Amendment_5_QC_for_RFP_33101-25070FAF5_Comp_Literacy_State_Dev_FINAL.pdf
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- Attached to
- Comprehensive Literacy State Development - UPDATED State and local contract opportunity
- Solicitation number
- RFQ 33101-25070FAF5
- Issued by
- Davidson County, Tennessee
About this file
This is Amendment #05 to Request for Qualifications (RFQ) #33101-25070FAF5 issued by the State of Tennessee Department of Education for Comprehensive Literacy State Development. The RFQ seeks qualified contractors to provide literacy support services to approximately 60 selected Local Education Agencies (LEAs), public charter schools, and state-sponsored schools across Tennessee over a five-year period. Contractors must deliver twenty (20) in-person direct support days annually to each LEA partner, facilitate and analyze Instructional Practice Guide (IPG) and High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) Implementation Framework data collection three times yearly, create three asynchronous learning modules per year, maintain attendance records, and participate in virtual contractor meetings. The RFQ response deadline is October 10, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, with technical response evaluations to be completed by October 24, 2025. Cost proposals will be opened November 7, 2025 for apparent successful respondents, followed by negotiations on November 10-11, 2025. The State's Notice of Intent to Award will be released November 12, 2025, with the protest period ending November 19, 2025 and contractor signature deadline set for November 24, 2025.
Respondents must achieve a minimum score of 80 points on their RFQ technical responses to be added to the State-approved contractor list, with no predetermined limit on the number of contractors to be selected. Each selected LEA/Public Charter/SSS will receive an $80,000 annual allocation per contractor, which is inclusive of all deliverables including direct support days, data collection and analysis, asynchronous module development, attendance record maintenance, and contractor meeting participation; no compensation is provided for travel expenses. The learning modules will be hosted on the State's Online Academic Tool using the TeachAll Learning Management System, with the State's Digital Learning Team responsible for building content within the LMS based on contractor-provided storyboards and templates. Funding derives from the Literacy Materials Implementation Support Grant. Selected LEAs will be notified of their grant status upon RFQ completion and Pro Forma Contract execution. The multi-year contracts are intended to span the full five-year grant term, subject to modification based on service quality, contractor impact, and fund availability.
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09-20-18 RFP-AMEND
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 1 of 14
STATE OF TENNESSEE
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS # 33101-25070FAF5
AMENDMENT # 05
FOR COMPREHENSIVE LITERACY STATE
DEVELOPMENT
DATE: September 30, 2025
RFP # 33101-25070FAF5 IS AMENDED AS FOLLOWS:
1. This RFQ Schedule of Events updates and confirms scheduled RFQ dates. Any event, time, or date containing revised or new text is highlighted.
EVENT
TIME
(Central
Time Zone)
DATE
(all dates are
State business days)
1. RFQ Issued July 16, 2025
2. Disability Accommodation Request Deadline 2:00 p.m. July 22, 2025
3. Pre-Response Conference 10:30 a.m. July 24, 2025
4. Notice of Intent to Respond Deadline 2:00 p.m. July 25, 2025
5. RFQ Amendment 1 July 25, 2025
6. Written “Questions & Comments” Deadline 2:00 p.m. August 4, 2025
7. Amendment 2 – Schedule Change August 22, 2025
8. Amendment 3 – Schedule Change August 29, 2025
9. Amendment 4 – Schedule Change September 16, 2025
10.
State response to written “Questions & Comments”
September 30, 2025
11. RFQ Response Deadline 2:00 p.m. October 10, 2025
12.
State Completion of Technical Response Evaluations
October 24, 2025
13.
RFQ Cost Proposal Opened (ONLY for the apparent successful Respondents)
2:00 p.m. November 7, 2025
14. RFQ Negotiations (if applicable) November 10-11, RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 2 of 14
15.
State Notice of Intent to Award Released and RFQ Files Opened for Public Inspection
2:00 p.m. November 12, 2025
16. End of Protest Period November 19, 2025
17.
