RFP 701-26-022, SPECIAL

EDUCATION AND GENERAL

EDUCATION COMPLAINT

INVESTIGATION SUPPORT

Summary

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) seeks qualified respondents to provide three integrated but distinct services:

A.1 Special education complaint investigation support to assist TEA in meeting federally mandated timelines under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); and A.2 Operational assessment, design, and documentation support to strengthen, standardize, and institutionalize TEA’s internal complaint-processing operations.

B. General education law complaint investigation and misconduct investigation support to assist TEA with intake and investigation of local education agencies, educators, and other school employees under the Texas Education Code.

Authorized by:

Project A: IDEA, 34 CFR §§300.151–153; 19 TAC §89.1195 Project B: Texas Education Code; Title 19, Parts 2 and 7 TAC

Responses are due July 24, 2026 - 2:00 P.M. Central Time

TEA Contracts and Purchasing Division TEASolicitations@tea.texas.gov

Kristi Nichols-Arnold https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-34/subtitle-B/chapter-III/part-300/subpart-B/subject-group-ECFR7045db53cb77b17/section-300.151 https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/19-tac-chapter-89 https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/laws-and-rules/texas-administrative-code/texas-administrative-code-title-19-part-2 mailto:TEASolicitations@tea.texas.gov

Table of Contents

1. Purpose, Background, and Scope of Work

1.1. Purpose

1.2. Background and Defined Terms

1.3. TEA Mission and Procurement Authority

1.4. Anticipated Schedule of Events

1.5. Contract Term

1.6. Budget

1.7. Scope of Work, Project Description, and Project Requirements

1.8. Project Deliverables and Milestones

1.9. Collaboration

1.10. Contract Monitoring and Dispute Resolution Procedures

2. Submission Process and Instructions

2.1. Response Format

2.2. Electronic Submission Process

2.3. Communication

2.4. Response Requirements

2.5. Conflict of Interest

3. Response Format and Content

3.1. Requested Information

3.2. Understanding of the Project, Methodology, and Technical Components

3.3. Management Plan, Experience, and Qualifications

3.4. Task, Activity, Deliverable, and Budget Plan

3.5. Contractors Financial Capability

4. Response Review and Evaluation

4.1. Response Review

4.2. Evaluation Criteria

5. Contractual Requirements

5.1. Incorporation and Order of Precedence

ATTACHMENT A: NOTICE OF INTENT TO SUBMIT A RESPONSE

ATTACHMENT B: CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS, RESPONSE PREFERENCES, AND

EXECUTION OF OFFER

ATTACHMENT C: HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESS SUBCONTRACTING PLAN

ATTACHMENT D: RESPONSE COVER PAGE & REFERENCE QUESTIONNAIRE

ATTACHMENT E: TASK, ACTIVITY, DELIVERABLE, AND BUDGET PLAN

ATTACHMENT F: DELIVERABLE DESCRIPTIONS AND GENERAL ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

ATTACHMENT G: CONFLICT OF INTEREST ANALYSIS FORM

ATTACHMENT H: INFORMATION SECURITY REVIEW

ATTACHMENT I: DATA CENTER SERVICES (DCS) INFRASTRUCTURE REQUIREMENTS

ATTACHMENT J: TX-RAMP QUESTIONNAIRE

ATTACHMENT K: FEE/RATE SCHEDULE

ATTACHMENT L: OUTSIDE COUNSEL CONTRACT………………………………………………………………..….71

ATTACHMENT M: OAG LETTER TO AGENCIES AND PROSPECTIVE OUTSIDE COUNSEL…….…..…..72

ATTACHMENT N: TEXAS ADMINISTRATIVE CODE, TITLE 1, CHAPTER 57…………………………….….73

1. Purpose, Background, and Scope of Work

1.1. Purpose

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is requesting responses to provide three integrated but distinct services:

A.1 Special education complaint investigation support to assist TEA in meeting federally mandated timelines under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA);

A.2 Operational assessment, design, and documentation support to strengthen, standardize, and institutionalize TEA’s internal complaint-processing operations, and

B. General education law complaint and misconduct investigation support to assist TEA with intake and investigation of local education agencies, educators, and other school employees under the Texas Education Code.

Responses should demonstrate the contractor’s ability to:

o (Project A only) Ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality resolution of IDEA state complaints;

o Sustain investigative capacity at scale during periods of fluctuating complaint volume;

o Improve efficiency, consistency, and clarity of internal complaint-related workflows;

and o Require the contractor to assess current operations, recommend future-state processes, and draft implementation-ready operating procedures and artifacts for TEA review and approval, reduce operational risk, reliance on informal practices, and institutional knowledge loss.

o (Project B only) Ensure timely, accurate, and high-quality resolution of general education law complaints and misconduct investigations; Sustain investigative capacity at scale during periods of fluctuating complaint volume.

This procurement focuses on how work is performed and documented. It does not include the design, development, or implementation of technology systems.

