SLED Opportunity · TEXAS · HOUSTON-GALVESTON AREA COUNCIL
AI Summary
H-GAC seeks proposals for a cloud-based Grant and Fund Management Software Solution to replace manual processes and support full lifecycle grant management including award setup, fund allocation, subrecipient management, expense tracking, and performance reporting.
H-GAC is soliciting proposals from qualified and eligible entities to provide a comprehensive, cloud-based Grant and Fund Management Software Solution. The purpose of this procurement is to acquire a modern system that supports the full lifecycle of grant management; from award setup to fund allocation, subrecipient management, expense tracking, and performance reporting. The system will replace manual, spreadsheet-based processes currently used for grant administration and financial oversight.
The Houston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) is the region-wide voluntary association of 133 local governments and local elected officials in the 13-county Gulf Coast Planning region of Texas. Local elected officials organized H-GAC in 1966 after authorization by State enabling legislation. Its service area is 12,500 square miles and includes more than 7-million residents. H-GAC is governed by a 36-member Board of Directors composed of local elected officials, who serve on the governing bodies of member local governments. All H-GAC programs are carried out under the policy direction of its Board of Directors.
H-GAC's mission is to facilitate cooperation among local governments, supporting the region's orderly development and ensuring the safety and well-being of its residents. H-GAC serves as the fiscal and administrative agent for the Gulf Coast Workforce Board. In this role, H-GAC is responsible for issuing procurements, managing local, state, and federal grant funds, ensuring compliance with relevant laws, addressing audit findings, preparing financial reports, and providing technical assistance to subrecipients on fiscal issues. H-GAC is the primary contact for fiscal and administrative matters, operating under the guidance of the Gulf Coast Workforce Board.
The Gulf Coast Workforce Board, hereinafter referred to as GCWB or the “Board”, is a workforce development organization established under Section 2308.253 of the Texas Government Code, Workforce Investment Act of 1998 and its replacement, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Public Law 113 Sec. 107 (29 USC 3122). GCWB serves as the governing body for the public workforce system for the 13-county area of the Gulf Coast region of Texas.
The Gulf Coast Workforce Board and its operating affiliate Workforce Solutions together are the public workforce system in the 13-county Houston-Galveston region. Workforce Solutions help employers meet their human resource needs and individuals build careers, so both can compete in the global economy.
Workforce Solutions serves 300,000 to 400,000 people annually and more than 25,000 employers through 24 local career offices, an Employer Service division, and a consortium of adult education providers. Workforce Solutions offers a range of services to help employers find and hire the best candidates for their job openings, develop new or current employees, and get human resources technical advice. Workforce Solutions helps individuals get a job, keep a job, or get a better job with job search assistance, job referrals and placement, career planning, and financial assistance for those who are eligible. For more information about the Gulf Coast Workforce Board and Workforce Solutions, visit http://wrksolutions.com. The Houston-Galveston Area Council, the fiscal agent for the Gulf Coast Workforce Board, is issuing this Solicitation on behalf of the Board and Workforce Solutions.
Pre-Proposal PPT slides and Attendance
H-GAC will accept only the following as equivalent compliance evidence (in lieu of TX-RAMP), provided documentation is current and issued by the applicable authorizing body/certifying organization or an independent third party as noted:
Failure to provide acceptable evidence of TX-RAMP certification/authorization or one of the listed equivalent certifications/attestations at proposal submission will render the proposal non-responsive and be rejected.
All data associated with the proposed solution will be stored, processed, transmitted, and backed up exclusively within data centers physically located in the United States. This requirement applies to all environments and data types, including but not limited to:
The Contractor will identify all hosting locations and confirm that no data will be stored, transmitted, replicated, or accessed from environments outside the United States. The Contractor will describe controls and architectural safeguards used to ensure ongoing compliance with this requirement throughout the contract lifecycle.
Failure to provide the required Data Residency Compliance Narrative demonstrating compliance with this requirement will result in the proposal being deemed non-responsive and will be rejected.
Evidence the proposer meets the minimum qualification and ability to comply with all contractual requirements. Proposer demonstrates expertise and practical experience in providing the requested services, including an effective approach and methodology to achieving project objectives and demonstrates a clear understanding of the tasks to be undertaken in this Solicitation.
Demonstrated experience and a history of providing the same or similar services to those specified in the solicitation relating to workforce activities, targeted populations, performance outcomes (contracted measures/targets), expenditures benchmarks, and contract compliance.
Collaborations, customer centric service delivery, monitoring systems, use of data including customer surveys and continuous improvement philosophies to improve service delivery, outreach, and recruitment of targeted populations.
Demonstrated effective organizational structure and relevant experience on similar projects. Qualifications and capability of the proposed team, key team members and other personnel as evidenced by statement of experience and resumes.
Proposed pricing is reasonable and a detailed cost breakdown is provided. Clear distinction has been made between software licensing fees and implementation costs. Details of any bundle or volume discounts provided. Cost license model with detailed breakdown provided.
Proposals will be evaluated based on the clarity of the user interface, ease of data entry, and overall usability of the proposed system, as demonstrated through the submitted screenshots or materials.
References provided from organizations who can speak to firms' performance, reliability, innovation, and ability to deliver on project requirements.
Potential proposers invited to interviews/demos will be notified of the time and place.
Provide a summary of key aspects of the contractor’s qualifications and indicate the Respondent’s commitment to provide the services proposed and certify that all statements and information prepared and submitted in the response to this Solicitation are current, complete, and accurate; and that the proposed solution for the project meets all the requirements of this Solicitation.
Proposed cloud service must be TX-RAMP certified/authorized or possess an equivalent, current third-party cloud security certification/attestation at the time of proposal submission. Offerors must state the current compliance status and provide verifiable supporting documentation showing that the certification/attestation applies to the specific proposed cloud service and hosting environment used to deliver the solution.
H-GAC will accept only the following as equivalent compliance evidence (in lieu of TX-RAMP), provided documentation is current and issued by the applicable authorizing body/certifying organization or an independent third party as noted:
Failure to provide acceptable evidence of TX-RAMP certification/authorization or one of the listed equivalent certifications/attestations at proposal submission will render the proposal non-responsive and be rejected.
Comply with all Data Residency Requirements specified in this solicitation and ensure all data associated with the proposed solution will be stored, processed, transmitted, and backed up exclusively within data centers physically located in the United States for the duration of the contract. This requirement applies to all environments and data types, including but not limited to:
Identify all hosting locations and confirm that no data will be stored, transmitted, replicated, or accessed from environments outside the United States.
