STATE OF WASHINGTON

OFFICE OF SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION

OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON

PRE-BID CONFERENCE: 10:00 a.m., Pacific Time (PT) on August 03, 2026

PROPOSAL DUE DATE: 12:00 p.m., Pacific Time (PT) on August 17, 2026

ESTIMATED CONTRACT PERIOD: September 14, 2026, thorough August 31, 2028.

Amendments extending the period of performance, if any, shall be at the sole discretion of OSPI.

CONSULTANT ELIGIBILITY: This solicitation is open to those Consultants who satisfy the minimum qualifications stated herein and that are available for work in Washington State.

SUBMIT PROPOSAL TO: contracts@k12.wa.us All communications concerning this RFQQ must be directed only to the RFQQ Coordinator via email. Any other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on OSPI. Consultants are to rely on written statements issued by the RFQQ Coordinator.

Communication directed to parties other than the RFQQ Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Consultant.

This RFQQ is available at the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) website and at the Department of Enterprise Services, Washington Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) Procurement website. All RFQQ amendments and/or Consultant questions and OSPI answers will be posted to these sites. All interested Consultants must be registered with WEBS under the following commodity codes to receive automatic notifications: 918-04 Auditing/Budget Consulting ,918-21Business Consulting, Large,918-26 Public Relations Consulting 958-16Business Management Services,918-75 Management Consulting 918-06Administrative Consulting,924-05 Advisory Services, Educational

OSPI, and its contractors and subcontractors, must not discriminate in any programs or services based on sex, race, creed, religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, gender expression, gender identity, disability, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability, and must comply with state and federal nondiscrimination laws, including Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Questions and complaints of alleged discrimination should be directed to the Equity and Civil Rights Director at 360-725-6162/TTY: 360- 664-3631; or P.O. Box 47200, Olympia, WA 98504-7200; or equity@k12.wa.us.

Request for Qualifications and Quotations No.

2027-02

Federal Grant Consulting mailto:contracts@k12.wa.us https://www.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/contracting-ospi/competitive-procurements https://des.wa.gov/sell/how-work-state https://des.wa.gov/sell/how-work-state mailto:equity@k12.wa.us

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 2 of 59 Rev. 05/24

Table of Contents

Section A. SCOPE & REQUIREMENTS

A.1. DEFINITIONS

A.2. PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

A.3. BACKGROUND

A.4. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF WORK

A.5. BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS

A.6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

A.7. FUNDING

A.8. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

Section B. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS

B.1. RFQQ COORDINATOR

B.2. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

B.3. ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES

B.4. LETTER OF INTENT

B.5. PRE-BID CONFERENCE

B.6. COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

B.7. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

B.8. ADDENDUMS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE RFQQ

B.9. SMALL BUSINESS, MINORITY & WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (MWBE),

AND VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

B.10. ETHICS, POLICIES, & LAW

B.11. ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

B.12. RESPONSIVENESS

B.13. MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

B.14. CONTRACT AND GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

B.15. COSTS TO PROPOSE

B.16. NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

B.17. REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 3 of 59

B.18. COMMITMENT OF FUNDS

B.19. STATEWIDE VENDOR PAYMENT REGISTRATION

B.20. WASHINGTON STATE BUSINESS REGISTRATION

B.21. INSURANCE COVERAGE

Section C. PROPOSAL CONTENTS

C.1. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

C.2. PROPOSAL OVERVIEW

C.3. LETTER OF SUBMITTAL

C.4. MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL

C.5. COST PROPOSAL

Section D. EVALUATION AND AWARD

D.1. EVALUATION PROCEDURE

D.2. EVALUATION AND SCORING

D.3. SCORING PREFERENCES ......................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

D.4. REFERENCE CHECKS

D.5. INTERVIEW/DEMONSTRATION

D.6. SELECTION OF APPARENT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

D.7. NOTIFICATION TO BIDDERS

D.8. DEBRIEFING OF UNSUCCESSFUL BIDDERS

D.9. PROTEST PROCEDURE

D.10. ADDITIONAL AWARDS

Section E. RFQQ EXHIBITS

EXHIBIT A

EXHIBIT B

EXHIBIT C

EXHIBIT D

EXHIBIT E

EXHIBIT F

EXHIBIT G

EXHIBIT H

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 5 of 59

Section A. SCOPE & REQUIREMENTS

This section describes the purpose of the RFQQ and provides information about this procurement, including the potential scope of the opportunity and requirements.

A.1. DEFINITIONS

Definitions for the purposes of this RFQQ include:

Agency or OSPI – The Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; the entity issuing this RFQQ.

Amendment – A unilateral change to the Solicitation that is issued by OSPI at its sole discretion and posted on WEBS and OSPI’s website.

Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB) – A Bidder submitting a response to this Solicitation that is evaluated and is identified and announced by OSPI as providing the best value to the Agency.

Upon execution of a Contract, the ASB is referred to as the successful Bidder or the Contractor.

Bid – An offer, proposal, or quote for goods or services submitted in response to this RFQQ.

Bidder – Individual organization, public or private agency submitting a proposal to attain a contract with OSPI. For purposes of this Solicitation, the terms Bidder, Consultant, and Vendor are interchangeable.

