RFP_Release_Notice_33501-267602.pdf

This is a Request for Proposals (RFP) Release Notice from the State of Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Regulatory Boards, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, for the development and administration of contractor licensing examinations. The solicitation (RFP 33501-267602) seeks a qualified contractor to develop and administer examinations for three license types: Contractors, Limited License Electricians, and Limited License Plumbers. The state anticipates administering approximately 24,193 Contractor examinations, 8,371 Limited License Electrician examinations, and 1,917 Limited License Plumber examinations over the contract term. Required services include examination development, item banking, multiple exam versions, in-person and online proctored testing administration, candidate support, score reporting, and security procedures. Testing centers must be established as full-time facilities in Nashville (five days per week), part-time facilities in Knoxville and Memphis (two days per week), and monthly testing availability in Bristol, Chattanooga, Jackson, Johnson City, and Kingsport. A pre-response conference is scheduled for March 9, 2026, with a written questions deadline of March 13, 2026, and proposals due April 7, 2026. Technical response evaluation will occur by April 28, 2026, cost proposal opening on April 29, 2026, and Notice of Intent to Award on May 1, 2026. The contract is effective July 1, 2026, for a sixty-month term with no renewal options specified.

This is a performance-based, fee-for-service contract where the State has no direct cost to the budget. The contractor will collect examination fees directly from candidates at fixed per-examination rates that remain unchanged throughout the contract term. All fees collected by the contractor cover examination development, administration, score reports, candidate support, and all direct and indirect costs. The State has no obligation to request work in any specific dollar amounts or during any contract period, making this a revenue-dependent opportunity entirely contingent upon examination volume. The RFP evaluation will be based on a maximum of 100 points distributed across three categories: General Qualifications and Experience (30 points), Technical Qualifications, Experience and Approach (40 points), and Cost Proposal (30 points). The contractor must maintain NASCLA accreditation as either an Accredited Examination Provider or Approved Administration Provider. The RFP does not identify any set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or incumbent vendor information. Prospective bidders should contact DeRenne Raley, Sourcing Account Specialist, at (615) 251-5173 or DeRenne.Raley@tn.gov for additional information and complete RFP documentation available on the Tennessee General Services Procurement website.