State sends contract to Contractors for signature
November 20, 2025
18. Contractor Signature Deadline 2:00 p.m. November 24, 2025
2. State responses to questions and comments in the table below amend and clarify this RFQ.
Any restatement of RFQ text in the Question/Comment column shall NOT be construed as a change in the actual wording of the RFP document.
RFP
SECTION
PAGE
QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
General 1. When will the grant happen to select the 60 districts to be served?
The sixty (60) districts will be selected as soon as the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) has been fully completed and Pro Forma Contracts have been executed.
General 2. Would the State please clarify whether this is an RFP for a preferred vendor list or a specific task order contract?
If a preferred vendor list, would the State be able to share how many vendors they intend to add to the list?
Respondent(s) will be selected based on obtaining a minimum of 80 points or more on their RFQ responses.
These selected Respondent(s) will be added to a State-approved contractor list. There is not a set number of contractors the State is seeking to award contracts to.
General 3. Would the State please clarify if there is a preference for firms who are based in TN?
No preference on the physical location of the potential contractors providing service throughout the State of Tennessee. However, it is important for contractors to be attuned to Tennessee-specific work occurring regarding literacy and comply with Tennessee state laws.
Pro Forma Contract Section A.3.a.
Page
4. Are the 20 direct support days expected to be in person, onsite?
Yes.
Pro Forma Contract Section A.3.c.
Page
5. Will the asynchronous learning modules be housed in the TDOE platform?
Yes, the learning modules will be housed on the Online Academic Tool site using the TeachAll LMS.
RFQ section
1.1. Statement
of Procurement Purpose
6. Is the $80,000 annual grant allocation for each LEA/Public Charter/SSS inclusive of the 20 days of support and 3 IPG walkthroughs or is it also inclusive of the development of the asynchronous learning modules?
The $80,000.00 for contractual support includes planning and delivering direct support days;
planning, facilitating, and analyzing data from learning walk data collection; development and creation of asynchronous learning modules;
maintaining and reporting attendance records; and attending contractor meetings.
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 3 of 14
PAGE
QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
Pro Forma Contract Section A.3.e.
Page
7. What are the expectations for the contractor meetings, and will these meetings include discussions related to the development of the asynchronous learning modules?
The contractor meetings will be virtual meetings to collaborate with all the selected contractors and the State team to align the work, develop learning modules topics, analyze data, and discuss support.
Pro Forma Contract Section A.4.
Page
8. What are the expectations around reporting on the IPG data?
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEA/Public Charter/SSS and shared with the State to track statewide trends. The State will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year.
General 9. Will contractors create asynchronous modules, on the topic stated, specific to the districts their partnering with, or will the state work to identify vendor(s) to create a common set of modules?
The topics of the asynchronous modules will be determined based on statewide priorities and support needed by LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. These topics will be selected by the State to ensure ongoing support to meet the identified grant goals.
Pro Forma Contract A.3.e.
Page
10. Is it expected that the contractor meetings also be in-person?
The contractor meetings will be virtual meetings to collaborate with all selected contractors and the State team to align the work, develop learning modules topics, and discuss support.
General 11. Will subcontractors need an Edison ID number? Subcontractors are not required to have a separate Edison ID number.
Pro Forma Contract Section A.3.c.
Page
12. Is there a preferred authoring tool for the asynchronous modules?
The State’s Digital Learning Team (“DLT”) will host an onboarding session to identify the process for submitting the asynchronous modules. These modules will be built by the DLT based on the provided template within the State’s LMS, to be posted on the Online Academic Tool.
Pro Forma Contract Section A.3.c.
Page
13. Is there an exact time length for the modules? The learning modules will be between 45 and 90 minutes long depending on the topic and content.
The goal is to have the session created to allow leaders and educators to be able to complete the training during preparation time during the school day.
Pro Forma Contract Section A.3.c.
Page
14. For the asynch course, are you looking for vendors to deliver a story board or are there certain technical requirements we should know about?
