INVITATION FOR BIDS: (M.G.L. Ch. 30B) Boston Public Schools Language Proficiency Assessment

Boston Public Schools Mary Skipper

EV00018068

PROJECT SUMMARY:

Boston Public Schools (BPS) seeks a vendor to provide computer-based/online language proficiency assessments in a wide variety of languages, including languages offered through BPS World Language programs (Spanish, French, Chinese, Arabic, Japanese, German, Italian, ASL, Latin) and the diverse home languages spoken by BPS students. The assessments will provide an equitable and consistent way to measure student language proficiency for multiple district purposes, including the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, World Language credit conferral, and placement in World Language and dual language courses.

IFB SCHEDULE:

EVENT DATE

IFB Issue Date 10/12/2026 12:00PM

Bid Due Date 10/27/2026 12:00PM

*See the full IFB schedule in Section 1.3.

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Shirley Nguyen| Snguyen2@bostonpublicschools.org All questions should be emailed with the IFB number (EV00018068 ) in the subject line.

You can access this IFB and related documents on the City of Boston Supplier Portal, via boston.gov/procurement.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF SERVICES 2

1.1 BACKGROUND 2

1.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES 2

1.3 BID TIMELINE 7

1.4 WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS 8

1.5 CONTRACT TERM AND OTHER INFORMATION 8

II. HOW WE CHOOSE: RULE FOR AWARD AND CONTRACT 8

2.1 MINIMUM OR “QUALITY” EVALUATION CRITERIA 9

2.2 CONTRACT 11

III. YOUR BID 12

3.1 COVER PAGE 12

3.2 RESPONSE TO SCOPE OF SERVICES & MINIMUM QUALITY REQUIREMENTS 13

3.3 OWNERSHIP DETAILS (INFORMATIONAL ONLY) 16

3.4 REFERENCES 16

3.5 INSURANCE DOCUMENTATION 19

3.6 YOUR PRICING 19

IV. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS 22

4.1 CHECKLIST FOR SUBMITTING BID 22

4.2 SUBMITTING BIDS VIA BOSTON’S SUPPLIER PORTAL 23

4.3 SUBMITTING VIA MAIL / PHYSICAL DELIVERY 25

V. APPENDICES 26

APPENDIX 1: IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS 26

APPENDIX 2: CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS 28

APPENDIX 3: INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS 29

I. INTRODUCTION AND SCOPE OF SERVICES

1.1 BACKGROUND

With this Invitation for Bids (IFB), we are hoping to secure a vendor to supply computer-based/online language proficiency testing across the Boston Public Schools in a variety of languages. Boston Public Schools serves a linguistically diverse student population, with students developing language proficiency through World Language programs, dual language programs, and languages spoken at home. BPS needs a consistent and equitable approach to measuring and recognizing students’ language proficiency across a wide variety of languages, including both languages offered through BPS World Language programs and the diverse home languages spoken by students.

Language proficiency assessment supports several district needs, including determining eligibility for the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, conferring World Language credit based on demonstrated proficiency, and supporting appropriate placement in World Language and dual language courses. A districtwide assessment solution will support consistent administration and proficiency measurement across BPS schools while ensuring students have equitable opportunities to demonstrate their language skills.

We look forward to receiving your bid.1

1.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES

A. Language Proficiency Assessment Requirements

1. Language Coverage and Equitable Access: The vendor must offer language proficiency testing in a wide variety of languages, including languages taught in BPS such as Spanish, French, American Sign Language (ASL), Japanese, Mandarin Chinese, Arabic, Latin, Italian, and German, as well as a variety of home languages spoken by BPS students, including but not limited to Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Somali, Cantonese, Cape Verdean Creole, Portuguese, and Pashto.

1 This IFB is open to any vendor who would like to respond, and the City encourages participation from small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. To support equality of opportunity for these businesses, we also encourage respondents to solicit for the subcontracting of goods and services from certified businesses. The City’s directory of certified businesses is available at This Link https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiY2UwZDliYjUtZWJkNi00MzFmLWJlMTQtMDM2ZjFmYjgwMDY1IiwidCI6Ijg1NTI4ODdjLWNiYzMtNGVlNS05ZmQzLWVhMjE3ZTMwMjZmYyJ9

The vendor must offer broad language coverage and/or flexible alternative assessment options for less commonly assessed languages to support equitable access for BPS students across languages.

2. Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy: Vendor’s language proficiency tests must be approved by MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to serve as Seal of Biliteracy tests (see World Language Assessments document under “Assessments” on the webpage menu).

3. Language Proficiency Domains: The vendor’s assessments must measure language proficiency across the domains of speaking, listening, reading, and writing, where available. For languages for which four-domain assessment is not available, the vendor must clearly identify the domains assessed and available assessment options.

4. Scoring and Results: The vendor must provide scoring services for assessments in all languages offered. Assessment results must provide proficiency scores or levels that can be interpreted in relation to the proficiency requirements used by DESE for the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, where applicable.

