RFP 25-CTR05 Enrollment CRM.pdf

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Eastern Washington University

Solicitation Type: Request for Proposals (RFP)

EWU Reference #: RFP 25-CTR05

Solicitation Title: Enrollment CRM

Proposal Due Date: March 7, 2025 by 4 p.m. PST

Contractor Eligibility: This solicitation is open to those Contractors that satisfy the minimum qualifications stated herein and that are available for work in Washington State.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. INTRODUCTION 1

1.1. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND 1

1.2. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF WORK 2

1.3. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS 3

1.4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE 3

1.5. DEFINITIONS 3

1.6. ADA 4

2. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CONTRACTORS 4

2.1. RFP COORDINATOR 4

2.2. ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES 4

2.3. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS 4

2.4. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/PUBLIC DISCLOSURE 5

2.5. REVISIONS TO THE RFP 5

2.6. MINORITY, WOMEN & VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS PARTICIPATION 5

2.7. ACCEPTANCE PERIOD 6

2.8. RESPONSIVENESS 6

2.9. MOST FAVORABLE TERMS 6

2.10. CONTRACT AND GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS 6

2.11. INTERLOCAL CONTRACTING 6

2.12. COSTS TO PROPOSE 6

2.13. NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT 7

2.14. REJECTION OF PROPOSALS 7

2.15. COMMITMENT OF FUNDS 7

2.16. INSURANCE COVERAGE 7

3. PROPOSAL CONTENTS 9

3.1. LETTER OF SUBMITTAL (MANDATORY) 9

3.2. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (SCORED) 10

3.3. MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL (SCORED/MANDATORY/OPTIONAL)- 13

3.4. COST PROPOSAL (SCORED) 15

4. EVALUATION AND CONTRACT AWARD 15

4.1. EVALUATION PROCEDURE 15

4.2. EVALUATION WEIGHTING AND SCORING 15

4.3. ORAL PRESENTATIONS MAY BE REQUIRED 15

4.4. NOTIFICATION TO PROPOSERS 15

4.5. COMPLAINT PROCESS 16

4.6. PROTEST PROCEDURE 16

5. RFP EXHIBITS 18

EXHIBIT B: WIPHE PARTICIPATION 21

EXHIBIT C: SERVICES CONTRACT FORMAT 22

EXHIBIT D: ACCESSIBLE TECHNOLOGY REQUIREMENTS 37

EXHIBIT E: HECVAT LITE TEMPLATE 39

EXHIBIT F: DATA SHARING AGREEMENT 40

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1. INTRODUCTION

1.1. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

Eastern Washington University ("EWU") is requesting proposals for a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to enhance student engagement and recruitment efforts.

EWU’s existing contract expires June 30, 2025. The selected vendor will provide a CRM solution tailored to the university’s needs for managing interactions with prospective students and fostering strong relationships throughout the recruitment process. The proposed CRM system should demonstrate a proven track record in higher education, with an emphasis on improving communication, streamlining recruitment workflows, and supporting targeted enrollment strategies. A successful proposal will showcase a user-friendly interface, seamless integration with existing platforms, and robust tools that empower staff and faculty to collaborate effectively in recruitment efforts.

EWU Profile

EWU is a regional, comprehensive public university located in Cheney and Spokane, Washington, with programs offered throughout the state and online with an enrollment of over 9,000 students. EWU’s 300-acre main campus is located in Cheney, a community of 11,000 residents, and is just 17 miles from Washington’s second largest city, Spokane.

Mission: Eastern Washington University provides an inclusive, equitable, and transformative learning experience, driving the pursuit of knowledge with affordable academic excellence.

Vision: Eastern Washington University provides an education rooted in the liberal arts, designed to address the unique challenges and opportunities facing the region.

Characterized by a student-centered focus and opportunities for applied learning in high-demand fields, this education creates upward social mobility and intellectual growth for our students that supports a healthy, sustainable, and economically successful region.

Value Statements

Academic Excellence: As a community of learners, we pursue truth and advance knowledge through creative works, research, and scholarship. Our student-centered education provides excellent teaching, dynamic conversations, and a robust intellectual experience both inside and outside the classroom. We provide applied learning opportunities to prepare students for future success, invest in our workforce and create opportunities for professional growth for students, faculty and staff.

Accessibility: Eastern Washington University strives to create a more inclusive, obtainable, and equitable college education.

Belonging Through Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion: We are committed to building an inclusive, supportive, and equitable university community. We strive to integrate the principles of justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion into all university operations, fostering an environment that nurtures a sense of belonging among all members of the community.

Students, staff, and faculty, are seen, understood, and appreciated for the talents they bring to our educational community.

Regional Impact and Regional Contribution: We promote economic vitality and regional success through scholarly research, dedicated service, and educational programs that meet regional workforce needs in high-demand fields. When combined with out commitment to a liberal arts education, we enhance social mobility, inclusivity, and the well-being of our community while remaining nimble to its ever-changing demands.

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Student Success: We embrace all students. Students’ needs are complex, and student success requires student engagement and positive outcomes. We are committed to supporting all our students with a focus on creating conditions informed by the needs of our first-generation, low-income, and other structurally marginalized students.

Sustainability: We are leaders committed to sustainability as a balance between the needs of the environment, the needs of the economy, and equitable outcomes for current and future generations

1.2. OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE OF WORK

The EWU Enrollment Communications office is seeking proposals for a comprehensive Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system to advance student engagement, recruitment, and enrollment efforts. This CRM system will be instrumental in streamlining communication, improving outreach efforts, and fostering engagement with a diverse pool of prospective students. It should empower the university to manage recruitment activities efficiently, personalize student interactions, and optimize enrollment strategies.

The scope of work for this CRM system includes the following objectives:

● Full implementation by July 1, 2025.

● A CRM platform designed to support EWU's recruitment strategies, targeting diverse student populations and enhancing engagement throughout the enrollment funnel across multiple student populations including graduate, undergraduate, and dual credit programs.

● An intuitive, user-friendly interface that facilitates seamless collaboration between

EWU staff, faculty, and departments on recruitment and admissions efforts.

● Advanced segmentation tools for targeting prospective students based on demographics, academic interests, program preferences, behaviors, and other key factors.

● Full integration with existing university systems to ensure smooth data flow, including seamless management of student records, applications, and other critical data.

● Personalized engagement features, including automated communications, SMS support, tracking of system interactions, tracking of university website activity as applicable, and automated follow-up reminders to ensure timely and relevant outreach.

● A system to track recruitment performance with detailed engagement metrics, conversion rates, and insights into student life cycle progression.

● Comprehensive data management capabilities for student records, applications, and enrollment statuses, ensuring accurate and accessible information for all users.

● Customizable workflows and automated task management to support efficient processing of applications, transcripts, and other admissions documentation.

Preferred proposal format:

1. Provide an introduction and executive summary with a brief overview of your organization and the proposed CRM solution, summarizing how it aligns with EWU's recruitment, data management, and enrollment objectives. Limit to one single-spaced page.

2. List three to five customer references from the past five years who can speak to your experience in CRM implementation, particularly for higher education institutions or similar sectors.

3. Describe how the proposed CRM will support EWU’s recruitment, admissions, and enrollment processes. Specifically, explain how it will:

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1. Enhance engagement through automated and personalized communication, segment prospective students by demographics and interests, and track interactions to ensure targeted outreach.

2. Streamline recruitment by simplifying the recruitment workflow, enabling efficient tracking of prospects from initial contact to application, while supporting the recruitment of diverse student populations.

3. Integrate with EWU’s existing systems (e.g., Ellucian Banner) to ensure seamless management of student records, applications, and transcripts, with easy access for staff.

4. Provide reporting and analytics to track recruitment performance, engagement, and conversion rates, helping the recruitment team make informed decisions and refine strategies.

4. Outline how your organization will work with EWU’s leadership, faculty, and staff to design and implement customized recruitment workflows, manage admissions processes, and contribute to the university’s enrollment goals. Focus on how the CRM will integrate with EWU’s current systems and processes.

1. Describe any project and staff support, scheduling, or resources your firm requires from EWU for successful CRM implementation. This should include expectations for communication, access to university data, and staff involvement.

2. Provide a clear timeline for the development, implementation, and go-live phases of the CRM system. Include key milestones and expected completion dates.

1.3. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum qualifications include:

1. Licensed to do business in the State of Washington or provide a commitment that it will become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as the Apparent Successful Contractor.

2. Have not been determined by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries or through a civil judgment entered by a court of limited or general jurisdiction to have willfully violated, as defined in RCW 49.48.082, any provision of RCW Chapters 49.46, 49.48, or 49.52 within three (3) years prior to the date of this solicitation (Exhibit A).

3. Does not require its employees to sign, as a condition of employment, mandatory individual arbitration clauses and class or collective action waivers (Exhibit A).

1.4. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance of any Contract resulting from this RFP is tentatively scheduled to begin on the date of execution and to end three (3) years later.

EWU reserves the right at its sole option to extend the Contract for two (2) additional one-year periods; not to exceed a total of five (5) years.

1.5. DEFINITIONS

Definitions for the purposes of this RFP include:

1. Apparent Successful Contractor – The Contractor selected as the entity to perform the anticipated services, subject to completion of Contract negotiations and execution of a written Contract.

2. Contractor – A. Individual or company interested in the RFP and that may or does submit a

Proposal in order to attain a Contract with EWU.

B. Individual or company whose Proposal has been accepted by EWU and is awarded a fully executed, written Contract.

http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.48.082 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.46 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.48 http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=49.52

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3. EWU – The agency of the State of Washington that is issuing this RFP.