The State’s Digital Learning Team (“DLT”) will host an onboarding session to identify the process for submitting the asynchronous modules. Contractors will submit the course content in a prescribed template, but the course itself will be built by the DLT within the TeachALL LMS. These modules will be
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 4 of 14
PAGE
QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
converted to our LMS to post on the Online Academic Tool. The content for the sessions will be discussed prior to creating the required documents to ensure alignment of content.
General 15. Is there a list available for the 60 selected LEAs that have a Comprehensive Literacy State Development (“CLSD”) Grant?
Selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS will be notified of their grant status as soon as the RFQ has been fully completed and Pro Forma Contracts have been executed.
RFQ Section 1.1.
16. I am writing to request a clarification regarding Section 1.1, specifically around the first bullet point that states "Provide the equivalent of twenty (20) direct support days to each LEA/Public Charter/SSS annually for five (5) years focused on the priorities identified in the Literacy Materials Implementation Support Grant." What can the 20 days of direct support per district look like (i.e., strategic planning, training, coaching, virtual work, asynchronous training, etc)?
The equivalent to twenty (20) support days will be different based on the needs of the LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. This in-person support could include planning, training, coaching, learning walks, or other activities to support the goals of the grant. These support days will be approved by the State to ensure alignment to statewide literacy strategies and the goals of the grant.
RFQ Section 1.1.
17. For the service described as "Facilitating and analyzing Instructional Practice Guide (“IPG”) and HQIM Implementation Framework data collection three (3) times a year during the CLSD Grant term;" can you clarify if this is intended to be three times with each partner LEA per year, or three times total per year?
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEA/Public Charter/SSS and shared with the State to track statewide trends. The State will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year.
RFQ Section 1.1.
18. For the service described as "Creating three (3) Asynchronous learning modules each year of the CLSD Grant term focused on the priorities identified in the Literacy Materials Implementation Support Grant with topics selected by the State;" can you clarify if the contractors are developing three asynchronous learning modules per partner LEA per year, or three asynchronous learning modules total per year?
Contractors will be creating three (3) asynchronous learning modules total per year.
RFQ Section 1.1.
19. For the 20 direct support days to LEAs, are these days intended to be direct-to-teacher/leader instructional coaching and consulting days, whole group professional development, or a mixture of both at the contractor's discretion?
The equivalent to twenty (20) support days will be different based on the needs of the LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. This in-person support could include planning, training, coaching, learning walks, or other activities to support the goals of the grant. These support days will be approved by the State to ensure alignment to statewide literacy strategies and the goals of the grant.
RFQ Section 1.1.
20. What constitutes/classifies engagement in a direct support visit?
Engagement during in-person support days would be actively working collaboratively to impact
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 5 of 14
PAGE
QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
instruction based on the goals of the selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS.
The equivalent to twenty (20) support days will be different based on the needs of the LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. This in-person support could include planning, training, coaching, learning walks, or other activities to support the goals of the grant. These support days will be approved by the State to ensure alignment to statewide literacy strategies and the goals of the grant.
RFQ Section 1.1.
21. How should engagement be measured? Contractors will submit attendance records and engagement during in-person support days and qualitative updates during contractor meetings.
General 22. Is the State creating a survey to measure engagement?
There will be State-created surveys to measure engagement and contractor-created tracking tools to measure engagement and report participation.
RFQ
Attachment D Cost Proposal
Page
23. If the cost for A.3.e. or A.3.d. is included in A.3.a., can $0 cost be indicated on the cost sheet for those line items?
Yes.
General 24. Will the contract with each LEA/Public Charter/SSS be for the duration of the five-year grant as a multi-year contract or are the LEA/Public Charter/SSS free to choose a vendor each year?
The intent is for the selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS to have a multi-year contract for the duration of the grant. This could change based on the quality of services, impact of contractor support, and grant funds availability.
RFQ Section 1.1.
25. Will the asynchronous learning modules be housed in the TDOE platform?
Yes, the learning modules will be housed on the Online Academic Tool site using the TeachAll LMS.
RFQ Section 1.1.
26. Is the $80,000 annual grant allocation for each LEA/Public Charter/SSS inclusive of the 20 days of support and 3 IPG walkthroughs or is it also inclusive of the development of the asynchronous learning modules?
