared insolvent, or is the subject of any bona fide proceedings related to its liquidation, administration, provisional liquidation, insolvency or the appointment of a receiver or similar officer for it, (c) passes a resolution for its voluntary liquidation, (d) has a receiver or manager appointed over all or substantially all of its assets, (e) makes an assignment for the benefit of all or substantially all of its creditors, or (f) enters into an agreement or arrangement for the composition, extension, or readjustment of substantially all of its obligations or any class of such obligations. TJJD will retain ownership of all functional requirements associated with custom specifications of TJJD.

L. TRAINING:

Respondent to provide virtual training specific to the product and aligned with TJJD needs to secure facilities, as follows:

1. Provide a customized training curriculum virtually and adjust the training curriculum to meet TJJD needs;

2. Provide virtual training mid-year, as needed for new employees;

3. Provide a virtual annual ongoing training plan.

Respondent will provide all necessary training and work with TJJD administrative personnel to monitor the progress of the training as employees respond to it. The Respondent shall participate with TJJD in preparing for the rollout of any new platform or substantial changes to existing platforms, for both employees and administrative personnel. The Respondent will provide training for facility liaisons to promote TJJD’s self-sufficiency in the continued implementation and monitoring of the system.

M. RESPONDENT QUALIFICATIONS:

The Respondent shall have the experience and qualifications required to provide the products and services requested in this solicitation, including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Be, in TJJD’s sole judgment, an established company that is financially stable with the ability to meet the financial responsibilities of this project;

2. Respondent and/or Key Personnel must have a minimum of three (3) years, preferably five (5) years, in business operating a successful online tracking system in similar-sized districts and/or juvenile corrections facilities.

3. Must explicitly support requirements for IDEA (special education), Section 504, RtI/MTSS, and Emerging Bilingual Laws. (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act)

4. Platform must meet accessibility standards to ensure all staff, including those with disabilities, can use the tool.

5. Awarded Respondent must be FERPA compliant, ensuring student records are protected and only used for legitimate educational purposes.

6. Verified Independent security controls for the duration of the contract. This solution must have Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program (TX RAMP), certified at Level 2, FED RAMP, On-prem, or SOC2 Type 2, which may be acceptable with additional review and approval by our IT security team.

7. Domain Support: staff who understand the daily workflow of these programs.

8. Ability to seamlessly sync data with the current Student Information System (Ascender).

N. PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS:

Awarded Respondent’s team shall be a mix of “tech experts” and “compliance experts.”

1. Key technical staff must be available nine (9) hours per day, five (5) days per week to provide

Technical Support.

2. TJJD and the Respondent shall agree to designate specific members of the Respondent’s project team as “Key Personnel.” “Key Personnel” will be those individuals essential to the project and services being provided. Specific conditions and requirements of Key Personnel will be defined after the contract award.

3. TJJD prefers that the Respondent personnel have extensive experience and high skill levels in areas related to the services requested in this solicitation. These skills shall include:

a. Excellent written and oral communication skills with the ability to communicate with people of varying technical skills;

b. Understanding the flow of data within these systems;

c. Developing and presenting training materials for end users and technical staff;

d. Developing documentation of the type specified in this solicitation; and

e. Providing project management services.

N.1 Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) The team shall include former practitioners who understand the nuances of the programs:

i. Special Education and 504 Educators: To ensure the IEP workflows actually match what happens in a classroom.

ii. Emerging Bilingual (EB) Specialists: To guide the complex tracking of language proficiency levels and state-specific EB exits.

iii. Former school counselors or RTI/MTSS knowledgeable staff: To ensure the RTI/MTSS data visualizations (like "rate of improvement") are statistically sound.

N.2 Legal & Regulatory Specialists Since state and federal laws change constantly, the Awarded Respondent shall have a dedicated legal or compliance team:

i. Legislative Analysts: Personnel responsible for monitoring changes in IDEA, Section 504, and state-specific education codes.

ii. Form Compliance Officers: Experts who ensure that every digital form matches the latest mandated state templates (e.g., ensuring a "Prior Written Notice" meets all current legal triggers).

