RFP_30501-02326_RFP_TEL_General_Encyclopedia_Access_Amendment_1.pdf

This Amendment #1 to RFP #30501-02326 updates the procurement schedule for the State of Tennessee, Office of the Secretary of State, Tennessee State Library and Archives, for online encyclopedia access services to support the Tennessee Electronic Library (TEL). The RFP seeks comprehensive encyclopedic resources designed to serve Tennessee's 7.2 million residents across multiple demographics, including adults, K-12 students (grades PreK-12), English Language Learners, academic institution users, and public library patrons. The amendment confirms the revised schedule of events, with the written questions and comments deadline set for May 27, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. central time, and the proposal response deadline of June 15, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. central time. Mandatory oral presentations are scheduled for June 22-24, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The State will complete technical evaluations by July 8, 2026, open and score cost proposals on July 9, 2026, at 9:00 a.m., and release the notice of intent to award on July 16, 2026, at 2:00 p.m., with the protest period ending July 23, 2026. The contract term runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2031 (five years).

The RFP evaluation criteria allocate 10 points for general qualifications, 45 points for technical qualifications and approach, 15 points for oral presentation performance, and 30 points for the cost proposal, totaling 100 possible points. Pricing must be submitted as a quarterly flat fee covering all proposed services across the full five-year contract term. The contractor must provide 24/7 accessibility through both IP authentication and login processes with unlimited simultaneous remote and on-site access. Respondents must maintain current insurance, appropriate business and professional licenses, and Tennessee Department of Revenue registration for sales and use tax collection, and must comply with applicable federal and state laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and Tennessee's K-12 age-appropriate materials and student privacy laws. Trial access to the proposed resource must be provided to evaluators from the proposal deadline through completion of technical evaluation. No specific incumbent vendors, award value ranges, or set-aside designations are identified, and the State reserves the right to reject all responses or cancel the procurement at its discretion.