Technical Assistance for 21st Century Community Learning Centers Grantees

The purpose of this RFP is to enter into a contract with a qualified Offeror to develop and sustain a comprehensive professional development and learning system for 70-90 - 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) afterschool and summer programs.

The Utah State Board of Education (USBE) Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and Related State Initiatives team seeks an educational partner to develop and sustain a comprehensive professional development and learning system for 70-90 - 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) afterschool and summer programs. The partner will provide varied training and technical assistance to ensure programs are high quality and meet the needs of all youth, and 21st CCLC grant requirements.

USBE currently oversees 18 21st CCLC grantees operating 86 program sites. New cohorts are added every other year through a competitive process, and each grantee cycle lasts four to five years. 21st CCLC is federally funded by the U.S. Department of Education under Title IV-B of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

**A. External Observations:** The vendor will conduct external observations for every 21st CCLC program site twice during each site's grant cycle using both the Youth and School-aged Program Quality Assessment (PQA) tools through the Weikart Forum for Youth Investment (Weikart Forum). [...] will average 30-50 observations a year. The vendor will ensure their staff are certified to conduct the observations by the Weikart Center Forum and recertify as needed.

**B. Quality Assessments and Goals:** The vendor will provide an evidence-based self-assessment around program quality for sub-grantee sites to complete annually in the fall, which will inform the sub-grantees' goals for the year. The vendor staff will collect the self-assessments each fall and provide support and coaching as needed to sub-grantee and site staff in meeting their goals.

**C. Local Site Visits:** The vendor will conduct local site visits to sub-grantee program sites as needed based on PQA scores, training needs, risk, and goals.

**D. Sub-grantee Requested TA:** The vendor will provide both virtual and in-person training with sub-grantees. The vendor must be able to provide resources and information on requested topics from sub-grantees.

**E. Annual Conference:** The vendor will plan and execute at least one conference annually for 21st CCLC sub-grantees and should prepare for at least 100-300 people. It should be in-person and at least one 8-hour day. The vendor will secure a venue in Utah and facilitators for keynote and breakout sessions.

**F. Contract Monthly Check-ins and Annual Reports:** The vendor will meet monthly with the 21st CCLC Specialist to discuss progress on each deliverable and how they can work together to support grantees. The vendor will provide the 21st CCLC Specialist with written descriptions of any updates or concerns about the program sites. The vendor will provide the 21st CCLC Specialist with an annual summary of their work.

All deliverables and systems should support the USBE Strategic Plan Goals.

The vendor will not collect or handle student-level data.

Proposals must be submitted electronically through Utah Public Procurement Place ("U3P") by the close date and time published. Proposals not submitted through U3P will not be considered.

The contract resulting from this RFP will be for **five (5) years**. The maximum contract budget is **$260,000 per year, $1,300,000.00**. Cost proposals exceeding these identified amounts will be considered non-responsive and ineligible for contract award.

The cost proposal must be submitted on a separate page or document than the technical proposal. Offeror must upload and submit a completed *Cost Proposal Form*.

It is anticipated this RFP will result in a single contract award to the responsive and responsible vendor with the highest score justified by the Procurement Code.

Proposals that do not meet the **mandatory** minimum requirements will be deemed non-responsive and disqualified. Minimum required score threshold is 65%. Interviews or presentations, if requested by USBE, will be **mandatory**.