RFP_33201-04526%20_Amendment_12.pdf

This document is Amendment 12 to Request for Proposals 33201-04526 issued by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) for the design, development, implementation, and maintenance of an Articulation and Transfer Statewide System. The amendment updates the RFP Schedule of Events with revised timelines for key procurement milestones. The original RFP was issued on March 20, 2026, with a Notice of Intent to Respond deadline of March 27, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. central time. Written questions and comments are due by April 3, 2026, with state responses provided on April 27, 2026. The proposal response deadline is May 4, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. central time. Technical response evaluations will be completed by July 17, 2026, followed by product demonstrations scheduled for August 11-21, 2026. The state will open and score cost proposals on August 24, 2026, with optional negotiations occurring August 27-28, 2026. The Notice of Intent to Award will be released on September 2, 2026, with the protest period ending September 9, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. The state will send the contract to the contractor for signature on September 11, 2026, with a contractor signature deadline of September 12, 2026, at 2:00 p.m.

The system must serve 54 anticipated institutions at go-live, including 24 technical colleges, 13 community colleges, 6 locally governed institutions, and 11 public four-year universities. The contract term is five years (60 months) with a warranty period equal to or greater than the contract duration. Evaluation criteria include general qualifications and experience (10 points maximum), technical qualifications, experience and approach (70 points maximum), product demonstrations (10 points maximum), and cost proposal (10 points maximum). The cost proposal must include separate line items for one-time implementation and training fees, along with annual hosting, license, maintenance, and client support costs. The RFP does not specify set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise requirements, or identify any incumbent vendors. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed. The contractor must maintain cyber liability insurance of $3 million per occurrence and $5 million annual aggregate, and the state retains the right to terminate for convenience with 30 days' notice.