RFP 25-03_Low-Code App Dev Svcs.pdf

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CITRUS

605 East Main Street

Bartow, FL 33830

(863) 537-3999

Request for Proposals (RFP)

Low-Code Application Development Services

RFP # 25-03

Vendor Name _____________________________________

Vendor Mailing Address ____________________________

City, State, Zip ____________________________________

Telephone ________________________________________

I certify that this proposal is made without prior understanding, agreement, or connection with any corporation, firm, or person submitting a proposal for the same contractual service and is in all respects fair and without collusion or fraud. I agree to abide by all conditions of this proposal and certify that I am authorized to sign this proposal for the proposer and that the proposer is in compliance with all requirements of the Request for Proposal, including, but not limited to, certification requirements. In submitting a proposal to an agency for the State of Florida, the proposer offers and agrees that if the proposal is accepted, the proposer will convey, sell, assign, or transfer to the State of Florida all rights, title and interest in and to all causes of action it may now, or hereafter acquire under the Anti-trust laws of the United States and the State of Florida for price fixing relating to the particular commodities or services purchased or acquired by the State of Florida. At the State’s discretion, such assignment shall be made and become effective at the time the purchasing agency tenders final payment to the proposer.

Authorized Signature _________________________________________

RFP 25-03

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Section 1. Introduction

1.1 Statement of Need and Purpose

1.2 Agency Background

1.3 Authority & Governance

1.4 Contract Term & Renewals

1.5 Draft Contract

1.6 Who May Respond

1.7 Vendor Responsibilities

1.8 Procurement Officer

1.9 Communication

1.10 Timeline of Events

1.11 Licensure & Registration

1.12 List of Exhibits and Attachments

Section 2. General Instructions to Respondents (DMS Form PUR 1001) Section 3. Special Instructions to Respondents

3.1 Questions

3.2 Conferences, Site Visits, and Public Meetings

3.3 Modifications

3.4 Cancellation, Waiver, Rejections, and Non-Award

3.5 Proposal Content Requirements

3.6 General Formatting Instructions

3.7 Misrepresentations

3.8 MyFloridaMarketPlace Vendor Registration

3.9 Submission of Responses

3.10 Replacement and Alternate Responses

3.11 Exclusivity

3.12 Conformance to Requirements

3.13 Administrative Review

3.14 Evaluation of Proposals

3.15 Consideration of Additional Information

3.16 Clarifications

3.17 Negotiation

3.18 Basis of Award

3.19 Notice of Agency Decision

3.20 Protests

Section 4. Evaluation Criteria

4.1 Past Performance Evaluation

4.2 Technical Proposal Evaluation

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION

The Florida Department Citrus (the Department or FDOC) hereby issues this Request for Proposals (RFP) to qualified and responsible vendors who provide the contractual services described herein for the purpose of establishing a contractual relationship for the provision of such contractual services to the Department.

1.1 STATEMENT OF NEED AND PURPOSE

The Department, as part of the broader statewide implementation of the Florida PALM (Planning, Accounting, and Ledger Management) Project, has identified a need to modernize its operations and replace its existing revenue system. The current system supports the administration of citrus fruit dealer licensing, sales reporting, and the calculation and collection of statutory assessment revenues. The legacy platform presents limitations in scalability, integration capability, reporting transparency, and long-term sustainability within the evolving statewide financial ecosystem.

With the transition to Florida PALM, the Department must ensure that its revenue-related operations align with the State’s modernized accounting, cash management, and financial reporting framework.

This includes improving data accuracy, strengthening internal controls, enhancing auditability, and ensuring seamless integration with statewide financial systems.

1.1.1 NEW SOLUTION CAPABILITIES

To meet these objectives, the Department requires the design and development of a modern, secure, and scalable suite of application solutions built on the Microsoft Power Platform (PowerApps) and Azure Synapse. The new system will support end-to-end revenue lifecycle management, including license application and renewal processing, dealer sales reporting submission, automated assessment calculations, billing support, and reconciliation processes, as well as financial reporting. The solutions must integrate with enterprise data sources and financial systems while adhering to state technology, security, and governance standards. For a list of the required solutions, please see the Statement of Work.

1.1.2 DELIVERY APPROACH

To successfully deliver a modern, scalable, and sustainable application solution, the Department requires that services under this engagement be performed using a structured, collaborative Agile delivery framework. Traditional linear delivery methodologies are not sufficient to accommodate evolving business requirements, policy updates, and integration coordination with statewide systems.

Accordingly, the selected Contractor shall participate as a Delivery Team operating within the Department’s Agile governance structure. Work shall be performed in iterative development cycles designed to produce incremental, testable solution components that can be reviewed, validated, and refined by Department stakeholders. This collaborative model is intended to ensure alignment between business needs, technical implementation, and compliance requirements throughout the lifecycle of the project.

1.1.3 TIMELINE AND BUDGET

The Department has established an initial development budget of $200,000 for the design, configuration, development, testing, and deployment of the proposed solutions. In addition, an initial development budget of $50,000 is to be applied to creating a small Data Warehouse in Azure Synapse and integrating twelve (12) outbound interfaces from Florida PALM into this Data Warehouse.

