ESBD_572196_1793375323017_RFP 27-04 Online Exam Security and Remote Proctoring Solution-Coversheet.pdf
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- Solicitation number
- RFP27-04
- Issued by
- Texas
About this file
This Request for Proposal (RFP) issued by Houston City College's Procurement Operations Department seeks qualified vendors to provide a comprehensive Online Exam Security & Remote Proctoring Solution for the College's online, hybrid, and remote instructional environments. The solution must integrate with the College's Canvas Learning Management System and deliver secure browser lockdown capabilities, remote proctoring functionality, accessibility compliance, reporting tools, and administrative management features. The RFP requires proposals to be submitted electronically through the Bonfire portal by November 19, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. CST. A virtual pre-proposal conference will be held prior to the submission deadline to allow respondents to ask questions and establish potential subcontracting relationships. The anticipated contract term is three (3) years with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year terms, with HCC retaining the right to extend the contract further if needed.
Pricing will be evaluated using a "Best Value Determination" practice, with the final award subject to approval by the HCC Board of Trustees. Proposals will be evaluated through a two-step process: Step 1 assesses firm qualifications and experience (30 points), proposed approach and methodology (50 points), and past performance and references (20 points), with proposers scoring a minimum of 80 points advancing to Step 2. Step 2 includes interviews, demonstrations, reference calls, and technical security questions assessed on a Pass/Fail basis, followed by pricing evaluation and small business practices scoring. No set-asides are explicitly selected in this solicitation. The College will not provide compensation for proposal preparation costs or demonstrations and reserves the right to reject any or all proposals. All proposals must include compliance documentation for cybersecurity, privacy, accessibility, and FERPA compliance, along with completed attachments including the IT Application/Web Platform Security Assessment Questionnaire and Form CIQ (Conflict of Interest Questionnaire).
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RFP 27-04 Online Exam Security & Remote Proctoring Solution - ISSUE DATE 10/30/26 2:00 PM
Procurement Operations Department 3100 Main Street, 11th Floor
Houston, Texas 77002
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)
RFP No: 27-04
ONLINE EXAM SECURITY & REMOTE PROCTORING SOLUTION
ISSUED BY:
Procurement Operations Department
FOR:
Student Services
PROCUREMENT OFFICER:
Jailynn Alvarez/Sourcing Coordinator
Email : alvarez.jailynn@hccs.edu Phone : (713) 718-6653
PROPOSAL CLOSE DATE:
November 19, 2026
TIME: 2:00 P.M. (CST)
HCC BID Portal: Houston City College (hccs.bonfirehub.com)
This Solicitation Requires All Proposals to be Submitted Electronically Through Bonfire.
No Paper, Email or Fax Submissions Will Be Accepted.
https://hccs.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=login
| (Tab 4) |
| PROPOSAL CLOSE DATE: |
| November 19, 2026 |
| TIME (Before): 2:00 P.M. (CST) |
| Available Points |
| Evaluation Criteria |
| (Tab 2) |
| Available Points |
| 100 |
| Total Points |
| (Tab 3) |
| and Demonstrated Qualifications of Personnel and Team |
| Evaluation Criteria |
| 1.1 Project Overview |
| This is a Request for Proposal (RFP) pursuant to Chapter 44.031 of the Texas Education Code. Houston City College (“HCC” and/or “the College”) is accepting sealed proposals from qualified firms/contractors to provide an Online Exam Security & Remote P... |
| 1.2 Pre-Proposal Conference |
| A virtual pre-proposal conference will be held at a time and location (virtually) as indicated in the Solicitation Schedule above. Attendance at this conference is advised if your firm wishes to ask any questions in connection with this RFP. The Colle... |
| The pre-proposal conference also provides opportunities for respondents to network and establish SBE and/or subcontracting relationships. |
| 1.3 Contract Term |
| It is anticipated that the contract term for contract(s) awarded resulting from this solicitation, if any, will be three (3) years with the option to renew for two (2) additional one-year terms. Further, HCC reserves the right to extend the contract t... |
| 1.4 Scope of Services |
| Houston City College (HCC) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide a comprehensive Online Exam Security & Remote Proctoring Solution to support academic integrity within online, hybrid, and remote instructional environments and to perform... |
| The solution shall integrate with the College’s Learning Management System (LMS) and provide secure browser lockdown capabilities, remote proctoring functionality, accessibility compliance, reporting tools, and administrative management features. |
| 1. |
| 1.1. |
| 1.2. |
| 1.3. |
| 1.4. |
| 1.4.1. Objective Purpose: The purpose of this solicitation is to identify a qualified supplier capable of providing a secure, reliable, accessible, and scalable Online Exam Security & Remote Proctoring Solution that supports the College's online, hyb... |
| The objectives of this procurement include, but are not limited to: |
| (a) Maintaining academic integrity and supporting secure examination delivery for online and remote assessments; |
| (b) Providing secure student authentication and examination monitoring capabilities; |
| (c) Protecting student privacy and supporting compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), applicable privacy requirements, and other relevant federal and state laws and regulations; |
| (d) Ensuring accessibility, usability, and accommodation support for students with disabilities in accordance with WCAG 2.1 AA standards, ADA Title II requirements, and applicable Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) accessibility standards; |
| (e) Providing positive, equitable, and low-friction user experience for students, faculty, and administrators; |
| (f) Supporting seamless integration with the College's Learning Management System (LMS), authentication systems, and related institutional technologies; |
| (g) Providing transparent monitoring, reporting, and review capabilities that support institutional academic integrity and due-process procedures; and |
| (h) Utilizing monitoring and proctoring practices that are reasonable, necessary, and proportional to the examination environment while minimizing unnecessary intrusion into students' private environments and supporting equitable access for all students. |
| (a) Browser lockdown functionality. |
