COF: Assessing, Analyzing and Improving the Role of our Current Learning Technologies in Student Success FORMAL RFP I. GENERAL INFORMATION: Colleges of the Fenway ( COF ), is a consortium of six (6) colleges in the Boston area: Emmanuel College, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Massachusetts Colleges of Pharmacy and Health Sciences University, Simmons College, Wheelock College, and Wentworth Institute of Technology. COF is a 501c3 organization. We are seeking consultative services that will provide the colleges with practical ways to enhance teaching and learning and to better leverage the tools we currently have in place. Collectively the colleges have spent a considerable amount of money on learning management systems and other learning technologies. One of the common themes though, is the recognition that these systems and tools are underutilized. We are looking for a respondent/consultant that can help us to better leverage and improve the use of these existing systems, and benchmark our activity to create and demonstrate greater success for both students and instructors, to provide an audit of what is working and not working and how to more effectively use the tools at our disposal. The intent of this RFP is to address what is outlined below and its focus is primarily consultative not on a new technology solution. As historical reference it may help the respondent to know that initially the colleges all used the same learning management system and over time have moved in different directions. a. The selected respondent will supply the colleges with data collection and analysis, a presentation of the data that will identify and compare trends, identify effective practices, and competencies as well as provide and benchmark the activities that lead to increases in successful student outcomes and make recommendations for additional activities. b. Reviewing Group and Decision Makers: The COF review committee is comprised of subject matter specialists as available through a standing Committee or a subset of delegates. For this RFP the working committee is the Academic Technology Committee members and a representative COF staff member, the Senior Director of Operations and Collaborative Services. Goals: The colleges are seeking services to enhance teaching and learning. The campuses have differing needs, and Section II outlines the various services of interest to some or all of the colleges. Services must be vendor neutral, as different colleges use different platforms. For this RFP they are seeking to understand how to better utilize the tools they have in place. Scope of Work: One key to student success depends on unlocking the full potential of academic technologies. The Colleges of the Fenway are looking to work with a company or consultant that will provide the colleges 1
with deep analysis of data collected and opportunities to create efficiencies through implementing best practices and that foster inter-campus collaboration. It is the vision of the Colleges of the Fenway that the work for this project is done over three years. An outline of the suggested three year timeline is as follows: YEAR ONE Collect data, establish a baseline that includes the relationship of our LMS and standards of success such as retention, graduation rates, enrollments, etc. Identify effective practices and minimum standards report findings and gather feedback. YEAR TWO Complete analysis of trend data and develop plan, identify common themes, share information and incorporate feedback, integration with teaching and learning conference, select workshop topics and speakers to offer expertise. YEAR THREE Implement recommendations, assess by gathering feedback from faculty and students, present findings and recommended key areas to increase adoptions and competency, plan for further assessment and sustainability. This Request for Proposals (RFP) states the instructions for submitting proposals and the procedure and criteria by which a respondent may be selected: c. Definition of Parties: The Colleges of the Fenway and others collectively, will be referred to as COF. The COF Committee will be referred to as Committee. Respondents to the RFP will be referred to as Respondents. d. Response Requirements: Respondents are asked to replicate the sequence of the outline and follow the same numbering convention for each response. II. Desired Services 1. Please state respondent s service capabilities and any requirements in each of the following areas: a. Advise and assist the COF with identifying relevant data types to be collected and analyzed to provide insight into the current effectiveness of specific aspects of learning management systems (LMS) used by COF. b. Advise and assist the COF on typical heuristics and standards for measuring learning effectiveness, e.g., grading data, time on task, retention, and the like. c. Define how to collect, standardize, and analyze the data from multiple learning management systems together with related user data. 2
d. Identify data trends, and where practicable, present trend information that is comparable to national data trends. e. Identify effective learning management and student success practices using agreed-upon criteria jointly developed by the Committee and selected respondent. f. Establish minimum standards and/or competencies for faculty use of learning management tools. Other services and requirements: g. Describe the respondent s ability to be neutral with regard to the separate major learning management systems and the related platforms each college uses. Specifically, how the respondent would collect, standardize and compare data taken from several different learning management and student information systems. h. Describe the respondent s ability to evaluate usage of an LMS in the context of highly experiential or non-traditional disciplines or areas of study and how this would be done. i. Describe the respondent s ability to provide a dedicated resource for the first 12 months of the engagement and time allocation. III. Communication and Support Services a. What kind of training would the respondent recommend? b. Would the selected respondent conduct an onsite audit? If so, how would that work? c. What kind of reporting is provided? Can the selected respondent provide project status reports? Quarterly/annual reports? (please provide a sample) IV. Billing Model a. Describe the billing schedule b. Indicate any cost savings related to working for the consortium V. Other baseline services outlined must include: a. Method available for problem resolution should it occur b. Escalation path if available c. Key contact(s) 3
