Document ID: RFP 540 2600000225 Page: 1

Commonwealth of Kentucky

SOLICITATION MODIFICATION

Modification: Yes Version #: 2

TITLE: Read to Succeed Family Resource

Date Issued:

02/16/2026 Record Date:

02/10/2026

Solicitation Closes Date:

03/02/2026 Time:

16:00

Solicitation No:

RFP 540 2600000225

Reason for Modification

RFP 540 2600000225 Addendum I 2/9/2026

Provide Commonwealths Responses to Vendors Written Questions, questions and answers are included on pages 21-23 of this document.

Online Bidding Prohibited: No For Information Call:

Raven Miller 502-564-1979

Bid Receiving Location:

Bid Receiving

See Terms & Conditions for Bid Submission Instructions

Other KY

Vendor Customer Number:

Vendor Name:

Phone Number:

Fax Number:

Email Address:

Ordering

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Contact Name:

Contact Email:

Contact Phone Number:

Payment

Address:

City, State, Zip:

Contact Name:

Contact Email:

Contact Phone Number:

Ownership Type

__ Sole Proprietorship __ Partnership __ Corporation __ Other_________________________

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED AGENT IS REQUIRED UNLESS RESPONSE

IS SUBMITTED ELECTRONICALLY. FAILURE TO SIGN SHALL RENDER

THE BID INVALID.

Signature X_________________________________________ FEIN#____________________ Date____________

Document ID: RFP 540 2600000225 Page: 2

All offers subject to all terms and conditions contained in this solicitation.

Document ID: RFP 540 2600000225 Page: 3

Line Items

Commodity Group: Default

Line CL Description Quantity UOM Unit Cost Line Total or Contract Amnt

1 Read to Succeed Family Resource

Comm Code Comm Description Manufacturer Model # Manuf Part #

78587 Resource Books and Materials (Not Otherwise Classified)

Extended Description The Kentucky Department of Education is committed to enhancing early literacy skills among students through effective parent and family engagement.

Recognizing the pivotal role that families play in literacy development, we are seeking proposals from a vendor to design and deliver a comprehensive early literacy resource package for families that supports childrens reading development through evidence-based instruction and hands-on engagement.

This resource package must align to the science of reading, structured literacy strategies and Kentuckys Read to Succeed Act initiatives, giving parents and caregivers the tools to reinforce foundational literacy skills at home.

The purpose of this project is to provide engaging, easy-to-use literacy resources that strengthen the home-to-school connection and build family capacity to support early reading success. The resources will include high-quality decodable texts and knowledge building books, instructional content for parents and families, and manipulatives designed to reinforce foundational literacy skills at home.

The objectives are to:

learning aligned with the five essential components of literacy.

Provide print materials and manipulatives to ensure access and opportunity for all Kentucky families. May also include an aligned technology-based format to further engagement and increase access and opportunity for engagement.

Strengthen collaboration between families and educators through consistent, research-aligned and evidence-based literacy practices.

Shipping Information KDE - Division of Financial Managment

300 Sower Blvd, 5th Floor, CSW

Frankfort KY 40601

Billing Information KDE - Division of Financial Managment

300 Sower Blvd, 5th Floor, CSW

Frankfort KY 40601

Document ID: RFP 540 2600000225 Page: 4

Submission Checklist

The following items will be required to be submitted with bid:

Item Alignment with Purpose, Science of Reading, and Kentucky Reads to Succeed Quality and Depth of Instructional Content Integration of Reading Materials, Instructional Content, and Manipulatives Distribution Plan for the Reading Materials, Instructional Content, and Manipulatives Cost Proposal Form - Attachment A Oral Demonstration/Presentation Evaluation, if required

2/9/2026

Provide Commonwealth’s Responses to Vendor’s Written Questions, questions and answers are included on pages 21-23 of this document.

Revised May 2025

PROPOSAL SUBMISSION CHECKLIST

The vendor MUST include the following with the proposal submission.

If the items highlighted below are not submitted with the proposal submission, the Commonwealth MUST deem the proposal non-responsive and

SHALL NOT consider for award.

All other items MUST be submitted prior to award.

_____ SIGNED AND COMPLETED SOLICITATION –Section(s) 8.00 and 8.10 of this RFP

(not required if submitting electronically)

_____ *PROPOSED SOLUTION (TECHNICAL) UNDER SEALED COVER AND BY

CLOSING DATE --Section(s) 8.00 and 8.10 of this RFP

_____ *PROPOSED SOLUTION (COST) UNDER SEALED COVER AND BY CLOSING

DATE -- Section(s) 8.00 and 8.10 of this RFP

_____ TRANSMITTAL LETTER – Section 8.20 of this RFP

_____ PROOF OF REGISTRATION WITH SECRETARY OF STATE BY A FOREIGN

ENTITY -- Section 8.00 of the Personal Service Contract Terms and Conditions of this

RFP

_____ REQUIRED AFFIDAVIT(S) – Section 8.20 of this RFP

*The Commonwealth defines SEALED as “a closure that must be broken to be opened and that thus reveals tampering” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, https://www.merriam-webster.com/ dictionary/seal

Document Phase Document Description Page 5

2600000225 Final Read to Succeed Family Resource Total Pages: 29 https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seal https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seal

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

FOR

PERSONAL SERVICE CONTRACT

Kentucky Department of Education Read to Succeed Family Resource

RFP 540 2600000225

This document constitutes a Request for Proposals for a Personal Service Contract from qualified individuals and organizations to furnish those services as described herein for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Kentucky Department of Education.

