SUNY RFP # PROC2026-02 Enrollment Marketing Services.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

RFP # PROC2026-02

Enrollment Marketing Services

September 16, 2026

Deadline for Submissions: October 9, 2026 @ 4:00 PM EST

Designated Contact:

Gretchen Fronczak Director of Procurement & University Services P: 716-673-3257 Email: Gretchen.Fronczsk@fredonia.edu

Version 03092020

Table of Contents of CONTENTS

Summary Information Form

Overview

Background

Section 3.1: University Background

Section 3.2: Project Description

Bidder Qualifications

Section 4.1: Minimum Bidder Qualifications

Section 4.2: Preferred Bidder Qualifications / Experience

Scope of Services

Section 5.1: Mandatory Services

Cost Proposal

Key Events

Section 7.1: Bidder Questions

Section 7.2: Pre-Bid Conference

Section 7.3: Pre-Bid Site Visit

Section 7.4: Bid Opening

Method of Award

Section 8.1: Evaluation Process

Section 8.2: SUNY Reserved Rights

Proposal Submission Requirements

Section 9.1: Proposal Format

Other Proposal Requirements

Section 10.1: Determination of Vendor Responsibility

Section 10.2: Procurement Lobbying Act – State Finance Law §§ 139-j and 139-k

Section 10.3: Non-Collusive Bidding Certification

Section 10.4: Executive Order 162 (EO 162)

Section 10.5: Executive Order 177 (EO 177)

Section 10.6: New York State Finance Law § 139-l Certification

Section 10.7: New York State Finance Law § 139-M Certification

Section 10.8: Diversity Requirements

Equal Employment Opportunity Requirements

Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOB)

Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE)

Assessment of Diversity Practices

Section 10.9: Subcontracting

Section 10.10: General Insurance Requirements

Section 10.11: Automobile Insurance Requirements

Section 10.12: Compliance with NYS Consulting Services Reporting Requirements

General Contract Terms & Conditions

Attachment 1 Bidder Submission Checklist Attachment 2 Bidder Qualifications Submission Form NYS Finance Law §§139-j & 139-k Forms:

Form A - Summary: Policy & Procedure Relating to SFL §§139-j & 139-k Form B - Affirmation with respect to SFL §§139-j & 139-k Form C - Disclosure and Certification with respect to SFL §§139-j & 139-k

Public Officers Law Form (Form XIII) Bidder Certifications:

EO 177 Certification (Non-Discrimination) State Finance Law 139-L Certification Non-Collusive Bidding Certification State Finance Law 139-M Certification

NYS Executive Order 16 Certification / Russia Attestation Diversity Practices Questionnaire Encouraging Use of NYS Businesses (Subcontractor Identification Form) Cost Proposal Worksheet Freedom of Information Law (FOIL) Notification MWBE/SDVOB Forms:

MWBE Form 7557-104 Equal Opportunity Policy Statement MWBE Form 7557-107 MWBE Utilization Plan MWBE Form 7557-108 EEO Staffing Plan SDVOB Form 7564-107 SDVOB Utilization Plan State Consultant Services Reporting (OSC Forms A & B)

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Summary Information Form

THIS PAGE MUST BE SIGNED AND RETURNED WITH BIDDER’S RESPONSE

By signing this form, Bidder acknowledges (a) that the RFP instructions are understood; (b) that the Bidder is committed to servicing SUNY’s needs in the required time period; and (c) that all information required by this RFP has been included in Bidder’s proposal.

RFP #:

PROC2026-02

RFP Title:

Enrollment Marketing Services

RFP Release Date:

09/16/2026

Electronic copies of this RFP are available at: https://www.nyscr.ny.gov/ Key Events Requested Submission of Questions and Requests for Clarification 10/01/2026 @ 4:00 PM EST Response to questions/requests for clarification issued 10/05/2026 @ 4:00 PM EST Pre-Bid Conference (if applicable) N/A Pre-Bid Site Visit (if applicable) N/A Notice of Intent to Bid Due (if applicable) N/A Proposal Due Date and Time (Any proposal received after the deadline will not be considered) 10/09/2026 @ 3:00 PM

Presentation/Demonstration (Via Video) End of October 2026 (Tentative) Anticipated Notification of Award November 2026 (Tentative) Anticipated Contract Start Date January 2027

SUNY reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify the above schedule.

Bidders will be notified via the NYS Contract Reporter of any changes in a timely manner.

Contact Information Primary Contact: Gretchen Fronczak

Director of Procurement & University Services Phone: Phone: 716-673-3257 Email: uniserv@fredonia.edu

Address:

280 Central Avenue Fredonia, NY 14063

Restricted Period In accordance with the requirements of New York State Finance Law Sections 139j and 139k (“Lobbying Law”), the restricted period for this procurement is now in effect. Therefore, all communications regarding this procurement must be handled through the State University of New York’s designated contacts only.

