COOP2026SOL-00008 Cabling Services and Related Products

Department of Information Resources Request for Offer

COOP2026SOL-00008

Cabling Services and Related Products Issued: 7 August 2026 Responses Due: September 24, 2026 2:00pm CT

NIGP Commodity Codes Table for COOP2026SOL-00008

SOLICITATION CONTENTS

RFO COOP2026SOL-00008 (this document)

1. Attachments Attachment 1: Sample Master Cooperative Contract Attachment 2: Standard Contract Terms and Conditions Attachment 3: State of Texas Geographical Zone Map

2. Exhibits Exhibit A: Response Certification Form Exhibit A1: Exceptions Table Exhibit B: Respondent Company Ability, Capacity and Responsiveness Exhibit C: Contract Marketing and Customer Support Plan Exhibit D: State of Texas Subcontracting Plan Exhibit E: Pricing Sheet Exhibit E1: Pricing Scenario Exhibit F: EDGAR Certification Form Exhibit G: Policy Driven Adoption for Accessibility (PDAA) for Vendor Self-Assessment Exhibit H: ACR (VPAT) Exhibit I: Vendor Accessibility Development Services Information Request (VADSIR)

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

Purpose A. The Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) invites interested parties that meet the qualifications of this Request for Offer (RFO) to submit offers regarding their capability to provide Cabling Services and Related Products to Eligible Customers, acting by and through DIR (the submitting parties “Respondents” and the submissions “Responses”).

B. As a result of this RFO, DIR expects to receive and evaluate Responses and select one (1) or more qualified Respondents with whom to enter into negotiations and award a Master Cooperative Contract (each such Respondent a “Successful Respondent”). RFO Section 4 EVALUATIONS, NEGOTIATIONS, AND AWARD contains more information regarding evaluation and Respondent selection process. DIR reserves the right to make a single award or multiple awards from this RFO. Master Cooperative Contracts are indefinite quantity contracts with no minimum guarantees of any purchases.

C. For administrative efficiency for DIR and its Customers, DIR reasonably anticipates that it will award a finite number of Master Cooperative Contracts as determined by the competitive breaks created through evaluation of Responses.

D. Capitalized terms used but not defined in this RFO have the meanings given to them in the Sample Master Cooperative Contract, attached as Attachment 1, or Appendix A, Standard Terms and Conditions, attached as Attachment 2.

Statutory Authority A. DIR has authority to complete the objectives of this procurement in accordance with Chapters 2054 and 2157, specifically Subchapter B, of the Texas Government Code.

B. This RFO is not a solicitation for professional or consulting services as defined in Chapter 2254, Texas Government Code.

DIR Vision and Desired Outcomes DIR Background DIR is responsible for strategic planning and coordination of the State’s Information Technology (IT) environment. DIR delivers the strategic thinking, purchasing power, and policy insights necessary to ensure organizations across all levels of state and local government can find, procure, and securely implement innovative technology. With a view into how every other state agency uses technology, DIR helps the Texas legislature craft smart, statewide IT policy.

Cooperative Contracts Program Overview A. Through its Cooperative Contracts Program, DIR assists state agencies, local governments, and other eligible entities (collectively, Eligible Customers) with cost-effective acquisition of their information resources by negotiating, managing, and administering contracts with information technology providers. Eligible Customers include any Texas state agency, unit of local government, or institution of higher education as defined in Texas Government Code, Section 2054.003; the legislature or a legislative agency; the supreme court, the court of criminal appeals, or a court of appeals; a public hospital, including a hospital district or hospital authority; an independent organization certified under Section 39.151, Utilities Code, for the ERCOT power region; the Texas Permanent School Fund Corporation; an assistance organization, as defined by Section 2175.001, Government Code; an open-enrollment charter school, as defined by Section 5.001, Education Code; a public safety entity, as defined by 47 U.S.C. Section 1401; a private school, as defined by Section 5.001, Education Code; a private or independent institution of higher education, as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; a volunteer fire department, as defined by Section 152.001, Tax Code; a governmental entity of another state; another state agency, a political subdivision of this state, a governmental entity of another state, or an assistance organization as defined by Section 2175.001.

B. Through the Cooperative Contracts Program, DIR combines the buying power of Eligible Customers to obtain volume-discounted pricing for selected technology products and services. The Cooperative Contracts Program also makes it easier for Customers to acquire these products and services, by placing orders with and issuing payments directly to the Successful Respondents awarded a Master Cooperative Contract. Customers contact the Successful Respondent for pricing information, negotiate their own Additional Agreements, if any, and send their Purchase Agreements and payments directly to the Successful Respondent, not to DIR. Additional information regarding the Cooperative Contracts Program is located on DIR’s website at http://dir.texas.gov/View-About-DIR/Pages/Content.aspx?id=41.

