REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Mathematics and Science

Partnerships Program
2016-2017 Awards
Mississippi Department of Education
Office of Professional Development
Post Office Box 771
Jackson, Mississippi 39205
Contact: Trecina Green
Phone: (601) 359-2869

Email: professionaldevelopment@mde.k12.ms.us

Date: September 8, 2015

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Request for Proposals............................................................................................3

A. Request for Information............................................................................3
B. Due Dates for Proposal.............................................................................4
C. Responsibility of the Offeror.....................................................................4
D. Scope of Work and Responsibilities.........................................................5
E. Timeframe.................................................................................................9
F. Type of Grant.............................................................................................9
G. IHL Requirements...................................................................................10
H. Mississippi Department of Education.....................................................10
I. Management Responsibilities of Personnel and Administration..............10
J. Memorandum of Understanding..............................................................10
K. Available Budget.....................................................................................10
L. Format and Procedures for Delivery of Proposal....................................11
M. Acceptance of Proposals........................................................................15
N. Rejection of Proposals............................................................................15
O. Disposition of Proposals.........................................................................15
P. Conditions of Solicitation.........................................................................15
Q. Qualifications..........................................................................................17
R. Criteria for Evaluation of Proposals........................................................17
S. Post-Award Debriefing...........................................................................18
T. Standard Terms and Conditions..............................................................18

Tentative Timeline.................................................................................................24

Intent to Submit Proposal Form............................................................................25

Proposal Transmittal Form....................................................................................26

Attachments..........................................................................................................27

Attachment A Partnership Funding Request Form..................................27

Attachment B Proprietary Information Form............................................28

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Attachment C Assurances Federal and State.........................................29

Attachment D Assurances Non-Construction Programs.........................31

Attachment E Partner Identification Form................................................34

Attachment F Proposal Scoring Rubric...................................................35

Attachment G Checklist...........................................................................38

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 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Mississippi Department of Education
Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program

The Mississippi State Board of Education is working to make significant gains in student
achievement through the following goals:
1. All Students proficient and showing growth in all assessed areas
2. Every student graduates from high school and is ready for college and career
3. Every child has access to a high-quality early childhood program
4. Every school has effective teachers and leaders
5. Every community effectively using a world-class data system to improve student
outcomes

A centerpiece in Mississippis overall reform effort is professional development to build

the content knowledge of teachers. The Mathematics Science Partnership Program
is an important professional development initiative that contributes to goals 1 and 4
of the State Board of Educations strategic plan.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) through the Office of Professional

Development is soliciting competitive written proposals from qualified Institutions of
Higher Learning (IHLs) for a Mathematics and Science Partnership grant. The
Mathematics and Science Partnership program is a formula grant that supports
improved student achievement through enhanced training for teachers. Funds for
the program will be awarded by the MDE to support proposals submitted by eligible
IHLs in Mississippi.

An Intent to Submit Proposal Form is provided for Offerers. Failure to submit the form
will not prevent applicants from submitting proposals in response to the Request
for Proposals. The notice aids the MDE in planning for proposal review. The non-
binding Intent to Submit Proposal Form should be submitted and received
no later than September 29, 2015. The MDE will post information regarding a
pre-proposal webinar on October 7, 2015, to provide technical assistance in
understanding the intent, purpose, priorities, and required participation in
the MSP for all potential applicants.
A. REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
Questions concerning the RFP should be sent to:
professionaldevelopment@mde.k12.ms.us.

The deadline for submitting written questions by email is September 29, 2015. Copies
of all questions submitted and the responses will be posted to MDEs website
www.mde.k12.ms.us under the Public Notices section and will be available to the
general public by October 6, 2015. Webinar information will be posted to the website on
October 7, 2015, under the Public Notices section on MDEs website.

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 B. DUE DATES FOR PROPOSAL
Seven (7) proposals and an electronic copy saved to seven (7) CDs or USB flash
drives in a read only PDF format must be received by 3:30 p.m. Central Time
(CT) on Wednesday, October 21, 2015, at the following address based upon the
delivery method used:

Hand Deliver Proposals to: Lorraine Wince

Office of Procurement
Mississippi Department of Education
South Pointe Business Park
Main Lobby
500 Clinton Center Drive
Clinton, MS

Mail Proposals to: Lorraine Wince

Office of Procurement
Mississippi Department of Education
Post Office Box 771
Jackson, MS 39205-0771

Ship Proposals to: Lorraine Wince

(FedEx UPS, etc.) Office of Procurement
Mississippi Department of Education
301 North Lamar Street
Jackson, MS 39201
(Loading dock at back of building)

C. RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OFFEROR

Ensure that the competitive proposals are delivered by the deadline and
assumes all risks of delivery.

At the time of receipt of the proposals, the proposals will be date stamped and
recorded.

Proposals and modifications received in the room after the time designated in the
RFP will be considered late and will not be accepted or considered for award.

Incomplete proposals will not be evaluated and will not be returned for revisions.
No late, faxed or emailed copies will be accepted.

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 Proposals that do not include the required number of copies will not be
evaluated.
Proposals that do not include the required number of CDs or USB flash drives
will not be evaluated.

The proposal transmittal form must be signed by an authorized official to bind the
offeror to the proposal provisions.

D. SCOPE OF WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The Mississippi Department of Education is seeking proposals from Mississippi

Institutions of Higher Learning for the administration of a Mathematics and Science
Partnership (MSP) Program which is intended to increase the academic achievement of
students by enhancing the content knowledge and teaching skills of classroom
teachers. Partnerships between high-need school districts and the Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) faculty in Institutions of Higher
Learning (IHL) are at the core of these improvement efforts. Other partners may include
other public schools, community colleges, businesses, research facilities, and
organizations concerned with mathematics education. Applications will only be
accepted from IHLs, serving as fiscal agents. Although the IHLs will be partnering with
one or more of the identified entities, the grant award will be administered directly to the
IHL.

For this competition, an institution may submit only one proposal as the lead
partner of an MSP project.

Mississippis Priority - Mathematics (Grades K-8) General Education and Special

Education Teachers:
The MSP program in Mississippi will target the area of K-8 mathematics in high-need
schools. The term high-need school refers to a school that encompasses at least two
of the following:

40 percent of the students qualify for free or reduced lunch and/or Title I;
40 percent of the students are low performing on statewide assessments
in the area of mathematics; and/or
10 percent of teachers are not teaching in the academic subjects that they
were trained to teach.

Due to the NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher Guidelines, it is important that the MSP seek
ways to sustain intensive, high-quality professional development activities that focus
particularly on deepening teachers content knowledge. Teachers who teach grades 7-8
are required to have an endorsement in the core academic subject that they teach to be
considered highly qualified. Therefore, teachers who complete the MSP program will
be able to earn the middle school supplemental endorsement for mathematics. Please
note that this supplemental endorsement can only be added to elementary or special
education licenses.

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Mississippi will focus on mathematics professional development that will help
teachers with the implementation of the Mississippi College- and Career-
Readiness Standards for Mathematics. Each project will be required to implement a
professional development model which includes a two-week summer institute with a
minimum of 60 contact hours per cohort, three days of follow-up with a minimum of 15
contact hours per cohort, on-line follow-up, and an annual conference during the twelve-
month performance period. Each project will train a new cohort each year which means
that teachers will receive one year of professional development with follow up.

For the 2016-2017 MSP cycle, the MDE will be involved in the selection of public
schools based on a request for application process. The MDE will solicit
applications from school districts. These school district applications must
indicate that meaningful consultation took place with private schools.

The number of public schools that will be selected to participate will depend on
the number of teachers that the successful Grantees can serve. The proposal
must include a per-participant cost for the MSP project.

