RFI - Regional EducationaL Laboratory SW.docx

REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL LABORATORY - SOUTHWEST

FY22/FY23 ACQUISITION

Solicitation No.: 91990021R0032

Request for Information & Notice of Vendor Engagement

Facilitated by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Contracts and Acquisitions Management Office Contents

Introduction 2 Notice of Vendor Engagement 3 Contact Information 3 Request for Capability Statements 3 Vendor Questions 5 Draft Performance Work Statement 6 Draft Instructions to Offerors 59 Draft Evaluation Criteria 97

Introduction

The U.S. Department of Education (Department) will issue a solicitation in FY22 from which one of ten Regional Educational Laboratory (REL) contracts, REL Southwest, will issue. In order to support the FY22 competition, the Department announces an extensive Request for Information and Vendor Engagement effort. Please read this document in its entirety. The information that you provide may play a substantial role in shaping this procurement and may affect the composition of the Performance Work Statement (PWS), Instructions to Offerors, and Source Selection Criteria. Vendors are encouraged to provide feedback now so as to enable the Department to address as many questions as possible before release of the solicitation[footnoteRef:1]. [1: Any feedback on the REL Southwest competition provided during the earlier competition for the other nine RELs has already been considered for the Southwest competition. Vendors do not need to resubmit those comments.]

This document consists of four major information request components to be submitted in two parts:

1. Request for requirement questions

2. Request for capability statements for the REL Southwest[footnoteRef:2] [2: If a capability statement for the Southwest region was already submitted with the RFI for the other nine RELs, please note that information in the Southwest formal RFI response. These vendors do not need to resubmit the capability statement.]

3. Targeted vendor outreach questions and responses.

4. Request for comment and feedback on the following solicitation components:

a. PWS

b. Instructions to Offerors

c. Source Selection Criteria

Detailed information for each request is located in the appropriate subsection below. In the event that vendors have questions, please note the contact information for Carlina Smith listed below.

Please note that all solicitation-related documents in this RFI are draft versions. The content of each document may change substantially between release of this RFI and release of the final Solicitation. The final solicitation will be governed by the terms, conditions, instructions, and criteria in that document. Offerors should not rely on the contents of this RFI for preparing final proposals. To the extent that information provided in this document is inconsistent with or contradicts information contained in the final Solicitation, the Solicitation controls.

Request for Requirement Questions Offerors should submit technical questions regarding the substantive work of the REL program and/or competition to Joseph.Gibbs@ed.gov and Carlina.Smith@ed.gov and cc NCEE.feedback@ed.gov no later than 5:00PM EDT August 6, 2021

Formal RFI Response Submission Instructions Detailed information for the required submission is provided below. Offerors should submit, via email, the following documents to Carlina.Smith@ed.gov with a cc to Joseph.Gibbs@ed.gov no later than August 21, 2021 at 2:00PM EDT.

I. One PDF document that contains your Capability Statement (PDF).

II. One PDF document that contains your response to vendor questions.

III. One Word document that contains any comments, track change revisions, or edits to the PWS, Instructions to Offerors, and Source Selection Criteria. Narrative justifications for changes are also welcome if appropriate. If offerors have additional questions regarding any of the three documents please feel free to include this information in a separate heading in your Word document that contains these questions in addition to any narrative information.

Offerors should submit these three documents in one email. Please note that the Department imposes a 25MB file size limitation. This limitation accounts for potential file size increases associated with Microsoft Cloud services and may be different from earlier Department file size restrictions.

Participation in this vendor outreach effort is entirely voluntary. A response to this RFI is not required in order to respond to any solicitation that the Department issues.

Notice of Vendor Engagement

IES invites you to view a vendor engagement event, which will be posted on August 6, 2021. The event will be posted on the IES YouTube channel so as to provide equal access for all interested parties. The event will include presentations by IES staff about the REL program. A link to the recording will be posted as an amendment to this Request for Information.

Contact Information Please note that only the individuals listed below are authorized points of contact for this competition. No members of the IES staff (REL project staff or otherwise) will respond to inquiries even if the individual is responsible for technical direction under an existing REL contract.

The following members comprise the acquisition team for this procurement:

Primary Point of Contact Carlina Smith Carlina.Smith@ed.gov

(202) 453-7967 Contract Specialist responsible for all operational aspects of the procurement.

Secondary Point of Contact Joseph Gibbs Joseph.Gibbs@ed.gov

(202) 453-7716 Contracting Officer responsible for all operational/supervisory aspects of the procurement.

Additional Point of Contact Shaneika Berryman Shaneika.Berryman@ed.gov Contracting Officer responsible for high-level guidance.

