RFP Educational Performance Study & Reporting

The Michigan Department of Education is seeking a Tier One Research Institution to conduct an Educational Performance Study and Reporting project focused on evaluating Public School Academy Authorizers. The primary objective is to analyze reports submitted by higher education institutions and community colleges that authorize charter schools, helping the State Superintendent assess authorizer oversight as mandated by MCL380.502(5). The selected contractor must deliver a comprehensive final report within 90 days of contract award, specifically by August 1, 2025, analyzing authorizer reports and publicly available datasets to provide recommendations. The RFP was initially issued on January 16, 2025, with the proposal submission deadline extended to February 7, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern time. Evaluation criteria will include General Requirements (45%), Service Requirements (45%), and Vendor Questions (10%), with proposals requiring a minimum score of 80 points to have pricing considered. The contract term will run from April 1, 2025, through September 30, 2025, with potential for one renewal year.

The procurement is strictly limited to Tier One Research Institutions that do not currently authorize charter schools in Michigan, effectively excluding existing charter school authorizers from bidding. The project has a fixed budget of $200,000 from state general fund/general purpose money for fiscal year 2024-2025, with pricing required to be firm and fixed for the entire contract length. Contractors must maintain specific insurance coverage, including $1 million in commercial general liability and automobile liability insurance. Liquidated damages of $25,000 plus $2,500 per day may be assessed for late or improper completion, providing a strong incentive for timely and accurate performance. Payment will be processed via electronic funds transfer within 45 days of invoice receipt, with invoices to be submitted every 30 days and the final invoice due within 90 days of contract start or report acceptance. The RFP emphasizes this is a one-time project with no planned follow-up evaluations or additional data collection, and discussions about potential academic research paper publications will occur after contract award and project completion.