25QE025_PWS_DRAFT_031025.pdf

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Department of Defense Education Activity

4800 Mark Center Drive

Alexandria, VA 22350

DRAFT

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Grades 6-8 English Language Arts

(ELA) Instructional Resources

1. General Information and Scope of Work

1.1 Agency

1.1.1 For school year (SY) 2024-25, the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) will provide

PK-12 instruction in 161 schools to over 67,000 dependents of military and civilian employees. Student enrollment is based primarily on deployment of military troops worldwide. In the Americas, DoDEA operates 50 schools located in seven states, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. In Europe and the Middle East, DoDEA operates 64 schools located in Germany, England, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Turkey, Bahrain, and Italy. In the Pacific, DoDEA operates 46 schools located in Korea, Japan (mainland and

Okinawa), and Guam. DoDEA also operates a fully accredited virtual high school with teaching hubs in the Americas, Europe, and Pacific. DoDEA's curriculum, resources and student achievement scores on standardized assessments compare favorably to those of high-performing US public school systems.

1.1.2 DoDEA schools have many grade configurations. Forty of our 160 brick-and-mortar schools have grades 9-12; 58 of our brick-and-mortar schools have at least one of the grades 6-8; and 100 of our brick-and-mortar schools have at least three of grades PK-5.

1.1.3 Military-connected students experience high mobility rates across the nation and throughout the world. Consequently, DoDEA makes a concerted effort to establish a worldwide systemic education network, mitigating the transitional barriers to military-connected students’ success.

1.1.4 DoDEA has adopted College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) in mathematics, literacy, the arts, social studies, and science, which are rigorous, research-based, and reflect the knowledge, skills and dispositions students need for success in college and/or careers and are aligned with the Common

Core State Standards (CCSS), National Core Art Standards (NCAS), Next Generation Science

Standards (NGSS), College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards, and Society for Health and Physical Education Standards (SHAPE AMERICA). DoDEA has also adopted both the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Students, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) framework, and for preschool the GOLD(R) Objectives for Development and Learning, Birth through Third Grade.

1.2 Background

DoDEA’s current English language arts (ELA) program for grades 6-8 consists of print and digital resources that are aligned to our College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS), which are identical to the Common

Core State Standards for ELA/Literacy (CCSS/ELA). Per Federal regulations, the expiring contracts for these resources must be recompeted.

1.3 Scope of Work

DoDEA requires digital instructional resources for grades 6-8 students, teachers, and subject matter experts

(SMEs, above-school-level specialists) aligned to the DoDEA CCRS, which may be found at the following

URL: https://www.dodea.edu/curriculum/english-language-arts-ela/standards. The number of students, teachers, and SMEs are shown on the middle school tables below:

Projected Middle School Enrollment and ELA

Teachers for SY24-25 (rounded)

Grades 6 7 8 Total

Students 5,500 5,000 4,500 15,000

Teachers 95 80 75 250

SMEs and School-based Support Teachers 225

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2 Requirements

Grades 6-8 ELA Program: The Contractor shall provide digital textbooks and related digital instructional resources, and an assessment suite as well as product training, professional learning, correlations to standards, and technical support for the life of the contract.

Supporting Tasks: The tasks below are to help the Contractor gain a better understanding of the requirements to successfully meet the objective. They are not all inclusive, so the Contractor is expected to develop the total solution to meet all the requirements in accordance with a performance-based approach.

2.1 Task 1, Student Bundles—The Contractor shall provide digital textbooks, teacher editions, and related digital resources except for either a small number of print (hardcover) textbooks or the right for DoDEA to use a

PDF version of the textbook to print a small number of them. DoDEA requires a 5-year license but prefers a 6-year license for the digital resources. Note: The print versions of the textbook may be required for a small percentage of students—likely less than one percent of the estimated number of students listed in the table above—who have an individual education program (IEP)-mandated requirement to have that accommodation:

2.1.1 Reading: Provide instructional resources for grades 6-8 that possess the following features:

1) Aligned to the College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) for English Language Arts (ELA), which may be found at https://www.dodea.edu/curriculum/english-language-arts-ela.

2) Sequence or collection of texts that builds knowledge systematically through reading, writing, listening, and speaking about topics under study.

3) Selection of specific anchor texts of grade-level complexity (keystone texts) within a sequence or collection of texts.

4) One hundred percent of the texts accompanied by specific evidence that they have been analyzed with at least one research-based quantitative measure for (1) grade-band placement and (2) grade-level placement.

