MHEC Strategic Stewardship Governance & State Plan

MHEC seeks a qualified contractor to provide strategic consulting, governance assessment, organizational planning, and implementation support services to assist the Commission and the Agency in advancing the 2026–2030 Maryland State Plan for Higher Education, Maryland’s Moment: Lighting the Way Forward.

This is a single award RFP.

**Budget:** The total maximum budget for this fixed-price engagement is not to exceed **$200,000.00**. Proposals exceeding this financial threshold will be deemed non-responsive.

The selected Contractor shall support the development of a strategic stewardship and implementation framework that reflects a clear understanding of the distinct roles and responsibilities of the Commission and the Agency. The framework shall align organizational priorities with statewide goals, identify policy and statutory levers available to advance Maryland’s higher education agenda, and establish a sustainable implementation structure through 2030.

Tasks

• Task 1: Project Initiation and Discovery
• Task 2: Governance, Roles, and Responsibilities Assessment
• Task 3: Organizational Capacity and Operating Model Assessment
• Task 4: Policy Lever and Statutory Authority Analysis
• Task 5: Strategic Stewardship and Implementation Plan Development
• Task 6: Implementation Structure Design
• Task 7: Performance Management and Continuous Improvement Framework
• Task 8: Executive Advisory and Implementation Support

Deliverables

At a minimum, the contractor shall provide:

• Project Work Plan and Discovery Summary
• Governance, Roles, and Responsibilities Assessment Report
• Organizational Capacity and Operating Model Assessment
• Policy Lever and Statutory Authority Analysis (including specialized workflows for SB 983 program objections and Fall 2026 Financial Aid IT migration)
• Draft and Final Strategic Stewardship and Implementation Plan
• State Plan Implementation Framework (structured around a dual-horizon timeline)
• Performance Management and Continuous Improvement Framework
• Executive Briefings and Presentations
• Final Recommendations Report

**Submit on emma.maryland.gov under Solicitation Number BPM 058794.** To submit a proposal, offerors must first register on emma.maryland.gov.

This is a Small Business Reserve Procurement for which the award will be limited to certified small businesses.

A Contract will be awarded in accordance with the Competitive Sealed Proposals method under COMAR 21.05.03. Multiple or alternate Proposals will not be accepted.

An overall Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) subcontract participation goal of 10% of the total contract dollar amount, including all renewal option terms, if any, has been established for this procurement.

The vendor must submit all mandatory state compliance documents with their proposal, including a Bid/Proposal Affidavit.

Contract Type: Fixed Price. Contract Duration: 1 year from execution of contract.

Primary Place of Performance – Contractor’s Primary Office, on-site meetings may be required at the Agency’s Location: 217 E. Redwood Street, Baltimore, MD