1 RFP# 2024-07-22 Behavior Specialist Services.pdf

NORTHSHORE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 417

RFP# 2024-07-22 BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST SERVICES

3330 MONTE VILLA PARKWAY, BOTHELL, WA 98021

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

BEHAVIOR SPECIALIST SERVICES

RFP# 2024-07-22

DUE: JULY 22, 2024 at 10 AM

Notice is hereby given that proposals will be received by the Northshore School District No. 417, Bothell, WA, hereinafter referred to as District, from qualified Bidders for Behavior Specialist Services.

The estimated annual expenditure is approximately $2.5 million dollars. Federal funding resources are comingled with District funding resources, therefore Federal public procurement process must be followed. The scope of work will include, but not be limited to, providing supervision and support to students. The District intends to execute multiple contracts for a one-year term with four additional one-year optional extensions.

● Proposals are due at 10:00 AM, July 22, 2024.

● Estimated value of contract: $2,000,000.00 - $2,500,000.00

Each proposal shall be in accordance with the Request for Proposal Document. The Northshore School District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, and to waive any informalities or irregularities in the RFP process. The Request for Proposal document(s) are available at https://www.nsd.org/our-district/departments/business-services/purchasing/business. Small Businesses and Minority and Women- Owned Businesses are encouraged to respond.

Publication Seattle Daily Journal of Commerce: June 18, 2024 and June 25, 2024 https://www.nsd.org/our-district/departments/business-services/purchasing/business

Table of Contents

Section

Page Numbers

Part 1 Overview 3

Part 2 General Instructions 3-4

Part 3 Scope of Services 5-7

Part 4 Instructions for Bid Submittal 7-9

Part 5 Evaluation, Award 9-11

Attachment A Cost Proposal

Attachment B Company Information and References Form

Attachment C Bid Certification

Attachment D-D2

Attachment E

Attachment F

Exhibit A

Certification Documents

Cooperative Purchasing

NSD Substitute W9 form

Sample Contract

PART 1 – OVERVIEW

Northshore School District No. 417 was founded in 1959 and is located in Bothell, WA. Over 22,000 students are currently served amongst 36 schools.

The District is seeking qualified and experienced Behavioral Specialists to provide assistance to students and their families/guardians.

1.01 OBJECTIVES: District is seeking an experienced, knowledgeable Bidder, who can provide the District with qualified, professional behavior specialists as defined in WA State Administrative Code, to support the behavior needs of Special Education students, or other identified students in the District. The District intends to execute multiple contracts for one-year terms, to include four (4) additional one-year optional extensions. (5-year contract maximum)

1.02 INTERLOCAL COOPERATION ACT RCW 39.34: In accordance with RCW 39.34, the District intends to follow state and federal bidding requirements and to ask that awarded bidders extend contracts and pricing to other public agencies, and/or school districts in WA State.

Cooperative Purchasing Information Attachment E shall indicate whether Contractor will extend pricing and terms and conditions to other public agencies in accordance with the resulting awarded Contract. District will not have any responsibility or liability for orders issued by other public agencies or political subdivisions utilizing the District’s contract through an Interlocal Agreement.

PART 2 – GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

2.01 Northshore School District (“District”) is requesting proposals from qualified bidders to provide behavioral support to District students. District intends to award contract(s) to the lowest, responsive, responsible Bidder(s) that can accommodate the needs of the District.

2.02 Bidder shall submit their proposal through the secure Mailfile link provided:

https://mailfile.nsd.org/filedrop/bids. Ensure “Subject” line indicates Response RFP# 2024-07-18 Behavior Specialists. It is the sole responsibility of the Bidder to see that its proposal is received at the designated location by the designated time. No hard copies of quotes will be accepted. Electronic bids will be opened, read, and recorded in a public setting at the District office at the bid due date and time. District intends to award multiple contracts to create a roster of responsive and responsible Bidders whose proposal offers the best overall value to the District. Additional information about scoring of proposals can be found in Section 5 below.

