RFP No. CEN-DEMO-24-0021 EDUCATION PLANNING.pdf

CENSUS BUREAU

EDUCATION SURVEYS TEAM

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR FOR DEMOGRAPHIC PROGRAMS, SURVEY OPERATIONS (ADDP-SO)

EDUCATION SURVEYS PLANNING,

PROCESSING, AND DOCUMENTATION ASSISTANCE SERVICE

SOLICITATION No. CEN-DEMO-0021

SOLICITATION NOTICE

This procurement is a 100% Total Small Business Set-Aside.

1. BACKGROUND

The Education Surveys Team in the Associate Director for Demographic Programs, Survey Operations (ADDP- SO) is responsible for activities associated with the data collection, processing, dissemination, and analysis of several surveys for the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), within the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of the U.S. Department of Education (ED). One of the major surveys is the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS), which is conducted triennially and is a system of related questionnaires that provides descriptive data on the context of elementary and secondary education. Redesigned from Schools and Staffing Survey (SASS) with a focus on flexibility, timeliness, and integration with other ED data, the NTPS system allows for school, principal, and teacher characteristics to be analyzed in relation to one another.

The SASS, the predecessor to the NTPS, was conducted by NCES seven times between 1987 and 2011. It was an integrated study of public school districts, public and private schools, principals, teachers, and library media centers, designed to provide descriptive data on a wide range of topics including teacher demand, teacher and principal characteristics, general conditions in schools, principals' and teachers' perceptions of school climate and problems in their schools, teacher compensation, and district hiring and retention practices. After 2011-12, NCES redesigned SASS and named it the National Teacher and Principal Survey (NTPS) to reflect the redesigned study’s focus on the teacher and principal labor market and on the state of K-12 school staff. NCES first conducted NTPS during the 2015-16 school year, and then again during the following school years: 2017- 18, 2020-21, 2023-24. The next collection will be during the 2026-27 school year. NTPS collects information from schools, principals, and teachers in four data collection instruments: the Teacher Listing Form, the School Questionnaire, the Principal Questionnaire, and the Teacher Questionnaire.

There are two follow-up surveys to the NTPS – the Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS) and the Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS). The TFS is a one-year follow-up of a subsample of teachers and the PFS is a one-year follow-up of principals who responded to the NTPS conducted during the prior year.

The TFS and PFS collections will measure the one-year attrition rates of teachers and principals, respectively, who leave the profession and will permit comparisons of stayers, movers, and leavers to fulfill the legislative mandate for NCES to report on the “condition of education in the United States.” “Stayers” are teachers or principals who remain in the same school between the NTPS year of data collection and the follow-up year.

“Movers” are teachers or principals who stay in the profession but change schools between the NTPS year and the follow-up year. “Leavers” are NTPS respondents who leave the teaching or principal profession between the NTPS year and the follow-up year.

The TFS analysis files include TFS data in addition to data collected in the NTPS on teacher characteristics, qualifications, perceptions of the school environment and the teaching profession, and a host of other topics.

Prior TFS data have played an important role in improving the understanding of the conditions that affect the balance between teacher attrition and retention. The NTPS and TFS provide national data on turnover in the teacher workforce, including rates of attrition from teaching, sources and characteristics of newly hired teachers, and characteristics and destinations of leavers. These data help shift the debate from the issue of teacher quantity to teacher quality; that is, from a focus on teacher shortages measured only in terms of the number of teaching positions left vacant to the qualifications and years of experience of teachers who stay in the classroom versus those who leave the profession. The cross-sectional repeated design of the TFS allows the analysis of trends related to these topics.

The PFS analysis files include PFS data in addition to data on principal characteristics, qualifications, and perceptions of the school environment from data collected in the NTPS. Together, the NTPS and PFS will provide national data on turnover in the principal workforce, including rates of attrition from principalship, sources and characteristics of newly hired principals, characteristics and destinations of leavers, and due to the cross-sectional repeated design of the PFS, analyses of trends related to these topics.

