RFP JRB-2025-35 - Pre-Collection Services.pdf

RFP # JRB-2025-35 – Pre-Collection Services Page 1

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

PRE-COLLECTION SERVICES

Request for Proposal (RFP) # JRB-2025-35

RFP Schedule

RFP Issued to BidNet October 9, 2025

Supplier Questions Due In BidNet October 24, 2025, at 2pm MT

Responses to Questions Posted to BidNet October 28, 2025

RFP Responses Due In BidNet November 6, 2025, at 2pm MT

RFP # JRB-2025-35 – Pre-Collection Services Page 2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PURPOSE OF RFP

BACKGROUND

GENERAL INFORMATION

I UNIVERSITY OVERVIEW

II ADMINISTRATION INFORMATION

III SCOPE OF WORK

IV COST PROPOSAL

V REFERENCES

VI EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

VII MODEL FORMAT OF PROPOSALS

EXHIBIT A – FORM OF PROPOSAL

EXHIBIT B – UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING PAYMENT CARD INDUSTRY

ADDENDUM

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL – RFP # JRB-2025-35

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING PRE-COLLECTION SERVICES

The University of Wyoming (the “University”) is soliciting proposals from professional and qualified suppliers (“Suppliers”), through this Request for Proposals (RFP), for pre-collection services on student accounts as described herein.

The University shall provide copies of this RFP to Suppliers through the electronic solicitation platform www.bidnetdirect.com where registered Suppliers are required to submit their electronic RFP response along with the first and last name, telephone number and e-mail address of the employee within their organization who will be designated as the University’s primary contact with respect to this RFP and their response thereto. The University may provide copies of this RFP to other Suppliers upon request, who are also requested to provide the first and last name, telephone number and e-mail address of the employee within their organization who will be designated as the University’s primary contact with respect to this RFP and their response thereto.

Questions regarding this RFP must be in writing and be directed to the University via the BidNet platform any time after the issuance of this RFP through and including 2:00 p.m. MT on October 24, 2025. Questions received after the date/time and/or not submitted electronically through the BidNet platform may not be addressed. Each question submitted, as well as the University’s response thereto, shall be provided in a questions and answers document/addendum via www.bidnetdirect.com. Note:

Every question must be submitted individually. Multiple questions per entry may not be answered.

The University will only accept and consider electronically submitted proposals from Suppliers, which must be submitted and received in the www.bidnetdirect.com electronic solicitation portal on or before

2:00 p.m. MT on November 6, 2025, at which time the submission portal will close and no further submissions be allowed or considered. It is the sole responsibility of the Supplier to see that the response to the RFP is submitted through the BidNet portal by the submission deadline. Responses received after this date and time or outside of BidNet will be deemed non-responsive.

Sales Prohibited/Conflict of Interest: No officer, employee, or member of the University, shall have a financial interest in the sale to the University of any real or personal property, equipment, material, supplies or services where such officer or employee exercises directly or indirectly any decision-making authority concerning such sale or any supervisory authority over the services to be rendered. This rule also applies to subcontracts with the University. Soliciting or accepting any gift, gratuity favor, entertainment, kickback, or any items of monetary value from any person who has or is seeking to do business with the University is prohibited.

Contact with University personnel regarding this solicitation, other than inquiries to the specific

Procurement Agent noted below may be grounds for elimination from the selection process.

Collusive or sham proposals: Any proposal deemed to be collusive, or a sham proposal will be rejected and reported to authorities as such. Your authorized signature on this proposal assures that such proposal is genuine and is not a collusive or sham proposal. The University reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and to waive any irregularities or informalities.

Sincerely, Jon Babcock - Asst Director Procurement & Payment Services

**Please find more information about doing business with the University here:

How to Do Business with the University of Wyoming http://www.bidnetdirect.com/ http://www.bidnetdirect.com/ http://www.bidnetdirect.com/ https://www.uwyo.edu/procurement/_files/docs/how-to-do-business-with-uw-april-2025.pdf

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SECTION I

UNIVERSITY OVERVIEW

The University of Wyoming is the only accredited four-year school in a state of just over one-half million people. The University is dedicated to providing quality instruction to students, conducting valuable research programs, and serving Wyoming through a wide variety of educational and cultural programs.

The University has more than 3,000 benefited faculty and staff dedicated to educating about 10,900 students. More than 200 undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs of study are offered through eight colleges: Agriculture and Natural Resources, Arts and Sciences, Business, Education, Engineering and Applied Science, Health Sciences, Honors and Law. The main campus is located in Laramie but extends learning opportunities through a variety of credit and non-credit outreach programs, including the

University of Wyoming at Casper and classes offered online. Additional information regarding the

University of Wyoming is available at http://www.uwyo.edu.

SECTION II

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

A. ISSUING OFFICE: This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the University of

Wyoming, Procurement Services.

