9-5410-002 RFP 26-0631-035 HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEXTBOOK ADOPTION 10.29.25.pdf

BUFFALO PUBLIC SCHOOLS PROCUREMENT OFFERING

RFP 26-0631-035 HIGH SCHOOL MATH TEXTBOOK ADOPTION

Offering Summary

SUMMARY:

The Buffalo Board of Education is conducting a high school textbook adoption. Accordingly, the Buffalo Board of Education requests that publishers submit CORE instructional resources for review and evaluation. An instructional resource must consist of the following components: 1) educational materials to be used by students; 2) resource materials to be used by teachers to support the curriculum; 3) instructional technology, and 4) professional development training. Publishers may submit a CORE instructional resource for one or more of the following subject areas and grade levels within the content area:

(a) Algebra I (required)

(b) Geometry

(c) Algebra II

The purpose of this RFP is to provide the Buffalo Public Schools with a scientific, evidenced-based, rigorous, CORE mathematics instructional resource that is aligned to the New York State Next

Generation Standards. This resource will be used by all students, teachers, staff, and families of

Buffalo Public Schools for core mathematics instruction.

The instructional resource must be culturally responsive and offer online resources for teachers and families. It must reflect the importance of every student’s engagement with the New

York State Next Generation Learning Standards and ensure a rigorous and developmentally appropriate approach to learning is achievable as outlined by New York State. Additionally, the instructional resource must include strategies to clearly help children develop procedural skills, conceptual understanding, problem solving strategies, vocabulary, fluency and accurate mathematics content knowledge through unit-based learning. Lastly, the program must be adaptive to meet the needs of all learners, including multilingual, special education, and advanced students.

DESIGNATED CONTACTS:

Owner (Primary): JaDawn Wagstaff, Director of Mathematics

Buyer (Copy To): Jason Giglio, Buyer, jrgiglio@buffaloschools.org

The dates specified on the timeline of this offering are subject to change via addendum

TIMELINE:

Release Date: 11/03/2025 8:00 AM Advertise Dates:

Questions Due*: 11/17/2025 4:00 PM - Website/BONFIRE 11/03/2025

Answers Posted: 11/21/2025 4:00 PM - Buffalo News 11/02/2025

Offering Closed: 12/05/2025 4:00 PM - Contract Reporter 11/03/2025

Presentations: TBD - Rocket 11/06/2025

Tentative Award: 04/15/2026 - Criterion 11/08/2025

Public Opening Time and Location: No public opening

*Questions regarding this offering must be submitted via the online offering portal @ https://buffaloschools.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities

PROCUREMENT DATA:

Requisition: n/a

BPS Commodity Code: 051 Textbooks

Prior Offering: n/a Prior Awardee: n/a

Prior Award Period: n/a Current Year Award: n/a

OFFERING DATA:

Dates are approximate and dependent upon the award date.

Initial Award & Contract Term: 07/01/2026 to 06/31/2027

Extensions: n/a

Maximum Term End: 06/31/2031

OTHER OFFERING PARAMETERS:

Type of Offering: RFP

Basis of Award: Minimum Score

Award may be split among respondents: NO

Award may be consolidated: NO

Subcontractors may be used: YES

Insurance is required: YES

NYS DOL Prevailing Reference: N/A

Response Surety Required (“Bid Bond”) NO

Performance Bond Required: NO

Formal contract required: YES

Proposals valid for: 90 days past closing minimum

SUBMITTAL OPTIONS:

Please refer to the “Standard Terms, Conditions, and Disclaimers” document for more detailed instructions. Only one method of submittal should be used; mailed responses will be entered into the electronic portal by the BPS Purchase Department for evaluation/scoring purposes.

Submittals may be mailed OR submitted electronically per the instructions below:

Mailed or delivered responses must include two (2) printed copies and one (1) electronic copy.

Electronic submittal is ALLOWED (and encouraged) via BPS BONFIRE portal at:

https://buffaloschools.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities.

Technical assistance with submitting your response electronically is available by contacting the Buyer at the contact information listed on previous page.

1) GENERAL INFORMATION

a. GENERAL DEFINITIONS: Please refer to “Standard Terms, Conditions, & Disclaimers”.

b. OFFERING SPECIFIC DEFINITIONS:

The following general terms and definitions shall apply to this document:

Instructional Resources – substantive instructional products that are essential tools for instruction, enabling teachers to achieve their program or subject area goals.

Components – additional resources that are supportive and/or supplementary.

Professional Development – the training of teachers to support the effective use of all instructional resources and its components, fostering deep student understanding of the content.

