RFP 26-84328 Main Document v2.pdf

STATE OF INDIANA

Request for Proposal/Partnership 26-84328

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

On Behalf Of Indiana Psychiatric Hospital Network

Solicitation For:

Medical De-escalation and Intervention Training

Submission Due Date and Time:

January 7th, 2026 at 3:00 pm Eastern Time

Mike Huth, Procurement Consultant jonhuth@idoa.IN.gov

Indiana Department of Administration Procurement Division

402 W. Washington St., Room W468 Indianapolis, Indiana 46204

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Contents

Section One General Information and Requested Products/Services

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Definitions and Abbreviations

1.3 Purpose of the Solicitation

1.4 Summary Scope of Work

1.5 Solicitation Outline

1.6 Pre-Proposal Conference

1.7 Question/Inquiry Process

1.8 Due Date for Proposals

1.9 Modification or Withdrawal of Offers

1.10 Pricing

1.11 Proposal Clarifications

1.12 Best and Final Offer (BAFO)

1.13 Reference Site Visits

1.14 Type and Term of Contract

1.15 Confidential Information

1.16 Taxes

1.17 Procurement Division Registration

1.18 Secretary of State Registration

1.19 Compliance Certification

1.20 Equal Opportunity Commitment

1.21 Minority & Women Business Enterprises Subcontractor Commitment (MWBE)

1.22 Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business Subcontractor Commitment (IVOSB)

1.23 Americans with Disabilities Act

1.24 Summary of Milestones

1.25 Evidence of Financial Responsibility (25 IAC 1.1-1-5)

1.26 Conflict of Interest

1.27 Procurement Protest Policy

Section Two Proposal Preparation Instructions

2.1 General

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2.2 Executive Summary

2.2.1 Summary of Ability and Desire to Supply the Required Products or Services

2.2.2 Signature of Authorized Representative

2.2.3 Respondent Notification

2.2.4 Secretary of State

2.2.5 Other Information

2.3 Business Proposal

2.3.1 General (optional)

2.3.2 Respondent’s Company Structure

2.3.3 Company Financial Information

2.3.4 Integrity of Company Structure and Financial Reporting

2.3.5 Contract Terms/Clauses

2.3.6 References

2.3.7 Registration to do Business

2.3.8 Authorizing Document

2.3.9 Diversity Subcontractor Agreements

2.3.10 Evidence of Financial Responsibility

2.3.11 General Information

2.3.12 Experience Serving State Governments

2.3.13 Experience Serving Similar Clients

2.3.14 Payment

2.3.15 Extending Pricing to Other Governmental Bodies

2.3.16 Cloud Terms and Conditions

2.4 Technical Proposal

2.5 Cost Proposal

2.6 Attestation Form

2.6.1 Indiana Economic Impact

2.6.2 Buy Indiana Initiative (Indiana Business Preference) /Indiana Company

2.6.3 Subcontractors

Section Three Proposal Evaluation

3.1 Proposal Evaluation Procedure

3.2 Evaluation Criteria

3.2.1 Adherence to Requirements – Pass/Fail

3.2.2 Management Assessment/Quality

3.2.3 Price

3.2.4 Buy Indiana Initiative – 5 points

3.2.5 Minority Business Subcontractor Commitment – 5 points

3.2.6 Women Business Subcontractor Commitment - 5 points

3.2.7 Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business Subcontractor Commitment - 5 points 38

3.2.8 Qualified State Agency Preference Scoring

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Section One General Information and Requested Products/Services

1.1 Introduction

In accordance with applicable Indiana Code provisions, Rules and Policies, the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA), acting on behalf of the Indiana Psychiatric Hospital Network (ISPHN), requires Medical De-escalation and Intervention Training for up to twenty-five (25) trainees each at six (6) locations: Evansville Psychiatric Children’s Hospital, Evansville State Hospital, Madison State Hospital, Logansport State Hospital, Richmond State Hospital, and NeuroDiagnostic Institute. It is the intent of IDOA to solicit responses to this solicitation in accordance with the statement of work, proposal preparation section, and specifications contained in this document. This solicitation is being posted to the IDOA Bidding Opportunities website, at https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/current-business-opportunities/ for downloading. Neither this solicitation nor any response (proposal) submitted hereto are to be construed as a legal offer.

1.2 Definitions and Abbreviations

The following are explanations of terms and abbreviations appearing throughout this solicitation. Other special terms may be used in the solicitation, but they are more localized and defined where they appear, rather than in the following list.

Award Recommendation

BAFO

IDOA’s summary, typically in letter format, of the solicitation and suggestion on respondent selected for the purposes of beginning contract negotiations.

Best and Final Offer is an opportunity for short-listed respondents to propose an improved cost for final score consideration.

Contract Award The acceptance of IDOA’s Award Recommendation by the agency being supported in conjunction with the public posting of the Award Recommendation.

