Regional Educational Laboratory Program: 2027 – 2031 Cycle Performance Work Statement

IDIQ Task Order #001

I. Procurement Purpose and Authorizing Legislation

This task order is the first (Task Order #001) submitted for the indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract to provide the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services support (NAICS 541611) related to serving as a Regional Educational Laboratory (REL).

REL contractors support education stakeholders within an assigned region in the use of their State Longitudinal Data System (SLDS), as well as other data and evidence, to improve student academic (and related) outcomes of schooling, from early childhood to adulthood. Stakeholders include state educational agencies, local educational agencies, school boards, state boards of education, schools funded by the Bureau of Indian Education1 (as appropriate), institutions of higher education, educators (including school officials and librarians), policymakers, business leaders, and parents. Supporting work in rural areas is a specific statutory goal: the program’s authorizing statute requires that 25 percent of REL funds be used to support work in rural areas2 (ESRA Sec. 194 (b)).

The REL program is authorized under the Education Sciences Reform Act (ESRA) of 2002, Part D, Section 174 (20 U.S.C. 9564). The REL Program is administered by the National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) at the Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

The Performance Work Statement for the IDIQ contains important information as context for the activities outlined in this Task Order #001: an overview of the REL’s purpose for the 2027-2031 Cycle, expectations for the REL Governing Board, the work of RELs in relation to state learning agendas, IES quality standards, and specific stakeholders to include in REL partnership work. The PWS for the IDIQ also includes the Logic Model for the REL Program and the measurement plan for measuring outcomes from the REL Program.

II. Scope of work and requirements

Task 1: REL Management and Reporting

Subtask 1.1 Participate in a virtual kickoff with ED (Firm-Fixed Price)

Within one week after the effective date of the contract, the REL must schedule a virtual kickoff with IES’s Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) and ED’s Contracting Officer (CO) and Contract Specialist (CS) to introduce all key personnel (See Appendix B REL Quality Assurance Activities), discuss expectations, and

1 There is no one REL responsible for schools within the Bureau of Indian Education. All RELs must be including Bureau of Indian Education schools along with all other schools in their region when considering partnerships and dissemination.

2 RELs must include in their monthly report an accounting of their expenditures related to rural areas and their progress towards meeting the 25% annual goal.

raise emergent concerns requiring resolution. Within two weeks after the meeting, the REL must submit a summary (Subtask 1.1.1) of the meeting discussions, including any outstanding issues raised and plans to address these issues.

Subtask 1.2 Communicate regularly with IES (Firm-Fixed Price)

The REL – at a minimum, the Director and Deputy Director – must participate in regularly scheduled monthly meetings with the COR to discuss issues related to the REL contract, including any anticipated problems and proposed solutions to those problems, and update the COR on key milestones for REL projects. The REL must send an agenda (Subtask 1.2.1) for the call at least two working days before each call so that both the REL and COR are aware of the main issues that will be addressed during the call. No summary memo is required after the meeting, but rather the REL must summarize in the monthly report the key issues and concerns raised at the meeting and how each will be addressed. The Director or Deputy Director must communicate with the COR on a regular basis, such as by phone or email, to discuss urgent points and follow-up as needed.

Subtask 1.3 Attend biannual REL Program meetings (Firm-Fixed Price)

The REL Director and one other key REL personnel must participate in 2 REL Program Meetings annually.

The first REL Program meeting each year will be held in-person at IES’s Washington, DC office and will last one to two days (Subtask 1.3.1). It may include a joint meeting with the RCCs and NCC. The second biannual meeting will be virtual (Subtask 1.3.2). The purpose of these meetings is to discuss issues and accomplishments related to the REL and the REL Program and consider ways to improve the functioning or outcomes of the REL Program. IES will coordinate the logistics for this REL Program meeting.

Subtask 1.4 Identify, establish, maintain, and convene the Governing Board (Firm-Fixed Price)

The REL must convene a Governing Board as specified in Section 174(h) of ESRA and must jointly administer the Governing Board with RCCs to meet the requirements of Section 203(g) of the Educational Technical Assistance Act of 2002 (ETAA). The primary purpose of the Board must be to determine the regional agenda of the REL, and to advise the RCCs—that is, to identify for the REL and RCC the key problems of educational policy and practice that are of shared interest to a majority of the states and jurisdictions in the region it comprises (n.b., Subtask 3.1). Secondarily, Governing Boards shall:

• Articulate a mission statement for their REL, in consultation with the NCEE Commissioner;

• Share regular feedback with the NCEE Commissioner on the quality of their REL’s activities via regular, IES-convened listening sessions;

• Provide insights to REL and IES staff on how the REL might best carry out its activities such that State education goals, and other goals identified by REL partners, are achieved;

• Develop a plan for regularly identifying regional needs, aligned with SEA learning agendas, including through the solicitation of feedback from schools and teachers, to inform their own deliberations; and

• Support ongoing collaboration, joint planning, and alignment with the associated RCC(s)

The REL must appoint members to the REL Governing Board in consultation with their RCCs to meet the following requirements:

• The REL must offer every chief State school officer in the region the opportunity to serve on the REL Governing Board, or to designate another senior officer as their representative.