Scoring must be included within the vendor’s pricing structure. Results must be provided within a predictable and timely turnaround period, and the vendor must clearly identify expected scoring timelines.

5. District Purposes of the Assessment: The assessment solution must support BPS use of language proficiency testing for the following purposes:

● Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy eligibility;

● World Language course credit conferral based on demonstrated proficiency;

● Dual language course placement for students in Grades 7–12; and

● World Language course placement for students in Grades 7–12.

The assessment must be appropriate to use in a school setting, on individual devices, and should be able to be used either in small group testing environments or large group testing environments in which 100+ students may be testing at once in a large space.

6. District and School Administrative Access: The vendor must provide a centralized online portal that allows authorized BPS Central Office staff to access assessment https://www.doe.mass.edu/scholarships/biliteracy/ results across the district and manage assessment data, including the ability to organize and review results by school.

The solution must also provide appropriate school-level access so authorized school-based staff can access assessment results and data for students at their respective schools.

7. Assessment Access and Usage Controls: The vendor must provide BPS with a means of controlling or ending access to assessments as needed, including when the district’s budgeted or purchased number of assessments has been used or when a designated testing window has closed.

8. Grade-Level Appropriateness: The assessments must be appropriate for students in Grades 7–12. The vendor must also offer an assessment option appropriate for elementary grade levels to support potential BPS use in dual language programs or other contexts.

9. Vendor Support: The vendor must provide clear point(s) of contact to support BPS with billing, assessment updates, technical issues, assessment administration and proctoring needs, and other implementation matters.

The vendor must provide timely and responsive support, including support for technical issues that may arise during school-based assessment administration, and must be available for phone calls or meetings with BPS as needed.

10.Language-Specific Pricing: If per-assessment pricing differs by language, assessment type, or assessment format, the vendor must clearly identify those differences in its pricing response so that BPS can appropriately budget for assessments with different costs.

B. Technology, Security, Privacy, and Data Requirements

1. Technology Governance: The selected solution must successfully complete all applicable Boston Public Schools technology, cybersecurity, privacy, accessibility, and implementation reviews prior to production deployment. Contract award does not constitute implementation approval.

2. Identity & Access Management: The solution shall support:

● Google Workspace Single Sign-On (SSO) through SAML 2.0 or equivalent standards.

● Role-based access controls for district administrators, school administrators, and other authorized users.

● Administrative user management capabilities.

● User provisioning and deprovisioning processes.

● Audit logging of administrative activities.

● The Offeror shall describe available authentication methods and administrative controls.

3. Student Data Privacy: The Offeror shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations regarding student information and privacy.

The Offeror shall describe:

● Types of student data collected.

● Types of student data stored.

● Data retention practices.

● Data deletion practices.

● Data sharing practices.

● Use of subcontractors or subprocessors.

Boston Public Schools shall retain ownership of all student, assessment, reporting, and administrative data.

4. Data Export & Portability: The Offeror shall provide the ability for BPS to export student records, assessment results, score reports, and related data in commonly used machine-readable formats including, where available, CSV, XLSX, or other commonly used formats. The Offeror shall describe available export methods and any limitations.

5. Security Requirements: The Offeror shall maintain reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect Boston Public Schools data.

The Offeror shall:

● Encrypt data in transit.

● Encrypt data at rest.

● Maintain documented incident response procedures.

● Maintain documented business continuity procedures.

● Maintain appropriate access controls to protect student information.

The Offeror shall describe its information security program and security controls used to protect customer data.

6. Security Incident Notification: The Offeror shall notify Boston Public Schools without unreasonable delay, and no later than twenty-four (24) hours after confirming, any actual or suspected unauthorized access, disclosure, security incident, or breach involving BPS data.

7. Accessibility: The Offeror shall provide a current Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT) and describe compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards.

The Offeror shall identify any known accessibility limitations.

The platform shall support equitable access for students and staff with disabilities.

8. Reporting & Administrative Access: The platform shall support role-based access controls that allow BPS to manage district-level and school-level permissions.

The platform shall provide:

● District-level administrative access.

● School-level administrative access.

● Student-level reporting.

● School-level reporting.

● District-level reporting.

● Data export capabilities.

The Offeror shall describe available reporting tools and export formats.

9. Integration Capabilities: The Offeror shall describe:

● Single Sign-On capabilities.

● Available APIs, if applicable.

● Available roster import methods.

● Available student information system integration options.

● Any additional costs associated with integrations.

10.Artificial Intelligence (If Applicable): If the solution includes any artificial intelligence functionality, the Offeror shall disclose:

● AI features included within the platform

● Third-party AI providers or models utilized

● Administrative controls available

● Use of customer data for AI training

● Methods used to validate AI-generated outputs

BPS data, student information, prompts, outputs, and related content shall not be used to train public, shared, or third-party artificial intelligence models.