Dissemination of Procurement Information Offerors are strongly encouraged to communicate via email. All questions that the Department receives regarding the procurement will be disclosed to the public via SAM.gov. All announcements regarding the procurement will be posted to SAM.gov.

Request for Capability Statements

Proposed NAICS Information: 541720 - Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities[footnoteRef:3] 611710 – Educational Support Services [3: Please note that we welcome feedback on other appropriate NAICS and PSC codes.]

Proposed Product Service Code: R499 – Support – Professional: Other

The Department requests capability statements in order to evaluate what, if any, set aside determinations are appropriate for the Southwest region. We reserve the right to use other resources and information to inform our acquisition strategy.

The Department will not review generic capability statements because generic capability statements tell us nothing about your ability to execute a REL contract. Rather, we will only review capability statements that conform to the specifications provided below.

Format and Instructions for Capability Statements

Capability statements are limited to 7 pages (not including the cover page) and must be submitted in PDF format. The Department will not consider material in excess of 7 pages.

1. Cover Page containing the following information:

Region Name Name of Company Primary Point of Contact (phone and email) DUNS Number Small Business Status for the applicable NAICS code (if not a small business, please indicate “OTSB” in this field)

2. Substantive Content

Your capability statement must provide the following information:

I. Demonstrated understanding of the research and analytic needs of the region for which you are submitting a capability statement.

II. Demonstrated ability and capacity to provide tailored training and coaching on analytic and education topics.

III. Demonstrated experience coordinating and collaborating with policymakers, researchers, and practitioners, and the capacity to conduct this work within the scope of a particular REL region.

IV. Demonstrated expertise in conducting peer-reviewed education research and the capacity to conduct peer-reviewed education research within the scope of a particular REL region.

V. Demonstrated expertise in developing actionable, user-friendly, evidence-based toolkits, or toolkit components, to support educators.[footnoteRef:4] [4: Additional information on the purposes and components of a toolkit is discussed in the PWS under subtask 5.3.]

VI. Demonstrated ability to disseminate scientific findings in an accurate and easy to understand manner, and the capacity to disseminate such findings in a way that leads to uptake of the information by educators and policymakers.

VII. Demonstrated ability to manage large-scale government contracts.

Vendor Questions

1. What, if any, additional information should the Department provide in order to enable you to accurately estimate the cost of each task and subtask? This includes documents, research materials, more accurate task descriptions, policy information, or other content produced by or utilized by the Department.

2. Are the NAICS and PSC codes appropriate for this procurement? If not, please justify an alternative.

3. Can you identify any barriers to competition? If so, please identify and describe how the Department could reduce or eliminate those barriers.

4. Is there any other information that you wish to convey to the Department?

Performance Work Statement Regional Educational Laboratory Program, 2022 Cycle (REL Southwest Only)

I. Procurement Purpose and Authorizing Legislation

The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) intends to award one 60-month contract to a qualified entity to serve as the Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest (REL SW). See Appendix A for the constituent states. REL SW will be part of a program of 10 RELs authorized under the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002, Part D, Section 174 (20 U.S.C. 9564). The REL Program is administered by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES)[footnoteRef:5] in the US Department of Education (the Department). [5: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/rschstat/leg/PL107-279.pdf]

The authorizing legislation directs RELs to carry out applied research and development, disseminate findings from scientifically valid research, provide support for using research in education decision-making, and coordinate their activities with other technical assistance entities funded through the U.S. Department of Education, such as the Comprehensive Centers and the Equity Assistance Centers. REL products and services must be completed to the quality specifications required by IES.

II. Introduction to the 2022 REL Cycle

The purpose of each REL is to assist practitioners and policymakers in their work to improve outcomes for learners in its region—from early childhood to adulthood—by supporting stakeholders in the generation and use of research, evidence, and evidence-based practices. To achieve that purpose, RELs: (1) conduct applied research and development; (2) design and implement training, coaching, and technical support activities that emphasize building capacity to use data and information to drive change; and (3) disseminate scientifically valid research, evidence-based practices, and supporting materials that allow stakeholders to apply this knowledge to their own practice.

All REL work must be both rigorous and high leverage.

· REL research and development activities are rigorous when they meet IES’ standards for work that is scientifically valid. REL training, coaching, technical assistance, and dissemination activities are rigorous when they are (a) based on practices that are evidence-based[footnoteRef:6], and (b) designed and delivered in ways that are consistent with what is known about high-quality adult learning and educator professional development experiences. [6: The term “evidence-based,” generally refers to Tiers 1, 2, and 3 of the evidence levels specified in the Every Student Succeeds Act. However, IES expects the RELs to look for, share, and work with the highest tier of evidence that is available.]

· REL work is high leverage when it is change-oriented and supports consequential local, regional, or statewide decisions about policies, programs, and practices designed to improve learner outcomes.

