RFP # R00B7600009 Child Care Call Center and Administration Services

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) seeks a qualified service provider to deliver Child Care Scholarship (CCS) Customer Service and Administration functions, including eligibility determinations, case management, provider payment administration and accounts processing, customer service, and audit and compliance functions for the CCS program. The Contractor shall provide all staffing, operations, and supporting technology — including call center telephony, computers, and a case management solution — necessary to perform these functions.

The State does not wish to procure a software application still under development. The software utilized in the solution shall be operational (i.e., not under development) and generally available by the due date of the Proposal.

This is a single award. A Contract award does not ensure a Contractor will receive all or any State business under the Contract.

The purpose of this solicitation is to select a qualified Contractor to provide case management, customer service, and provider payment administration and accounts processing functions for CCS customers and providers, using the CCS program systems: the CCATS, the CCS Family Portal, and the Child Care Provider Portal or other systems that may be used by MSDE over the term of the Contract.

The Contractor shall manage all aspects of case management, customer service and provider payment administration and accounts processing using CCATS and any other systems used by the MSDE in accordance with regulations, and MSDE policies and procedures.

The Contractor shall use CCATS and the CCS Portals as the current primary systems for all program functions. The Contractor's proposed case management and call center solution must operate in conjunction with existing CCATS infrastructure or any newly deployed infrastructure and support the continuation of current business operations without service disruption.

The Contractor is not responsible for maintaining or developing the CCATS, the CCS Family Portal, or the Child Care Provider Portal; however, Contractor staff shall use these systems or others deployed in the future as required to perform program functions and shall support families and childcare providers in using the CCS Portals.

The following table sets forth the functional work requirements for this Contract. The Contractor shall meet or exceed all requirements.

• Transition-in planning
• Emergency preparedness and business continuity
• Service level agreements (SLA)
• Subject matter experts
• Provider payment administration and accounts processing
• Investigating, calculating, and recovering overpayments
• Fraud and violation detection

**Submit on emma.maryland.gov under Solicitation Number R00B7600009**. To submit a proposal, offerors must first register on emma.maryland.gov.

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.

**Contract Duration:** 3-year base period with two (2) one-year option periods.

Contract Type: Hybrid with Firm Fixed price and Indefinite Quantity with fixed unit prices.

An overall Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) or Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) subcontract participation goal of 20% of the total contract dollar amount, including all renewal option terms, if any, has been established for this procurement. This solicitation includes a VSBE participation Goal of five percent (5%).

MSDE anticipates the contract will not exceed $62,500,000.00 over five (5) years.