Agenda Item
a. RFP 24-187 for Speech-Language, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy Services (Not to exceed $9,000,000)
Summary: Presented by: Ms. Stacy Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education approve the award for RFP 24-187 for Speech Language, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy Services to Applied Pediatrics, Inc; The Stepping Stones Group; Comprehensive Therapy Consultants; Orange Tree Staffing; Soliant Health, LLC; SHC Services, Inc.; Invo Healthcare Associates, LLC ProCare Therapy; CRA Therapy; Sunbelt Staffing LLC; Tandym Group, LLC; Pediatric Developmental Services; AMN Allied Services, LLC; American Medical Staffing, Inc.; Maxim Healthcare Staffing Services, Inc.; Academic Staffing, Inc.; Epic Special Education Staffing; Kadiant LLC; Verbal Expressions, Inc.; GHR Education; Total Communication Therapy; Kidz Speak Therapeutic Services; E-Therapy LLC; Senseabilities, Inc.; Speech Teachers of North Georgia LLC; Advokids LLC; and CareerStaff Unlimited, LLC as the most responsive and responsible bidders to provide speech language, occupational therapy, and/or physical therapy services for more than $100,000.00 per vendor but not to exceed $9,000,000.00.
Why: Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, related services may include speech language, occupational therapy, and/or physical therapy services. IDEA and Section 504 mandate the inclusion of speech language, occupational therapy, and/or physical therapy services for students whose Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 Individualized Accommodation Plans (IAPs) stipulate these services are required in order for the students to equitably access their education.
Details: The Request for Proposals 24-187: Speech Language, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy Services was issued August 24, 2023 with responses reviewed through November 17, 2023. The DCSD RFP process was followed. Twenty-seven of the thirty-three vendors that responded were selected based on the following criteria for providing services for students with disabilities in a public-school setting: ability to provide needed staff, hourly rates, and experience with school-based settings. The 27 selected vendors are Applied Pediatrics, Inc; The Stepping Stones Group; Comprehensive Therapy Consultants; Orange Therapy Staffing; Soliant Health, LLC; SHC Services, Inc.; Invo Healthcare Associates, LLC; ProCare Therapy: CRA Therapy; Sunbelt Staffing LLC; Tandym Group, LLC; Pediatric Developmental Services; AMN Allied Services, LLC; American Medical Staffing, Inc.; Maxim Healthcare Staffing Services, Inc.; Academic Staffing, Inc.; Epic Special Education Staffing; Kadiant LLC; Verbal Expressions, Inc.; GHR Education; Total Communication Therapy; Kidz Speak Therapeutic Services; E-Therapy LLC; Senseabilities, Inc.; Speech Teachers of North Georgia LLC; Advokids LLC; and CareerStaff Unlimited, LLC.
No single company has been able to provide a sufficient number of speech language pathologists (SLPs), occupational therapists (OTs), and physical therapists (PTs) to cover students’ needs. For this reason, it is recommended that the top twenty-seven vendors selected through the RFP process be approved. The initial contract duration shall be approximately one year from the date of execution. The contract may include up to four (4) one (1) year extension options contingent on DCSD’s offer to such extension, the successful offeror’s acceptance, and the approval of the DeKalb County Board of Education to extend the contract.
Financial impact: The contract amount from the general budget will be $4,500,000 (Charge code: 100.2100.530000.00011.7340.2021.8010.035.0000) and $4,500,000 from IDEA federal dollars (Charge code: 404.2100.530000.05021.7340.2824.8010.035.0000). The financial impact is contingent upon the number of therapists provided through contracted services. The current rate for these services is $62.50-$150.00 per hour.
