47QFMA25K0009_RFI Attachment 1_Section C_Draft.pdf

CUI//SP-PROCURE

RFI Attachment 01_Draft Section C

47QFMA26RXXXX

USA HIRE Support Services II in support of:

United States Office of Personnel Management (US OPM)

Controlled by AAS Contracting Officer Steven Nerenberg steven.nerenberg@gsa.govDRAFT

SECTION C – DESCRIPTION/SPECIFICATIONS/PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

C.1 BACKGROUND

The landscape for Federal hiring has changed dramatically in the past 12 months. The Chance to Compete Act of 2024 (CCA), Executive Order 14170 (Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service, January 20, 2025) and the Merit Hiring Plan (MHP, issued May 29, 2025) require Federal agencies to: a) incorporate skills-based assessments into their hiring processes; and b) eliminate the use of self-rating assessment questionnaires that have been used pervasively across government for many years. The United States Office of Personnel Management (OPM) is the central agency for providing human resources solutions to Federal agencies.

Through its Human Resources Solutions (HRS) Federal Staffing Center (FSC) USA Hire ℠ Program Office, OPM provides Federal agencies with high-quality assessment tools through a centralized assessment platform that meets the goal of more efficient evaluation of applicants and better-quality hires across government. USA Hire ℠ includes a range of assessment solutions that can help agencies meet skills-based assessment requirements. In Fiscal Year 2024, USA Hire ℠ customer agencies used the program to assess approximately 1 million applicants for over 20,000 job opportunity announcements; OPM expects continued exponential growth in the use of its assessments in future fiscal years. USA Hire ℠ provides an online assessment program designed specifically to meet the hiring needs of government agencies. Federal agencies need professionally developed and validated assessment tools to identify highly qualified and proficient applicants and ultimately make the best hires. Better assessments can lead to better hires and a stronger workforce that builds a high performing organization set up to achieve mission success. USA Hire ℠ currently offers off-the-shelf assessment batteries covering over 800 individual job series/grade combinations, off-the-shelf assessment batteries covering skills and competencies shared across jobs (e.g., project management, writing, data skills, supervisory skills), and custom assessment batteries targeting the needs of individual agencies, access to test center locations worldwide, and a broad array of assessment and IT expertise. HRS can develop, customize, and deliver assessment solutions that effectively and efficiently meet the needs of Federal agencies. USA Hire ℠ was built specifically for use in the Federal Government; USA Hire ℠ fully integrates with USA Staffing®; USA Hire ℠ meets all Federal IT standards; and USA Hire ℠ maintains high levels of security, accessibility, and usability. Agencies use the USA Hire ℠ platform to administer a wide variety of online assessments such as traditional multiple-choice assessments, sophisticated work simulations, video-based assessments, computer adaptive tests (CAT), computer-scored writing assessments, video-based interviews, and more.

USA Hire ℠ currently blends state-of-the-art assessments and technology enabled assessment delivery solutions to modernize and transform the Federal hiring process.

Through USA Hire ℠, Federal agencies have access to online assessment (proctored and un-proctored) products and services with the goals of helping to manage large applicant pools, improving the quality of hires, decreasing the time-to-hire, minimizing applicant burden, and improving the applicant experience. USA Hire ℠ is part of an integrated solution that currently combines HRS’ internal expertise (e.g., Industrial/Organizational Psychology, staff acquisition), assessment technology resources (USAJOBS and USA Staffing) with the external capabilities of industry partner(s).

DRAFT

USA Hire ℠ includes computer adaptive testing technology. All assessments are fully compliant with Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act, and video-based items are supported by an HTML5-based video player and allow for closed-captioned videos. USA Hire ℠ also complies with all Federal IT security and privacy mandates.

C.1.1 PURPOSE

OPM is the central agency for providing Human Resources Solutions (HRS) to Federal agencies. Through its HRS Federal Staffing Center (FSC) USA Hire Program Office, OPM provides federal agencies with access to high quality, skills-based assessments designed to identify top talent for federal mission-critical and mission-support jobs. USA Hire includes off-the-shelf assessments developed for hiring across the federal government and custom assessments designed to meet the unique needs of federal agencies. The online assessment delivery platform at the core of the USA Hire Program includes state-of-the-art technology designed to host and deliver a broad range of online assessments for use in hiring. The platform design provides OPM and the agencies it serves with considerable flexibility to implement assessment methodologies and content that address the dynamic needs of the government and improve hiring outcomes.

C.1.2 AGENCY MISSION

OPM’s Human Resource Solutions delivers human capital solutions that enable the federal government to solve the nation’s toughest challenges. Through the USA Hire platform, OPM provides an online assessment platform that delivers high quality, professionally developed assessments that help Federal agencies build the workforce that powers America.

