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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
SOLICITATION NUMBER: NDERFP260303
Grants Management System Opening Date: June 17th, 2026
Questions and Answers
Following are the questions submitted and answers provided for the above-mentioned solicitation. The questions and answers are to be considered as part of the solicitation. It is the responsibility of bidders to check the State Purchasing Bureau website for all addenda or amendments.
| Solicitation Section Reference |
| Solicitation Page Number |
| Questions |
| NDE Answer |
Attachment A NDE Vendor Cost Sheet
| 39 |
| If a vendor's standard commercial model is a tiered SaaS subscription that varies with the number of internal users, subrecipient users, or active grant programs, how should this be represented within the fixed-five-year cost categories on Attachment A? |
| Vendors should represent tiered SaaS subscriptions as a fixed annual cost for each of the five contract years in Attachment A, based on documented assumptions. |
| Section V.B – Project Environment |
| 32 |
| The RFP describes the current GMS environment as Microsoft Windows Server 2022 and SQL Server 2022. Is NDE open to a vendor-hosted SaaS/cloud-hosted GMS (for example, hosted on AWS or Azure infrastructure managed by the vendor), or is NDE expecting the awarded solution to run within an NDE-controlled Windows Server 2022 / SQL Server 2022 environment? |
| NDE is open to vendor-hosted SaaS, cloud-hosted, or other deployment models and and if so hosted and vendor supported, does not require the solution to run within the current Microsoft environment, which is provided for informational purposes only. |
Section V.C Integration & Data Exchange
| 32 |
| What specific NDE financial system(s) and other agency systems must the GMS integrate with? For each, what is the preferred integration method (REST/SOAP API, SFTP file exchange, ETL/data warehouse, message bus, manual export-import, or other), and is documentation or a data dictionary available to vendors during the proposal period? |
| Specific NDE financial and other agency systems will be identified during implementation discovery. The GMS must support integration using standard methods, including APIs and file-based exchanges. Documentation and data dictionaries will be provided to the awarded vendor during implementation and are not available during the proposal period. |
Section III.N & V.C Technology Access Standards
| 28, 32 |
| Does NDE require a Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT 2.x), an Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), or other specific accessibility documentation as part of the proposal submission? If so, is a particular VPAT revision required (for example, VPAT 2.5 Rev WCAG)? |
| Vendors should provide accessibility conformance evidence, such as a VPAT or Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), and describe their accessibility testing practices. Specific documentation and validation requirements will be confirmed during evaluation and implementation. |
Section V.C Security, Privacy & Accessibility
| 32 |
| Does NDE require single sign-on (SSO) integration with an existing identity provider (for example, Azure Active Directory, Okta, ADFS, or a State of Nebraska identity service)? Are protocols specified, such as SAML 2.0, OAuth 2.0, or OpenID Connect? Are different requirements applied to internal NDE users versus external subrecipient users? |
| NDE requires integration with an existing SSO system that is utilized by school districts in the State of Nebraska. This system compiles with SAML and OAuth, and details will be provided to the winning bidder. |
| Section V |
| Page 33 |
| 4. Integrations: Identify the financial system(s) and interface mechanisms required (API, |
file exchange, SSO, etc.), and whether NDE can provide specs or sample files.
Specific financial system(s) and interface mechanisms will be confirmed during implementation discovery. The GMS should support standard integration methods, including APIs, file exchange, and SSO. Specifications and sample files will be provided to the awarded vendor during implementation and are not available during the proposal period.