• The composition of the REL Governing Board must represent the interests of all states and other appropriate constituencies in the region, including rural stakeholders (see Section 174(h) of ESRA for additional information on the composition of the Governing Board.)

• The composition of the REL Governing Board must also meet the requirements for Comprehensive Center Advisory Boards (see Section 203(g) of the ETAA.)

• The REL Governing Board must be separate from the REL’s corporate board and must meet on a different day from any corporate board meeting.

• The REL Governing Board must convene at least two times each year, with at least one in-person meeting. In-person meetings must be at least one full day to allow ample time for the board to fulfill its duties. All in-person meetings must be held at a location within the region.

• The REL must ensure that members clearly understand the roles, responsibilities, and the procedures of the REL Governing Board. This includes ensuring that all REL Governing Board members are onboarded, and are kept informed of the work of the REL between meetings so that the REL Governing Board may maximize the time available during Board meetings to fulfill their responsibilities.

RELs must provide Governing Board members the opportunity to provide meaningful and regular input and guidance on projects that impact the constituency they represent, both as those projects are being proposed and executed. Because the work of the REL will be proposed, approved, and executed on a rolling basis, Governing Board meetings must not be the only opportunity Governing Board members have to provide such input and guidance. RELs are expected to communicate with their Governing Board members on a regular and consistent basis to provide them the information they need to fulfill their duties in a timely manner.

Within 5 weeks of the effective date of the contract, the REL must submit to IES a report on the establishment of the REL Governing Board, board procedures, a list of members, analysis of how the Governing Board meets the representational requirements for both the REL and RCC Program, and how the REL plans to collaborate with its RCCs to provide ongoing consultation and advice through the Governing Board (Subtask 1.4.1).

The first REL Governing Board meeting must be held within the first 16 weeks of the contract effective date.

After the initial meeting, meeting agendas for future meetings must be created in consultation with the RCCs and Governing Board members at least 6 weeks before the Governing Board meeting occurs (Subtask 1.4.2).

The meeting agenda must reflect a commitment by the REL to engage the Governing Board members actively in the decision-making of the REL and must reflect input from RCCs. The agenda and meeting materials must be submitted for approval by IES at least three weeks before each meeting (Subtask 1.4.2). The REL must submit to IES minutes, actions, and a discussion of how the REL will use Governing Board feedback to adjust their proposed or ongoing work within two weeks after each meeting (Subtask 1.4.3).

RELs must submit quarterly reports of communication with the Governing Board, with the first quarterly report due within two weeks of establishing the Board (Subtask 1.4.4).

RELs must also keep their COR informed of potential additions to, or resignations from their Governing Board. While the addition of new Governing Board members must be approved by current Governing Board members, RELs must propose new Governing Board members to the COR in advance of proposing members to the Governing Board and provide the COR with a justification as to why a potential Governing Board member is well situated to further the work of the REL and RCCs.

Subtask 1.5 Annual Work Plan (Firm-Fixed Price)

Annually, RELs must submit an Annual Work Plan (AWP). The AWP must be organized by partnership (n.b., Task 3) and include their (a) description and composition (including REL staff supporting the partnership), (b) updated logic model; (c) updated measurement plans and accompanying metrics; (d) updated Technical Direction Documents, including budgets and schedules, for all previously approved work; (e) anticipated Task 4 and Task 5 projects, including preliminary budgets using labor rates from the IDIQ, and deliverable schedules; and (f) most significant success and most pressing challenge. Note that RELs may continue to propose Task 4 and Task 5 projects even if a given year’s AWP has already been submitted.

Anticipated projects and budgets identified in Part E of the plan will serve as justification for the following year’s incremental funding request.

RELs must submit an AWP describing any approved work and all planned work for Year 1 within five months after contract award (Subtask 1.5.1).

AWPs describing work for Years 2, 3, 4, and 5 must be submitted by August 1st in each of the years 2027, 2028, 2029, and 2030, respectively in response to the next Task Order PWS unless otherwise specified by the Contract Officer based on date of contract award (Subtask 1.5.2). Subsequent Task Order funding after Task Order #001 is contingent upon Congressional action.

Subtask 1.6 Prepare and submit Monthly Progress Reports (Firm-Fixed Price)

The REL must submit a Monthly Progress Report, due within 10 working days after the end of each month (Subtask 1.6.1). The Monthly Progress Report must include the following summaries:

• Major activities under each task and accomplishments—including any relevant data on progress towards partnerships’ short- and medium-term outcomes.

