.pdf of RFP ----------------------------- Contents: Documents: This document contains a cover letter for this RFP as well as describes the goals, deliverables and process of the RFP. 'rtt_platform_course_spec.doc' describes the existing course which is to be ported to the new platforms along with the requirements. [also available as a pdf: rtt_platform_course_spec.pdf ] 'rtt_platform_phase2.doc' describes our goal for Phase II development. [also available as a pdf: rtt_platform_phase2.pdf ] 'rtt_platform_vendor.doc' contains a sample Concord Consortium vendor agreement. [also available as a pdf: rtt_platform_vendor.pdf ] Folders: 'content' contains the BlackBoard course materials for the course to be ported. 'doc' contains documentation for elements of the course. ----------------------------- Note:  Answers to e-mail questions appear at the end of this RFP. May 20, 2004 Dear Bidder, The Concord Consortium (www.concord.org) is a nonprofit educational research and development organization based in Concord, Massachusetts. The Concord Consortium creates interactive materials that exploit the power of information technologies. The primary goal of our work is digital equity – improving technology-based learning opportunities for all students. As part of this work, the Concord Consortium is developing online courses in mathematics for teachers of high school algebra called Ready to Teach (RTT), funded by the U.S. Department of Education (see: http://RTT.pbs.org/RTT/). The Concord Consortium desires to explore open and community-source course delivery platforms that can meet the unique needs of this project. In Phase I of developing this platform, we are inviting bids from one or more interested parties for a demonstration, specification of transfer of existing materials, and a description how your group might meet our Phase II needs.  We intend to fund up to four Phase I proposals with a budget maximum of $40,000. The successful contractor will develop a demonstration of a platform by porting the materials for an existing RTT course and specifying their strategy to accomplish our Phase II goals.  In addition to the platform goals described in the document: rtt_platform_phase2.doc we are interested in the, development schedule, costs, licensing terms, and hosting options for a transfer of the Ready to Teach course materials to a new platform. To assist you in completing the RFP process described below, we have provided the following documents: -       Request for Proposal: rtt_platform_rfp.doc -       Description of the existing materials: rtt_platform_course_spec.doc -       Our goals for Phase II: rtt_platform_phase2.doc -       Vendor Agreement Template -       folder of content materials: content/ -       folder of documentation of materials: doc/ Please review the proposal process carefully and submit any questions that you have to rfp-rtt-platform@concord.org before submitting your bid. Answers will be shared with all invited bidders via the website.   Note the requirements in the section called “3. RFP Process.” All the components describe there must be submitted within your proposal in order for it to be considered, we will not review proposals that do not contain this information.   Thank you for your consideration.  We look forward to receiving your proposal. Sincerely, Robert Tinker, President                         Request for Proposals Ready To Teach Platform Research and Development May 20, 2004 Table of Contents 1. INTRODUCTION          2. SCOPE OF WORK                 3. RFP PROCESS           APPENDIX         A.      rtt_platform_phase2.doc B.      rtt_platform_course_spec.doc C.      PROJECT VENDOR AGREEMENT         1.      Introduction to Concord Consortium and Project The Concord Consortium (www.concord.org) is a nonprofit educational research and development organization based in Concord, Massachusetts. The Concord Consortium creates interactive materials that exploit the power of information technologies. The primary goal of our work is digital equity – improving technology-based learning opportunities for all students. As part of this work, the Concord Consortium is developing online courses in mathematics for teachers of high school algebra called Ready to Teach (RTT), funded by the U.S. Department of Education (see: http://RTT.pbs.org/RTT/). The Concord Consortium desires to explore course delivery platforms that can meet the unique needs of this project. RTT is designed to be offered during the academic year to teachers just before they actually teach the content addressed in the online course. Because different teachers have different course sequences, treatments, and schedules, we need to be able to adjust the content and schedule of the online course accordingly. When fully implemented, teachers who enroll in the online course will be grouped into sections by the content and schedule they teach, and different versions of RTT will be created and delivered to these groups. We therefore need the platform to support easy modification of the course resources to create instances of the course that match the needs of different teacher participants. 2. Scope of Work Basic Description of Needs CC is seeking an online open source course delivery, content management, and administration platform that can be used to deploy online courses to up to 50,000 users, manage the content that that makes up the courses and handle the administration, registering, and billing related to the courses.  