HE12543156774_SOO_11-15-22.pdf

STATEMENT OF OBJECTIVES (SOO)

PROJECT

Advanced Placement® Macroeconomics Customized Course Content

1.0 Purpose: Through the development of courses for the Department of Defense Education Activity’s (DoDEA) Virtual High School (DVHS), DoDEA will provide access to quality curriculum, instruction, and assessment by offering virtual courses customized to meet DoDEA standards. The customized Advanced Placement® (AP®) Macroeconomics course content provided by the Contractor will be comparable or superior in quality to the same course content offered in high-performing US public school systems.

2.0 Scope or Mission: DoDEA requires course content that meets the College Board standards for quality curriculum, instruction, and assessments for an online AP® Macroeconomics course and the DoDEA College and Career Readiness Standards for Literacy (CCRSL). DoDEA’s Content Development Team, which consists of subject matter experts (SMEs), classroom teachers, and instructional designers, will use the content received to design and develop the course. DoDEA will make one award for a one-year period.

3.0 Period and Place of Performance: The period of performance will be up to one year in length, and the work will be performed at the Contractor’s location.

4.0 Background

4.1 Agency: For school year 2022-23, DoDEA will provide 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.

4.2 DVHS: It is a fully accredited high school that provides online asynchronous courses with synchronous support by full-time DoDEA certified teachers. Its interactive and engaging instruction helps prepare students to enter the global marketplace or a postsecondary education. All courses are aligned to the College Board’s AP® Macroeconomic standards and the CCRSL.

5.0 Requirements

DoDEA requires course content for an online AP® Macroeconomics course that DoDEA will create/finalize.

The course shall provide students with a thorough understanding of the principles of economics and how economists use those principles to examine aggregate economic behavior to include how measures of economic performance, such as gross domestic product (GDP), inflation, and unemployment, are constructed and how to apply the measurements to evaluate an economy’s macroeconomic condition. The course shall recognize the global nature of economics and provide ample opportunities to examine the impact of international trade and finance on national economies. Various economic schools of thought shall be presented as students consider solutions to economic problems.

5.1 Course Content Development and Delivery: The Contractor shall develop Course Content for delivery in an asynchronous online course that meets the following requirements:

5.1.1 Follows the scope and sequence provided by DoDEA (attached).

5.1.2 Meets/aligns with requirements specified in the current College Board’s AP Macroeconomics

Course and Exam Description,: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-macroeconomics.

5.1.3 Is written in agreement with the concepts provided in one or all the following resources:

1) Cengage Learning (2018). Principles of Economics AP® edition by N. Gregory Mankiw.

ISBN-13:978-1-337-29260-3/ and ISBN-10:1-337-29260-5.

2) McGraw-Hill (2021) Economics. 22nd Edition by Campbell McConnell and Stanley Brue and Sean Flynn. ISBN10:1260226778 and ISBN13:9781260226775.

3) Macmillan Higher Education (2019). Krugman’s Economics for the AP® Course, 3rd edition, by David Anderson & Margaret Ray ISBN-13:978-1319113278/ISBN-10:

1319113273

4) OpenStax AP® Macroeconomics. Principles of Macroeconomics for AP® Courses 2e.

ISBN-10:1-947172-43-3/ISBN-13:978-1-947172-43-2.

5.1.4 Cite source(s) and provide a reference list for all content created.

5.1.5 Includes quantitative sources in the course content and in assignments such as those found in US government agencies and secondary sources such as books, editorials, journal articles, newspapers, and essays. These resources shall be readily available without the need for a subscription and/or user login that may require the transfer of Personally Identifiable Information (PII) and be age appropriate.

5.1.6 Provides a course syllabus and a listing of course completion requirements as outlined in the most recent College Board’s Syllabus Development Guide: AP Macroeconomics, which may be found at the following URL: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-macroeconomics/course-audit.

