Purpose and Background

The State of Iowa is seeking proposals to provide services direcly related to the implementation of the Ascendium funding, "Optimizing Delivery Systems for Higher Education in Prison" which includes:

• statewide navigators for higher education in prison; and
• a fiscal agent to support the Fellowship project.

Proposals must be submitted to the State of Iowa Department of Education, via Iowagrants.

Contract Terms

The Department is seeking cost-efficient proposals to provide services, as defined in this Funding Opportunity, for the anticipated contract period defined in the table below. Please note that the dates below are estimated and may be adjusted, as necessary, in order to comply with all procedural requirements associated with this project and the funding organization, Ascendium. The actual contract start date will be established by a completed and approved contract.

Following the initial term of the contract and subject to continued availability of funding the Department retains the right to fund the grant recipient until the end of the Ascendium grant award (July 2024) The exercise of grant renewals after the first year of funding will be made on a program by program basis. Renewals will be contingent on the grant recipient’s ability to successfully implement the terms of the grant and demonstrated effectiveness as determined by outcomes.

The term of the anticipated contract for the navigator project, is defined as follows:

The projected timeline for the fiscal agent agreement with the Fellowship project is as follows:

Number of Awards

The Department anticipates making multiple awards as a result of this funding opportunity. Award amounts will depend upon available funding and the project awarded.

Iowa has on average allocated $270,000 annually for these projects to eligible providers.

The Department reserves the right to award grant funds in amounts different than the applicant’s budget request and the suggested award amount. Such adjustment may be based on how the proposed budget and budget narrative will cover Department of Corrections institutions and the part-time vs full-time status of the proposed navigator and whether the requested amount is proportionate, as determined by the Department.

General Provisions

1. From the time this Funding Opportunity (FO) is issued until award notification is made, all contact with the Department regarding this FO must be made through the aforementioned RFP Coordinator. No other person/ State or Department employee is empowered to make binding statements regarding this FO. Violation of this provision may lead to disqualification from the bidding process, at the Department’s discretion. (state requirement)
2. Issuance of this Opportunity does not commit the Department to issue an award or to pay expenses incurred by an Applicant in the preparation of a response to this FO. This includes attendance at personal interviews or other meetings and software or system demonstrations, where applicable.
3. All proposals should adhere to the instructions and format requirements outlined in this FO and all supplements and amendments, issued by the Department. Proposals are to follow the format and respond to all questions and instructions specified in each section of this FO.
4. Applicants shall take careful note that in evaluating a proposal submitted in response to this FO, the Department will consider materials provided in the proposal, information obtained through interviews/presentations (if any), and internal Departmental information of previous contract history with the Applicant (if any). The Department also reserves the right to consider other reliable references and publicly available information in evaluating an Applicant’s experience and capabilities.

Timeline

The following steps will be taken in conducting the application process:

• Department publishes the Optimizing Delivery Systems for Higher Education in Prison - Project Grant
• Review applications.
• Department announces grant applicants that will receive funding and begins finalizing the budgets.
• Projects begin.