1.2. Background and Defined Terms

TEA is legally required to resolve all written state complaints that meet the requirements of IDEA and to investigate and issue findings on whether a public education agency has violated a special education legal requirement within sixty (60) calendar days. Complaint volume has increased in recent years. Through this solicitation, TEA seeks to address the increased need for complaint investigators.

To support compliance with federal timelines and quality expectations, and as part of its overall complaint-resolution strategy, TEA anticipates outsourcing a portion of its total complaint workload, with an estimated volume of approximately 400 complaint investigations per year.

This estimate is provided for planning purposes only and does not represent a guaranteed minimum or maximum volume of work.

Additionally, TEA reviews and investigates allegations of local education agency violations of school law and misconduct involving certified educators and other school employees under the Texas Education Code and applicable Commissioner and State Board for Educator Certification (SBEC) rules. The volume of reported matters requiring investigations too has increased significantly. Through this solicitation, TEA also seeks to expand intake and investigative capacity for general education and educator misconduct complaints by outsourcing a portion of this workload, estimated at approximately 3750 matters per year.

Under this procurement, contractors will support structured fact-finding, document review, evidence synthesis, and drafting of investigation reports. TEA will retain exclusive responsibility for determining the need for and conducting legal reviews, conducting interviews as part of an investigation as necessary, making determinations of noncompliance, assessing and ensuring completion of corrective actions, and issuing final decision letters.

In parallel, TEA is undertaking internal operational improvements and anticipates transitioning to updated internal business processes, including alignment with a new internal application during the contract term. TEA requires support to document, standardize, and operationalize these processes while maintaining investigative throughout.

Background information is provided solely for context and does not create contractual obligations or guarantees regarding volume, system implementation, or future operational decisions.

As used in this solicitation, the following capitalized terms shall have the meaning as specified below:

Term Definition BAFO Best and Final Offer CMBL Centralized Master Bidders List Contractor Contractor refers to entities who desire to do business with TEA DIR Department of Information Resources ESBD Electronic State Business Daily FERPA Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act HSP Historically Underutilized Business Subcontracting Plan

HUB Historically Underutilized Business as defined in Texas Government Code § 2161.001

IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act LEA Local Education Agency NIGP National Institute of Governmental Purchasing PAR Progress Assessment Report PII Personally Identifiable Information QAP Quality Assessment Plan Response Response refers to content submitted by Contractors to TEA in response to this solicitation SBEC State Board for Educator Certification SBOE State Board of Education TAC Texas Administrative Code TADBP Task, Activity, Deliverable, and Budget Plan TEA Texas Education Agency TEA Procurement Staff

TEA procurement professional(s) responsible for leading the planning, solicitation, and contract formation processes.

TEA Project Manager, TEA Program Staff, or TEA Contract Manager

TEA staff members who are the subject matter experts concerning this solicitation, one or more of whom will manage the contract(s) resulting from this solicitation.

TGC Texas Government Code TX-RAMP Texas Risk and Authorization Management Program VPTS Vendor Performance Tracking System

1.3. TEA Mission and Procurement Authority

TEA is the state agency responsible for overseeing primary and secondary public education in Texas. TEA’s mission is to improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems; every child, prepared for success in college, career, or the military.

TEA has adopted a strategic plan comprised of four strategic priorities built upon five key actions identified below. These may be updated in the future and can be found on the TEA website located here, https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/welcome-and-overview/tea-strategic-plan:

• Strategic Priorities o Recruit, support and retain teachers and principals o Build a foundation for reading and math o Connect high school to career and college o Improve low-performing schools https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.2161.htm https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.2161.htm https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/welcome-and-overview/tea-strategic-plan https://tea.texas.gov/about-tea/welcome-and-overview/tea-strategic-plan

• Key Actions (Continuous Improvement) o Supported Educators o Ready Students o Rigorous Engagement o Aligned Systems o Actionable Goal-setting

This procurement supports TEA’s strategic plan by connecting to Ready Student Initiatives. The procurement of additional investigators will ensure strong compliance oversight.

The solicitation and contract are authorized by Government Code Title 10, Subtitle D (the “Purchasing Act”). The solicitation and contract are subject to all applicable requirements of the Purchasing Act [in particular, Government Code Chapter 2151 (General Provisions), Chapter 2155 (Purchasing: General Rules and Procedures), and Chapter 2161 (Veteran Heroes United in Business, “VetHUBs”)] and those requirements established by rule of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA), Statewide Procurement Division (SPD), as contained in Title 34, Chapter 20, of the Texas Administrative Code (“TAC”), and to other applicable federal and state statutes and rules herein cited. Any references in this contract to the “Government Code” mean the Texas Government Code.

