26RFI0004_Company Name_Coaching Model_v2.docx

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - HE125426RFI0004

COACHING FOR INSTRUCTIONAL IMPROVEMENT

1.0 Description

1.1 The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) seeks information on how an interested contractor could provide a 3-year, role-specific coaching program with annual certification processes that recognize the successful completion of each phase of the program—Foundational, Intermediate, and Distinguished—for the six groups listed below:

· During the Base Year, professional learning will provide all participants with an understanding of the DoDEA Coaching Model and the use of a competency assessment of coaching capacity to support differentiated learning based on the varied needs of participants. The foundation level professional learning will be the primary focus.

· During Option Years 1, the intermediate level professional learning will be the primary focus. In addition, revisions/accommodations to the foundational level professional learning/facilitation will be implemented.

· In Option Year 2, the distinguished level professional learning will be the primary focus. In addition, revisions/accommodations to the intermediate level professional learning/facilitation will be implemented

· In all four years, but especially the last three years, of the contract, role-specific professional learning and job‑embedded support for DoDEA coaches will be conducted.

1.2 DoDEA expects to make one award for a base year and three option years. The solicitation is expected to be posted on SAM.gov in the Apr-Jun timeframe with the award being made in the Jun-Aug timeframe.

1.3 This request for information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning and does not constitute a request for quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future.

· The Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI; i.e., all costs associated with responding to this RFI are solely the responder’s responsibility.

· Not responding to the RFI does not preclude a contractor from responding to a future RFQ/RFP. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the SAM.gov website. Potential responders are responsible to monitor the relevant site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

2.0 Overview

2.1 Agency: For school year 2025-26, the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) provides PK-12 instruction in 161 schools to approximately 66,000 dependents of active-duty military and civilian employees. 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, Italy, Turkey, and Bahrain. 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 each DoDEA region. DoDEA's curriculum, resources and student achievement scores on standardized assessments compare favorably to those of high-performing US public school systems.

2.2 Standards: DoDEA has adopted the 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.

2.3 Background: In 2018 DoDEA in partnership with Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt University began developing an agency-wide coaching model. The goal was to establish foundational coaching skills for our regional Centers for Instructional Leadership (CIL). The DoDEA Coaching Model was adopted from the book, Blended Coaching: Skills and Strategies to Support Principal Development by Gary Bloom, Claire L. Castagna, Ellen R. Moir, and Betsy Warren. Over the past eight years, DoDEA has progressively reshaped multiple instructional leadership roles to include coaching as a formal performance expectation. The agency is now seeking to provide role-specific professional learning (PL) that strengthens the coaching skills of all instructional leaders. To support this effort, DoDEA intends to procure a series of differentiated, scenario-based learning opportunities tailored to each role. These experiences will continue to build and refine the coaching capacity of the agency’s workforce. Ultimately, DoDEA aims to establish learning pathways that lead to the certification of coaches, trainers, and leaders of coaches and to foster a culture of coaching.

To ensure continuity, all professional learning must align with the DoDEA Coaching Model and the latest edition of the book, Blended Coaching: Skills and Strategies to Support Principal Development by Gary Bloom and Jackie Owens Wilson. This requires reviewing prior materials, resources, and research, and updating existing resources (i.e., progressional learning, Innovation Configuration (IC) Maps, etc.) of the DoDEA Coaching Model to incorporate current and relevant content.

DoDEA sees coaching as a means to build the capacity of all educators. DoDEA expects the professional learning for coaching to include a blend of vendor‑delivered sessions and facilitator preparation sessions designed to equip DoDEA personnel to ultimately deliver training across various roles. This approach is essential for building long‑term internal capacity and ensuring sustainability beyond the life of the contract.

2.4 Requirements: DoDEA requires a 3-year, role-specific coaching program for school-level and above-school-level educators that is aligned to the DoDEA Coaching Model. The Contractor shall provide the following:

1) Detailed project plan that is reviewed and revised annually.

2) Professional learning session for all participants on the DoDEA Coaching Model.

3) Competency assessments.

4) Role‑specific professional learning sessions.

5) Support for learning walks with HQ and Region Senior Leaders.

6) Facilitator preparation sessions.

7) Application guidance and support.

8) Certification upon completion of each year.

9) Evaluation support and annual reporting.