C.2 SCOPE

The USA Hire ℠ program seeks an industry partner-provided commercial solution that meets the needs of its federal customer base. OPM requires an online system that can deploy off-the-shelf and custom assessments that measure a variety of competencies for Federal occupations. OPM seeks an assessment delivery system that can automatically score closed-end and open-ended responses, including writing samples. The online assessment platform shall be able to handle any mathematical formula for scoring purposes. Based on the needs of USA Hire ℠ ’s customers, OPM requires an assessment platform that supports static, multi-form, computer-adaptive (CAT), and linear-on-the-fly (LOFT) assessments delivered in un-proctored, in-person, and remote proctored settings.

The platform shall support applicant self-scheduling for proctored test sessions. The platform shall additionally support the delivery of synchronous (live) and asynchronous (recorded) online interviews, online interview scheduling, and provide an interface for raters to review and rate applicant interviews. Online interviews shall be delivered through the integration with USA Staffing and combinable with other assessments. The platform shall include an interface for OPM and customer Industrial/Organizational Psychologists to author, upload, and configure tests, and to manage assessment processes. The contractor shall be able to support secure, standardized, real-time data interconnections with other assessment delivery platforms and provide the government with access to additional online assessments, including technical skills-based assessment content (e.g., accounting, coding, cybersecurity, engineering). All assessment platforms shall rely on the applicant’s USAJOBS Login.gov account or Federal employee’s USA Hire ℠ Login.gov account for authentication.

OPM requires an industry partner that can provide psychometric expertise to support Federal Industrial/Organizational Psychologist resources in developing and implementing valid, defensible assessment batteries for the USA Hire ℠ customer base, which may include conducting job analyses, data analyses, integrating multiple content sources, and evaluating and interpreting results. The USA Hire ℠ contractor will also support OPM program evaluation efforts that assess the current health of USA Hire ℠ and guide the program’s strategic direction. OPM also seeks to leverage vendor partner resources for project management in support of assessment and talent acquisition projects with customer agencies.

OPM requires an industry partner whose platform and psychometric support can dynamically scale to support both the growth and surge needs of the USA Hire ℠ program. The CCA and MHP foster the use of skill-based and competency-based technical assessments by requiring at least one technical or alternative assessment in competitive hiring processes. Further, the MHP strongly encourages the use of multiple-hurdle assessment approaches and encourages agencies to use USA Hire ℠ assessments.

OPM intends to position USA Hire ℠ as the assessment program of choice for agencies to meet their competitive hiring assessment needs. To provide an idea of the potential scale, the approximately 1 million applicants for more than 20,000 job opportunity announcements mentioned earlier represent less than 20% of competitive hiring across the government in FY24. While it is challenging to estimate the exact number of assessments to be delivered in future years given the variation in needs across government and the current gap in use of skills-based assessments, the USA Hire ℠ program anticipates the need to support the delivery of online assessment batteries for several million applicants per year. OPM is seeking an industry partner who can assist the USA Hire ℠ program with delivering online assessments at scale across government as efficiently and effectively as possible. In sum, OPM requires a contractor that is able to deliver:

● Psychometric expertise to manage and support delivery of online assessment solutions

● A scalable solution that can efficiently address both expected growth and surge demands

● An online assessment solution/platform for use in proctored and un-proctored environments that also allows for assessment scheduling

● Assessment delivery in proctored and un-proctored environments using a variety of delivery engines (e.g. static, CAT)

● Delivery of online video-based interviews in both synchronous and asynchronous modes

● Reporting to document activities, results, system performance, system maintenance and other relevant information

● Responses to and support for data calls

● System management, integration, and testing services

● Help desk support

● Ensuring approved reasonable accommodations are applied at proctored test centers

● Project management and program reviews

● Program evaluation

● Data analytics

● Ease of editing candidate-focused content (notifications, instructions, etc.)

C.3 RESERVED

C.4 OBJECTIVES

Under USA Hire II Support Services, OPM requires a comprehensive psychometric, technological and programmatic solution to sustain and enhance the USA Hire assessment platform. OPM seeks industry partner(s) to deliver a full range of assessment services while maintaining a secure, reliable, user-centered and data driven USA Hire platform. Industry partner(s) must be able to scale government-wide assessment delivery while:

● Deploying a flexible platform

● Hosting and delivering assessments

● Developing and maintaining assessment content

● Providing customer agency and applicant support

● Providing continuous platform enhancement

● Complying with Federal IT, security and accessibility standards

● Interconnecting with third party assessment providers

● Integrating with innovative assessment technology and content

● Effectively managing costs

Through these services, the industry partner will ensure USA Hire continues to deliver valid, merit-based hiring across the Federal government.

C.5 TASKS

C.5.1 TASK 1 – PROVIDE PROJECT MANAGEMENT

The Contractor shall provide a Psychometric expert as the overall Project Manager who shall be responsible for all Contractor work performed under this project. The Project Manager has been identified as Key personnel for this project.