• Needs related to applied research or training, coaching, or technical support that have been identified by the REL through its interactions with regional stakeholders or other Technical Assistance Providers.

• Participation in cross-REL coordination activities.

• Coordination and collaboration with Comprehensive Centers, other Technical Assistance Providers, and other IES investments as well as referrals to other Department resources the REL has provided to stakeholders.

• A monthly expenditures report is needed as part of the monthly reporting. Once awarded, the REL will invoice according to the approved payment schedule. The monthly expenditures report must show the current payments for the month being invoiced in one column and the cumulative payments invoiced from the start of the contract in the second column by subtask. The current payment amounts must be aligned to the work described in the monthly report. The expenditure information must include a clear identification of the extent of budget devoted to and resources spent on activities in rural areas. Labor hours and labor rate information is needed for time and materials tasks, but for firm fixed price tasks the RELs will invoice according to the approved payment schedule and must outline in the monthly report which payments are being invoiced.

• Unexpected challenges, delays, or other issues that need to be addressed. If these delays result in revisions to the project timeline, RELs must include a complete timeline for remaining project activities in the Monthly Progress Report.

• Major activities planned for the next month, including a schedule of deliverable submissions.

• Status update on staff with required security clearances

Subtask 1.7 Comply with Personnel Security Requirements (Firm-Fixed Price)

All REL positions will be designated as either a no-risk, low-risk or moderate-risk level. Within the first week of the contract start date the REL must appoint a security liaison who must submit a list of all staff on the contract with the appropriate position risk level designation. The REL security liaison must submit the required documentation for all REL staff assigned a low or moderate risk to the IES security team within two weeks of contract start date, and as needed for REL staff added over the life of the contract (Subtask 1.7.1).

The security liaison must be responsible for submitting the required documentation for staff from the prime contractor and any subcontractors. The REL must submit an update monthly on the status of security risk processing following directions provided by the COR at the contract kickoff. REL staff must complete periodic cybersecurity and records management training provided by IES by the due date provided by the COR (Subtask 1.7.2). There are typically 3 Cybersecurity trainings per year and one records management training per year, each taking approximately one hour to complete. See Appendix D: Appendix D: Security Clearances Needed by Contractor Personnel for more information.

Subtask 1.8 Participate in REL Program Evaluation (Firm-Fixed Price)

IES intends to conduct an independent evaluation of each REL and the REL Program itself. The REL must cooperate with IES’ requests for information and other types of assistance needed to conduct the evaluation (Subtask 1.8.1). Information requests and assistance may include, for example, providing details about upcoming and past TCTS activities or facilitating the evaluation contractor’s collection of data from REL partners. In addition, the REL must plan to participate in two-day site visits from REL evaluation contractor staff in both Years 2 and 3 of the REL contract. Three REL staff must participate in the two-day site visit, including both the Director and Deputy Director as well as one additional person to be determined in Year 1.

The REL must also be prepared to discuss with the REL evaluation contractor the feasibility of conducting a random controlled trial (RCT) or quasi- experimental design (QED) study of one of the REL’s partnerships or projects. This discussion would occur in Year 1 of the REL contract and the RCT or QED would begin in Year 2 or Year 3 of the REL contract. The REL must cooperate with the REL evaluation contractor in the implementation of this RCT or QED if such a study is deemed feasible.

Task 2: Coordination and Collaboration

Subtask 2.1 Coordinate and collaborate with regional Comprehensive Centers, other Department technical assistance providers, and IES investments (Firm-Fixed Price)

The REL must identify opportunities for coordination, collaboration, and dissemination with Comprehensive Centers, other IES funded activities and other federal and local technical assistance providers. The REL must not duplicate the information gathered or services provided by other federal or non-federal technical assistance providers. The REL must refer stakeholders to other available resources when the stakeholders’ needs are outside the scope of REL Program or when the needs can be more effectively met by others.

National Comprehensive Center

The REL must coordinate and collaborate with the NCC to disseminate knowledge and products widely within the Nation, avoid duplicating efforts across programs, and streamline and simplify the process of receiving federal technical support from the stakeholder perspective. The REL must share information, including plans for Task 4, 5, and 6 activities, as appropriate, with the NCC, to increase awareness of REL services and promote opportunities for coordination with other Centers. As appropriate in response to partner needs, RELs must leverage the capacity of the NCC’s cadre of subject matter experts. RELs must additionally participate in collaboration and peer learning activities hosted by the NCC to enhance the REL’s ability to effectively meet requirements for collaboration and non-duplication of services.