Section V.C Security, Privacy & Accessibility
| 32 |
| Does NDE require that the GMS, including all production data and backups, be hosted within the United States and operated only by U.S.-based personnel? Are there additional data-residency, FedRAMP, StateRAMP, or other public-sector cloud certification requirements that vendors must satisfy or commit to obtain? |
| The GMS, including production data and backups, must be hosted within the United States. The solution must comply with applicable security, privacy, and accessibility (WCAG 2.1 AA) requirements. Additional data residency and certification requirements will be confirmed during implementation discovery and contract finalization. |
Section V.C Security, Privacy & Accessibility
| 32 |
| Does NDE require evidence of specific third-party security certifications or attestations from the awarded vendor (for example, SOC 2 Type II, ISO/IEC 27001, FedRAMP, StateRAMP, HECVAT)? Are these required at proposal submission, at contract award, or at a later point during implementation? |
| NDE does not require *specific* third-party certifications as a condition of proposal submission or award. Vendors should provide evidence of their security posture, including any relevant certifications and documentation of security posture in line with industry best practices. Requirements and timing for submission of supporting documentation will be confirmed during evaluation and implementation. |
| N/A |
| N/A |
| Which financial/ERP system(s) (e.g., state accounting, Payroll & Financial Center) must the GMS interface with for payment processing and grant drawdowns, and what integration methods are preferred? |
| Specific financial or ERP systems will be identified during implementation discovery. The GMS must support integration with NDE financial systems for payment processing and grant drawdowns using standard methods. Preferred integration approaches and details will be confirmed during implementation. |
Section V.D & V.E Work Plan & Current Env.
| 33 |
| Can NDE provide approximate data volumes from the current GMS, |
including: number of active and historical subrecipients; number of historical applications, awards, and amendments; number of reimbursement requests and payment records; number of documents and total storage size; number of programmatic reports; and the typical retention horizon of historical records that must be migrated to the new GMS?
NDE estimates approximately 300 subrecipient organizations; tens of thousands of applications, awards, and amendments; hundreds of thousands of reimbursement and payment records; tens of thousands of monitoring records; dozens of reports; and hundreds of thousands of document attachments. Historical data is expected to include recent records (approximately 3–5 years), with additional historical data within a 5–10 year horizon. Final volumes and retention scope will be confirmed during implementation discovery.
Section V.D & V.E Work Plan & Current Env.
| 33 |
| In what formats can NDE export legacy GMS data for migration (for example, SQL Server backup, structured CSV or JSON exports, an existing data dictionary)? Will NDE provide vendor access to the current system or representative data samples during the implementation phase to support migration design? |
| NDE can provide data exports in formats suitable for migration, including database backups and flat files. Detailed data artifacts, such as data dictionaries, will be provided to the awarded vendor during implementation discovery. Access to representative data will be provided during implementation to support migration design. |
| Implementation and Data Exchange |
| 33 |
| What source systems will data need to be integrated with, and how many application/systems are involved? |
| Source systems will be identified during implementation discovery. Vendors should plan for integration with NDE financial systems and other relevant applications. The number of systems and integration requirements will be confirmed during implementation. |
| Section V |
| Page 32 |
| 3. Data volumes: Please provide estimated record counts and document storage volumes, plus the number of years of history required online vs archived. |
| NDE estimates tens of thousands of grant records, hundreds of thousands of reimbursement records, tens of thousands of monitoring records, and hundreds of thousands of document attachments. Approximately 3–5 years of recent data is expected to be maintained for active access, with additional historical data retained for a 5–10 year horizon. Final volumes and retention approach will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| N/A |
| N/A |
| What is the current system (commercial product, custom, or manual) supporting grant application, reimbursement, and monitoring, and is data migration into the new GMS in scope? |
| NDE’s current grants management system is a custom-developed application. Data migration into the new GMS is in scope. |
| N/A |
| N/A |
| Beyond standard role-based security, are there specific audit, FedRAMP, NIST, or State of Nebraska security control baselines the proposed SaaS must be certified against? |
