RFP Document.pdf

Dated 10/16/23

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

Black Hills State University (BHSU)

Software Implementation - Slate

PROPOSALS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN – November 4, 2025, 12pm (MT)

RFP #: 25RFP17800 State POC: Barb Mustard EMAIL: Barbara.Mustard@sdsmt.edu

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FIRM NAME: AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:

ADDRESS: TYPE OR PRINT NAME:

CITY/STATE: TELEPHONE NO:

ZIP (9 DIGIT): FAX NO:

E-MAIL:

PRIMARY CONTACT INFORMATION

CONTACT NAME: TELEPHONE NO:

FAX NO: E-MAIL:

1.0 GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals from qualified vendors to transition from Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison and TargetX by Liaison Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and implement Slate CRM software by Technolutions. The goal of the RFP is to make the transition from Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison to Slate smooth and timely.

1.2 ISSUING OFFICE AND RFP REFERENCE NUMBER

Business Services is the issuing office for this document and all subsequent addenda relating to it, on behalf of Black Hills State University, Enrollment Management. The reference number for the transaction is RFP # 25RFP17800. This number must be referred to on all proposals, correspondence, and documentation relating to the RFP.

1.3 SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES (SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

RFP Publication October 8, 2025 Offeror Questions Due Responses to Offeror Questions

October 20, 2025, 12PM (MT) October 27, 2025

Proposal Submission November 4, 2025, 12PM (MT) Anticipated Award Decision/Contract Negotiation November 10, 2025

1.4 SUBMITTING YOUR PROPOSAL

All proposals must be completed and received in the Business Services Office by the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities.

Proposals received after the deadline will be late and ineligible for consideration.

The proposal should be page numbered and should have an index and/or a table of contents referencing the appropriate page number.

Due by: November 4, 2025, 12PM (MT)

Electronic proposal in PDF format emailed to:

RFP #: 25RFP17800

BUSINESS SERVICES - BARB MUSTARD

Barbara.Mustard@sdsmt.edu

All proposals must be signed, in ink, by an officer of the responder, legally authorized to bind the responder to the proposal. Proposals that are not properly signed may be rejected.

No proposal shall be accepted from, or no contract or purchase order shall be awarded to any person, firm or corporation that is in arrears upon any obligations to the State of South Dakota, or that otherwise may be deemed irresponsible or unreliable by the State of South Dakota.

1.5 CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT, SUSPENSION, INELIGIBILITY AND

VOLUNTARY EXCLUSION – LOWER TIER COVERED TRANSACTIONS

By signing and submitting this proposal, the offeror certifies that neither it nor its principals is presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation, by any Federal department or agency, from transactions involving the use of Federal funds. Where the offeror is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, the bidder shall attach an explanation to their offer.

1.6 NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT

The State of South Dakota requires that all contractors, vendors, and suppliers doing business with any State agency, department, or institution, provide a statement of non-discrimination. By signing and submitting their proposal, the offeror certifies they do not discriminate in their employment practices with regard to race, color, creed, religion, age, sex, ancestry, national origin or disability.

1.7 CERTIFICATION RELATING TO PROHIBITED ENTITY

For contractors, vendors, suppliers, or subcontractors who enter into a contract with the State of South Dakota by submitting a response to this solicitation or agreeing to contract with the State, the bidder or offeror certifies and agrees that the following information is correct:

The bidder or offeror, in preparing its response or offer or in considering proposals submitted from qualified, potential vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors, or in the solicitation, selection, or commercial treatment of any vendor, supplier, or subcontractor, is not an entity, regardless of its principal place of business, that is ultimately owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by a foreign national, a foreign parent entity, or foreign government from China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Cuba, or Venezuela, as defined by SDCL 5-18A. It is understood and agreed that, if this certification is false, such false certification will constitute grounds for the State to reject the bid or response submitted by the bidder or offeror on this project and terminate any contract awarded based on the bid or response. The successful bidder or offeror further agrees to provide immediate written notice to the contracting executive branch agency if during the term of the contract it no longer complies with this certification and agrees such noncompliance may be grounds for contract termination.