5.1.7 Is consistent with DoDEA provided expectations regarding academic integrity and etiquette.

5.1.8 Is free from and evaluated for plagiarism and copyright infringements to ensure that all content and materials are original and can be used by DoDEA teachers and students without incurring any costs or copyright infringement.

5.1.9 Eliminates errors in spelling, grammar, logic, repetitiveness, readability, and content.

5.1.10 Be deemed “works,” as will all lesson materials and teacher resources, as that term is defined in

Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.227-7020. Further, the Contractor shall be bound by all the obligations and shall provide the Government with all of the rights and licenses set forth in Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 252.227-7020, “Rights in Special Works.”

5.1.11 Is equivalent to two semesters (36 weeks) of course content. The course content provided for each semester shall:

1) Include a semester-level summative assessment test bank for each semester, containing at least 250 unique five-response multiple-choice questions (total of 500 questions) aligned to the lesson content, objectives, and standards covered in each associated semester as specified in the College Board’s AP Macroeconomics Course and Exam Description. Each 250-item test bank would provide approximately one, 3-question set for each question presented to the learner to ensure adequate coverage of the subject and to address plagiarism. Provide the answer keys and rubrics.

2) Include a bank of ten unique Free Response Questions (FRQs) per semester (20 FRQs total), with at least two long response questions per semester assessment with the remaining FRQs comprised of short free response type questions.

3) Use evaluation strategies/methodologies for all assessments and provide the answer keys and rubrics that are designed to assess student mastery of content and provide teachers data to tailor instruction.

4) Deliver the assessments in the QTI v2.1 or QTI v2.2 format for import into the DoDEA learning management system (LMS). Metadata for each question shall include Bloom’s Taxonomy and/or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge and the Learning Objectives.

5) Include content on each topic specified in the scope and sequence (attached), including information addressing the Big Ideas, Enduring Understandings, Essential Knowledge and Skills, per the AP® Macroeconomics Course and Exam Description.

5.1.12 Is comprised of six units of content as specified in the DoDEA-provided scope and sequence. Each unit shall:

1) Include a storyboard for each unit. Note: A storyboard may include text components, visuals, sequencing, and media (audio/video/interactions/branching) describing each screen in an online course.

2) Include a glossary of key terms.

3) Provide a teacher guide for administering the unit of content.

4) Provide a unit-level study guide for students.

5) Contain a unit-level summative assessment test bank, containing at least 125 unique five-response multiple-choice questions (total of 750 questions) aligned to the lesson content, objectives, and standards covered in each unit as specified in the College Board’s AP® Macroeconomics Course and Exam Description. Each 125-item test bank would provide approximately one, 3-question set for each question presented to the learner to ensure adequate coverage of the subject and to address plagiarism. Provide the answer keys and rubrics.

6) Include a bank of ten unique Free Response Questions (FRQs) per unit (60 FRQs total), with at least two long response questions per unit assessment with the remaining FRQs comprised of short free response type questions.

7) Provide answer keys and rubrics that use adequate evaluation strategies and appropriate methodologies to assess students’ mastery of the content and provide data for student feedback.

8) Deliver the assessments in the QTI v2.1 or QTI v2.2 format for import into the DoDEA LMS. Metadata for each question shall include Bloom’s Taxonomy and/or Webb’s Depth of Knowledge and the Learning Objectives.

5.1.13 Provides 50 stand-alone lessons. Each lesson shall:

1) Include a storyboard for each lesson. Note: A storyboard may include text components, visuals, sequencing, and media (audio/video/interactions/branching) describing each screen in an online course.

2) Be written and designed in accordance with the CCSRL and College Board requirements as specified in the AP® Macroeconomics Course and Exam Description including six instructional units encompassing the topics within each, as outlined in the DoDEA-provided scope and sequence (attached).

3) Be written in agreement with the concepts presented in the textbooks stated in 5.1.1.3 and selected secondary and government sources.

4) Contain no references or dependency on previous or future lessons so that teachers can adapt/provide differentiated instruction to address student learning needs.

