RFP 27-001 CLR LER System Implementation

The Colorado Community College System (CCCS) is requesting proposals for the implementation of a Comprehensive Learner Record (CLR) and Learner Employment Record (LER) system across its 13 member colleges, with proposals due August 14, 2026 at 11:00 AM MST and a public virtual proposal opening on August 11. Written inquiries are due July 21, 2026.

The system must serve approximately 130,000 students annually and provide verified, portable digital records of academic achievements, skills, competencies, credentials, and experiential learning. Integration is mandatory with Ellucian Banner SIS, D2L Brightspace LMS, employer HRIS systems, talent marketplaces, and external higher education institutions while supporting industry standards including Open Badges 3.0, Comprehensive Learner Record 2.0, and W3C Verifiable Credentials. Compliance with FERPA, COPPA, GDPR, and ADA accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 AA) is required; SOC 2, ISO/IEC 27001, and FedRAMP certifications are highly desirable. Vendors must demonstrate three years of LER or digital credentialing system implementation experience and five current higher education clients. Preferred qualifications include community college system experience, existing Banner and D2L integrations, and participation in industry standards development.

The contract term runs November 1, 2026 through October 31, 2027, renewable for up to four additional one-year periods at CCCS's sole discretion, for a maximum five-year total. Pricing proposals must cover all one-time and annual expenses for software licensing, implementation services, and support services across the full five-year period, with implementation costs broken down by phase. The phased implementation includes discovery, system configuration, pilot, system-wide rollout, and stabilization. Demonstrations from selected proposers are estimated for September 14, 2026, with Intent to Award expected September 28, 2026. Evaluation criteria include technical capabilities, functional requirements, organizational change management support, vendor qualifications and experience, implementation approach and timeline, support and maintenance SLAs, and total cost of ownership. The solicitation is available for cooperative purchasing by state agencies, institutions of higher education, political subdivisions, and eligible nonprofits. Protests must be filed within ten business days to lindsey.buffy@cccs.edu.