Q and A - COMMBUYS FINAL~1.docx

This document is a Questions and Answers record for RFR 27OSTBH1, issued by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), regarding the delivery of approved education interpretation training courses. The RFR seeks multiple vendors to deliver Department-developed interpreter training, with responses due October 27, 2026, at 12:00 PM Eastern Time and questions due by October 16, 2026, at 12:00 PM. Courses may be delivered virtually or in-person and consist of the Education Interpreter course (nine 2-hour modules) and the Advanced Education Interpreter course (ten 2-hour modules), each delivered as live sessions that cannot be condensed or combined. All lead instructors must complete DESE-sponsored instructor training, which is provided at no cost over approximately nine hours across three days in virtual format. The contract runs from approval through June 30, 2027, with up to four renewal options of up to 12 months each, extending through June 30, 2031, with a maximum obligation of $275,000 for the initial period.

Department-approved curriculum and materials are available only to vendors approved under the related 24MAOSTBH1 master service agreement. All bidders must submit a Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) Plan Form committing to a minimum 1% of contract sales with certified diverse businesses, with failure to meet this requirement resulting in disqualification. Vendors must ensure wheelchair-accessible instructional space for in-person delivery and appropriate technology infrastructure for online delivery. School districts are eligible to apply as vendors but must conduct courses outside regular work hours and ensure at least 50% of participants in each course section come from outside the bidding district. Funding combines federal (93%) and state (7%) sources, and the procurement is subject to World Trade Organization (WTO) guidelines.