26MAOSTBH1 - Attachment A - Final.docx

135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149 | 781.338.3000 | TTY: N.E.T. Relay (800).439.2370

Attachment A

Alternate ID #: 26MAOSTBH1 COMMBUYS Bid #:BD-26-1026-DOE02-DOE01-123386

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE or Department), under this Departmental Master Agreement, will identify providers to deliver American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreter in Education training to certified ASL interpreters. Individuals, institutions of higher education, education collaboratives, school districts, translation and interpretation service providers, and non-profit community organizations may respond to this Master Agreement.

Background:

There is a robust system for training interpreters between English and American Sign Language, including ASL interpreters for deaf or hard of hearing children. There is, however, a gap in a training course specifically to support deaf or hard of hearing families with children in schools. ASL interpreters that serve the deaf and hard of hearing community at large may not have knowledge and signs related to specific educational terminology, particularly in legally required meetings. This training course is meant to provide an additional training opportunity for ASL interpreters to learn content and terminology relevant to the K-12 education setting for encounters between families and school-based staff.

The Department has developed a comprehensive course, including recorded videos, multimedia presentations, class activities, and other assignments to train ASL interpreters to support families in the education setting.

Through this BID, the Department seeks vendors to deliver the ASL Interpreter in Education Setting course. Vendors must ensure that all participants registering for coursework have demonstrated proficiency in American Sign Language. Requirements for demonstrated proficiency are noted in the Scope of Work section of this BID.

Deliver DESE-Developed Coursework

Approved vendors may attend an Instructor Training course to prepare them to deliver these materials and attest that the materials will be delivered with fidelity.

A summary of the course modules are as follows:

1. Introduction to Educational Interpretation and Language Access

2. English Language Learners and Relay Interpretation

3. Student Support Teams (SST)

4. Multi-Tiered Student Support (MTSS)

5. IDEA & Eligibility

6. Individualized Education Plan (IEP)

7. Categories of Disabilities

8. Legal Meetings & Remote Interpretation

The course consists of eight modules as well as 2-3 hours of recorded videos and other assignments. The course may be delivered in a manner prescribed by the vendor (i.e., weekly or weekend intensive).

Approved vendors (for example, district, agency, individual, or interpreter service) may deliver these courses in a blended learning format with live, in-person sessions and on-line discussion/activities or as an online-only format. Vendors may deliver these courses at a cost to participants. Vendors may provide Professional Development Points (PDPs) or National RID Continuing Educational Credits (CEUs) through an approved National RID Certification Maintenance Program Coordinator, for successful completion of the courses; vendors are not required to provide PDPs or CEUs.

The Department is committed to maintaining fidelity of implementation and will, therefore, hold vendors responsible for training that is high quality, taught by approved and qualified instructors, and employ the Department-approved curriculum and materials. The Department will assess quality and will delineate the conditions under which vendors can deliver these courses.

Scope of Service:

Approved vendors will be required to:

· The course may have two instructors who share responsibilities, at least one must be a native speaker.

· Require that all participants in coursework demonstrate proficiency in ASL. Proficiency must be demonstrated through one of the following:

· National RID certification

· EIPA exam

· Mass State Screening

· BEI certification

· Completion of ASL Interpreter Training Program (ITP)

· MCDHH K-12 Educational Interpreters Registry

· Evidence of completion of NCDHH requirements for alternative pathway

· Maintain electronic records of the course description, attendance, assessments, participant evaluations, and certificates of completion for a period of five years.

· Facilitate and support the Department’s evaluation of the implementation of the course and quality of instruction (by allowing an evaluator to watch a live session, for example).

· Ensure that every course participant completes an end-of-course evaluation. The content of the evaluation will be provided by the Department, but vendors will be responsible for delivering it and sharing results with DESE, as requested.

· Submit all required data including course schedules, registrations, successful completers, and participant evaluations to the Department on a timely basis.

· Provide a certification as a trained ASL Interpreter in Education

· Ensure that all instructors are familiar with the course content, through personal study or meeting with a program manager at DESE.

· Submit all course schedules as indicated in the Procedures for Approved Providers manual that will be provided during an orientation meeting with DESE.

· Hold course participants to the Department’s participant requirements and expectations, which will be stipulated in the contract and the participant manual.

· Utilize their own platform for course registration and delivery of the courses. Digital copies of all course materials will be shared with vendors.

· Use a proprietary learning management system (LMS) or utilize a combination of systems that satisfy the Department’s course delivery requirements:

· Provide online discussion forums

· The course includes weekly interactions with other students and discussion boards that require the class members to log in to participate in discussions

· Allow for synchronous online class sessions (if providing an online course)

· House readings and other materials

· Allow instructors to assign work and participants to submit assignments

· There will be required submissions for graded assignments

· Allow instructors to grade assignments using approved course rubrics

· Assignments are regular, posted, and graded by the instructor as indicated on the course syllabus

· Allow providers to create/maintain course schedules

· Allow instructors to track attendance and participation

For a Blended Learning Format, make quality classroom space available in which to deliver courses.

· Vendors must identify the location of the space. Vendors will be permitted to conduct training anywhere in the state.

