Connecticut Educator Preparation Program Audit Concerning Instruction in Structured Literacy and the Detection and Recognition of Interventions for Student with Dyslexia

Request for Proposals (RFP)

Connecticut Educator Preparation Program Audit Concerning Instruction in Structured Literacy and the Detection and Recognition of and Interventions for Students with Dyslexia, RFP #862

Issued By:

Connecticut State Department of Education

March 2026

The RFP is available in electronic format on the State Contracting Portal https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard by filtering by “Organization,” “Executive Branch,” “Education, Dept. of;” or from the Connecticut State Department of Education Official Contact:

Name: Lisa Gianni

Address: 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, CT 06103

Phone: 860-713-6712

Email: lisa.gianni@ct.gov

The RFP is also available on the Agency’s website at https://portal.ct.gov/sde/rfp/request-for-proposals/2026-rfps . There will be a bidders conference using Microsoft Teams on March 30, 2026. Prospective proposers who plan to attend should email lisa.gianni@ct.gov by 12:00 Eastern Time on March 27, 2026, to receive a Microsoft Teams meeting link via email to attend the conference.

RFP responses must be received no later than

May 1, 2026

4:00 PM Eastern Time

The Connecticut State Department of Education is committed to a policy of equal opportunity/affirmative action for all qualified persons. The Connecticut Department of Education does not discriminate in any employment practice, education program, or educational activity on the basis of: race; color; religious creed; age; sex; pregnancy; sexual orientation; workplace hazards to reproductive systems; gender identity or expression; marital status; national origin; ancestry; retaliation for previously opposed discrimination or coercion; intellectual disability; genetic information; learning disability; physical disability (including, but not limited to, blindness); mental disability (past/present history thereof); military or veteran status; status as a victim of domestic violence; or criminal record in state employment, unless there is a bona fide occupational qualification excluding persons in any of the aforementioned protected classes. Inquiries regarding the Connecticut State Department of Education’s nondiscrimination policies should be directed to: Attorney Louis Todisco, Connecticut State Department of Education, by mail (450 Columbus Boulevard, Suite 605, Hartford, CT 06103-1841; or by telephone 860-713- 6594; or by email louis.todisco@ct.gov).

The Connecticut State Department of Education is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

The CSDE reserves the right to reject any and all submissions or cancel this procurement at any time if deemed in the best interest of the State of Connecticut (State).

Section I — GENERAL INFORMATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

A. Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

B. Instructions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Section II — PURPOSE OF RFP AND SCOPE OF SERVICES. . . . . . . . 7

A. Agency Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

B. Service Overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

C. Scope of Services Description. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

D. Performance Measures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

E. Contract Management/Data Reporting . . . . . . . . . . 9

Section III — PROPOSAL SUBMISSION OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . 10

A. Submission Format Information . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

B. Evaluation of Proposals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Section IV — PROPOSAL SUBMISSION OUTLINE AND REQUIREMENTS . . . 15

A. Cover Sheet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

B. Table of Contents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

C. Proposer Executive Summary . . . . . . . . . . . 15

D. Main Proposal Submission Requirements To Submit a Responsive Proposal 15

E. Attachments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

F. Declaration of Confidential Information . . . . . . . . . . 17

G. Conflict of Interest – Disclosure Statement . . . . . . . . . 17

H. Statement of Assurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Section V — MANDATORY PROVISIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

A. Standard Contract Provisions . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

B. Assurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

C. Terms and Conditions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

D. Rights Reserved to the State . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

E. Statutory and Regulatory Compliance . . . . . . . . . . 21

Section VI — APPENDIX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

A. Abbreviations / Acronyms / Definitions . . . . . . . . . . 24

B. Statement of Assurances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

C. Standard Statement of Assurances for Grant Programs . . . . . 26

D. Proposal Checklist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

A. INTRODUCTION

1. RFP Name and Number. Connecticut Educator Preparation Program Audit Concerning Instruction in Structured Literacy and the Detection and Recognition of and Interventions for Students with Dyslexia, RFP #862.

