Notice_of_Meeting.pdf

This is a Notice of Public Meeting issued by Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) in Florida regarding a Phase 2 evaluation for Solicitation 26113-RFP-EST for Instructional Materials Textbook Management Systems. The public meeting is scheduled for June 3, 2026, at 12:40 PM via Microsoft Teams and telephone conference. The solicitation seeks a modern, scalable textbook and instructional materials management system to replace the expiring Follett Destiny platform and serve 236 school sites managing approximately 1.7 million instructional materials across the district. The system must support check-in/check-out functionality, loss and damage tracking, FERPA compliance, secure data hosting, and integration with FOCUS student information system, INFOR staff system, and ClassLink single sign-on. Technical questions were due March 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET, with proposals due April 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET via the HCPS VendorLink portal. Vendor selection for final negotiations is anticipated in late spring 2026, with contract award expected in late summer to early fall 2026 and implementation commencing in summer 2027. The initial contract term begins July 1, 2027, with automatic yearly renewals contingent on board appropriation, continued need, and contractor performance.

The evaluation process allocates 100 points across three phases: specifications and scope (25 points), qualifications and experience (30 points), and cost/value (35 points), with up to 10 bonus points available for Small Business Enterprise Program (SBEP) participation. Pricing must be firm for no less than three years with any subsequent increases requiring documentation of cost justification. Vendors must submit a 10-year cost of ownership spreadsheet and detailed statement of work. Minimum qualifications require three years of industry experience, proof of authorization to do business in Florida, E-Verify compliance, three business references, and proof of field-proven, off-the-shelf software operational in K-12 environments serving 100 or more school sites. Vendors must maintain general liability insurance of $1,000,000 general aggregate and workers' compensation per Florida statute, along with compliance to federal, state, and local regulations including FERPA, HIPAA, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. The SBEP set-aside requirement is governed by School Board policy 6320.02 and mandates a minimum reinvestment goal of 20 percent of the district's net eligible expenditures. HCPS has not disclosed an estimated budget amount, and the contract may be awarded to one or more vendors at the district's discretion.