1-RFP CCSD-31326 CHARACTER ED CURRICULUM K-8.docx.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Character Education Curriculum Adoption (Grades K–8)

Solicitation #CCSD-31626

This Request for Proposals (RFP) has been determined to be the appropriate procurement method to provide the best value to the Cache County School District (“CCSD” or “District”).

The RFP is designed to provide interested offerors with sufficient basic information to submit proposals that meet the minimum requirements, but it is not intended to limit a proposal's content or exclude any relevant or essential data.

Offerors are at liberty and are encouraged to expand upon the specifications to evidence service capability under any agreement.

From the issue date of this RFP until an Offeror is awarded a contract and the award is published, offerors are prohibited from any communication regarding this RFP with the RFP evaluation committee members, CCSD Board of

Education members, CCSD employees, or associated individuals. Failure to comply with this requirement may result in disqualification.

This RFP is issued in accordance with the State of Utah Procurement Code, Utah Code Annotated (UCA) Chapter 63G-6a, and applicable Rules found in the Utah Administrative Code (UAC). If any provision of this RFP conflicts with the UCA or

UAC, the UCA or UAC will take precedence.

I. PURPOSE OF REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

Cache County School District is requesting proposals for a comprehensive, research-based Character Education

Curriculum for grades K–8. The curriculum must promote positive school culture, support student well-being, and explicitly teach essential character traits and life skills that support students’ academic, behavioral, and social success.

The district seeks a curriculum that is developmentally appropriate for elementary and middle school students, includes strong educator support requiring minimal preparation, and provides tools for implementation, assessment, and ongoing program sustainability.

The selected curriculum must be flexible enough to be implemented during advisory, homeroom, counseling lessons, or integrated instructional time.

As part of this commitment, the district is seeking a character education curriculum that promotes positive student behavior, strengthens social and emotional development, improves peer relationships, reduces bullying and discipline concerns, and supports students in becoming responsible, respectful citizens.

The district is seeking a curriculum that can be implemented consistently across all K–8 schools with fidelity, provides professional learning for staff, and supports long-term sustainability through embedded resources and ongoing support.

CCSD will implement the curriculum in grades K-5 in the first year of the contract, with grades 6-8 joining in future years.

Respondents are strongly encouraged to carefully read the entire request for proposal. It is anticipated that this RFP will result in a contract award to a single contractor.

II. BACKGROUND

CCSD serves approximately 14,000 students across 19 elementary and 4 middle schools. CCSD offices are located at 84 E.

2400 N., North Logan, UT 84341.

III. ISSUING OFFICE AND RFP REFERENCE NUMBER

The District’s Purchasing Department is the issuing office for this document and all subsequent addenda relating to it, on behalf of the CCSD Teaching and Learning Department. The transaction reference number is Solicitation #CCSD-31626.

This number must be referenced in all proposals, correspondence, and documentation related to the RFP.

NOTICE: Wherever the term bid, bidder, bidding, or quote appears in this solicitation or reference is made to a bid, bidder, bidding, or quote, it shall be interpreted to mean offeror, as defined in 63G-6a-103(53). RFP, or Request for

Proposals, as defined in 63G-6a-103(72), and the procurement shall be conducted subject to the provisions of

63G-6a-701-707.5.

IV. LENGTH OF CONTRACT

The Contract resulting from this RFP will be for a 5-year period. The contract may be renewed annually for up to 5 additional years, subject to agreement by both parties.

CCSD reserves the right to review contract(s) on a regular basis regarding performance and cost analysis and may negotiate price and service elements during the terms of the contract.

V. TERMINATION RIGHTS

Any agreement resulting from this RFP may be terminated, without cause, or for any reason, by CCSD upon ninety (90) days' written notice to the Contractor, without prejudice to any other right or remedy the CCSD may have. Failure of the Contractor to adhere to any of the performance requirements of any agreement resulting from this RFP shall be cause for immediate termination. Any agreement resulting from this RFP may be terminated for any reason by the

Contractor upon ninety (90) days' written notice to CCSD.

