4603.1 Questions and Answers FINAL 3.9.26.pdf

Division of Financial Management

Department of Procurement

MONTGOMERY COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

45 W. Gude Drive, Suite 3100

Rockville, Maryland 20850

March 9, 2026

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

The following are questions and responses regarding

RFP No 4603.1 Comprehensive External Audit Services for the Division of Specialized Support Services

Question 1 What is the estimated budget range for this audit and what is the funding source?

Answer 1 The amount that has to be justified is $200,000. That was all budgeted for this project.

Question 2 What specific operational friction points or previous findings triggered the establishment of the DSSS and the decision to solicit this comprehensive external review?

Answer 2 The establishment of the Division of Specialized Support Services (DSSS) and the decision to solicit a comprehensive external review were driven by the need to review historical programs and assess their alignment, effectiveness, and relevance in meeting the current needs of students and the school system.

Question 3 Does MCPS utilize a centralized data warehouse for student information and services across these ten departments, or will the vendor be responsible for aggregating and cleaning data from disparate legacy systems?

Answer 3 N/A

Question 4 Has MCPS conducted any recent prior analyses of staffing models, job description alignment, workloads, and capacities that informed recent staffing shifts and reorganization that can be used as part of the evidence baseline for this audit?

Answer 4 N/A

Question 5 Given the additional proposed changes to staffing in the FY27 budget, to what extent does

MCPS expect the audit to evaluate the expected operational impact on service continuity for students and internal effectiveness?

Answer 5 Unknown at this time

Question 6 May the required five (5) references include engagements completed by the proposed key personnel in prior roles before joining the Offeror’s current firm, provided that those personnel will serve in substantive leadership roles on this engagement?

Answer 6 Yes.

Question 7 For purposes of demonstrating relevant experience, may references include comparable public-sector organizational assessments outside of K–12 systems, where the scope, scale, and complexity are similar to the Division of Specialized Support Services?

Answer 7 Yes.

Question 8 For planning and pricing purposes, can MCPS clarify the anticipated scale of stakeholder engagement (e.g., approximate number of interviews, focus groups, surveys, and/or site visits expected across schools and departments)?

Answer 8 For planning and pricing purposes, offerors should propose a scale of stakeholder engagement (e.g., interviews, focus groups, surveys, and/or site visits) that can reasonably be conducted within the available budget.

Question 9 Will MCPS provide centralized access to relevant staffing, budget, compliance, and student outcome data, or should the Offeror anticipate independent data collection from individual departments or schools?

Answer 9 MCPS will provide access to relevant information and data that has already been made publicly available to support the review.

Question 10 In addition to the comprehensive written audit report, does MCPS anticipate a formal presentation to the Board of Education and/or a public-facing summary document?

Answer 10 MCPS does not anticipate a formal presentation to the Board of Education; however, a summary document may be requested in addition to the comprehensive written audit report.

Question 11 Does MCPS have an existing equity framework, disproportionality metrics, or strategic performance indicators that the Offeror should align to when conducting the equity and access analysis?

Answer 11 MCPS uses the Evidence of Equity.

Question 12 Is a business license required as evidence that we maintain a permanent place of business or is the W-9 sufficient? If a business license is required, in which section do we include the business license? Should it follow the current W-9?

Answer 12 You should provide a W-9 with your submission and you may provide your business license with tour submission. You may provide it with your W-9.

Question 13 Does “tabs identifying each section” pertain to the bullet points under “Complete Response must include:” (page 7)? Should there be a different tab for each section of Point-by-point

Response? May we use three-ring binders to meet the binding requirement?

Answer 13 You don’t have to provide a different tab for each section, but please address each section in your point by point response as “understand and comply”.

Question 14 Does Point-by-point Response to each section of the RFP mean responding to 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, and 3.4?

