CHR26019-PTHWY_DVMT_rfp.pdf

STATE OF DELAWARE

CHRISTINA SCHOOL DISTRICT

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

ISSUED BY CHRISTINA SCHOOL DISTRICT

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND CAREER PATHWAY

DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

CONTRACT NUMBER CHR26019 PTHWY_DVMT

ALL VENDORS:

The enclosed packet contains a "REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL" for Strategic Communications, Public Relations, and Career Pathway Development Services for the Christina School District (the “District”). This RFP solicits a partner to provide professional communications services to the District, and to design and deliver authentic career-pathway training in communications and media production for District students and professional development for District staff. In order for your proposal to be considered, the Proposal Reply Section and all required attachments shall be executed completely and correctly and returned by the Deadline to respond stated below. Please review and follow the information and instructions contained in this RFP and the General Provisions.

Should you need additional information, please contact the RFP Designated Contact identified in Section IV in writing. Direct contact with other District personnel regarding this RFP is prohibited and may disqualify the vendor.

The proposal consists of the following:

Contents:

I. INTRODUCTION

II. SCOPE OF WORK

III. FORMAT FOR PROPOSAL

IV. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCEDURES

V. MANDATORY PREBID MEETING

VI. DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS

VII. PROPOSAL REPLY SECTION

ATTACHMENTS

Appendix A – PRICING FORMS

Appendix B - SCOPE OF WORK Appendix C - PROVIDE OUTLINE OF COMPONENT B

** Ctrl+Click on the headings above will take you directly to the section.

This request for proposals (“RFP”) is issued pursuant to 29 Del. C. §§ 6981 and 6982.

The proposed schedule of events subject to the RFP is outlined below:

Public Notice Date: September 1, 2026

Deadline for Questions Date: September 15, 2026 at 12 Noon (EST)

Response to Questions Posted by: Date: September 29, 2026

Deadline for Receipt of Proposals Date: October 13, 2026 at 2:00 PM (EST)

Estimated Notification of Award Date: December 1, 2026

In order for your proposal to be considered, the Proposal Reply Section shall be executed completely and correctly and returned in a sealed envelope clearly displaying the contract number and vendor name by October 13, 2026 to Respond at 2:00 PM (Local Time) to be considered.

Proposals must be mailed to:

Christina School District 1899 S. College Avenue Newark, DE 19702 Procurement Department

Please review and follow the information and instructions contained in the General Provisions and this Request for Proposal (RFP). Should you need additional information, please email bids.proposals@christina.k12.de.us.

I. INTRODUCTION

A. PURPOSE

The purpose of this Request for Proposals is to obtain sealed proposals from qualified firms to provide two integrated lines of service to the Christina School District. Component A of the contract is for comprehensive strategic communications, public relations, and related services. Component B is for the design and delivery of authentic career-pathway training in communications and media production

— for District students who are interested in those careers, and for District staff seeking professional development in communications skills.

It is the goal of this RFP to identify a single prime vendor capable of providing both components in an integrated way, in which the District’s actual communications work serves a dual purpose: to advance the District’s communications goals, and to provide authentic, career-grade learning opportunities for Christina students and staff.

BACKGROUND

Christina School District is one of Delaware’s largest public school districts, serving approximately 14,000 students across more than 30 schools and programs in the Newark, Christiana, and Bear areas, as well as schools in the City of Wilmington. The District serves a highly diverse student population, including a significant and growing number of multilingual families, and operates within a competitive open-enrollment and school-choice environment.

The District operates a range of career-tech and pathway programs that this contract is designed to support and extend the statewide career-tech framework. The District seeks a partner that can integrate professional-grade communications and media-production training into these existing structures and, where appropriate, help design new ones.

The District also seeks a partner that understands Delaware’s public-sector environment, has working relationships across the political and media landscape the District operates in, and is committed to the dual mission of strengthening District communications while building local talent capacity.

This RFP is issued pursuant to 29 Del. C. §§ 6981 and 6982.

1. COMPETITIVE SEALED PROPOSAL

It has been determined by the Christina School District, pursuant to Delaware Code Title 29, Chapter 6924 (a), that this solicitation be offered as a request for competitive sealed proposals because the use of competitive sealed bidding is not practical and/or not in the best interest of the District. The use of competitive sealed proposals is necessary to:

• Use a contract other than a fixed-price type; or

• Conduct oral or written discussions with vendors concerning technical and price aspects of their proposals; or

• Allow vendors an opportunity to revise their proposals through best and final offers; or

• Compare the different price, quality, and contractual factors of the proposals submitted; or

• Award a contract in which price is not the determining factor.

2. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS

This contract will be issued to one prime vendor to provide the services described in the scope of services, organized into two integrated components. Component A covers professional communications and public-relations services for the District. Component B covers career-pathway training and professional development for students and staff.

