May 8, 2026

RFP Number: 4604.1

Due Date: June 1, 2026

Due Time: 2:00PM EST

To: Prospective Offerors:

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit qualified organizations to partner with Montgomery

County Public Schools (MCPS) in the delivery of recovery and substance use support services for high school students participating in the Recovery and Academic Program (RAP).

A virtual pre-proposal conference will be held at 1:00p.m. EST via Zoom. Information to access the conference is contained in the RFP, Section 17.0. Questions regarding the RFP must be submitted by

4:00 p.m., on May 13, 2026.

Please respond according to the instructions provided in the attached. Proposals must be received on or before June 1, 2026, at 2:00pm EST. Proposals received after this date and time will not be considered.

Proposals shall be delivered in a sealed envelope with the RFP number, opening date and opening time indicated in the lower left corner of the envelope. Proposals shall be delivered to MCPS Department of

Procurement, 45 West Gude Drive, Suite 3100, Rockville, Maryland 20850.

The offeror must submit one (1) original, one (1) redacted copy, one (1) electronic version on flash drive and one (1) separate copy of the proposal. The proposal must be signed by an official having authority to contract with MCPS. The firm and official's name shall be used. This solicitation does not commit MCPS to pay any costs incurred in the submission of proposals or guarantee that an award will be made.

In the event of emergency closing of the MCPS Board of Education offices, this RFP will be accepted at the same time on the next regular working day.

AMD

Enclosure

Sincerely, Angela McIntosh Davis, Director

Department of Procurement

Division of Financial Management

Montgomery County Public Schools

Division of Procurement

45 West Gude Drive, Suite 3100

Rockville, MD 20850

Request for Proposals

Proposal No. 4604.1

Consultant for School Consolidation and Closures Study for Elementary and Middle Schools and

Countywide Elementary and Middle School Boundary Study

1.0 INTENT

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit submittals from qualified, professional independent consultants to facilitate a data analysis to assist in the identification of schools for potential consolidations and closures review that will inform a countywide boundary study process at the elementary and middle school level.

During the past several years, Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) has experienced sustained countywide shifts in enrollment patterns, leading to an overall decline. Official Pre-K–

12 enrollment has declined from 165,267 in 2019 to 156,050 in 2025; a decrease of 9,217 students, or 5.6%. Official Kindergarten–Grade 5 enrollment has declined from 72,085 students in 2019, to

65,627 students in 2025; a decline of 6,458 students, or 8.9%. These trends reflect broader demographic changes, including reduced birth rates, economic factors, and changes in housing turnover patterns.

As enrollment has declined, utilization across elementary schools increasingly has become imbalanced. While certain areas of Montgomery County are experiencing localized growth, nearby schools often have significant available capacity. In addition, several elementary schools have

“island assignments,” or noncontiguous attendance boundaries, which contribute to longer student transportation, more frequent split articulations, and operational inefficiencies. Collectively, declining enrollment, island assignments, and uneven utilization create challenges in staffing allocations, resource allocation, student transportation services, and effective and efficient facility utilization.

Consistent with the Board’s strategic goals and Board of Education Policy FAA, Educational

Facilities Planning, these conditions necessitate a comprehensive review of all currently operating elementary and middle schools, former school facilities, and future school sites to determine the appropriate long-term facility footprint. Because facility decisions and boundary decisions intrinsically are linked, any future adjustments must be grounded in a thorough understanding of building conditions, capacity, and the geographic needs of our student population, alongside potential alternative uses for underutilized sites to maximize the value of the district’s physical assets.

In response, on March 26, 2026, the Board of Education approved a two-phase process: (Phase 1) a study to evaluate potential school consolidations and closures, followed by (Phase 2) a countywide boundary study to review and adjust elementary school attendance areas and middle school boundaries that are affected by consolidations and closures. This adopted resolution can be found here: Board Docs

This work will include a comprehensive assessment of the MCPS facility portfolio to ensure that school capacity, utilization, and long-term facility use are aligned with current and projected enrollment trends. Recommendations will consider multiple factors, including facility condition, capacity and site constraints, potential for expansion, student proximity and walkability, community input from a wide range of stakeholders, and alignment with Board of Education policy and applicable regulations.

Phase 1 of this effort consists of developing data-driven analysis and recommendations regarding potential school consolidations and closures. MCPS will conduct a portfolio review and recommendations regarding potential school consolidations, closures, or changes to existing program delivery models, such as paired schools. These recommendations will be brought to the

Board of Education for appropriate review and decision processes.

Phase 2 consists of conducting a countywide elementary school boundary study, inclusive of any impacted middle schools, informed by the outcomes of Phase 1 and in accordance with the requirements outlined in this RFP. Any elementary school approved by the Board of Education for consolidation and closure will not be included in the subsequent boundary study process. If the

Board of Education approves the consolidation and closure of a middle school, new boundaries will need to be drawn for the surrounding schools to account for the consolidation(s) and closure(s).