4. Proposal – A formal offer submitted in response to this solicitation.

5. Proposer – Individual or company that submits a Proposal in order to attain a Contract with EWU.

6. Request for Proposals (RFP) – Formal solicitation document in which a service or need is identified but no specific method to achieve it has been chosen. The purpose of an RFP is to permit the Contractor community to suggest various approaches to meet the need at a given price.

1.6. ADA

EWU complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Contractors may contact the RFP Coordinator to receive this RFP in Braille or on tape.

2. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR CONTRACTORS

2.1. RFP COORDINATOR

The RFP Coordinator is the sole point of contact in EWU for this solicitation. All communication between the Contractor and EWU upon release of this RFP shall be with the RFP Coordinator, as follows:

Name Cody Ross

Email Address cross19@ewu.edu

Mailing Address EWU Procurement & Contracts 218 Tawanka Hall Cheney, WA 99004-2456

Phone Number (509) 359-6804

Fax Number (509) 359-7984

Email is the preferred method of communication.

Any other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on EWU.

Contractors are to rely on written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator.

Communication directed to parties other than the RFP Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Contractor.

2.2. ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF SOLICITATION ACTIVITIES

Issue RFP February 14, 2025

Question & Answer Period February 14 - 25, 2025

Issue Last Addendum to RFP February 28, 2025

Proposal Due Date March 7, 2025

Evaluate Proposals March 7 - 17, 2025

Conduct Oral Interviews with Finalists, if required March 10 - 17, 2025

Announce Apparent Successful Contractor and Send Notification via WEBS to Unsuccessful Proposers

March 20, 2025

Negotiate Contract March 20 - 31, 2025

Begin Contract Work July 1, 2025

EWU reserves the right to revise the above schedule.

2.3. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

The Proposal must be received by the RFP Coordinator no later than 4:00 p.m., Pacific Time, in Cheney, Washington, on March 3, 2025.

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Proposals must be submitted electronically as an attachment to an email to Cody Ross, the RFP Coordinator, at the email address listed in Section 2.1. Attachments to email shall be in Microsoft Word format or PDF. Zipped files cannot be received by EWU and cannot be used for submission of Proposals. The cover submittal letter and the Certifications and Assurances form must have a scanned signature of the individual within the organization authorized to bind the Contractor to the offer. EWU does not assume responsibility for problems with Contractor’s email. If EWU’s email is not working, appropriate allowances will be made.

Proposals may not be transmitted using facsimile transmission.

Contractors should allow sufficient time to ensure timely receipt of the Proposal by the RFP Coordinator. Late Proposals will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration, unless EWU’s email is found to be at fault. All Proposals and any accompanying documentation become the property of EWU and will not be returned.

2.4. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

Proposals submitted in response to this competitive solicitation shall become the property of EWU. Pursuant to RCW 39.26.030, Proposals and Proposal evaluations are exempt from disclosure until EWU announces the Apparent Successful Contractor; thereafter, the Proposals shall be deemed public records as defined in Chapter 42.56 RCW.

Any information in the Proposal that the Contractor desires to claim as proprietary and exempt from disclosure under the provisions of Chapter 42.56 RCW, or other state or federal law that provides for the nondisclosure of Contractor’s document, must be clearly designated.

The information must be clearly identified and the particular exemption from disclosure upon which the Contractor is making the claim must be cited. Each page containing the information claimed to be exempt from disclosure must be clearly identified by the words “Proprietary Information” printed on the lower right-hand corner of the page. Marking the entire Proposal exempt from disclosure or as Proprietary Information will not be honored.

If a public records request is made for the information that the Contractor has marked as "Proprietary Information," EWU will notify the Contractor of the request and of the date that the records will be released to the requester unless the Contractor obtains a court order enjoining that disclosure. If the Contractor fails to obtain the court order enjoining disclosure, EWU will release the requested information on the date specified. If a Contractor obtains a court order from a court of competent jurisdiction enjoining disclosure pursuant to Chapter

42.56 RCW, or other state or federal law that provides for nondisclosure, EWU shall maintain the confidentiality of the Contractor's information per the court order.

Any contract entered into with EWU is not considered proprietary information, is subject to public disclosure, and may be posted on EWU’s website.

2.5. REVISIONS TO THE RFP

In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, addenda will be provided via WEBS.

EWU also reserves the right to cancel or to reissue the RFP in whole or in part, prior to execution of a Contract.

2.6. MINORITY, WOMEN & VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

In accordance with Chapters 39.19 and 43.60A RCW, the State of Washington encourages participation in all of its contracts by firms certified by the Washington State Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) or Washington State Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA). Participation may be either on a direct basis in response to this solicitation or on a Subcontractor basis. However, no preference will be included in the evaluation of

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Proposals, no minimum level of minority, women, or veteran-owned business participation shall be required as a condition for receiving an award, and Proposals will not be rejected or considered non-responsive on that basis.

The established annual procurement participation goals for MBE is 10% and for WBE, 4%, for this type of project. The suggested veteran-owned business participation goal is 3%. These goals are voluntary. For information on certified firms, Contractors may contact OMWBE or the DVA.