C. DIR is not soliciting Cabling Services and Related Products for its own use. DIR competitively solicits bids for information technology products and services and establishes Master Cooperative Contracts for use by Eligible Customers. Therefore, Master Cooperative Contracts have a value of $0.

D. Customers must identify their own needs, then contact a Successful Respondent and obtain a price quote. Based on their needs, Customers may submit a Statement of Work when requesting a quote. Each Customer makes the best value determination and enters into a Purchase Agreement with the Successful Respondent.

Commodity Item Requirements A. Texas Government Code, Section 2157.068, requires State agencies to buy commodity items, as detailed below, in accordance with contracts developed by DIR, unless the agency obtains an exemption from DIR.

B. Commodity items are commercially available software, hardware, and technology services that are generally available to businesses or the public and for which DIR determines that a reasonable demand exists from a Customer. Hardware is the physical technology used to process, manage, store, transmit, receive, or deliver information. Software is a commercially available program that operates hardware and includes all supporting documentation, media on which the software may be contained or stored, related materials, modifications, versions, upgrades, enhancements, updates, or replacements, and may include Software provided as a service. Technology services are the services, functions, and activities that facilitate the design, implementation, creation, or use of software or hardware. Technology services include seat management, staff augmentation, training, maintenance, and subscription services. Seat management is a service through which a state agency transfers its responsibilities to a vendor to manage its personal computing needs, including all necessary hardware, software, and technology services.

Cost Recovery DIR recovers the costs of negotiating, executing, and administering the Cooperative Contracts Program through an administrative fee. DIR is authorized to charge a reasonable administrative fee, not to exceed two percent (2%) to all Customers per Section 2157.068(d) of the Texas Government Code. For the purposes of responding to this RFO, the administrative fee is seventy-five hundredths of a percent (0.75%). DIR reserves the right to change the administrative fee at any time during a Master Cooperative Contract term. DIR will notify Successful Respondents of any change in the administrative fee. The administrative fee must be included in the Successful Respondent’s price to the Customer and paid to DIR by the Successful Respondent.

DIR Cooperative Contracts Program Historical Sales Contracts negotiated and managed through the Cooperative Contracts Program resulted in over $9.7 billion in Customer purchases for the past three (3) fiscal years combined. Information contained within the table below shows the total purchases for the past three (3) fiscal years by Customer segment. These purchases represent contracts that are hardware, software, and services related. The State’s fiscal year runs September 1st through August 31st.

Table 1: DIR Cooperative Contracts Historical Sales Source: DIR Data Warehouse

Current Contracts DIR currently has multiple contracts to provide Cabling Services and Related Products. Table 2 Cabling Services and Related Products Sales Volume by DIR Fiscal Year shows the total sales volume sold through the Cabling Services and Related Products contracts for fiscal years 2023, 2024, and 2025.

Table 2: Cabling Services and Related Products - Sales Volume by DIR Fiscal Year

Source: DIR Data Warehouse

SCOPE

In-Scope Products and Services A. DIR intends to contract with Successful Respondent(s) to provide Cabling Services and Related Products.

B. Respondent is responsible for ensuring the products and services proposed are within the scope of this RFO.

C. DIR may modify the scope of this RFO through an Addendum. Respondent is responsible for monitoring ESBD for Addendum updates and making any necessary adjustments to its response.

Services For the purposes of this solicitation, DIR Customers will utilize these contracts for a wide range of Cabling Services and Related Products – from a single basic cable pull to the rewiring of an entire facility. These cabling services may be related to the planning, design, installation, construction and demolition, maintenance, training or support of IT data/video/voice cabling using balance copper cabling and fiber optic cabling.

Respondents may propose cabling installation pricing for multiple cable categories including, but not limited to the following:

1. Category 5e

2. Category 6

3. Category 7

4. Fiber Optic

5. Coax for video/Internet distribution (CCTV (surveillance), satellite (DSS, VSAT)) DIR reserves the right to include or exclude in a resulting Contract any services in Respondents’ response.

