50-2526031 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) RFI IT Sourcing Event

The North Carolina Community College System Office (NCCCSO) issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking vendor recommendations regarding Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions to modernize student engagement and enrollment infrastructure across all 58 North Carolina Community Colleges. This is an informational procurement, not a competitive bid, designed to gather market intelligence and best practices for implementing a unified Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system across the NCCCS. The solicitation (IFB Number ITS-400203, designated as 50-2526031) requires vendors to provide comprehensive responses addressing CRM solutions that support the complete student lifecycle from recruitment through completion, including enhanced communications, event management, application submission, workflow automation, data analytics capabilities, and employer engagement functions. Key technical requirements include security and compliance features such as Single Sign-On (SSO), Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA), Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), encryption, and FERPA compliance, as well as integration capabilities with enterprise systems including Ellucian Colleague, Banner 9, Banner Go, Instructure Canvas, and CFNC. Vendors must provide three-year cost estimates broken down by software licensing, configuration and integration services, training, technical support, and other itemized costs, with emphasis on economies of scale achievable through a coordinated, systemwide approach. The State prioritizes a unified implementation model supporting a shared "baseline" or "golden image" configuration deployable across institutions while accommodating appropriate local customization. The RFI response deadline is May 13, 2026, at 4:00 PM Eastern Time, with written questions accepted until May 1, 2026, and clarification questions and answers posted as an addendum by May 6, 2026.

No set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or incumbent vendor information are specified in the RFI documentation, indicating that any qualified vendor may respond regardless of business classification. The procurement does not establish contractual obligations at this stage, as the RFI is explicitly for informational and planning purposes only, with the State assuming no commitment to procure services and vendors responsible for all costs associated with response preparation and submission. Existing enterprise systems that require integration include Ellucian Colleague, Banner 9, Banner Go, Instructure Canvas, and CFNC, all of which the CRM solution must effectively interface with across the community college network. No specific award value, contract amount, or budget range is identified in the RFI documentation, as this solicitation is designed to collect information and recommendations rather than to establish pricing or funding commitments at this stage.