Name of Grant Program: Adult Basic Education Professional Development
System
Fund Code: 667
and 343
PART III – REQUIRED PROGRAM INFORMATION
Narrative responses may not exceed the page limits set for each of the professional development priority
areas; these priority area page limits are identified in the Pagination Directions section of this RFP. The
required forms and appendices are excluded from the page limit. Non-required appendices and narrative
pages that exceed the page limits will not be read.
Applicants are required to provide page numbers on every page of the proposal, including appendices
and other material not subject to the page limits. All narrative responses must be in Arial 10 point font,
single-spaced, with 1" margins.
Applicants are advised to refer back to all relevant information in the Fund Use section of the RFP
as they provide narrative responses to Part III – Required Program Information.
I.
CONTENT EXPERTISE (50 POINTS)
1. Identify key staff and key contractors who will develop and/or deliver professional development
offerings and provide technical assistance services in the proposed priority area. Describe each
key staff person's and contractor's expertise relevant to this priority area, addressing both direct
experience and credentials.
In Appendix A, include a current resume for each individual with expertise relevant to the priority
area, whether staff person or contractor, who will provide professional development and technical
assistance services. The narrative response and resumes will be considered in evaluating this
portion of the RFP. (35 points)
Note: Applicants for the three priority instructional areas should address staff and contractor
experience and credentials in relation to their ABE and/or K-12 expertise, particularly at the state
and/or national level.
Note: Applicants for the Educational Leadership and Strengthening ABE Programs priority area
must ensure that the narrative response addresses all the components of this priority area,
including support for practitioners who are new to ABE and support for teachers who are pursuing
ABE licensure.
Note: For the Using SMARTT and Cognos priority area, include the applicant’s expertise in
SMARTT and Cognos and/or other MIS and reporting systems.
2. For all staff and contractors identified in the preceding question, describe the role each will
perform and project the full-time equivalency and number of hours per year for each individual
vis-a-vis this grant program.
In Appendix B, include a proposed job description outlining grant responsibilities for each staff
person and contractor identified herein. The narrative response and job descriptions will be
considered in evaluating this portion of the RFP. (10 points)
3. Describe the applicant’s experience with evaluating the effectiveness of educator professional
development, including the impact on educator practice, program improvement, and student
achievement. (5 points)
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Note: For the three priority instructional areas, include experience the applicant has with
evaluating the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs.
II.
PROGRAM SERVICES (20 POINTS)
1. For the proposed priority area, outline the components of a comprehensive and cohesive
professional development program that is responsive to RFP requirements and priorities and
designed specifically for ABE practitioners. Describe how you will promote and implement the
components of this professional development program including the provision of technical
assistance. Identify and summarize the research that will inform and be integrated into the
professional development program for the priority area. Explain how you will utilize different
professional development delivery formats in order to maximize the number of participants
engaged in the program. (15 points)
Note: For the Educational Leadership and Strengthening ABE Programs priority area, include (a)
a focus on providing targeted intervention and support to underperforming programs, and (b) an
explanation of how practitioners who are new to ABE and/or are pursuing ABE Licensure will
receive the support they need to complete the required ESE-funded new staff orientation and/or
successfully prepare for ABE licensure.
Note: For the Using SMARTT and Cognos priority area, include a description of the formal Help
Desk model and tool you will develop and use to provide ABE practitioners and programs with
technical support.
Note: For the Massachusetts ABE Assessments priority area, it is only necessary to identify and
summarize the research that will inform and be integrated into the professional development
program in relation to the development and use of formative assessments.
Note: For the Using SMARTT and Cognos priority area, it is not necessary to identify and
summarize the research that will inform and be integrated into the professional development
program.
2. Explain how you will structure the professional development program to encourage and support
participant application of new learning. Identify relevant resources that you will use and promote,
and describe how you will make these resources available to ABE practitioners to support them in
their ongoing professional development related to the priority area. (5 points)
III.
ABE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT NEED (10 POINTS)
1. Describe the applicant’s current knowledge about ABE practitioner and ABE program
professional development needs related to the proposed priority area. (5 points)
2. Explain how you will assess the professional development needs of ABE practitioners and ABE
programs for this priority area. (5 points)
IV.
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY (15 POINTS)
1. Describe the applicant’s capacity and plan for effectively coordinating and providing statewide
leadership for each proposed priority area and the proposed grant program overall. Identify and
describe the relevant experience and credentials of key staff who will assume responsibility for
the coordination, leadership, and overall management of the proposed priority area(s) and grant
program, including the supervision and support of all other grant-funded staff and contractors.
Include a current resume and proposed job description in Appendices A and B respectively for
each key staff person who will play a significant role in the coordination, leadership, and overall
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management of the grant program. The narrative response and corresponding resumes and job
descriptions will be considered in evaluating this portion of the RFP. (10 points)
2. Describe the applicant’s ability to meet the institutional requirements, outlined in the Additional
Requirements/Institutional Support Requirements section of the RFP, as they relate to space,
access to a technology lab, technology support, and connectivity.
Describe the applicant’s technical capability in terms of server size and memory capacity,
platforms that are used or will be used (e.g., to provide distance learning professional
development offerings), capacity to provide technical support, and connectivity. (5 points)
Note: Applicants for the priority areas of ABE Distance Learning and Technology Support,
Massachusetts ABE Assessments, and Using SMARTT and Cognos must also address the
technology lab requirements outlined in the Additional Requirements section of the RFP.
3. Submit in Appendix C a copy of the applying agency's latest completed audit report, issued by an
independent certified public accountant. No points will be assigned for the audit report
submission; however, this required report will be evaluated to determine the fiscal viability of the
applying agency. (0 points)
V.
BUDGET (5 POINTS)
Applicants must submit a 12-month budget, using the ESE required budget forms, for the period July
1, 2014 through June 30, 2015. The applicant should ensure that the budget is cost effective, directly
related to the grant program’s purpose and priorities, and consistent with allowable fund use as
outlined in this RFP. Applicants are advised to refer to the ESE Grants Management Procedural
Manual at http://www.doe.mass.edu/grants/procedure/manual.html for assistance with preparing the
two required budget forms: Part I – General Standard Contract Form and Application for Program
Grants (signature page), and Part II – Project Expenditures - Detail Information (budget detail pages).
The applicant agency’s definition of full-time employment (based on hours per week and weeks per
year) should be used as a basis for calculating full-time equivalents (FTEs) for all salaried staff on the
Part II budget detail pages.
Applicants must also submit in Appendix D a budget narrative that corresponds to the line item
sequence and provides a clear explanation for each proposed project expenditure listed in the Part II
– Project Expenditures - Detail Information form. For example, the budget narrative should briefly
summarize the scope of work, hourly rate of pay and annual paid number of hours for each staff
person and contractor; itemize the specific costs included in the fringe rate; and fully explain each
proposed non-personnel expenditure. At the top of the budget narrative, the applicant should clearly
indicate how the applicant agency defines full-time, in terms of hours per week and weeks per year.
If the applicant proposes initiatives and services for more than one priority area, the applicant must
submit the following budget documents:
 one Part I – General Standard Contract Form and Application for Program Grants signature
page that shows one combined total amount of requested funds for all priority areas;
 one Part II – Project Expenditures - Detail Information set of line item budget detail pages
that show the combined funding information (e.g., number of staff, full-time equivalents, lineitem sub-totals and totals) for all priority areas; and
 for each priority area, a separate budget narrative that clearly explains each proposed
expenditure, following the line item sequence of the budget detail pages.
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