BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT

Memorandum from Purchasing Department
Letter of Instruction for RFP #251-27-104
To: Prospective Parties
Thank you for your interest in the Wake County Public School System. Please review the following
instructions prior to submitting your proposal.
* Prior to submitting and executing the proposal, please make sure you read and understand the terms
and conditions referenced. All proposals are subject to the terms and conditions outlined herein. All
responses will be controlled by such terms and conditions and the submission of other terms and
conditions, price lists, catalogs, and/or other documents as part of an offeror's response will be waived
and have no effect either on this Request For Proposals or on any contract that may be awarded
resulting from this solicitation. The attachment of any other terms and conditions by the Offeror may be
grounds for rejection of that proposal. Offeror specifically agrees to the conditions set forth in the
above paragraph by signature to the proposal.
* Please read carefully the section titled CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS
DURING THE RFP PROCESS. All questions should be directed only to bids-pgooding@wcpss.net
* Offerors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not a request to contract, and WCPSS reserves
the unqualified right to reject any and all offers when such rejection is deemed to be in the best
interest of WCPSS.
* In submitting a proposal, the Offeror agrees not to use the results there from as part of any news
release or commercial advertising.
All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the RFP
requirements and achieving the highest and best final evaluation which is best for WCPSS. Vendors
SHALL not be considered who are not approved or authorized by The State of North Carolina to do
business with The State of North Carolina. WCPSS reserves the right to waive any minor informality or
technicality in proposals received.
IMPORTANT: CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION
During the evaluation period-from the date proposals are opened through the date the contract is
awarded-each Vendor submitting a proposal (including its representatives, sub-contractors and/or
suppliers) is prohibited from having any communications with any person inside or outside of WCPSS
regarding this solicitation. All communication should be directed in written form to the WCPSS
contact indicated above.
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Request for Proposal #251-27-104
1551 Rock Quarry Rd - Bldg. F BEGINNING TEACHER SUPPORT
Raleigh, NC 27610 Contract Type: Open Market
Refer ALL Inquiries to: Petra Gooding
Telephone No: 919-588-3456
E-Mail: bids-pgooding@wcpss.net Using Agency Name: WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM
NOTICE TO VENDORS
Proposals, subject to the conditions made a part hereof, will be received via email to bids-pgooding@wcpss.net until 12:00
p.m. on April 28, 2026. Proposals are subject to rejection unless submitted on this form.
EXECUTION
In compliance with this Invitation for Proposals, and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned offers and agrees
to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are proposed, at the prices set opposite each item within the time
specified herein. By executing this proposal, I certify that this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion.
Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal shall render bid invalid. Late proposals are not acceptable.
VENDOR: FEDERAL ID OR SOCIAL SECURITY NO.
STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:
CITY & STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO
(800)
PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE
TYPE OR PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING: FAX NUMBER:
AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE: E-MAIL:
Offer shall be valid for 120 days from date of proposal opening unless otherwise stated here: _______ days
Prompt Payment Discount: _______ % __________________ days.
DELIVER BID TO: Petra Gooding
bids-pgooding@wcpss.net
RFP SCHEDULE
The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. WCPSS will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.
