New York State Contract Reporter #ESU-2-212154855

SUNY Empire State University Solicits Cloud-Based Enterprise Chat and SMS Solution

SUNY Empire State University is seeking proposals for a cloud-based Enterprise Chat and SMS Communications Solution to enhance student engagement and support. - Government Buyer: - State University of New York (SUNY), SUNY Empire State University, Procurement Department - Products/Services Requested: - Cloud-based Enterprise Chat and SMS Communications Solution (SaaS) - Features: 24/7 web-based chat, two-way SMS, high-volume SMS campaign distribution, live chat with staff, role-based administrative access, multilingual support (English and Spanish at launch), responsive design, workflow management, scalability, and integration with Banner (SIS), Slate, CRM Advise, and TDX - AI-enabled features with configurable confidence thresholds to prevent hallucinated responses - Real-time reporting, dashboards, and conversational continuity across interfaces - Robust content management and review workflows - Single Sign-On via Azure AD/Entra ID SAML - Compliance with SUNY, New York State, and federal regulations - Disaster recovery and business continuity plans - Implementation, integration, training (for 35-50 staff), documentation, maintenance, and ongoing support - Notable Requirements: - Must be a SaaS solution with secure, accessible, and scalable architecture - Multilingual support (Spanish required at launch) - 95% accuracy in student inquiry responses - Data retention and security compliance - 6% Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) participation goal - No specific OEMs named; vendors must propose their own compliant solutions - Past similar contracts awarded to Ocelot - Quantities: - Platform to support 16,000 annual enrollments, 150 SMS campaigns, and 25,691 chats in 2025 - Contract Structure: - Three-year base contract with two one-year extension options - Annual subscription and milestone-based payments for implementation phases - Place of Performance: - SUNY Empire State University, Saratoga Springs, NY (2 Union Avenue and 111 West Avenue)

Description

This Request for Proposal (RFP) is issued by the State University of New York (SUNY), Empire State University (Empire) to procure a cloud-based Enterprise Chat and SMS Communications Solution. The contract term is three years with two one-year options to extend. The solution must provide 24/7 student support, enable proactive and personalized outreach, reduce administrative workload, and support multiple student populations and departments. The procurement includes software-as-a-service, implementation, integration, training, maintenance, and ongoing support.

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