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Special Education Services For Schools in DoDEA-Americas
1. General Information and Scope of Work
1.1 The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) Americas’ region is seeking information to identify interested and qualified sources capable of providing any or all the eleven (11) special education services required at one (1) or more of fifteen (15) DoDEA-Americas’ region school communities zones. DoDEA provides kindergarten (Pre-K) through 12th grade educational requirements. The Americas schools are located within the continental United States as well as Puerto Rico and Cuba.
1.2 The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is seeking to identify any business under North American Industry Classification Code (NAICS) 611710 – Educational Support Services willing to enter into a Firm Fixed Price (FFP), Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) with special education services contractors selected as result of this sources sought notice. Specifically, prospective contractors having the skills and capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements are invited to provide a letter of interest and capabilities (whitepaper). These services are needed to provide Special Education for DoDEA students (classroom grades Pre-K to 12th) for the Americas’ Region Southeast and Mid-Atlantic Districts.
1.3 These BPAs will allow for the award of individual BPA calls for the performance of special education services for the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA). DoDEA’s schools are the intended primary customer with BPA calls being issued by authorized Contracting Officer’s within the DoDEA Procurement Division.
Award of a BPA calls under these agreements will be made only after the Contracting Officer has made a determination that the offer represent the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable offer. A BPA call should become binding upon issuance of the call by the Contracting Officer.
The total Master Basic Blanket Purchase Agreement value for all BPA calls shall not exceed $3,000,000.00 for the total anticipated duration of this agreement. Upon exhausting the $3,000,000.00 value, the agreement will cease, and no further calls will be awarded.
The initial term of this agreement shall be for a period of ten (10) years. Agreement shall be review annually by the Contracting Officer.
EXTENT OF OBBLIGATION. The Government is obligated under these BPAs only to the extent of the individual BPA calls awarded against these agreements. These agreements specifies no BPA calls agreements guaranteed minimum and this agreement does not preclude the Government from contracting for similar special education contractors utilizing other contract vehicles.
DoDEA Government Commercial Purchase Cardholders (GCPC) are not authorized to issue a call either orally, by fax or by e-mail against the established BPAs.
1.4 The number, type and location of services may increase/decrease unexpectedly each school year due to the arrival/departure of military’s family members and prolonged leave of absence of DoDEA’s practitioners. Services shall include screenings (as needed) and attending individual education program (IEP) and parent meetings regarding the children they are serving. The description of required services are provided below:
| Required Services |
| Definition |
| ASL- American Sign Language |
| A sign language interpreter is a specialist who helps to facilitate communication between deaf or hard of hearing students, customers, employees, clients, etc., and other people either in one-on-one setting or group situations, including staff and students in classrooms, meetings, and activities. |
| HI - Hearing Impaired |
| Teaches preschool, elementary, or secondary classes in academic, elective, or special subjects to educate deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Prepares, adapts, and delivers instructional material to deaf and hard-of-hearing students. Adapts curricula and uses research-based teaching methods based on assessment of students' needs. |
| BCBA - Board Certified Behavior Analyst |
| Provides behavior analytic services to both exceptional and general education staff in supporting students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and/or other behavioral disorders in the least restrictive environment, as well as provides direct services to students as needed. Provide an individual treatment plan designed by the BCBA and based on the student's IEP. Treatment shall focus on the following: Ameliorating behaviors that may include aggression against self and others, stealing, threatening, running away, avoidance, defiance, and property destruction. Supervises the RBT. |
| RBT - Registered Behavior Technician |
| A Registered Behavior Technician (RBT) performs a variety of activities in support of instructional programs for students and assists teachers and staff in the implementation of programs and materials to enhance the students’ learning experiences. The RBT works under close, ongoing consultation of a Board-Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). The RBT is primarily responsible for the direct implementation of behavior plans, analytic techniques, data collection, and evidence-based practices. |
| PT- Physical Therapy |
| Conducts evaluations and observations to determine if students require services. Performs therapeutic interventions, including compensation, remediation and prevention strategies and adaptations, focusing on functional mobility and safe, efficient access and participation in educational activities and routines in natural learning environments. Give assessments and develops goals for individual education plans. Collaborates with other service providers to improve student outcomes. |
| OT-Occupational Therapy |