2.0 INTRODUCTION

This process is guided by Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR), MCPS Policy FAA, Educational Facilities Planning and MCPS Policy ABA, Community Engagement. COMAR

13A.02.09 governs procedures for public school closings in Maryland, requiring local boards to consider student enrollment trends, building conditions, transportation, racial composition, and https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DSJUKH7C6E29/$file/10.01%20ADOPTED%20Apprv%20Rec%20Consolidations%20Closures%20ES%20MS%20Boundary%20Study%20260326.pdf https://dsd.maryland.gov/Pages/COMARHome.aspx https://dsd.maryland.gov/Pages/COMARHome.aspx https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/detail.aspx?recID=128&policyID=FAA&sectionID=6 https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/detail.aspx?recID=128&policyID=FAA&sectionID=6 https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/policy/detail.aspx?recID=1&policyID=ABA&sectionID=1 https://www.google.com/search?q=COMAR+13A.02.09&sca_esv=1a51245140343e35&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS819US820&ei=DA7VacX-GpGlqtsPlrzZmQw&ved=2ahUKEwi_6-Tv89uTAxXFmmoFHQKiFykQgK4QegQIARAB&uact=5&oq=COMAR+school+closure&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiFENPTUFSIHNjaG9vbCBjbG9zdXJlMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHSKsWUKADWNsUcAB4AZABAZgBAKABAKoBALgBA8gBAPgBAZgCAaACDJgDAIgGAZAGCJIHATGgBwCyBwC4BwDCBwMyLTHIBwaACAA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&safe=active&ssui=on&mstk=AUtExfCEWzNXKrG9EkjQFSvi28ziTQHqH4NDRVrw21QmUISYrI1N6d2AH37tvCqKVcG2yA1XIWlick1HSB0UKXhupfg3QuOOgdAC0-VCIFj7sXAovuZTENky43UKzj0HcRavpWA&csui=3 https://www.google.com/search?q=COMAR+13A.02.09&sca_esv=1a51245140343e35&rlz=1C1GCEU_enUS819US820&ei=DA7VacX-GpGlqtsPlrzZmQw&ved=2ahUKEwi_6-Tv89uTAxXFmmoFHQKiFykQgK4QegQIARAB&uact=5&oq=COMAR+school+closure&gs_lp=Egxnd3Mtd2l6LXNlcnAiFENPTUFSIHNjaG9vbCBjbG9zdXJlMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHMgQQABhHSKsWUKADWNsUcAB4AZABAZgBAKABAKoBALgBA8gBAPgBAZgCAaACDJgDAIgGAZAGCJIHATGgBwCyBwC4BwDCBwMyLTHIBwaACAA&sclient=gws-wiz-serp&safe=active&ssui=on&mstk=AUtExfCEWzNXKrG9EkjQFSvi28ziTQHqH4NDRVrw21QmUISYrI1N6d2AH37tvCqKVcG2yA1XIWlick1HSB0UKXhupfg3QuOOgdAC0-VCIFj7sXAovuZTENky43UKzj0HcRavpWA&csui=3 community impact. It mandates public hearings and proper notice to parents/guardians before a school closure. Policy ABA affirms the Board’s commitment to the development and promotion of inclusive, culturally responsive, and antiracist engagement guidelines, structures, and practices to be implemented to engage the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) community in

Montgomery County Board of Education (Board) decisions that impact children.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) is the 14th largest school system in the United States, and the largest in the state of Maryland. During the 2025-2026 school year, MCPS serves more than 156,541 students from 157 countries speaking 162 languages. With a Fiscal Year (FY) 2026

Operating Budget of approximately $3.16 billion, MCPS employs more than 24,900 employees.

Among the 211 schools that MCPS operates, 42 are National Blue-Ribbon schools.

The student demographics of MCPS in 2025-2026 school year are as follows:

Hispanic/Latino: 35.2%

White: 23.3%

Black or African American: 21.9%

Asian: 13.8%

Two or more races: ≤ 5.5%

American Indian or Alaskan Native: ≤0.2%

Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: ≤0.1%

In alignment with the mission of our district’s 2025-2030 Strategic Plan, all students will receive a solid academic foundation, grounded in strong critical thinking skills, with opportunities to enhance and enrich their learning. All students will develop resilience, be adaptable, and have a lifelong passion for learning. All students will become effective communicators and collaborators predicated on meaningful relationships. All students will make a positive impact in their community and be ready for success in their personal and professional life.

MCPS also believes that we must engage every student, every day; learning is achieved by cultivating curiosity and encouraging determination, focus, and hard work; and adult learning and engagement are key to student learning. Therefore, MCPS encourages and supports critical thinking, problem solving, active questioning, and risk taking to continuously improve; stimulate discovery by engaging students in relevant and rigorous academic, social, and emotional learning experiences; and challenge ourselves to analyze and reflect upon evidence to improve our practices.

Prior to initiating a systemwide elementary school boundary study, it is essential to conduct a comprehensive review of all currently operated elementary and middle schools, as well as former school facilities, to determine the appropriate long-term facility footprint. MCPS has numerous closed schools and future school sites in its portfolio and there may be sites that MCPS has no long term use for that should be recommended for surplus to help “right size” the portfolio to the school system needs. There shall be a review of these properties within the regional model context and recommendations made about future use that align with the soon-to-be approved FY 2027 Capital

Budget and FY 2027-2032 Capital Improvement Program.