The $80,000.00 for contractual support includes planning and delivering direct support days;
planning, facilitating, and analyzing data from learning walk data collection; development and creation of asynchronous learning modules;
maintaining and reporting attendance records; and attending contractor meetings
RFQ Section 1.1.
27. Are vendors expected to create 3 IPG walkthroughs for each LEA/Public Charter/SSS each year of the grant or is it 3 IPG walkthroughs to utilize with all LEA/Public Charter/SSS partners each year?
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEA/Public Charter/SSS and shared with the State to track statewide trends. The State will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year.
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 6 of 14
PAGE
QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
RFQ Section 1.1.
28. What are the expectations for the contractor meetings, and will these meetings include discussions related to the development of the asynchronous learning modules?
The contractor meetings will be virtual meetings to collaborate with all selected contractors and the State team to align the work, develop learning modules topics, and discuss support.
General 29. What are the expectations around reporting on the IPG data?
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEA/Public Charter/SSS and shared with the State to track statewide trends. The State will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year.
RFQ Section 1.1.
30. What is the timeline for Year 1 of the Literacy Materials Implementation Support Grant? Will districts receive the full amount of funds for Year 1 if there is a shortened timeline? If so, are the requirements the same as subsequent years (e.g., are 20 days of support expected in Year 1 if the timeline is shorter)?
Selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS will receive the full amount of funds for Year 1. Contractors will work with each LEA/Public Charter/SSS to ensure all grant requirements occur during the first year of the grant.
Each subsequent year will have the same requirements for support.
RFQ Section 1.1.
31. Can the twenty direct support days be a combination of in-person and virtual support, determined collaboratively with the LEA/Public Charter/SSS and the Contractor in order to best meet their needs?
The direct support days should be in-person. Engagement during in-person support days would be actively working collaboratively to impact instruction based on the goals of the selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. The equivalent to twenty (20) support days will be different based on the needs of the LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. This in-person support could include planning, training, coaching, learning walks, or other activities to support the goals of the grant. These support days will be approved by the State to ensure alignment to statewide literacy strategies and the goals of the grant.
RFQ Section 1.1.
32. What is the anticipated format of the online asynchronous modules? Is it any of the following:
PPT decks optimized for asynchronous engagement, storyboards to be used by TDoE/clients to build out coursework in an LMS/platform, fully functional SCORMed modules for hosting—or something different?
The State’s Digital Learning Team (“DLT”) will host an onboarding session to identify the process for submitting the asynchronous modules. Content will be designed using a variety of interactive elements available within the LMS including videos, hotspots, assessment features, and more. The contractor will be responsible for becoming familiar with the available features following the DLT’s guidance and outlining/storyboarding the content within a template to reflect these functionalities. These modules will be converted to our LMS to post on the Online Academic Tool. The content for the sessions
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 7 of 14
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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
will be discussed prior to creating the required documents to ensure alignment of content.
General 33. What platform requirements/restrictions should vendors be aware of in designing and delivering asynchronous modules?
The State’s Digital Learning Team (“DLT”) will host an onboarding session to identify the process for submitting the asynchronous modules. The contractors should be aware that they will not be responsible for actually building content in the LMS. They will also need to strictly adhere to all applicable accessibility compliance standards pursuant to Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. § 794d) and its accompanying regulations (36 C.F.R. 1194.1 et seq.). These modules will be converted to our LMS to post on the Online Academic Tool. The content for the sessions will be discussed prior to creating the required documents to ensure alignment of content.
General 34. How do you plan to align the content of support offered among vendors? For the 20 direct support days? For the asynchronous modules?
The contractor meetings will be collaborative opportunities to align the work across all support providers.
The State will spend time discussing the goals and scope of the work across the state and share ideas for the learning modules and content for professional learning.
RFQ Section 1.1.
