IDEA Due Process Hearing Officer /Appeals Board Members

The Kentucky Department of Education is soliciting proposals for IDEA Due Process Hearing Officers and Exceptional Children Appeals Board (ECAB) Members under RFP 540 2700000023, with proposals due October 16, 2026 at 4:00 PM. This is a personal-services contract with no guaranteed minimum work volume; the Commonwealth anticipates awarding multiple contracts and will require six ECAB members to staff a two-tiered dispute resolution system. Questions are due September 21, 2026 by 2:00 PM, with Commonwealth responses anticipated by October 2. No bidders' conference is scheduled.

Mandatory qualifications are Rank I certification in education or equivalent degree in law, psychology, or counseling; qualification as a Kentucky administrative hearing officer under KRS 13B; and certification of impartiality and objectivity. Offerors must carry Commercial General Liability Insurance with minimum limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate, and Professional Liability Insurance with a minimum limit of $1 million per claim.

The technical proposal is scored on 1,000 points: knowledge and expertise (500 points), writing sample (400 points), and availability with a minimum of 24 hours per month (100 points). Availability is scored relative to the highest-bidding offeror; offerors must state a specific number of hours available per week rather than "as needed." The Commonwealth reserves the right to conduct oral presentations or demonstrations for the top three-ranked vendors, worth up to 200 additional points. Cost proposals are not scored; compensation is fixed at $125 per hour for hearing officers and ECAB members, plus $500 per day for KDE-provided training not to exceed $2,500 per calendar year. Travel expenses are reimbursed under state policy (200:KAR 2:006). Offerors must agree to travel throughout the Commonwealth and accept potential overnight travel.

The initial contract term runs January 1, 2027 through June 30, 2028, with the Commonwealth retaining the right to renew for up to two additional two-year periods, subject to approval by the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet and the Legislative Research Commission Government Contract Review Committee. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Kentucky Vendor Self Service System with technical and cost proposals as separate sealed documents.