RFP 2024-08.docx

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT (SCM)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Supply Chain Management (SCM)

COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA

VIRGINIA IT AGENCY (VITA)

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT DIVISION

7325 BEAUFONT SPRINGS DRIVE

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA 23225

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 2024-08

for

Information Technology (IT) Research Subscription Services

Ph. No: 804-200-4556 E-mail Address: Meghan.Manning@vita.virginia.gov

Contract(s) resulting from this solicitation are available for joint and cooperative use by all public bodies as defined by § 2.2-4301 and referenced by § 2.2-4304 and § 2.2-2012 of the Virginia Public Procurement Act (“VPPA”), as set forth in the Code of Virginia (“Code”), and to private institutions of higher education that are listed at: https://cicv.org/colleges/. Additionally, pursuant to Code § 2.2-4304 of the VPPA, this solicitation will be available to those public bodies, or public agencies or institutions or localities of the several states, of the United States or its territories, the District of Columbia, the U.S. General Services Administration, or the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments that have executed a participating addendum with the Supplier to utilize the contract(s) resulting from this solicitation (collectively, the “Authorized Users”).

Note: VITA does not discriminate against faith-based organizations in accordance with Code §2.2-4343.1 of the VPPA, or against a bidder or offeror because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, political affiliation, or status as a service-disabled veteran or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment. VITA is committed to increasing procurement opportunities for small and micro businesses, including small or micro businesses that are owned by minorities, women, or disabled veterans, and strengthening the Commonwealth’s overall economic growth through the development of its IT suppliers.

Table of Contents

Administrative Appendices:

Appendix A - State Corporation Commission Form Appendix B - Supplier Trade Secret or Proprietary Information Form Appendix C - Supplier Profile Appendix D - RESERVED Appendix E - Supplier Exceptions to VITA's Standard Contract

Exhibits:

Exhibit A - Requirements Attachment #1 to Exhibit A Exhibit B - Pricing Exhibit C - RESERVED Exhibit D - RESERVED Exhibits E - RESERVED Exhibit F- RESERVED Exhibit G - Certification Regarding Lobbying Exhibit H - Supplier Procurement and Subcontracting Plan Exhibit I - Service Level Agreements Exhibit J - IRS Publication 1075

INTRODUCTION

RFP Overview and Scope

The purpose of this Request for Proposals (“RFP”), issued by Virginia Information Technologies Agency (“VITA”), on behalf of the Commonwealth of Virginia (“Commonwealth”) and Authorized Users, is to solicit proposals to provide Information Technology (IT) Research Subscription Services.

VITA’s expectation is that this RFP will result in the establishment of a contract, or contracts, that will provide the means to satisfy the majority of the Commonwealth’s immediate and future needs for Information Technology (IT) Research Subscription Services.

The scope of this RFP encompasses a variety of IT Research Subscription Services. Supplier shall provide access to the newest research and information repositories, technologies, and techniques through an online portal. The scope also encompasses optional analyst services to provide high quality analysis and comprehensive insights into Supplier’s IT-related online repositories of market research, information, and reports

VITA’s specific objectives for this RFP include, but are not limited to, the following:

· Providing the delivery of various IT research and information needs of the Commonwealth and other Authorized Users, primarily through secure online repositories.

· Providing innovative new IT research models as requirements and business needs of the Commonwealth and other Authorized Users change and evolve.

· Enabling Supplier diversification to support delivery across the Commonwealth and other Authorized Users.

· Providing a nimble Services with the ability to add new IT research topics and maintain contract relevancy to market trends and changing technologies.

· Implementing competitive pricing and service level models that are predictable, flexible, stable, and demonstrate value for taxpayers’ dollars.

· Using objective measurements for Service Level Agreements (SLAs), ensure substantial Supplier compliance with the requirements set out in this RFP, with appropriate financial credits for deficiencies.

· Increasing the IT Research Subscription Services spend profile.

Through its response to this RFP, Supplier shall demonstrate a complete and thorough understanding of these objectives and its ability and willingness to meet them.

Due to the dynamic nature of the IT industry, VITA understands that, from time to time, Supplier may change its research subscription service offerings to meet the needs of the Commonwealth and other Authorized Users. VITA encourages this innovation and evolution; however, new or revised research subscription service offerings must be in alignment with the scope of this RFP and Supplier’s original response hereto.

