Request for Proposal

RFP# SLD-1257

Admissions and Geodemographic Research and Marketing Services

August 3, 2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP# SLD-1257

Issue Date: August 3, 2026

Title: Admissions and Geodemographic Research and Marketing Services

Period of Contract: From Date of Award Through One Year (Renewable)

Sealed Proposals Will Be Received Until 2:00 PM on September 3, 2026 for Furnishing The Services Described Herein. (See Special Terms & Conditions “D. Late Proposals”)

SEALED PROPOSALS MAY BE MAILED, EXPRESS MAILED, SUBMITTED IN eVA, OR HAND DELIVERED DIRECTLY TO THE ISSUING AGENCY SHOWN ABOVE.

If you are an individual with a disability with need of reasonable accommodations to participate in this activity, please notify the buyer below no later than 5:00 PM on August 20, 2026. Individuals with Hearing/Speech disability are encouraged to use the Virginia Relay Service. TDD Users – 800-828-1120.

All Inquiries For Information And Clarification Should Be Directed To: Shanna Long, Lead Commodity Contract Officer, Procurement Services, deverssl@jmu.edu; 540-568-3131; (Fax) 540-568-7935 not later than five business days before the proposal closing date.

NOTE: THE SIGNED PROPOSAL AND ALL ATTACHMENTS SHALL BE RETURNED.

In compliance with this Request for Proposal and to all the conditions imposed herein, the undersigned offers and agrees to furnish the goods/services in accordance with the attached signed proposal or as mutually agreed upon by subsequent negotiation.

Name and Address of Firm:

By:

(Signature)

Name:

(Please Print)

Date:

Title:

Web Address:

Phone:

Email:

Fax #:

ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF ADDENDUM: #1_____ #2_____ #3_____ #4_____ #5_____ (please initial)

SMALL, WOMAN OR MINORITY OWNED BUSINESS:

YES; NO; IF YES ⇒⇒ SMALL; WOMAN; MINORITY IF MINORITY: AA; HA; AsA; NW; MicroNote: This public body does not discriminate against faith-based organizations in accordance with the Code of Virginia, § 2.2-4343.1 or against an offeror because of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment.

Rev. 5/20/2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP # SLD-1257

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I.

PURPOSE

II.

BACKGROUND

Page

III.

SMALL, WOMAN-OWNED, AND MINORITY PARTICIPATION

Page

2-9

IV.

STATEMENT OF NEEDS

Page

9-13

V.

PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

Page

VI.

EVALUATION AND AWARD CRITERIA

Page

13-20

VII.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Page

20-25

VIII.

SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Page

IX.

METHOD OF PAYMENT

Page

X.

PRICING SCHEDULE

Page

XI.

ATTACHMENTS

Page

A. Offeror Data Sheet B. SWaM Utilization Plan C. Sample of Standard Contract D. Zone Map E. SWaM Standard Reporting Template (For example purposes only; this form is not required to be completed or submitted as part of the offeror’s response.)

F. Student Internship and Learning Opportunities

PURPOSE

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit sealed proposals from qualified sources to enter into a contract to provide Admissions Geodemographic Research and Marketing Services for James Madison University (JMU), an agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Initial contract shall be for one (1) year with an option to renew for four (4) additional one-year periods.

BACKGROUND

James Madison University (JMU) is a comprehensive public institution in Harrisonburg, Virginia with an enrollment of approximately 23,000 students and approximately 4,000 faculty and staff. There are over 600 individual departments on campus that support eight (8) academic divisions. The University offers over 130 majors, minors, and concentrations. Further information about the University can be found at the following website: www.jmu.edu.

James Madison University (JMU) is a selective, public institution committed to delivering a distinctive, high-quality undergraduate experience grounded in the Madison Promise (https://www.jmu.edu/madison-promise/index.shtml) emphasizing access, academic excellence, transformative student experiences, student success, and post-graduate career outcomes.

JMU is entering a new phase of enrollment strategy that prioritizes intentional growth alongside increased selectivity, requiring a more sophisticated, data-informed approach to student recruitment and pipeline development, application generation, and yield. The university seeks to strengthen its national presence while maintaining dominance in core domestic markets and expanding into new, high-potential regions for first-year and transfer student recruitment.

JMU is in the process of implementing Salesforce as an enterprise CRM. The Office of Admissions launched its place in the CRM in June 2026 along with Marketing Cloud and Cvent. JMU Admissions is adapting to new business processes, prospect management, digital engagement, communication strategies, and data capabilities in this new environment. The university seeks external expertise to better leverage these tools, develop innovative recruitment tactics in a competitive and saturated market, and align recruitment efforts with current and future market realities.