If no AI functionality is included, the Offeror shall explicitly state that no AI functionality is utilized.

IFB PROCESS

1.3 BID TIMELINE

The table below shows the preliminary IFB schedule. Dates are subject to change. For the most updated information, please visit the Supplier Portal via boston.gov/procurement.

EVENT DATE*

IFB Released 10/12/2026 12:00PM

Questions Due to the City Via email to Snguyen2@bostonpublicschools.org

10/16/2026

Consolidated Q&A Posted by the City2 10/20/2026

Deadline for Bids See Submission Instructions for details

10/27/2026 12:00PM

Contractor Selected November 2026

*All times are in Eastern Time* 2 The consolidated Q&A posting will include answers to all IFB questions posed to the City at the Q&A Conference Call and by the email by the due date above. The City will update the Q&A if it chooses to answer any additional questions after that time. *All times are in eastern time

1.4 WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS

All communications must be emailed to Snguyen2@bostonpublicschools.org with the IFB number (EV00018068 ) in the subject line.3

1.5 CONTRACT TERM AND OTHER INFORMATION

CONTRACT TERM*

Contract Dates November, 2026 – August 31, 2029

*Not to exceed 3 years except as articulated in 30B s. 12(b). Contract will be awarded to the lowest quote deemed responsible and responsive

II. HOW WE CHOOSE: RULE FOR AWARD AND CONTRACT

This section explains how we will award the contract. It provides clear descriptions for what we consider a responsive and responsible bidder.

We will evaluate your bids to determine the responsive and responsible bidder offering the lowest price for the services specified in this IFB.

Responsive bids are those that offer the supplies/services requested and contain all the required and completed information and forms.

Responsible bidders have the capability, integrity and reliability to perform under the contract.

3 No other City employee, consultant, or contractor is empowered to speak for the City with respect to this IFB. Any oral communication is considered unofficial and non-binding to the City.

2.1 MINIMUM OR “QUALITY” EVALUATION CRITERIA

First, we will review all bids to see if they meet the minimum (or “quality”) evaluation criteria listed below. These are “yes-or-no” standards that will apply to every bid.

These criteria reflect the standards that the City considers essential for this contract, as well as statutory thresholds for responsive and responsible proposers.

Any vendor that does not meet these minimum criteria is “not responsive” and will be eliminated from further consideration.

The minimum evaluation criteria include:

# MINIMUM

EVALUATION

CRITERION

DETAILS / REQUIREMENTS

1 Submission ● Did the vendor submit the bid by the deadline, appropriately and truthfully?

● Did the vendor submit and complete all the necessary forms and documentation requested in this IFB?

2 Experience ● Vendor has supported proficiency testing in at least one large public district with schools serving grades 7-12 in the past.

● Testing option available that is approved & appropriate for students in Grades K-6. Vendor has documented experience implementing the test in this grade range in at least one public school district.

● Pricing is transparent, scalable, and cost effective.

● Vendor clearly identifies any language-specific pricing differences and allows district budgeting by language, or provides a clear package price that includes tests in all languages or quotes by language for each year.

● Pricing includes scoring services for all languages without hidden or separate fees.

3 Qualifications ● Test is proven to be a valid & reliable measure of language proficiency.

● Test is approved, appropriate, & validated for students in Grades 7-12.

● MA DESE approval for Seal of Biliteracy.

● Offers language proficiency testing for a wide variety of languages, including all district-taught and home languages.

● Provides flexibility or alternative options for less common languages to ensure equitable access.

● Assessment across all 4 language domains speaking, listening, reading, and writing, where available.

● For languages for which 4-domain assessment is not available, the vendor must clearly identify the domains assessed and available assessment options.

● Test supports all outlined purposes for BPS (Seal of Biliteracy, BPS World Language credit conferral, Dual/World Language course placement).

● Test is scored using a rigorous, standardized system with trained, qualified raters.

● Score reports clearly align to language proficiency levels and Seal of Biliteracy eligibility requirements.

4 Capacity ● Availability and staff capacity to properly manage the scope of work, including full-time staff allocated to this project.

● Score reporting timelines are clearly defined, predictable, and consistently met.

● Vendor provides a clear point/points of contact for the district who can support billing, test updates, technical issues, and other needs.

● Vendor provides timely technical support during testing windows, including on-call support for urgent testing issues.

● Provides district-level and school-level administration and access to testing data, including a means of ending access to the test for schools after the testing window.

● Provides student-, school-, and district-level data and reporting.

● Supports export of assessment and reporting data.

● Provides central portal, through which district employees can view district-wide data, organize data by school & student, and access reporting tools.

● Portal supports exporting, filtering, and reporting by student, school, language, and testing cycle.

● Vendor provides school-level access to data for all scores from that school, including individual student score reports. School administrators and teachers can access school-wide & student-specific data.

● District administrators can monitor assessment usage and testing participation in real time.