Facility decisions and boundary decisions are interdependent; a clear understanding of building condition, capacity, geographic distribution, and potential alternative uses must inform any future boundary adjustments.

This review process will provide the opportunity to:

● Align school capacity with current and projected enrollment trends

● Promote fiscal responsibility by minimizing operational inefficiencies

● Balance enrollment across elementary schools to optimize the use of existing facilities

● Serve students, especially those receiving special education services, as close to home as possible

● Address non-contiguous boundaries and island assignments

● Align feeder patterns to support continuity and stability for students and families

● Evaluate existing program delivery models, including paired schools

● Inform future capital improvement planning and long-term investment priorities

The Board of Education recently adopted boundary resolutions associated with the reopening of

Charles W. Woodward High School and the expansion of Northwood High School, as well as the relocation of Thomas S. Wootton High School to the Crown Farm site and the expansion of

Damascus High School.

The selected consultant shall account for students affected by these prior decisions, including changes to school assignments and feeder patterns, and consider these impacts when developing recommendations.

MCPS currently has feeder patterns called clusters and has two special areas that are called consortia. Beginning in August 2027 for the school year 2027-2028, the school system is implementing a Regional Program Model with six program regions. The boundaries determined in this study should align with the Regional Program Model so that students articulate within the same region and schools are not split across regions.

Valid enrollment projections exist for current elementary, middle, and high school attendance zones for each corresponding grade levels, i.e. elementary schools are projected for grades pk-5, middle schools for grades 6-8, and high schools for grades 9-12. Review is for understanding the magnitude of potential changes that need to occur so that schools that are crowded have relief by the new attendance zones, and schools with space are utilized more fully.

https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DSJU9T7B0304/$file/08.01%20ADOPTED%20Apprv%20Rec%20Reopen%20Charles%20W%20Woodward%20Expansion%20Northwood.pdf https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DSJU9T7B0304/$file/08.01%20ADOPTED%20Apprv%20Rec%20Reopen%20Charles%20W%20Woodward%20Expansion%20Northwood.pdf https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DSJUAD7B17D5/$file/08.02%20ADOPTED%20Apprv%20Rec%20Relocate%20Thomas%20S%20Wootton%20Expansion%20Damascus%20260326.pdf https://go.boarddocs.com/mabe/mcpsmd/Board.nsf/files/DSJUAD7B17D5/$file/08.02%20ADOPTED%20Apprv%20Rec%20Relocate%20Thomas%20S%20Wootton%20Expansion%20Damascus%20260326.pdf

Projections will need to be developed for geography being reassigned in options at the grade levels potentially being affected. For example, if the geography of an elementary school attendance area is being reassigned in an option at the middle school level then grade 6-8 projections will need to be developed for that geography. The same is true for any geography smaller than an existing attendance zone at any level. There is no need to redo grade level projections that already exist.

3.0 SCOPE OF SERVICES

The selected consultant shall provide comprehensive professional services to support MCPS in conducting:

A School Consolidation and Closure Analysis within the context of a comprehensive portfolio analysis (Phase 1); and a Countywide Elementary School Boundary Study, including impacted middle schools (Phase 2).

The consultant shall be responsible for delivering data-driven analysis, actionable recommendations, structured community engagement, and implementation-ready outputs in coordination with MCPS staff.

All work shall align with Board of Education Policy FAA, applicable regulations, and MCPS strategic priorities.

Task 1.0 Project Orientation and Data Collection

● Review and understand criteria used as planning factors for student reassignments per

Board of Education (Board) Policy FAA—Educational Facilities Planning (e.g., utilization, geography, stability of school assignment, demographics);

● Review and understand Board of Education (Board) Policy ABA, Community

Engagement;

● Review and understand the Code of Maryland Regulations (COMAR) 13A.02.09.01, Adoption of Procedures to Govern School Closings;

● Discuss details of project tasks and scope of Phase 1 and 2;

● Communicate with MCPS leadership regarding goals and priorities for the process

● Discuss roles, functions, and responsibilities for MCPS and consultant staff

● Prepare for compliance with MCPS Data Privacy and data suppression requirements.

● Identify needed data from MCPS including but not limited to polygon boundaries (planning zones), school service areas, school locations, feeder patterns, capacities, enrollment projections and demographic data;

● Obtain required data from MCPS;

● Establish secure data transfer and ongoing data security protocols;

● Identify roles of consultant and MCPS staff related to data collection, maintenance, and management;

● Must have ability to use MCPS planning zones;

● Must maintain compatibility with Environmental Systems Research ESRI platform; and

● Final data deliverables should be clean, in prescribed file formats, and accompanied by documentation

Task 2.0: Actively participate in robust community engagement process for both phases of the study

● Coordinate and collaborate with relevant offices including Division of Facilities

Management (DFM), Department of Communications (DOC) and Department of Facility

Engagement (DFE) to develop a comprehensive communication plan to inform stakeholders on how to become and remain involved throughout the multi-year process;

● Develop an overall community engagement plan following Board of Education (Board)

Policy ABA, Community Engagement and in collaboration with MCPS leadership;

● Foster engagement opportunities that maximize participation and engage diverse audiences;

