NAEP Science Interactive Computer Task (ICT) Development

The Department of Education awarded a contract to Education Testing Service for the development of interactive computer tasks and scoring rubrics for the National Assessment of Educational Progress science assessments for grades 4, 8, and 12 for 2015 and beyond. These tasks are designed for administration via the NAEP computer delivery system. The contract structure consists of a six month base period valued at 1,695,038 dollars, followed by four option periods: one 18 month period and three 12 month periods. The total potential contract value is 9,030,421 dollars. The project is managed through a combination of firm fixed price deliverables and cost reimbursement tasks, with performance incentivized via an Award Fee Evaluation Plan. This plan evaluates the technical quality, comprehensiveness, and timeliness of key deliverables, including the Implementation Plan and the development of scoring rubrics and training sets. Quality is further monitored through a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan and a structured performance rating scale. Personnel security risk for the project is designated as low, as contractor staff do not require access to government facilities or systems. Additionally, the procurement included incentives for small business subcontracting to ensure a portion of the work was distributed to small business entities.