1.4. Anticipated Schedule of Events

DATE EVENT

June 18, 2026 Publication of solicitation in the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) at: http://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd Contractors must have an account at Euna Procurement (Bonfire) to submit a response to TEA. VetHUB-related questions must be directed to the HUB Office HUBOffice@tea.texas.gov

June 26, 2026 Last day to submit written questions about this solicitation no later than 2:00 P.M. Central Time. Submit questions via Vendor Discussion in the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) portal

July 2, 2026 Final publication of questions and answers July 24, 2026 TEA preferred date to receive Notice of Intent to submit a response July 24, 2026 Response(s) due no later than 2:00 P.M. Central Time July 2026 – August 2026

Response Check-In, Evaluations, and Oral Presentations (if required)

September 2026- December 2026

Commencement of contract negotiations with selected contractor(s)

January 2027 Anticipated start date of contract

1.5. Contract Term

The contract term is for a total of five (5) state fiscal years commencing from contract execution or an agreed-upon contract start date. Any period starting at contract execution or agreed upon contract start date that is less than a state fiscal year will not count toward the total number of state fiscal years. All contracts are subject to appropriation of funds by the Texas Legislature.

Contractors must not perform any work before both parties have signed a contract. TEA will not pay for services the contractor performs for TEA prior to contract execution.

1.6. Budget

TEA may award one or more contracts from this solicitation. TEA reserves the right not to award a contract from this solicitation. Responses must include a detailed Task, Activity, Deliverable, and Budget Plan, as described elsewhere in this solicitation and in Attachment E.

TEA will not accept separate indirect cost rate calculations for this procurement. The proposed budget and payments to a contractor must be based on satisfactory completion and TEA acceptance of deliverables. The Task, Activity, Deliverable, and Budget Plan must clearly identify proposed prices related to each proposed task, subtask, and deliverable for each fiscal year of the contract.

TEA will establish monthly invoicing procedures for the awarded contract(s) aligned to completion and acceptance of the deliverables. TEA will pay invoices upon satisfactory http://www.txsmartbuy.gov/esbd https://tea.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities mailto:HUBOffice@tea.texas.gov performance of services, receipt and acceptance of specified deliverables, and receipt of properly prepared invoices and supporting documentation.

1.7. Scope of Work, Project Description, and Project Requirements

The Contractor shall provide professional services supporting two concurrent work tracks: (A) Complaint Investigation Support and (B) Operational Assessment, Design, and Documentation.

These work tracks may occur in parallel throughout the contract term.

A. Complaint Investigation Support The Contractor shall provide investigation support services for assigned matters, as directed by TEA. Complaint investigation support may include multiple investigation types, including IDEA-related complaints, other local education agency violations, and misconduct-related matters, all of which are subject to TEA oversight, direction, and approval.

A.1 IDEA Complaint Investigation Support The Contractor shall:

1. Review complaint materials and supporting documentation provided by TEA;

2. Develop allegation-by-allegation factual chronologies and evidence summaries;

3. Draft legally defensible investigation reports in accordance with TEA-approved templates and quality standards;

o 2026 Notice of Special Education Complaint and Request for Response Template o 2026 Special Education Investigative Report Template o 2026 GSS Notice of Findings Template o 2026 Notice of Complaint and Required Action Template o Special Education Complaint Investigation Procedures (Jan 2026)

4. Incorporate up to two defined rounds of revisions, with each round consisting of consolidated written feedback as necessary provided by TEA;

5. Complete each revision round within two (2) business days of receipt of TEA comments;

6. Submit deliverables in accordance with established milestones to support federally mandated timelines;

7. Comply with all applicable federal and state privacy laws, including Family Educational

Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and safeguard Personally Identifiable Information (PII);

and

8. Refrain from contacting complainants, Local Education Agencies (LEAs), or other parties unless expressly authorized in writing by TEA.

A.2 Operational Assessment, Design, and Documentation The Contractor shall conduct a structured assessment of TEA’s internal special education state complaint-related operations, including intake, investigation support, internal review, and issuance processes.

Based on this assessment, the Contractor shall:

1. Design and document TEA-approved future-state workflows;

https://texasedu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/scarlett_papas_tea_texas_gov/IQBYby2iKv6ZRYOnH2fiPdpfARfJwwYUH3M-Cbc6BzelT0o?e=PltbyQ https://texasedu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/scarlett_papas_tea_texas_gov/IQBU4OS-4SfZTIu-fI0eas4lAbPipuWmvLQnSS7qpA98kCg?e=OC2jTu https://texasedu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/scarlett_papas_tea_texas_gov/IQAOPREMe3mQRoeVa2IWRNtlAbs1caIwnvXr9LJwp4ZoxsI?e=ePgAhE https://texasedu-my.sharepoint.com/:b:/g/personal/scarlett_papas_tea_texas_gov/IQDgf5391oaiQrBXx44GWXqBAXxiAySCX6fSbTLeu2orK5c?e=3vXuma https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:va6c2:6d5a8ebf-a4d2-4f14-8b9c-016a546b84ae

2. Develop implementation-ready operating procedures;

3. Written operations that define roles, responsibilities, handoffs, and decision points;

4. Create or revise internal templates, guidance documents, checklists, and job aids;

5. Review and update written procedures so they accurately reflect how work is performed, especially when new internal systems or applications change required workflows; and

6. Incorporate TEA feedback through iterative review and revision cycles.

The contractor is expected to ensure that all operational procedures and artifacts developed in accordance with federal and state law are subject to TEA review, approval, and final adoption.