Alliances among Suppliers are acceptable to meet the requirements of this procurement. However, VITA is interested in simplifying processes by having a single point of interface wherever possible.

The Commonwealth encourages all Suppliers to bring innovative ideas and solutions to government — ideas and solutions that result in cost and operational efficiencies or improvements while enhancing the services that governments provide its citizens

For the purposes of this RFP, the following definitions shall apply:

“Supplier” or “Offeror” means any entity that submits a proposal in response to this RFP.

“Administrative Appendix” means an attachment to the RFP that serves an administrative purpose relating to the RFP process; specifically, a document that will assist in the review of the proposal but not become an Exhibit to the resulting contract

“Exhibit” means an attachment to the RFP that will become an exhibit to the resulting contract only upon award. Certain of these Exhibits are to be populated by Supplier as part of its response to this RFP; see Table 2 in Section 5 of this RFP for instructions.

“eVA” means the Commonwealth’s procurement portal located at http://www.eva.virginia.gov.

Section 3 of this RFP sets forth the detailed requirements for the RFP scope. VITA reserves the right to adjust the requirements or scope of this RFP as needed and in the event that any modifications to this RFP become necessary, an amendment to this RFP (“Addendum”) will be posted on the Commonwealth’s procurement portal, eVA, and located at: http://www.eva.virginia.gov.

VITA Overview

VITA is the Commonwealth’s consolidated, information technology organization. Established by the General Assembly, VITA’s responsibilities fall into four primary categories:

1) Governance and protection of the Commonwealth’s information security programs in support of the responsibilities of the Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth;

2) Operation of the IT infrastructure for the executive branch agencies declared by the legislature to be “in-scope” to VITA;

3) Governance of IT investments in support of the duties and responsibilities of the Information Technology Advisory Council and the Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth;

4) Procurement of technology for VITA and on behalf of other state agencies and institutions of higher education.

Single Point of Contact (“SPOC”)

Submit all inquiries concerning this RFP in writing by email, subject: “Questions on RFP # 2024-08 to:

SPOC: Meghan Manning Email: Meghan.Manning@vita.virginia.gov Suppliers are to limit all contact, whether verbal or written, pertaining to this RFP to the designated SPOC for the duration of this procurement process. Failure to do so may jeopardize further consideration of a Supplier’s proposal.

Pre-Proposal Conference

There will be an optional, virtual pre-proposal conference held on the date specified in Table 1 in Subsection 1.F below. The pre-proposal conference is open to all interested Offerors, and attendance is encouraged. There will be no opportunity for a private or individual conference. Offerors are encouraged to submit questions in writing at least 72 hours prior to the pre-proposal conference.

To participate in the pre-proposal conference, register with the SPOC by sending an email stating your firm’s name and your participating representative(s) no later than 4:00pm local time on the business day prior to the conference. Suppliers will be emailed the information to virtually attend the conference. VITA cannot guarantee a response to registration requests sent after 4:00pm local time on the business day prior to the conference.

Supplier Questions and Answers

All questions and requests for clarification of the RFP should be submitted to the SPOC in writing via email. VITA cannot guarantee a response to questions received after the deadline specified in Table 1 in Subsection 1.F below. Questions and answers shall be publicly posted in eVA.

Timetable

Table 1 – Timetable

Register for pre-proposal conference

02/10/25

Supplier Interviews (should VITA elect)*

04/2025

*These dates in the timetable above are provided for planning purposes only.

eVA Procurement Website and Required Registration

The Commonwealth’s procurement portal, eVA, is located at https://eva.virginia.gov/ and provides information about Commonwealth solicitations and awards.

Suppliers must be registered in eVA in order submit a proposal to this RFP. To register with eVA, select the “Register Now” option from the eVA homepage, also located at Register Now (virginia.gov).

For assistance with eVA, please contact eVA Customer Care, Get Help eVA Customer Care (virginia.gov)

Suppliers are encouraged to check this site on a regular basis and, in particular, prior to submission of proposals to identify any amendments to the RFP that may have been issued.

PRESENT SITUATION AND DESIRED FUTURE STATE

The information provided in this Section 2 is not intended to set forth requirements, but rather is intended to assist Suppliers in gaining a general understanding of the current state and the business objectives to be met through this RFP.