MSP Key Features

Partnerships: MSP projects are designed and implemented by partnerships that

include K-12 administrators, faculty, and teachers in participating schools and STEM
faculty and administrators in higher education organizations. Other partners are
encouraged and may include community colleges, businesses, research facilities,
organizations, and teacher training departments of an institution of higher learning.
These partners and other stakeholders engage in the effort at both the institutional and
individual levels, and share goals, responsibilities, and accountability for the project.

Equitable Participation of Private Schools: Since the initial passage of the

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), private school students and
teachers have been eligible to participate in certain Federal education programs (i.e.,
The Mathematics and Science Partnership). ESEA, as reauthorized by The No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), includes twelve major programs that require equitable
services be provided to private school students, teachers, and other educational
personnel, and, under some programs, to parents. These services are provided to
students and teachers, not to private schools.

Purpose of Guidance: This guidance is intended to assist local educational agencies

(LEAs) and other entities such as State educational agencies (SEAs), educational
service agencies, consortia of these agencies, non-profit organizations or institutions of
higher education receiving Federal financial assistance in fulfilling their obligations,
under Title IX, Part E, Subpart 1 of ESEA, to provide equitable services to eligible
private school students, teachers, and other educational personnel, and, under some
programs, to parents. This guidance does not impose any requirements beyond those
in the law. Both public and private school officials are encouraged to use this guidance

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for programs covered under Title IX, Part E, Subpart 1, in conjunction with ESEA and
applicable regulations. (See Education Department General Administrative Regulations
(EDGAR) at 34 CFR 76.650 through 76.677 and General Provisions for ESEA
Programs at 34 CFR Part 299.) In addition to complying with the requirements of ESEA
addressed in this guidance, an LEA may not discriminate on the basis of race, color,
national origin, sex, disability, or age. Note: In general, LEAs are responsible for
providing equitable services and benefits to eligible private school students, teachers,
and other educational personnel. However, SEAs, educational service agencies,
consortia of those agencies, other entities, or a bypass IHL receiving Federal financial
assistance may be responsible for providing such services and benefits.

Consultation: Consultation involves communication and discussion between LEAs and

private school officials on key issues that are relevant to the equitable participation of
eligible private school students, teachers, and other educational personnel in Federal
education programs. Meaningful consultation provides a genuine opportunity for all
parties to express their views, to have their views seriously considered, and to discuss
viable options for ensuring equitable participation of private school students, teachers,
and other educational personnel. Successful consultation establishes positive and
productive working relationships that make planning effective and serve to ensure that
the services provided meet the needs of eligible students.

Grantees must adhere to regulations 76.652 and 76.656 of the U.S. Department of
Educations General Administration requirements (EDGAR) and Section 9501 of ESEA
as reauthorized by NCLB. These regulations state that meaningful consultation must
occur with private schools. Mississippi has non-public schools that are accredited by
the Mississippi Department of Education. Each public school submitting an application
will have to indicate that meaningful consultation with non-public schools took place.
(Consultation must occur with the accredited non-public schools (at a minimum) prior to
the public schools submitting an application to participate. The public school is
responsible for identifying all appropriate nonpublic schools and to contact the
appropriate nonpublic school officials to begin the consultation. The purpose of this
regulation is to ensure that teachers of all students (public or private) are able to benefit
from the provision of the federal funds. Evidence of consultation will be required of all
selected applications. Adequate consultation must include the opportunity for
discussion on the part of the nonpublic school representative. Nonpublic school
eligibility is based on the location of the nonpublic school(s), the design of the specific
grant program, and the needs of the nonpublic school(s). Generally, the nonpublic
school must be located within the communities or geographic boundaries of the public
school district submitting an application to participate.

For additional information regarding these civil rights obligations, as well as additional
resources and guidance on the Equitable Participation of Private Schools, students,
teachers, and other educational personnel in specific programs, see the U. S.
Department of Educations Web site at
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/equitableserguidance.doc.

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Content Based Professional Development: The project must focus professional
development on the deep mathematical content that teachers need for instruction at
grades K-8. Project must also focus on helping teachers to design and utilize formative
assessments to diagnose whether students have retained the content and are able to
apply learning. Alignment to the Mississippi College- and Career- Readiness Standards
(Standards for Mathematical Practice and Standards for Mathematical Content) and the
Learning Forward Standards for Professional Learning must be well defined.

The professional development should be sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused

in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction and teacher
performance.

Scientifically-Based Research: The professional development activities to be carried

out by the partnership must be based on a review of scientifically-based research. An
explanation of how the activities expect to improve student academic achievement and
strengthen the quality of mathematics instruction must be included. The No Child Left
Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 defines scientifically-based research as: research that
involves the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain
reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and programs; and include
research that employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or
experiment. Such research also involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to
test the stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn, and relies on
measurements or observational methods that provide reliable and valid data across
evaluators and observers, across multiple measurements and observations, and across
studies by the same or different investigators. The research should be evaluated using
experimental or quasi-experimental designs in which individuals, entities, programs, or
activities are assigned to different conditions and with appropriate controls to evaluate
the effects of the condition of interest, with a preference for random-assignment
experiments, or other designs to the extent that those designs contain within-condition
or across-condition controls. Experimental studies should be presented in sufficient
detail and clarity to allow for replication or, at minimum, offer the opportunity to build
systematically on their findings; and has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or
approved by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective,
and scientific review.

Evaluation: Each project must hire an external evaluator who should be an active
partner from the planning stages through completion of the final reports. The evaluator
should design and manage an evaluation and accountability system that includes
measurable objectives related to both process evaluation (implementation) and
outcome evaluation. The external evaluator may not be affiliated with the partnering
IHL. Each eligible partnership receiving a grant shall include the following:

1. an evaluation and accountability plan for activities of the project that

includes rigorous objectives that measure the impact of the activities,
2. measurable objectives for improved student academic
achievement, and

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 3. an annual report to the Mississippi Department of Education and the
United States Secretary of Education regarding progress in meeting the
objectives described in the accountability and evaluation plan.

Sustainability: Projects will compile and deliver a professional development packet to

the MDE at the conclusion of the grant. The packet will include all participant materials
(e.g., handouts, activities, etc.), facilitator notes, and any other necessary components
needed to replicate the professional development.

E. TIME FRAME

The tentative timeline is indicated on page 24. The MDE anticipates awarding at least
five (5) grants. The expected grant period will be February 1, 2016, through June 30,
2019, with a late liquidation period ending September 30, 2019. The maximum award
for each performance period is anticipated to be $400,000 and is subject to availability
of funding.

The anticipated initial performance period will be from February 1, 2016, through June
30, 2017 with 2 one-year renewals. There will be a late liquidation period which ends
September 30, 2019.

Renewal of grant for subsequent performance periods will be determined annually and
shall be contingent upon successful completion of the services in the preceding
performance period and a performance-based evaluation.

A grant will be awarded to IHLs whose proposals are determined to be the most
advantageous to the State, taking into consideration the price and the evaluation criteria
set forth in the RFP.

Each project will be required to incorporate two-week summer institutes that include as
a component, a program that provides direct interaction between teachers and higher
education aculty. Activities will include summer institutes that enhance the ability of
teachers to understand and utilize the Mississippi College and Career Readiness
Standards. The project must include on-line follow-up training in addition to at least
three days of follow-up training during the academic year that is conducted within the
classroom between students, teachers, and IHL faculty. These partnerships should also
provide opportunities for advanced and on-going professional development activities for
teachers to work with mathematicians, engineers, experienced teachers, community
college faculty, and university faculty. The proposal should include a scope of work for a
forty-one (41) month period.

F. TYPE OF GRANT

It is anticipated that this grant will be a fixed price agreement with payment made upon
completion of tasks identified within the proposal.