| (b) Prevention of access to unauthorized websites, applications, screen-sharing tools, secondary monitors, and other resources not expressly permitted during examination sessions. |
| (c) Restriction of copy/paste functions, clipboard access, print-screen functionality, screen capture tools, and unauthorized browser navigation. |
| (d) Student authentication and identity verification capabilities. |
| (e) Exam session monitoring, audit trails, and activity logging. |
| (f) Logging and monitoring of focus changes, including browser switching, application switching, Alt-Tab activity, and other attempts to navigate away from the examination environment. |
| (g) Secure exam launch, administration, and session management capabilities. |
| (h) Compatibility with Windows, macOS, Chromebooks, and supported mobile platforms. |
| (a) Full disk scanning or access to non-exam-related files or folders. |
| (b) Keylogging or monitoring of keystrokes beyond what is reasonably necessary to support examination integrity and system functionality. |
| (c) Collection, storage, or processing of information beyond what is necessary to administer, monitor, and secure examinations. |
| (d) Access to personal data, applications, devices, or system resources unrelated to examination administration and monitoring. |
| 1.4.3. Remote Proctoring Features: |
| The proposed solution should support one or more of the following proctoring models: |
| (a) Live Proctoring; |
| (b) AI-Assisted Proctoring; |
| (c) Record-and-Review Proctoring; |
| (d) Browser Lockdown Only; |
| (e) Testing Center Proctoring Mode. |
| (a) Webcam and microphone monitoring capabilities; |
| (b) Student identity verification and authentication capabilities; |
| (c) AI-generated flagging, behavioral alerts, and risk indicators; |
| (d) Recording retention, playback, and administrative review functionality; |
| (e) Exportable incident reports, audit logs, and examination activity records; |
| (f) Human review capabilities for all flagged events and incidents. Explainable indicators identifying the specific behaviors, activities, or events that triggered AI-generated alerts or flags; |
| (g) Configurable recording retention schedules by examination category, with support for automatic deletion in accordance with college policies and applicable legal requirements; |
| (h) Capabilities to support student requests for access, correction, or deletion of examination-related records, where required by law and institutional policy. |
| 1.4.5. Privacy, Data Protection, and Legal Compliance |
| The Respondent shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing student privacy, educational records, data protection, and information security. |
| The Respondent shall: |
| (a) Comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and identify whether it acts as a “school official” under FERPA. Any student data collected, processed, stored, or accessed through the solution shall be used solely for institution... |
| (b) Comply with applicable biometric privacy, consumer privacy, and data protection laws. The Respondent shall not create, retain, or use biometric templates, identifiers, or profiles unless such collection is clearly justified, disclosed, legally per... |
| (c) Provide a comprehensive data inventory identifying all categories of information collected, processed, stored, or generated by the solution, including but not limited to student identifiers, authentication data, examination recordings, images, aud... |
| (d) Provide documentation describing data flows, storage locations, hosting environments, cloud service providers, and the geographic regions in which data are stored, processed, backed up, or transmitted; |
| (e) Describe data breach notification procedures, incident response processes, escalation protocols, and notification timelines applicable to security incidents involving College data; |
| (f) Agree not to sell, monetize, disclose for commercial purposes, or otherwise use student data to train unrelated artificial intelligence or machine learning models. Student data shall be used solely for the provision, maintenance, support, and impr... |
| (g) Describe policies and procedures for handling data associated with minors, including dual-credit students, and special populations such as incarcerated students, active-duty military personnel, and other populations subject to additional legal, re... |
| (h) Maintain appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of College data. |
| 1.4.6. Academic Integrity and Student Experience |
| The proposed solution shall support institutional academic integrity processes while promoting transparency, accessibility, and a positive student experience. |
| The Respondent shall provide: |
| (a) Detailed incident reports that can be exported and, where supported by the College's Learning Management System (LMS), linked or integrated with LMS gradebook and course management functions; |
| (b) Configurable examination rules and settings, including permitted resources, restroom breaks, scratch paper usage, calculator permissions, and other instructor-defined testing parameters; |
| (c) Instructor and administrator dashboards that facilitate efficient review, filtering, prioritization, and resolution of flagged events and examination incidents; |
| (d) Pre-examination practice environments that allow students to test equipment, connectivity, identity verification processes, and system compatibility without academic consequences; |
| (e) Clear, student-facing privacy, monitoring, and data-use notices written in plain language and capable of institutional customization by the College; |
| (f) Features that promote transparency regarding examination requirements, monitoring practices, and technical expectations prior to the start of an examination session. |
| 1.4.7. LMS Integration |
| The proposed solution shall integrate with the College's Learning Management System (LMS) and other institutional technology platforms and provide, at a minimum, the following capabilities: |
| (a) Compatibility with Canvas LMS, including support for current and future Canvas APIs and enhancements; |
| (b) Single Sign-On (SSO) integration and authentication services; |
| (c) LMS integration support, implementation assistance, and ongoing maintenance; |
| (d) User provisioning and account management capabilities; |
| (e) Grade synchronization and return of examination results to the LMS; |
| (f) Support for Canvas New Quizzes, Classic Quizzes, and other supported assessment tools; |
| (g) Support for Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI) 1.3 and LTI Advantage standards; |
| (h) Role-based access controls and secure launch parameters; |
| (i) Support for multiple sub-accounts, cross-listed courses, and multi-tenant academic environments; |