● Develop and implement strategies to solicit input from underrepresented communities;

● Determine adequate community information meetings, in-person/virtual, with stakeholders, including staff, students, families and community members to gain community input and feedback;

● Facilitate meetings in partnership with the MCPS Division of Facilities Management staff to communicate to stakeholders the multi-phase process and options per Board Policy FAA and Board Policy ABA;

● Conduct a combination of in-person and virtual meetings to provide a comprehensive review of:

○ Consolidation and closure criteria and metrics

○ Two rounds of consolidation and closure options

○ Boundary study factors

○ Two rounds of boundary study options

● Create consolidation and closure maps and corresponding data tables for community engagement process;

● Create boundary study options maps and corresponding data tables for community engagement process;

● Develop dynamic data dashboards, including online interactive maps and surveys in multiple languages, to disseminate information to all stakeholders and to enhance the static data maps and tables for ease of comparison of options and scenario planning

● Provide MCPS leadership staff with data and summaries from all community engagements and findings

● Develop consolidation and closure report to summarize the community engagement process and option development including all feedback and survey information on options;

and

● Develop boundary study report to summarize the community engagement process and option development including all feedback and survey information on options.

Task 3.0: Phase 1 - Develop criteria and metrics that will be used to determine recommendations for consolidation and closure and develop the recommendations for consolidations and closures

● Provide a holistic portfolio review and assessment of all MCPS facilities to develop a comprehensive utilization plan for future needs as well as possible consolidations and closures of elementary, middle, and nonschool sites.

● Develop overarching criteria and metrics that will be used to determine the recommended consolidations and closures based on the following:

○ Use available data on facility conditions, utilization, seat availability, capacity calculations, ability to expand onsite, site and program delivery limitations, geography and ease of access;

○ Incorporate enrollment projections developed by MCPS staff as part of most recent

CIP publication;

○ Evaluate whether there is enough capacity available in adjacent and nearby schools to accommodate students from schools proposed for consolidation and closure;

○ Coordinate and consult with appropriate MCPS staff regarding various program offerings at schools to determine impact on available capacity; and

○ Examine the Paired Schools model at the elementary level to see if any unpairing studies should be undertaken;

● Provide school consolidation and closure option recommendations to MCPS leadership to be solicited for community feedback, with supporting data to justify recommendations based on the overarching criteria and metrics developed and in alignment with Board

Policy FAA, Board Policy ABA and (COMAR) 13A.02.09.01 Adoption of Procedures to

Govern School Closings

Task 4.0: Phase 2 - Provide Impartial Analysis of Boundary Study Options and Facilitate

Boundary Study in conjunction with MCPS leadership and staff

● Develop a thorough compilation of boundary reassignment options for review with relevant

MCPS staff based on the following:

○ Board Policy FAA—Educational Facilities Planning (Stability of school assignment over time, Demographics, Geography, and Facility Utilization);

○ Any consolidations or closures approved by the Board of Education;

● Provide data, including enrollment projections for each developed option, that illustrates an evaluation of developed options against the policy factors;

● Provide boundary study option recommendations to MCPS leadership to be solicited for community feedback, with supporting data to justify recommendations in alignment with

Board Policy FAA, Board Policy ABA and (COMAR) 13A.02.09.01 Adoption of

Procedures to Govern School Closings.

Task 5.0: Coordinate Superintendent Recommendations for Phase 1 and Phase 2

● Present developed options, accompanying data, stakeholder feedback information/survey, and other feedback from boundary study meetings to the superintendent and MCPS staff

● Receive feedback from superintendent and MCPS staff

● Provide implementation plan based on the superintendent’s recommendation

● Provide alternative options for superintendent’s review if requested

● Advise superintendent in preparation of recommendation to the Board of Education, prepare accompanying data and reports

● Develop superintendent’s boundary study recommendation

● Support Board of Education meeting(s) to present the superintendent recommendation as requested

Task 6.0: Board of Education Study Process for Phase 1 and Phase 2

● Support Board of Education work sessions and Board business meetings

● Facilitate discussions including, but not limited to, overview of consolidations and closures and boundary study process, stakeholder engagement information, survey information, summary of developed options, superintendent’s recommendation

● Respond to requests to develop any requested boundary reassignment alternatives from the

Board of Education

● Provide all data related to any Board of Education alternatives including, but not limited to, enrollment projections, maps, demographics, and utilization

● Attend public hearings as needed

● Receive and analyze community feedback during Board of Education meetings and public hearings

● Support MCPS and the Board of Education with information during its deliberation

4.0 TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

The consultant should prepare their response to the Request for Proposal as described below. For rating purposes, the submittal will be evaluated for the following distinct parts.

A. Qualifications of the Firm and Individuals

1. Established school planning firm with experience in leading school boundary study projects particularly in large school districts. Expertise in community engagement strategies, impartial analysis and reporting, committee facilitation, and support of the

Board of Education review and approval process is required. Expertise in school closure processes and student enrollment projections is desired.

2. Ability to attend meetings in Montgomery County, Maryland and otherwise coordinate online using online meeting software, FTP, email, phone. The offeror should determine and include in their submission the proposed number of required meetings, as well as specify whether they plan to attend these meetings virtually or in person.