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G. IHL REQUIREMENTS

The IHL will be responsible for all tasks required to complete the project as described in
the Scope of Work. It is anticipated that this shall include but not be limited to:

Implement a professional development model which includes a two-week

summer institute with a minimum of 60 contact hours per cohort
Implement a professional development model which includes three days of
follow-up with a minimum of 15 contact hours per cohort
Implement a professional development model which includes on-line follow-up
during a 12 month performance period
Host an annual conference for MSP participants

H. MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

The specific responsibilities of the MDE are as stated below:

Provide a contact person to work with the IHL to ensure quality control,
Review and approve timeframes and work plans, and
Provide available information to assist the IHL.

I. MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES OF PERSONNEL AND ADMINISTRATION

Except where expressly provided otherwise herein, each party shall bear its own cost
incurred in performing its responsibilities hereunder. The IHL will provide one person
who will be responsible for all activities required to fulfill said grant. This individual will
be invested with the authority to make decisions and commitments on behalf of the
grantee during the performance of the RFP.

The MDE will also designate one representative who will act as the primary contact for
this office. This representative will be responsible for conferring with any and all parties
necessary to resolve unanticipated issues or requirements that might occur during the
course of the RFP.

J. MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING

The execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will be required prior to the

release of any student level data by the Mississippi Department of Education. Failure to
adhere to the provisions of the MOU may result in termination of the grant and/or may
result in denial of subsequent renewal requests.

K. AVAILABLE BUDGET

The MDE anticipates awarding at least five grants. The maximum award for each
performance period is anticipated to be $400,000 subject to availability of funding. The
maximum award for the second and third performance periods is anticipated to be
$400,000 each year and is subject to availability of funding.

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L. FORMAT AND PROCEDURE FOR DELIVERY OF PROPOSAL

The proposal will consist of eight parts: Part I Proposal Transmittal Form; Part II
Abstract; Part III Program Narrative; Part IV Evaluation Plan; Part V Budget and
Budget Narrative; Part VI Standard Terms and Conditions; Part VII Proprietary
Information Form, Statements of Assurances Federal and State, and Statements of
Assurances for Nonconstruction Programs; and Part VIII Appendix.

Each required component of the proposal must be labeled. Proposal must be plastic-
comb bound or spiral bound with no staples, no clips, no rubber bands, and no binders.

The proposal shall be prepared in 12-point Arial font with double-spaced text. Charts
and graphs may be single spaced. One inch (1) side, top, and bottom margins should
be used. Proposal should include a footer on each page with page number, lead partner
name, and appropriate grade band. Required forms and letters of commitment that are
to be included in the body of the proposal are not subject to page limitations. Page
limitations apply to the abstract, program narrative, evaluation plan, and budget
narrative.

Part I is the Proposal Transmittal Form, (Page 26 of RFP) which shall serve as the
cover page of the offerors proposal. The offeror shall complete the form and attach
to the proposal in response to the RFP.

Part II is the Abstract, which shall provide a one-page summary that briefly
describes the projects vision, goals, activities, features that will be addressed, and
expected outcomes.

Part III is the Program Narrative that shall contain the following elements. Label
narrative section with headings and subheadings for each required element
bulleted below. The program narrative is limited to 25 pages. Special
attention should be given to the minimum information specified in the
Qualifiations section (page 17) of this RFP.

Part III-1 Plan Of Work:

o Goals and Objectives: The proposal must clearly describe the

goals and objectives for the project to support improved student
achievement.

o Timeline: The project description must indicate a timeline and an

estimate of the number, type, duration, and intensity of professional
development activities. Project must provide a two-week summer
institute (minimum of 60 hours), online follow-up, at least 3 days of
follow-up training that is conducted within the classroom, and an
annual conference.

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 o Alignment With Mississippi College- and Career- Readiness
Standards (CCRS) for Mathematics: The professional
development activities should develop the content knowledge of
teachers in the areas of mathematics that are a part of the CCRS
for grades K-8.

o Alignment to the Learning Forwards Standards for Professional

Learning: The project must clearly demonstrate that the
Professional Development activities are aligned to these
standards, which can be found at www.learningforward.org.

o Formative assessments: Project must focus on helping teachers to

design and utilize formative assessments that ensure retention and
the ability to apply learning.

o Interaction: The project must provide direct interaction among

students, teachers, and higher education faculty.

o Ongoing professional development: Project must provide

opportunities for on-going professional development activities for
teachers to work with mathematicians, engineers, experienced
teachers, and community college and university faculty.

Part III-2 Research-Based Activities:

Professional development must be supported by scientifically-

based research. The project description shall discuss and cite the
current state of knowledge relevant to the project. This brief
literature review should clearly indicate why the proposed activities
were selected or designed. If the proposal builds on prior work, the
project description should indicate what was learned from this work
and how these outcomes are incorporated in the project.
Explanation must be provided regarding how the activities are
expected to improve academic achievement (goal 1 of the SBE
strategic plan) and strengthen the quality of mathematics
instruction (goal 4 of the SBE strategic plan).

Part III-3 Commitment and Capacity of Partnership:

o Capacity: The project description must clearly demonstrate that

the submitting team has the capability to manage the project,
organize the work, and meet deadlines.

o Governance Structure: The proposal must describe the

partnerships governance structure specific to decision-making,
communication, and fiscal responsibilities.

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 o Track Record of Success: The proposal must provide a track
record of success based on past performance of similar work.

o Partner Roles and Responsibilities: Proposal clearly describes the

roles and responsibilities of each partner and how partners share
goals, responsibilities, and accountability.

o Partnership Collaboration: Project includes businesses,

community community college faculty, university faculty, and
organizations.

Part IV is the Evaluation Plan. Each project must hire an external evaluator who
should be an active partner from the planning stages through completion of the
final reports. The evaluator should design and manage an evaluation and
accountability system that includes measurable objectives related to both
process evaluation (implementation) and outcome evaluation. The external
evaluator may not be affiliated with the partnering IHL. The external evaluator
must ensure compliance with Federal Human Subjects Protection regulations as
well as with any district or LEA IRB requirements if appropriate. Each
application shall provide a description identifying the research and evaluation
methods that the project will use, and explain why those methods are appropriate
to the issues or questions that the proposal addresses. The proposal must make
a compelling case for the activities of the project and describe how the activities
will help the MSP program build a rigorous, cumulative, reproducible, and usable
body of findings. The evaluation plan is limited to 10 pages and must include
the following:

Measurable goals and objectives for improved student academic

achievement in mathematics; and
Annual targets which describe progress towards meeting the goals and
objectives established.

Part V is the Budget and Budget Narrative that shall include the cost proposal
and must encompass all requirements of this RFP. The budget narrative is a
maximum cost. The MDE will not pay any costs above this amount. A detailed
budget narrative shall be included. Indirect costs will not be allowed. The budget
narrative should include all costs associated with the project. The budget
should be clearly tied to the scope and requirements of this project. The
budget narrative should describe the basis for determining the amounts shown on
the Project Budget Partnership Funding Request form (Attachment A) for a forty-
one month period. The initial performance period is seventeen (17) months with
two additional twelve month performance periods. The budget narrative should
also indicate the number of targeted teachers each year and the actual amount of
teacher faculty instructional contact time. All proposals shall include
provision for evaluation of the activities in an annual performance report .
The cost effectiveness ratio will be determined by the relationship between the

13
 number of teachers served, the actual amount of teacher faculty instructional
contact time, and the total cost of the program.

