Invitation to Negotiate CASAS Testing.docx

State of Michigan, Workforce Development Agency Invitation to Negotiate

INVITATION TO NEGOTIATE

NOTICE OF INTENT TO NEGOTIATE AND CONTRACT WITH A SINGLE PROVIDER

Date: April 4, 2018

The State of Michigan intends to make a purchase for which it believes there is no viable alternative. The purpose of this notice is to attempt to identify possible alternatives.

Requestor: State of Michigan, Workforce Development Agency (WDA)

1. State Contact Information:

The sole point of contact concerning this Invitation to Negotiate is:

Arica Smith, Solicitation Manager (on behalf of the WDA) 517-335-0822, or SmithA93@michigan.org

2. Description of Purchase: The WDA is seeking to purchase Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS) Life and Work Listening Assessments for students enrolled in English as a Second Language (ESL) programs. The vendor must be able to provide start up and support services for up to 20 agencies that will be administering the tests. The WDA is seeking to purchase approximately 9,000 pre- and post- e-tests. The tests must be determined to be suitable for use in the National Reporting System for Adult Education. The WDA adult education providers must use e-tests in order for test data to be sent immediately to the awarding body or examiner, with results available immediately via an automated marking system. In addition, the vendor will provide related assessment resources and webinars for the WDA’s adult education providers.

Purpose: The adult education providers must be able to assess participants at intake to determine their educational functional level (EFL). There are six levels for ESL. Each level is comprised of a set of skills and competencies that participants at that level can do in the areas of reading, writing, numeracy, speaking, listening, and functional and workplace areas. Using these descriptors as guidelines, programs determine the appropriate initial level at which to place participants using a standardized assessment approved in the state assessment policy for use in the NRS. All assessments and procedures must conform to standard psychometric criteria for validity and reliability.

The assessments must include a software program that tracks student assessment and learner results and can aggregate student information including demographic data, learning gain, competencies and test scores.

The WDA’s research suggests that the vendor, CASAS, is the sole provider of the online format assessment for the Adult Education/ESL program, as was determined by the Federal Register. Additionally, the online tests provided by CASAS have been determined as the only tests suitable for use in the NRS for Adult Education in the computer based delivery format. Per Federal Register final regulations for 34 CFR part 462, Measuring Educational Gain in the National Reporting System for Adult Education, “…The Secretary has determined that the following test is suitable for use at all Adult Basic Education (ABE) and Adult Secondary Education (ASE) levels and at all ESL levels of the NRS until February 2, 2019…Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment Systems (CASAS)…are approved for used on paper and through the computer-based delivery format.”

3. Commodity Code References: Commodity 78590 – Test and Test Scoring Devices: Achievement, Aptitude, Intelligence

4. Description of Action: New contract.

5. Intended Source: CASAS, 5151 Murphy Canyon Road, Suite 220, San Diego, CA 92123-4339

6. Questions: Questions concerning the Invitation to Negotiate must be posted on www.michigan.gov.com/SIGMAVSS no later than April 10, 2018. In the interest of transparency, only written questions will be accepted. Answers to questions will be posted on www.michigan.gov.com/SIGMAVSS.

Responders should submit their questions using the following format:

7. Response Deadline: Any potential bidder, who does not agree that this good or service is available only from the intended source, must submit a response to the Solicitation Manager by April 11, 2018. Your response must be in writing and describe the product or service you are offering as an equivalent.

Version 1 Revised: 07-28-2017