NORTHWEST EDUCATIONAL SERVICE DISTRICT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
LEGAL NOTICE

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Notice is hereby given that proposals will be received by the Northwest Educational Service District for a School Counselor. The complete Request for Proposal, including submittal requirements can be viewed at www.nwesd.org.

The Northwest Educational Service District (NWESD) located in Skagit County requests statements of proposal from providers experienced in counseling services for children. The Northwest Educational Service District oversees three Cooperative Programs, which serve elementary, middle, and high school students experiencing significant social, emotional, and behavioral difficulties. Counseling service providers are sought after to provide counseling services for Whatcom Discovery throughout the 2023-24 school year.

SCOPE OF WORK

  1. Provide personnel who can perform counseling services on a daily basis for up to 186 days of school per year.
  2.  Provide services in accordance with student’s Individualized Educational Program (IEP).
  3. Provide personnel who have passed a Washington State patrol criminal identification background check in compliance with RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.834, 10.97.030 and 10.97.050 and through the Federal Bureau of Investigation and personnel who can perform duties in compliance with the NWESD’s Drug Free Workplace Policy, before the personnel has any unsupervised access to any child.
  4. Provide personnel who meet the state’s requirement for COVID-19 vaccination or accepted waiver.
  5. Maintain direct responsibility as an employer of the personnel for the payment of wages and other compensation and for any applicable mandatory withholdings and contributions such as federal, state and local income taxes, social security taxes, workers compensation and unemployment insurance.
  6. Submit timely invoices detailing the services or goods rendered for the requested payment to the Fiscal Department of the NWESD.

DURATION OF SERVICES

The term of the awarded contract will be for 2 years. Prior to the expiration of the term of the awarded contract, or any renewals or extensions thereof, the NWESD may, in its sole discretion, renew the contract for 1 period of 2 years, with the same terms and conditions.

RFP SCHEDULE:

(These dates are estimates and subject to change by the NWESD)

Event: Date

RFP Release: May 1, 2023
Vendor Questions Due: May 8, 2023 by 4:30pm
Responses to Vendor Questions: May 15, 2023 by 4:30pm
Proposal Responses Due: June 1, 2023 by 4:30pm
Formal Presentations/Interviews: If necessary
New Contract in Place: July 30, 2023

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OF COUNSELING PERSONNEL

  1.  Master’s degree in Special Education or related field and two years of experience working with emotionally disturbed youth in an educational environment.
  2. Washington State educational certificate with school counselor endorsement required.
  3. Successfully pass a Washington State patrol criminal identification background check in compliance with RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.834, 10.97.030 and 10.97.050 and through the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
  4. Shall not have pled guilty or been convicted of any crime under RCW 28A.400.330.
  5. Expertise working with students identified with a range of disabling conditions including emotional behavior disorders.

BUDGET

Estimated range is $55,000 to $110,000 based upon prior experience and credentials for one School Counselor for 186 school days at 7.5 hours/day. Depending upon programmatic needs, several personnel may be requested from the service provider throughout the year.

SUBMITTAL PROCESS

The proposal should include the following:

  1. Letter of interest
  2.  Description of experience in providing requested services
  3. Description of required/requested qualifications
  4. Description of all applicable fees and charges
  5. Statement of qualifications and relevant experiences of individual(s) providing services
  6. Ability to meet NWESD insurance requirement
  7. A minimum of three (3) references relating to the services being requested with full name, title, address, phone and email addresses.

EVALUATION PROCEDURES
Proposals will be evaluated by the Selection Committee. The Selection Committee will consider the completeness of a Vendors proposal and how well the proposal meets the needs of the NWESD. In evaluating the proposals, the NWESD will be using a criteria evaluation process.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

Proposals will be evaluated by NWESD staff based upon the responsiveness of the Proposal to this RFP, which may be weighted by the NWESD in any manner it deems appropriate. Interviews, if considered necessary, will be held with selected Vendors based on an evaluation of the Proposals. All Proposals will be evaluated using the criteria listed below:

  • Previous experience in service area
  • Expertise of service providers
  • Cost
  • Response of references

SELECTION PROCESS

The Northwest Educational Service District reserves the right to reject any or all applicants, waive technicalities or irregularities and accept any proposal if such action is believed to be in the best interest of the NWESD. The following steps are anticipated:

  1. Receipt and review of qualifications and written proposals.
  2.  Initial reference and information check.
  3. Follow-up with respondents and possible interviews.
  4. Selection of service provider by Selection Committee.
  5. Contract presented to NWESD Superintendent.

NWESD STANDARD TERMS & CONDITIONS
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Contractor must ensure compliance with Federal Executive Order 11246, as amended -Equal Employment Opportunity – to prevent discrimination in employment decisions on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin; and must take affirmative action to ensure that equal opportunity is provided in all aspects of its employment.

NONDISCRIMINATION/ANTI-HARASSMENT

In performing its obligations under this contract, the Contractor shall comply with the NWESD, state and federal guidelines and regulations regarding nondiscrimination and harassment involving any employee/student on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, ancestry, national origin, creed, marital status, age, sexual orientation, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or use of a trained dog or service animal by a person with a disability in employment, services, or any other regards.

