3202600208 Open Enrollment (OE) for Assistive Technology (AT) Services for Customers with Visual Impairments

The Texas Workforce Commission is seeking qualified providers for Assistive Technology (AT) services to customers with visual impairments under Open Enrollment contract 3202600208, with applications due February 4, 2027 at 10:00 a.m. CST. This is a rolling-award, statewide opportunity covering all 254 Texas counties with no volume guarantee.

Eligible providers must deliver AT baseline and post-training assessments, AT evaluations, and AT training to vocational rehabilitation customers who are blind or have significant visual impairments. AT evaluators and trainers must pass Assistive Technology Unit (ATU) proficiency tests for specific product categories, maintain employment as evaluators or trainers within one year of passing tests or retest, and attend annual Train-the-Trainer seminars. AT evaluations are delivered in-person at the evaluator's facility; other AT services may be delivered remotely with VR counselor approval. The provider director must hold a UNT WISE Director Credential. All staff interacting with customers must pass criminal background checks, valid for three years.

Service fees are established by the VR Standards for Providers Manual Chapter 9: AT evaluations at $125 per evaluation (one-to-one ratio); AT training ranging from $75 per hour for one-to-one training at customer sites to $40 per hour at facilities; baseline and post-training assessments at $37 per unit (customer sites) or $20 (facilities); keyboarding skills training at $20 per hour (one-to-one customer sites) or $10 per customer per hour (facilities, up to one-to-three ratio); trainer-guided independent practice at $10 per hour.

Providers must carry general liability, premises liability, and vehicle liability insurance; complete all application forms including conflict-of-interest certification (VR 3444), standards for providers certification (VR 3443), child support certification (VR 1305), entity headquarters and services information (VR 3441A/B/C), physical location certification (VR 3442A/B), provider insurance verification (VR 3445), staff information forms (VR 3455), W-9 and direct deposit (VR 1020), and execution of offer. Applications must be submitted electronically through the TWC Procurement Portal in PDF format. Contracts commence on the fully executed date and expire five years thereafter. TWC reserves the right to close the solicitation before the deadline if sufficient applications are received.