2.7. ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

Proposals must provide 90 days for acceptance by EWU from the due date for receipt of Proposals.

2.8. RESPONSIVENESS

All Proposals will be reviewed by the RFP Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative requirements and instructions specified in this RFP. The Contractor is specifically notified that failure to comply with any part of the RFP may result in rejection of the Proposal as non-responsive.

EWU also reserves the right at its sole discretion to waive minor administrative irregularities.

2.9. MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

EWU reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the Proposal submitted. Therefore, the Proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms which the Contractor can propose. There will be no best and final offer procedure. EWU does reserve the right to contact a Contractor for clarification of its Proposal.

The Apparent Successful Contractor should be prepared to accept this RFP for incorporation into a Contract resulting from this RFP. Contract negotiations may incorporate some or all of the Contractor’s Proposal. It is understood that the Proposal will become a part of the official solicitation file on this matter without obligation to EWU.

2.10. CONTRACT AND GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

The Apparent Successful Contractor will be expected to enter into a Contract which is substantially the same as the sample Contract and its general terms and conditions attached as Exhibit C. Contractor may submit its general License or University-specific Agreement as part of its Proposal for EWU to review. If there is a conflict between the terms contained in EWU’s terms and conditions and Contractor’s Agreement, Contractor must either agree to EWU’s terms or submit exceptions as allowed in the Certifications and Assurances form, Exhibit A to this RFP. All exceptions to the Contract terms and conditions must be submitted as an attachment to Exhibit A, Certifications and Assurances form. EWU will review requested exceptions and accept or reject the same at its sole discretion.

2.11. INTERLOCAL CONTRACTING

EWU is a member of the Washington State Institutions of Public Higher Education (WIPHE) and is aware that other WIPHE members may be interested in purchasing the product(s) included in this solicitation. Therefore, pursuant to the Interlocal Cooperation Act, Chapter

39.34 RCW, all WIPHE members will be eligible to utilize the Contract(s) awarded as a result of this solicitation, if all parties are willing. The Contractor must complete Exhibit B as part of the Proposal.

2.12. COSTS TO PROPOSE

EWU will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Contractor in preparation of a Proposal submitted in response to this RFP, in conduct of a presentation, or any other activities related to responding to this RFP.

http://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=39.34

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2.13. NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

This RFP does not obligate the State of Washington or EWU to contract for services specified herein.

2.14. REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

EWU reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all Proposals received without penalty and not to issue a Contract as a result of this RFP.

2.15. COMMITMENT OF FUNDS

The President of EWU or his/her delegate is the only individual who may legally commit EWU to the expenditures of funds for a Contract resulting from this RFP. No cost chargeable to the proposed Contract may be incurred before receipt of a fully executed Contract.

2.16. INSURANCE COVERAGE

1. General Requirements A. Contractor shall, at its own expense, obtain and keep in force insurance as follows during the Period of Performance of the Contract. Upon request, Contractor shall furnish evidence in the form of a Certificate of Insurance satisfactory to EWU that insurance, in the following kinds and minimum amounts, has been secured. Failure to provide proof of insurance, as required, may, at EWU’s sole option, result in the Contract’s termination.

B. Contractor shall include all Subcontractors as insureds under all required insurance policies, or shall furnish separate Certificates of Insurance and endorsements for each Subcontractor. Subcontractor(s) must comply fully with all insurance requirements stated herein. Failure of Subcontractor(s) to comply with insurance requirements does not limit Contractor’s liability or responsibility.

C. All insurance provided in compliance with the Contract shall be primary as to any other insurance or self-insurance programs afforded to or maintained by

EWU.

2. Specific Requirements

A. Commercial General Liability Insurance: The Contractor shall at all times during the Period of Performance of the Contract, carry and maintain commercial general liability insurance and, if necessary, commercial umbrella insurance for bodily injury and property damage arising out of services provided under the Contract. This insurance shall cover such claims as may be caused by any act, omission, or negligence of the Contractor or its officers, agents, representatives, assigns, or servants.

The insurance shall also cover bodily injury, including disease, illness and death, and property damage arising out of the Contractor’s premises/operations, independent contractors, products/completed operations, personal injury and advertising injury, and contractual liability (including the tort liability of another assumed in a business contract), and contain separation of insured’s (cross liability) conditions.

Contractor waives all rights against EWU for the recovery of damages to the extent they are covered by general liability or umbrella insurance.

The limits of liability insurance shall not be less than as follows:

General aggregate limits (other than products-completed operations) $2 million

Products-completed operations aggregate $2 million

Personal and advertising injury aggregate $1 million

Each occurrence (applies to all of the above) $1 million

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Fire damage limit (per occurrence) $50,000

Medical expense limit (any one person) $5,000

B. Professional Liability (Errors and Omissions) Insurance: Limits of liability shall not be less than $1 million per claim and $2 million annual aggregate.