| (j) Compatibility with Student Information Systems (SIS) and automated user provisioning processes; |
| (k) Compatibility with institutional identity management and authentication platforms, including Microsoft Azure Active Directory (Azure AD) or equivalent Identity Provider (IdP) solutions; |
| (l) Compatibility with student portals, institutional technology platforms, and future LMS or authentication system enhancements; |
| (m) Secure transmission of user, course, and examination data between integrated systems; and |
| (n) Documentation of all integration requirements, dependencies, and supported configurations. |
| 1.4.8. Training and Support |
| The Respondent shall provide implementation, training, maintenance, and support services necessary to ensure successful deployment and ongoing operation of the proposed solution. |
| At a minimum, the Respondent shall provide: |
| (a) Implementation assistance, configuration support, and onboarding services; |
| (b) Training programs tailored to faculty, instructional designers, testing center personnel, students, accessibility services staff, and system administrators; |
| (c) End-user training materials, user guides, and system documentation; |
| (d) On-demand training resources, including videos, tutorials, knowledge base articles, and other self-service support materials that may be integrated into the College's Learning Management System (LMS) and customized to reflect College branding and ... |
| (e) Technical support and helpdesk services for faculty, staff, and students; |
| (f) Ongoing software maintenance, updates, enhancements, and bug fixes; |
| (g) Twenty-four (24) hours, seven (7) days per week student support during active examination periods through multiple support channels, including telephone, chat, and web-based support services; |
| (h) Service level commitments identifying support availability, response times, escalation procedures, and issue resolution expectations; |
| (i) A documented incident management and escalation process for service disruptions, system outages, or other incidents affecting examinations; |
| (j) Real-time service status notifications and communication procedures for system-wide incidents impacting users; and |
| (k) Post-incident reporting and corrective action documentation for significant service interruptions or examination-related system failures. |
| 1.4.9. Accessibility / EIR Requirements |
| Under Texas Government Code chapter 2054 and applicable TAC accessibility standards, all proposed Electronic and Information Resources (EIR) solutions must comply with WCAG2.1 AA accessibility standards. |
| Include: |
| The contractor must: |
| (a) Provide unlimited online training and custom report creatin at no additional cost. |
| (b) Require no obligations to continue purchasing the product in the future. |
| (c) Coordinate with the Associate Vice chancellor, Talent Technology, and Total Rewards to discuss the Firm’s intended strategy and implementation methodology, review the overall scope of work for the project, and the timeline and schedule for complet... |
| (d) Make presentation(s) to Senior Level Institute for Inst Engagement & Development staff. |
| (e) Include an overview of the plan with time estimates for completion of all work required, including identifying beginning and end dates for each phase of work. |
| 1.5 Warranty of Services |
| Definitions: “Acceptance” as used in this clause, means the act of an authorized representative of HCC and/or designee by which HCC assumes for itself, approval of specific services, as partial or complete performance of the Contract must be in writ... |
| Definitions: “Correction” as used in this clause, means the elimination of a defect. |
| Notwithstanding inspection and acceptance by HCC or any provision concerning the conclusiveness thereof, the Contractor warrants that all services performed under this Contract will, at the time of acceptance, be free from defects in workmanship and... |
| If the Contractor is required to correct or re-perform, it shall be at no cost to HCC, and any services corrected or re-performed by the Contractor shall be subject to this clause to the same extent as work initially performed. If the Contractor fai... |
| If HCC does not require correction or re-performance, HCC shall make an equitable adjustment in the contract price. |
| 1.6 Additional Requirements |
| Qualified respondents are invited to submit a written response outlining their qualifications and experience to provide the services as described in the Scope of Services, and in accordance with the terms, conditions, and requirements set forth in the... |
| At the College option and during the process of selecting a supplier/contractor to provide the required services, finalist proposer(s) may be requested to make a presentation to HCC’s leadership. The individual or consultant who will work directly wit... |
| All prospective proposers shall have sufficient qualified personnel and resources to accomplish all the services described herein. The successful proposer shall be capable of furnishing all necessary professional, technical, and expert services as req... |
| If additional staff will be necessary in order to meet the qualifications, include information on each individual’s qualifications, capabilities, and experience. |
| 1.7 HCCS IT Application/Web Platform Security Assessment Questionnaire |
| Authorized vendor representatives shall complete Exhibit No. 2 - HCCS IT Application/Web Platform Security Assessment Questionnaire and provide all requested cybersecurity, privacy, accessibility, and compliance documentation. |
| 1.8 Interview and Demonstration Questions |
| Vendor proposals for this RFP will be qualified based on the responses provided to the requirements listed. The top qualifiers will advance and be invited to participate in a virtual interview and demonstration session. HCC anticipates notifying the t... |
| SECTION 2 – SCHEDULE OF ITEMS AND PRICING |
| Name of Bidder/Contractor: ___________________________________________________ |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 2.1. Instructions |
| Proposer must complete this section in its entirety and may supplement this section with additional pages as to provide HCC with a more detailed breakdown, backup and/or options of related cost associated with the services being solicited in this soli... |
| 2.2. Price Schedule |
| The respondent is to provide information and pricing for all items listed in the Price Schedule to support the purchase of the requested product/service. Respondents must complete the open boxes using information supplied in the Price Schedule. The Pr... |
| 2.3. Value Added Services |