Offerors are advised that any personal service contract resulting from this RFP must comply with all applicable provisions of KRS 45A and KRS 12.210 prior to becoming effective.

A contract, based on this RFP, may or may not be awarded. Any contract award from this RFP is invalid until properly approved and executed by the Finance and Administration Cabinet and filed with the Legislative Research Commission, Government Contract Review Committee.

1.00 Purpose and Background

The Kentucky Department of Education is committed to enhancing early literacy skills among students through effective parent and family engagement. Recognizing the pivotal role that families play in literacy development, we are seeking proposals from a vendor to design and deliver a comprehensive early literacy resource package for families that supports children’s reading development through evidence-based instruction and hands-on engagement. This resource package must align to the science of reading, structured literacy strategies and Kentucky’s Read to Succeed Act initiatives, giving parents and caregivers the tools to reinforce foundational literacy skills at home.

The purpose of this project is to provide engaging, easy-to-use literacy resources that strengthen the home-to-school connection and build family capacity to support early reading success. The resources will include high-quality decodable texts and knowledge building books, instructional content for parents and families, and manipulatives designed to reinforce foundational literacy skills at home.

The objectives are to:

# Equip parents and families with practical, evidence-based strategies to build their child’s reading skills.

# Integrate decodable texts, knowledge building reading materials, instructional activities for parents and families, and manipulatives that promote hands-on learning aligned with the five essential components of literacy.

# Provide print materials and manipulatives to ensure access and opportunity for all Kentucky families. May also include an aligned technology-based format to further engagement and increase access and opportunity for engagement.

# Strengthen collaboration between families and educators through consistent, research-aligned and evidence-based literacy practices.

2.00 Scope of Work

The selected vendor will develop and produce a family-facing literacy resource that includes instructional content, visual supports and manipulatives designed for home use.

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A. Content Requirements

1. Align content with the science of reading and Kentucky’s Read to Succeed framework.

2. Address the five essential components of literacy: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

3. Include clear, family-friendly explanations of reading development and how parents can support it at home.

4. Provide structured, easy-to-follow learning experiences aligned to the utilization of all print materials and manipulatives, and, if applicable, any technology-based formats/ applications.

5. Equip parents and families with practical, evidence-based strategies to build their child’s reading skills at home.

6. Integrate decodable texts, knowledge building reading materials, instructional activities for parents and families, and manipulatives that promote hands-on learning aligned with the five essential components of literacy (cited above).

7. Provide print materials and manipulatives to ensure access and opportunity for all Kentucky families. May also include an aligned technology-based format to further engagement and increase access and opportunity for engagement.

8. Strengthen collaboration between families and educators through consistent, research-aligned and evidence-based literacy practices.

B. Manipulatives and Hands-On Components

1. Include tangible materials that allow children and families to engage in active literacy learning, such as:

a. Letter or sound cards, word-building tiles, or magnetic letters.

b. Phoneme blending or segmenting tools (e.g., chips, counters, or moveable pieces).

c. Decodable texts to reinforce reading skills.

2. Manipulatives should be durable, child-safe, and easy for families to store and reuse.

3. Materials should directly correspond to the instructional activities provided in the resource.

C. Format and Accessibility

1. May be provided as a packaged resource with both print and physical materials, or as a hybrid model that combines print, digital, and physical components.

2. Written content should use plain, family-friendly language.

3. All materials must comply with accessibility standards.

4. Resources must be available in English and Spanish, with potential for additional translations based on KDE needs.

D. Distribution and Implementation

1. The family literacy resources should be designed for statewide distribution through family resource and youth service centers within schools and districts or via online access.

2. Packaging and design should support efficient distribution and easy assembly at the local level.

E. Deliverables The vendor will deliver the following:

1. Science of Reading Aligned Content Provide materials that align to the science of reading and Kentucky’s Read to Succeed framework. Content must reflect evidence-based practices across all grade bands included in the scope.

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2. Coverage of the Five Essential Components of Literacy Design all materials to address phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Each component must have explanations, examples and activities that support family use.

3. Family Friendly Guidance on Reading Development Produce clear explanations of how children learn to read. Guidance must help families understand reading milestones and what skill development looks like at each stage.

Language must be accessible to families with varied backgrounds.

4. Structured Home Activities Include step by step activities aligned to all print materials, manipulatives and any technology based tools. Activities must require minimal preparation and give families clear instructions on what to do, what to look for, and how to support skill growth.

5. Evidence Based Strategies for Families Provide practical strategies families can use at home to build reading skills. Strategies must align with research on the science of reading and structured literacy practices and emphasize simple routines families can implement daily.

6. Integrated Reading Materials Supply decodable texts, knowledge building reading materials, instructional activities, and manipulatives. All items must align to the five essential components of literacy and promote hands on learning.

7. Print Materials and Manipulatives Provide all print materials and manipulatives needed to ensure access for all Kentucky families. If technology is included, it must align to the print materials and increase engagement and access.

8. Tools to Strengthen Family and Educator Collaboration Create resources that help educators and families work together. Materials must promote consistent, research aligned practices between school and home.

3.00 Evaluation Criteria

The Kentucky Department of Education shall conduct a comprehensive, fair, and impartial evaluation of all proposals. The Kentucky Department of Education may reject any proposal that is incomplete or in which there are significant inconsistencies or inaccuracies. The Kentucky Department of Education reserves the right to reject all proposals.

The Kentucky Department of Education has established a Proposal Evaluation Committee to review, evaluate and verify information submitted by the offeror.

Each vendor is responsible for submitting all relevant, factual and correct information with their offer to enable the evaluator(s) to afford each vendor the maximum score based on the available data submitted by the vendor.

The Kentucky Department of Education shall evaluate the proposals by assigning scores as indicated.

Technical Proposal Evaluation

Proposals with a combined technical score less than 50% of the maximum technical points possible will not be considered for award and neither cost proposals nor oral demonstration/presentation evaluations will be evaluated regarding that proposal. A proposal’s combined technical score is the combined total points of all scored criteria in the technical proposal portion of an evaluation.

Criteria Maximum Points Possible

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Alignment with Purpose, Science of Reading, and Kentucky Reads to Succeed Proposal should demonstrate a clear understanding of KDE’s goal to provide an engaging, easy-to-use family literacy resource package that strengthens the home-to-school connection and supports early reading success.

Describe how the solution will clearly align all proposed work with the Science of Reading, the Read to Succeed Act, and Kentucky Reads to Succeed priorities.

Quality and Depth of Instructional Content Describe the structure, accuracy, and research basis of the proposed instructional content crafted specifically for the parent and family audience.

Shows strong alignment to the five essential components of literacy (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension).

Content should reflect evidence-based instructional practices and promote family understanding of how children learn to read. It should be easy to understand and to use.

Integration of Reading Materials, Instructional Content, and Manipulatives Clearly explain how reading materials/decodables/ knowledge-building books, instructional activities, and manipulatives will be aligned and integrated to support literacy skill development.

Demonstrate how these elements connect to classroom instruction aligned to the Kentucky Academic Standards and structured literacy practices and provides families with meaningful, hands-on ways to reinforce learning at home.

Distribution Plan for the Reading Materials, Instructional Content, and Manipulatives

Provide a detailed plan for statewide distribution, scalability, and sustainability through local family resource and youth service centers.

Describe how materials will be introduced to families through schools and community partners, and how implementation will align with Kentucky Reads to Succeed outreach efforts.

Maximum Points Possible 500

Cost Proposal Evaluation

Cost Proposal Form - Attachment A 300

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Maximum Points Possible 300

Oral Demonstration/Presentation Evaluation, if required

Oral Demonstration/Presentation

The Commonwealth reserves the right to require Oral Presentations/Demonstrations to verify or expand on the Technical or Cost Proposals. Oral Presentations/Demonstrations may be conducted through videoconferencing or by conference call, if it is in the best interest of the Commonwealth to do so.

This is the opportunity for the vendor to present and demonstrate the solution and to answer questions or to clarify the understanding of the evaluation committee in accordance with the requirements of this RFP. The Commonwealth reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in whole or in part based on the oral presentations/demonstrations.

If required, the top three (3) highest ranking vendors may be invited. Scheduling will be at the discretion of the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth reserves the right not to require oral presentations/demonstrations

Maximum Points Possible 200

Total Proposal Evaluation

Technical Proposal 500

Cost Proposal 300

Oral Demonstrations/Presentations, if required 200

MAXIMUM POINTS POSSIBLE

4.00 Schedule of RFP Activities

The following schedule presents the major activities associated with the RFP distribution, written questions and proposal submission. The Commonwealth reserves the right at its sole discretion to change the Schedule of Activities, including the associated dates and times.

Release of RFP 01/29/2026

Written Questions due by: 2:00 PM 02/05/2026

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Anticipated Commonwealth Response to Written Questions 02/19/2026

Proposals Due by: 4:00 PM 03/02/2026

*NOTE: ALL TIME REFERENCES ARE TO THE EASTERN TIME ZONE.

5.00 Offeror’s Conference

Not Applicable.