Eligible Costs: Funds received shall be used to supplement, and not supplant
state and/or local funds that would otherwise be used for proposed activities.
Instructional materials can only be purchased for the teacher attending the
professional development for the purposes of the program (federal funds may not
be used to purchase equipment or instructional materials for the students of the
teacher). Funds may be used to support professional development programs
and content development in mathematics. Funds may be used for administrative
costs, stipends, participating teachers, substitute teacher cost, materials for
professional development, and program evaluation. No more than 10% of the
project budget should be allocated for the project evaluation.

Ineligible Costs: Funds may not be used for the following:

cost associated with writing the application,
indirect cost,
materials for classroom use,
purchase of non-instructional materials and equipment,
purchase of computers, projectors, Smart Boards, or similar equipment for
the exclusive use of individual teacher participants or project staff,
cost to cover tuition of graduate or undergraduate students staffing a
project,
cost to travel to meetings unless attendance at a meeting will directly and
significantly impact the project,
cost for entertainment, and
meals at professional development workshops and summer institute.

Part VI is the Standard Terms and Conditions where the IHL shall indicate
agreement with the terms and conditions as set forth on pages 18-23 of the RFP.
If the IHL objects to any of the terms and conditions, the IHL shall so state and
shall indicate any revisions desired by the IHL. Please note that any revisions
may be considered adequate cause for rejection of the proposal.

Part VII includes Attachment B Proprietary Information, Attachment C

Assurances for Federal and State, and Attachment D Assurances for Non-
Construction Programs. All attachments for this section must be signed by the
authorized official of the MSP grant proposal.

Part VIII is the Appendix that shall include the following:

Partner Identification Form (Attachment E) for each partner; and

Letter of Commitment from each partner outlining the role and
contributions of the partner and providing evidence that the proposed
partnership activities are integral to the partners instructional plans.

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M. ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSALS

The Mississippi Department of Education reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to
waive minor irregularities in proposals. A minor irregularity is a variation of the RFP,
which does not affect the price of the proposal, or give one party an advantage or
benefit not enjoyed by other parties, or adversely impacts the interest of the
Department. Waivers, when granted, shall in no way modify the RFP requirements or
excuse the party from full compliance with the RFP specifications and other grant
requirements if the party is awarded the grant.

N. REJECTION OF PROPOSALS

Any proposal shall be rejected in whole or in part when it is determined to be in the best
interest of the State. Reasons for rejecting a proposal include, but are not limited to:

1. The proposal contains unauthorized amendments to the requirements of the RFP.

2. The proposal is conditional.
3. The proposal is incomplete or contains irregularities, which make the proposal
indefinite or ambiguous.
4. The proposal is not signed by an authorized representative of the party.
5. The proposal contains false or misleading statements or references.
6. The offeror is determined to be non-responsive.
7. The proposal ultimately fails to meet the announced requirements of the State in
some material aspect.
8. The proposal price is unreasonable.
9. The products or service item offered in the proposal is unacceptable by reason of its
failure to meet the requirements of the specifications or permissible alternates or
other acceptable criteria set forth in the RFP.

EXCEPTIONS:

The MDE reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, to negotiate with the best
proposed offeror to address issues other than those described in the proposal, to award
a grant to other than the low offeror, or not to make any award if it is determined to be in
the best interest of the MDE.

O. DISPOSITION OF PROPOSALS

All submitted proposals become the property of the Mississippi Department of

Education and will not be returned to offeror.

P. CONDITIONS OF SOLICITATION

The release of the RFP does not constitute an acceptance of any offer, nor does such
release in any way obligate the MDE to execute a grant with any other party.

15
The offeror shall assure compliance with the following conditions of solicitation:

1. Any proposal submitted in response to the RFP shall be in writing.

2. The MDE will not be liable for any costs associated with the preparation of proposals
or negotiations of grant incurred by any party.

3. The award of a grant for any proposal is contingent upon the following:
Favorable evaluation of the proposal,
Approval of the proposal by the Office of Professional Development, Mississippi
Department of Education,
Successful negotiation of any changes to the proposal as required by MDE, and
State Board of Education approval, if required,

4. Likewise, the MDE also reserves the right to accept any proposal as submitted for
grant award, without substantive negotiation of offered terms, services, or prices.
Therefore, all parties are advised to propose their most favorable terms initially.
Discussions may be conducted with offerors who submit proposals determined to be
reasonably susceptible of being selected for the award for the purpose of
clarification to assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, the solicitation
requirements, but proposals may be accepted without such discussions.

5. MDE reserves the right to cancel this solicitation when it is determined in writing to
be in the best interest of the State.

6. Any proposal received after the time and date set for receipt of proposals is late.
Any withdrawal or modification of a proposal received after the time and date set for
receipt of proposals at the place designated for receipt is late. No late proposal, late
modification, or late withdrawal will be considered unless receipt would have been
timely but for the action or inaction of State personnel directly serving the
procurement activity.

7. Bidders shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to the solicitation by signing

and returning the amendment with the bid, by identifying the amendment number
and date in the space provided for this purpose on the bid form, or by letter. The
acknowledgment must be received by the Mississippi Department of Education by
the time and at the place specified for receipt of bids.

8. The bidder certifies that the prices submitted in response to the solicitation have
been arrived at independently and without for the purpose of restricting
competition any consultation, communication, or agreement with any other bidder
or competitor relating to those prices, the intention to submit a bid, or the methods or
factors used to calculate the bid prices.

16
Q. QUALIFICATIONS

The offeror shall provide the following minimum information:

The name of the offeror, the location of the offerors principal place of business
and, if different, the place of performance of the proposed grant;
The age of the offerors business and average number of employees over a
previous period of time, as specified in the Request for Proposal;
The abilities, qualifications, and experience of all persons who would be assigned
to provide the required services;
A listing of other grants under which services similar in scope, size, or discipline to
the required services were performed or undertaken within a previous period of
time, as specified in the Request for Proposal; and,
A plan giving as much detail as is practical explaining how the services will be
performed.

R. CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF PROPOSALS

The grant proposals will be read and scored by an expert evaluation committee based
on the proposal requirements listed in this RFP. The evaluation committee will be
comprised of individuals with educational expertise and leadership. The expert
evaluation committee will recommend the proposals to be forwarded to the MDEs
Office of Professional Development, to the State Superintendent of Education, and to
the State Board of Education for approval. Grants will be awarded to the applicants that
have the highest points, whose proposals are most advantageous to the MDE, and/or
comprehensive and responsive as determined by the evaluation committee.
The MDE reserves the right to accept, reject, or negotiate any or all offers on the basis
of the evaluation criteria contained within this document. The final decision to execute a
grant with any party rests solely with the MDE.
Proposals submitted by the specified time and containing the seven parts described in
the Format and Procedure for Delivery of Proposal section shall be evaluated by an
Evaluation Committee selected by the MDE. The specific criteria that will be used in
evaluating the merits of the proposals are listed below. The criteria are weighted to yield
a total of 100 and shall include the following:
1. Plan of Work [35 points]
2. Research-Based [15 points]
3. Commitment and Capacity of Partnership [15 points]
4. Evaluation Plan [15 points]
5. Budget and Cost Effectiveness [20 points]

See Attachment F: Mathematics and Science Partnerships 2016-2017 Program

Proposals Scoring Rubric.

17
S. POST-AWARD DEBRIEFING

IHLs will be given the opportunity to request a debriefing. Upon notification of intent to
award or notification of unsuccessful bidder, IHL will have three (3) business days to
request a post-award debriefing in writing, by U.S. mail or electronic submission. At a
minimum, the debriefing should occur within five (5) business days after receipt of the
request. The debriefing shall include the following:
(1) Evaluation of significant weaknesses or deficiencies in the proposal;
(2) Overall evaluated cost or price and technical rating, if applicable, of the
successful IHL(s) and the debriefed IHL;
(3) Overall ranking of all IHLs, when any ranking was developed by the agency
during the selection process;
(4) Summary of the rationale for award; and,
(5) Reasonable responses to relevant questions about selection procedures
contained in the solicitation, applicable regulations, and other applicable
authorities that were followed.

T. STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS

Certain terms and conditions are required for grants. Therefore, the offeror shall assure
agreement and compliance with the following standard terms and conditions.

1. ACCESS TO RECORDS

IHL agrees that the MDE, or any of its duly authorized representatives, at any time during
the term of this agreement, shall have access to, and the right to audit and examine any
pertinent books, documents, papers, and records of IHL related to IHLs charges and
performance under this agreement. Such records shall be kept by IHL for a period of five
(5) years after final payment under this agreement, unless the MDE authorizes their earlier
disposition. IHL agrees to refund to the MDE any overpayment disclosed by any such
audit. However, if any litigation, claim, negotiation, audit or other action involving the
records has been started before the expiration of five (5) year period, the records shall be
retained until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it.

2. APPLICABLE LAW

The grant shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
Mississippi, excluding its conflicts of law provisions, and any litigation with respect thereto
shall be brought in the courts of the State. IHL shall comply with applicable federal, state,
and local laws and regulations.

18
3. ANTI-ASSIGNMENT/SUBCONTRACTING
IHL acknowledges that it was selected by the State to perform the services required
hereunder based, in part, upon IHLs special skills and expertise. IHL shall
not assign, subcontract, or otherwise transfer this agreement, in whole or in
part, without the prior written consent of the State, which the State may, in its
sole discretion, approve or deny without reason. Any attempted assignment
or transfer of its obligations without such consent shall be null and void. No
such approval by the State of any subcontract shall be deemed in any way
to provide for the incurrence of any obligation of the State in addition to the
total fixed price agreed upon in this agreement. Subcontracts shall be
subject to the terms and conditions of this agreement and to any conditions
of approval that the State may deem necessary. Subject to the foregoing,
this agreement shall be binding upon the respective successors and assigns
of the parties.

4. AUTHORITY TO CONTRACT

IHL warrants (a) that it is a validly organized business with valid authority to enter into this
agreement; (b) that it is qualified to do business and in good standing in the State of
Mississippi; (c) that entry into and performance under this agreement is not restricted or
prohibited by any loan, security, financing, contractual, or other agreement of any kind; and
(d) notwithstanding any other provision of this agreement to the contrary, that there are no
existing legal proceedings or prospective legal proceedings, either voluntary or otherwise,
which may adversely affect its ability to perform its obligations under this agreement.

5. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS

IHL understands that the MDE is an equal opportunity employer and therefore, maintains a
policy which prohibits unlawful discrimination based on race, color, creed, sex, age,
national origin, physical handicap, disability, genetic information, or any other
consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local laws. All such discrimination is
unlawful and IHL agrees during the term of the agreement that IHL will strictly adhere to
this policy in its employment practices and provision of services. IHL shall comply with,
and all activities under this agreement shall be subject to, all applicable federal, State of
Mississippi, and local laws and regulations, as now existing and as may be amended or
modified.

6. INDEPENDENT IHL

IHL shall perform all services as an independent IHL and shall at no time act as an agent
for the State. No act performed or representation made, whether oral or written, by IHL
with respect to third parties shall be binding on the MDE.

7. COPYRIGHTS

19
IHL agrees that MDE shall determine the disposition of the title to and the rights under
any copyright by IHL or employees on copyrightable material first produced or
composed under this agreement. Further, IHL hereby grants to MDE a royalty-free,
nonexclusive, irrevocable license to reproduce, translate, publish, use and dispose of,
and to authorize others to do so, all copyrighted (or copyrightable) work not first
produced or composed by IHL in the performance of this agreement, but which is
incorporated in the material furnished under the agreement. This grant is provided that
such license shall be only to the extent IHL now has, or prior to the completion of full
final settlements of agreement may acquire, the right to grant such license without
becoming liable to pay compensation to others solely because of such grant.

IHL further agrees that all material produced and/or delivered under this grant will not, to
the best of IHL's knowledge, infringe upon the copyright or any other proprietary rights
of any third party. Should any aspect of the materials become, or in IHL's opinion be
likely to become, the subject of any infringement claim or suit, IHL shall procure the
rights to such material or replace or modify the material to make it non-infringing.

8. DISCLOSURE OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

In the event that either party to this agreement receives notice that a third party
requests divulgence of confidential or otherwise protected information and/or has
served upon it a subpoena or other validly issued administrative or judicial process
ordering divulgence of confidential or otherwise protected information that party shall
promptly inform the other party and thereafter respond in conformity with such
subpoena to the extent mandated by law. This section shall survive the termination or
completion of this agreement. The parties agree that this section is subject to and
superseded by Mississippi Code Annotated 25-61-1 et seq. (1972, as amended).

9. EXCEPTIONS TO CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

IHL and the State shall not be obligated to treat as confidential and proprietary any
information disclosed by the other party (disclosing party) which:

(1) is rightfully known to the recipient prior to negotiations leading to this agreement,
other than information obtained in confidence under prior engagements;

(2) is generally known or easily ascertainable by nonparties of ordinary skill in the

business of the customer;

(3) is released by the disclosing party to any other person, firm, or entity (including
governmental agencies or bureaus) without restriction;

(4) is independently developed by the recipient without any reliance on confidential

information;

(5) is or later becomes part of the public domain or may be lawfully obtained by the
State or IHL from any nonparty; or,

20
(6) is disclosed with the disclosing partys prior written consent.

10. MODIFICATION OR RENEGOTIATION

This agreement may be modified, altered or changed only by written agreement signed by
the parties hereto. The parties agree to renegotiate the agreement if federal and/or State
revisions of any applicable laws or regulations make changes in this agreement
necessary.

11. AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS

It is expressly understood and agreed that the obligation of the MDE to proceed under
this agreement is conditioned upon the appropriation of funds by the Mississippi State
Legislature and the receipt of state and/or federal funds. If the funds anticipated for the
continuing fulfillment of the agreement are, at any time, not forthcoming or insufficient,
either through the failure of the federal government to provide funds or of the State of
Mississippi to appropriate funds or the discontinuance or material alteration of the
program under which funds were provided or if funds are not otherwise available to the
MDE, the MDE shall have the right upon ten (10) working days written notice to IHL, to
terminate this agreement without damage, penalty, cost or expenses to the MDE of any
kind whatsoever. The effective date of termination shall be as specified in the notice of
termination.

12. TERMINATION

The Mississippi Department of Education, by written notice, may terminate this grant, in
whole or in part, if funds supporting this grant are reduced or withdrawn. To the extent that
this grant is for services, and if so terminated, the Mississippi Department of Education
shall be liable only for payment in accordance with payment provisions of this grant for
services rendered prior to the effective date of termination.

The Mississippi Department of Education, in whole or in part, may terminate this grant for
cause by written notification. Furthermore, the Mississippi Department of Education and
the grantee may terminate this grant, in whole or in part, upon mutual agreement.

Either the Mississippi Department of Education or the grantee may terminate this
agreement at any time by giving 30 days written notice to the other party of such
termination and specifying the effective date thereof. The grantee shall be paid an amount
which bears the same ratio to the total compensation as the services actually performed
bear to the total services of the grantee covered by the agreement, less payments of
compensation previously made.

