24MASEPBH1 - Attachment A - Final~1.docx

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Attachment A Special Education Departmental Master Services

Alternate ID #: 24MASEPBH1 COMMBUYS Bid #: BD-23-1026-DOE02-DOE01-87363

Background:

The Special Education Planning & Policy Development Office (SEPP) at the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (the Department) focuses on interagency and special education policy, planning and related personnel development activities. The Department also provides a coordinated set of guidance documents, technical assistance, and support to Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to improve results for students with IEPs, through cross-agency collaboration.

Additionally, working in partnership with educators, schools, students, families, advocates, vendors, and other agencies and organizations across the Commonwealth, the Department advances high-quality educational options to achieve its goals and mission. Massachusetts’ programs and initiatives aim to ensure all students’ access to a high-quality, equity focused, and student-centered educational experience from pre-K through grade 12 (or age 21, if appropriate).

To this end, the Department funds strengths-based supports to help further the Department's strategic priorities, including supporting social emotional learning, health, and safety, which is aligned with Holistic Support and Enrichment as described in the Commissioner’s Our Way Forward report.

Through this Departmental Master Agreement, the Department seeks responses from bidders with a demonstrated capacity to successfully support LEA and state sustainable improvement efforts.

Scope of Service:

The Department seeks to establish a list of pre-qualified approved vendors who may provide one or more of the following services:

· Develop and provide high quality, evidence-based, professional development activities including face-to-face sessions, hybrid/online courses, training and technical assistance, coaching and/or mentoring, workshop, and/or institutes in the areas related to special education;

· Develop tools, protocols and products and/or other materials related to special education;

· Assess new initiatives and/or conduct research, data analysis, evaluation, and/or strategic development and implementation in areas related to special education;

· Provide content and ongoing support, to develop and sustain special education initiatives at the state and local levels;

· Provide technical assistance to district and school administrators, inclusive of but not limited to special education administrators, to support compliance with federal and state requirements and to improve services to students with disabilities;

· Train special education leaders and district personnel on the evaluation of special education programs and placements in the general education classroom;

· Develop curriculum, associated materials, and assessments for students with disabilities, inclusive of students in institutional settings and/or approved special education programs, related to the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks;

· Provide technical assistance and/or expertise in cultural proficiency at the state and/or local level with a focus on disadvantaged and/or high need students;

· Identify and support implementation of best practices for providing appropriate wrap around services (e.g., stabilization, clinical, social emotional supports) for students who are experiencing homelessness, foster care, and/or are in migrant or military families, and for native students;

· Collaborate with Early Childhood programs and stakeholders to provide services and supports to meet the development and learning needs of pre-school aged children and support transition to kindergarten;

· Support the Department and LEAs in continuous program improvement efforts, including needs assessment, effectively using data, designing and implementing effective improvement plans, monitoring and evaluating program outcomes;

· Support program planning and identifying, accessing and effectively using program resources;

· Implement evidence-based best practices; and

· Analyze and present data on student outcomes and support the use of data to inform program development.

Please note there is no guarantee that a particular topic will be needed. The excel file Appendix A: Services by Expertise, a required submission of this Bid, provides greater detail of topic areas and enables the bidder to identify their areas of expertise and potential services.

Being pre-qualified under this BID does not guarantee that an organization will automatically be awarded a contract to conduct work with the Department, LEAs, schools, or other organizations utilizing this list; nor does this BID carry an award of state or federal funds.

The Department expects to issue bids contracts for specific pieces of work through the Requests for Quotes (RFQs) process posted to COMMBUYS. Some contracts will involve providing direct services to Department staff, other contracts may involve providing direct services to LEAs and schools requiring support on behalf of, and contracted by, the Department. Only vendors approved under this BID will be eligible to bid on this contracted work.

Please note at times other offices/programs at the Department may utilize this Departmental Master Agreement to address specific needs. Vendors that propose to provide services to other programs/offices at the Department must be willing to become familiar (if not already so) with their program requirements, tools, and approaches.

Budget:

Bidders must submit a sample budget that is deliverables-based and/or based on hourly/daily rates. The rates proposed must be inclusive of all expenses and indirect costs (such as travel, supplies, telephone and cell phone charges, fringe benefits, etc). Contracts may include a portion of the maximum obligation approved to support sub-contracting related to agreed upon trainings, sessions, and strategic meetings - for trainers/session leaders, and for rental of space, equipment, and other associated costs.

Actual rates and contract parameters, including specific deliverables and due dates, will be established when a work order or contract, as appropriate, is negotiated with the Department. The work order or contract process, (which takes place after an approved vendor responds to an RFQ and is the successful bidder), is when the specific scope of services and total budget for a project are developed.

