Expert Consultant Services for Maryland Accreditation FY24-DEC-001

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), Division of Early Childhood (DEC), is seeking to establish a pool of expert consultants to assist in conducting accreditation visits for public prekindergarten and early childhood and school-age childcare programs in Maryland. The consultants will be responsible for attending mandatory training, completing required accreditation visits, providing technical assistance, and submitting required documentation. The contract term is from January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2026, with no guarantees of work. Consultants must accept and complete at least two validation visit assignments per year, and no more than three late arrivals for technical assistance or validation visits are allowed. The required qualifications include knowledge of childcare, Head Start, and public school prekindergarten, at least five years of experience in teaching or administering relevant programs, excellent organizational and communication skills, and proficient computer skills. The pricing categories include standards and reliability testing, required meetings, virtual and onsite technical assistance sessions, and validation visits.

Small, minority, and veteran-owned businesses are encouraged to respond to this Request for Qualifications (RFQ). The total bid price cannot exceed $50,000, including the $1,000 training cost. Consultants must disclose any current or past affiliations with programs participating in Maryland Accreditation. The bid submission date is September 12, 2023, by 2:00 p.m., and all submissions and correspondence must be routed through the state's eMMA procurement system.