| Responsible for providing occupational therapy services to meet the individual needs of students who qualify for services. The OT is responsible for screening, assessing daily living, and work skills of students with physical, mental, or developmental conditions. They develop goals and planning/implementing appropriate occupational therapy services to maximize student educational access for learning. Give assessments and develop goals for individual education plans. Collaborates with other service providers to improve student outcomes. |
| VI- Visually Impaired |
| Is a special education teacher who has received certification and specialized training in meeting the educational needs of students who are blind or have visual impairments. A TVI assesses the student’s needs and teaches specific skills, as well as helps classroom teachers and others adapt materials and curriculum to make them accessible. A TVI also has primary responsibility for specialized instruction and services required to meet the unique educational needs of her visually impaired students. |
| OM - Orientation and Mobility Services |
| Provide instruction to students with visual impairments in the use of their remaining senses to learn independent life skill concepts, determine their position within the environment, and in techniques for safe travel within school and outdoor environments. Confer regularly with classroom teachers, physical education teachers, physical therapists, and other school personnel to assist in classroom modifications to ensure reinforcement of appropriate O&M skills that will encourage the visually impaired student to travel independently in these settings and in the future. |
| Speech Therapy |
| Provides specialized program that helps school aged people improve their communication skills. It involves: Assessment: Evaluating speech and language issues. Therapeutic Exercises: Engaging in activities to improve speech clarity and language skills. Voice and Fluency: Addressing voice and stuttering problems. Alternative Communication: Using sign language or devices when needed. Articulation and Pronunciation: Correcting speech sound difficulties, especially in children. Language Development: Enhancing vocabulary and grammar. Responsible for the development of goals for Individualized Education Plans, data collection, and collaboration with other service providers. |
| School Psychologist |
| Provides a range of services designed to support students’ learning, growth, and development. They are knowledgeable in student mental health and learning/behavior, and they partner with various stakeholders throughout the school and community to support students’ academic and emotional needs. School psychology programs are designed to foster safe, healthy, and supportive learning environments that strengthen connections between the school, home, and community. School psychologists aim to improve academic achievement, support diverse learners, promote positive behaviors and safe school climates, and strengthen school-family partnerships. Core functions of school psychologists include mental health interventions, behavior management, crisis intervention and response, assessment, and consultation and collaboration. |
| Assistive Technology |
| In schools, assistive technology can be critical in allowing students with disabilities to access the general education curriculum. Students who experience challenges writing or keyboarding, for example, can use voice recognition software instead. Assistive technology can ameliorate the effects of disabilities that limit the ability to perform ADLs. Assistive technology promotes greater independence by enabling people to perform tasks they were formerly unable to accomplish, or had great difficulty accomplishing, by providing enhancements to, or changing methods of interacting with, the technology needed to accomplish such tasks. |
1.5 Request for Information Only. This RFI is issued solely for information and planning purposes – it does not constitute a Request for Quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future. This request for information does not commit the Government to contract for any supply or service whatsoever. Further, DoDEA is not at this time seeking quotes and will not accept unsolicited quotes. Responders are advised that the U.S. Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; all costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested party’s expense. Not responding to this RFI does not preclude participation in any future RFQ, if any is issued. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the SAM.gov website. It is the responsibility of the potential offerors to monitor this site for additional information about this requirement.
2. Background.
2.1 DoDEA must provide a free and appropriate public education to all students enrolled in its schools, including ones with disabilities. DoD Instruction1342.12, “Provision of Early Intervention and Special Education Services to Eligible DoD Dependents” (June 2015), implements policies and procedures for managing special education services to eligible DoD dependents.
2.2 The table below provides a breakout of each projected zone with their required special education category:
Districts CTR
Services Needed Projected Zones
SE
SE
| Fort Campbell, KY |
| TBD |
| TBD |
| MID-A |
| 21D4010 |
| Quantico VA, |
| ASL & HI |
| Projected start date 6 Jan 25 |
| MID-A |
| 20P4018 |
| Fort Buchanan PR |
| HI |
| Projected start date 6 Jan 25 |
| SE |
| 23P4010 |
| Fort Stewart, GA |
| ASL |
| Projected start date 15 Dec 25 66 if necessary |
| MID-A |
| 20P4021 |
| Ramey Unit PR |
| PT |
| Projected start date 6 Jan 25 |
SE
| MID-A |
| 24P4004 |
| Camp Lejeune |
| BCBA |
RBT
Projected start date 29 Jan 25
| MID-A |
| 23P4004 |
| Fort Liberty, NC |
| BCBA |
RBT
Projected start date 29 Jan 25
| MID-A |
| 19D4006 |
| Camp Lejeune |
| BCBA |
| Projected start date 6 Jan 25 |
| MID-A |
| 19D4006 |
| Fort Liberty, NC |
| BCBA |
| Projected start date 6 Jan 25 |
SE
MID-A
SE
SE
SE
MID-A
| Guantanamo Bay, Cuba |
| TBD |
| TBD |
Note: More special education categories will be added accordingly as the need arises for each of the special education services described above.