Describe controls and architectural safeguards used to ensure ongoing compliance with this requirement throughout the contract lifecycle.
Failure to provide the required Data Residency Compliance Narrative demonstrating compliance with this requirement will result in the proposal being deemed non-responsive and will be rejected.
Submit details regarding approach to undertaking the tasks listed in this Solicitation. A recommended methodology for performance of each task identified in the scope of work must be included, along with a timeline for completion. The timeline must illustrate key milestones and anticipate necessary meetings with H-GAC staff. Joint submissions must describe how the partners will support each other in ensuring a successful outcome.
If the proposed solution offers integration with an ERP/accounting system (including via secure, well-documented API) or provides data export capabilities beyond standard reporting outputs, explicitly describe these capabilities, including the supported methods (e.g., REST, flat file, import/export templates), any prerequisites, associated developer resources, and any associated costs.
Support and Service Level Agreements (SLAs)
Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity
Training
Submit detail outlining the project manager and key staff members and a clear indication as to their involvement in the project. Brief resumes of staff members, including field staff, must be included. Please upload resumes in the separate section marked "Resumes". Substitutions for essential personnel involved will not be allowed without H-GAC’s prior approval and resulting delays will be the responsibility of the Contractor. H-GAC retains the right to request the removal of any personnel found, in H-GAC’s opinion, to be unqualified to perform the work. Submit additional information Respondent deems pertinent to demonstrating qualifications and/or experience to perform the services being requested such as memberships in any professional associations, documents, examples, and others.
Upload all resumes in this section
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Failure to clearly disclose all costs may result in disqualification.
Describe in detail the features, functionality, architecture and user experience of the proposed platform, including how it meets the functional, integration, accessibility, and technical specifications outlined in the Scope of Work.
Submit screenshots of the proposed system demonstrating core grant management functionality, including data entry, workflow, and reporting modules. Submissions must be sufficient to evaluate the system interface, look and feel, and ease of use.
Describe mobile functionality, offline capabilities (if any), and compatibility across operating systems (iOS, Android, Windows).
Describe the proposed user licensing model (e.g., named, concurrent, or tiered), scalability, and role-based access configuration.
Provide responses for five (5) contracts or grants where the proposer provided similar services in the past five (5) years. Include any contracts with public assistance entities, regional planning organizations, or organizations similar to H-GAC. H-GAC may verify the listed information. Follow the format below for each contract/grant.
Contract/Grant #:
Respondent must agree to comply with all rules, policies, directives, and plans issued by the Board and the Texas Workforce Commission. Contractor shall be responsible for complying with all applicable laws, rules, regulations, policies, and directives governing the programs identified under this RFP.
Respondent agrees and must submit signed compliance documents and statutory assurances which will govern program operations. In addition, respondents may be asked to submit additional information by H-GAC during the Solicitation process or at any time during the fiscal year.
Awardees are required to disclose any changes in and circumstances regarding the method of security or protecting funds under the workforce service provider’s control.
(1) Non-Discrimination and Equal Opportunity
As a condition of the award of financial assistance from the Department of Labor under WIOA, the respondent must assure compliance with nondiscrimination and equal opportunity laws throughout the duration of the award including, but not limited to:
The respondent guarantees that, as a recipient of WIOA (federal) financial assistance, it, along with any subrecipients, contractors, subcontractors, and service providers, will adhere to all applicable nondiscrimination and equal opportunity provisions of federal and state laws, as well as all regulations implementing these laws.
The Respondent must include this certification language in all sub-awards at every level (such as subcontracts, sub-grants, and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and require all sub-recipients to certify accordingly.
The Respondent and its subrecipients, contractors, subcontractors, and service providers may not deny services under the grant to any person and are prohibited from discriminating against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, and gender identity), national origin (including limited English proficiency), age, disability, or political affiliation or belief or against beneficiaries on the basis of either citizenship status or participation in any federal or state financially assisted program and/or activity.
The Respondent and its subrecipients, contractors, subcontractors, and service providers shall ensure that the evaluation and treatment of employees and applicants for employment are free from discrimination.
The grant applicant understands that the United States has the right to seek judicial enforcement of this assurance.
Respondent acknowledges and agrees that, to the extent Respondent owes any debt including, but not limited to, delinquent taxes, delinquent student loans, and child support owed to the State of Texas, any payments or other amounts Respondent is otherwise owed under the contract may be applied toward any debt Respondent owes the State of Texas until the debt is paid in full. These provisions are effective at any time Respondent owes any such debt or delinquency.
Grants are supported by public funding, making it imperative that grantees have high ethical standards which include the avoidance of conflicts of interest either real or apparent.
Grantees and successful applicants must avoid any conflicts of interest or even the appearance of conflicts. Successful applicants are required to comply with relevant federal and state statutes and regulations related to standards of conduct and conflict of interest provisions, including but not limited to:
(A) 29 C.F.R. §97.36(b)(3), which encompasses requirements from the Uniform Administrative Requirements for Grants and Cooperative Agreements to State and Local Governments.
(B) Applicable OMB Circular requirements
(C) WIOA Regulations
(D) Texas Grant Management Standards (TxGMS),
(E) Texas Workforce Commission Rule 40 TAC §802, Workforce Board and H-GAC Conflict of Interest policies
(F) Professional licensing requirements, when applicable.
Additionally, applicants must refrain from using nonpublic information obtained through a relationship with the Texas Workforce Commission or its employees, a Board, or a Board employee to seek or gain financial benefits that could result in a conflict of interest or the appearance of one.
Respondent confirms no Conflicts of Interest exist along with their completed proposal and agrees to promptly disclose any real or apparent conflict to the Gulf Coast Workforce Board Executive Director or designee and H-GAC. Respondent understands that failure to complete the certification or disclose any conflicts (real or apparent) may result in their application being disqualified for consideration.
Pursuant to Article 2.45, Texas Business Corporation Act, state agencies may not contract with for profit corporation that are delinquent in making state franchise tax payments. If Contractor is a taxable entity as defined by Chapter 171, Texas Tax Code (“Chapter 171”), then Contractor certifies that it is not currently delinquent in the payment of any taxes due under Chapter 171, or that Contractor is exempt from the payment of those taxes. Respondent certifies it is not delinquent.
Respondent must be current in Unemployment Insurance taxes, Payday and Child Labor law monetary obligations, and Proprietary School fees and assessments payable to the State of Texas and has no outstanding Unemployment Insurance overpayment balance payable to the State of Texas.
Respondent and any potential subcontractors agree and will ensure that Workforce Solutions Offices will be free of defects and conditions that materially affect health and safety of customers and Workforce Solutions employees. A space must be free of conditions that materially affect health and/or safety for the space to be considered suitable for intended purposes.