Competitive Solicitation – A documented formal process providing an equal and open opportunity to Bidders or Consultants culminating in a selection based on predetermined criteria.

Complaint – A process that may be followed by a Consultant prior to the deadline for bid submission to alert OSPI of certain types of asserted deficiencies in the Solicitation.

Consultant – Individual organization, public or private agency submitting a proposal to attain a contract with OSPI. For purposes of this Solicitation, the terms Bidder, Consultant, and Vendor are interchangeable.

Contractor – Individual or company whose proposal has been accepted by OSPI and is awarded a fully executed, written contract.

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 6 of 59

Debriefing – A short meeting an unsuccessful Bidder may request following the announcement of the Apparent Successful Bidder for the purpose of receiving information regarding the review and evaluation of that Bidder’s Response.

Fiscal Year – In Washington State, a 12-month period extending from July 1 of one calendar year to June 30 of the next calendar year.

Proposal – A formal offer submitted in response to this RFQQ.

Proprietary Information – Information such as patents, technological information or other related information that the Bidder or Consultant does not want released or shared with the public.

Protest – A process that may be followed by a Bidder after the announcement of the Apparent Successful Bidder to alert OSPI to certain types of alleged errors in the evaluation of the Solicitation.

Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) – Formal procurement document in which a service or need is identified. Consultants are invited to submit their bid, detailing their qualifications, and a proposed cost to complete the described activities.

Responsible Bidder – An individual, organization, public or private agency, or other entity that has demonstrated the capability to meet all the requirements of the Solicitation and meets the elements of responsibility. (See RCW 39.26.160 (2))

Responsive Bidder – An individual, organization, public or private agency, or other entity who has submitted a Bid that fully conforms in all material respects to the Solicitation and all its requirements, in both form and substance.

Revised Code of Washington (RCW) – The compilation of all permanent laws now in force in Washington state.

RFQQ Coordinator – An individual or designee who is employed by OSPI and who is responsible for conducting this Solicitation.

Solicitation – A formal process providing an equal and open opportunity for Bidders culminating in a selection based upon predetermined criteria.

Subcontractor – An individual or other entity contracted by a Consultant to perform part of the services or to provide goods under the Contract resulting from this Solicitation. Subcontractors, if allowed, are subject to the advance approval of OSPI.

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 7 of 59

Vendor – Individual organization, public or private agency submitting a proposal to attain a contract with OSPI. For purposes of this Solicitation, the terms Bidder, Consultant, and Vendor are interchangeable.

WEBS – Washington’s Electronic Business Solution, the Consultant notification system found at Washington Electronic Business Solution (WEBS) Procurement website and maintained by the Washington State Department of Enterprise Services. Consultants are encouraged to register with WEBS to receive automatic notifications about this and other procurements.

A.2. PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The purpose of this Competitive Procurement is to receive competitive bids to evaluate and, as appropriate, award a Contract for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to procure goods and/or services as set forth herein. Pursuant to Washington’s Procurement Code for Goods and Services, RCW chap. 39.26, state agency purchases of goods and services must be based on a competitive solicitation.

Therefore, OSPI is initiating this Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) to solicit proposals from Consultants interested in participating on a project to provide federal grant consulting to OSPI staff.

A.3. BACKGROUND

Led by Superintendent Chris Reykdal, OSPI is the primary agency charged with overseeing public K–12 education in Washington state. Working with the state's two hundred ninety-five (295) public school districts, seven (7) state-tribal education compact schools, and public charter schools, OSPI allocates funding and provides tools, resources, and technical assistance so every student in Washington is provided a high-quality public education.

OSPI passed through over $1.3 billion in federal grant funding to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) in state Fiscal Year 2025. OSPI staff that manage federal grants need to stay up-to-date on changes relating to these grants so they can provide accurate, timely technical assistance to these LEAs.

A.4. OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE OF WORK

A.4.i. Objective: The Contractor shall monitor federal legislation and analyze the impact on programs administered by the Superintendent for Fiscal Years 2024-2025 and 2025-2026. The Contractor shall also monitor of the U.S. Department of Education’s regulations and policies, provide the Superintendent’s staff with regular written updates on relevant congressional and federal agency activity, and respond to the Superintendent’s staff inquiries on federal legislative and regulatory matters.

https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 8 of 59

A.4.ii. Scope of Work:

1. Provide up-to-date information on all developments at the federal level affecting programs administered by the Superintendent. The Contractor shall provide the latest information on legislative and regulatory developments with specific attention to:

a) Implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015, based primarily on regulations and guidance issued by the U.S.

Department of Education;

b) The reauthorization of special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act;

c) Workforce Investment Act, vocational education, and other workforce development initiatives; and

d) All relevant funding, appropriations, and budget issues.

2. Maintain monthly contact with the Superintendent’s designated staff to provide up-to-the-minute factual reports of relevant developments.

3. Explain and advise in non-legal, practical terms, exactly how key developments will affect Washington State. This shall include relaying information on federal legislative developments and regulatory actions reflected in the Federal Register, non-regulatory guidance, and/or relevant policy letters.