2.03 The term of this contract will run from September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025, with options to annually extend for an additional 4 years. Final term date would be August 31, 2029. The successful Bidder must certify that all of the services proposed are readily available and that District will not incur costs in excess of the proposed rates for the duration of the contract period and any optional extension terms.

https://mailfile.nsd.org/filedrop/bids

2.04 Distribution of this RFP or receipt of any proposal shall not constitute a commitment by the District to any Bidders. If it is determined that the submitted proposals are not economically beneficial to the District or for other business reasons, the District may, at its sole discretion, reject all proposals or waive informalities in the request for proposal process.

2.05 The following is a draft schedule of procurement activities related to this RFP:

Date Activity

6/18 /2024 1st Advertisement Date in Seattle DJC

6/25/2024 2nd Advertisement Date in Seattle DJC

7/15 /2024 at 3:00 PM Last Day to Submit Questions or Requests for Clarifications

TBD Publish addenda as necessary

7/22/2024 at 10 AM Bid Due Date

7/31/2024 Notice of Intent to Award (All Bidders Notified)

8/12/2024 Board Agenda - Contract Awarded

9/01/2024 Contract Period Begins

September 3, 2024 First Day of School 2024-2025

PART 3 – SCOPE OF SERVICES AND SPECIFICATIONS

3.01 PURPOSE: The District intends to create a roster of awarded, federal compliant, Contractors that provide lowest, responsive, responsible, bids to support the need for behavior specialists required to serve students and their families/guardians. The successful Bidder(s) must meet or exceed (but not limited to) the following criteria:

A. Provide the supervision and support that students shall receive under the direction of District-certified staff members for each learning activity; record data during the monitoring of student performance.

B. Monitor and record behavior including any use of emergency response protocol procedures per District record keeping practices. Bidder will provide monthly data and reports and will work with the District regarding the format of that data. Reports may include adaptive behavior and academics for assigned students.

C. Assist with adaptive skills such as dealing with toileting, menstruation, masturbation, lifting, etc.

D. Work with physical, verbal and self-injurious aggressive behavior.

E. Track and monitor use of restraint and isolation in an effort to reduce frequency of such occurrence.

F. Have ability to utilize or be trained by District staff in use of assistive technology including communication systems.

G. Collaborate with school teams and follow District requirements for communicating student information. Bidder will follow District directives around contact with families and District staff.

H. May potentially need to assist students within the family home.

I. Have knowledge of and a willingness to be trained on Autism.

J. Be knowledgeable about trauma informed practices.

K. Train agency staff on positive behavior supports and behavior management.

L. Maintain professional appearance, conduct and appropriate boundaries in the performance of this contract.

M. Ride the bus with a student or provide transportation to and from school as requested.

N. Provide academic and behavior support that is in alignment with IEP goals.

O. Provide all aspects of elimination and hygiene to include:

1. Able to lift and transport students by self, with help and/or lift device.

2. Understand use of various life techniques and equipment.

3. Provide diaper changes.

P. Provide for all aspects of environmental safety to include:

1. Understand use of various equipment, e.g. walker, wheelchair, stander device, Stryker Chair.

2. Assist with student evacuation during building emergency drills and/or actual emergency events.

3. Able to stay with the student in the event of an emergency or building lock-down that extends beyond the school day.

Q. Provide assistance with psycho-social and developmental needs to include:

1. Understand developmental needs of school-age child.

2. Assist with specialized social needs, e.g. non-verbal students.

3. Follow specialized plans/goals or behavior plans.

4. Assist and provide training for students to develop independence to the extent possible and as outlined in care plans/IEP, e.g. ability to get help when needed or provide self-care.

R. Bidder is responsible for following District procedures associated with federal and state laws governing the education of students. In an effort to clarify agency staff roles, please be aware that the Bidder will be required to report any isolation or restraint events in which they are involved to the classroom special education teacher. (RCW 28A.600.485)

S. Fully comply with all substantive and procedural requirements and limitations otherwise imposed upon public school districts by any state or federal constitutional, statutory, or administrative code provision respecting any action or inaction that directly or indirectly affects or could affect a student or his/her parent/(s) or custodian(s), or their property.

