Mississippi Procurement Portal #3120003411

Mississippi statewide vocational rehabilitation needs assessment

Mississippi is seeking a research contractor to assess statewide vocational rehabilitation needs and guide program planning for people with disabilities. - Government buyer: Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services (MDRS), including the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation for the Blind. - Procurement: One contractor to conduct a Comprehensive Statewide Needs Assessment (CSNA) supporting Rehabilitation Act requirements and MDRS program planning. - OEMs and vendors: No OEMs, vendors, or prospective contractors are named; there are no equipment or product purchases. - Scope and methods: Review research and program records; analyze MDRS, RSA-911, Census, labor-market, education, and workforce-partner data; and conduct accessible surveys, at least six regional hybrid focus groups, 15–20 key-informant interviews, and at least three public forums. - Populations and issues: Assess needs and service gaps affecting people with significant disabilities, unserved and underserved communities, youth and students with disabilities and Pre-Employment Transition Services, people who are blind or visually impaired, employers, workforce-system participants, and community rehabilitation programs and providers. Include regional analysis, workforce coordination, and provider capacity. - Engagement and recommendations: Collaborate with the State Rehabilitation Council throughout the project, including at least quarterly engagement. Provide prioritized, actionable recommendations and implementation guidance. - Deliverables: Work plan; interim data summary and preliminary gap analysis; stakeholder-engagement findings; draft and final CSNA reports; presentations; datasets, codebooks, instruments, and supporting project documentation. Final materials must include accessible Word and tagged PDF files, 50 printed spiral-bound reports, 50 printed executive-summary booklets, and 50 printed copies of each scheduled SRC quarterly update report. - Notable requirements: Use rigorous mixed methods and appropriate sampling; provide statewide and substate analysis; protect sensitive data; and meet applicable accessibility requirements, including Section 508. - Estimated value: $150,000–$500,000 for the intended single contract.

Description

The Mississippi Department of Rehabilitation Services is seeking a contractor to conduct a comprehensive statewide needs assessment (CSNA) for its Workforce Innovation & Opportunity Act program. The assessment must use mixed methods, combining primary and secondary data, research literature, and stakeholder engagement, and address rehabilitation and service needs across specified populations and systems. Work includes literature review, data analysis, accessible surveys and qualitative engagement, gap analysis, and recommendations, with ongoing collaboration with the State Rehabilitation Council. Required deliverables include interim updates, presentations, and a final accessible CSNA report and supporting materials, completed within 52 weeks of the effective contract date.

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