The NTPS and the NTPS follow-up surveys comprise one suite of surveys which is one of several related studies on K-12 education that Census conducts on behalf of NCES. These other main studies include the School Survey on Crime and Safety (SSOCS), the Private School Survey (PSS), the National Household Education Survey (NHES), the School Crime Supplement (SCS), and the School Pulse Panel (SPP). The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is another large NCES study that is related to the NTPS but not historically conducted by Census. Often, coordination is necessary among these and other NCES studies to reduce respondent burden and execute the studies efficiently and successfully.

NCES is required to collect, report, analyze, and disseminate statistical data related to education in the United States. This includes data about public and private school administrators and teachers. The Census Bureau has the expertise to collect the data in a high quality, cost-effective manner.

The Census Bureau's Education Surveys Team is responsible for the methodological survey planning, data collection preparation, management, and monitoring for the data collection activities for the suite of education surveys. They are also responsible for the steps of data processing that are performed once the data are collected.

They write specifications, historically usually using SAS code but actively shifting to R and Python, to conduct numerous edits to identify potential data issues. Other specifications are written to impute data that is missing.

Once these programs are run, the staff conducts significant data review to correct any data issues that have been identified. Following data processing, the staff produces specifications for numerous data products, including detailed response rates, restricted use files, benchmark tables, publication tables, and codebook databases. They review each of these products to ensure they are complete and accurate. The staff produces detailed Survey Documentation Reports on all survey activities.

Over the next 12 months, there is a large amount of work related to the post data collection activities for the 2023-24 NTPS, which includes data processing, data product creation, analysis, and documentation. There is also a large amount of work ongoing to plan and prepare for the upcoming 2024-25 TFS and PFS. Finally, data collection planning will be underway for the 2026-27 NTPS and its two follow-up surveys. In order to stay on schedule and meet mission-critical deadlines on these projects, the Education Surveys Team requires assistance from a responsible contractor that is deemed qualified of performing the work detailed below.

2. OBJECTIVES

In order to meet project deadlines and accomplish all critical tasks in accordance with the IAA set forth between Census and NCES, the Education Surveys Team requires the procurement of a contractor – an expert in the field of survey methodology, survey processing, and data analysis and has at least twenty years of experience working on and historic knowledge related to NCES school sample surveys – to complete critical tasks for four main activities for the NTPS and NTPS Follow-up Surveys projects, as follows:

Activity 1: The contractor shall complete critical data processing and data review tasks for the most recent

NTPS and NTPS Follow-up Surveys, starting with the 2023-24 NTPS, to meet strict project deadlines for releasing data to NCES.

Activity 2: The contractor shall complete work on survey documentation report chapters and appendices to ensure that the details of the survey planning, data collection, and data processing for the most recent NTPS and NTPS Follow-up Surveys, starting with the 2023-24 NTPS, are fully and accurately documented for data users.

Activity 3: The contractor shall serve as a key contributor to the school definition and frame improvement project, helping Census and NCES define school eligibility and resolve definitional issues for future cycles of NTPS and related NCES studies.

Activity 4: The contractor shall participate in survey design, planning, and implementation activities for future cycles of the NTPS, NTPS Follow-up Surveys, and related NCES studies, starting with the 2026-27

NTPS.

The detailed tasks under each activity are outlined further in the “Scope of Work” section of this document.

The contractor must possess a specific, unique skill set to meet the needs of the Education Surveys Team and NCES. First and foremost, extensive knowledge about the NCES school sample surveys, specifically the NTPS and SASS, as well as related NCES surveys such as the Private School Survey (PSS), Beginning Teacher Longitudinal Study (BTLS), Teacher Follow-up Survey (TFS), and Principal Follow-up Survey (PFS) is required. This knowledge must include: (1) survey background and general history of the surveys, (2) familiarity with the survey questions/items as well as justification for content changes across cycles, (3) frame creation and sample design employed – including changes to school definitions and sampling methodology across cycles, (4) data collection and data processing methodologies employed – including data collection methodology changes across survey cycles, and (5) technical aspects of the data editing and imputation processes. The contractor must have experience reviewing and performing analysis on NCES school sample survey data. The contractor must be familiarized with the content and structure of final data files and products as well as the processes employed to create these products.