The Project Manager shall be a single point of contact for the Contracting Officer and the OPM designated Points of Contact (POCs). While it is expected that a diversity of tools, technologies, and staff with a broad range of skills will be needed to deliver the required online assessment solutions, the Project Manager shall serve as the integrator for all engagements. It is anticipated that the Project Manager shall be one of the senior level employees provided by the Contractor for this work effort. The contractor shall identify any alternate(s), who shall act for the Contractor in the absence of the Project Manager, after contract award. During any absence of the Project Manager, only one alternate shall have full authority to act for the Contractor on all matters relating to work performed under this contract. The Project Manager and all designated alternates shall be able to read, write, speak and understand English.

The Project Manager shall be available to the OPM POCs via telephone between the hours of 8:30 am through 4:30 pm EST, Monday through Friday, and shall respond to a request for discussion or resolution of technical problems within 24 hours of notification.

In addition to the Project Manager described above, the Contractor shall provide an IT expert (IT Project Manager) and an I-O expert (I-O Psychology Project Manager). The IT Project Manager will lead all related IT efforts in support of USA Hire and shall ensure the quality, cost, and timeliness of all Contractor work in areas including, but not limited to, IT security, performance, functionality, and availability. The I-O Psychology Project Manager will lead all related I-O Psychology efforts in support of USA Hire and shall ensure the quality, cost, and timeliness of all Contractor work in areas including, but not limited to, content management, assessment development, technical reports, and statistical analysis. The Project Manager, IT Project Manager, and I-O Psychology Project Manager are designated Key personnel and shall be three separate individuals.

C.5.1.1 SUBTASK 1 – COORDINATE A PROJECT KICK-OFF MEETING

The contractor shall schedule and coordinate a Project Kick-Off Meeting at a location approved by the Government (Section F, Deliverable X). The meeting shall provide an introduction between the contractor personnel and Government personnel who will be involved with the Contract. The meeting shall provide the opportunity to discuss technical, management, and security issues, and travel authorization and reporting procedures. At a minimum, the attendees shall include the contractor’s Key Personnel, the OPM Technical Point of Contact (TPOC), other relevant Government personnel, the AAS CO, and the AAS Army COR.

The contractor shall provide a Project Kick-Off Meeting Agenda for review and approval by the AAS Army COR and the OPM TPOC (Section F, Deliverable X). The agenda shall include, at a minimum, the following topics/deliverables:

A. Points of Contact (POCs) for all parties.

B. Personnel discussion (e.g., roles and responsibilities and lines of communication between contractor and Government).

C. Project Staffing Plan and status.

D. Transition-In Plan and discussion (Section F, Deliverable X).

E. Security discussion and requirements (e.g., building access, badges, Personal Identity

Verification (PIV) cards, Common Access Cards (CACs)).

F. Financial requirements including financial reporting and invoicing.

G. Quality Management Plan (QMP) (Section F, Deliverable X).

The Government will provide the contractor with the number of Government participants for the Project Kick-Off Meeting, and the contractor shall provide copies of the presentation for all present.

The contractor shall draft and provide a Project Kick-Off Meeting Minutes Report documenting the Project Kick-Off Meeting discussion and capturing any action items (Section F, Deliverable X).

C.5.1.2 SUBTASK 2 – PREPARE A MONTHLY STATUS REPORT (MSR)

The contractor shall develop and provide an MSR (Section F, Deliverable X). The MSR shall include the following:

A. Progress to date on all activities during the reporting period, by task, including ongoing, new, and completed activities Each section shall start with a brief description of the task.

B. Problems and corrective actions taken, as well as issues or concerns and proposed resolutions to address them.

C. Personnel gains, losses, and status (e.g., security clearance, PIV cards, CACs).

D. Government actions required.

E. Schedule that shows major tasks, milestones, and deliverables, with planned and actual start and completion dates for each.

F. Summary of trips taken, conferences attended, and other relevant trip information.

Attach trip reports to the MSR for the reporting period.

G. 60 calendar days prior to the end of each Option Period, identify any recurring, definitive requirements that may be eligible to transition to an alternate contract type.

H. Accumulated invoiced amount for each CLIN up to the previous month.

I. Projected amount of each CLIN for the current month.

J. Current Government-Furnished Property (GFP) inventory.

C.5.1.3 SUBTASK 3 – CONVENE TECHNICAL STATUS MEETINGS

The contractor Program Manager (PM) shall convene a monthly Technical Status Meeting with the OPM TPOC, AAS Army COR, and other Government stakeholders (Section F, Deliverable X). The purpose of this meeting is to ensure all stakeholders are informed of the monthly activities and MSR, provide opportunities to identify other activities and establish priorities, and coordinate resolution of identified problems or opportunities. The contractor PM shall provide minutes of these meetings, including attendance, issues discussed, decisions made, and action items assigned, to the AAS Army COR (Section F, Deliverable X).