Event Responsibility Date and Time
Issue RFP WCPSS 4-20-26
Submit Proposals Vendor 4-28-26 @ 12:00 PM ET
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PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The Wake County Public School System's (WCPSS) Teacher Support Program Team requires the purchase of
an online platform, to establish a centralized, secure, and efficient system for managing the Beginning
Teacher Support Program activities for all Wake County Public School System Beginning Teachers, Mentors,
and Mentor Coordinators. The platform shall serve as the district's primary TSP's learning management
system by:
1. Managing the Beginning Teacher Support Program
a. Centralizing a platform to manage district wide Beginning Teacher Support Program activities
b. Integrating with NCEES and Oracle software programs to ensure accurate beginning teacher data
is available
c. Tracking evidence of support, time logs, coaching documents, and mentoring action items
d. Organizing all documentation in one accessible, secure location
e. Aligning all support activities with district program expectations and goals
2. Maintaining Compliance with State Board Policy TCED-016
a. Maintaining time-stamped records of mentoring, coaching, and support hours
b. Providing an auditable trail of all required activities
c. Reducing risk of non-compliance and supporting accountability
3. Supporting Efficiency and Scalability in a Large District
a. Streamlining processes across multiple schools
b. Reducing paperwork and administrative burden
c. Standardizing documentation and communication practices
d. Supporting oversight of large numbers of beginning teachers, mentors, and mentor coordinators
4. Ensuring Comprehensive Documentation and Tracking
a. Allowing mentor coordinators, mentors, and beginning teachers to log interactions in real time
b. Ensuring accurate, complete, and easily retrievable records
5. Enabling Data-Driven Decision Making and Program Improvement
a. Generating reports and analytics on begging teacher support and progress
b. Helping identify trends, gaps, and areas for improvement
6. Promoting Teacher Growth and Retention
a. Ensuring consistent, high-quality support for beginning teachers
b. Tracking progress and next steps in professional development
c. Promoting continuous improvement and instructional effectiveness
BACKGROUND
For background purposes, The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is currently the largest school
district in North Carolina and the 14th largest in the United States. There are currently 204 schools serving a
student population of approximately 160,000, with approximately 20,000 staff. Wake County covers 854
square miles. Additional information about the school system can be accessed via the internet site
(www.wcpss.net).
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SCOPE OF WORK
WCPSS is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide a product or suite of products that can
support the Beginning Teacher Support Program functions of our Talent Management Division of the
Human Resources Department. Focus areas include, but are not limited to, the following:
Providing a centralized, web-based platform to manage Beginning Teacher Support Program activities,
including employee profiles that display mentoring supports and activities. The system will autosave forms
and enable secure report sharing with role-based permissions. It will be fully browser-based and support
unlimited users, multi-level group structures, and permission-based access to ensure secure and efficient
user management. More importantly, it is critical that the system integrates with our existing Oracle and
NCEES Beginning Teacher data.
The system will enable mentor-to-beginning teacher support activities, track mentoring hours and notes,
and provide data visualizations to monitor progress. The system will facilitate multi-way communication
among mentor coordinators, mentors, beginning teachers, and district- level administrators. Additionally,
the system will provide customizable reporting and maintain time-stamped records to support program
monitoring, accountability, and compliance with State Board requirements across the district.
The Human Resources Department will manage platform administration and the annual review of system
effectiveness.
The initial contract shall be awarded for a one-year term. WCPSS reserves the right to renew for two
additional years at its discretion, and based on available funding.
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS
All vendors must complete the WCPSS Technical Questionnaire and sign the WCPSS Data Confidentiality
Security agreement as presented, without any alterations, redlines, or modifications before being
considered.
Please indicate how your proposal will address the following specifications in each area. In terms of
rostering and user authentication, our acceptable methods are listed below. Bids must identify which
methods are available.
User Account Provisioning
The system must allow for the use of the state's unique student ID number to identify students as a master
key with their email address being the login ID.
Users must have individual and unique login credentials.
Accepted SCIM 2.0
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Accepted Entra Identity
Accepted Rapid Identity
Accepted Clever
Accepted Google Workspace
Accepted Just-in-time provisioning via Google, EntraID, or Clever
Accepted SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) using public/private keys in lieu of
static passwords
Class Rostering
Accepted Rapid Identity Studio (OneRoster API)
Accepted Clever
Accepted IMS Global Learning Tool Interoperability (LTI) 1.3 or greater
Accepted SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) using public/private keys in lieu of
static passwords
User Authentication
User sessions must timeout (i.e. require logging in again) after a specified length of inactivity (Down to 30
minutes).
The system must store any local authentication credentials in a salted, encrypted format.
