New York State Contract Reporter #212154855

SUNY Empire State University Seeks Cloud-Based Chatbot Solution with Ellucian Banner Integration

SUNY Empire State University is seeking proposals for a cloud-based, AI-enabled Chatbot Solution to enhance student support and streamline administrative processes. - Government Buyer: - State University of New York (SUNY), Empire State University - Procurement and Project Management Offices located in Saratoga Springs, NY - Products/Services Requested: - Cloud-based Chatbot Solution (SaaS platform) - Must integrate natively with Ellucian Banner (Student Information System) via Ethos API - Support for Single Sign-On (SSO) - Live agent handoff within the platform - Web chat, two-way SMS, and live chat channels - Multilingual support (English and Spanish) - 24/7 student support, proactive and personalized outreach - Target 95% response accuracy - Support for 300-400 average daily interactions, 400-500 peak concurrent users - Data portability at contract conclusion - Compliance with FERPA, SUNY, NYS, and federal accessibility and data security standards - Implementation, integration, and configuration services - Training for 35-50 SUNY staff (including Train-the-Trainer model) - Ongoing technical support, maintenance, and updates - Unique/Notable Requirements: - MWBE (15% MBE, 15% WBE) and SDVOB (6%) participation goals - Hybrid onshore/offshore delivery allowed, but offshore resources must be registered with NY State and cannot access production environments with FERPA data - No specific OEMs mandated, but Ellucian Banner integration is required - Data governance, accessibility, and security compliance are critical - Previous incumbents include Ocelot and Career America - Place of Performance/Delivery: - Statewide in New York, with primary offices in Saratoga Springs, NY

Description

The State University of New York (SUNY), Empire State University, is seeking proposals for a cloud-based Chatbot Solution through a Request for Proposal (RFP). The contract term is three years with two optional one-year extensions. The solution must provide 24/7 student support, enable proactive and personalized outreach, reduce administrative workload, and comply with SUNY, New York State, and federal requirements. The RFP includes integration with Ellucian Banner, support for Single Sign-On, and live agent handoff capabilities. The procurement is open statewide with a submission deadline of April 16, 2026.

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