3. Responses.
3.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a whitepaper.
3.2 RFI Whitepaper. The RFI whitepaper should be in Microsoft Word format and are due no later than 23 May 2024, 11:00 AM EST. The whitepaper response is limited to ten (10) single sided pages and submitted via e-mail only to the following points of contact:
Mr. Jordan Dowell jordan.dowell@dodea.edu (Contract Specialist) Octavio Palmero at octavio.palmero@dodea.edu., (Contracting Officer).
3.3 Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate proprietary information. Please be advised that all submissions become Government property and will not be returned.
3.4 Additionally, interested contractors shall submit an email to the POCs described above NLT 2 May 2024, expressing their interest to participate in the DoDEA BPAs for Special Education Services. This information will be used to send invitations for an industry day scheduled tentatively for 16 May 2024/11:00 A.M location to be determined.
3.5 Section 1 of the whitepaper shall provide administrative information to include the following as a minimum:
a. Company name, DBA name (if applicable), mailing address, and CAGE code.
b. Company’s North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.
c. Designated point of contact name, title, phone number, and email address.
d. Business type based upon the NAICS codes your business uses to provide the requested services, e.g., large business, small business, 8(a)-certified business, etc. (Refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation 19 for additional information on small business size standards.)
e. Describe, if applicable, any subcontracting possibilities. Note: The prime must perform at least 51 percent of the work.
3.6 Section 2 of the RFI whitepaper, as a minimum, shall address the following questions:
a. Your organization’s experience in providing the required special education services in any or all the school communities zones.
b. Your organization’s capabilities in providing the required special education services in any or all the school communities zones (complete attch_1)
c. Pricing: Provide a non-binding price estimate for the full-loaded per section/hour salary rate for each of the required special education services per location – this information will be kept confidential (complete attch_2).
d. Recommendations: Provide any recommendations you believe might improve the Government’s performance work statement.
4. Industry Day. DoDEA procurement will reach out via email to each interested parties to provide additional information for Industry Day which is schedule tentatively for 16 May 2024/11:00 A.M Eastern Standard Time. The intent is to provide greater clarification on such things as the performance work statement, school communities zones, contract vehicle to be utilized, partnerships with other offerors, capabilities, and experience needed on the required services.
5. Questions. Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by email to the Contract Specialist, Jordan Dowell and Contracting Officer, Octavio Palmero at the following email addresses: jorda.dowell@dodea.edu. and octavio.palmero@dodea.edu.
Verbal questions will not be accepted. Questions will be answered via email and will not contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after Tuesday, April 23 will be answered.
