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8 Steps to Ensure the RFP Process Gets You What You Need
May 29, 2023
May 29, 2023
District leaders have a responsibility to ensure that students and staff have access to instructional resources that are of high quality and support student success. In order to bring such instructional materials to schools, school districts undertake a variety of selection and purchasing procedures. Procurement processes vary from district to district, and one of the most common processes is the Request for Proposal (RFP). The processes are often tied to the federal, state, and local tax funds which will pay for the particular resource, service, or vendor. Many public funds include significant regulatory constraints. While funding from non-public entities, are not bound by the same statutory framework, and any guidance on utilizing such funds is set by local school board policy, if at all. But it is the public funding which provides the vast majority of the budget for schools. Therefore, school districts must ensure that the identification, consideration, and selection of materials is done in a public, auditable, and vendor-neutral procurement process.
The road to success or failure of many initiatives within a school or district begins at the development of the Request For Proposal (RFP) by district personnel. RFPs should identify a specific challenge, need, goal, or broader ambition from within a district or school. Their purpose is to invite vendors or providers to propose how they will address, solve, and meet the needs of the district. RFPs are formal legal documents that typically have a district template that has been reviewed by the legal counsel office and are issued by the district’s procurement office. Most importantly, the description of the required material or service should be developed by the department or school that will oversee the implementation of the selected solution.
When looking for a new CCR platform or other CCR resource, use the suggestions below as a framework for the RFP process. These tips are similar to the general practices of good project management: articulate the steps to be taken, create calendars with deadlines, ensure all relevant parties are involved, create evaluation rubrics simultaneously with the described requirements, and monitor the progress to make needed adjustments.
Provide a description of why the district is looking to procure the good or service.
The RFP should begin with a narrative description of why the good or service is being sought as this provides context and clarity for responding vendors. Their improved understanding of the district's experience will result in more accurate proposals.
When defining needs and outcomes, be as specific as possible.
As mentioned earlier, it is the responsibility of the implementing department to articulate the requirements of the resource that is being procured, and it is important that the RFP reflects the nuances of the district’s unique and specific needs. When defining the needs in an RFP, be precise and consider the goals of implementing the CCR platform or resource, specific functional needs, reporting capabilities, user experience requirements, interoperability and compatibility needs, language and translation requirements, and any other components that are important for your district or school. Include examples of use cases for how the platform will be utilized in schools or with students. The quality of these articulated needs directly impacts how closely the outcomes fit the goals.
Ensure all relevant stakeholders are included in the review committee.
All too often, RFP review committees leave out authentic user experience feedback. Seeking input from those stakeholder groups–including students, counselors, and educators–is critical in ensuring districts select a platform that will add significant value to the student experience, remove administrative burdens from counselor workload, and catalyze deep, thoughtful, and ongoing CCR planning and decision-making. It is also important to define how this feedback will be sought as the RFP is developed. Consider soliciting demo accounts as part of the RFP to allow students, counselors, and teachers to gain insights from firsthand experience.
Clearly establish evaluation criteria.
The rubric and scoring criteria should be co-developed with descriptions of expected product functionality, implementation details, ongoing support and training, and vendor reputation for delivering their proposed product and services.. Additional criteria may include submission of all required documents and forms,ease of the user interface, interoperability with other district data systems, presence of pre-defined reporting capabilities, options for customization, and cost. The scoring rubrics should be weighted into large categories reflecting the needs and priorities that necessitate the goods or services being procured. Providing the rubric within the RFP document helps vendors respond by highlighting the strengths and acknowledging their limitations of their proposed solution.
Communicate budgetary considerations.
It is important for districts to consider and define the role that price will play in the evaluation process. How will price be weighted among other factors in the scoring rubric? Will the final decision be based on the lowest price from respondents? Defining these priorities up front will not only help guide and inform the decision-making and evaluation process, but also provide transparency to responding vendors as they prepare and price their solution for your district
Ensure the RFP includes the total cost of implementation.
Beyond the price of a platform, resource, or subscription, there are many additional steps and potential associated costs that are necessary for implementation. Be sure to explicitly ask for all costs related to implementation including training and professional learning, customer support, customization preferences, and data security. You might also include estimates on product refresh schedules and related costs as well as future upgrades and modular add-ons to understand the entire financial picture of a particular platform or product.
Be sure to check references.
The lived experiences of other districts can provide unmatched information and insights into the impact a product can have in practice. Make sure to ask for references in an RFP and take care to thoroughly check the references provided. Have a consistent pair or team of individuals who represent relevant content areas talk with the references. For instance, you might have a representative from IT and counseling participate in calls regarding a CCR platform. Just as a rubric is used to evaluate proposals, use a standard set of questions answered in these conversations to allow for fair comparisons. Ask questions that will highlight any concerns or red flags from other districts’ experiences.
Consider holding a pre-bid meeting and Q&A process.