N.3 Technical Implementation & Support Staff The "onboarding" team is just as important as the sales team:

i. Integration Engineers: Specialists qualified in API and SFTP protocols who can ensure the system "talks" to your Student Information System (SIS) without data corruption.

ii. Dedicated Account Managers: A designated contact who understands your district’s specific configuration.

iii. Instructional Designers: Personnel who create the training materials and can explain "why" a feature exists.

N.4 Cybersecurity & Privacy Officers

i. Security Officer: A qualified executive overseeing data protection.

ii. Privacy Officers: Staff specifically trained in FERPA and HIPAA compliance to handle the sensitivity of student health and disability records.

O. SUBCONTRACTORS:

Subcontractors providing services under the contract shall meet the same requirements and level of experience as required of the Respondent. No subcontract under the Contract shall relieve the primary Respondent of the responsibility for the service. If the Respondent uses a subcontractor for any or all of the work required, the following conditions shall apply under the listed circumstances:

1. If the Respondent is planning to subcontract any portion of the work, identify the proposed subcontractors in the Respondent’s initial proposal. Respondent must obtain prior approval from TJJD before Respondent enters into any subcontracting agreement, both in the present Contract as well as subsequent Contracts. TJJD must approve all subcontractors and subsequent Contracts and obtain prior approval from TJJD before the Respondent enters into any subcontract agreements.

2. Subcontracting shall be at the Respondent’s expense;

3. TJJD retains the right to check subcontractor’s background and make approval determination as to the use of the proposed subcontractor(s); and

4. The Respondent shall be the only contact for TJJD and subcontractors. Respondent shall designate a point-of-contact for all TJJD and subcontractor inquiries.

P. INVOICING:

Awarded Respondent will submit invoices to the TJJD Claims Department via email at tjjdinvoice@tjjd.texas.gov and Rachel Stimely at Rachel.M.Stimely@tjjd.texas.gov /or via regular mail to P. O. Box 12757, Austin, Texas 78711 or 1801 N. Congress, Ste. 13.1400, Austin, Texas 78701.

Payment will be made within thirty (30) days from receipt of an invoice, a correct and itemized invoice, or a billing statement. Awarded Respondent shall submit one (1) invoice showing the Awarded Respondent's name, address, TJJD Contract number, payee I.D., itemization of the services provided, itemized amount of services provided, the name and division of the TJJD Contract Manager, vendor remit to address, and telephone number. No payment whatsoever shall be made under this Contract without the prior submission of correct and itemized invoices. Payments under this Contract are subject to the availability of appropriated funds. Awarded Respondent acknowledges and agrees that payments for services provided under this Contract are contingent upon TJJD’s receipt of funds appropriated by the Texas Legislature. Payment will be made in accordance with the Texas Prompt Payment Act, Texas Government Code, Subtitle F, Chapter 2251.

Q. CHANGE CONTROL:

mailto:tjjdinvoice@tjjd.texas.gov mailto:Rachel.M.Stimely@tjjd.texas.gov

The Contract shall only be amended or supplemented in writing, executed by the Parties hereto or their successors, and expressly made a part of the Contract, except that TJJD reserves the right to make unilateral minor administrative changes to correct typographical errors, change the TJJD Contract identification number, or increase the “Not to Exceed (NTE)” amount if necessary for continuation of services.

R. Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan Respondent shall submit a business continuity and disaster recovery plan detailing how the Respondent proposes to meet the specifications in the event the Respondent’s service is interrupted.

The plan shall detail the Respondent’s backup and recovery process as part of their proposal.

S. TJJD RESPONSIBILITIES

1. TJJD will provide the following to the awarded respondent selected for this project:

a. Contact information at the Region 13 Education Service Center for Student Information Systems.

The requested platform must be linked to our SIS (Ascender) through the Education Service Center Region 13.

b. Minimum hardware requirements;

c. Access to the internet through the firewall;

d. Compatible Browser; and

e. Not resell to any third party the right of access to or use of the online system; or provide any third party who is not a client user with access to, or the ability to use the online system.

2. TJJD will provide the awarded respondent with the following proprietary or confidential information:

a. Student Demographics;

b. Parent Information;

c. Special Education/504 Information;

d. Emerging Bilingual information, and

e. STAAR Testing Information.

TJJD Secure Facility Locations The Online Special Education Tracking System will be used at all locations listed in this section. The Awarded Respondent’s proposal must specify requirements for deployment at each site.

