DIR to Release Broad Statewide Cybersecurity Procurement Next Week

The Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) plans to release a broad statewide procurement for cybersecurity products and services Sept. 16, with resulting contracts to be made available to eligible public-sector customers through the agency’s Cooperative Contracts Program.

DIR said the forthcoming Request for Offers (RFO) is expected to cover a wide range of cybersecurity products and services, including data and file security, encryption, redaction and de-identification software, monitoring and threat-alert software, backup and recovery tools, firewalls, biometric authentication, communication security systems, security consulting, networking security, card-access security, document recovery and identity-theft and data-security services.

The procurement also reflects a broader change in how DIR plans to structure future solicitations. The agency said it intends to transition away from branded contracts and does not plan to publish future branded solicitations. Current contract holders and vendors that responded to earlier branded solicitations are strongly encouraged to respond to future procurements when their products and services fall within scope.

DIR may make one or multiple awards through the solicitation. Any resulting agreements would be indefinite-quantity contracts with no guaranteed minimum purchases.

An optional virtual bidder’s conference is tentatively scheduled for Sept. 30. Vendor questions are due Oct. 14 and responses are due Nov. 18. Evaluation, possible oral presentations, negotiations and contract awards are expected to begin in November. DIR said the schedule is subject to change.

The contracts would be available to eligible customers including state agencies, local governments, institutions of higher education, public schools and other qualifying entities. Customers would work directly with successful respondents on pricing and any additional agreements, then issue purchase agreements and payments directly to those vendors.

The pre-solicitation notice is intended for vendor planning purposes and does not obligate DIR to issue the RFO. The agency also said information in the notice could change when the formal solicitation is released.