By holding a pre-bid meeting, the district can explain its intentions and processes, and answer questions from vendors.. Include an opportunity for vendors to submit a list of questions to clarify any points of the RFP. This also helps vendors ensure they submit a proposal that addresses the district’s specific needs and speak to the district’s unique challenges. Finally, a Q&A process also allows vendors to ask questions that help them provide an accurate pricing quote. For example, factors such as number of buildings, enrollment numbers, and number of staff users may impact the pricing provided.
By keeping these tips in mind, schools and districts can ensure that the RFP process empowers stakeholders, articulates the full and nuanced spectrum of needs, and ultimately results in the chosen resource or platform meeting the specific needs of the students, staff, and district. A little work upfront can save years of frustration and disappointment and dramatically increase the likelihood for successful outcomes.
If your district is looking for a place to start, or is in, an RFP process for a College and Career Readiness Platform. We recommend checking out our downloadable Guide to Choosing a College and Career Readiness Platform.
District leaders have a responsibility to ensure that students and staff have access to instructional resources that are of high quality and support student success. In order to bring such instructional materials to schools, school districts undertake a variety of selection and purchasing procedures. Procurement processes vary from district to district, and one of the most common processes is the Request for Proposal (RFP). The processes are often tied to the federal, state, and local tax funds which will pay for the particular resource, service, or vendor. Many public funds include significant regulatory constraints. While funding from non-public entities, are not bound by the same statutory framework, and any guidance on utilizing such funds is set by local school board policy, if at all. But it is the public funding which provides the vast majority of the budget for schools. Therefore, school districts must ensure that the identification, consideration, and selection of materials is done in a public, auditable, and vendor-neutral procurement process.
The road to success or failure of many initiatives within a school or district begins at the development of the Request For Proposal (RFP) by district personnel. RFPs should identify a specific challenge, need, goal, or broader ambition from within a district or school. Their purpose is to invite vendors or providers to propose how they will address, solve, and meet the needs of the district. RFPs are formal legal documents that typically have a district template that has been reviewed by the legal counsel office and are issued by the district’s procurement office. Most importantly, the description of the required material or service should be developed by the department or school that will oversee the implementation of the selected solution.
When looking for a new CCR platform or other CCR resource, use the suggestions below as a framework for the RFP process. These tips are similar to the general practices of good project management: articulate the steps to be taken, create calendars with deadlines, ensure all relevant parties are involved, create evaluation rubrics simultaneously with the described requirements, and monitor the progress to make needed adjustments.
Provide a description of why the district is looking to procure the good or service.
The RFP should begin with a narrative description of why the good or service is being sought as this provides context and clarity for responding vendors. Their improved understanding of the district's experience will result in more accurate proposals.
When defining needs and outcomes, be as specific as possible.
As mentioned earlier, it is the responsibility of the implementing department to articulate the requirements of the resource that is being procured, and it is important that the RFP reflects the nuances of the district’s unique and specific needs. When defining the needs in an RFP, be precise and consider the goals of implementing the CCR platform or resource, specific functional needs, reporting capabilities, user experience requirements, interoperability and compatibility needs, language and translation requirements, and any other components that are important for your district or school. Include examples of use cases for how the platform will be utilized in schools or with students. The quality of these articulated needs directly impacts how closely the outcomes fit the goals.
Ensure all relevant stakeholders are included in the review committee.
All too often, RFP review committees leave out authentic user experience feedback. Seeking input from those stakeholder groups–including students, counselors, and educators–is critical in ensuring districts select a platform that will add significant value to the student experience, remove administrative burdens from counselor workload, and catalyze deep, thoughtful, and ongoing CCR planning and decision-making. It is also important to define how this feedback will be sought as the RFP is developed. Consider soliciting demo accounts as part of the RFP to allow students, counselors, and teachers to gain insights from firsthand experience.
Clearly establish evaluation criteria.
The rubric and scoring criteria should be co-developed with descriptions of expected product functionality, implementation details, ongoing support and training, and vendor reputation for delivering their proposed product and services.. Additional criteria may include submission of all required documents and forms,ease of the user interface, interoperability with other district data systems, presence of pre-defined reporting capabilities, options for customization, and cost. The scoring rubrics should be weighted into large categories reflecting the needs and priorities that necessitate the goods or services being procured. Providing the rubric within the RFP document helps vendors respond by highlighting the strengths and acknowledging their limitations of their proposed solution.
Communicate budgetary considerations.
It is important for districts to consider and define the role that price will play in the evaluation process. How will price be weighted among other factors in the scoring rubric? Will the final decision be based on the lowest price from respondents? Defining these priorities up front will not only help guide and inform the decision-making and evaluation process, but also provide transparency to responding vendors as they prepare and price their solution for your district
Ensure the RFP includes the total cost of implementation.
Beyond the price of a platform, resource, or subscription, there are many additional steps and potential associated costs that are necessary for implementation. Be sure to explicitly ask for all costs related to implementation including training and professional learning, customer support, customization preferences, and data security. You might also include estimates on product refresh schedules and related costs as well as future upgrades and modular add-ons to understand the entire financial picture of a particular platform or product.
Be sure to check references.
