Addendum_4_-_Q&A.pdf

HillsboroughSchools.org • P.O. Box 3408 • Tampa, FL 33601-3408 • (813) 272-4000 Raymond O. Shelton School Administrative Center • 901 East Kennedy Blvd. • Tampa, FL 33602-3507

Superintendent Van Ayres

PROCUREMENT SERVICES

ADDENDUM TO COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION

April 20, 2026

Competitive Solicitation No. and Name: 26111-RFP-EST Tutoring Services for Federal Programs

Addendum #: 4

NOTICE TO ALL POTENTIAL BIDDERS/PROPOSERS/RESPONDENTS

The above-referenced competitive solicitation is modified as outlined in this addendum. The original competitive solicitation documents and any previously issued addenda remain in full force and effect, except as modified by this addendum, which is hereby made part of the competitive solicitation. Respondents must consider this Addendum when preparing and submitting their bid/proposal/quote/reply.

1. Questions and Answers

The following questions and answers are provided as a matter of information to clarify issues raised regarding the competitive solicitation. To the extent that changes to the competitive solicitation are required based on the questions received, the competitive solicitation has been modified as noted above in the competitive solicitation section of this addendum.

Question Answer Will the district accept bids from virtual-only tutoring providers?

Yes.

Is the district accepting proposals for ALL-VIRTUAL tutoring services?

Yes.

Please provide the number of students that will participate in this program.

Varies, depending on site needs.

Please provide the program dates for this opportunity (i.e. start date and end date)

The contract start date will be the day after the School Board approves and awards the RFP. See Sec. 1.3 of the RFP. For the contracted employees, the start date in school sites varies depending on the needs. Any opportunities would begin in the 2026-27 school year.

Please provide the session length of the tutoring program.

30–45-minute sessions, 2-3 days per week to meet the expectation for "high dosage" tutoring.

Please provide the program frequency (i.e will the program take place Monday-Friday)

The program would take place Mondays-Fridays; Sites need to have flexibility in scheduling. In some instances, the services would be held outside of the school day, as part of our extended learning opportunities.

Will this program be before, during or afterschool? It can be a combination of all three depending on the needs of the site.

Given that services would be provided during the school day, are we required to be available 24/7?

We are available standard business hours 7am - 5pm

EST

Some sites may be interested in Saturday academies. In addition, middle school after-school tutoring may also extend beyond 5 pm.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 2 of 8 26111-RFP-EST Tutoring Services for Federal Programs

1.6.1 Minimum Requirements, bullet 3 states:

“Contracted tutors must be willing to meet the appropriate level of clearance to be on sites with students”. Can you define what HCPS defines as the “appropriate level of clearance” in this context?

Refer to Jessica Lunsford Act - Sec. 6 General Terms and Conditions.

2.5.1 Evaluation Phase 1: Description has four

sections, labeled Section 1, Section 3, Section 6 and Small Business Encouragement Program (SBEP). Are these numbers meant to correlate with the sections in the RFP document (i.e. Section 1 in table = RFP 1 Scope of Services, Section 3 in table = RFP 3 Qualifications and Experience, Section 6 in table = RFP 6 General Terms and Conditions?)

In the same regard, are we required to also respond to Sections 2, 4, and 5 from the RFP? Are these sections evaluated for points?

See Addendum 1.

2.5.1 Evaluation Phase 1: Description – the table

indicates Section 6 Cost/Value, but in the RFP Section 6 is the Terms and Conditions and Section 5 is the Cost Proposal. Can you confirm if we are meant to respond to Section 5 for these 35 points?

See Addendum 1.

Where in the RFP would you like us to include the required forms in Section 4? Should we be responding to Sections 1 -6 of the RFP in our response?

See Addendum 1. Please read the whole RFP document for the requirements of documents for the bid submission.

Please review Sec 1, 2, and 3 for information.

