Procurement of Research Evaluation and Statistics Task Orders (PRESTO)

DISCLAIMER: THIS SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE IS ISSUED FOR MARKET RESEARCH PURPOSES ONLY. THIS NOTICE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A COMMITMENT BY THE GOVERNMENT TO AWARD A CONTRACT AT THIS TIME. THE INTENT OF THIS SOURCES SOUGHT IS TO SEEK RESPONSES FROM INDUSTRY WITH SPECIALIZED CAPABILITIES TO MEET ALL, OR PART OF, THE REQUIREMENTS DEFINED IN THE ATTACHED DRAFT STATEMENT OF WORK (SOW), WITH THE INTENT OF ASSESSING THE EXISTING MARKET, AND ENGAGING VENDORS IN NEW SPACES. Sources Sought Announcement The U.S. Department of Education (ED), Institute of Education Sciences (IES), is seeking sources for the proposed Procurement of Research Evaluation and Statistics Task Orders (PRESTO) contract vehicle. Background IES intends to re-compete the Education Statistics Service Institute Network (ESSIN) contract by issuing a vehicle that encompasses additional requirements that supports the entire IES mission and that is accessible to the entire Department of Education as applicable. This new vehicle has been titled Procurement of Research Evaluation and Statistics Task Orders (PRESTO), and shall be a multiple award, Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (ID/IQ) contract vehicle. The PRESTO contract vehicle will consist of five distinct scope categories with associated NAICS codes assigned to each category. Category 1: Education Sciences Support Activities Description: IES requires expert support to conduct surveys and evaluations that collect data and produce data products to support the mission of IES. Possible NAICS Codes: 518210 and 541720 Category 2: Assessment Development Support Description: IES requires expert support to develop assessment components for its sample survey studies and to develop and conduct large-scale assessments. Possible NAICS Codes: 518210 and 541720 Category 3: Communications and Outreach Description: IES requires expert support for communications activities to include strategic communications oversight, external communications support, and internal communications support. Possible NAICS Codes: 541611, 541613, 541612 and 541618 Category 4: Recruitment Description: IES requires expert support to recruit educational entities and groups traditionally underrepresented in education research on a national and international scale. Possible NAICS Codes: 541611, 541613, 541612 and 541618 Category 5: IES Operational Support Description: IES requires expert support with project management, logistics, and subject matter expertise to enable ongoing functions across the IES. Possible NAICS Codes: 541720 and 541512 Task orders will be awarded with a primary scope category, and only vendors awarded under that scope category will be able to bid. A nominal amount of work from another scope category may be included within a task order. Vendors from another scope category may serve as a subcontractor, but the prime vendor must be approved in the primary scope category. This contract vehicle supports IES in their role as the independent education research, evaluation, and statistics arm of ED, with the goal of providing a diverse and qualified pool of vendors to help IES meet mission critical needs. Instructions All interested parties are invited to review the draft Statement of Work (SOW) and submit formal responses via the Sources Sought Notice web form (https://forms.office.com/r/VSveKR2bpB). Responses are due no later than [1 p.m.] Eastern Standard Time on [March 24, 2022]. NOTE: Responses must be submitted via the web form. The Government will not accept or consider responses sent outside the web form. Respondents should prepare to complete and submit the web form in a single browser session. Responses entered but not submitted will not be saved upon closing or ending the browser session. For this reason, respondents are highly encouraged to review a blank copy of the form and compile answers in advance of beginning the live form submission session. NOTE: The Government will accept only one (1) response per interested party. Should multiple responses be submitted by a single party, only the first response will be accepted, and all subsequent responses deleted without review. Because the web form is intended to capture information regarding each scope category, as well as past performance records and statements of capabilities, respondents may be asked to limit text entry responses to a maximum of 400 words or less. Responses to such questions which exceed the 400-word count limit will not be considered for the purposes of this sources sought notice. Once submitted, respondents will have the opportunity to download and/or print a PDF copy of their response submission for their records. The Government anticipates hosting industry days for this future requirement. Please see the attached Industry Day files which contains all the information for this event. Click the links provided to register for the upcoming Industry Days on April 21, 2022 and April 26, 2022 (Small Business Focused). Please find the attached resources from both Industry Days: PDF copy of the slide presentation PDF copy of the audio transcript PDF copy of the vendor event registration report PDF copy of the Q&A Please keep in mind that there is only one Q&A PDF that contains cumulative content from both Industry Days.