B. INVITATION TO SUBMIT PROPOSALS: The University of Wyoming is hereby contacting prospective Suppliers whom the University deems potentially qualified to meet its needs.

NOTE: The University of Wyoming, Office of Procurement Services has moved to an online bid system (BidNet) for both distribution and receipt of RFPs. All Suppliers must complete the registration process. To register your company, please go to https://www.bidnetdirect.com/register.

C. SCOPE: This RFP contains the instructions governing the proposal and the material to be included herein; mandatory requirements which must be met to be eligible for consideration;

and other requirements to be met by each proposal.

D. INQUIRIES: Prospective Suppliers may make inquiries within BidNet Direct concerning this

RFP to obtain clarification of requirements.

Response to any Supplier's inquiries will be made on BidNet Direct by Procurement Services in a timely manner to all prospective Suppliers. Any oral interpretations or clarifications of this RFP shall not be relied upon.

E. MODIFICATION OR WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS: Proposals may be modified or withdrawn by the Supplier prior to the established due date and time.

F. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION: Responses should be uploaded to the BidNet Direct website up to but no later than November 6, 2025, at 2:00 PM MT. Electronic submission to the

BidNet Direct website is mandatory. The Form of Proposal MUST be signed in ink or digitally signed with an authenticated certificate by the Supplier or an officer of the Supplier who is legally authorized to bind the Supplier to the proposal. Proposals which are determined to be at a variance with this requirement may not be accepted.

http://www.uwyo.edu/ https://www.bidnetdirect.com/register

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It is the responsibility of the Supplier to ensure that the proposal is uploaded to the BidNet Direct website on or before the proposal submission deadline.

G. ADDENDUM OR SUPPLEMENT TO REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL: In the event that it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, an addendum will be issued on the BidNet Direct website. It is the responsibility of Suppliers, prior to the established due date for responses, to review the website and view addenda issued to ensure their response reflects any and all changes.

All addenda shall be acknowledged on the Form of Proposal page and copies of the signed addenda must be included in the Supplier’s proposal.

H. ACCEPTANCE OF RFP TERMS: A proposal submitted in response to this RFP shall constitute a binding offer. Acknowledgment of this condition shall be indicated by the signature of the Supplier or an officer of the Supplier legally authorized to execute contractual obligations. A submission in response to this RFP acknowledges acceptance by the Supplier of all terms and conditions including compensation, as set forth herein. A

Supplier shall identify clearly and thoroughly any variations between its proposal and the

University's RFP. Failure to do so shall be deemed a waiver of any rights to subsequently modify the terms of performance.

I. CONFIDENTIAL/PROPRIETARY INFORMATION: Any restrictions on the use or inspection of material contained within the proposal shall be clearly stated in the proposal itself. Written requests for confidentiality shall be submitted by the Supplier with the proposal. The Supplier must state specifically what elements of the proposal are to be considered confidential/proprietary. Confidential/proprietary information must be readily identified, marked, and separately packaged from the rest of the proposal. Co-mingling of confidential/proprietary and other information is NOT acceptable. Neither a proposal in its entirety, nor proposal price information will be considered confidential/proprietary.

Procurement Services will make a written determination as to the apparent validity of any request for confidentiality. The written decision of Procurement Services will be sent to the

Supplier as required.

J. RFP RESPONSE MATERIAL OWNERSHIP: All material submitted regarding this RFP becomes the property of the University of Wyoming. Proposals may be reviewed by any person after a contract has been issued, subject to the terms of law. The University of

Wyoming has the right to use any or all information/material presented in reply to the RFP, subject to limitations outlined in Proprietary/Confidential Information. Disqualification of a

Supplier, or submission of an unsuccessful proposal, does not eliminate this right.

K. SELECTION OF PROPOSAL: Upon review and approval of the evaluation committee's recommendation for award, Procurement Services will issue a "Letter of Intent to Award" to the apparent successful Supplier and other respondents via the BidNet Direct website. Final award will be issued to the successful Supplier once the contract has been fully negotiated and executed.

L. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL CONTENT: The contents of the proposal (including persons specified to implement the project) of the successful Supplier will become contractual obligations if acquisition action ensues. Failure of the successful Supplier to accept these obligations in a contract may result in cancellation of the award and such

Supplier may be removed from future solicitations. The award will be made to that Supplier whose proposal, conforming to the RFP, will be the most advantageous to the University of

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Wyoming. The University does not forfeit its sovereign immunity through the execution of the contract.

M. STANDARD CONTRACT: The University of Wyoming reserves the right to incorporate standard UW contract provisions and other provisions contained in this RFP into any contract resulting from this RFP, such as, but not limited to the following:

https://www.uwyo.edu/procurement/_files/docs/terms--conditions---april-1-2019.pdf

The standard contract term is for a period of three (3) years, provided all conditions have been met satisfactorily, and the University and the Supplier mutually agree in writing. The

University is not bound to the stated standard contract term, and the official term will be set with the signing of the contract.

