RFP - FY24 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FY24 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act

Education for Homeless Children and Youth

Submission Deadline Date: April 4, 2024

SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION AND PROGRAM OVERVIEW

1.1 Program Purpose and Goals

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE), Office of Federal Program, is seeking competitive written proposals from qualified applicants to provide services and assistances implementing the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth program through grant awards issued by the U.S. Department of Education. Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) must use these McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Grant funds to help meet the needs of students who are homeless. Funds may be used to provide services to improve the identification of homeless children and youth, and to help homeless students enroll in, attend, and succeed in school.

McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth services must be linked to the achievement of the same challenging state academic standards other students are required to meet. Activities may be provided on school grounds or at other facilities, including sectarian property, when this is constitutionally permissible. When services are made available on school grounds, services also may be made available to other children or youth who are identified as at risk of failing/dropping out of school. Priority, however, should be given to homeless students. Services should be provided through existing programs and mechanisms that integrate homeless and non-homeless individuals, and services provided are not intended to replace the regular academic program. LEAs should take steps to ensure that strong collaboration and coordination of resources and services occurs, and that these funds do not duplicate services provided by other agencies or organizations, including state agencies and non-profit organizations.

A grant agreement will be signed for fiscal year 2024. All grant awards are at the discretion of the State Board of Education (SBE). This solicitation and any resulting grant agreement shall be governed by the applicable provisions of the State Board of Education Grant Policies. The grant agreement Assurances and Standard Terms and Conditions have been included as Form 2 and Form 3 for your review and acceptance.

A copy of this solicitation, including all attachments and any subsequent amendments, including the Question-and-Answer amendment, if issued, will be posted on the MDE website under “Public Notice” Request for Applications, Qualifications, and Proposals section. It is the sole responsibility of all interested Applicants to monitor the website for updates regarding this solicitation.

1.2 Eligibility Criteria

This solicitation is to provide information required to submit a response to this Request for Proposal (RFP). Please be aware that changes to previous requirements and/or eligibility solicited may have been made.

The Mississippi Department of Education will award McKinney-Vento competitive subgrants to local education agencies (LEAs) to improve the identification, enrollment, attendance, and success of homeless children and youths. All Mississippi public LEAs are eligible to apply.

Applicants that previously received a subgrant award must be in good standing with the MDE to receive an award through this solicitation. If applicable, Subgrantees must have previously submitted:

• any final evaluation reports and data as required;

• any annual performance reporting data;

• cleared all monitoring findings;

• any requests for reimbursement of allowable expenditures following MDE’s reimbursement process; and

• the Grant Closeout Report.

If a previous Subgrantee is not in good standing, the proposal will be disqualified and will not be considered for an award.

• Applicants must be a Local Educational Agency that receive FY24 Title I-A funding to meet the eligibility criteria required to submit a proposal for these services.

Unique Entity ID (UEI) Requirement

The UEI number is a unique number used to identify Subgrantees. The federal government uses the UEI to track how federal money is allocated to Subgrantees. All Subgrantees must have an active UEI Number, that is unrestricted and accessible at www.sam.gov . Please visit Guide to Getting a Unique Entity ID for more information.

To receive an UEI Number, you must register with the System Award Management (SAM). Any debarred person or Applicant will not be eligible to apply and receive Federal funds.

Verification and documentation of the registered active UEI must be submitted with the proposal (e.g., www.sam.gov correspondence indicating the status and expiration date, UEI notification email, etc.) Please remember that your UEI must be unrestricted and accessible to the public. Failure to obtain and register your UEI number will result in rejection of the proposal.

1.3 Pre-Proposal Conference

The MDE will host a workshop virtually via Microsoft Teams on Thursday, March 7, 2024, at 1:30 pm to assist potential Subgrantees with understanding the program and the proposal process. There is no cost for the workshop; however, registration is required. Proposal workshop participation is not required to apply but is highly encouraged.

