USA Hire Assessments RFI.pdf

Request for Information (RFI): Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Assessments and Assessment Support Capabilities for Employment Selection and Hiring

U.S. Office of Personnel Management November 24, 2025 RFI Number: OPMRFI-26-1124

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to obtain industry feedback on the availability, capabilities, and pricing structures of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) employment selection assessments and assessment development services. Specifically, OPM seeks to assess market options for commercially available, modern, and scalable employment selection assessments that the government can administer through its existing USA Hire assessment platform in a “plug-and-play” model. Any employment selection assessment used by the government must meet the requirements of federal hiring and/or skills-verification use cases and deliver cost savings at scale for the government.

This RFI is a separate initiative to Solicitation No. 24322626R0007 for Federal Human Resources Information Technology (HRIT) Modernization and the recent RFI for OPM USA HIRE SUPPORT SERVICES II (Notice ID 47QFMA25K0009). This RFI complements the latter in that it focuses on assessment content, rather than an assessment delivery system.

2. Background

2.1. OPM HR Services and Products Ecosystem

OPM serves as the chief human resources agency and personnel policy manager for the United States Federal Government. As part of the OPM enterprise, OPMʼs HR Solutions (HRS) provides human capital products, services, and technology to agencies across the federal government through revolving fund (i.e., cost-reimbursable) services. HRS provides the following technology platforms to support federal talent management:

• USAJOBS®: OPMʼs Federal career portal that connects job seekers and federal staff seeking career opportunities with federal agencies across the U.S. and worldwide.

• USA Staffing®: OPMʼs talent acquisition system for federal agencies that supports government-wide hiring requirements for the end-to-end hiring process (e.g., processing applications, eligibility determinations, candidate selection, and onboarding).

• USA Hire: USA Staffingʼs online assessment platform that delivers high-quality, professionally developed assessments in un-proctored and proctored environments, including the capability to conduct asynchronous and synchronous virtual employment interviews.

HRS operationalizes human capital policy and best practices to drive government-wide results in alignment with merit principles, prioritizing cost efficiency, scalability, and value delivery to reduce duplication and save taxpayer dollars.

2.2. USA Hire & Assessments

The USA Hire platform, which is fully integrated with USA Staffing, enables agency HR staff to select and administer valid off-the-shelf assessments from USA Hireʼs library. USA Hire currently offers skills-based assessments of general competencies for a wide range of federal job series and grades and assessments of technical competencies for a limited number of series.

The government seeks to understand and consider best-value, high-impact options for expanding the assessment content for technical competencies available through USA Hire to agency users on a governmentwide basis through inclusion of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) assessments to be delivered via the USA Hire platform.

2.3. Expanding Demand

President Trumpʼs Executive Order 14170, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service, and OPMʼs May 2025 Merit Hiring Plan instructs agencies to expand their use of assessments in Federal hiring in pursuit of presidential goals to effect a merit-based, highly-skilled workforce. To enable this for HRS customers, USA Hire requires a wide range of technical skill assessments (e.g., information technology, finance, engineering), to expand its existing coverage of technical competencies for federal job series and grades.

Appendix A provides a list of Federal occupational series including a subset of highlighted series for which the government has a particular interest in available COTS assessments

3. Additional Information

3.1. Minimum Requirements for Federal Technical Skills Assessments

For use in Federal hiring, a COTS technical skills assessment available through USA Hire must meet the requirements of the Chance to Compete Act (https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/59). The Chance to Compete Act defines a Technical Assessment as a position-specific tool that is relevant to the position for which the tool is developed that—

(A) allows for the demonstration of job-related skills, abilities, knowledge, and competencies;

(B) is based upon a job analysis; and

(C) does not solely include or principally rely upon a self-assessment from an automated examination.