Categories:

The Department seeks to establish a list of pre-qualified approved vendors who may provide services in one or more of the following service areas: (specific topics detailed in Appendix A)

Area 1. Data Related to Students with Disabilities

Area 2. Content Area Expertise with a Focus on Students with Disabilities

Area 3. Individualized Education Program (IEP) Process and Implementation

Area 4. Disability Related Topics

Area 5. Family, Caregiver, and Community Engagement

Area 6. Coaching, Technical Assistance, and Professional Development

Area 7. State Performance Planning and Annual Reporting

Area 8. Evaluation of Special Education Programming

Area 9. DESE Support Activities

Area 10. Technology Supports and Services for Students with Disabilities

One of DESE’s foremost goals is to dismantle the inequities that exist for many students in the Commonwealth. DESE has a particular focus on and commitment to dismantling institutional racial inequities. Therefore, promoting the inclusion and affirmation of students protected by The Massachusetts Anti-Discrimination Law (e.g., disability status, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, etc.) should be a priority addressed within the above areas.

Required Specifications:

· Relevant expertise and demonstrated ability to provide the proposed services in one or more of the focus areas using evidence-based strategies.

· Commitment to equity and dismantling structural racism.

Preferred Qualifications:

· Relative economic value of proposed services based on the rates offered, the vendor’s location, and any other factors which may affect the cost of reimbursable expenses or the number of consultant hours/days required to accomplish tasks.

· Vendor should be able to host, facilitate or participate in video-conferencing, as appropriate, to connect with multiple users through video technology upon ESE request. Such technology would include auditory and visual face-to-face interaction. Vendors who may not be proficient must be willing to receive training and/or support from ESE in using such technology when needed.

· Ability to communicate and work with a wide array of education stakeholders including, where relevant, constituencies within all levels of state and district administration, principals, teachers, community partners, parents, and other providers in a coordinated effort to meet education improvement priorities.

Submission Requirements:

Submission(s) must meet the requirements of all areas for which the Bidder applies. DESE reserves the right to approve only the areas deemed to meet the acceptable requirements of each service area. Each applicant must submit:

· A brief narrative for each Appendix A: Services by Expertise matrix area identified (up to one page each), which includes:

· a description of the organization’s experience providing services in previous work related to the specific area of expertise, and the positive outcomes for schools and LEAs that resulted from this work; and

· a summary of the experience of each individual proposed who may act as a service provider, and how their experience prepares them to provide services related to the specific area of expertise.

· A completed Appendix A: Services by Expertise matrix, identifying the area(s) of substantive expertise and the services to be provided.

· Two samples of previous work (e.g., handouts, presentation, etc.) relevant to each area of expertise.

· Two letters of support/reference relevant to each area of expertise, from within the past 12 months of submission, that will help the Department and/or any other contracting entity to assess the applicant’s ability to meet both the required and preferred qualifications noted above.

· Commitment to Equity statement – Describe, in a one-page narrative, your organization’s commitment to and actions taken to ensure equity:

· Include efforts within your own organization to support equity and efforts when providing services to clients, as applicable. For example, how does your organization intentionally promote diversity, equity, and inclusion, particularly racial equity? What strength-based strategies have been implemented? How is a deficit-based mindset countered?

· Please share your organization’s current challenges with and ongoing efforts to ensure your organization is working towards building the mindsets, practices, and skills to support this initiative.

· A budget summary that provides a fee structure for the service or array of services described in your proposal that includes enough detail to explain how the fees are structured including a frame of reference for understanding the cost relative to the elements of service (e.g., time frame, days of service, personnel costs, materials). This is to be in alignment with the details articulated in the Budget section. (Recommended length: 1-2 pages). Please note this is a five year master list, please address any projected and/or possible rate changes.

· A completed Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan form

· A completed General Information Form (Attachment B) Please note, upon award additional original state forms will be required: Commonwealth's Terms & Conditions, Standard Contract Form, W-9 Form, Electronic Funds Transfer Form, Authorized Signatory Listing Form and the Supplier Diversity Program 2 Form (these forms are subject to change).

If vendors apply and are not approved for specific areas of content expertise and/or service categories, vendors may submit additional evidence or information as requested. Vendors do not need to resubmit a completed new application to reapply for categories previously not approved OR new categories they would like to add after an initial approval.

Responses not posted to COMMBUYS will not be considered for evaluation. Do not Email and/or mail responses to the department.

In order to respond to this bid, please register on the COMMBUYS website. If you need assistance with registering, please contact the COMMBUYS helpdesk at: COMMBUYS@state.ma.us or (888) 627-8283 or (617) 720-3197.

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