To register for the pre-proposal conference, please click here .

1.4 Conflict of Interest

Each Applicant receiving an award for funds must maintain a written conflict of interest policy.

SECTION 2. PROGRAM IMPLEMENTATION

2.1 Scope of Work

The purpose of McKinney-Vento funding is to facilitate the improved attendance, engagement, and academic success of homeless children and youth. Also, the McKinney-Vento funding ensure students experiencing homelessness have access to the education and other services they need in order to meet state academic achievement standards, and ultimately, to graduate prepared for college and career. The program is designed to address the problems that homeless children and youth face.

Applicants should consider a student’s immediate/essential needs, social-emotional needs, academic needs, and physical and mental health needs in the planning and proposal of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Program.

Activities and services must not replace the regular academic program, but to improve and expend the facilitation of the identification, enrollment, retention, and educational success of children and youth experiencing homelessness.

2.2 Program Activities

Applicants receiving an award is responsible for utilizing these funds to carry out activities that advance student achievement and support student success, including but not limited to:

Student Performance Standards

1. All homeless students participate fully in school.

2. All homeless students show academic progress.

LEA Support Standards

3. The LEA identifies all homeless children and youth through outreach to all homeless children and youth and to specific subgroups including preschool-aged children, unaccompanied homeless youth, out-of-school youth, and migrant children and youth.

4. The LEA removes barriers to enrollment for homeless students.

5. LEA maintains all homeless students in their school of origin when in their best interest.

6. The LEA provides homeless students all educational services for which they are eligible.

LEA Outreach and Collaboration Standards

7. The LEA links homeless students and their families to community services.

8. The LEA informs all parents and guardians of homeless children and youth of the educational and related opportunities available to their children and of meaningful opportunities to participate in their children’s education.

9. The LEA informs all unaccompanied homeless youth of the educational and related opportunities available to them.

10. The LEA conducts awareness activities for educators and community service providers regarding the rights and needs of homeless children and youth.

11. LEAs coordinate and collaborate with programs within the LEA to increase identification of homeless students, plan support activities, align procedures and practices, and leverage resources.

12. LEAs coordinate and collaborate with community agencies, organizations, and business partners to deliver comprehensive services in an efficient manner, expand or leverage resources, and participate in policy discussions.

LEA Program Management Standards

13. The LEA local liaison has sufficient time, training, and support to carry out his or her duties.

14. The LEA has policies and procedures that remove educational barriers for homeless children and youth.

15. The LEA provides professional development and other support to school personnel serving homeless children and youth.

16. The LEA utilizes data for needs assessment and program planning.

Subgrantees are also obligated under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act , the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to ensure that their proposed program activities are outlined and are accessible to persons with disabilities.

2.3 Program Reports and Evaluation

The Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program ( P.L. 101-645 ) as amended by the Every Student Succeeds Act ( P.L. 114-95 ) requires the Mississippi Department of Education to gather, to the extent possible, reliable, valid, and comprehensive information on the nature and extent of the problems homeless children and youth have in gaining access to public preschool programs and to public elementary and secondary schools, the difficulties in identifying the special needs of such children and youth, any progress made by the state educational agency and LEAs in the state in addressing such problems and difficulties, and the success of the program under this subtitle in allowing homeless children and youth to enroll in, attend, and succeed in school.

2.4 Proposal Review and Selection Process

Phase I – Compliance

Proposals are reviewed by MDE program staff to determine if all formatting and submission requirements are met. If any proposal fails to meet the established deadline or Required Elements, the proposal will be disqualified. Please review the submission deadline and the Required Elements. Proposals that are not received by the deadline or fail to provide the information as specified in the “Required Elements” will not be considered for an award and the Applicant may reapply at a future date.

Phase II – Review and Scoring

An evaluation committee, authorized by the MDE, shall evaluate, and score each proposal based on the quality of the proposed activities and the evidence provided to demonstrate the capacity of the Applicants to implement the proposed program. The evaluation committee is comprised of expert proposal readers from various related professions and backgrounds.