C.5.1.4 SUBTASK 4 – PREPARE AND UPDATE A PROJECT MANAGEMENT

PLAN (PMP)

The contractor shall document all support requirements in a PMP and shall provide it to the Government (Section F, Deliverable X).

The PMP shall include the following:

A. Description of the contractor’s management approach.

B. Detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all tasks.

C. Milestones, tasks, and subtasks required in this Contract.

D. Overall Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) with a minimum of three levels and associated responsibilities and partnerships between Government organizations.

E. Detailed description of the contractor’s approach to risk management under this

Contract.

F. Detailed description of the contractor’s approach to communications, including processes, procedures, format, and other rules of engagement between the contractor and the Government.

G. The contractor’s QMP.

The PMP is an evolutionary document that shall be updated annually at a minimum and as project changes occur. The contractor shall work from the latest Government-approved version of the PMP.

C.5.1.5 SUBTASK 5 – PROVIDE QUALITY MANAGEMENT

The contractor shall identify and implement its approach for providing and ensuring quality throughout its solution to meet the requirements of the Contract. The contractor shall provide a QMP and maintain and update it as changes in the program processes are identified (Section F, Deliverable X). The contractor’s QMP shall describe the application of the appropriate methodology (e.g., quality control and/or quality assurance) for accomplishing Contract performance expectations and objectives. The QMP shall describe how the appropriate methodology integrates with the Government’s requirements.

C.5.1.6 SUBTASK 6 – TRANSITION IN

The Government is currently receiving services under an existing contract. The successful contractor shall perform transition-in services necessary, no longer than eighteen months after award, to provide a smooth and efficient transition from the incumbent contractor(s) without any interruption or degradation in any services. It is estimated that, at most, eighteen (18) months will be available for transition-in services following contract award. The successful contractor shall take full ownership of the requirement no-later-than eighteen (18) months of contract award. The Contractor shall perform the following tasks during the transition-in period:

C.5.1.6.1 LOAD OPM ASSESSMENTS, ASSESSMENT BATTERIES AND CONTENT

To reach full operational capability, the Contractor shall migrate and validate all existing assessments and assessment batteries from the incumbent contractor’s platform. OPM will work with the Contractor to test assessments and batteries to ensure that each functions correctly and properly scores applicant responses. The assessments to be migrated by the Contractor are categorized as Government Off-the-Shelf (GOTS), Integrated Off-the-Shelf (ICOTS), Hosted Off-the-Shelf (HCOTS), and Agency Off-the-Shelf (AOTS) per Section C.5.2. The batteries to be migrated also fall under these categories. In some instances, batteries are composed of assessments from multiple categories (e.g., GOTS + HCOTS).

The Contractor shall enable GOTS, ICOTS, HCOTS, and AOTS assessments, which include those listed in C.5.2, to reuse scores from the current USA Hire platform. Prior to enabling score reuse, the contractor shall duplicate the existing scoring algorithms for the migrated assessments and assessment batteries. In the event the scoring algorithm cannot be duplicated in the contractor’s platform, the contractor shall develop scoring algorithms that produce equivalent scores to those in the current platform. OPM will not require the Contractor to migrate transactional data (e.g., applicant item responses, applicant test duration) into the platform.

C.5.1.6.2. LOAD GOTS ASSESSMENT BATTERIES AND CONTENT

Current GOTS assessment batteries are composed of the seventeen (17) GOTS assessments listed in Section C.5.2.1. USA Hire currently has over three thousand (3,000) GOTS batteries active in the system. As OPM continues to work with customers to address assessment needs, other GOTS assessments and batteries may be required to be loaded that meet the criteria outlined in Section C.5.2.1

C.5.1.6.3. LOAD HCOTS ASSESSMENT BATTERIES AND CONTENT

Current HCOTS assessment batteries are composed of approximately five (5) HCOTS assessments. USA Hire has approximately ten (10) HCOTS assessment batteries active in the system. As OPM continues to work with customers to address assessment needs, additional HCOTS assessments and assessment batteries may be required to be loaded that meet the criteria outlined in Section C.5.2.2.

C.5.1.6.4. LOAD ICOTS ASSESSMENT BATTERIES AND CONTENT

Current ICOTS assessment batteries are composed of approximately ten (10) ICOTS assessments. USA Hire has approximately twenty (20) ICOTS assessment batteries active in the system. As OPM continues to work with customers to address assessment needs, additional ICOTS assessments and assessment batteries may be required to be loaded that meet the criteria outlined inSection C.5.2.31.

C.5.1.6.5. LOAD AOTS ASSESSMENT BATTERIES AND CONTENT

Current AOTS assessment batteries are composed of approximately fifty (50) ICOTS assessments. USA Hire has approximately two hundred (200) ICOTS assessment batteries active in the system. As OPM continues to work with customers to address assessment needs, 1 OPM anticipates that ICOTS assessments and assessment batteries will see the largest growth and expansion within the USA Hire portfolio.

additional AOTS assessments and assessment batteries may be required to be loaded that meet the criteria outlined in Section C.5.2.4.

