ITN-2541 Addendum 1 7-11-25.pdf

DATE: July 11, 2025

SOLICITATION NUMBER: FDLE ITN 2541

SOLICITATION TITLE: Textbook Production Services

REPLY OPENING: August 5, 2025, 3:00 PM ET

ADDENDA NUMBER: 1

This addendum serves as notice of responses to questions received from potential Vendors relevant to the Invitation to Negotiate (ITN) and amended pages from the original ITN document.

Remove: Page 16 of the June 13, 2025, Invitation to Negotiation document.

Attachment K, Price Reply Sheet of the June 13, 2025, Invitation to Negotiation attachments.

Insert: Attached page 16 of the Invitation to Negotiation document marked amended (July 11, 2025).

Attachment K, Price Reply Sheet Addendum 1 of the Invitation to Negotiation attachment marked amended (July 11, 2025).

All other terms and conditions of the ITN remain unchanged.

THIS ADDENDUM NOW BECOMES PART OF YOUR PROPOSAL RESPONSE.

THE ADDENDA ACKNOWLEDGEMENT FORM SHALL BE SIGNED BY AN AUTHORIZED COMPANY REPRESENTATIVE, DATED AND RETURNED WITH THE BID RESPONSE.

ADDENDA ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

COMPANY NAME:

ADDRESS:

CITY: STATE: ZIP:

AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE: TITLE:

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE:

PHONE: EMAIL:

FAILURE TO FILE A PROTEST WITHIN THE TIME PRESCRIBED IN FLORIDA STATUTE 120.57(3) OR FAILURE

TO FILE A BOND OR OTHER SECURITY WITHIN THE TIME ALLOWED FOR FILING A BOND SHALL

CONSTITUTE A WAIVER OF PROCEEDINGS UNDER CHAPTER 120 FLORIDA STATUTES.

Question # ITN Section ITN Page # Question FDLE Answers

1 1.1 3 Is it the intention of FDLE to manage distribution directly to the training centers, or is the expectation that the vendor will handle electronic distribution directly to the agencies?

FDLE will manage the distribution of all finalized digital e-Books to the training centers. The vendor is only responsible for producing the approved digital files.

2 1.1 3

Would the awarded vendor be permitted to sell physical hard copies or enhanced digital formats (such as eBooks or mobile app access) directly to Florida law enforcement agencies or Other Eligible Users (OEUs) that may wish to purchase these materials independently?

No. This ITN is strictly for digital production services. FDLE is not seeking publishing or sales services, and Contractors will not be permitted to distribute or sell materials independently. Related value-added pricing lines are being removed from the Price Reply (Attachment K).

3 Attachment H 44

In reference to Attachment H – Scope of Work, Section 1.4.1 (Content Submission and Layout), can you clarify whether the awarded vendor will be permitted to include attribution or company information in the front matter or on the title page?

No. Attribution or company branding is not permitted in the front matter or on the title page.

4 Attachment K 46 Is it FDLE’s expectation that the fee outlined in Attachment K covers distribution to both FDLE and all OEUs statewide?

No. This ITN is strictly for digital production services. FDLE is not seeking publishing or sales services, and vendors will not be permitted to distribute or sell materials independently. Related value-added pricing lines are being removed from the Price Reply (Attachment K).

5 Attachment K 46

Attachment K – Optional Pricing includes a line item for Digital Accessibility Compliance. Should vendors interpret this as Section 508 Compliance? Additionally, since there is a cost difference, should pricing assume that this request, if selected, would be made prior to composition?

Digital Accessibility Compliance in this context refers to usability features such as searchable text, clear navigation, and basic structural tagging for screen compatibility, rather than full Section 508 or ADA compliance. Since recruits must meet physical qualifications under Section 943.13, F.S., ADA-specific accommodations, such as audio description or Braille, are not applicable.

6 1.1 3 What exactly are we bidding on, what exactly are your needs?

Contractors are bidding on textbook production services for formatting and layout of FDLE Basic Recruit Training textbooks, primarily in PDF format, as outlined in the ITN and Scope of Work (Attachment H).

7 1.1 3 What is meant by "textbooks that can be distributed digitally"? Who would be doing the distribution?

“Textbooks that can be distributed digitally” refers to finalized e- Books (PDFs) that FDLE will disseminate directly to training centers. The vendor will not be responsible for distribution.