In accordance with the Chance to Compete Act and the Merit Hiring Plan, each assessment must be based on a job analysis. At a minimum, the job analysis must identify the critical job tasks and abilities, knowledge and/or competencies required upon entry into the position and demonstrate the linkage between critical tasks and the competencies or KSAOs needed to perform the tasks. Assessment content, weighting, and scoring must be based on a test plan derived from the job analysis. For each assessment, documentation of the development, validation and use of the assessment must be available and address the requirements of 29 CFR Part 1607 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-29/subtitle-B/chapter-XIV/part- 1607/subject-group-ECFRdb347e844acdea6).

3.2. Targeted Skills for Assessments

For this RFI, OPM is specifically interested in COTS hiring assessments designed to evaluate technical competencies. Technical competencies are the knowledge, skills, and abilities required to perform tasks specific to an occupation, profession, or specialized field. These competencies are tied directly to subject matter expertise, specialized tools, systems, and procedures. Per the Merit Hiring Plan, examples of the types of assessments to measure technical skills and competencies OPM is seeking may include Job Knowledge Tests, Work Samples or Job Simulations, Structured Interviews and other objective assessment measures.

3.3 Assessment Development Services

In addition to gaining an understanding of the available COTS assessments to measure technical skills and competencies for merit-based hiring, OPM is seeking information on available assessment development services. OPM would engage these services to support the development of technical skill assessments. The resulting assessments would be fully owned by OPM. Vendors providing assessment development services would be required to have Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychologists on staff with expertise in developing merit-based, technical skills employment assessments. Section 5.3 below provides more detail regarding this requirement.

4.0. Guiding Principles

Vendors should ensure responses and offerings align with the following guiding principles which the government takes as key to modernization and enhancement of its USA Hire assessment library and offerings:

AI-forward: To lead and benefit from the rapid pace of AI innovation, the government seeks vendors and solutions that make effective use of AI capabilities in the development and administration of assessments. AI should enable savings and efficiencies through automation, without sacrificing reliability or validity.

Merit and Competence: All assessments to be considered for use in the government shall pursue the ultimate goal of hiring and promoting purely based on technical skill, competence, and merit. Assessment scoring should not adjust for unconstitutional factors such as race, sex, ethnicity, religion, or nationality. For further information, see President Trumpʼs Executive Order 14170, Reforming the Federal Hiring Process and Restoring Merit to Government Service.

Government Efficiency: As the HR leader of the Federal Government, OPM must deliver HR services and products to federal agency customers with utmost efficiency and cost effectiveness. Any and all technical skill assessment products and services should enable cost savings and efficiency at scale, and present price points and pricing structures aligned to the most competitive commercial standards.

5. Information Requested from Industry

The government is seeking vendor information in response to two distinct needs: COTS technical skill assessments that can be administered via USA Hire in a “plug-and-play” model (section 5.2.), and support services for development of high-quality technical skill assessments according to government needs (section 5.3.). The governmentʼs technical skill assessment requirements are focused on job-relevant technical skills and competencies to augment USA Hireʼs existing library. Appendix A provides information regarding Federal occupational series. Vendor responses should focus on how the vendorʼs COTS technical assessments and/or assessment support service offerings can measure the technical skills required of Federal occupations.

The government does not require a single-vendor approach to provide technical skill assessments. Our approach to technical skill assessments would enable assessments from multiple vendors to be available for agency USA Hire customers. The government encourages any vendors with relevant technical assessments and capability to respond to this RFI, including those without government contracting experience.

Vendors are invited to provide detailed responses to the following:

5.1. Vendor Information

• Company name, address, and primary contact (name, title, email, phone)

• Brief company overview (years in business, relevant experience in workforce assessment)

• Government contracting size and status

• Existing contract vehicles or schedules, if any

5.2. List of COTS Technical Skills Assessments

5.2.1 Government Assumptions

• The government assumes that the assessments can be administered via the USA Hire platform.

• The government assumes that applicants can complete the assessments on a mobile device. Vendors are required to note any assessments that are not mobile compatible.

• The government assumes the assessments can be delivered at scale for high-volume hiring.

