Background: This SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE is being issued to determine the availability of commercial contractors, both small businesses and large businesses, with the skills and experience to perform the work assigned under this project. The Department of Education (Department) has determined that NAICS Code 541611, Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services, best applies for this procurement. Pursuant to 48 C.F.R. Part 10, the Department is conducting market research to: - Determine what sources exist that are capable of satisfying the Government'srequirements listed below; - Determine the capabilities of potential contractors; - Determine the size and status of potential sources; and - Determine the level of competition. The Department anticipates awarding a single-award Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract. Orders placed against the IDIQ contract are expected to be Firm-Fixed-Price, Cost-Reimbursement, and Time & Materials.. The Department anticipates releasing the solicitation through the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website in early June 2014. Interested parties who do not respond to this Sources Sought Notice with a capability statement will still be eligible to compete for the contract award. The anticipated award date is late-August or early-September 2014. Objectives: The primary objective of the Analytic Support to Inform Policy Development and Program Improvement contract (hereafter referred to as the Analytic Support IDIQ contract) is to obtain technical and subject matter expertise to assist the Department's Office of Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development (OPEPD), Policy and Program Studies Service (PPSS) office in in meeting its operational requirements to provide high-quality and timely analytic support pertaining to pre-K through 12 and postsecondary education. This IDIQ is designed to provide PPSS with the flexibility needed to respond to evolving policy needs and priorities. More specifically, this IDIQ contract will provide statistical and descriptive analyses using existing datasets, literature reviews and syntheses, quick turnaround data collection (e.g., surveys, compilation of information available on-line, and collection of extant documents), and consultations with expert researchers and practitioners. Work conducted under the task orders shall follow PPSS and National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) guidelines and statistical standards to ensure the highest quality analyses and reporting. The Analytic Support IDIQ contract will support PPSS for a wide range of program and policy topics ranging from early learning through elementary-secondary, postsecondary, and adult education. Specific topics may include, but are not limited to: (a) achievement gaps and progress for disadvantaged students and all students, including economically disadvantaged students, students with disabilities, English learners, minority students, and other student subgroups; early childhood education; (b) support for the teacher and school leader workforce, including preparation, professional development, recruitment, retention, evaluation, and compensation; (c) school and district improvement strategies; (d) state and local assessment and accountability systems; (e)career and technical education and workforce preparation; (f) college affordability; (g) postsecondary educational attainment and employment outcomes for youth and adults; and (h) performance measurement at the federal, state, and local levels. Work devoted to specific analytic priorities and topics will be performed through discrete task orders aligned with funding sources supporting the order. It is anticipated that the initial task order will be awarded at the same time the Analytic Support IDIQ contract is awarded. DRAFT Performance Work Statement (PWS): Attached for your review is a draft PWS, which includes background, purpose of contract, legislative authority, scope of work, and potential tasks and deliverables. Request for Capabilities: Interested parties are invited to submit a capability statement that is customized to adequately address the functional support areas expressly identified in the PWS. The capability statement should address the following qualifications and experience of key staff, subcontractors, and consultants: - Demonstrated experience in leading and managing multiple research projectsinvolving a range of expert staff. - Knowledge of federal laws relating to elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education; and state and local education policies and programs. - Demonstrated experience and expertise in wide range of functional areas such as: o analyzing a range of policies and program support for state standards and assessments; o analysis of student achievement data; o state and local accountability systems, school and district improvement strategies; o teacher quality and professional development; o strategies for raising the achievement of special needs student groups including economically disadvantaged students, English learners, and students with disabilities; o targeting and resource allocation; o career and technical education; o college and career readiness; o comprehensive high school reform; o dropout prevention and recovery; o adult education; o secondary-to-postsecondary access and transitions; o post-secondary educational attainment and employment outcomes; and o accountability and performance measurement. - Demonstrated experience executing and directing work that has employed a range of research methodologies and statistical techniques appropriate for conducting education policy analysis and program evaluation, such as: randomized control trials and quasi-experimental studies;collection and analysis of extant documents and data from states, school districts, schools, and institutions of higher education; o administration of surveys; and interview collection and coding;reviews of education literature applying WWC or like standards; andmultivariate statistical techniques. - Demonstrated experience producing and overseeing the development of analytical reports and presentations that are clear and relevant for non-technical education policy audiences. PAGE LIMIT FOR CAPABILITY STATEMENTS IS ten (10) PAGES, DOUBLE SPACED WITH AT LEAST A 12 POINT FONT. A COVER PAGE, LIMITED TO ONE PAGE MAY ALSO BE SUBMITTED THAT WILL NOT COUNT TOWARD THE TEN (10) PAGE. THE CAPABILITY STATEMENTS MUST TAILORED TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS OR THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS SUMMARIZED ABOVE AS MORE COMPLETELY DESCRIBED IN THE ATTACHED PWS. Please address each in the order listed above. Business Information and PWS Comments: Please also provide the following business information: 1. Company Name 2. Company Address 3. Company Point of Contact, phone number and email address 4. DUNS Number 5. Type of company under NAICS, as validated via the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) (i.e., large or small business) and any and all socio-economic business categories (e.g., small disadvantaged business (SDB), 8(a) firm, woman-owned small business (WOSB), service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), HUBZone small business (HUBZone) for which your company is certified by the Small Business Administration. Additional information on NAICS codes can be found at www.sba.gov. Any potential government contracter must be registered on the CCR located at http://www.ccr.gov/index.asp 6. Current GSA Schedule contractors currently held by your company that are relevant to this Sources Sought Notice 8. Point of Contact, phone number and email address of individuals who can verify the demonstrated capabilities identified in the responses. Additionally, interested parties are encouraged to submit questions or comments regarding the PWS, including the identification of any barriers to competition. Due Date for Capability Submission: Interested parties having the capabilities necessary to perform the stated requirements may submit their customized capability statements via email to Brigid.Lochary@ed.gov and carbon copy Alice.Mihill@ed.gov. Responses must be submitted no later than 12 PM, Eastern Time April 16, 2014. Capability statements will not be returned and will not be accepted after the due date. PARTICIPATION IN THE MARKET RESEARCH IN NO WAY INFLUENCES THE SOURCE SELECTION FOR THESE SERVICES. This is not an invitation for bid, request for proposal or other solicitation. The sole purpose of this Sources Sought notice is to obtain capabilities for possible set-aside and procurement planning purposes. This Sources Sought Notice is not to be construed as a commitment on the part of the Government to award a contract nor does the Government intend to directly pay for any information or responses submitted as the result of this Sources Sought Notice.