Each proposal will be evaluated using the criteria for the proposal and scoring process. The evaluation committee will recommend proposals from highest to lowest ranking to be funded by the MDE.

A minimum of five evaluation committee members will review and evaluate each proposal and score utilizing a rubric. A reader may award up to 100 points for each proposal. A proposal must receive a minimum total quality score of 80 before the proposal can be considered eligible for funding. The MDE will allocate funding based upon the average scores of all committee members and will fund Applicants, based on the highest to lowest scores, until funding is exhausted or all eligible Applicants receive funding.

The MDE reserves the right to reject any portion of the proposal and negotiate with potential Subgrantees to address any issues that may impact the proposal or funding.

After the selection process, Applicants that were not recommended to the State Board of Education (SBE) for funding may receive copies of the evaluator’s comments and feedback upon a formal request to the MDE Office of Public Reporting only.

2.5 Proposal Scoring Criteria

This section covers the criteria an Applicant must address in the plan of action to obtain the maximum points available to score 100 points upon submitting a proposal.

The proposal shall consist of the Applicant’s program operating plan to address the certain criteria below. The stated plan must be clear, concise, and be implemented with fidelity upon the SBE approval. When completing the proposal, please remember that Applicants will not be permitted to change the program’s scope (i.e., type of services and/or target population) that is originally outlined in the proposal, scored by the evaluation committee during the proposal review process, and approved by the SBE. This is designed to provide an open competitive, fair, and transparent process for all submitting a proposal.

a. Needs Assessment (15 Total Points)

Guidance for Needs Assessment:

A needs assessment is the process of gathering information to guide program development and implementation.

• Complete the chart below with total number of homeless children and youth served during the previous school years in each grade level range, as identified in the Month 9 Mississippi Student Information System (MSIS) Report. (5 points)

School Year	Preschool	Grades K-5th	Grades 6th-8th	Grades 9th-12th	Total
2020-2021
2021-2022
2022-2023

• Describe the non-academic needs and barriers of homeless children and youth identified in the chart above. (Section 723(b)(1)) (5 points)

• Describe the academic needs of the homeless subgroup in the LEA. (Section 723(b)(1)) (5 points)

b. Program Description (25 Points)

Guidance for Program Description:

• Describe the program to be supported. Indicate ways in which the program will increase student academic success through quality instruction and go beyond the requirements of the McKinney-Vento Act. (Section 723(b)(2)) (12.5 points)

• Describe the goals of the proposed homeless program and the vision of the program's impact on increasing student achievement. How will the school district determine if student achievement has increased? (Section 723(b)(2)) (12.5 points)

c. Legal Requirements (15Points)

Guidance for Legal Requirements:

Describe how the district will meet the following legal requirements through policy and/or procedures:

• Identification (Section 722(g)(1)(B)) (2 points)

• Immediate enrollment (Section 722(g)(3)(C)) (2 points)

• School Stability (Section 722 (g)(3)(B)) (2 points)

• Transportation (Section 722(g)(4)(A)) (2 points)

• Entitlement of services to parents and children (Section 722(g)(4); Section 722(g)(5); Section 722(g)(6)(A)) (2 points)

• Enrollment disputes (Section 722(g)(3)(E) (2 points)

• Describe the current policies and procedures that the LEA already has in place to ensure that homeless children and youth are informed of their rights and are not isolated or stigmatized. (Section 722(g)(1)(J)(i)) (3 points)

d. Program Coordination and Collaboration (20 Points)

Guidance for Program Coordination and Collaboration:

• Describe how the homeless children and youth will be identified and recruited for the program, including unaccompanied homeless youth. (Section 722(g)(1)(B)) (5 points)

• Describe how the district will coordinate with shelters, local motels, hotels, temporary shelters, and other agencies or programs, such as Head Start, that provide services to homeless children and youth. (Section 722(g)(5)(A)) (5 points)

• Describe how the McKinney-Vento program personnel will collaborate with the school district's Title I office, special education office, transportation office, and other federal and state programs administered by the school district to maximize services to students experiencing homelessness. (Section 722(f)(4)) (5 points)

• ___________ * Amount of the Title I, Part A set-aside designated by your LEA for homeless education.