C. Business Auto Policy: In the event that services delivered pursuant to the Contract involve the use of vehicles, or the transportation of clients, automobile liability insurance shall be required. The coverage provided shall protect against claims for bodily injury, including illness, disease, and death;

and property damage caused by an occurrence arising out of or in consequence of the performance of services by the Contractor, Subcontractor, or anyone employed by either.

Contractor shall maintain business auto liability and, if necessary, commercial umbrella liability insurance with a combined single limit not less than $1 million per occurrence. The business auto liability shall include Hired and Non-Owned coverage.

Contractor waives all rights against EWU for the recovery of damages to the extent they are covered by business auto liability or commercial umbrella liability insurance.

D. Employer’s Liability (Stop Gap): The Contractor will at all times comply with all applicable workers’ compensation, occupational disease, and occupational health and safety laws, statutes, and regulations to the full extent applicable and will maintain Employer’s Liability insurance with a limit of no less than $1 million. EWU will not be held responsible in any way for claims filed by the Contractor or their employees for services performed under the terms of the Contract.

E. Cyberliability Insurance: See Exhibit F for details.

3. Additional Insurance Provisions All above insurance policies shall include, but not be limited to, the following provisions:

A. Additional Insured: EWU shall be named as an additional insured on all general liability, umbrella, excess, and property insurance policies. All policies shall be primary over any other valid and collectable insurance.

B. Notice of Policy Cancellation/Non-Renewal

i. For insurers subject to Chapter 48.18 RCW (admitted and regulated by the Washington State Insurance Commissioner), a written notice shall be given to EWU’s Risk Manager or designee 45 calendar days prior to cancellation or any material change to the policy as it relates to the Contract. Written notice shall include the affected Contract reference number.

ii. For insurers subject to Chapter 48.15 RCW (Surplus Lines), a written notice shall be given to EWU’s Risk Manager or designee 20 calendar days prior to cancellation or any material change to the policy or policies related to the Contract. Written notice shall include the affected Contract reference number.

iii. If cancellation on any policy is due to non-payment of premium, a written notice shall be given to EWU’s Risk Manager or designee 10 calendar days prior to cancellation. Written notice shall include the affected Contract reference number.

C. Identification: Policies and certificates of insurance shall include the affected Contract reference number.

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D. Insurance Carrier Rating: The insurance required above shall be issued by an insurance company authorized to do business within the State of Washington. Insurance is to be placed with a carrier that has a rating of A- Class VII or better in the most recently published edition of Best’s Reports.

Any exception must be reviewed and approved by EWU’s Risk Manager, by submitting a copy of the Contract and evidence of insurance before Contract commencement. If an insurer is not admitted, all insurance policies and procedures for issuing the insurance policies must comply with Chapter

48.15 RCW and Chapter 284-15 of the Washington Administrative Code

(WAC).

E. Excess Coverage: The limits of all insurance required to be provided by the Contractor shall be no less than the minimum amounts specified. However, coverage in the amounts of these minimum limits shall not be construed to relieve the Contractor from liability in excess of such limits.

F. Limit Adjustments: EWU reserves the right to increase or decrease limits as appropriate.

4. Industrial Insurance Coverage: The Contractor shall comply with the provisions of Title 51 RCW Industrial Insurance. If the Contractor fails to provide industrial insurance coverage or fails to pay premiums or penalties on behalf of its employees as may be required by law, EWU may terminate the Contract. This provision does not waive any of the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) rights to collect from the Contractor.

3. PROPOSAL CONTENTS

Proposals must be written in English and submitted electronically to the RFP Coordinator in the order noted below:

1. Letter of Submittal, including signed Certifications and Assurances (Exhibit A) and WIPHE Participation (Exhibit B);

2. Technical Proposal;

3. Management Proposal; and,

4. Cost Proposal.

Proposals must provide information in the same order as presented in this document with the same headings. This will not only be helpful to the evaluators of the Proposal, but should assist the Contractor in preparing a thorough response.

Items marked “mandatory” must be included as part of the Proposal for the Proposal to be considered responsive; however, these items are not scored. Items marked “scored” are those that are awarded points as part of the evaluation conducted by the evaluation team.

3.1. LETTER OF SUBMITTAL (MANDATORY)

The Letter of Submittal, Certifications and Assurances (Exhibit A) and WIPHE Participation (Exhibit B) must be signed and dated by a person authorized to legally bind the Contractor to a contractual relationship, e.g., the President or Executive Director if a corporation, the managing partner if a partnership, or the proprietor if a sole proprietorship. Along with introductory remarks, the Letter of Submittal is to include by attachment the following information about the Contractor and any proposed Subcontractors:

1. Name, address, principal place of business, telephone number, and fax number/email address of legal entity or individual with whom Contract would be written.

2. Name, address, and telephone number of each principal officer (President, Vice President, Treasurer, Chairperson of the Board of Directors, etc.)

3. Legal status of the Contractor (sole proprietorship, partnership, corporation, etc.), the year the entity was organized to do business as the entity now substantially exists, and a brief company history.

