Kansas Higher Education Future Study

The Kansas Board of Regents, through the Kansas Department of Administration Office of Procurement and Contracts, is requesting proposals for a comprehensive strategic assessment of Kansas public higher education, with proposals due November 17, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. CST. Bidders must obtain Kansas Tax Clearance Certificates and may claim Certified Business or Disabled Veteran Owned Business preference eligibility if documentation is submitted.

The scope encompasses an independent, evidence-based review of Kansas public higher education covering demographic and workforce trends, academic program portfolio alignment, collaboration opportunities among institutions, operational flexibility barriers, financial sustainability scenarios, governance structures, and benchmarking against peer states. The deliverable is one comprehensive study due by August 31, 2027. The consultant must demonstrate minimum qualifications including experience leading comparable statewide assessments, quantitative and qualitative analysis capabilities, expertise in higher education policy and finance, project management capacity, appropriate data security controls for sensitive information, and independence from conflicts of interest. All subcontractors, cloud services, and artificial intelligence tools accessing project information must be identified in the proposal, with strict limitations on use of public AI services for nonpublic data.

The contract period runs from award date through December 31, 2027. Proposals must be submitted as separate technical (20 MB file-size limit) and cost documents via email to procurement@ks.gov or by courier. Pricing shall remain firm for the entire contract period and must be itemized by milestone and labor category. Written questions are due November 3, 2026 to Procurement Officer Nicole D. Mears. Vendors not initially invited to participate must notify the Procurement Officer of intent to bid at least 24 hours before closing; all bidders must be officially invited and must request invitation at least 24 hours prior to closing. Award will be made by the Procurement Negotiation Committee following technical and cost evaluation, with potential negotiations conducted before final award. All proposals become property of the State of Kansas and are subject to disclosure under the Kansas Open Records Act following award.