Public_Consulting_Group_LLC_25115-SSD-EST_040325.pdf

HillsboroughSchools.org • P.O. Box 3408 • Tampa, FL 33601-3408 • (813) 272-4374 Raymond O. Shelton School Administrative Center • 901 East Kennedy Blvd. • Tampa, FL 33602-3507

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

PROCUREMENT SERVICES DEPARTMENT

NOTICE OF INTENT

TO

PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES

The following commodities and services are listed below and may be considered a “Single Source” or a “Sole Source,” meaning there is only one source from which to purchase these commodities and services.

Single/Sole Source No. & Vendor Name: 25115-SSD-EST: Public Consulting Group Single/Sole Source Posting Date (7 business days): From: Thursday, April 3, 2025 To: Monday, April 14, 2025 Protest Period (3 business days) From: Monday, April 14, 2025 To: Thursday, April 17, 2025 Commodities and Services: See Exhibit A. SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES

This NOTICE OF INTENT TO PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE shall serve as a notification that a recommendation will be made to The School Board of Hillsborough County, Florida (the “School Board”) to award this single or sole source procurement to the referenced vendor of the commodities and contractual services described in Exhibit A: SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES. The description of commodities and contractual services intended for purchase from a single or sole source is posted in accordance with Rule 6A-1.012(12)(d), Florida Administrative Code. It will remain posted for seven (7) business days.

This is not a request for proposals, and no competitive solicitation is available. HCPS will not consider any response to be a proposal. Any responses received in response to this notice will be regarded as solely to determine whether competition exists.

Interested firms or individuals may express their interest and capability to respond to the requirement by uploading EXHIBIT B: RESPONSE TO PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES, along with all relevant documents, via www.vendorlink.com. “Like” shall mean equal, equivalent, or identical. Interested firms will be considered only if they respond with clear and convincing documentation that they can meet or exceed the requirements. All responses received within seven (7) business days after the publication of this Notice of Intent to Purchase Single/Sole Source will be reviewed by HCPS.

A determination by the General Manager of Procurement Services, or designee, and the Procurement Officer not to publish a competitive solicitation for this proposed action based on the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the General Manager of Procurement Services.

Notice of Intent to Sole Source: If Procurement Services does not receive “like” commodities and services information during the Single/Sole Source posting period above, the purchase request shall be issued to the School Board or renewed as approved by the School Board. This section serves as notice of the intended decision to enter a single-source contract in the manner specified in § 120.57(3), Florida Statutes. It may negotiate the best terms and conditions with the single/sole source vendor. HCPS shall submit a recommendation to the School Board (www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/3643) requesting approval to waive the solicitation process and proceed with the single/sole source purchase. Decisions concerning multiple-year sole sourcing are valid for one year after approval by the School Board and must be reposted and validated before the renewal period.

Failure to file a protest within the time prescribed in § 120.57(3), Florida Statutes, or failure to post the bond or other security required by law within the time allowed for filing a bond shall constitute a waiver of proceedings under Chapter 120, Florida Statutes. Any protest concerning HCPS’ decision must be timely received by the General Manager of Procurement Services at 901 E. Kennedy Blvd., Tampa, FL 33602.

Superintendent of Schools Van Ayres http://www.vendorlink.com/ http://www.hillsboroughschools.org/Page/3643

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EXHIBIT A

SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES

1. Describe what the item commodity and service is and how it is to be used by HCPS.

Hillsborough County Public Schools (HCPS) will engage in a year-long process to revise the K-8 and Biology science instructional guides to ensure a guaranteed and viable curriculum for teachers and students aligned with the Florida standards and benchmarks and the HCPS Model of Instruction. The objectives of this revision include supporting the implementation of new textbook and curriculum materials, fostering alignment in instructional practices across grade levels, and incorporating scaffolds and supports to meet the needs of all learners. Additionally, HCPS is committed to providing educators with opportunities to offer feedback on the recommended visions. PCG will collaborate with the district Academic Services team to develop and maintain a project management protocol to achieve these objectives.

2. What feature or particular condition of this commodity and service is unique and cannot be obtained from any other source?