RELs Work in Partnership with Key Stakeholder Groups Working in partnership with key stakeholder groups[footnoteRef:7] is central to the success of the REL Program. RELs are expected to engage partners – that is, leaders and decisionmakers representing key stakeholder groups who work directly in partnership with the REL – in the design, execution, and evaluation[footnoteRef:8] of their activities. [7: Stakeholder groups include but are not limited to state education agencies (SEAs), local education agencies (LEAs), state and local school boards, institutes of higher education (IHEs), schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as student, parent, and community organizations. “Key stakeholders” generally refers to those with decision-making authority and the ability to influence policy or practice in their organization. RELs are required to allocate no less than 25 percent of their resources to meeting the needs of rural areas, as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. Additionally, each REL has a Governing Board that is comprised of the chief state school officer, or their designee, for each state or jurisdiction in a REL region, as well as other regional stakeholders. Governing Boards provide RELs strategic direction, including prioritizing which regional needs should be the focus of the REL’s work. ] [8: Evaluation of activities will be discussed in the Scope of Work/Requirements section.]

In the 2022 REL cycle, IES emphasizes working in partnership to improve student outcomes. This approach privileges no specific functional form, theory of change, or composition. Instead, the work of RELs should be purpose-built to meet partners’ specific needs. So long as the partner (1) identifies the high leverage need to be addressed, and (2) is actively involved in the design, execution, and evaluation of a project or set of related projects, work is considered to be done in partnership. Sets of REL projects done in partnership may take different forms and involve different members across the duration of the work. There are few restrictions on the groups with which RELs may partner, or how REL’s work in partnership is realized.

RELs Conduct Three Types of Activities The authorizing legislation for the REL Program requires that RELs conduct three main activities. IES expects most REL partnerships will leverage activities of each type to meet their outcomes.

Training, coaching, and technical support for use of research ESRA defines technical assistance as:

A) assistance in identifying, selecting, or designing solutions based on research, including professional development and high-quality training to implement solutions leading to— (i) improved educational and other practices and classroom instruction based on scientifically valid research; and (ii) improved planning, design, and administration of programs; (B) assistance in interpreting, analyzing, and utilizing statistics and evaluations; and (C) other assistance necessary to encourage the improvement of teaching and learning through the applications of techniques supported by scientifically valid research.[footnoteRef:9] [9: See 20 USC § 9501 (23).]

RELs meet this mandate by conducting training, coaching, and technical support (TCTS) activities. In general, the REL Program focuses its TCTS work on activities that leverage RELs’ unique expertise in rigorous research, evaluation, and the design and use of evidence-based practices. All TCTS activities should be aligned to the existing evidence base or involve building stakeholder capacity to build new evidence where little or none exists. TCTS that has as its primary aim the implementation of an “off-the-shelf” evidence-based practice, absent complementary activities that leverage REL capacities, should be supported by other education technical assistance providers.

TCTS projects may stand alone or be used in service of other activity types such as applied research and development projects. For example, TCTS activities can occur before or during an applied research project to help partners understand existing evidence or collect local, relevant data on the high leverage topic of interest. TCTS activities can also occur after an applied research project is completed with the goal of exploring implications of, and next steps from, the research. These activities are discussed in more detail in the Scope of Work/Requirements section under Task 4.

Applied research and development ESRA describes applied research as directed to the advancement of practice in education. It addresses complex questions about teaching and learning; the organization of schools and systems; access to educational opportunity; learner success; and how education relates to, and prepares learners for, success in life and work. Development refers to the systematic use of knowledge to create products or processes; here, those products should support stakeholders’ efforts to improve learner outcomes.[footnoteRef:10] [10: ESRA contrasts applied research and development with basic research, which does not necessarily have immediate or obvious implications for practice. Both types of research differ from other forms of information-gathering, such as compiling facts or statistics, documenting policies without analysis or scholarly interpretation, or generating and reporting on performance indicators.]

Dissemination ESRA defines dissemination as:

the communication and transfer of the results of scientifically valid research, statistics, and evaluations, in forms that are understandable, easily accessible, and usable, or adaptable for use in, the improvement of educational practice by teachers, administrators, librarians, other practitioners, researchers, parents, policymakers, and the public, through technical assistance, publications, electronic transfer, and other means.[footnoteRef:11] [11: See 20 USC § 9501 (10)]

III. Expectations for the Implementation of the REL Program

As stated in the Introduction to the 2022 REL Cycle, the purpose of each REL is to support stakeholders in the use of research and evidence to improve outcomes for learners in its region from early childhood to adulthood. Current and previous REL cycles have demonstrated that there are many ways RELs can achieve this goal.

