Dated 10/16/23

STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA

(NSU Managed Print Services)

PROPOSALS ARE DUE NO LATER THAN AUGUST 7, 2026

RFP #: NSU-2601 State POC: Sean Meyers EMAIL:

sean.meyers@northern.edu

READ CAREFULLY

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 for Managed Print Services as outlined in this RFP. The goal of this RFP is to work towards solutions that will minimize cost, while maintaining or improving current services.

Based on this RFP, NSU intends to award a single contract to the responsible Vendor whose proposal, conforming to this RFP, is most advantageous to the University, price and other factors considered. NSU reserves the right to separately procure individual requirements that are the subject of the contract during the contract term, when deemed by the University to be in its best interest.

The selected vendor must provide a fully functional Managed Print solution prior to September 25, 2026.

NSU reserves the right to reject any and all offers and to award in the best interest of

NSU.

Please see section 3.0 and Attachments A, B, and C for a complete scope of services regarding this RFP.

1.2 ISSUING OFFICE AND RFP REFERENCE NUMBER

The Northern State University Purchasing Offices is the issuing office for this document and all subsequent addenda relating to it, on behalf of the State of South Dakota and Board of Regents. The reference number for the transaction is RFP # NSU-2601. 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 July 22, 2026 Offeror Questions Due July 27, 2026 Responses to Offeror Questions July 31, 2026 Proposal Submission August 7, 2026 Oral Presentations/discussions (if required) August 12-14, 2026 Proposal Revisions (if required) August 18, 2026 Anticipated Award Decision/Contract Negotiation August 31, 2026

1.4 SUBMITTING YOUR PROPOSAL

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

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

All proposals must be submitted electronically and digitally signed by an officer of the responder, legally authorized to bind the responder to the proposal. Proposals that are not properly signed may be rejected. Proposals must be submitted electronically via e-mail to Sean.Meyers@northern.edu with the SUBJECT line as follows: Proposal for NSU

RFP# 2601

mailto:Sean.Meyers@northern.edu

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 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.

1.10 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 Sean Meyers at Sean.Meyers@northern.edu with the subject line “RFP #2601”.

The State 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.

1.11 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.

1.12 LENGTH OF CONTRACT

The contract shall commence on September 25, 2026 and end on June 30, 2031 with an option to extend for additional one-year periods upon written agreement of the Parties. All equipment installations must be completed no later than September 25, 2026. It is anticipated that select number of machines will be placed in September 2026 in order to define processes and test functionality.

mailto:Sean.Meyers@northern.edu

1.13 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.

1.14 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 (will be defined on contract) and end on (will be defined on contract), 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 $TBD. 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:

2.6.1 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.

2.6.2 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.

2.6.3 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.

2.6.4 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 The Scope of Work is to provide NSU with Managed Print Services for all devices (leased or owned). Offerors should think strategically and offer solutions that may include NSU leased or owned equipment, or supplier owned. The goal of this RFP is to work towards solutions that will minimize cost, while maintaining or improving current service levels. Specifically, this RFP process should:

• Provide a comprehensive and guaranteed pricing structure for the services & equipment

• Increase and optimize the efficiency of device use

• Leverage the aggregate print volumes of the University

• Achieve cost savings for campus users

• Improve overall customer service

3.2 CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: NSU currently has a Managed Print solution through HP MPS with approximately 65 active HP MFDs deployed at various locations on the NSU campus in Aberdeen, SD as well as several non-managed devices. See Attachment B for a complete listing of devices with locations, copy and print volume, make, model, and serial number. All devices are owned by the University.

3.3 DESIRED FUTURE-STATE MODEL: NSU is seeking proposals for a comprehensive Managed Print Services (MPS) solution that transitions the University from a model in which the institution purchases devices and contracts separately for service, to a model in which the vendor provides, owns, leases, or otherwise furnishes equipment as part of an integrated managed print program. NSU expects the successful vendor to serve as a strategic managed print partner and to provide recommendations regarding fleet optimization, device placement, lifecycle replacement, utilization, and service improvements. Vendor recommendations are encouraged and expected; however, final approval authority for device deployment, relocation, replacement, removal, software installation, and configuration changes shall remain with NSU Technology Services.

3.4 Please see Attachment A for the full Scope of Work and requirements.

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.

5.0 PROPOSAL RESPONSE FORMAT

5.1 The proposal must be emailed as directed in section 1.4 above.

5.1.1 The offeror shall provide one (1) copy of their entire proposal, including all attachments, in PDF electronic format.

