Request for proposal (rfp)

May, 2015

Table of Contents

Background 4

Nature of RFP 4

General Selection Criteria 4

Selection Process 5

Selection and Implementation Timeline 5

Contract Term 5

Parties to the Contract 5

Contract Termination 5

Definitions 5

Applicable Law 6

Contract Assignment 6

Entire Agreement 6

Deviations and Exceptions 6

Pre-award Vendors Conference 6

Duration of Offer 6

Authorized Signature 6

Proposal Rejection and Waiver of Informalities 7

Normandale Community College 7

Summary of Requirements 7

Services 7

Other 8

Information Contact 8

Quality, completeness, and thoroughness of responses 9

Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 1 Program Quality 9

Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 2 Program Delivery 9

Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 3 Support Services 9

Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 4 Marketing 9

Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 5 Operations/Administration 9

Response to Financial 9

Response to Expertise and References 9

User Demonstration 9

Notice to Vendors and Contractors 9

Sample Contract 10

Problem Resolution Process 10

Affidavit of Non-Collusion 10

Human Rights Requirements 10

Equal Pay Certificate Form 10

Preference to Targeted group and Economically Disadvantaged Business and Individuals 10

Veteran-Owned Preference 11

Insurance Requirements 11

State Audit 13

Minnesota Government Data Practices Act 13

FERPA School Official Requirement 13

Conflict of Interest 14

Organizational Conflicts of Interest 14

Physical and Data Security 14

PCI-DSS 15

Reimbursements 15

Submission 15

Affidavit of Non-collusion 17

Human Rights Certification Information and Affirmative Action Data Page 18

Equal Pay Certificate Form 22

Veteran-Owned Preference Form 23

Commissioner’s Plan Expense Reimbursement 24

Exhibit A- Sample Contract 29

Section I. General Information
Background
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is the fifth-largest system of higher education in the United States. It is comprised of 31 two-year and four-year state colleges and universities with 54 campuses located in 47 Minnesota communities. The System serves approximately 430,000 students each year. The Minnesota State Colleges and Universities is an independent state entity that is governed by a 15 member Board of Trustees. The law creating the system was passed by the Minnesota Legislature in 1991 and went into effect July 1, 1995. The law merged the state's community colleges, technical colleges and state universities into one system, other than the University of Minnesota campuses. For more information about Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, please view its website at www.mnscu.edu.

Normandale Community College, a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, is a two-year college serving primarily the communities of the southwestern metropolitan region of the Twin Cities. Established in 1968, the college is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. More than 10,000 students from diverse backgrounds take courses at the college annually. The college’s campus is located south of Interstate 494 in Bloomington. For more information about Normandale Community College, please view its website at www.normandale.edu.

1. 
   Quality/Comprehensive Proposal
   
2. 
   Qualifications/Experience
   
3. 
   References
   
4. 
   Cost/Value to MnSCU
   
5. 
   Response to Requirements
   

• 
  Brenda Dickinson, Dean of Continuing Education
  
• 
  Sunny Ainley, Associate Dean of Continuing Education
  
• 
  Amanda Gustafson, Continuing Education Health Programs Director
  
• 
  Sandy Larson, Contract Coordinator
  
• 
  Cindy Ladd, Accounting Supervisor
  

This group will evaluate the proposals and make the final decision.

5/18/15 Conference call opportunity for vendor questions

5/26/15 Deadline for RFP proposal submissions

5/26/15- 6/12/15 Review RFP proposals

6/15/15- 6/19/15 Product demonstrations by selected bidders

6/29/15 Complete selection process

2. select a proposal for contract negotiation other than the one with the lowest cost;

3. negotiate any aspect of the proposal with any vendor;

4. terminate negotiations and select the next most responsive vendor for contract negotiations;

5. terminate negotiations and prepare and release a new RFP;

6. terminate negotiations and take such action as deemed appropriate.

Normandale Community College Continuing Education department is seeking one or more vendors to provide online health care career courses. Vendors must have the capabilities develop and maintain current health care education, provide and support a CMS, provide marketing and outreach support and provide customer, student and IT support for learners.

Responding bidders are asked to provide responses to the following inquiries.

1. 
   Program Quality
   
   1. 
      How does your organization develop new course and programs?
      
   2. 
      How does your organization keep existing programs current?
      
   3. 
      For what national certifications do your programs prepare participants? What pass rate results do you have for these certifications?
      
      1. 
         What exam fees for certification exams are included in the tuition?
         
      2. 
         Does your organization facilitate certification exams, if so, which relevant exams?
         
   4. 
      What professional societies and organizations recognize your program?
      
   5. 
      Do your programs meet any requirements by the State of Minnesota?
      
   6. 
      Do your programs meet the requirements for state and federal workforce funds?
      
   7. 
      If internships or other in-person requirements exist, do you have relationships and processes in place for Minnesota students?
      
   8. 
      If your programs are intended as entry-level training, what evidence do you have of graduates obtaining employment?
      
   9. 
      Are there any pathways in place for your programs to qualify for college credit for prior learning?
      
2. 
   Program Delivery
   
   1. 
      How does your organization keep records of learners, and their program completion?
      
   2. 
      (If relevant) Do your programs include student assessment?
      