IES has identified a set of overarching expectations for how the work of the REL will be implemented, described below.

RELs shall conduct all applied research and development and TCTS work in partnership. The structure and features of work done in partnership should be defined by the nature of the work RELs and their partners intend to complete and the outcomes they seek to accomplish.

IES expects good partnering behaviors in all relationships between RELs and their partners. REL projects shall be co-developed with the partners they are intended to serve. Additionally, REL work should be characterized by effective communication; genuine cooperation; and a mutual understanding of the context, content, outcomes and targets of the work.[footnoteRef:12] [12: Outcomes are defined by the domains within which partners wish to see change – for example, improved math proficiency rates for middle school students in New Jersey. Targets are specific, measurable, time-bound metrics associated with long-term outcomes – for example, 85 percent of middle school students achieving proficiency on the statewide mathematics assessment by 2027.]

Additional expectations related to partnering include:

· RELs shall partner with groups within a single state or jurisdiction. The work of REL partnerships should generally focus on statewide or local needs; differences in policy contexts and partner needs often make it difficult for multi-state partnerships to set specific shared targets and successfully execute high leverage work.

· The content and design of REL work shall be informed by, align with, and build upon partners’ existing initiatives. REL work should be developed with an understanding of the state and local context in order to avoid duplication of effort or contradiction with existing initiatives or practices. Additionally, work in partnership should be designed to support partners in identifying and acting on the necessary next steps to achieve their outcomes after the REL supports have concluded.

· REL activities shall be designed and executed in a culturally responsive manner. RELs should recognize that these beliefs, values, norms, and behaviors are likely to be different across the various stakeholder groups within a system.

RELs shall focus work on problems that are narrowly defined. REL projects should emphasize deep work on a specific problem, rather than diffuse work across a broad topical area. For example, a REL project or set of projects should not focus broadly on “early childhood education” but rather on a particular issue such as “improving the use of formative assessment in early childhood education.”

RELs shall conduct work driven by logic models that demonstrate a credible theory for how the REL’s activities will contribute to improved learner outcomes. See the section below on Key Outcomes for REL Work for more detail.

RELs shall employ strategies that integrate applied research; training, coaching, technical support; and dissemination in order to maximize the possibilities of partners meeting their short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes. IES expects that RELs will realize the greatest impact for partners and stakeholders when they integrate multiple types of work within partnerships and across their entire portfolio of work.

RELs shall focus on activities that leverage their distinctiveness in the federal technical assistance space and develop strategies for collaboration with other federal service providers to meet needs that lie outside RELs’ core competencies. RELs’ distinctive value in the federal technical assistance community comes from their ability (a) to conduct applied research and development work that is rigorous and high leverage, and (b) to integrate that work with training, coaching, technical support, and dissemination that is of similarly high quality. RELs must consider how partner or other stakeholder needs that do not leverage that distinctiveness—such as implementation support absent a discernable applied research and development component—should be referred to other technical assistance providers such as the Regional Comprehensive Centers. RELs shall coordinate and participate in joint needs sensing activities with other federal technical assistance providers—in particular the Regional Comprehensive Center(s) that serve their region—to help inform such decisions on where regional needs are best addressed.

RELs shall emphasize the scaling of What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Practice Guide recommendations and should amplify and leverage scientifically valid research and evidence-based practices built or synthesized elsewhere within IES. Discovering what works in education and then ensuring that knowledge is used to improve learners’ education outcomes is central to the mission of IES and the REL Program. Similarly, evidence-based practice is a central tenet of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and Every Student Succeeds Act. In the 2022 cycle, RELs support the use of evidence-based practices in two ways.

First, each REL shall develop at least one toolkit that supports scaling of WWC Practice Guide recommendations.[footnoteRef:13] WWC Practice Guides have a unique role within the evidence-based practices space. Their recommendations represent the IES’ current and best understanding of evidence-based practice in a given domain. Some Practice Guides present a set of recommendations in which all recommendations should be implemented to achieve the intended outcomes, while other Practice Guide recommendations may be implemented independently of the other recommendations. More information about this activity is described in the Scope of Work/Requirements section under Subtask 5.2. [13: Successful offerors will be expected to develop the toolkit they propose; however, the government retains the right to make changes to this Subtask after award.]

Second, each REL shall seek to amplify evidence and evidence-based products developed by other IES programs such as the National Center for Education Research, the National Center for Special Education Research, and other components within NCEE when developing TCTS projects or dissemination materials.

