NIA1-313-260000000725-1 | Notice of Intent to Award for Solicitation 260000002364

The Michigan Department of Education, through the Michigan School for the Deaf, is preparing to award a contract for occupational therapy services under solicitation number NIA1-313-260000000725-1, following a competitive request for proposal process. The base contract term is two years, with the potential for up to seven one-year renewal options, creating a maximum possible duration of nine years, and the estimated value ranges from $81,000 to $729,000 depending on the exercise of all options. Services are to be delivered primarily at the Michigan School for the Deaf in Michigan, with performance locations possibly extending across various sites within the state. The evaluation of proposals was conducted under a best value trade-off framework, prioritizing technical merit over price, with scoring allocated across three key areas: mandatory general requirements in Schedule A, Sections 3 and 4 (55 points), comprehensive project execution details in Sections 5 through 23 (35 points), and responses to a vendor questions worksheet (10 points). Offerors were required to demonstrate compliance with ADA standards, ensure all occupational therapists and certified assistants held current state licensure, submit detailed organizational charts and staffing plans, establish secure handling protocols for student records, and commit to mandatory staff training sessions. The selected vendor, IVYREHAB Michigan LLC, was chosen based on strong technical evaluations despite not submitting the lowest price, reflecting the state’s emphasis on quality service delivery. The solicitation was issued electronically through the SIGMA VSS portal and closed for submissions on July 28, 2026, with a notice of intent to award published on August 6, 2026. All proposals were submitted digitally via the Michigan Department of Technology, Management and Budget procurement portal, though no specific file formats or page limits were prescribed. No formal contract clauses from the Federal Acquisition Regulation were included in the documentation, and no standard accounting codes, payment office details, invoice submission methods, or contracting officer representatives were designated in the available materials. While vendor responses were evaluated for completeness and specificity, several submissions received deficiencies for lacking detail in areas like reporting procedures, substitute staffing plans, and training compliance. The contract does not specify FOB terms, packaging requirements, or security clearances, and no socioeconomic or size status certifications were affirmatively claimed by any offeror, with all such fields marked as not applicable. The contract administration is being managed by the Michigan School for the Deaf