Central Repository

The Pennsylvania Department of Education is seeking a vendor to establish and operate a secure, long-term central repository for student transcripts from Private Licensed Schools and potentially other institutions of higher education within the state. The selected vendor will be responsible for the ingestion, storage, and servicing of approximately 940,000 existing records and ongoing submissions from 186 open schools, handling both paper and digital formats. Key operational requirements include maintaining FERPA compliance, ensuring all data is stored within the United States, providing an ADA-compliant service website, and delivering transcripts within five business days of request and payment. The vendor must also provide technical support with a one to two business day response time and submit itemized financial and service reports every six months. This contract is designed to operate at no cost to the Commonwealth, with the vendor recovering all expenses through fees charged to students, schools, and third parties. Applicants must demonstrate at least two years of experience in transcript storage and a proven track record of managing over one million records. Proposals must include a five-year budget plan, a detailed technical plan using PERT or similar time-related displays, and a transition plan to assume services from the incumbent within 60 days of the effective date. The repository is expected to safeguard records for 50 years following a student's graduation or withdrawal. Proposals are due by November 13, 2026, and must adhere to the Commonwealth's standard IT Contract Terms and Conditions.