NDERFI250707_Notifications of Approved Providers.docx

This is a Notification of Approved Providers issued by the Nebraska Department of Education on March 5, 2026, in response to Request for Information (RFI) Number NDERFI250707 for Grant Writing & Implementation Services. The RFI sought qualified providers to support the department's four strategic priorities: accelerating student achievement, growing the educator pipeline, equipping learners for the workforce, and providing exceptional service. Vendors were invited to submit responses for grant writing services, implementation support services, or both. Grant writing providers were required to demonstrate the ability to complete grant applications within thirty days of a Notice of Funding Opportunity, including proposed meeting schedules and timelines. Implementation providers were required to submit action plans addressing discretionary funding requirements from federal, state, or private sources with detailed approaches to reporting, compliance, monitoring, and evaluation. The written question deadline was December 22, 2025, with RFI responses due electronically by January 21, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time. Oral interviews, presentations, and demonstrations were conducted between February 2-6, 2026. The notification identifies nine approved providers: A&O Grants Consulting, Black Hills Special Services Cooperative, Delivery Associates, Foundations for Families, GIS and Human Dimensions LLC, Glen Price Group, Live Studiously, National Council for Education Partnership, and Nebraska Children and Families Foundation.

All vendors were required to submit a Corporate Overview, Scope of Work, Form A (Vendor Contact Sheet), and Form B (Vendor Cost Sheet) with detailed hourly rates or deliverables-based pricing. The Nebraska Department of Education explicitly prioritized vendors willing to provide grant writing services at no cost to the department, indicating a preference for cost-effective solutions. No specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations were mentioned in the RFI. The procurement was designed to establish a pool of qualified providers for future grant applications, with the understanding that selection for a specific grant project is not guaranteed. No specific award value or budget range was outlined, suggesting flexibility in vendor selection and potential project scopes. Vendors submitted responses via email to NDE.Procurement@Nebraska.gov and participated in specified Zoom meetings.