What the buyer needs
AI summaryThe buyer seeks central repository services for student transcripts from private licensed schools and institutions of higher education in Pennsylvania. The vendor will ingest, store, safeguard, and service both historical and current paper and digital transcripts. The vendor must establish protocols for schools to upload transcripts and provide a process for third-party requests and education verifications. Fees for identity verification and transcript requests will be established by the vendor. A plan to safeguard records during catastrophic events, bankruptcy, or dissolution is required. The contract period will be for five years, with all questions due by September 24, 2026.
Scope of work
- Ingest, store, safeguard, and service historical and current paper and PDF transcripts
- Store and service over 940,000 existing closed Private Licensed School transcripts
- Establish upload protocols and provide technical support to schools within 1-2 business days
- Facilitate student and third-party transcript requests and education verifications
- Establish and collect fees for identity verification, transcript requests, and verifications
- Maintain FERPA-compliant security, backups, and catastrophic event/bankruptcy safeguard plans
- Provide Department staff search access and six-month itemized financial and service reporting
- Develop and execute a Transition Plan within 60 days of contract effective date
Minimum qualifications
- Onshore (USA Organization Only)
- Minimum of two years of experience serving as a transcript storage and service provider
- Demonstrated experience protecting, storing, and servicing over one million transcripts
- All contract-related data and information maintained and stored in the United States
- Full compliance with FERPA and applicable federal and state privacy and data breach laws
- Service website for receiving and sending transcripts must be ADA compliant
Documents to include with your response
- 5-Year Budget Plan
- Third-party review of existing security protocols
- 2023, 2024, and 2025 (if available) audited financial statements, income statement, balance sheet, and cash flow statement
- Resumes for key personnel
- Subcontracting plan
- Program Evaluation and Review Technique (PERT) or similar time-related display
- Draft Transition Plan
- Emergency response continuity of operations plan
How to submit
- Method
- Electronic via email
- Instructions
- Submit an electronic copy via email to the PDE's Procurement Office.