| NDE does not require certification against a specific audit or security framework as a condition of award. Vendors should align with industry-standard security practices and may provide relevant certifications. Any additional requirements will be confirmed during implementation discovery and contract finalization. |
| Document Management |
| 33 |
| Are electronic signatures required? If so, is there a preferred e-signature provider? |
| Electronic signatures are required. NDE does not mandate a specific provider, though the provider should comply with the "signature dynamics" technology as per the Nebraska Digital Signatures Act: https://govdocs.nebraska.gov/epubs/S1000/R437-2005.pdf |
| Integration and Data Exchange |
| 33 |
| What financial/accounting system(s) must integrate with the GMS? |
| Specific financial or accounting systems will be identified during implementation discovery. The GMS must support integration with NDE financial systems for relevant data exchange. |
| Integration and Data Exchange |
| 33 |
| Does the financial system provide readily available APIs to facilitate data exchange between systems? |
| Availability of APIs within the financial system will be confirmed during implementation discovery. The GMS should support multiple integration methods to accommodate available capabilities. |
| Implementation and Data Exchange |
| 33 |
| What are the estimated data volumes for migration from existing systems, including the number of grants, applications, and associated documents? |
| NDE estimates tens of thousands of grant and application records and hundreds of thousands of associated records and document attachments. Final volumes will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Does NDE prefer a SaaS/platform-based solution, a custom-developed solution? |
| NDE is open to SaaS, platform-based, or other solution approaches and does not mandate a specific solution type. |
| Implementation and Data Exchange |
| 33 |
| Is the data from these systems structured or unstructured? |
| The current system contains primarily structured data, with documents managed as unstructured files linked by metadata. |
| Implementation and Data Exchange |
| 32–33 |
| Is there a consistent unique identifier across all source systems that can be used to link applicant, grantee, and grant records? |
| A single consistent unique identifier across all source systems is not guaranteed. |
| Implementation and Data Exchange |
| 33 |
| What level of inbound and outbound integration is expected between the Grants Management System and NDE financial systems (e.g., real-time vs. batch, data elements, and update frequency)? |
| The GMS must support bidirectional integration with NDE financial systems for reimbursement and payment data exchange. Expected frequency and data elements (real-time vs. batch) will be confirmed during implementation, and vendors should support both integration patterns. |
| Section V.C.10.a-c |
| 33 |
| Please identify all existing systems requiring integration with the proposed solution and clarify whether APIs, interface specifications, or technical documentation currently exist and will be made available to the |
selected vendor.
Specific systems requiring integration will be identified during implementation discovery. Interface specifications, APIs, and technical documentation will be provided to the awarded vendor during implementation and are not available during the proposal period.
| Integration and Data Exchange |
| 33 |
| Will NDE or the awarded vendor be responsible for data cleansing, normalization, and deduplication activities related to system integrations and historical data migration? |
| The awarded vendor will lead data cleansing, normalization, and deduplication, with NDE providing business validation and approval. |
| Project Environment |
| 32 |
| What system does NDE currently use to manage the grant administration process? |
| The current grants management system will be disclosed to the awarded vendor during implementation discovery. |
| Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Does NDE currently have licenses for Dynamics 365, Power Platform, Azure, Power Automate, and/or Power BI? |
| NDE’s current software license inventory is not disclosed and will be confirmed during implementation discovery. Please provide costing specifics in the cost sheet. |
| Project Environment |
| 32–33 |
| What is NDE's posture, and is it open to leveraging AI as part of the implementation and/or the solution? |
| NDE is open to AI capabilities that comply with security, privacy, testability/repeatability, bias free, and accessibility requirements; final scope will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Sections V.C.12.c and V.D.d |
| 33 |
| Please clarify the anticipated migration scope, including current source systems, approximate data and document volumes, and the primary data entities, field structures, and document types expected to be included if historical data migration is |
required.
Migration scope will be confirmed during implementation discovery and will include data from the current GMS and related sources. Approximate data volumes and primary data entities will be provided for planning purposes, while detailed field structures and document types will be defined during implementation.