2. RFP Summary. The Connecticut State Department of Education (CSDE) is seeking proposals from Contractors to a) evaluate for rigor its compliance measures and audit procedures for educator preparation programs pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes (CGS) Sections 10-14z(c) and 10-14aa to 10-14dd , inclusive; and b) support with training and conducting audits of Connecticut’s eighteen (18) institutions of higher education (IHE) that offer approved educator preparation programs (EPP) leading to professional licensure. Proposals must address both Projects A and B for an application to be considered complete. The CSDE reserves the right to make awards for Project A, B, or both Projects A and B depending upon the availability of funding.

3. RFP Purpose. Pursuant to subsection (c) of Section 10-14z of the CGS, CSDE’s Office of Dyslexia and Reading Disabilities (ODRD) is responsible for developing compliance measures and audit procedures to verify the compliance of (A) EPPs, as defined in Section 10-146c , including intermediate administrator and supervisor programs, and (B) applicants for an initial, provisional or professional educator certificate pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 166 relating to scientifically-based reading research and instruction, as defined in Section 10-14u , structured literacy instruction and training, dyslexia instruction and training, including, but not limited to, the compliance verifications required pursuant to Sections 10-14aa to , inclusive. Additionally, pursuant to Section 10-14jj of the CGS, the Department of Education is responsible for developing compliance measures and audit procedures to determine the compliance of educator preparation programs, including intermediate administrator and supervisor programs, in the provision of instruction on scientifically-based reading research and instruction. The CSDE is therefore seeking qualified Contractors to:

• review and evaluate for alignment with statute the ODRD’s compliance measures and audit procedures of EPPs, including intermediate administrator and supervisor programs;

• provide recommendations for, and support the ODRD to, strengthen the rigor of the ODRD’s compliance measures and audit procedures to ensure the validity and reliability of audit findings, inclusive of a process for EPP corrective action and monitoring;

• pursuant to subsection (b) of Section 10-14aa of the CGS, provide recommendations to the ODRD to align its audit procedures with the information gathered by a national accreditation agency that accredits EPPs for the CSDE;

• develop and provide training in ODRD’s compliance measures and audit procedures for auditors; and

• conduct the audits of up to eighteen (18) Connecticut IHEs and their respective EPPs (see Guide to Approved Educator Preparation Programs in Connecticut ).

4. Commodity Codes. The services that the Agency wishes to procure through this RFP are as follows:

• 86000000: Education and Training Services

B. INSTRUCTIONS

1. Official Contact. The Agency has designated the individual below as the Official Contact for purposes of this RFP. The Official Contact is the only authorized contact for this procurement and, as such, handles all related communications on behalf of the Agency. Proposers, prospective proposers, and other interested parties are advised that any communication with any other Agency employee(s) (including appointed officials) or personnel under contract to the Agency about this RFP is strictly prohibited. Proposers or prospective proposers who violate this instruction may risk disqualification from further consideration.

Name: Lisa Gianni

Address: 450 Columbus Boulevard, Hartford, Connecticut 06103

Phone: 860-713-6712

Email: lisa.gianni@ct.gov

Please ensure that email screening software (if used) recognizes and accepts emails from the Official Contact.

2. Registering with State Contracting Portal. Respondents must register with the State of CT contracting portal at https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/Registration if not already registered. Respondents shall submit the following information pertaining to this application to this portal (on their supplier profile), which will be checked by the Agency contact.

• Secretary of State recognition – Click on appropriate response

• Non-profit status, if applicable

• Notification to Bidders, Parts I-V

• Campaign Contribution Certification (OPM Ethics Form 1): https://portal.ct.gov/OPM/Fin-PSA/Forms/Ethics-Forms

3. RFP Information. The RFP, amendments to the RFP, and other information associated with this procurement are available in electronic format from the Official Contact or at the following locations:

• CSDE’s RFP Web Page: https://portal.ct.gov/sde/rfp/request-for-proposals/2026-rfps

• State Contracting Portal (go to CT Source Bid Board, filter by “Organization,” “Executive Branch,” “Education, Dept. of”) https://portal.ct.gov/DAS/CTSource/BidBoard

It is strongly recommended that any proposer or prospective proposer interested in this procurement check the Bid Board for any solicitation changes. Interested proposers may receive additional emails from CT Source announcing addendums that are posted on the portal. This service is provided as a courtesy to assist in monitoring activities associated with State procurements, including this RFP.

4. Procurement Schedule. The CSDE may amend the schedule as needed. Any change to non-target dates will be made by means of an amendment to this RFP and will be posted on the State Contracting Portal and, if available, the CSDE’s RFP Web Page.