● District administrators can centrally manage testing windows and control access to assessments. Supports role-based access controls.

● Supports Google Workspace SSO (SAML or equivalent).

● Provides documented data retention and deletion procedures.

● Encrypts data in transit and at rest.

● Provides security incident response procedures.

● Provides a current VPAT.

● Discloses AI functionality and data usage practices, if applicable.

2.2 CONTRACT

Please note that an award letter or award notification is not a communication of final acceptance of a Vendor's bid. No final award has been made until the following three steps have occurred:

1. Final execution of a Contract by the Vendor and the City of Boston (by its Awarding Authority/Official and the City Auditor);

2. The approval of the final Contract by the Mayor of Boston; and

3. Contractor receipt of a City issued Purchase Order.

The forms in Appendix 1 of this IFB are incorporated into the Contract by reference.

***The City reserves the right to cancel this IFB at any time until bids are opened, and further reserves its right to reject all bids after they are opened if the City determines doing so is in its best interest.

III. YOUR BID

Your bid will include price information as well as documentation of your responsiveness and responsibility.

An editable version of the template below is included in the “package” on this IFB’s Supplier Portal page. You should complete the editable template and submit it with your bid.

● (3.1) Cover Page

● (3.2 & 3.3) Response to Scope of Services/Ownership Details

○ Verification of specific certifications, equipment, experience, etc.

○ Detailed Plan of Services (including an approximate timeline)

● (3.4) References

● (3.5) Insurance Documentation (and financial documents if needed)

● (3.6) Your Pricing

3.1 COVER PAGE

Please include a cover page as the first page of your bid.

COVER PAGE

IFB Title and Number

Primary Organization Name

Contact Information Name

Title

Address

Email

Phone

A brief introduction highlighting why you would be a good partner for the City on this project (4–5 sentences).

3.2 RESPONSE TO SCOPE OF SERVICES & MINIMUM QUALITY REQUIREMENTS

Q1: ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW

QUESTION: Please describe your organization’s experience and capacity to provide computer-based/online language proficiency assessments for K–12 educational settings, including large public school districts and students in Grades 7–12.

Please explain why your organization is best-suited to manage this IFB.

Suggested length: 1–2 paragraphs

An ideal answer will include:

• Services your organization provides

• How long you’ve provided these services

• Your organizational structure

• Your strategy

• Any relevant awards your team has received

Q2: PROJECT TEAM

QUESTION: Please describe the project team from your organization who will support language proficiency testing in the Boston Public Schools. Who are the key team members and why are they qualified to support this work in a large public school district? Please describe how support will be structured across key areas such as district testing procedures, technical support, billing and account management, and other implementation needs.

Who will work on this project, and why are they best qualified to achieve the goals of this IFB?

Suggested length: 1–3 paragraphs

An ideal answer will include:

• Description of the project team

• List of key team members

• Justification for why they’ll be great partners (bios/resumes)

• Description of team structure

Q3: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

QUESTION: Please describe the implementation plan for language proficiency testing in the Boston Public Schools, factoring in a timeline with some schools starting to test for the Seal of Biliteracy in Fall2026. What are the critical tasks and milestones? How will your organization ensure that authorized BPS Central Office staff can centrally manage testing access and prevent schools from administering assessments beyond BPS-authorized quantities?

What is your implementation plan?

Include a project timeline and identify staff involved with critical tasks and milestones.

Please specifically address the system to be used for tracking test usage and avoiding overages.

Q4: DATA SECURITY & PRIVACY

QUESTION: How will your organization address the elements in section 1.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES, part B. Technology, Security, Privacy, and Data Requirements?

Please describe your organization’s approach to these requirements in the Scope of Services.

Please address:

● Integration Capabilities & Google Workspace Single Sign-On (SSO)

● Student data privacy

● Accessibility and accommodations for students & staff with disabilities

● Reporting & Administrative Access

Q5: TEST CONTENT, SCORING, & QUALITY ASSURANCE

QUESTION: Please describe the content of your language proficiency assessment and the scoring protocols.

Please address:

● Domains assessed & content/skills within each domain

● Expected score reporting timelines & turnaround periods

● Quality assurance or training protocols used to ensure consistent & reliable scoring across languages.

Q6: LANGUAGES

QUESTION: What languages are offered? Please detail how your assessment solution supports equitable access and provides flexible alternative options for less commonly assessed home languages spoken by BPS students including but not limited to Haitian Creole, Somali, Vietnamese, Cape Verdean Creole, and Pashto.

