NIA1 250000000613.pdf

Michigan.gov/MiProcurement

AWARD RECOMMENDATION

Notice of Intent to Award Number: 250000000613

Notice of Intent to Award Date: 5/1/2025

The Michigan Department of Education office has completed the evaluation of RFP 250000001191 Assistance, Facilitation, Professional Development, Event Planning Services for Michigan Career & Technical Education Educators and has recommended an award to Edge Partnerships, LLC in the amount of $129,000.00, pending State Administrative Board approval, if applicable. More information on the State Administrative Board can be found at: State Administrative Board.

Bidders who were not recommended for the award are encouraged to schedule a debriefing session with the Solicitation Manager. The debriefing session will provide the bidder with the State’s rationale on why the bidder was not recommended for the award.

The Solicitation Manager may be contacted as follows:

Carol Munroe, Solicitation Manager.

munroec@michigan.gov

517-241-3329

Background Information:

This Request for Proposal (RFP) was to solicit responses for selection of a Contractor to provide assistance, facilitation, professional development, and event planning services for Michigan CTE Educators. The term of this contract is 1 year, with up to seven (1) year renewal options.

Bidders:

The RFP was posted on SIGMA VSS on January 30, 2025, for 14 calendar days. The following bidders submitted proposals by the published due date of February 13, 2025.

Bidder Address, City, State, Zip Code SDVOB* GDBE**

Edge Partnerships, LLC 117 E. Kalamazoo St., Lansing, MI 48933 N/A N/A

Impact Event Solutions, LLC

2093 Philadelphia Pike Ste. 9260, Claymont, DE 19703

N/A N/A

Remedy HealthCare Consulting LLC

5908 NW 103rd St, Kansas City, MO 64154 N/A N/A

*SDVOB: Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Business **GDBE: Geographically Disadvantaged Business Enterprise https://www.michigan.gov/dtmb/policies/state-ad-board

EVALUATION SYNOPSIS

I. Evaluation Process

A Responsible Vendor is a vendor that demonstrates it has the ability to successfully perform the duties identified by the solicitation. A Responsive proposal is one that is submitted in accordance with the solicitation instructions and meets all mandatory requirements identified in the solicitation.

Proposal Instructions: Mandatory Minimum Requirements

A. Extensive experience with the organization and management of conferences with more than one thousand attendees.

B. Extensive experience with managing vendors with large equipment relevant to Career and Technical Education.

C. Extensive experience with development, organization (including relevant CTE subject matter research), and management of workshops, conferences, trainings, vendor expos, sponsorships focused on Career and Technical Education Educators and Career Education.

D. Extensive financial management experience – i.e. processing attendee registrations, online event management/processing, billing and invoicing of vendors/registrants/speakers/venues, registration fees, records management, website management.

E. Travel arrangements for vendors and speakers.

F. Experience negotiating for vendors, speaker, exhibitors, venues etc.

Proposal Instructions: Evaluation Process

The full evaluation process is stated in the RFP Proposal Instructions.

II. Evaluation Method

Responses to this solicitation were reviewed by Joint Evaluation Committee, which consisted of the following individuals:

Voting Voting

Carol Munroe - Solicitation Manager Department of Education Office of Financial Management

Candace Vinson – Education Consultant Department of Education Office of Career & Technical Education

Christine Black – Department Specialist Department of Education Office of Career & Technical Education

Debra Miller - Supervisor Department of Education Office of Career & Technical Education

Jenny Manar – Buyer Department of Education Office of Financial Management

III. Evaluation Results

A. Edge Partnerships, LLC

The Evaluation Team determined that Edge Partnerships, LLC based on a score of 99/100, did meet the requirements of this RFP. This determination was accomplished by evaluating their responses to the Technical Evaluation Criteria.

1. Product Quality – General Requirements (Contractor Responsibilities) – Schedule A

– Section 1. Financial Management – Schedule A – Section 1.2. 50/50 The Evaluation Team determined that the bidder met requirements.

2. Service Requirements – Timeframe, Reporting/Delivery, Meetings, Staffing, Key Personnel, Subcontractors, Security. Schedule A – Sections 2 & 4. 19/20 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. Sample work plan link didn’t work.