3. Familiar, by past experience, with state and local government practices, procedures, laws, and regulations.

4. Methodologies in accordance with state-of-the-art practices; and accredited, certified, and/or are in accordance with industry standards.

5. Licensed to do business in the state of Maryland.

B. Additional Qualifications

1. How long in business under the current name.

2. Resume of business principals, including certifications and related experience.

3. Resume of lead person(s) for this project, to include related experience.

4. Project team breakdown - number of personnel by specialty, number of office workers, number of field supervisors, number of field workers.

5. References for similar projects of similar size completed, to include contact person’s name and telephone number.

6. Sample of plans (1), reports (1) or other related documents.

7. Statement of principals’ ownership or investment in other corporations, partnership, or businesses of any nature - state name of business, nature of business, principals involved, and nature of involvement.

C. Document qualifications and experience related to the following topics as they apply to completion of tasks outlined in section 3.0

1. Typical school planning processes related to operations and facility planning

2. Portfolio review and analysis of all MCPS facilities

3. Consolidation and Closure review and scenario testing

4. School Boundary Review and Scenario testing

5. Community Engagement focusing on strategies to provide equitable opportunities for access and input in school planning projects

6. Facilitation of advisory committees and elected body deliberations

7. Data management, analysis, and reporting in school boundary review processes

8. Utilization of spatial data and techniques for analysis and communication of plans

9. Performance of duties in high-profile, contentious situations particularly school consolidations and closures and large-scale boundary studies

10. Expertise with enrollment projections and student demographics

D. Management Team and Approach

1. Identify key personnel with applicable responsibilities and project team compositions and their place in the firm’s organizational structure.

2. Identify the systems and approaches utilized by the firm.

3. The length of time the team has worked together.

E. Cost/Fee Structure

1. Outline methods or philosophy that will be utilized to control project costs. This should include specific cost control methods, automation techniques, and the expected use of professional vs. nonprofessional personnel.

2. Consultants shall submit a fee structure utilizing Form for Cost Proposal – Appendix B.

This form must be completed in its entirety and submitted separately

Anticipated Timeline for Deliverables and Implementation and Key Staff

● Project Orientation & Projection Consultation: August-September 2026

● Data gathering, community engagement regarding possible consolidations and closures:

October 2026-March 2027

● Consolidations and Closures Report released: April 2027

● Superintendent Recommendation for Consolidations and Closures released: April 2027

● Board of Education Hearings and Work Sessions: April-May 2027

● Board of Education Action regarding any possible closures or consolidations: May 2027

● Data collection, validation and boundary option development: June-August 2027

● Community Engagement–process and developed options: September 2027–March 2028

● Boundary Study Report released: April 2028

● Superintendent Recommendation for Boundary Study released: April 2028

● Board of Education Hearings and Work Sessions: April-May 2028

● Board of Education Action regarding Boundary Study: May 2028

● School Consolidations and Closures and Boundaries implemented: beginning in the 2029-

2030 school year

5.0 DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY

As specified in more detail in the MCPS General Contract Articles and elsewhere in this RFP, the vendor will comply with all federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and ordinances applicable to this project, including but not limited to the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and

Privacy Act (“FERPA”), 20 U.S.C. § 1232g, and its implementing regulations (34 C.F.R. part 99), the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), 15 U.S.C. § 6501-6505, and its implementing regulations (16 C.F.R. § 312, et seq.), the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment, (“PPRA”) 20 U.S.C, § 1232(h) and its implementing regulations (34 C.F.R. § 98.1 et seq.), the

Maryland Student Privacy Act of 2015, Md. Ed. Code Ann., §4-131, Code of Maryland

Regulations (COMAR) 13A.08, as well as applicable Board of Education policies and MCPS regulations, including but not limited to MCPS Regulation AFA-RA, Research and Other Data

Collection Activities in Montgomery County Public Schools, MCPS Regulation JOA-RA, Student

Records, and MCPS Regulation JFF-RA, Federal Requirements for Use of Protected Student

Information. The vendor must provide a current SOC 2 Type 2 report to verify the effectiveness of their security controls and commitment to data integrity and confidentiality over a sustained period. Data storage and transmission must be secure and encrypted both in transit and at rest.

Disclosure of how/where MCPS data will be securely stored is required, including but not limited to the hosting and access to data. The vendor must commit to not selling, sharing, or using student data for any purpose other than providing the educational service outlined in the contract. There must be regular penetration testing and breach history must be disclosed.

Artificial Intelligence tools may be used to assist in data summarization however they must not serve as a replacement for human analysis. Protected student information shall not be fed into any

AI tools. MCPS requires disclosure of AI modules’ function in clear, accessible terms. The consultant must clearly identify the system components that use AI and the purpose of each.

Compliance with the district’s acceptable use and data privacy policies is required.

6.0 PERFORMANCE

It is the intention to award to the most favorable respondent(s) based on the evaluation criteria in

Section 15.0. However, the Montgomery County Board of Education reserves the right to make awards according to the best interest of MCPS. This request for proposal may result in multiple awards.

