RFP 202606108 Amendment 1.docx

This is an amendment to a solicitation issued by the State of Maine Department of Education, Office of Special Services and Inclusive Education, for court reporting and transcription services for special education due process hearings. Amendment 1 revises the proposal submission deadline from the original August 17, 2026, to Monday, August 24, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. local time. The scope of work encompasses verbatim written and electronic transcripts plus audio and digital recordings of special education administrative pre-hearings and hearings conducted statewide, with deliverables required in multiple formats including hard copy transcripts with full-page and four-imprints-per-page layouts with word indices, searchable PDFs, and audio/digital recordings upon request. All transcripts must be delivered within 21 calendar days of the last day of each proceeding. Services will be provided in-person or via teleconference at the hearing officer's discretion, with the contractor responsible for attendance at courthouses and accessible facilities across Maine using their own equipment. The contract term runs January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2028, with two optional renewal periods extending through December 31, 2030, and December 31, 2031, with one award anticipated.

Bidders must hold NCRA-Approved Court Reporting Program training and demonstrate experience with court trials or comparable work. Travel expenses are reimbursed at $0.56 per mile; lodging reimbursement is limited to distances exceeding 100 miles one way at the lesser of actual cost or GSA per diem rates; and meals are reimbursed only when lodging is required. All shipping costs for hard copies and compliance with the State of Maine Office of Information Technology Data Exchange Policy are the contractor's responsibility. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: Organization Qualifications and Experience (40 points), Proposed Services (30 points), and Cost Proposal (30 points), with cost scored mathematically such that the lowest bid receives 30 points. The awardee must comply with FERPA, IDEA, COPPA, PPRA, MSIPA, and MUSER regulations, maintain strict confidentiality of all student-related materials, and destroy all personally identifiable information upon contract termination with written attestation provided within 30 days.