Full Time Equivalent

(FTE)

The State defines FTE as a measurement of an employee's productivity when executing the scope of work in this solicitation for a specific project or contract. An FTE of 1 would mean that there is one worker fully engaged on a project. If there are two employees each spending 1/2 of their working time on a project that would also equal 1 FTE

IAC Indiana Administrative Code https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/current-business-opportunities/

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IC

Indiana Code

Installation

The delivery and physical setup of products or services requested in this solicitation

Other Governmental Body

An agency, a board, a branch, a bureau, a commission, a council, a department, an institution, an office, or another establishment of any of the following:

1) The judicial branch

2) The legislative branch

3) A political subdivision as defined in IC 5-22-2-22 and IC 36-1-2-

13 (includes school corporations, municipal corporations, Legislative body, Taxing district, Town, Township, and Unit)

4) A State educational institution

Prime Contractor

As used in Attachments A and A1, refers to the entity responding to the solicitation.

Products

Tangible goods or manufactured items as specified in this solicitation

Proposal

An offer as defined in IC 5-22-2-17

Respondent

An offeror as defined in IC 5-22-2-18; and any entity or person who does business with the State and is registered as same. The State will not consider a proposal responsive if two or more offerors submit a joint or combined proposal. One entity or individual must be clearly identified as the company who will be ultimately responsible for performance of the contract.

Services

Work to be performed as specified in this solicitation

State

The State of Indiana

State Agency

As defined in IC 4-13-1, “State Agency” means an authority, board, branch, commission, committee, department, division, or other instrumentality of the executive, including the administrative, department of State government

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Subcontractor As used in Attachments A and A1 refers to the entity entering into a contract with the Prime Contractor for a portion of the scope of the solicitation.

Total Bid Amount

The amount that the Respondent proposes on Attachment D that represents their total, all-inclusive price.

VSC (Valuable Scope Contribution)

The benefit the proposed certified subcontractors(s) must provide to the project set forth in the solicitation.

1.3 Purpose of the Solicitation

The purpose of this solicitation is to select a respondent that can satisfy the State’s need for Medical De-escalation and Intervention Training for up to twenty-five (25) trainers each at six

(6) locations: Evansville Psychiatric Children’s Hospital, Evansville State Hospital, Madison State Hospital, Logansport State Hospital, Richmond State Hospital, and NeuroDiagnostic Institute. It is the intent of the Indiana Department of Administration to contract with a respondent that provides quality Medical De-escalation and Intervention Training for the Indiana Psychiatric Hospital Network.

1.4 Summary Scope of Work

Background and Purpose The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), Division of Mental Health and Addiction (DMHA), is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide evidence-based de-escalation and intervention training for staff across all facilities within the Indiana State Psychiatric Hospital Network (ISPHN), which includes Evansville Psychiatric Children’s Center, Evansville State Hospital, Madison State Hospital, Logansport State Hospital, Richmond State Hospital, and Neuro Diagnostic Institute.

The purpose of this initiative is to equip both direct care and non-direct care personnel with proven techniques that promote patient safety, minimize the use of restraint and seclusion, and align with regulatory standards.

1. Target Audience

Training must address two distinct certification levels.

A. Employee: Includes personnel who work directly with patients, (e.g., nurses, behavioral health technicians), as well as administrative and facilities personnel who may enter units or interact with patients. Also includes contracted positions with direct patient responsibilities.

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B. Non-Employee: Includes student interns, contractors, and others with limited patient interaction who are supervised and escorted by facility staff

2. Required Services

Respondents must propose a comprehensive training solution that includes the following components:

A. De-escalation and Intervention Certification and Recertification

• Curriculum and Certification

• Provision of a pre-approved, evidence-based curriculum for de-escalation and hands-on intervention training for both youth and adult patients.

• Certification protocols for both certification levels, including a verbal de-escalation only certification option.

• Clearly defined annual recertification requirements and schedules.

• Competency-based testing methods that include written assessments and observed performance evaluations.

• Train-the-Trainer Model

• Contractor-led certification of ISPHN trainers to enable ongoing training internally.

• Opportunity to implement a systemwide training approach that reduces duplication across hospitals and leverages shared expertise.

• Scalable internal trainer development option to reduce or eliminate the need for vendor travel to individual facilities.

• Training Delivery Format

• Proposals must include a comprehensive training approach that incorporates both verbal de-escalation techniques and physical intervention components.

• Physical interventions must address manual holds, guided escorts, face-up restraint options, self-defense and release techniques including responses to weapon-based threats/attacks. These techniques must be designed to protect staff, patients and visitors while maintaining a safe therapeutic environment.

Proposals must also include modifications to accommodate individuals with disabilities and age-appropriate adaptations for children and adolescents.

• Training may be delivered through in-person, virtual, hybrid, or asynchronous formats.

• Interactive learning methods such as simulations, role-playing, and scenario-based exercises are preferred.

• Scheduling flexibility to accommodate the diverse operational roles across

ISPHN.

• Provision of all necessary training materials, including comprehensive and professionally designed facilitator guides, participant workbooks, engaging Digital learning modules, high-quality instructional videos, licensing

Page 8 of 39 v.09192024 documentation, and reinforcement tools to support knowledge retention and skill application.

• Provision of technical and educational support for ISPHN-based trainers, including access to updates, coaching and consultation, and ongoing guidance to ensure training effectiveness.