13. E-VERIFICATION

21
If applicable, IHL represents and warrants that it will ensure its compliance with the
Mississippi Employment Protection Act of 2008, and will register and participate in the
status verification system for all newly hired employees. Miss. Code Ann. 71-11-1 et
seq. (1972, as amended). The term employee as used herein means any person that
is hired to perform work within the State of Mississippi. As used herein, status
verification system means the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigration
Responsibility Act of 1996 that is operated by the United States Department of
Homeland Security, also known as the E-Verify Program, or any other successor
electronic verification system replacing the E-Verify Program. IHL agrees to maintain
records of such compliance. Upon request of the State and after approval of the Social
Security Administration or Department of Homeland Security when required, IHL agrees
to provide a copy of each such verification. IHL further represents and warrants that any
person assigned to perform services hereafter meets the employment eligibility
requirements of all immigration laws. The breach of this agreement may subject IHL to
the following:

(1) termination of this grant for services and ineligibility for any state or public contract in
Mississippi for up to three (3) years with notice of such cancellation/termination being
made public;

(2) the loss of any license, permit, certification or other document granted to IHL by an
agency, department or governmental entity for the right to do business in Mississippi for
up to one (1) year; or,

(3) both. In the event of such cancellation/termination, IHL would also be liable for any
additional costs incurred by the State due to Grant cancellation or loss of license or
permit to do business in the State.

14. E-PAYMENT

IHL agrees to accept all payments in United States currency via the State of
Mississippis electronic payment and remittance vehicle. The agency agrees to make
payment in accordance with Mississippi law on Timely Payments for Purchases by
Public Bodies, which generally provides for payment of undisputed amounts by the
agency within forty-five (45) days of receipt of invoice. Miss. Code Ann. 31-7-305
(1972, as amended).

15. PAYMODE

Payments by state agencies using the States accounting system shall be made and remittance
information provided electronically as directed by the State. These payments shall be deposited
into the bank account of IHLs choice. The State may, at its sole discretion, require IHL to
electronically submit invoices and supporting documentation at any time during the term of this
Agreement. IHL understands and agrees that the State is exempt from the payment of taxes. All
payments shall be in United States currency.

16. BOARD APPROVAL

22
It is understood that this grant is void and no payment shall be made in the event that
the Mississippi Board of Education does not approve this grant.

17. PERSONNEL

IHL agrees that, at all times, the employees of IHL furnishing or performing any of the
services specified under this agreement shall do so in a proper, workmanlike, and
dignified manner.

18. CONFIDENTIALITY

IHL shall agree to assure the confidentiality of any records obtained from the MDE as
required by state and federal privacy laws. No information, documents or other material
provided to or prepared by IHL deemed confidential by MDE pursuant to state and
federal privacy laws, shall be made available to any person or organization without the
prior approval of the MDE. Any liability resulting from the wrongful disclosure of
confidential information on the part of IHL shall rest with IHL.

19. DEBARMENT AND SUSPENSION

IHL certifies to the best of its knowledge and belief, that it:

(1) is not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible,
or voluntarily excluded from covered transaction by any federal department or agency or
any political subdivision or agency of the State of Mississippi;

(2) has not, within a three year period preceding this proposal, been convicted of or had
a civil judgment rendered against it for commission of fraud or a criminal offense in
connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public (federal, state, or
local) transaction or contract under a public transaction;

(3) has not, within a three year period preceding this proposal, been convicted of or had
a civil judgment rendered against it for a violation of federal or state antitrust statutes or
commission of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of
records, making false statements, or receiving stolen property;

(4) is not presently indicted for or otherwise criminally or civilly charged by a

governmental entity (federal, state or local) with commission of any of these offenses
enumerated in paragraphs two (2) and (3) of this certification; and,

(5) has not, within a three year period preceding this proposal, had one or more public
transactions (federal, state, or local) terminated for cause or default.

23
 Tentative Timeline
Mathematics and Science Partnership

September 8, 2015: Release RFP

September 8, 2015: Advertisement dates in The Clarion Ledger

September 15, 2015
September 8, 2015: Mail, email, and post to MDE website

September 29, 2015: Intent to Submit Form and RFP questions due

October 6, 2015: Deadline for program office response to questions and

posting to website
October 7, 2015 Webinar information posted to MDE website

October 21, 2015: Proposals due by 3:30 p.m. Central Time (CT) to
Procurement
Oct 22 Nov 4, 2015: Evaluation of Proposals

November 19, 2015: Grant to Mississippi Board of Education

February 1, 2016: Grant Start Date

Feb 1, 2016-June 30, 2019: Term of Grant (with late liquidation period ending Sept 30, 2019)

Feb 1, 2016-June 30, 2017: Performance Period #1

July 1, 2017-June 30, 2018: Performance Period #2

24
July 1, 2018-June 30, 2019: Performance Period #3

INTENT TO SUBMIT PROPOSAL FORM

Mississippi Department of Education
Mathematics and Science Partnerships (MSP) 2016-2017 Awards

Name of Institution:

Name of MSP Project:

Contact Person:

Title:

Phone Number: Fax Number:

Email Address:

Mailing Address:

Typed or Printed Name of Authorized Official Title

_____________________________________
Signature of Authorized Official Date

25
The non-binding Intent to Submit Proposal Form should be submitted and
received no later than September 29, 2015. The MDE will post information
regarding a pre-proposal webinar on October 7, 2015 to provide technical
assistance in understanding the intent, purpose, priorities, and required
participation in the MSP for all potential applicants.

Send form to:

professionaldevelopment@mde.k12.ms.us
Mississippi Department of Education
MATHEMATICS AND SCIENCE PARTNERSHIPS GRANT PROPOSAL
Application for 2016-2017

Proposal Transmittal Form

Applying Institution:___________________________ ___

Project Title:_ ____________________________________________

Project Directors Name:

Title: ________________________________________________________________

Address:_______________________________________________________________

Phone Number: _________________________

Fax Number: ________________________ E-mail: __________

Estimated Number of Teachers to be served each school year:

2016-2017_______ 2017-2018_______ 2018-2019_______
By my signature below, I hereby represent that I am authorized to and do bind the
offeror to the provisions of the attached proposal. The undersigned offers and agrees to
perform the specified personal and professional services in accordance with provisions

26
 set forth in the Request for Proposals (RFP). Furthermore, the undersigned fully
understands and assures compliance with the Conditions of Solicitation and Standard
Terms and Conditions contained in the RFP. The undersigned is fully aware of the
evaluation criteria to be utilized in awarding the grant.
The applicant certifies that to the best of his/her knowledge, the information in this
application is correct and that the filing of this application is duly authorized by the
governing body of this institution.

Typed or Printed Name of Authorized Official Title

_____________________________________
Original Signature of Authorized Official Date
Attachment A
Title II, Part B Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program
PROJECT BUDGET
Partnership Funding Request
Program Title:_____________________________________________________
AMOUNT AMOUNT AMOUNT
DIRECT COST REQUESTED FOR
Performance Performance Performance
PARTNERSHIP
Period #1 Period #2 Period #3

1. Salaries & Wages (Professional and

Clerical)

2. Employee Benefits

3. Travel

4. Materials and Supplies

5. Consultants and Contracts

6. Teacher Stipends

7. Instructional Equipment (Purchase)

8. External Evaluator

9. Other (Equipment rental, printing, etc.)

TOTAL BUDGET

27
Number of Participants

Cost per Participant

No indirect cost rate shall be allowed.

This form is a required element of the grant application and must be included with the
budget narrative indicating an itemized breakdown of these budget categories and
explaining how each line item was calculated and the actual total project cost share.
Applicants should know that awards are contingent upon this program receiving funding
through the United States Department of Education and upon the Mississippi
Department of Educations evaluation of the funded programs. Information regarding
the performance periods can be found on page 24.

ATTACHMENT B

PROPRIETARY INFORMATION

The enclosed proposal does ( ) or does not ( ) contain trade secrets or other proprietary
data which the offeror wishes to remain confidential in accordance with Section 25-61-9
and 79-23-1 of the Mississippi Code.