| Respondents are to indicate any value-added services offered by an individual or firm for its services. These services include any skillset, abilities, or service(s) that may add overall value to a project that have not been previously requested in th... |
| 2.4. Price Evaluation |
| Pricing shall be evaluated from a “Best Value Determination” practice to provide Houston City College with the option that benefits the needs of the students, faculty, and administration. Proposers are encouraged to provide competitive pricing to help... |
| 2.5. Price Proposal Signature |
| The information in this RFP is to be utilized solely for preparing the proposal response to this RFP and does not constitute a commitment by HCC to procure any product or service in any volume. |
| 2.6. Cooperative Contract (If Applicable) |
| Please list the following information for the cooperative contract that your proposal is being submitted under: |
| 3. |
| 3.1. Evaluation Criteria |
| An Evaluation Committee (“Committee”) will review all proposals to determine which proposers have qualified for consideration according to the criteria stated herein. The Committee’s evaluations will be based on all available information, including qu... |
| 3.2. Vendor Selection |
| Except as provided by the Texas Education Code, Subchapter B, in determining to whom to award a contract, the District shall consider: |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 3.1. |
| 3.2. |
| 3.2.1. The purchase price; |
| 3.2.2. The reputation of the vendor and of the vendor's good or services; |
| 3.2.3. The quality of the vendor's goods or services; |
| 3.2.4. The extent to which the goods or services meet with the College’s needs; |
| 3.2.5. The vendor's past relationship with the College; |
| 3.2.6. The impact on the ability of the College to comply with laws and rules relating to historically underutilized businesses; |
| 3.2.7. The total long-term cost to the College to acquire the vendor's goods or services; |
| 3.2.8. 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 c... |
| 3.2.8.1. Has its principal place of business in this state; or |
| 3.2.8.2. Employs at least 500 persons in this state; and |
| 3.2.8.3. Any other relevant factor specifically listed in the request for bids or proposals. |
| 3.2.8.4. This section does not apply to a contract for professional services rendered, including services of an architect, attorney, certified public accountant, engineer, or fiscal agent. The District may, at its option, contract for professional ... |
| 3.3. Step No. 1 |
| Firms must comply with the request of this RFP Section 1 – Project Overview and Scope of Services and thoroughly respond to each Tab referenced in Section 5 below. This information will be used to score each proposer using the evaluation criteria matr... |
| Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria: |
| The College’s Evaluation Committee will evaluate and rank each submittal based on the qualification criteria detailed above, proposers earning a minimum of 80 points, will be invited and informed that they were selected for (Step 2). The College will ... |
| In the event the HCC determines, in its sole discretion, that an insufficient number of firms received a minimum of 80 points in Step 1, such that there will not be adequate price competition among qualified firms in Step 2, HCC reserves the right to ... |
| HCC may, however, refuse to select a second or third firm to move on to a Step 2 evaluation activities if there is a greater than 10% spread (as calculated by the higher score minus the lower score, divided by the lower score) between a firm and the n... |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 3.1. |
| 3.2. |
| 3.3. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 3.1. |
| 3.2. |
| 3.3. |
| 3.4. Step No. 2 |
| The Firms who advance to Step 2 of the selection process will participate in interviews and demonstrations. This stage will allow the evaluation committee to assess further each proposer’s technical approach, functional capabilities, and implementatio... |
| During the interview, proposers will respond to targeted questions (Exhibit No. 3 Interview and Demonstration Questions) regarding their software’s functionality, data management practices, benchmarking methodology, integration capabilities, and suppo... |
| During all interviews, presentations, and demonstrations conducted virtually, the use of virtual images, animated characters, digitally generated representations, or other artificial visual substitutes in place of the individual’s actual appearance is... |
| 3.4. |
| 3.4.1. Interviews/Demonstrations/Reference Calls and Technical Security Questions will be evaluated on the following criteria: |
| Responses to the Technical Security Questions will be evaluated by the HCC Information Technology Cybersecurity team, and a Pass/Fail grade will be assigned. A Fail grade will disqualify the vendor from being awarded the contract. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 3.1. |
| 3.2. |
| 3.3. |
| 3.4. |
| 3.4.1. |
| 3.4.2. At the conclusion of the Interviews/ Demonstrations, pricing will be evaluated on the following criteria: |
| 1. |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 3.1. |
| 3.2. |
| 3.3. |
| 3.3.1. |
| 3.3.2. |
| 3.3.3. |
| 1.1. |
| 1.2. |
| 1.2.1. |
| 1.2.2. |
| 1.2.3. The final score for selection of a firm will be obtained by combining the Evaluation Committee’s total points of the qualifications, price, interviews/ Demonstrations, and Small Business Practices as follows: |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 3.1 |
| 3.2 |
| 3.3 |
| 3.4 Discussions / Negotiations |
| Discussions/negotiations will be conducted with Proposer(s) who are deemed to be within the final competitive range; however, HCC reserves the right to award a contract without discussions/negotiations. The competitive range will be determined by HCC ... |
| 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 4.1. |
| 4.2. |
| 3.4. Step No. 1 |
| Firms must comply with the request of this RFP Section 1 – Project Overview and Scope of Services and thoroughly respond to each Tab referenced in Section 5 below. This information will be used to score each proposer using the evaluation criteria matr... |
| Proposals will be evaluated using the following criteria: |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 6.1. |
| 6.2. |
| 6.3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 6.1. |
| 6.2. |
| 6.3. |
| 6.4. Step No. 2 |
| The Firms who advance to Step 2 of the selection process will participate in interviews and demonstrations. This stage will allow the evaluation committee to assess further each proposer’s technical approach, functional capabilities, and implementatio... |
| During the interview, proposers will respond to targeted questions (Exhibit No. 3 Interview and Demonstration Questions) regarding their software’s functionality, data management practices, benchmarking methodology, integration capabilities, and suppo... |
