IFB Z-142_NY Builds - FINAL 11-5-2026.pdf

Harriman State Office Campus Building 12, Room 465

Albany, NY 12226

INVITATION FOR BIDS COVER PAGE 1

BIDS MAY BE SENT TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS ONLY

(Email Bid Submissions Are NOT Acceptable)

BID OPENING

DATE: December 9, 2026

TIME: 3:00PM, ET

TITLE:

Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds)

INVITATION FOR BIDS NUMBER:

Z-142

SPECIFICATION REFERENCE:

As Incorporated in the Invitation for Bids (IFB)

CONTRACT PERIOD: Upon execution of contract for a period of five (5) years. The contract may be extended for one (1) additional period not to exceed twelve (12) months at the discretion of NYSDOL.

DESIGNATED CONTACTS

Melissa Robichaud, Contract Management Specialist 2 Sarah Berte, Contract Management Specialist 3 Jessica Mallison, Contract Management Specialist 1 Megan Lauzon, Contract Management Specialist 1 Email Address: labor.sm.DOLpurchase.contracts@labor.ny.gov

The bid must be fully and properly executed by an authorized person. By signing you certify your express authority to sign on behalf of yourself, your company, or other entity and full knowledge and acceptance of this INVITATION FOR BIDS, Appendix A (Standard Clauses For New York State Contracts), and State Finance Law §139-j and §139-k (Procurement Lobbying), and that all information provided is complete, true, and accurate. By signing, bidder affirms that it understands and agrees to comply with the NYSDOL procedures relative to permissible contacts as required by State Finance Law §139-j (3) and §139-j (6) (b). Information may be accessed at:

Procurement Lobbying: Procurement Lobbying Law | Office of General Services

Bidder’s Federal Tax Identification Number:

(Do Not Use Social Security Number)

NYS Vendor Identification Number:

(See “New York State Vendor File Registration” clause)

Legal Business Name of Company Bidding:

D/B/A - Doing Business As (if applicable):

Street City State Zip County

Bidder’s Signature:

Title:

Printed or Typed Name:

Date:

Phone : ( ) - ext ( ) Fax : ( ) - ext ( )

Toll Free Phone : ( ) - ext ( ) Toll Free Fax : ( ) - ext ( )

Email Address: Company Web Site:

mailto:DOLpurchase.contracts@labor.ny.gov https://ogs.ny.gov/acpl/procurement-lobbying-law

COVER PAGE 2

Bidder Certification and Affirmation

Bidder certifies and affirms as follows:

1. This Bid is an irrevocable offer for 180 days from the date of submission to the New York State Department of

Labor (“NYSDOL”), or for such longer period as is set forth in the IFB.

2. The Bidder can and will provide and make available, at a minimum, the Products, deliverables and/or services as described in the IFB.

3. The Bidder has read and understands the provisions of the IFB, and all Appendices, Attachments, and Exhibits attached thereto, including Appendix A - Standard Clauses for New York State Contracts and Appendix GTC - General Terms and Conditions.

4. The information contained in this Bid is complete, true, and accurate.

5. The Bidder understands and agrees to comply with the requirements of the Procurement Lobbying Law, State

Finance Law § 139-j and § 139-k, and with NYSDOL’s procedures relating to permissible contacts during a procurement as required by State Finance Law § 139-j(3) and § 139-j(6)(b). Such requirements and procedures are posted at https://ogs.ny.gov/acpl/procurement-lobbying-law.

The signer affirms under penalties of perjury that he or she is duly authorized to legally bind the Bidder referenced above and that they signed this Bidder Certification as the legally binding act of the Bidder.

Print Full Bidder Entity Name (Legal Business Name)

By:

Signature of Person Authorized to Legally Bind the Bidder

Print Name of Signatory

Print Title of Signatory

Date

Return Cover Pages 1 and 2 as part of the Bid or No Bid https://ogs.ny.gov/acpl/procurement-lobbying-law

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 1

Table of Contents

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Definitions

1.2 Key Events/Dates

1.3 Contract Term

1.4 Amendments, Announcements, and Clarifications

1.5 Response to Bidder Questions and Request for Clarifications

1.6 Description of NYSDOL

1.7 Background Information

1.8 Purpose

1.9 NYS Vendor File Registration

SECTION 2. MANDATORY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Organizational Requirements

2.2 Personnel Qualifications

2.3 Bidder Certification of Product & Services Requirements and Contract Terms

SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & SPECIFICATIONS

3.1 Mandatory Requirements

3.2 Professional Services Requirements

3.3 Operational and Administrative Service Requirements

3.4 Security

3.5 General Requirements

SECTION 4. ADMINISTRATIVE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

4.1 Period of Validity

4.2. Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise/Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business

