CTE pathways to cultural practice

The Office of Hawaiian Affairs is soliciting proposals to manage and implement a multi-phase pilot Cultural Career and Technical Education pathway integrating Native Hawaiian cultural knowledge and practices into Hawaii's educational system under RFP SI 2027-001, with proposals due November 12, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. HST. Questions are due by October 20, 2026.

Offerors must demonstrate a minimum of five years of relevant experience in Hawaii performing workforce development intermediary, career pathway, CTE, or work-based learning functions. The contractor must maintain a physical office location on Oahu, be registered to do business in Hawaii, and maintain specified insurance coverage including $2 million commercial general liability. Prevailing wage requirements under Hawaii Revised Statutes section 103-55 apply, and minority and women business enterprise participation goals must be achieved to the extent possible.

Key deliverables include curriculum design aligned with Hawaii Department of Education and charter school standards, facilitation of working groups with cultural practitioners and educators, development of a practitioner certification framework, contracting and onboarding of cultural practitioners, professional development training for at least ten high school educators, community partnerships with organizations and employers, pilot implementation at selected high schools, and evaluation with a final report due within thirty days of project close.

The contract term is twelve months with options to extend up to sixty months total if conditions are met and funds are available. The OHA requires a fixed-price contract with reimbursement for personnel salaries, wages, medical benefits, payroll taxes, liability insurance, travel, and other direct costs up to a stated maximum obligation. Contract value is not specified in the source.

Evaluation spans 100 points across seven categories: experience and capability (25 points), personnel and staffing (15 points), service delivery (15 points), financial capability (5 points), price proposal (5 points), cultural competence and community engagement (20 points), and location and representation within targeted Windward Oahu complex areas (15 points). Proposal evaluations are scheduled for November 13–20, 2026, with an anticipated contract start date in December 2026. Funding is subject to OHA Board of Trustees approval and state appropriations, and the OHA reserves the right to cancel the contract if future funds become unavailable.