Exclusions: This contract does not include system design, development, configuration, testing, or implementation activities

B. General School Law Violation and Misconduct Investigation Support The Contractor shall provide investigation support services for assigned general school law violations and other misconduct-related matters, consistent with TEA direction and established standards. These services are limited to investigative support activities and do not include final determinations or enforcement authority.

The Contractor shall:

1. Receive and process assigned incoming matters from the agency’s designated system(s) and queues.

2. Conduct completeness checks; identify missing information; route items for follow-up per agency direction.

3. Prepare intake summaries for review, including allegations, timelines, and witnesses.

4. Generate standardized correspondence and notifications using agency templates, as directed.

5. Maintain accurate documentation, investigative summaries, analyses, case notes and recommended determinations using agency templates, standards, and decision frameworks.

6. Track statutory/regulatory timeframes and internal milestones; escalate risks to timeliness immediately.

TEA will retain responsibility for determining the sufficiency and legal compliance of investigative findings; conducting interviews as necessary; making final determinations of noncompliance; assessing and ensuring completion of corrective actions; and issuing final decision letters.

1.8. Project Deliverables and Milestones

A. (A.1 and B) Investigation Deliverables (Recurring)

1. Allegation-by-allegation factual chronologies

2. Draft investigation reports and acknowledgment notifications

3. Revised and final investigation reports for TEA issuance

4. Monthly investigation tracking and performance data

B. A.2 Operational Deliverables (One-Time and Iterative)

1. Current-state and future-state workflow diagrams

2. Implementation-ready operating procedures

3. Internal templates, guidance documents, checklists, and job aids

4. Process rationale and recommendations summary

C. Milestones

1. Monthly and quarterly performance and investigation metrics

2. Completion of current-state operational assessment (Project A.2)

3. Submission of draft future-state procedures and artifacts (Project A.2)

4. TEA review and feedback cycles

5. Submission of finalized procedures and artifacts (Project A.2)

D. Acceptance Criteria

Deliverables must:

1. Be accurate, complete, and audit-ready;

2. Align with TEA-approved templates, formatting, and branding standards;

3. Be completed in accordance with TEA-defined contractual timelines and milestones established to enable TEA to meet federally mandated IDEA complaint resolution timelines;

4. Support sustained investigative capacity;

5. Be implementation-ready and reflect TEA-approved workflows;

6. Exclude system specifications or application development content

1.9. Collaboration

The awarded contractor(s) will collaborate closely with TEA staff for this project. These responsibilities include, for example:

Awarded Contractor Responsibilities:

o Engaging in ongoing, responsive communication about the project(s) with TEA;

o Participating in scheduled project meetings with TEA;

o Working continuously on the project, including during summer months;

o Adhering to the Task, Activity, Deliverable, and Budget Plan, or other schedules for deliverables as specified by TEA after consultation with the awarded contractor, including proposed deadlines for draft work products;

o Notifying TEA within 48 hours of project-related issues that negatively impact timelines;

o Obtaining advance written approval from TEA prior to any staffing changes or additions, especially changes to key staff members assigned to this project;

o Producing high-quality drafts of all submitted work products, reports, evaluation plans, analysis plans, and instruments, etc. with minimal typos and in alignment with applicable guidelines (branding, accessibility, reading level, etc.);

o Responding within five (5) business days to all requests for feedback on evaluation plans, methodology, analysis plans, instruments, data manipulation, analysis results, reports, etc.;

o Responding within 48 hours to inquiries regarding invoice and document requests (as in the case of an audit);

o Adhering to policies and procedures regarding use of confidential data and data collection procedures;

o Adhering to policies and procedures regarding fingerprinting and criminal background checks prior to conducting any school visits, as applicable; and o Adhering to all terms and conditions of the contract with TEA, for example, following the change management process for contract revisions; informing TEA of changes in ownership, key staff, or subcontractors; and immediately reporting actual or potential conflicts of interest to TEA.

TEA Responsibilities:

o Providing awarded contractor(s) and any subcontractors information on changes in legislation, reporting needs, or any other activities that may impact the project(s);

o Collaborating with the awarded contractor(s) to address unforeseen developments, identify issues, and propose solutions;

o Coordinating support and resources for the project;

o Providing necessary data and documentation;

o Reviewing and approving the contractor’s evaluation and analysis plans, including all qualitative and quantitative methodologies and data analyses;

o Reviewing use of data, data sources, data manipulation, data processing business rules, and analytic results;

o Monitoring the awarded contractor’s progress, as outlined in contractor-submitted monthly progress reports to ensure compliance with contract terms;

o Reviewing and approving monthly invoices (including disputing invoices as necessary and working with contractor(s) to resolve disputes);

o Providing and coordinating feedback on all submitted reports;

o Monitoring the awarded contractor’s performance and compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract, including following the change management policy for all amendments and budget revisions;

o Coordinating on-site presentations of findings prior to the submission of major deliverables; and o Monitoring proper transmission and destruction of data.