Termination for cause may include, but is not limited to, failure to perform services in accordance with contract terms, failure to adhere to established laws, through no fault of CCSD. If, through any cause, the Contractor shall fail to fulfill in a timely and proper manner its obligations under this contract, or if the Contractor shall violate any of the covenants or agreements thereof, CCSD may, upon written notice to the Contractor, terminate the right of the Contractor to proceed under this contract with such part or parts thereof as to which there has been a default, and may hold the Contractor liable for any damages caused by reason of such default and termination.

VI. PRICE GUARANTEE PERIOD

All pricing must be guaranteed for the entire term of the contract.

VII. STANDARD CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Any contract resulting from this RFP will include, but not be limited to, the District’s Standard Terms and Conditions (see

Attachment A) and the FERPA Student Level Data Protection Standard Terms and Conditions (see Attachment B).

Exceptions and or additions to the Terms and Conditions are strongly discouraged.

Exceptions and additions to the Terms and Conditions must be submitted with the proposal response. Exceptions, additions, service level agreements, etc., submitted after the date and time for receipt of proposals will not be considered. Website URLs or information about website URLs must not be requested in the RFP document and must not be submitted with a proposal. URLs provided with a proposal may result in that proposal being rejected as non-responsive. URLs are also prohibited from any language included in the final contract document.

The District retains the right to refuse to negotiate on exceptions should the exceptions be excessive or not in the best interest of the District. Negotiations could result in high costs to the District or could adversely impact existing time constraints.

If negotiations are required, the contractor must provide all documents in MS Word format for redline editing. The contractor must provide the name, contact information, and access to the person(s) who will be directly involved in legal negotiations.

VIII. DETAILED SCOPE OF WORK

The following list of requirements, although extensive, is not exhaustive and is intended to provide interested parties with sufficient basic information to submit proposals meeting minimum requirements, but it is not intended to limit a proposal’s content or exclude any relevant or essential information. Moreover, the Committee members will be expected to draw on their knowledge of CCSD’s learning communities’ needs and classroom requirements as they evaluate curricular resources against the selection criteria.

1. Curriculum Alignment and Design

The proposed curriculum must:

● Include explicit instruction and practice of positive mindsets, well-being, and personal agency.

● Support positive school culture and healthy relationships.

● Develop essential life skills, including goal-setting, emotional regulation, communication, problem-solving, digital citizenship, adaptability, and responsible decision-making.

● Be developmentally appropriate and clearly differentiated by grade level in grades K-5 at a minimum, with a preference for programs that include grades 6-8. Support implementation in a variety of settings, including:

○ advisory/homeroom

○ counseling lessons or a small group

○ schoolwide character initiatives

○ Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 resources

● Supports multilingual language learners, students with disabilities, and a wide variety of student needs.

● Provide a clear scope and sequence for each grade level.

● Align to the CASEL Core Competencies:

○ Self-Awareness

○ Self-Management

○ Social Awareness

○ Relationship Skills

○ Responsible Decision-Making

● Prepare students for college, career, and civic readiness in the 21st century.

2. Lesson Components

Each grade-level curriculum must include:

● Detailed lesson plans for each grade level, including:

○ clear learning objectives

○ estimated lesson time

○ direct instruction guidance

○ discussion prompts

○ student practice activities

○ optional extension or enrichment opportunities

○ differentiation suggestions

● Minimal preparation required for educators.

● Engaging student-centered content, such as:

○ videos

○ stories and scenarios

○ role-playing and modeling opportunities, interactive activities, and reflection exercises

○ group-building strategies and classroom community practices

● Student-facing materials (digital and/or printable).

● Reflection tools such as journaling prompts, self-assessments, check-ins, and exit tickets.

● Cross-curricular integration ideas to connect character skills to academic instruction.

3. Family and Community Resources

Vendors must provide resources designed to support home-school connection, including:

● family newsletters or parent communication templates

● optional at-home extension activities

● multilingual options for parent resources whenever possible

● resources supporting positive behavior reinforcement at home

4. Progress Monitoring and Data Tools

● Vendors must provide tools for measuring and monitoring student growth, including:

● student assessment tools (screeners, surveys, check-ins, rubrics, etc.)

