Statistical Assistance for Independent Redistricting Commiss

The Michigan Department of State has issued Request for Proposal (RFP) #190000002942 seeking statistical expertise to support the implementation of the state's new Independent Redistricting Commission, established by a 2018 constitutional amendment. The primary objective is to develop a statistically rigorous method for randomly selecting and screening 10,000 registered voters to ultimately compose a 13-member citizen commission responsible for drawing congressional and state legislative district lines. The selected contractor will be responsible for creating transparent, nonpartisan selection methodologies that ensure the applicant pool reflects Michigan's demographic composition, utilizing U.S. Census Bureau and American Community Survey data to weight characteristics such as race, ethnicity, sex, and age. Evaluation criteria will be technically focused, with 100 points allocated across product quality (50 points), service capabilities (25 points), and vendor responses (25 points), with proposals needing to score at least 80 points to advance to pricing review. The RFP was issued on August 5, 2019, with proposals due by August 22, 2019, and an anticipated contract start date of September 3, 2019, covering the period from August 1, 2019, to July 30, 2020, with potential for a one-year renewal.

The RFP does not specify explicit set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrict respondents to specific organizational types, instead emphasizing the need for an independent, statistically expert vendor with demonstrated integrity. The contract appears to have a flexible budget, with the Department of State committed to negotiating costs based on required hours and expertise. The selected contractor will be expected to attend 2-3 in-person meetings, potentially make external presentations, and may need to defend their statistical selection methodologies if challenged. Critically, this is a standalone contract, and the awarded vendor would not be precluded from participating in additional redistricting-related contracts. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive nature of the work—involving application mailings, statistical analysis, demographic weighting, and potential legal defensibility—suggests a significant professional services engagement tailored to the unique requirements of Michigan's innovative redistricting approach.