35. Can the 20 direct support days per LEA/Charter/SSS be divided flexibly (e.g., in-person vs virtual)?
The direct support days should be in-person. Engagement during in-person support days would be actively working collaboratively to impact instruction based on the goals of the selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. The equivalent to twenty (20) support days will be different based on the needs of the LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. This in-person support could include planning, training, coaching, learning walks, or other activities to support the goals of the grant. These support days will be approved by the State to ensure alignment to statewide literacy strategies and the goals of the grant.
RFQ Section 1.1.
36. What is the expected format and structure for the three asynchronous learning modules each year? (e.g., length, platform, interactivity)?
The State’s Digital Learning Team (“DLT”) will host an onboarding session to identify the process for submitting the asynchronous modules. These modules will be converted to the State’s LMS to post on the Online Academic Tool. Format and structure will follow the template provided by the DLT and include interactive elements outlined in the guidance documentation including, but not limited to, videos, hotspots, RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 8 of 14
PAGE
QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
assessment pieces, and more. The content for the sessions will be discussed prior to creating the required documents to ensure alignment of content. The learning modules will be between 45 and 90 minutes long depending on the topic and content. The goal is to have the session created to allow leaders and educators to be able to complete the training during preparation time during the school day.
RFQ Section 1.1.
37. Are the three asynchronous learning modules specific to an LEA or be used at the state level?
The learning modules will be used at the state level.
RFQ Section
1.1.
38. How will the topics for the three asynchronous learning modules be determined?
The content for the sessions will be discussed among the State’s Digital Learning Team and all selected contractors prior to creating the required documents to ensure alignment of content with the goals of the grant.
RFQ Section 1.1.
39. What constitutes a 'direct support day" (e.g., full-day training, coaching, classroom walk throughs)?
Engagement during in-person support days would be actively working collaboratively to impact instruction based on the goals of the selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS.
The equivalent to twenty (20) support days will be different based on the needs of the LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. This in-person support could include planning, training, coaching, learning walks, or other activities to support the goals of the grant. These support days will be approved by the State to ensure alignment to statewide literacy strategies and the goals of the grant.
General 40. What does the State consider as sufficient evidence of experience with the IPG and HQIM Implementation Frameworks?
It is critical to have a deep knowledge of the tools utilized to support high-quality ELA instruction and how the tools can impact classroom instructional practices. This experience could look different based on each contractor’s experiences.
These tools should be referenced in the application narrative and be clearly represented in the work samples provided to display knowledge of the tools and evidence of integration of the tools into previous work.
General 41. What tools or platforms are required or preferred for IPG and HQIM data collection and reporting?
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEA/Public Charter/SSS and shared with the State to track statewide trends. The State will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 9 of 14
PAGE
QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year.
General 42. Will the State provide a template or guidance on how to report engagement and attendance data?
There will be State-created surveys to measure engagement and contractor-created tracking tools to measure engagement and report participation.
General 43. Will the State define what data is required to be collected and the dates/date ranges it is required to be collected on?
Yes, these data reporting dates and tools will be communicated during the contractor meetings.
General 44. Is the collected data required to be submitted to the state, LEAs, or both? Is there a required method by which the collected data is to be reported?
Yes, these data reporting dates and tools will be communicated during the contractor meetings. The data should be used by the State and LEAs/Public Charters/SSS to ensure data analysis and goal setting.
RFQ Section 1.1.
45. Is the State requesting a simple attendance list (i.e., names and roles of participants), or a more detailed attendance report that includes participation notes, session feedback, or deliverables tied to each visit?
There will be State-created surveys to measure engagement and contractor-created tracking tools to measure engagement and report participation. There will also be conversations during the contractor meetings to discuss feedback and qualitative summaries.
General 46. Will contractors be matched to LEAs by the State, or will LEAs select from an approved vendor list?
Selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS will be given an approved list of contractors to select their support provider.
General 47. Will there be an opportunity to expand support capacity during the five-year term (e.g., if an LEA would like to contribute additional local funds for expanded services)?
LEAs/Public Charters/SSS cannot purchase additional scope of services or deliverables from the contractors outside of the executed contracts with the State.
General 48. What is the process for aligning support plans with LEA goals and the State’s vision?
Contractors will work with the selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS to identify their goals and engagement with State-level support.
