RFP_33201-00926_Amd%204_Schedule.pdf

This is an Amendment #4 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 with live dashboards and provide external evaluation services for a federally funded seven-year 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). Key deadlines include a response deadline of December 8, 2025, technical response evaluations completed by December 17, 2025, product demonstrations scheduled for January 6-9, 2026, cost proposal evaluation on January 12, 2026, and optional negotiations January 13-15, 2026. The state will issue a Notice of Intent to Award on January 20, 2026, with a protest period ending January 27, 2026. The contract is anticipated to be sent to the selected contractor on January 28, 2026, with a signature deadline of January 30, 2026, allowing for an early 2026 contract start date.

The amendment updates the RFP schedule of events with all revised or new dates highlighted for clarity. The procurement will be funded through a federal GEAR UP grant, with payment structured based on the total number of students served each program year. The successful contractor will be evaluated on the qualifications of the lead evaluator, expertise in education research, ability to facilitate data utilization, quality of work products, and cost-effectiveness. No specific set-asides or incumbent information is detailed in this schedule amendment. The contractor will be responsible for configuring the data management system, conducting formative and summative evaluations, delivering professional development to school-based staff, administering biennial student surveys, implementing an embedded dual enrollment research study, and participating in the College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium (CCREC).