88362 Dispute Resolution IDEA Mediation & Facilitation #2 Q&A.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 20 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 0000088362
- Issued by
- Marion County, Indiana
About this file
This is a Q&A document for RFQ 88362, issued by the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), regarding IDEA Dispute Resolution State Mediation and Facilitation Services. The RFQ seeks to contract with 8-10 qualified facilitators to conduct Facilitated IEP (FIEP) meetings, with an anticipated workload of approximately 50 FIEPs during FY 2026. Bidders must submit proposals by October 7, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET, and contract services are scheduled to run from November 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027. IDOE will conduct mandatory training during the week of November 9th, consisting of three partial days delivered virtually at no cost to contractors. The Q&A clarifies key operational requirements, including that FIEP facilitators cannot be officers, employees, or agents of public agencies or planning districts and therefore cannot provide services to districts with which they have existing professional relationships.
Compensation is structured on a per-unit basis, with contractors proposing a single per-FIEP rate that must include all associated work such as preparation, travel, documentation, and follow-up; a reduced rate is permitted for cancelled FIEPs. Facilitators may decline up to five assignments per year without affecting their rotation position, though declinations due to conflicts of interest do not count toward this limit. After exceeding five declinations for other reasons, facilitators lose their position in the rotation and become ineligible for future assignments. The Q&A confirms that IDOE will cover all training costs and registration fees for awarded contractors, and that assignment volume is not guaranteed but based on actual demand from participating parents and schools.
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| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| 007000000088362.pdf |
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Text version
Sheet1
| RFQ 88362 Dispute Resolution IDEA Mediation & Facilitation | |||
| Vendor Questions | |||
| No. | Question | IDOE Response | |
| 1 | Current district contractor status: | ||
| The RFQ states that a FIEP facilitator must not be an officer, employee, or agent of a public agency or planning district. Would an individual who provides school-based speech-language pathology services to a public school district as an independent contractor be eligible to submit a proposal and serve as a FIEP facilitator? If so, would the facilitator be prohibited from accepting assignments involving the district(s) with which the facilitator has an existing professional relationship? | The RFQ states that a FIEP facilitator must not be an officer, employee, or agent of a public agency or planning district. Based on this requirement, an individual who provides school‑based speech‑language pathology services to a public school district as an independent contractor would be considered an agent of that district. Therefore, the individual would not be eligible to submit a proposal or serve as a FIEP facilitator. Because eligibility is precluded under this rule, the question of accepting assignments involving the district(s) with whom the contractor has an existing professional relationship does not apply. | ||
| 2 | Declining assignments: | ||
| If a contracted FIEP facilitator is unable to accept an assignment due to an existing professional commitment or scheduling conflict, may the facilitator decline the assignment? If so, does declining an assignment affect the facilitator's position in the assignment rotation or eligibility for future assignments? | Yes. Consistent with the mediation rejection rule, contracted FIEP facilitators may decline up to five (5) facilitation assignments per year for any reason. Declinations made due to a conflict of interest do not count toward this limit. |
When a facilitator declines an assignment, the case is simply reassigned to the next eligible facilitator in the rotation, and the original rotation order is maintained. After five declinations for reasons other than conflict of interest, the facilitator will lose position in the rotation, and any additional rejections beyond the five allowed will be considered when determining eligibility for future assignments and continued inclusion on the facilitator list.
This structure ensures that IDOE maintains its ability to provide facilitation services consistently across the state.
| 3 | Compensation: | |
| What is the expected or allowable per-unit compensation structure for completed and cancelled FIEP assignments? Is the contractor's proposed rate expected to include preparation, travel, documentation, and follow-up associated with the FIEP? | IDOE uses a per‑unit compensation structure for FIEP assignments. Contractors should propose a single per‑FIEP rate, and that rate must include all associated work, including preparation, travel time, documentation, and follow‑up. |
A reduced per‑unit rate is permitted for cancelled FIEPs. IDOE will review proposed rates to ensure they reflect the full scope of responsibilities and align with program needs.
| 4 | Training: | |
| Is the required IDOE FIEP facilitator training provided at no cost to awarded contractors, and when/how is that training scheduled for newly selected facilitators? | There is no cost to the contractor. IDOE will pay for and faciliate registration for all awarded contractors for the scheduled training. The training date may change based on the timing of the contract award. IDOE has planned training for the week of November 9th. It is three partial days and all training will be conducted virtually. | |
| 5 | Number/frequency of assignments: | |
| Is there an anticipated or historical average number of FIEP assignments per facilitator during a contract period? While we understand assignments are not guaranteed, any information regarding the expected volume of FIEP assignments would be helpful for developing a cost proposal. | During FY 2026, parents and schools agreed to participate in approximately 50 FIEPs. To support this workload, IDOE is seeking 8-10 facilitators to conduct FIEP meetings. |
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