Legal Services for DSS-Involved Children With Disabilities

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, through the Department of Social Services (DSS), is procuring legal services to represent parents, guardians, and other special education decision makers of DSS-involved children with disabilities. The services will cover matters pertaining to the provision of educational services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other federal and state laws. The procurement includes two initiatives - a Statewide Initiative seeking attorneys to represent education decision makers for children in placement with DSS across the state, and a Boston Initiative seeking up to three attorneys to represent education decision makers for children served by DSS area offices in the Boston region. Bidders may respond to both initiatives. Contracts will be fee-for-service with payments made on a negotiated hourly rate basis and a negotiated maximum total case rate. The initial contract duration is expected to be up to 30 months with one option to renew for up to two years. Bidder responses are due by December 20, 2006, and contract awards are expected by January 19, 2007, with a start date of February 1, 2007.

This procurement is subject to the Commonwealth's Affirmative Market Program (AMP) requirements for Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprises (M/WBEs). Bidders must submit an AMP Plan Form committing to specific expenditure amounts or percentages with their M/WBE partners. The procurement is open and competitive, and will be evaluated based on criteria designed to determine the best value to the Commonwealth. Pricing terms, set-asides, incumbents, and funding requirements are not explicitly stated in the documents provided.