• Locations and Annual Certifications

• ISPHN requires certification of up to twenty-five (25) Trainers at each of the six (6) locations:

Facility Name Location

Evansville Psychiatric Children’s Hospital

3300 E. Morgan Avenue, Evansville, IN 47715

Evansville State Hospital 3400 Lincoln Avenue, Evansville, IN 47714

Madison State Hospital 711 Green Road, Madison, IN 47250

Logansport State Hospital 1098 S. State Road 25, Logansport, IN 46947

Richmond State Hospital 498 N.W. 18th Street, Richmond, IN 47374

NeuroDiagnostic Institute 5435 E. 16th St., Indianapolis, IN, 46218

3. Cost-Saving Opportunities

Respondents are encouraged to propose innovative strategies that reduce costs without compromising quality or compliance, which may include:

• Licensing models that permit ISPHN to manage curriculum delivery internally.

• Development of a customized curriculum that allows ISPHN to certify its own train-the-trainer team.

• Provision of digital training platform to reduce travel and printing expenses.

• Development of cross-facility trainer pools to minimize redundancy.

• Any other cost-saving opportunities identified by the Respondent.

4. Reporting and Evaluation Requirements

• Contractor shall provide quarterly progress reports with participating metrics, certification statistics, and training outcomes.

• Create performance measurement tools to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. Tools must assess incident reduction, improvement in self-efficacy and preparedness, and observable improvements in overall safety.

• Mechanisms for ongoing feedback, allowing ISPHN and facility leaders to suggest adjustments and continuous improvements.

5. Compliance Requirements

All training content and delivery practices must:

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• Align with Joint Commission standards EC.02.01.01 and HR.01.05.03, or their subsequent equivalents as updated by accrediting authorities.

• Meet all applicable state and federal guidelines governing psychiatric care and staff competency.

• Comply with all ISPHN and hospital-specific operational policies and procedures.

• Embody trauma-informed principles and support culturally appropriate practices.

Technology Security Standards

The State has robust and comprehensive security standards that permeate all levels of the organization. The Indiana Office of Technology (IOT) has been tasked with establishing and maintaining these security standards. The security standards include assessing security risks, developing, and implementing effective security procedures, and monitoring the effectiveness of those procedures. If the proposed solution involves information technology-related products or services, all such products or services are to be compatible with any of the technology standards found in Information Security Framework (https://www.in.gov/iot/iot-vendor-engagement/) that are applicable, including the assistive technology standard. Respondents will be required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) to access the IOT Information Security Framework; Respondent’s should review the IOT Information Security Framework, and ensure their proposed solution meets all standards therein.

These figures are only an estimate and are not to be construed as an amount to be offered under this solicitation. However, when completing Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises Participation Plan Form (Attachment A), Indiana Veterans’ Participation Plan Form (Attachment A1), and the Indiana Economic Impact Form (Attachment C) please use the total bid amount from the Cost Proposal (Attachment D).

1.5 Solicitation Outline

The outline of this solicitation document is described below:

Section Description

Section One – General Information and Requested Products or Services

This section provides an overview of the solicitation, general timelines for the process, and a summary of the products/services being solicited by the State/Agency via this solicitation

Section Two – Proposal Preparation Instruction

This section provides instructions on the format and content of the solicitation including an Executive Summary, Business Proposal, Technical Proposal, and a Cost Proposal

Section Three – Proposal This sections discusses the evaluation criteria to be used https://www.in.gov/iot/iot-vendor-engagement/

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Evaluation Criteria to evaluate Respondents’ proposals

Attachment A M/WBE Participation Plan Form

Attachment A1 IVOSB Participation Plan Form

Attachment B Sample Contract

Attachment C Indiana Economic Impact Form

Attachment D Cost Proposal Template

Attachment E Business Proposal Template

Attachment F Technical Proposal Template

Attachment G Q&A Template

Attachment H Reference Check Form

Attachment I Pre-proposal Network Opportunities Form

Attachment J Attestation Form

Attachment K Artificial Intelligence Technical Proposal Questions

Attachment L Cloud Questionnaire

Attachment M Infrastructure Overview

Attachment N Resource Usage Template

1.6 Pre-Proposal Conference

A pre-proposal conference will be held at the date, time and location specified in Section 1.24.

At this conference, potential respondents may ask questions about the solicitation and the solicitation process. Respondents are reminded that no answers issued verbally at the conference are binding on the State and any information provided at the conference, unless it is later issued in writing, also is not binding on the State.

The pre-proposal conference provides an opportunity for potential Prime Contractors and 7/potential Subcontractors to connect. The State strongly encourages potential Prime Contractors and potential Subcontractors to complete and submit Attachment I directly to rfp@idoa.in.gov no later than the time and date outlined in Section 1.24. Compiled company contact information will be posted to the solicitation website to allow networking to take place among the vendor community. Though Attachment I is not required, the State encourages its use.

1.7 Question/Inquiry Process

mailto:rfp@idoa.in.gov

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All questions/inquiries regarding this solicitation must be submitted by the date and time outlined in Section 1.24. Questions/Inquiries may be submitted in Attachment G, Q&A Template, via email to rfp@idoa.IN.gov and must be received by the time and date indicated in Section 1.24.