• Provide a brief description of key personnel who will be involved and anticipated activities. If you intend to hire staff as part of your proposal, indicate the qualifications that you will be looking for and the planned responsibilities for those individuals. Describe what services will be provided and by whom. (Section 722(g)(1)(K); Section 723(g)(6)) (5 points)

e. Dispute Resolution Policy and Procedures (5 Points)

Guidance for Dispute Resolution Policy and Procedures:

• Describe the dispute resolution plan for the LEA in accordance with the McKinney-Vento Act and State Board of Education Homeless Dispute Resolution Procedures policy. (2.5 points)

• Include the district dispute resolution policy and a sample of the forms used to resolve disputes. (2.5 points)

f. Program Evaluation (10 Points)

Guidance for Program Evaluation:

Describe the process the LEA will undertake (including methodology) to determine the following: (Section 723(c)(3)(E); Section 722(f)(1))

• Program implementation with fidelity (2.5 points)

• Evidence of project goals and outcomes met (2.5 points)

• Program effectiveness (based on data) (2.5 points)

• Steps to adjust and enhance current and future program activities based on data collected from program evaluation (2.5 points)

g. Budget Narrative (10 Points)

Guidance for Budget Narrative:

Using the Budget Narrative template, give a detailed description of budgeted expenditures for services to be provided. Be sure these services are based on those included in Section VI for a McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Grant in the amount of $50,000. (Note: This amount does not reflect the final allocation. Upon approval of the proposal by the State Board of Education, the district will be required to submit a revised budget narrative and budget form reflecting the final allocation.) Include the line item categories that follow:

• Personnel (costs associated with salaries of tutors, homeless liaison, etc.);

• Fringe benefits;

• Travel (costs associated with travel of personnel);

• Equipment (itemized costs associated with school equipment purchased/budgeted);

• Supplies for homeless students (itemized costs associated with school supplies, consumable goods, school uniforms, etc.);

• Professional development (related to homelessness);

• Transportation (the excess cost of transportation resulting from homelessness);

• Other costs; and

• Indirect cost (LEA restricted rate only, as part of the total administrative cost).

The costs associated with the McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Grant salaries, wages and fees, and/or fringe benefits (itemized costs associated with personnel – salaries, wages, or contracts to include consultants) must meet the district guidelines.

The LEA should also ensure that all budgeted items are reasonable, allocable, and necessary.

SECTION 3. GRANT AWARD AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Funds are subject to appropriations by the state/federal government. All grants will be awarded for 15 months contingent upon completion and submission of all required documentation and availability of funds. All grants will be awarded contingent upon appropriations, proper implementation of the proposed project implementation, completion, and submission of all required documentation. Funding to eligible Applicants is subject to the SBE approval. The Mississippi Department of Education reserves the right to negotiate grant award amounts with all potential Subgrantees.

3.1 Use of Funds

Funds are used for program implementation, as well as for operating expenses such as:

1. The provision of tutoring, supplemental instruction, and enriched educational services that are linked to the achievement of the same challenging State content standards and challenging State student performance standards that the State establishes for other children or youth.

2. The provision of expedited evaluations of the strengths and needs of homeless children and youth, including needs and eligibility for programs and services (such as educational programs for gifted and talented students, children with disabilities, and ELs, services provided under Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 or similar State or local programs, programs in vocational education, and school nutrition programs).

3. Professional development and other activities for educators and specialized instructional support personnel that are designed to strengthen the understanding and sensitivity of such personnel to the needs of homeless children and youth, the rights of such children and youth under this subtitle, and the specific educational needs of runaway and homeless youths.