Regarding 5. Cost/Value – 5.1 Price Sheet-is there a format we should be following for the Price Sheet we are required to provide, or should we provide costs in our standard format?

Proposers must provide a detailed breakdown of all pricing and any applicable costs related to this RFP. There is no specific format required.

Are we meant to respond to 5.2 STATEMENT OF WORK (“SOW”) within the separate Cost document referenced in 5.1 Price Sheet? If not, where should we respond to these questions?

Yes, you can have a separate document for the price sheet and statement of work.

Regarding the Cover Letter: Can you define what information you are looking for in the cover letter to meet this requirement: “Principles, including contact information”. Is this a list of our President, VP, etc or something else?

Contact information refers to the company's decision-makers.

Please provide the vendor that was previous awarded this contract and the rate that they provided.

This is a new solicitation—no current vendors.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 3 of 8

Regarding Section 3.4 Qualifications Summary, the RFP reads: “The Proposer shall provide a 2 to 4-page summary of their qualifications [. . .] Provide information regarding past working relationships on similar projects. This section also consists of the following … followed by three bullets (Key Personnel., Technical Staff. Proposer Resources/Equipment). Does the content of these three bullets which require resumes that can be multiple pages long, need to fit into the 2 – 4 page limit? Or are the bullets not separate from the 2-4 the page limit?

Resumes can be on a separate sheet.

Regarding Section 3.4 – can you define the difference between Key Personnel and Technical Staff in the context of this RFP?

Key Personnel are the decision makers of your organization, and the technical staff pertains to the people related to the operations of your business/company.

Can HCPS clarify expectations for vendor communication and response times, including whether the 30-minute response requirement refers to acknowledgment or full resolution, and during what hours this applies?

It is expected that vendors meet weekly with the site contact.

It is expected that emails are acknowledged and responded to within 24 hours.

What is the expected timeline for onboarding and initial service delivery following award (e.g., anticipated start window and whether rollout will be phased or immediate)?

It is expected that the rollout of individual sites is within 2 weeks of School Board approval. It is based on the site start date and site selection.

Can HCPS clarify the expected delivery model mix between virtual and in-person tutoring? Is one modality preferred or weighted differently in evaluation?

No. This is for a bank/pool that sites would decide, so either or both are fine, as sites will select from the bank/pool to see what would meet their needs.

Will tutoring be district-coordinated or school-site driven (i.e., will vendors contract centrally or work directly with individual schools)?

School-site driven for the most part. There may be grant funded opportunity driven by the district.

What are the priority grade levels and subject areas (e.g., early literacy vs secondary math)?

Literacy and Math.

Are vendors expected to participate in any outcomes-based or performance-based payment models, or is this strictly fee-for-service?

Fee for service.

How does HCPS anticipate allocating work across multiple awarded vendors (e.g., school choice, district assignment, performance-based allocation)?

HCPS will allocate by school choice.

Is there an estimated number of students or schools expected to utilize tutoring services in Year 1?

We do not know this time as this is our first year so we cannot predict what sites will request.

Are there any minimum participation or volume guarantees, or is utilization entirely at the school level?

Schools will make that decision.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 4 of 8

Does HCPS prefer per-student, per-session, or hourly pricing models, or are all structures acceptable?

We prefer per student or per session.

Are there any pricing caps, benchmarks, or expectations vendors should be aware of given Title I funding constraints?

None at this time, although title one does require the lowest price purchase for comparable services, so it will depend on our providers as well.

Should program management and administrative costs be bundled into tutoring rates or listed separately?

Separately.

How heavily will local presence or Florida-based experience factor into the evaluation?

References will be reviewed, and relevance/knowledge of the benchmarks is important.

Regarding the Price Sheet – can you clarify the unit type HCPS prefers the vendor to use for this RFP? For example, should the tutoring be priced at an hourly rate, per-student rate, per session rate, or something else?

We prefer per student or per session.