• RFP Released: March 2026

• RFP Conference: March 30, 2026

• Deadline for Questions: 4:00PM ET, April 1, 2026

• Answers Released: April 10, 2026

• Letter of Intent Due: 4:00PM ET, April 13, 2026

• Proposals Due: 4:00PM ET, May 1, 2026

5. Contract Awards. The award of any contract pursuant to this RFP is dependent upon the availability of funding to the CSDE. Proposals must address both Projects A and B for an application to be considered complete. The CSDE reserves the right to make awards for Project A, B, or both Projects A and B depending upon the availability of funding.

• Number of Awards: One (1)

• Contract Term: Upon execution until June 30, 2027

6. Eligibility. To be eligible for evaluation, the proposal must (1) be received on or before the due date and time; (2) meet the Proposal Requirements; (3) have submitted a letter of intent; and (4) be complete. Proposals that fail to follow instructions or satisfy the minimum submission requirements may be deemed ineligible for further review. The CSDE reserves the right to accept or reject any proposal that, in the judgement of the CSDE, deviates significantly from the requirements of this RFP. The CSDE may waive minor technical defects, irregularities, or omissions, if in its judgment the best interests of the State will be served. The CSDE reserves the right to reject the proposal of any proposer who submits a proposal after the submission date and time.

7. Minimum Qualifications of Proposers. Contractors must meet the criteria outlined below and shall be able to provide evidence that:

• the organization has the experience and expertise to develop, train, and conduct audits of IHEs and EPPs, including intermediate administrator and supervisor programs;

• organizational leadership and/or staff possess the knowledge and expertise in instruction and educator preparation;

• organizational leadership and/or staff possess the knowledge and expertise in research regarding structured literacy and the diagnosis of and interventions for students with dyslexia;

• the organization possesses the ability to develop and provide training in the conducting of audits and audit quality assurance measures; and

• the organization possesses the capacity to conduct audits of up to 18 IHEs and their respective EPPs beginning as early as fall 2026 (See Guide to Approved Educator Preparation Programs in Connecticut ).

8. Letter of Intent. A Letter of Intent (LOI) is required by this RFP. The LOI is non-binding and does not obligate the sender to submit a proposal. The LOI must be submitted to the Official Contact by email by the deadline established in the Procurement Schedule. The LOI must clearly identify the sender, including name, postal address, telephone number, and email address. It is the sender’s responsibility to confirm the Agency’s receipt of the LOI. Failure to submit the required LOI in accordance with the requirements set forth herein shall result in disqualification from further consideration.

9. Inquiry Procedures. All questions regarding this RFP or the CSDE’s procurement process must be directed in email to the Official Contact before the deadline specified in the Procurement Schedule. The early submission of questions is encouraged. Questions will not be accepted or answered verbally – neither in person, over the telephone, nor during the RFP Conference. All questions received before the deadline will be answered. However, the CSDE will not answer questions when the source is unknown (i.e., nuisance or anonymous questions). Questions deemed unrelated to the RFP or the procurement process will not be answered. At its discretion, the CSDE may or may not respond to questions received after the deadline. The CSDE may combine similar questions and give only one answer. All questions and answers will be compiled into a written amendment to this RFP. If any answer to any question constitutes a material change to the RFP, the question and answer will be placed at the beginning of the amendment and duly noted as such. The CSDE will release the answers to questions on the date established in the Procurement Schedule. The CSDE will publish any and all amendments to this RFP on the State Contracting Portal and on the CSDE’s RFP Web Page. At its discretion, the CSDE may distribute any amendments to this RFP to prospective proposers who attended the RFP Conference and/or submitted a Letter of Intent.

10. RFP Conference. An RFP conference will be held to share information with Contractors. Attendance at the conference is optional. Contractors who plan to attend should RSVP to lisa.gianni@ct.gov by 12:00 ET on March 27, 2026, to receive a Microsoft Teams meeting link via email to attend the conference.

11. Proposal Due Date and Time. The Official Contact is the only authorized recipient of proposals submitted in response to this RFP. Proposals must be received by the Official Contact on or before the due date and time: May 1, 2026, 4:00 PM ET. Proposals received after the due date and time may be accepted by the CSDE as a clerical function, but late proposals will not be evaluated. The CSDE will send an official letter alerting late respondents of ineligibility. At the discretion of the CSDE, late proposals may be destroyed.