From there, this would be a collaborative process to align the work and set goals annually using data and the State’s vision.
General 49. Can you provide estimated daily attendance numbers for each LEA contractors would be visiting or supporting?
The number of engaged participants will vary depending upon the goals of the LEAs/Public Charters/SSS support and the size of the system.
This could range from a planning meeting with staff or completing learning walks with a large number of educators.
General 50. Will the schedule allow for efficient travel, such as visiting multiple LEAs in the same region during one trip (e.g., 5 LEAs in 5 days), or are
Selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS will be given an approved list of contractors to select their support provider. It will be up to the
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 10 of 14
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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
the LEAs geographically dispersed in a way that prevents that kind of clustering?
contractor to identify the schedule and support days alongside the LEA/Public Charter/SSS.
RFQ
Attachment B
Section B.15.
51. Per Amendment 1 which was sent by Ms. Jordan to all respondents on 7/25/2025, what is meant by RESERVED for Section B – General Qualifications & Experience Items B.15? Does this mean that all information and documentation within B. 15 is no longer required to be submitted?
The former RFQ Section B.15. was removed from the RFQ and is no longer a part of the solicitation. The “Reserved” was added so subsequent sections were not required to be re-numbered; and, respondents should not submit information and documentation for Section B.15., which was removed via RFQ Amendment #01.
RFQ Section 1.1.
52. Is the $80,000 annual allocation for each selected LEA/Public Charter/SSS inclusive of all services listed in Section 1.1 Statement of Procurement Purposes (page 2)?
Yes, the $80,000.00 for contractual support includes planning and delivering direct support days;
planning, facilitating, and analyzing data from learning walk data collection; development and creation of asynchronous learning modules;
maintaining and reporting attendance records; and attending contractor meetings.
Attachment D
Cost Proposal
Page
53. Could the State please confirm what information respondents should include in Attachment D:
Cost Proposal?
Should Respondents simply replace “Amount” with the proposed budget amount?
Should Respondents add any information to the two columns furthest to the right (i.e., the two columns that are shaded in gray)?
Respondents should replace “Amount” with their proposed amount.
Respondents should not add or alter any information other than the proposed amounts in the Cost Proposal.
Attachment A:
State Approved Pricing List
Attachment B:
Attestation
Pages 54 &
54. Could the State please confirm whether Attachment A on RFQ page 56 and Attachment B on RFQ page 57 are attachments to RFQ Attachment G and thus are not required as a part of the proposal submission?
Respondents are not required to complete RFQ Attachment G, Pro Forma Contract Attachments A (State Approved Pricing List) & B (Attestation Re Personnel used in Contract Performance) as part of their RFQ proposal submission.
These Pro Forma Contract attachments would be completed after contract award.
General 55. Would the State please clarify whether this is an RFP for a preferred vendor list or a specific task order contract?
If a preferred vendor list, would the State be able to share how many vendors they intend to add to the list?
Respondent(s) will be selected based on obtaining a minimum of 80 points or more on their RFQ responses.
These selected Respondent(s) will be added to a State-approved contractor list. There is not a set number of contractors the State is seeking to award contracts to.
General 56. Would the State please clarify if there is a preference for firms who are based in Tennessee?
See response to Question 3.
RFQ # 33101–25070FAF5 Amendment # 05 Page 11 of 14
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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
General 57. Would the State please share the materials from the pre-response conference?
The State will share the PowerPoint presentation once this RFP Amendment #02 is posted.
RFQ Section 1.1.
58. Section 1.1 of the RFQ states that one of the deliverables is to: Provide the equivalent of twenty (20) direct support days to each LEA/Public Charter/SSS annually for five (5) years focused on the priorities identified in the Literacy Materials Implementation Support Grant. Can the state please clarify what the priorities are in the Literacy Materials Implementation Support Grant?
The priorities of the grant will be to increase the number of evidence-based ELA practices utilized in selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS to support high-quality ELA instruction in grades 5-12 focused on using adopted HQIM and data-based decisions.
RFQ
Attachment B
Section B.15.