Please include information about:

● How student writing is assessed in languages that do not use the Roman alphabet

● Differences in test content/domains assessed for certain languages

● Any pricing differences by language

Q7: CONTRACT & PERFORMANCE HISTORY

QUESTION: RESPONSE

Have you had a contract terminated for default during the past five (5) years, or have you been involved in litigation regarding a contract?4

Yes No

If “Yes,” please describe your position on the matter(s)

4 Please note: If you have had a contract terminated for default during the past five (5) years, or have been involved in litigation regarding a contract, this fact must be disclosed along with your position on the matter(s). If you have experienced no such terminations for default in the past five (5) years and have not been involved in contract litigation, then you must indicate as such. The City reserves the right to request a copy of your firm’s audited financial statements, including a detailed balance sheet and profit and loss statement for three years, or Dun & Bradstreet reports or similar financial reports, in order to evaluate the financial strength of your company.

3.3 OWNERSHIP DETAILS (INFORMATIONAL ONLY)

OWNERSHIP DETAILS (INFORMATIONAL ONLY)

QUESTION RESPONSE

Is your organization a small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and/or veteran-owned business?5

Small Local Minority-Owned Women-Owned Veteran-Owned

Is your organization certified as a small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and/or veteran-owned business with the City of Boston?

Yes No

Are any of your proposed subcontractors a small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and/or veteran-owned business?6

Yes No

If you are not certified but would like to be, visit boston.gov/departments/supplier-diversity for information on how to apply.

Becoming a certified small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and/or veteran-owned business with the City of Boston provides you with many opportunities:

● Targeted outreach for released procurements

● Support building your business and navigating the procurement process

● Access to the new Inclusive Written Quote Contract procurements, which provide a simpler way for businesses to get into government contracting.

3.4 REFERENCES

EXAMPLE REFERENCE

FIELD EXAMPLE ENTRY

6 Same as above.

5 These details are used to help us improve our outreach to all potential partners, and are for informational purposes only; this IFB is open to any vendor who would like to respond.

http://boston.gov/departments/supplier-diversity http://boston.gov/departments/supplier-diversity

Organization Smith Events

Project Manager (or equivalent)

Jennifer Smith

Phone number 845-111-2222

Email (if available) jsmith@smithevents.com

Project Description Planned and implemented a family-friendly concert on the steps of City Hall. Worked with diverse community organizations to select performers and vendors. Hosted 150 residents.

Project Start and End Dates March 2020 – May 2020

Expertise Demonstrated by this Project check all that apply and see Section 2.1 for more details)

☐ Stakeholder Engagement ☐ Project Design ☐ Accessibility

REFERENCE 1

FIELD VENDOR RESPONSE

Organization

Project Manager (or equivalent)

Phone number

Email (if available)

Project Description

Project Start and End Dates

Expertise Demonstrated by this Project (check all that apply and see Section 2.1 for more details)

Requirement 1 Requirement 2 Requirement 3

REFERENCE 2

Organization

Project Manager (or equivalent)

Phone number

Email (if available)

Project Description

Project Start and End Dates

Expertise Demonstrated by this Project (check all that apply and see Section 2.1 for more details)

Requirement 1

REFERENCE 3

Organization

Project Manager (or equivalent)

Phone number

Email (if available)

Project Description

Project Start and End Dates

Expertise Demonstrated by this Project (check all that apply and see Section 2.1 for more details)

Requirement 1

3.5 INSURANCE DOCUMENTATION

Review the City’s required insurance coverage for this scope of work. This can be found in Appendix 3.

If you have a different level of coverage, you must explain in your response to the scope why that is sufficient to manage the risk of this project.

RESPONSE:

3.6 YOUR PRICING

There are two steps to provide your pricing:

1. Please complete the template provided below.

2. Please enter the total price for the entire contract length in the price line if submitted electronically through the Supplier Portal. More detailed instructions are available in the following section, Section IV, Submission Instructions.

Instructions can also be found on the Procurement Information Page.

Please note:

● The total price will be used to compare bids.

● In the bid price template, the City asks that you provide detailed pricing for all deliverables in the scope of services with the understanding that the deliverables and quantities of goods and services the City notes in this IFB are estimates only, and that the final quantities may be more or less.

● No additional charges will be allowed unless they are included in your bid.

http://boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-use-supplier-portal

● The vendor will bear the onus of any errors made in pricing the services (e.g., omitting a component of the services).

● **Failure to submit your total price will be considered non-responsive.

DELIVERABLES AS DEFINED IN THE SCOPE OF WORK

Tests will be used district-wide for various purposes:

● Seal of Biliteracy: Wide variety of languages required. The District prefers a package payment model that includes all languages and up to 150 retakes built into the package.

○ Testing of all eligible Grade 12 students for purpose of earning the MA State Seal of Biliteracy. All 4 domains when available (limited languages approved for 2-domain tests).

● World Language course credit conferral/placement: Wide variety of languages required. Package payment model that includes all languages preferred.

○ Testing to prove existing language proficiency in order to confer Mass Core graduation credit. All 4 domains when available (some limited languages are approved for 2-domain tests).

● Dual language course placement Grades 7-12: Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Cape Verdean Creole (more languages could be added)

○ Testing to place students appropriately in levels of World Language courses or dual language course sequences. 4-domain or 2-domain tests at the discretion of the school.