Requirements

4.3 NYSDOL Procurement Rights

4.4 Notification of Awards

4.5 Bidder Debriefing

4.6 Bid Security

4.7 Liquidated Damages

SECTION 5. FORMAT AND CONTENT OF BID SUBMITTAL

5.1 Overview

5.2 Technical Proposal

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5.3 Cost Proposal

5.4 Administrative Proposal

SECTION 6. SUBMISSION OF BID

SECTION 7. EVALUATION CRITERIA & METHOD OF AWARD

7.1 Overview

7.2 Method of Award

7.3 Evaluation Process

7.4 Tiebreaker

SECTION 8. ATTACHMENTS & APPENDICES

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SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Definitions

“Acceptance or Accepted” shall mean a written determination by NYSDOL that a deliverable or service, including all of components thereof, satisfies all applicable acceptance criteria without increasing the agreed upon bid price. This includes successful completion of all testing, as well as demonstration that the deliverable functions and performs in accordance with all specifications and requirements set forth in the IFB.

“AG” is the abbreviation for and shall mean the New York State Office of the Attorney General.

“Agency Representative” shall mean the authorized representative of NYSDOL.

“Awarded Bidder” shall mean the selected Bidder (also referenced as Contractor) resulting from the competitive bid process with respect to this IFB.

“Best Value” shall mean the basis for awarding all service and technology Contracts to the Bidder that optimizes quality, cost, and efficiency, among responsive and responsible Bidders. See State Finance Law §163(1)(j).

“Bid” shall mean a proposal to provide products or services submitted by a Bidder in response to the

IFB.

“Bidder” shall mean those companies or individuals who submit a Bid in respond to the IFB.

“Completed Project” shall mean that the project completed in its entirety or in the case of ongoing long-term projects, a substantial portion of the Contract deliverables or requirements have been met, and no significant issues have been identified by the project customer.

“Contract” shall mean the writings that contain the agreement of NYSDOL and the Contractor setting forth the total legal obligation between the parties as determined by applicable rules of law.

“Contractor” shall mean the successful Bidder who is executes a Contract with NYSDOL as a result of this

IFB.

“CONUS” shall mean The Continental United States (the lower 48 states).

“ET” shall mean Eastern Time zone.

“FOIL” shall mean Freedom of Information Law.

“Invitation for Bid (IFB)” shall mean solicitation seeking authorized resellers of Eightfold AI Inc.

(Eightfold) or equivalent software products and services, inclusive of all Appendices and Attachments.

“ITS” shall mean the New York State Office of Information Technology Services.

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“Mandatory” shall mean the items or information that the State has deemed that a Bidder must submit as compulsory, required, and obligatory. These items or information are noted as such, or the requirements may be phrased in terms of “must”, “shall”, “will”, or “required”. Mandatory requirements must be met by the Bidder for the Bidder’s submission to be considered responsive.

“MBE” shall mean Minority Owned Business Enterprise.

“Must” denotes the imperative in a Contract clause or specification. Means required, being determinative/Mandatory, as well as imperative. Also see “Shall” and “Mandatory.”

“NYS” shall mean New York State.

“NYSDOL/The Department” shall mean the NYS Department of Labor.

“OSC” is the abbreviation for and shall mean Office of the NYS Comptroller.

“Product” shall mean items or deliverables under any solicitation or Contract and may include commodities, services, and technology.

“Responsible” shall mean a business entity that has the financial ability, legal capacity, integrity, and past performance necessary to enter into a contract with NYSDOL.

“Responsive Bidder” shall mean a Bidder that meets the specifications and requirements of this IFB, as determined by NYS Department of Labor.

“SDVOB” shall mean Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses.

“Shall” denotes the imperative in a Contract clause or specification. Means required being determinative/Mandatory, as well as imperative.

“Should” Denotes the permissive in a Contract clause or specification. Refers to items or information that the State has deemed are worthy of obtaining, but not required or obligatory (ex., desired or preferred). Also see “May”.

“Subcontractor” shall mean any individual or legal entity (including but not limited to sole-proprietor, partnership, limited liability company, firm, or corporation) who has entered into an agreement with the Contractor, express or implied, for the performance of a portion of the Contract.

“The System” shall Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) mean Statewide Workforce Lifecycle.

“UI” shall mean Unemployment Insurance.

“WBE” shall mean Woman-Owned Business Enterprise.

1.2 Key Events/Dates

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EVENT DATE TIME

IFB Release November 5, 2026

Deadline Date for Questions November 16, 2026 3:00 PM, ET

Anticipated Responses to Questions November 24, 2026

Deadline for Bid Submission December 9, 2026 3:00 PM, ET

Anticipated Notification of Award January 29, 2027

Anticipated Contract Start Date March 31, 2027

1.3 Contract Term

The term shall commence upon applicable control agencies’ approval and shall be for a period of up to five (5) years. The contract may, at the discretion of NYSDOL, be extended for one (1) additional period not to exceed twelve (12) months.