The Department anticipates that development activities will be completed within sixteen (16) weeks, structured as eight (8) iterative development sprints, consistent with the collaborative Agile framework described in the Statement of Work. Respondents shall present a delivery approach that demonstrates the ability to complete solution development, testing, and deployment within this timeframe while maintaining quality, security, and performance standards appropriate for an enterprise regulatory and revenue system.

In addition to the development duration, Respondents shall acknowledge that the project timeline must align with critical external operational milestones that govern deployment readiness. These milestones include:

• August 1, 2026 — Start of Citrus Season: The public-facing portal, and any supporting configurations, must be fully operational, accessible, and production-ready by this date to support industry users.

• November 1, 2026 — Revenue Collection Readiness: All functionality necessary to calculate, track, and manage revenue-related processes must be fully operational by this date.

• January 12, 2027 — Florida PALM Go-Live: The system must be fully integrated, validated, and operational in alignment with the statewide PALM implementation timeline.

Following initial deployment, the Contractor shall provide ongoing operational support services, including system monitoring, issue resolution, defect correction, and limited enhancements for the period of one (1) year, with renewals up to three (3) years. This support phase is intended to ensure system stability, continuity of operations, and the Department’s ability to adapt to minor regulatory or operational changes after go-live.

In addition to the initial deployment, the Department reserves the right to order additional Optional Sprints to extend system capabilities, implement enhancements, address newly identified requirements, or perform additional development within or related to the existing solution scope. Optional Sprints shall be initiated only upon written authorization from the Department and shall follow the same Agile delivery structure, roles, responsibilities, and acceptance processes defined in this SOW.

The Department reserves the right to adjust sequencing or delivery priorities as necessary to ensure compliance with statutory requirements, statewide system dependencies, and operational readiness deadlines.

1.2 AGENCY BACKGROUND

The Florida Department of Citrus is an executive agency of the Florida government charged with the marketing, research, and regulation of the Florida citrus industry. Its mission is to maximize consumer demand for Florida citrus products to ensure the sustainability and economic well-being of the Florida citrus grower, the citrus industry, and the State of Florida.

The FDOC also has extensive regulatory responsibilities, covering every aspect of the industry, including research, production, maturity standards, licensing, transportation, labeling, packing and processing.

The industry employs approximately 33,000 people, provides an annual economic impact of $6.9 billion to the state, and contributes hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenues that help support Florida’s schools, roads and health care services.

The FDOC is governed by the Florida Citrus Commission (FCC), an eleven-member board with taxing authority appointed by the Governor of Florida to represent citrus growers, processors and packers.

Three commission members must be processors, one member must be a packer and must be a resident of the Indian River production area of Florida, and another member must be a grower with a production area of more than 5,001 acres in Florida.

The FCC serves in the capacity of a Board of Directors and agency head for the FDOC. The FCC oversees and guides the activities of the FDOC. It is responsible for setting the annual amount of excise tax as well as quality standards for all citrus grown, packed or processed in Florida. In addition, the FCC conducts a wide variety of programs involving industry regulation, scientific, market and economic research, advertising, merchandising, public and industry relations and consumer promotions. Over 80 percent of FDOC’s annual budget is typically spent on marketing and promotional activities for Florida citrus in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia.

1.3 AUTHORITY & GOVERNANCE

This RFP is issued under the authority of, and is governed by, Chapter 287, Florida Statutes (F.S.), Rule 60A-1, Florida Administrative Code (F.A.C.), and any other applicable governing authority as cited herein.

1.4 CONTRACT TERM & RENEWALS

The initial term of the Contract will be one (1) year(s) with up to three (3) renewal year(s). At the discretion of the Department, the Contract may be renewed at the terms and conditions specified in the Contract. Renewals may be for the entire renewal period, or increments thereof, for a total time that will not exceed the renewal years above. All renewals will be contingent upon satisfactory performance by Contractor.

1.5 DRAFT CONTRACT

This section replaces PUR 1001, Item 17. Contract Formation. Awarded Respondent(s) must provide the commodities and/or contractual services sought by this RFP in accordance with the terms, conditions, and Statement of Work detailed in Exhibit 1, Draft Contract.

The Department intends to create a Contract with the awarded Respondent(s) using the attached Draft Contract. All prospective Respondents should review the Draft Contract prior to submission of a Response. Any questions related to the terms and conditions of the Draft Contract should be submitted as a formal question in accordance with the instructions above. The Department may issue a Notice of Intended Award, if any, to successful Respondent(s), however, no contract shall be formed between Respondent and the Department until the Department signs the Contract. The Department shall not be liable for any costs incurred by a respondent in preparing or producing its response or for any work performed before the Contract is effective.

1.6 WHO MAY RESPOND

Interested vendors who are in good standing with the State of Florida (State), can provide the commodities and/or contractual services defined by the Statement of Work, and possess the financial capability, experience, and personnel resources described in this RFP are invited to submit Proposals.

Vendors on the Convicted, Suspended, or Discriminatory Vendor List(s) or the Scrutinized List(s) of Prohibited Companies may not submit a Proposal.

