27TALJM1 | Advancing Statewide Implementation of the HQIM for NGESL Initiative | RFR

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), Office of Language Acquisition, is seeking an experienced vendor to support statewide implementation of the High-Quality Instructional Materials (HQIM) for Next Generation ESL (NGESL) initiative under RFR 27TALJM1, with responses due August 31, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time and questions due August 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time. This procurement is subject to World Trade Organization (WTO) guidelines and gives preference to Small Business Program Plan (SBPP)-registered bidders; SBPP-registered bidders will be evaluated first and awarded if able to meet all procurement needs, with non-SBPP bidders reviewed only if no qualified SBPP participant qualifies.

SBPP eligibility requires principal place of business in Massachusetts, at least one year of operation, 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (or fewer than 26,000 combined hours per quarter), and gross revenues of $15 million or less based on a three-year average; nonprofits must be registered with the Massachusetts Attorney General's Office and hold 501(c) tax-exempt status.

The vendor will facilitate one statewide professional learning cohort of approximately 11 virtual sessions (after school hours, October–June); manage review processes for up to five ESL instructional material submissions through educator panels; provide differentiated technical assistance to participating districts (no fewer than three sessions per current participant and at least one for previous participants); complete accessibility review of The Next Generation ESL Toolkit and update it to align with Massachusetts Digital Accessibility Standards and ADA compliance; and manage project coordination, communication, and reporting. The contract term spans four fiscal years (FY27 through FY30) with an initial period from award through June 30, 2027. Total project budget shall not exceed $680,000: $175,000 for FY27, $175,000 for FY28, and $165,000 each for FY29 and FY30. All proposed budgets must be all-inclusive with no receipt-based reimbursement required.

Required expertise includes ESL curriculum design, WIDA 2020 ELD Standards, project management, differentiated technical assistance, instructional material evaluation, Massachusetts ELE requirements, ADA compliance, and culturally and linguistically sustaining practices. Evaluation criteria are weighted at 20 points each for project narrative and implementation timeline, 15 points each for budget reasonableness and prior experience, and lower point values for DESE collaboration, data collection processes, work samples, and resume qualifications. Responses must be submitted through COMMBUYS and include project narrative, four-year implementation timeline, prior experience evidence, data collection processes, work samples, Digital Accessibility Questionnaire, key personnel resumes, and all-inclusive budgets by service area. Contract manager is Judith Magloire at Judith.R.Magloire@mass.gov or 781-338-3000 extension 3571.