6.00 Point of Contact

The Agency Contact named below shall be the sole point of contact throughout the procurement process. All communications, oral and written (regular mail, express mail or electronic mail), concerning this procurement shall be addressed to:

Raven Miller Raven.Miller@education.ky.gov

From the issue date of this RFP until a Contractor(s) is selected and the selection is announced, Offerors shall not communicate with any other Commonwealth staff concerning this RFP.

7.00 Questions Regarding this RFP

Questions must be submitted in writing to the Agency Contact. The Commonwealth will respond to salient questions in writing by issuing an Addendum to the Solicitation. The Addendum shall be posted to the Commonwealth’s eProcurement page.

8.00 Proposal Submission

Proposals shall be received by electronic submission in the eProcurement system, Kentucky Vendor Self Service System.

An electronic proposal shall be authorized by the proper agent of the firm by the act of submitting it electronically through the eProcurement system.

Proposal information MUST be completed online. Response must contain all required information for the Solicitation. All bidders MUST be registered in the Commonwealth eProcurement System via the Vendor Self Service System at https://vss.ky.gov .

Allow 24 – 48 hours to complete Vendor Registration. Vendors must be logged in to their Vendor Self Service (VSS) account in order to submit a response. Registrations completed the day of bid closing must be completed by the Vendor in the VSS portal. The Customer Resource Center is not able to complete registrations and activate accounts on the same day. Closing dates will not be extended for Vendors not registered by the date/time of the bid closing.

All bidders are cautioned to begin their electronic submission in sufficient time to complete before the closing date and time. Delays due to technical difficulties or document upload impediments shall not be justification for acceptance of a late bid or proposal. Vendor attention to this advisory is encouraged. Instructions “How to Submit an Online Response for a Business Opportunity” are posted to Kentucky’s Vendor Self Service, https://vss.ky.gov . If you need assistance, please contact the Customer Resource Center (CRC) by email at Finance.CRCGroup@ky.gov or phone 502-564-9641 or toll-free 877-973-HELP (4357).

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2600000225 Final Read to Succeed Family Resource Total Pages: 29 mailto:Raven.Miller@education.ky.gov https://vss.ky.gov https://vss.ky.gov mailto:Finance.CRCGroup@ky.gov

Proposals shall be submitted in three (3) parts: The Technical Proposal, the Cost Proposal, and Proprietary Information. Each part shall consist of one document attachment. Do not submit multiple document attachments as Technical, Cost or Proprietary. All files shall be labeled accordingly. Attachments may not exceed 65,000 KB.

Proposals submitted online must be in an “Accepted” status and shall be assigned a date and time stamp from the eProcurement system at the time of final acceptance and formal submission by the vendor. The system will not allow submission of an online proposal after the published date and time for closing.

A proposal may be modified or withdrawn by electronic or written notice ONLY if received prior to the bid closing date and time. An electronic offer may be modified by applying the appropriate electronic signature and following the procedure in the state’s eProcurement signature.

8.10 Format of Response

Proposals shall be submitted in three (3) parts: the Technical Proposal, the Cost Proposal, and Proprietary Information. Each part shall consist of one document. Do not submit multiple documents as Technical, Cost or Proprietary.

1. Proposals must be submitted electronically in the eProcurement System, Kentucky Vendor Self Service site.

a. The Technical Proposal shall be submitted on one (1) document marked Technical (in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or PDF format ONLY). Do not include embedded documents, hyperlinks or hyperlinks to videos. The document should be named in the following manner: Technical – Name of offeror RFP number

b. The Cost Proposal shall be submitted on one (1) document marked Cost (in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or PDF format ONLY). Do not include embedded documents, hyperlinks or hyperlinks to videos. The document should be named in the following manner: Cost – Name of offeror RFP number

c. Any Proprietary Information shall be submitted on one (1) document marked Proprietary (in Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel or PDF format ONLY). Do not include embedded documents, hyperlinks or hyperlinks to videos. The document should be named in the following manner: Proprietary – Name of offeror RFP number

All proposals must be received no later than 4:00 PM EST on March 2, 2026.

Pricing shall only be provided in the Cost Proposal. DO NOT SUBMIT ANY PRICING

INFORMATION IN THE TECHNICAL PROPOSAL.

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All submitted Technical and Cost Proposals shall remain valid for a minimum of six (6) months after the proposal due date.

8.20 Format of Technical Proposal

The Technical Proposal must be arranged and labeled in the manner set forth below.