3. Project Plan – Schedule A – Section 3. 20/20 The Evaluation Team determined that the bidder met requirements.

4. Vendor Questions Worksheet. 10/10 The Evaluation Team determined that the bidder met requirements.

Total Score: 99/100

B. Impact Event Solutions, LLC

The Evaluation Team determined that Impact Event Solutions, LLC based on a score of 75/100, did not meet the requirements of this RFP. This determination was accomplished by evaluating their responses to the Technical Evaluation Criteria.

1. Product Quality – General Requirements (Contractor Responsibilities) – Schedule A

– Section 1. Financial Management – Schedule A – Section 1.2. 44/50 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. Bidder lacked detail on venue research for Michigan.

b. Bidder did not clarify how they would operate and connect with State of Michigan as an out of state business.

c. Bidder has no experience within the State of Michigan.

d. Bidder did not indicate software used.

2. Service Requirements – Timeframe, Reporting/Delivery, Meetings, Staffing, Key Personnel, Subcontractors, Security. Schedule A – Sections 2 & 4. 14/20 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. Reporting strategy is unclear.

b. Key personnel and contractor are out of state.

c. Staff shows limited knowledge in event planning in their resumes.

3. Project Plan – Schedule A – Section 3. 14/20 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. Project plan lacks detail.

b. Limited number of staff.

c. Staff are located out of state.

4. Vendor Questions Worksheet 3/10 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. Bidder did not answer all questions.

b. Bidder has only been in business for 1 year.

c. No State of Michigan experience.

d. Limited number of staff.

e. Bidder listed prior experience of employees and not of the company as relevant experience.

Total Score: 75/100

C. Remedy HealthCare Consulting LLC

The Evaluation Team determined that Remedy HealthCare Consulting LLC based on a score of 63/100, did not meet the requirements of this RFP. This determination was accomplished by evaluating their responses to the Technical Evaluation Criteria.

1. Product Quality – General Requirements (Contractor Responsibilities) – Schedule A

– Section 1. Financial Management – Schedule A – Section 1.2. 40/50 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. Answers lacked detail/demonstration of event planning.

b. Bidder lacked detail on venue research for Michigan.

c. Bidder did not clarify how they would operate and connect with State of Michigan as an out of state business.

d. Bidder has no experience within the State of Michigan.

e. Limited number of staff.

2. Service Requirements – Timeframe, Reporting/Delivery, Meetings, Staffing, Key Personnel, Subcontractors, Security. Schedule A – Sections 2 & 4. 9/20 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. Key personnel and contractor are out of state.

b. Subcontractor is unclear and not named.

c. Unclear who will be running the day to day.

d. Staff has no experience in Education and only referenced experience in Health Care.

e. Resumes were not provided.

f. Bidder did not provide explanation on timeframes.

3. Project Plan – Schedule A – Section 3. 8/20 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. Project plan lacks detail.

b. Limited number of staff.

c. Staff are located out of state.

d. No sample plan was provided.

e. Limited allotment for meetings and planning.

f. Bidder did not indicate what software or tools were being utilized.

4. Vendor Questions Worksheet. 6/10 The Evaluation Team determined that overall, the responses were mostly satisfactory, but the following deficiencies were noted:

a. No State of Michigan experience.

b. Bidder only listed Health Care based experience.

c. Limited number of staff.

Total Score: 63/100

IV. Technical Evaluation Summary

Selection Criteria Edge Partnerships, LLC

Impact Event Solutions, LLC

Remedy HealthCare

Consulting, LLC

1 Product Quality 50 44 40

2 Service Requirements 19 14 9

3 Project Plan 20 14 8

4 Vendor Questions Worksheet

10 3 6

Total 99 75 63

V. Pricing Summary

Pricing was evaluated for the bidders who passed technical. The following is a summary of their price proposals:

Deliverable Edge Partnerships, LLC

1 Administrative Costs $72,672.00

2 Onsite Venue Staffing $12,761.00

3 Equipment, Supplies, Delivery, Printing, Advertising, Online Registration

$43,567.00

Total Price $129,000.00

VI. Award Recommendation

Award recommendation is made to the responsive and responsible Bidder who offers the best value to the State of Michigan. Best value is based on the proposal meeting the minimum point threshold and offering the best combination of the factors stated in the Proposal Instructions Evaluation Process section, and price.

Edge Partnerships, LLC provided the best value to the State.

Award Recommendation is made to Edge Partnerships, LLC in the amount of $129,000.00.