RFI-450-Child-Nutrition-System-Modernization (4).docx

NYSED RFI # 450

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

FOR

CHILD NUTRITION SYSTEM MODERNIZATION

RFI # 450

Issue Date: July 14, 2026

DESIGNATED CONTACT FOR INQUIRIES AND SUBMISSIONS

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) designated contacts for this request for information (RFI) are Tanya Jaracz (Program) and Karen Somide (Fiscal). All inquiries and responses related to this RFI should be submitted via online form.

Administrative issues pertaining to sending/receiving email through NYSED’s HighQ system may be reported at cauhighqsupport@nysed.gov.

This RFI is posted on the New York State Education Department’s Funding Opportunities webpage.

NYSED RFI # 450

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Table of Contents

List of Tables

List of Figures Figure 1, CNMS Technical Architecture 3

NYSED RFI # 450

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Purpose The New York State (NYS) Education Department (NYSED) is seeking information and collecting input from interested parties to understand the current technology market and vendor landscape related to modernizing the NYSED Child Nutrition Management System (CNMS).

NYSED, in its capacity as New York’s Child Nutrition (CN) Program state agency, not only administers federal and state CN programs to schools, entities, agencies, and organizations, but it also manages federal and state compliance for statewide CN programs. CN programs include the National School Lunch Program (NSLP), School Breakfast Program (SBP), Special Milk Program (SMP), Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program (FFVP), and Summer Food Service Program (SFSP).

CNMS serves as the primary business tool for coordinating, monitoring, and reporting on these child nutrition program initiatives and subsequent claims and payments. The application intakes and manages data for each program, as well as for associated claims, reporting, events, meetings, and program office administration. Various state, local, federal, and vendor stakeholders use the system for one or more of these purposes.

NYSED’s goals in issuing this request for information (RFI) are to:

Further develop an approach for modernizing the system that balances vendor offerings against NYSED’s business needs and current challenges.

Identify the different types of solutions and approaches available in the market.

Understand how the available solutions can address the needs and concerns of child nutrition stakeholders.

Identify challenges and timelines related to the different types of solutions.

Project Background While the CN Program Office has continued to adapt to complex changes in the federal system and to various state mandates, the Child Nutrition team has found it difficult to meet modern and evolving needs with CNMS’ existing tools. The team currently manages many tasks with manual workarounds outside the system, resulting in inefficiencies that cost both time and resources.

CNMS is built on Oracle Designer, a platform that is no longer supported, and system errors and instability could result in declining performance without meaningful administrative oversight. In addition, as NYSED’s infrastructure continues to evolve, compatibility and interoperability with CNMS have diminished, further limiting the system’s effectiveness.

Current State CNMS supports 14 critical operational business processes and remains central to administering the CN programs. Its functionality is integral to ensuring compliance, operational efficiency, and program oversight.

Table 1, CNMS Business Processes

Management of exceptions (warnings/holds) with user notifications Review of held claims Invoice generation for approved claims

Error notification This process Invoice generation for approved claims

Budget projections Budget coordination Fiscal program management

Key target date tracking and management

CNMS is a centralized, Oracle-based platform built on a legacy, multitiered architecture that integrates an Oracle database infrastructure with secure web access and modular application services.

The current CNMS architecture reflects its original design and technologies, many of which are difficult to support due to their age. CNMS’ legacy client-server architecture introduces operational risks, including single point of failure (SPOF) server dependencies; network bottlenecks; scaling limitations; unsecured connections; outdated authentication and identity management capabilities that increase cybersecurity risk and hinder compliance with current security standards; and limited staff with Oracle Designer skills. In addition, because CNMS does not integrate with external applications, data is segregated, real-time visibility is reduced, and staff must rely on manual workarounds.

Figure 1, CNMS Technical Architecture

Desired Solution Overview For the purposes of this RFI, NYSED’s vision for modernizing the system is structured around three key “pillars,” each comprising supporting “attributes.” Table 2 illustrates this framework and provides a high-level overview of each attribute.

Table 2, Future State Modernization Vision

A flexible, configuration-driven platform that enables rapid customization of workflows, business rules, and processes, allowing the system to quickly adapt to regulatory and business changes while maintaining state governance and control. and minimizing reliance on custom code Modern System Architecture A secure, scalable, and modular platform that supports continuous modernization, resilient operations, and the ability to evolve through component-based enhancements and emerging technologies Interoperability A standards-based integration capability that enables real-time data exchange with external systems through a scalable framework, supporting seamless connectivity and future expansion.

A modern, user-centered interface that provides role-based access, complies with accessibility and regulatory requirements, and offers intuitive navigation, enterprise-wide search, and self-service capabilities for managing profiles, submitting requests, tracking status, uploading documents, and generating standard reports to improve efficiency, transparency, and user satisfaction.

Communications An integrated communication capability that allows users to communicate and collaborate through multiple methods from within the application while centralizing interaction history, reducing reliance on external tools, and improving coordination.

Data Management A governed framework for managing structured data and metadata, with built-in validation, auditability, and lineage tracking to ensure data accuracy, eliminate duplication, and monitor data quality continuously.

