Agenda Item
b. RFP 26-736 Special Education Comprehensive Audit (Not to Exceed $176,700)
Summary: Presented by: Mrs. Kiana King, Interim Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services
Request: It is requested that the DeKalb County Board of Education award RFP 26-736 to LinkIt! dba Magnolia Consulting Group as the most responsive vendor to conduct a comprehensive Special Education Program Audit. Approval will authorize the Superintendent or designee to enter into an agreement with the vendor in accordance with District procurement procedures as the most responsive and responsible bidder for more than $100,000, but not to exceed the total contract amount of $176,700.
Why: The Special Education Program Audit will provide the District with an independent, comprehensive review of special education programs, services, procedures, and compliance practices. The audit will assess the effectiveness of current systems, identify strengths and opportunities for improvement, evaluate alignment with federal and state requirements, and provide actionable recommendations to enhance service delivery and student outcomes. Findings from the audit will inform strategic planning, support continuous improvement efforts, strengthen accountability measures, and ensure the District is well-positioned to meet the needs of students with disabilities while maintaining regulatory compliance.
Details: The request for proposal for RFP 26-736 was issued on May 7, 2026, with a response deadline on June 17, 2026. The approved DCSD RFP process was followed. Thirteen (13) vendors responded with eleven (11) vendors deemed responsive to the requirements of the solicitation. RFP 26-736 was posted to IonWave on May 7, 2026 and advertised in the Champion Newspaper on May 7, 2026, and May 14, 2026. Additionally, electronic notification was sent to 241 vendors from the DCSD Vendor Bid List, sent to 641 vendors through the State of GA Procurement Registry and electronic notification was sent to 1,115 vendors through IonWave. Vendors were evaluated based on their demonstrated expertise in special education program audits, experience with comparable school districts, knowledge of federal and state special education requirements, qualifications of proposed staff, ability to provide an independent and comprehensive review, stakeholder engagement methodology, capacity to deliver actionable recommendations, project timeline, and overall value to the District. The vendor selected is LinkIt! dba Magnolia Consulting Group.
Financial impact: General budget: 100.2213.53000.00011.734.2061.8010.904.0000. Not to exceed $176,700.
Contact: Mrs. Kiana King, Interim Chief of Student Services, Division of Student Services, 678-676-1079
Dr. Erin Broyard Baptiste, Interim Executive Director of Exceptional Education, Division of Student Services, 678-676-1814
Effective: Upon Board Approval
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs
July 10, 2026 Page 1 of 2
RE: Award Recommendation Letter – RFP 26-736 Special Education Comprehensive Audit
Greetings Ms. Kiana King,
RFP 26-736 Special Education Comprehensive Audit was formally processed through the Procurement
Department at your request. Response(s) to the solicitation were received in the Procurement
Department on June 17, 2026.
Thirteen (13) proposals were reviewed and eleven (11) were deemed responsive to the requirements of
the solicitation. Please find attached the responsive proposals and the Abstract Sheet, which is the record
of the public opening/acknowledgement.
Please take the following course of action:
1) Convene the evaluation team. Remember that each individual serving as an evaluator must have a
completed and signed Solicitation Evaluator Agreement on file in the Procurement Department.
Your team will work together to review and evaluate elements of each response in comparison to
the solicitation requirements.
2) Using this form, please advise the Procurement Department as soon as possible of your award
recommendation(s) and the date you anticipate presenting your recommendation of award to the
Board of Education for approval.
REMINDER: Include the entire bid/rfp number and bid/rfp name in your Board of
Education item documentation so that we can later match the resulting Superintendent’s award
directive to your solicitation and produce an award letter.
3) If your Recommended Award Vendor is not the lowest priced offering, you must provide the
Procurement Department your rationale for not awarding to the lowest responsive respondent. Use
an additional sheet to provide your rationale.
4) If there is only one line item on the solicitation or if there are multiple line items recommended for
award and to a single Award Vendor, simply fill in the information below for Recommended Award
Vendor #1.
5) If there are multiple line items to be awarded and/or if you recommend splitting the award to
multiple Award Vendors, you will need to fill in the name for each Recommended Award Vendor on
the lines below and attach the Tabulation indicating which items are to be awarded to each
Recommended Award Vendor.
Robert R. Freeman Administrative Complex
1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd | Stone Mountain, GA 30083
678.676.0110 | www.dekalbschoolsga.org
Page 2 of 2
6) Upon receipt of your award recommendation(s), the Procurement Department will notify the Risk
Department of your award recommendation and contact the vendor(s) to request final and fully
compliant insurance certificates prior to issuance of the award letter and prior to commencement
or delivery of services under this solicitation.
Please email to Mr. Weyman Christopher at Weyman_F_Christopher@dekalbschoolsga.org .
_______________________________
LinkedIT dba Advanced Assessment Systems
Recommended Award Vendor #1
August 10, 2026
________________________________
Anticipated BOE Presentation Date
_______________________________
Recommended Award Vendor #2
7.14.26
________________________________
Your Signature / Today’s Date
_______________________________
Recommended Award Vendor #3
_______________________________
Recommended Award Vendor #4
_______________________________
Recommended Award Vendor #5
Please feel free to reach out to me at 678 676-0120 with any questions or concerns. Your prompt response
is appreciated. Thank you.
Regards,
Carla L. Smith
Carla L. Smith
Executive Director, Vendor Services
CLS\WFC
c: Dr. Erin Broyard-Baptiste
Robert R. Freeman Administrative Complex
1701 Mountain Industrial Blvd | Stone Mountain, GA 30083
678.676.0110 | www.dekalbschoolsga.org