5) One hundred percent of the texts accompanied by specific evidence that they have been analyzed with at least one research-based qualitative measure for (1) grade-band placement and

(2) grade-level placement.

6) Non-fiction material reflected in at least 50 percent of the text selections.

7) Student supplementary materials, including but not necessarily limited to adaptive or interactive readers, readers handbook, audio/text.

8) Language support options for multi-language learners, i.e., translation app.

2.1.2 Grammar, Speaking, and Listening: Provide instructional resources on grammar, speaking, and listening for grades 6-8 that possess the following features:

1) Grammar and language conventions at each grade level as specified by the CCRS.

2) Student writing tasks that require students to present information clearly, analyze carefully, and make claims or conclusions that are well-defended.

3) Written and oral tasks at all grade levels that require text dependent responses drawing on textual evidence to support valid inferences.

4) Tasks that focus on argument, informative/explanatory, and narrative writing.

5) Multiple practice opportunities with short, focused research projects.

6) Pathways to engage students in a range of conversations, collaborations, and oral presentations.

7) Note: This requirement could be met through a digital resource only.

2.1.3 Writing: Provide instructional resources on writing such as practice writing prompts, tutorials, feedback for writing, using antiplagiarism software.

2.2 Task 2, Teacher Bundles—The Contractor shall provide digital textbooks, teacher editions, and related digital resources for grades 6-8 that correspond to the proposed student editions and supporting digital resources.

DoDEA requires a 5-year license but prefers a 6-year license for the digital resources.

2.2.1 Provide teacher resources with the following features:

1) Sequence or collection of texts that builds knowledge systematically through reading, writing, listening, and speaking about topics under study.

2) Selection of specific anchor texts of grade-level complexity (keystone texts) within a sequence or collection of texts.

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3) Materials that provide teachers opportunities for differentiated instruction to meet the instructional needs of all students.

4) Standards alignment correlation documentation of the Contractor’s materials to the CCSS for

ELA/Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science and Technical Subjects, which may be found at https://www.thecorestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/.

5) Scope and sequence/pacing document that includes opportunities for incorporation of novel study/anchor texts.

2.2.2 Provide best practice strategies for teaching reading, writing, grammar, and speech.

2.2.3 Provide annually an updated PDF version of all text materials to be utilized in lieu of digital access if and only if a DoDEA institution suffers from infrastructure failure and digital access is no longer an option for students at that location for a period of time.

2.3 Task 3, Digital Assessment Suite—The Contractor shall:

2.3.1 Reading Proficiency Screener/Diagnostic Tool: Provide a research-based reading proficiency screener and/or diagnostic assessment tool to help identify student strengths and weaknesses in reading.

2.3.2 Bank of Formative Assessments: Provide a bank of formative assessments or reading comprehension and text-based writing (long and short response) by standard and text complexity that are machine and teacher scorable. The suite shall allow teachers to customize the assessments and create their own.

2.3.3 Selection and End-of-Unit Tests: Provide a selection quizzes and end-of-unit assessments that can be taken digitally or that teachers can print out.

2.4 Task 4, Product Training and Professional Learning: The Contractor shall provide one set of product training and professional learning below for the grade 6-8 educators. See the table in PWS 2.4.6.3.

2.4.1 Product Training: Provide an overview of website navigation, overview of the resources, overview of the assessment suite, and related general information.

2.4.2 School Administrator Overview: Provide a 50-60 minute asynchronous webinar with the goal of enabling school administrators to perform informed classroom observations and walkthroughs.

2.4.3 Back-to-School Webinars: Present a more in-depth training on the instructional resources to DoDEA classroom teachers via a 2-hour synchronous webinar that shall be presented during the normal school hours for each region and time zone (Americas, Europe, and Pacific)—a total of six hours.

2.4.4 College and Career Ready (CCR) Webinars: Provide four 50-60 minute-long asynchronous webinars on topics that will help teachers deliver instruction and improve student learning and achievement.

Note: The Government in consultation with the Contractor shall determine the exact topics post-award. on topics to help teachers deliver instruction and improve student learning and achievement.

2.4.5 Choice Webinars: Provide a total of four hours of asynchronous webinars on topics that will help teachers deliver instruction and improve student learning and achievement. Note: The Government in consultation with the Contractor shall determine the exact topics post-award. The asynchronous webinars may vary from 30-90 minutes in length.

