Post-Secondary Academic-Vocational-Technical Training - Incarcerated Offenders

The Rhode Island Department of Corrections is soliciting proposals from qualified firms to provide post-secondary academic, vocational, and technical training programs for incarcerated offenders at the Adult Correctional Institution. This Request for Proposals (RFP23002838) seeks comprehensive training services designed to enhance educational opportunities for offenders, with vendors expected to deliver specialized academic and skills-based programming. The initial contract period will span three years, with potential for two additional 12-month renewal periods contingent upon vendor performance and funding availability. Proposing organizations must submit detailed technical proposals demonstrating their capabilities, experience, and specific approach to delivering educational programming within a correctional environment. The RFP requires electronic submission through the Ocean State Procures system, with a strict proposal deadline of June 6, 2023 at 6:00 PM GMT. A vendor question and answer period will be held from May 9 to May 18, 2023, with questions due by May 18, 2023 at 2:00 PM. Evaluation criteria will include technical merit, cost proposal, and ISBE (Minority/Women/Disability Business Enterprise) participation rates, with proposals assessed by a technical evaluation committee.

The solicitation strongly encourages participation from minority-owned (MBE), women-owned (WBE), and disability-owned business enterprises (DisBE), with additional evaluation points awarded based on proposed ISBE utilization rates. Vendors must maintain specific insurance coverage, including $1,000,000 in liability insurance per occurrence, $100,000 in workers compensation coverage, and $1,000,000 in automobile liability insurance. All proposing firms must register in the Ocean State Procures system and complete required documentation, including a Vendor Certification Questionnaire and Supplemental Bidder Attestation Form. While no specific contract value is listed in the documentation, the comprehensive nature of the training program suggests a significant investment in educational services for incarcerated individuals. The state reserves the right to award the contract to the most qualified vendor, potentially considering multiple vendors for different aspects of the training program, and maintains the ability to cancel the procurement at its discretion. Successful vendors will be expected to integrate their training programs with existing correctional education infrastructure and comply with all state affirmative action and non-discrimination policies.