Alabama A & M University Sealed Solicitation
Title: Web-based Event Ticketing System RFP
Deadline: 3/15/2018 2:00 PM (UTC-06:00) Central Time (US & Canada)
Status: Awarded
Solicitation Number: Bid No. 2K18-09B
Description: Alabama A&M University is soliciting proposals from companies capable of providing the University with a web-based ticketing system in support of its Athletic and Non-Athletic events. The vendor-managed website for the sale of General Admission and Reserved Seating at such events will be branded to promote the University's interests and generate revenue utilizing a variety of channels.
Documents:
Addition 1
Posted: 4/3/2018
Type of Addition: Award Information
Overview: Annual License - $8,000/ yr. Other fees denoted in Cost Proposal
Amount: $8,000.00
Documents:
Addition 2
Posted: 6/15/2018
Type of Addition: Late / Disqualified Bid - Tix, Inc.
Overview: Tix, Inc.'s bid was disqualified for arriving late to the Purchasing Department.
Question 1
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question:
Response: We have answered this question. Please see the Public Solicitation
Question 2
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Please provide historic sales data (ideally 3 years - 2015,2016,2017) that includes (separately by athletics verses other events) number of tickets sold online, number of tickets sold via telephone (if applicable), and number of tickets sold at the box office.
Response: This data is currently unavailable.
Question 3
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Please clarify what you seek with Single sign on integration. If a solution does not support single sign on, is that condition for exclusion from this bid?
Response: Single sign-on integration shall not be a disqualifying feature of this bid. User should be able to sign-on to web portal to order tickets to AAMU events and navigate through the entire site while maintaining an active browser from the initial sign-on.
Question 4
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: General event properties.... please clarify what is meant by "Repurpose events"
Response: "Repurpose events" was a criterion on the original solicitation let by the AAMU Purchasing Department for this service several years ago, and the intention of its inclusion is unclear. For that reason, no vendor will be penalized for this criterion.
Question 5
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Please clarify what is meant by Subdomain hosting
Response: Awarded vendor's website or branded web portal from appropriate AAMU webpage should be able to act as a subdomain host in providing a web-based ticketing solution.
Question 6
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: In ticket properties - what is meant by Sponsorship (set donation prices which include a certain number of guests). Can you please clarify what you seek here?
Response: Tickets may be set at a discounted or premium rates for sponsorships which may be corporate sponsorships or at the local community level. System should be able to adjust pricing accordingly for special sponsorship opportunities or for lot purchasing of tickets.
Question 7
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: field properties. Can you clarify where or how you want to handle file upload? Does this refer to an export from the solution or to a university hosted solution?
Response: Yes, File upload can mean uploading to a University-hosted solution as well as taking flat files of data and loading it into the awarded vendor's solution.
Question 8
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Ticket Printing - System should be compatible with a wide range of thermal ticket printers. What thermal ticket printers do you currently use - and are there any that you desire to use that are different? Also, can you provide the serial number and any images of the current printers?
Response: AAMU currently has Boca Thermal Ticket Printers. Serial numbers are not located on the printers per the Athletic Dept.
Question 9
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Convenience Fee - Any such convenience fees charged to the patron shall be revenue fully owned and operated by ..... If a company's business model is designed to earn revenue from fees charged to remote buyers is that company not eligible to participate in this bid?
Response: This can be negotiable as a potential profit-sharing venture between awarded vendor and University.
Question 10
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Please provide a copy of your current ticketing contract with your providers so all can see what is currently being paid by the University and what equipment / services is / are provided. This should be public information.
Response: The price schedule has been added to this solicitation advertisement as a document.
Question 11
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: credit card processor(s). There are several listed - which one(s) does athletics and other associated events use today? Is there a preference to which processor the university uses?
Response: Currently, all credit card processing is done via a secure system provided by University Tickets.
Question 12
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Proposal requirements - Paragraph 1 G. Financial Reports. As a private organization, we hesitate to share highly sensitive information, such as financial reports, in public documents. As stated in paragraph 19 all documents included are available as public records. Will the bidder be rejected without including this in the proposal?
Response: The requirements of the RFP must be the same for all participant vendors in order for competition to be held fairly and openly. While the Purchasing Department does understand your concern, it cannot waive this requirement. The RFP does not provide how much data to provide, only "a current audited financial report for the company's most recent fiscal year."
Question 13
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Throughout the request document, it states that this is not a contract - rather a request for proposals. That said, there are numerous contractual obligations that are included and the bidder must identify that all documents, including the rfp, become part of the contract. So, are the contractual terms there for reference or are they actual terms of the agreement. I do see that the rfp asks for a standard agreement - which would govern - or are they merged? This question form says questions are due by 3/15 and the bid is due also by 3/15. The bid says questions are due by 3/6. Has the date of the rfp been extended?
