LEGISLATIVELY MANDATED PROGRAM EVALUATIO

The State of South Carolina, through the Fiscal Accountability Authority and Department of Education First Steps program, is seeking external program evaluations for early childhood initiatives in Richland County. The solicitation requires a comprehensive five-year evaluation process involving four distinct external assessments covering fiscal years 2024-2028, with a focus on analyzing local partnerships serving children from birth through age five. The evaluations will examine program reach, impact, process fidelity, and continuous quality improvement strategies. Contractors must provide detailed deliverables including process documents, presentations, technical reports, and executive summaries. Evaluation criteria will be weighted as follows: qualifications and experience (50 points), technical proposal (30 points), and business proposal (20 points). Key submission dates include a pre-proposal conference on September 14, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. EST, questions due by September 15, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. EST, and proposals due online by October 9, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. EST. The contract period will span from December 21, 2023, to December 20, 2028, with an initial one-year term and four optional one-year renewal periods.

The solicitation does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Prospective contractors must meet comprehensive insurance requirements, including $1,000,000 in Commercial General Liability, $1,000,000 in Auto Liability, and statutory Worker's Compensation coverage. Subcontractors require prior approval from the First Steps Director of Research and Strategy, and all intellectual property, including statistical code, data, and passwords, must be returned to First Steps upon contract conclusion or research publication. While no specific budget ceiling is provided, the state will consider federally approved indirect cost rates and Time & Materials contracts with maximum set amounts. Contractors must comply with South Carolina laws, including certifications regarding independent pricing, debarment status, drug-free workplace requirements, and ethics compliance. The contractor's liability is limited to $1,000,000 per occurrence, with exceptions for indemnification and information security obligations. The project is funded through South Carolina First Steps appropriations, suggesting a state-sponsored initiative with potential for meaningful impact on early childhood education programs.