University of Iowa - Incident Response & Digital Forensic Services - 18655 (2026)
University Of IowaHigher Ed · Iowa City, IA- Due
- Sep 22, 2026
- Deadline passed
- Posted
- Aug 24, 2026
- Contract term
- 1 year
- Primary contact
- Bonnie Thornton
- (319) 335-2209
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THE 30-SECOND BRIEF
The University of Iowa is seeking written proposals from qualified suppliers to provide Incident Response (IR) and Digital Forensic Services (DFS) on behalf of the Information Security and Policy Office. The scope includes establishing a ~200-hour cybersecurity response retainer for on-demand advisory support, remote consultation, emerging threats, data breach response, ransomware events, compromised business email investigations, and major incident response services for Critical and High Severity cybersecurity incidents. The awarded supplier must support higher education institutions, academic medical centers, healthcare environments, Microsoft 365, Azure/AWS, research computing, FERPA/HIPAA compliance investigations, and coordinate with cyber insurance carriers and law enforcement. The submission deadline is September 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM CT, with a question deadline of September 9, 2026. Assigned personnel are expected to hold ECIH and GCIH certifications or equivalents.
Initial findings briefings, Response action plans, Incident severity determination reports, Containment recommendations, Priority remediation actions, Preliminary findings reports, Forensic evidence inventory, Recovery guidance recommendation reports, Final incident reports, Remediation roadmaps, Incident Action Plan, Situation Reports (SITREPs), Investigation findings, Threat Intelligence Summary, Evidence Collection Records, Chain of Custody Documentation, Forensic Analysis Reports, Malware Analysis Results, Executive Briefings, Board-Level Summary Reports, Regulatory Support Summaries, Remediation Roadmap(s)
Presentation of the materials outlined herein, with particular attention paid to the scope and nature of services
SUMMARY
The University of Iowa is seeking written proposals from qualified suppliers to provide Incident Response (IR) and Digital Forensic Services (DFS) on behalf of the Information Security and Policy Office.
The scope includes establishing a ~200-hour cybersecurity response retainer for on-demand advisory support, remote consultation, emerging threats, data breach response, ransomware events, compromised business email investigations, and major incident response services for Critical and High Severity cybersecurity incidents. The awarded supplier must support higher education institutions, academic medical centers, healthcare environments, Microsoft 365, Azure/AWS, research computing, FERPA/HIPAA compliance investigations, and coordinate with cyber insurance carriers and law enforcement. The submission deadline is September 22, 2026 at 3:00 PM CT, with a question deadline of September 9, 2026. Assigned personnel are expected to hold ECIH and GCIH certifications or equivalents.
EVALUATION CRITERIA
Presentation of the materials outlined herein, with particular attention paid to the scope and nature of services
REQUIRED DELIVERABLES
22- Initial findings briefings
- Response action plans
- Incident severity determination reports
- Containment recommendations
- Priority remediation actions
- Preliminary findings reports
- Forensic evidence inventory
- Recovery guidance recommendation reports
- Final incident reports
- Remediation roadmaps
- Incident Action Plan
- Situation Reports (SITREPs)
- Investigation findings
- Threat Intelligence Summary
- Evidence Collection Records
- Chain of Custody Documentation
- Forensic Analysis Reports
- Malware Analysis Results
- Executive Briefings
- Board-Level Summary Reports
- Regulatory Support Summaries
- Remediation Roadmap(s)
REQUIRED ATTACHMENTS
3- Proposal
- Deliverable reports example
- Audited Financial Statements
- Submit to
- 202 PCO, Iowa City, IA 52242-2500 USA | [email protected]
- Duration
- 60 months
- Scope location
- Iowa City, IA
- Reported agency
- University of Iowa
Questions about this RFP
How do I respond to this RFQ from University Of Iowa?
Review the full solicitation document for submission requirements, evaluation criteria, and deadlines. The submission deadline is September 22, 2026. The solicitation specifies required deliverables that must be addressed in your response. Be sure to include all required attachments as outlined in the solicitation. Submissions should be delivered to: 202 PCO, Iowa City, IA 52242-2500 USA | [email protected]. For questions, contact Bonnie Thornton.
Can small businesses or minority-owned firms bid on this RFQ?
Most government agencies, including University Of Iowa in IA, encourage participation from small businesses, minority-owned, women-owned, and disadvantaged business enterprises (MBE/WBE/DBE). Check the full solicitation for any small business participation goals.
What happens after the RFQ submission deadline?
After the deadline, the issuing agency reviews all submissions against the stated evaluation criteria. This typically includes a compliance check, technical evaluation, cost analysis, and may involve oral presentations with shortlisted vendors.
Can I ask questions about this solicitation before submitting?
Yes, most solicitations allow vendors to submit questions during a designated period. The primary contact is Bonnie Thornton at (319) 335-2209. Questions and answers are typically shared with all prospective bidders.
What are the key deliverables?
The solicitation specifies the following deliverables: Initial findings briefings, Response action plans, Incident severity determination reports, Containment recommendations, Priority remediation actions, Preliminary findings reports, Forensic evidence inventory, Recovery guidance recommendation reports, Final incident reports, Remediation roadmaps, In. Proposals should clearly address how each deliverable will be met.
Can I search RFQs like this in ChatGPT or Claude?
Yes. Civic IQ has an MCP server that connects ChatGPT, Claude and other AI assistants to live Civic IQ data: open RFPs, pre-RFP signals from public meetings, awarded contracts and agency decision-makers across 100,000+ US public agencies. Add https://beta.mcp.civiciq.com/mcp as a connector (in ChatGPT under Settings > Apps & Connectors, in Claude under Settings > Connectors) and sign in with a free Civic IQ account at civiciq.com/mcp.
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What are the evaluation criteria for this solicitation?
This solicitation includes specific evaluation criteria that will be used to score proposals. The criteria include: "Presentation of the materials outlined herein, with particular attention paid to the scope and nature of services" Vendors should carefully align their proposals with each criterion to maximize their score.
Where can I find more RFPs from University Of Iowa?
All active and historical solicitations from University Of Iowa are tracked and searchable. As a higher ed agency, University Of Iowa regularly publishes solicitations. Visit the agency profile to see current open bids, past contracts, vendor relationships, and decision-maker contacts.
What is the contract term for this solicitation?
The anticipated contract term is 1 year. Contract terms may include renewal options.
What documents are required to bid on this RFQ?
Requirements vary by solicitation, but common documents include a technical proposal, cost/price proposal, proof of insurance, relevant certifications, past performance references, and any forms specified in the solicitation. This solicitation specifically requires the following attachments: Proposal, Deliverable reports example, Audited Financial Statements. Review the full document from University Of Iowa for the complete list.
What is the scope of this project?
This solicitation defines a specific project scope. The scope covers the following locations: Iowa City, IA. Review the full solicitation for detailed scope requirements.