SMALL, WOMAN-OWNED AND MINORITY PARTICIPATION

It is the policy of the Commonwealth of Virginia to contribute to the establishment, preservation, and strengthening of small businesses and businesses owned by women and minorities, and to encourage their participation in State procurement activities. The Commonwealth encourages contractors to provide for the participation of small businesses and businesses owned by women and minorities through partnerships, joint ventures, subcontracts, and other contractual opportunities. Attachment B contains information on reporting spend data with subcontractors.

STATEMENT OF NEEDS

The JMU Office of Admissions seeks a partner to provide geodemographic research, market analysis, and recruitment, enrollment marketing, and communications strategy services in support of institutional enrollment priorities. The selected firm will focus on strategy, segmentation, analysis, and optimization while collaborating with internal teams and existing vendors responsible for implementation.

The firm should have deep experience and proven results in higher education enrollment strategies and be able to provide market research and intelligence, strategic guidance, marketing and communications development and execution, pipeline development and actionable recommendations that support long-term enrollment success.

The following Statement of Needs describes the services, deliverables, and outcomes expected. Offerors shall address each applicable service area in their proposal and describe their firm's qualifications, methodology, experience, and approach to providing the requested services. JMU encourages offerors to identify innovative practices, industry best practices, and opportunities that may enhance the University's enrollment strategy and outcomes.

The scope of work is intentionally broad. JMU seeks a partner that can:

· Identify current-state gaps and opportunities for improvement.

· Challenge existing assumptions, practices, and organizational approaches through data-informed analysis.

· Provide innovative, actionable, and measurable recommendations.

· Deliver both short-term tactical improvements and long-term strategic direction.

· Prioritize recommendations based on anticipated impact, resource requirements, and implementation feasibility.

· Collaborate effectively with JMU stakeholders and existing partners to support successful execution of suggested strategies, both from the offeror and from JMU stakeholders.

Offerors may propose alternative approaches or additional services when supported by their experience and professional judgment.

OFFEROR RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS

Offerors shall provide a detailed narrative response describing their qualifications, methodology, experience, and approach to each service area described in the Statement of Needs.

Responses should demonstrate the firm's ability to perform the requested work and provide examples of comparable higher education engagements.

At a minimum, offerors shall address the following:

1. Market Intelligence and Geodemographic Analysis

Offerors shall provide a narrative response describing how their firm will meet the University’s expectations outlined below. The response should detail the firm's experience, methodology, tools, and approach for conducting enrollment-focused market research, geodemographic analysis, student segmentation, and enrollment forecasting. As part of the response, Offerors shall explain how they will perform each of the expectations identified below and translate findings into actionable recruitment and enrollment strategies. Responses should include examples of similar work performed for higher education institutions and demonstrate how the firm's recommendations support data-informed decision-making, recruitment effectiveness, and enrollment growth.

The selected offeror will be expected to provide comprehensive market intelligence and geodemographic analysis that serve as the foundation for enrollment planning, recruitment strategy, communications, branding, and operational decision-making.

a. Evaluate existing and emerging recruitment markets for first-year and transfer student populations.

b. Identify market opportunities and risks through analysis of enrollment trends, population shifts, student mobility patterns, and competitive dynamics.

c. Assess student segments, enrollment pipelines, and prospective student behaviors to identify opportunities for growth and increased market penetration.

d. Analyze affordability, financial sensitivity, and enrollment decision drivers that influence student choice.

e. Evaluate the role of key influencers, including families, counselors, community organizations, alumni, and peer networks, in the college search and decision-making process.

f. Identify markets for expansion, stabilization, maintenance, or reduced investment and provide recommendations aligned with JMU's enrollment goals.

g. Deliver actionable recommendations that inform market prioritization, recruitment planning, enrollment strategy, and resource allocation.

2. Enrollment Growth Strategy

Offerors shall provide a narrative response describing how their firm will meet the expectations outlined below for Enrollment Growth Strategy. The response should detail the firm's approach, methodology, tools, and experience in developing market-informed enrollment growth strategies. As part of the response, Offerors shall explain how they will perform each of the expectations identified below, including their approach to supporting enrollment expansion, market development, enrollment forecasting, and long-term enrollment sustainability. Responses should include examples of similar work performed for higher education institutions and demonstrate how the firm's recommendations and strategies have been used to drive enrollment growth and support institutional enrollment objectives.

The selected offeror will be expected to translate market intelligence into actionable enrollment strategies that support institutional goals and resource capacity.

a. Develop differentiated enrollment strategies for first-year and transfer in-state and out-of-state student populations.

i. Additional strategies for rural, first-generation, Pell-eligible students and pipeline opportunities with access work in middle and high school in state.

b. Establish market-specific goals, priorities, and recruitment approaches aligned with JMU’s undergraduate enrollment objectives.

c. Develop enrollment projections, forecasting models, and scenario planning tools to support strategic decision-making.

d. Recommend recruitment, communication, and engagement strategies appropriate to identified markets and student segments.

e. Identify opportunities to strengthen enrollment pipelines and support long-term enrollment growth and sustainability.

f. Prioritize recommendations based on anticipated impact, resource requirements, and implementation feasibility.

g. Provide an implementation roadmap including recommended sequencing, timelines, and success measures.

a. Identify strategies that can be implemented within existing resources as well as initiatives that may require additional investments in staffing, technology, marketing, or operational support.

