Services and Products to Support the Title I/COMMUNITY SCHOOL and BRIDGES Program

Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is soliciting bids to establish a pre-qualified pool of contractors providing services and products supporting Title I schools, Community Schools, and the BRIDGES 21st Century Community Learning Centers program under Multi-Step Bid #010.27.B6, with bids due September 3, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. Questions are due August 19, 2026 at 1:00 p.m.

The procurement covers six service categories: Academic Tutoring & Support (Category A), STEM/STEAM Programming (Category B), Arts, Culture & Environment (Category C), Youth Leadership & Social-Emotional Learning (Category D), Family & Community Supports (Category E), and Professional Development & Capacity Building (Category F). Services must be delivered at designated Title I or Community Schools across HCPSS elementary, middle, and alternative schools during the 2026-27 school year and beyond. Category A services include synchronous, live virtual high-dosage literacy tutoring for remote delivery to school sites, one-to-one instruction via video conference, and specialized K-2 foundational reading support. Professional development for prekindergarten teachers is included in scope. Student selection is based on academic achievement and learning measures identified by school staff.

Minimum qualifications require at least one year of prior experience delivering the proposed services or products to school-aged children; for academic tutoring, a bachelor's degree with active teaching certification is preferred. All contractor staff must complete criminal background checks and fingerprinting at contractor expense before working at school sites. Contractors must hold Commercial General Liability ($1 million each occurrence), Business Auto Liability ($1 million per accident), and Professional Liability ($1 million per claim) insurance. Compensation is established through mutually agreed written quotes documented in purchase orders; rates must cover all costs including travel, lodging, and mileage with no separate reimbursement permitted.

The contract term is one year from award, with options to renew for five additional one-year periods at HCPSS's sole discretion, contingent on successful performance and funding availability. Technical offers must achieve passing grades on all critical requirements; pricing is evaluated only for qualifying bidders. HCPSS reserves the right to award to one or more qualified bidders or make no award. Bidders must comply with FERPA, the Children's Internet Protection Act, and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. Successful bidders must register with eMaryland Marketplace Advantage within five days of award notice. This contract works in conjunction with Contract 152.25.B1 to meet differentiated service needs across the growing community schools network. No bid bond is required.