Regional Comprehensive Centers

REL must enter into partnership agreements to codify processes for coordination and collaboration with each of their RCC counterpart(s) in their region 90 days after contract award (Subtask 2.1.1) to assess and identify needs, through state Learning Agendas or similar tool, to coordinate services, where appropriate, to state partners, and to disseminate knowledge widely within their region, avoid duplicating efforts across programs, and streamlines and simplifies the process of receiving federal technical support from the stakeholder perspective. Where requested by a state partner, RELs must collaborate with the RCC to facilitate the development of a state Learning Agenda (see Subtask 3.3). The REL must also consult with the RCC counterpart(s) to develop agendas for Governing Board meetings to ensure agendas reflect needs for input and advice under Section 203(g) of the ETAA.

In addition to working with their joint Governing Boards, RELs and their Comprehensive Center counterpart(s) must establish regular meetings, to occur at least monthly across the entirety of the contract period, to ensure continuous coordination and potential collaboration. Discussions in these meetings must address topics such as any new needs that arise, any changes occurring within a state (e.g., new leadership or new policies), updates on ongoing or potential projects, and identifying any collaboration opportunities.

These regular meetings can also cover planning for any collaborative projects, which must be proposed under the associated REL task.

Other Technical Assistance Providers and IES Investments

The REL must establish formal or informal structures to maintain a clear, thorough, and up-to-date knowledge of the work occurring in the network of organizations that provide different forms of research assistance to stakeholders. This network must include Comprehensive Center Content Centers, other IES investments such as the WWC, research projects funded by the National Center for Education Research

(NCER) and the National Center for Special Education Research (NCSER), National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) programs, such as the National Forum on Education Statistics, as well as other federal, local, and professional organizations that provide educational services to state, local education, and postsecondary agencies that align with the outcomes of REL partnerships.

Structures can include informal or formal meetings with other providers, IES contractors, or grantees in order to discuss any relevant needs-sensing, any research or activities occurring in each respective program, and any coordinated dissemination opportunities. At a minimum, internal structures must be developed by the REL to allow the REL to identify research or other products and supports developed by all relevant networks.

Strategies must be developed for helping stakeholders make effective connections with these other services to avoid duplicative efforts.

RELs must participate in at least one annual collaborative event or meeting (e.g., Accelerator) with federal TA providers to identify opportunities for collaboration/coordination.

RELs must develop a summary of their collaboration activities, as well as any referrals that have been made each month (Subtask 2.1.2). This summary must be included as an appendix to the Monthly Report (n.b., Subtask 1.6).

Subtask 2.2 Coordinate and collaborate with local, regional, and national education organizations (Firm- Fixed Price)

The REL must identify opportunities for coordination, collaboration, and dissemination with other regional education stakeholders such as other state agencies, LEAs, regional education service centers, institutions of higher education, state regional networks, professional organizations, and other intermediaries. This includes national organizations that could support dissemination of REL work such as the Council of Chief State School Officers.

RELs must develop a summary (Subtask 2.2.1) of their collaboration activities with local, regional, and national education organizations and include that summary as an appendix to the Monthly Report (n.b., Subtask 1.6).

Task 3: Working in Partnership with Stakeholders

Subtask 3.1 Conduct needs‐sensing and develop partnerships (Firm-Fixed Price)

Throughout the duration of the contract, the REL must engage in needs-sensing through communication with stakeholders in its region, in particular its Governing Board (both as a whole and its individual members), as well as via and secondary information sources such as state or district websites. As noted in Introduction to the REL Cycle, REL work addressing those needs must be done “in partnership” with key stakeholders and decisionmakers.

IES anticipates that an increasing number of states will have, or will seek to develop (see Subtask 3.3), statewide Learning Agendas. IES expects that any REL serving a state with a Learning Agenda will use that Agenda as a primary driver for work with that state and must be able to demonstrate the connection between AWP projects and the priorities in a state Learning Agenda.

For any need or partner where more than one Task 4, 5, or 6 project is planned, the REL must submit a partnership proposal for the first project with this partnership (Subtask 3.1.1). Concept Papers required under the REL 2022-2027 cycle are not required under the REL 2027-2031 cycle. In lieu of a concept paper, RELs are to discuss the partnership and any related Task 4 and 5 work with the COR and get approval before writing and submitting the proposal. The only exception is that RELs will be required to submit a concept paper (Subtask 6.2.1) to the COR to propose developing dissemination materials under this Subtask that are not based on an existing Task 4 or Task 5 project. Once the COR approves the partnership and related work, the REL submits the proposal following guidance that will be provided to all RELs once awarded. In general, the partnership proposal will:

• describe the specific high-leverage need the work will address and its alignment to a state Learning Agenda or other defined priority,

• provide an overview of how the need will be addressed through the REL’s support;

• detail relevant context such as existing efforts outside the REL to address the need;

• describe the expertise needed on the project and demonstrate how partner input was incorporated to select and procure key personnel for the project, including the use of NCC subject matter experts as needed;

• list the individual members (“named partners”) that will participate; and

• include a letter of support from each organization that will participate to indicate that the approach is feasible and will meet their needs.