| Accessibility |
| N/A |
| Please confirm the accessibility standards applicable to the GMS, including whether WCAG 2.1 AA is the required baseline for all internal, external, portal, document, reporting, and training components. |
| The GMS must comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA and applicable Nebraska Technology Access Standards across all system components, including internal, external, portal, document, reporting, and training elements. |
| Integrations |
| N/A |
| Please identify all existing NDE, State of Nebraska, federal, or third-party systems with which the GMS must exchange data, including financial, payment, procurement, identity management, document management, reporting, data warehouse, or audit systems. |
| Systems requiring integration will be identified during implementation discovery. The GMS should support integration with NDE financial systems, identity management services, and other relevant applications. Final integration requirements and system inventory will be confirmed during implementation. |
| Integrations |
| N/A |
| For each required integration, please describe the expected interface method, including API, flat file, secure file transfer, database connection, manual upload/download, middleware, or other mechanism, and whether exchanges are expected to be real-time, near-real-time, scheduled batch, or ad hoc. |
| Interface methods and exchange frequency will be confirmed during implementation discovery. The GMS should support standard integration approaches, including APIs, file-based exchanges, and other common methods, and accommodate real-time, near-real-time, and batch processing as needed. |
| Accessibility |
| N/A |
| Please describe the accessibility evidence NDE expects bidders or the awarded vendor to provide, such as VPAT/ACR documentation, independent accessibility testing results, remediation plans, test scripts, screen-reader testing, keyboard-navigation testing, or user acceptance testing with assistive technologies. |
| Vendors should provide accessibility conformance evidence, such as a VPAT or Accessibility Conformance Report (ACR), and describe their accessibility testing practices. Specific documentation and validation requirements will be confirmed during evaluation and implementation. |
| Current system |
| N/A |
| Please provide documentation for the current GMS, including system architecture, database schema, data dictionary, and entity relationship diagrams if available, current workflows, user roles, reports, dashboards, and known system interfaces. Please indicate what technologies comprise the current GMS system. |
| Detailed documentation for the current GMS will be provided to the awarded vendor during implementation discovery and is not available during the proposal phase. The current system is a custom-developed application running on Microsoft Windows Server 2022 and Microsoft SQL Server 2022. |
| Current system |
| N/A |
| Does NDE have any existing license entitlements for modern SaaS platforms? If so, please indicate which platforms NDE has invested in. |
| NDE’s current software license inventory is not disclosed and will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Migration |
| N/A |
| Please specify the historical period and data domains that must be migrated, including whether NDE expects migration of all historical data or only active grants, open applications, active awards, reimbursement history, monitoring records, audit records, user records, and related documents, along with estimated volume of records. |
| NDE expects migration of key data domains, including organizations, applications, grants, awards, reimbursements, monitoring records, user records, and related documents. Migration will include active and recent data, along with a defined subset of historical records. Estimated volumes include tens of thousands of grant records and hundreds of thousands of related records. Final scope and historical period will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Migration |
| N/A |
| Please describe NDE’s expectations for data cleansing, deduplication, transformation, validation, reconciliation, and business-owner review during migration, including which party will be responsible for correcting source data issues. |
| The awarded vendor will lead data cleansing, deduplication, transformation, validation, and reconciliation activities, with NDE providing business-owner review and approval. Responsibilities for addressing source data issues will be defined during implementation discovery. |
| Migration |
| N/A |
| Please identify whether attachments and document history must be migrated, including approximate attachment counts, file types, total storage volume, metadata requirements, version history requirements, and expected validation criteria for migrated documents. |
| Yes, attachments and document history are expected to be included in migration. This includes associated metadata and linkages to related records, with any additional requirements for file types, version history, and validation criteria to be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Operations |
| N/A |
| Please specify operational monitoring, backup, disaster recovery, business continuity, RTO, RPO, uptime, scheduled maintenance, incident notification, and post-incident reporting expectations for the GMS production environment. |
