Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31

Location:	Mississippi
Posted:	Apr 20, 2026
Due:	Apr 29, 2026
Agency:	State Government of Mississippi
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	Q - Medical Services R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Solicitation No:	173-20260407134701 OSSD
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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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

First Publication of the Bid Notice by the Newspaper

Second Publication of the Bid Notice by the Newspaper

Last Day to Submit Questions

Bidder Specification Response Form Return Deadline

Vendor Presentations Scheduled, if necessary

Recommendation to the BOT

April 12, 2026

April 19, 2026

April 21, 2026, 1:00 PM CST

April 29, 2026, 2:00 PM CST

May 11, 2026

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

RFP Educational Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31 2

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

RFP Educational Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31 3

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

RFP Educational Substitute Staffing Services SY27-31 4

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

This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Smart Number	173-20260407134701 OSSD	Advertised Date	04/20/2026 5:00 PM
RFx #	3170035555	Submission Date	04/29/2026 2:00 PM
RFx Status	Open	Major Procurement Category	PERSONNEL SERVICES NON-IT
RFx Opening Date	N/A	Sub Procurement Category	PERSONNEL SERVICE - NON-TECHNOLOGY
RFx Type	MDA - RFx
Agency	MPTAP
RFx Description	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, A

PRODUCT CATEGORY	PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
96269	Serv MiscNo2Personn