All work/activities shall be informed and guided by the following principles:

1) DoDEA’s Professional Learning Guidance: Adhere to DoDEA’s Professional Learning Guidance by moving through the five phases of the ADDIE (Analysis, Design, Development, Implementation, Evaluation) model and by evaluating the influence of Professional Learning on teachers and its impact on student learning via the Kirkpatrick Model. For additional information, see the following URL: https://dodea.widen.net/content/p1gwewl224/original/Professional-Learning-Guidance.pdf.

2) Review and Apply Prior Learning: Assess previous work products for suitability and alignment with updated goals to ensure that foundational elements remain relevant and continue to support the desired coaching practices. Use prior learning as the foundation to update existing professional learning on the DoDEA Coaching Model and to develop robust, role‑specific professional learning that incorporates blended coaching concepts. Updated materials shall:

· Integrate strategies to develop coaching expertise.

· Prioritize coaching practice for instructional leaders.

· Maintain direct alignment with systemic priorities and the achievement of system‑wide goals.

· Emphasize the distinguished‑level skills identified in the original Innovation Configuration Maps to ensure consistency and progression in skill development.

3) Focus: Professional learning (PL) shall be role-specific and focused as detailed below:

4) Key Deliverables

· Role‑specific resources, including PL handouts and toolkits such as coaching conversation placemats, planning and reflection templates, and other job‑embedded coaching tools.

· Synchronous and asynchronous digital modules that include, as required, a standardized slide deck in alignment with DoDEA’s PL design standards and corresponding facilitator guides to support consistent implementation.

· All resources developed for this contract shall be DoDEA-owned and for internal use only.

· All resources shall be posted on DoDEA’s learning management system (LMS) and/or our designated PL platform.

5) Key Personnel

· Content Expert: DoDEA requires a nationally recognized expert in the adopted coaching model to guide and oversee the contracted work.

· Designer(s): DoDEA requires designers to have at least three years of experience designing professional learning for educators and K-12 school leaders.

· Presenter(s): DoDEA requires presenters to have (1) at least three years of experience working with school‑level and above‑school‑level personnel, (2) at least three years of experience applying the principles of the adopted coaching model, and (3) demonstrated experience in facilitating professional learning for educators and leaders..

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 shall develop the total solution to meet all the requirements in accordance with a performance-based approach.

2.5 Base Year Program—Draft the Project Plan, PL, and PL related handouts, facilitator guides, etc. on the topics below and finalize them based on written feedback from DoDEA:

1) Project Plan: Draft a plan that includes a detailed schedule of milestones and deliverables; roles and responsibilities; communication and coordination protocols; risk management strategies; and quality assurance measures aligned to DoDEA’s Professional Learning Guidance, ADDIE process, and Kirkpatrick evaluation model. It shall address the base year and each option year, including annual review and revision to reflect progress, evaluation findings, and evolving DoDEA priorities. Update the plan annually.

2) Competency Assessments: Provide coaching competency assessments for each of the six roles listed in the table above to identify the diverse needs, skills, and prior knowledge of participants, and to determine differentiated support.

3) Overview of the DoDEA Coaching Model: Update and deliver PL that provides an overview of the DoDEA Coaching Model, reflecting updates and refinements in the most current edition of Blended Coaching. Revise existing PL content as needed to ensure alignment with updated concepts, language, and practices while maintaining coherence with the established DoDEA Coaching Model.

4) Foundational, Senior Leadership:

· Design and deliver foundational PL and related resources for HQ and Region Senior Leaders focused on coaching for system-level instructional improvement. The PL shall build a shared understanding of the DoDEA Coaching Model, clarify the role of senior leaders as coaches of coaches, and strengthen their capacity to support, monitor, and sustain high quality coaching practices across regions and districts.

· Support learning walks for participants designed to strengthen their understanding and application of the DoDEA Coaching Model and help senior leaders connect PL to practice by observing, analyzing, and reflecting on coaching and instructional improvement efforts. Support shall include guidance, tools, and structured reflection protocols that reinforce the participants’ role in modeling, reinforcing, and sustaining effective coaching practices at the system level.

5) Foundations for District Leadership

· Design and deliver foundational PL and resources for District and Community Superintendents focused on coaching coaches for district-level instructional improvement. This work shall establish a shared understanding of the DoDEA Coaching Model, clarify district leadership roles in supporting and monitoring coaching practice, and build readiness to apply coaching strategies in district contexts. Design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide guidance and support for participants in applying lessons learned.

6) Foundations for CIL Teams

· Design and deliver foundational PL and resources for Regional CIL Team members to establish a shared understanding of the DoDEA Coaching Model and build readiness to apply core coaching practices in support of school and district leaders. To support delivery by DoDEA, design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure the content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide application guidance and support for participants in applying foundational learning from the DoDEA Coaching Model in instructional leadership contexts. Support shall focus on translating PL into initial coaching practices, reinforcing core coaching behaviors, and supporting reflection on early implementation experiences.

