Data Platform RFP

The University of Michigan (“University”) seeks proposals from qualified Suppliers of data platforms. The University of Michigan’s Data Science Practice (DSP) team is seeking to modernize its data infrastructure to support a more agile, scalable, and data-driven environment. As the stewards of the university’s Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW), the DSP team is initiating this Request for Proposal (RFP) to identify and procure a modern data platform that can meet the evolving analytical, governance, and operational needs of a complex higher education environment. Our aim is to evaluate platforms that can support a broad range of data engineering, data science, and business intelligence workloads—while offering robust security, cost efficiency, and integration capabilities with both legacy on-premise systems and modern cloud-based architectures. This RFP is part of a broader strategic effort to replace outdated technologies and processes with a unified, cloud-native platform that supports data ingestion, transformation, sharing, and collaboration across campus units. The selected platform must align with our principles of flexibility and scalability, transparency and manageability, and security and compliance. It should also enable better governance and stewardship of institutional data while supporting future-forward capabilities such as real-time data processing, machine learning integration, and self-service analytics. The outcome of this procurement will directly impact the university’s ability to make data-informed decisions in support of academic, research, administrative, and operational excellence. The University of Michigan (“University”) is not liable in any manner or to any extent for any cost or expense incurred by the supplier in the preparation, submission, presentation or any other action connected with proposing or otherwise responding to this RFP. Such exemption from liability applies whether such costs are incurred directly by the supplier or indirectly through the supplier’s agents, employees, assigns or others, whether related or not to the supplier. In submitting a proposal, Supplier agrees that all materials associated with, attached to, or referenced by the submitted proposal will become the property of the University and may be incorporated into a subsequent contractual agreement between the successful supplier and the University in an order of precedence as follows: (1) Contract Terms and Conditions; (2) Statement of Work; and (3) RFP. The University expects to enter into an agreement with the successful supplier for a three (3) year period with an option to extend for an additional one (1) year period for two (2) years as mutually agreed upon between the University and the supplier. Response to this RFP confirms an understanding that this is not a contract or offer of business by the University. The University’s standard terms and conditions will apply to the contract as a result of this RFP, and are included as an attachment. BACKGROUND ON THE UNIVERSITY The primary scope of this RFP includes the three University of Michigan campuses located in Ann Arbor, Dearborn, and Flint. The mission of the university is to serve the people of Michigan and the world through preeminence in creating, communicating, preserving and applying knowledge, art, and academic values, and in developing leaders and citizens who will challenge the present and enrich the future. With nearly 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at 19 schools and colleges on the Ann Arbor campus, the university is highly ranked nationally and throughout the world. The College of Engineering, College of LSA (Literature, Science, and the Arts), and the Ross School of Business are a few of the top choices for students. Michigan Medicine includes the top-ranked U-M Medical School and the University of Michigan Health System, which includes the C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, Von Voigtlander Women’s Hospital, University Hospital, the Frankel Cardiovascular Center, the Rogel Cancer Center, and Metro Health. Michigan Medicine’s adult hospitals were ranked number 11 in the nation by U.S. News and World Report in 2020-21 and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital was the only children’s hospital in Michigan nationally ranked in all 10 pediatric specialties analyzed by U.S. News and World Report for 2020-21. The U-M Medical School is one of the nation's biomedical research powerhouses, with total research funding of more than $500 million. The University of Michigan-Dearborn (UM-Dearborn) is one of the three campuses of the University of Michigan. UM-Dearborn is a comprehensive university offering high-quality undergraduate, graduate, professional and continuing education to residents of southeastern Michigan and beyond, attracting more than 9000 students. Faculty and students have the opportunity to collaborate across all three campuses in research and scholarly activity. UM-Dearborn is located ten miles west of Detroit and thirty-five miles east of Ann Arbor. The campus is strategically located on 200 suburban acres of the original Henry Ford Estate in the Greater Detroit Metropolitan region. The campus has four main colleges: CASL (College of Arts, Science, and Letters), CECS (College of Engineering and Computer Science), CEHHS (College of Education, Health, and Human Services), and COB (College of Business). The University of Michigan-Flint is a comprehensive urban university of diverse learners and scholars committed to advancing our local and global communities. It was founded in 1956 on a commitment to bring quality Michigan education to Flint and the surrounding area. We value excellence in teaching, learning and scholarship; student centeredness; and engaged citizenship. Within its sixty-year history, the University has experienced significant growth in academic programs and services.