N. RFP CANCELLATION: The University reserves the right to cancel this RFP at any time, without penalty.

O. INCURRING COSTS: The University of Wyoming is not liable for any cost incurred by

Suppliers prior to issuance of a legally executed contract. No property interest, of any nature, shall accrue until a contract is awarded and signed by all concerned parties.

P. EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY:

Both parties shall fully adhere to all applicable local, state, and federal law, including equal employment opportunity and including but not limited to compliance with Title VI of the

Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 and the American with

Disabilities Act of 1990. The University is committed to equal opportunity for all persons in all facets of the University’s operations and is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The University will provide all applicants for admissions, employment and all

University employees with equal opportunity without regard to race, gender, religion, color, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, gender identity, creed, ancestry, political belief, any other applicable protected category, or participation in any protected activity. The University ensures non-discriminatory practices in all matters relating to its education programs and activities and extends the same non-discriminatory practices to recruiting, hiring, and training, compensation, benefits, promotions, demotions, transfers, and all other terms and conditions of employment.

Contractors are notified that they may be subject to the provisions of 41 CFR Section 60-

300.5(a); 41 CFR Section 60-741.5(a); 41 CFR Section 60-1.4(a) and (c); 41 CFR Section 60-

1.7(a); 48 CFR Section 52.222-54(d); and 29 CFR Part 471, Appendix A to Subpart A with respect to affirmative action and posting requirements. If applicable, this contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-300.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against qualified protected veterans, and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified protected veterans. If applicable, this contractor and subcontractor shall abide by the requirements of 41 CFR 60-741.5(a). This regulation prohibits discrimination against any qualified persons with physical or mental disabilities and requires affirmative action by covered prime contractors and subcontractors to employ and advance in employment qualified protected persons with physical or mental disabilities.

https://www.uwyo.edu/procurement/_files/docs/terms--conditions---april-1-2019.pdf

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Q. REJECTION OF PROPOSALS: The University of Wyoming reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and to waive informalities and minor irregularities in proposals received, by the specific solicitation opening time and date, and to accept any portion of a proposal or all items proposed if deemed in the best interest of the University of Wyoming.

R. PARENT COMPANY: If a Supplier is owned or controlled by a parent company, the parent company name, main office address, and parent company's tax identification number shall be provided in the proposal.

S. NEWS RELEASES: News releases pertaining to this solicitation shall NOT be made prior to the full execution of the contract without prior written approval by the University.

T. CERTIFICATION OF INDEPENDENT PRICE DETERMINATION:

1. By submission of this proposal, each Supplier, and in the case of a joint proposal, each party thereto, certifies as to its own organization, that, in connection with this procurement:

a. The prices in this proposal have been arrived at independently, without consultation, communication, or agreement, for the purpose of restricting competition, as to any matter relating to such prices with any other Supplier or with any competitor;

b. Unless otherwise required by law, the prices which have been quoted in this proposal have not been knowingly disclosed by the Supplier and will not knowingly be disclosed by the Supplier prior to opening, directly or indirectly, to any other Supplier or to any competitor; and

c. No attempt has been made or will be made by the Supplier to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal for the purpose of restricting competition.

2. Each person signing the Form of Bid form of this proposal certifies that:

a. He/She is the person in the Supplier's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to the prices being offered herein and that he has not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (1 a) through

(1 c) above; or

b. He/She is not the person in the Supplier's organization responsible within that organization for the decision as to the prices being offered herein but that he has been authorized in writing to act as agent for the persons responsible for such decision in certifying that such persons have not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (1 a) through (1 c) above, and as their agent does hereby so certify; and he has not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to (1 a) through (1 c) above.

3. A proposal will not be considered for award where (1 a), (1 c), or (2) above has been deleted or modified. Where (1 b) above has been deleted or modified, the proposal will not be considered for award unless the Supplier furnishes with the proposal a signed statement which sets forth in detail the circumstances of the disclosure and the head of

RFP # JRB-2025-35 – Pre-Collection Services Page 8 the agency, or his designee, determines that such disclosure was not made for the purpose of restricting competition.

U. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST: The holding of public office or employment is a public trust.

A public officer or employee whose conduct departs from his fiduciary duty is liable for his or her actions.

V. TAXES: The University of Wyoming, as purchaser, is exempt from all federal excise taxes and from all State of Wyoming sales tax. A certificate of tax exemption is available upon request.

W. ASSIGNMENT: Neither party to any resulting contract may assign any portion of the agreement without the prior written consent of the other party.

X. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS: Financial obligations of the University payable after the current fiscal year are contingent upon funds for that purpose being appropriated, budgeted, and otherwise made available. In the event funds are not appropriated, any resulting contract will become null and void, without penalty to the University.