Evins State Juvenile Correctional Facility 3801 E. Monte Cristo Road Edinburg, Texas 78541

Gainesville State Juvenile Correctional Facility

1379 FM 678

Gainesville, Texas 76240

Giddings State Juvenile Correctional Facility 2261 James Turman Rd.

P.O. Box 600 Giddings, Texas 78942

Mart State Juvenile Correctional Facility 116 Burleson Road Mart, Texas 76664

Ron Jackson State Juvenile Correctional Facility

600 FM 3254

Brownwood, Texas 76801 P.O. Box 1267

Brownwood, Texas 76804

SECTION III

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL INFORMATION

A. SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: The following dates represent TJJD’s desired schedule of events associated with this solicitation. TJJD reserves the right to modify these dates at any time, with appropriate notice to prospective Respondents.

EVENT DATE

Issue solicitation June 09, 2026 Deadline for Submission of Questions June 15, 2026, 3:00 P.M. CST Deadline for Submission of Answers June 18, 2026 Deadline for Submission of Proposals July 01, 2026, 2:30 P.M. CST Complete Evaluation and Review of Proposals July 14, 2026 Execute Contract July 29, 2026 Commence Services August 01, 2026

All inquiries that result in a change to the solicitation or that TJJD deems necessary for clarification will result in a written addendum.

**Note: Holidays: TJJD will be closed on June 19th and July 4th to observe the holidays.

B. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS:

1. Purpose of Instructions

The following paragraphs provide instructions for preparing the proposal and the required format. These instructions are designed to ensure the submission of information essential to the understanding and comprehensive evaluation of the Respondent's proposal.

Proposals shall be prepared in accordance with these instructions, providing all required information in the format specified.

Failure to comply with these instructions shall be grounds for excluding a proposal from further consideration.

2. Submission of Proposal

Proposals shall be typed using 12-point font print, all pages numbered, a table of contents included, and sections clearly tabbed. Do not submit printed firm brochures with the Proposal. Proposals shall be submitted under the tabs as described above.

a. Each Proposal shall contain individual sections, as well as subsections addressing each of the solicitation criteria in order.

b. Proposals shall be received by TJJD by email to the TJJD Contracts E-bids email box listed in this solicitation. Proposals shall be received by TJJD on or prior to the due date stated in the Schedule of Events.

c. Proposal shall be attached as one (1) PDF file in an email and emailed to the TJJD Contracts E-bids email box listed in this solicitation. The email subject line shall have the solicitation number and name and Respondent’s business name. The email shall include this information, along with the submittal deadline/opening date and time. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to ensure that the email for the proposal contains this information and is emailed to TJJD by the specified due date and time. TJJD is not responsible for delays that may occur in electronic submission or email servers.

d. Receipt of all addenda to this solicitation shall be acknowledged by returning a signed copy of each addendum to the response as part of the Respondent’s submitted proposal. The Respondent’s failure to acknowledge receipt of all addenda to this solicitation will in no way release the selected Respondent from “addenda or additional information” resulting in additional costs to meet the requirements of the solicitation.

e. Responses submitted shall constitute an offer for a period of one hundred twenty (120) days or until an award is made by TJJD, whichever is later.

f. Respondent is responsible for all of Respondent’s own costs of proposal preparation and submission for this solicitation.

g. TJJD incurs no obligation regarding this solicitation unless and until a Contract is fully executed by the Parties. However, all proposals received by TJJD will remain confidential until the evaluation process is complete.

h. Proposals will be subject to the Texas Public Information Act (TPI), Texas Government Code, Chapter 552, and may be disclosed to the public upon request. Respondent may request protection of trade and confidential information from public release by clearly marking each page on which this information appears with “Confidential” in bold face type at least 14-point font; all information submitted is subject to the Act and considered for release.

i. Prospective Respondents are asked to bear in mind that all material submitted shall be directly pertinent to the requirements of the solicitation. Extraneous narrative, elaborate brochures, uninformative PR material, etc., shall not be submitted.

j. Telephone, mail, or Facsimile transmission of the proposal will not be accepted.

k. Proposals from a partnership shall be signed in the firm name by at least one (1) general partner or in the firm name by an Attorney-in-fact. If signed by an Attorney-in-fact, there shall be attached to the Proposal a Power of Attorney evidencing authority to sign the Proposal, dated and executed by all partners in the firm. Proposals from a corporation shall have the correct corporate name thereon and the signature of an authorized officer of the corporation.