We are looking for software that is robust, flexible, secure, standards-compliant, accessible (http://www.section508.gov/), multi-lingual, (and economically feasible to use for large-scale implementations. Our interest is in open source solutions however we will consider closed source solutions if they have some type of community-IP license arrangement. Ready to Teach (RTT) is an asynchronous, scheduled set of resources for online courses for teachers that depend critically on moderated online discussions and the integration of visually and pedagogically rich Java-based Algebra Interactives. The course resources consist of modules, each lasting three weeks during which participating teachers spend anywhere from four to six  hours per week in a variety of learning activities. The course learning objects consist of text, video clips, Java applications, a schedule, discussion areas, and various assessment tools. In the future the Java Algebra Interactives will have the ability to record user actions and relay implicit and explicit assessments to the learning management system. This content is currently delivered using the BlackBoard course delivery platform.  The RTT modules currently use the following capacities of the BB system:  Hierarchical access (folders) to named content resources  Threaded discussions  Assignment drop box The following additional capabilities are provide by external web-based services: streaming and downloaded video clips and Java-based Algebra Interactives. In Phase I of developing this platform, we are inviting bids from one or more interested parties for a demonstration, specification of transfer of existing materials, and a description how your group can meet our Phase II needs. Our Phase II requirements and goals are described in the document: rtt_platform_phase2.doc.  This document is NOT complete but is a description of best judgments at this time.  After the Phase I projects are complete CC intends to complete a process with our partners at PBS/Teacherline to finish specifying our needs for our next generation course platform and generate a new RFP for the Phase II work. In general completion of this Phase I RFP is designed to allow us to evaluate the proposed course deployment system by porting an existing RTT course: Algebra I: Linear Functions, Transformations, and Equations.   Phase II will add additional requirements to the course deployment functionality of the platform as well as specifying capabilities in content management and administration.  In the end we need a deployment platform that can serve 50,000 learners with online math courses embedded with rich Java Interactives and video clips. Summary of Phase II Goals In the future CC needs a person called a “course builder” to be able to easily create instances of the course that are based on the course learning objects. In particular, we need a course builder to be able to select certain modules, optionally expand or contract each by changing the assignments, place the selected, modified modules in a sequence, create a master schedule and assignment document for this sequence that is tied to specific dates, assign a teacher, a moderator, and participants to the course, and launch the course. As a course is run, we want to be able to control which resources and what parts of the schedule are visible to the user at any one time. We would also like the course builder to be able to continue to modify the course as it is being given to adjust to unanticipated needs and opportunities. We need to be able to run multiple, different instances of the course at the same time on different schedules. The delivery software must provide secure participant access to an instance of a course. Participant registration must be easy and accurate. Participant performance data must be collected and made available selectively to teachers, moderators, participants, and researchers. Facilities are needed for participants to drop off assignments (that cannot then be altered), teachers to grade and annotate assignments, and return these assignments to students. Assignments need to be related to course goals and learning standards so that participant achievement can be easily related to the goals and standards. The course needs to create a permanent record of student assessments, along with the course schedule and other relevant data. Teacher participants in the online course should be able to create online materials for their students, using resources in the course, including the Java Interactives, text, and assessments. These online materials should be available to participants permanently. Please refer to the document: rtt_platform_phase2.doc for a more detailed specification of our goals for Phase II. Deliverables CC is seeking a course platform with the capacities described above that can be maintained and deployed by the Concord Consortium. We need access to the source code and the right to modify and augment that code and use the modified versions for this course. We need the right to host this platform or contract with others to host it. We need to know the financial and licensing arrangements that would apply to the proposed platform. Phase I will have the following deliverables: 1.      Demonstration. The demonstration would consist of transferring the content of the existing RTT course: Algebra I: Linear Functions, Transformations, and Equations to the proposed course deployment system.  This course consists of one overview module, three Linear Functions modules, a one-week "closing week" module, 28 video clips, and four Java Interactives.  Each module is scheduled for three weeks and student interaction consists of reading material, viewing video clips, using java applet math Interactives, completing and uploading written assignments, and participating in discussions. The complete content of the existing course and requirements for the demonstration deliverable are described in the document: rtt_platform_course_spec.doc. The successful contractor will perform this transfer, demonstrate the resulting module running online. 2.      Access to Source Code. The contractor will provide access to all the source code for implementing the content management, deployment, and administrative elements of the platform under either an open source license or under a previously agreed upon community-source license.  Licensing for all elements of the platform must be listed and fully disclosed. 3.      Access to Ported Content Objects.  