Y. BID BONDS/SECURITY: Not required for this proposal.

Z. CONTRACTOR'S PERFORMANCE BOND: Not required for this proposal.

AA. INSURANCE: Commercial general liability insurance including property damage, bodily injury, contractual liability, errors and omissions, and products completed operations, with minimum occurrence limits of not less than $1,000,000 and minimum aggregate limits of

$2,000,000.

Comprehensive automobile liability insurance with a minimum combined single limit of

$1,000,000 per occurrence for bodily injury and property damage. Such policy must cover owned, non-owned and hired vehicles, trailers, or semi-trailers designed for travel on public roads.

Workers’ compensation coverage as required by law and employer’s stop gap liability coverage.

Policies other than workers’ compensation and employer’s stop gap liability must name the

University, its trustees, officers, and employees as additional insureds. Certificates will be delivered, prior to commencement of the contract, to the University of Wyoming, Director of

Claims and Risk - Dept. 4305, 1000 E. University, Laramie, WY 82071-2000.

Workers' Compensation and Employer’s Liability Coverage: The insurer(s) shall agree to waive all rights of subrogation against the University of Wyoming for losses arising from work performed at the University.

All Coverages (i.e., general liability, errors and omissions, automobile liability, workers' compensation, and employer’s liability) must include:

1. Cancellation. Each policy shall be endorsed to state the coverage shall not be canceled, suspended, voided, allowed to expire, or be reduced in coverage or limits, by either party, RFP # JRB-2025-35 – Pre-Collection Services Page 9 except after thirty (30) days, prior written notice by certified mail, return receipt requested, has been given to the University of Wyoming.

2. Jurisdiction. The insurance shall be construed under the laws of the State of Wyoming. The exclusive forum for the resolution of disputes arising out of such insurance shall be a court of competent jurisdiction of the State of Wyoming.

3. Acceptability of Insurers. Insurance shall be placed with insurers licensed to do business in Wyoming and having an A.M. Best Company rating of no less than AVIII.

Verification of Coverage: Prior to commencement of the Agreement, the University shall be provided with certificates of insurance and original endorsements evidencing required coverage. The certificates and endorsements for each insurance policy shall be signed by a person authorized by that insurer to bind coverage on its behalf. All certificates and endorsements are to be received by the University before the contract commences. The

University reserves the right to require complete, certified copies of all required insurance policies at any time. If at any time during the term of this contract or any extension thereof, any required policies of insurance should expire, or are canceled, the University of Wyoming must be provided a certificate of insurance indicating renewal or an acceptable replacement of the expiring policy prior the expiration.

BB. INDEMNIFICATION: To the extent authorized by law, the Supplier shall indemnify, save and hold harmless the University, its employees and agents, against any and all claims, damages, liability, and court awards including costs, expenses, and attorney fees incurred as a result of any act or omission by the Supplier or its employees, agents, subcontractors, or assignees pursuant to the terms of the contract resulting from this RFP.

CC. WYOMING STATE PREFERENCE: Pursuant to UW Regulation, preference shall be allowed in the purchase of materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, or provisions provided by bona fide Wyoming residents when such materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, or provisions are of quality equal to those offered by an out-of-state Supplier. Such preference shall be five percent (5%) and shall apply to materials, supplies, equipment, machinery, or provisions produced, manufactured or grown in this state, and to materials, supplies, equipment, and machinery supplied by a Wyoming Resident. (Wyoming Statute 16-6-105)

However, preferences shall not be given in violation of any Federal law, rule or regulation.

Whenever Federal laws are applicable, Federal laws shall supersede any State laws.

Suppliers must have a current Wyoming residency certification on file with the

Wyoming Department of Workforce Services at the time of the bid submission in order to qualify for resident preference. Inquiries regarding obtaining a residency certification number should be directed to the Wyoming Department of Workforce

Services, Labor Standards Office at (307) 777-7261. The Department of Workforce

Services certifies residency and enforces the preference law.

DD. PAYMENT TERMS: The University of Wyoming prefers to provide payment in full Net 45 days after acceptance of goods and services. The University may consider other terms if a substantial discount or benefit is available for doing so, however, all proposed payment methods, terms inclusive of any additional fees, or discounts must be clearly stated within the

Supplier’s proposal.

EE. EVALUATION CRITERIA: Responses will be considered from Suppliers demonstrating history of successfully providing similar solutions. A resulting contract may be awarded to

RFP # JRB-2025-35 – Pre-Collection Services Page 10 the Supplier who most completely meets the University’s needs and provides the best value to the University.

FF. TERMINATION PROVISIONS: A resulting contract may be terminated as follows:

1. The University and the Supplier, by mutual written agreement, may terminate the contract at any time.

2. The University, in its sole discretion, may terminate the contract for any reason upon 45 days written notice to the Supplier. Such termination shall not relieve the Supplier of any obligations to provide services during the notification.