3. AGENCY USE CONTRACT

Pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 6904(e) respectively, if no state contract exists for a certain good or service, covered agencies may procure that certain good or service under another agency's contract so long as the arrangement is agreeable to all parties. Agencies, other than covered agencies, may also procure such goods or services under another agency's contract when the arrangement is agreeable to all parties.

4. MULTIPLE SOURCE AWARD

The Agency reserves the right to award this contract to more than one vendor pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 6926. The basis for such selection shall be:

Criteria Weight

Firm experience, qualifications, capacity (Component A and Component B) 20%

Understanding of the District and proposed approach/methodology 20% Career pathway and training capability, curriculum and instructional design 20%

Account team and key personnel (both components) 10% Cost (retainer for Components A and B, plus rate card) 15% Public-sector / K-12 / Delaware experience 10% References and past performances 5%

TOTAL 100%

5. POTENTIAL CONTRACT OVERLAP

Vendors shall be advised that the District, at its sole discretion, shall retain the right to solicit for goods and/or services as required by its agencies and as it serves the best interest of the District. As needs are identified, there may exist instances where contract deliverables, and/or goods or services to be solicited and subsequently awarded, overlap previous awards. The District reserves the right to reject any or all bids in whole or in part, to make partial awards, to award to multiple vendors during the same period, to award by types, on a zone-by-zone basis or on an item-by-item or lump sum basis item by item, or lump sum total, whichever may be most advantageous to the Christina School District.

6. SUPPLEMENTAL SOLICITATION

The District reserves the right to advertise a supplemental solicitation during the term of the

Agreement if deemed in the best interest of the District.

7. CONTRACT PERIOD

Each Vendor’s contract shall be valid for a three (3) year contract term period beginning December 1, 2026. Each contract may be renewed for two (2) one (1) year periods through negotiation between the Vendor and Christina School District. Negotiation may be initiated no later than ninety (90) days prior to the termination of the current agreement. Renewal and continuation are contingent upon the availability of funds, satisfactory contractor performance, and approval by the Christina Board of Education. The District reserves the right to increase or decrease the scope based on available funds and District needs.

The District reserves the right to extend this contract on a month-to-month basis for a period of up to three months after the term of the full contract has been completed.

B. KEY RFP DATES/MILESTONES

The following dates and milestones apply to this RFP and subsequent contract award. Vendors are advised that these dates and milestones are not absolute and may change due to unplanned events during the bid proposal and award process.

Activity Due Date

RFP Availability to Vendors/Public Notice: September 1, 2026 Written Questions Due No Later : September 15, 2026 by 12 noon (EST) Written Answers Due/Posted to Website: September 29, 2026 Proposals Due: October 13, 2026 by 2:00 pm (EST) Contract Award (estimated timeframe) Will occur within 90 days of bid opening

C. INQUIRIES & QUESTIONS

We welcome your interest in working with us, and we will be pleased to answer any questions you may have in formulating your response to this Request for Proposal.

All questions with regard to the interpretation of this solicitation, drawings, or specifications, or any other aspect of this RFP must be received in writing by September 15, 2026, by 12:00 noon, EST. All questions will be answered in writing by September 29, 2026, and posted on https://bids.delaware.gov/ website. All questions must make specific reference to the section(s) and page numbers from this RFP where applicable.

Oral explanations or instructions will not be binding.

D. RFP DESIGNATED CONTACT

All requests, questions, or other communications about this RFP shall be made in writing to the Christina School District. Address all communications to the person listed below; communications made to other Christina School District personnel or attempting to ask questions by phone or in person will not be allowed or recognized as valid and may disqualify the vendor. Vendors should rely only on written statements issued by the RFP designated contact.

Trenda Broadnax Procurement Department 1899 S. College Avenue bids.proposals@christina.k12.de.us

To ensure that written requests are received and answered in a timely manner, electronic mail (e-mail) correspondence is acceptable, but other forms of delivery, such as postal and courier services, can also be used.

E. CONTACT WITH STATE EMPLOYEE

Direct contact with Christina School District employees other than the Christina School District Designated Contact regarding this RFP is expressly prohibited without prior consent. Vendors directly contacting Christina School District employees risk elimination of their proposal from further consideration. Exceptions exist only for organizations currently doing business in the District who require contact in the normal course of doing that business.

II. SCOPE OF WORK

The District intends to award a contract to one prime vendor to provide the services described below, organized into two integrated components. Component A covers professional communications and public-relations services for the District. Component B covers career-pathway training and professional development for students and staff. Within each component, services are organized into Base Services, expected throughout the contract term, and Optional / As-Needed Services, which the District may procure at its discretion. Proposers shall clearly identify pricing assumptions for each category in their cost proposal (Appendix A). A full statement of work appears in Appendix B.

A. OVERVIEW

A. Component A — Communications Services Component A represents the core ongoing communications services anticipated throughout the contract term:

• Strategic communications counsel and planning — development and maintenance of an annual communications plan, message architecture, and ongoing advisory support to District leadership.