A. Historical Spend

VITA currently holds contracts for IT Research and Advisory Services with Gartner Inc. (VA-180315-GARG) and Info-Tech Research Group Inc. (VA-180315-ITRG).

The reported spend for each fiscal year of the current contracts are as follows:

B. Challenges in the Current Contracts

1) GSA Pricing, Terms, and Conditions

Pricing, terms, and conditions in VITA’s current contracts with Gartner and Info-Tech are based on GSA Group 70 IT Schedule Contracts. For purposes of any contract(s) resulting from the RFP, and in contrast to the current contracts, VITA is seeking pricing, terms, and conditions specific to the Commonwealth along with the ability to negotiate and modify any such contract(s) with Supplier(s) in accordance with evolving needs.

2) Advisory Services

Under VITA’s current contracts with Gartner and Info-Tech, the Commonwealth and other Authorized Users may purchase advisory services on a time and materials (hourly) basis. In contrast to the current contracts, advisory services are not in-scope to this RFP. However, in lieu of advisory services, Supplier may, at its option, include analyst services in any fixed-price IT Research Subscription Service.

Examples of strategic and tactical areas where analysts have historically aided include, but are not limited to:

· Benchmark data;

· Conduct forecasting;

· Contract negotiations;

· Formulate projections;

· IT governance and related policymaking;

· IT industry trends analysis;

· IT recruitment and staffing;

· IT resource planning and management;

· Project development, management, and evaluation; and

· Purchase decisions.

3) Consulting Services

As with the current contracts, the Services are not intended to provide consulting services or products and is out of scope for this RFP. For clarity, the Services shall not conflict or overlap with the IT Contingent Labor (ITCL) Program and VITA’s current contract with Computer Aid Inc. (CAI) (VA-210625-CAI). In addition to providing IT staff augmentation resources, VITA’s contract with CAI enables Authorized Users to acquire consulting services through deliverables-based Statements of Work in the following categories: Application Development, Back Office Solutions, Business Continuity Planning, Business Intelligence, Business Process Reengineering, Enterprise Architecture, Enterprise Content Management, Geographic Information Systems, Information Security, IT Infrastructure, IT Strategic Planning, Project Management, Public Safety Communications, Radio Engineering Services, and Independent Verification and Validation. Suppliers responding to this RFP are not prohibited from enrolling in the CAI subcontractor network to provide IT staff augmentation and/or to deliver SOW consulting work.

C. Scope of Customers and Users

VITA’s current contracts with Gartner and Info-Tech are used by many types of Authorized Users in the Commonwealth and other states, including state agencies, cities, towns, counties, planning districts, public schools, community colleges, boards, authorities, and institutions of higher education. VITA intends to continue to provide IT Research Subscription Services to Authorized Users throughout the Commonwealth, other states, and the District of Columbia.

VITA is looking to attract new and retain existing customers due to Suppliers’ ability to provide varying levels of subscription service offerings at competitive prices. Suppliers should serve Authorized Users in small-, medium-, and large-sized government organizations, including executive, legislative, and judicial branch agencies, independent agencies and authorities, localities, K-12, and institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth, other states, and the District of Columbia.

Authorized Users have historically used IT Research Subscription Services to assist in the development of enabling technologies to:

· Identify emerging technology and business trends;

· Identify timelines for technology adoption;

· Provide examples of where these trends are being applied in enterprises;

· Describe what business benefits can be obtained; and

· Describe potential risks and risk mitigations.

VITA’s IT Research Subscription Services contracts have enabled Authorized Users to make more informed decisions on critical initiatives and technology investments in areas such as:

· Agency- and organization-specific IT projects;

· Digital economy strategies;

· Digital government and digital service delivery;

· Enterprise architecture;

· Information access and privacy;

· IT service management;

· IT strategy;

· Network and telecommunications strategies;

· Short- and medium-term IT operational strategies; and

· Use of common infrastructure by transformation projects.

VITA expects Authorized Users to continue to use IT Research Subscription Services for similar purposes under the new contract(s).

