The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has issued a request for offers (RFO) from vendors to replace its statewide instructional materials procurement system, EMAT.
The requested system must be web-based, customizable, provide reporting and tracking, send and receive data files through electronic data interchange (EDI), support individual district accounts, funding source designation capabilities, accessible user training, two-way batch interface creation, role-based access and more.
The migration of all current year and select legacy data from EMAT to the new procurement system has also been requested.
TEA is prioritizing integrated automation as a feature in the requested system to minimize manual oversight in processing local education agency (LEA) requisitions and disbursements.
According to the RFO, “the procurement system will be integrated with TEA’s Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel System (TCAPPS) to provide a procurement platform for districts to request instructional materials from vendors with funding allocated by the Texas Education Agency to each school district.”
Payments must be sent and received through TCAPPS, with payment options specific to vendor and publisher agreements, automated notifications of payments made, a credit allocation system and automatic allotment reductions upon transaction approval.
According to HB 1, TEA’s capital budget includes $2.8 million for an educational materials textbook ordering system.
More detailed information about RFO No. 701-24-002, including all submission requirements and requests, can be found online. The deadline for proposals is 2 p.m. Feb. 15. Kem David is the point of contact for this RFO.
Education Agency to Replace Instructional Materials Procurement System
The agency has budgeted $2.8 million for a replacement of EMAT that can be integrated with its Centralized Accounting and Payroll/Personnel System.