• Media relations — proactive press outreach, news release drafting, media list management, pitching positive District stories, coordinating interviews, and serving as a press-office resource.

• Crisis and emergency communications — a documented crisis-communications protocol, holding-statement and template development, rapid-response support, and on-call availability during emergencies, including defined response windows.

• Brand and reputation management — monitoring of media and social sentiment, brand-standards support, and proactive reputation strategy aligned to enrollment goals.

• Multilingual and community engagement — translation and culturally responsive outreach (Spanish first, then other prevalent home languages, including support for the District’s Chinese Immersion families), and engagement strategies for the District’s Newark, Bear, Christiana, and Wilmington communities.

• Digital and social media — strategy, content development, channel management support, and community-management guidance across the District’s platforms.

• Internal and staff communications — support for employee and stakeholder communications that reinforce consistent District messaging.

• Website content support — assistance with clear, accessible, and timely web content (coordinated with District web staff).

• Measurement and reporting — a monthly dashboard reporting reach, engagement, media tone/sentiment, and family communication metrics, with quarterly strategic reviews.

B. Component B — Career Pathway Development Component B represents the workforce-development and training services anticipated throughout the contract term. The vendor shall design and deliver authentic, career-grade learning opportunities that integrate with the District’s actual communications work and with existing CSD career-pathway programs.

Student-Facing Pathway Programming

• Pathway curriculum design and delivery — design of a multi-year communications and media-production pathway sequence for interested middle and high school students, with introductory, intermediate, and advanced units. Curriculum shall align with Delaware Pathways and Career and Technical Education (CTE) frameworks where applicable.

• Industry-led workshops — regular, hands-on workshops at District schools covering communications strategy, writing for media, video production, photography, audio and podcast production, graphic design, social media, and adjacent skills. The vendor’s working professionals shall deliver these workshops.

• Mentorship pairings — structured mentor pairings between vendor team members and interested students, with defined cadence (e.g., monthly meetings, defined annual hours), goals, and reporting.

• Job shadowing and externships — supervised opportunities for students to observe and participate in real client work at the vendor’s offices, with appropriate supervision and consistent with all student-safety and privacy requirements.

• Authentic project-based learning — designated portions of the District’s real communications work scoped as supervised student learning projects, allowing students to contribute meaningfully to District materials under professional mentorship.

• Portfolio development — individual support for students to build career-ready portfolios drawn from their pathway work.

• Integration with existing CSD programs — The vendor shall not duplicate or supplant existing District work; the vendor shall enhance and extend it.

• Annual student showcase — organization of an end-of-year showcase event at which student pathway participants present their work to families, the Board, and the broader community.

The Core Principle Authentic over simulated. The District’s actual communications work — a real press release, a real crisis statement, a real campaign — is the curriculum. Students learn by doing real work, supervised by professionals; staff learn by being coached on real assignments. The model only works if the work is real.

Optional / As-Needed Services Optional Services may be procured by the District on a project or as-needed basis at the rates established in Appendix A.

• Public-information and referendum-readiness campaigns — factual, informational public-education materials regarding District finances, operations, and any future referendum. All such work shall be strictly informational and non-advocacy, and shall comply with applicable Delaware law governing the use of public resources.

• Creative production — video, photography, and multimedia content. Where appropriate, optional creative production should incorporate supervised student participation as a Component B learning opportunity.

• Research — community surveys, polling, and focus groups.

• Special-event communications — communications support for District events, recognitions, and milestones.

• Print and collateral design — design and production coordination of printed materials.

• Equipment access for student pathway use — vendor-facilitated access to professional equipment

(cameras, audio gear, editing software licenses) for student pathway participants, scoped and priced separately.

• Expanded pathway capacity — if successful, expansion of the Component B pathway to additional schools, additional cohorts, or summer programming.

Key Personnel and Account Team

The proposal shall identify the named account lead for Component A, the named pathway/curriculum lead for Component B, and the core team who will service the District, including roles, relevant experience, and anticipated level of effort. The vendor shall demonstrate that the Component B lead has appropriate credentials and experience for working with students in a K-12 setting. Substitution of key personnel after award shall require prior written approval by the District.

Compliance and Safeguards The selected vendor shall comply with all applicable federal and state laws and District policies, including:

• The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and student-privacy protections;

• All applicable background-check, fingerprinting, and clearance requirements for adults working with students in Delaware, including any clearance under 14 Del. C. § 309 and 11 Del. C. § 8571;

• The Delaware Freedom of Information Act (29 Del. C. § 10001 et seq.);

• Accessibility standards for all digital content and instructional materials;

• Restrictions on the use of public funds for political advocacy;

• All District policies governing adult interactions with students, including supervision requirements during job shadows and externships.

The vendor shall safeguard all non-public District and student information, and shall maintain documented protocols for student interactions, communications, and project supervision.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following information shall be provided in each proposal in the order listed below. Failure to respond to any request for information within this RFP may result in rejection of the proposal at the sole discretion of the District.