FIXED PRICE

SY26-27 Grade 9 Tests: Up to 3300 tests, including all languages (up to 10

ASL)

SY26-27 Grade 10 Tests: Up to 3400 tests, including all languages (up to 10

ASL)

SY26-27 Grade 11 Tests: Up to 3400 tests, including all languages (up to 10

ASL)

SY26-27 Grade 12 Tests: Up to 3550 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL). Includes up to 120 test retakes for Seal of Biliteracy.

SY27-28 Grade 9 Proficiency Tests: Up to 3500 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL)

SY27-28 Grade 10 Proficiency Tests: Up to 3500 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL)

SY27-28 Grade 11 Proficiency Tests: Up to 3500 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL)

SY27-28 Grade 12 Proficiency Tests: Up to 3500 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL). Includes up to 130 test retakes for Seal of Biliteracy.

* The quantities in the pricing table are estimates based on projected enrollment of students who may require testing. The actual number of students requiring testing and the specific tests to be administered will be determined each school year. The District will pay only for tests actually taken, at the contracted unit or package prices.

GRAND TOTAL $

Note: These additional service hours are estimates only. The City may request more, less, or no additional services. Payment will be based on the unit prices provided here and the actual amount of services requested, All materials should be submitted online in the City of Boston Supplier Portal, which can be accessed at boston.gov/procurement. Select the “Supplier Portal” button. You must log into your vendor account in order to access this bidding opportunity

EV00018068.

SY28-29 Grade 9 Proficiency Tests: Up to 3500 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL)

SY28-29 Grade 10 Proficiency Tests: Up to 3500 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL)

SY28-29 Grade 11 Proficiency Tests: Up to 3500 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL)

SY28-29 Grade 12 Proficiency Tests: Up to 3500 tests, including all languages (up to 10 ASL). Includes up to 150 test retakes for Seal of Biliteracy.

TOTAL FIXED PRICE $

IV. SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS

This section shows you how to submit your bid.

Submission Deadline

● To be considered, each bidder must submit a complete bid before 10/27/2026

12:00PM .

○ See Section 4.1 for the bid checklist and required documents.

● Bid modifications are not permitted once submitted.

Submission Methods

Bidders may submit their completed bids using one of the following methods:

1. Electronically via the City of Boston Supplier Portal (see Section 4.2 for instructions)

2. By mail or physical delivery (see Section 4.3 for mailing details and in-person drop-off locations)

Important Submission Guidelines

Technical Issues If submitting via the City of Boston Supplier Portal, bidders should submit early to allow time for troubleshooting any system errors.

Bid Confirmation The contact listed in your bid will receive periodic email updates regarding:

● Confirmation of bid receipt

● Notification of bid award or rejection

Requests for any follow-up information, if needed https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-use-supplier-portal

Late Submissions

Late bids will NOT be considered. The City is unable to accept bids that are submitted after the deadline or that fail to meet submission requirements.

4.1 CHECKLIST FOR SUBMITTING BID

This checklist is for your use only; you do not need to submit this checklist along with your bid.

CHECKLIST ITEM COMPLETE

Included a cover page with all required information

Provided 3 references

Response to the scope of work

Provided detailed price information in the IFB template Read and reviewed contract terms, conditions, and additional forms If awarded the contract, you will be required to sign and submit these forms

Completed and submitted Form CM-16 – Wage Theft Prevention Certification

4.2 SUBMITTING BIDS VIA BOSTON’S SUPPLIER PORTAL

Vendors can submit bids electronically through the Supplier Portal.

Access the portal via boston.gov/procurement → Supplier Portal link.

Bids via email or other electronic means are not accepted.

For Full Instructions (PDF), follow the steps in the official guide: Entering a Bid Online (PDF)

STEP ACTION DETAILS / LINKS

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YmPYyKj9LzNGr6qGC71UjG7KXI2DFgVm/view?usp=drive_link https://www.boston.gov/procurement https://boston.gov/sites/default/files/embed/e/entering_a_bid_on-line_1.pdf

1. Register (if not registered)

Register as a “bidder” in the Supplier Portal.

How to Use the Supplier Portal provides step-by-step registration instructions.

2. Find Event Locate the IFB (Invitation for Bids) you want to respond to.

1. Log in to your account.

2. Navigate: Main Menu → Manage Events and Place Bids → View Events and Place Bids.

3. Enter “EV000XXXXX” in the search box and click Search.

4. Click “NAME OF IFB.”

5. Click View Event Package to download forms and documentation.

- Start with “Main IFB Document File name.”

6. Click OK to return to the Event Details page.

3. Attach Your Bid

Upload your bid documents.

1. Click Bid On Event.

2. Answer all questions and upload required forms (cover page, bid price template, etc.).

3. Click Step 2: Enter Line Bid Responses to enter price details.

- If multiple line items exist, enter prices for each separately.

