Examination Development Services (DGS-OTA)

The California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA), Office of Professional Examination Services (OPES) is seeking an item banking and examination development software solution through an Invitation for Bid (IFB #1111-0000000625). The procurement is specifically targeting a comprehensive software platform to support 40+ examination programs across state agencies, with requirements for multiple-choice and scenario-based item development, robust security protocols, statistical analysis capabilities, and multi-language support. Key procurement dates include March 18, 2016, for submission of questions, March 25, 2016, as the bid submission deadline, April 4, 2016, for award notification, and April 6, 2016, for contract execution. The initial contract term is 24 months, with options for three additional one-year renewals. Evaluation criteria will focus on the lowest responsive bid price, with the software solution needing to demonstrate capabilities for efficient item bank management, examination development, and comprehensive testing infrastructure. The software must provide specific features including secure item management, advanced statistical analysis tools, and flexible configuration for various examination formats.

The solicitation includes small business preferences of 5% and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) incentives ranging from 1-5%, though DVBE participation requirements are waived for this specific procurement. The DCA reserves the right to increase the agreement value by up to 10% for unanticipated tasks. Pricing requirements mandate that vendors include first-year installation and implementation costs, first and second-year software license, maintenance and support expenses, and comprehensive training costs. While no incumbent vendor is specified, the procurement suggests a need to replace or upgrade existing examination development systems. Potential contractors should be prepared to integrate with current state examination infrastructure and demonstrate scalability across multiple state agency testing programs. Although a specific budget range is not explicitly stated, the comprehensive requirements and multi-year contract structure suggest a significant investment in a mission-critical software solution for professional examination services.