4. Answer questions that arise from the administrative staff of the Superintendent relating to new legislative and regulatory developments, as well as existing legislation and regulations.

5. Provide up to one (1) virtual training and one (1) in-person training per year, at the request of the Superintendent’s designee. This training may involve State Education Agency and/or Local Education Agency staff, delivering presentations on topics requested by the Superintendent, and others as needed.

A.5. BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications:

• Licensed to do business in the State of Washington. If not licensed, provide a written intent to become licensed in Washington within thirty (30) calendar days of being selected as the Apparent Successful Bidder.

• Knowledge of Department of Education and Department of Agriculture federal grants, including, but not limited to, the federal grants included under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), and the Child Nutrition Act.

• Knowledge of federal grant requirements, including, but not limited to, EDGAR, Uniform Grant Guidance and the federal compliance supplement.

• Experience providing professional documents and trainings to stakeholders.

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 9 of 59

Consultants who do not meet these minimum qualifications will be rejected as non-responsive and will not receive further consideration. Any proposal that is rejected as non-responsive will not be evaluated or scored.

Desirable Qualifications:

• Knowledge of external auditing of federal grants and internal controls.

A.6. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The period of performance of any contract resulting from this RFQQ is tentatively scheduled to begin on or about September 14, 2026, and end on or about August 31, 2028. The option to extend any contract resulting from this procurement shall be at the sole discretion of OSPI.

As such, OSPI reserves the right to amend to extend the contract for three (3) additional contract years through 2029, 2030 and 2031. Decision to amend shall be based on sustained satisfactory performance as decided by the Contract Manager, successful completion of project objectives, and availability of funding. If OSPI provides a renewal notice to the Contractor, the Contractor shall be obligated to enter into a contract with the same fiscal obligations as the previous Contract year, provided that OSPI and Contractor shall negotiate any revision of additional services or goals beyond those encompassed in the previous Contract.

Additional services that are appropriate to the scope of this RFQQ, as determined by OSPI, may be added to the resulting contract by a written amendment mutually agreed to and executed by both parties.

A.7. FUNDING

OSPI has budgeted an amount not to exceed fifty-five thousand and two hundred dollars ($55,200.00) for the initial term of this project; however, OSPI does not represent or guarantee any minimum purchase from the resulting contract. Proposals in excess of this amount will be rejected as non-responsive and will not be evaluated.

Any applicable mileage, meals, lodging, or other travel-related expenses, will be reimbursed within the amount above, in accordance with Washington State travel regulations established by the Office of Financial Management.

Any contract awarded is contingent upon the availability of funding. Bidders are encouraged to provide their most favorable and competitive cost estimate to perform the work.

One hundred percent (100%) of the funds proposed for this project will be funded using Federal money provided by Consolidated Administration, consisting of various federal programs and Assistance Listing Numbers (ALNs): Title I, Part A – 84.010; Title I, Migrant – 84.011; Title I http://www.ofm.wa.gov/policy/10.htm

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 10 of 59

Neglected & Delinquent –84.013; Title II, Part A – 84.367; 21st Century Community Learning Programs – 84.287; Rural and Low Income – 84.358; Title III, Language Acquisition – 84.365; and School Improvement – 84.377. The selected contractor must therefore comply with Federal Grant Terms and Conditions.

A.8. AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

OSPI complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Consultants may contact the RFQQ Coordinator to receive this Request for Proposals in an alternative format.

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 11 of 59

Section B. GENERAL INFORMATION FOR BIDDERS

This section describes the procurement timeline and includes useful information for Bidders such as procurement procedure and state requirements.

B.1. RFQQ COORDINATOR

The RFQQ Coordinator is the sole point of contact in OSPI for this procurement. All communication between the Consultant and OSPI upon receipt of this RFQQ shall be with the RFQQ Coordinator, as follows:

Contact Information Name: Marion Kariuki

Address:

600 Washington Street South PO Box 47200 Olympia, WA 98504-7200

Email Address: contracts@k12.wa.us

B.2. QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Any questions or communications concerning this RFQQ must be directed only to the RFQQ Coordinator noted in Section B.1. Questions and/or inquiries must be sent via email and should include the RFQQ number. Consultants are to rely on written statements issued by the RFQQ Coordinator. Communication directed to parties other than the RFQQ Coordinator will be considered unofficial and non-binding on OSPI, and may result in disqualification of the Consultant. Answers or other applicable addenda will be posted to OSPI and WEBS in accordance with the schedule in Section B.3.

Bidders are encouraged to make any inquiry regarding the Competitive Solicitation as early in the process as possible to allow OSPI to consider and, if warranted, respond to the inquiry. If a Bidder does not notify the Procurement Coordinator of an issue, exception, addition, or omission, such matter may be considered to be waived by the bidder for protest purposes.

mailto:contracts@k12.wa.us

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 12 of 59

B.3. ESTIMATED SCHEDULE OF PROCUREMENT ACTIVITIES

Action Date OSPI issues RFQQ July 16, 2026.

