Brainspring_26105-SSD-EST_030626.pdf

HillsboroughSchools.org • P.O. Box 3408 • Tampa, FL 33601-3408 • (813) 272-4374 Raymond O. Shelton School Administrative Center • 901 East Kennedy Blvd. • Tampa, FL 33602-3507

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PROCUREMENT SERVICES

NOTICE OF INTENT

TO

PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES

The following commodities and services may be a “Single Source” or a “Sole Source” (only one (1) source from which to purchase the commodities and services).

Single/Sole Source No. & Vendor Name: 26105-SSD-EST: Brainspring Single/Sole Source Posting Date (7 business days): From: Friday, March 6, 2026 To: Tuesday, March 17, 2026 Protest Period (3 business days) From: Wednesday, March 18, 2026 To: Monday, March 23, 2026 Commodities and Services: See Exhibit A. SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES

This NOTICE OF INTENT TO PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE shall serve as a notification that a recommendation will be made to The School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida (the “School Board”) to award this single or sole source procurement to the referenced vendor of the commodities and contractual services described in Exhibit A: SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES. The description of the commodities and contractual services intended for purchase from a single source is posted in accordance with Rule 6A-1.012(12)(d), Florida Administrative Code. It will remain posted for seven (7) business days.

This is not a request for proposals, and no competitive solicitation is available. HCPS will not consider any response to be a proposal. Any responses received because of this notice will be considered solely to determine whether competition exists.

Interested firms or individuals may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement by uploading EXHIBIT B: RESPONSE TO PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES and all relevant documents via www.vendorlink.com. “Like” shall mean equal, equivalent, or identical. Interested firms will be considered only if they provide clear and convincing documentation demonstrating they can meet or exceed the requirements. All responses received within seven (7) business days after the publication of this Notice of Intent to Purchase Single/Sole Source will be reviewed by HCPS.

A determination by the General Manager of Procurement Services, or designee, and the Procurement Officer not to publish a competitive solicitation for this proposed action based on the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the General Manager of Procurement Services.

Notice of Intent to Sole Source: If Procurement Services does not receive “like” commodities and services information during the Single/Sole Source posting period above, the purchase request shall be issued to the School Board or renewed as approved by the School Board. This section shall serve as notice of the intended decision to enter a single/sole source contract in the manner specified in § 120.57(3), Florida Statutes. It may negotiate the best terms and conditions with the single/sole source vendor. HCPS shall submit a recommendation to the School Board (www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/3643) requesting approval to waive the solicitation process and proceed with the single/sole source purchase. Decisions concerning multiple-year sole sourcing are valid for one year after approval by the School Board and must be reposted and validated before the renewal period.

Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in § 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Any protest concerning HCPS’s decision must be received by the General Manager of Procurement Services at 901 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33602, within the prescribed time.

Superintendent of Schools Van Ayres http://www.vendorlink.com/ http://www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/3643

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 2 of 5 Notice of Sole Source Purchase: 26105-SSD-EST: Brainspring

EXHIBIT A

SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES

1. Describe what the item is, a commodity or a service, and how it is to be used by HCPS.

This agreement with Brainspring provides elementary Exceptional Student Education (ESE) teachers with training in the Phonics First programs. The purchase of this training also includes the teacher and classroom implementation materials needed to implement the program.

2. What feature or particular condition of this commodity and service is unique and cannot be obtained from any other source?

These sole-source materials needed to implement the Orton-Gillingham methodology are not separate purchases because each teacher trained receives the teacher and classroom implementation kits.

Phonics First: Phonics First is Brainspring's nationally accredited Orton-Gillingham Professional Development course to teach reading and spelling.

Orton-Gillingham: The Orton-Gillingham instructional approach is rooted in years of neurological, psychological, and educational research. Orton and Gillingham’s early research in dyslexia concluded that children who experience difficulty with reading and spelling need a synthetic phonics approach based on the following Principles of Instruction:

MULTISENSORY: Throughout every lesson, all of a student’s learning pathways are simultaneously engaged by activating visual-auditory-tactile-kinesthetic learning modalities. This powerful, brain-based teaching enables students to rely on their strengths but more importantly, strengthen their weaknesses.