Answer 14 The Point-by-point response means respond to each section, starting with 1.0 Intent, 2.0

Background. If a detailed response is not need, please only indicate “Understand and

Comply”.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1spHZoHIjksXetLfT1rRvKKEhvY0CgKuS/view?usp=drive_link

Question 15 Where can we find a copy of Attachment E?

Answer 15 Please see Erratum #1

Question 16 Is there a budget range, target, or maximum for the year?

Answer 16 The amount that has to be justified is $200,000. That was all budgeted for this project.

Question 17 Attachments A, B, C, D, and E?

Answer 17 Please see Erratum #1

Question 18 What school-level sample size does MCPS expect for the audit; for example, how many elementary, middle, and high schools should be included?”

Answer 18 This information cannot be provided at this time. Should it become available, the answer will be provided in a supplemental Q&A.

Question 19 What proportion of activities should be on-site vs. remote? Are there any blackout dates

(testing windows, holidays, contract moratoriums)?

Answer 19 MCPS anticipates that the work may be conducted through a combination of virtual and in-person engagement, as appropriate.

2025-2026 Calendar List View

Assessment timelines:

Elementary 2025-2026 Middle 2025-2026 High 2025-2026 contract moratoriums SEIU/MCPS Agreement 2023-2026, Article 13 Working Hours and Work Load page 34 MCEA Amended Contract FY2023-2027, ARTICLE 17—Schedules & Work Load page 34 MCAAP Agreement 2025-2028, Article 15. Work Schedules and Workdays page 36

10-month employee work schedules

Question 20 Beyond the comprehensive report and leadership presentation, do you require executive summary, slide deck, technical appendix, data visualizations/dashboards, and comms-ready one-pagers for broader audiences? Preferred formats (PDF/PPT/embedded dashboards)?

Answer 20 Yes.

Question 21 Which equity indicators are most critical for DSSS (e.g., timely access to services, disproportionality in identification/placement/discipline, family access in multiple languages)? Any district equity frameworks we should align to?

Answer 21 The listed examples are critical equity indicators for DSSS, particularly disproportionality in identification, placement, and discipline.

Question 22 Confirm required groups (students, families, school counselors, psychologists, social workers, special educators, school leaders, central office, community partners) and target counts for interviews/focus groups/surveys. Will MCPS assist with recruitment, translation/interpretation, stipends/childcare for families?

https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/calendar/pdfs/2025/2025-26_TRADITIONAL_SchoolCalendar.pdf https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/sharedaccountability/testing/es_assessmenttimeline.pdf https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/sharedaccountability/testing/ms_assessmenttimeline.pdf https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/sharedaccountability/testing/hs_assessmenttimeline.pdf https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/associationrelations/seiu_agreement_2023_2026.pdf https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fgr_s-BTfJANm53LXI6Iu-WkFkXsv-4V/view https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/associationrelations/administrators/mcaap-agreement.pdf https://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/siteassets/district/departments/ersc/employees/pay/schedules/work_schedule_2025-2026.pdf

Answer 22 MCPS does not anticipate targeted stakeholder recruitment; the review will primarily rely on observation, data analysis, and research of existing information.

Question 23 Is there a budget range or not-to-exceed figure we should align to for a comprehensive division-wide audit? (This ensures we calibrate depth to resources.)

Answer 23 The amount that has to be justified is $200,000. That was all budgeted for this project.

Question 24 Are prior deliverables (reports/visualizations) permissible as appendices?

Answer 24 Yes.

Question 25 We have reviewed the RFP and are currently assessing our capacity and potential impact we could have for students at MCPS. Is there an incumbent already providing the services requested? Or is this new business?

Answer 25 There is no incumbent, this is new.

Question 26 Given our general scope of work are there any after school or in school programs that center around languages and cultures?

Answer 26 No.

Angela McIntosh Davis

Director

AMD

Please indicate your receipt of this notice by signing below and returning with your proposal.

Accepted By: _______________________________________________________

(Name & Title) Name of Company: __________________________________________________