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4. Federal Employer Tax Identification number or Social Security number and the Washington Uniform Business Identification (UBI) number issued by the State of Washington Department of Revenue.

5. Location of the facility from which the Contractor would operate.

6. Identify any state employees or former state employees employed or on the firm’s governing board as of the date of the Proposal. Include their position and responsibilities within the Contractor’s organization. If following a review of this information, it is determined by EWU that a conflict of interest exists, the Contractor may be disqualified from further consideration for the award of a Contract.

3.2. TECHNICAL PROPOSAL (SCORED)

The Technical Proposal must contain a comprehensive description of services including the following elements:

1. Client Support and Compatibility

● EWU does not want a client-based system that would need to be installed on employee computers. Microsoft Terminal Services, Citrix XenApp and other remote desktop environments are not acceptable client solutions.

● Software must be accessible via commonly accepted web browsers including Chrome, Edge, Firefox, and Safari browsers for both desktop and, as applicable, mobile devices. Must support new versions of these browsers within 60 days of release. No browser add-ins or extensions must be required.

● Supports use on mobile devices. Please describe mobile device functionality.

● Client interfaces must meet accessibility requirements (section 508).

● SMS support is required.

2. System Hosting

● A cloud-based SaaS system, not requiring any on-premise infrastructure is required.

● Infrastructure components must be redundant to provide business continuity/disaster recovery capabilities.

● Infrastructure components must be located within the United States.

● Provide regular backups of hosted data.

● System must be secure and meet all local, state, and federal data security standards.

● The Provider is expected to maintain the software, upgrades, and storage management of all records with at least a 99% availability rate. Vendors should provide a service level agreement (SLA), and outline penalties for not meeting

SLA.

3. Integration

● The system should be capable of providing a real-time interface and batch (flat file) interface for integration with other Eastern Washington University systems and applications.

● Integration with Ellucian Banner is required. Ellucian Ethos integration is highly desired.

● The system should have an API library to allow integration with other systems.

● Communication using the university’s current Office 365 email system.

● User Management, Security, and Access Control Requirements

● The system must support integration with university single-sign on via Entra ID

(Azure Active Directory) or Shibboleth/SAML. Entra ID is strongly preferred.

● Directory integration is required for account setup of staff users. Entra ID is strongly preferred, but Active Directory integration is permissible.

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● The system must support internal role-based user permissions and multiple roles per user. These roles should be used to customize a person's security profile (authorizations).

● The system must be able to restrict access to modules or functions. This could be broken down by function, group, department or roles within a department/team.

● Access levels, roles, or groups should define a user's ability to: approve, update, modify, view, query, and delete entries, objects, and requests.

● Audit trails must record all users' and administrators' activities and be protected from tampering and deletion for both the application and database layer.

● The system should support the following technical safeguards:

○ Automatic logoff

○ Emergency access

○ Encryption and decryption (data at rest and data in transit)

○ Audit controls

○ Integrity controls

4. Reporting

● The system should provide both internal reporting capabilities and the ability to use an external reporting system, such as Tableau, to create custom reports.

● Preferably, the system should make use of non-proprietary applications and programming languages so that extensive learning of new applications/programming languages is not required.

● Ability to to export data.

● Provide a listing of pre-built reports.

5. Enterprise Licensing

● Proposals must disclose licensing fee model and include sufficient licenses for 100+ staff members.

● Proposals must specify the cost of additional staff users and whether they are available individually or only in bulk.

● Proposals must specify how end users are licensed or if they are unlimited.

6. Implementation

● The Contractor must provide a detailed proposal specifying the proposed tasks, services, activities, etc. necessary to accomplish the scope of the project defined in this RFP for implementation of their system, including:

● Detailed methodology for implementation. Methodology should include estimated timeframe, overview of phases and milestones, assumptions, and assumed responsibilities.

● A project schedule indicating when the elements of the work will be completed.

Project schedule must ensure that any deliverables requested are met.

● Project organization chart showing EWU and vendor staff.

● Work effort estimates. Include any required involvement of EWU staff.

● Names, titles, resumes, and references of implementers likely to be assigned to this project.

● Information gathering regarding interfaces to Ellucian Banner and other major enterprise systems.

● Installation and configuration of production environments.

● Testing of connectivity for application usage and integration.

● Setup of user accounts.

● Defining and creating security roles.

● Documentation of system setup and configuration.

● Go live support.

● Migration/Conversion of existing CRM system data. The vendor should indicate what types of data can be imported into their system. Recommendations for data conversion (type, history, scope) are welcome.

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● A detailed strategy for data conversion. Indicate the automated tools or programs which may be used to convert data as well as the assumed or estimated breakdown of effort between the implementing consultant and the vendor staff.

● The Contractor may also present any creative approaches that might be appropriate and may provide any pertinent supporting documentation.

7. Training and Support

● The vendor should provide a proposal for administrator training and staff training (train the trainer) during implementation.

