The Literate Brain: Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Science of Reading & Writing (Grades PK-5)

The Department of Defense Education Activity seeks a commercial contractor to deliver a comprehensive, evidence-based professional learning program titled "The Literate Brain: Developing Pedagogical Content Knowledge in the Science of Reading & Writing (Grades PK-5)," with proposals due August 10, 2026. The procurement is set-aside for Women-Owned Small Businesses (WOSB), with an SBA size standard of $24 million.

This is an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract on a firm fixed-price basis with a base period of September 15, 2026 through September 14, 2027 and two one-year option periods. The maximum quantity is 9,000 units across the contract life; no dollar ceiling is stated. Place of performance is Alexandria, Virginia 22311.

The program must strengthen pedagogical content knowledge among approximately 141 train-the-trainer personnel and 3,367 educators (including classroom teachers, strategic educators, multilingual learner program educators, advanced academic program educators, learning impaired mild-moderate teachers, speech-language pathologists, principals, and assistant principals) in the Science of Reading and Science of Writing. Deliverables include role-specific professional learning sessions delivered through 3-day face-to-face regional facilitation (Americas, Europe, Pacific), synchronous webinars, ten foundational and ten mastery asynchronous modules, implementation and monitoring tools, evaluation support, and reporting.

Contractors must demonstrate prior delivery of Science of Reading or Science of Writing professional learning to PK-12 organizations within the past five years (pass/fail screening). Evidence of alignment with Structured Literacy practices may be demonstrated through International Dyslexia Association accreditation or equivalent national recognition. The contractor must provide a Program Manager with an advanced degree and three years of relevant experience, a nationally recognized Program Lead with elementary school professional learning implementation experience, and Program Specialists with advanced degrees and coaching expertise.

Technical requirements mandate FedRAMP Level 2 compliance for cloud-based services, SCORM compliance for digital modules, Section 508 accessibility compliance, and integration with DoWEA's learning management systems (Schoology and Google Classroom) via single sign-on through ClassLink. All contractor personnel with access to personally identifiable information must be U.S. citizens and complete Department of War Privacy Act/PII training with annual recertification. Offerors must submit Accessibility Conformance Reports using VPAT 2.1 or later and complete cloud security questionnaires addressing NIST, ISO, and PCI DSS standards.

Proposals comprise three volumes: administrative cover letter with certifications, technical capabilities (20-page limit excluding resumes), and pricing. Award will be made on best-value tradeoff with technical capabilities weighted more heavily than price. NAICS 611710; PSC U099. Amendment 0001 was issued August 4, 2026, incorporating Questions and Answers without extending the deadline.