5.2.2. Overview of Assessments

• Assessment Title

• Applicable Federal Job Series – Job series for which the assessment measures required skills

• Technical Skills / Competencies Assessed – The specific skills or competencies measured by the assessment

• Target Career Level – Does the assessment target Entry, Mid, or Expert career levels

• Delivery Format – Are there Proctored or unproctored options for delivery

• Technical Report Availability – Is documentation of the development and psychometric properties of the assessments available (Yes/No)

• Pricing Model & Fees – Is the pricing model per test, per candidate, subscription, or enterprise and are there any additional costs (e.g., hosting, maintenance)

• Federal Usage History – Has the assessment been used for Federal occupations? If yes, specify which occupations.

• Private Sector Usage – What is the extent of usage for this assessment in the private sector?

Attached is a template to submit requested information about current COTS assessments.

5.3. Assessment Development Services

5.3.1. Government assumptions

• Any vendor supplying services for the development and validation of technical skill assessments will do so in full compliance with 29 CFR Part 1607.

• Any such vendor will have Industrial-Organizational (I-O) psychologists on staff with experience in the development and validation of hiring assessments measuring technical skills.

5.3.2. Support Services Overview

• Estimated throughput of total FTEs and total labor hours required to produce a single assessment from end-to-end

• Explanation how the assessment development support staffing or cost model achieves efficiencies at scale

5.3.3. Job Analysis

• Typical job analysis steps, labor hours, duration, and key decision criteria (e.g., SME sampling representativeness)

• Estimated costs (range) and typical cost drivers

5.3.4. Assessment Strategy Development

• Typical process steps, labor/time estimates, and key factors influencing Federal-wide assessment strategies

• Estimated costs (range) and typical cost drivers

5.3.5. Test Development

• Standard steps, labor/time estimates, and validation strategies for test development

• Development considerations (e.g., validation strategy, scoring development, cut scores) or key decision factors for different assessment methods (e.g., work sample, interview, situational judgment test, job knowledge test)

• Estimated costs (range) and typical cost drivers

5.3.6. Additional Information

• Experience with relevant industry standards (e.g., SIOP Principles, Uniform Guidelines; Merit System Principles in 5 U.S.C. § 230, and Title 5 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR)) and common tools/methodologies

• Past performance examples for Federal or Governmentwide test development (if applicable)

6. Response Instructions

• Format: Responses should be submitted via the attached Excel template

• Submission: Send electronic responses to Selection_Assessment@opm.gov no later than 11:00 am EST on December 10, 2025.

This RFI is issued solely for market research and information gathering purposes. It does not constitute a Request for Proposals (RFP) or a commitment by the government to issue a solicitation in the future. This RFI does not commit the government to contract for any supply or service. Responses to this RFI are not offers and cannot be accepted by the government to form a binding contract. Respondents are solely responsible for all expenses associated with responding to this RFI.

mailto:Selection_Assessment@opm.gov

Appendix A: List of Federal Occupational Series

Job series highlighted in orange are series the government has determined as highest potential for impact from vendor technical assessment offerings.

Series Description Series Description 0006 Correctional Institution

Administration 0830 Mechanical Engineering

0007 Correctional Officer 0840 Nuclear Engineering 0011 Bond Sales Promotion 0850 Electrical Engineering 0017 Explosives Safety 0854 Computer Engineering 0018 Safety and Occupational Health

Management 0855 Electronics Engineering

0019 Safety Technician 0856 Electronics Technical 0020 Community Planning 0858 Bioengineering and Biomedical

Engineering 0021 Community Planning Technician 0861 Aerospace Engineering 0023 Outdoor Recreation Planning 0871 Naval Architecture 0025 Park Ranger 0873 Marine Survey Technical 0028 Environmental Protection Specialist 0880 Mining Engineering 0029 Environmental Protection Assistant 0881 Petroleum Engineering 0030 Sports Specialist 0890 Agricultural Engineering 0050 Funeral Directing 0893 Chemical Engineering 0060 Chaplain 0895 Industrial Engineering Technical 0062 Clothing Design 0896 Industrial Engineering 0072 Fingerprint Identification 0898 Engineering Trainee 0080 Security Administration 0899 Engineering and Architecture Student