3. Funnel Optimization and Yield

Offerors shall provide a narrative response describing how their firm will meet the expectations outlined below. The response should detail the firm's experience, methodology, tools, and approach for evaluating and optimizing performance across the enrollment funnel. As part of the response, Offerors shall explain how they will perform each of the expectations identified below, including their strategies for increasing conversion rates, improving yield, and identifying opportunities to enhance engagement throughout the student recruitment process. Responses should include examples of similar work performed for higher education institutions and demonstrate how the firm's recommendations and optimization strategies have improved recruitment effectiveness, student engagement, and enrollment outcomes.

The selected offeror will be expected to provide a comprehensive, data-driven strategy with actionable recommendations to improve performance at each stage of the funnel, from prospect generation and inquiry cultivation through application, admission, enrollment, and melt mitigation. Recommendations should support enrollment forecasting and strategic decision-making through the development of predictive models and enrollment probabilities.

a. Access and evaluate:

i. The current state of JMU’s enrollment funnel with segmentation by geography, student type, and other student identifiers.

ii. The effectiveness and impact of recruitment activities, visitation programs (campus visits, events, virtual programming, etc.), and other engagement opportunities on funnel progression, yield, and enrollment outcomes.

iii. Current prospect generation, search, inquiry development, and lead source strategies and provide recommendations for optimization.

b. Benchmark funnel performance against peer institutions, competitor institutions, and industry best practices to identify opportunities for improvement.

c. Identify opportunities to strengthen prospect generation, inquiry development, and overall funnel health through market-aligned recruitment strategies.

d. Develop recommendations to improve conversion at each stage of the enrollment funnel, including inquiry-to-applicant, applicant-to-admit, and admit-to-enroll progression.

e. Recommend personalized engagement, communications, and marketing strategies that strengthen student connection, belonging, and affinity with JMU.

f. Develop an enrollment forecasting model through the funnel that informs strategic decision making for admission and yield predictability to identify indications of enrollment behavior specific to JMU.

g. Provide recommendations to improve yield, reduce melt, and enhance overall enrollment outcomes.

h. Identify opportunities to leverage CRM technology, automation, and existing resources to improve funnel performance and enrollment outcomes.

i. Where possible, provide recommendations for new resources that can support enrollment goals.

4. Brand Positioning and Market Strategy

Offerors shall provide a narrative response describing how their firm will meet the expectations outlined below. The response should detail the firm's experience, methodology, tools, and approach for developing data-informed brand positioning and market strategies that support enrollment objectives in higher education. As part of the response, Offerors shall explain how they will perform each of the identified initiatives below, including their approach to evaluating brand perception, assessing market opportunities, conducting audience segmentation, developing competitive positioning strategies, and implementing multi-channel communications initiatives. Responses should demonstrate how the firm's recommendations will strengthen JMU's competitive position, support undergraduate enrollment growth, improve yield, and enhance recruitment effectiveness in both existing and emerging markets. Offerors should also describe how their approach incorporates innovative practices, relevant market trends, and proven strategies that align brand positioning with enrollment goals and target audiences, while fostering collaboration among the Office of Admissions, campus partners, and existing agency or vendor relationships.

The proposed approach should incorporate innovative practices, relevant market trends, and proven strategies that align brand positioning with enrollment goals and target audiences. Recommendations should include opportunities for collaboration among the Office of Admissions, campus partners, and existing agency or vendor relationships.

a. Assess JMU's current brand perception, awareness, and recognition across key audiences and markets, including first-year and transfer students, parents and families, school counselors, alumni, current students, and other influencers.

b. Identify strengths, challenges, opportunities, and perception gaps within JMU's current market position and brand identity.

c. Evaluate competitor and aspirational institutions and assess JMU's relative position to develop recommendations for differentiation and market competitiveness.

d. Develop recommendations for a comprehensive, multi-channel communications strategy that supports engagement throughout the enrollment funnel and contributes to application generation, conversion, and yield.

i. Define and recommend strategies that strengthen and communicate JMU's value proposition across existing and emerging recruitment markets.

ii. Develop recommendations for market-specific messaging and positioning strategies that support enrollment goals across in-state, out-of-state, first-year, and transfer student populations.

iii. Identify opportunities for audience segmentation, personalization, and message alignment based on student interests, motivations, behaviors, and stages in the enrollment process.

iv. Recommend approaches for alignment of communication strategies and ensuring consistency and coordination across communications, marketing activities, campus partners, existing agency relationships, the Office of Admissions, and the central Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications.

e. Prioritize recommended marketing and communication strategies based on anticipated impact, resource requirements, implementation feasibility, and alignment with institutional capacity.

