Prison Report Consultant

This Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued to procure the services, as specified in this Section 2, from a contract between the selected Offeror and the State of Maryland ("State"), Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention and Policy ("GOCPP" or "the Agency"), for a consultant to conduct a study within the Maryland adult prison system to identify systemic gaps in policies and to make recommendations to reduce violence and deaths.

The purpose of this RFP is to procure a consultant to conduct a study of the Maryland prison system to identify systemic gaps in policies and make recommendations to the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services ("DPSCS") and other criminal justice partners to reduce violence and deaths.

The resulting contract shall not exceed two hundred thousand dollars (**$200,000**).

The primary objective of the study is to provide an objective, data-driven analysis of the current workflow, operations and deliver actionable recommendations to improve safety and reduce deaths. The study will also compare Maryland’s prison policies and procedures to those of other comparable states and existing best practices, focusing particularly on states with lower levels of violence and successful rehabilitation models.

Research and Analysis

• Review the current institutional policies, staffing patterns, safety protocols, and daily operations;
• Assess the levels of violence among incarcerated individuals and correctional staff in Maryland’s entire adult prisons using publicly available data;
• Conduct a review of other comparable states’ policies, including but not limited to policies related to prison violence, and provide a comparison of Maryland’s policies with those of other states;
• Evaluate historical data related to inmate populations, incident reports, healthcare delivery, or program participation;
• Conduct interviews, focus groups, or surveys with facility leadership, correctional staff, relevant stakeholders; community partners;
• Summarize existing best practices related to prison violence and rehabilitation of incarcerated adults; and
• Provide recommendations for implementation regarding rehabilitation and how to reduce violence and deaths among incarcerated individuals and correctional staff.

Documentation and Reporting

• Prepare documentation outlining the methodology and data sources utilized in the research and analysis.
• Provide monthly updates via email to the Executive Director.
• Submit an interim report to the Executive Director no later than ninety (90) days prior to the contract expiration date.
• Submit a comprehensive final draft report detailing core findings, long-term projections, and prioritized actionable recommendations to the GOCPP’s Executive Director no later than sixty (60) days prior to the contract end date.

To submit a proposal, offerors must first register on emma.maryland.gov. Submit on emma.maryland.gov under Solicitation Number 27-SERV-001.

Proposals are due **November 6, 2026 at 2:00 PM Local Time**.

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. The Agency intends to make a single award from this RFP.

Contract Type: Firm Fixed Price. Contract Duration: Twelve (12) Months. MBE Subcontracting Goal: 5% with no subgoal. Primary Place of Performance: At Contractor’s Location.

Minimum Qualifications (required)

• A PhD or a Master’s degree from an accredited institution in the United States in Criminology, Criminal Justice, Sociology, Forensic Psychology, Public Policy, or a related field.
• At least two (2) peer-reviewed publications or formal administrative reports.
• Three references filled out on *Attachment L Reference Checks*.

Travel will not be reimbursed under this RFP.