The subject line of the email submissions must clearly state the following:

“RFP 26-84328 Questions/Inquiries – [INSERT COMPANY NAME]”.

Following the question/inquiry due date, Procurement Division personnel will compile a list of the questions/inquiries submitted by all Respondents, redacting the name of the company who submitted the question. The responses will be posted to the IDOA website according to the timetable established in Section 1.24. Only answers posted on the IDOA website will be considered binding and valid by the State. No Respondent shall rely upon, take any action, or make any decision based upon any verbal communication with any State employee.

If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this solicitation, or if additional information is necessary for a clearer interpretation of provisions of this solicitation prior to the due date for proposals, an Addendum will be posted on the IDOA website. If such Addenda issuance is necessary, the Procurement Division may extend the due date and time of proposals to accommodate such additional information requirements, if required.

1.8 Due Date for Proposals

All proposals must be received through the Supplier Portal at the link below by the Procurement Division no later than the date and time outlined in Section 1.24 Summary of Milestones. The proposal will be considered the official response in evaluating responses for scoring and protest resolution and may be posted on the IDOA website, https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/award-recommendations/ if recommended for selection. The proposal must follow the format indicated in Section Two of this document. No other method of submission will be accepted. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other presentations, beyond those necessary to present a complete and effective proposal, are not desired.

Multi-Factor Authentication:

https://www.in.gov/iot/customer-service/myshareingov/multi-factor-authentication/

Supplier Portal:

https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/ Instructions on to submit an electronic bid:

https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/manage-my-bidder-profile/submitting-a-bid/ mailto:rfp@idoa.IN.gov https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/award-recommendations/ https://www.in.gov/iot/customer-service/myshareingov/multi-factor-authentication/ https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/ https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/ https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/manage-my-bidder-profile/submitting-a-bid/ https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/manage-my-bidder-profile/submitting-a-bid/

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Important notes:

Remember that you cannot update the primary contact’s email address and use it to sign into the Supplier Portal on the same day.

No more than one proposal per Respondent may be submitted.

Responses may no longer be sent in on flash drives.

The State encourages Respondents to break down their proposals into small file sizes and use compressed zip files, where possible. Uploading large files may lengthen the time to successfully submit your proposal. Checking file sizes of the proposal documents by viewing file properties is also recommended to reduce risks when uploading files.

A bidder ID and password are required to submit a response. For more information on that process, visit: https://www.in.gov/idoa/wbt/SupplierPortal/index.html. Bidder ID and password issues are handled by submitting a request for assistance to the State of Indiana Office of Technology and are handled in the order in which they are received. IDOA is not able to assist with these types of issues and they are not justification to miss the submission deadline.

The State strongly encourages Respondents to allow plenty of time when electronically submitting their proposals. Waiting until the last day is not recommended. The Supplier Portal allows documents to be edited until the proposal due date. Therefore, documents could be loaded over several days. The Supplier Portal will not accept proposals once the proposal due date and time has expired, even if a Respondent has already begun uploading bid documents.

The State accepts no obligations for costs incurred by Respondents in anticipation of being awarded a contract.

1.9 Modification or Withdrawal of Offers1

Responses may be modified by Respondents until the time and date the response is due. The Respondent’s authorized representative may withdraw the proposal prior to the due date by sending notice to the address listed above in Section 1.8.

1.10 Pricing

Pricing on this solicitation must be firm and remain open for a period of not less than one hundred eighty (180 days) from the date of award issuance. Any attempt to manipulate the format of the document, attach caveats to pricing, or submit pricing that deviates from the current format will put your proposal at risk of being removed from consideration. 2

1 Please note if the State elects to cancel the solicitation, all submitted responses would remain confidential, until the replacement solicitation is concluded, and an Award Recommendation made.

2 Making modifications to the Cost Proposal could result in the proposal being removed from consideration.

https://www.in.gov/idoa/wbt/SupplierPortal/index.html

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Please refer to the Cost Proposal sub-section under Section Two for a detailed discussion of the proposal pricing format and requirements.

1.11 Proposal Clarifications

The State may request clarifications, in writing, on proposals submitted. These clarifications could include, but are not limited to, request for additional information, or request for Cost or Technical proposal revision. Additionally, in conducting clarifications, the State may use information derived from proposals submitted by competing Respondents only if the identity of the Respondent providing the information is not disclosed to others. The State will provide equivalent information to all Respondents which have been chosen for clarifications.

A sample contract is provided in Attachment B. Any requested changes to the sample contract must be submitted with your response (See Section 2.3.6 for details). The State may reject any of these requested changes. It is the State’s expectation that any material elements of the contract will be substantially finalized prior to contract award.

1.12 Best and Final Offer (BAFO)

Each proposal should contain the Respondents’ best terms from a price and technical perspective.

The State may request best and final offers from those Respondents determined by the State to be reasonably viable for contract award. However, the State reserves the right to award a contract based on initial proposals received.

Following evaluation of the best and final offers, the State may select for final contract negotiations/execution the offer(s) that are most advantageous to the State.