The REL must submit need-sensing and partner-planning meeting materials to the COR two weeks prior to the meeting (Subtask 3.1.2). The REL must submit a meeting summary to the COR two weeks after the meeting summarizing needs and priority areas and any next steps (Subtask 3.1.3).

Subtask 3.2 Learning Agenda Development (Firm-Fixed Price)

IES expects RELs to stay engaged with the NCC and their RCCs to continue to support SEAs in their development and implementation of Learning Agendas, when requested by states.

Within six (6) months of contract award, the REL must provide a memo summarizing the state of learning agendas in the SEAs in their region, alignment of the REL planned work with Learning Agendas, and any planned support planned for SEAs to either develop a new or continue the development of a Learning Agenda (Subtask 3.2.1). Once the COR approves the memo, the REL must submit proposals for the work as a Task 4 Technical Direction Document.

Subtask 3.3 Support SEAs with their State Longitudinal Data System (Firm-Fixed Price)

IES expects RELs to support education stakeholders within an assigned region in the use of their State Longitudinal Data System. Through this subtask 3.3, RELs will identify SEA needs which will inform support through Task 4 TCTS Activities. These activities might include identifying gaps in the data to address important questions, standardizing data (i.e., clear definitions, coding schemes), improving SLDS infrastructure (i.e., examining architecture against industry standards, security and privacy requirements), improving data collection and reporting (i.e., user interfaces, data dashboards and visualizations to examine longitudinal and intersectional trends), and other relevant activities to support SEA needs. IES expects RELs to disseminate their work with SEAs on SLDS through the IES website through Task 6 Dissemination products (i.e., Blogs, infographics) so that other RELs and SEAs can learn from this work, especially around using SLDS to inform common needs across the nation, such as teacher recruitment and retention.

Within six (6) months of contract award, the REL must provide a memo (Subtask 3.3.1) summarizing the state of SLDS in the SEAs in their region, specific needs identified from need-sensing activities for each SEA SLDS, and any planned support planned for SEAs through future TCTS Activities. Once the COR approves the memo, the REL must submit proposals for any future support activity as a Task 4 Technical Direction Document.

Subtask 3.4 Maintain partnerships (Firm-Fixed Price)

Once approved, RELs must begin work within a partnership. A key task at the inception of a partnership is co-development of a partnership logic model (see Figure 1). The model will outline how the proposed activities done in partnership will lead to the attainment of partners’ intended outcomes. Each logic model must describe each of the applied research, training, coaching, and technical support projects the REL intends to undertake in partnership; the intended outputs; short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes of the work; and the intended, measurable, time-bound targets for each outcome. To monitor the REL’s progress toward the outcomes identified in the logic models and their associated targets, the REL must also develop a measurement plan to determine progress toward and achievement of each target associated with a logic model outcome. It must be clear how each measure aligns with and is a true measure of the associated outcome. IES expects that RELs will collect data related to measuring progress towards specific targets as often as is needed to determine whether they are being met. The logic models and associated measurement plans developed under Subtask 3.4 are to be considered living documents that change as conditions warrant. RELs must use these logic models as one tool to keep their current and future work focused on the outcomes, or to document new outcomes as necessary. The logic models and measurement plans must be reviewed with partners, updated, and submitted to the COR annually as part of the AWP.

RELs must also maintain partnerships once formed. This includes regularly communicating with partners about the status of ongoing work as well as conducting ongoing needs-sensing to initiate new activities (Subtask 3.4.1). The REL must deliver a logic model and a measurement plan (Subtask 3.4.2) to the COR for each partnership within six months of the contract.

To monitor the outcomes associated with partnership participation, RELs must administer the IES-provided Stakeholder Feedback Survey (SFS) to partnership members on an annual basis. RELs must achieve an 85 percent response rate for partnership-level SFS. Aggregate results from the partnership-level SFS must be submitted to the COR within ten months of the start of each contract task order (Subtask 3.4.3).

Task 4: Training, Coaching, and Technical Support (TCTS) (Time and Materials with COR Approval)

The REL Program’s training, coaching, and technical support (TCTS) projects leverage RELs’ unique expertise in designing and interpreting rigorous research, as well as the identification and application of evidence-based practices. Under this task, RELs must identify, develop, and implement TCTS projects and activities that incorporate, build, and support partners’ individual and organizational knowledge and capacities in service of addressing high leverage issues within the REL region. TCTS projects and activities must be co-developed with partners, be more intensive than activities under other tasks such as Dissemination and incorporate partners’ specific contexts within their design. To the greatest degree possible, TCTS must be embedded within recipients’ settings and their existing structures for determining and implementing policies or practices. The RELs collaboratively develop and submit a Technical Direction Document with their partners which will detail the upcoming work and include a budget and timeline. The COR will review the Technical Direction Document and provide feedback on any revisions that will be needed. Once the Technical Direction Document is approved, the work may begin.

