HE125422RFI0007_090622.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION - HE125422RFI0007

K-5 Mathematics and K-5 Strategic Intervention

Instructional Resources

1.0 DESCRIPTION

1.1 Summary: The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) seeks information on how an interested contractor could provide print and digital instructional resources and related professional learning support for our K-5 mathematics program, including the supplemental resources for students require remediation. DoDEA expects to post a solicitation in February 2023 and make a 10-year award in May or June 2023. The award(s) would consist of a 5-year base period followed by five 1-year options.

Based on preliminary market research, this solicitation appears to be a small business set-aside. The results of this RFI will help DoDEA determine if this requirement will be solicited as a small business set-aside or a full and open competition. Note: If two or more small businesses capable of meeting the requirement are found, Federal acquisition regulations require DoDEA to solicit it as a small business set-aside.

1.2 Subcontracting: (FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting) If this requirement becomes a small-business set-aside, an interested small business may subcontract up to 49 percent of the dollar value of the requirement to another company. Based on DoDEA’s preliminary market research, some small businesses may not be able to provide the K-5 Strategic Intervention instructional resources, so they could partner with another vendor to meet that requirement. The small business must be the prime contractor and is responsible to ensure that all of the requirements detailed in the performance work statement are met.

1.3 This request for information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning and does not constitute a request for quote (RFQ) or a promise to issue an RFQ in the future.

The Government will not pay for any information or administrative costs incurred in response to this RFI, i.e., all costs associated with responding to this RFI are solely the responder’s responsibility.

Not responding to the RFI does not preclude a contractor from responding to a future RFQ. If a solicitation is released, it will be synopsized on the beta.Sam.gov website. Potential responders are responsible to monitor the relevant site for additional information pertaining to this requirement.

2.0 BACKGROUND AND SCOPE OF WORK

2.1 DoDEA

2.1.1 For school year 2022-23, the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) provides PK- 12 instruction to over 66,000 dependents of active-duty military and civilian employees. In the Americas, DoDEA operates 50 schools located in seven states, Puerto Rico, and Cuba. In Europe and the Middle East, DoDEA operates 64 schools located in Germany, England, Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Turkey, and Bahrain. In the Pacific, DoDEA operates 45 schools located in Korea, Japan (mainland and Okinawa), and Guam. DoDEA also operates a full time K-12 virtual school option with teaching hubs in each DoDEA region: Americas, Europe, and Pacific.

DoDEA's curriculum, resources and student achievement scores on standardized assessments compare favorably to those of high-performing US public school systems.

2.1.2 Of DoDEA’s 159 brick-and-mortar schools, 100 schools have students in at least three of the grades K-5. However, due to the wide variety of grade configurations, the number of schools that have K-5 classes is as follows: K, 90 schools; G1, 90 schools; G2, 90 schools; G3, 90 schools; G4, 90 schools; and G5, 88 schools. See Tables 1-2 below for additional data.

2.1.3 Military-connected students experience high mobility rates in and out of school systems across the nation and the world; thus, DoDEA makes a concerted effort to mitigate transitional barriers to military-connected students’ success, working toward a worldwide systemic education network.

2.1.4 DoDEA has adopted College and Career Ready Standards (CCRS) in mathematics, literacy, the arts, social studies, and science, which are rigorous, research-based, and reflect the knowledge, skills and dispositions students need for success in college and/or careers and are aligned with the

Common Core State Standards (CCSS); National Core Art Standards (NCAS); Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS); College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards; Society for Health Education and Physical Education Standards (SHAPE America); and the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) Standards for Students.

2.2 K-5 Mathematics and K-5 Strategic Intervention

2.2.1 DoDEA has adopted the College and Career Ready Standards in Mathematics (CCRSM) for grades K-5 and requires print and digital student and teacher instructional resources for all K-5 students systemwide that align with the CCRSM.

2.2.2 DoDEA requires a complementary Mathematics strategic intervention program with the goal of building proficiency levels from below grade level to the expected grade level performance for struggling students. The strategic intervention resources must support students in acquiring and/or sharpening the requisite skills they need to increase their mathematical thinking and computational skills to grade level standards and be designed to be used with individuals, small groups, or whole groups. These resources will supplement—not supplant—the core instructional materials.