| During all interviews, presentations, and demonstrations conducted virtually, the use of virtual images, animated characters, digitally generated representations, or other artificial visual substitutes in place of the individual’s actual appearance is... |
| 6.4. |
| 6.4.1. Interviews/Demonstrations/Reference Calls and Technical Security Questions will be evaluated on the following criteria: |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
| 6.1. |
| 6.2. |
| 6.3. |
| 6.3.1. |
| 6.3.2. |
| 6.3.3. |
| 4.3. |
| 4.4. |
| 4.4.1. |
| 4.4.2. |
| 4.4.3. The final score for selection of a firm will be obtained by combining the Evaluation Committee’s total points of the qualifications, price, interviews/ Demonstrations, and Small Business Practices as follows: |
| 4 |
| 5 |
| 6 |
| 6.1 |
| 6.2 |
| 6.3 |
| 6.4 Discussions / Negotiations |
| Discussions/negotiations will be conducted with Proposer(s) who are deemed to be within the final competitive range; however, HCC reserves the right to award a contract without discussions/negotiations. The competitive range will be determined by HCC ... |
| 6.5 Eligibility for Award |
| In order for a proposer to be eligible to be awarded the contract, the proposal must be responsive to the solicitation and HCC must be able to determine that the proposer is responsible and has the resources and capacity to perform the resulting contr... |
| Responsible proposers, at a minimum, must meet the following requirements: |
| a) Have adequate financial resources, or the ability to obtain such resources as required during the performance of any resulting contract. |
| b) Be able to comply with the required performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing business commitments. |
| c) Have a satisfactory record of past performance. |
| d) Have necessary personnel and management capability to perform any resulting contract. |
| e) Be qualified as an established firm regularly engaged in the type of business necessary to fulfill the contract requirements. |
| f) Certify that the firm is not delinquent in any tax owed the State of Texas under Chapter 171, Tax Code; and is not delinquent in taxes owed to the Houston City College System; signing and submitting the proposal is so certifying to such non-delinqu... |
| g) Be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations. |
| h) The proposer(s) may be requested to submit additional written evidence verifying that the firm meets the minimum requirements described above and, as necessary, to perform the requirements of the solicitation and be determined a responsible propose... |
| i) A person is not eligible to be considered for award of this solicitation or any resulting contract or to be a subcontractor of the proposer or prime contractor if the person assisted in the development of this solicitation or any part of this solic... |
| j) A person or proposer shall not be eligible to be considered for this solicitation if the person or proposer engaged in or attempted to engage in prohibited communications as described in Section 5.17 - Prohibited Communications and Political Contri... |
| k) Only individual firms or lawfully formed business organizations may apply (This does not preclude a respondent from using subcontractors or contractors.) HCC will contract only with the individual firm or formal organization that submits a response... |
| Firm’s Qualification and Experience (Tab 1) |
| 30 |
| Proposed Approach and Methodology |
| 50 |
| Past Performance & References |
| 20 |
| 60 |
| Interviews / Demonstrations / Reference Calls |
| Pass/Fail |
| Technical Security Questions |
| SECTION 4 – INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS |
| 1) |
| 1 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
| 4 |
| 4.1 To achieve a uniform review process and obtain the maximum degree of impartiality, all proposals must be organized in the manner specified. |
| 4.2 Pagination: All pages of the proposal should be numbered sequentially in Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) Attachments should be numbered or referenced separately. |
| 4.3 All Attachments noted are to be completed and submitted with Proposal, Attachments 1, 5 and 7 must be signed and notarized. |
| 4.4 Proposal must be signed by Proposer’s company official(s) authorized to commit such proposals. Failure to sign and return these forms will subject your proposal to disqualification. |
| 4.5 Responses to this RFP must include a response to the proposal requirements set forth in the Scope of Services, above. |
| 4.6 Proposals must be typed on letter-size (8-1/2” x 11”) paper. HCC requests that proposals be submitted electronically through HCC’s eProcurement system Bonfire. Preprinted material should be referenced in the proposal and uploaded and labeled as at... |
| 4.7 Table of Contents: Include with the proposal a Table of Contents that includes page number references. The Table of Contents should be in sufficient detail to facilitate easy reference of the sections of the proposal as well as separate attachment... |
| 4.8 Number of Copies: Your Proposal must include an original signed copy including all required HCC forms and documents. An original (manual) signature must appear on the original electronic copy. The electronic copies should be in non-editable PDF fo... |
| 4.9 Proposals must be submitted and received on or before the time and date specified in the Solicitation Schedule. |
| 4.10 Late proposals will not be considered under any circumstances. |
| 4.11 Telephone, Facsimile (“FAX”) or electronic (email) proposals are not acceptable when in response to this Request for Proposal. |
| 4.12 Proposer Response General: Your Technical Proposal should clearly define (i) your Firm’s total capacity and capabilities, (ii) your qualifications to perform the work, (iii) your ability to perform the services outlined in the Scope of Services, ... |
| 4.13 Cover letter - The cover letter shall not exceed 1 page in length, summarizing key points in the proposal and shall briefly furnish background information about your firm, including date of founding, legal form (sole proprietorship, partnership, ... |
| 4.14 Only individual firms or lawfully formed business organizations may apply (This does not preclude a respondent from using consultants.) HCC will contract only with the individual firm or formal organization that submits a response to this RFP. |
| 4.15 Table of Contents - Immediately following the cover letter and introduction, include a complete table of contents for material included in the response documents. |
| 4.16 Tab 1 - Firm’s Qualification and Experience |