Can you share how the district plans to communicate the availability of approved tutoring vendors to district and school leaders, and what structures will be in place to support awareness, access, and utilization across sites?

It will be shared with Title I principals via email through our Title I office and other sites, as funding allows, using our district platforms and systems.

Can HCPS please confirm the exact recommended submission structure and whether proposers should upload separate files for (1) proposal narrative, (2) qualifications/resumes, (3) required forms, (4) price sheet, and (5) statement of work?

Proposer must submit the required forms and their narrative technical proposal. Refer to Sec. 2 Proposer Instruction. Please label each title/ section accordingly.

For proof of insurance at time of proposal, is a current ACORD certificate sufficient, or does HCPS require the certificate holder and additional insured language to specifically name The School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida at submission?

The Proposer must provide proof of insurance with their proposal to meet the minimum qualifications. - Sec. 3.2.5 of the RFP.

Upon award, the awarded vendor must maintain an insurance policy in effect. - Sec. 3.4.1

Must the three business references be submitted using HCPS’ reference form completed by the referenced customer, or may equivalent written references/letters be accepted if all requested information is included?

Proposer must submit business references using the HCPS business reference forms provided in the solicitation documents. See. RFP Sec. 2.4.7 Forms - Unless otherwise specified, proposers must use the form(s) furnished by HCPS.

Failure to do so may cause the rejection of the proposal.

For the price sheet, does HCPS prefer hourly rates, per-student pricing, per-site/program pricing, or a combination, provided all applicable costs are included?

We prefer per student or per session.

Section 1.8.2 requires response within 30 minutes of contact. Is this expectation limited to urgent district/site communications during business hours and active program operations, or is it intended as a 24/7 all-days requirement for all inquiries?

It is expected that vendors meet weekly with the site contact.

It is expected that emails are acknowledged and responded to within 24 hours. See RFP Sec. 1.8.2.

Can HCPS clarify the expected cadence and format of weekly updates and data analysis to the district (for example: attendance, rostering, progress, engagement, site issues, or other required metrics)?

The expectation is that the vendor will work directly with the sites to determine cadence and communication. At minimum, weekly progress emails and updates should be sent, as should data updates based on agreed upon data tools.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 5 of 8

Can HCPS clarify how work will be allocated across awarded vendors (for example: district assignment, school choice, or another process)?

School choice as funding allows. There are times that grants are created and may also involve district assignment in that case, as the district serves as the project manager in that instance.

For the price sheet, does HCPS prefer hourly rates, per-student pricing, per-session pricing, per-site/program pricing, or a combination, provided all applicable costs are included?

We prefer per student or per session.

Section 1.8.2 requires response within 30 minutes of contact. Does this refer to acknowledgment of receipt or full issue resolution, and during what hours is this expectation intended to apply?

It is expected that vendors meet weekly with the site contact.

It is expected that emails are acknowledged and responded to within 24 hours.

Must the three business references be submitted using HCPS’s reference form completed by the referenced customer, or may equivalent written references be accepted if they contain all requested information?

Proposer must submit business references using the HCPS business reference forms provided in the solicitation documents. See. RFP Sec. 2.4.7 Forms - Unless otherwise specified, proposers must use the form(s) furnished by HCPS.

Failure to do so may cause the rejection of the proposal.

Can HCPS clarify the expected cadence and format of weekly updates and data analysis to the district, including the key metrics expected?

The expectation is that the vendor will work directly with the sites to determine cadence and communication. At minimum, weekly progress emails and updates should be sent, as should data updates based on agreed upon data tools.

Is there a specific order the district wants the response sequenced and formatted? If so, how should the response be formatted?

Please provide your response or information based on the section sequence order of the solicitation documents. See Sec.

2 of the RFP.

Does the project manager need to live locally and meet with the district in-person, or can they meet remotely?

The project manager should be local and be able to observe tutoring sessions and meet with administration when needed.

What qualifications are needed for the subcontractors?