5) Include learning outcomes that are (1) clearly stated, observable, measurable, achievable defined in terms of skills, knowledge, attitudes, and application, and (2) aligned with DoDEA’s CCRSL.

6) Include applicable essential questions and common student misunderstandings (misconceptions) for the topics presented.

7) Include content-related topics, readings and activities that provide students with authentic background information and applications to course content.

8) Be built on proven research-based strategies and best practices for online asynchronous learning.

9) Emphasize 21st century themes such as learning and innovation skills; information, media, and technology skills; life and career skills.

10) Where needed, include tables, charts, graphs, and diagrams to assist the learner in understanding the concepts being presented. At a minimum, the following tables, charts, models, and graphs are required.

a. Production Possibilities Curve Model

b. Circular Flow Diagram

c. Demand and Supply Graph

d. Business Cycle Graph

e. Balance Sheets (T-Accounts)

f. Aggregate Demand/Aggregate Supply (AD-AS) Model

g. Long Run Aggregate Supply

h. Phillips Curve Model

i. The Money Market

j. The Loanable Funds Market

k. The Reserve Market

l. Foreign Exchange Market

m. The Circular Flow Model

n. The Aggregate Production Function

9) Provide students an opportunity to apply the knowledge and/or skill being taught using lesson assignments, exercises, activities, discussion boards, projects, and/or case studies incorporating CCRSL strategies where applicable. Provide the answer keys and rubrics for all lesson assignments, exercises, activities, discussion boards, projects, and/or case studies that uses adequate and appropriate methodologies to assess students’ mastery of the content and provide data for student feedback.

10) Include a lesson-level formative assessment test bank, for each lesson, containing at least 25 unique five-response multiple-choice questions (total of 1,250 questions) aligned to the lesson content, objectives, and standards covered in each associated lesson as specified in the College Board’s AP Macroeconomics Course and Exam Description. Includes a bank of unique two Free Response Questions (FRQs) per lesson (100 FRQs total), with at least 1 long free response and 1 short free response question per lesson.

11) Provide an answer key for all questions and an answer key and rubric for both the long and free response questions.

12) Provide a list of recommended supporting multi-media for each lesson. Include in the proposal an estimated number/cost of supporting multi-media for each lesson.

5.2 Multimedia Development and Delivery: DoDEA may require specific supporting multimedia for delivery in an asynchronous online course. Such requirements shall be made post-award and following delivery of lesson content. The term, supporting multimedia, includes audio clips, podcasts, video presentations, simulations, role-plays, games, interactives, etc. that supplement the written lessons.

The Contractor proposal shall provide a schedule showing the costs for development of multimedia.

Note: Costs may be shown in a range of low to high levels of student participation and development complexity.

5.2.1 Meets/aligns with requirements specified by DoDEA and in agreement with final course content (see Section 5.1).

5.2.2 For all multimedia, including audio and video, prior to development, provide a storyboard, including a full description of the major components of the product to allow DoDEA to ascertain functionality, flow, and layout.

5.2.3 All audio and video files shall include closed captions and an associated transcript, published in an agreed upon audio and video file format (e.g., .mp3 and .mp4).

5.2.4 Simulations, role-plays, games, etc. shall be developed in an agreed upon authoring tool or multimedia technology. Note: Currently, DoDEA uses the following development tools: Articulate Storyline, Articulate Quizmaker, Adobe Captivate, Adobe After Effects, Adobe Animate and Adobe Creative Cloud Suite. No Flash (.swf) files.

5.2.5 Includes all source materials used:

1) Source code

2) Unpublished authoring files

3) Uncompressed media files

4) List of programming languages and multimedia technologies

5.3 Key Personnel: Subject-Matter Expert (SME) and Content/Test-Item Writer—The Contractor shall:

5.3.1 Provide at least one SME who is knowledgeable of the AP® Macroeconomics curriculum requirements and course materials. The SME shall have at a minimum of a master’s degree in the subject area or related field, at least two years prior teaching experience at the high school or higher education level, and experience demonstrating the connection among standards, curriculum, instruction, and assessment. The Contractor’s SME(s) shall assist in content development of the course (including both the lessons and related teacher resources) and coordinate the integration of course standards, materials, and assessment methodologies.

