Project Information

Bid Title

Review of Educator Preparation Program Literacy Curricula for Alignment with Science of Reading

Issuing Agency

State Government of Iowa

Location

Iowa

Published Date

Mar 16, 2026

Closing Date

Apr 2, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Ref. #

ED-031326JP-001

Original Source

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Project Description

Bid Information

Bid Number

ED-031326JP-001

Solicitation

Review of Educator Preparation Program Literacy Curricula for Alignment with Science of Reading

Solicitation Type

Request for Proposals

County

Description

Description

The Iowa Department of Education seeks vendor(s) to conduct an external review of selected educator preparation
program (EPP) literacy curricula, to align with evidence-based Science of Reading principles, Iowa Academic Standards
and Iowa Comprehensive Literacy Plan. The vendor is also expected to collaborate with Department consultants in
the Educator Quality team, Board of Educational Examiners and other assigned members to provide constructive
feedback and support to the preparation programs. The goal of this work is to review literacy curricula for a select
number of programs, while establishing consistent, evidence-based evaluative procedures for the Department’s
systematic review of programs on a recurring cycle.

Agency Information

Number

282

Name

Education, Dept Of

Address 1

400 E 14th Street

Address 2

City/State/Zip

Des Moines, IA 50319

Contact Information

Contact Name

Amy Freeman

Contact Title

Purchasing Agent

Contact Email

amy.freeman@iowa.gov

Contact Phone Number

(515) 210-8990

Contact Phone Extension

Contact Other Number

Contact Fax Number

Valid Dates

From

3/15/2026 10:00:00 AM

Until

4/2/2026 5:00:00 PM

Documents/Attachments

ED-031326JP-001

3/13/2026 8:37:08 AM

Attachment Preview

STATE OF IOWA

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

INFORMAL COMPETITIVE BID POSTING

Procurement Title: Review of Educator Preparation Program Literacy Curricula for Alignment with Science of Reading

Procurement Reference #: ED-031326JP-001

Description of Bid Opportunity (Scope of Work):

Purpose

The Iowa Department of Education seeks vendor(s) to conduct an external review of selected educator preparation

program (EPP) literacy curricula, to align with evidence-based Science of Reading principles, Iowa Academic Standards

and Iowa Comprehensive Literacy Plan. The vendor is also expected to collaborate with Department consultants in

the Educator Quality team, Board of Educational Examiners and other assigned members to provide constructive

feedback and support to the preparation programs. The goal of this work is to review literacy curricula for a select

number of programs, while establishing consistent, evidence-based evaluative procedures for the Department’s

systematic review of programs on a recurring cycle.

Services Required

The vendor shall:

•

Conduct on-site and off-site meetings to engage faculty in program review and improvement.

•

Review Educator Preparation Program (EPP) literacy coursework, including providing recommendations to

programs about scope/sequence, textbooks, syllabi, instructional resources, assignments, presentations, assessments

and affiliated clinical experiences.

•

Evaluate alignment with Iowa Administrative Code as determined by Department consultants.

•

Ensure alignment with Science of Reading research, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency,

vocabulary and comprehension.

•

Apply a consistent, evidence-based methodology for assessment and providing feedback across programs.

•

Engage in a collegial and collaborative partnership with faculty to build shared understanding, trust, and

ownership of program improvement, supporting meaningful engagement with candidate and programmatic data and

fostering enthusiasm for program revision.

•

Document findings and provide clear, data-informed, and actionable guidance—including recommended

steps, processes, and resources—to support curriculum revision, compliance, and full alignment with evidence-based,

Science of Reading instruction.

•

Review faculty expertise, and provide recommendations to program leadership on optimizing the distribution

of course assignments to align teaching responsibilities with faculty strengths and credentials.

•

Review the program resources and support that is provided for the candidates in preparation for the

Foundations of Reading test (FORT), early intervention strategies, and the remediation efforts if the candidate did not

receive a passing score.

•

Ensure that educator preparation programs integrate Science of Reading principles in ways that support

English Learners and students with disabilities, and provide guidance to faculty on embedding these practices into

coursework and instructional materials.

Review Process, Tools and Resources

The vendor must propose a review process that includes:

•

Defined criteria or rubric aligned with current Science of Reading research.

•

Evaluation tools aligned with the Iowa Comprehensive State Literacy Plan (CSLP), educator preparation and

licensure rules.

•

Procedures, rubrics and criteria for reviewing and analyzing submitted materials.

Form 8: Informal Competitive Bid Posting (7/22)

STATE OF IOWA

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

•

Supporting faculty in reviewing and strengthening syllabi and coursework to ensure robust, evidence-aligned

instruction; using tools to identify gaps, redundancies, and opportunities for improvement across courses.