Trainee 0081 Fire Protection and Prevention 0901 General Legal and Kindred

Administration 0082 United States Marshal 0904 Law Clerk 0083 Police 0905 General Attorney 0084 Nuclear Materials Courier 0930 Hearings and Appeals 0085 Security Guard 0935 Administrative Law Judge 0086 Security Clerical and Assistance 0950 Paralegal Specialist 0089 Emergency Management Specialist 0958 Employee Benefits Law 0090 Guide 0962 Contact Representative

0095 Foreign Law Specialist 0963 Legal Instruments Examining 0099 General Student Trainee 0965 Land Law Examining 0101 Social Science 0967 Passport and Visa Examining 0102 Social Science Aid and Technician 0986 Legal Assistance 0105 Social Insurance Administration 0987 Tax Law Specialist 0106 Unemployment Insurance 0991 Worker's Compensation Claims

Examining 0107 Health Insurance Administration 0993 Railroad Retirement Claims Examining 0110 Economist 0996 Veterans Claims Examining 0119 Economics Assistant 0998 Claims Assistance and Examining 0130 Foreign Affairs 0999 Legal Occupations Student Trainee 0131 International Relations 1001 General Arts and Information 0132 Intelligence 1008 Interior Design 0134 Intelligence Aid and Clerk 1010 Exhibits Specialist 0135 Foreign Agricultural Affairs 1015 Museum Curator 0136 International Cooperation 1016 Museum Specialist and Technician 0140 Workforce Research and Analysis 1020 Illustrating 0142 Workforce Development 1035 Public Affairs 0150 Geography 1040 Language Specialist 0160 Civil Rights Analysis 1046 Language Clerical 0170 History 1051 Music Specialist 0180 Psychology 1054 Theater Specialist 0181 Psychology Aid and Technician 1056 Art Specialist 0184 Sociology 1060 Photography 0185 Social Work 1071 Audiovisual Production 0186 Social Services Aid and Assistant 1082 Writing and Editing 0187 Social Services 1083 Technical Writing and Editing 0188 Recreation Specialist 1084 Visual Information 0189 Recreation Aid and Assistant 1087 Editorial Assistance 0190 General Anthropology 1099 Information and Arts Student Trainee 0193 Archeology 1101 General Business and Industry 0199 Social Science Student Trainee 1102 Contracting 0200 Human Resources Management

Group 1103 Industrial Property Management

0201 Human Resources Management 1104 Property Disposal 0203 Human Resources Assistance 1105 Purchasing 0241 Mediation 1106 Procurement Clerical and Technician

0244 Labor-Management Relations Examining

1107 Property Disposal Clerical and Technician

0260 Equal Employment Opportunity 1109 Grant Management 0299 Human Resources Management

Student Trainee 1130 Public Utilities Specialist

0301 Miscellaneous Administration and Program

1140 Trade Specialist

0302 Messenger 1144 Commissary Management 0303 Miscellaneous Clerk and Assistant 1145 Agricultural Program Specialist 0304 Information Receptionist 1146 Agricultural Marketing 0305 Mail and File 1147 Agricultural Market Reporting 0306 Government Information Specialist 1150 Industrial Specialist 0308 Records and Information

Management 1152 Production Control

0309 Correspondence Clerk 1160 Financial Analysis 0313 Work Unit Supervising 1163 Insurance Examining 0318 Secretary 1165 Loan Specialist 0319 Closed Microphone Reporter 1169 Internal Revenue Officer 0322 Clerk-Typist 1170 Realty 0326 Office Automation Clerical and

