NDERFP250312_Vendor Questions.r2.pdf

This document is a Vendor Questions Response document from the Nebraska Department of Education (NDE) for the NDERFP250312 - TEACH solicitation, addressing potential vendor inquiries about a new Educator Licensure System (ELS). The document details responses to various technical, operational, and implementation questions regarding the proposed system, which aims to replace the current TEACH platform. NDE seeks a comprehensive web-based solution to facilitate online licensure and certification processes for educators, with an anticipated full statewide launch by July 1, 2025. The initial contract term is 12 months, with approximately 40 NDE staff users expected to access the system. The RFP does not support a phased implementation approach and requires a complete system transition by the specified date.

The vendor responses reveal that NDE is seeking a custom-developed licensure system tailored specifically for Nebraska, with integration capabilities for existing data sources like the Nebraska Department of Education Portal. The system will support 3 license types, 16 license subtypes, and over 95 endorsements with varying grade levels. Payment processing will utilize Elavon as the state's payment processor, with different third-party gateways depending on the contract. NDE anticipates the vendor will handle data migration, system testing, and implementation, with testing sites created for each public-facing site before production. The department requires integration with external systems like Parchment and NADTEC, and expects the vendor to manage data conversion, system configuration, and comprehensive support with negotiable response times ranging from 30 minutes to 96 hours depending on issue priority.