Bidder Information Legal Business Name of Company Bidding: Bidder’s Federal Tax

Identification Number:

D/B/A – Doing Business As (if applicable): NYS Vendor ID Number:

Street Address: City/State: Zip Code:

If applicable, place an “x” in the appropriate box: (check all that apply) Small Business (if checked, provide # of employees___) Disabled Veteran Owned Business Minority Owned Business (NYS Certified) Women Owned Business (NYS Certified)

If you are not bidding, place an “x” in the box and return this page only.

We are unable to bid at this time because:

Bidders Signature: Title:

Printed Name: Date:

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This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the State University of New York at Fredonia (herein after referred to as “SUNY Fredonia”) to solicit proposals for comprehensive student search, recruitment, and enrollment services designed to expand the University’s prospective student pipeline, increase qualified inquiries and applications, and improve enrollment yield.

The results of this RFP will be used to award a 1-year contract, with the option to renew for 2 additional 1-year terms, to the Bidder determined to be most qualified.

Section 3.1: University Background

SUNY Fredonia is a four-year, public, comprehensive, residential university located in Western New York, approximately 50 miles south of Buffalo and 45 miles northeast of Erie, Pennsylvania. The University enrolls more than 3,100 students and offers more than 65 degree programs across the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, School of Business, School of Music, Department of Theatre and Dance, and College of Education, Health Sciences and Human Services. Founded in 1826, SUNY Fredonia is recognized for its strong academic programs, welcoming campus environment, and commitment to student engagement and success.

As one of 13 comprehensive universities within the State University of New York (SUNY) system, Fredonia combines the resources and opportunities of the nation’s largest comprehensive public university system with the personal attention and community of a smaller institution. SUNY Fredonia’s brand essence — “We lead students to embrace their passions, plans and paths, wherever they go”— reflects the University’s commitment to student success, affordability, access, experiential learning, and a vibrant residential campus experience.

SUNY Fredonia is seeking to grow and diversify its enrollment by strengthening its prospective student recruitment strategy and expanding the number of students entering and progressing through the enrollment funnel. SUNY Fredonia seeks to enhance its ability to identify and engage prospective undergraduate and graduate students, generate qualified inquiries and applications, expand its reach within existing and emerging geographic markets and student populations, and improve the conversion and yield of admitted students.

Through this RFP, SUNY Fredonia seeks a partner that can complement the University’s existing enrollment operation through strategic expertise, data-informed student search and recruitment, innovative and personalized communications, and enrollment -focused services throughout the student recruitment lifecycle. SUNY Fredonia currently utilizes Technolutions Slate as its primary customer relationship management (CRM) platform and seeks solutions that can effectively integrate with and enhance its existing recruitment and communication infrastructure. The selected partner should provide SUNY Fredonia with both the tools and strategies necessary to expand the prospective student pipeline while demonstrating measurable impact on inquiry generation, application growth, admitted student engagement, and enrollment yield.

Overview

Background

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Section 3.2: Project Description

The purpose of this RFP is to engage a qualified enrollment services partner to support SUNY Fredonia in growing undergraduate and graduate enrollment through a comprehensive, data-informed approach to student search, recruitment, application generation, and enrollment yield. The selected vendor will collaborate with SUNY Fredonia’s Office of Admissions to expand the University’s prospective student pipeline, increase the number of qualified inquiries and applicants, and improve conversion of students throughout the enrollment funnel.

SUNY Fredonia is seeking a partner capable of supplementing and extending the work of its existing admissions operation rather than simply providing access to prospective student names or executing individual recruitment campaigns. The selected vendor should bring demonstrated expertise in higher education enrollment strategy, prospective student identification and acquisition, audience segmentation, communication strategy, application generation, and admitted student yield.

The University expects the selected vendor to assist SUNY Fredonia in identifying and engaging prospective students who may not currently exist within the University’s recruitment database, while also improving engagement and conversion among existing prospects and inquiries. Proposed strategies should address multiple stages of the enrollment lifecycle, including prospect and inquiry generation, inquiry-to-application conversion, application completion, admitted student engagement, and enrollment yield.

SUNY Fredonia utilizes Technolutions Slate as its primary admissions CRM and communication platform. The selected vendor will be expected to work within, integrate with, or otherwise complement the University’s existing Slate environment. Solutions should allow SUNY Fredonia to maintain appropriate access to student data and visibility into recruitment activity while minimizing unnecessary duplication of systems and processes.

The University is particularly interested in approaches that allow recruitment strategies to be differentiated by student population, academic interest, geography, enrollment level, and stage of the enrollment funnel. While SUNY Fredonia has established recruitment priorities and existing enrollment strategies, respondents are encouraged to use their expertise, data, technology, and experience to recommend additional audiences, markets, communication approaches, and recruitment strategies that demonstrate potential for enrollment growth.

The successful respondent will demonstrate how its proposed services will produce measurable enrollment outcomes. While intermediate measures such as prospect engagement, inquiry generation, communication engagement, and application activity are important indicators of performance, SUNY Fredonia’s primary objective for this engagement is increased enrollment. Accordingly, proposed services should include clear methodologies for measuring performance throughout the enrollment funnel and evaluating the vendor’s contribution to application growth, admitted student conversion, deposits, and ultimately enrolled students.