RELs shall develop and employ strategic dissemination plans. A strategic dissemination plan should incorporate the context and intended outcomes of the projects as well as dissemination practices and networks that are most likely to be effective for reaching target audiences. In order to develop and execute these strategies, RELs, with input from their partners, must be able to identify key audiences positioned to support partners in achieving their intended outcomes, target dissemination products and activities towards these audiences in places and through networks and knowledge brokers so that these audience are likely to find them, and develop/disseminate products in formats that are accessible and actionable to these audiences. Simply making products or activities available through the REL’s website or Twitter account is not sufficient, nor does it reflect the level of planning or effort IES expects RELs to put forth as part of a strategic dissemination effort.

IES also expects that dissemination strategies will be individualized and tailored to each set of projects developed in partnership. Therefore, RELs should not develop a one-size-fits-all dissemination approach for the products they develop. Additionally, it should be clear for each product how the dissemination approach aligns with the expectation stated above.

RELs shall intentionally seek opportunities to work with partners to address issues related to educational equity. Researchers have established that learners from several groups—including but not limited to racial and ethnic minorities, learners from low-income backgrounds, and learners who are not proficient in English—oftentimes do not have the same educational opportunities as their counterparts who are White, from higher income backgrounds, and are proficient in English.[footnoteRef:14] These disparate opportunities and resulting experiences have contributed to significant gaps in achievement and subsequent life outcomes,[footnoteRef:15] many of which may have been exacerbated by the Coronavirus pandemic.[footnoteRef:16] Education practitioners, policymakers, and researchers fear millions of students may have fallen further behind after the U.S. transitioned from in-person education in March 2020 to a mostly virtual environment that resulted in inequitable access to learning opportunities for historically underserved students.[footnoteRef:17] This, paired with the social justice movement of 2020, prompted NCEE to think more critically about who is included in conversations about the high leverage needs the REL Program addresses and how the Program may benefit from including more diverse stakeholder groups. [14: U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights. (2016). 2013–2014 civil rights data collection. A first look: Key data highlights on equity and opportunity gaps in our nation’s public schools. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/2013-14-first-look.pdf. (accessed 1/5/2021); Kostyo, S., Cardichon, J., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2018). Making ESSA’s equity promise real: State strategies to close the opportunity gap. Palo Alto, CA: Learning Policy Institute. Retrieved on January 5, 2021 from https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/essa-equity-promise-report.] [15: Hussar, B., Zhang, J., Hein, S., Wang, K., Roberts, A., Cui, J., Smith, M., Bullock Mann, F., Barmer, A., and Dilig, R. (2020). The Condition of Education 2020 (NCES 2020-144). U.S. Department of Education. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved on January 5, 2021 from https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/pubsinfo.asp?pubid=2020144.] [16: Dorn, E., Hancock, B., Sarakatsannis, J., & Viruleg, E. (2020). COVID-19 and learning loss – disparities grow and students need help. McKinsey & Company. Retrieved on January 5, 2021 from https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/public-and-social-sector/our-insights/covid-19-and-learning-loss-disparities-grow-and-students-need-help.] [17: Ibid.]

As such:

· IES encourages RELs to propose projects that have the explicit goal of addressing educational equity. These projects might illuminate the differential experiences, opportunities, and outcomes of learners from historically underserved communities and should identify and promote effective or promising solutions for addressing these inequities. RELs play an important role in contributing to the growing body of research on how experiences within the country’s education system differ by context and student group, thereby impacting outcomes, and identifying potential solutions.

· Whenever feasible, RELs shall seek opportunities to partner with students, parents, and community stakeholders—particularly those from historically underserved communities—to determine the focus of and inform REL work. RELs could partner with these stakeholder groups to design, execute, and interpret research studies and their findings,[footnoteRef:18] or to determine the focus of and participate in TCTS activities. RELs might also consider how to include these stakeholder groups in needs sensing activities or projects that include root cause analysis. Since REL staff may not have direct access to students, parents, or community members, LEAs, SEAs, and/or other partners may need to help facilitate this relationship. IES acknowledges that not all projects may lend themselves to including these stakeholder groups; however, it is important for the REL Program explore this opportunity to understand how including these partners might help improve learner outcomes. [18: See Subtask 5.6 in the Scope of Work and Requirements section for additional information.]

RELs shall create products that are clear, engaging, relevant, and actionable. Products should be written for an informed lay audience. RELs are encouraged to use multiple formats and to develop supplemental products to support the use of products and research findings by multiple audiences. RELs shall incorporate formative feedback from at least one representative of the target audience when developing products to maximize their relevance, usability and actionability.

Applied research projects should employ methods that are best suited to answer partners’ research questions and that support actions that are evidence-based. This typically requires rigorous quantitative analysis. Qualitative research methods are typically best used in combination with quantitative methods. When REL work explores the outcomes associated with a specific policy, program, or practice, IES encourages RELs to conduct studies that collect implementation data in service of making findings as actionable as possible.