4. Submit Your Bid

Validate and finalize submission.

1. Click Validate Entries to confirm readiness.

2. Click Submit Bid to complete submission.

More information on registering and submitting bids is available on the Procurement Information Page.

Recommended: Submit at least 24 hours prior to the deadline.

https://www.boston.gov/departments/procurement/how-use-supplier-portal

Important Note: Bid modifications cannot be made after submission.

Ensure all bid information is complete and accurate before submitting.

4.3 SUBMITTING VIA MAIL / PHYSICAL DELIVERY

You may submit hard copies of your bid by mail, delivery service, or in person.

The envelope should be clearly marked as follows:

ENVELOPE FORMAT

Boston Public Schools Language Proficiency Assessment

IFB Number: EV00018068

Submitted by: [Name of Vendor]

[Date Submitted]

Shirley Nguyen

Boston Public Schools

Business Services 4th Floor

2300 Washington Street

Roxbury, MA 02126

V. APPENDICES

APPENDIX 1: IFB TERMS AND CONDITIONS

CANCELLATION, REJECTION, AND WAIVER

The City is under no obligation to proceed with this IFB and may cancel the IFB at any time with or without the substitution of another. The City reserves the right to reject in whole or in part any or all bids, when the City determines that rejection serves the best interests of the City. The City may waive minor informalities in the bid or allow the Vendor to correct them.

The submitted bid, along with the IFB, will also be part of the Contract between the City and the Contractor.

The Contract is subject to the availability and appropriation of funds.

WITHDRAWAL OR MODIFICATION OF BID

The City may allow a Vendor representative bearing proper authorization and identification to sign for, receive and withdraw the Vendor's unopened Bid prior to the submission deadline. A Vendor that seeks to correct or modify its Bid may do so by withdrawing the initial submission and then submitting a modified Bid prior to the submission deadline.

BID VALIDITY PERIOD

By submitting a bid the Vendor agrees that its bid is valid for one hundred eighty

(180) days following the submission deadline unless extended by mutual agreement.

BID COSTS

Any and all costs incurred by a Vendor in preparing a bid and throughout the IFB process are ineligible for reimbursement, or recovery from, the City and are solely the burden of the Vendor.

TAXES

The City is a tax-exempt organization. However, should any part of the Contract be subject to taxes, the Vendor shall include and be responsible for paying all taxes that are applicable.

Any taxes due will be assumed to be included in your price of services, otherwise the Vendor is responsible for any additional costs not included. The City is exempt from federal excise taxes (Federal Exemption No. A-108-328) and from Massachusetts sales and use taxes (Certificate No. E-046-001-380). Exemption certificates will be provided, if requested, following award.

SUBCONTRACTORS

The City will contract with one Contractor who will be solely responsible for contractual performance and who shall be the sole point of contact for the City with regard to Contract matters. In the event the Contractor utilizes one or more Subcontractors, the Contractor will assume all responsibility for performance of services by the Subcontractor(s).

The City must be named as a third party beneficiary in all subcontracts. A list of all Subcontractors proposed to take part in the performance of the Contract shall be provided to the City for approval prior to Contract execution.

USE OF CITY NAME

The Contractor and any Subcontractor(s) agree not to use the City of Boston name or seal, or that of any other City Agency or Department in advertising, trade literature, or press releases without the prior written approval of the City.

PUBLIC RECORDS

Before the bids are officially opened, the information submitted by vendors is confidential. Massachusetts law requires IFBs to have a public bid opening. At this time, the records become public and subject to disclosure upon request. Do not submit confidential information in your Bid.

APPENDIX 2: CONTRACT TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Please be familiar with these terms and conditions at the time of bid submission to ensure that you are able to meet them if awarded the contract.

All applicants are required to review the following documents at this stage; some terms are verified electronically via the Supplier Portal, and only the CM-16 Wage Theft form must be submitted with your bid, per the instructions in Section 4 of this IFB.

By submitting a bid, an applicant acknowledges that if they are selected as the winning respondent, they will be required to complete and provide each of the below forms to the City as part of the contract package. The vendor will be disqualified if it does not submit completed versions of the following forms during the contracting process.

1. Form CM-06 – Certificate of Authority (Only Required for Corporations)

2. Form CM-10 and CM11 – Standard Contract Document & General Conditions

3. Form CM-11 - Supplemental IT Terms & Conditions (for IT projects only)

4. CM Forms 15A, 15B – CORI Compliance & Standard

5. Form CM-16 – Wage Theft: Complete and submit with your bid

6. Form Wage-1 – Requirements Of The Boston Jobs, Living Wage, And Prevailing

Wage Ordinance

7. Form Wage-2 – The Boston Jobs, Living Wage, And Prevailing Wage Ordinance

Vendor Agreement

8. Truck Side Guard Ordinance - Applies to contractors using vehicles over 10,000 lbs and semi-trailers with a total weight exceeding 26,000 lbs. Full ordinance here