1.8 RESTRICTION OF BOYCOTT OF ISRAEL

For contractors, vendors, suppliers, or subcontractors with five (5) or more employees who enter into a contract with the State of South Dakota that involves the expenditure of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) or more, by submitting a response to this solicitation or agreeing to contract with the State, the bidder or offeror certifies and agrees that the following information is correct:

The bidder or offeror, in preparing its response or offer or in considering proposals submitted from qualified, potential vendors, suppliers, and subcontractors, or in the solicitation, selection, or commercial treatment of any vendor, supplier, or subcontractor, has not refused to transact business activities, has not terminated business activities, and has not taken other similar actions intended to limit its commercial relations, related to the subject matter of the bid or offer, with a person or entity on the basis of Israeli national origin, or residence or incorporation in Israel or its territories, with the specific intent to accomplish a boycott or divestment of Israel in a discriminatory manner. It is understood and agreed that, if this certification is false, such false certification will constitute grounds for the State to reject the bid or response submitted by the bidder or offeror on this project and terminate any contract awarded based on the bid or response. The successful bidder or offeror further agrees to provide immediate written notice to the contracting executive branch agency if during the term of the contract it no longer complies with this certification and agrees such noncompliance may be grounds for contract termination.

1.9 CERTIFICATION OF NO STATE LEGISLATOR INTEREST

Offeror (i) understands neither a state legislator nor a business in which a state legislator has an ownership interest may be directly or indirectly interested in any contract with the State that was authorized by any law passed during the term for which that legislator was elected, or within one year thereafter, and (ii) has read South Dakota Constitution Article 3, Section 12 and has had the opportunity to seek independent legal advice on the applicability of that provision to any Agreement entered into as a result of this RFP. By signing an Agreement pursuant to this RFP, Offeror hereby certifies that the Agreement is not made in violation of the South Dakota Constitution Article 3, Section 12.

1.10 MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by the offeror prior to the established due date and time.

No oral, telephonic, telegraphic or facsimile responses or modifications to informal, formal bids, or Request for Proposals will be considered.

1.11 OFFEROR INQUIRIES

Offerors may email inquiries concerning this RFP to obtain clarification of requirements. No inquiries will be accepted after the date and time indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Inquiries must be emailed to Barbara.Mustard@sdsmt.edu with the subject line “RFP # 25RFP17800”.

BHSU will respond to offeror’s inquiries (if required) via e-mail. In addition, all inquiries and the State’s response will be posted on the state’s e-procurement system. Offerors may not rely on any other statements, either of a written or oral nature, that alter any specification or other term or condition of this RFP. Offerors will be notified in the same manner as indicated above regarding any modifications to this RFP.

1.12 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

The proposal of the successful offeror(s) becomes public information. Proprietary information can be protected under limited circumstances such as client lists and non-public financial statements.

An entire proposal may not be marked as proprietary. Offerors must clearly identify in the Executive Summary and mark in the body of the proposal any specific proprietary information they are requesting to be protected. The Executive Summary must contain specific justification explaining why the information is to be protected. Proposals may be reviewed and evaluated by any person at the discretion of the State. All materials submitted become the property of the State of South Dakota and may be returned only at the State's option.

1.13 LENGTH OF CONTRACT

The contract shall commence upon execution of the Agreement and shall end upon completion of services. Will be discussed during contract negotiations.

1.14 GOVERNING LAW

Venue for any and all legal action regarding or arising out of the transaction covered herein shall be solely in the State of South Dakota. The laws of South Dakota shall govern this transaction.

1.15 DISCUSSIONS WITH OFFERORS (ORAL PRESENTATION/NEGOTIATIONS)

An oral presentation by an offeror to clarify a proposal may be required at the sole discretion of the State. However, the State may award a contract based on the initial proposals received without discussion with the Offeror. If oral presentations are required, they will be scheduled after the submission of proposals. Oral presentations will be made at the offeror’s expense.

