25434_Addendum_5_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

October 24, 2025

Competitive Solicitation No. and Name: 25528-RFP-DST Substitute Teacher Services

Addendum #: 5

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 Good day!

We are interested in participating in the above-captioned solicitation. The following are some of our questions:

1. Is this a new contract or renewal of an existing contract?

2. If there is an existing contract, could you please share the names of the current vendors and their pricing?

3. In order to be considered responsive for this solicitation, is it mandatory to bid on all positions?

4. What is the estimated budget for this contract?

5. Is it mandatory to subcontract?

6. Could you please provide information on the daily duration of shifts required for the necessary professions?

For example, the number of hours per day?

Looking forward to hearing from you soon. Have a great day ahead!

1. Is this a new contract or renewal of an existing contract? New

2. If there is an existing contract, could you please share the names of the current vendors and their pricing? Kelly Education Services See Attachment Substitute Pricing

3. In order to be considered responsive for this solicitation, is it mandatory to bid on all positions? Yes

4. What is the estimated budget for this contract?

$50,000,000.00

5. Is it mandatory to subcontract? No.

6. Could you please provide information on the daily duration of shifts required for the necessary professions?

For example, the number of hours per day? 7.67 hours per day.

Please confirm that the Small Business Encouragement Program (SBEP) category will have 0 points allocated to it, as shown on the tables 2.5.1 and 2.5.2 (Phase 1 and Phase 2).

Yes.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 2 of 8 25528-RFP-DST Substitute Teacher Services

Your RFP document (25528-RFP-DST Substitute Teacher Services.pdf) states, "Unless otherwise specified, proposers must use the form(s) furnished by HCPS."

Question: Some required signature forms and questions are embedded within the 47-page RFP document. May we submit the entire RFP document with the necessary signatures, and provide a separate document with our responses to the questions?

Yes.

Regarding Attachment A 25528-RFP-DST GovMVMT Compliance Package.pdf Question: Some Exhibits require signatures and also have questions embedded within this 106-page RFP document.

May we submit the entire document with the necessary signatures, and provide a separate document with our responses to the questions?

Yes.

Regarding the Small Business Encouragement Program (SBEP) category, for the evaluation part, if our company gave 1% to a Small Business we would not get 1 point?

No.

Addendum 2 states that for the Small Business Encouragement Program category, "No (zero) points are offered for federally funded solicitations". Is this in whole a federally funded program?

No. Partial federal funding requires us to adhere to federal regulations.

Mandatory Requirement: Section 1.6.2 states the contractor shall "provide a web-based substitute placement and absentee management system and automated time clock." Is the provision of this system by the proposer a mandatory requirement? Would a proposal be deemed non-responsive if it meets all service requirements but relies on integrating with an HCPS-provided system?

This provision is a desired level of performance by HCPS.

The inability or denial expressed in a proposal, or omission in the proposal, to offer to comply/conform with the technical requirements of this section may result in deductions in the allocation of points by the Evaluation Committee.

If bidders would be interested in providing only the Para support structure, would HCSP still require an AMS?

Yes.

Is there a licensing fee associated with Frontline, if bidder`s do not provide their own system or integration?

If there is a fee it will be at the bidder's expense. The current provider uses Frontline.

If proposers can integrate with the district`s system, can HCPS provide technical documentation, API specifications, and integration requirements for its current absence management and timekeeping systems?

Please see the attachment Interfacing with Kelly Services.

Section 1.6.2.3 requires a "daily transfer of teacher profiles." What is the current system of record for teacher profiles, and what is the required format and protocol (e.g., SFTP, API) for this data transfer?

Please see the attachment Interfacing with Kelly Services.

Are invoices to be approved from a centralized point of approval or individually by school?

Centralized.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 3 of 8

Per the evaluation criteria in Section 2.5.1, how would a proposal be scored under "Specifications/Scope of Work" (25 points) if it proposes to integrate with the district`s system rather than providing its own?

The Evaluation Committee will rank proposals based on the stated, summarized weighted criteria. A proposer may receive the maximum points or a portion of this score, depending on the merit of its proposal, as determined by the Committee.

Section 1.6.1.2 mentions "Substitute & Exchange Program Teacher Services." Is the provision of an exchange program for visiting educators a mandatory component of the proposal, or can proposers bid only on substitute teacher services? If it is mandatory, can you provide more detail on the scope and expectations for this "turn-key exchange program"?