The contractor will provide administrative and editor access to the ported learning content objects. 4.      XML Export and Import. The platform will provide the functionality to export the learning content objects of a course into an XML file and import from the same file.  The schema for the XML structure must be documented.  A standards-based approach is desirable. 5.      Transfer. The contractor will develop a plan and procedure for porting similar RTT courses into this new platform. 6.      Phase II description. The successful contractor(s) will describe how their platform could be extended to meet the Phase II goals and objectives. This description must specify the platform licensing agreement, the cost of hosting, if available, and the cost and schedule of any transfer activities. Instructions for viewing the RTT course Algebra I: Linear Functions, Transformations, and Equations and methods to access to all learning objects required for the demonstration are included in the document: rtt_platform_course_spec.doc. Phase I proposals which are funded must be completed no later than August 13, 2004. At that time CC will evaluate the results and consider how to best achieve our Phase II goals. The winning contractor(s) will not proceed to Phase II. CC is under no obligation to explain to its contractor(s) its reasons for not pursuing Phase II. CC is requiring a two-page statement of work from qualified vendors that contains the following: 1.      Cost, specification, and schedule of deliverables for Phase I 2.      URL pointing to demonstrations of the platform. 3.      Description of the proposed demonstration. 4.      Discussion of the manner in which the contractor will undertake the porting of the course. 5.      Description of the terms and schedule for Phase II. Proposals for Phase I proposals will be accepted until 5PM EST, June 4, 2004. Proposals must be sent by email to: rfp-rtt-platform@concord.org. Award of a contract for this first phase will be based on the following criteria: 1.      Match of the proposed platform capacity to the needs described above. 2.      Estimated costs of transfer into, and development with, the new platform. 3.      Long-term licensing costs. 4.      Viability of the codebase and development community. CC anticipates making between one and four awards by June 11, 2004.   3. RFP Process Due Date: June 4, 2004 Proposal responses are due by 5 PM EST on June 4, 2004. Bidders must agree to the terms of the attached standard Project Vendor  Agreement  (Appendix A). Cover Page Please include a cover page that contains a single point of contact as well as organizational contact information. Proposal Narrative The proposal narrative must include the following items or the proposal will not be considered. 1.      Detailed statement of work 2.      Proposed licensing of the platform source code 3.      Proposed Timeline 4.      Proposed Budget Evidence of Qualifications The Bidder must show evidence of expertise pertinent to the project. A minimum of three relevant references is required. In addition, proposals must provide a resume and description of the experience for the personnel that will be assigned to perform services for each set of tasks. Describe the responsibilities of each member of the team and summarize the key qualifications related to each member’s responsibilities. Budget Plan and Budget Narrative The budget for Phase I may not exceed $40,000 Note:  CC can only contract for the current project year (through September 30, 2004). Work in future funding periods is dependant upon available funds.   You must submit a budget showing an itemized breakdown of requested funds.  Attach a budget narrative that provides an explanation of the costs and payment schedule. Payment should be tied to a deliverable whenever possible. Each proposal should designate one person responsible as the fiscal agent. Property Rights CC requires that all modifications done to the supplied RTT course materials and learning objects be created on a “work-for-hire” basis, and that CC own all intellectual property rights in these deliverables. Bidders who own preexisting materials, and wish to repurpose such materials for the requested deliverables, must provide CC and the U.S. Department of Education with perpetual, royalty-free rights to use and modify the preexisting materials as incorporated in the work-for hire final deliverable. Note that the deliverables as specified here do not include the source code for the actual platform.   Review Process A panel of CC staff and consultants will evaluate proposals and make recommendations for awarding a contract. Applicants will be notified by June 15, 2004. Submission The official release date of this document is May 20, 2004.  Bidders wishing to have their quotations considered for implementation by CC will submit them no later than 5 pm EST on June 4, 2004 to: by email to rfp-rtt-platform@concord.org Electronic submissions are required. CC is not responsible for the cost of respondents’ efforts associated with developing their responses to the RFP. CC does not guarantee a selection will be made or a resulting project will ensue. This RFP is not intended to restrict in any way CC’s right to reject any quote submitted in response to this RFP or to negotiate an agreement with one or more contractors that will best serve the needs and interests of CC. CC reserves the right to reject quotes for any reason including late delivery or incompleteness. By submitting a proposal, the Bidder is representing that they have not been debarred, suspended or otherwise excluded from obtaining Federal contracts in accordance with EOS 12549 and 12689.   Questions All questions regarding this RFP should be submitted via email only to rfp-rtt-platform@concord.org. However, questions will not be answered individually as they are received. Instead, all questions and corresponding answers will be maintained on the web page; http://fc.concord.org/rfp/ This web page will be made public and updated daily.  