ACT Math, Science & ELA Independent Alignment Study

The South Dakota Department of Education's Division of Learning and Instruction is seeking a qualified consultant to conduct an independent alignment study of ACT Math, English Language Arts, and Science assessments. The primary objective is to evaluate the alignment of high school assessments with state standards and establish connections to career and college readiness benchmarks. The selected vendor must possess expertise in Federal Peer Review Critical Elements, IDEA, ESSA, and WIOA legislation, with a minimum requirement of a master's degree in Education or a related field. The proposal will be evaluated using a 100-point scoring system, with points allocated to cost and reliability (15 points), experience and qualifications (20 points), available resources (15 points), past performance (10 points), project locale familiarity (10 points), project management techniques (15 points), project constraint handling (10 points), and understanding of federal peer review requirements (5 points). Key dates include a Letter of Intent due by January 17, 2025, written inquiries deadline of January 27, 2025, proposal submission deadline of February 17, 2025 at 5:00 PM CT, and an anticipated award and contract negotiation in March 2025. The contract term is scheduled from April 30, 2025, to September 30, 2026, with the possibility of four additional one-year extensions.

The contract opportunity includes specific restrictions on vendor eligibility through South Dakota Executive Order 2023-02, which prohibits contracts with entities owned or controlled by foreign nationals from China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Cuba, or Venezuela. Contractors must certify they are not a "Prohibited Entity" and agree to provide immediate written notice if their status changes. Required insurance coverage includes Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence), Business Automobile Liability ($1,000,000 per accident), Worker's Compensation, and Professional Liability Insurance ($1,000,000). The state will support the project by compensating participating educators at $175 per day and assisting with recruitment through district assessment coordinators and educator listservs. While specific budget details will be determined during contract negotiations, the vendor will be responsible for compensating experts, educators, and project team members, including travel and lodging costs. The project will involve coordinating an alignment study workshop targeted for summer 2025, with flexibility for virtual or in-person meetings based on state consultation.