2.3 Scope of Work

2.3.1 K-5 Mathematics (Core) Program

The DoDEA K-5 Mathematics Program requires a balanced, comprehensive curriculum aligned to the Common Core State Standards-Mathematics, which has been rebranded by DoDEA as the College and Career Ready Standards-Mathematics (CCRSM). The proposed print and digital resources must include hands-on learning, problem solving, mathematical discourse, conceptual development, and procedural skills practice organized by Mathematics progressions of learning and the Standards for Mathematical Practice (SMP). The program is centered on student learning and the ability to reason and think mathematically. Instruction reflects research-based best practices, including differentiated instruction, and ongoing assessment of student progress. The CCRSM may be found at the following URL: https://www.dodea.edu/Curriculum/index.cfm.

Tables 1 and 2 show the projected number of students and teachers in the base year.

Table 1: School Year 2022-23 K-5 Enrollment Projections (rounded to the nearest 25 students)

Grade Students Grade Students Grade Students Grade Students

K 6,350 2 6,175 4 5,850 K-5 Total 36,525

1 6,400 3 6,075 5 5,675

Table 2: School Year 2022-23 K-5 Classroom Teacher Projections* (rounded to the nearest ten teachers)

Grade Teachers Grade Teachers Grade Teachers Grade Teachers K 360 2 350 4 270 K-5

Total 1,890 1 370 3 280 5 260

* At the school level, gifted education, special education, and English as a second language teachers require access to the digital materials—350-400 educators systemwide. Also, 10-15 above-school-level subject matter experts systemwide need access to the digital materials.

2.3.2 Strategic Intervention (Supplemental) Program

DoDEA requires intentionally aligned curricular intervention resources to respond to individual students’ needs but not supplant core instruction. Materials must be designed to be used with any grade combinations within K-5. They must the following criteria:

1) Reflect the most current research for mathematics intervention instruction and aligned to CCRSM,

2) Enable differentiated and/or customizable instruction to meet the needs of all learners, including English language learners and students with individual education plans.

3) Include a variety of assessments and data collection tools and reports to monitor student progress.

Tables 3 and 4 show the projected number of students and teachers in the base year. These numbers are expected to diminish slightly over the 10-year period of performance.

Table 3: School Year 2022-23 K-5 Strategic Intervention Projections* (rounded to the nearest ten students)

Grade Students Grade Students Grade Students Grade Students K 1,270 2 1,230 4 1,180 K-5

Total 7,310 1 1,280 3 1,220 5 1,130

* It is reasonable to expect 5-15% of the student population to need strategic intervention in Mathematics.

Table 4: School Year 2022-23 K-5 Strategic Intervention Projections* (rounded to the nearest five teachers)

Grade Teachers Grade Teachers Grade Teachers Grade Teachers K 95 2 95 4 95 K-5

Total 565 1 95 3 95 5 90

* See the note in Table 2.

3.0 DRAFT REQUIREMENT

3.1 Curriculum Design: The Contractor shall provide for each grade level, and core and supplemental programs:

3.1.1 Alignment: Resources that are customized for implementation of the DoDEA CCRSM framework and aligned to the progressions of learning. See https://achievethecore.org/page/254/progressions-documents-for-the-common-core-state-standards-for-mathematics.

3.1.2 Coherence: Learning is logically connected across grades levels and levels of cognitive development so students can build new understanding from previous knowledge through spiraled instruction.

3.1.3 Rigor: Instruction shall allow for conceptual understanding, procedural skills, and applications of the CCRSM. Learning experiences shall be designed to provide opportunities for thought and reflection, discourse, and practice in an interconnected and social context.

3.1.3.1 Conceptual Understanding: Developed through the concrete-representational-abstract progression; supported with opportunities for reasoning through writing and speaking.

3.1.3.2 Procedural Skill and Fluency: Designed so students attain the grade level fluencies and procedural skills required by CCRSM, as supported by the principles of mathematics, per the Progressions documents.

3.1.3.3 Application: Provide opportunities for students to independently solve real-world situations through application of the Standards for Mathematical Practices.