| 1. Qualifications & Experience of the Firm: Provide a brief description of your firm, including the total number of supporting personnel related to providing the services of the type and kind required in this RFP. |
| 2. Provide firm’s principal(s) and staff commitment in providing the services required in this solicitation. |
| 3. Provide firm’s overall ability in providing the services required in this solicitation. |
| 4. Demonstrate firm’s understanding, knowledge and experience of the solicitation requirements. |
| 5. Provide examples of your firm's civic activities including awards and recognitions. |
| 6. Provide a detailed list where your firm has provided services of the type and kind required in this RFP during the past 3 years including but not limited to public and private organizations including: state agencies, state institutions of higher ed... |
| 7. HCC may verify all information furnished. As a minimum, include the following per project experience: |
| 1. Key Personnel: Identify key personnel that would be assigned to HCC and that will provide the services described in the Scope of Services. Include an organizational chart, which identifies key personnel and their particular roles in furnishing the... |
| 2. Provide brief resumes (not more than one (1) page) for each key personnel. The resumes must clearly specify the number of years the personnel have been providing the type of services as described in this RFP. |
| 3. A brief description of their unique qualifications, experience and education as it pertains to services of the type and kind required in this RFP. |
| 4. Availability and commitment of the respondent, its principal(s) and assigned professionals to undertake the services described in this RFP. |
| 5. Personnel’s job functions, role, percentage of time to be assigned to this account and physical office location. |
| 6. Designate the individual who is authorized to sign and enter into any resulting contract. |
| 7. Provide a list of similar accounts where they have provided services of the type and kind required in this solicitation and include detailed description of their particular role in the account and length of time on the account. |
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| 4.18 Tab 3 – Proposed Approach & Methodology |
| This section should describe and discuss your proposed approach and methodology in providing the services of the type and kind required in this RFP. By reading the proposed approach and methodology overview, HCC must be able to gain a comfortable ... |
| 1. Proposer shall respond to all requirements and questions noted in Section 2. |
| 2. Provide a detailed implementation plan with projected start and end dates of completion for each task from delivery of service to HCC. List any required HCC resources or expectations needed in order to meet the proposed timeline. |
| 3. Proposer must provide an approach and methodology overview which consists of a concise and detailed description of the requested services proposed in response to this RFP. |
| 4. HCC intends that each proposer provide a detailed and comprehensive description of all services that the proposer will provide if it enters into a contract pursuant to the RFP. |
| 5. Quality: Please identify the key metrics you propose to use to measure your performance in delivering services of the type and kind required in this RFP to HCC. Your response should indicate the frequency of the measurement, how it will be used to ... |
| 6. Customer Satisfaction: How do you measure and monitor customer satisfaction; describe the method used, frequency, and how results are reported. |
| 7. Capabilities and Capacity: Proposer shall clearly define its in-house capability and capacity to perform the work identified in the Scope of Services of this RFP. Your response must describe the various technologies, tools, methods, and technical e... |
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| 4.19. Tab 4 - Past Performance and References |
| 1. Provide contact information for the list of accounts noted in Tab 1 above, HCC may verify all information furnished. |
| 2. Describe lessons learned from previous clients for services of the type and kind required in this RFP that were not successful and what steps your firm has taken to effectively identify and mitigate from recurring. |
| 3. Demonstrate the capability and successful past performance of the firm with respect to producing high quality services, maintaining good working relations for services of the required in this RFP. |
| 4. Provide a list of all contracts that may have ended during the past 3 years; including contracts that may have been terminated or not renewed when a renewal was available. Include a detailed explanation of the circumstances related therein for any... |
| 5. Provide a list of any work that your firm may have completed for Houston City College during the past 3 years, including a detailed description of the work effort, performance and define if the work was completed as a contractor directly with HCC o... |
| 6. Provide letters of recommendations from other public junior or community colleges or higher education clients or other relevant references listing recently completed engagements for the services of the type and kind required in this RFP. |
| 4.20. Tab 5 – Price Proposal |
| The Proposer/Contractor shall furnish all resources and services necessary and required to provide the services of the type and kind required in this RFP, in accordance with the Scope of Services, and the governing terms and conditions for the pr... |
| 1. Please include a description of any discount offered to HCC and an outline of any other fees or charges. |
| 2. For the purposes of this RFP, Houston City College will review the overall rate structure to evaluate its reasonableness for the anticipated work. Failure to fully disclose any fees or costs and to comply with the requirements herein may cause HCC ... |
| 4.21. Tab 6 - Small Business Practices |
| 1. Describe your previous experience, involvement and approach in working with certified Small Business firms, including level of effort, division of duties and providing opinions. Provide a statement detailing small business participation commitment |
| 2. At a minimum, your response must include: (a) Firm’s commitment to meeting the small business participation goal for the solicitation (b) a description of previous engagements where your firm has successfully subcontracted work to small businesses ... |
| 3. Describe your company’s process for the selection of subcontractors in accordance with the statutory procedures required for the solicitation of subcontractors, including your process for evaluating subcontractors’ performance while also incorporat... |
| 4. Provide a reference list of all customers noted in Tab 4 above that included a Small Business or similar program where you have performed work similar to the type of work described in this RFP. Provide the contact person and the representative who... |
