ESBD_556398_1788468677995_RFP 27-01 Nursing Education Assessment, Evaluation and Preparation Platform Specifications Final.pdf

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2400 Clarksville St., Paris, TX 75460 | Greenville | Sulphur Springs

Paris Junior College 2400 Clarksville St.

Paris, TX 75460

Request for Proposal for Nursing Education Assessment, Evaluation and Preparation Platform

RFP #27-01

The Paris Junior College (PJC) is soliciting a Request for Proposal (RFP) for Nursing Education Assessment, Evaluation and Preparation Platform.

This Request for Proposal may include General Concept, Instructions/General Conditions, Special Terms and Conditions, Insurance Requirements (if needed), Specifications and Proposal Form/Specifications. These provisions shall be considered as part of any resulting legal and binding contract/purchase order as if thereto attached or therein repeated.

All RFP documents and requirements are available on the Paris Junior College OpenBids System at OpenBids.

All proposals must be submitted by Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. CST. Proposals received after the prescribed deadline, regardless of the mode of delivery, shall not be accepted. Proposals will be received only via OpenBids, PJC’s online purchasing portal at OpenBids.

TIMELINE

The following timeline will be used (subject to change):

This bid opportunity is prepared as a Request for Proposal and the company names of those that submitted will not be publicly read aloud.

Event Date

RFP Available September 03, 2026

Pre-Bid Conference N/A

Vendor Questions Due September 23, 2026 @ 1:00 p.m.

Answers Posted by September 25, 2026 @ 5:00 p.m.

Proposals Due September 30, 2026 @ 1:00 p.m.

Proposal Awarded (Anticipated) October 26, 2026

Awards Posted (Anticipated) October 30, 2026

Contract Begins At President’s Discretion https://www.demandstar.com/app/buyers/bids/531775 https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/texas/paris-junior-college/procurement-opportunities/b1171d51-48a7-45d0-832b-9ecd07559a75/ https://www.demandstar.com/app/agencies/texas/paris-junior-college/procurement-opportunities/b1171d51-48a7-45d0-832b-9ecd07559a75/

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SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

Paris Junior College (PJC) is a public community college located in Paris, Texas, serving Lamar, Red River, Hunt, Hopkins, Delta, and Fannin Counties. The College is seeking proposals from vendors that can satisfy the requirements of this solicitation in support of the College's nursing program.

PJC is committed to supporting its educational mission, student success, and operational efficiency.

SECTION 2: AUTHORITY AND PROCUREMENT METHOD

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued pursuant to the Texas Education Code 44.031, and 130.010. In accordance with that statute, Paris Junior College:

• Will select a provider on the basis of best value

Submission of a response to this RFP does not guarantee selection or the award of any contract. PJC reserves the right to reject any or all submittals, to waive technicalities, and to accept the response deemed most advantageous to the College.

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SECTION 3: TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS & SCOPE OF WORK

Objective and Program Overview

The Institution is seeking proposals from qualified nursing education vendors to provide a comprehensive, program-wide Nursing Assessment, Remediation, and National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX)

Preparation Program. The selected vendor must provide an integrated, longitudinal platform supporting students from program entry through graduation and licensure.

The primary goals of this program are to enhance student clinical judgment, track cohort academic progression, provide adaptive remediation, and maximize first-time pass rates on the NCLEX-RN/PN examinations.

Minimum Vendor Qualifications

To be considered for evaluation, bidders must meet the following minimum criteria:

1. Must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience providing comprehensive, program-wide nursing education assessment systems to accredited institutions of higher education.

2. Must demonstrate psychometric validation data for all standardized benchmarks and predictive exams.

3. Must provide a cloud-based, centralized portal accessible by both students and faculty with 99.9% uptime.

Detailed Scope of Work & Technical Requirements

A. Curriculum Support, Content Modules, and Course Materials

The platform must act as a foundational learning tool mapped to the current AACN Essentials and the NCSBN

NCLEX test plan.

• Content Mapping: Modules must cover core nursing content areas including, but not limited to:

Fundamentals, Pharmacology, Medical-Surgical, Maternal-Newborn, Nursing Care of Children, Mental

Health, and Leadership/Management.

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• Review Materials: Must provide comprehensive review materials (via print, digital e-books, or interactive media) mapped precisely to the testing modules to allow for seamless study integration.

• Active Learning Tools: Include dynamic study aids such as visual flashcards, micro-learning videos, and evidence-based case studies to support diverse learning styles.

B. Standardized Proctored Assessments & Longitudinal Tracking

The vendor must provide a secure, standardized testing framework to measure student competency at critical milestones.

• Content-Specific Proctored Exams: Standardized, secure exams for each major nursing specialty area to evaluate mastery of content during corresponding didactic courses.

• Nationally Normed Benchmarks: Every proctored exam must provide immediate scoring utilizing national norms, percentile rankings, and proficiency levels (e.g., Level 1, 2, 3) to gauge institutional performance against national averages.