Refer to Section B: Exchange Program Services (page 33)

Can HCPS confirm that the previous solicitation linked to this solicitation is titled Substitute & Exchange Program Teacher Services?

Yes.

Regarding the Reciprocal Agreement (Section 1.6.2.5), approximately how many individuals are on the current substitute and temporary workers list that HCPS would request be given preference for hiring?

3000+ he scope (Section 1.6.2) includes recruiting and placing "substitute teachers and paraprofessionals." Can you provide a historical breakdown of absences between these two roles, as the current numbers provided is a combined absence?

The majority are teachers.

The first day of the 2026/2027 school year is listed as August 10, 2026 (Section 1.6.2). What is the expected contract award date and implementation start date to meet this deadline?

Expected award date is January 2026. Implementation to begin after the award.

Section 5.1 refers to an Excel price sheet. Should the proposed "percentage mark-up and bill rate" (Section 1.6.1.7) be a single, blended rate for all substitutes, or should we provide separate rates for different positions (e.g., teacher vs. paraprofessional) or qualifications (e.g., degreed vs. non-degreed)?

Per the Excel price sheet, the percentage mark-up and bill rate should be provided separately in the designated columns/rows for each educational level listed.

Should the cost proposal include separate pricing for HCPS and a national pricing structure for other "Participating Public Agencies" under the GovMVMT cooperative?

One pricing structure for HCPS and other Participating Public Agencies

Section 1.3.1 asks for "additional pricing incentive to the District if the renewal terms were altered." Should this incentive be presented as a narrative, a separate pricing table, or incorporated into the main Excel price sheet?

Proposer should list any incentives in the main Excel price sheet as indicated.

Section 1.6.1.5 mentions a "coordinated marketing approach between Supplier and GOVMVMT." Can you provide more detail on the administrative fees, marketing fees, or revenue sharing expectations associated with the GovMVMT cooperative?

Refer to the separate GovMVMT Compliance document provided on Vendorlink.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 4 of 8

Section 1.6.1.4 notes that procurement for a Participating Public Agency is governed by the laws of that agency`s state. How is a supplier expected to manage and price for varying state-by-state requirements for background checks, insurance, and teacher credentialing under a single Master Agreement?

The proposer is responsible for determining their approach to a pricing structure that meets the requirements of the RFP.

The estimated volume for the national cooperative is $100,000,000 annually "at contract maturity" (Section 1.6.1.5). What is the anticipated timeframe to reach "contract maturity"?

Each contract is different. Typically, a contract doesn't mature until at least three (3) consecutive years.

Section 1.6.1.6 states that "Multiple awards may be issued." Could HCPS award the technology/system component to one vendor and the staffing and recruitment services to another?

HCPS reserves the right to award the contract in the aggregate, by section, multliple awards, primary, secondary, and tertiary, whichever is in the best interest of HCPS. Locally and/or nationally.

1.4 states HCPS has a current bid with Kelly Services. Is the current contract expiring, or is HCPS seeking additional or alternative service providers? This is referenced in Section 1.1, which states it is "Replacing an expiring solicitation: RFP #19213-DST-IV." Please confirm.

Contract with Kelly Services is expiring.

Would the district be able to provide a revised unprotected price file excel? the current one attached is protected and will not allow us to add any additional items.

Lines 17 through 34 are not protected.

What was the absence fill rate for the 250,866 absences reported in the 2024-2025 school year?

93.30%

Would the district accept multivendor that specialized in para services that specialize in behavior support?

No.

What is a detailed learning plan look like for substitutes?

Is the county able to provide a copy?

Each provider must provide their own.

Would you consider long term ESE teachers from this bid for alternative support considerations?

We do not understand the question.

Would you alternative ESE Para support considerations separate from this current bid?

No.

How many hours make up a full workday? 7.67 hours.

Are long-term substitute teachers paid at a different pay rate? If so, what is that rate?

No.

How many total schools in Hillsborough County require substitutes?

250.

In your response to one of the questions, you state that "Partial federal funding requires us to adhere to federal regulations." Does this mean no (zero) points will offered in the Small Business Encouragement Program category?

Is this category even applicable for evaluation?