The scope of work includes reviewing and revising the scope and sequence at each grade level to ensure comprehensive coverage of science benchmarks, updating instructional guides to reflect district priorities, including scaffolds and supports for English Language Learners (ELL) and Exceptional Student Education (ESE), emphasizing systematic academic vocabulary instruction using Marzano’s six-step routine, and incorporating high-yield instructional strategies from the New Art and Science of Teaching. Additionally, curriculum resources will be relevant and representative of the district's student population. PCG will engage Academic Services staff and teachers in feedback cycles during the development and implementation of the instructional guides. This feedback will inform final edits for future use. Furthermore, PCG will develop professional learning modules for both face-to-face and asynchronous settings, and train teacher leaders and district resource teachers to deliver this professional learning districtwide.

3. Vendor-provided information.

Public Consulting Group LLC (PCG) is the sole copyright holder of the curriculum and instructional materials that will be leveraged for our partnership with HCPS to provide enhancements to district instructional guides. Additionally, PCG will leverage our proprietary, web-based Playbook Curriculum Management System to develop and deliver work products to HCPS. This letter represents PCG as the sole provider of its proprietary Playbook and accompanying copyright-protected curriculum and instructional materials.

Our team will work with HCPS to review the project timeline, confirm project vision and priorities, and establish a project management protocol. The focus of project start-up is agreement on a concise plan of action that facilitates timely project execution. We will also review the district’s K-12 science instructional materials to build an understanding of current resources, including strengths and areas of growth. As requested by the district, as part of our project start-up activities, PCG will review the K-12 scope and sequence documents based on the newly adopted district science program. Finally, we will engage in requirements gathering with HCPS leadership to fully define the specifications for revising the instructional guides, as well as identify the highest priorities for HCPS.

Facilitate Kick-Off Meeting

PCG will facilitate a kickoff meeting to define the expectations and visions of key stakeholders and establish a collaborative working relationship with the HCPS leadership team. This meeting will provide PCG and HCPS the opportunity to refine the project plan, develop a shared understanding of roles and responsibilities, and determine norms for project management and communication.

Establish Project Management and Communication Processes and Protocols: Strong project management and communication processes and protocols are key to ensuring that PCG and HCPS establish a collaborative working relationship. PCG will lead the completion of the following key documents:

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- Communication Matrix: A document that establishes the cadence of meetings, meeting purpose, and attendees, as well as other means of regularly communicating and associated norms.

- Project Management Plan: A document that guides all project execution activities.

- Project Timeline: A schedule that provides key dates and project milestones.

- Risks and Issues Log: A log of project risks, issues, and mitigation strategies.

Review District’s K-12 Science Instructional Materials

PCG will review documents, guidance, year-long curriculum maps, scope and sequence documents, and existing resources related to the newly adopted district science program. This will include a deeper dive into one course per grade band (Grade 2, Grade 5, Grade 8, and Biology) to build an understanding of current resources, including strengths and areas of activities, PCG will review the realigned K–12 scope and sequence documents based on the newly adopted district science program. This will be a prerequisite to the mapping work and ultimate application of the revisions to the instructional guides.

Engage in Requirements Gathering

PCG will engage in requirements gathering with HCPS leadership to fully define the specifications for revising the instructional guides. We will co-develop the requirements gathering document, which will serve as a common “source of truth” and will serve as a constant reference point throughout the project. Specifically, we will work in collaboration to leverage the review of science instructional materials and the requirements gathering sessions to determine the scope of the revision work, including further defining the extent to which the following components should be part of the revision work:

- Supporting teachers with the recently purchased curriculum: Providing teachers with specifics to support instructional delivery.

- Creating greater consistency across grade bands: Identifying and implementing components in the current instructional guides that should be consistent across grade bands.

- Further embedding instructional best practices: Integrating Marzano strategies; aligning content to state standards, benchmarks, and assessments; and supporting execution of the district’s model of instruction.

- Adding scaffolds for our learners: Building on English Language Learner supports currently in the guides, adding enrichment scaffolds, and providing instructional supports for students with disabilities.

- Adding localized content within the guides: Providing opportunities for Tampa-specific connected learning.

Our work will be focused on revising the instructional guides, including adding content to address the above bulleted components. We will not be revising the resources that are linked out to within the guides.

Deliverables

Project management and communication processes and protocols (i.e., Communication Matrix, Project Management Plan, Project Timeline, Risks and Issues Log)

Requirements Gathering Document (including identification of highest priorities for HCPS)

HCPS’ Role

- Promptly provide access to all K-12 science curriculum resources.

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- Attend and participate in the kickoff meeting and all standing meetings documented in the Communication Matrix.