C.5.1.6.6 TRANSITION-IN PLAN

The contractor shall provide OPM with a Transition Plan detailing how transition-in will occur from the current contractor(s) to the new contract staff to reach full operating capability and how transition-out will occur from the incumbent to the Government or to another contractor at the end of the contract. The plan shall identify the responsible personnel, associated steps, and timeframes for each task identified in Section C.5 of this contract. The Contractor shall provide a project plan that includes dependencies and schedules as well as a responsibility assignment matrix. Once approved, the contractor shall update the plan throughout the term of the contract.

C.5.1.7 SUBTASK 7 – TRANSITION OUT

The Contractor shall perform all services necessary to transition the work performed under this contract to the Government or another contractor at the conclusion of this contract.

The contractor shall perform an orderly transition of work at the end of this contract without delays or disruptions to the daily operations of OPM. The contractor shall update their transition plan two (2) years prior to the end of the contract, or 30 calendar days after Government notification that the contract will end, whichever is sooner. The final plan shall be due 14 calendar days after receipt of Government comments on the draft. The contractor shall work with the incoming contractor or Government personnel to ensure a seamless transition.

At the contract end/closing, at no cost to the Federal Government the contractor shall return all requested data and provide related reporting as requested to OPM in an OPM approved format.

The response time shall be negotiated at the time of OPM’s request.

The contractor shall deliver two complete sets of comprehensive system performance data to OPM for all performance years with accompanying interpretive tools (i.e., Data Dictionary, Data Model, Entity Relationship Diagram and the raw data) to enable OPM to maintain continuity of performance. Data are to be provided in a generic usable file format based on underlying open standards with no proprietary extensions or markings. Transfer and storage methods shall follow OPM IT Security Protocols. All data and information (excluding commercial assessments, commercial computer software and/or commercial software documentation), developed by, entered into, and processed through OPM, shall be the sole property of the Government.

The contractor shall not share or disclose this information to anyone outside of OPM. Upon termination of the contract, the contractor shall provide all data produced under this contract to OPM and all copies destroyed. The data shall be provided to OPM in a format approved by OPM, and all contractor systems shall be sanitized at the end of the contract, per any applicable OPM IT Security rules or procedures.

The contractor shall provide all OPM-specific data in a format maintaining pre-existing referential integrity and data constraints, as well as data structures in an understandable format to OPM. All OPM-specific data shall be delivered in a secure manner within 90 calendar days of contract end.

The contractor shall provide meaning of the data, all distinctions between decision support data and operational data, the interface mapping between the source systems and the data, mappings between output systems and data, and any current dependencies on the existing system and other systems.

Data shall be provided in a generic usable file format based on underlying open standards with no proprietary extensions or markings. Examples include raw data in delimited ASCII format, or the latest commonly used file format such as MS Excel.

The contractor shall identify and transfer to OPM any hardcopy records, which are in their custody or the custody of any of their subcontractors. Hardcopy records may include, but are not limited to, documents generated by the contractor, its subcontractors, its predecessors, and OPM.

Hardcopy records shall be properly inventoried, labeled, and fully compliant with any applicable National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) requirements. Appropriate safeguards shall be implemented to ensure that these documents remain secure throughout their relocation until physical custody has been transferred to OPM or its agent.

The contractor shall sanitize and destroy all electronic storage media used on non-OPM IT equipment that is used to store, process, or access OPM or OPM client information, and shall be cleared in adherence to National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Media (hard drives, IT equipment, optical disks, CDs, back-up tapes, etc.) used by the contractor that contains OPM information shall be sanitized and/or destroyed in adherence to NIST and the contractor shall self-certify that the media has been disposed of within 30 calendar days of termination of the contract.

C.5.2 TASK 2 – ASSESSMENT AND ASSESSMENT BATTERY CATEGORIES

The USA Hire platform hosts individual assessments as well as assessment batteries. Individual assessments are composed of items, scenarios, and other content. Some assessments are static in nature, in that the assessment content does not vary (e.g., an assessment composed of fifty (50) multiple-choice items). Other assessments are composed of a subset of content drawn from a content bank (e.g., an assessment based on a computer-adaptive test (CAT) design).

Assessments can be unique to an occupation or shared across occupations. Each assessment carries a unique assessment identifier. All assessments are delivered via an assessment battery, regardless of the assessment type (GOTS, HCOTS, ICOTS, AOTS).

Assessment batteries are composed of one or more assessments. An assessment battery is unique to a series and grade combination, however, any given series and grade combination can have multiple assessment batteries associated with it. Each assessment battery carries a unique assessment battery identifier.