1.7 VENDOR RESPONSIBILITIES

This RFP identifies the requirements that must be met to be eligible for Award consideration. Vendors should carefully read the entire RFP, all exhibits and attachments, and any addenda before submitting a Proposal. Vendors interested in submitting a Proposal must comply with all instructions, terms, and conditions of this RFP to be considered for Award.

1.7.1 RESPONSIBILITY FOR UNDERSTANDING AND REQUESTING CLARIFICATION

Vendors are responsible for understanding all terms and conditions of this RFP and proposed resulting Contract. If a Vendor does not understand the requirements of the RFP or resulting Contract, Vendor should submit formal questions to the Department in accordance with the instructions contained in this

RFP.

1.7.2 RESPONSIBILITY FOR COMPLETENESS

It is the Respondent’s responsibility to demonstrate in writing, to the satisfaction of the Department, that the Respondent has available under their direct supervision the necessary organization, experience, equipment, facilities, and staffing to properly fulfill all the terms, conditions, requirements, and specifications required under this RFP and the subsequent Contract. No oral or written representations, prior conversations, meetings, projects, or outside information will be presented to the evaluators, and no such conversations or materials will be considered in the Contract Award. All Proposals should be as complete and detailed as is necessary to illustrate the Respondent’s capabilities. A Respondent’s Proposal is the only material which will be considered by the evaluators, subject to the instructions of this RFP.

1.8 PROCUREMENT OFFICER

The Procurement Officer is the Department’s sole point of contact for information regarding this RFP from the date of release until 72 hours after the Intent to Award is posted.

The Procurement Officer for this RFP is:

Sharon McLeod, Purchasing Manager Florida Department of Citrus 605 East Main Street Bartow, FL 33830 Email: smcleod@citrus.myflorida.com

1.9 COMMUNICATION

Per section 287.057(25), F.S., Respondents to this solicitation or persons acting on their behalf may not contact, between the release of the solicitation and the end of the 72-hour period following the agency posting the notice of intended award, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and state holidays, any employee or officer of the executive or legislative branch concerning any aspect of this solicitation, except in writing to the procurement officer or as provided in the solicitation documents. Violation of this provision may be grounds for rejecting a Response. Respondents who are current Contractors providing commodities and/or contractual services to the Department under existing contracts or agreements must not discuss this RFP with any Department personnel. Any such communication may create a conflict of interest or unfair competitive advantage prohibited by section 287.057(19), F.S. and may result in a Respondent being deemed ineligible for Award. All inquiries regarding the RFP must be addressed to the Procurement Officer and must be sent by email ONLY. Please, do not contact the Procurement Officer by telephone. All emails to the Procurement Officer regarding an RFP must contain the RFP number in the subject line of the email. All questions regarding the content of the RFP must be submitted in accordance with the RFP instructions.

1.10 TIMELINE OF EVENTS

The following schedule will be strictly adhered to in all actions relative to this RFP. The Department reserves the right to make adjustments to this schedule and will notify participants in the Solicitation by posting an addendum on the Vendor Informa on Portal (VIP). It is the responsibility of the Respondent to check VIP on a regular basis for such updates.

Respondents must be familiar with the Timeline of Events. Respondent is responsible for meeting all deadlines indicated in the Timeline of Events below. The dates, times, and locations of events listed in the Timeline of Events are subject to change at any time. The Department will update the Timeline of Events in an Addendum if any changes occur. It is the Respondent’s responsibility to check for any changes to the RFP Timeline of Events.

Event Date Time* Location/Method

RFP Advertised 3/10/26 N/A Vendor Information Portal

Questions Due 3/20/26 5:00 PM Email to Procurement Officer

Answers Posted (Anticipated) March 27, 2026 Vendor Information Portal

Proposals Due 4/21/26 1:00 PM

Florida Department of Citrus Sharon McLeod, Purchasing Manager 605 E. Main Street Bartow, FL 33830

Public Opening 4/21/26 1:00 PM Florida Department of Citrus 605 E. Main Street Bartow, FL 33830

References Contacted Week of:

4/27/26 Telephone

Intent to Award Posted On or about:

5/12/26 Vendor Information Portal

*All times are Eastern.

1.11 LICENSURE & REGISTRATION.

Prior to the execution of a Contract, the selected Respondent must be properly licensed to do business within the State of Florida, if required by federal or state law, and, if required by federal or state law, all entities must be appropriately registered with the Florida Department of State.

1.12 LIST OF EXHIBITS AND ATTACHMENTS

The following Exhibits and Attachments are hereby incorporated by reference below and made a part hereof with the same force and effect as if they were fully set forth herein. Copies of these documents are available in the advertisement that accompanies the RFP posting. If an Attachment requires electronic completion or filling in, such as a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, an electronic copy can be obtained by contacting the Procurement Officer.

Exhibit Title 1 Draft Contract 2 Statement of Work

Attachment Title A Vendor Financial Attestation B Vendor Responsibility Disclosure C Vendor Conflicts of Interest Attestation D Vendor Drug-Free Workplace Attestation E Sworn Statement on Public Entity Crimes F Client Reference Form G Price Sheet H PUR 2024 Use of Coercion for Labor or Services I PUR 7801 Vendor Certification Form

This Space Intentionally Blank

SECTION 2. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

The General Instructions to Respondents Form PUR 1001, found in Rule 60A.1.002, Florida Administrative Code, are hereby incorporated by reference, and can be accessed at:

https://www.dms.myflorida.com/business_operations/state_purchasing/state_agency_resources/s tate_purchasing_pur_forms

SECTION 3. SPECIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS

In accordance with Rule 60A-1.002(7)(a), F.A.C., in the event of any conflict, the Special Instructions to Respondents below supersede the General Instructions to Respondents (DMS Form PUR 1001) above.