RELs will use TCTS projects to supplement and support projects under the Applied Research and Peer Reviewed Research-based Development Projects Task (Task 5) where appropriate. For example, TCTS projects can occur before or during an applied research project to help partners understand existing evidence or collect more detailed, local data to support a research project on the high leverage topic of interest. TCTS projects may also occur after an applied research project is completed with the goal of exploring implications of the research and potential next steps towards meeting partners intended outcomes. For TCTS projects that are not aligned to Task 5 projects, RELs must identify the specific need and clearly demonstrate why the REL is best positioned to deliver the proposed services relative to other ED-funded providers.

Subtask 4.1 TCTS Projects (Time and Materials with COR Approval)

Training

Training activities involve hands-on, direct guidance or instruction from experts in research or practice.

Examples of training activities include, but are not limited to, virtual trainings for administrators or teacher leaders on applying recommendations from a WWC Practice Guide or other rigorous extant research to professional development, in-person trainings for state-level staff on promising school turnaround practices, or training staff from partner organizations in the effective distillation and communication of research evidence on a specific high leverage topic.

Coaching

Coaching in this context is akin to being a “thought partner” or “critical friend” to individual partner organizations or a small group of individuals representing multiple partner organizations during the process of making decisions related to policy or practice. For example, coaching support can entail co-developing materials or other outputs with partners to encourage and support evidence- informed, partner- driven changes to policy or practice. Coaching supports partners’ decision-making through ongoing sessions covering research evidence or current practice related to a specific topic.

Technical Support

Technical support builds partners’ capacities to perform research-related activities such as identifying, collecting, analyzing and visualizing data. Examples might include, but are not limited to (1) providing support to a research office within a partner SEA or LEA to help that office identify existing data and/or collect new data necessary for an evaluation of an existing program, (2) providing support to a research office within a partner SEA or LEA to help that office perform data analyses on a topic, or (3) supporting a partner LEA or SEA in designing a study to inform or support its implementation or a local adaptation of a evidence-based practice or policy.

TCTS Technical Direction Documents and Projects

As needed, the REL must develop written TCTS project Technical Direction Documents once the idea has been discussed with the COR and approved. Once the Technical Direction Document is approved, the REL may conduct TCTS activities. TCTS activities may be proposed on a rolling basis throughout the contract.

Any TCTS work that is time sensitive due to partner need must be communicated to the COR so that the review can be expedited. It is expected that initial COR review of TCTS Technical Direction Document will be completed in approximately two weeks. Technical Direction Documents for TCTS activities must identify partners by organization/office (if applicable), and the nature of their participation must be described. When proposing a TCTS project, RELs must describe how the activity or activities that comprise the project will help facilitate partners’ desired short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes. Projects whose content and design is not anchored by partners’ outcomes are unlikely to meet the criteria of high leverage. As part of a project’s design, RELs must collect or help partners identify and collect information necessary to determine whether the outcomes and associated targets for the project were met. All TCTS project Technical Direction Documents must include a realistic and feasible timeline for completion within the contract period. TCTS Technical Direction Documents must also include the proposed budget.

TCTS activities and related materials must be informed by the highest quality, most rigorous available research. RELs must draw on research on effective professional development, capacity-building support, and adult learning theory as well as develop and assess new structures of support in order to meet their partner’s needs For example, if a goal of the project is for recipients of TCTS to apply knowledge learned to their practice, RELs must seek to embed their support in TCTS recipients’ actual setting or a similar context and provide critical thinking opportunities. IES encourages RELs to review prior IES and REL resources available to leverage to support TCTS activities and describe these resources in the Technical Direction Document.

RELs must evaluate the extent to which TCTS materials may be actionable by stakeholders beyond those for which they were originally developed and discuss their potential dissemination with IES. In the instance IES concurs, IES expects that RELs will adapt materials to a more general context prior to posting to the REL website.

Task 4 TCTS Technical Direction Documents (Subtask 4.1.1) must include a budget for the project using the approved IDIQ labor rates. The REL must deliver the final Technical Direction Document incorporating any feedback from the COR within two weeks after receiving feedback from the COR (Subtask 4.1.2). The REL must deliver the meeting agenda and session materials to the COR two weeks before each session (Subtask 4.1.3). The REL must deliver the meeting summary two weeks after the meeting (Subtask 4.1.4).

To monitor the outcomes associated with participation in Task 4 activities, RELs must administer the IES-provided Stakeholder Feedback Survey (SFS) to participants within 2 weeks of a project’s conclusion, unless otherwise specified by the COR (Subtask 4.1.5). RELs must achieve a 65 percent response rate on project-level SFS administrations.