5. Organizational and Operational Assessment

Offerors shall provide a narrative response describing how their firm will meet the expectations outlined below. The response should detail the firm's experience, methodology, tools and approach for evaluating enrollment organizations, recruitment operations, organizational structures, and cross-functional partnerships within higher education. As part of the response, Offerors shall explain how they will perform each of the expectations identified below, including their approach to assessing organizational effectiveness, identifying operational barriers, aligning, and strengthening collaboration across enrollment-related functions. Responses should include examples of similar work performed for higher education institutions and demonstrate how the firm's recommendations have improved operational efficiency, enhanced recruitment effectiveness, and aligned organizational resources and structures with institutional enrollment goals.

The selected offeror will be expected to provide objective, candid, and actionable recommendations based on a comprehensive assessment of JMU's enrollment organization, operational practices, recruitment functions, marketing structures, and cross-campus collaboration. The assessment should consider organizational effectiveness, resource allocation, capacity, scalability, and alignment with institutional enrollment priorities.

a. Assess the organizational structure, responsibilities, workflows, and operational effectiveness of offices and teams that support undergraduate recruitment, enrollment marketing, and enrollment management.

b. Identify organizational, operational, or structural barriers that may limit JMU's ability to achieve enrollment goals and provide recommendations for improvement.

c. Evaluate recruitment operations, territory management practices, travel strategies, territory coverage, and resource allocation to determine alignment with market opportunities, enrollment priorities, and the effective deployment of staff time across in-state and out-of-state markets.

i. Assess the effectiveness and scalability of recruitment activities across first year and transfer recruitment efforts in-state and out-of-state.

d. Evaluate campus visit programs, events, virtual engagement opportunities, and yield initiatives to determine their effectiveness in supporting enrollment objectives and funnel progression.

e. Assess collaboration, communication, and decision-making processes among Admissions and key campus partners involved in recruitment and enrollment efforts to support enrollment goals.

i. Clarify roles, responsibilities, and opportunities for cross-functional collaboration and develop recommendations that strengthen institutional alignment in support of enrollment goals.

f. Provide a prioritized implementation roadmap that identifies recommended changes, resource implications, sequencing considerations, and measures of success.

g. Assess the effectiveness of recruitment and enrollment processes from the prospective student and family perspective and identify opportunities to improve engagement, responsiveness, and service.

h. Identify opportunities for operational innovation, process improvement, and scalable practices that support future enrollment growth and organizational effectiveness.

i. Provide recommendations that are scalable, sustainable, and aligned with available institutional resources, including identification of areas where additional investment may be necessary to achieve desired outcomes.

6. CRM and Data Strategy

JMU is in the process of implementing an enterprise CRM ecosystem that includes Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, and Cvent. The Office of Admissions launched these systems in June 2026 and is in the early stages of establishing processes, workflows, governance practices, and operational standards that fully leverage the capabilities of the platform. As the Office has not previously operated within a fully integrated CRM environment, JMU seeks a strategic partner that can help optimize the use of these technologies to support a modern, data-informed enrollment operation. Through this engagement, the University seeks to improve recruitment effectiveness, enhance student engagement throughout the enrollment funnel, strengthen data-driven decision-making, increase operational efficiency, support enrollment growth, improve yield, and establish a sustainable CRM framework that aligns technology, people, and processes with institutional enrollment objectives.

Offerors shall provide a narrative response describing how their firm will meet the University’s goals outlined below. The response should detail the firm's experience, methodology, tools, and approach for optimizing the implementation and use of enterprise CRM technologies within a higher education enrollment environment. As part of the response, Offerors shall explain how they will perform each of the goals identified below, including their approach to maximizing the capabilities of Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, and Cvent; establishing effective business processes, workflows, governance structures, and operational practices; improving data management, reporting, and analytics; and supporting organizational adoption through training, change management, and continuous improvement strategies. Responses should demonstrate the firm's experience working with institutions that are in the early stages of CRM implementation and describe how their recommendations will help JMU achieve its goals of strengthening enrollment strategy, increasing conversion and yield, enhancing recruitment and communication effectiveness, improving operational performance, and creating a scalable, data-driven enrollment ecosystem.

Offerors should describe their experience implementing, optimizing, and supporting CRM ecosystems within higher education environments. Responses should demonstrate the firm's expertise with Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, Cvent, enrollment communications, data governance, workflow automation, reporting, user adoption and training, and change management.