VI. Respondent References: A list of three (3) business references is required. These references should be employers/colleges your firm has done business with in the past year on projects with a similar scope to this one (for this project, the colleges are particularly interested in hearing from other local colleges and universities). a. Evaluation Criteria: Proposals will be evaluated on many criteria deemed to be in COF s best interests, including, but not limited to: the ability to meet specifications and contract start date of 4/1/16, responsiveness to terms and conditions, financial stability of respondent, cost to COF member institutions, procedures and policies of respondents, availability of personnel and references. b. Communication with COF: It is the responsibility of the Respondent to inquire about any requirement of this RFP that is not understood. Responses to inquiries, if they change or clarify the RFP in a substantial manner, will be forwarded to all parties that have received a copy of the RFP. Inquiries from invited respondents must be made in an email to: c. Address: Colleges of the Fenway krobison@colleges-fenway.org VII. Award of Proposal: Presentations may be requested of one or more respondents deemed by the Committee to be the best suited among those submitting proposals on the basis of the selection criteria. After presentations have been conducted, the Committee may select the respondent which, in its opinion, has made the proposal that is the most responsive and most responsible and may award the contract to that respondent. The Committee reserves the right to waive minor irregularities. COF may cancel this RFP or reject any or all proposals at any time prior to an award. Timeline and key milestones: Post notification by November 30, 2015 Request intent to respond notification by December 11, 2015 Proposal Deadline: January 15, 2016 Review proposals by January 29, 2016 Select finalists by February 5, 2016 Invite finalists/presenters to Q&A meeting, week of February 17, 2016 Invite finalists/presenters to meeting week of March 16, 2016 Deadline extension select respondent and notify participants of decision by no later than April 4, 2016 4
Sign contract with phased project plan by April 1, 2016 Confidentiality: The information contained in proposals submitted for COF consideration will be held in confidence. Note: The awarded respondent will be required to execute the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Terms and Conditions document - link below. http://inside.massart.edu/documents/departments/administrative_services/pu-comm-tandc.pdf Proposal Submission: A SIGNED original and an electronic version in Microsoft Word of the proposal should be submitted on a flash drive by 4:00 p.m. January 15 th, 2016 to: Colleges of the Fenway Attention: KRobison 375 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02215 krobison@colleges-fenway.org Back up should be provided in a sealed date stamped envelope. Proposals received after the due date and time will be returned and eliminated from the process. Respondents are strongly encouraged to submit proposals in advance of the due date to avoid the possibility of missing the due date because of unforeseen circumstances. COF assumes no responsibility for delays caused by inaccurate email addresses or mail delivery service. Proposals will be reviewed by the Committee and one or more agencies will be invited to present their proposals during the week of March 16, 2016. GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS: a. Contract Term: The contract term shall be for a period of 3 years with distinct phases unless the committee recommends a shorter engagement commencing upon 4/1/16. This contract may also be extended with mutual agreement of the parties b. Contract Data: The Contractor is required to provide COF with detailed data concerning the contract on a quarterly basis, at the completion of each contract year and periodically as requested by COF for review and evaluation. 5
c. Cancellation/Termination: If the Contractor defaults in its agreement to provide personnel to the satisfaction of COF, or in any other way fail to provide service in accordance with the contract terms, COF may take whatever action it deems necessary to provide alternate services and may, at its option, immediately cancel this Contract. d. Equal Opportunity: In the execution of the contract, the Contractor and all subcontractors agree not to discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin or citizenship status, age, disability or veteran s status and to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. e. Sexual Harassment: COF is committed to providing a positive environment for all students and staff. Sexual harassment, whether intentional or not, undermines the quality of this educational and working climate. COF has a legal and ethical responsibility to ensure that all students and employees can learn and work in an environment free of sexual harassment. PERFORMANCE TERMS AND CONDITIONS: a. Contract Administration: The Executive Director of the Colleges of the Fenway, Inc., or designee, shall be COF s authorized representative in all matters pertaining to the administration of this contract. SIGNATURE: COMPANY NAME By: (Signature) (Print Name) 6
(Title) (Phone number) (Email Address) (Date) 7