Assistive Technology

12-18-25 RFP STATE OF TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY RFP # 34570 -4102 7 RFP CONTENTS SECTIONS: 1. INTRODUCTION 2. RFP SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 3. RESPONSE REQUIREMENTS 4. GENERAL CONTRACTING INFORMATION & REQUIREMENTS 5. EVALUATION & CONTRACT AWARD ATTACHMENTS: 6.1. Response Statement of Certifications & Assurances 6.2. Technical Response & Evaluation Guide 6.3. Cost Proposal & Scoring Guide 6.3 a. Service Area # 1 6.3.b. Service Area # 2 6.3.c. Service Area # 3 6.3.d. Service Area # 4 6.3.e. Service Area # 5 6.3.f. Service Area # 6 6.4. Reference Questionnaire 6.5. Score Summary Matrix 6.6. Pro Forma Contract 12-18-25 RFP RFP # 34570 -4102 7 Page 1 1. INTRODUCTION The State of Tennessee, Department of Human Services , hereinafter referred to as “the State,” issues this Request for Proposals (RFP) to define minimum contract requirements; solicit responses; detail response requirements; and, outline the State’s process for evaluating responses and selecting a contractor to provide the needed goods or services. Through this RFP, the State seeks to procure necessary goods or services at the most favorable, competitive prices and to give ALL qualified respondents an opportunity to do business with the state as contractors, subcontractors or suppliers. 1.1. Statement of Procurement Purpose The State of Tennessee, Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program (“VR”) is a statewide program that provides directly or facilitates the provision of one or more vocational rehabilitation service (s) to individuals with disabilities to enable those individuals to maximize their opportunities for employment, including career advancement. The purpose of this RFP is to establish a consistent and reliable source of supply of Assistive Technology Services that enable Customers of the VR program to achieve competitive integrated employment. By issuing this RFP, the State seeks to engage service providers to: (1) perform Assistive Technology assessments that measure an individual’s functional capacity and most appropriately match the individual to Assistive Technology that will best meet their needs; (2) conduct training that increases awareness, skills and competencies in the use of Assistive Technology so that the Customer may be proficient in its use; and (3) deliver an d install Assistive Technology to VR Customers. VR seeks proposals from experienced and qualified proposers that can provide a full range of Assistive Technology Services . 1.1.2 VR operates statewide in six (6) service areas as shown in the map and table below . Each grouping of counties represented below is considered one service area . The Respondent must be able to serve all counties within the Service Area (s) for which a proposal is submitted. Proposals that divide or exclude counties from a designated Service Area will not be considered. If Respondents wish to bid on more than one Service Area, a separate cost proposal must be submitted for each service area and in accordance with RFP Section 3 Response Requirements, Subsections 3.2.2.2. and 3.2.3.2. The State shall award up to six (6) contracts, one (1) contract per Service Area. Respondents may submit a proposal for each Service Area it can serve. Multiple Service Areas may be awarded to a single Respondent . Proposers may submit a cost proposal for any number of service areas in response to this RFP. Proposers must identify the Service Areas for which each proposal is submitted in accordance with Section 3 Response Requirements, Subsections 3.2.2.2 and 3.2.3.2 . Historical Customer estimates are approximate, based on the number of Vocational Rehabilitation Services Program Customers who received assistive technology services from October 1, 2022, to September 30, 2025 . Table 1 below show s the estimated annual demand for services per service area . 12-18-25 RFP RFP # 34570 -4102 7 Page 2 Table 1: Estimated Demand for Services per Service Area Service Area Counties Estimated Annual Cost per Region Estimated Number of Customers Per Year Service Area # 1 Fayette, Lauderdale, Shelby, Tipton $200,000 100 Service Area # 2 Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Gibson, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Lake, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Weakley $660,000 330 Service Area # 3 Bedford, Cheatham, Coffee, Davidson, Dickson, Franklin, Giles, Hickman, Houston, Humphreys, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Marshall, Maury, Montgomery, Moore, Perry, Robertson, Rutherford, Steward, Sumner, Trousdale, Wayne, Williamson, Wilson $300,000 150 Service Area # 4 Bledsoe, Bradley, Grundy, Hamilton, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Polk, Rhea, Sequatchie $200,000 100 Service Area # 5 Cannon, Clay, Cumberland, Dekalb, Fentress, Jackson, Macon, Overton, Pickett, Putnam, Smith, Van Buren, Warren, White $100,000 50 Service Area # 6 Anderson, Blount, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Monroe, Morgan, Roane, Scott, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union, Washington $200,000 100 Table 1 1.1.3. The estimated annual cost for annual assistive technology services per Service Area is shown in RFP Section 1.1.2. Table 1. 1.2 Scope of Service, Contract Period, & Required Terms and Conditions The RFP Attachment 6.6., Pro Forma Contract details the State’s requirements:

• Scope of Services and Deliverables (Section A);
• Contract Period (Section B);
• Payment Terms (Section C);
• Standard Terms and Conditions (Section D); and,
• Special Terms and Conditions (Section E).

The pro forma contract substantially represents the contract document that the successful Respondent must sign. 1.3. Nondiscrimination No person shall be excluded from participation in, be denied benefits of, or be otherwise subjected to discrimination in the performance of a Contract pursuant to this RFP or in the employment practices of the Contractor on the grounds of handicap or disab ility, age, race, creed, color, religion, sex, national origin, or any other classification protected by federal, Tennessee state constitutional, or statutory law. The 12-18-25 RFP RFP # 34570 -4102 7 Page 3 Contractor pursuant to this RFP shall, upon request, show proof of such nondiscrimination and shall post in conspicuous places, available to all employees and applicants, notices of nondiscrimination. 1.4. RFP Communications 1.4.1. The State has assigned the following RFP identification number that must be referenced in all communications regarding this RFP: RFP # 34570 -4102 7 1.4.2. Unauthorized contact about this RFP with employees or officials of the State of Tennessee except as detailed below may result in disqualification from consideration under this procurement process . 1.4.2.1. Prospective Respondents must direct communications concerning this RFP to the following person designated as the Solicitation Coordinator : Kyle Villagomez , Sourcing Account Specialist Central Procurement Office Tennessee Tower, 3rd Floor 312 Rosa L. Parks Ave., Nashville, TN 37243 615-532-1339 Kyle.Villagomez@tn.gov 1.4.2.2. Notwithstanding the foregoing, Prospective Respondents may alternatively contact the following individual designated by the State to coordinate compliance with the nondiscrimination requirements of the State of Tennessee, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and associated federal regul ations: Jeffrey Blackshear Tennessee Department of Human Services Andrew Johnson Tower, 12th Floor James Robertson Parkway Nashville, TN 37243 Telephone: (615) 313 -5711 jeffrey.blackshear@tn.gov 1.4.3. Only the State’s official, written responses and communications with Respondents are binding with regard to this RFP. Oral communications between a State official and one or more Respondents are unofficial and non -binding. 1.4.4. Potential Respondents must ensure that the State receives all written questions and comments, including questions and requests for clarification, no later than the Written Questions & Comments Deadline detailed in the RFP Section 2, Schedule of Events . 1.4.5. Respondents must assume the risk of the method of dispatching any communication or response to the State. The State assumes no responsibility for delays or delivery failures resulting from the Respondent’s method of dispatch. Actual or digital “postmark ing” of a communication or response to the State by a specified deadline is not a substitute for the State’s actual receipt of a communication or response. It is encouraged for Respondents to submit bids digitally. 1.4.6. The State will convey all official responses and communications related to this RFP to the prospective Respondents from whom the State has received a Notice of Intent to Respond (refer to RFP Section 1.8). 12-18-25 RFP RFP # 34570 -4102 7 Page 4 1.4.7. The State reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, the method of conveying official, written responses and communications related to this RFP. Such written communications may be transmitted by mail, hand -delivery, facsimile, electronic m ail, Internet posting, or any other means deemed reasonable by the State. For internet posting, please refer to the following website: https://www.tn.gov/generalservices/procurement/central -procurement -office --cpo- /supplier -information/request -for-proposals --rfp--opportunities1.html . 