DEP-BAW-RFQ-2027-Allowance Tracking Sys-ITS86 CAT1

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection is requesting quotes from ITS75 Category 1 resellers to partner with a software publisher and provide a Software as a Service solution for automated allowance tracking under RFQ DEP-BAW-RFQ-2027-ITS86 CAT1, with quotes due September 9, 2026 at 5:00 PM EST and bidder demonstrations scheduled for September 10, 2026.

The system must support secure account management for up to 40 regulated entities with up to 100 registered users each; facilitate allowance transfers with electronic signing capabilities; prevent transfers during March of each year; provide email notifications; enable document storage; and allow MassDEP staff to allocate and deduct allowances and generate compliance reports. The solution implements regulation 310 CMR 7.74: Reducing CO2 Emissions from Electricity Generating Facilities. Optional desirable features include automated banking and borrowing limits functionality, tiered staff roles, public-facing read-only reports, bulk data upload capabilities, notice posting functionality, support for additional regulatory requirements, multi-account access, and facility transfer functionality.

The initial contract term extends through June 30, 2028, with options for one or more renewals through June 30, 2037. Bidders must submit fixed-price proposals covering all software installation, implementation, integration, configuration, customization, testing, initial data upload, hosting, warranty, maintenance, support, training, and documentation. No support or maintenance fee increases are permitted during the initial term; rates are held fixed for three years following the initial term and capped at 3% annual increases thereafter.

Vendors must comply with Massachusetts Enterprise Information Security Standards and Policies, digital accessibility requirements under WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 levels A and AA, FedRAMP certification, 99.00% uptime SLAs, disaster recovery tested biannually, and Commonwealth data privacy laws. All deliverables created using state funds become Commonwealth property.

Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: Technical Responsiveness to Software/Services Requirements (40 points), Proposed Approach and Timeline for Installation, Configuration, Testing, and Implementation (20 points), Cost (20 points), and References/Prior Relevant Experience (20 points). A notice of the apparent successful bidder is estimated for September 14, 2026. All bidders must submit a Supplier Diversity Program Plan committing to a minimum 1 percent of contract sales with certified diverse businesses, complete Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action certifications, and provide prompt payment discounts.