Request for Proposals for the Special Services Team

INFORMATIONAL LETTER: 72
POLICY CODE: BA

TO: Superintendents of Schools, Special Education Directors, CDS Site Directors, Curriculum Coordinators, and Public and Private Non-Profit Groups
FROM: Susan A. Gendron, Commissioner
DATE: March 9, 2009
RE: Request for Proposals for the Special Services Team

The State of Maine Department of Education is initiating a Request for Proposals (RFP) for regional professional development collaboratives designed to promote partnerships with School Administrative Units (SAUs) and Child Development Services (CDS) sites that provide need-based training designed to:

Promote educational competency for educators, service providers, community case management providers, and parents to support children with disabilities;
Assist local agencies and programs in providing positive behavioral interventions and supports;
Promote alternative programming for children with disabilities who have been expelled from schools, child care and other community programs for children with disabilities;
Develop and promote the implementation of early childhood transition programs including coordination of services with agencies involved in supporting the transition of children with disabilities;
Assist local educational agencies with personnel shortages for related service providers, special education teachers, and evaluators;
Support student learning, engagement and school completion by improving the delivery of services by the SAU or CDS site to improve results for children with disabilities; and/or
Improve technical assistance to SAUs, CDS sites and direct services, including supplemental educational services.

Eligible applicants for this RFP are: SAUs, CDS sites, and other entities that have the capacity and authority to work with SAUs and CDS sites to form a regional collaborative professional development system.

Contact Person: For grant information, please contact Nancy Connolly (207-624-6650) or nancy.connolly@maine.gov .

Any questions about RFP # 200903383 must be in writing and received prior to March 20, 2009 at 2:00 p.m. and submitted to Nancy Connolly at nancy.connolly@maine.gov .

You may download RFP # 200903383 starting Tuesday March 10, 2009 at www.maine.gov/education/speced/rfp/index.html

A Bidders Conference is scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, 2009 in Room 400 of the Burton Cross Building, 111 Sewall Street Augusta, Maine. Questions and answers related to the Special Services RFP # 200903383 will be responded to in writing and posted on the Department of Education web site at www.maine.gov/education/speced/rfp/index.html by March 27, 2009.

The "Official Proposal" containing the signed, original response to this RFP and Ten (10) paper copies, as well as one copy in electronic format using Microsoft Word, must be delivered in sealed package(s) no later than 2:00 pm on April 10, 2009 to:

Department of Administrative & Financial Services
Division of Purchases
Burton M. Cross Building, 4th Floor
111 Sewall Street
9 State House Station
Augusta, Maine 04333-0009

The Technical Proposal(s) and general information must be sealed in one envelope and the Cost Proposal must be sealed in a separate envelope. The entire package, containing all required response forms and other required information must be submitted together.

COMPLETED PROPOSALS MUST BE RECEIVED BY AND WILL BE OPENED NO LATER THAN FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2009, 2:00 P.M. LOCAL TIME at the following address: Division of Purchases, Bureau of General Services; Burton M. Cross Office Building, 4th Floor, 9 State House Station, Augusta, ME 04333-0009. Proposal package(s) must be labeled with the Applicant’s Name, RFP number and title. Faxed proposals will not be accepted.