The lived experiences of other districts can provide unmatched information and insights into the impact a product can have in practice. Make sure to ask for references in an RFP and take care to thoroughly check the references provided. Have a consistent pair or team of individuals who represent relevant content areas talk with the references. For instance, you might have a representative from IT and counseling participate in calls regarding a CCR platform. Just as a rubric is used to evaluate proposals, use a standard set of questions answered in these conversations to allow for fair comparisons. Ask questions that will highlight any concerns or red flags from other districts’ experiences.
Consider holding a pre-bid meeting and Q&A process.
By holding a pre-bid meeting, the district can explain its intentions and processes, and answer questions from vendors.. Include an opportunity for vendors to submit a list of questions to clarify any points of the RFP. This also helps vendors ensure they submit a proposal that addresses the district’s specific needs and speak to the district’s unique challenges. Finally, a Q&A process also allows vendors to ask questions that help them provide an accurate pricing quote. For example, factors such as number of buildings, enrollment numbers, and number of staff users may impact the pricing provided.
By keeping these tips in mind, schools and districts can ensure that the RFP process empowers stakeholders, articulates the full and nuanced spectrum of needs, and ultimately results in the chosen resource or platform meeting the specific needs of the students, staff, and district. A little work upfront can save years of frustration and disappointment and dramatically increase the likelihood for successful outcomes.
If your district is looking for a place to start, or is in, an RFP process for a College and Career Readiness Platform. We recommend checking out our downloadable Guide to Choosing a College and Career Readiness Platform.
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District leaders have a responsibility to ensure that students and staff have access to instructional resources that are of high quality and support student success. In order to bring such instructional materials to schools, school districts undertake a variety of selection and purchasing procedures. Procurement processes vary from district to district, and one of the most common processes is the Request for Proposal (RFP). The processes are often tied to the federal, state, and local tax funds which will pay for the particular resource, service, or vendor. Many public funds include significant regulatory constraints. While funding from non-public entities, are not bound by the same statutory framework, and any guidance on utilizing such funds is set by local school board policy, if at all. But it is the public funding which provides the vast majority of the budget for schools. Therefore, school districts must ensure that the identification, consideration, and selection of materials is done in a public, auditable, and vendor-neutral procurement process.
The road to success or failure of many initiatives within a school or district begins at the development of the Request For Proposal (RFP) by district personnel. RFPs should identify a specific challenge, need, goal, or broader ambition from within a district or school. Their purpose is to invite vendors or providers to propose how they will address, solve, and meet the needs of the district. RFPs are formal legal documents that typically have a district template that has been reviewed by the legal counsel office and are issued by the district’s procurement office. Most importantly, the description of the required material or service should be developed by the department or school that will oversee the implementation of the selected solution.
When looking for a new CCR platform or other CCR resource, use the suggestions below as a framework for the RFP process. These tips are similar to the general practices of good project management: articulate the steps to be taken, create calendars with deadlines, ensure all relevant parties are involved, create evaluation rubrics simultaneously with the described requirements, and monitor the progress to make needed adjustments.
Provide a description of why the district is looking to procure the good or service.
The RFP should begin with a narrative description of why the good or service is being sought as this provides context and clarity for responding vendors. Their improved understanding of the district's experience will result in more accurate proposals.
When defining needs and outcomes, be as specific as possible.
As mentioned earlier, it is the responsibility of the implementing department to articulate the requirements of the resource that is being procured, and it is important that the RFP reflects the nuances of the district’s unique and specific needs. When defining the needs in an RFP, be precise and consider the goals of implementing the CCR platform or resource, specific functional needs, reporting capabilities, user experience requirements, interoperability and compatibility needs, language and translation requirements, and any other components that are important for your district or school. Include examples of use cases for how the platform will be utilized in schools or with students. The quality of these articulated needs directly impacts how closely the outcomes fit the goals.
Ensure all relevant stakeholders are included in the review committee.
All too often, RFP review committees leave out authentic user experience feedback. Seeking input from those stakeholder groups–including students, counselors, and educators–is critical in ensuring districts select a platform that will add significant value to the student experience, remove administrative burdens from counselor workload, and catalyze deep, thoughtful, and ongoing CCR planning and decision-making. It is also important to define how this feedback will be sought as the RFP is developed. Consider soliciting demo accounts as part of the RFP to allow students, counselors, and teachers to gain insights from firsthand experience.
Clearly establish evaluation criteria.
The rubric and scoring criteria should be co-developed with descriptions of expected product functionality, implementation details, ongoing support and training, and vendor reputation for delivering their proposed product and services.. Additional criteria may include submission of all required documents and forms,ease of the user interface, interoperability with other district data systems, presence of pre-defined reporting capabilities, options for customization, and cost. The scoring rubrics should be weighted into large categories reflecting the needs and priorities that necessitate the goods or services being procured. Providing the rubric within the RFP document helps vendors respond by highlighting the strengths and acknowledging their limitations of their proposed solution.
Communicate budgetary considerations.
