RFP UCO-1024 Electronic Sourcing (e-Sourcing) Solution.pdf

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 1

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

UCO-1024

Electronic Sourcing (E-Sourcing) Solution

Issue Date: 10/09/2026 Proposal Submission Due: 11/13/2026 02:00 PM

Designated Contact:

Michelle Synovitsky Procurement Manager Shared Services shdbids@cuny.edu mailto:shdbids@cuny.edu

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 2

Table of Contents

Part 1: Key Events and Dates; Designated Contacts; Proposal Due Location; Contract Term

Part 2: Proposer Qualifications and Requirements; and Diversity Participation Goals

Part 3: Project Objectives and Scope; Detailed Specifications and Deliverables and Certain Contract Specific Provisions

Part 4: Technical and Management Proposal Requirements (Proposal Volume II)

Part 5: Proposal Price Breakdown Pages (Proposal Volume III)

Part 6: Proposal Scoring Criteria and Weights

Part 7: Terms and Conditions of Contract

Part 8: Service Level Agreement (if applicable)

Part 9: Supplier Diversity Provisions

Part 10: Important Notices to Proposers

FORMS THAT MUST BE SUBMITTED WITH THE PROPOSAL

□ Form 1: Proper Information and Authorized Signature; Acceptance of Contract Terms; Proper Certifications;

Confidential Information; Signed RFP Addenda; and References

□ Form 2: Offeror’s Affirmation of Understanding of And Agreement pursuant to State Finance Law § 139-j(3) and § 139-j(6)(b)

□ Form 3: Offeror’s Disclosure of Prior Non-Responsibility Determinations and Certification of Compliance with State Finance Law § 139-j and § 139-k

□ Form 4: Diversity Practices Questionnaire

□ Form 5: Supplier Diversity (M/WBE/SDVOB) Utilization Plan and/or Supplier Diversity (MWBE/SDVOB) Request for Waiver Form. Also see Supplier Diversity Provisions in Part 9.

□ Form 6: RFP Checklist and Minimum Qualifications Checklist

□ Form 20: NYS State Finance Law § 139-m Gender-Based Violence and the Workplace Certification

FORMS THAT CUNY MAY REQUIRE FROM THE PRESUMPTIVE AWARDEE

If required by CUNY, the Presumptive Awardee selected as a result of this solicitation (the “Presumptive Awardee”) shall complete, sign, and submit the following forms and certifications as described in Section 2.3.5 through 2.3.12 of Part 10 of this RFP.

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□ Form 7: Executive Law Article 15-A – Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises and Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement

□ Form 8: Evidence in form and substance satisfactory to the University that the Contractor maintains workers’ compensation coverage and disability insurance coverage as required by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Law, or is exempt from this requirement

□ Form 9: New York State Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire (NYS VendRep)

□ Form 10: New York City Vendor and Principal Questionnaire (NYC PASSPort)

FORMS THAT THE CONTRACTOR MUST SUBMIT UPON REQUEST BY CUNY BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE

PROPOSED CONTRACT TERM

□ Form 11: CUNY Substitute W-9 Form

□ Form 12: Workforce Utilization Report

□ Form 13: Supplier Diversity (MWBE/SDVOB) Quarterly Contractor Compliance & Payment Report

□ Form 14: State Consultant Services – Contractor’s Planned Employment (Consultant Disclosure Form A)

□ Form 15: State Consultant Services Contractor’s Annual Employment Report (Consultant Disclosure Form B)

□ Form 16: Tax Law §5-a, Form ST-220-CA – Contractor Certification (Contractor to send to the University)

□ Form 17: Tax Law §5-a, Form ST-220-TD – Contractor Certification (Contractor to send to the State)

□ Form 18: Certified Weekly Payroll Report (for building services and public work contracts)

□ Form 19: Contractor’s Safety Protocols (prepared by the Contractor)

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Part 1: Key Events and Dates; Designated Contacts; Proposal Due Location; Contract Term

Key Events and Dates Action Date CUNY issues RFP for [E-Sourcing] October 9, 2026 Procurement Lobbying Law Restrictions Begin

October 9, 2026

Pre-Proposal Conference/Site-Visit* ☐ Mandatory Not Applicable ☐ Optional Submission of Written Questions Due Date 1 October 19, 2026

CUNY Responses due October 26, 2026 Submission of Written Questions Due Date 2 October 30, 2026 CUNY Responses due November 6, 2026 Proposal Submission Due Date and Time November 13, 2026 02:00PM

**Proposers are advised to read all sections of this RFP document carefully, with emphasis on all terms and conditions. By tendering a response to this solicitation, each proposer agrees that it accepts all terms and conditions in the package without exception. If a vendor requires clarification on, or seeks to propose an exception to, any of the terms and conditions contained in the solicitation package, all such requests must be made in writing prior to the Questions Deadlines listed above. Proposed exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and determinations will be published in a subsequent addendum. Proposers are not to rely upon an exception agreed to for a prior contract award to govern the terms of this solicitation – all proposed exceptions must be introduced and incorporated via addendum issued specifically for this solicitation. A proposer who submits exceptions to the solicitation after the Q&A Period may result in the proposer’s submittal being deemed non-responsive by the University.

