Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31

Invitation to Submit RFP
Education Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31
The Ocean Springs Board of Trustees (BOT) invites you to participate in an RFP-Request for
Proposals, by submitting a proposal for Education Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31. This
invitation will be advertised in the Sun Herald, and specifications and guidelines may be obtained
by visiting www.ossdms.org, www.centralauctionhouse.com or by visiting the Ocean Springs
School District (OSSD) Business Office, 2300 Government Street, Ocean Springs, Mississippi,
39564. Official Bid Documents may be downloaded, and electronic bids may be submitted at
www.centralauctionhouse.com. For any questions relating to the electronic bidding process,
please call Central Bidding at 225-810-4814. Electronic submittal of proposals is not required, but
is encouraged.
Bid & Implementation Timeline:
Posting of Bid Notice to the State Bid Bank April 12, 2026
First Publication of the Bid Notice by the Newspaper April 12, 2026
Second Publication of the Bid Notice by the Newspaper April 19, 2026
Last Day to Submit Questions April 21, 2026, 1:00 PM CST
Bidder Specification Response Form Return Deadline April 29, 2026, 2:00 PM CST
Vendor Presentations Scheduled, if necessary May 11, 2026
Recommendation to the BOT TBD
RFPs may be submitted electronically by contacting Central Bidding at 225-810-4814 to set up an
account, or in person or via postal service by delivering to the Ocean Springs School District
Business Office, 2300 Government St., Ocean Springs, MS 39564, ATTN: Jessica Toland,
Purchasing Specialist. RFP submissions are to be in a sealed envelope marked: RFP -
Educational Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31 and returned no later than April 29, 2026, at
2:00 PM, CST, at which time submissions will be opened in the Ocean Springs School District
Business Office located at 2300 Government Street, Ocean Springs, MS 39564. The proposal
must be signed by an authorized official to bind the offeror to the proposal provisions. No faxed
or emailed proposals will be accepted. Late submissions will not be accepted. Any questions
regarding the RFP need to be submitted via email: Mary T. Gill, CFO, mgill@ossdms.org, copied to
Jessica Toland, Purchasing Specialist, jtoland@ossdms.org, and Amy Armata,
aarmata@ossdms.org. Questions will be answered via a Q and A or an Addenda document.
Check the websites for these documents. The BOT reserves the right to reject any and/or all
proposals received and to waive any and all informalities.
RFP Educational Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31 1

I. PURPOSE
The purpose and intent of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to seek proposals from interested,
available, and qualified Staffing Agencies to provide educational substitute staffing services as
described in the scope of services. The BOT intends to select and enter into a contract with the
most qualified bidder for these services. The following is a list of positions covered in this RFP:
Short-Term Substitute Teacher
Long-Term Substitute Teacher-Certified
Teacher's Assistant/SPED
Clerical Services
Child Nutrition
Nurses
II. BACKGROUND
The Ocean Springs School District (OSSD) is a public-school district located in Jackson County,
Mississippi. The District serves approximately 5,200 students. The District has approximately
810 employees, 564 of whom are in certified or assistant teaching positions, in child nutrition
positions, in clerical positions, and nursing positions. The District services seven (7) schools. The
schools include one (1) Alternative School, three (3) Prek-4 Elementary Schools, one (1) Grade 5-6
Intermediate School, one (1) Grade 7-8 Middle School, and one (1) Grade 9-12 High School, which
includes Career & Technical programs. For the school year 2025-2026, the District has requested
an average of 28 substitutes per day, with a highest request of 57 and the lowest request of 14.
III. GENERAL INFORMATION
A. Pricing
1. If the Bidder is awarded a contract under this solicitation, the prices proposed by the Bidder
shall remain fixed and firm during the term of the solicitation review and any subsequent
contract; provided, however, that the Bidder may offer discounts from this fixed price to the
District at any time during the contractual term.
2. Bidders will neither include Federal, State, nor applicable local excise or sales taxes in the
bid prices, as the District is exempt from payment of such taxes. Exemption documentation
will be provided where applicable upon request.
B. Evaluation of Bid Proposal
1. The District reserves the right to reject any and/or all bid proposals or parts thereof, to
waive informalities or irregularities in the information packages, and to enter into such
contract or contracts as shall be deemed in the best interests of the District.