1.10. Contract Monitoring and Dispute Resolution Procedures

TEA monitors its contracts to ensure contractors adhere to the terms and conditions of their TEA contracts and to prevent fraud, waste, and abuse. TEA Contract Managers carefully review invoices to verify the following:

o Goods and/or services provided are included in the contract;

o Charges match the contract budget and pricing clearly ties to the task plan;

o Invoice charges are within scope, allowable, and reasonable;

o Invoice amounts are tied to specific contract tasks with enough supporting documentation to show that goods and/or services were received and were of acceptable quality; and o Each invoice shows the contract number, purchase order number, dates of service, tasks, and pricing.

All pricing provided in the response should include a specific deliverable or a set of deliverables that demonstrate successful completion of activities. All activities must have documentation to support their completion. TEA reserves the right to reject goods or services which do not address the deliverables stated in the contract and do not meet TEA quality review.

In addition to carefully reviewing invoices prior to authorizing payment, TEA Contract Managers conduct ongoing contract monitoring activities depending on the nature and risk factors associated with the contract. Examples of standard contract monitoring activities include:

o Monitoring the contractor’s progress and performance to ensure goods and services conform to the contract requirements;

o Managing, approving, and documenting any changes to the contract through the change management process authorized by the terms of the contract;

o Maintaining documentation verifying that goods and/or services were reviewed and accepted;

o Monitoring the contract budget to ensure sufficient funds are available throughout the term of the contract;

o Identifying and resolving disputes with the contractor promptly;

o Exercising legal remedies, as appropriate, when a contractor’s performance is deficient;

and o Confirming all goods and/or services have been delivered and delivery is completed prior to the expiration date of the contract.

TEA will determine whether a contract should be subject to enhanced monitoring, an increased level of monitoring. For example, a contractor who has access to sensitive data or contact with students may be subject to enhanced monitoring. In addition to the responsibilities that come with standard contract monitoring, Contract Managers may implement any of the following examples of enhanced monitoring measures:

o Developing a Quality Assessment Plan (QAP) to document contract monitoring activities;

o Conducting site visits to a contractor’s facility;

o Holding regular project management meetings with contractors to ensure the project is meeting established milestones and deadlines;

o Reviewing contractor-prepared progress reports;

o Reviewing satisfaction surveys from training attendees or other quality assurance reports;

o Implementing a corrective action plan if contractor is not meeting contract performance expectations;

o Monitoring contractor performance and invoking applicable remedies for contract breaches (for example, liquidated damages assessed for service level agreement breaches); and o Monitoring contractor’s access to sensitive data and ensuring data is handled properly and returned or destroyed at the end of the contract, as appropriate.

TEA expects contractors to support these monitoring efforts, including responding promptly to requests for documentation and working together in good faith to resolve disputes.

In the event of a dispute, TEA will make every effort to resolve the issue(s) with contractor’s project staff before escalating to executive-level management. Throughout the dispute resolution process, the parties should make a good faith effort to work together toward a mutually beneficial resolution. Resolution may include corrective action plans, substitutions, liquidated damages, or other remedies, as appropriate

2. Submission Process and Instructions

2.1. Response Format

Contractors must submit a complete response and follow all the instructions contained within this solicitation. Responses with conditional clauses, alterations, or irregularities are subject to rejection by TEA in its sole discretion. Contractors must submit responses electronically and ensure TEA receives them no later than the deadline stated in the Anticipated Schedule of Events. TEA will not accept late responses.

Response Format and Requirements:

o The contractor must download all files from Euna Procurement (Bonfire) under Public Files to prepare a submission.

o Complete and upload all required documents listed under the Requested Information section in Euna Procurement (Bonfire).

o The file name should be short but descriptive and avoid special characters. Use capital letters, hyphens, or underscores instead of spaces or periods. (i.e., 26- 022_CompanyName_Response).

o Contractors must ensure an authorized representative sign all required forms and those signatures are included in the electronic file (digital signatures or scanned ink signatures are both acceptable).

o The contractor must sign the Execution of Offer contained within Attachment B. By signing the Execution of Offer, the contractor affirms that all statements within the response are true and correct. Discovery of any false statement in the response may void the submitted response or any resulting contracts.

o The contractor shall not encrypt or password protect response or embed documents within the response.

o Contractors must submit responses electronically via Euna Procurement (Bonfire).

2.2. Electronic Submission Process

Submission via EUNA Procurement (Bonfire)

TEA will only accept responses using the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) electronic bidding portal as a secure electronic submission method. Please upload your submission at Texas Education Agency Euna Procurement (Bonfire) Portal. Responses will not be accepted by email or facsimile.

Once uploaded, the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) platform will notify TEA of the upload.

Contractors will receive a submission confirmation number upon successful submission response. The file(s) will be dated and time-stamped upon upload and the system will provide a confirmation number to the contractor’s email address. Contractors are advised to plan accordingly to ensure TEA receives the proposal ahead of the deadline. Once the close date has passed, you will not have an opportunity to change any of the submitted documents.

***Please note the location, type, and requirements of these forms. Failure to submit required documents will result in a contractor’s disqualification from consideration for this procurement.

