RFP 26-723 Para-To-Teacher Apprenticeship Program

The DeKalb County School District (DCSD) in Georgia is issuing RFP 26-723, a Request for Proposal seeking accredited universities to develop and deliver a bachelor's degree and teacher certification pathway program specifically designed for current district paraprofessionals. The procurement encompasses comprehensive educational services including flexible coursework delivery through online asynchronous and synchronous sessions combined with in-person learning opportunities, academic advising, portfolio- and competency-based assessment, bi-weekly partnership meetings with DCSD staff, and data reporting on enrollment and outcomes. The program must enable paraprofessionals to earn fully accredited degrees and Georgia teacher certification in Elementary Education and/or Special Education, with designated university liaison support serving as the primary point of contact. Key deliverables include all-inclusive costs covering tuition, program fees, textbooks, learning materials, and academic support services. An optional pre-proposal conference is scheduled for February 5, 2026, at 11:00 AM via Microsoft Teams, with a question submission deadline of February 6, 2026, at 12:00 PM and responses posted by February 13, 2026, at 4:30 PM. Proposals must be submitted via the IonWave electronic portal by February 19, 2026, at 2:00 PM, followed by a virtual public acknowledgement at 3:00 PM the same day. Evaluation criteria include firm overview (20 points), scope of services (30 points), relevant experience and expertise (25 points), professional references (10 points), and cost proposal (15 points). Services are anticipated to commence July 2026 with an initial one-year contract duration renewable for up to four additional one-year periods contingent upon Board of Education approval and funding availability.

While Georgia universities are preferred, out-of-state institutions are eligible if fully approved by their state's Educator Preparation Program approving body and certified as eligible to offer certification pathways in Georgia under existing reciprocity rules. Offerors must submit audited financial statements for 2023-2024, certificates of insurance with minimum liability limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, valid business licenses, and all required compliance certifications including E-Verify authorization, suspension and debarment certifications, conflict of interest disclosures, and non-collusion affidavits. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are noted in the procurement documentation. The RFP does not identify an incumbent vendor or current contractor for this program. Pricing must be submitted using the mandatory Cost Proposal Form reflecting unit costs per participant and total costs calculated for an estimated 25 students; however, specific budget ranges or award values are not disclosed in the available documentation. Award is contingent upon DeKalb County Board of Education approval and availability of funds, with no reimbursement of proposal preparation costs to offerors.