2. The District reserves the right to reject proposals or parts thereof for the following reasons:
a. The Bidder misstates or conceals any material fact in their proposal
b. The Bidder's proposal does not strictly conform to the law or requirements of the RFP
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c. The bid proposal does not include documents, including, but not limited to, certificates,
licenses, information or specification sheets, bonds, and/or samples, which are required
for submission with the bid proposal in conjunction with the General Terms and Conditions
or Scope of Services
d. The bid has not been properly executed by the signature of an authorized representative
of the Bidder
3. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract be awarded to, any person or firm
which is in arrears to the District upon any debt or contract, or which is a defaulter as surety
or otherwise upon any obligation to the District
4. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract awarded to, any person or firm,
which has failed to perform faithfully any previous contract with the District, local, state, or
federal governmental agency for a minimum period of one (1) year after the previous contract was
terminated for cause
5. A proposal may be rejected if the Bidder is currently under suspension or debarment by
any local, state, or federal government, and if the Bidder cannot so certify, then it shall submit,
along with the proposal, a written explanation of why it cannot make such a certification
6. A proposal may not be accepted from, nor any contract awarded to, any person or firm
that has pending litigation against the District on the date and time that the bid is opened.
7. The award will be made to the Bidder that best meets the needs of the District based upon
the evaluation criteria. Proposal award will not be made based on price alone; additional criteria
such as Bidder experience, references, and staffing credentials will also be considered. The
District shall be the sole judge of these factors.
8. The District reserves the right to:
a. Reject any and all bid proposals submitted by prospective Bidders
b. Re-advertise this solicitation
c. Postpone or cancel the bid process for this solicitation
d. Determine the criteria and process whereby proposals are evaluated and awarded
C. Selection Process
1. The following criteria may be used to assist in selecting the successful contractor:
a. Completeness: Each response will be reviewed before the selection process for
completeness and adherence to format.
b. Evaluation Process: The OSSD will rely on its staff to formally evaluate each complete
proposal. The evaluation process will objectively grade the proposal on its merit and
responsiveness according to the evaluation matrix found in Exhibit A.
c. The OSSD reserves the right to modify or not utilize this matrix if it is not deemed in the
OSSD's best interest.
2. Preliminary evaluations will be performed by OSSD personnel to determine if all of the
mandatory requirements have been addressed. Bidders must be able to demonstrate
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their ability to perform the required services by answering all the questions and by completing
the Bidder Qualification Statement (Section V). Failure to satisfactorily comply with these
requirements may result in the proposal being rejected.
3. Bidders may be asked to complete a presentation to OSSD personnel. Bidders selected to
present their presentation will be at the discretion of the District. The date for these presentations
will be May 11, 2026. The bidder will be allowed 45 minutes for their presentation. Selected
Bidders will be contacted by the District for the specific time for their presentation.
D. Award of Contract
1. It is the intent of the Ocean Springs School District (OSSD) to enter into a contract/agreement
for services based on the outcome of this RFP. The contract/agreement shall be for a period of
five (5) years. Please see the attached example contract for reference.
2. Both the OSSD and the successful Bidder must agree to an extension six months before the
expiration of the contract. The successful Bidder will provide the OSSD with a detailed pricing
chart for all services and price increase information, if applicable.
3. The District intends to award a contract that will begin by 7/1/2026. The District retains its sole
right to select a successful Bidder it deems is in its own best interest.
4. All RFPs and related documents submitted to the District by Bidders are governed under the
laws of the State of Mississippi.
5. The General Terms and Conditions, the Scope of Services, the Bidder's proposal, written
letters, and addenda are collectively an integral part of the contract between the District and the
successful Bidder. The successful Bidder will be asked to enter into a contract with the District
after the BOT's approval, which would conclude this process.
6. The OSSD shall select the Bidder that, in its opinion, has made the best proposal (not
necessarily the lowest cost provider) and shall award the contract to that Bidder, which is deemed
in the best interest of the OSSD.
a. Successful Bidder shall be familiar with and comply with all local, state, and federal
directives, ordinances, rules, orders, and laws as applicable to, and affected by, this
contract including but not limited to Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC),
the Occupational Safety, Health Act (OSHA), and Title I and Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act (ADA) regulations. No Bidder shall be excluded from consideration for
award in conjunction with this solicitation based on race, color, creed, national origin,
handicap, or sex, or be subjected to discrimination under any contractual award
administered by the District.
b. The Bidder shall not assign, transfer, convey, sublet, or otherwise dispose of this contract,
including any or all of its right, title, or interest therein, or its power to execute such
contract to any person, company, or corporation without prior written consent of the
District.
c. All employees of the Bidder shall be considered to be, at all times, employees of the
Bidder under its sole direction and not employees or agents of the OSSD. The successful
Bidder shall supply competent and physically capable employees in a number that is
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consistent with the service requirements. Where required, employees shall be licensed
and accredited. The OSSD may require the successful Bidder to remove an employee it
deems careless, incompetent, insubordinate, or otherwise objectionable and whose
continued employment on OSSD property is not in the best interest of the OSSD.