The co-location space must be the requirements set forth in Attachment 9.
Pursuant to Texas Government Code § 2264.051, Respondent certifies that the business, or a branch, division, or department of the business, does not and will not knowingly employ an undocumented worker as defined in Texas Government Code § 2264.001(4).
Successful bidder shall implement policies and procedures concerning this law by following Texas Workforce Commission’s y guidance in WD Letter 07-08 and subsequent issuances.
Respondent will certify that it shall establish and implement reasonable internal program management procedures sufficient to ensure its compliance with Texas Government Code § 2264.051.
Texas Government Code § 2264.052 mandates that a business convicted of a violation under 8 U.S.C. § 1324a(f) (unlawful employment of undocumented workers), shall repay the amount of the public subsidy with interest not later than the 120th day after the entity is notified of the violation.
In accordance with Texas Government Code § 2264.053, the Board has determined that if the Contractor is convicted of such a violation, the interest rate to be applied to the public subsidy is fifteen percent (15%).
Texas Family Code, Subtitle D (Administrative Services), Chapter 231, Section 231.006, Ineligibility to Receive State Grants or Loans or Receive Payment on State Contracts, which requires the following certification: the provider certifies that the individual or business entity named in this contract, bid, or application is not ineligible to receive the specified grant, loan, or payment and acknowledges that this contract may be terminated and payment may be withheld if this certification is inaccurate.
Submission must be signed by a duly authorized representative(s) of the respondent, which must be the actual legal entity that will perform the contract if awarded and any total fixed price contained therein will remain firm for a period of one-hundred eighty (180) days following the submission due date and can be further extended by mutual written agreement.
A signature (electronic) constitutes acknowledgement and acceptance of all the Solicitation Terms and Conditions. Respondents, their authorized representative, and their agents are responsible for obtaining, and will be deemed to have, full knowledge of the conditions, requirements, and specifications of this Solicitation at the time a response is submitted to H-GAC. This Solicitation does not commit H-GAC to award a contract, issue a Purchase Order, or pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a submission to this Solicitation. The submission will become part of H-GAC’s official files without any obligation on H-GAC’s behalf. All Submissions will be held confidential from all parties other than H-GAC, and only released in accordance with Public Information Act requirements.
Respondent agrees and understands the above requirements, and by confirming, I certify that I am legally authorized to bind the entity to the Terms and Conditions of the Proposal as submitted. I also agree that any other related documents entered into in connection with this Proposal, which include a digital acknowledgement or electronic signature, are to be treated in all respects as having the same force and effect as original signatures.
Signature of the person authorized to bind Respondent company to any contract/purchase order that may result from this Solicitation and acknowledgement and acceptance of the full Solicitation Terms and Conditions.
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To ensure a fair and competitive environment, direct communication between H-GAC employees other than the Solicitation Contact or any party able to create an unfair advantage to Respondent or disadvantage to other Respondents with respect to the Solicitation process, or the award of a Contract is strictly prohibited. This restricted period of communication begins on the issue date of the Solicitation and for Respondent(s) not selected for award ends with the conclusion of the protest period identified in the Solicitation document and for Respondents(s) selected for award ends with the Contract execution. This restriction does not apply to communications to other H-GAC employees during a Pre-Proposal/Bid or Response conference or other situations where the Solicitation Contact has expressly authorized direct communications with other staff. A Respondent who intentionally violates this requirement of the Solicitation process or otherwise deliberately or unintentionally benefits from such a violation by another party may have its Submission rejected in accordance with H-GAC Procurement Policy. Respondent(s) will not offer any gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value to any official or employee of H-GAC (including any and all members of the evaluation committee) for the purposes of influencing consideration of any Submission.
Respondent agrees and understands the above requirement.
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Debarment and Suspension (Executive Orders 12549 and 12689) – A contract award (2 CFR 180.220) must not be made to parties listed on the government-wide exclusions in the System for Award Management (SAM), in accordance with the OMB guidelines at 2 CFR 180 that implement Executive Orders 12549 (3 CFR Part 1966 Comp. p. 189) and 12689 (3 CFR Part 1989 Comp. p. 235), “Debarment and Suspension.” SAM Exclusions contains the names of parties debarred, suspended, or otherwise excluded by agencies, as well as parties declared ineligible under statutory or regulatory authority other than Executive Order 12549. Respondent certifies that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation by any federal department or agency or by the State of Texas and at all times during the term of the Contract neither it nor its principals will be debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation by any federal department or agency or by the State of Texas. Respondent shall immediately provide the written notice to H-GAC if at any time the Respondent learns that this certification was erroneous when submitted or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances. H-GAC may rely upon a certification of the Respondent that the Respondent is not debarred, suspended, ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from the covered contract, unless H-GAC knows the certification is erroneous.
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The undersigned certifies, to the best of his or her knowledge and belief, that:
(1) No Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid, by or on behalf of the undersigned, to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with the awarding of any Federal grant, the making of any Federal loan, the entering into of any cooperative agreement, and the extension, continuation, renewal, amendment or modification of any Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.
(2) If any funds other than Federal appropriated funds have been paid or will be paid to any person for influencing or attempting to influence an officer or employee of any agency, a Member of Congress, an officer or employee of Congress, or an employee of a Member of Congress in connection with this Federal contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement, the undersigned shall complete and submit Standard Form- LLL, "Disclosure of Lobbying Activities," in accordance with its instructions.
(3) The undersigned shall require that the language of this certification be included in the award documents of all sub-awards at all tiers (including subcontracts, sub-grants, and contracts under grants, loans, and cooperative agreements) and that all sub- recipients shall certify and disclose accordingly.
This certification is a material representation of fact upon which reliance was placed when this transaction was made or entered into. Submission of this certification is a prerequisite for making or entering into this transaction imposed by section 1352, title 31, United States Code. Any person who fails to file the required certification shall be subject to a civil penalty of not less than $10,000 and not more than $100,000 for each such failure.
Respondent represents and warrants that it shall comply with the applicable provisions of the Drug-Free Workplace Act of 1988 (41 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.) and maintain a drug-free work environment. H-GAC may request a copy of this policy upon contract award.