SUNY Fredonia anticipates allocating up to $350,000 annually for the student search, 8 | Page recruitment, application generation, yield, technology, communication, consulting, and related enrollment services included within this RFP. Respondents are encouraged to propose the allocation of these resources that they believe will produce the greatest measurable impact on enrollment and should clearly identify all costs associated with their proposed approach.

Digital advertising, paid media placement, and media buying are not included within this allocation and will be procured separately by SUNY Fredonia.

SUNY Fredonia anticipates entering into an agreement that allows recruitment strategies and resource allocation to evolve based upon enrollment priorities, campaign performance, market conditions, and available funding. Respondents should clearly identify proposed service costs, technology or platform fees, student search or data acquisition costs, communication and campaign expenses, and any other fees associated with the proposed solution.

Section 4.1: Minimum Bidder Qualifications

1. Platinum Preferred Slate Partner The bidder must be a current Platinum Preferred Partner of Technolutions Slate and must maintain this designation throughout the term of the resulting agreement. The bidder must demonstrate substantial experience working within Slate environments for undergraduate and/or graduate student recruitment and enrollment operations.

The bidder shall identify its current Slate partnership status within its proposal and provide documentation or other verification of its designation upon request.

2. Slate-Integrated Student Search and Recruitment Process The bidder must provide a student search and recruitment solution that is integrated with SUNY Fredonia's Technolutions Slate environment. The proposed solution must support the timely and secure exchange of prospective student, inquiry, application, engagement, and enrollment data necessary to execute and evaluate recruitment activities.

The integration must support an ongoing recruitment workflow and shall not rely exclusively upon periodic manual file transfers or disconnected systems. The bidder must describe its proposed Slate integration, including data exchange methods, frequency of data synchronization, data ownership, required University resources, implementation responsibilities, and any additional technology required to support the integration.

3. Independence from Digital Marketing Contract The services solicited through this RFP are separate and distinct from SUNY Fredonia's digital marketing and paid media activities. The bidder selected through this RFP will not be awarded a contract through this procurement to provide digital advertising, paid media placement, media buying, or other services designated by SUNY Fredonia as part of its separate digital marketing function.

Bidder Qualifications

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The bidder must demonstrate the ability and willingness to collaborate with a third-party digital marketing vendor designated by SUNY Fredonia. Such collaboration may include coordination of recruitment audiences, campaign timing, enrollment priorities, messaging strategy, landing pages, lead generation, data exchange, attribution, performance reporting, and other activities necessary to provide an integrated student recruitment strategy.

The selected bidder shall not require SUNY Fredonia to purchase digital advertising, paid media, or related digital marketing services from the bidder or an affiliated entity as a condition of receiving the services included within this RFP.

4. Demonstrated Higher Education Enrollment Experience

The bidder must demonstrate a minimum of five (5) years of experience providing student search, recruitment, enrollment, or related enrollment management services to accredited colleges or universities.

The bidder must demonstrate experience supporting institutions with enrollment objectives comparable to those identified by SUNY Fredonia, including prospective student pipeline development, inquiry generation, application generation, enrollment conversion, and yield.

5. Comprehensive Enrollment Funnel Capabilities

The bidder must demonstrate the capability to provide services across multiple stages of the student recruitment and enrollment funnel. At a minimum, the bidder's proposed solution must include capabilities related to:

Prospective student identification and/or acquisition;

Student search and inquiry generation;

Prospect and inquiry engagement;

Inquiry-to-application conversion;

Application generation and completion;

Admitted student engagement;

Deposit and enrollment yield; and Measurement and analysis of recruitment and enrollment outcomes.

Bidders offering services limited primarily to name acquisition, list purchasing, digital advertising, or a single stage of the enrollment funnel will not satisfy this qualification.

6. Data-Informed Recruitment and Audience Segmentation

The bidder must demonstrate the ability to develop and execute recruitment strategies utilizing institutional, demographic, behavioral, geographic, academic interest, and/or other relevant student data.

The bidder must have the capability to segment prospective student populations and recommend differentiated recruitment strategies based upon factors including, but not limited to, geographic market, academic interest, student characteristics, enrollment level, and stage within the enrollment funnel.

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7. Net-New Prospect and Inquiry Generation The bidder must demonstrate an established methodology for identifying, acquiring, or generating prospective students who are not already contained within SUNY Fredonia's recruitment database.

The bidder must explain the sources, methodologies, partnerships, technologies, or other approaches used to expand an institution's prospective student population and must demonstrate previous success converting newly identified prospects into inquiries, applicants, and enrolled students.

8. Recruitment Communication Capabilities

The bidder must demonstrate experience developing and/or supporting multi-channel student recruitment communications designed specifically for higher education enrollment.

Capabilities may include email, SMS/text messaging, direct mail, personalized web experiences, landing pages, student portals, telephone outreach, or other communication channels. Proposed communication activities must be capable of coordinating with SUNY Fredonia's existing institutional communications and Slate communication environment.

