Vocational Rehabilitation Business NetworkBid Documents

The Indiana Department of Administration (IDOA) has released Request for Proposal (RFP) 26-85961 seeking state or local public entities to develop Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Business Networks in local counties through an Interagency Cash Transfer Agreement. The primary objective is to provide technical assistance to businesses and expand employment opportunities for VR participants with disabilities, particularly those with significant disabilities. Key deliverables include developing business partner networks, increasing engagement through job shadows, site tours, interviews, and hiring opportunities, promoting best practices, providing business training, and developing career pathway materials. Contractors must assign a staff liaison, submit quarterly progress reports, and establish a baseline of 15-20 formally engaged VR business network partners by the end of Year 1, with a minimum 20% quarterly growth in Year 2. The pre-proposal conference is scheduled for January 7, 2026, at 9:30 AM Eastern Time, with written questions due by January 14, 2026, at 3:00 PM. All proposals must be submitted electronically through the Supplier Portal by February 11, 2026, at 3:00 PM Eastern Time, with contract award recommendations anticipated in April 2026.

The RFP has specific set-aside designations and restrictions, requiring contractors to be state or local public entities and mandating Minority Business Enterprise participation at 8%, Women Business Enterprise participation at 11%, and Indiana Veteran Owned Small Business participation at 3%. Contractors must provide a non-federal match contribution to access federal funds, with match requirements ranging from $27,065 to $135,324 depending on project scope. Annual budgets are anticipated to range from $100,000 to $500,000, with the current pilot project operating at approximately $300,000 annually. The evaluation scoring will total 100 points (103 with bonus points), with points allocated across Management Assessment/Quality (60 points), Price (20 points), Buy Indiana Initiative (5 points), and diversity subcontractor commitments (5 points each for MBE, WBE, and IVOSB with potential 1-point bonuses). The contract term is two years from execution, with one optional two-year renewal available at the State's discretion, potentially extending the total contract period to four years. Proposed solutions must comply with the State's Information Security Framework and be prepared to integrate with existing state infrastructure, with a strong preference for cloud-based service offerings deployed within a state-owned cloud tenant.