ESBD_File_332086_NO 23-57 RFI E-Procurement and Contract Management.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI) NO. 23-57

“E-Procurement and Contract Management System”

Table of Contents Tentative Schedule of Events Introduction

Objectives Information Requested

Desired Features and Functionality

Support Capabilities

General Information and Response Instructions Questions

Response Submission and Delivery

Tentative Schedule of Events

August 7, 2023 – RFI Issuance Date

August 18, 2023 – RFI Closing Date

Introduction This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely to obtain information to assist the City of Huntsville

(“City”) on an administrative and conceptual level. It does not constitute a Request for Offers (RFO), a

Request for Proposals (RFP), or other solicitation document, nor does it represent a commitment to issue an RFO or an RFP in the future. This RFI does not commit the City to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. The City will not pay for any information or administrative costs in response to the RFI.

Responses are due on August 18, 2023 as noted above.

The City is seeking insight into industry standards and best practices around implementing a system from qualified vendors with experience providing E-Procurement and Contract Management activities. By issuing this RFI, the City is soliciting information from vendors with current hands-on expertise in providing procurement assistance and contract management services.

Responses need to be received no later than:

2:00 P.M., Central Standard Time

August 18, 2023

RETURN RFI:

City of Huntsville Procurement Manager lgonzalez@huntsvilletx.gov

City of Huntsville 1220 11th Street Huntsville, Texas 77340 Lucy Gonzalez, Procurement Manager Phone: 936-291-5495 Email: lgonzalez@huntsvilletx.gov

IFB # 23-57 Page 2 of 5 Firm Name: Initials:

Specifically, the RFI seeks to understand:

• Solutions available for the advertisement and management of new solicitations and awarded contracts.

• All services offered in development, support and ongoing maintenance, including future upgrades to features and benefits, security patches, etc.

• High level costs, for budgetary purposes, for services related to this RFI, including base system, maintenance, and support.

• Recommendations in terms of different service package options, including training.

• Expected time required to conduct discovery, design, test and implement solution.

• The delivery platforms offered, including hosting options.

• Security and accessibility standards your solution is compliant with.

• All services provided by vendors offering solutions.

Objectives

Some of the objectives the City is trying to achieve include:

• Streamline and standardize current manual, paper-based procurement, contracting, and purchasing process and practices to shorten/compress cycle times.

• Increase supplier participation and competitiveness that drive finding the best possible product at the best value point.

• Lower barriers to compete.

• Provide a single place to perform, manage, track and report on all procurement and contract activities.

• Establish consistency City wide in procurement practices, methods, and outcomes using standards, templates, and a common set of automated tools.

• Establish controls and visibility to drive broader and appropriate use of City contracts.

• Improve control, including the ability to track and report contract compliance with automatic notification of insurance expiration, renewal dates, contract end dates, etc.

• Improve accountability and auditability of all procurement actions.

The information gathered from this RFI may be used to assist the City with the preparation of an RFP or

RFO. Submissions will be reviewed to assist in refining the approach to project development. By responding to this RFI, you can provide valuable input and help shape the framework for the development of the project.

Please note that while a response to this RFI is not a pre-requisite to participating in any resulting procurement process, potential respondents are encouraged to respond to the RFI.

Information Requested Vendors who have experience in building and implementing this type of system should provide a short description of their solution. Vendors are encouraged to respond to this RFI in full or in part. The City will use this information to evaluate the initial feasibility of the approach with vendors it believes are able to meet or exceed requirements to meet the needs of the City.

Desired Features and Functionality Explain what features/functionality are offered for the following:

A. Vendor Management:

IFB # 23-57 Page 3 of 5 Firm Name: Initials:

a. Will the system allow a vendor to self-registration?

b. Will the system allow for NIGP Commodity Code identification?

c. Is the system able to maintain performance ratings and comments for each contract and utilize this information for future sourcing.

d. Does the system have a vendor database that can track current certificates of insurance, tax id numbers, addresses, emails, telephone numbers, etc.

e. List all other options available for vendor management, if any.

B. Solicitation

a. Can the system create, either from scratch or using templates, various types of solicitation documents? Can solicitation documents be created outside of the system and uploaded?

b. Will the system send out solicitation notifications, addendums, and new vendor registration invitations to vendors?

c. Will the City be able to manually add additional vendors to a solicitation invitation?

d. Does the system have a secured e-bidding site with the ability to electronically open all submitted bids at the time of bid opening?

e. Will the system allow registered vendors to upload electronic submissions in multiple files and document types, and provide confirmation of successful electronic upload?

f. Will the City be able to upload bids not received electronically?

g. Will the system track and report on vendor notifications and downloads?

h. How are questions and answers handled in the system?

i. Can bid evaluation and award functions include both itemized and lump sum type procurements?

j. What is the systems capability to receive, evaluate and select based on alternant bids?

k. Can the system review available cooperative contracts and recommend ones that might meet the requirements of the solicitation?

l. List all other options available for the solicitation phase of a procurement, if any.

