Employment First and Works4Me Consultant: Expanding Competitive Integrated Employment in Ohio

The Ohio Office of Development (OOD) is seeking a qualified consultant to help expand Competitive Integrated Employment (CIE) for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities across Ohio. The consultant will assess current vocational‑rehabilitation and HCBS Medicaid Waiver services, conduct surveys and focus groups, benchmark Ohio against at least five comparable states, and develop actionable recommendations, implementation plans, and toolkits to improve job placement, retention, and advancement for people with I/DD. The engagement is a fixed‑price, seven‑month contract (Feb 1 2027 – Sep 3 2027) and will be evaluated on technical merit (80 %) and cost (20 %). • Conduct statewide surveys, focus groups, and regional capacity analyses. • Select and analyze five comparison states to identify best practices and gaps. • Produce recommendation reports, implementation methods, and supporting toolkits. • Deliver a final presentation and revised reports to OOD. • Must comply with Ohio’s accessibility, ethical, and data‑security requirements; AI may not be the sole means of providing accessibility services.