Page
59. In light of new requirements regarding federal flow through dollars, how will section B.15 be used in vendor selection decisions, and is this section mandatory for consideration?
B.15. has been removed from the solicitation. Please see response 51.
RFQ Amendment #01.
General 60. Does the state already have a learning management system (LMS) in place to host the modules (such as Canvas or Moodle), or, should the vendor build time into the proposal to support the state in selecting an LMS?
The State’s Digital Learning Team (“DLT”) will host an onboarding session to identify the process for submitting the asynchronous modules. The State already has an LMS that has been customized for the State’s needs. The DLT owns the course building process and contractors will not work in platform.
The content for the sessions will be discussed prior to creating the required documents to ensure alignment of content.
RFQ Section 1.1.
61. Can the 20 annual direct support days per LEA/public charter/SSS be allocated flexibly across schools based on need, or must they be evenly distributed?
Engagement during in-person support days would be actively working collaboratively to impact instruction based on the goals of the selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS.
The equivalent to twenty (20) support days will be different based on the needs of the LEAs/Public Charters/SSS. This in-person support could include planning, training, coaching, learning walks, or other activities to support the goals of the grant. These support days will be approved by the State to ensure alignment to statewide literacy strategies and the goals of the grant.
General 62. Will the State provide standard templates or tools for tracking and reporting engagement, attendance, and module completion—or should CSL propose a system within its response?
There will be State-created surveys to measure engagement and contractor-created tracking tools to measure engagement and report participation. A proposed system for tracking could be added to the Respondent’s RFQ response.
General 63. Are collaborative applications or partnerships with other districts recommended?
Statewide collaboration and partnerships are encouraged.
General 64. Are there any restrictions or guidelines for use of funds?
Funds must be utilized based on the federal and state grant rules and
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QUESTION / COMMENT STATE RESPONSE
guidelines as well as procurement requirements outlined in the RFQ.
RFQ Section 1.1.
65. What are the specifications for the 3-year data collection? (quantitative, qualitative, consecutive etc)
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEA/Public Charter/SSS and shared with the State to track statewide trends. The State will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year.
General 66. What is the expected cadence for submitting progress updates, data summaries, and implementation reports to the State?
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEA/Public Charter/SSS and shared with the State to track statewide trends. The State will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year.
RFQ Section 1.1.
67. Will the State provide the three required asynchronous module topics prior to each program year, or should vendors propose topics initially for approval?
The content for the sessions will be discussed prior to creating the required documents to ensure alignment of content.
RFQ Section 1.1.
68. Should asynchronous modules be universally applicable to all secondary educators, or is grade-band differentiation (e.g., middle vs. high school) preferred? Will the State assign LEAs to selected vendors, or will districts select from among approved vendors?
The content for the sessions will be discussed prior to creating the required documents to ensure alignment of content. Selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSSs will be given a State-approved list of contractors to select their support provider.
RFQ Section 1.1.
69. Will you please clarify whether or not the $80K includes travel and materials?
The $80,000.00 for contractual support includes planning and delivering direct support days;
planning, facilitating, and analyzing data from learning walk data collection; development and creation of asynchronous learning modules;
maintaining and reporting attendance records; and attending contractor meetings. That amount is the full amount each selected LEA/Public Charter/SSS can allocate to a contractor annually. Per Section C.4.
of the Pro Forma Contract, there will be no compensation for travel expenses.
General 70. Is there a limit to how many Contractors will be approved or will this number be based on who scored above the 80 points?
Respondent(s) will be selected based on obtaining a minimum of 80 points or more on their RFQ responses.
These selected Respondent(s) will be added to a State-approved contractor list. There is not a set number of contractors the State is seeking to award contracts to.
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RFQ Section 1.1.
71. Will the full $80,000 per Local Education Agencies (LEA) be available for contractor services or shared with other required expenses?
The $80,000.00 for contractual support includes planning and delivering direct support days;
planning, facilitating, and analyzing data from learning walk data collection; development and creation of asynchronous learning modules;
maintaining and reporting attendance records; and attending contractor meetings. That amount is the full amount each selected LEA/Public Charter/SSS can allocate to a contractor annually. This total will not be shared for other required expenses.