- Realign scope and sequence documents and year-at-a-glance.

- Engage in requirements gathering and support prioritization.

Revision of K-12 Science Instructional Guides

Using the current instructional guides and newly adopted curricular resources, the results of the review, re-aligned scope and sequence documents, the requirements gathering process, and our proprietary platform, Curriculum Playbook, PCG will revise the district’s K-12 instructional guides in science in alignment with the priorities identified by HCPS. Each development team will be guided by a content lead and gradeband leads who will work closely to ensure consistency across grade bands and provide review and feedback. The HCPS team will provide feedback throughout the development process.

Preparing for Instructional Materials Development

PCG will create working drafts of the enhancements recommended for the instructional guide templates. Establishing these from the outset of the project will help ensure standardized processes, coherence, and consistency across the instructional materials. Additionally, we will establish quality assurance protocols to be leveraged in the development process, as well as in the review and feedback process by HCPS stakeholders. In order to ensure alignment across teams, we will calibrate around applicable rubrics, supplemental resources, and other materials that should guide the review process.

Mapping

Prior to application of the revisions, PCG will produce a map for each quarter that will identify the specific additions, revisions, and/or deletions. These maps will be provided to HCPS for review and feedback on a rolling basis.

Developing Prototypes

Upon approval of the first set of maps, PCG will develop and deliver a prototype per grade band (Grade 2, Grade 5, Grade 8, Biology) that will be provided for district review and feedback. Prototypes will consist of a portion of an Instructional Guide, namely the unit overview information and content related to one to two lessons, inclusive of all HCPS requested additions and resources. This will ensure that the revisions reflect the specifications discussed in the requirements gathering process and/or provide feedback to inform the larger revision efforts.

Finalizing Prototypes

PCG will work with HCPS to review the feedback and make final decisions about how to apply the feedback. These prototypes will serve as models for the larger revision effort.

Revising K-12 Instructional Guides

PCG will leverage feedback from the prototype and the maps that detail the specific additions, revisions, and/or deletions to revise the K-12 Instructional Guides.

Deliverables

Design documents and templates

Maps for each quarter that detail specific additions, revisions, and/or deletions

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Prototypes (Grade 2, Grade 5, Grade 8, Biology)

Revised K-12 Instructional Guides for Piloting in the 2025–2026 school year

HCPS’ Role

Attend weekly or biweekly calls with PCG and provide answers to clarifying questions as PCG revises the K-12 instructional guides for science.

Review and provide written feedback on maps and prototype materials. PCG will collaborate with HCPS to determine the specific review process, including which HCPS stakeholders will be included as reviewers (e.g., ELL and ESE representatives). At HCPS’ discretion, this may include involvement by a small group of school administrators and/or teachers.

Review and provide feedback on the revised instructional guides, which will be implemented during the finalization process. PCG will collaborate with HCPS to determine the specific review process, including potentially soliciting educator feedback during the professional learning sessions.

Professional Learning to Support Use of the Revised K-12 Science Instructional Guides

To build the capacity of HCPS science educators to leverage the revised K-12 instructional guides, PCG will develop in-person professional learning prior to each quarter of instruction. These professional learning sessions will prepare educators to pilot the content during the 2025–2026 school year, as well as provide feedback to inform PCG’s development efforts.

Professional Learning Planning Document Development

PCG will work with HCPS to develop a plan for professional learning that includes an overall arc for knowledge and skill development, guidance around messaging, a timeline, and recommendations for timing and approach to supporting educators, including ELL and ESE teachers.

Development and Delivery of Professional Learning Sessions

PCG will design and deliver in-person professional learning sessions to support the implementation of the revised K-12 instructional guides. Prior to developing session materials, PCG will provide HCPS with outlines for review. The outlines of each session summarize session objectives, key activities, and outcomes. The professional learning schedule we propose is below:

- Provide professional learning (by grade-band, with a facilitator for each grade band) on the re-aligned scope and sequence documents to prepare educators for implementation of the new curriculum and to preview the revisions that will be occurring in the instructional guides.

- Provide professional learning (by grade-band, with a facilitator for each grade band) on the Quarter 1 instructional guides. Content will build educators’ capacity to access, plan, and implement the revised instructional guides Quarter 1, as well as provide feedback on the instructional guides leveraged to date in order to inform finalization efforts. The primary focus will be on the first unit in Quarter 1, inclusive of the ELL and ESE supports.