REQUIREMENTS

Supplier shall indicate its capability to fulfill each specific requirement identified in Exhibit A: Requirements, in accordance with the Instructions set forth on the first tab of Exhibit A. Supplier’s responses will be reviewed in accordance with stated requirements within each section in order to determine the best solution for the Commonwealth. Supplier shall formulate direct responses to the detailed requirements to establish accountability regarding delivery of the service/solution by Supplier. Before submitting its proposal, Supplier should ensure that it has provided sufficient and complete responses to reduce the need for VITA to request additional information. Supplier is not guaranteed and should not assume that it will have the opportunity to explain, supplement or amend its initial response. Supplier is encouraged to ensure that its initial response contains and represents its best offering. Supplier’s detailed response should not be an affirmative reiteration of the requirement but should explain how the requirement will be met. Any Supplier response to the specific requirements in Exhibit A: Requirements that is “Does Not Meet” may be subject to further clarification and/or negotiation prior to award, at VITA’s sole discretion. VITA reserves the right to negotiate and finalize requirements at its sole discretion prior to contract award.

Note the following information regarding certain requirements set forth in Exhibit A, VITA Requirements:

January 2024 Executive Order 30 (EO 30), Artificial Intelligence (AI), implements AI standards and guidelines setting the technological requirements for the use of AI within government agencies and the approval process for AI initiatives and procurement of AI applications. Agencies that wish to use AI will be required to submit a request and obtain approval for use of AI prior to purchase. However, this process does not provide agencies with approval of purchase. The EO also provides Education guidelines that are to be applied at all education levels as well as the need for the development of standards for the use of AI by law enforcement personnel. At this time, this information is provided for informational and situational awareness as any requirements that an agency may be required to go through for AI use and/or any contract obligations that may be required by the supplier may change dependent on any future legislation.

See the Instructions tab in Exhibit A for further information.

PROPOSAL ADMINISTRATION AND SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

A. Overview

This RFP was developed to provide all potential Suppliers with the information required to prepare proposals. This section outlines the administrative procedures and guidelines to be used and complied with when preparing a proposal. Nothing in this RFP constitutes an offer or an invitation to contract.

By submitting a proposal in response to the RFP, Supplier certifies that all information provided in the proposal is true and accurate, and Supplier grants VITA a worldwide, royalty-free, non-sublicensable, non-exclusive, irrevocable license to retain, reproduce, and use the proposal (including any exhibits or other documents or materials the proposal incorporates) in any format for governmental purposes required or provided for by Virginia law. The foregoing includes, but is not limited to, the right for VITA to use information submitted in response to this document in any manner VITA may deem appropriate in evaluating the fitness of the services or solution(s) proposed.

B. Proposal Administration

1) Virginia Public Procurement Act This RFP is governed by the VPPA, Code § 2.2-4300 et seq., and other applicable laws.

2) Anti-Discrimination - Code § 2.2-4310 and § 2.2-4311, and § 2.2-4343.1(E) By submitting its proposal, a Supplier certifies to the Commonwealth that it will conform to the provisions of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended as well as the Virginia Fair Employment Contracting Act of 1975, as amended; and, where applicable, the Virginians With Disabilities Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and Code § 2.2-4311 of the VPPA.

3) Ethics in Public Contracting – Code § 2.2-4367 et seq.

By submitting its proposal, a Supplier certifies that its proposal is made without collusion or fraud; that the Supplier has not offered or received any kickbacks or inducements from any other bidder, supplier, manufacturer, or subcontractor in connection with its proposal; and that the Supplier has not conferred on any public employee having official responsibility for this procurement transaction any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services, or anything of more than nominal value, present or promised, unless consideration of substantially equal or greater value was exchanged. In addition, a Supplier will disclose any actual or perceived conflicts of interest in its proposal and will notify VITA if it becomes aware of a potential conflict of interest in the future.

4) Authorization to Transact Business in the Commonwealth – Code § 2.2-4311.2 All Suppliers organized as a stock or nonstock corporation, limited liability Supplier, business trust, or limited partnership, or registered as a registered limited liability partnership must be authorized to transact business as a domestic or foreign business entity if so required by Title 13.1 or Title 50 of the Code, or as otherwise required by law. In its proposal, Supplier must include either (i) Supplier’s identification number issued to it by the State Corporation Commission; or (ii) a statement explaining why Supplier is not required to be registered.

In accordance with § 2.2-4311.2 C, no award can be made to any Offeror without this authorization unless a waiver of this requirement and the administrative policies and procedures established to implement this section is granted by the Director of the Department of General Services or his designee.