CUNY reserves the right to amend any or all of the above dates and will issue such change in writing.

I. Designated Contact(s):

In compliance with the Procurement Lobbying Law, the individual(s) identified below are the

Designated Contact(s) for this Request for Proposals solicitation and may be contacted for all inquiries regarding this solicitation:

The City University of New York

Attention: Michelle Synovitsky

Email shdbids@cuny.edu

New York State Procurement Lobbying Law permits rejection of a Proposal if a Proposer has made any unauthorized contact during the Restricted Period (as defined in the Procurement Lobbying Law).

mailto:shdbids@cuny.edu

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Multiple violations of procurement lobbying restrictions regarding permissible contacts may lead to a Proposer’s being debarred from participating in future New York State procurements.

II. Proposal Due Location:

For this solicitation, CUNY will accept proposals via email.

CUNY is not responsible for the delivery or submission of Proposals. Only Proposals that are sent, and accepted by the Designated Contact, shall be accepted. CUNY is not responsible for Proposals received after the deadline, regardless of the reason for lateness. On a case by case basis, CUNY may deem it acceptable for Proposals to be submitted via e-mail. In that instance, Proposals submitted via e-mail require scans of original (wet) signatures and notarizations to be considered a valid Proposal.

Proposer must submit its Proposal (including any excel spreadsheets) clearly labeled with Proposer’s name and the RFP’s Project name via e-mail with three (3) separate pdf attachments clearly named for Volume I (Forms), Volume II (Technical Proposal), and Volume III (Price Proposal).

III. Anticipated Number of Contracts

CUNY anticipates awarding up to one (1) contract based on an evaluation of best value, as further described in Part 6 of this RFP.

IV. Anticipated Contract Term:

The Contract Term will be [3] year [s] , commencing on the date that the Contract is approved by the Attorney General and the New York State or New York City Comptroller. At the sole discretion of the University, the Contract may be renewed for up to two (2) additional one-year terms (each, a “renewal Option”), under the same terms and conditions as the Initial Term, subject to satisfactory contractor performance, continued need, availability of funding, and the mutual execution of any required renewal documentation. CUNY estimates that the start date will be approximately [insert estimated start date], however CUNY makes no representation that the Contract will commence on or near that date.

V. Questions and Clarifications Regarding RFP Requirements:

All questions, requests for clarifications, or requests for a revision to any term or condition of this RFP must be submitted to the University’s designated contact (see Section I above) prior to the applicable due date(s) for submission of written questions. The University will not consider proposed revisions to the terms and conditions set forth in the RFP after such date(s) and will not negotiate the terms and conditions set forth in the RFP at any other time.

With respect to any requests for revisions to Part 7: Terms and Conditions, please be advised that such requests must be in the following format: a copy of the specific clause with the suggested revisions in redline form. The University will not consider requests for revisions to Part 7 that fail to follow this format.

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Part 2: Proposer Qualifications and Requirements; and Diversity Participation Goals

Paragraph I: Minimum Proposer Qualifications [mandatory qualifications]:

CUNY is seeking (an) appropriately qualified firm(s) with experience in providing these Services. To be considered for Contract award, the Proposer and any Subcontractor(s) must meet the following minimum qualifications:

a. Proposer must have at least three (3) year [s] of experience in providing enterprise e-sourcing, source-to-contract (S2C), strategic sourcing, supplier management, or comparable procurement technology solutions to large, complex organizations comparable in size and scope to CUNY

b. Proposer must have a verifiable operating history of at least five (5) years provifing e-sourcing or procurement technology solutions, with at least three (3) higher education, public sector, or similarly complex institutional clients

c. Demonstrated financial viability and the capacity to support a long-term enterprise SaaS engagement;

d. Demonstrated ability to support enterprise-scale deployments, including organizations with multiple business units, decentralized purchasing operations, and a user population comparable to CUNY's system-wide environment;

e. Demonstrated ability to support, at a minimum, electronic solicitation development and management, supplier registration and onboarding, electronic proposal submission, vendor communications, evaluation workflows, contract award documentation, reporting, and audit trail capabilities;

f. Compliance with applicable industry security standards and best practices, including SOC 2 Type II (or equivalent), data encryption in transit and at rest, multifactor authentication capabilities, and compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local data privacy and cybersecurity requirements;

g. Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA or higher, including ongoing compliance with applicable updates or successor standards during the term of the Contract. Proposer must demonstrate the ability to maintain accessibility compliance following system updates, enhancements, and configuration changes;

h. Demonstrated experience supporting supplier diversity, inclusion, and compliance programs, including tracking and reporting of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOB), and other supplier diversity classifications;

i. Demonstrated ability to integrate with enterprise systems through standard application programming interfaces

(APIs), file-based integrations, or other industry-standard integration methods;

j. Compliance with all mandatory requirements listed in Part 3; and

k. Authorized to conduct business in New York State.