This process is a Request for Proposal/Competitive Negotiation process. Each Proposal shall be evaluated, and each respondent shall be available for negotiation meetings at the State’s request.

The State reserves the right to negotiate on any and/or all components of every proposal submitted. From the time the proposals are submitted until the formal award of a contract, each proposal is considered a working document and as such, will be kept confidential. The negotiation discussions will also be held as confidential until such time as the award is completed.

2.0 STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Any contract or agreement resulting from this RFP will include the State’s standard terms and conditions as listed below, along with any additional terms and conditions as negotiated by the parties:

2.1 The Contractor will perform those services described in the Scope of Work, attached hereto as

Section 3 of the RFP and by this reference incorporated herein.

2.2 The Contractor’s services under this Agreement shall commence on __________________ and end on ___________________, unless sooner terminated pursuant to the terms hereof.

2.3 The Contractor will not use State equipment, supplies or facilities. The Contractor will provide the

State with its Employer Identification Number, Federal Tax Identification Number or Social Security Number upon execution of this Agreement.

2.4 The State will make payment for services upon satisfactory completion of the services. The TOTAL

CONTRACT AMOUNT is an amount not to exceed $________________. The State will not pay Contractor's expenses as a separate item. Payment will be made pursuant to itemized invoices submitted with a signed state voucher. Payment will be made consistent with SDCL ch. 5-26.

2.5 The Contractor agrees to indemnify and hold the State of South Dakota, its officers, agents and employees, harmless from and against any and all actions, suits, damages, liability or other proceedings that may arise as the result of performing services hereunder. This section does not require the Contractor to be responsible for or defend against claims or damages arising solely from errors or omissions of the State, its officers, agents or employees.

2.6 The Contractor, at all times during the term of this Agreement, shall obtain and maintain in force insurance coverage of the types and with the limits as follows:

A. Commercial General Liability Insurance:

The Contractor shall maintain occurrence based commercial general liability insurance or equivalent form with a limit of not less than $1,000,000.00 for each occurrence. If such insurance contains a general aggregate limit it shall apply separately to this Agreement or be no less than two times the occurrence limit.

B. Professional Liability Insurance or Miscellaneous Professional Liability Insurance:

The Contractor agrees to procure and maintain professional liability insurance or miscellaneous professional liability insurance with a limit not less than $1,000,000.00.

C. Business Automobile Liability Insurance:

The Contractor shall maintain business automobile liability insurance or equivalent form with a limit of not less than $1,000,000.00 for each accident. Such insurance shall include coverage for owned, hired and non-owned vehicles.

D. Worker’s Compensation Insurance:

The Contractor shall procure and maintain workers’ compensation and employers’ liability insurance as required by South Dakota law.

Before beginning work under this Agreement, Contractor shall furnish the State with properly executed Certificates of Insurance which shall clearly evidence all insurance required in this Agreement. In the event a substantial change in insurance, issuance of a new policy, cancellation or nonrenewal of the policy, the Contractor agrees to provide immediate notice to the State and provide a new certificate of insurance showing continuous coverage in the amounts required. Contractor shall furnish copies of insurance policies if requested by the State.

2.7 While performing services hereunder, the Contractor is an independent contractor and not an officer, agent, or employee of the State of South Dakota.

2.8 Contractor agrees to report to the State any event encountered in the course of performance of this Agreement which results in injury to the person or property of third parties, or which may otherwise subject Contractor or the State to liability. Contractor shall report any such event to the State immediately upon discovery.

Contractor's obligation under this section shall only be to report the occurrence of any event to the State and to make any other report provided for by their duties or applicable law. Contractor's obligation to report shall not require disclosure of any information subject to privilege or confidentiality under law (e.g., attorney-client communications). Reporting to the State under this section shall not excuse or satisfy any obligation of Contractor to report any event to law enforcement or other entities under the requirements of any applicable law.