PHONICS-BASED: Students learn critical sound-symbol connections. Sounds are taught individually as opposed to within word families or as whole words. This allows struggling, at-risk, dyslexic and learning disabled students to adequately process, retain and apply sound-symbol correspondences in reading and spelling. At higher levels, students are also instructed in morphology (the study of affixes and Greek and Latin roots) expanding phonetic connections to morphemes.

STRUCTURED: Lessons are organized around a consistent set of strategies, specific patterns and activities. Students find that the routines ease their learning of new material.

SEQUENTIAL: Concepts are taught in a logical order starting with the smaller elements of language and building to larger concepts. Once students master simple word patterns (CVC), the program moves on to complex word patterns, including complex vowel patterns, multisyllabic words, spelling rules, affixes and morphemes.

SYSTEMATIC: The approach’s inherent design leads students to successful mastery without frustration. Each task for reading and spelling uses specific strategies to ensure ease of application.

CUMULATIVE: Consistent review of skills within the context of each new lesson enables students to practice and perfect previously learned material. On-going practice integrates the application of previously and newly learned skills in reading and spelling, moving learning from short-term to long-term memory.

3. Vendor-provided information.

Brainspring Sole Source / Sole Vendor Statement: Brainspring hereby certifies that it is the sole source vendor, developer, and publisher of the proprietary instructional programs, professional development, and related materials listed below.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 3 of 5

The products and programs identified herein are copyrighted, trademarked, and/or proprietary to Brainspring and are not available for purchase through third-party resellers, distributors, or retail outlets. No other vendor is authorized to reproduce, distribute, or provide these materials.

Proprietary Brainspring Programs and Materials

Phonics First® Program and Materials

• Phonics First® Professional Development Programs

• Phonics First® Digital Library

• Phonics First® Curriculum Guide

• Phonics First® Course Manual

• Phonics First® Stories for Reading Practice

• Phonics First® Fluency Practice Books

• Phonics First® Syllabication Guide

• Phonics First® Minibook Stories for Reading Practice

• Phonics First® Classroom Phonics Card Pack

• Phonics First® Small Phonics Card Pack

• Phonics First® Key Word Stickers

• Phonics First® Diagnostic Assessment

• Phonics First® Course Teacher Kit

• Phonics First® Implementation Kit

• Phonics First® Supplemental Kit

• Phonics First® Refill Kit

• Phonics First® A–Z Multisensory Card Pack

• Phonics First® Teacher Red Word Cards

Structures® Program and Materials

• Structures® Professional Development Program

• Structures® Digital Library

• Structures® Curriculum Guide

• Structures® Course Manual

• Structures® Classroom Card Pack

• Structures® Small Card Pack

• Structures® Key Word Stickers

• Structures® Syllabication Guide

• Structures® Teacher Red Word Cards

• Structures® Fluency Practice Materials

• Structures® Course Kit

• Structures® Implementation Kit

Additional Proprietary Materials

• Magic Sand®

• Brainspring Blending Board

• Brainspring Magic-E Wand

• Brainspring Student Red Word Strip Blanks

• Brainspring Sound Wall Poster Set

• Talewinds™ Collection (including Hummingbird and Blue Bird sets)

• Handwriting – Lessons for Print™

Pricing and Distribution Brainspring sells its programs and materials directly to schools, districts, organizations, and individuals. Brainspring does not utilize a wholesale or retail distribution model, and pricing is uniform across customers.

Bulk or quantity-based discounts are not offered unless expressly stated in a written agreement.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 4 of 5

Sole Source Determination Because the listed programs and materials are unique, proprietary, and copyrighted, and because no alternate vendor is authorized to supply them, Brainspring qualifies as the sole source provider for these products and services.

This statement is provided to support procurement documentation, including sole source justifications, as required by applicable purchasing policies or regulations.

Hillsborough County Public Schools Page 5 of 5

EXHIBIT B

RESPONSE TO PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE

COMMODITIES AND SERVICES

The following must be completed, signed, and returned as part of your response. Your response will not be accepted without this form, signed by a supplier’s authorized agent.

Respondents who believe they have “like” commodities and services must:

• upload this EXHIBIT B: RESPONSE TO PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES; and

• provide sufficient information regarding their ability to supply the described commodities and services to allow for an evaluation to determine “like” commodities or “like” services.

Responses received after the Response Due Date and Time (see page one) will not be accepted.

Company Name:

Mailing Address:

City, State, Zip:

Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN):

Telephone Number:

Email:

Signature

Title Date