Proposer’s Subcontractors must also possess appropriate qualifications and an acceptable level of experience, as determined by CUNY in its sole discretion.

Paragraph II: Non-Mandatory Proposer Qualifications:

While not mandatory, CUNY prefers Proposers that possess one or more of the following qualifications, experience, or capabilities:

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 8

a. Demonstrated experience providing enterprise e-sourcing, source-to-contract (S2C), procure-to-pay (P2P), or related procurement technology solutions to public higher education systems comparable in size, complexity, and decentralization to CUNY.

b. Experience supporting organizations with twenty (20) or more operating units, campuses, colleges, or business entities within a single implementation.

c. Demonstrated successful implementation of the proposed solution for institutions with annual procurement expenditures exceeding $500 million.

d. Functionality supporting contract lifecycle management (CLM), supplier performance management, supplier risk management, and spend analytics modules integrated within the same platform.

e. Experience supporting supplier diversity programs, including MWBE, SDVOB, small business, and other supplier inclusion initiatives through configurable reporting, tracking, and compliance tools.

f. Proven integrations with enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, financial management systems, identity management platforms, single sign-on solutions, and other procurement-related technologies.

g. Availability of configurable workflow automation capabilities that support complex approval structures, decentralized procurement operations, and delegated purchasing authority.

h. Demonstrated use of artificial intelligence, machine learning, or advanced analytics to improve solicitation development, supplier discovery, bid evaluation support, contract management, or procurement reporting.

i. Availability of a dedicated customer success program, implementation team, and higher education subject matter experts with experience supporting public institutions.

j. Demonstrated history of successful implementations for institutions within the State of New York or other public-sector entities subject to comparable procurement, transparency, and audit requirements.

k. Possession of recognized information security certifications, including ISO 27001, FedRAMP authorization, or other industry-recognized security certifications applicable to the proposed solution.

Paragraph III: Supplier Diversity Participation Goals

CUNY has established a 30% participation goal (based on the current availability of qualified MWBEs) in the aggregate for New York State certified Minority-Owned Business Enterprise ("MBE") and Women-Owned Business Enterprises ("WBE", and, together with MBE, "MWBEs") and a 6% participation goal (based on the current availability of qualified SDVOBs) for New York State certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses ("SDVOB"), to be part of the proposed team to provide the Services as subcontractor(s) or suppliers (the "Subcontractor(s)"). The Contractor shall be required to use good faith efforts to meet these participation goals.

Proposers may identify potential MWBE Subcontractor(s) by, among other means, referencing the directory of New York State certified MWBEs found at the following internet address:

https://ny.newnycontracts.com/

Proposers may identify potential SDVOB Subcontractor(s) by, among other means, referencing the list of

New York State certified SDVOBs found at the following internet address: https://ogs.ny.gov/veterans. CUNY https://ny.newnycontracts.com/ https://ogs.ny.gov/veterans

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As part of the proposer's response, a Supplier Diversity — MWBE/SDVOB Utilization Plan or a Request for Waiver form that is accompanied by supporting documentation must be submitted in order for the proposal to be considered responsive. The selected Contractor will be required to complete a Quarterly Contractor Compliance & Payment Report accompanied by proof of payment to MWBE/SDVOB Subcontractor(s), in such format as shall be required by CUNY on a quarterly basis during the term of the contract. Sample CUNY Supplier Diversity forms and reports may be found at https://www1.cuny.edu/sites/selltocuny/.

https://www1.cuny.edu/sites/selltocuny/

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Part 3: Project Objectives and Scope; Detailed Specifications and Deliverables;

and Contract-Specific Provisions

Introduction and Background The City University of New York ("CUNY" or the "University") is the nation's largest urban public university system, serving more than 240,000 degree-seeking students and operating across twenty-five (25) institutions throughout New York City.

CUNY conducts a broad range of procurements in support of its academic, research, administrative, and operational missions and seeks to continuously improve procurement efficiency, transparency, competition, compliance, and supplier engagement.

CUNY is issuing this Request for Proposals ("RFP") to solicit proposals from qualified firms to provide an enterprise Electronic Sourcing ("E-Sourcing") and Supplier Management Solution (the "Solution"). The Solution will support the University's strategic procurement objectives by modernizing and standardizing sourcing activities, enhancing supplier participation, improving operational efficiency, strengthening procurement controls, and providing robust reporting and audit capabilities.

The University seeks a cloud-based, configurable, and scalable Solution capable of supporting the complete sourcing lifecycle, including supplier registration and management, solicitation development and issuance, vendor communications, electronic bid and proposal submission, evaluation and award workflows, reporting, and supplier diversity tracking. The proposed Solution must support the decentralized nature of CUNY's procurement environment while enabling systemwide visibility, consistency, and oversight.

