Tuition Assistance Program Replacement

INTRODUCTION

Battelle Energy Alliance, LLC (BEA) Management & Operating Contractor of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) owned Idaho National Laboratory (INL), is seeking an Expression of Interest (EOI) from qualified vendors capable of providing software solutions to support INL’s Tuition Assistance Program. This EOI supports ongoing Discovery work within the Employee Service Center (ESC) related to the Tuition Assistance Program (IPL 4535).

BACKGROUND

INL is a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) national laboratory dedicated to nuclear energy, national security, and clean energy innovation. INL currently utilizes an internal Tuition Assistance system, which is under review as part of the ESC Discovery project. The project team is evaluating potential software options, including both internally developed solutions and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products.

SCOPE OF WORK

The purpose of this EOI is to identify vendors capable of providing a comprehensive, secure, and scalable Tuition Assistance Program software solution. Capabilities of interest include, but are not limited to:

• Tuition benefit application management


• Workflow and approval routing


• Automated eligibility validation


• Integration with HR, training, or financial systems


• Reporting and analytics


• Document retention and audit functionality


• User-friendly employee and administrator interfaces


• Cloud-based or on-premises deployment options


• Compliance with applicable cybersecurity, data privacy, and federal regulations


• Ability to support INL-specific requirements identified during the Discovery process

PROCESS

This EOI is the first step in identifying interested and qualified vendors for future solicitation. Responses may be used to inform the development of a formal solicitation list. Selected vendors may be invited to participate in a Request for Proposal (RFP) process for award consideration.

SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS

Interested vendors should submit an Expression of Interest that includes the following:

• Company name and point of contact


• Description of the Tuition Assistance or related software solutions offered


• Information on system capabilities, configurations, and deployment models


• Relevant experience with similar higher education or employee-benefit systems


• Details on cybersecurity, compliance, and data-handling standards


• Integration capabilities with HRIS, ERP, or learning systems


• Licensing model, scalability, and support structure


• Any applicable NAICS codes and business size classification


• Additional information demonstrating product maturity, flexibility, and customer success

Deadline for submission: June 26, 2026

Submit to: Chase.Egbert@inl.gov

Only select respondents, as determined by BEA, will receive an invitation to participate in the anticipated RFP solicitation.

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

Because information received in response to this EOI may be business sensitive or proprietary to the responding party, respondents must mark information in their responses accordingly.