1.13 Reference Site Visits

The State may request a site visit to a Respondent’s working support center to aid in the evaluation of the Respondent’s proposal. Site visits, if required will be discussed in the technical proposal.

1.14 Type and Term of Contract

The State intends to sign a contract with one or more Respondent(s) to fulfill the requirements in this solicitation.

The term of the contract shall be for a period of four (4) years from the date of contract execution. There may be two (2) one-year renewals for a total of six (6) years at the State’s option.

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1.15 Confidential Information

Respondents are advised that materials contained in proposals are subject to the Access to Public Records Act (APRA), IC 5-14-3 et seq., and, after the contract award, the entire solicitation file will be posted on the IDOA website and may be viewed and copied by any member of the public, including news agencies and competitors. The responses are deemed to be “public records” unless a specific provision of IC 5-14-3 protects it from disclosure.

Respondents claiming a statutory exception to the APRA must indicate so per Attachment J which specific provision applies to which specific part of the response.

Please note citing “Confidential” on an entire section is not sufficient or acceptable.

The Public Access Counselor (PAC) provides guidance on APRA. Respondents are encouraged to read guidance from the PAC on this topic as this is the guidance IDOA follows:

• 18-INF-06; Redaction of Public Procurement Documents Informal Inquiry

If the Respondent does not identify the statutory exception, the Procurement Division will not consider the submission confidential. The State also may seek the opinion of the PAC for guidance.

1.16 Taxes

Proposals should not include any tax from which the State is exempt.

1.17 Procurement Division Registration

In order to submit a proposal per Section 1.8, Respondents must be registered as a bidder with the Department of Administration, Procurement Division.

At Bidder Profile Registration, https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/ the following may be completed.

• To register, follow instructions provided in Section 2.3.8.

• If registered, a Bidder ID # list is available to complete the Submission Form per Section 2.1.

1.18 Secretary of State Registration

If awarded the contract, the Respondent will be required to register, and be in good standing, with the Secretary of State. The registration requirement is applicable to all limited liability partnerships, limited partnerships, corporations, S-corporations, nonprofit corporations, and limited liability companies. Information concerning registration with the Secretary of State may https://www.in.gov/pac/informal/files/18-INF-06.pdf https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/ https://www.in.gov/idoa/procurement/supplier-resource-center/requirements-to-do-business-with-the-state/bidder-profile-registration/

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Secretary of State of Indiana Corporation Division 402 West Washington Street, E018 Indianapolis, IN 46204

(317) 232-6576 www.in.gov/sos

1.19 Compliance Certification

Responses to this solicitation serve as a representation that the Respondent has no current or outstanding criminal, civil, or enforcement actions initiated by the State, and it agrees that it will immediately notify the State of any such actions. The Respondent also certifies that neither it nor its principals are presently in arrears in payment of its taxes, permit fees or other statutory, regulatory, or judicially required payments to the State. The Respondent agrees that the State may confirm, at any time, that no such liabilities exist, and, if such liabilities are discovered, that State may bar the Respondent from contracting with the State, cancel existing contracts, withhold payments to setoff such obligations, and withhold further payments or purchases until the entity is current in its payments on its liability to the State and has submitted proof of such payment to the State.

1.20 Equal Opportunity Commitment

It has been determined that there is a reasonable expectation of minority, woman, and Indiana veteran business enterprises subcontracting opportunities on a contract awarded under this solicitation. Therefore, a contract goal of 8% for Minority Business Enterprises, 11% for Woman Business Enterprises, and 3% for Indiana Veteran Owned Small Businesses has been established.

Failure to address these requirements may impact the evaluation of your proposal.

1.21 Minority & Women Business Enterprises Subcontractor Commitment (MWBE)

Indiana Code 4-13-16.5 and 25 IAC 5 governs the Division of Supplier Diversity program as it relates to the certification, oversight, and responsibilities around the certified Indiana Minority and/or Women Business Enterprises (MWBE). The contract goal for this solicitation is 8% Minority participation and 11% for Women participation.

If participation exists, the vendor must submit with its quote an MWBE Subcontractor Commitment Form.

The entity must be on the State of Indiana Certified M/W/IVOSB list at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe.

If participation is met through the use of vendors who supply products and/or services directly to the Respondent, the Respondent must provide a description of products and/or services provided that are http://www.in.gov/sos https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe

Page 16 of 39 v.09192024 directly related to this quote and the cost of direct supplies for this quote. Respondents must complete the Subcontractor Commitment Form in its entirety. The total amount proposed should match the amount entered on the Supplier Commitment form. The subcontractor commitment shall apply to the life of the contract including any time after the initial term.

A signed letter(s), on company letterhead, from the MBE(s) and/or WBE(s) must accompany the MWBE Subcontractor Commitment Form. Each letter shall state and will serve as acknowledgement from the MBE and/or WBE of its subcontract amount, a description of products and/or services to be provided on this project and approximate date the subcontractor will perform work on this contract.