● educator tools to monitor progress at the classroom and grade level

● dashboards or reporting tools (if digital) that support monitoring of implementation and outcomes

● schoolwide reporting tools

5. Professional Development and Support

Proposals must include professional development and implementation supports, including:

● initial training for teachers and staff (virtual and/or in-person options)

● ongoing training opportunities

● implementation coaching or support options

● access to customer support for troubleshooting and implementation questions

● administrator implementation resources for supporting fidelity and consistency across schools

6. Implementation and Licensing

Proposals must include:

● curriculum access for grades K–5 at a minimum, with a preference given to programs that also include grades

6-8.

● options for site-based licensing and/or per-student pricing models

● access to digital materials (preferred)

● printable options for schools with limited technology access

IX. QUESTIONS

All questions or clarifications regarding the solicitation shall be submitted through the Utah Public Procurement Place

(U3P). https://utah.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities and are subject to the deadline for submitting questions before March 10, 2026, 2:00 pm (MST).

It is the responsibility of each respondent to ensure that its submission includes the information requested in any addenda. If any proposer detects any discrepancy, conflict, or other error in these documents, they shall notify in writing through the (U3P) website and request clarification or modification of the RFP documents. Clarifications, interpretations, and answers will be posted on (U3P) and are considered addenda to the original request. The final date for issuance of the addenda will be five (5) days prior to the proposal's due date. Proposers are cautioned not to consider verbal modifications and are responsible for checking back periodically (U3P) for any addenda.

In the event that it becomes necessary for CCSD to revise any part of the RFP, an addendum will be added through (U3P).

https://utah.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities

X. ANTICIPATED SOLICITATION TIMELINE

ISSUE DATE March 2, 2026

DEADLINE FOR QUESTIONS March 10, 2026 - 2:00 pm (MST)

RESPONSES TO QUESTIONS POSTED March 12, 2026 - 2:00 pm (MST)

RFP PROPOSAL SUBMISSION DEADLINE March 16, 2026 - 2:00 pm (MST)

STAGE 1 EVALUATION PERIOD March 17, 2026 - March 20th, 2026

STAGE 2 - INTERVIEW/PRESENTATION (IF NEEDED)

**RESERVE THE DATE**

March 26, 2026

STAGE 3 - COST REVIEW March 27, 2026 - April 3, 2026

STAGE 4 - VENDOR AWARD April 6, 2026

BOARD APPROVAL (IF REQUIRED May 21, 2026

CONTRACT May 22, 2026

IMPLEMENTATION BEGINS August 17, 2026

XI. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS RESPONSE FORMAT

All proposals must include a technical proposal and a cost proposal. Formats for both documents follow:

A. Technical Proposal Format

Tab 1. Executive Summary

An overview of the curriculum solution and its intended impact. It should highlight the proposal's major features and indicate any requirements that the offeror cannot meet. The reader should be able to determine the essence of the proposal by reading the executive summary. Protected information requests should be identified in this section.

Tab 2. Curriculum Overview

A specific point-by-point response, in the order listed, to each requirement in the RFP

This section should constitute the major portion of the proposal and must contain at least the following information:

● Describe how your curriculum can be used in regard to our scope of work

● Briefly describe how your curriculum includes the following skills

○ Self-Management

○ Self-Awareness

○ Social Awareness

○ Relationship Skills

○ Responsible Decision Making

● Describe the instructional model and structure

● Describe how the curriculum supports positive culture and student success

3. Sample Materials

If you have a digital version of your curriculum, please include either the link to access it or the method for the evaluation committee to access it.

If you don’t have a digital version of your curriculum, you must mail one student edition and one teacher edition of your curriculum for each grade level K-5 (and when included, grades 6-8) to the address listed in Section 8 of this solicitation.

Digital and Paper Copy Submission Requirements. Curriculum materials must arrive before the proposal solicitation deadline.

