The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) is seeking a contractor to manage and operate the Audio Newspaper Assistance Program (ANP). The program provides blind and visually impaired individuals with access to newspaper content via a telephone-based synthetic speech service. Key requirements include establishing and operating all aspects of the ANP, ensuring 99% system uptime, providing access to local, regional, and national newspapers, and offering customer service. Proposals are due by July 13, 2026. Evaluation criteria include proposal substance, competence, and compensation. The contract period is four years.
Proposals are due by July 13, 2026, at 10:00 a. m. Central Time. deadline for submission of proposals july 13, 2026, 10 am ct
Payment will be made based on invoicing and payment terms of the resulting contract, with monthly invoices submitted to the PUCT Contract Administrator. contractor must submit a monthly invoice to the puct contract administrator no later than the final day of the month after the month that services have been performed.
Contractor warrants that services will be performed in a professional and workmanlike manner, consistent with professional standards, and by duly licensed personnel if required. contractor represents, warrants, and covenants that it will perform the services outlined in the statement of work. . . in a professional and workmanlike manner
The award will be based on proposal substance and methodology (40%), competence and knowledge (40%), and proposed compensation (20%). a description of the categories under which each proposal will be judged, and the percentage of weight given to each category, are as follows: proposal substance and methodology 40% proposal demonstrates a clear understanding of the objectives. . . competence and knowledge 40%. . . proposed compensation 20%
Proposers must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience related to the services described, meet all deadlines, follow the correct submission process, and include all required components and format. proposers must demonstrate that they have a minimum of five years of experience related to the services described in section 3, statement of work.
Failure to maintain the system's operationality at 99% or more will result in a proportional reduction in monthly payment. if the system is not operational with all required call features a minimum of 99 of the time, the puct will reduce the monthly payment to the anp provider by an amount proportional to the time the system was not operational.
Proposals may be disqualified for not meeting minimum eligibility requirements, being barred from state contracts, having a score of less than 'C' in the vendor performance tracking system, being under a corrective action plan, having repeated negative performance reports, or having purchase orders cancelled for non-performance. any of the following conditions may result in a proposer being disqualified from consideration for this rfp: having a score of less than a c in the vendor performance tracking system. . .