1.4.8. The State reserves the right to determine, at its sole discretion, the appropriate ness and adequa cy of responses to written comments, questions, and requests related to this RFP. The State’s official, written responses will constitute an amendment of this RFP. 1.4.9. Any data or factual information provided by the State (in this RFP, an RFP amendment or any other communication relating to this RFP) is for informational purposes only. The State will make reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of such data or inform ation, however it is the Respondent’s obligation to independently verify any data or information provided by the State. The State expressly disclaims the accuracy or adequacy of any information or data that it provides to prospective Respondents. 1.5. Assistance to Respondents With a Disability Prospective Respondents with a disability may receive accommodation relating to the communication of this RFP and participating in the RFP process. Prospective Respondents may contact the Solicitation Coordinator to request such reasonable accommodation no later than the Disability Accommodation Request Deadline detailed in the RFP Section 2, Schedule of Events. 1.6. Respondent Required Review & Waiver of Objections 1.6.1. Each prospective Respondent must carefully review this RFP, including but not limited to, attachments, the RFP Attachment 6.6., Pro Forma Contract , and any amendments, for questions, comments, defects, objections, or any other matter requiring clarification or correction (collectively called “questions and comments”). 1.6.2. Any prospective Respondent having questions and comments concerning this RFP must provide them in writing to the State no later than the Written Questions & Comments Deadline detailed in the RFP Section 2, Schedule of Events. 1.6.3. Protests based on any objection to the RFP shall be considered waived and invalid if the objection has not been brought to the attention of the State, in writing, by the Written Questions & Comments Deadline. 1.7. Pre-Response Conference A Pre -Response Conference will be held at the time and date detailed in the RFP Section 2, Schedule of Events. Pre -Response Conference attendance is not mandatory, and prospective Respondents may be limited to a maximum number of attendees depending upon overall attendance and space limitations. The conference will be held at: Microsoft Teams meeting Join: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/26579542860091?p=KxEDBvdzaVQkPvvbDQ Meeting ID: 265 795 428 600 91 Passcode: 4Ye2CX9C Need help? | System reference Dial in by phone +1 629 -209-4396,,430098674# United States, Triune Find a local number 12-18-25 RFP RFP # 34570 -4102 7 Page 5 Phone conference ID: 430 098 674# Join on a video conferencing device Tenant key: stateoftn@m.webex.com Video ID: 115 205 388 8 More info For organizers: Meeting options | Reset dial -in PIN The purpose of the conference is to discuss the RFP scope of goods or services. The State will entertain questions, however prospective Respondents must understand that the State’s oral response to any question at the Pre -Response Conference shall be unofficial and non -binding. Prospective Respondents must submit all questions, comments, or other concerns regarding the RFP in writing prior to the Written Questions & Comments Deadline date detailed in the RFP Section 2, Schedule of Events. The State will send the official response to these questions and comments to prospective Respondents from whom the State has received a Notice of Intent to Respond as indicated in RFP Section 1.8 and on the date detailed in the RFP Section 2, Schedule of Events. 1.8. Notice of Intent to Respond Before the Notice of Intent to Respond Deadline detailed in the RFP Section 2, Schedule of Events, prospective Respondents should submit to the Solicitation Coordinator a Notice of Intent to Respond (in the form of a simple e -mail or other written communication). Such notice should include the following information:

• the business or individual’s name (as appropriate) ;
• a contact person’s name and title ; and
• the contact person’s mailing address, telephone number, facsimile number, and e -mail address .

A Notice of Intent to Respond creates no obligation and is not a prerequisite for submitting a response, however, it is necessary to ensure receipt of any RFP amendments or other notices and communications relating to this RFP. 1.9. Response Deadline A Respondent must ensure that the State receives a response no later than the Response Deadline time and date detailed in the RFP Section 2, Schedule of Events. The St