4. The provision of referral services to homeless children and youths for medical, dental, mental health, and other health services.

5. The provision of assistance to defray the excess cost of transportation for students under Section 722(g)(4)(A) of the McKinney-Vento Act, not otherwise provided through Federal, State, or local funding, where necessary to enable students to attend the school selected under Section 722(g)(3) of the McKinney-Vento Act.

6. The provision of developmentally appropriate early childhood education programs, not otherwise provided through Federal, State, or local funding, for preschool-aged homeless children.

7. The provision of services and assistance to attract, engage, and retain homeless children and youths (particularly homeless children and youths who are not enrolled in school, in public school programs and services provided to non-homeless children and youth).

8. The provision for homeless children and youth of before- and after-school, mentoring, and summer programs in which a teacher or other qualified individual provides tutoring, homework assistance, and supervision of educational activities.

9. If necessary, the payment of fees and other costs associated with tracking, obtaining, and transferring records necessary to enroll homeless children and youths in school, including birth certificates, immunization or other required health records, academic records, guardianship records, and evaluations for special programs or services.

10. The provision of education and training to the parents of homeless children and youths about the rights of, and resources available to, such children and youth, and other activities designed to increase the meaningful involvement of parents and guardians of homeless children and youths in the education of such children and youths.

11. The development of coordination between schools and agencies providing services to homeless children and youths, as described in Section 722(g)(5) of the McKinney-Vento Act.

12. The provision of specialized instructional support services (including violence prevention counseling) and referrals for such services.

13. Activities to address the needs of homeless children and youth that may arise from domestic violence and parental mental health or substance abuse problems.

14. The adaptation of space and purchase of supplies for any non-school facilities made available under subsection 722(a)(2) of the McKinney-Vento Act to provide services under this subsection.

15. The provision of school supplies, including those supplies to be distributed at shelters or temporary housing facilities or other appropriate locations.

16. The provision of other extraordinary or emergency assistance needed to enable homeless children and youths to attend school and participate fully in school activities.

Applicants should be aware that funds must be used in a manner consistent with all requirements of the statute and must be used only to supplement, not supplant, any federal, state, local, or non-federal funds available to support activities.

3.2 Responsibilities of A Fiscal Agent

The following are some of the expectations, roles, and responsibilities of a fiscal agent:

1. As the official Subgrantee, all awards must be adopted by the Local Board of Education for LEAs or the Board of Directors for non-LEAs.

2. Administer the subgrant from award to closeout in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations.

3. Serve as the Subgrantee representative and point-of-contact for all business management aspects of the award agreement.

4. Apply appropriate management controls using management systems, checklists, and records, including, but not limited to:

• Internal Controls

o Safeguard assets; ensure reliability of accounting data and subgrant terms and conditions

• Operating Controls

o Fiduciary procedural manuals; budgetary control

• Accounting Controls

o Implement controls to ensure reliability of recorded financial data;

o Maintain appropriate level of transaction review and authorization;

o Develop and implement proper procurement procedures and cash management procedures that are well defined; and

o Develop procedures that facilitate timely review and audit of financial activity.

• Compliance Controls

o Consider mechanisms to monitor and review compliance with subgrant terms (i.e., ensure grant funds are disbursed only to eligible Subgrantees);

o Ensure all expenditures and disbursements are consistent with the objectives of the subgrant award and comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations governing the program and use of funds.

• Document Control System

o Develop written documentation of adequate internal operating and accounting controls that demonstrate evidence of controls related to grant compliance.

5. Assemble appropriate staff resources and communicate all compliance requirements and resources of the subgrant.

6. Keep abreast of changes in policies, procedures or requirements and continue to advise program staff of subgrant requirements.

7. Request any further “prior approvals” when identified.

8. Submit subgrant reimbursement requests no later than 12th of each month with the exception of December with liquidations as stated in the grant award.