It is important for districts to consider and define the role that price will play in the evaluation process. How will price be weighted among other factors in the scoring rubric? Will the final decision be based on the lowest price from respondents? Defining these priorities up front will not only help guide and inform the decision-making and evaluation process, but also provide transparency to responding vendors as they prepare and price their solution for your district
Ensure the RFP includes the total cost of implementation.
Beyond the price of a platform, resource, or subscription, there are many additional steps and potential associated costs that are necessary for implementation. Be sure to explicitly ask for all costs related to implementation including training and professional learning, customer support, customization preferences, and data security. You might also include estimates on product refresh schedules and related costs as well as future upgrades and modular add-ons to understand the entire financial picture of a particular platform or product.
Be sure to check references.
The lived experiences of other districts can provide unmatched information and insights into the impact a product can have in practice. Make sure to ask for references in an RFP and take care to thoroughly check the references provided. Have a consistent pair or team of individuals who represent relevant content areas talk with the references. For instance, you might have a representative from IT and counseling participate in calls regarding a CCR platform. Just as a rubric is used to evaluate proposals, use a standard set of questions answered in these conversations to allow for fair comparisons. Ask questions that will highlight any concerns or red flags from other districts’ experiences.
Consider holding a pre-bid meeting and Q&A process.
By holding a pre-bid meeting, the district can explain its intentions and processes, and answer questions from vendors.. Include an opportunity for vendors to submit a list of questions to clarify any points of the RFP. This also helps vendors ensure they submit a proposal that addresses the district’s specific needs and speak to the district’s unique challenges. Finally, a Q&A process also allows vendors to ask questions that help them provide an accurate pricing quote. For example, factors such as number of buildings, enrollment numbers, and number of staff users may impact the pricing provided.
By keeping these tips in mind, schools and districts can ensure that the RFP process empowers stakeholders, articulates the full and nuanced spectrum of needs, and ultimately results in the chosen resource or platform meeting the specific needs of the students, staff, and district. A little work upfront can save years of frustration and disappointment and dramatically increase the likelihood for successful outcomes.
If your district is looking for a place to start, or is in, an RFP process for a College and Career Readiness Platform. We recommend checking out our downloadable Guide to Choosing a College and Career Readiness Platform.
District leaders have a responsibility to ensure that students and staff have access to instructional resources that are of high quality and support student success. In order to bring such instructional materials to schools, school districts undertake a variety of selection and purchasing procedures. Procurement processes vary from district to district, and one of the most common processes is the Request for Proposal (RFP). The processes are often tied to the federal, state, and local tax funds which will pay for the particular resource, service, or vendor. Many public funds include significant regulatory constraints. While funding from non-public entities, are not bound by the same statutory framework, and any guidance on utilizing such funds is set by local school board policy, if at all. But it is the public funding which provides the vast majority of the budget for schools. Therefore, school districts must ensure that the identification, consideration, and selection of materials is done in a public, auditable, and vendor-neutral procurement process.
The road to success or failure of many initiatives within a school or district begins at the development of the Request For Proposal (RFP) by district personnel. RFPs should identify a specific challenge, need, goal, or broader ambition from within a district or school. Their purpose is to invite vendors or providers to propose how they will address, solve, and meet the needs of the district. RFPs are formal legal documents that typically have a district template that has been reviewed by the legal counsel office and are issued by the district’s procurement office. Most importantly, the description of the required material or service should be developed by the department or school that will oversee the implementation of the selected solution.
When looking for a new CCR platform or other CCR resource, use the suggestions below as a framework for the RFP process. These tips are similar to the general practices of good project management: articulate the steps to be taken, create calendars with deadlines, ensure all relevant parties are involved, create evaluation rubrics simultaneously with the described requirements, and monitor the progress to make needed adjustments.
Provide a description of why the district is looking to procure the good or service.
The RFP should begin with a narrative description of why the good or service is being sought as this provides context and clarity for responding vendors. Their improved understanding of the district's experience will result in more accurate proposals.
When defining needs and outcomes, be as specific as possible.
As mentioned earlier, it is the responsibility of the implementing department to articulate the requirements of the resource that is being procured, and it is important that the RFP reflects the nuances of the district’s unique and specific needs. When defining the needs in an RFP, be precise and consider the goals of implementing the CCR platform or resource, specific functional needs, reporting capabilities, user experience requirements, interoperability and compatibility needs, language and translation requirements, and any other components that are important for your district or school. Include examples of use cases for how the platform will be utilized in schools or with students. The quality of these articulated needs directly impacts how closely the outcomes fit the goals.
Ensure all relevant stakeholders are included in the review committee.
All too often, RFP review committees leave out authentic user experience feedback. Seeking input from those stakeholder groups–including students, counselors, and educators–is critical in ensuring districts select a platform that will add significant value to the student experience, remove administrative burdens from counselor workload, and catalyze deep, thoughtful, and ongoing CCR planning and decision-making. It is also important to define how this feedback will be sought as the RFP is developed. Consider soliciting demo accounts as part of the RFP to allow students, counselors, and teachers to gain insights from firsthand experience.