| Vendors should describe their approach to operational monitoring, backup, disaster recovery, business continuity, uptime, and incident management. Specific expectations, including service levels such as RTO and RPO, will be confirmed during implementation and contract finalization. For costing purposes, Uptime SLA: 99.9 Response time SLA: 95% of user requests answered within 3 seconds, RTO/RPO: 2 days/12 hrs, Support Response/Availabiity: Level 1: 4 hrs response time, M-F, Level 2 - 24 hrs response time, M-F, Level 3 72 hrs response time, M-F |
| Security |
| N/A |
| Please specify all required hosting, cloud, security, and compliance standards for the GMS, including whether NDE requires FedRAMP, GovRAMP, StateRAMP, NIST 800-53, CJIS, IRS 1075, SOC 2, or any Nebraska-specific security framework or approval process. |
| The solution must comply with applicable industry standard security, privacy, and accessibility requirements. NDE does not mandate a specific certification framework as a condition of award. Additional hosting, cloud, security, and compliance requirements will be confirmed during implementation discovery and contract finalization. |
| Security |
| N/A |
| Please identify the required identity and access management approach, including whether the GMS must integrate with an existing NDE or State identity provider, support SSO, MFA, role-based access, delegated administration, external user authentication, or identity proofing. |
| The GMS must integrate with an existing NDE or State identity provider and support single sign-on using standard protocols. The solution must also support role-based access, multi-factor authentication, and secure external access. Additional requirements will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Security |
| N/A |
| Please describe NDE’s expected security review and authorization process, including required artifacts, penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, security questionnaires, architecture review, data classification review, and timing relative to contract award and go-live. |
| NDE’s security review will include evaluation of vendor security documentation and policies, architecture, data classification, and vulnerability and penetration testing results. Specific artifacts and timing will be confirmed during contracting and implementation. |
| Section V.B — Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Q5. Section V.B identifies the current environment as Microsoft SQL Server 2022. Will NDE provide vendors with a data dictionary, entity-relationship diagram, or a sample data export from the current MTW GMS to support accurate migration scoping and cost estimation during the proposal process? |
| Data dictionaries, entity-relationship diagrams, and sample data exports are not available during the proposal period. These materials will be provided to the awarded vendor during implementation discovery to support migration planning. |
| Section V.C — Scope of Work (Integration and Data Exchange) |
| 32 |
| Q2. Section V.C states the system must 'provide APIs or other mechanisms for system interoperability, if available.' Is API-based integration a mandatory requirement or a preferred capability? What is the minimum acceptable mechanism for system interoperability? |
| Vendors should propose flexibility to support common integration patterns: REST/SOAP APIs, secure file exchange (SFTP), ETL/data warehouse loads, and identity/SSO integration. |
| Section V.C — Scope of Work (Integration and Data Exchange) |
| 32 |
| Q3. Section V.C requires the GMS to 'support data integration with existing NDE financial systems and other relevant applications.' Which specific financial or ERP systems must the GMS integrate with at go-live? Please identify the system name, version, and the data elements or transactions that must flow between systems. |
| Specific financial or ERP systems, including system names, versions, and required data exchanges, will be identified during implementation discovery. The GMS must support integration with NDE financial systems for relevant transactions, with detailed requirements confirmed during implementation. |
| Section II.T |
| N/A |
| The Retainage provision in Section II.T appears to be designed for construction contracts. As a SaaS vendor, OpenGov provides commercial-off-the-shelf software. Access is provided upfront and requires upfront annual subscription payments. Can NDE confirm this payment structure will not negatively impact the evaluation score? |
| Per Section II.T, retainage applies to applicable contract deliverables. Application of retainage to SaaS subscription fees will be determined during contract negotiation and will not negatively impact evaluation. |
Section III.I — Ownership of Information and Data / Deliverables
| 26 |
| Q12. Section III.I states that 'NDE shall own and hold exclusive title to any deliverable |
developed as a result of this contract.' For cloud-hosted SaaS solutions, does this clause apply to NDE's data, custom configurations, and report outputs only — or does NDE intend to claim ownership of the underlying software platform itself? How does NDE intend to apply this clause to vendor-hosted SaaS products where the software is licensed rather than developed for NDE?
Per Section III.I, NDE’s ownership applies to NDE data and deliverables developed specifically for NDE, including configurations, workflows, and reports. This does not extend to a vendor’s underlying SaaS platform or pre-existing software. For SaaS solutions, NDE retains rights to its data and related outputs.