3.1 QUESTIONS

This section replaces PUR 1001, Item 5. Questions. The Department invites interested vendors to submit formal questions regarding this solicitation. Respondents shall submit all questions regarding this solicitation in writing, via email, to the Procurement Officer no later than the time and date specified in the Timeline of Events. Questions shall be answered in accordance with the Timeline of Events. To ensure consistency across vendor questions, all questions must be submitted in the format below:

Vendor Question # Section Page # Question

Please Note: The Department will aggregate and anonymize the questions received; as such, each Vendor question should be phrased as to stand on its own and should not contain any references to other questions or the name of the Vendor submitting the question(s).

All questions submitted shall be published and answered in the Vendor Information Portal (VIP).

Respondents shall not contact any other employee of the Department or the State for information with respect to this solicitation. Each respondent is responsible for monitoring the VIP site for new or changing information. The Department shall not be bound by any verbal information or by any written information that is not contained within the solicitation documents or formally noticed and issued by the Department as an Addendum in the VIP. Questions to the Procurement Officer or to any Department personnel shall not constitute formal protest of the specifications or of the solicitation.

3.2 CONFERENCES, SITE VISITS, AND PUBLIC MEETINGS

Any Conferences, Site Visits, and Public Meetings conducted during the course of this RFP are open to all members of the general public, current vendors, potential Respondents, and interested persons. Anyone attending these meetings is requested to register their attendance in a means provided by the Department at the time and location of the meeting. Respondent attendance at a Conference or Site Visit is either mandatory or optional, as indicated in the RFP. Respondents who fail to attend or be represented at mandatory Conferences or Site Visits will be determined Non-Responsive and their responses will not be considered for Award. It is the responsibility of Respondents to ensure that their representative(s) register their attendance at a mandatory Conference or Site Visit.

The Conferences, Site Visits, and Public Meetings described in this section will be held according to the Timeline of Events. All attendees should allow enough time to arrive, park, walk, and gain entry into the building(s) to ensure that they arrive prior to the commencement of the applicable Conference, Site Visit, or Public Meeting.

Please Note: Any answers to questions, whether oral or written, given at any Conferences, Site Visits, or Public Meetings are preliminary, are not binding, and do not alter the written RFP. Please see the instructions contained in this RFP for how to receive a written, binding answer from the Department regarding any aspect of this RFP.

3.2.1 VENDOR PRE-RESPONSE CONFERENCE

The Department ☐ will or ☒ will not convene a Vendor Pre-Response Conference in accordance with the Timeline of Events. The purpose of this conference is to assist the Department in assuring the vendors’ full understanding of the RFP requirements. Attendance at the Pre-Response Conference is ☐ mandatory ☐ optional.

In addition to those required attendees, anyone may attend the Pre-Response Conference and ask the Department for clarification on the RFP process or the requirements of the RFP itself. Topics for discussion may include: Technical Specifications, Statement of Work, RFP process, contractual requirements, or other items that may, in any manner, affect the work to be performed under the Contract.

3.2.2 VENDOR PRE-RESPONSE SITE VISIT

The Department ☐ will or ☒ will not conduct Vendor Pre-Response Site Visit(s) in accordance with the Timeline of Events at the location(s) indicated. Attendance at the Vendor Pre-Response Site Visit(s) is ☐ mandatory ☐ optional.

Potential Respondents may only visit the site(s) during the time frame the Department specifies in the Timeline of Events. During the Vendor Pre-Response Site Visit(s), Respondents should familiarize themselves with any conditions that may affect performance and pricing. Potential Respondents must not contact the real property owners, or any other parties associated with the site(s). All questions regarding the site(s) must be submitted in writing accordance with the instructions contained in this

RFP.

3.2.3 PUBLIC OPENING

This section replaces PUR 1001, Item 12. Public Opening. In accordance with section 287.057(1), F.S., the Department will conduct a Public Opening of Responses on the date and at the location indicated on the Timeline of Events. Respondents, members of the public, and interested persons may, but are not required to, attend.

Reasonable Accommodations - Pursuant to the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act, any person required a reasonable accommodation to participate is asked to advise the agency at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled event by contacting Sharon McLeod at smcleod@citrus.myflorida.com or

(863) 537-3964. If you are hearing or speech-impaired, please contact the agency using the Florida Relay Service, 1 (800) 955-8771 (TDD) or 1 (800) 955-8770 (Voice).

3.3 MODIFICATIONS

The Department reserves the right to modify the solicitation at any time by issuance of Addenda. All Addenda will be posted on the VIP. Upon posting to the VIP, each Addendum becomes part of the RFP documents, and any changes reflected in the Addendum supersede the original solicitation text.