Clearly establish evaluation criteria.
The rubric and scoring criteria should be co-developed with descriptions of expected product functionality, implementation details, ongoing support and training, and vendor reputation for delivering their proposed product and services.. Additional criteria may include submission of all required documents and forms,ease of the user interface, interoperability with other district data systems, presence of pre-defined reporting capabilities, options for customization, and cost. The scoring rubrics should be weighted into large categories reflecting the needs and priorities that necessitate the goods or services being procured. Providing the rubric within the RFP document helps vendors respond by highlighting the strengths and acknowledging their limitations of their proposed solution.
Communicate budgetary considerations.
It is important for districts to consider and define the role that price will play in the evaluation process. How will price be weighted among other factors in the scoring rubric? Will the final decision be based on the lowest price from respondents? Defining these priorities up front will not only help guide and inform the decision-making and evaluation process, but also provide transparency to responding vendors as they prepare and price their solution for your district
Ensure the RFP includes the total cost of implementation.
Beyond the price of a platform, resource, or subscription, there are many additional steps and potential associated costs that are necessary for implementation. Be sure to explicitly ask for all costs related to implementation including training and professional learning, customer support, customization preferences, and data security. You might also include estimates on product refresh schedules and related costs as well as future upgrades and modular add-ons to understand the entire financial picture of a particular platform or product.
Be sure to check references.
The lived experiences of other districts can provide unmatched information and insights into the impact a product can have in practice. Make sure to ask for references in an RFP and take care to thoroughly check the references provided. Have a consistent pair or team of individuals who represent relevant content areas talk with the references. For instance, you might have a representative from IT and counseling participate in calls regarding a CCR platform. Just as a rubric is used to evaluate proposals, use a standard set of questions answered in these conversations to allow for fair comparisons. Ask questions that will highlight any concerns or red flags from other districts’ experiences.
Consider holding a pre-bid meeting and Q&A process.
By holding a pre-bid meeting, the district can explain its intentions and processes, and answer questions from vendors.. Include an opportunity for vendors to submit a list of questions to clarify any points of the RFP. This also helps vendors ensure they submit a proposal that addresses the district’s specific needs and speak to the district’s unique challenges. Finally, a Q&A process also allows vendors to ask questions that help them provide an accurate pricing quote. For example, factors such as number of buildings, enrollment numbers, and number of staff users may impact the pricing provided.
By keeping these tips in mind, schools and districts can ensure that the RFP process empowers stakeholders, articulates the full and nuanced spectrum of needs, and ultimately results in the chosen resource or platform meeting the specific needs of the students, staff, and district. A little work upfront can save years of frustration and disappointment and dramatically increase the likelihood for successful outcomes.
If your district is looking for a place to start, or is in, an RFP process for a College and Career Readiness Platform. We recommend checking out our downloadable Guide to Choosing a College and Career Readiness Platform.
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District leaders have a responsibility to ensure that students and staff have access to instructional resources that are of high quality and support student success. In order to bring such instructional materials to schools, school districts undertake a variety of selection and purchasing procedures. Procurement processes vary from district to district, and one of the most common processes is the Request for Proposal (RFP). The processes are often tied to the federal, state, and local tax funds which will pay for the particular resource, service, or vendor. Many public funds include significant regulatory constraints. While funding from non-public entities, are not bound by the same statutory framework, and any guidance on utilizing such funds is set by local school board policy, if at all. But it is the public funding which provides the vast majority of the budget for schools. Therefore, school districts must ensure that the identification, consideration, and selection of materials is done in a public, auditable, and vendor-neutral procurement process.
The road to success or failure of many initiatives within a school or district begins at the development of the Request For Proposal (RFP) by district personnel. RFPs should identify a specific challenge, need, goal, or broader ambition from within a district or school. Their purpose is to invite vendors or providers to propose how they will address, solve, and meet the needs of the district. RFPs are formal legal documents that typically have a district template that has been reviewed by the legal counsel office and are issued by the district’s procurement office. Most importantly, the description of the required material or service should be developed by the department or school that will oversee the implementation of the selected solution.
When looking for a new CCR platform or other CCR resource, use the suggestions below as a framework for the RFP process. These tips are similar to the general practices of good project management: articulate the steps to be taken, create calendars with deadlines, ensure all relevant parties are involved, create evaluation rubrics simultaneously with the described requirements, and monitor the progress to make needed adjustments.
Provide a description of why the district is looking to procure the good or service.
The RFP should begin with a narrative description of why the good or service is being sought as this provides context and clarity for responding vendors. Their improved understanding of the district's experience will result in more accurate proposals.
When defining needs and outcomes, be as specific as possible.
As mentioned earlier, it is the responsibility of the implementing department to articulate the requirements of the resource that is being procured, and it is important that the RFP reflects the nuances of the district’s unique and specific needs. When defining the needs in an RFP, be precise and consider the goals of implementing the CCR platform or resource, specific functional needs, reporting capabilities, user experience requirements, interoperability and compatibility needs, language and translation requirements, and any other components that are important for your district or school. Include examples of use cases for how the platform will be utilized in schools or with students. The quality of these articulated needs directly impacts how closely the outcomes fit the goals.