Administrative Appendix A: State Corporation Commission Form to this RFP includes a space for Supplier to provide the information required in (i) or (ii) of this subsection.

5) Prohibited Products and Services – Code § 2.2-5514 No Supplier may include as part of its proposal, whether directly or indirectly through subcontractors, any hardware, software, or services that have been prohibited for use on federal systems by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

6) Prohibited Contributions and Gifts – Code § 2.2-4376.1 No Supplier that submits a proposal in response to this solicitation, and no individual who is an officer or director of the Supplier shall knowingly provide a contribution, gift, or other item with a value greater than $50 or make an express or implied promise to make such a contribution or gift to the Governor, his political action committee, or the Secretary of Administration during the period between the submission of the proposal and the award of any resulting contract award with an expected value of $5 million or more dollars.

7) Excluded Parties List A Supplier will not be awarded a contract if it, or any of its affiliates or subcontractors, is an excluded entity on the federal government’s System for Award Management (“SAM”) at https://www.sam.gov/SAM/, or the Commonwealth’s Vendor Prohibited List as provided by Code § 2.2-4321 at the time of award.

0. Proposal Submission Instructions

1) Supplier Proposal Compliance Before submitting its proposal, Supplier should verify that: (i) its proposal is accurate and complete; (ii) its proposal is prepared in accordance with the solicitation requirements, including providing all information, content, responses, appendices and exhibits requested and, (iii) all required communication, format and submission instructions are followed. Proposals that are not complete, accurate, or properly formatted may be removed from consideration at VITA’s sole discretion. All proposal materials shall be provided in either Microsoft Word or Excel, as specified in Table 2 of Section 5 Proposal Format, with no passwords utilized for any document access.

2) Liability The issuance of this RFP and the receipt of information in response to this RFP will not cause VITA to incur any liability or obligation, financial or otherwise, to any Supplier. VITA assumes no obligation to reimburse or in any way compensate a Supplier for expenses incurred in connection with its proposal.

3) Trade Secrets and Proprietary Information VITA reserves the right to use information submitted in response to this document in evaluating the fitness of the solution(s) proposed. All data, materials, and documentation originated and prepared for VITA pursuant to the RFP shall be subject to public inspection in accordance with Code §2.2-4342 of the VPPA.

Procurement and contract records are generally public records open to inspection in accordance with The Virginia Freedom of Information Act (see Code § 2.2-4342(A)), and transparency in procurement, contracting, and other governmental functions serves important public policy objectives. See Code §§ 2.2-4300(C) & 2.2-3700(B).

Conversely, pursuant to Code § 2.2-4342(F) of the VPPA, trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by a Supplier in connection with a procurement transaction shall not be subject to public inspection under The Virginia Freedom of Information Act if the Supplier:

FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THESE STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS WILL RESULT IN ALL PROPOSAL MATERIALS BEING SUBJECT TO RELEASE TO OTHER OFFERORS AND THE PUBLIC IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE VPPA AND THE VIRGINIA FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT.

In order to comply with Code § 2.2-4342(F) of the VPPA, Supplier shall submit a completed Administrative Appendix B Supplier Trade Secret or Proprietary Information Form with its proposal listing its trade secret or proprietary information and the reason it deems such information trade secret or proprietary information. If there is no trade secret or proprietary information contained in the proposal, Supplier shall clearly state that in Administrative Appendix B.

In addition to Administrative Appendix B, Supplier shall also submit a redacted copy of each document in its proposal that is consistent with the requirements of this RFP and Administrative Appendix B. VITA assumes no responsibility for release of trade secret or proprietary information contained in redacted proposal documents.

4) Protocol for Proposal Submission To be considered for evaluation, Suppliers must submit a complete response to this RFP as described herein, utilizing eVA, no later than the date and time specified in Table 1-Timetable set forth in Subsection 1.F of this RFP. Suppliers must be registered in eVA to submit a response to this RFP. Only electronic responses submitted through eVA will be accepted. Proposals submitted via hand-delivery, mail, email or fax will not be accepted. Supplier shall make no other distribution of their proposals. Late proposals will not be accepted.

It is the responsibility of the Supplier to ensure its proposal and all required documentation are properly completed, readable, and uploaded to eVA by the date and time noted in Subsection 1.F. Suppliers should allow sufficient time to account for any technical difficulties they may encounter during uploading of documents or electronic submission.