T. Respond to reasonable request by the District for any documentation.

U. Immediately notify the District of any complaints regarding services, conditions, or treatment of contracted students. Such notification is not limited to formally written complaints to OSPI, but shall include complaints or concerns brought to the attention of Bidder by parents of students contracted by the Bidder by the District.

V. Comply with applicable state and federal requirements for Special Education.

W. Provide to the District the names of employees and their assignments to District students prior to the start of service and provide updates when changes in assignments occur.

X. Names of providers and their assignment locations will appear on each invoice.

Y. Bidder will refrain from soliciting business from parents of District students.

Z. Bidder will inform the District’s contact of any personnel cancellations no later than two

(2) hours prior to reporting time and will work with the District’s contact to provide replacement personnel.

AA. Bidder acknowledges that the district may require as few as one (1) specialist and as many as ten (10) specialists per school year. The number of personnel required is an estimate and the District reserves the right to alter quantities throughout the Agreement period as necessary to best meet the needs of the District.

BB. District will immediately notify the Bidder should any of its personnel or subcontractors assigned to the District fail to report for work as scheduled.

CC. Bidder will commit to the District’s school calendar schedule. Daily hours may vary from four (4) to eight (8) hours as described by the District’s calendar. Days of the week may vary based on the District’s calendar.

DD. Bidder shall invoice District for all work completed as of the date of invoice.

Invoices shall be paid in full by District upon approval of the invoice for actual Work Performed.

EE. Bidder will provide trained, certified personnel within ten (10) school days after notification of need by the District unless specific emergency needs arise at which time the District and Bidder will work towards a mutually agreeable solution.

3.02 REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

A. In order to be considered as a qualified applicant, each Bidder must submit evidence regarding experience and capability in providing successful behavioral specialist services. The experience, responsibility, and work of the Bidder will be considered in the evaluation of proposals.

B. Any proposing Bidder shall have provided similarly contracted services for at least three

(3) other public agencies. Bidder must provide a list of references in Attachment A. The

District reserves the right to obtain references via the Bidder’s submitted list, its own contacts, or in any other way available to the District.

C. Bidder certifies that all state and federal endorsement and certification requirements are met and maintained by Bidders’ employees and the Bidder will provide said endorsements and certifications upon request.

D. Agency staff will be current on Agency Certification(s) including CPR/First Aid and CPI de-escalation and restraint processes. Staff shall be trained on how to safely handle bodily fluids.

E. Bidder will follow its standard employment policies and procedures to verify that all personnel meet applicable licensing requirements. Bidder or its subcontractor, if applicable, will maintain direct responsibility as employer for payment of wages and other compensation, and for any applicable mandatory withholdings and contributions such as federal, state, and local income taxes, social security taxes, workers compensation, and unemployment insurance.

F. If the District determines that an employee provided by the Bidder is incompetent, has engaged in misconduct, or has been negligent, the District may require the individual to leave the premises and will notify the Bidder immediately. The District’s obligation to compensate for such individual’s services will be limited to the number of hours actually worked. The Bidder will not reassign the individual to the District without prior approval from the District.

G. Bidder will supply personnel under this Agreement at the rates listed on the Proposal Form document.

A. District reserves the right to interview personnel assigned to the District to ensure the best fit for the student prior to providing service for the student.

PART 4 – INSTRUCTIONS FOR BID SUBMITTAL

Bidder must submit a complete quote/proposal in accordance with the requirements of Section 4 below. All costs in submitting a proposal, responding to inquiries, and if requested, demonstration of services shall be borne in full by the interested Bidder.

4.01 PREPARATION OF QUOTE/PROPOSAL FORMS

Interested Bidders are advised to provide as much detail as possible pertaining to their capabilities and experience to the services outlined in this proposal; however, Bidders should not include extraneous marketing materials. Information shall be presented in a clear, comprehensive, and concise manner and in the format prescribed below.

