Mobile English Program RFA

The contract involves a one-year agreement with the New York State Department of State’s Office for New Americans to expand its mobile English language instruction program targeting new Americans across all counties in New York State. The selected provider will deliver ESOL lessons via mobile devices, incorporating live coaching, and develop outreach and promotional materials in multiple languages to ensure broad accessibility. The initiative emphasizes reaching individuals with limited English proficiency, representing over 13% of the state's population, with the goal of fostering inclusion within New York’s diverse communities. The contract includes specific subcontracting goals for minority-owned, women-owned, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, and mandates compliance with applicable state and federal laws, including equal employment opportunity and MWBE participation. The term is initially one year, with two optional renewals, and performance milestones include providing licenses within one month of contract start, offering coaching by the first quarter, and implementing a dictionary function within nine months. The contractual framework incorporates standard New York State legal and regulatory requirements, including compliance with Article 15-A of the Executive Law, NYS procurement guidelines, and accessibility standards under the Rehabilitation Act and ADA. The contract stipulates that all amendments and modifications require mutual written approval and approval from the State Comptroller. ONA will monitor performance through site visits, reports, and ongoing oversight, with quality standards aligned to ISO 9001 and NYS ITS security policies. Payment is made quarterly upon submission of proper documentation, with detailed record-keeping requirements and an emphasis on compliance with fiscal controls. The procurement process employs a best-value evaluation, weighting technical factors at 80% and cost at 20%, with scoring based on project timeline, organizational experience, and proposed approach. The solicitation, posted on August 15, 2025, with a deadline of September 25, 2025, requires applicants to submit separate technical and cost proposals, including specific attachments such as a contact cover page, MWBE compliance form, IRS status documentation, and certifications, all in PDF format or hard copies, with no explicit page limits. The contract emphasizes adherence to legal, equity, and quality standards, with provisions for amendments, monitoring, and termination rights reserved by the department.