| Section V.C — Scope of Work (Implementation and Migration) |
| 32 |
| Q4. Section V.C requires the vendor to 'support migration of historical grant data, as applicable.' What specific historical data is in scope for migration from the current MTW GMS, and how many years of historical grant records are expected to be migrated? Are all grant programs and funding sources (federal, state, local, and private) included in the migration scope? What does 'as applicable' mean — who determines the scope of applicable data, and will that determination be made before or after contract award? |
| Migration will include key data from the current GMS across applicable grant programs and funding sources. This will include active and recent data, along with a defined subset of historical records. The term “as applicable” means the specific scope, including years and data domains, will be determined in collaboration with the awarded vendor during implementation discovery. |
| Section V Project Description and Scope of Work |
| 35 |
| Are any integrations required other than listed in Section V Project Description and Scope of Work? What is the level of integration i.e. transfer of data in real time between the Grants Management system and the external system as soon as a change occurs, or as batch updates at scheduled intervals where multiple records are grouped and transferred at once? |
| All required integrations are described at a high level in the RFP. Additional integrations, if needed, will be confirmed during implementation discovery. The GMS should support both real-time and batch data exchange, with the appropriate approach determined based on system capabilities and business needs. |
| Section V.C — Scope of Work (Security, Privacy, and Accessibility) |
| 32 |
| Q7. Section V.C requires the vendor to 'comply with industry-standard data security practices' without specifying a framework. Does NDE require a specific security attestation or certification as a condition of contract award or performance — for example, SOC 2 Type II, StateRAMP, or FedRAMP Tailored? If so, must it be provided with the proposal submission or post-award? |
| NDE does not require a specific security attestation or certification as a condition of award. Vendors should demonstrate alignment with industry-standard security practices and may provide relevant certifications as part of their proposal. Additional requirements and timing for submission will be confirmed during evaluation and implementation. |
| Section V.C — Scope of Work (Security, Privacy, and Accessibility) |
| 32 |
| Q11. Does NDE require Single Sign-On (SSO) integration for staff-facing GMS access? If so, what identity provider is currently in use — for example, Active Directory, Azure Active Directory, or another identity management platform — and what authentication protocol is required (SAML 2.0, OIDC)? |
| Yes, the GMS must support single sign-on using the existing SSO provider. The solution should integrate with an existing State identity provider using standard protocols such as SAML 2.0 or OpenID Connect. Specific identity provider details will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Can NDE identify the primary financial system(s) with which the GMS is expected to integrate (e.g., ERP, accounting, or payment platforms), and the preferred integration method (API, file exchange, etc.)? |
| Specific financial system(s) will be identified during implementation discovery. The GMS must support integration with NDE financial systems using standard methods, with preferred approaches determined during implementation. |
| Section V.C — Scope of Work (Subrecipient and Grantee Management) |
| 32 |
| Q9. Section V.C requires the system to 'capture required compliance information (e.g., UEI, SAM status, assurances).' Does NDE require the GMS to integrate directly with SAM.gov via API for automated UEI entity verification and SAM status checks, or is manual entry and documentation of SAM status by NDE staff or subrecipients sufficient? |
| The GMS must support capture of UEI (Unique Entity Identifier), a federal identifier assigned to organizations doing business with the U.S. government, and SAM status information. Integration with SAM.gov via API is desired. Vendors may propose automated integration capabilities. |
| Please confirm whether the State envisions the Grants Management System solely supporting reimbursement workflows and payment tracking, with actual fund disbursement remaining in NDE’s financial systems, or whether any vendor facilitated payment execution is contemplated. Or, if actual fund disbursement is expected to be executed exclusively through NDE’s existing financial systems. |
| The GMS is expected to support reimbursement workflows and payment tracking, with actual fund disbursement executed through NDE’s existing financial systems. Vendor-facilitated payment execution is not required but may be proposed as an option. |
| Please clarify whether the proposed GMS will be considered the system of record for grant data, or whether it must remain subordinate to existing NDE financial or programmatic systems. |
| The GMS is expected to serve as the system of record for grant management data and processes. NDE’s financial systems will remain the system of record for financial transactions and payment execution. |
| Please confirm whether NDE expects bidirectional data synchronization with external systems, or whether the GMS will function primarily as a workflow and reporting layer. |
| Bidirectional integration is expected where required, particularly with financial systems. |
| Section V.B – Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Is there an incumbent vendor currently operating the GMS? If so, will the incumbent be permitted to respond, and what level of cooperation is expected from the incumbent in supporting data migration and system transition? |
| Information regarding the current vendor and transition expectations will be addressed during procurement and implementation. |
| Section V.C – Integration and Data Exchange |
| 32 |
| What are the name(s), version(s), and hosting |
environments of NDE’s existing financial system(s) that the GMS must integrate with? What specific data exchanges are required (e.g., budget data, reimbursement processing, expenditure tracking), including direction of data flow and frequency (real-time, batch)?
