Onvia Blog Why Education Bids and RFPs for Digital Learning are Growing

The recent GovWin+Onvia special report 10 Hotspots in Government Contracting for 2018 identified some of the fastest-growing areas in SLED (state, local, and education) public sector spending. One of those areas most relevant to education and technology vendors is the rise in bids and RFPs for digital learning. Public schools are under pressure to do more with less money while improving student performance, all while accommodating the needs of a wide range of students. This has led to a rise in government contracts for promoting digital learning, which we found to be our 6th-ranked hotspot in SLED government contracting. Wide Variety of Digital Learning Bids and RFPs Are Available With an increased desire to innovate in the classroom, more and more public schools are turning to non-traditional digital-assisted learning methods. These methods might include software, online portals, or other digital methods that do not necessarily need to take place within a traditional brick-and-mortar classroom environment. According to a recent study on methods of digital learning conducted by the highly-regarded Michigan Virtual Learning Research Institute, there were three main segments of digital learning identified within K-12 education: Online learning 79% (remote off-site learning with a live teacher still participating) Digital learning 10% (fully digital learning without a teacher) Blended learning 10% (digital learning mixed with traditional in-person teaching) One reason for the recent increase in these contracts is the Every Student Succeeds Act, also known as ESSA. Passed by President Barack Obama in December of 2015, ESSA supports education innovations and promotes high academic standards for all students in America, including those with special needs and disadvantaged students. As EdWeek Market Brief has found, these ESSA bids and RFPs are beginning to surface and influence the government procurement landscape. Online Learning, Curriculum and Classroom Software Bids and RFPs Available Nationwide Our SLED market analysts used the GovWin+Onvia platform, the most comprehensive source of federal, state, local, and education market intelligence, to find the states with the most digital learning bids and RFPs. By using specific industry tags including online learning services, distance learning, online curriculum, and classroom software, our analysts were able to form a cohesive picture of the various types of digital learning that state, local, and education agencies are adopting, and where the top areas for these bids and RFPs are. With 11% of total digital learning bids and RFPs, our research found the state of Texas to be the top area for digital learning government contracts. In general, the Northeast, Southwest and Mid-Atlantic regions were the markets of greatest opportunity for IT and educational vendors interested in exploring this segment and selling to the government. Equip Your Team for Government Contracting Success with the Full Report While some of the other top 10 hotspots our team identified will also be relevant to IT and technology government contractors – such as the growth in opportunities for engaging digital citizens – there are plenty of growth areas across nearly every industry. Interested in finding out the areas that your business can target to grow its sales to the government? Download our complimentary report “10 Hotspots in Government Contracting for 2018”, by clicking the link below and you’ll receive the market intelligence you need to equip your organization for success in the SLED government contracting marketplace. REQUEST REPORT Industries:  Education Technology & Telecom