Note that there is a maximum file size per attachment in eVA; however, there is no limit on the number of files you may attach. If the size of the file is greater than the size allowed by eVA, the file should be broken down into smaller files and labeled in sequential order (Ex: Part 1, Part 2 or Tab 1, Tab 2).

Suppliers should confirm the current allowable file size and any other eVA requirements by contacting eVA Customer Care. In the event of any technical difficulties encountered while using eVA, Suppliers must contact the eVA Customer Care Center, Get Help eVA Customer Care (virginia.gov).

Please submit the following:

a. One (1) electronic copy of each file titled as specified in Table 2 - Supplier’s Proposal Format of Section 5 Proposal Format of this RFP.

b. One (1) electronic copy of each file titled “Redacted” as specified in Table 2 - Supplier’s Proposal Format of Section 5 Proposal Format of this RFP, with all redactions, if necessary, consistent with the requirements specified in Subsection 4.C(3), “Trade Secrets and Proprietary Information”.

PROPOSAL FORMAT

Suppliers are expected to adhere to the specific format for the documents submitted in their proposals as set forth in Table 2 below. VITA may reject any proposal that is not in the required format or does not address all of the information requested in this RFP.

Proposals should be written specifically to answer this RFP. General “sales” material should not be used within the body of the proposal and any additional terms or conditions on the “sales” material will be considered invalid. If desired, Supplier may attach “sales” material in a separate appendix to its proposal response.

It is essential that the proposal be thorough and concise. Supplier should avoid broad, unenforceable, or immeasurable responses and should include all requested information in each section as indicated below.

The required contents of the proposal and how the proposal must be organized are detailed in Table 2. All documents that must be included in the proposal have been provided by VITA except documents noted as “Supplier to Provide.” Unless specifically noted, no other documents or information should be included in the proposal.

Proposal document formats are as follows:

· Template: Structured documents prepared by VITA that must be populated and submitted by the Supplier. Each template includes instructions describing how to complete that template.

· Supplier to Provide: Documents to be provided by and included in Supplier’s response in accordance with VITA’s instructions.

Table 2 – Format of Supplier's Proposal

1a [Supplier Name] Cover Letter

Appendix A: State Corporation Commission Form

In accordance with 2.2-4302, exceptions shall not be used as a basis for scoring or evaluating which offerors are selected for negotiations.

· Administrative Appendix E- Supplier Exceptions to VITA Standard Contract (Word)

· VITA Standard Contract (Word)

6 [Supplier Name] Administrative Appendix E – Supplier Exceptions to VITA Standard Contract

6A [Supplier Name] Redline of IT Research Subscription Services (VITA Standard Contract) with the specific exceptions shown therein

Do not include pricing data in any other section of the proposal.

· Exhibit B. Pricing Template (Excel)

8 [Supplier Name] Exhibit B. Pricing

Supplier must submit proposed exceptions and comments in the form of redline mark-up to the content and language contained in the SLAs to this RFP directly in the Word template at time of proposal submission.

Suppliers are strongly encouraged to accept the SLAs as presented.

· Exhibit I Template (Word)

11 [Supplier Name] Exhibit I. Service Level Agreement

(Word or PDF)

12 REDACTED [Supplier Name] [Document Title]

EVALUATION AND AWARD PROCESS

C. Evaluation Process

Each proposal received by the due date and time will be considered. VITA reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject any proposal that does not comply with the proposal submission requirements of this RFP.

Subject to the foregoing, each proposal will be reviewed to determine whether it meets the Prerequisite(s) of this RFP listed in Table 4 Prerequisite(s) in Subsection 6.B below. All Prerequisite(s) are evaluated on a Pass/Fail basis. Any proposal that does not pass any of the Prerequisite(s) (s) will be set aside and receive no further consideration.

Proposal(s) that pass the Prerequisite(s) will be assessed and scored in accordance with the Evaluation Criteria set forth in Subsection 6.C below.

VITA may elect to continue the evaluation of the most qualified proposal(s) and may request that Supplier(s) clarify or explain certain aspects of their proposals.