Specific financial system names, versions, and hosting environments will be identified during implementation discovery. Required data exchanges, including direction and frequency, will also be defined during implementation, and the GMS must support standard integration methods to accommodate these needs, such as FTP or API interchange of a batch process.
| Section V.C – Integration and Data Exchange |
| 32 |
| The RFP references integration with “other relevant applications.” Can NDE provide a complete list of systems requiring integration and describe the nature of each interface (read, write, bidirectional, batch, or real-time) and expected transaction volumes? |
| A complete list of systems and interface details will be identified during implementation discovery. The GMS should support integration with NDE financial systems and other relevant applications. Interface characteristics, including direction, frequency, and transaction volumes, will be defined during implementation. |
| Section V.B – Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Given the current system is based on Microsoft SQL Server, can NDE confirm that a fully cloud-based SaaS solution (such as Salesforce Public Sector Solutions) is acceptable and that no on-premise infrastructure is required for deployment? |
| NDE’s current grants management system is a custom-developed application. Data migration into the new GMS is in scope. A vendor supporte SaaS solution is acceptable. |
| Section V.C – Security |
| 32 |
| Are there specific state or federal security frameworks (e.g., NIST, FedRAMP) that the proposed solution must comply with beyond general industry standards? |
| NDE does not require compliance with a specific state or federal security framework beyond general industry standards. Vendors should align with recognized industry standard security practices; any additional framework alignment will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Section V.F – Data Conversion and Migration |
| 33 |
| Are data dictionaries, schemas, or representative sample data available to support accurate migration planning during the proposal phase? |
| Documentation including data dictionaries, schemas, and representative sample data are not provided during the proposal period but will be made available post-award under appropriate confidentiality. |
| Section V.F – Data Conversion and Migration |
| 33 |
| Should the Vendor assume responsibility for data cleansing and normalization, or will NDE provide pre-cleaned data? |
| The awarded vendor will lead data cleansing, normalization, and deduplication, with NDE providing business validation and approval. |
| Section V.B – Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Section V.B references Microsoft Windows Server 2022 and Microsoft SQL Server 2022 as part of the current project environment. Are these technologies part of the existing legacy environment only, or are they required components of the proposed solution architecture? |
| The referenced technologies reflect the existing legacy environment only and are not required components of the proposed solution architecture. |
| Section V.B – Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Is NDE seeking a fully SaaS/cloud-hosted solution, a self-hosted/on-premises solution, or is either deployment model acceptable? |
| NDE is open to SaaS, cloud-hosted, or on-premises solutions and does not mandate a specific deployment model. |
| Section V.B – Project Environment |
| 32 |
| If a SaaS solution is proposed, are there any State of Nebraska hosting, infrastructure, or data residency requirements vendors must meet? |
| If a SaaS solution is proposed, the GMS, including production data and backups, must be hosted within the United States. The solution must comply with applicable security, privacy, and accessibility requirements. Additional requirements will be confirmed during implementation discovery and contract finalization. |
| Section V.B – Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Can NDE provide additional details regarding the current system architecture, including any existing integrations, customizations, or third-party dependencies? |
| Additional details regarding the current system architecture, integrations, customizations, and dependencies will be provided to the awarded vendor during implementation discovery and are not available during the proposal phase. |
| Section V.B – Project Environment |
| 32 |
| Does NDE anticipate maintaining any on-premises infrastructure components after implementation, or is the long-term goal a fully cloud-based environment? |
| NDE is open to cloud-based or hybrid approaches and does not require maintaining significant on-premises infrastructure after implementation. |
| Section V.C.10 – Integration and Data Exchange |
| 34 |
| Can NDE identify the financial systems and other enterprise platforms requiring integration, and indicate whether APIs are currently available? |
| Specific financial systems and enterprise platforms will be identified during implementation discovery. The GMS should support integration with NDE financial systems and other relevant applications. Availability of APIs and interface capabilities will be confirmed during implementation. |