• Comprehensive Predictor / Exit Exam: A multi-dimensional, comprehensive exit examination administered near graduation. This exam must feature a validated, proprietary algorithm that calculates an individual student’s exact statistical probability of passing the NCLEX on their first attempt.

C. Adaptive Quizzing and Student-Led Remediation

Learning gaps identified during testing must be immediately actionable via automated system tools.

• Adaptive Question Banks (QBank): A dynamic, student-facing quizzing tool utilizing Computer

Adaptive Testing (CAT) logic or advanced filtering to mimic the actual NCLEX environment.

• Automated Remediation Blueprints: Upon completion of any assessment, the platform must automatically generate a customized remediation plan unique to the student's missed concepts, linking directly back to the specific review media/e-book chapters.

• Rationale Delivery: Every practice and proctored question must feature comprehensive rationales explaining why the correct answer is right and why distractors are incorrect, emphasizing clinical reasoning.

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D. Digital Simulation and Clinical Judgment Tools

To fulfill clinical hour requirements and develop critical thinking, the platform must include virtual learning assets.

• Screen-Based Virtual Simulations: Interactive, branching-logic patient scenarios allowing students to perform virtual assessments, prioritize interventions, and experience clinical consequences in a safe environment.

• Next-Generation NCLEX (NGN) Item Types: Simulation software and test questions must natively support NGN formats, including matrix multiple-choice, drop-down cloze, drag-and-drop, and extended hot-spot questions built around complex clinical case studies.

E. Faculty Analytics, Reporting, and Dashboards

The vendor must provide robust administrative capabilities to ease faculty burden and allow for data-driven teaching interventions.

• Real-Time Data Reporting: Instantaneous score reporting upon completion of proctored assessments at the individual student, cohort, and institutional levels.

• Predictive Student Alerts: Early-intervention dashboards (e.g., tracking metric trends over time) that highlight at-risk students before they reach the final exit exam.

• Curriculum Matrix Mapping: Reporting tools that allow faculty to aggregate data by conceptual categories, QSEN competencies, and NCLEX Client Need categories to assist with institutional accreditation reporting.

F. Post-Graduation Capstone & Live NCLEX Review

The comprehensive package must include the ability to provide a final, intensive preparatory phase immediately prior to licensure testing.

• Faculty-Led Live/Virtual Review: A structured, multi-day capstone review course delivered by a live corporate nurse educator (either on-campus or via synchronous virtual platform).

• Individualized Coach Engagement: Access to a dedicated personal tutor or coach who monitors the graduate’s practice testing.

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G. Implementation, Technical Support, and Security

• Proctoring Compatibility: Compatibility with mainstream online proctoring software and lockdown browsers to ensure remote testing integrity.

• Customer Support: Dedicated account management, 24/7 technical support for students during exam windows, and ongoing professional development webinars for faculty training.

Cost and Billing Structure

Bidders must clearly outline their pricing proposals based on the following parameters:

• Pricing Models: Provide distinct quotes for both an Institutional-Pay Model (annual/semester licensing invoiced to the school) and a Student-Pay Model (direct student purchase portal or fees bundled into bookstore vouchers).

• All-Inclusive Fee Structure: Pricing must be inclusive of all software access, physical or digital textbooks, live reviews, simulations, and faculty training. No hidden per-test or registration fees will be accepted.

SECTION 4: PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The College anticipates entering into an agreement with one selected firm for an initial term of one year, with options to renew for up to four additional one-year periods at the College's discretion.

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SECTION 5: SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Respondents shall submit a proposal that addresses all of the requirements in section 3, as well as, includes all of the following:

Firm Overview

• Firm name, address, primary contact, phone, and email

• Year established and firm history

• Organizational structure and ownership

• Office location(s) that will serve PJC

• Current firm size (total staff and professional staff)

References

• Minimum of [three] client references within the past [five] years

• References should be from educational institution clients

• Include client name, contact name, title, phone number, and email

Additional Information

• Disclosure of any conflicts of interest with Paris Junior College or its employees

• HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) status if applicable

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SECTION 6: EVALUATION CRITERIA

The decision to select a firm will be based on best value using the rubric required by Texas Education code §44.031. Each Response will be evaluated by a selection committee using the following criteria.

Criterion Weight

The purchase price 20%

The reputation of the vendor and of the vendor's goods or services 15%

The quality of the vendor's goods or services 20%

The extent to which the goods or services meet the institution's needs 20%

The vendor's past relationship with the institution 10%

The impact on the ability of the institution to comply with laws and rules relating to historically underutilized businesses and to the procurement of goods and services from persons with disabilities

05%

The total long-term cost to the institution of acquiring the vendor's goods or services 05%

For a contract for goods and services, other than goods and services related to telecommunications and information services, building construction and maintenance, or instructional materials, whether the vendor or the vendor's ultimate parent company or majority owner:

(A) has its principal place of business in this state; or

(B) employs at least 500 persons in this state

00%

Any other relevant factor specifically listed in the request for proposals 05%

Total 100%

The selection committee reserves the right to conduct interviews with shortlisted firms prior to making a final ranking determination.

