Pre-Qualified Providers of Information Technology Goods and Services

Empire State Development (ESD) is soliciting proposals to establish a pre-qualified panel of information technology goods and services providers, with proposals due August 13, 2026 at 2:00 PM ET. This is a term contract vehicle — not a single project — with a three-year base term and one-year extension option; selected firms will not be obligated to perform work or receive payment absent specific task orders issued by ESD during the term.

No MWBE, DBE, or SDVOB contracting goals are established (0.00% for all categories), though certified MWBE or SDVOB respondents receive 5 bonus evaluation points. No incumbent contractor is identified, and no prior similar awards exist.

The scope encompasses consulting, implementation, training, and support across Oracle PeopleSoft Financials 9.2 or newer; application and web development using Drupal, Azure, AWS, SQL Server, and Microsoft Power Platform; infrastructure including virtual servers and desktops, cybersecurity, network infrastructure, and server and storage systems; Microsoft Dynamics Power Apps and data warehousing; mobile device services; audio/visual and VoIP systems; desktop PC management; helpdesk solutions; hardware deployment and decommissioning; HVAC services; and emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, generative AI, and intelligent automation. Vendors may qualify for one or multiple service categories and will be evaluated on a per-category basis. All resources must be based in North America; remote work is permitted but offshore resources are not allowed.

Mandatory IT security requirements include ISO Standards 27001, 27005, and 27035 compliance; GDPR standards for data protection where applicable; adherence to New York State and Federal Cyber Security policies; Identity Access Management with authentication and transaction auditing; documented third-party monitoring; and compliance with applicable AI use regulations. Deliverables include a security management plan within 30 days of signing, artificial intelligence governance protocols, project documentation, change management procedures, infrastructure specifications, testing and training plans, and service level agreements guaranteeing 99.99% uptime.

Evaluation criteria are Technical Approach (30 points), Experience (30 points), Cost Proposal (20 points), Staffing Plan (15 points), and MWBE/SDVOB bonus (5 points). Pricing proposals must detail hourly rates by resource title with all overhead and profit, a salary multiplier for unlisted specialty resources, and proposed discounts below retail for goods with maximum charge rates and evidence of list pricing. Three references covering public and private sector experience are required. Vendors must maintain Commercial General Liability insurance of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate and complete a Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire. Questions were due July 8, 2026; ESD responses were due July 21, 2026. Interviews, if necessary, will be scheduled at a date to be determined.