CUNY currently conducts procurement activities across multiple colleges and administrative units, each with unique operational requirements while operating under the University's procurement policies and applicable federal, state, and local regulations. As procurement activities continue to evolve, the University seeks to implement a modern enterprise e-sourcing platform that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of procurement operations while enhancing the experience of both internal stakeholders and suppliers.

The University intends to leverage the proposed Solution to:

o Modernize and streamline sourcing and solicitation processes;

o Increase supplier participation and competition;

o Enhance transparency, consistency, and accountability in procurement activities;

o Improve compliance with applicable procurement regulations and University policies;

o Support Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise ("MWBE"), Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business

("SDVOB"), and other supplier diversity initiatives;

o Establish comprehensive audit trails and procurement reporting capabilities;

o Reduce manual and paper-based procurement activities;

o Improve collaboration among University procurement professionals, business stakeholders, and suppliers; and o Provide a scalable platform capable of supporting the diverse procurement needs of all CUNY colleges and administrative offices.

The University seeks a strategic technology partner with demonstrated experience implementing and supporting enterprise e-sourcing solutions within higher education, public sector, or similarly complex organizational environments. The selected Contractor shall provide implementation services, configuration, training, support, maintenance, and ongoing enhancements necessary to ensure successful adoption and long-term operation of the Solution.

This RFP is intended to result in the selection of a Solution that will serve as a foundational component of CUNY's procurement modernization strategy for the duration of the Contract Term.

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CUNY Overview

The City University of New York is the nation’s largest urban public university. Founded in New York City in 1847 as the Free Academy, CUNY currently comprises 26 institutions: 11 senior colleges, 7 community colleges, the William E. Macaulay Honors College at CUNY, and 7 graduate and professional schools.

CUNY serves more than 247,000 degree-credit students and 224,000 adult, continuing and professional education students, supported by a workforce of nearly 40,000 employees. Over the past six years, CUNY’s full-time equivalent (FTE) student population has grown at an average rate of approximately 5 percent.

Additional information regarding CUNY’s size, student population, and institutional diversity is available through the Office of Applied Research, Evaluation, and Data Analytics (OAREDA) at the following website:

https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/oareda/.

CUNY Locations. CUNY’s 26 institutions are located throughout the five boroughs of New York City and include a mix of traditional and modern facilities. The University’s physical footprint includes more than 300 buildings encompassing nearly 26 million square feet of space, including state-of-the-art computer centers, science and language laboratories, gymnasiums, theaters, greenhouses, astronomy observatories, and other specialized academic facilities. A map of CUNY academic locations is provided below.

Senior Colleges

• Baruch College

• Brooklyn College

• The City College of New York

(includes the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Studies)

• College of Staten Island

• Hunter College

• John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Lehman College

• Medgar Evers College

• New York City College of

Technology

• Queens College

• York College

Community Colleges

• Borough of Manhattan

Community College

• Bronx Community College

• Hostos Community College

• Kingsborough Community College

• LaGuardia Community College

• Queensborough Community College

• Stella and Charles Guttman Community College (formerly known as and noted as NCC on the map above)

Honors College and Graduate & Professional Schools

• Macaulay Honors College (Multiple Locations)

• The Graduate Center https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/oareda/ http://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/ira/ir.html

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• CUNY School of Law

• CUNY Graduate School of Journalism

• CUNY Graduate School of Public Health and Health Policy

• CUNY School of Professional Studies

• CUNY School of Medicine

• CUNY School of Labor and Urban Studies

3.1 Project Objectives and Scope

The University seeks to procure and implement a comprehensive, cloud-based Electronic Sourcing ("E-Sourcing") and Supplier Management Solution (the "Solution") that will serve as the enterprise platform for managing strategic sourcing, competitive solicitations, supplier engagement, and related procurement activities.

The primary objectives of this Project are to:

• Modernize and standardize procurement and sourcing processes across colleges, schools, and administrative offices.

• Improve efficiency, transparency, consistency, and accountability throughout the procurement lifecycle.

• Enhance supplier participation and competition through a centralized supplier engagement platform.

• Expand opportunities for Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), Service-Disabled

Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOBs), and other diverse suppliers.

• Reduce manual and paper-based procurement activities through workflow automation and electronic processing.

• Strengthen compliance with applicable procurement requirements and internal controls.

• Improve reporting, analytics, and auditability of sourcing activities.

• Support enterprise-wide visibility into procurement and supplier activity.

• Provide a scalable platform capable of supporting diverse operational and business requirements.

• Establish a foundation for long-term procurement modernization and continuous improvement.

3.2 Technical Requirements

Proposals shall provide information detailing the Bidder’s business and ability to provide the following services:

The Contractor shall provide the e-Sourcing Solution through a secure, web-based platform that is fully compatible with CUNY’s enterprise technology environment and supports the University’s procurement and sourcing operations. The proposed solution must be capable of integrating with CUNYBUY, the University’s existing procurement platform, as well as other applicable CUNY enterprise systems and technologies.