| 4.22. Tab 7 - Firm’s Financial Status |
| 1. Please provide a statement from the president, owner or financial officer on company letterhead certifying that the company is in good financial standing and current in payment of all taxes and fees including but not limited to state franchise fees. |
| 2. Is your company currently in default on any loan agreement or financing agreement with any bank, financial institution, or other entity? If yes, specify date(s), details, circumstances, and prospects for resolution. |
| 4.23. Tab 8 – Business Relationship Strength |
| 1. Your definition of a mutually successful “relationship” between your firm and HCC; and |
| 2. Your firm’s commitment to a mutually successful “relationship” in the form of at least three, and not more than five, specific, obtainable criteria, activities, agreements or requirements that shall, at the discretion of HCC, become features of the... |
| 3. Student Internship: HCC is expanding its student internship program. Proposers are encouraged to describe how they envision using HCC students as part of their delivered service to support the application of relevant educational programs as aligned... |
| SECTION 5 – SUBMITTAL INSTRUCTIONS |
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| 8. |
| 8.1. HCC is requiring respondents to submit their response to this request electronically through the Bonfire Portal Houston City College (bonfirehub.com). HCC intends to utilize Bonfire as its exclusive solicitation platform. Proposals can now be acc... |
| 8.2. The following are some important notes about Bonfire: |
| 8.2.1. Official versions of HCCs solicitation, associated documents and any updates are available through Bonfire; |
| 8.2.2. Questions are only accepted through Bonfire before the deadline as noted in the Solicitation Schedule. Associated answers will be posted in Bonfire; |
| 8.2.3. Logging in and/or uploading files(s) does not mean that the response is submitted. Proposers must successfully upload the required files(s), submit all required information including forms and attachments and click the submit button before... |
| 8.2.4. Proposers will receive an email confirmation receipt with a unique confirmation number once Proposers finalize their submission. This will confirm that Proposers have successfully submitted their response; |
| 8.2.5. If an item in Requested Information is designated as Required, Proposers will not be able to complete their submission until the requirement is met; |
| 8.2.6. Uploading large documents may take significant time depending on factors such as the size of the file(s) and Proposer’s internet connection speed; |
| 8.2.7. Please note the type and number of files allowed. The maximum upload file size is one gigabyte (1 GB). Please Do Not embed any documents within the uploaded files as they will not be accessible or evaluated; |
| 8.2.8. Minimum system requirements for uploading files(s): Internet Explorer 11, Microsoft Edge, Google Chrome, or Mozilla Firefox. Java Script must be enabled; |
| 8.2.9. If Proposers need technical assistance with using Bonfire, you may contact Bonfire directly at Support@GoBonfire.com or 1.800.654.8010 x2; |
| 8.2.10. Please note that all inquiries related to the actual solicitation contents and any clarifications must be submitted to HCC though the Opportunity Q&A feature in Bonfire; and by submitting a Proposal in Bonfire, Proposer acknowledges and acc... |
| 8.3. Proposers shall meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for evaluation: |
| 8.3.1. The proposer shall complete the appropriate Pricing documents found in Bonfire based on goods and/or services offered. Proposer shall submit a fee schedule for any fees not already listed on the line items; |
| 8.3.2. The proposer shall submit all Requested Information in Bonfire and shall submit the Form CIQ (Conflict of Interest Questionnaire) regardless of if conflicts exist. By submitting a Proposal, with a completed Form CIQ, Proposer certifies comp... |
| 8.3.3. HCC reserves the right to request additional information as it deems necessary; and |
| 8.3.4. It is incumbent upon the Proposer to review the solicitation in whole and particularly the evaluation categories and provide any other information that it deems relevant to HCC’s consideration of their Proposal. |
| 8.4. The College will in no way be responsible for any delay, difficulties, causes or any other occurrences that inhibit or prevent a timely submittal. |
| 8.5. The College accepts no financial responsibility for any costs incurred by the respondent in the course of responding to this invitation. |
| 8.6. All questions regarding this proposal must be submitted in writing not later than the due date specified above in the Solicitation Schedule in the Bonfire portal. Contact between solicited vendors and user departments during the request for seale... |
| 8.7. HCC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, accept proposals deemed most advantageous to the college system and to waive any technicalities in proposing. |
| 8.8. Each proposer agrees to hold their offer open for acceptance by The College for a minimum of one hundred eighty (180) days from the submittal deadline date and time for proposal submission. |
| SECTION 6 – GENERAL INFORMATION |
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| 6.1 HCC reserves the right to reject any or all proposals or to accept any proposals it considers most favorable to HCC, or to waive irregularities in the Request for Proposal (RFP) and submittal process. HCC further reserves the right to reject all ... |
| This RFP solicitation does not in any way obligate HCC to award a contract or pay any expense or cost incurred in the review and submission of proposals responding to this RFP. |
| All applicable attachments contained in the RFP shall be completed. Failure to do so may result in the firm’s proposal or submittal being declared non-responsive to the solicitation requirements. |
| 6.2 Proposals and any other information submitted by Proposers in response to this Request for Proposal (RFP) shall become the property of HCC. |
| 6.3 HCC will not provide compensation to Proposers for any expenses incurred by the Proposer(s) for proposal preparation or for any demonstrations that may be made, unless otherwise expressly stated. Proposers submit proposals at their own risk and ex... |
| 6.4 HCC makes no guarantee that an award will be made as a result of this RFP and reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, waive any formalities or minor technical inconsistencies, or delete any item/requirements from this RFP or r... |
