Agenda Item
b. RFP 20-187 Speech-Language, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Services Extension (Year 3 of 4) - (Speech-Language, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Services for more than $50,000.00 per vendor but not to exceed the total contracted amount of $9,000,000)
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the contract extensions of RFP 20-187 for Progressus Therapy; Community Rehabilitation Associates, Incorporated; Cobb Pediatric/Stepping Stones Group (EBS is now part of the Stepping Stones Group); Comprehensive Therapy Consultants; Pediatric Developmental; Orange Tree Staffing; Atlanta Pediatric Therapy; EDU Healthcare; and Soliant as the most responsive and responsible bidders to provide speech-language, occupational therapy, and physical therapy services for more than $50,000.00 per vendor but not to exceed the total contracted amount of $9,000,000.00.
Why: Speech-language impairment is a disability area as defined by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Currently, 5,194 students receive speech services from a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist (SLP) in the DeKalb County School District (DCSD). In addition, IDEA mandates the inclusion of Occupational Therapy (OT) and Physical Therapy (PT) for students whose Individual Education Program (IEP) direct these services for them to access their education. DCSD has contracted with vendors to provide speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists when the school district cannot hire them directly. The request for an increase in the contracted amount from $7,000,000 to $9,000,000 is a result of the need to extend contractual staff hours to cover student IEP services, additional vacancies requiring contract staff, and vendor rate increases.
Details: The Request for Proposals (RFP) 20-187 for Speech-Language, Occupational, and Physical Therapy services was issued on November 14, 2019, and approved by the Board on February 10, 2020. The approved DCSD RFP process was followed. Nine of the nineteen vendors that responded were selected based on the following criteria for providing services to students with disabilities in a public school setting: ability to provide needed staff, hourly rates, and experience with school-based settings. The nine selected vendors were Progressus Therapy; Community Rehabilitation Associates, Incorporated; Cobb Pediatric/Stepping Stones Group; Comprehensive Therapy Consultants; Pediatric Developmental; Orange Tree Staffing; Atlanta Pediatric Therapy; EDU Healthcare; and Soliant.
No single company has been able to provide a sufficient number of speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists to cover students’ needs.
Financial impact: The financial impact is contingent upon the number of therapists provided through contracted services. The proposed hourly rates for the new contracted vendors are $50.00 - $67.50.
Contact: Ms. Stacy E. Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678.676.0731
Ms. Michele Summerlin, Executive Director, Exceptional Education, Division of Curriculum & Instruction 678. 676.2163
Effective: May 1, 2023 - April 30, 2024
Status: Attorney approval not required
RFP 20-187 Speech-Language, Occupational, and Physical Therapy Services
Date:
SUMMARY
Community Rehab Associates Inc Comprehensive Therapy Consultants Constellation School Based Therapy Healthcare Staffing Professionals Pediatric Developmental Services
Centra Healthcare Solutions Cobb Pediatric Speech Services Apex Therapeutic Services LLC Atlanta Pediatric Therapy Inc Orange Tree Staffing LLC Stellar Therapy Services Therapia Staffing LLC
Progressus Therapy Access Therapies AmplioSpeech Inc EBS Healthcare Inc EDU Healthcare Soliant Health Inc
Maxim Inc
Points for Total Points
Indiviudal for 5
Evaluation Criteria Breakdown Evaluator Evaluators
A. Scope of Services (from Section B Offeror Responsibilities) 350 points 1750 445 1677 1569 377 682 125 1148 1547 1608 630 1320 1096 283 1429 1523 1270 1524 1184 1240
Established company with experience in providing licensed occupational therapists to school 0-50
districts
Established company with experience in providing licensed physical therapists to school 0-50
districts
Established company with experience in providing licensed speech-language pathologists to 0-50
school districts
Vendor will provide a substitute for contract employee absences of 5 days or longer including 0-30
extended leaves of 6-8 weeks
Vendor will provide an individual responsible for recruiting 0-30
Vendor will provide a liaison to coordinate the program and work with District Administrators 0-30
to resolve issues and concerns
Vendor has defined recruiting and hiring process 0-25
Vendor provides CF Mentorship for SLP candidates 0-20
Vendor agrees to provide resume and 2 professional references for each therapist 0-20
Vendor provides licensed staff who can directly provide support for therapist's therapeutic 0-15
intervention needs including on-site supervision visits
Vendor has staff evaluation and monitoring process in place 0-15
Vendor agrees to meet conditions outlined in RFP for releasing staff from their contracts during 0-15
the school year
B. Cost of Services 300 Points 1800 1025 1205 1309 401 520 120 1177 1187 1340 650 1350 948 800 1390 1344 1020 1115 1090 520
SLP Hourly Rate 0-45
SLP (CF) Hourly Rate 0-45
SLP Clinical Telepractiioner 0-45
Occupational Therapist Hourly Rate 0-45
Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant Hourly Rate 0-45
Physical Therapist Hourly Rate 0-45
Vendor agrees to submit monthly invoices accompanied by service logs for applicable days 0-30
C. Quality and Experience (from Section G Company Profile) 250 Points 1500 80 1137 995 200 360 355 930 942 880 215 1175 680 440 640 760 880 500 465 670
Vendor has demonstrated establishment and experience in metro areas 0-50
Vendor has sufficient size and employees to serve a large metro district 0-50
Vendor demonstrates financial stability 0-50
Vendor submitted brochures, catalogs, manuals, websites or literature that supports their 0-25
submission (section J)
Vendor has mission statement in line with that of DCSD 0-25
Vendor has local office in metro Atlanta 0-25
Vendor has previously provided licensed therapy staff to the District 0-25
D. Variety of Additional Services Offered 50 Points 300 0 235 150 10 60 0 80 208 190 20 180 45 0 95 185 45 195 40 65
Vendor agrees to provide one continuing education unit opportunity for all therapists serving
DCSD students 0-30
Other added value services addressed in Section K 0-20
E. References 50 Points 300 20 115 135 0 92 20 100 95 190 60 95 105 110 205 130 100 95 80 60
Strength and relevance of references per RFP submittal requirements 0-50
TOTAL 1000 Points 6000 1570 4369 4158 988 1714 620 3435 3979 4208 1575 4120 2874 1633 3759 3942 3315 3429 2859 2555