Memorandum from Purchasing Department
Letter of Instruction for RFP #251-27-139
To: Prospective Parties
Thank you for your interest in the Wake County Public School System. Please review the
following instructions prior to submitting your proposal.
• Prior to submitting and executing the proposal, please make sure you read and
understand the terms and conditions referenced. All proposals are subject to the
terms and conditions outlined herein. All responses will be controlled by such terms
and conditions and the submission of other terms and conditions, price lists, catalogs,
and/or other documents as part of an offeror’s response will be waived and have no
effect either on this Request For Proposals or on any contract that may be awarded
resulting from this solicitation. The attachment of any other terms and conditions by
the Offeror may be grounds for rejection of that proposal. Offeror specifically agrees
to the conditions set forth in the above paragraph by signature to the proposal.
• Please read carefully the section titled CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED
COMMUNICATIONS DURING THE RFP PROCESS. All questions should be directed to
bids-pgooding@wcpss.net.
• Offerors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not a request to contract, and
WCPSS reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers when such rejection
is deemed to be in the best interest of WCPSS.
• In submitting a proposal, the Offeror agrees not to use the results there from as part
of any news release or commercial advertising.
• Submit one (1) signed, original response via electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) by the specified
time and date of opening. Vendor shall bear all risk for late electronic submission due to
unintended or unanticipated delay, including but not limited to internet issues, network
issues, or local power outages. Inability by WCPSS to open the Vendor’s files may result in
the offer(s) being rejected as non-responsive.
• Questions or issues related to using the eVP Ariba Sourcing Tool can be directed to the North
Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are
available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST.
• Offerors are cautioned that responses will be deemed nonresponsive if they do not include
all required information and submittals as requested.
• WCPSS publicly advertises proposal solicitations on the following sites: NC eVP,
https://evp.nc.gov, WCPSS Purchasing http://www.wcpss.net/domain/101, and NC
Historically Underutilized Businesses https://ncadmin.nc.gov/businesses/historically-
underutilized-businesses-hub/submit-bid-opportunities-hub. Please review these sites for
updates and amendments during the proposal time frame.
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Request for Proposal #251-27-139
1551 Rock Quarry Rd – Bldg. F
Raleigh, NC 27610
Refer ALL Inquiries to: Petra Gooding
Telephone No: 919-588-3456
E-Mail: bids-pgooding@wcpss.net
ATTENDANCE (CHRONIC ABSENCE ASSESSMENT)
Contract Type: Agency Specific Term Contract
DUE DATE: July 20, 2026 @ 2:00 pm
Using Agency Name: WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
NOTICE TO VENDORS
Electronic proposals, subject to the conditions made a part hereof, will be received until 2:00 p.m. on the day of opening
and then opened, for furnishing and delivering the commodity as described herein. Refer to proposal submittal below
for information regarding delivery. Proposals submitted via email or non-sealed in response to this Request for Proposal
will not be accepted. Proposals are subject to rejection unless submitted on this form.
EXECUTION
In compliance with this Request for Proposal, and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned offers and agrees
to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are proposed, at the prices set opposite each item within the
time specified herein. By executing this proposal, I certify that this proposal is submitted competitively and without
collusion.
Failure to execute/sign this page prior to submittal shall render bid invalid. Late proposals are not acceptable.
VENDOR:
FEDERAL ID OR SOCIAL SECURITY NO.
STREET ADDRESS:
P.O. BOX:
ZIP:
CITY & STATE & ZIP:
PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE
TELEPHONE NUMBER:
TOLL FREE TEL. NO
(800)
TYPE OR PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING:
FAX NUMBER:
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:
DATE:
E-MAIL:
Offer valid for 60 days from date of proposal opening unless otherwise stated here: ____ days
PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL
Submit one (1) signed, original executed proposal response via eVP (emails not accepted).
Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further
consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendors’
sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening.
Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with instructions provided shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor's
proposal(s). Solicitation responses are subject to Sealed Bidding requirements.
Vendors’ proposals for this procurement must be submitted through electronic Vendor Portal (eVP). For training on how to
use eVP to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the district,
Vendors should go to the following site: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training.
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RFP SCHEDULE
The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. WCPSS will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.
Event
Issue RFP
Submit written questions to:
bids-pgooding@wcpss.net
(Reference RFP # in the subject line)
Provide Responses to Questions
Submit Proposals
Public Live Bid Opening
(vendor attendance is not required)
Responsibility
WCPSS
Vendor
Date and Time
7-7-26
7-10-26 by 11:00 am ET
WCPSS
Vendor
WCPSS/Vendor
7-13-26 by end-of-business
7-20-26 @ 2:00 PM ET
7-20-26 @ 2:00 PM ET
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/211174
670938884?p=LzsiH043jjSaH8kxK8
Meeting ID: 211 174 670 938 884
Passcode: J6HM32qu
PROPOSAL QUESTIONS
Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to
submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any
such questions, in written form by the above due date. WCPSS will not respond to questions via telephone or
telephone message(s). Written questions must be emailed to bids-pgooding@wcpss.net by the date and time
specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP #251-27-139 Questions” as the subject for the email. Questions
submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in a format shown below:
Reference
RFP Section, Page Number
Vendor Question
Vendor question …?
Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, WCPSS’ response, and any additional terms deemed
necessary by WCPSS will be posted in the form of an addendum to the Interactive Purchasing System (IPS),
http://www.ips.state.nc.us and WCPSS Purchasing website http://www.wcpss.net/domain/101, and shall
become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any
WCPSS personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be
considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in an Addendum
to this RFP.
PROPOSAL EVALUATION
All proposals will be evaluated by representatives of WCPSS. WCPSS may, at its sole discretion, ask for additional
information and/or elect to conduct interviews with finalists to clarify information provided in the proposals.
The services that are the subject of this RFQ/P are not required to be bid under North Carolina law, and none of the
statutory requirements regarding public bidding apply to this RFQ/P. This document, and not those statutes, will
govern the selection process.
WCPSS shall not be required to award the contract to the lowest proposed compensation; nor shall WCPSS have
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any obligation to explain its decision to recommend or not to recommend any particular vendor or to invite or
exclude any particular vendor from consideration at any stage of the process. Instead of recommending that
contracts be awarded to one or more vendors who presented proposals, WCPSS may, at its sole discretion, reject
the proposals and repeat the process, enter into direct contract negotiations with one or more vendors (possibly
including vendors who have not previously submitted proposals) or take any other action WCPSS deems advisable
under all the circumstances.
WCPSS is expected to make any final selection(s) based upon any factors or considerations WCPSS deems relevant.
Factors often considered include qualifications, relevant experience, fee, and ability to perform work in a timely
manner. WCPSS retains sole discretion to award the contract to the vendor(s) it believes will best serve the
interests of WCPSS and may consider any factors, documents, or information it deems relevant in making that
determination. WCPSS shall not have any obligation to explain its decision to select or not select any individual
vendors or to invite or exclude any individual vendors from consideration at any stage of the process. The decision
of WCPSS to accept or reject any proposals and to award contract(s) to any one or more vendor(s) shall be final and
not subject to further review.
Vendors are subject to immediate disqualification at any stage of the selection process for any of the following:
• The submission of false or misleading information in the vendor’s proposal.
• Any efforts to dissuade or discourage other vendors from submitting proposals.
• Any efforts to influence, dictate, or change the terms of another vendor’s proposal.
• Any form of bid collusion or bid rigging.
METHOD OF AWARD
All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the RFP requirements
and achieving the highest and best final evaluation which is best for WCPSS. Vendors SHALL not be considered
who are not approved or authorized by The State of North Carolina to do business with The State of North
Carolina. WCPSS reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.
IMPORTANT: CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION
During the evaluation period—from the date proposals are opened through the date the contract is awarded—
each Vendor submitting a proposal (including its representatives, sub-contractors and/or suppliers) is prohibited
from having any communications with any person inside or outside of WCPSS regarding this solicitation. All
communication should be directed in written form to the WCPSS contact indicated on pages 1, 2, and 3.
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PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) Counseling & Student Services Department seeks proposals from
individuals/organizations that have demonstrated effective practices in providing services to school districts to
conduct diagnostic review of best practices in managing student chronic absences that fall within the district’s
budgetary constraints.
BACKGROUND
For background purposes, the Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is currently the largest school district
in North Carolina and the 15th largest in the United States. There are currently more than 200 schools in the
district, serving a student population of approximately 161,000, with approximately 20,000 staff. Wake County
covers 854 square miles. Additional information about the school system can be accessed via the internet site
(www.wcpss.net).
SCOPE OF WORK
● This initiative focuses on partnering with a qualified vendor over a twelve-month period to build a
comprehensive, districtwide infrastructure that supports shared responsibility for student engagement
and attendance across all departments. The selected vendor will provide expert consultation and
professional learning across three primary areas of focus.
● First, vendor will support the design, implementation, and ongoing meetings of a leadership-driven, cross-
departmental attendance Task Force to help align districtwide attendance efforts with existing academic
and behavior initiatives. Second, the vendor will design and execute a comprehensive professional
learning strategy for district and school leadership, utilizing a mix of group professional development,
interactive learning communities, and targeted coaching to build capacity for implementing tiered
schoolwide attendance practices. Finally, the vendor will consult on the development and implementation
of a year-round community-wide attendance communications and messaging campaign in partnership
with district staff and external media partners. The ideal partner will provide dedicated project
management to oversee all deliverables.
● The selected vendor will be expected to provide a detailed timeline of deliverables that spans the course
of the 2026-2027 school year. This timeline should outline the phased rollout of the Task Force launch and
monthly meetings, the schedule for leadership professional development sessions and coaching cohorts,
and milestones for the year-round communications campaign.
QUALIFICATIONS
• VENDOR shall be licensed (when applicable) and approved to do business in the State of North
Carolina.
• Vendor shall provide appropriate references demonstrating experience in performing projects in similar
size and scope. References must include contact information.
• Insurance requirements referenced within as well as any Federal, State and Local requirements shall be
required and maintained.
• Vendor will be disqualified for consideration if they are listed on either the State of North Carolina
debarred vendor registry, or the Federal Government debarred vendor registry.
(Federal Government)
https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/searchRecords/searchResults.jsf
(State of North Carolina)
https://ncadmin.nc.gov/documents/nc-debarred-vendors
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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.