Technical Exhibit #1: SCHOOLS AND ENROLLMENT BY ZONE
| Mid-Atlantic District |
| Southeast District |
| West Point, NY Zone - Enrollment* |
| Fort Campbell, KY Zone - Enrollment* |
| West Point ES |
| 480 |
| Andre Lucas ES |
| 610 |
| West Point MS |
| 160 |
| Barkley ES |
| 655 |
| Quantico Zone |
| Fort Campbell HS |
| 450 |
| Crossroads ES |
| 610 |
| Mahaffey MS |
| 560 |
| Dahlgren EMS |
| 70 |
| Marshall ES |
| 590 |
Fort Knox, KY Zone
| Fort Liberty Zone |
| Fort Knox MHS |
| 600 |
| Albritton MS |
| 360 |
| Kingsolver ES |
| 480 |
| Bowley ES |
| 320 |
| Scott IS |
| 240 |
| Devers ES |
| 410 |
| Van Voors ES |
| 310 |
| Hampton PS |
| 550 |
| Fort Moore, GA Zone |
| Irwin IS |
| 470 |
| Dexter ES |
| 310 |
| Poole ES |
| 430 |
| Faith MS |
| 340 |
| Shughart ES |
| 370 |
| McBride ES |
| 460 |
| Shughart MS |
| 340 |
| Stowers ES |
| 450 |
Camp Lejeune Zone
| Bitz IS (Lejeune) |
| 310 |
| Laurel Bay, SC Zone |
| Brewster MS |
| 460 |
| Bolden EMS (Laurel) |
| 180 |
| DeLalio ES |
| 120 |
| Elliott ES |
| 240 |
| Johnson PS |
| 460 |
| Fort Jackson, SC Zone |
| Lejeune HS |
| 380 |
| Pierce Terrace ES |
| 220 |
| Tarawa Terrace ES |
| 460 |
| Pickney ES |
| 320 |
| Fort Buchanan Zone |
| Fort Stewart, GA Zone |
| Antilles ES |
| 350 |
| Diamond ES |
| 640 |
| Antilles MS |
| 530 |
| Kessler ES |
| 344 |
| Antilles HS |
| 360 |
| Murray ES |
| 350 |
| Ramey Zone |
| Fort Novosel, AL Zone |
| Ramey Unit School |
| 340 |
| Parker ES |
| 590 |
| Guantanamo Bay Zone |
| Maxwell AFB, AL Zone |
| WT Sampson EHS |
| 200 |
| Maxwell AFB EMS |
| 310 |
| Total Enrollment |
| 9,550 |
| Total Enrollment |
| 10,320 |
* Projected enrollment for SY24-25 rounded to the nearest ten students.
Technical Exhibit #2: SPECIAL EDUCATION AND ENROLLMENT COMPARISONS
| Zones |
| School |
| Overall Population |
| Special Education |
Total
% SPED
| Fort Stewart |
| Kessler ES |
| 310 |
| 63 |
| 20% |
| Fort Stewart |
| Murray ES |
| 315 |
| 58 |
| 18% |
| Fort Stewart |
| Diamond ES |
| 575 |
| 110 |
| 19% |
| Ft. Campbell |
| Barkley ES |
| 622 |
| 147 |
| 25% |
| Ft. Campbell |
| Marshall ES |
| 590 |
| 133 |
| 21% |
| Ft. Campbell |
| Barsanti ES |
| 585 |
| 141 |
| 24% |
| Ft. Campbell |
| Lucas ES |
| 611 |
| 150 |
| 25% |
| Ft. Campbell |
| Mahaffey MS |
| 547 |
| 133 |
| 23% |
| Fort Liberty |
| Bowley ES |
| 294 |
| 70 |
| 24% |
| Fort Liberty |
| Devers ES |
| 390 |
| 80 |
| 21% |
| Fort Liberty |
| Gordon ES |
| 408 |
| 97 |
| 24% |
| Fort Liberty |
| Irwin IS |
| 467 |
| 122 |
| 26% |
| Fort Liberty |
| Hampton PS |
| 520 |
| 117 |
| 23% |
| Fort Liberty |
| Poole ES |
| 413 |
| 92 |
| 22% |
| Fort Liberty |
| Shughart ES |
| 351 |
| 76 |
| 22% |
| Fort Moore |
| Dexter ES |
| 295 |
| 65 |
| 22% |
| Fort Moore |
| EA White |
| 466 |
| 98 |
| 21% |
| Fort Moore |
| Stowers ES |
| 412 |
| 96 |
| 23% |
| Fort Moore |
| McBride |
| 426 |
| 111 |
| 26% |
| Camp Lejeune |
| Crossroads ES |
| 625 |
| 118 |
| 19% |
| Camp Lejeune |
| Tarawa Terrace ES |
| 485 |
| 124 |
| 25% |
| Camp Lejeune |
| Johnson PS |
| 461 |
| 101 |
| 21% |
| Camp Lejeune |
| Heroes ES |
| 419 |
| 97 |
| 23% |
| Camp Lejeune |
| Bitz IS |
| 332 |
| 83 |
| 25% |
| Puerto Rico |
| Antilles ES |
| 509 |
| 110 |
| 22% |
| Puerto Rico |
| Antilles MS |
| 292 |
| 54 |
| 18% |
| Fort Novosel |
| Parker ES |
| 577 |
| 110 |
| 19% |
| Totals |
| 12,297 |
| 2,756 |
| 22.4% |
Source: DoDEA Student Information System, December 21, 2023
Department of Defense Education Activity