Questions about those rules and requirements should be directed to: Division of Supplier Diversity at (317) 232-3061 or the Supplier Diversity website at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe Indiana Code 4-13-16.5 and 25 IAC 5 governs the Division of Supplier Diversity program as it relates to the certification, oversight, and responsibilities around the certified Indiana Minority and/or Women Business Enterprises (MWBE). As stated in Section 1.20, there is a commitment goal for this solicitation.

The MWBE Subcontractor Commitment form is Attachment A. The MWBE Subcontractor Commitment Form is to be submitted as a part of the Respondent’s proposal. In order for the Subcontractor commitment to result in evaluation points for the Respondent, the entity must be on the State of Indiana Certified M/W/IVOSB list at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe.

If participation is met through the use of Subcontractors, the Respondent must provide the scope of work of the products and/or services to be provided by the Subcontractor(s). This must include explanation of whether the products and/or services are to be utilized directly by the Respondent and/or directly by the State, a description of the process through which the products/services will be received and applied to the benefit of the award, the deliverable requirements as agreed upon between the Contractor and Subcontractor, the certified UNSPSC that applies to the award, and the cost of supplies being utilized by the Respondent for this proposal. Respondents must complete the Subcontractor Commitment Form in its entirety.

The amount entered in “TOTAL BID AMOUNT” should match the amount entered in the Attachment D, Cost Proposal Template. The MBE and/or WBE Subcontractor amount and Subcontractor percentage is based on the initial term of the contract for scoring purposes only.

The overall committed Subcontractor percentage shall be sustained throughout the life of the contract including any time after the initial term.

Failure to meet these goals will affect the evaluation of your Proposal. The Department will verify all information included on the MWBE Subcontractor Commitment Form.

Prime Contractors must ensure that the proposed Subcontractors meet the following criteria:

• Must be on the State of Indiana Certified M/W/IVOSB list at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe, on or before the proposal due date.

• Prime Contractor must include with their proposal the Subcontractor’s M/WBE Certification Letter provided by IDOA to show current status of certification.

https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe

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• Each firm may only serve as one classification – MBE, WBE, or IVOSB (see Section 1.22).

• A Prime Contractor who is an MBE or WBE must meet Subcontractor goals by using other listed certified firms. Certified Prime Contractors cannot count their own workforce or companies to meet this requirement. See 25 IAC 5-6-2(d))

• Must serve a Valuable Scope Contribution (VSC). The firm must serve a value-added purpose on the engagement, as confirmed by the State.

• Must provide goods or services only in the industry area for which it is certified.

• Must be used to provide the goods or services specific to the contract.

• National Diversity Plans are generally not acceptable.

MINORITY & WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISES SUBCONTRACTOR LETTER

OF COMMITMENT (MWBE)

A signed letter(s), on company letterhead, from the MBE(s) and/or WBE(s) must accompany the MWBE Subcontractor Commitment Form. Each letter shall state and will serve as acknowledgement from the MBE and/or WBE of its Subcontract amount, a description of products and/or services to be provided on this project and approximate date the Subcontractor will perform work on this contract. For scoring purposes, the MBE and/or WBE Subcontractor amount and Subcontractor percentage is based on the initial term of the contract. However, the Subcontractor commitment shall apply to the life of the contract including any time after the initial term.

The State may deny evaluation points if the letter(s) is/are not attached, not on company letterhead, not signed and/or does not reference and match the subcontract amount, subcontract amount as a percentage of the “TOTAL BID AMOUNT” and the anticipated period that the Subcontractor will perform work for this solicitation.

By submission of the proposal, the Respondent acknowledges and agrees to be bound by the rules and requirements of the State’s Division of Supplier Diversity. Questions about those rules and requirements should be directed to: Division of Supplier Diversity at (317) 232-3061 or the Supplier Diversity website at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe.

MINORITY & WOMEN’S BUSINESS COMPLIANCE (MWBE)

If awarded the contract with MWBE Subcontractor participation, the Respondent will be required to report payments made to Division of Supplier Diversity certified Subcontractors under the Contract monthly using the online audit tool, commonly referred to as “Pay Audit.” The Contractor should also notify Subcontractors that they must confirm payments received from Contractor in Pay Audit. The Pay Audit system can be accessed on the IDOA Pay Audit System webpage at www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe/payaudit.htm.

http://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe/payaudit.htm

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Further, a copy of each Subcontractor agreement must be submitted to IDOA’s Division of Supplier Diversity within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this contract. The contracts may be uploaded into Pay Audit, emailed to MWBECompliance@idoa.IN.gov; or mailed to Division of Supplier Diversity Compliance 402 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis IN 46204. Failure to provide a copy of any Subcontractor agreement or failure to meet these commitments could be considered a material breach of this contract and result in sanctions per

25 IAC 5.

Any changes to this information during the term of the contract must be approved by Division of Supplier Diversity Compliance at MWBECompliance@idoa.IN.gov.

1.22 Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business Subcontractor Commitment (IVOSB)

In accordance with IC 5-22-14 and 25 IAC 9, it has been determined that there is a reasonable expectation of Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business subcontracting opportunities on a contract awarded under this solicitation. The IVOSB Subcontractor Commitment form is Attachment A1. The IVOSB Subcontractor Commitment Form is to be submitted as a part of the Respondent’s proposal. In order for the Subcontractor commitment to result in evaluation points for the Respondent, the entity must be on the State of Indiana Certified M/W/IVOSB list at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe.