| Information provided in response to the RFP is subject to the Texas Public Information Act and may be subject to public disclosure. |
| By submitting its proposal in response to this RFP, respondent accepts the evaluation process and acknowledges and accepts that determination of “most-qualified” and “best valued” firm(s) will require subjective judgments by the Evaluation Committee |
| Proposals which are qualified with conditional clauses, alterations, or items not called for in the RFP documents, or irregularities of any kind are subject to disqualification by HCC, at its option. |
| Any exceptions taken to the terms of the RFP must be specific, and the respondent must indicate clearly what alternative is being offered to allow HCC a meaningful opportunity to evaluate and rank proposals and implications of the exception (if any). |
| Where exceptions are taken, HCC shall determine the acceptability of the proposed exceptions. HCC may accept or reject the exceptions. Where exceptions are rejected, HCC may insist that the respondent furnish the services described herein or negotia... |
| All exceptions shall be referenced by utilizing the corresponding Section, paragraph and page number in this RFP. However, HCC is under no obligation to accept any exceptions. Respondent shall be deemed to have accepted all terms and conditions to wh... |
| The RFP provides information necessary to prepare and submit proposals or responses for consideration by HCC based on the listed criteria. HCC may request additional clarification and oral interviews solely on the written responses to this request for... |
| Failure to comply with the requirements contained in this Request for Proposal may result in the rejection of any response to this Request for Proposal. |
| 6.5 Award / Contract Approval |
| This Procurement, any award under this procurement, and the resulting contract, if any, is subject to approval by HCC Board of Trustees. Subsequent to Board approval, the only person authorized to commit HCC contractually is the Chancellor or designee... |
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| 5.6. Vendor Communication |
| Communication between the Procurement Operations Department and vendors is helpful and encouraged. Steps must be taken, however, to maintain a fair opportunity to compete for all vendors and to avoid any appearance of favoritism. In order to protect ... |
| 5.7. Inquiries and Interpretations |
| Responses to inquiries, which directly affect an interpretation or change to this RFP, will be issued in writing by addendum (amendment) and all addenda will be posted on Houston City College (bonfirehub.com). All such addenda issued by HCC prior to t... |
| Only those HCC replies to inquiries, which are made by formal written addenda, shall be binding. Oral and other interpretations or clarification will be without legal effect. The proposer must acknowledge receipt of all addenda in Attachment No. 1 of... |
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| 8.8. Commitment |
| Proposer understands and agrees that this RFP and any resulting Agreement is issued predicated on anticipated requirements for the materials or services described herein and that HCC has made no representation, guarantee or commitment with respect to ... |
| 8.9. Acquisition from Other Sources |
| HCC reserves the right and may, from time to time as required by HCCs operational needs, acquire services of equal type and kind from other sources during the term of the agreement without invalidating in whole or in part, the agreement or any rights ... |
| 8.10. Vendor Registration |
| The Houston City College Procurement Operations Department has developed an online vendor application. This is designed to allow firms or individuals that are interested in doing business with HCC to register online and become part of our vendor d... |
| Please take a moment to go to the Houston City College Procurement Operations Department platform register as a bidder. The website address to access the vendor registration form is Vendor Registration. |
| If you do not have internet access, you are welcome to use a computer at any HCC library to access the website and register. |
| 5.11. Obligation and Waivers |
| 5.12. Contract Award |
| 5.13. Postponement of Proposals Due Date/Time: |
| 5.14. Oral Presentations: |
| During the process of selecting a company to provide the required services, oral presentations may or may not be held. Each proposer should be prepared to make a presentation to HCC. The presentations must show that the proposer clearly understan... |
| 5.15. Small Business Development Program (SBDP): |
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| 4) |
| 5.15.1. To the extent consistent with industry practices, divide the contract work into reasonable lots. |
| 5.15.2. Give notice to SBDP eligible firms of subcontract opportunities or post notices of such opportunities in newspapers and other circulars. |
| 5.15.3. Document reasons for rejecting a firm that bids on subcontracting opportunities. |
| Points shall be awarded in accordance with the Proposal Response based on the prime vendor’s certifications and/or commitment to small business subcontracting stated in the solicitation document and the published point scale. The points noted bel... |
| A copy of the complete SBDP Procedure may be found on our Small Business website. |
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| 5.15.3. |
| 5.15.4. Certified small business prime contractor that meets the SBE Bonus Points subcontracting commitment using a certified small business subcontractor – automatically eligible for maximum available SBE Bonus Points. The noted Bonus Points ... |
| 5.15. |
| 5.15.1. |
| 5.15.2. |
| 5.15.3. |
| 5.15.4. |
| 5.15.5. Non-certified small business prime contractor that meets the SBE subcontracting commitment using a certified small business subcontractor automatically eligible for maximum available SBE points; |
| 5.15.6. Non-small business prime contractor with non-small business subcontractor – no points; and |
| 5.15.7. Non-small business prime contractor self-performing work – no points |
| 5.16. Prime Contractor/Contracts for Services: |
| 5.17. Prohibited Communications and Political Contributions: |
| 5.16. |
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| 5.24. |
| 5.25. |
| 5.26. |
| 5.27. Drug Policy |
| 5.28. Taxes |
| 5.29. Texas Public Information Act |
| 5.30. Appropriated Funds |
| 5.31. Conflict of Interest |
| 5.32. Ethics Conduct |
| 5.35. Validity Period |
| Proposals are to be valid for HCCs acceptance for a minimum of 180 days from the submittal deadline date to allow time for evaluation, selection, and any unforeseen delays. Proposals, if accepted, shall remain valid for the life of the Agreement. |
| 5.36. Terms and Conditions |
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