Forms must be submitted at the specified location in Euna Procurement (Bonfire)***

Intent to Submit Response

TEA requests contractors notify TEA as soon as possible of their intent to submit a response on the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) platform. Toggle the “Intent to Bid” checkbox in Euna Procurement (Bonfire) to confirm the intent to submit a response. Notifying TEA of an intent to submit a response in no way obliges a contractor to submit a response. Contractors will not be able to prepare a submission unless you submit “Yes”.

2.3. Communication

To protect the integrity of the procurement process, contractors must adhere to the communication procedures outlined in this solicitation.

Euna Procurement (Bonfire) Registration

To contact TEA or ask questions in relation to this solicitation, contractors must register at https://tea.bonfirehub.com and initiate the communication electronically through the Vendor Discussions section.

To assist with registration, submission of a response, and learning how to get started with Euna Procurement (Bonfire), watch this training video. For questions or support when using the platform, access the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) online knowledge base, search the FAQ, or contact the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) support team at support.procurement@eunasolutions.com.

Limited Contact Policy

Contractors must send all communications about this solicitation via Bonfire, Vendor Discussions Section at https://tea.bonfirehub.com. Contractors may contact the TEA Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) office at HUBOffice@tea.texas.gov for the purpose of addressing VetHUB and HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) questions only.

TEA will not accept phone inquiries regarding this solicitation.

Non-procurement staff at TEA may not discuss this procurement with outside parties. If a potential contractor fails to observe this prohibition or attempts to circumvent the limited contact policy, their response may be subject to disqualification.

The limited contact policy does not apply to discussions concerning matters unrelated to this procurement, including business related to current contracts with TEA.

Question and Answer Process

Contractors may submit questions within the date and time specified in the Anticipated Schedule of Events. Any questions or clarifications pertaining to this solicitation shall be submitted through Euna Procurement (Bonfire) Opportunity Q&A. TEA will compile questions https://tea.bonfirehub.com/ https://procurement-help.eunasolutions.com/hc/en-us/articles/49097043582995-VIDEO-Creating-a-Euna-Procurement-Account https://procurement-help.eunasolutions.com/hc/en-us/categories/48350402912275-Vendors mailto:support.procurement@eunasolutions.com https://tea.bonfirehub.com/ and related responses into one or more addenda documents and post them on the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) platform. It is the contractor’s responsibility to review any addenda documents before submitting.

Communication after the Response Due Date

Between the response due date and contract execution, TEA may communicate with contractors to:

o Seek clarification regarding response(s).

o Invite contractors to participate in oral presentations.

o Conduct negotiations, including requesting a potential contractor’s best and final offer

(BAFO).

o Exchange information required to facilitate a potential contract award.

TEA will notify all contractors of the award or non-selection upon contract execution. The Limited Contact Policy remains in force until all contract(s) from this solicitation have been executed.

2.4. Response Requirements

TEA will not consider late or incomplete responses. Responses that address only part of the requirements of this solicitation are non-responsive.

Failure to formalize the terms of the response by signing the Contract Terms, Conditions and Affirmations, Response Preferences (Texas Government Code Chapter 2155), and Execution of Offer (Attachment B) will result in disqualification of the offer contained within the response.

Contractors must carefully review and complete all forms within the solicitation. TEA encourages contractors to review 34 TAC § 20.282 regarding the good faith effort requirements of the HSP and to reach out to the HUB Office at HUBOffice@tea.texas.gov with questions.

Failure to comply with VetHUB requirements, including correctly filling out all VetHUB related forms, will result in disqualification.

TEA reserves the right to reject responses and to negotiate portions thereof, including the offered TADBP and identified personnel.

Contractors must furnish clarifying information to TEA if requested. Failure to provide the requested material or information may disqualify the response.

The selected contractor must collaborate with TEA staff to clarify the project design, design of the materials, project activities, and/or other work products, and modify these items, if necessary.

https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.2155.htm https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/rules-and-meetings?$locale=en_US&interface=VIEW_TAC_SUMMARY&queryAsDate=10%2F13%2F2025&recordId=214411

All responses received in response to this solicitation are the property of TEA. TEA is not liable for any costs incurred in the preparation or submission of a response.

Texas Bidders Affirmation

Respondent certifies that if a Texas address is shown as the address of the Respondent on this response, Respondent qualifies as a Texas Bidder as defined in Section 2155.444(c) of the Texas Government Code.

Texas Public Information Act

Responses submitted in response to this solicitation are subject to release under TGC, Chapter 552, Public Information Act. If TEA receives a Public Information Act request for responses received under this solicitation, contractors may have the opportunity to demonstrate that some or all their offer falls into one or more exceptions to disclosure. Contractors should indicate on the response cover if their submission contains proprietary information and identifies the specific sections within the response that are proprietary. It is not sufficient to mark every page as confidential; rather, contractors should identify specific information or sections as proprietary.

Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUB) Subcontracting Plan (HSP)

In alignment with state law and public policy, TEA encourages contracting and subcontracting opportunities for VetHUBs in all contracts. If TEA determines that subcontracting opportunities are probable, then an HSP is a required element of the response.