If the enclosed proposal does include pages that the offeror wishes to designate as
proprietary, please list page numbers below.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________

____________________________________ ___________________
Offeror Signature Date

____________________________________________________________
Title of Request for Proposal

28
*Please check appropriate response

Attachment C

ASSURANCES
Federal and State
Should an award from the Mathematics and Science Partnerships Program be made to
the applicant in support of the activities proposed in this application, the authorized
signature below certifies to the Mississippi Department of Education that the authorized
official will:
1. Upon request, provide the Mississippi Department of Education
with access to records and other sources of information that may
be necessary to determine compliance with appropriate federal
and state laws and regulations;
2. Conduct educational activities funded by this project in
compliance with federal laws;
3. Use grant funds to supplement and not supplant funds from
nonfederal sources;
4. Take into account during the development of programming the
need for greater access to and participation in the targeted
disciplines by students from historically underrepresented and
underserved groups; and
5. Submit, in accordance with stated guidelines and deadlines, all
program evaluation reports required by the United States
Department of Education and the Mississippi Department of
Education.
According to Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) Policy

1. The applicant shall be an equal opportunity employee and shall perform to all other
applicable requirements; accordingly, the applicant shall neither discriminate nor
permit discrimination in its operation or employment practices against any person or
group of persons on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, handicap, or
sex in any manner prohibited by law. Further, the applicant agrees to comply with
the Civil Rights Acts of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section

29
 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001;
2. The applicant agrees that the MDE, or any of its duly authorized representatives, at
any time during the term of this agreement, shall have access to, and the right to
audit examine any pertinent books, documents, papers, and records of applicant
related to applicants charges and performance under this agreement. Applicant
shall keep such records for a period of five years after final payment under this
agreement, unless the MDE authorizes their earlier disposition. Applicant agrees to
refund to the MDE any overpayments disclosed by any such audit. However, if any
litigation, claim, negotiation, audit, or other action involving the records has been
started before the expiration of the five-year period, the records shall be retained
until completion of the action and resolution of all issues which arise from it;
3. The applicant assures that it possesses legal authority to apply for and to receive
funds under this agreement;
4. The grantee certifies they have not been barred from contracting or otherwise doing
business with the State or Federal Governments;
Attachment C Continued

5. This agreement shall not be modified, altered, or changed except by mutual

agreement by representative(s) of each party to this agreement, and must be
confirmed in writing through MDE grant modification procedures;
6. The applicant shall perform all services as an independent applicant and shall
discharge all of its liabilities as such. No act performed or representation made,
whether oral or written, by the applicant with respect to third parties shall be binding
on the MDE;
7. The MDE, by written notice, may terminate the grant, in whole or in part, if funds
supporting the grant are reduced or withdrawn. To the extent that the grant is for
services, and if so terminated, the MDE shall be liable only for payment in
accordance with payment provisions of the grant for services rendered prior to the
effective date of termination. The MDE, by written notice, may terminate the
application for nonperformance of the application at any time during the term of the
program. The applicant agrees that work, data, etc. created under the auspices of
the program shall be turned over to the MDE upon such termination. The MDE, in
whole or in part, may terminate the program for cause by written notification.
Furthermore, the MDE and the applicant may terminate the agreement, in whole or
in part, upon mutual agreement. Either the Mississippi Department of Education or
the awardee may terminate this agreement at any time by giving written notice to the
other party of such termination and specifying the effective date thereof. The
applicant shall be paid an amount which bears the same ratio to the total
compensation as the services actually performed bear to the total services of the
grant or covered by the agreement, less payments of compensation previously
made;
8. This agreement, and all matters or issues collateral to it, shall be governed by, and
constructed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Mississippi;
9. Applicant shall not assign or sub-grant in whole or in part, its rights or obligations
under this agreement without prior written consent of MDE. Any attempted
assignments without said consent shall be void and of no effect; and
10. Applicant agrees to coordinate the partnership component of this program.

______________________________________________________________________

30
Authorized Official's Signature Date

______________________________________________________________________
Authorized Official's Typed Name Date

Attachment D
OMB Approval No. 0348-0040

ASSURANCES -- NON-CONSTRUCTION PROGRAMS

Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 15

minutes per response, including time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the
collection of information. Send comments regarding the burden estimate or any other
aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing this burden, to
the Office of Management and Budget, Paperwork Reduction Project (0348-0040),
Washington, DC 20503

PLEASE DO NOT RETURN YOUR COMPLETED FORM TO THE OFFICE OF

MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET. SEND IT TO THE ADDRESS PROVIDED BY THE
SPONSORING AGENCY.

Note: Certain of these assurances may not be applicable to your project or program. If
you have questions, please contact the awarding agency. Further, certain Federal
awarding agencies may require applicants to certify to additional assurances. If such is
the case, you will be notified.

As the duly authorized representative of the applicant, I certify that the applicant:

1. Has the legal authority to apply for Federal assistance, and the institutional,
managerial and financial capability (including funds sufficient to pay the non-Federal
share of project cost) to ensure proper planning, management, and completion of
the project described in this application.

2. Will give the awarding agency, the Comptroller General of the United States, and if
appropriate, the State, through any authorized representative, access to and the
right to examine all records, books, papers, or documents related to the award; and

31
 will establish a proper accounting system in accordance with generally accepted
accounting standards or agency directives.

3. Will establish safeguards to prohibit employees from using their positions for a
purpose that constitutes or presents the appearance of personal or organizational
conflict of interest, or personal gain.

4. Will initiate and complete the work within the applicable time frame after receipt of
approval of the awarding agency.

5. Will comply with the Intergovernmental Personnel Act of 1970 (42 U.S.C. 4728-
4763) relating to prescribed standards for merit systems for programs funded under
one of the 19 statutes or regulations specified in Appendix A of OPM's Standards for
a Merit System of Personnel Administration (5 C.F.R. 900, Subpart F).
Attachment D Continued
6. Will comply with all Federal statutes relating to nondiscrimination. These include but
are not limited to: (a) Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (P.L. 88-352) which
prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color or national origin; (b) Title IX of the
Education Amendments of 1972, as amended (20 U.S.C. 1681-1683, and 1685-
1686), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex; (c) Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (29 U.S.C. 794), which prohibits
discrimination on the basis of handicaps; (d) the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 6101-6107), which prohibits discrimination on the basis of
age; (e) the Drug Abuse Office and Treatment Act of 1972 (P.L. 92-255), as
amended, relating to nondiscrimination on the basis of drug abuse; (f) the
Comprehensive Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism Prevention, Treatment and
Rehabilitation Act of 1970 (P.L. 91-616), as amended, relating to nondiscrimination
on the basis of alcohol abuse or alcoholism; (g) 523 and 527 of the Public Health
Service Act of 1912 (42 U.S.C. 290 dd-3 and 290 ee 3), as amended, relating to
confidentiality of alcohol and drug abuse patient records; (h) Title VIII of the Civil
Rights Act of 1968 (42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.), as amended, relating to
nondiscrimination in the sale, rental or financing of housing; (i) any other
nondiscrimination provisions in the specific statute(s) under which application for
Federal assistance is being made; and (j) the requirements of any other
nondiscrimination statute(s) which may apply to the application.
7. Will comply, or has already complied, with the requirements of Titles II and III of the
uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970
(P.L. 91-646) which provide for fair and equitable treatment of persons displaced or
whose property is acquired as a result of Federal or federally assisted programs.
These requirements apply to all interests in real property acquired for project
purposes regardless of Federal participation in purchases.
8. Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. 1501-
1508 and 7324-7328) which limit the political activities of employees whose principal
employment activities are funded in whole or in part with Federal funds.