Transmittal Letter – a Transmittal letter shall be submitted on Offeror’s letterhead and signed by an agent authorized to bind the Offeror. The Transmittal letter shall include the following:

a. A statement that deviations are included, if applicable.

b. A statement that proprietary information is included, if applicable.

c. A statement that, if awarded a contract as a result of this Solicitation, the Offeror shall comply in full with all the requirements of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, and shall submit all data required by KRS 45.560 to 45.640.

d. A sworn statement that, pursuant to KRS 11A.040, that Offeror has not knowingly violated any provisions of the Executive Branch Code of Ethics.

e. A statement certifying that the price in this proposal was arrived at independently without collusion, consultation, communication, or agreement as to any matter relating to such prices with any other Offeror or with any competitor.

f. A statement affirming that the Offeror is properly authorized under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to conduct business in this state and will remain in good standing with the Office of the Kentucky Secretary of State for the duration of any awarded contract resulting from this Solicitation.

g. The name, address, telephone number and email address and website address, if available, of the contract person to serve as a point of contact for day-to-day operations.

h. Subcontractor information to include the name of the company, address, telephone number and contact name, if applicable.

i. Foreign entity’s organization number issued by the Secretary of State in a certificate of authority or a statement of foreign qualification, if applicable.

Completed and Signed Solicitation and Addenda – An authorized representative MUST complete and sign the Solicitation form and include the following:

a. “Vendor” box and “Payment” box should be completed.

b. Vendor shall indicate ownership type.

c. Vendor shall provide “FEIN” if applicable.

d. Vendor shall provide date the form is completed and signed.

e. Signed face of the most recent Addenda, if applicable.

Signed and Notarized Required Affidavit for Bidders or Offerors - available at the following link:

https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx.

Signed and Notarized Required Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors Claiming Resident Bidder Status – if applicable. Available at the following link:

Document Phase Document Description Page 13 https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx.

*Offerors not claiming Resident Bidder Status need not submit this affidavit.

Signed and Notarized Required Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors Claiming Qualified Bidder Status – if applicable. Available at the following link:

https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx.

*Offerors not claiming Qualified Bidder Status need not submit this affidavit.

Response to the Technical Portion of the RFP – Please provide a detailed response to the technical requirements outlined in the Evaluation Criteria. No cost information shall be provided in the technical portion.

8.30 Format of Cost Proposal

The Cost Proposal must be submitted under separate cover from the Technical Proposal and must be arranged and labeled in the manner specified. The proposal with the lowest price receives the maximum score. The remaining proposals with the next lowest price receives points by dividing the lowest price by the next lowest price and multiplying that percentage by the available points.

8.40 Certification Regarding Debarment and Suspension

In accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.209-5, the Offeror shall certify, by signing the Solicitation, that to the best of its knowledge and belief, the Offeror and/or its Principals is (are) not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, or declared ineligible for the award of contracts by any state or federal agency.

For the purposes of this certification, “Principals”, means officers, directors, owners, partners, and persons having primary management or supervisory responsibilities within a business entity (e.g., general manager, plant manager, head of subsidiary, division, or business segment, and similar positions.

9.00 Rules of Procurement

To facilitate this procurement, various rules have been established. These are described in the following paragraphs.

Offerors should review and comply with the General Conditions and Instructions for Solicitation/ Contract listed under “Response to Solicitation” located on the eProcurement web page at https://finance.ky.gov/eProcurement/Pages/doing-business-with-the-commonwealth.aspx

The procurement process will provide for the evaluation of proposals and selection of the winning proposal in accordance with state law and regulations. KRS Chapter 45A of the Kentucky Model Procurement Code provides the regulatory framework for the procurement of services by state agencies.

9.10 Technical Proposal Evaluation

The Kentucky Department of Education will evaluate the proposal based on the technical portion of the Evaluation Criteria. Each Offeror is responsible for submitting all relevant, factual and correct information with their offer to enable the evaluator(s) to afford each vendor the maximum score based on the available data submitted by the Offeror. Past Offeror Performance may be considered

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2600000225 Final Read to Succeed Family Resource Total Pages: 29 https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx https://finance.ky.gov/office-of-the-secretary/Pages/finance-forms.aspx https://finance.ky.gov/eProcurement/Pages/doing-business-with-the-commonwealth.aspx in the award of this Contract. Offerors with a record of poor performance in the last twelve (12) months may be found non-responsible and ineligible for award.

9.20 Cost Proposal Evaluation

The Kentucky Department of Education will evaluate the proposal based on the cost portion of the Evaluation Criteria.

Offeror shall only provide cost on the attached Cost Proposal Form (Attachment A); otherwise, the proposal may be deemed non-responsive.

9.30 Right to Reject/Waiver of Minor Irregularities

The Commonwealth reserves the right at its discretion to reject any and all offers. The Commonwealth also reserves the right at its discretion to waive informalities and minor irregularities in offers received.

9.40 Clarification of Proposals

The Commonwealth reserves the right at its discretion to request additional information as may reasonably be required for selection and to reject any proposals for failure to provide additional information on a timely basis.

The Commonwealth reserves the right to conduct discussions with any Offeror who has submitted a proposal to determine the Offeror’s qualifications for further consideration. Such discussions shall not disclose any information derived from proposals submitted by other Offerors.

9.50 Best and Final Offers

The Commonwealth reserves the right at its discretion to request a Best and Final Offer (BAFO) for technical and/or cost proposals. Offerors are cautioned to propose their best possible offers at the outset of the process, as there is no guarantee that any Offeror will be allowed an opportunity to submit a Best and Final technical and/or cost offer.