The proposed solution must integrate with existing University systems without requiring material modifications to CUNY’s technology infrastructure, software environment, or enterprise architecture, except for limited configuration activities necessary to implement and maintain the solution. Such activities may include the development, configuration, or modification of application programming interfaces (APIs), single sign-on (SSO), data feeds, or other integration methods necessary to support the secure exchange of procurement, supplier, user, sourcing event, and related data.

The e-Sourcing Solution must support secure, standards-based integration through modern, cloud-based, API-enabled architecture. The proposed solution must utilize currently supported technologies and provide appropriate security, authentication, access controls, data protection, and interoperability capabilities consistent with CUNY’s enterprise

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 14 technology environment.

The proposed solution must also be sufficiently flexible and scalable to accommodate changes to CUNY’s procurement processes, organizational structure, transaction volumes, and enterprise systems over the term of the Contract. The solution should be designed to accommodate future system enhancements, upgrades, integrations, or replacements without requiring significant changes to CUNY’s existing infrastructure or substantial redevelopment of the e-Sourcing Solution.

At a minimum, the Solution shall meet the following requirements:

1.3.1 Solicitation Management

The Solution shall provide functionality to create, administer, manage, and track sourcing events throughout the solicitation lifecycle. At a minimum, the Solution shall:

• Support the creation and management of Requests for Quotations (RFQs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Invitations for Bids (IFBs), and other solicitation types utilized by CUNY;

• Provide configurable solicitation templates that may be created, stored, modified, and reused;

• Support the issuance, distribution, and tracking of solicitation addenda;

• Establish and track solicitation schedules, deadlines, milestones, and key procurement activities;

• Support the electronic distribution and publication of solicitation documents and related materials;

• Support solicitation advertisement and publication requirements, including the ability to provide or generate information necessary for external advertisement, where applicable;

• Provide configurable workflows, approvals, routing, and permissions based on solicitation type, procurement process, or user role; and

• Maintain a complete history of solicitation activities, modifications, approvals, and related documentation.

1.3.2 Vendor Management

The Solution shall provide functionality to support vendor participation throughout the sourcing process. At a minimum, the Solution shall:

• Support vendor registration and onboarding;

• Maintain vendor profiles and related information;

• Provide tools for communications between CUNY and participating vendors;

• Generate vendor notifications and alerts regarding solicitation activities, deadlines, addenda, and other applicable events;

• Permit vendors to electronically acknowledge receipt of addenda and other required notices;

• Maintain records of vendor participation in sourcing events; and

• Support the identification and tracking of Minority- and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) and Service-

Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) status, where applicable.

1.3.3 Question and Answer Management

The Solution shall provide centralized functionality for managing questions and communications associated with sourcing events.

At a minimum, the Solution shall:

• Permit vendors to electronically submit questions within established solicitation periods;

• Allow authorized CUNY users to receive, organize, review, assign, and respond to vendor questions;

• Support the consolidation and publication of questions and responses;

• Support the issuance of responses through addenda or other formal solicitation communications;

• Maintain an auditable history of questions, responses, communications, modifications, and publication activities; and

• Restrict vendor access to information or communications that are not authorized for publication.

1.3.4 Electronic Proposal Submission

The Solution shall provide a secure electronic environment for the receipt and management of bids, proposals, quotations, and other solicitation responses. At a minimum, the Solution shall:

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• Support secure electronic submission of vendor responses;

• Permit the upload of proposal documents, attachments, pricing files, and other required materials;

• Automatically record the date and time of each submission;

• Provide vendors with electronic confirmation of successful submission;

• Prevent unauthorized access to submitted responses prior to the established opening date and time;

• Support controlled electronic bid or proposal opening by authorized CUNY personnel;

• Permit vendors to withdraw and, where permitted by the solicitation, resubmit responses prior to the applicable submission deadline; and

• Maintain an auditable record of submissions, withdrawals, resubmissions, and opening activities.

1.3.5 Evaluation and Scoring

The Solution shall provide functionality to support the evaluation and scoring of vendor responses. At a minimum, the Solution shall:

• Support assignment of evaluators and evaluation teams;

• Permit individual evaluator scoring and documentation;

• Support configurable technical, financial, and other evaluation criteria;

• Support weighted scoring methodologies, where applicable;

• Support consensus scoring and evaluation workflows;

• Permit evaluators to enter comments, notes, and supporting documentation;

• Restrict evaluator access based on assigned roles and permissions;

• Maintain audit trails of evaluation activities, scoring changes, approvals, and related actions; and

• Support the preparation and retention of final evaluation results and recommendation documentation.