Respondents may also propose any cable equipment, products and supplies that are related to the planning, design, installation, construction, maintenance, training or support, and test and tune-up of cabling systems Below is a representative sample of various Cabling Products that may be proposed in this RFO. Respondents may propose any products and supplies necessary to install a complete cabling solution, including but not limited to the following:

1. Data Rack

2. Wire Management (Horizontal & Vertical rack mount)

3. Patch Panels

4. Fiber Boxes and Junction boxes (J-boxes)

5. Wall/Face Plates and Surface Mounts

6. Cable and face plate Connectors

7. Inside plant cabling infrastructure

a. Wire trays and cable ties

b. Ceiling tray mount equipment

c. Fireproof/resistant wire and conduit

d. Main distribution frames

e. Intermediate distribution frames

8. Cable Wire

a. Category 5e

b. Category 6

c. Category 7

d. Fiber

e. Coaxial cable for:

i. Closed Circuit Television

ii. Satellite Services

iii. Coaxial Internet/Broadband services DIR reserves the right to include or exclude in a resulting Contract any product or service offered in Respondents’ response.

Related Products Respondents may also propose any cable equipment, products and supplies that are related to the planning, design, installation, construction, maintenance, training or support, and test and tune-up of cabling systems.

Below is a representative sample of various Cabling Products that may be proposed in this RFO. Respondents may propose any products and supplies necessary to install a complete cabling solution, including but not limited to the following:

1. Data Rack

2. Wire Management (Horizontal & Vertical rack mount)

3. Patch Panels

4. Fiber Boxes and Junction boxes (J-boxes)

5. Wall/Face Plates and Surface Mounts

6. Cable and face plate Connectors

7. Inside plant cabling infrastructure

a. Wire trays and cable ties

b. Ceiling tray mount equipment

c. Fireproof/resistant wire and conduit

d. Main distribution frames

e. Intermediate distribution frames

8. Cable Wire

a. Category 5e

b. Category 6

c. Category 7

d. Fiber

e. Coaxial cable for:

i. Closed Circuit Television

ii. Satellite Services

iii. Coaxial Internet/Broadband services DIR reserves the right to include or exclude in a resulting Contract any product or service offered in Respondents’ response.

Related Services Related services are any value-added service that Respondent may perform as related to the products proposed in RFO Section 2 Scope. Related services include, but are not limited to, product installation, integration, maintenance and support, managed services, test and turn-up, and product training.

Exclusions/Out of Scope The following products and services are not in the scope of this RFO:

A. Products and services that are not advertised in this RFO in the NIGP Commodity Codes Table on the title page of this RFO.

B. Related services only (installation, maintenance, support, test and turn-up, training, etc.) without also providing an associated product or service within scope.

C. Outside plant services where distribution cables are run overhead or underground D. Custom application development services.

E. Deliverables-Based Information Technology Services (DBITS).

F. Cloud Broker Services.

G. Cloud Assessment Services.

H. Professional or consulting services as defined in Chapter 2254 of the Texas Government Code.

I. Products identified on the State of Texas Prohibited Software/Applications/Developers (manufacturers) list posted at:

https://dir.texas.gov/information-security/prohibited-technologies J. Telecommunications services, including any telecommunications services offered in a contract awarded by DIR under a Texas Agency Network (TEX-AN) procurement.

Pricing A. Respondents must comply with the requirements of this RFO as written, and price Responses accordingly. DIR strongly discourages any Respondent from indicating that it does not agree or does not comply with a provision because the Respondent is unwilling to price it (for risk, liability, or any other reason).

B. For the purposes of obtaining pricing and evaluating the responses to this RFO, Respondents shall price and discount any products, services, or related services submitted in response to this RFO by using Exhibit E Pricing Sheet.

C. Respondents must respond as follows to the Exhibit E Pricing Sheet for each product, service, and related service included in the Response. Failure to respond as instructed may result in rejection of the incorrectly submitted product, service, or related service, or disqualification of the entire Response, as determined in DIR’s discretion.

D. For purposes of this RFO, there are seven tabs identified below that are in Exhibit E Pricing Sheet. Respondents shall complete all tabs which are applicable to their Response. See Instructions Tab in Exhibit E Pricing Sheet for completing each tab.

1. Tab 1: Instructions

2. Tab 2: Cabling Services Descriptions

3. Tab 3: Cabling – Labor Only

4. Tab 4: Cabling – Labor and Materials

5. Tab 5: Cabling Services Pricing

6. Tab 6: Cabling Products

7. Tab 7: Evaluations – Pricing Scenarios E. Respondent may propose by product/service, category of product/service, or brand, if the discount off MSRP/List Price is the same for that product/service, category of product/service, or brand. If a Respondent proposes by brand, Respondent may not enter the name of a distributor or wholesaler in lieu of the brand name.

F. The Customer price shall include all shipping, handling fees, and DIR Administrative Fee.

G. DIR encourages Respondents to offer volume pricing or discounts.

2.3.1 Automated Pricing Form in BidStamp Vendor Information System (VIS) A. In addition to submitting a completed Exhibit E Pricing Sheet, Respondents must submit product pricing for all products included in a Response on DIR’s Automated Pricing Form in the BidStamp VIS. Failure to respond as instructed may result in rejection of the incorrectly submitted product or disqualification of the entire Response, as determined in DIR’s discretion. Please note only products should be included on this Automated Pricing Form in BidStamp VIS. Respondents should not enter services in BidStamp VIS.