Letter of Intent due August 5, 2026

Question and Answer period July 16, 2026- August 13, OSPI hosts Pre-Bid Conference August 3, 2026 OSPI posts Question and Answer Addendum or Amendment resulting from Pre-Bid Conference (if necessary)

August 7, 2026

Last date to submit questions regarding RFQQ August 10, 2026

Complaints due August 10, 2026

OSPI posts final Question and Answer Addendum or Amendment (if necessary)

August 12, 2026

Proposals due August 17, 2026 OSPI conducts evaluation of written proposals August 18-21, 2026 OSPI conducts oral interviews with finalists (if determined necessary by OSPI) August 24, 2026

OSPI announces “Apparent Successful Bidder” and sends notification to unsuccessful Bidder(s) August 25, 2026

OSPI conducts debriefing conferences (if requested) As requested, per debriefing instructions

Contract negotiation begins August 25, 2026 Anticipated contract start date September 14, 2026

OSPI reserves the right to revise the above schedule.

B.4. LETTER OF INTENT

It is recommended that Consultants intending to submit a proposal provide a Letter of Intent to propose no later than 5:00pm PT August 05,2026. The letter must be submitted via email to the RFQQ Coordinator.

B.5. PRE-BID CONFERENCE

A pre-bid conference is scheduled to be held on August 3, 2026 at 10:00 a.m-11:00 a.m. PT.

The purpose of the pre-bid conference is to clarify the Competitive Solicitation as needed and raise any issues or concerns that bidders may have.

The pre-bid conference will be held virtually:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/265784421302461?p=s2zMMTKzunu6DCsbIv https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/265784421302461?p=s2zMMTKzunu6DCsbIv

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 13 of 59

All prospective Consultants should attend; however, attendance is not mandatory. Written questions may be submitted in advance to the RFQQ Coordinator. OSPI shall be bound only to written answers to questions. Any oral responses given at the pre-bid conference shall be considered unofficial until OSPI releases a written copy of the questions and answers from the pre-bid conference. A copy of the questions and answers in the form of an Addendum will be published on the OSPI website and released on WEBS under the commodity code(s) listed on the cover page of this RFQQ within five (5) business days of the pre-bid conference.

Assistance for disabled, blind, or hearing-impaired persons who wish to attend the pre-bid conference is available with prior arrangement by contacting the Procurement Coordinator.

OSPI has the right to cancel or stop the pre-bid conference if no interested bidders join within thirty (30) minutes of the start.

B.6. COMPLAINT PROCEDURE

The complaint process is available to Consultants interested in this RFQQ. The complaint process allows Consultants to focus on the Solicitation requirements and evaluation process and raise issues with these processes early enough in the process to allow OSPI to correct a problem before proposals are submitted and time expended on evaluations.

A Consultant may submit a complaint based on any of the following:

• The Solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition;

• The Solicitation evaluation or scoring process is unfair or flawed; or

• The Solicitation requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a proposal.

Consultants may submit complaints up to five (5) business days prior to the proposal due date noted in the Estimated Schedule of Procurement Activities. However, Consultants are encouraged to submit complaints as soon as possible so OSPI can rectify the issue(s) early in the process. Complaints must be submitted to the RFQQ Coordinator. To be considered a valid complaint, the complaint must meet the following requirements:

• Must be in writing.

• Should clearly articulate the basis for the complaint.

• Should include a proposed remedy.

Complaints not received by the deadline noted in the Estimated Schedule of Procurement Activities will not be reviewed by OSPI. Failure by the Bidder to raise a complaint at this stage may waive its right for later consideration.

The OSPI Contracts Administrator or an employee delegated by the Contracts Administrator will review valid complaints and respond to the submitter in writing. OSPI will consider all complaints but is not required to adopt a complaint, in part or in full. OSPI’s response to the

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 14 of 59 complaint is final and not subject to administrative appeal. The response, and any changes to the RFQQ, will be posted as an amendment to WEBS prior to the proposal due date. Any complaint addressed during the complaint process cannot be raised during the protest process.

B.7. PROPRIETARY INFORMATION/PUBLIC DISCLOSURE

Your entire response to this RFQQ is a public record and will be disclosed consistent with the Public Records Act, Chapter 42.56 RCW. Bid submissions and evaluations are temporarily exempt from public disclosure until announcement of the ASB(s).

B.7.i. CONFIDENTIAL DOCUMENTS For the purposes of this RFQQ, do not include confidential or proprietary information unless specifically requested by OSPI.

If OSPI requests confidential or proprietary information, you must clearly print the word “Confidential” on the lower right-hand corner of each page containing the confidential or proprietary information.

B.7.ii. PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS

If a public records request seeks your proposal and the proposal contains pages clearly marked “Confidential”, OSPI will take the following steps:

i. We will notify you. We will identify the requestor and the date that OSPI will disclose the requested records.

ii. We will give you an opportunity to seek a court order to stop OSPI from disclosing the records.

iii. We will not evaluate or defend your claim of confidentiality. We will not withhold or redact your documents without a court order.

If you have any questions, refer to the OSPI Public Records Office.