1.3.6 Reporting, Records, and Auditability

The Solution shall provide reporting, recordkeeping, and audit capabilities sufficient to support CUNY’s procurement administration and oversight requirements. At a minimum, the Solution shall:

• Provide standard sourcing and procurement activity reports;

• Support configurable and ad hoc reporting;

• Provide dashboards displaying sourcing activity, status, milestones, and other relevant metrics;

• Permit authorized users to export reports and sourcing data in commonly used formats;

• Maintain comprehensive audit trails for sourcing activities, user actions, communications, approvals, evaluations, and system events;

• Maintain sourcing records and associated documentation in accordance with applicable CUNY and New York State record-retention requirements; and

• Support retrieval and export of complete sourcing event records for audit, legal, reporting, or administrative purposes.

1.3.7 Hosting and System Architecture

The Solution shall be provided as a secure, cloud-based Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) offering hosted within the continental United States.

The Solution shall utilize currently supported technologies and a modern, scalable architecture capable of supporting CUNY’s enterprise sourcing environment. The Solution shall be designed to accommodate changes in transaction volumes, user populations, procurement processes, and CUNY enterprise technologies without requiring material modifications to CUNY’s existing infrastructure.

1.3.8 Security Requirements

The Solution shall provide security controls appropriate for an enterprise procurement and sourcing environment. At a minimum, the Solution shall:

• Provide configurable role-based access controls;

• Encrypt data in transit and at rest using industry-standard encryption methods;

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• Support multi-factor authentication, where required;

• Support secure user authentication and authorization;

• Maintain comprehensive system and user audit logs;

• Provide appropriate controls for protecting confidential and procurement-sensitive information;

• Provide backup, business continuity, and disaster recovery capabilities; and

• Support applicable CUNY information security requirements and security review processes.

1.3.9 Integration Requirements

The Solution shall provide secure, standards-based integration capabilities with CUNY’s enterprise technology environment. At a minimum, the Solution shall be capable of integrating, as required, with:

• CUNYBUY (Jaggaer), CUNY’s procurement platform;

• CUNYfirst/PeopleSoft and successor enterprise systems, where applicable;

• CUNY-supported Single Sign-On (SSO) and identity management solutions; and

• Other CUNY systems that may require the secure exchange of procurement, supplier, user, sourcing event, or related data.

The Solution shall support modern application programming interfaces (APIs), secure file-based integrations, or other industry-standard integration methods. Integration shall not require material modifications to CUNY’s existing technology infrastructure, software environment, or enterprise architecture.

The Solution shall be sufficiently flexible to accommodate future upgrades, replacements, or changes to CUNY enterprise systems without requiring substantial redevelopment of the Solution.

1.3.10 Accessibility Requirements

The Solution shall conform to applicable federal, New York State, and CUNY accessibility requirements and shall, at a minimum, conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA or any successor standard required by CUNY during the Contract term.

The Contractor shall provide documentation demonstrating the accessibility of the proposed Solution and shall cooperate with any accessibility review or testing required by CUNY.

1.3.11 Implementation Services

The Contractor shall provide all services necessary to implement, configure, test, deploy, and stabilize the Solution. At a minimum, implementation services shall include:

• Project management;

• Requirements validation and implementation planning;

• System configuration;

• Integration development and configuration;

• Data migration or data-loading activities, where applicable;

• User Acceptance Testing (UAT) support;

• Administrator and end-user training;

• Production deployment and go-live support; and

• Post-implementation stabilization and support.

The Bidder shall provide, as part of its Proposal, a proposed implementation approach, project plan, timeline, key milestones, resource requirements, roles and responsibilities, dependencies, and anticipated participation required from CUNY. The proposed implementation plan shall identify the anticipated timeframe from contract execution through production go-live.

To be included in IT related contracts

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3 The Contractor must comply with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations regarding the accessibility of the Services for those who are disabled. Any network-based information and applications development, or programming, including, but not limited to, websites delivered to or by the State of New York pursuant to this contract or procurement, will comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Executive Law Section 170-f, as amended, and be consistent with New York State

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 18

Enterprise IT Policy NYS-P08-005, Accessibility of Information Communication Technology, as such policy may be amended, modified, or superseded (the “Accessibility Policy”). The Accessibility Policy requires, and Contractor must ensure that State Entity Information Communication

Technology shall be accessible to all users, including those with disabilities as determined by accessibility compliance testing. Such accessibility compliance testing will be conducted by CUNY and any report on the results of such testing must be satisfactory to CUNY, as an explicit condition of being awarded the Contract.

In accordance with Section 170-f of the New York State Executive Law, Contractor represents and warrants that the Services’ online content and functionality shall conform to the most current version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines adopted by the World Wide Web Consortium for accessibility or any successor guidelines/standards (“WCAG Standards”), that are incorporated herein by reference.

Upon request and prior to Contract Award, vendors seeking to be awarded a contract by the University must provide an Accessibility Conformance Report (“ACR”) or a completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (“VPAT”) that includes vendor’s representation and warranty that the Services comply with the WCAG Standards. Please note that an ACR or VPAT need not be submitted with a Bid Submission, Proposal or Quote but if requested, then vendor must submit an ACR or VPAT upon request within the timeframe required by the University as an explicit condition prior to being awarded a Contract. The ACR or VPAT must reflect the vendor’s current software release of the Services. Vendor will be required to warrant that the Services’ online content and functionality shall meet or exceed the accessibility standards specified in its ACR or VPAT throughout the Term of this Contract.