A. At a minimum, each proposal must include the following items:

1. Cover Letter

2. Company Information and References (Attachment B)

3. Bid Certification (Attachments C)

4. All Certifications (Attachment D, D1, D2)

5. Technical Proposal

6. Cost Proposal (Attachment A)

B. The proposal shall be organized in the following format:

1. Cover Sheet

2. Company Information and References

3. Technical Proposal

4. Cost Proposal

5. Include all required signed certification forms

6. Appendix - Identify any exceptions to consider from the RFP or Sample

Agreement.

C. TAXES

Proposals are not to include sales tax. Invoices must include appropriate tax based on location of services. District has four (4) different tax codes across King and Snohomish Counties. The District is exempt from Federal Excise Taxes.

D. SIGNATURES

The proposal cover letter and all required forms must be signed (or digitally signed) in the name of the Bidder and must bear the title and signature of the person duly authorized to sign the proposal.

4.02 WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL

Any Bidder may withdraw its proposal, either personally or by written request, at any time prior to the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals. Proposals cannot be withdrawn once submitted and will be valid for a period of 90 days from the date due.

4.03 Bidders shall thoroughly examine and be familiar with all instructions, conditions, and/or specifications. The failure of a Bidder to receive or examine any form, attachment, clarification, addendum, or other document, or visit to the site when required in order to acquaint the Bidder with existing conditions, shall in no way relieve the Bidder from obligations concerning the proposal or the contract. The submission of a proposal shall be taken as prima facie evidence of compliance with this section.

4.04 Questions or requests for interpretation of specifications must be emailed to Joy Kuhlmann, Contracts and Procurement Manager, at jkuhlmann@nsd.org, referencing the title of this RFP in the subject line. Interpretations and answers to questions shall be communicated by a formal Clarification document that will be made available to all Bidders. No oral interpretation of any provision in the proposal documents will be made to any Bidder.

During the time-period that this RFP is active beginning with the date of first advertisement and ending with the date of contract award, no Bidder shall have any communication with any employee or contractor of District about this RFP except for Joy Kuhlmann, Contracts and Procurement Manager. Violations of this requirement may result in disqualification of Bidder.

4.05 PUBLIC INFORMATION/CONFIDENTIALITY

The District understands that Bidders may include within their proposal information that is deemed confidential in the opinion of the Bidder. The Bidder must understand that the District is subject to clear legislation governing open records and public information requests within the State of Washington. Bidders must clearly mark portions of their proposal that they feel are exempt from disclosure pursuant to RCW 42.56 or any other state and federal statute and include an explanation as to why they believe the indicated documents are exempt. The District will not be bound by any blanket mailto:jkuhlmann@nsd.org confidentiality agreements, and the District makes no assurances that confidential materials will be held in confidence if they are not deemed qualified for exemption.

Bidder acknowledges the obligations for maintaining the confidentiality of student records and access to the parents and students of such records in accordance with the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

4.06 SAMPLE CONTRACT

A. Bidder shall review the attached Sample Contract (Exhibit A). Bidder shall be prepared to execute this document if selected. If Bidder would like to request revisions to the Sample Contract terms, Bidder shall submit a statement in the Appendix of its proposal indicating any terms that it would like to negotiate, within the parameters of the awarded cooperative agreement. These terms should be clearly identified by reference to the Section number of the Sample Contract where the terms can be found. Bidder shall clearly indicate the suggested revisions to terms. District reserves the right to negotiate these contract terms with the selected Bidders.

PART 5 – EVALUATION, WEIGHTED CRITERIA and AWARD

5.01 EVALUATION

A. Once received, Proposals will be evaluated for responsiveness. A Proposal will receive a pass/fail determination for each of the following criteria:

1. On-time Submission to District mailfile server: https://mailfile.nsd.org/filedrop/bids

2. Proposal contains the minimum required sections indicated in Section 4 of the RFP.

3. Bidder provided an active Washington Business License number.

4. Bidder is not debarred from receiving government funds. Confirmed by District through SAM.gov

5. All required forms and the cover letter have signatures of an authorized person.

6. Bidder is able to provide all equipment, products and services requested in Section 3 of the RFP.

7. Any other criteria which may be relevant to this determination. District reserves the right to follow up with the Bidder to request additional information to determine responsiveness.

