24Q0012_JNA_012424_Redacted.pdf

FAR Part 13.5 Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 AND 3.104 – Controlled Unclassified Information

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY

JUSTIFICATION FOR OTHER THAN FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Teacher Leader Model Standards (TLMS) Coaching and Professional Learning to Support the Teacher Leadership Program and Selected Staff

1. Agency/Contracting Activity: Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), 4800 Mark Center Drive, Alexandria,

2. Description of Action: A firm-fixed-price contract is planned with a total estimated value of $314,516.26. The performance period is a 12-month base year and two 12-month option years. FY24 Operating and Maintenance (O&M) funds for the estimated $105,930.66 are available.

3. Description of Supplies and Services: The Contractor shall provide coaching and professional learning for selected staff at

DoDEA Headquarters. The base year focuses on building the guidance and professional learning for the DODEA Teacher Leader Fellowship Program through the excellence, prestige, and lessons learned of our district and DoDEA teachers of the year. The option year focuses on one of the Teacher Leader Model Standards (TLMS) modules. This work is a deeper dive into the TLMS, building on the professional learning on teacher leadership that has already occurred and building the capacity of the HQ Professional Learning to sustain the program internally. All three years focus on supporting the program through professional learning for facilitators, continued coaching for train-the-trainers, and implementing a sustainability plan. By building on the work that has already occurred, DoDEA will establish and sustain an effective teacher leadership program whose centerpiece is utilizing one of our most valuable resources—our teachers of the year—to help move our TLMS program forward.

4. Authority: FAR 13.501(a) is a sole source acquisition under the authority of the particular program for commercial items. Only one responsible entity can meet DoDEA’s requirements; no other supplies or services will satisfy the Agency’s requirements.

5. Demonstration of Contractor’s Unique Qualifications or Nature of Acquisition Requiring the Authority Cited: Based on the following justification, I, as the Contracting Officer, approve this justification for the proposed contract action under the authority cited above because coaching and professional learning to support the HQ Professional Learning Division staff are essential to the Agency’s requirements and because market research indicates no other entity can meet the Agency's needs.

Background DoDEA adopted the Teacher Leader Model Standards (TLMS) in 2015, which encouraged …professional discussion about what constitutes the full range of competencies that teacher leaders possess and how this form of leadership can be distinguished from, but work in tandem with, formal administrative leadership roles to support good teaching and promote student learning (TLMS, p3). Since 2016, DoDEA has awarded sole source contracts to the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, Inc. (NNSTOY) or its for-profit arm, New Venture Fund, Inc., to provide coaching and technical support to our teacher leader / teacher of the year program.

Rationale NNSTOY is a national organization seeking to transform the teaching profession by supporting policies and practices that advance teacher leadership and educator effectiveness, especially through utilizing the pedagogical excellence and joy of teaching that all teachers of the year possess and can communicate to their colleagues. For almost a decade NNSTOY has been working with DoDEA’s Professional Learning Division and our district and DoDEA teachers of the year to contextualize the TLMS work and to put theory into practice.

The experience with and understanding of DoDEA cannot be replicated in a timely manner. If another entity were awarded the contract, the continuity NNSTOY has established with our teacher leader / teachers of the year program over the past eight years would be completely lost. As evidenced by the previous sole source contracts with NNSTOY and as stated above, NNSTOY is the only entity focused on TLMS and teacher leadership through the lens/vehicle of teachers of the year. Due to its unique emphasis on teachers of the year, NNSTOY remains—as confirmed by recent market research— the only entity that can provide the necessary coaching and professional learning to help DoDEA build its capacity to sustain our teacher leader / teacher of the year program.

FAR Part 13.5 Justification for Other than Full and Open Competition

Source Selection Information - See FAR 2.101 AND 3.104 – Controlled Unclassified Information

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE EDUCATION ACTIVITY

Based on this rationale, the Contracting Office has determined to issue a sole source solicitation to the National Network of State Teachers of the Year, Inc. as the only entity that can provide the required educational services.

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition: As stated above, DoDEA has done extensive market research. DoDEA will publicize a notice as required by FAR Subpart 5.2.

7. Fair and Reasonable Determination: The contracting officer has determined the anticipated costs are fair and reasonable based on (1) analysis of the non-binding pricing for the new requirement compared to the past and current contracts, which showed that non-binding pricing to be reasonable and (2) professional judgment based on experience with NNSTOY and other professional learning requirements.

8. Market Research

National Network of State Teachers of the Year, Inc.; 1320 C of E Drive, Emporia, KS 66801-2543. Scott Metzler, President

& CEO, 210-774-0099, scott@nnstoy.org. Not a small business, per SAM.gov for NAICS code 813920 (Professional Organizations). CAGE code 88BA8.

Apart from NNSTOY, no national organizations showcase state teachers of the year and use their expertise to promote educational excellence at the national, state, and local levels. The educational organizations below are focused on leadership and teachers but are not focused on teachers of the year and thereby cannot meet DoDEA’s requirements.

1) National Education Association’s Teacher Leadership Institute (TLI), Washington, DC

TLI, a joint endeavor of the National Education Association and participating state and local affiliates, leads a comprehensive effort to recruit, prepare, promote, and support the next generation of teachers to lead a transformed teaching profession. Its aims are to inspire teachers as leaders, increase its membership & visibility, and position its alumni to assume key leadership positions in the association at the local, state, and national levels. Source:

https://www.nea.org/professional-excellence/professional-learning/resources/teacher-leadership-institute-tli;

2) Mira Education (formerly Center for Teaching Quality), Carrboro, NC Mira Education, a design and implementation partner to P20 education organizations, seeks sustainable innovation and improvement. The organization helps partners connect the dots among the expertise and resources they already have.

It uses a research-based collective leadership framework for understanding and impacting the conditions that support improvement, resilience, and leadership growth at every level from the school to the systemwide and organizational levels. Source: https://miraeducation.org/about/

3) National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (National Board), Arlington, VA The National Board partners with a community of educators, administrators, state and district leaders, education associations, and many other organizations across the nation. Its primary ways of engagement are through the National Board Networks™, Candidate Support Program and Facilitators, and NBConnect.

The National Board Networks™ builds accomplished teaching across the nation and works to identify opportunities to broaden the influence of National Board-Certified Teachers (NBCTs) and expand their influence to reform education. It offers a range of programs and activities developed to suit local needs and facilitates ongoing communication between the National Board, NBCTs and other teacher leaders in the field.

The National Board offers a range of resources to National Board Candidate Support Program Leaders and Professional Learning Facilitators, including a cohort planning toolkit for those interested in becoming a NBCT, free online courses to build or adapt NCBT candidate support programs, and virtual courses to prepare professional learning facilitators.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Board provided greater flexibility for teachers to complete their portfolio submissions. NBConnect also provides many avenues to stay connected with fellow members to advance the National Board’s mission. Source: https://www.nbpts.org/about/

4) Internet research revealed other organizations and institutions that deal with teachers and teacher leadership, but they are aimed at teachers, not teachers of the year.

Review of Government and/or commercial databases for relevant information. Search Parameters: The current contract’s NAICS code is 611710 (Educational Support Services) but NAICS code 813920 (Professional Organizations) may be more apt. The keywords are teacher of the year, teacher effectiveness, and TLMS.