9. Certificate of Insurance - Proof of insurance per the guidelines in Appendix 3 10.Heat Illness Protection Ordinance – Applies to contractors whose employees perform work in a setting at risk of causing heat illness. Covered work includes:

landscaping, tree services, grounds cleaning/mowing, outdoor property maintenance, outdoor security services (including flaggers), moving services, and trash/recycling collection and hauling

a. Form Heat-1 - Heat Illness Protection fact sheet for covered contractors

b. Form Heat-2 - Heat Illness Protection Affidavit (required for covered services described above) https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WOJogvTc1F8hJvdoH6zzgiari1SAYPb5/view https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KPoQBuzMCIBqO6gKOOEdXzQq62zbTDox/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L9jxNwAl55T2uLqHOKzrt_TndmPfYKA8/view?usp=drive_link https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lL0q43B1ddAV__JIPZ_aqtU3ykwkkLRI/view https://drive.google.com/file/d/1x9wQlTq0pLvO0C4QulBmFaqXTQnaZBBV/view https://drive.google.com/file/d/1evoX0VvMv4ya-eIwz6AABBc4G2WHJG2-/view https://drive.google.com/file/d/15FZuK-XR1LrFOP8-GjrwgCPIgdmjo-Sq/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/17XPoR_weADlqqTYhp1hYAOsTNGyY3kKx/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1m3NT4Tsqof0WlM3KQwpBL9QUXQuHJ1N_/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zkKWLnMCh8MD7G3ClCLJW8Xq5v585bJx/view?usp=sharing https://www.boston.gov/departments/labor-compliance-and-worker-protection/heat-illness-and-injury-prevention-ordinance https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-EXPBQ8dMkD0WNd0DJos9MUcFuCqcxIR/view?usp=sharing https://drive.google.com/file/d/1SwjW8g0HMHJvG2LSClX4c_jDKsElD3tR/view?usp=sharing

APPENDIX 3: INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS

As noted in Section III, Your bid, the City requires the following levels of insurance.

The Contractor shall purchase and maintain during the term of the Contract all insurance required by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and as required in this section, and will assure that subcontractors carry similar and appropriate coverage.

These requirements shall not be construed to limit the liability of the Contractor or its insurer.

Insurance will be issued by insurance companies licensed to write insurance in their domicile state and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and will have a current Best’s rating of A- VII or above. Insurance Certificates on Acord Form 25 evidencing all requirements listed below shall be delivered to the Official by the selected vendor prior to the execution of any contract. Additionally, renewal certificates must be delivered within 30 days prior to the expiration of the preceding policy.

Insurance Requirements:

1. Workers’ Compensation insurance as required from under General Laws c.152 (the Workers’ Compensation Law) and including employer’s liability limits of one million ($1,000,000) per accident and per employee, including disease.

2. Commercial General Liability with coverage no less than one million ($1,000,000) per occurrence and two million ($2,000,000) annual aggregate limit per location or project basis.

3. Automobile Liability (Any Auto/Hired/Non-owned) for one million ($1,000,000) combined single limit per accident.

4. Umbrella Liability excess of Commercial General Liability, Employer’s Liability and Auto Liability for one million ($1,000,000) each occurrence. In lieu of umbrella liability, required limits may be achieved by purchasing higher limits on individual policies.

5. Technology Errors & Omissions / Cyber Liability / Security & Privacy: for one million ($1,000,000) per claim and one million ($1,000,000) in the aggregate with coverage continuing for one year after completion or termination of the Agreement. Policy must specifically include: a) computer or network systems attacks, b) denial or loss of service, c) introduction, implantation or spread of malicious software code, d) unauthorized Access and Use of computer systems, e) privacy liability, and f) breach response coverage equaling at least 50% of liability limit.

6. Third Party Crime / Employee Dishonesty: for $1 million per claim and $1 million in the aggregate. Coverage is required if vendor will have access to personal or municipal financial information and/or records maintained by City

7. Professional Liability for two million ($2,000,000) per claim and two million ($2,000,000) in the aggregate with coverage continuing for one year after work period.

General Conditions:

● City of Boston must be named as Additional Insured on all policies except, Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability.

● Above insurance shall be primary and noncontributory over any such insurance available to the City of Boston, its officials, employees and volunteers.

● Waiver of Subrogation will be included as respects all coverages listed above in favor of the City of Boston. The Workers’ Compensation Policy must be specifically endorsed and noted as such in the required certificate.

● All policies will be endorsed to provide thirty days written notice to the certificate holder, the City of Boston, in the event of cancellation, non-renewal or material changes in coverage. Such endorsements must be attached to the Certificate.

1.5 CONTRACT TERM AND OTHER INFORMATION

4.2 SUBMITTING BIDS VIA BOSTON’S SUPPLIER PORTAL

4.3 SUBMITTING VIA MAIL / PHYSICAL DELIVERY

V.APPENDICES