Goal: To assist the Joint Interim Committee on Education in understanding available policy options and by providing quantitative data analysis support.

Rationale: An objective outside expert is necessary to facilitate the Committee in achieving its goal, so that the Committee can craft Missouri's policy while placing its decisions in a national context.

Eligible entities: The Joint Interim Committee will consider proposals from consultants on school finance with appropriate professional and academic credentials.

Time line: A qualifying proposal must demonstrate:

1. Availability to work with the Joint Interim Committee during October 2003 through February 2004; the Committee contemplates monthly meetings in various locations in Missouri through January 2004;
2. Availability on short notice to consult with stakeholders (individual Committee members, Senate or House staff) or data providers (e.g., DESE, Department of Revenue, Tax Commission) either by traveling to Missouri or by phone, e-mail, fax, teleconferencing, as appropriate;
3. Ability and willingness to review Committee work products on short time frame.
4. Disclosure of any information that has a bearing on current workload pressures, due to the short time frame of the Joint Interim Committee.

Qualifications: A qualifying proposal will demonstrate:

1. Experience working with state legislatures, or similar entities, on school funding issues (this may include publications, where relevant);
2. Ability to advise the Joint Interim Committee on the likelihood that any particular element of a proposed school funding formula may be subject to constitutional challenge. This means a substantial knowledge of school funding case law;
3. Ability to access and program data concerning economic impact of policy decisions relating to major tax structure changes;
4. Capacity to work with large amounts of school district finance and other tax-related data on a very short time frame (same day/next day).

Price of consultant services: Qualifying proposals should include:

1. Detailed description of the basis on which the charges for professional services are calculated, based on the service (or range of services) offered;
2. An all-inclusive charge that covers items associated with professional services.

Deliverables:

1. Schedule of the consultant's proposed activities, within 10 working days of acceptance of proposal;
2. As requested:
   a. Advice on policy context;
   b. Quantitative data support;
   c. Written materials to provide background and guidance on policy options;
   d. Attendance at joint interim committee meetings, when requested.

Competitive negotiation of proposals: The offeror is advised that under the provisions of this Request for Proposal, the Joint Interim Committee reserves the right to conduct negotiations of the proposals received or to award a contract without negotiations. If such negotiations are conducted, the following conditions shall apply:

1. Negotiations may be conducted in person, in writing, or by telephone.
2. Negotiations will only be conducted with potentially acceptable proposals. The Joint Interim Committee reserves the right to limit negotiations to those proposals which received the highest rankings during the initial evaluation. All offerors involved in the negotiation process will be invited to submit a best and final offer.
3. Terms, conditions, prices, methodology, or other features of the offeror's proposal may be subject to negotiation and subsequent revision. As part of the negotiation, the offeror may be required to submit supporting financial, pricing, and other data in order to allow a detailed evaluation of the feasibility, reasonableness, and acceptability of the proposal.
4. The mandatory requirements of the RFP shall not be negotiable and shall remain unchanged unless the Joint Interim Committee determines that a change in such requirements is in the best interest of the Joint Interim Committee.

Due date for proposal: October 6, 2003

Respond to: