Pearson-MCPS Contract Update: Program Development Plan

All,

I was finally able to get a copy of the Program Development Plan (PDP) that was part of the original Pearson-MCPS contract. The contract appears to have been signed last June 2010. The contract stated that the PDP would be completed 14 days after the contract was inked. However, after numerous phone calls over months, to try and understand the contract, and in particular the staff, and deliverables, and obtain a copy of the PDP, I was unable to obtain a copy. In the end I sent a Maryland Public Information Act (MPIA) request to MCPS. Last week I received the draft, redacted PDP. You can read it below.

Paula Bienenfeld
Education Committee Chair, Montgomery County Civic Federation

Here is the text from Section 3.B of the contract:
B. Detailed Development Plan
The parties shall in good faith mutually agree upon the Program specifications and budget in a reasonably detailed written development plan (“Program Development Plan”) within fourteen (14) days after this Agreement is signed by both parties (“Planning Phase”). If the parties fail to agree upon a written Program Development Plan within the Planning Phase, then either party may terminate this Agreement upon written notice to the other without liability to the other. The Program Development Plan may be modified from time to time during the Development Period but only by a written amendment to the Program Development Plan that is signed by each party’s duly authorized representative. The Program Development Plan shall initially cover the development of an online, web-based version of the Program, and any print version of the Program or any of its individual Components that Publisher may desire to publish. The Program Development Plan shall include the Program development costs, budget and allocation of costs for development and creation of each Component among the parties as well as a development schedule for deliverables and associated acceptance criteria. The Development Funds payable to MCPS under this Agreement shall be used to develop the Program in accordance with the performance milestones and acceptance criteria specified in the Program Development Plan.

And here is the Draft, Redacted PDP, below.  Please note the date on the Cover is February 23, 2011, however the date in the footers is 5/3/2011, which is the date I received the Draft PDP.

Pearson-MCPS Draft Product Development Plan, Feb 23, 2011 (Redacted)