A. Minimum Requirements

1. Provide proof of a State of Delaware business license, or initiate the application process prior to execution of an award. Provide any other license(s) or certification(s) necessary to perform the services.

2. Respond to the Scope of Services and clearly identify capabilities for both Component A and Component B as presented in the General Evaluation Requirements below.

3. Complete all appropriate attachments and forms identified within this RFP.

4. Provide proof of insurance in the amounts identified in Section V prior to the start of the contract period.

5. Provide evidence that any personnel assigned to Component B work directly with students will meet all

Delaware background-check and clearance requirements prior to direct student contact.

B. General Evaluation Requirements Proposals shall address each of the following, which form the basis for evaluation:

1. Firm Experience and Qualifications — overview of the firm, years in business, size, and relevant capabilities.

2. Account Team and Key Personnel — qualifications, roles, and availability of the proposed team, including the Component A account lead and the Component B pathway lead.

3. Public-Sector and K-12 Experience — demonstrated experience serving school districts, government, or comparable mission-driven organizations, including Delaware experience where applicable.

4. Career Pathway and Training Capability — demonstrated experience designing and delivering training, internships, mentorship programs, or CTE-aligned curriculum to students and/or adult learners. Evidence of partnerships with school districts, community colleges, or workforce-development entities is preferred.

5. Curriculum and Instructional Design — the proposed structure of the Component B student pathway and staff professional-development sequence, including sample units, learning outcomes, and alignment to Delaware Pathways and CTE frameworks where applicable.

6. Understanding and Approach — the firm’s understanding of the District’s situation and a proposed methodology and work plan for both components, including integration with existing CSD programs.

7. Capacity and Responsiveness — ability to meet defined response times, including during emergencies.

8. Sample Work — representative work products and case studies covering both communications campaigns and training or pathway programming (e.g., curriculum samples, alumni outcomes, prior internship cohorts).

9. Business References — at least three (3) references for comparable engagements, including at least one reference for training or career-pathway work where possible (Attachment 6).

10.Cost Proposal — a complete cost proposal on Appendix A, including the annual retainer for Component A, the annual scope and pricing for Component B, and an hourly rate card for Optional / As-Needed Services.

Additional Requirements

1. Provide Delaware license(s) and/or certification(s) necessary to perform services as identified in the scope of work.

Prior to the execution of an award document, the successful Vendor shall either furnish the Agency with proof of State of Delaware Business Licensure or initiate the process of application where required.

2. Vendor shall provide responses to the Request for Proposal (RFP) scope of work and clearly identify capabilities as presented in the General Evaluation Requirements below.

3. Complete all appropriate attachments and forms as identified within the RFP.

4. Proof of insurance and amount of insurance shall be furnished to the Agency prior to the start of the contract period and shall be no less than as identified in the bid solicitation, Section VI, Item G, subsection 7 (insurance).

5. Criminal background check for all employees

6. Documentation of PPD test (within five years) - possibly waived

7. Child Protection Registry clearance

8. DETAILED REQUIREMENTS

Vendors must provide pricing for the items listed in Appendix A.

III. FORMAT FOR PROPOSAL

A. INTRODUCTION

This section prescribes the mandatory format for the presentation of a proposal in response to this RFP.

Each Vendor must provide every component listed in the order shown in this RFP, using the format prescribed for each component. A proposal may be rejected if it is incomplete or conditional.

B. PROPOSAL RESPONSE

The Request for Proposal may contain pre-printed forms for use by the vendor in submitting its proposal.

The forms required by this solicitation shall be considered mandatory, prevailing documents.

When preprinted forms are used, the forms shall contain basic information such as description of the item and the estimated quantities and shall have blank spaces for use by the vendor for entering information such as unit bid price, total bid price, as applicable.

The Vendor's proposal shall be written in ink or typewritten on the form provided, and any corrections or erasures MUST be initialed by vendor’s representative completing the bid submission.

If items are listed with a zero quantity, Vendor shall state unit price ONLY (intended for open end purchases where estimated requirements are not known). The proposal shall show a total bid price for each item bid and the total bid price of the proposal excluding zero quantity items.

Vendors’ proposal must respond to each and every requirement outlined in the RFP criteria in order to be considered responsive. Proposals must be clear and concise.

C. NON-CONFORMING PROPOSALS

Non-conforming proposals will not be considered. Non-conforming proposals are defined as those that do not meet the requirements of this RFP. The determination of whether an RFP requirement is substantive or a mere formality shall reside solely within the Christina School District.

D. CONCISE PROPOSALS

The Christina School District discourages overly lengthy and costly proposals. It is the desire that proposals be prepared in a straightforward and concise manner. Unnecessarily elaborate brochures or other promotional materials beyond those sufficient to present a complete and effective proposal are not desired.

The Christina School District’s interest is in the quality and responsiveness of the proposal.

