DIF Grant Implementation Support

The Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity is issuing Request for Proposal No. 250000000415 for DIF Grant Implementation Support, a cost-reimbursement procurement designed to support the statewide rollout of the STEMM-Up program under the federally funded Disability Innovation Fund grant. The State seeks a qualified contractor to provide comprehensive technical assistance including: implementation support for the STEMM-Up program statewide rollout, facilitation of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) organizational change initiatives, process streamlining between the STEMM-Up program and other Michigan Rehabilitation Services divisions, customer identification and recruitment support for district staff, and overall project management assistance for grant implementation. Key deliverables include training activities (if proposed), with detailed outlines specifying topics, duration, frequency, and delivery methods, as well as any developed materials that must include DIF funding acknowledgment and appropriate disclaimers. The State will evaluate proposals based on technical criteria weighted at 100 points, with only proposals scoring 80 or more points advancing to pricing evaluation. All charges must comply with 2 CFR 200.404 reasonable cost standards. The proposal submission deadline is December 17, 2024, at 3:00 p.m. Eastern, with the anticipated contract commencement on January 28, 2025, and the contract term running from February 1, 2025, through September 30, 2026. Bidders were required to submit questions by November 25, 2024, and must submit all required documents including the Vendor Questions Worksheet, Confidential Treatment Form, Statement of Work (Schedule A), and Pricing Schedule (Schedule B) through the SIGMA VSS electronic system.

The State indicates a preference for Michigan vendors but has established no formal set-aside designations or restrictions on bidder eligibility, with this being a newly initiated project with no incumbent vendors or prior service history. Proposed costs may reach up to $400,000 per fiscal year, representing the maximum allowable annual budget; the total DIF grant funding is $15,825,520, which is 100 percent federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Rehabilitation Services Administration for the project period extending through September 30, 2026. Contracts valued at $250,000 or greater require State Administrative Board approval. The contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability insurance with a $2,000,000 general aggregate, Professional Liability/Errors and Omissions insurance with $3,000,000 per occurrence limits, and Automobile Liability insurance with $1,000,000 per accident coverage. The contractor must assign a dedicated Contractor Representative and Key Personnel subject to State approval, with unauthorized removal of Key Personnel incurring credits of $25,000 to $50,000 per individual. Liquidated damages of $5,000 plus $100 per day apply for late or improper completion of contract activities, and all invoicing will be processed through Electronic Funds Transfer with payment due within 45 days of State receipt.