Substitute Teaching Services
| Location: | Florida |
|---|---|
| Posted: | May 15, 2026 |
| Due: | Jun 9, 2026 |
| Agency: | Polk County School Board |
| Type of Government: | State & Local |
| Category: |
|
| Solicitation No: | 037-DW-0526 |
| Publication URL: | To access bid details, please log in. |
Main
Agency
Polk County School Board
Polk County School Board
Status
Active
Active
Fiscal Year
2026
2026
Type
Request for Proposal
Request for Proposal
Department
Human Resources
Human Resources
Online Submissions
Yes
Yes
Project Estimate
Piggyback Solicitation
No
No
Insurance Required
Yes
Yes
Bid Bond Required
No
No
Bid Bond Amount
Performance Bond Required
No
No
Performance Bond Amount
Construction Bond Required
No
No
Construction Bond Amount
Scope of Services
Polk County Public Schools (PCPS) is soliciting competitive proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive Substitute Teaching Services.
Polk County Public Schools (PCPS) is soliciting competitive proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive Substitute Teaching Services.
Dates(All times are listed as
EST
)
Broadcast Date
4/20/2026 4:00 PM EST
4/20/2026 4:00 PM EST
Question End Date
5/1/2026 3:00 PM EST
5/1/2026 3:00 PM EST
Sample Due Date
Due Date
6/9/2026 3:00 PM EST
6/9/2026 3:00 PM EST
Bid Opening Date
Question End Date Reminder Notification
2 Day(s)
2 Day(s)
Sample Due Date Reminder Notification
0 Day(s)
0 Day(s)
Due Date Reminder Notification
2 Day(s)
2 Day(s)
Pre-Bid Meetings
Total: 0
(All times are listed as
EST
)
| Date | Time | Mandatory | Location |
Shortlist Meeting
Total: 0
(All times are listed as
EST
)
| Date | Time | Location |
Documents
Total: 5
Quote/Bid
Quote/Bid Items
Additional Quote/Bid Items Fields
Quote/Bid Items
Total: 0
| # | Required | Group | Make | Model | Description | Quantity | Unit of Measure | Price/ Percent | Type |
Delivery Date
None
None
Required Files to be Uploaded by the Vendor
None
None
Shipping
None
None
Terms and Conditions
None
None
Include Shipping in Price of Items
No
No
Display Bid Tabulation to Vendors
No
No
Display Vendor Submissions to Vendors
No
No
View Vendor Submissions while Bid Solicitation is Active
No
No
Allow Options File to be Updated after Due Date
No
No
Allow Post Due Date Submission
No
No
Questions & Answers
Total: 60
| Question | Date Asked | Answer | Date Answered |
| “Given the scale and volume of services outlined, would PCPS consider awarding to multiple vendors (e.g., primary and supplemental providers) to ensure coverage goals, particularly during peak periods or for specialized roles?” | 4/21/2026 5:46:00 PM | ||
| “Is PCPS open to a tiered service model where additional vendors may support high-need areas, specialty assignments, or periods of increased demand?” | 4/21/2026 5:46:32 PM | ||
| “How does PCPS plan to evaluate and incorporate participation from small, minority-owned, or community-based firms within this contract?” | 4/21/2026 5:46:48 PM | ||
| “Can PCPS provide additional detail on the expected transition plan from the current provider to the awarded vendor(s), including timeline, data migration, and onboarding expectations?” | 4/21/2026 5:50:14 PM | ||
| Can PCPS share current fill rates, challenges, or areas of improvement with the existing substitute provider? | 4/21/2026 5:51:09 PM | ||
| Is the ≥95% fill rate requirement inclusive of same-day absences across all schools, or are there different benchmarks by school type, subject area, or time of year? | 4/21/2026 5:51:53 PM | ||
| Can PCPS provide a breakdown of substitute demand by grade level (elementary, middle, high), subject area, and long-term vs. daily assignments? | 4/21/2026 5:52:17 PM | ||
| Can PCPS clarify the level of integration required with Frontline/AESOP and whether a vendor’s system must replace or coexist with current systems? | 4/21/2026 5:52:57 PM | ||
| Is there a preference or requirement for vendors to have local staff or operations within Polk County? | 4/21/2026 5:53:25 PM | ||
| Can PCPS provide more detail on required training modules and whether district-specific training content will be provided or must be developed by the vendor? | 4/21/2026 5:53:48 PM | ||
| Does PCPS have any guidelines or expectations regarding substitute pay rates relative to bill rates to ensure competitiveness in recruiting? | 4/21/2026 5:54:07 PM | ||
| Given the scale of services, would PCPS consider supplemental or specialized vendors to support high-need areas such as ESE, long-term assignments, or peak periods? | 4/21/2026 5:54:36 PM | ||
| Section 8 specifies an `IVR/web-based` system. Will PCPS also consider, or prefer, proposers offering native mobile applications for substitutes (push notifications, GPS-verified clock-in/clock-out, real-time job acceptance) and live administrator dashboards showing real-time fill rate, active assignments, and on-site verification? Are there any mobile-device-management or BYOD policy constraints PCPS expects vendor platforms to accommodate? | 4/26/2026 6:22:16 PM | ||