In determining the qualifications of an offeror, MCPS will consider the offeror’s record and performance of any prior contracts with MCPS, federal departments or agencies, or other public bodies, including but not limited to the offeror’s record providing online digital curriculum services to MCPS or other schools or school districts. MCPS expressly reserves the right to reject the proposal of any offeror if the investigation discloses that the offeror, in the opinion of MCPS, has not properly performed such prior contracts or has habitually and without just cause neglected the payment of bills or has otherwise disregarded its obligations to subcontractors or employees.

MCPS may conduct any necessary investigation to determine the ability of the offeror to perform the work, and the offeror shall furnish to MCPS all such information and data requested, such as information about its reputation, past performance, business and financial capability and other factors that demonstrate that the provider is capable of satisfying MCPS’ needs and requirements for a specific contract. MCPS reserves the right to reject any proposal if the evidence submitted by the offeror or investigation of such offeror fails to satisfy MCPS that such offeror is properly qualified to carry out the obligations of the contract and to complete all requirements contemplated therein. Consideration will be given to any previous performance with MCPS as to the quality and the acceptability of bidder’s services.

All offerors submitting a proposal shall include evidence that they maintain a permanent place of business. Copies of any appropriate licenses necessary to perform this work shall be submitted with each proposal. Offerors also shall demonstrate that they have adequate staff to perform the required services. Use of subcontractor(s) and/or third-party providers, if any, must be specifically identified within the proposal. Subcontractor and/or third-party provider roles shall be clearly expressed. MCPS reserves the right to accept or reject use of proposed subcontractor(s) and/or third-party provider(s).

MCPS reserves the right to add or delete Contractors throughout the contract term should MCPS determine, in its sole discretion, that there be a need for additional services not available from the awarded Contractors.

7.0 CONTRACT TERM

The term of contract shall be stipulated by the Board of Education’s determination and action related to the new boundary action. The contract may not begin until one day after approval by the

MCPS Board of Education and will conclude as stated under the contract term of an established agreement. MCPS reserves the right to extend this contract as needed or necessary and mutually agreed upon. Written notice indicating MCPS’ intention to pursue the extension of the contract will be issued to the successful vendor 90 days prior to the expiration of the original executed contract. The vendor shall have ten (10) days from the date of notification to return the notice acknowledging its intent to accept or reject the extension.

Once all responses are evaluated, MCPS staff may make a recommendation to the MCPS Board of Education to extend the contract or decide to rebid. If the contract is extended by the MCPS

Board of Education, a contract amendment will be issued.

8.0 COST PROPOSAL

The respondent must utilize the format provided in Appendix B in submitting a cost proposal in response to this RFP. The cost proposal must be included in each copy of the submittal. Any re-worked version of Appendix B that is intended to be a substitute for Appendix B, that is provided by a respondent may be determined as non-responsive, and may result in the submittal’s disqualification.

Respondent must include in its cost proposal all estimated travel and accommodation expenses associated with travel, and all other out-of-pocket expenses required to perform under this project.

All such costs of Consultant to be included in monthly billing must abide by MCPS policy and federal regulations.

9.0 CONTRACT TERMINATION

MCPS reserves the right to cancel the contract in whole or in part at any time in accordance with

Article 12 of the MCPS General Contract Articles. MCPS also reserves the right to cancel the contract with a Respondent for failure to comply or failure to fulfill the terms of this contract in accordance with Article 13 of the MCPS General Contract Articles.

10.0 REFERENCES

All offerors shall include a list of a minimum of three references who use the vendors services and can attest to the firm’s quality of work; and, if possible, shall include school districts of comparable size to MCPS that have utilized the respondents’ services. Include names of client, contact person, email address and phone number of all references. Also, as an attachment, offerors shall include a list of all current school district clients.

References may or may not be reviewed or contacted at the discretion of MCPS. Typically, only references of the top ranked short-listed offerors are contacted. MCPS reserves the right to contact references other than, and/or in addition to, those furnished by an offeror.

Company Name & Address Contact Person Phone Number

1. _______________________________________________________________________

Email __________________________________________________________________

2. _______________________________________________________________________

Email __________________________________________________________________

3. _______________________________________________________________________

Email __________________________________________________________________

11.0 FORMAT OF RESPONSE

• 11.1 Response to this RFP shall be submitted in the same order as the RFP and provide an individual response to each RFP specification.

• 11.2 Contractors shall include any and all statements and representations made within its proposal in the contract for services with the MCPS. This includes, but is not limited to, the vendors’ point-by-point response to this RFP. If the vendor responds only “Understand and comply,” it is assumed that the vendor complies with MCPS’ understanding of the requirement.

• 11.3 MCPS shall not be responsible nor be liable for any costs incurred by the vendor in the preparation and submission of their proposals and pricing.

• 11.4 Pricing proposal shall be submitted as a separate document, Cost Proposal Appendix

B. DO NOT include the pricing proposal with your technical response. This could result in your submission to be considered non-responsive and may result in the submittal’s disqualification.

12.0 MANDATORY SUBMISSIONS

Each offeror must submit a complete proposal including all required information and attachments.