2.4.6 General Professional Learning Requirements:

2.4.6.1 Process: Provide a dry run of each professional learning for the DoDEA staff at least 30 business days prior to the first presentation. Finalize the webinar five business days after receipt of written feedback from DoDEA.

2.4.6.2 Digital Modules (if required): Ensure that any digital modules are SCORM®-compliant.

For additional information. See PWS 3.10 for additional information.

2.4.6.3 Recording and Archiving: Record all professional learning and archive them on DoDEA’s learning management system (LMS, Schoology).

Grade 6-8 Professional

Learning

Year 1 Year 2

Hours Hours

School Administrator Overview 1 0

Back-to-School Webinar 6 6

CCR Webinars 4 4

Choice Webinars 8 4

Total 17 14

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2.5 General Requirements—The Contractor shall:

2.5.1 Technical Support: Provide industry-standard technical support for its digital resources for the life of the contract via telephone or email within one business day from the initial contact to include but not limited to assisting with service problems, product setup, upgrades, and troubleshooting.

2.5.2 Technical Requirements for Digital Resources—The Contractor shall:

2.5.2.1 Provide digital resources designed to run in DoDEA’s learning management system (LMS, Schoology), which operates within our virtual learning environment (VLE).

2.5.2.2 Deliver digital instructional resources in one of the following formats:

1) Integrated via DoDEA’s LMS to the digital resources hosted by the Contractor.

2) Hosted externally by the Contractor but accessible via DoDEA’s LMS to the digital assignments and assessments imported, hosted, and maintained in the LMS.

2.5.2.3 Ensure the course content meets the following specifications:

1) Conforms to IMS Learning Global Consortium (IMS) content packaging specifications.

2) Uses imported content, if required, conforming to IMS content packaging specifications.

3) Uses code that does not disable LMS features when digital resources are accessed.

4) Requires single—not multiple—authentications to access content via DoDEA’s LMS.

5) Incorporates, where applicable, assessments that are IMS Test and Question Interoperability

(QTI)-conformant.

6) Uses content-hosted externally that conforms to any of the existing versions of IMS

Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI), per www.imsglobal.org.

2.5.2.4 Provide teacher and student access to the Contractor’s digital resources through a single sign-on platform that uses one username and password to access what is needed, specifically, via DoDEA’s identity, rostering, and management platform (currently, ClassLink).

2.5.3 Third-Party Programs, Software, and Applications: Ensure its own and its subcontractors’ (third-party) programs, software, and applications meet—at a minimum—the same technical requirements as the

Contractor must meet, such as single sign on (SSO) and Federal Risk and Authorization Management

Program (FedRAMP) Level 2, etc. On a case-by-case basis, DoDEA may honor requests to waive the

FedRAMP Level 2 requirement. For more information, see Technical Exhibit #1, 1.1.7.

2.5.4 Delivery of Print and Digital Resources—The Contractor shall:

2.5.4.1 Deliver digital materials with instructions detailing how the resources can be accessed by teachers, students, and above-school-level educators.

2.5.4.2 Ship all print/physical materials to the Americas by commercial carrier or USPS and to

Europe and the Pacific only by commercial carrier. Delivery orders use door-to-door addresses.

Provide, upon shipment of materials, a digital shipment notification that includes the following:

▪ Contract number and delivery order number

▪ Contract line item number (CLIN) indicating materials and quantities being shipped

▪ Destination and date of shipment

▪ Shipping carrier name and the tracking number of each shipment

▪ Estimated date of arrival of shipment and, if applicable, shipping slip

2.5.5 Meetings: Attend virtual meetings at no additional cost to the Government and provide the medium through which each meeting occurs, record each meeting’s minutes. Submit the draft minutes to the

COR within two business days of the event and finalize the minutes two business days after receipt of written feedback from the COR. Note: Costs associated with attending any face-to-face meetings shall be handled/paid for as stated in the contract.

2.5.5.1 Post-Award Conference: Participate in a video- or teleconference with the COR five business days after award IAW FAR Subpart 42.5.

2.5.5.2 IT Meeting: Convene a video- or teleconference with DoDEA Information Technology staff ten business days after award, per Technical Exhibit #1.

2.5.5.3 Other Post-Award Meetings: Meet with the Contracting Officer (KO), COR, and/or other

Agency personnel, as appropriate, to review Contractor performance, as required by DoDEA.

