District Communications & Engagement Platform

The Tempe Union High School District would like to invite you to submit a proposal for District Communications & Engagement Platform. Proposals are to be submitted through the Procurement Portal at https://procurement.opengov.com/portal/tuhsd, no later than 2:00 pm on Monday, April 20, 2026.

Tempe Union High School District (TUHSD) invites qualified vendors to submit proposals for a District Communications & Engagement Platform. The District seeks a comprehensive, secure, and scalable solution that includes mass notification services, district and school website hosting, and mobile application capabilities. The platform must integrate with the District’s Student Information System (SIS) and other core systems to ensure accurate, timely communication with students, parents, staff, and the community.

TUHSD serves approximately 11,500 students in grades nine through twelve across multiple campuses in Tempe, Phoenix, and Chandler, Arizona, and employs approximately 700 teachers, 50 administrators, and 350 support personnel. The District is seeking a solution that enhances stakeholder engagement, supports emergency communications, ensures ADA accessibility compliance, and provides reliable customer support and training.

Background

Tempe Union High School District serves students in grades nine through twelve in Tempe, Arizona. The District is comprised of six high schools with a student enrollment of approximately 11,500 students in parts of Tempe, Chandler, and Phoenix, Arizona. Six of the sites are comprehensive high schools and the Tempe Union Online program. The Tempe Union High School District is a highly-performing District and is known for excellence in teaching and learning.

Project Details

• Reference ID: 26-008KA-31RFP
• Department: Purchasing
• Department Head: Patricia Chriswell (Director of Purchasing and Warehouse)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-04-10T21:00:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-03-31T16:00:00.000Z — 26-008KA-31RFP Pre-Proposal Meeting Tuesday, March 31 · 9:00 – 10:00am Time zone: America/Phoenix Google Meet joining info Video call link: https://meet.google.com/pdw-dgqt-oro Or dial: ‪(US) +1 470-485-8980‬ PIN: ‪487 085 299‬# More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/pdw-dgqt-oro?pin=6229439554791

Meetings & Milestones

Addenda

• Addendum #1 (released 2026-04-09T20:08:20.756Z) —

  26-008KA-31RFP District Communications & Engagement Platform
  Amendment No. #1

  Pursuant to the Arizona Administrative Code R7-2-1026, R 7-201041 & R7-1101, this Amendment #1 will provide answers to questions received through the OpenGov portal.

  Attached hereto are responses to questions submitted about the above information document.

  Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions in the invitation for bid referenced above remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

Evaluation Criteria

• Technical & Functional Evaluation (300 pts) —

  Evaluation of the proposed solution’s technical capabilities, functional requirements, system architecture, security standards, integration capabilities, and overall compliance with the specifications outlined in this RFP.

• Implementation & Project Plan (250 pts) —

  Evaluation of the Offeror’s proposed implementation methodology, including project management structure, timeline, data migration approach, integration strategy, training plan, and post-implementation support. The District will assess feasibility, clarity of roles and responsibilities, risk mitigation strategies, and overall readiness to deploy the system successfully within the proposed timeframe.

• Vendor Qualifications & Experience (200 pts) —

  Evaluation of the Offeror’s experience, qualifications, and demonstrated success in providing similar services to K–12 school districts or comparable public-sector entities. Consideration will include organizational stability, relevant experience, references, and ability to provide ongoing support and service throughout the contract term.

• Responsiveness (50 pts) —

  Evaluation of the completeness and responsiveness of the proposal to the requirements of this RFP. Consideration will include adherence to proposal instructions, submission of required documentation, and clarity of the Offeror’s response.

• Cost Proposal (200 pts) —

  Evaluation of the total cost of ownership for the proposed solution, including subscription fees, implementation costs, renewal pricing, and any additional associated costs. Cost will be evaluated in relation to the overall value offered and will not be the sole determining factor in award.

Submission Requirements

• Authorized Representative Contact Information: (required) —

  Please enter the Name, Title, Phone # and Email of the authorized representative.

• Does the offeror have any deviations/exceptions? (required) —

  Offerors shall indicate any and all deviations and exceptions taken to the provisions or specifications in this solicitation document. Clearly identify the specific paragraph(s) of the solicitation where the deviations or exceptions occur, and describe in detail. Offeror’s preprinted or standard terms will not be considered as part of any resulting Contract. All deviations and exceptions that are contained in the Offer may negatively affect the evaluation criteria as stated in the solicitation and may result in rejection of the Offer.

• If yes, please describe below any deviations/exceptions: (required) —

  Enter deviations/exceptions below

• Does this submission include any confidential/proprietary material? (required) —

  Bidders should identify any portion of their bid deemed confidential or proprietary (see Uniform Terms and Conditions). Identification in this section does not guarantee that disclosure will be prevented but that the item will be subject to review by the Bidder and the District prior to any public disclosure. Requests to deem the entire bid or price as confidential will not be considered. Confidential/Proprietary materials in your Bid response must be identified below. Failure to identify this information may result in denial of request. 