• Eligibility of Expenditures

o Adhere to the list of eligible activities for which funds under the program may be spent, as well as allowable cost objectives in applicable cost principles; and

o Ensure that transactions are made in a reasonable and prudent manner, are allowable and allocable, and avoid double charging and ensure that credits are applied appropriately.

9. Prepare necessary reports:

• Source Documentation

o Appropriately support transactions entered into the Subgrantee’s system

o Documentation tracks each subgrant transaction and supports the validity of financial data reported; and

o Maintain separate funding lines for funds

• Audit Trail

o The lowest level of detail the system should provide is documentation that supports all transactions (e.g., invoices, contracts, purchase orders);

o The overall recordkeeping system should be able to trace financial statement balances through the Subgrantee’s general ledger, cash books and other journals; and

o Amounts claimed on financial statements and reports accurately reflect the accounting books and records from which they were prepared.

10. Use feedback from site visits by the MDE to enhance the program, show

Subgrantee’s strength and demonstrate commitment to the project.

11. Keep the MDE and the public aware and informed about grant project

progress.

12. Evaluate the extent to which measurable project objectives are being met.

13. Liquidate all obligations incurred under the award within the set

deadline.

14. Ensure and oversee the performance of final audits and resolution of

findings.

15. Establish adequate system for records retention.

3.3 Audit

Please note that the Subgrantee is required to, if applicable, have the financial and compliance audits conducted in accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1966 and 2 C.F.R. Part 200 Subpart F – Audit Requirements. Any non-federal entity that expends $750,000 or more in a year in federal awards shall have a single or program specific audit conducted for that year in accordance with the provisions of 2 C.F.R. Part 200 Subpart F. If the non-federal entity did not expend $750,000 or more in a year in federal awards, a letter MUST be provided stating that this requirement does not apply.

The financial audit shall be conducted by a certified public accountant or by an accountant certified as qualified to audit local government accounts. The audits must be performed in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards (GAAS) and the financial statements must be prepared in conformity with general accepted accounting principles (GAAP).

SECTION 4. TENTATIVE TIMELINE OF ACTIVITIES

A recommendation to the SBE for an approval of awards is anticipated for Applicants based on proposals submitted and accepted, and an evaluation and selection process. All new Subgrantees approved for funding by the SBE at that time must attend subsequent mandatory meetings for all Subgrantees. An award or non-award letter will be sent to Applicants confirming the SBE’s action. The letter will include specific information on meeting dates and times, if applicable.

Important tentative dates and activities related to this solicitation are listed below.

Important Dates	Activity
February 26, 2024	RFP Issued
February 26, 2024	Email and Post to MDE Website/Newspaper
March 4, 2024	2nd Advertised Notice in Newspaper
March 7, 2024	Pre-Proposal Workshop
March 15, 2024	Deadline for submitting questions
March 20, 2024	Questions will be posted to the MDE website
April 4, 2024 — 2:00 pm	Proposals due
April 5-12, 2024	Evaluation of proposals
June 20, 2024	State Board of Education approval
June 21, 2024	Notification of awards (contingent upon SBE approval)

SECTION 5. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS

5.1. Proposal Formatting and Submission Information

Developed by the MDE, this solicitation contains all the forms and instructions necessary to apply for this grant opportunity. Please review the enclosed materials and carefully follow the instructions for completing and submitting a proposal. Before submission, review the proposal requirements to ensure that all sections and documents are complete.

The proposal must include all the required components listed below in the Submission Requirements section and must be in the exact order to proceed to Phase II of the proposal process. Failure to submit the required completed forms with signatures will result in the rejection of the proposal. The proposal will consist of the required elements listed below ONLY:

The entire proposal should not exceed 50 pages.

