Background Check Services

1.1 SCOPE The University at Buffalo (“University”) is seeking proposals for the provision of background check services to ensure the University’s academic and research missions are promoted by qualified employees, in a safe and secure environment. Partnering with an experienced and qualified background screening firm reaffirms the University's commitment to protect the interests of the State of New York by engaging in the verification of credentials, criminal history, and other information pertaining to employment decisions and shall service to support the University in its commitments to the University community and the State of New York. The awarded Bidder shall perform professional background screening for various departments within the University, under the direct authority and supervision of University Human Resources. Services are to be provided by a firm that is experienced in performing a wide range of background check services, including but not limited to identify checks, employment verification, education verification, license & credential verification (including driving records), criminal history check, and sex and violent offender registry checks. The performance of services shall be in accordance with all state and federal rules and regulations governing and gathering, sharing and storing of personal employment criminal history information. This RFP includes, but is not limited to, the following areas of investigation: § Criminal History Record Searches (including county, state, federal and national) § Social Security Number Trace (including verification) § Employment Verification (United States) § Education and Degree Verification § Department of Motor Vehicles Checks § Professional License and Certification Verification § Professional Credential Verification § Health Care Sanction Checks § Office of Inspector General Excluded Parties Check § Drug Enforcement Administration Registration Search § American Medical Association Physician Profile Check § Food and Drug Administration Check (including debarment list and § disqualified, restricted and assurance list) § U.S. Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control Data Base Check § New York State Sex Offender Registry § U.S. Department of Justice National Sex Offender Public Website Check § New York State Licenses issued by the Department of Education § NCIC – National Crime Information Center 1.2 BACKGROUND The University at Buffalo (“University”) is the largest and most comprehensive campus in the 64-campus State University of New York system (“SUNY”). Founded in 1846, the University is a premier research-intensive public university dedicated to academic excellence. The University offers a wide range of academic programs including more than 100 undergraduate degrees, 205 master’s degrees and 94 doctoral and professional degrees. Currently there are more than 260,000 alumni taking leadership roles in communities and businesses throughout the United States, 135,000 in New York State, and in 148 countries around the world. Approximately 30,000 students attend the University. The University is a member in the prestigious Association of American Universities (“AAU”). 1.3 METHOD OF AWARD Award Criteria: § Technical 70% § Cost 30% This RFP is part of a competitive procurement process designed to serve the best interests of the University, State University of New York, and the People of the State of New York. It is also designed to provide all bidders with a fair opportunity to have their services considered. The University encourages free and open competition. Whenever possible, terms, specifications, and conditions are designed to accomplish this objective, consistent with the necessity to satisfy the University’s needs. The Bidder with the highest composite score to Section 6, Evaluation Criteria (separate attachment) will be awarded a contract, as long as they are responsible and responsive to this RFP. The University reserves the right to make awards within ninety (90) days after the date of the bid opening. During which period, bids shall not be withdrawn unless the bidder specifically states in the bid that acceptance thereof must be made within a shorter specific time. Cost, although a consideration, shall not be the sole determining factor. The University desires to select the Bidder who will provide the “best value” taking into consideration the most beneficial combination of qualifications, services, and cost. Only proposals judged to be responsive to the submission requirements set forth in this RFP will be evaluated. The Proposal must be expressly clear as to whether or not the Bidder can satisfy each point of the RFP specifications. The Bidder must describe how they will provide the services specified to satisfy the stated requirements or conditions. Any other information that may be relevant, but does not fall in the above format, should be provided as an appendix. Minor irregularities in the proposals which are immaterial or inconsequential in nature may be waived, whenever it is determined to be in the best interest of the University. If Bidder company literature or other publications are included and intended to respond to a specific RFP requirement, the response should include reference to the document name and page. 1.3.1 An Evaluation Committee, consisting of staff from the University, will review each proposal and will make a recommendation for contract award using the evaluation criteria listed in Section 6, Evaluation Criteria (separate attachment) following the below review process. PHASE 1: 1.3.1.1 Administrative Review: A review of each proposal, received by the due date and time, will be conducted to ensure that all mandatory requirements listed in the RFP are met, including verification of references included with Attachment B: Client References (Section 3.3), Higher Education Community Vendor Assessment Toolkit (HECVAT, Section 3.4), and Electronic And Information Technology (EIT) Accessibility (Section 3.5), which will be evaluated as pass/fail. Failure to meet any of the mandatory requirements will result in a proposal being considered non-responsive and the proposal will be eliminated from further evaluation. 