RFP Boilerplate Document - v4.pdf

STATE OF INDIANA

Request for Proposal/Partnership 26-87234

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

On Behalf Of Indiana State Personnel Department

Solicitation For:

SECC Campaign Fiscal Agent & Campaign Administrator

Submission Due Date and Time:

July 14, 2026 by 3:00pm (Eastern) July 28, 2026 by 3:00pm (Eastern)

As of 7/15/2026 all references to Women’s/Minority Enterprise programs should be disregarded. All evaluation points associated with them should be removed.

Angie Alexander; Procurement Consultant angalexander@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 43

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 State Personnel Department, requires a fiscal administrator for the State of Indiana State Employee Community Campaign. 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)

INSPD

SECC (State Employee Community Campaign)

SECC Fiscal Administrator/ “Administrator”

INSPD

Communications Division

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

The Indiana State Personnel Department. The Communications Division at INSPD is responsible for running SECC at the State of Indiana.

The SECC is an annual fundraising campaign which allows state employees to both organize and implement fundraisers to encourage employees to donate to nonprofits of their choice through payroll deductions. SECC was established through EO 92- 7 in 1992 recognizing the importance of human services organizations and the desire of State employees to support these organizations while causing “minimal disruption in the state government workplace.”

The SECC Fiscal administrator primarily provides technical and fiscal services to the SECC campaign. The Administrator collects the payroll deductions by working with the Indiana Comptroller’s Office as well as the payroll teams at agencies not supported by the Comptroller. The Fiscal Administrator will then disburse the donations collected on an agreed-upon basis to the nonprofits designated by the employee. In addition, they also create donation portals to collect one-time event related donations and payroll deduction pledges. The administrator also provides all reporting (donor, nonprofit, donations, etc.).

SECC is planned and executed by the INSPD Communications Division as part of the team’s responsibilities. INSPD Comms works directly with the SECC Fiscal Administrator to create online giving portals, answering all employee questions, training and managing a roster of SECC Coordinators at State agencies, reporting on fundraising, overseeing correct disbursement to nonprofits, coordinating with Comptroller’s Office and other payroll teams, planning all statewide fundraising events, facilitating donor and agency recognition, answering all

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SECC Coordinators fundraising ethics questions, maintaining various SECC handbooks, quickstep guides, etc.

Designated volunteers within state agencies who coordinate with the INSPD Communications Division to plan and implement various fundraising initiatives, activities, communications, fundraisers, recognition, etc. throughout the SECC campaign.

1.3 Purpose of the Solicitation

The purpose of this solicitation is to select a respondent that can satisfy the State’s need for fiscal administrator for SECC. It is the intent of INSPD to contract with a respondent that provides quality fiscal and technical administration for SECC.

1.4 Statement of Work

1.4.1 Executive Summary

The State of Indiana is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors to serve as the Fiscal and Technical Administrator for the State Employees’ Community Campaign (SECC). SECC is the State of Indiana’s annual workplace giving program for state employees. Created by executive order in 1992, the SECC enables employees to engage as active community citizens by donating to nonprofits through payroll deductions, one‑time contributions, or participation in statewide and agency‑level special events.

SECC has grown into one of the largest annual employee engagement initiatives within state government, raising upward of 1.5 million of dollars, engaging almost a quarter of the workforce, and donating to more than 1,500 eligible charities. Each fall, over an eight‑week giving season, employees participate through online donations, special events, and recurring gifts. The annual campaign aims to raise $1.5 million and inspire at least 25% participation among more than 30,000 state employees. Employees may contribute as one‑time donors or commit to higher‑level giving tiers such as Champion and Torchbearer donors through recurring payroll deduction.

To ensure the continued success, reliability, and integrity of the SECC, the State seeks a partner capable of providing:

• Fiscal administration, including secure processing and quarterly distribution of contributions to designated charities;

• Technical platform management, offering a stable, intuitive, and secure online giving portal that supports payroll deduction integration, donor self‑service, and coordinator reporting;

• Customer support, assisting donors, charities, and agency coordinators with inquiries related to giving, reporting, and pledge management;

• Campaign support services, including event‑based donation processing, charity eligibility verification, data protection, and accurate reporting.

