Studies to Recommend Cut Scores for the 2009 Grade 12 Reading and Mathematics National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) to Represent Preparedness for Placement in College Credit-Bearing Courses and for Entry in Job Training Courses

The National Assessment Governing Board is preparing to set cut scores on the Grade 12 Reading and Mathematics 2009 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) in the following areas for each subject:

(1) Student preparedness for placement in a college course that counts as credit toward fulfilling general education requirements for the subject;
(2) Student preparedness for entry in a job training course for 5-7 occupations.

The Governing Board will require standard setting workshops with standard setting panels for both mathematics and reading for each area in which cut scores are needed. Each subject panel will include two replicate panels. A mathematics study will set a preparedness cut score for the grade 12 mathematics NAEP, and a reading study will set a preparedness cut score for the grade 12 reading NAEP. One workshop will include separate panels for both mathematics and reading to set preparedness cut scores for the relevant post-secondary activity, either college course placement or eligibility for a job training course. One workshop will be implemented for each of the 5-7 occupations selected for the preparedness research.

The Governing Board has used a modification of the bookmark standard setting method for setting achievement levels for NAEP in recent years and a bookmark-based methodology will be implemented for these judgmental standard-setting preparedness studies. A design document is being developed by the Governing Board to describe the procedures to be implemented for these studies, which are part of the larger set of judgmental standard setting studies to be implemented in the Governing Board's 12th grade preparedness research program. The final design document will provide details of the study design to be implemented for the procurement, and it will be a part of the RFP when it is issued. The design document will also be posted on Governing Board website at www.nagb.org. The RFP will also be posted on the web site after posting on www.fbo.gov.

The Governing Board will issue a Request for Proposals under full and open competition by the end of July, 2010. The contract type will be an Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract, with potentially multiple awards under task orders that could be either fixed price or cost reimbursement. This is a new procurement and there is no incumbent. Offerors may wish to submit bids to implement standard setting workshops in either or both post-secondary areas - higher education and job training.

Proposals will be due around August 23, 2010. The period of performance is anticipated to be approximately 24 months.

The basis for contract award is technical quality, although evaluation factors will also take into account cost or price and other factors. All responsible sources are encouraged to respond to the solicitation. Questions and comments on this notice may be submitted to the Contracting Officer, Munira Mwalimu, by 5:00 p.m. EST on Monday, July 26 to Munira.Mwalimu@ed.gov. Responses will be posted by approximately July 28.