Online MS Financial Model

1. Introduction & Purpose

The Mortenson Center for Global Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder is evaluating potential partners to support the development, launch, and scaling of a fully online Master of Science program. This RFI is issued to gather information from qualified organizations regarding their capabilities, service models, pricing structures, and regulatory compliance approaches.

We are seeking responses from Online Program Management (OPM) providers, educational technology platforms, and hybrid service organizations. This RFI does not commit the University to any procurement action.

2. Program Overview

• Degree: Master of Science (online delivery)
• Target enrollment: 50-300 students per cohort at steady state
• Credit hours: 30 credit hours (10 courses)
• Duration: 4 semesters (approximately 2 years)
• Target price point: $19,500 - $32,500 total program cost
• Target launch: Fall 2027
• Target audience: Working professionals in engineering, sustainability, international development, and public policy

3. Scope of Services Requested

Please describe your organization's capabilities and proposed approach for each of the following areas:

3.1 Platform & Technology

1. Describe your Learning Management System (LMS) or platform technology.
2. What student-facing tools are included (video conferencing, discussion forums, assessment tools, proctoring, etc.)?
3. How does your platform support asynchronous and synchronous learning modes?
4. What analytics and reporting capabilities are available to program administrators?
5. Describe your platform's accessibility compliance (WCAG 2.1 AA, Section 508).
6. What is your platform uptime SLA?

3.2 Revenue Sharing & Fee Structure

1. Describe your pricing model in detail (revenue share percentage, per-student fees, flat fees, hybrid models, etc.).
2. What is the typical revenue share range for a program of this scope?
3. What is the minimum contract term? Are there early termination provisions?
4. How are fees structured during the ramp-up period before enrollment reaches steady state?
5. Do you offer alternative fee structures (e.g., fee-for-service) that do not involve tuition revenue sharing?
6. Provide a pro forma financial model for years 1-5 assuming 50, 150, and 300 students at steady state.

3.3 Marketing & Student Recruitment

1. Describe your approach to marketing online graduate programs.
2. What is your typical cost-per-enrolled-student for programs in engineering/sustainability fields?
3. What marketing channels do you utilize (paid search, social media, content marketing, partnerships)?
4. How do you target international students, particularly in developing countries?
5. What enrollment conversion rates do you typically achieve from inquiry to enrollment?
6. Who owns the student lead data and marketing assets?

3.4 Student Services

1. What student support services are included (academic advising, technical support, career services)?
2. What are your typical student retention and completion rates for online master's programs?
3. How do you support students across multiple time zones?
4. Describe your approach to student community building in an online environment.

3.5 Content Production & Instructional Design

1. What instructional design support do you provide for course development?
2. Describe your typical course production process and timeline.
3. What multimedia production capabilities are included (video production, animation, interactive simulations)?
4. Who owns the intellectual property for course content created during the partnership?
5. What is the typical cost and timeline for developing a 10-course master's program?

3.6 Regulatory Compliance & DOE OPM Risk

1. How is your organization preparing for the U.S. Department of Education's proposed rulemaking on OPM tuition revenue-sharing arrangements (potentially effective July 2026)?
2. If revenue-sharing arrangements are banned or restricted, what alternative partnership models do you offer?
3. Do you currently offer fee-for-service models that would not be affected by the proposed regulations?
4. How would an existing contract be modified if regulatory changes require restructuring the financial arrangement?
5. What contractual protections do you offer the institution in the event of regulatory changes?
6. Describe any legal analysis or position papers your organization has prepared regarding the proposed DOE rulemaking.
7. How do you ensure compliance with the institution's regional accreditor requirements (HLC for CU Boulder)?

3.7 Timeline & Implementation

1. What is your typical timeline from contract signing to first student enrollment?
2. Provide a proposed implementation timeline for a Fall 2027 launch.
3. What resources and commitments are required from the university during implementation?
4. How do you handle program scaling as enrollment grows?

4. Response Requirements

5. Evaluation Criteria

6. Distribution

This RFI will be issued to the following organizations (and may be extended to additional qualified respondents):

• Coursera for Campus / Coursera for Business (hybrid platform model)
• edX / 2U (OPM and platform services)
• Noodle Partners (fee-for-service OPM alternative)
• Academic Partnerships / Risepoint (traditional OPM)
• All Campus (a Anthology company) (enrollment marketing)