If participation is met through the use of Subcontractors, the Respondent must provide the scope of work of the products and/or services to be provided by the Subcontractor(s). This must include explanation of whether the products and/or services are to be utilized directly by the Respondent and/or directly by the State, a description of the process through which the products/services will be received and applied to the benefit of the award, the deliverable requirements as agreed upon between the Contractor and Subcontractor, the certified UNSPSC that applies to the award, and the cost of supplies being utilized by the Respondent for this proposal. Respondents must complete the Subcontractor Commitment Form in its entirety.

The amount entered in “TOTAL BID AMOUNT” should match the amount entered in the Attachment D, Cost Proposal Template. The IVOSB subcontractor amount and Subcontractor percentage is based on the initial term of the contract for scoring purposes only. The overall committed Subcontractor percentage shall be sustained throughout the life of the contract including any time after the initial term.

If the Respondent to the solicitation is an IVOSB certified entity, the letter confirming same should be submitted with their response. The Respondent has the responsibility to alert IDOA of their certification. The IVOSB Respondent will receive the total points for the IVOSB evaluation criteria per Section 3.2.7. Additional IVOSB Subcontractors must be included if the IVOSB Respondent is seeking the additional bonus point.

The IVOSB Respondent must list their company contact information only on the IVOSB Subcontractor Commitment Form.

mailto:MWBECompliance@idoa.IN.gov

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Failure to address these goals may impact the evaluation of your Proposal. The Department may verify all information included on the IVOSB Subcontractor Commitment Form.

Prime Contractors must ensure that the proposed IVOSB subcontractors meet the following criteria:

• Must be listed on Federal Center for Veterans Small Business Certification VETCERT at https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/ under INDIANA, or listed at State of Indiana Certified M/W/IVOSB list at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe, on or before the proposal due date

• Prime Contractor must include with their proposal the Subcontractor’s veteran business Certification Letter provided by either IDOA or Federal Govt. VETCERT at https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/, to show current status of certification.

• Each firm may only serve as one classification – MBE, WBE (see Section 1.21) or IVOSB

• IVOSB must have a Bidder ID (see Section 2.3.8 - Department of Administration, Procurement Division).

• A Prime Contractor who is an IVOSB can count their own workforce or companies to meet this requirement. See IAC 25-9-4-1 (c).

• Must serve a Valuable Scope Contribution (VSC). The firm must serve a value-added purpose on the engagement, as confirmed by the State.

• Must provide goods or services only in the industry area for which it is certified as listed in the VETCERT federal registry, at https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/ under INDIANA or at State of Indiana Certified M/W/IVOSB list at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe.

• Must be used to provide the goods or services specific to the contract.

INDIANA VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS

SUBCONTRACTOR LETTER OF COMMITMENT

A signed letter(s), on company letterhead, from the IVOSB must accompany the IVOSB Subcontractor Commitment Form. Each letter shall state and will serve as acknowledgement from the IVOSB of its subcontract amount, a description of products and/or services to be provided on this project, and approximate date the Subcontractor will perform work on this contract. For scoring purposes only, the IVOSB Subcontractor amount and Subcontractor percentage is based on the initial term of the contract. However, the Subcontractor commitment shall apply to the life of the contract including any time after the initial term.

The State may deny evaluation points if the letter(s) is/are not attached, not on company letterhead, not signed and/or does not reference and match the subcontract amount, subcontract amount as a percentage of the “TOTAL BID AMOUNT” and the anticipated period that the Subcontractor will perform work for this solicitation.

By submission of the proposal, the Respondent acknowledges and agrees to be bound by the rules and requirements of the State’s IVOSB Program. Questions about those rules and https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/ https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/ https://veterans.certify.sba.gov/

Page 20 of 39 v.09192024 requirements should be directed to: Division of Supplier Diversity at indianaveteranspreference@idoa.in.gov, (317) 232-3061 or the Supplier Diversity website at https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe.

INDIANA VETERAN OWNED SMALL BUSINESS COMPLIANCE (IVOSB)

If awarded the contract with IVOSB Subcontractor participation, the Respondent will be required to report payments made to Division of Supplier Diversity certified Subcontractors under the Contract monthly using the online audit tool, commonly referred to as “Pay Audit.” The Contractor should also notify Subcontractors that they must confirm payments received from Contractor in Pay Audit. The Pay Audit system can be accessed on the IDOA Pay Audit System webpage at www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe/payaudit.htm.

Further, a copy of each Subcontractor agreement must be submitted to IDOA’s Division of Supplier Diversity within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this Contract. The contracts may be uploaded into Pay Audit, emailed to MWBECompliance@idoa.IN.gov; or mailed to Division of Supplier Diversity Compliance 402 W. Washington Street, Indianapolis IN 46204. Failure to provide a copy of any Subcontractor agreement or failure to meet these commitments could be considered a material breach of this Contract and result in sanctions.