One (1) electronic copy of the proposal shall be emailed to the Official Contact for this procurement. The subject line of the email must be: RFP #862. Required forms and appendices may be scanned and submitted as PDFs at the end of the main proposal document. Respondents should work to ensure there are no additional IT limitations from the provider side. The electronic copy can also be submitted via delivery of a media file.

The proposal must be complete, properly formatted and outlined, and ready for evaluation by the Review Committee.

12. Multiple Proposals. The submission of multiple proposals is not an option for this procurement. Note that multiple cost options within a single proposal is allowed.

A. AGENCY OVERVIEW

Agency Vision: The CSDE is the administrative arm of the Connecticut State Board of Education (CSBE). Through leadership, curriculum, research, planning, evaluation, assessment, data analysis, and other assistance, the CSDE helps to ensure equal opportunity and excellence in education for all Connecticut students.

Mission: Within the CSDE, the ODRD is the entity that verifies the compliance of educator preparation programs and applicants for educator certification for scientifically-based reading research, structured literacy, and dyslexia instruction and training.

B. SERVICE OVERVIEW

Problem Statement:

The CSDE is seeking proposals from qualified Contractors to a) evaluate and strengthen the rigor of the compliance measures and audit procedures developed by the ODRD, and b) conduct the audits of EPPs, inclusive of intermediate administrator and supervisor programs using the strengthened compliance measures and audit procedures.

Service Outcome Goals:

Outcome goals for this RFP are outlined below:

• Review and evaluate for alignment with statute the ODRD’s compliance measures and audit procedures of EPPs, inclusive of intermediate administrator and supervisor programs;

• Provide recommendations and support to the ODRD in strengthening the rigor of the ODRD’s compliance measures and audit procedures to ensure the validity and reliability of audit findings, inclusive of a process for EPP corrective action and monitoring;

• Provide recommendations to the ODRD to align its audit procedures with the information gathered by a national accreditation agency that accredits EPPs for the CSDE;

• Develop and provide training in ODRD’s strengthened compliance measures and audit procedures for auditors; and

• Conduct audits of up to eighteen (18) Connecticut IHEs and their respective EPPs using the ODRD’s strengthened compliance measures and audit procedures.

C. SCOPE OF SERVICE DESCRIPTION

The scope of services for this RFP is separated into two projects. Contractors must address both projects associated with this RFP for an application to be considered complete. The CSDE reserves the right to make awards for one or both projects depending upon the availability of funding and quality of proposals.

Project A: Compliance Measures and Audit Procedures

The Contractor will:

• meet with the CSDE at the onset of the project to develop a project plan, subject to the approval of the CSDE, and provide updates on key deliverables;

• conduct a comprehensive review of the current EPP compliance measures and audit processes that were developed by the ODRD and provide recommendations for strengthening the methodological rigor (i.e., credibility, reliability, trustworthiness, etc.) of such compliance measures and audit processes which may include, but not be limited to, developing guides for:

i. analyzing EPP course syllabi, instructional materials, and assessments including, but not limited to the development of rubrics and guidance for auditors to assess course syllabi and to conduct quality assurance;

ii. conducting and analyzing EPP course observations, including, but not limited to the development of rubrics and guidance for auditors to assess course observations and to conduct quality assurance;

iii. EPP auditors to conduct faculty interviews and to conduct quality assurance;

iv. analyzing EPP course textbooks, including, but not limited to developing rubrics and guidance for auditors to assess course textbooks and to conduct quality assurance;

• host focus groups with stakeholders identified by the CSDE to gather input and feedback on all compliance measures and audit procedures and incorporate any relevant feedback, subject to approval by CSDE, into the compliance measures and audit procedures to develop a final “EPP audit;”

• provide recommendations for the ODRD to include in the “EPP audit” a process for reviewing information gathered by a national accreditation agency that accredits EPPs for the CSDE;

• develop and implement auditor training that addresses the purpose and methodology of the “EPP audit,” as well as the use of all audit tools, the analysis of audit results, and the development of audit findings; and

• provide training for all approved auditors on all audit tools, methodologies utilized in the “EPP audit,” and quality control measures.