At any point in the evaluation process, VITA may employ various means of evaluation to determine the best value for the Commonwealth, including but not limited to:

· Reviewing industry research

· Supplier presentation/interview

· Site visits

· Supplier’s status as a small business or micro business, including small or micro businesses that are owned by minorities, women, or disabled veterans, and certified by the Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (“DSBSD”)

· Supplier’s planned spend with certified SWaM or micro business (as defined in Section 8) subcontractors, and Non-SWaM businesses.

· Supplier’s employment of persons with disabilities to perform the specifications of the contract.

· Contacting Supplier's references

· Review of Supplier’s ability and willingness to comply with the Commonwealth’s security and data privacy policies, standards, guidelines as specified in the RFP

· Product demonstrations/pilot tests/detailed demonstrations

· Review of pricing

· VITA’s experience with Supplier, including Supplier’s past performance and Supplier’s history of utilizing SWaM subcontractors as previously committed in a SWaM subcontracting plan

· Interviewing key personnel

· Requesting Suppliers elaborate on or clarify specific portions of their proposal, including, as applicable, any responses to the RFP’s security requirements

VITA may limit any or all of the above to the most qualified proposals. Supplier is not guaranteed and should not assume that it will have the opportunity to explain, supplement or amend its initial proposal. Each Supplier is encouraged to ensure that its initial proposal contains and represents its best offering.

Each Supplier should be prepared to conduct product demonstrations, pilot tests, presentations or site visits at the time, date and location of VITA’s choice, as applicable, should VITA so request.

Should VITA determine in writing and in its sole discretion that only one Offeror is fully qualified, or that one Offeror is clearly more highly qualified than the others under consideration, a contract may be negotiated and awarded to that Offeror. Unless that determination is made, selection shall be made of two or more Offerors deemed to be fully qualified and best suited among those submitting proposals on the basis of the factors described in Section 6. Evaluation and Award Process. Negotiations will be conducted with each of the Offerors so selected.

Exceptions to VITA’s Standard Contract terms and conditions will be considered after Supplier(s) are selected for negotiations. If any Supplier fails to provide the necessary information for negotiations in a timely manner, or fails to negotiate in good faith, VITA may terminate negotiations with that Supplier at any time. VITA may remove a Supplier from consideration in the event that Supplier and VITA are unable to reach agreement on contract terms during negotiations.

After negotiations, VITA may select the proposal(s) that, in its opinion, is the proposal(s) representing best value and may award a contract to that Supplier(s). For purposes of this RFP, VITA will determine best value based on the value relative to the cost (which may include submitted price, negotiated price, discounted price, total cost of ownership, etc.) of the service/solution, giving consideration to the project's budget objectives.

Supplier’s failure to successfully answer, negotiate, and/or comply with any resulting security exceptions that may arise for VITA to approve Supplier’s solution may result in removal from further consideration or award.

VITA reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, in part or in whole, any portions of this RFP. VITA reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to re-issue any cancelled portion of this RFP. VITA reserves the right to accept or reject, in whole or in part, any proposal submitted, and to waive informalities or minor technicalities when in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

VITA may, at its sole discretion, make one award, multiple awards, or none at all.

VITA SHALL NOT BE CONTRACTUALLY BOUND TO ANY SUPPLIER PRIOR TO THE EXECUTION OF A DEFINITIVE WRITTEN CONTRACT.

D. Prerequisite(s)

Table 4 - Prerequisite(s) None

E. Evaluation Criteria

Proposals will be evaluated using a numerical scoring system for the evaluation criteria listed below. The weights assigned to each of the evaluation criteria shall be posted in eVA prior to the due date and time for receiving proposals.

i. The extent to which Supplier’s proposal satisfies the requirements identified in Exhibit A Requirements.

ii. Supplier’s experience, qualifications, viability and past performance.

iii. Supplier’s status as a DSBSD-certified small or micro business, and Supplier’s proposed Supplier Procurement and Subcontracting Plan as set forth in Exhibit H.

F. Announcement of Award – Code § 2.2-4300 et seq.

If a contract is awarded or announced as a result of this RFP, VITA will post notice of the award decision on eVA for a minimum of 10 days. No award decision will be provided verbally. Any final contract, including pricing, awarded as a result of this RFP will be made available for public inspection.

SUPPLIER PROFILE

Supplier shall submit a completed Administrative Appendix C Supplier Profile with its proposal, including an overview of Supplier, Supplier references, resumes, and financial documentation. See Administrative Appendix C for further information.

