PREK-12 Tier 1 OER Sourced Content, Custom Built PREK-12 Tier 1 OER Instructional Materials, and Continuous Improvement of PREK-12 Tier 1 Developed Core & Supplemental OER Instructional Materials

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is conducting a Request for Qualifications (RFQ 701-24-021) for three distinct PreK-12 Open Educational Resources (OER) projects focused on instructional materials development. The procurement seeks contractors to source and customize existing high-quality instructional materials, develop custom-built Tier 1 instructional materials, and continuously improve existing Core and Supplemental Tier 1 OER instructional materials. Current priority areas include Reading Language Arts for grades 6-8 and mathematics for grades 6-8 and 9-12, with an emphasis on developing English and Spanish language materials. Contractors must submit detailed Task, Activity, and Deliverable Plans with deliverable-based pricing through TEA's Bonfire electronic portal, with responses due by February 18, 2025, at 2:00 PM Central Time. Evaluation criteria will focus on contractors' experience, technical competence, capability to perform, and past performance, rather than solely on pricing. The contract term is five state fiscal years, with anticipated contract negotiations occurring in April-May 2025 and project implementation expected in July-August 2025.

The solicitation includes a 26% Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) subcontracting goal, targeting minority-owned, woman-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses. While specific contract values are not explicitly stated, the comprehensive scope suggests a significant potential investment across multiple grade levels and subject areas. The procurement is authorized by House Bill 1605 from the 88th Texas Legislature and requires all materials to comply with Texas Education Code requirements for OER materials, including specific intellectual property rights provisions. Contractors must adhere to strict content development guidelines, including leveraging human expertise, aligning with Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and English Language Proficiency Standards (ELPS), and meeting accessibility standards for digital content. TEA may award one or more contracts for each project, with an expectation that vendors will use their own Content Management System (CMS) for development work, with final files to be migrated to TEA's repository. The solicitation will be posted quarterly to allow for separate procurements of new materials as needed, indicating potential for ongoing opportunities in this space.