Response: The vendor's standard agreement would govern and would be the contract that the University would sign. The contract price offered would be bound upon the vendor to honor. The University will sign the vendor's terms upon the Office of the General Counsel's review and agreement to those terms. Today, March 6, 2018 is the deadline for questions. The bid submission deadline is March 15, 2018 by 2 P.M. CST.
Posted: 4/3/2018
Type of Addition: Award Information
Overview: Annual License - $8,000/ yr. Other fees denoted in Cost Proposal
Amount: $8,000.00
Documents:
Posted: 6/15/2018
Type of Addition: Late / Disqualified Bid - Tix, Inc.
Overview: Tix, Inc.'s bid was disqualified for arriving late to the Purchasing Department.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question:
Response: We have answered this question. Please see the Public Solicitation
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Please provide historic sales data (ideally 3 years - 2015,2016,2017) that includes (separately by athletics verses other events) number of tickets sold online, number of tickets sold via telephone (if applicable), and number of tickets sold at the box office.
Response: This data is currently unavailable.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Please clarify what you seek with Single sign on integration. If a solution does not support single sign on, is that condition for exclusion from this bid?
Response: Single sign-on integration shall not be a disqualifying feature of this bid. User should be able to sign-on to web portal to order tickets to AAMU events and navigate through the entire site while maintaining an active browser from the initial sign-on.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: General event properties.... please clarify what is meant by "Repurpose events"
Response: "Repurpose events" was a criterion on the original solicitation let by the AAMU Purchasing Department for this service several years ago, and the intention of its inclusion is unclear. For that reason, no vendor will be penalized for this criterion.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Please clarify what is meant by Subdomain hosting
Response: Awarded vendor's website or branded web portal from appropriate AAMU webpage should be able to act as a subdomain host in providing a web-based ticketing solution.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: In ticket properties - what is meant by Sponsorship (set donation prices which include a certain number of guests). Can you please clarify what you seek here?
Response: Tickets may be set at a discounted or premium rates for sponsorships which may be corporate sponsorships or at the local community level. System should be able to adjust pricing accordingly for special sponsorship opportunities or for lot purchasing of tickets.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: field properties. Can you clarify where or how you want to handle file upload? Does this refer to an export from the solution or to a university hosted solution?
Response: Yes, File upload can mean uploading to a University-hosted solution as well as taking flat files of data and loading it into the awarded vendor's solution.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Ticket Printing - System should be compatible with a wide range of thermal ticket printers. What thermal ticket printers do you currently use - and are there any that you desire to use that are different? Also, can you provide the serial number and any images of the current printers?
Response: AAMU currently has Boca Thermal Ticket Printers. Serial numbers are not located on the printers per the Athletic Dept.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Convenience Fee - Any such convenience fees charged to the patron shall be revenue fully owned and operated by ..... If a company's business model is designed to earn revenue from fees charged to remote buyers is that company not eligible to participate in this bid?
Response: This can be negotiable as a potential profit-sharing venture between awarded vendor and University.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Please provide a copy of your current ticketing contract with your providers so all can see what is currently being paid by the University and what equipment / services is / are provided. This should be public information.
Response: The price schedule has been added to this solicitation advertisement as a document.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: credit card processor(s). There are several listed - which one(s) does athletics and other associated events use today? Is there a preference to which processor the university uses?
Response: Currently, all credit card processing is done via a secure system provided by University Tickets.
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Proposal requirements - Paragraph 1 G. Financial Reports. As a private organization, we hesitate to share highly sensitive information, such as financial reports, in public documents. As stated in paragraph 19 all documents included are available as public records. Will the bidder be rejected without including this in the proposal?
Response: The requirements of the RFP must be the same for all participant vendors in order for competition to be held fairly and openly. While the Purchasing Department does understand your concern, it cannot waive this requirement. The RFP does not provide how much data to provide, only "a current audited financial report for the company's most recent fiscal year."
Posted: 3/2/2018
Question: Throughout the request document, it states that this is not a contract - rather a request for proposals. That said, there are numerous contractual obligations that are included and the bidder must identify that all documents, including the rfp, become part of the contract. So, are the contractual terms there for reference or are they actual terms of the agreement. I do see that the rfp asks for a standard agreement - which would govern - or are they merged? This question form says questions are due by 3/15 and the bid is due also by 3/15. The bid says questions are due by 3/6. Has the date of the rfp been extended?
Response: The vendor's standard agreement would govern and would be the contract that the University would sign. The contract price offered would be bound upon the vendor to honor. The University will sign the vendor's terms upon the Office of the General Counsel's review and agreement to those terms. Today, March 6, 2018 is the deadline for questions. The bid submission deadline is March 15, 2018 by 2 P.M. CST.