RFI S-44000-00013351 for AR Financial Accounting Management Software.pdf

RFI S-44000-00013351 AR Financial Accounting Management Software

State of Oregon

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Seeking Information About An accounts receivable financial accounting management software solution to manage the agency’s Accounts Receivable Collections Activities.

Date of Issuance:

Response Due date:

OregonBuys #S-44000-00013351

COVER PAGE

Department of Consumer and Business Services Procurement Services

CONTACT

Nicholas Brooks Procurement Specialist

Department of Consumer & Business Services Procurement Section 350 Winter Street NE

Salem, OR 97301 Phone: 971-375-7762;

Email: DCBS.Oppertunity@dcbs.oregon.gov

Contents

1. Overview

3. Background

4. Objectives / Minimum Qualifications

5. Questions

6. RFI Submission Process

7. Attachment A- Respondent Summary Page……………………………………………

1. Overview

The State of Oregon, acting by and through the Department of Consumer and Business Services’ (DCBS) Procurement Services, on behalf of the Central Services Division’s Accounts Receivable Unit, has issued this Request for Information (RFI) seeking responses, including a nonbinding price estimate, from interested and knowledgeable Accounts Receivable Collections Service providers to provide an accounts receivable financial accounting management software solution.

2. Introduction

The purpose of the RFI is to solicit information about the availability of an accounts receivable financial accounting management software solution capable of providing accounts receivable and billing applications software; installation and configuration of the application; interface development; report development; testing; application operation and administration training, ongoing maintenance, training, and upgrades; help desk support, and technical and user documentation. This RFI is issued only for informational and planning purposes and does not constitute a solicitation. A response to this RFI is not an offer and cannot be accepted by the State of Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services to form a binding contract.

3. Background

DCBS is Oregon’s largest consumer protection and business regulatory agency. The agency is primarily funded by assessments, licenses, permits, penalties, fines, etc. There are thousands of payees who submit payments to DCBS throughout Oregon. The efficient and effective collection of receivables is a priority to DCBS. The agency is looking for an accounts receivable financial accounting management software to help us meet our accounts receivable (AR) goals. Some debts owed to DCBS become past due and the agency must work with our partners to collect these debts. The storing of the data related to these debts, and sharing of the data with partners, is critical to the work of the agency. A system designed to help process, store, and share this data is critical to our success.

DCBS is looking for a new accounts receivable financial accounting management software. This software will be used to manage the agency’s AR accounts and activities. This software would be used by the Accounts Receivable Unit and includes a significant amount of data with the amount of data increasing over time. The data is used in various ways, including, but not limited to, providing reports to the Oregon Legislative Fiscal Office and sharing across all Oregon state agencies. DCBS’ internal Information Technology and Research Section helps with the transfer of a portion of this data to the Department of Revenue (DOR) on a monthly basis. The desired AR financial accounting management software will need to include the following capabilities:

1. Secure access to the software solution for users with a minimum of username and password.

a. Multiple user options. For example, there should be an option for read-and-write access, and read-only access.

2. Ability to create debtor accounts with a variety of debtor information. Information would include, but not be limited to, name, address, phone, email, amount owed, and the ability to make notes.

3. Provide a search function to find specific accounts in a variety of ways (debtor number, account number, name, etc.).

4. Ability to create, customize, and send invoices, letters, and bills to debtors.

5. Ability to query data and create custom reports.

6. Records retention of the electronic records, with a manual destruction process.

7. Ability to manage unique AR activities. For example, the required account functions for joint and several debts.

8. Ability to send data to outside entities. For example, the processing of cases with the Department of Justice (DOJ) or legal representatives outside of the State of Oregon.

9. Ability to secure sensitive data held within the system (private data such as Social Security number, driver license, copy of passport addresses, and phone numbers)

10. Ability to configure or set automatic alerts and ticklers to reduce the risk of account mismanagement and increase insights into potential problems.

11. Visibility into the complete lifecycle of AR work processes, to make decisions and prioritize appropriately (30, 60, and 90 days’ timeframe).

12. Ability to automate routine tasks, workflows and reports.

13. Ability to provide data sets to external entities via XML file transfers.

4. Objectives / Minimum Qualifications

Minimum requirements for the AR financial accounting management software:

• Gain a better understanding of the availability of these products and services. AR wants potential suppliers to provide information on the services they provide within this context based on the needs listed above.

• Identify the database and features to be considered, including in the specifications (interfaces, access control, billing methods, security of data, and package options).

5. Questions

1. How long would it take to implement respondent’s product at DCBS-AR? Please include high-level project time estimates. Below is the current amounts per program in our database.

2. What levels of maintenance/support are available? Does respondent have a standard agreement for this? If so, please submit with response.

3. Is training included with the product? If so, please include the description of what training is provided, quantity and form of training.

4. What is the respondent’s experience in providing this product to governmental agencies? Please provide the name of the agency and its location, along with the contact information (business and program, contact name, email, and telephone for the agency representative most familiar with the product and services).

5. What levels of maintenance/support are available? Does respondent have a standard agreement for this? If so please submit with response.