B.8. ADDENDUMS AND AMENDMENTS TO THE RFQQ

In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFQQ, an addendum or an amendment will be published on the OSPI website. For this purpose, the published Consultant questions and Agency answers, and any other pertinent information, shall be considered an addendum to the RFQQ. Additionally, all addenda referred to above will be released on WEBS under the commodity code(s) listed on the cover page of this RFQQ. Only consultants who have properly registered in WEBS will receive automatic notification of amendments or other correspondence pertaining to this RFQQ. For those not registered in WEBS, it will be the responsibility of interested Consultants to check the website periodically for addenda and amendments to the RFQQ.

https://www.k12.wa.us/about-ospi/contact-us/ospi-public-records-request https://des.wa.gov/services/contracting-purchasing/doing-business-state/webs-registration-search-tips

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 15 of 59

B.9. SMALL BUSINESS, MINORITY & WOMEN’S BUSINESS ENTERPRISES

(MWBE), AND VETERAN-OWNED BUSINESS PARTICIPATION

In accordance with the legislative findings and policies set forth in chapter 39.19 RCW, the State of Washington encourages participation in all of its contracts by firms certified by the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE). Participation may be either on a direct basis in response to this RFQQ or on a subcontractor basis. For more information on certification, contact the Washington Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.

However, no preference points will be included in the evaluation of proposals, no minimum level of MWBE participation shall be required as a condition for receiving an award, and proposals will not be rejected or considered non-responsive on that basis.

43.60A.200 encourages the participation of Veteran and Service Member Owned Businesses certified by the Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs RCW 43.60A.195. For more information on certification, contact Washington State Department of Veteran Affairs.

Additionally, per Department of Enterprise policy, agencies are encouraged to buy from in-state small business, including microbusinesses and Mini businesses.

Vendors who meet criteria set forth in chapter 39.19 RCW, should indicate status on the Contractor Intake Form.

http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=39.19 http://omwbe.wa.gov/ http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=43.60A.195 https://www.dva.wa.gov/veterans-their-families/veteran-owned-businesses http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=39.19

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 16 of 59

B.10. ETHICS, POLICIES, & LAW

This RFQQ, the evaluation of proposals, and any resulting contract shall be made in conformance with applicable Washington State laws and Policies.

Specific restrictions apply to contracting with current or former state employees pursuant to RCW 42.52. Bidders should familiarize themselves with the requirements prior to submitting a proposal. Bidders shall indicate on their Contract Intake Form any current or former state employees who are employed by, or subcontracted with, Bidder.

B.11. ACCEPTANCE PERIOD

Proposals must provide ninety (90) business days for acceptance by OSPI from the due date for receipt of proposals. OSPI may accept such bid, with or without further negotiation, at any time within such period.

B.12. RESPONSIVENESS

All proposals will be reviewed by the RFQQ Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative and minimum requirements and instructions specified in this RFQQ - i.e., does the bid include each of the required bid submittals, are the submittals complete, signed, legible.

OSPI may reject a Proposal as non-responsive at any time for any of the following reasons:

• Incomplete Response

• Submission of a Response that proposes services that deviate from the scope and technical requirements set forth in this document and Exhibit B, Sample Contract, except as permitted in an amendment to this Solicitation

• Failure to meet the minimum Bidder qualifications or to comply with any requirement set forth in this RFQQ, including Attachments

• Submission of incorrect, misleading or false information

• History of prior unsatisfactory contractual performance

Bidders whose proposals are found to be non-responsive shall be disqualified from further evaluation and shall be notified in writing.

The RFQQ Coordinator or evaluator(s) may contact any Bidder for clarification of the proposal.

A Bidder’s failure to clarify within the specified timeline may result in disqualification.

OSPI reserves the right to reject any or all bids, or portions thereof, and/or accept any portion of a bid unless the bidder stipulates all or nothing in their bid. If a proposal meets all administrative and Bidder qualification requirements and submittal instructions, OSPI shall continue with the written evaluation and, if applicable, the oral evaluation.

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 17 of 59

OSPI reserves the right at its sole discretion to waive informalities. An informality is an immaterial variation from the exact requirements of the RFQQ, having no effect or merely a minor or negligible effect on quality, quantity, or delivery of the goods or the quality, capability, or performance of the services being procured, and the correction or waiver of which would not affect the relative standing of, or be otherwise prejudicial, to bidders.

B.13. MOST FAVORABLE TERMS

OSPI reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposal submitted.

Therefore, the proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms which the Bidder can propose. There will be no best and final offer procedure. OSPI does reserve the right to contact a Bidder for clarification of its proposal.

The Bidder should be prepared to accept this RFQQ for incorporation into a contract resulting from this RFQQ. Contract negotiations may incorporate some or all of the Bidder’s proposal. It is understood that the proposal will become a part of the official procurement file on this matter without obligation to OSPI.

B.14. CONTRACT AND GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

The Apparent Successful Bidder will be expected to enter into a contract which is substantially the same as the sample contract and its General Terms and Conditions. In no event is a Bidder to submit its own standard contract terms and conditions in response to this RFQQ. The Bidder may submit exceptions documented in the Contract Issues Exhibit. OSPI will review requested exceptions and accept or reject the same at its sole discretion.

