Feasibility and Design of an Impact Evaluation of Strategies for Providing School Choice Information

THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION OR REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL. NO PROPOSALS ARE SOUGHT. Introduction and Background The Institute of Education Sciences (IES) at the United States Department of Education (ED) is conducting a study to: 1) identify promising strategies for providing parents with high-quality information that will help them to make effective school choices; and 2) examine the feasibility of an impact evaluation focused on this topic. Working in collaboration with the Office of Innovation and Improvement (OII), IES expects these tasks to contribute to department initiatives focused on improving both parent engagement and enhanced school choice. ED intends to procure research and development services designed to answer the following research questions (by topic area): A. Strategies for Evaluation 1. What are the key factors that school choice information strategies should include? 2. What are the available - exemplary and not - information strategies currently being developed or in use by districts with a diverse portfolio of choice options? B. Design and Feasibility of an Impact Study 1. Which promising school choice information strategies - either identified among those already in use or newly proposed - are feasible for both a rigorous evaluation and larger scale implementation (i.e., policy relevant)? 2. What is the counterfactual? 3. At what level might random assignment be conducted? 4. What outcomes would be of most interest and importance to examine when conducting an evaluation of school choice? 5. What other design options need to be considered? Purpose The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to conduct market research for the requirement entitled "Feasibility and Design of An Impact Evaluation of Strategies for Providing School Choice Information". ED needs to determine if there are small businesses that have the capacity and capability to perform the services required under this action. Responses are sought from small businesses with the following areas of knowledge, capabilities, and successful experiences: 1. Conducting expert studies related to k-12 education and school choice; 2. Making valid conclusions that meet the purpose of proposed studies to inform policy-making decisions; 3. Expertise in or access to a reliable network of researchers with all or a combination of the following disciplines: data collection, data sampling, data analysis, study design, feasibility studies, impact evaluation studies, research evaluation, counterfactual theory, random assignment, k-12 education research, school choice, and school choice; 4. Ability to recruit subject-matter experts, coordinate, and convene panel meetings; 5. Ability to conduct research interviews; and 6. Ability to write and present research findings to enable policy-making decisions. Small businesses are encouraged to team with other large or small businesses for this requirement. ED is seeking information on whether small businesses are certified as HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB), Women-owned (WO), or 8(a). The Draft Performance Work Statement (PWS) is included with this notice. Small Businesses should be aware of the changes made to the NAICS Code Structure per the Federal Register Notice issued March 12, 2012. Please ensure that all applicable and relevant information is updated in the Online Representations and Certifications Application (ORCA) and the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code contemplated for this requirement is 541720---Research and Development. The NAICS Code Size Standard is $19 million. Small Businesses are requested to provide Capability Statements that address the requested information (outlined below). Instructions are as follows: Capability Statement Instructions In response to the attached PWS, ED hereby solicits capability statements from eligible small businesses. These statements shall be no longer than 3 pages, single-spaced. Contractors should include up to six resumes in the appendix. Each resume must be no more than 3 pages and should clearly demonstrate that individuals have the skills to perform the work described within the Draft PWS. Only resumes for key personnel who would work on the contract should be included. The resumes will not be counted as part of the 3 pages of the capability statement. The capability statement should describe the collective expertise of key personnel, in each of the following substantive areas: 1. School choice focused information strategies and programs. Interested contractors should provide evidence of key personnel's experience and/or education resulting in general knowledge of (a) the school choice literature and related research and (b) current practices and policies in districts offering school choice. Interested contractors should furthermore demonstrate expertise in the specific area of parent/student information strategies in the context of school choice. This should include in-depth knowledge of literature and research focused on how parents make school choices, information strategies that have been employed and tested, and current district policies and practices related to providing school choice information. 2. Rigorous experimental study design in education contexts. Interested contractors should highlight successful experience with designing and conducting random assignment evaluations in school settings. In particular, interested contractors should discuss experience with implementing specific interventions and testing the impact of those interventions on critical outcomes. Contractors should indicate the specific role that key personnel played on these evaluations. In addition, the capability statement should address the following qualifications and experience at the corporate level: 3. Projects similar in nature to that described in the PWS. Interested contractors should highlight successful corporate experiences with past projects that are similar to the current project in terms of the specific tasks to be performed and the level of effort required. Attachment(s): Draft PWS Date and Time Due: Responses are due 10 days from posted date or on May 21, 2012 Submitted responses by email to: Jennifer.Arthur@ed.gov Copy responses to: Pamela.Bone@ed.gov Note: This RFI is for planning purposes only and shall not be construed as RFP or as an obligation on the part of the Department to acquire any products or services. The Department does not intend to award a contract on the basis of this RFI nor pay for the information provided. No entitlement to payment of direct or indirect costs or charges will arise as a result of submission of responses to the RFI and ED's use of such information.