Mississippi State University is seeking a cloud-based Scholarship Award Management System. The system should facilitate scholarship administration for the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships, MSU Foundation, and academic colleges/departments. Key requirements include integration with student information systems (Banner), robust security and compliance (GDPR, FERPA, GLBA, etc. ), role-based user permissions, and the ability to manage scholarship applications, awards, and communications. Vendors must provide a detailed technical proposal and a cost proposal. Proposals are due by May 20, 2026. The contract is estimated to begin July 15, 2026, for a two-year term.
The proposal submission deadline is May 20, 2026, at 2:00 p. m. The contract effective date is estimated to be July 15, 2026.
Proposals will be scored based on the following weights: corporate structure, years of experience, references (10 pts); operation plan, ease of use, services offered (50 pts); and fees (40 pts). The award will be based on capabilities, overall reputation, and cost.
The vendor must provide a detailed description of how their system meets the absolute minimum technical requirements, including system architecture, security and compliance, and specific functionalities. Vendors must also provide corporate structure and credentials, examples of previous work, and references from other higher education institutions.
In the event the contractor fails to carry out and comply with any of the conditions and agreements to be performed under the specifications, MSU will notify the contractor in writing. If corrective action is not completed within a ten-day period, MSU reserves the right to determine if noncompliance constitutes a failure of the contract. In the event MSU employs attorneys or incurs other expenses to protect or enforce its rights, the contractor agrees to pay the attorneys' fees and expenses.
Questions from vendors are due by May 11, 2026. MSU's QA response is due by May 13, 2026.