5.1.2 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, organized in the order presented within the Scope of Work and Attachment A, addressing each mandatory requirement and requested capability described in this 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;

6.1.7 Ability and proven history in handling special project constraints; and

6.1.8 Cost Proposal

6.1.9 The Offeror shall provide at least 2 references from customers where managed print services were implemented.

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 Any resulting contract issued through this process cannot be transferred to any third party without the signed written consent of NSU.

6.4 All Offeror’s must have capability and be certified to maintain and support the current fleet of printers. Lease services are not limited to any brand or vendor, but must be capable of secure, high volume, centralized print, scan, and copy functionality in a networked environment.

6.5 The awarded vendor shall have the capability to provide Managed Print Services solution for maintaining and supporting NSU devices in a phased approach. This will include an operational solution to maintain and support multifunctional devices (a device that has multiple functions such as prints, copies, and scans)

6.6 The successful offeror shall be required to maintain all managed printing devices and is required to provide a complete maintenance plan with their proposal.

6.7 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.

6.8 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.

6.9 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.

6.9.1 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.

6.9.2 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

7.1 The cost proposal must include and identify all costs associated with the managed print services as described in this RFP. Any inflationary increases must also be identified.

7.2 Costs shall not include the cost of paper as NSU provides paper for all devices.

7.3 A proposed list of equipment with costs must be provided in the following format:

Equipment Make Equipment Model Number of Devices Proposed

Per Impression Cost (Initial five-year term)

Note: at this time, consumables will not include paper

STATEMENT OF WORK CONT’D FROM SECTION 3.0

ATTACHMENT A

Provide managed print services, including maintenance, management and support for approximately 65 non-leased multifunctional devices and printers across the NSU campus. Services may be performed in a phased approach whereby a current operational device will be given the necessary time to remain in our environment until the end of its lifecycle. End of lifecycle will be defined as a device that is no longer capable of hardware support or software updates.

1. Recognizing that portions of the current fleet are relatively new and continue to provide value, NSU does not require immediate replacement of all existing devices. Vendors shall propose a transition strategy that:

• Maximizes the value of existing NSU-owned equipment where appropriate;

• Identifies which existing devices should be retained, repurposed, or refreshed, bought out, or replaced;

• Provides a phased migration to the vendor’s proposed device ownership or leasing model;

• Minimizes disruption to campus operations;

• Optimizes device placement, utilization, and total cost of ownership; and

• Includes a recommended lifecycle replacement schedule for all devices.

Vendors are encouraged to propose innovative approaches for incorporating existing NSU-owned devices into the managed print program, including maintenance-only support, trade-in programs, buyback arrangements, hybrid ownership models, or phased replacement schedules.

2. All proposals must include options for a solution to provide secure electronic access to the MFDs as well as a robust billing system to accommodate monthly internal billings to NSU departments for their use of the devices. NSU currently licenses PaperCut for authentication, print release, and reporting. Offerors may propose either:

• Continued use and integration with the existing PaperCut environment; or

• Replacement with an alternative solution that provides equivalent or enhanced functionality.

3. The vendor will have qualified quality assurance personnel monitor and assess each technician’s performance as needed. Standards will be proposed by the vendor, agreed to by NSU, and the provision of reporting on a scheduled basis to be determined by NSU.

A standardized evaluation form will be developed which measures but is not limited to the following:

• Effectiveness of Troubleshooting

• Resolution Time

• Communication

• Process Adherence and Documentation

• Quality of Customer Experience

A portion of the service requests will be evaluated for the duration of the contract. Results of the evaluations will be provided during quarterly meetings. NSU reserves the right to request the removal of any service personnel that consistently are not adhering to the agreed minimum requirements of quality evaluations.

4. Vendors shall clearly identify any assumptions regarding existing PaperCut licensing and shall provide pricing for both:

• Integration with and continued use of NSU's existing PaperCut environment; and

• Replacement with a vendor-provided print management solution.

5. Vendors shall clearly identify all software licensing, subscription, maintenance, hosting, and support costs associated with each option.

6. Any replacement solution must fully support user authentication, secure print release, departmental chargeback, student printing, Thunder Bucks (Illumnia, formerly Transact) integration, and reporting requirements. The solution must support authentication and authorization for faculty, staff, students, affiliates, and service accounts as defined by NSU.

7. In addition to faculty and staff, students will require access to the devices and must have the ability to pay for their usage through their campus ID card/mobile credentials (Thunder Bucks).

8. All MFDs must have the capability to scan (in color), scan/copy to e-mail, print, copy, and have OCR capability. A mixture of color and mono devices will be required. Some devices require secure print release.

