iELS_Capability_Statement_Instructions.docx

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

U.S. IMPLEMENTATION OF OECD INTERNATIONAL EARLY LEARNING STUDY PILOT

SOLICITATION # ED-IES-17-R-0001

CAPABILITY STATEMENT INSTRUCTIONS

The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) is conducting market research to determine if sufficient interest and capability exists in the marketplace for the administration of the International Early Learning Study Pilot (iELS) in the United States requirement. This notice is NOT a request for proposals, but is an invitation for potential offerors to express interest and provide information regarding their relevant knowledge, skills and capabilities. Information submitted in response to this Sources Sought may be used to assist the Department in finalizing its acquisition strategy.

Disclaimer: The Department will not pay for the provision of any information nor will it compensate any respondents for providing this information. This notice in no way obligates the Government to award any contract to any interested party. Feedback will not be provided to any interested party who submits information to the Department in response to this notice.

Capability Statement Submission Deadline The deadline for submitting Capability Statements is October 12, 2016 by 12:00 noon (ET) via e-mail to the following: Gibran.Mills@ed.gov, and cc: Sylvia.Thomas@ed.gov Primary Point of Contact:

Gibran Mills Contract Specialist Gibran.Mills@ed.gov Phone: (202) 245-6072

Secondary Point of Contact:

Sylvia Thomas, Contracting Officer Sylvia.Thomas@ed.gov Phone: (202) 245-6214 Capability Statement Instructions In response to the attached draft Performance Work Statement (PWS), the Department hereby solicits capability statements from eligible, interested parties. Capability Statements shall be no longer than 3 pages (single-spaced, with a minimum of one-inch margins and 12 point font). This is NOT a request for full proposals so requesting resumes in not appropriate at this time.

Vendors shall provide responses for all content areas noted below. The information requested in the Basic Information Section ONLY does NOT count against the 3 page Capability Statement page limitation.

BASIC INFORMATION

1. Please state your business/company name and address. Include contact information such as a corporate email address and website URL.

1. Please state your business size status (i.e. large or small) in the stated NAICS code of 541720. Also provide all socio economic categories for your company and the corresponding NAICS code.

1. State if the requirement should be set-aside for small business, and why (or why not)?

1. Do you believe that the Draft PWS contains any unduly restrictive language or content? And Why? Please cite specific examples and provide feedback.

1. State if the Draft PWS content provides opportunities for small business subcontracting. Why or why not?

CAPABILITY STATEMENT CONTENT AREAS

The capability statement must describe the collective expertise and experience of your company’s personnel, in each of the following areas:

Demonstrated corporate expertise in the following areas: design and conduct of largescale national studies; design and conduct of large-scale cross-sectional studies; design and conduct of large-scale studies of children’s early learning; design and selection of national samples and developing weights for complex sample designs; development and use of computer technology and software systems in support of largescale data collection; design and development of large data bases; design and use of systems for processing, documenting, and maintaining large data bases; design of survey instruments; and the development of assessment batteries for measuring young children’s abilities.

· Experience and skill in managing, designing and conducting large-scale national studies of early learning outcomes. Interested parties shall provide a minimum of two examples of personnel’s successful past experience designing and implementing large-scale studies of early learning of children involving direct and indirect assessments, including recruitment, training, and data collection. This should include demonstrated experience managing costs and timeliness.

· Experience managing the national implementation of school-based, international studies of student achievement. Interested parties shall provide a minimum of two examples of personnel’s past experience on projects that required coordinating with international organizations, such as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development or other similar organization, and contractors, and adhering to established standards, similar to work described in DRAFT IELS PWS.

· Experience and skill in authoring well written, objective and accurate statistical publications under tight deadlines, for a wide audience. Interested parties shall provide a minimum of two examples of personnel’s involvement with authoring publications that clearly summarize statistical findings and present them in a manner such that they can be understood and used by a wide audience, under deadlines determined by a third party (e.g., an international consortia).

In addition, the capability statement shall address the following experience and capacity at the corporate level:

· Experience with projects similar in nature to that described in the Draft iELS PWS. Interested parties shall provide evidence of successful corporate experience with a minimum of two past projects that are similar to that described in the Draft iELS PWS, in terms of the specific tasks to be performed and the anticipated level of effort required.