Online Program Management

The University of Texas at Tyler (UT Tyler) issued Request for Proposal No. 750-25/26-005 on February 24, 2026, to procure comprehensive Online Program Management (OPM) services supporting online programs across the School of Education, School of Health Professions, School of Nursing, College of Business, College of Arts and Sciences, and College of Engineering. The procuring agency is UT Tyler, a Texas state institution within The University of Texas System, located in Sterling County, Texas. The scope of work encompasses eight primary service categories: marketing and recruitment, enrollment services, instructional design and online program development, curriculum design with implementation support, clinical/practicum/internship placement services, faculty support, video production and Learning Management System (Canvas) support, and student support services. Deliverables include market research and analysis, targeted marketing campaigns, prospective student nurturing through the admissions funnel, instructional design support using best practices, cohesive program plans, clinical placement coordination with affiliated sites, professional faculty development, Canvas LMS content design and quality assurance, and continuous improvement strategies for student success and retention. Required qualifications include proficiency in Texas education standards and codes, Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board requirements, State Board for Educator Certification standards, nursing certification standards including Texas Board of Nursing and Multi-State Compact requirements, and competency-based education curriculum development expertise. Evaluation criteria address cost, vendor reputation, service quality, alignment with University needs, past relationships, and total long-term cost. A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for March 3, 2026, at 2:00 PM CST via Microsoft Teams; the question submittal deadline is March 9, 2026, at 3:00 PM CST; and proposals must be submitted by March 25, 2026, at 3:00 PM CST through the Bonfire Hub portal.

The contract includes mandatory HUB (Historically Underutilized Business) subcontracting plan requirements, with proposers required to complete and submit a HUB Subcontracting Plan demonstrating either specific participation goals or good faith efforts to include Texas-certified HUB subcontractors, with enforcement mechanisms including potential debarment for non-compliance. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. The University anticipates contracting under a tuition revenue share pricing model, whereby UT Tyler will collect all revenue from the online programs managed by the selected contractor and remit an agreed-upon tuition share to the contractor; the University will not reimburse the contractor for expenses such as advertising costs, which may be withheld from the contractor's portion of revenues. The contract term is three years, commencing July 1, 2026, and expiring July 1, 2029, with options for up to two additional one-year renewal periods at the University's discretion. Proposers must comply with comprehensive federal and state statutory requirements including certificate of interested parties disclosures, disability accessibility compliance, cybersecurity and cloud computing service requirements aligned with Texas Cyber Command protocols, conflict of interest disclosures, debarment certifications, and numerous Texas-specific provisions regarding boycotts, firearm entity non-discrimination, and diversity, equity, and inclusion prohibitions. The solicitation indicates that other UT System institutions may elect to use any resulting contract, suggesting proposers should consider pricing models reflecting potential higher volumes; however, no specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the procurement documents.