In addition to knowledge about the specific surveys, the contractor must possess general knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems in both the public and private sector and the teachers and staffs who staff them and knowledge related to the changing landscape of public and private education and emerging school types. This is critical for the development of school definitions and eligibility criterion, appropriate survey content, effective data collection contact strategies, and precise data editing logic. Advanced experience in data review and analysis is required in order to efficiently and effectively review and evaluate NCES survey data. Knowledge about NCES statistical quality and publication standards is also critical.

The data processing systems used for the NTPS and other NCES surveys conducted by Census are data processing specifications written using SAS code and maintained in MS Access databases; therefore, proficiencies in both SAS and MS Access are necessary skills for the contractor to possess. In addition, due to the complicated nature of the computer edits, writing the SAS code for them requires advanced logical thinking and reasoning skills.

All work performed by the Contractor will be done under the direction of and collaboratively with the Education Survey Team Survey Director and Assistant Survey Directors.

3. TYPE OF CONTRACT

Firm-Fixed Price Level of Effort (FFP-LOE)

4. PRICING TABLE

Period Of Performance PRICE

Base Year $TBD

Option Period 1 $TBD

Option Period 2 $TBD

Option Period 3 $TBD

Option Period 4 $TBD

6 Month Extension $TBD

TOTAL PRICE $TBD

5. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The base period of performance is from date of award through one year, with four (4) 12-month options periods, and a six (6) month extension of services.

The Anticipated Period of Performance Shall be

(a) The base period of performance of this contract is from December 13, 2024 through December 12, 2025. If an option is exercised, the period of performance shall be extended through the end of that option period.

(b) The option periods that may be exercised are as follows:

Base Year 12/13/2024 – 12/12/2025

Option Period 1 12/13/2025 – 12/12/2026

Option Period 2 12/13/2026 – 12/12/2027

Option Period 3 12/13/2027 – 12/12/2028

Option Period 4 12/13/2028 – 12/12/2029

6 Month Extension 12/13/2029 – 6/12/2030 (NTE 6 months)

(c) The notice requirements for unilateral exercise of option periods are set out in FAR 52.217-9.

6. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The services shall be performed primarily at the Contractor’s place of business and at the U.S. Census Bureau Headquarters in Suitland, MD, as needed. Meeting attendance at the National Center for Education Statistics in Washington, D.C., will be required occasionally.

7. SCOPE OF WORK and TIME PERIODS

This scope of work includes activities to be performed for the Education Surveys Team for the time period from December 2024 through December 2025 (Option Period 1, as defined above). All work will be done under the direction of and collaboratively with the Education Survey Team Survey Director (SD) and Assistant Survey Directors (ASD). The contractor’s proposed work schedule should coincide with the scope of work outlined below, as agreed upon with the SD, Task Manager (TM), and COR. The survey projects included in the scope or work are conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau and sponsored by the NCES on behalf of the U.S. Department of Education. The activities include work for the NTPS suite, along with other related NCES studies.

The specific activities involved in the scope of work for the time period from December 13, 2024 through December 12, 2025 are set forth below and are expected to require approximately 670 hours of the contractor’s time and effort. The work is broken out into four main activities: (1) data processing and review activities, (2) survey documentation report activities, (3) school definition and frame improvement project activities, and (4) survey design, planning, and implementation activities. The anticipated time and effort for each activity is specified below the list of tasks for that activity.

ADDP-SO staff will direct the Contractor’s work throughout the period of performance. Within 20 days of the award, a kick-off meeting including ADDP-SO and the Contractor will be held to discuss specific details related to the tasks and deliverables required within the period of performance.

Data Processing and Data Review Activities

Background: The data collected during the NTPS and TFS in both the internet survey instruments and on paper questionnaires will undergo several stages of data processing and data review, with the end goal of creating the final survey data products and files.

The 2023-24 NTPS data products include six restricted-use data files: Public School, Public School Principal, Public School Teacher, Private School, Private School Principal, and Private School Teacher. The 2024-25 TFS data products include 2 restricted-use data files: Current Teacher and Former Teacher. Data users can link the files together for additional analytical opportunities. NTPS and TFS data will also appear in PowerStats (http://nces.ed.gov/datalab/), which allows users to create tables and regressions. Some additional data products include the final response rate tables, publication (first-look) tables, and final Survey Documentation Reports.

