24127A_Addedum_2_Questions.pdf

HillsboroughSchools.org • P.O. Box 3408 • Tampa, FL 33601-3408 • (813) 272-4000 Raymond O. Shelton School Administrative Center • 901 East Kennedy Blvd. • Tampa, FL 33602-3507

Superintendent Van Ayres

PROCUREMENT SERVICES

ADDENDUM TO COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION

March 10, 2026

Competitive Solicitation No. and Name: 24127A-RFP-DST Speech and Language Services

Addendum #: 2

NOTICE TO ALL POTENTIAL BIDDERS/PROPOSERS/RESPONDENTS

The above-referenced competitive solicitation is modified as outlined in this addendum. The original competitive solicitation documents and any previously issued addenda remain in full force and effect, except as modified by this addendum, which is hereby made part of the competitive solicitation. Respondents must consider this Addendum when preparing and submitting their bid/proposal/quote/reply.

1. Questions and Answers

The following questions and answers are provided as a matter of information to clarify issues raised regarding the competitive solicitation. To the extent that changes to the competitive solicitation are required based on the questions received, the competitive solicitation has been modified as noted above in the competitive solicitation section of this addendum.

Question Answer For vendors currently under contract, does the district allow submission of a new proposal under this RFP for the purpose of updating or increasing pricing?

Awarded vendors for 24127-RFP-DST SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES do not need to respond to this supplemental RFP.

Confirming with the district that if we were an awarded vendor for 24127-RFP-DST SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES, do we need to respond to this supplemental RFP?

Awarded vendors for 24127-RFP-DST SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES do not need to respond to this supplemental RFP.

Are we obligated to carry workers` compensation if we only hire 1099 subcontractors?

Yes.

What is the timeline in terms of payroll (does the district reimburse companies bi-weekly or monthly?

Monthly.

Does your district usually offer teletherapy services and if so, are paraprofessionals provided?

We are not expanding teletherapy beyond what we currently provide.

Confirming with the district that if we were an awarded vendor for 24127-RFP-DST SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES, do we need to respond to this supplemental RFP?

Awarded vendors for 24127-RFP-DST SPEECH AND LANGUAGE SERVICES do not need to respond to this supplemental RFP.

Does your district usually offer teletherapy services and if so, are paraprofessionals provided?

We are not expanding teletherapy beyond what we currently provide.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 2 of 7 24127A-RFP-DST Speech and Language Services

The checklist and Section 2.8 mentioned that a document labeled "Federal Funding" required a signature. Vendor Link was missing a document labeled "Federal Funding" to download. Can you provide a copy of this document if it`s required to be reviewed and signed upon submission?

There will be no federal funding. See Addendum 1.

Per Section 3.6 of the RFP, if a vendor is awarded this supplemental RFP, would the supplemental vendor’s under this RFP be awarded for one (1) initial year with the option to renew for four (4) additional years, or can you describe if the term and renewal options differ for supplemental vendors?

See Addendum 1.

Section 3.6.2 states that "pricing shall remain firm for the contract period," while Section

3.6 states that pricing is firm for the initial one-year term and that requests for increases require 60 days` notice before changes are incorporated. Can you verify the terms that allow vendors to negotiate annual price increases with the district after the initial one-year term (i.e., for each renewal)?

All prices/costs/fees/charges offered herein shall be firm against any increase for the initial term of the Agreement unless mutually agreed or as stated otherwise in this RFP or as approved by the General Manager of Procurement Services. The Contractor shall bear sole responsibility to notify Procurement Services no less than sixty (60) days before any anticipated price changes. Any request for changes requires the submittal of bona-fide manufacture's documents, including but not limited to Producer Price Index information, Consumer Price index for the affected market, industry, commodities, and/or manufacture's price list for evaluation by HCPS. HCPS reserves the right to accept or reject the request for price or rate changes within thirty (30) days of receipt. HCPS will cease orders for items rejected for price change. If HCPS approves the requested changes, the price will remain firm for the remaining effective term or as stated in a written, mutually signed renewal letter.

To meet the requirement of section 4.2.1.3, does the district require the vendor to include copies of potential SLP and/or SLPA resume(s) and license(s) upon the proposal submission, and if so, would the district accept blind resumes with full names/license numbers withheld?

During the initial proposal submission, we will accept a resume with initials or at least a first name with no other information.

For section 4.3 regarding the Reference Forms: Could the vendor use the Business Reference Forms completed for Hillsborough County Public Schools’ prior RFPs instead of requesting new Business Reference Forms to be completed (i.e., using completed Business Reference Forms from 24128-RFP-DST solicitation)?

Yes. Please ensure the new bid number is included on the form.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 3 of 7

Are the services under this RFP only for students in public schools (i.e., not for students in private schools)?

This is only applicable to public schools.