1.3.1.2 Technical Review: Each proposal remaining after Administrative Review will advance for technical review. A review of Bidder’s Relevant Experience, Service Plan, and responses to Attachment C: Electronic and Information Technology (EIT) Narrative Questions as provided in the Bidder’s proposal, will be conducted and evaluated. 1.3.1.3 Cost Review: Each proposal remaining after technical review will advance for cost review. The lowest cost proposal will receive full points. A percentage will be assigned in relation to the lowest Bidder’s costs in ascending order. PHASE 2: 1.3.1.4 EIT Accessibility Demonstration: Bidder(s) susceptible to award shall be required to conduct a virtual presentation of their Web-based Systems and Programs to demonstrate that information technology provided to the University at Buffalo conforms to or addresses each of the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA success criteria wherever demonstrating such performance is practicable. Bidder and University shall collaborate to schedule the virtual presentation via a mutually agreeable communication platform (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, etc.) at a mutually amenable date and time. 1.3.2 Final composite score for each Bidder will be the cumulative total of points received for the Technical and Cost scores. Bidder with the highest total composite score, that has successfully completed the EIT Accessibility Demonstration, will be awarded the contract. See Section 6, Evaluation Criteria. 1.3.3 In the event of a tie in composite scores, the award shall go to Bidder with the highest cost score (lowest cost) that has successfully completed the EIT Accessibility Demonstration. If Technical and Cost scores are both the same, the University will flip a coin to determine award. 1.4 ORDER OF PRECEDENCE The following documents will be annexed to, and incorporated into, and made part of, the Agreement: (a) Exhibit A, State University of New York Standard Contract Clause (b) Exhibit A-1, State University of New York Affirmative Action Clauses (c) The Agreement, including any attachments and schedules thereto (d) Exhibit B, State University of New York General Contract Terms and Conditions (e) Exhibit C, SUNY’s Request for Proposal (f) Exhibit D, Successful Offeror’s Proposal In the event of any inconsistency in, or conflict among, the document elements described above, such inconsistency or conflict shall be resolved by giving precedence to the document elements in the order set forth above. 1.5 TERM OF AGREEMENT/CONTRACT TERM The successful Bidder will be required to enter into a formal written agreement with the University for a period of five (5) years. Award is contingent upon full execution of a contract by the parties and the approval of the State Office of the Attorney General (OAG) and Office of the State Comptroller (OSC), if applicable. 1.6 PRICING All proposed pricing must be included in Attachment A: Pricing Page to be considered. Any alternative price quote documents provided in response to this solicitation will not be considered. Prices quoted in Attachment A: Pricing Page shall remain firm for the first (1st) full year of the Agreement, except in the event of price decreases which are permitted and encouraged at any time. Increases in annual costs for the second (2nd) through the fifth (5th) year shall not exceed inflation guidelines as established by the nationally accepted consumer price index (CPI) for each year. The specific inflation level will be based on the average CPI percentage for the (12) twelve month period ending ninety (90) days prior to each subsequent contract year, provided, however, that no annual increase may exceed five percent (5%). The approval document for this contract will be: U.S. Department of Labor Consumer Price Index, Northeast Urban, All Items. Price increases requested from above CPI levels must be accompanied by support documentation for the increase and said increase must be acceptable to the University and subject to OSC prior approval. Newly negotiated labor agreements, manufacturer’s increases, and nationally accepted fuel cost adjustments are examples of increases, which could exceed CPI averages. 1.7 LATE BID Any bid received after the time specified in this RFP will be considered a Late Bid. A Late Bid shall not be considered for award unless: (i) no timely bids meeting the requirements of this RFP are received; or (ii) in the case of a multiple award, an insufficient number of timely bids were received to satisfy the multiple award. Upon receipt of a Late Bid, the University will use the ShopBlue (Jaggaer) date and time stamp to document the Late Bid’s arrival. Late Bids that are not considered will be held unopened, unless opened for identification, until after award and then retained with other unsuccessful bids. However, any bid bond or guarantee will be returned. 1.8 SUBMISSION OF QUESTIONS By submitting a proposal, the Bidder agrees that it will neither make any claims for nor assert any right to, damages because of any misunderstandings or lack of information. Questions should be submitted through the University’s eProcurement system, ShopBlue (Jaggaer), Question & Answer Board, no later than 4:00 P.M. EST on Monday, June 22, 2026. See “Instructions to Bidders” attachment for details. Written questions and requests for clarification must cite the RFP section, where applicable. Questions received after the deadline may not be answered by the University. A comprehensive list of questions and the official University response will be issued as an Addendum to the RFP. The Addendum will not contain the identities of the bidders submitting the questions; those bidders will remain anonymous to the extent allowed by law. 1.9 PROCUREMENT TIMELINE (tentative, dates are subject to change) TIMELINE OF EVENTS Event Date Issuance of Notice Monday, June 8, 2026 Deadline for Submission of Questions Monday, June 22, 2026 at 4:00 P.M. EST Answers Issued to All Bidders Monday, July 6, 2026 Bid Opening Date Monday, July 20, 2026 at 2:30 P.M. EST Notice of Award (tentative) August 2026