B. Respondents must submit the discounts on the Automated Pricing Form in BidStamp VIS by selecting the “Create Pricing Form” button.

C. Automated Pricing Form: Respondents must categorize products by brand, product category, or product family.

D. Respondents must offer only one discount for each proposed brand, product category, or product family. The discount must apply to all products within that brand, category, or family.

E. The price to the Customer shall include all shipping and handling fees.

F. BidStamp VIS Automated Pricing fields include:

i. Product Category Respondents must enter the product category of the proposed brand. Example: Case Management Software

ii. Brand Name: Respondents must select the brand name of the proposed products. Example: Sony. The brand name must be submitted as spelled in the general marketplace. Example: HoverCam is correct. Hover Cam is incorrect. Respondents may not enter the name of a distributor or wholesaler in lieu of the brand name of the proposed product. Providing the name of a distributor or wholesaler in lieu of the brand name of the proposed product may result in rejection of the incorrectly submitted brand or disqualification of the Response.

iii. Discount off MSRP or List Price: Respondents must provide the discount for each detailed line item and each proposed brand. Respondents proposing more than one discount for the same brand must enter the total average discount for that brand.

Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) Accessibility A. Under Texas Government Code, Chapter 2054, Subchapter M, and DIR implementing rules, DIR’s state agency and Institution of Higher Education Customers must procure EIR that complies with the accessibility standards defined in the Texas Administrative Codes 1 TAC 206, 1 TAC 213, and in the Worldwide Web Consortium WCAG 2.1 AA technical standard as applicable, and when such products or services are available in the commercial marketplace or when such products are developed in response to procurement solicitations. All associated documentation must also be in an accessible format. Examples of accessible format include: properly formatted PDFs created by exporting documents instead of creating a jpeg file; alt text for images; keyboard-only navigation; color contrast; compatible with zoom magnification; graphics include labels and do not rely solely on color.

B. Accordingly, all Respondents must provide accessibility documentation (when applicable) in an accessible format:

1. For each commercial product (also referred to as commercial off the shelf or COTS), and service products such as Software as a Service (SaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and any other managed services that include a user interface, a completed Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR) or the specific URL to view the ACR online. See Section 2.4.1 for detailed requirements.

2. For non-product offerings (such as IT related development services, services that include user interfaces, managed services, online components, etc.), a Vendor Accessibility Development Services Information Request (VADSIR), which documents Respondent's capability or ability to produce or customize accessible applications and websites. See Section 2.4.2 for detailed requirements. Support documentation and documentation as part of the final deliverable must be provided in an accessible format.

3. The Policy Driven Adoption for Accessibility (PDAA) for Vendor Self-Assessment. See Section 2.4.3 for detailed requirements.

C. Responses with missing or incomplete required accessibility documentation will receive a failing score for the EIR accessibility evaluation and may be disqualified.

ACR Submission and Review A. All Respondents must provide ACRs created using the applicable sections of the Voluntary Product Accessibility Template® (VPAT®) Revised Section 508 Edition (version 2.4 or higher), WCAG (version 2.4 or higher or provide the specific URL to the online ACR on manufacturer(s)’ websites (where available) for every product (as defined above) or product family (as applicable) included in the submitted pricelist. Instructions on how to complete this document are included in the template itself. The template is included in this RFO as Exhibit H ACR (VPAT).

B. Respondents claiming that a proposed product or family of products is exempt from accessibility requirements must specify the product(s) as such in “Notes” located in the product information section of the VPAT v.2.4 or higher, specifying each exempt product or product family with a supporting statement(s) for this position.

C. Respondents that do not already have accessibility documentation should complete the form included in the bid package or may obtain the form located here: http://www.itic.org/public-policy/accessibility. Resellers should obtain an ACR(s) from the manufacturer or provide the specific URL for the online ACR on the manufacturer’s website.

D. For responses with greater than 10 ACRs, DIR will review a random sample of ACRs for credibility and completeness.

E. Respondents that submit incomplete ACRs or are unable to provide or obtain ACRs for products it manufactures or for products from manufacturers it represents, may be required to submit a letter (Accessibility Statement) stating that some or all product(s) accessibility documentation may be missing, product accessibility is untested, and an explanation of alternate accommodation.