If the vendor can offer on-site facilitators to support its teletherapy (virtual) services, can the vendor include the details and rates in the proposal as other services or costs in the separate PRICE SHEET file?

Yes.

If the district requries the Price Sheet to be uploaded as a separate document titled "24127-RFP-DST Speech Language Services", can you specify any required file name for the non-cost proposal to be identified (e.g., titled "Non-Cost Proposal 24127-RFP-DST Speech Language Services".pdf)?

Please add all costs on the same price sheet and label each section.

The checklist mentions Section 6. Price Sheet needed to be filled in and signed with the proposal. Since Section 6 instructions specified that Price Sheet is submitted separately, can you confirm the district does not require signatures on the Price Sheet?

Submitted Excel price sheets do not require a signature.

Can you verify that it is left to the vendor’s discretion what is included in the Price Sheets, such as the proposed rates and any additional fees charged separately from the proposed rates?

Yes.

Do you require the vendor to offer only hourly rates, or can the vendor include other fee structure options, such as flat rates per evaluation or service?

Flat rates for each evaluation or service will be taken into consideration.

Due to the page limit for Section 4.1, can the vendor offer brief bios of key personnel (corporate staff) in lieu of providing their full resumes?

Yes.

For Section 4.1, can you verify that "key personnel" applies only to the representative(s) who will work with the district to oversee the staffing plan/services, not to the service providers/SLPs?

Yes.

Would the district provide its students with the hardware (e.g., computers, webcams, headsets), test kits, supplies, and other materials the students need for in-person and virtual (teletherapy) services?

It will depend on the availability of tech at the school site.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 4 of 7

Can the vendor assign multiple service providers to the required caseload to ensure adequate coverage of the services and direct/indirect hours needed (e.g., two or more part-time providers for a full-time opening)?

Yes.

What are the current vendor rates for SLP services?

Please submit a Public Records Request via the District Website.

If the vendor screens and interviews each provider themselves before each placement, does the district require separate interviews with the district`s staff for potential service providers and replacements?

It is preferred that the district interview providers.

Can you confirm if the SLPs are also required to have an FLDOE certificate before performing services?

A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) is required to hold only a Department of Health (DOH) license; a Florida Department of Education (FLDOE) certificate is not necessary.

Does the district require the proposal to be organized as listed on the Required Submittals Checklist?

Please follow the RFP instructions.

Would the vendor be penalized or disqualified if its proposal included exceptions or additional terms to the RFP for the district`s review?

Any exceptions to the terms and conditions and HCPS is unable to negotiate, the Vendor will be deemed non-responsive.

If the minimum of three (3) references did not complete the Business Reference Forms before the proposal submission, would the district consider reviewing reference forms and/or letters completed from other RFPs to meet the requirement?

Please follow the RFP instructions.

Are there any specific challenges or issues currently being faced with the existing vendors?

No.

Would the district consider proposals for teletherapy services, even if used as a last resort, as a supplemental vendor?

We will not be expanding our teletherapy services.

Does the district require the response to "Section 3.3 Statement of Work" to be included in the proposal after "Section 3.

Scope of Work" and before "3.6. Cover Letter"?

Please submit all requested documentation.

For section 3.2.7, would the vendor be penalized in any way if it cannot provide the requested service levels within 10 days` written notice, provided it makes commercially reasonable efforts?

No.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 5 of 7

For section 3.2.7, would the district be providing the four (4) scheduled trainings regarding the provision of speech and language therapy and diagnostic services? If so, can the hours spent on training be billed?

Only if this the provider starts at the beginning of the year.

Otherwise, the provider may bill 6 hours of training time.

For section 3.4, would the vendor be penalized if the emergency contact does not respond within 30 minutes of contact, but may still respond within 24-48 hours, given that the contact may have prior obligations that could delay a response for 30 minutes?

No penalty.

Regarding section 3.2.5, if the SLP needs more than 2 hours for documentation, what is the procedure for the SLP to inform the district when additional time is needed to ensure the time spent on documentation remains billable?

Documentation should be completed within the billable day (7.5 hours).

For section 3.2.5, can the district provide an example of the required "weekly statement" or more details on any timekeeping process or sample timesheets required for SLPs?

If awarded, the district will provide this information.

Would the vendor be penalized in any way if it takes exceptions to the general terms and conditions and/or federal funding terms?

Any exceptions to the terms and conditions and HCPS is unable to negotiate, the Vendor will be deemed non-responsive.

What is the county paying for these services now?

Please submit a Public Records Request via the District Website

How many billable hours are there in a day?

How many days per year do the contractors work?

7.5 billable hours a day, not including 30 min lunch. A typical day for an elementary SLP might look like 7:10 AM to 3:10 PM with a 30 min. unbillable lunch; Contractors may work the same days as district hires, but nonstudent/teacher work days are allowable up to 3.75 (1.2 day) only if the principal opens the school. Generally, this is around 194 days per year.