There will be zero points. Yes, we are asking for informational purposes only.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 5 of 8

To clarify, hypothetically, if a Proposer committed 25% of funding to a HCPS-registered SBEP, the Proposer`s commitment will not be scored any points as a Weighted Criteria and is being considered for informational purposes only?

Section 2.5.1. Evaluation Phase I is amended to read as:

"Utilization of HCPS-registered vendors. Based on the submitted information in the “SBEP Subcontractor Utilization Letter of Intent,” Procurement Services encourages the participation of HCPS-registered OSD vendors. No points shall be allocated for this section, but participation is encouraged."

The solicitation mentions an estimated yearly budget of $50,000,000.00, is this the approximate estimate or the actual allocated budget for the project?

Estimated for the year.

Does the $50,000,000.00 budget represent the total overall agency budget or only the budget for the services under this solicitation?

Estimated for the year.

Can HCPS please explain what the “Turn-Key Exchange Plan” refers to in this solicitation?

Please see Addendum 3.

Is this solicitation for a new contract or a renewal/replacement of an existing one?

This solicitation is replacing expiring bid 19213-DST-IV.

Is this solicitation considering a cooperative contract? Yes.

Since the solicitation mentions it is replacing an expiring solicitation, was the previous (expiring) contract also a cooperative contract?

No.

Will this new contract also function as a cooperative contract?

Yes.

Will HCPS make a single award or multiple awards under this solicitation?

HCPS reserves the right to award the contract in the aggregate, by section, multiple awards, primary, secondary, and tertiary, whichever is in the best interest of HCPS. Locally and/or nationally.

Section 1.6.2 mentions the number of absent teachers;

can HCPS provide an estimated number of hours per teacher or historical absentee data?

3000+

Can HCPS specify the exact locations where these services will be required?

At the 250+ HCPS school sites.

Can HCPS share where current substitute teachers are presently assigned within the district?

At the 250+ HCPS school sites.

Are substitute teacher services required only within Hillsborough County, Florida, or throughout the United States?

Throughout the United States.

What types of training programs are required for substitute teachers under this solicitation?

The provider will train and prepare substitutes to be the adult leader in the classroom and meet professional standards of a classroom teacher.

What types of training programs are currently being provided by the existing vendor(s)?

The provider will train and prepare substitutes to be the adult leader in the classroom and meet professional standards of a classroom teacher.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 6 of 8

The solicitation mentions providing a web-based substitute placement and absentee management system can HCPS confirm which system is currently being used?

The current provider uses Frontline.

Should bidders propose a new system or plan to integrate with the system currently in use by HCPS?

Per section 1.6.2, the Contractor shall: provide a web-based substitute placement and absentee management system and automated time clock, to which HCPS shall have unlimited access.

Would you be agreeable to a vendor providing the 2 items below via a report (vs our Sub Services platform)?

• incident reporting rating

• principal/administrator survey results (very satisfied, satisfied, neutral, dissatisfied, very dissatisfied

HCPS does not understand the question.

Are there any additional resources or items that you would like to see that your current provider is not offering?

No.

Is the district intending to commence services next school year so as not to disrupt services currently being provided?

Expected award date is January 2026. Implementation to begin after the award.

Will HCPS provide onsite office space for the award team?

No.

Does HCPS allow recruiting onsite? HCPS organizes hiring events to which the provider will be invited.

With multiple award potential, does HCPS have a limit on the number of providers they will award?

No limit.

At what point does HCPS designate a substitute to be a long-term sub?

If the substitute is filling a vacancy.

What is the current average of substitutes/paras working daily?

1300+

What is the breakdown of subs versus paras in the substitute pool working daily?

85% teachers, 15% paras

Does HCPS intend to transition/hire an awardee`s substitute teacher to their payroll? How many workdays/hours does a sub work before HCPS expects the option to hire?

When possible, HCPS will hire the substitute.

Immediately.

Can the District please confirm that the required reference forms may be collected by the proposer and submitted via VendorLink with the proposal, rather than being submitted directly by the reference contact?

Please submit with the bid submittal.

The pricing sheet refers to pay rates “per Day,” but the sample amounts appear to be hourly rates. Can the District please confirm whether the rates to be entered in the pricing sheet should reflect hourly or daily pay rates?