2.9 This Agreement may be terminated by either party hereto upon thirty (30) days written notice. In the event the Contractor breaches any of the terms or conditions hereof, this Agreement may be terminated by the State at any time with or without notice. If termination for such a default is effected by the State, any payments due to Contractor at the time of termination may be adjusted to cover any additional costs to the State because of Contractor's default. Upon termination the State may take over the work and may award another party an agreement to complete the work under this Agreement. If after the State terminates for a default by Contractor it is determined that Contractor was not at fault, then the Contractor shall be paid for eligible services rendered and expenses incurred up to the date of termination.

2.10 This Agreement depends upon the continued availability of appropriated funds and expenditure authority from the Legislature for this purpose. If for any reason the Legislature fails to appropriate funds or grant expenditure authority, or funds become unavailable by operation of law or federal funds reductions, this Agreement will be terminated by the State. Termination for any of these reasons is not a default by the State nor does it give rise to a claim against the State.

2.11 This Agreement may not be assigned without the express prior written consent of the State. This

Agreement may not be amended except in writing, which writing shall be expressly identified as a part hereof, and be signed by an authorized representative of each of the parties hereto.

2.12 This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of

South Dakota. Any lawsuit pertaining to or affecting this Agreement shall be venued in Circuit Court, Sixth Judicial Circuit, Hughes County, South Dakota.

2.13 The Contractor will comply with all federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances, guidelines, permits and requirements applicable to providing services pursuant to this Agreement, and will be solely responsible for obtaining current information on such requirements.

2.14 The Contractor may not use subcontractors to perform the services described herein without the express prior written consent of the State. The Contractor will include provisions in its subcontracts requiring its subcontractors to comply with the applicable provisions of this Agreement, to indemnify the State, and to provide insurance coverage for the benefit of the State in a manner consistent with this Agreement. The Contractor will cause its subcontractors, agents, and employees to comply, with applicable federal, state and local laws, regulations, ordinances, guidelines, permits and requirements and will adopt such review and inspection procedures as are necessary to assure such compliance.

2.15 Contractor hereby acknowledges and agrees that all reports, plans, specifications, technical data, miscellaneous drawings, software system programs and documentation, procedures, or files, operating instructions and procedures, source code(s) and documentation, including those necessary to upgrade and maintain the software program, and all information contained therein provided to the State by the Contractor in connection with its performance of services under this Agreement shall belong to and is the property of the State and will not be used in any way by the Contractor without the written consent of the State. Papers, reports, forms, software programs, source code(s) and other material which are a part of the work under this Agreement will not be copyrighted without written approval of the State.

2.16 The Contractor certifies that neither Contractor nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment or suspension, or declared ineligible from participating in transactions by the federal government or any state or local government department or agency.

Contractor further agrees that it will immediately notify the State if during the term of this Agreement Contractor or its principals become subject to debarment, suspension or ineligibility from participating in transactions by the federal government, or by any state or local government department or agency.

2.17 Any notice or other communication required under this Agreement shall be in writing and sent to the address set forth above. Notices shall be given by and to ___________________ on behalf of the State, and by ________________, on behalf of the Contractor, or such authorized designees as either party may from time to time designate in writing. Notices or communications to or between the parties shall be deemed to have been delivered when mailed by first class mail, provided that notice of default or termination shall be sent by registered or certified mail, or, if personally delivered, when received by such party.

2.18 In the event that any court of competent jurisdiction shall hold any provision of this Agreement unenforceable or invalid, such holding shall not invalidate or render unenforceable any other provision hereof.

2.19 All other prior discussions, communications and representations concerning the subject matter of this Agreement are superseded by the terms of this Agreement, and except as specifically provided herein, this Agreement constitutes the entire agreement with respect to the subject matter hereof.

3.0 SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 Project Overview

3.2 Summary Goal

3.2.1 Implement Slate CRM system and migrate data from Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison CRM , with a tentative deadline of May 1, 2026.

