addendum-1-rfp-nhed-sped-2027-01.pdf

Contract Start Date and Initial Activities

Q. Is there an anticipated start date for services following contract approval, or any priority activities that NHED expects to occur immediately upon award?

A. Services may begin upon Governor and Council approval, which is anticipated on December 16, 2026. If the approval date is later, the Vendor will need to adjust the timeline to ensure the scope of work is completed by the end of the award period.

A. The vendor will be immediately responsible for updating the Preschool Contact List.

Q. Which existing resources and processes will be made available to the selected vendor at contract initiation, and will there be a formal transition or knowledge-transfer process if a vendor other than the current provider is selected?

A. NHED will provide access to the Canvas platform website, Early Childhood Transitions: NH Preschool Special Education, as well as the Preschool Contact List, and applicable preschool data.

There is not currently a formal transition or knowledge-transfer process.

Q. Is there currently a vendor providing services within the scope of work requested under this

RFP?

A. There is currently a vendor providing some of the services included in the proposed scope of work. The current contract ends September 30, 2026, with an option to renew for one year.

Regional Interagency Agreements and Meetings

Q. How many regional interagency agreements currently exist statewide, and does NHED anticipate updates to a single statewide template or multiple regional agreements?

A. There are currently 10 regional interagency agreements. The Vendor will be responsible for updating the agreements to one standard template, as available on the website along with the current agreements. Early Childhood Transitions: NH Preschool Special Education website.

Q. How many regions are included in the requirement for regional interagency agreement meetings?

A. Ten regions.

Q. Can NHED clarify the relationship between the quarterly statewide interagency agreement meetings and the monthly regional interagency agreement meetings? Are these separate meeting series?

A. These are separate meeting series, although some participants may participate in both. The vendor is required to schedule, promote, and facilitate one regional interagency agreement meeting per month, per region. Further, the vendor is required only to attend and participate in the quarterly statewide NH Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) meetings. Budgeting and staffing for the meetings should be addressed in the vendor’s proposed approach.

Q. Is there currently an established regional interagency meeting structure, or will the selected vendor be responsible for establishing one? Should meetings be conducted virtually, in person, or through a combination of formats?

A. There is currently no established regional meeting structure. The vendor is required to schedule, promote, and facilitate one regional interagency agreement meeting per month, per region. The vendor will be responsible for establishing the structure. A combination of virtual and in-person meetings should be discussed and offered.

Q. For in-person participation in meetings, technical assistance, or family engagement activities, what should proposers assume for budgeting purposes?

A. For every virtual event, one in-person event shall be offered.

Q. For in-person convenings, is the vendor responsible for venue costs?

A. Yes. If a meeting is held somewhere other than NHED or a community site that does not charge a fee, the vendor will be responsible for the venue cost.

Technical Assistance and Untimely Transitions

Q. Approximately how many LEAs and FCESS/ESS providers may receive technical assistance, and what level of targeted technical assistance should proposers anticipate?

A. The vendor should be prepared to support all 178 New Hampshire LEAs if needed. Last year, 40 LEAs received technical assistance. Approximately 40 LEAs have been identified in connection with untimely transitions. The level of targeted technical assistance will depend on the individual district’s level of need.

Q. What data will NHED make available to the selected vendor to identify untimely transitions and systemic issues?

A. NHED will provide Indicator 12 data and historical practices.

Corrective Action Plans

Q. Is the selected vendor expected to develop corrective action plans with LEAs, monitor their implementation, or support and report on corrective action planning activities?

A. The vendor is not required to develop corrective action plans. The vendor may be required to support and report on corrective action planning activities and to compile and transmit corrective action plans developed by LEAs or NHED.

Canvas Early Childhood Transitions Module

Q. Does an Early Childhood Transitions online module currently exist, and what responsibilities will the selected vendor have for the module?

A. Yes. An existing Canvas module is in place. The selected vendor will be responsible for maintaining and revising the current Canvas module, including updating materials and uploading new materials. NHED holds the Canvas license.

Family Engagement and Participation

Q. How many family engagement input sessions does NHED anticipate conducting annually, and who will be eligible to participate?

A. NHED anticipates up to eight family engagement input sessions annually. Eligible families include families of students currently enrolled in preschool. The vendor will work with NHED and LEAs on communication and recruitment.

