RFP_33201-00926_Amd%2010_Schedule.pdf

This document is Amendment #10 to a Request for Proposals (RFP #33201-00926) issued by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) for Data Management and External Evaluation Services for GEAR UP Tennessee. The amendment updates the schedule of RFP events for a comprehensive data management system and external evaluation services contract supporting a federally funded, seven-year initiative serving approximately 9,000 unique students across ten high schools and eighteen feeder middle schools in Tennessee. Key milestone dates include the original RFP issuance on October 15, 2025, a written questions and comments deadline of October 31, 2025, a proposal response deadline of December 15, 2025, technical evaluation completion by January 23, 2026, product demonstrations scheduled for February 10-12, 2026, and cost proposal opening and scoring on February 13, 2026. Optional negotiations are scheduled for February 17-18, 2026, with a Notice of Intent to Award to be released on February 19, 2026. The protest period concludes on February 26, 2026, and the contractor signature deadline is March 3, 2026, with an anticipated contract start in early 2026.

The contract will be funded through a federal GEAR UP grant with 97 percent of funds allocated to program activities and 3 percent to scholarships. Compensation will be structured based on the total number of students served annually, with varying allocations by student cohort and grade level, including annual service fees and potential custom development services. The successful contractor must demonstrate substantial capabilities in education data management, program evaluation, and support for student success strategies, with evaluation criteria emphasizing the lead evaluator's qualifications, education research expertise, data utilization facilitation, quality of work products, and cost-effectiveness. No specific set-asides or incumbent information was provided in this amendment document.