6. AR user support/help-desk services provided during/after implementation. If so, please describe these services.

7. What business continuity and disaster recovery protocols are in place?

8. What type of warranties are available?

9. Does respondent’s product license cover all associated software and optional modules?

10. What is the licensing structure of the product? (e.g. per user, per server, concurrent user)

11. Are there updates or changes to system data available and are they included in the package or are there separate charges? Please describe these charges and services.

12. What additional products or services could supplier offer? Are there package deal offerings?

13. Does your product have the option for XML? If so, please submit with response.

14. What is your business practice of keeping records for set periods of times to comply with business needs and regulations?

15. Has your business been sued due to failure to perform a services on agreements?

16. Is our solution on-premise or cloud based?

17. Is data hosted on systems within the United States?

18. What security measures does you software have to prevent against breaches?

19. Can you company provide a SOC2 or similar report for the software?

20. Is your product stateRamp or fedRamp certified?

21. What are the pricing options for the licensing?

6. RFI Submission Process

6.1 Single Point of Contact (SPOC)

All communications, including questions, comments, and requests for clarification must be in writing and directed to the SPOC.

The SPOC for this RFI is:

Nicholas Brooks, Procurement Specialist Department of Consumer and Business Services 350 Winter Street NE Salem, OR 97301 971-375-7762 DCBS.Opportunity@dcbs.oregon.gov

6.2 Instructions

Responses shall be submitted in written form. No verbal responses will be accepted. All submissions must be submitted to the SPOC.

6.2.1 Electronic submissions mMust include “RFI, S-44000-00013351” in the subject line and be sent in .doc, .docx or .pdf format.

6.2.2 Respondent summary page

Respondent shall complete the Respondent Summary Page (Attachment A) and include that with respondent’s response to this RFI.

6.2.3 Public records

The information received shall be kept by DCBS PS and made a part of a file or record, which will be open to public inspection.

If respondents believe any of its RFI response is exempt from disclosure under Oregon public records law (ORS 192.410 through 192.505), respondent shall complete and submit the Affidavit of Trade Secret (Attachment B) an submit a fully redacted version of its information, clearly identified as the redacted version.

6.2.4 Questions shall be submitted to the SPOC no later than April 14, 2025 at 10 am.

6.2.5 Responses for this RFI shall be sent to the SPOC no later than April 25, 2025 at 10 am.

ATTACHMENT A – Respondent Summary Page

Name of Respondent:

Address of Respondent:

Email address of Respondent:

Phone number of Respondent:

Representing (optional):

By signing this page and submitting a response, the Respondent certifies the following statements are true:

1. The statements contained in the response are true and complete to the best of the

Respondent’s knowledge. The undersigned recognizes this is a public document and open to public inspection, with the exception of items identified as a trade secret on Attachment B.

2. The Respondent, by submitting a response to this RFI certifies that Respondent understands any statements ore representations contained in or attached to its response shall be used only for informational purposes and does not constitute a bid or a proposal in response to a formal solicitation.

Signature:

(Authorized to bind Respondent) Date

ATTACHMENT B – AFFIDAVIT OF TRADE SECRET

____________________ (Affiant), being first duly sworn under oath, and representing [Name] (hereafter “Respondent”), hereby deposes and swears or affirms under penalty of perjury that:

1. I am an employee of the Respondent, I have knowledge of the Request for Information referenced herein, and I have full authority from the Respondent to submit this affidavit and accept the responsibilities stated herein.

2. I am aware that the Respondent has submitted information, dated on or about [insert date] (“the Response”), to the State of Oregon (State) in response to Request for Information, S- 44000-00013351, for AR Financial Accounting Management Software.

3. I have read and am familiar with the provisions of Oregon’s Public Records Law, Oregon Revised Statutes (“ORS”) 192.410 through 192.505, and the Uniform Trade Secrets Act as adopted by the State of Oregon, which is set forth in ORS 646.461 through ORS 646.475. I understand that the information received as part of this RFI is a public record held by a public body and is subject to disclosure under the Oregon Public Records Law unless specifically exempt from disclosure under that law.

4. The Respondent believes the information indicated is exempt from public disclosure (collectively, the “Exempt Information”), which is incorporated herein by this reference. It is my opinion that the Exempt Information constitutes “Trade Secrets” under either the Oregon Public Records Law or the Uniform Trade Secrets Act as adopted in Oregon because that information is either:

A. A formula, plan, pattern, process, tool, mechanism, compound, procedure, production data, or compilation of information that:

i. is not patented,

ii. is known only to certain individuals within the Respondent’s organization and that is used in a business the Respondent conducts,

iii. has actual or potential commercial value, and

iv. gives its user an opportunity to obtain a business advantage over competitors who do not know or use it.

or

B. Information, including a drawing, cost data, customer list, formula, pattern, compilation, program, device, method, technique or process that:

i. Derives independent economic value, actual or potential, from not being generally known to the public or to other persons who can obtain economic value from its disclosure or use; and

ii. Is the subject of efforts by the Respondent that are reasonable under the circumstances to maintain its secrecy.

5. I understand that disclosure of the information referenced may depend on official or judicial determinations made in accordance with the Public Records Law.

Affiant’s Signature

State of ___________)

) ss:

County of ________)

Signed and sworn to before me on ___________ (date) by ______________________ (Affiant’s name).

Notary Public for the State of _________________