7) Foundations for the HQ Team

· Design and deliver foundational PL and resources for HQ Program Managers and Subject-Matter Experts to establish a shared understanding of the DoDEA Coaching Model and readiness to apply coaching practices within HQ contexts. To support delivery by DoDEA, design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure the content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide guidance and support for participants to apply foundational learning from the DoDEA Coaching Model within content specific and programmatic contexts. Support shall focus on translating professional learning into initial coaching practices and reflecting on early application to support instructional improvement efforts.

8) Foundations for Region / District Subject-Matter Experts

· Design and deliver PL and resources for Region and District Subject-Matter Experts to establish a shared understanding of the DoDEA Coaching Model and readiness to apply core coaching practices with educators. To support delivery by DoDEA, design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure the content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide guidance and support in applying foundational learning from the DoDEA Coaching Model when coaching educators for content specific instructional improvement at the school level. Support shall focus on translating professional learning into initial coaching practices and reflecting on early implementation with educators.

9) Foundations for School-based Leaders

· Design and deliver PL and resources for Principals and Assistant Principals to establish a shared understanding of the DoDEA Coaching Model and readiness to apply core coaching practices within school settings. To support delivery by DoDEA, design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure the content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide guidance and support for participants in applying foundational learning from the DoDEA Coaching Model to support schoolwide instructional improvement. Support shall focus on translating PL into initial coaching practices with educators and reflecting on early implementation experiences.

10) Evaluation and Certification Support: Provide evaluation and certification support throughout each year of the contract to assess the effectiveness of PL by role, monitor participant progress, and evaluate participants’ coaching competencies aligned to the DoDEA Coaching Model. Support shall include implementation of agreed upon evaluation measures, analysis of role specific evidence of practice, and alignment of findings to defined certification criteria. Develop and support annual certification processes that recognize successful completion at each level: Foundational Coaches, Intermediate Coaches, and Distinguished Coaches.

11) Annual Report: Draft an annual report at the conclusion of each contract year summarizing activities, deliverables, participation, evaluation findings, and certification outcomes. Each report shall document progress toward contract objectives, highlight trends and lessons learned, and provide actionable recommendations to inform subsequent year implementation and refinements. Ensure reports align with DoDEA’s Professional Learning Guidance and the Kirkpatrick evaluation model. Finalize reports based on written feedback from DoDEA.

2.5 Option Year 1 Program—Draft the Project Plan, PL, and PL related handouts, facilitator guides, etc. on the topics below and finalize them based on written feedback from DoDEA:

1) Project Plan: Revise the Base Year plan.

2) Foundational PL: Revise and update the Base Year PL based on evaluation findings, participant feedback, and evidence of implementation.

3) Intermediate, Senior Leadership

· Design and deliver intermediate level PL and associated resources for HQ and Region Senior Leaders that deepen their capacity to coach coaches for systems level instructional improvement and build on the foundational understanding of the DoDEA Coaching Model.

· Support learning walks with participants designed to strengthen their understanding and application of the DoDEA Coaching Model. These learning walks shall help them connect PL to practice by observing, analyzing, and reflecting on coaching and instructional improvement efforts. Support shall include guidance, tools, and structured reflection protocols that reinforce the senior leaders’ role in modeling, reinforcing, and sustaining effective coaching practices at the system level.

4) Intermediate, District Leadership

· Design and deliver PL and resources for District and Community Superintendents to strengthen their capacity to coach coaches, build on foundational learning, and emphasize application, analysis, and refinement of coaching practices. To support delivery by DoDEA, design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide guidance and support to participants in applying intermediate coaching practices and strengthening district instructional improvement efforts.

5) Intermediate, CIL Teams

· Design and deliver PL and resources for CIL Team members to strengthen their capacity to coach coaches, build on foundational learning, and promote coaching practices that support content specific and program level instructional improvement. To support delivery by DoDEA, design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide guidance and support to participants in applying intermediate coaching practices and to strengthen their instructional leadership and coaching effectiveness.