The University seeks to:

· Improve operational efficiency and effectiveness across recruitment and enrollment processes.

· Establish and enhance business processes that support enrollment goals.

· Improve the use of data to inform recruitment, marketing, enrollment, and operational decision-making.

· Fully leverage CRM technologies for segmentation, personalization, automation, and reporting.

a. Assess the current CRM environment, including Salesforce, Marketing Cloud, Cvent, integrations, workflows, data practices, and operational processes.

b. Assess current staffing capacity, operational workflows, and available resources related to CRM management and utilization and provide recommendations that are sustainable and aligned with the Office of Admissions' organizational structure.

i. Recommendations should identify opportunities to maximize efficiency through automation, prioritization, and system optimization.

c. Identify opportunities to improve system utilization, process efficiency, data quality, automation, and user adoption.

d. Develop recommendations for leveraging CRM tools to support enrollment strategy, communications, recruitment operations, and decision-making.

e. Develop predictive modeling tools, dashboards, and reporting strategies that support enrollment forecasting, application likelihood, yield projections, and enrollment planning.

f. Recommend segmentation, personalization, and automation strategies that enhance communication and engagement throughout the enrollment funnel.

g. Develop recommendations for effective use of Marketing Cloud, including communication journeys, engagement campaigns, audience segmentation, and timing strategies.

h. Evaluate alignment between CRM systems, integrations and workflows, territory management, recruitment activities, communications, and event strategies.

i. Assess Cvent utilization and system integrations and provide recommendations that strengthen the connection between event engagement, funnel progression, and enrollment outcomes.

j. Develop recommendations for dynamic content, personalization, and scalable communication practices that support sustainable enrollment marketing efforts.

k. Provide recommendations for training, onboarding, process documentation, and change management strategies that improve staff adoption and effective system usage.

l. Identify opportunities to enhance service and engagement for prospective students and families through more efficient, personalized, and data-informed interactions.

PROPOSAL PREPARATION AND SUBMISSION

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS

To ensure timely and adequate consideration of your proposal, offerors are to limit all contact, whether verbal or written, pertaining to this RFP to the James Madison University Procurement Office for the duration of this Proposal process. Failure to do so may jeopardize further consideration of Offeror’s proposal.

ELECTRONIC OR PAPER SUBMISSIONS MAY BE ACCEPTED FOR THIS PROPOSAL. INSTRUCTIONS BELOW FOR OFFEROR’S CHOSEN METHOD (A. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION or B. PAPER RESPONSE).

RFP Response: In order to be considered for selection, the Offeror shall submit a complete response to this RFP; and shall submit to the issuing Purchasing Agency:

a. ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION:

i. ELECTRONIC RESPONSES SUBMITTED THROUGH eVA WILL BE ACCEPTED. Emailed responses will not be accepted. Please see below, “eVA Procurement Website and Registration” for additional information on registration. It is the responsibility of the Supplier to ensure their proposal and all required documentation is properly completed, readable, and uploaded to eVA. Suppliers should allow sufficient time to account for any technical difficulties they may encounter during online submission or uploading of the documents. In the event of any technical difficulties, Suppliers shall contact the eVA Customer Care Center at 1-866-289-7367 or via email at eVACustomerCare@DGS.virginia.gov.

ii. eVA Procurement Website and Registration The Commonwealth’s procurement portal, eVA, located at http://www.eva.virginia.gov, provides information about Commonwealth solicitations and awards. Suppliers shall be registered in eVA in order submit a proposal to this RFP. To register with eVA, select “Register Now” on the eVA website homepage, http://www.eva.virginia.gov. For registration instructions and assistance, as well as instructions on how to submit proposals and accept orders please select “I Sell to Virginia”. Suppliers are encouraged to check this site on a regular basis and, in particular, prior to submission of proposals to identify any amendments to the RFP that may have been issued.

iii. Electronic Responses submitted through eVA shall be in WORD format or searchable PDF of the entire proposal, INCLUDING ALL ATTACHMENTS. PDFs must be submitted in an unlocked format. Any proprietary information should be clearly marked in accordance with Section V.4.f. below.

b. PAPER SUBMISSIONS:

i. One (1) original and two (2) copies of the entire proposal, INCLUDING ALL ATTACHMENTS. Any proprietary information should be clearly marked in accordance with V.4.e. below.

ii. One (1) electronic copy in WORD format or searchable PDF (CD or flash drive) of the entire proposal, INCLUDING ALL ATTACHMENTS. Any proprietary information should be clearly marked in accordance with Section V.4.f. below.

iii. Each copy of the proposal should be bound or contained in a single volume where practical. All documentation submitted with the proposal should be contained in that single volume.

iv. See additional information in Section VIII.C, IDENIFICATION OF PROPSAL ENVELOPE.