Issuance of written Addenda is the only method by which a solicitation may be modified. It is the

Respondent’s responsibility to periodically check the VIP for Addenda when preparing responses and to be aware of any changes. The Department bears no responsibility for any delays, or resulting impacts, associated with a prospective Respondent’s failure to obtain the information made available through the VIP.

3.4 CANCELLATION, WAIVER, REJECTIONS, AND NON-AWARD

This section replaces PUR 1001, Item 16. Minor Irregularities/Right to Reject. The Department reserves the right 1) to cancel this solicitation prior to the Public Opening, 2) to make no Award and reject all responses after the Public Opening, 3) accept or reject any and all Responses, or separable portions thereof, 4) to waive any minor irregularity, technicality, or omission, if the Department determines that doing so will serve the State’s best interests. The Department may reject any Response not submitted in the manner specified by the solicitation documents.

3.5 PROPOSAL CONTENT REQUIREMENTS

This section provides specific instructions on the format and content of the Proposal for this RFP. The following instructions have been designed to help ensure that all Proposals are reviewed and evaluated in a consistent manner, as well as to minimize costs and preparation time. Any and all information submitted in variance with these instructions will not be reviewed or evaluated. Non-conformance with the instructions provided in the RFP may result in an unfavorable Proposal evaluation or being deemed Non-Responsive. Respondent’s Proposals must be submitted in hard and electronic copies as specified and divided into volumes containing the information specified below:

Volume Name Copies Volume I Business Proposal One (1) Original Volume II Technical Proposal One (1) Original; Three (3) Copies USB Electronic Copy of entire Proposal 1 copy of each Volume

3.5.1 VOLUME I, BUSINESS PROPOSAL

Using the instructions outlined below, Respondents must prepare a Business Proposal volume in the order outlined. If a portion of any section is omitted, the Proposal may be deemed Non-Responsive at the discretion of the Department.

Volume I Business Proposal Page Limit Tab A Executive Summary 2 Tab B Solicitation Forms None Tab C Disclosures and Attestations None Tab D Client Reference Form(s) 1 per reference Tab E Price Sheet None

3.5.1.1 TAB A: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Each Respondent must prepare and include an Executive Summary of no more than two (2) pages total that summarizes the key points from the Respondent’s Business and Technical volumes. The Executive Summary must begin with company/division’s street address; and size of business, CBEs status, and a summary of the key points from the Respondent’s Proposal.

3.5.1.2 TAB B: SOLICITATION FORMS

Each Respondent must complete and include the following Solicitation Forms:

• Vendor Solicitation Acknowledgement Form (RFP Cover)

3.5.1.3 TAB C: DISCLOSURES AND ATTESTATIONS

Each Respondent must complete and include the following Disclosures and Attestations:

• Vendor Financial Attestation

• Vendor Responsibility Disclosure

• Vendor Conflicts of Interest Attestation

• Vendor Drug-Free Workplace Attestation

• Sworn Statement on Public Entity Crimes

• PUR 2024 Use of Coercion for Labor or Services

• PUR 7801 Vendor Certification Form

3.5.1.4 TAB D: CLIENT REFERENCES FORM

Each Respondent must complete and include the Client Reference Form for three (3) customers to whom Respondent has provided commodities and/or contractual services of similar scope and size as those identified in the RFP. If the Respondent is a current or former Contractor to the Department, the Respondent must list the Department as a reference.

3.5.1.5 TAB E: PRICE SHEET

Using the instructions provided, the Respondent must prepare and submit a Price Sheet. The Price Sheet is to be organized as directed in the Attachment and must contain complete responses to all items. If a portion of any section is omitted, the Proposal may be deemed Non-Responsive at the discretion of the Department.

3.5.2 VOLUME II, TECHNICAL PROPOSAL

Using the instructions provided below, the Respondent must prepare and submit a Technical Proposal volume detailing their qualifications, capabilities, and a description of the commodities and/or contractual services that they will provide to the Department. The Technical Proposal is to be organized as directed and must contain complete responses to all items. If a portion of any section is omitted, the Proposal may be deemed Non-Responsive at the discretion of the Department.

Volume I Business Proposal Page Limit Tab A Technical Solution Architecture & Platform Design 10 Tab B Agile Delivery Approach & Project Execution Model 10 Tab C Development Lifecycle, DevOps, and Quality Assurance 10 Tab D Security, Compliance, Data Migration & Integration Strategy 10 Tab E Organizational Capability, Staffing & Relevant Experience 20

3.5.2.1 TAB A: TECHNICAL SOLUTION ARCHITECTURE & PLATFORM DESIGN

The Respondent shall describe its proposed technical architecture and platform design approach, including:

• Overall solution architecture strategy

• Power Platform environment strategy (development, testing, production, and promotion model)

• Data architecture and schema design approach, including use of Dataverse and extensibility considerations

• Integration architecture with external systems, APIs, and statewide platforms

• Identity management and role-based access control approach

• Performance, scalability, and reliability considerations

• Monitoring, logging, and operational telemetry strategy

• A conceptual architecture diagram illustrating major system components and interactions

The response shall demonstrate the Respondent’s understanding of enterprise application architecture and the specific requirements of systems that support revenue collection, regulatory tracking, and financial reporting.