Project B: EPP Audit

The Contractor will:

• meet with the CSDE at the onset of the project to develop a project plan, subject to the approval of the CSDE, and provide updates on key deliverables;

• conduct a training session for deans of the EPPs, inclusive of intermediate administrator and supervisor programs, to communicate the purpose of the “EPP audit,” provide an overview of the audit methodology, and answer questions about the “EPP audit;”

• conduct site visits of EPP programs, inclusive of intermediate administrator and supervisor programs, as a component of the “EPP audit;”

• analyze data collected from site visits and all documentation provided by EPPs as required by the “EPP audit” and highlight program strengths and areas for improvement; and

• create a report summarizing site visit and audit findings for up to 18 IHEs and each of their respective EPPs.

D. PERFORMANCE MEASURES

The following performance metrics highlight key priorities that will be analyzed with the Contractor collaboratively during the life of the contract. This is not an exhaustive list, but rather an indication of significant performance metrics of interest to CSDE. The CSDE looks forward to working with the Contractor to define additional important performance metrics.

Project A: Compliance Measures and Audit Procedures

The Contractor will:

• strengthen the methodological rigor of the compliance measures and audit procedures through the development of audit guidebooks, rubrics, and other similar tools;

• make recommendations for integrating the “EPP audit” with information gathered by a national accreditation agency that accredits EPPs for the CSDE;

• develop and implement a high-quality, comprehensive training in the “EPP audit” procedures and quality control measures that prepares auditors to conduct site visits and audits of EPPs, inclusive of intermediate administrator and supervisor programs; and

• communicate and collaborate regularly with the CSDE, and other involved parties.

Project B: EPP Audit

The Contractor will:

• conduct up to 18 site visits and audits of IHEs and their respective EPPs, inclusive of intermediate administrator and supervisor programs, and produce a report summarizing site visits and audit findings; and

• communicate and collaborate regularly with the CSDE, and other involved parties.

E. CONTRACT MANAGEMENT/DATA REPORTING

As part of the State’s commitment to becoming more outcomes-oriented, the CSDE seeks to actively and regularly collaborate with the Contractor to enhance contract management, improve results, and adjust service delivery and policy based on learning what works. Reliable and relevant data is necessary to ensure compliance, inform trends to be monitored, evaluate results and performance, and drive service improvements. As such, CSDE reserves the right to request/collect other key data and metrics from potential Contractors.

A. SUBMISSION FORMAT INFORMATION

1. Required Outline. All proposals must follow the required outline presented in Section IV – Proposal Outline. Proposals that fail to follow the required outline will be deemed non-responsive and not evaluated.

2. Cover Sheet. The Cover Sheet is Page 1 of the proposal. The proposer must develop a Cover Sheet that includes the information below. Legal Name is defined as the name of the provider, vendor, CT State agency, or municipality submitting the proposal. Contact Person is defined as the individual who can provide additional information about the proposal or who has immediate responsibility for the proposal. Authorized Official is defined as the individual empowered to submit a binding offer on behalf of the proposer to provide services in accordance with the terms and provisions described in this RFP and any amendments or attachments hereto.

• RFP Number:

• Legal Name:

• FEIN:

• Street Address:

• Town/City/State/Zip:

• Contact Person:

• Title:

• Phone Number:

• Email Address:

• Authorized Official:

• Title:

• Signature:

3. Table of Contents. All proposals must include a Table of Contents that conforms with the required proposal outline.

4. Executive Summary. Proposals must include a high-level summary, not exceeding two (2) pages, of the main proposal and cost proposal. The summary must also include the organization’s eligibility and qualifications to respond to this RFP.

5. Attachments. Attachments other than the required Appendices or Forms identified in the RFP are not permitted and will not be evaluated. Further, the required Appendices or Forms must not be altered or used to extend, enhance, or replace any component required by this RFP. Failure to abide by these instructions will result in disqualification.

6. Style Requirements. One (1) electronic copy is required.

Submitted proposals must conform to the following specifications:

• Paper Size: 8.5”x11” format

• Page Limit: None

• Print Style: 2-sided

• Font Size: 10 Point minimum

• Font Type: Arial, Tahoma, or Verdana

• Margins: 1”

• Line Spacing: 1.5 Spacing

7. Pagination. The proposer’s name must be displayed in the header of each page. All pages, including the required Appendices and Forms, must be numbered in the footer.