Since currently awarded vendors are not required to submit a response to this solicitation, would you be able to provide the anticipated timeframe for renewals?

These are automatic renewals that occur annually on July 31 until the contract term ends.

How many vendors are being utilized for SLP services for this year? Are there projected vacancy #s for the 26/27 School Year? What are the current approved bill rates for the SLP RFP in place? Does the district provide laptops and access to printers for contracted staff?

For this school year, we currently have 1 full-time need we are trying to fill. For 26-27, we will likely have around 100 vacancies that we will need to cover. The school site will provide a staff laptop for the provider. We have instructions on how to access a printer.

Can you provide the current incumbent vendors along with their hourly rates for SLP and SLPA services?

Please submit a Public Records Request via the District Website.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 6 of 7

Can you please post the link to request a public record for current vendor rates for SLPs and SLPAs?

https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/o/hcps/page/public-records-request

Is there any way to find out why a vendor was not approved for the RFP so we can make adjustments as needed for this current proposal? Did the district provide a reason for rejection when the RFP was previously approved?

Please refer to the submitted intent to award from the previous bid posted via VendorLink.

If SLPAs are placed through vendors, will HCPS provide supervising SLPs, or must the vendor provide supervision?

Placing SLPAs is tricky due to the supervision requirement.

Generally, we have enough of our own SLPAs. In very rare cases, we may ask a district-hired SLP to provide the supervision.

Can the hourly rate be increased in the future?

All prices/costs/fees/charges offered herein shall be firm against any increase for the initial term of the Agreement unless mutually agreed or as stated otherwise in this RFP or as approved by the General Manager of Procurement Services. The Contractor shall bear sole responsibility to notify Procurement Services no less than sixty (60) days before any anticipated price changes. Any request for changes requires the submittal of bona-fide manufacture's documents, including but not limited to Producer Price Index information, Consumer Price index for the affected market, industry, commodities, and/or manufacture's price list for evaluation by HCPS. HCPS reserves the right to accept or reject the request for price or rate changes within thirty (30) days of receipt. HCPS will cease orders for items rejected for price change. If HCPS approves the requested changes, the price will remain firm for the remaining effective term or as stated in a written, mutually signed renewal letter.

We noted that the Business Reference Form requires our client references to indicate the “Total Dollar Amount of Contract.” Several of our clients have expressed hesitation in providing this information. If a reference chooses not to disclose the total contract dollar amount, will our submission be deemed non-compliant for this requirement?

The bid will not be non-compliant if a reference does not have the dollar amount. All references must be signed.

"Proposer Resources/Equipment. The Proposer must list all resources available to provide the required contractual services. At a minimum, list all applicable assets, such as equipment, vehicles, and any applicable specialized skills." Please clarify what types of “equipment” and “vehicles” are expected to be listed under this requirement?

The Proposer must list all resources available to provide the required contractual services.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 7 of 7

For multiple awardees, how will service requests be distributed?

An email will be sent 2-4 times a month to all vendors with a list of our SLP needs.

Does HCPS require proposers to submit firm, fixed hourly bill rates , or will HCPS permit pricing ranges to account for variables such as experience level, specialty credentials, or bilingual capability?

Fixed hourly bill rates.

Can you clarify if the budget mentioned under section "3.5 Estimated Expenditures" of $11,641,950.00 per year is allocated to the services mentioned in this RFP or id it includes more services? If so, can you provide an estimated budget for this RFP?

The budget is only for speech and language services.

Can you provide an approximate headcount for the required services?

We anticipate having 100 vacancies but will hopefully have many current contractors returning to serve HCPS.

Can you provide information on the incumbent vendor?

Are you satisfied with the current incumbent and if no, what are the main issues?

Why is this solicitation out to bid?

We are satisfied with the current vendors, but we still have coverage needs.

Can you provide the current or historical rates by skillset?

No.

Can you provide an anticipated award date for the contract?

Hopefully, before the end of the year.

How many additional vendors is the district looking to add?

Up to five more vendors.

How will open positions be disseminated to vendors?

The needs list will be provided to all vendors who will send resumes of candidates to help with assignments.

Will the district be identifying a primary or priority vendor?

Historically, our primary vendor has been HealthPRO Heritage.

Will the bidder be negatively impacted if it submits exceptions and additional terms to the contract terms?

Any exceptions to the terms and conditions and HCPS is unable to negotiate, the Vendor will be deemed non-responsive.

Will there be an opportunity to negotiate contract terms post-award?

Negotiations will be before the award.

This Addendum shall be construed and governed by the laws of the State of Florida.

Sincerely, Erika James, Senior Procurement Officer

THE BIDDER/PROPOSER/RESPONDENT MUST ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS ADDENDUM WITH YOUR

BID/PROPOSAL/REPLY ON THE FORM PROVIDED IN THE COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION.

1. Questions and Answers