25CISFK1 Questions and Answers.docx

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Questions and Answers Document Alternate ID: 25CISFK1 COMMBUYS Document #: BD-24-1026-DOE02-DOE01-100839

1. How will this RFP be funded? What funding source?

Answer: As stated in Attachment A, “approximately $1.7 Million is expected to be expended on services delivered from September 2024 through June 2025 and is expected to be split amongst multiple vendor contracts depending on the number of qualified applicants and the estimated level of funding needed to serve interested LEAs. Pending available funding, there may be an option for 2 renewals for FY26 ($1M) and FY27 ($1M), ending 6/30/2027. Renewal eligibility is contingent on available funding and relies on positive feedback from LEAs and evaluations by the third-party assessor, with DESE approval, recognizing and rewarding effective vendors for sustained impact.”

2. Will the State consider awarding to a vendor that provides a high-quality tutoring platform to be used in a tutoring setting, but does not supply actual tutors? Can the format of the data reports listed on pg. 2 of attachment A, be adjusted to align with the service being offered? For example, if we provide tutoring content but not live tutors, the “name of tutor” field would not be relevant. If yes, should those changes be noted now or agreed to with MA DESE at a later date?

Answer: No, the State will not consider awarding to a vendor that provides a high-quality tutoring platform without supplying actual tutors. The State's requirements include the provision of both the tutoring platform and qualified tutors to deliver tutoring services to students. This ensures that students receive comprehensive support and personalized instruction from trained professionals, which is essential for the effectiveness of the tutoring program. Vendors must offer a complete solution that includes both the technological platform and the human resources necessary to deliver quality tutoring experiences to students in accordance with the State's guidelines and standards.

3. Under Submission Requirement, the bid requests "In a narrative not to exceed 11 pages, please address the following:" Does this limitation only apply to Experience and Approach A-P? Or does "narrative not to exceed 11 pages" pertain to the additional subsections on pages 5, 6, and 7?

Answer: The narrative not to exceed 11 pages, pertains to submission requirements A-P.

4. Does the Commonwealth anticipate the need for awarded vendors to develop or modify the vendor's software as part of this scope of work?

Answer: There is not an expectation vendors will need to develop or modify software to be compatible with the work. It is expected vendors will collaborate with paired districts in order to ensure software will work during tutoring sessions.

5. If vendors partner with or subcontract to a tutoring agency, would their in-house evaluation framework suffice as a “third party evaluator”?

Answer: No, the third-party evaluator is a relationship contracted and managed by DESE.

6. Are vendors required to select a subcontractor prior to their proposal submission and/ or include information about their selected subcontractor in their proposal submission?

Answer: If a vendor intended to subcontract some aspect of this contract, then, yes, vendors must include information regarding the subcontractor in their proposal submission.

7. Does the Commonwealth have one LMS Platform or will each partner district have their own LMS platform?

Answer: After the pairing process, vendors and districts will work together to resolve any technical issues including platform compatibility.

8. According to the SDP form, the SDP participation requires committing to a specific percentage of the total contract value (e.g., 1%). How should we determine the contract value, as it will be dependent on the number of participating students and schools?

Answer: The value of the contract cannot be determined at the time of response. Use your best judgement when indicating a percentage commitment and remember the percentage cannot be changed once submitted, however the selected partner can be updated as needed.

9. Would past payments to an SDO-certified business qualify for a scoring benefit under the current RFP?

Answer: No, past payments will not satisfy this requirement. The requirement must be met during the contracted period for this contract opportunity.

10. Is there a specific requirement for vendors to prove that offering a prompt payment discount causes hardship?

Answer: There is no specific requirement. Each hardship is viewed individually.

11. Would LEAs be open to a vendor sourcing & training live online tutors for the LEA to hire and supervise with vendor support?

Answer: Vendors must provide their own tutors for the tutoring services they offer to LEAs. DESE relies on vendors to recruit, train, and supervise tutors who will deliver the tutoring sessions.

12. When awarded vendors are matched with LEAs, will the State cover the full fee to purchase the product the LEA chooses?

Answer: As stated in Attachment A, DESE will pay only the per student cost agreed to with the Vendor. Any other required costs to the district should be stated in the Vendor’s response to this Bid.

13. Will DESE select and coordinate between the vendor and the third-party evaluator?

Answer: Yes, the third-party evaluator relationship is contracted and managed by DESE.

14. Is it the vendor's responsibility to ensure every group is a group of 4 initially or throughout all 12 weeks? How do we handle opt-outs, where students choose to not participate when given the option by the district?

Answer: It is the vendor's responsibility to ensure that tutoring groups are structured with a maximum group size of 1:4 (one tutor to four students) throughout all 12 weeks of the tutoring program. Vendors are accountable for maintaining appropriate group sizes to optimize student learning and engagement as per program guidelines.

Regarding opt-outs, where students choose not to participate in tutoring sessions when given the option by the district, vendors should coordinate closely with districts/ DESE to manage student enrollment and attendance effectively.

15. How will students who need tutoring services be identified? What is the process of student start dates and rostering?

Answer: Selection of students will be decided by the district. Once districts and vendors are paired, the district must provide rostering data to each vendor including student SASID numbers.

16. Will compensation be based on tutoring sessions that occurred or student attendance? If students are absent or not attending tutoring, does that affect the overall compensation?

Answer: The compensation is based on student attendance. Student absences or non-attendance could potentially affect the overall compensation received by vendors. This model incentivizes schools and vendors to ensure consistent student engagement and attendance during tutoring sessions. It also underscores the importance of monitoring and encouraging student participation to optimize the impact and effectiveness of the tutoring program. Ultimately, the compensation structure may vary depending on the specific contractual agreements and arrangements between the vendor and DESE.

17. How will tutors’ schedules work? Will vendors be paired with LEAs based on tutor hour requirements for example if tutors need to work 4 hours a day 5 days a week will that be taken into account?

Answer: Tutoring sessions are structured in accordance with DESE recommendations, such as three 30-minute sessions per week or two 45-minute sessions per week, over a 12-week cycle.

18. Does the Commonwealth anticipate the need for vendors to create deliverables that contain the vendor's intellectual property as part of this scope of work?

Answer: No, the deliverables are listed in the Scope of Service in Attachment A. This includes, primarily the delivery of the tutoring services, coordination with the LEAs and DESE, and reporting to the third-party evaluator.

19. Is the state looking for on demand 24x7 homework help tutoring? Or high impact tutoring which is scheduled same day/same time with the same group and same tutor for deep learning based on standards and classroom supplemental differentiation of instruction?

Answer: No, there is no expectation tutoring will occur outside of scheduled session times.

20. Can you please confirm this bid is for grades 4th and 8th and not grades 4th through 8th?

Answer: This bid is only for grades 4 and/or 8.

21. Are LEAs at all required to provide evidence of usage to the State, since attendance is a requirement?

Answer: DESE works with a third-party evaluator to track attendance and monitor participation in tutoring programs conducted by vendors and schools. This collaboration helps ensure accurate data collection, rigorous evaluation of program effectiveness, and accountability in meeting attendance requirements and program goals. The third-party evaluator may use various methods, such as data analytics, attendance tracking systems, and periodic assessments, to gather information and assess the impact of tutoring services on student outcomes. By partnering with a third-party evaluator, DESE aims to enhance transparency, improve data quality, and inform evidence-based decision-making to support student success and program improvement.

22. There is an expectation that vendors “monitor and supervise the tutors and tutoring sessions.” Because tutoring is virtual, the language suggests that vendors are not responsible for in-person supervision of students. What onsite school personnel will be monitoring tutoring sessions - teachers in a push-in classroom model or other school personnel in a pull-out model?

Answer: Vendors are not responsible for the in-person oversight. DESE will work with each district to ensure proper personnel are in place during tutoring sessions. Tutors must monitor and supervise student behavior during each virtual session. It is the responsibility of the Vendor to virtually monitor and supervise their tutoring staff as appropriate.

23. Will DESE assign a third-party evaluator or would we be responsible for securing one?

Answer: The third-party evaluator relationship is both selected and managed by DESE.

24. Is it required that students participate in tutoring for only 12-weeks, or will certain students be assigned to multiple rounds of 12-week tutoring sessions over the 36-week school year? Conversely, will new students be assigned to tutoring each 12-week period?

Answer: Student eligibility for multiple rounds will be determined by the district and overall vendor contract capacity. There is potential for multiple rounds when appropriate.

25. Will the Commonwealth share roster data with vendors, or will each district share roster data?

Answer: Once vendors and districts are paired, the district will provide rostering data to each vendor. This information will include the SASID for each student.

26. Will DESE pair vendors with LEAs for tutoring services? If so, when is the pairing process started and completed? If not, what are guidelines for reaching out to LEAs?

Answer: Based on the LEAs' needs and preferences, DESE will pair vendors with LEAs for tutoring services. Additionally, LEAs may have existing partnerships or previous relationships with potential vendors, which could influence the pairing process.

27. How many school sites and students does the state wish to serve through this contract? Or, if that’s not available, how many school sites or students were served under this contract in FY 24?

Answer: The number of school sites and students to be served through this contract will depend on the interest forms received from LEAs. The goal of this program is to maximize the number of students served. Competitive per student pricing is a part of the scoring rubric for this Bid.