The grantee certifies that it will provide a drug-free workplace by: (a) Publishing a statement notifying employees that the unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession or use of a controlled substance is prohibited in the grantee’s workplace and specifying the actions that will be taken against employees for violation of such prohibition; (b) Establishing a drug-free awareness program to inform employees about— (1) The dangers of drug abuse in the workplace; (2) The grantee’s policy of maintaining a drug-free workplace; (3) Any available drug counseling, rehabilitation and employee assistance programs, and (4) The penalties that may be imposed upon employees for drug abuse violations occurring in the workplace. (c) Making it a requirement that each employee to be engaged in the performance of the grant be given a copy of the statement required by paragraph (a); (d) Notifying the employee in the statement required by paragraph (a) that, as a condition of employment under the grant, the employee will— (1) Abide by the terms of the statement; and (2) Notify the employer of any criminal drug statute conviction for a violation occurring in the workplace no later than five days after each conviction; (e) Notifying the agency within ten days after receiving notice under subparagraph (d)(2) from an employee or otherwise receiving actual notice of such conviction; (f) Taking one of the following actions, within 30 days of receiving notice under subparagraph (d)(2), with respect to any employee who is so convicted— (1) Taking appropriate personnel action against such an employee, up to and including termination; or (2) Requiring such employee to participate satisfactorily in a drug abuse assistance or rehabilitation program approved for such purposes by a Federal, State, or local health, law enforcement, or other appropriate agency; (g) Making a good faith effort to continue to maintain a drug-free workplace through implementation of paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f).
Respondent represents and warrants its compliance with all applicable duly enacted state and federal laws governing equal employment opportunities. The equal opportunity clause provided under 41 CFR 60-1.4(b) is hereby incorporated by reference.
Under Section 161.0085 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, Respondent certifies that the individual or business entity named in this Response or contract is not ineligible to receive the specified contract. A business in this state may not require a customer to provide any documentation certifying the customer's COVID-19 vaccination or post-transmission recovery on entry to, to gain access to, or to receive service from the business. A business that fails to comply with this subsection is not eligible to receive a grant or enter into a contract payable with state funds.
No officer, member or employee of the Contractor or Contractors subcontractor, no member of the governing body of the Contractor, and no other public officials of the Contractor who exercise any functions or responsibilities in the review or Contractor approval of this Master Agreement, shall participate in any decision relating to this Master Agreement which affects his or her personal interest, or shall have any personal or pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in this Master Agreement.
As required by Section 2252.908 of the Texas Government Code. H-GAC will not enter a Contract with Contractor unless (i) the Contractor submits a disclosure of interested parties form to H-GAC at the time the Contractor submits the contract H-GAC, or (ii) the Contractor is exempt from such requirement. The required form and instructions are located at the Texas Ethics Commission website https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/whatsnew/elf_info_form1295.htm. Respondents who are awarded a Contract must submit their Form 1295 with the submission to H-GAC.
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No officer, member or employee of the Contractor or Contractors subcontractor, no member of the governing body of the Contractor, and no other public officials of the Contractor who exercise any functions or responsibilities in the review or Contractor approval of this Master Agreement, shall participate in any decision relating to this Master Agreement which affects his or her personal interest, or shall have any personal or pecuniary interest, direct or indirect, in this Master Agreement.
Chapter 176 of the Texas Local Government Code requires contractors contracting or seeking to contract with H-GAC to file a conflict-of-interest questionnaire (CIQ) if they have an employment or other business relationship with an H-GAC officer or an officer's close family member. H-GAC officers include its Board of Directors and Executive Director, who are listed on the H-GAC website. Respondent must complete and file a CIQ with the Texas Ethics Commission if an employment or business relationship with H-GAC officer or an officer's close family member as defined in the law exists. The required questionnaire and instructions are located on the Conflict of Interest page on the Texas Ethics Commission website. https://www.ethics.state.tx.us/forms/conflict/
Please confirm to acknowledge that the form will be filed if applicable.
Respondent represents and warrants that all statements and information prepared and submitted in this response are current, complete, true, and accurate. Submitting a Response with a false statement or material misrepresentations made during the performance of a contract is a material breach of contract and may void the submitted Response and any resulting contract.
Pursuant to Section 2155.004(a) of the Texas Government Code, Respondent certifies that neither Respondent nor any person or entity represented by Respondent has received compensation from H-GAC to participate in the preparation of the specifications or solicitation on which this Response or contract is based. Under Section 2155.004(b) of the Texas Government Code, Respondent certifies that the individual or business entity named in this Response or contract is not ineligible to receive the specified contract and acknowledges that the contract may be terminated and payment withheld if this certification is inaccurate.
Respondent will not collude, in any manner, or engage in any practice, with any other Respondent(s) which may restrict or eliminate competition or otherwise restrain trade. Respondent also represents and warrants that, in accordance with Section 2155.005 of the Texas Government Code, neither Respondent nor the firm, corporation, partnership, or institution represented by Respondent, or anyone acting for such a firm, corporation or institution has (1) violated any provision of the Texas Free Enterprise and Antitrust Act of 1983, Chapter 15 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, or the federal antitrust laws, or (2) communicated directly or indirectly the contents of this Response to any competitor or any other person engaged in the same line of business as Respondent.
Respondent agrees that it has read, understands, and fully intends to comply with the solicitation terms and conditions, and any additional terms and conditions (as applicable and included as additional sections, attachments or additional documents) of this solicitation as applicable to any subsequent contract or funding agency requirements or agreements. Exceptions to these Terms and Conditions are not permitted and will not be reviewed.
Q (Custom Development or Existing Solution): We would like to know whether you would like a custom solution or an existing, COTS product?
A: H-GAC is open to either a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution or a custom-developed solution. If a COTS solution is proposed, the vendor must provide details on product capabilities, configuration options, licensing, and ongoing support. If a custom-developed solution is proposed, it must comply with H-GAC’s Technology Procurement requirements, including security, accessibility, and architectural standards. The vendor must also provide comprehensive support for ongoing maintenance, updates, and issue resolution. For both options, vendors must clearly describe their support model, upgrade approach, and long-term sustainability of the solution.
Q (RFP Questions – Grant an Fund Management Software Solution (H-GAC)): 1. Is H-GAC seeking an existing commercial grant management platform, or expecting vendors to design and build a custom system? 2. Will the selected vendor be responsible for providing the software platform itself, or primarily implementation/configuration services? 3. What financial or ERP systems must the solution integrate with? 4. Approximately how many internal staff and external subrecipients would use the system? 5. Will historical data from current spreadsheet processes need to be migrated into the new system?
A: 1. For both options, vendors must clearly describe their support model, upgrade approach, and long-term sustainability of the solution. If a COTS solution is proposed, the vendor must provide details on product capabilities, configuration options, licensing, and ongoing support. If a custom-developed solution is proposed, it must comply with H-GAC’s Technology Procurement requirements, including security, accessibility, and architectural standards. The vendor must also provide comprehensive support for ongoing maintenance, updates, and issue resolution. 2. Both; providing the software and implementation. 3. Preferably MIP (Momentive software) although integration is not required. 4. H-GAC anticipates approximately 25 internal users and 36 external subrecipient users and requires the ability to scale as programs expand. 5. Yes
Q (Cloud Security Compliance Requirement): In Section 11.2, “Cloud Security Compliance Requirement,” the RFP states that the proposed cloud service must be TX-RAMP certified/authorized or possess an equivalent certification. The listed equivalents include FedRAMP Authorization, CSA STAR Certification, SOC 2 Type II (conducted by an independent third party), or ISO/IEC 27017 certification (conducted by an independent third party). 1. Will a CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO) certification be accepted as an equivalent to TX-RAMP for the purposes of this requirement? 2. If TX-RAMP certification (or an accepted equivalent) is currently in progress and will be fully completed prior to system implementation in October 2026, would this meet the compliance requirement outlined in the RFP and allow for response submission?
A: 1. No 2. No. Proposed cloud service must be TX-RAMP certified/authorized or possess an equivalent, current third-party cloud security certification/attestation at the time of proposal submission. Failure to provide acceptable evidence of TX-RAMP certification/authorization or one of the listed equivalent certifications/attestations at proposal submission will render the proposal non-responsive and be rejected. You may find more information under 7.4. Standard Requirements
Q (Bond Requirement): Article 21 Bonding Requirements is included in Attachment B - Workforce Provisions. Since HGAC is not permitting contractual exceptions, can you advise on if this was simply included as standard sample language, or is this an absolute requirement that will be incorporated into any resulting RFP contract?
A: This is standard language.
Q (No subject): What is the approximate total annual funding allocated to the Gulf Coast Workforce Board (Workforce Solutions) across all programs?
A: $475,000,000.00 +/- You may review the budget/expense information here: https://www.h-gac.com/financial-information
Q (No subject): For Workforce Solutions, what is the annual funding allocation by program (and total combined funding)?
A: Typical annual budget is $475,000,000.00 +/- You may review the budget/expense information here: https://www.h-gac.com/financial-information
Q (No subject): Approximately how much funding does the Workforce Solutions distribute annually (actual expenditures) in total and across each program? What is the approximate annual funding volume that will be managed through the system?
A: Typical annual budget is $475,000,000.00 +/- You may review the budget/expense information here: https://www.h-gac.com/financial-information
Q (No subject): What is the approximate annual number of awards managed by the Workforce Solutions?
A: Approximately 20-30 awards/grants annually.
Q (No subject): Can you share any expected budget range or procurement thresholds that vendors should align to for implementation and ongoing licensing?
A: We are unable to share the expected budget range. Proposed costs must be reflective of anticipated project costs.
Q (No subject): Will your organization assign an internal project manager and core team? If so, how many stakeholders do you anticipate from your team being involved across business, IT, and finance in the implementation? Do you envision the vendor supporting your teams efforts by doing business analysis and requirements gathering, or will your team be able to provide a comprehensive understanding of processes and requirements during the implementation period?
A: Yes. About 7 stakeholders will be involved in the implementation. The team will be able to provide a comprehensive understanding of processes and requirements during the implementation period.
Q (No subject): The pre-bid conference documentation clarifies that Child Care, WIOA Adult, Youth, and Dislocated Worker, Adult Education & Literacy, TANF, and Vocational Rehabilitation are the programs. Can you validate if any other programs exist? How many distinct grant programs do you administer annually, and what is the approximate number of applications received per program?
A: We manage approximately 20-30 total awards/grants annually.
Q (No subject): How standardized are workflows across programs today? Is there a desire to standardize processes or maintain program-specific differences?
A: Typically, the workflows will be standardized.
Q (No subject): Will budgets originate in the GMS or ERP? Is the GMS expected to be your system of record, or just a workflow layer?
A: Budgets are to originate in the GMS and the GMS is expected to be a system of record.
Q (No subject): How do you envision payments being reconciled between GMS and the ERP system?
A: Integration to the ERP is not required. Reporting and expense exports will be used to reconcile against manually entered AP vouchers.
Q (No subject): Do funds have different rules (allowable costs, reporting cadence, timeframes) by source? Could you share more detail if so?
A: Yes. The funding streams/grants have varying grant periods (Fiscal Year, Calendar Year, etc), reporting requirements, and costs allowability based on the service they are to provide.
Q (No subject): Are funds blended across programs or strictly separated?
A: Funds are strictly separated, as they each entail specific services to be provided/allowability.
Q (No subject): How detailed is expense tracking (line-item, category-level, cost allocation across funding sources)?
A: Expense tracking is detailed and encompasses the same financial information presented in different formats. In example, a subrecipient submission typically includes expenses reported for overall administrative and direct services, each broken down by salaries, benefits, travel, etc. The individual funding stream submission includes the same breakdown, also a separate section by category (operations, monitoring, financial aid), and other supplemental breakdowns.
Q (No subject): Do submissions (expenses, documents, applications, reports, etc.) typically follow expected guidelines, or do exceptions come up regularly? How often do you need to make adjustments or corrections after something is submitted? Where are the biggest bottlenecks?
A: The largest bottlenecks are: 1. Project code maintenance (Excel reports reflecting expired project codes, or allowing expenses outside of specific allowable period for the grant). 2. Differences in Amounts reported. For example, individual funding stream amounts not adding up to the overall expensed amount, or submitter using more than 2 numbers after the decimal (causes final AP amounts to vary by pennies).
Q (No subject): Where do you see the most delays or challenges in your current process? Which parts of the process tend to require the most manual effort today?
A: The largest issues for expense reporting are: 1. Project code maintenance (Excel reports reflecting expired project codes, or allowing expenses outside of specific allowable period for the grant). 2. Differences in Amounts reported. For example, individual funding stream amounts not adding up to the overall expensed amount, or submitter using more than 2 numbers after the decimal (causes final AP amounts to vary by pennies).
Q (No subject): Do subrecipients need to split a single expense across multiple funding sources?
A: Not in the GMS. The cost splitting/cost pool allocations are prepared by the subrecipient prior to expense report submission.
Q (No subject): Does the system need to provide any funding or grants to individuals/households or only sub-receipt organizations?
A: No. Subrecipients only.
Q (No subject): What type of data do you expect to be stored in this environment? Is this just grants, budgets, documents, activities, and financial data, or do you also expect PII or PHI to be stored or processed by the system?