1.4 Amendments, Announcements, and Clarifications

It is the responsibility of the Bidder to check the website for any amendments, announcements, and clarifications. All applicable amendment information must be incorporated into the Bid. Failure to include this information in the Bid may result in the Bid being deemed non-responsive. All amendments, announcements, and clarifications related to this IFB will be issued on NYS Contract Reporter web page:

https://www.nyscr.ny.gov

1.5 Response to Bidder Questions and Request for Clarifications

All questions, inquiries, or clarifications concerning this IFB shall be addressed to the NYSDOL designated contact(s) whose name(s) appears under the “Designated Contact” on the cover page of this IFB. All questions should be submitted in writing, in the body of an e-mail, citing the particular IFB Section and paragraph number. Bidders should note that all clarifications are to be resolved prior to the submission of a Bid.

Questions, inquiries or requests for clarification are only accepted via email and should be submitted to the following email address with the subject line of “IFB Z-142 Questions/Inquiry”:

labor.sm.DOLPurchase.Contracts@labor.ny.gov. Bidders should bring forward terms & conditions of the IFB or Appendix GTC that would prohibit a bidder from submitting a Bid. This process may not be used to negotiate material changes to the terms & conditions, and any such material changes will not be accepted by NYSDOL. Answers to all questions of a substantive nature will be given to all Bidders, which will be annexed to and become part of the Contract. See Section 1.2 for deadline to submit questions.

Responses to Bidder questions, inquiries, and requests for clarifications will also be posted on NYS Contract Reporter website: https://www.nyscr.ny.gov

1.6 Description of NYSDOL

NYSDOL is NYS’s primary advocate for job creation and economic growth through workforce development. NYSDOL administers NYS’s UI system and labor exchange system to connect job seekers with employers and build a workforce that helps New York’s businesses compete in today’s global economy. NYSDOL also oversees state worker protection programs, including enforcement of safety and health regulations in the public sector, state labor laws and federal statutes related to working conditions, wages and hours, and laws related to Public Work. NYSDOL serves as NYS’s principal source https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/ mailto:labor.sm.DOLPurchase.Contracts@labor.ny.gov https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 6 for labor market information and offers a variety of services designed to help businesses find workers and people find jobs. Additional information regarding NYSDOL can be found at https://dol.ny.gov.

1.7 Background Information

The NYSDOL Office of Workforce Development is the source for workforce information and system-building support in NYS. It provides policy leadership, program direction, and administrative oversight for the integrated workforce investment system under the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).

The workforce system supports economic growth and barrier-free access to programs and services for adults, dislocated workers, youth, and special populations. Through targeted investments in industry sector and transformational strategies, regional initiatives, and a customer-focused alignment of goals and resources, NYSDOL is committed to promoting a strong economy by building a prepared and competitive workforce.

NYSDOL has 95 Career Centers, in thirty-three (33) local Workforce Investment Areas and all ten (10) Regional Economic Development areas.

NYSDOL is undertaking its largest infrastructure investments in a generation, with projects representing a build spanning ten (10) to twenty (20) years. These projects require a comprehensive system to track workforce needs, availability, and placement across their full lifecycle. Currently, various stakeholders maintain their own visibility into relevant data, including but not limited to: member availability, apprenticeship graduation timelines, community relationships, and construction schedules, respectively.

None of these sources of information currently communicate with each other in a structured, ongoing way, and none of them connect back to schools and training providers who require years of lead time.

This lack of integration leaves NYS reacting to labor shortages as they surface rather than anticipating the shortages years in advance and training them.

The current environment also presents several operational challenges, including high-volume frontline schedules for career center staff, who must balance numerous tasks like documentation, compliance, customer follow-up, and data entry. There is a limited margin for delays, meaning even small system inefficiencies can impact staff capacity and customer experience. A significant issue is the reliance on manual workarounds when technology is slow, fragmented, or unreliable, which reduces time available for individualized coaching and job matching.

The current workforce system environment is characterized by limited integration across core systems, forcing staff to move between multiple tools with separate data structures, leading to inconsistent information and uncertainty about data accuracy. This fragmentation results in redundant and repetitive data entry across various platforms, increasing the administrative burden and taking time away from direct customer support. Furthermore, the absence of autosave functionality creates a risk of data loss, leading staff to adopt protective workarounds such as documenting information externally. The non-intuitive user experience and interface design makes navigation difficult and workflows confusing, contributing to "context switching" which disrupts interactions with customers. Limited data validation and error prevention controls mean users often receive vague error messages, leading to inefficient troubleshooting and potential compliance issues. Finally, reporting is manual and time-consuming, as https://dol.ny.gov/

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 7 data must be manually pulled from multiple systems and often requires significant cleanup to meet prescriptive federal requirements.

