IT Sourcing Event Template

The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction, Division of Standards, Accountability, and Research, is requesting proposals for cloud-based Software-as-a-Service college readiness assessments serving eleventh-, tenth-, and eighth-grade students statewide, with offers due October 7, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time through the Ariba Sourcing Module. Written questions are due September 14, 2026, with State responses by September 21.

The scope includes a nationally norm-referenced college admissions test for all eleventh-grade students, a diagnostic test for tenth-grade students aligned to that college admissions test, and a diagnostic test for eighth-grade students aligned to the same college admissions test. These assessments contribute to school-level achievement scores in the State's accountability model and inform college and university readiness determinations. The solution must be delivered as a cloud-based SaaS platform.

Vendors must comply with GovRAMP security requirements, with Restricted data classification requiring either GovRAMP Authorized status or a written commitment to achieve authorization within twenty-one months of contract award. Vendors must submit financial statements, complete background checks, and demonstrate compliance with North Carolina security and data handling policies.

The contract term is five years from award, with the State retaining an option to extend for two additional one-year periods at its sole discretion. This is an indefinite quantity agency-specific contract; the State reserves the right to make partial, progressive, or multiple awards where advantageous. Vendors must propose itemized costs in Attachment D and payment schedules based on acceptance of deliverables.

Evaluation criteria, in order of importance, are conformity with specifications, comparison with other vendors' offers, total cost of ownership, risks to the vendor's offer including financial stability, vendor schedule and timeline, and past performance and reference checks. The State may establish a competitive range and request Best and Final Offers. Protests of awards exceeding $25,000 may be filed within fifteen calendar days of award.