Upon request, Contractor also must provide temporary test credentials to the University so that the University is able to perform a test of the Services to verify that the Services meet the requisite accessibility standards.

CUNY will need to review, verify, and accept Contractor’s ACR or VPAT prior to the award of a contract.

If after award of a contract to a vendor (“Contractor”), CUNY determines that a user of the Services requires a special modification in order to comply with WCAG Standards, then the University shall submit a written request to the Contractor for a modification to the Services, and the Contractor shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide necessary modification(s) promptly.

In the event that compliance with WCAG standards requires more than commercially reasonable efforts, then the Contractor shall engage in good faith negotiations with CUNY to amend the Contract. In the event that the Contractor

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 19 cannot modify the Services to comply with WCAG Standards following good faith negotiations to amend the Contract, then the University shall have the right to terminate the Contract upon thirty (30) days’ written notice.

The University will not award a Contract to any vendor that: (a) if requested, fails to promptly submit an ACR or completed VPAT that verifies the Services’ compliance with WCAG Standards; (b) submits an ACR or completed VPAT that does not meet WCAG Standards ; (c) does not provide the necessary credentials to allow the University to test and verify the accessibility of the online content and functionality of the proposed Services; or (d) provides temporary test credentials that result in a determination that demonstrates that the Services do not meet requisite accessibility standards.

The University’s Information Security division provides a comprehensive management framework that includes policies, assessments, tools, and tested procedures to build defensive strategies and capabilities for effective responses.

IT Security

The Contractor’s Services must adhere to industry best practices - including regular intrusion detection, firewalls, and layered security including anti-virus and anti-spam protection where applicable. The Solution must include/have measures to ensure that data records are transported, stored, and accessed in a secure manner and that information being displayed on websites or transmitted over internet has not been altered in any way by an unauthorized party.

To ensure the highest standards of IT security during the term of the Contract, Contractor must adhere to the CUNY Service Provider Standard, including incident response protocols during the term of the Contract. Also, annually, the Contractor must timely submit all required reports, including SOC2, PCI, or

SSAE.

In addition, where applicable (e.g., vendor processes credit card payments for CUNY), the Contractor must provide a PCI report to demonstrate compliance with industry standards and safeguard sensitive information when Contractor is required to provide the SOC report.

Vendors must follow CUNY's cybersecurity best practices to maintain a secure working environment, including adhering to the CUNY Policy on Acceptable Use of Digital Assets and Resources and the CUNY-Data- Classification-Standard

3.8 Insurance

3.8.1 Before performing any Work and during performance of this Contract and up to the date of final acceptance of the Work, Contractor shall procure and maintain with companies satisfactory to the University, the following types of insurance, in the amounts shown below.

https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/cis/information-security/security-policies-procedures/CUNY-Service-Provider-Standard.pdf https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-resources/Computer-Use-1.pdf https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/cis/it-policies/CUNY-Data-Classification-Standard.pdf https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/cis/it-policies/CUNY-Data-Classification-Standard.pdf https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/cis/it-policies/CUNY-Data-Classification-Standard.pdf https://www.cuny.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/page-assets/about/administration/offices/cis/it-policies/CUNY-Data-Classification-Standard.pdf

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 20

3.8.2 Workers' Compensation Insurance: Statutory Workers' Compensation

Insurance in accord with the Laws of the State on behalf of all employees who are to provide labor or service under this Contract.

3.8.3 Employer's Liability Insurance: Employer's Liability Insurance affording compensation for all employees providing labor or services for whom Workers' Compensation coverage is not a statutory requirement. Such insurance shall be in an amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) per accident.

3.8.4 Professional Liability/Errors& Omissions and Internet Policies:

Professional Liability/Error & Omissions and Internet Policies in the Contractor’s name and naming the University, the City, and the State as additional insureds. The policy(ies) shall include 44 of 119 coverage to the above-named entities for professional services, security and privacy, and include a waiver of subrogation in favor of the University. Such insurance shall be in an amount not less than two million dollars ($2,000,000.00) per occurrence.

3.8.5 ID Theft and Cyber Extortion Policy: ID Theft and Cyber Extortion Policy in the Contractor’s name and naming the University, the City and the State as additional insureds. The policy(ies) shall include coverage to the above-named entities for crisis management and public relations expense and include a waiver of subrogation in favor of the University. Such insurance shall be in an amount not less than two million dollars ($2,000,000) per occurrence.

3.8.6 Umbrella or Excess Liability Insurance: Umbrella or Excess Liability Insurance shall include coverage to the above-named entities in an amount not less than five million dollars ($5,000,000.00).

3.8.7 Contractor shall deliver to the University certificates of such insurance or authority for self-insurance before Contractor commences the Work and/or upon request by the University.