A: Mainly grant activities and financial data. It is possible that PII will be entered within the budget module (payroll detail, etc).
Q (No subject): What validation steps are required before expenses are approved (documentation, eligibility rules, thresholds)?
A: Yes. Typically, the approver reviews: -Budget compliance -Allowability of expenses within each grant/funding stream period -Alignment with scope of work/contract -Support documentation (should tie with the amounts reported).
Q (No subject): How frequently do subrecipients report (monthly, quarterly, real-time)?
A: Reporting occurs once or twice a month.
Q (No subject): Are reporting templates standardized or program-specific?
A: Most reporting templates are standardized, with small variations on some programs.
Q (No subject): Do reports require review cycles, revisions, and approvals?
A: Yes. Expense reports require review.
Q (No subject): Can you confirm whether the system is expected to support full subrecipient application intake (e.g., external submission forms and applicant portals), or if applications are created and managed internally after award?
A: We require a portal for subrecipients to submit proposed budgets and expenses. There will be internal modification/approval.
Q (No subject): If managing applications, do application forms and approval workflows vary significantly across programs, or are they largely standardized?
A: The workflows for Budget proposals and expense reports are largely standardized.
Q (No subject): Do subrecipient budget templates vary by program or funding source, and if so, would you be able to share any additional sample templates?
A: Master budget templates are standardized, but the funding stream budget detail depends on those passed through to the subrecipient (one subrecipient may have 20 funding streams, while another subrecipient may only have 2).
Q (No subject): Approximately how many types of automated communications and document templates will be required? Could you specify when or how subrecipients or other stakeholders require which automated communications?
A: Automated communications: Submission and approval confirmations as well as ready for review, in processing, and payment. Templates (included but not limited to): Budget (multiple categories/formats) Expense report with supplemental reporting
Q (No subject): How many levels of financial tracking and agency budgeting (e.g., fund, program, cost category, subrecipient) are required for reporting?
A: All of the above.
Q (No subject): Can you estimate the number of records (grants, organizations, users, documents) that will need to be migrated? Can you provide any more detail into what these records look like? Are current spreadsheets standardized or inconsistent across programs? What level of data cleansing is expected? What types of "validation procedures” do you expect to be completed by vendors?
A: Current spreadsheets are generally standardized, but vary based on the funding streams allocated to each subrecipient. Information migrated will likely be for active grant awards/subrecipient contracts as well as prior year documents.
Q (No subject): What identity provider (e.g., Azure AD, Okta) do you currently use for SSO?
A: Azure AD.
Q (No subject): What ERP/accounting system will this integrate with in the future?
A: The ERP/accounting system for future integration has not yet been determined. The organization anticipates selecting an industry-standard ERP platform through a future procurement process. Vendors should describe their solution’s ability to integrate with commonly used ERP/accounting systems and outline available integration methods and standards.
Q (No subject): The RFP outlined a certain number of internal staff and subrecipients. Will each subrecipient have multiple team members who need to access the system? Do different roles exist within subrecipient orgs (finance, program, admin)? What tasks do you envision subrecipients completing when they enter their portal?
A: Yes, each subrecipient will need multiple team members to access the system. Yes, different roles exist within the subrecipient orgs. Subrecipients may submit proposed budgets, final expense reports, and corresponding supporting documents/attachments. Also the ability to view their balances.
Q (No subject): How many total subrecipient organizations are active annually?
A: 11 active subrecipients
Q (No subject): What reports are submitted to federal/state agencies vs internal leadership? Are there strict report formats that must be reproduced exactly? Can you share examples?
A: H-GAC is responsible for reporting current period/cumulative expenses/remaining balances to grantors and internal stakeholders on a monthly or as needed basis. Also, we report to the board every two months. Report formats are not strict but the information must be accurate and available for sort/filter, as well as a print/export output.
Q (No subject): What are the financial systems currently being used by H-CAG?
A: Expense reporting in Excel and submission in Sharepoint/Automate. Accounting software used is MIP Momentive Software for transactions. The ERP/accounting system for future integration has not yet been determined. The organization anticipates selecting an industry-standard ERP platform through a future procurement process. Vendors should describe their solution’s ability to integrate with commonly used ERP/accounting systems and outline available integration methods and standards.
Q (No subject): What federal and state grant compliance and reporting is H-CAG responsible for?
A: We comply with 2 CFR Part 200, TEGL, TWC FMGC, among other federal/state rules and guidance. H-GAC is responsible for reporting to grantors on a monthly or as needed basis.
Q (No subject): Can H-CAG elaborate on what they need for after hours support? Would a ticketing system and online learning management system meet this requirement or are your wanting a helpdesk option after hours?
A: Ticketing system with escalation to support help will work.
Q (No subject): How many subrecipients would be in attendance for training? What frequency would training need to be completed (one-time, annually, etc.)?
A: About 22-36 subrecipients would be in attendance for training. One time training is acceptable if training materials and videos are provided for future use.
Q (No subject): Is the 30% DBE goal mandatory to bid?
A: No.
Q (No subject): If document management can be done in the system, would H-CAG still need the Microsoft365 integration?
A: We can review it based on the solution's features and document flow.
Q (Cloud Security Compliance Requirement): In Section 11.2, “Cloud Security Compliance Requirement,” the RFP states that the proposed cloud service must be TX-RAMP certified/authorized or possess an equivalent certification. The listed equivalents include FedRAMP Authorization, CSA STAR Certification, SOC 2 Type II (conducted by an independent third party), or ISO/IEC 27017 certification (conducted by an independent third party). 1. Will a CMMC Level 2 (C3PAO) certification be accepted as an equivalent to TX-RAMP for the purposes of this requirement? 2. If TX-RAMP certification (or an accepted equivalent) is currently in progress and will be fully completed prior to system implementation in October 2026, would this meet the compliance requirement outlined in the RFP and allow for response submission?
A: No, CMMC is not listed as an accepted equivalent. TX-RAMP certification or an equivalent must be present at the time of proposal submission. Failure to provide acceptable evidence of TX-RAMP certification/authorization or one of the listed equivalent certifications/attestations at proposal submission will render the proposal non-responsive and be rejected.
Q (Cloud Security Compliance): Please confirm whether a current SOC 2 Type II report is acceptable as equivalent compliance for the Cloud Security requirement, and whether this applies to all environments, including production, non‑production, backups, and vendor support access.
A: SOC 2 Type II was listed as an accepted equivalent and applies to production environment of the application.
Q (Data Residency Requirements): Please confirm whether all system data, including production, non‑production, backups, logs, and vendor support access, must remain exclusively within U.S.-based data centers for the duration of the contract.
