Economic study on the cost of raising children

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services seeks contractor proposals through RFP 21-1793 to conduct an economic study on the cost of raising children to support the Friend of the Court Bureau's quadrennial review of child support guidelines. The procurement applies to Grand Traverse County and Lansing City jurisdictions and solicits proposals for one or more of six distinct research objectives: analyzing alternative methods and updating Michigan's general care tables; studying self-support reserve methods for low-income separated parents; analyzing duplicated and unduplicated child-related costs associated with parenting time; analyzing health care costs and coverage impacts on family income; conducting a lifestyle cost study regarding parental income and household expenditures in separate households; and discussing how other states gather and analyze new federally required data elements. Deliverables include monthly status reports, interim progress benchmarks at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% completion thresholds, and final written objective reports for each objective. Technical evaluation criteria include product quality (35%), service capabilities (25%), delivery capabilities (25%), and vendor questions worksheet responses (15%), with proposals requiring a minimum score of 80 points for pricing consideration. An optional pre-proposal meeting was held on June 24, 2021, at 2:00 p.m. Eastern; the deadline for submitting written questions was June 28, 2021, at 1:59 p.m. Eastern with answers posted by July 6, 2021; and the proposal submission deadline is July 12, 2021, at 1:59 p.m. Eastern. The anticipated contract start date is October 1, 2021, with objectives one through five to be completed by September 30, 2023, and objective six by September 30, 2022, under a three-year contract term expiring September 30, 2024.

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting eligible organizations to disadvantaged enterprises or other special classifications. Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 general aggregate naming the State as additional insured, obtain and maintain necessary licenses and permits, and comply with all federal and state laws including IRS Publication 1075 safeguarding requirements and OCSE security agreements governing the handling of federal child support enforcement data and tax information. Pricing must be submitted separately on an hourly basis with unit rates and total costs for each objective, and pricing is firm for the entire contract duration with adjustments based only on documented changes in actual contractor costs subject to mutual agreement and reviewed over 30-day periods. Invoices must be submitted to the MDHHS Bureau of Finance and Accounting by the 30th day of the following month reflecting actual work performed, with payment made via electronic funds transfer within 45 days of invoice receipt. Service level agreements require 100% adherence to the statement of work with credits of 1% of monthly invoice value assessed for each failure to fulfill contract obligations. No specific award value or budget range is stated in the RFP documents; however, the contract is subject to State Administrative Board approval if the award equals or exceeds $250,000.