Maryland DHS opportunities: fast-turn proposals across child support, transportation, systems, security, and respite care

Executive takeaway

This batch of Maryland Department of Human Services opportunities spans professional review work (child support guidelines), transportation services, unarmed guard services, respite care grant proposals, leadership development training, and a case management/tracking system RFP amendment. Several notices show very tight windows between issue and due dates in the snippets, and multiple postings say “no files to display,” meaning your go/no-go hinges on quickly retrieving the full solicitation package (or confirming it truly isn’t available) and validating submission instructions, volumes, and required forms.

What the buyer is trying to do

Based strictly on the posted snippets, Maryland DHS (and components referenced in the documents) is seeking vendors/providers to support a mix of program operations and enabling services, including:

• Conducting a review of Maryland child support guidelines (a short-cycle deliverable implied by the issue/due dates in the notice).
• Providing customer job transportation services using a structured referral process (attachments include a price sheet, referral form, map, minimum qualifications, and compliance checklist).
• Procuring unarmed guard services via an IFB.
• Running a leadership development program (RFP includes Q&A and pre-proposal artifacts).
• Soliciting a case management and tracking system for an Office of the Attorney General context (the snippet is an amendment that changes the closing date and reiterates a two-volume submission with originals and copies).
• Seeking respite care services through a grant proposal process (pre-proposal agenda indicates standard proposal preparation requirements and that amendments/Q&A would be posted).
• Exploring Maryland legal services program needs through an RFI (attachments include an RFI document and an XLS chart).
• Requesting State Disbursement Unit (SDU) services (no files shown in the notice snippet).

What work is implied (bullets)

• Child Support Guidelines Review: perform a structured review and produce a response consistent with “Review of Maryland Child Support Guidelines” (details must be verified in the full solicitation; the notice shows no files displayed).
• Transportation operations: manage ride scheduling/dispatch and service delivery consistent with the provided referral form; price using the provided price sheet; demonstrate bidder minimum qualifications; complete contract compliance steps (all implied by the listed attachments).
• Unarmed guard services: staffing plan, scheduling/coverage approach, compliance with IFB bid form and standard contract forms (implied by attachments listed).
• Leadership development program delivery: design and deliver a program aligned to the “Leadership Development Program” solicitation and incorporate posted questions/responses.
• Case management/tracking system proposal: submit a two-volume proposal (technical + financial) with the specified number of copies; acknowledge receipt of the amendment in the transmittal letter (per the amendment snippet).
• Respite care grant proposal: prepare a two-volume submission with required forms and financial proposal, aligned to the grant proposal instructions referenced in the pre-proposal agenda.
• RFI response (legal services): provide market information/inputs requested in the RFI document; use the provided XLS as context where applicable.
• SDU services proposal: scope and response requirements are not visible in the snippet—must be confirmed from the full posting.

Who should bid / who should pass (bullets)

• Bid if you are:
  • A research/policy/evaluation firm able to execute a rapid-turn guideline review (child support guidelines notice).
  • A transportation provider (or broker/dispatch operation) with pricing discipline and the ability to meet stated minimum qualifications (Transportation attachments include a minimum qualifications document and compliance checklist).
  • A security services firm that can bid unarmed guard services under an IFB with bid-form-driven pricing.
  • A training/provider organization with established leadership development curricula and the ability to align to an RFP with posted Q&A.
  • A systems integrator/software provider prepared for a two-volume submission and strict copy/original packaging requirements (case management/tracking system amendment).
  • A respite care service provider experienced with grant-style proposal formats and pre-proposal conference norms.
• Pass if you:
  • Cannot meet in-person/operational service delivery expectations (transportation/security) that are typically non-negotiable once priced.
  • Rely on informal submissions—several snippets explicitly emphasize volume separation, copy counts, and amendment acknowledgements.
  • Need full requirements to estimate effort, but the notice shows “no files to display” and you cannot quickly obtain the complete solicitation package.

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

• Customer Job Transportation (verify in attachments):
  • Attachment A – Price Sheet (revised) (use for financial response structure).
  • Attachment B to E – Affidavits / sample contract / EFT (forms and contracting items; verify which are required at submission).
  • Attachment F – Certification Regarding Lobbying.
  • Attachment G – Bidder Minimum Qualifications.
  • Attachment H – Transportation Referral Form.
  • Attachment I – Map of southern Maryland (service area context).
  • Attachment J – Contract Compliance Checklist.
  • Main solicitation document (“Solicitation DCDSSWO13-004.doc”).
• Case Management and Tracking System (RFP 60 amendment snippet) (verify in attachments):
  • Transmittal letter acknowledging receipt of the amendment.
  • Two-volume submission: Technical Proposal + Financial Proposal.
  • An original and five (5) copies (the amendment repeats this requirement).
  • Confirm closing date/time and delivery instructions in the full RFP/amendment package.
• IFB 259 (Unarmed Guard Services) (verify in attachments):
  • IFB document.
  • Attachment A – Bid Form.
  • Attachment B to E – Standard Contract Forms.
• RFP 316 (Leadership Development Program) (verify in attachments):
  • RFP document.
  • Pre-proposal materials and list of attendees (useful for understanding bidder landscape).
  • Questions and Responses document (treat as binding guidance).
• Respite Care Services (7551 pre-proposal snippet) (verify in attachments):
  • Two-volume submission instructions.
  • Required forms.
  • Financial proposal format.
  • Any amendments/Q&A transcripts posted after the pre-proposal conference.
• Child Support Guidelines Review: verify in attachments (the notice snippet indicates no files displayed).
• State Disbursement Unit Services: verify in attachments (the notice snippet indicates no files displayed).
• Maryland Legal Services Program RFI (verify in attachments):
  • RFI document.
  • Attachment chart (XLS) referenced in the posting.

