25MASFSKM1 | Support DESE, District Safe & Healthy Learning Environments Efforts Departmental MA

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is issuing a Departmental Master Agreement (MA) to establish a pre-qualified vendor list for services to support high-quality, safe, and supportive learning environments for students and their families. The MA seeks bids from vendors with demonstrated expertise in a wide range of content areas, including professional development, coaching, training, technical assistance, guidance and resource development, communications, grant reviews, program evaluation, site visits, and project management. Vendors must have qualifications in areas such as ensuring rigorous instruction, supporting continuous improvement, and dismantling racial inequities. The MA is an open solicitation, with responses accepted on a rolling basis until December 31, 2027. Vendors will be evaluated on their staff qualifications, ability to assess progress and adapt, content expertise, proposed service offerings, budget, and commitment to supplier diversity. DESE may require grant recipients to use pre-qualified vendors, but an award does not guarantee contract usage.

The MA includes a Supplier Diversity Program (SDP) requirement, with a minimum commitment of 1% of contract sales to diverse business enterprises or non-profit organizations. Bidders will be awarded additional evaluation points for higher SDP commitments. The Commonwealth's procurement laws and regulations, as well as federal funding requirements if applicable, will govern the pricing and contract terms. While no specific award values or budget ranges are provided, the MA aims to maintain an updated list of pre-qualified vendors that DESE, districts, and schools can access to support their safe and supportive learning environment initiatives.