PRF76-Category 4: Holistic Essential Needs Survey RFQ (re-post)

The Massachusetts Department of Higher Education is soliciting a vendor to develop, test, and validate a comprehensive holistic essential needs survey for students in the state’s public higher education institutions, with all work required to be completed by June 30, 2026. The survey must assess critical basic needs including housing, food, transportation, technology, behavioral and mental health, health care, and child care, aligning with the Executive Office of Education’s Birth to Higher Education Mental Health Framework. The contract is structured as a Firm Fixed Price solicitation with a maximum budget of $300,000, and award will be made using a best value trade-off approach that prioritizes technical merit over cost alone. Evaluation is weighted heavily toward the quality and specificity of the narrative response (50 points), followed by the proposed key resources (up to 50 points), references demonstrating relevant survey experience (15 points), and cost competitiveness within the budget cap (10 points). Proposals must include an executive summary, company profile, scope understanding, implementation plan, timeline, detailed budget, resumes of key personnel, and three business references from Massachusetts public sector clients, submitted as a single electronic file via the COMMBUYS portal by the deadline of May 11, 2026. Deliverables include a finalized survey instrument by May 29, 2026, validation using Summer I student data by June 18, and final delivery to the Department by June 26. The state retains full ownership of all deliverables, and the contractor must comply with Massachusetts confidentiality laws, maintain records for six years, and adhere to affirmative action and non-discrimination policies. The place of performance is Boston, Massachusetts, and invoices are to be submitted via email to designated Department finance contacts. No federal FAR or DFARS clauses apply; the contract is governed by Commonwealth-specific terms and conditions. While the solicitation references potential annual renewals through September 30, 2029, no option funding, pricing, or terms are formalized in the contract. No packaging, labeling, or military standards apply, and there are no required security clearances, key personnel clauses, or organizational conflict of interest provisions in the executed contract terms.