INSURANCE

During the term of the Contract, the Contractor shall maintain in force at its own expense, the following insurance with an insurance company rated at least A-VIII or better in Best’s Insurance Reports: Commercial General Liability insurance written on an occurrence basis with limits of no less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) combined single limit per occurrence and two million dollars ($2,000,000) aggregate for personal injury, bodily injury and property damage. Coverage shall include but not be limited to: blanket contractual; products/completed operations; broad form property damage; explosion, collapse and underground (XCU) if applicable; and employer’s liability.

The Contractor shall ensure that the NWESD shall have no less than thirty (30) days prior written notice of any cancellation, suspension or material change in coverage. Promptly upon request, the Contractor shall provide the NWESD with a certified copy of all required insurance policies. In addition, promptly upon request, the Contractor shall name the NWESD as an additional insured on the Commercial General Liability insurance policy, as respects work performed by or on behalf of the Contractor and upon such a request, receive a copy of the endorsement naming the NWESD as additional insured.

OTHER ASSURANCES

In performing its obligations under this Contract, each party shall promptly comply with all laws, ordinances, orders, rules, regulations and requirements of the federal, state, county or municipal governments or any of their departments, bureaus, boards, commissions or officials concerning the subject matter of this Contract (the “Laws”). This provision applies to Laws currently existing or applicable to a party’s duties under this Contract during the term of this Contract.

SUSPENSION AND DEBARMENT ASSURANCES

The Contractor certifies, and the NWESD relies thereon in execution of this Contract, that neither it nor its Principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded for the award of contracts by any Federal governmental agency or department. “Principals”, for the purposes of this certification, mean officers; directors; owners; partners; and, persons having primary management or supervisory responsibilities within a business entity. Further, the Contractor agrees to provide the NWESD immediate written notice if, at any time during the term of this Contract, including any renewals hereof, it learns that its certification was erroneous when made or has become erroneous by reason of changed circumstances. The Contractor’s certification via the execution of this Contract is a material representation of fact upon which the NWESD has relied in entering into this Contract. Should the Contractor determine, at any time during this Contract, including any renewals hereof, that this certification is false, or should it become false due to changed circumstances, the NWESD may terminate this Contract in accordance with the terms and conditions therein.

INDEPENDENT CAPACITY

The Contractor and Contractor’s employees/agents shall provide the results required in this Contract as an Independent Contractor. The Contractor’s employees/agents who are engaged in the performance of this Contract shall continue to be employees/agents of the Contractor and shall not be considered for any purpose to be employees/agents of the NWESD. The Contractor agrees that the NWESD does not direct how the Contractor carries out its obligations under the Contract. It is understood and agreed that the Contractor is responsible for providing Industrial Insurance for him/herself/itself and his/her/its employees/agents and that the Contractor and the Contractor’s employees/agents are not covered by Industrial Insurance through the NWESD. It is understood and agreed that the Contractor is responsible for the payment of all taxes due on payments made under this Contract.

INDEMNIFICATION/HOLD HARMLESS

The Contractor indemnifies and shall defend and hold the NWESD, its employees, agents and representatives, harmless from and against all third-party claims, actions, liens, suits or proceedings asserted against the NWESD that are related to the Contractor’s obligations or performance under this Contract. The Contractor shall timely reimburse the NWESD for all costs, expenses, damages, losses, liabilities or obligations, including reasonable attorney’s fees, incurred by the NWESD as a result of such third-party claims, actions, liens, suits or proceedings.

BACKGROUND CHECKS

By executing this Contract with the Client, the NWESD represents and warrants that each of its employees or agents shall have a record check through the Washington state patrol criminal identification system in compliance with RCW 43.43.830 through 43.43.834, 10.97.030, and 10.97.050 and through the Federal Bureau of Investigation before she or he has unsupervised access to any child. The record check shall include a fingerprint check using a complete Washington state criminal identification fingerprint card.

CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN

The NWESD warrants that any of its employees or agents who has pled guilty or been convicted of any crime under RCW 28A.400.330 shall not have any contact with any child at a public school. Failure to comply with this section shall be grounds for immediate termination of this Contract.

FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)

Contractor agrees that it may create, have access to, or receive from or on behalf of the NWESD, records or record systems that are subject to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”), 20 U.S.C. Section 1232g (collectively, the “FERPA Records”). Contractor represents, warrants, and agrees that it will: (1) hold the FERPA Records in strict confidence and will not use or disclose the FERPA Records except as (a) permitted or required by this Contract, (b) required by law, or (c) otherwise authorized by the NWESD in writing; (2) safeguard the FERPA Records according to commercially reasonable administrative, physical and technical standards that are no less rigorous than the standards by which the Contractor protects its own confidential information; and (3) continually monitor its operations and take any action reasonably necessary to assure that the FERPA Records are safeguarded in accordance with the terms of this Contract.

HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT

The Contractor will comply with Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and its implementing regulations (collectively, “HIPAA”) specified in Addendum A and Addendum B (HIPPA Business Associate Contractor Agreements) and as amended from time to time.

PROOF OF PROFESSIONAL LICENSURE

Prior to providing service, the Contractor will provide a copy of any professional license and/or certifications required to perform the services described in this Contract to the Superintendent. The Contractor will also ensure that all licenses and certifications required to perform services under this Contract remain current and in good standing.

HOW TO RESPOND

Responses must be marked “NWESD REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL” and be sent to Toni Acfalle, Special Programs & Service, NWESD at tacfalle@nwesd.org or by mail or direct delivery to 1601 R Ave., Anacortes, WA 98221.

Responses must be received by 4:30 p.m., June 1, 2023