Data processing includes all activities related to the management of the sampled cases and their outcomes and those activities involved in capturing, transmitting, and editing the data provided by the respondents as well as adding and handling extant data from outside educational data sources to be present on final data products. The data processing system is housed in comprehensive Access databases, one for each data files type, where each database contains all required data processing specifications for that data file. The data processing activities range from reformatting captured data into SAS datasets, a series of edits (blanking, consistency, logic, and interview status), and imputation. Because of the close relationships between the survey components and the need to maintain consistency across surveys from the same entities, the edits and imputations performed on the survey data are quite complex. Once all stages of editing and imputation are run, data review takes place.

http://nces.ed.gov/datalab/

Activity 1: The contractor shall complete the following specific tasks related to 2023-24 NTPS and 2024-25 TFS data processing, data review, final product creation, and analysis:

A. Conduct data product review and quality checks of the final 2023-24 NTPS data files (six total) and products. This includes replying to and investigating questions and comments from NCES and NCES contractors to produce final data products that include accurate, consistent data for release to survey data users.

B. Conduct detailed analyses of the 2023-24 data collection operations to inform the planning of future cycles, including but not limited to the following: timing and format of school and teacher data collection operations; use of prepopulated Teacher Listing Forms (TLFs); effectiveness of Telephone operations; effectiveness of Field operations; and timing of school and teacher level data collection operations.

C. Finalize data processing specifications for the 2024-25 TFS. The specification development, which includes using SAS code, and building the data processing system using MS Access Databases, is underway (and being performed by Census and an NCES contractor), but there is still some work remaining. The required specifications include the following:

o Edits – Blanking, Consistency and Logic – These edits delete extraneous entries and assign the “not answered” (.n) code to items that should have been answered but were not, identify inconsistent entries within each data record, and – in some cases – fill unanswered survey items with valid responses using data from other items on the same questionnaire;

o Item response rates – The item response rate specifications calculate the total number of eligible cases for each survey item and total number of legitimate responses for each survey item; and o Imputation – During “donor imputation,” data are imputed from items found on questionnaires of the same type that had certain characteristics in common or from the aggregated answers of similar questionnaires (“donor records”).

Note that there are two versions of each of the processing specifications, as there are two final TFS data files.

D. Draft specifications for the creation of the created variables, handling of extant data, and creation of the documentation file versions, and restricted-use versions of the TFS data files, based upon guidance from NCES and NCES contractors.

E. Perform analyst review of the edited and imputed TFS data files to ensure that the imputed values are consistent with the other data on the questionnaire record. Identify data anomalies when they are present in the data.

The level of effort required for the contractor activities described above is 25% of the contractor’s total time, or approximately 168 hours. For all tasks identified above, the contractor is expected to either take the lead or work collaboratively with the Education Surveys Team.

Survey Documentation Report Activities

Background: Once data collection ends, all data are analyst-reviewed and work begins on producing and reviewing the final data products, one of which is the Survey Documentation Report. The NCES requires a Survey Documentation report that documents every survey-related activity – from survey content and data collection through the creation of the final data products – in great detail. It is drafted by the staff that has been involved in and is therefore the most knowledgeable of the data collection, data processing, and data review activities for the survey.

Activity 2: The contractor shall complete the following work on survey documentation report chapters and appendices to ensure that the details of the 2023-24 NTPS and 2024-25 TFS survey planning, data collection, and data processing are fully and accurately documented for data users:

A. Draft chapters and appendices of the Survey documentation reports, as needed. Incorporate revisions across several versions of chapters and appendices based on internal and NCES review.

This will result in the delivery of final versions of the following chapters:

o Frame Creation and Sampling (Chapter 4);

o Data Collection (Chapter 5);

o Response Rates and Bias Analysis (Chapter 6);

o Data Processing (Chapter 7);

o Weighting and Variance Estimation (Chapter 8);

o Data Quality (Chapter 9); and o All appendices associated with the above chapters.

