Career Readiness, Assessments, and Certifications Web-Based Platform

The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (DHEWD), through the State of Administration's Office of Purchasing, is requesting proposals for a Career Readiness, Assessments, and Certifications Web-Based Platform with proposals due September 10, 2026 at 2:00 PM Central Time, and a pre-proposal teleconference scheduled for August 17, 2026 at 3:00 PM Central Time. Federal funds apply, requiring full compliance with OMB 2 CFR Part 200, the Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment (with civil penalties of $10,000–$100,000 per violation), the Drug Free Workplace Act, and comprehensive nondiscrimination requirements under Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Equal Pay Act, and Age Discrimination Act.

The platform must deliver National Career Readiness Certificates (NCRC) or equivalents, web-based curriculum covering essential workforce skills and career readiness competencies, and assessment tools in applied math, graphic literacy, workplace documents, applied technology, and workplace observation. Access must extend to Missouri Job Centers, the Office of Workforce Development, and publicly funded two-year colleges across Missouri's 112 participating counties. Minimum qualifications include two years issuing NCRC certificates or equivalents, two years working with government entities of comparable scope and size, and two years providing system maintenance and technical support for career readiness platforms. The contractor must maintain 99 percent system availability, provide 24-hour technical support via toll-free telephone and email Monday–Friday 7:00 AM–7:00 PM CST, ensure U.S.-only data storage and isolation, and obtain prior written state approval before implementing any artificial intelligence, machine learning, or automated decision-making technologies. Background checks through the Missouri State Highway Patrol are required for all personnel.

The initial contract period is one year with renewal options for four additional one-year periods at the Division of Purchasing's discretion. Pricing is firm and fixed with monthly invoicing for assessments and annual invoicing for licenses. The incumbent is ACT (WorkKeys products since 2004 under contract CT211783002). Submissions are electronic through MissouriBUYS.