4. Evidence of Effectiveness

Include evidence such as:

● peer-reviewed research

● effectiveness studies

● district testimonials

● measurable outcomes

5. Licensing and Pricing Structure

Provide full pricing, including:

● curriculum licensing fees

● training costs

● implementation costs

● renewal costs

● optional add-ons

6. References

Provide at least three (3) references from districts currently using the curriculum, preferably comparable in size and demographics

7. Student Data Privacy.

Be able to sign if awarded the contract, all digital/electronic/online resources and tools meet all Federal and State student data privacy requirements. Information about Federal and State requirements can be accessed by following the link: https://schools.utah.gov/studentdataprivacy

Tab 3. Protected Information

The Government Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA), Utah Code Ann., Subsection 63G-2-305, provides in part that:

the following records are protected if properly classified by a government entity:

(1) trade secrets as defined in Section 13-24-2 if the person submitting the trade secret has provided the governmental entity with the information specified in Section 63G-2-309;

(2) commercial information or non-individual financial information obtained from a person if:

(a) disclosure of the information could reasonably be expected to result in unfair competitive injury to the person submitting the information or would impair the ability of the governmental entity to obtain necessary information in the future;

(b) the person submitting the information has a greater interest in prohibiting access than the public in obtaining access; and

(c the person submitting the information has provided the governmental entity with the information specified in Section 63G-2-309

(6) records, the disclosure of which would impair governmental procurement proceedings or give an unfair advantage to any person proposing to enter into a contract or agreement with a governmental entity, except, subject to Subsections (1) and (2), that this Subsection (6) does not restrict the right of a person to have access to, after the contract or grant has been awarded and signed by all parties:

(a) a bid proposal, application, or other information submitted to or by a governmental entity in response to:

(ii) a request for proposals . . .

GRAMA provides that trade secrets, commercial information or non-individual financial information may be protected by submitting a Claim of Business Confidentiality.

To protect information under a Claim of Business Confidentiality, the offeror must: provide a written Claim of Business Confidentiality at the time the information (proposal) is provided to the district and include a concise statement of reasons supporting the claim of business confidentiality (Subsection 63G-2-309).

A Claim of Business Confidentiality may be appropriate for information such as client lists and non-public financial statements. Pricing and service elements may not be protected. An entire proposal may not be protected under a Claim of Business Confidentiality. The claim of business confidentiality must be submitted with your proposal on the form which may be accessed at:

http://purchasing.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/confidentialityclaimform.doc https://schools.utah.gov/studentdataprivacy http://purchasing.utah.gov/wp-content/uploads/confidentialityclaimform.doc

An entire proposal cannot be identified as “PROTECTED”, “CONFIDENTIAL” or “PROPRIETARY” and may be considered non-responsive if marked as such.

To ensure the information is protected, you must include all protected information in Tab 3 of the proposal response. Any protected information incorporated in other sections of the proposal response may result in release of data at no fault of the District.

All materials submitted become the property of CCSD. Materials may be evaluated by anyone designated by the District to serve on the proposal evaluation committee. Materials submitted may be returned only at the District’s option.

B. Cost Proposal Format

The proposal must be set forth in a manner that allows the merits of the proposal to be evaluated in conjunction with the applicable cost. Please review the Best and Final Offers section below to ensure you submit your cost proposal properly.

XII. SUBMITTING YOUR PROPOSAL

All bids must be received by March 16, 2026, 2:00 pm (MST) All submitted proposals will consist of a technical proposal and a cost proposal. These documents must be kept separate.

Cost will be evaluated independently of the technical proposal and will be submitted separately. Failure to submit costs separately may result in your proposal being determined non-responsive. Including any cost or pricing data in the technical proposal may also result in your proposal being deemed non-responsive.

Bids will be submitted electronically through a secure mailbox at the Utah Procurement Place (U3P) Bonfire:

https://utah.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities.

