Rev. 4/6/2017
Procurement & Contract Services
Request for Solicitation Form
Definitions
Addendum: An addition, change, or supplement to a solicitation document issued prior to the opening date.
Bid: An offer to Contract with TWU, submitted in Response to a bid invitation.
Consultant: A person that provides or proposes to provide a consulting service.
Consulting Services: Practice of studying and advising a state agency in a manner not involving the traditional
employer/employee relationship per Texas Government Code, Section 2254.021 (See Major Consulting Services
Contract).
Contract: A written agreement where a contractor provides goods or services and the agency pays for such goods and
services in accordance with the established price, terms and conditions.
Contract Administration: Following the award of a Contract, the department level actions to oversee full compliance
with all of the terms and conditions contained within a Contract.
Contract Administrator: The Contract Administrator is the department level individual responsible for adherence to
all provisions contained within a Contract and for managing the performance of a Contract.
Contract Manager: An individual who is: 1) employed by TWU in the Procurement and Contract Services Department
and 2) is responsible for coordinating the processes required for effective Contract Management. The Contract Manager
will provide guidance to
Contrac
t Administrators.
Contract Review Team: A team comprised of such members as the Vice President of Finance and Administration,
the Assistant Vice President of Procurement Services, the Contract Administrator, and as needed, cross-functional
members such as: subject matter experts, information technology, risk management, legal, and price/cost analysts. The
size and the members of the team are dependent on the nature, complexity and cost of the project.
Contractor: An entity or individual that has a Contract to provide Goods or Services to TWU.
Goods: Supplies, materials, or equipment as defined in Texas Government Code § 2155.001. Goods do not
include Services or real property.
Invitation for Bids (IFB): A Procurement process used when the requirements are clearly defined, Negotiations are not
necessary, and price is the major determining factor for selection.
Major Consulting Services Contract: A consulting services contract for which it is reasonably foreseeable that the
value of the contract will exceed $25,000.
Opening Date: The date and time, after submission of Proposals, when sealed Proposal Responses are opened.
Posted Date: The date a procurement document is made available to the public.
Proposal: An executed offer submitted by a respondent in response to a Request for Proposals (RFP) and intended to be
used as a basis to negotiate a contract award.
Proposal Opening: The public opening of proposals, in which the names of the respondents to a solicitation are publicly
read and recorded. No prices are divulged at a proposal opening as these types of solicitations are subject to negotiation.
Request for Offer (RFO): A solicitation for automated information systems (which may include a request for hardware,
software and other information technology goods and services) requesting the submittal of an offer in response to the
required scope of services, including a cost proposal. Negotiations are allowed between a proposer and the issuing
agency.