C. Evaluation and Award

a. Is the system capable of the preparing automated bid tabulations and sealed bidding results and have it available for download in multiple formats?

b. Will the system allow the procurement staff to select the evaluation panel members with review and scoring roles, including city employees and external evaluators?

c. What evaluation functions are there available for RFP’s (i.e., review/score/rank matrix, monitor evaluator status, automatic reminder email notifications, etc.)?

d. Does the system allow vendors to electronically submit bids that do not contain documents specifically requested? How are these identified in the system?

e. Does the system allow for award notifications and announcements, or will that need to be done outside of the system?

f. List all other options available for the evaluation and award phase of a procurement, if any.

D. Contract Management

a. Is there the ability to set reminders of documents/contracts that are soon to expire, including notifications of insurance expiration and/or bond status?

b. Is the system able to have the contract reference the solicitation and tie all solicitation documents to the contract documents?

c. Can contact files for procurements that were not managed electronically be uploaded and tracked in the system?

d. How are contract modifications handled?

e. Is the system able monitor a project schedules and set automatic notifications of milestone dates?

f. List all other options available for contract management, if any.

E. Reporting

a. What are some standard reports normally available?

IFB # 23-57 Page 4 of 5 Firm Name: Initials:

b. Is there ability to create custom reports?

c. Is there availability to download report into multiple format types?

Support Capabilities

Please explain how systems address the following concerns:

A. Web-Based Capabilities

a. How does the system maintain vendor records as private and confidential?

b. How does the system interface with the City’s website?

c. How does the system protect against unauthorized web-based application intrusion?

d. How is vendor self-registration handled?

e. What type of technical support is available for vendors?

f. What security roles are available for City users and Vendors? What ability is there to control/restrict access?

g. How long are documents available for viewing after contract close-out?

h. What does the archival system/structure look like?

i. Explain the standard data backup and disaster recovery options available?

j. What are the e-signature capabilities of the system?

k. Is there a possibility of integration with other programs such as LaserFiche, Tyler

Technologies software, etc.?

B. Training

a. What type of training will be provided to City users and Vendors?

b. How long does training usually take (days, weeks, months)?

c. Is additional training available for new employees, annual refreshers?

d. How will training be provided on upgrades/new releases of the software?

C. Implementation

a. How is the software delivered and/or installed and configured?

b. Is a “test” version made available?

c. What type of support is available during the “go-live” period?

d. Is there a possibility of uploading data from current open solicitations and/or contracts for monitoring?

D. Software Licenses Requirements

a. What type of licenses are needed for the system?

b. Are there unlimited license models or licensed models?

c. Will the system allow for unlimited licenses for vendors to interface and post documents?

d. How are fees calculated for City users and Vendors?

General Information and Response Instructions The City is required to adhere to the requirements of Texas Government Code Chapter 552, the “Texas

Public Information Act” regarding the disclosure of public information. As a result, by participating in this

RFI process you acknowledge that all information, documentation, and other materials you submit in response to this RFI may be subject to public disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act.

If it is necessary for a vendor to include proprietary or otherwise confidential information in its Response the vendor must clearly mark all copies of the proprietary or otherwise confidential information, documentation, or materials that are being provided with a written notice identifying the specific exception(s) to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act that the vendor claims is/are applicable to such information, documentation, or material. Subchapter C of the Texas Public Information Act sets forth the Act’s exceptions to the required disclosure of information. Please note that claiming a disclosure exception for provided information does not automatically render such information confidential. Further, IFB # 23-57 Page 5 of 5 Firm Name: Initials:

merely making a blanket claim that all of the submitted information is protected from disclosure because it contains some proprietary information is not acceptable and shall not render the entire submission confidential. Any information that is not clearly identified as proprietary or confidential shall be deemed to be subject to disclosure pursuant to the Act.

Questions

The City will not respond to questions regarding the RFI.

Response Submission and Delivery Vendors shall submit an electric copy of the Response in either Microsoft Word format (.doc/*.docx) or searchable Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf) via email to the Procurement Manager, Lucy

Gonzalez, at lgonzalez@huntsvilletx.gov. Responses must be received by 2:00 p.m. on August 18, 2023.

Upon receipt of the Response, the City may or may not request a demonstration of the Vendor’s solution.

The Vendor should include contact information for a point of contact who can arrange the demonstration.

mailto:lgonzalez@huntsvilletx.gov