B. If a Quote/Proposal receives a pass score from the responsiveness evaluation, it will proceed to responsibility evaluation. Evaluations will be based on the criteria listed below. The District will assign points to each responsive proposal at its own discretion.

RESPONSIBILITY SELECTION CRITERIA

CRITERIA POINT VALUE

https://mailfile.nsd.org/filedrop/bids

Price: 35 pts, reduce by 3 points next lowest 35

Technical proposal 30

Prior Experience of Bidder, Including References 25

Overall Quality of Proposal 10

TOTAL POINTS

AVAILABLE:

C. Proposal Quality refers to the overall quality of the proposal submitted by the Bidder.

This includes completeness, compliance with proposal instructions, organization, spelling and grammar, and conciseness of descriptive text material.

D. Points for Price will be awarded based on the proposed total cost for services.

1. The lowest RN or LPN rates cost will be awarded a score of 35.

2. The second lowest rate will be awarded a score of 32.

3. Pricing scores will be reduced by 3 points for next lowest, etc. In the event that proposals indicate the same cost, they will receive the same numerical score.

E. The District reserves the right to contact Bidders to clarify proposals and/or ask for additional information. This may include requests for demonstration of services proposed.

F. The District reserves the right to waive any irregularity in any proposal, to accept or decline any and/or all of the proposals, to take no action whatsoever, and/or to request the submittal of new proposals. All proposals submitted become the property of the District and will not be returned.

G. District may select Bidders with the highest evaluation scores to proceed to an interview/demo stage at District’s discretion. Interviews may include Q&A, service demonstrations, and any other format the District selects. The form and schedule of interviews will be at the sole discretion of the District and will be communicated by written correspondence at the time Bidders are notified of interview selections.

5.02 AWARD

A. Once scoring is complete, District will determine which Bidders have the highest total scores. District will issue a Notice of Intent to Award contract to the highest-ranked Bidder meeting District needs. All Bidders who submitted a proposal will be notified in writing of this decision.

B. Awarded Contractor recommendation(s) will be presented to Northshore School District Board of Directors on a consent agenda for approval.

5.03 DISQUALIFICATION OF BIDDERS

The District in its discretion may determine that a Bidder is not responsive and reject its proposal for any of the following reasons:

A. Evidence of collusion with any other Bidder or Bidders. Participants in such collusion shall be disqualified from submitting any further proposals.

B. If District determines that Bidder is not qualified to perform the contract.

C. Unsatisfactory performance record, judged from the standpoint of conduct of service, or progress, as shown by past or current service for the District.

D. Failure to pay or settle bills on any former or current contracts.

E. If the Bidder has previously defaulted in the performance of a written public contract or has been convicted of a crime arising from a previous public contract.

F. Any other inability, financial or otherwise, to perform the contract.

G. For any reasons deemed improper as determined from a pre-award survey of Bidder’s capability to perform.

H. Any proposal submitted by a Bidder who is not registered or licensed as may be required by the laws of Washington State.

5.04 EXCEPTIONS

Bidder is expected to provide services compliant with the requirements included in Section 2 above. If Bidder is not able to meet these requirements, Bidder may submit a statement in the Appendix of its proposal indicating any requirements which cannot be met. These requirements should be clearly identified by reference to the Section number of the RFP where the requirements can be found. Bidder shall provide a detailed statement indicating why these requirements cannot be met. District reserves the right to evaluate these requirements and determine whether the proposal is non-responsive or remove the requirement from consideration for all proposers and equitably evaluate all proposals based on the revised requirements.

5.05 PROTEST PROCEDURE: District’s Protest Procedure can be found on the website at https://www.nsd.org/our-district/departments/business-services/purchasing/business .

***See Attachments and Exhibits included with RFP*** https://www.nsd.org/our-district/departments/business-services/purchasing/business