9. The successful vendor shall be required to provide a proposal with recommended equipment and locations based on current copy and print volume. In addition to copy and print volume, consideration must include scanning options at all locations.

10. Solution must have the ability to track both print and copy.

11. Fax functionality is not permitted. NSU does not utilize fax services on their printers/MFDs and does not require fax capability on printers, multifunction devices, print management software, or related solutions. Any fax hardware, software, telephone line integration, cloud fax service, or fax-enabled functionality shall be disabled or removed from all deployed devices unless specifically approved in writing by NSU Technology Services.

Vendors shall not include costs associated with fax services in their proposals.

12. Vendor shall identify all monitoring agents, collectors, cloud services, network communications, ports, protocols, and data collected as part of the managed print solution.

Monitoring solutions must be approved by NSU Technology Services prior to deployment.

Please see Attachment C for required security and configuration information.

13. The vendor shall provide automated consumable monitoring and fulfillment. Toner and other covered consumable shall be shipped proactively based on usage data. NSU shall not be responsible for manually ordering routine consumables except in extraordinary circumstances.

14. NSU shall have the ability to order additional devices or discontinue devices during the contract term without penalty.

15. NSU does not intend for the existing number of devices to dictate the future-state fleet size.

Vendors shall assess the current environment and recommend an optimized fleet based on utilization, service levels, accessibility, security requirements, and user needs.

16. If a Printer Fleet Assessment is determined necessary by both parties, Vendor will provide a report, in Microsoft Excel format, documenting the current print environment of the University.

17. The Solution will include maintenance of all Multi-Functional Devices on the managed print program. Maintenance services will include, but are not limited to, all consumables, parts, and labor and troubleshooting.

18. The Vendor shall not deploy, relocate, replace, reconfigure, or remove any printer, multifunction device, print management software component, appliance, or supporting infrastructure without prior approval from NSU Technology Services and the designated NSU Project Manager.

19. The Vendor shall provide a documented implementation plan for all installations, replacements, and major changes no less than ten (10) business days prior to deployment.

20. All deployment activities shall be scheduled in coordination with NSU Technology Services to minimize operational disruption and ensure compliance with university security, networking, and change-management requirements.

21. Unauthorized deployment of equipment or software may be grounds for rejection of the installation and denial of payment for associated services.

22. Support and Response Times: The solution must include support for all multifunctional devices on NSU campuses and other locations. Support for all other non-multifunctional devices may be considered at NSU’s sole option. Support services will include, but not limited to:

• Project Management – Vendor will provide a single point of contact for managing the entire printer environment and project.

• Break/Fix Services – Vendor will dispatch certified printer technicians to each facility during regular business hours from Monday to Friday 8am to 5pm Central Time within 3 business days of report of failure

• Phone and Email Support – Vendor will provide unlimited phone and email support during regular business hours from Monday – Friday 8:00am – 5:00pm Central Time

• Supplies – Vendor will drop ship ink and toner proactively, based on usage

23. Chargeback and Department Billing Requirements: The proposed print management solution must support detailed chargeback and cost allocation reporting at the user, department, organizational unit, and account level. The solution must:

• Attribute all print and copy activity to an authenticated user.

• Support users with multiple departmental assignments, Banner indexes, fund/org combinations, or billing accounts.

• Allow users to select from multiple authorized charge codes, departments, or billing accounts at the time of print release.

• Automatically apply predefined billing rules based on user affiliation, organizational membership, device location, or other business rules.

• Generate monthly billing reports suitable for internal recharge processes.

• Export billing data in Microsoft Excel and CSV formats.

• Integrate with or coexist alongside NSU's existing PaperCut environment or provide equivalent or enhanced functionality.

• Provide audit trails sufficient to support financial reconciliation and dispute resolution.

24. Asset Ownership and Lifecycle Management

• Vendor shall maintain complete asset records for all managed devices, including ownership status, lease status, warranty information, firmware levels, location, installation date, and planned replacement date. These records shall be available to NSU upon request and included in quarterly reviews.

• All usage data, billing records, audit logs, reporting data, and device inventory information generated under this agreement shall remain the property of NSU and shall be provided to NSU upon request or contract termination.

25. Security and Technology Standards Compliance: The Vendor shall comply with all Northern State University information security requirements applicable to managed print services as outlined in Attachment C.

