Sharif D. Shakrani

Sharif D. Shakrani serves as a Contracting Officer for the National Assessment Governing Board within the U.S. Department of Education, where he manages the acquisition of professional services critical to the administration and development of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). His responsibilities include planning, soliciting, evaluating, and awarding contracts that support the Board’s mission to ensure the scientific integrity, equity, and relevance of national student achievement assessments. He routinely handles complex service-based acquisitions involving assessment design, data analytics, expert panel facilitation, and public communication services, often requiring compliance with federal standards for impartiality and methodological rigor. Mr. Shakrani maintains consistent contracting relationships with NEWLAND USA CORPORATION and HCC HOTEL OWNER L.P., indicating a focus on specialized consulting services and logistical support for assessment-related convenings and operations. His procurement patterns reflect a preference for established vendors with proven expertise in educational research infrastructure and event management, suggesting a reliance on long-term, performance-based partnerships rather than transactional engagements. These relationships are characterized by sustained engagement across multiple contract cycles, underscoring a track record of reliable vendor performance and compliance with federal acquisition regulations. Mr. Shakrani’s contracting portfolio reflects a 100% non-set-aside approach, with no utilization of socioeconomic set-asides such as 8(a), HUBZone, or SDVOSB programs. This indicates a procurement strategy prioritizing technical capability and mission alignment over socioeconomic preferences, consistent with the Board’s need for highly specialized, nationally recognized expertise in educational assessment. While NAICS data is not available, his acquisitions are narrowly focused on professional services related to educational research, psychometric analysis, survey methodology, and large-scale testing logistics. His domain expertise lies in securing contractors capable of delivering high-stakes, federally mandated assessments with strict confidentiality, statistical validity, and public accountability requirements.