Orientation and Mobility Services DF260021

The California Department of Education is issuing an Invitation for Bid (IFB) to procure Orientation and Mobility (O&M) services for deaf and visually-impaired/blind students at the California School for the Deaf, Fremont in Alameda County. The procurement seeks qualified contractors to provide in-person O&M assessment, direct O&M services, and O&M consultation to Deaf/Blind and Deaf/Visually-Impaired students in accordance with their Individual Education Programs. Deliverables include sensory awareness training, spatial concepts, searching skills, independent movement, sighted guide techniques, protective techniques, cane skills, and comprehensive O&M training, with assessments to be completed within 60 days of receiving a signed assessment plan and written assessment reports provided with IEP meeting participation. Services will be scheduled on an as-needed basis between 7:45 AM and 4:30 PM, Monday through Friday, excluding school and state holidays, with a required 48-hour response time to service requests and scheduling within two weeks or less. Bidders must possess a minimum of five years of experience working with children with physical, developmental, and learning disabilities and hold a current Clinical or Rehabilitative Services Credential in Orientation and Mobility, with fluency in American Sign Language or the ability to subcontract certified ASL interpreters. The question deadline is April 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM PDT, the bid submission deadline is April 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM PDT, and the public bid opening is scheduled for April 21, 2026 at 9:00 AM PDT, with the initial contract period running from October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, followed by two optional one-year renewal periods extending through September 30, 2029. Evaluation criteria include hourly rates for O&M Specialist services (estimated 1,000 hours) and ASL Interpreting Services (estimated 900 hours) across three contract years, with award based on the lowest average Grand Total.

This solicitation is exempt from Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation requirements but offers a DVBE incentive of 3-5% based on confirmed participation levels, and a five percent small business preference is available to eligible bidders. Required insurance includes Commercial General Liability of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence, Professional Liability with limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and aggregate, and Workers' Compensation coverage. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation documents. The contract is subject to funding availability and requires Department of General Services approval, with all bids becoming public records subject to disclosure under the California Public Records Act. While specific budget amounts are not disclosed in the available documentation, the estimated service hours (1,000 O&M Specialist hours and 900 ASL Interpreting hours annually) across three contract years provide the basis for bidders to submit hourly rate proposals. Interested vendors should direct all questions, requests for clarification, and comments to Siena Geach at SGeach@cde.ca.gov to ensure timely response within the April 1, 2026 deadline.