3.3 High-Level Description

3.3.1 Implement Slate

3.3.2 Migrate data from Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison

3.3.3 Review processes and leverage Slate to enhance where possible

3.4 Current Environment

3.4.1 Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison

3.4.2 Limited number of custom objects, primarily to facilitate EDA categorization

3.4.3 Third-party tools and AppExchange Apps:

3.4.3.1 TargetX Recruitment CRM

3.4.3.2 Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison TX Print communication module

3.4.3.3 TX SMS

3.4.3.4 TX Events

3.4.3.5 TX Group Assignment

3.4.3.6 Form Assembly

3.5 Scope

3.5.1 Implementation of Slate

3.5.2 Migration from Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison

3.5.3 All current form-based application processes, including those currently built on Form

Assembly and using Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison data Connectors.

3.5.4 Process review and enhancement using Slate

3.6 Alternate Proposals

3.6.1 Include a subproposal for replicating a curated set of communication plans provided by

BHSU.

3.6.1.1 Pre-Professional Applications

3.6.1.1.1 Business

3.6.1.1.2 Education

3.7 Environment Configuration

3.7.1 Application Groups

3.7.2 Configure the overall environment to support separate application groups as needed.:

3.7.2.1 Undergrad domestic

3.7.2.2 Grad domestic

3.7.2.3 International (Undergrad and Grad)

3.7.2.4 Non-Degree Seeking

3.7.2.5 Pre-Professional Applications

3.7.2.5.1 Business

3.7.2.5.2 Education

3.8 Recruitment Entities/Targets

3.8.1 Undergraduate

3.8.2 Undergraduate International

3.8.3 Graduate

3.8.3.1 International

3.8.3.2 MBA

3.8.3.3 MSSL

3.8.3.4 Education

3.8.4 Pre-professional applications

3.8.4.1 Business

3.8.4.2 Education

Note: Application and review processes for each of these are not currently aligned. Include a recommendation and best practice design for implementation.

3.8.5 Deliverables and Requirements

3.8.5.1 Data Migration

3.8.5.1.1 Migrate 5 years of application data in the EDA format, placing a priority on new applications and the past two years.