26. Deliverables

• Vendor will provide quarterly reports to NSU within 5 days of the closure of each quarter, in Excel format via email to the NSU Project Manager, that will monitor the success of the managed print program, as well as identify opportunities or problem areas that need attention. Examples of these reports include, but are not limited to:

• Number of service calls per device

• Mean time to resolution per device

• Consumable usage

• Part replacements and other repairs documented

• Itemized incidents with creation date, acknowledgement, response and resolution times

• Vendor will meet onsite with the NSU Project Manager on a bi-annually basis for review of all services, and billing/consumption reports. The purpose of the meetings will be to review services provided by the vendor technicians, review billing, formulate and confirm strategies for consolidating and repurposing the printer fleet.

Any resulting contract issued through this process cannot be transferred to any third party without the signed written consent of NSU.

DEVICE INVENTORY as of JULY 2026

ATTACHMENT B

Status Device Model Serial Number Location

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRRBV44G Barnett Center 121

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E57540 MXBCMCN1XF Barnett Center 201

Managed HP Color LaserJet Flow E67560 MXDCL961M7 Barnett Center 41

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M476dn CNB8H3Z4KM Barnett Center 57

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M477fdn VNB8J7WF0Y Barnett Center 79

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 THBTT5608H Business and Health Innovation Center 103

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRRBV467 Business and Health Innovation Center 105

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M480 CNCRQD656J Business and Health Innovation Center 150

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCRDD0HN Business and Health Innovation Center 196

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCT4S0RQ Business and Health Innovation Center 207

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRS3T7B0 Business and Health Innovation Center 230

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRRBV3XC Dacotah Bank Stadium 59

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCT4H05N Dacotah Hall 103

Managed HP LaserJet MFP E52645 MXBCV1X0CV Dacotah Hall 103

Managed HP LaserJet E40040 PHBCG03328 Dacotah Hall 103C

Managed LaserJet M402dn PHBQF47644 Dacotah Hall 103D

Managed HP Color LaserJet M750 CNDCG851H4 Dacotah Hall 201

Un-Managed HP Color LaserJet M751 JPBCRBC0YL Dacotah Hall 202

Un-Managed HP LaserJet 400 color M451dn CNBH200593 Dacotah Hall 209A

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M577 MXBCHBX0D1 Gerber Hall Recepton

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCTBH08P Gerber Hall 215

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M477fdn VNCKM1H36J Graham Hall 102

Managed HP LaserJet M402dn PHBQD17459 Graham Hall 203

Managed HP Officejet Color MFP 586 CN6C76K0NM Graham Hall 205

Un-Managed HP LaserJet M402dn PHBQF48031 Great Plains East

Managed HP LaserJet M402dn PHBQF21699 Great Plains East

Managed HP Color LaserJet E45028 VND3P14527 Jewett Science Center

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCT691JT Jewett Science Center 113

Managed HP LaserJet Professional P1606dn VND3C95130 Jewett Science Center 117

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 THBGTDG2H3 Jewett Science Center 209A

Managed HP PageWide Color MFP 586 CN64R6Z00H Johnson Fine Arts Center 133

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M577 MXBCHBX05D Krikac Administration 201A

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M577 MXBCHBX061 Krikac Administration 202

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M480 CNCRS3B61S Krikac Administration 205

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCTBW0H5 Krikac Administration 212

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRRBV45G Krikac Administration 213

Un-Managed Officejet Pro X451dn Printer CN54LKX05G Library 103

Managed HP Color LaserJet E45028 VND3P14526 Library 104

Managed HP Color LaserJet M651 JPCCJ3919G Library 105

Managed HP Color LaserJet Pro 4201 VNB6J07580 Library 105

Managed HP LaserJet M402dn PHBQF47642 Library 127

Managed HP LaserJet E40040 PHBCV02367 Library 143

Managed LaserJet M605 CNBCH7H1JC Library 146

Un-Managed HP Officejet Pro X451 CN54LKX07C Library 149

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M477fdn VNB8J6WLR3 Library 154A

Managed HP PageWide Pro 452dn Printer CN73MFJ00S Mewaldt-Jensen 102

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRRBV479 Mewaldt-Jensen 112

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M577 MXBCHBX05K Mewaldt-Jensen 115

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRS3T7Q1 Mewaldt-Jensen 133

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCRD40MY Mewaldt-Jensen 303

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCRDD0HY Mewaldt-Jensen 320

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRRBV56L Pavilion 220

Un-Managed LaserJet 500 MFP M525 MXFCH570G4 Physical Plant 105

Managed HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301 CNBRR1Y0FM Physical Plant 209

Managed HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP 4301 THBTT593CC Spafford Hall 202

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCRDD0J1 Spafford Hall 203

Managed HP PageWide Managed MFP P77740dn AC MX82FFBB0D Spafford Hall 206

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M277dw VNB8H55MB7 Spafford Hall 209