VADSIR Submission and Review A. Respondents must ensure that digital accessibility standards and best practices are integrated into key phases of the project development lifecycle including but not limited to planning, design, development, functional testing, maintenance; and report accessibility status at key project checkpoints as defined by Customers.

B. Respondents must complete a VADSIR Questionnaire, included in this RFO as Exhibit I VADSIR Questionnaire, to document the Respondent's capability to develop accessible products if the response includes one or more of the following offerings:

1. Website development services

2. Web Application Development Services

3. Custom development services as part of an integrated solution

4. Client-based software application development services

5. Other software development services containing one or more user interfaces (end user, administrative, etc.)

C. Support documentation and documentation as part of the final deliverable must be provided in an accessible format.

D. VADSIRs will be evaluated by DIR for credibility and completeness.

PDAA Submission and Self-Assessment Score A. All Respondents must complete Exhibit G PDAA Self-Assessment Questionnaire for responses that include technology products or services. The PDAA generates a self-assessment score which is an indicator of the Respondent’s organizational accessibility maturity or how the organization has implemented accessibility best practices within its operations and business processes. The PDAA is an organizational assessment, not an assessment of products or services listed in the Response B. PDAA score will be included in the evaluation. A missing, incomplete, blank, or zero-score PDAA will receive a failing score and may be disqualified.

Form of Contract Sample Master Cooperative Contract and Terms Negotiation The required standard terms and conditions that will be included in any Master Cooperative Contract awarded as a result of this RFO are contained in the Sample Master Cooperative Contract included as Attachment 1 and Appendix A Standard Terms and Conditions included as Attachment 2.

Requesting Exceptions Respondent must use Exhibit A1 Exceptions Table and follow the instructions in RFO Section 3.7.3.5 to request any exception.

Term of Contract DIR anticipates that the term of the Master Cooperative Contract will be an estimated two (2) years with one (1) optional two-year renewal and one (1) optional one-year renewal to be exercised by DIR at its discretion. Additionally, DIR, in its discretion, may extend the term of the Master Cooperative Contract by up to twelve (12) months under the then-current terms and conditions upon thirty (30) days written notice to the Successful Respondent.

GENERAL SOLICITATION INFORMATION

Point of Contact A. Tony Tolbert is the sole point of contact for this procurement. Routine correspondence may be directed to Tony Tolbert as follows:

Tony Tolbert Department of Information Resources 208 E 10th St, 3rd floor, Suite 309 Austin, Texas 78701 E-mail: tony.tolbert@dir.texas.gov B. Respondents shall make no contact concerning this RFO with other DIR personnel, except as permitted by the point of contact. Failure to comply with this requirement at any point prior to contract award may result in disqualification. This restriction does not preclude discussions between affected parties for the purpose of conducting business unrelated to this procurement. Contact with DIR Business Outreach Coordination is allowed solely for the purpose of addressing State of Texas Subcontracting Plan form (SP) questions.

Response Integrity A. To ensure the integrity of the competitive process, a Respondent may not directly or indirectly communicate any of the contents of its Response to:

1. A competitor of the Respondent; or

2. Any other company, corporation, firm, partnership, individual, or related entities of the same parent company engaged in the same line of business as the Respondent; or

3. A related entity of the Respondent engaged in the same line of business as the Respondent.

B. This prohibition is in effect during the preparation of the Response and while the Response is pending with DIR, including the negotiation and finalization of any resulting Master Cooperative Contract. The term “related entities” includes, but is not limited to, affiliates, subsidiaries, associates, branches, and divisions. It does not include entities that may occasionally enter into teaming agreements with one another to provide services under a contract with a third party but otherwise have no legal relationship with each other.

C. When a related entity of the Respondent (whether related at the time Responses are due or at any time thereafter) submits a competing Response, DIR may require additional information to ensure each separate Response is independent. Failure to provide or fully disclose all such information may, at DIR’s discretion, disqualify Respondent or result in the termination of any resulting Master Cooperative Contract.

Schedule of Events DIR anticipates the following schedule for this RFO. DIR reserves the right to modify these dates at any time. Modifications to the schedule will be posted on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD) website.

Table 3: Schedule of Events

Virtual Optional Bidder’s Conference A. DIR will hold a Virtual Optional Bidder’s Conference for this procurement on the date and time specified in Section 3.3 Schedule of Events. It is recommended that at least one (1) Respondent representative attend this Virtual Optional Bidder’s Conference.

B. DIR will provide attendees the opportunity to submit written questions via the Virtual Optional Bidder’s Conference. DIR requests that all questions submitted at the Virtual Optional Bidder’s Conference reference the appropriate RFO or Exhibit page and section number.

