RFP - Research/Evaluation Study on Oregon State School Fund

The Oregon Department of Education has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a comprehensive research and evaluation study on the Oregon State School Fund (SSF), with Marion County and the City of Salem serving as primary jurisdictions. The study aims to assess the impacts of State School Fund spending and determine if current spending patterns create disparities between Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) and non-BIPOC students. The successful contractor will be an experienced researcher capable of conducting a multi-year study on weighted student funding and the fiscal policy effects on school and classroom-level resources. Specific deliverables include an interim report due by December 15, 2022, and a final public report due by June 30, 2023. The study must comprehensively examine different SSF components, including General Purpose, Facility, Transportation, and High Cost Disability grants, with a particular focus on classroom-level resource implications. Proposers will be evaluated based on their technical expertise, research methodology, understanding of educational funding complexities, and ability to analyze detailed expenditure and demographic data. The RFP response was due on July 8, 2022, with an initial contract term of one year and potential renewal options for an additional six months.

The Oregon Department of Education will give preference to COBID (Certification Office for Business Inclusion and Diversity) certified firms and may require a Certified Disadvantaged Business Outreach Plan from the selected proposer. Minority, Women, and Emerging Small Businesses (OMWESB) are encouraged to submit proposals, with proposers required to detail potential subcontracting opportunities for certified disadvantaged businesses. The anticipated budget for this project exceeds $200,000, with funding originally provided through the 2021 legislative session's HB 5006. Proposers must submit pricing information separately from their technical proposal and demonstrate minimum qualifications, including significant experience in educational funding research. The RFP indicates that the selected contractor will work closely with the SSF Advisory Group, which meets monthly, and will have access to comprehensive educational allocation, student demographic, and educator effectiveness data collected by the Oregon Department of Education. While no specific incumbent vendor is mentioned, the RFP suggests a strong preference for researchers with prior experience in analyzing complex educational funding structures and their impacts on student outcomes.