The Proposer must identify their subcontractor in their proposal submission. Refer to Sec. 3.2.4 Subcontractors. The Contractor shall serve as the prime contractor, shall be responsible for all actions taken by its subcontractors, and shall bear all liability for the actions of its subcontractors under the Agreement. The Proposer must identify each subcontractor in the Proposal. Each subcontractor must obtain HCPS’ approval and comply with all the Contractor’s requirements herein. All references herein to the Contractor apply to the subcontractor(s) as well.

Subcontractor means any organization that the Contractor utilizes for the provision of commodities and contractual services subject to the Agreement. The Contractor must notify HCPS for prior approval as to the use of or replacement of any subcontractor.

Can you clarify the page limits on the on the Qualifications Summary? Do the resumes count toward the 2-4 page total?

Resumes can be on a separate page/s.

In what units does the district want to see the pricing for these services? i.e., hourly, per student, per session etc?

We prefer per student or per session.

Can you please clarify what is meant by "white papers" in section 1.7 "Do you have white papers from other large urban districts similar to HCPS?"

"White papers" would be research studies that show the effectiveness of the tutoring company and services in districts similar to HCPS.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 6 of 8

On the pre-bid call, it was stated verbally that the Jessica Lunsford Act (JLA) / contractor badging requirement applies to virtual providers. Because the statute is written around individuals accessing school sites while students are present, can you please confirm whether HCPS intends this JLA badging requirement to apply to virtual-only providers whose staff never physically access HCPS campuses? For additional context, all tutoring sessions are supervised by district personnel physically in the room.

Contracted employees who will be interacting with students, in-person or virtually, must comply with the JLA policy.

If the JLA requirement applies to virtual staff, could you please outline the exact compliance process (forms to complete, where to submit them, and where fingerprinting and badging will be performed, etc.)?

Once the RFP is approved and awarded by the Board, the badging process will be communicated by HCPS Human Resources Dept. and end-user's department.

How will tutoring services be delivered — in-person, virtual, or hybrid?

It will depend on the school's needs.

During what hours will services take place (school day, after school, etc.)?

Could be either, although most will be during the school day.

Who is responsible for scheduling tutoring sessions? That would be a partnership with the vendor and the site. It would be expected that the vendor work with their individual tutors to ensure the agreed-upon schedule is followed.

Who manages student absences and make-up sessions?

The vendor's project manager should be handling the day-to-day operations including absences and missed sessions.

How is student attendance tracked? The vendor is expected to keep a student roster and maintain student attendance at tutoring sessions.

What is the required format or frequency of reporting?

It can vary, written reports, PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, etc.

Are there specific documentation or reporting requirements tied to the program?

It can vary, such as written reports, PowerPoint presentations, spreadsheets, etc.

Are there audit or compliance requirements vendors should be aware of?

Vendors must complete and upload student rosters and timesheets of tutors weekly in order to be paid for services.

Can the district please clarify their requirements for alignment with Florida benchmarks? Does alignment to FL`s B.E.S.T. standards meeting this requirement?

Yes.

If tutoring services are provided only during the school day, please clarify whether the 24/7 availability and 30-minute response requirement applies outside of scheduled instructional hours.

Emails are expected to be responded to within 24 hours.

Some schools may have after hours tutoring as part of extended learning, and it is expected that the tutoring vendor is available during that time.

Please confirm how the 30-minute response time will be measured (e.g., acknowledgment vs.

resolution, business hours vs. full 24-hour clock, and acceptable communication methods).

Responses to requests within 24 hours. Most communication is via email.

Please clarify the District’s preferred pricing structure (e.g., per student, per group, hourly, or another format).

We prefer per student or per session.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 7 of 8

Can the District provide estimated or anticipated student participation ranges (e.g., by grade band, funding source, or school count) to support appropriate staffing, pricing, and implementation planning?

We cannot, as it will vary based on school needs and funding allocations.

Please clarify preferred rostering and data integration methods.

We use ClassLink.

Per another question asked about what payment model this District uses, the District`s response was "fee for service". Can you clarify if payment will only be rendered when students are present for services, i.e., student absence means the vendor will not be paid for services?

Vendors are required to upload time sheets and rosters weekly in order to get paid. Absences can be recorded on the time sheet.

Normally we partner with our district when it comes to tracking student attendance and progress. Would the district be open to working in conjunction with us to track these metrics ?

We would need to know more about that. Usually, our vendors maintain attendance rosters.

Will the district provide the curriculum for the tutoring?

The District can provide resources.

Would the district be open to seeing other services we can offer?

Not at this time. This RFP is specific to tutoring.

Since the district will be partnering with multiple agencies for this project. Will the district want every agency to have a project manager, or will the district assign one?

A program manager for every agency. We do not have a project manager for individual tutoring projects. We do have a district contact who can be of support when needed.

If we partner with the district in other departments, can we use them as one of our references?

We prefer non-HCPS references. HCPS preferred references shall be in the following order: school districts, Hillsborough County, Florida-based references, and State of Florida-based references. Large municipalities or local governments, and the private sector. See Sec. 3.2.6.

Would the district be open to reviewing submissions from agencies to just provide the tutors?

No.

Would the district accept references for relevant experience such as placing large quantities of General education teachers or ESE teachers?

If it is relevant to the scope of the RFP.

Is a remote fingerprinting service such a FieldPrint considered compliant with the Jessica Lunsford Act?

Or will tutors need to be physically present in a Florida district for fingerprinting?

Once the RFP is approved and awarded, the fingerprinting process and the facility information will be communicated to the awarded vendor/s by the HCPS Human Resource Department, Is there an estimation of how many vendors HCPS intends to award?

We do have an exact number of vendors to award. We intend to award multiple vendors based on the highest-ranked score(s)

Section 1.6.2 requires that vendors "Maintain accurate data records, including student rosters, and ensure that online tutoring can be rostered through district-approved methods and software."

What are the district-approved methods and software for rostering?

We use Classlink for rostering. We roster by course, site, and job code.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 8 of 8

Is tutoring to be delivered on a scheduled basis, or is it the district`s intent to provide on demand tutoring?

Delivered at scheduled times.

Is HCPS seeking only single-student tutoring sessions? Or is the district also seeking small group sessions (2-5 students per session)?

Small group sessions for the most part. There may be a need for individual, but usually schools do small groups.

Tutor Qualifications:

Addendum #2 states that "The Contractor must ensure their contracted tutors meet the following qualifications:

- Has an Associate or Bachelor’s Degree in any field/subject area, preferably a Bachelor’s Degree in Education.

- Has a valid Florida Teacher Certification."

Are tutors required to have both the degree and the FL teacher certification, or can they meet one of the criteria?

Does this addendum override any statements shared during the pre-bid meeting? Is a vendor ineligible to apply if their tutors do not have a valid FL teacher certification or an associate/bachelor`s degree?

Please refer to Addendum 3. See Sec. 2.2 - Nothing stated at the Conference or site visit shall amend this RFP unless and until a change is made via written addenda on VendorLink.

Section 1.6 Minimum Requirements states, in part, "The Contractor must implement a thorough vetting process to ensure that all their candidates/contracted employees fulfill the licenses and certifications before placements to HCPS school sites." Could the district please clarify the license and certification requirements?

Bachelors or AA degree, teaching certification preferred.

This Addendum shall be construed and governed by the laws of the State of Florida.

Sincerely, Christy Perales, Procurement Officer

THE BIDDER/PROPOSER/RESPONDENT MUST ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THIS ADDENDUM WITH YOUR

BID/PROPOSAL/REPLY ON THE FORM PROVIDED IN THE COMPETITIVE SOLICITATION.

1. Questions and Answers