Accepted Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML) 2.0 as a Service Provider
(SP)
Accepted OIDC via Google or Entra Identity
Accepted Sign in with Clever
Accessibility
Must comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) section 508 compliance found at:
http://www.dol.gov/dol/topic/disability/ada.htm
User Roles
At a minimum, software must provide the user roles listed below (or equivalent). The ability to create
custom user roles is preferred.
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Super Full administrative control over all settings to include data integration
Administrator settings, managing user roles/permissions, etc.
District Able to view all users and all data, system-wide reporting, but CANNOT
Administrator access/change any technical settings.
School/Departm Able to view all users and user data within a specific school or
ent department.
Administrator
Teacher/Staff Able to view all students and associated data for students in their class
or staff in their department.
Student/standar Able to view their content only.
d user
Reporting
Where applicable, the system must allow for reporting of student progress at various levels (ie. classroom
teachers can run class level reports, principal or district admin can run school level or district level reports).
Data Portability
The system shall allow for the export of data to be used with other data systems such as Student
Information Systems (SIS), Instructional Management Systems (IMS), and Learning Management Systems
(LMS) (or in case of staff systems, Oracle or other data systems). Data will be provided in a spreadsheet or
database format. Describe how the solution provides for the export or transfer of data, including all
formats and methods supported.
Data Retention and Deletion
User data will be deleted no longer than six months after a user has been removed from the
provisioning view.
While under contract, the system must maintain student data records for a minimum of five (5)
years and make these records available to the district.
Browsers
Must provide support for the most recently released versions of Google Chrome Browser.
Additional Software
If the solution requires the use of additional software components, such as plugins or proprietary
packages, please provide details. List if they are required, or if this would give an enhanced experience.
Software install (Is this required, optional for enhanced experience, or not needed?)
Browser plugin required
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Browser extension required
Application required
Supported Devices
List any limitations
Windows 11
Apple MacOS
Chromebook (the three most recent versions of ChromeOS)
iPhone
iPad
Customer Support
Customer support must be available to district and school administrative users by phone and email
during regular business hours (M-F, 8-5 Eastern Standard Time).
Identify any additional support avenues that may be available such as online chat.
Technical Support
Technical support, licensing fees, upgrades and patches must be included in the annual solution fee.
Server Uptime
Describe your uptime Service Level Agreement. The system is expected to be utilized 24 hours a day.
References
Provide at least two reference accounts where:
Solution is deployed in a production environment
For a duration of one (1) year
For at least 40,000 students
VENDOR QUALIFICATIONS
* VENDOR shall be licensed (when applicable) and approved to do business in the State of North
Carolina.
* Vendors should have experience and expertise working with larger school systems.
* Vendors should integrate with Oracle and NCEES Software systems
* Insurance requirements referenced within as well as any Federal, State and Local requirements
shall be required and maintained.
* Vendor will be disqualified for consideration if they are listed on either the State of North Carolina
debarred vendor registry, or the Federal Government debarred vendor registry.
(Federal Government)
https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/searchRecords/searchResults.jsf
(State of North Carolina)
https://ncadmin.nc.gov/documents/nc-debarred-vendors
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COST PROPOSAL
1. Pricing should be proposed as an overall annual cost of the program, with breakdowns for licenses,
platforms, training, implementation, etc.
2. Bid price must be fixed and all-inclusive of implementation, annual software fees, training costs and
materials, copies, and costs of travel.
3. Successful bid may be awarded in subsequent years based upon funding availability.
4. Vendors shall attach their cost proposal as the final page of this RFP.
REQUIRED SUBMITTALS
* Signed, original execution page (page 2)
* Completed attachments A & B (pages 15 & 16)
* Relevant experience and methodology
* Cost proposal
PROPOSAL EVALUATION
All proposals will be evaluated by representatives of WCPSS. WCPSS may, at its sole discretion, ask for
additional information and/or elect to conduct interviews with finalists to clarify information provided in the
proposals.