d. In accordance with the OSSD policy regarding the use of tobacco and alcohol products
and/or illegal substances, no employee of the successful Bidder shall be permitted to use
these substances when performing on OSSD property.
e. The successful Bidder shall certify that all employees employed in support of this contract
and who have direct contact with students, which is defined to mean being in the
presence of a student during regular school hours or during school-sponsored activities,
have not been convicted of (i) a felony; (ii) any offense involving the sexual molestation,
physical or sexual abuse or rape of a child; or (iii) a crime of moral turpitude.
f. The Bidder will be responsible for the cost of all the equipment, accessories, labor, and
materials to work as detailed in the Scope of Services.
E. Payment
1. To be eligible for payment, all labor covered under the successful Bidder's invoice must be
completed and accepted by the District. The awarded bidder shall provide accurate, legible, and
timely documentation, such as invoices, credits, and statements, as requested by the OSSD. The
successful Bidder shall invoice the OSSD weekly for the services rendered at the agreed-upon
rates. The OSSD will remit payment to the successful Bidder monthly. The awarded bidder agrees
to receive payment within forty-five (45) days from the date of receipt of a properly submitted
invoice, or within forty-five (45) days after inspection and approval of the goods and/or services
by OSSD, whichever is later. In the event of a bona fide dispute, the awarded bidder agrees that
OSSD shall pay only the amount not in dispute, as per Miss. Code Ann. 31-7-305.
2. In no event shall any interest penalty or late fee accrue when payment is delayed because of
disagreement between the OSSD and the successful Bidder regarding quantity, quality, time of
delivery, or other noncompliance with the contract requirements for any product or service or the
accuracy or correctness of any invoice.
F. Termination or Cancellation
1. To protect the vested interests of the OSSD, and to ensure the efficient utilization of funds, the
successful Bidder shall comply with all obligations contained in the General Terms and Conditions
and the Scope of Services. With respect to these obligations, the OSSD will report any
non-compliance issues to the successful Bidder for corrective action. Continued non-compliance
by the successful Bidder shall be the OSSD's justification for placing the Bidder's contract on
probation status or termination.
2. If the District, in whole or in part, is not satisfied with the performance of services supplied and
agreed to with this RFP, it may terminate the contract/agreement after giving specific reason(s) by
written notice to successful Bidder and offering opportunity for successful Bidder to correct
RFP Educational Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31 5

specific reason(s) for dissatisfaction within a thirty (30) day period, date to be specified by the
District.
3. If the successful Bidder defaults on its contract or the contract is terminated for cause due to
performance, the OSSD reserves the right to enter into a contract for the services with the next
lowest and best Bidder associated with this RFP for the remaining term of the
terminated/defaulted contract.
4. Either party has the right to cancel services without cause upon not less than ninety (90) days'
notice by the OSSD and not less than one hundred twenty (120) days' notice by the Bidder.
5. The contract/agreement entered into on behalf of this RFP shall be governed by and
construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Mississippi. The venue for the
resolution of any dispute shall be Jackson County, Mississippi. The successful Bidder
expressly agrees that under no circumstances shall the District be obligated to pay attorney fees
or the cost associated with any legal action initiated by the successful Bidder.
6. The District reserves the right to retract any part of these services without any obligation
or penalty based upon the availability of funds.
IV. SCOPE OF SERVICES
The scope of services does not include the outsourcing of any staff members. The OSSD wants
to ensure that competent substitute employees are available to staff the schools when
permanent employees are not available to perform their duties and responsibilities. The OSSD
reserves the right to limit services to a specific grade level or school facility. Long-term vacancies
will be filled with teachers fully certified (that hold a current teaching license in their given content
area). Short-term vacancies may be filled with certified or non-certified substitutes.
A. The OSSD shall be responsible for:
1. Providing all necessary supplies, equipment, and a safe workspace for substitute teachers and
substitute support staff;
2. Reserving the right to accept or reject any individual provided by the Staffing Agency at any
given time;
3. Providing adequate internal controls, supervision, and instruction for assigned substitutes;
4. Maintaining a mutually satisfactory communication link with the successful Bidder;
5. Promptly providing payment to the successful Bidder for services rendered in accordance with
the terms of the mutually agreed-upon contractual document.
