Cancelled- Temp IT Programmer

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE), specifically the Office of School and Community Nutrition Programs (OSCNP), is seeking a temporary IT Programmer to analyze code provided by the District of Columbia and evaluate whether the Orchard system could potentially replace the Maryland Accountability Reporting System (MARS). The contract is scheduled to run from March 14th, 2025, to February 28th, 2026, with a total budget of $100,000. Required technical skills include proficiency in .Net, JSON, Web API, MySQL, Azure DevOps, ASP.NET MVC architecture, and SQL Server database client-server architecture. The selected contractor will collaborate with the MSDE technical team, provide weekly status updates, and participate in regular meetings, with performance measured by cost, schedule, and overall project metrics. Key deliverables include code analysis, system compatibility assessment, and potential migration recommendations. Candidates must be geographically located in the USA and work during business hours (7am - 6pm), with Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS) certification preferred but not mandatory. The solicitation allows for 5 resume submissions, with interviews conducted in two rounds both virtually and in-person, and the proposal due date is April 3rd, 2025.

The contract has specific technological requirements, mandating the use of tools such as Jira, Visual Studio, and Git, with full access to the Orchard system and its documentation provided to the selected contractor. While no specific set-aside designations or disadvantaged enterprise requirements are mentioned, the opportunity appears open to qualified IT professionals and consulting firms capable of meeting the technical specifications. The MSDE does not intend to extend the temporary services beyond the initial contract period, and there are no existing incumbents for this role. The hourly payment structure suggests flexibility in contractor engagement, with the total contract value of $100,000 serving as the primary budget constraint. Specific evaluation criteria prioritize technical expertise, with preference given to candidates demonstrating strong programming skills in the specified technologies and the ability to effectively analyze and potentially migrate complex reporting systems. Successful vendors will need to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the MARS system and the potential advantages of transitioning to the Orchard platform.