5.2 Submission Requirements

Proposals shall be submitted as described below with section components clearly distinguished as follows:

1. Signed Cover Sheet (Form 1)—Required Signature(s)and/or Approval

2. McKinney-Vento Grant Application

• Needs Assessment

• Program Description

• Legal Requirements

• Program Coordination and Collaboration

• Dispute Resolution Policy and Procedures

• Program Evaluation

• Budget Narrative

3. Federal Assurances (Form 2)

4. Standard Terms and Conditions (Form 3)—Required Signature

5. Signed Conflict of Interest (Form 4)—Required Signature

6. Verification of the registration or an active UEI must be submitted with the proposal .

5.3 Formatting and Submission Directions

Applicants should submit proposals using the following parameters:

• Submitted on 8.5” x 11” white paper using 12-point Arial/ Times New Roman font

• Formatted using 1” margins on all sides

• Portrait setting

• Single-spaced and single-sided (pages must include the Applicant’s name and page number within the footer in the lower right-hand corner)

• The complete proposal including all attachments shall be submitted in a searchable Microsoft Office® format, preferably in Word® or Portable Document Format (PDF) only

• “Links” received to obtain a response via the RFXS will not be opened and the email will be rejected without further consideration for an award

• A response proposal received via the RFXS must include ONE proposal per electronic submission.

• Duplicate submission of an electronic and mailed response proposal will result in the LAST timely submission being considered as a modification to the original submission. The previous submissions will be rejected and not considered for the evaluation and award.

This grant competition is highly competitive. Applicants should ensure that all guidelines and requirements are met before submitting proposals. Please note that the MDE staff will not grant permission to Applicants to modify or change the criteria established in the proposal. This includes extending the date and time proposals are due.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to submit only the requested information. The evaluation committee will have limited time to evaluate proposals; and for this reason, the proposal should focus solely on the requirements of the solicitation. Supplementary materials such as videotapes, CD-ROMs, publications, press clippings, and testimonial letters will not be reviewed or returned.

5.4 Proposal Submission and Due Date

A signed proposal packet shall be submitted electronically in a PDF format via RFXS no later than Thursday, April 4, 2024 by 2:00 p.m. Central Standard Time (CST). ). Applicants shall allow at least 72 hours in advance of the due date to consider unforeseen technical issues. Proposals received after the time designated in the solicitation shall be considered late and shall not be considered for an award.

Please NOTE: The email subject line and electronic document shall identify the name of the solicitation and the name of the entity/individual submitting the response. Any deviation from these instructions may result in disqualification of the response proposal and shall not be considered for an award.

Example Format for Subject Line: 21st Century Program by John Blue LLC (DO NOT UNDERSCORE or INSERT SYMBOLS)

OR

Shipping instructions are provided below:

An original signed proposal packet 1 copy shall be shipped/mailed and received in a sealed envelope at the MDE no later than Thursday, April 4, 2024, by 2:00 PM Central Standard Time (CST).

Please NOTE: The return address label must be visible on the outside of the sealed shipping envelope and shall include the name of the entity/individual submitting the response. Any deviation from these instructions may result in disqualification of the response proposal and shall not be considered for an award.

Ship To:

MONIQUE CORLEY

Office of Procurement

The Mississippi Department of Education

FY24 McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Grant

359 North West Street

Jackson, Mississippi 39201

5.6 Risk of Delivery

Timely submission of the proposal package is the sole responsibility of the Applicant. It is suggested that if the proposal is shipped to the MDE, it should be tracked to require an MDE mailroom staff signature and request a return receipt/notice with signature.  Any proposal shipped or mailed MUST be verified, date and time stamped, and recorded by an MDE mailroom staff. The time and date of the receipt will be indicated on the sealed envelope or package by the MDE mailroom staff.  The only acceptable evidence to establish the time of receipt at the MDE will be identified by the time and date stamp of the MDE mailroom staff on the proposal wrapper or other documentary evidence of receipt used by the mailroom.