Contact: Ms. Stacy Stepney, Chief Academic Officer, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678,676.0731
Mrs. Kiana King, Director of Special Education, Division of Curriculum & Instruction, 678.676.1885
Effective: January 9, 2024 - January 8, 2029, with required annual Board approval
Status: Approved by General Counsel
RFP 24-187
Speech Language, Occupational Therapy Physical Therapy Services
Pre-Proposal Conference Registrants
September 6, 2023
Company Name Representative Representative Email Phone Number Date Received
The SteppingStones Gourp John Gumpert, Director of Contracts and Proposals john.gumpert@ssg-healthcare.com 610.517.0063 8/25/2023
Tanya Vickers, Client Services Manager tanya.vickers@ssg-healthcare.com 678-426-2598 8/25/2023
CBR Therapy Consultants LLC Christina Resolus M.Ed. CCC-SLP info@totalcommunicationtherapy.com (770) 954-5655 8/25/2023
PresenceLearning, Inc. Jennifer Bergeron / Proposal Manager rfp@presence.com 415.512.9000 8/25/2023
Community Rehab Associates, Inc., d/b/a CRA Therapy Mary Murphy, Director of Contracts mary@commrehab.org 727-501-3034 8/25/2023
Molly Brock, National Account Executive molly@commrehab.org 727-735-4725 8/25/2023
General Healthcare Resources, LLC Jennifer Ray M.Ed, LPC jennifer.ray@ghresources.com 1-800-879-4471 x 1405 8/29/2023
LOUi Consulting Group, Inc. Letha Ratcliff lratcliff@lcgi.net 210.727.9643 8/29/2023
Reggie Adams radams@lcgi.net 210.722.3961 8/29/2023
Andrea Parris aparris@lcgi.net 210.727.9648 8/29/2023
SHC Services, Inc. dba Supplemental Health Care (“SHC”) Amber Carter, Proposal Coordinator acarter@shccares.com 559-500-1051 8/29/2023
Ashley Donaldson, Regional Business Development Director; adonaldson@shccares.com 8/29/2023
Vanessa Diama, Proposal Director; vdiama@shccares.com 8/29/2023
Keiley Giboney, Vice President of Business Development – Schools;
kgiboney@shccares.com 8/29/2023
Erin Johnson, Division Director of Sales & Client Services; ejohnson@shccares.com 8/29/2023
Anne Flanagan, Division Vice President; aflanagan@shccares.com 8/29/2023
Drew Shetrone dshetrone@shccares.com
AMN Allied Services, LLC Alex Cotter, school-dl@amnhealthcare.com (800) 236-8038
Whitney Anderson whitney.anderson@amnhealthcare.com (800) 236-8038
alex.cotter@amnhealthcare.com
SenseAbilities, Inc. Elias Rodriguez - Co-Owner erodriguez@senseabilities.net 478-333-6363 8/28/2023
Tonya Bell tonyawbell@yahoo.com 8/30/2023
Maxim Educational Services Ryan Lamping rylampin@maximstaffing.com (443) 430-8352 8/30/2023
Imagine Learning LLC Kelsey Anderson kelsey.anderson@inaginelearning.com 912-500-9348 8/30/2023
kelsey.anderson@imaginelearning.com revised 9/6/23 LW
The Columbus Organization Eric Miller edmiller@columbusorg.com 800-229-5116 8/31/2023
Kathleen Nolan knolan@columbusorg.com
Donna Denucci ddenucci@columbusorg.com
Rachel Stone rrlilley@columbusorg.com
Connected Speech Therapy Services LLC Marlon Jones marlon.jones@cstsspeech.com 216-400-2113 8/31/2023
Nikka Hampton nikka.hampton@cstsspeech.com
Kadiant LLC Caylee Harris caharris@attainaba.com 267-946-7229 9/1/2023
Comprehensive Therapy Consultants NeShanta Wilburn neshanta@comprehensivetherapyconsultants.com 770-425-6661 9/1/2023
Health Advocates Network Inc. Mariz Cuevas contracts2@stafftodayinc.com 909-858-0303 9/1/2023
Speech Teachers of North Georgia La'Keisha M. Jackson lakeisha.jackson@speechteachersga.com 404-939-5976
Lenear LLC Erika Heard speechtherepeze@gmail.com 678-848-3003
TW Bell Speech Therapy LLC Tonya Bell tonyawbell@yahoo.com 706-255-5435 9/4/2023
Darrion Bell darrion.bell@yahoo.com 770-595-2427
AdvoKids LLC Jenny Glade theadvokids@gmail.com 9/5/2023
Amy Glade advokids@gmail.com
Orange Tree Staffing Tanner Smith tanner@orangetreestaffing.com 407-388-4010 9/5/2023
Mardly Smith mardly@orangetreestaffing.com
Let Us Communicate Zene Wells wellszene@yahoo.com 678-993-7001 9/5/2023
Michelle Pearson livingpurposely.fly@gmail.com 321-356-1341
Pediatrict Developmental Services Sam Schnitzer sam@pdstherapy.com 9/5/2023
Noam Silverman noam@pdstherapy.com
Avi Meth rfp@pdstherapy.com
Shlomo Tendler s.tendler@pdstherapy.com
American Medical Staffing Inc. Katlin McAvoy kmcavoy@ame4ricanmedicalstaffing.com 410-793-4861 9/5/2023
kmcavoy@americanmedicalstaffing.com revised 9/6/23 LW