Document Management A centralized document-management capability that provides a secure, role-based repository with automated organization and lifecycle management, ensuring a single source of truth and reducing inconsistencies across documents, records, and related information.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Capabilities An advanced capability that leverages AI and automation to streamline workflows, enhance decision-making, and optimize processes through task orchestration and intelligent data handling while adhering to NYSED’s AI policy.

A zero-trust, standards-aligned security framework with strong identity management, role-based access, encryption, and continuous monitoring to protect data and ensure compliance Reporting and Analytics A configurable reporting and analytics capability that delivers real-time insights and data visualizations, enabling proactive oversight, trend analysis, and informed decision-making while reducing reliance on external tools.

Dashboards A role-based dashboard and work-management capability that provides configurable alerts, task tracking, and performance visibility to streamline coordination and reduce reliance on external tools.

NYSED is interested in solutions that leverage modern, industry-standard technologies, to accelerate the delivery of applications, improve maintainability, and reduce long-term development and maintenance costs. The technology stack must support cloud-native or cloud-ready deployment, open application programming interfaces (API), and integrate with enterprise systems.

Additionally, NYSED is seeking a new child nutrition solution that:

Supports complex and potentially evolving business rules.

Can be deployed rapidly and managed efficiently while still meeting business requirements.

Can be tailored to New York’s specific regulations, policies, and workflows.

Can be updated quickly to accommodate regulatory changes at both federal and state levels.

Has the ability to integrate with state and federal systems for eligibility, payments, procurement, reporting, and monitoring.

Allows NYSED to maintain a meaningful degree of in-house control and prioritize testing and quality assurance.

Aligns with National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) moderate, and relevant regulatory frameworks.

Response Instructions NYSED is seeking to gain a comprehensive understanding of the technology solutions that are available. Please answer the questions in Attachment 1 – Vendor Questionnaire (posted separately with the RFI) about the proposed solution being offered.

NYSED is aware that vendor solutions vary and encourages vendors to answer the questions and to include any information requested for modules that you currently offer. Note next to the questions if functionality is not available at this time and/or is being developed but not yet operational.

Electronic Submissions All responses regarding this RFI are to be submitted electronically via the online form . Enter 450 in the Procurement No. box and Child Nutrition Modernization RFI in the Procurement Title/Name box. Please label your submission RFI #450 – (Vendor Name) and upload into the Submission Documents or Technical Proposal upload box. The deadline for submissions is August 25, 2026. Submissions are due by 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time. No hard copies of responses will be accepted.

Inquiries From Vendors Vendors should submit all inquiries, questions, or comments regarding this RFI via online form by July 28, 2026. Please enter 450 in the Procurement No. box and Child Nutrition Modernization RFI in the Procurement Title/Name box. Questions received after the deadline may not be addressed. Questions should not contain proprietary or classified information. If you have multiple questions, please submit them separately. A Questions and Answers Summary will be posted on the NYSED Funding Opportunities webpage by August 11, 2026.

Communications From NYS to Vendors NYSED may issue announcements amending this RFI in response to questions it receives. Announcements related to this RFI will be posted to the New York State Contract Reporter and to the NYSED Funding Opportunities webpage. NYSED may request that vendors provide a demonstration of their proposed solution. Vendors will be notified accordingly if NYSED desires a demonstration.

Next Steps and Key Dates NYSED will receive and review all vendor responses to its RFI questionnaire.

Guidance to Vendors This is a request for information (RFI) only. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes — it does not constitute a request for proposals (RFP), an invitation for bid (IFB), or a promise to issue an RFP or an IFB. This RFI does not commit NYSED to contract for any supply or service whatsoever.

All responses should be limited to the information requested and submitted in the same order in which it is requested. NYSED discourages overly lengthy responses. Therefore, marketing brochures, user manuals, or other materials beyond that sufficient to present a complete and effective response are not desired. Elaborate artwork is not necessary or desired. Your response should contain sufficient information to assure NYSED of its accuracy. While additional data may be presented, extraneous materials will not be reviewed by NYSED.

Vendors are advised that NYSED will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in responding to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participating in any future RFP or IFB, if any are issued. NYSED may use information obtained from responses to this RFI to make programmatic decisions and/or to develop a competitive procurement, such as an RFP or IFB.

Any content that is proprietary and/or confidential must be clearly marked as such in the response. Failure to mark content as proprietary and/or confidential may result in its disclosure in the event a response is the subject of a Freedom of Information request under Public Officers Law §87. In any event, NYSED will determine, in its sole discretion, appropriate disclosure in response to any Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) request. All materials submitted by a vendor shall become the property of NYSED and may or may not be returned to the vendor, at the sole discretion of NYSED.

Since this RFI is designed as a tool to collect information and shall not result in a procurement contract, it does not fall under the requirements of State Finance Law §§139-j and 139-k (the Procurement Lobbying Law), and there is no restricted period.

NYSED may communicate with any and all third parties about this RFI or otherwise during the pendency of this RFI and/or following the receipt and consideration of RFI responses. This may be through email exchanges, phone discussions, meetings, demonstrations, and/or correspondence and may be with an individual vendor, a subset of vendors, or all vendors. As RFI responses are reviewed, NYSED reserves the right to send follow-up clarification questions to vendors.

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