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The selected vendor must demonstrate expertise in nonprofit fundraising administration, large‑scale payroll-integrated giving systems, data security, and a strong customer service framework. This role is essential to upholding donor confidence, ensuring accurate and timely disbursement of funds, and supporting the thousands of state employees and coordinators who make the campaign successful.

The Fiscal and Technical Administrator is central to maintaining these standards and enabling state employees to continue making a meaningful difference in their local communities.

1.4.2 Background and Current State

The State Employees’ Community Campaign (SECC) was established in 1992 by executive order as Indiana’s official workplace giving program for state employees. Its purpose is to provide a simple, centralized way for public employees to support charitable organizations they care about through payroll deductions or one‑time donations. Over the years, the SECC has grown into one of the largest statewide engagement efforts, enabling employees to contribute millions of dollars to more than 1,500 verified nonprofit organizations. The campaign is overseen by the Indiana State Personnel Department, with fiscal management and donor support provided by America’s Charities, which processes contributions and distributes them quarterly to designated charities.

Today, the SECC operates as an eight‑week annual fall campaign, supported by agency coordinators who promote giving, organize special events, and encourage employees to participate in a non‑coercive and inclusive way. The campaign runs from September through November and has set goals of raising $1.5 million and reaching 25% employee participation across Indiana’s workforce of more than 30,000 employees. Donors may contribute through payroll deduction, credit/debit card, or electronic check, with recurring contributions automatically rolling over each year unless modified. Special event fundraising—such as chili cook‑offs, bingo events, or agency‑wide competitions—continues to be a distinctive and popular part of the campaign culture, further expanding participation and impact. The SECC’s secure giving portal remains the central tool enabling employees to manage their donations and designations conveniently and confidently 2.

1.4.2.1 Objectives of Engagement

The objective of this engagement is to procure a qualified Fiscal and Technical Administrator to support the successful operation, integrity, and continued growth of the State Employees’ Community Campaign (SECC). The SECC is Indiana’s annual charitable giving program for state employees, offering secure online payroll deductions, one‑time donations, and event‑based contributions as part of an eight‑week campaign each fall. To sustain this statewide effort, the State requires a partner with the expertise, systems, and capacity to manage both the financial and technological components that make the campaign possible.

On the fiscal administration side, the selected vendor will be responsible for securely collecting, processing, reconciling, and disbursing employee contributions to more than 1,500 eligible

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This includes ensuring accurate accounting, timely distribution, verification of charity eligibility, donor confidentiality, and compliance with all applicable state and federal requirements. The vendor must maintain rigorous financial controls and transparent reporting practices to support campaign accountability.

On the technical administration side, the selected vendor will provide, maintain, and enhance the SECC’s secure online giving platform, which serves as the central tool for employees, coordinators, and administrators throughout the campaign. Core responsibilities include hosting and managing the donation portal; supporting payroll deduction functionality; enabling employees to create, modify, or renew pledges; maintaining charity search and designation tools; and delivering agency and statewide reporting features that coordinators rely on to monitor participation and contributions 2. The vendor will also support technical needs associated with special event fundraising pages, donor support workflows, and data integration with State systems.

*Please ensure to review the Q&A responses are specifically discussing this section of the RFP.*

First‑Year Transition Deliverables (One‑Time Requirements for Initial Contract Year) In the first year of the contract, if the awarded Contractor is not the current SECC administrator (America’s Charities), the State requires a structured transition process to ensure continuity of donor experience and prevent loss of existing contributors. The Contractor shall work collaboratively with the current administrator to migrate all necessary employee, pledge, and designation data into the new giving platform. This migration must enable employees to log in to the new system seamlessly using their standard SECC credentials, view their previous‑year pledge, and either confirm it as a rollover gift or modify it as desired.

Because rollover pledges represent a significant portion of annual contributions, failure to migrate these records would result in substantial donor attrition. Accordingly, the Contractor must ensure that:

• All existing payroll deduction pledges are correctly and securely rolled over.