C. The Virtual Optional Bidder’s Conference will provide overview information of the RFO and may provide preliminary answers to questions submitted prior to the question deadline as well as questions submitted via the Virtual Optional Bidder’s Conference itself. Although DIR may provide tentative answers to questions on the Virtual Optional Bidder’s Conference, only answers provided in writing by DIR as an Addendum to this RFO shall be considered official. Information in any form other than the materials constituting this RFO, its Exhibits, and any Addenda shall not be binding on DIR. DIR reserves the right to amend answers prior to the Response submission deadline.

D. The webinar will be available live via the web. To participate in this live interactive Webinar, you must register at:

E. https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_oWtPUtOzRt-Ymf67RiijHg Written Questions and Answers A. Respondents may submit all questions regarding this RFO through the BidStamp VIS. Questions regarding this RFO will be accepted until the date and time specified above in Section 3.3 Schedule of Events.

B. Official answers will be posted as an Addendum to this RFO, on the Electronic State Business Daily (ESBD), available at http://www.txsmartbuy.com/esbd.

C. By submission of a question, potential Respondents acknowledge that the applicable question will be posted with each answer; therefore, potential Respondents should not include any confidential or proprietary information in such questions. DIR will not publish the identity of any potential Respondent that submitted any particular inquiry.

D. Wherever possible, DIR encourages Respondents to use this process to resolve any questions regarding this RFO rather than submitting assumptions or exceptions with its Response. DIR will make a good faith effort to answer all questions submitted. However, DIR may decline to provide substantive answers to questions that are vague, overly broad, or unrelated to this RFO, or may refer potential Respondents to previous answers to similar questions as appropriate.

State of Texas Subcontracting Plan Form As described below, Respondent must complete and submit with its Response a signed RFO Exhibit D State of Texas Subcontracting Plan (SP), including any Good Faith Effort documentation required by the form.

3.4.1 VetHUB Purpose

It is the policy of DIR to make a good faith effort in accordance with the Texas Government Code, Chapter 2161, Subchapter F, and VetHUB Rules promulgated by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA), 34 TAC, Chapter 20. Pursuant to Texas Government Code 2161, DIR has determined that subcontracting is probable under a contract awarded as a result of this RFO.

3.4.2 Completed State of Texas Subcontracting Plan (SP)

All Respondents to this RFO, including those that are certified or those who do not plan to subcontract, must complete RFO Exhibit D SP as part of the Response to this RFO. Responses with a missing or incomplete RFO Exhibit D SP will fail the State of Texas Subcontracting Plan evaluation and may be disqualified.

Please review RFO Exhibit D SP carefully and allow sufficient time to identify and contact VetHUBs and allow them time to respond. If Respondent does not plan to subcontract, Respondent must state that fact in RFO Exhibit D SP. A signed copy of RFO Exhibit D SP must be submitted as part of the Response. The completed RFO Exhibit D SP will become a part of any contract awarded as a result of this RFO, and may be amended in accordance with that contract.

3.4.3 VetHUB Resources Available

A list of certified VetHUBs is available on the CPA website at: https://mycpa.cpa.state.tx.us/tpasscmblsearch/index.jsp. For additional information, contact the CPA’s VetHUB program office at VetHUBprogram@cpa.texas.gov. If Respondents know of any businesses that may qualify for certification as a VetHUB, they should encourage those businesses to contact the CPA VetHUB program office.

Successful Respondent Qualifications Respondents to this RFO must be one (1) of the following:

A. Manufacturer or publisher of the offered product who will sell directly to Customers through a DIR Master Cooperative Contract.

B. Manufacturer or publisher of the offered product who will execute a DIR Master Cooperative Contract with DIR and designate one or more Designated Reseller to sell directly to Customers on its behalf. The manufacturer or publisher may also sell directly to Customers.

C. Dealer, reseller, or service provider who will sell directly to Customers through a DIR Master Cooperative Contract.

Federal Requirements A. State agencies are prohibited from doing business with terrorists and terrorist organizations. Any Respondent listed in the prohibited vendor list authorized by Executive Order #13224, "Blocking Property and Prohibiting Transactions with Persons Who Commit, Threaten to Commit, or Support Terrorism”, published by the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (“Terrorism List”) shall not be awarded a Master Cooperative Contract as a result of this RFO. Any Successful Respondent must agree that if at any time during the term of the Master Cooperative Contract the Successful Respondent is listed on the Terrorism List, the Successful Respondent shall promptly notify DIR. As part of DIR’s contract management, periodic checks will be performed to ensure Successful Respondent remains in compliance with these federal requirements. DIR shall have the absolute right to terminate the Master Cooperative Contract without recourse in the event the Successful Respondent becomes listed on the Terrorism List.

