RFP (reissue) for Providing Substitute Therapy Services for Speech, PT, PTA, OT, COTA & American Sign Language Interpreting

This solicitation reissues a prior request for proposals for substitute therapy services including Speech-Language Pathology, Physical Therapy, Physical Therapist Assistants, Occupational Therapy, Certified Occupational Therapy Assistants, and American Sign Language Interpreting within the Akron Public Schools district, after the original RFP was voided due to unresolved questions regarding State Teachers Retirement System requirements. All specifications remain unchanged except for the incorporation of updated STRS compliance information, which vendors must account for when resubmitting or revising their proposals. The response deadline is May 22, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. EDT, and submissions must be made electronically through the Public Purchase portal using the RESPOND button; only complete, newly submitted proposals will be accepted, even if previously submitted for the original RFP. The contract period runs from July 1, 2026, to June 30, 2027, with optional one-year extensions through 2029 contingent on funding and mutual agreement. Vendors must be current providers of services to Ohio public school districts, and pricing is evaluated alongside experience and proximity of the vendor’s main office, with award determined by a trade-off method rather than lowest-price technically acceptable. All personnel must hold valid Ohio licenses, complete FBI and BCII background checks, and comply with SERS/STRS retirement contribution rules, including mandatory employer and employee deductions. Vendors cannot subcontract services or hire any Akron Public Schools employees during the term. Comprehensive liability insurance of $2 million per occurrence naming the district as an additional insured is required, along with adherence to all State and Federal special education laws, OSHA standards, and Ohio Revised Code requirements regarding documentation, diagnostic evaluations, and IEP participation. Services are delivered on-site at school locations across the district, with invoices submitted monthly by mail to the Board’s Accounts Payable Department, including detailed service logs, locations, and purchase order numbers. Payment is contingent on available appropriations, with no guaranteed minimum service hours, and the vendor assumes full responsibility for compliance, quality control, and professional conduct.