Ensure all relevant stakeholders are included in the review committee.
All too often, RFP review committees leave out authentic user experience feedback. Seeking input from those stakeholder groups–including students, counselors, and educators–is critical in ensuring districts select a platform that will add significant value to the student experience, remove administrative burdens from counselor workload, and catalyze deep, thoughtful, and ongoing CCR planning and decision-making. It is also important to define how this feedback will be sought as the RFP is developed. Consider soliciting demo accounts as part of the RFP to allow students, counselors, and teachers to gain insights from firsthand experience.
Clearly establish evaluation criteria.
The rubric and scoring criteria should be co-developed with descriptions of expected product functionality, implementation details, ongoing support and training, and vendor reputation for delivering their proposed product and services.. Additional criteria may include submission of all required documents and forms,ease of the user interface, interoperability with other district data systems, presence of pre-defined reporting capabilities, options for customization, and cost. The scoring rubrics should be weighted into large categories reflecting the needs and priorities that necessitate the goods or services being procured. Providing the rubric within the RFP document helps vendors respond by highlighting the strengths and acknowledging their limitations of their proposed solution.
Communicate budgetary considerations.
It is important for districts to consider and define the role that price will play in the evaluation process. How will price be weighted among other factors in the scoring rubric? Will the final decision be based on the lowest price from respondents? Defining these priorities up front will not only help guide and inform the decision-making and evaluation process, but also provide transparency to responding vendors as they prepare and price their solution for your district
Ensure the RFP includes the total cost of implementation.
Beyond the price of a platform, resource, or subscription, there are many additional steps and potential associated costs that are necessary for implementation. Be sure to explicitly ask for all costs related to implementation including training and professional learning, customer support, customization preferences, and data security. You might also include estimates on product refresh schedules and related costs as well as future upgrades and modular add-ons to understand the entire financial picture of a particular platform or product.
Be sure to check references.
The lived experiences of other districts can provide unmatched information and insights into the impact a product can have in practice. Make sure to ask for references in an RFP and take care to thoroughly check the references provided. Have a consistent pair or team of individuals who represent relevant content areas talk with the references. For instance, you might have a representative from IT and counseling participate in calls regarding a CCR platform. Just as a rubric is used to evaluate proposals, use a standard set of questions answered in these conversations to allow for fair comparisons. Ask questions that will highlight any concerns or red flags from other districts’ experiences.
Consider holding a pre-bid meeting and Q&A process.
By holding a pre-bid meeting, the district can explain its intentions and processes, and answer questions from vendors.. Include an opportunity for vendors to submit a list of questions to clarify any points of the RFP. This also helps vendors ensure they submit a proposal that addresses the district’s specific needs and speak to the district’s unique challenges. Finally, a Q&A process also allows vendors to ask questions that help them provide an accurate pricing quote. For example, factors such as number of buildings, enrollment numbers, and number of staff users may impact the pricing provided.
By keeping these tips in mind, schools and districts can ensure that the RFP process empowers stakeholders, articulates the full and nuanced spectrum of needs, and ultimately results in the chosen resource or platform meeting the specific needs of the students, staff, and district. A little work upfront can save years of frustration and disappointment and dramatically increase the likelihood for successful outcomes.
If your district is looking for a place to start, or is in, an RFP process for a College and Career Readiness Platform. We recommend checking out our downloadable Guide to Choosing a College and Career Readiness Platform.
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District leaders have a responsibility to ensure that students and staff have access to instructional resources that are of high quality and support student success. In order to bring such instructional materials to schools, school districts undertake a variety of selection and purchasing procedures. Procurement processes vary from district to district, and one of the most common processes is the Request for Proposal (RFP). The processes are often tied to the federal, state, and local tax funds which will pay for the particular resource, service, or vendor. Many public funds include significant regulatory constraints. While funding from non-public entities, are not bound by the same statutory framework, and any guidance on utilizing such funds is set by local school board policy, if at all. But it is the public funding which provides the vast majority of the budget for schools. Therefore, school districts must ensure that the identification, consideration, and selection of materials is done in a public, auditable, and vendor-neutral procurement process.
The road to success or failure of many initiatives within a school or district begins at the development of the Request For Proposal (RFP) by district personnel. RFPs should identify a specific challenge, need, goal, or broader ambition from within a district or school. Their purpose is to invite vendors or providers to propose how they will address, solve, and meet the needs of the district. RFPs are formal legal documents that typically have a district template that has been reviewed by the legal counsel office and are issued by the district’s procurement office. Most importantly, the description of the required material or service should be developed by the department or school that will oversee the implementation of the selected solution.
When looking for a new CCR platform or other CCR resource, use the suggestions below as a framework for the RFP process. These tips are similar to the general practices of good project management: articulate the steps to be taken, create calendars with deadlines, ensure all relevant parties are involved, create evaluation rubrics simultaneously with the described requirements, and monitor the progress to make needed adjustments.