| Section 5 names `very highly trained substitutes in crisis and prevention management` as a specialty recruiting area. Could PCPS specify (a) the required certifications or training programs (e.g., CPI Nonviolent Crisis Intervention, PCM, Handle With Care, MANDT, or PCPS-specific protocols), (b) the approximate annual volume and school locations requiring this credential, and (c) whether PCPS provides the training/certification or the vendor is expected to source and certify substitutes independently at vendor cost? | 4/26/2026 6:22:38 PM | ||
| Section 11 invites proposers to provide `additional pricing incentive to PCPS if the renewal terms were to be altered, however, not to exceed eight (8) years.` Could PCPS clarify (a) how it prefers such incentives be presented: e.g., alternative markup tiers within Attachment A, a separate pricing schedule, or narrative commitments — and (b) whether incentives offered will factor into the 10-point Pricing evaluation, be evaluated under a separate criterion, or be reserved for best-and-final negotiations post-shortlist? | 4/26/2026 6:23:24 PM | ||
| Section 15 references an evaluation committee with Purchasing in an advisory capacity. Could PCPS share (a) the functional roles or departments represented on the committee (e.g., HR, Operations, Finance, school-based administrators), (b) whether scoring is conducted independently by each evaluator and averaged, or by consensus, and (c) whether any criteria use pass/fail screening before weighted scoring is applied? | 4/26/2026 6:23:41 PM | ||
| Sections 6 and 12 address minimum qualifications and insurance, but do not explicitly reference performance bonds or financial statement submissions. Will PCPS require (a) a performance bond at any point during the contract term, (b) audited financial statements or equivalent documentation as part of the proposal or post-award due diligence, and (c) any parent-company guarantees? If so, what thresholds or formats does PCPS expect? | 4/26/2026 6:24:00 PM | ||
| Section 16 (Public Records) and Section 17 (Data Security & FERPA) address record handling generally. At contract end or termination, will PCPS expect the awarded vendor to (a) transfer the substitute roster, credential records, training completion data, and historical performance data to PCPS or a successor vendor, (b) in what format (e.g., structured data export, API, flat file), and (c) are there any restrictions on the vendor offering continued employment to substitutes who chose to work for PCPS through the contract? | 4/26/2026 6:24:21 PM | ||
| Is this bid being awarded to one vendor or will multiple vendors be awarded? | 4/27/2026 1:25:53 PM | ||
| Regarding Section 5, Scope of Work, Invoicing & E-Payables, is it possible for vendors to receive payment via ACH? If not, are there any fees for the vendor associated with the use of the PCPS e-payables program? | 4/29/2026 10:36:35 AM | ||
|
The contract start date (Sept. 1, 2026) listed in the solicitation is inconsistent with comments made by Supt. Heid at the February 24, 2026 Polk County School Board Work Session. Utilizing the attached link, starting at 2:03:00, Supt. Heid states that the district will not be adopting or implementing close to the start of the school year and that he will require a minimum of 1 year to make the transition if a new vendor is selected. Why was the timeline changed? Who made the decision to change the timeline? Did procurement request this change? Did Human Resources request this change? Did Supt. Heid request this change? Did a School Board Member or the School Board as a collective request this change?
https://www.youtube.com/live/G53kC5dU2ws?si=3KxLYAHa5VPNQnrM |
4/30/2026 9:00:14 PM | ||
| Of your 206,000 stated annual absences, can you please provide a break down of how many were daily substitutes, how many were long-term substitutes, how many were ESE substitute teacher substitutes, how many were ESE long-term substitutes, how many were paraprofessionals and how many were ESE paraprofessionals Training 1, Training 2, and Training 3? | 4/30/2026 9:09:40 PM | ||
| On average, how many hours do your paraprofessionals work per day? | 4/30/2026 9:10:07 PM | ||
| Could PCPS please provide a list of all locations (schools, administrative sites, and other facilities) where services will be required? | 5/1/2026 2:42:45 PM | ||
| As referenced in the “Overview and Intent,” PCPS utilizes approximately 1,150 substitutes daily and 206,000 annually. What portion of this volume is expected to be fulfilled by the awarded vendor on a daily basis? | 5/1/2026 2:43:03 PM | ||
| Could PCPS confirm the current number of active substitutes engaged across the District? | 5/1/2026 2:43:12 PM | ||
| Is this solicitation a new contract or a rebid? | 5/1/2026 2:43:21 PM | ||
| If rebid, could PCPS provide details of the incumbent vendor(s) and current program structure? | 5/1/2026 2:43:31 PM | ||
| The Scope of Services references multiple position types (e.g., ESE, crisis-trained substitutes, paraprofessionals, long-term substitutes, clerical, speech and language pathology). Is it mandatory for vendors to provide staffing across all listed categories, or may vendors bid on selected categories? | 5/1/2026 2:43:42 PM | ||