The KO may discuss the Agency’s view of Contractor performance, and the Contractor shall apprise the Agency of any problems being experienced. The Contractor shall take appropriate action to resolve any outstanding issues the Agency raises.

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2.6 Performance Standards and Acceptable Quality Levels

2.6.1 Performance Standard: Tasks shall be completed by the required completion date.

2.6.2 Acceptable Quality Level: See PWS 7, Performance Requirement Summary (PRS).

3 Constraints

3.1 Place of Performance: Work shall be performed at the Contractor’s facilities.

3.2 Privacy—The Contractor shall:

3.2.1 User Accounts: Require, wherever applicable, that individual accounts possess unique usernames and passwords that do not require personally identifiable information (PII) to access online content, i.e., first & last name and any other unique personal information.

3.2.2 Contractor Personnel:

▪ Ensure personnel assigned to this contract take proper precautions to protect information from disclosure. Collect and/or store all agency-owned or agency-controlled PII in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C, which may be found at the following URL:

http://www.archives.gov/about/laws/privacy-act-1974.html.

▪ All Contractor personnel that have access or may potentially have access to DoDEA data in any form shall be US citizens, including any third-party penetration (PEN)/security testers.

3.2.3 Privacy Training: Ensure Contractor staff who have access to DoDEA’s student, teacher and/or staff personally identifiable information successfully complete the DoD Privacy Act/Personally Identifiable

Information (PA/PII) training before gaining access to the data and yearly thereafter. Provide copies of the certificates of completion to the COR which can be audited at any time by the Chief Information

Security Officer (CISO) or his/her designee.

3.2.4 Privacy Verification: Provide the COR written verification of compliance to the Privacy requirements

(listed above) 120 calendar days prior to the expiration of each year’s contract option period or annually, as required. Note: After reviewing the Contractor’s verification, DoDEA reserves the right to ask for further verification data in order for DoDEA to comply with DoD’s evolving privacy mandates.

3.3 Liaison and Alternate Liaison—The Contractor shall:

3.3.1 Provide a liaison and alternate liaison to be responsible for the performance of work. Their names shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer. They shall have full authority to act for the

Contractor on all contract matters relating to the daily operation of this contract. Each shall have at least one year of experience working in a similar role.

3.3.2 Notify the COR in writing regarding any change in either the liaison’s role ten business days in advance of the change If the liaison or liaison alternate is changed post-award, the replacement shall meet or exceed the qualifications and experience of the person assigned upon contract award.

3.4 Holidays and Hours of Operation

3.4.1 The liaison or alternate liaison shall be available during the hours of 9AM to 3PM Eastern Standard

Time (EST), except for Federal holidays and Federal government closures/shutdowns. The following list shows recognized Federal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Presidents

Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus

Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

3.4.2 Although there are different time zones within Europe and the Pacific and different hours for specific schools throughout DoDEA, the normal business hours for the regions roughly correspond to the following: Americas, 0700-1500 EST; Europe, 1300-2100 EST; and Pacific, 2000-0400 EST. there are different time zones within Europe and the Pacific and different hours for specific schools throughout DoDEA, the normal business hours for the regions roughly correspond to the following:

Americas, 0700-1500 EST; Europe, 0200-1000 EST; and Pacific, 2000-0400 EST.

3.5 Availability: The Contractor shall make all resources available for the life of the contract.

3.6 Copyright Dates:

3.6.1 The Contractor shall provide the most recent copyright dated materials, but not earlier than 2022.

The copyright preference applies only to student and teacher materials (e.g., the student textbook, 19 Aug 24 6 teacher’s editions, etc.). The copyright preference does not apply to material included as part of the

Contractor’s collection (that is, articles, leveled readers, big books, assessments, pictures, problems included in a textbook or supplemental to the teacher or student text) but which was created by others prior to 2022.

3.6.2 The Contractor shall keep content/courseware current and updated regularly throughout the period of performance, as demonstrated by maintenance of an updated content copyright not to exceed one school year from its current date. For example, an eBook published in January 2023 would be acceptable for the 2022-23 school year and also the 2023-24 school year. It would not, however, be considered current for the 2024-25 school year.

3.7 Nondiscrimination: The Contractor shall provide resources free of bias regarding race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or disability.

3.8 Section 508 Compliance—The Contractor shall:

3.8.1 Background: Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, as amended by the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (P.L. 105-220) requires Federal agencies that develop, procure, maintain, or use information and communication technology (ICT) to endure they are accessible to people with disabilities.