Provide a description of why the district is looking to procure the good or service.
The RFP should begin with a narrative description of why the good or service is being sought as this provides context and clarity for responding vendors. Their improved understanding of the district's experience will result in more accurate proposals.
When defining needs and outcomes, be as specific as possible.
As mentioned earlier, it is the responsibility of the implementing department to articulate the requirements of the resource that is being procured, and it is important that the RFP reflects the nuances of the district’s unique and specific needs. When defining the needs in an RFP, be precise and consider the goals of implementing the CCR platform or resource, specific functional needs, reporting capabilities, user experience requirements, interoperability and compatibility needs, language and translation requirements, and any other components that are important for your district or school. Include examples of use cases for how the platform will be utilized in schools or with students. The quality of these articulated needs directly impacts how closely the outcomes fit the goals.
Ensure all relevant stakeholders are included in the review committee.
All too often, RFP review committees leave out authentic user experience feedback. Seeking input from those stakeholder groups–including students, counselors, and educators–is critical in ensuring districts select a platform that will add significant value to the student experience, remove administrative burdens from counselor workload, and catalyze deep, thoughtful, and ongoing CCR planning and decision-making. It is also important to define how this feedback will be sought as the RFP is developed. Consider soliciting demo accounts as part of the RFP to allow students, counselors, and teachers to gain insights from firsthand experience.
Clearly establish evaluation criteria.
The rubric and scoring criteria should be co-developed with descriptions of expected product functionality, implementation details, ongoing support and training, and vendor reputation for delivering their proposed product and services.. Additional criteria may include submission of all required documents and forms,ease of the user interface, interoperability with other district data systems, presence of pre-defined reporting capabilities, options for customization, and cost. The scoring rubrics should be weighted into large categories reflecting the needs and priorities that necessitate the goods or services being procured. Providing the rubric within the RFP document helps vendors respond by highlighting the strengths and acknowledging their limitations of their proposed solution.
Communicate budgetary considerations.
It is important for districts to consider and define the role that price will play in the evaluation process. How will price be weighted among other factors in the scoring rubric? Will the final decision be based on the lowest price from respondents? Defining these priorities up front will not only help guide and inform the decision-making and evaluation process, but also provide transparency to responding vendors as they prepare and price their solution for your district
Ensure the RFP includes the total cost of implementation.
Beyond the price of a platform, resource, or subscription, there are many additional steps and potential associated costs that are necessary for implementation. Be sure to explicitly ask for all costs related to implementation including training and professional learning, customer support, customization preferences, and data security. You might also include estimates on product refresh schedules and related costs as well as future upgrades and modular add-ons to understand the entire financial picture of a particular platform or product.
Be sure to check references.
The lived experiences of other districts can provide unmatched information and insights into the impact a product can have in practice. Make sure to ask for references in an RFP and take care to thoroughly check the references provided. Have a consistent pair or team of individuals who represent relevant content areas talk with the references. For instance, you might have a representative from IT and counseling participate in calls regarding a CCR platform. Just as a rubric is used to evaluate proposals, use a standard set of questions answered in these conversations to allow for fair comparisons. Ask questions that will highlight any concerns or red flags from other districts’ experiences.
Consider holding a pre-bid meeting and Q&A process.
By holding a pre-bid meeting, the district can explain its intentions and processes, and answer questions from vendors.. Include an opportunity for vendors to submit a list of questions to clarify any points of the RFP. This also helps vendors ensure they submit a proposal that addresses the district’s specific needs and speak to the district’s unique challenges. Finally, a Q&A process also allows vendors to ask questions that help them provide an accurate pricing quote. For example, factors such as number of buildings, enrollment numbers, and number of staff users may impact the pricing provided.
By keeping these tips in mind, schools and districts can ensure that the RFP process empowers stakeholders, articulates the full and nuanced spectrum of needs, and ultimately results in the chosen resource or platform meeting the specific needs of the students, staff, and district. A little work upfront can save years of frustration and disappointment and dramatically increase the likelihood for successful outcomes.
If your district is looking for a place to start, or is in, an RFP process for a College and Career Readiness Platform. We recommend checking out our downloadable Guide to Choosing a College and Career Readiness Platform.
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District leaders have a responsibility to ensure that students and staff have access to instructional resources that are of high quality and support student success. In order to bring such instructional materials to schools, school districts undertake a variety of selection and purchasing procedures. Procurement processes vary from district to district, and one of the most common processes is the Request for Proposal (RFP). The processes are often tied to the federal, state, and local tax funds which will pay for the particular resource, service, or vendor. Many public funds include significant regulatory constraints. While funding from non-public entities, are not bound by the same statutory framework, and any guidance on utilizing such funds is set by local school board policy, if at all. But it is the public funding which provides the vast majority of the budget for schools. Therefore, school districts must ensure that the identification, consideration, and selection of materials is done in a public, auditable, and vendor-neutral procurement process.