| Section V.C.10 – Integration and Data Exchange |
| 34 |
| Does NDE expect the proposed solution to integrate directly with existing Microsoft Windows Server and SQL Server infrastructure or replace them? |
| The proposed solution is expected to replace the existing Microsoft Windows Server and SQL Server-based system rather than integrate with it. The current environment is provided for informational purposes only and does not represent a requirement for the future-state solution. Vendors may propose SaaS, cloud-hosted, or other architectures that meet the RFP requirements. |
| Section V.C.11 – Security, Privacy, and Accessibility |
| 34 |
| What Single Sign-On (SSO) platform does NDE currently use, and is SAML 2.0 support required? |
| NDE utilizes an enterprise identity provider consistent with State of Nebraska standards. The GMS must support single sign-on using standard protocols such as SAML 2.0; support for OpenID Connect/OAuth 2.0 is also expected. Specific identity provider details will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Section V.C.12 – Implementation and Migration |
| 34 |
| Can NDE provide estimated migration volumes for grants, organizations, contacts, reimbursement records, monitoring records, reports, and documents? |
| NDE estimates approximately 300 subrecipient organizations; tens of thousands of grant records and contacts; hundreds of thousands of reimbursement records; tens of thousands of monitoring records; dozens of reports; and hundreds of thousands of document attachments. Final volumes will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Section V.C.12 – Implementation and Migration |
| 34 |
| Will NDE assign a dedicated internal project manager and core implementation team? If so, approximately how many stakeholders will participate? |
| Yes, NDE will assign a project manager and core implementation team. A group of internal stakeholders will participate, with the exact composition and size confirmed during implementation. |
| Section V.C.12 – Implementation and Migration |
| 34 |
| Does NDE expect all integrations, historical data migration, reporting, monitoring, reimbursement workflows, and external user access to be fully implemented by July 1, 2027? |
| NDE expects core functionality to be implemented by July 1, 2027. Certain components, such as additional historical data migration or advanced features, may be phased based on implementation planning. |
| Section V.C.12 – Implementation and Migration |
| 34 |
| What level of historical data migration is required prior to go-live versus after go-live? |
| NDE expects migration of current and recent data to be completed prior to go-live, with additional historical data potentially migrated after go-live. Specific scope and timing will be confirmed during implementation discovery. |
| Section V.C.12 – Implementation and Migration |
| 34 |
| Will the selected vendor be responsible for migrating data from the existing Microsoft SQL Server environment? |
| Yes, the awarded vendor will be responsible for migrating data from the existing system to the new GMS. |
| Section V.C.13 – Training and Support |
| 34 |
| Does NDE have an organizational change management and user adoption plan for this implementation? |
| NDE will lead organizational change management and user adoption efforts with vendor support. Additional details will be confirmed during implementation. |
| Section V.C.8 – Reporting and Data Management |
| 33 |
| Does NDE currently use enterprise reporting or analytics platforms? Should/could the proposed GMS provide advanced reporting, analytics, or data visualization features for grants data? |
| NDE does not require a specific enterprise reporting platform. The proposed GMS should provide reporting and analytics capabilities appropriate for grants management or support integration with external reporting tools. |
| Section V.E – Evaluate Current Project Environment |
| 33 |
| How many distinct funding opportunities are administered annually, and approximately how many applications, amendments, reimbursement requests, and monitoring events are processed each year? |
| NDE administers approximately 20 funding opportunities annually. Estimated volumes include thousands of applications and amendments, tens of thousands of reimbursement requests, and hundreds of monitoring events each year. |
| Section V.E – Evaluate Current Project Environment |
| 33 |
| Can NDE provide a list of the names of the approximately 20 grant programs and funding opportunities expected to be managed within the proposed Grants Management System? Could you please include the associated funding source for each program (federal, state, local, or private)? |
| A list of grant programs and associated funding sources will be provided to the awarded vendor during implementation discovery and is not available during the proposal period. |
Section V.C.13 – Training and Support
| 34 |
| Will the selected vendor be expected to support user |
acceptance testing (UAT) facilitation, including test scripts, issue tracking, and end-user readiness activities?
Yes, the awarded vendor will be expected to support user acceptance testing (UAT), including facilitation, issue tracking, and end-user readiness activities.
SPB Form 26 Last Revised 4-17-2025