OSSC Social Media Simulator Request for Information

Location:	Ohio
Posted:	Nov 18, 2025
Due:	Dec 2, 2025
Agency:	State Government of Ohio
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Solicitation No:	SRC0000035328
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

Solicitation ID:	SRC0000035328
Solicitation Name:	OSSC Social Media Simulator Request for Information
Original Begin Date:	11/18/2025 10:00:00 AM
Begin Date:	11/18/2025 10:00:00 AM
End Date:	12/2/2025 2:00:00 PM
Inquiry End Date:	11/26/2025 5:00:00 PM
Commodity:	Software defined networking/ virtualization software
MBE Set Aside:	MBE Set Aside
Agency:	DPS-Dept of Public Safety
Solicitation Status:	Open for Bidding
Solicitation Type:	Request for Information (RFI) (Simple & Single)

Solicitation General Information

In an MBE set-aside solicitation, only those bidders/suppliers with an active MBE certification at the time the solicitation closes can submit a response

Solicitation ID

SRC0000035328

Solicitation Name

OSSC Social Media Simulator Request for Information

RFx Type

Request for Information (RFI) (Simple & Single)

Lot #

Solicitation Status

Open for Bidding

Round #

MBE Set Aside

Begin Date

11/18/2025 10:00:00 AM (ET)

Amendment?

End Date

12/2/2025 2:00:00 PM (ET)

Inquiry End Date

11/26/2025 5:00:00 PM

Summary

The Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS), is issuing this Request for Information (RFI) to obtain information and recommendations regarding social media simulation platforms that can be used to train educators, school administrators, and safety professionals in identifying and assessing online threats in a safe, controlled environment.

This RFI is for information gathering and market research purposes only. Responses will assist OSSC in understanding available solutions, implementation strategies, cost structures, and best practices to guide potential future procurement activities.

The OSSC’s mission is to support safe and secure learning environments across Ohio by providing education, training, and technology that enhance preparedness, prevention, and response. The development of an online Social Media Simulator aligns with OSSC’s statewide training initiative to equip educators with tools to identify and assess digital warning behaviors that may indicate safety concerns, including self-harm, bullying, or targeted violence.

A formal solicitation—such as a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ)—may follow this RFI. Participation in this RFI is voluntary and does not guarantee inclusion in or award from any subsequent solicitation

Predecessor Contract

Process

Offerors will need to review the attached RFI document.

Each Offeror must submit a letter of interest. Offeror must title the electronic file with “SRC0000035328 OSSC Social Media Simulator- Letter of Interest” , In addition to Letter of Interest, Offerors are encouraged to provide specification and capability information to demonstrate a clear understanding of this request.

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Ship To

P003705 DPS RECEIVING - ACF Receiving - ACF Columbus

Contracting Entity

DPS-Dept of Public Safety

1 Record(s)

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Solicitation Documents

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Title	Type	Att.	Validity End Date	Validity End Date
RFI Social Media Simulator	Ad-hoc Solicitation Document (Approved)	RFI document OSSC Social Media Simulator.pdf

1 Record(s)

Attachment Preview

Request for Information (RFI) for: Social Media Simulator

Section 1: Purpose

The Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC), a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS), is issuing this

Request for Information (RFI) to obtain information and recommendations regarding social media simulation

platforms that can be used to train educators, school administrators, and safety professionals in identifying and

assessing online threats in a safe, controlled environment.

This RFI is for information gathering and market research purposes only. Responses will assist OSSC in understanding

available solutions, implementation strategies, cost structures, and best practices to guide potential future

procurement activities.

A formal solicitation—such as a Request for Proposal (RFP) or Request for Quote (RFQ)—may follow this RFI.

Participation in this RFI is voluntary and does not guarantee inclusion in or award from any subsequent solicitation.

The OSSC’s mission is to support safe and secure learning environments across Ohio by providing education, training, and

technology that enhance preparedness, prevention, and response. The development of an online Social Media

Simulator aligns with OSSC’s statewide training initiative to equip educators with tools to identify and assess digital

warning behaviors that may indicate safety concerns, including self-harm, bullying, or targeted violence.