Statement of Probability

TEA has determined that subcontracting opportunities are probable in connection with this procurement. Therefore, ALL contractors must submit an HSP in their response. Responses that do not include an HSP will be rejected for non-compliance.

If the contractor is itself a VetHUB, the HSP is still required to identify the percentage of the work to be performed by subcontractors and document whether the contractor is self-performing or has made a good faith effort to subcontract work to other HUBs.

If the contractor (VetHUB or non-VetHUB) is not subcontracting any portion of the work, the Self Performance portion of the HSP must be completed and returned with the response.

The contractor shall develop and administer the HSP as a part of the response in accordance with the TEA policy on utilization of VetHUBs and State law. The contractor must make a good faith effort and solicit a minimum of three Texas-certified VetHUBs from the State’s Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL) / HUB Directory for work that they cannot complete with their own staff and resources. Additional requirements are listed in Attachment C. In addition to a completed HSP, contractors planning to subcontract portions of their work for TEA are required to provide supporting documentation to support good faith efforts under Method A https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.552.htm or Method B (for example, emails between the contractor and potential subcontractors, trade organizations, and development centers).

The HSP will be incorporated into the contract between TEA and the selected contractor.

VetHUB Subcontracting Goal

The VetHUB subcontracting goal for this procurement is 5% service-disabled veteran-owned business participation.

TEA encourages contractors to collaborate with the HUB Office to develop mentor-protégé opportunities. Under 34 TAC § 20.298, a contractor’s participation in a Mentor-Protégé Program under TGC § 2161.065, and the submission of a protégé as a subcontractor in the HUB subcontracting plan constitutes a good faith effort for the work to be subcontracted with the protégé.

HUB Subcontract Progress Assessment Reporting

The contractor will be responsible for maintaining business records documenting compliance with HUB Program requirements. The contractor must submit a Progress Assessment Report (PAR) monthly documenting all subcontractor payments made in the preceding month.

Submission of the PAR is a condition for payment. PARs are due no later than the 10th day of the following month. The PAR must be submitted monthly, even if no subcontracting activity occurred during the month, to TEA’s HUB Office at HUBOffice@tea.texas.gov.

How to Find Texas Certified VetHUBs for Subcontracting Opportunities

Manufacturers, suppliers, and other vendors, including VetHUBs, may be found on the Centralized Master Bidders List (CMBL) / HUB Directory at:

https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/vendor/cmbl/. Vendors are listed by the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing (NIGP) commodity codes for which they’ve self-identified as related to the service and/or goods they provide. TEA has identified the following sample list of NIGP commodity codes that may be related to this solicitation, but each contractor is responsible for identifying the subcontracting needs for their unique proposal.

1. Class Code: 924 – EDUCATIONAL AND TRAINING SERVICES

Item: 05, Advisory Services, Educational

Item: 18, Educational Services, Alternative

Item: 74, Special Education Services

Item: 75, Special Education Consultant

2. Class Code: 953 – INSURANCE AND INSURANCE SERVICES, ALL TYPES

Item: 53, Investigation Services https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/vendor/cmbl/

3. Class Code: 966 – PRINTING AND TYPESETTING SERVICES

Item: 57, Offset Printing, General, Small Press Work (Quan. up to 25,000), One or More Colors, No 4 Color Processes or Large Solids or Close Registration; up to 11 x 17 In.: Brochures, Newsletters, Covers, Posters, etc.

2.5. Conflict of Interest

An entity will not be selected if it has a conflict of interest that will or may arise during the performance of its obligations under the contract. The contractor must disclose any existing or potential conflicts of interest or possible issues that might create appearances of impropriety relative to the submission of a response by the entity and its proposed subcontractors. The contractor must complete the Conflict of Interest Analysis Form in Attachment G. TEA will not accept information provided in other areas of the offer as satisfaction in lieu of full completion of the Attachment G form with the required attachments. TEA recommends the completed form and responsive attachments be incorporated into a separate and distinct section in the response. Failure to provide this information will result in disqualification from further consideration.

As part of this disclosure requirement, each response must include all past and present contractual, business, financial, or personal relationships between the contractor or contractor’s staff and TEA and between the contractor’s planned subcontractors or such subcontractor’s staff, if any, and TEA. Failure to disclose the identities of known subcontractors in Attachment G will subject a response to disqualification.

For purposes of this disclosure requirement:

o “Past” means within the two (2) calendar years prior to the deadline for submission of a response to this solicitation;

o “TEA” means the statewide elected official who heads TEA, as well as TEA’s employees or recent former employees;

o “Recent former employee” means a TEA employee who has terminated TEA employment within the two calendar years prior to the deadline for submission of responses in response to this solicitation;

o “Personal relationship” means a current or past connection other than a clearly contractual, business, financial, or similar relationship and includes family relationships or other connections outside simply providing a response to this solicitation; and o For this purpose, “family relationship” means a relationship within the third degree of consanguinity or second degree of affinity. TGC Chapter 573 defines these degrees of consanguinity and affinity.