8. Declaration of Confidential Information. Proposers are advised that all materials associated with this procurement are subject to the terms of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), the Privacy Act, and all rules, regulations and interpretations resulting from them. If a proposer deems that certain information required by this RFP is confidential, the proposer must label such information as CONFIDENTIAL prior to submission. In the Main Proposal Submission, the proposal submission, the proposer must reference where the information labeled CONFIDENTIAL is located in the proposal. EXAMPLE: Section G.1.a. For each subsection so referenced, the proposer must provide a convincing explanation and rationale sufficient to justify an exemption of the information from release under the FOIA. The explanation and rationale must be stated in terms of (a) the prospective harm to the competitive position of the proposer that would result if the identified information were to be released and (b) the reasons why the information is legally exempt from release pursuant to Section 1-210(b) of the CGS.

9. Conflict of Interest - Disclosure Statement. Proposers must include a disclosure statement concerning any current business relationships (within the last three (3) years) that pose a conflict of interest, as defined by CGS Section 1-85. A conflict of interest exists when a relationship exists between the proposer and a public official (including an elected official) or State employee that may interfere with fair competition or may be adverse to the interests of the State. The existence of a conflict of interest is not, in and of itself, evidence of wrongdoing. A conflict of interest may, however, become a legal matter if a proposer tries to influence, or succeeds in influencing, the outcome of an official decision for their personal or corporate benefit. The CSDE will determine whether any disclosed conflict of interest poses a substantial advantage to the proposer over the competition, decreases the overall competitiveness of this procurement, or is not in the best interests of the State. In the absence of any conflict of interest, a proposer must affirm such in the disclosure statement. Example: “[name of proposer] has no current business relationship (within the last three (3) years) that poses a conflict of interest, as defined by CGS Section 1-85.”

B. EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

1. Evaluation Process. It is the intent of the CSDE to conduct a comprehensive, fair, and impartial evaluation of proposals received in response to this RFP. When evaluating proposals, negotiating with successful proposers, and awarding contracts, the CSDE will conform with its written procedures for PSA procurements (pursuant to CGS Section 4-217) and the State’s Code of Ethics (pursuant to CGS Sections 1-84 and 1-85). Final funding allocation decisions will be determined during contract negotiation.

2. Evaluation Review Committee. The CSDE will designate a Review Committee to evaluate proposals submitted in response to this RFP. The Review Committee will be composed of individuals, CSDE staff or other designees as deemed appropriate. The contents of all submitted proposals, including any confidential information, will be shared with the Review Committee. Only proposals found to be responsive (that is, complying with all instructions and requirements described herein) will be reviewed, rated, and scored. Proposals that fail to comply with all instructions will be rejected without further consideration. The Review Committee shall evaluate all proposals that meet the Minimum Submission Requirements (see below) by score and rank ordered and make recommendations for awards. The Commissioner of Education will make the final selection. Attempts by any proposer (or representative of any proposer) to contact or influence any member of the Review Committee may result in disqualification of the proposer. The CSDE reserves the right to award a proposer who did not rank the highest if it deems it to be in the best interest of the State.

3. Minimum Submission Requirements. To be eligible for evaluation, proposals must (1) be received on or before the due date and time; (2) meet the Proposal Format requirements; (3) meet the Eligibility and Qualification requirements to respond to the procurement, (4) follow the required Proposal Outline; and (5) be complete. Proposals that fail to follow instructions or satisfy these minimum submission requirements will not be reviewed further. The CSDE will reject any proposal that deviates significantly from the requirements of this RFP.

4. Evaluation Criteria (and Weights). Proposals meeting the Minimum Submission Requirements will be evaluated according to the established criteria. The criteria are the objective standards that the Review Committee will use to evaluate the technical merits of the proposals. Only the criteria listed below will be used to evaluate proposals. The weights are disclosed below.

Note:
As part of its evaluation of the Staffing Plan, the Review Committee will review the proposer’s demonstrated commitment to affirmative action, as required by the Regulations of CT State Agencies Sections 46A-68j-30(10).