E. COVER LETTER

Each proposal will have a cover letter on the letterhead of the company or organization submitting the proposal. The cover letter must briefly summarize the Vendor's ability to provide the services specified in the RFP. The cover letter shall be signed by a representative who has the legal capacity to enter the organization into a formal contract with Christina School District.

F. TABLE OF CONTENTS

Each proposal must include a Table of Contents with page numbers for each of the required components of the proposal.

G. DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES AND QUALIFICATIONS

Each proposal must contain a detailed description of how the Vendor will provide the goods and services outlined in this RFP. This part of the proposal may also include descriptions of any enhancements or additional services or qualifications the Vendor will provide that are not mentioned in this RFP.

H. DISCOUNT

Vendors are invited to offer in their proposal value added discounts (i.e. speed to pay discounts for specific payment terms). Cash or separate discounts should be computed and incorporated into unit bid price(s).

I. SAMPLES OR BROCHURES

Samples or brochures may be required by the agency for evaluation purposes. They shall be such as to permit the Agency to compare and determine if the item offered complies with the intent of the specifications.

J. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF UNDERSTANDING OF TERMS

By submitting a bid, each Vendor shall be deemed to acknowledge that it has carefully read all sections of this RFP, including all forms, schedules and exhibits hereto, and has fully informed itself as to all existing conditions and limitations.

K. BID BOND REQUIREMENT

The Bid Bond requirement has been waived.

L. PERFORMANCE BOND REQUIREMENT

The Performance Bond requirement has been waived.

M. NUMBER OF COPIES WITH MAILING OF PROPOSAL

To be considered, all proposals must be submitted in writing and respond to the items outlined in this RFP.

The District reserves the right to reject any non-responsive or non-conforming proposals. Each proposal must be submitted with one (1) paper copy and one (1) electronic copy on a USB Flash Drive. The copy shall be marked “Master Copy” and will contain original signatures in all locations requiring a vendor signature. The USB Flash Drive copy must also contain the completed Appendix A.

All properly sealed and marked proposals are to be sent to the Christina School District and received no later than 2:00 PM (Local Time) on October 13, 2026. The Proposals may be delivered by Express Delivery (e.g., FedEx, UPS, etc.), US Mail, or by hand to:

Procurement Department

Any proposal submitted by US Mail shall be sent by either certified or registered mail. Any proposal received after the date and time deadline referenced above shall not be considered and shall be returned unopened.

The proposing vendor bears the risk of delays in delivery. The contents of any proposal shall not be disclosed as to be made available to competing entities during the negotiation process.

Upon receipt of vendor proposals, each vendor shall be presumed to be thoroughly familiar with all specifications and requirements of this RFP. The failure or omission to examine any form, instrument or document shall in no way relieve vendors from any obligation in respect to this RFP.

The District reserves the right to award the proposed contract to multiple Vendors if the Head of the Agency determines that such an award is in the best interest of The District.

N. PROPOSAL EXPIRATION DATE

Prices quoted in the proposal shall remain fixed and binding on the bidder at least through June 30, 2027.

Delaware reserves the right to ask for an extension of time if needed.

O. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSALS

A Vendor may withdraw its proposal unopened after it has been deposited, if such a request is made prior to the time set for the opening of the proposal.

P. PROPOSAL MODIFICATIONS

Any changes, amendments or modifications to a submitted proposal requires that the original proposal be withdrawn, prior to the time set for the submission of the proposal, and a new proposal submitted prior to the deadline for submission of proposals.

Changes, amendments or modifications to proposals shall not be accepted or considered after the hour and date specified as the deadline for submission of proposals.

Q. LATE PROPOSALS

Proposals received after the specified date and time will not be accepted or considered. To guard against premature opening, sealed proposals shall be submitted, plainly marked with the proposal title, vendor name, and time and date of the proposal opening. Evaluation of the proposals is expected to begin shortly after the proposal due date. To document compliance with the deadline, the proposal will be date and time stamped upon receipt.

R. ADDENDA TO THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, revisions will be posted at https://bids.delaware.gov/ . By submitting an offer to the District, vendors have acknowledged receipt, understanding and commitment to comply with all materials, revisions, and addenda related to the Request for Proposal.

S. INCURRED EXPENSES

The Christina School District will not be responsible for any expenses incurred by the vendor in preparing and submitting a proposal.

T. ECONOMY OF PREPARATION

Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straight-forward, concise description of the Vendor’s offer to meet the requirements of the RFP.

U. DISCREPANCIES AND OMISSIONS

Vendor is fully responsible for the completeness and accuracy of their proposal, and for examining this RFP and all addenda. Failure to do so will be at the sole risk of vendor. Should vendor find discrepancies, omissions, unclear or ambiguous intent or meaning, or should any questions arise concerning this RFP, vendor shall notify the Christina School District’s Designated Contact, in writing, of such findings at least ten (10) days before the proposal opening. This will allow issuance of any necessary addenda. It will also help prevent the opening of a defective proposal and exposure of vendor’s proposal upon which award could not be made. All unresolved issues should be addressed in the proposal.

