IT Research and Advisory Tool

The State of Colorado's Governor's Office of Information Technology (OIT) issued Documented Quote (DQ-2015000341) soliciting an Information Technology Research and Advisory Service Membership for use across Executive Branch state agencies, with eligibility extended to the Legislative and Judicial branches and Institutions of Higher Education. The procurement seeks a comprehensive IT research and advisory solution targeted at C-level executives and senior IT leaders, with an estimated 100 users requiring access. Required deliverables and services include written IT research accessible via email and internet; best practice policies and tools; IT-related templates spanning security, project management, architecture, procurement, contracting, vendor performance, financial planning, and IT strategy; ad hoc research and analysis capabilities; peer networking forums and local analyst briefings; technical implementation guidance; robust benchmarking-based metrics; dedicated vendor personnel with government sector experience; and advisory services in enterprise architecture, CIO functions, information security, and program/project management. The State prioritized vendors demonstrating detailed technical frameworks and solution maps, dedicated government-focused analyst resources, weekly webinar access for the OIT team, and references from similar state government agencies or state and local government clients. The written inquiry deadline was September 29, 2014 at 5:00 PM Mountain Standard Time, with responses to inquiries published by October 1, 2014. Proposals were due October 8, 2014, and vendors were required to submit responses via email to oitpurchasing@state.co.us in two separate documents—one containing the technical response and one containing pricing—with pricing required to remain firm for a minimum of 120 days.

The solicitation imposed no stated set-aside designations or restrictions limiting responses to specific categories of organizations such as disadvantaged enterprises. Vendors were required to be registered on ColoradoVSS and must register to do business in Colorado within 10 business days of award notification in accordance with Colorado Revised Statutes; vendors also needed to provide a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) as part of proposal submission. A minimum of three references for similar work to comparable state and local government agencies was required, and vendors must confirm adherence to applicable State of Colorado Cyber Security Policies. The solicitation was funded by American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds with applicable ARRA terms and conditions incorporated by reference. The maximum annual budget available for this project is $100,000, with standard payment terms of Net 45 unless vendors offered more favorable terms. The State of Colorado retained exclusive intellectual property rights to all deliverables, reserved the right to reject any or all quotes, waive informalities, accept partial quotes, and make one or multiple awards based on the solicitation.