3.1.4 Print & Digital: Resources shall be print (hardcover or consumable) and digital (either web-based access or available for download online). The Contractor shall:

3.1.4.1 Provide web-based access to all grade levels for every K-5 teacher in addition to any hardcover available for a teacher’s assigned grade level.

3.1.4.2 Integrate technology (e.g., interactive tools, games) for engagement of skills practice and the SMPs.

3.1.4.3 Provide data importation from the program into other systems (e.g., student demographic information) and data export (e.g., student achievement data) into the DoDEA reporting or student information system.

3.1.5 Parent/Sponsor Engagement: Resources that involve parents/sponsors at home with supporting their children’s current learning of knowledge, processes, and capacities (e.g., homework, projects).

3.1.6 Support for Learning Experiences Outlined in the Instructional Materials: All proposed resources for both the core and supplemental programs shall:

3.1.6.1 Ensure learning experiences are presented within contexts that are centered on real-world situations that engage mathematics. Learning activities primarily engage inquiry, strategies, and application processes reflective of the Major Work (critical areas of focus) of the grade.

3.1.6.2 Assist teachers in learning and transitioning to high-leverage instructional practices that reflect the Mathematics Teaching Practices (MTPs) and focus on the SMPs.

3.1.6.3 Engage students in explicitly grade level-appropriate learning experiences that elicit productive struggle, mathematical thinking, inquiry, and discourse instead of observing and replicating the work of the instructor.

3.1.6.4 Provide customized and logical instructional sequences of learning experiences that reflect DoDEAs CCRSM framework.

3.1.7 Instructional and Instructional Materials: The proposed resources for both the core and supplemental programs shall enable teachers to provide lessons that:

3.1.7.1 Provide instructional sequences with multiple opportunities and contexts in which to explicitly encounter each idea and skill, as well as adequate time to build toward student proficiency by the end of the year or the end of the unit.

3.1.7.2 Increase students’ ability to interpret/solve application problems through collaboration, modeling, productive struggle, mathematical discourse, and four-step process for problem solving.

3.1.7.3 Provide digital access of teacher resources to school-level special education, English as a second language, gifted/talented teachers, and above-school-level subject matter experts.

3.1.7.4 Engage students in the SMPs through facilitation of teaching skills that promote deep learning of mathematics (MTP) and inquiry-based learning.

3.1.7.5 Provide appropriate interventions with multiple populations (special needs, gifted, English language learners, etc.), as explicitly noted on the materials.

3.2 Curriculum Learning Progressions, Connections and Differentiated Instruction: The proposed resources for both the core and supplemental programs shall:

3.2.1 Focus teacher and student attention on connecting meaning between concrete, representational, and abstract processes of thinking, and opportunities to reflect upon students’ levels of knowledge within the mathematical progressions of learning.

3.2.2 Embed instructional and assessment strategies throughout the instructional materials (e.g., scaffolding, journaling, think-pair-share, quick writes, open-ended questioning, cooperative learning, direct instruction, small-group instruction), and effectively assess student mastery of the CCRSM.

Strategies could include suggestions to identify potential misconceptions and potential challenges, observational progress monitoring, and demonstrations of student success.

3.2.3 Customize a yearlong map of the skills, concepts, and processes of day-to-day instruction as it aligns to the DoDEA unit frameworks. The teacher resources shall coherently connect grade levels and progressively build greater sophistication of student understanding.

3.2.4 Connect the content standards and SMPs so that each practice is meaningfully present in the form of activities or problems that stimulate students to develop habits of mind throughout the development of the content standards.

3.2.5 Provide resources and strategies to interweave integral connections and/or commonalities between mathematical practices (SMPs)s and other subject areas (e.g., science, ELA, history/social science, visual and performing arts, career/technical education) to bring about integrated instructional units.

3.2.6 Provide instruction and assessment modifications and strategies for different learning styles, including alternative approaches and experiences and/or delivery mechanisms (e.g., computer-based instruction) that will assist in differentiating instruction to allow all students (e.g., English language learners, special needs students, advanced learners, struggling students) to demonstrate their mastery of concepts, skills, and processes.