Protests based on any omission or error, or on the content of the solicitation, will be disallowed if these faults have not been brought to the attention of the Designated Contact, in writing, no later than ten (10) calendar days prior to the time set for opening of the proposals.

V. EXCEPTIONS

Bidders may elect to take minor exception to the terms and conditions of this RFP by completing

Attachment 3. Christina School District shall evaluate each exception according to the intent of the terms and conditions contained herein, but Christina School District must reject exceptions that do not conform to State bid law and/or create inequality in the treatment of bidders. Exceptions shall be considered only if they are submitted with the bid or before the date and time of the bid opening.

Exceptions must be submitted utilizing Attachment 3 to be considered. Exceptions listed elsewhere in the Vendor’s proposal will not be considered. Christina School District maintains sole discretion to reject any vendor exceptions that are submitted.

W. BUSINESS REFERENCES

Provide at least three (3) business references consisting of current or previous customers of similar scope and value using Attachment 6. Include business name, mailing address, contact name and phone number, number of years doing business with, and type of work performed. Personal references cannot be considered.

X. DOCUMENT(S) EXECUTION

All vendors must complete and submit with its proposal the non-collusion statement that is enclosed with this Request for Proposal labeled as Attachment 2. The awarded vendor(s) will be presented with the contract form for signature and seal, if appropriate. Both of these documents shall be executed by a representative who has the legal capacity to enter the organization into a formal contract with Christina School District.

The State of Delaware requires a new vendor to complete the registration process through the Delaware Supplier Portal at http://esupplier.erp.delaware.gov. Successful completion of this registration enables the creation of a State of Delaware supplier record. The Taxpayer ID (SSN or EIN) and Applicant (supplier) name are submitted to the Internal Revenue Service for “matching”. If the Taxpayer ID and name do not match, the vendor record cannot be approved.

It is the applicant’s responsibility to select the appropriate 1099 Withholding Type and Class. If incorporated, a business is not subject to 1099 reporting unless the business is providing legal or medical services.

Any questions about completing this registration or specific comments about the registration, please contact supplier maintenance by phone at 302-672-5000.

Y. SUBCONTRACTS

Subcontracting is permitted under this RFP and contract. However, every subcontractor shall be identified in the Proposal using Attachment 7.

Z. CONFIDENTIALITY

Subject to applicable law or the order of a court of competent jurisdiction to the contrary, all documents submitted as part of the vendor’s proposal will be treated as confidential during the evaluation process.

As such, vendor proposals will not be available for review by anyone other than the Christina School District/Proposal Evaluation Team or its designated agents. There shall be no disclosure of any vendor’s information until a fully executed contract is received unless such disclosure is required by law or by order of a court of competent jurisdiction.

The State of Delaware and its constituent agencies are required to comply with the State of Delaware Freedom of Information Act, 29 Del. C. § 10001, et seq. (“FOIA”). FOIA requires that the Christina School District’s records are public records (unless otherwise declared by FOIA or other law to be exempt from disclosure) and are subject to inspection and copying by any person upon a written request. Once fully executed contracts are received, the contents of all vendor proposals are subject to FOIA’s public disclosure obligations and exemptions.

The Christina School District wishes to create a business-friendly environment and procurement process.

As such, the District respects the vendor community’s desire to protect its intellectual property, trade secrets, and confidential business information (collectively referred to herein as “confidential business information”). Proposals must contain sufficient information to be evaluated. If a vendor feels that they cannot submit their proposal without including confidential business information, they must adhere to the following procedure or their proposal may be deemed unresponsive, may not be recommended for selection, and any applicable protection for the vendor’s confidential business information may be lost.

In order to allow the District to assess its ability to protect a vendor’s confidential business information, vendors will be permitted to designate appropriate portions of their proposal as confidential business information.

Vendor(s) may submit portions of a proposal considered to be confidential business information in a separate, sealed envelope labeled “Confidential Business Information” and include the specific RFP number. The envelope must contain a letter from the Vendor’s legal counsel describing the documents in the envelope, representing in good faith that the information in each document is not “public record” as defined by 29 Del. C. § 10002, and briefly stating the reasons that each document meets the said definitions.

Upon receipt of a proposal accompanied by such a separate, sealed envelope, the Christina School District will open the envelope to determine whether the procedure described above has been followed.

A vendor’s allegation as to its confidential business information shall not be binding on the District. The District shall independently determine the validity of any vendor designation as set forth in this section.

Any vendor submitting a proposal or using the procedures discussed herein expressly accepts the District’s absolute right and duty to independently assess the legal and factual validity of any information designated as confidential business information. Accordingly, Vendor(s) assume the risk that confidential business information included within a proposal may enter the public domain.