Digital Resources (Instructional technology) – use of audio, video, and computers to provide additional assistance in enhancing the curriculum and stimulating cognitive development.

c. VENDOR INFORMATION:

Qualified vendors are encouraged to submit a response for providing the goods and / or services described. If the vendor plans to subcontract any of the work described in the

Scope of Work the vendor must complete all response requirements for the subcontractor.

If a vendor plans a joint venture with another company and/or utilizes subcontractors, the vendor shall specify accordingly and complete all response requirements for each company involved in the offering response.

d. RESPONSES:

Any and all contracts awarded as a result of this offering are subject to the Terms &

Conditions stated in the offering. The submission of any other terms or conditions by a respondent may be cause for rejection of the response.

All responses should clearly state/include the following:

STANDARD REQUIREMENTS:

1. Completion of “Offering Questionnaire”, Question Set 1 “Standard Response

Requirements”.

2. Current W-9.

3. Current Certificate of Liability Insurance.

Offering Specification

4. Completed “Equal Employment Opportunity Employee Information Report”; form provided.

5. Signed “Non-Collusive Bidding Certification”; form provided.

6. Respondent must provide a list of at least three (3) client references and their contact information. References will be contacted at the sole discretion of the District.

7. Cost proposal in the requested format.

8. Optional items as required by responses to the “Offering Questionnaire”, including but not limited to:

a. “Disclosure Narrative”, any format.

b. “Debarment Narrative”, any format.

c. “Certifications” such as MBE/WBE/SDVOB

d. “Policy 5414 Compliance Narrative”, any format.

e. “Subcontractor Documentation”, any format.

f. “Anti-Lobbying Narrative”, any format.

9. Respondents may submit any other information they consider relevant to their response to this offering by using the “Other Vendor Information” document upload.

SCOPE OF WORK

Buffalo Public Schools is seeking a CORE mathematics instructional resource for Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II for all students registered in Buffalo Public Schools. The CORE instructional resource should encompass lessons/units that span the calendar of school days that students are in session for instruction and for Regents examinations.

The selected instructional resource should address the following components that are universally essential to an effective core program:

• Accurate content and demonstrable alignment of curriculum and resources to the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards. (E-1)

• Proof of effectiveness based on scientific research, evidence, and implementation in districts of similar size and demographics. (E-2)

• Student Units/lessons that: (E-3)

• Contain vocabulary definitions and/or illustrations.

• Include problem examples that illustrate the use of conceptual understanding to problem solve.

• Include problem sets for guided practice and independent practice.

• Include checks for understanding.

• Are available digitally.

• Include instructional resources and components are available in multiple languages (multilingual accessibility).

• Spanish at minimum.

• The option to be read in other languages.

• Teacher Resources and components that: (E-4)

• Contain sample lesson plans that include objectives, standard(s) alignment, suggestions for differentiation, and/or suggestions for concept development.

• Contain general planning suggestions on how to teach a topic to ensure conceptual understanding, to model mathematics, and/or to provide scaffolds.

• Contain suggested supports such as sentence frames, visual supports, or bilingual glossaries that support academic language development.

• Are available digitally.

• Include a comprehensive user guide.

• Home/family Resources that: (E-5)

• Include guides, tutorials, and/or homework support tools to help students and families outside of the school day.

• Can be translated into multiple languages (multilingual accessibility).

• Differentiated instructional resources to meet the needs of all learners. (E-6)

• Demonstrate alignment to the culturally responsive-sustaining education (CRSE) principles and pedagogy. (E-7)

• Assessments that: (E-8)

• Can be administered digitally.

• Produce data teachers can access digitally.

• Are editable.

• Are printable.

• Include MC and short answer items.

• Include answer keys with item alignment to standards.

• Can be translated into multiple languages (multilingual accessibility).

• Technology (E-9) – see “Offering specific requirements”

• Training Plan (E-10):

• A comprehensive Professional Development Plan.

• Training should incorporate a differentiated approach, as needed, that considers the various district roles, i.e. classroom teacher vs support staff vs building administrator vs dept administrator vs other applicable staff.

• Training should include options for both in-person and remote sessions, thus having the capability to support virtual meetings and professional learning (via webinars, e-learning, videos, TEAMS or ZOOM meetings, etc.)

• Support, and Implementation / Project Requirements: (E-11)

• Provide a Customer Support Plan.

• The vendor will assign a primary point of contact to support the BPS account. BPS requires that the primary point of contact respond to calls or emails within 24 hours to troubleshoot/resolve all issues and requests.

• Include shipping/distribution information.

• Provide a comprehensive proposal outline that includes:

• A cover page.

• An overview of the resource.

• An outline based on the “Scope of work” and “Other specific requirements”, with details, samples, and/or evidence to support all claims.