A: That is correct.
Q (Grant Portfolio Size and Growth): Approximately how many active grants and funding sources are currently managed (please provide total grant revenue as well), and what level of growth or change is anticipated over the next three to five years?
A: There are 20-30 active grants are currently managed. Total grant revenue is about $475,000,000.00 +/-. We anticipate the quantity and budget to remain about the same. You may review the budget/expense information here: https://www.h-gac.com/financial-information
Q (Grant Duration and Amendments): Are grants typically single‑year or multi‑year, and how frequently do budget amendments, extensions, or reallocations occur during a grant’s lifecycle?
A: Most grants are for 12-13 months. A few grants are 24 months, and it will vary for other special projects. Both grant and subrecipient contracts have about 0-3 amendments during the grant/contract lifecycle.
Q (Subrecipient Portal Usage): Will subrecipients be expected to create and manage budgets, enter expenses, upload supporting documentation, and submit reports directly within the system through a secure online portal?
A: Yes.
Q (Automated Compliance Controls): Is the system expected to automatically enforce grant periods, budget limits, and cost category constraints at the point of data entry, rather than relying on post‑entry review?
A: Yes.
Q (Approval Workflow Requirements): Does H‑GAC require multi‑level, role‑based approval workflows for budget modifications, expense submissions, and reporting, and do these workflows vary by funding source or program?
A: Yes, we require multi-level role based approvals. The workflows rarely vary by funding source or program. Subrecipients are the submitter, Internal staff are the approvers (Fiscal staff for financial review, contract manager for programmatic review, finance staff for accounting review/internal controls).
Q (Financial Oversight and Encumbrance Tracking): Is the system expected to track expenditures, commitments, and encumbrances at the grant, subrecipient, and cost category levels simultaneously?
A: Yes.
Q (Reporting and Dashboard Expectations): What standard dashboards and reports are considered most critical for leadership, program staff, auditors, and compliance monitoring, and what level of drill‑down capability is required?
A: The system is to provide financial charts and graphs. It must also provide comprehensive reports and allow report customization, drill down filtering, and sorting/filtering by subrecipient, funding stream, admin or direct service, expense category, date, contract balances, budget by fund, balances by fund, budget and balances by subrecipient, and others etc.
Q (Implementation Approach and Timeline): Is a phased implementation approach by program or subrecipient group acceptable in order to meet the anticipated October 2026 completion timeline, and are there any fixed milestones vendors must plan around?
A: Yes. FY27 contracts begin October 1st, 2026. Software must be live (to run parallel with current system). Budget creation and approval would be necessary before expense reporting (first report due 10/21/26).
Q (Source code delivery): Does source code delivery requirement apply to SaaS configuration/integration artefacts only, and explicitly excludes vendor product/platform IP?
A: That is correct.
Q (No subject): Can you confirm whether “US-only” means no non-US administrative/support access as well as hosting?
A: All system data, including production, non‑production, backups, logs, and vendor support access, must remain exclusively within U.S.-based data centers for the duration of the contract.
Q (No subject): Can you confirm if your 24-hour incident notice is “suspected or confirmed” and whether an initial notice with later detail is acceptable?
A: The requirement is 24 hours after confirmation of incident. Preliminary or initial notice is acceptable, with additional detail provided as it becomes available.
Q (No subject): Can you confirm if SOC 2 Type II is acceptable for the specific proposed service and whether a “global infrastructure SOC 2” is acceptable evidence?
A: If the application is hosted on an IaaS, then a global infrastructure SOC 2 is acceptable evidence.
Q (Article 18 – Limitation of Liability): To the extent permissible under TX law, Would H-GAC be amenable to including a reasonable limitation of liability provision—such as a cap equal to six (6) months of fees—while excluding the indemnification obligations, a party’s fraud or willful misconduct and your payment obligations?
A: We are open to negotiate a cap on liability. No indemnification of any kind
Q (Article 24 – Notice of Security Breach): Can H-GAC allow a 72-hour breach notification window (aligned with industry standards)?
A: 24 hour breach notification is our policy requirement as is our funding agencies.
Q (Payment Processing Responsibility): The RFP indicates that the Financial Aid Payment Office (FAPO) will retain responsibility for all payment processing. Please confirm that the proposed system is not required to initiate, approve, or transmit payments, and that all payment activities will remain external to the solution.
A: The proposed system is required to intake expense information, but is not required to initiate, approve, or transmit payments. All payment activities will remain external to the solution.
Q (Invoicing vs. Expense Reporting): Should the system support invoice generation for subrecipients, or is the expectation limited to expense reporting and supporting documentation submission, with invoicing handled outside the system?
A: Yes. The system is expected to provide the option to export expense information, as well as the generation of invoices to be processed by Accounts Payable.
Q (Internal and External User Workflows): Please confirm whether the system must support both internal H GAC staff workflows and external subrecipient workflows within the same system instance, or if separate logical environments are expected.
A: Subrecipients as the submitter, Internal staff as the approver (Fiscal staff for financial review, contract manager for programmatic review, finance staff for accounting review/internal controls).
Q (Grant Programs in Initial Scope): Which grant programs are expected to be in scope for initial implementation versus future phases (e.g., WIOA, Child Care, TANF, AEL, Vocational Rehabilitation)?
A: The funding streams referenced in the question are examples of funds that make up the master budget. We manage about 20-30 grants/awards/funding streams annually.
Q (Annual Application Volume): Approximately how many grant applications does H GAC expect to receive and process annually across all programs within the system?
A: Grant applications will not be submitted through this system. However, 150-200 expense reports will be submitted annually by subrecipients.
Q (Historical Data Migration Scope): Is H GAC expecting migration of all historical grant, budget, and expense data, or only a defined look back period (e.g., active grants and the prior fiscal year)?
A: Likely defined/active grants and prior fiscal year.
Q (Document Migration Expectations): Please confirm whether historical documents (e.g., grant agreements, amendments, billing reports, supporting documentation) stored in shared drives or repositories are expected to be migrated into the new system.
A: Yes. Likely defined/active grants and prior fiscal year.
Q (Data Validation Requirements): What level of post migration validation and reconciliation is expected (e.g., budget to actual tie outs, record level validation, or spot checks)?
A: We will perform post‑migration validation by using data exports from both the old and new systems to compare results and confirm that all migrated amounts tie.
Q (Application Export Templates): Does H GAC require the ability to export application data into specific, predefined templates (e.g., agency provided or regulatory formats), or are configurable exports (e.g., CSV or Excel) sufficient?