Should contract negotiations fail to be completed within two (2) weeks after initiation, the Agency may immediately cease contract negotiations, declare the Bidder with the second highest score as the new Apparent Successful Bidder, and enter into contract negotiations with that Vendor. This process will continue until the Contracts are signed or no qualified Bidders remain.

B.15. COSTS TO PROPOSE

OSPI will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Consultant in preparation of a proposal submitted in response to this RFQQ, in conduct of a presentation, or any other activities related to responding to this RFQQ.

B.16. NO OBLIGATION TO CONTRACT

This RFQQ does not obligate the State of Washington or OSPI to contract for services specified herein. OSPI also reserves the right to cancel or to reissue the RFQQ as a whole or in part, prior to execution of a contract without penalty.

RFQQ No. 2027-02 Page 18 of 59

B.17. REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

OSPI reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all proposals received without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this RFQQ.

B.18. COMMITMENT OF FUNDS

Only an authorized representative of OSPI may legally commit OSPI to the expenditures of funds for a contract resulting from this RFQQ. No cost chargeable to the proposed contract may be incurred before receipt of a fully executed contract.

B.19. STATEWIDE VENDOR PAYMENT REGISTRATION

Consultants awarded contracts as a result of this RFQQ will be required to register as a Statewide Vendor (SWV). The SWV file is a central vendor file maintained by the Office of Financial Management for use by Washington State agencies in processing vendor payments. This allows vendors to receive payments from all participating state agencies by direct deposit, the State's preferred method of payment. All OSPI Contractors are required to register as a Statewide Vendor; however, participation in direct deposit is optional. For online registration, visit the Office of Financial Management Statewide Vendor/Payee Services website.

B.20. WASHINGTON STATE BUSINESS REGISTRATION

Consultants awarded contracts as a result of this RFQQ will be required to register with the Washington Secretary of State and/or Washington State Department of Revenue if registration requirements set forth by the Department of Revenue apply.

B.21. INSURANCE COVERAGE

The Apparent Successful Bidder must comply with the insurance requirements identified in the General Terms and Conditions.

The Contractor shall, at its own expense, obtain and keep in force insurance coverage which shall be maintained in full force and effect during the term of the Contract. The Contractor shall furnish evidence in the form of a Certificate of Insurance that insurance shall be provided, and a copy shall be forwarded to OSPI within fifteen (15) days of the contract effective date.

https://ofm.wa.gov/it-systems/statewide-vendorpayee-services https://dor.wa.gov/open-business/apply-business-license

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Section C. PROPOSAL CONTENTS

This section identifies how to prepare and submit a bid/proposal for this Competitive Solicitation. In addition, bidders will need to review and follow the Competitive Solicitation requirements including those set forth in the exhibits, which identifies the information that bidders must provide to the Procurement Coordinator to constitute a responsive bid. By responding to this Competitive Solicitation and submitting a bid, bidders acknowledge having read and understood the entire Competitive Solicitation and accept all information contained within this Competitive Solicitation.

C.1. SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Consultants shall submit proposals as an attachment to an email to the RFQQ Coordinator noted in Section B.1. Proposals must arrive by 12:00 p.m. PT on August 17, 2026. The RFQQ number must be noted in the email subject line. Attachments to the email shall be Microsoft Word, Portable Document Format (PDF), or a zipped file. The maximum file size that can be received via email at OSPI is 35MB. Bidders should also be aware of their own service provider's limits which may be more restrictive. Proposals that exceed such limits may be submitted via OneDrive.

OSPI does not assume responsibility for any problems with the electronic delivery of materials, unless it is determined that OSPI’s email system or server was at fault.

Proposals not received by the deadline will not be reviewed. Late proposals will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified from further consideration. Proposals must respond to the procurement requirements. Do not respond by referring to material presented elsewhere. The proposal must be complete and must stand on its own merits.

Failure to respond to any portion of the procurement document may result in rejection of the proposal as non-responsive. All proposals and any accompanying documentation become the property of OSPI and will not be returned.

C.2. PROPOSAL OVERVIEW

Proposals must be formatted to print on eight and one-half by eleven (8 ½ x 11) inch paper size with individual sections clearly identified. The Letter of Submittal, excluding the signed exhibits, shall be a maximum of one (1) page. The three (3) major sections of the proposal are to be submitted in the order noted below:

1. Letter of Submittal including signed certifications, as applicable

a. Certifications and Assurances

b. Contract Issues List (if applicable)

c. Qualification Affirmations

d. Contract Intake Form

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2. Management Proposal

3. Cost Proposal

Proposals must provide information in the same order as presented in this document with the same headings. This will not only be helpful to the evaluators of the proposal, but should assist the Consultant in preparing a thorough response.

C.3. LETTER OF SUBMITTAL

The Letter of Submittal shall include introductory remarks, contact information for the Bidder’s point of contact for the proposal, and applicable certifications must be signed and dated by a person authorized to legally bind the Consultant to a contractual relationship, (e.g., the President or Executive Director if a corporation, the managing partner if a partnership, or the proprietor if a sole proprietorship).