RELs shall support the use of research evidence. Research is a means to an end—application of findings to policy or practice—so IES expects that all research will be combined with other REL supports that help stakeholders to use research evidence to achieve their goals.

RELs shall include among their personnel both researchers and staff with experience working as, or providing direct support to, practitioners. REL researchers should have significant expertise in content areas and methodologies relevant to the work the REL undertakes, and REL TCTS staff should have significant experience teaching and leading professional development in those content areas.

IV. Key outcomes for REL work

IES has identified several short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes anticipated from the work of RELs and the REL Program (see Figure 1). Given the wide variety of topics and activities of REL projects, it would be nearly impossible to capture every potential input, activity, output, and outcome of REL work; therefore, the logic model depicted in Figure 1 represents a high-level overview of the work of RELs and of the REL Program itself.

RELs will be expected to work with their partners to co-develop and periodically update detailed logic models for each set of projects developed in partnership.[footnoteRef:19] Measurement plans that allow the REL to quantify their progress toward achieving specified targets associated with short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes are also required. While the specific short- or medium-term outcomes in REL logic models might not match those in Figure 1, all applied research and TCTS activities shall be designed to support partners in meeting at least one of the five types of long-term outcomes listed in Figure 1. [19: This will also be required for single (stand-alone) projects lasting more than six months; while IES expects most if not all REL work to be done through multiple projects with a set of stakeholders, IES will make limited allowances for stand-alone projects if the REL demonstrates the high-leverage nature of the proposed work. ]

Additional expectations related to REL outcomes for specific partners and projects include:

· Activities shall be in service of outcomes that (a) are co-designed with partners, (b) address authentic needs based on needs-sensing activities, (c) are clear and measurable, and (d) have achievable, specific targets associated with these outcomes.

· Each outcome for REL work shall be classified as short-term, medium-term, or long-term. Details on how IES defines each type of outcome are described below. Related projects will typically have the same long-term outcomes. Sets of projects may be intended to lead to distinct short- and medium-term outcomes, so long as they build on one another to help partners achieve shared long-term outcomes.

· All REL outcomes and their associated targets should be attainable within the REL contract’s period of performance, including long-term outcomes.

· Ongoing monitoring of a REL’s performance will be informed in part by its attainment of targets associated with each identified outcome.

Partners’ Long-Term Goals: Most REL partners’ long-term goals of interest are improvements in meaningful measures of student achievement. Those goals typically have distinct numeric targets partners hope to achieve. Other long-term goals may include organizational change or improved educator effectiveness. The partners’ long-term goal should serve as a “north star” for the work of RELs. REL work should be in service of their partners’ goal while also accounting for the opportunities and constraints of the REL Program. The partners’ long-term goal can be included as a problem statement in the REL’s logic models.

Inputs: Although each REL project will include distinct inputs, some inputs should be common across any REL project. These include the experience and expertise in research, policy, and practice that RELs and their partners bring to a project. Partners’ connections to other key stakeholders and their contextual knowledge is also a valuable input. Buy-in on the part of partners, and the availability of REL and partner resources is also necessary. For RELs and partners, this includes time commitments necessary to be responsive to communication and participate in meetings or activities. This also includes time and effort to take the necessary steps to further project outcomes; for example, facilitating access to data for an applied research study or making phone calls to set up meetings with additional key stakeholders whose buy-in is critical for a project to meet its medium- or long-term outcomes. This may also involve financial resources, such as RELs using travel funds to accommodate a face-to-face meeting with partners, or partners paying for substitute teachers so that teacher leaders may attend a REL coaching or training session.

Activities and Outputs: REL activities and outputs are described in greater detail in both the Expectations for the Implementation of the REL Program and Scope of Work and Requirements sections.

Long-Term Outcomes: Because partners’ long-term goals may not be achievable within the timeline of the REL cycle, RELs should identify their own long-term outcomes that are (1) consistent with the partner’s long-term goal but (2) attainable within the period of performance. For example, a partner might set a goal of increasing the districtwide proficiency rate to 95% by 2030 for grade 3 standardized test scores in mathematics, while the REL adopts a long-term outcome of a 5-10 percentage point decrease in students who were “below basic” or “basic” and 5-10 percentage point increase in students who are “on grade level” or “above” on all relevant domains of the mathematics progress monitoring assessment for 3rd grade in all elementary schools in which teachers participated in trainings during the 2023-24 school year. This long-term outcome is specific and narrow, yet aligned to the partner’s long-term goal, with the presumption that a successful districtwide scaling effort would allow the district to achieve their long-term goal by 2030.

Medium-Term Outcomes: Medium-term outcomes usually include partners or other key stakeholders taking action to change policy or behaviors. This could include adopting, implementing, or sustaining a policy or practice, or sustained implementation of continuous improvement processes. Some medium-term outcomes may not be observable until near the end of the contract cycle.