The response shall address each paragraph in the same order as the RFP and provide an individual response to each RFP specification. All proposals must be presented using the same numbering sequence and order used in this RFP document or as otherwise specified by MCPS. Offerors may request via e-mail to Angela McIntosh Davis via email at angela_s_mcintosh-davis@mcpsmd.org.

One (1) original and one (1) copy, as well as one (1) electronic version of the original and a redacted version on a flash drive must be sent by mail, courier or hand-delivery and shall be bound with tabs identifying each section. A table of contents should be included and all pages numbered as referenced in the Table of Contents. No faxes or electronic submission of proposals will be accepted. Proposals are to be received no later than 2:00 p.m. on June 1,2026. Submit responses of the entire RFP proposal to:

Montgomery County Public Schools

Division of Procurement RFP #4604.1

45 West Gude Drive, Suite 3100

Rockville, MD 20850

Submissions will become the property of MCPS.

The proposal must be signed by an official having authority to contract with MCPS. The firm and the official’s name shall be used in the contract process. MCPS reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposals received. MCPS may also negotiate with the one offeror who submits the best proposal or with two or more offerors who are in the competitive range.

Therefore, it is important that the offeror’s proposal be submitted initially on the most favorable terms from both the technical and cost standpoints. After the submission and closure of proposals, no information will be released until after the award. It is understood that the offeror’s proposal will become a part of the official file on this matter without obligation to MCPS.

The proposal must be complete and comply with all aspects of these specifications. Marketing or promotional verbiage will likely overshadow the offeror’s qualifications and expertise. MCPS urges the offeror to be specific and brief in their responses.

Offerors must include any and all statements and representations made within its proposal in the contract for services with MCPS unless otherwise agreed upon by MCPS and offeror during negotiations. This includes, but is not limited to, the vendor’s point-by-point response to this RFP.

If the offeror answers only “Understand and comply” it is assumed that the offeror complies with

MCPS’ understanding of the requirement.

MCPS shall not be responsible or liable for any costs incurred by the offeror in the preparation and submission of their proposals and pricing.

12.1 Complete Response must include:

● Point-by-point Response to each section of the RFP

● Pricing Proposal – Appendix B

● References, see 10.0 References, including current school district clients

● Vendor’s annual fiscal report in order to demonstrate the vendor’s financial stability (If desired, the vendor may also include any other financial documents that Vendor wishes to include regarding Vendor’s financial condition.)

● Equal Opportunities Certification (Attachment A)

● Certification of Non-segregated Facilities (Attachment B)

● Minority Business Enterprise (Attachment C)

● Non-Debarment Acknowledgement (Attachment D)

● Online Data Resource Form (Attachment E)

● Current Form W-9

● A list of any variances from or objections to the terms and conditions of the MCPS General

Contracting Articles, Appendix A, as well as a justification for any such variances or objections. These must be stated in your submission; any alternative language such as responding after or if awarded, may be considered non-responsive.

● A separate redacted copy of offeror’s proposal as specified in Sections 10.0 and 11.0.

13.0 TREATMENT OF TECHNICAL DATA IN PROPOSAL

The proposal submitted in response to this request may contain technical data which the offeror does not want used or disclosed for any purpose other than evaluation of the proposal. The use and disclosure of any such technical data, subject to the provisions of the Maryland Public Information

Act (MPIA), may be so restricted:

Provided, that offeror marks the cover sheet of the proposal with the following legend, specifying the pages of the proposal which are to be restricted in accordance with the conditions of the legend:

"Technical data contained in pages of this proposal shall not be used or disclosed, except for evaluation purposes."

Provided that if a contract is awarded to this offeror as a result of or in connection with the submission of this proposal, MCPS shall have the right to use or disclose these technical data to the extent provided in the contract.

This restriction does not limit the right of MCPS to use or disclose technical data obtained from another source without restriction.

MCPS assumes no liability for disclosure or use of unmarked technical data or products and may use or disclose the data for any purpose and may consider that the proposal was not submitted in confidence and therefore is releasable. Price and cost data concerning salaries, overhead, and general and administrative 10 RFP 4998.1 expenses are considered proprietary information and will not be disclosed, if marked in accordance with the instructions in Section 11.0.

14.0 PROPRIETARY AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Offerors are notified that MCPS has unlimited data rights regarding proposals submitted in response to this solicitation. Unlimited data rights mean that MCPS has the right to use, disclose, reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, or perform publicly and display publicly any information submitted by the offeror in response to this or any solicitation issued by MCPS. However, MCPS will exempt information that is confidential commercial or financial information of an offeror, as defined by the Maryland Public Information Act, State

Government Article, Section 10-617, from disclosure. It is the responsibility of the offeror to clearly identify each part of its proposal that is confidential commercial or financial information by stamping the bottom right-hand corner of each pertinent page with one-inch bold face letters stating the words “confidential” or “proprietary.” The offeror agrees that any portion of the proposal that is not stamped as proprietary or confidential is not proprietary or confidential. As a condition for MCPS keeping the information confidential, the offeror must agree to defend and hold MCPS harmless if any information is inadvertently released. Each offeror must submit a proprietary and confidential redacted copy of its proposal to be used in responding to MPIA requests.

