Request for Information Final_1.pdf

Request for Information Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)

English Language Proficiency Assessments

The Bureau of Indian Education (BIE)’s mission, as described in 25 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 32.3, is to provide quality education opportunities from early childhood through life in accordance with a tribe’s needs for cultural and economic well-being, in keeping with the wide diversity of Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages as distinct cultural and governmental entities. Further, the BIE is to manifest consideration of the whole person by taking into account the spiritual, mental, physical, and cultural aspects of the individual within his or her family and tribal or village context. Part of this mission involves offering assessments to the students that we serve. These assessments will be used for accountability purposes in accordance with 25 C.F.R. 30.100-125 as developed through the negotiated rulemaking initiated in response to the amendment of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) through the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). Among other things, as amended, ESEA required the Secretary of the Interior to engage in such rulemaking to develop regulations consistent with Section 1111 of the ESEA governing the standards, assessments, and accountability system that the Secretary would require for use at BIE-funded schools taking into consideration the unique circumstances and needs of such schools and the students served at such schools.

This RFI is to gather information for the potential requirement of an English Language Proficiency (ELP) Assessment for grades kindergarten through twelve aligned to English Language Development Standards.

In addition to the general assessment for English Language Proficiency, the BIE is also seeking an ELP Alternate Assessment for student with significant cognitive disabilities in grades kindergarten through twelve and an ELP Screener for grades kindergarten through twelve. Both online and paper assessment formats are needed. Services include project management, training, shipping, scoring, and score reporting.

ELP assessments must be fully operational, not in a pilot status, and approved by the U.S. Department of Education for Accountability purposes.

The primary purpose of the ELP assessment is to measure annual student progress in achieving English language proficiency and ascertain when students can appropriately exit English Learner (EL) status.

BIE is issuing this RFI as a means of conducting market research, which will assist the Contracting Office in determining whether potential vendors have the capability, knowledge and prior experience completing a similar task and scope. This notice shall not be construed as a formal solicitation or an obligation on the part of the Government to acquire any products or services. In addition, it does not guarantee that a subsequent solicitation will be issued. Costs associated with any submission shall not be reimbursed by the Government. THE GOVERNMENT IS NOT SEEKING PROPOSALS AND WILL NOT ACCEPT

UNSOLICITED PROPOSALS.

SUBMISSION INFORMATION:

All pages and text should be 12 point Times New Roman font with 1” margins.

COVER SHEET - 1 page

1. Vendor name, address, website, Data Universal Numbering Systems (DUNS) Number, and Commercial and Government Entity (CAGE) Code.

2. Point of contact to include e-mail address and telephone number.

3. Type of business, including socio-economic category

4. If applicable, list any schedules held (GSA, OASIS, NASA SEWP, etc.).

CAPABILITIES STATEMENT - no more than 8 pages (same formatting)

BACKGROUND/PAST EXPERIENCE – no more than 8 pages

Provide the following information on two (2) similar projects in an environment of similar scale completed within the last five (5) years for which the responder was a prime or Sub-Contractor.

1. The name and dollar value of each project;

2. The name, address, telephone and email address of project point of contact;

3. A description of each project, including challenges and successes; and

4. Your company's role and services provided for each project.

Respondents will NOT be notified of the results. No technical questions will be answered for this requirement. The NAICS code for this requirement is 611710, Educational Support Services. If a firm believes they are capable to perform some or all of this effort, submit above information by April 18, 2021, at 5pm EST. Please contact Nicole Rahmer, Contract Specialist, via email at Nicole.rahmer@bia.gov.

mailto:Nicole.rahmer@bia.gov