9. Enrollment Strategy and Consulting Expertise

The bidder must provide dedicated enrollment strategy expertise as part of the proposed engagement. The bidder must identify the personnel or team responsible for providing strategic guidance and demonstrate experience interpreting enrollment data, identifying recruitment opportunities, evaluating campaign performance, and recommending adjustments based upon results.

The relationship must include ongoing strategic consultation and performance review and may not consist solely of access to technology, software, student names, or standardized campaigns.

10. Measurement, Attribution, and Reporting

The bidder must demonstrate the ability to measure and report performance throughout the enrollment funnel, including the progression of students from prospect and inquiry through application, admission, deposit, and enrollment.

The bidder must provide SUNY Fredonia with regular access to performance data and must demonstrate a methodology for evaluating the effectiveness of its services and their contribution to enrollment outcomes.

Reporting must allow SUNY Fredonia to distinguish, to the extent reasonably possible, between students influenced or generated through the bidder's services and students originating through other University recruitment sources.

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11. Data Ownership and Portability SUNY Fredonia must retain ownership of its institutional data and student recruitment data generated through the resulting engagement, subject to applicable law and any legitimate third-party data licensing restrictions disclosed in the bidder's proposal.

The bidder must provide SUNY Fredonia with reasonable access to and the ability to export relevant student-level recruitment, engagement, and performance data throughout the term of the agreement and upon its conclusion. The bidder must disclose any limitations regarding data ownership, access, retention, portability, or use as part of its proposal.

12. Information Security and Student Data Protection

The bidder must demonstrate appropriate administrative, technical, and physical safeguards for protecting prospective student and institutional data and must comply with all applicable federal and New York State requirements governing data privacy and security.

The bidder must identify any subcontractors, third-party platforms, or external data providers that will receive, process, transmit, or store SUNY Fredonia data as part of the proposed services.

13. References and Demonstrated Results

The bidder must provide a minimum of three (3) references from accredited colleges or universities for which the bidder has provided services comparable in scope to those proposed for SUNY Fredonia.

At least two (2) references must represent engagements active within the previous three years. References should be able to speak to the bidder's performance related to implementation, Slate integration, student search, application generation, enrollment conversion, account management, and measurable enrollment outcomes.

14. Organizational and Financial Capacity

The bidder must demonstrate sufficient organizational, technical, and financial capacity to perform the services described in this RFP throughout the anticipated contract period.

The bidder must disclose any subcontractors or strategic partners that will perform material portions of the proposed services and clearly identify the responsibilities of each organization.

SUNY Fredonia reserves the right to determine whether a bidder has demonstrated sufficient capacity, experience, and organizational stability to successfully perform the required services.

Section 4.2: Preferred Bidder Qualifications / Experience

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1. Experience with Public Higher Education The bidder must demonstrate experience working with public colleges or universities and an understanding of the enrollment environment in which public institutions operate, including affordability, geographic recruitment, institutional competition, changing student demographics, and applicable procurement and data requirements.

2. Dedicated Account Management and Implementation Support The bidder must provide a dedicated account management structure and identify personnel responsible for implementation, enrollment strategy, Slate integration, campaign execution, data analysis, and ongoing support.

The bidder must demonstrate the capacity to implement the proposed solution according to SUNY Fredonia's recruitment calendar and provide appropriate support during critical recruitment periods.

Section 5.1: Mandatory Services

A.) Enrollment Strategy and Planning The Contractor shall work collaboratively with SUNY Fredonia’s Office of Admissions to develop and execute an annual enrollment recruitment strategy aligned with University enrollment goals, institutional priorities, available resources, and changing market conditions.

Services shall include:

Assessment of SUNY Fredonia’s existing recruitment funnel, enrollment performance, student populations, geographic markets, and recruitment practices;

Identification of opportunities for enrollment growth and improvement throughout the recruitment funnel;

Development of annual and cycle-specific recruitment strategies;

Recommendations regarding target populations, geographic markets, academic programs, and other potential areas for enrollment growth;

Establishment of measurable goals and key performance indicators for proposed recruitment activities; and Regular strategic consultation with University enrollment leadership to evaluate performance and adjust strategies throughout the recruitment cycle.

B.) Prospective Student Search and Inquiry Generation The Contractor shall provide a comprehensive student search strategy designed to expand SUNY Fredonia’s prospective student population and generate qualified inquiries.

The Contractor must demonstrate the ability to identify and engage prospective students who do not currently exist within SUNY Fredonia’s recruitment database.

Scope of Services

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Services may utilize student search data, predictive modeling, behavioral data, third-party data sources, audience development, lead generation, or other methodologies proposed by the Contractor.

The Contractor shall:

Identify prospective student populations with demonstrated potential to consider, apply to, and enroll at SUNY Fredonia;

Develop strategies to expand SUNY Fredonia’s recruitment reach within existing and emerging markets;

Support acquisition and/or generation of new prospective student records;

Develop strategies for converting prospective students into identifiable inquiries;

Provide recommendations regarding the timing, size, composition, and segmentation of student search populations; and Measure the progression and performance of students generated through search activities throughout the enrollment funnel.