3.5.2.2 TAB B: AGILE DELIVERY APPROACH & PROJECT EXECUTION MODEL

The Respondent shall describe its proposed approach to participating as a Delivery Team and shall clearly define how its personnel will function within an Agile delivery environment defined in the SOW.

The response shall include detailed descriptions of delivery structure, role responsibilities, coordination mechanisms, and execution processes. This includes:

• A description of how the proposed Delivery Manager will be responsible for managing delivery performance and coordinating work across all assigned resources. The response shall include:

o Oversight of sprint planning and execution o Coordination of technical tasks and dependencies o Management of risks, issues, and impediments o Facilitation of communication between the Department and Development Team o Status reporting and performance tracking o Ensuring adherence to project standards, timelines, and quality expectations o Escalation procedures and resolution authority

• A description of how the proposed Development Team will perform iterative solution development activities. The response shall include:

o Approach to translating requirements into technical deliverables o Collaboration with Department subject matter experts o Sprint execution responsibilities o Testing and validation participation o Documentation responsibilities o Participation in demonstrations and review sessions o Contribution to backlog refinement

3.5.2.3 TAB C: DEVELOPMENT LIFECYCLE, DEVOPS, AND QUALITY ASSURANCE

The Respondent shall describe its development lifecycle methodology and supporting technical practices, including:

• Software Development Lifecycle approach tailored to Power Platform development

• Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) strategy

• Source control tools and branching methodology

• Automated build and deployment processes

• Environment promotion and release management approach

• Testing strategy, including unit, integration, system, regression, and user acceptance testing

• Quality assurance standards and validation procedures

• Peer review, code review, and design review practices

• Deployment rollback and recovery procedures

3.5.2.4 TAB D: SECURITY, COMPLIANCE, DATA MIGRATION & INTEGRATION STRATEGY

The Respondent shall describe its approach to ensuring security, compliance, and reliable data transition, including:

• Security architecture within the Power Platform environment

• Role-based access controls and permissions management

• Data protection, encryption, and secure transmission methods

• Audit logging and traceability controls

• Compliance with applicable governmental and industry standards

• Governance model for managing applications and platform usage

• Data migration methodology from legacy systems

• Data validation, reconciliation, and verification processes

• Cutover and transition strategy

• Integration reliability, monitoring, and error-handling procedures

3.5.2.5 TAB E: ORGANIZATIONAL CAPABILITY, STAFFING & RELEVANT EXPERIENCE

The Respondent shall provide information demonstrating its qualifications and experience, including:

• Proposed project team structure and roles

• Identification and qualifications of key personnel

• Relevant certifications, credentials, and technical expertise

• Experience delivering comparable Power Platform or low-code solutions

• Experience implementing systems involving licensing, regulatory tracking, or revenue processing

• Experience working with public-sector or large enterprise clients

• Staffing continuity plan and escalation procedures

3.6 GENERAL FORMATTING INSTRUCTIONS

This section provides general guidance for preparing Proposals. The Respondent’s Proposal must include all data and information requested by this RFP and be submitted in accordance with these instructions.

Non-conformance with the instructions provided in the RFP may result in an unfavorable Proposal evaluation or being deemed Non-Responsive.

3.6.1 BINDING AND LABELING

Each volume should be separately bound to permit the volume to lie flat when open. Staples must not be used. Three-ring binders or spiral binding are preferred, but not required. The volume cover, or a cover sheet, must be bound in each volume, clearly marked as to volume number, title, original or copy number, RFP name and number, and the Respondent's name. The same identifying data should be placed on the spine of each volume, if applicable. Be sure to apply all appropriate markings to each volume.

3.6.2 CROSS REFERENCING

Each volume must be written on a stand-alone basis so that its contents may be evaluated with no cross-referencing to other volumes of the Proposal. Information required for Proposal evaluation that is not found in its designated volume will be assumed to have been omitted from the Proposal.

3.6.3 TABLES OF CONTENTS AND GLOSSARY

Each volume must contain a table of contents to delineate the sections and any subsections within that volume. Each volume must contain a glossary of all uncommon or technical abbreviations and acronyms used, with an explanation for each. Tables of contents and glossaries do not count against the page limitations for their respective volumes.

3.6.4 PAGE LIMITATIONS

Page limitations, if specified, must be treated as maximums. If exceeded, the excess pages will not be read or considered in the evaluation of the Respondent’s Proposal. Each page must be counted except the following: blank pages, title pages, tables of contents, tabs, glossaries, and those parts of the Proposal noted as unlimited.

3.6.5 PAGE SIZE AND FORMAT

A page is defined as each face of an 8 ½ X 11-inch sheet of paper containing information. When both sides of a sheet display printed material, it will be counted as two (2) pages. For the purposes of formatting, font sizes must not be less than 10 points. Pages must be numbered sequentially within volumes. These limitations apply to both electronic and hard copy Proposals. Department-furnished forms and attachments must not be altered and are exempt from stated formatting.

3.6.6 CHARTS AND TABLES

Tables, charts, graphs and figures must be used wherever practical to depict organizations, systems and layout, implementation schedules, plans, etc. These displays must be uncomplicated and must not exceed 11 x 17 inches in size. Foldout pages must fold entirely within the volume, and count as a single page. Foldout pages may only be used for large tables, charts, graphs, diagrams and schematics, not for pages of text. For tables, charts, graphs and figures, the font size must be no smaller than 10 points.