When submitting a bid electronically through Bonfire, please allow sufficient time to complete the online forms and upload documents. This RFP will close at the closing time specified. If you are in the middle of uploading your bid at the closing time, Bonfire will stop the upload process and your bid will not be received by Bonfire and your bid will not be reviewed by the CCSD.

Electronic bids may require uploading of electronic attachments. Bonfire will accept a wide variety of document types as attachments. Documents containing embedded encryptions cannot be processed by Bonfire. Additionally, the submission of documents containing embedded documents, zip files, mov, wmp, and mp3 files is prohibited. All documents should be attached as separate files.

NOTICE: By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, the offeror is acknowledging that the requirements, scope of work, and the evaluation process, outlined in the RFP, are fair, equitable, not unduly restrictive, understood, and agreed

to. Any exceptions to the RFP content must be protested to the purchasing agent prior to the closing date and time for proposal submission.

The district reserves the right to accept, reject, or cancel this proposal if deemed in the best interest of the district any proposal

XIII. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS

Proposals will be reviewed and evaluated using a staged process https://utah.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities

Stage 1: Initial Review/Evaluation

Cache County School District will review all proposals received by the deadline. Proposals that do not meet submission requirements or fail to address required elements may be eliminated from further consideration.

Responsive proposals will be evaluated by a qualified district-appointed evaluation committee. Proposals will be scored using the evaluation criteria listed below. A minimum technical score threshold of 50 points is required to advance to

Stage 2 and Stage 3.

Stage 2: Interviews/Presentation

At the district’s discretion, finalists may be invited to participate in interviews and/or curriculum demonstrations.

Interviews may include presentations on curriculum tools, navigation of the digital platform, and Q&A. Oral Presentation and Product Discussion Presentations will be made at the offeror's expense

The Offeror that ranks first after the interviews will receive an additional 25 points. All Offerors' overall scores and “best value” indicators will be used to select a candidate for the stage 3 cost proposal. The district reserves the right to select a vendor without conducting interviews.

Stage 3: Cost Phase

Proposals meeting the minimum technical score will proceed to cost evaluation. Cost will be evaluated as part of a best-value determination and will be considered alongside technical quality and district fit

Stage 4 - Vendor Award

XIV. PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

A committee will evaluate proposals against the following weighted criteria. Each evaluation criterion must be addressed in detail in the proposal. All proposals in response to this RFP will be evaluated in accordance with the Utah Procurement

Code, rules, policies, and the evaluation criteria established in the RFP. The committee’s scoring sheet has been provided as attachment C

EVALUATION CRITERIA MAX POINTS

Alignment to the Scope of Work Above 15

Grade-Level Specificity & Developmental Appropriateness (K-5 min, K-8 preferred) 10

Quality of Lesson Design & Instructional Materials 15

Engagement of Student Materials (videos, activities, scenarios, etc.) 15

Family Resources and Home-School Connection Supports 5

Progress Monitoring & Assessment Tools 10

Professional Development and Implementation Support 5

Cost and Licensing Structure 25

TOTAL POSSIBLE POINTS 100

XV. BEST AND FINAL OFFERS

Vendors should offer their best offer in the original technical and cost proposals. The use of a Best and Final Offer process is regulated by Utah Code 63G-6a-707.5 and will only be used if:

a. no single proposal adequately addresses all the specifications stated in the request for proposals.

a. all proposals are unclear or deficient in one or more respects;

b. all cost proposals exceed the identified budget or the procurement unit's available funding; or

c. two or more proposals receive an identical evaluation score, which is the highest score.

It is important to understand this to avoid the mistaken assumption that a best-and-final process will allow a vendor to

“sharpen their pencil” in a subsequent phase.

XVI. AWARD OF CONTRACT

Award shall be made to the offeror whose proposal is the most advantageous to the District, taking into consideration price and the other evaluation factors set forth in this request for proposals.

The District reserves the right to award the contract(s) to a technically qualified lower cost offeror(s) in the event the high scoring offer is determined not to be the best value offered to the District, based on a cost benefit analysis.

CCSD may ask for clarification from the offeror and negotiate terms and pricing.