· The space must be large enough to train the class size maximum (recommended 20 person maximum)

· The space must be wheelchair accessible

· Furniture must allow for flexible grouping, with a table or desk for each participant where they can rest a notebook or laptop

· The vendor must include in its publicity/marketing and in its agreements/contracts for payment a list of amenities that will or will not be provided (e.g., free parking, air-conditioned classrooms, etc.)

For online format with synchronous web meetings replacing the in-person class sessions:

· The course will be offered as a synchronous course; the vendor will not offer it as a self-paced course

· The online format requires regular synchronous interaction with the instructor and other course participants

· Bidders must demonstrate that they have access to Zoom, GoToMeeting, or similar technology sufficient to facilitate synchronous sessions

· Vendors must make clear in the registration process that participants must have access to the necessary technology to participate in the synchronous sessions

Budget:

Approved vendors will receive a contract through June 30, 2031 to provide Interpreter in the Education Setting- ASL courses.

Vendors applying for a course delivery contract must indicate the per-participant fee, if any, they will charge for the course (this may be provided as a range). The Department has an interest in keeping the cost of these trainings affordable for individuals and districts, and vendors’ proposed cost structure will be an important criterion in the Departments’ provider selection process. Vendor compensation may come through fees charged to participants. Cities/towns and school districts will enter into their own contracts with vendors for services requested. The Department is not liable for any costs incurred by vendors or their enrolled course participants.

Vendors may not run sections with more than 25 participants, but lower course size limits are at their discretion. Please detail the minimum and maximum class size the provider will permit for courses. On this basis and if charging participants, outline the cost per individual that the provider will charge for each version of the course, and any discounted rate(s) that the provider would charge to districts for sending multiple participants or booking entire course sections.

If the provider is selected by the Department, costs proposed, if any, in this fiscal year or as updated in future contract renewals approved by the Department must remain in effect throughout the school year.

Requirements:

Individuals, institutions of higher education, education collaboratives, school districts, translation and interpretation service providers and non-profit community organizations, state agencies, or similar organizations are invited to apply to serve as vendors of ASL Interpreters in the Education Setting courses must receive a yes on the Evaluation Criteria Scorecard in all four below:

· If necessary, capacity to serve as a fiscal agent, billing individuals and districts for course enrollment. Districts must be able to pay via their usual procedures.

· Control/access to a wheelchair accessible space which is large enough for vendor’s proposed maximum group size, with space and furniture that must be practicable for flexible instructional groupings, if applying to provide the Blended Learning format.

· Access to technology necessary to provide the online format (LMS system and platform for registration)

· Signed Vendor Assurance document Required Qualification:

Individuals, institutions of higher education, education collaboratives, school districts, translation and interpretation service providers, and non-profit community organizations, state agencies, or similar organizations are invited to apply to serve as vendors of ASL Interpreters in the Education Setting courses must meet the following qualification:

· Staff members with the requisite experience, expertise, and skills to deliver the services proposed, including an identified individual with demonstrated proficiency in English and ASL

Preferred Qualifications:

Individuals, institutions of higher education, education collaboratives, school districts, translation and interpretation service providers, and non-profit community organizations, state agencies, or similar organizations are invited to apply to serve as vendors of ASL Interpreters in the Education Setting courses will be awarded up to 5 points if they meet any or all of the following preferred qualifications:

· Established reputation as a provider of professional development to adults

· Quality of proposed course format, instructor experience, and knowledge of ASL of interpretation best practices and educational terminology/content

· Staff with experience interacting with public school districts and professional developers, capable of effectively working with instructors, districts, and the Department to deliver services

· Direct experience working with interpreters or families who require interpretation

· Demonstrates some evidence that they have examined and are working to improve their practices and supports (internal and/or external) from a racial equity lens.

Submission Requirements:

1. Attachment B – Contact information/Cover Page - Download, complete, and attach the cover page to their submission materials.

2. Narrative

· Please address the required and preferred qualifications outlined above for the course format you are applying to provide, as well as any additional qualifications and prior experience in providing services relevant to the purpose of this BID. Explain how that experience will best position the applicant to be successful in assisting ESE in this project.

· Please address how the applicant intends to meet the stated scope of service, including the proposed method of course registration and delivery in detail describing the systems and procedures that will be utilized to do so.

· Please submit resume/s of person/s that will be working on this project in the role of instructor. (This attachment will not count towards overall page limit.)

· Please submit resume/s of person/s that would be working on this project in roles other than instructors. (This attachment will not count towards overall page limit.)

3. Commitment to Equity

· One of DESE’s foremost goals is to dismantle the inequities that exist for many students in the Commonwealth. Describe your organization’s commitment to and actions taken to ensure equity for all students, with a specific focus on dismantling institutional racial inequities in schools, districts, and state agencies. This should include efforts within your own organization to support equity and efforts when providing services to clients. In addition, please share your organization’s current challenges with and ongoing efforts to ensure your organization is working towards building the mindsets, practices, and skills in order to support both adult practice and equity for all students.

4. Budget

· Please describe the proposed fee structure as described in the budget section of this BID for each fiscal year - a range is permissible.

Responses will be reviewed, and contracts awarded on an "as needed" basis by the Department.

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

To respond to this bid, please register on the COMMBUYS website. If you need assistance contact the OSD Help Desk at OSDHelpDesk@mass.gov or (8am - 5pm ET Monday – Friday) at 1-888-627-8283 or 617-720-3197.

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