1.8 Purpose

NYSDOL is issuing this Invitation for Bids (IFB) to seek Bids from responsive and responsible Bidders who are authorized to resell or are actively in the process of becoming an authorized reseller of Eightfold AI Inc. (Eightfold) or an equivalent software products and services. The products and services obtained through this IFB will be used for the implementation and maintenance of NYS Builds – a statewide workforce lifecycle tracking system for infrastructure projects. The system will be designed to manage the entire arc of major infrastructure builds, starting with a single pilot project.

For purposes of this IFB, "or equivalent" is defined as meaning any other software product or service which, in the sole opinion of NYSDOL, is equal in performance, form, function, utility, quality, and design in such a way that the software product or service is directly interchangeable with the referenced Eightfold product or service being compared to, without modification or customization.

The resulting contract will provide the necessary products and services to address the challenge that no existing system currently tracks workforce need, availability, and placement over the full life of projects of this size or connects that need to the training pipeline years before the need arises. The core premise is to bring employers, NYS, and job seekers (union, community & local etc.) into one shared view of labor demand and supply, rather than tracking each in separate systems. NY Builds is envisioned as a holistic talent management solution to proactively manage the workforce for NYS's major infrastructure projects, ensuring a skilled labor force is available when needed and providing a clear path for job seekers from initial application through continuous development.

NYSDOL will purchase items off the contract resulting from this IFB on an as-needed basis. The quantities within the financial proposal are estimates and do not represent a guarantee of any particular level of purchases.

The Contract resulting from this IFB shall be an estimated quantity Contract. No specific quantities are represented or guaranteed, and the NYS provides no guarantee of utilization. The Contractor must furnish all quantities actually ordered at or below the Contract prices. The actual value of the resultant Contract is indeterminate and will depend upon the utilization of the resulting Contract.

1.9 NYS Vendor File Registration

Prior to being awarded a contract pursuant to this IFB, the Bidder(s) and any designated authorized resellers who accept payment directly from the NYS, must be registered in the NYS Vendor File (Vendor File) administered by OSC. This is a central registry for all vendors who do business with NYS Agencies and the registration must be initiated by a NYS Agency. Following the initial registration, unique NYS ten-digit vendor identification numbers will be assigned to your company and to each of your authorized resellers (if any) for usage on all future transactions with NYS. Additionally, the Vendor File enables vendors to use the Vendor Self-Service application to manage all vendor information in one central location for all transactions related to NYS.

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If Bidder is already registered in the NYS Vendor File, list the ten-digit vendor ID number on the first page of this bid document. Authorized resellers already registered should list the ten-digit vendor ID number along with the authorized reseller information.

If the Bidder is not currently registered in the Vendor File, complete the enclosed OSC Substitute W-9 Form and submit it with your bid. In addition, if authorized resellers are to be used, an OSC Substitute W-9 form should be completed by each of the designated authorized resellers and submitted to NYSDOL. NYSDOL will initiate the vendor registration process for all Bidders recommended for Contract Award and their authorized resellers. Once the process is initiated, registrants will receive an email from OSC that includes the unique ten-digit vendor identification number assigned to the company and instructions on how to enroll in the online Vendor Self-Service application.

For more information on the vendor file please visit the following website:

http://www.osc.state.ny.us/vendor_management/ http://www.osc.state.ny.us/vendor_management/

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SECTION 2. MANDATORY ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

The Bidder must meet the following minimum qualifications to be eligible to bid. The Bidder shall submit the information listed below to provide satisfactory evidence that it has adequate experience, resources, and organization to provide and perform the type, magnitude, and quality of the specified services. Bidders are advised that the NYS's intent in having these requirements is to ensure that only a qualified and reliable Contractor performs the work of the resulting Contract. Any Bidder failing to submit in whole or in part, adequate justification attesting to its qualifications may result the Bid being considered non-responsive.

The successful bidder shall perform all services under this contract in a professional manner and in accordance with the highest standards recognized within the workforce management industry.

2.1 Organizational Requirements

The Bidder must, at time of Bid submission, be a NYS certified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business. The Bidder must represent and warrant that their organization possesses adequate staffing resources, financial resources, and organizational capacity to perform the type, magnitude, and quality of work specified in Section 3 of IFB Z-142. At the time of Bid submission, the Bidder must be authorized to reseller of, or be actively involved in the process of becoming an authorized reseller of, Eightfold or equivalent software products and services and the Eightfold or equivalent products being proposed by the Bidder must already support single sign-on via the NY.GOV Authentication System. If the Bidder is in the process of becoming an authorized reseller of Eightfold or equivalent software products and services, at the time of bid submission, the Bidder must have completed the process, and they must be an authorized reseller Eightfold or equivalent software products and services at the time of tentative award.

