NOTICE OF INTENT TO AWARD SOLE SOURCE Description The National Assessment Governing Board (NAGB or Governing Board) intends to award a sole source contract to the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) in accordance with the authority of 41 United States Code (U.S.C.) 253(c)(1) as set forth in FAR Subpart 6.3021(a)(2) "Only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements." The Council of the Great City Schools is the only national organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public schools. Composed of 68 large city school districts, CGCS promotes the cause of urban schools and advocates for inner-city students through a variety of activities, including providing a network for school districts which share common challenges to exchange information and to collaborate on solutions in order to deliver the best possible education for urban youth. CGCS was instrumental in the creation and congressional support for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) program as well as the recruitment of districts to volunteer to participate in the program. TUDA offers the nation a way to measure progress within large urban districts. The majority of the 27 large urban districts that voluntarily participate in TUDA are also members of CGCS. Therefore, coordination with these CGCS members provides unique and invaluable local perspectives on education matters which are essential for making informed policy decisions related to The Nation's Report Card and for executing the Board's congressional mandated responsibilities under the requirements of Public Law 107-279. Background The Governing Board has a congressional mandate to set policy for NAEP also known as The Nation's Report Card and to take appropriate actions that improve the form, content, use, and reporting of assessment results. The Governing Board is also responsible for the initial public release of NAEP report cards. Facilitating the Governing Board's work and disseminating NAEP data rely on expanded outreach activities with target audiences across the nation. Thus, it is critically important to encourage and expand the involvement of policy makers and educators in providing input to the Governing Board in executing its congressionally mandated responsibilities. As a continuing component of its policy making and outreach activities, the Governing Board seeks input from stakeholders who are keenly interested in NAEP. Task Force History and Collaboration Since January 2017, the Governing Board has collaborated with the Task Force, which comprises leaders in the TUDA districts, including superintendents, communications officers, and assessment directors. The Task Force discusses current issues relevant to urban districts and NAEP. This collaboration has meaningfully informed the Governing Board's policy decisions and exponentially improved the Board's outreach efforts. The Task Force will conduct its work through webinars and in-person meetings via contract with the Governing Board. A Task Force member also will periodically attend Governing Board meetings to report on the Task Force's ongoing work and promote communication between the Governing Board and the Task Force. Project activities of the Task Force will be available to the public via the Board's website. Topics to be discussed by the Task Force will include planning for reporting and communicating NAEP TUDA reports; input on NAEP's contextual variable data collected through student, teacher, and school questionnaires; feedback on changes to NAEP's design and assessment schedule; and districts' NAEP information use and analysis needs. Opportunity for Comment and Capability Statements This notice is being posted under the requirements of FAR Subpart 6.3 Other Than Full and Open Competition. This notice is not a request for competitive proposals. A formal solicitation will not be issued. The procurement will be awarded in or around January 2020. The contract period of performance will include a 24 month base period as well as one option year, for a maximum duration of 36 months. Additional information regarding this notice can be provided by contacting
[email protected]. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. More information on the work of the National Assessment Governing Board can be found at www.nagb.gov.