Should the proposal contain proprietary information, provide one (1) redacted copy of the proposal and all attachments with proprietary portions removed or blacked out. This copy should be clearly marked “Redacted Copy” on the front cover. The classification of an entire proposal document, line-item prices, and/or total proposal prices as proprietary or trade secrets is not acceptable. JMU shall not be responsible for the Contractor’s failure to exclude proprietary information from this redacted copy.

No other distribution of the proposal shall be made by the Offeror.

The version of the solicitation issued by JMU Procurement Services, as amended by an addenda, is the mandatory controlling version of the document. Any modification of, or additions to, the solicitation by the Offeror shall not modify the official version of the solicitation issued by JMU Procurement services unless accepted in writing by the University. Such modifications or additions to the solicitation by the Offeror may be cause for rejection of the proposal; however, JMU reserves the right to decide, on a case-by-case basis in its sole discretion, whether to reject such a proposal. If the modification or additions are not identified until after the award of the contract, the controlling version of the solicitation document shall still be the official state form issued by Procurement Services.

Proposal Preparation

a. Proposals shall be signed by an authorized representative of the Offeror. All information requested should be submitted. Failure to submit all information requested may result in the purchasing agency requiring prompt submissions of missing information and/or giving a lowered evaluation of the proposal. Proposals which are substantially incomplete or lack key information may be rejected by the purchasing agency. Mandatory requirements are those required by law or regulation or are such that they cannot be waived and are not subject to negotiation.

b. Proposals shall be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise description of capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the RFP. Emphasis should be placed on completeness and clarity of content.

c. Proposals should be organized in the order in which the requirements are presented in the RFP. All pages of the proposal should be numbered. Each paragraph in the proposal should reference the paragraph number of the corresponding section of the RFP. It is also helpful to cite the paragraph number, sub letter, and repeat the text of the requirement as it appears in the RFP. If a response covers more than one page, the paragraph number and sub letter should be repeated at the top of the next page. The proposal should contain a table of contents which cross references the RFP requirements. Information which the offeror desires to present that does not fall within any of the requirements of the RFP should be inserted at the appropriate place or be attached at the end of the proposal and designated as additional material. Proposals that are not organized in this manner risk elimination from consideration if the evaluators are unable to find where the RFP requirements are specifically addressed.

d. As used in this RFP, the terms “must”, “shall”, “should” and “may” identify the criticality of requirements. “Must” and “shall” identify requirements whose absence will have a major negative impact on the suitability of the proposed solution. Items labeled as “should” or “may” are highly desirable, although their absence will not have a large impact and would be useful, but are not necessary. Depending on the overall response to the RFP, some individual “must” and “shall” items may not be fully satisfied, but it is the intent to satisfy most, if not all, “must” and “shall” requirements. The inability of an offeror to satisfy a “must” or “shall” requirement does not automatically remove that offeror from consideration; however, it may seriously affect the overall rating of the offeror’ proposal.

e. Each copy of the proposal should be bound or contained in a single volume where practical. All documentation submitted with the proposal should be contained in that single volume.

f. Ownership of all data, materials and documentation originated and prepared for the State pursuant to the RFP shall belong exclusively to the State and be subject to public inspection in accordance with the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Trade secrets or proprietary information submitted by the offeror shall not be subject to public disclosure under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act; however, the offeror must invoke the protection of Section 2.2-4342F of the Code of Virginia, in writing, either before or at the time the data is submitted. The written notice must specifically identify the data or materials to be protected and state the reasons why protection is necessary. The proprietary or trade secret materials submitted must be identified by some distinct method such as highlighting or underlining and must indicate only the specific words, figures, or paragraphs that constitute trade secret or proprietary information. The classification of an entire proposal document, line-item prices and/or total proposal prices as proprietary or trade secrets is not acceptable. Marking an entire proposal as confidential or attempts to prevent disclosure of pricing information by designating it as confidential, proprietary or trade secret will be ignored.

Oral Presentation: Offerors who submit a proposal in response to this RFP may be required to give an oral presentation of their proposal to James Madison University. This provides an opportunity for the Offeror to clarify or elaborate on the proposal. This is a fact-finding and explanation session only and does not include negotiation. James Madison University will schedule the time and location of these presentations. Oral presentations are an option of the University and may or may not be conducted. Therefore, proposals should be complete.

SPECIFIC PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

Proposals should be as thorough and detailed as possible so that James Madison University may properly evaluate your capabilities to provide the required services. Offerors are required to submit the following items as a complete proposal:

Return RFP cover sheet and all addenda acknowledgements, if any, signed and filled out as required. (Electronic signature shall be accepted, i.e. Adobe Sign, DocuSign, etc.)

Plan and methodology for providing the goods/services as described in Section IV. Statement of Needs of this Request for Proposal.