• Cost (E-12)

* Note - There will be multiple stages to this adoption process:

1. Review of written submission

2. Curriculum Committee review of materials - for which a complete sample of the curriculum will be required

3. Vendor Presentation to Curriculum Committee

4. Vendor Presentation to Administrative and other Stakeholder Team members

5. Product selection and approval

6. Year 1 – Algebra I

7. POSSIBLE Year 2 – Geometry

8. POSSIBLE Year 3 – Algebra II

OFFERING SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS:

a. COURSEWARE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM and DATA IMPORT/EXPORT

REQUIREMENTS

a. The system will have administrative support/tools which shall include:

i. Daily synchronization capability with online District Student data and information system.

ii. Support from client services department.

iii. Technical support for end users.

iv. Ability to monitor student participation and progress monitoring

(completion and progress monitoring reports).

b. TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

a. Authentication & Access

i. Single Sign-On (SSO): Must support integration with Clever for SSO, Microsoft Active Directory, Schoology.

ii. Role-Based Access Control: Must allow system-wide, role-based user access management.

iii. Secure Transmission: All functions involving usernames and passwords must support HTTPS.

b. Compatibility

i. Browser Support: Must be compatible with Microsoft Edge, Safari, Firefox, and Google Chrome.

ii. Device Support: Must support Windows 10+, MacOS 12+, and iOS 17+ endpoints.

iii. Mobile Access: Must be accessible and secure on mobile devices including smartphones, iPads, and tablets.

c. Integration & Data Handling

i. Roster Sync: Must support automatic student enrollment and roster uploads via Infinite Campus SIS, Clever, or Schoology.

ii. LMS Compatibility: Must integrate with Schoology LMS and support courseware management features.

iii. Data Import/Export: Must allow for seamless data exchange and integration with existing district systems.

d. Accessibility & Usability

i. Mobile Optimization: Must be fully functional across mobile platforms.

ii. Accessibility Compliance: Must include features such as voiceover, light/dark mode, and search functionality.

c. DATA INTEGRATION REQUIREMENTS

a. The data / digital content including assessment tools must be fully accessible

(exportable in .pdf, .txt, and .csv) to the district upon installation and throughout the term of the agreement.

b. Report availability based on content and assessments shall be 24 hours/day, except during scheduled maintenance periods.

c. The vendor will support the initial data migration and validation.

d. SERVICE LEVEL REQUIREMENTS

a. The system’s environment must be Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act

(FERPA) compliant.

b. All data collected by the learning management system remain the sole property of and for the exclusive use of BPS.

c. Technical support and services to include:

i. Integrity of data should the vendor’s server go down.

ii. Server down time of less than .03%.

iii. Adequate servers and backup to prevent database corruption and to provide restoration within two hours of data loss.

iv. Product updates for the period of the contract.

Help Desk Support that will include 24/hour assistance and availability, reliable help desk statistics, online, email, and phone supports, easy to locate up-to-date training resources available online and in hard copy formats, training materials utilizing multimedia (images, video, audio, etc.…), availability of help desk logs, a nightly data refresh with access to transmitted data within 24 hours.

3. EVALUATION PROCEDURES

a. Review of Responses

Responses will be evaluated by a cross functional team consisting of subject matter experts and a Purchasing representative.

b. Respondent’s Presentations

Respondents may be required to present once, at the District’s discretion, which will include a question and answer session with the evaluation team. Questions and specific requests to be addressed during the presentation will be forwarded to the respondents.

c. Evaluation Criteria

Responses will be evaluated on a 100-point scale as defined in the table below. Cost will be calculated proportionally compared to lowest cost response. Minimum non-cost score is 90.

CRITERIA VALUE

E-1: Accurate content and demonstrable alignment of curriculum and resources to the New York State Next Generation Learning Standards.

E-2: Effectiveness of the program based on scientific research, evidence based and implementation in districts of similar size and demographics.

E-3: Student resources 10

E-4: Teacher resources 10

E-5: Home/family resources 5

E-6: Differentiated instructional resources to meet the needs of all learners.

E-7: Culturally Responsive 5

E-8: Assessments 10

E-9: Technology 10

E-10: Training, Plan Requirements 5

E-11: Support, and Implementation / Project Requirements 5

E-12: Cost 10

Total 100

d. Final Selection

The Board of Education and its representatives will select a firm based upon the recommendations of the evaluation team. It is anticipated that a firm will be selected by the date listed in the offering summary. Following notification of the firm selected, it is expected that a contract will be executed between both parties. The selected firm must be prepared to begin work upon execution of the BPS contract. The contract will not necessarily be awarded to the response with the lowest cost projection.