A: We can provide templates but configurable exports are sufficient.
Q (Export Format): Please confirm whether CSV and Excel exports are sufficient for downstream use, or if additional formats (e.g., XML or JSON) are required for integrations or regulatory reporting.
A: CSV and Excel exports are sufficient for the current scope. However, support for additional standard formats such as XML and JSON is strongly preferred to support future integrations and potential regulatory reporting requirements.
Q (Financial System Integration Timing): Please clarify whether ERP or accounting system integration is expected to be real time, batch based, or considered a future state enhancement outside the initial implementation.
A: ERP/accounting system integration is anticipated as a future-state enhancement and is currently outside the initial implementation scope. However, vendors should describe whether their solution supports real-time and/or batch-based integration approaches for future deployment.
Q (Microsoft 365 Integration Scope): The RFP references a preference for Microsoft 365 integration. Please confirm whether this is limited to document storage and notifications, or if deeper integration (e.g., SharePoint workflows or Teams integration) is desired.
A: We can review it based on the solution's features and document flow.
Q (TX RAMP Certification Status): Will vendors with TX RAMP certification in progress be considered compliant if they provide a valid SOC 2 Type II or FedRAMP authorization at the time of proposal submission?
A: SOC 2 Type II or FedRAMP is an accepted equivalent for this requirement.
Q (E Signature Requirement): Does H GAC require the new system to support electronic signatures for applications, agreements, approvals, or other grant related documents?
A: Yes, or attestations/check box that the documents or expenses submitted are true and correct, etc.
Q (User count by Role): Can H GAC provide estimated user counts by role, such as system administrators, reviewers, program managers, and other internal users, as well as external subrecipient users?
A: User Roles and Licensing Expectations The system will allow flexible user management for internal and external stakeholders, with permissions aligned to operational roles. H-GAC anticipates approximately 25 internal users and 36 external subrecipient users and requires the ability to scale as programs expand. Estimates: Internal: 2-3 administrators, 8-10 reviewers/approvers, 10+ view only External: 20-22 grant accountants/submitters, 10-14 management approver/reviewer/view only
Q (Project Governance Structure): Will H GAC designate a single executive sponsor and project owner, or should vendors assume a multi stakeholder governance model across departments?
A: Yes. A single executive project owner with other support roles in fiscal and IT.
Q (Training and Change Management Scope): Should training and change management activities include subrecipient onboarding support, or is training limited to internal H GAC staff with subrecipient materials provided for self service use?
A: We welcome both.
Q (Demonstration Scenario): Will H GAC provide specific demonstration scenarios or use cases for vendor presentations, or should vendors propose their own scenarios aligned with the Scope of Work?
A: Potential proposers invited to interviews/demos will be notified of the time and place. Questions will not be shared with vendors ahead of time. Vendors should plan to demonstrate the portal interface and ease of use for expense reporting, budget proposals, document storage, fund budgeting and allocation (if offered), and any other grant management functions offered that align with the Scope of Work.
Q (Expected Budget Range): 26. Expected Budget Range Does H GAC have an anticipated budget range or not to exceed amount allocated for this procurement, inclusive of implementation and annual licensing, that respondents should consider when proposing solution scope and pricing assumptions?
A: We are unable to share the expected budget range. Proposed costs must be reflective of anticipated project costs.
Q (Application Sample): If available, can H GAC provide a sample or redacted version of an existing grant application to help respondents better understand current data elements, structure, and review workflows?
A: Please see the attachments and the Pre-Proposal PPT slides for samples of existing documents.
Q (Multiple Responses): Can a Prime Contractor submit multiple different responses, or are companies limited to one proposal?
A: Yes. The company can submit multiple responses. If the company offers multiple software solutions, only one software solution is to be submitted per proposal.
Q (No subject): Can you provide a link to the recording of the pre-proposal conference from March 25th?
A: The conference is not recorded but the PPT is posted in OpenGov.
Q (No subject): Do you anticipate involving external reviewers or external panels in the application evaluation process? Or any pre-award processes?
A: No, an internal evaluation committee will review the proposals.
Q (No subject): Will vendors be allowed to redline contract terms during contract negotiations?
A: Yes.
Q (No subject): Can you please provide the form for 11.13.4 Small and Minority Business and 11.13.5? The link said Access Denied.
A: Please download the documents directly from the online posting section, "Submission Uploads/Required Documents". The links in the downloaded PDF will not work.
Q (Application Submission Patterns): Are applications expected to be submitted year round, or primarily during defined funding cycles or solicitation windows?
A: Grant or funding applications will not be submitted, Budget proposals will be submitted prior to the start of the annual contract (plus up to about four amendments throughout the contract year). Expense reports are submitted once a month to twice a month.
Q (Review & Scoring): What is current process of review & scoring application?
A: Please see sections 13 and 14 of the Solicitation. 13. Evaluation Criteria 14. Evaluation/Selection/Final Approval and Award
Q (Penetration Testing Documentation): Is an executive summary of the most recent penetration test sufficient for proposal submission, or is a full report required?
A: Executive summary is sufficient.
Q (SOC 2 Report): Is HCAG willing to execute an NDA to allow us to provide our SOC 2 report with the proposal? We cannot disclose pre or post RFP without an NDA in place.
A: It depends on the complexity and scope of the NDA. However, a copy of the certification is required for submission and contract execution. Please see Section 7.4 Standard Requirements for more information. Proposed cloud service must be TX-RAMP certified/authorized or possess an equivalent, current third-party cloud security certification/attestation at the time of proposal submission. Failure to provide acceptable evidence of TX-RAMP certification/authorization or one of the listed equivalent certifications/attestations at proposal submission will render the proposal non-responsive and be rejected.
Q (Article 35 – Copyright and Intellectual Property): The respondent's solutions are not a “work for hire”. Can we clarify that the respondent retains ownership of its pre-existing software and work product, and that H-GAC receives a license to use deliverables, rather than ownership of our proprietary technology?
A: That satisfy our requirement.
Q (Article 28 – Indemnification): Will the Respondent be required to indemnity the Agency for third-party claims arising from gross negligence or willful misconduct?
A: We are flexible on Respondents indemnifying us; but we are not able to indemnify them in any way.
Q (Article 14 – Open Records Requests): Can H-GAC confirm that it will notify the Respondent of any public records requests involving our confidential information, so we can assert applicable exemptions under the Public Information Act?
A: The Agency will comply with applicable public records laws.
Q (Article 32 – Termination for Convenience): Can the Respondent include a "termination for convenience" right in their solution contract?
A: Termination for Convenience is in our contract documents.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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