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCRDD0JR Spafford Hall 315

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCTC20HL Spafford Hall 204

Managed HP LaserJet MFP E52645 MXBCV1X0DC Student Center 222

Managed HP LaserJet MFP E42540 THBTT4C0WN Student Center 240

Managed HP Color LaserJet Flow E57540 MXBCLBX070 Student Center 104

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP M578 MXBC21BGWB Student Center 213

Managed HP LaserJet 500 MFP M525 MXFCH971BH Student Center 254

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRRBV470 Tech Center 13

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCTBW0JC Tech Center 148

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRS2F2Q7 Tech Center 159

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCRDD0H8 Tech Center 263

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP E47528 CNCRRBV55V Tech Center 266

Managed HP PageWide Color MFP E58650 CNCZL72092 Tech Center 358

Managed HP Color LaserJet MFP X57945 MXBCTBW0J8 Tech Center 372

CONFIGURATION AND SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

ATTACHMENT C

Purpose: Provide vendors with NSU’s expected baseline for managed print device configuration, network security, and support requirements. Vendors should use this attachment to confirm compatibility, identify exceptions, and explain any required deviations before award.

1. How Vendors Should Respond

# Vendor Response Requirement Expected Detail 1 Confirm ability to meet each requirement. Respond Yes / No / Partial and explain any Partial or No response.

2 Identify required exceptions before implementation.

If a proposed solution requires enabling a disabled protocol, service, port, cloud connector, or management pathway, vendor must document the reason, risk, compensating controls, and NSU approval needed.

3 Do not assume defaults are acceptable. Default credentials, public SNMP communities, broad administrative access, and unnecessary services are not acceptable unless explicitly approved by NSU.

4 Support secure migration. Vendor must support a transition plan that does not weaken the current security posture and allows NSU to validate configuration before production rollout.

2. Current HP Version 5 Firmware Baseline The following summarizes NSU’s current baseline from the HP v5 firmware screenshots provided by Technology Services. Older firmware may present the settings differently, but new printers are expected to ship with v5 or an equivalent supported firmware interface.

Control Area Current Baseline Vendor Requirement

Administrative access Device administrator password is set.

Vendor must maintain unique administrative credentials controlled by NSU and must not leave default or shared vendor-only credentials in place.

SNMP

SNMPv1/v2 read-only access is enabled.

SNMP read-write access is not enabled. A Get Community Name is configured.

Vendor must support read-only monitoring and must not require SNMPv1/v2 read-write access. SNMPv3 support is preferred where compatible with NSU monitoring and print management tools.

Default SNMP communities

Screenshot shows the “Disable SNMPv1/v2 default Get Community Name of public” option as available.

Vendor must not rely on the default public community string. Any community strings or SNMPv3 credentials must be coordinated with NSU and protected as sensitive operational information.

Fax Fax send is disabled.

Vendor must not enable fax send, LAN fax, or similar send functions without explicit NSU approval and business justification.

3. Network Protocol and Service Baseline The table below converts the screenshot configuration into RFP language. Vendors should assume that disabled services must remain disabled unless NSU approves an exception.

Status Services / Protocols RFP Requirement

Enabled SLP Config; 9100 Printing; LPD Printing; HP Jetdirect XML Services; Multicast IPv4; WS- Discovery

Vendor must document whether each enabled service is required for proposed operation and whether a more secure alternative is available.

Disabled Bonjour; AirPrint; FTP Printing; IPP Printing; IPPS Printing; LLMNR; Web Services Print; WebScan;

Secure WebScan; Enable WINS Port; WINS Registration

Vendor must not require these services by default. If any are required, vendor must identify the specific dependency, ports, destination systems, and security controls.

Management interfaces

Embedded web/administrative configuration must be secured.

Administrative access must be limited to authorized NSU staff and/or approved vendor support under NSU oversight.

4. Security and Configuration Requirements

Requirement NSU Expectation Vendor Must Provide Secure configuration baseline

Vendor must configure devices to a documented baseline approved by NSU before production use.

Written configuration report, including any deviations from this attachment.

Firmware and patches Vendor must maintain supported firmware and disclose recommended update cadence and emergency update process.

Firmware version inventory and patch/upgrade process.

Least functionality Unused protocols, ports, cloud services, wireless functions, scan destinations, fax capabilities, and embedded apps must be disabled unless required and approved.

List of enabled and disabled services per model.

Authentication and administration

Default credentials must be changed. Administrative access must be role-based where available and restricted to authorized personnel.

Admin account model and credential handoff procedure.

Monito…