Managed Network Services (MNS)

The Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) is soliciting a single managed network services (MNS) vendor for the Shared Technology Services Program under RFO DIR-CPO-STS-609, with responses due September 4, 2026, and a mandatory bidder's conference on August 5, 2026, at 2:00 PM CT via Zoom.

Respondents must meet minimum qualifications: five or more years' experience providing managed network services in a multi-supplier environment within the past ten years and at least three contracts for similar major activities within the last five years with minimum annual contract values of $1 million per contract. A completed State of Texas Subcontracting Plan is mandatory for all respondents under Texas Government Code Chapter 2161, Subchapter F, reflecting opportunities to award work to VetHUB-certified subcontractors.

The scope encompasses comprehensive managed network services including network design, configuration, management, support, governance, risk and compliance assessments for eligible DIR customers (state and local government entities, institutions of higher education, and authorized entities). Services span three primary categories: network services on vendor-owned infrastructure (network operations center, fully managed VPN, fully managed DDI); network services on customer infrastructure (LAN, WAN, wireless, firewall, web application firewall, VPN, DDI, staff augmentation); and additional services (network assessments, vulnerability scans, incident response, technical field services). All services require 24/7/365 monitoring, disaster recovery planning and testing, routine patching, and SOC 2 compliance. Respondents must maintain detailed service level agreements with financial credits for misses across critical and key service levels, including 99.99% availability for vendor infrastructure, 99.90% for customer infrastructure, and incident resolution timeframes from 2 hours (Severity 1) to 7 business days (Severity 4).

The contract term is approximately four years with optional renewals up to four additional years (eight to ten years total anticipated duration). Pricing must be submitted separately using specified templates with a resource unit-based charging model for managed ports, access points, IP addresses, and service deliverables; no fixed or monthly minimum fees are permitted. Professional liability insurance of at least $10 million per claim is required, along with $5 million comprehensive crime insurance and $5 million commercial general liability coverage.

DIR will evaluate proposals using weighted criteria: Technical Solution (45%), Transition and Service Integration (20%), Pricing (15%), Proposed Account Organization and Personnel Experience (15%), and Experience (5%). Respondents must complete a PDAA Vendor Self-Assessment, VPAT 2.1 WCAG accessibility documentation, and a Technical Solution Summary Document. Written questions are due August 17, 2026, at 2:00 PM CT. DIR anticipates contract award in May 2027 with transition through August 2027. Respondents are discouraged from taking exceptions to Master Services Agreement terms; excessive exceptions may result in disqualification.