B. The successful Bidder shall be responsible for, but not limited to:
1. Providing sufficient, competent, reliable, and properly licensed and certified personnel to
provide adequate and satisfactory services under the contract;
2. Providing substitute teachers and support staff positions for Administrative Offices and all
Ocean Springs Schools, Grades PreK-12, including Special Education, Child Nutrition, and Nurses;
3. Ensuring that every participating employee completes a current State and Federal
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Background and Child Abuse Registry check through either the OSSD or to certify they have
been background checked: Statutory Authority: Miss Code Ann. 37-9-17 (Background checks are
required to ensure that the substitute teacher and support staff substitutes do not appear on any
Sex Offender Registry or have any other recorded violation that would disqualify them from public
employment before accepting the assignment).
4. Recruiting, pre-employment screening, hiring, qualifying, certifying, disciplining, and
terminating, if necessary, all participating employees;
5. Monitoring daily needs of the OSSD's substitute requests and placing assigned employees on
time according to the school district requirements;
6. Maintaining a mutually acceptable substitute fill rate for classroom absences to be
determined annually and to go into effect upon the contract renewal date;
7. Providing an automated reporting/billing system, daily staff coverage, as well as a key contact
person(s) and a back-up contact person;
8. Providing an annual report of all analytical statistics for the previous fiscal year;
9. Providing copies to OSSD upon request when a special license or accreditations and
certifications are required by State, Federal, and/or local law, statute, regulation, or OSSD Policy;
10. Conducting face-to-face interviews for all qualified applicants and requiring references and
resumes for substitute support staff and teachers;
11. Paying assigned employees their wages and providing them with the benefits that the
successful Bidder offers to them as their employees;
12. Complying with laws, rules, and or regulations applicable to providers of Educational
Substitute Staffing Services;
13. Requiring in writing that the assigned employee acknowledge that they have no right to
participate in the OSSD's employee benefit plans and that the OSSD has no duties or
responsibilities to the assigned employee under the Affordable Care Act;
14. Requiring assigned employees to comply with all Board Policies provided by the OSSD;
15. Requiring that any arrest/arraignment of an individual assigned to work within the OSSD be
reported to the successful Bidder within two (2) business days of the action, and ensuring that the
OSSD is notified immediately thereafter;
16. Operating a viable payroll system that meets all current federal, state, and local requirements;
17. Providing legally required employment law disclosures to assigned employees;
18. Screening potential candidates for retired employees who have retired from the State
of Mississippi and obtaining approval from the Chief Financial Officer of the OSSD before
assigning the retiree to the District;
19. Assuming responsibility, to the extent allowed by law, for the use of owned and controlled
machinery and equipment and any vehicle owned or operated by the assigned employee in
connection with their assignment (with the exception of Workers Compensation Claims), including
but not limited to arrest and towing charges;
20. Paying or withholding payroll taxes (e.g., FICA) and insurance premiums (e.g., Medicare) and
fulfilling its obligations for unemployment compensation (e.g., FUTA, SUTA);
21. Providing workers' compensation benefits and coverage for assigned employees;
RFP Educational Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31 7

22. Maintaining assigned employees' personnel and payroll records related to their employment
by the successful Bidder;
23. Advertising in local newspapers and online in an effort to recruit replacement personnel,
when needed, at no cost to the OSSD;
24. Providing an on-site representative to be located at our Central Office, 2300 Government
Street Ocean Springs, MS 39564 and/or have a company representative that is
able to respond in person within a two-hour timeframe if an issue should arise with
any substitute during the workday;
25. Providing the OSSD with a weekly invoice in such detail as required by the OSSD;
26. Providing the OSSD, a Certificate of Liability Insurance; naming the OSSD as an additional
insured. The issuing insurer must provide 30 days' written notice to the OSSD of the expiration of
the insurance. The specific minimum requirements are**:
a. Workers Compensation Insurance: Statutory Workers Compensation statutory coverage
as required by the laws of the jurisdiction in which the services are performed, and
includes alternate employer endorsement.
b. Commercial General Liability Insurance: Commercial General Liability Insurance with a
$1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence and includes contractual liability and
personal injury coverage.
c. Additional Insured & Certificate Holder: OSSD will need to be named as additional
insured on General Liability Insurance and as the Certificate Holder.
d. Commercial Automobile Liability: Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance with a
$2,000,000 combined single limit on vehicles owned, leased, or rented by Respondent
performing under this agreement.
e. Umbrella Liability Insurance: Umbrella Liability Insurance to be used in excess of the
liability policies with $15,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence.
f. Commercial Blanket Bond: A Commercial Blanket Bond with limits of $1,000,000 in the
aggregate per occurrence and includes coverage of employee dishonesty to the extent
Respondent fails in its responsibilities and customer protection.