•

Methods to ensure consistency, reliability and objectivity of findings. Explanation of how tools are grounded

in peer-reviewed research.

•

Any technology platforms used for document review and reporting must be explained and accessible to the

Department.

Timeline

The vendor must:

•

Provide a proposed timeline with key milestones.

•

Identify anticipated turnaround times for reviews.

•

Demonstrate capacity to meet project deadlines.

Deliverables

Deliverables shall include:

•

Evaluation tools and resources in collaboration with the Department to be owned by the Department for

systematic review of programs on a recurring cycle.

•

Resources and a process for the preparation programs to submit evidence of curricular alignment to the

Department.

•

Written reports summarizing findings and improvements devised for each reviewed program.

•

For reviewed programs, identification of strengths, improvements and additional gaps in Science of Reading

alignment using evidence-based conclusions and citations.

•

Follow up support plan to guide the preparation program towards compliance.

Vendor Qualifications

The vendor must demonstrate:

•

Expertise in the Science of Reading.

•

Experience reviewing educator preparation programs, curriculum, or instructional materials.

•

Knowledge of teacher preparation standards and Iowa requirements.

Confidentiality and Conflict of Interest

The vendor must:

•

Maintain confidentiality of all materials and findings.

•

Disclose any actual or potential conflicts of interest.

•

Ensure independence and objectivity throughout the review.

•

Disclose any affiliations with Iowa institutions of higher education or the education system to identify and

address potential conflicts of interest.

Proposals will be evaluated and a recommendation will be made using the following criteria, which are listed in no

particular order:

•

Understanding of requirements

•

Quality of the proposed process and deliverables

•

Compatibility with existing systems and processes

•

Scalability

Form 8: Informal Competitive Bid Posting (7/22)

STATE OF IOWA

IOWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

•

Experience and expertise of the reviewers and project team members and key personnel (including license,

experiences, and preparation)

•

Proven success references, or examples

•

Clarity of the role, amount of time planned and availability of each role

•

Clear team structure and governance

•

Plan for continuity, back up resources and turnover risks

•

Project management plan with realistic timeline and milestones, risk management and recovery plans

•

Communication and reporting plan and process for quality assurance of deliverables

•

Cost and value transparency and breakdown, competitiveness, meaningful value of services, and total cost of

the ownership (no hidden costs)

•

Vendor Capacity & Stability, including organization structure, financial stability, and longevity

•

Completeness of application

•

Identification of risks and mitigation strategies

•

Clarifying dependency on the Department Resources

•

Data privacy, security, and compliance risks

Customer Support & Services including:

•

Planning process and communications protocols with the programs

•

Post-implementation support model and hours

•

Training and documentation

•

Ongoing maintenance and upgrade approach if applicable

•

Innovation roadmap or future-proofing (optional)

Proposals submitted should include the Vendor’s Cost Proposal and sufficient information regarding the Vendor’s ability

to perform the services as identified in the Scope of Work. The Vendor should also include references with its Proposal.

From the issue date of this Informal Bid until announcement of the successful bidder, Vendors may contact ONLY the

Issuing Officer. The Issuing Officer will only respond to questions regarding the procurement process. Vendors shall be

disqualified if they contact any State employee other than the Issuing Officer.

All information submitted by a Vendor may be treated as public record, unless the Vendor properly requests that the

information be treated as confidential in accordance with the public records laws of the State of Iowa (Iowa Code

Chapter 22) at the time the Proposal is submitted.

The costs of preparation and delivery of the Proposal are solely the responsibility of the Vendor.

Proposals must be received by the close of business day on: April 2, 2026

1. Projected timeframe of awarded contract: From April 17, 2026 to December 30, 2026

Any questions for clarification should be in writing to the Issuing Officer listed below and responses will be provided to

all who have contacted the Issuing Officer with regards to this bid opportunity.

First and Last Name of the Issuing Officer for this Procurement:

First Name: Amy Last Name: Freeman

Phone Number of the Issuing Officer for this Procurement: (515) 210-8990

Email Address of the Issuing Officer for this Procurement: OIAS@iowa.gov

The Iowa Department of Education reserves the right to:

 Reject any and/or all Proposals, in whole or in part;

 Advertise for new Proposals;

 Abandon the need for such services; and/or

 Cancel this Informal Competitive Bid at any time prior to the execution of the written contract.

Form 8: Informal Competitive Bid Posting (7/22)

Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services
• NAICS 541690Other Scientific and Technical Consulting Services
• NAICS 541990All Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

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