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8 1.1 3

Section 1.1 mentions "The TCDA does not require robust eBooks and would prefer simple, print-ready PDFs." If the Contractor is truly only providing the formatting and distribution of the PDF, what is stopping the training centers from only ordering 1 copy and then distributing to all students?

Training centers will receive the digital files directly from FDLE.

Distribution of those materials is governed by FDLE policy. This ITN does not involve sales or order-based fulfillment.

9 1.1/3.1.19 15-Mar

If training centers still want a print option available for students, would the Contractor be able to offer that as an option for sale? Would this then be listed in the "Value- Added Features or Enhancement" portion of Volume One:

Sealed Technical Reply Submission, Tab 5? If not, when or how could this option be discussed?

No. This ITN does not include publishing or printing services.

Training centers are responsible for obtaining printed copies if needed. The related value-added publishing references are being removed from Attachment K.

10 3.1.19 15 With the submission of Volume One, do the six (6) electronic responses need to be loaded onto six (6) SEPERATE USB drives or a single USB drive?

Six (6) separate USB drives are required, each containing the complete Volume One submission.

11 3.1.19 15

Under the specifications for Volume One of the submission, it says there needs to be "one (1) REDACTED" hard copy in the submission envelope "as described in Section 3.1.19" but in that section there is no information on what a "redacted" hard copy entails. How does the redacted copy need to be formatted? Can it just have a water marked "redacted" image across each page?

See Section 3.1.23 Respondent's Duties to Assert Exemption from Disclosure as a Public Record. No. The redacted copy must physically redact (black out or remove) any confidential or proprietary information. A watermark is not sufficient.

12 1.9 7

The procurement officer's phone number was listed on the website solicitation, if we have questions and call this number, is that grounds for disqualification? Would providing a transcript of a call be enough documentation to allow a call?

The Procurement Officer is the sole point of contact for this solicitation and may assist with any questions regarding the ITN.

Contacting the Procurement Officer is not grounds for disqualification. However, all questions must be submitted in writing by email to receive an official response from FDLE. Only general instructional or process-related questions may be addressed outside of the formal Q&A period.

13 3.1.7 12

If Kendall Hunt has worked with FDLE as a contractor previously, due to the buyout of the previous contractor, are we already registered in the MyFloridaMarketPlace system or will be still need to register as a new vendor?

If the legal entity or FEID has changed, a new registration may be required. Please verify your current status in the MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Information Portal.

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14 3.1.3 10

If we have questions after these questions are answered, can we submit more questions? What about if we have questions that pop up after the designated question and answer period?

After the designated Q&A period has closed, Respondents may still contact the Procurement Officer with general instructional or process-related questions. However, any questions seeking clarification of ITN content or requirements must be submitted before the Q&A deadline in order to receive an official response. FDLE cannot provide substantive answers or issue addenda after the published Q&A cutoff.

15 3.1.19 (Att K) 15

In Attachment K, what is meant in the "Unit" column by "per book"? This also relates to earlier questions 1-3. It would be impossible to price per unit (or "per book") if we do not know approximately how many units would sell.

“Per book” refers to the formatting and digital production of a complete textbook. The publishing-related unit pricing lines are being removed.

16 3.1.19 (Att K) 15 In Attachment K, FDLE only wants a digital product?

Meaning costs for printing and shipping should NOT be included?

Correct. FDLE is only seeking digital production. Contractors should not include printing or shipping costs.

17 3.1.19 (Att K) 15 In Attachment K, if the Contractor's market costs change, are the prices able to be amended in the future with each year/renewal of the contract?

FDLE seeks to establish as firm, fixed-price contract. Any proposed pricing adjustments for the intial contract term or renewal periods must be included in the Respondent's submitted cost reply. FDLE will not entertain price increases during the term of the contract unless they were clearly identified and agreed upon as part of the awarded contract, including any renewal options.

18 3.1.19 (Att K) 15 In Attachment K, what is meant by "Contingency Planning"?

This refers to the Contractor’s plan for addressing potential disruptions, such as staffing issues, technology failures, or schedule delays, to ensure timely delivery.

19 3.1.19 (Att K) 15 In Attachment K, what "Training and Documentation" is FDLE looking for?

Any procedural documentation related to production, layout specifications, or file submission. FDLE is not requesting end-user training.