15.0 EVALUATION CRITERIA

MCPS reserves the right to ask clarifying questions about submitted proposals. Offerors also may ask questions that they may have related to this RFP prior to submitting their responses. See

Section 16.0, Schedule of Events. Only proposals received by the deadline will be considered.

Proposals will be screened down to a number of finalists.

MCPS reserves the right to convene a meeting with the top qualified offerors prior to awarding a contract. The purpose of the meeting will be to afford both parties an opportunity to discuss any aspects of the requirements and services that will be performed and clarify any issues. Issues raised during the meeting, which cannot be resolved to the satisfaction of MCPS, shall be cause to reject the proposal. In addition, vendors shall be prepared to provide a product and services demonstration, providing an overview of the proposed product and services at no cost to MCPS.

As appropriate, the vendor shall be responsible for the installation of the proposed products and services and any third-party software at the District-designated demonstration facility before the demonstration, as necessary. If requested by MCPS, the top qualified offeror or offeror shall provide MCPS with an opportunity to access and review the vendor’s system as in operation at that time, via the Internet from a MCPS computer, to ensure conformity to the requirements of this

RFP as well as for the quality and ease of the user interface.

All offerors are advised that in the event of receipt of an adequate number of proposals, which, in the opinion of MCPS require no clarification and/or supplementary information, such proposals may be evaluated without further discussions. Therefore, proposals should be submitted initially on the most complete and favorable terms and conditions. Should proposals submitted require additional clarification and/or supplementary information, offerors should be prepared to submit such additional clarification and/or supplementary information, in a timely manner, when requested Proposals meeting all requisite criteria will be evaluated. Those who do not meet requisite criteria will not be evaluated further. Selection will be made on the basis of the criteria listed below.

1. Ability to perform an Analytic Approach and Work Plan (based on the tasks outlined in

Section 3.0 Scope of Services) – 30%

2. Related past experience, qualifications of the firm(s) and consultant(s) capacity – 25%

3. Qualifications of Key Personnel – 25%

4. Pricing Proposal – 20%

16.0 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

The anticipated schedule of activities related to this RFP is as follows:

RFP issued: May 8, 2026

Questions Due: May 13, 2026 at 4:00pm

Virtual Pre-Proposal Conference: May 20, 2026; 1:00-2:00pm

Proposals Due: June 1, 2026 at 2:00pm

Anticipated award date: July 2026 Board of Education meeting

All dates are subject to change at the discretion of MCPS.

17.0 PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE

A virtual Pre-Proposal Conference for prospective contractors will be held on May 20, 2026 from

1:00-2:00pm, via the Zoom meeting information below. Attendance at this conference is encouraged but is not mandatory. Questions to this RFP are due by 4:00 PM on May 13, 2026, so responses can be prepared and addressed at the pre-proposal conference. This virtual pre-proposal conference will be recorded for reference when necessary, by MCPS. The purpose of the pre-proposal conference will be to allow prospective contractors the opportunity to obtain clarification of the RFP requirements and ask questions directly of MCPS staff to assist them in the preparation of their proposal responses.

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/89113987008?pwd=CTW4t9MkJAGQAZMVOMEsoocWVtdJgk.1

Meeting ID: 891 1398 7008

Passcode: 037239

Firms shall provide the names of the person(s) who will virtually attend the pre-proposal conference. Please include no more than two representatives. Send the names to Angela McIntosh

Davis, Director via e-mail at angela_s_mcintosh-davis@mcpsmd.org no later than May 19, 2026 at 12:00pm.

https://mcpsmd.zoom.us/j/89113987008?pwd=CTW4t9MkJAGQAZMVOMEsoocWVtdJgk.1 mailto:angela_s_mcintosh-davis@mcpsmd.org

18.0 ADDENDA/ERRATA

Changes and addenda to a solicitation may occur prior to the solicitation opening date and time. It is the offeror’s responsibility to check the MCPS website under “Event Calendar” https://ww2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/calendar/mcpsbids.aspx or contact the Division of

Procurement at 240-740-7600 to verify whether addenda/errata have been issued.

In the event that MCPS issues addenda/errata, all terms and conditions will remain in effect unless they are specifically and explicitly changed by the addenda/errata. Offerors must acknowledge receipt of such addenda/errata by returning one signed copy of each of the addenda/errata with its proposal. Failure to provide the signed acknowledgement of the addenda/errata may result in a bid being deemed non-responsive.

19.0 eMARYLAND MARKETPLACE ADVANTAGE (EMMA)

Maryland law requires local and state agencies to post solicitations on eMaryland Marketplace

Advantage. Registration with eMaryland Marketplace is free. It is recommended that any interested supplier register at https://emma.maryland.gov/, regardless of the award outcome for this procurement as it is a valuable resource for upcoming bid notifications for municipalities throughout Maryland.

20.0 MULTI-AGENCY PARTICIPATION

MCPS reserves the right to extend the terms and conditions of this solicitation to any and all other agencies within the state of Maryland as well as any other federal, state, municipal, county, or local governmental agency under the jurisdiction of the United States and its territories. This shall include but not be limited to private schools, parochial schools, non-public schools such as charter schools, special districts, intermediate units, non-profit agencies providing services on behalf of government, and/or state, community and/or private colleges/universities that require these goods,…