ESBD_File_330958_23-027 Addendum I Questions and Answers Final 8.9.23.pdf

Texas Education Agency RFI 701-23-027, Reading Interventions and Dyslexia Instruction

Addendum I, Questions and Answers

This addendum incorporates the following changes to the above-referenced solicitation:

I. Questions - The following questions and associated responses are hereby incorporated into the above-referenced solicitation:

1. QUESTION: Can you confirm that it is appropriate to submit reading interventions for this RFI, or must a program address both reading intervention and dyslexia?

TEA RESPONSE: It is appropriate to submit only reading interventions for this RFI. If a program does not address both reading intervention and dyslexia instruction, please indicate this in the narrative response in the information requested as well as in the Attachment B worksheet.

2. QUESTION: Can you also confirm that it is acceptable to submit a program that addresses two of the five reading components?

TEA RESPONSE: It is acceptable to submit a program that addresses any number of the five reading components. Please indicate the components that are addressed in the Attachment B worksheet.

3. QUESTION: Is there a system currently in place that the State is primarily using?

TEA RESPONSE: No, there is not a system in place that the state uses.

4. QUESTION: If a vendor submits more than one program/product, should they be submitted in one application or in separate applications?

TEA RESPONSE: If one vendor has more than one program or product, they should submit a separate application for each program or product for TEA to easily distinguish between each. Separate applications are needed because a vendor may have different answers in the information requested for letters B-E depending on the program or product. The vendor may also have different answers for each program or product throughout the Attachment B worksheet. The vendor may use the same answer in the information requested for “A. Company Profile” for each application that is submitted.

5. QUESTION: What documents should be uploaded to the TEA ShareFile site (i.e., Attachment B, narrative responses to Company Profile, Product Profile, and Product Pricing)? Should these files be uploaded separately or as a single PDF?

TEA RESPONSE: Each application should include the narrative responses for all information requested in A-C for physical materials only that do not include software platform and in the A-E section for which software platforms which may also include physical materials. These sections A-E (Company Profile, Product Profile, Product Pricing, and if needed Development Recommendations and Pricing Implications) as well as Attachment B worksheet should be uploaded in one single PDF for each application.

6. QUESTION: In regard to Attachment B:

a. Does TEA want publishers to distinguish grade levels for the submission responses?

b. [pg 3] What is the expectation for “Program, curriculum, or instruction provides intervention in other languages” (final section - Instructional Intervention Considerations for Emergent Bilingual Students with Dyslexia)? Please provide additional details.

c. Is there a page limit for Attachment B? If so, please provide.

d. Where should visuals associated with addressing criteria in Attachment B be placed within the submission documents?

TEA RESPONSE:

a. Applicants may distinguish grade levels for the submission responses in the Attachment B worksheet in the description section at the top of the worksheet or in the column titled: “Please provide information regarding how these criteria are addressed.”

b. Applicants should indicate if the program or product provides instruction or intervention in other languages.

c. At this time, there are no page limits indicated for Attachment B worksheet.

d. Applicants may attach additional visuals within the application in one PDF that includes all narrative information requested as well as Attachment B worksheet.

7. QUESTION: In regard to C. Product Pricing [pg 5]:

a. Where should standard terms and conditions associated with pricing be placed within the submission?

b. Will pricing terms and conditions be counted in the maximum page count of one page or less?

TEA RESPONSE:

a. Standard terms and conditions associated with pricing should be titled “Standard Terms and Conditions” and submitted in the information requested under “C. Product Pricing.”

RFI 701-23-027, Addendum 1 2

b. The pricing standard terms and conditions will be counted in the maximum page count if included.

8. QUESTION: Are references required or expected? If so, where should they be included within the submission documents?

TEA RESPONSE: At this time, no references are required or expected.

9. QUESTION: Would you like print and/or digital samples at this time?

TEA RESPONSE: At this time, no print and/or digital samples are required.

10. QUESTION: How is this affected by the new IMRA rules? Will there be a review for these materials at a later date?

TEA RESPONSE: As this is a separate RFI stemming from the Office of Special Populations and does not include a procurement component, there is no effect on the RFI as a result of IMRA processes at this time.

11. QUESTION: The Product Profile section for software interventions requests a lot of information within the five-page limit. Are respondents permitted to include appendices?

TEA RESPONSE: Currently, we are not accepting appendices. All pertinent information should be included within the five-page limit.

12. QUESTION: We have a web application for our dyslexia program Reading by Design. The web application was developed in partnership with an external vendor. The web application is currently used for progress monitoring. We do not have our entire program on a platform as of now. Should the vendor submit an RFI although we do not have our entire program on the application as of now?

TEA RESPONSE: TEA is interested in all programs or products regarding reading intervention and dyslexia instruction. In section D and E under “Software Platform (including physical materials): Reading Intervention and Curriculum Including Dyslexia Instruction and Curriculum,” there is an opportunity to explain development recommendations for enhancing an existing application. There are questions such as:

• What is your proposed prioritization of the identified capabilities for an initial release or future product modifications?

• Provide a timeline for proposed product modifications or the estimated time to completion for an initial release of a new software application.

• What staff resources are available to complete this project? Please describe any existing architecture or software components that would be leveraged for this project.

If the web application is used solely for progress monitoring, then much of the information collected on Attachment B worksheet may not pertain. It would be important to respond about the current product and make clear the intentions for a future program or platform on this worksheet.

II. All other provisions of the RFI remain the same.