Federal employees and members of the public who have disabilities must have access to and use of information/data that is comparable to people without disabilities.

3.8.2 Requirement: Ensure that products, platforms, and services delivered as part of this work statement that are ICT or contain ICT conform to the Revised 508 Standards, 36 C.F.R. § 1194.1 & Apps.

A, C & D which are located at the following URL: https://www.access-board.gov/guidelines-and-standards/communications-and-it/about-the-ict-refresh/final-rule/text-of-the-standards-and-guidelines.

3.8.3 ARS: See the attached ICT Accessibility Requirements Statement (ARS). All functional performance criteria apply when using an alternative design or technology that achieves substantially equivalent or greater accessibility and usability by individuals with disabilities, than would be provided by conformance to one or more of the requirements in Chapters 4-6 of the Revised 508 Standards or when Chapters

4-6 do not address one or more functions of ICT. Note the guidance in the table below:

Applicable

Requirements Directions

Software Features and Components

Applies to all WCAG Level AA Success Criteria, 502 Interoperability with

Assistive Technology, and 503 Applications.

Hardware Features and Components All requirements apply.

Support Services and

Documentation All requirements apply.

Outputs/Deliverables Ensures that outputs/deliverables do not adversely affect accessibility features of the existing EIT technologies.

3.9 Optical Character Resolution (OCR): The Contractor shall provide, upon request, two digital OCR copies of print materials in one or more of the following five formats: Digital Accessible Information System/National

Instructional Materials; Accessibility Standard (NIMAS) with cascading style sheet; HyperText Markup

Language (HTML); Portable Document Format (PDF, unlocked, embedded fonts, single page); and Rich Text

Format (RTF)/Word document.

3.10 Sharable Content Object Reference Model® (SCORM®) Compliance: Provide digital modules, if included among the proposed/required resources, that are SCORM®-compliant. Note: The Department of Defense

Instruction (DoDI) 1322.26 mandates that modules comply with the latest possible version of SCORM®, per https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/132226_dodi_2017.pdf?ver=2017-

10-05-073235-400.

3.11 Data & Data Rights: All data developed from any work awarded under this contract is and shall remain the property of the Government. The Contractor shall ensure that digital rights to all visual materials embedded in the resources will be given so that DoDEA for DoDEA’s internal use only may use resources without

19 Aug 24 7 incurring copyright costs or infringing on copyright laws. All data developed from any work awarded under this contract is and shall remain the property of the Government.

3.12 Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI): The Contractor (including any subcontractor) personnel performing work under this contract may receive, have access to, or participate in the development of, proprietary or

Privacy Act information (e.g., personal information, education, etc.) may create a current or subsequent OCI as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5. Whenever the Contractor becomes aware that such access or participation may result in actual or potential OCI, the Contractor shall (1) immediately notify the Contracting Officer

(KO) in writing and (2) promptly submit a plan to the KO to avoid or mitigate any such OCI. Note: The KO will unilaterally determine if the Contractor’s plan is acceptable. If the KO determines the plan cannot satisfactorily avoid or mitigate an OCI, s/he may implement other remedies to include prohibiting the

Contractor’s further participation in contracted requirements.

4 Government-Furnished Information / Resources

None

5 Contract Deliverables

Milestone/Deliverable Word

/ Excel

Digital

Copies

PWS

Planned

Frequency

Student Bundles Yes Yes 2.1 After receipt of initial delivery order:

Digital Access: Ongoing after three business days

Print: Delivered to US sites in 30 business days and delivered to overseas sites in 45 business days.

Teacher Bundles Yes Yes 2.2

Assessment Suite Yes Yes 2.3 Ongoing, three business days after receipt of initial delivery order

Product Training and

Professional Learning Yes Yes 2.4

Product Training: Ongoing, three business days after receipt of initial delivery order

Professional Learning: Scheduled post-award

Technical Support Yes Yes 2.5.1 Ongoing after receipt of initial delivery order

Privacy Training Yes Yes 3.2.3 Three days after receipt of a written request

Privacy Verification Yes Yes 3.2.4 120 calendar days prior to end of each contract year

6 Acronyms and Definitions

CCRS College and Career Ready Standards

PA/PII Privacy Act/Personally Identifiable Information

SCORM® Shareable Content Object Reference Model®

Contract Line-Item Number (CLIN): Basic structural element in a procurement instrument describing and organizing the required product or service for pricing, delivery, inspection, acceptance, invoicing, and payment.