These limitations must apply to both electronic and hard copy Proposals.

3.6.7 ELECTRONIC COPIES

In addition to the required hard copies, one (1) electronic copy of the entire Proposal must be submitted on a USB-compatible memory stick. Respondent must submit all volumes in electronic format, using MS Windows-compatible USBs. One USB containing all volumes with all documents is preferred, but multiple USBs are acceptable. Each USB must indicate the Respondent’s name, RFP number, and volume and title (if separated).

The content and page sizes contained on the electronic copy must be identical to the hard copies. Files included on the USB must be uncompressed. The electronic copy of the Proposal must be submitted in a format readable by Microsoft (MS) Word 2013®, MS Excel 2013®, MS Power Point 2013®, or Adobe Acrobat®, or later, as applicable. Hidden fields, comments, macros, etc. must be omitted, and read passwords on files must not be used. Files must be consistently and uniformly named to allow for easy distinction between Volume, Tab, etc. Inclusion of company name or abbreviation is acceptable.

Documents submitted electronically must be in their native format and when printed must match the original paper submittal. In the event there is a conflict between the content found in a paper submittal and an electronic copy, the paper submittal marked “original” will take precedence.

Respondents are advised to assure electronic files are not corrupt prior to mailing, as any material which is not readable will not be considered and may be grounds for rejection from further consideration.

3.6.8 ECONOMY OF PRESENTATION

Proposals must be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise delineation of the Respondent’s capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP without the use of marketing materials, white papers, fancy or flashy graphics, case studies, or other promotional materials. The emphasis of each Proposal should be on completeness and clarity of content.

3.7 MISREPRESENTATIONS.

All information submitted, and all representations made, by the Respondent in a Proposal are material and important and will be relied upon by the Department in determining Responsibility of a Respondent for Award. Any misstatement or omission, whether intentional or not, may be treated by the Department as a fraudulent concealment of the true facts relating to the Proposal. Such misrepresentation will be a basis for the Department to disqualify the Respondent as Non-Responsible, and bar the Respondent from participation in any re-solicitation pertaining to this subject matter (regardless of whether the re-solicitation resulted from Respondent’s misrepresentation) and will be punishable under law, including, but not limited to, Chapter 817, F.S.

3.8 MYFLORIDAMARKETPLACE VENDOR REGISTRATION

Prior to execution of the Contract(s) by the Department, the Contractor(s) must be registered with DMS’s MyFloridaMarketPlace (MFMP) Vendor Information Portal. Information about the registration process is available online and registration may be completed at the MFMP website. Prospective vendors who do not have internet access may request assistance from MFMP Customer Service within

DMS.

3.9 SUBMISSION OF RESPONSES

This section replaces PUR 1001, Item 3. Electronic Submission of Responses. Respondents shall deliver Responses to the Department’s office designated in the Timeline of Events before the date and time specified. Any Response that is received after the exact time specified in the Timeline of Events is late.

Late Responses, as well as Responses submitted electronically or by facsimile, are Non-Responsive, will not be considered in the Evaluation, and are not eligible for Award. All Response materials must be packaged so that each box shipped to the Department does not exceed 25 pounds.

In addition to whatever markings are required for shipment, Response packages must be marked to show the Respondent's name and address, the solicitation number, and the date and time Responses are due. If multiple packages are shipped, package sequences (i.e. 1 of 3, 2 of 4, etc.) must also be indicated on the outside of the package.

3.10 REPLACEMENT AND ALTERNATE RESPONSES.

The Department will only consider one (1) Response per Respondent. Respondents may submit revised Responses at any time prior to the Response Due Date as specified in the Timeline of Events. Revised Responses must include a statement, signed and dated by an Authorized Signatory, withdrawing all prior Responses from the Respondent. Alternate commodities or contractual services may be proposed only if permitted in accordance with the instructions contained in this solicitation. The Department is under no obligation to consider alternate commodities or contractual services to those requested in this solicitation if not specifically requested as part of a Response and may reject a Response making such offers as Non-Responsive and not eligible for Award.

3.11 EXCLUSIVITY

This solicitation will not result in an exclusive license to provide the commodities and/or contractual services described in this solicitation or the resulting Contract. The Department may, in compliance with applicable law, contract with other vendors to provide the same or similar commodities and/or contractual services if the Department determines that doing so will serve the State’s best interests.

3.12 CONFORMANCE TO REQUIREMENTS

In order to be considered for Award, Proposals submitted to the Department must conform in all material aspects to the requirements included in this RFP, meeting the definition of Responsive Proposal provided in section 287.012(26), F.S. Proposals failing to conform in all material aspects to the requirements included in this RFP are Non-Responsive and are not eligible for Award at the sole discretion of the Department.

The Department has established an evaluation process to ensure a fair and equitable evaluation of Respondent Proposals. Respondents whose past performance, current status, or Response does not reflect the capability, integrity, or reliability to fully, and in good faith, perform the requirements of Contract may be rejected as Non-Responsible and not eligible for Award. The Department, using the methods described in this RFP, is the sole determinant of a Vendor’s responsiveness and responsibility to perform under any proposed Contract.