C.4. MANAGEMENT PROPOSAL

C.4.i. Project Management/Team Structure/Internal Controls

Provide a description of the proposed project team structure and internal controls to be used during the course of the project, including any subcontractors. Identify staff, including subcontractors, who will be assigned to the potential contract, indicating the responsibilities and qualifications of such personnel, and include the amount of time each will be assigned to the project.

Provide an organizational chart of your firm indicating lines of authority for personnel involved in performance of this potential contract and relationships of this staff to other programs or functions of the firm. This chart must also show lines of authority to the next senior level of management. Include who within the firm will have prime responsibility and final authority for the work.

C.4.ii. Experience of the Consultant/Staff/Subcontractors

Relevant Experience – Describe how the Consultant meets the minimum qualifications and, if applicable, the desired qualifications. Include other relevant experience that indicates the qualifications of the Consultant, and any subcontractors, for the performance of the potential contract.

Bidder shall also affirm minimum qualifications on the Qualification Affirmations Form.

Related Contracts – Include a list of contracts the Consultant has had during the last five

(5) years that relate to the Consultant’s ability to perform the services needed under this

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RFQQ. List contract reference numbers, contract period of performance, contact persons, phone numbers, and email addresses.

C.4.iii. References

List names, addresses, telephone numbers, and fax numbers/email addresses of three (3) business references for whom work has been accomplished and briefly describe the type of service provided for them.

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFQQ, the Consultant and team members grant permission to OSPI to contact these references and others who, from OSPI’s perspective, may have pertinent information. OSPI may or may not, at OSPI’s discretion, contact these references or others. OSPI reserves the right to use references to confirm satisfactory customer service, performance, satisfaction with service/product, knowledge of products/service/industry and timeliness. Any negative or unsatisfactory reference can be reason for rejecting a bidder as non-responsible.

C.4.iv. Past Performance

Provide information regarding past performance by indicating if the Consultant has received notification of contract breach in the past five (5) years. This does not lead to automatic disqualification. However, OSPI reserves the right to disqualify Consultant proposals based on the Consultant’s historical performance, as outlined above in Section B. General Information for Consultants, 11. Responsiveness.

C.4.v. Examples/Samples of Related Projects/Previous Work

Provide three examples or samples of previous work/deliverables for related projects.

C.4.vi. Subcontractors

Identify any known or potential subcontractors who will be assigned to the potential contract.

Once a contract is awarded, the contract will be subject to compliance tracking using the State’s business diversity management system, Access Equity (B2Gnow). Confidential information (Tax ID, etc.) will not be published. Contractors that have previously registered with B2Gnow for any public entity, must verify the system has updated information. User guides and documentation related to Contractor and Subcontractor access to and use of Access Equity are provided by the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises in the Access Equity Help Center.

https://omwbe.diversitycompliance.com/ https://omwbe.wa.gov/access-equity-help-center

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Each month during the contract, the Contractor is required to report payments to all Subcontractors through the Access Equity system. This monthly reporting information includes total payment in dollars made to the Subcontractor, payment dates, and any additional information required to verify payment to Subcontractors. The Contractor shall enter this payment information into the Access Equity system, and require the Subcontractors verify the information in the system. Online training is available through the Access Equity/B2Gnow system. This requirement applies to both Contractors and Subcontractors, proposed during the procurement process and/or after a contract has been awarded and/or executed.

C.5. COST PROPOSAL

The evaluation process is designed to award this procurement not necessarily to the Consultant of least cost, but rather to the Consultant whose proposal best meets the requirements of this RFP. However, Consultants are encouraged to submit proposals that are consistent with state government efforts to conserve state resources.

In the event that bidder is awarded a Contract, the total price for the goods and/or services shall be bidder’s price as submitted. Except as provided in the Contract, there shall be no additional costs of any kind.

C.5.i. Identification of Costs

Identify all costs including expenses to be charged for performing the services necessary to accomplish the objectives of the Contract. The Consultant is to submit a fully detailed budget including staff costs, administrative costs, travel costs, and any other expenses necessary to accomplish the tasks and to produce the deliverables under the Contract. A bidder’s failure to identify all costs in a manner consistent with the instructions in this RFQQ is sufficient grounds for disqualification. Consultants are required to collect and pay Washington State sales tax, if applicable.

C.5.ii. Travel Costs

If the Consultant’s proposal includes any travel-related expenses as a line item, they are to be broken out separately. Any applicable mileage, meals, lodging, or other travel-related expenses, will be reimbursed in accordance with Washington State travel regulations established by the Office of Financial Management.

C.5.iii. Subcontractor Costs

Costs for subcontractors are to be broken out separately. Please note if any subcontractors are certified by the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises.

http://www.ofm.wa.gov/policy/10.htm

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C.5.iv. Indirect Costs Per OSPI’s indirect costs policy, the maximum amount that may be charged or included in contracts is the following:

Entity State Contracts Federal Contracts

School Districts State recovery rate

Federal indirect rates, per OSPI’s agreement with the U.S. Department of Education

Educational Service Districts Per annual letter of agreement by K-12 Financial Resources Division

Per annual letter of agreement by K-12 Financial Resources Division

All other entities (including higher education, non-profits, independent consultants, etc.)