● Overview of proposed training plan/strategy, including options for on-site or off-site training services, for the system administrators, developers, and end-users (train the trainer).

● The role and responsibility of the software and/or implementation vendor in the design and implementation of the training plan (e.g., development of customized training materials, delivering training to university end-users).

● The role and responsibility of EWU staff in the design and implementation of the training plan.

● The knowledge transfer strategy proposed by the software and/or implementation vendor to prepare EWU staff to maintain the system after it is placed into production.

● Descriptions of Classes/Courses proposed in the training plan. (The vendor should specify the unit of measure for its training (e.g., units, classes, days, etc.)

and define the hours associated with these units of measure.) The vendor must be very clear about exactly what training courses are included in the cost of the proposal. Topics covered, at a minimum, should include:

○ System use

○ System maintenance and support

○ Reporting

● Describe detailed post-implementation training options that provide access to online, on-demand, and on-going training for staff users.

● Describe the technical support available.

○ What type of support is available (web, email, phone, chat, built in help features, FAQ)?

○ Where is the primary support located? What are the hours of service?

● Describe any online user community, conferences or other user collaboration resources that the company facilitates for the proposed solution.

8. Solution Features: These are the same features outlined in the Scope of Work in Section

1.2 above.

● A CRM platform designed to support EWU's recruitment strategies, targeting diverse student populations and enhancing engagement throughout the enrollment funnel across multiple student populations including graduate, undergraduate, and dual credit programs.

● An intuitive, user-friendly interface that facilitates seamless collaboration between

EWU staff, faculty, and departments on recruitment and admissions efforts.

● Advanced segmentation tools for targeting prospective students based on demographics, academic interests, program preferences, behaviors, and other key factors.

● Full integration with existing university systems to ensure smooth data flow, including seamless management of student records, applications, and other critical data.

● Personalized engagement features, including automated communications, SMS support, tracking of system interactions, tracking of university website activity as applicable, and automated follow-up reminders to ensure timely and relevant outreach.

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● A system to track recruitment performance with detailed engagement metrics, conversion rates, and insights into student life cycle progression.

● Comprehensive data management capabilities for student records, applications, and enrollment statuses, ensuring accurate and accessible information for all users.

● Customizable workflows and automated task management to support efficient processing of applications, transcripts, and other admissions documentation.

9. Work Plan

● Include all project requirements and the proposed tasks, services, activities, etc.

necessary to accomplish the scope of the project defined in this RFP. This section of the Technical Proposal must contain sufficient detail to convey to members of the evaluation team the Contractor’s knowledge of the subjects and skills necessary to successfully complete the project. Include any required involvement of EWU staff. The Contractor may also present any creative approaches that might be appropriate and may provide any pertinent supporting documentation.

10. Project Schedule

● Include a project schedule indicating when the elements of the work will be completed. Project schedule must ensure that any deliverables requested are met.

11. Risks

● The Contractor must identify potential risks that are considered significant to the success of the project. Include how the Contractor would propose to effectively monitor and manage these risks, including reporting of risks to EWU’s Contract Administrator.

3.3. MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL (SCORED/MANDATORY/OPTIONAL)-

1. Project Management (SCORED)

A. Project Team Structure/Internal Controls - Provide a description of the proposed project team structure and internal controls to be used during the course of the project, including any Subcontractors. Provide an organizational chart of your firm indicating lines of authority for personnel involved in performance of the potential Contract and relationships of this staff to other programs or functions of the firm. This chart must also show lines of authority to the next senior level of management. Include who within the firm will have prime responsibility and final authority for the work.

B. Staff Qualifications/Experience i.Identify staff, including Subcontractors, who will be assigned to the potential Contract, indicating the responsibilities and qualifications of such personnel, and include the amount of time each will be assigned to the project.

ii.Provide resumes' for the named staff, which include information on the individual’s particular skills related to this project, education, experience, significant accomplishments and any other pertinent information.

iii.The Contractor shall use best efforts to ensure that staff identified in its Proposal will actually perform the assigned work. Any staff substitution must have the prior approval of EWU.

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C. Maintenance & Support Team Structure/Internal Controls – Provide a description of the software maintenance and support services. Detail any applicable help desk services, online support, error and malfunction services, and on-call/on-site support.

2. Experience of the Contractor (SCORED)

A. Indicate the experience the Contractor and any Subcontractors have that relate to their ability to provide the services as required for this RFP, especially with respect to providing Enrollment Management Marketing Services for higher education institutions.

B. Indicate other relevant experience that indicates the qualifications of the Contractor, and any Subcontractors, for the performance of the potential Contract.

C. Include a list and description of projects of similar size and scope over the last five (5) years that relate to the Contractor’s ability to perform the services needed under this RFP.

3. Related Information (MANDATORY)

A. If the Contractor or any Subcontractor contracted with the State of Washington during the past 24 months, indicate the name of the agency, the contract number and project description and/or other information available to identify the contract.