3.13 ADMINISTRATIVE REVIEW

After the Public Opening, the Procurement Officer will examine the Respondent’s Proposal to determine if the Respondent is Responsive and Responsible, as defined in Sections 287.012(25) and (26) F.S., and, in accordance with 287.057(1)(b)4., F.S., Proposals that fail to conform in all material aspects to the requirements included in this RFP are Non-Responsive and will not be evaluated. Respondents who have not demonstrated the capacity in all respects to fully perform the contract requirements, and the integrity and reliability to perform in good faith are Non-Responsible and ineligible for Contract Award.

3.13.1 DISCLOSURE REVIEW

The Department will review the Respondent’s Vendor Responsibility Disclosure for affirmative responses and attached documentation, if any. Answers in the affirmative are not, in themselves, grounds for declaring a vendor as Non-Responsible; the Department may seek additional clarification and decide whether the circumstances of the case warrant declaring a Respondent Non-Responsible. Respondents deemed Non-Responsible are not eligible for Contract Award.

3.13.2 FINANCIAL REVIEW

The Department will review the Respondent’s Vendor Financial Attestation. Should any responses be a cause for concern, the Department may seek additional clarification and decide whether the circumstances of the case warrant declaring a Respondent Non-Responsible. Respondents deemed Non- Responsible are not eligible for Contract Award.

3.14 EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

The Department will review, evaluate, and score the Respondent’s Proposal based on the criteria and procedures included in Section 4 Evaluation Criteria. Evaluators will work independently and will separately submit their scores to the Procurement Officer. There will be no meeting, publicly, or otherwise, of the Evaluation Team to discuss the evaluation results of this RFP.

3.14.1 COST PROPOSAL (200 POINTS)

The Respondent’s Cost Proposal Score will be calculated by the Department as follows:

1. Divide the Lowest Respondent’s Total Price (PriceL) by Respondent’s Total Price (PriceT) and multiply the resulting price ratio by 200 points. ൬𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑃𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒்൰ × 200 = 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒

3.14.2 TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (600 POINTS)

Each evaluation team member will work independently using the evaluation criteria contained in Section 4 Evaluation Criteria to review and score Respondent’s Technical Proposal by assigning a numerical score from zero (0) to five (5) to each evaluation criteria as indicated in the following table.

Score Word Description 5 Superior The response is comprehensive, insightful, and exceeds expectations. The

Respondent demonstrates outstanding qualifications, innovation, and a high degree of confidence in successful delivery.

4 Excellent The response is well-developed, detailed, and demonstrates a high level of competence and understanding. There is clear alignment with the Department’s needs.

3 Satisfactory The response adequately meets the requirement. The information is generally clear and appropriate, though it may lack depth or minor details.

2 Fair The response addresses the requirement at a basic level but lacks sufficient detail or completeness; response provides limited confidence in ability to deliver.

1 Poor The response is minimally relevant or lacks clarity; key elements are missing or show a misunderstanding of the requirement.

0 Missing The response is absent or does not address the requirement in any meaningful way.

Upon completion of the Technical Proposal evaluation, the evaluators will submit their scores to the Procurement Officer for tabulation. The Department will average the Respondent’s three (3) scores for each criteria, divide the average by the highest possible score, and multiply the result by the total weighted points for that criterion to arrive at the Respondent’s final evaluation for the criterion. 𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐸𝑣𝑎𝑙𝑢𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑃𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 × 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝐶𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑎 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒

The Department will then sum all Final Criteria Scores to come to the Final Technical Proposal score for the Respondent.

3.14.3 PAST PERFORMANCE (200 POINTS)

The Department will order the Final Technical Proposal scores for all Respondents and then conduct a Past Performance Evaluation of the top three (3) Respondent’s References. The Department will average each Respondent’s three (3) Reference scores, divide the average by the highest possible score, and multiply the result by 200 points to arrive at the Respondent’s Final Past Performance Score for the RFP.

𝐴𝑣𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒𝐻𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑒𝑠𝑡 𝑅𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒 × 200 𝑃𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑠 = 𝐹𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑡 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒

The Respondent’s references will be contacted by the Department via telephone to complete the Past Performance evaluation using the Evaluation Criteria.

1 If the Respondent is a current or former Contractor to the Department, the Respondent must list the Department as a reference.

2 If the contact person cannot be reached following two (2) attempts, the Respondent will receive a score of zero (0) for that reference.

3 The Department will contact References during normal working hours (8:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET) as indicated in the Timeline of Events.

4 The Department will make up to two (2) contact attempts during this period.

3.14.4 COMPILATION OF SCORES

For the Respondents scoring in the top three (3) Technical Proposals, the Department will compile the results of each Respondent’s Cost Proposal, Technical Proposal, and Past Performance evaluations into a final tabulation and present the total point tabulation and vendor rankings to the Executive Director, or designee, for their approval or rejection.

3.15 CONSIDERATION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

The Department reserves the right to consider any information or evidence which comes to its attention, and which reflects upon a Respondent’s responsibility, this includes anything that casts doubt upon the Respondents capability to fully perform the Contract requirements and/or the level of integrity and reliability which the Department requires of its Contractors.