The contractor shall host and/or deliver deliver assessments and assessment batteries from the following categories:

C.5.2.1 GOVERNMENT OFF-THE-SHELF (GOTS) ASSESSMENTS

Government Off-the-Shelf (GOTS) assessments are owned and managed by OPM, and hosted on USA Hire. GOTS assessments may be designed for government-wide use (e.g., across all agencies with access to USA Hire), single-agency use, or multiple-agency use.

The list of GOTS assessments deployed in USA Hire is provided below. OPM expects to expand the number of GOTS assessments throughout the life of the contract.

1. Occupational Reading Assessment (OReA)

a. The Occupational Reading Assessment (OReA) measures reading and reading comprehension. Item types include Main Point items, Author’s/Character’s Opinion items, Claims items, Syntax items, Inference items, Follow Instructions items, and Table Interpretation items. Items are multiple-choice with a single response option. The assessment is a computer adaptive test (CAT) following a three parameter logistic (3PL) model. The parameters include a (the item discrimination or slope parameter), b (the item difficulty or location parameter), and c (the lower asymptote or pseudo-guessing parameter). Applicants typically receive between 20 and 24 items to estimate their theta level. Item count is used as a secondary termination criteria for applicants with non-stable theta values. An item level time limit of 5 minutes is imposed. Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired.

Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off, receiving an item of approximately the same difficulty level as when disconnected. OPM will provide the content (e.g., items, parameters, scoring). The contractor shall develop the assessment from the content.

2. Occupational Reasoning Assessment (ORA)

a. The Occupational Reasoning Assessment (ORA) measures logic and reasoning.

Item types include Logic-Based items, Problem Solving items, and Argument items. Items are multiple-choice with a single response option. The assessment is a computer adaptive test (CAT) following a three parameter logistic (3PL) model.

The parameters include a (the item discrimination or slope parameter), b (the item difficulty or location parameter), and c (the lower asymptote or pseudo-guessing parameter). Applicants typically receive between 15 and 25 items to estimate their theta level. Item count is used as a secondary termination criteria for applicants with non-stable theta values. An item level time limit of 5 minutes is imposed. Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off, receiving an item of approximately the same difficulty level as when disconnected. OPM will provide the content (e.g., items, parameters, scoring).

The contractor shall develop the assessment from the content.

3. Occupational Mathematical Assessment (OMA)

a. The Occupational Mathematical Reasoning Assessment (OMA) measures arithmetic ability and mathematical reasoning. Item types include solving numerical problems by using the proper mathematical methods (i.e., addition, subtraction, multiplication, division); demonstrating an understanding of percentages, fractions, decimals, proportions, basic algebra, basic geometry, and basic probability; and using information provided in a story problem to determine which numerical calculations are required and executing those calculations accurately. Items are multiple-choice with a single response option. The assessment is a computer adaptive test (CAT) following a three parameter logistic (3PL) model. The parameters include a (the item discrimination or slope parameter), b (the item difficulty or location parameter), and c (the lower asymptote or pseudo-guessing parameter). Applicants typically receive between 10 and 20 items to estimate their theta level. Item count is used as a secondary termination criteria for applicants with non-stable theta values. An item level time limit of 5 minutes is imposed. Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off, receiving an item of approximately the same difficulty level as when disconnected. OPM will provide the content (e.g., items, parameters, scoring). The contractor shall develop the assessment from the content.

4. Occupational Judgment Assessment (OJA G1 and G2)

a. The Occupational Judgement Assessment (OJA) measures decision-making and judgment. The assessment combines text and avatar-based video scenarios designed to simulate situations applicants may face on the job. The OJA has two versions with some overlapping content: a one-grade interval version and a two-grade interval version. Each version is a static assessment using a multiple-choice format in which the applicant selects the least effective and most effective response options for each item. An item level time limit of 5 minutes is imposed.

Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off, receiving the same item with the amount of time left as when disconnected. OPM will provide the content for the OJA (e.g., test content, scripts, scoring). The contractor shall develop the text and video-based scenarios from the content.

5. Occupational Interaction Assessment (OIA)

a. The Occupational Interaction Assessments (OIA) includes 11 subscales measuring Accountability, Attention to Detail, Customer Service, Flexibility, Influencing/Negotiating, Integrity/Honesty, Interpersonal Skills, Learning, Self- Management, Stress Tolerance, and Teamwork. The static version of the assessment is a traditionally formatted (Likert-type) inventory containing a fixed number of items. The CAT version of the assessment presents applicants with dyads from the same competency (i.e., unidimensional pairwise approach) and applicants are asked to select the one that is most descriptive of them. Applicants receive between 10 and 20 dyads for each competency measured. The CAT algorithm relies on a polytomous Thurstonian IRT model. These assessments are not timed. Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off, receiving the same item or dyad as where they dropped. OPM will provide the content (e.g., items, parameters, scoring). The contractor shall develop the assessment from the content.

