RFQ_Market Rate Survey Data Collection and Interest Holder Engagement.pdf

Solicitation No. R00B7600072 eMMA Reference No. BPM059061

Title: Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support for

Maryland’s Market Rate Survey

Release Date: September 28, 2026

Small, Minority and Veteran-owned businesses are encouraged to respond to this solicitation.

Maryland State Department of Education

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support for Maryland’s Market Rate Survey

Request for Quotation

Issue Date: September 28, 2026

Title: Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support for Maryland’s Market Rate Survey

Procurement Officer: Jeremy Wilson, Procurement Officer Jeremy.wilson@maryland.gov

THIS SOLICITATION SHALL BE MADE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE SMALL PROCUREMENT

REGULATIONS DESCRIBED IN COMAR 21.05.07.

I. Background and Purpose

Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) is required to conduct and use the results of a biannual childcare market rate survey (MRS), to inform Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Program provider payment rates, required by state law and federal Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) regulations. The last MRS was fielded between April and June 2024, and the provider response rate for the survey was 24.2%. The next survey must be completed by June 2027 and will inform updates to CCS reimbursement rates and triennial CCDF State Plan.

To establish subsidy payment rates that ensure equal access, MSDE must collect and analyze statistically valid and reliable data by conducting the MRS that reflects variations in the price to parents of childcare services by geographic area, type of provider, and age of child. Prior to conducting the MRS, MSDE must consult with the State Advisory Council on Early Childhood Education and Care (designated or established pursuant to the Head Start Act (42 U.S.C. 9837b(b)(1)(A)(i)) or similar coordinating body, local childcare program administrators, local childcare resource and referral agencies, and other appropriate entities; and organizations representing childcare caregivers, teachers, and directors.

To advance this work, MSDE is seeking an expert contractor to support the continued development and implementation of the MRS and interest holder engagement.

II. Mandatory Requirements

The Bidder shall meet the following minimum requirements:

A. Essential Requirements

Minimum Qualifications

Bidder Must Demonstrate Required Documentation

1. Deep roots in Maryland's early childhood care and education landscape , including an established presence in the state and access to Child Care Resource Centers, Brief narrative describing the Bidder's experience working with Maryland early childhood programs, providers, organizations, or initiatives.

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support provider associations, and advocacy organizations serving the childcare community.

2. Strong relationships with and credibility among Maryland early childhood groups , including experience convening or engaging with advisory councils (e.g., OCCAC, ECAC), provider associations, and family/community advocacy groups.

Brief description of one or more projects involving stakeholder engagement, consultation, facilitation, or community engagement activities.

3. Demonstrated experience designing and facilitating feedback and consultation, including the ability to translate diverse interest holder input into clear, actionable recommendations for survey or program design.

Narrative describing relevant experience and examples of resulting recommendations, reports, summaries, or other work products.

4. Proven capacity to design and deliver technical assistance to childcare providers, including webinars, office hours, and individualized support, along with the development of accompanying training materials and resources.

Description of relevant technical assistance or training experience and sample materials, agendas, presentations, or resources, if available.

5. Experience developing clear, provider-facing communications and support materials (e.g., FAQs, guidance documents) that are responsive to recurring questions and distributed effectively across multiple outreach channels.

Samples or descriptions of FAQs, guidance documents, newsletters, emails, informational materials, toolkits, or similar communications.

6. Demonstrated success designing and executing recruitment and response-rate strategies for surveys or data collection efforts targeting childcare providers, including reaching underrepresented or hard-to-reach segments of the provider population.

Description of outreach activities, recruitment strategies, communication plans, or engagement efforts performed by the Bidder.

7. Experience managing sustained, multi-touch outreach and communication campaigns including reminder schedules, non-respondent follow-up, and tracking systems that support timely completion and reporting.

Description of communication processes, outreach schedules, tracking systems, or follow-up procedures used on relevant projects.

8. Track record of providing regular, transparent status reporting to state agency partners on engagement activities, response rates, and technical assistance outcomes.

Sample report, reporting template, dashboard, or narrative describing reporting processes used on a previous project.

Pass/Fail Evaluation: Bidders must submit the documentation identified above for each minimum qualification. Failure to provide documentation demonstrating compliance with any minimum qualification may result in the bid being deemed non-responsive. All minimum qualifications will be evaluated on a pass/fail basis.

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support

III. Responsibilities and Tasks

The contractor will work closely with MSDE’s Division of Early Childhood to:

A. Facilitate interest holder consultation and feedback sessions to translate input from councils, advocacy groups, and providers into actionable recommendations for survey design and administration.

B. Design and deliver technical assistance and support materials, including TA sessions and a Q&A/FAQ resource, to help providers successfully complete the Market Rate Survey.

C. Develop and execute a recruitment and communications strategy, including a reminder schedule and ongoing outreach, to drive response rates up to 40%, and representativeness across the target provider population.

The Contractor shall:

1. Identify and maintain an interest holder roster (e.g., state early childhood advisory councils, advocacy groups, provider associations, and other relevant bodies), attend council consultation meetings to present MRS materials, and translate interest holder input into actionable recommendations for survey design and administration.

2. Design and facilitate feedback sessions on the draft survey instrument both in English and Spanish versions and conduct at least one Technical Assistance (TA) sessions, 2 office hours, and 1:1 support to help providers complete the survey, compiling feedback into revision recommendations and tracking TA attendance, topics, and follow-up.

3. Develop and execute a recruitment strategy for the target survey population.

4. Develop and iteratively update a Q&A/FAQ document addressing common provider questions, distributed through appropriate channels (email, website, provider portals).

5. Develop a communication and reminder schedule from initial invitation through final phase of data collection, sending outreach to non-respondents, maintaining a tracking log, and supporting providers with inquiries and incomplete responses.

6. Provide regular status reports on engagement activities and TA outcomes, and deliver all materials used in sessions, outreach, and provider communications.

B. Deliverables

Deliverables shall be iterative, implementation-oriented, and developed in close collaboration with MSDE. Deliverables include, but are not limited to:

1. Outreach materials for communication and survey implementation, including a memo synthesizing provider input to actionable recommendations for survey design and administration, TA session materials, attendance records, and the summary report, and a Q&A/FAQ document to respond common MRS issues, concerns, and questions.

2. Ongoing status report tied to survey implementation, including a plan for recruitment strategy and regular status report covering engagement activities.

IV. Term of Contract

The anticipated term of the contract resulting from this solicitation shall begin on or about October 15, 2026 and terminate on June 30, 2027.

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support

V. Place of Work

Work can be completed virtually.

VI. Questions

Questions shall be submitted by Thursday, October 1, 2026, by 2:00 PM

All questions should be addressed in writing to the Procurement Officer. Please put the RFQ # and Title in the subject line of your email. Note: All responses to questions submitted, if any, shall only be posted on eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) as Addendum #1 and or Q & A after the due date of questions are received. It is beneficial to be registered with “eMMA” to access the addendums and any other pertinent information. There may be other opportunities from State agencies there. There shall be no mailing of the Addendums. The link to “eMMA” to register is as follows:

https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/sup/registration_extranet_manage

VII. Bid Submission Information and Due Date

Bids are due by Thursday, October 8, 2026, by 2:00 PM

In accordance with COMAR 21.03.05, bids are to be submitted electronically through eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA) following the Quick Reference Guides (QRG) labeled “3 - eMMA QRG Responding to Solicitations (IFB)” for single envelope submissions. The Bidder must submit a letter of interest, a resume that demonstrates the required qualifications for the services requested and the signed bid form Exhibit A (include ALL final costs for completing the project) to provide the service detailed in the Scope of Work. If you have not done business with MSDE or the State of Maryland, or a significant amount of time has elapsed, please submit an updated W-9 with your bid. Bids will not be opened publicly.

VIII. Award

An award will be made based on the most advantageous offer to the State of Maryland considering price after meeting the evaluation criteria found in this solicitation. Vendors must first meet all the mandatory requirements. An award will be made based on the lowest price. Bids will not be considered by vendors who do not meet all the mandatory requirements. Total Bid Price will be the lowest price total on Exhibit A - Bid Form.

IX. Billing

The contractor shall bill the Department monthly for the work performed the previous month. The total cost of work may not exceed $49,999.00 for the term of the contract. All invoices must be on the contractor’s letterhead, must be signed and dated, and must include the following:

1. The contractor’s name and mailing address;

2. The contractor’s Federal Tax Identification or Social Security Number;

3. The State assigned Contract Control Number;

4. The State assigned blanket purchase order number;

https://emma.maryland.gov/page.aspx/en/sup/registration_extranet_manage https://procurement.maryland.gov/emma-qrgs/

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support

5. The goods and services provided;

6. The time period covered by the invoice;

7. The amount of requested payment; and

8. Documentation to support invoice requested amount.

The Department reserves the right to reduce or withhold Contract payment in the event the Contractor does not provide the Department with all required deliverables within the time frame specified in the Contract or otherwise breaches the terms and conditions of the Contract until such time as the Contractor brings itself into full compliance with the Contract.

Any action on the part of the Department, or dispute of action by the Contractor, shall be in accordance with the provisions of Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Article §§ 15-215 through 15-223 and with COMAR 21.10.04.

The State is generally exempt from federal excise taxes, Maryland sales and use taxes, District of Columbia sales taxes and transportation taxes. The Contractor, however, is not exempt from such sales and use taxes and may be liable for the same.

Invoices for final payment shall be clearly marked as “FINAL” and submitted when all work requirements have been completed and no further charges are to be incurred under the Contract. In no event shall any invoice be submitted later than 60 calendar days from the Contract termination date.

X. Invoicing Instructions Payment by the State requires a proper invoice to be submitted. Payments are made on a net 30 Schedule.

A. An invoice not satisfying the requirements of a Proper Invoice (as defined at COMAR 21.06.09.01 and

.02) cannot be processed for payment. To be considered a Proper Invoice, invoices must include the following information, without error:

1) Contractor name and address.

2) Remittance address.

3) Federal taxpayer identification (FEIN) number, social security number, as appropriate.

4) Invoice period (i.e., time period during which services covered by invoice were performed);

5) Invoice date.

6) Invoice number.

7) State assigned Contract number.

8) State assigned Purchase Order number(s).

9) Goods or services provided.

10) Amount due; and

11) Any additional documentation required by regulation or the Contract.

12) Consultants must submit a consultant log with their invoice.

B. The State is generally exempt from federal excise taxes, Maryland sales and use taxes, District of

Columbia sales taxes and transportation taxes. The Contractor: however, is not exempt from such sales and use taxes and may be liable for the same.

C. Invoices for final payment shall be clearly marked as “FINAL” and submitted when all work requirements have been completed and no further charges are to be incurred under the Contract. In no event shall any invoice be submitted later than 60 calendar days from the Contract termination date.

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support

XI. Partial/Multiple Consultants

The MSDE reserves the right to award contracts to multiple consultants for the services and materials required in this RFQ.

XII. Non-Hiring of Employees

No official or employee of the State of Maryland, as defined under State Government Article, §15-102, Annotated Code of Maryland, whose duties as such official or employee include matters relating to or affecting the subject matter of this contract, shall during the pendency and term of this contract and while serving as an official or employee of the State, become or be an employee of the Contractor or any entity that is a subcontractor on this contract.

XIII. Most Favorable Bid Price

The State reserves the right to award the contract to the responsive and responsible bidder submitting the most favorable bid price for providing the goods and services, as specified in this RFQ.

XIV. Tie-bids

If bids are received from responsive and responsible Bidders that are identical in prices, terms and conditions, and which meet all requirements set forth in the solicitation, an award will be made in accordance with State Regulations 21.05.02.14B. If a tie still exists, the Bidder with the most experience shall be used to determine the successful Bidder.

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support

EXHIBIT A

BID FORM

(DO NOT ALTER OR AMEND THIS FORM.)

DETAILED COST CATEGORY Estimated of Hours

Times Cost per Hour

Total Cost

Scope of Work as fully specified in Section III Responsibilities and Tasks:

1. Identify and maintain an interest holder roster (e.g., state early childhood advisory councils, advocacy groups, provider associations, and other relevant bodies), attend council consultation meetings to present MRS materials, and translate interest holder input into actionable recommendations for survey design and administration.

2. Design and facilitate feedback sessions on the draft survey instrument both in English and Spanish versions and conduct at least one Technical Assistance (TA) sessions, 2 office hours, and 1:1 support to help providers complete the survey, compiling feedback into revision recommendations and tracking TA attendance, topics, and follow-up.

3. Develop and execute a recruitment strategy for the target survey population.

4. Develop and iteratively update a Q&A/FAQ document addressing common provider questions, distributed through appropriate channels (email, website, provider portals).

5. Develop a communication and reminder schedule from initial invitation through final phase of data collection, sending outreach to non-respondents, maintaining a tracking log, and supporting providers with inquiries and incomplete responses.

6. Provide regular status reports on engagement activities and TA outcomes, and deliver all materials used in sessions, outreach, and provider communications.

Up to 400 X $

TOTAL PROJECT COST

*Submit this Exhibit A and all supportive itemized pricing, a letter of interest and a resume.

Exhibit A: Price per day or per hour is to include all costs incurred both direct and indirect in delivering a product

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support or service, which includes, but is not limited to travel, lodging, food, etc. All bids submitted shall be identified with RFQ #.

Late bids shall not be accepted.

Faxed or mailed bids shall not be accepted.

VENDOR’S NAME: _____________________________________________

Print

VENDOR’S ADDRESS: ______________________________________________________________________

City State Zip

VENDOR’S FEDERAL ID or SS#____________________________________________

NAME OF AUTHORIZED: ________________________________________

Print

SIGNATURE: ___________________________________________________

TITLE: _____________________________________________________

TELEPHONE NO: ______________________________ DATE: ________________________

E-MAIL: ________________________________________________

FAX NO. ____________________________________________________

ARE YOU REGISTERED TO DO BUSINESS WITH THE STATE OF MARYLAND?

IF NOT, PLEASE REGISTER HERE: https://businessexpress.maryland.gov/

YOUR BUSINESS MUST BE REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO BE

AWARDED A CONTRACT.

ARE YOU A REGISTERED SMALL BUSINESS? YES ____ NO ____

IF YES: MARYLAND STATE CERTIFICATION #___________________________

IF YOU ARE NOT REGISTERED AS A SMALL BUSINESS, PLEASE VISIT

THE FOLLOWING FOR MORE INFORMATION:

http://goma.maryland.gov/Pages/sbr-Program.aspx https://businessexpress.maryland.gov/ http://goma.maryland.gov/Pages/sbr-Program.aspx

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support

ARE YOU A REGISTERED MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISE? YES____ NO____

IF YES: MARYLAND STATE CERTIFICATION #__________________________

FOR MORE INFORMATION AND TO SEE IF YOUR BUISNESS QUALIFIES AS

AN MBE/VSBE/DBE WITH THE STATE OF MARYLAND, PLESE VISIT THE

MARYLAND DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION.

https://www.mdot.maryland.gov/tso/pages/index.aspx?pageid=90

Interest Holder Engagement, Technical Assistance, and Recruitment Support

CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1. Contract Modifications: Control of the design and administration of the Contract is the exclusive responsibility of MSDE. MSDE reserves the right to change components of the design and/or substitute tasks on an equal basis should the need arise after the Contract award. These substituted tasks which are on an equal basis with the tasks in the Contract shall be subject to the following conditions: i. Changes in tasks will not increase the overall scope of work described in the solicitation nor the amount of the Contract award. ii. Changes will not be suggested for any specific task once the Contractor has begun work on it. iii. All changes will be submitted to the Contractor in writing by MSDE.

Any changes to the Contract requested by MSDE or by the Contractor that will affect the scope/cost of the Contract or that are made after the work has begun will be negotiated between MSDE and the Contractor in the following fashion: i. A written request shall be made by either party. ii. The request shall be relayed to any other contractual party impacted by the proposed change. iii. Written acceptance shall be issued by the other party(ies) with cost, time line, and/or task changes negotiated by all parties. Changes shall not be binding until such written acceptance has been completed by all parties and approved by MSDE, as well as other State approvals as required. Amendments may not significantly change the scope of this Contract (including the Contract price).

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Variations on Estimated Quantities: ( ) Required. Items deliverable in multiple quantities shall not vary from estimated quantities in an amount exceeding five percent.

No adjustments to the unit prices shall be made based upon any variations in estimated quantities.

Suspension of Work: The procurement officer may order the Contractor in writing to suspend, delay, or interrupt all or any part of the work for such a period of time as the procurement officer may determine to be appropriate for the convenience of the State.

Pre-Existing Regulations: In accordance with the provisions of Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Article § 11-206, the regulations set forth in Title 21 of the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR Title 21) in effect on the date of execution of this Contract are applicable to this Contract.

Financial Disclosure: The Contractor shall comply with the provisions of Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Article § 13-221, which requires that every person that enters into contracts, leases, or other agreements with the State or its agencies during the calendar year under which the business is to receive in the aggregate, $100,000 or more, shall, within 30 days of the time when the aggregate value of these contracts, leases, or other agreements reaches $100,000, file with the Secretary of State

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Non-Hiring of Officials and Employees: No official or employee of the State of Maryland, as defined under Md. Code Ann., State Government Article, § 15-102, whose duties as such official or employee include matters relating to or affecting the subject matter of this Contract, shall during the pendency of term of this Contract and while serving as an official or employee of the State become or be an employee of the Contractor or any entity that is a subcontractor on this Contract.

Disputes: This Contract shall comply with the provisions of Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Article, Title 15, Subtitle 2, and COMAR 21.10. Pending resolution of a dispute, the Contractor shall proceed diligently with the performance of this Contract, as directed by the procurement officer. Unless a lesser period is provided by law or by contract, the Contractor must file a written notice of claim with the procurement officer within 30 days after the basis for the claim is known or should have been known, whichever is earlier.

Maryland Law Prevails: The laws of Maryland shall govern the interpretation and enforcement of this Contract. The Maryland Uniform Computer Information Transactions Act (Md. Code Ann., Commercial Law Article, Title 22) does not apply to this Contract or any software licenses acquired hereunder.

Nondiscrimination in Employment: The Contractor shall comply with the nondiscrimination provisions of federal and Maryland law, including, but not limited to, the employment provisions of Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Article § 13- 219, COMAR 21.07.01.08, and the commercial nondiscrimination provisions of Md. Code Ann., State Finance and Procurement Article, Title 19, Subtitle 1. The Contractor agrees:

(a) not to discriminate in any manner against an employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, religion, creed, age sex, marital status, national origin, ancestry, or physical or mental disability of a qualified individual with a disability; (b) to include a provision similar to that contained in subsection (a), above, in any subcontract except a subcontract for standard commercial supplies or raw materials and, (c) to post and to cause subcontractors to post in conspicuous places available to employees and applicants for employment, notices setting forth the substance of this clause.

Contingent Fee Prohibition: The Contractor warrants that it has not employed or retained any person, partnership, corporation, or other entity, other than a bona fide employee, bona fide agent, bona fide salesperson, or commercial selling agency working for the business, to solicit or secure the Contract, and that it has not paid or agreed to pay any person, partnership, corporation, or other entity, other than a bona fide employee, bona fide agent, bona fide salesperson, or commercial selling agency, any fee or any other consideration contingent on the making of this Contract.

Termination for Nonappropriation: If funds are not appropriated or otherwise made available to support continuation in any fiscal year succeeding the first fiscal year, this Contract shall be terminated automatically as of the beginning of the fiscal year for which funds are not available. The Contractor may not recover anticipatory profits or costs incurred after termination.

Termination for Default: If the Contractor does not fulfill obligations under this Contract or violates any provision of this Contract, the Department may terminate the Contract by giving the Contractor written notice of termination. Termination under this paragraph does not relieve the Contractor from liability for any damages caused to the State. Termination hereunder, including the rights and obligations of the parties, shall be governed by the provisions of COMAR 21.07.01.11B.

Termination for Convenience: The State may terminate this Contract, in whole or in part, without showing cause upon prior written notification to the Contractor specifying the extent and the effective date of the termination. The State will pay all reasonable costs associated with this Contract that the Contractor has incurred up to the date of termination, and all reasonable costs associated with termination of the Contract.

However, the Contractor may not be reimbursed for any anticipatory profits which have not been earned up to the date of termination. Termination hereunder, including the determination of the rights and obligations of the parties, shall be governed by the provisions of COMAR 21.07.01.12(A)(2).

Anti-Bribery: The Contractor certifies that, to the Contractor’s best knowledge, neither the Contractor; nor (if the Contractor is a corporation or partnership) any of its officers, directors, partners, or controlling stockholders; nor any employee of the Contractor who is directly involved in the business’s contracting activities, has been convicted of bribery, attempted bribery, or conspiracy to bribe under the laws of any state or of the United States.

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certain specified information to include disclosures of beneficial ownership of the business.

Political Contribution Disclosure: The Contractor shall comply with Md. Code Ann., Election Law Article §§ 14-101 through 14-108, which requires that every person that enters into contracts, leases, or other agreements with the State, a county, or an incorporated municipality, or their agencies, during a calendar year in which the person receives in the aggregate $100,000 or more, shall file with the State Board of Elections a statement disclosing contributions in excess of $500 made during the reporting period to a candidate for elective office in any primary or general election. The statement shall be filed with the State Board of Elections: (1) before a purchase or execution of a lease or Contract by the State, a county, an incorporated municipality, or other agencies and shall cover the preceding two calendar years; and (2) if the contribution is made after the execution of a lease or contract, then twice, throughout the contract term, on; (a) February 5, to cover the 6-month period ending January 31; and (b) August 5 to cover the 6-month period ending July 31.

Retention of Records: The Contractor shall retain and maintain all records and documents relating to this Contract for three years after the final payment by the State hereunder or any applicable statute of limitations, whichever is longer, and shall make them available for inspection and audit by authorized representatives of the State, including the procurement officer or designee, at all reasonable times. This section shall survive expiration or termination of this contract.

Compliance with Laws: The Contractor hereby represents and warrants that it: A. is qualified to do business in the State of Maryland and that it will take such action, as from time to time hereafter, may be necessary to remain so qualified; B. is not in arrears with respect to payment of any monies due and owing the State of Maryland, or any department or unit thereof, including but not limited to the payment of taxes and employee benefits, and that it shall not become so in arrears during the term of this Contract; C. shall comply with all federal, State, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances applicable to its activities and obligations under this Contract; and D. shall obtain, at its expense, all licenses, permits, insurance, and government approvals, if any, necessary to the performance of its obligations under this Contract.

Compliance with ADA: Contractor shall comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101 et. seq. and applicable regulations. To the extent required by the ADA, Contractor’s facilities, services, and programs shall be accessible to persons with disabilities. Contractor shall bear sole responsibility for assuring that its activities under this Contract conform to the ADA. Contractor shall indemnify and hold the State harmless in any administrative proceeding or other actions brought pursuant to the ADA for all damages, attorney’s fees, litigation expenses, and costs, if such action or proceeding arises from the act of Contractor, Contractor’s employees, agents, or subcontractors.

Patents, Copyrights, and Intellectual Property: If the Contractor furnishes any design, device, material, process, or other item, which is covered by a patent, trademark or service mark, or copyright or which is proprietary to, or a trade secret of, another, the Contractor shall obtain the necessary permission or license to permit the State to use such item or items.

Indemnification: The Contractor shall hold harmless and indemnify the State from and against any and all losses, damages, claims, suits, actions, liabilities, and/or expenses, including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees and disbursements of any character that arise from, are in connection with or are attributable to the performance or nonperformance of the Contractor or its subcontractors under this Contract. The State has no obligation for the payment of any judgments or the settlement of any claims against the Contractor or its subcontractors as a result of or relating to the Contractor’s performance under this Contract. This section shall survive expiration or termination of this contract.