Assistance 1171 Appraising

0332 Computer Operation 1173 Housing Management 0335 Computer Clerk and Assistant 1176 Building Management 0340 Program Management 1199 Business and Industry Student Trainee 0341 Administrative Officer 1202 Patent Technician 0342 Support Services Administration 1210 Copyright 0343 Management and Program Analysis 1220 Patent Administration 0344 Management and Program Clerical and Assistance 1221 Patent Adviser

0346 Logistics Management 1222 Patent Attorney 0347 GAO Evaluator 1223 Patent Classifying 0350 Equipment Operator 1224 Patent Examining 0356 Data Transcriber 1226 Design Patent Examining 0360 Equal Opportunity Compliance 1299 Copyright and Patent Student Trainee 0361 Equal Opportunity Assistance 1301 General Physical Science 0382 Telephone Operating 1306 Health Physics 0390 Telecommunications Processing 1310 Physics

0391 Telecommunications 1311 Physical Science Technician 0392 General Telecommunications 1313 Geophysics 0394 Communications Clerical 1315 Hydrology 0399 Administration and Office Support

Student Trainee 1316 Hydrologic Technician

0401 General Natural Resources Management and Biological Sciences

1320 Chemistry

0403 Microbiology 1321 Metallurgy 0404 Biological Science Technician 1330 Astronomy and Space Science 0405 Pharmacology 1340 Meteorology 0408 Ecology 1341 Meteorological Technician 0410 Zoology 1350 Geology 0413 Physiology 1360 Oceanography 0414 Entomology 1361 Navigational Information 0415 Toxicology 1370 Cartography 0421 Plant Protection Technician 1371 Cartographic Technician 0430 Botany 1372 Geodesy 0434 Plant Pathology 1373 Land Surveying 0435 Plant Physiology 1374 Geodetic Technician 0437 Horticulture 1380 Forest Products Technology 0440 Genetics 1382 Food Technology 0454 Rangeland Management 1384 Textile Technology 0455 Range Technician 1397 Document Analysis 0456 Wildland Fire Management 1398 Physical Science Trainee 0457 Soil Conservation 1399 Physical Science Student Trainee 0458 Soil Conservation Technician 1410 Librarian 0459 Irrigation System Operation 1411 Library Technician 0460 Forestry 1412 Technical Information Services 0462 Forestry Technician 1420 Archivist 0470 Soil Science 1421 Archives Technician 0471 Agronomy 1499 Library and Archives Student Trainee 0480 Fish and Wildlife Administration 1501 General Mathematics and Statistics 0482 Fish Biology 1510 Actuarial Science 0485 Wildlife Refuge Management 1515 Operations Research 0486 Wildlife Biology 1520 Mathematics 0487 Animal Science 1521 Mathematics Technician

0499 Biological Science Student Trainee 1529 Mathematical Statistics 0501 Financial Administration and

Program 1530 Statistics

0503 Financial Clerical and Assistance 1531 Statistical Assistant 0505 Financial Management 1541 Cryptanalysis 0510 Accounting 1550 Computer Science 0511 Auditing 1560 Data Scientist 0512 Internal Revenue Agent 1598 Mathematics or Computer Science

Trainee 0525 Accounting Technician 1599 Mathematics and Statistics Student

Trainee 0526 Tax Specialist 1601 Equipment, Facilities, and Services 0530 Cash Processing 1603 Equipment, Facilities, and Services

Assistance 0540 Voucher Examining 1630 Cemetery Administration Services 0544 Civilian Pay 1640 Facility Operations Services 0545 Military Pay 1654 Printing Services 0560 Budget Analysis 1658 Laundry Operations Services 0561 Budget Clerical and Assistance 1667 Food Services 0570 Financial Institution Examining 1670 Equipment Services 0580 Credit Union Examiner 1699 Equipment and Facilities Management

Student Trainee 0592 Tax Examining 1701 General Education and Training 0599 Financial Management Student

