Reference - College Response to Vendor Written Inquiry RFP FRCC-18-40-W.docx
DOCX document 19 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- RFP GJEA 2019000019 2
- Issued by
- Boulder County, Weston CDP, Colorado
About this file
This document is a vendor inquiry response provided by Front Range Community College (FRCC) for reference purposes related to RFP FRCC-19-01-W, a point-of-sale (POS) and textbook management system procurement. The college is seeking a comprehensive POS solution to replace its expiring MBS contract across multiple campus store locations, including Brighton and Westminster stores. The procurement encompasses POS hardware (registers, cash drawers, mobile POS devices, servers, barcode printers), textbook management software, e-book functionality, inclusive access program management, loyalty program capabilities, and online sales platform integration. The college requires one consolidated cost proposal covering all stores rather than separate proposals per location and anticipates migrating to the selected vendor's website platform if a new system is chosen. The college operates a centralized ordering model with one general merchandise manager and one course materials manager ordering for all locations, though individual stores manage food and beverage ordering independently.
FRCC's current environment utilizes Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard infrastructure with existing third-party relationships including Verba/Vital Source for e-books and inclusive access publisher agreements. The 2017-18 fiscal year generated approximately $3 million in new textbook sales, $750,000 in used textbook sales, $750,000 in rental sales, and $500,000 in web sales, with inclusive access revenue projected to grow from $300,000 to $800,000 in the subsequent fiscal year. The college currently processes payments through Vantiv WorldPay and Paymetric, with Wells Fargo as the primary banking institution; however, vendors are not limited to these providers. The college uses Ellucian Banner for accounting and requires real-time POS data integration including financial aid and loyalty transactions. The college requests proposals demonstrating both options for utilizing existing equipment and implementing new equipment, and anticipates a full warranty covering the life of the contract for all hardware components including the POS system, server, and PIN pads.
View the file
Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| PricingSheet(AppendixA).xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| CloudVendorAssessment(Appendix B).xlsx | XLSX spreadsheet | |
| RFP FRCC-19-01-W.doc | DOC document | |
| Vendor Written Inquiry RFP FRCC-19-01-W.docx | DOCX document |
On GovTribe
Work with this file
- Download the original file
- Contacts named in this file
- Similar government files
- Ask GovTribe AI about this file
Text version
These questions and answers were provided for original RFP. This is reposted for new RFP FRCC-19-01-W for reference instead of requiring that the questions be asked again. Additional new questions and answers are provided in separate College Response to Vendor Written Inquiry RFP FRCC-19-01-W Vendor Written Inquiry RFP FRCC-18-40
1. Do you want one cost proposal to cover all stores or a proposal for each store separately?
a. One for all stores
2. There are no Register set-ups listed for the Brighton Store. Are they included in the Westminster store totals?
a. Yes, they are included in WC totals
3. Why are there 4 extra cash trays needed in the Register requirements?
a. Easier to switch out cash trays when new cashier comes on duty
4. Are there back office workstations housing the POS/Text Management software required?
a. Yes, staff will use these to access the software, but they don’t act as a register. Workstation hardware does not need to be included in the proposal.
5. What is the reason for this RFP? Why is the college considering a move away from its present system, MBS?
a. The present contract will be expiring. Also we want to evaluate other systems’ functionalities and how they are planning for future initiatives and growth for the college stores.
6. How does the campus handle rentals – via the wholesaler only or a combination of in=store rental and wholesaler?
a. Currently the campus stores’ offers in-store rentals, with rental pricing based on rental rebate programs from wholesalers. We are interested in expanding to offer in-store rentals independent of rebate program rentals, and the software functionality to manage that.
7. How is inclusive access managed?
a. The course materials manager manually manages: obtains publisher pricing and determines course fee price; obtains faculty to Dean approval; submits course fee pricing for SBCCOE approval; adopts in textbook software; works with pubs, D2L, and faculty to implement access; provides information to stores and marketing for student communication. Budgets & Auxiliary Services office manages revenue/course fee and expense/enrollments tracking and processing.
8. Which vendor does the campus presently use for e-books?
a. MBS only, as well as publisher inclusive access e-books and e-course materials.
9. How is Student Financial Aid currently managed? Is there a live interface between Banner and the POS/Text Management software?
a. Banner files are loaded into MBS with financial aid limits, then MBS exports files back to banner with charges. No live interface but would like to see proposals for both models (file transfers and interface).
10. Please describe how the campus loyalty program(s) works.
a. Customers opt in to loyalty program. Purchases/reward activity tracked in store software suite. Proposals should include if vendor software suite includes loyalty soft
11. How is Financial Aid currently authenticated for online purchases?
a. Customers log in and Student ID number is associated with financial aid funds.