The use of the term “line item” includes “subcontract line number”, (SLIN), as applicable.

Contracting Officer (KO): Only individual with expressed authority to obligate (bind) the Government by means of entering, administering, and terminating contracts within the limits of the authority delegated via a KO’s warrant.

Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR): Qualified and trained Government employee, nominated by the requiring activity (RA) and appointed in writing by a KO primarily to perform specific technical or administrative functions on a specific contract(s); serves as the ‘eyes and ears’ of a KO to assure the Government’s best interests are protected via the terms and conditions of the contract(s) appointed. COR’s do not have authority to obligate

(i.e., bind) the Government.

Contractor: Supplier or vendor contracted to provide specific supplies or services to the Government. The term herein refers to the prime.

Deliverable: Usually physically delivered items but may include such items as digital documents/reports.

Performance Requirements Summary (PRS): Tabular listing of performance objectives and standards that provides the basis for a meaningful QASP.

Performance Work Statement (PWS): Statement of work for performance-based acquisitions describing the required results in clear, specific, and objective terms with measurable outcomes.

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7 Performance Requirement Summary

Performance

Objective

Performance

Standard Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) Inspection Method

Task 1, Student

Bundles, PWS 2.1

PWS-

compliant

Digital Access: Available 24/7/365 except for scheduled downtimes and no more than one unscheduled downtime per semester.

Print: At least 95% of materials arrive within the 30 and 45 business days at US and overseas sites. At least 95% of materials arrive undamaged.

COR inspection and stakeholder feedback

Teacher Bundles, PWS 2.2

PWS-

compliant

COR inspection and stakeholder feedback

Task 3, Assessment

Suite, PWS 2.3

PWS-

compliant

COR inspection and stakeholder feedback

Task 4, Product

Training and

Professional Learning, PWS 2.4

PWS-

compliant

Product Training: Digital access is the same as shown above.

Professional Learning: Not more than one will need to be scheduled each semester in

Years 1 and 2.

COR inspection and stakeholder feedback

Technical Support

PWS 2.5.1

PWS-

compliant

Acknowledge receipt of request within two hours. Resolve 90% of requests in one business day. Resolve remaining 10% in five business days.

COR inspection and stakeholder feedback

Privacy Training

PWS 3.2.3

PWS-

compliant

No more than one certificate per year sent to the COR more than three business days from the date of the COR’s request for it.

COR inspection

Privacy Verification

PWS 3.2.4

PWS-

compliant

Submitted 120 calendar days prior to the end of each contract year.

COR inspection

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Technical Exhibit #1 - TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The Contractor shall comply with the applicable technical requirements detailed below.

1.1 Software and Cloud Security Requirements—The Contractor shall:

1.1.1 Ensure all online resources, cloud-based services and instructional software meet Department of Defense

(DoD) and DoDEA cybersecurity requirements as defined below. Note: Software, cloud services and associated websites are rigorously tested to ensure no security risks are posed to DoDEA infrastructure and its users.

1.1.2 Complete the Cloud Services questionnaire that was submitted as part of the proposal submission and provide copies of and/or access to any software listed in the proposed solution.

1.1.3 Ensure on-premises software support post-installation integration of the necessary Security Technical

Implementation Guides (STIG) for applicable systems and applications, including Microsoft Windows

10, Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Windows Server 2019, Microsoft Windows IIS, Apache, Oracle databases, and Microsoft SQL Server databases. Note: The application to obtain the STIG Viewer is found at https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/srg-stig-tools/, and the STIGs themselves may be downloaded from https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/downloads/.

1.1.4 Ensure its content accessible from the web is compatible with the following browser platforms: Google

Chrome, and Edge. Ensure that any applicable STIGs are implemented.

1.1.5 Ensure on-premises software, which is subject to static and dynamic analysis testing, imposes no risk to

DoDEA systems, users and/or data. Note: DoDEA assesses software products to ensure compatibility with existing system configurations and software, testing may also include reverse engineering analysis.

1.1.6 Provide a plan of actions and milestones (POA&M) to mitigate any cybersecurity findings resulting from non-compliant and/or vulnerable components in 30 calendar days of written notification from DoDEA.

1.1.7 Be able to meet Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) Level 2 standards for all proposed software/digital resources and ensure that any third-party resources that are part of its proposed solution also meet the FedRAMP Level 2 standard. For more information on FedRAMP, see the following URL: www.fedramp.gov. Participate, if required, in interviews and deep system architecture inspections.

▪ Per DoD policy for cloud-based services, DoDEA conducts a supplemental series of validations, which closely mirror the FedRAMP Internet Cloud vetting processes. Contractor participation/ cooperation is normally required to complete this process.

▪ On a case-by-case basis, DoDEA may honor requests to waive the FedRAMP Level 2 requirement.

1.2 System Requirements—The Contractor shall:

1.2.1 Provide, per Section 1.1 (above), any software installed and/or accessed in or by a DoDEA system, network whether stand-alone or web-based, is compatible with the standards cited herein.

1.2.2 Provide minimum desktop/server system technical specifications, reference architectures, networking specifications and diagrams, and applicable systems configuration documentation for the proposed solution.

1.2.3 Provide software that is compatible with the following minimum baseline:

Specifications Minimum

Memory 4 GB

Hard Drive 100 GB

Processor Intel® Core™ i5-8365U Processor 8th Generation (up to 4.1GHz, 6MB cache) equivalent or better (Must show benchmark/passmark scores)

Video Graphics Integrated Intel HD Graphics 620 (1920x1080) equivalent or better

Operating System Windows 11

Browser Environment Chrome, Edge, Edge Chromium

1.2.4 Provide software that is completely functional on a standard DoDEA desktop without the need or requirement for administrative-level user rights and/or permissions or the requirement to use or insert external media to execute the software.

1.2.5 Provide software that does not require modifications to folder permissions while executing.

1.2.6 Provide, if applicable, software packages that support unattended installation methods used by enterprise software packaging and deployment systems. Note: DoDEA currently distributes software packages via

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Microsoft’s System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM) and Microsoft Intune. Note: All older 16-bit software are automatically denied.

1.3 Data Management Requirements—The Contractor shall:

1.3.1 Provide a mechanism for batch administration and automation of routine data management tasks via flat file import, or representational state transfer (REST) based web service application programming interfaces

(APIs). The mechanism shall provision and manage data objects within the Contractor’s system, including but not limited to organizational structures, student accounts, staff accounts, courses, and class rosters.

1.3.2 Provide all necessary documentation and assets to facilitate batch administration and automation of routine data management tasks, including but not limited to roster template files (i.e., comma separated value templates); data element/field definitions documentation; data interchange formats and schemas (XML/

JSON); and/or data dictionaries for the purpose of mapping organizational student information system

(SIS) data to the Contractor’s required input formats.

1.3.3 Provide a single point of contact to support DoDEA in performing the required data integration activities within the Contractor’s system.

1.3.4 Configure DoDEA enterprise within its system and/or databases as the appropriate organizational entity

(i.e., region, district, school) upon a request in writing from the contracting officer’s representative (COR).

Note: DoDEA’s organization hierarchy consists of the following: one system, three regions, nine districts, 62 communities, and 161 schools, including the K-12 virtual school programs.

1.3.5 Participate in a technical meeting with DoDEA within ten business days after award for the purposes of preparing for onboarding of new services and initial configuration of administrator-level accounts.

1.3.6 Ensure the transfer of any Sensitive, Confidential data including but not limited to PII data be transferred in a secure means meeting any requirements set by DoDEA’s Chief Information Security Officer (CISO).

1.4 DoDEA Software License Keys: The Contractor shall provide (1) license keys and electronic downloads for software required under this Contract to the COR and (2) software directly to DoDEA schools, districts, or regions only if explicitly required to do so in the contract or in writing by the COR.

1.5 Cybersecurity Supporting Elements/Requirements and Scalability—The Contractor shall:

1.5.1 Comply with the same Federal law and DoD policies and guidance to which DoDEA is subject that include but are not limited to the cybersecurity requirements defined in the following documents:

▪ DoD Directive (DoDD) 8500.01E, Information Assurance, be found at the following URL:

https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/850001_2014.pdf.

▪ DoD Security Technical Implementation Guidance (STIG), which may be found at the following

URL: https://public.cyber.mil/stigs/downloads/.

▪ DoD Risk Management Framework (DODRMF) per DoD Instruction 8510.01, which may be found at https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/851001p.pdf?ver=2019-02-

26-101520-3004.5.2.