Short-Term Outcomes: Short-term outcomes of REL activities usually include building partners’ knowledge and/or capacity for understanding research and translating that research or evidence into practice. Capacity building may include improving partner and/or stakeholder capacity to access, analyze, and interpret data, critically examine the quality of research evidence, or effectively communicate research findings and their implications to other key stakeholders. Short-term outcomes can also include partners identifying a specific practice that they wish to adopt or adapt.

Offerors are encouraged to identify high-leverage projects, or sets of projects, to be done in partnership as early as possible in the contract cycle so that there is sufficient time in the REL contract to support the partners in achieving the medium- and long-term outcomes. However, RELs may propose sets of related projects to be done in partnership that include individual projects which may not be completed until the last few months of the REL contract, meaning that there may not be time to examine the associated long-term outcomes of that project. Such projects are allowable on a limited basis so long as the REL demonstrates the high-leverage nature of the proposed work and clearly outlines actions their partners are likely to take on their own after the REL contract expires to support their long-term outcomes. RELs are still expected to identify their partners’ long-term outcomes and targets beyond the REL cycle even in such cases.

Figure 1. REL Program Logic Model Problem statement: Many states and districts are interested in, or are required to, implement evidence-based policies and practices as a way of reaching their goals for improving student outcomes. However, SEA and LEA staff may need support to identify evidence-based policies and practices, understand the research behind them, or effectively monitor or evaluate their success. RELs partner with these stakeholders to support them in identifying and implementing evidence-informed actions that ultimately support the improvement of student outcomes.

V. Scope of work and requirements

Task 1: REL Management and Reporting

Subtask 1.1 Participate in a kickoff call with ED and attend a REL kickoff meeting.

Within one week after the effective date of the contract, the REL shall schedule a call with the IES’s Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR), Contracting Officer (CO), and Contract Specialist (CS) to introduce the key personnel and discuss expectations of the in-person program-wide kickoff meeting to be held within five weeks of contract award. The REL shall bring three personnel, including the Director and Deputy Director, to meet in Washington, DC with the COR, CO, CS for the contract kick-off meeting. Within two weeks after the meeting, the REL shall submit a summary of the meeting discussions, including any outstanding issues raised and plans to address these issues.

Subtask 1.2 Communicate regularly with IES.

The REL – at a minimum, the Director and Deputy Director – shall participate in regularly scheduled (at least twice per month) meetings with the COR to discuss issues related to the REL contract, including any anticipated problems and proposed solutions to those problems, and update the COR on key milestones for REL projects. The REL shall send an agenda for the call at least two working days before each call so that both the REL and COR are aware of the main issues that will be addressed during the call. Within five working days following each meeting, the REL shall prepare a memo summarizing the key issues and concerns raised at the meeting and how each will be addressed.

The Director or Deputy Director shall communicate with the COR on a regular basis, such as by phone or email, to discuss urgent points and follow-up as needed.

Subtask 1.3 Attend biannual REL Program meetings.

The REL – specifically, the Director and one other key personnel[footnoteRef:20] – shall attend two, one- to two-day REL Program meetings. Meetings may be in person in Washington DC, or virtual. The first REL Program meeting will be in person. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss issues and accomplishments related to the REL and the REL Program and consider ways to improve the functioning or outcomes of the REL Program. IES will coordinate the logistics for this REL Program meeting. [20: The REL Director, Deputy Director, and task leads are considered key personnel for the REL contracts.]

Subtask 1.4 Present REL portfolio annually to Department staff.

The REL shall present current and proposed work to REL Program and other invited IES and Department of Education staff in Washington, DC annually beginning in Year 2 of the contract. The purpose of the presentation is to ensure that other Department staff are aware of REL work and can discuss how this work connects or could potentially connect with other Department work. The REL shall submit briefing materials to the COR at least three weeks before the meeting. At least three REL staff shall plan on attending the one-day meeting. Within one week of each portfolio presentation, the REL shall submit a summary memo of items discussed at the meeting.

Subtask 1.5 Identify, establish, maintain, and convene the Governing Board.

The REL shall effectively manage all tasks with guidance from a statutorily required Governing Board, as specified in Section 174(h) of ESRA. The REL shall appoint members to the REL Governing Board to meet the following requirements:

· The composition of the REL Governing Board shall represent the interests of all states and other appropriate constituencies in the region.

· The REL shall offer every chief state school officer in the region the opportunity to serve on the REL Governing Board, or to designate a personal representative to serve.

· The composition of the REL Governing Board shall include a diversity of expertise and experience, including education researchers, educators, and individuals representing the interests of learners in economically disadvantaged areas, both rural and urban, and other underserved learners; see Section 174(h) of ESRA for additional information on the composition of the Governing Board.