A written narrative statement to include, but not be limited to, the expertise, qualifications, and experience of the firm and resumes of specific personnel to be assigned to perform the work.

Offeror Data Sheet, included as Attachment A to this RFP.

Small Business Subcontracting Plan, included as Attachment B to this RFP. Offeror shall provide a Small Business Subcontracting plan which summarizes the planned utilization of Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD)-certified small businesses which include businesses owned by women and minorities, when they have received Department of Small Business and Supplier Diversity (SBSD) small business certification, under the contract to be awarded as a result of this solicitation. This is a requirement for all prime contracts in excess of $100,000 unless no subcontracting opportunities exist.

Identify the amount of sales your company had during the last twelve months with each VASCUPP Member Institution. A list of VASCUPP Members can be found at: www.VASCUPP.org.

Proposed Cost. See Section X. Pricing Schedule of this Request for Proposal.

Student Internship Learning Opportunities: JMU values partnerships that contribute to the professional development of its students. While not mandatory, the University encourages Firms to consider offering internships, cooperative education, or applied learning opportunities to JMU students in connection with the goods and/or services provided under this agreement. If applicable, please describe in the Student Internship and Learning Opportunities Attachment G any opportunities your Firm may offer for student engagement, such as:

· Career Fairs

· Paid or unpaid experiential roles (inclusive of short-term or semester-long internships)

· Participation in relevant projects or initiatives

· Job shadowing, mentoring, or career talks

· Campus Interviews

· Your organization’s HR meeting with JMU Employer Services Team

Firms are welcome to outline any support structures for student participants, including mentorship, training, or supervision. Responses will be sent to JMU’s University Career Center office for coordination with Firms to connect students with potential opportunities.

EVALUATION AND AWARD CRITERIA

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals shall be evaluated by James Madison University using the following criteria:

Points

AWARD TO MULTIPLE OFFERORS: Selection shall be made of two or more offerors deemed to be fully qualified and best suited among those submitting proposals on the basis of the evaluation factors included in the Request for Proposals, including price, if so stated in the Request for Proposals. Negotiations shall be conducted with the offerors so selected. Price shall be considered, but need not be the sole determining factor. After negotiations have been conducted with each offeror so selected, the agency shall select the offeror which, in its opinion, has made the best proposal, and shall award the contract to that offeror. The Commonwealth reserves the right to make multiple awards as a result of this solicitation. The Commonwealth may cancel this Request for Proposals or reject proposals at any time prior to an award, and is not required to furnish a statement of the reasons why a particular proposal was not deemed to be the most advantageous. Should the Commonwealth determine in writing and in its sole discretion that only one offeror is fully qualified, or that one offeror is clearly more highly qualified than the others under consideration, a contract may be negotiated and awarded to that offeror. The award document will be a contract incorporating by reference all the requirements, terms and conditions of the solicitation and the contractor’s proposal as negotiated.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PURCHASING MANUAL: This solicitation is subject to the provisions of the Commonwealth of Virginia’s Purchasing Manual for Institutions of Higher Education and Their Vendors and any revisions thereto, which are hereby incorporated into this contract in their entirety. A copy of the manual is available for review at the purchasing office. In addition, the manual may be accessed electronically at http://www.jmu.edu/procurement or a copy can be obtained by calling Procurement Services at (540) 568-3145.

APPLICABLE LAWS AND COURTS: This solicitation and any resulting contract shall be governed in all respects by the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia and any litigation with respect thereto shall be brought in the courts of the Commonwealth. The Contractor shall comply with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION: By submitting their proposals, offerors certify to the Commonwealth that they will conform to the provisions of the Federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, as well as the Virginia Fair Employment Contracting Act of 1975, as amended, where applicable, the Virginians With Disabilities Act, the Americans With Disabilities Act and §10 of the Rules Governing Procurement, Chapter 2, Exhibit J, Attachment 1 (available for review at http://www.jmu.edu/procurement). If the award is made to a faith-based organization, the organization shall not discriminate against any recipient of goods, services, or disbursements made pursuant to the contract on the basis of the recipient's religion, religious belief, refusal to participate in a religious practice, or on the basis of race, age, color, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin and shall be subject to the same rules as other organizations that contract with public bodies to account for the use of the funds provided; however, if the faith-based organization segregates public funds into separate accounts, only the accounts and programs funded with public funds shall be subject to audit by the public body. (§6 of the Rules Governing Procurement).

In every contract over $10,000 the provisions in 1. and 2. below apply:

During the performance of this contract, the contractor agrees as follows:

a. The contractor will not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or any other basis prohibited by state law relating to discrimination in employment, except where there is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the contractor. The contractor agrees to post in conspicuous places, available to employees and applicants for employment, notices setting forth the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause.

b. The contractor, in all solicitations or advertisements for employees placed by or on behalf of the contractor, will state that such contractor is an equal opportunity employer.

c. Notices, advertisements, and solicitations placed in accordance with federal law, rule, or regulation shall be deemed sufficient for the purpose of meeting these requirements.