3. The University may terminate the contract, in whole or in part, if the Supplier fails to perform its obligations under the contract in a timely and proper manner. The University may, by providing written notice of default to the Supplier, allow the Supplier to cure a failure or breach of contract within a period of ten (10) days (or longer at the University’s discretion considering the gravity and nature of the default). Said notice shall be delivered by Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested or in person with proof of delivery. Allowing the Supplier time to cure a failure or breach of contract does not waive the University’s right to immediately terminate the contract for the same or different contract breach which may occur at a different time. In case of default of the supplier, the University may contract the service from other sources and hold the Supplier liable for any excess cost occasioned thereby.

4. The University may terminate the contract immediately for the following reasons:

a. Supplier has made an assignment for the benefit of creditors, has admitted in writing its inability to pay debts as they mature, has ceased operating in the normal course of business, the Supplier has voluntarily or involuntarily entered into bankruptcy proceedings, or the Supplier is otherwise deemed insolvent.

b. A trustee or receiver of the Supplier or of any substantial part of the Supplier’s assets has been appointed by a court.

c. Fraud, misappropriation, embezzlement, malfeasance, misfeasance, or illegal conduct pertaining to performance under the contract by the Supplier, its employees, officers, directors of shareholders.

d. Failure to uphold any fiduciary obligation to the University.

GG. SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES: The University strongly encourages the campus community to adhere to sustainable practices. For product categories that have ENERGY

STAR rated products available, the University will focus its procurement efforts on products with this rating, consistent with the needs of the University campus community.

HH. GOVERNMENTAL CLAIMS: Any actions or claims against the University under this

Agreement must be in accordance with and are controlled by the Wyoming Governmental

Claims Act, W.S. 1-39-101 et seq. (1977) as amended.

II. INTERPRETATION: The Parties hereto agree that (i) the laws of Wyoming shall govern this

Agreement, and (ii) any questions arising hereunder shall be construed according to such

RFP # JRB-2025-35 – Pre-Collection Services Page 11 laws, (iii) this Agreement has been negotiated and executed in the State of Wyoming and is enforceable in the courts of Wyoming.

JJ. SOVEREIGN IMMUNITY: The University does not waive its sovereign immunity or its governmental immunity by entering into this Agreement and fully retains all immunities and defenses provided by law with regard to any action based on this Agreement.

KK. ACCESSIBILITY COMPLIANCE: In regard to technology that will be utilized in regard to this RFP, please answer the following, where applicable:

1. Describe specifically how your product or services comply with Section 508 standards.

2. If your product it not currently compliant in certain areas, describe your plans and time frame for achieving compliance.

3. Describe your accessibility conformance testing process.

4. If you roll out upgrades after the University purchases the product, how can you assure the University that the upgrades will not interfere with accessibility?

5. Who will pay to remediate any necessary fixes after purchase?

6. Provide a completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) for your product.

If you do not have a VPAT, please provide your accessibility statement on how the product is fully accessible, or compliant, with Section 508. Questions regarding evaluating the accessibility of technology products or services should be directed to the

ADA Coordinator, Employment Practices at 307-766-6236.

LL. EXPORT CONTROL: The University, its employees and its agents are subject to and shall comply with U.S. export control laws that prohibit or restrict a) transactions with certain parties, and b) the type and level of technologies and services that may be exported. These laws include, without limitation, the Arms Export Control Act, the Export Administration

Act, and the International Economic Emergency Powers Act, and regulations issued pursuant to these, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export

Administration Regulations (EAR). As part of its commitment to compliance with U.S.

export controls, UW requires information on the product(s) being purchased to enable the

University to determine the applicable export controls. To be considered for this bid award, Bidder must identify the export jurisdiction (ITAR or EAR) and classification of its product, component, or service(s) in the response to this bid request. The suggested format for this information is set out in the table below.

Are any of the products subject to the

Export Administration Regulations (EAR)?

Yes _____ No _____

If YES, indicate the ECCN No. of each product:

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Are any of the products subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations

(ITAR)?

Yes _____ No _____

If YES, indicate the USML Category and

Sub – Category of each product:

SECTION III

SCOPE OF WORK

The University is soliciting proposals from Suppliers for first party, pre-collection services. This RFP is not soliciting collection services for delinquent student accounts. Pre-collection services shall be provided on Student Accounts Receivable consisting of combinations of past due tuition, fees, room & board charges, and other University charges, including but not limited to, library fines, bookstore charges, and parking citations.

A. PRIMARY OBJECTIVES:

1. Increase the recovery of past-due student balances prior to referral to collections.

2. Maintain a student-friendly approach that prioritizes communication, financial counseling, and resolution.

3. Reduce the number of accounts requiring formal collection agency involvement.

4. Support institutional compliance with applicable federal, state, and University regulations.

5. Help facilitate the upload of uncollected accounts to the University’s four collection agencies, based on University’s prescribed placement methods.