5.3.2 Provide at least one content/test-item writer, who possesses the following minimum qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree or higher in the subject area or related field, with prior classroom teaching experience at the high school or higher education.

In-depth knowledge of the AP® Macroeconomic standards.

Experience writing educational materials to include formative and summative assessments.

Ability to write content that is interesting and relevant to high school students.

Understanding of language bias and how language bias can invalidate content.

5.3.3 Provide project management liaison(s) who are responsible for meeting with DoDEA’s content development team to confirm project expectations and deadlines. The liaison(s) shall participate in the Post-Award Conference/Implementation Plan Meeting and progress meetings and be the points of contact for content development.

5.4 Proposed Course Content Development Framework: The proposed framework shall be finalized at the Post- Award & Implementation Plan Meeting.

Proposed Course Content Development Framework

Post-Award Meeting

The Contractor’s program management team meets with DoDEA staff to go over the contract requirements.

Overview & Implementation Plan Meeting(s)

A mutually agreeable course content development framework, implementation plan, and timeline is developed.

Virtual Progress Meeting(s)

The Contractor shall participate in progress meetings to ensure timely delivery of scheduled materials (course content, assessments, interactives, etc.)

Milestones & Iterative Review Process

Six Units

The first unit of course content, consisting of 6 lessons, along with associated materials and resources, as stated in 5.1 above (lessons, graphics, answer keys, rubrics, assignments, assessments, quizzes, etc.) should be delivered within approximately 20 business days after award of the contract.

DoDEA expects to submit orders throughout the period of performance to allow for each unit to be developed, reviewed, and accepted, prior to receipt of the next subsequent unit.

The DoDEA SME is not able to do a concurrent review of more than one unit at a time. Each unit will be reviewed with feedback provided to the contractor before the next unit is accepted for SME review.

The file format for the content will be decided on/finalized by DoDEA in consultation with the Contractor post-award.

Ongoing communication between the Contractor and DoDEA shall occur during the iterative evaluation process via tele- or videoconference.

Note: Based on DoDEA’s experience there will be an iterative review process for evaluating each unit and associated materials (lessons, graphics, answer keys, rubrics, assignments, assessments, quizzes, etc.)

Example Iterative Evaluation Plan for Course Content Development

1. Each unit’s course content, along with associated materials and resources, as stated in 5.1 above (lessons, graphics, answer keys, rubrics, assignments, assessments, quizzes, etc.) shall be sent to the contracting officer’s representative (COR) for review within approximately 20 business days from receipt of an order to allow for the iterative review process to begin.

2. The COR will send written feedback to the Contractor within approximately 15 business days of receiving the content and materials. Note: Feedback will be provided to the Contractor on reviews of all materials. This will give the contractor approximately 10 days to complete any requested changes.

3. The Contractor will respond to and/or take corrective action to resolve all of DoDEA’s content review comments. The expectation is that the content review process is iterative and may require multiple cycles of review.

4. Any separately ordered multimedia as described in 5.2 (audio, video, games, and/or interactive components etc.) shall be sent to the contracting officer’s representative (COR) for review within approximately 40 business days from receipt of an order to allow for the iterative review process to begin.

6.0 Deliverables / Schedule

Item Deliverable Objective Due

Proposed Content

Development Framework

Defining the responsibilities, timeline, risks, and milestones of contract objectives. Ref. 5.4

Finalized no later than three business days after the initial post-award meeting

2 Status Report Report documenting tasks and issues.

Ref. 5.4 Weekly until the contract expires.

Six AP®

Macroeconomic Units

Complete each unit, per attached scope and sequence.

Each Unit: deliver each unit, assessment, within approximately 20 business days after receipt of an order

4 Multimedia Components

Complete ordered audio, video, games, and/or interactive components, etc.