9.60 Vendor Response and Public Inspection

This RFP specifies the format, required information and general content of proposals to be submitted in response to the RFP. The Kentucky Department of Education shall not disclose any portions of the proposals prior to contract award to anyone outside the Kentucky Department of Education, representatives of the agency for whose benefit the contract is proposed, representatives of the federal government, if required, and the members of the evaluation committee. After a contract is awarded in whole or in part, the Commonwealth shall have the right to duplicate, use, or disclose all proposal data submitted by Offerors in response to this RFP as a matter of public record.

Any and all documents submitted by an Offeror in response to the RP shall be available for public inspection after contract award pursuant to the Kentucky Open Records Act, KRS 61.870 to 61.884 (“the Act”). When responding to a request to inspect records submitted in response to this RFP, the Commonwealth will not redact or withhold any information or documents unless the records sought are exempt from disclosure pursuant to KRS 61.878 or other applicable law. Similarly, no such documents shall be exempt from public disclosure, regardless of the Offeror’s designation of the information contained therein as “proprietary,” “confidential,” or otherwise, except in cases where the requested documents (or information contained therein) would be excluded from application of the Act under KRS 61.878(1)(c).

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The Commonwealth of Kentucky shall have the right to use all system ideas, or adaptations of those ideas, contained in any proposal received in response to this RFP. Selection or rejections of the proposal will not affect this right.

9.70 Reciprocal Preference for Kentucky Resident Bidders and Preferences for a Qualified Bidder The scoring of bids/proposals is subject to the reciprocal preference for Kentucky resident bidders and preferences for a Qualified Bidder or the Department of Corrections, Division of Prison Industries (See KRS 45A.490(1), (2), 45A.492, 45A.494 and KAR 200 5:410).

Vendors not claiming resident bidder or qualified bidder status need not submit the corresponding affidavit.

Determining the residency of a bidder for purposes of applying a reciprocal preference

Any individual, partnership, association, corporation, or other business entity claiming resident bidder status shall submit the attached Required Affidavit for Bidders, Offerors and Contractors Claiming Resident Bidder Status as part of its response. The Kentucky Department of Education reserves the right to request documentation supporting a bidder’s claim of resident bidder status.

Failure to provide such documentation upon request shall result in disqualification of the bidder or contract termination.

As part of its response, a nonresident bidder shall submit its certificate of authority to transact business in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Secretary of State. The location of the principal office identified therein shall be deemed the state of residency for that bidder. If the bidder is not required by law to obtain said certificate, the state of residency for that bidder shall be deemed to be that which is identified in its mailing address as provided in its bid.

Preferences for Qualified Bidder or the Department of Corrections, Division of Prison Industries (200 KAR 5:410)

Pursuant to KRS 45A.470 and 200 KAR 5:410, Kentucky Correctional Industries will receive a preference equal to twenty (20) percent of the maximum points awarded to a bidder in a solicitation. In addition, the following “qualified bidders” will receive a preference equal to fifteen

(15) percent of the maximum points awarded to a bidder in a solicitation. New Vision Industries, Inc., any nonprofit corporation that furthers the purposes of KRS Chapter 163 and any qualified nonprofit agencies for individuals with severe disabilities as defined in KRS 45A.465(3). Any bidder claiming “qualified bidder” status, other than New Vision Industries, Inc., shall submit a notarized affidavit affirming that it meets the requirements to be considered a qualified bidder as part of its response to the solicitation (affidavit form included as part of this RFP). If requested, failure to provide documentation proving qualified bidder status to a public agency, if requested, may result in disqualification of the bidder or contract termination.

9.80 Negotiation

After conducting the evaluation to determine the best proposal received, the Kentucky Department of Education reserves the right to negotiate a fair and reasonable compensation based on the pricing submitted in the Offeror’s proposal. If the negotiations fail to reach an agreement on a fair and reasonable compensation rate, the Kentucky Department of Education reserves the right to proceed

Document Phase Document Description Page 16 to the next highest ranked proposal. Other terms and conditions relating to the technical and/or cost proposals may be negotiated at the sole discretion of the Commonwealth.

9.85 Best Interests of the Commonwealth

The Commonwealth will rank all proposals in the manner set forth in the Evaluation Criteria.

However, the Commonwealth reserves the right to reject any or all proposals in whole or in part before, during, or after negotiation based on the best interests of the Commonwealth.

CONTRACT AWARD, TERMS, AND CONDITIONS

10.00 Notification of Award

To view the award of contract(s), including the contractor(s) receiving the award(s) for this solicitation, access the Kentucky Vendor Self Service Site at:

Offerors can search for the solicitation title or number in the keyword search field or filter their search for only awarded solicitations by clicking on “Advanced Search” and changing the status to “awarded.” The award(s) information can be accessed by clicking on the details button of the solicitation and clicking the “Notice of Award” tab. It is the Offeror’s responsibility to review this information in a timely fashion. No other notification of the results of an Award of Contract will be provided to unsuccessful Offerors.