General 72. Will there be a renewal/re-evaluation point during the terms or an annual opt-in/out for LEAs?
The intent is for the selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSS to have a multi-year contract for the duration of the grant. This could change based on the quality of services, impact of contractor support, and grant funds availability.
General 73. Is there a minimum or maximum number of LEAs a single Contractor can support?
No, contractors are asked to identify the maximum number of participants they could support during the term of the grant.
General 74. How are LEAs expected to select vendor partners? More specifically, is there guidance or a rubric they will be provided to use, or is it fully autonomous per LEA?
Selected LEAs/Public Charters/SSSs will be given a State-approved list of contractors to select their support provider. No additional State guidance will be provided.
General 75. How will the state measure success for vendors over the terms beyond attendance tracking and deliverables?
Achievement and growth data from LEAs/Public Charters/SSS and qualitative feedback and satisfaction surveys will be collected to track support success.
RFQ Section 1.1.
76. Will you please clarify the methods and tools that will be used to collect and share data?
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEAs/Public Charters/SSSs and shared with the department to track statewide trends.
The state will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year.
General 77. If seeking a survey tool to collect data, how and when shall Contractor introduce Its survey technology terms of use?
IPG and qualitative data will be collected three (3) times a year within each participating LEA/Public Charter/SSS and shared with the State to track statewide trends. The State will provide a tracking tool and the dates for data collection and sharing. This data will also be shared as a part of required federal reporting, which occurs four (4) times per year. Contractors will be given
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the collection tool to use for statewide reporting.
General 78. If Contractor has IP that will be utilized in the course of delivery of services, how and when shall Contractor introduce a term overing the protection of said IP?
All rights, title, and interest in contractor-owned software, or commercially available software to which the contractor owns the rights or “off-the-shelf" software that is not developed using the State’s money or resources, shall remain with the contractor subject to any license or transfer of rights or ownership granted under the Pro Forma Contract. The State shall have a non-transferable license to utilize all goods provided by Contractor under this Contract.
General 79. Must Contractors have experience supporting TN state agencies and LEAs/Public Charters/SSS specifically or will experience in other states be equally acceptable
It is critical to have a deep knowledge of the tools utilized to support high-quality ELA instruction and how the tools can impact classroom instructional practices. This experience could look different based on each contractor’s experiences.
RFQ
Attachment B
Section B.15.
80. Per Attachment B, Ref. 15., must Contractors or Subcontractors that want to be considered qualified as diversity businesses, be certified in TN or will proven certification in another state be acceptable?
Not applicable. Section B.15. was removed via RFQ Amendment #01.
Please see response 51.
Pro Forma Contract Section A.3.d.
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81. Per the proforma contract, section A.3., what are the preferred methods of collecting and sharing engagement and attendance records of the District/School Representatives by the Contractor to the State?
There will be State-created surveys to measure engagement and contractor-created tracking tools to measure engagement and report participation.
Pro Forma Contract Section A.5.
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82. Per the proforma contract, section A.5. Will background checks still be required if no direct or supervised student contact is included as part of any delivery of services?
Background checks are required pursuant to Section A.5. of the Pro Forma Contract for any of the contractors’ employees or subcontractors that will have direct contact with students or that will be on school property while children are present.
Pro Forma Contract Section D.13.
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83. Per the proforma contract, section D.13., Will the State provide a template and/or expectations of what progress reports submitted by Contractors need to include?
Yes, there will be tracking documents and communication during the contractor meetings about reporting and expectations.
3. Delete RFQ # 33101-25070FAF5 in its entirety, and replace it with RFQ #33101-25070FAF5, Release #2, attached to this amendment. Revisions of the original RFP document are emphasized within the new release. Any sentence or paragraph containing revised or new text is highlighted.
4. RFQ Amendment Effective Date. The revisions set forth herein shall be effective upon release.
All other terms and conditions of this RFQ not expressly amended herein shall remain in full force and effect.
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