B. Should any Successful Respondent become suspended or debarred from doing business with the federal government as listed in the System for Award Management (SAM) maintained by the General Services Administration, the Successful Respondent’s Master Cooperative Contract may be terminated without recourse.

C. Successful Respondents shall comply with the requirements of the Immigration and Reform Act of 1986, the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 ("IIRIRA"), and the Immigration Act of 1990 (8 U.S.C.1101, et seq.) regarding employment verification and retention of verification forms for any individual(s) hired on or after the effective date of the 1996 Act who will perform any labor or services under a Master Cooperative Contract.

D. The Education Department of General Administrative Regulations (EDGAR) are the federal regulations that govern all federal grants awarded by the U.S. Department of Education on or after December 26, 2014. EDGAR encourages the use of cooperative agreements for procurement or use of common or shared goods and services in order to foster greater economy and efficiency. DIR uses an open market competitive procurement process to award contracts as required by Texas Government Code Sections 2054 and 2157. If Successful Respondent provides evidence of its EDGAR compliance that DIR, to the best of information and belief, finds to be satisfactory, then DIR may identify Successful Respondent as certifying that all or a portion of Successful Respondent’s listings are EDGAR eligible, and DIR may then permit Successful Respondent to so identify all or part of its offerings on Successful Respondent’s DIR website. In such cases, upon request from an Eligible Customer, Successful Respondent must complete EDGAR certification affirmation forms to satisfy such Eligible Customer’s requirement. Respondents may submit a completed Exhibit F EDGAR Certification Form with the Response to demonstrate evidence of EDGAR compliance.

Successful Respondent Performance and Debarment In accordance with 34 TAC, Chapter 20, Subchapter C, a Respondent that is debarred from doing business with the State of Texas will not be awarded a Master Cooperative Contract. The list of debarred vendors is located on the CPA website at:

https://comptroller.texas.gov/purchasing/programs/vendor-performance-tracking/debarred-vendors.php Required Respondent and Subcontractor Current and Former State Employee Disclosures Respondent shall provide all disclosures, for itself and on behalf of all of its subcontractors, as instructed in Exhibit A Response Certification Form.

Letters of Authorization Any Respondent who is not the manufacturer or publisher of a product included in its Response must supply a signed letter from the manufacturer or publisher certifying that Respondent is an authorized reseller of the manufacturers or publisher’s products to Eligible Customers, and may sell such products under the terms and conditions of the DIR Contract. Respondents may not submit a letter from a distributor or wholesaler in lieu of a letter from the manufacturer or publisher of a product. If a Respondent intends to sell products from an authorized distributor or wholesaler, the Respondent must provide both the letter of authorization from the product manufacturer or publisher and an additional letter from the distributor or wholesaler. Signed letters of authorization must be submitted with the Response. Failure to supply all letters of authorization may result in elimination of the related product or disqualification of the entire Response, as determined in DIR’s discretion.

Response Deadline and Submission Requirements A. Respondents are required to submit Responses in accordance with the requirements outlined in this RFO. Responses must be received by DIR on or before the date and time specified in Section 3.3 Schedule of Events. Late Responses will be rejected.

B. The system clock in the BidStamp VIS is the official timepiece for determining compliance with the deadline. All responses will be date and time stamped electronically in the BidStamp VIS or, if accommodation is granted by DIR, in accordance with the instructions provided when the accommodation is approved.

Response Instructions A. Respondent will follow the instructions set forth in the Exhibits and Attachments to this RFO.

B. Each section, Exhibit, and Attachment of this RFO, along with any other associated files, contains individual detailed instructions regarding the required format of the Respondent’s Response. The Respondent is required to respond according to the instructions contained in each section of this RFO.

C. Respondent’s Response must be consistent with the structure, sequencing, and terminology used in this RFO.

BidStamp Vendor Information System (VIS) Portal DIR’s BidStamp Vendor Information System (BidStamp VIS) provides prospective Respondents with the ability to create a profile that supports the key functions required during the solicitation Response process. The high-level processes associated with the portal include vendor account/profile creation, vendor contact creation, vendor account management, and Response submission. In addition to the account management and solicitation response capabilities enabled by the BidStamp VIS portal, Respondents will be able to view open solicitations and additional information about DIR.

VIS Account Request Process A. Before users can access any of the BidStamp VIS portal functionality, they will be required to provide login credentials to access a new or existing account. Respondents may access the BidStamp VIS Portal via https://dir.my.site.com/BidStamp/, and enter in their access credentials. If a potential Respondent does not yet have login credentials, the Respondent should request one by clicking on “Are you a Vendor and need to request an account?” button that is located on the login page. NOTE: This process can take up to forty-eight (48) hours to complete. Interested parties should not wait until the closing date to begin the process of creating an account.

