26-42 Substitute Staffing and Management Services

Jones County Schools is seeking qualified vendors to provide comprehensive substitute staffing and management services through a Request for Proposal (RFP) process. The procurement encompasses recruiting, hiring, and managing substitute teachers and paraprofessionals, including completion of all pre-employment requirements such as background checks, fingerprinting, and credential verification. Vendors must maintain adequate staffing levels year-round, respond quickly to staffing changes, provide a dedicated account manager with local and regional support, and deploy a web-based system for scheduling, absence management, reporting, and communication. Key deliverables include onboarding and training programs on district-specific policies, performance management processes, and ongoing reporting mechanisms. Successful vendors must demonstrate a minimum of five years of experience providing substitute services to Georgia public school districts of similar size and provide at least five current or recent school district references. The evaluation will be weighted as follows: cost proposal (40%), quality of solution (30%), certifications and capabilities (10%), prior experience (10%), and presentation component (20%). Critical deadlines include a mandatory pre-proposal conference on February 16, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. EDT via Zoom (attendance required), written questions due by February 10, 2026, at 3:00 p.m. ET, and proposals due February 27, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. ET through BidNet Direct. The resulting contract will commence July 1, 2026, and continue through June 30, 2027, with four one-year renewal options available by mutual agreement for a maximum contract term of five years.

Vendors must obtain commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate, workers' compensation insurance at statutory limits, and automobile liability coverage with a $1,000,000 combined single limit. All responding firms must comply with mandatory administrative requirements including completion of a General Information Sheet, Non-Collusion Document, District Certification Form, Immigration/Security Form (requiring E-Verify registration), Tax Compliance Form, W-9, Contractor Affidavit, and acknowledgment of JCSS Standard Terms and Conditions. Suppliers must register with the district's vendor registry and maintain firm pricing for one year from the award date; failure to do so results in automatic disqualification. The solicitation documents do not identify any incumbent contractors or existing vendor relationships that require transition, nor do they specify any technical infrastructure or systems with which the selected vendor must integrate beyond the district's existing substitute management needs. No specific budget range or award value is disclosed in the available solicitation materials. Jones County Schools reserves the right to conduct negotiations on technical and cost factors, requires the top two or three vendors to participate in oral presentations, and reserves broad discretionary rights including ability to accept or reject any or all proposals, award to multiple suppliers, or terminate contracts with 30 days' written notice without cause or penalty.