The road to success or failure of many initiatives within a school or district begins at the development of the Request For Proposal (RFP) by district personnel. RFPs should identify a specific challenge, need, goal, or broader ambition from within a district or school. Their purpose is to invite vendors or providers to propose how they will address, solve, and meet the needs of the district. RFPs are formal legal documents that typically have a district template that has been reviewed by the legal counsel office and are issued by the district’s procurement office. Most importantly, the description of the required material or service should be developed by the department or school that will oversee the implementation of the selected solution.
When looking for a new CCR platform or other CCR resource, use the suggestions below as a framework for the RFP process. These tips are similar to the general practices of good project management: articulate the steps to be taken, create calendars with deadlines, ensure all relevant parties are involved, create evaluation rubrics simultaneously with the described requirements, and monitor the progress to make needed adjustments.
Provide a description of why the district is looking to procure the good or service.
The RFP should begin with a narrative description of why the good or service is being sought as this provides context and clarity for responding vendors. Their improved understanding of the district's experience will result in more accurate proposals.
When defining needs and outcomes, be as specific as possible.
As mentioned earlier, it is the responsibility of the implementing department to articulate the requirements of the resource that is being procured, and it is important that the RFP reflects the nuances of the district’s unique and specific needs. When defining the needs in an RFP, be precise and consider the goals of implementing the CCR platform or resource, specific functional needs, reporting capabilities, user experience requirements, interoperability and compatibility needs, language and translation requirements, and any other components that are important for your district or school. Include examples of use cases for how the platform will be utilized in schools or with students. The quality of these articulated needs directly impacts how closely the outcomes fit the goals.
Ensure all relevant stakeholders are included in the review committee.
All too often, RFP review committees leave out authentic user experience feedback. Seeking input from those stakeholder groups–including students, counselors, and educators–is critical in ensuring districts select a platform that will add significant value to the student experience, remove administrative burdens from counselor workload, and catalyze deep, thoughtful, and ongoing CCR planning and decision-making. It is also important to define how this feedback will be sought as the RFP is developed. Consider soliciting demo accounts as part of the RFP to allow students, counselors, and teachers to gain insights from firsthand experience.
Clearly establish evaluation criteria.
The rubric and scoring criteria should be co-developed with descriptions of expected product functionality, implementation details, ongoing support and training, and vendor reputation for delivering their proposed product and services.. Additional criteria may include submission of all required documents and forms,ease of the user interface, interoperability with other district data systems, presence of pre-defined reporting capabilities, options for customization, and cost. The scoring rubrics should be weighted into large categories reflecting the needs and priorities that necessitate the goods or services being procured. Providing the rubric within the RFP document helps vendors respond by highlighting the strengths and acknowledging their limitations of their proposed solution.
Communicate budgetary considerations.
It is important for districts to consider and define the role that price will play in the evaluation process. How will price be weighted among other factors in the scoring rubric? Will the final decision be based on the lowest price from respondents? Defining these priorities up front will not only help guide and inform the decision-making and evaluation process, but also provide transparency to responding vendors as they prepare and price their solution for your district
Ensure the RFP includes the total cost of implementation.
Beyond the price of a platform, resource, or subscription, there are many additional steps and potential associated costs that are necessary for implementation. Be sure to explicitly ask for all costs related to implementation including training and professional learning, customer support, customization preferences, and data security. You might also include estimates on product refresh schedules and related costs as well as future upgrades and modular add-ons to understand the entire financial picture of a particular platform or product.
Be sure to check references.
The lived experiences of other districts can provide unmatched information and insights into the impact a product can have in practice. Make sure to ask for references in an RFP and take care to thoroughly check the references provided. Have a consistent pair or team of individuals who represent relevant content areas talk with the references. For instance, you might have a representative from IT and counseling participate in calls regarding a CCR platform. Just as a rubric is used to evaluate proposals, use a standard set of questions answered in these conversations to allow for fair comparisons. Ask questions that will highlight any concerns or red flags from other districts’ experiences.
Consider holding a pre-bid meeting and Q&A process.
By holding a pre-bid meeting, the district can explain its intentions and processes, and answer questions from vendors.. Include an opportunity for vendors to submit a list of questions to clarify any points of the RFP. This also helps vendors ensure they submit a proposal that addresses the district’s specific needs and speak to the district’s unique challenges. Finally, a Q&A process also allows vendors to ask questions that help them provide an accurate pricing quote. For example, factors such as number of buildings, enrollment numbers, and number of staff users may impact the pricing provided.
By keeping these tips in mind, schools and districts can ensure that the RFP process empowers stakeholders, articulates the full and nuanced spectrum of needs, and ultimately results in the chosen resource or platform meeting the specific needs of the students, staff, and district. A little work upfront can save years of frustration and disappointment and dramatically increase the likelihood for successful outcomes.
If your district is looking for a place to start, or is in, an RFP process for a College and Career Readiness Platform. We recommend checking out our downloadable Guide to Choosing a College and Career Readiness Platform.
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