The title of office held by the person signing for the corporation shall appear below the signature of the officer. Proposals from an individual doing business under a firm or fictitious name shall be signed in the name of the individual doing business under the proper firm’s name. Proposals of a joint venture shall be signed by all members or by a member of the joint venture if there is attached to the Proposal a copy of the Joint Venture Agreement evidencing that the Proposal is signed by the member who has authority to bind the Joint Venture.

Unsigned proposals will not be considered under any circumstances.

C. RESPONSE CONTENT REQUIREMENTS AND SUBMISSION:

Content: Below is a summary of the requested information. A proposal submitted without this information will be evaluated accordingly. TJJD reserves the right, in its sole judgment and discretion, to waive minor technicalities and errors in the best interest of the state. The following documents shall be submitted with the response. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

1. Response Content Submission:

TAB 1 Transmittal Letter, addenda (if applicable), all signed TAB 2 Company Information and organization, organization profile, qualifications, and security document (i.e., TX-Ramp certificate) TAB 3 Work Plan-Program/Platform, Training, Personnel Qualifications TAB 4 Preferences – Attachment 1 TAB 5 Execution of Offer (Exhibit A) TAB 6 Price form (Attachment 2) TAB 7 References TAB 8 Samples of Standard Reports TAB 9 Statement of Data Security (Exhibit C) TAB 10 Solicitation Exceptions and/or Assumptions TAB 11 HUB Subcontracting forms (Exhibit D)

2. Description of TAB Information Content

TAB 1:

a. Transmittal Cover Letter, limited to two (2) pages, which shall include a brief statement of the Respondent’s understanding of the work to be performed and a summary of proposed features, signed.

b. A c k n o w l e d g m e n t of solicitation addendums, if applicable, signed; and

TAB 2:

a. Company Information: Including, but not limited to the following:

1. Description of Individual or Entity (e.g., Company), names and addresses of principal officers, directors, or partners

2. Ownership, if a corporation, includes the date and state of incorporation

3. Primary Service location(s)

4. Physical and mailing address, if different

5. Other service locations

6. Telephone and facsimile number

7. E-mail address and phone number of Respondent’s primary contact

8. Provide the name and address of the Respondent's insurance carrier, for the purpose of responding to this solicitation, the Respondent will not be required to purchase insurance, but must show the ability to provide such insurance as specified in the Terms and Conditions. Only the Awarded Respondent will be required to provide insurance policy documentation.

9. Statement about whether or not any content in the Respondent’s proposal is or will be copyrighted.

10. Describe any litigation your key personnel and the company have been involved in over the past five (5) years.

b. Company Organization, Organization Profile, Qualifications, and Security Certification This tab shall consist of the Respondent's description of its organizational capabilities and qualifications and plans to satisfy and support the requirements of this solicitation.

NO PRICING DATA SHALL BE SUBMITTED IN THIS TAB.

1. This section shall contain a clear description of the entity submitting the proposal, including an outline of the history of the organization, organizational capabilities, goals and purposes, an organizational chart listing staff members and all satellite offices, and days and hours of operation.

c. Financial Requirements

Respondents shall be in good financial standing and current in payment of all taxes and fees, such as state franchise fees.

Respondent must have the financial capacity to perform the requirements in accordance with the Contract. TJJD will review the Respondent's audited or unaudited financial statement in accordance with Texas Government Code, Title 10, Subtitle D, Section 2156.007, to evaluate the Respondent's financial stability.

Consolidated financial statements are not acceptable. The financial statements must be for the specific business entity that is responding to the solicitation and throughout the duration of the term of the Contract.

The financial statements must be provided at the lowest level for which the financial statements are available and for the past three years. If the Respondent has been in business for less than three years, the requirement is for all available years. For any financial statements submitted at a level above Level 1, the Respondent must include an explanation why the financial statements are not available at a lower level. The financial statements do not have to be at the same level for each period submitted, but an explanation of the need for the variation is required with the response.

Acceptable Levels of financial statements…