The vendor required to provide for operating and maintaining IT and telecommunication hardware devices, as well as the related software.
- IT cloud smart strategy
• This strategy is designed to provide a value-driven, dynamic, and cost-effective set of differentiating core statewide services and innovative technologies from public and private clouds that will improve state operations and the quality of services to agency.
• Focus on leveraging the state’s investment in the private cloud, while incorporating efficiencies from public cloud providers.
• Provides guidance that will assist in realizing the value of a multi-cloud investment.
• Provide the most optimal hosting environment in the state’s public and private clouds
• Cloud brokerage service (“brokerage service”) that supports and guides agencies as they look to infrastructure as a service (IaaS) and platform as a service (PaaS) application and solution modernization opportunities.
• Managed responsibilities for each of the cloud services offered through the brokerage service, including the private cloud.
1. IaaS cloud brokerage service
• Configuring network security groups and backups;
• Performing restores;
• Storage;
• Providing a direct network connection to the state
• Managing and monitoring using the same tools as the private cloud;
• Patching of the operating system;
• Cloud utilization and cost analysis;
• Design consultation;
• Education; and
• Offering specific cloud expertise, when needed.
2. PaaS cloud brokerage service
• Vendor management of cloud service provider, who is responsible for all layers of the technology stack through middleware (refer to the cloud services responsibility matrix above on page 6 for further details);
• Providing the initial framework for build and configuration;
• Service provisioning, implementation, monitoring and alerting;
• Role-based access control security;
• Enforcing base compliance policies;
• Active directory account integration, when appropriate;
• Assistance in service request resolution via the native cloud portal and the customer service center;
• Cloud utilization and cost analysis;
• Design consultation;
• Education; and
• Offering specific cloud expertise, when needed.
3. Software-as-a-service (SaaS)
• SaaS is a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted on the cloud service provider’s infrastructure.
• Solutions that are purpose-built specifically for an agency will not be considered SaaS, even if the contractor offers IT in a SaaS model where IT is hosted in their environment.
• To meet the state’s definition of SaaS, the solution must be largely “out of the box,” meaning that limited configuration and customization is required for the application to meet the customer’s business needs.
• The customer does not manage or control the underlying cloud infrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage, or even individual application capabilities, except for limited user-specific application configuration settings.
• The SaaS provider is responsible for maintaining the infrastructure (includes patching, upgrades, etc.), keeping software current, and providing customer support. Please refer to the cloud services responsibility matrix above on page 6 for further details.
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: January 16, 2026
