RFP 26-022 Mass Communication Notification System Addendum 1 Q and A
| Bidders ID: | NBD16966267453740161 |
|---|---|
| Due Date: | Jun 8, 2026 |
| Posted Date: | May 18, 2026 |
| Level of Government: | State & Local |
| State: | Arkansas |
| Agency: | Arkansas Tech University |
| Category: |
|
| Source: | Members Only |
| Open Date | Job Description | Status |
|
June 8, 2026 2 pm. |
Open |
Attachment Preview
ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY
PROCUREMENT SERVICES
514 West M Street
Russellville, Arkansas 72801
479-968-0269
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
Project: Mass Communication Notification System
PROPOSAL DEADLINE
Proposals must be received no later than:
2:00 P.M. Central Time – June 08, 2026
Proposal Delivery Address and Opening Location:
Arkansas Tech University
Procurement Services
514 West M Street
Russellville, AR 72801
Proposals will be accepted until the time and date specified above. The proposal package must
be sealed and clearly marked with the proposal number, date and hour of proposal opening,
and the proposer’s return address.
Issuing Officer
Jennifer Warren, APO, Director of Procurement
479-356-2287
Jwarren2@atu.edu
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Arkansas Tech University (ATU) is requesting Proposals from qualified vendors for a mass
communication alert notification system.
2.0 ARKANSAS TECH UNIVERSITY BACKGROUND
Founded in 1909, Arkansas Tech University is a public comprehensive institution of higher
education located in Russellville, Arkansas. ATU serves students from across Arkansas, the
region, and the nation, offering associate, undergraduate, and graduate degree programs
through multiple academic colleges.
Arkansas Tech University is committed to academic excellence, workforce development, and
responsible stewardship of its physical campus. The University continually invests in facilities
that support teaching, research, student life, and community engagement.
3.0 SELECTION PROCESS and AWARD
Proposals will be evaluated in three (3) phases.
Phase One – Compliance Review
Procurement Services will determine whether each proposal meets all mandatory requirements
of this RFP. Failure to comply may result in a proposal being deemed non-responsive. The
University reserves the right to waive minor irregularities. In order to simplify the University’s
task of evaluating all of the proposals we have developed a format in which all proposals must
be prepared. Failure to adhere to this format or omitting any of the information that is
required may result in your firm’s proposal being disqualified.
Phase Two – Technical and Business Evaluation
An evaluation committee appointed by Arkansas Tech University will review and score the
technical and business proposals in accordance with the criteria outlined in Section 6.
Pricing will be provided to the committee during the initial evaluation term.
Phase Three – Short List Selection
Shortlisted respondents may be invited to participate in interviews. Interview dates will be
communicated in writing to selected firms.
Award and Term-The University reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, or any portion
thereof, and re-advertise if deemed necessary. Award will be given to the proposer whose
proposal conforms to the RFP and in the sole judgement of the University, will be the most
advantageous to the University. As a result of this RFP, ATU intends to award a contract to a
single Contractor. The required services are to commence upon contract approval and unless
terminated sooner, shall continue in force for an initial period of one year (1) year with the
option to extend for additional years not to exceed a total of seven (7) years.
4.0 SCHEDULE (TENTATIVE)
Event
RFP Issued
Questions Due by
Proposal Submission
Deadline
Notification of
Interviewees (if applicable)
Interviews (if applicable)
Award Notification
Contract Execution
Date
May 8, 2026
May 15, 2026 4 p.m. email to jwarren2@atu.edu Answers
posted on atu.edu/purchasing by 4 pm. May 18.
June 08, 2026 2 p.m.
Week of June 8, 2026
Week of June 15, 2026
Week of June 22, 2026
Anticipated September 1, 2026
Dates are subject to change by addendum.
5.0 INTERGOVERNMENTAL/COOPERATIVE USE OF PROPOSAL AND
CONTRACT
In accordance with Arkansas Code §19-61-802, this proposal and the resulting contract are
available to any college or university in Arkansas that wishes to utilize the services of the
selected proposer, and if the proposer agrees, they may agree as provided in this RFP.