20 Attachment L Item 5, pg 11-13

The draft contract has sections specifying "Transportation and Delivery" and "Packaging". Does this mean FDLE does wants print services? This relates to questions 1-4 and 11 above.

No. FDLE does not want print services under this ITN. Those sections are part of FDLE’s standard contract boilerplate but are not applicable to this digital-only solicitation.

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Does FDLE provide any previous files for designer review, or should these textbooks be treated as a first edition?

FDLE does not have InDesign files for previous editions. For the purposes of the ITN, please treat this as a first edition. If the vendor is selected, FDLE can provide PDFs of earlier editions for reference.

Are there any branding guidelines or existing FDLE style guides to be considered when developing a design system for the books?

FDLE will provide the awarded Contractor with a template if necessary.

Will a sample of the final Word docs be available for assessment prior to manuscript delivery?

The question, as submitted, is unclear. No response can be provided.

Could you clarify the workflow for indexing? Specifically, at what point and in what manner will index entries be provided to the designer? Will the designer play a role in developing this workflow?

The index entries will be provided along with the rest of the Word documents for each textbook. It will be up to the designer to organize their workflow and ensure that the final PDF has a functioning index with the correct page numbers listed for each entry.

Will all illustrations, images, and diagrams be delivered as high-resolution, print-ready files, or will the design vendor be responsible for image prep?

FDLE will provide images, illustration, diagrams, etc., as high-resolution, print-ready files when possible. Note: Some of our images are below 300 DPI when scaled at certain sizes (meaning, the effective DPI at final print size), which means they are technically not “print-ready,” but image resolution quality will not be a priority for the PDFs. The exception will be our High Liability textbook, which has high-resolution images for each chapter.

26 How is image placement being noted in the manuscript?

Suggested image placement is recommended in brackets within the manuscript. However, the designer will need to use their design skills to determine the best placement of all elements on each page, including any images.

Is there a standard file naming convention established for figures? Will the design vendor be included in developing this workflow?

FDLE has each image file numbered sequentially and ensures that the file name matches the information provided in the brackets in the Word documents.

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Are there any specific requirements for the final PDF outputs regarding color mode (e.g., CMYK, full color, grayscale), bleed settings, or standards (such as PDF/X specifications) beyond “print-ready” PDFs?

The final PDFs should be in gray scale, but the vendor will be responsible for setting the optimal bleed settings and standards that would work for most printers. FDLE does not know what specific printers each training center might use, so we cannot make recommendations beyond "print-ready." For our purposes, the PDFs should be fully editable when we receive them from the vendor. The table of contents entries should have working links to pages. We should receive both the full resolution PDFs (uncompressed) and a compressed web-ready version that meets our file size upload limit requirements (past 23 or 25 MB our website runs into difficulties). The compressed versions should also still be high quality enough to print.

What are the final PDF metadata and accessibility requirements, if any?

At this time, FDLE does not have requirements for either PDF metadata or accessibilty.

Is there one lead contact for the project acting as decision maker?

Yes, FDLE will have one project lead acting as the decision-maker and main point of contatct for the vendor throughout the layout process.

What is the expected method for proof delivery and review?

For example, will feedback be consolidated by a single project lead, provided via digital markup (e.g., Adobe Acrobat comments), or delivered through another medium?

Will the design vendor be included in developing this workflow?

FDLE usually uses the comment feature in Adobe Acrobat to leave comments for the designer. This topic may be revisited during the negotiation phase with selected Respondents.

Is there a specified file-sharing platform or secure transfer method (e.g., FTP, cloud portal) that FDLE requires vendors to use for submitting drafts and final files?

FDLE would prefer a secure FTP site, but does not have a specific platform. This topic may be revisited during the negotiation phase with selected Respondents.

Is a sole proprietor or single-member LLC eligible to contract directly?

Yes, provided the entity is properly registered in MyFloridaMarketPlace and meets all other eligibility and insurance requirements under Florida Law and the ITN.

What is the preferred invoicing schedule (per milestone, monthly, per book)?

Payment is typically made upon successful completion and acceptance based on a firm-fixed price. A milestone-based invoicing schedule may be negotiated prior to contract execution.

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Will you be able to supply examples of the previously-produced books as a visual reference to the complexity and overall scope of work needed to format these books?

FDLE may provide the awarded Contractor with sample pages or excerpts from previously produced textbooks for reference purposes.

