On April 2, 2009, the Procurement Department, in conjunction with the Information and Technology Division, issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) for qualified firms to provide a centralized, web-based, gradebook with parent/student access. The initial term of the contract is for one year from the date of award. This contract may be renewed for four (4) additional one-year periods, provided all terms and conditions remain unchanged and in full force and effect.

The following factors were considered when evaluating proposals: ease of use for teacher data entry, ease of use for parent/student accessibility, automated interface capability with district’s Student Information System, utilization of small businesses, demonstrated commitment to quality, and cost effectiveness of service. Proposals were accepted on April 24, 2009. The district utilizes two online vendor registration systems to notify potential bidders of opportunities. Through these systems, nine firms responded (Attachment A).

The evaluation process included a committee of district-level personnel (Attachment B). On May 18, 2009, the committee evaluated all the proposals based on stated RFP criteria (Attachment C) and selected three vendors to continue. All three vendors made presentations and were evaluated at the committee meeting on June 1, 2009. Upon completion of all phases of the RFP, the committee reviewed key points as a group, individually rated each firm for final compilation and ranking (Attachment D), and recommended Edline for the award.

* Align financial resources to support the district’s strategic goals

Funds of approximately $86,500 were appropriated in the Information and Technology Division budget to provide a centralized, web-based, gradebook with parent/student access. The balance of approximately $78,500 is to be prorated by individual schools. Negotiations resulted in a savings of $28,500 savings for existing locations and a cost avoidance of $100,734 over the life of the contract.

Contract administration or evaluation is performed by the Project Manager (end user) and Procurement Officer, who function as a team. Reviews are conducted face to face, typically quarterly, or by utilizing an online vendor performance report. Prior to soliciting a new contract, the Contract Administration team must first give consideration to the specifications and supporting data of the expiring contract.