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PROPOSAL EVALUATION COMMITTEE:

The evaluation committee will be comprised of the following:

• Dean, Health Occupations

• Director of Nursing

• Assistant Director of Nursing

• Two Associate Degree Nursing Faculty

• Two Vocational Nursing Faculty

SECTION 7: GENERAL CONDITIONS

Non-Discrimination

Paris Junior College does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, pregnancy, or any other basis prohibited by law in its programs, activities, or employment.

Costs of Response

Paris Junior College is not responsible for any costs incurred by respondents in preparing or submitting a response to this RFP.

Reservation of Rights

PJC reserves the right to reject any or all responses, to waive irregularities, to request additional information, and to make selections in the best interest of the College.

Questions about the RFP specifications can and will be submitted by email to jmahana@parisjc.edu. Answers will be made available through the OpenBids system.

mailto:jmahana@parisjc.edu

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Inquiries and Interpretations

Responses to inquires which directly affect an interpretation or changes to this RFP will be issued in writing by PJC as an addendum through OpenBids. All such addenda issued by PJC before the solicitation closing shall be considered part of the RFP.

Only those inquiries to which PJC replies by written addenda shall be binding. Oral and other interpretations or clarifications will be without legal effect.

ANTICIPATED SELECTION SCHEDULE:

Publish Notice’s for RFP September 03, 2026, and September 10, 2026 Deadline to receive proposal’s September 30, 2026 (1:00 pm CST)

The Board or designee may interview firms recommended by the PJC administration from those responding to this solicitation. If in the Board’s or designee’s discretion, however, one firm is able to demonstrate superior competence over all others, the Board or designee reserves the right to select and rank firms without conducting interviews.

All responses shall be evaluated and ranked on the criteria identified above, and final selection will be based upon the firm’s proposal, in comparison to the needs of PJC, the quality of the documents provided, and factors that any entity would consider in selecting a firm.

CONTRACT PERIOD:

The initial term of the contract, if awarded, shall be for the 2026-2027 fiscal year (ending August 31, 2027), with the option to renew for up to four (4) additional years. Renewals of the contract may be made in one (1) year intervals with the year immediately following the initial term being the First Renewal Term, not to exceed a total of five years (5) years, at the sole discretion of PJC. Renewal will be conditional upon the offeror’s ability to comply with requirements set forth in the solicitation documents, mutual consent of all parties and the availability of PJC funds, which may include the availability of federal or state grant funding if awarded.

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RIGHTS RESERVED

While PJC has every intention to award a contract as a result of this RFP, issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by PJC to award a contract. Upon a determination such actions would be in its best interests, PJC in its sole discretion reserves the right to:

a) waive any formality;

b) cancel or terminate this RFP;

c) reject any or all proposals received in response to this document;

d) waive any undesirable, inconsequential, or inconsistent provisions of this document, which would not have significant impact on any proposal; not award, or if awarded, terminate any contract if PJC determines adequate PJC funds are not available.

e) PJC reserves the right to select multiple suppliers.

f) PJC reserves the right use multiple suppliers simultaneously.

ADDITIONAL PROPOSAL INFORMATION:

From the issuance date of this RFP until a Supplier(s) is selected and the selection is announced, offerors are not allowed to communicate with any Paris Junior College staff or officials regarding this procurement, other than during interviews and/or demonstrations, and site visits.

CERTIFICATE OF INTERESTED PARTIES

Effective January 1, 2016, Texas governmental entities must comply with the “Disclosure of Interested Parties” mandated by Texas HB 1295, as implemented by the Texas Ethics Commission. Briefly stated, all contracts requiring an action or vote by the governing body of the entity or agency before the contract may be signed (regardless of the dollar amount) or has a value of at least $1 million will require the on-line completion of Form 1295 “Certificate of Interested Parties,” per Texas Government Code § 2252.908. Form 1295 is also required for any and all contract amendments, extensions or renewals. Therefore, A/E will be required to create, electronically file, and present such Form 1295 to PJC using the Texas Ethics Commission’s online filing application at final execution of any contract with

PJC.

WAIVER OF CLAIMS: BY TENDERING A RESPONSE TO THIS RFP, THE RESPONER ACKNOWLEDGES THAT IT HAS READ AND FULLY UNDERSTANDS THE REQUIREMENTS FOR SUBMITTING A RESPONSE AND THE PROCESS USED BY PJC FOR SELECTING THE RESPONDER BEST FOR PJC. FURTHER, BY SUBMITTING A RESPONSE, THE RESPONDER FULLY, VOLUNTARILY AND UNDERSTANDINGLY WAIVES AND RELEASES ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AGAINST PJC AND ANY OF ITS TRUSTEES, OFFICERS, AGENTS AND/OR EMPLOYEES THAT COULD ARISE OUT OF THE ADMINISTRATION, EVALUATION, RECOMMENDATION OR SELECTION OF ANY RESPONSE SUBMITTED PURSUANT TO THIS RFP.