10% 10%

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Section D. EVALUATION AND AWARD

D.1. EVALUATION PROCEDURE

Responsive proposals will be evaluated strictly in accordance with the requirements stated in this RFQQ and any addenda issued. The evaluation of proposals shall be accomplished by an evaluation team, to be designated by OSPI, which will determine the ranking of the proposals.

In addition to presiding over the evaluation team, the RFQQ Coordinator may review the submittals, provide input, assemble evaluation aids, or perform other functions helpful to the team. Evaluators may engage in a free flow of discussion among themselves and the RFP Coordinator prior to, during, and after the evaluation.

For responsive bids, OSPI will determine whether the bidder is a “responsible bidder.”

Accordingly, OSPI may make reasonable inquiry to determine bidder responsibility on a pass/fail basis. In determining bidder responsibility, OSPI may consider the following statutory elements:

• Bidder’s ability, capacity, and skill to perform the contract or provide the service required;

• Bidder’s character, integrity, reputation, judgment, experience, and efficiency;

• Bidder’s ability to perform the contract within the time specified;

• Bidder’s performance quality pertaining to previous contracts or services;

• Bidder’s compliance with laws relating to the contract or services;

• Whether, within the three-year period immediately preceding the date of the

Competitive Solicitation, bidder has been determined by a final and binding citation and notice of assessment issued by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries or through a civil judgment entered by a court of limited or general jurisdiction to have willfully violated, as defined in RCW 49.48.082, any provision of chapter 49.46, 49.48, or 49.52 RCW; and

• Such other information as may be secured having a bearing on the decision to award the Contract.

In accordance with RCW 39.26.160(2)(a)-(g), OSPI may request financial statements, credit ratings, references, record of past performance, clarification of bidder’s bid, on-site inspection of bidder's or subcontractor's facilities, or other information as necessary to determine bidder’s capacity to perform and the enforceability of bidder’s contractual commitments. Failure to respond to these requests may result in a bid being rejected as non-responsive.

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D.2. EVALUATION AND SCORING

The following points will be assigned to the proposals for evaluation purposes:

Category Maximum Points Possible Responsive to Minimum Qualifications and Requirements Pass/Fail Responsible Bidder Pass/Fail

Management Proposal 70 points

Knowledge of Department of Education and Department of Agriculture federal grants, including, but not limited to, the federal grants included under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act (Perkins V), and the Child Nutrition Act.

Knowledge of federal grant requirements, including, but not limited to, EDGAR, Uniform Grant Guidance and the federal compliance supplement.

Experience providing professional documents and trainings to stakeholders.

Knowledge of external auditing of federal grants and internal controls.

Cost Proposal 30 points

Subtotal 100 points Reference Checks (if determined necessary by OSPI) 10 Interview/Demonstration (if determined necessary by OSPI) 5 TOTAL POINTS POSSIBLE 115 points

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D.3. REFERENCE CHECKS

References may be contacted for the top-scoring Bidder(s) only and will then be scored and added to the total score.

By submitting a proposal in response to this RFQQ, the Consultant and team members grant permission to OSPI to contact these references and others who, from OSPI’s perspective, may have pertinent information. OSPI may or may not, at OSPI’s discretion, contact these references or others. OSPI reserves the right to use references to confirm satisfactory customer service, performance, satisfaction with service/product, knowledge of products/service/industry and timeliness. Any negative or unsatisfactory reference can be reason for rejecting a bidder as non-responsible.

D.4. INTERVIEW/DEMONSTRATION

After bids are received and written evaluations are completed, OSPI, at its sole discretion, may request that one or more top bidders with the highest-scored proposals participate in an oral interview and/or presentation or demonstration. Should OSPI elect to hold interviews/demonstrations, it will contact the top-scoring bidder(s) to schedule a date, time, and location. Bidder(s) is/are encouraged to hold the date(s) indicated in the Estimated Schedule of Procurement Activities. OSPI will provide further instruction at the time of scheduling demonstrations/interviews. Commitments made by the Bidder at the interview/demonstration, if any, will be considered binding.

The scores from the written evaluation and the oral presentation combined together will determine the Apparent Successful Bidder.

D.5. SELECTION OF APPARENT SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

OSPI reserves the right to award the contract to the Bidder whose proposal is deemed to be in the best interest of and most advantageous to OSPI and the state of Washington. The selected bidder will be declared the Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB).

The date of announcement of the ASB will be the date the announcement is emailed. The State will enter into contract negotiations with the ASB. Should contract negotiations fail to be completed within two (2) weeks after initiation, the State may immediately cease contract negotiations, declare the Bidder with the second highest score as the new ASB, and enter into contract negotiations with that Bidder. This process will continue until the Contracts are signed or no qualified Bidders remain. Alternatively, OSPI reserves the right to cancel this solicitation and not award a contract to any Bidder.

Upon OSPI’s announcement of ASB, all bid submissions and all bid evaluations are subject to public disclosure pursuant to Washington’s Public Records Act.

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Following announcement of ASB, the agency will publicly post awarded bid(s) and bid award documents to its website.