· The REL Governing Board shall be separate from the REL’s corporate board and shall meet on a different day from any corporate board meeting.

· The REL Governing Board shall convene at least two times each year, with at least one in-person meeting.[footnoteRef:21] Additional meetings of the REL Governing Board may be conducted as needed. In-person meetings shall be at least one full day to allow ample time for the board to fulfill its duties. All in-person meetings shall be held at a location within the region. [21: “In-person” Governing Board meetings may be hybrid (in-person with an option to attend virtually) if necessary to improve attendance.]

· The REL shall ensure that members clearly understand the roles, responsibilities, and the procedures of the REL Governing Board. This includes ensuring that all REL Governing Board members are onboarded, and are kept informed of the work of the REL between meetings so that the REL Governing Board may maximize the time available during Board meetings to fulfill their responsibilities, including:

· Identifying and sharing the needs of the education constituency they represent with the REL.

· Providing strategic guidance on REL work and how the REL shall carry out its activities for maximum effectiveness and efficiency towards addressing regional needs and fulfilling intended outcomes, reduce unnecessary activities and/or activities redundant with other activities in the region, increase collaboration and resource sharing, and other activities as specified in Section 174(h) of ESRA. Governing Board members are expected to provide timely input and guidance on the needs and projects that impact the constituency they represent.

· Leveraging their connections within the region to amplify products developed by RELs and the WWC to relevant stakeholders or organizations.

RELs shall provide Governing Board members the opportunity to provide meaningful input and guidance on projects that impact the constituency they represent, as those projects are being proposed and executed. Because the work of the REL will be proposed, approved, and executed on a rolling basis, biannual Governing Board meetings should not be the only opportunity Governing Board members have to provide such input and guidance. RELs are expected to communicate with their Governing Board members on a consistent basis to provide them the information they need to fulfill their duties in a timely manner.

Within five weeks of the effective date of the contract, the REL shall submit to IES a report on the establishment of the REL Governing Board, board procedures, a list of members, and analysis of how the Governing Board meets the representational requirements.

The first REL Governing Board meeting shall be held within the first ten weeks of the contract effective date. After the initial meeting, meeting agendas shall be created in consultation with the Governing Board members at least 6 weeks before the Governing Board meeting occurs. The meeting agenda shall reflect a commitment by the REL to engage the Governing Board members actively in the decision-making of the REL. The agenda and meeting materials shall be submitted for approval by IES at least three weeks before each meeting. The REL shall submit to IES minutes, actions, and a discussion of how the REL will use Governing Board feedback to adjust their proposed or ongoing work within two weeks after each meeting.

RELs shall also keep their COR informed of potential additions to or resignations from their Governing Board. While the addition of new Governing Board members must be approved by current Governing Board members, RELs shall propose new Governing Board members to the COR in advance of proposing members to the Governing Board, and provide the COR with a justification as to why a potential Governing Board member is well situated to further the work of the REL.

Subtask 1.6 Submit a Bi‐annual Assessment of Progress Report.

The Bi-annual Assessment of Progress will serve as a living document that provides the most up- to-date information about the REL’s work. The Bi-annual Assessment of Progress should offer a retrospective review of the REL’s work to date, with a short description of next steps if the partnerships or projects lend themselves to future work. RELs will not propose new work in the Bi-annual Assessment of Progress, as RELs are permitted and encouraged to propose new projects throughout the year as needs in the region arise.

The REL shall use the plan included in the contract proposal to inform the first Bi-Annual Assessment of Progress, with more guidance to follow post award. This initial report will not require an assessment of progress or lessons learned from collaborating and coordinating with partners. In subsequent submissions, each task will be updated. Tasks 1 and 2 will likely require minimal updates. The remainder of the Bi-Assessment of Progress will be organized by sets of projects in partnership and it shall include, but may not be limited to: (1) a description of approved and active partnerships; (2) the composition of each partnership; (3) a logic model and accompanying narrative that depicts and describes relationships between projects and their alignment to short-term, medium-term, and long-term outcomes of the partnership; (4) measurable targets for each outcome; (5) a measurement plan aligned to each outcome; and (6) an assessment of progress toward meeting partnerships’ short-term and medium-term outcomes and targets, (7) lessons learned from collaborating and coordinating with partners; and (8) the names of partnership leads and principal investigators for research, training, coaching, and technical support projects. Any projects that are not associated with an approved partnership shall be organized by jurisdiction. RELs shall include information for non-partnership projects similar to what is required for the partnership projects, with the exception of the logic model requirements.

The first Bi-Annual Assessment of Progress is due within 14 weeks of the…