If the Bidder plans on using Subcontractor(s) to complete assignments, the Bidder must provide proof the Subcontractor(s) is authorized to do business in NYS, include a letter of agreement from each subcontractor that they have read the IFB, agree to subcontract with the Bidder if the contract is awarded to the Bidder, and agrees to the IFB requirements. The Bidder shall certify this information on Attachment 2 - Bidder Certified Statements.

2.2 Personnel Qualifications

The Bidder must be able to assign proposed team members depending on the scope of work (SOW) identified and approved by NYSDOL. All Contractor employees, Subcontractors, or agents performing Professional Services work under this Contract must be trained professional service providers who meet or exceed the technical and training qualifications set forth in IFB Z-142. The Bidder must have the ability and willingness to adjust the Project Team size (increase and/or decrease) to accommodate changes in workload and funding. Bidders must certify that all proposed team members have been interviewed, have had references checked, and all such interviews and reference checks have been documented. NYSDOL reserves the right to request this documentation at any time either during the evaluation process or during the term of the Contract as well as the right to require the replacement of any team member. The Bidder must be willing to involve the members of the Project Team that are deemed necessary by NYSDOL in meetings with NYSDOL staff as necessary. The Bidder shall certify this information on Attachment 2 - Bidder Certified Statements.

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2.3 Bidder Certification of Product & Services Requirements and Contract Terms

Bidders must submit Attachment 2 - Bidder Certified Statements, documenting that they are able to provide and perform all required goods and services as described within the IFB, meet the minimum experience requirements of this Section, and is willing to enter into a Contract substantially in accordance with the terms of Appendix GTC - Contract General Terms and Conditions, and the IFB should the Bidder be selected for contract award.

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SECTION 3. SCOPE OF WORK & SPECIFICATIONS

3.1 Mandatory Requirements

The contracted products and services to implement and maintain NY Builds must have FedRAMP Moderate authorization status and be built within an AI-native solution where artificial intelligence is not merely an integrated feature, but the foundational architecture without which the core technology cannot function or deliver its primary use case.

System Components and Subscription Services Requirements Under the direction of NYSDOL, the contractor must provide Eightfold or equivalent subscription services selected by NYSDOL, which must include the following Eightfold products or equivalent products designed to support the NY Builds vision:

A. Workforce Exchange Economic Engine o A single AI-powered platform for planning and building the workforce that major infrastructure projects depend upon.

B. Workforce Tracking Solution o Centralizes every participant, program, and outcome in the state's workforce system into one AI-powered workforce tracking platform.

C. Elevate Plus Support and Maintenance o Technical expertise and guidance on best practices.

D. GovCloud Hosting o Secure hosting services.

The Workforce Exchange Economic Engine, Workforce Tracking Solution, Elevate Plus Support and Maintenance, and GovCloud Hosting products must be designed to support the overall requirements below:

1. Matching, Sourcing, and Workforce Supply o The System must include a matching engine that tracks the available unionized building trades workforce and apprenticeship pipeline and matches individuals to open jobs. The engine must also identify workers who are close to qualifying for a trade or role but are missing a specific credential or training step, and direct them to the training needed to close that gap.

o The System must support a structured hiring sequence that governs how job orders are filled, respecting Project Labor Agreements (PLAs), existing union relationships, and community hiring needs. The sequence must cover union referrals, local sourcing through community partners, and broader sourcing if needed.

o The System must provide workforce supply tracking, with ongoing visibility into the unionized building trades workforce and apprenticeship graduation timelines, developed in coordination with building trades councils.

o The System must integrate with labor market data, including NYSDOL's existing data, and with community hiring partners to support matching and local sourcing.

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2. Predictive Workforce Planning o The System must include a predictive layer that connects future labor needs to today's training pipeline and projects requirements (for example, 100 electricians by 2034). This layer must identify gaps and point workers to the credentials or training needed to fill them.

3. Employer and Job Order Management o The System must support job order intake from employers, builders, and subcontractors, specifying trade, skill level, phase, and timeline, from multiple channels.

o The portal must let employers register, manage profiles, post and manage job openings, search candidates, and view program benefits and tax incentives. The System must detect and prevent duplicate employer records and support end-to-end engagement, including candidate matching, referral tracking, and outcome monitoring.

4. Training Providers and Credentials o The System must capture and track traditional and non-traditional training and educational providers, including direct entry programs, pre-apprenticeship programs, readiness programs, and state and local educational institutions. It must track their programs, courses, certifications, and curricula, and use that information to identify skills gaps among job seekers, recommend training, and identify potential talent by comparing job seeker profiles with current and projected job requirements.

o The System must record and track achievement of credentials, including licenses and certificates, within program-specified time frames.

5. Union and Apprenticeship Support o The System must let unions and apprenticeship support identify job seekers who meet union-specific screening criteria and identify candidates for registered apprenticeship programs based on related instruction requirements, qualifications, and training pathways.