B. If the Contractor’s staff or Subcontractor’s staff was an employee of the State of Washington during the past 24 months, or is currently a Washington State employee, identify the individual by name, the agency previously or currently employed by, job title or position held and separation date.

C. If the Contractor has had a contract terminated for default in the last five years, describe such incident. Termination for default is defined as notice to stop performance due to the Contractor’s non-performance or poor performance and the issue of performance was either (a) not litigated due to inaction on the part of the Proposer, or (b) litigated and such litigation determined that the Proposer was in default.

D. Submit full details of the terms for default including the other party's name, address, and phone number. Present the Contractor’s position on the matter.

EWU will evaluate the facts and may, at its sole discretion, reject the Proposal on the grounds of the past experience. If no such termination for default has been experienced by the Contractor in the past five years, so indicate.

4. References (MANDATORY)

A. List names, addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers/email addresses of three (3) business references for whom work has been accomplished and briefly describe the type of service provided. Do not include current EWU staff as references.

B. By submitting a Proposal in response to this RFP, the Contractor and team members grant permission to EWU to contact these references and others, who from EWU’s perspective, may have pertinent information. EWU may or may not, at EWU’s discretion, contact references. EWU may evaluate references at EWU’s discretion.

5. OMWBE & DVA Certification (OPTIONAL AND NOT SCORED)

A. Include proof of certification issued by OMWBE if certified minority-owned firm and/or women-owned firm(s) will be participating on this project or certification from the DVA if veteran-owned firms will be participating on this project. For information, Contractors may contact OMWBE or the DVA.

6. Environmental and Social Issues (OPTIONAL AND NOT SCORED)

A. Indicate use of environmentally safe products and processes.

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3.4. COST PROPOSAL (SCORED)

The evaluation process is designed to award this solicitation not necessarily to the Contractor of least cost, but rather to the Contractor whose Proposal best meets the requirements of this RFP. However, Contractors are encouraged to submit Proposals which are consistent with state government efforts to conserve state resources.

1. Identification of Costs (SCORED) Identify all costs in U.S. dollars including expenses to be charged for performing the services necessary to accomplish the objectives of the Contract. The Contractor is to submit a fully detailed budget including staff costs and any expenses necessary to accomplish the tasks and to produce the deliverables under the Contract. Contractors are required to collect and pay Washington State sales and use taxes, as applicable.

Costs for Subcontractors are to be broken out separately. Please note if any Subcontractors are certified by OMWBE and/or the DVA.

4. EVALUATION AND CONTRACT AWARD

4.1. EVALUATION PROCEDURE

Responsive Proposals will be evaluated strictly in accordance with the requirements stated in this solicitation and any addenda issued. The evaluation of Proposals shall be accomplished by an evaluation team(s), to be designated by EWU, which will determine the ranking of the Proposals.

EWU, at its sole discretion, may elect to select the top-scoring firms as finalists for an oral presentation.

The RFP Coordinator may contact the Contractor for clarification of any portion of the Contractor’s Proposal.

4.2. EVALUATION WEIGHTING AND SCORING

The following weighting and points will be assigned to the Proposal for evaluation purposes:

Technical Proposal 40 Points 40%

Management Proposal 10 Points 10%

Cost Proposal 50 Points 50%

Total 100 Points 100%

EWU reserves the right to award the Contract to the Contractor whose Proposal is deemed to be in the best interest of EWU and the State of Washington.

4.3. ORAL PRESENTATIONS MAY BE REQUIRED

Written submittals and oral presentations, if considered necessary, will be utilized in selecting the winning Proposal. EWU, at its sole discretion, may elect to select the top scoring finalists from the written evaluation for an oral presentation and final determination of Contract award.

Should EWU elect to hold oral presentations, it will contact the top-scoring firm(s) to schedule a date, time and location. Commitments made by the Contractor at the oral interview, if any, will be considered binding. The scores from the written evaluation and the oral presentation combined together will determine the Apparent Successful Contractor.

4.4. NOTIFICATION TO PROPOSERS

EWU will notify all Proposers of their selection via WEBS upon completion of the evaluation process. After the announcement of the Apparent Successful Contractor, Proposers will be offered a debriefing upon written request. Proposers will be given 3 business days after the

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Apparent Successful Contractor is announced to request a debriefing. Reference 4.6 for the Protest Procedure.

4.5. COMPLAINT PROCESS

Pursuant to RCW 39.26.170, the complaint process allows Proposers to focus on the solicitation requirements and evaluation process and raise issues with these processes early enough in the process to allow EWU to correct a problem before Proposals are submitted and time expended on evaluations. Complaints may be made only by Contractors who intend to submit a response to the solicitation. Complaints filed on the day solicitation responses are due shall be reviewed and considered if time permits. Complaints that do not follow these procedures shall not be considered.

The complaint process will meet the following minimum requirements:

1. Proposers will be given an opportunity to submit a complaint to EWU based on any of the following:

A. The solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition;

B. The solicitation evaluation or scoring process is…