AA. ATTACHMENTS

Attachment 1 – No Proposal Reply Form Attachment 2 – Non-Collusion Statement Attachment 3 – Exceptions Attachment 4 – Company Profile and Capabilities Attachment 5 – Confidentiality and Proprietary Information Attachment 6 – Business References Attachment 7 – Subcontractor Information Form Attachment 8 – Monthly Usage Report

Attachment 9 – Subcontracting (2nd Tier Spend) Report Attachment 10 – Office of Supplier Diversity Certification Application Attachment 11 – Proposal Reply Requirements Appendix A – Pricing Form(s) and Instructions (if applicable) Appendix B – Scope of Work Appendix C – Outline of Component B

IV. PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCEDURES

A. GENERAL ADMINISTRATION

1. DISTRICT’S RIGHT TO REJECT PROPOSALS

Christina School District reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in whole or in part, to make multiple awards, partial awards, award by types, item by item, or lump sum total, whichever is determined to be the most advantageous to the Christina School District. Vendors submitting proposals may be afforded an opportunity for discussion. Vendors may be requested to provide a best and final offer during the negotiation process. Negotiations may be conducted with responsible Vendors who submit proposals found to be reasonably likely to be selected for award. The contents of any proposal shall not be disclosed so as to be available to competing vendors during the negotiation process.

2. DISTRICT’S RIGHT TO CANCEL SOLICITATION

The Christina School District reserves the right to cancel this solicitation at any time during the procurement process, for any reason or for no reason. The Christina School District makes no commitments expressed or implied, that this process will result in a business transaction with any vendor.

This RFP does not constitute an offer by the Christina School District. Vendor’s participation in this process may result in the Christina School District selecting your organization to engage in further discussions and negotiations toward execution of a contract. The commencement of such negotiations does not, however, signify a commitment by the Christina School District to execute a contract nor to continue negotiations. The Christina School District may terminate negotiations at any time and for any reason, or for no reason.

3. FORMAL CONTRACT AND/OR PURCHASE ORDER

No employee of the Contractor(s) is to begin any work prior to receipt of a Christina School District Purchase Order signed by authorized representatives of the agency requesting service, properly processed through the Christina School District Accounting Office.

4. DELIVERY OF PROPOSALS

Proposals shall be delivered in sealed envelopes, and shall bear on the outside the name and address of the Vendor as well as the designation of the contract. Proposals forwarded by U.S. Mail shall be sent first class to the address stated in this RFP. Proposals forwarded by delivery service other than the U.S.

Mail or hand delivered must be delivered to the applicable addresses also stated in this RFP. All bids must clearly display the bid number on the envelope.

All proposals will be accepted at the time and place set in the RFP. Vendor bears the risk of delays in delivery and any delivery costs for returned proposals. Proposals received after the time set for public opening will be returned unopened.

5. PUBLIC OPENING OF PROPOSALS

The proposals shall be publicly opened at the time and place specified by the Agency. Vendors or their authorized representatives are invited to be present.

Only the vendor’s name and address will be read aloud during the bid opening process.

6. DISQUALIFICATION OF VENDORS

Any one or more of the following causes may be considered as sufficient for the disqualification of a vendor and the rejection of its proposal or proposals:

a. More than one proposal for the same contract from an individual, firm, or corporation under the same or different names.

b. Evidence of collusion among vendors.

c. Unsatisfactory performance record as evidenced by past experience with the State of Delaware/Christina School District or on a State of Delaware central contract.

d. Any suspension or debarment of the parent company, subsidiary or individual involved with the vendor by federal, any state or any local governments within the last five (5) years.

e. If the unit prices are obviously unbalanced either in excess or below reasonable cost analysis values.

f. If there are any unauthorized additions, interlineations, conditional or alternate bids or irregularities of any kind which may tend to make the proposal incomplete, indefinite, or ambiguous as to its meaning.

g. Non-attendance of mandatory pre-bid meetings shall be cause of disqualification.

1. AUTHORITY OF AGENCY

On all questions concerning the interpretation of specifications, the acceptability and quality of material furnished and/or work performed, the classification of material, the execution of the work, and the determination of payment due or to become due, the decision of the Agency shall be final and binding.

2. OR EQUAL (PRODUCTS BY NAME)

Specifications of products by name are intended to be descriptive of quality or workmanship, finish and performance. Desirable characteristics are not intended to be restrictive. Substitutions of products for those named will be considered provided the vendor certifies that the function, characteristics, performance and endurance qualities of the material offered is equal or superior to that specified.

B. RESPONSIVENESS AND RESPONSIBILITY OF VENDOR

Christina School District shall award this contract to the most responsible and responsive vendor who best meets the terms and conditions of the proposal.

1. Rejection of individual proposals. -- A proposal may be rejected for 1 or more of the following reasons:

a. The person responding to the solicitation is determined to be nonresponsive or non-responsible;

b. It is unacceptable;

c. The proposed price is unreasonable; or

d. It is otherwise not advantageous to the District.