• All historical designations remain attached to the correct employee profiles unless a charity is no longer eligible.

• All donor accounts map cleanly to their PeopleSoft‑based login structure.

• All agency‑level reporting structures (business units, coordinator views, rollups) transfer intact.

• A full reconciliation and validation process is performed prior to launch, with State approval required before the new system goes live.

All migration activities must be complete no later than April 15 of the first contract year, to allow adequate time for system testing, coordinator training, and pre‑campaign preparation.

The State seeks a partner capable of delivering a seamless donor experience, accurate and reliable financial processing, responsive customer support, and a stable, secure technological

Page 11 of 44 v.09192024 environment. Through this engagement, the State intends to ensure that the SECC continues to operate efficiently, transparently, and in a way that maximizes participation and impact for Indiana communities.

Additionally, to support a successful State Employees’ Community Campaign (SECC), the State recognizes the need for a discretionary budget that enables the purchase and use of third-party technology tools and donor recognition materials beyond the core giving platform provided by the Administrator. While the Administrator will deliver the primary online giving portal and reporting environment, certain campaign activities require additional technology solutions that cannot be built or maintained directly by the Administrator. These may include, but are not limited to, online silent auction platforms, Kahoot or other interactive trivia tools, event-specific fundraising sites, and other digital engagement products used by agencies to broaden participation and enhance employee experience.

In addition to these supplemental technology needs, the Administrator has historically been responsible for procuring and providing donor recognition items, such as Champion-level and Torchbearer-level gifts (e.g., pins, umbrellas, mugs, notepads, and similar items). These materials play a critical role in acknowledging donor generosity, reinforcing participation goals, and promoting a culture of giving across the State workforce. The discretionary budget ensures that the Administrator can continue offering these recognition items at appropriate quality levels and quantities aligned with campaign participation.

The State expects the Contractor to responsibly manage this discretionary budget; select cost-effective, secure, and reputable third-party tools; and procure and distribute donor recognition materials in a timely manner to support campaign milestones. All expenditures must be documented, pre-approved when required, and fully aligned with SECC’s engagement, compliance, and branding standards.

1.4.2 Deliverables and Deadlines

The Contractor shall provide fiscal and technical administration services for the State Employees’ Community Campaign (SECC) according to the annual campaign cycle. Planning for each campaign begins in the spring of the preceding year—for example, planning for the 2028 campaign begins in Spring 2027, with pledge collection occurring in Summer–Fall 2027 and disbursements taking place throughout Calendar Year 2028. The Contractor must complete the deliverables below on this recurring annual schedule to ensure timely launch, seamless donor participation, accurate pledge processing, and compliant fund distribution.

A. First-Year Transition Deliverables (One-Time Requirements for Initial Contract Year) If the awarded Contractor is not the current SECC administrator (America’s Charities), the Contractor must complete a structured transition process to prevent donor attrition and maintain continuity of service. The State requires the new Contractor to work closely with the current administrator to migrate all necessary employee, pledge, designation, and reporting data into the new platform. This migration must allow employees to:

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• Log in to the new system with existing SECC username and password conventions;

• View their prior-year pledge as it currently exists;

• Choose to keep the pledge as a rollover or modify it before the new campaign begins.

Because rollover pledges represent a significant portion of annual giving, the Contractor must ensure that no employee is required to “start from scratch,” which would otherwise risk substantial loss of existing donors.

The Contractor shall ensure that the following transition outcomes are achieved:

1. Accurate transfer of all existing payroll deduction pledges and related designation data.

2. Integrity of donor profiles, including mapping to PeopleSoft-based login credentials.

3. Migration of agency structures, coordinator assignments, and reporting hierarchies.

4. Verification of charity eligibility during the transition and appropriate handling of ineligible designations.

5. Completion of reconciliation and validation testing, with State approval required before launch.

All migration activities must be completed no later than April 15 of the first contract year, allowing sufficient time for system testing, coordinator training, and pre-campaign preparation.