It must also support each union or apprenticeship support's established evaluation process after a candidate is identified or referred, including recording, tracking, and managing evaluation steps, outcomes, and follow-up.

6. Customer Assessment, Planning, and Workforce Tracking o The System must let internal users and individuals conduct, document, and track a variety of assessments (initial, comprehensive, common, and program-specific) to guide planning, identify employment barriers, and shape pathways to employment.

o The System must let Career Counselors record an initial assessment on another counselor's assigned case for walk-in customers, reducing repeat visits.

o When a plan is developed, the System must draw on existing information, including documented assessments, training data, previous plans, and other programs' plans.

o The portal must let customers and Career Counselors collaborate on shared, flexible digital Career Action Plans, replacing paper-based workflows.

o The System must automatically record employment and training plan dates, including creation, modification, and exit dates, per business rules.

o The System must let Career Center staff assign tasks to customers in the portal to prompt action, reducing manual outreach.

o The System must automatically notify users of scheduled and upcoming appointments, and let internal users document outcomes such as attended, cancelled, or rescheduled in one place.

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 13 o The System must automatically alert internal users to contact an individual per business rules (for example, 30, 60, and 90-day follow-ups, or no service or activity), enabling proactive workforce tracking.

o The System must let users set due dates and lead times for tasks, automatically or manually, and remind internal users of approaching deadlines.

o The System must track a customer's full-service history, including all programs, services, activities, meetings, and events, without manual review.

o The System must capture program exits for each enrolled program and a common exit for individuals served by multiple programs, per business rules.

o The System must let internal users print individual case files and screens for federal audits.

7. Supportive Services and Community Referrals o The System must track supportive services provided to customers, including childcare, transportation, etc. and must support referrals to community organizations. Staff must be able to confirm that each referral was received, that the service was delivered, and that the outcome was recorded, so barriers to employment are resolved and not just referred.

8. Public Portal and Customer Experience o The System must provide a public-facing portal where any New Yorker, whether an experienced tradesperson, an apprentice, or someone new to construction, can create a profile, see current and projected job openings, and express interest in roles.

o The portal must be mobile-enabled with a responsive layout across devices and browsers.

o The portal must support English and the top sixteen most requested translated languages to ensure an accessible and inclusive experience for all users. The top sixteen most requested languages are: Albanian, Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Greek, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Urdu, and Yiddish.

9. Partner Access and Use o The System must provide secure, role-based access for the full range of NY Builds partners, including NYSDOL grantees and training providers; businesses and employers, including project builders and contractors; Empire State Development (“ESD”) and ON-RAMP workforce centers; educational institutions, including the State University of New York (“SUNY”), City University of New York (“CUNY”), and Boards of Cooperative Education Services of New York (“BOCES”), and technical schools; labor unions and building trades organizations; community-based organizations; and other NYS agencies.

o Access must be configurable by partner type, so each partner sees only the data and functions appropriate to its role and legal authority.

o The System must provide partner-specific dashboards and reports that help each group act on the data, such as workforce demand projections for educational institutions, hiring pipeline status for builders, and outcome reporting for grantees. These views extend the employer, union, and training provider functions described above to all NY Builds partners.

o The System must allow authorized partners to submit data into the System where appropriate, such as job orders, training enrollments, and completions.

10. Staff Experience and Workflow o The System must provide a unified Customer 360 view that consolidates case history, notes, documents, referrals, and activity across connected workforce systems into one staff view.

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 14 o The System must support configurable program workflows, including program-specific steps, forms, validations, eligibility rules, and applications (for apprenticeships and re-entry programs, for example), without vendor code changes.

o The System must enforce automated data validation, with clearly marked required fields, field-level guidance, and clear error messages. It must support structured validation for activities such as work searches and alert the right people to data quality issues for correction.

o The System must synchronize data across connected workforce systems so an update in one module appears in others without re-entry, and let users move between modules, including document acknowledgement and job search tools, without rebuilding context.

o The System must maintain stable performance and continuity of operations during outages or degraded conditions, autosave user-entered information, and support draft recovery after interruptions.

11. Wage Data Ingestion and Outcome Measurement o The System must ingest quarterly Unemployment Insurance (UI) wage record data submitted by New York employers, supporting both an initial historical load and recurring quarterly updates.

o The System must ingest enhanced wage record data, including occupation, work location, and hours worked, as NYSDOL begins collecting those fields, without requiring a redesign of the data model.

o The System must validate incoming wage data, report errors, and match wage records to individuals, employers, training participation, and NY Builds project activity.

o The System must use matched wage data to measure employment outcomes, including job placement, retention, wage growth, and occupational progression, and must feed those outcomes into the predictive workforce planning layer and the reporting functions below.