Q. Should family participation in meetings or engagement activities under Priorities 1.1 and

1.3 count toward the participation targets under Priority 1.4?

A. Yes. Participation in activities under Priorities 1.1 and 1.3 will count toward the participation targets under Priority 1.4.

Q. “Qualifying students with disabilities” is not defined. What population and data source should be used to establish the denominator for the 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% family participation targets?

A. The denominator is based on the October 1 Child Count and the average number of preschool-aged students identified over the previous three years. The current average is 2,385 students.

Family Participation Incentives

Q. Are the family participation incentive amounts tied to the 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% participation targets included within the $270,000 contract ceiling or provided in addition to that amount?

A. The incentive amounts are paid by NHED to the vendor and are included in the $270,000 contract budget.

Contract Funding

Q. Does the $270,000 represent the maximum funding available for the entire contract period through June 30, 2028, or is it an annual funding amount?

A. The $270,000 is the maximum funding available across the entire contract period, rather than an annual amount. Family participation incentive payments are included in this amount.

Scope and Award Structure

Q. Are proposers expected to submit scope and pricing for all four priorities, and does NHED anticipate making a partial award?

A. Yes. Proposers are expected to submit scope and pricing for all four priorities. NHED is not looking to make a partial award.

P-37 Exception Questions

Q. Services to Be Performed: Clarification of whether services are cost-reimbursed or fixed-fee

A. This is open to negotiation

Q. Services to Be Performed: Negotiation regarding P-37

A. This is open to negotiation

Q. Contract Price/Price Limitation/Payment: Negotiation regarding Exhibit C

A. This is open to negotiation

Q. Personnel: Negotiation regarding warrant vs. affirms.

A. This is open to negotiation

Q. Event of Default/Remedies: Request to define satisfactorily

A. This is open to negotiation

Q. Event of Default/Remedies: Request opportunity to cure any alleged breach before termination or setoff, etc.

A. This is open to negotiation, however NHED will retain right to terminate upon written notice.

Q. Property Ownership/Disclosure: Request of explicit protection of background IP and request coownership of newly created IP.

A. Open to negotiation

Q Indemnification: Request to strike and go silent.

A. Open to negotiation

Q. Insurance: Request to negotiate

A. Not subject to negotiation

Q. Choice of Law and Forum: Request to require MD law/venue.

A. Open to negotiation

Q. Warranty Disclaimers

A. Open to negotiation

Section 6 – Evaluation of Proposals

A. Criteria for Evaluation and Scoring

The Department will evaluate each responsive Proposal using a scoring scale of 100 points, which will be distributed as set forth in the table below.

CATEGORIES

POINTS

Priority 1.1 20 Priority 1.2 20 Priority 1.3 20 Priority 1.4 20 Proposed Budget 20

TOTAL MAXIMUM POINTS 100

Scoring Rubric

Instructions: Reviewers scoring each proposal will use this rubric. You may use it as a checklist to assess your proposal prior to submitting it to the Department. The rubric is for your information only. Do not include it with your proposal submission.

Reviewer Name: _________________________________________________ Date Reviewed: _____________________________

1. Completeness of Proposal:

______ Appendix A (P-37) Cover Page ______ Letter of Interest/Proposal Response to Scope of Work ______ Budget Proposal ______ Current resumes for all staff proposed to work on this contract.

______ Three (3) Letters of Recommendation

Incomplete proposals will not be scored.

RFP Scoring Rubric

Priority Areas Priority 1.1 20 Points 10 Points 0 Points Points

Awarded Proposal thoroughly describes how the vendor will accomplish all required elements of the priority and provides 2-3 examples that demonstrate the vendor’s level of expertise and experience to

Proposal thoroughly describes how the vendor will accomplish all required elements of the priority and provides one example that demonstrates the vendor’s level of

Proposal does not address how the vendor will accomplish some or all required priority elements.

accomplish the scope of work.

Attend and participate in quarterly regional NH Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) meetings.

Promote the statewide Canvas Early Childhood Transitions online module for families by sharing information and encouraging its use among FCESS programs, LEAs.

expertise and experience to accomplish the scope of work.

Priority 1.2 20 Points 10 Points 0 Points

Proposal thoroughly describes how the vendor will accomplish all required elements of the priority and provides 2-3 examples that demonstrate the vendor’s level of expertise and experience to accomplish the scope of work.