C.) Audience Identification, Segmentation, and Targeting

The Contractor shall provide data-informed audience development and segmentation capabilities to allow SUNY Fredonia to differentiate recruitment strategies based upon student characteristics and enrollment potential.

Segmentation capabilities should include, where appropriate:

Geographic location;

Academic interests;

Student demographics;

Enrollment level;

Recruitment source;

Student behaviors and engagement;

Stage within the enrollment funnel;

Likelihood to apply and/or enroll; and Other characteristics demonstrated by the Contractor to be predictive or useful for student recruitment.

The Contractor shall assist SUNY Fredonia in determining which populations should receive additional recruitment investment and recommend strategies appropriate to those populations.

D.) Recruitment Communications and Engagement

The Contractor shall develop, support, and/or execute recruitment communications designed to move prospective students through the enrollment funnel.

Communications must complement SUNY Fredonia’s existing institutional communications and brand standards and should be personalized and segmented where appropriate.

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Communication strategies may include:

Email;

SMS/text messaging;

Direct mail;

Personalized digital or web experiences;

Landing pages;

Telephone or other direct student outreach; and Other communication channels recommended by the Contractor.

The Contractor shall coordinate communication planning with SUNY Fredonia to minimize duplication, conflicting messages, and excessive communication with prospective students.

SUNY Fredonia shall retain appropriate review and approval authority over communications distributed on behalf of the University.

E.) Application Generation and Conversion

The Contractor shall provide strategies and services specifically designed to increase the number of students who apply to SUNY Fredonia.

Services shall address both the conversion of existing inquiries into applicants and the conversion of prospective students generated through the Contractor’s search activities.

The Contractor shall:

Develop targeted inquiry-to-application conversion strategies;

Identify prospective students demonstrating behaviors or characteristics associated with increased likelihood to apply;

Support application-generation campaigns and outreach;

Develop strategies for re-engaging prospective students who have not applied;

Support application completion efforts for students with incomplete applications or outstanding requirements; and Measure application generation and conversion attributable to or influenced by

Contractor activities.

F.) Admitted Student Conversion and Enrollment Yield

The Contractor shall provide strategies and services designed to improve conversion of admitted students to deposited and enrolled students.

Yield services shall complement the University’s existing admitted student recruitment activities and may include:

Admitted student audience segmentation;

Personalized admitted student communications;

Identification of students demonstrating increased or decreased likelihood to enroll;

Engagement strategies for students who have not completed enrollment actions;

Deposit-generation campaigns;

Strategies for re-engaging admitted students who have become less engaged;

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Recommendations regarding timing and targeting of yield activities; and Analysis of yield performance by student population, geography, academic interest, recruitment source, and other relevant characteristics.

The Contractor shall work collaboratively with SUNY Fredonia to identify opportunities to intervene with admitted students at appropriate points prior to enrollment.

G.) Technolutions Slate Integration

The Contractor’s services must integrate with and support SUNY Fredonia’s existing Technolutions Slate environment.

The Contractor shall:

Establish and maintain the data integrations necessary to support the proposed services;

Provide timely exchange of prospective student, inquiry, engagement, application, admission, deposit, and enrollment information as appropriate;

Minimize reliance on manual data transfers and duplicative data entry;

Work collaboratively with SUNY Fredonia personnel responsible for Slate administration;

Provide technical support necessary to establish and maintain required integrations;

Document data flows, integration processes, and responsibilities;

Ensure that SUNY Fredonia maintains appropriate access to student-level data generated through Contractor activities; and Support the return of relevant engagement and recruitment data to Slate when technically feasible.

The Contractor shall not require SUNY Fredonia to replace Slate as its primary admissions CRM as a condition of providing services under this agreement.

H.) Coordination with SUNY Fredonia’s Digital Marketing Partner

SUNY Fredonia intends to maintain a separate contractual relationship for digital advertising, paid media, and related digital marketing services.

The Contractor shall actively collaborate with SUNY Fredonia and the University’s designated digital marketing partner to ensure that student search, recruitment communications, digital marketing, and enrollment strategies operate as a coordinated recruitment effort.

Collaboration may include:

Development and sharing of target audience strategies;

Coordination of campaign calendars and enrollment priorities;

Development of appropriate lead-generation and conversion pathways;

Coordination of landing pages and calls to action;

Appropriate exchange of campaign and enrollment performance data;

Development of attribution and performance measurement strategies; and Regular joint planning or performance meetings when requested by SUNY Fredonia.

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The Contractor shall not require SUNY Fredonia to purchase paid digital advertising, media placement, or media buying services from the Contractor or its affiliates.

I.) Data Analysis, Predictive Analytics, Reporting, and Enrollment Attribution

The Contractor shall provide SUNY Fredonia with regular reporting, analysis, and predictive analytics that allow the University to evaluate performance throughout the enrollment funnel, identify emerging enrollment trends, and make data-informed recruitment and resource allocation decisions.

