Communications, Outreach and Dissemination Services

The National Assessment Governing Board (hereafter referred to as the Governing Board) has awarded a contract to The Hatcher Group in Bethesda, Maryland to provide communications, outreach and dissemination services in support of the Governing Board's legislative mandate to set policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), also known as the Nation's Report Card. The Governing Board has operational responsibilities for NAEP as well, as stipulated in Section 302 of the National Assessment of Educational Progress Authorization Act, Public Law 107-27. (See https://nagb.gov/naep/naep-law.html). Outreach, reporting and dissemination responsibilities include the following: - Plan and execute initial release of NAEP Report Cards; - Take appropriate actions needed to improve the form, content, use, and reporting of NAEP results; and - Develop guidelines for reporting and disseminating NAEP results. Implementing this mandate requires that the Governing Board play an integral and key role in reporting and disseminating NAEP results and working with stakeholders and targeted audiences to disseminate the data when released; assisting stakeholders with a deeper understanding of NAEP results; communicating the importance and utility of NAEP results, and sharing best practices on understanding and using the data. The Governing Board seeks to engage stakeholders using communication tools that are rapidly evolving and also include social media tools and emerging technologies for engagement strategies that are innovative and achieve results. STRATEGIC VISION Implementation activities in support of the Governing Board's Strategic Vision and communications and outreach plans will require a number of activities as summarized below: - Maintaining comprehensive databases of key stakeholders with continuous updates on contact information of individual and organizational partners among policymakers, educators, parents, students, researchers, the business community, and the general public; - Tracking stakeholder meetings, conferences, and events with tools that monitor ongoing and past work with targeted individuals and groups; - Developing approaches to comprehensively monitor and report Governing Board initiatives and use of NAEP data among stakeholder groups and the media; - Analyzing NAEP assessment data and identifying findings that are actionable among stakeholder groups; - Creating high quality artifacts such as videos, infographics, speaker presentations, and conducting case studies, developing white papers, and utilizing other communication vehicles to expand the availability, utility, and value of NAEP data among stakeholders; - Supporting the planning and execution of engaging and effective in-person and virtual national-reach events related to initial releases of NAEP results, and other events, and - Significantly improving communications to stakeholders via social media and other electronic means with an eye toward emerging communication vehicles, all in compliance with federal mandates as they relate to social media communications. The contract is for a base period of 12 months with two 12-month option periods for a total of 3 years.