Packages that are delivered at the MDE in person by the applicant or a representative will NOT be opened. Packages received by shipping/mail without the appropriate acceptance by the MDE mailroom staff or is received and recorded AFTER the submission deadline will NOT be considered for an award.

The MDE will not be responsible for delivery delays or lost packets.  All risk of late arrival due to unanticipated delays – whether delivered by shipping or electronic method – is entirely on the Applicant. All Applicants are urged to take the possibility of delay into account when submitting the proposal and submit the packet via RFXS . Applicants are encouraged to submit ONE response to prevent duplication. Upon submission of the response a confirmation receipt shall be provided as assurance the Office of Procurement received the response packet. The Applicant shall be notified if their proposal was rejected and the reason for such rejection after the applicable State Board of Education session.

Supplemental or revised proposal information, either from the Applicant or another source, will not be accepted. A proposal package must contain every element intending to be submitted. Applicants are encouraged to carefully review the procedures for submitting their materials. No changes or additions to a proposal will be accepted after the deadline.

5.5 Restrictions on Communications

At no time shall any Applicant or its personnel, contact or attempt to contact any MDE staff regarding this solicitation. All correspondence shall be sent via email to the assigned contact person within the time specified in the Request for Information section. Should it be determined that any Applicant has attempted to communicate or has communicated with any other MDE staff regarding this solicitation, MDE, at its discretion, may disqualify the Applicant from submitting a proposal in response to the solicitation.

5.7 Rejection of Proposals

Proposals that do not conform to the requirements of the solicitation will be rejected by the Mississippi Department of Education. Proposals will be rejected for reasons below:

• The proposal is received late. Late proposals will be maintained unopened in the procurement file.

• The proposal contains unauthorized amendments to the requirements outlined in the solicitation.

• The proposal required signatures have not been obtained.

• The proposal contains misleading signatures, statements, or references.

• The proposal is incomplete or contains irregularities that make the proposal indefinite or ambiguous.

• Proposals that do not meet and conform to all requirements as outlined in Required Submission.

• The Applicant has previously been cited with major and/or significant deficiencies by the MDE in one or more programs or included on the debarment list.

• Required forms and attachments are not included in the proposal.

• The proposal is determined non-responsive.

• The UEI number is inactive or restricted upon verification, if applicable.

• The Applicant owes the State money.

• The Applicant did not perform prior services in a proper, workmanlike, and/or dignified manner.

• The Format and Procedure for Submission and Delivery of Proposals Section was not followed.

• The proposal packet was attached as a “link” in response to the solicitation.

• In person delivery.

5.8 Conditions of Solicitation

The MDE reserves the right to accept, reject, or negotiate regarding submitted proposals based on the evaluation criteria contained in the solicitation. The final decision to award a grant rest solely with the MDE.

The Applicant should note the following:

1. The MDE will not be liable for any costs associated with the preparation of proposals incurred by the Applicant.

2. The selection of an Applicant is contingent upon favorable evaluation of the proposal; approval of the proposal by the review panel selected by MDE, approved budget and the State Board of Education approval.

3. The selection of an Applicant is contingent upon successful negotiation of any changes to the proposal as required by MDE.

4. The MDE also reserves the right to accept any proposal submitted for grant award, without negotiation. Therefore, Applicants are advised to propose their most favorable terms initially.

5. Applicants shall acknowledge all funds and awards are subject to appropriations by the state/federal government and the MDE will not be liable for compensation of any award terminated prior to services beginning.

6. Applicants will be required to assume full responsibility for meeting all specified

requirements stated in the solicitation.

5.9 Acceptance of Proposals

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to waive minor irregularities in proposals. A minor irregularity is a variation of the solicitation that does not affect the proposal or the competitiveness, give one party an advantage or benefit over other parties, or adversely impacts the interest of the MDE.

5.10 Modification or Withdrawal of a Proposal

Prior to the proposal due date, a submitted proposal may be withdrawn by submitting a written request for its withdrawal to the MDE, signed by the Applicant.

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