Project Overview Minnesota State is requesting proposals to assist in acquiring a student engagement platform for Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU). The student engagement platform shall have the capability to enhance student interactions, participation, and learning outcomes for SMSU students. Minnesota State is requesting proposals from vendors for the selected platform that shall offer innovative, user-friendly features that streamline communication, support academic success, and fosters a collaborative learning environment. The Student Engagement Platform shall enrich the overall student experience, promote student retention, empower students, and advance the University's strategic and institutional goals through enhanced engagement and innovations. Minnesota State prefers to hire a vendor that has an already fully developed platform and is used by an existing client base of higher education institutions, but which can be customized to meet our specific needs. Technical/Functional Requirements The Student Engagement Platform must seamlessly integrate with the existing Learning Management System (LMS) - D2L Brightspace, as well as other educational tools specified in Appendix A. The platform should be scalable, leveraging cloud-based infrastructure to accommodate increasing numbers of users and data without performance degradation. Security of the proposed solution is paramount, and the platform must comply with data protection regulation such as FERPA and GDPR. The solution should be designed to include a robust encryption, role-based access controls, and other industry-standard security measures. The solution should be compatible with all major operating systems and web-browsers, including mobile. The proposed solution must comply with current national accessibility standards, including WCAG 2.2, and support assistive technologies. The platform should deliver high availability, fast load times, and a responsive user interface. Functionally, must support the required features outlined in this RFP. Appendix A contains a glossary of terms. Selection Process The selection process includes staff from the Information Technology Services department, as well as areas such as Admissions, Student Advising, Communications & Marketing, Business Services, and Student Representatives. This group will evaluate the proposals and make the final decision. Evaluation Factors The following factors and their identified weight will be used to evaluate the responses: Topic Factor Weight Adherence to Minnesota State Terms and Conditions. A statement of the objectives, goals, and tasks to show or demonstrate its view and understanding of the nature of the contract Pass/ Fail Functionality A description of the deliverables to be provided by the Responder along with a detailed work plan that identifies the major tasks to be accomplished and be used as a scheduling and managing tool, as well as the basis for invoicing. 25 Support A description of the support services and capability by the Responder. 20 Cost/Value. Identify the level of the participation of Minnesota State in the contract, as well as any other services to be provided by Minnesota State, and details of cost allowances for this participation. Pricing based on fixed price. 30 Qualifications of Respondent and its personnel. An outline of the Responder’s background and experience with examples of similar work complete by the Responder and a list of personnel who will conduct the project, detailing their training, and work experience. Resumes or other information about project personnel should not, if possible, contain personal telephone numbers, home addresses or home email addresses. If it is necessary to include personal contact information, please clearly indicate in the proposal that personal contact information is being provided. 10 Completeness, thoroughness and detail of the response Completeness, thoroughness and detail of the response as reflected by the proposal's discussions and coverage of all elements of work listed above 10 Accessibility A completed response to the linked Voluntary Product/Service Accessibility Template(s)®(VPAT) for all software, hardware, and websites as applicable (guidance available in the ‘Products’ tab). The response must contain adequate information to evaluate the responsiveness to the accessibility standards (e.g., a completed VPAT or equivalent). 5 Total: 100 Minnesota State reserves the right to name a date which all responding Respondents will be invited to present demonstrations or participate in an interview. Minnesota State does not agree to reach a decision by any certain date although it is hoped the evaluation and selection will be completed by the contract terms date identified. Contract Terms Minnesota State desires to enter into a contract with the successful Respondent(s) effective October 15, 2025 or on the date the last recognized signature is obtained, whichever occurs later. The length of such contract(s) will be 36 MONTHS or 3 YEARS. If Minnesota State and Respondent are unable to negotiate and sign a contract by September 30, 2025, then Minnesota State reserves the right to seek an alternative Respondent(s). NOTE: Minnesota State reserves the right to extend the contract to the awarded responder from a 36 MONTHS/3 YEARS contract, to a contract not to exceed a total length of 60 MONTHS or 5 YEARS. Inquiries and Submission Instructions Minnesota State accepts all questions and bid submissions exclusively through Minnesota State's e-procurement system. Hard copy submissions, emails, or submissions through any other medium will not be considered. Each Respondent is solely responsible for the timely delivery of its questions and bids by the RFx date and time deadlines. Failure to meet the deadlines shall be grounds for rejection.