B. NOTICES:

Average account pre-collection placements over a year are approximately 160 students a month with an average balance of $1,900. See chart below for 2024 first notice data showing

IST notices:

Month Number of Students Amount

January - 2024 395 2594

February – 2024 130 4230

March - 2024 69 1662

April - 2024 51 2785

May - 2024 708 2268

June - 2024 24 444

July – 2024 35 1575

August - 2024 212 1411

September - 2024 38 1525

October - 2024 120 965

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November - 2024 758 1260

December - 2024 31 2260

Average 157 1914

C. SUPPLIER REQUIREMENTS:

1. Experience working with higher education institutions.

2. Demonstration of success in pre-collections and early-stage collections.

3. Technology capabilities (CRM, integrations, dashboard).

4. Staff training and quality assurance processes.

D. SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED:

The selected Supplier shall provide services that include, but are not limited to:

1. Account Outreach and Engagement

a. Contacting students via multiple channels (e.g., phone, email, SMS, letter) within

University-approved timelines and guidelines.

b. Providing regular, documented contact attempts following best practices in higher education pre-collections.

c. Complying with all applicable federal and state law concerning the privacy of student records and the related access to and release of those records (i.e., FERPA, GLBA, etc.).

2. Communication and Resolution Support

a. Working with students to understand and resolve balances, including payment options, University policies, and financial literacy resources.

b. Providing compassionate, solution-oriented communication to encourage repayment.

c. Referring students back to the University for questions regarding disputes, financial aid, or enrollment.

3. Payment Coordination

a. Directing students to the University’s designated payment platforms and portals.

b. Tracking payment commitments and assisting in follow-up when necessary.

c. Working with students to set up customized payment plans, within parameters set by the University.

d. Providing reminders and follow-ups on due dates.

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e. Integrating with or reporting to the University’s student information system.

4. Reporting and Data Security

a. Providing reports including:

1. Monthly placement files

2. Monthly account status

3. Monthly contact attempts and success rates

4. Payments secured

5. Payment plan success rates

6. Promises to pay

7. Returned/unreachable contacts

8. Monthly demographic file – including updated contact information.

9. Daily activity file

b. Maintaining data confidentiality and security in compliance with FERPA (Family

Educational Rights and Privacy Act), GLBA (The Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act), FDCPA (The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act), and University IT policies.

5. Transition Protocols

a. Clearly delineating the point at which accounts are considered unresolved and ready for transition to the University’s formal collections process.

b. Supporting seamless transfer of account notes and history if escalated.

c. Implementing and maintaining a secure, automated process to facilitate the timely transfer of unresolved, uncollected accounts to the University’s designated external collection agencies.

d. Supporting business rules defined by the University, including account age, balance thresholds, and placement schedules.

e. Coordinating closely with the University and its four contracted collection agencies to ensure seamless data transfer, including all relevant account history, contact attempts, and documentation.

f. Ensuring all transfers comply with applicable data security, privacy, and compliance standards, including FERPA and GLBA.

g. Confirmation of successful placements and ongoing status reporting will be required.

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E. ACCOUNT CRITERIA:

Accounts assigned for pre-collection may include:

1. Student tuition and fee balances past due between 30–90 days of the semester’s final payment deadline (or as determined by the University).

2. Housing, dining, library fines, or other charges consolidated within the student account.

3. Exclusions: accounts in dispute, in bankruptcy, or already referred to collections.

F. PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS:

The Supplier will be expected to:

1. Maintain a professional, student-centric approach.

2. Provide performance metrics and respond to feedback.

3. Collaborate with University staff on process improvements.

G. ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS:

The successful Supplier shall:

1. Designate a single office and contact individual to be responsible before any accounts are placed with Supplier.

2. Accept all accounts on a referred basis only, with ownership of all interest in the account remaining at all times with the University.

3. Provide a placement acknowledge report for each account placed, with debtor name, account number, and amount referred, within ten (10) days of receipt from the University.

4. Make no compromise settlement without written authorization from the University.

5. Contact the University for final payoff amounts prior to the settlement of any account.

6. Skip trace accounts with unknown addresses and provide new addresses, places of employment, home telephone numbers, and work telephone numbers to the University.

7. Agree that the University is under no obligation to pay a commission fee if a payment to the University is unrelated to efforts undertaken by the Supplier. Examples include, but are not limited to:

a. Debtor pays in full to re-enroll in school.

8. Provide training to University personnel in the use of Supplier’s reports and services.

9. Offer training to University personnel on new and current regulations related to collections.

10. Allow the University, or its agent, to review or audit all Supplier records related to the

University’s accounts after reasonable advance notice. The successful Supplier shall maintain records for a period of not less than three (3) years.

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11. Suspend action temporarily (up to ten days) on verbal request from the University.

12. Provide any reports necessary for the preparation of federal reports that may be required currently or in the future.