Maintain, update, and distribute transition-related materials.

Maintain the statewide preschool contact list for all LEA’s and share updates with Local Area Agencies (LAAs).

In conjunction with the Preschool Educational

Proposal thoroughly describes how the vendor will accomplish all required elements of the priority and provides one example that demonstrates the vendor’s level of expertise and experience to

Proposal does not address how the vendor will accomplish some or

Consultant at the Department, deliver targeted TA to LEA’s identified as having untimely transitions.

Includes previous evaluations, video testimonials, or webpages.

Priority 1.3 20 Points 10 Points 0 Points Proposal thoroughly describes how the vendor will accomplish all required elements of the priority and provides 2-3 examples that demonstrate the vendor’s level of expertise and experience to accomplish the scope of work.

Support the Department in identifying and addressing systemic issues affecting the Part C to Part B 619 transition.

Gather and communicate field-level concerns and implementation issues to the Department and the Department of Health & Human Services (DHHS), Part C Coordinator.

Proposal thoroughly describes how the vendor will accomplish all required elements of the priority and provides one example that demonstrates the vendor’s level of expertise and experience to vendor will accomplish some or

Schedule and facilitate monthly regional interagency agreement meetings for ten regions in coordination with the Department, family engagement partners and local partners to incorporate family voice into the transition process and support ongoing systems improvement.

Priority 1.4 20 Points 10 Points 0 Points

Proposal thoroughly describes how the vendor will accomplish all required elements of the priority and provides 2-3 examples that demonstrate the vendor’s level of expertise and experience to accomplish the scope of work.

Meet annually with the Department to develop a Family Engagement Plan.

Recruit participants and schedule/facilitate up to eight family engagement input sessions to gather feedback regarding the FCESS-to-preschool transition process.

Collect, analyze, and summarize themes and recommendations from families, and provide findings to the Department in formats directed by the Department.

Includes previous evaluations, video testimonials, or webpages.

Proposal thoroughly describes how the vendor will accomplish all required elements of the priority and provides one example that demonstrates the vendor’s level of expertise and experience to vendor will accomplish some or

Budget 20 Points 10 Points 0 Points Points Awarded

Proposed budget includes the detailed cost to deliver each item within Priorities 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, & 1.4 items, and is reasonable, necessary, and allocable per Federal guidelines.

Proposed budget provides a generalized budget for each Priority 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, & 1.4 items, but does not include the detailed cost to deliver each item within the Priority, and is reasonable, necessary, and allocable per Federal guidelines.

Budget proposal not submitted.

TOTAL [100 Possible Points]

Comprehensive Preschool Support Services

RFP NHED SPED-2027-01

Deliverable Proposed Deliverable Cost

Priority 1.1 Generalized Budget (10 pts.)

Update the transition agreement template, attend and participate in quarterly NH Interagency Coordinating Council (ICC) meetings, develop and promote family transition modules, and convene additional LEA/FCESS meetings as needed.

Detailed Budget (20 pts.)

Transition Agreement Template Update Attend and Participate in Quarterly NH ICC Meetings Development & Promotion of Family Transition Modules Additional LEA/FCESS collaborative meetings, as needed Priority 1.2

Generalized Budget (10 pts.)

Maintain transition-related materials and the statewide preschool contact list, provide technical assistance to support compliant transitions, and deliver targeted support to LEAs addressing untimely transitions and ensure required documentation and procedures are in place.

Maintenance of transition-related materials Maintenance of the Statewide Preschool Contact List Technical Assistance to Support Compliant Transitions Targeted Support to address untimely transitions and procedures Priority 1.3

Generalized Budget (10 pts.)

Identify and address systemic transition issues, relay field-level concerns to the Department and the Department of Health & Human Services, facilitate up to eight family engagement sessions, and conduct monthly regional interagency meetings for ten regions.

Identify & address systemic transition issues Relay field-level concerns Up to eight family engagement sessions Monthly Regional Interagency Meetings for ten regions Priority 1.4

Generalized Budget (10 pts.)

Develop and annually review the Family Engagement Plan; recruit required percentages of families to participate in engagement sessions; and collect, analyze, and summarize family feedback.

Develop and annually review the Family Engagement Plan Recruit families to participate in up to eight family engagement sessions Collect, analyze, and summarize family feedback Total Proposed Budget (not to exceed $270,000)