• Please list any materials that are confidential/proprietary: (required) —

  List materials below

• Will you employ any subcontractors? (required) —

  Select yes or no

• Subcontractors information (required) —

  The Contractor must list below the Trade, Company name, license and classification numbers of all qualified subcontractors and/or suppliers they will employ for the various portions of the work indicated. Failure on the part of the Contractor to complete this list properly may constitute sufficient grounds to reject the bid. If no subcontractors will be listed please indicate with a N/A

  Example: Trade, Company Name, ROC License #, ROC License Classification

• Will you be offering any quantity discounts? (required)
• If yes, please describe them below: (required)
• Additional Materials —

  Please attach any additional materials as applicable. Please do not exceed 25 pages.

• FORCED LABOR OF ETHNIC UYGHURS BAN (required) —

  Pursuant to A.R.S. § 35-394, written certification is required to show that the company entering into a contract with a public entity does not use the forced labor, or any goods or services produced by the forced labor, of ethnic Uyghurs in the People's Republic of China.

  Under A.R.S. § 35-394:

  1. "Company" means an organization, association, corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited partnership, limited liability partnership, limited liability company or other entity or business association, including a wholly owned subsidiary, majority-owned subsidiary, parent company or affiliate, that engages in for-profit activity and that has ten or more full-time employees.
  2. "Public entity" means this State, a political subdivision of this State or an agency, board, commission or department of this State or a political subdivision of this State.

  In compliance with A.R.S. §§ 35-394 et seq., all offerors must confirm the following: 

  The Company submitting this Offer does not use, and agrees not to use during the term of the contract, any of the following: 

  • Forced labor of ethnic Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China;
  • Any goods or services produced by the forced labor of ethnic Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China; or 
  • Any Contractors, Subcontractors, or suppliers that use the forced labor or any goods or services produced by the forced labor of ethnic Uyghurs in the People’s Republic of China.

  If any of the follow statements apply you are an exempt contractor and need not confirm:

  • Contractor is a sole proprietorship;
  • Contractor has fewer than ten (10) employees; and/or
  • Contractor is a non-profit organization.
• Would you be willing to allow other members of “S.A.V.E./GPPCS” to piggy-back and purchase from the contract if awarded through this RFP? (required) —

  *Your response to this question will not be used as part of the evaluation criteria. It is our intent, as a member of S.A.V.E./GPPCS, to make available to other districts the opportunity to save time, effort and paperwork by combining our purchasing power, whenever possible.

• Confirmation (required) —

  By checking “no” you are indicating that you would NOT like members of SAVE to be able to purchase using this contract

• CONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE —

  Districts are required to follow the School District Procurement Rules for all purchases of goods or services from district employees or close relatives of employees (spouse, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, brother, sister and their spouses, and the parent, brother, sister or child of a spouse) regardless of dollar amount. If an employee has a conflict, they must not be involved in the purchasing/oversight process. They may not enter requisitions, approve the requisition, supervise the work being performed, or approve payment for the respective product or service.

  Arizona Revised Statutes § 38-503(C) prohibits public employees or relatives from providing their employers with any equipment, material, supplies, or services unless provided under an award or contract let after public competitive solicitation. Districts must follow the School District Procurement Rules, regardless of the expenditure amount, when purchasing goods or services from district employees or relatives. This applies to any purchase using district monies, including extracurricular activities fees, tax credit contributions, and monies held in trust by the District, such as student activities monies. Following the guidelines for written quotes is not sufficient to comply with the requirements of A.R.S. § 38-503(C).

• Conflict of Interest Disclosure (required) —

  I or a close relative (spouse, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, brother, sister and their spouses, and the parent, brother, sister or child of a spouse) am presently an employee of the Tempe Union High School District No. 213.

• Please confirm the following (required) —

  I affirm, to the best of my knowledge, this Agreement has been arrived at independently, and is awarded without collusion with anyone to obtain information or gain any favoritism that would in any way limit competition or give an unfair advantage over other vendors in the award of this Agreement.

  AND

  That neither I or a close relative (spouse, child, grandchild, parent, grandparent, brother, sister and their spouses, and the parent, brother, sister or child of a spouse) am presently an employee of the Tempe Union High School District No. 213.

  That neither I, nor any close relative of mine, have a conflict per Tempe Union High School District policies or Arizona Revised Statutes.

  If a conflict of interest arises, it is my responsibility as an employee or relative of the employee to complete a Conflict of Interest Disclosure Form with the Purchasing Department immediately.

• Please identify the conflict interest Name, Title, Department/Location, and Relationship: (required) —

  By entering this information, you agree that you have disclosed any necessary affiliations with a Tempe Union High School District employee.

• REQUESTED FORMS —

  Please complete the following downloadable forms and upload them in their respective questions.

• Vendor Reference Sheet (required) —

  Please complete the vendor reference sheet found in attachments and attach the complete form here.