6. Early Career Talent Assessment (ECTA)

a. The Early Career Talent Assessment (ECTA) is composed of two components:

the Early Career Interaction Assessment (ECIA) and the Early Career Judgment Assessment (ECJA). The components are not timed. Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired.

Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off, receiving the same item or dyad as where they dropped. OPM will provide the content (e.g., items, parameters, scoring). The contractor shall develop the assessment from the content.

b. The ECIA is similar to a biodata assessment that evaluates applicants’ experiences, opinions, interests, or preferences. It is a CAT assessment that presents applicants with dyads from the same competency (i.e., unidimensional pairwise approach) and applicants are asked to select the one that is most descriptive of them. Applicants receive between 10 and 20 dyads for each competency measured. The CAT algorithm relies on a polytomous Thurstonian IRT model. The ECIA measures Attention to Detail, Learning, and Self- Management.

c. The ECJA is a situational judgment test that presents applicants with realistic job-related scenarios and presents a range of potential responses. Applicants are directed to rate the effectiveness of each response option. The ECJA measures Flexibility, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, and Technology Application.

7. Data Skills Assessment (DSA)

a. The Data Skills Assessment (DSA) is a simulation-style assessment that measures applicants' ability to manage, analyze, and interpret data. Applicants are placed in the role of a Federal employee who must analyze data for a fictitious agency. Completing the assessment requires applicants to work directly with data files that are provided through USA Hire. Applicants are required to conduct various analyses on the data using an analysis tool of their choice. They must report their results and answer related questions to demonstrate their understanding of the data. Items include multiple-choice and short-answer. The assessment has a four-hour time limit that begins when the applicant accesses the data files. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off. The timer continues to run if the applicant exits the assessment prior to completion.

8. Program and Project Management Assessment (PAPMA)

a. The PAPMA is a work sample assessment composed of three integrated components including an in-basket, branching role-play, and business case analysis. The PAPMA measures the project management-related competencies of accountability, decision-making, information management, planning and evaluating, problem solving, interpersonal skills, teamwork, and administration and management. The PAPMA is a multimedia rich assessment using graphics, audio, and video-based scenarios. The PAPMA is timed at the test level.

Applicants exiting the assessment before completion resume the assessment where they left off with the amount of time remaining left as when disconnected.

OPM will provide the content (e.g., scenarios, scripts, scoring). The contractor shall reproduce the PAPMA based on the content. A more detailed description of each component is provided below.

b. The in-basket presents respondents with problems, samples, and scenarios portraying situations they may experience on the job in the form of emails, voicemails, memos, etc. A list of possible responses to each situation is provided, and participants are asked to rate the effectiveness of each response option.

c. The branching role-play presents applicants with a short avatar-based video illustrating a typical workplace situation. Applicants are presented with four viable options for responding to the situation and are asked to indicate which response they are most likely and least likely to use. The scenario then advances based on the selected responses. Each scenario branches three times. There are three scenarios interspersed throughout the assessment.

d. The business case analysis focuses on a fictitious project the applicant is managing. The applicant is given a wide variety of data for the project (e.g., financial, attendance, user feedback) and asked to analyze the extent to which the project mission was achieved. The applicant is presented with several viable options for possible actions or changes and is asked to rate the effectiveness of each option is in terms of mission achievement.

9. Writing Skills Assessment (WSA)

a. In this assessment, applicants provide a free text response to a prompt, which is then automatically scored via a proprietary scoring engine in the algorithms were developed and trained using natural language processing and machine learning.

The current automatically scored writing assessment measures 3 aspects of writing: (1) grammar and mechanics; (2) structure and organization (e.g., introduction, body, conclusion); and (3) analysis and reasoning. In addition, the algorithm is capable of scoring other competencies often measured in traditional (i.e., rater scored) writing assessments such as decision making, problem solving, prioritization, etc. The WSA is a timed assessment. The timer continues to run if the applicant exits the assessment prior to completion. Historically, 3-5% of the submitted essays have required manual scoring due to not meeting pre-defined criteria (e.g., not enough content, ill fit with training data set).

b. The contractor shall deliver a writing assessment that scores open-ended responses automatically. The writing assessment shall provide up to four pre-defined prompts for the GOTS product that may be selected for any given job announcement. It shall also provide for the development and use of tailored or custom prompts for specific agencies, occupations, and/or job announcements. A tailored or custom prompt may use the scoring rubrics from the pre-defined prompts or use unique rubrics developed for that prompt. The contractor shall provide for a manual scoring alternative when a submitted essay does not meet the criteria for automatic scoring.

c. The length of the writing sample, the content, and the time allotted to applicants shall be configurable across prompts, job announcements, and agencies. The assessment shall employ machine learning and/or natural language processing, or other similar technology (e.g., artificial intelligence) to develop automatic scoring algorithms trained on results from human raters using a structured scoring method (i.e., rubric) focusing on basic writing skills such as grammar, spelling, and sentence structure, as well as an understanding of the content of the writing (e.g., presentation, message). Once established the scoring algorithm shall be locked for applicant administration and scoring.

d. The current computer-scored writing assessment measures three (3) aspects of writing: (1) grammar and mechanics; (2) structure and organization (e.g., introduction, body, conclusion); and (3) analysis and reasoning. In addition, the algorithm is capable of scoring other competencies often measured in traditional (i.e., rater scored) writing assessments such as decision making, problem solving, prioritization, etc. Historically, 3-5% has been manually scored.