12. Reporting o The System must provide real-time dashboards showing key performance indicators, operational metrics, and service delivery, with configurable program-specific views at statewide and local levels. Users must be able to build ad hoc queries and reports through an intuitive interface.

o The System must support all reporting required under NYSDOL’s federal workforce grants, including Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title I, Wagner-Peyser, and discretionary U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) grants.

o The System must produce participant data in federally required formats, including the Participant Individual Record Layout (PIRL), and support preparation of required reports such as the ETA-9169 and quarterly grant performance reports.

o The System must track the data elements needed to calculate federal performance measures, including employment rates in the second and fourth quarters after exit, median earnings, credential attainment, and measurable skill gains.

o NYSDOL must be able to update federal reporting logic and formats through configuration as USDOL requirements change, without a custom development request for each change.

o In addition to the data validation required above, the System must run pre-submission quality checks that flag missing, inconsistent, or out-of-range records before federal reports are finalized.

13. Integration, Security, and Hosting

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 15 o The System must support and use secure, documented APIs to exchange data in real time with NYSDOL systems, including the Unemployment Insurance (UI) system, workforce systems, labor market information systems, and certified payroll and prevailing wage data, and with other third-party systems, reducing duplicate data entry and allowing new integrations without custom rebuilds or additional licensing.

o Where a connected system cannot support real-time exchange, the System must support secure, approved batch file exchange (for example, SFTP transfer of CSV, JSON, or XML files).

o The System must provide enterprise-level security and privacy for sensitive workforce data.

All NYS data ingested must be hosted and maintained within CONUS.

3.2 Professional Services Requirements

The following professional services requirements must be met by the Contractor:

A. Duties and Responsibilities The Awarded Contractor shall provide Eightfold or equivalent Professional Services for the implementation, configuration, and ongoing support of the NY Builds system. This includes:

o Assistance to establish a full range of additions, modifications, customizations, and enhancements to design and implement the statewide workforce lifecycle tracking system.

o Functional consulting and systems integration services relating to the implementation or configuration of the selected subscription services.

B. Change Management and Training o The Contractor must develop and carry out a change management plan that prepares

NYSDOL staff and partners for the new System. The plan must cover communications, stakeholder engagement, readiness assessments, and strategies to address resistance to change, and must account for the frontline workload pressures on career center staff described in Section 1.7 – Background Information.

o The Contractor must deliver a train-the-trainer program that builds a core group of NYSDOL staff able to train others during the contract.

o The Contractor must train career center staff and central office staff on System use, tailored to each group’s role and daily work.

o The Contractor must provide training for external partner users as appropriate.

o Training must be offered in multiple formats, including in-person sessions, live virtual sessions, recorded modules, and quick reference guides.

o All training materials become the property of NYSDOL and must be delivered in editable formats.

o The Contractor must measure training effectiveness and adjust its approach based on the results.

C. Knowledge Transfer and Transition o The Contractor must carry out a structured knowledge transfer program throughout the contract term, not only at the end. Activities must include job shadowing, paired work sessions, system walkthroughs, and hands-on exercises with NYSDOL and ITS staff.

o The Contractor must provide complete documentation, including system architecture, data models and data dictionaries, integration specifications, configuration settings, administrator and user manuals, and operating procedures. Documentation must be kept current with each release and delivered in editable formats.

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 16 o The Contractor must submit a transition plan within the first year of the contract describing how NYSDOL, or a successor vendor, will assume operation of the System, and must update the plan as the System changes.

o At contract expiration or termination, the Contractor must support an orderly transition of operations so that NYSDOL can run and maintain the System without dependence on the Contractor.

o At the expiration of the contract, the Contractor must provide NYSDOL with a copy of the data, including metadata and attachments, readily available, commercially standard format.

Thereafter, except for data required to be maintained by law, the Parties’ Business Associate Agreement, or this Agreement, Contractor shall destroy data from its systems and wipe all its data storage devices to eliminate all data from Contractor's systems. The sanitization process must comply with NYS Security Policy NYS-S13-003. If immediate purging of all data storage components is not possible, the Contractor will certify that any data remaining in any storage component will be safeguarded to prevent unauthorized disclosures. Contractor must then certify to NYSDOL, in writing, that it has complied with the provisions of this paragraph.

o NYSDOL may withhold a portion of the final payment until transition Deliverables are accepted, as set out in the applicable SOW.

D. Hourly Professional Services

As described in the IFB, such services will cover activities such as installation, implementation, systems integration, design, architecture, customization, project management, change management, training, knowledge transfer, ongoing support, maintenance, general systems/business consulting, systems programming, business continuity, and other information technology related services.

o Skill Descriptions: These shall be as described in the IFB and in Contractor's Bid and revised by mutual agreement of the Parties in any SOW.

