U.S. Department of Education,Room 406B, Capitol Place, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20208-5653

A -- NAEP PLANNING REPORT FOR THE MONITORING OF SAMPLOING, DATA COLLECTIONS, AND OPERATIONS OF A LARGE-SCALE ASSESSMENT SOL ern99nae1 POC Pat Dabbs, (202) 219-2056 The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is the only nationally representative and continuing assessment of what students know and can do in various subject areas. NAEP has performed this requirement since 1969, conducting periodic assessments in reading, mathematics, science, writing, history, geography, and other subjects. Information related to academic achievement is collected by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and made available to policy makers at the national, state, and local levels. NAEP is undergoing a major redesign process, as called for by the National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB). NAGB is a broadly representative body that sets policy for NAEP regarding subject areas to be assessed, developing guidelines for reporting and giving direction to NCES. As part of its redesign initiative, NAGB policy called for NAEP to move into an annual testing cycle and to more rapid reporting of test results. A major strategy to accomplish an integrated approach to these needs is the NAEP All States 2000 initiative. Also, the recent formal evaluation of NAEP by the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recommended that NAEP streamline its operations in the area of sampling and data collection and to further increase usability by targeting its outreach and dissemination activities to particular audiences. The cumulative effect of the changes mandated by NAGB policy, the NAEP All States 2000 initiative, and the NAS evaluation, and the demand for their expeditious, well-considered implementation is to acutely increase the need for additional organizational capacity. The purpose of this procurement, which is part of a series of procurements, is to enhance NAEP by utilizing the experience and ideas of several professionals. NCES has need for a number of planning report requirements: (1) a plan for improving sampling, data collection, and operations of a large-scale assessment under the terms of the NAEP redesign; (2) an outreach plan for disseminating large-scale test results to various NAEP audiences; (3) a plan for NAEP item development incorporating technology innovation; and (4) a plan for training various NAEP data user audiences to do data analyses. Statement of Need: Each of these plans will be considered a separate small purchase, with a total of four small purchases. Each of these plans will find immediate internal use by NAEP staff who monitor sampling and data collection activities, staff who are endeavoring to incorporate innovative technology to assessment item development, and by staff who conduct various outreach and dissemination activities including training NAEP data users. Each plan is needed to carry out an integral part of important up-coming NAEP activities which are on an accelerated track due to the implementation schedule of the redesign, the NAEP All States 2000 initiative, and the call for increased responsiveness by NAS. Product sought through this procurement: A plan for providing assistance in the monitoring of sampling, data collection, and operations ofa large-scale assessment under the terms of the NAEP redesign and implementing the NAEP All States 2000 initiative. NCES is carefully considering a future operational combination of State and national samples in the conduct of NAEP. Technical options for implementing a combination of main NAEP and trend NAEP are also being considered by NCES. Issues surrounding trend line maintenance are recognized as especially challenging. The contractor (individual) must have expertise and experience in the area relevant to the plan he/she bids and be available to carry out the required work within the specified time period. A technical proposal detailing the approach to be taken in the work should be submitted along with a cost estimate for doing the work and delivering the product as described in each requirement. Deliverables Detailed Prospectus for the work -- 1 month after award Detailed Interim Report -- 3 months after award Detailed Progress Report and outline for revising the Draft Plan -- 6 months after award Draft Plan: a hardcopy and a file copy on diskette in MS Word -- 6 months after award Detailed Interim Report -- 9 months after award Final Plan: a hardcopy and a file copy on diskette in MS Word -- 12 months after award Period of Performance and Payment Schedule Performance period extends 12 months from the date of award. Payment scheduled as deliverables are accepted by the Government and with submission of invoice for partial payment. Reference Interested parties are referred to the NAEP Web homepage at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/index.html, and specifically to the NAEP Guide at http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/guide/97990.html. Information about the 1996 NAGB policy statement on redesigning NAEP can be found at this Web address: http://www.nagb.org/about/policy1.html. Likewise, the 1998 report on the evaluation of NAEP by NAS can be found at: http://books.nap.edu/html/grading/. Proposal Instructions: Applicants are directed to submit one (1) original (marked as such) and two (2) copies of their Proposal for the NAEP Planning Reports project to Patricia Dabbs, Project Officer, Assessment Division, National Center for Education Statistics no later than September 8, 1999 at 2:00 PM EST at the following address: Room 406B Capitol Place 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20208-5653 To gain entry through security doors for delivery to Room 406B of Capitol Place, call the Project Officer (219-2056) using the 4th floor elevator lobby telephone. The Project Officer can be contacted as follows: Email address: patricia_dabbs@ed.gov Telephone: 202-219-2056 Technical Proposal Instructions: Technical proposals will be evaluated according to these criteria: quality and credibility of the general approach; technical qualifications of the proposed principal personnel; and soundness of the management plan. 1) The Offeror should submit the following information with their Proposal(s): a) A cover sheet giving the name and address of the individual or firm, and signature of the individual or officer of the firm. b) Information that details the Offeror's approach to doing the work and delivering the product. c) A proposed project timeline that complies with the deliverables schedule listed above. Description of tasks the Offeror proposes to complete. Project objectives for completing the draft report and for the period afterward for completing the final report. d) Information that demonstrates the Offeror's capability and capacity for successful completion of the project. The Offeror should present information regarding its understanding of project tasks and its technical approach to NAEP activities, including proposed project activities. The Offeror should demonstrate in the Proposal its understanding of the nature and scope of the project tasks, and its capability for successfully completing each project task. Supporting documentation, evidence, and examples of the Offeror's understanding of the work requirement should be included in its Proposal. The Offeror will provide the name(s) and job description of all personnel who will participate in the project. Biographical information and resumes should be provided for principal project staff. The Offeror should provide a summary management plan as part of its proposal. A summary table should include critical milestone dates; starting and ending dates of each major project task and activity, and the estimated delivery date of the draft report and the final report, as appropriate to structuring the work to deliver a product. Business Proposal Instructions: 1) Provide the number of contractor labor hours and costs by project task. Budget spreadsheets will be prepared so that costs by task can be readily identified. 2) Printing costs for multiple copies of both the draft and final reports for internal use will be borne by the Assessment Division of NCES. Posted 08/17/99 (I-SN368720). (0229)

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