RFP_33201-00926_Amd_8.pdf

This is Amendment 8 to Request for Proposals 33201-00926 issued by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for Data Management and External Evaluation Services for GEAR UP Tennessee. The amendment updates the RFP schedule of events and establishes key milestone dates for the procurement process. The Response Deadline has been set for December 15, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, with technical response evaluations to be completed by January 13, 2026. Product demonstrations are scheduled for January 21-23, 2026, followed by cost proposal opening and scoring on January 26, 2026. Optional negotiations are available January 27-28, 2026, with the Notice of Intent to Award expected January 30, 2026. The protest period ends February 6, 2026 at 4:30 p.m., and the contractor signature deadline is February 11, 2026 at 2:00 p.m. The contract is anticipated to commence in early 2026 and will span seven years serving approximately 9,000 unique students across ten high schools and eighteen feeder middle schools, targeting two student cohorts with high school graduation classes of 2030 and 2031.

The services requested include development of a comprehensive data management system with live dashboards for all GEAR UP TN metrics, formative and summative external program evaluations, professional development delivery, and participation in the College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium. The RFP was originally issued October 15, 2025, with written questions and comments due October 31, 2025, and state responses provided November 25, 2025. Evaluation criteria emphasize the qualifications of the lead evaluator, expertise in education research, ability to facilitate data utilization, quality of work products, and cost-effectiveness. The contract is federally funded through a GEAR UP grant with 97% of funds allocated to program activities and 3% dedicated to scholarships. Compensation will be based on the total number of students served each program year, with annual allocations varying by student cohort and grade level, and will include annual service fees and potential custom development services.