Hourly rates.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 7 of 8

Does the District have specific fill rate targets or service-level expectations regarding time-to-fill for daily or short-term substitute requests?

The expectation is before the school day starts when notified, if it is a last-minute call, 2 hours or less.

Can the District confirm whether HCPS currently maintains an internal pool of substitutes, separate from the contracted provider, or if all substitute placements are managed exclusively through the awarded vendor?

Exclusively through the vendor.

Would the District consider permitting a phased implementation approach in which the selected vendor begins service with a defined group of schools or regions before expanding district-wide?

No, district-wide is the requirement.

Can the District provide a list of schools, geographic zones, or subject areas that are considered high-need for substitute coverage to assist vendors in planning staffing and recruitment priorities?

There are 40 locations identified as high-need areas.

1)Could you please confirm if client references from the private sector are acceptable for this RFP, or is there a preference for references from school districts?

2)We noticed that there are two RFPs listed: 25528-RFP- DST Substitute Teacher Services and GovMVMT Substitute and Exchange Program Teacher Services. Could you kindly clarify whether we should submit two separate proposals, or if a single combined submission would be acceptable?

3)Could you please clarify whether proof of insurance is required to be submitted with the proposal, or if it is only needed upon request?

1. Preferred from public school districts, private will be accepted.

2. This is one RFP. The GovMVMT document is an attachment to the RFP 255-RFP-DST.

3. Please submit proof of insurance with the bid.

Would Hillsborough Public Schools consider a conditional bid and entering a contract that does not include the GOVMVMT Purchasing Cooperative? The GOVMVMT cooperative set up seems more conducive to purchasing commodities and not the Services requested by this solicitation. Due to the nature of the services and varying state regulations and requirements, the requirement to sign up to the purchasing cooperative agreement may preclude some of the more sophisticated bidders that could offer more advantageous pricing to HCPS from responding to the solicitation.

Refer to 1.6.1.1 Objectives.

Can you please provide the total filled and unfilled teacher assignments for last school year inclusive of daily assignments, long-term substitutes assignments and teacher vacancies filled by a substitute?

Please see section 1.6.2 Scope of Work.

Can you please provide the total filled and unfilled paraprofessional assignments for last school year inclusive of daily assignments, long-term substitutes assignments and vacancies filled by a substitute?

Please see section 1.6.2 Scope of Work.

How many teacher vacancies are currently being filled by a long-term substitute?

550.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 8 of 8

Can the District clarify if the required reference forms may be gathered and submitted by the proposer within the proposal package rather than directly from references?

Please submit with the bid submittal.

Can HCPS confirm whether the requirement for a “turn-key exchange program” is mandatory, or may proposers bid solely on substitute teacher services?

Solely on substitute services.

For your teacher vacancy assignments, can you please provide the breakdown of subject/content areas, i.e.

math, language, etc.?

Please see attachment HCPS Vacancies 24-25.

Can you please provide a breakdown of the classifications of paraprofessionals that require a substitute?

Paraprofessional I, II

Can you please provide the total filled and unfilled teacher assignments for last school year for your Transformation schools?

Filled - 48,585, Unfilled - 2,962, Fill rate - 94%.

If, as part of its proposal to HCPS, an awarded supplier reserves the right not to offer the GOVMVMT Master Agreement for its existing clients, what impact on the evaluation would that have?

Refer to Section 2.5 Evaluation Process for requirements with their respective weights. Proposer's inability or denial expressed in a proposal, or omission in the proposal, to offer to comply or conform with the requirements of the RFP may result in deductions in the allocation of points by the Evaluation Team

Pursuant to Section 1.6.1.6, GOVMVMT and Lead Public Agency reserve the right to make available or not make available Master Agreements awarded by a Lead Public Agency to Participating Public Agencies. Can the winning Supplier also reserve the right to make available or not make available the Master Agreement awarded by Lead Public Agency to Participating Public Agencies and other Public Agencies?

Proposer must state any exceptions to the RFP for consideration by HCPS and the Evaluation Team.

Our organization maintains contracts with other national purchasing cooperatives. Would it be permissible to negotiate directly with the GOVMVMT cooperative to align GOVMVMT’s terms and conditions more closely with those of our existing agreements?

GovMVMT may negotiate their terms and conditons with the highest ranked Proposer before HCPS submits the contract award to the Board.

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