3.3 Assessments for Instruction: The proposed resources for both the core and supplemental programs shall:

3.3.1 Provide an assessment system for grades K-5 that is integrated to the overall instructional program and is designed to include a variety of items that assess conceptual understanding, procedural skills and fluency and application. Assessments provide evidence of students’ ability to apply their knowledge of CCRSM, the SMPs, and to draw on their understanding in the context of real-world application by addressing specific problems.

3.3.2 Include a variety of curriculum-embedded assessments (e.g., pre-assessments, formative, summative, performance-based, self-assessment), and include aligned rubrics and scoring guidelines that interpret student performance, student misconceptions and challenges, and provide feedback to students.

3.3.3 Embed unit assessments and knowledge checks throughout instruction materials as tools for students’ learning and teachers’ monitoring of instruction and reflect only the knowledge and skills that have been covered in the instructional materials.

3.3.4 Ensure all assessment components are available digitally for easy printing, analysis, and delivery, and include a reference document for generating reports and organization of data.

3.3.5 Include a recordkeeping system with the capability of producing comprehensive reports that are accessible at the grade/class, school, district, region, and system levels, to include (1) measures of individual progress toward the end-of-the-year expectations/goals and (2) direct alignment to curriculum and proposed standards.

3.4 Professional Learning: The proposed professional learning resources shall be (1) based on current research regarding best practices in mathematics instruction, alignment with CCRSM, and the Standards for Mathematical Practice, and (2) focused on the organization of the component parts of the program, and the way the program materials align to the CCRSM.

3.4.1 Provide online videos, tutorials, webinars, and/or other web-based support tools that focus on the organization of the component parts of the program and the alignment between program materials and CCRSM.

3.4.2 Resources shall include digital and/or web-based products such as videos, tutorials, live and recorded training webinars for synchronous and asynchronous use, etc., and designed for use by teachers and above-school-level subject matter experts.

3.4.3 Provide teacher guidance for use of embedded technology to support and enhance student learning.

3.4.4 Provide synchronous webinars, approximately six hours per region in the base year and three hours per year per region in the option years. Each webinar shall be presented during normal business hours for each region (US, Europe, and Pacific)—a total of 18 hours in the base year and nine hours in the option years. Record and archive any webinars on our learning management system (currently Schoology). Note: The exact topics will be determined by the Government in consultation with the Contractor post-award.

3.5 Strategic Intervention (Supplemental) Program Only: Present a coherent and standards-aligned assessment and intervention program for students who are at least six months behind on grade level skills and are in need Tier 3 supports. Include an assortment of instructional and assessment strategies to support and monitor the success of intervention. Assessments may be print and/or digital, include formative and summative assessments, and provide access to various forms and reports that reflect students’ progress for analysis, communication with parents/sponsors, and inform classroom teacher with instructional decisions.

4 Constraints

4.1 Copyright Dates

4.1.1 Provide the most recent copyright dated materials. The copyright preference applies only to student and teacher materials (for example, the student textbook, teacher’s editions, etc.). The copyright preference does not apply to material included as part of the Contractor’s collection (that is, articles, leveled readers, big books, assessments, pictures, problems included in a textbook or supplemental to the teacher or student text), but which was created by others prior. Note: Based on market research, DoDEA will determine the copyright date. At this juncture, it will likely be 2020 or later.

4.1.2 In the sixth year of the contract (Option Year 1), provide the most recent copyright dated materials, which will updated to the newest version. The same copyright constraints (above) shall apply. Note: It is anticipated that DoDEA shall purchase new textbooks for all K-5 students at that time, assuming that adequate funding is available.

4.2 Anti-Bias, Diversity, and Inclusion—Provide resources free of age, racial, color, national origin, disabling conditions, sexual, gender, religious, and ethnic bias and present balanced coverage of multi-cultural contributions and representation, where appropriate.

4.3 Privacy—Comply with the following requirements:

1) User Accounts: Require, wherever applicable, that individual accounts possess unique usernames and passwords that do not require personally identifiable information (PII) to access online content, i.e., first & last name and any other unique personal information.

2) Contractor Personnel: Ensure personnel assigned to this contract take proper precautions to protect information from disclosure. Collect and/or store all agency-owned or agency-controlled PII in accordance with the relevant requirements of the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C, which may be found at the following URL: http://www.archives.gov/about/laws/privacy-act-1974.html.