B. Populate embedded data tables (response rate, edit change tables, imputation tables, etc.) in the above noted chapters and appendices with the final release data.

C. Ensure all chapters and appendices are internally consistent and adhere to NCES publishing and formatting standards.

D. Respond to questions and comments from NCES on the subsequent versions of the Survey Documentation Report chapters and appendices until they are final.

The level of effort required for the contractor activities described above is 20% of the contractor’s time, or approximately 134 hours. For all tasks identified above, the contractor is expected to either take the lead or work collaboratively with the Education Surveys Team.

School Definition and Frame Improvement Project Activities

Background: The landscape of K-12 education is evolving, and different kinds of schools and instructional settings have emerged over the last several years. This generally happens over time, but more changes than usual have occurred in recent years, stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic. As such, NCES has asked Census to lead a project aimed at: (1) identifying types of schools, education programs, and instructional settings that exist today, (2) developing a clear definition of a "school" and eligibility for the purposes of the NTPS and related NCES studies, and (3) making adjustments to the frame building process to account for the revised definition and inclusion/exclusion criterion and to seek efficiency gains.

Note that the definition of a "school" will take into consideration types of schools as identified on the Private School Survey (PSS), the Common Core of Data and on the NTPS questionnaire (e.g., traditional, charter, BIE, alternative, etc.), school characteristics (e.g., grade range, enrollment, staff counts), and exclusions (e.g., homeschools, DOD, etc.).

Activity 3: The contractor shall perform the following activities for the School Definition and Frame Improvement Project for the NTPS and related NCES studies.'

A. Develop a research plan for the School Definition and Frame Improvement Project plan, and work with NCES key stakeholders to finalize the plan.

B. Lead the School Definition and Frame Improvement Project which includes but is not limited to the following:

o Documenting frame creation processes for all SASS and NTPS administrations, including the inclusion/exclusion criterion.

o Conducting research on "legacy" ineligible schools (schools flagged for dropping based on being dropped in past cycles).

o Conducting key word research on school names. This includes reviewing keyword search frequency results across cycles along with the outcomes of those cases to see if the process is working as intended.

C. Lead the development of the School Definition and related documentation that outlines the details of the school definition for the NTPS and related NCES studies. Work with NCES key stakeholders to finalize the documentation.

D. Collaborate with Census' Education Surveys team in DSMD during the development of the frame creation and sampling plan for the 2026-27 NTPS. Ensure the revised plans and specifications adhere to the revised school definition and serve as the main POC for conducting manual review of flagged possibly ineligible cases during the production frame creation.

The level of effort required for the contractor activities described above is 25% of the contractor’s time, or approximately 167 hours. For all tasks identified above, the contractor is expected to either take the lead or work collaboratively with the Education Surveys Team's Survey Director and Data Processing Lead.

Survey Design, Planning, and Implementation Activities

Background: NCES and Census will address the design of the 2026-27 NTPS, employing lessons learned from prior survey administrations. During both the 2023-24 and 2020-21 administrations of the NTPS and the 2024-25 administration of the TFS, Census and NCES tested different contact and follow-up strategies, questionnaire modes, and survey incentives to determine the best method for obtaining high response while minimizing cost and bias, through a series of experiments embedded within the data collection methodology. The results from these collections will inform the collection strategies administered in the

2026-27 NTPS.

Activity 4: The contractor shall perform the following survey design, planning, and implementation activities for the 2026-27 NTPS and related NCES studies.

A. Assist with the planning of the

2026-27 NTPS. This includes:

a. Participate in weekly meetings

(internal and with NCES related to the survey design methodology.

b. Assist with developing requirements for the 2026-27 NTPS through communication with NCES and Census.

c. Advise Census regarding the study objectives and detailed field methodology to best meet the NCES requirements.

B. Apply historical knowledge of past education data collection systems and sampling methodologies to the planning of the unique elements of the 2026-27 NTPS and related NCES studies.

C. Develop analysis plans to evaluate 2026-27 NTPS data collection operations, survey instruments, methodological experiments, and the use of vendor data to supplement and/or replace data collection efforts.

D. Assist with the preparation of all data collection materials (including survey instruments) necessary for the 2026-27 NTPS.