At minimum, reporting and analysis shall address, where applicable:

Prospects generated or acquired;

Inquiry generation and conversion;

Student engagement;

Applications generated;

Application completion;

Admission;

Deposits;

Enrollment;

Conversion rates between enrollment stages;

Performance of identified audiences and segments; and Performance by recruitment source, geography, academic interest, and other relevant characteristics.

The Contractor shall provide predictive analytics and/or modeling designed to identify prospective and admitted students based on their likelihood to take key enrollment actions, including applying, completing an application, depositing, and enrolling.

Predictive capabilities should assist SUNY Fredonia in identifying opportunities for intervention, prioritizing recruitment resources, developing targeted student populations, and differentiating communication and engagement strategies based upon demonstrated enrollment potential.

The Contractor shall explain the methodology, data sources, and variables used to develop predictive models and shall provide SUNY Fredonia with sufficient transparency to understand how predictive scores, classifications, or recommendations are generated and intended to be used. Models should be evaluated and refined throughout the recruitment cycle as additional student behavior and enrollment outcome data become available.

Predictive analytics should also support broader enrollment planning by identifying trends, markets, student populations, academic interests, recruitment sources, or other factors demonstrating potential for enrollment growth or increased conversion.

Reporting shall emphasize enrollment outcomes in addition to campaign activity and engagement metrics. The Contractor shall provide SUNY Fredonia with actionable analysis and recommendations based upon reported and predicted performance rather than providing data or dashboards without corresponding strategic interpretation.

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The Contractor shall provide a methodology for identifying and evaluating students generated, influenced, or engaged through its services and for assessing the Contractor’s contribution to application and enrollment outcomes.

J.) Continuous Optimization

The Contractor shall actively evaluate performance throughout each recruitment cycle and recommend adjustments based upon observed results.

SUNY Fredonia expects the Contractor to use available data to identify underperforming and high-performing populations, communications, strategies, and recruitment activities and to recommend changes designed to improve enrollment outcomes.

The Contractor shall not rely solely upon an annual or predetermined recruitment plan when available performance data demonstrates an opportunity to modify strategy during the recruitment cycle.

K.) Account Management and Strategic Support

The Contractor shall provide a dedicated account team responsible for the successful execution of the agreement.

The Contractor shall identify a primary point of contact and provide access to appropriate personnel with expertise in:

Enrollment strategy;

Student search and recruitment;

Technolutions Slate and data integration;

Recruitment communications;

Data analysis and reporting; and Enrollment conversion and yield.

The Contractor shall participate in regularly scheduled strategy and performance meetings with SUNY Fredonia and shall provide additional consultation during critical recruitment periods as reasonably requested by the University.

L.) Data Access, Ownership, and Transition

SUNY Fredonia shall retain ownership of University-provided data and student recruitment data generated through the engagement, subject to applicable law and disclosed third-party licensing restrictions.

The Contractor shall provide SUNY Fredonia with reasonable access to student-level and aggregate recruitment data necessary to evaluate and manage enrollment activities.

Upon expiration or termination of the agreement, the Contractor shall cooperate with SUNY Fredonia to provide an orderly transition of relevant University data and recruitment

18 | Page information and shall not unnecessarily restrict SUNY Fredonia’s continued use of data generated through the engagement.

M.) Annual Recruitment Plan and Performance Review At the beginning of each recruitment cycle, the Contractor shall collaborate with SUNY Fredonia to establish an annual recruitment plan identifying target populations, proposed strategies, major activities, anticipated timelines, resource allocation, and measurable performance objectives.

The plan shall be reviewed and adjusted throughout the recruitment cycle based upon performance and changing University priorities.

At the conclusion of each recruitment cycle, the Contractor shall provide SUNY Fredonia with an annual performance analysis summarizing activities, expenditures, enrollment funnel performance, outcomes, lessons learned, and recommendations for the subsequent recruitment cycle

Complete the attachment titled Cost Proposal Worksheet.

No modifications may be made to the Cost Proposal Worksheet and Bidders are encouraged to seek clarification. Modifications to the Cost Proposal Response Form may result in disqualification.

Cost proposals must be submitted in separate, sealed envelopes. No mention of cost should appear in the technical proposal. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in disqualification.

Items: Price shall be in accordance with the items listed or on the Cost Proposal Submission Form, if provided. No other charges, other than those listed in the items or on the Financial Proposal Submission Form shall be allowable under the agreement.

Preparation Costs: Bidder is responsible for all costs, direct or indirect, that it incurs related to the preparation and submission of a proposal in response to this event.

Tax Exempt: SUNY is exempt from sales tax. All prices should be quoted without the sales tax.

Section 6.1: Travel Costs Costs must include all travel and out-of-pocket expenses required to perform the contract. SUNY will make no reimbursement for travel or travel-related expenses.