The contractor will include the provisions of 1. above in every subcontract or purchase order over $10,000, so that the provisions will be binding upon each subcontractor or vendor.

ETHICS IN PUBLIC CONTRACTING: By submitting their proposals, offerors certify that their proposals are made without collusion or fraud and that they have not offered or received any kickbacks or inducements from any other offeror, supplier, manufacturer or subcontractor in connection with their proposal, and that they have not conferred on any public employee having official responsibility for this procurement transaction any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, services or anything of more than nominal value, present or promised, unless consideration of substantially equal or greater value was exchanged.

IMMIGRATION REFORM AND CONTROL ACT OF 1986: By entering into a written contract with the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Contractor certifies that the Contractor does not and shall not during the performance of the contract for goods and services in the Commonwealth, knowingly employ an unauthorized alien as defined in the federal Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

DEBARMENT STATUS: By submitting their proposals, offerors certify that they are not currently debarred by the Commonwealth of Virginia from submitting proposals on contracts for the type of goods and/or services covered by this solicitation, nor are they an agent of any person or entity that is currently so debarred.

ANTITRUST: By entering into a contract, the contractor conveys, sells, assigns, and transfers to the Commonwealth of Virginia all rights, title and interest in and to all causes of action it may now have or hereafter acquire under the antitrust laws of the United States and the Commonwealth of Virginia, relating to the particular goods or services purchased or acquired by the Commonwealth of Virginia under said contract.

MANDATORY USE OF STATE FORM AND TERMS AND CONDITIONS RFPs: Failure to submit a proposal on the official state form provided for that purpose may be a cause for rejection of the proposal. Modification of or additions to the General Terms and Conditions of the solicitation may be cause for rejection of the proposal; however, the Commonwealth reserves the right to decide, on a case by case basis, in its sole discretion, whether to reject such a proposal.

CLARIFICATION OF TERMS: If any prospective offeror has questions about the specifications or other solicitation documents, the prospective offeror should contact the buyer whose name appears on the face of the solicitation no later than five working days before the due date. Any revisions to the solicitation will be made only by addendum issued by the buyer.

PAYMENT:

To Prime Contractor:

a. Invoices for items ordered, delivered and accepted shall be submitted by the contractor directly to the payment address shown on the purchase order/contract. All invoices shall show the state contract number and/or purchase order number; social security number (for individual contractors) or the federal employer identification number (for proprietorships, partnerships, and corporations).

b. Any payment terms requiring payment in less than 30 days will be regarded as requiring payment 30 days after invoice or delivery, whichever occurs last. This shall not affect offers of discounts for payment in less than 30 days, however.

c. All goods or services provided under this contract or purchase order, that are to be paid for with public funds, shall be billed by the contractor at the contract price, regardless of which public agency is being billed.

d. The following shall be deemed to be the date of payment: the date of postmark in all cases where payment is made by mail, or the date of offset when offset proceedings have been instituted as authorized under the Virginia Debt Collection Act.

e. Unreasonable Charges. Under certain emergency procurements and for most time and material purchases, final job costs cannot be accurately determined at the time orders are placed. In such cases, contractors should be put on notice that final payment in full is contingent on a determination of reasonableness with respect to all invoiced charges. Charges which appear to be unreasonable will be researched and challenged, and that portion of the invoice held in abeyance until a settlement can be reached. Upon determining that invoiced charges are not reasonable, the Commonwealth shall promptly notify the contractor, in writing, as to those charges which it considers unreasonable and the basis for the determination. A contractor may not institute legal action unless a settlement cannot be reached within thirty (30) days of notification. The provisions of this section do not relieve an agency of its prompt payment obligations with respect to those charges which are not in dispute (Rules Governing Procurement, Chapter 2, Exhibit J, Attachment 1 § 53; available for review at http://www.jmu.edu/procurement).

To Subcontractors:

A contractor awarded a contract under this solicitation is hereby obligated:

To pay the subcontractor(s) within seven (7) days of the contractor’s receipt of payment from the Commonwealth for the proportionate share of the payment received for work performed by the subcontractor(s) under the contract; or

To notify the agency and the subcontractors, in writing, of the contractor’s intention to withhold payment and the reason.

The contractor is obligated to pay the subcontractor(s) interest at the rate of one percent per month (unless otherwise provided under the terms of the contract) on all amounts owed by the contractor that remain unpaid seven (7) days following receipt of payment from the Commonwealth, except for amounts withheld as stated in (2) above. The date of mailing of any payment by U. S.