RFP_33201-00926_Amd%204_Schedule.pdf

This document is Amendment #4 to Request for Proposals #33201-00926 issued by the Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC) for Data Management and External Evaluation Services for GEAR UP Tennessee. The RFP seeks comprehensive services including data management system implementation with live dashboards, formative and summative evaluations, professional development delivery, annual evaluation reports, biennial student surveys, and participation in the College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium (CCREC) to serve approximately 9,000 unique students across ten high schools and eighteen feeder middle schools over a seven-year program period targeting high school graduating classes of 2030 and 2031. The original RFP was issued on October 15, 2025, with the response deadline of December 8, 2025 (as amended), technical evaluation completion scheduled for December 17, 2025, product demonstrations scheduled for January 6-9, 2026, cost proposal opening and scoring on January 12, 2026, and optional negotiations January 13-15, 2026. The State Notice of Intent to Award is scheduled for January 20, 2026, with the protest period ending January 27, 2026, contractor signature deadline of January 30, 2026, and anticipated contract start in early 2026.

The RFP will be evaluated based on qualifications of the lead evaluator, expertise in education research, ability to facilitate data utilization, and quality of work products, in addition to cost-effectiveness considerations. The contract will be federally funded through a GEAR UP grant with compensation structured based on the total number of students served each program year with varying annual allocations by student cohort and grade level. The procurement is anticipated to result in a substantial contract value given the seven-year commitment and number of students served, though specific budget amounts were not detailed in the amendment document. Disability accommodation requests were due October 22, 2025, Notice of Intent to Respond was due October 24, 2025, and written questions and comments deadline was October 31, 2025, with State responses provided November 25, 2025.