EDNAGB-26-000005-JOFOC-TUDA.pdf

Justification for Other Than Full and Open Competition

Authority: FAR 13.106-1(b)(1)

Pursuant to FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) and in accordance with the documentation requirements of FAR 6.303-2, the following justification is that only one responsible source, and no other supplies or services, will satisfy agency requirements. Only one source will be solicited for this requirement, and the requirement is not expected to exceed the simplified acquisition threshold.

1. Agency and Contracting Activity:

Department of Education: National Assessment Governing Board (Governing Board).

2. Nature and/or Description of the Action Being Approved:

The Governing Board intends to award a sole source purchase order to the following organization to continue providing services for the Trial Urban District Assessment (TUDA) Policy Task Force.

Council of The Great City Schools 1331 Pennsylvania Ave, NW #1100N Washington, DC 20004

A purchase order will be awarded around March 20, 2026, to continue collaboration with urban district leaders via this task force. The period of performance will include a base year and two option years, for a maximum duration of 36 months.

3. Description of Supplies or Services Required:

The Governing Board has a congressional mandate to set policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) - also known as The Nation's Report Card and to take appropriate actions that improve the form, content, use, and reporting of assessment results. The

Governing Board is also responsible for the initial public release of NAEP report cards.

Facilitating the Governing Board’s work and disseminating NAEP results rely on outreach activities with target audiences across the nation, one of which are the urban districts which participate in the TUDA program. TUDA offers the nation a way to measure progress within – and compare across – large urban districts. All of these districts belong to the Council of the Great City Schools. Thus, it is critically important to encourage and expand the involvement of district leaders in the Governing Board’s implementation of its congressionally mandated responsibilities. A TUDA Task Force member also attends Governing Board quarterly meetings to report on ongoing work about NAEP and promote communication between the Governing Board and Task Force.

Project activities of the Task Force are available to the public via the Board’s website. Topics to be discussed by the Task Force include plans for reporting and communicating TUDA data;

input on NAEP’s contextual variable data collected through student, teacher, and school questionnaires; feedback on changes to NAEP’s design and assessment schedule; and districts’ needs for NAEP data and analysis.

4. Identification of Statutory Authority Permitting Other than Full and Open

Competition:

FAR 13.106-1(b)(1) - Soliciting from a single source for purchases not exceeding the simplified acquisition threshold. The Contracting Officer has determined that only one source is reasonably available.

5. Reason for Cited Authority:

The Council of the Great City Schools is the only national organization exclusively representing the needs of urban public schools. Composed of 78 large city school districts, which include the 27 large urban districts that voluntarily participate in TUDA, the Council supports urban schools and students by providing a network for school districts to share common challenges and to collaborate on solutions. These efforts improve the NAEP TUDA program as well as help recruit and sustain participation of districts that volunteer to participate in the program. The CGCS members provide unique and invaluable perspectives that inform the Board’s policy decisions related to The Nation’s Report Card and for executing the Board’s congressionally mandated responsibilities under the requirements of Public Law 107-279.

Since January 2017, the Governing Board has collaborated with the Council of the Great City Schools (CGCS) to convene this task force. The Task Force comprises leaders in TUDA districts, including superintendents, communications officers, and assessment directors. who discuss issues relevant to urban districts and NAEP. This collaboration has meaningfully and invaluably informed the Governing Board’s policy decisions.

The Council of the Great City Schools, for the reasons listed above, is the only organization with access to its membership and the ability to utilize their members effectively, efficiently, and with no learning curve -- or interruption -- in service.

http://www.nagb.gov/

6. Efforts to Obtain Competition:

Every three years during the pre-solicitation phase, a sole-source notice and justification is made publicly available to allow organizations and people to identify their interest in and capability to respond to the requirement. To date, no responses to the sole source notice have been received from any viable entity. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed purchase order based upon responses to these notices is solely within the discretion of the government.

7. Determination of Fair and Reasonable Cost:

At the time of contract award, the Contracting Officer shall make a fair and reasonable price determination on the pricing proposed by CGCS. The Contracting Officer shall undertake a thorough review of the pricing based on market conditions and make a determination on fair and reasonable pricing.

8. Market Research:

Organizations and people may identify their interest in and capability to respond to the requirement as a part of our market research.

9. Additional Supporting Facts:

None

10. Interested Sources:

None

11. Proposed Actions to Overcome Barriers to Competition

The Government will continue to conduct thorough market research to gauge the marketplace capabilities for future requirements.

12. This JOFOC has been Prepared and Certified by:

Technical Certification

I certify that the supporting data under my cognizance which are included in the justification are accurate and complete to the best of my knowledge and belief.

Laura LoGerfo, Assistant Director for Reporting & Analysis (COR) Date

Contracting Officer Certification

In accordance with FAR 13.106-1(b)(1), as a warranted contracting officer, I hereby determine that the circumstances of the acquisition make only one source reasonably available for the reasons provided above.

Tony White, Contracting Officer Date

Executive Certification

I have reviewed this justification and find it adequate to support other than full and open competition.

Lesley Muldoon, Executive Director Date