1.5.2 Provide security patches/upgrades to include third-party applications in response to public-released security vulnerabilities associated with its software solution. Provide a POA&M for any security vulnerabilities within five business days of discovery. Software upgrades/patches shall be included in the licensing cost and be performed at the least disruptive times as determined by DoDEA in writing. Note: Any exception to this requirement must be approved in advance and in writing by DoDEA’s Chief Information Officer

(CIO) or designated official.

1.5.3 Protect DoDEA data against all cyberattacks, notifying DoDEA within 72 hours of an identified and confirmed breach/intrusion.

1.5.4 Perform security incident investigations upon identification of an event or at the request of DoDEA.

1.5.5 Address all information assurance vulnerability messages (IAVM) in the defined timelines to include IA vulnerability alerts (IAVA), IA vulnerability bulletins (IAVB), and technical advisories (TA).

1.5.6 User passwords must not be readable by anyone having access to the system.

1.5.7 Ensure any portion of its solution that involves Internet access by DoDEA students complies with the relevant requirements of the Children's Internet Protection Act, Public Law 106-554, § 1(a)(4) [Div. B, Title XVII, § 1701], Dec. 21, 2000, 114 Stat. 2763, 2763A-335. All Contractor personnel that have access or may potentially have access to DoDEA data in any form shall be US citizens. Note: If its solution does not involve Internet access by DoDEA students, please ensure the following are included:

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1) Maintaining system security IAW the latest versions of the (1) DoD Cloud Computing Security

Requirements Guide, (2) Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), and (3) Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA).

2) Providing a solution robust enough to serve the needs of a large community of learners dispersed across the world using a variety of bandwidths and scalable to meet future growth, both in terms of instruction and the number of users.

3) Ensuring Contractor staff who have access to DoDEA’s student, teacher and/or staff personally identifiable information take the DoD Privacy Act/Personally Identifiable Information (PA and PPI/PII) training before gaining access to the data and yearly thereafter. Provide copies of the certificates to the COR which can be audited at any time by the CISO or his/her designee.

1.6 Program and System Integration—The Contractor’s solution shall:

1.6.1 Provide Single Sign-On (SSO) Capabilities / Platform which (1) integrates with an Industry Standard

SSO login solution. (ClassLink, Google, Azure, etc.); (2) supports Oauth 2.0, Security Assertions Markup

Language (SAML) for integration with Azure, or Google; and (3) authenticates using Azure Active Directory

(AD) or Google AD. Authenticates using Azure Active Directory (AD) or Google AD.

1.6.2. Support industry-standard data rostering standards via ClassLink and standard data formats such as

OneRoster.

1.6.3. Ensure that data storage, handling, and security meet the following minimum standards:

1) DoDEA’s information and data shall be secured in data center located in the United States.

2) The system, including its server(s) and network devices, shall be in an environmentally controlled and secure facility under controlled circumstances (e.g., using authorized personnel access lists, ID cards, entry logs, etc.).

3) All Contractor personnel that have access or may potentially have access to DoDEA data in any form shall be US citizens, including any third-party penetration (PEN)/security testers.

4) All data transit shall be secured with Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption.

5) All data at rest shall be secured with Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)-256 encryption.

1.6.4 Ensure that data integration includes the following:

1) Automated industry standard form of data integration using Representational State Transfer Application

Program Interface (RESTful API), Learning Tools Interoperability (LTI), or Secure File Transfer

Protocol (SFTP) data sets (ClassLink, OneRoster, etc.).

2) Encryption of DoDEA’s data at rest to include unique encryption keys for each customer on systems hosting multiple customers.

3) Notification of DoDEA in writing within 72 hours of any changes made to corporate policies for data protection.

4) Use of only masked student data in a non-production environment.

5) Integration scheduling that meets DoDEA’s required timeframes.

6) Provision of fully automated data uploads per Agency schedule(s) and Agency requirements.

7) Support of SFTP capabilities using a single set of login credentials.

8) Provision of a single data set of DoDEA information. Note: The Contractor’s solution shall support

DoDEA at all levels: school, community, district, region, and HQ.

9) Maintenance of a backup and restore plan for DoDEA data in the event of a disaster.

10) Provision of detailed feedback of what caused errors if an integration transmission results in errors.

1.6.5 System Features—The system shall:

1) Allow user accounts to be created automatically based on a file provided by DoDEA either nightly or on another pre-determined scheduled feed.

2) Allow DoDEA to be able to choose the format of user login identification, e.g., an email address, and be able to create manual accounts, if needed.

3) Require the user—for manually created accounts—to reset the password on the user’s initial login or, upon request, a password reset.