13. Provide at least one visit per year by an account representative.

H. PROPOSAL:

Please address/describe/provide the following with detail in response:

1. Agreement to proposed fee structure as described in Section IV.

2. Pre-collection services that are being proposed.

3. Respondent’s approach and methods of collection:

a. Include samples of scripts or written communications used by collectors.

b. University’s access to collector’s notes and/or recordings in the case of complaints or disputes.

4. Call monitoring process and procedures.

5. Data transfer procedures.

6. International payment capabilities.

7. Payment processing:

a. Timeliness of processing payments and remitting funds to the University.

b. Application of payments that are sent directly to the University including whether checks should be signed over or if the ability to deposit locally and remit collection fees to the Supplier is a possibility.

c. NSF (Non-Sufficient Funds) policies.

8. Technical capabilities - overview of online interface:

a. Placing accounts.

b. Recalling accounts.

c. Customer service support.

d. Access to real time reporting.

9. Reporting requirements:

a. Include samples of statements that will be received with payments.

b. Include samples of standard reports.

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c. Detail the availability and any additional costs associated with custom reporting.

10. A sample copy of Supplier’s standard pre-collection contract with response.

11. Whether or not all state licensing is up to date.

12. Compliance within collection and payment industry.

13. Planned investment schedule for acquiring the latest security technology.

14. An overview of the history and qualifications of the company, especially as it relates to the higher education receivables that will be placed.

15. Historical recovery rates obtained for clients.

16. Problem resolution process.

17. Training:

a. Describe how Supplier staff is trained.

b. Describe training that will be offered to university personnel.

18. Ease of use of website for client and consumer navigation.

19. List of any subcontractors used with a detailed description of how they are utilized.

20. Memberships to any state or national trade associations.

21. Proof of Financial Strength of the Company, including your latest financial audit.

I. VALUE ADDED/ADDITIONAL SERVICES (OPTIONAL):

1. The University is interested in maximizing professional services contracts as they relate to achieving additional value that would further benefit the University and its operations.

As such, Suppliers are encouraged to consider, develop, and propose value-added concepts, programs, components, and the like that would further enhance the request represented in this RFP.

a. If available, describe any value added/additional services/functionality that the

Supplier suggests for the University for this solution. Pricing on such value-added options shall be included in section IV, cost proposal. This pricing shall be clearly identified as value added/optional.

b. Describe any other designations, certifications, or licenses that the Supplier possesses that are related to this implementation and ongoing solution.

c. Describe any solutions to issues that the Supplier believes the University will encounter with this program.

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SECTION IV

COST PROPOSAL

Suppliers must provide detailed/itemized pricing for each individual service component of their Pre-collection Fees as described in their proposal. If pricing is dependent on any assumptions that are not specifically stated, please list those assumptions accordingly and show detailed pricing.

Pre-collection Fees pricing must be valid for one hundred eighty (180) days following the bid proposal due date and time. Upon bid award, all pricing and/or discounts must be firm for a period of two (2) years with a maximum increase per year thereafter of 5%.

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RFP # JRB-2025-35 – Pre-Collection Services Page 19

SECTION V

REFERENCES

Support relevant experience by providing three (3) references. Four (4) year colleges or university references are preferred. If four (4) year colleges or university references are not available, other governmental institutions or comparable organizations may be used. References shall include the length of time the company provided service to the institution, phone number and email address of main contact. The University reserves the right to contact any reference, whether provided by the Supplier or obtained by the University in connection with evaluation of this RFP.

1. Company Name

Address

Contact Person

Telephone

Email

Describe length of time and services performed

2. Company Name

3. Company Name

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SECTION VI

EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

The University intends to award the contract to one or more Suppliers for the requested solution indicated in this solicitation and deemed in the best interest of the University. Those proposals that are clearly non-responsive to the stated requirements may be eliminated prior to evaluation.

1. Responses will be individually evaluated based on the following criteria:

Evaluation Criteria Score

0-5 Weight

Total Points

Possible

COMPLETE, THOROUGH RESPONSE: Responsiveness of the proposal in stating a clear understanding of the requirements.

4 20

PROCESS: Pre-collections procedures and philosophy of the

Supplier.

3 15

COMPLIANCE: Supplier’s demonstrated commitment to

Confidentiality, Security and Compliance.

4 20

EXPERIENCE AND PERFORMANCE: Number of years and scope of experience in education-related pre-collection services.

Historical performance on pre-collection of delinquent educational accounts receivable, and student loans.

4 20

CUSTOMER SERVICE/QUALITY CONTROL: Assurance of quality service to customers and clients 4 20

FINANCIAL STRENGTH: demonstrated track record and resources to perform services required 2 10

Total 100

2. The University reserves the right to conduct demonstrations of proposed solutions with shortlisted Supplier(s) who submit a proposal but is not required to do so. The demonstrations may either be conducted via a virtual platform or in person at a

University of Wyoming location (Laramie, Wyoming).

a. The determination of whether to conduct demonstrations with the shortlisted

Supplier(s) shall be made by the University based solely on its determination of whether demonstrations would be helpful in evaluating the proposals.

b. Any Supplier selected for a demonstration will be expected to make an introductory presentation followed by a question-and-answer period. The University will not reimburse any travel related or other expenses related to a demonstration or preparation of the response to this RFP.

c. An invitation to present does not constitute an offer or commit the University to award.