E. Deliverable-Based Professional Services

The time frame for completion of a specific Deliverable, for Deliverable acceptance testing criteria, and for review and approval of any particular Deliverable in a specific Deliverables-based engagement may be further described and modified in a particular Statement of Work (SOW). The Parties agree that a SOW may also provide terms relating to NYSDOL’s right to withhold retainage or payment for non-performance that vary from any withholding terms stated elsewhere in this Contract. A Deliverable based payment structure, acceptable to the Department, will be detailed in the SOW.

3.3 Operational and Administrative Service Requirements

The Contractor shall be responsible for completing the following operation and administrative service requirements:

o Staffing Requirements: The Bidder must designate a single account executive (“Project

Manager”) accountable to NYS and responsible for ensuring that the needs of NYS are met, including coordinating activities with NYSDOL and resolving contractual or administrative issues.

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 17 o Key Staff: The Bidder must maintain an organization of sufficient size with staff that possess the necessary skills and experience to administer, manage, and oversee all aspects of the Project.

Key Staff must be experienced, accessible, and able to provide timely responses, notify NYS of project impacts, offer advice and recommendations, and ensure compliance with all legislative and statutory requirements.

o Response Window: Provide timely responses within one (1) business day to administrative concerns and inquiries posed by the Department.

3.4 Security

The Bidder, all products and services procured through the resulting contract, and all associated support processes and procedures must comply with New York State Information Security Policy and associated standards, and all applicable federal and state laws and regulations concerning data security and personal privacy protection. Throughout the lifetime of the contract, the Contractor shall be responsible for maintaining all NYS integrated data in a secure and confidential manner, and all NYS Data must be hosted and maintained within CONUS. Per New York State policy, prior to implementation, a security risk assessment will be conducted with a separate AI assessment done for any product or service utilizing Artificial Intelligence.

All Contractor technical staff who need to access New York State Office of Information Technology Services (ITS) supported IT resources, to manage IT resources, administer services, configure cloud environments or products, develop code, or access/view data, or integrate with NYS managed products, must complete all ITS established onboarding procedures including background checks and mandatory trainings. Contractors are solely responsible for all associated onboarding costs. These technical Contractor staff will operate under ITS supervision and be required to follow all applicable ITS policies and procedures.

The Bidder must protect UI data, which may include wage data, and other confidential unemployment compensation information in compliance with 20 CFR Part 603 and NYS Labor Law Section 537.

Individual-level wage data must not be disclosed to external partners unless permitted by law and covered by an executed data sharing agreement with NYSDOL. Partner-facing outputs must otherwise use aggregated or de-identified data, with suppression of small cell sizes.

The System must meet ITS security policies and standards, align with NIST SP 800-53 controls, and maintain complete audit logs of user access and data use. NYSDOL retains full ownership of all data in the System.

3.5 Enhancements and Modifications: Change Requests and Travel Authorizations

Change Requests may be used for enhancements or modifications that had neither (i) been included in the Project Services identified in this IFB, nor (ii) been included in the Proposal, but which pertain to the scope of this IFB. Total cost of any Change Requests, including travel expenses, will be limited to 10% of the not-to-exceed amount of the Contract. Work on any proposed change request or travel arrangements must not commence until any such is approved by the Department. In addition, any one Change Request or Travel arrangements over $50,000 requires prior approval by OSC.

https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fits.ny.gov%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Fdocuments%2F2025%2F02%2Fnys-p03-002-information-security_1.pdf&data=05%7C02%7CPatricia.Lohrer-Lefebvre%40labor.ny.gov%7C1bdc618bacbf4d67624208de8b7b3178%7Cf46cb8ea79004d108ceb80e8c1c81ee7%7C0%7C0%7C639101558383843123%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=N%2BMQPEtSytod%2FdjbqVYKFzGbOWUGU1nQUpQHIF9H%2BqA%3D&reserved=0

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 18

3.6 General Requirements

A. Prospective bidders should note that the resulting contract from this IFB is governed by Appendix A - Standard Clauses for New York State Contracts.

B. It is the Contractor's responsibility to maintain the equipment and materials provided for the work consistent with applicable safety and health codes.

C. NYSDOL’s interpretation of specifications shall be final and binding upon the Contractor.

D. Prior to Starting Work: The Contractor will have an initial kick-off meeting with NYSDOL after a contract is awarded and approved by control agencies.

IFB Z-142, Statewide Workforce Lifecycle Tracking System for Infrastructure Projects (NY Builds) P a g e | 19

SECTION 4. ADMINISTRATIVE TERMS AND CONDITIONS

In addition to the terms and conditions set forth in Appendix A, “Standard Clauses for New York State Contracts” and Attachment GTC, “Terms and Conditions,” the following Terms and Conditions apply to all Bidders responding to this IFB.

4.1 Period of Validity

Each Bid must include a statement as to the period during which the provisions (including cost) of its Bid will remain valid. A minimum of one hundred and eighty (180) days from the Deadline for Receipt of Bids is required.

4.2. Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise/Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Requirements

Contractor Requirements and Procedures for Participation by…