Updated_Notice_of_Public_Meeting.pdf

This is a Notice of Public Meeting issued by Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS), Florida's seventh-largest school district, regarding a Request for Proposals (RFP 26113-RFP-EST) for Instructional Materials Textbook Management Systems. The solicitation seeks a modern, scalable textbook and instructional materials management system to replace the expiring Follett Destiny platform and support 236 independent school sites managing approximately 1.7 million instructional materials across the district. The system must include core capabilities such as check-in/check-out functionality, loss and damage tracking, FERPA compliance, and secure data hosting, with integration into district systems including the FOCUS student information system, INFOR staff system, and ClassLink single sign-on. Technical questions were due Friday, March 27, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET, with proposals due Friday, April 10, 2026, at 5:00 PM ET via the HCPS VendorLink portal. A Phase 1 Evaluation public meeting is scheduled for May 5, 2026, at 9:00 AM via Microsoft Teams. Vendor selection for final negotiations is anticipated in late spring 2026, with contract award expected in late summer to early fall 2026 and implementation commencing in summer 2027. The initial contract term begins July 1, 2027, with automatic yearly renewals contingent on board appropriation, continued need, and contractor performance.

Minimum qualifications require vendors to demonstrate three years of industry experience, proof of authorization to do business in Florida, E-Verify compliance, three business references, and proof of field-proven, off-the-shelf software currently operational in K-12 environments serving districts with 100 or more school sites. Vendors must maintain general liability insurance of $1,000,000 general aggregate and workers' compensation per Florida statute. The evaluation process allocates 100 points across three phases: specifications and scope (25 points), qualifications and experience (30 points), and cost/value (35 points), with up to 10 bonus points available for Small Business Enterprise Program (SBEP) participation. Pricing must be firm for no less than three years with any subsequent increases requiring documentation of cost justification. The procurement includes a Small Business Encouragement Program (SBEP) set-aside requirement governed by School Board policy 6320.02, a gender and race-neutral program designed to promote certified small local businesses within the Tampa Bay area; SBEP-registered vendors must execute a SBEP Letter of Intent specifying a minimum reinvestment goal of 20 percent of the district's net eligible expenditures. All respondents must submit required forms including the Vendor Registration Form and Contracting with Entities of Foreign Countries of Concern Prohibited Affidavit, along with acknowledgment of Addendum 1. HCPS has not disclosed an estimated budget amount, and the contract may be awarded to one or more vendors at the district's discretion.