Any changes to this information during the term of the contract must be approved by Division of Supplier Diversity Compliance at MWBECompliance@idoa.IN.gov.

1.23 Americans with Disabilities Act

The Respondent specifically agrees to comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq. and 47 U.S.C. 225).

1.24 Summary of Milestones

The following timeline is only an illustration of the solicitation process. Not all the dates below are binding.3 Due to the unpredictable nature of the evaluation period, these dates are commonly subject to change. At the conclusion of the evaluation process, all Respondents will be informed of the evaluation team’s findings.

Key Dates

Activity Date

Issue of solicitation November 19th, 2025

Pre-Proposal Conference December 3, 2025

9:30 AM Eastern Time

3 Submission dates for Proposals, and Reference Check Forms to State ARE binding and not subject to change.

mailto:indianaveteranspreference@idoa.in.gov https://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe http://www.in.gov/idoa/mwbe/payaudit.htm

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Indiana Government Center – South Conference Room B

Deadline to Submit Written Questions December 10th, 2025 by 3:00 PM Eastern Time

Response to Written Questions/Amendments December 17th, 2025

Submission Due Date/Time

January 7th, 2026 by 3:00 PM Eastern Time

Submission of Reference Check Forms to State

January 7th, 2026 by 3:00 PM Eastern Time

The dates for the following activities are target dates only. These activities may be completed earlier or later than the date shown.

Proposal Evaluation TBD

Proposal Discussions/Clarifications (if necessary) TBD

Oral Presentations (if necessary) TBD

Best and Final Offers (if necessary) TBD

Award Recommendation February 1st, 2026

1.25 Evidence of Financial Responsibility (25 IAC 1.1-1-5)

Removed at the request of the agency.

1.26 Conflict of Interest

Any person, firm or entity that assisted with and/or participated in the preparation of this solicitation document is prohibited from submitting a proposal to this specific solicitation. For the purposes of this solicitation, a “person” means a State officer, employee, special State appointee, or any individual or entity working with or advising the State or involved in the preparation of this solicitation proposal. This prohibition would also apply to an entity who hires, within a one-year period prior to the publication of this solicitation, a person that assisted with and/or participated in the preparation of this solicitation.

1.27 Procurement Protest Policy

The State’s procurement protest policy can be found at https://www.in.gov/idoa/files/ProcurementProtestPolicy.pdf. Per the policy, there are two periods of protest allowable for the solicitation:

• Specifications Protest - written letter of protest regarding inadequate, unduly restrictive, or ambiguous requirements or specifications must be received by IDOA by the close https://www.in.gov/idoa/files/ProcurementProtestPolicy.pdf

Page 22 of 39 v.09192024 of business not less than ten (10) business days (as defined by the State work calendar) prior to the proposal due date.

• Award Recommendation Letter Protest - written letter of protest regarding the procurement methods and/or procedures used during the procurement process must be received by IDOA by the close of business within five (5) business days (as defined by the State work calendar) after the date of the Award Recommendation Letter.

Additional details as to the required content in the letter and the steps involved in a protest can be found in the State’s Procurement Protest Policy at https://www.in.gov/idoa/files/ProcurementProtestPolicy.pdf.

https://www.in.gov/idoa/files/ProcurementProtestPolicy.pdf

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Section Two Proposal Preparation Instructions

2.1 General

To facilitate the timely evaluation of proposals, a standard format for proposal submission has been developed and is described in this section. All Respondents are required to format their proposals in a manner consistent with the guidelines described below:

▪ Proposals will be disqualified if received after 1.24 Summary of Milestones, Due Date.

▪ Each item must be addressed in the Respondent’s proposal.

▪ The Executive Summary must be in the form of a letter.

▪ Each item, Executive Summary, and attachments must be separate standalone electronic files. Please do not submit your proposal as one large file.

▪ A Bidder ID is a required. See 1.8 Due Date for Bid Responses.

▪ Please submit all attachments in their original format. Any attempt to manipulate the format of the documents that deviates from the current format will put your proposal at risk of disqualification.

▪ Confidential Information must also be clearly indicated in Attachment J, Attestation Form and a redacted file provided (See 1.15 Confidential Information).

2.2 Executive Summary

The Executive Summary must address the following topics except those specifically identified as “optional.” The Executive Summary is to be attached to the Submission Form by the response due date and Eastern time.

2.2.1 Summary of Ability and Desire to Supply the Required Products or Services

The Executive Summary must briefly summarize the Respondent’s ability to supply the requested products and/or services that meet the requirements defined in Section One of this solicitation.

2.2.2 Signature of Authorized Representative

A person authorized to commit the Respondent to its representations and who can certify that the information offered in the proposal meets all general conditions including the information requested in Section 2.3.4, must sign the Executive Summary. In the Executive Summary, please indicate the principal contact for the proposal along with an address, telephone, and e-mail address, if that contact is different than the individual authorized for signature.

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2.2.3 Respondent Notification

Unless otherwise indicated in the Executive Summary, Respondents will be notified via e-mail.

It is the Respondent’s obligation to notify the Procurement Division of any changes in any address that may…