   3. 
      Are your programs synchronous or non-synchronous? Please explain.
      
   4. 
      On what schedule are your programs offered?
      
   5. 
      How do your programs address ADA compliance?
      
   6. 
      Please describe any unique features of your program delivery.
      
3. 
   Support Services
   
   1. 
      Describe student support for course material.
      
   2. 
      Describe student support for IT issues.
      
   3. 
      Describe (if relevant) student support for career development and finding employment.
      
   4. 
      Describe (if relevant) any payment plans or financial support available to students.
      
4. 
   Marketing
   
   1. 
      What marketing and outreach services do you provide?
      
   2. 
      Describe methods for answering unusual or advanced questions about the programs.
      
   3. 
      Can marketing and the CMS be branded for Normandale Community College, and is that part of your proposal?
      
   4. 
      With what other colleges or organizations do you do business in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Minnesota metro area (Hennepin and Ramsey counties)? Would you be willing to offer an exclusive geographic contract to Normandale for this area?
      
5. 
   Operations/Administration
   
   1. 
      Describe method of working with school to process registrations, resolve issues, and communicate changes. Will all student registrations come through Normandale Community College, or may some registrations come to the vendor, and be assigned and paid to Normandale?
      
   2. 
      What is your refund policy?
      

Briefly explain any additional unique qualities to your programs.

Please provide the tuition cost of your programs and any additional resources/expenses students would be required to purchase.

How would expenses, revenue and profit be split with Normandale Community College? If a percent of revenue is proposed, what is the percentage to Normandale? Do you offer price breaks or incentives for volume?

What additional expenses would Normandale Community College incur to offer your programs?

Title: Program Director

Address: Normandale Community College, 9700 France Ave S, Room P1820,

Bloomington, MN 55431

Telephone: 952-358-9182

Fax: 952-358-8240

E-mail address: Amanda.gustafson@normandale.edu
Other persons are not authorized to discuss RFP requirements before the proposal submission deadline and Normandale Community College shall not be bound by and responders may not rely on information regarding RFP requirements obtained from non-authorized persons. Questions must include the name of the questioner and his/her telephone number, fax number and/or e-mail address. Anonymous inquiries will not be answered.
Section IV. Response Evaluation

The following criteria and their identified weight will be used by Normandale Community College to evaluate the responses:

1. 
   Quality, completeness, and thoroughness of responses as reflected by the proposal’s discussion, and coverage of all the elements. – 5%
   
2. 
   Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 1 Program Quality – 15%
   
3. 
   Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 2 Program Delivery – 10%
   
4. 
   Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 3 Support Services – 10 %
   
5. 
   Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 4 Marketing – 10%
   
6. 
   Response to Summary of Requirements- Section 5 Operations/Administration – 10%
   
7. 
   Response to Financial – 10%
   
8. 
   Response to Expertise and References – 10%
   
9. 
   User Demonstration – 20%
   

1. Preference, Targeted Group, Economically Disadvantaged Business and Individuals - 6%

2. Preference, Service Disabled / Veteran-Owned Business and Individuals - 6%
In some instances, an interview will also be part of the evaluation process.
Normandale Community College reserves the right to name a date at which all responding vendors will be invited to present demonstrations or participate in an interview. Normandale Community College does not agree to reach a decision by any certain date although it is hoped the evaluation and selection will be completed by the date identified in the Selection and Implementation Timeline above.
A proposal may be rejected if it is determined that a vendor’s ability to work with the existing infrastructure will be too limited or difficult to manage.

Section V. Additional RFP Response and General Contract Requirements
Notice to Vendors and Contractors
As a condition of this contract, CONTRACTOR is required by Minn. Stat. §270C.65 to provide a social security number, a federal tax identification number or Minnesota tax identification number. This information may be used in the enforcement of federal and state tax laws. These numbers will be available to federal and state tax authorities and state personnel involved in approving the contract and the payment of state obligations. Supplying these numbers could result in action to require CONTRACTOR to file state tax returns and pay delinquent state tax liabilities. This contract will not be approved unless these numbers are provided.

If you are an independent contractor, Minn. Stat. §256.998 requires the state to report your name, address and social security number to the New Hire Reporting Center of the Minnesota Department of Human Services unless your contract is for less than two months in duration with gross earnings of less than $250.00 per month. This information may be used by state or local child support enforcement authorities in the enforcement of state and federal child support laws.
Sample Contract
You should be aware of MnSCU’s standard contract terms and conditions in preparing your response. A sample MnSCU Professional/Technical Services Contract is attached as Exhibit A for reference. Much of the language reflected in the contract is required by statute. If you take exception to any of the terms, conditions, or language in the contract, you must indicate those exceptions in your response to the RFPl certain exceptions may result in your proposal being disqualified from further review and evaluation. Only those exceptions indicated in your response to the RFP will be available for discussion or negotiation.
Problem Resolution Process
A formal problem resolution process will be established in the contract to address issues raised by either Normandale Community College or the vendor.
Affidavit of Non-Collusion

All responding vendors are required to complete the Affidavit of Non-Collusion form and submit it with the response.