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

• Use the buyer’s own pricing structure when provided. The transportation notice includes an explicit price sheet attachment—build pricing exactly to that template and reconcile it to any minimum qualifications and compliance checklist items that create real cost drivers.
• For IFB-style security work, expect bid-form-driven comparability. The unarmed guard services posting includes a bid form; your competitiveness will often hinge on tight labor assumptions and compliance with any standard contract form requirements (confirm in attachments).
• For the case management/tracking system RFP, control scope risk in your narrative. The snippet is an amendment focused on submission mechanics and closing date; pricing strategy should start with confirming functional requirements in the base RFP and then identifying assumptions you can safely state in the technical proposal (verify in attachments).
• Incorporate Q&A where provided. For the leadership development RFP, treat the posted “Questions and Responses” as essential for interpreting deliverables and pricing assumptions.
• If files are missing, don’t price blind. For notices showing “no files to display,” prioritize obtaining the full solicitation before developing any pricing model.

Subcontracting / teaming ideas (bullets)

• Transportation primes can team with smaller local operators to expand coverage, while keeping dispatch/pricing centralized (ensure alignment with minimum qualifications and any compliance checklist items; verify in attachments).
• Security primes can subcontract for surge staffing, but keep training/compliance management in-house to match standard contract forms and IFB expectations (verify in attachments).
• Leadership development proposers can team with specialized curriculum developers or facilitators to cover niche leadership topics, while maintaining a single program management lead aligned to the RFP and Q&A (verify in attachments).
• Case management/tracking system proposers can team with implementation/support partners to strengthen delivery capacity, while ensuring the two-volume submission cleanly separates technical approach and cost (verify in attachments).
• Respite care providers can partner with complementary service providers to broaden service reach while keeping proposal responsibilities clear per the grant proposal structure (verify in attachments).

Risks & watch-outs (bullets)

• Attachment availability risk: multiple notices explicitly show “Loading No files to display.” Confirm whether documents must be obtained elsewhere before committing.
• Amendment/closing date risk: the case management/tracking system notice is an amendment changing the closing date and reiterating submission format—ensure your team is working to the amended deadline and acknowledges the amendment in the transmittal letter.
• Packaging/compliance risk: where originals and multiple copies are required (explicit in the amendment snippet), noncompliant packaging can sink an otherwise strong proposal.
• Form completion risk: transportation includes lobbying certification, affidavits/sample contract/EFT, and a compliance checklist—missing forms are a common disqualifier (verify which are required at submission).
• Geography/service area risk: transportation includes a map of southern Maryland—validate you can truly serve the referenced area and reflect that in operations and pricing.
• Schedule risk: several opportunities show short windows between issue and due dates in the snippets; build a response plan that assumes minimal back-and-forth.

Related opportunities

• Review of Maryland Child Support Guidelines
• Customer Job Transportation
• RFP 60 (Case Management and Tracking System) – Amendment snippet
• IFB 259 (Unarmed Guard Services)
• RFP 316 (Leadership Development Program)
• Respite Care Services (pre-proposal conference posting)
• Request for Proposal for State Disbursement Unit Services
• Maryland Legal Services Program Request for Information

How to act on this

1. Open the BidPulsar notice(s) you’re targeting and download every attachment listed; if none are shown, confirm whether the package is posted elsewhere on the notice page.
2. Verify the due date/time and whether amendments changed submission rules (especially copy counts and two-volume formatting where referenced).
3. Build a compliance matrix from the solicitation + attachments (price sheet, certifications, minimum qualifications, checklists, Q&A).
4. Decide bid/no-bid based on document completeness and your ability to meet implied operational requirements (transportation/security) or deliverable timelines (reviews/training).
5. If you need help structuring the response package, aligning forms, and building a compliant submission plan, engage Federal Bid Partners LLC for proposal support.

Call to action: If you want a fast, compliant response plan built around the exact attachments and amendment language shown in the posting, Federal Bid Partners LLC can help you turn these documents into a complete submission without guessing.