Request for Qualifications
September 9, 2012
Proposal Item: Firms to provide efficiency studies and services for the Education Service Center, Region 13 and school districts within the Region 13 service area.
DUE Date: Monday, October 15, 2012, at 2:00 p.m. CST. Proposals should be delivered to Education Service Center Region 13, 5701 Springdale Road, Austin, Texas 78723. Proposals received after 2:00 p.m. CST will not be accepted or considered.
1.01 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Education Service Center (ESC), Region 13 seeks sealed proposals from firms to perform a variety of services, upon request, related to the efficient operation of public organizations such as school districts, charter schools, and regional education service centers. Sealed proposals should include one paper copy and one electronic copy of the proposal to the ESC.
1.02 GENERAL CONDITIONS
1.02.01 Sealed proposals will be received at the office of Frank Haby, Director of Administrative Services, Education Service Center Region 13, 5701 Springdale Road, Austin, Texas 78723 until 2:00 p.m. on Monday, October 15, 2012, at which time they will be opened and acknowledged only by the submitting firm name.
*Envelopes should be plainly marked: Frank Haby, Proposal for Efficiency Services
1.02.02 Proposals that are submitted without meeting all requirements stated in Sections 1.11; 1.12; and 1.13 may be rejected in hand.
1.02.03 Proposals must be firm for 45 days from the opening date for ESC acceptance.
1.02.04 The ESC reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, waive all minor formalities, and to choose the proposals that best serves the interest of the ESC. It is not the policy of the ESC to purchase on the basis of low price alone.
1.02.05 The Director of Administrative Services is the only person who may authorize changes in the Request for Proposal or negotiate price or incur additional charges related to this proposal.
1.02.06 Questions concerning RFQ content are to be addressed to:
Frank Haby
Education Service Center Region 13
5701 Springdale Road
Austin, TX 78723
512.919.5385
Email:
1.03 SELECTION CRITERIA
1.03.01 The Education Service Center, Region 13 awards contracts to the Provider deemed
to provide the BEST VALUE for the goods and services being purchased. ESC does
not award purchasing contracts on the basis of low price alone. ESC considers the
following guidelines:
(1) As per state law TEC 44.031:
· Purchase Price
· Reputation of the vendor and the vendor’s goods or services
· Quality of the vendor’s goods or services
· The extent to which the vendor’s goods or services meet the ESC’s needs
· Vendor’s past relationship with the ESC
· Total long terms cost to the ESC to acquire the vendor’s goods or services
(2) And, as specific to this RFQ:
· Experience and reputation of the firm in providing similar efficiency
services
· Experience in providing similar efficiency services to school districts
· Qualifications of staff
· Fee for services
1.04 INTRODUCTION
Texas regional education service centers are intermediate educational units that provide training, technical assistance, administrative support and an array of other services as determined by the state legislature, the Commissioner of Education and the needs of local school districts and charter schools. The current goals of ESCs as defined in state statute are to assist school districts in:
· Improving student performance
· Operating efficiently and economically
· Implementing state and federal initiatives
Education Service Center Region 13 (ESC) supports 60 ISDs and 18 Charter Schools in a sixteen county area of central Texas. These schools enroll approximately 376,000 students and employ approximately 33,300 professional staff.
ESC seeks to provide an efficient and economical service to school districts by contracting the services herein described.
1.05 INVITATION
1.05.01 Qualified providers are invited to submit a sealed proposal to this RFQ. Receipt of a sealed proposal does not obligate the ESC to pay any expenses incurred by the provider in preparation of the proposal.
1.05.02 Before submitting a sealed proposal, the provider shall consider the amount and character of the work described herein and the difficulties involved in its proper execution.
1.05.03 Multiple providers may be selected to provide the services detailed in this RFQ. Once accepted as a qualified provider, firm contact information will be made available for engagement by ESC personnel and participating school districts for delivery of specified services upon request.
1.06 CONTRACT TERM
1.06.01 The term covered by the terms and conditions of this RFQ and subsequent contracts for services is November 1, 2012 through August 31, 2014. ESC reserves the right to extend the contract term for up to two additional one-year periods subject to negotiated approval of both parties.
1.07 KEY TARGET DATES
Listed below are the key target dates associated with this RFP.
· September 9 RFQ issued
· October 15 Proposal Due Date
· October 23 Selection of proposer by ESC Board of Directors
· October 24 Notification of proposer and negotiation of contract
· October 31 Negotiations completed
· November 1 Contract Begin Date
1.08 TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1.08.01 Specifications – Services performed and provided will be in accordance with the
specifications herein. ESC will decide the answers to all questions that may arise
as to the specifications, quality, and acceptability of the services provided.
1.08.02 Award of a Contract – A response to this RFQ is an offer to contract with the ESC or a contracting school district based on the terms and conditions contained in the RFQ. Responses do not become contracts unless and until they are accepted through an authorized issuance of a Contract for Services from ESC.
(1) The contract is null and void if sold or assigned to another company without written approval of the purchasing party.
(2) Written notification of changes to company name, address, telephone number, etc. shall be provided to the purchasing party no later than three business days from the date of change.
1.08.03 Payment – Provider will bill the ESC for contracted services provided to school districts under the resulting Contract. The ESC will render payment to provider net 30 days from completion of the project and receipt of a correct invoice or billing statement.
1.08.04 Partnership – ESC may involve its staff in some of the efficiency projects. The provider may be asked to provide training to service center staff and to include service center staff in the delivery of selected services. To compensate the ESC for services provided in the maintenance of the purchasing cooperative, and delivery of selected services, the ESC may, upon notice to the provider, participate in the revenue generated by the provider firms.
1.08.05 Termination – ESC may, at its option and discretion, terminate the approval of a provider at any time, for any reason whatsoever, by giving a written notice to the provider at least ten days prior to the effective date of termination as set forth in the notice.
1.08.06 Public Disclosure – No public disclosures or news releases shall be made pertaining to this RFQ or subsequent award without written approval of ESC.
1.09 SPECIFICATIONS
The types of efficiency services that are anticipated that will be needed to fulfill the purpose of this RFQ include, but are not limited to:
· Development/implementation of a strategic plan
· Development of performance/efficiency measurement systems
· Training of staff to incorporate efficiency measurement into the planning and budget processes
· Product and marketing plans
· Training of staff to analyze efficiency measures
· Analysis of staffing levels throughout the organization
· Analysis of insurance proposals
· Analysis of class loads and student/teacher ratios
· Analysis and training on student scheduling alternatives
· Analysis of departmental and/or campus efficiency
· Analysis and efficiency operations for school support services such as
student transportation, food service, maintenance, and custodial
· Analysis of the use of private sector program delivery versus in-house operations
· Program evaluation including program cost effectiveness
· Development/implementation of a technology plan
· Development/implementation of technology integration plan
· Facilities assessment, planning, operations and maintenance
· Utilities management
· Fraudulent program activity
· Energy conservation analysis/planning/implementation
· Policy analysis
· Process re-engineering to improve efficiency
1.10 SCOPE OF WORK
1.10.01 Each proposal submitted shall detail the type of efficiency service that the firm is prepared to furnish in accordance with the conditions and specifications as stated.
1.10.02 Through this Contract provider will provide services to school districts and charter schools in the ESC service area. Services may also be provided to ESC.
1.10.03 No estimate of volume of firm engagement by contract by the ESC or school districts is included or implied in this proposal.
1.11 ESTIMATE OF FEES
1.11.01 Submitted proposal must include the maximum rate per hour for each type of service that is proposed.
1.11.02 Contracts for individual delivery of service projects may be negotiated as a fixed sum fee with the purchasing party.
1.12 STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS
1.12.01 Each proposer shall provide evidence of the capability of their firm to provide in a professional and timely manner the services proposed.
1.12.02 Each proposer shall provide evidence of the experience of their firm in providing similar services as proposed by the firm.
1.12.03 Each proposer shall provide evidence of the experience of their firm in providing services to education service organizations and school districts.
1.12.04 Each proposer shall provide references on projects similar in purpose and scope of work proposed by the firm.
1.12.05 Each proposer shall provide resumes of lead professional staff noting experience on similar projects as proposed by the firm.
1.13 CONDITIONS FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL
1.13.01 All proposals must include a cover letter clearly stating the name and address of
the firm and the name, address, telephone number and email address of the
proposer’s representative. All proposals must be submitted in one copy in print and one copy electronically.
1.13.02 All proposals must include all items listed in the Statement of Qualifications.
1.13.03 All proposals must include an estimate of hourly fees.
1.13.04 The completion of the attached Certification of Eligibility. In compliance with
TEC section 44.034 each person or business entering into a contract with the
ESC must give advance notice if the person, owner, or operator of the business
have been convicted of a felony.
END
Education Service Center Region 13
CERTIFICATE OF NOTICE OF ELIGIBILITY
Texas Education Code 44.034
In compliance with TEC 44.034, each person or business entering into a contract with an Education Service Center or public school must give advance notice if the person, owner, or operator of the business has been convicted of a felony. The notice must include a general description of the conduct resulting in the conviction of a felony. Additionally, the prospective vendor must certify, by submission of this application, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for disbarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this proposed transaction by any Federal Department or Agency.
The ESC may cancel any contract for which it was not properly notified.
Certification:
In acting as the authorized representative in responding to this offer, I certify that the affixed information concerning notification of Felony Conviction, Debarment, or Suspension is true to the best of my knowledge.
Check one of the following:
_____ The vendor is a publicly held corporation and is exempt from this requirement.
_____ The vendor is not owned or operated by anyone who has been convicted of a felony.
_____ The vendor is owned or operated by the following individual(s) who has/have been convicted of a felony:
Name(s) and conviction details:
______
______
______
Authorized Representatives Signature of Certification: ______
Authorized Representatives Printed Name: ______
Firm Name: ______
Date of Certification: ______
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