E. Assist with the Special District contact operation. This includes researching special districts’ research requirements, preparing packages for the districts, working with the districts to secure approval, and following-up with and answering questions from the districts, as needed.

F. Develop data processing and Quality Control (QC) plans for the 2026-27 NTPS data files and products.

G. Assist with data processing and data production creation preparation activities for the 2026-27

NTPS data files and products.

The level of effort required for the contractor activities described above is 30% of the contractor’s time, or approximately 201 hours. For all tasks identified above, the contractor is expected to either take the lead or work collaboratively with the Education Surveys Team.

8. KEY PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS

Key Personnel Qualification for this contract are defined below. The Contractor shall provide information on their approach for finding, obtaining, and providing technical personnel with the required skill levels to fulfill the requirements of this contract by time of award. Key Contractor personnel must be able to demonstrate hands-on experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities as described below:

ROLE MINIMUM REQUIRED EXPERIENCE/SKILL

1. Data Processing and Data Review Activities A. Conduct data product review and quality checks of the final 2023-24 NTPS data files and products.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Proficiency with SAS.

Extensive knowledge about technical editing and imputation methodology and processes.

Advanced survey data review and analysis experience.

B. Conduct detailed analyses of the 2023-24 data collection operations to inform the planning

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

of future cycles. Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Advanced survey data review and analysis experience.

C. Finalize data processing specifications for the 2024-25

TFS.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Extensive knowledge about technical editing and imputation methodology and processes.

Proficiency with SAS.

Proficiency with MS Access.

Advanced logic and reasoning skills.

D. Draft specifications for the creation of the created variables, handling of extant data, and creation of the documentation file versions, and restricted-use versions of the TFS data files.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Familiarity with the Common Core of Data (CCD) collections and data file structure.

Proficiency with SAS.

Proficiency with MS Access.

Familiarity with NCES publication standards.

E. Perform analyst review of the edited and imputed TFS data files.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Proficiency with SAS.

Extensive knowledge about technical editing and imputation methodology and processes.

Advanced survey data review and analysis experience.

2. Survey Documentation Report Activities A. Draft chapters and appendices of the Survey Documentation Reports.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Familiarity with NCES publication standards.

Technical writing skills

B. Populate embedded data tables (response rate, edit change tables, imputation tables, etc.) in Survey Documentation Report chapters and appendices.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Familiarity with NCES publication standards.

Technical writing skills Proficiency with SAS.

C. Ensure all chapters and appendices are internally consistent and adhere to NCES publishing and formatting standards.

Familiarity with NCES publication standards.

Technical writing skills D. Respond to questions and comments from NCES on the subsequent versions of the Survey Documentation Report chapters and appendices until they are final.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Technical writing skills

3. School Definition and Frame Improvement Project Activities A. Develop a research plan for the 20+ years of experience with managing Education Surveys Projects.

School Definition and Frame Improvement Project plan.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Familiarity with the Common Core of Data (CCD) collections and data file structure.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Technical writing skills

B. Lead the School Definition and Frame Improvement Project.

20+ years of experience with managing Education Surveys Projects.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Strong communication skills

C. Lead the development of the School Definition and related documentation.

20+ years of experience with managing Education Surveys Projects.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Familiarity with the Common Core of Data (CCD) collections and data file structure.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Technical writing skills

D. Serve as the main POC in Census ADDP-SO during the development and implementation of the frame creation and sampling for the 2026-27 NTPS.

20+ years of experience with managing Education Surveys Projects.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Strong communication skills

4. Survey Design, Planning, and Implementation Activities A. Assist with the planning of the 2026-27 NTPS.

20+ years of direct experience with survey methodology planning.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Strong communication skills

B. Apply historical knowledge of past education data collection systems and sampling methodologies to the planning of the unique elements of the 2026- 27 NTPS and related NCES studies.

20+ years of direct experience with survey methodology planning.

Extensive knowledge about frame creation and sample design for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Strong communication skills

C. Develop analysis plans to evaluate 2026-27 NTPS data collection operations, survey instruments, methodological experiments, and the use of vendor data to supplement and/or replace data collection efforts.