6) Intermediate, HQ Team

· Design and deliver PL and resources for HQ Team members to strengthen coaching practices that support content-specific and program-level instructional improvement, build on foundational learning, and emphasize application, analysis, and refinement of coaching practices. To support delivery by DoDEA, design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity

7) Intermediate, Region/District Subject Matter Experts

· Design and deliver PL and resources for Region and District Instructional Systems Specialists to strengthen content-specific coaching practices at the school level and support the application, analysis of instructional evidence, and refinement of coaching strategies to improve educator practice. To support delivery by DoDEA, the Contractor shall design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure the content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide guidance and support to participants in applying intermediate coaching practices for the purpose of improving instruction to increase student growth and achievement.

8) Intermediate, School-based Leaders

· Design and deliver intermediate PL and resources for Principals and Assistant Principals to strengthen coaching practices and improve schoolwide instruction. To support delivery by DoDEA, design and facilitate a facilitator preparation session to ensure the content is clearly understood and delivered with fidelity.

· Provide guidance and support to assist participants in applying intermediate coaching practices to strengthen schoolwide instructional improvement.

9) Evaluation and Certification Support: Review and refine the work done in the Base Year.

10) Annual Report: Draft a report based on the one done in the Base Year.

2.6 Option Year 2—Draft the Project Plan, PL, and PL related handouts, facilitator guides, etc. on the topics below and finalize them based on written feedback from DoDEA:

4) Project Plan: Revise the previous year’s plan.

5) , Intermediate PL: Revise and update the previous year’s PL based on evaluation findings, participant feedback, and evidence of implementation.

6) Distinguished Certification: Continue the design, development, and PL for this level, following the pattern established in the first two years of the program.

· Distinguished, Senior Leadership

· Distinguished, District Leadership

· Distinguished, CIL Teams

· Distinguished, HQ Team

· Distinguished, Region/District Subject Matter Experts

· Distinguished, School-based Leaders Evaluation and Certification Support: Review and refine the work done in the previous years.

Annual Report: Draft a report based on the one done in previous years.

2.7 Option Year 3—Draft the Project Plan, PL, and PL related handouts, facilitator guides, etc. on the topics below and finalize them based on written feedback from DoDEA:

7) Project Plan: Revise the previous year’s plan.

8) Distinguished PL: Revise and update the previous year’s PL based on evaluation findings, participant feedback, and evidence of implementation.

9) Evaluation and Certification Support: Review and refine the work done in the previous years.

10) Annual Reports: Draft a report based on the one done in previous years. Provide a consolidated report for all four years.

3.1.1 Administration & Subcontracting

1) Company name, DBA name (if applicable), mailing address, CAGE code, unique entity identifier (UEI), and North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) codes.

2) Designated point of contact’s name, title, phone number, and email address.

3) Describe, if applicable, any subcontracting possibilities. Note: The prime must perform at least 51 percent of the work.

3.1.2 Capability: Briefly describe your experience with the required coaching model and public/private school systems to include the qualifications of the content expert, designer(s), and presenter(s) who would lead/implement the required work.

3.1.3 Proposed Solution: Briefly describe your approach to meet the requirements of DoDEA’s Coaching for Instructional Improvement program.

3.1.4 Professional Learning: Briefly describe your experience providing face-to-face and virtual professional learning on this topic. If available, please provide a link to professional learning examples (webinars and/or digital modules) and relevant supplemental resources.

3.1.5 Pricing: Provide a non-binding price estimate or estimated range—that will be kept confidential. Please use the attached Excel spreadsheet. If the breakdown that is provided does not fit your solution, please revise the spreadsheet as needed.

3.1.6 Recommendations: Please provide any recommendations you believe might improve the Government’s performance work statement.

3.2 Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and be clearly marked. Please segregate the proprietary information. Note: All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

4.0 Industry Discussions

DoDEA representatives may or may not choose to speak with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get greater clarification on such things as capability and pricing.

5.0 Questions

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted by email to Contract Specialist, Ms. Jamie Formosa, at jamie.formosa@dodea.edu and Mr. Alim Koroma, Contracting Officer, at alim.koroma@dodea.edu. Verbal questions will not be accepted. Questions will be answered via email and will not contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after February 19 will be answered.

6.0 Summary

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning and does not constitute an RFQ/RFP. The information herein is subject to change and not binding on the Government. Release of this RFI is not a commitment that DoDEA will issue an RFQ/RFP in the future or that it authorizes costs to be incurred for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

SUSPENSE

Submit your RFI response no later than 1PM EST on Tuesday, February 24. Please email your responses to the Ms. Jamie Formosa, Contract Specialist, at jamie.formosa@dodea.edu and Mr. Alim Koroma, Contracting Officer, at alim.koroma@dodea.edu.