Trainee 1702 Education and Training Technician

0601 General Health Science 1710 Education and Vocational Training 0602 Medical Officer 1712 Training Instruction 0603 Physician Assistant 1715 Vocational Rehabilitation 0610 Nurse 1720 Education Program 0620 Practical Nurse 1725 Public Health Educator 0621 Nursing Assistant 1730 Education Research 0622 Medical Supply Aide and Technician 1740 Education Services 0625 Autopsy Assistant 1750 Instructional Systems 0630 Dietitian and Nutritionist 1799 Education Student Trainee 0631 Occupational Therapist 1801 General Inspection, Investigation, Enforcement, and Compliance Series 0633 Physical Therapist 1802 Compliance Inspection and Support 0635 Kinesiotherapy 1805 Investigative Analysis

0636 Rehabilitation Therapy Assistant 1810 General Investigating 0638 Recreation/Creative Arts Therapist 1811 Criminal Investigating 0640 Health Aid and Technician 1815 Air Safety Investigating 0642 Nuclear Medicine Technician 1822 Mine Safety and Health Inspection

Series 0644 Clinical Laboratory Science 1825 Aviation Safety 0645 Medical Technician 1831 Securities Compliance Examining 0646 Pathology Technician 1849 Wage and Hour Investigation Series 0647 Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist 1850 Agricultural Warehouse Inspection

Series 0648 Therapeutic Radiologic Technologist 1860 Equal Opportunity Investigation 0649 Medical Instrument Technician 1862 Consumer Safety Inspection 0651 Respiratory Therapist 1863 Food Inspection 0660 Pharmacist 1881 Customs and Border Protection

Interdiction 0661 Pharmacy Technician 1889 Import Compliance Series 0662 Optometrist 1894 Customs Entry and Liquidating 0665 Speech Pathology and Audiology 1895 Customs and Border Protection 0667 Orthotist and Prosthetist 1896 Border Patrol Enforcement Series 0668 Podiatrist 1899 Investigation Student Trainee 0669 Medical Records Administration 1910 Quality Assurance 0670 Health System Administration 1980 Agricultural Commodity Grading 0671 Health System Specialist 1981 Agricultural Commodity Aid 0672 Prosthetic Representative 1999 Quality Inspection Student Trainee 0673 Hospital Housekeeping Management 2001 General Supply 0675 Medical Records Technician 2003 Supply Program Management 0679 Medical Support Assistance 2005 Supply Clerical and Technician 0680 Dental Officer 2010 Inventory Management 0681 Dental Assistant 2030 Distribution Facilities and Storage

Management 0682 Dental Hygiene 2032 Packaging 0683 Dental Laboratory Aid and

Technician 2091 Sales Store Clerical

0685 Public Health Program Specialist 2099 Supply Student Trainee 0688 Sanitarian 2101 Transportation Specialist 0690 Industrial Hygiene 2102 Transportation Clerk and Assistant 0696 Consumer Safety 2110 Transportation Industry Analysis

0698 Environmental Health Technician 2121 Railroad Safety 0699 Medical and Health Student Trainee 2123 Motor Carrier Safety 0701 Veterinary Medical Science 2125 Highway Safety 0704 Animal Health Technician 2130 Traffic Management 0799 Veterinary Student Trainee 2131 Freight Rate 0800 Engineering and Architecture Group 2144 Cargo Scheduling 0801 General Engineering 2150 Transportation Operations 0802 Engineering Technical 2151 Dispatching 0803 Safety Engineering 2152 Air Traffic Control 0804 Fire Protection Engineering 2154 Air Traffic Assistance 0806 Materials Engineering 2161 Marine Cargo 0807 Landscape Architecture 2181 Aircraft Operation 0808 Architecture 2183 Air Navigation 0809 Construction Control Technical 2185 Aircrew Technician 0810 Civil Engineering 2186 Technical Systems Program Manager 0817 Survey Technical 2199 Transportation Student Trainee 0819 Environmental Engineering 2210 Information Technology Management 0828 Construction Analyst 2299 Information Technology Student

Trainee