20+ years of direct experience with survey methodology planning.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Technical writing skills

D. Assist with the preparation of data collection materials (including survey instruments) necessary for the 2026-27 NTPS.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Strong communication skills

E. Assist with the Special District contact operation.

20+ years of experience with working with data collection for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge of data collection operations for the 2017-18, 2020-21 and 2023-24 NTPS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Strong communication skills

F. Develop data processing and Quality Control (QC) plans for the 2026-27 NTPS data files and products.

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Knowledge about elementary and secondary education systems (general).

Extensive knowledge about technical editing and imputation methodology and processes.

Technical writing skills

G. Assist with data processing and data production creation preparation activities for the 2026-

20+ years of direct experience in data processing and survey data review for the following suite of NCES school sample survey projects: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

27 NTPS data files and products. Extensive knowledge about data processing methodology for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS, PSS, BTLS, TFS, and PFS.

Familiarity with survey items and content changes across survey cycles for the following NCES school sample surveys: NTPS/SASS and TFS.

Proficiency with SAS.

Proficiency with MS Access.

Advanced logic and reasoning skills.

Extensive knowledge about technical editing and imputation methodology and processes.

Advanced survey data review and analysis experience.

In addition to the minimum required skills and experience outlined in the above table, the contractor personnel must meet the educational attainment requirement of at least a master’s degree, with relevant coursework in statistics (e.g. sampling and measurement) and survey research and design (e.g. methodology and instrument design).

9. PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA

The following performance requirements, expected outcomes, performance standards, and the method of surveillance the Census Bureau plans to use to monitor the Contractor’s performance during implementation are summarized in the table below:

TASK PERFORMANCE STANDARD ACCEPTABLE QUALITY

LEVEL (AQL)

MONITORING

METHOD

DOCUMENT

MAPPING

Develop data processing and data file and product creation specifications and quality control plans for TFS and NTPS.

Resulting specifications are technically sound and of high quality, requiring cursory review with minimal changes prior to submitting to sponsoring agency for review and acceptance.

95% completed, in accordance with project schedule.

Documents delivered on time 95% of the time or greater.

Review and final acceptance by Data Processing Lead and

TM.

Activities 1C, 1D, 4F, 4G, Section 6

Conduct review and quality checks of NTPS and TFS data files and data products.

Provides summaries of data quality and related fix files for the edited, imputed files and final files and products.

Deliverables must be technically correct and demonstrate steps taken during review process and findings of review.

Fix files must be written in functioning, error-free SAS code with concise documentation.

95% completed, in accordance with project schedule.

Review tasks completed on time 95% of the time or greater.

Initial review by Data Processing Lead. Final acceptance by TM.

Activities 1A, 1E, Section 6

Develop analysis plans and/or conduct analyses to evaluate NTPS data collection operations, survey instruments, methodological experiments, and the use of outside/administrative records data to supplement or replace collection efforts.

Resulting analysis plans and/or analyses are technically accurate and provide the appropriate level of detail such that staff can conduct the applicable analyses or make adjustments to future data collection strategies based on the information provided therein.

Resulting analysis plans and or results require review with minimal changes.

95% completed, in accordance with project schedule.

Documents delivered on time 95% of the time or greater.

Review and final acceptance by TM.

Activities 1B, 4C, Section 6

Develop and finalize chapters, appendices, and data tables for NTPS and TFS Survey Documentation Reports.

Resulting Survey Documentation Report chapters and appendices are technically accurate and of high quality, requiring cursory review with minimal changes prior to submitting to sponsoring agency for review and acceptance.

95% completed, in accordance with project schedule.

Documents delivered on time 95% of the time or greater.

Review and final acceptance by TM.

Activities 2A-2D, Section 6

Lead the School Definition and Frame Improvement Project. This includes developing the research plan, conducting research, documenting results, and ensuring actionable findings are implemented for future cycles of

NTPS.

Resulting research plans and results documents are technically accurate and provide the appropriate level of detail such that staff can conduct the applicable research and make adjustments to future frame development procedures and specifications based on the information provided therein.

Resulting research plan and or results documents require review with minimal changes.