28. The application references 4th and 8th graders in some sections, but also references “providing supplemental math-focused services to children in grades 4 and/or 8. Can respondents/vendors choose to serve one grade or the other or must they serve both?

Answer: Yes, vendors may choose to serve only one grade level although both are preferred.

29. Will LEAs & vendors pairing happen over the summer to plan for the beginning of school year launch?

Answer: Yes, the pairing process between Schools and vendors for the math tutoring program is expected to occur before the end of the school year 23-24. This timeline allows sufficient time for planning and coordination between schools and vendors to prepare for the launch of the program at the beginning of the school year 24-25

30. Will invoicing be required? If so, how many hours of tutoring are you looking for?

Answer: Yes, invoicing will be required per instructions once program commences. Tutoring hours vary between districts and vendors.

31. Are tutors required to be Mass 4-8 Math certified?

Answer: Tutors must be certified by the Vendor to ensure all qualifications are met to deliver Massachusetts math standards effectively.

32. Will the state consider purchasing on a per-school basis versus a per-student basis?

Answer: DESE will not consider purchasing on a per-school basis. The funding will cover per-student costs only.

33. When the vendor hires and trains the tutors, will there be a school-based staff to manage the classroom and support students working with the virtual tutors?

Answer: Yes, the level of school-based staff support can depend on the specific structure and resources of the school. Typically, school-based staff will be available to manage the classroom environment, assist with technical issues, and support students as they work with virtual tutors. Additionally, the vendor may provide their own support system, including technical support and oversight of tutoring sessions. The collaboration between school-based staff and the vendor's support team ensures that students receive comprehensive assistance and guidance during their tutoring sessions, optimizing the overall effectiveness of the program.

34. Is a group size of 1:3 acceptable?

Answer: DESE specifies 1:4 as the acceptable group size for tutoring sessions under the program guidelines.

35. Student groupings need to be “precisely” 4 students. What if a school/district has a number of students requiring math tutoring that is not divisible by 4? What flexibility lies in that grouping requirement?

Answer: Every effort possible must be made to meet the 4 student per group requirement. In the rare event this may not occur, it will be dealt with on an individual basis and DESE approval will be needed.

36. If a school scheduled tutoring every other day, some weeks there would be 3 sessions of 30 minutes each and on alternating weeks there would be 2 sessions of 45 minutes each, does this still fit within the parameters of the RFP or must tutoring take place 3 days per week for 30 minutes each session?

Answer: The decision to deliver tutoring either 2x45 or 3x30 would happen before the group commences. We do not allow for alternating session minutes within each selected group.

37. We understand that respondents are required to guarantee that every tutoring group is comprised of precisely four students, however, will there be different cohorts of students assigned to tutoring so that vendors are providing tutoring services 5 days per week?

Answer: Yes, it is possible that tutoring services could be provided five days a week, depending on the scheduling needs and availability of schools and districts for 4th and 8th graders. The organization of tutoring groups and session frequency will be determined to best meet the needs of students and align with school schedules.

38. What will Districts do on their end to ensure attendance?

Answer: Districts can identify and address barriers to attendance such as scheduling conflicts or school related events, to facilitate greater participation in tutoring programs.

39. What are the ‘school hours’ in which tutoring would take place? Does it include extended day or other academic enrichment / afterschool activities?

Answer: School hours are determined by the opening to closing bell of the school day. For FY25, before and after school programming is not permissible to this program.

40. How many cohorts per day do you expect an individual tutor may have?

Answer: This will depend upon the tutor’s availability and vendor capacity.

41. Is the STAR Math Assessment a DESE-approved assessment?

Answer: Vendor must share name of assessment with DESE and third-party evaluator. This assessment must be aligned with the Massachusetts State Standards.

42. Can the pre-tutoring and post-tutoring assessments listed on pg. 5 of attachment A, be paper assessments, or are they required to be digital?

Answer: DESE prefers that the pre-tutoring and post-tutoring assessments listed on page 5 of attachment A be conducted digitally. While paper assessments may be considered in certain circumstances, DESE encourages the use of digital assessments for efficiency, data collection, and integration with technology-driven tutoring platforms. Digital assessments can provide real-time insights, facilitate data analysis, and support ongoing monitoring of student progress, which aligns with DESE's objectives for effective tutoring programs.

43. Is the approved assessment already implemented by the LEA or is this an additional assessment provided by the state to be given during tutoring, or is this the assessment that the tutoring vendor gets approved to administer? What is required for student performance tracking?

Answer: The tutoring vendor must have their own approved assessment that is used to evaluate student performance and progress within the tutoring program. This assessment must be aligned with program goals and objectives.

44. We use our own assessments; is that acceptable?

Answer: Yes, vendor must share name of assessment with DESE and third-party evaluator and must be aligned with the Massachusetts State Standards.

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