10.10 Beginning of Work

This Contract is not effective and binding until approved by the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet and filed with the Legislative Research Commission’s Government Contract Review Committee. The Contractor shall not commence any billable work until a valid Contract has been fully executed. This Contract, including the components referenced in Section 10.20, shall represent the entire agreement between the parties. Prior negotiations, representations, or agreements, either written or oral, between the parties hereto relating to the subject matter hereof shall be of no effect upon this Contract.

10.20 Contract Components and Order of Precedence

The Commonwealth’s acceptance of the Contractor’s offer in response to the Solicitation, indicated by the issuance of a Contract Award, shall create a valid contract between the Parties consisting of the following:

1. Procurement Statutes, Regulations and Policies

2. Any written Agreement between the Parties.

3. Any Addenda to the Solicitation.

4. The Solicitation and all attachments

5. Any Best and Final Offer.

6. Any clarifications concerning the Contractor’s proposal in response to the Solicitation.

7. The Contractor’s proposal in response to the Solicitation.

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In the event of any conflict between or among the provisions contained in the Contract, the order of precedence shall be as enumerated above.

10.30 Contract Term and Renewal Option

The initial term of the Contract is anticipated to be from July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2028.

This agreement is not effective until the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet or his authorized designee has approved the Contract and until the Contract has been filed with the Legislative Research Commission, Government Contract Review Committee.

The Commonwealth reserves the right to renew this contract for up to one (1) additional two (2) year periods.

Renewal shall be subject to prior approval from the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, or this authorized designee, and the LRC Government Contract Review Committee in accordance with KRS 45A.695 and KRS 45A.705.

10.40 Changes and Modifications to the Contract

Pursuant to 200 KAR 5:311, no modification or change of any provision in the Contract shall be made, or construed to have been made, unless such modification is mutually agreed to in writing by the Contractor and the Commonwealth, and incorporated as a written amendment by the Kentucky Department of Education prior to the effective date of such modification or change. Modification shall be subject to prior approval from the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, or this authorized designee, and the LRC Government Contract Review Committee. Memoranda of Understanding, written clarification, and/or other correspondence shall not be construed as amendments to the Contract.

10.50 Notices

Unless otherwise instructed, all notices, consents, and other communications required and/or permitted by the Contract shall be in writing. After the award of the Contract, all communications of a contractual or legal nature are to be made to the Agency Contact.

Kentucky Department of Education Terms and Conditions for PSC

Requirement for Reporting to Kentucky Teachers Retirement System Please note that, if any bidder to this solicitation is a current retiree of the Kentucky Teachers Retirement System (“KTRS”), or proposes to use a current or potential retiree of KTRS to perform any work under any contract, this may have an adverse impact upon retirement benefits for that retiree. This would occur, regardless of whether a contract is awarded to the individual directly, or to another legal entity for which the individual works.

Accordingly, if a potential bidder proposes to use such individuals to perform the work, the bidder is strongly encouraged to check with KTRS to determine what requirements apply, before submitting a response. The KTRS help desk number is 800-618-1687.

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Furthermore, as a condition of any successful contract award, any information on such retirees (as defined and required by KTRS) must be submitted prior to any services being performed by said individuals under this contract.

As a firm condition of this contract, any contractor agrees to be financially responsible for any failure by such current or potential retirees to properly report information concerning their retirement status during the life of any contract awarded.

Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act If during the course of this agreement, KDE discloses to the contractor any data protected by the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), as amended, and its regulations, and data protected by the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1751 et seq) (NSLA) and Child Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1771 et seq.)(CNA) the contractor is bound by the confidentiality, security and redisclosure requirements and restrictions stated in FERPA, NSLA and CNA and will enter into a confidentiality agreement and ensure its employees and contractors execute affidavits of nondisclosure as required by KDE.

Data Security and Breach Protocols Contractors that receive Personal Information as defined by and in accordance with Kentucky’s Personal Information Security and Breach Investigation Procedures and Practices Act, KRS 61.931, et seq., (the “Act”), shall secure and protect the Personal Information by, without limitation, complying with all requirements applicable to non-affiliated third parties set forth in the Act.

“Personal Information” is defined in accordance with KRS 61.931(6) as “an individual’s first name or first initial and last name; personal mark; or unique biometric or genetic print or image, in combination with one (1) or more of the following data elements:

An account number, credit card number, or debit card number that, in combination with any required security code, access code or password, would permit access to an account;

A Social Security number;

A taxpayer identification number that incorporates a Social Security number;

A driver’s license number, state identification card number or other individual identification number issued by an agency;

A passport number or other identification number issued by the United States government; or

Individually identifiable health information as defined in 45 C.F.R. sec. 160.013, except for education records covered by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act, as amended 20 U.S.C.

sec 1232g.”