The services that are the subject of this RFQ/P are not required to be bid under North Carolina law, and none
of the statutory requirements regarding public bidding apply to this RFQ/P. This document, and not those
statutes, will govern the selection process.
WCPSS shall not be required to award the contract to the lowest proposed compensation; nor shall WCPSS
have any obligation to explain its decision to recommend or not to recommend any particular vendor or to
invite or exclude any particular vendor from consideration at any stage of the process. Instead of
recommending that contracts be awarded to one or more vendors who presented proposals, WCPSS may,
at its sole discretion, reject the proposals and repeat the process, enter into direct contract negotiations
with one or more vendors (possibly including vendors who have not previously submitted proposals) or take
any other action WCPSS deems advisable under all circumstances.
WCPSS is expected to make any final selection(s) based upon any factors or considerations WCPSS deems
relevant. Factors often considered include qualifications, relevant experience, fee, and ability to perform
work in a timely manner. WCPSS retains sole discretion to award the contract to the vendor(s) it believes
will best serve the interests of WCPSS and may consider any factors, documents, or information it deems
relevant in making that determination. WCPSS shall not have any obligation to explain its decision to select
or not select any individual vendors or to invite or exclude any individual vendors from consideration at any
stage of the process. The decision of WCPSS to accept or reject any proposals and to award contract(s) to
any one or more vendor(s) shall be final and not subject to further review.
Vendors are subject to immediate disqualification at any stage of the selection process for any of the
following:
The submission of false or misleading information in the vendor's proposal.
Any efforts to dissuade or discourage other vendors from submitting proposals.
Any efforts to influence, dictate, or change the terms of another vendor's proposal.
Any form of bid collusion or bid rigging.
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DEADLINE FOR PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL
Proposals are due no later than April 28, 2026, at 12:00 PM. WCPSS reserves the right to
reject any proposals that are not submitted by the deadline in its sole discretion. Questions
regarding the RFP shall be answered per the above-mentioned instructions.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
1. READ, REVIEW AND COMPLY: It shall be the bidder's responsibility to read this entire document, review all enclosures and
attachments, and comply with all requirements specified herein.
2. NOTICE TO BIDDERS: All bids are subject to the provisions of special terms and conditions specific to this Invitation for Bids, the
specifications. Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) objects to and will not evaluate or consider any additional terms and
conditions submitted with a bidder response. This applies to any language appearing in or attached to the document as part of the
bidder's response. DO NOT ATTACH ANY ADDITIONAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
By execution and delivery of this document, the bidder agrees that any additional terms and conditions, whether submitted purposely
or inadvertently, shall have no force or effect.
3. DEFINITIONS:
* BIDDER: Company, firm, corporation, partnership, individual, etc., submitting a response to an Invitation for Bids.
* TERM CONTRACT: A contract generally intended to cover all normal requirements for a commodity for a specified period of time
based on estimated quantities only.
* OPEN MARKET CONTRACT: A contract for the purchase of a commodity not covered by a term contract.
4. EXECUTION: Failure to sign under EXECUTION section will render bid invalid.
5. ORDER OF PRECEDENCE: In cases of conflict between specific provisions in this bid, the order of precedence shall be (1) special terms
and conditions specific to this bid, (2) specifications, and (3) Instructions to Bidders.
6. TIME FOR CONSIDERATION: Unless otherwise indicated on the first page of this document, bidder's offer shall be valid for 45 days
from the date of bid opening. Preference may be given to bids allowing not less than 45 days for consideration and acceptance.
7. SPECIFICATIONS: Any deviation from specifications indicated herein must be clearly pointed out; otherwise, it will be considered that
items offered are in strict compliance with these specifications, and bidder will be held responsible, therefore. Deviations shall be
explained in detail. The bidder shall not construe this paragraph as inviting deviation or implying that any deviation will be
acceptable.
8. INFORMATION AND DESCRIPTIVE LITERATURE: Bidder is to furnish all information requested and, in the spaces, provided in this
document. Further, if required elsewhere in this bid, each bidder must submit with their bid sketches, descriptive literature and/or
complete specifications covering the products offered. Reference to literature submitted with a previous bid will not satisfy this
provision. Bids which do not comply with these requirements will be subject to rejection.
9. RECYCLING AND SOURCE REDUCTION: It is the policy of WCPSS to encourage and promote the purchase of products with recycled
content to the extent economically practicable, and to purchase items which are reusable, refillable, repairable, more durable, and
less toxic to the extent that the purchase or use is practicable and cost-effective.
We also encourage and promote using minimal packaging and the use of recycled/recyclable products in the packaging of
commodities purchased. However, no sacrifice in quality of packaging will be acceptable. The company remains responsible for
providing packaging that will protect the commodity and contain it for its intended use.
Companies are strongly urged to bring to the attention of WCPSS which issued the solicitation document, those products or packaging
they offer which have recycled content and that are recyclable.
10. CLARIFICATIONS/INTERPRETATIONS: Any and all questions regarding this document must be addressed to the purchaser named on
the cover sheet of this document. Do not contact the school or department directly. Any and all revisions to this document shall be
made only by written addendum from WCPSS Purchasing Department. The bidder is cautioned that the requirements of this bid can
be altered only by written addendum and that verbal communications from whatever source are of no effect.
11. ACCEPTANCE AND REJECTION: WCPSS reserves the right to reject any and all bids, to waive any informality in bids and, unless
otherwise specified by the bidder, to accept any item in the bid. If either a unit price or extended price is obviously in error and the
other is obviously correct, the incorrect price will be disregarded.
12. REFERENCES: WCPSS reserves the right to require a list of users of the exact item offered. WCPSS may contact these users to
determine acceptability of the bid. Such information may be considered in the evaluation of the bid.
13. AWARD OF CONTRACT: As directed by statute, qualified bids will be evaluated and acceptance may be made of the lowest and best
bid most advantageous to WCPSS as determined upon consideration of such factors as: prices offered; the quality of the articles
offered; the general reputation and performance capabilities of the bidders; the substantial conformity with the specifications and
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other conditions set forth in the bid; the suitability of the articles for the intended use; the related services needed; the date or dates
of delivery and performance; and such other factors deemed by WCPSS to be pertinent or peculiar to the purchase in question. Unless
otherwise specified by WCPSS or the bidder, WCPSS reserves the right to accept any item or group of items on a multi-item bid.
WCPSS also reserves the right to reject any and all bids. In addition, on TERM CONTRACTS, WCPSS reserves the right to make partial,
progressive, or multiple awards: where it is advantageous to award separately by items; or where more than one supplier is needed to
provide the contemplated requirements as to quantity, quality, delivery, service, geographical areas; other factors deemed by WCPSS
to be pertinent or peculiar to the purchase in question.
14. HISTORICALLY UNDERUTILIZED BUSINESSES: Pursuant to General Statute 143-48 and Executive Order #150, WCPSS invites and
encourages participation in this procurement process by businesses owned by minorities, women, disabled, disabled business
enterprises and non-profit work centers for the blind and severely disabled.
15. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION: As provided by statute and rule, WCPSS will consider keeping trade secrets which the bidder does not
wish disclosed confidential. Each page shall be identified in boldface at the top and bottom as "CONFIDENTIAL" by the bidder. Cost
information shall not be deemed confidential. In spite of what is labeled as a trade secret, the determination whether it is or not will
be determined by North Carolina law.
16. SAMPLES: Sample of items, when required, must be furnished as stipulated herein, free of expense, and if not destroyed will, upon
request be returned at the bidder's expense. Request for the return of samples must be made within 10 days following date of bid
opening. Otherwise, the samples will become WCPSS property. Each individual sample must be labeled with the bidder's name, bid
number, and item number. A sample on which an award is made, will be retained until the contract is completed, and then returned,
if requested, as specified above.
