Pre-ETS autism services with ASD

The South Carolina Vocational Rehabilitation Department (SCVRD) is seeking qualified vendors to provide Pre-Employment Transition Services (Pre-ETS) for students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) ages 13-21 who are eligible or potentially eligible for vocational rehabilitation services. The solicitation covers four primary service domains: job exploration counseling, work-based learning, self-advocacy instruction, and workplace readiness training. Services must be delivered using Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) strategies, either in-person or online, with vendors limited to serving a maximum of 45 students annually. Mandatory vendor qualifications include having a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) on staff, minimum two years of experience providing ABA therapy to students with autism, and facility-based ABA therapy experience in behavior management, social skills, and adaptive living skills. The initial contract term is one year, beginning May 3, 2024, with two potential one-year renewals, and services will be billed at a fixed rate of $100 per student per hour, with a maximum of 30 hours per student per quarter. The offer submission deadline is April 16, 2024, at 11:00 AM EST, with award notification scheduled for April 24, 2024, and subsequent annual offer reviews on January 31 with awards on February 15.

No specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the solicitation documents. Vendors must complete several compliance requirements, including obtaining national background checks for direct service staff, signing a confidentiality agreement, and maintaining liability insurance with limits of $5,000,000 per occurrence and $10,000,000 aggregate. The funding source is the SCVRD operating budget under federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) mandates. Providers are responsible for securing their own evaluation materials, technology, and resources, and contracted staff cannot bill for professional development time or travel between school campuses. While no specific award value is explicitly stated, the billing structure of $100 per student per hour, with a maximum of 1,350 billable hours per service area annually, suggests potential significant contract values for successful vendors. Providers must submit quarterly data reports documenting student progress and achievement, and all students must be pre-approved by SCVRD prior to service delivery.