Maryland DHS: bids due soon across research, transportation, security, IT, and services (quick triage guide)

Executive takeaway

These Maryland Department of Human Services (DHS) notices span very different buying intents—policy research (child support guidelines), client transportation, unarmed guard services, respite care grant services, state disbursement unit services, leadership development training, and an attorney general case management/tracking system. Several postings show limited on-page detail (including “No files to display”), so your first move should be to open the BidPulsar notice page and confirm whether attachments, amendments, and submission instructions are actually available before spending proposal hours.

What the buyer is trying to do

Review of Maryland Child Support Guidelines

The buyer is seeking a review of Maryland’s child support guidelines. The snippet indicates an agency control number and a very short turnaround window.

Customer Job Transportation

The buyer is procuring transportation tied to employment (customer job transportation). The notice includes multiple attachments such as a price sheet, bidder minimum qualifications, referral form, map, and a contract compliance checklist—suggesting structured operations, defined service area(s), and compliance documentation.

RFP 60 (Office of the Attorney General case management and tracking system)

The buyer is seeking a case management and tracking system for the Office of the Attorney General. The snippet provided is an amendment changing the closing date/time and confirming a two-volume submission with an original and five copies.

IFB 259 (Unarmed Guard Services)

The buyer is procuring unarmed guard services via an invitation for bid (IFB), with bid form and standard contract forms provided as attachments.

7551 (Respite Care Services grant proposals)

This appears to be a request for grant proposals for respite care services, with a pre-proposal conference agenda excerpted. The snippet emphasizes proposal preparation requirements (two-volume submission, forms, evaluation procedures) and that amendments/Q&A would be posted on DHS’s website.

Request for Proposal for State Disbursement Unit Services

The buyer is seeking state disbursement unit (SDU) services. The notice snippet shows issue/due dates and an agency control number, but indicates no files displayed.

RFP 316 (Leadership Development Program)

The buyer is seeking a leadership development program. Attachments include the final RFP, pre-proposal materials, an attendee list, and Q&A—useful for understanding evaluation expectations and what competitors asked.

Maryland Legal Services Program (Request for Information)

This is an RFI focused on the Maryland Legal Services Program. The attachments include the RFI document and an Excel chart related to FY14 CINA-TPR clients served—suggesting the state is gathering market input and service capacity information.

What work is implied (bullets)

• Policy / program research: reviewing child support guidelines and documenting findings (verify required deliverables in attachments; none visible in the snippet).
• Transportation operations: intake/referral handling, routing/scheduling, service delivery, and compliance tracking (implied by referral form, map, compliance checklist, and price sheet attachments for Customer Job Transportation).
• Software/system delivery: proposal for a case management and tracking system using a two-volume submission format (RFP 60 amendment snippet).
• Security staffing: unarmed guard services priced in an IFB format using a bid form and standard contract forms (IFB 259 attachments).
• Human services program delivery: respite care services under a grant-style process with structured proposal sections and evaluation (7551 pre-proposal agenda snippet).
• Payment processing/services operations: SDU services (scope details unknown in snippet; verify in attachments—none shown).
• Training design & delivery: leadership development program with pre-proposal/Q&A materials indicating a formal evaluation process (RFP 316 attachments).
• Market research response: RFI response with service data/capacity input for legal services programming (RFI attachments include an Excel chart).

Who should bid / who should pass (bullets)

• Bid if you have recent, directly comparable experience in one of these lanes: transportation service delivery; unarmed guard services; case management/tracking systems; training/leadership development; respite care services; policy guideline review; SDU services operations.
• Bid on Customer Job Transportation if you can meet the Bidder Minimum Qualifications and can price using the provided Price Sheet (both referenced as attachments).
• Bid on RFP 60 only if you can comply with the two-volume submission requirement and physical copy counts (original + five copies) shown in the amendment snippet.
• Pass if you cannot access the full solicitation and amendments (multiple notices show “No files to display” in the snippet).
• Pass if you cannot meet submission mechanics (hard copies, volume separation, forms) because Maryland DHS processes often disqualify noncompliant packages (implied by the detailed proposal-prep agenda for 7551 and amendment language for RFP 60).