2. Vendors whose proposals are rejected as non-responsive shall be notified in writing about the rejection.

3. Responsibility of vendors. -- It shall be determined whether a vendor is responsible before awarding a contract. Factors to be considered in determining if a vendor is responsible include:

a. The vendor's financial, physical, personnel or other resources, including subcontracts;

b. The vendor's record of performance and integrity;

c. Any record regarding any suspension or debarment;

d. Whether the vendor is qualified legally to contract with the State/the District;

e. Whether the vendor supplied all necessary information concerning its responsibility; and

f. Any other specific criteria for a particular procurement which an agency may establish (to be Entered by agency)

4. If a vendor is determined to be non-responsible, the vendor shall be informed in writing.

5. The Christina School District reserves the right to waive minor irregularities, or request additional information before determining the responsiveness of the Vendor. All Vendors will be afforded the same or similar opportunities, as necessary, and will be treated with equal regard before such determinations are finalized.

C. PROPOSAL EVALUATION COMMITTEE

The Proposal Evaluation Committee (“Committee”) is comprised of representatives of the Christina School District.

The Committee reserves the right to:

• Select for contract or for negotiations a proposal other than that with lowest costs.

• Reject any and all proposals or portions of proposals received in response to this RFP or to make no award or issue a new RFP.

• Waive or modify any information, irregularity, or inconsistency in proposals received.

• Request modification to proposals from any or all vendors during the contract review and negotiation.

• Negotiate any aspect of the proposal with any vendor, and negotiate with more than one vendor at the same time.

• Select more than one vendor pursuant to 29 Del. C. § 6926. Such selection will be based on the criteria as provided.

Christina School District reserves the right to reject any or all bids in whole or in part, to make multiple awards, partial awards, award by types, item by item, or lump sum total, whichever may be most advantageous to the Christina School District.

D. REQUIREMENTS OF THE VENDOR

The purpose of this section is to assist the Proposal Evaluation Committee to determine the ability of the organization to provide the materials and services described in the application. The proposal response should contain at a minimum the following information:

(Identify what information is needed here. Will want to include providing business licenses and insurance certificates)

E. CRITERIA AND SCORING

Criteria Weight Firm experience, qualifications, capacity (Component A and Component B) 20% Understanding of the District and proposed approach/methodology 20% Career pathway and training capability, curriculum and instructional design 20% Account team and key personnel (both components) 10% Cost (retainer for Components A and B, plus rate card) 15% Public-sector / K-12 / Delaware experience 10% References and past performances 5%

TOTAL 100%

Procurement Evaluation Committee members will assign up to the maximum number of points listed for each of the criteria listed above. For items having quantitative answers, points will be proportionate to each proposal’s response. Items with qualitative answers will receive the average of points assigned by Proposal Evaluation Committee members.

F. BEST AND FINAL OFFERS

Once the proposals have been evaluated and negotiations have been held with the vendor(s) determined to be likely to receive an award, the Procurement Evaluation Committee issue a request for Best and Final Offers from the vendor(s).

G. REFERENCES

The Committee may contact any customer of the vendor, whether or not included in the vendor’s reference list, and use such information in the evaluation process. Additionally, the Christina School District may choose to visit existing installations of comparable systems, which may or may not include vendor personnel.

If the vendor is involved in such site visits, the Christina School District will pay travel costs only for Christina School District personnel for these visits.

H. ORAL PRESENTATIONS

Selected vendors may be invited to make oral presentations to the Committee. The vendor representative(s) attending the oral presentation shall be technically qualified to respond to questions related to the proposed system and its components.

All of the vendor's costs associated with participation in oral discussions and system demonstrations conducted for the Christina School District are the vendor’s responsibility.

V. MANDATORY PREBID MEETING

A mandatory pre-bid meeting has not been established for this Request for Proposal.

VI. DEFINITIONS AND GENERAL PROVISIONS

The attached Definitions and General Provisions apply to all contracts and are part of each Request for Proposal. The requirement to furnish a bid bond and performance bond is applicable unless waived. Should the General Provisions conflict with the Special Provisions, the Special Provisions shall prevail. Vendors or their authorized representatives are required to fully acquaint themselves as to State procurement laws and regulations prior to submitting bid.

A. DEFINITIONS: Whenever the following terms are used, their intent and meaning shall be interpreted as follows:

STATE: The State of Delaware

AGENCY: State Agency as noted on cover sheet.

BID INVITATION: The "invitation to bid" or “Request for Proposal” is a packet of material sent to vendors and consists of General Provisions, Special Provisions, specifications, and enclosures.

BOND: The approved form of security furnished by the Vendors and its surety as a guaranty of good faith on the part of the Vendor to execute the work in accordance with the terms of the contract.

CONTRACT: The written agreement covering the furnishing and delivery of material or work to be performed.

DESIGNATED OFFICIAL: The agent authorized to act for an Agency.

GENERAL PROVISIONS: General Provisions are instructions pertaining to contracts in general. They contain, in summary, requirements of laws of the State, policies of the Agency, and instructions to vendors.

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