10. Federal Supervisor Assessment (FSA)

a. The Federal Supervisor Assessment (FSA) is a static, text-based multiple-choice test with two components, the Situational Inventory and the Behavioral Index.

The FSA measures Accountability, Customer Service, Decisiveness, Flexibility, Interpersonal Skills, Problem Solving, and Resilience. In the Situational Inventory, the applicant is presented with a situation and must rate the effectiveness of various response options, on a Likert-type scale. In the Behavioral Index, the applicant responds to standard multiple-choice questions about past experiences and work styles. Scores from the two sections are standardized and equally weighted to form a total assessment score. There is a test-level time limit for both subtests. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser) resume the assessment where they left off, receiving the same item with the amount of time left as when disconnected.

Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired. OPM will provide the content for the FSA (e.g., scenarios, item stems, response options, scoring). The contractor shall construct the online assessment from the content.

11. Supervisor Situational Judgement Assessment (SSJT)

a. The Supervisory Situational Judgment Test (SSJT) is a static, text-based multiple-choice test. The applicant is presented with a situation and must select the most and least effective responses from a list of four options. Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off, receiving the same item with the amount of time left as when disconnected. OPM will provide the content for the SSJT (e.g., scenarios, response options, scoring). The contractor shall construct the online assessment from the content. OPM currently has ten versions of the SSJT, with some overlapping content, customized for use by six agencies. Versions range in length from approximately 24 to 30 scenarios, and there is a time limit applied at the test level. OPM will provide the content (e.g., items, parameters, scoring). The contractor shall develop the assessment from the content.

12. Executive Assessment (EA)

a. The Executive Assessment (EA) has three components including a work simulation, a situational judgment test, and a work styles index. The EA measures leadership competencies associated with OPM’s Executive Core Qualification (ECQ) leadership competency model. The situational judgment test and work styles assessment are text-based multiple-choice tests, and the work simulation is a multimedia rich assessment using graphics and video-based scenarios. OPM will provide the content for the EA (e.g., test content, scripts, scoring). The contractor shall develop the online assessment, including the multimedia graphics and video-based scenarios, from the content.

b. The work simulation presents respondents with problems, samples, and scenarios portraying situations they may experience on the job (in the form of emails, voicemails, and avatar-based videos). A list of possible responses to each situation is given, and participants are asked to respond to questions, which may involve evaluating the effectiveness of various responses, selecting the most and/or least effective response, or indicating which action he or she would take.

Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired. The work simulation assessment has a time limit of four hours. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser) resume the assessment where they left off with the remaining time to complete the assessment.

c. The situational judgment test and work styles index are text-based multiple-choice tests. The situational judgment test presents a variety of scenarios and asks the respondent to evaluate the effectiveness of possible responses. Applicants cannot skip items or return to items once an answer has been submitted or time has expired for the situational judgment test or work styles assessment. There is a time limit of 3 hours for the situational judgment test. Applicants exiting the assessment before completion (e.g., closing the browser, timing out) resume the assessment where they left off with the remaining time to complete the assessment. The work styles assessment is untimed and takes about 30 minutes to complete.

d. The EA results in competency-level scores, component-level scores, and a composite score (based on standardizing and combining scores from all three components). The competency-level scores are used to produce feedback reports for decision-makers and for candidates. The feedback reports include a scale visually marking the applicant’s performance and text describing the applicant’s demonstrated proficiency in the competency (based on the numeric score achieved). The decision-maker reports include numeric scores on the competencies while the candidate reports do not include scores.

13. 2210 Skills-Based Hiring Assessment

a. The 2210 Skills-Based Hiring Assessment (2210 SBA) is currently under development with an expected deployment in 1Q FY27. The 2210 SBA is a simulation-style assessment that presents real-world scenarios similar to those IT Specialists face on the job and evaluates applicant responses to the scenarios.

Applicants will review technical materials and respond to inquiries from members of a fictitious Federal agency. OPM will provide the content for the assessment (e.g., scenarios, item stems, response options, scoring). The contractor shall construct the online assessment from the content.

14. Customer Interaction Assessment

a. The Customer Interaction Assessment (CIA) is currently under development with an expected deployment in 1Q FY27. The assessment will be composed of multiple static test components including a situational judgement test and a biodata index. OPM will provide the content for the assessment (e.g., scenarios, item stems, response options, scoring). The contractor shall construct the online assessment from the content.

15. Operations…