Will we be following the overall look of the previously-produced books or is the expectation that these will require a completely new look (fonts, overall design, etc)?

FDLE expects consistency with past editions in terms of layout and readability, but is open to design enhancements that improve clarity and structure. A completely new look is not required unless requested.

Can you confirm that the scope of work is to design and produce final PDF files that can either be downloaded as a digital file or printed at home (i.e. these books will not be sent to a printer for printing and binding)?

Confirmed. The scope of work is limited to digital productions.

Final deliverables must be accessible and printable PDFs. FDLE will not be sending these files to a printer as part of this contract.

We see you will be including indexes in one or more of these books. Will you be providing the list of words, terms and phrases for the index. If so, will you also be providing the final page numbers as well, or will you need indexing services as part of this project?

FDLE will provide either a list of terms or in-document indicators for index entries. The vendor may be asked to assist with index formatting and page number insertion based on the final layout.

Indexing services are considered part of the scope.

Regarding the covers for these books: Will you be needing cover design services for these projects or will those be done in house or from a different vendor? If needed, will you also require a back cover panel to be produced?

FDLE will provide both front and back cover content, including any required artwork. The awarded vendor is responsible for incorporating FDLE-supplied cover elements into the final layout. Cover design services (concept development or graphic creation) are not expected to be provided by the vendor.

If we are awarded the work, will we be working with an individual or a team?

FDLE will assign a project lead, but may also interact with a small support team throughout the project for coordination and reviews.

What is your process of marking edits for us during the rounds of review? Are you familiar with marking edits digitally in a PDF or will you be supplying edits via printed paper proofs?

FDLE uses digital review tools for all rounds of feedback.

Vendors should expect to receive marked-up PDF proofs using Adobe Acrobat or similar software. Printed proofs will not be used during the editing process.

I do not see any terms regarding payment for this project.

Can you clarify what to expect as far as a down payment, final payment or any other interim payments as part of the project terms?

FDLE does not provide down payments. Payment is typically made upon successful completion and acceptance based on a firm-fixed price. A milestone-based invoicing schedule may be negotiated prior to contract execution.

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Replies will be divided into three (3) Volumes for the Florida Department of Law Enforcement consideration:

VOLUME ONE: Sealed Technical Replies VOLUME TWO: Sealed Administrative Qualification Documents VOLUME THREE: Sealed Price Reply Submission

The Responding Respondent’s VOLUME ONE: Technical Reply, Technical Reply copies, VOLUME TWO: Administrative Qualification Documents, and VOLUME THREE: Sealed Price Reply Submission shall be packaged and sealed separately. Each package should be addressed to the Procurement Officer and display the following information: Responding Respondent Name; Solicitation Number; Solicitation Title; Reply Due Date; and designation as VOLUME ONE: Technical Reply, VOLUME TWO: Administrative Qualifications Documents, and VOLUME THREE: Sealed Price Reply Submission as indicated in this section:

Attention: Angela Githens FDLE Off-Site Mail Facility c/o Florida Department of Law Enforcement, Office of General Services L813B ake Br adfo Rord ad Tallahassee, FL 32304

Responding Respondent Name Solicitation Number: FDLE ITN 2541 Title: Textbook Production Services Repl Opy ening: 08/05/2025 @ 3: P00 M ET

VOLUME ONE: SEALED TECHNICAL REPLY

VOLUME TWO: SEALED ADMINISTRATIVE QUALIFICATION DOCUMENTS

VOLUME THREE: SEALED PRICE REPLY SUBMISSION

Replies must be submitted by U.S. Mail, United Parcel Service (UPS), Federal Express (FedEx), private courier, or hand delivery. Electronic submission or facsimile transmission of Replies are NOT authorized and will NOT be accepted. Respondents are cautioned that shipped Replies will be routed to the Department’s Off-Site Mail Facility which may cause delays in delivery and receipt by the Office of General Services. Respondents choosing to mail Replies must take this into consideration and allow sufficient time to ensure timely delivery and receipt.

A Respondent choosing to hand deliver a sealed Reply must take into consideration that the FDLE Headquarters Building is a secure facility. “Hand deliver” means delivery at the correct location on or before the required date and time. The FDLE Headquarters location is:

Attention: Angela Githens Florida Department of Law Enforcement Office of General Services 2331 Phillips Road Tallahassee, Florida 32308

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