32
9. Will comply, as applicable, with the provisions of the Davis-Bacon Act (40 U.S.C.
276a to 276a-7), the Copeland Act (40 U.S.C. 276c and 18 U.S.C. 874) and
the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act (40 U.S.C. 327-333),
regarding labor standards for federally assisted construction sub-agreements.
10. Will comply, if applicable, with flood insurance purchase requirements of Section
102(a) of the Flood Disaster Protection Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-234) which requires
recipients in a special flood hazard area to participate in the program and to
purchase flood insurance if the total cost of insurable construction and acquisition is
$10,000 or more.

Attachment D Continued
11. Will comply with environmental standards which may be prescribed pursuant to the
following: (a) institution of environmental quality control measures under the National
Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (P.L. 91-190) and Executive Order (EO) 11514; (b)
notification of violating facilities pursuant to EO 11738; (c) protection of wetlands
pursuant to EO 11990; (d) evaluation of flood hazards in floodplains in accordance
with EO 11988; (e) assurance of project consistency with the approved State
management program developed under the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972
(16 U.S.C. 1451 et seq.); (f) conformity of Federal actions to State (Clear Air)
Implementation Plans under Section 176(c) of the Clear Air Act of 1955, as
amended (42 U.S.C. 7401 et seq.); (g) protection of underground sources of
drinking water under the Safe Drinking Water Act of 1974, as amended, (P.L. 93-
523); and (h) protection of endangered species under the Endangered Species Act
of 1973, as amended, (P.L. 93-205).
12. Will comply with the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act of 1968 (16 U.S.C. 1721 et seq.)
related to protecting components or potential components of the national wild and
scenic rivers system.
13. Will assist the awarding agency in assuring compliance with Section 106 of the
National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended (16 U.S.C. 470), EO 11593
(identification and protection of historic properties), and the Archaeological and
Historic Preservation Act of 1974 (16 U.S.C. 469a-1 et seq.).
14. Will comply with P.L. 93-348 regarding the protection of human subjects involved in
research, development, and related activities supported by this award of assistance.
15. Will comply with the Laboratory Animal Welfare Act of 1966 (P.L. 89-544, as
amended, 7 U.S.C. 2131 et seq.) pertaining to the care, handling, and treatment
of warm blooded animals held for research, teaching, or other activities supported by
this award of assistance.

33
16. Will comply with the Lead-Based Paint Poisoning Prevention Act (42 U.S.C. 4801
et seq.) which prohibits the use of lead-based paint in construction or rehabilitation
of residence structures.
17. Will cause to be performed the required financial and compliance audits in
accordance with the Single Audit Act Amendments of 1996 and OMB Circular No. A-
133, Audits of States, Local Governments, and Non-Profit Organizations.
18. Will comply with all applicable requirements of all other Federal laws, executive
orders, regulations and policies governing this program.

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL TITLE

APPLICANT ORGANIZATION DATE SUBMITTED

Standard Form 424B (Rev. 7-97) Back

Attachment E

Title II, Part B Mathematics and Science Partnerships 2016-2017 Program

PARTNER IDENTIFICATION FORM

Include a Partnership Identification Form for each Partner Institution/Organization. Form

must be included in the proposal package.

PARTNER INSTITUTION:

Primary Contact Name:

Title:

Address:

_____

34
Telephone:

Fax:

E-mail:

Type of Institution/Organization:

Attachment F
MSP PROPOSAL SCORING RUBRIC

Evaluation of proposals will be based upon the following criteria. Maximum points for
each category are indicated.
MAXIMUM POINTS REVIEWER'S SCORE

I Proposal Transmittal Form Not Rated

II Abstract Not Rated

III-1 Plan of Work 35 __________________

Goals and Objectives: The proposal must clearly describe the goals and
objectives for the project to support improved student achievement.
Timeline: The project description must indicate a timeline and an estimate of
the number, type, duration, and intensity of professional development
activities. Project must provide a two-week summer institute with a minimum
of 60 hours, online follow-up, at least 3 days of follow-up training that is
conducted withing the classroom, and an annual conference.
Alignment With Mississippi College- and Career- Readiness Standards
(CCRS)for Mathematics: The professional development activities should

35
 develop the content knowledge of teachers in the areas of mathematics that
are a part of the CCRS for grades K-8.
Alignment to the Learning Forwards Standards for Professional Learning:
The project must clearly demonstrate that the Professional Development
activities are aligned to these standards, which can be found at
www.learningforward.org.
Formative assessments: Project must focus on helping teachers to design
and utilize formative assessments to diagnose whether students have
retained the content and are able to apply learning.
Interaction: The project must provide direct interaction among students,
teachers, and higher education faculty.
Ongoing professional development: Project must provide opportunities for
ongoing professional development activities for teachers to work with
mathematicians, engineers, experienced teachers, and community college
and university faculty.

III-2 Research-Based 15 ___________________

Professional development must be supported by scientifically-based research.

The project description shall discuss and cite the current state of knowledge
relevant to the project. This brief literature review should clearly indicate why
the proposed activities were selected or designed. If the proposal builds on
prior work, the project description should indicate what was learned from this
work and how these outcomes are incorporated in the project.

Explanation must be provided regarding how the activities are expected to

improve academic achievement (goal 1 of the SBE strategic plan)and
strengthen the quality of mathematics instruction (goal 4 of the SBE strategic
plan).

III-3 Commitment and Capacity of Partnership

15 _________
Capactity: The project description must clearly demonstrate that the
submitting team has the capability to manage the project, organize the work,
and meet deadlines.

Governance Structure: The proposal must describe the partnerships

governance structure specific to decision-making, communication, and fiscal
responsibilities.

Track Record of Success: The proposal must provide record of past

performance of similar work with a track record of success.

36
 Partner Roles and Responsibilities: Proposal clearly describes the roles and
responsibilities of each partner and how partners share goals, responsibilities,
and accountability.

Partnership Collaboration: Project includes businesses, community

community college faculty, university faculty, and organizations (letters of
commitment).

IV Evaluation Plan 15 ___________________

Project includes measurable objectives that describe progress towards

meeting the goals and objectives established.

Project includes annual targets that describe progress towards meeting the
goals and objectives established.
Project includes measurable objectives for improved student academic
achievement.

V Budget and Cost Effectiveness

20 ___________________
Budget relates to the scope and requirements of the project.

Budget includes provision for evaluation of the activities in an annual

performance report.

Cost effectiveness ratio determined by the relationship between the number

of teachers served, the actual amount of teacher faculty instructional contact
time, and the total cost of the program.

VI Proposal Standard Terms and Conditions Not Rated

VII Proprietary Information Not Rated

Assurances Federal and State Not Rated
Assurances Non Construction Not Rated

VIII Appendix
Partner Identification Request Form Not Rated
Letters of Commitment Rated under III-3

37
 Total 100 ___________________

Attachment G

Mathematics and Science Partnerships 2016-2017 Program

CHECKLIST

Proposals must include the following components:

Part I Submission Cover Sheet

Part II Abstract (limit to one page)

Part III Program Narrative (limit to 25 pages)

Part III-1Plan of Work

*Goals and Objectives
*Timeline
* Alignment with MS College and Career Readiness Standards
* Alignment with Standards for Professional Learning
*Formative assessments
*Interaction
*Ongoing professional developpment

Part III-2 Research-Based Activities

Part III-3 Commitment and Capacity of Partnership

38
 Part IV Evaluation Plan (limit to 10 pages)

Part V Budget Attachment A and Budget Narrative (limit to 10 pages)

Part VI Standard Terms and Conditions

Part VII Proprietary Information (Attachment B); Assurances Federal and State
(Attachment C); and Assurances Non-Construction (Attachment D)

Part VIII Appendix Partner Identification Form - Attachment E and Letter(s) of

Commitment

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