5. Proposer Selection. Upon completing its evaluation of proposals, the Review Committee will submit the rankings of all proposals to the Commissioner. The final selection of a successful proposer is at the discretion of the Commissioner. Any proposer selected will be notified and awarded an opportunity to negotiate a contract with the CSDE. Such negotiations may, but will not automatically, result in a contract. Any resulting contract will be posted on the State Contracting Portal . All unsuccessful proposers will be notified by email about the outcome of the evaluation and proposer selection process. The CSDE reserves the right to decline to award contracts for activities in which the Commissioner considers there are not adequate respondents.

6. Debriefing. Within ten (10) days of receiving notification from the CSDE, unsuccessful proposers may contact the Official Contact and request information about the evaluation and proposer selection process. The email sent date will be considered “day one” of the ten (10) days. If unsuccessful proposers still have questions after receiving this information, they may contact the Official Contact and request a meeting with the CSDE to discuss the evaluation process and their proposals. If held, the debriefing meeting will not include any comparisons of unsuccessful proposals with other proposals. The CSDE may schedule and hold the debriefing meeting within fifteen (15) days of the request. The CSDE will not change, alter, or modify the outcome of the evaluation or selection process as a result of any debriefing meeting.

7. Appeal Process. Proposers may appeal any aspect the CSDE’s competitive procurement, including the evaluation and proposer selection process. Any such appeal must be submitted to the Commissioner of Education. A proposer may file an appeal at any time after the proposal due date, but not later than thirty (30) days after an agency notifies unsuccessful proposers about the outcome of the evaluation and proposer selection process. The email sent date will be considered “day one” of the thirty (30) days. The filing of an appeal shall not be deemed sufficient reason for the CSDE to delay, suspend, cancel, or terminate the procurement process or execution of a contract. More detailed information about filing an appeal may be obtained from the Official Contact.

8. Contract Execution. Any contract developed and executed as a result of this RFP is subject to the CSDE’s contracting procedures, which may include approval by the Office of the Attorney General. Fully executed and approved contracts will be posted on State Contracting Portal and the Agency website.

A: Cover Sheet

The Respondent must use a Cover Sheet capturing the following information:

• RFP Number:

• Legal Name:

• FEIN:

• Street Address:

• Town/City/State/Zip:

• Contact Person:

• Title:

• Phone Number:

• Email Address:

• Authorized Official:

• Title:

• Signature:

Legal Name is defined as the name of provider, vendor, CT State agency, or municipality submitting the proposal. Contact Person is defined as the individual who can provide additional information about the proposal or who has immediate responsibility for the proposal. Authorized Official is defined as the individual empowered to submit a binding offer on behalf of the proposer to provide services in accordance with the terms and provisions described in this RFP and any amendments or attachments hereto.

B: Table of Contents

Respondents must include a Table of Contents that lists sections and subsections with page numbers that follow the organization outline and sequence for this proposal.

C: Proposer Executive Summary

The page limitation for this section is two (2) pages briefly describing how the Respondent meets the eligibility and qualification criteria outlined in the Proposal Overview and a brief overview of why the Respondent should be selected for the activities highlighted in the scope of services.

D: Main Proposal Submission Requirements to Submit a Responsive Proposal:

4.1 Organization Description and History:

Provide a general overview of your organization including its history and prior experiences engaging with relevant key stakeholders.

A. Organizational Qualifications: Provide a general overview of your organization. What sets your organization apart from your competitors? Why is your organization uniquely qualified to conduct this work?

B. Experience: Describe the extent of your organization’s experience conducting similar services for state governments. How does that experience relate to the services sought in this proposal?

C. Staff Qualifications: Describe how your organization’s members are qualified in current research regarding evidence-aligned literacy instruction, structured literacy instruction, the diagnosis and remediation of and interventions for students with or at risk for dyslexia and other reading disabilities and developing/conducting audit processes.

D. References: Please include no more than four (4) recent references from other states or organizations for which services comparable to this RFP have been provided.

4.2 Scope of Services:

Describe how your organization will provide the work associated with all the elements listed in the scope of service.

4.3 Staffing Plan

Describe the team that will provide the services. Indicate key staff to be assigned to the program by name, title, qualifications, job descriptions, and if the staff is a sub-contractor. Please also include a description of your team’s organizational chart including lines of authority and responsibilities related to the proposed program and its components. If your organization plans to recruit individuals to conduct the audit, please briefly describe your organization’s recruitment and hiring plan and how you will provide quality assurance of work performed.