17. AWARD PROCEDURES: Contract award notice shall be posted on WCPSS website. Contract award notices are sent only to those
actually awarded contracts, and not to every person or firm responding to this solicitation.
18. RECIPROCAL PREFERENCE: G.S. 143-59 establishes a reciprocal preference law to discourage other states from applying in-state
preferences against North Carolina's resident bidders. The "Principal Place of Business" is defined as the principal place from which
the trade or business of the bidder is directed or managed.
19. DEFAULT AND PERFORMANCE BOND: In case of default by the contractor, WCPSS may procure the articles or services from other
sources and hold the contractor responsible for any excess cost occasioned thereby. WCPSS reserves the right to require performance
bond or other acceptable alternative guarantees from successful bidder without expense to WCPSS.
20. GOVERNMENTAL RESTRICTIONS: In the event any Governmental restrictions are imposed which necessitate alteration of the
material, quality, workmanship, or performance of the items offered prior to their delivery, it shall be the responsibility of the
contractor to notify in writing WCPSS, indicating the specific regulation which required such alterations. WCPSS reserves the right to
accept any such alterations, including any price adjustments occasioned thereby, or to cancel the contract.
21. TAXES: Any applicable taxes shall be invoiced as a separate item.
G.S. 143-59.1 bars the WCPSS from entering into contracts with vendors if the vendor or its affiliates meet one of the conditions of G.
S. 105-164.8(b) and refuse to collect use tax on sales of tangible personal property to purchasers in North Carolina. Conditions under
G. S. 105-164.8(b) include: (1) Maintenance of a retail establishment or office, (2) Presence of representatives in the State that solicit
sales or transact business on behalf of the vendor and (3) Systematic exploitation of the market by media-assisted, media-facilitated,
or media-solicited means. By execution of the bid document the vendor certifies that it and all of its affiliates (if it has affiliates)
collect(s) the appropriate taxes.
22. SITUS: The place of this contract, its situs and forum, shall be Wake County, North Carolina, where all matters, whether sounding in
contract or tort, relating to its validity, construction, interpretation, and enforcement shall be determined.
23. GOVERNING LAWS: This contract is made under and shall be governed and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of
North Carolina.
24. INSPECTION AT CONTRACTOR'S SITE: WCPSS reserves the right to inspect, at a reasonable time, the equipment/item, plant or other
facilities of a prospective contractor prior to contract award, and during the contract term as necessary for WCPSS determination that
such equipment/item, plant or other facilities conform with the specifications/requirements and are adequate and suitable for the
proper and effective performance of the contract.
25. PAYMENT TERMS: Payment terms are Net not later than 30 days after receipt of correct invoice or acceptance of goods, whichever is
later. Payment may be made by procurement card, and it shall be accepted by the contractor for payment if the contractor accepts
that card (Visa, MasterCard, etc.) from other customers.
26. CONDITION AND PACKAGING: Unless otherwise provided by special terms and conditions or specifications, it is understood and
agreed that any item offered or shipped has not been sold or used for any purpose and shall be in first class condition. All
containers/packaging shall be suitable for handling, storage, or shipment.
27. STANDARDS: All manufactured items and/or fabricated assemblies subject to operation under pressure, operation by connection to
an electric source, or operation involving a connection to a manufactured, natural, or LP gas source shall be constructed and approved
in a manner acceptable to the appropriate state inspector which customarily requires the label or re-examination listing or
identification marking of the appropriate safety standard organization; such as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers for
pressure vessels; the Underwriters Laboratories and /or National Electrical Manufacturers' Association for electrically operated
assemblies; or the American Gas Association for gas operated assemblies, where such approvals of listings have been established for
the type of device offered and furnished. Further, all items furnished shall meet all requirements of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act (OSHA), and state and federal requirements relating to clean air and water pollution.
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