3.8.5.2 Customizations

3.8.5.2.1 Customizations should be limited to facilitate more seamless upgrades.

3.8.5.3 Applications to be Built

3.8.5.3.1 Undergrad domestic

3.8.5.3.2 Graduate domestic

3.8.5.3.3 International (both Undergrad and Grad)

3.8.5.3.4 Non-Degree Seeking

3.8.5.3.5 Program Inquiry Form

3.8.5.3.6 Other application types (to be specified)

3.8.5.4 Security and Access

3.8.5.4.1 Implement Role Based Access Controls

3.8.5.4.2 Workflows and security models by application type

3.8.5.4.3 Report detailing roles and permissions as they relate to object access.

3.8.5.5 Integrations

3.8.5.5.1 SSO Integrations

3.8.5.5.1.1 Ingress:

3.8.5.5.1.2 Test Scores (ACTs, SATs, ILTS, etc.)

3.8.5.5.1.3 Transact Campus Data

3.8.5.5.1.4 StarRez

3.8.5.5.1.5 Scholarship Manager/Jacket Scholarship Portal

3.8.5.5.1.6 Banner (Ingress and Egress)

3.8.5.5.1.7 Deposit payment information - Transact

3.8.5.5.1.8 API documentation for campus integrations with Slate

3.8.5.5.1.9 Payment Gateway – implement Slate Payments native payment system, with PCI compliance in mind.

3.8.5.6 Functionality Replacement

3.8.5.6.1 Replace all functionality in the current deployment with Slate functions where possible.

3.8.5.7 Reporting Requirements

3.8.5.7.1 Specific reporting requirements to be met (details to be provided)

3.8.5.7.2 Reports by status

3.8.5.7.3 Registered students, enrolled students

3.8.5.7.4 Recruitment reports, templates

3.8.5.7.5 Dashboards per recruiter

3.8.5.7.6 Training on reporting for users

3.8.5.8 Application Portal

3.8.5.9 Prospect-accessible portal for status checks and item completion

3.8.5.9.1 Checklist

3.8.5.9.2 Instructions for completing checklist items

3.8.5.9.3 User-initiated account creation login and BHSU federated SSO login

3.8.5.9.4 Document Uploading

3.8.5.10 Application Evaluation

3.8.5.10.1 Workflows for each recruitment process for reviewing and evaluating applications

3.8.5.11 Marketing

3.8.5.11.1 Build communication plans/flows for each recruitment process

3.8.5.11.2 Building out email templates

3.8.5.11.3 Training in best practices of building and using templates/campaigns properly.

3.8.5.12 Workflow Developments

3.8.5.12.1 Show available scholarship opportunities for qualified applicants

3.8.5.12.2 De-duplication processes

3.8.5.13 Pre-Professional Applications

3.8.5.13.1 Address pre-professional applications for School of Business and School of Education

3.8.5.14 Provide best practice recommendations for these entities

3.8.5.14.1 Note: Primary applicants are current undergraduate students, but not necessarily limited to them

3.9 Project Constraints and Requirements

3.9.1 Timeline

3.9.1.1 Deadline: …………………………………………………………………....May 1, 2026

3.9.1.2 Slowest months for applications: ……………………………………….June and July

3.9.1.3 Open recruitment cycle for students starting ……………………………….Fall 2026

3.10 Other Constraints

3.10.1 Recruitment processes will be open prior to migration; current/live data will need to be transitioned seamlessly

3.10.2 All applications and forms that are built must be digitally accessible to WCAG 2.2 AA compliance.

3.11 Testing

3.11.1 User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

3.11.2 Use cases to be defined for testing

3.12 Vendor Requirements and Qualifications

3.12.1 References from three higher education institutions of similar size

3.12.2 Experience migrating from Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison to Slate

3.12.3 Platinum, Gold, and Silver Slate Implementation Partner certification

3.12.4 Vendor cannot engage subcontractors within the project

3.13 Project Team Requirements

3.13.1 Qualifications and years of experience for team members

3.13.2 Consistent project team

3.13.3 Staffing plan with members and level of effort in hours

3.14 Handoff and Support

3.14.1 Documentation

3.14.1.1 Customer Knowledgebase with unlimited access for campus users

3.14.1.2 Documentation for contacting consultant support and opening support cases

3.14.1.3 Specific implementation documentation outside of standard documentation

3.14.1.4 Data diagrams showing data mapping into and out of the system

3.14.1.5 Data definitions for any data types created specific to BHSU deployment outside of standard Slate configuration

3.14.2 Ongoing Support

3.14.2.1 Annual pricing with 5-year lock-in for set number of support hours (can be carried over for the life of the contract)

3.14.2.2 Support to include development, troubleshooting, and training

3.14.2.3 Assigned named account manager and project manager

3.14.3 Training

3.14.3.1 Recorded sessions for processes from handoff

3.14.3.2 Written processes for operations outside of Slate user help

3.14.4 Post-Launch Support

3.14.4.1 Develop a governance process for new development

3.14.4.2 Specify included environments and outline their role in the development process

3.14.4.2.1 Test

3.14.4.2.2 UAT

3.14.4.2.3 Prod

3.14.5 Additional Phases

3.14.5.1 Determine if subsequent phases are needed and timeline to meet due date goals on initial deployment

3.14.6 Vendor to provide timeline for all deliverables

4.0 PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS AND COMPANY QUALIFICATIONS

4.1 The offeror is cautioned that it is the offeror's sole responsibility to submit information related to the evaluation categories and that the State of South Dakota is under no obligation to solicit such information if it is not included with the proposal. The offeror's failure to submit such information may cause an adverse impact on the evaluation of the proposal.