CC will restate all questions and will make every effort to keep the originator(s) anonymous. However, because of the use of email, you cannot assume any privacy to or from CC email systems. Submission of questions as well as requests to receive responses to questions will be accepted through June 4, 2004.   E-mail Questions and Answers: Question: The RFP is written in terms of "vendor" - please let us know if  different conditions and agreements apply for university groups. Answer: The same conditions and agreements apply will apply to any group we work with. Question: Our process is to make all of our community aware of this opportunity through our online forums, but then to offer our feedback on proposed responses to vendors. This helps our most qualified vendors put the best foot forward in opportunities like this.   I'd like to make sure you are aware of this process and comfortable with it. Answer: We are not specifically aware of your process but we encourage any and all forms of community discussion of our RFP, it's goals and how your community may want to respond. Question: What do you mean by "Open source solution"? Is this to mean that CC has full control and owns the source code and all materials produced during the project development? Answer: By open source we mean copyrighted software that has been licensed either to us or from us with one of the approved open source licenses as defined by the Open Source Initiative (OSI) here: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/ For this RFP we are not making claims of copyright on the software to be developed as part of funded proposals.  We do make copyright and ownership claims on any derivations created from our learning content and objects. However we do require a license arrangement by which we are able to extend, host, and contract to host the platform.  We state a preference for open source license arrangements to achieve these goals and the degree to which a proposal is based on open source software will be a factor in our decision. Question: Are there a prerequisites or preferences regarding the technology to be used to build the application? If we were to submit a proposal using .NET and SQL, would that as acceptable as a proposal using a Java solution? We understand there is some Java requirements, but the bulk of the app would be developed in .NET. Answer: There are no requirements specifying the technology.  It is in our interest to have access to a platform technology which we can extend and integrate with our ongoing work.  Much of our current work is in Java. Question: Is June 4 the absolute deadline or is there room for an extension? We would like to have our architects take some time to look at this. Answer: June 4 is the deadline for proposals responding to this RFP. Question: I do not see any information on the allowable indirect cost rate.  Is our Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost rate allowable? Answer: A Federally Negotiated Indirect Cost rate is allowable.   Question: It would be quite helpful if the description documents were in a format that we could read more easily, such as PDF, HTML or plain text. Answer: We have made pdf copies of all of the word documents that make up this RFP.  The first three are available as additional links at the top of the online RFP:  rtt_platform_course_spec.pdf  rtt_platform_phase2.pdf  rtt_platform_vendor.pdf The last pdf file is available in the 'doc' folder:  doc/SaveStateAsImageRTTInt.pdf Question: Do I understand correctly that you intend to have up to four parallel (but separate) vendors work on this each up to $40k?  Or, is the $40k the total available for all four of the possible Phase I contract awards? Answer: Depending on the quality of proposals we receive we may award funding for up to four proposals.  The total funding for all proposals will be no more than $160,000. Question: To better accommodate components of your courses, we may implement new features within our platform.  It is mandatory that any feature additions we would implement in the framework of a potential agreement with and funding by the Concord Consortium would developed under the following agreements: a) can be freely distributed to others under our existing GNU General Public License b) can be mentioned, described, and used in any publications without explicit mention and approval by the Concord Consortium The vendor agreement would likely need to be extended to explicitly state these rights, or an addendum would need to be agreed on. Is this acceptable to the Concord Consortium? Answer: Clauses a and b above fit perfectly with the goals of this RFP.  Our vendor agreement has not been used in the past for work involving open source software.  If necessary the vendor agreement will be modified or an addendum created to accomplish these goals. Question: Will Phase 1 proposals that exceed $40k be accepted?  We are unlikely to be able to offer a solution for less than $40k. Answer: The maximum amount awarded to a single proposal in Phase 1 will be $40,000.  We encourage possible vendors to consider submitting proposals that accomplish the most important goals listed in the RFP and to describe how goals and objectives that cannot be accomplished in Phase 1 could be accomplished in Phase 2. We encourage Phase 1 proposals to use the IP affordances of open source software development to integrate work from multiple sources.  The Phase 2 goals are much more extensive than the Phase 1 goals.  In order to efficiently accomplish these goals it may be practical to collaboratively combine work from two or more development groups.   Question: Are you looking to replace the java applets for the RTT Platform or are can the vendor use the existing applets in their solutions?  Answer: We developed the Java applets ourselves and intend to keep using them in whatever platform we deploy Ready To Teach courseware.