| The RFP states that vendors must “fill daily absences and vacancies” and “respond to same-day and advanced requests.” Does “same-day response” mean acknowledgment of the request, or successful placement of a substitute on the same day? | 5/1/2026 2:43:52 PM | ||
| For Level 2 Background Screening and Fingerprinting, What level of tracking visibility is expected by PCPS (e.g., real-time dashboards, periodic reports, or both)? | 5/1/2026 2:44:03 PM | ||
| Does PCPS require vendors to use a specific tracking platform, or may vendors provide their own system provided appropriate access is granted? | 5/1/2026 2:44:12 PM | ||
| Is the use of Frontline Absence Management mandatory for all vendors, or may vendors utilize their own system provided it meets all functional and integration requirements? | 5/1/2026 2:44:30 PM | ||
| What level of integration with Frontline Absence Management is expected (e.g., real-time API integration, batch file transfer, or manual processes)? | 5/1/2026 2:44:40 PM | ||
| Which system will be considered the system of record for absence and substitute data, the vendor’s system or the PCPS platform? | 5/1/2026 2:44:49 PM | ||
| Are there specific IVR requirements that vendors must support (e.g., language options, call routing rules, call volume capacity)? | 5/1/2026 2:44:57 PM | ||
| What is the expected contingency or backup process in the event of system unavailability (vendor system or PCPS system)? | 5/1/2026 2:45:06 PM | ||
| Does PCPS permit the use of vendor-provided platforms such as Workerrra, either in place of or alongside Frontline, provided all functional and integration requirements are met? | 5/1/2026 2:45:15 PM | ||
| What specific SLA metrics, thresholds, and measurement methodologies will be used to determine performance compliance (e.g., fill rate, response time, no-show rate)? | 5/1/2026 2:45:24 PM | ||
| Under what conditions would liquidated damages or performance credits be applied? | 5/1/2026 2:45:34 PM | ||
| Will the vendor be provided a defined cure period to address SLA shortfalls prior to penalties being enforced? | 5/1/2026 2:45:43 PM | ||
| Is there a maximum cap on liquidated damages or performance credits (e.g., percentage of monthly invoice)? | 5/1/2026 2:45:52 PM | ||
| How will exceptions beyond vendor control (e.g., school closures, system outages) be handled in SLA calculations? | 5/1/2026 2:46:05 PM | ||
| For TAB 2 – Recent Implementations, are full client references with verifiable contact details required, or will anonymized project summaries be acceptable where confidentiality restrictions apply? | 5/1/2026 2:46:15 PM | ||
| For TAB 7 – Reporting & Performance History, does PCPS require client-specific performance metrics, or will aggregated/anonymized data be acceptable? | 5/1/2026 2:46:32 PM | ||
| For the Account Management & Staffing Plan, is dedicated onsite personnel within PCPS required, or will remote support with periodic onsite visits be acceptable? | 5/1/2026 2:46:42 PM | ||
| Is there a minimum onsite coverage requirement (e.g., number of days per week or response time expectations)? | 5/1/2026 2:46:50 PM | ||
| Is participation of Small, Minority, or Women-Owned Businesses mandatory or encouraged? | 5/1/2026 2:46:59 PM | ||
| If subcontracting is required, Is there a target participation percentage? | 5/1/2026 2:47:08 PM | ||
| Are subcontractors required to hold specific certifications? If yes, which certifying agencies are acceptable? | 5/1/2026 2:47:17 PM | ||
| Must the Affidavit Regarding the Use of Coercion for Labor and Services be submitted with the proposal, or only upon contract award? | 5/1/2026 2:47:25 PM | ||
| Is the Affidavit Regarding Foreign Countries of Concern required at submission or post-award? | 5/1/2026 2:47:37 PM | ||
| Should the School Board of Polk County Form Contract Addendum be signed and included with the proposal, or executed after award? | 5/1/2026 2:47:46 PM | ||
| Where should the REQUIRED RESPONSE FORM – Proposal Certification be included within the proposal structure? | 5/1/2026 2:47:54 PM | ||
| For required forms without a designated tab, should they be included in a dedicated “Required Forms” section or as an appendix? | 5/1/2026 2:48:03 PM | ||
| Is pricing required to be submitted exclusively within “Attachment A – Pricing Form,” or are there additional pricing submission requirements within the portal? | 5/1/2026 2:48:13 PM | ||
| Is there an estimated budget or not-to-exceed value associated with this contract? | 5/1/2026 2:48:23 PM | ||
| Is the Certificate of Insurance required at the time of proposal submission, or only upon contract award? | 5/1/2026 2:48:33 PM | ||
| Are substitutes currently provided with any benefits under the existing program? | 5/1/2026 2:48:44 PM | ||
| Will the responsibility for providing substitute benefits rest with the vendor, or does PCPS provide any benefits directly? | 5/1/2026 2:48:53 PM |
Commodity Codes
Total: 1
| Code | Description |
| [924-78] | Teaching and Instruction Services (Including Elementary and Secondary Education, Higher Education and Adult Education) |
Publications
Total: 0
| Publication | Date |
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