Response package checklist (bullets; if unknown say “verify in attachments”)

• Customer Job Transportation: completed price sheet (Attachment A – Price Sheet Revised), required affidavits/standard contract forms (Attachment B to E), certification regarding lobbying (Attachment F), bidder minimum qualifications (Attachment G), any required forms (Attachment H referral form; Attachment J contract compliance checklist) (verify exact submission list in the solicitation attachment).
• RFP 60 (case management/tracking system): transmittal letter acknowledging receipt of the amendment; two-volume submission (technical + financial); original and five copies of each volume (per amendment snippet); any pre-proposal conference acknowledgments if required (verify in attachments).
• IFB 259 (unarmed guard services): completed bid form (Attachment A – Bid Form) and standard contract forms (Attachment B to E) (verify any additional requirements in the IFB document attachment).
• 7551 (respite care grant proposals): two-volume submission (technical + financial), transmittal letter, forms, and any minority business enterprise/corporate registration items referenced in the agenda (verify in attachments / DHS postings referenced by the conference notes).
• RFP 316 (leadership development): proposal per the “FINAL LDI RFP” and incorporate Q&A clarifications (Questions and Responses LDI) (verify required forms and volumes in attachments).
• Child Support Guidelines review / SDU services: verify in attachments (snippets indicate no files displayed).
• Legal Services Program RFI: RFI response per “RFI 010715 Final” and any requested data inputs aligned to the attached chart (verify in attachments).

Pricing & strategy notes (how to research pricing; do not invent pricing numbers)

• Start with the buyer’s pricing instrument: if the notice provides a price sheet (Customer Job Transportation) or a bid form (IFB 259), build pricing exactly in that structure first, then back into staffing, vehicles, scheduling, and overhead assumptions.
• Use Q&A as pricing guidance: for RFP 316, review the “Questions and Responses” attachment for any clarifications that affect scope, deliverables, or pricing approach.
• Confirm submission-driven cost impacts: RFP 60’s requirement for an original and five copies (two volumes) implies printing/production and delivery logistics—plan for these in your internal bid budget and schedule.
• Benchmark with comparable Maryland work: search within BidPulsar for similar Maryland DHS transportation, guard, training, or system solicitations and compare pricing formats and compliance requirements (do not assume award values from unrelated notices).
• Separate compliance from value-add: build a compliant baseline first (forms, certifications, required volumes), then layer optional enhancements only if the solicitation invites them (verify in attachments).

Subcontracting / teaming ideas (bullets)

• Customer Job Transportation: consider teaming with local transportation providers to cover service areas implied by the provided map attachment, while centralizing scheduling/dispatch and compliance documentation.
• RFP 60 (system): prime with case management platform delivery experience and subcontract for implementation support, documentation, and training aligned to the buyer’s proposal structure (verify scope in the full RFP).
• IFB 259 (guards): partner with a firm that already maintains compliant staffing pipelines and scheduling coverage; keep contract administration and reporting centralized.
• Respite care services (7551): team with respite service delivery organizations to expand capacity while maintaining consistent intake, eligibility handling, and reporting (verify program requirements in attachments).
• Leadership development (RFP 316): team instructional design with experienced facilitators; use the posted Q&A to align to buyer expectations.

Risks & watch-outs (bullets)

• Attachment visibility gaps: multiple notices show “No files to display” in the snippet; do not assume requirements—confirm the full package before committing.
• Amendments change deadlines: RFP 60 shows an amendment revising the closing date/time; always check for the latest amendment set and acknowledge them in your transmittal letter when required.
• Submission mechanics can be disqualifying: RFP 60 specifies an original and five copies for both technical and financial volumes; missing copies/volume separation can sink an otherwise strong offer.
• Compliance-heavy service contracts: Customer Job Transportation includes a contract compliance checklist attachment—expect documentation and operational controls to be evaluated.
• Conference/Q&A posting expectations: the respite care pre-proposal notes indicate transcripts, attendee lists, Q&A, and amendments are posted elsewhere; ensure you have everything referenced, not just what’s on one page.

Related opportunities

• Review of Maryland Child Support Guidelines
• Customer Job Transportation
• RFP 60 (Case Management and Tracking System)
• IFB 259 (Unarmed Guard Services)
• 7551 (Respite Care Services – Request for Grant Proposals)
• State Disbursement Unit Services RFP
• RFP 316 (Leadership Development Program)
• Maryland Legal Services Program RFI

How to act on this

1. Open the BidPulsar notice and immediately confirm whether the full solicitation/attachments (and any amendments) are available.
2. Decide bid/no-bid based on submission mechanics (copies, volumes, forms) and whether you can meet any minimum qualifications referenced in attachments.
3. Build a compliance matrix from the solicitation documents (or note “verify in attachments” where not accessible) and assign owners for each form and narrative section.
4. Draft pricing only in the buyer’s required format (price sheet/bid form), then validate operational assumptions against any maps, referral forms, and compliance checklists provided.

If you want a second set of eyes on eligibility, compliance, and a fast response plan, contact Federal Bid Partners LLC for capture and proposal support.