RFP 202606104 Public School Electronic Health Record_FINAL.docx.crdownload

STATE OF MAINE

Department of Education Office of School and Student Supports

RFP# 202606104

Public School Electronic Health Record

RFP Coordinator

Submitted Questions Due Date

July 8, 2026, no later than 4:00 p.m., local time

no later than 4:00 p.m., local time

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

A. PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND

B. GENERAL PROVISIONS

C. ELIGIBILITY TO SUBMIT BIDS

D. CONTRACT TERM

E. NUMBER OF AWARDS

A. VENDOR SELF SERVICE SYSTEM (VSS)

B. QUESTIONS

C. AMENDMENTS

D. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION

A. EVALUATION PROCESS – GENERAL INFORMATION

B. SCORING WEIGHTS AND PROCESS

C. NEGOTIATIONS

D. SELECTION AND AWARD

E. APPEAL OF CONTRACT AWARDS

A. CONTRACT DOCUMENT

B. STANDARD STATE CONTRACT PROVISIONS

APPENDIX A – PROPOSAL COVER PAGE

APPENDIX B – RESPONSIBLE BIDDER CERTIFICATION

APPENDIX C – QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE FORM

APPENDIX D – SUBCONTRACTORS FORM

APPENDIX E – TECHNICAL ASSESSMENT FORM

APPENDIX F – PROPOSED SERVICES FORM

APPENDIX G – GENERAL/TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

APPENDIX H – COST PROPOSAL FORM

PUBLIC NOTICE

State of Maine Department of Education

RFP# 202606104

Public School Electronic Health Record

The State of Maine is seeking proposals for a secure, cloud-based, comprehensive electronic documentation system for school nursing services that all public schools may use in a paperless, uniform, complete, confidential manner.

A copy of the RFP and all related documents can be obtained through Vendor Self Service (VSS): https://mevss.hostams.com/PRDVSS1X1/AltSelfService

Proposals must be submitted to the Office of State Procurement Services, via Vendor Self Service (VSS). Proposal submissions must be received no later than 4:00 p.m., local time, on July 17, 2026. Proposals will be opened the following business day.

RFP TERMS/ACRONYMS with DEFINITIONS

The following terms and acronyms, as referenced in the RFP, have the meanings indicated below:

State of Maine Department of Education Office of School and Student Supports

RFP# 202606104

Public School Electronic Health Record

PART I INTRODUCTION

A. Purpose and Background

The Department of Education (Department) is seeking proposals for a secure, cloud-based, comprehensive electronic documentation system for school nursing services that all Maine public and charter schools may use in a paperless, uniform, complete, confidential manner. The awarded Bidder will provide outreach, training, and assistance to local education agencies (LEAs) that elect to use the solution as defined in this Request for Proposals (RFP) document. An LEA use of the electronic health record (EHR) is not required and will be an opt-in solution. This document provides instructions for submitting proposals, the procedure and criteria by which the awarded Bidder will be selected, and the contractual terms which will govern the relationship between the State of Maine (State) and the awarded Bidder.

Maine provides public education to 169,024 students. The below chart provides State and LEA statistics as of 2025/26 school year.

While Maine schools function under local control, the mission of the Department is to promote the best learning opportunities for all Maine students by: focusing on a whole student approach; encouraging innovation; respecting educators; providing information, guidance, professional learning, and support to schools and educators; providing adequate and equitable school funding and resources; and inspiring trust in our schools. The Department is committed to creating sustainable infrastructure that strengthens the capacity of our educational system. This is reflected in two of the Department’s strategic priorities:

· Promote education, excellence, and equity for all Maine learners

· Ensure student and school safety, health, and wellbeing.

Supporting student success has become more than having strong academic support. Schools have been increasingly tasked with ensuring that students have foundational physical, behavioral and mental health support, which require the LEA to employ highly specialized professionals within medical and mental health fields and to provide them with the needed tools to effectively do their work.

The position of the National Association of School Nurses (NASN) is that all school nursing practice should be documented within an EHR (National Association of School Nurses Position Statement: Electronic Health Records: An essential school nursing tool for supporting Student Health. (2024). The Journal of School Nursing, 40(3), 352–354. https://doi.org/10.1177/10598405241241804). While some SAUs provide an electronic record for some of services nurses provide, this is not consistent across the state and is not easily transferrable from one school to another as a student moves through the system. According to the Maine School Health Annual Report in 2024, a survey of all SAUs in Maine, only thirteen point two percent (13.2%) of schools have an EHR, while 23.3 percent report only documenting on paper. The other sixty-three percent (63%) report using their student information system as their documentation system for health services.

An EHR system enables consistent, confidential documentation of support services; improves communication and referrals among school specialists; facilitates secure record transfers when students move schools; and streamlines state and federal data reporting without adding to staff workloads. It also positions schools for a future where student health information flows more freely, not just between schools, but across the wider healthcare ecosystem.

As the Department expands access to and the adoption of EHRs in schools, it is aligning with current national standards in student health management. This progress also opens the door to exploring how student health information, such as hearing and vision screening results, could be shared through the state health information exchange (HealthInfoNet), reducing barriers across the continuum of student healthcare. The Department’s goal is to bring Maine schools' EHR capability in line with evidence-based standards, strengthening the foundation for delivering high-quality services to students and families.

This work also supports the state's broader health improvement goals as outlined in the State of Maine Health Improvement Plan, particularly the commitment to equitable access to care for all people that promotes health and well-being. A statewide school EHR creates a platform for the Department to collaborate across agencies, providers, and partners, advancing a long-term vision for a more integrated, student-centered healthcare system.

Eventually, through this project, the Department will have the ability to streamline the service delivery system and the data systems behind it to ensure an increase in data quality and, therefore, accuracy in its MaineCare Billing system, contributing to long-term program stability and responsive use of state resources. The Department looks forward to building on this partnership with the Maine Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) and with other partners in the Maine Healthcare community, supporting school-based medical, behavioral, and mental health services.

B. General Provisions

1. From the time the RFP is issued until award notification is made, all contact with the State regarding the RFP must be made through the RFP Coordinator. No other person/State employee is empowered to make binding statements regarding the RFP. Violation of this provision may lead to disqualification from the bidding process, at the State’s discretion.

2. Issuance of the RFP does not commit the Department to issue an award or to pay expenses incurred by a Bidder in the preparation of a response to the RFP. This includes attendance at personal interviews or other meetings and software or system demonstrations, where applicable.

3. All proposals must adhere to the instructions and format requirements outlined in the RFP and all written supplements and amendments (such as the Summary of Questions and Answers), issued by the Department. Proposals must follow the format and respond to all questions and instructions specified below in the “Proposal Submission Requirements” section of the RFP.

4. Bidders will take careful note that in evaluating a proposal submitted in response to the RFP, the Department will consider materials provided in the proposal, information obtained through interviews/presentations (if any), and internal Departmental information of previous contract history with the Bidder (if any). The Department also reserves the right to consider other reliable references and publicly available information in evaluating a Bidder’s experience and capabilities.

5. The proposal must be signed by a person authorized to legally bind the Bidder and must contain a statement that the proposal and the pricing contained therein will remain valid and binding for a period of 180 days from the date and time of the bid opening.

6. The RFP and the awarded Bidder’s proposal, including all appendices or attachments, will be the basis for the final contract, as determined by the Department.

7. Following announcement of an award decision, all records and documents regarding this RFP, including bid submissions, will be public records, available for public inspection pursuant to 5 M.R.S. §1825 B (6 &15) and the State of Maine Freedom of Access Act (FOAA) (1 M.R.S. § 401 et seq.). State contracts and information related to contracts, including all records, documents, supporting documents, and bid submissions, are public records unless otherwise excepted by statute (Id).

8. Subject to the above and pursuant to applicable law, in the event that a Bidder believes any information that it submits in response to this RFP is confidential, it must mark that information accordingly, and include citation to legal authority in support of the Bidder’s claim of confidentiality. In the event that the Department receives a FOAA request that includes submissions marked as confidential, the Department shall evaluate the information and any legal authority from the Bidder to determine whether the information is an exception to FOAA’s definition of public record. If the Department determines to release information that a Bidder has marked confidential, it shall provide advance notice to the Bidder to allow for them to seek legal relief.

9. The Department, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to recognize and waive minor informalities and irregularities found in proposals received in response to the RFP.

10. ACCESSIBILITY: All IT applications are required to comply with the Digital Accessibility Policy. In addition, all IT applications and content delivered through web browsers are required to comply with the State Web Standards.

11. STATE IT POLICIES: All IT products and services delivered as part of this Agreement shall conform to the State IT policies, standards, and procedures effective at the time this RFP is published.

12. If awarded a contract resulting from this RFP, vendors shall be required to disclose, in writing and in accordance with applicable Maine law, any actual or potential conflicts of interest. Such disclosure must include any financial, professional, or personal relationships that could give rise to a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest. Failure to disclose a known conflict or appearance of conflict may result in disqualification, contract termination, or other remedies as provided by law.

13. All applicable laws, whether or not herein contained, are included by this reference. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to determine the applicability and requirements of any such laws and to abide by them.

C. Contract Term

The Department is seeking cost-efficient proposals to provide services, as defined in this RFP, for the anticipated contract period defined in the table below. The dates below are estimated and may be adjusted, as necessary, in order to comply with all procedural requirements associated with the RFP and the contracting process. The actual contract start date will be established by a completed and approved contract.

Contract Renewal: Following the initial term of the contract, the Department may opt to renew the contract for two (2) renewal periods, as shown in the table below, and subject to continued availability of funding and satisfactory performance.

The term of the anticipated contract, resulting from the RFP, is defined as follows:

D. Number of Awards

The Department anticipates making one (1) award as a result of this RFP process.

PART II SCOPE OF SERVICES TO BE PROVIDED

This section of the RFP is intended to provide Bidders with an overview of the scope of services to be provided. Bidders will not directly respond to information in this section. Instead, Bidders will use the information provided in Part IV, Section III of this RFP to guide and develop their proposals.

The Department of Education (Department) is seeking a secure, cloud-based, comprehensive electronic health record (EHR) solution for use by Maine public and charter schools. The solution must support school nursing documentation, student health management, reporting, interoperability, and secure information sharing while promoting consistent and confidential recordkeeping practices across participating School Administrative Units (SAUs).

The awarded Bidder must provide implementation, onboarding, training, outreach, support, and related services necessary to deploy and maintain the solution for participating SAUs statewide.

A. Project Description

1. The Awarded Bidder will make the EHR solution available to any LEA as defined under this RFP and provide all oversight of planning, coordination, scheduling, and stakeholder engagement across participating entities.

2. The Awarded Bidder will conduct outreach to LEAs to increase awareness and knowledge of the EHR solution and the process to be onboarded with the goal of 30 percent (30%) uptake in year one of the contract period.

3. The Award Bidder must establish individual agreements, including data sharing agreements with the participating LEAs.

4. The Department will be responsible for the costs for the solution that is acquired under this RFP; however, the Awarded Bidder and the LEA may negotiate for services and modules in addition to this base product, but the LEA will be responsible for any additional costs.

5. The proposed solution must be hosted within the Continental United States.

B. Functional Requirements Bidders must provide a workable customizable-off-the-shelf (COTS) cloud-based EHR solution for use by SAUs within the State of Maine. The solution must include hosting within the continental United States. The solution must include the following functional requirements.

1. Provide an intuitive documentation system that occurs within the health office of a school, which includes but is not limited to screening, immunization, and episodic health room visits, managing students with chronic health conditions (emergency care planning; daily treatment and response data for students with conditions such as asthma; severe allergies; seizure disorders; and Type I Diabetes).

2. Use standard healthcare terminology (i.e., systematized nomenclature of medicine), such as North American Nursing Diagnosis Association (NANDA), Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC), Nursing Outcome Classification (NOC) that supports nursing documentation.

3. Have a uniform system of documentation for health issues to allow for easily created aggregate reporting to the Department.

4. Have referral tracking and management capabilities for various screenings, for example, hearing, vision, and oral health.

5. Have medication orders, inventory, and administration record capability:

a. Support medication-related alerts, reminders, and notification capabilities, including notifications for expiring medications, missing documentation, or scheduled medication administration activities.

b. Support documentation and tracking of medication administration incidents, refusals, and related follow-up activities.

6. Allow for the electronic transfer of records when a student transfers to a different school, program or district in an effort to facilitate uninterrupted services through the expedited sharing of student health information between districts, as outlined in Maine Revised Statute Title 20-A, Chapter 221, §6001-B.

a. Support continuity of student health records across grade progression, school transitions, and district transfers within participating SAUs.

7. Allow SAUs to access or purchase additional modules, if desired, to supplement the solution provided by the State, such as mental/behavioral health services.

8. Allow a nurse to create a complete digital copy of a student’s individual health plan or emergency action plan that could be shared with school staff in accordance with FERPA.

a. Allow authorized users to generate, print, electronically distribute, and securely store student health plans, emergency action plans, and related documentation.

b. Support configurable templates for student health plans, emergency action plans, and other nursing documentation.

9. Provide integration and interoperability with heath care billing systems, including Medicaid in alignment with current available practices through State of Maine MaineCare in Education and other applicable insurance billing standards.

a. Support secure electronic data exchange and interoperability with approved external healthcare, billing, and reporting systems.

b. Support future integration capabilities with additional State-approved systems and services without replacement of the core solution.

10. Integrate demographic student data from school information systems (e.g., PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, etc.).

11. Integrate with the Maine immunization tracking system managed by DHHS, Maine Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

a. Allow for encrypted email communication with parents/guardians.

b. Support secure import and export of data using standard file formats, including but not limited to CSV and Excel.

c. Support configurable automated notifications and communications related to screenings, immunizations, referrals, and other student health activities.

12. Maintain protected confidential notes.

a. Support configurable data validation rules and required-field controls to improve data quality and reduce incomplete or inaccurate documentation.

b. Support the ability for users to partially complete records or forms, save progress, and resume work at a later time.

13. Has the following configuration capabilities:

a. Medical and technology administrators;

b. Look up tables for required code sets;

c. A transaction change log (i.e. audit history); and

d. Role based, such as for nurse, substitute nurse, and health office assistant.

C. Technical Assessment:

The State of Maine requires Bidders to demonstrate they have the appropriate security controls in place to protect the State’s sensitive and/or confidential information. Bidders are required to explain their compliance with the security requirements listed in the Technical Assessment Form attached in Appendix E.

D. General/Technical Requirements In addition to the Technical Assessment, Bidders are required to explain their compliance with the General and Technical Requirements listed in Appendix G.

E. Project Management and Work Plan The Awarded Bidder will be required to utilize a formalized approach to project management which, at a minimum, will be compliant with the Project Management Institute (PMI) A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK guide).

1. Project Methodology: The Awarded Bidder must structure and follow a project management approach for planning, organizing, and managing the staff and activities throughout the life of the project. The project management approach must facilitate open and timely communication with the LEA and a strong working relationship to achieve the overall goal of completed system design performance that meets or exceeds user needs on time and within budget.

2. Project Manager: The Awarded Bidder will be required to assign an experienced Project Manager to the project. It is required that the bidder’s Project Manager be knowledgeable with the proposed solution. It is preferred that the Project Manager be Project Management Professional (PMP) certified. The Project Manager will be responsible for the successful completion of all work tasks as defined within the project work plan and will work under the direction of the LEA’s Project Manager.

3. Change Management: The Awarded Bidder’s Project Manager will be required to formally document and track all changes to the functional design, technical design, and/or to approved deliverables. For each potential change, the Awarded Bidder’s Project Manager will work closely with the LEA’s Project Manager to define and document the change, its benefits, and if necessary, its impact to the project schedule and budget. No work associated with a documented change will begin without first receiving written authorization from the LEA’s Project Manager.

4. Workplan: The Awarded Bidder’s Project Manager will be required to maintain a detailed project work plan, with content to be approved by the LEA’s Project Manager, through the full term of the contract. The Awarded Bidder’s Project Manager will be required to submit an updated work plan to the LEAs Project Manager on a date and time that will be determined during contract negotiations. The work plan will be incorporated into the contract between the Department and the Awarded Bidder and will be made a part thereof.

The work plan will be created and maintained with an automated project management tool and will include appropriate detail to provide project status, dependencies and risk/mitigation. The project work plan will be updated and submitted to the LEA’s Project Manager on a bi-weekly basis or at an alternative period of time that is formally specified and agreed to in writing by the LEA’s Project Manager.

F. Quality Assurance and Acceptance Project Quality Management ensures that the project satisfies the needs for which it was undertaken. The Awarded Bidder must develop a plan for the overall system and user acceptance testing. The plan will be developed immediately upon contract award based on the timeline of the grant funding.

1. Testing: Prior to moving the proposed system to the production environment, the Awarded Bidder will test all aspects of the solution in accordance with the Department’s Deployment Certification Policy for Major Application Projects. The Awarded Bidder must provide testing results prior to the State making a Go-No-Go decision to introduce system changes into its software production environment.

2. Test Plan: The Awarded Bidder, in cooperation with the LEA, will create a test plan including all tests required in accordance with providing and operating a fully certified system.

a. The Awarded Bidder will describe its strategy for ensuring that new systems and all interfaces function properly when releasing new versions of any software application.

b. The Awarded Bidder will indicate at what point in a new release the LEAs will receive access to new versions of software or applications.

c. All components of the application must be tested in a non-production environment to ensure that the application test responses represent the exact behavior that will be expected of the application in the production environment.

3. Test Execution: The Awarded Bidder will be responsible for scheduling and coordinating all testing activities to ensure that each of the tests are prepared for and performed in accordance with the test plan.

a. The Awarded Bidder will train LEAs personnel as appropriate to participate in the testing effort.

b. Unless specified otherwise within the test plan, the Awarded Bidder will be required to provide all tools, testing materials, and resources necessary to effectively perform the required tests.

c. The Awarded Bidder is responsible for and must certify their system to be fully secure for all work provided under this procurement.

4. Acceptance: System acceptance of the solution will occur following system implementation and Awarded Bidder’s demonstration that the system successfully provides all the functionality required; the system meets or exceeds the performance standards in the contract.

G. User Training and Documentation

1. The Awarded Bidder must provide implementation assistance, onboarding support, user training, documentation, and ongoing support services for participating SAUs.

2. The Awarded Bidder will be responsible for providing training for SAU users, including school administrators, business managers, nurses, health office staff, and other authorized stakeholders.

3. The Awarded Bidder must offer flexible training opportunities to support the needs of its user base. Training may include written materials, web-based instruction, virtual training sessions, instructor-led training, live demonstrations, pre-recorded sessions, hands-on interactive instruction, refresher training, and on-demand learning opportunities.

4. The Awarded Bidder will develop and implement a Training Plan. The plan will be developed immediately upon award based on the timeline of the grant funding. The Training Plan must:

a. Detail the strategy to develop, implement, and deliver training to participating SAUs;

b. Identify role-based training modules and tailored materials appropriate to each stakeholder group;

c. Include onboarding, refresher, and ongoing training opportunities; and

d. Provide scalable training approaches based on the participation levels and operational needs of SAUs.

5. Documentation must include:

a. Electronic copies of user manuals, quick reference guides, administrator documentation, and online help resources updated to reflect the production system at the time of go-live;

b. Maintenance of an online knowledge base and integrated help desk support for ongoing user assistance; and

c. Tooltips, contextual guidance, and online help functionality to assist users in navigating and troubleshooting the system.

H. Implementation The Awarded Bidder will be responsible for implementing the solution within the Production Environment. They will work with LEAs to help transition users to the new system. The Department will accept the solution in major stages, as successfully tested. However, the final acceptance of the system will be based on all contract deliverables. The Awarded Bidder will be responsible for all documents related to the scope of work described in this RFP

The Awarded Bidder will be responsible for all documents related to the scope of work described in this RFP.

1. Planning: The Awarded Bidder will be required to create an Implementation Plan, which will identify the approach that will be taken and the critical tasks that will be involved with implementing the solution. The Awarded Bidder will schedule and coordinate all implementation activities to ensure that the work is performed in accordance with the Implementation Plan.

2. System Design and Analysis: System design and analysis activities must accomplish and meet all RFP requirements listed in this RFP. The Department desires methodologies that allow for multiple opportunities to validate and approve requirements and design.

3. Resources: The Awarded Bidder will be required to provide all tools, equipment, materials, and resources necessary to effectively perform the required work tasks. Testing of the implemented solution will be conducted in accordance with the Deployment Certification Policy.

4. Technical Documentation: The Awarded Bidder will be responsible for creating and providing the Department and the LEAs with all technical documents and related manuals, which will be reviewed and accepted prior to the implementation.

I. Support and Maintenance

1. The Department requires the Awarded Bidder to provide post-implementation software maintenance and technology support for the system for SAUs and end users.

2. The Awarded Bidder will produce and deliver an enhancement, operation, and maintenance plan that:

a. Describes the steps and procedures in operating the system,

b. Includes standard service-level agreements for system performance, issue resolution, and change management process.

i. The Service Level Agreement (SLA) in Appendix I includes provisions related to required levels of support. The Department will also consider options for additional levels of technical support.

ii. The Awarded Bidder must be open to negotiation to ensure the SLA meets the Department’s needs.

3. The Awarded Bidder must describe their upgrade process and indicate what is included in the proposal. Any costs related to upgrades must appear only in the Cost Proposal in Appendix H.

4. The Awarded Bidder will maintain, manage, and repair the system using a structured approach which ensures:

a. Consistency, supportability, and stability of the system and is flexible enough to allow for rapid problem and issue resolution where required;

b. Coordination with SAUs on all computer operating system upgrades, security patches, product licensing changes, as well as product releases containing Department approved enhancements and fixes; and

c. Security patching is performed monthly.

5. It is the Department’s expectation that the Awarded Bidder’s solution will be comprehensive and include all components required for the development, implementation, and maintenance of the solution.

J. Go-Live

1. Prepare Production Environment – A distinct production environment will be established within the technology platform and configured with all appropriate back-up and security provisions. This task will be performed during the acceptance testing phase, so the environment is ready for Go Live.

2. Final Production Refresh – Upon completion of acceptance testing, the production environment will be refreshed with the updated code, inclusive of all acceptance test corrections. At the same time a final data migration (including the last round of converted data) will occur and all business processes will be tested.

3. Support Conversion to Live Operations – Bidder must provide enhanced support during the initial post–go-live period to address operational issues, user questions, and system adjustments. This support period will extend for up to ten (10) business days following go-live to ensure a smooth transition to live operations.

4. Support Stabilization Period – Bidder will provide a 180-day stabilization period following Go Live

PART III KEY RFP EVENTS

A. Vendor Self Service System (VSS)

The Office of State Procurement Services Vendor Self Service System website is found at the link below: https://www.maine.gov/dafs/bbm/procurementservices/vendors/vendor-self-service-system A copy of the RFP and all associated documents will be published in VSS.

Only documents published in VSS will be considered binding.

Any interested party may view open solicitations in VSS using the Public Access feature.

Vendors must have an active User ID and password in VSS to submit questions and respond to solicitations, including this RFP.

Vendor registration instructions and User Guide may be found at the link above, which include steps for searching for an existing account/User ID, or registering for a new account/User ID.

Vendors interested in responding to a solicitation are encouraged to obtain a User ID and password for VSS as soon as possible.

Vendors must have an active Vendor Code (VC or VS) to contract with the department.

B. Questions

1. General Instructions: It is the responsibility of all Bidders and other interested parties to examine the entire RFP and to seek clarification, in writing, if they do not understand any information or instructions.

a. Questions must be submitted in VSS as soon as possible but no later than the date and time published in VSS.

b. Questions should be clearly stated and reference the applicable section and/or page number of the RFP.

c. The Department assumes no liability for assuring accurate/complete/on time transmission and receipt.

2. Question & Answer Summary: Responses to all questions will be compiled in writing and published in VSS no later than seven (7) calendar days prior to the Proposal Submission Deadline. It is the responsibility of all interested parties to go to VSS to obtain a copy of the Question & Answer Summary. Only those answers issued in writing in VSS will be considered binding.

C. Amendments

All amendments released in regard to the RFP will be published in VSS. It is the responsibility of all interested parties to go to VSS to obtain amendments. Only those amendments published in VSS are considered binding.

D. Proposal Submission

1. Proposals Due

a. Proposal submissions must be received no later than the Proposal Submission Deadline (closing date) published in VSS.

b. Any proposal submissions or any additional or revised proposal files received after the Proposal Submission Deadline will be rejected without exception.

2. Delivery Instructions

a. Proposal submissions must be submitted to the Office of State Procurement Services via VSS.

b. Only proposal submissions received via VSS will be considered. The Department assumes no liability for assuring accurate/complete receipt.

c. Submissions containing links to file sharing sites or online file repositories will not be accepted as submissions. Only proposal submissions that have the actual requested files attached will be accepted.

d. Encrypted submissions received which require opening attachments and logging into a proprietary system will not be accepted. Bidders should work with their Information Technology team to ensure that the proposal submission will not be encrypted due to any security settings.

e. File size limits are 15MB per file. Bidders may separate their submissions into multiple files, as necessary, due to file size concerns.

3. Submission Format:

a. Bidders must submit multiple files, with each file named and containing the required information as defined below.

File 1 [Bidder’s Name] – Preliminary Information PDF format preferred, and must include:

· Appendix A (Proposal Cover Page)

· Appendix B (Responsible Bidder Certification)

File 2 [Bidder’s Name] – Organization Qualifications and Experience PDF format preferred, and must include:

· Appendix C (Organization Qualifications and Experience Form)

· Appendix D (Subcontractors Form)

· And all required information and attachments stated in PART IV, Section II.

File 3 [Bidder’s Name] – Proposed Services PDF format preferred, and must include:

· Appendix E (Technical Assessment Form)

· Appendix F (Proposed Services Form)

· Appendix G (General/Technical Requirements Form)

· And all required information and attachments stated in PART IV, Section III.

File 4 [Bidder’s Name] – Cost Proposal PDF format preferred, and must include:

· Appendix H (Cost Proposal Form)

PART IV PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

This section contains instructions for Bidders to use in preparing their proposals. The Department seeks detailed yet succinct responses that demonstrate the Bidder’s qualifications, experience, and ability to perform the requirements specified throughout the RFP.

Bidders’ proposals must follow the outline used below, including the numbering, section, and sub-section headings. Failure to use the outline specified in PART IV, or failure to respond to all questions and instructions throughout the RFP, may result in the proposal being disqualified as non-responsive or receiving a reduced score. The Department, and its evaluation team, has sole discretion to determine whether a variance from the RFP specifications will result either in disqualification or reduction in scoring of a proposal. Rephrasing of the content provided in the RFP will, at best, be considered minimally responsive.

Bidders are not to provide additional attachments beyond those specified in the RFP for the purpose of extending their response. Additional materials not requested will not be considered part of the proposal and will not be evaluated. Bidders must include any forms provided in the submission package or reproduce those forms as closely as possible. All information must be presented in the same order and format as described in the RFP.

Proposal Format and Contents

Section I Preliminary Information (File #1)

1. Proposal Cover Page Bidders must complete Appendix A (Proposal Cover Page). It is critical that the cover page show the specific information requested, including Bidder address(es) and other details listed. The Proposal Cover Page must be dated and signed by a person authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the Bidder.

2. Responsible Bidder Certification Bidders must complete Appendix B (Responsible Bidder Certification). The Responsible Bidder Certification must be dated and signed by a person authorized to enter into contracts on behalf of the Bidder.

Section II Organization Qualifications and Experience (File #2)

1. Overview of the Organization Bidders must complete Appendix C (Qualifications and Experience Form) describing their qualifications and skills to provide the requested services in the RFP. Bidders must include three (3) examples of projects which demonstrate their experience and expertise in performing these services, as well as highlighting the Bidder’s stated qualifications and skills.

2. Subcontractors Bidders must complete Appendix D (Subcontractors Form) to provide a list that specifies the name, address, phone number, contact person, and a brief description of organizational capacity and qualifications for any subcontractors to be used. If no subcontractors will be used, indicate as such on the form.

3. Organizational Chart Bidders must provide an organizational chart. The organizational chart must include the project being proposed. Each position must be identified by position title and corresponding to the personnel job descriptions.

4. Litigation Bidders must attach a list of all current litigation in which the Bidder is named and a list of all closed cases that have closed within the past five (5) years in which the Bidder paid the claimant either as part of a settlement or by decree. For each, list the entity bringing suit, the complaint, the accusation, amount, and outcome.

5. Financial Viability Bidders must provide the following information for each of the past three (3) tax years:

a. Balance Sheets

b. Income (Profit/Loss) Statements

6. Certificate of Insurance Bidders must provide a certificate of insurance on a standard ACORD form (or the equivalent) evidencing the Bidder’s general liability, professional liability and any other relevant liability insurance policies that might be associated with the proposed services.

Section III Proposed Services (File #3)

1. Technical Assessment Bidders must complete Appendix E (Technical Assessment Form) to describe the Bidder’s capability to meet the stated requirements and policies identified in this RFP.

2. Services to be Provided Bidders must complete Appendix F (Proposed Services Form) to discuss the Scope of Services referenced above in Part II of the RFP and what the Bidder will offer, including a description of the methods and resources the Bidder will use and how each task involved will be accomplished. Bidders must also describe how the expectations and/or desired outcomes as a result of these services will be achieved. If subcontractors are involved, Bidders must clearly identify the work each will perform.

3. General/ Technical Requirements Bidders must complete Appendix G (General/Technical Requirements Form) to describe the Bidder’s capability to meet the stated requirements and policies identified in this RFP.

4. Implementation - Work Plan Bidders must provide a realistic work plan for the implementation of the program through the first contract period. The work plan must be displayed in a timeline chart, and concisely describe each program development and implementation task, the month it will be carried out, and the person or position responsible for each task. If applicable, Bidders must identify all tasks to be delegated to subcontractors.

Section IV Cost Proposal (File #4)

1. Cost Proposal Form Bidders must complete Appendix H (Cost Proposal Form).

2. General Instructions

a. The cost proposal must include the costs necessary for the Bidder to fully comply with the contract terms, conditions, and RFP requirements.

b. No costs related to the preparation of the proposal for the RFP, or to the negotiation of the contract with the Department, may be included in the proposal. Only costs to be incurred after the contract effective date that are specifically related to the implementation or operation of contracted services may be included.

PART V PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND SELECTION

Evaluation of the submitted proposals will be accomplished as follows:

A. Evaluation Process – General Information

1. An evaluation team, composed of qualified reviewers, will judge the merits of the proposals received in accordance with the criteria defined in the RFP.

2. Officials responsible for making decisions on the award selection will ensure that the selection process accords equal opportunity and appropriate consideration to all who are capable of meeting the specifications. The goals of the evaluation process are to ensure fairness and objectivity in review of the proposals and to ensure that the contract is awarded to the Bidder whose proposal provides the best value to the State of Maine.

3. The Department reserves the right to communicate and/or schedule interviews/presentations with Bidders, if needed, to obtain clarification of information contained in the proposals received. The Department may revise the scores assigned in the initial evaluation to reflect those communications and/or interviews/presentations.

4. Changes to proposals, including updating or adding information, will not be permitted during any portion of the evaluation process. Therefore, Bidders must submit proposals that present their rates and other requested information as clearly and completely as possible.

B. Scoring Weights and Process

1. Scoring Weights: Proposal scores will be based on a 100-point scale and will measure the degree to which each proposal meets the following criteria. The proposal materials that will be evaluated under each section below are identified in Part IV of the RFP.

2. Scoring Process: For proposals that demonstrate meeting the eligibility requirements in Section I, if applicable, the evaluation team will use a consensus approach to evaluate and score Sections II & III above. Members of the evaluation team will not score those sections individually but, instead, will arrive at a consensus as to assignment of points for each of those sections. Section IV, the Cost Proposal, will be scored as described below.

3. Scoring the Cost Proposal: The total cost proposed for conducting all the functions specified in the RFP will be assigned a score according to a mathematical formula. The lowest bid will be awarded 25 points. Proposals with higher bid values will be awarded proportionately fewer points calculated in comparison with the lowest bid.

The scoring formula is:

(Lowest submitted cost proposal / Cost of proposal being scored) x 25 = pro-rated score

No Best and Final Offers: The State of Maine will not seek or accept a best and final offer (BAFO) from any Bidder in this procurement process. All Bidders are expected to provide their best value pricing with the submission of their proposal.

4. Demonstrations: Following the evaluation of Sections I, II and III, the evaluation team, via the RFP Coordinator, will contact Bidders to request, at their own expense, a webinar demonstration and to arrange the details of the demonstration. Demonstrations will be limited to ninety (90) minutes and shall include a demonstration of the solutions functions outlined in Part II of the RFP and allow for the evaluation team to ask questions and receive answers. Demonstrations are anticipated to occur during the week of August 3rd, 2026, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. EST.

C. Negotiations

1. The Department reserves the right to negotiate with the awarded Bidder(s) to finalize a contract. Such negotiations may not significantly vary the content, nature, or requirements of the proposal or the Department’s Request for Proposal to an extent that may affect the price of goods or services requested.

2. The Department reserves the right to terminate contract negotiations with an awarded Bidder who submits a proposed contract significantly different from the proposal they submitted in response to the advertised RFP.

3. In the event that an acceptable contract cannot be negotiated with the highest ranked Bidder, the Department may withdraw its award and negotiate with the next-highest ranked Bidder, and so on, until an acceptable contract has been finalized. Alternatively, the Department may cancel the RFP, at its sole discretion.

D. Selection and Award

1. The final decision regarding the award of the contract will be made by representatives of the Department subject to approval by the State Procurement Review Committee.

2. Notification of conditional award selection or non-selection will be made in writing by the Department.

3. Issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the State of Maine to award a contract, to pay costs incurred in the preparation of a response to the RFP, or to pay costs incurred in procuring or contracting for services, supplies, physical space, personnel or any other costs incurred by the Bidder.

4. The Department reserves the right to reject any and all proposals or to make multiple awards.

E.…