QuestionsAndAnswers_S-DASOBO-00014512.docx

The document is a Questions and Answers file for the Oregon Department of Education's Request for Proposal (RFP S-DASOBO-00014512) for Special Education Individualized Education Program (IEP) Complaint Resolution Services. The RFP seeks qualified providers to establish Price Agreements for non-adversarial dispute prevention and resolution services, with proposals due on September 4, 2025, and an anticipated initial contract term of three years ending September 1, 2028. The services require providers to have specific qualifications, including a law or graduate degree in special education, at least five years of experience in special education law, and four years of experience reviewing student records and interviewing stakeholders. Providers will be responsible for interviewing parents, students, and staff, writing correspondence, reviewing student records, and preparing detailed investigative reports and draft orders.

The contract will compensate providers at a standard rate of $150 per hour, with no guaranteed minimum purchase or dollar amount. The state encourages participation from small businesses certified by the Oregon Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity (COBID), including disadvantaged, minority-owned, woman-owned, service-disabled veteran-owned, and emerging small businesses. Proposers must complete a Certified Disadvantaged Business Outreach Plan and meet comprehensive insurance requirements. The agreement is non-exclusive, allowing ODE to have multiple contractors providing similar services. Each Service Order Contract will be independently negotiated, with funding subject to legislative appropriations and the potential for contract termination if sufficient funds are not available. Almost all investigations are expected to be conducted remotely, with a typical turnaround time of 46 days from the date a complaint is filed.