3) Privacy Training: Ensure Contractor staff who have access to DoDEA’s student, teacher and/or staff personally identifiable information take the DoD Privacy Act/Personally Identifiable Information (PA/PII) training before gaining access to the data and yearly thereafter. Provide copies of the certificates of completion to the COR which can be audited at any time by the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) or his/her designee.

4) Verification: Provide the COR written verification of compliance to the Privacy requirements (shown above) 120 calendar days prior to the expiration of each year’s contract option period or annually, as required. Note: After reviewing the Contractor’s verification, DoDEA reserves the right to ask for further verification data in order for DoDEA to comply with DoD’s evolving privacy mandates.

Anticipated Period of Performance: May/June 2023 – May/June 2033

5.0 Questions

3.1 Interested parties are requested to respond to this RFI with a white paper as stated in section 3.2 of this RFI.

3.2 White papers in Microsoft Word compatible format are due no later than Friday, September 16, 2022, and shall include a brief description of the following information:

1) General Information

Company name, DBA name (if applicable), CAGE code, and mailing address Designated point of contact’s name, title, phone number, and email address.

Business type (large business, small business, 8(a)-certified business, woman-owned small business, etc. (Please refer to Federal Acquisition Regulation 19 for detailed information on Small Business Size Standards.)

Describe, if applicable, any subcontracting possibilities. Note: The prime must perform at least 51 percent of the work (as measured by the cost).

2) Capability: Briefly describe your organization’s capability to provide the required resources in a timely manner. Include one or two lists, that is, a list of school systems and related organizations that have implemented your K-5 mathematics resources and/or a list of school systems and related organizations that have implemented your K-5 strategic intervention instructional resources. Note: If your company needs to subcontract with another company to meet the requirement, it is understood that only one list can be presented at this time.

3) Proposed Resources:

K-5 Mathematics:

o Briefly describe how SMP is embedded into your design.

o How many hours of synchronous webinars do you recommend for teachers in the base year?

In the option years?

K-5 Strategic Intervention:

o Briefly describe how your instructional resources engage struggling learners.

o How many hours of synchronous webinars do you recommend for teachers in the base year?

In the option years?

4) Privacy: Briefly describe your organization’s policy regarding personally identifiable information (PII) to include what PII is collected, how it is maintained, how it is protected, and when and how it is destroyed.

5) Professional Learning Presentations: Briefly describe your experience providing face-to-face and virtual professional learning on K-5 mathematics. Include any experience dealing with audiences located overseas.

6) Pricing: Please provide a non-binding price estimate or estimated range—that will be kept confidential.

Please use/modify the attached Excel file to present your pricing.

7) Recommendations: Please provide any recommendations you believe might improve the Government’s performance work statement.

3.3 Responses shall be limited to … pages for Section 3.2 and submitted via email only to the Contract Specialist, … and Contracting Officer, Mr. Alim Koroma, alim.koroma@dodea.edu.

3.4 Proprietary information, if any, should be minimized and MUST BE CLEARLY MARKED. To aid the Government, please segregate the proprietary information. Note: All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

4.0 Industry Discussions

DoDEA representatives may or may not choose to speak with potential offerors. Such discussions would only be intended to get further clarification on such things as potential capability to meet the requirements or pricing.

5.0 Questions

Questions regarding this announcement shall be submitted in writing by email to the Contract Specialist, Malik Brown, malik.brown@dodea.edu and Contracting Officer, Mr. Alim Koroma, alim.koroma@dodea.edu. Verbal questions will not be accepted. Questions will be answered via email and will not contain proprietary or classified information. The Government does not guarantee that questions received after September 12 will be answered.

6.0 Summary

This RFI is issued solely for information and planning and does not constitute an RFQ. The information provided in the RFI is subject to change and is not binding on the Government. Release of this RFI should not be construed a commitment that DoDEA will issue an RFQ in the future or as an authorization to incur costs for which reimbursement would be required or sought. All submissions become Government property and will not be returned.

SUSPENSE

Submit your RFI response no later than Friday, 16 Sep 22, 5PM EST. Please email your response to Malik Brown and Alim Koroma at malik.brown@dodea.edu and alim.koroma@dodea.edu, respectively.