95% completed, in accordance with project schedule.

Documents delivered on time 95% of the time or greater.

Observation by SD and ASD. Final acceptance by TM.

Activities 3A-3D, Section 6

Demonstrate the Key Personnel qualifications as outlined in section 7, above, of this PWS.

All tasks performed in accordance with qualifications set forth in section 7 of the PWS.

Demonstrates qualifications 100% of the time.

Continuous observation by Data Processing Lead, ASD, and TM. Final acceptance by TM.

Section 7

Attend project meetings and provide expertise and recommendations on collection methodology and/or add historic knowledge expertise, as needed.

Active participant in meetings and discussions with key stakeholders at Census and NCES.

Comes to meetings fully-prepared, and presents information in a professional manner.

Participation 95% of the time or greater.

Continuous observation by Data Processing Lead, ASD, and TM. Final acceptance by TM.

Activities 1A-1E, 2A-2D, 3A-3C, 4A-4G, Section 6

Provide monthly activity reports and invoices.

Delivered by the 15th of the month and includes the details set forth in section 9 of the PWS.

95% completed and delivered on time 95% or later.

Review by ASD and TM and final acceptance by TM.

Section 9

10. PROGRESS REPORTING FREQUENCY

The Contractor will prepare monthly reports of accomplishments and project status and submit to the Education Surveys Team Survey Director (SD) and Assistant Survey Directors (ASDs).

Deliverable Reports – Monthly Status Reports

The Contractor shall submit a monthly program status report to the TM/COR that includes, by task, the following:

• Resource name(s)

• Resource skill level

• Hours worked, by resource, in the reporting period, and the accumulated hours to date

• Total hours for the reporting period, and the accumulated hours to date

Deliverable Reports – Monthly Invoices

The Contractor shall submit a monthly invoice to the TM/COR that includes, by task, the following:

• Description of the services provided during the reporting period

• Hours worked, by resource, during the reporting period

11. HOURS OF OPERATION

The following general guidelines apply to the hours of operation for the base and option periods. However, exceptions to these guidelines may be required as approved by the TM and COR. In general, the contractor’s proposed work schedule should coincide with the scope of work outlined in section 6 of this PWS, as agreed upon with the SD, TM, and COR.

Key Personnel shall be available during core hours 10:00 am – 3:00pm unless prior authorization or notification of absence has been given.

Legal Holidays The annual Federal holidays are as follows:

• New Year’s Day – January 1st

• Martin Luther King’s Birthday – 3rd Monday in January

• President’s Day – 3rd Monday in February

• Memorial Day – Last Monday in May

• Juneteenth – June 19th

• Independence Day – July 4th

• Labor Day – 1st Monday in September

• Columbus Day – 2nd Monday in October

• Veterans Day – November 11th

• Thanksgiving Day – 4th Thursday in November

• Christmas Day – December 25th

Additional Holidays In additional to the annual holidays, the Government may observe additional days as holidays, including:

• Any other day designated by Federal Statute

• Any other day designated by Executive Order

• Any other day designated by the President’s Proclamation

Unscheduled Census Bureau Closings

When the Census Bureau is closed (for example, when the Government grants excused absence to its employees due to inclement weather), onsite Contractor personnel should not work from Census Bureau headquarters. However, such a dismissal will not be an excuse to change any service or delivery requirements under the task order. The Contractor agrees to continue to provide sufficient personnel to perform critical tasks already in operation or scheduled, unless otherwise authorized by the TM or COR.

12. DELIVERABLES, INSPECTION AND ACCEPTANCE

Note: FAR 52.249-14 Excusable Delays (APR 1984) In performing the services and providing the support described in the PWS, the Contractor shall provide the written deliverables in support of the requirements, as instructed on an as needed basis. The TM will inspect, and be responsible for, the review and acceptance of all deliverables under this task order.

Deliverable Quality Standards The Government has defined acceptable standards in regarding specific quality standard for each deliverable. For the documents themselves, the Government expects them to be timely, thorough, and accurate. That is, they arrive at the designated Government facility on or before the scheduled due date; they completely address the Government’s requirements; and the documents have no more than a few minor errors.