Contractor Licensure Examination Development and Administration-UPDATED

The State of Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance, Division of Regulatory Boards, Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors, is soliciting proposals through RFP 33501-267602 for the development and administration of contractor licensing examinations. The contractor will be responsible for developing and administering examinations for three license types: Contractors, Limited License Electricians, and Limited License Plumbers, with the state expecting to administer approximately 24,193 Contractor examinations, 8,371 Limited License Electrician examinations, and 1,917 Limited License Plumber examinations over the contract term. Required deliverables include establishing full-time testing centers in Nashville (five days per week), part-time testing centers in Knoxville and Memphis (two days per week), and monthly testing availability in Bristol, Chattanooga, Jackson, Johnson City, and Kingsport, with the option to offer examinations at additional contractor testing sites and state-approved technology schools. The contractor must maintain NASCLA accreditation as either an Accredited Examination Provider or Approved Administration Provider and must provide examination development, administration, score reports, and candidate support services. The RFP will be evaluated 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), with award going to the responsive and responsible respondent offering the best combination of attributes. Critical deadlines include a pre-response conference on March 9, 2026, written questions deadline of March 13, 2026, proposal due date of April 7, 2026, technical response evaluation by April 28, 2026, cost proposal opening on April 29, 2026, and Notice of Intent to Award on May 1, 2026, with the contract effective July 1, 2026.

The RFP does not identify any set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or incumbent vendor information in the available documentation. The contract structure is performance-based with compensation derived entirely through examination fees collected directly from candidates, meaning there is no cost to the State and the contractor retains all fees collected. The contractor must charge and collect applicable fees per examination type with fees remaining fixed throughout the contract term and subject to no adjustment or escalation; these fees must cover all contractor obligations including 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 to request any work during any contract period, making this a revenue-dependent opportunity where compensation is contingent upon examination volume. The resulting contract shall be effective for a term of sixty (60) months with no renewal options specified. Prospective contractors should contact DeRenne Raley, Sourcing Account Specialist at the Central Procurement Office, at (615) 251-5173 or DeRenne.Raley@tn.gov for additional information and complete RFP documentation available on the Tennessee General Services Procurement website.