Section 7.1: Bidder Questions If a Question and Answer period is provided for this solicitation, the schedule will be shown on the Summary Information Form, “Key Events,” provided on the first page of this RFP. All questions must be submitted in writing, citing the particular RFP page, section, and paragraph numbers where applicable. Bidders should make best efforts to ensure all questions are submitted via email to the

Cost Proposal

Key Events

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Designated Contacts no later than the time listed in the Key Events table in Section 1, Summary Information Form as questions received after the closing date for inquiries may not be responded to prior to the proposal due date. Only written answers are official. All Questions and Answers will be issued as addenda to this RFP and will be provided in writing to all potential Bidders.

It is the responsibility of the Bidder to inquire about any requirement of this event that is not understood.

SUNY will not be bound by oral responses to inquiries or written responses other than addenda.

Section 7.2: Pre-Bid Conference There will be no pre-bid conference for this solicitation.

Section 7.3: Pre-Bid Site Visit There will be no pre-bid site visit for this solicitation.

Section 7.4: Bid Opening SUNY reserves the right to not hold a public bid opening or at any time to postpone or cancel a scheduled bid opening. In the event a public bid opening is scheduled, Bidders will be notified.

Section 8.1: Evaluation Process This RFP is part of a competitive procurement process designed to serve the best interests of the State University of New York and the People of the State of New York. It is also designed to provide all Bidders with a fair and even opportunity to have their products and services considered. SUNY will conduct a comprehensive review of each responsive bid submitted in accordance with the terms of this RFP. Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of “best value” by an evaluation committee comprised of SUNY representatives, and shall be conducted in the following steps:

1. Administrative Review Each proposal received by the due date and time will be screened for completeness and conformance of submission in accordance with Section 9: Proposal Submission Requirements.

2. Minimum Bidder Qualifications Review Each proposal remaining after Administrative Review will advance to the evaluation committee to review responses for a determination of whether the Bidder has met the Minimum Bidder Qualifications.

Information provided in the proposal will be used to validate Minimum Bidder Qualifications and SUNY reserves the right to contact client references to validate required experience. If review of response and reference checks determine the Bidder does not meet Minimum Bidder Qualifications, the proposal will be deemed non-responsive and will not be considered further.

3. Technical Evaluation Each proposal remaining after Minimum Bidder Qualifications Review will advance for review and independent evaluation and scoring by the technical review evaluation committee. If the technical

Method of Award

20 | Page evaluation determines the Bidder’s proposal does not meet any mandatory requirements, the proposal will be deemed inadequate and will not be considered further.

4. Cost Evaluation

The Cost Proposals of each bid remaining after the Technical Evaluation will be independently evaluated and scored by the designated contract officer.

The Cost Proposal must indicate the cost of the Administrative fee as a percentage of the anticipated annual contract amount ($350,000), as provided in Cost Proposal Worksheet attachment. The Administrative fee should be all-inclusive, including the day-to-day operation expenses. The Cost Proposal Worksheet attached to this RFP must be completed by the Offeror in accordance with the instructions provided on the Worksheet.

No modifications may be made to the Cost Proposal Submission Form and Bidders are encouraged to seek clarification. Modifications to the Cost Proposal Response Form may result in disqualification.

Cost Proposals must be submitted in a separate, sealed envelope and clearly labeled "Cost Proposal". Under no circumstances shall costs be included or mentioned in the technical proposal. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in disqualification.

Point calculation: Lowest Enrollment Marketing Services Amount

DIVIDED by Proposed Services Amount Being Evaluated) X 20 =

5. Presentation or Interview

Bidders that are susceptible to award following the summation of the technical and cost will be invited to make a presentation/demonstration to discuss their proposal. SUNY will notify the Offerors and schedule the time, location, and format. The format of the presentation will be by video. The presentation shall in no way change their original proposals. The presentation will be evaluated and scored by a presentation review evaluation committee. All costs associated with the Bidder’s attendance will be borne by the Offeror.

6. Finalist Review

In accordance with Section 163 (9) f of the NYS Finance Law, prior to making a contract award each contracting agency shall make a determination of responsibility of the proposed Contractor as discussed in Section 10.1: Vendor Responsibility. SUNY will conduct a review of vendor responsibility for the Bidder earning the highest final composite score, and any proposed subcontractors. SUNY will consider any information that raises issues concerning the vendor’s responsibility, with consideration given to its relevance to the scope of work. The review will include factors such as financial and organizational capacity, legal authority, integrity and previous contract performance.

7. Selection

Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of “best value” by an evaluation committee comprised of SUNY representatives, utilizing an evaluation methodology that considers the following factors:

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The Bidder earning the highest final composite score may be selected for a contract award with SUNY and, if selected, will be notified by SUNY. Contract award shall be made by issuance of an award notice. All Bidders will be notified of the name of the selected awardee. SUNY contracts may be subject to approval by the NYS Attorney General and the Office of the State Comptroller. SUNY reserves the right to award no contract pursuant to this RFP.

Section 8.2: SUNY Reserved Rights

SUNY reserves the right to:

1. Reject any and all proposals received in response to this RFP, make a contract award in whole or in part.

2. Make no contract award.

3. Reject any or all portions of any proposal, to negotiate terms and conditions consistent with this

RFP and to make an award for any or all remaining portions.

