27TALLM1 | Support HQIM Implementation via Communities of Practice | RFR

The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is requesting responses for vendor selection to design and facilitate ELA/Literacy Communities of Practice supporting high-quality instructional materials implementation, with responses due July 17, 2026 at 12:00 PM Eastern Time and questions due July 1, 2026. This is a deliverables-based contract covered under World Trade Organization provisions.

The scope spans curriculum-specific professional learning communities for three instructional-materials programs—CKLA/Amplify, EL Education, and Wit & Wisdom—serving grades K–8 across an estimated 36 participating districts. Deliverables include three in-person sessions (October, January, May) with nine facilitators across three curriculum tracks, three virtual sessions, on-site coaching visits (approximately 0.5 days per district), curriculum-specific strategic advising and coaching calls (November–June), and comprehensive project management including registration, bi-weekly collaboration with DESE, and evaluation and reporting. The initial contract runs September 2026 through June 30, 2027, with two optional one-year renewal periods extending through June 30, 2029.

The maximum initial obligation is $275,000, with a total contract value of $825,000 including all renewals. Payment is deliverables-based upon completion or percentage of tasks completed.

Required qualifications include demonstrated expertise in the three specified curricula, experience facilitating curriculum-specific professional learning communities in both in-person and virtual formats, and ability to provide differentiated coaching. Preferred qualifications include prior work in Massachusetts, familiarity with DESE guidance frameworks (IMplement MA and the Mass Literacy Guide), knowledge of IMplement MA process phases, and evidence of positive student-learning impact.

All bidders must commit to a minimum 1% supplier diversity spending with Supplier Diversity Office–certified diverse business partners (minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned, disability-owned, LGBTBE, or non-profit equivalents). At least 25% of available evaluation points address the supplier diversity plan. Evaluation criteria total 100 points: organization overview and equity commitment (20 points), curriculum-specific communities of practice experience (20 points), professional learning samples (5 points), collaborative planning and implementation support (10 points), Massachusetts experience and familiarity with DESE tools (10 points), budget compliance (5 points), and submission of a completed Prompt Payment Discount Form (5 points). Bidders must receive "yes" on all three required qualifications to advance to scoring.

Contract manager: Lori McNally, lori.b.mcnally@mass.gov or 781-338-6244. All responses must be submitted through COMMBUYS; email and mail submissions will not be considered.