Subtask 4.2 “Ask an Expert” Service (Time and Materials with COR Approval)

RELs must develop and implement an “Ask an Expert” service to provide real-time methodological expertise and evidence-based thought partnering to key stakeholders within their region. “Ask an Expert” services must be limited to addressing questions that can be answered succinctly using evidence-based subject matter expertise, or expertise in designing and performing research studies. Requests related to interpretation or implementation of a policy or practice, requests where there is no directly relevant extant research to guide expert responses, or requests that would require more than two meetings with the requestor to fulfill the request may not be addressed through this service and may be better fulfilled through a different REL task, or outside of the REL Program. RELs may not use the “Ask an Expert” service to produce products typically developed under another task.

When a need arises for an “Ask an Expert,” the REL must discuss the idea with the COR and get approval to proceed to draft the Technical Direction Document, using an IES provided Technical Direction Document template, to IES within two weeks (Subtask 4.2.1). Once the COR approves, the REL must submit the Technical Direction Document to IES that outlines how the “Ask an Expert” service will be implemented.

This Technical Direction Document must be approved by IES in advance of the REL implementing the “Ask an Expert” service. It is expected that COR review of “Ask an Expert” Technical Direction Document will be completed in approximately two weeks. However, if expedited review is needed, the REL must provide justification to the COR, and the COR will determine whether expedited review is possible. The REL must deliver the final Technical Direction Document within two weeks after receiving feedback from the COR (Subtask 4.2.2). After the REL Contract is awarded, specific guidance will be given as to what to include in the ”Ask an Expert” Technical Direction Document. In general, this Technical Direction Document must outline several aspects of their “Ask an Expert” service, including:

• A systematic internal process for determining if a request is best addressed through the “Ask an Expert” service, another REL task, or via referral to another federal service provider.

• A process for identifying an appropriate respondent to “Ask an Expert” requests, including the use of non-REL consultants, e.g. from the NCC cadre of subject matter experts, as needed.

• A close-out process for “Ask an Expert” requests. This must include:

• development of a short summary memo of each meeting with an “Ask an Expert” requestor, to be shared with both the requestor and IES within five working days of the meeting; and

• a process to determine whether follow-up supports are necessary, including additional REL activities or referrals to other organizations.

• Development of a Task 6 dissemination product that can be shared on the IES website so that others can learn from this work.

The REL must deliver the summary memo and materials provided to the requestor to the COR within five working days of the meeting the REL held with the requestor (Subtask 4.2.3).

Task 5: Applied Research and Peer Reviewed Research‐based Development Projects (Time and Materials with COR Approval)

The purpose of the Applied Research and Development task is to (1) conduct applied research and report relevant findings, and (2) to develop products, subject to peer review, that are based in rigorous REL (or extant) research. For the purposes of this task, “products” include reports, PowerPoint presentations under Subtasks 5.1 and 5.6 (not required), toolkits that support the instantiation of existing evidence-based practice under Subtask 5.2, documentation and materials for the design and testing of new programs under Subtask 5.3 (not required), and additional tools under Subtask 5.4 (also not required). At state and local partners’ request, products may also include any materials that result from conducting assessments of research study quality under Subtask 5.5.

The REL will collaboratively develop and submit a Technical Direction Document with their partners which will detail the upcoming work and include a budget and timeline. The COR will review the Technical Direction Document and provide feedback on any revisions that will be needed. Once the Technical Direction Document is approved, the work may begin. RELs must describe in project Technical Direction Document how all Task 5 projects will help facilitate the key partners’ desired short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes.

When possible, work under this task should be paired other activities designed to enhance its impact. For example, the publication of a research report must rarely (if ever) be a standalone event. Applied research, combined with dissemination and TCTS supports before, during, and after report publication are more likely to lead to a partner achieving their goals than is a single applied research report without accompanying activities.

Task 5 Applied Research Products are reviewed by the REL Peer Review Contractor. See Appendix E for more information about the Peer Review Process. For each Task 5 main research product, RELs must include the draft, response to feedback from the REL Peer-review contractor, additional revised versions until approved by IES, and the final product ready for publishing to the IES website as deliverables. All versions (including drafts) of any REL Product must be 508 compliant in accordance with the revised 508 Standards incorporating WCAG 2.1 Level AA or later version adopted by the Department. Automated checking of 508 compliance is necessary but not sufficient and manual verification is required for reading order, alternative text adequacy and meaningful sequence. The COR will need up to four weeks to review the draft Technical Direction Document and provide feedback. The REL must deliver the final Technical Direction Document within four weeks of receiving COR feedback. Depending on the type of applied research and whether there is any primary data collection IRB and/or OMB approval will be needed based on discussions with the COR.

The REL must develop a data management plan and data sharing agreement or memorandum of understanding and determine in discussion with the COR whether a restricted use file will be needed. The REL must propose the timeline for the work.

The final REL Peer Review product drafts for all Task 5 projects need to be complete and ready for review by July 1, 2031 in order for the final product to be completed by the end of the REL Contract.