12. How are online signatures currently captured for third-party financial aid web sales?
a. No digital signature is captured. The sale is verified by entry of the student’s ID number and the online system verifies with our student financial aid module and the student has to check mark a box saying they understand the sale is being paid with their FA funds.
13. What service is FRCC using to obtain instructor adoptions online?
a. MBS online adoptions
14. What third-party vendor does the campus use for physical inventory?
a. RGIS
15. How varied is the inventory from store to store? For example, do all the campuses share the same logo/mascot or do they vary and does the GM vary accordingly?
a. Inventory is very similar at each store with same logo and mascot at each store. There is one GM manager who orders for all campuses.
16. Does each store do its own ordering or are all orders submitted from a centralized location?
a. GM manager orders for all locations and Course Materials manager orders for all locations. Each store does its own ordering for food and drinks.
17. Section 1:1.4 – Current Hardware (Page 5) Does the campus intend to utilize any of the existing equipment or is new equipment a requirement of this RFP?
a. We would like to see both options.
18. Section 3 3.1.Q (Page 20) – Specifically what POS sales data is required by the college in real time?
a. All POS sales data in real time including financial aid and loyalty transactions.
19. Section 3 3.2.A.1 (Page 21) – How many mobile POS devices are desired per location?
a. At least one mobile POS per location
20. Section 6 6.2 References (page 40) ‐ Please expand on the statement that “college reserves the right to be a reference.”
a. If a vendor has worked with Front Range Community College, that vendor is welcome to list the college as a reference.
21. Please provide current server specs (referenced in 1.4 B 1)
a. See #42
22. What operating system is currently in use?
a. MBS
23. Does the store run Windows 10?
a. Not all stores are on Windows 10 (BCC is not)
24. Which Avery Dennison Monarch barcode model is in use (1.4 B 2)?
a. MO9825
25. What are the current third-party relationships?
a. Verba/Vital Source; inclusive access publisher agreements;
26. What is your inclusive access model, i.e. does the store collect the money, is the store reimbursed by the bursars office, etc?
a. Currently reimbursed by bursar.
27. 2017-18 academic year dollar amount for used textbooks sales?
a. ~$750,000. (excludes rental sales)
28. 2017-18 academic year dollar amount for new textbooks sales?
a. ~$3,000,000. (excludes rental sales)
29. 2017-18 academic year dollar amount for ebook sales
a. ~$500. (excludes inclusive access currently at ~$300,000, growing to ~$800,000 next fiscal year)
30. 2017-18 academic year dollar amount rentals?
a. ~$750,000 in customer rental sales and rental rebate sales
31. 2017-18 academic year dollar amount for buyback sent back to wholesalers?
a. ~$22,000.
32. 2017-18 academic year web sales?
a. ~$500,000
33. Credit Card/Payment: Who is the Pos system provider (ISV independent software vendor)?
a. MBS using Vantiv WorldPay and Paymetric for online orders
34. Credit Card/Payment: Who is the gateway provider (helps the device communicate with the pos system)?
a. Vantiv for POS and Paymetric for online sales; FDMS Nashville and FDMS North for processing. Not limited to these security and processing companies but must work with Wells Fargo, primary banking institution for FRCC.
35. Credit Card/Payment: Who is the processor for pin debit?
a. Same as response to question #34
36. Software: Can you please provide more details on your current website and if you plan to migrate to a different platform?
a. If we choose a new vendor we will be migrating to that vendor’s platform. Currently we have one main website with each store providing separate textbook databases for customer ordering. General merchandise is consolidated at the Westminster campus only currently. Prefer to have one main site for all stores’ textbook and general merchandise ordering, while providing customers choice options by store and term.
37. Software: What shopping cart do you have integrated to your website currently?
a. Unknown, it is included in our website vendor software.
38. Software: What accounting system do you use and can it accept new integrations?
a. FRCC uses Ellucian Banner. The Colorado Community College System can accept new integrations after it has fully evaluated all proposed integration, and determined if the integration is feasible.
39. Hardware: Please confirm you do not require a cash drawer as part of the POS system.
a. We accept cash, we would need cash drawers at each location.
40. Hardware: On the mobile units, are you using anything today and if so what makes/models?
a. Not currently using mobile units
41. Hardware: Please provide us with any details regarding the specs, make/model etc. of the mobile sales unit and mobile printer.
a. N/A
42. Hardware: What server do you currently use? What are the requirements/specs for a new server?
a. We are running Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard, Processor Intel Xenon CPU ES-1220 V2 @ 3.10GHz, 4.0 GB RAM, 64-bit operating system with two 500GB drives at each location. New servers would be expected to be of the latest technology to accommodate your system and provide our customers with the best retail experience.
43. Hardware: What warranties do you require for the POS system, server, pin pad etc.?
a. We would like to see what you offer, a full warranty for the life of the contract would be expected.
44. Do you need assistance with de-installation and installation/set up of equipment?
a. Yes
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .