2026-27 mssd schools physical therapy

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for physical therapy services to support the Missouri Schools for the Severely Disabled (MSSD) for the 2026-2027 school year, with options for two additional one-year renewal periods through July 31, 2029. The procurement seeks qualified Missouri-licensed Physical Therapists to deliver direct therapy and consultation services integrated into classroom instruction and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) across 22 MSSD school locations serving approximately 625 students aged 5-21 with severe disabilities. Services must be provided during regular school hours (9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday-Friday) within the school calendar, with therapy units ranging from 3 to 54 half-hour units per school location, totaling an estimated 464.5 half-hour units weekly across all locations. Contractors must carry adequate general liability and professional liability insurance naming the State of Missouri as an additional insured, comply with federal and state requirements including E-Verify work authorization, HIPAA Business Associate provisions, and complete Family Care Safety Registry screening and FBI fingerprint background checks prior to service commencement. Pricing shall be submitted as firm, fixed rates per unit for each school location, with all costs for travel time, administrative record-keeping, invoicing, data entry, and file reviews included in the quoted rates. The bid deadline is April 7, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. Central Time, with responses submitted electronically through MissouriBUYS, and evaluation will utilize multiattribute scoring methodology for sealed bid responses.

A Missouri Service-Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (SDVE) preference of three bonus points is available for qualified vendors meeting the criteria. Contractors must be registered in MissouriBUYS in "Prospective" or "Spend Authorized" status to submit a bid and must achieve "Approved" status in WebProcure/Proactis and "Spend Authorized" status in MissouriBUYS powered by MOVERS to be eligible for contract award. The contract may utilize federal Medicaid funds through MO HealthNet, with any reimbursements for services becoming the property of MSSD; however, the IFB does not disclose specific funding amounts, funding sources, or incumbent contractors. No minimum release amounts or start prices are specified in the solicitation documents. Interested bidders should direct inquiries to DESE.MSSDbusinessservices@dese.mo.gov, with the primary buyer contact being David Percival at (573) 522-6545 or David.percival@dese.mo.gov. The resulting contract will be structured as a Blanket Purchase Agreement with an immediate start date of August 1, 2026, and bidders may propose alternate lines for any of the 22 solicitation lines if desired.