B. Pre-Campaign Technical Setup (Due Annually by April 30, 2027)

1. Update, test, and deploy the SECC online giving portal, ensuring full functionality and security.

2. Load updated charity eligibility lists and configure write-in verification workflows.

3. Refresh payroll, employee demographic, and business unit data.

4. Prepare agency-level and statewide reporting dashboards.

5. Deliver system documentation, configuration notes, and testing results.

C. Coordinator and Campaign Readiness (Due Annually by June 15)

1. Provide updated coordinator training materials, technical guides, and system walkthroughs.

2. Ensure help desk and technical support resources are fully operational.

3. Configure special-event donation pages as requested.

4. Deliver a completed readiness checklist indicating that the system is prepared for pledge collection.

D. Active Campaign Support (During Campaign Period: Typically September–November)

1. Maintain full uptime and operational stability of the giving portal.

2. Process payroll deduction, credit/debit card, and e-check pledges.

3. Provide weekly participation and donation reports to the State and coordinators.

4. Support donor-initiated modifications or cancellations of pledges during the active campaign.

E. Fiscal Processing and Distribution (Quarterly Disbursements During Campaign and Through Following Year)

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1. Reconcile all contributions and distribute funds quarterly to designated nonprofit organizations.

2. Verify the eligibility of designated charities prior to each disbursement.

3. Prepare quarterly fiscal and distribution reports, including undesignated fund allocations.

4. Maintain all financial controls and ensure accurate fund routing.

F. Post-Campaign Reporting and Closeout (Due Annually by March 31 of the Following Year)

1. Deliver final campaign summary reports, including participation, total contributions, and charity allocations.

2. Complete all fiscal reconciliation and provide year-end documentation.

3. Support generation of donor tax receipts according to SECC requirements.

4. Participate in a post-campaign debrief with the State and propose system or process improvements.

1.4.3 Independent Validation and Verification

If the State decides to add Independent Verification & Validation (IV&V) services as part of this Contract, the Contractor will copy the Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) – IV&V Team member(s) on all project related communications (emails, meeting invites, collaboration tools, etc.) and will grant access to all documents and deliverables throughout the term of the Contract. If IDOA elects to deploy IV&V services in connection with this engagement, the IV&V Team will review and assess all deliverables to determine compliance with the State’s requirements set forth in the Contract including the Statement of Work. For contracts entered, renewed, or amended after June 30, 2026, the IV&V Team shall serve as an approving authority, and no payment shall be issued to the Vendor unless and until IV&V has provided such approval.

1.4.4 Key Performance Indicators

The State will use Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure performance and outcomes of the Contract. The specific KPIs and their targets will be defined and agreed upon by the State and the Contractor during the initial phases of the requirements under the Contract. At a minimum, on time delivery at quality standards of the scope provided within the budget set forth in the Contract will each be measured.

Additionally, the State will collect a modified Net Promoter Score from customers to this Contract in its discretion. Low ratings on the modified Net Promoter Score or failure to meet any other KPIs may be deemed, at the discretion of the State, to constitute default under the Contract.

1.4.5 End of Contract Transition and Turnover

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

Page 14 of 44 v.09192024 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 Evaluation Criteria

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

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Attachment H Reference Check Form

Attachment I Pre-proposal Network Opportunities Form

Attachment J Attestation Form

1.6 Pre-Proposal Conference

A pre-proposal conference will be held following 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 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

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 ##-### 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.

bookmark://_1.24_SUMMARY_OF/ mailto:rfp@idoa.in.gov bookmark://_1.24_SUMMARY_OF/ mailto:rfp@idoa.IN.gov

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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/

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

Page 17 of 44 v.09192024 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

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.

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.

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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 1 year from the date of contract execution.

There may be four (4) one-year renewals for a total of five (5) years at the State’s option.

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.

https://www.in.gov/pac/informal/files/18-INF-06.pdf

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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 be obtained by contacting:

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.

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/ http://www.in.gov/sos

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

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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.

• 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

Page 22 of 44 v.09192024 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.

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.