4. Withdraw the RFP at any time, at SUNY’s sole discretion.

5. Disqualify any Bidder whose conduct or proposal fails to conform to the requirements of the RFP.

6. Use proposal information obtained through site visits, management interviews and the state’s investigation of a Bidder’s qualifications, experience ability or financial standing, and any material or information submitted by the Bidder in response to SUNY’s request for clarifying information, in the course of evaluation and/or selection under the RFP.

7. Prior to the bid opening, amend the RFP specifications to correct errors of oversights, or to supply additional information, as it becomes available.

8. Request certified and non-certified audited financial statements for the past three (3) completed fiscal years and/or other appropriate supplementation including, but not limited to, interim financial statements and credit reports.

9. Request references and contact any or all references and perform other related due diligence.

10. Adjust or correct cost or cost figures with the concurrence of the Bidder if mathematical or typographical errors exist.

11. Waive requirements or amend this RFP upon notification to all Bidders. Mandatory requirements may be eliminated if unmet by all Bidders.

12. Negotiate with Bidders responding to this RFP within the requirements necessary to serve the best interests of SUNY.

CRITERIA REFERENCE SECTION %VALUE

Technical Proposal Industry Experience & Staffing 10%

Proposed Strategy 40%

Creative Capability 15%

Presentation 15%

Cost Proposal 20%

TOTAL 100%

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13. Begin contract negotiations with another Bidder in order to serve the best interests of SUNY should contract negotiations with the Successful Bidder be unsuccessful within a time frame acceptable to SUNY.

14. Require clarifications from Bidders for purposes of assuring a full understanding of responsiveness, and permit revisions from all Bidders determined to be susceptible to contract award prior to award.

A Bidder’s proposal shall address the Bidder’s ability and methodology for providing SUNY with the requested services. To be deemed “responsive” to this RFP, a Bidder must meet all mandatory requirements and qualifications and its written proposal must address all points and questions appearing in this RFP. In the event a Bidder’s proposal is determined by SUNY to be “non-responsive,” SUNY may disqualify the proposal. A disqualified proposal will not be further evaluated or considered for contract award. To facilitate SUNY’s review of proposals, Bidders must address all points and questions that appear in this RFP, and should do so in the order that they appear.

Responses should be labeled to correspond to the numbers/letters of the sections and subsections of this RFP.

Bidders must adhere to the Exhibit D – SUNY Proposal Submission Guidelines when submitting a proposal in response to this bid event.

Section 9.1: Proposal Format

1. Prepare a clearly readable proposal that includes all required information.

2. Bidders must submit all information requested by SUNY in written form. Proposals must be complete, accurate, and in the form requested.

3. Indicate any deviations from the technical specifications and if necessary, attach separate documents and/or explanation.

4. Proposal Packages:

a. Proposals should be submitted in sealed packages clearly labeled on the exterior addressed to the SUNY Primary contact, with the RFP number and title. Proposals not labeled as instructed risk being opened prior to the bid opening date, which may result in the proposal being rejected. All proposals and accompanying documentation shall become the property of SUNY and shall not be returned.

b. Cost proposals should be submitted in separate sealed envelopes. No mention of cost should appear in the technical proposal. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in disqualification.

5. No telephone, facsimile, emailed or otherwise electronically submitted proposals will be accepted unless explicitly allowed in the RFP.

6. The proposal must be fully and properly executed by an authorized person. By signing, you certify

(i) your express authority to sign on behalf of yourself, your company, or other entity; (ii) your full knowledge and acceptance of contents of this RFP, Exhibit A (State University of New York Standard Contract Clauses), Exhibit A-1 (State University of New York Affirmative Action Clauses), State Finance Law §139-j and §139-k (Procurement Lobbying Certification); and (iii) that all information provided is complete, true and accurate. By signing you further affirm that you

Proposal Submission Requirements

23 | Page understand and agree to comply with the procedures on permissible contacts relating to this procurement as required by State Finance Law §139-j (3) and §139-j (6) (b). These procedures may be accessed at Procurement Lobbying:

http://www.ogs.state.ny.us/aboutOgs/regulations/defaultAdvisoryCouncil.html.

7. Submit three (3) hard copies of your proposal, and (1) flash drive. Proposals must be by the due date and time and to the primary contact provided on the Summary Information Form.

Bidders mailing their proposals must allow sufficient time to ensure receipt by the due date and time. Bidders are cautioned that even when using a trackable mailing/courier/messenger service, proposals must be received by the due date and time. While proposals may be signed for by personnel at SUNY prior to the due date and time, this does not guarantee that the identified office will receive the proposal by the due date and time.

8. Late Proposals For purposes of Bid openings, a Bid must be received at the contact’s address as set forth in the Summary Information Form on or before the proposal due date as set forth in the Summary Information Form. A Late Bid is one that is not received at the location, date and time specified in this RFP. Any Bid received at the specified location after the time specified in this RFP will be considered a Late Bid.