4.2 Offeror's Contacts: Offerors and their agents (including subcontractors, employees, consultants, or anyone else acting on their behalf) must direct all of their questions or comments regarding the RFP, the evaluation, etc. to the buyer of record indicated on the first page of this RFP. Offerors and their agents may not contact any state employee other than the buyer of record regarding any of these matters during the solicitation and evaluation process. Inappropriate contacts are grounds for suspension and/or exclusion from specific procurements. Offerors and their agents who have questions regarding this matter should contact the buyer of record.

4.3 Provide the following information related to at least three previous and current service/contracts, performed by the offeror’s organization, which are similar to the requirements of this RFP.

a. Name, address and telephone number of client/contracting agency and a representative of that agency who may be contacted for verification of all information submitted;

b. Dates of the service/contract; and

c. A brief, written description of the specific prior services performed and requirements thereof.

4.4 Please complete the following matrix to help us evaluate your firm’s qualifications and capabilities for

Black Hills State University’s Slate implementation project. For each criterion, indicate whether you meet the requirement (Yes/No) and provide additional details or evidence where requested.

Criterion Requirement Met

(Yes/No) Additional Details

1. Experience and Qualifications

1.1 Platinum, Gold, or Silver Slate

Implementation Partner certification

Provide certification details

1.2 Minimum 5 years of experience in higher

education CRM implementations

List years of experience

1.3 Experience migrating from Salesforce and

TargetX by Liaison to Slate

Provide number of similar migrations

1.4 Three references from higher education

institutions of similar size

List references

2. Project Team

2.1 Dedicated project manager with 5+ years of

experience

Provide PM’s years of experience

2.2 Team members with relevant Slate and

Salesforce and TargetX by Liaison certifications

List certifications

2.3 Commitment to consistent project team

throughout implementation

Describe team retention strategy

2.4 No use of subcontractors for this project Confirm compliance

2.5 Detailed staffing plan with level of effort in

hours

Provide staffing plan

3. Technical Capabilities

3.1 Experience with Slate CRM implementation

for multiple application groups

Describe relevant implementations

3.2 Expertise in data migration from Salesforce

and TargetX by Liaison

Outline migration approach

3.3 Experience with required integrations

(Banner, StarRez, Scholarship Manager, etc., test score ACT, SAT, ILTS, etc.

List relevant integrations

3.4 Ability to implement SSO List relevant SSO projects

3.5 Integrations Describe integration approach

4. Functional Capabilities

4.1 Experience building application workflows for

multiple school types

Provide examples for each school type

4.2 Expertise in configuring marketing

journeys/flows

Describe journey building approach

4.3 Experience in implementing applicant portals

with checklist functionality

Provide portal examples

4.4 Ability to develop custom reports and

dashboards

List types of reports/dashboards

4.5 Experience with scholarship opportunity

matching

Describe relevant functionality

4.6 Proficiency in de-duplication processes Outline de-duplication approach

5. Training and Support

5.1 Comprehensive training program including

recorded sessions

Describe training approach

5.2 Provision of detailed documentation

(knowledge base, support procedures, etc.)

List types of documentation provided

5.3 Ongoing support options with 5-year price

lock

Describe support packages

5.4 Knowledge transfer plan Outline your approach

5.5 Experience creating data diagrams and data

definitions

Provide sample deliverables

6. Project Approach

6.1 Ability to meet May 1, 2026 deadline Provide high-level timeline

6.2 Experience with phased implementations Describe relevant experience

6.3 Approach to user acceptance testing Outline your methodology

6.4 Change management strategy Describe your approach

6.5 Plan for seamless transition of live

recruitment processes

Outline transition strategy

6.6 Approach to limiting customizations for

easier upgrades

Describe customization philosophy

7. Additional Considerations

7.1 Experience with pre-professional application

processes

Provide examples

7.3 Ability to handle international student

applications

Outline international capabilities

7.5 Ability to calculate and report on application

volume by category

Describe reporting capabilities

7.6 Experience with campus communication

based on demographics

Outline communication strategies

Please provide any additional information or unique qualifications relevant to this RFP in a separate document.