As provided in KRS 61.931(5), a “non-affiliated third party” means “any person or entity that has a contract or agreement with the Commonwealth and receives (accesses, collects or maintains) personal information from the Commonwealth pursuant to the contract or agreement.”

The contractor hereby agrees to cooperate with the Commonwealth in complying with the response, mitigation, correction, investigation, and notification requirements of the Act.

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The contractor shall notify as soon as possible, but not to exceed seventy-two (72) hours, the contracting agency, the Commissioner of the Kentucky State Police, the Auditor of Public Accounts, the Kentucky Attorney General, and the Commonwealth Office of Technology of a determination of or knowledge of a breach, unless the exception set forth in KRS 61.932(2)(b)2 applies and the contractor abides by the requirements set forth in that exception. If the agency is a unit of government listed in KRS 61.931(1)(b), the contractor shall notify the Commissioner of the Department of Local Government in the same manner as above. If the agency is a public school district listed in KRS 61.931(1)(d), the contractor shall notify the Commissioner of the Department of Education in the same manner as above. If the agency is an educational entity listed under KRS 61.931(1)(e), the contractor shall notify the Council on Postsecondary Education in the same manner as above. Notification shall be in writing on a form developed by the Commonwealth Office of Technology.

The contractor hereby agrees to report, immediately and within twenty-four (24) hours, any known reasonably believed instances of missing data, data that has been inappropriately shared, or data taken off site to my immediate supervisor, Associate Commissioner, and to the KDE Office for whom I perform work under the contract with KDE.

The contractor hereby agrees that the Commonwealth may withhold payment(s) owed to the contractor for any violation of the Identity Theft Prevention Reporting Requirements.

The contractor hereby agrees to undertake a prompt and reasonable investigation of any breach as required by KRS 61.933.

Upon conclusion of an investigation of a security breach of Personal Information as required by KRS 61.933, the contractor hereby agrees to an apportionment of the costs of the notification, investigation, and mitigation of the security breach.

In accordance with KRS 61.932(2)(a) the contractor shall implement, maintain, and update security and breach investigation procedures that are appropriate to the nature of the information disclosed, that are at least as stringent as the security and breach investigation procedures and practices established by the Commonwealth Office of Technology:

Security Policies, Standards and Procedures - Commonwealth Office of Technology (Kentucky)

Student Data Security Pursuant to KRS 365.734 (House Bill 232 (2014)), if contractor is a known cloud computing service provider (as defined in KRS 365.734(1)(b) as “any person or entity other than an educational institution that operates cloud computing services”), or, through service to agency, becomes the equivalent of a cloud computing service provider, contractor does further agree that:

Contractor shall not process student data for any purpose other than providing, improving, developing, or maintaining the integrity of its cloud computing services, unless the provider receives express permission from the student’s parent. The contractor shall work with the student’s school and district to determine the best method of collecting parental permission. KRS 365.734 defines “process” and “student data”.

Document Phase Document Description Page 20 https://technology.ky.gov/OCISO/Pages/InformationSecurityPolicies,StandardsandProcedures.aspx

With a written agreement for educational research, contractor may assist an educational institution to conduct educational research as permitted by the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, 20 U.S.C.sec.1232g.

Pursuant to KRS 365.734, contractor shall not in any case process student data to advertise or facilitate advertising or to create or correct an individual or household profile for any advertisement purposes.

Pursuant to KRS 365.734, contractor shall not sell, disclose, or otherwise process student data for any commercial purpose.

Pursuant to KRS 365.734, contractor shall certify in writing to the agency that it will comply with

KRS 365.734(2).

KDE Terms on Discrimination The contractor agrees to comply with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 29 U.S.C. § 794 (Section 504), and applicable federal regulations relating thereto set forth at 34 C.F.R. Part 104 prohibiting the exclusion of participation, denial of benefits, or discrimination of any qualified individual under any program or activity.

Vendor hereby warrants that the products or services to be provided under this contract comply with the accessibility requirements of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. § 794d), and its implementing regulations set forth at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, part 1194.1. Vendor further warrants that the products or services to be provided under this contract comply with existing federal standards established under Section 255 of the Federal Telecommunications Act of 1996 (47 U.S.C. § 255), and its implementing regulations set forth at Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, part 1194.2, to the extent the vendor's products or services may be covered by that act. Vendor agrees to promptly respond to and resolve any complaint regarding accessibility of its products or services which is brought to its attention.

Vendor will use the W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Levels A and AA and the Web Accessibility Initiative Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (WAI-ARIA) 1.0 for web content, which are incorporated by reference.

Read to Succeed Family Resource

RFP 540 2600000225

Vendor Questions

1. What is the age range of the children these materials and activities should be designed for?

The resource is intended to support early literacy development. Materials should be designed for children in early elementary grades, with a primary focus on foundational reading skills aligned to the Read to Succeed Act. This generally includes children from kindergarten through grade three.

2. What are the approximate quantities of packages that will be distributed to families for each of the…