**Such insurance or renewals or replacements thereof shall remain in force during the term of
the contract and any extensions
27. Accepting sole responsibility for compliance with all applicable laws relating to its employees,
such as wage and hour laws, safety and health requirements, and collective bargaining laws;
28. Maintaining strict confidentiality in accordance with all applicable laws, regulations, and
procedures of all records which the Agency or substitute teacher/support staff personnel
provided by the Agency may come in contact with or be privy to in the course of providing
services
29. Including all labor, travel, and miscellaneous expenses necessary to complete the substitute
services at the Hourly/Daily rate (No additional fees may be charged).
C. Conduct
The successful Bidder and the substitutes provided by them shall adhere to proper conduct
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at all times. Proper conduct is meant to include, but not be limited to, the following:
1. There shall be no weapons, drugs, or alcohol on the premises
2. No smoking (including electronic cigarettes) or tobacco use on the premises
3. No exterior doors are left open or unlocked at any time
4. The successful Bidder and substitutes provided by the respondent must adhere to
any and all security standards, requirements, and/or regulations of each school
and the OSSD
5. The successful Bidder and substitutes provided by the respondent shall be polite
and courteous at all times
D. Confidentiality
The successful Bidder will have access to confidential information. Confidential information
includes all information of the OSSD relating to the OSSD's existing or potential non-public
business strategies and existing or proposed bids. In addition, confidential information includes
all personal identification and information of OSSD management, employees, and students. At no
time will any confidential information be disclosed to any one person, including but not limited to
legal or financial advisors and or immediate family. The successful Bidder agrees that all such
information is confidential and that the agency will not use or disclose such information to any
outside person or entity for any reason whatsoever, without the OSSD's express written consent.
E. Substitute Teacher Job Description
1. Implement existing lesson plans in a manner that ensures the integrity of academic time
and motivates students to learn and participate.
2. Instruct students regarding a variety of classroom topics and courses of instruction.
3. Follow lesson plans as required by school or vendor policy.
4. Assign reasonable tasks and homework to students in accordance with the lesson plans.
5. Address the various learning styles of students accordingly.
6. Model correct use of the spoken and written English language.
7. Demonstrate professional practices in teaching.
8. Long-Term Assignments-You may be required to develop lesson plans, create, administer, and
grade tests/assignments, participate in parent-teacher conferences, and attend school-related
functions. Note: Activities may occur outside of normal school hours.
F. Classroom Management
1. Maintain classroom control that fosters a safe, positive environment for all students in
accordance with the successful Bidder, school, state, and all applicable laws and regulations.
2. Ensure adequate supervision of students and the classroom environment to assure the health,
welfare, and safety of all students at all times.
3. Take all necessary and reasonable precautions to protect equipment, materials, and school
property.
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4. Remain in the classroom and monitor students at all times, report all student injuries, accidents,
illnesses, and discipline issues to the supervisor and to the school personnel immediately.
5. Supervise students during out-of-the-classroom settings (assemblies, lunchroom, and outside
activities).
V. Information Requested
A. Executive Summary:
Please include an executive summary detailing your understanding of the requirements for
this request, as well as a detailed outline on how your company will address the needs of
the OSSD.
B. Organizational Chart:
Provide an organizational chart indicating the individuals or positions that would work on and
have knowledge of the project within the OSSD. Provide the resumes of the key individuals of
your organization who will managerially oversee and be directly responsible for this account.
Include their professional qualifications and ability to perform the required services, as well as the
number of years of experience providing the required service.
C. Questionnaire:
1. What is the primary scope of your organization's operation? What areas does your company
excel in?
2. Indicate the total number of years your organization has provided the requested service.
3. Describe your organization's background.
4. Detail your organization's current contracts with public entities that have the same
characteristics and complexities of the OSSD.
5. List the fringe benefits the organization offers its employees and the eligibility requirements
for them to receive benefits. Detail the cost of each fringe benefit included in the rate paid by the
OSSD to the organization.
6. Explain your company's billing and reporting capabilities. Share timelines for reporting and
sample reports.
7. Describe your organization's capability of fulfilling other staffing needs the OSSD may
require. For example, beyond substitute teachers, assistant teachers, clerical staff, child nutrition,
and nurses, etc.
8. Describe your process for securing same-day/short-notice substitutes.
9. Please describe the transition process between the existing substitute service provider for the
OSSD and your organization's program. Include information on software transition and timeline
for implementing your staffing services to the OSSD, Training OSSD Teachers, Administrators, and
substitutes, etc.
10. Describe the web-based personnel management software that will facilitate the services to
be provided. Bidders must be able to provide an online placement technology system, AESOP, or
similar program. Please describe in detail the system that your organization utilizes, to include the
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