• Vendor Reference Questionnaire (required) —

  Please share this link with your references. The link will close April 20, 2026 at 2:00pm

  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMrEf7xriMGQ2O54vcr572JnwfCyOCNaxiO1oC98y9UM91Gg/viewform?usp=dialog

• Offer and Acceptance Form (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Non-Collusion Affidavit (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete and have notarized. An online notarization option will be provided for you when responding. Tempe Union High School District is not associated with NotaryLive, please note there is a fee to use NotaryLive.

• W-9 (required) —

  Please upload your complete W-9 here

• Certificate of Insurance (COI) (required) —

  Please upload your complete COI here

• Additional or separate contract —

  The form of contract for any award made as a result of this proposal will be a district purchase order, referencing this bid, which shall be considered a part of the contract. The amount will be based upon the fees shown in the bid, and will take into consideration previous and anticipated expenses for the forthcoming year. If your firm will require the District to sign an additional or separate contract, a copy of the proposal contract must be included with the proposal.

• Cost Proposal (required) —

  Please upload your complete COST PROPOSAL here. Please make sure that this information is NOT included in the RFP Response Area. Please refer to proposal requirements regarding pricing. 

• RFP Response (No Cost Proposal) —

  Please Upload your RFP Response HERE. Do NOT include cost in this area. There will be another place to upload your Cost Proposal.

• Letter of Interest/Qualifications/Experience (required) —

  Please include your Letter of Interest highlighting your qualifications and experience with District Communications & Engagement Platform highlighting specific experience within the Arizona K-12 Education Market.

• Response to 9.6 Technical Requirements (required)
• Response to Scope of Work 9.7 Project Plan/Methodology (required)
• ACCEPTED PAYMENT METHODS —

  Please list all acceptable forms of payment and any requirements or restrictions for using these payment methods.

• Please list all accepted payment methods (required) —

  Please list accepted payment method types (purchase order, p-card, credit card, etc.) as well as any restrictions for using these payment methods.

  Certain members of the SAVE may utilize a Procurement Card program to both improve and expedite the purchasing and payment process. Upon implementation, the District will be asking Offerors to provide a prompt payment discount taking into consideration receipt of payment within seventy-two (72) hours from time of payment processing.

  Please note: The preferred method of payment for the majority of school districts and public entities is a purchase order with net 30 payment terms. 

• Please address how shipping amounts are calculated: (required) —

  Example: (1) Per pound (2) Percentage of the order total (3) Order dollar amount.
  Include calculation for shipping heavy orders that cannot be shipped by FedEx, UPS, USPS, etc., due to weight and any other special requirements. Provide additional pages as necessary.

• Please state the freight terms and how shipping charges are figured for each order placed: (required) —

  All prices should be quoted F.O.B. Destination, which means the seller is responsible for all costs associated with delivering the goods to the specified destination. This includes transportation, unloading, and any necessary equipment such as lift gates.

• Does your company offer free delivery to school sites/departments? (required) —

  A value-added service would be free delivery for in-stock orders or orders over a certain dollar value determined by your company

• Please explain any exceptions from the above question:
• Is there a minimum order for free shipping? (required)
• If yes, please specify the amount: (required)
• Shipping Timeline of Merchandise: (required) —

  _______ days after receipt of order (ARO)

• Backorders shall be delivered within forty-five (45) days or sooner from receipt of the original order unless otherwise indicated on purchase order or notified by District personnel. (required)
• State your warranty or guarantee of products: (required)
• State your policy for returned and defective goods. (required)
• Are there restocking fees? (required)
• Clarify Basis for Restocking Fee: (required)
• Please specify amount: (required)
• Does your company charge for travel or trip charges to school sites/departments? (required)
• If so, please describe how these costs are calculated: (required)
• Data Verification Questions —

  These questions will be utilized to confirm information you provide

• System Award Management (SAM) Verification (required) —

  Please enter your company's Legal Name and/or dba Name:

• Solicitation purpose? (required) —

  What is the purpose of this solicitation?

• What Material(s)? (required) —

  Example: Office Supplies

• What Service(s)? (required) —

  Example: Janitorial Services

• What Food & Nutrition? (required) —

  Example: School Lunches

• Electronic Pricing Table (required) —

  Do you need an Electronic Pricing Table for this solicitation? If not, vendors would upload their own pricing proposal.

• Will the resulting contract be awarded to a single vendor or multiple? (required)
• Google Meet bid opening information? (required) —

  Include link and phone if you have one, if not leave blank.

  Example: Google Meet link: meet.google.com/zmt-hyyt-cft
  Join by phone: (US) +1 413-350-0407 PIN: 153 876 329#

• Contract initial term? (required) —

  Example: one year

• Contract start date? (required) —

  Example: July 1, 2024

• Contract end date? (required) —

  Example: June 30, 2025

• Renewal Options? (required) —

  Select applicable renewal options. "After the initial term, the contract is eligible for ______________."

• Cooperative Purchasing (required) —

  Select if for GPPCS or S.A.V.E.

Questions & Answers