8. SUPPLIER PROCUREMENT AND SUBCONTRACTING PLAN

It is the policy of the Commonwealth to contribute to the establishment, preservation, and strengthening of small businesses and micro businesses, including those small or micro businesses owned by women, minorities, or service-disabled veterans; and to encourage their participation in Commonwealth procurement activities. Further, VITA is committed to enabling a minimum of three percent (3%) participation by small businesses that are service disabled veteran-owned businesses, as defined in Code §§ 2.2-2000.1 and 2.2-4310, when contracting for information technology goods and services. The Commonwealth encourages all Suppliers to provide for the participation of these small businesses through partnerships, joint ventures, subcontracts, and other contractual opportunities.

Any business that is a small business, a small woman-owned business, a small minority-owned business, or a small service disabled veteran-owned business, as defined in Code § 2.2-4310 or § 2.2-1604, or a certified micro business as defined in Executive Order Number 35 (2019), is a “SWaM” business. For purposes of this RFP, no Supplier will be considered a SWaM business unless certified as a small business or as a micro business by the State of Virginia Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (“DSBSD”) by this RFP’s proposal due date and time. For information, go to: http://www.sbsd.virginia.gov/.

Supplier shall submit a completed Exhibit H Supplier Procurement and Subcontracting Plan with its proposal. See Exhibit H Supplier Procurement and Subcontracting Plan for further information.

1. PRICING INFORMATION

Supplier shall provide detailed pricing for each of the pricing methods set forth in the Excel Pricing Schedule workbook attached to this RFP as Exhibit B: Pricing, in accordance with the Instructions set forth on the first tab of the Exhibit. Pricing must be comprehensive. Additional information and backup detail may be attached as appropriate. Altered formats or blank data will be considered incomplete and may be eliminated from further consideration.

VITA reserves the right to negotiate and finalize the pricing at its discretion prior to contract award.

See the Instructions tab in Exhibit B for further information.

VITA STANDARD CONTRACT

Any agreement resulting from this RFP will be defined by a written contract, which shall be binding only when fully executed by both parties. A copy of VITA’s standard contract is provided as part of this RFP as a separate MS Word document titled, “IT Research Subscription Services (VITA Standard Contract)". Depending on the type of solution proposed, the agreement may need to address licensing or hosting requirements.

Any contract resulting from this RFP shall allow for joint and cooperative procurement use, in accordance with Virginia Code §§ 2.2-2012 and 2.2-4304. Such use by other public bodies is not limited to Virginia and shall include other public bodies, or public agencies or institutions or localities of the several states, of the United States or its territories, or the District of Columbia, the U.S. General Services Administration, or the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments, or any other entity authorized by applicable law or policy to purchase the goods or services authorized in the contract, provided the using entity executes a participating addendum with Supplier. VITA’s approval is not required for cooperative use, but the using entity and Supplier shall ensure that VITA is aware of such use by providing a copy of the executed participating addendum to VITA.

Supplier must submit any proposed exceptions and comments in the form of redline markup to the terms and conditions contained in the document “IT Research Subscription Services (VITA Standard Contract)” with its response to this RFP along with a completed table in the format provided in Administrative Appendix E – Supplier Exceptions to the VITA Standard Contract, setting forth Supplier’s rationale and reasons for each of the proposed exceptions. Only exceptions or recommended language revisions submitted with the proposal will be considered during negotiations. Suppliers are strongly encouraged to accept the Contract as presented. Any provisions of the Contract that are NOT addressed by the Supplier via redlines to the Contract template submitted as part of its proposal will be deemed accepted by Supplier.

In accordance with 2.2-4302, exceptions shall not be used as a basis for scoring or evaluating which offerors are selected for negotiations.

In the event that Supplier is a software reseller, VITA will review the software publisher’s license agreement language if the software publisher requires an End User License Agreement (“EULA”). In such case, Suppliers are advised that VITA will require Supplier to obtain VITA’s License Agreement Addendum to the EULA to address terms and conditions in that EULA to which VITA, as a government entity, cannot agree, based on applicable law or policy. If a Supplier’s proposed Service/Solution requires VITA to execute a EULA, Supplier shall contact the SPOC, who will provide Supplier with VITA's “License Agreement Addendum” terms.

RFP 2024-08 VITA Page 3 of 5 image2.jpeg