Section 2: Social Media Simulator Overview

The OSSC seeks information on solutions that can replicate the experience of major social media platforms in a

sand-boxed, web-based environment. The goal is to allow users to engage in simulated interactions and conduct online

threat assessments without accessing or using real-world social platforms.

The simulator will be used as part of OSSC’s Online Threat Assessment Training Program, enabling participants to

practice identifying concerning content, user behaviors, and digital threat indicators through realistic scenarios

modeled on platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter).

The ideal solution will:

Provide a safe, closed simulation environment mimicking multiple social media platforms.

Enable customizable scenarios authored by instructors or administrators.

Support multi-user concurrent sessions for group or classroom exercises.

Include rich interactive elements (comments, DMs, stories, hashtags, video links, etc.).

Offer activity logging and scenario tracking for evaluation and reporting.

Maintain data privacy and security compliance consistent with educational use.

Solutions may be existing products, custom-developed, or configurable platforms capable of meeting the outlined

requirements.

Trainee will not be required to create or edit any content for/during live training course.

Request for Information (RFI) for: Social Media Simulator

Section 3: Solution Information Requested

OSSC requests respondents to provide detailed information addressing the following categories:

A. Product Capabilities

• Supported simulated platforms (e.g., Instagram, TikTok, X, Facebook, Snapchat, YouTube, Discord, Reddit, etc.).

• Ability to customize or author scenarios aligned with instructional goals.

• Level of realism in platform emulation (feeds, posts, comments, DMs, media sharing, privacy settings, etc.).

• Ability to create and manage synthetic metadata (timestamps, user profiles, locations).

• Support for cross-platform interactivity (e.g., embedding a YouTube video in a simulated Instagram post).

• Concurrent user capacity and scalability.

• Tracking tools for student activity, checkpoint completion, and instructor feedback.

• Administrative dashboard for scenario configuration and result analysis.

• Accessibility via standard web browsers on both desktop and mobile devices.

B. System Requirements

• Minimum device and browser specifications for optimal performance.

• Hosting model (cloud-based, on-premise, or hybrid).

• Data security and encryption standards.

• FERPA and/or GDPR compliance, and other applicable education privacy standards.

• Account management options (role-based access, SSO compatibility, instructor/student roles).

• Support for institutional deployment or LMS integration (if applicable).

C. Scenario Management and Analytics

• Ability for instructors to independently design, edit, and deploy social media scenarios.

• Mechanisms for storing and replaying simulation sessions.

Request for Information (RFI) for: Social Media Simulator

• Student performance tracking, checkpoint completion, and engagement analytics.

• Ability to export logs or progress summaries for assessment and reporting.

• Support for integrating learning objectives or feedback within the scenario flow.

D. Deployment and Support

• Typical implementation timeline and onboarding process.

• Training requirements for instructors and administrators.

• Hosting, maintenance, and update frequency.

• Support model and service-level expectations.

• Recommended pilot structure for initial deployment in a limited user group.

E. Pricing Information

• Indicative pricing models (subscription, seat-based licensing, institutional license, etc.).

• Cost structure for pilot program (if offered).

• Estimated annual maintenance and support costs.

• Pricing differences for cloud vs. on-premise deployments (if applicable).

F. References and Case Studies

• Examples of prior deployments in educational or public safety training settings.

• Use cases demonstrating customization for law enforcement, schools, or similar institutions.

• Documented outcomes, user feedback, or success metrics.

• Lessons learned or recommendations for effective rollout.

Request for Information (RFI) for: Social Media Simulator

Section 4: Response Instructions

Responses should be submitted electronically in PDF or Word format and include:

Company name, address, and primary point of contact (name, email, phone).

Overview of company background, experience, and qualifications.

Detailed responses to the requested information areas (Sections 3A–3F).

Supporting materials such as brochures, product sheets, or demo links (if available).

Section 5: Disclaimer

This RFI is not a solicitation for proposals, quotes, or bids. Responses are for information purposes only and do not

obligate the State of Ohio to any contract, commitment, or procurement. Any future solicitations will follow applicable

Ohio procurement statutes, rules, and guidance as outlined in the State Procurement Manual and Purchasing

Procedures (PM-01).

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

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