Multimedia Asset: deliver each asset within 40 business days after receipt of an order

7.0 Operating Constraints

7.1 Liaison and Alternate Liaison—The Contractor shall:

7.1.1 Provide a liaison and alternate to be responsible for the performance of work. Their names shall be designated in writing to the Contracting Officer. They shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all contract matters relating to the daily operation of this contract. Each of them shall have at least one year of experience working in a similar role.

7.1.2 Notify the COR in writing regarding any change in either liaison’s role ten business days in advance of the change If the liaison is changed post-award, the replacement shall meet or exceed the qualifications and experience of the person assigned upon contract award.

7.2 Holidays and Hours of Operation

7.2.1 The liaison or alternate shall be available during the hours of 9AM to 3PM Eastern Standard

Time (EST), except for Federal holidays and Federal government closures/shutdowns. The following list shows recognized Federal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth National Independence Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

7.2.2 Although there are different time zones within Europe and the Pacific and different hours for specific schools throughout DoDEA, the normal business hours for the regions roughly correspond to the following: Americas, 0700-1500 EST; Europe, 1300-2100 EST; and Pacific, 2000-0400 EST.

7.3 Copyright Dates: Where applicable, 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).

7.4 Anti-Bias, Diversity, and Inclusion—The Contractor shall 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.

7.5 Privacy—The Contractor shall:

7.5.1 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.

7.5.2 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 IAW the relevant requirements of the Privacy Act, 5 U.S.C, per http://www.archives.gov/about/laws/privacy-act-1974.html.

7.5.3 Privacy Training: Ensure Contractor staff who have access to DoDEA’s student, teacher and/or staff personally identifiable information complete 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.

7.5.4 Privacy Verification: Provide the COR written verification of compliance to the Privacy requirements (listed 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.

7.6 Section 508 Compliance—Ensure Contractor resources, wherever applicable, meet the following requirements:

7.6.1 IT Requirement: Ensure all electronic hardware and software that is procured under this contract/ purchase order comply with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, (29 U.S.C. 794d) and the Architectural & Transportation Barriers Compliance Board Electronic Information Technology (EIT) Accessibility Standards (36 CFR part 1194). For more information, see http://www.section508.gov.

7.6.2 Deliverable Requirement: Ensure the following occur:

Outputs/deliverables do not adversely affect accessibility features of existing EIT technologies.

EIT related to the requirements of the contract are accessible to people with disabilities, per 29 U.S.C 794(d).

Outputs/deliverables including functional performance, information, documentation, and support requirements are considered. Standards from 36 CFR Part 1194 Subpart B, C, and D apply to this acquisition.

7.7 Sharable Content Object Reference Model® (SCORM®) Compliance: Provide, if applicable, SCORM®-compliant digital modules. Note: Department of Defense Instruction 1322.26 mandates digital modules comply with the latest version, which may be found at the following URL:

https://www.esd.whs.mil/Portals/54/Documents/DD/issuances/dodi/132226_dodi_2017.pdf?ver=2017- 10-05-073235-400.

7.8 Data: All data developed as a result of any work awarded under this contract is and shall remain the property of the Government.

7.9 Organizational Conflict of Interest (OCI): The Contractor (including any subcontractor) personnel performing work under this contract may receive, have access to, or participate in the development of, proprietary or Privacy Act information (e.g., personal information, education, etc.) may create a current or subsequent OCI as defined in FAR Subpart 9.5. Whenever the Contractor becomes aware that such access or participation may result in actual or potential OCI, the Contractor shall (1) immediately notify the Contracting Officer (KO) in writing and (2) promptly submit a plan to the KO to avoid or mitigate any such OCI. Note: The KO will unilaterally determine if the Contractor’s plan is acceptable. If the KO determines the plan cannot satisfactorily avoid or mitigate an OCI, s/he may implement other remedies to include prohibiting the Contractor’s further participation in contracted requirements.