Connections other than such family relationships fall within this definition and must be disclosed, if:

o A reasonable person could expect the connection to diminish the contractor’s independence of judgment or effectiveness in the performance of its responsibilities to TEA or the State under the contract; or o If a reasonable person could expect the connection, within the overall context of the contractor’s submission of a response, possible selection for an award, or its performance of the contract, to create an issue for TEA’s consideration relative to a potential appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest.

For each item, the contractor must provide a detailed explanation as to why the entity does or does not believe such an item poses a conflict of interest, potential conflict of interest, or appearance of impropriety relative to submission of a response, possible selection as contractor, or its performance of the contract.

The contractor must certify compliance with TGC § 669.003, relating to contracting with the executive head of a state agency. If TGC § 669.003 applies, the contractor must provide the following information: name of former executive; name of state agency; date of separation from state agency; position with the contractor; and date of employment with the contractor.

The contractor agrees that it has a continuing duty to supplement its response under this provision and that its duty to disclose any conflicts of interest is an ongoing obligation throughout the term of the contract. The contractor must submit updated information as soon as reasonably possible upon learning of any updates that are required to these mandatory disclosures.

Certificate of Interested Parties Form 1295

A state agency may not enter into certain contracts with a business entity unless the business entity submits a certificate of interested parties form. Subject to the exemptions found in TGC § 2252.908(c), the law applies to any state agency contract that either: (i) requires an action or vote by the governing body of the state agency or entity before the contract may be signed; or

(ii) has a value of at least $1 million.

The Form 1295 is not required to be submitted with the response. The contractor recommended for an award will be required to submit Form 1295 electronically through the Texas Ethics Commission’s website. An authorized agent of the contractor must sign the printed form. TEA will notify the Texas Ethics Commission of receipt of the filed Form 1295 as required.

3. Response Format and Content

Contractors must submit responses in the specified location, file type, and requirements listed on the Euna Procurement (Bonfire) portal. Forms requiring signatures must be signed (digital signatures or scanned ink signatures are both acceptable). Responses may be deemed non-responsive if requested documents are not submitted. Responses must also be submitted in a https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.669.htm#669.003 https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.2252.htm#2252.908 https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/GV/htm/GV.2252.htm#2252.908 manner that does not carry any personal benefit or value for members of the evaluation team or other TEA staff.

Responses must include a completed cover page questionnaire Attachment D: Response Cover Page and Reference Questionnaire.

3.1. Requested Information

Responses should be organized, indexed, and clearly labeled according to the contents below.

Euna Procurement (Bonfire) provides a Requested Information section to assist contractors with including all required information in their response and to assist the evaluation team during their review of the responses. The contractor should refer to the appropriate section of this solicitation for detailed information on the items listed in the checklist. Failure to provide the required information will result in the disqualification of the response from consideration.

REQUESTED INFORMATION

Understanding of the Project, Methodology, and Technical Components

Section 3.2

Management Plan, Experience, and Qualifications Section 3.3 Contract Terms and Conditions, Response Preferences, and Execution of Offer

Attachment B

HUB Subcontracting Plan Attachment C Response Cover Page and Reference Questionnaire Attachment D, Q-02KV Task, Activity, Deliverable, and Budget Plan (TADBP) Section 3.4, Attachment E

Project A: Q-27DK Project B: Q-29DR

Conflict of Interest Analysis Form including all attachments (i.e.

organization charts, resumes, etc.)

Section 2.5, Attachment G

3.2. Understanding of the Project, Methodology, and Technical Components

The response must communicate an understanding of the following:

A. Knowledge of federal and state special education complaint requirements;

B. (Project A) Experience providing structured support for special education complaint investigations, including fact development, evidence of synthesis, and report drafting;

C. (Project B only) Knowledge of state misconduct laws and rules for certified educators and school employees with investigations experience, including fact development, evidence of synthesis, and report drafting;

D. A scalable methodology to complete the complaint investigations;

E. A structured approach to operational assessment and future-state design;

F. Experience developing implementation-ready procedures and internal artifacts;

G. Quality assurance and internal controls for all deliverables.

The response must also describe the tasks to be performed, identify potential problems in the execution of the project(s), and provide methods to identify and solve such problems. The contractor must describe clearly, specifically, and as completely as possible, the methodology for carrying out the objectives and requirements of the project(s).

The response must describe the project design, project activities, materials, and other products, services, and reports to be generated during the contract period and relate them to the stated purposes and specifications described in the solicitation. The contractor should append technical evidence relating to the contractor's ability to perform the proposed services to the response. This evidence is intended to provide TEA with examples of how the contractor’s staff proposed for the contract provided similar services on past engagements and how they will utilize that experience to perform the requirements of the project(s). The overall quality of these components and the response itself will be considered.

Failure to provide a response to the requirements in this section will result in the disqualification of the offer from consideration.

3.3. Management Plan, Experience, and Qualifications

The contractor must provide satisfactory evidence of its ability to manage and coordinate the types of tasks, activities, and deliverables described in this solicitation and to produce the specified goods and/or services on time and with high quality.