Include details on how your firm can enhance BHSU’s processes using Slate’s capabilities.

5.0 PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

5.1 An Electronic proposal in PDF form emailed to Barb Mustard at Barbara.Mustard@sdsmt.edu

5.1.1 The proposal should be page numbered and should have an index and/or a table of contents referencing the appropriate page number.

5.2 All proposals must be organized and tabbed with labels for the following headings:

5.2.1 RFP Form. The State’s Request for Proposal form (1st page of RFP) completed and signed.

5.2.2 Executive Summary. The one-to-two-page executive summary is to briefly describe the offeror's proposal. This summary should highlight the major features of the proposal. It must indicate any requirements that cannot be met by the offeror. The reader should be able to determine the essence of the proposal by reading the executive summary.

Proprietary information requests should be identified in this section.

5.2.3 Detailed Response. This section should constitute the major portion of the proposal and must contain at least the following information:

5.2.3.1 A complete narrative of the offeror's assessment of the work to be performed, the offeror’s ability and approach, and the resources necessary to fulfill the requirements. This should demonstrate the offeror's understanding of the desired overall performance expectations.

5.2.3.2 A specific point-by-point response, in the order listed, to each requirement in the

RFP. The response should identify each requirement being addressed as enumerated in the RFP.

5.2.3.3 A clear description of any options or alternatives proposed.

5.2.4 Cost Proposal. Cost will be evaluated independently from the technical proposal.

Offerors may submit multiple cost proposals. All costs related to the provision of the required services must be included in each cost proposal offered.

See section 7.0 for more information related to the cost proposal.

6.0 PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND AWARD PROCESS

6.1 After determining that a proposal satisfies the mandatory requirements stated in the Request for Proposal, the evaluator(s) shall use subjective judgment in conducting a comparative assessment of the proposal by considering each of the following criteria:

6.1.1 Specialized expertise, capabilities, and technical competence as demonstrated by the proposed approach and methodology to meet the project requirements;

6.1.2 Resources available to perform the work, including any specialized services, within the specified time limits for the project;

6.1.3 Record of past performance, including price and cost data from previous projects, quality of work, ability to meet schedules, cost control, and contract administration;

6.1.4 Availability to the project locale;

6.1.5 Familiarity with the project locale;

6.1.6 Proposed project management techniques; and

6.1.7 Ability and proven history in handling special project constraints.

6.1.8 Cost Proposal

6.1.9 Answers provided in the Matrix in Section 4.4.

6.2 Experience and reliability of the offeror's organization are considered subjectively in the evaluation process. Therefore, the offeror is advised to submit any information which documents successful and reliable experience in past performances, especially those performances related to the requirements of this RFP.

6.3 The qualifications of the personnel proposed by the offeror to perform the requirements of this RFP, whether from the offeror's organization or from a proposed subcontractor, will be subjectively evaluated. Therefore, the offeror should submit detailed information related to the experience and qualifications, including education and training, of proposed personnel.

6.4 The State reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive technicalities, and make award(s) as deemed to be in the best interest of the State of South Dakota.

6.5 Award: The requesting agency and the highest ranked offeror shall mutually discuss and refine the scope of services for the project and shall negotiate terms, including compensation and performance schedule.

6.5.1 If the agency and the highest ranked offeror are unable for any reason to negotiate a contract at a compensation level that is reasonable and fair to the agency, the agency shall, either orally or in writing, terminate negotiations with the contractor. The agency may then negotiate with the next highest ranked contractor.

6.5.2 The negotiation process may continue through successive offerors, according to agency ranking, until an agreement is reached or the agency terminates the contracting process.

7.0 COST PROPOSAL

Please provide a cost proposal based on the scope of work under Section 3 of the RFP.