B. Instructions for VIS account access and using the BidStamp VIS portal to submit solicitation response can be found on DIR’s Information for Vendors webpage.

Solicitation Response Requirement A. Any Respondent to this RFO must submit their Response through the BidStamp VIS unless other arrangements are approved by DIR in advance of the RFO due date and time. Persons with disabilities who seek accommodation, under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), in responding to this solicitation may contact DIR at the point of contact in Section 3.1 Point of Contact. Please allow at least five (5) Business Days for response.

B. Respondents shall follow the specific naming conventions detailed in this RFO. For electronic files, the Respondent must use a three-letter identifier preceding each named file (e.g., Big Service Company, Inc., “BSC”). This three-letter identifier shall replace the “ABC” referenced in the file names below. All files submitted by the Respondent should use the same three-letter identifier.

C. Non-submission of any of the requested information may disqualify the Respondent’s Response from further consideration by DIR.

No Marketing Materials Desired Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other presentations beyond those requested and sufficient to present a complete Response are not desired and will not be considered.

Response Documents Response Certification Form A. Respondent shall complete and sign Exhibit A Response Certification Form of this RFO document. Exhibit A Response Certification Form must be completed and signed.

B. Failure to sign Exhibit A Response Certification Form will result in the disqualification of the Response.

Exhibit B Respondent Company Ability, Capacity and Responsiveness A. Respondent shall complete Exhibit B Respondent Company Ability, Capacity and Responsiveness, providing information regarding its past relevant experience.

Respondent shall not refer to information provided elsewhere in the Response or reference website links.

Respondent may expand sections of Exhibit B Respondent Company Ability, Capacity and Responsiveness to answer questions, but may not create a different document for submission.

Exhibit C Customer Marketing and Support Plan A. Respondent shall complete Exhibit C Customer Marketing and Support Plan, providing information regarding its past relevant experience.

B. Respondent shall not refer to information provided elsewhere in the RFO Response or reference website links.

C. Respondent may expand sections of Exhibit C Customer Marketing and Support Plan to answer questions, but may not create a different document for submission.

Exhibit A1 Exceptions Table – Requesting Exceptions to Requirements A. The required standard terms and conditions that will be included in any Master Cooperative Contract awarded as a result of this RFO are contained in the Sample Master Cooperative Contract included as Attachment 1 and Appendix A Standard Terms and Conditions included as Attachment 2.

B. DIR expects each Respondent to comply with the requirements of this RFO as written. Respondents are encouraged to not request exceptions to standard contract terms and conditions.

C. However, if a Respondent cannot comply with a term of the Master Cooperative Contract and its Appendices, Respondent may take exception to such term and must propose alternative language in the Response through the instructions outlined in this Section. Exceptions to the RFO document itself are prohibited.

1. Failure to abide by these instructions may result in DIR rejecting all exceptions submitted by the Respondent.

2. DIR may disqualify a Respondent based on any individual exception or combination of exceptions if, in DIR’s discretion, Respondent’s exceptions are excessive or unlikely to be resolved to DIR’s satisfaction. Exceptions will be considered by DIR in determining best value for the State.

3. DIR, in its discretion, may or may not accept a Respondent’s requested exceptions.

D. Respondents must submit any exceptions using Exhibit A1 Exceptions Table and name it “xxx_00008_Exceptions” (where “xxx” is the Respondent entity’s name. The name can be abbreviated/acronym format, but should be easily associated with the Respondent.) No other formats will be considered.

Exceptions must include:

1. Solicitation document title (Exhibit, Attachment, etc.) section number and section title;

2. Explanation as to why Respondent cannot comply with the term or condition; and If there are no exceptions, the Respondent shall explicitly state in Exhibit A1 Exceptions Table “Respondent Name_00008_Exceptions” that the Respondent takes no exception to any part of this RFO.

E. Any requested exceptions to the standard contract terms and conditions must include a legally sustainable reason for the exception; exceptions submitted without a legally sustainable reason will not be considered. Examples of nonresponsive explanations include:

1. Referencing negotiation of revised language in another DIR or state agency contract:

2. Referring to an internal division’s need for the revised language without a valid reason as to why the exception is necessary;

3. Indicating the proposed language is “negotiable;” and

4. Referencing Respondent’s own terms and conditions or alternative contractual documents.

F. If Respondent fails to note any exception within its initial Response, the Respondent will not be allowed to request an exception later in the procurement process. No new exceptions will be considered after an initial Response has been submitted.

G. If Respondent fails to provide proposed alternate language within its initial Response, DIR will not consider the exception.

H.