Subtask 5.1 Conduct original applied research and report findings (Time and Materials with COR Approval)

All research projects undertaken by RELs must include a strong justification for the relevance and rigor of the proposed work. Applied research must be designed to both inform decisions of policy and practice and to help build generalizable knowledge.

Develop Research Technical Direction Documents

Applied research may be conducted on a rolling basis throughout the contract, provided there is sufficient time to complete the work before the end of the contract period of performance (January 2031). The REL must discuss ideas for applied research studies prior to submitting a Technical Direction Document. Once the REL receives COR approval for the applied research study idea, they must submit a written Technical Direction Document (Subtask 5.1.1). Once the RELs are awarded, more formal guidance will be provided for the format and content of the Technical Direction Document.

In general, Technical Direction Documents for research studies shall:

• identify partners by organization/office and their involvement through the project lifecycle;

• identify the problem of policy or practice partners have identified that motivates the work;

• identify the alignment to a state Learning Agenda or other strategic priority;

• identify the key audience(s) for the proposed research;

• describe the extant literature;

• list the proposed research questions;

• describe the data sources and sample;

• outline how the team will manage study data, ensure data security, and follow applicable privacy laws;

• describe the research design and proposed method for each research question; and

• discuss any challenges or limitations for the proposed research.

All research projects must also include a realistic and feasible timeline for completion within the contract period. All applied research projects must be completed in time to allow RELs to support partners’ and stakeholders’ understanding and application of findings by providing at least one briefing for key stakeholders. The briefing must be included as a Task 5 milestone. IES encourages RELs to propose a separate TCTS project if partners and key stakeholders need additional support related to the research project.

Applied research Technical Direction Document must include the budget for the project using approved IDIQ labor rates. The REL must develop Technical Direction Documents, and, once approved, conduct research projects leading to published products. All Technical Direction Document will be reviewed by the COR, peer reviewed by the REL peer-review contractor, and approved by NCEE leadership. The REL must deliver a final Technical Direction Document to the COR within four weeks of receiving feedback from REL Peer Review (Subtask 5.1.2).

Documentation for Applied Research Projects

The REL is responsible for ensuring that each study has the appropriate Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval. The REL must submit documentation of IRB approval to IES as soon as possible after IES has conditionally approved the study Technical Direction Document (Subtask 5.1.3). The REL must not begin data collection or analysis until IES confirms with the REL that all IRB requirements have been met.

REL research projects are subject to the IES Public Access Policy. Causal studies that collect original outcome data are required to have Data Management Plans that must be submitted once IES approves the project Technical Direction Document (Subtask 5.1.4). The REL must submit a signed data sharing agreement or memorandum of understanding (MOU) for any project where they are receiving data which must include information on security and privacy protections for data (5.1.5). Once this type of applied research Technical Direction Document is approved by IES, it must be registered in the Registry of Efficacy and Effectiveness Studies (Subtask 5.1.6).

In any case in which the REL plans to recruit or collect the same data from more than 9 sources, the REL must prepare a clearance package for IES and OMB Information Collection Review that lists the potential study participants, describes the study design and data collection instruments, and includes the necessary forms required for OMB approval. The REL must submit the OMB clearance package to IES within one week after IES has approved the study Technical Direction Document (Subtask 5.1.7). Once receiving final approval from IES, formal approval by OMB may take between 6 and 9 months. The REL may not begin recruitment or data collection until OMB has approved the package.

Once the RELs complete data collection and analysis (Subtask 5.1.8) Causal studies are expected to result in a licensable Restricted Use Data file (RUD) and must produce a Disclosure Avoidance Plan (Subtask 5.1.9) to protect the confidentiality of individual respondents and then implement that Plan once approved by IES prior to developing the final RUD (Subtask 5.1.10).

RELs must submit all documentation for applied research projects to their COR for approval.

Reporting Applied Research Findings

RELs must propose a reporting format that will best meet the needs of stakeholders. RELs may propose a traditional report format (Subtask 5.1.11). In this case, RELs must prepare a report of up to 15 pages and either a one- page or a four-page summary. Traditional research reports must meet the description, requirements, and formats described in the REL Program Writers and Style Guide. Appendices must be published in a separate document that will not count towards the 15- page limit. Research reports must be clear and engaging, with appropriate brevity.

Alternatively, RELs and their partners may propose a slide deck (Subtask 5.1.12), a single or series of infographics (Subtask 5.1.13), a study snapshot (Subtask 5.1.14), or other non-traditional product (Subtask 5.1.15) for sharing study results with partners and decisionmakers. In this instance, RELs must submit the final product along with a supporting memo that provides detailed documentation of the research study’s methodology, including data and limitations.

All research products will be reviewed by the COR, peer reviewed by the REL peer-review contractor (RPR), and approved by NCEE leadership.