- Provide professional learning (by grade-band, with a facilitator for each grade band) on the Quarter 2 instructional guides, drawing on Quarter 2 revisions completed in the instructional guides and on the planned revisions documented in the maps. Content will build educators’ capacity to access, plan, and implement the revised instructional guides for Quarter 2, as well as provide feedback on the instructional guides leveraged to date in order to inform finalization efforts. The primary focus will be on the first unit in Quarter 2, inclusive of the ELL and ESE supports.

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- Provide professional learning (by grade-band, with a facilitator for each grade band) on the Quarter 3 instructional guides, drawing on Quarter 3 revisions completed in the instructional guides and on the planned revisions documented in the maps. Content will build educators’ capacity to access, plan, and implement the revised instructional guides for Quarter 3, as well as provide feedback on the instructional guides leveraged to date in order to inform finalization efforts. The primary focus will be on the first unit in Quarter 3, inclusive of the ELL and ESE supports.

- Provide professional learning (by grade-band, with a facilitator for each grade band) on the Quarter 4 instructional guides, drawing on Quarter 4 revisions completed in the instructional guides and on the planned revisions documented in the maps. Content will build educators’ capacity to access, plan, and implement the revised instructional guides for Quarter 4, as well as provide feedback on the instructional guides leveraged to date in order to inform finalization efforts. The primary focus will be on the first unit in Quarter 4, inclusive of the ELL and ESE supports.

Deliverables

- Professional learning planning document

- Outlines, slide decks, and participant materials for five synchronous professional learning sessions (delivered by grade band). A facilitator guide will also be provided to enable instructional leaders to turnkey and deliver the material in the future.

- Session delivery (assumes each session is one day and facilitated by PCG), inclusive of survey dissemination and analysis to session participants to inform subsequent instructional guide revision efforts, as well as subsequent professional learning sessions.

HCPS’ Role

- Review and provide feedback on outline(s) of professional learning session content.

- In collaboration with PCG, determine logistics, participants, and dates/times for all professional learning sessions.

- Coordinate all logistics for professional learning sessions, including locations/venues, parking, technology needs, supplies or printing, and food or beverages for participants.

- Own and manage all communication to participants.

- Turnkey the professional learning material.

Finalization of K-12 Science Instructional Guides

Following the piloting and review secured through the piloting, PCG will revise and finalize all K–12 science instructional guides for use in the 2026–2027 school year. This ensures that all applicable feedback is incorporated and that the materials are of high-quality.

Finalizing K–12 Science Instructional Guide

PCG development teams will revise and finalize instructional guides based on rolling feedback from the HCPS stakeholder reviewers, clarifying feedback with HCPS leadership as needed. Teams will revise each set of materials against a final checklist to ensure adherence to all conventions and HCPS design principles.

Copyediting, Formatting, and Proofing of Materials

Following resource finalization, the PCG operations and technical team will complete final copyediting, proofing, formatting, and overall quality assurance, as well as provide metadata elements, accessibility, and content integration testing.

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Delivering Digital Content

At the end of the finalization process, our operations and technical team will leverage Curriculum Playbook to deliver final files via common cartridges or another agreed upon delivery mechanism.

Deliverables Finalized K–12 science instructional guides for use in the 2026–2027 school year

HCPS’ Role

- Attend weekly or biweekly calls with PCG and provide answers to clarifying questions as PCG finalizes the instructional guides.

- House, distribute, and communicate the goals for finalized materials to HCPS schools and stakeholders based on HCPS norms and protocols.

[INTENTIONALLY BLANK.]

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EXHIBIT B

RESPONSE TO PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE

COMMODITIES AND SERVICES

The following must be completed, signed, and returned as part of your response. Your response will not be accepted without this form, signed by a supplier’s authorized agent.

Respondents who believe they have “like” commodities and services must:

• upload this EXHIBIT B: RESPONSE TO PURCHASE SINGLE/SOLE SOURCE COMMODITIES AND SERVICES via www.myvendorlink.com; and

• provide sufficient information regarding their ability to supply the described commodities and services to allow for an evaluation to determine “like” commodities or “like” services.

Responses received after the Response Due Date and Time (see page one) will not be accepted.

Company Name:

Mailing Address:

City, State, Zip:

Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN):

Telephone Number:

Email:

Signature

Title Date http://www.myvendorlink.com/