3.8.9 Contractor shall ensure that no insurance policy required by this Contract may be canceled, terminated, modified or changed by Contractor's insurer unless thirty (30) calendar days’ prior written notice is sent by certified mail to the University.

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 21

3.8.9 Contractor shall ensure that no insurance policy required by this Contract shall be canceled, terminated, modified or changed by Contractor's insurer without prior written consent of the University.

3.8.10 No insurance policy required hereunder shall be invalidated by reason of any of the terms of any policy issued by the insurance company to Contractor.

3.8.11 Through an executed amendment to this Contract by the University and Contractor, the University reserves the right to add additional insurance requirements and Contractor shall procure such additional insurance requirements within such period as the parties agree in the amendment.

3.8.12 The University reserves the right to request certified complete copies of required insurance policies at any time. Contractor shall provide such requested copies within three (3) calendar days of notice of request for same.

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CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 22

Part 4: Technical and Management Proposal Requirements (Proposal Volume II)

This Part establishes the requirements for the Bidder’s Technical, Functional, and Management Proposal. CUNY is seeking a secure, scalable, configurable, and user-friendly e-Sourcing Solution capable of supporting the University’s sourcing and solicitation activities across its colleges and administrative units.

The Bidder’s Proposal shall demonstrate how the proposed Solution will meet CUNY’s functional and technical requirements, integrate with CUNY’s enterprise technology environment, support efficient and transparent procurement processes, and provide the implementation, training, maintenance, and ongoing support necessary for successful deployment and operation throughout the Contract term.

CUNY will evaluate the Bidder’s proposed Solution based on the requirements set forth in this Part, Attachment A – e- Sourcing Functional and Technical Requirements, and the applicable evaluation criteria established in this RFP.

4.1 General Requirements

The Technical, Functional, and Management Proposal (“Technical Proposal”) shall clearly describe the Bidder’s proposed e- Sourcing Solution (“Solution”) and demonstrate the Bidder’s ability to satisfy the functional, technical, operational, security, integration, implementation, training, support, and management requirements established by this RFP.

The Technical Proposal shall provide sufficient information for CUNY to evaluate the Solution’s functionality, technical architecture, usability, configurability, scalability, security, interoperability, implementation approach, ongoing support model, and ability to meet CUNY’s current and future sourcing needs.

The Technical Proposal shall not contain any cost or pricing information. All cost and pricing information shall be submitted separately as part of the Cost Proposal in accordance with the requirements of this RFP.

The Technical Proposal shall consist of the following components:

o Completed Attachment A – e-Sourcing Functional and Technical Requirements;

o Written Technical, Functional, and Management Proposal; and o Solution Demonstration, if requested by CUNY.

o All products, services, functionality, integrations, implementation services, maintenance, support, and other components proposed by the Bidder shall comply with the requirements of this RFP and shall be sufficient to provide CUNY with a complete and operational e-Sourcing Solution.

4.2 Attachment A – e-Sourcing Functional and Technical Requirements

The Bidder shall complete and submit Attachment A – e-Sourcing Functional and Technical Requirements in the format provided by CUNY.

Attachment A constitutes CUNY’s requirements matrix for evaluating the Solution’s functional, operational, technical, security, integration, and related capabilities.

The Bidder shall provide a complete and accurate response to each requirement and shall not alter the structure, requirements, formulas, response fields, or other protected elements of Attachment A.

The Bidder’s responses to Attachment A may be used by CUNY during Proposal evaluation, Solution Demonstrations, implementation, User Acceptance Testing (“UAT”), and final verification of the functionality and capabilities represented in the Bidder’s Proposal.

The Bidder shall identify whether each requirement is satisfied by the proposed Solution and, where required by Attachment

CUNY E-Sourcing RFP UCO-1024 23

A, identify how the requirement is provided, including whether the capability is:

o Available out of the box;

o Available through configuration;

o Available through customization;

o Provided through a third-party solution or service; or o Provided through another method identified and explained by the Bidder.

Where explanation is required, the Bidder shall clearly describe any configuration, customization, third-party dependency, integration, development, or other activity necessary to satisfy the requirement.

Failure to fully and accurately complete Attachment A in accordance with the instructions provided may result in the Proposal being deemed non-responsive.

4.3 Written Technical, Functional, and Management Proposal

The Bidder shall submit a Written Technical, Functional, and Management Proposal as one (1) searchable electronic document, separate from Attachment A.

The Written Technical, Functional, and Management Proposal shall address, at a minimum, the following areas.

4.3.1 Solution Overview

The Bidder shall provide a clear and concise overview of the proposed e-Sourcing Solution and its ability to support CUNY’s sourcing and solicitation activities.

At a minimum, the Solution Overview shall describe:

o The overall purpose, design, and core capabilities of the Solution;

o The Solution’s ability to support the sourcing lifecycle, including solicitation development, vendor communications, electronic proposal submission, evaluation, scoring, award-related…