Specifications include, but are not limited to:The purpose of this RFP and any resulting contract award is to solicit proposals for an On Line Software as a Service Literacy Tool; hereafter referred to as “the Online Literacy Comprehension & Vocabulary Assessment Pilot” or “the Literacy Service.” The Service will provide formative data to assist educators in guiding and planning instruction for literacy remediation and intervention. The NCDPI preferred Literacy Service should be a product requiring little to no customization with minimal configuration and training required for a teacher to begin using the Literacy Service immediately following an interactive webinar type training exercise. This request is for a contract between the awarded Vendor and the State to furnish a Software as a Service Literacy Tool to be used as pilot project to determine the value of such a tool for collecting formative data to assist educators in guiding and planning instruction for literacy remediation and intervention. The initial term will be one (1) year in accordance with Section II, Paragraph 7 of this RFP. The pilot use of this subscription service will begin within 30 days of contract effective date and end no later than June 30, 2015. Additionally, awarding a contract pursuant to this RFP will establish a Cooperative Purchasing Agreement for LEAs, Charter Schools, Regional Schools, Educational Services for the Deaf and Blind Schools, and other public schools as the need may arise (collectively “End Users”) to procure the Literacy Service directly from the Vendor upon completion of the pilot period during the remainder of the initial one (1) year term and any extensions. NCDPI will fund the pilot implementation through June 30, 2015 using Race to the Top (RttT) grant funds for up to 30,000 North Carolina 3rd and 4th graders with the Vendor providing teacher training and pilot reporting results as defined in Section III of this RFP. Upon completion of the pilot period, NCDPI will analyze the pilot reporting results. Thereafter, End Users may elect to contract directly with the Vendor for the Literacy Service in accordance with Section III, Paragraph 8 of this RFP. North Carolina applied for and was awarded funds through a RttT federal grant. North Carolina is one of only twelve (12) recipients of the 2010 federal RttT grants. RttT is a collaborative effort across the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, and guided by the State Board of Education and the Governor's Education Transformation Commission. Receipt of this grant, designed to spur public school innovation, is a key component of North Carolina's work to continue its momentum for school improvement. The following is the legislation that created ARRA and the resulting RttT awards: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), Section 14005-6, Title XIV, (Public Law 111-5). More information can be found about ARRA stabilization funding at the following URL: http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/leg/recovery/statutory/stabilization-fund.pdf In addition, the State reserves the right to make partial, progressive or multiple awards: where it is advantageous to award separately by items; or where more than one supplier is needed to provide the contemplated requirements as to quantity, quality, delivery, service, geographical areas; and where other factors are deemed to be necessary or proper to the purchase in question.
