RFP_33201-00926_Amd%202_Schedule.pdf

This is an Amendment #2 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 RFP seeks a comprehensive contractor to implement a data management system and provide external evaluation services for a seven-year federally funded initiative serving approximately 9,000 unique students across ten high schools and eighteen feeder middle schools, targeting two student cohorts (high school graduating classes of 2030 and 2031). The amendment updates the RFP schedule of events with revised dates for key milestones: written questions and comments deadline of October 31, 2025; state response to questions on December 8, 2025; response deadline of December 12, 2025; technical response evaluations completion by January 2, 2026; product demonstrations scheduled for January 19-21, 2026; cost proposal opening and scoring on January 23, 2026; notice of intent to award on January 29, 2026; protest period ending February 5, 2026; and contractor signature deadline of February 9, 2026. Optional negotiations are scheduled for January 26-27, 2026.

The contract deliverables include developing a robust data management system with live dashboards for all GEAR UP TN metrics, conducting formative and summative evaluations, delivering professional development, and participating in the College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium (CCREC). The procurement will be funded primarily through a federal GEAR UP grant, with 97% of funds allocated to program activities and 3% dedicated to scholarships. Compensation will be structured based on the total number of students served each program year, with annual allocations varying by student cohort and grade level, including annual service fees and potential custom development services. Evaluation criteria will emphasize qualifications of the lead evaluator, expertise in education research, ability to facilitate data utilization, and quality of work products. The anticipated contract start date is early 2026, with no specific set-aside designations explicitly mentioned in the amendment.