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SECTION VII

MODEL FORMAT OF PROPOSALS

To simplify the review process and obtain the maximum degree of comparability, proposals must be organized in the manner specified below.

Responses to this RFP shall not exceed fifty (50) pages, single sided, including all solution information, company information, visuals/prints screens, white papers, signature pages (as required), etc.

A. TITLE PAGE

1. Show the solicitation subject, the name of the proposing Supplier, address, telephone number, name of the contact person and the date.

B. TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Include a clear identification of the material by section and by page number.

C. LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL – Limit to three (3) pages.

1. Briefly state the Supplier’s understanding of the work to be done and describe in detail the Supplier’s ability to fulfil the scope of services and solution requested by the

University.

2. State the names of the persons who will be authorized to make representations for the

Supplier, their titles, addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses.

D. COMPANY INFORMATION

1. Describe the company’s business and background including the number of years in business, qualifications, and experience with similar contracts/agreements.

a. Confirm the company has been engaged in the business of providing the services described in this solicitation.

2. Details about ownership of the company.

3. Size of company, including number of offices and number of employees.

4. Location(s) of offices identify which will be the primary location for the University’s account.

5. Primary contact information for the company including contact name(s) and title(s), mailing address, phone number(s) and email address(es) and the individual(s) who will be directly servicing our account.

E. SUPPLIER’S APPROACH

1. Submit a work plan to accomplish the scope and implement the solution defined within.

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2. Responses should be formatted in order, labeled as such, and follow the exact sequence of the solicitation.

3. Clarification questions and requests for information throughout the solicitation shall be clearly labeled with the section and subsection number and include the Supplier’s response/information.

4. Any and all assumptions shall be clearly stated in the Supplier’s response. Assumptions that are not clearly indicated, but raised later in the award process, may be grounds for the Supplier’s response to be considered non-responsive.

F. RESPONSES AND SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION FOR SCOPE OF WORK

1. For each section and subsection contained within the Section III, Scope of Work, clearly indicate your ability to meet the required and preferred features. Also, describe and/or provide visuals, screen shots, sample reports, etc. to support your response.

G. REFERENCES

1. Submit completed reference form.

H. COST PROPOSAL

1. Provide a cost proposal as identified in Section IV.

I. PROPOSAL FORM

1. Provide fully completed and signed forms.

J. VALUE ADDED/ADDITIONAL SERVICES

1. Provide a description of value added or additional services not included in the scope of work.

K. EXHIBITS

1. The content of this tab is left to the Supplier’s discretion. However, the Supplier should limit materials included here to those that will be helpful to the University in understanding the services provided for this specific agreement and/or the abilities and qualifications of the Supplier.

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Exhibit A

FORM OF PROPOSAL

THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING

Procurement and Payment Services

University of Wyoming

1000 E. University

Laramie, WY 82071

To Jon Babcock:

The undersigned Supplier, having read the terms and conditions, together with all addenda and being acquainted with and fully understanding the requirements, will submit our proposal as specified above to the University of Wyoming site on BidNet Direct prior to 2:00 PM MT, November 6, 2025. At that date/time the RFP will be opened and the name of the individual/entities that have submitted proposals will be read with no other information being disclosed at that time.

The Supplier acknowledges receipt of the following addenda:

The Supplier has identified clearly any variations between its proposal and the RFP and has broken down the costs per function. The University prefers to purchase all functions from the same Supplier; however, the University reserves the right to award the contract either in whole, in part or with multiple awards, consistent with the best interest of the University. The Supplier understands that the University reserves the right to consider the capabilities of the organization, as well as the amounts of the various proposals.

The University further reserves the right to accept or reject any and all proposals and to waive any irregularities or informalities and to award the contract in the best interest of the University.

Sincerely, Authorized Signature Date

Company Name

Telephone Number

Fax Number

Company Address E-mail address

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Exhibit B

UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING PAYMENT CARD INDUSTRY ADDENDUM

Supplier represents and warrants that for the duration of the Agreement, the software and services used for processing transactions shall be compliant with the most recent standards established by the Payment

Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council. Furthermore, Supplier represents and warrants that for the duration of the Agreement, all third-party applications will comply with the Payment Application

Data Security Standards. The Supplier agrees to keep all information covered by the PCI Security

Standards, including, but not limited to account information related to credit cards or cardholders, confidential, to the extent allowed by law. Furthermore, Supplier agrees not to copy, publish, sell, exchange, disclose or provide to others any information covered by the PCI Security Standards and agrees to only use this information for the purposes of…