6.0 QUALIFICATIONS AND EVALUATION CRITERIA
Proposals will be evaluated on a best-value basis using the following criteria:
Section
Maximum Points
Message and Data Management 20
System Performance and Reliability 20
Deliverables
20
References
10
Cost
30
Total Possible Points
100
6.1 General Requirements
The proposed system shall:
• Commercial Availability: Be commercially available with a proven track record in higher
education or similar sized organizations.
• Configurability: Allow for configurations that align with ATU’s legal requirements for the
Clery Act.
• Multi-Channel Reach: Have the ability to disseminate messages across multiple nodes,
including text, email, voice call, RSS feeds, and CAP protocol.
• Smart Phone Application: Have a mobile application or mobile-accessible interface with
administrative capability to send mass notifications.
• SMS Opt in: Have the ability to opt in non-university affiliated persons (ex. Campus
visitors) via commonly accepted opt-in methods such as a SMS keywords, web forms or
QR codes.
• Panic Button Alerts: configurable emergency alert activation features where supported,
preferably through mobile application or mobile-accessible interface. 3.2
Communication Capabilities
The system shall support delivery via:
• SMS/MMS: High-throughput short-code messaging capabilities designed to support
large-scale delivery.
• Voice: Text-to-speech (TTS) and recorded audio capabilities for landlines and mobile.
• Email: Integration with institutional SMTP or vendor provided email delivery services.
• Push Notifications: Native alerts via a mobile application or equivalent mobile delivery
mechanism.
• Desktop Alerts: Pop-up overrides for classroom and office workstations.
• Digital Signage/Social Media: API triggers for campus screens and ALERTUS beacons.
6.2 Message Management
The system should include:
• Real-Time Dashboard: A mobile-friendly interface for launching alerts while on the
move.
• Templates: Capability to produce a library of pre-approved templates (e.g., Active
Shooter, Severe Weather, Gas Leak) to reduce human error during high-stress events.
• Geofencing: Ability to draw a polygon on a map and alert only those users
physically located within that boundary.
6.3 User and Data Management
The system shall:
• Automated Sync: Support automated data feeds via SFTP or API from the Student
Information System (e.g., Banner).
• Single Sign-On (SSO): Integrate with institutional identity providers (SAML, Shibboleth,
Azure AD) for admin and user login.
• SMS Opt in: Allow users to manage contact information and notification preferences,
including opting in to non-emergency communications.
• Data Hygiene: Automated tools to flag invalid numbers or bounced email addresses.
6.4 System Performance and Reliability
The solution shall:
• Uptime SLA: Guarantee a minimum of 99.9% availability.
• Throughput: Demonstrate the ability to delivery high-volume notifications within
timeframes appropriate for emergency communications. Respondent should provide
performance benchmarks to demonstrate capability.
• Redundancy: Utilize geo-redundant data centers to ensure the system remains live even
if one region suffers a catastrophic failure.
6.5 Security and Privacy
The system shall:
• Compliance: Adhere to FERPA, GDPR (if applicable), and NIST security frameworks.
• Encryption: Ensure data is encrypted at rest (AES-256) and in transit (TLS 1.2+).
• Audit Trails: Log every action taken by administrators, including message content,
timestamp, and target audience.
6.6 Integration
The system should:
• Public Address (PA) Systems: Connect to physical sirens or building intercoms via CAP
(Common Alerting Protocol).
6.7 Deliverables
• Fully Operational System: Production environment and a separate "Sandbox/Testing"
environment.
• Detailed Project Plan: Including milestones for data integration, testing, and go-live.
• Documentation: Comprehensive admin guides, API documentation, and an Incident
Response playbook.
• Reporting: Post-incident analytics reports showing delivery success rates and "time-to-
read" metrics.
• Training relevant to staff to utilize system.
• Ongoing support services with defined support availability (24/7) and escalation
procedures.
7.0 SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
Proposers must submit: - One (1) hard copy and one (1) electronic copy on flash drive. One
redacted copy is requested as responses are subject to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
requests.
No emailed proposals will be accepted.
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